EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

GWINN — State money to fund about two dozen home improvement projects for low-income residents is on its way from Lansing to Gwinn. The $150,000 grant from the 1992 state Community Development Block Grant Housing Grant Program Township will be used to help about 14 families renovate their homes. “The grant’s been approved,” Forsyth Township Supervisor Joe DeJuliannie said. “It will be used to help a lot of people fix up their homes.” The grant will be administered by the Alger-Marquette Community Action Board, said Joe Priante, AMCAB housing services director. The maximum grant is $7,500 per home, and doesn’t have to be paid back. But AMCAB won’t be ready to take applications for a few months, Priante said. “It’s going to take me 2 months to get this paperwork pushed through,” he said. “The earliest we’ll be able to take applications is probably July 15.” Skandia Township learned last fall that it will get a $125,000 grant. Priante said the two townships got the grants while others didn’t because Skandia and Forsyth made the effort to apply. “It’s a competitive grant program, but a lot of townships and the county itself didn’t even go to bat,” Priante said.

60 years ago

MARQUETTE — Marquette’s city commission has directed City Manager Thomas Moore to collect an overdue bill of $500 from Skandia Township for fire department service, with a warning that such service will not be provided if the bill is not paid. Action was taken by the commission after it heard a report from Moore concerning the amount due from the township. The manager said the township has not signed the contract for fire department service proposed by the city. The bill covers two calls made to Skandia Township. Practically all municipal fire departments in Michigan responding to requests for firefighting service charge for such service, it was pointed out. Commissioner Steve. A.E. Johnson said the city should adopt a “no contract, no service” policy, and should so notify all adjacent townships which have been requesting and getting firefighting service from Marquette. So far, city officials said, Skandia Township has declined to accept any firefighting contract from Marquette. Fire Chief John W. Myers makes the decision as to whether the city fire department should respond to individual calls from the townships.