[Pammychica]

I have family in the area, but wanted to get opinions from people in my age group (30-40) about a few things, if anyone would like to chime in:
* the job market for an administrative assistant (secretary)? My thoughts are that there would be openings at Finlandia, Mich Tech or some of the hospitals, for a start. Any other ideas? My background is in insurance but it may be more difficult to find...
* Calumet is where I am looking to live...can someone give me an idea if they live there/have lived there (again, age group 30-40) - do you like it? What are some places to hang out (restaurants, bars) and what are some things you do in the winter?
* As respects cable/internet/DSL...how is your experience with Charter and, who offers DSL lines? Pricing info would help, also...their webpage just says "call us" so it's not much help.
* Lastly, I know there are occasional power outages regularly...anyone know why and how often does this happen?

I have some info from family up there, but they are older, so it doesn't help re: job market as they are retired.

Any extra information is appreciated - please opine! Thank you

[trinkit]

Originally Posted by Pammychica

I have family in the area, but wanted to get opinions from people in my age group (30-40) about a few things, if anyone would like to chime in:
* the job market for an administrative assistant (secretary)? My thoughts are that there would be openings at Finlandia, Mich Tech or some of the hospitals, for a start. Any other ideas? My background is in insurance but it may be more difficult to find...
* Calumet is where I am looking to live...can someone give me an idea if they live there/have lived there (again, age group 30-40) - do you like it? What are some places to hang out (restaurants, bars) and what are some things you do in the winter?
* As respects cable/internet/DSL...how is your experience with Charter and, who offers DSL lines? Pricing info would help, also...their webpage just says "call us" so it's not much help.
* Lastly, I know there are occasional power outages regularly...anyone know why and how often does this happen?

I have some info from family up there, but they are older, so it doesn't help re: job market as they are retired.

Any extra information is appreciated - please opine! Thank you

At one time, my husband and I were going to move to L'Anse so that I could finish my engineering degree at Michigan Tech. He was a restaurant manager in the Detroit area and could have transferred up there -- but at LESS than half of what he was making. He grew up in Skanee, so he was NOT considered a "troll" (Yooper-talk for anyone living in the Lower Peninsula). My favorite time of year up there was in the winter -- I loved the snow. HOWEVER, he came to the conclusion that "I'm NOT moving you up here, away from all the culture that you know and are accustomed to, along with the fact that the only thing to do up here is to hunt, fish and DRINK." Needless to say, we did not move.

That should give you an idea of what a "local" says about the area. But to answer your questions directly:

1. Finding a job up there is going to be difficult, at best. You would do better to find the job FIRST, then move if that's what you have your heart set on.

2. Calumet was one of my favorite places to be up there, but it's "heyday" is long gone. Most of the people in that area (and I'm talking the entire Keewenaw Peninsula area) are older, retired, have lived there all their lives. Most of the young people (the age bracket that you're talking about) have moved out. Also, from your post, it is my understanding that you are female. I know from first-hand experience that the men in that area treat their women VERY differently. (I'm not sure I want to get into specifics here, because I don't want to ruffle any feathers.)

3. The power outages are probably due to the snow. You will be getting "lake effect" snow, and lots of it! Have you seen the snow marker just north of Houghton?

4. What do they do in the winter? Hmmmmm, ice fishing, drinking, snow mobiling, drinking, cross country skiing, drinking, snow shoeing, drinking. And oh yes, did I mention drinking? Why do you think there are doors on the 2nd story that apparently go nowhere?

Hope this helps.

[and the]

For the drinking part, try Shutte's bar. Must have been something when the mines were going strong. Still is, but I bet you couldn't get a seat in there 90years ago....

[Great Lakes Pirate]

1- You'll probably have better luck seeking admin work at Tech then at Finlandia. A lot of these types of jobs at MTU are internal-posting only, PT, and rarely include summers. Expcect pay around $9. Check Michigan Tech — Michigan university with graduate and undergraduate college degrees and click to employment for a list of current openings. I would caution you not to expect any immediate placement as there are already many, many qualified (and let's admit it, connected) people seeking this kind of work.
2- I'll echo trinkit regarding your second question. Most of the people in the Keweenaw are under 18 or over 50. There isn't a whole lot going on for us in the middle (except breeding, boozing or churching). However, if you have some specific interests, esp. for outdoor activities, you're likely to find others also involved. Snowmobiling or nordic skiing, for example. Nightlife? Not really-- a few bars for college kids, but mostly taverns seem to cater to the brandy-for-breakfast crowd.
3- Charter is dependable, but not available in all areas. Within Calumet/Laurium it is.
4- Regarding power outages: main electric service comes up from WI via a single transmission cable. When that cable gets hit, there's no back-up. Construction and inclimate weather are ussually to blame.

[Milliano]

I'm from the Keweenaw, and always thought those power outages were normal everywhere, until I left Michigan. It never seemed *too* often. Could be an occasional nuisance but it really depends on how you take it. Personally I think it can be fun! And I've lived in places with well water - no water when the electricity went out - it's still fun.

Charter net was good in my experience generally. Occasional outages like the power, but mostly I thought it was good service - like the cable net, very fast download/upload speeds and very low latency (ping).

About the age demographics... yes a lot of it is under 18 and then older adults. Here is Laurium (next to Calumet, much bigger population in village limits) age demographics:



As you can see, people leave when they graduate high school. In some cases, outside of the UP altogether. That 20-30 range is so low. I'm one of them that left their Keweenaw hometown (those that stay in the UP - the males tend to go to MTU and the females go to NMU). Most that stay around (not all) either have had children at a young age, or are poor and not going to college. Probably not many jobs for them there really. In a way I really love Calumet, but felt it to be too socially stagnant and lacking for the 18-25 age group. But people move back too as they get older. For the 30-40 age group maybe it isn't so bad. I did get a good vibe from a lot of the older people in that town (to me, +35 age).

[Michigansnowflake]

Why do you think there are doors on the 2nd story that apparently go nowhere?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I do hope you are kidding. Those are snow doors for when the snow gets to high to get out your front door.

[freakshow10mm]

Originally Posted by Pammychica

I have family in the area, but wanted to get opinions from people in my age group (30-40) about a few things, if anyone would like to chime in:
* the job market for an administrative assistant (secretary)? My thoughts are that there would be openings at Finlandia, Mich Tech or some of the hospitals, for a start. Any other ideas? My background is in insurance but it may be more difficult to find...

Finlandia is all booked up (I'm a student there). MTU is a better bet. The hospital in Laurium is hard to get into. Small insurance agencies don't really have much turnover. Marty in Calumet is a jerk, stay away.

* Calumet is where I am looking to live...can someone give me an idea if they live there/have lived there (again, age group 30-40) - do you like it? What are some places to hang out (restaurants, bars) and what are some things you do in the winter?

I live in Laurium currently and have been here for 3 years now. (I'm almost 27). The MI House, Carmelita's, Jim's Pizza, Calumet Pizzaworks, Irish Times are good restaruants. Shute's bar is a cool place. There are a few other's like Miller's, Mickey's, the UP Pub, Northend but they are low class trashy bars.

Winter is skiing, sledding, and shoveling. We get a lot of snow. Be prepared. Snowmobiling is a common activity up here.

* As respects cable/internet/DSL...how is your experience with Charter and, who offers DSL lines? Pricing info would help, also...their webpage just says "call us" so it's not much help.

We have Charter for phone, internet, and TV. Very satisfied. It is about $125/mo for all three. We have the basic/standard package for the TV with On Demand. No premiums, just the normal analog channels (up to 74) and On Demand access for TV shows and movies. The phone is unlimited local and long distance, caller ID, voicemail,etc. The internet is 100 meg and is reliable. I haven't had issues with it. I run a business from home and have a website, so I'm on here several hours a day.

* Lastly, I know there are occasional power outages regularly...anyone know why and how often does this happen?

Don't laugh, but usually someone cuts a fiber optic cable in norther WI. No lie. Usually once a year cable, cell phones, and internet will be down for a day or two because someone working in norther WI cut a FO cable and shut everything off to the UP. Also some people hit a light pole or a tree falls on a line.

Hope I could help.

What's up with the crazy font tags??

[ATV Mom]

FYI, Shute's may be a cool place, but only if you're gay. There are plenty other watering holes that are cool, like Luigi's, The Michigan House, Irish Times, and the new and improved Eagle River Inn (pretty much any bar north of Calumet is worth checking out).

[freakshow10mm]

So just because the owner of Shute's is a lesbian everyone that goes there is gay? What ignorance!

[and the]

Shute's is bad for straight people now?????? What happened?