Features

Feature Story The Highway 2 Community Drive-in Theater is the last drive-in theater in the Upper Peninsula.

Community rallies to keep nostalgic Manistique drive-in open

The Highway 2 Community Drive-In Theater is the last drive-in theater in the Upper Peninsula and among the few remaining in Michigan. The theater is run by a nonprofit organization and is open only for special movie events and community programs. 

Feature Story orientationweek

Need off-campus housing in Houghton? HOWL

Michigan Technological University in Houghton this month launched an online platform, Helping Out With Living (HOWL) for Huskies, to help students find off-campus housing for the fall semester.

Feature Story downtownnorway

Three small towns to discover in the U.P.

Some of Michigan's best-kept secrets are the small towns of the U.P. Long-time U.P. resident and writer Jennifer Donovan shares some cool things she's discovered about three towns off the beaten path in the Upper Peninsula.    

Partner Content womensleadershipgroup

Narrowing the gender gap in municipal leadershipU.P. managers participate in MML program

Allison Watkins, village manager of Newberry, is among the dozens of women across the state who have participated in the Women's Municipal Leadership Program organized by the Michigan Municipal League. The multi-level program has helped women like Watkins gain confidence in their leadership roles.   

Feature Story A stop along the 1,200-mile route.

The story of the Tour da Yoop, Eh

A U.P. native creates a one-of-a-kind organized bicycle tour of the peninsula, drawing dozens of riders each summer. The 1,200-mile trek takes 10 days and follows the perimeter of the Upper Peninsula. 

Feature Story canoes

An adventure hub rocks Norway (not the country)

A trio of friends renovated a century-old farmhouse in Norway as the staging area for a host of outdoor adventures, taking advantage of the many recreational opportunities in the central U.P. 

Feature Story Actors Carol Sizer and Bill Klein rehearse "Memory of a Dance," a play about dementia commissioned by the Southwest Michigan-based Region IV Area Agency on Aging to spread community awareness of the experiences of people living with dementia.

PODCAST: Building more dementia-friendly communities

Many people living with dementia don't feel valued or respected in their communities. But some activists in Michigan are working to change that by creating dementia-friendly communities, where the general public better understands dementia and people living with dementia have more opportunities to engage in public life.

Feature Story Housed in a former one-room schoolhouse, Pine Creek Woodworking aims to help anyone in the Dickinson area looking to learn woodworking skills.

Building skills, building communityExperience carpentry at Pine Creek Woodworking

A one-room schoolhouse in Dickinson County has been converted into a community woodworking space. The nonprofit Pine Creek Woodworking aims to help anyone in the area learn woodworking skills and gain knowledge about the craft. 

Feature Story fordairportbillboard

Taking off: Ford Airport expands, wins awards

Ford Airport isn't resting on any accolades. The Dickinson County airport is expanding. A new hangar will open this summer and a second one is in the works. And the ground will be broken in the spring of 2025 on a new multi-million dollar passenger terminal. 

Feature Story Dr. Hank Paulson is a neurologist at University of Michigan Health and director of the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center.

PODCAST: Inside the rapidly expanding field of dementia research

One of the most frustrating and scary things about dementia is that we still know breathtakingly little about it. But the medical community in Michigan, as in the rest of the U.S., is currently working at unprecedented speed to change that.

Partner Content Sensory rooms in doctor’s offices can improve the experience for ASD families.

Corner Health sensory room makes accessing healthcare easier for people living with autism

For people on the autism spectrum, simple healthcare tasks such as routine vaccinations or annual check-ups can be a challenge. Sensory rooms are one way to overcome that challenge.

Feature Story provisionsmqtexterior

In Marquette, a coffee shop to 'enjoy the small moments in our lives'

Provisions MQT isn't just about coffee. It's about space for the community. Since its opening, Provisions MQT has hosted yoga and cooking classes, offering a place for like-minded individuals to gather and sometimes collaborate.   

Partner Content The corporate offices of FHLBank Indianapolis.

FHLBank Indianapolis grant programs help Native American families in Michigan

The Lake Superior Community Development Corporation exists to increase the assets and self-sufficiency of assets of Native American families in Michigan. Through homeownership grants, home repair grants, and entrepreneurship opportunities, the nonprofit has found a fruitful partner in FHLBank Indianapolis, participating in grant programs to further its important mission.   

Feature Story Saline resident Jim Mangi is a care partner to his wife, Kathleen, who has Alzheimer's disease.

PODCAST: Building support for dementia caregiving challenges

Becoming a caregiver to a person living with dementia is a challenging process. We talked with Michigan caregivers about their struggles, their successes, and the resources and support they need to do their vital work.

Feature Story Since being diagnosed with dementia, Monica Downer (center, being interviewed) has become an activist for awareness of her disease.

PODCAST: Dementia disparities in communities of color

Dementia is challenging for everyone, but it takes a particularly heavy toll in communities of color. Here's how people living with dementia, researchers, and activists are working to change that in Michigan.

Longform Students run a farm stand as part of Partridge Creek Farm's farm to school program in Ishpeming.

Michigan programs empower kids to be community health leaders

When kids take the reins, health and wellness programs take off in new and wonderful directions that the adults in charge would never have anticipated. 

Feature Story The entrance to Mission Point Resort, located on the eastern end of Mackinac Island.

Stewards of a Mackinac Island resort

The Ware family purchased Mission Point Resort in 2014 and since then, the family has been busy renovating and improving the historic property. The latest renovation included a redesign of the main lobby, housed in a tipi-like structure.

Feature Story Negaunee celebrated the opening of its downtown social district on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Enhancing Negaunee: A $3.4 million project

Negaunee begins new downtown revitalization efforts -- a $3.4 million project aimed at street and infrastructure improvements and placemaking initiatives. 

Feature Story Cyndy Hund, pictured here with her husband Mike, quit her job due to her dementia symptoms – but it still took her another four years to get a diagnosis.

PODCAST: No more "diagnose and adios": Rethinking dementia diagnosis

Getting a dementia diagnosis can be a challenging, years-long process. Here's how Michiganders living with dementia and those who care for them are working to change that.

Longform Students participate in the LIFT-UP program.

Students help ensure farm sustainability and bring local food to cafeterias in UP program

The LIFT-UP program gives students a pivotal role in identifying and addressing barriers to expanding local produce in school cafeterias.

Development News

U.P.’s only VA medical center wins national award


NMU, MTU see student enrollment increases


Third Street Marketplace opens in Marquette


U.P. featured in Pure Michigan fall campaign


Lumberjack Festival draws visitors to Seney


Calumet Theatre receives grant for heating system


View All Development News