LAURIUM – The Laurium Village Council unanimously approved a motion by Trustee Jeff Erickson to accept an initial proposal from Moyle Construction regarding a new Department of Public Works facility Village Manager Ian Lewis said Laurium officials had met with representatives from Moyle Construction last week to discuss the construction of a new public works facility “We wanted to just get some expertise on it because none of us have expertise on constructing a new building from the ground up,” Lewis said He said the insurance adjuster’s rate was approximately $1.5 million seems incredibly low for a building of that size The former DPW facility was approximately 99,000 square feet Moyle representatives said they were confident the company could assist the village in achieving a higher insurance settlement said his company has extensive experience in dealing with insurance casualties such as what Laurium experienced “One of the things that we can do to work with you guys,” Kemper said “is help represent you in your capacity with the insurance company to make sure that there is an equitable payment to make sure that you are going to have the full funds that are going to be necessary to build another facility that the community will benefit from for the next hundred plus years.” Moyle would also provide any engineering estimates pre-construction services necessary – at no cost to the village — up to the point that “we get an understanding and agreement from the insurance carrier that the village will be equitably funded “what I would ask is that the village enter into a design-build contract with Moyle Construction then to complete the engineering and ultimately construct a facility Kemper estimates the process would take about a year for the engineering and construction and estimated that three to four months would be required for dealing with the carrier prior to the 12-month engineering and construction phase The first step in the initial process would be to examine the insurance policy to learn what the village is entitled to what you’re entitled to — and I’m speculating — I would imagine at a minimum you are entitled to reconstruct a facility at least equal to the size of your current facility meeting all modern standards and codes and modern efficiencies.” Kemper suggested that the DPW building probably did not meet many current codes Lewis said the liability policy for the building was just under $3 million with an additional blanket coverage to cover contents such as tools and equipment it’s kind of tough for us to go any other way than the process (Kemper) outlined,” Lewis said “because it would involve us hiring an engineer likely hiring an attorney – we don’t have a ton of money just laying around not without the insurance proceeds coming in and we Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining GazetteClean up work continues at the site of a February fire that destroyed the Village of Laurium’s Department of Public Works facility The Laurium Village Council began the process of building a new facility this week Kemper said if Moyle was unsuccessful in coming to an agreement with the insurance carrier for the rebuild the village and the company would part ways “You would owe us no compensation for that,” he said “Whatever engineering and whatever services are necessary to represent you and the village to get this process going,” If the council moves forward with Kemper’s suggestions it does not lock the village into any type of contract Village Trustee John Galbraith said that the proposal presented by Kemper is a win-win-win situation “In what they’re willing to do for us walk away and we don’t have to compensate them for anything Army Corps of Engineers has released a new shorter timeline for its environmental review of the Line 5 .. Copyright © 2025 Ogden News Publishing of Michigan the Village of Laurium will add a universally accessible splash pad to the George Gipp Recreation Area this summer with a $20,000 grant from the Copper Shores Shores Wellness and Outdoor Recreation Fund LAURIUM — As the village continues to recover from the devastating fire at its Department of Public Works garage last month the village administrators and Council have not stopped looking improvements in other areas of the village Village Manager Ian Lewis said that the village is preparing to create the Splashing Through Laurium Splash Pad which will be located at the George Gipp Recreation Area The universally accessible splash pad will be built this summer is a recreational area for water play with little to no standing water featuring interactive water features like jets and nozzles that spray water from the ground Laurium was awarded a $20,000 grant from Copper Shores Community Health Foundation through the its Wellness and Outdoor Recreation Fund as part of the village’s Get Active Initiative The initiative aims to promote physical activity for everyone without worry of physical or financial ability In the Fall 2024 Field of Interest Grants cycle Keweenaw Community Foundation awarded 17 different organizations across six funds including the Community Wellness and Outdoor Recreation Fund “The future design of the splash pad is still being reviewed,” said Lewis “as we are still fundraising to make an even more vibrant splash pad.” Lewis said this is a new  era of Parks and Recreation Redevelopment via the Laurium Get Active Initiative “Hopefully we have more exciting grant news regarding the future splash pad in the very near future,” Lewis said “This project will be universally-friendly so that all individuals can participate and Splash Through Laurium.” Firefighters from several departments work to extinguish an early morning fire at the Laurium Village garage early Wednesday morning According to Village officials a large amount of Village street equipment was lost in the blaze The cause of the fire has not been released at this time and there were no injuries reported LAURIUM — An early morning fire of unknown origin Wednesday destroyed the village’s Department of Public Works building Village Manager Ian Lewis said that the fire was discovered at 3:30 a.m as DPW personnel were arriving for their shift immediately called 9-1-1 and notified the fire departments,” Lewis said Calumet Township and Calumet Village arrived shortly Lewis said he couldn’t comment on the loss of equipment at this time Smoke pours out of the Village of Laurium DPW garage following an early morning fire Wednesday The cause of the blaze has yet to be determined “Everything is still being looked at,” he said “but what is housed in the building is everything from sanitation equipment to all of the snow removal equipment.” and Public Safety and Street/Equipment/Sanitation committees member said all the village’s equipment was in the building but only the sanitation truck and a truck with a cherry picker were able to be removed Lewis said the blaze will have a substantial impact on the village the village government has already reached out to community managers throughout the Upper Peninsula “I think we’re going to come together,” Lewis said “and we’re going to come back even stronger once we get a handle on the situation.” Village Trustee Jenn Jenich-Laplander said the response from the community has been “Super supportive already with several local organizations on scene to support the firefighters coffee and snacks for the firefighters,” she said Laurium Village Hall may soon become home to the offices of the City of Laurium The Village Council will soon begin seeking public input LAURIUM — What was once allegedly the largest incorporated village in the United States might be going through a change the Laurium Village Council is taking a serious look at becoming a city and will soon begin seeking input from village residents Village Manager Ian Lewis said the council has been considering the possibility of incorporating as a city for a couple of months who explained the benefits and disadvantages of being a city vs The village pays for and maintains its own services and the village governance is geared more toward that of a city than a village Lewis said that the attorney told the council that the primary reason most villages do not become cities is because they lack many of those services so rely on the township to assist in providing those services the village does not conduct property assessing The village also does not maintain its own sewage but like the other municipalities in Calumet Township contracts with the North Houghton County Water and Sewer Authority and contracts with the Upper Michigan Water Company as a city it would have to hire a part-time assessor or place those duties on the current employees The handling of elections would become the responsibility of the clerk and the city would have to collect the school taxes they’re not drawbacks,” Lewis said “because those will allow us to have full control over what is going on in Laurium the village residents would no longer have to pay any specific taxes to Calumet Township That would include the township’s operating millage The taxes for a home with a taxable value of $50,000,” Lewis said would see a decrease of about $115 annually this would be fantastic,” Lewis said we already have the government structure in place to take on the additional roles and we would be saving the taxpayers of the city of Laurium tax money.” Lewis cautioned that the village would likely request a future tax millage to support some additional operating for things like Parks and Recreation updates The council hasn’t yet gotten to the point of discussing millages because it is only in a discussion at this point The next step is to send surveys to the residents “We’re at the point where we want the current residents’ input on what’s the right path in moving forward.” Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAURIUM, Mich. (WLUC) - Village Manager of Laurium, Ian Lewis, gave residents updates on the fire and village services on Thursday Lewis said he will do his best to continue to provide the most updated information possible based on what he knows as the village manager I will do my best to continue providing you with the most updated information possible based upon what I know as your Village Manager Ice Arena Update - The Gipp Ice Arena will remain closed until at least Saturday morning Due to the scene still being an active fire scene we have made the decision to close off the entire area near the public works building Anyone found entering the fire scene without permission will be cited Please do not enter or go around the barriers that are setup Regarding Garbage Removal Services - The village has found a temporary solution for this situation Tuesday’s garbage pickup will remain as scheduled for Tuesday Next Thursday’s garbage pickup will be pushed back to Friday of next week This schedule is going to be temporary until we find a better solution Please continue to follow the village Facebook and website for updates regarding garbage removal services Regarding Snow Removal Services - The Village of Laurium has worked out temporary agreements with numerous other communities and bodies of government to ensure that we are able to provide snow removal services for our village residents Our Public Works Department employees will do their best to ensure that the roads are maintained as best we can with the limited equipment we have been able to acquire We ask you to bear with us as we are going to do our best to provide our community with these services I would like to thank the tremendous support of our community and the numerous other communities throughout the Copper Country and other entities for offering snow removal equipment and storage facilities in our time of need thank you to the many businesses and agencies that have helped provide food and other aid to the numerous employees working around the clock trying to find answers to our community’s devastating loss All of us here at Village of Laurium appreciate you all and your acts of kindness As I continue to say - We are Laurium Strong and we are Copper Country Strong We will overcome this obstacle that has been placed in our way especially with the outpouring support from our great community and community partners LAURIUM — The Lake Linden Music Department has announced it is organizing a benefit concert in effort to support the village of Laurium The concert is in response to the fire last week that destroyed the village’s public works garage along with the equipment and trucks inside “Our HS Symphonic band and LLHS Tidal Wave Jazz band will be performing in the lineup alongside groups from Michigan Tech and other local districts,” Lake Linden-Hubbell Bands said in a social media release “We hope you’ll join us on Wednesday February 19th at 6:30 P.M at the Calumet Theatre to support the Laurium community.” The lineup includes The Other Side of Pewabic Calumet Theatre Company President Dan Jamison said the Theatre is donating the theater and the stage for the concert “That’s what this theater stands for,” he said “It doesn’t completely stand for ‘performing arts.’ Every time we can put in a situation where we can use our assets to help somebody else I think we’re really nailing the mission.” “The Village Staff can’t say thank you enough for the generosity of our Copper Country community members and agencies,” Laurium Village Manager Ian Lewis said “So many different groups have reached out to the Village asking how they can assist with this major transition for our Public Works Department.” “It is truly inspiring to see how our U.P communities have come together in order to guarantee that the Village Public Works Department can have some type of normalcy.” Admission to the concert is a good will donation “Please join us in raising badly needed funds for our community Thank you all and we’ll see you there,” Lewis said LAURIUM – After more than 30 years of silence the bell in the tower of the Village Hall rang out once again on Tuesday Village Manager Ian Lewis said after extensive cleaning of the tower area Tuesday marked a huge day for bringing back a piece of Laurium history “I am pleased to announce that the Bell Tower Bell is operational once again,” Lewis said At the regular March Village Council meeting Lewis reported the need to remove the pigeon droppings from the upstairs of the hall and the bell tower have louvres repaired and install screens behind them to prevent birds from entering the upper levels The pigeon droppings were more than two feet deep The village was originally incorporated as the village of Calumet in April and reincorporated as the village of Laurium on March 27 The original brick front was redone in sandstone The renovation included an addition on the North side of the existing hall The addition was two stories high and measured 13 feet wide by 60 feet long with a tower crowning the top at a cost of $7,990.The renovated building was dedicated on November 24 “As the Village continues to look at ways of providing new opportunities and services for its residents,” said Lewis “it is equally just as important to make sure that our rich history is preserved for future generations to come.” discussed the status of the Department of Public Works after a Feb 5 fire that destroyed the garage and DPW equipment President Pro tempore Jeff Erickson an Wes Pietila LAURIUM — During Tuesday’s Village Council meeting trustees and meeting attendees were given an update on the status of the Department of Public Works since the department’s facilities burned two weeks ago which destroyed most of the DPW vehicles inside village president pro tempore and pro tempore and Streets/Equipment/Sanitation Committee member maintained his sense of humor as he started his update and we don’t have a lot of equipment,” he said with a chuckle Currently the DPW is housed in the old Peninsular Gas building which is owned by the North Houghton County Water and Sewer Authority The facility is outside of the village limit The NHCWSA loaned the village use of the building until they can come up with a permanent alternative “There is availability of this building long-term for the next year or so,” Erickson said “They do have a scheduled site cleanup there that was scheduled for this summer but they can push it off if we need the building which I think we’re going to need.” Erickson said that as the building was not built as a public works garage “RC Mechanical pulled a miracle getting things up and running in a couple of days,” said Erickson Bay Electric showed up with some temporary lights and then we just had a general outpouring of people coming to help clean it up so we have a functional building now.” Erickson said the DPW is slowly piecing together some equipment adding that some items were able to be salvaged from the burned building we still have a lot of needs that we have to address,” he said A prioritized list is being drawn up of needed equipment and what portions of a new building need to be heated We have a ton of questions to answer,” he said Knowing what the village had in its inventory the question is was it the best equipment for the needs of the village The inventory of vehicles in the garage at the time of the fire included three loaders not to mention all the tools in the maintenance section “Maybe we don’t need two graders,” Erickson said “Maybe we switch over to loaders with wing blades there’s a lot of logistics that have to happen now.” Erickson said there is an urgency in replacing equipment in order to return the borrowed equipment as the village is paying rental rates on them The list of needed equipment includes a mid-sized loader for the village’s parking lot and its snow contracts Sweeper and sno-go attachments are also a need the DPW owns one two-wheel drive pickup truck that was given to the village by the NHCWSA the only vehicle in the current inventory that is not borrowed or rented Firefighters are on the scene of a Wednesday morning fire that destroyed the public works garage in Laurium Due to overwhelming support from local municipalities and private companies streets were cleared despite Thursday’s blizzard LAURIUM — The Wednesday fire that destroyed the village’s public works garage has brought a huge response from neighboring municipalities and private companies alike just in time for Thursday’s blizzard “The streets got plowed,” Village Trustee Jenn Jenich-Laplander said “We have a tentative agreement in place to rent equipment from various municipalities and agencies so we’re extremely thankful for that.” Jenich-Laplander said the village is also thankful to the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Houghton County Road Commission who have been assisting with the trunklines “I would like to thank the tremendous support of our community and the numerous other communities throughout the Copper Country,” Village Manager Ian Lewis said in a social media post on Thursday and storage facilities in our time of need.” the state fire marshal was on scene and began his investigation into the cause of the fire adding the village will know more in the coming weeks Jenich-Laplander said there is still no certainty as to the extent of the damage the fire had on the vehicles that were parked in the garage at the time of the fire “We have to wait until we receive a determination from the fire marshal on what equipment is still useful and what is not,” she said That includes the village’s garbage truck Trash pickup in the village will resume Tuesday morning but Thursday’s pickup will be moved to Friday “That schedule is temporary until we get a better solution,” Jenich-Laplander said The Gipp Ice Arena will remain closed at least until Saturday morning contingent on whether the fire marshal concluded his investigation on Friday Due to the proximity of the arena to the DWP building the arena is within the perimeter of the fire scene Lewis said the village is grateful for the tremendous support being offered “Thank you to the many businesses and agencies that have helped provide food and other aid to the numerous employees working around the clock trying to find answers to our community’s devastating loss,” he said in his social media post “All of us here at the Village of Laurium appreciate all your acts of kindness.” Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCALUMET TOWNSHIP (WLUC)— The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued an arrest warrant for a man in Laurium last week after months of surveillance revealed his participation in the insurrection that occurred on Jan that Adam Christopher Mancuso posted images on Facebook confirming his presence at the Capitol building on Jan He was identified partially because of the “Insane Clown Posse” band apparel he wore Mancuso was arrested Wednesday morning in Laurium and released on a personal recognizance bond Mancuso faces the following offenses - the four standard misdemeanor charges used in Jan The FBI says there is also probable cause to believe that Mancuso violated 40 U.S.C which makes it a crime to willfully and knowingly (D) utter loud or engage in disorderly or disruptive conduct at any place in the Grounds or in any of the Capitol Buildings with the intent to impede or disturb the orderly conduct of a session of Congress or either House of Congress or the orderly conduct in that building of a hearing before a committee of Congress or either House of Congress; and (G) parade The next federal court hearing in the case is Sept The publicly available criminal complaint reveals the following information: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed it was present in the Village of Laurium Wednesday morning TV6 contacted the FBI after receiving calls and emails from viewers in the area who said they saw FBI agents outside a Laurium home We asked the agency to confirm if it was there FBI Public Affairs Specialist Jordan Hall called TV6 Thursday morning He said he could only confirm that the FBI was present Wednesday morning in Laurium conducting “court authorized law enforcement activity,” but could provide no further information TV6 will be following up with other local law enforcement agencies to try to answer these questions Laurium Village Manager Ian Lewis is seeking resident participation in a survey asking the question “should Laurium become a city?” (Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette) LAURIUM — As the Laurium Village Council continues to explore becoming a city Village Manager Ian Lewis has kept a close eye on its ongoing survey of residents As of the regular monthly meeting on January 14 the survey revealed that while only 69 residents have responded 79 percent favor changing from a village to a city Lewis is concerned at the low number of respondents “I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around how to get the survey to more people,” he said “It seems like we’ve hit almost every avenue we could think of.” Lewis has distributed paper copies of the survey to businesses throughout the village While some residents have picked up copies at the village office “What they may be doing is taking them home,” he said “then filling out the survey online.” The survey has raised some interesting tax questions Lewis said he suspects that a number of those who responded in opposition to the proposal did not quite understand the survey “They wrote in the comment section that while they support the village changing to a city Responses so far are close on whether residents would support a millage increase of 1.5 or 2 mils The village has received inquiries asking if businesses have a platform if the owners live outside the Village he encourages them to come in and talk to him The survey is open until the end of February LAURIUM – The village of Laurium took a big step closer to its “Splashing Through Laurium” splash pad project Monday when it received a $45,000 donation from the Keweenaw Health Foundation (KHF) The splash pad project is a major component of Laurium’s “Get Active Initiative.” A press release from KHF says the donation will play a vital role in creating a community space that encourages physical activity and supports the health and well-being of children and families in Laurium The “Splashing Through Laurium” splash pad is designed to be an accessible and safe space for children and families to engage in active play This project is part of the broader “Get Active Initiative” launched by Laurium Village Manager Ian Lewis aimed at encouraging residents of all ages to make use of the village’s parks and recreational areas “We are thrilled to be part of this important project that will not only provide a fun and interactive way for children to stay active but will also strengthen community bonds,” KHF Executive Director Jenn Jenich-Laplander said “The splash pad will offer families a chance to connect with one another while enjoying the outdoors.” providing an opportunity for families who may face transportation or financial barriers to participate in water-based recreation “This splash pad is an exciting addition to the village and an essential part of our goal to make outdoor recreation accessible for everyone in Laurium,” said Lewis “Not every family has the means to travel to a beach but this splash pad will create a local destination for fun and physical activity for all of our residents.” This is the second generous donation to the village for the project The splash pad will also contribute to the cognitive development and socialization of children by providing an environment where they can interact with others and learn the importance of community involvement through active play “We want children to understand the importance of physical activity not only for their health but also for their mental and emotional development,” said Jenich-Laplander A gofundme account has recently been started (Photo Courtesy of the Village of Laurium) LAURIUM — For the past several months Laurium has been campaigning to raise funds to renovate the George Gipp Ice Arena and replace its ice generating plant the Village has fund raised $250,000 out of its $325,000 campaign goal for Phase 1 of the project “We’re still needing funds,” said Village Trustee Jeff Erickson “We’re $50-75,000 short of being able to do Phase 1 and discussed re-sleeving the pipes to 1-inch and using Calcium Chloride He has also talked with Bassett Mechanical Contracting and we can commit to whatever package we’re going with the Mechanicals our drop-dead date is June First,” Erickson said testing of the system and ready for ice by our normal schedule The village has received support from a number of organizations and individuals Michigan Tech donated floor space at its Feb The floor space was for a kiosk for a space to start a crowd sourcing campaign Erickson said Michigan Tech would also play a video on its video boards that was created by Trustee Andrew Erickson “What we want to do is do a fundraiser for the Gipp at the Coloussium and that would happen Friday Night of the Gibson Cup (April 4) And because the Gipp is used for mite tournaments and the first period we can some of the mite players and some of the coaches are putting together a little mite scrimmage we’re going to hopefully raise some funds and hopefully get up some interest in getting this final push.” will be higher than it is right now for safety reasons The total cost of the project is about $1.1 M who federal officials identified in selfies and video footage taken inside the Capitol building during the Jan now faces several federal charges after being arrested Wednesday MARQUETTE — A Laurium man charged with storming the U.S made his initial court appearance in federal court Wednesday The criminal complaint was unsealed Thursday afternoon in the case The FBI first received a tip about Mancuso six days after the event notifying them of Facebook selfies he took inside and outside the Capitol building They matched the Hatchetman logo hat he wore in the footage an emblem used by the Michigan rap group Insane Clown Posse to several other photos on his Facebook page Watermarks on the photos were also linked to his business Adam’s Stash open-source videos and selfies cited in the complaint put Mancuso at several points in the Capitol building that afternoon He entered the building through the Senate Wing door at 2:58 moving through the Crypt and Hall of Columns before leaving at 3:04 p.m and picked up a sign discarded by another protester before putting it down when confronted by an officer He re-entered the Capitol at the Rotunda at 3:20 p.m He worked his way to the front of the crowd and began vaping while filming He put on a gas mask and pushed closer to the front As officers continued to push the group out leaving the building for the last time at 3:27 p.m Agents also conducted surveillance of Mancuso back in Michigan Residents had noticed federal police activity in the Laurium area Wednesday morning FBI spokesperson Jordan Hill confirmed Thursday FBI members had been in the village conducting “court-authorized law enforcement activity.” Mancuso was arrested Wednesday and released on bond Mancuso faces the four misdemeanor charges given to most Jan 6 defendants: knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of government business or official functions disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; and parading demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building He is next scheduled to appear via Zoom for a hearing in District of Columbia District Court on Sept Mancuso is the third Copper Country resident charged in connection with Jan who faced the four misdemeanor charges plus a felony count of obstruction pleaded guilty to the parading/demonstrating/picketing charge He was sentenced to six months incarceration who was initially charged with the same misdemeanors was sentenced to 30 days after pleading guilty to the same misdemeanor charge as Dresch MI— Laurium Village Manager Ian Lewis says services will be on different schedules after fire ravaged the village Department of Public Works building this week Lewis says Tuesday garbage pickup will take place as usual but next Thursday’s pickup will be bumped to Friday of next week Laurium officials have worked out agreements with neighboring communities and governments to provide snow removal for residents Lewis says Public Works Department employees will do their best to ensure roads are maintained as well as possible with the limited equipment the village has been able to acquire Lewis notes the Gipp Ice Arena will remain closed until at least Saturday morning Due to the area still being an active fire scene officials made the decision to close off the entire area near the Public Works building News | Sep 29 As more and more people continue to use the Laurium Trailhead in Breckenridge to access backcountry skiing spots the potentially dangerous impacts of the steep grade in its parking lot have become more evident.  24 meeting how the 14% grade has caused its fair share of issues in the icy winter months and how it has emerged as a public safety concern They said local law enforcement has been reporting that as more people use the parking lot to backcountry ski near Bald Mountain the 15-spot lot can be found overflowing sometimes on weekends Breckenridge has been looking into relocating the lot and got direction on where it should go from Breckenridge Town Council at a Sept they supported the recommendation of the Breckenridge Open Space Commission and town staff members to move the parking to the west side of Summit County Road 528 Town staff members outlined in a meeting memo the current cost estimate for construction is in the ballpark of $231,000 The lot will continue to have 15 spaces and construction is slated to start in 2025 The town is hoping it will be a joint project with Summit County who is the council’s liaison to the Breckenridge Open Space Commission sat through numerous discussions regarding the matter. He said three different options were considered including moving the parking lot to the other side of the gate in the area and having parking be on both sides of Summit County Road 528 He said the option that was being recommended was actually thought of by Mayor Kelly Owens around a year ago when she was on a site visit in the area.  “I know part of the problem with the current parking is people not knowing how to do it right,” council member Marika Page said “Is there something specific about this design that is going to make people do it right?” Open space and trails manager Duke Barlow said staff is thinking that choosing a flatter area with a less significant grade will resolve many of those issues He added the area of the county road they are choosing “lends itself to more efficient programming” overall.  As she does with many construction projects Page also asked staffers if adequate input was taken from surrounding neighbors to see how they felt about the proposed changes Barlow responded that while the outreach wasn’t comprehensive He said residents weren’t overly concerned about the traffic construction could bring because there has been a decent amount of construction and traffic in the area over the past two years.  “They’re desensitized to it at this point and (said) it would be okay if it made the whole situation safer,” Barlow said.  The other two options could have had impacts to wetlands nearby animal habitats and the historical remains of the Laurium Mill Beckerman said the con to moving parking to the west side of Summit County Road 528 is people will have to cross the road to get to the trailhead town staff members have proposed creating a guided trail going from the parking lot to the trailhead This will require some new signage and moving the kiosk in addition to construction which adds to the overall price tag of the project Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection The full project is expected to cost about $165,000 All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project MI— Fire has destroyed the Laurium Department of Public Works building The Daily Mining Gazette says the village mechanic arriving for his shift discovered the fire around 3:30 a.m and Calumet Village fire departments responded but the roof was gone just a few hours later Village Manager Ian Lewis says the building housed equipment like loaders The Michigan Department of Transportation and community managers throughout the U.P are coming up with a plan to keep Laurium roads plowed The cause of the fire remains under investigation LAURIUM – While village officials continue to work on rebuilding the Public Works Department after a February fire Village Manager Ian Lewis said the process of determining whether Laurium should remain a village or become a city is still in progress the village began a survey offering village residents an opportunity to weigh in on the question The deadline for the survey has been extended from the end of February until the end of May “I’m going to put it back on the agenda in May for the council members to start reviewing the online responses,” Lewis said “and to give them print outs of the in-person surveys that were taken.” Lewis said that while responses to the survey were slow in coming in the early weeks it was open but the number has increased a bit since then As of the regular monthly Village Council meeting on Jan that number is still less than 10% of the residents though the number of responses has increased since 2025 began “We have over 100 responses from people who have filled out the survey “It’s 81 percent in support of becoming a city.” The topic of becoming a city had been discussed for a couple of months beginning last year Lewis said the attorney told the council that the primary reason most villages do not become cities is because they lack many services and so rely on the township to assist in providing those services already pays for and maintains its own services But while Laurium possesses those services There are advantages for village residents in becoming a city Laurium would no longer pay specific taxes to Calumet Township such as the township’s operating tax Laurium already owns and maintains its own Gipp Ice Arena While Lewis has cautioned that if becomes a city Laurium likely request a future tax millage to support some additional operating for things like Parks and Recreation updates because it is currently only in discussion at this point “We’re at the point where we want the current residents’ input on what’s the right path in moving forward,” Lewis said Lewis said he would like more residents to fill out and return the survey That is why the deadline has been extended a month The survey can be taken online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MZXT798 Paper copies can also be picked up at Laurium businesses or the Village Office “If they have any questions about the survey “I’m more than happy and willing to do that.” LAURIUM — Laurium resident David Crowley died on Jan surrounded by loved ones following a struggle with cancer 1951 at Calumet Public Hospital to Edward and Helen (Bach) Crowley He attended kindergarten at Morrison School and 1st through 8th grade at Sacred Heart Catholic School then graduated from Calumet High School with the class of 1969 During high school he took part in many school activities including ROTC acting as Battalion Executive Officer his senior year 107th Engineer Battalion before transferring to the Individual Ready Reserve where he attained the rank of Major and earned the Meritorious Service Award In March of 1971 he became a letter carrier for the U.S He was appointed Postmaster of Copper City in 1983 and Lake Linden in 1990 where he worked until retirement in 2006 During his tenure he received two Special Achievement Awards and a Certificate of Appreciation and served many terms on boards of various postal workers’ organizations In his “retirement” he worked for Shopko until its closure in 2019 and delivered flowers for Kathy’s Country Flowers while working as a lighting technician at the Keweenaw Playhouse he was bitten by the “theater bug”–a disease from which there is no cure His experience led him to design and run lighting for countless local shows over the years and appear in dozens of community theater productions Since 1981 he was active in the Calumet Players both on- and offstage appearing in lead roles for numerous musicals and in supporting and directorial roles for many others including several fundraising musical revues In 2021 he directed and acted in his original play “The Walls Have Eyes,” with the Players In 2007 he was hired as Play Director for Houghton-Portage Twp Schools where he directed 22 high school and 25 middle school plays and was awarded the Copper Country Association of School Boards’ School Service Award He also served as Drama Club director for Hancock Schools His early interest in theater led to fifty-five years volunteering at The Calumet Theatre and seventeen years as a member of the Theatre’s Board of Directors serving at times in positions of President and Secretary In 2009 he was awarded the Helen Baratono Volunteer Award In 1990 he added “movie extra” to his list of acting credits appearing as a zombie in Children of the Night a horror movie filmed partly in Calumet in which you can briefly see a closeup of his mottled face as he shambles by the camera His “fame” became a running family joke whenever the movie was mentioned In addition to his interest in theater he was also a poet and writer Christopher’s Girls School” and “The Christmas Prayer” He enjoyed writing stories with surprise endings including a number of unpublished short horror stories He was involved in far too many community organizations and activities to comprehensively list and decades on numerous school reunion committees He served as Chairman for major recurring events like the Bridgefest and Pastyfest Parades and Fall Festival at St He was also a member of the Calumet Elks Club and won three trophies at District Ritual Competitions Among his proudest achievements was his 28 years volunteering with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly cooking at holiday dinners and monthly parties In January 2024 he was elected to the Board of Directors of the U.P performing Ave Maria at innumerable funerals throughout the area In 2006 he was the featured soloist at the TOPS Club State Convention at the Lakeview Arena in Marquette with approximately 1000 people in attendance and was only three pints short of receiving his 5-gallon pin He enjoyed cooking and baking and was well known for both known as ‘Dave corn’ at the Houghton Schools was called by many people the best in the world He also enjoyed making a variety of hors d’oeuvres for his annual Christmas party and family get-togethers His favorite holidays were Halloween and Christmas His Halloween costumes always provided memorable fun (or fear) for the trick-or-treaters and his house at Christmas became a wonderland with every room (including the bathroom) adorned with more and more decorations every year In an attempt to explain his view of life he came up with this motto of sorts: “If God didn’t want us to help each other he’d have only made one of us at a time.” He is survived by his children Megan (Ben) Oburn of Fairborn his sisters Cecelia (Jim) Sanders of Yorkville his step-brother Ernie Castonguay of Sterling Heights his grandchildren Noah and Samuel Lingerfelt and step-grandsons Aiden and Brantlee Oburn He is also survived by his brother-in-law Mike Panijan (Marilyn) and his former wife Shelly Kobe and her husband Bill and his sons Brendan and Quinn There will be a visitation for David held at the Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home on Thursday a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St Burial will take place in the spring at Eagle Harbor cemetery In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly The Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements Online condolences may be left at www.ericksoncrowleypeterson.com The puck is set to drop to start the third period in the annual Pigs N’ Heat hockey game Saturday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena The game pits area law enforcement against firefighters Money raised by the event is used to assist local fire victims HOUGHTON — Two teams comprised of members of the Copper Country’s law enforcement agencies and fire departments battled each other in a friendly hockey game in the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena Saturday The event raises money for the Pigs N’ Heat Fund used to assist victims of fire and crime emergencies Funds were raised from ticket sales and a multitude of prize drawings Among those helped by the fund were Michigan Tech students displaced by the fire in the Daniell Heights apartments on Jan Copper Country Police and Fire Relief Fund Board Secretary Christina Verran said the game raises from $15,000 to $16,000 for relief which provides victims with funds and items such as clothing and toiletries While raising money is the most important aspect of the event Verran said everyone is always looking forward to the game itself and lot of the players like to go head to head,” she said “It’s awesome to see all the people and all the sponsors that come in and give back out to their community and make sure we take care of each other.” The game consisted of three periods played by four teams with the Michigan Tech Pep Band providing music in the background The first period was played by less experienced hockey players of a law enforcement team called the Law Hogs and a fire department team called Leftover Heat These two teams only played the first period though gave a lively performance with an abundance of smiles across their faces The Law Hogs dominated the game with a 3-0 victory Recruit Braden Peterson of Hancock City Police Aaron Hainault of Laurium Village Police and Recruit Cole Lystila of Houghton City Police tallying the goals The next two periods were played by the more experienced hockey players made of the Copper Country’s law enforcement team and the Copper Country’s fire departments’ team Those periods were a complete reversal of the first The goal scorers for the Heat included Jake Marcotte of Lake Linden Fire Department Bill Luokkanen of Allouez Township Fire Department Ryan Kaura of the Quincy-Franklin-Hancock Fire Department and an empty net goal of which the announcer credited to “a fireman assisted by another fireman.” there was a multitude of raffles and prizes Each admission ticket was placed into a raffle for three cash prizes amounting at $1,000 There was also a 50/50 raffle along with raffle prizes including firearms a Michigan Tech hockey jersey signed by the Michigan Tech hockey team a puck signed by the Detroit Red Wings’ Jeff Petry and tickets to a Wisconsin Timber Rattlers baseball game the Copper Country Police and Fire Relief Fund Board will get back to work for next year’s game Verran said that this game is always being worked out a year in advance During that time the Pigs will be contemplating ways to cool off the Heat for next year’s matchup and take back the trophy HOUGHTON — While there are special elections scheduled throughout state of Michigan Tuesday Rob Oellermann has been managing the Thornbridge Global Opportunities fund since Laurium Capital took over the mandate from Ranmore Fund Management in 2022 it has delivered strong performance under Laurium’s stewardship unconstrained global equity strategy that doesn’t mimic the benchmark.  Citywire + rated Oellermann (pictured above) described the fund as ‘quality at a reasonable price’ explaining that it was a conviction-led portfolio of about 40 stocks ‘We don’t look like the index,’ he said ‘Our portfolio is constructed bottom-up and that’s what gives it a high active share – over 85% It also means we can own less obvious winners and avoid the overcrowded parts of the market.’ WASHINGTON — A Laurium man charged with participating in the Jan 6 riots made his initial appearance in the U.S District Court in the District of Columbia during a remote hearing Tuesday Adam Mancuso waived his right to a preliminary hearing at Tuesday’s proceeding He was arrested two weeks ago at his home in Laurium investigators said they had received a tip that Mancuso had posted photos of himself inside and outside the Capitol building on Jan 6 while wearing a hat with the Insane Clown Posse’s “Hatchetman” logo including the Crypt and the Hall of Columns he picked up another protester’s discarded “Never Give Up Never Surrender” sign until he encountered a police officer at which point he put the sign back against the wall After briefly leaving the Capitol building he reentered and went into the rotunda lobby where he moved to the front of a mob and began vaping while recording himself Mancuso was chest-to-chest with an officer Mancuso is charged with four misdemeanor offenses: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading Mancuso remains out on pretrial release with several conditions including staying away from Washington D.C aside from court-related matters and being required to report any travel outside of the Western District of Michigan to the court The court also approved a motion allowing protected materials to be shared in discovery Both sides agreed the time between Monday and Nov 12 will be excluded from speedy trial considerations IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula jobless rate rose to 8.4% in February Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou announced the launch of work to build Greece’s new supercomputer while speaking at an event at the Lavrio Technological Cultural Park where the supercomputer will be constructed A contract for the construction of the supercomputer has been signed between the National Network of Technology and Research Infrastructure (GRNET SA) following the agreement signed with MainSys SA for the electrical and mechanical equipment and preparation of the space The project has a total budget of 58.9 million euros (including VAT) and is among the actions of the Digital Transition Book 2020-2025 for boosting the country’s digital infrastructure It is being implemented by GRNET as part of the Greece’s Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” using Next Generation EU funds via the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) agency Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox Much is written about improving longevity through healthy habits like a well-balanced diet, reducing stress, regular exercise and getting enough sleep. Cyclists probably understand this better than most. There are many lessons to be learned from cycling that apply to life and investing not enough airtime is perhaps given to the risks of living longer without the funds to provide for these years Some of the reasons for investors underfunding their retirement is not saving enough not starting early enough and not taking enough risk at a young age Longer life expectancies require more resources and more portfolio growth and a strategic asset allocation to investments to growth assets Better returns and capital protection increase the longevity of your portfolio This is why hedge funds are the ideal investment for both pre-and post-retirement portfolios once the preserve of high net worth and institutional investors hedge funds in South Africa were unregulated and available to only the wealthiest qualified investors via complicated structures This changed with the introduction of the Hedge Fund regulation in 2015 essentially opening the door to retail investors There are no restrictions on who can invest in retail investor hedge funds (RIHFS) providing the same liquidity as traditional unit trusts and are available to retail investors either directly or via LISP platforms Investments can be made for a small monthly debit order and or lump sum amount Despite South African hedge fund managers producing excellent risk adjusted returns over the long term the hedge fund industry in South Africa remains small There is a misconception that hedge funds are risky investments when in fact South Africa hedge fund managers are relatively conservative constraining downside performance and reducing risk The risk profile of a particular hedge fund depends on the mandate of that fund Some mandates may be very aggressive using leveraged positions while others may be designed to focus on hedging and delivering low volatility returns There are hedge fund mandates to accommodate a range of risk appetites the best investment brains in the world run the largest endowment funds with a significant allocation to alternative assets The Harvard Endowment Fund for example allocates 39% of its endowment portfolio to private equity and another 31% to hedge funds Public equity accounted for 11% of the asset allocation bonds made up 6% of the portfolio and cash was 5% (23 Oct 2023) SA General Equity Funds have returned 7.2% per year while the average Regulation 28 Balanced Fund (SA Multi-Asset High Equity Fund) delivered an average return of circa 8.0% per year pedestrian real returns for people saving for retirement Many hedge fund managers on the other hand have managed to generate significant alpha Take the Laurium Aggressive Long Short Prescient QI Hedge Fund (“Aggressive Long Short”) for example This fund over the same period has delivered 14.3% return per year double that of SA General Equity Funds after fees with similar risk to the equity market (Morningstar Direct Better returns increase longevity of portfolios we assume that R1 000 000 is invested on 1 Jan 2013 in the Laurium Aggressive Long Short Fund and the same sum invested in the average general equity fund you would have zero left if you had invested in the average general equity fund but if you had invested in the Laurium Aggressive Long Short Fund you would still have R1 792 926 invested is that they can now access Laurium’s Aggressive Long Short strategy via the newly launched Laurium Enhanced Growth Prescient RI Hedge Feeder Fund (“The Fund”) The Fund largely follows the same mandate as our Aggressive Long Short Fund but is structured as a local Retail Investor Hedge Fund (“RIHF”) RIHFs are open to all investors with the enhanced benefit of daily liquidity The mandate differs slightly from the Aggressive Long Short in that the Fund may an allocation to select international equities Generating and preserving wealth over time depends on the ability to compound wealth steadily and avoid large losses we think that it makes sense to allocate 15-20% capital to hedge funds that are active risk managers with the ability to protect capital in negative market environments.  For more information contact your financial advisor or ir@lauriumcapital.com A Feeder Fund is a portfolio that invests in a single portfolio of a collective investment scheme which levies its own charges and which could result in a higher fee structure for the feeder fund The Laurium Enhanced Growth Hedge Fund is approved under section 65 of CISCA that requires them to hold a high exposure to equities the portfolio has held less than 70% of its assets in shares but real yields on bonds were so high we thought they would give similar risk-adjusted returns to equities,’ Winckler told Citywire South Africa we’ve had more than 20% of the fund in bonds A bed and breakfast makes a great getaway or a cozy alternative to a hotel and these historic B&Bs offer that same escape and personal touch with the added bonus of a window into history Boasting the charm and grandeur of years past the historic venues on our list range from colonial houses in Pennsylvania and pre–Civil War Southern estates to a 19th-century West Coast lighthouse These 10 historical B&Bs were selected by our expert panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best Cartier Mansion Bed and Breakfast—Ludington MIBuilt by the lumber baron Cartier family in 1905 the Cartier Mansion now serves as an adults-only bed and breakfast run by the Simpler family A beautiful example of neoclassical architecture which has been converted into four unique guest suites with dog-friendly accommodations LAThe Inn at Houmas House offers a stay on an antebellum sugarcane plantation just a short walk from the Mississippi River Comprising a series of historically styled cottages the inn features Old World furnishings as well as modern amenities to ensure your comfort and you can obtain tickets for a guided tour of the estate and make reservations to dine at one of its restaurants the four-story residence stood as the largest most splendid on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula The 45-room mansion became a bed and breakfast in 1989 such as the silver-leaf domed parlor ceiling elephant leather wall coverings and hand-carved oak triple staircase It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 PAThis beautiful B&B offers accommodations atop the Allegheny Plateau with outstanding views of the national forest and countryside Originally built in 1896 by the family of Civil War General Thomas Kane this Georgian Revival mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places It now houses 16 guest accommodations that include a fresh Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast—Bardstown KYThe world's first bourbon-themed B&B can be found housed in two pre–Civil War plantation houses in the heart of Kentucky's Bourbon Country The Federal House Cottage dates back to around 1810 and the Greek Revival Oaklawn Plantation dates back to around 1823 The inn offers a total of 10 luxurious rooms that blend antiques with modern amenities a "country gourmet" breakfast with bourbon-infused pastries PAA beautiful colonial house built in 1763 the Historic Smithton Inn is now home to a bed and breakfast in the heart of Lancaster County's Amish Country Its charming accommodations offer historic elegance without skimping on modern amenities like WiFi Take a turn around the lovely garden before indulging in a delicious home-cooked breakfast each morning MAA beautiful bed and breakfast located on Cape Cod the Captain Ferris House was built by a sea captain in 1845 The inn retains much of the original Greek Revival architecture while introducing modern amenities in its four suites and six guest rooms Enjoy a two-course homemade breakfast for two before strolling along the Bass River or lounging in the B&B's picturesque gardens Capitol Hill Mansion Bed and Breakfast Inn—Denver this ruby sandstone mansion sits on Millionaire's Row just a block from the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown's home The inn features eight distinctive rooms and suites named for Colorado wildflowers Historic accents and details are paired with modern amenities for a comfortable stay guests can explore the historic houses and museums around the Capitol Hill Mansion the Dunleith Historic Inn offers a luxurious experience in its Greek Revival The inn comprises three historic buildings: the Main House which have all been converted into a total of 22 elegant guest rooms Overnight guests enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast and housed in the converted carriage house and stables Thomas Bond House Bed and Breakfast—Philadelphia PALocated in the heart of Philadelphia's historic district a beautifully restored example of Georgian Revival architecture places guests in easy proximity to this city's old-town attractions this four-story home now features a dozen guests rooms outfitted with furnishings from the Federalist period Susan Lanier-Graham is founder and publisher of Wander With Wonder an award-winning online travel journalism magazine She has authored more than 75 books and hundreds of magazine articles while traveling the world over the past three decades Susan's work has appeared in a variety of publications Susan is a member of Society of American Travel Writers and North American Travel Journalists Association She is also a Certified California Wine Appellation Specialist Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas Newsletters in your inbox See all Hellenic Defense Systems on Tuesday announced that a project officer from the European Commission visited its Lavrio facility to inspect the progress of projects partly funded by the European Union through the ASAP action which aims to boost Europe’s production base for artillery ammunition Both major investment projects at HDS in Lavrio were proceeding according to schedule The Commission’s project officer was briefed on the progress of the projects which include the LAVGRAIN project for the installation of a production unit for base bleed grain for 155mm artillery ammunition and the TNTrion program for the modernization and return to operation of a TNT production unit Financing agreements were signed with the European Commission in July and advances were received in August as the European Commission wants the European ammunition industry to recover as quickly as possible Strong investment interest has been officially expressed for the majority stake in Lavrio Port Authority Eight investment schemes had tabled a bid at the TAIPED-run tender by Thursday’s deadline some or all of them will be short-listed for the submission of binding financial offers Kathimerini understands interest has been expressed by GEK Terna a joint venture between Aktor Concessions and Jet Plan Shipping a joint venture between GPH Cruise Port Finance and ProMarine a joint venture by Olympic Marine and MSC Cruises opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.