Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

ESCANABA -- Governor Granholm made her final appearance as Governor at the U.P. State Fair Friday afternoon.  She feels both the fair's and the state's future look bright.

At her final Governor's Luncheon, Governor Granholm praised the community for its support in keeping Michigan's only state fair going.  The fair was cut out of the state's budget last year, but Granholm says because of the U.P's "take charge" attitude...it's now here to stay.

"It's an example of the creativity and the community support and the resilience of the U.P.," explained Granholm.  "So congratulations, and I'm glad that it happened while I was still able to see it as Governor."

But will this fair remain Michigan's only fair?  Granholm says she's still not sure.

"The downstate state fair, you know, there are still a lot of questions about what's going to happen, if it's going to happen, but there just wasn't the same sense of determination from the outset," Granholm said.

But besides the fair's future, Granholm told those in attendance, Michigan needs to continue to diversify its economy to get back on its feet.  And she says the state's showing potential, especially in the U.P.

"The U.P., with its great resource base and its talented universities, the talent coming from those universities really can focus on clean energy or on defense manufacturing," Granholm said.  "You see what EMP is doing, Oldenburg; when I was in Kingsford yesterday, they have an element of defense."

Granholm was headed to Manistique after the fair, and then up to Sault Ste. Marie.  After that, she planned to head back downstate.