PLANS TO RESTORE the Nordic Theater downtown are still alive but they’re facing one major obstacle.
Price.
Peggy Frazier, the chairwoman of the board at Lake Superior Theater which is hoping to buy the building, says the current asking price–$549,000–is far above what the theater could afford. And she feels it’s way above current market value. A couple of neighboring buildings are priced well below that.
Further, she says, the building is not ideal for stage theater–it’s too narrow–but if the price were greatly reduced, they might be able to work with it. A campaign led by Bernie Rosendahl and Josh MacIvor-Andersen is attempting to get someone to buy the old Book World building on Washington Street.They see it being transformed into a venue for art films, first run movies, concerts, lectures, and of course, stage theater.
Lake Superior Theater, which operates out of the Boathouse in the summer, would like to extend its season to perhaps 12 months a year. The Nordic could provide that. Maybe. If the price was right.
Where would the purchasing money come from? Frazier says–from donors who’ve already shown interest along with a small fund the Theater has set aside, and ultimately from grants.
COULD ANNA DRAVLAND, the local woman who’s promoting “Spread Goodness Day” on March 9th, end up on the Ellen show?
It’s possible. She’s got several people and WLUC, which airs Ellen, pushing for it. They’ve sent letters, emails and videos in to the show’s producers. One of the most recent and effective videos was sent in by local resident Keith Glendon.
But let’s put Ellen aside for a moment because the likelihood of getting Anna or her cause on the show at this late date is remote (even though the subject matter is right up Ellen’s alley).
In the meantime, Bennett Media has put together a 60 second video for “Spread Goodness Day,” WLUC is devoting a lot of commercial time to the cause over the next few weeks, as are Eagle Radio and Radio Results Network. The video and all the airtime are free. Realtor Steve Pelto is helping to sponsor the day.
And at least 70 businesses, organizations and individuals so far have committed to doing projects of goodness on March 9th.
We recently wrote about Anna extensively–about her cause and about her recent debilitating stroke. “It’s so difficult because I can’t do the things I want to do…the things I need to do,” she says. She can’t drive. She needs to wear sunglasses in restaurants because the lighting is too bright.
Success with Ellen would do a lot to brighten Anna’s spirits.
SHE’S 23 YEARS old, she’s less than one year out of NMU, and she’s the news director at a TV station.
She’s Alyssa Lambert at ABC 10.
Yep, that’s the way things work at the understaffed, underfunded station. But they keep plugging away, day in and day, putting on four nightly newscasts five days a week. It’s remarkable because their news department consists of only five people, somehow managing to cover most of the Upper Peninsula.
Lambert says she’s hoping and expecting two more reporters to join them in the next month.
The problem is turnover. The jobs don’t pay much.
Instead of a hefty paycheck, they’re compensated with a heavy workload, demanding deadlines, and daunting responsibilities. Such as heading up a news operation when you graduated college less than a year ago.
IS THERE HOPE for a partnership or merger between the two competing youth soccer programs in Marquette?
Maybe. A big maybe.
Leaders and parents of the two organizations, Superiorland Soccer Association and Power Soccer Academy, got together earlier this week to gauge the interest in some sort of collaboration.
Most of the parents who spoke up thought it was a good idea, long overdue. The leaders–namely Randy Byma of SSA and Norm Power of PSA–likewise expressed support. The problem remains how to structure a new, combined organization.
A second meeting on Tuesday between the leaders didn’t produce much substantive progress, according to Power. But the two sides are talking. Lines of communication are open. Both sides decided they needed to reach an agreement by April 1st or they’d put off further talks until later in the year.
The parents and the players are waiting and hoping.
WELL, THEY’VE HAD a colony of squawking pigeons cleared out, along with pigeon carcasses and pigeon crap.
We’re talking about the folks who’ve bought the “231 Building” on West Washington Street which has been vacant for the last decade.
Plans call for it to become a patisserie/coffee shop on the bottom two floors and residences on the upper floors. An architect’s been hired. Same with a contractor.
The owners are applying for a grant and expect to get it by early summer, and then construction would start immediately. Hoped-for opening date for the pastry shop? September. Seems a little optimistic but you can’t blame them for pushing it.
So what exactly would be the difference between the new patisserie and Babycakes which is just a few doors down? Matt Beardsley, the owner of the new shop says they’ll offer different types of baked goods–more of a European style–and while Babycakes has a cozy, rustic feel, the new shop will be more modern. Something closer, say, to what the Zephyr offers in the way of atmosphere.
Further, Beardsley points out, we have more than a dozen pizza places in town. What’s wrong with having two pastry shops on the same street?
THE FIRST THREE “creatives” have been chosen for Marquette’s Creative Residency Program.
The term “creative” rather than “artist” is preferred because the program is open to more than just traditional artists. Those who are creating in the digital world, for example, would qualify.
In any case, the names of the three are being withheld until they officially accept the residency. However, they’ve been described by Chamber of Commerce executive director Jason Schneider as a photographer from Philadelphia, an opera singer and writer from Brooklyn, and a podcaster and project manager from Portland, Oregon.
If they accept, they’ll be here, in a house not far from McCarty’s Cove, from March through May.
The hope is, they’ll continue with their projects, network with local artists, and spread the word about Marquette as a community welcoming to creative people.
THE EXTRAORDINARY ORGANIZATION of the year in Michigan.
906 Adventure Team is one of three finalists for the award, to be announced in Lansing in April.
Regardless of whether they win, they’ve done extraordinary work, which we’ve highlighted before. Dedicated adult volunteers getting kids on mountain bikes, out on mountain trails, in the open air, away from the stresses and strains of school, adolescence, social media, and occasional family dysfunction.
Regular practices, occasional races, camaraderie, adventure, challenges, adult support. What more can a young person want?
The program is growing, year after year, because it’s fun, it’s healthful, and it works.
Extraordinary.
You got news? Email me at briancabell@gmail.com