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

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Democrats Are Depressed, Casperson Is Classy, Negaunee Is Spending, and Marquette Is Happy

A COUPLE OF months ago, Democrats were high on ousting incumbent Republican Dan Benishek in Michigan's First Congressional District.

They were pouring money and staff into the U.P. and northern Lower Michigan. They had an attractive, moderate candidate in Jerry Cannon who boasted law enforcement and military credentials as well as an outsider's status at a time when all of us were sick and tired of all the insiders in Washington DC.

So what the hell happened?

Word comes this week that some of the Cannon campaign staff are being pulled out and re-directed to other Democratic campaigns around the nation.

This, on top of a Roll Call report that $425,000 of anticipated pro-Cannon ads were being cancelled.

And this: Benishek has raised about twice as much cash as Cannon.

And finally this: the Rothenberg Political Report had been rating the First District race as "tilting" Republican. Now the rating is Republican "favored."

We don't have many reliable public polls up here, but apparently national Democrats have been doing some internal polling, and they're not encouraged. Thus, they're shifting some of their resources to other, apparently more promising races around the nation.

Unless the tea leaves are lying, this is shaping up as a nightmarish November for Democrats.
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A NICE LITTLE display of bipartisanship in a ceremony in Marquette last week.

The Michigan Municipal League awarded its Legislator of the Year award to Republican State Senator Tom Casperson. Casperson accepted the award, but then called on Democratic State Representative John Kivela to come up and share it with him.

 

Casperson said he couldn't have done it without Kivela and other members of the U.P. delegation, both Democrat and Republican.

Huh? Can you imagine Nancy Pelosi calling on John Boehner to share an award with her, or Mitch McConnell singing the praises of Harry Reid?

Here's something else to consider. Kivela's a former auto mechanic, Casperson's  a former logging truck driver, State Rep Ed McBroom is a dairy farmer, and State Rep Scott Dianda was a heavy equipment operator.

Not a lawyer in the bunch, no Ivy League educations, either. They're Yoopers from different parties who disagree on many issues but they get along. Actually like each other. Maybe there's a lesson there.
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DON'T LOOK NOW, but Ishpeming is slowly re-shaping its image, building by building.

Aided by grants from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, developers are spending more than a half million dollars on re-doing the facades and interiors of four buildings downtown.

The biggest is the Gossard Building, formerly known as Pioneer Square. Years ago, it was a factory manufacturing women's undergarments; now it's a remarkably attractive home to about fifteen businesses--some of them artsy and entrepreneurial.

Developer Paul Arsenault is hoping the building, which honors its historical roots, will infuse a youthful, artistic energy into downtown Ishpeming.

He'll need some help. The town has some dedicated developers and businessmen and women, but driving through downtown, you're still going to see plenty of vacant, if not dilapidated, storefronts, and hardly a pedestrian on the sidewalks.

Maybe the Gossard is a sign of things to come. Who wouldn't want to see the revival of a once thriving downtown Ishpeming?
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EVERYBODY LOVES LISTS.

Here's one of the latest. CreditDonkey, a bizarrely named website offering consumers financial news and advice, has just listed the Top Ten Happiest Cities in Michigan (population over 20,000).

Marquette placed eighth. Walker took first, Midland second and Allen Park third.

So you're asking, How do you determine who's happy?

CreditDonkey (seriously, change the name) listed several criteria including crime rate, household income, divorce rate, commute times...and the number of restaurants in town per inhabitant. Yes, we are generally going to be happier if we have more dining choices when we go out.

Here's the kicker: Of the top ten cities, Marquette had the most restaurants per capita. To be exact, we boast one restaurant for every 303 residents.

No surprise, we also had the shortest average commute time--12 minutes--and one of the lowest crime rates--one violent crime for every 1025 inhabitants.
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YOU MAY HAVE seen Gale LaJoye working out recently at the YMCA in Marquette. Our world-renowned performance artist (clown? mime? silent actor?) is whipping himself into shape for what promises to be a grueling 48 show run at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis next January and February.

It's the longest run at a single venue LaJoye's ever done. Apparently, after 25 years, there's still a huge demand to see his one man show, "Snowflake",
based on a simple, decent man who used to walk the streets of Marquette. Audiences from Japan to Mexico and from Hong Kong to Great Britain have given him standing ovations.

LaJoye, who's 64, says his body is still holding up after all these shows--1500 and counting--but he's now convinced that next year will be the last for "Snowflake." Of course, he's said that for the last six years as well, but this time, he really means it. Really.

Regardless, he expects the final show, appropriately enough, to be here in Marquette. And then, eschewing retirement, LaJoye says he'll move on to something else. When you're a performance artist, what are you gonna do? Sit on your butt?

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

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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.