A collapse brings about mourning and hope A SHOCK, TO say the least, when we heard that the roof of the Vista Theater had collapsed. The building is almost a century old, it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it's an architectural gem in the center of Negaunee, and it's been a stage home for hundreds ... Continue Reading
NMU’s Hopes Are Rising, So Are Negaunee’s, But Munising’s Bagels Are Not
Numbers lower than expected SO FAR, SO good. That's the feeling at Northern Michigan University after nearly 8000 students, faculty, and staff have been tested for COVID. The latest figures show that only 36 people tested positive, less than a half of a percent. That's remarkably low when you consider the UP is testing ... Continue Reading
Rice Paddy Rumors Quashed, Tiny Grocery Store Opens, and Warm Waters Could Mean Trouble
Still on the job and planning to stay THE RUMORS HAVE been out there for a couple of months--that Aoy LaChapelle, the beloved owner of the Rice Paddy, was selling her business and retiring. Not true. "She'll eventually retire but not anytime soon," says her husband Greg Trick, the TV6 anchor. "I'm 65, goddammit!" ... Continue Reading
The $600 a Week Dilemma, Harbor Vista Update, and How Hot Has this Summer Been?
Employers struggling to fill jobs "IT'S BEEN A deterrent for employees to return to work." That's Munising businessman Tom Dolaskie talking about the government's pandemic relief program that gave employees $600 a week in addition to their unemployment benefits. The $600 benefit recently ended. Congress and the White ... Continue Reading
Searching for Good News on the COVID Front
AMID THE FRUSTRATION, disappointment, and anxiety that's resulted from the increasing numbers of COVID infections in Marquette County and the UP, is this one bright and noteworthy fact: There have been no reported COVID deaths in Marquette County for the last 12 weeks. None. So, Question #1 for Dr. Kevin ... Continue Reading