THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE IN MARQUETTE COUNTY.

GARY MULLER FROM MGH AND RICK AMENT WITH BELL.

Gary Muller, President & CEO of Superior Health Partners and Interim President and CEO of Marquette General Health Systems, joined Rick Ament, President of Bell Hospital, in our studios for an exclusive interview to discuss the newly-formed Superior Health Partners.  This alliance of the two hospitals in Marquette County is an unique partnership designed to enable more people to receive their health care close to home in the Upper Peninsula.  Superior Health Partners will focus on enhancing high quality health care services and medical treatments delivered in the Upper Peninsula and proactively prepare for national healthcare reforms.  To listen to the entire long-form interview with Muller and Ament, please click “HERE“.  For more information about Superior Health Partners, please click “HERE“.

M-DOT MEETS WITH THE PUBLIC TONIGHT ABOUT THE ROUNDABOUT.

M-DOT ENGINEER ANDY SIKKEMA

Andy Sikkema, Transportation Engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation gave us the latest update on the planned modern roundabout construction at the US-41/Front Street intersection that will begin later this month and run through August.  Sikkema told us about a public meeting being held tonight in Marquette at the Citizen’s Forum at Lakeview Arena.  The meeting is being presented by M-DOT and the City of Marquette to answer the public’s questions about how to drive through the new roundabout and what the construction schedule will be for the project.  To listen to the interview please click “HERE“, and to be connected to the Department of Transportation website, click “HERE“.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUES FOR WOMEN IN MARQUETTE COUNTY.

MGH'S CINDY AMPE.

Cindy Ampe, Director of the Women’s and Children’s Center at Marquette General Health Systems stopped in with a run-down of an upcoming conference at the hospital that takes a closer look at health and wellness issues for women across Marquette County of all ages.  The free conference features two tracks of programming, one for younger women and the other for older women, is being held at the hospital in Marquette and on-line registration can be done at  Marquette General’s website.  To listen to Cindy’s morning show interview, please click “HERE“, and to log on to the Marquette General Health Systems website, please click “HERE“.

A UNIQUE WEST-END OF MARQUETTE COUNTY FOOD DRIVE.

FOOD DRIVE ORGANIZER DICK DERBY.

Dick Derby, organizer of the Project Ishpeming Food Pantry food drive joined us yesterday to tell us about the project.  The effort includes the distribution of four thousand bags in the City of Ishpeming that are to be filled with non-perishable food items, paper products and various hygiene product.  The plan is to then place the bags on the curb on Saturday morning to be picked up by volunteers.  The items will then be distributed to the Ishpeming Salvation Army and St. Vincent dePaul stores.  Dick also told us about how this project came to be and why folks need to fill the bags that show up at their homes.
To listen to the complete interview, please click “HERE“.

MARCH IS HERE.  TAKE THAT AS YOU WILL.

ONE MEAN LEPRECHAUN

It’s a new month and a new work week.  Monday, the first day of March.  I guess it looks like it’s coming in like a lamb, so I hope it doesn’t go out with the double-barreled roar of an angry lion!  Of course it’s been nice over the last day or so, and the next few days look pretty good, but don’t forget…we always seem to get a good wintry smackdown right around the time of St.Patrick’s Day.  Believe me, it’s not over yet!  Beware the Angry Leprechaun!  Don’t put the shovels and swampers away yet, my fellow Yoopers.  Winter has not released us from it’s wintry grip yet!

BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH!!!  Or something.

SUPPORT FOR PARENTS AND MORE.

MGH WOMEN'S & CHILDREN'S CENTER DIR. CINDY AMPE

The Marquette General Hospital Women’s and Children’s Center is offering a series of classes, activities and workshops for parents as well as grandparents, teachers and other guardians and caregivers.  The director of the center, Cindy Ampe, joined us today to give us an overview of the program and it’s activities during this Parenting Awareness Month.  The events planned for the month are being held in several areas around Marquette County and are free and open to the public.  For more about what’s happening and where, please click “HERE” to listen to Cindy’s interview.  To log on to the Marquette General Hospital website, please click “HERE“.

MAIN STREET PIZZA MAKES FOR A GREAT MAIN STREET MONDAY!

BUGS LOOKS OVER THE TITLE.

Thanks to Ryan W. of Negaunee who knew that the original animator who put pen to paper and created the world-famous Warner Brothers classic cartoon character ‘Bugs Bunny’ was the one and only Tex Avery.  Tex also put his stamp on the creation of ‘Daffy Duck” before jumping ship and heading over to M-G-M to make his name in cartoons ranging from Tom and Jerry to Droopy Dog.  For his knowledge, Ryan picked up 2 14-inch three-topping pizzas from Main Street Pizza.  Well done, sir!

THAT’S IT FOR TODAY!

Catch you all again here on the internetz, kids!  Have a good one!

CHEERS!

-Walt

zxxxxxxx

IT’S ANOTHER THREE RADIO DAY!

MORNING SHOW HOST FROM ANOTHER STATION REALIZING IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO BEAT "MARK & WALT IN THE MORNING" FOR LOCAL INFORMATION AND INTERVIEWS!

Like we like to say when it’s busy, it’s one of those mornings where you needed three radios to keep up with all of the information on the big program.  It was a morning jam-packed with local news and information that keeps you, the listener, connected to the community.  I don’t think there’s another morning radio show on the dial that comes even close, but if you think there is, give it a couple hours of your time.  I’m sure you’ll come back!  SO without any further ado, here’s today’s guest rundown:

MORE FROM THE MARQUETTE WOMEN’S CENTER.

HANNAH MONGIAT WITH THE MARQUETTE WOMEN'S CENTER.

Thanks to Hannah Mongiat with the Marquette Women’s Center for stopping in this morning to tell us about a special fund raising dance and charity event happening this Saturday in Negaunee at Pasquali’s.  The event features two live bands and all proceeds raised will go to outreach and support programs offered by the Marquette Women’s Center and The Harbor House.  Click “HERE” to listen to Hannah’s interview and click “HERE” to get to the Women’s Center website to find out more about the group and their services and events.

H1N1 VACCINE CLINIC TONIGHT IN NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP.

FRED BENZIE AND KEVIN PIGGOTT WITH THE MCHD.

A special thanks to Fred Benzie, Health Officer, and Kevin Piggott, Medical Director with the Marquette County Health Department.  The came by to tell us about a special public vaccination clinic being held tonight in Negaunee Township at the County Health Department offices to disseminate the vaccine against the H1N1 flus virus (also known as the swine flu).  The clinic is open to the public, but is set up to serve only certain members at this time.  To hear more, please click “HERE” and for more about the Marquette County Health Department and teir services, please click “HERE” to head to their website.

GIVE BLOOD, MAN, GIVE BLOOD!

MASTER BLOOD DONOR, MARK JOHNSON.

Congratulations to a long-time friend of the morning show and actually, one of the very first guests of the show, Mark Johnson of Marquette.   He stopped in to tell us about his donating of blood and platelets for the 500th time.  Johnson has been donating at the UP Regional Blood Center since 1982 and holds the MGH record for such donations.  To listen to the interview with this extreme giver, please click “HERE“.  You can also find out more about the UP Regional Blood Center at Marquette General Hospital by clicking “HERE“.

AND SO GOES ANOTHER DAY!

Thanks everybody for coming along!  We’ll catch you here soon on the big ol’ information superhighway.

I leave you with a quote from a great man we know so well here on the morning show:

“Have a GREAT Day!”

-Pastor Paul Weber, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Marquette

See Ya!

-Walt

MARQUETTE COUNTY WILDFIRE HIT BY STRONG RAINSTORMS!

STORMIN' THROUGH THE U.P.!

So just in case the wildfires weren’t enough to keep the excitement level up this morning on the the big program, the National Weather Service office in Negaunee issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Marquette County just before 9-am and we covered that as well!  The thunderstorms were reported to be fairly severe and moving across the region at 55 miles per hour.  It was quite a blast of a storm and brought some much needed rain to the portions of Marquette County that were affected by the Black River Falls wildfire.  As you can see from this screen shot of the weather radar in the Sunny Studio, the thunderstorm hit a good portion of the Upper Peninsula.

AND, WE HAD COMPANY TODAY!!!  ACTUALLY QUITE A BIT OF COMPANY!

Mr. LARRY HOLLAR.

Thanks to all of the following folks who came by the Sunny Studios to let us know about a multitude of things going on in Marquette County this week.  First off, thanks to Larry Hollar.  He’s the North Central Senior Regional Organizer for Bread for the World, a Christian-based initiative to end world hunger.  He is in the Marquette area visiting with area groups to work on increaseing awareness about world hunger and getting them to apply legislative pressure to address the issue.  Click “HERE” to listen to the interview and click “HERE” for the agency’s website.

MARQUETTE GENERAL HOSPITAL UPDATE FEATURING NATIONAL EMS WEEK.

Mr. Dan Wolf

A little bit later we were joined by Dan Wolf, who is the director of EMS operations at Marquette General Hospital.  This week is National EMS Week, which is an opportunity recognize and thank all of the men and women who work and volunteer in the Emergency Medical Services field around the country.  Dan told us about various events and activities going on in Marquette County to mark the occasion.  He also told us about a shortage in people becoming EMS personnel and how you can get involved if you are interested.  To listen to Dan’s comments, click “HERE“, and to get to the MGH website, click “HERE“.

HANNAH MONGIAT CAME BACK!

SMILIN' HANNAH MONGIAT!

And finally, thanks to Hannah Mongiat from the Women’s Center stopping to to talk about the “Big Give” and the special Evening Concert she has set up featuring the music of Michael Waite at the Masonic Building in downtown Marquette.  Click “HERE” to listen to Hannah’s interview and click “HERE” to go to the Women’s Center Web Site.

WHAT A BUSY DAY!

WHEW!, With that, I am OUTTA HERE!

-WALT