by Matthew Jay Fish Thunder rumbled and rain fell but the festivities continued without a hitch. Early morning rainstorms on Friday sent people scrambling for cover, but American patriotism burned hot. The Lumberjack Days festivities kicked off with the gates opening at 6:30 p.m. on July 3rd. This was followed by the introduction of the honorees where Mike Roberts (Military Escort), Carole Lapointe (Grand Marshall), Jonah Dakota (Prince) and Alice Picard (Princess) were introduced. Then the attendees hit the street to party like its 1999 with DJ Express at the street dance. The event re-opened the following day for registration at 7 a.m. for the 5k Fun Run which started at 8 a.m. While the 5k was starting a delicious pancake breakfast was hosted by the Baraga Lions club, at the Baraga schools. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

by Matthew Jay Fish The Ojibwa Camp ground was a buzz with laughter and excitement where over two hundred kids gathered to go fishing. The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community hosted a kid’s fishing day on Saturday, July 28, 2025, from 9 a.m. to noon with the sponsorship and assistance of Baraga County Promise Neighborhood, Calumet/Keweenaw Sportsman’s Club and the Keweenaw National Historical Park. There were also major donations by KBOCC. The event registered nearly two hundred and fifty kids and was host to a wide variety of different games and prize-winning opportunities. Each registered kid got a free fishing pole, tackle box, and tackle. There was of course, plenty of different fish to catch as well. A large pool near the registration table held rainbow trout that kids could try their hand at catching. If they wanted a more realistic experience the shoreline of Lake Superior was nearby as well as a pond where kids were catching bullheads and grass carp. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

by Melissa Newland Each year, Bay Ambulance hosts Camp 911, an educational program tailored for fifth and sixth-grade students from local schools. This year marked the 25th annual event, which once again provided children with an engaging and practical introduction to emergency services. The program is conducted over two days and allows participants to immerse themselves in hands-on activities, demonstrations, and learning experiences designed to inspire and inform. Director Gary Wadaga explained that the camp serves three vital purposes: educating participants on injury prevention techniques, teaching essential life-saving skills such as CPR and bleeding control methods, and sparking early interest in emergency service careers or volunteer opportunities. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

by Melissa Newland A joyous ceremony was held last week to celebrate the graduation of 45 seniors and families, friends, and members of the community gathered in the L’Anse Area School gymnasium to honor the achievements of the L’Anse High School (LHS) graduating class of 2025. The evening began Thursday, May 29, 2025, at 7 p.m. with remarks welcoming  from Lisa Cichosz, the high school principal. Reflecting on her unique connection to the students, Cichosz noted, “Today is a day filled with pride, joy and reflection. After all, this was my first fourth grade class. Graduation is more than just the end of a chapter; it is a powerful milestone that marks the beginning of a journey. Today is a reminder that every step forward is built on courage, commitment and the support around us.” To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

by Melissa Newland The Baraga Area School (BAS) gymnasium was filled with joy, pride, and anticipation as administration, faculty, staff, family, friends, and community members gathered to attend the 134th Annual Commencement ceremony for the graduating class of 2025. This memorable evening took place on Friday, May 23, 2025, and honored the accomplish ments of 15 Baraga High School (BHS) seniors and 8 Baraga Area Community Schools (BACS) students as they transitioned from high school graduates to the builders of their future. The event began with a processional as the graduates confidently walked into the gymnasium to the iconic strains of “Pomp and Circumstance,” performed with precision by the Baraga High School Band. This was followed by a solemn tribute to honor the students and a performance of the Honor Song by Summer Cloud, encapsulating the pride and cultural essence of the evening. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

by John Raffel Heavy and quick rainfall in the county last week resulted in flooding, road closures and heavy destruction to the area, which have various types of impact for quite some time. Some business were forced to close for either a few hours or perhaps a few days depending on the location and circumstances. The Baraga County Road Commission made the following posting late last week outlining various closures. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Baraga Area School elementary students celebrated music last week on Friday, May 9, as family and friends were treated to a Spring Concert in the Baraga School gymnasium. For the last song, students sang “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, a song by John Denver, for retiring teacher Kathi Warner. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.  

by Melissa Newland The air was humming with excitement and pride as administration, faculty, staff, family, friends, and community members gathered to celebrate the 2025 graduates of the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC) on Friday. The Honors and Commencement Ceremony was held May 2, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Niiwin Akeea Center gym in Baraga and began with the processional by Summer Cloud, whose drumbeat brought the audience members to their collective feet. It also brought forth the posting of the Colors by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Honor Guard followed by the 17 graduates wearing signature red caps and gowns, taking their place amongst the largest graduating class yet from KBOCC. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.