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10/14/2026

U.P. power!

Xcel Energy has announced plans to sell its Michigan natural gas operations to SEMCO ENERGY Gas Company and its electric operations to Upper Peninsula Power Company. If approved by regulators, about 6,000 natural gas customers and 9,000 electric customers in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties will transition to utilities with long-standing operations in Michigan and the U.P. Customers do not need to take any action, and there will be no immediate changes to service, billing, rates, or customer service processes. The companies expect the transaction to close in 2027, pending state and federal approvals.

The transition would place Western U.P. customers with providers focused specifically on Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, with SEMCO and UPPCO citing continued investment in reliable service and long-term energy infrastructure.

Xcel Energy, SEMCO ENERGY Gas Company and Upper Peninsula Power Company today announced the sale of Xcel Energy's Michigan natural gas operations to SEMCO and electric operations to UPPCO.

10/13/2026

Historic places are getting a new lease on life in the U.P.

Two Upper Peninsula projects will receive $100,000 each through Michigan’s Rural Heritage Partnership Grant Program to preserve and reactivate historic buildings in Iron and Keweenaw counties.

In Alpha, funding will support masonry rehabilitation at the 1914 Alpha Porter Gym, helping prepare the vacant building for renewed use as a community center. In Eagle Harbor, the 1895 Fog Signal Building will receive roof rehabilitation to protect the structure and continue its role as part of the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse maritime museum.

The historic preservation with continued community use is helping keep two pieces of U.P. history active for the next generation.

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has awarded approximately $673,000 in grants to support preserva...

10/12/2026

UPdate your manufacturing knowledge!

Michigan manufacturers have several opportunities to sharpen skills and see best practices in action across the Upper Peninsula. The lineup includes the first-ever ISO 13485:2016 Internal Auditor course held in the U.P., coming to Marquette October 14-16, along with free Continuous Improvement Group sessions hosted by Great Lakes Sound & Vibration in Houghton, Enstrom Helicopter in Menominee, and Exalta in Marquette.

The sessions will cover everything from Kanban and pull systems to supplier scorecards, with facility tours where manufacturers will get a firsthand look at how those practices work on the shop floor.

Register here:

10/12/2026

Raising the roof on student wellness.

Michigan Technological University has broken ground on the Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness, an approximately 78,400-square-foot facility that will take services currently spread across more than 30 campus locations into one centralized space. The project is fully funded by a $55 million gift from alumnus Chang K. Park, the largest individual gift in Michigan Tech history. The center will include counseling, medical care, telehealth, fitness and exercise space, group rooms, instructional areas, quiet lounges, and other resources designed around Michigan Tech’s four wellness pillars. It is expected to open in fall 2028.

Rick Koubek, president at Michigan Technological University, states, "As one of the first facilities of its kind in the nation, it will serve as a cornerstone of our campus and herald a new era in student health and wellness at Michigan Tech. We are honored to celebrate this momentous occasion alongside Mr. Park and our university community, and we look forward to the grand opening in 2028.”

Michigan Technological University broke ground Friday, Oct. 2, on the Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness, a centralized hub that will bring comprehensive student well-being services together on campus.

10/10/2026

More support is reaching veterans closer to home.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding more than $4.3 million to community organizations in Michigan and Wisconsin through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Su***de Prevention Grant Program. The funding will help connect at-risk veterans with support earlier, including assistance with housing instability, financial strain, employment challenges, relationships, and access to healthcare.

Leaders at the Oscar G. Johnson Iron Mountain VA Medical Center emphasized that the program brings resources directly into the communities where veterans live, rather than relying only on care delivered inside VA facilities.

For veterans across rural communities in the U.P., this will give them more ways to access support before challenges become a crisis.

The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $4,307,692 in grants to community organizations that provide su***de prevention services to veterans in Michigan and Wisconsin.

10/09/2026

The Soo is halfway to locking in its next chapter.

Phase 3 of the New Lock at the Soo has reached 50% completion, which is quite the milestone in the $3.219 billion project to build a second Poe-sized lock at the Soo Locks. The new lock will strengthen one of the country’s most important commercial navigation systems, where roughly 88% of U.S. domestic iron ore transport currently depends on the existing Poe Lock.

More than $975 million in work has been completed through August, with crews now focused on concrete placement for the lock walls, floor, and new pump well while steel components are fabricated offsite. More than 600 people are working on the project, which remains on schedule for a 2030 completion.

The finished lock will require about 400,000 cubic yards of concrete, enough to build an average sidewalk from Sault Ste. Marie to Orlando – nearly 1,500 miles!

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District announced a major milestone in the construction of the New ...

10/09/2026

Rural funding is back on the table.

The Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity has opened the 2027 Rural Development Fund with $4 million available for projects that strengthen infrastructure, workforce development, business growth, community capacity, and economic development in rural Michigan.

This year’s program includes grants of up to $100,000 for community and business development projects and up to $200,000 for multi-county partnerships and shared-service models. Eligible applicants include businesses, nonprofits, local governments, Tribes, educational institutions, and economic or workforce development organizations serving rural communities.

With communities across the U.P. working on housing, infrastructure, workforce, business development, and other long-term priorities, this is one more funding tool worth putting on the radar. Letters of Intent are due on November 2.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development provides grant opportunities to promote the sustainability of land-based industries and support infrastructure that benefits rural communities.

10/08/2026

Ready to return north?

The Return North Professional Careers Fair is back November 9-13, and this year the virtual event is expanding to a full week, allowing job seekers and U.P. employers more flexibility to connect on their own schedules. Participants can explore openings, review employer availability, and schedule one-on-one virtual conversations from anywhere.

Hosted by MTEC SmartZone in collaboration with Headwaters North SmartZone and InvestUP, with Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! serving as an event sponsor, is made to connect U.P. employers with professionals looking to return, relocate, or take the next step in their careers here.

Registration is FREE for job seekers! Find your way back to the U.P. at https://return-north.com/

10/08/2026

U.P. farms are growing more than crops!

Two Upper Peninsula farms are among 14 recipients of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development - MDARD's latest Regenerative Value Chains Grants, funding that supports farmers who are growing their operations while investing in practices that improve soil health and strengthen local food systems.

Yooper Country Farms in Alger County will receive $24,964 for temperature-controlled cold storage that will extend its vegetable market season into the fall and winter. Whispering Wild Market Farm in Houghton County will receive $27,529 to establish an on-farm store and increase dry storage capacity.

The investments will allow both farms to expand their capacity and keep more U.P.-grown food moving through local markets all year long.

Today, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (MDARD) Farm to Family Program is announcing its latest grant recipients. The Regenerative Value Chains Grant Program focuses on expanding operations and market opportunities for farmers who are just starting out or want to broa...

10/06/2026

LSSU researchers are cracking the genetic code, further showing the sophistication of the research taking place at U.P. universities.

A team at Lake Superior State University has refined a genetic testing method that makes determining the s*x of sturgeon more reliable, giving fisheries researchers a better tool for understanding population structure, reproduction, and recovery. The method adds an internal genetic control to existing testing, allowing researchers to distinguish a confirmed result from a sample that simply did not provide enough information.

The research was led by LSSU Professor Britton Ranson Olson alongside Professor Kevin Kapuscinski and master’s candidate Alana J. Miller-Schofield. Because the method can work with a small tissue sample, it could also reduce handling compared with techniques such as ultrasonography or biopsy and has potential applications in fisheries conservation, aquaculture, and sturgeon management.

Miller-Schofield shares, “Working on this project has been immensely rewarding. Being involved beyond the classroom and working in the research lab has allowed me to see the entire process of scientific research and publication. The ecological and cultural significance of this research will hopefully inspire future questions and encourage further research on sturgeon.”

For researchers studying sturgeon populations, knowing the s*x of individual fish can provide important information about population characteristics and reproductive dynamics