Small Pride event makes big waves

The Ranger III passes Houghton Pride at Houghton Waterfront Park. Keweenaw Roller Derby (foreground) hosts their table and meets with interested locals. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

An estimated 300 people attended the Copper Country's first ever Pride event on June 3, featuring live music from local artists and a potluck. A dozen community groups lent tables, stickers, snacks, and even face-paint to help make Houghton Pride a success.

The afternoon started out with volunteers setting up tents as Houghton Pride's core organizers hung decorations and prepared tables, disposable dishes, and food labels for the potluck. The small venue was soon brimming with music, colors, and conversation as locals streamed into the park, many bringing food to contribute. At one point, snow cones were being distributed, and later a cotton candy machine made an appearance.

Evan Lanese, member of Bees! Bees! Bees! Bees!, sings at Houghton Pride. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

The atmosphere was decidedly festive, with many dressed in bright colors to express their LGBTQIA+ identities or support thereof. Striped socks, glittery shoes, patterned dresses, dyed hair, plaid pants, and flamboyant shirts were common sights. Attendance skewed younger, with many high-school and college aged, but infants to senior citizens were all represented.

Several local music groups performed at Pride and were paid out of a successful crowdfunding effort coordinated by Keweenaw Queers, the lead organization for the event. The band Bees! Bees! Bees! Bees! kicked off the event with their four-person group jamming out to cheers and applause.

Event organizer Riley Powers (left) speaks with a community member. Photo by Juxta Sprague

Many of the supporting groups hosted tables, including the Copper Country Community Arts Center (CCCAC), Dial Help, and Keweenaw Roller Derby. Two local faith groups also attended; Canterbury House and the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalists (KUUF). Various politically progressive organizations were also present including Michigan United, Equality Michigan, and The Red Nation. The Houghton County Democrats also were in attendance with a life-size cardboard cutout of President Joe Biden.

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Fire consumes two buildings in Lake Linden

The two buildings on the corner of Calumet and Second Street are expected to be declared a total loss. Photo by Lily Venable.

Downtown Lake Linden smells of a large bonfire, but not the summer-fun kind.

At about 11 p.m. Sunday night, the Lake Linden Fire Department received the call of a burning 2-story building on Calumet and Second Street. Firefighters were out until 5 a.m. fighting the flames along with 7 other local departments.

Lake Linden Assistant Fire Chief Nick Meneguzzo said that he rested at home for about 45 minutes before getting paged out again in the late morning as the building continued to smolder.

Fire Chief Andrew Kotila says the department used dump tanks and water from the lake to douse the flames.

“We pulled water from the boat launch using tanker trucks and had a big swimming pool set up,” Kotila said. Kotila and Meneguzzo estimate they used about 600,000 gallons of water to stop the burning.

“The problem is the whole roof dropped, and there’s no way to get water to the parts smoldering below,” says Meneguzzo. “We’re currently bringing in machinery to get debris off the hot spots.”

Nearly 24 hours later, the building continues to emit a stream of smoke.

Meneguzzo said that it’s definitely the biggest fire he’s seen in a while, and that the 2-story building that once housed apartments, a dentist’s office, and a garage, is now a total loss. He predicts the entire building will have to be torn down.

Nobody was hurt in the fire as the residents were said to be out of town. On Friday, the Fire Marshall is expected to inspect the building’s remains in order to pinpoint the cause.

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Public show support for ‘The Fitz’ at KCRC meeting

The crowd at the meeting spilled into the next room. Photo by Lily Venable.

Over 30 people attended a regularly held public board meeting, held Tuesday by the Keweenaw County Road Commission. Most came in support of the Fitzgerald Restaurant, which is facing a potentially costly tear-down of an in-progress construction project due to a road setback issue. The crowd exceeded the capacity of the small meeting room and overflowed into standing-room-only in the back of the Mohawk building.

Several citizens offered their comments in support of Fitz, including Brad Barnett, Executive Director of Visit Keweenaw. Barnett noted that while the Keweenaw County Road Commission and their team do an incredible job of maintaining the area’s roads, the Fitzgerald’s Restaurant and Hotel has truly become a destination attraction enticing visitors to come to the Keweenaw. He encouraged both the road commission and “The Fitz” to come to a consensus solution that works to address the needs of both parties. 

Board members of the Keweenaw County Road Commission also read aloud numerous e-mails that they received from the public, mostly in enthusiastic support of the Fitz, with one e-mail calling for no exceptions to be made.

KCRC’s attorney Andrew Speica emphasized that the Keweenaw County Road Commission is obligated to serve the law and the taxpaying residents of their community, for whom a right-of-way violation would affect.

Specia assured the public that each party is committed to finding a mutually beneficial resolution.

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Michigan Tech steps in to meet need for nurses

Finlandia University is closing, and with it goes its nursing program. Michigan Technological University has stepped in to take over the program to meet the local need.

Graduates of Finlandia’s baccalaureate nursing program (BSN) have regularly staffed our local hospitals and medical providers. With Finlandia closing, the nearest BSN is at Northern Michigan University, 100 miles away.

Overall, there are currently 37 baccalaureate nursing programs approved by Michigan’s Board of Nursing in the state, including the Finlandia program.

Gogebic Community College offers a two-year nursing program in both Houghton and Ironwood, as does the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College. After one year, students can earn an LPN (licensed practical nurse). After two years, they earn an associate in nursing degree and can become RNs (registered nurse). Some then go on to complete their BSN at partner universities.

Tech will offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing starting in the fall of 2023, a four-year degree that will prepare students to work in nursing management or go on to graduate programs in nursing, as well as doing direct patient care.

Good Idea, Bad Idea?

Some people think it’s a good thing that Michigan Tech is taking over Finlandia’s program. Area hospitals and other healthcare facilities say they need more nurses. Others question whether we require more nursing programs in the Keweenaw and whether a vocational program like nursing is appropriate for Michigan Tech.

It's completely appropriate, says Andrew Storer, Michigan Tech provost.

“It is a logical fit for Michigan Tech, as a STEM-focused institution and a technological institution,” he said. “It will prepare students to be leaders in the nursing field.

“Nurses are using a lot of new technology, and research at Michigan Tech is developing new technologies, I would argue that this is a professional program in the STEM field that fits perfectly with Michigan Tech.”

David Hemmer, dean of Michigan Tech’s College of Sciences and Arts, agrees. He calls the nursing program absolutely appropriate.

“An important part of our mission is to educate students to meet the needs of the employers of Michigan, and there is a critical need for nurses, especially in the Upper Peninsula,” he said.

And Rick Koubek, Michigan Tech president, said, “Pairing a science-focused degree with industry needs, that’s what Michigan Tech does best.”

Hemmer goes on to say, “We pride ourselves in the College of Sciences and Arts on providing great degree programs and dedicated advising for students who are interested in a variety of careers in the health professions, including medical school, veterinary school, physical therapy, physician assistants, medical laboratory scientists and more. Nursing is a natural fit for us.”

Claire Danielson, advisor to Michigan Tech’s laboratory sciences program, points out: “This program may also help to shed light on our programs like medical laboratory science, kinesiology and other pre-health options that students may not know exist.”

The American Association of Critical-care Nurses has stated that baccalaureate education is the minimum level required for entry into professional nursing practice in today’s complex healthcare environment.

Nursing Shortage

Storer said health care providers were concerned over the loss of Finlandia’s program.

“Finlandia worked with 20 area health care providers, including hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities, and they all told us of the need to maintain a local BSN program to support the local healthcare system,” he said.

The United States and the global market are experiencing a nursing shortage that is expected to intensify as the demand for more and different nursing services grows. Peter Buerhaus, Douglas Staiger, and David Auerbach reported in the journal Health Affairs that the U.S. may experience a shortage of more than 500,000 registered nurses by the year 2025.

Casey Huckins, interim chair of Biological Sciences at Michigan Tech, said, “According to Michigan Labor and Economic Opportunity documents, there is a strong need for healthcare workers, including many types of nurses, in rural Michigan as well as across the nation.”

The new nursing program will be housed in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Finlandia and Michigan Tech are working collaboratively with the Finlandia nursing program accrediting agency, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the Higher Learning Commission to arrange program accreditation.

What They’ll Study

Huckins said, “Biological Sciences has a long history of educating and preparing students to enter fields related to human health. Nurses are applied biologists, so having them join us makes sense, and we are happy to welcome them.”

The nursing program at Michigan Tech will integrate courses in the humanities, social, biological and natural sciences with the theory and practice of nursing. The curriculum will remain essentially the same as it was at Finlandia, with some minor adjustments to incorporate Michigan Tech’s non-nursing courses and general education program.

Projected enrollment is 16 per year, with an estimated total program size of 54 without the need for more faculty. The Michigan Board of Nursing limits the size of a clinical group to eight students per instructor, impacting the need for clinical instructors.

The BSN program is designed to provide the stimulus and foundation for progression to the graduate level of academic preparation, in addition to producing RNs to do direct patient care.

Costs

Presenting the nursing program to the Michigan Tech University Senate, Storer said that the cost of the program is expected to be $550,000 for the first year, including fringe benefits and supplies, services and equipment for six full time faculty and one full-time staff member. There will also be a one-time $2,500 accreditation new applicant fee and an annual accreditation fee of $2,777.

Financial analysis suggests that tuition generated by this program is sufficient to cover the faculty and staff costs in its first year and would generate net income for the university by fiscal year 2027, Storer went on to say.

Overall, it appears that Michigan Tech’s move to take over the Finlandia nursing program is a win-win for Tech, the nursing students and faculty at Finlandia and the community.

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Fitzgerald’s smoker in peril

The site plan from the Fitzgerald’s building permit application.

Despite being a beloved dining destination nestled onto the Eagle River shoreline, Fitzgerald’s, commonly called ‘the Fitz,’ finds itself facing financial hardship in an ongoing conflict with the Keweenaw County Road Commission.

Over a year ago, the Fitz obtained all necessary permits in order to build an enclosure around their existing meat smoker that would cover the smoker, its firewood, and a new walk-in refrigerator. The project broke ground in June 2022 and had almost reached completion when the Fitz was issued a stop work order by the Keweenaw County Road Commission. They said the enclosure was too close to the road, citing plowing concerns. The required setback is 10 feet from the right-of-way.

The Fitz now faces the threat of a forced tear-down, paid for out-of-pocket, for a project that was already costing them at least $30,000, according to their building permit application.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Fitz laid out the timeline of the issues they have been dealing with, raised the alarm on a supposed private session held by the KCRC on April 11, and even briefly alludes in the comment section that small-town politics may have played a part in the issue. 

Mike LaMotte, executive vice president of operations and human logistics of the Fitzgerald’s, notes frustration that the issue of the road setback was looked over by each inspector that had visited the property throughout the year before the restaurant commenced building the addition.

Message posted to Facebook by The Fitz.

Inspector Eric Bjorn, mentioned in the post, said he is a building inspector, not a zoning inspector, who inspects buildings based strictly on Michigan State building laws, which does not address road setbacks.

Fitzgerald’s building permit application, redaction added.

The Road Commissioners Vice Chairman John Karvonen referred questions to Zoning Administrator Sara Heikkela, saying that she issued the permit incorrectly. Karvonen also said the engineer who drew up the plans didn’t do a site survey.

“He did everything incorrect. That [Facebook] post is very misleading. You have to know the facts,” he said.

Heikkela states that the permit proposals she approved were indeed up to code, but that the actual building of the enclosure veered from the plans that were submitted, which the Keweenaw County Road Commission then noticed and addressed.

Fitzgerald’s zoning permit application, redaction added.

LaMotte says the unique location of the restaurant between Front Street and the shoreline allows them no other space to build the enclosure. He said that tearing down their meat smoker, which has been in the same spot operating as a cornerstone of their business for over a decade, would jeopardize the future of the restaurant.

Fitz-lovers from all over the Keweenaw and beyond are urging the Keweenaw County Road Commission to make a compromise.

Two out of the three Keweenaw County Road Commission members declined to answer questions regarding the issue but state that their attorneys will be answering questions at their next public meeting, held on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 2 p.m. at the Keweenaw County Road Commission in Mohawk. All are welcome to attend.

Editor’s note: This story originally named the location of the KCRC meeting as the Keweenaw County Courthouse in Eagle River.

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U.P. Flooding State of Emergency Deepens

Storm drains in Lake Linden have been cleared, but flows remain and debris is still on the road. Photo by Lily Venable.

As snow continues to melt and recent rains add to the water flow, the State of Emergency declared over spring flooding has expanded to cover eight counties in the Upper Peninsula.

On April 14, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a State of Emergency for the flooding in Houghton and Gogebic counties. This emergency declaration applies to all of Houghton County, with most reported damage being in Lake Linden and Dollar Bay.

According to a press release from the governor's office, State of Emergency declarations have also been granted to Alger, Baraga, Dickinson, Iron, Marquette, and Ontonagon Counties as of Friday. Keweenaw County has not reported any significant damage at this time.

“Flows are way down from what they were,” Emergency Operations Manager Chris VanArsdale said. “We’re waiting to see, when the storm passes, if they’re going to pick back up or dry out. We’re in a holding pattern while the weather subsides.”

Photo courtesy of the office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The Houghton County Emergency Division warns residents to be mindful of water over the road and also of very soft roads. Gravel roads will be extremely soft, so drive towards the middle of the road if possible to avoid getting stuck. Also watch for soft shoulders on roads. The Houghton County Emergency Division continues to monitor water flow.

In a joint statement, State Senator Ed McBroom and Representative Greg Markkanen said in a press release, “We are grateful for the quick turnaround upon these local emergency declarations and needs. The MSP has been working diligently to help all our local officials and citizens. Our offices are ready to provide any assistance and work for the support we will need to repair and rebuild after the water recedes.” 

DAMAGE REPORTS

Residents who have damage to their property are asked to report it either online at https://arcg.is/10ab1j or by calling 211. The purpose of reporting damage is so that the Houghton County Emergency Division can assess the damage as well as report to the State of Michigan how much assistance is needed through FEMA. There are two types of assistance to be applied for: public assistance (infrastructure, roads, municipalities, etc.) and individual assistance (privately owned properties and houses).

VanArsdale says that most damage being reported is road damage, so funds from the State of Michigan will go to stormwater system repair, road and shoulder repair, and repairs to any public infrastructure, including labor, overtime, and fuel for responding agencies.

PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL AND STATE

“The disaster relief process is complicated,” remarks VanArsdale. “We’ve been through it, but some of the other counties haven’t, they’re learning as they go. The State has been great seeing what we need. They have been a great partner, and we are really happy working with them.”

The Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (EMHSC), a branch of the Michigan State Police, has used their resources to broadcast public information, as well as to set up and maintain the 211 phone line and web link for damage reports.

“Every morning, they’re asking, ‘What do you need from us?’,” remarks VanArsdale. “[EMHSC Captain] Kevin Sweeney has been on our calls every morning. Actually, he called me Wednesday morning to see how the flooding is going and what we need from them. I was really impressed that he would take the time personally to see what we needed locally.”

WHO’S IN CHARGE OF MAINTENANCE?

The washed-out railroad grade above Lake Linden. Photo courtesy of Chris Van Arsdale.

In Lake Linden and Hubbell, most damage comes from several abandoned railroad grades. In Hubbell, the water is flowing through the grades, while in Lake Linden, one of these grades was blocking the flow of stormwater, becoming waterlogged, and subsequently bursting, causing a flood emergency.

“The railroad grades need to be checked. They’re not designed as dams, they’re designed as bridges,” explains VanArsdale.  “The gray area is whose responsibility it is to maintain the culverts, and that’s a question that hasn't been resolved. So a lot of them aren't maintained. That causes problems.”

According to VanArsdale, EGLE recently paid an estimated $10 million to clean up some of these streams and culverts all over the Keweenaw, so some say it is EGLE’s responsibility to maintain the culverts. EGLE said they permit work on them, but it is not theirs to maintain. Some say the county should maintain the culverts, while others say the responsibility should be left to private landowners, where several of the culverts lie.

The washout of a home’s yard in Lake Linden. Photo courtesy of Chris Van Arsdale.

In spring of 2019, before the year’s snow melt, a meeting was conducted between Houghton County fire departments, police departments, and township and municipality representatives to discuss the county’s stance on the issue. It was ultimately decided that the responsibility was going to be left to the municipality to maintain the drains, but the conversation is still ongoing.

ACTIONABLE STEPS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL

If you are a landowner, have land surrounding these grades or gullies (there are 33 of these drainages in the area), or live next to one, make sure you aren’t dumping any garbage that might block the culverts.

“That’s definitely been an issue – dumping in the woods,” remarks VanArsdale.

Ask your local elected officials: What are they doing to maintain the drains? Is there a program in place? Are they having a contractor coming to check them or clean them every year?

Individuals or municipalities can petition the County Board of Commissioners to establish what’s called a county drain, a watershed which the County Drain Commissioner is responsible for maintaining. The county would then be responsible for maintaining the drain rather than the local municipality. This is a common arrangement in other parts of the state.

Flooding causes local state of emergency

Flooding between Lake Linden and Dollar Bay has led to Houghton County declaring a local state of emergency, according to a release from the Houghton County Office of Emergency Measures.

Rapid snowmelt led to fast-moving waters and the bursting of an abandoned railroad grade that was acting as an earthen dam. Storm water systems have been overwhelmed, causing road closures and washouts.

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Photos courtesy of the Emergency Management Coordinator Chris Van Arsdale.

The local declaration is the first step in requesting state assistance with the cost of the recovery. Initial estimates already put the cost of recovery over $150,000. First responders and government agencies continue to work to protect people and property, and restore road access.

The state of emergency began on Thursday, and will last for a week unless renewed.

UPDATE, April 14, 2023:

Houghton County has submitted a request to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to declare a State of Emergency for the flooding, which was signed at 3:20 p.m. for Houghton and Gogebic counties. This clears the way for state assistance in management and recovery.

With the potential for wet weather this weekend, the Houghton County Emergency Manager is encouraging residents to drive with caution and be aware of the potential for rapidly changing water levels in streams and ditches.

Houghton County Commission passes 2nd Amendment resolution

The Board of County Commissioners, left to right: Joel Keranen, Glenn Anderson, Tom Tikkanen, Roy Britz and Gretchen Janssen. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

Three years ago, the Houghton County Board of Commissioners debated and ultimately voted 3 to 2 against a Second Amendment Sanctuary County resolution.  At its meeting on April 11, the board considered a new, revised resolution and passed it 4 to 1. 

The new resolution does not mention the words “sanctuary county.” 

The new resolution affirms support of “all constitutional rights, including, but not limited to, the right of the people to keep and bear arms.” It also calls for adequate funding of mental health services. 

On the surface, it sounds reasonable and positive. But in fact, as several members of the public who packed the Circuit Courtroom Tuesday pointed out, its intent is to give the sheriff and other law enforcement officers the discretion not to enforce the new state gun control laws recently passed by the Legislature. The section on funding mental health services includes language that essentially guarantees that people with mental health issues will still have access to guns. 

Sheriff Josh Saaranen is an outspoken advocate of the need for more and better mental health services, but he does not support ensuring mental health patients access to guns.

“I have no problem giving my opinion that, yes, we need to keep firearms out of the hands of not only dangerous felons, but adjudicated mentally ill persons, both of whom should be provided due process,” he said in an email.

Saaranen describes himself as a constitutional sheriff. Constitutional sheriffs say that they are the supreme legal authority with the power and duty to defy or disregard laws they regard as unconstitutional.

Saaranen had this to say about law enforcement discretion in enforcing laws: “As your sheriff, I am constitutionally charged to enforce the laws of the State of Michigan. Law enforcement, however, has long been allowed discretion. Discretion is used daily by all our deputies and local constabularies. This sound discretion will be used on the enforcement of any law as to not only protect the public, but also protect the rights of all citizens as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Michigan. As sheriff, I will enforce state law and protect every community member's inalienable constitutional rights to the best of my ability.” 

The Circuit Courtroom, filled to standing-room only. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

Three issues emerged from a contentious, hour-long session of public comments before the county commission’s vote:

• Does the county government have the right not to enforce laws that it deems unconstitutional?

• Does the sheriff have the discretion not to enforce laws that he believes are unconstitutional?

• Is the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms limited or unlimited?

Objections to the Resolution

“I am opposed to the county board taking a stand that our county law enforcement officers should make their own independent assessment of constitutionality,” said Faith Morrison, a professor emerita of chemical engineering at Michigan Technological University. “Our system in the United States is that the courts are the ones that determine constitutionality.” 

Morrison also urged the commissioners not to vote on the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting.

“The resolution was made available to the public only yesterday,” she said. “As is the usual practice of the board, time should be allowed for the citizens of Houghton County to hear the arguments for and against the proposal before the commissioners take a vote.

“What is constitutional or not is ultimately decided by the courts,” said Pete Ekstrom. “It should not be up to a law enforcement officer to decide.”

In response to the oft-cited claim that “guns don’t kill people; people kill people,” Ekstrom said, “It’s people with guns in their hands who kill people. The Second Amendment doesn’t guarantee the right to kill.”

Houghton City Councilman Craig Waddell said, “I am a gun owner, and I support common-sense gun control. But Second Amendment rights are not unlimited.”

Even Justice Scalia, the late conservative Supreme Court Justice, has stated that neither first nor Second Amendment rights are unlimited, Waddell pointed out.

“I think this resolution also puts the sheriff in a potentially awkward position,” Waddell said. “The Michigan constitution gives the governor the power to remove a sheriff who refuses to enforce state or federal law.”

Others spoke passionately about the danger of guns. “If a gun is present, someone is much more likely to use it,” said Joan Chadde.  “You have guns; you have deaths.”

“Why aren’t the people who want guns at the forefront of efforts to ensure gun safety?” asked Donna Cole. 

“I support sensible gun safety laws,” said Janeen Stephenson. “We are all safer when gun safety laws are enforced.”

Support for the Resolution

“Our constitutional rights need to be protected and affirmed,” said Brian Mason, pastor of the North Star Baptist Church. Mason spoke on behalf of the citizens who presented the resolution. “We are asking our commissioners to confirm their support for the Constitution. We singled out the Second Amendment because that is the one that is being politicized.”

Dan Holcomb. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

Dan Holcomb, one of the co-authors of the resolution, said his concern is “unlawful gun laws that only serve a political agenda and punish lawful gun owners.”

Holcomb said, “We firmly believe that if the Second Amendment is infringed, it will set a dangerous precedent that will undermine the rest of our constitutional rights, including, but not limited, to our first and fourth amendment rights.”  

Holcomb is former chair of the Houghton County Republican Party. He has twice run unsuccessfully for a Houghton County Commission seat. The local Republican Party helped draft the resolution, said Mason. 

“If the new laws are enforced, it would make it illegal to defend yourself in your own home,” said one supporter of the resolution.

“We have a right to defend ourselves,” said another. “What good is a gun if it’s locked away when someone breaks into your house?”

County Commission Response

Commissioner Gretchen Janssen, who cast the only no vote on the resolution, rebuked the resolution’s supporters, saying: “I don’t appreciate your implication that I don’t support the Constitution if I don’t support this resolution.” 

Glenn Anderson focused on the mental health provision. Anderson, who is advocating for 24-hour walk-in mental health services, called the proposal “a more common-sense resolution that includes mental health.”

He also pointed out that 80% of households in Houghton County have guns. 

Saying that he was changing his previous no vote to yes, Roy Britz noted that the “sanctuary county” language had been removed from this resolution.

However, he said, “the laws are the laws. The county board does not have the right to choose which laws it wants enforced. The sheriff has the responsibility to enforce the laws of the State of Michigan.”

Sheriff Saaranen urged both sides of the gun control issue to sit down together to figure out how to stop the scourge of gun violence.

“We need to come together and identify how to stop deranged perpetrators, specifically to protect our most valuable and vulnerable citizens, our children,” he said. “We should all come to the table and have an objective conversation on how best to do so. It is a multi-faceted challenge and not a single-issue fix. We all have arguments, opinions and insights, some of which are politically divisive, but we must have honest and civil discourse to be able to effectively address these complex problems.” 

New Gun Control Legislation

On Thursday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed two gun control bills recently passed by the Michigan Legislature. The new laws, which take effect next year, will expand background check requirements for firearm purchases and institute storage standards for guns kept in homes where children are present.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on April 13 at the signing of gun violence prevention bills. Photo courtesy of the governor’s office.

The same day, the Michigan House of Representatives passed a package of “red flag” bills that would allow individuals to ask a judge to confiscate firearms from persons believed to be a risk to themselves or others. The bills had already passed the Senate.

“When our leaders in Lansing actually listen to their constituents and survivors, this is what can happen: ground-breaking, historic legislation that will save lives by preventing school shootings, suicides, accidents, and daily gun violence,” said Madeline Johnson of No Future Without Today, an organization founded by student survivors of the 2021 Oxford school shooting.

Honey bees welcome, or not?

The City of Houghton is considering a controversial proposal that could ban beekeeping within its city limits, sparking concerns among local beekeepers and environmentalists.

The Houghton City Council is currently accepting public comment on whether to rewrite or push forward Proposed Ordinance 2023-330, an ordinance on animal and pet keeping within Houghton City Limits, to replace Ordinance 10. The current language of the proposed ordinance would disallow beekeeping in Houghton if enacted. City Manager Eric Waara cites concerns over bee stings when hives are kept in small lots with close neighbors, particularly in regard to people who are allergic to bee stings.

Proposed ordinance begins on page 18

Questions arise over whether the global environmental and impending food crises make it an appropriate time to ban the keeping of bees. Bees are a keystone species vulnerable to extinction and responsible for pollinating more than a third of the world’s food supply. Waara, points out, however, that some research suggests that keeping honey bees actually hurts the native bee population of an area.

According to Dr. Meghan Milbrath, a pollination expert at Michigan State University, native bees and honey bees end up competing for food resources. However, this can be offset by having policies and practices to promote more planting of flowers and flowering trees.

Waara maintains that trying to enforce beekeeping regulation and policy is a logistical nightmare. 

“How deeply do you want to regulate things? That takes resources in a community. If the community passes an ordinance that's unenforceable, it has wasted its time,” Waara said.

Copper Country Beekeeping Club representative Pete Cattelino says the process of making an ordinance that appeals to everyone could be simple.

Local beehive, photo by Pete Cattelino

“Many communities have ordinances that allow beekeeping under certain conditions and generally accepted best practices. We feel Houghton can use these ordinances as a starting point to write an ordinance that will be acceptable to the City as well as local beekeepers and provide for safe and responsible beekeeping.”

Cattelino said that honey bees play an important role in pollinating vegetables, fruit, flowering plants, and trees in our community. He ultimately hopes the Council will put in the effort so that beekeepers can continue to have bees in their yards in Houghton.

“Many backyard beekeepers enjoy having bees to produce honey for themselves and to improve pollination in their gardens and property,” says Cattelino. “Prohibiting beekeeping in the City of Houghton would eliminate the opportunity for existing and future beekeepers to participate in this fascinating and beneficial hobby.”

Local beehive, photo by Cathy Azzarello

Some solutions being discussed might include requiring a minimum lot size or screening provisions for keeping hives (to make sure the bees fly up, away from people, instead of out), or appointing an officer to regulate sourcing.

The city council will decide whether Ordinance 2023-330 passes into law, effectively banning beekeeping in the City of Houghton limits. All residents are invited to attend and voice their concerns or lend their expertise on the matter. The next Council meeting is Wednesday, April 12, at 5:30 p.m. at 616 Shelden Aven. in Houghton.

Last-minute student event upstages TPUSA speaker

This story follows up on “Admin at MTU subverts student self-governance,” and “After paying conservative speaker, questions linger, answers are sparse.”

While a conservative speaker implored his audience to “Put God First!” dozens of student organizations, local businesses, churches, and artisans celebrated diversity, shared art, and danced to live music late into the night at Spring FLARE.

TPUSA speaker Brandon Tatum spoke Tuesday at Michigan Tech, but was overshadowed by an event organized last minute by students that attracted hundreds more attendees. Despite opaque communication from the University around campus safety protocol, both events occurred with little incident, save for a verbal altercation between a student and Brandon Tatum during his event.

Tatum’s Talk

Brandon Tatum’s event “BE BRAVE with Brandon Tatum” took place in the largest classroom on campus, Fisher 135. Students and community members were asked to sign in on a laptop before filing into the lecture hall that prominently featured a QR code to “Ask Brandon a question.”

Tatum began his event by addressing the funding controversy last month that threatened to prevent the usage of student funds to cover $3,500 of his $10,000 speaking fee. Tatum expressed his thanks to Turning Point staff and school administrators for securing funding for his event.

“I'm very thankful that you guys fought for me to be here, right now in this place, and I believe God has called us to do something special here, and I appreciate you guys,” he said.

Tatum also sought to “set the record straight” regarding opponents of funding his event, citing a history of queer-phobic rhetoric.

“If you’re gay, straight, trans. It ain't none of my business, I don't care. You don't pay my bills, I don't pay your bills,” he said.

Brandon Tatum responds to a bi-racial student asking why Tatum does not consider Barack Obama to be black. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

During Tatum’s hour-long event he expressed a number of opinions including that, “drag-queen story hour [...] is leading towards pedophilia,” that “America is not a racist country,” and that “Black Lives Matter was nothing but a money grab.”

Tatum also offered up some anecdotes from his time as a police officer.

“Everyone I arrested out here smoking drugs, doing crime, and destroying communities, they had free healthcare. They'd go and get bludgeoned, and drunk, and get to the hospital and spend $30,000 on their medical bill, and they don't give a flying flip.”

After stating that Barack Obama is “not Black,” a student with a pride pin in the front row stood up and loudly asked Tatum to clarify his statement. After a brief back and forth discussing Obama’s bi-racial heritage, Tatum stated, “With all due respect, Barack Obama isn’t Black because he has a drop of Black in him. [...] What makes my son Black? He is 50/50. He is half White, half Black. There’s no way to call him Black unless you want the White race to be pure.”

Tatum then queried the student on their own racial heritage, to which they responded, “I’m White and Hispanic, there’s multitudes.”

Tatum also spoke at length about how he considered redlining to be a myth.

“It's not about redlining that I saw, or anything that had anything to do with the government, the reason that Black communities were suffering so much. It was culture and personal responsibility. [...] Unfortunately, Black people, in my opinion, in inner cities have adopted this culture that's destructive.”

Tatum went on to blame Black people defaulting on home loans as a principle cause of the 2008 financial crash.

Tatum concluded his event by saying, “If you forget everything I say, just put God first.”

Caleb Glenn, the president of Turning Point USA at Michigan Tech, said the event had over 300 attendees.

“The event was a great success. Both students and members of the community came out to show their support. I believe that the impact on campus was a step towards more people, regardless of political belief, standing up for what they believe in.”

Glenn also stated that his student organization aims to host at least one speaker per semester.

• How Michigan Tech evaluates event safety

  Due to numerous questions and concerns about potential violence related to Turning Point USA’s event, this reporter reached out to the Michigan Tech administrators to better understand how the University evaluates the safety of on campus events and public speakers.
  
  University General Counsel Sarah Schulte explained that they have professionals in risk analysis who evaluate every event and presenter on campus. Schulte did not provide specifics on whom the professionals are, beyond that Michigan Tech’s department of Public Safety and Police Services is the lead on the evaluation process.

  “If there were an instance where there were actual threats of violence, and like I've said we haven't had that since I have been here at Michigan Tech, then I would be pulled into that conversation and others in leadership would be pulled into that conversation."
  
  Schulte, when asked if students, faculty, or staff had any input on the safety evaluation process, said that anyone can bring information forward, but that decision-making power remains solely with University professionals.

  “When specific allegations are made regarding a speaker with respect to incitement of violence, that is something that is reviewed to determine whether or not that is a concern for the speech that is anticipated to be given here.”
  
  When asked how students, faculty, or staff could relay their concerns about on campus events, the University provided a link to the Dean of Students office Report a Concern page.

  “Concerns about events can be directed to the organizations who host the events and to the appropriate university professionals and/or units responsible for overseeing the event.”
  
  The University declined to comment on the recent reassignment of the former Dean of Students Dr. Wallace Southerland to an advisory role within the University and directed this reporter to an announcement made in Tech Today regarding “Leadership Transitions”.
  
  The University also stated that they have not been made aware of any allegations or complaints against Turning Point USA’s speaker Brandon Tatum.

Spring FLARE Exceeds Expectations

Spring FLARE (Festival of Love, Arts, Radiance, & Empowerment) was hosted in the lobby of the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. Before the event even began it was bustling with activity from all the student groups, businesses, and artists setting up booths and chatting with each other. A steady stream of students and community members soon joined the event as the first band was tuning.

The first half of the four-hour event was a fair featuring 33 booths. It included 20 student organizations, a mix of ten businesses and community organizations, and eight artists. Several local faith communities were also present, with clergy and staff helping run booths and interacting with students. The second half of the event was a live concert with half a dozen bands and a dance floor.

The size and success of FLARE came as a surprise even to those involved in organizing the event. Gabriel Ahrendt, a doctorate student in the Geological Sciences and co-organizer of the event, spoke about the experience of making FLARE a reality in less than three weeks.

“We filled up our lineup. We filled out all of the booths. [...] It was very nice to just walk downtown, and walk between businesses and see how many people had heard about the TPUSA event and who had wanted to support our event because of it. [...] It started out as a kind of counter event to the TPUSA thing, but then in the end when we started getting so much support from the community, we were like, why don't we just throw a big event that could be cool for everyone.”

In regard to event safety at FLARE, one of the event organizers and co-president of Keweenaw Pride, Kieran Rowan, stated that they had relied upon participants to create a culture that would stand up to hate. Additionally, they coordinated with trained supporters of the event to intervene should any conflicts arise.

“We did not directly [engage] with public safety or administration, as we wanted to emphasize our faith in the actions and beliefs of our community,” Rowan said.

Attendees of Spring FLARE converse and visit various booths in the lobby of the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. Photo by Juxta Sprague.

The last minute event was undoubtedly a hit, with many attendees and supporters expressing hope that this was just the start of an annual tradition.

William Keith, an associate professor in the Mathematical Sciences department, said, “The people who organized FLARE [...] certainly brought together a fantastic group of people, and I'd be happy to see more like this in the future.”

JoHannah Green, president of Michigan Tech’s Law Club, also expressed her interest in seeing FLARE return.

“Honestly, If this was an annual event, that would be amazing.”

The event finished up late in the evening with a full dance floor as the last band finished their set to cheers and applause.

The Rozsa Center reported 501 attendees at FLARE from their door clickers, in addition to an estimated 50 people running booths and facilitating the event.