Hospital Deadline, Golf Course Rejection, and Another Frigid Winter

 

WELL, HERE IT is, the end of August, the supposed deadline for a decision on the relocation of Marquette General Hospital, so it should happen this week, right?

Don't count on it, if the city's Roundhouse location is one of the two final candidates, which we hear it is.

The thing is, the City Commission's subcommittee on the hospital would have to approve a possible deal and then the City Commission as a whole would have to vote publicly on it before the city could assure Duke LifePoint that the deal is a go.

That's not likely to happen by the end of this week.

Now, if DLP has already decided it's selecting the Township site behind the Westwood Mall, that's a different story. It could happen this week.

But what we hear is that DLP is still having talks with the city over the Roundhouse site--questions answered, details clarified--while communications with the Township have been silent for about a month. That may mean DLP is totally satisfied with the Township offer while it's got doubts about the city's offer.

Or it may mean...

Oh hell, who knows what it means?
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IN CASE YOU'RE wondering why the Marquette Golf Club ended talks with Duke LifePoint a week ago, here's why.

The club, after building the highly acclaimed but financially taxing Greywalls course almost a decade ago, remains about four million dollars in debt. It's a tough nut to crack.

A substantial offer from DLP for half of the Heritage course could have solved the problem but DLP's offer was somewhere in the neighborhood of three million plus. After taxes and various costs, the club would have cleared maybe two million at most, probably less.

And they would have been left without a clubhouse and a pro shop. If they had rebuilt those and taken care of other maintenance issues, their remaining cash from the sale would barely have made a dent in their debt.

And they would have been saddled with a nine hole course and an eighteen hole course divided by a huge hospital complex which, for the next couple of years, would have been nothing more than an ugly, dusty construction zone.

Hardly a wise strategy to attract new golf club members.

What could Duke LifePoint have offered to change a few minds? "Ten million would have been a good number," according to one member, half jokingly. Or maybe not.
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THE TRIALS AND tribulations of ABC 10 continue.

News director and anchor Rick Tarsitano has left the Ishpeming-based station for a more lucrative position on Lake Michigan--Chicago's WGN.

Bigtime. Big station. And both Rick and his wife are from the Chicago area.

He'll be a sports producer there, not on the air for now, but don't rule that out in the future. He's a talent who provided some much needed stability at the chronically underfunded ABC 10.

"Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be TV journalists..."

Rick's had to walk a rocky path ever since he got into TV a few years back. He was hired as an off camera producer (for peanuts) at TV6 and struggled to get on the air, despite having a strong work ethic and obvious talent. He was frustrated. Then he was explicably canned.

Then, he caught on as a reporter at ABC10 (for fewer peanuts)...at one point considered going back to TV6...then with the departure of ABC 10's news director Cynthia Thompson, he found himself appointed the new news director and anchor and who-knows-what-else (for a few more peanuts).

And now, less than a year into his tenure, he's off to Chicago in an entirely different role.

Ya gotta be flexible as a TV journalist. And willing to live on peanuts. Small market TV does not lead to riches.

Meantime, ABC 10, the little engine that could, will continue to chug forward. A new news director and anchor have yet to be named.
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AS IF POWERHOUSE TV 6 needed any more advantages...

The Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns TV6, recently announced that it's also taken ownership of WLUK in Green Bay. Yeah, the same WLUK that used to broadcast Fox programming and Green Bay Packer games in the UP.

None of that will change because Fox UP (also owned by Sinclair) now has rights to that, but the ownership change is significant because now the news departments of TV6 and Fox UP will be able to readily trade stories with WLUK. Together, they'll be offering blanket coverage of the UP-Green Bay region.

The rich get richer.
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BY NOW WE'VE all heard the dismaying news that this upcoming winter may be as bitterly cold as last winter. So says the Farmer's Almanac which claims an 80% accuracy rate.

So what says local weather guru Karl Bohnak? Surely, he'll dispel such nonsense.

Well, as a matter of fact...no.

He says water patterns in the Pacific Ocean point toward a cold winter. Looks like we'll have a weak El Nino which also lends itself to a cold winter.

There is a greater likelihood of an eastern US-based frigid winter, rather than a Midwest-based freeze, but here in the U.P, we're still likely to feel it.

Bohnak reminds us that we had a frigid winter in '95-'96, and that was followed by record-breaking cold in '96-'97, so there's precedent for this.

Swell.

One ray of sunshine here: September should be an average month, maybe even a bit warmer and sunnier than average.

Woohoo. Let's throw a beach party just before we head down to Getz's to buy our mittens and swampers.

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

 

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Golf Course Is Out, Coast Guard Is Out to Lunch, and Huron Earth Deli Will Serve Lunch No Longer

LOOKS LIKE WE can cross one of Duke LifePoint's options off the list.

The Marquette Golf Club Board Wednesday morning voted to cut off all negotiations with DLP regarding a possible location for the new Marquette General Hospital.

Duke LifePoint, at last word, had been considering half of the Heritage course as one of its three options for relocation. But communication between the golf club and DLP over the last few weeks had gone silent and DLP's last offer to the club had been woefully inadequate.

Not only that, but the ongoing negotiations and gossip had upset the club membership and some of the surrounding neighbors. So, the board said, Enough.

Which apparently leaves DLP with two sites left on its list: 1) the 42 acres behind the Westwood Mall in Marquette Township, and 2) the Roundhouse property on the western fringe of downtown Marquette.

Maybe there's some unpublicized, darkhorse candidate out there. Who knows? We should have an answer by the end of this month.
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REMEMBER THAT GREAT property trade that Marquette made with the US Coast Guard several years back?

You know, the one in which the city got almost nine acres of coastal property for a public park, and the Coast Guard, in return, received one and a half acres on which to build their fancy new station.

Worked out great. The Coast Guard immediately built their $5 million, 6000 square foot facility in 2009 and opened it up to rave reviews, and the city...well...uh...the city...well, it seems that the city, you know...

The city still doesn't have squat.

Five years later, the city still doesn't have ownership of the property. It's fenced off. "No trespassing" signs abound.

Why the delays? Last year's government shutdown is one supposed reason. Whatever. That reason's getting old.

The government has determined that before the city takes ownership, the lighthouse and the other buildings on the property need to be repainted to encapsulate the old lead-based paint. Okay. That should take...what?...two or three weeks?

The real reason for the delay apparently is government bureaucracy. Despite pressure from our elected representatives, the Coast Guard clearly has not made this a priority. We all love the Coast Guard and appreciate what it means to Marquette, but clearly five years should be more than enough time to complete a deal. A deal was made and a promise was made but neither so far has been honored.
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HOW WOULD YOU like to work 70 hours a week and not earn a paycheck?

Welcome to the world of Andrew Sear, the owner and chef at Paladino's Café at the Peter White Public Library.

He, along with a tiny staff, has been at it for three months now turning out what most consider to be remarkably tasty and inventive food. Eclectic. Fusion. Local produce, local meat. Farm-to-table.

Problem is, it's a tiny café with a limited clientele and limited revenue even as its catering business grows. Thus, so far no paycheck for Sear. He's paying the bills, that's all.

So what's the plan?

He's looking to grow--start another Paladino's, a larger café-deli, preferably in Marquette but he's not ruling anything out. He's looking for investors, people with money who believe in his food and his vision. That hardly makes him unique, but you can't fault him for trying and dreaming and working 70 hours a week.

This week's special, by the way, is the Hot Mess which includes roasted pork, pickled red onions, kimchee, Michigan brie and bread. Yeah, that would be fusion. And eclectic.
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NOT TO PLAY middle man in all this, but a venue Sear and his angel investors might be considering is the building on Third Street currently housing Sweet Basil and MacDonald's Music Store.

If you passed by in the last week, you couldn't help but notice the For Sale sign on the building. The sign is roughly the size of a minivan.

Great location. It also includes four apartments. Two showings so far. $349,000.

As for Sweet Basil, business owner Shelly Morley says she'll either stay in the current location, or move it elsewhere in town if the new building owner asks her to move. But Sweet Basil, which has built a substantial catering business over the years, is not going away.
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ON THE OTHER hand, the Huron Earth Deli on South Third Street is going away.

The little café and deli tucked away into a mostly residential neighborhood is shutting down a week from this Friday. A shame. Good, wholesome high quality food here.

What this tells you is that even if you work hard and offer a great product, the profit margin in the restaurant business is tiny, sometimes non-existent. For every Vango's, there are a dozen good restaurants that go under within a couple of years.

The Huron Earth Deli building is up for sale at $325,000, but there appears to be a very interested owner from out-of-state. Another restaurant? We'll have to wait and see.
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THE BAYOU IN Harvey is now brewing its own suds under the brand name Chocolay River Brewery.

After a series of delays, the beer is now flowing under the direction of brewmaster Grant Lyke.

Here's what they have to offer so far:
   Bayou Blonde Ale
   Blueberry Wheat
   Gitchigoomie Black Ale
   Shot Point Wheat
   Rock Cut American Pale Ale

Needless to say, a distinctly local flavor.

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

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Cliffs Coup, Duke's Dollars, Brown's Search, and Lorinsers' "Vacation"

 

NO COMMENT.

 

That's the official word coming out of Cliffs Natural Resources following the apparent...and shocking...takeover of the Cliffs board by Casablanca Capital, the activist hedge fund, on Tuesday.

 

Final results of the voting won't be tabulated for a couple more days but Casablanca is declaring victory, and the current Cliffs leadership is remaining silent.

 

What does it all mean for Cliffs? Probably the ousting of the CEO and president Gary Halverson, along with the seating of six new board members, a new direction for the ailing company, a divesting of some of its operations, and maybe a rise in its stock price. It jumped more than two dollars a share after the voting results were first made public on Tuesday.

 

How about the Tilden and Empire mines? Hard to say if there'll be an impact here. What we do know is that Casablanca likes the Minnesota and Michigan mines and thinks they're profitable, unlike some of Cliffs' other operations. That's good news for Marquette County and Cliffs' 1500 or so employees here.

 

Any loss of jobs? Can't tell yet. You can be certain, though, that Casablanca is out to make money for its shareholders. Period.

 

If that means hard-working people lose their jobs, so be it. That's the way the system works, especially when a company's stock price has plummeted 85% in three years.

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UPDATE ON THE relocation of Marquette General Hospital (aka "The $300 Million Guessing Game!"): The Marquette Golf Club has informed Duke LifePoint that the hospital needs to make a serious offer for the golf course.

 

To date, that has not happened.

 

The club is burdened with a stubborn four million dollar debt but it's not about to give away half of its treasured Heritage course for a song and a dance and a shiny set of golf clubs.

 

Next meeting for the club to discuss the issues is August 7th.

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BOBBY GLENN BROWN, who was recently booted from his leadership role at St. Michaels Catholic Church after marrying his longtime partner, is searching for a new religious home.

In the past few weeks, he's attended services at Lutheran and Episcopalian churches as well as another local Catholic church.

He says he still considers himself a "member" of St. Michaels but he's had no correspondence with the priest or bishop.

He's pinning his hopes on a change.org petition with more than 1000 signatures that's asking the Pope to review his case. Seems like a longshot.

At some point, you gotta believe Brown will settle in at a church that truly embraces gay marriage. He'll have a new, welcoming spiritual home, and the Catholic church will continue its struggles to adapt to the changing realities of the 21st century.
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SOME OF US may not understand it but you've got to admire the courage of Bob and Peggy Lorinser.

They're headed to Afghanistan. It's supposed to be lovely in the fall.

Actually these foreign service employees had volunteered to go to Iraq--another delightful vacation spot--but that was overruled as being too dangerous given the recent military gains by ISIS, the Islamic group that's considered slightly more radical than Al Qaeda.

So the Lorinsers, after serving tours of duty in Pakistan and South Korea, are off to Washington DC where they'll get three weeks of training on the Afghan culture...and then it's straight to Kabul.

Bob, a doctor, will serve as regional medical director and travel throughout Afghanistan; Peggy will perform her work at the American embassy in Kabul.

And to think, just a few short years ago, this couple, after having raised their children, was enjoying a normal, comfortable life in Marquette. And then this. A midlife crisis? A second chapter? A thirst for adventure? A hunger for meaning?

Whatever it was, it was imbued with a strong sense of patriotism for which we should all be thankful.
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YA GOTTA LOVE Dan Perkins.

He's the westside businessman who's dreaming about transforming Ishpeming, and is actually pursuing his dreams.

His pet project for the last year or so has been establishing the Partridge Creek Farm, a 20 acre tract at the intersection of Malton Road and Heritage Trail in Ishpeming.

Right now the land is suitable for growing weeds and not much else but Perkins, in conjunction with the Ishpeming City Council and some far-seeing volunteers, continues to push for permitting and financing of the tract as a non-profit community farm with a ten month growing season (in greenhouses) and an aquaponics operation.

Aquaponics? That's raising and harvesting fish who, at the same time, provide natural fertilizer for your crops. Brilliant. Synergistic. Symbiotic. It's working at farms in Milwaukee. Perkins is convinced it can happen here.

Call him Don Quixote tilting at windmills. He doesn't care. Scoff at all the delays and obstacles. So what. He sees Ishpeming in need of jobs and fresh produce (He calls the UP a "food desert") and he's convinced he may have a solution. He continues to push forward.

He's hoping, with a substantial grant, Cliffs and Lundin might give Partridge Creek Farm the boost it needs to start tilling the soil and building the greenhouses. Composting the soil should take place next year, crop production should start in 2016.

Let's wish them luck.
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MORE NEWS FROM the westside.

The long delayed microbrewery, Cognition Brewing Company, is finally making substantial progress toward completion.

Anticipated opening? November.

It'll be located in the tap room of the historic Mather Inn so much of the structure and furnishing is already in place. It will have the feel of an old English pub, with eight to ten brews on tap. What's not to like?

And the name Cognition? Seems a bit strange for a brewing company. Well, the owner, Jay Clancey, and the brew master, Brian Richards, want you to "think" about what you're drinking, and truly appreciate the flavors, rather than simply drinking to get a buzz.

Whatever. Craft beer at a renovated historic pub sounds like a great idea, regardless of the name.
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THE MARQUETTE COUNTRY Convention and Visitors Bureau isn't having much luck so far in finding a successor for director Pat Black who's leaving her post at the end of the year.

More than 20 people have applied for the post...but none of them has had tourism experience. That would seem to be a major deficiency in a region whose economic fortunes are increasingly tied to tourism.

Case in point: after a frigid winter that really didn't seem to end until May, Marquette is now poised for what may be the biggest summer season in its history. Yeah, a lot of out-of-towners actually enjoy blustery, 68 degree days where the sun plays peek-a-boo with the clouds.

And Ms. Black? She's heading down to Arizona for a long, sunny vacation early next year. Her successor--whoever he or she turns out to be--will have some big flip-flops to fill.

You got news? Email me at briancabell.com

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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

North Wind Scoops, Baldini Files, Sisters Invest, and Golfers Don Snowshoes

Unless you're part of the NMU community, you may not have noticed it, but the student newspaper, the North Wind, has broken three major stories in the last couple of weeks.

First, the arrest of the former student body president, Amber Lopota, for embezzlement.

Next, the disciplining of an NMU football coach and adjunct professor, Karl Maslowski, for repeatedly missing classes and soliciting students to buy an energy supplement.

And most recently, the suspension of ten NMU football players for failing a drug test.

Those are big stories, some of which were eventually picked up by the mainstream media in town, others of which were simply ignored.

 The North Wind, with a staff of 14 students and a circulation of 5000, is showing remarkable aggressiveness and enterprise...and independence. If the stories don't reflect well on the university, tough luck. That's what good journalism is all about.

Seems like the mainstream media, utterly devoted to protecting the bottom line, placating their advertisers and maintaining good relations with the institutions in town, could learn a thing or two from the students.
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Tuesday is the deadline for local candidates running this fall.

A few big names have already filed. Tom Baldini, a former aide to Congressman Bart Stupak and a longtime political leader in town, has filed for City Commission, along with retired physician Mike Conley, Craig Miller and Russell Kangas.

The Bureau of Light and Power, which has generated some controversy and dismay over its vision for the future, has drawn former mayor Tom Tourville as a candidate, as well as Chuck Wanberg and John Braamse.

The County Commission so far features a race between attorney Steve Pence and former mayor Johnny DePetro in District One, and NMU professor Dwight Brady and Randall Yelle in District Six.  All are Democrats.

The lone Republican to file so far has been Justin Carlson in District Two. He'll oppose Democrat Joseph Derocha.

Democratic incumbents Bruce Heikkila and Gerry Corkin, and attorney Bill Nordeen are so far running unopposed. Expect more candidates to file by the Tuesday deadline.

What happened to the supposed block of candidates advocating decriminalization of marijuana in the city? Good question. Maybe it was all talk, no follow-through.
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Remember the Grove, the little restaurant on US-41 south of Marquette? Well, it's coming back to life.

It's new name is Root 41 Food and Spirits, a word play on its location and its ties to the community.

The entrepreneurs are sisters Sarah and Barbara Tullila, both of Negaunee. Together they share 25 years in the food service industry and a dream to provide what they call classy comfort food to the community.

They're re-doing the inside and outside. Lots of sweat equity, tons of enthusiasm. Of course, they're bucking the odds. Most restaurants, unless they're well capitalized, don't make it past the first couple of years.

Here's hoping the Tullila sisters make it.

They hope to open in late May.
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More sister news, and this time it concerns the former Backroom on Front Street. You know, the place that was raided and closed down two years ago because of bath salts sales?

Three sisters, former residents of Marquette, returned to town for the sled dog races a couple of months ago, took a look at the shuttered, sad-looking building and decided this was something they had to do: buy it, renovate it, and open it up for both residential and retail use.

The sisters (who would have been known as the White girls back in the Eighties) have since scattered to other parts of the country but have retained their roots here in Marquette. Sara now lives in the DC/Annapolis area, Anne's in Houston, and Katy's in New York.

They hope to begin the renovations this summer and they'd welcome ideas for possible retail tenants.

Welcome back, ladies.
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As for the Bayou in Harvey, its microbrewery (Chocolay River Brewery) should be serving up its first glass of craft beer by mid-June.

Its equipment is mostly installed with minor adjustments being made.

Once everything's set, it'll take three weeks for the first drinkable suds to be produced.

So plan on sampling the fare from Marquette's fourth microbrewery on about June 15th.

That'll be just about the time the last of the snow has melted.
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Speaking of which.

Marc Gilmore, the pro at Marquette Golf Club, said last Friday that they're hoping to open up the driving range this coming Friday.

At that point, you might have wondered what he was smoking. You might also have suggested that the golfers wear snowshoes.

However.

After this weekend's melt, Gilmore looks like he's on to something. We got a heat wave coming this week--40s! Even 50s!!--so the range could very well be clear by Friday.

The opening of the Heritage and Greywalls courses is still up in the air. Along with a reluctant sun which still needs to burn through a couple feet of snow on some shaded parts of both golf courses.


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

Medical Center Makes Push for Hospital Site

The site selector for the new $290 million hospital may have left town but the courting continues.

The Upper Peninsula Medical Center is among the most prominent and ardent courters.

The Medical Center, which is owned by about 40 members (mostly physicians) and provides offices for more than 100 physicians, has come up with four different site plans for Duke LifePoint. Three of them would keep most of the current buildings on the site but provide space for an eight story, 600,000 square foot hospital. One of the plans would simply allow the razing of the property so that Duke LifePoint could build a brand new complex.

Duke LifePoint and Hugh Miller, the executive director of the Med Center, have been in regular contact with each other for the last few months. Another consultation is expected next week.

The Med Center badly wants the new hospital to locate on its grounds or at the very least, nearby. If the new hospital were to re-locate, say, in Marquette Township, a substantial number of the doctors would likely leave the Med Center. That would devalue the Med Center and probably open it up to other types of offices outside the medical profession.

And what about Duke LifePoint's reported interest in Marquette Golf Club?
Well, the site selector recently visited the golf course, consulted with golf course officials, gazed at the snow and trees and said he would be back in touch within 30 days. Who's courting whom here? Good question.

Marquette Township, the other player in this competition, has attractive sites available just off US-41, near Lowes and the Westwood Mall. The Township, which has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent years, would love to lure the hospital away from the city...and has the land and enthusiasm to do it.

It may simply come down to dollars. Who will offer the better deal in terms of acquisition costs, taxes and tax abatements?

Regarding the recent presentation by site selector Dana Young at the meeting of the Lake Superior Community Partnership: Most of the civic and business leaders left that presentation believing that Young had told them there were only two specific sites left in the running for the hospital.

Wrong. What he actually meant, and what he clarified after the presentation, was that two municipalities, Marquette and the Township, were still in the running. Big difference. Big miscommunication, especially when you're dealing with a fierce competition for $290 million.

One final note. After all the sites are visited, all the numbers are crunched and the courtship process plays itself out, there are still some--Marquette City Manager Bill Vajda, among them--who believe that Duke LifePoint might say, what the hell, let's stay put and rebuild at the current site.

Stranger things have happened.

Hospital Machinations, Frozen Marina, and Frosty Treats

Interesting developments on the hospital relocation front.

Last week, Dana Young, an official out of Nashville identified as Duke LifePoint's site selector, told the Lake Superior Community Partnership that the site survey team had narrowed the search for a new MGH location down to two sites--one in the city of Marquette, one in Marquette Township.

Three smart, well-connected civic leaders who were at the meeting said the message was unambiguous, unmistakable. And they were surprised that the official was so candid about the process especially since MGH has been so hush-hush about it.

But clearly MGH is not calling the shots here; its the folks in Nashville, the home of Duke LifePoint, who are making the important decisions.

Talk to Marquette City Manager Bill Vajda, though, and he'll tell you he hasn't been informed that it's down to two locations. He doesn't believe it.

And check with Jason McCarthy, the planner and zoning administrator for the Township, and you'll hear the same thing. He doesn't buy it.

So was Young mistaken in his presentation to the Partnership? Seems unlikely. He's doing the work on the ground here.

Was he lying? That's not a good way to endear yourself to some of the shakers and movers in the community.

Maybe it's gamesmanship. Was he deliberately trying to set up a desperate, give-em-whatever-they-want competition between the city and township? Cynics might think so.

Was he speaking without authority? It's possible.

Or was he simply telling the truth as he saw it last week? Also, possible. In fact, likely.

 

Regardless, it's a big deal. A $290 million big deal with huge ramifications regardless of where the hospital ultimately locates.

Speaking of which, the Marquette Golf Club board meets Wednesday. On the agenda: the visit to the golf course last week by the hospital site survey team. Does Duke LifePoint want to buy part of the golf course? Is the golf club, which is saddled with debt, interested? Would the members vote to sell?

Stay tuned. Things get interestinger and interestinger.
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Who wants to be a City Commissioner in Marquette?

Mayor Bob Niemi, Fred Stonehouse and Don Ryan are all leaving at the end of the year which means three spots will open up.

But so far only one candidate, Mike Conley, has taken out a packet to file for candidacy.

At least a couple of marijuana-decriminalization candidates have previously expressed interest in running; so far nothing from them.

A group hoping to elect a young, progressive slate of candidates hasn't made a move yet, either.

There's plenty of time to file, though. The deadline is April 22, and all you need to get on the ballot is 25 signatures.
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Activity at Upfront had locals excited last week. The lights were on at the shuttered former restaurant, nightspot and banquet hall, leading some to believe that maybe it was re-opening. Or it had been sold. Or....

Or nothing.

Turns out there was concern about frozen pipes and the fire suppression system at the club. Workers were there to take care of it.

Damn.

A spokesperson for Upfront still insists, however, that something may be in the works. We'll believe it when we see it.
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Speaking of frozen, go out and take a look at the administrative building at the Cinder Pond Marina in the Lower Harbor.

See that large, horizontal crack on the right side of the photograph? That's new. It apparently happened last week during a cold spell. And there are other smaller cracks, as well.

The Parks and Recreation Department has moved equipment and files out of the building, condemned it temporarily and is now waiting for a structural engineer to show up and take a look.

How serious is the problem? They don't know yet. But from the outside it doesn't look good.
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Okay, so it's 25 degrees and the snow's coming down an inch an hour. That means it must be time for Frosty Treats on Third Street to make its seasonal opening.

Right you are.

After all, spring's right around the corner. Monday's opening was actually a week later than usual, but you can hardly blame the owners for the delay. This has been a cold winter; they had to wait for things to warm up a bit.                                             
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That empty space at Peter White Public Library where Tu Kaluthia used to serve delicious food and drinks is still up for grabs.

Other businesses in town have made inquiries about it but the library hasn't been able to reach an agreement with them yet.

The library would like whoever operates the café to keep it open 40 hours a week. That's been a sticking point.

That, and the fact that the café operator isn't going to get rich in the location.

The library is still eagerly looking for an entrepreneur. So are library patrons.

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