Mandatory National Service
What does it mean to be an American citizen? Should public service be required of its citizens? A national discussion on this topic would be helpful today in bringing us together as a nation. We have spent the last few years very divided as Americans. A citizen discussion that would make us all think about what is important to our nation and what values we share as American citizens would be beneficial to all of us. President Lincoln wrote that “Compromise versus conquest is key to American democracy. Make the good outweigh the bad. Every policy has good and evil… Read More »
Read MoreOpinion: Don’t take your date to an asylum for Valentine’s Day
Tom Watkins and Jim Haveman recently wrote an opinion piece in The Detroit News: “Asylums that ‘treated’ individuals with mental illness have been a horror show for far too many people throughout our history. It should not become a spooky entertainment venue.”
Read MoreAffordable Housing in Marquette
Bill Vajda gives his thoughts on affordable housing in the City of Marquette, and in particular the impact of current rates on renters and the service economy.
Read MoreRural Forest Markers Act is a Bipartisan Win-Win for Rural Landowners and the Environment
Rural Insights contributor Tom Watkins shares his thoughts on the bipartisan “Rural Forest Markets Act” bill, which authorizes the USDA to offer loan or bond guarantees of up to $150 million to open emerging markets for carbon mitigation, among other things, to rural forest owners.
Read MoreThe UP Should Embrace Winter in 2020 to Prevent the “Twindemic”
In our latest “Rural Voices” piece, Upper Peninsula expat Alex Wellman shares his thoughts on how the UP could help prevent the “twindemic” this winter by embracing outdoor activities.
Read MoreSurvey shows UP teachers’ opinion mixed on return to school
Educational technology expert Pamela Spady shares the results and her thoughts on a UP-wide survey of K-12 teachers on their opinions for how to return to school for the 2020-21 school year.
Read MoreDickinson area sees economic growth in multiple sectors
Executive Director of the Dickinson Area Economic Alliance Lois Ellis provides an update on the economic growth being seen in the Iron Mountain Micropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses the area in and around Iron Mountain, Kingsford, and Norway.
Read MoreHow land banks are transforming rural communities
Marquette County’s Finance Manager Anne Giroux writes about how land banks are proving to be a powerful tool for locally-driven development–transforming communities and improving neighborhoods.
Read MoreAll is not well: UP newspapers endure in era of COVID, cutbacks and social media
Despite immense challenges and an ever-changing landscape, newspapers in the Upper Peninsula have continued to survive. However, the future of print media in the region remains unclear.
Read MoreRural County Budgeting During a Pandemic
Marquette County Administrator Scott Erbisch provides an update on the County’s fiscal situation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
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