News

Michigan residents are being warned about paying for online Secretary of State services without first checking that the website they’re using is the official Michigan.gov site. The warning was issued Wednesday by Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson. She says her staff members are receiving more and more complaints from customers …

Michigan had the sixth most dog bite claims in the country 2013, according to claim statistics compiled in a new report from State Farm Insurance. The insurer says there were 162 claims last year, and it paid out nearly four million dollars as a result. California led the nation with …

Lots of discussion took place at yesterday’s Houghton County Board of Commissioners meeting and the hot topic was a wage increase. Judges from the family, district and circuit courts wanted the three court administrators to be paid the same and asked for two-pay-grade increase. The board declined the request and …

Two preliminary exams are scheduled for today in Houghton County District Court. 22-year-old Amber Smith is scheduled to appear in court on two felony charges: fleeing and eluding in the third degree and unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle. Smith could spend up to ten years in jail. Also, 28-year-old …

It appears legislators in Lansing may have to rethink some of the state budget. That’s because the House Fiscal Agency has issued a report saying the state will bring in a lot less in revenue than officials estimated just four months ago. At that time, a budget surplus was estimated …

Michigan Democrats today blasted a Republican bill that would render moot a ballot proposal raising the state’s minimum wage. The legislation from Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville repeals the state’s current minimum wage law, replacing it with a new law that would increase the minimum wage beginning September 1, 2014, to …

Be careful how close you get to get to reptiles and amphibians. The Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division is advising the public to be very cautious if handling reptiles and amphibians, as they can be carriers of Salmonella bacteria. Whenever possible, wild reptiles and amphibians should be left in …

Michigan’s business climate is among the worst in the nation according to the annual “Chief Executive” magazine “Best & Worst States For Business” survey. And it also went down a notch from last year. The survey asks CEOs about a variety of critical measures including tax and regulatory climate, the …

Testimony was heard in a Michigan House committee yesterday, on sophisticated cellphone tracking equipment that allows police to caputre a suspect’s cellphone information, traffic data and location. And the American Civil Liberties Union and others are raising questions about their potential abuse, and infringement on the privacy of innocent cellphone …

With construction season in full swing, commercial drivers in Houghton County that need to renew their medical certificates do not have to go far to get that done. Many are unaware that Aspirus Keweenaw has four providers between the Lake Linden, Laurium and Houghton clinics who are listed on the …