| City
Notes
Edited
by Kristy Basolo
Dear editor
Thanks to everyone for their continued support of WNMU-FM, Public
Radio 90.
You understand it takes money to keep free public radio on the
air and we really appreciate the financial contributions you give
each year.
Thanks to listeners like you, we’ve come through the first
half of the fiscal year nearly right on track and with your continued
support we’ll be able to keep bringing you the in-depth news
you depend on and the music variety you can’t find anywhere
else.
During our February fundraising campaign we’re counting on
you to help us raise $74,000 to cover programming expenses and
keep Public Radio 90 operational.
Thanks for what you’ve already given to Public Radio 90 and
thanks in advance for any extra you can give at this time.
As a life-long learner you value Public Radio 90 as a trusted
source for news coverage...for the unexpected stories that expose
you to ideas you might never have sought out on your own…for
music you might not know about if you weren’t a Public Radio
90 listener.
When you think about how much you know and understand about what’s
happening in the world around you, consider how much of your information
comes from Public Radio 90.
And where else do you hear the variety of classical music, from
chamber to full orchestral productions to operatic performances,
plus jazz, blues, folk, and international music? Only on Public
Radio 90.
As a current member you already know listener support keeps your
favorite programs on the air and maintains the editorial and musical
independence that makes Public Radio 90 such a valuable community
resource.
More than sixty percent of our operating budget comes from listeners
like you, making it our largest and most reliable source of funding.
Thanks again for being among the more than 2,400 listeners who
support WNMU-FM financially on an annual basis.
Your strong commitment to WNMU-FM gives us the confidence to continue
investing in equipment and programming to further enhance your
public radio listening experience. The final conversion to digital
TV is the last piece needed for Public Radio 90 to move ahead
with plans for launching our all news and information and all
classical digital side channels. You’ll be hearing more about
how you can help with that at a later time.
We are still waiting to hear from the Federal Communications Commission
in regards to our applications for new full-power FM stations
in Marquette, Houghton and Iron Mountain as well as the move of
our translator frequencies in Escanaba, Menominee and Stephenson
to improve reception in those listening areas. We’ll let
you know when we do.
WNMU-FM, Public Radio 90 is here for you, because of you. We bring
you programming that educates, entertains and surprises you. Your
financial gifts to Public Radio 90 are an investment in your future
good listening.
Thanks for listening to Public Radio 90, and for your generous
financial support.
Evelyn Massaro
Station Manager
Dear editor
The MooseWood Nature Center thanks all sponsors, volunteers and
participants for the 2008 Haunted Bog event. MooseWood and its
critters depend on the generosity of the community to make our
largest fundraiser a success. Sponsors donate items like funds,
food and supplies, while volunteers give their time for scare
stations, as line leaders and helpers. We hope all the participants
who braved the Haunted Bog and Friendly Frights Forest enjoyed
their visit and we encourage everyone to come back next year.
Danielle Miller, MNC Board
PATH programs starting throughout the county
The U.P. Diabetes Outreach Network (UPDON), along with its many
health partners, announces the scheduling of numerous PATH (Personal
Action Towards Health) classes taking place in Marquette, Gwinn
and Negaunee during winter and spring 2009. PATH is a six-week
program that teaches practical skills for living a healthy life
with a chronic health condition like diabetes, arthritis, asthma,
chronic pain or heart disease.
The PATH program focuses on self-care, learning new coping strategies,
and sharing personal experiences with other group members while
offering hope, tools and resources to improve a person’s
health one step at a time. PATH is a wonderful addition to, not
a replacement of, a person’s normal health care.
Classes meet once a week. Cost for the six-week program is $10
per person. Family members, friends or caregivers may attend at
no additional charge.
The first session is scheduled for Tuesdays from February 3 through
March 10. This session will meet from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Snowberry
Heights in Marquette. Preference for this session will be given
to residents of Snowberry Heights, but interested individuals
can call for availability. The second PATH series will take place
on Thursdays from March 26 through April 30, meeting from 9:00
to 11:30 a.m. at the Peninsula Medical Center.
The third PATH opportunity will occur from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. on
Tuesdays from April 21 through May 26 in Marquette. From 5:00
to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from May 5 through June 9, another PATH
session will meet at Negaunee High School. Details are being arranged
for a Gwinn area class that will meet in April and May.
Class sizes are limited and preregistration is required. Call
228-9203 for details or to register.
Become an outdoorswoman at weekend DNR workshop
Women seeking to improve their outdoor skills are encouraged to
participate in the DNR Becoming an Outdoors-woman (BOW) program’s
winter weekend from February 27 through March 1 in the Upper Peninsula.
The annual winter program will be held at the Bay Cliff Health
Camp in Big Bay.
Participants can select instruction from a list of more than a
dozen outdoor-related activities, including cross-country skiing,
dogsledding, snowmobiling, winter shelter building, ice fishing,
outdoor cooking and reading the winter woods. Some indoor activities
also will be offered.
The $175 registration fee includes all food and lodging for the
weekend, as well as most equipment and supplies. BOW workshops
are for women eighteen years and older who wish to learn outdoor
skills in a relaxed atmosphere. Registration materials and course
descriptions are available at www.michigan.gov/dnr by clicking
on “Education and Outreach” to access the BOW page.
Call Sharon at 228-6561 or e-mail pitzs@michigan.gov or for details.
Girl Scouts learn valuable lessons from cookie program
As the public anticipates the opportunity to satisfy, its cookie
cravings, Girl Scouts are just as excited to learn valuable life
lessons through the annual Girl Scout cookie sale program.
This annual program trains girls to become better leaders by helping
them to discover a strong sense of self, practical life skills
and critical thinking skills; connect as they team up with others
in the troop and feel more connected to their neighbors; and take
action as they identify community needs and act as resourceful
problem solvers.
Locally, girls will begin selling Girl Scout Cookies through February
1. Cookies will be delivered after March 7. If you do not get
enough cookies the first time around, Girl Scouts will be hosting
booth sales at local hot spots from March 13 to 29.
All proceeds from the Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program help support
Girl Scouting locally, through troop activities, community service
projects, and supplies for troop use. A portion of the proceeds
also helps fund program development, volunteer training, camp
and financial assistance as well as maintaining affordable fees
for girls and their families.
Folk dancers set upcoming dances for beginners
Beginning February 6, the Marquette Folk Dancers will structure
their weekly dances to encourage beginners and newcomers. Each
week, the first hour will emphasize beginning level dances with
thorough teaching of steps and styling.
Beginning dances are characterized by short patterns that are
learned easily, and an absence of complicated footwork. The group’s
repertoire includes both partner and nonpartner dances with an
emphasis on European dance.
The group meets every Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Northern Lights Martial
Arts, 1500 West Washington (large building between OfficeMax and
Jilbert’s)—enter green door on east side of building.
Bring soft-soled shoes and dress for exercise. Anyone of at least
high school age is welcome; partners are not necessary. Call 226-9617
for details.
Trapper’s workshop set for February 7 in Hermansville
District 3 of the U.P. Trapper’s Association is sponsoring
a Trapper’s Workshop to be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
CST on February 7 at the Community Center in Hermansville. Designed
to introduce kids to trapping, it will be a chance for nontrappers
and beginners to soak up the sights, sounds, smells, memories
and excitement enjoyed by experienced trappers.
The workshop offers a chance to learn from the pros. Weasel trapping
is an excellent place for youngsters to begin, and step-by-step
instructions for catching weasels will be demonstrated. Every
youngster attending will receive a weasel box and other free supplies
to get started.
Properly preparing furs for market is where a lot of newcomers
struggle. Rich Clark from Coleman (Wisconsin) will be putting
up fur all day—showing beginners and experienced trappers
how to do it right.
Clark will be buying fur, and trappers are welcome to bring extra
traps or supplies to swap or sell. Inventories of new and used
trapping supplies will be available for purchase. Lunch will be
available, so plan on staying all day.
Anyone interested in trapping is welcome to attend. For details,
call Rick Arduin at 498-7659 or 498-2261.
Pain management continuing education program set
All Michigan nurses are now required to have one contact hour
in pain management for licensure. To help area nurses achieve
this requirement, the U.P. Diabetes Outreach Network (UPDON),
with assistance from Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, will be offering
“Pain Management in Diabetic Neuropathy” from 6:00 to
8:00 p.m. on February 12 at Upfront & Company in Marquette.
The program will be presented by Paula Ackerman, MS, RD, CDE of
UPDON and Doug Anderson, PharmD of Walmart. Cost of the program
is $20 prior to February 1 and $30 if registering between February
1 and 12. Fee includes program materials and dinner.
Space is limited, so early registration is recommended. For details,
visit www.diabetesinmichigan.org/homeUPDON.htm and choose Professional
Events or call (800)369-9522.
U.P. Tech Tour focuses on nonprofit technology needs
The first-ever U.P. Tech Tour will reach out to the Upper Peninsula
nonprofit community to help it use technology to deliver programs
and services more effectively and powerfully.
The U.P. Tech Tour will include webinars, a traveling group training
and one-on-one technology assessments and recommendation opportunities.
The group trainings and assessments will be offered in Iron Mountain,
Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie.
On February 11, “Tech Triage” will be offered to help
nonprofits find the best ways to get the most out of existing
systems without spending a lot of money on upgrading. On March
11, “Tips & Tricks to Save Time & Money” will
be offered to show participants the many free resources available
to nonprofits that can help save staff time and money.
Both webinars will be held from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. EST, and each
costs $20 per person for GLCYD members and $30 for nonmembers.
“Tech Essentials: U.P. Edition” is the second part of
the tour and will be offered in all three cities. The group training
is designed especially for U.P. nonprofits and will address issues
like whether an organization is spending too much on technology
and how to best deal with areas that have no access to high speed
Internet.
The training will take place in Iron Mountain on April 23, Marquette
on April 28, and Sault Ste. Marie on April 30. All workshops will
take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The cost is $99 for members
and $149 for nonmembers.
Assessments will be conducted in the Iron Mountain region on April
24, Marquette on April 27 and Sault Ste. Marie on May 1.
For details or to register for the workshop, visit www.glcyd.org
or call (877)339-6884.
Ice skating free at Downtown Marquette commons rink
The Marquette Commons ice Rink is open for community skating.
The warming house is open from noon to 8:00 p.m., Thursday through
Sunday. Skating is free; skaters must bring their own ice skates.
Kennecott cited for Salmon- Trout River violation
Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company has violated Michigan’s
Inland Lakes and Streams Act by pumping water out of the Salmon
Trout River without a permit. Recently-obtained Michigan Department
of Environmental Quality documents show that the state agency
issued a Notice of Violation last February.
“This violation is just a preview of how Kennecott will treat
Michigan’s natural resources if they get a chance: grab now
and apologize later,” said Michelle Halley, attorney for
the National Wildlife Federation.
In Spring 2008, Kennecott was notified by the MDEQ that the placement
of a pump on the bottomland of the middle branch of the Salmon
Trout River was an “unauthorized activity.” The notice
goes on to say, “the DEQ has, therefore, determined that
this activity is in violation of Part 201, Inland Lakes and Streams.”
The letter warned of impending action, stating, “Violation
of this part may subject the violator to enforcement action as
provided by the statute.” The violation notice was signed
by Joan Duncan, a district representative from the MDEQ’s
Land and Water Management Division.
Internal MDEQ documents obtained through the Freedom of Information
Act go on to describe the situation as “pump located on the
stream bottom. Very hot. No permit.” After the violation
was issued, Kennecott reportedly removed the pump.
This is the first time the public has learned of the violation,
which was brought to MDEQ attention by a citizen complaint and
discovered by the National Wildlife Federation through the Freedom
of Information Act process.
“Kennecott has already disregarded Michigan’s laws to
protect water, and they haven’t even begun mining. This violation
shows that Kennecott/Rio Tinto is continuing its global history
of violating and harming waters right here in Michigan,”
Halley said. “We continue to urge concerned citizens to discuss
this issue with elected officials and to participate in public
comment opportunities to oppose the project.”
Skiing event to take place at Swedetown Trails in Calumet
Plans are underway for the annual “Ski For The Heart of Our
Community” fundraiser. This event which includes cross-country
skiing and snowshoeing will be held at the Swedetown Ski Trails
in Calumet from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on February 14.
The money raised will benefit two local nonprofits, Omega House
and the Copper Island Cross Country Ski Club. The ski club is
raising money to help with trail maintenance and equipment purchases.
Omega House funds will continue to provide much needed hospice
care to local residents at the Upper Peninsula’s only hospice
home, located in Houghton.
Ski For The Heart Of Our Community is a fun day, not a race. Participants
of all ages can cross-country ski or snowshoe individually or
join a team. Donations are collected in advance and turned in
during registration on the day of the event. Registration takes
place from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Teams and individuals log kilometers
skied or snowshoed on the event day. For those who cannot participate
on the day of the event, kilometers may be logged in the week
leading up to the 14th.
Participants who make a $10 minimum donation enjoy great food
and door prizes. Donations of $25 or more get free ski rentals
(while supplies last, call 337-4520 to reserve) and donations
of $50 or more get a free Ski for Heart T-shirt.
Donations needed for UP200 musher bag project
It is time for the Marquette community to prepare musher bags
for the UP200 Sled Dog Championship and Midnight Run participants.
The items donated are placed in musher bags that are decorated
by area school children. Students then personally present the
bags to the mushers at registration. The mushers have expressed
great appreciation for this special gift.
This year, organizers are asking for donations of 100 items each
that will be placed in musher bags, however any amount of items
is appreciated. Examples include: magnets, chapstick, flashlights,
granola bars, candy bags, notepads, ink pens, coupons for free
meals, first aid supplies or anything else you think mushers may
appreciate. Donations can be dropped off at the Lake Superior
Community Partnership in Marquette. For details, call 226-6591.
Dog Days of Winter event set for Downtown Marquette
People headed to downtown Marquette for the start of
the UP 200 Sled Dog Race will have a chance to see one of the
country’s top up-and-coming blues bands as well.
The Marquette Area Blues Society and The Point 100.3
FM radio, will present for one night only, Blue Bella recording
artist The Kilborn Alley Blues Band.
Joining the festivities of the start of the U.P. 200, the Kilborn
Alley Blues Band begins its performance at 8:30 p.m. on February
20 at The Matrixx, in downtown Marquette. Admission is $5
at the door.
The Kilborn Alley Blues Band plays gritty Chicago blues,
with just a touch of southern fried soul. The act delivers a blow-out
bar show associated with blues at its finest.
Dogsled race from Gwinn to Marquette set for February 21
The seventh annual Jack Pine Mushers Association Jack Pine 30
Gwinn to Marquette sled dog race is planned for February 21.
The major sponsor of this competitive sport class event is Bell
Hospital of Ishpeming. The six-dog, thirty-mile race will begin
at 9:30 a.m. at Larry’s Family Foods in Gwinn. The planned
course is identical to the Midnight Run trail until the Carp River
M-28/US-41 bridge, where mushers will turn north and follow Lake
Street toward downtown Marquette. Teams will finish just east
of Upfront & Company, off Lakeshore Drive, and are expected
to cross the finish line beginning at about 11:45 a.m. until approximately
3:00 p.m. The eight fastest teams will receive plaques at the
awards ceremony, planned to begin after the last team finishes,
likely around 4:00 p.m.
Upfront & Company is hosting a Winterfest Warm-Up Party, open
to the public, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. February 21 in conjunction
with the Jack Pine 30.
The field of entrants is limited to thirty-five teams. Current
entrants are from the local area, Lower Michigan, Canada, Indiana
and Wisconsin. Further information, including details on Jack
Pine 30 mushers, is available at www.up200.org
For details, call 249-4368.
AAUW collecting used books for annual fundraising sale
The Marquette Branch of the American Association of University
Women will sponsor its annual used book sale from April 23 through
25 at First Presbyterian Church, located at 120 North Front Street
in Marquette. Proceeds will be used for scholarships for women.
Used books may be dropped off at any of four locations beginning
at the end of January. Collection sites are: Wells Fargo Bank,
University Branch, 1300 North Third Street; Marquette Community
Federal Credit Union, 1230 West Washington Street; U.P. Medical
Center (main entrance near information desk), 1414 West Fair Avenue;
and First Presbyterian Church (Blaker Street entrance).
Call 228-8028 or 228-9540 for information or book pick up.
Census bureau now hiring workers throughout Michigan
Michigan residents can boost their income for the coming year.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Detroit regional census center is
in the process of an intense recruitment drive to hire office
staff for local census offices across the state of Michigan. The
Census Bureau is hiring in every county in Michigan.
The positions available include office operations supervisor,
administrative assistant, enumerator and crew leader. Pay for
the various temporary positions ranges from $8.25 to $19 per hour.
Those seeking jobs with the census call (866)861-2010 to schedule
a test. Visit www.census.gov/detroit for a list of job descriptions,
pay and practice tests.
Nominations sought for Governor’s service awards
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern
invite you to nominate an outstanding individual, organization
or business for the 2009 Governor’s Service Awards (GSA).
The Governor’s Service Awards are given annually to individuals,
businesses and organizations to acknowledge their commitment to
serving their communities through volunteerism.
Nominations are being sought for the following categories:
• Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award
for Volunteerism
• Corporate Community Leader Award
• Mentor of the Year
• Outstanding Mentoring Program Award
• Outstanding Volunteer Program Award
• Senior Volunteer of the Year
• Youth Volunteer of the Year
• Volunteer of the Year.
The 2009 GSA Nomination Form is now available at www.michigan.gov/mcsc
Nominations must be postmarked by February 3. For details, e-mail
vasilionk@michigan.gov or call (517)373-4200.
Time and bricks running out for Veterans Memorial Mall
More than 1,800 veterans have been honored with memorial bricks
at the Marquette Area Veterans Memorial Mall, but both time and
bricks are running out. Those who want bricks in place for the
July 4, 2009 dedication must submit application forms by March
31. Forms are available from Range Bank, City Hall, American Legion
Post 44.
Bricks may honor living or deceased veterans from the Marquette
area who served their country at any time and in any branch of
service. Two lines of engraving are permitted. Some in-place bricks
can be viewed online, as can the brick database.
A print copy of the database is viewable at American Legion Post
44 behind Marquette’s Harlow Park, where the memorial is
located. A $50 donation pays for the brick, engraving, shipping,
installation, and upkeep of the memorial. Only about 600 bricks
are still available.
Hiawatha Music Co-op board of directors elects officers
The Hiawatha Music Co-op board of directors elected the following
2009 officers at its January meeting: Jim Jajich, president; Karen
Bacula, vice-president; Phil Watts, treasurer; and Matt Maki,
secretary. All are Marquette residents.
Other Music Co-op board members are Sue Bertram, Ron Larson, Heidi
Stephenson, Chuck Howe, J. Pearl Taylor and Bill Hart.
The Hiawatha Music Co-op is a nonprofit organization that provides
and promotes traditional American music. Hiawatha holds an annual,
traditional, American music festival in July, as well as other
concerts, workshops and events.
This year’s festival is slated for July 17 through 19 at
the Marquette Tourist Park. For details, visit www.hiawathamusic.org
or e-mail info@hiawathamusic.org
DNR asks for assistance in reporting trail, sign damage
The DNR is asking for assistance from the public to report any
damage or theft it may witness or is aware of related to snowmobile
trail signs.
Each fall and during the snowmobile season, sixty-seven snowmobile
trail grant sponsors take to the trails to replace stolen or broken
signs. Replacing these signs takes a significant amount of time
and is a significant financial cost to the snowmobile program
on the more than 6,546 miles of Michigan’s designated snowmobile
trail system.
The DNR requests anyone who witnesses, or is aware of, theft or
vandalism of trail signs, please contact the DNR’s Report
All Poaching line, a toll-free law enforcement hotline, at (800)292-7800.
Information may be left anonymously.
The DNR also reminds everyone to exercise caution while using
the Chassell to Houghton grade in Houghton County.
Snowmobile riders on the grade may encounter hazards such as snowbanks
near the many driveways that cross the grade. They also may encounter
parked vehicles and equipment, such as trailers, within the right-of-way,
although it is unlawful to block the grade from safe passage.
The public also is encouraged to contact local law enforcement,
or the DNR’s Baraga office at 353-6651 to report hazards
blocking the grade. All complaints will be investigated.
KSO concert features Premos and White Water
On February 21 at the Rozsa Center in Houghton, the Keweenaw Symphony
Orchestra will present “Echoes of the North,” a musical
collaboration between the KSO and conductor Milton Olsson, bassist-composer
Evan Premo, soprano Mary Bonhag, Nordic fiddler Laurel Premo and
White Water.
This collage-style concert will feature music of Finland and the
Upper Peninsula and include classical, traditional, folk and contemporary
music. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
The program will begin with U.P. native Evan Premo performing
the Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra written by Jukka Linkola
(commissioned by Finn Grand Fest 2005). This beautiful and virtuosic
concerto demands the entire technical and emotional repertoire
of the soloist. Evan Premo currently resides in New York and is
a Fellow of the Academy (a program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard
School and The Weill Music Institute).
Parts of the concert will feature the nature photography of Houghton
County’s Charles Eshbach. Tickets are $15 for the general
public and $7 for age eighteen and younger. MTU students are admitted
free. To order online, visit www.rozsa.mtu.edu and click on TICKETS
on the left-hand column.
Snowbound booksale to kickoff fundraising campaign
For more than ninety-two years, the American Red Cross has been
a hero for thousands of people throughout the Central and Western
Upper Peninsula, lending aid during times of disaster, seeing
to the welfare of military families and providing citizens with
lifesaving CPR and first aid skills.
Now a growing number of individuals and groups are stepping forward
to be “Heroes” for the American Red Cross, each pledging
to raise $1,000 to keep the vital services of the Red Cross alive
and well in the Central U.P. Chapter’s ten counties.
Join Red Cross staff, volunteers and Kick-off Event Hero—Snowbound
Books—as they kickoff the 2009 “Heroes for the American
Red Cross” campaign by introducing and honoring this year’s
fundraising heroes as they launch into action. The brief kickoff
ceremony will be held on February 24, Fat Tuesday, in the Community
Room of the Peter White Library at 10:00 a.m.
Traditional paczkis will be served with hot coffee and tea. The
hope is that as community members reach to the back of their pantries
in an effort to use up what remains of their after Christmas lard,
sugar, eggs and fruit that they will be inspired to reach deeper
into their pockets to find a special gift for those who benefit
locally from the services of Red Cross. Books from Snowbound’s
Chapter Two will be on sale from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with
twenty percent of the proceeds benefiting the Central U.P. Red
Cross.
Public health preparedness conference scheduled
Disaster preparedness continues to be critically important. For
those who work in the public and nonprofit sectors—coordinating
volunteer and community service efforts—knowing how to react
in a life-threatening situation is crucial. With this in mind,
the Michigan Community Service Commission urges you to consider
attending Michigan’s first conference dedicated to supporting
public health and emergency response efforts for individuals registered
with the Michigan Volunteer Registry and other volunteer-oriented
organizations:
2009 Michigan Volunteer Conference
February 28, 2009
8:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Kellogg Conference Center East Lansing, Michigan
There is no charge to attend this event. To register for the conference,
visit mi.train.org or call (517)335-8150.
Marquette Community Foundation gets top honors
The Marquette Community Foundation recently received notification
that it has met the nation’s highest philanthropic standards
for operational quality, integrity and accountability. The notice
came from the Council on Foundations, a national association based
in Washington, D.C.
The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations Program
requires community foundations to document their policies for
donor services, investments, grantmaking and administration.
The Marquette Community Foundation offers a range of charitable
funds, allowing donors to advance a cause such as education, health
and wellness, youth development, aging support or the environment,
support an individual organization, provide flexible support for
community needs or recommend individual grants. In addition to
affirming the organization’s philanthropic services, the
confirmation validates Marquette Community Foundation’s grantmaking
practices for the nonprofit community.
For details, call Carole at 226-7666 or e-mail caroletouchinski@charterinternet.com
Chocolay golf course donated to NMU Foundation
Chocolay Golf Club owners Joe and Patsie Gibbs of Interlochen
have donated the eighteen-hole course, buildings and equipment
to the Northern Michigan University Foundation. The value of the
gift is $1.6 million.
The couple, whose daughter graduated from NMU, developed the course
in 1991 on property they purchased in Chocolay Township. Joe Gibbs
said they sold it to a California group through a land contract
in 2006 so he and his wife could move back to the Grand Traverse
area to be closer to his elderly mother.
NMU plans to operate the course for the upcoming golf season,
with all net proceeds going to student scholarships and academic
programming. The club will remain open to the public. Information
will be made available to club members and the general public
as soon as ownership transition details are finalized.
A number of academic, athletic, recreational and social program
ideas, including internships, are being considered for the 220-acre
property. Possibilities include use by the Wildcat golf team and
outdoor recreation academic programs. The course also might become
a year-round venue with winter activities such as cross-country
skiing and snowshoeing.
Chocolay becomes the ninth golf course in Michigan to be owned
and operated by one of the state’s public universities.
YMCA announces Strong Kids campaign kick-off
The 2009 YMCA Strong Kids Campaign kicks off on January 29. This
program assists area families in Marquette County. More than 1,000
individuals benefitted from the YMCA experience through the Strong
Kids program in 2008. Because the need in Marquette County is
so great, this year’s goal is $109,000.
To support this need, YMCA board members and volunteer community
have created teams that will work together and raise the needed
funds. The 2009 campaign captains are YMCA board members, Cheryl
Hill and Mike Mattila.
If you’d like to help the YMCA make a difference and continue
to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities in
this fundraising effort, call 227-9622 or 475-9666.
Aspirus Long-term care rated among best in Michigan
The federal government recently released its first set of nursing
home quality ratings, and Aspirus Long Term Care at Aspirus Ontonagon
Hospital was among a select number of Michigan facilities to receive
the highest rating.
The five-star rating system was developed by the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS), and is based on data related to state
health inspection surveys, quality measures and the latest report
on staffing.
Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital’s forty-six-bed nursing facility
was among only thirteen percent of Michigan’s 417 nursing
homes included in the ratings to receive a five-star rating.
Nursing home ratings are available on Medicare’s Web site
at www.medicare.gov/NHCompare and ratings were not given if facilities
don’t accept patients covered by Medicaid.
For details about Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital, call 884-8300.
Hiawatha Music Co-op offers youth music scholarship
March 20, 2009 is the deadline to apply for the 2009 Hiawatha
Music Co-op youth scholarship to the Augusta Heritage Center in
Elkins (West Virginia). The scholarship is open to Marquette-area
young people, ages twelve to twenty, who have an applied interest
in traditional American music.
The Augusta Heritage Center is renowned nationally and internationally
for activities relating to traditional folk-life and folk arts
of many cultures with an emphasis on the Appalachian region.
The scholarship student will attend Week 5 of the Augusta summer
schedule. The specific themes of Week 5 are Old-Time Music, Dance
and Vocal. The week also includes the Augusta Festival over the
final weekend. The program offers a wide selection of classes
taught by top musicians.
There also will be workshops with master artists and performers,
extensive jamming, formal concerts and dances.
Instrumental classes are available in fiddle, claw-hammer banjo,
mandolin and bass. Specialty guitar classes cover flatpicking,
finger style and back-up. More than twenty vocal topic classes
ranging from early country harmony to African-American Gospel
also will be available. For details, visit www.augustaheritage.com
The focus of Augusta classes and instructors is not to develop
polished competitors or stage performers. Rather, the major objective
is to develop an appreciation and love for the music and the people
through which it developed and evolved.
The Hiawatha Augusta Youth Scholarship recipient will be responsible
for all transportation costs and arrangements to and from Augusta.
Anyone under age eighteen who attends the Augusta Heritage Center
must have a chaperone. For a $100 fee, the chaperone can attend
all group sessions, concerts, dances, jam sessions and the Augusta
Festival—anything except formal classes. The chaperone also
may arrange room and board at Augusta for an additional $350.
A printable version of the Hiawatha Augusta Youth Scholarship
Application may be found on the Hiawatha Music Co-op Web site,
www.hiawathamusic.org
For details, call the Hiawatha Music Co-op at 226-8575 or info@hiawathamusic.org
Marquette General laboratory reaps benefits of gift
The main campus clinical laboratory at Marquette General is using
a new cytocentrifuge (Cytospin) machine made possible by philanthropic
gifts to the Marquette General Foundation.
This specialized instrument, valued at more than $8,400, is essential
for the optimal preparation of blood and body fluid samples that
undergo microscopic analysis for the detection and identification
of abnormal cells. The identification of these abnormal cancerous
cells often leads to the identification of the disease. This is
great news for patients because abnormal cells are located and
identified as early as possible.
Many times, microscopic smears made from fluid samples with limited
amounts of cells inaccurately reflect true cell composition since
the cells are too scarce to be seen under the microscope.
The Cytospin can process and concentrate cells and layer them
onto a slide without destroying or disrupting their appearance.
This allows for easier and more accurate identification than conventional
centrifugation.
The Cytospin technology would not have been purchased had it not
been for philanthropic gifts.
GLCYD hires for nonprofit, youth development expertise
The Great Lakes Center for Youth Development (GLCYD) recently
hired two new staff members and promoted another in the organization’s
ongoing efforts to build a staff that can help promote strong
nonprofits and positive youth development throughout the Upper
Peninsula.
Amy Quinn joined the staff as its vice president to oversee day-to-day
operations of GLCYD. Erica Teichman was hired as program associate
and will work on programs such as BoardConnect UP and membership.
Ann Gonyea was promoted to director of marketing and public relations.
Art on the Rocks applications now available for 2009 event
Applications are available for the fifty-first annual Art on the
Rocks art fair. Visit www.artontherocks.org or call Mary Earle
at 249-4328 for details. If you are not an exhibiting artist,
volunteers always are needed (and greatly appreciated) before
and during the show.
Cliffs Health Center opens at new Bell Hospital
Cliffs Natural Resources, Inc., and Bell Hospital have announced
the opening of the Cliffs Health Center located at the new Bell
Hospital in Ishpeming. The center began operations on January
12.
The new Cliffs Health Center will offer a variety of medical services
six days a week, unprecedented in its tailoring specifically to
employees and families covered by the health benefit plans sponsored
by Cliffs Natural Resources and/or associated employers.
The center, located in the Cliffs Natural Resources Medical Clinic
adjacent to the new Bell Hospital, will operate as a fully functional
primary care physician’s office that will allow patients
to receive prompt, thorough care, without long waits.
Dr. Terry Hayrynen, a longtime Bell Hospital physician, will lead
a staff dedicated to providing primary care services as well as
health risk assessments, disease management programs, wellness
programs and other hospital-based services. The center will offer
“one-stop shopping,” with access to an on-site laboratory,
imaging and specialty care referrals, and an onsite pharmacy.
Use of the Center is an optional benefit for employees and families.
The center will offer a somewhat reduced employee co-pay for center
services and will provide access to a fitness center as well as
the opportunity to spend quality time with the center staff to
discuss patient care.
The Cliffs Health Center is available to employees and family
members covered by the health benefit plans sponsored by Cliffs
Natural Resources and/or associated employers. Cliffs Health Center
hours are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and Saturday
from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling
485-2770.
Exchange Club cooks for Beacon House campaign
The Marquette County Exchange Club has helped to support Beacon
House over the years with earnings from its International Food
Fest, held each Fourth of July in Marquette’s Lower Harbor.
The club “cooked up” another way to help support the
house while celebrating its sixtieth anniversary.
This fall, the sixty-member club held a cookout in the Beacon
House parking lot and personally invited all of Marquette County
to a free lunch. Guests enjoyed a great meal, toured Beacon House
and learned more about the campaign currently underway to support
house repairs, remodeling and the retiring of the original debt.
Contributions gathered during the event rose to more than $800.
Beacon House, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization,
provides lodging and hospitality services for patients and their
families traveling to Marquette County for medical care. The thirty-four-room
facility’s operation is dependent upon contributions from
individuals, groups, families, corporations and foundations, with
housing provided to guests on a donation basis. For details, visit
www.upbeaconhouse.org
Festival welcomes new treasurer, new board members
Stephen Soltis of Iron Mountain is the new treasurer of Pine Mountain
Music Festival (PMMF). He brings to the position of trustee and
treasurer a professional background and managerial skills ranging
from construction oversight to governmental positions.
Also joining the PMMF board as trustees are Dr. Sigurds and Mrs.
Candace Janners of Houghton, and Ellen Ann Bechthold of Chicago
and Florence (Wisconsin).
Pine Mountain Music Festival offers about thirty music events
each June and July in the Iron Mountain/Kingsford area, the Marquette
area and the Keweenaw Peninsula. The emphasis is on opera, symphony
and chamber music, and this year will include a jazz ensemble.
For details, call 482-1542 or visit www.pmmf.org
Tidbits from the desk of U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow
• U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) announced
that she has nominated thirty-seven Michigan students for placement
military academies, including Jared Ische of Iron Mountain to
the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis (Maryland), and Johnathan
Hagan of Iron Mountain to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado
Springs (Colorado).
• Stabenow and Carl Levin (D-Michigan) announced that
two Michigan students have been selected as delegates to the forty-seventh
annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) that will be
held in March in Washington, D.C.; Erica Wozniak of Marquette
was chosen from hundreds of applicants to be part of the group.
• Stabenow announced her appointment to the Senate Energy
and Natural Resources Committee, which will play a leading role
in shaping national energy policy in the 111th Congress. Stabenow
will continue to serve on the influential Senate Finance Committee,
the Senate Agriculture Committee, and the Senate Budget Committee,
all of which have jurisdiction over a wide range of issues important
to Michigan. She also will continue to serve in her leadership
position as the Chair of the Democratic Steering and Outreach
Committee.
Local business news...in brief
• NMU professor Mary Jane Tremethick received the College
and University Leader of the Year Award at the Michigan Association
for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance annual conference.
• Jean Kinnear, a professor in the health, physical
education and recreation department at NMU, received the National
Association for Interpretation Fellow Award for 2008.
• Ironwood’s Jacquart Fabric Products is working
hard to ensure continued growth and prosperity, most recently
illustrated by its acquisition of Stone Legacy, the maker of Tough
Protective Cases; Stone Legacy will join Paus and Stormy Kromer
in JFP’s portfolio of owned brands.
• Bruce Orttenburger, a member of the American Institute
of Certified Planners, Dickinson Area Partnership’s CEO,
President and director of economic development, has been elected
chairman of the Upper Peninsula Economic Development Alliance.
• Cliffs Natural Resources announced that it made financial
contributions to food banks at its operating locations totaling
more than $35,000 from its corporate foundation; locally, food
banks run by the Salvation Army in Ishpeming and the St. Vincent
De Paul Society in Negaunee will each receive $5,000 to help stock
pantry shelves and provide support to families in need.
• Richard T. Mager of Champion was given an Outstanding
Citizen Award from the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office
for turning in an envelope of money found in the Perkins parking
lot, which was eventually returned to its owner.
• Barb Kelly was recognized as Marquette Rotary’s
Community Citizen Leader for her work on behalf of the Marquette
Beautification and Restoration Committee.
• Jerry Irby was named Rotary’s Nonprofit Organizational
Leader for her work on behalf of Marquette’s Fourth of July
parade honoring WWII veterans.
• Mike Schwemin of Jack’s in Harvey was named Rotary’s
Community Service Leader for supporting numerous community causes,
including Boy Scouts.
• Kelsey Wilson was recognized with the Rotary Youth
Citizen Award.
• Jorma and Kathleen Lankinen were given the Marquette
Rotary Service Award for their devotion to an endless list of
Rotary causes.
Star Date: February 2009
Moon & Planets—Venus definitely is the most prominent
planet this month. Shining at its brightest, it remains up in
the west for three to four hours after sunset. The thin crescent
moon is only two degrees away from Venus on the evening of the
27th, creating a spectacular sight. Saturn is the only other planet
visible in February. It rises in the early evening and is high
in the south after midnight. The moon is at first quarter on the
2nd and the next night it passes by the famous star cluster known
as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters. Around 9:00 p.m. on February
3 the dark half of the moon will occult or cover several of the
stars of this cluster. This is a good target for those Christmas
telescopes. First quarter is the best time to view the moon telescopically
due to the long shadows highlighting the central lunar terrain.
Seeing its dark limb crossing a large star cluster is an added
bonus.
Constellations—The premier constellations of the winter
sky can be seen when looking due south about 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.
Mighty Orion with its many first and second magnitude stars is
followed by Canis Major and Canis Minor with their bright stars
of Sirius (the Dog Star) and Procyon. In between these brilliant
stars is an empty area that is home to a much less famous constellation
with an unusual name. Monoceros contains no stars brighter than
fourth magnitude, despite the winter Milky Way running through
it. Its name comes from the ancient Latin and Greek meaning one
(mono) and horn (ceros) or one-horned, in other words, the Unicorn.
The mythical Unicorn shares a root word with a real animal, the
rhinoceros or nose-horned.
—Craig Linde
Courtesy of the Marquette Astronomical Society, which meets four
times a year. The next meeting is at 7:00 p.m. on March 20 at
Shiras Planetarium. For details, visit www.geocities.com/sstobbelaar/mqtastro.html
or www.skymaps.com
A word to the wise
Verbum satis sapientibus: A word to the wise is sufficient
As our nation struggles with awful and serious problems like war
and a tortured economy, it is only fitting that we take up this
month a really serious verbal dilemma going back about four centuries:
the distinction between shall and will.
Considering the volume of ink that has been spilled on the matter,
I tremble to approach this conundrum, but tough times call for
tough action, as they say.
Because-like most of you, I expect-I have never been absolutely
sure about this, I researched a dozen or more sources.
I find this once innocuous issue seems to have devolved into a
problem with the publication in the seventeenth century of a book
of grammatical “rules” by one John Wallis, a respected
professor of geometry at Oxford. That he was a mathematician and
that he wrote in Latin are instructive in themselves, but we shall
let that go.
Of real significance, however, is that he lived in the south of
England, and as a result, these so-called rules bespeak the usage
of his mother, the boys in the faculty meetings and his dart-playing
pals at the neighborhood pub.
Never mind that northern Englishmen, as well as the Irish, Scots
and eventually Americans, would be ever after bedeviled by his
ex cathedra pronouncements. Modern scholars seem to agree that
any good reasons for his conclusions, given the words’ previous
histories, are simply not obvious.
Here’s the gospel according to Wallace, as explained by the
revered William Strunk and E.B. White in The Elements of Style.
Strunk and White do advise, to begin with, that the distinction
between shall and will only matters in formal writing.
Generally, then, in simple references to the future, shall is
used in the first person (I, we), and will is used in the second
and third persons (you and he/she or they), as here:
• I shall try to remember this rule.
• You will not care one way or the other.
• She will disregard that comment altogether.
Ah, but there is a catch. The situation is completely reversed
when the speaker is expressing determination, as in these examples:
“Yes, I will go to the dance with Ethelred,” screamed
the girl.
“No, you shall not,” said her father.
Strunk and White offer the perfect example of all these usages,
an example that must be famous, because later writers have used
it as well. A swimmer in distress cries, “I shall drown;
no one will save me! On the other hand, a suicide (i.e., one determined
to drown) cries, “I will drown; no one shall save me!”
About now, you and I sit back and think, “Aw c’mon;
this is all fine, but not where I live and work.” True enough,
and we can take comfort in the remarks of many experts on the
subject. Some grammars ignore the issue altogether.
Others argue that the distinction is a formality only. Some write
the distinction is disappearing or that it doesn’t matter
because we generally use the contraction (’ll) for shall
and will anyway. H.L. Mencken, two generations ago, called the
whole business “muddled,” at least for American speakers
or, indeed, anyone outside southern England.
Authorities in the use of language by our popular media, always
less formal, take another tack. Some say to ignore shall entirely;
it sounds pompous to many people. The Associated Press Stylebook
declares that either shall or will is dandy in the first person,
but only will in the second and third person.
The AP notes further that in all persons, shall should be reserved
for expressing determination, as in “We shall overcome”
and “I shall return.” In other words, the rule is this:
Use will unless you really want to show that you mean business.
The stylebook’s dictum seems to represent contemporary American
usage best, or at least it does in our corner of the hemisphere.
If you ask my opinion, it’s not worth quibbling about, or,
to extend the metaphor I borrowed above, “we are quite likely
to drown when we want to survive, and survive when we want to
drown.”
Willy-nilly, I shall probably continue to shilly-shally on the
whole business. Or will I?
Word for the month
Shilly-shally, a curiosity known as a reduplicative form, is of
course developed from shall. It is a verbal chameleon to boot:
It can be a verb, noun or adverb. In any case, it means to vacillate
(verb), indecision (noun), and in an irresolute manner (adverb).
For examples, see the above column.
—Gerald Waite
Editor’s Note: Questions or comments are welcome by writing
MM or at marquettemonthly@chartermi.net
MM
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