January 2024 Marquette Monthly by marquettemonthly

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

January 2024 No. 417

Publishers

Jane Hutchens James Larsen II

Managing Editor Erin Elliott Bryan Carrie Usher

Graphic Design Jennifer Bell

Proofreader Circulation

Chief Photographer Tom Buchkoe

Marquette Monthly, published by Model Town Publishing, LLC, located at PO Box 109, Gwinn, MI, 49841, is locally and independently owned. Entire contents Copyright 2024 by Model Town Publishing. All rights reserved. Permission or use of editorial material in any manner must be obtained in writing from the publishers. Marquette Monthly is published 12 times a year. Subscriptions are $65 per year. Freelance material can be submitted for consideration to editor@marquettemonthly.com. Events can be submitted to calendar@marquettemonthly.com. Ad inquiries can be sent to james@marquettemonthly.com or jane@marquettemonthly.com.

906-360-2180 marquettemonthly.com

Highlights of important happenings in the area

News from U.P. universities & colleges

16 Then & Now

Superior View

The Dreamland Bar & Restaurant in Houghton County

New York Times Crossword Puzzle Freestyling (answers on page 45)

18 Locals

Brad Gischia

Karla Sunn wins Bonifas media award

22 Lookout Point

Erin Elliott Bryan

Ishpeming native works to combat genocide

Kingsley Agassi Dick Armstrong

City Notes

14 On Campus

Kristy Basolo

Calendar Editors

contents

25 Feature

Brad Gischia

U.P. thriving in aerospace industry

29 Lookout Point

Pam Christensen

33 Back Then

Michael Murray

38 The Arts

Eleni Robertson

40 Lookout Point

Jennifer Donovan

42 In the Outdoors

Scot Stewart

46 Superior Reads

Victor R. Volkman

U.P. offers fun ways to pass the winter

Coach John MacInnes leaves winning legacy

Beaumier Heritage Center exhibit features Lewis Cass

Finlandia buildings finding their new purpose

Secret places offer unique connection to nature

About the Cover Artist This watercolor, painted by Au Train artist Sue Baptist, depicts a morning after a storm in the Shelter Bay area of Lake Superior. Everchanging Lake Superior and the forest with waterfalls, fauna and flora are living, creative inspiration for the artist.

Examining the Seney Fire from the inside

Poetry

Silver Linings

49 Out & About

Jesse Koenig

Erin Elliott Bryan & Carrie Usher

January events and music, art and museum guides

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

city notes Jeff Eaton, husband of MM founder, died Nov. 9

eff Eaton, husband of the late Mary Kinnunen, who founded Marquette Monthly in 1987, died unexpectedly on Nov. 9 at the age of 71 at his home in Rhinelander, Wisc. Eaton was a regular contributor of articles and photos as well as a general support to the publication and its staff between 1989 and its sale to Pat Ryan O’Day. Eaton studied English and journalism at Central Michigan University and worked for 15 years as a reporter, photojournalist and editor for newspapers in Cadillac, Lansing and Marquette before earning a Master’s degree in English and Writing with an emphasis in poetry from NMU. He married Kinnunen on Leap Day in 1992. Later that year, Eaton moved with his family to Chengdu, China, as the first participant in a teacher exchange between NMU and Sichuan Normal University. He taught English composition and Anglo-American studies to English majors. Following his return from China, Eaton took a job in the English department at Nicolet Area Technical College in Rhinelander, where he taught writing, literature and interpersonal communication for 20 years. In retirement, Eaton curated Blues Friday and Crossroads Cafe programs on WXPR radio, volunteered with ArtStart, participated in open mics, and drove around the region to support live music. He was a supporter of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau and volunteered to film and edit video coverage of its exhibits. A burial and memorial event are being planned for the Upper Peninsula in the spring.

style for depicting the rugged north country wilderness, including Lake Superior. LSAA members are encouraged to attend and the free event is open to the community. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Shiras Room of the Peter White Library. Visit lakesuperiorartassociation. org, email lsaainfo4u@gmail.com or call 906-399-9824 for details.

Lake Superior Knitters showcase artists’ work

he Lake Superior Knitters meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month MRHC from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Marquette Regional History Center. For the monthly meetings, the group will continue to reach out to community members to share their experiences. Members mentor those who are new to knitting; the group has a wide range of experiences, interests and age groups. The MRHC has a collection of various pieces in the fiber arts. Local women study the pieces and provide information on the historical perspective and tools used, and they assist in preservation. The museum also hosts the Lake Superior Fiber Festival every other fall that is open to all community women to display their work

and attended presentations on different topics. Meeting attendees make a donation of $1 to $5 to the MRHC.

Laughing Whitefish Bird Alliance to meet Jan. 10

kye Haas and Gary Palmer will present “Counting Birds for Whitefish Point” at the Laughing Whitefish Bird Alliance’s next monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 10 in the Heritage Room of the Peter White Library. Haas and Palmer both have extensive experience with counting waterbirds and raptors, and being involved with various programs at Whitefish Point, as well as numerous hours casually birding this hotspot. They will offer their insight to the point, talk about rarities and experiences they have had there and share photos of birds. Visit laughingwhitefishaudubon.com for details.

First meeting of Marquette Art Muses set for Jan. 11

he newly formed Marquette Art Muses is a group of creative individuals who will meet informally each month to serve as a source of artistic inspiration. The goal of the group is to encourage and motivate artists to create individual works of art in a supportive and positive community

Lake Superior Art Association to host January events

he Lake Superior Art Association (LSAA) will present two community events in January. An Art Talk by Mary Brodbeck, who has spent many years studying Mokuhanga, a traditional Japanese woodblock printing technique, will take place on Jan. 9 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Shiras Room of the Peter White Library. Artists, Sister Cities participants and the general public can enjoy the presentation as well as an opportunity to express interest in a printmaking workshop. On Jan. 30, Lynn Buckland-Brown will present an Art Talk about the Group of Seven, a coterie of Canadian artists who created a distinctive native

Bradford Veley is a freelance cartoonist, illustrator and farmer in the U.P. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram and at bradveley.com.

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

gathering where everyone, regardless of skill level, is welcome. All genders are welcome to participate. The first meeting will take place on Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. at The Courtyards in Marquette. Ideas for an art challenge will be selected using cards included with the book The Artist’s Muse: Unlock the Door to Your Creativity by Betsy Dillard Stroud. At the next monthly gathering, artists will bring their creations to share with others. For details, contact Lynn Buckland-Brown at lbuckmar2@yahoo. com or 906-399-9824.

Red Jacket Readers to discuss Phyllis Wong book

he Calumet Public Library will host its Red Jacket Readers book club discussion at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 17 in the Community Room. The selection will be We Kept Our Towns Going by Phyllis Michael Wong. Wong’s book tells the stories of the Gossard Girls, women who sewed corsets and bras at factories in Ishpeming and Gwinn from the early twentieth century to the 1970s. Through interviews with surviving workers and their families, Wong highlights the working lives of these mostly first- and second-generation immigrant women. The book club is open to everyone. The library has multiple copies of the book to check out and it is also available for purchase in independent

bookstores. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Calumet Public Library. Additionally, the Friends of the Library will have its monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 9 and Preschool Story Time takes place each Thursday at 10:15 a.m. For details, call 906-3370311, ext. 1107.

Hiawatha Music Co-op supports traditional music

anuary’s Hiawatha on Tap (HOTAP), titled Preserving the Roots: Women in Traditional Music, will take place on Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. at Ore Dock Brewing Company in Marquette. The show will feature Kerry Yost and Sarah Mittlefehldt with Katrina Keough and Erin Smith. Tickets are $5 for HMC members and $10 for non-members, and children 12 and younger are free. All proceeds support the Co-op and traditional music artists. The Hiawatha Music Co-op also hosts monthly jams. On the first and third Sundays of each month, the Slow Fiddle Jam takes place from 1 to 3 p.m., and the Phil Watts Old Time Jam follows from 3 to 5 p.m. On the 4th Wednesday of each month, M.U.G. (Marquette Ukulele Group) meets from 6 to 8 p.m. All skill levels are welcome at the Hiawatha Music Co-op office in the Village Shopping Center in Marquette. For details, visit hiawathamusic.org.

137th Ski Jumps Set

Ishpeming Ski Club Ski Jumping Tournament will be held at the U.P. Nordic Ski Complex in Negaunee from Jan. 19 through 21. The weekend will be complete with tailgating, bonfires, food trucks, beer tent, fireworks and great views. There will also be a Nordic combined cross-country ski race on the Ishpeming Ski Club Norman Juhola Trail System during the weekend competition. The cost is $15 per person in advance and $20 per person at the gate, with children 12 and younger free. Visit ishskiclub.com for details.

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

Marquette Choral Society seeking new members

he Marquette Choral Society is welcoming new members for its Spring 2024 season. Rehearsals will begin on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Choral Room (Room 250) of the Thomas Fine Arts Building at NMU. The choir will feature the music of contemporary composer Eric Whitacre at its concerts on April 27 and 28. All singers are welcome to register at rehearsals on Jan. 22 and 29, or Feb. 5. No audition is required. A registration fee of approximately $65 covers the cost of music and contributes toward concert expenses. Full or partial scholarships may be available. MCS rehearses from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays in the NMU Choral Room. Marquette Choral Society is a mixed-voice, non-auditioned, adult choir of approximately 100 singers from a four-county region in the U.P. The ensemble was founded in 1971 by Dr. William Dehning and is currently led by musical director Dr. Erin Colwitz. For details, visit facebook.com/ MarquetteChoralSociety, marquettechoralsociety.org or email choralsociety906@gmail.com.

Regional history center to present ‘Legends & Lore’

ack Deo and Jim Koski will share “Legends and Lore,” stories of individuals and historical quirks from throughout Marquette County’s more than 170-year history. From community-defining moments to the people who built the U.P. to moments of nostalgia, the show will bring to light some forgotten aspects of local history with pictures, facts and humor. This fundraiser for the Marquette Regional History Center will be presented on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. at Kaufman Auditorium. This event is sponsored in part by TV6 and Fox UP. Tickets are available online at marquettehistory.org or in person at the museum store, 145 W. Spring St. In advance, tickets are $15 for general seating and $20 for VIP balcony seating; at the door, tickets will increase by $5. For details, call 906-226-3571.

U.P. photographers invited to submit for competition

he Bonifas Arts Center in Escanaba is accepting photographs in its Triennial Photography Competition show. This year’s theme is “The U.P. Through My Lens.” All photographers, from novice to professional, are invited to submit work that highlights the Upper Peninsula. Photographs can be of nature,

landscapes, cityscapes, pets, boats, homes and more. Winners will receive $500 for first place, $300 for second place and $150 for third place. This year’s judge is Amy Gilner Photography and prize money was sponsored by fellow photographer Doug Hagley. The exhibit dates are Jan. 11 through Feb. 22; the deadline to drop off artwork, application and payment is Jan. 5. For information, visit bonifasarts.org/artists-vendors.

Calumet business invited to showcase designs in Italy

igh’s Adventure Gear (HAG), a business born in Alaska that is now based in Calumet, has been invited to showcase its craftsmanship and unique designs at Pitti Immagine Uomo 2024, the world’s leading men’s winter fashion show and trade fair, at the beginning of January. Founded by Justin and Jaimee High, HAG was initially established in 2012 as a dog mushing gear crafter and has been synonymous with top-quality gear for dogs and their equipment. In August 2023, a representative from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) visited the store. Months later, an email arrived with an invitation to Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence, Italy. With the invitation, HAG is poised to make an impact on the global fashion stage. For details, visit highsadventure. com.

Literacy Legacy Fund donates books to rural libraries

iteracy Legacy Fund of Michigan (LLF Michigan) donated hardcover copies of the children’s book Hush-a-Bye Night: Goodnight Lake Superior by Upper Michigan-based author Thelma Godin to rural libraries throughout Upper and Lower Michigan as part of an expanded Giving Tuesday effort. Released in 2023, the book shares the tale of animals, flora and fauna coming to life along the shores of Lake Superior with additional plant and animal facts at the back of the book. Following its release, the book was selected by Oprah Winfrey to read on her Emmy-nominated Storyline Online. LLF Michigan distributed 20 books to various rural libraries in Marquette, Alger, Kent, and Presque Isle counties. Libraries included the AuTrain Onota Public Schools Library, Forsyth Township Public Library, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, Munising School Public Library, Negaunee Public Library,

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

Powell Township School Library, Republic-Michigamme School Public Library, Richmond Township Library, Superior Central School Library, and Wells Township School Library. A copy was also distributed to Peter White Public Library in Marquette, LLF Michigan’s headquarters library. For details, visit literacylegacyfund.org.

To make reservations, visit recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/ 10288329.

Pet owners asked to work with vets to protect dogs

s outdoor enthusiasts prepare to book their 2024 peak season reservations, the Hiawatha National Forest has announced changes to the reservation process for campsites at the Grand Island National Recreation Area. All Grand Island campsite reservations are on one page, the Grand Island National Recreation Area facility page, on recreation.gov. By consolidating the campsites under one facility page on Recreation.gov, visitors will no longer pay multiple reservation fees for a consecutive night stay to the campsites on Grand Island but instead will pay one reservation fee for a consecutive night stay at multiple campsites. Recreation fees for each campsite still apply and vary by site.

s reports and concerns over an atypical canine infectious respiratory illness affecting dogs across the nation continue to grow, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (MSU VDL) encourage dog owners to remain vigilant regarding their pet’s health and to work closely with their veterinarian if they notice signs of illness. There are multiple causes of infectious respiratory diseases in dogs, many of which can be prevented or minimized through routine vaccination or timely veterinary care. Signs of the disease include coughing, sneezing, nasal and/or eye discharge, fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy. Coughing may persist for weeks to months, and severe forms of the disease can progress to life-threatening pneumonia. In general, the illness is contagious, spreading among dogs that have contact with other dogs. The only way to distinguish between the multiple causes of in-

January 2024

Improvements offered to Grand Island reservations

Marquette Monthly

fectious respiratory disease in dogs is through early diagnostic testing. For details, contact your veterinarian or visit avma.org.

Gwinn Area Community Fund announces grantees

he Community Foundation of Marquette County has announced that the Gwinn Area Community Fund received a $25,000 contribution from a private donor for a fall grant cycle. The Gwinn affiliate fund board reviewed 20 applications and awarded grants to the Gwinn St. Vincent DePaul facility, the Gwinn Seed Library, Forsyth Senior Center, Sawyer Community Enrichment Programs and the Skandia Township Recreational Facilities. For details, call 906-226-7666 or visit cfofmc.org.

UPHCS Receives UP Behavioral Health Network grants

pper Peninsula Health Care Solutions (UPHCS) was recently awarded a one-year Rural Health Network Development Planning grant in the amount of $100,000 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to support the de-

velopment of an Upper Peninsula Behavioral Health Network (UP-BHN). In addition, UPHCS was awarded a two-year Pediatric Mental Health grant in the amount of $106,165.93 from the Superior Health Foundation (SHF) to bolster the UP-BHN to serve youth and adult populations with the understanding that the health of the whole family is crucial to the health of children. All 15 counties of the Upper Peninsula are designated as “High Needs” Geographic Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Most of the psychiatrists that serve the region are either clustered in Marquette or accessible only through the community mental health (CMH) system or the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), both of which are subject to stringent eligibility requirements that limit the size of the populations they are able to serve. Over the course of the grant period, the UP-BHN will establish a network of behavioral health care providers, hospitals, clinics, health departments, tribal health care organizations and third-party payers to evaluate and develop region-wide solutions to the care access issues leading to poor health outcomes for the residents of the U.P. For details, visit uphcs.org.

Trail Reopening

Daryl St. John of the Keweenaw ATV Club is shown just after cutting a red ribbon held across Dollar Bay to the Lake Linden section of Trail No. 3 in Houghton County. Supporters and partners joined the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to celebrate the reopening of a roughly eight-mile segment of snowmobile and off-road vehicle trail devastated by the Father’s Day flood in June 2018. In what is likely the Michigan DNR’s largest trail repair project, $10.5 million was spent for work that took contributions of time, money and expertise from numerous sources. Repair work was needed at 171 sites along the 7.8 miles of recreation trail.

Energy grants opportunities open for applicants

he Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), which is committed to increasing energy efficiency and reducing Michigan’s reliance on nonrenewable energy sources, has announced that the following grants are open to applicants from across Michigan. The open EGLE grants are: $1.2 million available to public, private or nonprofit entities for deploying publicly available fast-charging electric vehicle stations along the Lake Michigan Circuit (applications close Jan. 31); $250,000 available to farmers and rural businesses to accelerate renewable energy adoption and increase energy efficiency (applications close March 3); $250,000 available to small manufacturers to implement process energy efficiency measures (applications close March 3); $150,000 available to local governments, tribal governments and other public-service entities for energy-related projects (applications close March 30); and $100,000 available to small businesses for implementing energy efficiency upgrade recommendations following an environmental assessment (applications close March 3). Michigan local and tribal governments can get one-on-one technical assistance to help identify and apply

for grants. For information, contact Kate Madigan at Kate@KateMadigan.com. The Michigan Infrastructure Office also has a Technical Assistance Center that funds communities to directly contract with consultants through their Metropolitan Planning or Economic Development Organizations for grant writing, administration, and other services. Local governments, tribal governments or community organizations that need help applying for climate or energy-related funding may be able to acquire free grant writing support and/ or technical assistance from 5 Lakes Energy, LLC; contact Andy Draheim at ADraheim@5LakesEnergy.com.

NFWF grants to aid conservation efforts in Michigamme

he National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) recently announced $5.6 million in 10 grants through Walmart’s Acres for America program that will help to permanently protect more than 148,000 acres of wildlife habitat across nine states. The Acres for America program is a nearly 20-year partnership between NFWF and Walmart. NFWF also announced the support of the Life Time Foundation to conserve forests and wildlife habitats and increase access to nature. The foundation will provide a $1 million grant to

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

support the permanent conservation of approximately 100,000 acres of North American forest to benefit the environment, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, climate resilience, public access and recreation. This year’s largest project for both programs—a combined $1 million to the DNR—will support a roughly $20 million effort to acquire a conservation easement of more than 73,000 acres of forest, coldwater lakes, trout streams and wetlands in the U.P.’s Michigamme Highlands.

Bill will expand home care options for veterans

egislation introduced by Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) and Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) passed the House with broad bipartisan support on Dec. 5. The bill, H.R. 542, the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act of 2023, will improve and expand the VA Home and Community-Based Services program. The bipartisan bill is tailored to older veterans, requiring VA ensures those entering their later years have access to the long-term care option that meets their specific needs and desires. By enhancing VA’s non-institutional long-term care services through Rep. Bergman and Brownley’s bill, more aging and disabled Veterans would be extended the option of staying in their homes for treatment, and institutional care could be reserved for veterans who truly need intensive, round-the-clock assistance and services. This would help address shortages and waitlists that come from

Marquette Monthly

Did You Know ... there was a major Swedish farming community in the Upper Peninsula?

lthough Swedes developed farms in many areas, Skanee north of L’Anse was created in 1871 by Captain Walfred Been who arrived with his family. He created a prosperous Swedish community with a school and a Lutheran church. It prospered until the young people left for city jobs in the late 20th century. However, it continues as a town in Baraga County and enjoys a tourist trade. Submitted by Dr. Russell M. Magnaghi, history professor emeritus of NMU and author of several books, including Classic Food and Restaurants of the Upper Peninsula.

limited admissions at long-term care facilities.

From the desk of Governor Gretchen Whitmer

• Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Directive 2023-5, which will transition the State of Michigan’s fleet to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). The executive directive instructs Michigan state departments and agencies to prioritize ZEVs in their fleet; prioritize transitioning vehicles that travel the most miles first; prioritize transitioning vehicles in communities historically impacted by higher pollution; install electric vehicle supply equipment, including publicly accessible chargers, in high-density areas; and establish clear exemption criteria for specific fleet vehicles and offer alternative emission reduction options including hybrids. • Whitmer signed Senate Bills 613 through 616, bipartisan legislation

January 2024

aimed at ensuring Michiganders have a transparent, responsive state government. Senate Bills 613 and 614 will require public officials and candidates seeking elected office to file financial disclosure reports with the Department of State. Officials and candidates will also be required to file certain information pertaining to their spouses. Senate Bills 615 and 616 amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act to allow candidate committees to pay fees associated with Senate Bills 613 and 614. • Whitmer and the DNR recently announced $6,461,500 in recommended Land and Water Conservation Fund grants to support upgrades in eight community parks, trails and sports facilities, as well as one land acquisition—funding that will help create more opportunities for area residents and visitors to connect with the outdoors. Included in the grant is $3,500,000 for the acquisition of ap-

proximately 8,000 acres in the Keweenaw Peninsula. • Whitmer signed Senate Bill 410, bipartisan legislation repealing Michigan’s immunity shield for drug manufacturers. This makes Michigan the final state in the nation to repeal the shield and allow Michiganders to hold drug companies accountable if they or a family member are harmed. For the first time in 30 years, residents and state and local governments can now sue pharmaceutical companies and distributors for injuries caused by their products. Over the last few years, several states have worked together to secure settlements for impacted citizens from opioid manufacturers. Michigan will receive nearly $800 million, which will be used to help communities better address the opioid crisis by funding effective treatment. • Whitmer announced appointments to the state’s newly established LGBTQ+ Commission, which ensures that Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community is represented at all levels of government. Among the appointees are Dr. Renee McLaughlin, of Chatham, the National Medical Director at CIGNA Healthcare who is appointed to represent medical professionals who regularly provide care to the LGBTQ+ community; and Al Gray, of Marquette, an LLMSW at Suunta Integrative Health and a program coordinator for Trace Holistic Inc. in Marquette, who is appointed to represent rural communities. Gray is also a volunteer co-facilitator with the Upper Peninsula’s Stand with Trans Teen support group. Raúl Hernández

Guzmán has been selected as the first administrator for the LGBTQ+ Commission. • Gov. Whitmer officially launched the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential (MiLEAP) on Dec. 1. The new department, established by executive order in July, is tasked with improving outcomes for preschool through postsecondary students. The new department will take over several early learning, higher education and education partnership responsibilities from other state departments led by acting director Michelle Richard. • Whitmer awarded 11 grants totaling $4 million to cities and road commissions to help rebuild local roads across Michigan. The Gogebic County Road Commission will resurface Lake Road from Jackson Road to Slade Road, which includes paving new asphalt, painting new pavement markings and updating the guardrails to meet safety standards. Lake Road is an all-season roadway and is the primary access route between US-2 and the Gogebic-Iron County Airport. The roadway is rutted in the wheel paths, which can hold ice and rain. The total project cost is $570,660. The State of Michigan is providing $375,000 in funding and the local road commission will cover $195,660. • Whitmer signed clean energy legislation on Nov. 28, making Michigan a national leader in the fight against climate change. The bills aim to lower household utility costs, create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, and protect Michigan’s air, water, and

Little Cubs

Little Cubs Learning Center LLC celebrated its new childcare group home at 325 Brookton Road in Marquette. Owner Lysa Stockwell is the first graduate of the Childcare SPARK program to open an inhome, group daycare. Childcare SPARK combines expertise from business development, operations and childhood development organizations to help interested entrepreneurs understand, launch, operate and grow home-based childcare businesses. Stockwell became concerned about finding and paying for daycare in Marquette when her daughter became pregnant. She and her husband retired and moved to Marquette to assist their daughter with childcare.

public health. The clean energy bills deliver on the proposals in the governor’s MI Healthy Climate Plan, which laid out a roadmap for Michigan’s clean energy future. • Whitmer signed legislation to reduce bureaucracy in public schools, declare Juneteenth and increase affordable housing protections. The new laws will ensure due process for teachers who face disciplinary action, eliminating arbitrary use of state sum-

mative data, and outlining a pathway for educators to improve, while considering locally agreed-upon metrics of student academic progress. • Whitmer signed the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) into law. The RHA builds on efforts to expand access to abortion in Michigan after the passage of Proposal 3 and the repeal of the state’s 1931 abortion ban earlier this year. The package of bills repeals Michigan’s TRAP Laws, which are

January 2024

designed to close abortion providers; repeals a law from 1931 that would have criminalized nurses and doctors for prescribing medication abortion; ensures students at Michigan public universities have access to accurate information about all their reproductive health options; and repeals the law that forced patients to buy a separate rider for abortion. • Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II joined the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) on Nov. 17 to announce strategic grants and collaborations that will position Michigan as a leading destination for high-tech education, testing and training. As part of the launch, three of Michigan’s top research institutions, including Michigan Tech, have been selected to receive grant funding that will support educational and technical workforce training initiatives for students and professionals across the state in the mobility industry. Michigan Tech will receive $100,000 to establish a drone operator training program, which will support the state’s need for training Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and drone pilots to safely operate around different types of infrastructure, including how to collect condition data needed for effective asset management of bridges, roads and other infrastructure.

Local business news in brief

• Tonya Darner has been named permanent chief executive officer of UP Health System – Marquette; Darner served as chief operating officer since 2021 and has more than 25

Marquette Monthly

years of experience in medical practice management and healthcare administration. • The Marquette County Land Bank Authority (MCLBA) announced the appointment of Antonio Adan as the new housing specialist; Adan will engage in quarterly meetings with the Marquette County Local Government Task Force, an effort crucial for aligning county housing strategies with broader local and regional plans, and oversee the implementation of the Target Market Analysis to understand housing market trends and needs. • Winter enthusiasts have ranked Mount Bohemia Ski Resort as No. 1 in North America. The USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice contest placed Lac La Belle’s all-natural ski resort first and ahead of snow destinations like South Lake Tahoe, California, and Banff, Alberta. • UP Health System – Marquette welcomed Lauren Lemery, FNP-C, MSN, to its UP Medical Group | Marquette Family Medicine practice. As a certified family nurse practitioner (FNP-C), Lemery sees and treats patients of all ages for primary care and family medicine services, including well-child exams, annual physicals, sports physicals, chronic disease management, acute care visits, women’s health and more. • UP Health System – Marquette has welcomed board-certified interventional and endovascular cardiologist Richard Markiewicz, MD, FSCAI, RVPI, to its Heart and Vascular Center. • Northern Initiatives, a nonprofit lender supporting small businesses in Michigan, has reached $100 million in loans provided to small businesses as it is celebrating its 30th year. It has provided capital and business services to more than 1,600 businesses in Michigan and parts of Wisconsin. • Eagle Harbor’s newest sauna, Lake Superior Steam, is now open, offering both private and social sessions. Sauna-goers can expect quality, wood-fired saunas with a trained guide to teach about the wellness benefits and history of saunas. For details, visit lakesuperiorsteam.com. • Three U.P. organizations have received money from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP) received $3.4 million for economic development, which will fund five “Business Navigators” who will work in the communities that they serve. Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation (MTEC) received $3.4 million in grant funding to help small

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

businesses launch more quickly or businesses that have been in existence for a while that need help expanding product lines or growing. The Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation received $1.4 million. • Kall Morris Inc., a Marquette-based space solutions company, has received $5 million in U.S. Department of Defense contracts and private investment. With these contracts and investments, KMI continues to make strides in the field of In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM). • The City of Negaunee has been awarded the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification from the MEDC for its efforts in establishing a solid foundation to attract private investment and further build on municipality assets. • The Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) has announced an $838,000 grant awarded to Michigan Tech to support a major expansion of semiconductor education and training programs across the Upper Peninsula while responding to Michigan’s increased demand for skilled technicians and engineering professionals in the semiconductor industry. • Carla’s Bears Den Bar & Grill, owned by restaurateurs Carla and Doug Engle, had a grand opening at their US-41 location in Three Lakes/ Michigamme and is open Tuesdays through Saturdays at 4 p.m. • Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, has announced the appointment of Whitney Gravelle of Bay Mills Indian Community to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new Tribal Advisory Committee. • The Iron Ore Heritage Recreation Authority hosted a retirement party for Carol Fulsher, outgoing trail administrator, on Dec. 20. Her last day as outgoing trail administrator was Dec. 31. Fulsher became involved in the early days of the creation of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail (IOHT) and served for two years as a board representative on the recreation authority before being hired as the first administrator for the trail in 2010. MM How to submit to City Notes The deadline for event and press release submissions for City Notes is the 10th day of the month prior to publication. Email your press release to editor@marquettemonthly.com.

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

on campus

Tech gets grant for Chem Sci building

ichigan Tech has received a $5 million outright grant — with the potential for a $2 million matching grant — from The Herbert H. and Grace A. (HHGA) Dow Foundation for renovations to the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building (Chem Sci). The four-year grant supports Michigan Tech’s plans to increase capacity to design, develop and deliver solutions for rural health and human-centered engineering by creating a state-of-the-art health education and research center. Funding from the HHGA Dow Foundation will enable Michigan Tech to complete renovation of Chem Sci, a facility that will be integral to the new center. Upgrades will include new teaching labs, public and collaborative spaces, and classrooms, as well as significant improvements to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system that improve air quality while generating substantial energy savings.

“The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation continues to see the potential in our students and is helping to advance Michigan Tech as a premier national university positioned to lead the nation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Rick Koubek, university president. “This investment in Michigan Tech signifies an important milestone in the modernization of facilities across campus. And, thanks to their support, Michigan Tech students will have access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology that best prepares them for the workforce of the future.” Since its construction in 1968, Chem Sci has supported Michigan Tech in educating engineering students and served as a hub for students from many disciplines, most of whom take chemistry during their studies. “Renovations to the Chem Sci building will transform education for Michigan Tech students, and we are so very grateful to The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation for their

support,” said Bill Roberts, Michigan Tech’s vice president for advancement and alumni engagement. “Demand for Tech graduates is consistently high, as industries in Michigan experience labor shortfalls in today’s market — shortfalls that are seen throughout the country.” To meet this demand, Michigan Tech is focused on growing its student population to about 10,000 by 2035. “Upgrading these facilities and laboratories will attract future students and talented faculty to support Michigan’s economy, and we are excited and thankful to have HHGA as a partner in these efforts,” Roberts said. After five decades of service, Chem Sci is in need of modernization, as some labs have not seen substantial upgrades since construction. “Trustees are honored to support investment in organizations that develop future leaders,” said Ruth Alden Doan, president and trustee of the HHGA Dow Foundation. MM

NMU librarian accepted in leaders program

n Northern Michigan University librarian was accepted into the highly competitive American Library Association’s (ALA) Emerging Leaders Program. The program accepts no more than 50 participants each year, and Emera Bridger Wilson is one of them for 2024. The Emerging Leaders Program is a leadership development program that enables early career librarians from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into the ALA structure and serve the profession in a leadership capacity. It puts participants on the fast track to ALA committee volunteerism and other professional library-related organizations. “I was really excited,” Bridger Wilson said. “I was in another meeting, and I kind of let out a squeal because we had applied in September, and I hadn’t heard anything. It was great to see the notification come through my email, get the ball rolling and submit my acceptance. I’m honored.” Bridger Wilson applied to the program because she wanted to learn how to best serve the campus and thought the program would be an excellent opportunity to meet other librarians and think about the library differently.

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

NMU librarian Emera Bridger Wilson was accepted into an emerging leaders program that will facilitate creative ideas. (Photo courtesy of NMU)

“I hope to learn more best practices in terms of academic librarians and academic libraries. I want to get to know more librarians across the country and have a group of people that I can brainstorm with and sort of the challenges that can come with the profession.” Bridger Wilson said her goal is to return with new creative ideas for programming and activities for Olson Library once its renovation is completed. Wilson makes policies about

NMU’s collection, ensures it reflects what the curriculum teaches, is diverse and inclusive and provides what professors and graduate students need for their research. She’s also a liaison librarian for the departments of sociology and anthropology and English. Most recently, she took over the following: theater and dance; history; philosophy; languages, literatures and international studies; and communications and media studies. MM

NMU executive chef gets culinary honor

erek Estes, who assumed the role of executive chef with NMU Dining in mid-October 2023, was honored as the Culinarian of the Year by the Upper Peninsula Chapter of the American Culinary Federation (ACF). He previously served as operations manager for Northern Center catering events. The NMU alumnus also achieved Certified Executive Chef status from the ACF one year ago. The U.P. chapter of the ACF was established in 1989. Chefs from throughout the region are eligible for the Culinarian of the Year designation. It just so happened that the three nominated most recently all work in Marquette. “It was a huge honor to be recognized by fellow chefs throughout the U.P.,” Estes said. “In order to receive the award, individuals have to do a certain amount of com- NMU executive chef Derek Estes received the Culinarian of the Year munity events, follow the culinari- from the U.P. American Culinary Federation. (Photo courtesy of NMU) an code of honoring food and past techniques while bringing forth new ranks since then, thanks in part to Certified Executive Chef status techniques, and educate and nurture earning two degrees along the way: through the American Culinary Fedothers.” an associate in food service man- eration. Once the catering operations agement in 2018; and a bachelor’s Recognizing the value of conmanager role he formerly held and in hospitality and tourism manage- tinuing education that leads to adsome lead cook vacancies are filled ment in 2019. vanced credentials in the field, he after the busy holiday season, Estes “NMU Dining is big on giving is supportive of Trixie Maguran said he will be able to fully immerse you opportunities to further your Jacobson, a student in the catering himself in his new executive chef education and skills, so I’ve been kitchen who is pursuing ACF Certirole. He has worked for NMU Din- pushing to do that over the last few fied Sous Chef status, to enhance her ing since 2013. He started as a pro- years,” he said. career prospects after she graduates. duction cook and has moved up the In December 2022, Estes gained MM

January 2024

NMU welcomes 4-S grant funding

MU has been awarded a competitive Student Select Support Services (4-S) grant, worth about $100,000 annually over a six-year cycle, as part of the state’s larger KingChavez-Parks initiative. The 4-S program is designed to develop retention programs to benefit academically- or economically-disadvantaged students enrolled at four-year public and independent educational institutions throughout the state. It also serves as a catalyst for institutional change, stimulating more coordinated efforts within institutions, permanently ensuring measurable short- and long-term improvement in graduation rates of targeted student populations. Northern has successfully obtained previous 4-S grants. To qualify for the funding, institutions are required to provide a 30-percent, in-kind match. “NMU has used the money to support tangible initiatives like the NMU Food Pantry and free printing for qualifying students,” said Jill Compton, internal auditor and interim supervisor of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “We have also worked to increase students’ sense of belonging.” Each university is required to come up with a nickname for its 4-S grant proposal to differentiate it from others. For this funding cycle, NMU selected “Lighthouse.” MM

Marquette Monthly

then & now

The Dreamland Restaurant on Bootjack Road near Lake Linden was established in 1913 by Canadian immigrant Norbert Sarazin. It operated as a bar, restaurant and hotel throughout the years, closing due to Prohibition.

Photos provided by Superior View Studios, located in Art of Framing, 149 W. Washington Street Marquette viewsofthepast.com

The Dreamland was reopened in 1947 and still stands in Bootjack location, where the Sarazin family continues to operate it, offering a full menu.

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

FREESTYLING

No. 1210

Reprinted from the New York Times By Tracy Bennett/Edited by Will Shortz

ACROSS 1 Sarcastic response to an unsurprising development 14 That makes two of us! 21 Gold-rush camp that became a state capital 22 Carrier out of Kuala Lumpur 23 Hormone-therapy product 24 They’re seen on the flags of Bhutan and Wales 25 Alexanders I-III 26 Legal claim 27 Retailer headquartered in Freeport, Maine 29 ‘‘____ Up Offa That Thing’’ (1976 hit) 30 ‘‘Will be,’’ in Spanish 31 Map out 32 The Stepford wives in ‘‘The Stepford Wives,’’ it seems 33 Host city of the 2022 FIFA World Cup 34 ____ Vogue 35 Acronymic devices in atomic clocks and radio telescopes 36 Part of a woodworking joint 37 ____ the Lucky Rabbit, character in early Disney shorts 40 Much sketch comedy 41 ‘‘Media impressions,’’ ‘‘influencer marketing,’’ etc., informally 42 Emulate 43 Diamond division 44 Sore spots for kids? 45 QB-protecting group 46 Difficult 47 San ____, capital founded in 1521 48 Super-sillyous? 50 Apocalyptic scene

55 What nocturnal

polysomnography may detect 56 Mainstay of a sci-fi defense system 57 Canal inspector 58 Most serious, in law 59 It’s a question of timing 60 Metric weight units 61 Actor Wilson of ‘‘The Office’’ 62 Month that goes by fast? 66 ‘‘Jeepers!’’ 67 Stops over in France? 68 Billionaires and such 69 Badly injured 70 Elegant and refined 71 See 81-Across 72 Given the name 73 Peacock show? 74 What a token may resemble 75 Pleased as punch 76 Abandon without warning 77 Figure in the Hindu trinity 81 With 71-Across, participant in some fertility treatments 82 Picks to win 83 ‘‘THE HANDMAID’S TALE’’ AIRER 84 First Nations group of the Great Lakes region 85 ‘‘Let’s Make a Deal’’ option 87 Prompt from the chronically forgetful 90 Accessibility concern 91 Walk in place? 92 Leafs 93 Set of books with maps, perhaps DOWN 1 Stimulates 2 ‘‘Siddhartha’’ author 3 Where sacrifices may be made 4 Planet Earth

5 Actress Mireille ____

of TV’s ‘‘Hanna’’ and ‘‘Lucky Hank’’ 6 Trail behind 7 Made scents? 8 Lasting for an immeasurable time span 9 How legal papers may be signed 10 Die-hard fan, in modern lingo 11 Turner of American history 12 Wrapped around 13 Mark who was the world’s highest-paid actor in 2017 14 Military trainees 15 Turkish money 16 Port city in Algeria 17 Badger 18 Having equal angles 19 Like some golf courses 20 They may need fillings 28 Snooze 31 Who said, ‘‘Football is not about one or two or three star players’’ 32 Rough fabric with a loose weave 33 Investigators: Abbr. 34 Leave hurriedly, in quaint usage 35 Capital on the island of Luzon 36 Passage from one party to another 37 ‘‘Va-va-voom!’’ 38 It cuts the cheese (but not the mustard) 39 Got some shut-eye? 40 Pulitzer-winning poet Gary 41 Rang, as a bell 42 Use a divining rod 43 Like some decals 44 Compulsory payments of old 46 List of ranked favorites 47 Purchase at a sports stadium

49 Seasonal Russian

cottages

50 Intruded, with ‘‘in’’ 51 Items usually sold in

boxes of 25

52 Mountaintop homes 53 Enough to go around 54 Utopias 56 Played the rat 58 Outschemed, in a

way

60 Period from 1945 to

1953

62 Evergreen tree with

fragrant bark

63 Indian dish of

potatoes and cauliflower 64 Putt-putt 65 Loads 66 ‘‘Carmina Burana’’ composer 67 Landed 69 Units of RAM, for short 70 Character defamation 72 Family emblems 73 They’re found beside exclamation marks on keyboards 75 Inkling 76 Coup group 77 Sweet stuff in asparagus (if you read it backward)? 78 Many a Shiite 79 It may be raised in an argument 80 Auntie ____ (pretzel chain) 82 Pasta-recipe instruction 83 Inkling 84 Largest of the lagomorphs 86 Flag thrower, informally 88 Time to get back to work: Abbr. 89 Otherworldly sorts, for short

Answer Key

To check your answers, see Page 45.

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

locals

Delta county artist wins Bonifas media award

By Brad Gischia

he Bonifas Art Center in Escanaba is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, a milestone for any organization, but especially for one that plays such a vital role in the local arts community. On Nov. 9, the Bonifas opened their Northern Exposure Art Show. “Northern Exposure is the best of the best of Upper Peninsula artists,” said Kate Oman, coordinator of the Bonfias Gallery. “It’s our grand finalé of the season for our exhibit space.” Northern Exposure is a juried show, in which artists submit their work for a number of award categories, including the placement awards, artist residency, arts networks, purchase price and the media award. The media award is sponsored by local media outlets. This year those outlets were The Escanaba Daily Press, the Iron Mountain News, and Marquette Monthly. MM has been sponsoring this award for over a decade. Karla Sunn’s painting “Summer Swan” was chosen as their winner. “This is a great honor for me,” Sunn said. “It has brought back so many memories of the power of art in my life. It astounds me.” The show closed at the end of December, but Oman said she’s noticed a lot of new artists applying for shows.

Marquette Monthly

“This exhibit specifically … was amazing,” Oman said. “It sparks a lot of interest, we have a lot of new artists that submitted this year and new artists took first and second place in the show.” Sunn has submitted to art shows before, but this is her first Media Award win. Sunn lives in Masonville, between Rapid River and Gladstone on the Little Bay de Noc. Although she has no formal degree, art has been a part of her life since she was very young. “Since I was the age of three,” Swan said. “It’s always been in the background as a hobby, and I always wanted to be an artist. I’m sure it’s the same as many people’s stories. You carry this hobby around with you for your whole life and eventually it just kind of blossoms.” Sunn retired from work as a medical receptionist in 2007 and since then has focused mainly on her art. “I did some work as a screen printer, and was able to use the stenciling techniques I learned there with abstract art later on.” There is no style of art that she doesn’t want to try or enjoy work-

Karla Sunn’s painting, “Summer Swan,” was the Bonifas Media Award winner this year. (Photo courtesy of Karla Sunn)

January 2024

ing on. “I also really enjoy air-brush work,” Sunn said. She sometimes works with woodcarving and beading, making jewelry and sculpture. “I paint mostly, though,” Sunn said. The time she’s spent with a brush in her hand or researching new artists has been beneficial. “I feel so lucky that we have the Internet to explore artists. It’s really filled in the gaps in my formal education. I have a lot of free time, and I like to do a lot of different things, but art is the first branch of my root.” Sunn submitted two acrylic paintings to the Bonifas and won with “Summer Swan.” It was painted from a photograph taken by her neighbor, Barb Karas-Cleveland, who snapped the pic on Little Bay de Noc. “It seemed so gentle, so unaware of the beauty of itself,” Sunn said. It was an inspiring moment for her. “Summer Swan” is the second iteration of the painting. “I painted a smaller version of it that took second place in acrylic painting at the State Fair,” Sunn said. In the second version, Sunn was able to expand on parts of the painting that she was unable to do in the smaller version, such as the reflection of the swan. “I muted some of the colors and brought others out,” she said.

Karla Sunn loves to paint wildlife and gets her inspiration from the natural environment provided in the U.P. (Photo courtesy of Karla Sunn)

“It took me about a year or more to decide to paint it, but only took me maybe two weeks to paint it,” Sunn said. The results of her work are obvi-

ous in the finished work. When Sunn is looking for inspiration she needs only to look out her front door. “I love to paint wildlife.

January 2024

It all goes back to the environment. I hope people see this swan, see how fragile it looks, know that it’s threatened all of the time … maybe it gets people thinking about the environment.” “I’m inspired by nature — just wildness,” Sunn said. She takes many of her own photos for reference and spends a lot of time walking deer trails and two-track roads. “It provides endless inspiration for my painting. Our natural world is simply incredible.” Sunn gets honest art criticism from her husband, which she says is important. “He critiques my work in an easy manner,” Sunn said. “An honest opinion is invaluable.” Sunn grew up in the 1960s and feels that they inspired her love of color and form and the abstract. She looks to artists like Franz Marc and Jaime Wyeth. “Marc’s paintings are phenomenal,” she said. Sunn likes the idea of abstract painting, but said when it comes to realism, nature is beautiful and perfect. “What can I add to it?” she said. Besides her own painting, there are other opportunities that open up the longer an artist is working. In the last year, she was approached to illustrate a book, a chance she jumped at. “It’s a children’s book,

Marquette Monthly

“Last Rays” is an acrylic piece by Delta County artist Karla Sunn. (Photo courtesy of Karla Sunn)

but kind of written for adults as well,” Sunn said. “It was written by the son of a dear friend of mine who passed away, about growing up in a family of seven, about what his mother taught them and what a great influence she was, how she showed them the world.” The book is called “The Secret Tale of the Old Woman Who Had Always Been Old” and is available in limited quantities at the East Ludington Gallery. Sunn used watercolors for the illustrations, and said the project offered her a lot of artistic freedom. “When I was asked to do it, the story wasn’t even completed yet. It went really easily,” Sunn said. She worked on it from December through March and said the winter flew by. “It was my tribute to her, and I was very happy to do it.” The Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, of which Sunn is a member, was looking for artwork for their newly reopened Vocational Rehabilitation office. Sunn’s design was chosen, and once created was a three-foot-by-five-foot acrylic painting on canvas. “It’s quite big,” Sunn said. Sunn encourages the creation of art and credits places like the Bonifas for cultivating it. “The Bonifas fills such a gap in the area. It’s there for the artists, and it offers shows like the media show and the spring exhibit. The East Ludington Gallery has been great as well. I feel really lucky to be where I am, to

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

have access to these,” Sunn said. “We have a great foundation of artists that submit,” Oman said. “Each time we run the show, we have more and more new artists that submit. The show is getting more popular.” Sunn said U.P. artists are all so wrapped up in this beautiful environment. “It is inspiring—to be close to nature, the beauty of the lakes, everyone is creative.” Sunn’s future involves more creation and more art. “I enjoy the insights that have come with age, not to mention the accumulation of art supplies,” Sunn said. “It gives me free rein to start right when I’m inspired.” She says that she has a place dedicated to art in her home. “I can leave an artistic mess and that’s wonderful.” “I want to use up all of those supplies before I die,” Sunn said. “I endeavor to make my previous work more valuable by my future work. It’s my privilege and bliss to create art.” Based on her current stock of supplies, it seems that she will be in the midst of bliss and privilege for some time to come. For more information about the Bonifas Art Center or upcoming shows, visit bonifasarts.org. MM Brad Gischia is a writer and artist native to Upper Michigan. He has published two children’s books and done illustrations for both comic books and novels.

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

lookout point

Ishpeming native works to fight genocide

By Erin Elliott Bryan

print of a 1994 painting by Fritz Hirschberger, titled Indifference, hangs on the wall in Dr. Ellen Narotzky Kennedy’s small office on the campus of Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minn. The painting depicts a Hungarian Jewish woman walking towards the gas chamber at Auschwitz — with three young children. It’s based on a real photograph taken by Bernhardt Walter, head of the Auschwitz photography lab, and his assistant Ernst Hoffmann, in May 1944, according to notes about the painting from the University of Minnesota. The artwork also includes a quotation attributed to Edward Yashinski, a Yiddish poet who survived the Holocaust, but later died in a Communist prison in Poland: “Fear not your enemies, for they can only kill you. Fear not your friends, for they can only betray you. Fear only the indifferent, who permit killers and betrayers to walk safely on earth.” “Hirschberger was clear in his vision for the viewer of these works,” read the notes from the University of Minnesota. “He carefully considered the historic brutality of man against man—the Holocaust as the ultimate extreme. As he said on several occasions, ‘If you do not like the content of my paintings then don’t make the history and I won’t have to paint it.’” Those words — both from the artist Hirschberger and the poet Yashinski — inform Kennedy’s lifelong work and her commitment to social justice. Kennedy grew up in Ishpeming as part of the small Jewish community there and said her childhood had a huge impact on her life. She has memories of being asked about her nationality by a fellow student in first grade and being asked by teachers to speak about Jewish holidays. “I became kind of a token spokesperson, which was both a privilege and a burden,” Kennedy said. She noted that similar situations continued into her professional career, particularly during her time at Catholic universities with a non-Jewish surname

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

Dr. Ellen Narotzky Kennedy, formerly of Ishpeming, received the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award from NMU in 2023. (Photo courtesy of NMU)

from her ex-husband. “Issues of identity have loomed large,” she said. “I think that’s why I’ve been receptive and vulnerable to stories of other marginalized identities.” Kennedy is the executive director of World Without Genocide, an organization she originally founded in 2006 as Genocide Intervention Network-Minnesota (MNGIN). According to its mission, World Without Genocide “works to protect innocent people around the world; prevent genocide by combating racism and prejudice; advocate for the prosecution of perpetrators; and remember those whose lives and cultures have been destroyed by violence.” Kennedy said the organization works on “whatever issue on which people are being marginalized,” which includes issues of gender identity and sexual violence as well as journalists who have been killed, detained or wounded while covering global conflicts, including the current war between Israel and Hamas. World Without Genocide is a member of the Association of Holocaust Organizations, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, American Coalition for

the International Criminal Court, and Minnesota Alliance for the International Criminal Court. In December 2022, World Without Genocide was one of nine human rights organizations awarded Special Consultative Status by the United Nations. In December 2023, Kennedy and law students from California and Canada traveled to the U.N. in New York City to attend the Assembly of State Parties, which includes representatives from 124 countries to make decisions on administrative issues of the International Criminal Court. “It’s an unparalleled opportunity to see global human rights in action,” Kennedy said. Kennedy’s work in this field was inspired by a trip to Rwanda in 2005 on which she met Alice Musabende, a young woman who had been orphaned at age 14 during the genocide there. “Here was another genocide that the world was turning away from,” Kennedy said. She was further engaged while visiting Darfur in 2006, where she met a Jewish survivor whose grandparents had been saved from the Holocaust on the Kindertransport, an organized rescue operation that moved Jewish

children out of Nazi-controlled territory and relocated them to the United Kingdom and other countries during the nine months prior to the outbreak of World War II. “I connected with him,” Kennedy said. “That was the impetus.” Now, World Without Genocide addresses conflicts in the past, as well as those occurring today, and the challenging problems of child soldiers, human trafficking, gender-based violence, weapons trafficking and more, with a focus on education and advocacy through classes, workshops, films, exhibits, conferences and other opportunities, including the Benjamin B. Ferencz Fellowships in Human Rights and Law. The fellowship was named for Ferencz, a prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials and a close friend of Kennedy’s; Ferencz died in April 2023 at the age of 103. Among its long list of issues, World Without Genocide is currently working to educate on the crime of transnational repression (TNR), a tactic used by authoritarian governments to silence dissent by their own citizens around the world. Information provided by World Without Genocide notes that among the biggest perpetrators of TNR are China, Belarus and Russia. As an example of some of its outreach work, World Without Genocide, in partnership with other Twin Cities groups representing the academic, arts, faith and legislative communities, has organized opportunities to write letters to dissidents imprisoned in Russia for protesting the war in Ukraine. “We have learned that the prisoners who receive letters are treated better

than the others because the guards know that the world’s eyes are on them,” Kennedy wrote in a Nov. 3, 2023, op-ed published on MinnPost, an independent and non-profit Minnesota-based news website. World Without Genocide is also working with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and elected officials to adopt “A Resolution in Support of Democracy,” which would declare Feb. 24, 2024 — the second anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine — “a day to support democracy in Ukraine, democratic freedoms for dissenters in Russia, freedom from persecution for Russian dissenters in Minnesota and democracy for all in Minnesota and throughout the United States.” That is just one example of how the organization works with the state’s governor and legislature to enact change, although it’s not always successful. In 2013, however, World Without Genocide was present for the signing of a bill by then Governor Mark Dayton that designated every April as Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month. World Without Genocide has also signed two amicus briefs to support issues in Minnesota and other states, and Kennedy has testified in two congressional hearings. On March 23, 2022, a coalition of 18 U.S.-based rights organizations, including World Without Genocide, organized a special congressional briefing on the “Indian Judiciary and Persecution of Minorities” to speak specifically about the persecution of the Muslim minority there. Kennedy’s remarks on the issue are available on YouTube in a video posted by

Dr. Ellen Kennedy with her father, Dr. Archie Nartozky, in the 1970s. Archie was a practicing physician in the Ishpeming area, where Kennedy spent her childhood. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Ellen Kennedy)

the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). “There are multiple ways to make social change,” she said. Though she is not a lawyer, Kennedy has been teaching law classes at Mitchell Hamline School of Law since 2011. As an adjunct professor, she will teach a class for the spring 2024 semester titled “Genocide Prevention: A 21st Century Challenge,” which will examine “causes of genocides and other mass conflicts, from the Holocaust to today’s crimes perpetrated against the Uyghurs and Tibetan Buddhists in China, the Rohingya in Myanmar, and the assault on the people in Ukraine.” In addition to class lectures and discussion, the course will include guest lectures by genocide survivors, lawyers involved in genocide trials and leaders of humanitarian aid and human rights organizations. She also team-teaches annual courses titled “Transgender Identity: Rights and Challenges Locally and Globally” with Judge Tara Kalar and “Human Rights, Civic Engagement and the Legislative Process” with Minnesota Senator Sandy Pappas. “Some students have chosen Mitchell Hamline because of World Without Genocide,” Kennedy said. “Our intent is educating to enact social change by the courts, legislatures and civil society.” And in addition to lawyers and law students, World Without Genocide offers continuing education credits for nurses, educators and social workers. Since 2007, Kennedy has been a featured speaker with the non-profit organization Global Minnesota, the mission of which is to advance international understanding and engagement. She has also produced television documentaries and written Readers’ Theater plays about genocide and the climate crisis. “Knowledge is not power; knowledge plus action is power,” Kennedy said. “We engage actively for human rights about what people can do. We educate in all formats possible.” Education has always been a priority for Kennedy. She is a graduate of Ishpeming High School and holds six degrees: a bachelor of arts from the University of Michigan; two master’s degrees from NMU; and a master’s and two doctorates from the University of Minnesota. During her time at NMU, she was a teaching assistant and later taught some English courses. “I really enjoyed teaching and learning,” Kennedy said. She has worked in higher education for 50 years and, at one time or

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

another, taught English, marketing, statistics, sociology, management, law, geography — and Latin, for one year at a high school in Vermont. She has also taught at institutions in China, Ukraine, Australia, Israel, Poland, the United Kingdom, Costa Rica and India. She has earned awards for her academic research and for campus programs she administered. “I believe our education prepares us for far more than we ever imagine,” Kennedy said. “It prepares us how to learn.” Kennedy has also relied on her professional background to advocate for more personal issues. In November, she was featured on the front page of the Star Tribune, Minnesota’s largest daily newspaper, to share her own story in support of a state law to legalize medical aid in dying. It fulfills a promise she made to her late husband, Leigh Lawton, who died in December 2022 after a painful battle with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. Lawmakers from the DFL (the state’s Democratic party) plan to introduce the End of Life Option Act in Minnesota, SF 1813/HF 1930, in the next legislative session that would allow physicians to dispense a

Marquette Monthly

Dr. Ellen Kennedy is the founder of World Without Genocide. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Ellen Kennedy)

life-ending medication to terminally ill patients with less than six months to live; patients would need to ingest it themselves. “What he was enduring was the final erosion of his personhood as he defined it — the erosion of his very keen intellect and very strong body,”

January 2024

Kennedy told the Star Tribune about her husband. “What I am left with is the memory of those final 16 days, of the torment he felt. That’s what the end-of-life act allows us to do, to say that at this moment, I’m fully mentally capable, I’m within a certain period at the end of my life, and I’m choosing that my personhood would end now.” Kennedy has written op-eds in support of the bill and hopes to share her story during legislative testimony. And she sees an obvious connection between this deeply personal experience and the day-to-day work she does with World Without Genocide. “There’s a clear moral and ethical path I see,” she told the newspaper. “Both of them have to do with personal autonomy, with the ability for an individual to make decisions for themselves, using the full scope of the universality of human rights. That’s how we approach this issue of end of life as well.” In September, Kennedy received the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award from NMU and traveled back to Marquette County for the first time in 25 years. She has accepted an invitation to return in April to speak to local groups in commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Kennedy encourages everyone to find something they are passionate about and commit to doing something positive to change it each day. “The small difference that you begin to make will begin to show,” she said. “Social change is up to each and every one of us. What happens locally has an impact globally. Think about what matters most to you, whether you’re in Marquette or New York or the capital of a country elsewhere.” She further encouraged people to get to know their elected representatives and hold them accountable for the issues that are most important to them. “I want people to understand that they have power. They should not go through life as a bystander,” Kennedy said. “When I was a little girl in temple in Ishpeming, I kept hearing about tikkun olam, repair of the earth. I was told that’s why we’re here on Earth, and I believe that. And I believe that for every one of us.” For information on World Without Genocide, visit worldwithoutgenocide.org. MM Erin Elliott Bryan grew up in Ishpeming. She is a freelance writer and a Marquette Monthly calendar editor.

feature

U.P. offers safe landing for aerospace industry

By Brad Gischia

n the 1950s and ’60s, the race to the moon captured the attention of the world and the imagination of generations of future scientists and writers. Since the creation of NASA, the idea of going into space, traveling to the moon and beyond, has put cities on the aerospace map. “Houston, we have a problem…” The oft-quoted transmission from the Apollo 13 mission has become part of popular culture. A shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral, Flo., was a reason to suspend regular lessons and wheel a television stand into the classroom. The aerospace industry seems to have touched every part of the world, including the Upper Peninsula. There was a facility in the Keweenaw Peninsula that launched meteorological collection rockets until 1971, and more recently there was a proposal to make Granot Loma a rocket launch site. There are aerospace companies in the Upper Peninsula though, that are working towards something different. “I hope that other companies see what Orbion and KMI are doing here in Michigan and know that it can be done in Michigan,” said Brad King, CEO of Orbion Space Technology, based in Houghton. “Space can happen here. It’s not just a California or Florida industry.” Orbion is a manufacturer of satellite thrusters. “We build engines that

power satellites in space,” King said. “The thruster we produce is a Xenon Hall-Effect plasma thruster. It goes on a satellite, and once it’s in space, it uses our thrusters to maneuver.” King said it’s a rocket. “It exhausts mass in one direction to make force in the other direction. A typical rocket burns chemically reactive propellant and the energy from the combustion is used to accelerate the exhaust out of a nozzle. Our thruster uses an inert propellant, in this case xenon, and then uses electric energy collected through solar panels to electromagnetically accelerate the propellant out of the nozzle and out the back of the thruster.” King explains the nature of their tech: “It’s like an internal combustion engine. The technology isn’t proprietary, but every company that makes an engine has their own version of it.” Those thrusters are manufactured in Houghton. King said that the City of Houghton was perfect for an aerospace startup. “It had everything we needed to start a company,” he said. “We needed access to a workforce and research university, which we have with MTU. We needed access to talent and were able to find a lot of great engineers, and we needed access to capital, which we found in the state of Michigan to fund our startup. Those things all came together. We get to do what we love and live in a place we love.”

Having Michigan Tech right next door is very important, both to Orbion and to MTU. “We have a very close relationship with MTU,” King said. “Part of the technology is a spin-off of work done at Tech, and we still work closely and hire a lot of Tech students and work with a lot of Tech faculty.” King is currently a faculty member on long-term leave at MTU but has been involved with the university since Orbion’s infancy. “There are technologies that Brad (King) created while he was a researcher here that MTU has licensed to the company,” said Jim Baker, vice president of research for Michigan Tech. “There are some physical infrastructure components, particularly a large vacuum chamber, that while the company was becoming established, they couldn’t afford to replicate, so they bought time on our vacuum chamber. “As they grow, they now have some of their own facilities, but there are still things they need access to and we can provide that for them.” That is not an unusual relationship for the university to have with a company. “We do a fair amount of that type of work, both with our start-ups and with companies in the region as well as across the globe,” Baker said. Having a relationship also provides an important opportunity to the student

Orbion’s team manufactures satellite thrusters in Houghton. (Photo courtesy of Orbion Space Technology)

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

body. “A number of our students work in the aerospace program here and some of those have the opportunities to serve as interns with Orbion,” Baker said. “It’s a great experience for both Orbion and the students to be able to get access to talent and test drive people for permanent hires.” The close relationship with Orbion gives the students the opportunity for hands-on experience in a very specific technological venue. “You learn best by doing things and making mistakes,” Baker said. “It’s critical for students to get that experience, and being able to do that locally removes a lot of logistical barriers, such as housing and relocation. It makes the experience so much more valuable.” Kall Morris, or KMI, is located in Marquette, a place that the founders had been trying to get back to since they attended college. “All three of us found our way to the U.P. through school,” said Troy Morris, CEO and cofounder of KMI. “We all came to NMU. I ended up here first, and then Adam (Kall) and Austin (Morris) were in the same dorm together. We fell in love with the nature, the people and we actually liked the weather.” “After graduation, we stayed in touch, though we went our separate ways. In 2019 we were watching SpaceX in the news, and we wondered what we could do in that vein. We put our heads together, and filed the paperwork for Kall Morris, Inc. shortly after that.” What KMI decided, and what they’ve been working on since, was the amount of debris floating in space around our planet. “We knew that we wanted to focus on space solutions,” Morris said. “We stayed focused on orbital debris removal. The idea has always been centered around, “How can we do

Marquette company Kall Morris (KMI) was founded by NMU graduates Troy Morris, Austin Morris and Adam Kall. (Photos courtesy of KMI)

cool things, good things, in space and still love our lives on Earth while we do it?’” The size of the job ahead of KMI is astronomical. Humanity has been launching things into orbit for 70 years, and much of the debris from that is still floating around up there. “Space debris or orbital debris comprises many things,” Morris said. “When they launch a satellite into space the rocket body stays up there because of the rules of physics — old satellites that have run out of fuel or battery or have become damaged, things kind of snowball from there.” Morris described space as a highway. “If you didn’t have a tow truck, a few damaged cars or loose wheels and broken glass leads to a lot more.” That debris is cause for alarm to anyone who might be looking at putting things into space. “All these small pieces are stacking up and hitting newer stuff, making more debris. We want to tow it to safety before it causes a problem.” Humanity has done a pretty good job of tracking every object that was

Kall Morris’s team is located in Marquette, and works to solve the problem of orbital debris. (Photo courtesy of KMI)

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

launched, Morris said. “We’ve partnered with a company that does that sort of tracking.” Anyone can access that tracking information by visiting kmi.privateer.com. It shows all trackable objects that are floating around above us. “We break the cost down so people can understand how much it costs to remove it,” he said. “We can clean up space for less than it costs to rebuild a bridge sometimes. It’s not insurmountable.” Morris said there are 40,000 of those trackable objects, with a weight of approximately 10 million kilograms. “We’re only getting better at launching things into space, and we’ve only just begun the cleaning process.” The worry is that at some point, whether it’s within a decade or a century, that debris is going to find a way to come back down to Earth. “When [debris] comes into the atmosphere, most things burn up,” Morris said. “They’re essentially coming through sideways, hitting the air for a long time, and air friction burns them up and they particulate. Things that are big and designed to survive reentry will hit the ground. Those are few and far between, but there are estimates that there will be a fatality within the next decade from falling space debris.” All the more reason to get up there and get it taken care of. KMI is working on technology that will be heading up for testing to the International Space Station next year. “The techniques we’ll be using will ‘hook on’ to the space debris and tow it back. The U.S. government is currently comfortable with us towing it back into the atmosphere,” Morris said. The project is called REACCH (Reactive Electro-Adhesive Capture ClotH). It uses an “exclusive mechan-

ically articulated end effector with a novel combination of previously-validated technologies in electrostatic and gecko adhesion to enable soft and secure capture of space objects.” To look at it, you would see a bunch of octopus-like arms. “We borrowed from what nature has been doing for a few million years,” Morris said. “Those arms are being built and printed and tested right in the Masonic Building downtown Marquette.” The future of KMI is bright as well. As talent and production facilities allow, they plan to expand in the area, assembling components for other projects. They’re also looking into other opportunities in reclamation of space objects. “We looked at some rocket bodies and they’re 83 percent aluminum,” Morris said. “If we could take that much mass and turn it into something else for use in space, that’s great. But part of it is the history of it. The fifth object launched into space is still in orbit. We can safely capture some old spy satellites that are of interest to modern historians. You could feasibly land some of the old satellites in a cargo bay at an airport.” Morris said everything that has thus far come down from space has come through the atmosphere. It has either burned up or suffered the effects of reentry. There is much interest in what effect 30 or 40 years in space would have on an object.

Both Orbion and KMI agree that the Upper Peninsula is a great place for the aerospace industry. “Primarily, the lifestyle is fantastic,” King said. “Our employee turnover is incredibly low. When people decide to move with their families to Houghton to work at Orbion, they come to stay. They love the quality of life and never want to leave. We have competitors in Silicon Valley and Florida, and they have a terrible time holding on to employees,” King said. “The housing costs are too high, the traffic drives them crazy, and 18 months or two years later they flip to another job. I can’t imagine trying to run a company if we had turnover like that.” King said that Michigan offers funding that can’t be found in other states. “We were able to make use of the Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation SmartZone, which is funded by the state,” he said. “The purpose of the SmartZone is to help new companies get established. We leaned heavily on the SmartZone to provide advice and guidance on the logistics of setting up a company.” Both King and Morris said they are able to find a lot of their supplies in Michigan. “We’re building plasma thrusters right here in our factory in Houghton,” King said. “A good portion of our supply base is in Michigan. I think the history of the state, with automo-

One of Orbion’s space thrusters created in Houghton operating in the vacuum chamber. (Photo courtesy of Orbion Space Technology)

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

tive suppliers, means that there are a lot of manufacturing shops already here.” KMI aggressively looks for local partnerships. “Some of our key partners for materials are Orbion Space Technology,” Morris said. “They helped guide us into the national ecosystem as well as helping us navigate the intricacies of the State of Michigan.” KMI also works with Atlas Space Operations in Traverse City, conducts research with the University of Michigan, NMU and MTU and has visited the robotics program at LSSU. “Michigan stands out as an aerospace state,” Morris said. “It’s an open secret. We have engineering powerhouses in the state. When you’re able to have your manufacturing 90 miles away and run into a problem, they can run over for lunch, rather than shipping it around the world on a six-week lead time. It makes the supply line so much faster.” KMI stays local. “It’s a huge factor for us,” Morris said. “It’s part of what brought the founders to Michigan. The high quality of life, the affordable cost of living, and the ability to work at our chosen profession. “We can do a conference call with NASA or California and then go out and ski. That’s not the same as most aerospace centers.” It’s a burgeoning industry, one that will continue to grow.

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

“Aerospace in Michigan is only going to get bigger,” Morris said. “There’s interest from Detroit for car connectivity. The knowledge base is here, the number of airfields across Michigan, it’s all here. We plan to continue leading that charge of development of stable, high-paying jobs for the area. We all had to leave the area to find jobs, and it really bothered us. We are looking at this as ‘How can we give back to the area that gave so much to us?’” The value of doing business in the area is important to both the universities and the companies. “The value of the talent pool that we have, the resources we have, the reciprocal value of the experiences that it provides for our students, is critical,” Baker said. “For the regional economy, for the success of the company, and of the university. It’s a winwin-win.” And distance from “civilization?” Not an issue. “Michigan is just as close to space as everyone else,” Morris said. “Space is only 100 miles straight up. We really get great access to space, I just get the benefit of getting to think about it during my working hours as well.” MM Brad Gischia is a writer and artist native to Upper Michigan. He has published two children’s books and done illustrations for both comic books and novels.

Orbion’s manufacturing facility has space simulation vacuum chambers used to test the thrusters. (Photo courtesy of Orbion Space Technology)

lookout point Embrace winter with fun U.P. activities

By Pam Christensen

ears hibernate in the winter, and after the hectic holiday season, many of us wish we could do the same. While considering the merits of hibernation, stop to think of all the winter activities you would miss by doing so. Many residents of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula say winter is their favorite season. Winter covers the region with snowy splendor and provides a canvas for many snow sports. Organizations and their sponsors work hard to create winter events, in hope that you will not hibernate on the couch, but take advantage of all the U.P. has to offer when temperatures drop. Travel Marquette CEO Susan Estler does not see much difference between summer and winter tourism in the Marquette area and region. The many events and tournaments held throughout the season are an economic boon during what many may think is a dead season. “Unless you are involved with these events, you don’t realize how many people travel to attend hockey tournaments, the Noquemanon, UP200, cross country and downhill ski trails, snowmobile, Ishpeming Ski Club ski jumping tournament, Meijer games, Heikki Lunta, Trenary Outhouse Races and other winter events,” she said. “I tell people things are still busy, we are just dressed differently. We bundle up to enjoy winter and of course hope for snow—lots of snow.” Many of these events depend on volunteers to make them a success. “I encourage people to get involved,” Estler said. “That is really the best way to experience the many

events in our region and to assure that they continue.”

Ski Jumping in Ishpeming he Ishpeming Ski Club (ISC) has grown its ski jumping tournament from a one-day event to a weekend event with great success. The festive and spirited tournament attracts jumpers and skiers from across the U.S. and is part of the prestigious Regional Four Hills Tournament and U.S. Cup. The Nordic combined skiers will compete on the Suicide Hill jumps and the Norman Juhola Trail System. Kognisjon Bryggeri has even brewed a new beer, K Point red ale, for the occasion. The beer debuted at a special event on Nov. 24 and is a tip of the hat to legendary ski jumper and dedicated tournament volunteer Tom “Sodapop” Sodergren. The 137th Ski Jumping Tournament will be held Jan. 19 through 21 at the club’s U.P. Nordic Ski Complex on M-28 in Negaunee. The weekend will feature free shuttle service, tailgating, bonfires, food trucks, a beer tent and fireworks. The U.S. Cup ski jumping event will be held on January 19, with an opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. and jumping to begin at 7 p.m. The Paul Bietala Memorial Tournament will be held on Saturday. The Nordic combined 5K ski race begins at 8:30 a.m. At 10 a.m., the awards ceremony for the U.S. Cup events will be held. The opening ceremony for the junior tournament will begin at 10:45 a.m., followed by jumping. The Bietala Memorial opening ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. with tournament jumping to begin at 7 p.m. Fireworks will follow the conclusion of jumping on Saturday.

Volunteers are a key component to many of the winter events and festivals that take place throughout the U.P., such as at the Noquemanon in Marquette County. (Photos courtesy of Noquemanon Ski)

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

Sunday’s competition will begin at 11 a.m. Once jumping is complete, the Junior Nordic Combined race will begin within 30 minutes. Junior events are expected to conclude with awards at 2 p.m. The ISC sells tournament booster buttons in advance, which cover admission for all weekend events for $15 per person at a variety of local businesses and online. Early sales price ends at noon on Friday, Jan. 19. After noon, gate admission is $20 per person. Youth younger than 12 accompanied by an adult receive free admission. The ISC encourages people to take advantage of the free shuttle due to limited parking. If you want to park onsite, parking is $10 per day per vehicle. For details, visit ishskiclub. com. Noquemanon in Marquette County long with the ISC Suicide Hill events, the area attracts visitors from across the country and internationally for the Noquemanon Ski Marathon. The Noquemanon is one of the premier Nordic ski events in the United States and will be held Jan. 26 and 27. This weekend event has been held since 1999 and attracts more than 1,500 skiers for cross-country ski and

snowshoe events. Saturday events are the 50K, 24K and 12K point-to-point races. The Noque is known for challenging and varied terrain and beautiful vistas of Lake Superior, Deer Lake and the Dead River Basin. Snowshoe athletes compete in a 15-mile race that follows the half-marathon course. The marathon begins at Al Quaal Recreation Area in Ishpeming and ends at NMU’s Superior Dome in Marquette. The half marathon begins near County Road 510 and ends at the Dome. Youth take over Al Quaal Recreation Area in Ishpeming on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. competing in 5K, 3K and 1K events. The 5K event is open to youth ages 14 to 19. Ages 8 to 13 can compete in the 3K and children younger than seven can try their skills on the 1K course. The Noquemanon includes a division for adaptive skiers using sit skis, adaptive equipment or guides. This race is held on Saturday morning, and racers arrive at the Superior Dome between 10 and 10:30 a.m. for a celebratory finish. Adaptive skiers can choose a 3K or 1K course, depending upon their experience. The Noque also has a ski expo on Friday evening, which is open to the public. Vendors and exhibitors dis-

Fireworks are held on the Saturday night of the annual ski jumping festivities in Negaunee. (Photo courtesy of Ishpeming Ski Club)

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

The polar plunge event will be resurrected during Heikinpäivä in Hancock this year. (Photo courtesy of Jim Kurtti)

play ski-related clothing, equipment and supplies. Local businesses and organizations use the expo to advertise and explain their services. Colorful Noque merchandise and other gear can be purchased. Noquemanon race director Jason Rolling leads a group of 200 volunteers who work year-round to assure the race will both challenge and offer a unique experience for racers attracted to the race from the U.S. and internationally. As with many other events, volunteers help activities run smoothly and are often what elevates the event beyond ordinary to extraordinary. For details, visit noquemanon.com. Register to volunteer by visiting the United Way of Marquette County’s Yoopers United site. Heikinpäivä in Hancock eikinpäivä is held in Hancock and is a celebration of Finnish-American culture. The first festival was held in 1999, and this family-friendly festival now is filled with cultural events, music, dance, traditional foods and activities designed to make even the dourest person forget about the winter blues. The festival has events scheduled from Jan. 10 through 27 this year. “Heikinpäivä celebrates winter,” said event coordinator Jim Kurtti. “We will always have winter, so it is a fun way to celebrate the season instead of muttering about the ice and snow. It seems like once we hold Heikinpäivä, winter goes faster.”

Heikinpäivä will bring back the polar plunge in 2024. Formerly held on the Portage Canal, the event presented challenges for logistics and safety. This year, organizers will use a portable pool located between the Finnish American Heritage Center and the United Methodist Church of Hancock. Also planned to support the plungers are portable saunas and changing rooms. Finland is the home of the Finnish Hobby Horse Championships, which feature show, dressage and jumping classes. The hobby horse craze began in Finland about 10 years ago, and Ginger Alberti of Sew Cranky brought the idea to Heikinpäivä several years ago. The Heikinpäivä Hobby Horse Hoedown combines competition and fun using hobby horses from 6 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 19. There is a $5 admission fee per family. Hobby horses are available for use during the event. For those who want to create their own horse, Alberti will hold a hobby horse-making workshop on Jan. 21 at Sew Cranky. The fee for the workshop and horse materials is $35. Heikinpäivä activities on Jan. 27 include the tori market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center, Quincy Green and United Methodist Church. The market includes traditional Finnish foods, Nordic-inspired goods and handcrafted items. The parade is held on Hancock’s Quincy Street at 11 a.m. and is fol-

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

lowed by the spiral bear dance. Participants are encouraged to join in the parade and dance. Outdoor games will also be held following the parade. Games include the vipukelkka or whip sled, kick sled races and the ever-popular wife-carrying contest. Kurtti said the wife carrying is open to anyone — not just married couples, and wives can carry husbands. The games are staged for fun and do not carry stringent rules and regulations. The culmination of the day’s events is the Iltamat, a Finnish dance and buffet from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center. Admission is $15 per person and will include music by the Back Room Boys, hors d’oeuvres and a raffle. Other Heikinpäivä events include Nordic films, beginning kantele lessons, beginning knitting, Inkle band weaving, making karjalanpiirakka (Karelian pies) classes, folk and ballroom dance lessons. The Copper Country Community Arts Center will also feature an exhibit Animal LifeArt from the Kalevala beginning Jan. 27. For details, visit the event’s Facebook page or finlandia.edu/heikinpaiva/2020-schedule. UMIRA in Gwinn ost people put their motorcycles and utility vehicles away for the winter, but that is not the case for the members and racers of the Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association (UMIRA). These athletes use ice and speed to their advantage as they race around an icy track near the Forsyth

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

Township ball park in Gwinn. There are classes for youth and adults. Men, women and children all take part in the on-track racing action. If gasoline-fueled winter activities sound like a new take on winter and something you would like to check out, the UMIRA races are held each Saturday from Jan. 6 to March 9, weather and ice conditions permitting. Spectator admission is $5 per carload for non-members. Spectators can watch from the comfort of their car, using their radio to follow the action. For those brave of heart, there is also an outdoor spectator area. The spectator admission begins at 10 a.m. with races following at 11:30 a.m., except for night races, which take place the last Saturday of January and February. For details, visit uppermichiganiceracing.com. As Estler said: “Winter is a magical time in the U.P.” Bundle up and take part in the fun as a participant, spectator or volunteer. You will never look at winter the same again. MM Pam Christensen graduated from Western Michigan University with a major in English and later a master’s in the science of librarianship. She loves to write and do research about the people, places and events that make the U.P. a special place. When she doesn’t have a pen in hand or her nose in a book, she enjoys traveling with her husband, Ralph, and spending time with her three grandchildren.

The Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association holds races every Saturday from mid-January to March, weather permitting. Spectators are welcomed and encouraged. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Tripp)

back then

Michigan Tech won the 1968 Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) under the leadership of head coach John MacInnes, who still has the best GLI winning percentage with a 26-8 record (.765). (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech)

MTU hockey coach knew life was about more than winning games

Shaping leaders

Editor’s note: This article is the second in a new series called The Story Behind the Name, which will look at the namesakes of local sports venues. By Michael Murray

n the spring and summer of 1956, the collegiate hockey coaching carousel was humming along at full speed — and John MacInnes decided to jump aboard. MacInnes, a graduate of the University of Michigan and a former goalie in the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins organizations, knew his playing days were long past, but he wasn’t quite ready to walk away from the game he’d started playing at age 8. In fact, after serving as the director of the Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association while simultaneously building a career in the business

world, he had come to the realization that he wanted to make the sport his life’s work. Two of the head coaching jobs to open up that offseason were at the University of Denver and the University of North Dakota. MacInnes applied for the post at Denver but was passed over in favor of a former NHL center and experienced junior hockey coach, Murray Armstrong. The job at UND, meanwhile, went to Al Renfrew, who had played with MacInnes at Michigan and in their hometown, Toronto. Renfrew’s move to Grand Forks subsequently created an opening at Michigan Tech, where Renfrew had spent five seasons building the Huskies into an NCAA contender. So in June 1956, Michigan Tech’s leaders, searching for a coach to take over a squad that had finished second

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

in the nation just a few months earlier, approached MacInnes. Would he be interested in moving to Houghton and leading the Huskies? MacInnes’ answer was clear: no. During the following two months, however, a couple of developments altered the situation. First, Tech’s head coach position remained vacant throughout the summer. The school was unable to find Renfrew’s successor. And second, MacInnes took stock of his life in Ann Arbor and realized he wasn’t content being a businessman. He wanted to coach. When Michigan Tech’s athletics staff went back to MacInnes in August and asked him to reconsider his earlier response, he jumped at the chance to lead the Huskies. History turns on such decisions. Building a champion acInnes was 31 years old when he arrived in Houghton and had never served on a collegiate coaching staff. His only experience in the college game was on the ice, as a goaltender for the Wolverines, who finished third in the nation in 1950, his senior year. (One of his teammates at Michigan, incidentally, was Leonard “Oakie” Brumm, an Ironwood native who later became a legendary coach of several teams in Marquette and elsewhere.) The faith that Michigan Tech’s leaders placed in their young, unproven coach was quickly rewarded. MacInnes’ fourth Huskies team finished second in the conference (the Western Collegiate Hockey Association), was co-champion of the conference postseason tournament and reached

the championship game of the 1960 NCAA tournament. Two years later, the Huskies went 17-3 in conference play, good for a first-place finish over Michigan, then beat the Wolverines in the conference tournament. In those days, only four teams made the NCAA tournament — two each from the East and West — and Tech entered the competition in Utica, New York, as the West’s top seed. In the semifinals, the Huskies destroyed St. Lawrence, 6-1. A day later, on March 17, Tech defeated Clarkson even more convincingly, 7-1, to secure the first national championship in school history. Two of Michigan Tech’s goals that day were scored by Jerry Sullivan, a Quebec native who later played for the Marquette Iron Rangers and coached Marquette Senior High School’s hockey team to a pair of state championships. MacInnes’ wait for a second national title did not last long. Just three years after the first, in 1965, his Huskies did it again. After finishing behind North Dakota in the regular-season standings, Tech won the WCHA tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament in Providence, Rhode Island, as the No. 1 seed from the West. The result was two more blowout victories, first 4-0 over Brown and then 8-2 over Boston College in the title game on March 20. One of the stars for MTU was goaltender Tony Esposito, who went on to play in 886 NHL games over 16 seasons and earn enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Through all of his team’s success, MacInnes was never a win-at-all-cost

John MacInnes, at center, coached the Huskies to a Great Lakes Invitational victory in 1979. Team captain Greg Hay accepts the trophy from tournament official Jack Tompkins. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech)

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

GLI tournament official Jack Tompkins presents John MacInnes with the Great Lakes Invitational trophy in 1980 after the Huskies victory. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Techl)

leader. Victories, he told an interviewer after his retirement, were not the most important goal. He wanted his athletes to play to the best of their abilities. He wanted them to succeed in an academically challenging setting and to earn degrees. He wanted to shape them into leaders. “John MacInnes had foresight,” said Rick Yeo, a former athletics director at Tech who played for and coached with MacInnes. “He was a tremendous hockey coach and also a tremendous person. Parents knew that when they left their son with John that they were in good hands and with someone that would help them develop as a person and as a player.” Over the course of 26 seasons at Michigan Tech, MacInnes coached 21 players who earned All-America honors. But there is a number he was even more proud of: 94. That’s the percentage of hockey letter-winners during his tenure who completed their degrees. When MacInnes was honored in 1999 as a Hobey Baker Legend of College Hockey, his wife, Jerry, said, “John always said that Michigan Tech is not for everyone. But John also said that with hard work and determination, anyone can succeed in any situation.” By the mid-1970s, when some Michigan Tech fans and alumni began to wonder whether their team could ever again achieve the success it had once attained, the Huskies regained their status in the national conversation. The 1973-74 team won the WCHA regular-season and tournament titles before falling to league rival Minnesota in the national cham-

pionship game. That run set the stage for the 1975 NCAA tournament in St. Louis. Michigan Tech and Minnesota had battled all year in the WCHA, with the Gophers claiming the regular-season championship and the teams sharing the tournament title. In St. Louis, Tech defeated Boston University in one semifinal while Minnesota knocked out Harvard in the other. The championship game, a rematch of the 1974 final, proved anticlimactic. The Huskies scored two goals in each period of a 6-1 victory, securing their third and final national title. Decades after their time in Houghton, MacInnes’ players remember the character of their coach as much as the games they played. “I can’t even tell you what John’s systems were. I don’t know what our defensive systems were. I don’t know how we forechecked,” Jim Murray, a Husky from 1972 to ’76, said in a video tribute to MacInnes produced

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

by MTU. “But I just remember John being a person that you just wanted to play your heart out for. And he was that kind of man. He developed leaders. And so as leaders we have gone out, many in the hockey world, but many in the business world, and have applied the same principles that John taught us about hard work, being fair, treating people right — and good things will happen. So his legacy goes way beyond here. It’s all over the world, really.” When MacInnes retired in 1982 after 26 years behind the Huskies’ bench, he held the all-time record for collegiate coaching victories, with 555. In addition to three national championships, his teams were runners-up three times, finished third once and fourth twice. His Huskies won the WCHA title seven times. He was named coach of the year twice nationally and six times by the league. MacInnes died in Houghton on March 6, 1983, at age 57, less than a year after coaching his final game. Growing the game ormer competitors remember that while MacInnes was focused on molding the Huskies in his image, he also did whatever he could to improve amateur hockey as a whole. An early example of this priority dates back to his time directing the league in Ann Arbor, where he is credited with creating the Bantam classification for 13-year-old players that is still used

The John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena, below, is home to the Michigan Tech hockey program, and the Huskies Pep Band, which dubs itself the “Pride of Pasty Land.” (Photos courtesy of Michigan Tech)

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

throughout the nation. A decade into his tenure at Michigan Tech, in 1965, MacInnes was the driving force behind the establishment of the Great Lakes Invitational, a four-team tournament played in Detroit that shines a spotlight on college hockey over the Christmas season. “John felt that college hockey could gain some great exposure by a holiday tournament in the Detroit area,” said Yeo, who played in the inaugural GLI at Olympia Stadium. “As you can see by the success of the tournament [through the years], he was exactly right.” MacInnes’ vision to expand hockey’s reach remained intact even when a new development could potentially weaken his own position. This was true in the mid-1970s, when Northern Michigan University decided to launch an NCAA hockey program. A team at NMU would possibly cut into MacInnes’ recruiting territory, but he

The John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena has a capacity of 4,466, and is home to fourteen “luxury” suites available to be leased on a season-by-season basis. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech)

looked at the bigger picture. Rick Comley, the man hired by Northern to get its team off the ground, said MacInnes was “100 percent supportive” of the Marquette school’s efforts. As a player and coach at Lake Superior State, Comley had great respect for MacInnes and the program he’d built in Houghton. So when Comley arrived in Marquette and talked about his aspirations for the Wildcats, he pointed to MacInnes and his Huskies as the standard. “Naturally, there’s a direct comparison [between Tech and Northern] in every sport,” Comley said. “In hockey, our feelings were more out of respect. They were so established; they’d just won again in ’75. We thought the sign of respectability was getting to a point where we could compete with and beat Michigan Tech.” Comley remembers an interaction with MacInnes in the early days of the NMU program that cemented their relationship. “We were both out recruiting around Christmas,” he said, “and I had my young daughter with me, and we were stranded in the international airport in Toronto. We spent the night together in the airport. He was so open, and we built a bond that night. … He was very supportive of our program, just tremendous.” A lasting legacy acInnes’ individual honors cover the breadth of his career. He was a member of the inaugural class of the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 1972, while he was still coaching. He was elected to the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1984, a year after his death. Two years later, he

was awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy for his contributions to hockey in the United States. He earned induction into the University of Michigan Hall of Honor in 1994. The Legends of College Hockey Award came next, in 1999. And in 2007, MacInnes was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. In addition, the most valuable player of the Great Lakes Invitational is awarded the John MacInnes Trophy, and the American Hockey Coaches Association presents the John MacInnes Award each year to recognize contributions to amateur hockey and youth programs. In the Upper Peninsula, the greatest reminder of the coach’s legacy is the building in Houghton that bears his name. The Student Ice Arena has been the home of the Michigan Tech hockey team since the 1971-72 season, between the Huskies’ second and third national titles. In many ways, the program’s achievements under MacInnes created the impetus for a new on-campus rink, and the school honored him for this success. Twenty years after the arena opened, and 35 years after the arrival of its legendary coach, Michigan Tech rededicated the building as the John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena. It’s a fitting tribute to the man who stepped off the coaching carousel in Houghton in 1956, adopted the Michigan Tech community as his own and never coached a day anywhere else. MM Michael Murray has written about Upper Peninsula sports for more than 25 years.

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

the arts

A replica of the 30-foot-long, six-foot-wide canoe used by Lewis Cass on his expedition to explore Michigan is on display at the Beaumier Heritage Center at NMU. (Photo courtesy of Beaumier Heritage Center)

Heritage center focuses on exploring Cass expedition

By Eleni Robertson

magine setting out in a canoe from Detroit to Sault Ste Marie, heading north over the entire span of Lake Huron. Then imagine continuing west, along the southern shore of Lake Superior, portaging over the Keweenaw Peninsula and heading into Minnesota through twisted paths of rivers and lakes, ending almost at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. This is the journey that the governor of the Michigan Territory, Lewis Cass, completed with 35 companions in 1820. It was an expedition that would prove crucial to the formation of Michigan as we know it today and is currently featured at the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center. The current exhibit, titled “Claiming Michigan: The 1820 Expedition of Lewis Cass,” was researched, written, and designed by Dan Truckey, director and curator of the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center since 2007. Truckey, a Northern Michigan University graduate, chose this exhibit

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

topic as his interest in it grew. “I found myself skirting the edge of this story, looking at the stories of individuals related to it, and my research always pointed back to it,” he said. “It was a major expedition, but most people don’t know what it actually was, so I thought the story needed to be told.” In 1820, the Michigan Territory included present-day Michigan, Wisconsin and part of Minnesota. But the expedition was not a journey of discovery. “Native Americans, the French and the British had already seen it, so it was really about claiming the land for Michigan,” Truckey said. “It was the first official American expedition through the Great Lakes.” Other reasons for the trip included studying the landscape for natural resources and communicating with tribes in the region. While sailing vessels were a common mode of transportation at the time, canoes were more appropriate for the trip in order to closely study the shorelines and maneuver on rivers.

“One thing that brings visitors into the exhibit is the big canoe,” Truckey said. “It’s a 30-foot replica on loan from a Voyageur reenactment group in Minnesota.” It’s six feet wide and could carry up to four tons of weight. Normally the canoes would carry goods for trading, but on this expedition, they carried food, shelter, weapons, scientific instruments and gifts for those they met along the way. In addition to Cass, expedition members included 12 French Voyageurs and 10 Anishinaabe to serve as the main paddlers and as vital guides through the landscape. There were also seven soldiers from Fort Detroit. Henry Schoolcraft was brought on as a mineralogist, and David Bates Douglas was brought on to study the landscape and as an engineer. While they were not well-known at the time, these names may sound familiar now. “Many members of the expedition later became leaders,” Truckey said. “It put them on the map.” The exhibit features journal entries and drawings that describe observa-

tions and conditions along their route. There are descriptions of places, such as the first sighting of the Pictured Rocks cliffs and of the Ontonagon Boulder, a 3,708-pound copper boulder. One thing Truckey said might surprise visitors is how important copper was to the native people. They used it for tool-making, traded with it and considered it to be very valuable. There are also eloquent descriptions of the horrors of biting insects in the Northwoods summer, something people across the centuries can commiserate with. Other journal entries recount interactions with the Ojibwe and other native people they met along the way. Fortunately, interactions between the expedition members and the native people were largely peaceful, albeit tense at times, and there were no instances of violence. In fact, over the course of the entire four-month, 4,000-mile trip, there were no fatalities whatsoever, which seems impressive considering the scope of their travels. The legacy of this expedition is extensive. It helped pave the way for American settlement in these remote, somewhat mysterious areas. In fact, when the Erie Canal opened in the mid-1820s, many migrants flooded into this new region to see what it had to offer. One of the key achievements was the treaty negotiations with the Ojibwe people at Sault Ste. Marie. The location was important for trading and travel purposes, so it was crucial

that the party could come to a land acquisition agreement with the native people. “It set a precedent for Native American relations,” Truckey said. The discovery of natural resources was another accomplishment. After discovering copper, iron and an abundance of quality timber, the mining and logging industries took over the landscape, leading to the establishment of towns and communities. Once they acquired the land around Sault Ste. Marie, controlling the trade route had major economic impacts. The ability to ship copper, iron and lumber through the St. Mary’s River was invaluable, and after the first shipping lock was built and opened in 1855, it became even more efficient. However, nothing is without consequence. As more mines were created, more towns emerged, and as more towns emerged more lumber

was in demand. By the early 20th century, the landscape was significantly altered, with much of the forest cut. This was also problematic for the Anishinaabe community. With the new settlement and destruction of the forest, their way of life as they knew it was forever changed. The Beaumier aims to celebrate the history and culture of the Upper Peninsula. In total, there have been about 30 exhibits since the opening of the center in 2006, all as temporary installments. Some examples of past exhibits include “World War I in the Upper Peninsula,” which showcased the stories and regional impacts of the war, as well as “Ghost Towns of the Upper Peninsula,” an exhibit that focused on communities across the Upper Peninsula that were largely abandoned after the collapse of the industries that supported them. To learn more about this landmark expedition in the Upper Peninsula’s history, visit the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center located at the corner of 7th Street and Tracy Avenue on the campus of Northern Michigan University. The exhibit is free and open to the public through January 27. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until 8 p.m. on Thursdays and from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. MM Eleni Robertson lives in the heart of the Hiawatha National Forest and spends her time outdoors, writing and playing music.

The Beaumier Heritage Center is located on the NMU campus. Above, Lewis Cass was appointed to govern the Michigan Territory in 1913, and served in various other offices. (Photos courtesy of Beaumier Heritage Center)

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

lookout point

Repurposing a university

By Jennifer Donovan

inlandia University in Hancock has closed. But its 27 buildings, land and other properties are still there, most sitting empty. What will happen to them? Over the past few months, most have been sold and repurposed. The City of Hancock is purchasing five to preserve them for use by the city’s residents. One is Quincy Green, a green space in front of the former Hancock High School, in the middle of downtown and facing the main street of Hancock. The summer site of a weekly tori — the Finnish name for a farmer’s market — and home to live music, outdoor movies on the green and other special events. In winter, it turns into a popular family sledding hill. The city plans to continue to use Quincy Green as a public gathering space. Hancock has also purchased the Ryan Street Community Garden near the downtown. The property provides free gardening plots to residents of the city, educational opportunities, a means to feed more than 50 families and a community gathering space. Supporters call it “a jewel in our community.” With the city’s purchase, the

Marquette Monthly

The City of Hancock and other individuals and entities are working to repurpose the buildings on the former Finlandia University campus. (Photo courtesy of Finlandia University)

Ryan Street Garden can continue to operate as a free garden spot for the community. The city is paying $140,000 for Quincy Green and $27,000 for the community garden. Hancock is also working on pur-

January 2024

chasing three properties on Franklin Street that the receiver had originally filed a motion to abandon: Mannerheim, Nikander and Wargelin Halls. The city council approved a purchase agreement for those three properties in October for a total of $30,000. City

Manager Mary Babcock said the city is now developing plans for use of the properties. The City of Hancock was eager to see all of Finlandia’s properties sold because it was planning to put the university’s properties on the tax

rolls on January 1 — if there were no owners, no taxes would be generated, Babcock said. The city was also concerned about the security of buildings left empty for a long period of time, particularly over the winter, she said. A Finlandia landmark, the turreted Hoover Center, was purchased by Hancock resident Jonathan Nagel. He plans to restore and preserve it. “I’m just a geek who loves old houses,” he said. “I fell in love with this one, and I want to see it have a bright future.” Built in 1895, the Hoover Center is on the National Register of Historic Places. Nagel says he couldn’t bear the thought of the building being broken up into apartments or torn down. He expects the restoration to take four or five years and plans to live in the building during that time. Nagel isn’t sure what he will do with the building once it is restored. “It would be a great site for a museum or headquarters for a nonprofit or historical society,” he said. Finlandia Property in Receivership inlandia’s board voted last March to seek state court receivership. They had three choices: state receivership, federal receivership or bankruptcy. Receivership put all the university’s real estate and personal property up for sale. During receivership, a receiver — a licensed trustee appointed by a court to “receive” and liquidate a debtor’s assets — steps in to manage the university’s property, making all financial and operating decisions. Receivership allows the court to preserve and/or maintain the value of assets, protecting the university from bankruptcy, its creditors from long waits to receive payments due and lienholders from foreclosure. The university’s receiver is O’Keefe & Associates Consulting LLC, appointed by the Ingham County Circuit Court on the recommendation of the Finlandia board. The firm has offices in Grand Rapids and Detroit and also has an office in Phoenix, Arizona. The receiver was appointed in Ingham County because that is the headquarters of the Michigan Attorney General, and the attorney general is the one who files for receivership with the court. The university’s board recommended O’Keefe & Associates because of their experience in higher education and their respect for the community and stakeholders, said CEO Patrick O’Keefe. “We understand the impact of the loss of Finlandia on the community,” he said. “There’s a right way and a wrong way to bury things. We

The Hoover Center is on the National Register of Historic Places, and was purchased by Jonathan Nagel. (Photo courtesy of Finlandia University)

hope we are doing it the right way.” If it can be avoided, lenders usually do not want to foreclose. In foreclosure, the lienholders take title to assets or real property collateral. When a property goes into foreclosure, the lienholder assumes all the expense and effort of foreclosure and the challenges of assuming the responsibilities and liabilities of ownership. Foreclosure also typically takes a long time. In Finlandia’s case, some of the lienholders at first were resisting purchase offers that the receiver brought to them. “The secured lenders were unwilling to work with a national real estate marketing firm or to fund ongoing expenses,” said O’Keefe. “They wouldn’t cooperate with us. So O’Keefe filed with the court to abandon some of the unsold properties. “We think that the motion for abandonment was a wake-up call, a little sobering.” The unsold properties were generating almost no interest above their mortgages, O’Keefe explains, so the receiver didn’t have the income to pay for maintenance of them. Also, O’Keefe said his highest priority is to get the Finlandia faculty (who agreed to delay their compensation) paid through the summer, when their contracts ended, and to pay local creditors.

There are 27 properties in receivership. As of December, all had been sold, auctioned off or abandoned, according to O’Keefe. Two were sold before the receivership, the receiver said. His firm has closed on seven properties and signed deals on seven more court-approved sales that were due to close during December. Three property sales were due for court approval and five were scheduled to go to auction. One lot at 910 Water Street has been abandoned and the receiver is seeking to abandon one more, Paavo Nurmi, an athletics center. O’Keefe has negotiated a deed in lieu of foreclosure with the lender on one property. Two have been purchased by the City of Hancock, and the city has sales contracts for another three. Finlandia University will be missed. But at least most of its buildings and land will be used in the interests of the community. MM Jennifer Donovan is a freelance writer based in Houghton. She has decades of experience as a newspaper reporter, magazine writer and university communications specialist, most recently as director of news and information at Michigan Tech.

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

in the outdoors

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan offers views of its beautiful natural environment at every turn, many of which have significance to only a few

Secret places, special moments

By Scot Stewart

“It is no secret that the greatest treasures are found in the most remote, inaccessible and difficult places where we must pursue them with great energy and even greater risk. It’s the same with our lives.” —Craig D. Lounsbrough

he world is full of secret places. They may be hard to reach or inaccessible, needing determination or a special effort to reach. They may just be overlooked and underestimated in their worth or purpose but need only to have someone point them out or show their uniqueness or their character to be appreciated. Most are, of course, not really a secret. Many may be aware of them, but these are just places playing host to the lucky few taking the time and making the effort to visit and enjoy their inherent beauty, solitude and remoteness. It’s an interesting time to be alive. Each day seems filled with a literal blur of information with the facts and opinions of the moment already in the past as news of the next hurdling ever closer. Technology has made it possible to receive news and information just seconds after it happens and some

events even stream as they happen. Sometimes it just seems good to step away from that technology and find the joy, better health and relaxation that nature can provide. Many residents of the Upper Peninsula have special places they visit when they need to get away, take a walk or visit a spot few others know about when they just want to leave the crowds behind. For some, it is a well-known place, like Presque Isle. Presque Isle Park may be the most spectacular city park in the entire country. In it an oldgrowth stand of white pines and eastern hemlocks in the center of “The Island” and the rugged eastside cliffs where peregrine falcons hunt along the steep Lake Superior overlooks are two parts where fewer people hike. The bog walk contains lake dunes, a Great Lakes shoreline and — perhaps most unique — a sphagnum bog, a biological community few cities can boast in their city limits. Time and place often go hand-inhand when adding a sense of wonder and elation. Presque Isle provides some of the best mixes, being in an incredible place at a time when waves, light, wildlife and color can provide truly memorable moments. The shoreline reaches out into one of

The Northern Hawk Owl is just one of many majestic creatures to be spotted in the wilderness of the Upper Peninsula. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

the biggest lakes in the world on parts of four different sides, catching winds and waves from all directions at one time or another. Clear views of sunrises and sunsets are possible every day of the year when the sun is viewable. The forces of Lake Superior are always a part of the park experience, sometimes to a fault. During strong nor’easters, the lake sends large powerful waves rolling over Black Rocks to tear at the shoreline of the area beaches. These storms are truly dangerous, witnessed by the number of lives lost from edging too close to the water’s edge. That same power also can take away parts of the park itself. Each year the waves carve away the edges, sometimes taking entire arches and other formations that made the shore special. Some places are a longer way out of the mainstream, like Hogback MounThe Dead River wears many beautiful faces, changing with both the sea- tain, north of town or Morgan Falls son and the time of day. (Photo by Scot Stewart) to the south. On many days it may be

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

possible to do a long hike and not see a soul. Then ask a different question, “What is unique of a quiet, favorite place?” It can produce some surprising and wonderful answers within the city limits. “Find a secret place and be unreachable! And then, in the silence of solitude, the things you cannot reach in the crowds will meet you there!” —Mehmet Murat Ildan

ne of those answers might be in the Carp River Gorge in Marquette. The river passes through some really interesting places in Marquette County, including a stop at Deer Lake north of Ishpeming, where the river slows before a dam on the river and a set of amazing, sharp bends complete with adjacent oxbows near the old airport in Negaunee Township. As the river nears Lake Superior after crossing M-553 it rushes through

a deep gorge, right inside the city limits. It is so deep a person must ease down off a short, very steep drop to reach the river, filled with some large boulders. It is a place where one feels totally alone. The Dead River stretches across the entire width of Marquette County, starting near the Marquette-Baraga County border in the McCormick Wilderness and emptying into Lake Superior in north Marquette. Its path is complicated by bridges, dams, pipes and hydroelectric plants, but it winds through wilderness and has falls and rapids, including some right in the city. In both Forestville and along Wright Street, there are some wild stretches of the river — although fairly short, they are amazingly beautiful. One short bend is next to Wright Street near the BLP Trailhead. This stretch even includes a beaver lodge built on the side of the bank. It is in plain sight, but the best views come by climbing down the steep bank of the river to look upstream through dark eastern hemlock and eastern white pine branches framing the river as they reach out over the dancing water darting around dozens of emerging boulders in the rapids. The most incredible views of the river come from the extra effort it takes to ease down those steep river edges, often over fallen trees and sharp rock edges. It is that extra effort to reach an unusual spot not regularly visited by others that frequently creates a perspective with an eye-catching special edge to it. “Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.” —Thomas Merton

any marvel at the view afforded from the top of one of the towers on the Mackinac Bridge, especially for the Bridge Walk on Labor Day. Being 550 feet up makes the view quite different. Drone views have made those views from above much more common, and all bring new fresh, exciting looks at familiar places. Aerial photography has done this for years but in a more limited way, mostly because of costs and challenges of shooting out of the window of a plane 90 miles per hour or more. Some of those views were equally exciting though. Just west of the former Marquette County Airport, then located in Negaunee Township across US-41 from the Negaunee State Police Post, are the Carp River meanders, winding through a flood

Three-lined ground squirrels offer endless entertainment for a patient watcher. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

plain, around old oxbows in gorgeous fashion (See the December 2023 Marquette Monthly). Northwest of the town of Big Bay, the shoreline contains swells and swales — ridges topped with pines and maples, sandwiching bogs, creeks and narrow ponds. They formed as a result of rebounding shores lifting slowly back up after being compressed by the huge glacier that was once here. The land rises in slow lurches, averaging about an inch every 100 years. The results of the process are clearly visible when viewed from the air in autumn and the beauty of geography stands out. Lines of land stand out in ways difficult to imagine when standing on them. The low view can also be rewarding and unique. A day at Little Presque Isle north of Marquette may lead ultimately to a walk along the beach to the mouth of Harlow Creek. Sandy beaches change constantly on Lake Superior, especially around the mouths of rivers. The Dead River may lead the way with its new looks throughout the year. The mouth of Harlow is not far behind, and beautiful sand formations can be seen clearly by sitting down on the beach at the mouth and looking toward “Little Presque.” Walk upstream a ways and look down to the lake and the graceful white pines stand out at the mouth, too. One of the best views though comes along a little used trail along the south side of the creek. The area is a very special place on Lake Superior topped off with a thick stand of red

and white pines. “You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.” —Henry David Thoreau

ome secret places lay within the sights of a bigger picture. Many Yoopers have watched sunsets from Presque Isle. The islands to the west, Partridge and Gull, and Middle Island Point provide the canvas for the colors of the evening and squeezing down that view can take a person far from the confines of the city of Marquette and into a place so far away. The same can be said of the night sky. Solar activity created a great season for aurora-watching last year and it looks to continue in 2024. Secret places where the lights of town can be blocked out provide an opportunity to see truly special shows of the aurora borealis. The city beaches in Marquette and on M-28, the top of places like Sugarloaf and the edges of waters like Deer Lake in Ishpeming can make those arches, curtains and vortexes of green, pink and purple unbelievably impressive. Secret places far from town will provide the solitude to enjoy the show and maybe hear the crackling some catch during particularly good shows, but the public beaches afford the chance to hear the exclamations, the oohs! and aahs! of others down the beach, just like the ones heard at the Fourth of July fireworks shows. “Well, I know the secret places,

January 2024

And the nests in hedge and tree; At what doors are friendly faces, In what hearts are thoughts of me.” —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

ome of the most easily reached secret places are small nooks and crannies right in a backyard, nearby field or woods. Many of the neighbors have homes there — neighbors like rare orchids, 13-lined ground squirrels and the local deer and foxes. Then, those small “secret” spots may become even more appreciated when they are reached at the perfect time of year, or the perfect moment when the flowers bloom or the neighbors show up for a gathering or special event. Flowers all have their time to bloom. In cooler seasons, they may last for days, or even weeks, in the case of some like asters. For more delicate species, it may be a brief moment in a sweltering season. There are bright orange wood lilies and deep blue irises blooming and wilting in days, so their discovery is especially delightful. Orchids are just plain rare, and stumbling on them is like finding a silver dollar on the sidewalk, an event lasting in long-held memories. And often ones come with secrets of their own, like a protected location to ensure they are there to be seen at another time. With animals, watching their young appear and mature is so special. A nest of birds or young foxes can be amazingly entertaining and have unique, endearing moments. It is watching a pageant of life itself and it will create memories that last a long time. In the

Marquette Monthly

past few years, a family of foxes has used a gully on the university campus in Marquette to call home. They have provided crowds of people the opportunity to watch their lives unfold as winter turns quickly into spring and the parents bring back food. The pups play and wrestle together and grow before the family moves on to expand their world to another neighborhood. “...and so... the greatest journey has always been — chasing paths where your heart beats and finding moments that leave you breathless.” ―Mystqx Skye

ome experiences come when everything just clicks. Several years ago, a northern hawk owl appeared at the old city compost site on Lakeshore Boulevard. Birders flocked there the night it arrived at dusk in late October. Luckily for those unable to make it there that night, the owl, a daytime hunter, lingered on in the off-limits block, occasionally providing views of itself roosting in trees near the fence and, on rare days, atop a skeleton of a black locust tree off Wright Street. Sitting atop a tree against the bright sky, it was a sight to see. But near the end of its stay in February, it occasionally wandered outside the fence to hunt in fields to the north, close to Hawley Street. One afternoon in a delicately light snowfall, it swooped down and landed atop a small spruce tree, right at eye level, providing a chance to look right into its eyes. That look was a chance to sink deep into the heart of the wildness in that owl and all outdoors.

morning when the temperature is well below zero can produce one of those remarkable moments when one can see all three states of matter for water — the liquid lake, ice on the edges of the shore or around Picnic Rocks and the steam of water vapor rising over the water. Add a reddish-pink sun and a few wispy reddish clouds and there is a truly special moment. Lightning is another incredibly ephemeral phenomenon. Total unpredictability makes it all the more magical. Most find it particularly exciting and enjoyable to watch, especially when it is in the distance. It can be even more amazing when it combines with other light-producing events. Lightning over an erupting volcano is one of the most remarkable events in nature. Bright, electric bolts combined with brilliant, colorful fireworks are even more random, and one of the few combinations of nature and man-made creations to produce a more equal appreciation for both. Because Marquette’s fireworks are displayed over Lake Superior, with a clear view of the eastern sky, the two do occasionally meet, in spectacular moments. The colorful reflections of buildings and other manmade structures on water can also combine with natural events like swimming and foraging ducks to create beautiful combinations. The Lower Harbor in Marquette has a number of places where these reflections are remarkable.

“Catch, then, O catch the transient hour; improve each moment as it flies!” —St. Jerome

ut even simple, daily events like sunrises and sunsets can produce more dramatic results when they combine with less common happenings, like ice cover on lakes, flights of birds or passing ships. Lake Superior is again the composer of many of these visual symphonies. Each day new combinations come into play and the only way to find them again and again is to go out, often bravely, at the end of the storm for the rainbow, in the depth of freezing temperatures to find the new, crystal-clear icicle, the middle of the night for the northern lights or at first light to find that singing bird, the one that only sings at dawn once their eggs hatch. It can be at either a secret place or during a special moment, or … both. “For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day, and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment.” —Viktor E. Frankl

ach person seeks out their own places and moments that make them happy. It is part of what makes secret places. For some, it can be in a park down the street, or even in their

“Every particular in nature, a leaf, a drop, a crystal, a moment in time is related to the whole, and partakes of the perfection of the whole.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

ometimes one moment in time is every bit as critical to making a place special as the physical location itself. One of the most iconic places in Marquette proving that point is the Lower Harbor ore dock at sunrise. It requires the physical aspects — a partly cloudy sky to allow the sun to at least peak through with perfect timing — just two days a year, one in November as the days grow shorter, and again in the colder January as the days grow longer again. Many hope to get down there to see that magical moment when the conditions are just right. The lake itself is another great example of timing. Finding a clear

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

Carp River Gorge transforms hikers into a whole different world within a short walk from civilizations. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

Sunset Point at Presque Isle in Marquette offers an infinite number of picturesque moments. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

backyard. For others, it may be miles from towns, roads and people. The beauty found is the source of much of the happiness in their daily lives. Learning how to find that beauty and solace is incredibly important. Visiting and revisiting or finding new places is also crucial. Sometimes sharing is equally important, to make a difference in the lives of others, and to make sure it is there for the next generation to enjoy and savor. “Like the Impressionists, I enjoy the effects of light, and especial-

ly natural light on the figure. If I could, I would take each viewer along to my favorite places along the seacoasts or in the mountains to the secret places of nature.” —Ariana Richards Me too. MM Scot Stewart has lived in Marquette long enough to be considered a true Yooper even though he was born in Illinois. He loves to be outdoors photographing and enjoying nature.

Answers for the New York Times crossword puzzle, located on Page 17.

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

superior reads

Book relives local fire from insider perspective

Review by Victor R. Volkman

obody predicted that 2023 would be the “Year of the Wildfire.” We were inundated by the smoke from Canadian wildfires in early Summer 2023. As a result of this conflagration, my wife and I both woke up coughing and with sore throats on several nights. Little did we know that a catastrophic blaze would light up in Lahaina, Hawaii a month later. We had just visited our relatives down there in December 2022, and the scenes of nightmarish devastation were hard to reconcile with this one-time tropical paradise. So what I’m saying is, wildfires all of a sudden matter to everyone no matter where you live in the USA — from Alaska to Hawaii and continental states too. So it was with great interest when Greg Lusk’s encyclopedic record The Great Seney Fire: A History of the Walsh Ditch Fire of 1976 landed on my desk the same week of the Lahaina disaster. Although I should be old enough to remember the Seney Fire, I was only 12 at the time and all I remember of that year was the bicentennial

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

celebration fever that was sweeping the United States. Specifically, I recall being excited to read Isaac Asimov’s novella “The Bicentennial Man” about a robot who lives to the age of 200. But I digress. Greg Lusk is a native Yooper who had a front-row seat for the Seney Fire. Specifically, he left his job as a fire specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to become the Assistant Fire Boss for the state’s suppression of the Seney Fire. As such, Lusk would need to call on both his experience as a seasoned veteran of Vietnam as a platoon leader as well as his degree in forestry from Michigan Tech to succeed. An invet-

erate and meticulous recordkeeper, he unearthed his many boxes of official and unofficial documentation after his retirement to write “The Great Seney Fire.” I can only describe as eerie the sensation of reading Lusk’s story of a nearly 50-year-old fire while similar events unveiled day-by-day in Hawaii as I read on. One of these he describes in detail is how a fire can burn underground following tree roots like a long dynamite fuse and emerge on the other side of the fire suppression line. Literally, the next day a photographer reported seeing this phenomenon in Lahaina. I am generally not a person to dogear pages, but as I read about the scale of firefighting, possible mismanagement by the Seney Wildlife Sanctuary, and the heroics of men and their machines I was marking page after page. Today, I can watch the progress of wildfires on the NASA FIRMS page (Fire Information Resource Management System) with fresh satellite imagery on my laptop. This was not the case in 1976 when the only communication was oldschool police radios and visuals were just photographs snapped from aerial surveys. Lusk leads off with a complete “natural history” starting millions of years ago before the U.P. itself was even a land mass. This continues on as the ever-changing parade of flora and fauna cross the U.P. and leave their mark. In 1908, land speculators purchased the Seney Marsh from Cleveland Cliffs in hopes of selling it as arable farmland. To that end, they dug the Walsh Ditch, a 16-mile-long trench between M-28 draining into the Manistique River. The main problem was that, although the soil was rich, it would simply not hold water, and after Spring rains, the soil would quickly dry up. Such a summer drought was well underway in 1976 when the Great Fire broke out. A normal summer in the central U.P. would see 13 inches of rain, but only five inches had fallen and August of that year saw barely half an inch of that total. As in many large-scale disasters, a series of small errors mounted to create a fire that consumed 80,000 acres — about 100 square miles. First off was a one-acre test burn by the National Fish & Wildlife Service (F&WS) on July 7, 1976 that they assumed burned out — but burned on. On July 30, a lightning strike ignited marsh grass in an inaccessible area three miles from the nearest road. The

next day, a regular DNR flyover spotted the fire and quickly informed the Seney Refuge manager of the problem. He attempted to walk into the area, but the terrain was too rough. Still, they denied the DNR access by motorized vehicles on the basis that it was a wilderness refuge and should not have vehicles in it. This jurisdictional dispute raged on, with the DNR being helpless to do anything until the fire left federal lands. The situation quickly snowballed and crews were brought in from 29 states to help. At one point, ten firetrucks were on continuous patrol up and down M-28 to prevent the burn from jumping the road. Before it was all over, more than $1 million was spent on the effort. More than 1,000 men and 20 aircraft of all types would be employed in the effort to fight this pernicious blaze. There’s a lot more to the story and it is jaw-dropping. Additional features of the book, beyond a chronology, are an in-depth look at fire danger metrics and how they have evolved over the years, including how command-and-control architectures changed as a result of this fire. The Great Seney Fire is packed with more than a hundred illustrations, many of them in full color, depicting the people, places and firefighting equipment deployed. As a bonus feature, it includes diaries of some of the hotspot jumpers brought in from California on two-week shifts (that sometimes turned into much longer). I highly recommend The Great Seney Fire: A History of the Walsh Ditch Fire of 1976 for anyone who may care how climate change has transformed the tranquil forests into a volatile tinderbox. Greg Lusk’s book should be required reading in any forestry program and an essential Michigan history reference for every library in our state. MM Victor R. Volkman is a graduate of Michigan Tech (Class of ’86) and is current president of the U.P. Publishers & Authors Association. He is senior editor at Modern History Press and publisher of the U.P. Reader.

How to submit a book

Send Upper Peninsula-related book review suggestions to victor@LHPress.com. Books submitted for review can be sent to: MM Book Reviews, 5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

poetry

Silver Lining

Crossing the street. One raindrop hit her forehead. One big raindrop on an otherwise sunny day. She stopped in her tracks. She looked for birds. Swabbed the substance off with her finger. Sniffed it. Stared at it. Tested it for an explanation. She smiled and looked up. Searching for a rainbow. In her peripheral, a cloud formed. And then it hit her. Hit her like a bus. Exactly like a bus. Indeed, it was a bus. And she lay in the road bleeding all over her favorite coat, the one with the silver lining.

Jesse Koenig spent many years living off-grid in a straw-bale house. Now he lives in a normal house with all the modern amenities, and he’s loving it. He inhabits it with his beautiful wife, beautiful daughter and some sweet, but stinky, animals. He’s been in higher ed — as a student, a graduate assistant, an instructor, a department chair, an academic director, an adviser — for almost 25 years. He’s been writing even longer — since he was 16 when his mom brought a copy of Kenneth Patchen’s What Shall We Do Without Us home from a rummage sale. He tries to write short, shocking pieces that make people laugh/cry. “Silver Lining” can be found in his most recent book, Brief Perversions, which is available through Burdock Press.

This poem is from the 10-year anthology, Superior Voyage, which is available for purchase. All proceeds benefit Peter White Public Library. Superior Voyage was selected as a 2023 U.P. Notable Book by the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association.

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

out & about Out & About is a free listing of Upper Peninsula events. Events included must cost $25 or less (except fundraisers). All events are free and in Eastern time unless noted. We print information sent to us by a wide variety of people and organizations. It pays to double check the date, time, place and cost before heading out.

E-mail your February events by Wednesday, January 10 to: calendar@marquettemonthly.com

Index on the town ……………………………………………………………….. 50 art galleries …………………………………………………………… 54-55 museums ………………………………………………………………….. 59 support groups…………………………………………………………….62

Photo by Scot Stewart

Curious Chickadees | January 6 | Marquette

end of december events 27 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:08 p.m.

Marquette

Negaunee

• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18. • Wings of Fire Interest Group. Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

28 THURSDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:08 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m.

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

on the town Gwinn

• Hideaway Bar. - Mondays: The Hideaway All-Stars. 7 p.m. 741 M-35. 906-346-3178.

Marquette

• 906 Sports Bar and Grill. - Wednesdays: Trivia. 6:30 p.m.145 W. Washington St. 906-273-0706 or906barandgrill.com. • Barrel + Beam. - Saturday, Jan. 20: Derrell Syria, 4 p.m.; Toast, 6 p.m.; Ramble Tamble, 7 p.m. 260 Northwoods Rd. 906-273-2559. • Blackrocks Brewery. - Thursday, Dec. 28: John Davey and Bud Clowers. 6 to 9 p.m. - Friday, the 29th: Chasin’ Steel. 7 to 10 p.m. - Saturday, the 30th: Make Believe Spurs. 7 to 10 p.m. - Mondays: Open Mic. 6 to 9 p.m. - Tuesdays: Trivia. 7 to 9 p.m. - Wednesdays: Open mic. 6 to 9 p.m. 424 N. Third St. 906-273-1333 or blackrocksbrewery.com. • Drifa Brewing Company. - Mondays: Musicians’ Open Mic. 6 to 8 p.m. - Thursdays: Trivia. 7 p.m. 501 S. Lake St. 906-273-1300. • Flanigan’s. - Tuesday through Thursday: Karaoke. 9:30 p.m. Cover charge on weekends only. 429 W. Washington St. 906-228-8865. • Iron Bay Restaurant & Drinkery. - Wednesdays: Trivia. 7 to 9 p.m. 105 E. Washington St. 906-273-0990. • Kognisjon Bryggeri. - Saturday, Jan. 6: Schreck. 6 to 10 p.m. - Thursday, the 11th: Tavern Night with MarQuest LARP. 6 to 11 p.m. - Saturday, the 13th: Troy Graham Bluegrass Set. 6 to 9 p.m.

Marquette Monthly

- Saturday, the 20th: Electric Slim. 6 to 9 p.m. - Saturday, the 27th: Dr. West. 6 to 10 p.m. - Mondays: Study Hall. 2 to 7 p.m. - Tuesdays: Trivia. 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. - Wednesdays: Brewery Bazaar. 6 to 8 p.m. - Thursdays: Game Night with Iron Golem Games. 6 to 11 p.m. - Sundays: Open Mic Night. 6 to 10 p.m. 1034 N. Third St. 906-273-2727. • Lake Superior Smokehouse. - Friday, Jan. 5: Vinyl Tap. 6 to 9 p.m. - Saturday, the 6th: Blue Deuce. 6 to 9 p.m. - Saturday, the 13th: The Daydreamers. 6 to 9 p.m. - Saturday, the 20th: Chris Valenti. 6 to 9 p.m. - Friday, the 26th: Delta Duo. 6 to 9 p.m. - Saturday, the 27th: Big Lake. 6 to 9 p.m. 200 W. Main St. 906-273-0952. • Ore Dock Brewing Company. - Saturday, Dec. 30: Ramble Tamble. 9 p.m. - Sunday, the 31st: Big Trouble NYE Special. 9 p.m. - Saturday, Jan. 13: Make Believe Spurs. 7 p.m. - Friday, the 19th: The Palestras. 5:30 to 9 p.m. - Saturday, the 20th: Realms. 9 p.m. - Friday, the 26th: The Brothers Quinn. 8 p.m. - Saturday, the 27th: The Brothers Quinn. 8 p.m. - Sunday, the 28th: Westerly Winds. 2 to 4 p.m. (dance lessons from 1 to 2 p.m.; included with ticket). Adults, $10; students, $5. - Sunday, the 28th: Futurama trivia. 6 p.m. All shows are free unless noted. 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888. • Rippling River Resort.

January 2024

Comedy night with Larry Reeb | January 5 | Pasquali’s Pub, Negaunee

- Saturday, Dec.30: Keith Janofski. 6 to 9 p.m. - Sunday, the 31st: Beechgrove and Blacksmith. 5 to 8 p.m. - Thursday, January 4: Jan Arnold. 6 to 9 p.m. - Sunday, the 7th: Troy Graham. 6 to 9 p.m. - Friday, the 12th: Troy Graham. 6 to 9 p.m. - Saturday, the 13th: Darrell Syria. 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, the 26th: Troy Graham. 6 to 9 p.m. 4321 M-553. 906-273-2259 or ripplingriverresort.com. • Superior Culture. - Wednesday, Jan. 3: Dylan CongerLyewski. 8 to 10 p.m. - Friday, the 5th: Ryan Dart. - Tuesdays: Open Mic night. 8 to 10 p.m. 717 Third St. 906-273-0927 or superiorculture.mqt.com.

Negaunee

• Pasquali’s Pub.

- Friday, Jan. 5: Comedy night with Senthil Rajasekharan and Larry Reeb. $10. 8 p.m. 100 Cliff St. 906-475-4466.

Republic

• Pine Grove Bar. - Friday, Jan. 5: Seth Brown Duo. 8 to 11 p.m. - Saturday, the 6th: Neo Lives. 9 p.m. to midnight. - Friday, the 12th: Brad and Warren. 8 to 11 p.m. - Saturday, the 13th: Lillian Manceau. 3 to 6 p.m. - Saturday, the 13th: Vinyl Tap. 8 p.m. to midnight. - Friday, the 19th: DayDreamers Acoustic. 8 to 11 p.m. - Saturday, the 20th: Soulshine. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. - Friday, the 26th: Ethan Bott. 8 to 11 p.m. - Saturday, the 27th: Noah Bauer. 3 to 6 p.m.; Last Call. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 286 Front St. 906-376-2234. MM

Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311.

Marquette

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Holiday Lasers on the Ore Dock. View fun and festive laser displays from holiday, winter and Marquette themes. 6 to 9 p.m. Marquette Ore Dock, end of East Spring Street.

Negaunee

• Music, Movement and More. This parent-led storytime is for children of all ages and their caregivers. 10:30 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18. • Building Club. Youth ages five and older will discuss a topic that will be the focus of their creations and then have time to build with blocks such as LEGO bricks. Participants can have their creations displayed in the library until the following meeting. 4:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

29 FRIDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:09 p.m.

Marquette

30 SATURDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:10 p.m.

Marquette

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Readthrough of ‘A Child’s Requiem.’ An explorative readthrough of “A Child’s Requiem” will mark the 10th anniversary of the piece, which was commissioned in 2013 by the Marquette Symphony Orchestra and composed by Marquette native Thomas LaVoy (with a libretto by local poet Esther Margaret Ayers) to mark the 100th anniversary of the Italian Hall disaster. 2 to 5 p.m. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Ridge St. 267-438-3119. • Holiday Lasers on the Ore Dock. View fun and festive laser displays from holiday, winter and Marquette themes. 6 to 9 p.m. Marquette Ore Dock, end of East Spring Street.

31 SUNDAY

sunrise 8:34 a.m.; sunset 5:11 p.m.

New Year’s Eve

Houghton

• New Year’s Eve Chook Drop. Brave the cold with friends and family as you countdown to midnight. Enjoy music from Party Sounds and a fire to stay warm. 11:30 p.m. to midnight. Houghton Pier. visitkeweenaw.com

Marquette

• The Elementary Ball. This is a New Year celebration for the preschool and elementary revelers and their caregivers. There will be party hats, cookies, a DJ, and a ball drop at 7:30 p.m. $5 per child. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, 123 W. Baraga Ave. 906-226-3911 or upchildrensmuseum.org. • New Year’s Eve Ball Drop. Celebrate the new year with the annual ball drop. 10 p.m. to midnight. Washington Street. downtownmarquette.org.

january events 01 MONDAY

sunrise 8:34 a.m.; sunset 5:12 p.m.

New Year’s Day

02 TUESDAY

sunrise 8:34 a.m.; sunset 5:13 p.m.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Tot Tuesday Storytime. Stories, songs, and movement activities will be followed by an optional craft and playtime for toddlers and preschoolers. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Teen Book Fair. Teens and young adult book lovers are invited to browse a selection of new books and choose two to keep. 1 to 5 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.

Marquette

Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • Maritime History on Tap. Roger LeLievre, editor of Know Your Ships, will discuss the annual guidebook on the boats of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. $5 suggested donation. 7 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-226-2006. • What’s Up? (via Zoom). Scott Stobbelaar of the Marquette Astronomical Society will provide a virtual guide to what can be seen in the skies of the Upper Peninsula. 7 p.m. Via Zoom. 906-226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

03 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 8:34 a.m.; sunset 5:14 p.m.

Ishpeming

• Crochet Club and Yarn Swap. This is a time to gather with fellow crafters to socialize. Supplies and instruction will be provided for those who are interested in learning how to crochet. There is also the option to bring along clean and unused yarn to donate or swap. 5:30 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906228-0456. • Senior Visual Art Classes. Alesia Braund will provide instructions on the art of paper crafting. Ages 55 and older. Supplies will be provided. City of Marquette and neighboring township residents, free; non-residents, $5 suggested donation. 1 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906 225-8655. • Teens Game On! Youth in Grades six to 12 can drop in for a selection of video games, board games and more. 3 to 6 p.m. Teen Zone, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-2264321, apierce@pwpl.info, or pwpl.info. • Marquette County Quilters Association Monthly Meeting. All skill levels are invited for socialization, program events and show and tell. Yearly membership fee, $20. 6:30 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. marquettequilters.org.

Negaunee

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18. • Caregiver-Child Book Club. Contact the library for this month’s selection. Snacks and a craft will be provided. 5:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. (906) 475-7700, ext. 18.

04 THURSDAY

sunrise 8:34 a.m.; sunset 5:15 p.m.

Ishpeming

• Puzzle Swap Kickoff. Bring a puzzle (with all its pieces and in its box) to exchange for a different puzzle of your choice. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Margaret Dundon Reading Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.

Marquette

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311.

Ishpeming

Calumet

Marquette

Escanaba

• Book Club. This month’s selection will be The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Senior Center, 121 Greenwood St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Meeting. Discussion includes the ups and downs of motherhood and everything in between. Open to moms of children of any age. Childcare typically provided. 5:30 p.m. Messiah Lutheran Church, 305 W. Magnetic St. renee.n. jewett@gmail.com. • Open Jam Tribute to Les Ross. This session will honor the late Les Ross, described as “the drummer who never skipped a beat,” who died 20 years ago. 6 to 9 p.m. Blackrocks Brewery, 424 N. Third St. 906-475-7718.

Negaunee

05 FRIDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:16 p.m.

Gwinn

• Story Time. Preschool age children with a caregiver are invited for stories, crafts and light snacks. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Public Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433.

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

06 SATURDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:17 p.m.

• Movie Magic. The film How to Train Your Dragon will be shown. Popcorn and water available for purchase. $1. 7 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com. • Ink Society Local Writers’ Group. Free for ages 16 and older. 10:30 a.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Gwinn

• New Year Goal Setting and Vision Board Workshop. Amanda Perry will lead this motivational morning on how to create sustainable goals and create a vision board to take home. Supplies will be provided. 10 a.m. to noon. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433. • Ice Races. Presented by the Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association. $5 donation per car; day pit passes are available for $10 per person. Spectator gate opens at 10 a.m.; races begin by 11:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Ball Park. uppermichiganiceracing.com.

Ishpeming

• Vision Board Workshop for Adults. Amy Turner from the Apiary Life Studio will lead a guided vision board workshop. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. To register, visit ishpeminglibrary.info/ calendar or call 906-486-4381.

Marquette

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Curious Chickadees. Participants will sit outside with birdseed and enjoy the company of local birds, including black capped chickadees, and learn about these song birds. It is recommended to dress in layers. Suggested donation is $5 per child or $10 per family. 2 p.m. MooseWood Nature Cen-

ter, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, email moosewoodnc@gmail.com. • Swing Dance. A free one-hour swing dancing lesson will be followed by a social dance. 7 p.m. Dance Zone, 1113 Lincoln Ave. 602-358-6839, events@ yooperswing.com or yooperswing.com/ dance.

07 SUNDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:18 p.m.

Calumet

• Art Junkies. An arts and craft social group. 1 to 3 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-231-0448.

• Friends of the Library Meeting. New members are welcome to learn about programming ideas, volunteer opportunities, the Red Jacket Readers book club, and more. 5:30 p.m. Community Room, Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.

Marquette

Ishpeming

• The Ultimate Bridal Event. Attendees can meet wedding vendors, mingle with other brides and grooms, and enjoy giveaways and the live fashion show. 1 to 5 p.m. Ojibwa Casino, 105 Acre Trail. abrideschoiceup.com.

08 MONDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:19 p.m.

Marquette

• Senior Theatre Experience: Monthly Theatre Workshop and Discussion. Intended for ages 55 and older. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • Craft Magic Series: Punch Needle Magic with Lydia Taylor. Fiber artist Lydia Taylor will teach basic punch needle skills and participants will leave with their own handmade punch needle project. Starter kits will be provided. 6:30 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, call 906-226-4322, email machatz@pwpl.info or visit pwpl.info. • The Joy of Sound Meditation. This evening of sound meditation will feature bronze singing bowls and metal gongs. 7 p.m. Chapel, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Ridge St. 906362- 9934 or ckitchenmqt@gmail.com.

Negaunee

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

09 TUESDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:20 p.m.

Calumet

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work the way you want with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. Sessions will be offered in 30-minute time slots between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4311. • Director Chat. Stop in to chat with Library Director Andrea Ingmire. 11 a.m. to noon, and 5 to 6 p.m. Circulation Lobby, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl. info. • Tasty Reads Book Group. This month’s selection will be Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent. Noon. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl. info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Lake Superior Knitters. Open to all ages and skill levels to mentor and share knowledge. If new to knitting, bring a skein of a worsted weight yarn (avoid dark yarn) and a Size 7 circular needle that is 24-inches long to make a cowl. The basic pattern will be provided. Suggested donation of $1 to $5 to the MRHC for the study and preservation of the fiber arts. 1 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. beedhive47@yahoo.com. • Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • NCLL: Tame Those Cravings. Mohey Mowafy, retired NMU nutrition professor, will discuss the biological regulation of hunger and satiety and how to handle cravings. NCLL members, $5; non-members, $10. 2:30 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Li-

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

art galleries Calumet

• Calumet Art Center. Works by local and regional artists. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228. calumetartcenter.com. • Copper Country Associated Artist. Works by members and workshop participants in watercolor and oil, drawings, photography, sculpture, quilting, wood, textile, clay, glass and other media. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 205 Fifth St. 906-337-1252 or ccaartists.org. • Gallery on 5th. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Call or visit Facebook for up-to-date store hours. 906-299-0118 or galleryon5th.com.

Curtis

• Erickson Center for the Arts– Waterfront Gallery. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 9224 Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906-5869974 or ericksoncenter.org.

Copper Harbor

• EarthWorks Gallery. Featuring Lake Superior-inspired photography by Steve Brimm. Daily, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 216 First St. 906-231-6318.

Escanaba

• Besse Gallery. - The Fall 2023 Celebration of Student Success is on display through the 10th. Days and hours vary. Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. baycollege.edu. • East Ludington Art Gallery. Works by local artists. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 1007 Ludington St. 906-786-0300 or eastludingtongallery.com. • Hartwig Gallery. Featuring works by local, regional and national artists. Days and hours vary. Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. baycollege.edu. • William Bonifas Fine Arts Gallery. - New works by oil painter John Hubbard are on display through Feb. 16 in the Studio Gallery. - Fabrications VI: A Fiber Arts Show, showcasing innovative work from quilters, weavers and fiber artists of all kinds, is on display Jan. 5 through Feb. 16 in the Powers Gallery. An opening reception will take place 6 to 8 p.m. on the 5th. - The U.P. Through My Lens: A Photography Competition will be on display Jan. 11 through Feb. 16 in the Powers Gallery. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 700 First Avenue South. 906-7863833 or bonifasarts.org.

Hancock 54

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

Winter Wonderland Walk | Huron Mountain Club Gallery, Marquette

• The Finandia Gallery. - Marjo Levlin: Heading West, Coming Back, an exhibit by Finnish artist Marjo Levlin, is on display through the 31st. The installation of mixed media tells the story of late 19th-century migration from Finland to the United States. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy St. 906-487-7500 or gallery@finlandia.edu. • Kerredge Gallery. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Copper Country Community Arts Center, 126 Quincy St. 906-482-2333 or coppercountryarts.com. • Youth Gallery. Featuring works by local students. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community Arts Center, 126 Quincy St. 906-482-2333 or coppercountryarts.com.

Marquette

• Art—U.P. Style. Art by Carol Papaleo, works by local artists, gifts, classes and more. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. 130 W. Washington St. 906-225-1993. • DeVos Art Museum. - UP Focus: Catherine Benda and Carrie Flashpohler VanderVeen, will be on display January 18 through March 30, with a public reception and artists’ talks at 6 p.m. on January 18. - Fred Brian: Lake Gogebic Memories and Myths, which translates Brian’s

childhood observations into narrative artwork, is on display through March 1. - By Design: Looking at Living, an exhibition that considers our relationship to design using objects from the gallery’s permanent collection, is on display through June 1. Monday through Wednesday and Friday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday, noon to 8 p.m. Corner of Seventh and Tracy streets. NMU. 906-227-1481 or nmu.edu/devos. • Graci Gallery. Featuring works by local and regional artists Monday, Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 110 N. Third St. gracigallery.com. • Huron Mountain Club Gallery. - Winter Wonderland Walk is on display through the 31st. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-228-0472. • Lake Superior Photo and Gallery. The studio features landscape photographic art by Shawn Malone, including naturescapes of the Lake Superior region. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 211 S. Front St. 906-228-3686 or lakesuperiorphoto.com. • Marquette Arts and Culture Center Deo Gallery. - Color Memories by Ginnie Cappaert is on display through the 31st. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. (continued on page 55)

art galleries

(continued from page 54)

to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-228-0472. • Peter White Public Library. - Winter Wonderland Walk is on display through the 31st. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lower Level Reception Gallery, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-228-0472. • Presque Isle Station. This working pottery studio features pottery by Michael Horton and Terry Gilfoy, along with works by local artists. Days and times vary. 2901 Lakeshore Blvd. 906-225-1695. • The Gallery: A Marquette Artist Collective Project. Works by local and regional artists. Monday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Suite U7, 130 W. Washington St. mqtartistcollective.com. • The Studio Gallery at Presque Isle. Works by local and internationally acclaimed artists. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. 2905 Lakeshore Blvd. 906-360-4453. • Wintergreen Hill Gallery and Gifts. This month’s featured artist is Ilah Wilson. A reception will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on the 11th. Wintergreen Hill Gallery strives to create an immersive art experience for visitors who are looking to buy brary, 217 N. Front St. 906-361-5370 or jhigbie@nmu.edu. • Write On. In this six-week series, a different local writer will engage with attendees to enhance and inspire creative expression. At the end of the series, participants will have the opportunity to publish a chapbook of their writing. 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, visit pwpl.info. • Dumbledore’s Army. Students in fourth through sixth grade can hear a book read aloud and make contact paper cauldrons. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Mokuhanga Printmaking Art Talk. This Art Talk will be presented by Mary Brodbeck, who studied traditional Japanese woodblock printing techniques with a master craftsman in Japan. 6:30 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. lakesuperiorartassociation.org.

or just looking for inspiration. Local art by local artists. Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 810 N. Third St. 906-273-1374 or wintergreenhill.com. • Zero Degrees Gallery. Metalsmithing and jewelry by guest artist Joseph Baker with a reception from 1 to 4 p.m. on the 16th. The gallery features works in oils, watercolors, mixed media, jewelry, photography, metals, woods, recycled and fiber arts and much more. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 525 N. Third St. 906-228-3058 or zerodegreesgallery.org.

Munising

• UP-Scale Art. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 109 W. Superior Ave. 906-387-3300 or upscaleart.org.

Rapid River

• The adhocWORKshop. Owner Ritch Branstrom creates sculptures with found objects inspired by the land in which the objects were found. By appointment or chance. 10495 South Main Street. 906-3991572 or adhocworkshop.com.

Sand River

• Aurelia Studio Pottery. Featuring high fire stoneware, along with functional and sculptural pieces inspired by nature, created by potter and owner Paula Neville. Open by appointment or chance. 3050 E. M-28. 906-343-6592. MM

10 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 8:32 a.m.; sunset 5:21 p.m.

Escanaba

• Toddler Time. Intended for ages two to four. 10:30 a.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. To register, 906-789-7328. escanabalibrary.org.

Marquette

• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906228-0456. • NCLL: Thomas Theater Sneak Peek. Kaylee Hubert will host a behind-the-scenes peek to learn about the administration and management of Marquette’s local movie theater. NCLL members, $5; non-members, $10. Noon. Thomas Theater, 1525

January 2024

Marquette Monthly

Commerce Dr. 906-361-1919 or lisajstasiuk@gmail.com, or 573-620-2971 or michelle.randall9172gmail.com. • Township Advisory Council. This quarterly meeting of the Township Advisory Council of the Peter White Public Library is open to all. 5 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. • Community Knit/Crochet Club. 5:30 p.m. Alley Kat’s Quilt Shop, 1010 W. Washington St. 906-315-0050. • Laughing Whitefish Bird Alliance (LWBA) Meeting. Skye Haas and Gary Palmer will present “Counting Birds for Whitefish Point.” 7 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-362-4811. • Make-Believe Spurs Concert. The group will perform its close-knit harmony vocals and storytelling. 7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-2264322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl. info.

Negaunee

Marquette Monthly

St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

11 THURSDAY

sunrise 8:32 a.m.; sunset 5:22 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311.

Crystal Falls

• UP Notable Book Club (Zoom). This event will include a Q&A session with Matt Hellman, author of The Biting Cold, a dark fantasy set during the worst snowstorm in recent memory in Copper Harbor. It is part of a series with winners of the UP Notable Book List hosted by the Crystal Falls Community District Library in partnership with the U.P. Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA). 7 p.m. Via Zoom; email egathu@crystalfallslibrary.org or call 906-875-3344.

Ishpeming

• VFW Auxiliary Meeting. 1:30 p.m. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-4864856. • Mushroom Growing Workshop. $25. 5:30 p.m. Partridge Creek Farm Office, 112 S. Main St. To register, partridgecreekfarm.org/events. camden@ partridgecreekfarm.org.

Marquette

January 2024

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work the way you want with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. Sessions will be offered in 30-minute time slots between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4311. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Fandom Fun: Winter Fairy Garden. Youth of all ages can create their own winter fairy garden. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Marquette Art Muses Meeting. This will be the inaugural gathering of the Marquette Art Muses. Similar to a book club, monthly meetings will feature art prompts instead of books. Open to the public. 5:30 p.m. The Courtyards, 1110 Champion St. lbuckmar2@yahoo.com or 906-399-9824. • Second Thursday Creativity Series. This month’s theme will be “Princesses and Pirates” featuring hands-on craft activities and free Culver’s frozen custard. Costumes are encouraged. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, 123 W. Baraga Ave. 906-2263911 or upchildrensmuseum.org. • Yarn Winders Fiber Guild of Mar-

quette. 6 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. • Marquette Poets Circle. Local poets, writers, and poetry enthusiasts gather to workshop their current work, followed by an open mic. New and experienced poets are welcome for either or both events. 6:30 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. (906) 226-4322 or pwpl.info.

Negaunee

12 FRIDAY

sunrise 8:31 a.m.; sunset 5:24 p.m.

Gwinn

• Story Time. Preschool age children with a caregiver are invited for stories, crafts and light snacks. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Public Library, 180 W.

Flint St. 906-346-3433.

Adventure of a Lifetime | January 18 | Marquette

Ishpeming

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Tot Tuesday Storytime. Stories, songs, and movement activities will be followed by an optional craft and playtime for toddlers and preschoolers. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is Horse by Geraldine Brooks. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

13 SATURDAY

sunrise 8:31 a.m.; sunset 5:25 p.m.

Calumet

• Second Saturday Market. Featuring local handcrafted items. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228 or calumetartcenter. com. • Movie Magic. The film Cruellan will be shown. Popcorn and water available for purchase. $1. 7 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.

Chatham

• Storytime. The storytime will also include songs and crafts. 10 a.m. Rock River Township Library, E3667 State Hwy. M-94. 906-439-5360 or rrtlibrary@gmail.com.

Gwinn

• Ice Races. Presented by the Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association. $5 donation per car; day pit passes are available for $10 per person. Spectator gate opens at 10 a.m.; races begin by 11:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Ball Park. uppermichiganiceracing.com.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Closser

Marquette

• Docu Cinema: Elvis: Return to Tupelo. In celebration of what would have been Elvis Presley’s 89th birthday, this documentary of his birthplace reveals how it shaped him into a global superstar. Noon. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • LEGO Club. Participants can meet other LEGO enthusiasts and build projects with the library’s LEGO blocks. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • In Search of Evening Owls. Scot Stewart, MooseWood board member and bird enthusiast, will offer a 20-minute introduction to the unique hunters followed by carpooling to an off-site location where owls have been active. Dress for the weather. Suggested donation is $5 for adults and $10 for families. 6 p.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. moosewoodnc@gmail.com.

Escanaba

Marquette

Escanaba

• LEGO Club. This month’s theme is “Winter Wonderland.” 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Gwinn

• Baby Doll Clinic. This special family event will feature local author Carrie Pearson who will teach kids about the APGAR score. Each child will receive a free stethoscope and are encouraged to bring their favorite doll or stuffed animal on which to practice. A light snack will be provided. 11 a.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433.

Ishpeming

• Graphic Novel Book Club. Students in fourth through eighth grades will discuss a yet-to-be determined selection. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Adult Fantasy Book Club. This month’s selection is Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • NSDAR Meeting. This is the monthly meeting of the Onagomingkway Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). Noon. Call 906-226-7836 for location.

14 SUNDAY

sunrise 8:30 a.m.; sunset 5:26 p.m.

Calumet

• Art Junkies. An arts and craft social group. 1 to 3 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-231-0448.

Ishpeming

• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.

Marquette

• Story Time at MooseWood. A reading of Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner will be followed by an activity or craft. Suggested donation is $5 per child or $10 per family. 11 a.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, email moosewoodnc@gmail. com.

15 MONDAY

sunrise 8:30 a.m.; sunset 5:27 p.m.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Negaunee

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

16 TUESDAY

sunrise 8:29 a.m.; sunset 5:29 p.m.

January 2024

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work the way you want with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. Sessions will be offered in 30-minute time slots between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4311. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • NCLL: Finnish Music. Tanya Stanaway, a native of Finland who has led several tours to the country, will share Finnish music while wearing native dress and explaining its significance. NCLL members, $5; non-members, $10. 2 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-458-5408 or csteinha@ nmu.edu. • Write On. In this six-week series, a different local writer will engage with attendees to enhance and inspire creative expression. At the end of the series, participants will have the opportunity to publish a chapbook of their writing. 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, visit pwpl.info. • Dungeons and Dragons at PWPL. Jordan from Iron Golem Games, will lead teens in Grades six to 12 on a quest with this role-playing game. Registration is required. 4 p.m. Teen Zone, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4321 or pwpl.info. • Dungeons and Dragons Junior at PWPL. PWPL staff member Cat will guide youth in fourth and fifth grades on a quest with this role-playing game. Registration is required. 4:30 p.m. Conference Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323

Marquette Monthly

or pwpl.info. • Muggles for Potter. Students in second and third grades can hear a book read aloud and make contact paper cauldrons. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • PWPL Board of Trustees Meeting. This monthly meeting of the board of trustees of the Peter White Public Library is open to all. 5 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. pwpl.info.

Negaunee

• NCLL: Ceramic Wall Vase. In the first of a two-part class, Sondra Grimes will instruct participants on molding class and adding texture to form a vase. Participants will meet again on Jan. 23 for the next steps. NCLL members, $5; non-members, $10; plus a $20 project fee. 10 a.m. Sondra Grimes Studio, 142 Grimes Rd. 906-361-1919 or lisajstasiuk@gmail.com.

17 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 8:29 a.m.; sunset 5:30 p.m.

Calumet

• Red Jacket Readers. The selection will be We Kept Our Towns Going by Phyllis Michael Wong, which tells the stories of the “Gossard Girls” who sewed corsets and bras at factories in Ishpeming and Gwinn. 6:30 p.m. Community Room, Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311, ext. 1107.

Escanaba

• Toddler Time. Intended for ages two to four. 10:30 a.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. To register, 906-789-7328. escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is Horse by Geraldine Brooks. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• All Booked Up (Online). Upper Michigan Today’s Elizabeth Peterson and Tia Trudgeon, along with Peter White Public Library staff, will lead a discussion of When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi via the TV6 Facebook page. 9 a.m. 906-226-4322 or pwpl.info. • Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906228-0456. • Adult Nonfiction Book Group. This month’s book is This Time Next Year We Will Be Laughing: A Memoir by Jacqueline Winspear. 1 p.m. Conference Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4311 or pwpl.info.

Marquette Monthly

• Senior Visual Art Classes. Alesia Braund will provide instructions on the art of paper crafting. Ages 55 and older. Supplies will be provided. City of Marquette and neighboring township residents, free; non-residents, $5 suggested donation. 1 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906 225-8655. • Outword. Intended for LGBTQIA youth and ally students in grades seven to 12. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4321 or pwpl.info. • Quick Fics Book Group. This month’s selection is The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw. 6 p.m. Dandelion Cottage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4323 or pwpl.info. • HOTAP (Hiawatha on Tap). This month’s event will be Preserving the Roots: Women in Traditional Music featuring Kerry Yost and Sarah Mittlefehldt with Katrina Keough and Erin Smith. Proceeds support the Hiawatha Music Co-op and traditional music artists. Children 12 and younger, free; HMC Members, $5; non-members, $10. 6 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. hiawathamusic. org.

Negaunee

18 THURSDAY

sunrise 8:28 a.m.; sunset 5:31p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311.

Ishpeming

• Crochet Club and Yarn Swap. This is a time to gather with fellow crafters to socialize. Supplies and instruction will be provided for those who are interested in learning how to crochet. There is also the option to bring along clean and unused yarn to donate or swap. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-4864381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

January 2024

sions will be offered in 30-minute time slots between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4311. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Live and Learn. Christine Harkness, licensed speech pathologist, will administer cognitive assessments, which are used if a person shows signs of a problem with memory, thinking, or other brain functions. Assessments are recommended at age 60 or after retirement. Appointments are required. $25. 2 p.m. Mill Creek Clubhouse, 1728 Windstone Dr. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Fandom Fun: Percy Jackson. Youth of all ages can enjoy Percy Jackson-themed activities and crafts. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • NCLL: Adventure of a Lifetime: Bicycling Cross Country. Bruce Closser will share his experiences pedaling cross country on his bike. NCLL members, $5; non-members, $10. 6 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906361-5370 or jhigbie@nmu.edu.

• LEGO Club. Participants can meet other LEGO enthusiasts and build projects with the library’s LEGO blocks. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Lip Sync Battle. Ten local teams will perform in a competion that combines music performance and philanthropy. Proceeds benefit the Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice Patient Care Fund.There will be a cash bar, silent auction and 50/50 raffle. $50. Doors open, 6:30; Performance, 7:30 p.m. Forest Robert Theater, NMU. nmu. universitytickets.com.

Negaunee

• Movie Magic. The film 101 Dalmations will be shown. Popcorn and water available for purchase. $1. 7 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-3372610 or calumettheatre.com.

19 FRIDAY

sunrise 8:33 a.m.; sunset 5:33 p.m.

Gwinn

• Story Time. Preschool age children with a caregiver are invited for stories, crafts and light snacks. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Public Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433.

Marquette

• Global Cinema: Satyajit Ray’s Devi (The Goddess). Film auteur Satyajit Ray explores the conflict between fanaticism and free will in this Indian film. Not Rated. Noon. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.

Negaunee

• U.S. Cup Ski Jumping. Hosted by the Ishpeming Ski Club, the weekend’s events will honor Tom “Sodapop” Sodergren. Booster buttons for children 12 and younger, free; in advance, $15; at the gate, $20. Limited parking is available for $10 per car; a free shuttle is available. Opening ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. U.P. Nordic Ski Complex. ishskiclub.com.

20 SATURDAY

sunrise 8:27 a.m.; sunset 5:34 p.m.

Calumet

Escanaba

• Crafting Fun. This event is intended for ages six to 10. 1:30 p.m. Children’s Room, Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. escanabalibrary.org.

Gwinn

Houghton

• Raise the Woof Comedy Show. This comedy tour gives a voice to animals by spreading awareness through a night of fun and laughter. It is presented by the Copper Country Humane Society, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and 100 percent of the ticket and raffle proceeds will be returned to the shelter. MTU students and youth, $15; adults, $20. 8 p.m. Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, 1400 Townsend Dr. 906-487-1906 or rozsa@mtu.edu.

Ishpeming

• Composting with Partridge Creek Farm. 2 p.m. Ray Leverton Community Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

museums Big Bay

• Big Bay Lighthouse. The grounds of the 1896 lighthouse are open year-round. 3 Lighthouse Rd. 906345-9957.

Calumet

• International Frisbee/USA Guts Hall of Fame and Museum. Learn about the history of Guts Frisbee. Days and hours vary. Open when events are held. Second floor ballroom, Calumet Colosseum, 110 Red Jacket Rd. 906-281-7625.

Escanaba

• Upper Peninsula Honor Flight Legacy Museum. The museum chronicles the history of the U.P. Honor Flights with the history of the trips. Donations appreciated. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request. Inside the Delta County Chamber of Commerce, 1001 N. Lincoln Rd. • Upper Peninsula Military Museum. The museum honors Upper Peninsula veterans, and features exhibits and dioramas portraying the Upper Peninsula’s contribution to U.S. war efforts from the Civil War through the Afghanistan wars. Donations appreciated. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request. Inside the Delta County Chamber of Commerce, 1001 N. Lincoln Rd.

Houghton

• A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum. New exhibit on Yooperlites, sodalite-bearing syenites that possess fluorescent properties. View the largest collection of minerals from the Great Lakes region and the world’s finest collection of Michigan minerals. Prices vary. Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed

Marquette

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Winter Wonderland. Participants can drop in to make snowflakes and listen to a talk about snowflakes, snow, and how snow benefits plants and animals. Suggested donation is $5 per child or $10 per family. Noon to 3:30 p.m. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail. com. • Marquette Symphony Orchestra Concert. Titled “Walton’s Viola Concerto” this concert will feature the 2023 MSO Youth Concerto Competition Winner, Jay Julio. Ticket prices vary. 7:30 p.m. Kaufman Auditorium, 611 N. Front St. marquettesymphony.org.

Dec. 22 through Jan. 7, 2024). 1404 E. Sharon Ave. 906-487-2572. • Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw. - The new exhibit is Mary Biekkola Wright in the Keweenaw, which features community art projects on loan from the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center in Marquette, as well as a few projects unique to the Keweenaw. Other exhibits include Written in Stone: Jacobsville Sandstone, Wish You Were Here: Postcards from the Copper Country, Ray Lahikainen: Houghton Waterfront Paintings, and Beer UP: History of Brewing on the Keweenaw (1844-2014). Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. 105 Huron St. 906482-7140 or carnegiekeweenaw.org. • MTU Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections. Features a variety of historical memorabilia, highlighting life in the Copper Country. Open by appointment. Lower level of the J.R. Van Pelt Library, MTU. 906-487-3209.

Ishpeming

• Ishpeming Area Historical Society Museum. Displays include a military exhibit and artifacts from the Elson Estate. Donations appreciated. Open by appointment. See website for updates. Gossard Building, Suite 303, 308 Cleveland Ave. ishpeminghistory. org. • U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum features more than 300 Hall of Fame inductees, presented in photographs and biographies, and displays and exhibits of skiing history and equipment, an extensive library, video show, gift shop, special events and more. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. US-41 and Third Street. 906-485-6323 or skihall.com.

Negaunee

• Paul Bietila Memorial Ski Jumping Tournament. Hosted by the Ishpeming Ski Club, the weekend’s events will honor Tom “Sodapop” Sodergren. The day will include the US Cup Nordic Combined 5km ski race, U.S. Cup awards ceremony and the opening ceremony for the Junior Tournament. Fireworks will follow the competition. Booster buttons for children 12 and younger, free; in advance, $15; at the gate, $20. Limited parking is available for $10 per car; a free shuttle is available. Opening ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m.; competition begins at 7 p.m. U.P. Nordic Ski Complex. ishskiclub.com.

21 SUNDAY

sunrise 8:35 a.m.; sunset 5:35 p.m.

K.I. Sawyer

• K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum. The museum promotes and preserves the aviation history the air base brought to the area. Air Force-related materials are on display, including photographs, flags, medals and more. Donations appreciated. Wednesday through Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. 402 Third St. 906-236-3502 or kisawyerheritageairmuseum.org.

Marquette

• Baraga Educational Center and Museum. View artifacts and tools used by Venerable Bishop Baraga. Donations appreciated. Thursday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m.; or by appointment. 615 S. Fourth St. 906227-9117. • Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center. - Claiming Michigan: The 1820 Expedition of Lewis Cass, featuring images, journal excerpts, detailed narrative information and large-format maps, explores the long-term impact of the expedition on the region. The exhibit is on display through the 27th. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 12 to 4 p.m. Corner of Seventh and Tracy streets. NMU. 906-2271219 or nmu.edu/beaumier. • Marquette Regional History Center. Exposing Photography: Anything but a Small Business, featuring the works of U.P. photographers, their studios and equipment, will be on display through the 13th. The museum also includes interactive displays as well as regional history exhibits. Youth 12 and younger, $2; students, $3; seniors, $6; adults, $7. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 145 W. Spring St. 906-226-3571 or marquettehistory.org. • Upper Peninsula Children’s

Calumet

• Art Junkies. An arts and craft social group. 1 to 3 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-231-0448.

Ishpeming

• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.

Negaunee

• Ski Jumping Junior Tournament. Hosted by the Ishpeming Ski Club, the weekend’s events will honor Tom “Sodapop” Sodergren. The tournament will include jumping and the Nordic combined race. Booster buttons for children 12 and younger, free; in advance, $15; at the gate, $20. Limited parking is available for $10 per car; a free shuttle is available. 11 a.m. U.P. Nordic Ski Complex. ishskiclub.com.

January 2024

Museum. A variety of interactive exhibits offer learning through investigation and creativity. Prices vary. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 123 W. Baraga Ave. 906-2263911 or upchildrensmuseum.org.

Munising

• Alger County Historical Society Heritage Center. Exhibits include the Grand Island Recreation Area, Munising Woodenware Company, barn building, homemaking, sauna and more. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1496 Washington St. 906-387-4308.

Negaunee

• Michigan Iron Industry Museum. In the forested ravines of the Marquette Iron Range, the museum overlooks the Carp River and the site of the first iron forge in the Lake Superior region. Museum exhibits, audio-visual programs and outdoor interpretive paths depict the largescale capital and human investment that made Michigan an industrial leader. The museum is one of 10 museums and historic sites administered by the Michigan Historical Center. Michigan Recreation Passport required for parking. Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 73 Forge Rd. 906-475-7857.

South Range

• Copper Range Historical Museum. Exhibits recreate life from the early 1900s to the mid-1950s of the immigrants who built the towns and villages of the area. Collections include photographs, books and artifacts. Open by appointment. 44 Trimountain Ave. 906-482-6125 or 906-487-9412. MM

22 MONDAY

sunrise 8:25 a.m.; sunset 5:37 p.m.

Marquette

Marquette Monthly

brary, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Block Busting Cinema: Barbie Dream Night. This event will include Barbie Dream snacks, Barbie Dream trivia, Barbie Dream costumes, and a Barbie Dream photo booth plus a screening of the 2023 film Barbie (rated PG-13). 5 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322 or pwpl.info. • The Joy of Sound Meditation. This evening of sound meditation will feature bronze singing bowls and metal gongs. 7 p.m. Chapel, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Ridge St. 906362- 9934 or ckitchenmqt@gmail.com.

non-members, $10. 1 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-475-4252 or bbraden@consultant.com. • Senior Visual Art Classes: Paint Like Picasso. Colleen Maki will discuss cubism. Ages 55 and older. Supplies will be provided. City of Marquette and neighboring township residents, free; non-residents, $5 suggested donation. 1 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906 225-8655. • Teens Cook! Teens in grades six to 12 will learn easy-to-prepare recipes. 4:30 p.m. Marquette Food Co-Op, 502 W. Washington St. Online registration is required. 906-226-4321 or pwpl.info.

Heikinpäivä | January 27 | Hancock

Negaunee

Photo by Kayleigh White

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

23 TUESDAY

sunrise 8:24 a.m.; sunset 5:38 p.m.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org. • Daryl Rogers Magic Show. Magician Daryl Rogers will perform a family-friendly magic show. K-Bay, $5; general public, $10. 7 p.m. Besse Theater, Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. tix.com/ticket-sales/baycollege/3755.

Ishpeming

Marquette

Marquette Monthly

tion of the fiber arts. 1 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. beedhive47@yahoo.com. • Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • Study Hall. Teens in grades nine through 12 are invited to study for exams. Snacks will be provided. 2 p.m. Teen Zone, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4321 or pwpl. info. • Write On. In this six-week series, a different local writer will engage with attendees to enhance and inspire creative expression. At the end of the series, participants will have the opportunity to publish a chapbook of their writing. 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, visit pwpl.info. • Junior Explorers. Curious kids in kindergarten through third grade will explore a topic with activities and books from the nonfiction collection. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Stuffie Sleepover Family Storytime. Families can enjoy a storytime, then children can leave a stuffie/play friend who can “sleep” overnight at the library. They can pick up their stuffie the next day and will get a picture of what their play friend did while staying the night. PJs are recommended for storytime. 6 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.

Negaunee

• NCLL: Ceramic Wall Vase. In the second of a two-part class, Sondra Grimes will instruct participants on

January 2024

applying color and glazing, and choosing wire and beads to form the handle. NCLL members, $5; non-members, $10; plus a $20 project fee. 10 a.m. Sondra Grimes Studio, 142 Grimes Rd. 906-361-1919 or lisajstasiuk@gmail. com.

24 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 8:23 a.m.; sunset 5:40 p.m.

Escanaba

• Toddler Time. Intended for ages two to four. 10:30 a.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. To register, 906-789-7328. escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Adult Horror Book Club. This month’s selection is Devolution by Max Brooks. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.

Marquette

• Study Hall. Teens in grades nine through 12 are invited to study for exams. Snacks will be provided. 11 a.m. Teen Zone, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4321 or pwpl. info. • Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906228-0456. • NCLL: Advantages of Chiropractic Care. Dr. Guy Lasich, of Family Wellness, will discuss how trauma, stress and toxins affect spinal alignment and how regular chiropractic adjustments can help. NCLL members, $5;

Negaunee

25 THURSDAY

sunrise 8:22 a.m.; sunset 5:41 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311.

Marquette

individuals and historical quirks from Marquette County’s history with pictures, facts and humor. The event is a fundraiser for the Marquette Regional History Center. In advance, general seating, $15; VIP balcony seating, $20 (tickets will increase by $5 at the door). 7 p.m. Kaufman Auditorium, 611 N. Front St. 906-226-3571 or marquettehistory.org.

Negaunee

26 FRIDAY

sunrise 8:21 a.m.; sunset 5:43 p.m.

Calumet

• Club Finndigo. The 2022 historical action film Sisu will be shown. $25. Dinner, 5:30 p.m. $5. Movie, 7 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.

Gwinn

• Story Time. Preschool age children with a caregiver are invited for stories, crafts and light snacks. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Public Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433.

Houghton

Barbie with a matinee screening. Rated PG-13. Noon. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • LEGO Club. Participants can meet other LEGO enthusiasts and build projects with the library’s LEGO blocks. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Noquemanon Ski Marathon Packet Pick-Up and Ski Expo. 5 to 10 p.m. NMU Superior Dome. noquemanon. com.

27 SATURDAY

sunrise 8:20 a.m.; sunset 5:44 p.m.

Calumet

• Movie Magic. The film Mulan will be shown. Popcorn and water available for purchase. $1. 7 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.

Gwinn

• Ice Races. Presented by the Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association. $5 donation per car; day pit passes are available for $10 per person. Night race; times TBA. Forsyth Township Ball Park. uppermichiganiceracing. com.

Hancock

• Heikinpäivä Parade. 11 a.m. Quincy

St. • Heikinpäivä. This annual winter celebration will include the tori markets, outdoor games, a polar bear dive and other activities. Times and locations vary. finlandia.edu/heikinpaiva. • Heikinpäivä Iltamat (Dance and Buffet). Stop by for a buffet dinner and stay to dance to music by the Back Room Boys. $15. 7 to 10 p.m. Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy St. finlandia.edu/heikinpaiva.

Houghton

• Backstage Jazz. The concert, emceed by Director of Jazz Studies Adam Meckler, will be performed by the small ensembles of Michigan Tech Jazz, which consist of groups of four to eight members, and often features music either written or arranged by MTU students. Pay As You’re Able tickets. 7:30 p.m. Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts Backstage, 1400 Townsend Dr. 906-487-1906 or rozsa@ mtu.edu.

Ishpeming

• Young Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt, which is set in the U.P. 3 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Noquemanon Ski Marathon. Busing to the start line begins at 7 a.m. Awards ceremony begins at 5 p.m. NMU Superior Dome. noquemanon. com. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested

Backstage Jazz | January 26 and 27 | Houghton

players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.

28 SUNDAY

sunrise 8:19 a.m.; sunset 5:46 p.m.

Calumet

• Art Junkies. An arts and craft social group. 1 to 3 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-231-0448.

Marquette

• Workshop: Glass, Beads, and Charms. Instruction will be provided on how to bend and work with wire to make a hand-made piece of jewelry. All tools and materials will be provided. $10 for each jewelry piece. 1 p.m. (14 years old and younger, and adults) or 2:30 p.m. (adults). MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register by January 26, email moosewoodnc@gmail.com.

29 MONDAY

sunrise 8:18 a.m.; sunset 5:47 p.m.

Marquette

• Superiorland Pet Partners. Children of all ages can practice their reading skills with the pet therapy-trained dogs from Superiorland Pet Partners. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.

Negaunee

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

30 TUESDAY

sunrise 8:17 a.m.; sunset 5:49 p.m.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Homeschool Hangout. Homeschooling families are invited to hang out with other homeschooling friends, network with library staff, and learn about library resources. 10 a.m. to noon. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. (906) 486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Noquemanon Ski Marathon. Events will include the Junior Noque 5K, 3K and 1K Classics. 4 p.m. Al Quaal Recreation Area. noquemanon.com.

Photo courtesy of MTU

Marquette

• Blockbusting Cinema: Barbie. Experience the global phenomenon of

January 2024

Marquette

Marquette Monthly

Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • Write On. In this six-week series, a different local writer will engage with attendees to enhance and inspire creative expression. At the end of the series, participants will have the opportunity to publish a chapbook of their writing. 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, visit pwpl.info. • “Group of Seven” Art Talk. Lynn Buckland-Brown will present an Art Talk on Canada’s well-known artists, the “Group of Seven” and how they developed a distinctive style for depicting the north country landscape. 6:30 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public

cess. A majority of the tour will be in the outdoor fish pens; dress accordingly. NCLL members, $5; non-members, $10. 1 p.m. DNR Fish Hatchery, 488 Cherry Creek Rd. 906-360-2859 or mouserhouse@gmail.com.

• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine

in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906228-0456. • School’s Out, Library’s In: Valentine’s Day. Youth of all ages can drop in to make Valentine’s Day Cards and decorate cookies. Lady and the Tramp will be shown in the Community Room at 12:45 p.m. Noon to 5 p.m. Youth Services and Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. Moviegoers can bring snacks. 906226-4323 or pwpl.info. • NCLL: DNR Fish Hatchery Tour. Tony Beck, natural resource manager, will lead a tour and discuss the hatchery’s history, why there are hatcheries, and the spawning/egg incubation pro-

906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Caregiver Support Group— Ishpeming. Jan. 16. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Multi-Purpose Senior Center, 121 Greenwood St. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Caregiver Support Group— Marquette. Jan. 17. 2 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Divorce Care—Ishpeming. This non-denominational group is for people who are separated or divorced. New members are welcome. Tuesdays, 6 p.m. Northiron Church, 910 Palms Ave. 906-475-6032 or northiron.church. • Grief Share—Ishpeming. This non-denominational group is for people dealing with grief and loss. Mondays, 2:30 p.m. Northiron Church, 910 Palms Ave. northiron. church or 906-475-6032. • Gamblers Anonymous. This group is for those who have or think they have a problem with gambling. Thursdays, 7 p.m. Library Room, First Presbyterian Church, 120 N. Front St., Marquette. • Grief Support Group—Gwinn. People dealing with grief and loss are encouraged to attend. Individual grief counseling is available. Jan. 10. 2 p.m. Forsyth Senior Center, 165 Maple St. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Grief Support Group—Marquette. People dealing with grief and loss are encouraged to attend. Individual grief counseling is available. Jan. 17. 5:30 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. 906225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • iCanQuit. Smokers are invited to learn more about quitting with the help of a quitting coach. 800-480-7848. • Internet and Technology Addicts

Anonymous. Tuesdays, 12:05 p.m. Upstairs, The Crib Coffee House, 401 N. Third St., Marquette. ITAAMQT@ zohomail.com. • Marquette Codependents Anonymous Meeting. Mondays, 7 p.m. LoveMarq Church, 728 W. Kaye Ave. coda.org. • Michigan Tobacco Quit Line. This free quit smoking coaching hotline provides callers with a personal health coach. 800-784-8669. • Motherhood Support Group— Marquette. This free group meets the second Thursday of each month. 6 p.m. Suunta Integrative Health, 1209 N. Third St. 906-273-0964. • Nar-Anon Meetings—Ishpeming. Family and friends who have addicted loved ones are invited. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Mission Covenant Church, 1001 N. Second St. 906-361-9524. • Narcotics Anonymous Meetings— Marquette. Family and friends who have addicted loved ones are invited. Open meetings on Wednesdays and Sundays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Closed meeting on Fridays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Use the Ridge Street entrance. Downstairs Social Room, Marquette Hope First Campus, 111 E. Ridge St. • National Alliance on Mental Illness—In-Person Support Group. Individuals living with mental illness and friends or families living with an individual with mental illness are welcome. Jan. 8 and 18 (tentative; email ckbertucci58@charter.net to confirm meeting and location). 7 p.m. 906360-7107 or namimqt.com. • National Alliance on Mental Illness—Zoom Support Group. Individuals living with mental illness and friends or families living with an individual with mental illness are welcome. Jan. 11 (Zoom date may be subject to change). 7 p.m. Email ckbertucci58@charter.net or call or text 906-360-7107 before 6:45 p.m.

the day of the meeting to receive the Zoom invitation. namimqt.com. • Nicotine Anonymous. 415-7500328 or nicotine-anonymous.org. • Parkinson’s Support Group. Open to people living with Parkinson’s and their caregivers. Jan. 17. 2 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456. • Sexual Health and Addiction Therapy Group. Call Great Lakes Recovery Centers for more details. Dates, times and locations vary. 906-228-9696. • SMART Recovery—Calumet. A self-help group for alcohol and substance abuse and other addictive behaviors. Mondays, 7 p.m. Copper Country Mental Health, 56938 Calumet Ave. smartrecovery.org. • SMART Recovery—Hancock. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 p.m. Conference Room No. 5, U.P. Health Systems–Portage Hospital, 500 Campus Dr. • SMART Recovery—Marquette. Mondays, noon. Zoom meeting. Visit smartrecovery.com for Zoom link. • Take Off Pounds Sensibly. This is a non-commercial weight-control support group. Various places and times throughout the U.P. 800-932-8677 or TOPS.org. • Virtual Caregiver Support Group. U.P. family caregivers are welcome to join. A device with an internet connection, webcam, microphone and an email address are required. Advanced registration required. 2 p.m. Second Tuesday of the month. 906-217-3019 or caregivers@upcap.org. • Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Supplemental Food Program. Clinics include nutritional counseling and coupon pick-up. Appointments required. Call for Marquette County schedule. mqthealth.org or 906-475-7846. MM

Library, 217 N. Front St. lakesuperiorartassociation.org. • Bluesday Tuesday. This blues concert is sponsored by the Marquette Blues Society. 7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322.

31 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 8:16 a.m.; sunset 5:50 p.m.

Escanaba

• Toddler Time. Intended for ages two to four. 10:30 a.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. To register, 906-789-7328. escanabalibrary.org.

Marquette

Negaunee

support groups • Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families— Marquette. Sundays, 7 p.m., Use the parking lot entrance. Downstairs meeting room, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Ridge St. adultchildren.org/meeting. • Alano Club—Marquette. Twelvestep recovery meetings daily. Monday through Saturday, noon and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. 3000 US-41 (back side of mall). • Al-Anon Family Groups. A fellowship offering strength and hope for friends and families of problem drinkers. al-alon.org or 888-425-2666. • Alcoholics Anonymous. Meetings throughout Marquette County, open daily, at many locations and times. Twenty-four-hour answering service, aa-marquettecounty.org or 800-605-5043. • Open AA Meeting—Gwinn. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Basement, Gwinn Community Building, 165 N. Maple St. • Open AA Meeting—K.I. Sawyer. Fridays, 8 p.m. 906 Community Church, 315 Explorer St. • Men’s AA Meeting—Gwinn. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church, 280 Boulder St. (entrance to the right of main entrance). • ALZConnected. This is a free, online community for everyone affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other memory loss diseases. alzconnected.org. • American Legacy Foundation. Smoking quit line for expectant mothers and cessation information for women. 800-668-8278. • Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Checks. Cholesterol checks are $5. Call for Marquette County schedule. 906-225-4545. • Caregiver Support Group— Gwinn. Jan. 19. 1:30 p.m. Forsyth Senior Center, 165 Maple St.

Marquette Monthly

January 2024

Marquette Monthly