News

The Village of Calumet is giving up its effort to hire a police officer.  At last night’s village council meeting, council member Doug Harrer said the current posting has produced no qualified applicants. The public safety committee suggested abandoning the effort – for now – and considering using the money …

President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign is coming to the Copper Country. Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to make a stop at the Houghton County Memorial Airport tomorrow afternoon at 4:30. Doors will open at 3:00. Tickets must be obtained in advance online, and are limited to two per request. The …

Extended unemployment benefits will continue in Michigan – for now. Governor Gretchen Whitmer yesterday signed the bills recently passed by the state house and senate that will keep the extended benefits in place through the end of the year. Whitmer called for the legislature to make the extension from 20 …

A sexual misconduct allegation against an Upper Peninsula Catholic priest has ended with the ecclesiastical equivalent of a hung jury. Father Frank M. Lenz was accused of sexual misconduct with a minor. The alleged incident took place in the early 1970s. The charge was levied in 2018. Lenz had retired …

A new member of Michigan’s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is expected to be named this morning. Independent commissioner Glenn Shaw resigned last weekend, citing changed personal circumstances that would not allow him to fulfill his obligation. Shaw had been named to the commission September 23rd, to replace original member James …

The COVID-19 focus in the Western Upper Peninsula is swinging back to Gogebic County. The latest report released by the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department shows 59 more confirmed positives and 38 more probable positives in the five-county region. 24 of the confirmed positives and 35 of the probables came …

You’ve heard the radio ads. You’ve seen the yard signs, posters and stickers. The local “Stay Safe, Stay Open” campaign is based on the consensus that protecting ourselves and our neighbors from COVID-19 is the best way also to protect our local businesses… “Us, kind of tackling this pandemic and …

Local school districts continue to adapt to the new COVID-19 reality. At last night’s Hancock Board of Education meeting, Barkell Elementary School Principal Dan Vaara said this year’s Halloween celebration will be scaled back, but the traditional costume parade will still take place – outdoors, if Mother Nature cooperates… “Unfortunately, …

The COVID-19 infection rate in Michigan now matches the highest level we experienced last spring. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ rolling seven day average of confirmed infections rose to 1,620 in yesterday’s report. That’s just six below the first pandemic peak in early April. The good news …

The  Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is expanding the number of free COVID-19 testing sites available.  Partnerships with Walgreens and the Michigan Primary Care Association will add 77 new sites, and bring the total number of free testing locations across the state to nearly 100. The Walgreens stores …