04 Jun 2025

Local impacts of MTU Research

Growing Kestrel chicks are getting fierce and feathered

Hello CRAGgys!

Please continue sharing what you're learning, connecting with allies, and passing on tips on local impacts or concerns.

University Research: Local Impact

Michigan Tech's research expenditures supported by external grants are over $60 million per year in Houghton. Nearly 80% was from federal sources.

Michigan Tech Professor Apriesnig and colleagues conducted a detailed analysis of how that money contributes to Houghton County. In addition to direct salaries and purchases from grant money, the impacts are multiplied through support of local businesses. They found that each $1 million of federal support resulted in 10 local jobs. So more than 600 people in the county are employed because of MTU research grants. The add-on effects now generate over $42 million in local economic activity, and more than $600,000 in local tax revenue.

Of course, money into the economy is only a small part of the benefits we gain from research on campus. Research programs attract undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, who add immeasurably to the social and cultural life of the Copper Country.

The president's budget proposal drastically cuts investments in research, with major programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and NASA cut by over 50%. It further threatens to reduce facilities rates to 15%.

Research is a tiny part of the federal budget with an enormous return on investment. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has some nice charts on historical research funding:

reference: Apriesnig, J.L., Connolly, L., Xavier-Oliveira, E., Halvorsen, K.E., 2025. Regional economic impact of university research expenditures. Stud. High. Educ. ahead-of-print, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2024.2376262

Bergman Updates

The Soo EUP team continues to show up to tell our representative how they feel about his exclusive meetings with donors.
Letters by Brad Raymond and Mark Miller were published.
Rep Bergman says he bought his first house on the GI Bill (which, incidentally, was notoriously racist) while blaming local governments for lack of affordable housing. Of course, he voted for the Big, Bag, Billionaire Budget Bomb, which threatens a 40% cut to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Quick updates: USAID and Houghton County

USAID has receded from the headlines, but the abrupt termination of those international aid programs is having devastating human impacts. An ImpactCounter project is tracking the resulting disease and deaths.
Houghton County took last minute action to continue to fulfill their obligations to pay for public defenders.

Bridgefest parade Friday, June 13

Keweenaw Indivisible, HC Dems, and the League of Women voters all invite participants in the Bridgefest parade on Friday, June 13. Contact these groups to help build floats (KI) or staff tables.

Yoopers United are selling a T-shirt

This would be excellent gear for Bridgefest!

To my Yooper Pals: Get your gear for our June 14 "No Kings" Day event in Marquette and many other locations in the UP. And the July 4th Parade!
Order online at: https://loyaltees.printavo.com/merch/yoopers-unite. The online store closes June 6th.

Why and how to attend local meetings

CRAG started with a plea for people to get out to talk to our local public officials. The crisis in democracy spans the spectrum from the very top down to local voters who elected them. See this page for why local democracy is critical.

Lots of opportunities next week:

Hints on using the calendar: switch to list view on the upper right, print with the 🖨️ icon, upper left. Select subcalendars (meetings, demos, etc) with check boxes on the left.

How can we get you out to your township/county/other meetings?

Small township meetings are often only 30 minutes long. Check the the CALENDAR for one near you.

We can help:
- Pair you with a buddy 👬;
- Guidance in preparing remarks. (but just saying a few words from your heart is fine.)
- Fact sheets on your township (demographics, recent federal funding, number of people on Medicaid, etc).
- What else can we do? Childcare? Transportation 🚌? Lollipops 🍭? Let me know!

Events and meetings

See CALENDAR link for details on events.

June 7, 1-5 pm. Keweenaw Pridefest, Calumet Colluseum
June 14th. No Kings protests nation-wide. This date is Bridgefest in Houghton. The LWV, Houghton County Dems, and Keweenaw Indivisible are all planning floats in the parade on Friday, June 13. Contact these organizations to contribute.

Ongoing:

Yoopers for Ukraine Rally at the bridge Wednesdays at 5 pm (correction).
“Houghton County Dems meet every 1st Wednesday, 7 pm at the Super 8.
3rd Wednesday, 6 pm HC Dems April Meet-up, 5th and Elm.
4th Wednesdays AWAVE. Gathering at UU Fellowship Houghton.
3rd Sundays, 7-8:45 pm, Keweenaw Against the Oligarchy Monthly Action Committee (KATO), Orpheum Theater. Please register at the link to help with the headcount.
Marquette: Every Saturday morning from 11:30-12:30, between 40 - 80 people have been assembling at the Marquette Post Office, standing in support with long-established Citizens for Peace & Justice.

Kestrels

Since the owls are out and about they're rarely visible on the Owlcam, I've started watching this KestrelCam in Wisconsin. The chicks are growing fast!

Thanks for all your support

Stay Well

Sarah