A new $16 million Early Childhood Educator Wage Initiative is giving monthly stipends to over 2,500 child care providers across Northern Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula. Administered by MiLEAP and the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District , the effort aims to stabilize the workforce and support families. All 10 of Michigan’s Regional Child Care Coalitions are … Read more
Vision Inc. started construction of the 151-unit Bay Vue apartment complex on Ashland’s Beaser Avenue on December 15th, despite the winter weather. TheAshlandDailyPress reports as of February 23rd, the L-shaped, market-rate complex on the former Chicago Iron brownfield site is 15%-20% complete. It will feature three floors of apartments over heated parking, a fitness center, … Read more
Michigan State University’s ‘Rx Kids’ program, which provides cash prescriptions to expecting mothers, has expanded across the entire Upper Peninsula. Enrolled families receive a $1,500 one-time payment mid-pregnancy and $500 monthly for the baby’s first six months, officially launched in Baraga, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Marquette, Menominee, and Ontonagon counties on Monday. Luce, … Read more
Michigan is investing $2.4 million in its Invasive Species Grant Program for 27 new projects, adding to over $42 million previously awarded. The program, works to prevent, detect, limit the spread of, and manage invasive species. This year, $1.7 million will support all 22 regional Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) across all 83 counties. … Read more
The Wisconsin DNR is looking for statewide volunteers for basic and advanced hunter education and outdoor skills instruction. Benefits include teaching experience, DNR connections, and community involvement. Basic Hunter Education, mandatory for independent hunters born after Jan. 1, 1973, requires teaching the curriculum and administering exams. Certification involves an apprenticeship/mini-academy and a manual exam. Instructors … Read more
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is expanding its eHarvest digital tagging system to include most species that require a kill tag, offering a modern and convenient alternative to traditional paper tags for hunters across the state. Effective with the 2026 license year, Michigan hunters can use optional digital eHarvest tags for deer, turkey, bear, … Read more
The Eagle River Pickleball Association (ERPA) is actively looking for 1.5-2 acres within 3-5 miles of downtown Eagle River to build 10 new, state-of-the-art outdoor pickleball courts with utilities. WXPR reports the existing Riverview Park courts, built around 2009, are inadequate, causing long waits and lacking space and parking, according to ERPA VP Denny Erardi. … Read more
A snowmobile crash on Trail 70 in Namakagon on Feb. 25 killed the 39-year-old male operator and seriously injured his 38-year-old wife, the passenger, according to the Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office. The 4:35 p.m. crash occurred when the westbound snowmobile left the marked trail while navigating a hill and struck trees. The man died at … Read more
The Wakefield Chamber of Commerce board voted to temporarily suspend operations (“hibernate”) instead of permanently closing due to low participation and the inability to replace its retiring president, secretary, and treasurer since October 2025.TheDailyGlobe reports the Chamber, a financially stable 501(c)(6) nonprofit, will cease all functions and fundraising after a final meeting on May 21st, … Read more
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has set varying deadlines for ice shanty removal across the state. Shanty owners must remove their structures by the deadline, after which they can only be used and removed daily. Lake St. Clair’s deadline was Feb. 20. Most Lower Peninsula counties must remove shanties by March 1. A … Read more