News

Houghton County Commissioner Roy Britz was absent at last night’s meeting. Commissioner Tikkanen wanted to thank State Senator McBroom and State Representative Markkanen for their effort on the state budget, and getting the county the funding needed to pay off debts resulting from the Father’s Day flood. He also said …

If you are commuting over the Portage Lake Lift Bridge between 2:00 and 5:00 AM the next two nights, be prepared for potentially lengthy delays. The last project had closures lasting around ten minutes. This time around, cars could be queuing for up to a half hour at a time. …

Many Baraga County employees will be getting raises. Last night, the Board of Commissioners approved annual salary increases of $1,200 per year for elected officials and department heads. It’s their first raise in at least three years. Union employees will get a 45 cents per hour boost. As the county …

Michigan Tech professor Steve Elmer will join colleagues from universities across the country, including Wisconsin-Madison, Purdue, Arkansas and others, as a Leadership Institute fellow in 2022. The program is offered through the American Kinesiology Association. Elmer says the group will meet monthly through Zoom or a similar virtual platform for …

Houghton County opted for the map drawn by Treasurer Lisa Mattila as it adjusts Board of Commissioner districts to reflect the latest census. The Apportionment Committee kept to five regions, although there were some efforts to bump that number to six. Clerk Jennifer Kelly was on the group and says …

Testing performed on sewage confirms the presence of the COVID-19 virus throughout the Village of L’Anse and the surrounding area. At last night’s council meeting, waste treatment system lead operator Erin Lahti said sewage influent virus levels spiked after Labor Day, but have since moderated. The village is part of …

You may notice a sticker with a different kind of look in the windows of Baraga County businesses. The chamber of commerce has finished its rebranding efforts, highlighting Keweenaw Bay. President Debbie Stouffer says the choice to elevate one of the area’s premier natural attractions was a deliberate one. If …

Isle Royale staff are planning to release a final update on the Horne Fire for the season later this week. The National Park Service’s last statement placed the blaze at 521 acres in size with 85 percent containment. Liz Valencia says that the weather has turned wet and humid in …

Finlandia University President Philip Johnson will resign at the end of the 2021-22 school year. Last week, he gave notice to the school’s Board of Trustees, which was accepted with regret. Board President Julie Badel says Johnson’s leadership over the recent years will be missed. The university will begin the …

Houghton County Lieutenant Detective Charlie Klein’s hard work begins paying off this week. Following the search for Cam Besonen in April in Ontonagon County, something the sheriff there says were the worst days of his professional career, Klein began investigating options that could reduce the time it takes to find …