INVESTMENTS IN MARQUETTE COUNTY renewaFUEL, LLC, a subsidiary of Cliffs Natural Resources, Inc., announced that Cliff’s board of directors has approved a plan for the construction and operation of a next-generation biomass fuel production facility at the Telkite Technology Park located at Sawyer Airport near Marquette, Michigan. renewaFUEL intends to move forward with a lease agreement for the use of two large aircraft hangers, which formally housed B-52 aircraft when the facility was part of K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base. renewaFUEL’s lease of the hangars is subject to the final approval of the Marquette County Board of Commissioners and the Federal Aviation Administration. Once begun, construction and renovation at the facility, a $19 million capital project, is expected to take approximately nine months. “We are please to be able to begin the necessary renovations and equipment installations to commence operations at the Sawyer location,” said William A. Brake, chairman of renewaFUEL and executive vice president, human and technical resources for Cliffs Natural Resources. “This is an exciting new economic development opportunity for renewaFuel and Michigan’s growing renewable energy industry.” The plant is expected to employ approximately 25 people and will produce 150,000 tons per year of high-energy, low emission biofuel cubes. The cubes are a composite of sustainably collected wood and agricultural feedstocks, which will be supplied from local farmers and loggers for the facility. “Our objective with this first full-scale plant is to establish safe, profitable production and demonstrate to utilities and other industries currently using non-renewable energy sources that renewaFuel energy cubes are a cost-effective way to supplement or replace fossil fuels in their operations,” Brake said, “We anticipate being in production at the Sawyer facility by the middle of 2010.” The biofuel cubes—about the size of a coal briquette—generate about the same amount of energy as coal from the Western United States. However, they emit 90 percent less sulfur dioxide, 35 percent less particulate matter and 30 percent less acid gases than coal. In addition, the feedstocks used to create them are considered biogenic carbon—meaning they are already part of the natural carbon balance and will not add to the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. renewaFuel will be able to aggregate the multiple feedstocks and engineer energy cubes to meet exacting specifications of individual customers. Because of their size and density, the cubes can be used in most solid fuel systems with little or no modifications required.  New Bell Hospital Facility -Completion Fall 2008 The new hospital will be located just off of U.S. Highway 41 East in Ishpeming, about 1/4 mile behind the Jubilee Grocery Store, on a 35-acre parcel of property that was generously donated to the Bell Foundation for the project.  The Hospital Board and administration developed a design-build plan including Hobbs and Black Architects and Boldt Construction. The hospital will be 102,427 square feet, with the attached 44,244 square foot medical office building being home to a number of Bell Physicians.  Included in the vast line of technology will be Bell's state of the art GE LightSpeed CT Scanner, their Mobile MRI, and their mobile Lithotripter.  The Hospital will be lilcensed for 25 beds, 21 being located in rpivate rooms, plus 4 labor and delivery (LDRP) beds. All departments will be located within steps of each other with a main hallway, with the primary focus being on patient convenience.  Construction should be complete by Fall 2008.  To finance theproject, Bell Administration has secured a letter of credit backed by Michigan tax-exempt bonds.  Bell Memorial Hospital Foundation continues to work toward their new facility and physician clinic.  The new location will be U.S. 41 West, next to Jubilee Foods in Ishpeming.  There are hopes of a ground breaking in July of this year with construction to immediately follow and an expected completion date of September 2009. The 35-acre site was provided by an anonymous donor.  The new hospital will be a unique, 125,000 square foot, single level structure with a great location right on the highway.  There will be easy access to timely and convenient healthcare with new modern facilities and equipment.  The new 25 bed facility will service over 100 physicians and 380 professional employees.  The $37,000,000 project will be a boost to the West End and the economy of the entire County.  Greg Perttula the Chief Financial Officer for Bell Memorial Hospital said, “Every building has a life and it serves its purpose.  This hospital is 90 years old and has served its purpose.  It is economically more feasible to build a new hospital.” Bell Hospital officials approached the Economic Development Corporation of Marquette County (EDC) Board of Directors requesting the authorization of a $36,000,000 bond issue to assist in the construction of the new hospital. The EDC is pleased to have had an opportunity to help throughout the process.  Perttula stated, “We owe a lot to them (EDC), they have made my life a whole lot easier.  We really appreciate all of the exceptional help.  The process with the EDC was smooth and simple.”                When asked why they chose the EDC to help, Perttula responded, “Given that the EDC was there to help stimulate growth, has a great infrastructure and was set up and available for use, there was no question that we would go with them.  For us it was the simple authority, the familiarity, the enthusiasm and the willingness that guided us their way.  The EDC team made it a painless process.  EDC attorney Dan Mead was also there to answer any questions.  He knew all of the legalities and walked us through the whole process.  One word comes to mind…incomparable.  Where would the project be without the EDC?”   This process has only enhanced the partnership between the hospital and the EDC.  Perttula already has future plans to work with the EDC.i For more information about the new hospital and to view an animated tour of the hospital plans, please visit: www.foundationbell.org. Superior Extrusion Expands Superior Extrusion, Inc.  and the Lake Superior Community Partnership recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the ground breaking ceremony of its upcoming expansion.  Superior Extrusion, Inc. (SEI), of Gwinn, Michigan, which is located in the heart of Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula just (20) miles south of Marquette and adjacent to Sawyer International Airport, is expanding and tripling its aluminum extrusion capacity! This will be a multi-million dollar expansion at K.I. Sawyer that will add more than 50 jobs within the next five years.  The building expansion will give the SEI facility more than 100,000 square feet. SEI is in the process of upgrading and installing a 2500 – Ton, Youngstown Press with a (9)” diameter billet capacity.  Auxiliary equipment for the expansion includes, a new hot log saw, new puller, stretcher, new finish saw and new age oven.  All equipment being purchased and installed is either new or completely upgraded and refurbished, thus providing “state of the art” process control. The 2500 – Ton, Youngstown (9)” press will be supplemented by the existing 1650 – Ton, Farrel (7”) diameter capacity press.  SEI’s (7)” press has been operational for ten years and has serviced many customers throughout the U. S. and Canada. With the new building addition, SEI’s total production facility will exceed 100,000 square feet. The new equipment allows SEI to extrude larger shapes and will greatly increase the product offering to customers and prospects throughout North America.  SEI currently serves several industries including, Commercial Architectural, Truck and Automotive Accessory, Distribution, Marine and various O.E.M. businesses. SEI, which was founded in 1998, and currently employs 68 people, prides itself on unmatched customer service, superior quality, exceptionally competitive pricing, and on time, complete & correct delivery.  They have an extensive list of standard dies to choose from and can work with you in designing and providing custom tooling as well. The expansion project is scheduled to be completed and operational by the end of 2008.