10/22/2026

WISCONSIN / U.P. - Young people are turning to caffeine pouches for a quick energy boost, raising concerns among health experts, school officials, and parents in Wisconsin, Michigan and across the U.S. These small packets, placed between the lip and gum, can contain up to 200 milligrams of caffeine, similar to two cups of coffee.  Some U.S. school districts have banned them due to health concerns.  Experts warn that excessive caffeine can cause serious side effects, especially in children and teens.  Nearly two-thirds of young people ages 12 to 19 consumed caffeine on a given day, according to a July report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

10/21/2026

IRONWOOD - Gogebic Community College is receiving nearly $476,500 to expand training for maritime and shipbuilding jobs. The funding supports a state effort to advance Michigan’s 10-year Maritime Strategy, aimed at boosting economic growth and creating good-paying jobs in the state’s multibillion-dollar maritime industry. GCC is one of five community colleges receiving grants. Officials say the goal is to develop a training model that can expand to serve employers and communities across the western Upper Peninsula.

10/21/2026

ASHLAND - Xcel Energy’s Bay Front Power Plant in Ashland celebrated its 110th anniversary last Wednesday, the 14th. The Daily Press reports, operating since 1916, the plant stopped burning coal in 2020 and now uses wood waste from the lumber industry to generate up to 44 megawatts of electricity. The facility supports grid reliability and boosts northern Wisconsin’s economy. Xcel says the plant purchases at least $5 million in wood waste annually, generating an estimated $20 million in regional economic benefits. The company plans to keep Bay Front operating through at least 2035.