Mailbox

Dear editor
As the vacancy pastor at Victory Lutheran Church at 315 Explorer, I am writing to bring to your attention an extremely heart-warming community event that occurred on April 21 at Victory.
As the Sawyer Community is aware, Victory has an emergency food pantry for anyone in need. This food pantry is stocked by donations from area churches, businesses and private individuals. Cub Scout Pack 356 accompanied by their Pack treasurer, Andrea Morgan, delivered forty to fifty bags and boxes of food for our food pantry – which they acquired in a recent area food drive.
Cub Scout Pack 356, their Scout Master Pete Evans, and all the other Pack leaders and parents associated with 356 are deserving of community recognition and a big “thank you” to these community-minded young citizens.
Rev. John A. Wilman

CFL disposal available to Marquette County residents
Marquette County residents now have an option for properly disposing of Compact Florescent Light Bulbs (CFLs).
CFLs contain a small amount of mercury and should not be disposed of in household trash. Starting in May, the Marquette County Landfill will accept CFLs at their Household Hazardous Waste collections held throughout the summer and fall (bring CFLs in a sealed plastic bag).
The first collection will be held on May 3 at the Marquette Service Center located at 850 West Baraga Avenue. The collection will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
There also will be a collection on May 10 at the West Ishpeming Transfer Station on US-41 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Residents also can bring other types of household hazardous waste including pesticides, herbicides, oil-based paints, etc.
For a complete list of collection dates and accepted materials, call 249-4125 or visit www.mcswma.com

Summer AGES internship program seeks applicants
The Area Geriatric Education Scholars (AGES) internship program for Upper Peninsula youth is accepting applications through May 2. AGES internships put UP high school juniors and seniors to work in local nursing homes, caring for seniors, leading resident activities and job shadowing healthcare professionals for seven weeks each summer.
Once placed, interns work up to twenty hours a week for seven weeks from late June through early August. Each intern can earn up to $1,000 for the summer.
Applicants must be at least sixteen years of age by June 11, have just completed their junior or senior year at a U.P. high school and have a minimum GPA of 2.75. The complete application includes a written application form, interest essay and letter of reference. AGES applications, program information and acknowledgements to AGES partners are available at www.mgh.org/uphec
Community members with questions about the AGES program may contact UPHEC at 228-7970.

Victory Lutheran Church welcomes new pastor
On February 3, Pastor John Wilman began serving the congregation at Victory Lutheran Church in K.I. Sawyer.
Pastor Wilman and his wife Jeanne have two daughters and two grandchildren who live in Wisconsin. Jessica and Jake Wyss have one daughter, Maggie Ann, age six. Jodi and Mike Cress have one son, Tyler, age seven months.
Prior to his work in ministry, Pastor Wilman was in law enforcement for seventeen years, nine of which were spent serving as the Chief of Police in Boyceville (Wisconsin). During that time, he was active in his home church and sometimes filled in for his pastor. He felt a desire to do more in the church and was led by the Holy Spirit to study to become a Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod Minister. He was ordained on June 13, 1999.
Victory is the third congregation Pastor Wilman has served. He served his vicarage at a dual parish – Zion Lutheran Church in Turtle Lake (Wisconsin) and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Clayton (Wisconsin) and received his first call to those congregations. He then served Peace Lutheran Church in Park Falls (Wisconsin) before coming to the Upper Peninsula and Victory Lutheran Church. Each of these congregations has been quite different, but Pastor Wilman said he has enjoyed the challenges and the blessings of each, believing that “God equips those that he calls.”

High school seeks donations for all-night graduation party
The twenty-fifth IHS All-Night Graduation Party is being planned. Donations are sought to make the event possible.
All money received will be used to offset expenses incurred for the music, food, prizes and more. Merchandise or gift certificates also are welcome.
For details, call 485-1066.

Bird festival set for May 2 and 3 in Copper Harbor
The Keweenaw’s third annual international Migratory Bird Day Festival will take place on May 2 and 3 in Copper Harbor
Presentations include raptor research with Vic Berardi, Birds of Prey with the Northwoods Wildlife Center, a loon presentation with Keren Tischler, music, food and more.
For details, call 289-4813, visit www.keweenawimbd.org or e-mail info@keweenawimbd.org

DMA invites 2008 Blueberry Festival poster entries
In celebration of the 2008 Blueberry Festival, the Downtown Marquette Association invites area residents of all ages and skill to submit original artwork for the Blueberry Festival poster contest.
The winning design will be reproduced as a full color, limited edition poster.
Entry deadline is June 6. For details and rules, call 228-6213.

Women’s Center sets annual golf scramble date
Join Senator Mike Prusi on May 16 for the Women’s Center Golf Scramble.
The event, which starts at 1:00 p.m., costs $75 for green fees, dinner and golf cart use. Anyone getting a hole in one wins a new car from Fox Motors-Negaunee.
The proceeds from the event benefit the Women’s Center. To register or to sponsor a hole, call 225-1346, ext. 21.

Summer BOW program set for Upper Peninsula
Women seeking the opportunity to improve their outdoor skills are invited to register for the annual Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program, set for May 30 through June 1 in Big Bay.
The program will be held at Bay Cliff Health Camp and offers instruction in more than two dozen outdoor activities, including kayaking, canoeing, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, boating, birding, ORV/ATV use, GPS and map and compass, and several styles of shooting sports. Instructors provide basic and advanced instruction tailored to the participant’s ability.
The $175 registration fee includes all food and lodging, as well as most equipment and supplies (except as noted in the registration materials). Participants will be housed in a dorm-style facility with numerous amenities, including a pool, sauna, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails, and easy access to Lake Superior.
BOW workshops are for women eighteen and older who wish to learn outdoor skills in a relaxed, noncompetitive atmosphere.
The U.P. BOW program also includes special evening programs, such as individual kayaking instruction in the pool after hours, fishing trips, group bonfires and more.
Visit www.michigan.gov/bow for details.

United Way celebrates campaign with awards event
The United Way of Marquette County celebrated the 2007-08 campaign with a “Lake Superior Community Partnership Business After Hours” on April 14 at the Holiday Inn. The United Way staff, board members, co-chairs and campaign team took the opportunity to thank the community and those who worked so hard during campaign.
Special awards were presented for some of the outstanding individuals and businesses. Norlite Nursing Home won the “Highest Percentage Increase” award for increasing their campaign donations 175 percent over the previous year.
The “Highest Per Capita” giving donation was awarded to UPS because 100 percent of their employees made pledges at an average amount of more than $200. Stu Bradley was recognized for pounding the pavement during the campaign by winning the “Holey Sole Award.”
Ron Heighes received a “Lifetime Commitment Award” for his twenty-five years of devoted service to the United Way and the community.
The fundraising goal for the campaign is $500,000. People and businesses are encouraged to join the campaign to help reach the goal, which will provide funding for many nonprofit agencies in Marquette County. For details, call 226-8171 or visit www.uwmqt.org

Freshwater Future awards grant to Save the Wild U.P.
The environment in the Upper Peninsula recently received a boost when Save the Wild U.P. was awarded a grant from Freshwater Future (formerly great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund).
The $3,500 grant was awarded to help protect the Upper Peninsula from major risks to the health of some of the Great Lakes region’s most precious groundwater and surface water habitats.
This project will research the legal mechanisms landowners can use to control mining exploration or mining activity under their surface land ownership, as well as protect habitat. Results will be used to help educate the public on mineral rights ownership and their role in protecting aquatic ecosystems.
For details, call 228-4444.

Great Lakes Recovery expands with department
Great Lakes Recovery Centers announced the opening of its new Behavioral Health Services Department (BHS).
The BHS department, located within the Marquette outpatient office, offers a wide array of mental health services including; adolescent, couples and family therapy, individual therapy, post-traumatic assessment, psychological assessment, presurgical assessment, mental health consultation, educational assessment and testing, forensic assessment, sex offender treatment and services as well as the great substance abuse treatment options we have always made available.
For details, call (888)GLRC-REC or visit www.glrc.biz

U.P. meetings set to help form citizen advisory groups
Two regional public meetings are planned in May to bring together conservation organizations and interested citizens with the DNR and NRC to work together on Upper Peninsula natural resources issues.
The first meeting will be for the Western UP Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) at 1:00 p.m. on May 3 in NMU’s Charcoal Room. The meetings are open to the public.

MSU Extension gets grant for youth mentoring programs
Michigan State University Extension, 4-H Youth Development has received a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service through the Michigan Community Service Commission, to support the development, operation and expansion of planned youth mentoring programs across the state of Michigan.
This grant provides for sixty full-time AmeriCorps members to be placed in MSU Extension sites and community-based organizations statewide to provide full-time service in the area of planned youth mentoring.
For an investment of only $4,750 per member, an organization can receive the services of a full-time AmeriCorps member for one year.
Member start dates for the 2008-09 program year are October 1 and October 15. Applications from interested organizations are due by June 30. Those selected to receive a member(s) will be notified no later than July 20. For details, call (517)432-7606

Granholm signs bills to attract movie industry
Governor Granholm recently signed sixteen bills that make Michigan the best place in the United States to make movies.
The bills offer tax incentives to film, television, and digital media crews to base productions in Michigan and employ Michigan workers. Already, the package is drawing national attention: last year, the Michigan Film Office received six scripts; this year, they’ve already received more than eighty.
Every dollar spent on film production in Michigan is expected to generate another $1.85 to $3 in economic benefit to our state’s economy. Other states that passed similar packages have had great success in attracting jobs and investment.

Maritime museum receives ‘America’s Treasures’ grant
The Marquette Maritime Museum has been awarded a “Federal Save America’s Treasures Initiative” grant in the amount of $296,000 for the preservation of the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse.
The prestigious “Save America’s Treasures” initiative is designed to preserve significant historic properties and collections. The grant requires a match of cash, goods or services on the part of the Museum.
Marquette Harbor Lighthouse is the most historically important structure in the city, dating from 1866. Due to several design modifications, it is unique among U.S. lighthouses. It is one of the most historically important lights on the Great Lakes because of its vital involvement in the early iron ore trade. The Museum currently leases the light from the U.S. Coast Guard for historic restoration.
Those wishing to support the lighthouse preservation with donations of funds, labor, equipment or supplies should call 226-6014.

Awareness event draws attention to local uninsured
Mark your calendars for the May 3 awareness walk and community health fair. The walk is designed to bring he community together to address the ongoing challenges of covering the uninsured in Marquette County.
The approximately three-mile walk (with optional one-mile loop) begins at 9:00 a.m., followed by a health fair from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the Marquette Commons.
For details, call 226-4400.

Tim Thomas hired as new diocesan finance director
Bishop Alexander K. Sample announced the hiring of Tim Thomas of Marquette as director of administration and finance for the Catholic Diocese of Marquette.
Thomas began his new duties on April 14. In consultation with the bishop and Diocesan Finance Council, Thomas will direct all of the financial and administrative affairs of the diocese, including financial and property management and financial support systems, and carry the administrative responsibility for personnel practices for all diocesan employees.
Thomas and his wife, Michele, have been married since 1994, and have three children: Cassidy, 11; Charlotte (Charley), 9; and Andrew, 8.
By virtue of his position, Thomas will serve as a member of several diocesan consultative bodies, including the Diocesan Finance Council, Catholic Charities of the U.P. Board, The U.P. Catholic Newspaper Advisory Board and the Diocesan Catholic School Board.

Artist booth applications available for Houghton event
The Copper Country Community Arts Center and the City of Houghton have announced the seventh annual Houghton Spring Art and Music Festival to be held from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on June 7.
The Houghton Spring Art and Music Festival is an annual celebration of spring with art, music, art activities, food, artist demos and more on the beautiful waterfront in downtown Houghton. Artist booth applications are available at the Community Arts Center or at www.coppercountryarts.com
Application deadline is May 15. Call 482-2333 for details. The Copper Country Community Arts Center is located at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock.

Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation announces Michigan grants
The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation recently approved more than $500,000 in grants to Upper Michigan nonprofit organizations and municipalities for 2008.
The largest of the grants, $400,000, is a continuation of a five-year, $2 million pledge to assist in construction of Ishpeming’s new Bell Hospital. This year’s contribution will be the second installment on that pledge.
The Foundation, which is the charitable giving arm of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc, also announced several other significant commitments for 2008 and beyond to the Gwinn Village Clubhouse, Gwinn Village Centennial, the Marquette Women’s Center/Harbor House capital campaign, WNMU-TV to support state-wide school and library distribution of the documentary “Recalling the War: A U.P. Perspective.”
Additionally, the Foundation will contribute $25,000 to complete pledges to the cities of Ishpeming and Negaunee and Republic Township for support of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail.

Mini grant award winners announced by CCCAC
The Copper Country Community Arts Council (CCCAC) is the region thirteen administrator for the Regional Re-granting program of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA).
The CCCAC facilitates funding opportunities for arts projects in the six counties of the Western Upper Peninsula—Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, Ontonagon, Gogebic and Iron.
The following organizations and projects were funded: Keweenaw Krayons, Making Music $4,000, Crystal Falls Contemporary Center, No Experience Necessary $1,000, Copper Country Suzuki Association, KYSO Workshop and Concert $1,080, Carnegie Museum, Copper Country
Gardens Then and Now $1,080, Iron County Historical & Museum Society, Happy Heritage $3,380, Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College, Inspiring Native Artists $1,620, Pine Mountain Music Festival, OPERAtion Imagination $2,000, Calumet Players, production of Annie Get Your Gun, $4,000.
Any nonprofit organization or government body including service organizations, public schools, cities, townships from the six counties may apply. The next deadline is August 1, 2008 for projects taking place between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009. Applications are available at www.coppercountryarts.com or by calling 482-2333.

Cultural appreciation class permanent course at NMU
NMU’s Center for Native American Studies announced the approval of NAS 340: Kinomaage (The Earth Shows Us the Way) as a permanent course.
The four-credit course, developed by Aimee Cree Dunn, will be offered in the first Summer Session on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 9:50 p.m. Two out-of-class field trips are planned.
The course is based on the Ojibwe term “kinomaage” which translates generally as “to teach or educate.” In a more in-depth translation, the term most literally translates to “the earth shows us the way.”
The Kinomaage course is based in the outdoors and aims to teach students about the Northwoods, particularly its plant life, within the context of Ojibwe culture and subsistence techniques. Past classes have visited wild rice beds along Keweenaw Bay, explored Laughing Whitefish Falls, and taken time to soak in the power of old-growth forests in the Upper Peninsula.
Registration for NAS 340: Kinomaage is now open as it is for other courses offered during NMU’s summer session. For details, call 227-1397 or visit www.nmu.edu/nativeamericans

Calumet Theatre’s Club Indigo continues on May 9
On May 9, Club Indigo will feature The Boy Who Plays On Buddhas, the prize-winning story of Afghans who have been forced from their homes by the war with the Russians and who flee to live in caves in the mountains near the remains of the famed Buddhas of Bamiyan. It focuses on the son of one such unfortunate family and how he manages not only to survive but to find contentment and even pleasure amid the ruins.
The buffet will begin at 6:00 p.m., with the movie at 7:15 p.m. Cost for both is $17; movie only is $5. For the buffet, reservations should be made in advance by calling 337-2610.

Group works to register and recognize WWII veterans
Marquette County’s World War II veterans will be the center attraction at the Fourth of July celebration this year, according to the WWII Recognition Committee.
The group is working toward registration of World War II veterans who lived in the county at some time. So far, about 1,100 eligible men and women, both living and deceased, are on the rolls, but about 5,000 more are not yet listed. Registration must be done by June 1, and forms are available at area veterans’ posts and Range Bank.
The group also is working on recognition, as parade grand marshalls under the theme: “Thanks For Our Freedom” Veterans will have VIP parade viewing areas on the Washington Street parade route at Harlow Park, Heritage Motors and Window Store. After the parade, they can gather and socialize in a special tent at the International Food Fest in Mattson Park.
Participation is welcome with a float, monetary donation or other tribute. One item being sought is a World War II vintage U.S. flag with forty-eight stars that flew in either the Pacific or Europe-Africa theaters.
For details, call 228-4537 or email jirby@chartermi.net

Van Riper State Park opens new rustic campground 
A rustic group campground is a new camping option that will be available this year at Van Riper State Park, located near the village of Champion in Marquette County.
The new group campground is a perfect “GO-Get Outdoors” opportunity for organizations such as churches, youth groups and scouting groups, who may prefer a more scenic location for camp outings.
The campground is located near the Peshekee River, about one mile west of the park’s modern facilities. The location provides easy access for fishing, canoeing and the parks hiking trails.
The new group campground has eight sites, each with a fire ring and picnic table. There also is a vault toilet and water pump located nearby.
Call 339-4461 to make reservations. The rental fee for a youth group is $2.50 per person; while the nonyouth group fee is $12 for four people.

AAUW seeks scholarship applicants for Fall 2008
The American Association of University Women, Marquette Branch, is accepting scholarship applications for the 2008 fall semester.
The scholarships are awarded to NMU undergraduate women who demonstrate financial need, have clear scholastic and career goals, and plan on taking at least six credits during the fall semester.
Applications and a detailed list of guidelines are available from the NMU Office of Financial Aid, 2107 Hedgcock. Applications must be submitted to AAUW by June 1. Call Carolyn at 249-1137 for details.
Scholarships are supported by proceeds from the annual AAUW book sale, puppet shows and other fundraising efforts.

Bell offers free PAD screening in National Hospital Week
In recognition of National Hospital Week, May 11 through May 17, Bell Hospital, along with Dr. Joel Johnson, will be offering a free screening for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD).
PAD is a condition that clogs the leg arteries and can lead to leg amputation, heart attack, stroke or death. It is difficult to detect without a simple screening, yet can be readily treated when detected in time.
The screening will take place on from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on May 14 at Bell Hospital’s Teal Lake Medical Center. Call 225-7701 for an appointment.

Fishing tournament set for May 24 in Munising
The Munising Fish and Game Alliance and Munising Moose Lodge # 386 are hosting the 2008 Pictured Rocks Trout and Salmon Classic on May 24 in Munising.
The tournament starting time will be no earlier than 5:00 a.m. and no later than 9:00 a.m. on May 24 from any of the authorized launch locations. Awards presentation and dinner will begin at 4:30 p.m.
A captain’s meeting and last chance registration will be held on May 23 at the Moose Lodge. Last chance registration will begin at 5:30 p.m. The captain’s meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Boat captains or a team representative must attend this meeting.
The tournament will include both lake trout and salmon classes. Only one class may be entered per boat and teams must declare the class they are entering. Teams will have a minimum of two anglers and no more than four anglers per boat. Cost per angler is $50; $25 for sixteen and younger.
For details, call 387-3271 or visit www.algercounty.org

U.P. Hog Wild offers BBQ judge certification class
Local barbeque connoisseurs will have an opportunity to become a Certified Barbeque Judge on May 10 in Kingsford. U.P. Hog Wild, in conjunction with the Kansas City Barbeque Society, is presenting a Certified Barbeque Judge Class at Kingsford Middle School beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Individuals who complete the five-hour course will be certified to judge KCBS contests held in the Midwest and throughout the country.
The class is designed to teach all of the judging rules and procedures implemented by the KCBS at its sanctioned barbeque events.
Costs is $45 for KCBS members, and $75 for nonKCBS members. The $75 fee includes a one-year membership in the KCBS along with a year’s subscription to its newspaper.
Registration for the class is limited.
Forms can be found online at www.uphogwild.com or by calling (800)236-2447.

Wilderness First Aid Course scheduled at Michigan Tech
Adventure Learning Ecotours and the Isle Royale Institute are sponsoring a Wilderness First Aid Course (WFA) in Houghton on May 31 and June 1.
After completing this sixteen-hour workshop, participants will receive a two-year WFA certification through SOLO, a New Hampshire based wilderness medicine organization. There also is the option to become certified in CPR on May 30.
The program cost is $200 for WFA only or $230 for WFA and CPR. The course will be held at Michigan Technological University’s School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. The WFA workshop runs from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days.
Completion of the WFA course will provide participants with the knowledge and skills to respond to a backcountry emergency and is valuable in its own right for any medical emergency. Topics covered include patient assessment, shock, wilderness wounds, fractures and dislocations, hypothermia, heat illness, and bites and stings. The sixteen-hour WFA course may be used to recertify Wilderness First Responder for a small additional fee. No prior certification is required and the course is open to all. The course will take place rain or shine and much of it will be held outside.
For details, call 281-2653 or visit www.adventurelearningecotours.com

Arts and cultural community members sought for event
ArtServe Michigan is working in partnership with the City of Marquette and U.P. Children’s Museum, in gathering together representatives from regional arts and cultural organizations across four separate locations in the coming weeks.
Creative community members are encouraged to take advantage of the event closest to them.
The Marquette event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on May 15 at the U.P. Children’s Museum. For details, call 226-3911.

Grammy-nominated pianist set to speak at local program
A community-wide Holocaust Awareness program will take place on May 6 with a world reknowned musician speaking at the event.
Mona Golabek will be speaking and playing the piano as she tells the story of her mother’s journey from Poland to England as part of the Kinder Transport. Her mother was studying to be a concert pianist when Hitler started his march across Europe.
The community-wide event will begin at 7:30 p.m. at St. Peter Cathedral.
Lois and Willard Cohodas have sponsored this event annually since the 1970s, bringing many Holocaust speakers to Marquette to inform and enlighten the community about the Holocaust, its impact on humanity and the tragedy of man’s inhumanity.

Smokefree workplace study results published, examined
Public Sector Consultants, a Lansing-based policy research firm, unveiled an analysis of House Bill 4163 showing no net economic impacts if Michigan adopted a statewide smokefree worksite policy that includes restaurants and bars.
Ken Sikkema, senior policy fellow at PSC and former senate majority leader, unveiled the report to Capitol reporters during a media roundtable. “Smokefree workplaces: The Impact of House Bill 4163 on the Restaurant and Bar Industry in Michigan,” is a review of the common issues surrounding smokefree workplaces including the health impacts, level of public support, government regulation and economic impact. In conducting their research PSC reviewed dozens of published studies, legislation in other states, public polls and Michigan’s legislative history on the issue. 
For more information about the Campaign for Smokefree Air, visit www.MakeMIAirSmokefree.org

Northern Initiatives receives grant for evaluations
Northern Initiatives recently was awarded a grant by the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and the Aspen Institute.
The “Regional Collaboration to Support Very Small Businesses in Michigan” grant intends to conduct evaluations in order to determine means by which economic support organizations could increase and build activity in Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan and is the outcome of a study conducted in 2006 by CSW and the Aspen Institute.
The study entitled Making Every Business Count, Findings from a Study of Michigan’s Microenterprise Field was commissioned by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to evaluate the state of microenterprise in Michigan. 
 
WNMU-TV WWII documentary wins award for excellence
A documentary depicting life in the Upper Peninsula during World War II received top honors from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters. NMU’s Public TV 13 received the Broadcast Excellence Award for The U.P. Recalls the War.
Public TV 13 producer Sonya Chrisman, chief videographer Mike Lakenen and grad student Luiz Gomez traveled across the Upper Peninsula to interview veterans, historians and others who lived through the war.
The documentary was inspired by two books: The U.P. Goes to War by Larry Chabot and World War II Comes to the U.P.: 1939-1945 by Russell Magnaghi, NMU professor and historian. Magnaghi and NMU archivist Marcus Robyns are featured in the program, which was narrated by NMU professor Dwight Brady.

Annual Blues for Life event set for May 10 at Lagniappe
Organizers have set the date for the second annual “Blues for Life” cancer benefit. The event will be held at the Lagniappe Cajun Creole Eatery in Downtown Marquette on May 10.
Activities will begin at 3:00 p.m. with outdoor events in the Jackson Cut Alley featuring live music by Voodoo Brew, food provided by the Lagniappe and more.
The motorcycle “Ride for a Cure” will culminate at the Jackson Cut Alley around 5:00 p.m. The ride-in will begin earlier in the day with a “Blessing of the Bikes” at Bald Eagle Harley-Davidson in Marquette. Riders of all motorcycles can participate in the ride-in and all events at the Lagniappe later that evening.
The event will feature complimentary food from the Lagniappe and live music by The Flat Broke Blues Band from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and The Red, White And Blues Band from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. Also on the bill is a silent auction and door prizes. A cash bar will also be available. All proceeds raised will go to the American Cancer Society for local cancer research and recovery programs.
Tickets are $25 and are available at the Screened Image, Lagniappe and Bald Eagle Harley-Davidson. For details, call 226-6112.

Humanities council awarded grant for presentations
The Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) recently awarded $49,772 in Arts and Humanities Touring Program grants to Michigan organizations to support 142 arts and culture presentations in twenty-eight counties between April 1 and September 30.
The touring program, funded in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA), consists of a wide variety of cultural programs from school assembly musical performances to library storytellers.
Peter White Public Library in Marquette and the Paradise Area Chamber of Commerce in Paradise were awardees in the U.P.

News from the desk of State Rep Steven Lindberg
• State Representative Steven Lindberg (D-Marquette) announced that Marquette and Schoolcraft counties have received over $300,000 in state grant funding for road projects that will create jobs now and encourage economic investment in the Upper Peninsula. The grants are part of a group of Transportation Economic Development Fund (TEDF) Category A grants that will fund road projects in six counties across the state. Marquette County will receive $235,550 in state TEDF funds to relocate a segment of Avenue G at Sawyer Airport approximately 650 feet south of the current location. The relocation will allow Superior Extrusion, Inc., which manufactures extruded aluminum profiles in a variety of standard and custom shapes, to expand its facility and add forty new jobs.

Local authors corner
• Island Folk: The People of Isle Royale by Peter Oikarinen tells the history of a working fishing community comes alive in this collection of stories from the people who made a life on Isle Royale. In Island Folk, candid photographs illuminate the experiences of the unique individuals who chose to live in this beautiful and isolated setting. Recalled memories tell a familiar tale of the transformation of the island from a working fishing village to a national park haven for tourists. Oikarinen is a freelance writer and photographer who lives on Lake Superior on Michigan’s Keeweenaw Peninsula. He is the author of Armour: A Lake Superior Fisherman. Visit www.upress.umn.edu/Books/O/ oikarinen_island.html for details.

Local business news...in brief
• Kelly Jandron was promoted to vice president and regional branch administrator for Range Bank; the Negaunee native will be responsible for coordinating the operations and objectives of the bank’s seven branch offices in Marquette County.
• Paul Lang was named dean of the College of Professional Studies at NMU; he had served as interim dean since July 2007.
• James N. Kurtti has been approved as the Honorary Consul of Finland for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center has been designated the office of the Finnish Honorary Consul.
• Elizabeth’s Chop House and the Lake Superior Community Partnership recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of their new restaurant. Elizabeth’s Chop House is located at 113 South Front Street, Marquette.
• Grand Effex Salon, located at 323 Iron Street in Negaunee, recently celebrated its grand opening by salon owner Kelli Crookham and her staff.
• The Waterfront Restaurant, located at 105 East Washington Street in Marquette, received their First Dollar of clear profit; the restaurant is locally owned and operated by Sherry and Mark Norris.
• Six Northern Michigan University students received Michigan Campus Compact awards for their dedication to community service—Betsy Ott, a senior English writing major from Brooklyn (Wisconsin); Christopher Chase, a senior premed major from Marquette; Danielle Foulks, a senior biology/physiology major from Gwinn; Paul Green, a social studies secondary education/physical education secondary education double major from Huntington Woods; Abby Kiley, a senior nursing major from Green Bay; and Angela Neumann, a senior accounting/financial planning major from Cedar.
• Northern Michigan University received a grant from Merck Institute for Science Education and the American Association for the Advancement of Science for research that could lead to a better influenza vaccine that can be produced faster and takes less time to achieve full resistance after an injection.
• Northern Michigan University secured a $185,000 grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health to research a new class of medications that might offer better treatment for schizophrenia.
• Jim Shaughnessy, senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of Orbitz Worldwide, will speak at NMU’s May 3 commencement. The NMU alumnus will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
• Students from Marquette Senior High School’s Health Occupation’s Students of America (HOSA) recently participated in the State Leadership Conference in various knowledge, skills, team and leadership events; Lacey Payment, daughter of Mike and Mary Payment, will advance to the HOSA National Leadership Conference in Dallas in June.

Star Date: May 2008
Moon & Planets—Fast-moving Mercury is present after sunset very low in the west-northwest for the first three weeks of May. On the 6th, a very thin crescent moon is just above it. Mercury climbs to its greatest height in the evening sky on the 12th. Although it still is relatively close to the horizon, this is the best view of elusive Mercury, not only for May, but also for the entire year. Much higher in the western sky is orange-red Mars. Trailing above this planet is yellowish Saturn,very close to the white star Regulus. The first-quarter moon on May 11 is located about halfway between these two planets. Jupiter rises after midnight and, by first light, can be found low in the south. On the 24th, the moon—five days past full—is below it.

Constellations—Sandwiched between the large constellations of Gemini and Leo is the somewhat dim group of stars that form the small constellation of Cancer the Crab. Its two brightest members are only of fourth magnitude, compared to the first magnitude brilliance of Castor and Pollux in Gemini and Regulus in Leo. Despite this dimness, Cancer is significant because, as part of the Zodiac, the paths of the sun, moon and planets pass through it. Mars spends all of May traversing Cancer, and, as a bonus, the moon enters it on the 10th. Near the center of the constellation is a star cluster nicknamed the “Beehive.” The clusters’ stars are fairly faint and present an overall fuzzy appearance to the unaided eye. In binoculars however, they are quite distinct. Mars can be seen moving through the Beehive on the nights of May 22 and 23.
—Craig Linde

Courtesy of the Marquette Astronomical Society, whose next meeting is at 6:00 p.m. on June 21 at the club’s observatory on Green Garden Hill in West Branch Township. Visit www.geocities.com/sstobbelaar/mqtastro.html for details.

8-18 Media book reviews for kids by kids
Uprising by Margaret Peterson
Published by Simon and Schuster Books, 330 Pages
It’s the year 1910. More and more immigrants are coming every day, and the melting pot of New York City is growing by the second. To succeed in America, the first priority of these immigrants is getting a job to maintain a decent income so they can live and save up to help bring their families from their native country.
The only problem is, as all these workers are unskilled laborers and all speak different languages, the only work readily available to them is in factories where they are underpaid and overworked.
Enter Bella, Yetta and Yetta’s sister. All work at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. Through hard days at work, strikes and docked pays, they learn and grow individually as well as together. When Bella’s world comes crashing down, Yetta and her sister take her in. Throughout all this, they meet Jane, a high-powered society girl, who becomes interested in the working girls’ lives and struggles. Rebelling against her father and his money-hungry ways, Jane runs away from home and becomes a member of the working class as well when she is employed as a governess for Yetta and Bella’s factory boss.
No sooner than the young women find themselves bound together in friendship, a devastating accident occurs in the form of a factory fire.
“One of the men sprinted over to a shelf on the wall and seized a red fire pail. Jerkily, he raced back and threw the pail of water under one of the tables, at the huge bin of fabric scraps left over from days and days of cutting out shirtwaists.
‘Not again! Those cutters and their cigarettes.’
Do the girl’s survive the towering inferno? Read the book to find out.
Based on a true story of a factory in the early 1900s, Uprising discusses the trials that young women went through when women didn’t have many rights. Intertwined with the message of friendship through common struggles is the message of women’s labor rights and suffrage. I think this is a good book for girls from the ages of ten to seventeen. It has a powerful message with a historical background.
The historical aspect is very well entwined with the book making it an easy, appealing read. I personally really liked this book because of its easy flowing manner that was a fascinating light read.
—Emily Stulz, 15
Books reviewed are from the new book section of the children and teen areas at PWPL.

A word to the wise
Verbum satis sapientibus: A word to the wise is sufficient
Once upon a time, visiting the newspaper office in Duluth, Hubert Horatio Humphrey approached the copy desk, where copy editors give the news a final reading and write headlines. “Just get Humphrey in the headline, boys,” he told them.
Knowing that his name’s appearance in a large headline was useful, the senator also had to know that his eight-letter name, with no skinny letters like i, l or t, was a challenge to fit in a headline, especially one with large type size.
One might even forward the hypothesis that the shorter a politician’s name, the more likely it is to find its way into a headline and thus improve that person’s chance of being recognized and elected. We can all think of exceptions, including our own Governor Granholm, but in Humphrey’s case, the problem of his name length was solved by enterprising editors: he became HHH in headlines.
Could Eisenhower ever have been elected had he not become known as Ike? The Kennedys were JFK and RFK, Roosevelt FDR, and so on. Many of these monikers, coined especially to fit in headlines, came into wide use, even in speech, even though a name such as Roosevelt may be as easy to say as FDR.
There’s no question that the brisk style of journalistic writing generally has affected our prose in modern times, and in a modest way, the curious convention of the headline seems to have had some influence as well. A headline usually is generally in the form of a truncated sentence in the present tense, distinguishing it from a title or a heading and giving it more urgency and timeliness.
A copy editor quickly learns the usefulness of short words as synonyms for the longer words that may appear in a story. If the reporter wrote about a committee’s proposal to increase the expenditures for education, the editor may tell us in the headline, “Panel bids to hike school outlay.” The verb to be (is or are) often is implied. Articles a and the usually are missing. A president becomes a chief or a head, a reduction is a cut, and all sorts of verbs can substitute for planned: (is) eyed, set, or even on tap.
Some words have come to be used in special ways and passed into general use: hike in the sense of increase can be a verb as well as a noun and crash a noun as well as a verb. Abbreviations and acronyms, some unrecognizable, become as commonly accepted as what they represent. How many readers realize that GOP means Republican but don’t know its origin as Grand Old Party? And I would wager that many who recognize AFL-CIO as referring to unions have no idea what it stands for literally, the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations.
Think of headlines as a different language. And just as humor does not always translate well, so the able politician learns to be wary of witty expressions and particularly of the satirical or sardonic remark. It may not come through in the headline.
A serious philosophical statement also is difficult for the copy editor. Action stories are more at home in the news pages. I recall the torture once of writing a large headline on the Pope’s annual Easter message. It was a slow news day, and so the story got big play. What could I write? “Pope backs peace”? I hope I offered something fresher, but the merciful mists of time have erased the memory.
Now, all of this headline funny business can get downright hilarious. See if you perceive the dual meanings of these “double headers,” or headlines that can be read quite differently from what was intended:
Iraqi head seeks arms
Texan accused of killing local man to get hearing
Miners refuse to work after death
Teacher strikes idle kids
Kids make nutritious snacks.

And finally, this all-time classic,
Jury still out on compost toilets.

Word for the month
Aplomb (uh-PLAHM): self-confidence, composure. Curiously, this noun is derived from the Latin word for lead, plumbum. A carpenter’s plumb, historically of lead, checks the vertical exactness of a structure.
In the 1800s, the French developed the phrase a plomb, to mean poised or standing straight, as illustrated by Walt Whitman: “It is native personality…that endows a man to stand before presidents or generals …with aplomb.”
Questions or comments are welcome. Write MM or direct messages to marquettemonthly@chartermi.net
—Gerald Waite

Editor’s Note: Questions or comments are welcome by writing MM or at marquettemonthly@chartermi.net

MM