Bike share program launched this fall
The Associated Students of NMU (ASNMU) will launch a Bike Share Initiative program in the coming weeks. The program allows students to check out a bicycle at the PEIF or the library for a period of up to three days, the same way a person might check out a library book. “I think it’s just kind of an idea that’s been on people’s minds for a few years now and no one’s really had the ambition … to try it,” said Jason Morgan, ASNMU President, citing a previous bike share program in Marquette which failed. “I seem to be one of those people who like to try the impossible. I thought, ‘It’s such a good idea and such a good premise, why doesn’t it work?'” At the end of every year, several bikes are left on the bike racks across campus. Usually these are donated to Goodwill or Salvation Army, but this year those bikes have been used for the bike share program. ASNMU was awarded a $500 grant to put the bike share program together, which was used to repair the bikes and bring them up to par with state regulations. Although the original goal was to start the program by early summer, Morgan said he felt it was best to have the plan fully together before it was put into motion. “It’s coming together, it’s just taking a lot of effort from a lot of different people,” Morgan said. “It is not just an ASNMU program, it’s a campus and community-wide program. We welcome any kind of help anybody would like to offer.” For more information on the bike share program or about volunteering to help, visit the ASNMU Web site at asnmu.nmu.edu or e-mail Morgan at [email protected].
– Alex Belz
Annual fest to bring community together
The Marquette West Rotary is holding a weekend-long event to bring together the community, including returning Northern students. The 26th Annual Seafood Fest will be held at the Mattson Lower Harbor Park in downtown Marquette from Thursday, Aug. 27 to Saturday, Aug. 29. The fest will be open and featuring live bands from 4 – 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturday. Featured bands include Terracotta Half Life, Trailer Hitch and the Flat Broke Blues Band. The fest will also feature a variety of foods including clam chowder, smoked fish, crab legs, as well as hamburgers,pizza sticks and sushi which is new to the menu this year. Everything can be bought with tokens which can be purchased at the entrance for 50 cents. Money raised will be donated back to the community in a number of ways. Bill Martin, co-chair of the Marquette West Rotary Seafood Fest said that people of all ages are welcome and will find entertainment. Children’s activities will be offered, as well as a beer tent for adults. “We encourage (college students) to come down, and we think they’ll really enjoy themselves,” Martin said. The Fest is a collaboration of service organizations throughout the community, according to Martin. Other organizations involved include the Marquette Arts and Cultural Center and the United Way. One thing that makes this event unique, Martin said, is that all food is made by the Rotary volunteers. Other restaurants have offered to be involved, but Rotary West has much of their own cooking equipment and they do all of the cooking themselves. “It’s strictly the Rotary club or organizations that work for us; the members enjoy doing it,” Martin said.
– Lucy Hough
Wildcat Shuttle improved for students
The Marq-Tran Wildcat Shuttle Service routes have been improved this year, with longer hours and two buses running during
operating hours.
“The reason we’ve expanded the hours was less financial, and more about having consistent routes and a consistent schedule,” said Jason Morgan, Associated Students of NMU (ASNMU) president.
“We wanted to let students know exactly where the bus is going to be. That was one of the biggest concerns we heard from students last year. They said, ‘we think the Wildcat Shuttle is great, but how the heck do we ride it?'”
After Morgan first approached Public Safety earlier this year, ASNMU and Public Safety agreed the program needed to be improved. Months of discussions between Marq-Tran, Public Safety and ASNMU resulted in an agreement on a new contract that was made this summer, including an increase in the hours of operation.
“By expanding the hours of the two buses on route, we will have a consistent schedule and hopefully increase ridership on the Wilcat Shuttle,” Morgan said.
There is now an accurate bus schedule on the Public Safety Web site and maps of the routes are posted at the bus stops. Unlike
last year, the Wildcat Shuttle will also be running during exam week.
Students can ride the bus for free when they show their NMU student ID.
For more information regarding the Wildcat Shuttle, please see the parking section of the Public Safety Web site at www.publicsafety.nmu.edu.
— Alex Belz
