State data Friday showed 15 more confirmed COVID-19 positives in Dickinson County and eight in Iron County since Wednesday.

Across the border, Wisconsin data listed 66 new confirmed coronavirus cases in Marinette County in a single day, capping a week that saw the county record 228 more positives since Monday.

Figures on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services coronavirus website Friday indicated 279 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Upper Peninsula since Wednesday: 60 in Marquette County; 58 in Houghton County; 32 in Delta County; 26 in Baraga County; 16 in Chippewa County; 15 in Dickinson County; 13 in Menominee and Ontonagon counties; eight in Schoolcraft, Iron and Mackinac counties; seven in Alger and Gogebic counties; five in Keweenaw County; and three in Luce County.

Using only the MDHHS numbers, the Upper Peninsula as of Friday has had 29,204 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 534 deaths.

Across the U.P., the MDHHS data Friday had Keweenaw County at 241 confirmed cases and 36 probable, and four confirmed deaths and one probable death; Luce County, 366 confirmed cases and 392 probable, four confirmed deaths and one probable death; Alger County, 569 confirmed, 305 probable and four deaths, five probable; Ontonagon County, 576 confirmed, 73 probable and 21 deaths, one probable; Schoolcraft County, 635 confirmed cases and 227 probable, four deaths and one probable; Mackinac County, 891 confirmed cases and 444 probable, 11 deaths and one probable; Baraga County, 1,065 confirmed cases, 175 probable and 44 deaths, two probable; Iron County, 1,357 confirmed cases and 129 probable, 47 deaths and 11 probable; the U.P. not to pass its referendum and knowing the level of emotion right now, I’d say that was the biggest difference.”

But Norway Families for Freedom members are not taking credit for the defeat of the ballot proposal.

“Our vote had absolutely nothing to do with the mask mandate,” said Saunja Morgan, one of the administrators for the group’s Facebook page, which has more than 460 followers. “Instead, it had everything to do with how the money itself has been budgeted in the last year.

“NVAS’ yearly budget and income is all available online. There were many people who were posting it,” Morgan added. “I know many, including myself, who saw that the budget in the last year was met poorly. So, the fact that they were asking for a 2.0 millage just seemed outrageous. This is why we decided to vote in the way we did. It had nothing to do with the mandate.”

Sarah Lake, another of the group’s leaders, agreed.

“That proposal has failed several times,” Lake said. “Our group wasn’t even started when it had failed in previous years. You know why it failed? It failed because there is mistrust in our public institutions. It’s as simple as that.”

While the reason for Tuesday’s loss might still be up for debate, it’s clear to school officials they need to find other options for projects they had hoped to finance through the sinking fund. That included adding new energy-efficient boilers, upgrading heating and heat control systems, installing new hallway lockers at the middle and high school, doing concrete and parking lot repairs and creating Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant access points to the middle school and board entrances.

“I saw several other districts pass bonds or sinking funds, which means Yoopers support their school districts,” Heigl said. “District decisions have impacts and that will surface at the ballot. It’s the board’s job to take a hard look at ‘why.’

“The board must regroup and look for solutions to the problems — without that additional funding,” he added. “The facility needs improvements and we have to find a way.”

The board will have its monthly meeting Wednesday. Steigerwald said he’s unsure of what the next step would be.

“I do not know,” Steigerwald said. “One of the items we have planned to use recent federal dollars for was the maintenance of all of our programs.

“We have a lot of options for kids relative to the size of our district. We will have to balance programming and building needs. Some things that should be improved or replaced will not happen,” the superintendent said.