Birders of all skill levels are now scanning the skies in Mackinaw City as the community’s annual Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch and the accompanying Mackinac Straits Waterbird Count have begun. The daily counts track the annual northern migration of birds and will continue throughout the spring. The third annual Raptor Fest, held in conjunction with the counts, is also scheduled […]
Government 101: Engaging the Public, Seeking Input Are Roles of Local Officials
Engaging the public and seeking input on local issues is the role of local elected and appointed officials, who ultimately work for the public. That was the lesson of a recent meeting held by the League of Women Voters of the Eastern Upper Peninsula at the St. Ignace Public Library Monday, March 26. A panel of local township and county […]
Assessing Drinking Water Quality Varies From Place to Place; U.P. Fares Well
Pinpointing one area in Michigan that has the cleanest drinking water, or the worst, isn’t straightforward, because different areas have different environmental concerns. Mackinac County is one of the cleanest in the state in terms of naturally occurring levels of arsenic in groundwater, which is common in some areas throughout Michigan because of the geological makeup of the land. In […]
Carmeuse Receives Grant for Investments and Creation of 32 Jobs
Carmeuse Lime and Stone received a $200,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant in recognition of recent efforts to expand its operations in northern Michigan. The company plans to improve facilities in Cedarville, Port Inland, and Rogers City, invest about $96.3 million during the next several years, and created 32 jobs in 2017. The investments earned the company the grant, which […]
Additional Anchor Supports Will Be Installed Along Line 5
As soon as the weather allows, 22 new anchor supports will be installed along Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 pipeline the runs beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge has been seeking the supports since last summer, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality approved permits for them Friday, March 23. Once the new supports are installed, there will be 150 anchors […]
St. Ignace City Council Members Paid $1,170 for Month of February
St. Ignace City Council members were paid $1,170 for the month of February. The mayor receives $70 to attend council meetings and $60 to attend committee meetings or represent the city at events. Council members receive $60 to attend council meetings and $50 to attend committee meetings. Council members received the following amounts: Connie Litzner, $260: Council, February 5; DDA, […]