UP Hospital Closes Birthing Unit, Higher Ed Degree Attainment, NMU and MTU Have Fall Enrollment Increases, The American Dream, Turning Point Vigil, and a Letter from the Editor

– INFORMED BREVITY –

Upper Peninsula Hospital Closes Birthing Unit

Aspirus Ironwood Hospital announced that its labor and delivery unit would close at the end of 2025. The legislature allocated $1.2 million in the FY 2025 budget for birthing and postpartum services at the hospital.

Aspirus Health Systems had till September 5, 2025 to accept or decline the grant. On September 5th they declined to take the money. They then announced they would close the unit.

All of this leaves families having to travel great distances of an hour or more to get to a birthing center. It also places these women and children at great risk during that long travel distance to a birthing center. Not a good situation at all.

“More than 500 hospitals in the US ended obstetrics care between 2010 and 2022, leaving more than half of rural hospitals without birthing centers.” (Detroit Free Press).

Higher Education Degree Attainment

Michigan ranks in the bottom third of Baccalaureate degree attainment. 33% of Michiganders get a baccalaureate degree. That makes Michigan 37th in the nation.

NMU and MTU Have Fall Semester Enrollment Increases

Both Upper Peninsula universities’ 10th day enrollment report show enrollment holding steady or an increase in students. Northern Michigan University (NMU) has a 7% increase in its Global Campus online programs. It also shows an all-time high in its retention rate and increases in its graduate students.

Michigan Technological University (MTU) has reported a four-percent increase in enrollment and an all-time high for entering high school student GPAs in its freshmen class–3.86.

As we went to press with this week’s Whispers we had not yet received the enrollment numbers for Lake Superior State University. When we get them we will share them with you.

The American Dream

One of our readers raised the question of does the American dream still exist and is it attainable by Americans? What do you think? Drop us a line and let us know what you think is the American Dream and whether it is attainable or not today.

Turning Point Meeting and Vigil Sponsored by TP Student Groups on Upper Peninsula Campuses

Student Turning Point organizations from Michigan Technological University, Lake Superior State University and Northern Michigan University jointly sponsored a meeting and a candle light vigil in tribute to the Turning Point founder, Charlie Kirk, on the campus of Northern Michigan University last week.

Organizers said that 500 people attended the event and that it was peaceful and respectful of the reason for the event.

That is how political meetings, rallies and demonstrations are in the Upper Peninsula. It speaks to the culture of the Upper Peninsula.

Letter from the Editor – Opinions and Observations

Recently I was thinking about the debate in Washington D.C. about cuts to the Smithsonian Institution museums. A lot of the back and forth between Congress and the Executive Branch. Much of it was the usual stuff that so divides our nation these days. Same in the blog world and among the internet influencers.

I began to wonder if any members of Congress or the Executive Branch had in recent years been to any of the Smithsonian Institution museums and visited the exhibitions they were talking about. Would it make a difference? Would it make it easier for the policy leaders to come together on options and solutions? Let me know what you think.

Here in Michigan we are still without a legislature-passed state budget for FY 2026 which begins Oct 1, 2025. The Senate and the House have passed two different versions of the budget, leading to gaps in the negotiations. Usually the legislature passes its budget for the next fiscal year by July 1 and sends it to the Governor. Major disagreements center on road repair, health care programs and issues like diversity, equity and inclusion funding.

Unless an agreement is reached in the next week we could be facing a government shutdown on October 1, 2025.

There are differences in each legislative chamber on the K-12 and education budgets. Some issues have been resolved, but others still remain unresolved.

K-12 schools are open and need to know what their budgets will be for this school year. Will they be able to provide school lunches, special programs for students with special needs, and other programs? Same with all the other programs and services in Michigan.

If you are interested, contact your UP legislator and talk to them and their staff about issues that concern you.

Let us know also what you think and what you find out when you contact your legislators.

Speaking of letting us know, if you want to send us an opinion piece that you wrote, please do. We will take a look at it and publish it, but we do reserve the right to not publish anything submitted to us. We would be more than happy to talk to you about anything you submit to us, whether we publish it or not.

Keep talking to us!!!!!!

Quotes That Make Us Go Hmmm

“The foundation of a free society is the ability to participate in politics without fear of violence. To lose that is to risk losing everything.” Ezra Klein.

“Let us replace the violence and stain of bloodshed that is spreading across our land with an effort to understand with love and compassion.” Senator Robert F. Kennedy Sr. (Senator Kennedy was the victim of a political assassination in 1968).

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