500: A.I. Safety Issues CANCELLED
Date/Time: Thursday, January 8, 11am – 1pm
Location: PWPL, Shiras Room
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Thomas Kinnunen, Michigan State Police, Community Service Trooper
Event Size: 40
Liaison:
Deepfakes and A.I. generated content spread disinformation, impact elections, and erode public trust and mental health. They also perpetuate or amplify societal biases in hiring, lending, and justice. Artificial Intelligence can be used in massive and sophisticated attacks on our country’s defense systems, banking systems, and health care data and more. Learn about A.I., how it can impact you and practical ways to protect yourself.
501: Understanding Citizen’s Academy
Date/Time: Tuesday, January 27, 12-2pm
Location: City Commissioners Chambers, 300 W Baraga Ave
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Ann Mcllagga, Deputy City Clerk
Event Size: 50
Liaison: Susan Holliday, 906-235-8532, susanholliday83@gmail.com
Have you ever wondered why the Marquette Police Department has a canine unit, how your water is kept safe, or how it is determined which roads will be repaired each year?
Citizen’s Academy is a ‘must have’ for any Marquette resident who wishes to go beyond basic understanding of how municipalities and their departments work.
This 2-hour session will inform you of the components of the upcoming 10-week course being offered next August, 2026. This session allows attendees to become familiar with the functions of various elected personnel, offices, and resources within the community. You’ll learn how you too, can participate in the important decisions made on local happenings. A sign-up email for applicants will be given during this class and you’ll be notified in July 2026 if you are one of the 20 lucky participants chosen for the Citizen’s Academy!
502: Disaster Preparedness
Date/Time: Thursday, January 29, 10am-12pm
Location: PWPL, Heritage Room
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Brian Hummel, Emergency Management Program Coordinator
Event Size: 40
Liaison:
The Emergency Management office of Marquette County is a central point of contact for a wide range of emergency management activities. Emergency management staff are dedicated to working with public offices to improve Marquette County’s preparedness and increase the ability to respond to emergencies of all types. Join Mr. Hummel to learn what plans are in place for handling emergencies and how you can prepare for an emergency before it happens.
503: Best Password Practices and How to Think Like a Hacker: Computer Series #1
Date/Time: Thursday, January 29, 1-3pm
Location: PWPL, Shiras Room
Cost: $8 Members, $13 Non-members
Presenter: Brian Maki, Maki Consultants
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Lisa Stasiuk, 906-361-1919, lisajstasiuk@gmail.com
Brian is back with us again, this time for a series of 4 classes that will address some of the most common and everyday issues confronting everyone in this digital age.
In the first half of this class, we’ll explore passwords; what they should contain and why, how often to change them, how do you manage and/or store them, and how to make them better and more secure?
In the second session, Brian will discuss hackers and how they operate, what they look for and our responses when we suspect fraud. In the words of Euripides: “Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing.”
Be sure to join us to learn some startling facts on these topics and more. Sign up for all 4 classes or just the ones you prefer.
504: Science 101: Understanding How Science Actually Works
Date/Time: Thursday, February 5, 4-5:30pm
Location: PWPL, Community Room
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Mike Stoolmiller, Professor, Michigan State University
Event Size: 70
Liaison: Lisa Stasiuk, 906-361-1919, lisajstasiuk@gmail.com
In this talk, we’ll explore how the process of how science is actually carried out, and it’s far more fascinating that the 8th grade textbook version we all learned in school. The goals of the talk, however, are practical and geared to help non-scientists ferret out and use high quality, peer-reviewed science to their advantage and avoid the pitfalls of popular media science, conflicted science, and science denial.
505: The Evolution of Underwater Search Technology
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 10, 1-3pm
Location: PWPL, Heritage Room
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Dan Fountain, Avid Diver and Author
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Lisa Stasiuk, 906-361-1919, lisajstasiuk@gmail.com
Dan Fountain is a diver and maritime historian with an avid interest in the rich and colorful history of the early Great Lakes shipping industry. He grew up in Ishpeming and spent his summers on the shores of Lake Superior. His first shipwreck “dive” took place at age eight – holding his breath and swimming down six feet to explore the scattered wreckage of the schooner George Sherman near the family camp off the lakeshore. For more than four decades, Dan has been diving, researching, and searching for shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. Dan is the author of ‘Michigan Gold and Silver: Mining in the Upper Peninsula’, is co-author with Frederick Stonehouse of ‘Dangerous Coast: Shipwrecks of the Pictured Rocks’, and has written for ‘Michigan History Magazine and Rocks and Minerals’. He serves on the Michigan Iron Industry Advisory Board and the Marquette Maritime Museum Board of Directors, and has also served as a guest lecturer aboard Great Lakes cruise ships.
Dan will explore the evolution of technologies used over the years to locate and explore underwater features; shipwrecks in particular. Dive techniques have gone from breath-holding free diving to computerized self-contained rebreathers. Methods of visualizing the bottom have evolved from casting the lead line to three-dimensional sonar. Underwater exploration now utilizes submersibles, remotely operated vehicles and autonomous underwater robots. The science of navigation has advanced from dead reckoning to the Global Positioning System. Every aspect of underwater technology has advanced tremendously, contributing to the rapidly increasing pace of shipwreck discoveries.
506: ‘My Brother and I’ – The Mayo Clinic Story, Part 1
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 10, & Thursday, February 12, 6:30-8:30pm
Location: NMU Superior Dome 101-B
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members. Since this class was cancelled last term by NCLL and then divided, attend one or both classes for the usual $5/$10 class fee.
Presenter: Carol Margrif, Longtime NCLL Member and Traveler
Event Size: 70
Liaison: Lisa Stasiuk, 906-361-1919, lisajstasiuk@gmail.com
This class will be presented in 2 parts: Tuesday the 10th will focus on the history and philosophy of the Mayo Clinic story and Thursday, the 12th, will focus on the role of art and architecture in the process of healing and treatment at the Mayo Clinic campuses.
The simple figure of speech, ‘my brother and I,’ reveals the values at the heart of the Mayo Clinic where teamwork and sharing diverse skills for a common goal is its’ essence. A power point presentation will take you on a historical trip as depicted in its’ two museums and various rooms at the Rochester, MN Mayo Clinic. Since its’ inception, Mayo has used art, architecture, and beauty in its surroundings to address the spiritual aspects of medical care. Carol spent 3 days delving into the philosophy of what makes Mayo the #1 medical facility in the country as she explored all the ‘nooks and crannies’ while waiting for her son’s appointments and procedures. If you’ve never been a patient there but know family and friends who have, and wondered what makes it special, this talk should answer that question. Spectacular artworks and physicians working together in the best interest of the patient is a winning combo. “If we excel at anything, it is our capacity for translating idealism into action.” Charles H. Mayo
507: Discovering Greenland Today
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 17, 2-3:30pm
Location: PWPL, Shiras Room
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: David Luoma, M.D.
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Boli Soderberg, 906-226-9450, mdsbgs2013@gmail.com
David and Jill Luoma travelled to Greenland for the summer solstice in 2025 after the U.S. resumed direct flights to the island. David will share stunning photographs and stories of Greenland’s history, culture and natural beauty, while reflecting on the many challenges and opportunities they encountered.
508: Drum Teachings
Date/Time: Thursday, February 19, 1-3pm
Location: PWPL, Heritage Room
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Jud Sojouner and Tyler Dettloff, Assoc. Profs for Native American Studies, NMU
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Sue Holliday, 906-235-8532, susanholliday83@gmail.com
Have you ever been curious about the history of Native American Drum Circles? Come and learn the ‘Grandfather’ drum’s history and gain a small understanding why drums are so important to Native American culture. Discover how drums were used and their rich meanings and interpretations. There will be a drum presentation and due to noise, we might have to move outside, so bring your winter gear!
509: Saving Data the Right Way and Digital Life After Death: Computer Series #2
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 24, 1-3pm
Location: PWPL, Shiras Room
Cost: $8 Members, $13 Non-members
Presenter: Brian Maki, Maki Consultants
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Lisa Stasiuk, 906-361-1919, lisajstasiuk@gmail.com
Data is defined as any raw information that consists of basic facts and figures. It can also include numerical data, images, coding, notes, and financial data like tax returns and bank account information. Saving data, is crucial because it is YOURS, a one-of-a-kind collection that serves as a digital snapshot of your life, but also because it protects against potential loss from various sources like hardware failure, accidental deletion, viruses, or theft. Let’s learn how to save data the right way!
In the next half of this session, we’ll address what happens to your data after you die. Like all great novels, the written word survives for generations, and your digital life is the same, although now, it is accessible and editable to millions of people all over the world! Everything we do online will NEVER be deleted! Think about this: the core of human experience will be defined by simple bits and bytes – stored data that no one can touch or feel. How will you be remembered? We’ll discuss practices and strategies to manage this particular aspect of living in our digital world.
510: Dahlia Flowers in Bloom
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 3, 2-5pm
Location: Hot Plate Pottery, 130 W Washington St, Suite L
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members plus $42 Studio and materials fee
Presenter: Melissa Sprout, Owner and Artist
Event Size: 15
Liaison: Sue Holliday, 906-235-8532, susanholliday83@gmail.com
A dahlia is a flowering plant from Central America and Mexico, known for its large, showy blooms that come in a vast array of shapes, sizes, and colors. We’ll learn how to make beautiful, clay, Dahlia flowers in this 3-hour presentation. Clay is a wonderful and forgiving medium to explore as we work through this learning process and watch as our Dahlia flowers emerge from our efforts. After painting your creation in many bright colors like the actual flowers, the pieces will be fired in the kiln. A $42 materials and studio fee are due to HotPlate on the day of the class.
511: Electronic Purchases: Are They Safe? And the Real Reason Junk Calls Will Never End: Computer Series #3
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 10, 1-3pm
Location: PWPL, Heritage Room
Cost: $8 Members, $13 Non-members
Presenter: Brian Maki, Maki Consultants
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Lisa Stasiuk, 906-361-1919, lisajstasiuk@gmail.com
Electronic Transactions are a way of making purchases without using cash and are completed online via the payer’s banking platform. Technologies like encryption, tokenization, and multi-factor authentication are crucial for safeguarding against cyberattacks and fraud attempts and designed to protect consumers and businesses from financial loss and data breaches. Learn how you can protect yourself while enjoying the benefits of E Transactions.
Answering the phone is now a tricky procedure. Is it a friend? Another junk call? A scammer? One in every four phone calls is a junk call! Can anything be done? Come learn what we can, and can’t do, about this intrusive and persistent problem.
512: Medical Missionary Work in American Somoa
Date/Time: Thursday, March 12, 3-4:30pm
Location: PWPL, Heritage
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-Members
Presenter: Dr. Robert Blotter, Orthopedic Surgeon and Tami Blotter
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Boli Soderberg, 9060226-9350, mdsbgs2013@gmail.com
The Blotter’s have recently returned to the states after having spent 2 years in American Somoa, a U.S. territory with a population of 46,765 that covers 7 south Pacific islands and is situated 2,200 miles southwest of Hawaii. They lived and worked as medical missionaries sponsored by the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Dr. Blotter is an orthopedic surgeon and performed many surgeries, especially knee surgeries. Come join us and hear of the successes and challenges they faced and what life is like on a remote, tropical island so different and far away from the U.P.
513: The Migratory Bird Act
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 17, 12-1:30pm
Location: Hardin Hall, Beaumier Center, NMU Campus
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Dan Truckey, Director of Beaumier Historic Center
Event Size: 25
Liaison: Sue Holliday, 906-235-8532, susanholliday83@gmail.com
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918 is a United States law that makes it illegal to harm, capture, or kill most native migratory birds, their parts, nests, or eggs without a permit. It was enacted to implement a 1916 treaty with Canada and now protects over 800 species. It was originally passed in response to drastic declines in bird populations due to overhunting for sport and for the plume trade.
Join us for a fascinating talk about the history and significance of the act and learn about the influence George Shiras and Teddy Roosevelt exercised to establish this law. Shiras and Roosevelt were the key players in preserving the lives of migratory birds over the last hundred years and much has been learned from their correspondence and relationship and their shared interest of migratory birds. Learn first-hand the challenges and triumphs of this act.
514: Brownfield Revisited: What Is This Anyway?
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 24, 1-3pm
Location: PWPL, Shiras Room
Cost: $5 Member, $10 Non-member
Presenter: P. David Allen, II, Brownfield Representative and Author
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Sue Holliday, 906-235-8532, susanholliday83@gmail.com
In this 2-hour presentation, David will tell us about Brownfield; what it is, what is involved, what it accomplishes, and answer the many questions you might have. Some of the construction and demolition in and around Marquette are the result of Brownfield incentives, that is, the restoration of contaminated and abandoned property, either personal or commercial, which effectuates increased property taxes and multipurpose land use. Learn about and have a say in Marquette’s development.
515: Ask A Computer Technician Anything!: Computer Series #4
Date/Time: Thursday, March 26, 1-3pm
Location: PWPL, Heritage Room
Cost: $8 Members, $13 Non-Members
Presenter: Brian Maki, Maki Consultants
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Lisa Stasiuk, 906-361-1919, lisajstasiuk@gmail.com
This is your chance to help solve all those annoying, nagging, and baffling problems you have with your devices! Whether it’s your laptop, phone, tablet, TV, or printer, Brian will help you find the answer. Bring your questions and devices, and in this group setting, so everyone can hear the issue and the solution, we’ll get to the bottom of the problem. Having a technician make a house call is a whole lot more costly, so take this opportunity to learn for yourself and take advantage of Brian’s expertise and knowledge!
516: Throwing Pot (not THC!!)
Date/Time: Tuesday, April 7, 2 sessions offered: 10am-12pm OR 1-3pm, (choose one)
Location: Hot Plate Pottery, 130 W Washington St, Suite L
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members plus $35 Studio and materials
Presenter: Melissa Sprout, Owner and Artist
Event Size: 8 per class
Liaison: Sue Holliday, 906-235-8532, susanholliday83@gmail.com
During this 2-hour session, you’ll learn the fundamentals of using clay on a potter’s wheel. Ample time will be given to design and throw various pots. Later, after drying, your piece will be fired in the kiln and ready for you to return and paint it. A $35 materials and studio fee will be due to HotPlate on class day.
517: A Taste of India
Date/Time: Friday, April 10, 11am-1:30pm
Location: Marquette Food Co-op Kitchen
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Amanda Latvala, Culinary Instructor
Event Size: 16
Liaison: Sue Holliday, 906-235-8532, susanholliday83@gmail.com
Indulge your senses with the rich aromas and tastes of the Punjab region of northern India. We’ll start by learning how to make paneer, the main ingredient in Mattar Paneer. Mattar Paneer is a vegetarian dish consisting of peas and paneer in a tomato-based sauce, spiced with garam masala. We’ll also learn how to make chapati. Chapati is a Hindi word meaning ‘slap’ because you slap the dough between your palms to form the shape of the flatbread, a simple mixture of flour, water and salt. Finally, our meal will be rounded off with making the perfect basmati rice! You can enjoy your culinary creation then or take your lunch home. (remember to bring a container) A class fee of $25 plus taxes is due by April 3. Go to https://events.humanitix.com/ncll-indian-cuisine to book your reservation and submit payment. Please be aware there are no drop-ins or cancellation refunds.
518: I’ve Forgotten That! – A Review of Aging, Mental Illness and Dementia
Date/Time: Tuesday, April 21, 12-2pm
Location: PWPL, Heritage Room
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Sara Vasquez, M.D., Psychology Phd
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Sue Holliday, 906-235-8532, susanholliday83@gmail.com
Forgetting things is a normal part of life and aging, but when does it cross over into something else and become a problem in everyday life? Dr. Sarah Vasquez will compare aging, mental illness, and dementia and will discuss the physiological causes occurring in the aging brain and answer your questions and concerns with the latest medical knowledge and research on this topic.
519: Christmas Markets on the Rhine River
Date/Time: Monday, April 27, 10am-12pm
Location: PWPL, Shiras Room
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Ruth Robb
Event Size: 40
Liaison: Carol Steinhaus, 906-458-5408, csteinha@nmu.edu
Take a trip down the Rhine River from Amsterdam to Basel exploring the Christmas markets along the way with Ruth Robb, longtime member of NCLL and adventuresome traveler. Ruth will have loads of stories, legends, and fairy tales accompanying the many photographs from this trip.
520: Tour of Longyear’s Able Medical Device Manufacturing Facility
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 29, 5:30-7:30pm
Location: Able Medical Devices, 2812 Beecher St., Marquette
Cost: $5 Members, $10 Non-members
Presenter: Jason Povey, Applications Manager for J.M. Longyear LLC
Event Size: 25
Liaison: Margi Licht-Mallo, 906-250-3883, mlichtmallo@charter.net
Able Medical Devices is an industry leader in contract manufacturing and development of medical devices. This state-of-the-art facility provides outsourcing for companies seeking first-class services from research, design, and development and manufacturing of medical devices, providing standard and complex instruments and implants to orthopedic, dental, spine, and cardiothoracic Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) partners. Come join us for this fascinating tour of the new facility in Marquette!