News

ISHPEMING TOWNSHIP, MI--   An Escanaba man is jailed for a drunk driving incident that injured two people in Ishpeming Township.

DETROIT, MI (MPRN)--   Beginning Tuesday, June 1 the state of Michigan lifts restrictions on outdoor gatherings it put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Just over a month ago, Michigan had the highest per capita number of COVID cases in the nation. But those numbers have dropped in recent weeks and Governor Gretchen Whitmer says new guidance from the CDC “changed the landscape.”

Now Michigan no longer mandates wearing a mask outdoors, and only those not fully vaccinated must wear one indoors.

MADISON, WI (AP)--   One of the retired police officers hired by a top Wisconsin Republican to investigate the presidential election in the battleground state has ties to the GOP and previously led a probe into voter fraud in Milwaukee.

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos last week said he was hiring three retired police investigators to look into the election results.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is defending her decision to stick with appointment-only visits to branch offices amid pushback from lawmakers who say people should again be able to go without an appointment.

Half of all appointments are next-day appointments, an option for drivers with urgent business such as renewing an expiring license or transferring a vehicle title. Benson concedes they fill up fast but contends the system, while “not perfect,” is better than residents having to potentially wait hours in line.

NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP, MI--   Health officials continue to test private drinking water wells near the former Marquette County Airport in Negaunee Township for harmful PFAS chemicals.

The toxic chemicals are in firefighting foam used at airports.

Patrick Jacuzzo is Director of Environmental Health the Marquette County Health Department.

“There’s some training requirement and testing of equipment that’s involved with that kind of stuff, so there’s a potential that there was some environmental release but it’s not a known fact. There’s no documented release.”   

CALUMET TOWNSHIP, MI--   The Houghton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the break-in of a camp in Calumet Township.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is proposing to use a budget surplus to finally eliminate a funding gap among K-12 districts, 27 years after Michigan overhauled the financing of public education.

Under the Democratic governor’s revised proposal, districts and charter schools would receive $8,692 in base per-student aid from the state. That is $581, or 7%, more for most. An existing $418 gap between lower- and higher-funded schools would be fully closed.

MARQUETTE, MI--   The Noquemanon Trail Network has launched a crowdfunding campaign to build a permanent bridge across the Carp River.

The NTN has wanted year-round trail access to the entire lower Carp River Valley. For the last 30 years a seasonal bridge has helped trail users cross the Carp River near the base of Marquette Mountain. NTN officials say the narrow wooden bridge only a few feet above the river deters some users from making the crossing. The planned bridge will be wider and further from the water and feature guard rails.

MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP, MI--   The entrance to the Harlow Lake Pathway and parking area west of Wetmore Landing at Little Presque Isle will be closed for a month starting Tuesday.

The Department of Natural Resources says the closure is to combine entrances and expand the parking area. Alternative parking to access the trail can be found at the Wetmore Pond parking lot, south of the closed parking area. The closure will affect bike, vehicle, and foot traffic.

Funding for the project comes from $300,000 provided under a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant.

CALUMET, MI--    The Houghton County Sheriff’s Office continues to look for information about the fire that destroyed three buildings in Calumet last weekend.

Forty-one people lost their homes on the 100 block of 5th Street. Officials are emphasizing the remnants of the burnt structures are not only dangerous but are private property.