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June 2007 News

Businesses feel the heat: Lake Superior warms up, part 3

By Katie Alvord  Posted 06/30/2007


HOUGHTON -- On June 21, the Senate passed an energy bill that would increase average vehicle fuel efficiency, a measure meant at least in part to combat global warming. Meanwhile, in the Copper Country, some businesses -- particularly those based on winter tourism -- might already have been feeling global warming's effects. In this final segment of a three-part series on climate change in the Lake Superior Basin, Katie Alvord looks at ways local businesses have already been affected by warming temperatures, how some have responded with potential solutions and what some scientists say about the future of winter in our area. more
Photo: Making snow at Mont Ripley Ski Hill near Hancock. In warmer winters, ski areas rely more on artificial snow. The tall, slanted pipe in left foreground is newer, more energy-efficient snowmaking equipment. (Photo © 2007 and courtesy Mont Ripley.)

Photos of 2007 Keweenaw Chain Drive bike races posted

Posted 06/26/2007


HANCOCK -- Photos of the 2007 Portage Health Keweenaw Chain Drive Festival bike races are now available on Brockit.com. These quality photos, taken by Brockit's professional photographers Adam Johnson and Tess Steube, include a variety of individual and group photos of the race. They are available for viewing or purchase. Results of the races, held June 16, 2007, on the Maasto Hiihto and Churning Rapids trails in Hancock, are posted on the Chain Drive Web site. Races included 32- and 16-mile races, the Junior Chain Drive and (for Father's Day) father and offspring teams. The Chain Drive race will help support a purchase of 280 acres for the Swedetown Recreation Area in Calumet. Visit Keweenaw Trails for more information on local trails and upcoming running and biking races.
Photo: Terry Kinzel of Hancock rides in the 16-mile race during the 2007 Keweenaw Chain Drive. Kinzel and his wife, Sue Ellen Kingsley, who maintain their Churning Rapids trails for community biking and cross-country skiing, both participated in the race. Click on photo for larger version. (Photo © 2007 Brockit.com. Reprinted with permission.)

Cardboard boat races offer challenges, "pirate" fun at Bridgefest 2007

By Michele Anderson  Posted 06/22/2007


HOUGHTON -- The "Pirates of the Keweenaw" cardboard boat races offered "pirates" of various ages the challenge of keeping afloat in competitive races on the Portage Lake Ship Canal near Houghton Beach on Sunday, June 17. The "pirate" theme inspired some creative sailing garb and added an element of friendly rowdiness to the traditional rivalry between crews representing the cities of Hancock and Houghton. Keweenaw Now offers readers this three-page photo essay of the shenanigans and community fun. more
Photo: Crew members of "Technicolor Magic," a boat that tried to carry 14 "pirates," hit the water laughing as their cardboard "catamaran" splits in two during its one and only race. The shipwreck won it a prize for Best Sinking. (Photo © 2007 Gustavo Bourdieu)

Lake Superior Basin feeling heat: Part 2

By Katie Alvord  Posted 06/03/2007


HOUGHTON -- The next G-8 summit starts on June 6 in Germany; and, with climate change high on the agenda, George W. Bush has responded to European pressures by announcing his own counter-proposals for stemming greenhouse gas emissions. As world political leaders debate what to do about climate change, several scientists from around Lake Superior say local plants and animals are already showing the effects of rising average temperatures. Their findings range from northward shifts in bird and small mammal ranges to unexpected plankton blooms to a diminishing moose population on Isle Royale, and some are expressing concern about what a warming climate might mean for our future. more
Photo: Isle Royale moose shows areas of skin rubbed bare due to tick infestation. Moose lose fur when they rub against trees in an attempt to remove ticks. Warmer temperatures favor ticks and make moose more vulnerable to winter tick infestations. (Photo © 2007 John Vucetich. Reprinted with permission.)

Two MTU students bike to Seattle for cancer survivorship

By Jeff Dambrun  Posted 05/16/2007


HOUGHTON -- An idea that started as a half-serious joke several years ago between Michigan Tech students Jay Prescott and Jeff Dambrun has now materialized into a reality. Jay and Jeff have created the Superior-Pacific Ride for Survivorship, a bicycle journey from Houghton, Mich., to Seattle, Wash., as well as a grassroots fundraiser through the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports cancer survivorship efforts. Jay and Jeff are now on their way, and donations and pledges will be accepted until they reach Seattle in mid-June. Donations will go not only toward cancer research, but toward other important areas like education and social support for survivors and their families. more
Photo: Jay and Jeff with their bikes on a trail near Freda, Mich. (Photo © 2007 Ben Bittner. Reprinted with permission.)

Lake Superior warming fast: Researchers surprised by strong trends

By Katie Alvord  Posted 05/03/2007


HOUGHTON -- A growing number of regional officials and researchers have been examining how climate change may already affect air, water and ice within the Lake Superior basin. This regional work is taking place as the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) completes its Fourth Assessment Report on the state of the world’s climate. The IPCC is releasing its 2007 assessment in segments, and the next will be released Friday, May 4. In the first in a series of articles on climate change, Keweenaw Now guest writer Katie Alvord reports recent climate changes affecting Lake Superior, as researched by scientists at the University of Minnesota Duluth and Michigan Tech University and as observed by meteorologists and by officials at Isle Royale National Park and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. more
Photo: Ice melting along the Lake Superior shoreline in late March 2007. (Photo © 2007 Katie Alvord. Reprinted with permission.) 

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