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Charter changes on way to ballot

HOUGHTON — Several amendments to Houghton’s charter will go before city voters next year. At Wednesday’s meeting, the council approved several resolutions proposing amendments to the city’s charter, as well as the ballot language for each amendment. The election would take place sometime in 2025. One amendment would call on the council to implement a conflict-of-interest and ethics ordinance that would apply to all councilors, elected officials, appointees and employees. The city’s charter commission had spent the most time on that amendment, Clerk Ann Vollrath said. ...

SBAM president discusses impact of impending laws

HOUGHTON — The president of the Small Business Association of Michigan reviewed upcoming changes to Michigan and federal business law at Thursday’s Wake Up Keweenaw breakfast. Brian Calley, who formerly served two terms as lieutenant governor, reported on several items, including ...

City planners talk parks, zoning, branding

HOUGHTON — The Houghton Planning Commission heard updates on the city’s push to upgrade its neighborhood parks, as well as the work of its zoning and branding committees, at its meeting Tuesday. The city held an open house this summer to get input on how to spend the remaining $120,000 ...

‘Keep the shelves stocked’

HOUGHTON ­— Wednesday afternoon began the first of five “Stuff a Blue Goose” events hosted by the Michigan State Police (MSP) to raise funds and food items for pantries of communities within Copper Country. The first event took place in Houghton at MarketPlace Foods where state ...

Body of Ontonagon kayaker found in lake

ONTONAGON — An Ontonagon kayaker who went missing in July 2023 was identified Tuesday, two days after his body was found in Lake Superior in Ontonagon Township. Dale Venema, 74, was last seen kayaking on July 14, as he was paddling out to Lake Superior; a resident saw his kayak unoccupied about an hour later. He had not been found after a search of several days. The Ontonagon County Medical Examiner confirmed on Tuesday the body found was Venema’s, the Michigan State Police, said in a Tuesday release. The Michigan State Police thanked the Ontonagon County Sheriff’s ...

WUPHD asks for claim withdrawal in variance request

HANCOCK — The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department wrote to a developer seeking to withdraw a variance request made to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy regarding its housing project in Portage Township, asking the developer to withdraw and correct a letter with inaccurate claims about approvals issued by the department. River Trails had sought a variance request to EGLE in January regarding high levels of uranium found in the groundwater near the property. WUPHD asked River Trails to withdraw an exhibit dated May 14 purporting to ask EGLE to reconsider ...