News

Governor Gretchen Whitmer will sign legislation this morning that will reclassify 17-year-old offenders as juveniles. “Raise the Age” legislation received overwhelming bipartisan support as it passed the state house and senate. Michigan has been one of just four states that has funneled all 17-year-old offenders into adult court, and adult …

A group that supports the five national parks on Lake Superior has launched a new website. The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation has adopted the slogan “Five national parks. One superior lake.” Executive Director Kim Schneider told us the goal is to provide financial assistance for the federal facilities …

Scores by fourth and eighth graders on a national test were about the same in Michigan this year as they were the last time the test was administered two years ago. Michigan’s standing in relation to other states rose slightly, because the performance by some other states fell. The National …

Seasonal spookiness continues in the Copper Country. Kids are invited to trick or treat this afternoon from 4:00 until 6:00 at the Ranger III on the Houghton Waterfront. After that, the Portage Lake District Library and the Houghton Police Department are hosting a family-friendly Halloween party at the library… Houghton …

With discussions continuing across Michigan regarding the introduction of recreational marijuana sales, the state has streamlined processes and reduced fees for those involved with medical marijuana. Marijuana Regulatory Agency Executive Director Andrew Brisbo says the cost of a two-year license will drop from $60.00 to $40.00. A number of other …

Michigan’s latest round of Wildlife Habitat Grants includes two projects in the Copper Country. The Copper Country Chapter of the American Woodcock Society will receive $16,400 for a project in Keweenaw County. The Sustainable Resources Institute will get $138,600 for projects in Baraga and Ontonagon Counties, along with other efforts …

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has scheduled several meetings of the state Administrative Board, as negotiations to end the state’s budget crisis continue. Whitmer vetoed nearly a billion dollars in line items included in the 2019-2020 budget passed by the Republican-controlled legislature a month ago. She also used the Ad Board to …

Licensed Professional Counselors will continue to be able to diagnose and treat patients in Michigan. 10,000 counselors have been providing that service to 150,000 state residents. Recently, that service was threatened by a new interpretation of the law governing their licenses by the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. …

Governor Gretchen Whitmer wants more Michigan workers to qualify for overtime pay. The current federal standard was set 15 years ago, and requires that overtime pay be given to those who make less than around $24,000 per year. That level will be raised to around $35,500 on January first. Whitmer …

Signup is underway for those who would like to serve on Michigan’s new legislative redistricting commission. The commission will be charged with drawing state house and senate, and U.S. house district boundaries based on data from the 2020 census, for elections beginning in 2022. It will be formed based on …