Welcome to the Brand New Copper Beacon: What We’re Doing and Why

Today marks the relaunch of a new and improved Copper Beacon. Let me tell you about its history, mission and plans for the future. 

A teleconference between the volunteer relaunch team: Josh Vissers, Laura Smyth, Jennifer Donovan, Juxta Sprague, and Lily Venable.

Just as there is no perfect person, there is no perfect media. We all, mostly, try our best. When I taught media studies, I would start each semester with a lesson on propaganda and faulty logic, because deceit, self-interest, and manipulation are as old as humankind. But so is seeking truth, helping community, and a need to communicate with each other. So, along with propaganda, I would talk (probably a lot) about personal bias—how to recognize it and move past it. One mistake we often make, both as media “consumers” and media “producers” is believing we are without bias. That’s not humanly possible. But recognizing our own biases, our own blind spots and prejudices, is not only possible, it is essential, both in a democracy and in a news outlet.

Joshua Vissers started this online news source, now called Copper Beacon, as an exercise in delivering local news to a rural community without the undue influence that can come from relying on advertising revenue.

(Read a short history of the publication here: https://www.copperbeacon.org/about-us).

It is the ideal of every journalist I have ever met not to be thwarted in what they cover and how it can be covered by the commercial necessities of their news outlet. Investigating stories, writing stories, editing stories, getting good visuals to help bring stories to life…all of this is expensive, and the tried-and-true model in American journalism has been advertising. Subscriptions in this model help, certainly, but primarily to give advertisers a sense of the readership they can reach if they pay for an expensive advertisement. The potential conflicts of interest are ever-present and obvious.

This publication has never sought or accepted advertising. We rely on subscriptions, though we now are seeking other local and national, non-commercial sources of funding. 

Copper Beacon has  been and continues to be hyper-local. We cover four counties: Baraga, Ontonogan, Houghton and Keweenaw. With the view that journalism is a community service and not a product, we value local knowledge. 

As I was working on this article in my Hancock office in late April, I decided to get out and enjoy the sunshine and clear my head. Walking down Quincy St. I found myself in the middle of the setup process for this year’s Puppy Parade. How perfect. I leave my office to clear my thoughts and immediately am immersed in an important and lovely community project. Students from Hancock High School were creating the route all along the sidewalk with chalk, leaving inspiring messages and colorful pawprints. The coordinator for the Puppy Parade, Rachel Lamppa from Copper Shores Community Health, chatted with me about the artwork the students were making and her passion for helping survivors of sexual violence. Officer Olsen was on hand, helping with the artwork and looking after the students. I had walked out of my head and into a community event outside my door. I encouraged the students to consider writing an article for the Copper Beacon about their experience on this project. Citizen journalism recruitment on the fly.

Victim advocate Rachel Lamppa with Hancock Police Officer Olsen at the Copper Shores Puppy Parade.

Rather than attempting to cover the entire U.P., Copper Beacon chose a deeper focus on truly local issues, and our plan is to grow through the development of local journalists and citizen journalists. 

One big accomplishment that the publication has achieved so far is obtaining a 501(c)3 status. Being a non-profit will help us with our mission: Copper Beacon will deliver high-quality journalism featuring diverse voices and deep research to the residents of Houghton County and the surrounding area. With ethics, accessibility, and media education held as core values, we will lead the way for the modernization of news production in the Upper Peninsula.

Yes, that’s a big mission, but what’s the point in a small one? Together, we don’t need to do this instantly but rather can build on past achievements and develop new local talent. We have a dedicated local board to help guide the way. We are actively seeking input from residents for stories that could use greater coverage, and we will be training local writers to take a leap into this important project: local news.

We’re currently an all-volunteer staff, although freelance writers are paid contributors, but one of the goals we have as a non-profit is to develop foundational funding sources from both inside and outside the region that will allow us to develop more opportunities for paid writers and also to engage and educate local communities on the importance of local news coverage. Money coming into our non-profit organization brings funds into the local economy rather than sending money out of the area through advertising revenue to a national or international corporate parent company. As Joshua said to me in a recent phone conversation, corporate news ownership is “a straw for sucking money out of the community.” And that straw seems to get bigger with each passing day. 

So, moving forward, we will keep the community events calendar going on a weekly basis along with smaller news items as they arise. The primary change will be to take a monthly deep dive into one specific topic of importance in the community and cover it in-depth. Look for story topics to be announced in the next few weeks and contact the editor if you would like more information about writing for (or learning to write for) the Copper Beacon. We’re excited about the future of this news outlet. Taking my cue from the students who were enthusiastically chalking up Quincy St. before the parade, I can tell you that we do this work with a deep commitment to the well-being of the whole community, and also an appreciation of good chalk. 

Edit: This article was corrected for typos after posting. “Office” was changed to Officer and “conversion” changed to “conversation”.

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Community rallies behind robbed local businesses, perpetrators come clean

The two perpetrators, entering Hirvonen Hall.

Around 3:30 AM on Friday, two men entered the Hirvonen building in Hancock on the Quincy Green through a door left unsecured. The pair stole “a felonious amount” of items from businesses on the 4th floor, according to Hancock police.

The building’s security cameras caught clear footage of the two men. When the businesses involved acquired permission from the Hancock Police to release the images on social media later that afternoon, the pictures spread online like wildfire through platforms like Instagram and Facebook, notably garnering over 300 shares on Facebook in just a few hours.

The perpetrators turned themselves in, returned the stolen goods, and fully reimbursed the business owners for expenses lost later that day. The men were identified as a graduating Tech student and his friend from out-of-state.

Keweenaw Jiu Jitsu reported that a fridge, a cash register containing cash, and a desk chair were stolen. They also reported that the robbers busted their glass jars of Living Proof Kombucha.

One of the perpetrators taking Keweenaw Jiu Jitsu’s cash register.

Studio Alchemy reported that over $1,800 worth of products: handmade herbal products, tinctures, bombs, and facial serums, were stolen.

Superior School of Dance reported a stolen microphone.

“It's just such an insane feeling,” said Natasha Kentala, owner of Studio Alchemy. “We've worked so hard for something, and then having somebody come and violate that so nonchalantly, so easily. It’s really painful.”

The incident comes as a shock to the Keweenaw community, where community members report “leaving the door unlocked or the car running to get groceries”. According to bestplaces.net, the property crime rate in Hancock is 19.3, which is significantly lower than the national average of 35.4.

Keweenaw Jiu Jitsu owner and head instructor Stan Myaskovsky said the incident will make them come back stronger. Keweenaw Jiu Jitsu is offering one month of free training for new members as a thank-you to the community that rallied behind them.

Superior School of Dance will debut its upcoming recital “Video Games” on Saturday, May 18. Buy tickets.

Studio Alchemy resumes classes and has many events in store for May.

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Unsold and Neglected: Six major Finlandia properties face abandonment

Quincy Green is often the site of public events, like the Canal Run. Photo courtesy of Brockit Photography.

Finlandia University is in receivership, a judicially supervised dissolution process. Almost everyone in the Keweenaw knows that. But what is receivership anyway? What does it mean and how does it work?

Receivership is a powerful legal and financial mechanism designed to protect the interests of creditors when a company or property is in default or facing severe financial distress.

In this process, a court-appointed receiver takes control of the assets and operations of the entity in distress. The receiver's primary responsibility is to maximize the value of the entity's assets to repay its creditors. This often involves selling assets, restructuring operations, or even running the business for a period of time.

While receivership can be a challenging process for the entity involved, it's often a better alternative than bankruptcy.

Per the Michigan Receivership Act of 2018, a court appoints an independent receiver, or trustee, to take possession of commercial property that is in default on its debts and receive, collect, care for and dispose of the property or proceeds from the sale of the property.

Finlandia’s board voted in March to seek state court receivership. They had three choices: state receivership, federal receivership or bankruptcy.

Receivership put all the university’s real estate and personal property up for sale.

The university’s receiver is O’Keefe and Associates Consulting LLC, appointed by the Ingham County Circuit Court on recommendation from the Finlandia University board. Ingham County is the headquarters of the Michigan Attorney General, and the Attorney General is the one who files for receivership with the court.

Patrick O’Keefe

The university’s board recommended O’Keefe and Associates because of their experience in higher education and their respect for the community and stakeholders, said CEO Patrick O’Keefe.

“We understand the impact of the loss of Finlandia on the community,” he explained. “There’s a right way and a wrong way to bury things. We hope we are doing it the right way.”

What Happens During Receivership

During receivership, the receiver steps in to manage the university’s assets, making all financial and operating decisions. According to the Receivership in Real Estate Transactions on the website of LexisNexis—a firm that provides verified legal information to lawyers, corporations and academics worldwide—receivership allows courts to preserve and/or maintain the value of assets.

If it can be avoided, lenders usually do not want to foreclose, taking title to assets or real property collateral, the Practical Guidance Journal says. They want to avoid the expense and effort of foreclosure and having to assume the responsibilities and liabilities of ownership.

In Finlandia’s case, some of the lienholders are resisting the purchase offers the receiver has brought them. O’Keefe declined to name any of the property’s lienholders.

“The secured lenders were unwilling to work with a national real estate marketing firm for the auction, or fund ongoing expenses,” O’Keefe said. “They wouldn’t cooperate with us. These properties are generating almost no interest above the mortgages.”

There are 27 properties in Finlandia’s receivership, two were sold pre-receivership, O’Keefe said. His firm has sold three others. Eleven are under sales contracts and three are going to auction. Two are being purchased by the City of Hancock, and the city is negotiating for three other Finlandia properties.

At this week’s Hancock Public Schools board meeting, they closed on the purchase of McAfee Field for $400,000.

City of Hancock’s Involvement

Hancock is purchasing Quincy Green and the Ryan Street Community Garden, said Mary Babcock, Hancock city manager. The city is paying $140,000 for Quincy Green and $27,000 for the community garden. Hancock is looking at purchasing three properties on Franklin Street that the receiver has filed a motion to abandon; Mannerheim, Nikander, and Wargelin Halls. The city council approved a purchase agreement for the properties on Oct. 17 for a total of $30,000. Babcock said they have no specific plans for the properties yet, but the council vote was unanimously in favor of making the purchase.

If they are abandoned, there would be no current owner and it would take a minimum of four years to have a tax foreclosure, Babcock said. The city is putting Finlandia properties on the tax rolls next January, and if there is no owner, no taxes will be generated. The city is also concerned about the security of buildings left empty for such a long time.

The Ryan Street Community Garden. Photo via Patronicity.

“It’s a tough situation,” Babcock said.

It’s important if residents have an opinion about the purchases, that they contact the city at 906-482-2720 or email manager@hancock.net, she added.

Properties already approved for sale in Ingham County Circuit Court include three parcels on Navy Street and a building at 417 Mine St., according to online court records. O’Keefe has filed motions to sell McAfee Field and four lots on Franklin Street.

Abandoning Properties

O’Keefe has also filed a motion in Ingham County Circuit Court to abandon some of the largest properties on campus. He told the court they could not find buyers willing to pay enough for the buildings.

The six properties O’Keefe has filed to abandon are the Jutila Center, Mannerheim Hall, Nikander Hall, Wargelin Hall, the Paavo Nurmi Center and Old Main, though the city of Hancock has since agreed to purchase the three residence halls.

“These big ones, they have been neglected for a very long time, and no one wants to pay for them,” he said.

“There was some initial interest in the Jutila Center at amounts that wouldn’t cover the lien,” O’Keefe said. “That’s true with Old Main, too. Paavo Nurmi doesn’t have any parking, and the lender didn’t want to put it into an auction.

If the properties are abandoned, Finlandia will still own them, but will not be responsible for the upkeep, O’Keefe said. He hopes that putting the buildings in limbo will accelerate discussions with lenders.

“Right now, we’re not even getting responses,” he said. ‘It’s crazy. Nobody has a sense of urgency, but we do because we don’t have the money.”

A hearing on the motion to abandon was delayed until Oct. 18, while O’Keefe tries to work things out with the lenders.

“They wouldn’t let us sell them, and they didn’t want to foreclose on them,” the receiver said. “Some have been more cooperative than others. We think the motion for abandonment was a wake-up call, a little sobering.”

The receiver explained that he needs to generate revenue to pay teachers who deferred salaries, as well as local creditors. Also, with little or no equity, the firm cannot fund the costs of maintaining and heating the largest properties over the winter, he said.

“Our singular focus is to get enough money to pay the teachers who delayed pay through the summer, as well as local creditors,” said O’Keefe.

O’Keefe’s firm had initially planned to auction off Finlandia properties in October. However, the secured lenders were unwilling to work with a national real estate marketing firm for the auction or fund ongoing expenses, O’Keefe said.

The commercial real estate market is relatively soft in our area, O’Keefe said. Only 38 commercial properties have been sold here in the past two years, “and the Finlandia receivership dumped 27 on the market at once,” he said. Still, he adds, “I am cautiously optimistic.”

Photo by Paul R. Burley, via Wikimedia Commons.

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Fill It Up

What started as a New Year’s resolution to make their own household more sustainable has mushroomed into one local couple’s commitment to help the Keweenaw area improve household sustainability, with a retail store in Hancock to support the effort.

Briana Tucker and Travis Wakeham standing in their store near their stock of refillable bottles. Photo by Jennifer Donovan.

Briana Tucker and Travis Wakeham run Refill UP, a shop where customers can buy non-plastic containers and sustainable products to keep in them, such as hand soap, shower gel, laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, household cleaners, lotions, bubble bath and sunscreen. They also sell a variety of unique, natural goods such as bamboo brushes, collapsible cups, reusable metal straws, toothpaste in recyclable aluminum tubes, deodorant in glass jars, band-aids and muscle wraps made of bamboo, fiber bags, dryer balls and candles. 

They described their sustainability journey and the shop it birthed at a public forum sponsored by the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Nov. 13. 

What is the problem with single-use plastic, such as shampoo, lotion, or hand soap bottles?  

“Eleven million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year,” Tucker said. “And once plastic starts to break down, it becomes too small to capture. Microplastics have been found in drinking water, rain water, even the dust in the high desert. People are consuming plastic.” 

Tucker recalled getting a roll of beeswax wrap—an eco-friendly substitute for plastic wrap—for Christmas in 2020. It got her thinking: “What else could we do to improve our sustainability? How can we avoid keeping the things we use every day in plastic?”

Searching for inspiration online, she started following an African-American woman in Ohio who runs a refillery where people can bring non-plastic containers and refill them with sustainable and eco-friendly products. In February 2021, during Black History Month, the woman was highlighting black women entrepreneurs. 

“That got the wheels turning,” said Tucker. “I wondered if I could do that?” 

Neither Tucker nor her partner, Travis Wakeham, have business experience. Tucker is the Enterprise Coordinator for the Pavlis Honors College at Michigan Tech. Wakeham is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences there. 

But they decided to jump into the unfamiliar waters of small business.  

How did jumping into a new business with so little experience feel?

“Terrifying,” said Wakeham. Tucker nodded vigorously.

The Refill UP storefront in Hancock, next to Nutini’s on Quincy Street. Photo by Jennifer Donovan.

They did their homework and learned about Michigan’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the MTEC (Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation) SmartZone’s Smart Start program, which provides free training, mentorship, and coaching for people who want to start a small business. They enrolled and invested their COVID-19 relief money in renting, refurbishing and stocking a small storefront on Quincy Street in downtown Hancock.

“It’s so nice to have resources like the SBDC the SmartZone in our community,” said Tucker, who still relies on SmartZone vice president Jason Mack for advice and occasional hand-holding. “Not just resources, but free resources.” 

In the summer of 2021, they tested community interest by selling at farmer’s markets. In the fall, they opened their shop. 

Refill UP celebrated its one-year anniversary in October, already logging 700 purchases by 500 unique customers. Their Facebook page has nearly 1,000 followers. Tucker said they have diverted 840 plastic containers from landfills this year.  

They look for sustainable partnerships, buying from local and Michigan-based small businesses that produce sustainable products responsibly.

“We want to offer products that are vegan, cruelty-free, paraben and sulfate-free and responsibly made,” Tucker said.

They try to buy closed-loop products, meaning that they can return the packaging to the manufacturer for reuse or recycling. Among their suppliers are Mama Suds, a Michigan small business that produces sustainable laundry detergent; Tiani, another Michigan brand of body care such as hand soaps and lotions; and Zefiro, which uses bamboo and wood to create items often made of plastic, such as nail brushes and pot scrubbers.

The refill station at Refill UP. Photo by Jennifer Donovan.

 The couple wants to expand their business, “but thoughtfully,” Tucker said. “We have to ask, are we ready?” 

The answer depends both on data and on how the couple feel about it emotionally, she explained.

Refill UP has started to expand already, sponsoring Trick or Trash at Halloween—collecting and recycling candy wrappers. They also offered a costume exchange: bring in an old costume and exchange it for a different one instead of dumping it. They’re starting to put on workshops where people can learn to make sustainable holiday gifts. 

“We’re encouraging small steps, options that are easy to do and won’t break the bank,” Tucker said. “It’s about making small changes today that will lead us to a better tomorrow.”

Both Tucker and Wakeham still work full-time at Michigan Tech during the week, opening the store on weekends.

“It’s definitely tricky balancing our Michigan Tech jobs, the store and our personal life,” Tucker said. 

It’s been quite a learning curve for Wakeham.

“Business is very different from teaching science,” he observed. But Wakeham has always loved a challenge.

“I want to get more engaged in the business,” he said. 

Refill-UP is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 323 Quincy Street in Hancock.  They are on Facebook and Instagram and online at https://refilltheUP.com.

Finlandia downsizing, garbage stickers, and fire truck overhaul

Council members chatting with each other and city residents at the meeting. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

At the meeting, City Manager Mary Babcock updated the council on Make a Difference Day, which has been dubbed as “Deb Mann Day” in honor of the late community figure. A new tree has been planted behind the City of Hancock sign near the Krist Station in honor of Deb Mann as well.

Babcock also explained that a new police millage is on the ballot as current officers are working a lot of overtime to maintain 24-hour service due to a shortage of part-time officers. The city has also finished the search for a new Police Chief and will be hiring Tami Sleeman, a Yooper native, who will start later this year.

Babcock also stated that there are many openings for city boards and commissions including the Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Review, Rental Board of Appeals, Recreation Commission, and Planning Commission. New garbage stickers have received mixed feedback, though education efforts are underway.

The Fire Chief also gave a brief update about the state of fire fighting vehicles. He recommended doing an overhaul on the aerial truck, as it would take far less time and money to complete a refurbishment on the existing vehicle than to order a new one.  Rough estimates were $300,000 and 3 months to complete a refurbishment compared to $1.6 million and 48 months to deliver a new truck.

Timothy Pinnow, the new president of Finlandia University, gave a short oral presentation to the city council. Finlandia is restructuring to the “reality of being a smaller university” and will be enduring “a lot of painful cuts this year.”

Pinnow expressed that his first five months as Finlandia’s president has been the most challenging of his professional career, though he remains optimistic that the university will soon be in a better position for enacting austerity measures. The total budget has been trimmed by 12% through a number of cuts, including shrinking the employee base and closing the art gallery.

Pinnow also stated that Finlandia will be looking to release some land and buildings as they have more space than they need for their student population of ~400.  Pinnow concluded his presentation by offering help to address any community needs that the city council might identify, and expressed interest in working with the city in the future.

Other Items of Note

• The city sold a 1995 pickup truck to the Houghton County Fair board for $500.

• The recent community recycling program was a success and reached capacity three hours early.

• A homeowner in Spruce Haven is trying to buy an adjacent lot without having to build a home on it as required by Hancock city policy. The city council was made aware of potential aftermarket sales that might have already been in violation of the home building requirement.

• Local teamsters representing employees of the city have submitted a formal request to reopen contract negotiations with the city.

Millages, Critical Thinking, and Rainbow Flags

Parents and other community members gathering for the Aug. 22 meeting. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

With more than ten minutes until the meeting’s start, chairs are scarce as parents, teachers, librarians, and other community members make their way into a small room within the Hancock Middle School. One person hands out buttons that read "Support the Hancock Library". The Hancock Public Schools Board of Education calls their Aug. 22 meeting to order with nearly a dozen still standing, overflowing into the adjacent kitchenette and hallway.

Katrina Linde-Moriarty, director of the Portage Lake District Library, presenting to the board and public. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

Katrina Linde-Moriarty, the new director of the Portage Lake District Library (PLDL), gave a presentation to the board to help illustrate the history, achievements, and possible future of collaboration between PLDL and the Hancock Public Schools.

In 2018, a contract was established to have PLDL manage the Hancock School Public Library (HSPL) which had until then been run at limited hours and staffed by volunteers. Although still new to their role, Linde-Moriarty was excited by the progress that had been made during the initial four years of the contract.

548 new library cards were created, checkouts increased by 166% (average of 10.5 checkouts per user for 21/22 year), 5513 new items were added, and library visits increased by an impressive 392%.

HSPL also succeeded in applying for grants and soliciting donations to help fund the services, materials, and improvements of the library. A grant of $212,000 was recently awarded jointly to HSPL and the school district through the Michigan Department of Education literacy program, substantially much more than the ~$29,000 initially requested. Linde-Moriarty has indicated that the grant will fund the program and cover much-needed improvements for the library including new programming, shelves, furnishings, books, maker-space equipment, and a complete overhaul of three outdated non-fiction sections of the library.

Linde-Moriarty offered three possible next steps for the relationship between Hancock School Public Library and the PLDL.

• Extend the current contract. Linde-Moriarty noted that without increasing the financial commitment the level of service would decrease over time.

• Continue the contract but require the municipalities to levy a millage to support the library.

• Pursue a PLDL millage for all the municipalities of Hancock Public Schools to match the 1.96 mils of Houghton and Portage Township making HSPL a "branch" of PLDL allowing library cardholders to check out materials at both locations.

Linde-Moriarty concluded by requesting the current contract be extended one fiscal year with a millage increase from 0.3 (~$73,000) to 0.4 (~$84,000) in order to offset staffing costs and to reinstate the Hancock School Public Library Advisory Committee to improve transparency and ease of communication between the Board of Education and PLDL.

Handouts and slides for the HSPL contract renewal are available on the PLDL website.

Contract Renewal Handouts

Nearly a dozen individuals made visitor comments to the board.

Amanda Lutey, a resident of Hancock, thanked the Board for supporting the library and making it "accessible to all".

Amanda Lutey (left) and Faith Morrison (center) both delivered comments to the Hancock Board of Education. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

Faith Morrison, a recently retired Professor from Michigan Tech, delivered a statement on the importance of libraries in teaching critical thinking and problem-solving.

"A good library should have something to offend everyone," Morrison read.

A parent said that the "Library had stuff that was not appropriate for my son," and that “parents don't like material being shoved in the face of their kids".

The individual declined to provide further comment or be identified for this story.

Allyson Jabusch speaks to the Board of Education. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

Allyson Jabusch, a retiree from Michigan Tech, said that "The library contract saved the day" and encouraged the Board of Education to extend the contract. Jabusch also encouraged community members to volunteer at schools and libraries.

Another individual responded to Jabusch saying "We all have different views on the law".

The individual did not clearly identify themself to the board.

Chris Heikkinen, a former member of the Hancock Board of Education, applauded the work of the current school board. In reference to a pride month library display at HPSL, he stated “This material doesn’t have a place in a display in a public library”.

"Parents are the ultimate authority [and they are] trying to stop the kidnapping of their kids' innocence,” Heikkinen said.

He concluded his comment by asking the Board how they will build and maintain institutional trust.

“Libraries are one of the last places somebody can go without having to pay money,” William Keith, an associate professor at Michigan Tech, said. “A place where everyone is welcome.” 

Keith also voiced support for the library Advisory Committee proposed by Linde-Moriarty to ensure transparency.

Stephanie Flint, a resident of Hancock, shared her experience of "rediscovering the [Hancock] library". 

She stated that "InterLibrary loan has been great" and that the library has offered "good materials for people on a budget". 

Flint expressed hope that the contract would be renewed.

Dillon Geshel, former director of the PLDL, noted that most public school libraries have disappeared in Michigan due to state legislation and that HSPL is one of the few remaining. Geshel encouraged the Board to "think about why [HSPL] has been as successful as it has [during the four-year contract]." 

Editor’s Note: Geshel is a member of Copper Beacon’s Board of Directors.

Steve Raasio, a parent of seven former Hancock students, said that "political stuff [shouldn't be] involved anywhere" in reference to rainbow flags being displayed at the library. He stated that he'd prefer to see the library "fall on its face" than promote "political ideologies".

Raasio noted that he does not personally use the library though some of his adult children do.

Susan Autio, the Circulation Manager at PLDL, said that she oversees the committees that curate library content, and values diversity in the selection there.

"I buy books I find personally offensive," Autio said.

Autio, in reference to the HSPL, stated that "kids are endlessly checking out books" and that she "would be so sad to see this end".

The PLDL and HSPL contract has already been extended twice and is again entering the final months. The board did not vote on its future at this meeting. Their next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 19 at 5 p.m.

Second-grade teachers Genevieve Nordmark and Becky Garnell present on computer science and STEM education. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

Second-grade teachers Genevieve Nordmark and Becky Garnell also delivered a presentation to the Board of Education on the importance of computer science and STEM education for student careers, future wages and college attendance. They emphasized that many valuable skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication are taught through computers, robots, 3D printers, and other technologies in a way that is exciting, fun, and accessible to students.

Ben Larson also gave a brief oral presentation to the board to encourage fundraising through alumni outreach. Larson made several suggestions such as finding naming opportunities and an "Alumni Distinction Honor Group" to get alumni of the Hancock Public Schools excited about making donations or gifts to help fund improvements to the school district.