HONORING VETS–L’Anse Area Schools students and staff honored veterans on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, Veterans Day. Two guests in attendance were SSG Luis Canedo and SSG Charles Morris that came from the Army Recruitment Office in Houghton. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
FIRE SAFETY–Staff and students at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College’s (KBOCC) Little Eagles (Migiziinsag) Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) were excited to welcome the L’Anse Fire Department (LFD) crew members and their equipment when they stopped in for an educational visit in October. Following a presentation, students had the opportunity to view the fire truck up close, where crew members described the various tools and hoses used to fight fires, explaining how each piece of equipment works.by Melissa Newland
You’re never too young to learn about fire safety and staff and students at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College’s (KBOCC) Little Eagles (Migiziinsag) Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) were excited to welcome the L’Anse Fire Department (LFD) crew
members and their equipment when they stopped in for an educational visit in October.
“The L’Anse Fire Department brought along their fire truck and a variety of equipment to teach students about fire safety and the important work firefighters do in our community,” said KBOCC Little Eagles GSRP Director/Teacher Kim Swanson. Swanson noted the day
started with an engaging presentation where firefighters discussed the essential principles of fire safety and emphasized the importance of having a fire escape plan at home. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
FOREST FIRE–The United States Forest Service reported over the weekend the Summit Lake fire is burning in a remote and rugged forested area of the McCormick Wilderness consisting of both hardwood and conifer ecosystems. (Fire courtesy of the United States Forest Service.)by John Raffel
Shanelle Saunders, Acting Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Forest Service, provided Summit Lake fire update on Friday. “A mapping flight over the fire yesterday afternoon enabled a more accurate size assessment which is estimated to encompass 304 acres within the McCormick Wilderness,” the update stated. “Fire growth occurred days before the rains that were received on October 23. A flight to estimate the area had not been available until the afternoon of October 24. Even with yesterday’s dry weather there was no indication of additional fire growth. Rain was received overnight. At this time, there are no
threatened structures.” To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
SPARC CREW– Michigan Technological University (MTU) Atmospheric Meteorology students under the direction of Dr. Judith Perlinger, a professor of environmental engineering at MTU, were on hand giving tours of the SPARC trailer and accompanying equipment on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Meadowbrook Arena in L’Anse. MTU crew and those visiting the demonstration early Saturday morning included (l-r) Jaxson Blondeau, Allison Mercure, MTU crew members Shawn Brueshaber, Dan Koshar, James Simmons, Tommy Pavell, Hayden Henderson, Dr. Judith Perlinger, Sandeep Chaudhry, and Geeta Nain, as well as community member Elicka Schjoth.by Melissa Newland
To help study and characterize the atmospheric structure of the Keweenaw, scientists and students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Michigan Technological University (MTU) teamed up to bring specialized equipment in the form of a SPARC trailer to the Meadowbrook Arena in L’Anse and held an open house. The open house was held Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and community members attended to see what it was all about. The SPARC trailer coincides with a four-year EPA research project which
began July 2023. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
Longtime coach Jerry Bugni looks through a scrapbook of memories during a recent season.by John Raffel
He was a local legend as a L’Anse High School coach. Administrators, former coaches and former players fondly recall Jerry Bugni who passed away on Oct. 7. Bugni coached sports
for 55 years including football, basketball and track and was a former Athletic Director. He was a member of the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame and Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
BANNER WALK–Walk participants were led by a special Domestic Violence Month banner. The walk is to honor the memory of Chelsey LaFernier who lost her life to domestic violence in January 2009.by Tammy Gadbury
Saturday was a beautiful day for the 15th annual Domestic Violence Walk honoring the memory of Chelsey LaFernier. LaFernier, a 23-year-old KBIC Tribal member and mother of two, lost her life to domestic violence in Jan 2009. Eighty participants were greeted with a welcome from Tribal President Doreen Blaker and a number by the Summer Cloud Singers. A large banner that read October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month carried
by two young women led the walkers down the road. Walkers traveled down Lyons Street in Baraga and through the neighborhood ending up at the Niiwin Akeaa Center Gymnasium where participants were greeted with more drumming, a feast, and raffles. Volunteers spent hours collecting donations for a raffle, including artwork, gift cards, small kitchen appliances, and tools. There was also a 50/50 raffle to raise money for Domestic Violence victims. Speakers this year included Vicki Dowd and Rhea Joseph who bravely shared their experiences with the crowd. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
FIRST TRIP TO U.S.–Vanesa Adamcova, left, hales from Slovakia, is in eleventh grade and noted this is her first trip to the United States. Shown with Adamcova is Lauren Lachen, regional administrator for ICES and English teacher at LAS.by Melissa Newland
Wanting to discover a different culture, be more independent, and work on English skills; these are just some of the reasons why four teens decided to enroll in the International
Cultural Exchange Services (ICES) program which brought them to the UP. ICES is an international nonprofit student academic and exchange organization that according to its website, www.icesusa.org, “is dedicated to promoting a peaceful world by increasing international awareness and cultural understanding.” The foreign exchange students have traveled from Italy, Slovakia, and Spain and are finding their groove at L’Anse Area
School (LAS), being welcomed by administrators, staff and their host families. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
TAILGATING–Kasey Koski, who was selected as the first artist to participate in the Keweenaw National Historical Park’s (NHP) Commissioned Artist Program. She is pictured here working from the tailgate at the Dry House last week.by Melissa Newland
To bring back the presence of mine workers and their families to the historical landscape of the Copper Country through art, Baraga County native Kasey Koski has returned to her UP roots to bring her visual representation through four steel silhouettes to the public and host several events. Koski is the first artist to participate in the Keweenaw National Historical Park’s (NHP) Commissioned Artist Program and was selected for the project by the NHP, Keweenaw NHP Advisory Commission, and Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks
Association (IRKPA) after she decided to submit a proposal. Funding for the project was made possible through multiple sources, with the largest portion coming from the Keweenaw NHP Advisory Commission. “Sometimes, when a call comes along and the vision is strong, you can’t just ignore what you see. This call was like that,” said Koski. “I discovered the call four days before its deadline. I couldn’t stop thinking about it for the next two days. On day three, I started to write. I wrote until I couldn’t find any other things to say. I edited and re-organized and shaped the text into the desired format as
best I could. And then I held my breath and hit the send button.” To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER–Jordan Toma recently visited L’Anse Area School where he spoke to both L’Anse and Baraga Area School students on how to ‘Make your struggle your strength.’ Toma is a 35-year-old motivational speaker who let students know they could accomplish anything they set their mind to, no matter what. The event was brought to the students by Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Promise Neighborhoods grant.by Melissa Newland
“Make your struggle your strength,” was the message Jr/Sr high school students of L’Anse (LAS) and Baraga Area School (BAS) received last week during an assembly where they welcomed Jordan Toma, a 35-year-old motivational speaker. The event was brought to LAS,
where both schools participated Wednesday, Sept. 11, by Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Promise Neighborhoods grant. “From a young student dealing
with learning disabilities and feeling helpless to parents and a system that I thought didn’t understand me and could not help me, I never felt I was good enough for anything, not good enough to become something,” said Toma. “I always felt I would amount to very little, however, I have achieved success in my life. I have made it my life goal to share everything I did to change my life from what I thought it would be to what I have become.” To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
LAS SUPERINTENDENT–Introducing the Davidson’s, Christopher with wife Jen and sons (l-r) Kieran, Kayden, Keegan, and Kamdyn. Davidson is looking forward to new challenges and building positive relationships with staff and students in the years to come.by Melissa Newland
Transitioning into his role as the L’Anse Area School (LAS) Superintendent, Christopher Davidson is looking forward to new challenges and building positive relationships with staff and students in the years to come. “I am looking forward to the new challenges that come with being a new superintendent to the district,” said Davidson. “Every district has its unique culture, traditions, strengths, and needs. I am anxious to learn all these aspects of LAS so that I can work with the great staff and students that are already here to tackle the
challenges that come with being the superintendent.” New relationships will also be formed with his new position, to which he stated, “I look forward to the new relationships that come with working in a new school district. Although I’ve had a connection to the L’Anse area since meeting my wife, Jennifer, there are many people that work for the district that I do not know. So, I am excited to meet and start building relationships with the staff and students of LAS.” To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
