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Coronavirus

Steps taken to flatten curve: Houghton County K-12 schools, Gogebic’s Houghton branch close for two weeks to slow COVID

HANCOCK — As the number of active COVID-19 cases strains the local health care system, in-person instruction at Houghton County K-12 schools and Gogebic Community College’s Houghton center will be closed for two weeks starting Monday, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department announced Thursday. All classes will move online for the two-week period. K-12 sports games during those two weeks will also be canceled. In a release Thursday, the WUPHD attributed the move to the rise in cases since the end of August. As of Thursday, Houghton County had 337 cases, up from 66 on Aug. ...

Houghton employees receive $2K hazard pay

HOUGHTON — Houghton employees will receive one-time $2,000 hazard pay bonuses in lieu of pay increases as part of agreements approved by the Houghton City Council Wednesday. The council approved memorandums of understanding with Department of Public Works employees, the police supervisory unit and police officers unit. City Manager Eric Waara said the change was made because of budget uncertainties stemming from the COVID-19 epidemic. Nearly all city employees are considered essential workers and have worked through the pandemic, Waara said. “That next contract here coming ...

UP Honor Flight plans three flights for 2021

HOUGHTON — In a normal year, Upper Peninsula veterans would have been headed to the nation’s capital Wednesday as part of the U.P. Honor Flight. Because of COVID-19, Wednesday’s flight, which would have been Mission 19 for the Honor Flight, was cancelled. So was the scheduled Mission 18 in the spring. To accommodate those who had planned to go this year, as well as those behind them on the waiting list, the U.P. Honor Flight is planning three flights for next year, executive director Scott Knauf said. Flights are planned for May 5, May 26 and Sept. 22. Contracts with the ...

Houghton cancels Treat Street 2020

HOUGHTON — Houghton will not have its annual Treat Street this year, though regular Halloween night trick-or-treating will continue. The annual event draws thousands of people to Shelden Avenue in Houghton, which is closed to traffic for several hours as trick-or-treaters line up at local businesses for candy or go to the haunted house at the City Center. “I just cannot see holding Treat Street this year in this environment,” City Manager Eric Waara said at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. “Bringing 2,000 to 3,000 people in close proximity, it just doesn’t seem like a ...

COVID-19 numbers increase in local schools

HANCOCK — In a Wednesday email, Superintendent Steve Patchin stated that to date, four Hancock Public Schools students that have tested positive for COVID-19. No staff have tested positive. Currently, and no students have been identified as testing positive for COVID-19 at Barkell Elementary. At the same time, in a communique from Lake Linden-Hubbell Public Schools Superintendent, Brad Codere, reported on Wednesday that he was notified by the Western Upper Peninsula District Health Department (WUPHD) that a student in that district’s elementary school is reported as a “probable ...

H-PT parents complain about tighter mask requirements

HOUGHTON — Several parents came to Houghton-Portage Township Schools’ board meeting Monday to ask the district to return to more lenient face-covering requirements. Tom Rajala, who has three children in the school district, said his eighth- and 10th-graders are also now taking virtual ...