Local News

The Copper Country Strawberry Festival opens today, featuring one of the Keweenaw’s sweetest agricultural products. On a recent Copper Country Today program, Judy Evart of the Chassell Lions Club told Rick Allen that strawberry growing in the area boomed early in the 20th century, as the lumber industry faded… No …

A local space technology company has landed a contract from NASA to continue development of thruster systems that will be used to maneuver small spacecraft. Orbion Space Technology will use advanced 3-D printing techniques to produce heating elements that will make thrusters easier and less expensive to build. With more …

The Youth Advisory Council of the Keweenaw Community Foundation has awarded $33,650 to 12 local organizations. The money comes from the Youth Endowment Fund, and will support projects that benefit youth in grades 6-12 in Houghton and Keweenaw counties.  The 12 grant recipients are:  Simple Kindness for Youth, to assist …

Two Houghton residents are facing charges after they were found sleeping in a car in the parking lot of the Escanaba Walmart. Escanaba Public Safety officers were called out around 1:00 Monday morning to check on the welfare of the two, and an eight-month-old baby in the back seat. Officers …

The City of Houghton has awarded $30,000 in grants to help 10 downtown businesses upgrade their appearances. The money comes from the Downtown Development Authority, and is double what is usually awarded. No grants were given out last year, because of the Father’s Day Flood, so that money was added …

K.I. Sawyer International Airport will be getting some new snow removal equipment, with help from the federal government. The $678,150 U.S. Department of Transportation Airport Infrastructure Grant was one of 264 awarded nationwide. Other airports in Michigan that received support include Bishop International Airport in Flint, the MBS International Airport …

The Calumet Theatre is looking to expand its base of volunteers. Executive Director Marlin Lee says there are lots of jobs that need to be filled… Lee says volunteers are essential in keeping the theatre open… You can find out more at an open house tonight at 7:00 at the …

The City of Houghton is studying traffic on and around the Houghton-Hancock Bridge. At last night’s City Council meeting, Police Chief John Donnelly said that the goal is to try to find ways to limit bridge openings to times when traffic patterns will be disrupted the least. Donnelly noted that …

A proposed revision of the City of Houghton’s Solid Waste ordinance did not advance at last night’s City Council meeting, because of a point raised during the public hearing. A citizen asked if something could be done to prevent the mess caused when bagged trash is placed at the curb …

The City of Houghton has revised its rental housing ordinance. At last night’s council meeting, City manager Eric Waara said that the new rules will streamline the licensing process by allowing the Zoning Administrator to grant a license to a conforming property, instead of requiring that all licenses be issued …