News

18 local non-profits will take advantage of matching funds from the Portage Health Foundation in this year’s Giving Tuesday program. This year’s non-profits are the Swedetown Trails Club, Superior Search and Rescue, Simple Kindness for Youth, the Ontonagon County Cancer Association, Omega House, Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, Keweenaw …

Rachel Lankton – City of Houghton image. Houghton City Council members wrapped up last night’s meeting – and this term – by saluting Rachel Lankton, who is retiring after 16 years on the board. Mayor Robert Backon read a proclamation that also mentioned Lankton’s service on the Portage Lake District …

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community will hold its annual primary Saturday. This year’s election will take place only in the Baraga District. The L’Anse District doesn’t have enough Tribal Council candidates to require a vote. Baraga District candidates include incumbents Doreen Blaker and Robert D. “R.D.” Curtis, Jr., along with …

Saturday is the deadline for artists to submit works for the upcoming “Shaft” and “Junior Shaft” exhibitions. Projects in almost any medium are eligible, as long as they were inspired by mining history in the Copper Country, the physical signs of its presence or the effect it has had on …

With all the discussion about the numerous candidates in the election, a couple of state ballot issues have been somewhat overlooked. Proposition One would revise the formula for how money from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and the State Park Endowment Fund can be spent. Those formulas are set …

Houghton High School students will complete this week at home. In a social media post yesterday, high school principal Cole Klein explained that the district does not have enough substitute teachers available to cover staff who are unable to teach. Teachers will lead their regular classes at the regular times …

An order issued by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel banning open carry for firearms at polling places on Tuesday has been struck down. Yesterday, Michigan Court of Claims Chief Judge Christopher Murray issued a preliminary injunction based on a technicality, saying that Nessel had not followed proper procedure in establishing …

Legalization of recreational marijuana use in Michigan was supposed to cut down on illegal drug trafficking. So far, it hasn’t. At a news conference in Detroit yesterday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced that the amount of illegal pot they have seized coming into Michigan this year is 17 …

An employee of the Houghton County Clerk’s office has filed a lawsuit against County Clerk Jennifer Kelly.  A release from the Eliason Law Office in Hancock says the four-count suit stems from an email sent by Kelly on October 19th about employee Beverly Smith. In the email, Kelly is said …

COVID-19 cases in our region continue to rise. The latest report from the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department shows 97 new confirmed diagnoses and 21 more probable cases since the last summary was issued late Thursday.  Gogebic County leads the surge, with 46 confirmed positives and three deaths. Houghton County’s …