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News & Opinion from Marquette, Michigan

Coast Guard Property, Paladino’s, Partridge Creek, Hamburger Joint, Vista Theater, and a Rowing Star

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IT LOOKS LIKE the city of Marquette might finally take possession of the old Coast Guard property later this year. The deal has taken a mere six years to be consummated. You might remember that Marquette and the Coast Guard traded properties on Lake Superior back in 2009, and the Coast Guard immediately built its ... Continue Reading

At Last! Orphanage Gets the Go-Ahead

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MARQUETTE'S ICONIC ORPHANAGE, which has been an eyesore and a pain-in-the-ass for the city for the last couple of decades, is being reborn. Finally. Home Renewal Systems, a downstate developer that holds a contract on the building, has just gotten word that it will be granted substantial tax credits for the Orphanage ... Continue Reading

Racism in the UP, Vaping for Nicotine, Dialing for Doctors’ Dollars, Gambling on Mining Stocks, and Boarding the Brew Bus

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SO WE'RE ALL congratulating ourselves for pulling down the Confederate flag and electing an African-American president twice and just generally being open-minded, prejudice-free Americans. Well, we might wanna think twice about that here in the U.P. A recent study suggests that the western two thirds of the U.P., ... Continue Reading

Coco’s Controversy, TV6’s Dominance, Local 3’s Problems, Nestledown’s Delay, and Beacon House’s Determination

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COCO'S HAS BEEN creating a stir in the last few months. The formerly sleepy little restaurant on Lake Shore Boulevard has been re-fashioning itself as a nightspot as well, complete with live bands and DJ's on some weekends. It's become lively, attractive, and more diverse. It's featured Pride Nights, a welcome to gays ... Continue Reading

A Wine Bar

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THE RUMORS ARE true. Marquette is getting a wine bar. It'll be located at 215 South Front Street, the site of the former Back Room which was closed down a few years ago and has remained vacant ever since. The really good news is that the wine bar will be operated by the owners of Everyday Wines, Dan and Betsy Rutz, ... Continue Reading

Piedmont Debut, Doctor Exodus, Concierge Medicine, BRITE Campaign, Classy Anchor, and Ginormous Birds

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WITH "CAKEGATE" CLEARLY in its rear view mirror, the Landmark Inn is now looking toward the future. Specifically, to the opening of The Piedmont, the new northern Italian restaurant that's replacing the old Capers at the hotel. It'll feed friends and family this weekend, iron out the kinks, and then open to the public ... Continue Reading

UPPCO’s New Headquarters, Peak’s New Gym, Dark Store Intrigue, and Lundin’s Violations

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A BIG COUP for Marquette. UPPCO, which was sold last year by the Chicago-based Integrys Energy Group, will be locating its new headquarters in Marquette. Specifically, at an office complex on Harbor Hills Road, just up the road from Econo Foods. We don't have many headquarters here so this is a pretty big deal--30-35 ... Continue Reading

Joe and the Frightening Power of Facebook

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IT'S FASCINATING WHAT played out in Marquette on Thursday and Friday. The Joe's Caketroversy? The Facebook-Landmark Showdown? The Firing That Wasn't a Firing? A recap: On Thursday afternoon, Joe Heck, the near legendary and much-beloved cakemaker at the Landmark Inn, gets in a loud argument with managers at the hotel ... Continue Reading

Joe Returns to the Landmark

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Eighteen hours after being "fired" by management at the Landmark Inn, Joe Heck (the Cake Man) is back at work. Landmark management concedes there was a major argument and misunderstanding at yesterday's meeting with Joe but today, after consultation, cooler heads have prevailed. The change occurred after a frenzied ... Continue Reading