News

About ten percent of those in the Western Upper Peninsula still don’t have health insurance. There were roughly 3,500 people without health insurance in Houghton County alone in 2014. And unless they qualified for an exemption, they would have to pay a fine when they filed their taxes. To help …

Two Houghton High School students are being recognized for their computing-related achievements and interests. Tech Today reports that Caitlyn McKenzie has been named winner of a Michigan regional award in the National Center for Women and Information Technology—Aspirations in Computing competition. Miriam Eikenberry-Ureel was a runner-up. They were honored at …

Elvis is returning to the building. The award-winning Elvis tribute artist Tony Rocker will be performing tonight at the historic Calumet Theater. Rocker and his band Comeback Special visited the Copper Country two years ago and the show was a huge success. With the costumes, the dancing and the music, …

A unique partnership is focusing on improving and maintaining conifer cover, which is essential to winter deer survival in the Upper Peninsula. The Department of Natural Resources and Plum Creek Timber Company are working together to manage more than 16,500 acres of industrial forest land for winter deer habitat. The …

A new report from the U.S. Census Bureau says the fastest-growing county in Michigan is Keweenaw County, whose population rose 1.7 percent between 2013 and 2014. Allegan, Kent, Ottawa and Wexford counties also showed population growth of at least one percent over the July 1, 2013 to July 1, 2014 …

Veterans in nine counties will find it easier to file a federal benefits claim with an accredited county veterans service officer, thanks to grants awarded by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. The County Incentive Grant program was created last year with $250,000 to fund new county departments of veterans affairs, …

The two companies that are administering state standardized tests for 2015 will continue that work for the next three years under contracts awarded Thursday by the Department of Education. Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan says Data Recognition Corporation and Measurement, Inc. were the two highest scoring bidders and are …

The state Senate Thursday unanimously approved legislation that would ensure active-duty military parents are not punished for not appearing in court over custody disputes while serving overseas and that they would retain custody as long as the child is in a safe environment. The measure would mandate that – unless …

A state House committee has approved a package of bills designed to save local communities money by eliminating February elections where turnout is often low. Representative Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Republican chair of the House Elections Committee, said the bills started out last term as simply stating an increase in a …

Got milk? For those who don’t, one Michigan lawmaker has introduced legislation that calls for a government-regulated non-profit breast milk bank. State Representative Erika Geiss says a breast milk bank is a place where mothers who are nursing can donate their excess milk. The Taylor Democrat believes breast milk donated …