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Warrant reveals details of case

HOUGHTON — Money may have been a motive in the murder of a Hancock Township man, a family member told police during the investigation. Jacob Kempainen, 20, and his mother Margaret Kempainen, 50, both of Hartland, Wisconsin, are both charged with open murder and conspiracy to commit open murder. On the morning of Dec. 19, police reported to the home of Alvin Kempainen, 87, who was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Jacob Kempainen, Alvin’s grandson, was identified by Margaret as the shooter, according to an affidavit filed with the search warrant ...

U.P. jobless rate up in December

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula jobless rate climbed to 5.1% in December, up from 4% in November but down from 5.8% a year ago, according to data released by the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates advanced in 14 of Michigan’s 17 labor market areas over the month, primarily influenced by employment decreases, said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Unemployment rate increases ranged from 0.2 to 1.6 percentage points, with a median increase of 0.4 percentage points. The ...

League of Women Voters hosts Proposal 2 forum

HOUGHTON — Two years ago, Michigan voters approved Proposal 2, giving them expanded early voting options. Tary Mason of the League of Women Voters of the Copper Country walked residents through the changes for the upcoming election season at a presentation at the Portage Lake District ...

By Escanaba Daily Press staff ESCANABA — The hole in the 1000 block of Ludington Street from a fire last week that destroyed two buildings and killed a tenant in an upstairs apartment is hard to miss. The damage to the neighboring East Ludington Gallery and the countless pieces by local artists inside its walls may require a second glance. “What you’re looking at that looks normal is not normal,” said Craig Woerpel, who owns the building, shifting a U.P.-shaped cribbage board to show the perfect outline of the peninsula left on a smoke-stained shelf. Throughout the ...

Local MDOT projects eyed

ESCANABA — The Michigan Department of Transportation has big plans for the Escanaba area in the coming years The first project planned for the area is maintenance work on the Senator Tom Casperson Memorial Bridge, which spans over the Escanaba River north of Escanaba. That work is expected ...

Man pleads guilty to child porn charges

HOUGHTON — A Hancock man pleaded guilty to charges related to downloading child pornography in Houghton County Circuit Court Monday. Dominic Barrette, 21, was charged with one count of child sexually abusive material-aggravated possession, and one count of using a computer to commit a crime. In exchange for his guilty plea, 18 other counts were dismissed: eight each of both charges, plus one count of child sexually abusive material-possession. The child sexually abusive material-aggravated possession carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, while the computer charge is ...