| Greetings!
Please take a moment to review these updates from the UPWard Initiative.
Thanks to the many UPWard members along with others that have provided content for these updates. If you have information you would like to share with the group, please email it to me. Holly Peoples
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Education and Workforce Development
Welding students help at Gladstone Harbor
GLADSTONE - Welding students from Gladstone High School received on-the-job training while helping the city renovate the Gladstone Harbor last weekend.
Six students worked to unweld remnants of the old dock system from the harbor wall Saturday. Work began at 8 a.m. and the students finished around 12:30 p.m.
"There was no extra credit," said Trent Bellingar, vocational welding teacher at Gladstone High School, adding the students came on their own to gain experience.
Bellingar teaches welding to approximately 50 students in the classroom, but working on the docks was a new experience for his students.
"It looked like a good on-the-job training experience. They were hanging over the edge. In the classroom they're sitting in chairs, comfortable," he said.
All but one of the students helping to renovate the harbor were juniors in Bellingar's vocational welding class. One student, Denham Miron, was an eighth grader who learned of the Saturday morning project from a friend.
"He wasn't even in my class, he just wanted to come," noted Bellingar.
The project began after Bellingar was contacted by the Department of Public Works and asked if students would be able to help remove portions of the existing dock structure.
"It just kind of happened. It's good to have public entities helping each other," said Bellingar.
Nicole Sanderson, parks and recreation director for the city, agreed.
"They probably saved us hundreds of dollars, especially if we'd have hired it out," she said.
The dock system being removed from the harbor used a telescoping pole system to keep the docks from being damaged by ice. Because the docks were attached to poles that were slipped over smaller diameter poles secured to the harbor bottom, the docks could raise or lower with changes in water levels. However, over time the telescoping system deteriorated and the docks could not raise or lower as intended. more->
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Tourism
Uppertunities business conference
By Mike Hoey
Businesses from across the U.P. got together to learn how to improve their customer service.
The Uppertunities Conference took place at the Island Resort and Casino in Harris.
At one time, the conference was aimed at tourism-related businesses, but it now includes professional development for many different types of companies.
"It's good for the businesspeople to learn a lot more about how they can run their businesses better," U.P. Travel & Recreation Association executive director Tom Nemacheck said. "It's good for the association people to understand how they can market the communities better. I think everybody comes together, they learn a little about each community that they didn't know."
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan presented some information about the Affordable Care Act.
Many of the effects that the new federal law will have on businesses are still unclear.
"It seemed to me, after coming out of that particular session, that what it is is a flattening out, of course, of risk, so consequently, everybody's risk is going to be shared a little bit more," Nemacheck said.
The conference also included help with business marketing and the power of a positive attitude for employees, among other topics.
Michigan Works!, the Delta County Commerce Center and the Delta County Economic Development Alliance are some of the event's many sponsors. Video
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Natural Resources
Is fish farming the future?
ESCANABA - Is fish farming in the future for the Upper Peninsula?
Development of fish farms in the Central U.P. is being discussed by interested parties seeking funding for feasibility studies. Information on the proposal will be presented during the noon joint governmental meeting at Escanaba City Hall Wednesday.
The idea for aquaculture in the local region spawned about a year ago when the Delta County Economic Development Alliance (DCEDA) and Pisces, a local manufacturer of fish-processing equipment, discussed the potential industry, explained Vickie Schwab, DCEDA director.
The Hannahville Indian Community also joined the discussion, Schwab added, explaining the community's youth services program already has a perch-growing curriculum in place.
Together the three formed a "memo of understanding" to bring the new industry to the region, she said.
According to the Central U.P. Aquaculture executive summary on the proposal, Hannahville Indian Community is interested in expanding its business opportunities into the aquaculture industry. Pisces brings the expertise to do the research. The DCEDA will connect workers and businesses.
"Farming of fish would provide a protein source and expand the strong agriculture base in Delta County," said Schwab. "We're looking at species native to the Great Lakes - perch, whitefish and trout."
The first step will be to conduct a feasibility study to determine if hatchery technology exists to raise fish fingerlings to support a commercial operation. New hatchery systems called "Bioflac" for yellow perch and whitefish farms will be considered, said Schwab.
The second step will be a feasibility study on expanding land-based and cage culture production of whitefish and trout in the U.P., including a business plan, she explained.
Both studies will explore fish farming as an environmentally-safe sustainable source of food, said Schwab, noting the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is interested in aquaculture. One trout farm is currently operating downstate, she said.
In 2010, seafood consumption worldwide was at 4.8 billion tons; seaport imports to the United States totaled more than $5 billion, said Schwab.
The Michigan Aquaculture Association predicts the state can develop current fish farming production from $5 million to $100 million during the next 10 years while the industry's current 100 jobs could grow to 1,500 in the same time period, she said. Full story here.
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Tourism
Park Awards Heritage Grants
(Calumet, MI) The National Park Service at Keweenaw National Historical Park and the Keweenaw NHP Advisory Commission announced that 18 Keweenaw Heritage Grants were awarded for projects throughout Upper Michigan's Copper Country. The grants were all awarded by the Keweenaw NHP Advisory Commission, now in its fourth year of offering grants for projects both inside and outside of the park's legislated boundaries. The NPS was not able to offer grants for the first time in the six- year history of the program due to budget shortfalls. The grant opportunities were welcomed with enthusiasm by owners of historic property and organizations providing programs related to the copper mining heritage of the area.
The purpose of the grants is to provide enhancement funds for a broad range of heritage-related projects. A total of $100,000 was awarded to 18 applicants, with individual grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000. Individual projects in building preservation, interpretation, historical research, museum collections, accessibility, and organizational sustainability will be accomplished with the assistance of the 2013 Keweenaw Heritage Grants program. The Advisory Commission provided $100,000 toward the program through the generosity of an anonymous donor.
A total of 28 proposals were submitted for consideration, requesting $173,478 to complete $678,572 worth of projects. The evaluation panel, which consisted of three commissioners and four NPS staff, reviewed the applications against such criteria as: historical significance of the associated resource, significance to the story of copper, raising visitor understanding of the region's copper mining history, and the overall impact of the project. The panel also worked to create a balance of project types and locations in making their final funding decisions.
Advisory Commission grantees are required to meet a 1-to-1 match, with up to 100% of the match allowed as in-kind rather than cash. This enables a broader range of property owners to apply to the grant program. For construction and landscape projects, Federal policy requires that grantees meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Preservation of Historic Properties.
Applications were submitted for a broad range of projects, from historical research and interpretive exhibits to preservation of historic structures and museum environments. The quality of proposals was markedly high - a reflection of the keen competition for grants this year, and the level of technical assistance sought and provided by NPS staff, the Commission, and other area preservation professionals.
The Keweenaw NHP Advisory Commission and the NPS staff offer thanks and congratulations to the community for their interest in providing a high level of stewardship for the heritage-based resources of the Copper Country.
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Business Growth and Development
Timber Products Inc. receives SBA loan to expand company
IRON MOUNTAIN - Timber Products Inc. of Iron Mountain is using a Small Business Association guaranteed loan to expand its company.
Candy Lauk, president and owner of Timber Products Inc,. said her company received $1,050,000 in funding from the Small Business Association/Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center in 2012.
She said this summer, that funding will allow the company to move from their Kingsford location on Breitung Avenue to 611 Industrial Drive in Iron Mountain.
A press conference with the U.S. Small Business Administration of Michigan, was held to announce the new location on Tuesday.
In attendance were representatives from the SBA/SBTDC, Florence State Bank, Dickinson Area Partnership, Hanson Realty and Timber Products employees.
Timber Products is run by three women, Lauk's daughter Stacey Weecks, and another female employee, Ann Walker. The company has 26 employees and four part-time employees.
"The exciting part is moving into our new building by this summer. It will be more efficient for running the business," Lauk said.
Funding for the SBA guaranteed loan went through the State Bank of Florence. The money will be used for new equipment and to grow the company.
Gerald Moore, district director for the U.S. Small Business Administration of Michigan, called the collaboration for Timber Products funding a "Tri-fecta."
He said the guidance, counseling and lending of the services offered by the SBA is the perfect marriage.
"This is an example of one business in your community taking advantage of the program," Moore said. "Many businesses are gaining access to the tools and resources they need. Small businesses don't know what they should know and miss out on the resources available."
Moore said small businesses interested in learning more about the resources available to them can call (313) 226-6075. more->
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Education and Workforce Development
One cell of a challenge
Sharp students gather at Tech for 24th annual Bioathlon
HOUGHTON - The best biology students and teachers from around the Upper Peninsula congregated Wednesday at Michigan Technological University for the 24th annual Department of Biological Sciences Bioathlon.
The day-long competition pitted 16 teams of four students against each other to tackle the same biology problems in dissection, molecular biology, field identification and medical laboratory science.
"Our real goal is to try to emphasize the importance of biological sciences, but anything we can do to support science in general, as well as give them a positive experience about the college," said Jeff Lewin, coordinator of the bioathlon. "... We want the best schools to stand out."
While none of the students involved were allowed to have formal class work in biology beyond a traditional sophomore general biology course, it was clear from the winning teams that informal training was just as important.
Students from A.D. Johnston High School in Bessemer won the competition, even after leaving before 6 a.m. Wednesday morning to make it for the 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. event.
"It helped being in the fresh air right away," said team member Zack Mazurek, who said the team tackled the field identification challenge first near the Michigan Tech Trails.
After that hour-long challenge, the team headed to the Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics building for its next two challenges, dissecting and labeling parts of a turtle, and then identifying parasites under a microscope. They wrapped up the day with a microbiology challenge in the Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering building, which is also where the awards presentation was held.
"It's tiring, but really good," said team member Valerie Rowe, whose father David Rowe was coaching Bessemer's team for the 20th time. "I thought it'd be harder. I came in thinking we might not win, but just try our best. It went really well." more->
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Business Growth and Development
Group formed to 'accelerate' U.P. businesses
MARQUETTE - A local organization is taking an uncommon approach in attempting to facilitate the creation of new businesses in Marquette and Baraga counties - an approach brought to the area, developed and funded by Rio Tinto.
"It's really kind of dependent on (an entrepreneur's) motivation," said Eric Johnson, a spokesman for Accelerate U.P., which is aiming to promote entrepreneurial success in the two-county area. "Unlike other economic development models, we're not trying to motivate them at all. We basically just help them when they come to us."
Accelerate U.P. - the group recently filed for 501(c)(3) status - uses an international model for economic development created years ago by Ernesto Sirolli, who supports a "grassroots approach to local economic and community development."
Sirolli, who founded the Sirolli Institute, grew tired of traditional economic development while working with international aid agencies in Africa during the 1970s, according to a biography on the institute's website. The method Sirolli developed - called Enterprise Facilitation - spread globally and is focused on helping prospective entrepreneurs as they learn to help themselves.
"It's really broad," Johnson said of the model. "It's about helping as far as telling their story, giving their experience, pointing them in the direction of someone or something that will be able to help them with their idea."
That assistance is provided by Accelerate U.P.'s Resource Board, a group of dozens of local volunteers working behind the scenes to support budding entrepreneurs. The members of the board have all signed confidentiality agreements and never meet face-to-face with potential clients. more->
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