Aaron S. VeenstraJul 2, 2025
Twenty years ago today I shot this clip of Gary Tunstall, the bar troubadour of #MichiganTech for decades. Gary tours (or used to, at least) around the upper midwest to play to pockets of Tech alums, and that's what this show was in #Appleton. It was a warm summer night, and besides my friend and I, there were never more than a dozen people there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onjDTg39jTU

#music #concert #acoustic #wisconsin
*See Bio For Account Update*Sep 14, 2024

My son just spotted a rare ALBINO squirrel in Houghton, MI. Only 1 in 100,000 squirrels is albino (and should not be confused with a White squirrel.) Pretty cool!

#squirrel #albino #rare #michigan #houghton #michigantech

JuxtaDec 9, 2023

Following up on my reporting from earlier this year, #MichiganTech again finds itself mired in controversy surrounding free speech after removing a professor from his class for criticizing a student event that featured hate speech targeting #lgbtqia groups.

A conservative backed organization that polices free speech on college campuses has entered the fray demanding the University uphold faculty rights to free expression.

#FreeSpeech #Journalism #News #College #Accountability #Keweenaw #Michigan #UpperPeninsula #YAF

https://www.copperbeacon.org/news/mtu-removes-professor-receives-ultimatum

Michigan Tech receives ultimatum from free speech watchdog after removing professor — Copper Beacon

An event to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall on Michigan Tech’s campus last month devolved into a billboard for hate which was defended as constitutionally protected free speech.

Copper Beacon
Show threadSarah GreenMar 25, 2023

@GoodVibes7472 @inklings @AbortTheGQPNOW @blbc @AlliFlowers @LittleTownJane @keithbacon @JuxtaPrax

I have yet to hear a peep about the speech by the unwanted speaker. It got zero press coverage.
After much hunting I’ve found one mention of it on a bird-site account (with 23 followers) claiming an audience of 300. The photo suggests (1) the number is inflated; (2) the back rows may have been occupied by interested observers, not fans.
#springFLAME #michigantech

JuxtaMar 25, 2023

Good news everyone!

My editor let me do not one, but two more articles following up on the controversy at #MichiganTech that resulted in school administrators forcing students to fund a speaker from #TPUSA last month.

After the initial setback, students managed to throw together an art fair/concert to celebrate diversity in the local community that by every objective metric was a bigger event than the speaker's.

Read all about it in the article below!

https://www.copperbeacon.org/news/last-minute-student-event-upstages-tpusa-speaker

#Journalism #Keweenaw #Diversity #Art #Music

Last-minute student event upstages TPUSA speaker — Copper Beacon

While a conservative speaker implored his audience to “Put God First!” dozens of student organizations, local businesses, churches, and artisans celebrated diversity, shared art, and danced to live music late into the night at Spring FLARE.

Copper Beacon
Show threadSarah GreenMar 18, 2023

@JuxtaPrax
@blbc
@LittleTownJane
@keithbacon
@AbortTheGQPNOW
@AlliFlowers
@inklings
@GoodVibes7472

Because I don’t quite get how responses/forwarding/tagging works on Mastodon.
#míchigan #michiganTech #keweenaw

JuxtaFeb 19, 2023

The local University #MichiganTech recently reversed a student government decision and forced them to fund a conservative speaker from Turning Point USA claiming that not doing so violated the speaker's constitutionally protected free speech. A busy week of student activism, secret meetings, and social media pressure all lead up to a fierce clash between students and administration this past Friday.

If that sounds interesting then give my story a read.

https://www.copperbeacon.org/news/2d1a6c0r65j9tjmngmz9y91c4e8ngl

#Journalism #LocalNews #Keweenaw #TPUSA #FreeSpeech

Admin at MTU subverts student self-governance — Copper Beacon

On Friday, a special meeting was convened at the request of University Administration to overturn the Undergraduate Student Government’s (USG) decision to deny a funding request of $3,500 to partially cover a $10,000 conservative speaker’s fee. USG had previously voted down the request at their We

Copper Beacon
Sarah GreenFeb 12, 2023

I have set up a fundraiser for Earthquake relief so Michigan Tech students far from home can channel their efforts to send help.
https://goto.gg/f/45700

#earthquake #aid #help #GlobalGiving #Turkey #Türkiye #Syria #MichiganTech

Michigan Tech & Copper Country Support for Earthquake Victims in Türkiye and Syria - GlobalGiving

Michigan Tech Huskies rally around people in need. The Husky family is international and we aim to make the whole world a better place. Huskies don't run away from a crisis. We run toward it and help in every way we know how. From a distance, the best support we can give is direct cash donations to communities and organizations on the ground at the epicenter. This fund will funnel your donations to the most critical needs in the Earthquake-impacted region. Please show how much Huskies care. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

GlobalGiving
ishi_keenumNov 7, 2022

Intro Post: I’m currently a #postdoc at #NIST developing #wastewater #surveillance standards.

I’ll be starting as an #newPI at #MichiganTech in #environmentalengineering in August 2023. Here to continue #sciencecommunity conversations as well as to discuss challenges in #antibioticresistance detection in complex #microbial systems!

Wilson J. HolmesOct 30, 2022
Took off a Friday and Monday to make the ~9 hour drive north to the #upperpeninsula of #michigan to visit friends and relax in the beauty. #michigantech #mtu #gohuskies #huskies getting lots of #sauna time and meals with friends in while I am here! #sisu