John Truitt

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – When Howard Schultz visited NMU last month, he shared his humble beginnings, his experiences at Northern, and his life skills with a room full of students during an intimate Fireside Chat with NMU President Brock Tessman Wednesday, he shared even more. Through the Shultz Family Foundation, he has gifted NMU with One million dollars. President, Tessman recalls how that came to be.

Today was Marquette's Downtown Day Out, formerly known as Ladies Night Out. This year, the Downtown Development Authority chose to expand the promotion to include the entire day, allowing more people to participate. Michael Bradford, the DDA's Promotions Director, says it's all about getting people downtown.

The evening kicked off with a chorus line of young dancers from Studio Dance and Arts in Marquette. From preschool to pre-teens, these kids strutted their stuff on stage as they warmed up the audience for the Grinch, who tried to hijack the event but was soon apprehended by a sheriff's deputy. First-time attendee, Lisa Schiefel was impressed.

Since Thanksgiving, the City of Munising has seen 24″ of snow, while Marquette received less than an inch. According to Meteorologist Matt Zika with the National Weather Service, this past fall has been the warmest on record causing higher water temperatures, so when frigid air passes over that warm water it gets absorbed by the system and falls as snow once it makes landfall.

Grow and Learn Community and Youth Development hosted this informational program at NMU today. The goal was to bring awareness to the countless opportunities available to give back. Taylor Olson-Brutto, Outreach Coordinator for Grow and Learn, says giving means different things to different people, but it all boils down to thinking of others.

The world today is full of distractions that are pulling us this way and that, but what if you could unplug and turn down the volume of your busy life? What if you could shut out all the manic energy and noise that surrounds us each day? Say hello to float therapy—an enclosed capsule filled with body-temperature water that allows you to float weightlessly in total darkness. Peter Torelli, Co-owner of Aquapodics float therapy explains the experience.

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Northern Michigan University Student Athletic Advisory Committee and The Mining Journal Cheer Club held a teddy bear toss during the NMU / Ferris State Hockey game this evening. Spectators were asked to bring in a stuffed animal to donate to less fortunate children this holiday season. a cascade of toys was tossed onto the ice where they were collected, sorted, and donated to St.Vincent DePaul and the Salvation Army for distribution to area boys and girls. Salvation Army board member Jim Reevs says these donated teddy bears might be some child's only gift this Christmas.

“It's wonderful because it's so accessible. You know it's really supposed to inspire, play, and joy. And that's the whole purpose of this exhibit is to get people interacting to you know, interact with each other and trying to create different sounds, with each other. So very joyful and something to brighten up these dark winter nights for sure,” said Miron.

They are things of beauty, things of function, and things you just need. This auction had a wide variety of objects to bid on. As the largest fundraiser of the year for the Up Children's Museum, Thursday's auction didn't disappoint. Executive Director of the museum Jessica Hanley says the items up for bid might come from your neighbors, your friends, or co-workers.

Marquette will soon be getting a new healthcare facility courtesy of The Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians.