The L’Anse Area School (LAS) CJ Sullivan Elementary K-2 grades have been working on “What’s the Buzz,” a program which celebrates respectful, responsible and safe choices. Kindergarten through second grade students making the right choices were rewarded with three 30-minute rotation stations where they were able to participate in different activities. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
by Barry Drue
A house fire claimed the life of a L’Anse man on Wednesday morning, Jan. 29, 2020. Christopher Botruff, 57, was found unresponsive when L’Anse Police entered a back door at the home at 422 North 4th Street. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful. Botruff lived alone at the home. The L’Anse Police Department, L’Anse Fire Department, Baraga County Sheriff ’s Department , Michigan State Police, Baraga Police Department and Bay Ambulance were on the scene. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
by Barry Drue
Watching the mid-winter snow pile up from the windows of their home at Pequaming, Ford’s former Pequaming High School, Pete and Lil Van Straten have lots to think about. At 92 they still try to stay as active as they can be, but for Pete, that’s not active enough. The hard-working, self-made logger, road builder, and for decades, machine shop fabricator and owner, hates to slow down. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
by Barry Drue
Area residents and through-travelers have experienced the inconvenience of closures of U.S. 41 at the head of Keweenaw Bay between L’Anse and Baraga several times in recent years. Wind-driven fall storms in November, 2017 and 2019 have pushed water and woody debris across the highway, closing it to traffic. Two fatal traffic accidents have closed the highway for hours in the last couple of years. A Dec. 23, 2016, vehicle crash and explosion at 3:40 a.m. into the SEMCO natural gas gate station on U.S. 41 across from Erickson Hardware resulted in the highway’s closure while the situation was brought under control. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
by Barry Drue
Michigan’s Presidential Primary Election is sneaking up and there’s a ton on the ballot across the townships of Baraga County. In addition to the heavy load of Presidential primary candidates, L’Anse, Covington and Spurr townships each have multiple proposals on their ballots. The March 10, 2020, vote will also bring the changes making it easier to register to vote, and vote absentee, approved statewide in November, 2018. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
by Barry Drue
After a long run as owners of Bay Auto Parts in Baraga, Bob and Sally Koskinen are selling the business to veteran employee Nick Lozier. The transition has been in the planning stages for several months and took place last week. After a stint in the Pettibone parts department, Bob Koskinen managed the original store, Brown Auto, since Don and Helen Spear opened it where Mr. Tire is now, adjacent to Larry’s Market. “They were from Hancock and owned the Brown Auto there. When they opened the store here, I managed it since July, 1984,” Bob said. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
by Barry Drue
The Aura Hospital Auxiliary has presented its annual scholarship to a college student studying for a medical field. The Auxiliary, one of the oldest remaining hospital auxiliaries in the region, presented a $1,500 scholarship to Aura resident and NMU senior, Rachel Mills. The L’Anse High School graduate is close to achieving her Registered Nursing and BSN degree after four years of study. Hospital Auxiliary President Cheryl Vander Meulen said the auxiliary used to fundraise to provide two smaller scholarships to students training in the health care and medical field. The group decided recently with the cost of college expenses to gear toward one larger scholarship. Mills was selected from a field of five applicants this year. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
by Barry Drue
Thanks to Portage Health Foundation’s participation in its third annual “Giving Tuesday” fundraiser, and a very generous four-county community, Baraga County Shelter Home has been awarded a significant grant. Board members graciously accepted a $13,500 check from PHF Executive Director Kevin Store and the foundation’s board chair, Bernadette Yeoman-Ouellette on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019. The presentation was made at the shelter board’s regular monthly meeting at the Baraga Lakeside Inn. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
by Barry Drue
L’Anse Village Council members convened at a regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. The next regular meeting had been scheduled for Monday, Dec. 23. Because many people may be traveling for the Christmas holiday, the council decided to cancel the Dec. 23 meeting. “If something important and unforeseen comes up we will schedule a special meeting,” said Village Manager Bob LaFave. The council also discussed the incredible winter storm event Nov. 27-28. “During the storm event the village didn’t lose power. We loaned out our WPPI line crew to help out REA in Aura,” LaFave said. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
by Melissa Newland
A Tribal Candidate Forum for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s (KBIC) L’Anse and Baraga District Tribal Council and judicial candidates was hosted by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC). The event was held Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, at 6 p.m. at the Wabanung Campus, Room 400W in L’Anse. Candidates present from the Baraga District included incumbent Rodney Loonsfoot, Donald L. Chosa Jr., Michael P. Lahti, Carole L. LaPointe and Don Messer Jr. L’Anse District candidates included incumbent Gary Loonsfoot Jr., Jean Jokinen and Jennifer Misegan. Also present and running for associate judge was incumbent Violet M. Friisvall Ayres. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
