Boost small business

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BOOSTERS–l-r, Christina Lawrence, BCCOC Executive Director Roxanne Osga, Gail Koski and Shirley Johnson get the jump on Small Business Saturday shopping at the Baraga County Chamber of Commerce Nov. 30 with free totes, coupons and refreshments.

by Nancy Besonen
Small Business Saturday enjoyed a boost from the Baraga County Chamber of Commerce this holiday season. The Chamber welcomed Christmas shoppers from 9-12 Saturday, Nov. 30 with a  Special Shop Small Business promotion. Visitors were treated to coffee, cookies and donuts, then armed with a Shop Small Business tote and sheet of coupons redeemable at area businesses before making their rounds of town. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Beer coordinates CTC; L’Anse grad home to help

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BACK IN TOWN–After earning a political science at Michigan State L’Anse graduate Charles Beer returned home in August. He has recently been hired as the new coordinator for Communities That Care. The group promotes a safe, healthy supportive community.

by Barry Drue
After several years and a political science bachelors degree at Michigan State University, Charles Beer has returned to the area. He was recently hired as the new coordinator for Communities That Care. A L’Anse/Aura native, Beer graduated L’Anse High School in 2013. Since then he’s been in East Lansing. He earned a political science bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University. He has recently begun work to further his education seeking a masters degree in public administration with a specialization in public management. His future goal involves law school. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

KBOCC Criminal Justice offers great opportunities

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CONTRABAND CORNER–Lori Sherman, KBOCC President, and librarian and criminal justice instructor Joe Bouchard at the CJ contraband display of dangerous items that can be fashioned by inmates. With a 25-year career in criminal justice, Bouchard wrote a nationally recognized book on contraband. KBOCC is seeking more students interested in the field. The semester begins in January.

by Barry Drue

Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College’s Criminal Justice program has provided positive work opportunities for the 25 students who have completed the program since it launched in October, 2015. Now three retired career Michigan Department of Corrections employees are recruiting more students for the upcoming January, 2020, semester. The former MDOC employees who lead the KBOCC CJ program are Joe Bouchard, Bill Jondreau and Ralph Sackett. Together they bring a total of 75 years of corrections experience. Bouchard was a librarian at Baraga Max, and is now the librarian at KBOCC. Jondreau was a Resident Unit Manager and Assistant Deputy Warden. Sackett was a Resident Unit Officer. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Volunteers work on recovery residence

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AMBITIOUS PROJECT–A number of volunteers have come together for two years to restore the N. Main Street home that will be lived in by women in various forms of recovery. L-r are Joan Hill, Robbie Schultz and Dr. Harold Ripple, for whom the residence is named.

 

by Barry Drue
Work continues to renovate the historic home on N. Main Street across from the Lutheran church. The large home will become a substance recovery residence for about six to eight women. The residence will be operated and is owned by Great Lakes Recover Centers headquartered with administrative offices in Ishpeming. It will be known as the Ripple Recovery Residence due to the driving force for the project by retired MD Dr. Harold Ripple of Skanee. Many others have united behind the cause and volunteered to renovate the interior of the home over the past couple of years. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Hospital offering new imaging, wound care

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OPEN WOUND CENTER–Hospital staff and trainers opened an Advanced Wound Center Oct. 24. The service is for patients with wounds that won’t heal with conventional treatment. Until now local patients have been sent out of town for advanced wound care. L-r, Erica Roach, Bridget Case, Jeff Dauphinais, Paula Roth, Bonny Cotter, Paul Guindon and Mike Tucker.

 

by Barry Drue
Baraga County Memorial Hospital opened its Advanced Wound Center on Thursday morning, Oct. 24, 2019. Staff and consultants were on hand for training. The wound center will address patients’ wounds that do not readily heal. Conditions such as diabetes can lead to healing difficulties. “Patients have been traveling to Marquette and Houghton for wound care. This clinic will allow patients to have their wounds treated here,” said Bonny Cotter, Chief Nursing Officer. Some of the patients who require advanced wound care are residents of Bayside Village Nursing Home. BCMH Advanced Wound Care services will be available every Thursday. BCMH family practice physician Dr. Craig Vickstrom will oversee the program, with Nurse Practitioner Jeff Dauphinais evaluating and treating patients. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Water Walkers celebrate Nibi

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WATER IS LIFE GIVER–Water Walkers led by Anishinaabe Grandmothers complete a three-day walk from Copper Harbor to the Sand Point Lighthouse Monday afternoon. The traditional Native ceremony is intended to unite people and communities around the most precious natural resource, Nibi, or water. A ceremony was conducted at the lighthouse, preceeding a Native feast.

by Melissa Newland
Working together for Nibi (water), people from all ways of life joined in harmony for a three-day ‘The People of the Heart’ Water Walk ceremony. Hoping to raise public awareness and the importance of caring for the water, the journey took approximately 20 participating Water Walkers 90 miles along Gichi Gumee (Lake Superior). According to Kathleen Chose-Smith, habitat specialist for the Natural Resources Department, “The Water Walk is conducted through Anishinaabe ceremonial protocol and ways of understanding the natural environment.” Water Walks are focused and implemented on faith in a number of things, including faith in water spirits, faith in the earth, faith in humankind and faith in the power of love and bonding with people from all walks of life. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Howl-O-Scream haunted house helps fund arena

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Dedicated Howl-O-Scream volunteers Tim Usimaki, Polly Schaefer in ‘Doll Room’

by Barry Drue
The 11th version of the Halloween spook house “Howl-O-Scream” opened last weekend at Meadowbrook Arena, no doubt drawing screams from brave souls who worked their way through about 25 “rooms” of dimly lit spooky stuff. There’s the coffin room, the vet clinic, the jungle snake room, clown room, doll room and on and on. Howl-O-Scream runs this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19, and the following weekend, Oct. 25-26. Regular hours are from 7-10:30 p.m. The haunted house will be open this Friday, Oct. 18, beginning at 6 p.m. in conjunction with the downtown L’Anse “Boo on the Bay” trick or treat and Halloween event which runs from 4-6 p.m. It’s a good time for younger children to visit Howl and is more like a guided tour for them. For the full effect the older visitors should come at 8 p.m. until close at 10:30 Friday. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Tenth walk to end violence

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MEMORIAL WALK–KBIC community members, family and friends of Chelsey LaFernier walked in her memory on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019 to end domestic violence. The group started at the corner of Lyon and McGillan Street in Baraga, walking up M-38 and making their way to the Niiwin Akeaa Facility for a presentation and feast. This is the 10th anniversary of LaFernier’s death.

by Melissa Newland
The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), family members and friends again walked in memory of Chelsey LaFernier at the 10th annual Chelsey LaFernier Memorial Walk. Chelsey, a 23- year-old mother of two from Baraga, was killed in an act of domestic violence by her partner, Raymond Daniel-Kejuan Silas, 23, also of Baraga, on Jan. 22, 2009. As October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the annual event named for Chelsey has been held every October since her death. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

‘Pam Brogan Memorial Garden’ blessed at SHS

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GARDEN BLESSING–A landscape garden in memory of the late Pam Brogan was blessed and dedicated with the student body and staff on hand Monday. Fr. Corey Litzner, front right, conducts the blessing. Attending were daughters, l-r, Jennifer and Beth, Beth’s daughter Abigail and Pam’s husband Dennis. Rain held off just long enough. . .

by Barry Drue
Almost a year to the day following the death of Pam Brogan of L’Anse, her memorial garden landscaping at the entrance to her beloved Sacred Heart School was blessed and dedicated. Pam had worked as the school secretary for two years but her volunteer involvement with the Catholic school stretched for many years. On a very rainy Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, the entire student body, school staff and Pam’s husband Dennis, daughters Jennifer and  Beth and granddaughter Abigail gathered for the dedication and Fr. Corey Litzner’s blessing. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Community rallies for Sanregret; Improving from autoimmune disease

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SHARP SHOOTER–Taylor Sanregret shows off her Sharp Shooter award in the above picture. Taylor has been recovering from a medical condition called autoimmune encephalitis, which led to a prolonged hospital stay at Helen Devos Children’s Hospital.

by Melissa Newland
Taylor Sanregret, an active, athletic 15-year-old L’Anse youth, is now home and recovering from a battle with autoimmune encephalitis, but still has a ways to go to fight off the illness. But with family, friends and community members gathering around her, heading up fundraisers and sending up prayers, Taylor has had much support in her time of need. Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) refers to a group of conditions that occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy brain cells, leading to inflammation of the brain. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.