Local News

Escanaba City Council rejects rezoning for proposed homeless shelter

ESCANABA — The Escanaba City Council unanimously denied an amendment to an ordinance Thursday that would have rezoned 113 S. 10th St. for a homeless shelter. If approved, the ordinance amendment would have changed the zoning designation of 113 S. 10th St. — formerly occupied by Bertrands and Bittner Engineering — from the existing Commercial 'E' district to the Residence (Multifamily) 'C' district to allow "Hope on the Horizon" — an organization awaiting paperwork to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — to establish a homeless shelter. Almost two dozen community members ...

Stupak runs for 94th District Court judgeship

ESCANABA — After 25 years practicing law in courts throughout the Upper Peninsula, Trenton “Trent” M. Stupak is seeking to become the next judge of Delta County’s 94th District Court. Stupak, 51, has practiced primarily in Delta County’s District, Circuit and Probate courts through ...

Hayse makes bid for 94th District Court Seat

ESCANABA — Andrew Hayse, a candidate for 94th District Court judge, is drawing on his experience in the courtroom and his work in the Delta County legal system as he campaigns for the position. Hayse, 32, currently serves as a domestic relations referee in the Delta County 47th Circuit ...

A meat-and-potato legacy

ESCANABA — The traditional culinary icon of the region, transformed into a new format, has changed the game. The Pizzasty, first invented by Marv Szukalowski in 2012 and manufactured by DeBacker's Dairy since 2026, is now offered by a number of area businesses. The Pizzasty is a round, ...

Lanes and games

Tourism growth is economic growth

Over the past decade, Delta County's tourism economy has undergone a remarkable period of growth. The accompanying graph tells part of that story. Based on lodging assessments collected from properties with 10 or more rooms, estimated hotel revenue in Delta County grew from approximately $6.3 million in 2016 to nearly $13 million in 2025, an increase of more than 100 percent. Even more encouraging, our 2026 lodging assessment collections are currently running ahead of last year's record pace. There are many reasons for that growth, and Visit Escanaba is one part of a much larger ...