Hospital Anticipation, Truck Route Compromise and Hiawatha's Empty Seats

THE DECISION IS is getting close.

Duke LifePoint  has been dealing directly with the city of Marquette and Marquette Township for the last couple of weeks regarding the three possible sites for the new hospital.

The township says they've now supplied Duke LifePoint with everything they need on the site behind the Westwood Mall, and everything's in order. The township is just waiting.

The city is still negotiating on its two sites--the Roundhouse property and the golf course--but it's also filed the requested papers.

How much actual back-and-forth bargaining is going on? It's uncertain. Who knows? Maybe it's just starting, even though the original deadline for a decision was about a month ago.

What is certain is that Duke LifePoint is holding most of the cards in this high stakes game. Both the township and the city dearly want the hospital and are willing to accommodate the hospital's demands....up to a point. As one city official put it recently, "How much are we willing to give them to keep them in the city? If we have to spend too much--money we don't have--is it worth it?"

If they had their druthers, most Marquette officials and merchants would love Duke LifePoint to choose the Roundhouse site because it would amount to immediate urban renewal. The neighborhood would be transformed, money would pour in. But the golf course property would be just fine too.

And the township? They're just saying, with full-throated enthusiasm, "Come on down!" They've got their hands on their shovels and their eyes on the prize.
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A COMPROMISE COULD be near on the truck route controversy that has had the city and township exchanging hostile words and glances.

Here's what the compromise would look like: Marquette would pass a truck ordinance that would send all westbound, eastbound and southbound trucks along Wright Street to US 41, but the ordinance wouldn't take effect for a couple of years.

In the meantime, all parties involved--the Road Commission, the city and the township--would work on getting a bypass built that would send truck traffic around the edges of the city and the township.

And once funding and permitting are secured for the bypass, the city would then designate McClellan (over likely vehement protests from residents) as the north-south route through the city.

Bottom line: for now, the big trucks could continue, as they do now, to use all roads in the city for the next couple of years.

With two major exceptions. (This is known in the news business as "burying the lead.") In this proposed compromise, truckers would no longer be able to drive on Lakeshore and Third Street except for local deliveries. That would be a major change that would take effect immediately (and would be cheered by local residents and merchants.)

The township's not exactly embracing the proposal because it still feels, with some justification, that the city is trying to dump its big, lumbering, noisy, polluting truck traffic into the township. But the two municipalities seem to be getting closer.

The long term solution to the problem--the bypass--is, at best, three years away from construction.
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ANOTHER HIAWATHA MUSIC festival is in the books.

Great weather, great crowds, great fun, great music.

Well, about the music. For aficionados, it was wonderful and artistic and eclectic. But did you take a look around during the daylight hours at the seats in front of the main stage?

Most were empty. Performers were playing to a sea of empty seats. Some of the performers even mentioned it. It's got to be dismaying to them. Hiawatha attracts more than 3000 festival-goers, but for some daytime acts, only about 100 people, sometimes fewer, seemed to be actively listening. That's three percent.

The other 97% were elsewhere, at campsites, workshops, at the beach, on the streets, at the food booths. Anywhere but at the main stage where the supposed attractions of this traditional music festival were performing.

Maybe it's just time for us to acknowledge that Hiawatha is more about communalism--the joy of being together with friends and family--than it is about traditional music.

Which is fine. You just feel kinda sad for the performers who were up on stage playing their music for a mute and static crowd of empty chairs and blankets.

Maybe "traditional" music is something that we all respect...but we don't necessarily love.

Maybe we should look into Justin Bieber's availability next July.
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NEXT TUESDAY'S CLIFFS Natural Resources shareholder meeting and election has directors, officials, employees and shareholders sipping their coffee nervously.

Casablanca Capital is attempting a takeover that could affect jobs, salaries, bonuses and share prices, as well as the future direction of the mining company. The impact could be felt here at both the Tilden and Empire mines.

One positive sign in all this, amid the corporate conflict, the declining steel prices and the seemingly imminent closure of the Empire mine (yeah, we've heard that before), is that ArcelorMittal, one of Cliffs' partners, is spending big money to partially reline a huge blast furnace in Indiana.

That's where iron ore pellets from Empire and Tilden are melted into pig iron.

Does that mean ArcelorMittal is anticipating extending the Empire contract beyond 2016? Not necessarily, says one Cliffs official.

But hey, we'll take any good news we can get our hands on.
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ALL'S WELL THAT ends well.

Remember the nasty little spat between the Marquette Farmers Market and Farmer Q's last year and early this year? It ended with Farmer Q's and their downstate produce noisily pulling out of the Farmers Market, telling their friends and customers they were moving downstate, then suddenly reversing course and moving into a new shop in south Marquette.

Some of us were concerned the Farmers Market might suffer because Farmer Q's had offered a wide variety of fruits that simply weren't grown in the UP.

Good news. The Farmers Market crowds have not diminished since last year. They still average about 700 customers every Saturday, the same as 2013, according to the DDA. No serious growth either, but every year, the UP farmers are growing more local produce, and the crowds will likely increase.

And Farmer Q's? Business is great, according to owner Susan Brian. Revenue's up 50% over its old location on Washington Street. More walk-in traffic, more visibility and more parking at its location on US 41.

So everybody wins here--the Farmers Marquette, Farmer Q's, and the customers.
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YOU MAY NOTICE some vaguely familiar young faces on the streets and  beaches and in the bars and restaurants of Marquette the weekend after next.

Nearly a dozen alumni from TV6 and Fox UP are returning to the UP for a reunion.

Among them: Phil DeCastro, Aaron Martin, Nikki Junewicz, Natalie Jovonovich, Mike Bedard, Nikki Davidson, Noel McLaren, Beth Jones, Eric Kane, and Andrew Lacombe.

What's ironic is that many of them, if not most, probably dreaded coming up to the remote, primitive, frozen tundra of the UP when they first got their broadcasting jobs here...Yet, now, a few years later, having thoroughly enjoyed their stay here and the relationships they built, they're returning.

Welcome back.

Last call is at 2 am.

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

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

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.

And Then There Were Two (Potential Hospital Sites)

Two sites remain in the running for the location of the future Marquette General Hospital.

One of the sites is in the city of Marquette, the other is in Marquette Township.

The precise sites have not been officially identified. In fact, neither MGH nor Duke LifePoint Healthcare, which owns MGH, has officially announced that they're down to two choices.

Several weeks ago, the list of potential sites stood at 30 plus. It was to be narrowed to a dozen or so, then to maybe five. All of the sudden, it now stands at two.

A consulting firm out of Nashville is making the re-location analysis for Duke LifePoint and this week met with representatives of both Marquette and Marquette Township.

Still plenty of work to be done. Both sites reportedly have plenty to offer.

And it would be an understatement to say that both municipalities will also have plenty to offer the hospital. It may come down to money, tax breaks.

The city badly wants to keep the hospital, the township would love to steal it away.

It'll be a $290 million dollar investment by Duke LifePoint. The final decision on the site will likely come within two months.

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

Hit and Run Update, MGH Options and Famous Footwear

It's been almost two months since the hit-and-run death of Robin Rahoi in Big Bay and still, no charges have been filed.

Family and friends of Ms. Rehoi, along with residents of Big Bay, are confused and dismayed by the delay. What's holding things up?

Michigan State Police refuse to say anything publicly about the case but they do, in fact, have a suspect. They're awaiting results of forensic testing to firm up their case. After that, we can expect charges to be filed.

All along, police have known the principals involved in the case. Big Bay residents were able to tell them that both Ms. Rahoi and occupants of the suspect vehicle had attended a party in town that night.

Ms. Rahoi drove home first but her car broke down in the snow. She got out of the vehicle and was attempting to walk home apparently when she was struck by another vehicle also leaving the party.

Whoever hit her left her body in the snow and drove away.

It's horrible. It's distressing. Authorities are just making certain that when they do make an arrest, the case is airtight.
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It'll be two months, maybe three, before officials decide on a new location for Marquette General Hospital.

Thirty original site proposals are being whittled down to a handful.

Among the proposals? A site in Sawyer. That's certainly too far from Marquette. The same, in all likelihood, with the suggested site at the old airport behind TV6.

Marquette Township has offered up a couple of parcels (40 acres are needed for the new hospital) but there are concerns about locating a hospital in the township. Namely, infrastructure--water and sewer lines may not be adequate. And would the new hospital feel comfortable with a mostly volunteer fire department?

Which leads most who've studied the issue to believe that Duke LifePoint will likely keep the new MGH within city limits. The Cliffs Dow property (if it can be cleaned up) and the Roundhouse property are clearly in the running. A site out by the ski hill is another possible location.

And then there are those who are still stubbornly holding out hope that Duke LifePoint, after considering all the alternatives, will say, what the hell, let's just keep MGH in its current location and spend a couple hundred million dollars improving and expanding the facility.
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Westwood Mall, which is facing the discouraging closure of J.C. Penney in the next few months, may have some good news on the horizon. It's hoping to welcome a couple of new stores this year.

Famous Footwear is a definite. Construction is well underway and jobs will soon be available. It should open this spring.

Another store, featuring clothing, is a possibility. Negotiations haven't been completed yet.

Even together, of course, they wouldn't begin to make up for the loss of J.C. Penney, one of the longtime anchors at Westwood.

And then there's the case of Radio Shack which reportedly is going to shutter 500 of its stores nationwide. Could the outlet at Westwood Mall be a candidate? It'd be naïve to think otherwise. But let's hope not.

The fact that one, and maybe two, national chain stores are moving in, is a good sign that marketers still have some faith in a mall that--let's be honest--could certainly benefit from a facelift.

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