A Winter Warm-up at Mackinaw City

Chili Cook-off, Art Show, Outhouse Races Among Highlights for Winterfest Crowds

Decision Nears on Mining

Graymont Says It Will Work to Find Common Ground With DNR and Public, as Newberry Hearing Set for Jan. 28

With a recommendation in hand from six DNR managers to deny the Graymont mining request involving some 10,000 acres of land and mineral rights in the Eastern Upper Peninsula, Department of Natural Resources director Keith Creagh has yet to make a final decision in the matter, and says he wants to gather as much public opinion as possible before he […]

Island Ponders Winter Traffic



Should recreational snowmobilers be allowed on Mackinac Island? If so, how should they be controlled, and what is needed to make Mackinac Island safer and more tranquil in the winter? These are questions being discussed by the city of Mackinac Island and Mackinac Island State Park in reaction to last winter’s unprecedented volume of recreational snowmobile traffic and the many […]

County Seeks Drainage Solution



Water drainage can cause expensive destruction of roads, contention between neighbors, and recurring trouble for public places like school athletic fields. To avoid premature road damage and guide building projects, several townships are joining the Mackinac County Planning Commission in looking for new ways to deal with water. They are considering a drainage management program and a drain commissioner. A […]

Federal Study Sought On Line 5



The portion of the Enbridge Line 5 light petroleum pipeline running beneath the Straits of Mackinac may come under federal scrutiny with a Sierra Club lawsuit demanding a federal safety study of the pipe. Studies by the Michigan Petroleum Pipeline Task Force continue. Concerns are that a potential leak or spill at this portion of the line will pollute the […]

Energy Plan Does Not Meet Short-term Needs, Cloverland Electric Cooperative Says



While agreements being negotiated between the state, power companies, and mining operations in the Western U.P. offer hope that the U.P. electricity surcharge can be avoided, the proposed plan does not guarantee that customers would be off the hook for paying to keep the Presque Isle Power Plant running, according to Cloverland Electric Cooperative, and has no impact in the […]

Hill Named Chair at County Commission



Jim Hill was reelected chairman of the Mackinac County Board of Commissioners at the board’s first meeting for 2015 Tuesday, January 6, which included committee appointments. Commissioner Diane Patrick was reelected vice-chair. Other commissioners are Calvin McPhee, David Sudol, and Lawrence Leveille. “We’ll try to get through 2015 with as little trouble as possible,” said Mr. Hill said, received a […]

Snowmobile Club Ready, But Trails Are Not



As of Monday, January 19, trail conditions remained poor for the Les Cheneaux Snowmobile Club and the organization has yet to begin regular groomer operations for its 2015 season. Club President Stu Volkers said the club’s trails run through a lot of swampy areas that have yet to fully freeze, leaving the trails covered with water holes. “The trails are […]

Pickford Offers Timber Harvesting Tour Jan. 24



A timber harvesting tour will be offered Saturday, January 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pickford Township Hall, 155 East Main Street in Pickford. There will be a presentation on winter harvesting in the Eastern Upper Peninsula, including silvicultural systems such as selection, shelterwood, and clearcut, forest types of the EUP, the role of the forester and […]

Businesses That Hire Veterans May Be Eligible for Tax Credit



Businesses that hired qualified veterans before January 1, 2015, may have a tax incentive. Recent legislation offers employers the chance to claim a tax credit of potentially thousands of dollars for helping veterans return to the civilian work force, according to the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. “Section 119 of the Tax Code Legislation passed in December may give employers who […]