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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

by Melissa Newland
To continue to honor the memory and sacrifice of L’Anse hometown hero William Jarvey, the Jarvey family, with the help of Homestead Graphics in Baraga, worked together to have a new sign erected at the William Jarvey Memorial Field in L’Anse. William Charles Jarvey
was just 14 on that fateful day, July 18, 1966, when he lost his life trying to save two younger girls from drowning in L’Anse. For this life-saving event, he was awarded the Carnegie Hero award. According to the Carnegie Hero webpage, www.carnegiehero.org,
“William Charles Jarvey, 14, schoolboy, died attempting to save Jean M. Asikainen, 12, and Ruth M. Knapp, 10, from drowning. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.