595 Revival, Hospital Feedback, Rahoi Settlement, Museum Collaboration, and Taco Mystery

COUNTY ROAD 595 ain't dead yet, not by a long shot.

The Marquette County Road Commission is getting ready to sue the Environmental Protection Agency which rejected the proposed 595 cut-through in northern Marquette County in 2013.

That's right, a county agency is going to be suing a federal agency

Interesting. And what's more interesting is that the money behind the lawsuit will be coming from private interests, specifically the timber industry.

State Senator Tom Casperson (Republican) is the man behind this unusual private-public collaboration, and State Representative John Kivela (Democrat), who's been privy to the talks, fully endorses the suit as well. They insist the EPA was just flat-out wrong in rejecting the proposed road.

Background: CR 595 was proposed in 2011 as a way for Kennecott Minerals to transport its ore from the Eagle Mine near Big Bay down to its mill near the old Humboldt mine--a 22 mile road that would have been a shortcut through wilderness and kept the heavy trucks away from Marquette, Negaunee and Ishpeming. It would also have been used by other trucks, loggers in particular.

It was a plan that had the full support of city and county officials, as well as US Senators Levin and Stabenow (Democrats) and Congressman Benishek (Republican) and Governor Snyder (Republican). Nearly a consensus.

Not quite. Environmental groups, including Save the Wild UP, opposed it, as did the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community....and ultimately, and most importantly, so did the EPA. The feds ruled that the road would be impinging on wetlands.

So County Road 595 died. Almost. Now its being revived, thanks to the efforts of Casperson and some county officials.

The recent accident involving a mining truck on CR 550 that tied up traffic for hours might generate more support for 595. None of us wants those big-ass trucks anywhere near town.

So the battle is back on. Environmentalists versus a business/government coalition that's well-funded and, to be honest, probably has more popular support than the environmentalists. Will that be enough to prevail over the EPA in court?

We'll see.
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REACTION CONTINUES TO come in from our roundtable discussion about the hospital three weeks ago.

Analytics tell us that more than 20,000 people, the overwhelming majority from Marquette County, have read the blog, which means nearly one in three residents here read it. More than 170 posted comments. It's fair to say we all care about our local hospital.

It was the first agenda item for the hospital's Leadership Meeting shortly after the blog was posted. No word on what was said or suggested at the meeting.

Otherwise, hospital executives are offering no official reaction except to say that "internal" discussions are taking place.

Oh, and CEO Ed Banos and Chief Nursing Officer Dagmar Raica brought in Jimmy Johns sandwiches to a group of nurses the day the blog was posted.

And the exodus of doctors from the hospital continues. Dr. Richard Rovin, a neurosurgeon, is the latest to close up shop.
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THE TRAGIC ROBIN Rahoi hit-and-run case has been settled in criminal court, and now it appears that it's nearing resolution in civil court, as well.

In fact, it'll be settled out-of-court for an undisclosed sum. The settlement will not be anything substantial, from what we're hearing, because there just wasn't much money to get.

Michael Nelson of Big Bay received a nine month jail sentence, plus two years probation, for the hit-and-run killing of Rahoi, an NMU employee, just about a year ago. Rahoi was walking along a dark road when she was struck by a vehicle driven by Nelson.

The vehicle left the scene. Rahoi was left to die.

Rahoi's three children had filed the civil suit, not because they were looking for big money or vengeance, according to their attorney Steve Pence, but because they were hoping Nelson would take responsibility for having taken their mother's life.

Nelson all along has insisted he never realized he had struck a human on that dark night.

So it goes.
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WHAT THE HECK happened to Ron's Taco Shop?

The little diner was in the process of relocating from Third Street to Washington Street downtown when suddenly, amid rumors, the move ground to a halt.

The last posting on Ron's Facebook page came way back on November 19th when the owners said they were working on the kitchen, the floors and the walls, with an anticipated opening around the Christmas holidays.

Not likely. The landlords at what was to be the new location now say they don't want to talk about Ron's.

The landlord at Ron's old location is still grumbling about unpaid bills.

And those of us who liked the fare at Ron's Taco Shop are searching instead for our beloved taco trucks.
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ONE OF DOWNTOWN'S stalwarts, Moonstone Gallery, is closing up shop on Wednesday, Christmas Eve.

Jeweler Ann Kuhnly says nine years is enough. She'll still be making her own jewelry and selling it at art fairs and such, but operating a store downtown is just not working for her. The last two years in particular, when we've supposedly been recovering from the recession, have been very tough.

Apparently the millionaires and billionaires who've watched their stock portfolios soar in recent years aren't buying moderately priced jewelry in Marquette.                                                                                        

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A TOTALLY DIFFERENT story right next door where Spice Merchants opened up just a couple of weeks ago.

Owner Mike Carl, positioned near an overheated cash register, tells us he's having trouble keeping his spices, teas, rubs, chocolates, soups and gifts in stock. The damn customers keep buying them.

It's been busier, he's been told, than even the Spice Merchants store in Traverse City.

We'll check back with him January 15. Here's guessing he'll likely have more time to talk next month. And the month after.
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THE OTHER NEW store in town, Great Turtle Toys, may be moving next door into the Childrens Museum.

Nothing's definite yet but Ben Nye, the store owner, is interested in taking over Sprouts, the less-than-successful store on the first floor of the museum.

Museum director Nheena Ittner would welcome some sort of collaboration with Nye, but the final decision, including the financial arrangements, would have to be approved by the museum's board.

If something is worked out, Nye's shop could be in the museum, under a new, as yet undetermined name, by the end of next month.

Nye's got plenty of ideas and energy. His pop-up store, Great Turtle Toys, has done steady business since he opened up a couple of weeks ago but his quickie lease will expire on January 1st. Now he wants to stay in town.

Seems like a good fit with the museum.


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

If you want to be notified when Word on the Street is posted, go to Word on the Street by Brian Cabell on Facebook and "like" it.

Vineyard Renamed, Ron's Reconsidered, Upfront Re-Viewed, Nutty Goat Replaces and NMU Re-Invented

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THE FORMER VINEYARD is soon to be Spirits.

That'll be the new name of the party store just off of Grove Street and US-41. The new owner, Ed Jakubiszyn, a former health care worker who's made a sharp left turn in his career path, hopes to have Spirits open before the new year.

The shelves are mostly empty now but they should be filled within the next few weeks.

The new store will, of course, feature liquor, wines and beer, as well as convenience foods. Craft beers will be a specialty, and if you have a particular wine you like, Jakubiszyn says he'll find it for you and order it.

You'll notice the interior has been totally re-done. It's fair to say, the Vineyard, for all its charm and familiarity, was seriously due for an updating.
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NOT SO FAST on the re-locating of Ron's Taco Shop to downtown Washington Street.

It was scheduled to reopen earlier this month after a kitchen was installed, but the owner of the property reports a problem or two has arisen with the new tenant.

The deal's not dead, but it is uncertain at this point, according to the owner.

Ron's, meantime, has gone silent on its Facebook page. The last update, provided on November 9th, reported that "the reopening...will be coming soon!"

Stay tuned.
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AND WHAT ABOUT the Upfront?

Realtor Dan Keller reports two serious potential buyers, one from the U.P., the other from downstate, both with a background in food service.

Their engineers and architects have toured the premises trying to determine what might be done to the property and at what price.

No offers yet. The price of the property remains at $3.9 million.

In the meantime, more than 40,000 square feet of space downtown remain vacant, including the city's best banquet facility. Marquette's tourism industry will suffer as long as that space remains unused.
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THIS NATION'S BEST university-based invention program may well be the one just established at Northern Michigan University.

Invent @ NMU opened up a month ago at the corner of Presque Isle and Fair Streets. Founding Director Dave Ollila is the guy in the charge.

You may know Ollila as founder of Viosport. He popularized helmet-cams and invented back country skis. He started a video-sharing service five years before YouTube started up. He's got 12 patents. He knows a little something about making things.

And that's what Invent @ NMU is all about: making things. Widgets.
Hardware. You got an idea? Say, maybe a device to improve a golfer's putting stroke or a pan that never burns fried eggs? Then bring it in to Invent @ NMU.

The staff, consisting of Ollila and NMU students, will do the research and analysis and tell you whether your invention already exists, whether there's a market for it, and whether you'd be able to produce it at a cost-efficient price.

They'll charge you, but it'll be a helluva lot less than you'd pay otherwise, and they'll save you money--and anguish--on an invention that had no future.

Sixteen inventors have walked through the doors of Invent @ NMU so far. Ollila says if two of them actually brought their invention to market, that would be a good percentage.

All inventors, even Thomas Edison, have experienced many more failures than successes. But all you need is one.
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FOR A TOWN that already has more restaurants per capita than most other Michigan municipalities, Marquette's cup continues to runneth over.

You ready for the Nutty Goat?

Yep, that's the name of the coffee house-diner replacing the old Huron Earth Deli on Third Street. Sometime next month is the anticipated opening date.

A young couple with limited restaurant experience is diving in headfirst with a restaurant that will offer breakfast (crepes, anyone?), lunches (sandwiches and such), and dinners (tapas, maybe), as well as coffees, teas and juices.

Good, healthful, wholesome foods. Farm-to-table. Who, besides McDonalds and Burger King, isn't promising farm-to-table these days?

The new owners will be working hard and long (they're the only employees so far) to make the place welcoming and comfortable. Stop by in a month or so to say hello and to sample their crepes, tapas and lattes.
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QUICK! WHERE'S THE only barbeque restaurant in town?

Not the Union Grill. It closed down a few weeks ago.

No, it's Rollin' Smoke, a tiny drive-through on Wright Street that used to house Cruise n' Coffee. It's in a near-invisible location, now that most of the Wright Street traffic takes the little bypass to and from US-41.

The business plan, devised by owners Tom and Vanessa Curry, is a little different, as well. They close down between  July and September while they hit the road for festivals, fairs, parties and other events that have proven much more lucrative than their drive-through business on Wright Street.

They're now open five days a week. Before too long, they anticipate only three days a week. After that, who knows?

We need barbeque in town. Anybody got a spot with foot traffic or car traffic? How about just any spot that's easier to find than Waldo?

Wind Power, Toxic Chemicals, Tacos, Hot Dogs, Beacon House and Liquor on the Mountain

ONE OF MICHIGAN'S most forward-thinking businessmen is moving to Marquette this month from his longtime home in Grand Rapids.

His name is Richard VanderVeen. He's the guy who had those windmills erected in Mackinaw City--the first privately funded wind power project in the Great Lakes region. He also founded Michigan's largest wind farm in Gratiot County. Some have dubbed him the "Godfather of Wind Power".

He's also gotten involved in solar power. And in a sustainability project in Costa Rica. He's got a social conscience.

Better yet, he's not just a rah-rah advocate. He actually makes things work, and he makes them profitable.

So why are he and his wife moving to Marquette? Three reasons, he says: 1) They have family here--a daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild, 2) He adores flyfishing (He was a friend of John Voelker) and 3) He wants to get involved in community-building, and he sees Marquette and the U.P. perfectly positioned for growth.

Which has the Smartzone advocates thrilled. They're anticipating an upsurge in the number of small but ambitious tech firms locating here in the next few years, and VanderVeen, who's an attorney by trade, wants to help them with legal issues, governmental regulations, market planning, and cash raising. Oh, and he'd also like to invest in some of them.

Yeah, he kind of sounds like a guy who'd be an asset to the community.
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TUESDAY'S SNOWFALL DIDN'T help but the removal of toxic materials from the former Marquette gasification plant near the Shiras Steam Plant continues on schedule.

So far, they've removed 57,000 gallons of contaminated water containing volatile organic chemicals and something called poly nuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Bad stuff.

They've also transported 12,000 tons of soil with a thick residue of tar to the Marquette County landfill.

The water and the soil, according to the DEQ, were pre-tested to make sure they weren't too toxic.

The DEQ says it's satisfied with the removal and disposal process so far, especially pleased because Indiana Michigan Power is doing it of its own volition. Total price likely exceeds one million dollars.

The huge hole there will be filled up with clean soil. The future of the site, once remediated, is uncertain. It could be green space, or even development.

A final note: the site's groundwater, which is moving slowly toward Lake Superior, is still contaminated, and likely will be for decades to come. Test wells will monitor it continuously.

Our coastline may be pretty but it's certainly not pristine.
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GREAT NEWS FOR Marquette Mountain and just in time.

The ski hill has acquired a liquor license and is now in the process of getting full approval from the state. Their expectation? To start serving liquor when they open up for skiing which, judging by the white stuff outside our windows, might be pretty soon.

Normal opening date is Thanksgiving weekend.

Marquette Mountain lost its liquor license earlier this year when former manager Vern Barber left to take a job at Mount Bohemia. The license was in his name.

But now, after a few anxious months, everything seems to be back on track.
In fact, Marquette Mountain is now advertising for a bar manager and bartenders.

One of the perks? If you work there at least 15 hours a week, you get a free ski pass.
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ELEVEN MONTHS AFTER settling in on Third Street, Ron's Taco Shop has vacated and is moving to a new location on Washington Street--the former location of Farmer Q's.

No word yet on when it'll reopen because a kitchen has to be installed. The original reopening date was November 11th. They've got a ways to go yet.

They're also looking for some financial help. They've joined up with a gofundme.com website, asking fans and supporters to donate $30,000. At last glance, they had commitments for $195.

Ron's, which had been a late night student favorite on Third Street, will be joining a crowded and increasingly competitive dining scene downtown. There are now at least a dozen restaurants within an easy, five minute walk of the new Ron's location.

Good luck to all the restaurateurs. Good eating to the rest of us.
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AS FOR THE old Ron's site on Third Street, landlord Don Potvin confirms that Johnny Dogs, a highly regarded little restaurant in Munising, has expressed  interest in moving in.

Not a done deal yet, Potvin says, and the empty site has to be cleaned before a new occupant can move in. Attempts by WOTS to contact Johnny Dogs haven't succeeded yet.

Johnny's had nothing but rave reviews in Munising. It's creative and tasty, and more than just gourmet hot dogs. It's also burgers, sandwiches, whitefish and also something called "Piggy Fries"--housecut French fries topped with cheddar cheese, smoked pulled pork, ranch dressing, and orange pop BQ sauce.

No sprouts, no kale, no coconut water.

If a deal is worked out, here's a guess: Johnny Dogs will be a huge success on Third Street.
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THE BEACON HOUSE will be moving from its Third Street address once the hospital moves to its new location just off of US 41.

In fact, the Beacon House expects to actually construct a new building on the hospital campus, itself. Supporters will soon be announcing a capital campaign to fund the building.

You'd be hard-pressed to come up with a better cause. For the last 12 years, the Beacon House has been providing friendly, comfortable and convenient housing for hospital patients and their families. 175,000 guest nights, all told.

Now, if plans work out, the patients and their families will be living even closer to their hospital services. Win-win. The city of Marquette wins, too: a brand new hospital with brand new, convenient lodging for visiting patients and their families who will likely want to sample the remarkable attractions of the city.

The Beacon House is also hoping to open up a gift and coffee shop in the hospital lobby, with proceeds supporting the Beacon House.

Eventually, the current Beacon House will be sold (with an empty MGH, that'll be a lot of vacant real estate in that neighborhood), but it'll remain open and operating until the new campus site is ready to welcome patients.

If you've got news, email me at briancabell@gmail.com

If you'd like to be notified when Word on the Street is posted, go to Word on the Street by Brian Cabell on Facebook and "like" it.

Blueberry Muffins, Stormy Kromers and iPad Tacos

Blueberry muffin alert! We're headed for a crisis next month.

Downtown Marquette's favorite gathering place, Babycakes on Washington Street, will be closing down for three days in early January for renovations.

Owner Kim Danieleson says the coffee shop is getting a new floor, part of an ongoing renovation program that won't be complete until mid-2014.

Other changes we can expect over the next few months: new tables, benches, chairs, counters and display cases and something I'm particularly looking forward to--a "community table" (big, in other words) that was built by Marquette wood sculptor Mark Mitchell.

The "new" Babycakes should be able to handle an additional 6-8 customers. Anybody who's wandered in to the coffee shop at busy times knows that capacity has been a problem there.
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I stopped by Ron's Taco Shop the other day to sample the fare at this newly opened hole-in-the-wall (and I say that fondly) on Third Street.

If you're a fan of social media, you may have noticed that some of the contributors were crushing the place just days after it opened. They didn't like the tacos, the hot sauce, the salsa, etc.

Well, turns out during these first few weeks of operation, Ron's Taco Shop has also faced a welcome crush of customers, afternoon, evening, late night and early morning. Some nights, it's open until 3 am, perfect for all-night revelers or studiers.

The customers, despite some carping criticism, seem to like the place.

I loved the taco shells--crispy but pliable-- as well as the chips, fresh meat and vegetables, but wasn't nuts about the salsa. The chopped-up tomatoes were cooked rather than fresh. Different strokes.

I also thought the use of an iPad for ordering was a little too, too cool and trendy but who cares what old farts think?

Bottom line, though, is that this is a local family cooking with good ingredients, providing jobs for 14 people, and meeting a need in the marketplace. Good luck to them.
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I talked to our freshman state representative John Kivela over the weekend. It was kind of refreshing--talking to a politician who's proud of his job and his workplace.

He's especially excited about legislation that he and state senator Tom Casperson are pushing through the legislature, likely by the end of the year.

It'll create an "economic development zone" in Marquette and Delta Counties, the first of its kind in the UP. The other five have all been downstate.

The zone will provide for tax abatements for businesses, along with logistics and infrastructure help. Good for business and good for the UP which sometimes gets overlooked in Lansing.

Kivela's impressions of his first year in the legislature? There's a lot of good people trying to do good things but the process can be awfully slow.

What's he think of Governor Rick Snyder, a Republican? Well, Kivela, a Democrat, appreciates the fact that Snyder (unlike some GOP "stars" around the nation) is not overtly political. He just wants to get things done. Imagine that.
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You may have heard the rumor that the famed Stormy Kromer caps have been named the official hat of American team in the Winter Olympics.

Not quite true.

What is true is that Ironwood's Jacquart Fabric Products is sponsoring the men's and women's ski jumping teams at Sochi. That's a pretty big deal, right?

It's the first time Jacquart has done this. The sponsorship provides both cash and merchandise for the team.

So does that mean we'll be seeing Stormy Cromers warming the heads of our ski jumpers? A Jacquart official says there's no guarantees of that but they hope so.