Pandemic Resurgence Fears, A Doctor Considers a Political Future, and Does the City Care About Housing for Regular Folks?

LOOK AT THE national numbers—COVID cases up more than 100% in the last two weeks, COVID deaths up more than 25%....A resurgence of the pandemic?

LOOK AT THE national numbers—COVID cases up more than 100% in the last two weeks, COVID deaths up more than 25%....A resurgence of the pandemic?

God help us.

But Dr. Bob Lorinser, the Marquette County Medical Director, paints a rosier picture for us. “If you’re vaccinated and you’re healthy, you should be fine,” he says. At least for now….COVID case numbers have increased slightly in the UP recently, but hospitalizations have not. That means we have very few serious cases.

And it means vaccinations work, in spite of what amateur science skeptics and wrongheaded politicians might try to tell us.

Speaking of politics, Lorinser is considering a run for Congress, as a potential opponent for Congressman Bergman. Lorinser was recently approached by a few prominent Democrats asking about his interest in the job….He, in turn, sent a letter to 100 other Democrat leaders and supporters, expressing his willingness to run if the support districtwide is there. He’s awaiting their responses.

He describes himself as a moderate Democrat. He gave up his private medical practice a decade ago to join the State Department as a regional medical officer with stops in Pakistan, Afghanistan, South Korea, Morocco, and Iraq. Not your everyday kind of doctor.

The Vault Hotel redevelopment plan, which will radically change the look of one of the most prominent blocks in Marquette, took a huge leap forward last week. The City Commission, despite doubts and vehement criticism, approved public financing for a garage that will serve both hotel guests and the public at large.

Those in-the-know tell us that the garage approval essentially ensures that the entire project, with perhaps some minor changes, will become a reality.

The half-million dollar condos and the $1300 apartment rentals along the shore are impressive, and the cash their tenants spend is certainly welcome but many ask, what about the so-called “Missing Middle?” Houses for, say, $200,000, and rental units for $750 a month.

A committee headed up by City Commissioner Evan Bonsall (who admits he, himself, can’t afford most of the prices in Marquette) spent more than a year studying the problem. Remedies? Change zoning and regulatory requirements to allow smaller houses and multi-unit developments on smaller lots in town….Also, use city-owned land for affordable housing developments.

“The ball is now in the City Commission’s and the Planning Commission’s court,” says Bonsall of the report’s findings and recommendations. The fear by some is that this well-researched and vitally important report will end up gathering dust on a shelf in some back room at City Hall while Commissioners continue to eagerly embrace the big money folks.

More social media talk about closing down Washington Street between Front and Third Streets to cars on summer weekends. Make it more pedestrian-friendly. Liven it up with music, food trucks, and outdoor dining….It’s worked in some cities, in others not so much.

Suggestion for a summer day: take a stroll or a bike ride down to Drifa, the brewery co-op in South Marquette, just off the Heritage Trail….Plenty of chairs and tables outside in the sun and shade. Brews from inside and tasty fare from a nearby food truck make for a relaxing afternoon….When the nearby power plant comes down, all the better.

We gotta root for MATI—the Masonic Arts, Theatre, and Innovation Company—which is in the process of buying the Masonic Square Mall downtown. The deal was on the verge of completion last year until the pandemic hit. That’s when the financing institution suddenly and understandably got cold feet…Things are warming up again. A purchase agreement maybe in the next month or so. A sale by the end of the year.

“We want to work with everybody involved in arts, culture, and innovation here,” says MATI executive director Ryan Engle….With sufficient financing and visionary leadership, the Masonic could become the vibrant center of cultural activity in Marquette.

Continuing conversations about increasing, financing, and better organizing digital journalism in Marquette. Several players here—Word on the Street, Marquette Today, Rural Insights, Marquette Music Scene, and (ahem) Man About Town, among others…Digital is clearly the future of local journalism (few folks under 40 are buying the Mining Journal)…WLUC has smartly grabbed a huge chunk of the online readers, but there’s a thirst for more than just the straight news…Stay tuned.

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