News

Michigan’s ban on flavored nicotine-based vaping products has officially taken effect. Yesterday, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Diane Stephens denied a request for a temporary restraining order to hold off the ban. The suit in question was filed by Marc Slis, who owns 906 Vapor in Houghton. The case …

If the November, 2020, election was held in Michigan today, President Donald Trump would not fare well. In head-to-head matchups, a new Epic/MRA poll has the president losing by 10 points to Joe Biden, by six points to Elizabeth Warren, by four points to Bernie Sanders, and by three points …

Two legal challenges to Michigan’s ban on flavored nicotine-based vaping products have been rebuffed – for now. A lawsuit brought in Houghton County Circuit Court last week by 906 Vapor owner Mark Slis has been transferred to the Michigan Court of Claims. There, Judge Cynthia Diane Stephens declined to issue …

The fog is clearing in Lansing around Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s 147 line-item vetoes in the state budget. Whitmer released the full list of x’d-out items late this morning. Along with most of the extra money the Republican-led House and Senate earmarked for repair of four downstate highway bridges, the cuts …

Flu vaccinations are now available for area veterans enrolled in VA health care. Veterans may request the flu shot at their regularly scheduled VA appointments. They can also get the shot during a walk-in clinic at the Hancock VA office on October 23rd. No appointment will be necessary if you …

Backers of a petition drive to enact a ban on one type of abortion in Michigan say they’re more than halfway to their signature goal. The Michigan Values Life coalition includes Right to Life of Michigan, the Michigan Catholic Conference and several other anti-abortion groups. They want to outlaw the …

Lamprey treatments in our region continue. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel are scheduled to apply lampricides (Lampricid and Bayluscide) to the Ontonagon River in Ontonagon and Houghton counties. The selective poison will kill sea lamprey larvae burrowed in the stream bottom. Applications could begin as early as today, and …

Michigan has a budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, but there are a lot of big, black lines on it.  Governor Gretchen Whitmer used her line item veto 147 times to scratch nearly a billion dollars out of the plan sent to her by the Republican-led legislature. The biggest deletion …

The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department has issued a health warning for the area around the Julio scrap yards along the Ripley waterfront. State officials recently analyzed samples taken from the area. They found a long list of potentially harmful materials, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s), lead, mercury, and asbestos. Of …

The Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force has a new member. Tonya M. Swenor of Marquette is the energy assistance program manager for the Superior Watershed Partnership. She replaces Emily Leach, also of the Superior Watershed Partnership, who has resigned. The Task Force is charged with developing ways to provide more …