Issuu

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

contents

City Notes

Highlights of important happenings in the area

12 On Campus February 2024 No. 418

Publishers

Jane Hutchens James Larsen II

Managing Editor Michael Murray

Calendar Editors Erin Elliott Bryan Carrie Usher

Graphic Design Jennifer Bell

Proofreader Kingsley Agassi

Circulation

News from U.P. universities & colleges

Tom Buchkoe

Marquette Monthly, published by Model Town Publishing, LLC, located at PO Box 109, Gwinn, MI, 49841, is locally and independently owned. Entire contents Copyright 2024 by Model Town Publishing. All rights reserved. Permission or use of editorial material in any manner must be obtained in writing from the publishers. Marquette Monthly is published 12 times a year. Subscriptions are $65 per year. Freelance material can be submitted for consideration to editor@marquettemonthly.com. Events can be submitted to calendar@marquettemonthly.com. Ad inquiries can be sent to jane@marquettemonthly. com or james@marquettemonthly.com.

906-360-2180 marquettemonthly.com

About the Cover Artist This month’s cover artist, Elizabeth Gartner Howe, lives and works in Marquette. She enjoys capturing the movement and light in nature with lots of colors and bold strokes. She especially enjoys painting the colors of winter from its steel grays to its bright pinks. Our ever-changing seasons are a constant inspiration.

Er, in Other Words ... (answers on page 49)

15 Then & Now

Superior View

South Cedar Street in Manistique

Alex Lehto-Clark Meet Tom Lakenen, the creative force behind Lakenenland

17 Feature

21 Lookout Point

Brad Gischia A U.P. native hopes to develop the region’s film industry

26 In the Outdoors

Kristi Evans

A local scuba diver recounts his trip to the Solomon Islands

Jaymie Depew Racing for a cause at the Trenary Outhouse Classic

30 Locals

Dick Armstrong

Chief Photographer

New York Times Crossword Puzzle

34 In the Outdoors

Lu Cook

The Seney Wildlife Refuge is a different kind of busy in winter

38 The Arts

Bryon Ennis

Michael Letts expresses his creativity in many ways

Conversation

Jennifer Champagne An interview with Sally Davis, Marquette’s new mayor

45 Sporting Life

Jim LaJoie College coaches discuss the NCAA’s transfer portal

48 In the Outdoors

Pondering the brains of birds

Scot Stewart

54 On Campus

Erin Elliott Bryan NMU launches a program to serve rural communities

57 Back Then

Jamie Glenn

Lakeview rink honors a prominent hockey family

Miriam and John Taylor My Hand in Yours

Poetry

60 Superior Reads

Victor R. Volkman A cold case on Mackinac Island

63 Out & About

Erin Elliott Bryan & Carrie Usher

February events and music, art and museum guides

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February 2024

city notes Blood donations needed across Upper Peninsula

he U.P. Regional Blood Center is experiencing a need for O-negative and A-negative blood types. The UPRBC, with collection sites in Marquette, Hancock and Escanaba, is the primary supplier of blood products to 13 Upper Peninsula hospitals. This blood supply allows health care providers to treat patients with a wide variety of conditions. All blood donations stay in the Upper Peninsula; a single donation could save up to three lives and typically takes an hour to complete. To schedule an appointment or find a local blood drive, call 906-449-1450. For information, visit uphealthsystem. com/regional-blood-center.

U.P. Notable Books List announced by UPPAA

he Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association has announced the fifth annual U.P. Notable Books List in consultation with booksellers, book reviewers, writers and publishers. The list of 10 books is unranked and features The Great Seney Fire: A History of the Walsh Ditch Fire of 1976 by Gregory M. Lusk (Snowsnake Press, 2023); Grim Paradise: The Cold Case Search for the Mackinac Island Killer by Rod Sadler (WildBlue Press, 2023); Odin’s Eye: A Marquette Time Travel Novel by Tyler R. Tichelaar (Marquette Fiction, 2023); Mid-wife’s Touch by Sue Harrison (Shanty Cove Books, 2023); Yooper Ale Trails: Craft Breweries and Brewpubs of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula by Jon C. Stott (Modern History Press, 2023); Unsolved Mysteries of Father Marquette’s Many Graves by Jennifer S. McGraw (Pine Stump Publications, 2023); Prehistoric Copper Mining in Michigan: The Nineteenth-Century Discovery of ‘Ancient Diggings’ in the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale by John R. Halsey (University of Michigan Press, 2018); Brockway Mountain Stories by Paul LaVanway (Mudminnow Press, 2023); Who Am I? by Julie Buchholtz (Sleeping Bear Press, 2023); and A Nostalgic Lens: Photographs and Essays from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula by Peter Wurdock (Blue Boundary Books, 2023). Additionally, the U.P. Notable Books Committee also named U.P. Notable Classics, which highlights significant U.P.-themed literature that has remained essential for at

Bradford Veley is a freelance cartoonist, illustrator and farmer in the U.P. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram and at bradveley.com.

least 10 years. This year’s selections are Death’s Door: The Truth Behind Michigan’s Largest Mass Murder by Steve Lehto (Momentum Press, 2006) and Murder at Mackinac: A Novel by Ronald J. Lewis (Agawa Press, 1995). For information, visit uppaa.org.

Heikki Lunta Winter Fest is Feb. 2-4 in Negaunee

he City of Negaunee’s Heikki Lunta Festival is a celebration of winter that will include snow sports and family-friendly activities. Events will kick off on Feb. 2 with the lighting of the bonfire at 5 p.m. It will be followed by the Irontown Rail Jam and fish fry, public sliding at the U.P. Luge Club, snowshoe lantern tours of historic Old Town and an open house at the Negaunee VFW. On Saturday, Feb. 3, events will begin with the Teal Lake ice fishing tournament at 7 a.m. Breakfast will be served at the Eagles and Elks clubs, followed by an open house at the Ishpeming Ski Club and activities at the U.P. Luge Club, an all-school

art show, sledding, gourmet s’mores, miniature horse rides, snowshoe lantern tours of historic Old Town, an open house at the Negaunee VFW and fireworks. The festival will wrap up on Sunday with the Freeze Yer Fanny fatbike race and a pasty-eating contest. Throughout the weekend, guests can also enjoy Downtown Negaunee’s Social District, musicians performing at local venues, food and beverage specials at local establishments and the tunnel of lights on the 300 block of Iron Street. For information, call 906-475-7700 or visit cityofnegaunee.com.

Peter White Library launches winter reading programs

eter White Public Library will host reading programs for kids and teens Feb. 1-29. As part of Kids Read: Winter Reading Rocks!, youth of all ages can read and collect rocks. Students can register online, then visit the library’s Youth Services desk to pick up their reading sheet and get their first rock.

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Students in sixth through 12th grades can read for a chance to win gift cards. Students can register online, then stop by the Teen Zone to pick up a reading log. For information, call 906-226-4321, email apierce@pwpl. info or visit pwpl.info.

U.P. writers to gather in Hessel

Gwinn Seed Library marks two years of operation

he Gwinn Seed Library was started two years ago as a small seed library at the Forsyth Township Public Library. Since that time, the library has expanded its outreach and has announced its 2024 workshop schedule. Steve Finley will present a review of the 2023 growing season at 1 p.m. on Feb. 3 at Gwinn Community Church. He will feature some of the 2023 UP Smart™ seed choices grown in this region and provide seed samples for attendees. On Feb. 17, Grace AaltoRosenbaum will present “Value Added Veggie Gardening with Flowers, Fungi, Herbs and Spices” at 1 p.m. at Gwinn Community Church. Samples will be available. Last year, the library assisted the Lions Club in working with 520 students at Lakeview Elementary in Negaunee to plant seeds; staff returned in the fall and worked with 420 students to harvest seeds. The library has also opened four experimental gardens in Gwinn to test many seed varieties and collected and harvested 50,000 seeds from the 2023 growing season — two years ahead of its schedule. The library’s goal is to become the Gwinn Seed Bank and safely store seeds for up to five years. The seeds are coined UP Smart and are more capable of short-season growing in a cooler climate, along with others that are non-GMO, organic and some hybrid that meet its standards. All activities are free. For information, email gwinnseedlibary@gmail. com.

Free mediator trainings offered by MARS

arquette Alger Resolution Service has announced free General Civil Mediator and Domestic Relations Mediator trainings via Zoom. Trainees should have an interest in working with MARS as volunteers and an ability to attend every virtual training session to complete the program. Training is approved by the Michigan State Court Administrative Office. The 40-hour Civil Mediator Training will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. on February 6-8, 13-15 and 20-23. The

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The Hessel School House–Avery Arts and Nature Learning Center, in partnership with the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association, will host an Upper Peninsula writers symposium on June 22. This full-day event will deliver a series of educational workshops to ignite creativity and enhance writing skills and provide a platform for writers of all skill levels to learn, grow and connect. The keynote speaker will be Angeline Boulley, the bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter and an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Her second book, Warrior Girl Unearthed, was released in the summer of 2023. This event is made possible with support from ArtsMidwest, Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Registration is slated to open in March; visit hesselschoolhouse.org. (Photo courtesy of the UPPAA)

48-hour Domestic Relations Mediator Training will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. on March 5-8, 12-15 and 19-22. These trainings are being provided at no cost as an effort to grow the MARS roster of trained and qualified mediators. Trainees will only be allowed to register if they are a current volunteer or are willing to volunteer with MARS. For information and to sign up, call 906-226-8600 or email marquette@marsmediation.org.

Reading of Odin’s Eye set for Feb. 7 at MRHC

he Marquette Regional History Center will present a book discussion with Tyler Tichelaar, author of Odin’s Eye: A Marquette Time Travel Novel, at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 7. In the novel, “John” is found unconscious at the Huron Mountain Club and brought back to Marquette to recuperate. Everyone assures him it’s the year 1900, but his memories of automobiles, televisions and other modern devices seem to suggest he doesn’t belong in this time. “John” also interacts with several of Marquette’s notable names, including Peter White and Howard Longyear. Books are on sale at the center and other local outlets and are available on loan from public libraries. Tichelaar is also the author of The Marquette Trilogy, My Marquette and Kawbawgam: The Chief, The Legend, The Man.

There is a $5 suggested donation for this program. For information, call 906-226-3571 or visit marquettehistory.org.

League of Women Voters to meet on Feb. 7

he League of Women Voters of Marquette County will hold its next membership meeting on Feb. 7 in Studio 1 on the lower level of the Peter White Public Library. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting following at 6:45 p.m. The guest speaker will be Josh Wales, materials management supervisor at the Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority. He works to make the system sustainable and finds markets and vendors that use the post-consumer materials that are recycled. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. All community members are welcome to attend. For information, visit lwvmqt. org.

Meijer State Games returns Feb. 9-11

he Meijer State Games of Michigan, a multi-sport, Olympic-style

event that welcomes athletes of all ages and abilities, will take place Feb. 9-11 throughout Marquette County. The figure skating competition will take place Feb. 17 and 18 in Grand Rapids. This year’s Marquette Winter Games will include the new sports of archery, rifle, pickleball and snow volleyball. Indoor archery will be held at Straightline Archery in Ishpeming, and the Negaunee Rod and Gun Club will host the .22LR rifle competition. Pickleball will take place at the Baraga Gym in Marquette with plans to move it to a larger venue for 2025. Snow volleyball will join bowling at the River Rock Lanes and Banquet Center in Ishpeming. In addition to the new sports, the Winter Games will host athletes from different age groups and skill levels to compete in a range of traditional winter sports, including skiing, snowboarding, sled hockey, bowling, wrestling, luge and curling. These events not only celebrate the participants but are also intended to promote community engagement and healthy living through winter sports. For information on the Marquette Winter Games, visit StateGamesOfMichigan.com.

Snowboard stunt course returns to Houghton

ibba Jabba, a professional snowboarding event, will take place on Feb. 17, beginning at 6 p.m., in downtown Houghton. Snowboarders will ride the manmade snow course on Huron Street, and Lakeshore Drive will be packed over with snow for trick features. The course stretches from Shelden Avenue to the pier. The best rider overall for men and women will each win a $1,000 cash purse. Red Bull will also provide a party car with speakers and energy drinks. Spectators are encouraged to line the sides of the path along Huron Street and the bottom of the course.

Human trafficking events planned in Ishpeming

he Ishpeming Lions Club and the Ishpeming Elks Club are partnering to bring awareness to human trafficking in the U.P. In conjunction with the Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force, two events will educate the public on the nature and extent of trafficking in the region. Task force president Stephanie Graef and members of state and local law enforcement will provide data and details of trafficking cases in the U.P. at 3 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the Ishpeming

Elks Club. The event is free and open to the public. At 3 p.m. on Feb. 24 at the Ishpeming Elks Club, a training will be provided by the task force to help the public identify and report potential human trafficking activities. It is free and open to the public. For information, visit upht123.org or call 906-299-2943.

LSAA to present arts events in February and March

n February and March, the Lake Superior Art Association will sponsor two community events. Judy Parlato, an award-winning fiber artist from Gwinn, will demonstrate the process she uses in creating art quilts at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 20 in the MACC Studio of the Peter White Public Library. She will discuss her journey of recreating “Lady in Gold,” the painting by Gustav Klimt, in fibers and quilting. The LSAA will host “Celebrate the History of Arts and Culture in Marquette” at 6:30 p.m. on March 5 at NMU’s Northern Center. Jack Deo and Ann Hilton Fisher will present “Anita Meyland: First Lady of the Arts,” a retrospective and tribute to a prominent advocate of the arts during the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. Meyland organized Marquette’s first Art on the Rocks in 1950; was a contributing member of local art and music organizations; and taught a variety of art classes. Tickets are $25 and are available at the Marquette Arts and Culture Center or online. For information, visit lakesuperiorartassociation.org.

‘Media Smart’ events planned at PWPL

eter White Public Library is hosting several events in February as part of its “Community Conversations” series. This year’s series is titled “Media Smart: Navigating Misinformation in the Information Age” and will address misinformation, artificial intelligence and the cultivation of digital literacy skills. The series will begin at noon on Feb. 20 with “Artificial Intelligence in the Information Age.” Michael Sauer from NMU’s Cybersecurity Institute will provide information and tips on being cyber-safe at home and work with the advent of artificial intelligence. Guests are invited to bring their lunch. A screening of Wag the Dog will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 21. This satirical film starring Academy Award-winning actors Dustin Hoffman and Robert DeNiro depicts the fabrication of a fictional war in order to divert the public attention away

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Did You Know ...

where New Krakow was located?

ew Krakow was a Polish farming community east of Garden on the Garden Peninsula. It was established by a group of Polish immigrants from Chicago in 1914 who were led to believe by the Illinois Colonization Company that they were coming to rich farmland. They survived the early years in the midst of the forest, cleared the land and prospered. They retained their Polish language and heritage, but many of their offspring left and went to Chicago. Submitted by Dr. Russell M. Magnaghi, history professor emeritus of NMU and author of several books, including Classic Food and Restaurants of the Upper Peninsula.

from a presidential scandal. The film is rated R. “Master Media in the Digital Age” will take place at 7 p.m. on Feb. 22. Sue Ellen Christian, a media literacy expert from Western Michigan University, will discuss her research on media literacy principles designed to empower youth and adults in today’s information age. She will provide insights and practical tools for analyzing media messages, verifying information and enhancing an understanding of online privacy. Staff from Embers Credit Union will present “Banking Fraud” at 1 p.m. on Feb. 26 and provide tips on how to stay protected in this time of rampant scamming. A discussion of the book Julia, a retelling of George Orwell’s 1984 by Sandra Newman, will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 27. It is told from the point of view of Julia, Winston Smith’s lover. The League of Women Voters of Marquette County will moderate a panel discussion on misinformation at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 28. Representatives from local media outlets will discuss how misinformation has impacted their work. All events are free and open to the public. For information, call 906-2264303 or visit pwpl.info.

Senior Support Series begins Feb. 21

n coordination with Mapping Medicare, the Marquette Regional History Center is launching a series to discuss nutrition, music, cognitive acuity, local history and more. This whole-health approach is intended as a resource particularly designed for seniors, but all ages are welcome. The first program will be “Music as Medicine,” featuring the professional musicians of the Superior String Alliance, at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 at

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the History Center. The event is free, though donations are appreciated. Attendees have an opportunity to win door prizes at each session, and complimentary coffee from Dead River Coffee Roasters will be available. Four sessions are planned for the year and will take place on Wednesday afternoons, while MarqTran buses are free to seniors. For information, call 906-226-3571 or visit marquettehistory.org.

MRHC annual meeting set for Feb. 28

he annual meeting of the Marquette Regional History Center is set for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 28. A brief business meeting will be followed by the annual Helen Longyear Paul and Peter White history awards. There will also be an opportunity to meet Hunter Laing, designer of the current special exhibit on cooperatives. The meeting is free and open to all. For information, call 906-226-3571 or visit marquettehistory.org.

Marquette Art Week opportunities available

he City of Marquette Office of Arts and Culture has announced a request for project proposals and other opportunities to get involved with City of Marquette Art Week 2024. Scheduled to take place June 24-29, this week-long celebration invites local artists, art organizations and businesses to collaborate on a diverse array of arts and cultural events. This year’s Art Week is centered on the theme “Grow: Planting Seeds of Creativity,” inspired by the relocation of the City’s Office of Arts and Culture to the future cultural trailhead and center. Project proposals for concerts, workshops, performances, exhibits, demonstrations and more can be sub-

mitted by March 1. Financial assistance of up to $500 is available for selected projects. Artists of all ages are also invited to participate in an annual cover art contest for the Art Week 2024 magazine. The theme is “GROW,” emphasizing personal and community development. The winning artist will receive $100 and be credited in the printed publication. Submissions are accepted until March 1 with public voting taking place March 4-22. Additional opportunities for artists will be posted on the MQT Compass Creative Classifieds page at mqtcompass.com/opportunities. This site is free to post and peruse local creative opportunities. Art Week 2024 is made possible through the support of a grant from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. For information, call 906-2250472, email tluoma@marquettemi. gov or visit mqtcompass.com.

Youth theater announces 2024 season

uperior Arts Youth Theater has announced its upcoming productions for the 2024 season. Under the new leadership of Executive Director Becky Heldt and Artistic Director Sara Parks, the organization has introduced a new season planning model that follows the calendar year. The 2024 season theme is “Normal Is a Myth” and will feature three mainstage musicals and a spring play series, in addition to SAY Theater’s annual summer arts camps and participation in community events. The season will kick off with The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical March 7-10. This musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s bestselling book follows teenager Percy Jackson as he embarks on an epic journey with his friends after he discovers he is a demigod. In the spring, SAY Theater’s play series will include three one-act productions: a new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona, featuring performers in seventh through 12th grades; The Reluctant Dragon by Kathryn Schultz Miller, a retelling of the 1898 children’s story by Kenneth Grahame featuring performers in sixth grade and younger; and the SAY Theater Youth Playwriting Project premiere, an adaptation of Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. To finish the season, Junie B. Jones the Musical Jr. will be performed July 25-28, and Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr. will be presented Nov. 7-10. For information, visit saytheater.org.

Writers conference planned for May 18

he Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association will hold its 26th annual conference May 18 at Peter White Public Library in Marquette. The conference is open to all writers, beginning and seasoned, and anyone interested in starting to write. All genres will be discussed including poetry, novels, nonfiction, children’s stories and more. New this year will be a Young Writers Storytelling Workshop to its conference. This track is designed for all students in sixth to 12th grades, including homeschool students, to encourage them to become writers and will run in parallel to the main conference. Also new for 2024 will be a networking and social event on May 17 at The Crib and a business meeting that will include the presentation of the seventh annual Dandelion Cottage Awards for UPPAA’s student short story contest. Registration will begin on March 1. For information, visit uppaa.org.

Scholarship available for young birder

he Laughing Whitefish Bird Alliance is providing an opportunity for one local student between the ages of 13 and 18 to attend the Michigan Young Birders Camp June 23-28 at Alma College. Participants will travel around the state, visit different habitats and important bird areas, learn bird identification tips and techniques, discuss bird conservation topics, learn from guest speakers and more. The LWBA scholarship will cover the $650 cost of the camp for the successful applicant. To apply for the scholarship, students can write a short essay describing why they want to attend the MYBC. Email essays, including full name, mailing address and phone number, to chielenstowner@msn.com. The deadline for local scholarship submissions is April 1. Applications for the MYBC are open until May 1 or until spaces are filled. Camp application information can be found at michiganaudubon.org. Students should apply to the camp at the same time they apply for the LWBA scholarship.

Resources available for grandparent caregivers

pper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress provides resources for grandparents or relatives 55 years of age or older who are raising grandchildren or caring for a family member’s child.

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UPCAP’s Kinship Program supports families across the U.P. to help with temporary financial assistance, respite care, guardianship, adoption and more. For information, call 906786-4701, dial 2-1-1 or visit upcap. org.

Friends of Valley Spur raising funds

Community input sought on playground art

he Marquette Public Art Commission will commission a piece of public art inspired by a dragonfly to be placed at the entrance of the new all-inclusive Kids Cove Playground in Mattson Lower Harbor Park. The goal of the sculpture is to engage the city and its visitors, creating a sense of wonder and joy to reinforce the positivity of play while honoring Joani Reynolds Miller, a retired preschool teacher who had a vision of making life for children with disabilities more inclusive in our community. MPAC members have identified three finalists from a national call for artist qualifications, and the community is invited to submit responses on the proposed designs. For information and to submit feedback, visit mqtcompass.com. The submission form will close on Feb. 9, but the public can also offer public comment during the MPAC monthly meeting on Feb. 14 when the final design will be selected.

Blueberry Festival poster contest is open

ntries can now be submitted to Downtown Marquette’s Blueberry Festival poster contest. The contest winner will receive a $300 cash prize. Entries must be received by 4 p.m. on April 26 at the Marquette Downtown Development Authority Office. The public can cast votes for the winner between May 3 and 31. All entries will be on display on the lower level of Peter White Public Library during that time for in-person voting, or votes can be cast online at downtownmarquette.org.

Saving Finland in America campaign accepts $1 million

he American Finnish Club of Lake Worth, Florida (known in the community as Kerhotalo), has donated $1 million to Finlandia Foundation National, or FFN. The donation is the cornerstone contribution in the Saving Finland in America campaign launched in 2023 to preserve and protect the historical and cultural assets of the Finnish American Heritage Center, or FAHC, in Hancock. Additionally, a part of the donation will be designated to establish the

Marquette Monthly

The Friends of Valley Spur have initiated a fundraising campaign to replace their aging grooming equipment with a versatile tractor that would provide better-groomed ski lanes and last for decades. Valley Spur is a recreation area in Alger County that features trails for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing and mountain and snow biking. The group has already raised $135,000 toward its goal of $300,000. Donations can be mailed to Friends of Valley Spur, P.O. Box 523, Munising, MI 49862, or processed at givebutter.com/mlveth. (Photo courtesy of Friends of Valley Spur)

Kerhotalo Fund through FFN, which will enable and support scholarships, grants and programs that are connected with or relevant to the Finnish-American community and Florida. FAHC houses thousands of records and artifacts that tell the story of Finnish America. Last year, FFN embarked on a $3 million campaign to save those as well as the Finlandia Art Gallery, Finnish American Folk School, Price of Freedom Museum, North Wind Books and The Finnish American Reporter, all of which had previously been held by the nowclosed Finlandia University. In addition to saving the Heritage Center and bookstore buildings, FFN maintains the staff of six personnel responsible for the ongoing programs, operations and conservation of and care for these historical assets.

From the desk of Governor Gretchen Whitmer

• Governor Gretchen Whitmer has appointed David Kronberg of Marquette to the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. Kronberg is the CEO and co-founder of Van Abel and Kronberg Design LLC, a design and leadership solution for businesses and government, and the director of entrepreneurial services and outreach for Innovate Marquette SmartZone. • Whitmer has reappointed Aaron Andres of Marquette to the Michigan

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Statewide Independent Living Council to represent organizations that provide services for individuals with disabilities including, but not limited to, private business. Andres is vice president of the Superior Alliance for Independent Living, chairman of the Marquette City Planning Commission and a member of the Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress.

From the desk of U.S. Senator Gary Peters

• The Senate unanimously passed bipartisan, bicameral legislation authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters of Michigan that would settle the longstanding land claims of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and clear the title of current landowners in the community. Peters’ Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Land Claim Settlement Act of 2023 would authorize federal funds through the U.S. Department of the Interior that may be used by the KBIC for governmental services, economic development, natural resource protection and land acquisition.

Local business news in brief

• WZMQ-TV 19 (CBS/MeTV) has announced that sports broadcaster Mike Ludlum has joined the News 19 Team. Ludlum’s career includes more than 35 years as a television anchor, sports reporter and sports director in Marquette and as a former president

of the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Additionally, Mark Nebel has joined the TV-19 sales team. His career includes 25 years of experience at television and radio stations in the Central Upper Peninsula. • Andrews Hooper Pavlik PLC has announced its merger with Makela, Toutant, Hill, Nardi & Katona, P.C., a certified public accounting firm in Marquette. The addition of the MTHNK partners and staff increases the AHP offices to 10 cities throughout Michigan. For information, visit ahp.cpa. • Rare Earth Goods, an art and natural foods co-op located at 200 E. Division St. in Ishpeming, recently held its grand re-opening under the new ownership of Esther Ruggles. Ruggles is also a medical massage practitioner and will now host Restorative Bodywork LLC, which specializes in trigger point therapy, at the same location. Ruggles is actively seeking crafters and vendors to join its co-op community that is focused on offering zero waste, sustainable, locally and ethically sourced goods and household items, as well as handcrafted items. The attached Rare Earth Goods Café is owned by Dylan Larson. For information, contact Ruggles at 906-485-5650. • Tiny Turtle’s Daycare LLC, a new group childcare home owned by Ashley Jarvi, recently held its grand opening at 1575 Cypress St. in Ishpeming. Recognizing the needs of working parents, Tiny Turtle’s Daycare provides a home-like setting that allows children to thrive in a family-oriented environment, fostering socialization and age-appropriate learning experiences. For information, contact Jarvi at ashleyjarvi4@gmail. com. • Gravedoni’s Pizza, a new pizzeria and takeout restaurant owned and operated by Vince Gravedoni, recently celebrated its grand opening at 81 Croix St. in Negaunee. Gravedoni worked in the kitchen at Pasquali’s for his father for the last 15 years before deciding to branch out on his own. For information, call 906-4756121 or visit facebook.com/gravedonispizza. MM How to submit to City Notes The deadline for event and press release submissions for City Notes is the 10th day of the month prior to publication. Email your press release to editor@marquettemonthly.com.

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on campus

Studying moose helps MTU researchers better understand human diseases

illions of people around the world face diminished quality of life due to periodontitis, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. A new study sheds light on the links between all three chronic bone diseases, assessed from the unique standpoint of Isle Royale’s wild moose population. The study, led by researchers from Michigan Technological University and Duke University and recently published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, found that moose with periodontitis were much more likely to develop severe forms of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. “Many diseases which impact people are not uncommon among other species,” said lead study author Sarah Hoy, a research assistant professor in Michigan Tech’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences. What is different is that moose are not affected by many of the same risk factors for the diseases as humans. For example, moose don’t contend with obesity, consume alcohol or smoke cigarettes.

One thing leads to another eriodontitis, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis represent a major global public health challenge, Hoy said: “Besides affecting daily life for so many people, these diseases place a huge burden on health and social care systems. There is an urgent need to better understand the factors that cause these diseases.” Periodontitis, the most severe form of what many people know as periodontal or gum disease, is caused by bacterial infections in the gums and bone surrounding teeth. Severe cases lead to bone and tooth loss. Osteoarthritis is a progressive and often disabling disease caused by cartilage degeneration in joints, including the knees and hips. Osteoporosis is a loss of bone density. It occurs when the breakdown of old bone exceeds the rate that new bone is formed, resulting in more fragile bones that are more likely to break. As people get older, they’re more likely to develop these diseases. “For decades, doctors have suspected that there may be important links between these three,” Hoy said. “But studying the links between the

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February 2024

Isle Royale Moosewatch volunteers show some of the bones collected for the wolf-moose project. (Photo by Ron Porrit)

diseases in humans is complicated because the likelihood of developing the diseases can be influenced by a wide variety of risk factors, including whether or not a person is obese, smokes cigarettes, drinks alcohol, has a poor-quality diet or good access to health care. These risk factors make it difficult for doctors and scientists studying the diseases to identify potential linkages.” Ample samples available n total, the study assessed both the prevalence and severity of each disease in more than 2,000 moose that died between 1959 and 2021. Study samples were not hard to find. For more than six decades, researchers at Michigan Tech have collected moose bones as part of their ongoing study of the wolf and moose populations on Isle Royale — a federally designated wilderness area in Lake Superior and home to a national park. Hoy and Michigan Tech’s John Vucetich and Rolf Peterson are co-leaders of the wolf-moose study. Entering its 66th year, it’s the longest-running predator-prey study in the world. Peterson, who conducted the assessment for the new study, had only to step outside his summer quarters on the island to access a vast boneyard of specimens — the largest collection of moose bones in the world.

Every year, researchers, students and project volunteers discover moose remains while hiking across the island in summer or during aerial surveys for the annual winter count of wolves and moose. Researchers carefully check the animal bones for signs of periodontitis, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Bones of particular interest are collected for cleaning and even more thorough examination back in the laboratory. While the study didn’t evaluate the cellular mechanisms underlying the links between these diseases, the authors speculate that periodontitis may increase the risk that individuals will develop osteoporosis and osteoarthritis due to the impact that the bacterial pathogens causing periodontitis have on proinflammatory cytokines. Hoy said the results of the research demonstrate the benefits of pursuing unusual cross-collaborations to help solve thorny global health issues. “Scientists often study wildlife behavior and dynamics in the great outdoors, while doctors and scientists study human diseases in medical research facilities,” she said. “This work highlights the value of interdisciplinary efforts to gain a better understanding of linkages between diseases which are applicable across species.” MM This article was provided by Michigan Technological University.

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

ER, IN OTHER WORDS ... by John Kugelman

Reprinted from the New York Times and edited by Will Shortz

A CROSS 1 Hurricanes and tornadoes 9 One of 12, biblically 17 ‘‘Way to go, me!’’ 19 Grape from France’s Côte-d’Or 20 Great ape? 22 Erotic artist? 23 5-Down’s pet 24 Ooze 26 Authors 27 Yesterday, in Spanish 30 ____ Jam (record label) 31 ‘‘Let me be perfectly ____’’ (Pride slogan) 34 Guinness of ‘‘The Ladykillers’’ 37 Street magician? 44 Made, as a putt 45 Stockpile 46 Linger 47 Rock’s ____ Fighters 48 Toast with a raised stein 50 Bad thing to drop in polite company 52 Anthony Hopkins won this with only 16 minutes of screen time 54 Reply of disgust 55 One hitting the space bar? 57 Muscat resident 59 Leaves slack-jawed 60 Farmers? 63 Took big steps

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65 Unplanned preview, perhaps 66 See here! 67 ____ of Orleans, moniker for Joan of Arc 68 Supply, as elevator music 71 Switch hitter? 78 Zeno of ____, paradoxical thinker 79 Fastest train in the U.S. 80 Spot for a microphone 81 What might be drawn with a ‘‘C’’ in cartoons 82 Plans of study 85 Time’s 2023 Athlete of the Year 87 Appropriate 89 Hail, to Caesar 90 Warm touch 92 Gunpowder ingredient 94 Top pair 95 Animal tranquilizer? 98 Trash 99 Pan handle? 100 Communication with one’s hands, for short 101 Target of Y.A. fiction 103 Word with straw or swing 105 Big Apple figure 109 ‘‘Boy Wonder’’ of comics 113 & 117 The Grim Reaper? 120 Live content creators 121 They might be flagged as ‘‘Potential Spam’’ 122 Seasonal charity event

No. 0114

34 Meat jelly 35 Butler on ‘‘The Addams Family’’ 36 Japanese mushroom 38‘ ‘Pass,’’ in a casino 39 Quadcopter, e.g. 40 Concrete support 41 Straws in the wind 42 Sweet-talked 43 Origin of the words ‘‘cake’’ and ‘‘egg’’ 49 Actor George who wrote the 1994 autobiography ‘‘To the Stars’’ 51 Police accountability tool 53 Rapper ____ B 56 List 58 Demure 61 E. R. shout 62 Author Gaiman 63 What a crackerjack cracker jacks 64 Does some field work 67 Superlatively sullen 68 Praline ingredient 69 Valentine candy message 70 Not open to appeal, as a court decision 71 Bass symbol 72 Tiniest bit 73 Actress Fisher of ‘‘Eighth Grade’’ 74 Worshiper of Jah, informally 75 Insurance giant 76 Mental fogs 77 Lock 123 Cuts down to size 79 Law enforcer in the Harry Potter universe DOWN 83 Longtime actor on 1 V on the N.Y.S.E. ‘‘Law & Order: SVU’’ 2 Albatross, metaphorically 84 Give a darn 3 Hypnotized, say 86 All together 4 Some closet organizers 88 Emulate Jack Sprat 5 ‘‘The Jetsons’’ boy 91 Old SeaWorld mascot 6 Crossed (out) 93 Parkway or 7 Online school closing? expressway: Abbr. 8 Nurses 96 Complained 9 Dash’s partner 97 Keyboard corner key 10 Ancient Romans made it 102 Straight up from soot 103 Like the open sea 11 Purchase for a golf course 104 Not fooled by 12 Nexus: Abbr. 105 Some carry a spare one 13 Peeved in a boot 14 Indigo Girls song with the 106 Smartphone platform chorus ‘‘Adding up the total of a love that’s true/Multiply 107 Bit of decoration at a beach house life by the . . .’’ 108 Not just think 15 Creditor’s security 110 Zodiac symbol 16 Makes a misstep 111 Sicily or Sardinia 18 Ready, with ‘‘up’’ 112 Ending with late or great 19 Wrinkle-faced dog 114 ‘‘____ out!’’ 21 Cash in 115 ‘‘The Dark Side of 22 Disney villain who’s the the Moon’’ studio grand vizier of Agrabah 116 Fire (up) 25 / 118 Texter’s ‘‘Truthfully . . .’’ 28 Replies of disgust 119 French chess piece 29 Stoolie 31 Somewhat Answer key 32 Section of a syllabus To check your 33 ____ Griffin, civil answers, see Page 49. rights pioneer

then & now

Manistique was incorporated as a village in 1883 and as a city in 1901. This photograph of South Cedar Street from the 1920s features several structures that survived a fire in September 1893.

Photos provided by Superior View Studios, located in Art of Framing, 149 W. Washington St. Marquette viewsofthepast.com

South Cedar Street remains a commercial hub of Manistique, the county seat of Schoolcraft County. Businesses along this corridor include an art gallery, a brewpub, cafes, office space and retail shops.

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

feature The creative force behind Lakenenland can’t seem to sit still

‘He gets that look in his eyes’ By Alex Lehto-Clark

t was a mild January afternoon, and the park was nearly empty. Tom Lakenen hopped out of his truck with a big smile and infectious energy. That’s the first thing one notices about Lakenen — his energy. Before he sat down, he had to get a fire going in the pavilion, an impressive structure featuring a roof held up by tree trunks and a large fireplace made of dozens of giant rocks that appeared to be stacked haphazardly on top of each other. “There were some people putting fiber-optic cable under the highway here,” Lakenen said, “and they saw me with my rocks and they said, ‘What are you doing with those?’ And I told ’em, ‘I don’t know, but they were free.’ And they asked me if I wanted some more, and I said, ‘Sure!’” That’s how Lakenen described the process of amassing materials for the aforementioned pavilion, just one of hundreds of structures and sculptures nestled inside Lakenenland, a public art sculpture park sprawling over Lakenen’s 40-acre property. To understand the man, it’s important first to understand Lakenenland, his magnum opus. It’s hard to miss, sitting between Marquette and Munising on M-28, right on the North Country Trail. It features a bog walk, two ponds, a reconstructed mineshaft and more than 100 scrap-metal sculptures. There are politically motivated statues and universally hilarious

Tom Lakenen has never claimed to be an artist. Visitors to his sculpture park on M-28 east of Marquette might say otherwise. (Photo by Danielle Pemble)

ones. There are memorials and tributes. There are the community fire pits, which Lakenen watches over and stocks wood for and welcomes anyone to

use responsibly. The art itself and the idea of the park is a small spattering of Lakenen’s mind: unplanned, sporad-

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

Lakenenland features more than 100 scrap-metal sculptures. (Photos by Danielle Pemble)

ic, a little bit out there and composed with the eye of an expert tinkerer. “I never really claimed to be an artist,” he said. “I’m just a construction worker that started using up the scrap that I have from all over the place.” Lakenen is a lifelong Yooper, born and raised in Marquette. Growing up on the south shore of the Big Lake had a significant impact on how he experienced the world. “I mean, having Lake Superior to swim in was amazing,” he said. “We had a camp on the cheap side, but down the road we had some friends who were right on the lake, and we could run through and swim whenever we wanted.” It’s this type of attitude, he said, that has stuck with him while living in the U.P.: helping neighbors, being open and sharing what you have. Lakenen got into the trades as soon as he graduated from high school. He’s been a pipefitter and boilermaker for decades. “This is just simple junk, you know. I get on a job, and everything’s gotta be plum level and square and hold 2,000 pounds of pressure,” he said. “I get to do whatever I want with this when I come home.” As he carefully explained how he put together a pavilion made of tree trunk crotches and literal tons of rock, it became clear that what Lakenen considers easy might not exactly be the universal understanding of the word. But he’s always sure to give credit where credit is due: His secret is that

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February 2024

he doesn’t ever really do a big project alone. Over the duration of an hourlong discussion, the following phrase was used over a dozen times: “Oh, I had a couple of buddies come out and help me.” He’s built a web of coworkers, friends and family members who are looking for scraps, picking up pieces and just showing up to help when it’s needed. For his entire adult life, Lakenen has had to leave the U.P. to work on powerhouses and other industrial complexes across the country. Life on the road did not seem to suit him, and he would often find himself missing home. “It’s just depressing when I had to leave, living in a motel. I hated it,” he said. “When I would get laid off, people would be like, ‘Sorry to hear you got laid off.’ And I would say, ‘No, no, I’m not sorry at all.’ The more places I’ve been, the more I realize I wouldn’t trade any of them for here.” Lakenen turned to art after he quit drinking. He said, especially with all the traveling, it was easy to fill the time with alcohol. “I used to drink like

a 30-pack a day,” he said. “Traveling around the country doing construction, you get off work, you go to the bar at quittin’ time and the next day it’s the same — the weekends even more.” When his wife expressed concern, he decided he was ready to try something different. “I didn’t use AA or nothing, but I realized, what am I gonna do?” he said. “I had all this time on my hands now. So I started building sculptures.” That’s the kind of guy Lakenen is, according to longtime friend and former coworker Dean Gutzman. There’s no problem in life that a little project won’t fix. “You know,” Gutzman said, “he gets that look in his eyes. And he looks so excited. And you just know he’s got another idea.” Gutzman has been Lakenen’s friend for decades. They met back in 1993, when Lakenen was working as a pipefitter. “He was always a good hand at work,” Gutzman said. “He was just so good to work with.” Gutzman said the work ethic runs in the Lakenen family. “Well, his dad

was an ironworker, and his daughter’s an ironworker,” he said. “All of them Lakenens, they get together and they work for fun.” The sculptures piled up. When they no longer fit in the garage, Lakenen displayed them in his front yard as a way to entertain the neighbors. “The kids on the school bus loved ’em,” he said. “But the township started writing me tickets.” And so, with a total of 50 sculptures, he realized he might have to move his operations elsewhere. “I needed to find a lot of land for cheap,” he said. “A thousand bucks an acre and 37 acres, and I said, ‘Yes, that’s what I need.’” It’s fun to imagine what Lakenen might’ve seen on those 37 acres. The land was a blank slate, and he had endless ideas — and a forever-growing pile ready to find a new home. “The rest,” he said, “is history.” Gutzman was actually the one who coined the name “Lakenenland” after a night of pondering his friend’s statues, back when they were still a backyard-only affair.

“He kept saying names like Tommytown … and I said, ‘How about Lakenenland, ya know, like Disneyland?’” Gutzman laughed. “All I asked in return, I told him, is that when there’s a highway running through it, he lets me sit at the ticket gate and collect a couple hundred thousand a year. I didn’t think it was too much to ask for.” During the busy summer season, shirts and other souvenirs can be purchased, and proceeds go back into the park. Lakenen said there is a book coming out soon that will feature photos and stories about some of the sculptures. But Lakenen is firm that the park is not a pocket-lining endeavor but an experience for everyone. “Let’s say you’re local and you got kids. … Say I charge $5 to $10 a head or whatever, and say your kids were there yesterday and you say, ‘I can’t bring you back tomorrow; I just paid for you,’” Lakenen explained, shaking his head. “Nah, just keep bringing your kids back today and tomorrow and the next day too. If someone has money and they wanna donate a few

Lakenenland covers about 40 acres, but creator Tom Lakenen says he might need more land. (Photo by Danielle Pemble)

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

Tom Lakenen has never charged admission to his park. (Photo by Danielle Pemble)

bucks, that’s great. But I don’t want anyone driving by without stopping because they can’t afford it.” Lakenen is about to approach a crossroads in his own life soon. As of the interview on Jan. 2, he had six weeks left of work until retirement. One can only imagine what will happen with the park once he has even more time on his hands. In the list of what-ifs, Lakenen is certain of one thing: He will never be bored. “You know, when I bought this place, I thought, 40 acres? How am I ever going to fill this all up?” He laughed. “And now, I’m kind of thinking I might need to get a little more room.” Gutzman added, “It’s his sense of community, that’s the biggest thing about Tom. And he wants to do this for the community. He’s that kind of guy.” Lakenen is the type who would build a park and welcome the whole world to come and enjoy it. The type to go out in winter and light a fire so the snowmobilers don’t get cold.

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February 2024

To refuse to press charges when two teenagers stole his firewood. Instead, asking for an over-the-phone apology and reminding them that if they asked, he would’ve just given it to them. “The way I’ve always operated is I’m helping you and you’re helping me and we just help each other,” Lakenen said. So if you see a lanky man in a bright safety coat, on a tractor or in a truck with a few more select pieces of scrap, make sure to say hi. He’ll be excited to tell you about his newest project. And he hopes you’ll come again — because everyone is invited to partake in Lakenenland, and in that way, everyone gets to know Tom just a little bit too. Just a nice guy. Just a good Yooper, through and through. MM Alex Lehto-Clark is a poet and essayist who lives in Ishpeming. He graduated from Northern Michigan University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English.

lookout point Dickinson County native works to grow the film industry in the U.P.

Seth Anderson of Iron Mountain, center, is the creator of the Northbound series. After establishing his career in Los Angeles, Anderson returned to the Upper Peninsula in part to help develop the region’s place in the film industry. (Photo courtesy of Seth Anderson)

By Brad Gischia

A northern saga

t was a dark and rainy night … No, this isn’t the beginning of a Gothic horror novel. Rather, it’s a description of the world premiere of Season 3 of the Northbound series, or Northbound: The Final Chapter, which took place on Dec. 9 at the Braumart Theater in Iron Mountain. Ask anyone about a popular television show, whether it’s on a traditional network or a streaming service, and you’ll get a thousand different opinions on how it could have been better.

But actually going out and making a thing is an entirely different animal. To make a piece of art is a time investment. It’s a financial investment. It’s an emotional investment. That’s the investment made by the people behind Northbound. Iron Mountain native Seth Anderson is the creator of the Northbound series. A lifelong love of movies led him to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee film department and then to Los Angeles, where he worked for about 13 years in the film industry. “I came back once or twice a year

every year,” Anderson said. “I was always interested in this space [the Upper Peninsula] cinematically.” Anderson said the area has been undershot and referenced how it often was left off of maps. “I always thought that surely there was more to it than Escanaba in da Moonlight,” he said. Anderson looked for ways to utilize the space and developed the Northbound series out of that search. Northbound is a post-apocalyptic story based in the Upper Peninsula. There is a catastrophic event that is hinted at in the first series, which

February 2024

follows a father trying to make it by himself in the U.P.’s barren landscape. “Post-apocalyptic stories have always been interesting,” Anderson said. “You can wring a lot of drama out of them.” Anderson said that as he was growing up he would bookmark places in his mind that would be good for cinematic shots. “I always wanted to use the old mining infrastructure that you see everywhere,” he said. Watching the series, U.P. viewers will find that there are many places with a familiar feel. The land plays a huge part in the story.

Marquette Monthly

The rugged landscape of the Upper Peninsula lent itself to Northbound’s post-apocalyptic motif. (Photo courtesy of Seth Anderson)

“I like to start with the land and move in on a more personal story,” Anderson said. “There needs to be that expansive, hostile indifference. It permeates our lives up here. We live in a wilderness.” Anderson referenced Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson when he talked about how he wanted to shoot the landscape: “There is a very deliberate attempt to make the landscape important.” As the filming for Northbound began, Anderson said, he was surprised at how easy people were to work with when it came to filming on private property. “I was coming from L.A.,” he said, “where everything had to be figured out beforehand, and I was frankly expecting more pushback. But there’s been so much interest in filmmaking here, I was able to get access that’s blown my mind.” There are some familiar locations in the series, including K.I. Sawyer and parts of the campus of Michigan Tech University. “They would open a whole building to us,” Anderson said, “and students from the drama department were able to come in to be extras.” That “let’s see what we can do” mentality is something that Anderson views as a potential boon for the film industry in the Upper Peninsula. Kayla Kelly is an actor from Dickinson County who found her love of acting in community theatre and fostered it for many years until she decided to try to make a go of it in her 30s. Kelly has now done more than 30 productions, which run the gamut from TV pilots to movies to commercials. The Northbound series is another thing that Kelly can add to a growing resume. “The only thing you have as an actor to show for yourself is a demo reel,” she said. “I’ve defi-

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February 2024

nitely used stuff from Season 2 on my reel and want to use some things from Season 3 as well.” When the project was first proposed, Anderson tried to sell it conventionally as a film called The Northstar Saga. “There were a lot of interesting things happening then, around 2014, with digital cinema,” Anderson said. “People were just starting to shoot with the first wave of [digital single lens reflex] cameras, and they were using mini-helicopters. This was pre-drone. It felt like, at the time, we weren’t going to be able to shoot a movie conventionally.” The options at that time were just beginning to open up in the online space for streaming films. “It was just starting to become a viable option for distribution,” Anderson said. The technology was advancing quickly at a consumer level, and Anderson thought it would be realistic to shoot in the Upper Peninsula. “We were shooting proof-of-concept stuff in 2014 that would become Northbound,” he said. “It was all prequel stuff, and I found that we had a community ready to work right here.” Anderson shopped his project around and made a deal with one of the early streaming services called Geek Nation, and that early footage became Northbound Series 1. Based on that footage shot on a television model, and the audience they gained from those early streamable episodes, they were able to work out a Kickstarter campaign in 2016 and a sponsorship model. That crowd-funding effort was successful, as was a second, and, with the sponsorship of RipIt Energy Drinks, Anderson was able to film the second and third seasons. Now the series is streamable through seeka.com, a service based in Minneapolis. “We wanted to have ev-

erything in one place,” Anderson said. “Seeka is linked up with a broader effort for film incentives in Minnesota and Michigan, a Midwest filmmaking collective.” Anderson said that film incentives stopped throughout Michigan in 2015. Along with the others in that collective, they are working to get those incentives reinstated to bring more filmmaking to Michigan. “Right when we started, incentives were pretty aggressive,” Anderson said. “At that time, films like Transformers and some of the DC Comics film work was getting done in the state. But since then, those incentives have stopped.” “I’m advocating for a multimedia jobs act with film incentives,” he said. “The rock is there to be pushed. It was on the floor [of the state legislature] in October of 2023 but got pushed because of some energy stuff that had to get figured out.” More information about this effort is available at the Michigan Film Alliance’s website, mifia.org. Anderson’s company, Mountain Media House in Iron Mountain, is a member of the alliance. “Movie incentives have to happen in the state,” Kelly said. “I’ve wanted to be an actor since I was 10. I never thought I’d have been able to do

Northbound episodes are available on the streaming service seeka.com. (Photo courtesy of Seth Anderson)

something in Upper Michigan, much less in my hometown. There are opportunities in the Midwest. You can absolutely do it from anywhere if you are willing to work at it.” Anderson holds firm to the belief that making movies in the Upper Peninsula is a realistic and viable option, though it is not without its particular challenges. For one thing, there was little infra-

structure for Anderson and his team to work with. “It was an educational process,” Anderson said, “but I found that people up here have an absolutely DIY willingness that you don’t find everywhere.” He was able to find a group of people who were interested in investing their time. “Originally I brought in people I knew from Milwaukee or Los Angeles,” he said. “Those people helped me to identify

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people who were already here, who, because of their walks of life or their skillset, were capable to do certain film jobs that they maybe hadn’t considered.” Anderson said many of the people who have worked on the film have gone on to do other jobs related to filmmaking. “The core team from Northbound 1 has stayed true,” Anderson said. “But it’s amazing to see people who have come in and found their way through our project and have professionalized through it.” He added, “I never wanted to ‘bring L.A. to Michigan.’ Instead, I was able to help build an infrastructure of talent that we can plug into future projects. That’s the sort of thing that needs to happen here.” Most of the actors for the series were drawn locally and found over a period of time, and that process was helpful in letting actors hone their craft and develop the characters. “I’m glad I didn’t make Northstar conventionally,” Anderson said of the upcoming film. “The film that comes now will be infused with much more of the U.P., and it will feel much more organic compared with what was originally planned. The film will be much better.”

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Alisha Mondlach came to the project in the second season, for which she did a voiceover. Acting for her started in high school and led her to Northern Michigan University’s theatre program. After graduation, she moved east and continued working in local theatre. Since returning to the U.P., she has been involved with the Dickinson County Community Theatre. “I met Seth at a production of Bye Bye Birdie that I was working on,” Mondlach said. “I read for him, and he cast me as Hannah in the third season.” But then filming shut down because of the global coronavirus pandemic. “It was a big break, and we had filmed some stuff before,” Mondlach said. “I took a bunch of pictures then, and it helped me to make sure that I recreated the costumes and hair so that there was no difference when we started filming again.” The shooting schedule didn’t always happen in chronological order, either, so actors were required to know the whole thing as they were shooting. “At that point, when you’re shooting, you should know all your lines,” she said, “so you know your character. There was a lot of blocking done the morning of [shooting] because it was the first time we were in the space.” Mountain Media and the Northbound series are on the cusp of creating a much larger feature film called The Northstar Saga. That project will entail its own challenges, including the short filming days in the winter, when the story will take place. “You’ve got about a six-hour window this time of year,” Anderson said. He expects that if he “hits the sweet spot” where everyone is available, and the weather cooperates, they’re looking at a roughly six-week filming schedule — but he knows that Mother Nature often has other plans. “You can have everything in line,” he said. “People will be scheduled, everything is ready and then you’ll have rain or weather that’s freezing your cameras. People might not be able to make it because the roads are impassable.” But he also says that’s what makes this kind of filmmaking exciting. “It’s what I like to think of as ‘dirt-under-your-fingernails’ filmmaking. I wasn’t feeling that in Los Angeles.” Anderson’s crew is currently on a short break, but since the success of the Northbound Season 3 premiere he’s looking at showing it around the U.P. “We’ve got a wonderful network of older theaters here, as well as Thomas,” he said. “We’re hoping to

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February 2024

show it at the Ore Dock, the Calumet Theater and in Ironwood. Northbound 3 is our argument for The Northstar Saga.” Beyond that, Mountain Media House is looking to expand as well, not only with the upcoming film but with the development of other projects in the Upper Peninsula. “It may sound crazy,” Anderson said, “but we’re at a moment when the way films are getting made, and the films that people want to see, is really changing. Small films are getting more popular. People want to see something different.” Mondlach says she’s seen some growth in the U.P. film scene since she’s been back. “There are film festivals in the Soo and Marquette,” she said. “And the technology is so advanced now, you can shoot on your phone and put out a pretty good-looking piece of film.” Kelly added, “We’ve all been working on this season for five years. It’s like getting together and hanging out with your friends and making something. We’ve become like a family.” The first two series of Northbound are available at seeka.com. The third series will eventually stream there as well. Information about showings can be found at northstarsaga.com, where fans can also subscribe to the company’s newsletter. “We’re dormant right now, but the door will always be open for people who want to be involved,” Anderson said. “When I was a student here, I never thought there were a lot of opportunities. I want to be an avenue for younger people to work in a field they’re interested in.” Mondlach said, “The group of people Seth has pulled together is just amazing.” She is also looking forward to working on The Northstar Saga when it happens. “It’s been just a wonderful experience.” Kelly has written a few features herself and is hoping to get those into production. “I love comedy and would love to have something made that features the U.P.,” she said. “I’d love for my feature film to be made in the Upper Peninsula and be able to feature U.P. locations.” “Seeing people find their voices with our project and being able to move on is great,” Anderson said. “At the end of the day, Northbound 3 is a great argument for local talent and for filmmaking in the Upper Peninsula.” MM Brad Gischia is a writer and artist native to Upper Michigan. He has published two children’s books and done illustrations for both comic books and novels.

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

in the outdoors

Another pin in the map

Avid scuba diver recounts Solomon Islands adventure By Kristi Evans

easoned scuba diver John Frick of Marquette has logged more than 300 dives worldwide since an introductory class at Northern Michigan University ignited his passion for the hobby. He “put another pin in the map” last May with a trip to the remote Solomon Islands in the southwest Pacific. While submerged in the pristine 87-degree waters, Frick discovered a diverse and colorful array of marine life he had never encountered before. He also maneuvered through captivating canyons with filtered sunlight, felt a thumping

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in his chest from the reverberating sounds of the underwater Kavachi volcano and explored the wreckage of a Japanese float plane. All were highly rewarding experiences, but Frick said his most impactful memory occurred above the surface through an unexpected connection to his late father, Burton. And appropriately, he was able to share the moment with his brothers and fellow scuba enthusiasts Eric and Rob, whom he frequently accompanies on diving adventures. In two community presentations after the trip, Frick recalled reading Lonely Vigil in his cabin on the live-

February 2024

John Frick of Marquette, right, makes a purchase from a local craftsman during a diving expedition in the Solomon Islands. (Photo courtesy of John Frick)

aboard diving vessel the M/V Bilikiki. Eric had recommended the book, which recounts Australia’s covert coastwatchers stationed throughout the Solomon Islands during World War II. According to the U.S. Naval Institute, they were vital in the defeat of the Japanese because they warned of enemy bombing raids, reported on enemy air and surface movements, evacuated civilians and prisoners of war and rescued downed airmen and shipwrecked sailors. Many of these services were particularly useful to U.S. military forces, who could not have performed such work themselves. “After the coastwatchers rescued downed airmen, they would hide them and radio the Allies, then paddle the airmen out in their dugout canoes to drop them off at a submarine the Allies had snuck into a nearby cove at night,” Frick said. “Once the human cargo was dropped off, the sub would descend and return to its base. I was reading one night that one of the most successful submarines for these missions was the USS Guardfish, which my dad served on during the war. It was surreal to come across that reference, and I excitedly woke up Rob to tell him.” Prior to the trip, Frick said he knew little about the Solomon Islands beyond World War II history regarding battles around Guadalcanal and the destruction of future President John F. Kennedy’s PT-109 patrol boat. (It was an Australian coastwatcher who rescued Kennedy and the surviving members of his crew.) Eric had previously traveled to “the Sollies” with REEF, an international marine conservation organization whose activities include volunteer fish surveys. His stellar review convinced John and Rob to join him aboard the Bilikiki for 34 dives over nine days. “We have always traveled well together because our tastes, interests and pace are similar,” John said. “We have a lot of common friends we dive with who are amazed that we’ve been going on trips together for so many years and still get along. But there’s no sibling rivalry with us. We try to go on a big dive trip together at least once a year.” The clear southwest Pacific waters offer many species of fish that are distinct from the western Atlantic, where Frick does most of his diving. In fact, the only creature he said he had seen previously was an octopus. His favorite discoveries were clown anemonefish, like the animated star of the Finding Nemo movie, which he described as quite rare; crocodile fish;

A diver swims through an underwater canyon in the Solomon Islands. (Photo courtesy of John Frick)

and a juvenile box fish, about the size of an eyeglass lens, shaped like a cube and colored yellow with black dots. On a few occasions, the tour group visited villages on remote islands, with the respective chiefs’ permission. One stop featured a dance performance. Another offered a market of hand-carved items, where Frick purchased a bowl made out of a coconut shell and an ebony turtle and dolphin. These visits and the floating canoe markets that pulled up to the dive boat with fresh fruits and vegetables provided a glimpse into the culture and a chance to interact with locals. “Even though most people do not speak English, they are extraordinarily friendly,” Frick said. “There’s a lot of bartering and trading. There are over 900 islands in the Solomon Islands, and there’s no major industries or manufacturing. It’s pretty much subsistence living either for the individual families or for selling at market, but not for export. [On many of the islands] there is no electricity or running water, and they live in thatched

huts. Some of them had motorized boats; most used dugout canoes.” The significant investment of time and money required to fly from Chicago to Honiara — the capital city of the Solomon Islands, located on the northwestern coast of Guadalcanal — demonstrates the extent to which Frick is willing to go to pursue his passion. His appreciation for scuba diving is also evident in some of the sentiments that appear sporadically throughout his Facebook feed: “We dive not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” “Once the sea touches your soul, life on land is never the same.” “Scuba diving is life. Everything else is a surface interval.” Frick remembers the first time he was able to breathe underwater in the NMU pool as part of the introductory class. The instructor had students put on their tanks, line up on one side, insert the regulators into their mouths and sit down. “We didn’t swim; we just sat,” he said. “We’re looking around and I

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

John Frick, right, was joined in the Solomon Islands by his brothers Rob, left, and Eric. (Photo courtesy of John Frick)

spotted my roommate, Tommy, and we give each other a big thumbs-up because it was such a cool and wonderful feeling. With scuba diving, you’re kind of free-floating in these amazing places with great marine life and it’s incredibly peaceful — the only thing you hear are your bubbles. Some people are worried about sharks, but I’m not. Part of what I love is that it’s not something everyone does. There’s a challenge to it, and it’s a technical sport. “You don’t have to be a good swimmer, but as long as you’re calm underwater, you can dive pretty much your entire life, as evidenced by a guy who turned 90 on one of our trips. I’ve only had one issue while diving. When I was first learning in Lake Superior, my regulator froze open so it was just bleeding air out of my tank

and I was about 70 feet down. I motioned to my buddy — you always dive with a buddy — and he saw right away what was happening. We took my regulator out, and he shared his as we swam to the surface. Once you’re certified, it’s for life, but it’s important to keep your skills and knowledge up to date because some elements change over time.” For example, when Frick was first trained, scuba tanks contained regular compressed air, which has a 21 percent oxygen content. Now they’re likely to be filled with nitrox, a mix of nitrogen and typically 32 percent oxygen. He said nitrox poses less risk of decompression sickness, or the dangerous “bends” caused by a rapid decrease in the air or water pressure surrounding a diver. It also allows divers to stay below the surface longer, but

One of the exotic species John Frick spotted in the Solomon Islands was the map pufferfish. (Photo courtesy of John Frick)

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February 2024

The clown anemonefish was one of John Frick’s favorite discoveries on his Solomon Islands expedition. (Photo courtesy of John Frick)

not descend as deeply because of the potential for oxygen toxicity. Frick began his underwater exploration in Lake Superior, investigating the well-preserved shipwrecks off Presque Isle Park’s shore and in Munising Bay. He later dove off the coast of North Carolina, where German U-boats sank ships with relative impunity during WWII in the closest area of conflict to the continental U.S. A collection of 78 merchant tankers and freighters, eight Allied warships and four German U-boats rest on the seabed memorial. That site, the Cayman Islands and the Atlantic island of San Salvador — the brothers’ first shared diving adventure — represent his favorite diving destinations. Frick has also been to the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Puerto Rico. He plans to help plant coral in the Florida Keys in October, visit Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Wall in November and travel to Socorro Island, south of the Baja Peninsula, in 2025. “Aside from the time spent with my brothers, one of the big reasons I like going on drive trips is that you meet so many fun and interesting people from all over the world,” Frick

said. “That’s especially true on a liveaboard because you’re on the boat together for days sharing meals and stories when you’re not diving. Even when we travel with a favorite dive company out of Chicago, it’s like a family reunion at the gate at O’Hare.” One common issue faced by divers is how to get the saltwater taste out of their mouths after they surface. There are several different techniques for addressing it, Frick said. Some opt for hard candies or gummy worms; one friend swears by beef jerky. Frick’s solution is evident by the nickname he’s earned from fellow divers: The Lemon Drop Kid. Frick always likes to have “a ticket in the drawer” for an upcoming trip — something to look forward to with anticipation. And when that journey revolves around scuba diving, his mantra before departing Marquette is always the same: “Going deep. Coming back.” MM Kristi Evans is a public relations professional, writer and hobby photographer who spends much of her free time outdoors.

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

locals

Racing for a cause Trenary Outhouse Classic team raises awareness of breast cancer By Jaymie Depew

hile many people consider the Trenary Outhouse Classic a fun and unique way to spend a winter day in the Upper Peninsula, one group uses the event as an opportunity to raise awareness of breast cancer and donations to the Wig Salon in Marquette. Slated for Saturday, Feb. 24, the 31st annual event will take place along Trenary’s main drag where teams of two runners push homemade outhouses placed on skis down a snowy 500foot track. Marquette resident MaryAnn Bernier is the president of Team Poop on Cancer, a group consisting of several of her family members and close friends that have participated in the outhouse races — which the event is commonly referred to — for over seven years. “I initiated this team as an original idea to bring awareness to breast cancer,” Bernier said. “I was diagnosed in 2007, and I went through two surgeries, eight rounds of chemotherapy and 35 radiation sessions that year.” Bernier lost her hair on her 14th day of treatment. “I went completely bald, and didn’t get my hair back until I was done with chemotherapy,” she said. “It was a lot, but during that time I was introduced to a wonderful service in the community called the Wig Salon.” The Wig Salon, located in the Steve Mariucci Family Beacon House, is a service where people who lose their hair while undergoing medical treatments can get complimentary wigs, scarves, knit hats and other accessories. The service is funded solely by donations. Team Poop on Cancer has raised over $10,000 for the organization during past Trenary Outhouse Classic events by selling brownies, cupcakes and other baked items. Team members also carry a donation bucket while walking and pushing their outhouse down the track. “We don’t run like the other teams do; we walk the racetrack,” Bernier

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The Trenary Outhouse Classic is one of the largest public events in Alger County. At left, children as young as 5 participate. (Photos by Jaymie Depew)

said. “We take last place every year, timewise.” The Trenary Outhouse Classic has different themes each year, and Team Poop on Cancer creates outfits to match it, always sporting bras as an outer layer of their costumes. Their outhouse is also decorated similarly. “In December, I start hitting up the Walmart clearance racks and begin working on my custom look for the year,” Bernier said. “One year, the theme had something to do with Sasquatch, so we went with ‘Squatch cancer.’ We made an outhouse with a pink furry Sasquatch on the front, and we, of course, wore matching pink furry bras.” Mary Tavernini-Dowling, CEO of the Mariucci Family Beacon House, first met Bernier when she was going through cancer treatment.

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“MaryAnn’s support means the world to us because it comes from such a pure and personal place for her,” Tavernini-Dowling said. “She wants other women to have everything they need to make it through their journey with as much love and support as we can give. When she started raising money to help us with the Wig Salon, she really went after it. Every year now, she and her team put on such a great show at the Trenary Outhouse Races to help others. She is the wind beneath our wings, and we are so grateful for her using her creativity to do so much good.” At the Wig Salon, Beth Felt, a licensed stylist, gives patrons with hair loss one-on-one care in a private salon setting in the Beacon House, which is adjacent to UP Health Systems–Marquette. Felt will gently shave a patron’s head when the time comes and help style a wig or pick out scarves and other items, whichever is preferred. The support Team Poop on Cancer has received from the Trenary community and event attendees have been tremendous, according to Bernier. “People remember us each year, and sometimes we’ll have people

come up and share stories with us about someone they’ve lost to cancer, and it gives us an opportunity to support them,” she said. “I’m so grateful that the group has been a part of this for so long and that the community is so welcoming and engaging. It’s really touched my heart.” A great excuse to get together he Trenary Outhouse Classic is held on the last Saturday of February every year. In 1994, the late Toivo Aho was inspired by outhouse races that were held in Washington State and suggested bringing an event like it to Trenary to break up the monotony of winter. “Toivo was determined to make this winter event one of the largest in the U.P. Everywhere he went, he talked about the races. He was always looking for new ideas and how to make the race a larger, better-known event,” according to the Trenary Outhouse Classic website. During the first few years, the races started on the sidewalk along Main Street but were eventually moved to the road to make room for the increasing number of participants and spectators. In 2003, The Wall Street Journal published a front-page article titled “Michigan’s Outhouse Races Draw Crowd, Raise Money,” featuring a photo of Aho on the cover.

“He became our town celebrity and was proud as a peacock in accomplishing this,” the event’s website states. Alger County Chamber of Commerce CEO Kathy Reynolds said the Trenary Outhouse Classic is one of the largest annual events in the county. “Trenary is a tiny town, and it’s a great excuse for everyone to get together and have a good time and support the community,” she said. “It’s a unique event and just fun to see people’s handiwork.” The event will have eight racing categories this year, including Squirts (ages 5-8), Squeakers (9-12), Dingleberries (13-17), Stinkers (1835), Sharts (36-49), Old Farts (50 and over) and one each for the most creative and most outrageous outhouses. Winners from each division receive cash and other prizes, while all participants receive goodie bags often filled with a T-shirt, a roll of toilet paper and other items. “Every year we start by having a parade down the racetrack,” said Stacy Rucinski, the president of the Trenary Outhouse Classic Committee and a veteran volunteer who’s been a part of the event since its inception. “All the outhouses line up on the south end of town, and we parade them in order of how they’re being pushed while throwing toilet paper into the crowd.” Spectators can also look forward to the annual furry hat contest during the intermission. The committee also hopes to bring back a Trenary Toast eating contest. Proceeds from the event go toward a $500 scholarship that Superior Central Schools gives to a student in memory of Aho and to help fund a local project in Trenary. This year, the committee plans to sponsor the Fourth of July fireworks as the town hasn’t had them in several years. The outhouse races draw about 2,000 people from across the country and, sometimes, from around the globe. “Years ago, we had a couple of kids from Japan participate,” Rucinski said. “Neither one spoke English, so they had an interpreter and a cameraman with them. I guess they were on a world tour of doing crazy stuff, and we happened to be one of their stops. They didn’t place or do very well, but they had a lot of spirit.” In 2016, California-based comedian Jessimae Peluso raced an outhouse that a Trenary local built for her. “One of my son’s friends, Scott, pushed the outhouse with her, and not very far from the finish line, they crashed and burned. I mean it, the outhouse was destroyed,” Rucinski said. “Scott was

MaryAnn Bernier, above left, throws a bra into the crowd during Team Poop on Cancer’s voyage down the track. The team designs its outhouse to match the race’s annual theme, below. (Photos courtesy of Team Poop on Cancer)

just lying on the track, so Jessimae picked up part of the outhouse and kept running with it. It was hilarious. She was a lot of fun.” Registration begins at 11 a.m. on Feb. 24 with races starting at 2 p.m. Along with the races this year, there will be several food vendors along Main Street, and the Trenary Tavern and Silver Dollar will be open, serving food and drinks. The slogan for the 2024 event is: “It’s a Stinkin’ Good Time at the Turdy First Ever.” This year, 2,500 pins were made, costing $3 before or $5 on the day of the races. Pins, which

are used as entry tickets, can be purchased at the Silver Dollar, Trenary Tavern and Trenary Mini Mart. If pins sell out, there will still be a $5 entry fee payable at the main gate. For more information, visit Trenary Outhouse Classic’s Facebook page. Donations to the Wig Salon or Mariucci Family Beacon House can be made at upbeaconhouse.com. MM Jaymie Depew is a freelance writer from Alger County. Her work can be found in both print and online publications throughout Michigan.

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

in the outdoors Seney National Wildlife Refuge plans for winter now and in the future

Even though many of its birds have migrated south for the winter, Seney National Wildlife Refuge still bustles with activity. Recreational opportunities such as skiing, hiking and ice fishing invite visitors throughout the cold months. (Photo by Lu Cook)

Snow over white cedar By Lu Cook

he American bittern, a mainstay in Seney National Wildlife Refuge, doesn’t sing here in winter. The strange brown-feathered wading bird in the heron family, whose typical oonk-oonk-oonk call shudders from the tall grass, spends the season down south. Its migration makes sense. Seney now finds itself under tremendous piles of snow. The manmade pools freeze, the ice sheets thick and gray like slate. There is little for the American bittern to camouflage itself with when it sways and oonks. With the bird’s absence — and with the northern spring peeper, western chorus frog and eastern garter snake hibernating as well — Seney seems quiet. Yet, it still bustles. The refuge’s

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ski trails, ice fishing and numerous areas of construction remain lively throughout the cold. A winter day at Seney cross Seney National Wildlife Refuge’s 95,238 acres, its sprawling trails are maintained for whatever the day brings. Manistique River Run and Bear Hollow Loop and Skunk Ridge and several other routes are groomed to maintain perfect skiing conditions. Snowshoeing is fine, except directly on the ski trails. Caution is warranted for traveling across the frozen pools at Seney, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services warns, “as thin ice conditions may exist.” Those same pools offer ice fishing from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28. Careful footsteps on the pools and patience

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in one’s ice shanty may reward fishers with an excellent haul of local species. Sunfish such as the brilliant orangey-green pumpkinseed, the seven-to-eight-spined black crappie and the common bluegill make their home here. Northern pike is an ice-fishing celebrity of the upper Midwest. This fish-eating creature makes an excellent meal if a fisher can catch one. Seney National Wildlife Refuge requires that no more than five northern pike may be taken at a time, “only one greater than 24 inches allowed.” Meals made of a northern pike of any size should be limited to once a week, as mercury naturally accumulates in some of Michigan’s fish. For those who would rather wander around the refuge and take in its beau-

ty, there is plenty to see in Seney’s snowy expanse. Hardwood and coniferous trees decorate the marshes, shrublands and forests. Even with how silent these trees stand, a visitor may feel as if they are being watched over. Even with the soil hidden under the compact snow, a visitor may see signs of life in the hoofprints of a white-tailed deer that wandered Cub Hollow before them. “It’s like being in a movie,” said Caleb Shealy, a visitor hiking around Seney on a winter weekend. “It’s something I wouldn’t have expected to ever see in real life.” A new season of Seney he temporary visitor center for Seney National Wildlife Refuge is set up on a route off Highway M-77

As part of ongoing updates, the refuge’s show pool shelter will be redesigned. (Photo by Lu Cook)

in Schoolcraft County. The building looks a little like an isolated trailer, especially in the winter when the lush flora can’t cover its porch. Inside the structure sit some of the previous visitor center’s exhibits. “Sounds of Seney” waits for when the new center is built. Etchings detailing some of the new developments cover a map of the refuge, which was established in 1935. “The visitor center was demolished,” said Sara Giles, Seney National Wildlife Refuge’s visitor services manager. “We closed it for the last time at the end of August 2021. And then we started removing all the exhibits. We brought whatever we could down here for the temporary one.” Refuge staff members hope the new visitor center will provide a thoughtful environment for guests to plan their Seney experience. A sensory section, including “Sounds of Seney,” will teach folks about the many sights, sounds, smells and surfaces to safely touch. “We’re kind of thinking of this as a training ground before you go out onto the refuge,” Giles said. From the updated “naturalist notebook” aesthetic to making the exhibits “reach up to the ceiling,” Giles describes the changes as “something that would make everybody comfortable.” Giles said, “One of the things we’re trying to do with the visitor center space: We get a lot of people who are new to nature that come here and a lot of people who are very experienced, but for the folks that are new, we want to show them how they can slow down and ‘look until you really see.’”

Along with educating visitors on the refuge, the center will include several additions to improve its inclusivity, sustainability and appreciation of Seney’s history. Solar power will cover 85 percent of the building’s energy needs. A gender-neutral restroom will be available for guests, including some amenities for visiting families as well. It will have a toddler potty. “I’m very proud of that,” Giles said. “I fought for that.” Aside from the exhibits, the new plan includes a timeline to show the history of the land, covering the years before settlers had claimed it. “Right now,” Giles said, “the focus of the Fish and Wildlife Service is to try and be better partners with tribes. We’re delving into those relationships now. I’ve been working with some tribal members to try and make sure we’re taking them into account. We’re [making sure we’re] representing them in a fair way and also representing what the government has done that hasn’t been great. We’re reaching out more to co-manage land. It’s an evolving thing that’s moving a lot faster than it has at any time that I’ve been in the federal government.” The rest of Seney National Wildlife Refuge will see similar changes in maintenance and accessibility. The Pine Ridge Nature Trail is being adjusted to allow more travel by wheelchair. Designs for a new show pool shelter are also expected to be finished soon. The previous layout, which was questioned because of its “cultural sensitivity” and “appropriateness,” will shift to a standard pavilion that preserves the stone fireplace. “We don’t really know how long

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Marquette Monthly

A new visitor center at Seney National Wildlife Refuge will serve as a ‘training ground’ to help guests get the most out of their experience among its 95,238 acres. (Photo by Lu Cook)

it’s going to take for the [new projects] to be complete,” Giles said. “We hope in 2025, but it’ll all depend on construction.” A future for Seney hen the visitor center is finished, guests to Seney will be able to chart their trip across the trails no matter the season. If they visit in August or close to May, they might see the American bittern dancing along with the grass. But, over time, the bird may become a less common sight. As the refuge plans alterations to its trails and buildings, the climate of the land changes too. In a 2019 talk titled “Climate Change Impacts on Northwoods Forests,” Stephen Handler, a climate change specialist with the U.S. Forest Service and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, said, “It’s varied across the landscape, but the general trend is that our part of the world is getting warmer, and this is no different than the Midwest as a whole region or the eastern United States.” A general temperature increase of about 1.5 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit has been monitored for several years in Michigan. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency noted it in 2016, seeing a rise in “the amount of carbon dioxide in the air by 40 percent since the late 1700s.” The warming tracks with Rural Insights’ findings in 2022 as well: Data observed by Michael Broadway and John Broadway in their article “When It Rains It Pours: Climate Change in the Upper Peninsula” shows “the number of extreme heating days in the U.P. [have] increased

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February 2024

by 50 percent over the past 40 years.” The results of warmer temperatures mean shifts across the state. Handler finds that spring comes earlier by about a week. Winter grows less cold and less hospitable for thick ice sheets or healthy ski trails. At Seney, some fan-favorite birds risk relocating or becoming endangered. Trumpeter swans may dissipate over the summer. The common loon may not be so common in the U.P. “There will be many changes over the next 80 years, and much will depend on how quickly humans respond to the challenge,” Giles said. “I am just beginning to learn all the ways climate change will impact the refuge, and much will depend on our response to the threat and how quickly we can shift away from the human activities driving the change.” Seney National Wildlife Refuge prepares for this mission. When its workers groom the ski trails while there is snow, and when it charts out its new visitor center, it strives for guests to come and cherish what the U.P.’s unique ecosystem can provide. “Our goal is to get people to appreciate nature,” Giles said. “It’s all about getting people to understand nature a little bit so they’ll want to protect it and actually give back.” MM Lu Cook is an essayist and screenwriter living in Marquette. They graduated with an MFA in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Their work in film won two awards at the 2018 Sidewalk Film Festival Scramble.

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

the arts

Michael Letts expresses his creativity on canvas, on stage and in the university classroom

‘Call Diptych’ is an example of Michael Letts’ work that will be exhibited in Peter White Public Library’s Deo Gallery this month. (Photo by Michael Letts)

An artist’s life

By Bryon Ennis

ichael Letts of Marquette is an accomplished artist, a popular musician and an esteemed professor of art. Though performing any one of these pursuits could constitute a full-time occupation, Letts’ colleagues, contemporaries and students say he pulls all of these off with a high degree of excellence. As a visual artist, Letts has created a painting that has become iconic for many residents and visitors to Marquette. His 6-by-15-foot “Ancient Coast” painting was purchased and installed by Dan Rutz, former owner of the Zephyr Winebar + Cafe. Asked what features of the painting appealed to him, Rutz lists the scale, the colors, the technical artistry involved, the way Letts captured the natural places we all know and the evidence of persistence to complete such a large and intricate work. Sean Hartwig, the new owner of the Zephyr, says Letts’ painting was an important consideration in his decision to purchase the establishment. Letts can trace his first creation of visual art back to an experience in kindergarten, when his teacher, Mrs. Olander, was so impressed by this young child’s drawing that she brought it to the principal, Mr. Barber, who taped it to his office door. “From

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February 2024

that day on,” Letts said, “I knew I was an artist.” This inauspicious beginning has led to the creation of thousands of projects, mostly self-initiated, but others that are requisite achievements in increasingly higher formal levels of art education. He holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from Northern Michigan University and a master of fine arts from Ohio State. Letts, who is married to the former Jayne Groleau (they have a son, Jon, who lives in Detroit), has paintings on permanent display in several public locations in Michigan. He has won Best in Show at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has had an entry in the Grand Rapids Art Prize displayed at the prestigious DeVos Center and has had a display at the Duluth Art Institute in Minnesota. Despite these accolades and achievements, Letts is most proud of “Ancient Coast” in the Zephyr. Those who have seen the painting talk to him about it. They take photos of it and show them to others. They have sat with it to eat, drink and relax. What more could an artist ask? To see more of Letts’ recent projects, check out the Deo Gallery at Peter White Public Library. In February and March, the entire space will be devoted to Letts’ work in an exhibit titled “UP Denizens and Debris.” Letts explains the unique process he has

“

Flat Broke Blues Band is one of the most popular groups in the Marquette area. The band’s members are, from left, Walt Lindala, Mark Johnson, Jim Cohen, Lorrie Hayes and Michael Letts. (Photo by Erin King)

used to create the art in this exhibit: “My work is created using a unique new monotype printmaking process that I developed during the years of the Covid pandemic,” he said. “The works are painted in acrylic on large plates of glass, and the finished works are transferred from the glass onto the canvas support. As is common in many forms of printmaking, the final image is reversed. The work begins with a full-scale charcoal drawing on paper, which is placed under the glass to guide painting. The paint process is reversed, as the first marks are what would commonly be the final touches in traditional painting. The work continues through many layers. The final work cannot be seen until it is removed from the glass to the canvas, so the process is an informed mystery; the final image is largely a discovered surprise. The drawings remain untouched to be reused or cut up and collaged to begin new pieces. The element of chance gives my process a sense of adventure and discovery that I love.” Asked why the Arts and Culture board selected Letts for this single-artist exhibit, library director Andrea Ingmire said, “This project of Michael’s work was so unique. No other artist showed anything quite this special. … Michael has also demonstrated a strong background in the visual arts.”

HE IS ONE OF THE BEST MENTORS I HAVE EVER HAD AND HAS ALWAYS PICKED UP ON THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM.

Mentor and educator t is nearly impossible to tease apart Letts’ work as an artist from his work as an art professor at NMU.

Perhaps we can say that his art has been primarily carried out on his own: months and months of days and days engaging with it. Teaching art, on the other hand, is an activity that naturally involves others. A part of Letts’ responsibility as a professor is to study current theories and practices of art education and then to add to that body of knowledge, using his own experiences and those of his students. In a recent article in Michigan Arts Education Instruction & Assessment, he advocates for a time element in student projects. Rather than a time limit being an onerous imposition, Letts says it can be liberating and can often spur creativity. Christine Lenzen, a colleague in the NMU art and design department, said, “Mike cares deeply for his students, their education and their future successes. He consistently advocates for policies and changes in the curriculum that will give weight to their art and education training. His graduates routinely are placed within schools and thrive in the classroom.” Letts’ art education students also share a high regard for their professor. B. Ashworth said, “He is one of the best mentors I have ever had and has always picked up on the energy in the room very quickly and adapted to it.” Miiya Hendrickson has special respect for her professor: “I personally

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

Michael Letts’ painting ‘Ancient Coast’ is featured prominently at the Zephyr Winebar + Cafe in Marquette. (Photo by Michael Letts)

struggle with a learning disability that has affected my education my entire life. I have never had a teacher who is as understanding of this as Michael.” Five decades of guitar he one area of Letts’ life that we can properly call an avocation is

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his music. The flowering of his interest in this field can also be traced to early in his life. He remembers seeing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show when he was eight years old. “When I heard the sound of their electric guitars, I was captivated,” he said. Two years later, when he had proven to his

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parents that his interest was not transitory, they rented a guitar and he began lessons. More than 50 years later, Letts has certainly surpassed the widely recognized 10,000 hours of practice to achieve “expert” status. Having been a member of a number of bands

through five decades, playing rock, folk, country, Top 40 and blues, he now performs most often with the Flat Broke Blues Band. The current iteration of the group is 22 years old. It consists of Walt Lindala, guitar and vocals; Mark Johnson, bass guitar and vocals; Jim Cohen, drums;

Presentation of painting took thoughtful planning

f you have seen the Michael Letts painting “Ancient Coast” at the Zephyr Winebar + Cafe in Marquette (opposite page) and thought the presentation was perfect, that is not just happenstance. Dan Rutz, the former owner of the Zephyr and current owner of Everyday Wines, took great pains and much forethought preparing the space in which it hangs. Rutz had just purchased the Zephyr and was designing the entire space the business would occupy. The focus of the room, he knew, would be the painting Letts had entered in the Grand Rapids Art Prize competition. While the painting was still in Letts’ studio, Rutz brought color swatches to match the colors in

the painting to the area that would surround it. Next he installed track lighting above and below where the painting would hang. He had to take into account the varnish coating Letts uses on many of his paintings. Lighting placed incorrectly would create a glare. Eventually Rutz settled on two track lights below the painting. One track lights the bottom of the piece; another track fitted with a special lens projects just the right amount of light to the top. How did Rutz know how to create the perfect lighting? He had studied theater production, design and lighting at the University of Michigan before arriving in Marquette. —By Bryon Ennis

Lorrie Hayes, lead vocals; and Letts, guitar and vocals. Sometimes Letts’ son, Jon, who holds an M.A. in music from the University of Michigan, joins his dad on stage. Some folks wonder about the difference between what Lindala plays and what Letts plays. According to Lindala, “I play the basic chords and notes. Mike plays the pretty stuff. … Mike has such a keen sense of tone and timing. He knows what to play for accompaniment, and what not to play.” Hayes calls Letts “a singer’s guitarist.” Letts adds that he has been influenced by the music of such greats as B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Magic Sam and Albert King, none of whom read music. Neither does Letts.

It is challenging to limit a profile of Letts’ many pursuits to a prescribed number of words. In addition to the talents he exhibits in his art, teaching and music, he is considered by many companions a technically skilled mountain bike rider. Not only does this activity provide a physical outlet in his life, but he says the environments in which he rides are an integral part of his life, manifested in his art, his teaching and his music. MM Bryon Ennis has been an occasional contributor to MM. He taught English in Michigan public schools for 10 years and writing at Jackson Community College for 24 years. He is a 1968 graduate of NMU.

Michael Letts’ favorite biking destination is High Rock Bay at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. (Photo by Michael Letts)

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

conversation

An interview with Marquette’s new mayor, Sally Davis

‘Educating the community’ S

By Jennifer Champagne

ally Davis: I’ve been a resident of Marquette County since 1978 and [the City of] Marquette since 1981. We raised our family here in Marquette.

n November, members of the Marquette City Commission elected fellow commissioner Sally Davis to the position of mayor. With a bachelor’s degree in education from Western Michigan University and a master’s in educational leadership from Northern Michigan University, Davis brings a varied background that includes experience in health care management, business, grant writing and community service. According to City Manager Karen Kovacs, Marquette’s City Charter designates the mayor as a key figure in setting the tone for the City Commission, especially during public meetings. Kovacs emphasizes the mayor’s role in facilitating communication among commissioners. Davis, with a foot in both the private sector and local politics, offers a diverse skill set to her mayoral responsibilities. However, her focus extends beyond business and governance; she aims to represent the interests of the people and promote civic engagement.

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I’d love to hear what pulled you out of retirement and rallied you to get involved with the city commission.

I Fellow members of the Marquette City Commission in November elected Sally Davis to the position of mayor. (Photo by Tom Buchkoe)

At the core of Davis’ approach is an emphasis on education, not limited to formal settings, but as a means to familiarize citizens with local governance. Her goal is to encourage residents to participate, learn and consider taking on leadership roles. Davis spoke

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recently with Marquette Monthly about her new position. Jennifer Champagne: I understand that you were born and raised in the U.P., with a brief stint in Colorado. How long have you been a resident of Marquette specifically?

took an early retirement from Marquette General Health System in 2008. One of my duties was grant writing. I specialized in federal grant writing, and people started asking me to write grants for them. I ended up with my own consulting company. I did a lot of that and, with my health care management experience, helped build the Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center. I transitioned from a consultant in grant writing to developing the Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center. Tell me about your career path.

y husband and I owned Campus Pharmacy for 19 years. He

is a pharmacist and was running the pharmacy. During that time, I was also working for Marquette General Health System. I had some responsibilities with the pharmacy, but it was primarily his business. In terms of transitioning from business into politics, what was that like working within the context of the business world to working in politics between the city commission, and now mayor?

don’t know if I made a conscious choice to go into politics, and I don’t think of myself as a politician. I spent a lot of time serving the community on different boards and committees, and it just seemed like a natural next step. My husband was on the city commission for six years prior to me being on the commission. During the time that he was involved, I was very interested in learning about the city and looking at the decisions that the commission needed to make. I started joining boards early in my career, and I always seem to be on one board or another. I joined Rotary in 2000. I’ve been a Rotarian for a lot of years, and, of course, all of the service clubs do a great deal of good things within the community. I enjoy volunteering and supporting local projects. Why did you decide to take on the role of mayor of Marquette?

n Marquette, we have what we call a “weak mayor system,” where we have a full-time city manager. The members of the city commission are voted on by the public, and every year the commissioners choose a new mayor. It wasn’t a matter of running for mayor, like a lot of people think. Once you’re on the commission, it’s the seven commissioners that choose who the mayor is each year. In most cities, there is a person who actually runs for the mayor position and is out there in the public running as a mayor. That doesn’t happen in Marquette. How would you define your role as mayor?

he mayor is the person who leads the commission, runs the meetings and is the public persona to the community. There are some responsibilities in working with the city manager, determining what is on the agenda and some of the direction that the city will be taking.

Sally Davis entered municipal leadership after a career in diverse areas. (Photo by Tom Buchkoe)

The mayor, in terms of responsibility, is no more important than any of the other commissioners. It’s just that this mayor’s position is the one that leads the meetings and is, as I said, the public persona. The mayor is chosen at the first meeting following the November election. This is when new commissioners are sworn in and the mayor and the mayor pro tem are chosen. In the first few months of being mayor, were there any surprises?

was mayor pro tem last year, and the mayor and mayor pro tem work pretty closely together. We meet regularly with the city manager, so I had a good idea of what it would be like to be mayor. Plus, my husband was mayor previously, for slightly less than three years. I learned from his experience. Do you have any immediate or long-term goals in the capacity of mayor?

here are a couple of things that I’m going to focus on. First, we are almost at the completion of a master plan for the city. There will be a draft out within the next few months that the public can provide input on. Once completed, the master plan gives the commission and city staff direction for the future of Marquette.

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Marquette Monthly

In terms of personal goals, I am working to increase communication with committees. I am also encouraging the city staff to develop a citizen’s academy where we can take a group of citizens and teach them more about the different departments of the city. If you go back to my academic background, you will notice my interests as an educator. I am a strong believer of educating the community, and the more that the community knows about how the city is run the more they understand why we make the decisions that we’re making. We have a lot of committees within the city, and it takes a lot of citizens to volunteer to be on those committees. They commit their personal time and advise the commission within their special area. By educating the public, we will be able to interest more people in getting involved in the committees. Once involved in a committee, one is more likely to be an advocate for the city and may even develop an interest in running for a commission seat. Is there a difference in how you approach the tasks at hand politically than you would have from a business perspective?

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orking in government is very different from working in the private sector because the government moves slower. That’s actually a good thing because you don’t want to move too fast in government. You want to take the time to study the issues and get through the proper processes. We are making sure that we are spending money and making the right policies for the community. In terms of Marquette, what are you most passionate about?

ell, I’m most passionate about Marquette as a whole. Marquette is thriving during a time of severe budget constraints. Our income is limited, our expenses are higher and we’re working to reduce the debt and secure a strong financial future. But at the same time, we have really strong leadership in both the administration and in the commission. We’re really blessed with partnering organizations that are all around the community. Those organizations are smart. They’re innovative. They’re committed to Marquette, and they’re willing to collaborate. In terms of our commission, we have a really nice diversity in age,

February 2024

gender, background and heritage. It’s a good group of people to work with. Is there anything you’d like to add that we didn’t touch upon?

hen I talk to people in the community, and when listening to people as they were giving input into our master plan last year, I have identified a major challenge of preserving the culture of the community while continuing to progress economically and socially. Preserving the culture is something that I kept hearing. Our citizens don’t want Marquette to just be a tourist destination. We want to have neighborhoods. We want the city to be for the people who live here and love the city as they do. What are some of your personal passions?

ne of my passions is rowing, crew. I would say that I like to read, and you can always find me out hiking. Those are probably the biggest ones. In 2004, Northern Michigan University’s rowing club did a fundraiser. They offered an adult to learn to row, and I took part in that. When it was

completed, several of us wanted to continue rowing and, unfortunately, we couldn’t do so under Northern’s insurance. We had to start our own club. There were about four of us that sat around my kitchen table and wrote bylaws and just started putting together a club. Our club is called U.P. Rowing, and I hope you enjoy seeing us out on the water. Our membership has been as high as 100 adults and youth. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

he first thing that comes to mind is, as I was growing up, my mother was always asking me, “What will you do for the community?” That had a big impact on the fact that early on in my career I sat on boards and I did a lot of volunteering. MM An accomplished visual effects and entertainment trade press writer based in the U.P., Jennifer Champagne has contributed articles to Millimeter Magazine, Visual Magic, DCC, Digital Media Net, Interactivity Magazine, Animation Magazine, AWN and Ambassador Magazine.

sporting life

Season of change

The transfer portal is one element in the shifting landscape of college athletics By Jim LaJoie

n October 2018, the National Collegiate Athletic Association introduced a transfer portal, enabling college athletes to move from one school to another. In its infancy, the portal proved to be a great opportunity for student-athletes to declare their intention to transfer. In April 2021, activity in the transfer portal increased considerably, as the NCAA allowed players to transfer once without having to sit out a year at their new school. In that nearly three-year period, no less than 30,000 student-athletes flip-flopped schools at the Division I level, causing a great deal of angst and anxiety for coaches and recruiters who are charged with building national-caliber teams and having to adapt to ever-changing, constantly revolving rosters. The portal’s effect on Division II schools such as Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan has not been as pronounced as at Division I powerhouses. Yet, the portal has certainly played a defining role in how coaches recruit players. “We do not deal with the portal a whole lot at Michigan Tech,” said Dan Mettlach, a Gwinn native who recently completed his first season as the head football coach at MTU, his alma mater. “Our focus when looking in the portal is with graduate transfers looking for a master’s from an academic institution like ours. At the end of the day, if we are going to recruit a student-athlete from high school or the portal, they have to be a fit academically, athletically and socially.” The portal consists of a database that lists the names of all student-athletes who have officially expressed an interest in transferring to another school. Once a player’s name is in the portal, he or she can be contacted by coaches at other institutions who would like to discuss a possible transfer. An athlete can withdraw his or her name from the transfer portal at any time. When a player enters the portal, however, the school he or she cur-

Max Bjorklund earned first-team all-conference honors for the Northern Michigan University basketball team and coach Matt Majkrzak, below, after arriving through the NCAA transfer portal. (Photos courtesy of Northern Michigan University)

rently attends is no longer required to honor the player’s scholarship — even if the player later withdraws his or her name from the portal. A private document, the transfer portal is not viewable by the public. The database includes essential information such as names, contact information and current scholarship status.

“My opinion on the portal as a whole is when it’s used the way it was intended, I think it’s good,” Mettlach said. “Things can change in an instant with an individual’s situation, so to have the opportunity to transfer once without penalty is good. However, when the portal is used as an easy way out for athletes, I’m not a huge

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fan of that. I think we’ve made it too easy for athletes to run from challenges and competition.” He added, “So many of the life lessons that should be taught at this level, like adverse situations, are no longer the focus. Now, if an athlete does not like their individual situation, they just leave. Football specifically is the greatest team sport there is, yet in many programs across the country, athletes are thinking very selfishly now and taking care of themselves first rather than the needs of the team.” Matt Majkrzak, head coach of the Northern Michigan men’s basketball team, said the transfer portal “didn’t start the issues with kids transferring” and that “men’s basketball was getting widespread [transfers] before the portal started.” “However,” he added, “with the addition of the portal, the [Covid-

Marquette Monthly

Michigan Tech football coach Dan Mettlach said any athlete his program recruits — whether in high school or through the transfer portal — has to be a good fit academically, athletically and socially. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech University)

era] players having a fifth season of eligibility, [Name, Image, Likeness policies] and the transfer rule where you don’t need to sit out, it created a perfect storm of changing college athletics forever.” The portal, Majkrzak said, has had a minimal impact on the Wildcat basketball program. “We have been fortunate in that we have not lost many athletes to the portal,” he said. “The biggest positive to the transfer rule is it holds coaches accountable to treating their student-athletes in a positive manner. If your players do not like how they are being treated, they have the option to leave. Similarly for new coaches taking over a program, they have the ability to add players that fit their program more quickly.” Northern, in fact, benefitted immensely from the portal when Max Bjorklund, who will go down in history as one of the program’s all-time greats, entered the portal and chose NMU. He graduated last year. “Despite the negative connotations, most of which I agree with to a degree, we’ve coached some wonderful players and people through the portal,” said Majkrzak, who is in his fourth year leading the Wildcats. “Max made the university very proud as a human being and professional. We were very fortunate to be able to recruit him, and despite our previous connection, I didn’t know he was transferring until I saw the portal. These situations get romanticized by student-athletes and coaches, yet there are huge success stories.”

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

Not surprisingly, the portal has received its fair share of scrutiny and criticism from various factions across the country. And it has prompted speculative questions, such as this: Where will it be in 10 years? “I’m not sure if things will change or not, but I hope they do,” Mettlach said. “There needs to be a set calendar as to when an athlete can get in the portal and when they can sign with the new team. Recruiting is a year-round deal, so having a window that is universal for the portal to be open helps with roster management and attention you can put on high school recruiting.” Majkrzak said, “I’d like to think optimistically and some of the negatives with the portal will correct themselves. Eventually, we will see a decline in the number of transfers and have less kids making poor decisions as all the facts come out.” He added, “I think the system will keep evolving … hopefully the correct restrictions on transferring being put into place. I’d like to see a system where you can get a one-time transfer, but only a one-time transfer. I think we will look back on this era as a negative. However, the end result of having a portal is something that needed to happen to accommodate the modern student-athlete.” Grant Potulny, head coach of NMU’s Division I hockey program, said one consequence of the portal is that it has given more influence to third parties — including family advisers and former coaches — who do not have a full picture of the situation.

But Potulny feels the portal serves a purpose if certain circumstances come into play. “If the student-athlete does not like one of the following — the school, coaches, teammates or community — I’m in favor of the portal to give the student-athlete the best college experience,” he said. “If the last three years have taught us anything, change is coming, and we will just need to adjust to it. In terms of the transfer portal, I don’t know if it is good or bad for college athletics, but it’s here to stay.” Majkrzak’s biggest overall concern is the number of athletes who transfer and are unsuccessful or less successful at their new school. “We have seen many athletes come and go from our conference,” he said. “While some have success, and are often the ones who people point to, most do not succeed in their new situation. I can think of countless careers where a player was extremely successful and

transferred up to a higher level only to find that he didn’t like his new role at the higher level or didn’t fit into that program’s culture. “These situations are always hard because now the student-athlete has the choice to transfer to a third school or just stick it out. My other major concern is that kids don’t have an identity or a place to call home in some cases. Transferring once to a better situation can make a lot of sense. It’s the multiple-time transfers that lead to kids not getting their degree, which is the whole point of the collegiate sports experience.” MM Jim LaJoie was a newspaper sports writer and sports editor from 1986 to 1996. He is an award-winning sports columnist for The U.P. Catholic. The executive director of the Superior Health Foundation, LaJoie lives with his family in Marquette.

Northern Michigan hockey coach Grant Potulny said the transfer portal has given more influence to people who do not have a full picture of a player’s situation. (Photo courtesy of Northern Michigan University)

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

in the outdoors

The brains of birds Story and photos by Scot Stewart “An animal may be considered to experience a simple level of consciousness if it subjectively thinks about objects and events.” —Donald R. Griffin

hrough the ages, being called a “bird brain” has been something of an insult. Little did everyone know how far off the mark the comment actually was. Over the past 70 or 80 years, dozens of observations and studies have been conducted to see just how birds’ brains actually work, and the results of all this study have been astounding — leading to yet more questions. Even more importantly, birds’ lives provide humans with plenty to help us understand how we should live too. Birds are among the most active of all the higher animals. It takes just a few moments watching a warbler turn leaves over through the treetop branches looking for insects or a hummingbird zipping from flower to flower in search of those full of nectar to appreciate the motions they go through to find food. Head out to sea and find the pelagic albatrosses spending days over the ocean looking for their daily fare and the immediate response is, “How do they do it?” Because their activity level is so high, it becomes difficult to get a close look at most birds, let alone a chance to study their heads, bills, faces and feather detail, or understand what is going on inside those heads. With closeup portraits, it is possible to observe subtle facial markings, like different color patches behind the bills, approximately where observers might expect birds would have mustaches if they did have them. They can help distinguish between male and female pileated woodpeckers and northern flickers. Male pileateds have red markings there, while females’ markings are black. Male flickers have black patches, while females have none. Different species of warblers have eye rings, partial eye rings or none to help distinguish different species. What is going on inside the brains of birds, though, is a more complex

Marquette Monthly

The wide variety of birds in our area includes, clockwise from top left, the bald eagle, the black-capped chickadee, the eastern screech owl (with camouflage feathers on its eyelids) and the male ring-necked duck. (Photos by Scot Stewart)

and still mysterious matter. There are so many areas of study going on in the areas of memory and learning, social interactions, migration, song and more. This understanding can completely overshadow the wonder of birds as their mental capabilities totally knock appreciation for them out of the park. Questions about memory were among some of the earliest that ornithologists had, especially about

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caching food. Winter, with colder temperatures testing metabolisms and limits to available food, brings on many challenges for birds needing steady supplies of nutrition. A number of birds have adapted to these challenges, some in amazing ways. Black-capped chickadees are among the most active of the Upper Peninsula’s winter residents, often beginning their daily foraging shortly after dawn. When food is readily

available, they may grab and go, taking a sunflower seed a short distance, hammering away at it and quickly returning for more until they have eaten what they need. When food is less readily available, they may cache some for later. Remembering where that food was stashed requires extra brain power during this time. To accommodate the extra needed memory, the hippocampus in a chickadee’s brain grows

The short-billed dowitcher is a shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

an extra 30 percent in the fall to assist in remembering where food has been placed. Although the changes don’t always occur, they do seem to coincide with shifts in food supplies, and October seems to be when the changes are most likely to take place. Other changes also occur during this time. Shorter days and shifts and differences in temperature and precipitation factor into the ways chickadees interact. After a summer with small family units, chickadees move into larger social groups for the winter where there is greater safety with more eyes to watch for predators. Cached food is usually relocated within a few days and eaten when food is needed. In the

spring, that part of the brain shrinks back to its normal size as chickadees break up their larger groups and return to smaller family units when territories are more defined and food is usually more abundant. Research has been ongoing to learn more about how changes in chickadee brains occur with the hope it could help humans find ways to combat memory loss. “The birds can fly, an’ why can’t I? Must we give in,” says he, with a grin, “’T the blackbird an’ phoebe are smarter’n we be? Jest fold our hands, an’ see the swaller An’ blackbird an’ catbird beat us holler? … Jest show me that! er prove ’t that bat Hez got moe brains thans’s in

Answers for the New York Times crossword puzzle, located on Page 14.

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Marquette Monthly

The evening grosbeak is a member of the finch family. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

my hat, An’ I’ll back down, an’ not till then!” —John Townsend Trowbridge

t Presque Isle, chickadees have learned that feeders with sunflower seeds are often available to them. When feeders are empty, they have figured out that feeder fillers bring new food supplies, and they can immediately find food at the feeders being refilled. They have learned food offered in open hands is a safe and quick source of new food. Many birds can also distinguish between different humans, recognizing those who are food providers. The memory capabilities of some bird brains are even more impressive. Clark’s nutcrackers, relatives of crows and jays, live in the higher elevations of the western U.S. states and the western provinces of Canada. They are similar to Canada jays in appearance with gray and white plumage but have much longer bills to extract seeds from pine cones, their primary food. Nutcrackers have the ability to collect and cache up to 70,000 pine seeds each fall and recover them throughout the year. Having large supplies of stored food allows them to nest any month of the year. Some of those seeds are not found again, and this becomes an important way pine forests are restocked over time. The foraging done by the nutcrackers is so thorough that the shape of the cones has evolved to assist nutcrackers with seed extraction. The normal seed shape of pines — complete with flaps acting like wings to help them coast away from parent trees — has also changed as the birds have become the primary means of dispersion. Bills are another example of features capable of providing important information about not only the group

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

of birds an individual species belongs to but also what kind of diet the bird has. Thick, short bills usually belong to seed eaters. While grosbeaks do have varied diets, seeds make up an important part. Crossbills have beaks designed to pry open conifer cones to extract the seeds found between the bracts. With a half-dozen subspecies of red crossbills, there is a large variety of different sizes adapted for different species of conifer cones so they can reduce their competition and feed effectively in areas where different pines, spruces, firs and tamaracks live. The size of waxwing bills also helps to reduce competition with pine grosbeaks as their berry size selection is usually smaller than that of the grosbeaks, with larger beaks able to bite into larger crab apples. Warblers have small, pointed beaks to pluck larvae, moths and other small insects from the undersides of leaves and branch tips. Some shorebirds like curlews, godwits, snipes and woodcocks have long, probing bills with flexible upper bills able to stretch back at the tips to pluck invertebrates from mucky soil or loose substrates in wetlands. One of the most unique belongs to skimmers hunting with an elongated lower bill skimming at the water’s surface to snap up fish and other animals in the top inch or so. Woodpeckers have tough, strong pointed bills capable of chipping into everything from crevices to holes chiseled into wood to extract carpenter ants and wasp larvae deep inside the trunks of trees. Their brains are protected during this extensive hammering process by a mechanism that may include a spongy portion of the front of the skull, movement of the head itself and the size and location of the brain in the skull. In other words, no one is entirely sure — yet. While nutcrackers may not inten-

tionally help with reforestation, there are many examples of innovation and learning applications seen in a large variety of birds. Streetlights in Dawson City, Yukon, Canada, became a focus of the intelligence of common ravens in the north. Older streetlights have sensors on their upper portion to switch them on automatically when ambient light drops. Ravens learned that perches on the lights trip the switches to turn on the lights, creating a bit of heat on their surfaces. On subzero days, that produces a bit of comfort for the ravens, until they have warmed or spotted a bit of food below. However, the sodium lights are being switched out for energy-efficient lights, creating a question for the ravens: Where did the heat go? There will still be bare roofs and chimneys to provide a bit of relief, but the lights will change. “Owl hasn’t exactly got brain, but he Knows Things.” —A.A. Milne

arvard University published a study in 2019 showing that African gray parrots, tested using a “three cups” choice, possess intelligence at the level of 5-year-old children. They have been able to distinguish between colors, shapes and numbers of objects in studies where they have been subjects. Corvids — jays, crows and ravens — have learned how to adapt to the presence of humans when it comes to food. They can be found in parking lots from downtown Dawson City to parking lots in Yellowstone National

The long-billed curlew is North America’s largest shorebird. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

Park, alert to the food often stored in storage and garbage bags in the beds of pickup trucks. They learned that highways are a buffet of roadkill and that cars and trucks can provide a bevy of crispy insects struck and stuck to front grilles and bumpers. Both gulls and crows in Marquette have learned that plastic bags are often a bounty of goodness and can be opened easily for dinner. Parking lots also provide a bounty of goodness, and picnic tables have had a serious effect in taming birds like ring-necked gulls and rock pigeons into providing a sweeping source of food cleanup, even when not required. “Ornithologists concluded that migratory birds take hundreds of naps as they fly; they also practice unilateral eye closure, in which one

eye closes, thereby permitting half the brain to sleep.” —Bill Jay

arly observers who had minimal contact with the opposing hemisphere had little idea of what happened to birds when the seasons changed. Some thought birds burrowed into the mud at the bottom of rivers and reemerged during the next breeding season. Migration has fascinated humans through the ages. Birds migrate south from North America and head to areas with warmer winters, less or no snow cover and open water where insects, seeds, aquatic plants and animals are easier to find and eat. Open water and unfrozen shores also provide some birds with the habitats they need for winter. Some birds, like Hudsonian

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and bar-tailed godwits, developed extreme flight patterns, flying nonstop up to 7,000 miles using stored fat to convert directly into energy, water and carbon dioxide. They use a system called unihemispheric slow wave sleep to turn half their brain off at a time while flying. Whales and porpoises use a similar system to sleep while swimming. How birds navigate to their migration destinations has long been the subject of mystery, conjecture, research and discovery. Modern technology has helped begin the process of understanding how this amazing process works, using banded birds, biochemistry, tracking devices, Doppler radar and intensive fieldwork looking at critical habitats. A great Scientific American story (scientificamerican. com/article/how-migrating-birdsuse-quantum-effects-to-navigate) explains a number of the details involved in birds’ ability to find their way to migration destinations, even when, as juveniles, they are traveling there for the first time without guidance from adult birds. Many young birds, like common loons, leave their summer range later than their parents and head to winter ranges alone. Most migratory birds are born with an inherent pathway programmed into their brain for migration. An internal clock provides information for the timing of departures; the position of the sun during daytime and stars at night give them basic directional guidance. But after studying one more piece in the navigational puzzle for more than 50 years, scientists are be-

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ginning to see how birds’ perceptions of the earth’s magnetic fields also help them. There has been a half-century of work showing how the earth’s magnetic fields radiating from the poles guide bird flight, but an understanding of how they actually see the fields has just recently emerged. A protein found in the retinas of birds called cryptochrome 4 is the piece providing the probable explanation. While the birds are flying, light hits this chemical and a reaction occurs. That reaction is influenced by the earth’s magnetic field and gives the birds help in their flight navigation. Essentially, they get a glimpse at this weak field for a brief second so they can make any necessary adjustments in their flight’s course. When coastlines and other geographic cues are present, it further aids directionality. Add to this the clues provided by changes in barometric pressure and other weather factors, and birds are able to make other changes to improve migratory success. “You would not think that birds who have no brain at all could become so friendly. I swear some of them are more intelligent than many humans, but that says more about our fellow beings than it does about the birds.” —Elizabeth Aston

he social aspects of birds are some of the most endearing of all their behaviors. Their flocking behavior is at the heart of migration. V’s provide assistance for young birds to learn the

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The Bohemian waxwing breeds in the northern forests of North America and Eurasia. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

way and a more efficient means for the entire flock to conserve energy. Birds like European starlings often fly in a large flock called a murmuration. Resembling schools of fish — swerving and meandering like a single body — they avoid collisions by using a system called scale-free behavioral correlation, where each starling aligns itself with seven other starlings to fly together. The overlapping system keeps them all moving the same way without collisions. The result is a jaw-dropping swirl of sometimes hun-

February 2024

dreds of birds as they migrate, using their flocking to foil falcon attacks. American white pelican flocks often look like a team of synchronized swimmers all moving in exactly the same way with the birds all flapping and gliding at the same moments as in a planned exercise. Bohemian waxwings visiting the Upper Peninsula in winter can number up to 1,500, twirling around town in search of mountain ash and crabapple trees to feed in. They may descend all at once into a tree, grab a fruit or two and rise

to a higher tree to digest. Then they may drop like a slow waterfall back into the fruit tree a few at a time to repeat the process. Eventually, as quickly as they arrived, they may all rise and leave together. The mixed flocks of nuthatches, chickadees and woodpeckers at bird feeders in winter is a testament to the value of groups, with many sets of eyes to avoid danger. They bring an enhanced degree of excitement as multiple species all appear together in the yard. Vocal communications have also become an integral part of the love of birds. From gorgeous songs of thrushes, hidden and camouflaged in bushes and conifers, to the repetitious nocturnal calls of the whip-poor-wills, the deep booming hoots, puppy yelps and monkey calls of owls, bird songs and calls bring a connective sound to the natural world. The more subtle chirps and notes connecting bird families are a bit more mysterious but a welcome sound to the silence of winter in northern climates. Imitation is also part of bird communication. Mockingbirds and starlings incorporate parts of other species’ calls to impress and attract potential mates. Spectacular lyrebirds in Australia are even more impressive. David Attenborough and his company were able to videotape a male calling with remarkable imitations of a kookaburra, another bird singing, plus sounds of a camera click, a car alarm and even a chainsaw it had heard (youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y). Most birds learn their species’ song

by listening to others, from the time they are in the egg until they become adults. Some are the single version easily recognized. Others become regional variations, like the northern cardinal. There are five major versions of their songs. White-throated sparrows have two, both heard in the Upper Peninsula: “Oh Canada, Canada, Canada” and “Same Peabody, Peabody, Peabody.” Others, as mentioned, continually add new phrases to their personal songs. Suboscines — flycatchers from the suborder Tyranni — are mentally programmed with a simple nonmusical call from birth, whether they ever hear another bird or not. Least flycatchers, eastern phoebes, eastern kingbirds and alder flycatchers are common members of this group in northern Michigan. Play is a less-known part of bird societies. Corvids may be the masters of play. Watching a pair or flock of crows or ravens may often lead to an amazing display of aerial adventures or a game of tag. Ravens have been known to tease wolves at a kill as they feed nearby. Jays will sometimes imitate the calls of a hawk to fool smaller birds at feeders. Candace Savage’s Bird Brains and Bernd Heinrich’s Mind of the Raven and Ravens in Winter are great books to learn more about these amazingly entertaining birds. Sometimes social characteristics combine to use both communication and play. Then what is going on inside those heads can be extraordinary. Just recently, five African gray parrots were removed from their places at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in England — because of their excessive swearing! Donated separately to the park, the group had been quarantined together before being placed. In quarantine, they learned curse words from each other before going on display, and one report said they even laughed about their swearing. Comedian Trevor Noah thought the quintet should be allowed to meet people, possibly in an adults-only area. He noted you can hear clean bird conversations anywhere, but in how many places can you hear such colorful chatter? “Birds are indicators of the environment. If they are in trouble, we know we’ll soon be in trouble.” —Roger Tory Peterson

oger Tory Peterson created the first field guide for North American birds in 1934 at the age of 26. It included his paintings and natural history information for those birds and led the way to create a country of bird lovers. The field guide ushered

Pileated woodpecker chicks peek out of their shelter. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

in a new awareness of wildlife and its importance in understanding the health of the planet by helping users learn more about the birds they saw. It introduced a whole new generation to the world of nature outside their home and helped usher in a new set of guides to everything from flowers to weather phenomena. The natural world became a new playground full of learning experiences — all because of birds. Today birds provide humans with an ever-increasing body of indicators of how the planet’s health is doing. Species population success, migration timing and important changes in habitat including stopovers during migration are all measures of the state of the environment. The brains of birds are just beginning to show humans what they know about the world and how this information can be used to make the changes necessary to keep the planet livable for all species. The beauty and behavior of birds also provide important insights into what we need to know about why they are so important in our daily lives and the joy they bring to us. MM Scot Stewart has lived in Marquette long enough to be considered a true Yooper even though he was born in Illinois. He loves to be outdoors photographing and enjoying nature.

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

on campus NMU launches leadership program to serve rural communities

‘A unique way to address a real issue’ By Erin Elliott Bryan

s noted in the “Rural Roots” focus area of Northern Michigan University’s Interim Strategic Plan, the university’s role as a rural-serving institution is critical to advancing the U.P.’s economy. To help achieve that goal, a new program will provide immersive, handson experiential learning opportunities to students who are interested in rural economic development and work to address vital community needs. NMU’s Rural Leadership Fellowship Program pairs student fellows with projects submitted from around the U.P. that have been identified as a community economic development priority. Projects can include revising a city’s master plan, collaborating on a regional opportunity with multiple communities, implementing tax incentives or pursuing state grants for community projects. A primary objective of this program is to retain the next generation of community leaders by providing practical exposure to issues and opportunities facing rural community development in the U.P. Fellows with this type of experience could excel in important roles in city management, county administration or local economic development organizations. The students, who are selected by a competitive application process, receive a 100 percent tuition and fee scholarship for the duration of the fellowship, a stipend up to $15,000 to assist with living expenses, a faculty adviser who will oversee the student’s participation as a directed study and mentorship from members of the program’s advisory committee, an esteemed group of economic development professionals from throughout Michigan who have a connection to the U.P. This program will officially kick off in mid-February with two student fellows. “This is a concept that evolved, recognizing that there are really great career opportunities to support economic and community development in the U.P.,” said Dave Nyberg, executive

Marquette Monthly

Northern Michigan University’s new Rural Leadership Fellowship Program is one way in which the institution aims to serve the Upper Peninsula. (Photo courtesy of Northern Michigan University)

director of Business Engagement and Economic Development at NMU and one of the founders of the program. “It’s not always a career path that is thought about in college, and there is a need for experienced professionals in this space.” Nyberg said the program is an opportunity for students to explore a career in public service and economic development, to build a network of economic and community development professionals and to gain specialized skills to work in rural communities, hopefully in the U.P. or throughout Michigan. “This is work-based learning supporting real community projects in the U.P.,” Nyberg said, explaining that communities often struggle with a lack of staff or support to fully take advantage of available resources, whether that’s grant money or a person who can devote all of their time to a particular project. To that end, students will be expected to work about 15 to 20 hours per week. The program is a public-private partnership with InvestUP and is funded by a rural capacity-building investment supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, or MEDC. It also received administra-

February 2024

tive financial support from the NMU SISU Institute’s Innovation Fund. This first cohort of students and projects will work over the course of three semesters: winter, summer and fall 2024. Moving forward, the project is expected to align with the academic calendar, with the second cohort beginning work in fall 2024. While initial plans for the program sought to focus on graduate students enrolled in NMU’s Master of Public Administration and Master of Business Administration programs, the first two selected students are undergraduates: Lexie Hagan and Anne McIlhagga. Hagan, a senior from Iron Mountain, expects to graduate in December. She is pursuing a major in management and a minor in computer science and has always had a desire to help people. As part of her application process, Hagan submitted two letters of recommendation from NMU faculty and staff and wrote an essay on why this was important to her and how she could help her community. “I thought this was an awesome opportunity to help out the community I’m from, that will have a huge impact on me,” she said. “I’m so excited. It’s so important for me, and it’s going to help me in my career.”

While the advisory committee originally intended to choose the project with which each fellow would work based on the student’s stated interest, Hagan was able to select her project from three options. After talking with family and friends, she narrowed it down to one “exciting and special” project. “I wanted to do all three, really,” Hagan said. She will be working with the City of Manistique to focus on its five-year recreation plan in tandem with the implementation of an $800,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to support city parks infrastructure. She said she looks forward to making a tangible impact. “The beginning of the process has been exciting,” Hagan said. “Everybody seems fired up to help the students learn and help the communities around them. I feel very special and blessed for this opportunity.” McIlhagga, a sophomore from East Lansing, will be working with the City of Marquette to focus on its community master plan renewal, including implementation of the plan rollout and community engagement activities. “I’m really excited to get to know more about the inner workings of the

Dave Nyberg

Steve Arwood

city,” McIlhagga said. “I’m excited to see the other moving parts and connect that to what I’m learning in my classes.” McIlhagga is majoring in political science with a concentration in public administration and said she eventually wants to go into some type of government work. “I will be able to explore those options in real time,” she said. “This will help guide me in what I want to do.” Growing up in an urban area, McIlhagga allowed that she didn’t have much exposure to rural communities. She acknowledged that she “got to reap the benefits” of living in a centralized area and its abundance of opportunities. “In the U.P., there is a lot more effort on the local level,” she said. “That really interested me. I want to learn more about what I don’t know.” McIlhagga also recognizes the strong sense of community throughout the U.P. and understands that many local communities have similar needs. “We can reach new levels of accessibility to meet those needs in rural environments,” she said. But McIlhagga also wants to take full advantage of the resources that will be available to her through this program, including guidance from her faculty adviser and mentorship from the members of the advisory board. “They can provide insight into community and economic development as a whole,” she said. McIlhagga will also have support from her project supervisor, Sean Hobbins, Marquette’s assistant city manager. Hobbins, who teaches a state and local government class as a part-time adjunct professor at NMU, had McIlhagga as a student and recommended her for a job as a part-time election aide in the city clerk’s office, a position she’s had since September. He further encouraged her to apply for this program. “We thought the city was perfect-

ly suited to be part of this program,” Hobbins said. “We just see it as a good opportunity to get a student involved in local government.” Hobbins will monitor McIlhagga’s involvement with the city’s master plan and subsequent strategic plan. McIlhagga will be tasked with organizing public meetings, taking notes and drafting an initial version of the strategic plan. “We want to provide a deeper understanding of municipal government, the rewards that come with public service and its viability as a career path,” Hobbins said. “This level of public service can enrich people’s lives.” Nyberg said that is a core value of the program: to support students with an interest in public service, describing it as an “exceptional, unique and meaningful work-based experience” that can prepare them for future careers. “We also want to support capacity building for communities who need help and build a pipeline of professionals to live, work and play in the U.P.,” he said. Initial conversations about the program’s creation and execution began in the summer and fall of 2020 with Nyberg contacting Steve Arwood, a semiretired economic development consultant who owns SDArwood, LLC. Arwood has held several positions in two separate governors’ administrations, including as president and CEO of the MEDC under former Gov. Rick Snyder. He also has a “long history” with the U.P., as his family owns a hunting camp near McFarland. “The U.P. is always in my mind as a place. It’s 30 percent of the land mass [of Michigan] but only 3 percent of the population,” Arwood said. “There are underserved opportunities, lots of opportunities to do great things.” He said many economic development professionals in the U.P. wear “three to four different hats” in their roles, noting that larger population

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

Marty Fittante

Jen Nelson

centers in the Lower Peninsula could employ a 25-person economic development staff. He sees the program as a great opportunity to retain local talent and “find an avenue” for those who desire to work in this field in the U.P. “There are young people who want to stay and serve their communities,” Arwood said. “It’s a special breed of person who wants to do that work.” Arwood further noted that as current economic development professionals retire, there will be a need for “solid bench strength” to step in and fill those positions. To that end, it is important for students to be part of the team. “This was not about additional clerical staff. Our requirement [to communities] was to bring forth a substantive project, a definite community need, and the capacity to provide mentoring, oversight and daily contact,” Arwood said. “We want to immerse students in the process, and they should be treated as a functioning member of the professional staff.” Arwood explained that many communities have the need, but not all of them have the ability to provide this opportunity. When Nyberg and Arwood brought the idea to Marty Fittante, CEO of InvestUP, a regional economic development organization, Fittante thought it was a “fabulous idea.” “What we hear from all [U.P.] counties is a lack of capacity,” he said. “Communities just don’t have the bodies to get all opportunities.” He said the program has been refined as other advisers were brought in, and it will continue to be refined as it develops. “This is a unique way to address a real issue,” Fittante said. “It impacts all rural parts of the U.P.” InvestUP has committed to funding the program for two years using MEDC seed funds for “nontraditional economic development projects that would be difference-making to the region,” according to Fittante. “This would not have happened without the

MEDC,” he said. “They are a tremendous partner, and they saw value in this opportunity.” Jen Nelson, chief operating and customer experience officer at the MEDC, agreed, saying that the program brings together three key pieces that are important to the organization: people, projects and place. “The Rural Leadership Fellowship Program hits on all three — helping communities advance their vision, getting more people engaged in economic development and bringing awareness as a career to students,” Nelson said, adding that a program like this can also spur business opportunities, whether by starting new small businesses or expanding existing ones. “We want to ensure we have places where people want to live and work,” she said. “It’s really critical for the U.P. and the entire state to move forward.” Nelson, a native of Marquette and an NMU alumna, is a member of the program’s advisory committee, along with Arwood, Fittante and others. She said she was struck by the thoughtfulness of the community project proposals that were received. “I was very impressed. I read every word on every proposal,” she said. “There was a lot of collaboration. You could tell there was strong community buy-in and support.” Nelson is also excited about the long-term impacts of the program. She hopes that the community projects can be advanced and sustained beyond the involvement of the student fellow. “I love to see what’s happening in the U.P.,” Nelson said. “It’s important that we are supporting and encouraging rural areas to be innovative and support their vision to create their best communities.” MM Erin Elliott Bryan grew up in Ishpeming. She is a freelance writer and a Marquette Monthly calendar editor.

back then

A piece of hockey history

Lakeview rink honors Olympic gold medalist and his siblings Editor’s note: This article is the third in a series called The Story Behind the Name, which will look at the namesakes of local sports venues. By Jamie Glenn

arquette’s Lakeview Arena has played host to many hockey teams through the years, from amateur to semipro to NCAA Division I, and has been a staple in the community for generations. The facility’s two rinks are named for two families that were instrumental in local hockey in general and in the construction of Lakeview specifically — the Russells and Olsons. The Olson Rink at Lakeview honors a family of nine hockey-playing brothers (Wesley, Allan, Paul, Gordy, Eddie, Roy, Ted, Mark and Weldon) and two sisters (Ruth and Virginia) who were accomplished athletes born in the Upper Peninsula between 1911 and 1932. Perhaps the most successful of the Olson siblings was Weldon, known as Weldy, a Marquette native and two-time Olympic hockey medalist who won silver in the 1956 Winter Olympics and gold in the 1960 Winter Games. Throughout his Olympic career, Weldy played a total of 14 games and scored seven goals. Bruce Olson, a nephew of Weldon and son of Michigan Tech alumnus Allan, shares the success and respect his family found in winter sports and how their commitment to Lakeview Arena began. “My dad’s younger brother Weldon worked for the company that put in the refrigeration for both ice rinks,” he said. “My dad had eight brothers and two sisters, all of whom skated. All the boys played hockey. The oldest girl was a speedskater, and the youngest girl was a figure skater. “My dad played hockey for Michigan Tech in the early ’30s. He graduated in 1935 with five letters and played four sports at Michigan Tech.” Lakeview Arena opened in 1974 and hosts tens of thousands of people each hockey season. Naming the two

The U.S. Olympic hockey team claimed the gold medal at the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California. Marquette native Weldon Olson, third from the left in the back row, was a member of the team. (Photo courtesy of the City of Marquette)

rinks prior to its opening proved not to be a challenge, an acknowledgment that Bruce Olson and his family take pride in. “When it came to naming the two rinks, Russell was a great contributor to the project,” Olson said. “So … they named the larger arena after him. And then, because of the history of the Olson family, hockey in Marquette and around the world, they decided to name the smaller rank after our family.” He appreciates the recognition of his father, uncles and aunts, noting “the fact that they did well and contributed and were successful for the City of Marquette and were able to put the City of Marquette on the map a little bit.” Olson added, “It means a lot to me. I grew up playing in there. I refereed for many years in the complex. And it’s just quite an honor to have a facility like that named after your family.”

Weldon, who was born in 1932, played at Michigan State from 1951 to 1955. During his time in East Lansing, he was a co-captain, team MVP

February 2024

and team scoring leader. He passed away on May 13, 2023, in Ohio. Andrew MacIver, assistant director of community services for the City of Marquette, shares the grit that Weldon had as a player that he later brought to Lakeview Arena. “It’s just one of those [points of pride] that we can say that one of our boys was an Olympic gold medalist from Marquette, Michigan,” MacIver said. “It’s pretty cool to look back at history. There’s a lot of cool things that happened in this building, but that is definitely one of the biggest cornerstones of hockey history for us.” MacIver got to know Weldon personally through the years. “He was a pretty tough player who had a lot of integrity and was always very polite,” he said. “In a lot of my interactions with him, he was definitely a man to look up to. He was a leader. “Weldy was one of the project managers who helped pour the floors

Marquette Monthly

Marquette native Weldon Olson participated in the 1956 and 1960 Winter Olympics. (Photo courtesy of the City of Marquette)

and put the ice system that’s in place at Lakeview Arena. He used to come up every summer and walk the floors just to make sure that the floor didn’t have any cracks or other issues. “He would always tell me about how he engineered the floors to accommodate the extra need for events that would come in, like the circus, car shows and recreation shows, and would also make sure we had a good solid floor for hockey.” Many historic moments are displayed throughout the halls of Lakeview Arena, and MacIver hopes the next generation of Marquette hockey players can learn from the impact of the Olson family. “The family was so prominent in the game of hockey in the Upper Peninsula,” MacIver said. “A lot of the family helped in the construction of the facility; that’s how the name of the rink was established. The [naming of] the Olson Rink was a good way to carry on the legacy of the Olson family.” No matter the day of the week, the season or the event, Lakeview Arena is a central meeting place for many in the Marquette community. An arena with two rinks allows Marquette to host large events and provides great-

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

er opportunities for recreation. The ability to host hockey tournaments brings in teams from outside the area that boost our local economy by supporting hotels, restaurants and other services. “Two rinks allow us to host multiple games at once and sometimes partner with [NMU’s] Berry Event Center and the Negaunee Ice Arena,” MacIver said. “Sometimes we have both rinks busy at the same time, and that could be over 100 kids playing hockey at any given time in a weekend. It’s a good way to keep everyone moving in the winter.” One of the teams that called Lakeview Arena home was the semipro Marquette Iron Rangers of the United States Hockey League. The Iron Rangers were active from 1964 to 1976, playing the majority of those years at the Palestra before Lakeview opened. Dave Brassard played right wing and backup goalie for the Iron Rangers for two seasons and shares how he got started with the team. “My older brother was the backup goalie behind Brian Lunney for years,” Brassard said. “I came home from New Orleans on vacation,

and coach Leonard ‘Oakie’ Brumm asked me to start practicing with the team. Then I started practicing every other night with the team. … When it first started, we had a lot of guys that came from Canada and all over the place. We also had a lot of Marquette natives that played on the team.” The Iron Rangers earned three league and two playoff titles during their USHL run. A memorable game for Brassard was an unfinished matchup against a Traverse City team. “We went down to Traverse City to play a rival team, and our starting goalie was sick, so my brother took over in goal,” Brassard said. “He got hurt in the middle of the second period, so coach told me I had to put the pads on. When they dropped the puck, everybody dropped their gloves and a brawl broke out. They wouldn’t even let us finish the game.” MM Jamie Glenn is a U.P. native who graduated from NMU in 2018 with a degree in creative writing and journalism. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys advocating for disability rights, playing sled hockey and listening to live music.

poetry My Hand in Yours By Miriam and John Taylor Being married with a disability means The other half Of your heart can be half of your mind and body, too Learning your loves’ strengths and your weaknesses Is the key to a world of wonder through grief... My love, so caring and kind Who takes the time to learn My every care and weakness Strong in my eyes and The love of my life Beloved, so tender and mild Who showed me your every strength Discovered my scars unflinchingly Teaching an iron heart to love The princess rescues the knight Walking life’s path hand in hand Bearing in mind where strengths lie Helping each other when we fall Teaching each other the way of God Walking in the light of His love Life’s path is grim and treacherous We’ll face it ever together, beloved Raising each other ever higher as we Cross the Valley of the Shadow of Death The princess rescues the knight Love is a thing that is built as much as is felt Working as a team, that builds a strong relationship. The Strongest tool in your hand is always another hand The Path may be rocky, but it’s all about the hand we hold… John Taylor was born in Caro, Michigan, in 1983. He was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum in 1991 and has been an advocate for disability rights for much of his adult life, serving on the boards of several nonprofit organizations. John’s poetry and fiction have appeared in Marquette Monthly, the Mythic Circle, The Dieselpunk E-Pulp Showcase Vol. 2 and Maiden Voyage by Gordon Publications. He has also written audio narrations for several YouTube channels. He is the author of Liber Dulcis Dolorum: The Book of Sweet Sorrows, a collection of his poetry. John and Miriam Taylor were married in 2011 and reside in Marquette County with Miriam’s rabbit, Trixie. Miriam Taylor (Black) was born to American parents in Weston-Super Mare, Somerset, England, in 1985. She attended St. John’s Academy and resided in England until 2004. A lifelong humanitarian, Miriam has done volunteer work for organizations such as Superior Alliance for Independent Living, Clubhouse International and National Alliance on Mental Illness. She is the author of A Declaration of Love, and her poems and essays have appeared in various independent publications and newsletters in both the U.S. and U.K.

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

superior reads

Sadler investigates murder on Mackinac Review by Victor R. Volkman

his installment marks the fifth anniversary of my term at the helm of Superior Reads for Marquette Monthly. I am particularly thankful for the breadth and scope of U.P. literature that it has introduced me to. I hope it has helped you, as readers of this column, to widen your horizons in some small way. I open in this manner because Grim Paradise: The Cold Case Search for the Mackinac Island Killer by Rod Sadler is the first true crime book I have ever read, let alone reviewed. Often referred to as the jewel of the Great Lakes, Mackinac Island sees more than 1 million visitors per year, according to The Detroit News. This is a staggering number and in practice amounts to 5,000 to 10,000 visitors per day during the tourist season. The Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau reports that the Grand Hotel has an annual revenue of $311 million with 875 employees. The point of these statistics is that anything that threatens such an important revenue source is going to be a top priority for law enforcement. Inasmuch as Mackinac Island is a state park, the overarching law enforcement branch will always be the Michigan State Police. Can you imagine how much money could be lost if the island is perceived as anything but 100 percent safe for families? Would parents still allow busloads of kids to be sent over with a smattering of chaperones? The gravity of the scenario cannot be exaggerated. Sadler’s book chronicles the efforts of the Michigan State Police from 1960 onward to solve the murder of Frances Lacey. This is basically a ride-along journey as we are introduced to the many detectives who will become involved in a statewide manhunt that spans from Marquette to Detroit to Battle Creek. Along the way, airplanes will be used to shuttle investigators around the state, and passenger rail traffic, which was still abundant, will be examined in an effort to find the perpetrator. On Sunday, July 24, 1960, Lacey

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“

ANYTHING THAT THREATENS A REVENUE SOURCE LIKE MACKINAC ISLAND WILL BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR POLICE.

was killed just a few yards from the ring road that circles the island somewhere between the Grand Hotel and British Landing. However, her body would not be discovered for another 72 hours as a massive team of police and local volunteers scoured the island looking for any trace of her whereabouts. Sadler is a seasoned law enforcement veteran with three decades of experience in mid-Michigan. He is the author of several Michigan true crime books including A Slayer Waits: The True Story of a Michigan Double Murder and To Hell I Must Go: The True Story of Michigan’s Own Lizzie Borden. Sadler’s Killing Women, incidentally, tells the story of serial killer Don Miller, who spent three months in 1976 working at the Murray Hotel on Mackinac Island, the same establishment Frances Lacey had stayed at in 1960 at the time of her death. Sadler’s law enforcement background very much informs the narrative of Grim Paradise, which is almost entirely a “just the facts, ma’am” approach. He takes readers almost hour-by-hour through the few days after the crime and then follows the in-

vestigation of dozens of the more than 300 tips sent in by the public. Where the names of private individuals are not part of the public record, Sadler changes those names to protect the innocent. Although the focus is on 1960, as a cold case it is revisited again and again in the ensuing six decades. Lacey had been twice divorced and was a widow in her mid-50s when she was killed. She had accompanied her family from Dearborn for a weeklong getaway on the island. Lacey was well off — having a personal fortune worth $500,000 in today’s money — but her adult children and son-in-law were quickly ruled out. Any investigator will tell you the trifecta of “means, motive and opportunity” makes a case. Lacey was struck from behind with a blunt object, manually strangled and then finally died being strangled by her own panties. As you might well conclude, the state of forensic evidence in 1960 had

not advanced much beyond fingerprinting. Because of a lack of prints, much of the forensic analysis was based on the idea that some piece of the perpetrator’s head or pubic hair must have transferred to the victim. Hair samples were collected from many possible male suspects who could not be ruled out by alibi. This type of test was useful for ruling out a suspect but could not be conclusive in a positive sense. DNA testing did not come into use until the late 1980s. By the time the technology had become common, what little physical evidence that remained from the Lacey murder had been lost or destroyed. Of course, there is no way to lock down an island with 15,000 people on it as you would in a cozy British country house murder mystery. Exacerbating this difficulty was the fact that the time period of the disappearance and murder was in the middle of the Chicago-to-Mackinac yacht race, which

meant an even bigger pool of transients. Unfortunately, the investigation of boat crews for suspects was not begun until much later. The local law enforcement team consisted of three island-based police and three state troopers. They were quickly supplemented from the St. Ignace post, and others were seconded to the team, which grew to 19 investigators at its peak. Sadler’s book investigates in detail many violent and psychotic offenders who were swept up, interviewed and finally exonerated or left as inconclusive. Of particular interest was an oddly similar case at Starved Rock State Park in Illinois, where three young women had been tied up and brutally beaten to death in March 1960. Chester Weger, the perpetrator, was exonerated in the Lacey killing because he had been released from an Illinois jail on July 24 and reported for work on time on July 25. Still, Sadler cannot shake the idea that a serial killer may have been involved in the Mackinac Island murder, and a final chapter on serial killer Jerald Wingeart raises disturbing questions about how the case might have been resolved with longterm evidence retention. Throughout the book, the reader will learn how hard real-life detectives have to work and how many dozens of dead ends they will hit along the way. There’s much, much more to Grim Paradise than I can cover in this review. Having stayed on Mackinac Island several times, beginning with my honeymoon in 1990, I was fascinated by the level of detail and familiar hotels, bars and other establishments that are still around. Whether you are a fan of Mackinac Island or cold-case crimes, there is a treasure trove of historical detail to enjoy in Grim Paradise. Sadler hopes that this work may jog the memory of a reader and provide a missing puzzle piece for this nearly forgotten but heartless crime. MM Victor R. Volkman is a graduate of Michigan Tech (Class of ’86) and is current president of the U.P. Publishers & Authors Association. He is senior editor at Modern History Press and publisher of the U.P. Reader.

How to submit a book

Send Upper Peninsula-related book review suggestions to victor@LHPress.com. Books submitted for review can be sent to: MM Book Reviews, 5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

out & about Out & About is a free listing of Upper Peninsula events. Events included must cost $25 or less (except fundraisers). All events are free and in Eastern time unless noted. We print information sent to us by a wide variety of people and organizations. It pays to double check the date, time, place and cost before heading out.

E-mail your March events by Saturday, February 10 to: calendar@marquettemonthly.com.

Index on the town …………………………………………………………… 64-65 art galleries …………………………………………………………… 68-69 museums ………………………………………………………………….. 73 support groups…………………………………………………………….78

Photo by Catalin Sandru via unsplash

UP200 | Feb. 16 | Marquette

end of january events 31 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 8:16 a.m.; sunset 5:50 p.m.

Escanaba

• Toddler Time. Intended for ages two to four. 10:30 a.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. To register, 906-789-7328. escanabalibrary.org.

Marquette

• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call

to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456. • School’s Out, Library’s In: Valentine’s Day. Youth of all ages can drop in to make Valentine’s Day Cards and decorate cookies. Lady and the Tramp will be shown in the Community Room at 12:45 p.m. Noon to 5 p.m. Youth Services and Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. Moviegoers can bring snacks. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • NCLL: DNR Fish Hatchery Tour. Tony Beck, natural resource manager, will lead a tour and discuss the hatchery’s history, why there are hatcheries, and the spawning/egg incubation process. A majority of the tour will be in the

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Marquette Monthly

on the town Baraga

• Ojibwa Casino–The Press Box. - Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, the 3rd: OZ. - Friday, the 9th and Saturday, the 10th: Bear Creek Band. - Friday, the 16th and Saturday, the 17th: Derailed. - Friday, the 23rd: DayDreamers. - Saturday, the 24th: Left of Center. Music, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 16449 Michigan Ave. 906-353-6333.

Gwinn

• Hideaway Bar. - Mondays: The Hideaway All-Stars. 7 p.m. 741 M-35. 906-346-3178.

Ishpeming

• Rainbow Bar. - Friday, Feb. 2: Toni Saari. 5 to 8 p.m. - Saturday, the 3rd: Doug Pennala. 6 to 9 p.m. - Friday, the 9th: Adam Carpenter. 5 to 8 p.m. -Saturday, the 10th: Electric Slim. 5 to 8 p.m. - Friday, the 16th: Ethan Bott. 5 to 8 p.m. - Saturday, the 17th: Whiskey Ryan. 6 to 9 p.m. - Friday, the 23rd: Make Believe Spurs. 5 to 8 p.m. - Saturday, the 24th: No Expectations. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 120 E. Canda St. 906-486-8998.

Marquette

• 906 Sports Bar and Grill. - Wednesdays: Trivia. 6:30 p.m. 145 W. Washington St. 906-273-0706 or 906barandgrill.com. • Blackrocks Brewery. - Mondays: Open Mic. 6 to 9 p.m. - Tuesdays: Trivia. 7 p.m. - Wednesdays: Open mic. 6 to 9 p.m. 424 N. Third St. 906-273-1333 or blackrocksbrewery.com. • Drifa Brewing Company. - Mondays: Musicians’ Open Mic. 6 to 8 p.m.

Marquette Monthly

- Thursdays: Trivia. 7 p.m. 501 S. Lake St. 906-273-1300. • Kognisjon Bryggeri. - Saturday, Feb. 3: Iron Daisy. 6 to 10 p.m. - Thursday, the 8th: Tavern Night with Marquest LARP and Iron Golem. 6 to 11 p.m. - Saturday, the 10th: Frozen Paradise with Ramble Tamble. 7 to 10 p.m. - Saturday, the 17th: Ethan Bott and the Bottlenecks. 6 to 9 p.m. - Mondays: Beer Study Hall. 2 to 7 p.m. - Tuesdays: Trivia. 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. - Wednesdays: Brewery Bazaar. 6 to 8 p.m. - Thursdays: Game Night with Iron Golem Games. 6 to 11 p.m. - Sundays: Open Mic Night. 6 to 10 p.m. 1034 N. Third St. 906-273-2727. • Lake Superior Smokehouse. - Friday, Feb. 2: DayDreamers. 6 to 9 p.m. - Saturday, the 3rd: The Drifters. - Friday, the 9th: Blue Deuce. - Saturday, the 10th: Jim and Ray. - Friday, the 16th: DayDreamers. - Saturday, the 17th: Chris Valenti. - Friday, the 23th: Derell Syria. - Saturday, the 24th: Delta Duo. Music, 6 to 9 p.m. 200 W. Main St. 906-273-0952. • Ojibwa Casino. - Friday, Feb. 2: Diversion. - Friday, the 9th: DayDreamers - Saturday, the 17th: Reveal. - Friday, the 23rd: Adam Carpenter and the Upper Hand. Music, 8 p.m. to midnight. 105 Acre Trail. 906-249-4200. • Ore Dock Brewing Company. - Saturday, Feb. 3: Dixion’s Violin. 8 p.m. $20. - Friday, the 9th: Bumpus. 9 p.m. $10. Ages 21 and older. - Saturday, the 10th: Realms. 9 p.m. - Thursday, the 15th: Rev Robert and Da Bones Man. 6 p.m. - Friday, the 16th: Make Believe Spurs. 8 p.m.

February 2024

Make Believe Spurs Feb. 16 @ Ore Dock Brewing Company, Marquette | Feb. 23 @ Rainbow Bar, Ishpeming Feb. 28 @ Superior Culture, Marquette

- Sunday, the 18th: Westerly Winds Big Band Swing Dance. 2 p.m. General admission, $10; students, $5. - Saturday, the 24th: Hugh Pool. 7 p.m. $10. - Sunday, the 25th: Trivia. 6 p.m. All shows are free unless noted. 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888. • Rippling River Resort. - Thursday, Feb. 1: Jan Arnold. - Friday, the 2nd: Sam Galvin. - Saturday, the 3rd: Derell Syria. - Sunday, the 4th: Beechgrove and Blacksmith. 5 to 8 p.m. - Thursday, the 8th: Jan Arnold. - Friday, the 9th: Troy Graham. - Saturday, the 10th: Keith Janofski. - Sunday, the 11th: The Wallens. 5 to 8 p.m. - Thursday, the 15th: Jan Arnold.

- Friday, the 16th: Sam Galvin. Sunday, the 18th: Troy Graham. 5 to 8 p.m. - Thursday, the 22nd: Jan Arnold. - Saturday, the 24th: Troy Graham. - Sunday, the 25th: The Wallens. 5 to 8 p.m. - Thursday, the 29th: Jan Arnold. Music is 6 to 9 p.m. unless notes. 4321 M-553. (906) 273-2259 or ripplingriverresort.com. • Superior Culture. - Tuesdays: Open Mic night. 8 to 10 p.m. - Friday, Feb. 2: Jakey Thomas. 9 to 11 p.m. - Wednesday, the 7th: Whiskey Ryan. 8 to 10 p.m. - Thursday, the 8th: Troy Graham. 9 to 11 p.m. (continued on page 65)

on the town

(continued from page 64)

- Wednesday, the 28th: Make Believe Spurs. 8 to 10 p.m. - Thursday, the 29th: Mayple. 9 to 11 p.m. 717 Third Street. 906-273-0927 or superiorculturemqt.com.

Negaunee

• Pasquali’s Pub. - Friday, Feb. 2 Comedy night with Tom E. Thompson. - Friday, the 16th: Geoff Lafleur. $10. 8 p.m. 100 Cliff St. 906-475-4466. • Upper Peninsula Brewing Company. - Friday, Feb. 2: Cody Scanlon DJ. 7 p.m. - Saturday, the 3rd: The Viscous Details. - Saturday, the 17th: Big Lake Acoustic. - Friday, the 23rd: Neo Lives. 342 Rail St. 906-475-8722. outdoor fish pens; dress accordingly. NCLL members, $5; non-members, $10. 1 p.m. DNR Fish Hatchery, 488 Cherry Creek Rd. 906-360-2859 or mouserhouse@gmail.com.

Negaunee

• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18. • Wings of Fire Interest Group. Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

february events 01 THURSDAY

sunrise 8:14 a.m.; sunset 5:52 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311.

Houghton

• Speaking Truth to Power: Poets, Writers, Resistance and Resilience. Leading up to the Rozsa Art Gallery exhibition Simple Machines: Poetry, Letterpress, and the Art of the Little Magazine, Ukrainian poet Yuliya Musakovska will present a poetry reading followed by a panel discussion with Musakovska and Michigan Tech professors Richard Canevez, Stephanie Carpenter and M. Bartley Seigel. Presented by Michigan Tech

Republic

• Pine Grove Bar. - Friday, Feb. 2: Iron Daisy Acoustic. 8 to 11 p.m. - Saturday, the 3rd: Whiskey Ryan. 2 to 5 p.m. - Saturday, the 3rd: Money 2 Burn. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. - Friday, the 9th: Derrell Syria Project. 8 to 11 p.m. - Saturday, the 10th: No Expectations. 8 p.m. to midnight. - Friday, the 16th: SPUN. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. - Saturday, the 17th: The Degens. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. - Friday, the 23rd: One Human Band. 8 to 11 p.m. - Saturday, the 24th: Toni Saari. 3 to 6 p.m. - Saturday, the 24th: Diversion. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 286 Front St. 906-376-2234. MM Art. Noon. East Reading Room, Van Pelt and Opie Library, 1400 Townsend Dr. events.mtu.edu.

Ishpeming

Marquette

• Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • Grief Support Group. U.P. Home Health and Hospice will offer support for those caring for a loved one with a life-limiting diagnosis or who recently experienced the loss of a loved one. The group will explore different aspects of grief. 3 p.m. Dandelion Cottage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. (906) 225-4545. • MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Meeting. Discussion includes the ups and downs of motherhood and everything in between. Open to moms of

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

Photo by Jerry Bielicki

Maritime History on Tap | Feb. 6 | Marquette

children of any age. Childcare typically provided. 5:30 p.m. Messiah Lutheran Church, 305 W. Magnetic St. renee.n. jewett@gmail.com. • Carnival of the Animals: Short Ballet. Presented by the NMU CO/ LAB Dance Company, this ballet is set to the musical score by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. It will be followed by a choreographic showcase by NMU students and faculty. NMU students, $5; youth, $12; NMU employees, seniors and military, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Forest Roberts Theatre, NMU. nmu. edu/theatreanddance.

Munising

• Women in the Woods Snowshoe Hike. Women of all ages and skill levels can attend this guided snowshoe hike offered by Michigan State University Extension and the Alger County Conservation District. Children are welcome. 4:30 p.m. Valley Spur, E8017 State Hwy. M-94. sara.kelso@ macd.org or 906-251-3071.

Negaunee

• Music, Movement and More. This parent-led storytime is for children of all ages and their caregivers. 10:30 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18. • Building Club. Youth ages five and older will discuss a topic that will be the focus of their creations and then have time to build with blocks such as LEGO bricks. Participants can have their creations displayed in the library until the following meeting. 4:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

02 FRIDAY

sunrise 8:13 p.m.; sunset 5:53 p.m.

Gwinn

• Storytime. Preschool-age kids can enjoy stories, crafts and light snacks. Kids are encouraged to wear their favorite pajamas this week. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary. org.

Ishpeming

• Drop-In Tech Help. Library staff can assist with questions about computers, cell phones,tablets and more. 1 to 4 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Ink Society Local Writers’ Group. Free for ages 16 and older. 10:30 a.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Birding Basics: Birding in the U.P. The program will include an introduction to binocular use and field guides, followed by some taxonomy and bird ranges. Participants ages 10 and older will learn what is special about birding in the U.P. and how birding can benefit both people and birds. Suggested donation per person, $5; per family, $10. 2 p.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com. • Swing Dance. A free one-hour swing dancing lesson will be followed by a social dance. 7 p.m. Dance Zone, 1113 Lincoln Ave. 602-358-6839, events@ yooperswing.com or yooperswing.com/ dance. • Carnival of the Animals: Short Ballet. Presented by the NMU CO/ LAB Dance Company, this ballet is set to the musical score by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. It will be followed by a choreographic showcase by NMU students and faculty. NMU students, $5; youth, $12; NMU employees, seniors and military, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Forest Roberts Theatre, NMU. nmu. edu/theatreanddance.

Gwinn

Negaunee

or pwpl.info. • Carnival of the Animals: Short Ballet. Presented by the NMU CO/ LAB Dance Company, this ballet is set to the musical score by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. It will be followed by a choreographic showcase by NMU students and faculty. NMU students, $5; youth, $12; NMU employees, seniors and military, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Forest Roberts Theatre, NMU. nmu. edu/theatreanddance.

Negaunee

• Heikki Lunta. This festival is a celebration of winter. Events will kick off with the bonfire lighting at 5 p.m., followed by the Irontown Rail Jam. There will also be a fish fry, public sliding at the U.P. Luge Club, snowshoe lantern tours of historic old town and an open house at the Negaunee VFW. Downtown. cityofnegaunee.com.

03 SATURDAY

sunrise 8:12 a.m.; sunset 5:55 p.m.

Escanaba

• Ice Races. Presented by the Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association. $5 donation per car; day pit passes are available for $10 per person. Spectator gate opens at 10 a.m.; races begin by 11:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Ball Park. uppermichiganiceracing.com. • Seed Library Workshop. Steve Finley of the Gwinn Seed Library will present a review of the 2023 growing season, highlighting some of the 2023 U.P. Smart seed choices grown in this region. Seed samples will be available. 1 p.m. Gwinn Community Church, 85 N. Pine St. gwinnseedlibary@gmail. com.

Ishpeming

• Meditation with a Twist. Amy Turner from the Apiary Life Studio will lead a social and guided meditation program. 10:30 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info. • Poker Run. Event runs throughout the afternoon followed by live music from Swampberry Moonshine at 8 p.m. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.

Marquette

• Heikki Lunta. This festival is a celebration of winter. Events will continue with an ice fishing tournament on Teal Lake, breakfast at the Eagles and the Elks, open house at the Ishpeming Ski Club and activities at the U.P. Luge Club, all-school art show, sledding, gourmet s’mores and miniature horse rides, snowshoe lantern tours of historic old town, an open house at the Negaunee VFW and fireworks. Downtown. cityofnegaunee.com.

04 SUNDAY

sunrise 8:11 a.m.; sunset 5:56 p.m.

Calumet

• Art Junkies. An arts and craft social group. 1 to 3 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-231-0448.

Champion

• Valentine’s Day Party with Mickey and Minnie. Children can enjoy a meet and greet with Mickey and Minnie, stories, songs, photos and more. Advance tickets required. $25 per child. 1 p.m. Jerzi’s 41 Bar and Grill, 9965 U.S. Hwy. 41. 906-486-4141.

Gwinn

• Trivia Night Fundraiser. The evening will include trivia, bucket raffles and 50/50 drawing. Proceeds will support the Forsyth Township Public Library. $10 donation to play. 3 to 6 p.m. Up North Lodge Events Center,

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

art galleries Calumet

• Calumet Art Center. Works by local and regional artists. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228. calumetartcenter.com. • Copper Country Associated Artist. Works by members and workshop participants in watercolor and oil, drawings, photography, sculpture, quilting, wood, textile, clay, glass and other media. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 205 Fifth St. 906-337-1252 or ccaartists.org. • Gallery on 5th. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Call or visit Facebook for up-to-date store hours. 906-299-0118 or galleryon5th.com.

Curtis

• Erickson Center for the Arts–Waterfront Gallery. The annual student art show, featuring artwork created by students of all ages from Tahquamenon Area Schools, Three Lakes Academy, Engadine Consolidated Schools, Manistique Area Schools and local home-schooling programs, will be on display Feb. 12 through April 12. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 9224 Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906-586-9974 ericksoncenter.org.

Copper Harbor

• EarthWorks Gallery. Featuring Lake Superior-inspired photography by Steve Brimm. Daily, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 216 First St. 906-231-6318.

Escanaba

• Besse Gallery. - Memories and Reveries by painter Jacob Bartanus is on display through the 29th. Days and hours vary. Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. baycollege.edu. • East Ludington Art Gallery. Works by local artists. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 1007 Ludington St. 906-786-0300 or eastludingtongallery.com. • Hartwig Gallery. Featuring works by local, regional and national artists. Days and hours vary. Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. baycollege.edu. • William Bonifas Fine Arts Gallery. - The U.P. Through My Lens: A Photography Competition is on display through the 22nd in the Powers Gallery. - Happenstance: A Remarkable Concurrence of Events of Circumstances That Have No Apparent Causal Connection with One Another, featuring work by fiber artists and Bonifas Invitational Award winners Katherine Sirvio and Roni Israel-Weaver, is on display through the 22nd in the Studio Gallery.

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

Carrie Flaspohler VanderVeen | Love is the Great Intangible | DeVos Art Museum

- Youth in Art, featuring work from students in Delta County area schools, will open Feb. 29 in the Powers and Studio galleries. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3p.m. 700 First Avenue South. 906-7863833 or bonifasarts.org.

Hancock

• The Finandia Gallery. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy St. 906487-7500 or gallery@finlandia.edu. • Kerredge Gallery. Works by local and regional artists. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Copper Country Community Arts Center, 126 Quincy St. 906-482-2333 or coppercountryarts. com. • Youth Gallery. Featuring works by local students. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community Arts Cen-

ter, 126 Quincy St. 906-482-2333 or coppercountryarts.com.

Houghton

• The Rozsa Galleries. Simple Machines: Poetry, Letterpress, and the Art of the Little Magazine is on display Feb. 2 through March 30 with an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on the 2nd. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 to 8 p.m. Rozsa Center, 1400 Townsend Dr. mtu.edu/rozsa.

Marquette

• Art—U.P. Style. Art by Carol Papaleo, works by local artists, gifts, classes and more. Thursday through Saturday, noon to 4.p.m. 130 W. Washington St. 906-225-1993. • DeVos Art Museum. - Fred Brian: Lake Gogebic Memories and Myths, which translates Brian’s childhood observations into narrative artwork, is on display through March 1. (continued on page 69)

art galleries

(continued from page 68)

- UP Focus, featuring work by Copper Country artists Catherine Benda and Carrie Flaspohler Vander Veen, is on display through March 30. - By Design: Looking at Living, an exhibition that considers our relationship to design using objects from the gallery’s permanent collection, is on display through June 1. Monday through Wednesday and Friday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday, noon to 8 p.m. Corner of Seventh and Tracy streets. NMU. 906-227-1481 or nmu.edu/ devos. • Graci Gallery. Monday, Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 110 N. Third St. gracigallery.com. • Huron Mountain Club Gallery. - FOCUS by Maarten Vermaat is on display through March 31 with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on the 8th. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906228-0472. • Lake Superior Photo and Gallery. The studio features landscape photographic art by Shawn Malone, including naturescapes of the Lake Superior region. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 211 S. Front St. 906-228-3686 or lakesuperiorphoto.com. • Marquette Arts and Culture Center Deo Gallery. - U.P. Denizens and Debris by Michael Letts is on display through March 31 with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on the 8th. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-228-0472. • Peter White Public Library. - Dog Dayz of Winter art show, featuring work on the theme of winter, animals and dog sledding by students in kindergarten through eighth grade, is on display Feb. 17 through 29 with an opening reception from 1 to 3 p.m. on the 17th. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lower Level Reception Gallery, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-228-0472. • Presque Isle Station. This working pottery studio features pottery by Michael Horton and Terry Gilfoy, along with works by local artists. Days and times vary. 2901 Lakeshore Blvd. 906-225-1695. • The Gallery: A Marquette Artist Collective Project. Works by local

and regional artists. Monday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Suite U7, 130 W. Washington St. mqtartistcollective.com. • The Studio Gallery at Presque Isle. Works by local and internationally acclaimed artists. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. 2905 Lakeshore Blvd. 906360-4453. • Wintergreen Hill Gallery and Gifts. Paintings and sculptures by John Debelak are on display through the 29th with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on the 8th. Wintergreen Hill Gallery strives to create an immersive art experience for visitors who are looking to buy or just looking for inspiration. Local art by local artists. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6p.m. 810 N. Third St. 906-273-1374 or wintergreenhill.com. • Zero Degrees Gallery. Metalsmithing and jewelry by guest artist Joseph Baker and drawings by student artist Izzy Barber are on display through the 29th. A Valentine’s Day card event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. on the 10th and a hot chocolate bar will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. on the 17th; call 906-228-6027 or email joann_shelby@hotmail.com. The gallery features works in oils, watercolors, mixed media, jewelry, photography, metals, woods, recycled and fiber arts and much more. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 525 N. Third St. 906-228-3058 or zerodegreesgallery.org.

Munising

• UP-Scale Art. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 109 W. Superior Ave. 906-387-3300 or upscaleart.org.

Rapid River

• The adhocWORKshop. Owner Ritch Branstrom creates sculptures with found objects inspired by the land in which the objects were found. By appointment or chance. 10495 South Main Street. 906-3991572 or adhocworkshop.com.

Sand River

• Aurelia Studio Pottery. Featuring high fire stoneware, along with functional and sculptural pieces inspired by nature, created by potter and owner Paula Neville. Open by appointment or chance. 3050 E. M-28. 906-343-6592. MM

February 2024

Marquette Monthly

215 S. Co. Rd. 557. 906-346-3433.

Ishpeming

• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.

Little Lake

• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open at 11 a.m.; early bird games begin at 1:30 p.m. American Legion Auxiliary Post 349, 1835 East M-35. 906-346-6000.

Marquette

• Story Time at MooseWood: Moose. This is a Moose by Richard T. Morris will be read followed by an activity or craft. Suggested age range is four to seven years old, but all are welcome. Suggested donation per child, $5; per family, $10. 11 a.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com.

Negaunee

• Heikki Lunta. This festival is a celebration of winter. The weekend will wrap up with the Freeze Yer Fanny fatbike race beginning at 12:45 p.m. and a pasty eating contest at 1 p.m. Downtown. cityofnegaunee.com.

05 MONDAY

sunrise 8:09 a.m.; sunset 5:58 p.m.

Marquette

Negaunee

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary.

Marquette Monthly

906-475-7700, ext. 18.

06 TUESDAY

sunrise 8:08 a.m.; sunset 5:59 p.m.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

Marquette

• Book Babies. Newborns and toddlers up to 17 months and a loving adult can enjoy songs, rhymes, stories and finger plays. Older siblings are welcome. 9:45 a.m. Great Room, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Preschool Storytime. Preschool-age children and a loving adult can enjoy stories, songs, finger plays, crafts and other school-readiness activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • NCLL: Winter Snowshoe or Hike. This will either be a snowshoe event or a hike, depending on the weather. Plan on two to two and a half miles of narrow trail with possible ice and snow; dress accordingly. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 1 to 4 p.m. Harlow Lake Area, north of Marquette off CR-550 (exact location will be emailed a week before with directions on where to meet). 906-345-9295 or elizabethjbates@hotmail.com. • Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • Write On. In this six-week series, a different local writer will engage with attendees to enhance and inspire creative expression. At the end of the series, participants will have the opportunity to publish a chapbook of their writing. 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, visit pwpl.info. • Dumbledore’s Army. Students in fourth through sixth grades will make potions in a tube. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl. info.

February 2024

• Maritime History on Tap. Jack Deo will present “A Good Eye: The Maritime Photography of Jerry Bielicki.” $5 suggested donation. 7 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-226-2006. • What’s Up? (Zoom). Scott Stobbelaar of the Marquette Astronomical Society will provide a virtual monthly guide to what can be seen in the skies of the Upper Peninsula. 7 p.m. Via Zoom. 906-226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

07 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 8:07 a.m.; sunset 6:01 p.m.

Ishpeming

• Crochet Club. This is a time to gather with fellow crafters to socialize. Supplies and instruction will be provided for those who are interested in learning how to crochet. 5:30 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456. • Teens Game On! Youth in sixth through 12th grades can drop in for a selection of video games, board games and more. 3 to 6 p.m. Teen Zone, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4321, apierce@pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • Odin’s Eye Community Read and Discussion. Author Tyler Tichelaar will read from his new book, Odin’s Eye: A Marquette Time Travel Novel. He will also give a short presentation about the book and lead a discussion. $5 suggested donation. 6:30 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. 906-226-3571 or marquettehistory.org. • League of Women Voters of Marquette County Meeting. The guest speaker will be Josh Wales, of the Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority. All interested community members are welcome. Social time, 6:30 p.m.; meeting, 6:45 p.m. Lower Level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. In case of inclement weather, visit lwvmqt.org to confirm if the meeting is live or via Zoom. lwvmqtco@gmail.com. • Marquette County Quilters Association Meeting. All skill levels are invited for socialization, program events and show and tell. Yearly

membership fee, $20. 6:30 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. marquettequilters.org. • Russell Thorburn and Dylan Trost Book Release. Poet Russell Thorburn and musician Dylan Trost will provide an evening of poems and music to mark the release of Let It Be Told in a Single Breath, Thorburn’s new collection of poetry. 7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

Negaunee

08 THURSDAY

sunrise 8:05 a.m.; sunset 6:02 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311.

Ishpeming

• West End Winter Playgroup. Families and caregivers with young children are invited to attend for free play and snacks. Presented through a partnership with Great Start. 10 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. tmeinhold@greatstartma.org or 906-486-4381. • VFW Auxiliary Meeting. 1:30 p.m. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856. • Grief Support Group. U.P. Home Health and Hospice will offer support for those caring for a loved one with a life-limiting diagnosis or who recently experienced the loss of a loved one. The group will explore different aspects of grief. 2 p.m. Ray Leverton Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. (906) 225-4545.

Marquette

• Downtown Development Authority Board Meeting. 8 a.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. downtownmarquette.org. • Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • NCLL: Pickleball 101. Ruth Robb will offer an explanation of the rules and equipment needed to play pickleball. Participants can watch a demonstration or try it out. Wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothing. NCLL

members, $5; nonmembers, $10. Noon. Baraga Gym, 300 W. Spring St. 906361-1919 or lisajstasiuk@gmail.com. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • NCLL: U.P. Native Plants. Michelle Wietek-Stephens, owner of Designs by Nature—U.P. Native Plants, will discuss what native plants are, why they are important and how to get started incorporating them. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 2 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-458-5408 or csteinha@nmu.edu. • Fandom Fun: Peppa Pig. Peppa Pig fans can enjoy crafts and activities. Youth younger than eight must have an adult present. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Women in the Woods Snowshoe Hike. Women of all ages and skill levels can attend this guided snowshoe hike offered by Michigan State University Extension and the Marquette County Conservation District. Children are welcome. 4:30 p.m. Blueberry Ridge Pathway, M-553. sara.kelso@macd. org or 906-251-3071. • Marquette Art Muses Meeting. Participants will share what they created using the prompts chosen at the January meeting. Open to the public. 5:30 p.m. The Courtyards, 1110 Champion St. lbuckmar2@yahoo.com or 906-399-9824. • Second Thursday Creativity Series. Guests can enjoy hands-on craft activities and free Culver’s frozen custard. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, 123 W. Baraga Ave. 906-226-3911 or upchildrensmuseum.org. • Yarn Winders Fiber Guild of Marquette. 6 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. • Marquette Poets Circle. Local poets, writers, and poetry enthusiasts gather to workshop their current work, followed by an open mic. New and experienced poets are welcome for either or both events. Workshop, 6:30 p.m.; open mic, 7:15 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. (906) 226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info, or pwpl.info • AAUW Member Showcase. The Marquette Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will host “HarmonyVerse: A Member Showcase of Poetry and Music” featuring Rexin Yang and U.P. Poet Laureate Beverly Matherne. 7 p.m. 104 W. Ridge St. 920-716-6544. • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Performance. This contemporary dance company is in its 33rd season. NMU students, $5; youth, $12; NMU employees, seniors and military, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Forest

Roberts Theatre, NMU. nmu.edu/ theatreanddance.

Negaunee

09 FRIDAY

sunrise 8:04 a.m.; sunset 6:04 p.m.

Curtis

• Dave Boutette and Kristi Davis. Dave Boutette, a one-time garage rock troubadour, and Kristi Davis, a former Radio City Rockette, will perform. In advance, 10 and younger, $5; students, $10; and adults, $15. At the door, 10 and younger, $10; students, $15; and adults, $20. 7 p.m. The Pine Performance Center, N9224 Saw-WaQuato St. mynorthtickets.com.

Gwinn

• Storytime. Preschool-age kids can enjoy stories, crafts and light snacks. This week will be a Valentine’s Day theme. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.

Houghton

• Blizzard. Presented by Cirque FLIP Fabrique, this event is part of MTU’s Winter Carnival. Pay As You’re Able ticketing. 7:30 p.m. Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, 1400 Townsend Ave. 906-487-1906 or events.mtu.edu.

Ishpeming

• Homeschool Hangout. Homeschooling families are invited to hang out with other homeschooling friends, network with library staff, and learn about library resources. 10 a.m. to noon. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. (906) 4864381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

joined together to end white supremacy in the nation’s most segregated state. Noon. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • LEGO Club. Participants can meet other LEGO enthusiasts and build projects with the library’s LEGO blocks. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Meijer Winter State Games. This weekend of competition will kick off with an opening ceremony featuring keynote speaker and torchbearer Andrew Bisek, an Olympian and two-time World Championship GrecoRoman wrestler. The ceremony will be followed by the ski and snowboard rail jam competition. 6:30 p.m. Marquette Mountain, 4501 M-553. stategamesofmichigan.com. • NMU Drag Show. Now in its 27th year, this all-ages show will feature some of the most notable names in drag. Expect loud music and flashing lights. 7 p.m. Ballrooms, Northern Center, NMU. nmu.edu. • NMU Senior Recital. The performance will feature Jaymes Winn on violin. 7 p.m. Reynolds Recital Hall, NMU. nmu.edu/music. • Eisenhower Dance Detroit Performance. This contemporary dance company is in its 33rd season. NMU students, $5; youth, $12; NMU employees, seniors and military, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Forest Roberts Theatre, NMU. nmu.edu/ theatreanddance.

10 SATURDAY

sunrise 8:02 a.m.; sunset 6:05 p.m.

Calumet

• Second Saturday Market. Featuring local handcrafted items. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228 or calumetartcenter. com.

Chatham

• Storytime. The storytime will also include songs and crafts. 10 a.m. Rock River Township Library, E3667 State Hwy. M-94. 906-439-5360 or rrtlibrary@gmail.com.

Gwinn

• Coffee and Conversation: Winter Self-Care. Amanda Perry will lead this meeting focused on winter self-care and participants will make their own DIY sugar scrub. Bring your favorite drink. 10 a.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org. • Ice Races. Presented by the Upper

February 2024

Michigan Ice Racing Association. $5 donation per car; day pit passes are available for $10 per person. Spectator gate opens at 10 a.m.; races begin by 11:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Ball Park. uppermichiganiceracing.com.

Escanaba

• LEGO Club. This month’s theme is “Happy Hearts.” 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Houghton

• Blizzard. Presented by Cirque FLIP Fabrique, this event is part of MTU’s Winter Carnival. This will be a sensory-friendly matinee performance. Pay As You’re Able ticketing. 2 p.m. Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, 1400 Townsend Ave. 906-487-1906 or events.mtu.edu.

Ishpeming

• Lunar New Year Storytime Celebration. Jenny Cho, anthropologist and certified Korean teacher, will share the Lunar New Year’s tradition and the variety of ways it is celebrated. There will also be a storytime, crafts and the Korean Lunar New Year game “Yut Nori.” 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info. • Graphic Novel Book Club. Students in fourth through eighth grades will discuss Ghost Book by Remy Lai. 1 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Adult Fantasy Book Club. This month’s selection is A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Human Trafficking Presentation. Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force (UPHTTF) President Stephanie Graef and members of state and local law enforcement will provide data and details of actual trafficking cases in the U.P. Presented by Ishpeming Lions Club and the Ishpeming Elks Club. 3 p.m. Ishpeming Elks Club, 597 Lakeshore Drive. 906299-2943 or upht123.org.

Marquette

• Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser. Proceeds will benefit Superior Fastpitch Softball. Children four and younger, free; general public, $10. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Elks Lodge #405, 127 N. Front St. • Meijer Winter State Games. This weekend of competition will take place at various locations throughout Marquette County. stategamesofmichigan.com. • Saturday Storytime. Babies and toddlers and a loving adult can enjoy songs, rhymes, stories and finger plays. Older siblings and older children are welcome. 10:30 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N.

Marquette Monthly

Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • NMU Piano Duo Concert. 11 a.m. Reynolds Recital Hall, NMU. nmu.edu/ music. • Valentine’s Card Workshop. Participants can learn a new technique while making a card. 1 to 4 p.m. Zero Degrees Gallery, 525 N. Third St. 906228-6027 or joann_shelby@hotmail. com. • NSDAR Meeting. This is the monthly meeting of the Onagomingkway Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). 2 p.m. Big Boy Restaurant, 1950 US-41 W. 906-226-7836. • Cozee Art Show. 6 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888.

11 SUNDAY

sunrise 8:01 a.m.; sunset 6:07 p.m.

Calumet

• Art Junkies. An arts and craft social group. 1 to 3 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-231-0448.

Ishpeming

• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.

Little Lake

• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open at 11 a.m.; early bird games begin at 1:30 p.m. American Legion Auxiliary Post 349, 1835 East M-35. 906-346-6000.

12 MONDAY

sunrise 7:59 a.m.; sunset 6:08 p.m.

Marquette

• Meijer Winter State Games. This weekend of competition will take place at various locations throughout Marquette County. stategamesofmichigan.com. • Wiggle Worms Storytime. This storytime is geared toward wiggly children and their loving adult. Stories will be intermixed with hands-on and interactive activities. 9:45 a.m. Great Room, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Pet Partners. Youth of all ages can practice their reading skills with the friendly, non-judgmental therapy reading dogs. Kids younger than eight must have an adult present. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Comic Creators. Youth in second through sixth grades can gather with other graphic novel and comic book fans, talk about favorite books and

Marquette Monthly

create graphic novel crafts. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.

Negaunee

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

13 TUESDAY

sunrise 7:58 a.m.; sunset 6:10 p.m.

Calumet

• Friends of the Library Meeting. New members are welcome to learn about programming ideas, volunteer opportunities, the Red Jacket Readers book club, and more. 5:30 p.m. Community Room, Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Gwinn

• Literature at the Lodge. This month’s selection will be Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. 7 p.m. Up North Lodge, 215 S Co. Rd. 557. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.

Houghton

• Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday. The Workshop Brass Band will perform during a catered Creole dinner followed by a Mardi Gras party. Presented by Michigan Tech Music. Pay As You’re Able ticketing. 7:30 p.m. Rozsa Backstage, 1400 Townsend Ave. 906487-1906 or events.mtu.edu.

Ishpeming

• Tot Tuesday Storytime. Stories, songs, and movement activities will be followed by an optional craft and playtime for toddlers and preschoolers. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Book Babies. Newborns and toddlers up to 17 months and a loving adult can enjoy songs, rhymes, stories and finger plays. Older siblings are welcome. 9:45 a.m. Great Room, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • NCLL: Create Your Own Photo Book (Session 1). Elizabeth J. Bates will lead a beginner’s approach to Mixbook, an online program to make photo books. Participants must provide

February 2024

their own laptop computer on which they have photos they wish to use. A second session will take place on Feb. 15; plan to attend both. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10, plus the cost of the photo book. 10 a.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-361-1919 or lisajstasiuk@gmail.com. • Preschool Storytime. Preschool-age children and a loving adult can enjoy stories, songs, finger plays, crafts and other school-readiness activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Director Chat. Stop in to chat with Library Director Andrea Ingmire. 11 a.m. to noon, and 5 to 6 p.m. Circulation Lobby, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl.info. • Tasty Reads Book Group. This month’s selection will be Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Noon. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • Lake Superior Knitters. Open to all ages and skill levels to mentor and share knowledge. If new to knitting, bring a skein of a worsted weight yarn (avoid dark yarn) and a Size 7 circular needle that is 24-inches long to make a cowl. The basic pattern will be provided. Suggested donation of $1 to $5 to the MRHC for the study and preservation of the fiber arts. 1 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. beedhive47@yahoo. com. • Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • Write On. In this six-week series, a different local writer will engage with attendees to enhance and inspire creative expression. At the end of the series, participants will have the opportunity to publish a chapbook of their writing. 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, visit pwpl.info. • Muggles for Potter. Students in second and third grades will make potions in a tube. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl. info.

Negaunee

• Valentine’s Tea and Book Sale. Hosted by the Friends of the Negaunee Public Library, guests can purchase books, enjoy refreshments and learn more about the library and the Friends group. Noon to 3 p.m. Negaunee Public

Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-4757700, ext. 18.

14 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 7:56 a.m.; sunset 6:11 p.m.

Gwinn

• Forsyth Township Public Library Board Meeting. The public is welcome. 5:30 p.m. Community Room, Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary. org.

Ishpeming

• Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456. • Healing Lines: Trauma Recovery Writing Workshop. In partnership with NMU’s Diversity Common Reader 2024 series focused on Stephanie Foo’s book What My Bones Know, poet and writer Jonathan Johnson will lead a workshop focused on writing as a way of healing from trauma. Intended for all genres and skill levels. 2 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • unTITLEd Teens. Teens in sixth through 12th can join in on the fun with a new program each month. 3 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-2264321, apierce@pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • Community Knit/Crochet Club. 5:30 p.m. Alley Kat’s Quilt Shop, 1010 W. Washington St. 906-315-0050. • ‘Birding Whitewash Canyon Arizona.’ Kurt Babcock, a member of Laughing Whitefish Bird Alliance, will discuss the birds of White Water Draw, Ariz., an area maintained as wetlands habitat for cranes, geese and other wildlife. Babcock will present photos and videos of his visits to the area over the last four winters. 7 p.m. George Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-361-9255.

Negaunee

• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library,

museums Big Bay

• Big Bay Lighthouse. The grounds of the 1896 lighthouse are open year-round. 3 Lighthouse Rd. 906-345-9957.

Calumet

• International Frisbee/USA Guts Hall of Fame and Museum. Learn about the history of Guts Frisbee. Days and hours vary. Open when events are held. Second floor ballroom, Calumet Colosseum, 110 Red Jacket Rd. 906-281-7625.

Escanaba

• Upper Peninsula Honor Flight Legacy Museum. The museum chronicles the history of the U.P. Honor Flights with the history of the trips. Donations appreciated. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request. Inside the Delta County Chamber of Commerce, 1001 N. Lincoln Rd. • Upper Peninsula Military Museum. The museum honors Upper Peninsula veterans, and features exhibits and dioramas portraying the Upper Peninsula’s contribution to U.S. war efforts from the Civil War through the Afghanistan wars. Donations appreciated. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request. Inside the Delta County Chamber of Commerce, 1001 N. Lincoln Rd.

Houghton

• A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum. New exhibit on Yooperlites, sodalite-bearing syenites that possess 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18. • Wings of Fire Interest Group. Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

15 THURSDAY

sunrise 7:55 a.m.; sunset 6:13 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311.

Escanaba

• Bay Film Series: Feeding Tomorrow. Feeding Tomorrow tells an interconnected story of how food interacts with and transforms every part of our lives. K-Bay tickets, $2; general public, $5. 7 p.m. Besse Theater, Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. 906-217-4043, nanci. love@baycollege.edu or baycollege. tix.com.

fluorescent properties. View the largest collection of minerals from the Great Lakes region and the world’s finest collection of Michigan minerals. Prices vary. Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1404 E. Sharon Ave. museum.mtu.edu or 906-487-2572. • Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw. New exhibits are Message in a Bottle, featuring artifacts long buried beneath Houghton’s streets that were found during excavations in 2021; and Celebrate the Lift Bridge, which includes building activities and the 1960s-era video about building the Lift Bridge. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. 105 Huron St. 906-482-7140 or carnegiekeweenaw.org. • MTU Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections. Features a variety of historical memorabilia, highlighting life in the Copper Country. Open by appointment. Lower level of the J.R. Van Pelt Library, MTU. 906-487-3209.

displays and exhibits of skiing history and equipment, an extensive library, video show, gift shop, special events and more. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. US-41 and Third Street. 906-485-6323 or skihall.com.

K.I. Sawyer

• K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum. The museum promotes and preserves the aviation history the air base brought to the area. Air Force-related materials are on display, including photographs, flags, medals and more. Donations appreciated. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment. 402 Third St. (906) 236-3502 or kisawyerheritageairmuseum.org.

Marquette

• Ishpeming Area Historical Society Museum. Displays include a military exhibit and artifacts from the Elson Estate. Donations appreciated. Open by appointment. See website for updates. Gossard Building, Suite 303, 308 Cleveland Ave. ishpeminghistory. org. • U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum features more than 300 Hall of Fame inductees, presented in photographs and biographies, and

• Baraga Educational Center and Museum. View artifacts and tools used by Venerable Bishop Baraga. Donations appreciated. Thursday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. 615 S. Fourth St. 906-227-9117. • Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 12 to 4 p.m. Corner of Seventh and Tracy streets. NMU. 906227-1219 or nmu.edu/beaumier. • Marquette Regional History Center. - Consumer Co-Operatives in the Central Upper Peninsula: A Middle Way, will be on display through April 27. The museum includes interactive displays as well as regional history exhibits. Youth 12 and younger, $2; students, $3; seniors, $6; adults, $7.

Houghton

kelso@macd.org or 906-251-3071.

Ishpeming

• Imagining (Im)Possibilities. Michigan Tech Theatre students will explore the craft and design of museum exhibits and presentations and participants can enjoy 30-minute self-guided tours. Pay As You’re Able ticketing. Tours begin at 7 p.m. McArdle Theatre, MTU, 1400 Townsend Dr. 906-4871906 or events.mtu.edu.

Ishpeming

• West End Winter Playgroup. Families and caregivers with young children are invited to attend for free play and snacks. Presented through a partnership with Great Start. 10 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. tmeinhold@greatstartma.org or 906-486-4381. • Women in the Woods Snowshoe Hike. Women of all ages and skill levels can attend this guided snowshoe hike offered by Michigan State University Extension and the Marquette CountyConservation District. Children are welcome. 4:30 p.m. Al Quaal Recreation Area, 501 Poplar St. sara.

Marquette

• NCLL: Create Your Own Photo Book (Session 2). Elizabeth J. Bates will answer questions about Mixbook, an online program to make photo books. Participants must provide their own laptop computer on which they have photos they wish to use. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10, plus the cost of the photo book. 10 a.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-361-1919 or lisajstasiuk@gmail.com. • Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

February 2024

Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 145 W. Spring St. 906-226-3571 or marquettehistory.org. • Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum. A variety of interactive exhibits offer learning through investigation and creativity. Prices vary. Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 123 W. Baraga Ave. 906-2263911 or upchildrensmuseum.org.

Munising

• Alger County Historical Society Heritage Center. Exhibits include the Grand Island Recreation Area, Munising Woodenware Company, barn building, homemaking, sauna and more. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1496 Washington St. 906-387-4308.

Negaunee

• Michigan Iron Industry Museum. In the forested ravines of the Marquette Iron Range, the museum overlooks the Carp River and the site of the first iron forge in the Lake Superior region. Museum exhibits, audio-visual programs and outdoor interpretive paths depict the largescale capital and human investment that made Michigan an industrial leader. The museum is one of 10 museums and historic sites administered by the Michigan Historical Center. Michigan Recreation Passport required for parking. Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 73 Forge Rd. 906-475-7857. MM • Live and Learn: Adaptive Equipment. SAIL offers assistive technology (AT) that is used to help persons with disabilities or decreased range of motion live their day-to-day life with more independence. This discussion will provide an overview of different types of AT and how SAIL can help. 2 p.m. Mill Creek Clubhouse, 1728 Windstone Dr. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Healing Lines: Trauma Recovery Writing Workshop. In partnership with NMU’s Diversity Common Reader 2024 series focused on Stephanie Foo’s book What My Bones Know, poet and writer Jonathan Johnson will lead a workshop focused on writing as a way of healing from trauma. Intended for all genres and skill levels. 2 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • Grief Support Group. U.P. Home Health and Hospice will offer support for those caring for a loved one with a life-limiting diagnosis or who recently experienced the loss of a loved one. The

Marquette Monthly

Hancock

group will explore different aspects of grief. 3 p.m. Dandelion Cottage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. (906) 225-4545. • Marquette Rug Hookers Meeting. Anyone interested in the art of rug and art hooking can gather for technique and resource sharing, instruction, show and tell, and fellowship. Participants may bring dinner. 4 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center Studio Room 2, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-360-8700. • Marquette’s Got Talent. This talent show features youth ages five to 18. Sponsored by Hope for the Future. $15. 6 p.m. Kaufman Auditorium, 611 N. Front St. mqtsgottalent@gmail.com.

• Buellwood Weavers and Fiber Arts Guild Meeting. All fiber artists are welcome. 1 p.m. Fiber Arts Studio (Room 105), Finnish American Folk School, lower level, Jutila Center, 200 Michigan St. jegale@att.net or 906-221-5306.

Houghton

• Jibba Jabba Rail Jam. This professional snowboarding event will feature a man-made snow course on Huron Street and trick features on Lakeshore Drive. The course stretches from Shelden Avenue to the pier. Spectators can line the sides of the path along Huron Street and the bottom of the course. 6 p.m. Downtown. 906-3374579 or visitkeweenaw.com. • Imagining (Im)Possibilities. Michigan Tech Theatre students will explore the craft and design of museum exhibits and presentations and participants can enjoy 30-minute self-guided tours. Pay As You’re Able ticketing. Tours begin at 7 p.m. McArdle Theatre, MTU, 1400 Townsend Dr. 906-4871906 or events.mtu.edu.

16 FRIDAY

sunrise 7:53 a.m.; sunset 6:14 p.m.

Gwinn

• Storytime. Preschool-age kids can enjoy stories, crafts and light snacks. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.

Houghton

Ishpeming

• Homeschool Lunch Bunch. Homeschool students ages 10 and older are invited to bring a sack lunch and take an opportunity to work on their public speaking and presentation skills. If a presentation will require A/V, email hlander@ishpeminglibrary.info. Noon. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

Marquette Monthly

Photo courtesy of Visit Keweenaw

Negaunee

Ishpeming Jibba Jabba Rail Jam | February 17 | Houghton

Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Global Cinema: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Director Ang Lee won critical acclaim for this Chinese film starring Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, which won the 2000 Oscar for Best International Feature Film. Rated PG-13. Noon. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-2264322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl. info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • LEGO Club. Participants can meet other LEGO enthusiasts and build projects with the library’s LEGO blocks. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • UP200 and Midnight Run. The UP200 is a 12-dog mid-distance race that covers 228 miles from Marquette to Grand Marais and back, and is an Iditarod qualifier. The Midnight Run, which starts 30 minutes after the last UP200 musher leaves the chute (but not before 8:30 p.m.), is an eightdog, 82-mile race from Marquette to Chatham. 7 p.m. Washington and Fourth streets. up200.org.

17 SATURDAY

sunrise 7:51 a.m.; sunset 6:16 p.m.

February 2024

Big Bay

• Honey Bear Classic Ski Fundraiser. Participants can choose to ski or snowshoe the entire “Honey Bear” loop or other trail options. Refreshments and hot soup for participants will start at 2 p.m. at the Thunder Bay Inn followed by the Honey Bear Jam”bear”ee at 4 p.m., which is open to all musicians. $25. 1 p.m. Big Bay Pathway Trailhead, Deutsch Avenue. honeybearclassic@ gmail.com or runsignup.com.

Escanaba

• Crafting Fun. This event is intended for ages six to 10. 1:30 p.m. Children’s Room, Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. escanabalibrary.org.

Gwinn

• Jack Pine 30 Sled Dog Race. The Jack Pine 30 is a six-dog race that covers 26 miles of snowmobile and woods trails. It starts and ends at the same location. 10 a.m. First Baptist Church, 195 N. Billings St. up200.org. • Ice Races. Presented by the Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association. $5 donation per car; day pit passes are available for $10 per person. Spectator gate opens at 10 a.m.; races begin by 11:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Ball Park. uppermichiganiceracing.com. • Value-Added Veggie Gardening with Flowers, Fungi, Herbs and Spices. Grace AaltoRosenbaum will provide information to enhance the gardening experience. Samples will be available. 1 p.m. Gwinn Community Church, 85 N. Pine St. gwinnseedlibary@gmail.com.

• Life Drawing. Local artist Paul Olson will lead a class on life drawing for ages 16 and older. Supplies will be provided and no experience is necessary. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Young Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is Ghosted by Amanda Quain. 3 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.

Marquette

• Midnight Run Finish Line. Sled dog teams will begin crossing the finish line some time after 8 a.m., depending on conditions. Ojibwa Casino, 105 Acre Trail. up200.org. • Prom Dress Swap. All dresses are free. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4321 or apierce@ pwpl.info. • Saturday Storytime. Babies and toddlers and a loving adult can enjoy songs, rhymes, stories and finger plays. Older siblings and older children are welcome. 10:30 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Hot Chocolate Bar. 1 to 4 p.m. Zero Degrees Gallery, 525 N. Third St. 906228-6027 or joann_shelby@hotmail. com. • Investi-gators Forensics. Youth of all ages can drop in to learn how to fingerprint, paint some splatter and solve a mystery. Youth younger than

eight must have an adult present. 1 to 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Creature Feature: Invertebrates. The program will present a glimpse into invertebrate diversity. Tarantulas and millipedes will be on hand. All ages are welcome. Suggested donation per person, $5; per family, $10. 3 p.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com.

18 SUNDAY

sunrise 7:50 a.m.; sunset 6:17 p.m.

Calumet

• Art Junkies. An arts and craft social group. 1 to 3 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-231-0448.

Ishpeming

• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.

Lake Linden

• Music for a Sacred Space. Featuring Michigan Tech Choirs and Northern Michigan University Arts Chorale. Free will donations will support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. 7:30 p.m. St. Joseph Catholic Church, 701 Calumet St. 906-487-1906 or events. mtu.edu.

Little Lake

• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open at 11 a.m.; early bird games begin at 1:30 p.m. American Legion Auxiliary Post 349, 1835 East M-35. 906-346-6000.

Marquette

• Boys Scouts Pancake Breakfast. The senior scouts of Boy Scout Troop 372 will host a pancake breakfast to support their summer 2024 backpacking expedition to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. Children four and younger, free; individuals, $10; families (up to 4 individuals), $30. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. American Legion, 700 W. Bluff St. 607-279-4055. • UP200 Finish Line. Sled dog teams can begin crossing the finish line as early as 10 a.m., depending on conditions, and will continue throughout the afternoon. Ojibwa Casino, 105 Acre Trail. up200.org. • Story Time at MooseWood: Foxes. Fox by Kate Banks will be read followed by an activity or craft. Suggested age range is four to seven years old, but all are welcome. Suggested donation per child, $5; per family, $10. 11 a.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com.

19 MONDAY

sunrise 7:48 a.m.; sunset 6:19 p.m.

Marquette

• Wiggle Worms Storytime. This storytime is geared toward wiggly children and their loving adult. Stories will be intermixed with hands-on and interactive activities. 9:45 a.m. Great Room, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • School’s Out, Library’s In: Panda. Youth of all ages can drop in for this schools’ out day. Students can create panda bead crafts and candy sushi, and watch Kung Fu Panda 3. Kids younger than eight must have an adult present. Noon to 5 p.m. Youth Services and Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Pet Partners. Youth of all ages can practice their reading skills with the friendly, non-judgmental therapy reading dogs. Kids younger than eight must have an adult present. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Quick Fics Book Group. This month’s selection is Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh. 6 p.m. Dandelion Cottage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Northwords and Music: Peace Show. Join 2022 Marquette Writer of the Year B. G. Bradley, two-time U.P. Poet Laureate Marty Achatz, musician Linda Smith, 2022 Performing Artist of the Year Troy Graham and actress Jacque Love for an evening of music, stories, poetry and skits. The event will also be livestreamed. 7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • The Joy of Sound Meditation. This evening of sound meditation will feature bronze singing bowls and metal gongs. 7 p.m. Chapel, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Ridge St. 906-362- 9934 or ckitchenmqt@gmail. com.

Negaunee

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

20 TUESDAY

sunrise 7:46 a.m.; sunset 6:20 p.m.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Tot Tuesday Storytime. Stories, songs, and movement activities will be followed by an optional craft and playtime for toddlers and preschoolers. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public

Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Book Babies. Newborns and toddlers up to 17 months and a loving adult can enjoy songs, rhymes, stories and finger plays. Older siblings are welcome. 9:45 a.m. Great Room, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Preschool Storytime. Preschool-age children and a loving adult can enjoy stories, songs, finger plays, crafts and other school-readiness activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Community Conversations Media Smart: Artificial Intelligence in the Information Age. Michael Sauer of NMU’s Cyber Security Department will provide information and tips on being cyber-safe at home and work with the advent of artificial intelligence. Participants are encouraged to bring lunch. Noon. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • Bellin Health Open House. Guests can meet the Bellin Cardiology and Primary Care teams, tour the suite, and enjoy snacks, give-aways, a raffle drawing, and blood pressure and BMI checks. 4 to 6 p.m. Peninsula Medical Center, 1414 W. Fair Avenue, Suite 390. • Dungeons and Dragons. Jordan from Iron Golem Games, will lead a group of teens in sixth through 12th grades on a quest with this role-playing game. Registration is required. 4 p.m. Teen Zone, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4321, apierce@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • Jr. Explorers. Curious kids in kindergarten through third grade will explore ocean creatures with activities and books from the library’s nonfiction collection. Youth younger than eight must have an adult present. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Dungeons and Dragons Junior. Staff members Cat and Thayer will lead youth in fourth and fifth grades on a quest with this role-playing game. Registration required. 4:30 p.m. Conference Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • NCLL: Odin’s Eye. Author Tyler Tichelaar will discuss his new book, Odin’s Eye: A Marquette Time Travel

February 2024

Novel, which takes readers on a journey from the coronavirus pandemic into Marquette’s past and future. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 4 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-361-5370 or jhigbie@nmu.edu. • PWPL Board of Trustees Meeting. This monthly meeting of the board of trustees of the Peter White Public Library is open to all. 5 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. pwpl.info. • ‘Lady in Gold’ Art Talk. Gwinn artist Judy Parlato will discuss her experience to recreate “Lady in Gold,” the famous painting by Gustav Klimt, in fibers and quilting. 6:30 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center Studio, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. lakesuperiorartassociation.org. • Noah Bauer Concert. Singer and songwriter Noah Bauer will perform a concert of covers and original music. 7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • NMU Jazz Concert. 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Recital Hall, NMU. nmu. edu/music.

21 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 7:45 a.m.; sunset 6:22 p.m.

Gwinn

• After School LEGO Club. Children ages five and older are welcome to drop in and build. Students younger than 10 must have an adult present. 4 to 5 p.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary. org.

Ishpeming

• Adult Horror Book Club. This month’s selection is The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• All Booked Up (Online). Upper Michigan Today’s Elizabeth Peterson and Tia Trudgeon, along with Peter White Public Library staff, will lead a discussion of Sula by Toni Morrison via the TV6 Facebook page. 9 a.m. 906-226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • NCLL: UPLC Snowshoe the Vielmetti-Peters Reserve. Staff from the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy (UPLC) will lead a hike of about two miles over rolling terrain. Some snowshoes may be available to use. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 10 a.m. Vielmetti-Peters Reserve, Brickyard Road. 906-361-1919 or lisajstasiuk@gmail.com. • Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by

Marquette Monthly

sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456. • Adult Nonfiction Book Group. This month’s book is The Hello Girls: America’s First Women Soldiers by Elizabeth Cobbs. 1 p.m. Conference Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4311 or refdesk@ pwpl.info. • Senior Support Series (SSS): Music as Medicine. Participants will learn from the professional musicians of the Superior String Alliance. Presented in coordination with Mapping Medicare. 1:30 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. 906-2263571 or marquettehistory.org. • Outword. Intended for LGBTQIA youth and ally students in seventh to 12th grades. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4321, apierce@pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • Community Conversations Media Smart Cinema: Wag the Dog. This satirical film starring Academy Awardwinning actors Dustin Hoffman and Robert DeNiro depicts the fabrication of a fictional war in order to divert the public attention away from a presidential scandal. Rated R. 6:30 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-2264322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl. info.

Negaunee

22 THURSDAY

sunrise 7:43 a.m.; sunset 6:23 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311.

Ishpeming

Marquette Monthly

greatstartma.org or 906-486-4381. • Grief Support Group. U.P. Home Health and Hospice will offer support for those caring for a loved one with a life-limiting diagnosis or who recently experienced the loss of a loved one. The group will explore different aspects of grief. 2 p.m. Ray Leverton Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. (906) 225-4545.

Marquette

• Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • School’s Out, Library’s In: Minions. Youth of all ages can drop in for this schools’ out day. Students can make Minion Perler beads and watch Minions: The Rise of Gru. Kids younger than eight must have an adult present. Noon to 5 p.m. Youth Services, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • Fandom Fun: Dragons! Youth of all ages can enjoy an hour of dragon activities. Students younger than eight must have an adult present. 4:30 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl. info. • Community Conversations Media Smart: Master Media in the Digital Age. Sue Ellen Christian, a media literacy expert from Western Michigan University, will discuss her research on media literacy principles and offer tools for analyzing media messages, verifying information, and understanding online privacy. The event will also be livestreamed. 7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl. info. • Cloverland Concert. Presented by the Hiawatha Music Co-Op. Donation only. 7 p.m. The Fold, 1015 N. Third St. 906-226-8575 or hiawathamusic.org. • NMU Choirs Concert. Featuring NMU Choirs and Michigan Tech Music. 7:30 p.m. St. Peter Cathedral, 311 W. Baraga Ave. nmu.edu/music. • Puffs. NMU Theatre and Dance will present Puffs, a parody of the Harry Potter book series. NMU students, $5; youth, $12; NMU employees, seniors and military, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Panowski Black Box Theatre, NMU. nmu.edu/theatreanddance.

Negaunee

• Music, Movement and More. This parent-led storytime is for children of all ages and their caregivers. 10:30 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

February 2024

• Building Club. Youth ages five and older will discuss a topic that will be the focus of their creations and then have time to build with blocks such as LEGO bricks. Participants can have their creations displayed in the library until the following meeting. 4:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

23 FRIDAY

sunrise 7:41 a.m.; sunset 6:25 p.m.

Gwinn

• Storytime. Preschool-age kids can enjoy stories, crafts and light snacks. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.

Ishpeming

Marquette

• Preschool Storytime. Preschool-age children and a loving adult can enjoy stories, songs, finger plays, crafts and other school-readiness activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Blockbusting Cinema: 12 Years a Slave. In honor of Black History Month, the award-winning film 12 Years a Slave tells the true story of Solomon Northrup, a free African American who is sold into slavery by two con men. Rated R. Noon. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • LEGO Club. Participants can meet other LEGO enthusiasts and build projects with the library’s LEGO blocks. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Puffs. NMU Theatre and Dance will present Puffs, a parody of the Harry Potter book series. NMU students, $5; youth, $12; NMU employees, seniors and military, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Panowski Black Box Theatre, NMU. nmu.edu/theatreanddance.

24 SATURDAY

sunrise 7:40 a.m.; sunset 6:26 p.m.

Gwinn

• Ice Races. Presented by the Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association. $5 donation per car; day pit passes are available for $10 per person. Night race; times TBA. Forsyth Township Ball Park. uppermichiganiceracing. com.

Ishpeming

• Life Drawing. Local artist Paul Olson will lead a class on life drawing for ages 16 and older. Supplies will be provided and no experience is necessary. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Human Trafficking Training. Members of the Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force (UPHTTF) will provide training to help the public identify and report potential human trafficking activities. Presented by Ishpeming Lions Club and the Ishpeming Elks Club. 3 p.m. Ishpeming Elks Club, 597 Lakeshore Drive. 906-299-2943 or upht123.org.

Marquette

• Saturday Storytime. Babies and toddlers and a loving adult can enjoy songs, rhymes, stories and finger plays. Older siblings and older children are welcome. 10:30 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com. • Puffs. NMU Theatre and Dance will present Puffs, a parody of the Harry Potter book series. NMU students, $5; youth, $12; NMU employees, seniors and military, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Panowski Black Box Theatre, NMU. nmu.edu/theatreanddance.

Negaunee

• North American Luge Championship. The U.S. Natural Track Luge team and sliders from the Upper Peninsula Luge Club will join athletes from around the world. Lucy Hill, 230 E. County Road. upluge.org.

Trenary

• Trenary Outhouse Classic. This will be the 31st annual race of homemade outhouses placed on skis and pushed by two runners. 2 p.m. Downtown. trenaryouthouseclassic.com.

25 SUNDAY

sunrise 7:38 a.m.; sunset 6:28 p.m.

Calumet

• Art Junkies. An arts and craft social group. 1 to 3 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-231-0448.

Little Lake

• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open at 11 a.m.; early bird games begin at 1:30 p.m. American Legion Auxiliary Post 349, 1835 East M-35. 906-346-6000.

5 p.m. Partridge Creek Farm Office, 112 S. Main St. partridgecreekfarm. org/events.

Sit Down Francis | Feb. 28 | Escanaba

Marquette

26 MONDAY

sunrise 7:36 a.m.; sunset 6:29 p.m.

Marquette

• Wiggle Worms Storytime. This storytime is geared toward wiggly children and their loving adult. Stories will be intermixed with hands-on and interactive activities. 9:45 a.m. Great Room, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Community Conversations Media Smart: Banking Fraud. Staff from Embers Credit Union will discuss banking fraud and scams, and offer tips on how to protect yourself. 1 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Pet Partners. Youth of all ages can practice their reading skills with the friendly, non-judgmental therapy reading dogs. Kids younger than eight must have an adult present. 4 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • NMU Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble Concert. 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Recital Hall, NMU. nmu.edu/ music.

Negaunee

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

27 TUESDAY

sunrise 7:34 a.m.; sunset 6:31 p.m.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

Photo courtesy of Bay College

• Glass, Beads and Charms Workshop. Participants will learn to bend and work with wire to make their own handmade piece of jewelry. All tools and materials will be provided. Youth 14 and younger can create a necklace or backpack charm; adults can create a necklace or earrings. $10 per jewelry piece. 1 p.m. for ages 14 years and younger (adults welcome, too) and 2:30 p.m. for adults. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register by Feb. 23, email moosewoodnc@gmail.com.

Marquette

Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655. • Community Conversations Media Smart Book Discussion. The selection will be Julia, a retelling of George Orwell’s 1984 by Sandra Newman. 2:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4311 or refdesk@pwpl.info. • Bluesday Tuesday. This blues concert is sponsored by the Marquette Blues Society. 7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

28 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 7:32 a.m.; sunset 6:32 p.m.

Escanaba

• Sit Down Francis. Sit Down Francis is a local hardcore alternative folk band. K-Bay tickets, $5; general public, $10. 7 p.m. Besse Theater, Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. 906-217-4040, events@baycollege.edu or baycollege. tix.com.

Ishpeming

• Popcorn and a Movie. The selection will be Barbie (PG-13). Popcorn will be provided; bring a beverage. 4:30 p.m. Ray Leverton Community Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info. • Pressure Canning Workshop. $25.

February 2024

• Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456. • Teens Cook! Teens in sixth through 12th grades will learn easy-to-prepare recipes. Registration required. 4:30 p.m. Marquette Food Co-op, 502 W. Washington St. 906-226-4321 or pwpl. info. • Community Conversations Media Smart: Local Media Misinformation Panel. Members of the League of Women Voters of Marquette County will moderate a panel of representatives from local media outlets who will discuss how misinformation has impacted their work. 6:30 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303, pwpl.com or lwvmqtco@gmail.com. • MRHC Annual Meeting. A brief business meeting will be followed by the annual Helen Longyear Paul and Peter White history awards. There will also be an opportunity to meet Hunter Laing, designer of the museum’s current special exhibit on cooperatives. 6:30 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. 906-2263571 or marquettehistory.org. • NMU Orchestra Children’s Concert. 6:30 p.m. Reynolds Recital Hall, NMU. nmu.edu/music.

Negaunee

29 THURSDAY

sunrise 7:31 a.m.; sunset 6:34 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311.

Ishpeming

• West End Winter Playgroup. Families and caregivers with young

Marquette Monthly

children are invited to attend for free play and snacks. Presented through a partnership with Great Start. 10 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. tmeinhold@greatstartma.org or 906-486-4381. • Meditation with a Twist. Amy Turner from the Apiary Life Studio will lead a social and guided meditation program. 5:30 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.

Marquette

• Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room,

Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info. • Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com. • NCLL: Argentina’s Charms and Treasures. Carol Margrif, an NCLL member and travel enthusiast, will share a PowerPoint presentation of her experience as part of a recent Antarctica trip. Included will be Iguazu Falls, the Recoleta Cemetery, the Graffiti district, national parks and the Buenos Aires waterfront district. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 2 p.m. Room B101, NMU Superior Dome. 906-361-5370 or jhigbie@nmu.edu.

• ‘Brews and Butterbur: A Year of Conservation in Review.’ This annual meeting of the Marquette County Conservation District will present its success over the last year and highlight the removal of invasive Butterbur in Marquette County. Dinner will be provided. 6 p.m. Barrel + Beam, 260 Northwoods Rd. marquettecd.com. • Poet Tyehimba Jess. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tyehimba Jess will present an evening of creative readings as part of the NMU English Department’s Visiting Writer Series. 7 p.m. Peninsula II Room, Northern Center, NMU. nmu.edu. • Puffs. NMU Theatre and Dance will present Puffs, a parody of the Harry Potter book series. NMU students, $5; youth, $12; NMU employees, seniors

and military, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Panowski Black Box Theatre, NMU. nmu.edu/theatreanddance.

Senior Center, 165 Maple St. 906225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Caregiver Support Group— Ishpeming. Feb. 20. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Multi-Purpose Senior Center, 121 Greenwood St. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Caregiver Support Group— Marquette. Feb. 21. 2 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Divorce Care—Ishpeming. This non-denominational group is for people who are separated or divorced. New members are welcome. Tuesdays, 6 p.m. Northiron Church, 910 Palms Ave. 906-475-6032 or northiron.church. • Grief Share—Ishpeming. This non-denominational group is for people dealing with grief and loss. Mondays, 2:30 p.m. Northiron Church, 910 Palms Ave. northiron. church or 906-475-6032. • Gamblers Anonymous. This group is for those who have or think they have a problem with gambling. Thursdays, 7 p.m. Library Room, First Presbyterian Church, 120 N. Front St., Marquette. • Grief Support Group—Gwinn. People dealing with grief and loss are encouraged to attend. Individual grief counseling is available. Feb. 14. 2 p.m. Forsyth Senior Center, 165 Maple St. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • Grief Support Group—Marquette. People dealing with grief and loss are encouraged to attend. Individual grief counseling is available. Feb. 21. 5:30 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. 906225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org. • iCanQuit. Smokers are invited to learn more about quitting with the help of a quitting coach. 800-480-7848.

• Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous. Tuesdays, 12:05 p.m. Upstairs, The Crib Coffee House, 401 N. Third St., Marquette. ITAAMQT@ zohomail.com. • Marquette Codependents Anonymous Meeting. Mondays, 7 p.m. LoveMarq Church, 728 W. Kaye Ave. coda.org. • Michigan Tobacco Quit Line. This free quit smoking coaching hotline provides callers with a personal health coach. 800-784-8669. • Motherhood Support Group— Marquette. This free group meets the second Thursday of each month. 6 p.m. Suunta Integrative Health, 1209 N. Third St. 906-273-0964. • Nar-Anon Meetings—Ishpeming. Family and friends who have addicted loved ones are invited. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Mission Covenant Church, 1001 N. Second St. 906-361-9524. • Narcotics Anonymous Meetings— Marquette. Family and friends who have addicted loved ones are invited. Open meetings on Wednesdays and Sundays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Closed meeting on Fridays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Use the Ridge Street entrance. Downstairs Social Room, Marquette Hope First Campus, 111 E. Ridge St. • National Alliance on Mental Illness—In-Person Support Group. Individuals living with mental illness and friends or families living with an individual with mental illness are welcome. Feb. 12 and 15. (tentative; email ckbertucci58@charter.net to confirm meeting and location). 7 p.m. 906-360-7107 or namimqt.com. • National Alliance on Mental Illness—Zoom Support Group. Individuals living with mental illness and friends or families living with an individual with mental illness are welcome. Feb. 8. (Zoom date may be subject to change). 7 p.m. Email

ckbertucci58@charter.net or call or text 906-360-7107 before 6:45 p.m. the day of the meeting to receive the Zoom invitation. namimqt.com. • Nicotine Anonymous. 415-7500328 or nicotine-anonymous.org. • Parkinson’s Support Group. Open to people living with Parkinson’s and their caregivers. Feb. 21. 2 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456. • Sexual Health and Addiction Therapy Group. Call Great Lakes Recovery Centers for more details. Dates, times and locations vary. 906-228-9696. • SMART Recovery—Calumet. A self-help group for alcohol and substance abuse and other addictive behaviors. Mondays, 7 p.m. Copper Country Mental Health, 56938 Calumet Ave. smartrecovery.org. • SMART Recovery—Hancock. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 p.m. Conference Room No. 5, U.P. Health Systems–Portage Hospital, 500 Campus Dr. • SMART Recovery—Marquette. Mondays, noon. Zoom meeting. Visit smartrecovery.com for Zoom link. • Take Off Pounds Sensibly. This is a non-commercial weight-control support group. Various places and times throughout the U.P. 800-932-8677 or TOPS.org. • Virtual Caregiver Support Group. U.P. family caregivers are welcome to join. A device with an internet connection, webcam, microphone and an email address are required. Advanced registration required. 2 p.m. Second Tuesday of the month. 906-217-3019 or caregivers@upcap.org. • Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Supplemental Food Program. Clinics include nutritional counseling and coupon pick-up. Appointments required.

Negaunee

support groups • Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families— Marquette. Sundays, 7 p.m., Use the parking lot entrance. Downstairs meeting room, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Ridge St. adultchildren.org/meeting. • Alano Club—Marquette. Twelvestep recovery meetings daily. Monday through Saturday, noon and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. 3000 US-41 (back side of mall). • Al-Anon Family Groups. A fellowship offering strength and hope for friends and families of problem drinkers. al-alon.org or 888-425-2666. • Alcoholics Anonymous. Meetings throughout Marquette County, open daily, at many locations and times. Twenty-four-hour answering service, aa-marquettecounty.org or 800-605-5043. • Open AA Meeting—Gwinn. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Basement, Gwinn Community Building, 165 N. Maple St. • Open AA Meeting—K.I. Sawyer. Fridays, 8 p.m. 906 Community Church, 315 Explorer St. • Men’s AA Meeting—Gwinn. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church, 280 Boulder St. (entrance to the right of main entrance). • ALZConnected. This is a free, online community for everyone affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other memory loss diseases. alzconnected.org. • American Legacy Foundation. Smoking quit line for expectant mothers and cessation information for women. 800-668-8278. • Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Checks. Cholesterol checks are $5. Call for Marquette County schedule. 906-225-4545. • Caregiver Support Group— Gwinn. Feb. 13. 1:30 p.m. Forsyth

Marquette Monthly

February 2024

Marquette Monthly