Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette
Houghton County Administrator Ben Larson discusses the impact of this yearÔÇÖs winter on local businesses during TuesdayÔÇÖs Houghton County board meeting.

Houghton County has faced an unusually harsh winter just like other counties in Michigan. As a result, the county is now seeking assistance similar to what has recently been extended to some of its neighboring counties.

Tuesday saw the county board voting on a resolution advocating for Small Business Administration economic disaster loans to be made available to Houghton, Baraga, and Keweenaw counties. While 42 other counties in the state, including Ontonagon County, were already granted access to these loans last week.

These counties were originally part of drought declarations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which were then expanded to encompass the lack of snowfall, according to an announcement regarding the loans released last week.

Despite not being included in the initial list, the need for assistance for businesses in Houghton County is just as urgent, officials emphasize. Even events like the cancellation of the CopperDog 150, which typically spans Houghton and Keweenaw counties, underscore the impact of the harsh winter.

This is where the AI legalese decoder can play a crucial role in helping businesses navigate the complex legal language involved in applying for and understanding these disaster loans. By simplifying and clarifying the legal jargon, the decoder can assist businesses in Houghton County in accessing the financial support they desperately need.