Local News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI) as well as Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI) offered support of any request by the State of Michigan for federal assistance in responding to the widespread flooding that occurred following the heavy rainfall in Houghton and Menominee Counties. On …

HOUGHTON COUNTY – Western U.P. Health Department issues the following information for homeowners affected by last Sunday’s flood, including tips on drinking water wells, septic systems, cleanup of flooded basements, and mosquito prevention. Private Drinking Water Wells Water from a well that has been flooded should be assumed to be …

HOUGHTON COUNTY – Western U.P. Health Department has confirmed that surface water samples collected at designated swimming beaches on Portage Lake, the Portage Waterway, and Lake Superior east of the North Canal Entry have high levels of E.coli and fecal coliform bacteria in exceedance of Michigan DEQ and U.S. EPA …

(Houghton, MI) – While crews continue to work on repairing more than 80 county roads damaged or closed following Sunday’s torrential rains and flooding, residents are being advised of both health and travel advisories by Emergency Management and other agencies. The Sheriff’s Office is telling ORV users that both the …

Tax Relief Enables Disaster Survivors to Focus on their Recovery LANSING, MICH. With Gov. Rick Snyder declaring a “state of disaster” for Houghton and Menominee counties on June 18, the Michigan Department of Treasury is providing state tax relief to disaster survivors within the affected areas. Individual and business taxpayers who …

The language of a petition to recall the Calumet Village President is unclear. That ruling was made by the Houghton County Elections Committee at a Clarity Hearing Wednesday regarding the recall petition against village president Dave Geisler. The petition sponsor Craig Kimmer gave testimony concerning the recall petition accusing Geisler …

Finlandia University is excited to host author and artist, Kiranada Sterling Benjamin, on campus this week. She will be teaching a rozome workshop June 20-24, specializing in different techniques in the fiber arts studio in the Jutila Center. Rozome is the art of creating patterns on silk using dyes and …

WESTERN UPPER PENINSULA – Western U.P. Health Department is keeping in place its precautionary closure of all recreational bathing beaches in the Western Upper Peninsula. Because of possible bacterial contamination, it is recommended that the public not swim or recreate in lakes until flood waters have subsided, storm runoff discontinues, …

The Superior Watershed Partnership (SWP) has deployed two 4-person Great Lakes Conservation Corps (SWP) crews to assist with disaster relief in Houghton and Keweenaw counties. Both crews were on site within 24 hours of the flood event and will continue to assist for at least two weeks, possibly longer if …

The Michigan Small Business Development Center of Upper Peninsula, in response to flood damage, is collecting information on all small businesses in the region that were affected or sustained damage from the flooding. This could include physical damage to property, loss of sales due to closures, loss of future sales …