8/14/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN - The US Army Corps of Engineers has permitted the controversial Line 5 tunnel project in Michigan's the Straits of Mackinac. The Corps says it is “not contrary to the public interest” but notes adverse effects on endangered species and archaeological sites. Despite federal approval, the project faces legal challenges and requires additional permits. Enbridge Energy praises the decision, while Native American tribes criticize it for threatening sacred spaces. The project remains tied up in state and federal courts.

8/13/2026

ONTONAGON - A Baraga County medical provider has announced plans to expand rural health care in Ontonagon County. Since the 2024 closure of Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital, many patients have traveled to Baraga County Memorial Hospital in L’Anse for care. Now, BCMH is partnering with Homeward Health to bring services closer to residents through a mobile health clinic. The clinic is expected to launch by year’s end, serving families and seniors where they live. A Community meeting is being held in Ontonagon at 311 N. Steel at 5 pm tomorrow/Thursday The meeting will give residents the chance to learn more about the program and help identify which health services are most needed.

8/13/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved a permit for the controversial Line 5 tunnel project beneath the Straits of Mackinac. The project would move a section of the petroleum pipeline from the open water into a concrete tunnel beneath the lakebed. The Corps says the project is not contrary to the public interest and would not harm tribal treaty rights. The approval clears a major hurdle, but construction is not imminent. State and federal legal challenges remain, and opponents are promising new lawsuits. Meanwhile, environmental groups and Michigan Tribal communities argue the tunnel – which would run beneath the Straits of Mackinac – threatens the Great Lakes, Tribal cultural resources and the climate. The federal approval comes less than two weeks after a major ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court. David Holtz, coalition coordinator for the Oil and Water Don’t Mix Coalition, says that ruling may change what happens next.

               0:14  "The Michigan Supreme Court fundamentally changed the legal landscape for the, tunnel project. They threw out the Public Service Commission's approval because the state failed to consider the environmental consequences of the tunnel."

After throwing out the commission's approval of the Line 5 tunnel project, the court ordered the agency to take a closer look at the effects that the project would have on the environment. Meantime, Enbridge calls the federal permit a significant step forward and says it follows more than six years of rigorous review.