About Marquette County, MI

"I find that a great part of the information I have was acquired by looking up something and finding something else on the way."

Franklin P. Jones quotes (American Businessman, 1887-1929)

I grew up in a family that was told to look it up when we didn't know the answer to something. In my house a question is invariably met with the answer "Google It." But I do have several go-to web sites for answers to many questions and I am pleased to share my top 8 links today.

•1) For information on any property in the City of Marquette I use the website Marquette City for property information you click on Resident services and then property information look up. From there you can find out who is in a neighborhood you may be looking at, how long a home has been owned by the homeowner or what someone paid for a home.

•2) To find out what your potential property taxes may be I use Michigan.gov which has a great property tax calculator.

•3) For information about The Upper Peninsula REALTOR association go to Upper Peninsula Association of REALTORS there is plenty of real estate information and a link to the almost UP wide MLS.

•4) Another link that I recommend is the National Sex Offender Registry which is run by Family Watchdog.

•5) Marquette County is a detailed website for Marquette County maps trails and information.

•6) Michigan Gazetteer has profiles of 3,059 Michigan cities, towns & neighborhoods. Cultural features, nature information, maps and much more.

•7) For any information you need about Marquette Area Public Schools check out MAPS Website.

•8) And your number one go-to web site should be StephanieSells.com for all things Real Estate and Marquette information!!!!

"Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress."

Nicholas Murray Butler

If you know me, you know my glass is always half full. But I will admit that the continual media bombardment of doom and gloom has started to empty my glass. But after spending a few days in Detroit (no I will never like or be positive about the city of Detroit) at the Michigan Association of REALTORS® annual convention, I was pleased to be among so many positive people. Instead of a gloom and doom attitude, most of the attendees and speakers were excited about the positive attributes that Michigan has.

This week in Marquette, I have seen several purchase agreements written on commercial properties. Along with the hint (or some days scream) of fall in the air, there is a sense of anticipation of an economy turning in the right direction. In doing my research, I spoke with Dale Hemmila District Manager-Public Affairs
Cliffs Michigan Mining Company and I felt my positive outlook grow. This is what the company says about pellet production.

"In addition to the capital investment, maximizing pellet production will increase Michigan employment. Projections call for adding approximately 375 new employees. This plan also means retention of the current Empire workforce of approximately 550 employees. That is a total of approximately 925 jobs, which will be created or retained with the implementation of this plan"

The company is also involved with biomass fuel.

"Renewafuel, a subsidiary of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc (NYSE: CLF) announced today its plans to build a next-generation biomass fuel production facility at the Telkite Technology Park located at Sawyer Airport near Marquette, Michigan. At full production the plant could produce 150,000 tons per year of high-energy, low-emission biofuel cubes from a composite of sustainably collected wood and agricultural feedstocks including wood waste, corn stalks, grasses and energy crops."

So if you know any engineers who want to live in Marquette County they have a place to apply!

My question to you today is what do you see as the most positive aspect in Marquette's economy?

Top Ten Back to School Quotes Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever." — Mohandas Gandhi "Sixty years ago I knew everything; now I know nothing; education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." — Will Durant "The important thing is never to stop questioning." — Albert Einstein "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." — Mark Twain "When the student is ready the teacher will appear." — Lao Tzu "Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one." — Malcolm Forbes "Learning is not compulsory...neither is survival." — W. Edwards Deming "You can lead a boy to college, but you cannot make him think." — Elbert Hubbard "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn." — Alvin Toffler "Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't." — Pete Seeger Quotes from www.Dontquoteme.com Aww nothing quite compares with NMU students descending like locusts back to our fair city. The traffic, the poor… ok, unfamiliar drivers, the lines at Shopko, Target and the like, the beer sales, the students have come back for better or worse. I like to think of it as a kaleidoscope of fresh young faces. Ok I would like to think that but mostly I just grit my teeth as they pull out in front of me on Third Street! I know they are great for our economy…right? But if the NMU students are back it must mean that it is the weekend for Marquette Rotary West Seafood Fest a classic end of summer tradition enjoyed by locals, students and their families. This year they will be having a car show all Saturday. Clam Chowder anyone? NMU has a great program for kids 8th grade and below who like sports. I know I am signing Mitchell up for the NMU Young Wildcat Club. Membership is open to children of all ages. The cost to join is $10 per child and once you become a member you will receive: Official Young Wildcat Club T-shirt Official Young Wildcat Club membership card Free admission to the following NMU home, regular season events: Football Volleyball Women's Basketball Men's Basketball Select hockey games (schedule of free hockey games will be released soon) Soccer Swimming and Diving Track and Field Cross County Running Nordic Skiing Golf Monthly e-mail newsletters and updates Birthday card from Wildcat Willy Invitations to special events: Autograph sessions Meet the Team events