TV6 Co-Anchor, Right-to-Farm, Fitness Craze, and Rainwater Toilets

STEVE ASPLUND AND Greg Trick will soon have a female co-anchor sitting across from them at the TV6 anchor desk.

Her name is Sophie Erber, fresh out of a Masters program at the University of South Florida. She'd previously graduated from University of Tampa in the honors program.

A co-anchor? We haven't seen that since the days of Elizabeth Peterson and Jackie Chandonnet.

It's a further indication that TV6's new owner, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, has money to spend and intends to head off the challenges of Local 3, WJMN's new newscast team, and ABC 10.

Dual anchors at TV6 were ditched several years back by the previous owner, Barrington Broadcasting, in a cost-cutting move. Times have changed, ownership has changed.

Erber is scheduled to arrive in the UP in  a couple of weeks. You'll see her on the air as a reporter initially as she familiarizes herself with the area...and then she'll sit down in the 6 pm co-anchor chair. Eventually, plans call for her to appear on the 6 pm, 7 pm and 11 pm newscasts.

One more report, that Asplund won't comment on but everybody else at TV6 will, tells us that morale at the station, especially in the news department, has soared since the former ND Regena Robinson abruptly left late last year, and Asplund took over. 

One staffer referred to Robinson's tenure as "two and a half years of hell."
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A FEW YEARS ago, Forsyth Township and Randy Buchler, a local farmer, were battling each other in a courtroom. Today, they're working together to come up with new and fair zoning ordinances on backyard farms.

Take note, Washington DC. This is a story about how government is supposed to function.

Quick background: Buchler and his wife have been raising laying hens and sheep (for wool), along with vegetables, for the last decade at their Shady Grove Farm in Gwinn. However, a few years ago, the Township Planning Board determined that the Buchlers were in violation of the township's zoning ordinance.

The township took them to court but, surprise, the Buchlers actually won. The judge ruled that Michigan's right-to-farm act trumped the county ordinance. The ruling garnered national attention.

So, was there bad blood between the victors and the losers?

Nope. The planning board is now drawing up new ordinances that will fit in with the township's master plan and it wants Buchler, with his experience and knowledge, to help them. The board also acknowledges that its residents have made it clear they want to loosen the rules when it comes to raising livestock on their property.

How about that? A government that listens to its constituents, doesn't hold grudges, and simply wants to govern.
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HOW MANY FITNESS gyms does Marquette need?

Well, we just got another one. Anytime Fitness, without any fanfare, opened its doors on Washington Street across from Shopko August 1st, and the manager claims they've already signed up 100 members. Mostly by word-of-mouth.

Radio ads are just starting. The official grand opening won't take place until the end of the month.

It's not just some modest little hole in the wall, either. It's a brand new two story facility. Anytime Fitness now boasts 2600 gyms worldwide. It's one of the fastest growing chains in America.

The new gym comes on the heels of Snap Fitness, on US 41, closing down. Not enough clients?

So again, do we need another gym? There are now about a dozen in and around town, some specializing in personalized training, others offering a wide array of activities, still others keeping their doors open 24 hours a day.

We've become a fitness-obsessed society although you'd never know that by looking at our ever expanding waistlines.
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YA GOTTA LOVE this.

Have you seen all the attractive landscaping outside the new Marquette Food Co-op?

It's all being irrigated by rainwater captured on the roof of the store. Simple but brilliant and far-seeing. That's what sustainability is all about.

Oh, one other thing. The toilets at the Co-op are also using water from the roof. Flushing is provided by rain.

It's amazing what you can learn by reading informational signs on the back of the commodes.

You got news? Email me at briancabell@gmail.com

You can now get Word on the Street as soon as it's posted by going to "Word on the Street by Brian Cabell" on Facebook and "liking" it.

Hospital Update, Co-op vs Econo, and Motley Fools Bash Cliffs

Here's the unofficial, official update on the relocation of Marquette General Hospital.

It's down to three locations: 1)the southern half of the Heritage course at the Marquette Golf Club.  2)the so-called Roundhouse property off of Seventh Street in Marquette.  3)the Marquette Township property off of Venture Drive behind the mall.

That said, keep in mind, some previous reports from people in the know have been misleading if not just plain wrong.

What we do know with some certainty is that the Cliffs Dow property along Lake Superior is out, the Medical Center location is out, the current MGH site is out, and all other locations in the Township are out.

We think. Well, we're pretty sure, anyway.

So, by means of elimination and with the benefit of observations by officials (not by Duke LifePoint, though), it's down to three.

The golf course location would have the benefit of direct access to McClellan Boulevard and the airport, but the sale of it to Duke LifePoint would require the approval of two thirds of the voting members at the club. No slam dunk.

The Roundhouse property would be centrally located in Marquette, just a few blocks off of US 41 but the hospital would have to acquire several properties, public and private, to come up with the 40 acres needed. Could be complicated, maybe not.

The Township property may be a little farther out than ideal, but it's vacant and shovel-ready. Seems like the simplest, cleanest deal but who knows?

The previously announced timetable for a decision on the hospital would seem to tell us the decision would come...oh, today, or so.

Meantime, the city and the township, eyeing tax revenues from the 300 million dollar project, are waiting anxiously for the climactic news.
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Now that we're all tingling with excitement over the opening of the Marquette Food Co-op at its spacious new location with its expanded inventory, maybe it's time to look at a direct comparison of prices between the Co-op and Econo, the supermarket located just about two miles away.

Econo, you may have noticed, is selling more and more organic foods.

A couple things first. We're not going to compare produce because we know the stores are getting it from different sources. The same with meats. The Co-op clearly has more local produce and meat, along with a huge selection of bulk foods, so we can't make a direct apples-to-apples comparison.

But we can compare brand-name organic or natural products that both stores carry. Here goes:

Organic Valley milk.....Econo $4.99, Co-op $3.99
Garden of Eatin chips...Econo $3.79, Co-op $3.79
Luna Bar.......................Econo $1.49, Co-op $1.59 (but with .50 off coupon)
Clif Bar.........................Econo $1.49, Co-op $.99
La Croix 12 pack..........Econo $4.59, Co-op $4.99
Florida Natural OJ........Econo $3.83, Co-op $4.89
Blue Diamond Nut Thins...Econo $3.99, Co-op $3.89 (and with an additional .50 off coupon)
Nature's Path Raisin Bran.....Econo $6.09, Co-op $4.69
Lakewood Cranberry Juice...Econo $10.29, Co-op $12.49
Good Belly Probiotics (blueberry)...Econo $4.79, Co-op $4.79
Annies Naturals dressing..................Econo $4.69, Co-op $4.89 (but with $1.50 off if you buy two)
Lifeway Kefir (blueberry, raspberry)...Econo $4.29, Co-op $3.99

So there you have it--the first totally unscientific, uncomprehensive comparision of the two stores. Sophisticated math calculations tell you that the Co-op had cheaper prices on seven of the products, Econo was cheaper on three, and they tied on two.

Hats off to both stores. The Co-op, for expanding and making our shopping experience more pleasant, even fun. And Econo, for clearly recognizing a growing demand, and significantly expanding its line of organic and natural products in the last few years.
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Yikes, somebody at The Motley Fool is less than thrilled with the prospects for Cliffs Natural Resources.

Four days ago, Motley listed Cliffs as one of the worst three stocks: "Research firm Cowen group noted that, as long as iron ore prices remain depressed, Cliffs stock will, too, and the business could struggle  to even remain profitable."

A day earlier, The Motley Fool wrote  of Cliffs that "there are conflicts of interest within the current board of directors and executives" and "there are some serious risks associated with Cliffs stock."

A month ago, The Motley Fool ran the headline, "Is Cliffs Natural Resources on Its Last Legs?"

What's up with The Motley Fool?

How about some balance? Two weeks ago, Forbes ran a story titled "Cliffs Natural Resources is Oversold." That means the stock price is too low and should go up.

For all the suffering Cliffs investors out there, yeah, that sounds exactly right.
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Another restaurant shakeup in downtown Marquette.

The Blue Lounge on Washington Street is giving way to the 906 Sports Bar and Grill. Same ownership, same location but different management and a different direction.

It'll now feature seven 55 inch TVs, one projection screen and three 42 inchers. Also, a full kitchen seven days a week. And five days a week, it'll be open until 2 am.

Management says it'll be more family-friendly than the Blue Lounge with much longer hours of operation. It'll drive more people downtown, they hope, which is always good.

You gotta wonder how the Dog House and Awbrees, which are also sports bars within shouting distance of the newcomer, feel about it. Do we really have that many sports nuts downtown?

We'll find out. The 906 is hoping to have its transformation complete by June 30th, give or take a week or two.
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On the other hand, there seems to be a much greater need for a restaurant-bar in downtown Negaunee, and a couple of residents--Mike and Ivy Ridenour--are stepping in to fill that need.

They'll be opening Jackson's Pit on Iron Street (the former Ed's Iron Inn) on Friday, June 27th, if all goes as planned.

They'll offer signature burgers, great sandwiches, Michigan craft beers, 19 brews on tap. Also root beer. Woohoo.

Family friendly, open seven days a week, from 11 am until 1:30 am most nights. Capacity of 130. An industrial mining theme. The name comes from the Jackson Mine of years ago.

24 employees hired. New life and new food added to downtown Negaunee. What's not to like? Now all they'll need is a steady stream of customers, day and night, from a city not exactly noted for its bustling and prosperous downtown.


 You got news? Email me at briancabell@gmail.com

Caggiano's Past, YMCA's Future, Co-op's Move, and Farmers Market Opening

Gabe Caggiano, WJMN's anchor on its brand new 11 pm newscast, is not your typical bright-eyed kid eager to shine in his very first broadcasting job.

He's been around the block a few times. He's worked as an anchor, reporter, writer and columnist. He's been employed by Inside Edition and Al Arabiya. He's moved around from Texas to New England to Maryland to DC. He covered the first Gulf War and the White House.

He was even an actor on TV several years back with credits from Matlock and Radioland Murders.

He's got talent. He's won a few awards.

And he's got a bit of a reputation. A TV columnist in Austin referred to him as "very likely the most hated man in Austin television journalism." To be fair, that was back in the 90s, and God knows, we've all made mistakes and enemies.

But some of the criticism has followed him over the years--hotheadedness, insensitivity, egotism.

Now he's in the UP at WJMN. He does a nice job. Let's hope we see more of the talent and less of the flaws.

By the way, an attempt to interview Caggiano was rebuffed by him until he got corporate approval. Maybe that's a good sign. Discretion.
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Speaking of WJMN, the CBS station has been broadcasting local news for just about three weeks now, and there's not much to criticize.

Cynthia Thompson's team looks professional and energized. The news set, graphics and production values are superb.

In fact, you might say the overall presentation reminds you a lot of TV6, the longtime number one station in Marquette. What WJMN lacks is TV6's storied history, the leadership of Steve Asplund, and perhaps most important...Karl Bohnak.

People love weather in the UP and they love Bohnak who's very possibly the most trusted and popular man in the Upper Peninsula. It's very tough for a 20-something meteorologist to come in and compete with that.

As for Rick Tarsitano's troops at ABC10, they continue, despite a shortage of resources, to put on a remarkably strong newscast, and their website is robust and current with a strong social media presence.

WJMN's website, by contrast, has a strange, minimalist look. Not sure why. Looks like something circa 2003.

In any case, they've joined the fray. The UP now has three legitimate TV news and website sources. We viewers are the winners.
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This may have slipped your mind, but the YMCA, after getting a three million dollar federal loan last year, is getting ready to start a major expansion and renovation at its Marquette facility.

Like doubling its size.

It all starts on June 1st with the resurfacing of its pool deck. That'll take a couple of weeks.

But then comes the exciting stuff: two new basketball and volleyball courts, bleachers, a concession stand, an indoor running track, a gym for gymnastics, a climbing wall, new high-tech machines, an expanded exercise and weight room...and a seniors locker room.

Huh? A separate locker room for oldsters?

Yep, apparently that was the request of some seniors--to dress and shower away from the rabble-rousing young folk.

Seems like the YMCA could find a better use for the money than that.

Still, a lot to celebrate here. Construction will continue through late summer, fall and early winter. Should be done in January.

Meantime in Negaunee, members are getting an entirely new, bigger and better facility. That, too, should be ready in January. (Correction: the Negaunee facility will be open in June.)
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The Marquette Farmers Market is getting ready to open after a tumultuous off season. It's time to forget all the dissension and instead, focus on the food and the crafts

The first Saturday of the season is May 17th.

Forty-three full season vendors will be selling their goods--36 are returnees, 7 are new, and the word is, there are more produce and meat vendors this year than last year. All of them are from the UP. Hoop houses and green houses here have extended the season and the varieties.

No vendors selling produce from downstate applied to sell at the market this year.

As usual, there were many more wannabe vendors than spots available, so about 30 of them will have to settle for daily spaces. The Downtown Development Authority expects to create 3-7 new spaces by mid-summer when the market is re-configured.

All in all, it sounds like local farmers are determined to make farming in the frozen tundra of the UP work.

Which is great for those of us who love local produce and meat.
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And who's not eagerly awaiting the opening of the new Marquette Food Co-op on Washington Street? That's May 22nd.

It'll be triple the size and double the inventory of the charming but cramped store on Baraga Street.

The new store will also feature a meat and seafood counter, a deli, and a little café. With Wifi.

Yikes. We're becoming bigtime.

The Co-op will close down on May 20th and 21st while it makes the move to the new location.
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Now that the snow has finally melted, you've probably noticed with dismay that your spruces and junipers are rust-colored on the outside and on top.

Dead? You can't be certain.

Gardening guru Barb Kelly says the best advice she's heard is that you should wait four to six weeks before lopping off any branches. Give them a chance with warming temperatures to come back.

If you're impatient, break open a branch and see if there's any green left. If it just snaps off easily, it's likely dead.

Yeah, Kelly says, this is the worst winter for plants she's ever seen here. The dwarf Alberta spruces, one of our most popular varieties, were especially hard-hit.


You got news? Email me at briancabell@gmail.com

Up With Local

It's sometimes hard to determine whether we're witnessing a profound national trend or just strictly a local phenomenon.

I'm speaking of the push we're seeing here in the Upper Peninsula to "grow local" and to "buy local". Two events last weekend spotlighted the movement: the first, held at the Upper Peninsula Children's Museum, brought together local merchants from mostly small and independent stores to celebrate and promote the "Up with Local" campaign.

Is the campaign working? Well, from the manager of the Marquette Food Co-op, I learned that business was up about 17% this year. That's in a depressed economy! And further, the Co-op now has almost 3000 members. Some of them come from Alger County and maybe a handful from other counties, but still, when you consider that Marquette County has about 65,000 people, 3000 is a considerable amount for what was once considered to be a marginal business catering mostly to "tree-huggers."

Not anymore. Not by a long shot. Consumers increasinglywant local and healthy food grown by local farmers and producers. It has nothing to do with politics.

Further evidence--the increasing popularity of farmers' markets, across the U.P. and across the nation. Have you ever been to one? They're fun, the food is fresh, and when you buy it, you're helping your neighbors.

Also last weekend, independent Marquette restaurateurs got together at the Marquette Commons to show off their food and raise a little money. In spite of the cool, blustery weather, people turned out (at $25 a ticket), and helped raise a $1000 for the Children's Museum, $1000 for the History Museum, $1000 for the YMCA, and $1300 for the restaurant association.

Win-win-win-win.

On Sunday, I travelled up to the Keweenaw for the fall colors but I specifically wanted to visit a new restaurant in Lake Linden--De La Terre.

It's a classy re-make and expansion of an old restaurant there. Great food, wonderful atmosphere, and a welcome addition to the food scene in the Calumet-Laurium-Lake Linden area. But what was especially impressive was that virtually all of the produce and the meat come from the local area, and the materials used in renovating the restaurant were all local, as well. Some came from long defunct mines.

UP With Local is for real. It's certainly a national trend, but I get the sense that the Upper Peninsula, which is already set apart by geography, is ahead of the curve. There's an immense local pride here, and clearly many of our neighbors are doing more than just talking about it.