4/01/2026

IRONWOOD - Tuition rates were approved at the regular monthly meeting of the Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees. For the 2026-2027 academic year, tuition for students living in Gogebic County will see an increase of $6 per credit hour to $155, out-of-district and Wisconsin reciprocity areas will increase by $8 per credit hour to $221, and out-of-state residency will increase by $10 per credit hour to $254 along with international tuition rates increasing by $11 to $295 per credit hour. The gross impact of the proposed increase for the average full-time student would be $90 for in-district students, $120 per semester out of-district, Wisconsin reciprocity, and out of state students will increase roughly $150 per semester.  The trustees approved an increase in the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program to $5,248 which includes all tuition and fees associated with the delivery of the program.  GCC will be closed April 3-6, for Easter Break. Classes will not be in session, and the Lindquist Student and Conference Center will be closed.

4/01/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN - The Michigan Supreme Court is now considering whether state regulators did enough to protect the environment when they approved the Enbridge Energy Line 5 project under the Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge wants to replace the aging Line 5 with a new pipeline inside a tunnel beneath the lakebed they say will be safer. For years, environmental groups have pushed to shut down Line 5. They say an oil spill in the Straits of Mackinac would be devastating across the Great Lakes.  The Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling in the case is expected in the coming months. 

4/01/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN - The Michigan Cannabis Industry Association filed a lawsuit last Friday claiming the 24% wholesale tax on marijuana is unconstitutional. The association, which previously filed a lawsuit against the tax, argues the wholesale tax acts as a sales tax and causes over-taxation for consumers exceeding the 6% legal limit in the state. The association said the tax is already having negative impacts on marijuana sales in 2026. Data from the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency shows that between December 2025 and January 2026, total sales dropped nearly $43 million.  The added tax was implemented to raise money to fix Michigan roads.