SOME DAYS, IT JUST FEELS GOOD TO TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY!

PLEASANT WALT IN THE STUDIO.

This morning was another one of those really cool mornings that makes doing a morning radio show here in Marquette County great!  It was another visit with the Marquette County Community Foundation folks to talk about the involvement of young people with the Youth Advisory Committee that works with the foundation to distribute funds to youth-driven events and activities.  It was refreshing to hear about youth in our community doing good things and the typical “damn kids” kind of coverage.  Check out the information below to hear what I’m talking about!

It’s cool and in a way, kind of inspirational, too!

Enjoy!

MARQUETTE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION UPDATE.

THE MCCF'S CAROLE TOUCHINSKI AND HAYLEY MASKUS.

Dr. Carole Touchinski, Executive Director of the Marquette County Community Foundation joined us today along with Hayley Maskus, who is a member of the MCCF’S Youth Advisory Committee.  Carole and Hayley both talked about the youth factor in money being distributed by the Foundation to youth-oriented program funding proposals.  They also addressed how to get young people involved in the process of being on the Community Foundation’s various Youth Advisory Committees.  To listen to the interview with Carole and Hayley, please click “HERE“.  To log on to the Marquette County Community Foundation’s website, please click “HERE“.

INSPIRATIONAL INVOLVEMENT OF MARQUETTE COUNTY’S YOUTH!

Sounds good, doesn’t it?  It’s nice to hear about something good concerning our young people, isn’t it?  I love it!

CHEERS!

-Walt

WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND.  AND WHAT A WEEKEND IT WILL BE!

SOON TO BE FORBIDDEN INDOORS IN MICHIGAN!

If there ever was a time when “smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em” was an appropriate statement, tonight is it.  As of 6-am tomorrow, Saturday, May 1st, 2010, smoking in a public place in Michigan becomes history.  This latest law concerns smoking in bars and restaurants and all “public” enclosed areas such as hotel rooms.  I have never supported this law because it takes away the choice of the individual and I feel that Marquette has shown how both smoking and non-smoking establishments that allow the patron to choose can function together.  The point is, though, the law is now here and goes into effect this weekend.  So as I said earlier, “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em!”

MARQUETTE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION UPDATE.

DR. CAROLE TOUCHINSKI WITH THE MCCF.

Dr. Carole Touchinski, from the Marquette County Community Foundation to talk about the youth element in the agency that makes up the YAC program.  YAC, which stands for Youth Advisory Council, features area youth who come together under the auspices of the MCCF to review and financially support youth-focused programs around the Marquette County area.  The groups are made up from youth panels from Marquette, Ishpeming and Negaunee to serve and fund programs in those communities.  To listen to Carole’s interview, please click “HERE“.  To log on to the Foundation’s website, click “HERE“.

SALTY SENATOR LEVIN CHECKS IN.

US SENATOR CARL LEVIN.

Michigan’s Senior U.S. Senator, Carl Levin checked in with us today for a chat on the Financial Regulatory Reform Bill currently under debate in Congress.  We also talked about his eyebrow-raising questioning in the recent subcommittee hearing in the Senate looking into improper investing by the Goldman Sachs firm.  The questioning took a surprising turn when Senator Levin read e-mails and memos verbatim that listed an investment as “sh*tty”  and continued with the use of the term in further questioning.  We made sure to let the Senator know we were going live and that his salty language would not fly on a wholesome program such as “Mark & Walt in the Morning”.  To listen to the Senator’s response to the questions we put forth, please click “HERE“.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Hey folks, get on out and enjoy a couple days off.  It doesn’t matter HOW you do it, just be sure to DO IT!  We’ll catch up with you all again next week!

CHEERS!

-Walt

A CRACKIN’ STACK OF COMMUNITY FACTS!

Hey Bloganistas!  It’s been a little busy here at the radio ranch and the blog has sat vacant.  Apologies on my behalf, but it is good to be busy and scattered and running around instead of bored and inactive!  So in order to get caught back up and back in line, here’s a bunch of stuff for your community-minded perusal!

DIABETES ALERT DAY WITH PAULA FROM UPDON.

PAULA ACKERMAN WITH UPDON.

Tuesday, March 23 was Diabetes Alert Day and Paula Ackerman from the Upper Peninsula Diabetes Outreach Network stopped in to tell us all about diabetes including it’s detection, symptoms and prevention and management techniques.  Although the date may have passed on the calendar, the information is timeless.  Please take a moment and click “HERE” for the highlights of the conversation with Paula.  To check out the Upper Peninsula Diabetes Outreach Network’ information-packed website, please click “HERE“.

AN EVENING OF ELEGANCE TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

MITT ARBELIUS WITH THE MARQUETTE WOMEN'S CENTER.

Mitt Arbelius from the Women’s Center and Harbor House Domestic Violence Shelter in Marquette stopped in to encourage folks to go to the Landmark Inn in Marquette and purchase some of the remaining handful of tickets for the upcoming ‘Evening of Elegance’ Chefs Against Domestic Violence dinner in Marquette.  The dinner is this Saturday and is M-Ceed by yours truly.  The gourmet dinner gets underway with a social hour at 5:30pm at the Landmark Inn.  To listen in to Mitt’s early-morning interview, please click “HERE“.  To log on to the Women’s Center website please click “HERE“.

MARQUETTE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION UPDATE.

DR. CAROLE TOUCHINSKI WITH THE MCCF.

Dr. Carole Touchinski stopped in this morning to discuss the latest happenings at the Marquette County Community Foundation.  They are currently in a grant-accepting cycle that will run through the end of the month.  The agency is taking applications from groups and agencies looking for funding through the end of the month.  Carole explained what kinds of projects are the kinds that will get funded by the Foundation, and what factors are being looked at.  To listen to the entire interview and get insight on the whole grant writing process, please click “HERE“.

THERE IT IS, A CAUGHT UP BLOG!

AHHHH….caught up again!  It feels good!  Hope it’s to your liking!  We’ll see you soon here on the blog with more community information, commentary and fun!  See you all then!

CHEERS!

-Walt

STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW AND STUFF YOU DIDN’T REALLY NEED TO SEE!

MAJOR DISCOUNT IS DRESSED TO GO HUNTIN'!

So…an average Wednesday on the big show is referred to as an “abbreviated edition” of the program.  Well, this time around, the show was jam-packed with information and was one hour shorter due to the ridiculously popular and outlandishly supported Great Lakes Radio Shopping Show with our own Major Discount, Todd Noordyk.  As is usually the case, he’ll stroll in a couple of minutes before air time and casually sit down with the mission of saving you money.  He did it again today, but we simply had to capture him on camera because of his stunning fashion statement that he made.  Sporting a shirt like no other, he sat down to tell us about what was on the show and whatnot, but we couldn’t get past the shirt!  So, ladies and gentlemen…here it is!

MARQUETTE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION UPDATE.

DR. CAROLE TOUCHINSKI OF THE MCCF.

Dr. Carole Touchinski visited us this morning to discuss planning to make “legacy” contributions to the foundation’s endowment fund by leaving them in your will.  She explained that the Foundation has will planning kits available at there office and she would be happy to pass one on to anyone interested.  She also gave us a bit of an overview about how the Marquette County Community Foundation functions to benefit non-profit agencies in Marquette County.  To log on to the Foundation’s website, please click “HERE“, and to listen to the interview with Carole, please click “HERE“.

MARQUETTE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING.

TERESA SCHWALBACH AND JOE VANOOSTERHOUT.

Teresa Schwalbach, Marquette County’s Emergency Management Co-ordinator and Joe VanOosterhout, the Manager of Marquette County’s Central Dispatch provided us an update on several efforts underway in the Emergency Management sector of the county.  From efforts to develop more volunteers to have on reserve in time of a crisis, to a plan to make all 9-1-1 centers across the Upper Peninsula be compatible in their communications to a new service known as NIXLE, they filled us in on much pertinent information.  To listen to the interview with Teresa and Joe, please click “HERE“.  To log on to the Marquette County website, please click “HERE“.

FULL DAY, SHORT SHOW AND A SNAPPY SHIRT!

YOWZA! YOWZA! YOWZA!

Well, folks, like I said…that’s one full (yet abbreviated) morning radio show!  But before we go…I just wanted to give you all a full-on close-up of that clever shirt!  Enjoy that, and we’ll see you all tomorrow on the air and online!

CHEERS!

-Walt

ANOTHER GOOD DAY FOR MARQUETTE COUNTY!

HEY MAN, LIFE IS GOOD!

Today was one of those fun days I enjoy working through on the show.  We had some laughs and got out some good information, but we were also able to point to some really good things going on here in our area.  It’s always fun when that happens because we get caught up in the negative so easily and so often and we need to experience the good to balance out our lives.  I know this is sounding kind of philosophical or even sentimental, but I think it needs to be said.  Things are not always so bad out there as we think they are.  ‘Nuff said about that.  We can move on!

MARQUETTE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION UPDATE

NIKKI DEWALD & KATY MARTIN

Katy Martin, youth representative from the Marquette County Community Foundation Board of Directors, and Nikki DeWald, Race Co-ordinator with the Noquemanon Ski Race visited us this morning to talk about the Youth Noque Race being held this Friday in Marquette County and how youth volunteers from the MCCF are helping with the event.  Katy also discussed her involvement with the Foundation from a youth standpoint and how other interested youth can get involved.  Nikki also gave us an overview of the youth race and the entire weekend’s events.  To listen to the interview with Katy and Nikki, please click “HERE“, and for more about the Marquette County Community Foundation, please click “HERE“.

THAT’LL DO FOR TODAY!

Another good day done!  Be sure to tune in tomorrow starting at 6-AM for Mark & Walt in the Morning for another morning full of fun, information and more!  See you then!

CHEERS!

-Walt

MORE ABOUT THE Marquette County Community Foundation.

Dr. Carole Touchinski, MCCF

Dr. Carole Touchinski, director at the Marquette County Community Foundation, joined us to give us an overview and general update about the foundation, how it works, who are some of it’s member agencies and how you can get involved financially or as a volunteer.  To listen to the interview with Dr.Touchinski, please click “HERE“.  For more about the foundation, you can access their website by clicking “HERE“.