News/Sports Reporter, Houghton, Mich.

We'll have an opening by the end of next week for a combination news/sports writer here at the Daily Mining Gazette in Houghton.

The guy we're replacing wears a lot of hats, which is why he'll be so hard to replace. On the news side, he does most of his work in nearby Baraga County, covering school boards and the like. For me, he's currently covering the Division II football, volleyball and basketball programs at Michigan Tech (women's basketball was the national runner-up last year), though beats may be subject to change based on abilities/interests. We also cover Tech's Division I hockey and D-II women's soccer programs closely, plus a Division III college in next-door Hancock, Finlandia University. There's also the odd prep game here or there once or twice a week.

I share him with news on a sort of floating ad-hoc basis, based on demand, so at least from the sports side there is the luxury of time to learn the ropes and get used to the area. We're a pretty small shop (six days a week PM - Mike was one of five news writers and one of three (including myself) in sports), so we'd like someone who has a little of everything (design, photography, social media) in their arsenal or at least the willingness to learn.

Of course, it's going to pay like most entry-level sorts of positions pay, but the cost of living in the U.P. is fairly low, and if someone's looking for a good start for a couple years, it's not a bad option, especially if you like the outdoors. Opportunities for hiking, biking, skiing, etc., abound here, and Houghton is a pretty underrated college town, if you ask me.

If there's some interest, please PM me and I can tell you more and give you places to send official info.

 

I wear a lot of hats, too, but more in the literal sense.

 

My cousin's a pastor in Houghton. Has generally good things to say, but he and his wife love the outdoors and don't mind small-town life. They've gotten big into snowshoeing and powder skiing, so if that's your cuppa, then the UP works for you.

Personally? Don't think I could handle the isolation. It is severe. You're a long way from city life (and life in general), though from what my cuz tells me, it's supremely pretty country.

 

Houghton isn't a bad place to live. I went to school about an hour and a half south in Marquette at Northern Michigan University, but covered some Michigan Tech football for the paper up there a few years back.

Anything you hear about how pretty the area is is true. Has mountains, hiking, Lake Superior not far off, but rivers and lakes everywhere. Anything you read about the place being isolated and away from basically everything...is also true. It's about 11 hours from Detroit, only probably around 4 hours from Green Bay.

Prep sports scene is pretty bare, the rivals and passion in the UP (Upper Peninsula) at the high school level is fairly good but the level of competition is real low. The best part about Houghton is Michigan Tech. Get to cover a division-I hockey team and a decent division-II football program. A bunch of other sports as well.

Winter Carnival is the biggest event in town every year.

If you don’t think you could handle 170+ inches of snow a year or snow seven months out of the year, I wouldn’t even apply. Any other questions you can PM me.

 

Another case of doing everything for low pay (admittedly in a cheap area).

 

It's also not far from The Hilltop, home of the largest sweet roll.

www.sweetroll.com

 

Check your PMs.

 

Like an asshat?

 

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So yea, pretty much.

 

I thought Matt Stephens was getting a couple of offers soon?

 

He did and announced it on the appropriate thread.

 

Stitch-

I did. Accepted a great offer, the fayetteville job posting that was on here.