Consider disbanding Covington Ambulance; ‘We’ve tried to enlist through advertising, the media, cajoling’

Tammy
-
0
BAY RESPONDS–Gary Wadaga, right, of Bay Ambulance in Baraga fields questions about Bay serving Covington Township in the future. L-r are Covington Township Board members Lisa Karcher, Amy Norback, Township Supervisor Lowella Eskel, Lisa Tarvainen, Laurie Ahola and Marvin Rajala of Covington Ambulance.

by Nancy Besonen
Covington Township Ambulance is in critical condition. The dedicated team of volunteers is still making its runs, serving its community and others in need. But the crew is finding it increasingly difficult to get the job done with only eight active members whose average age is 60. An informational meeting was held Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018 at the multi-purpose building on M-28 in  Covington to explain the ambulance’s plight to the public. The meeting attracted a small crowd from the Tri-Town area (Covington, Watton and Sidnaw) and area emergency medical service personnel. The Covington Township Board hosted the meeting to discuss the future of the service, to answer questions and address concerns. Marvin Rajala, an R.N. and paramedic with the Covington Ambulance Service, led the presentation. “We were established about 1974,” Rajala said. “Our first rig was a Pontiac, from Republic. I remember going on one run–it was awful to sit in! We always enjoyed good support from the township board, and funding. Our last ambulance was bought with a grant. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Raise awareness of human trafficking in UP; KBOCC hosting national speaker at Jan. 25 program

Tammy
-
0
Measuring up!–These young fishermen braved the bitter cold just like everyone else at the Otter Lake Sportsmen’s Club Fish Derby Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018–and they were rewarded. Blake Messer, back, and Brantley Heikkinen brought Blake’s northern pike to the fish derby measuring board. The fish went 25 5/8 inches and won second place in the Youth Division. Caiden Nutt took first in Youth with the biggest fish of the entire tournament, a 35 3/8-incher.

 

Human trafficking will be brought to attention in a series of events in the UP later this month. Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College will host a U.S. Department of Justice speaker and others on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018. Since 2007 943 human trafficking cases have been reported in Michigan. Law enforcement warns that human trafficking is highly under-reported. It is also closely tied to the trafficking of drugs, drug addiction and the opoid crisis. The Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force (UPHTTF) has recently been re-established. It has teamed together with the Department of Justice, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, several Upper Peninsula law enforcement agencies, and other local “experts” in the field to bring human  trafficking community awareness to the UP in a week-long event during Human Trafficking Awareness Month in January. Beginning Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, the group will host presentations across the UP at local colleges and universities.  To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Old game ranch fence coming down; Access for animals–and people–will be restored

Tammy
-
0
EXPENSIVE PROJECT–A Lower Michigan fencing contractor has been hired to remove the game fence on the former Buchan game ranch on Pt. Abbaye. The fence restricts animal movement. Eventually hunters and visitors will be welcome on the 1,245 acre property.

by Barry Drue

Work to remove eight miles of 10-foot tall fence at the former Huron Bay Lodge game ranch on Pt. Abbaye may begin soon, depending on winter conditions. The Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT) purchased the 1,245 acre parcel from John and Tamara Buchan and Thomas Buchan in November, 2015, with the aim of opening the forest and wetland area to the public and restoring key habitat. KLT is headquartered in Hancock. The purchase of the property was made possible as the land trust partnered with the Michigan DNR and was awarded a National Coastal Wetland conservation grant administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The property was appraised through a lengthy process at $1.365 million. KLT bought it for $1.1 million and the Buchans agreed to take $265,000 off the price and donate that amount as a match for the grant. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

L’Anse, Baraga fires during brutal cold

Tammy
-
0
TRAGIC HOLIDAY FIRES–Two homes were destroyed by fire within hours of each other on the night and morning of Dec. 29-30, 2017. L’Anse firefighters were called out about midnight to the home fire at the Jerry and Joan Bugni residence, top left, on Bayshore Drive in L’Anse. Later that morning Baraga FD was called to the fire at the Randy Lepola home on Railroad St. in Baraga. Both departments worked on both of the holiday weekend blazes.

by Barry Drue
L’Anse and Baraga firefighters had a busy and brutally cold stretch from late on the night of Friday, Dec. 29 to Saturday morning, Dec. 30, 2017, extinguishing two structure fires. Fires on both sides of the bay heavily damaged two homes. Temperatures were in single digits to below zero. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Busy year in the book!

Tammy
-
0
JOB FAIR–Sixty-five businesses, organizations and groups came out for the LHS job fair March 23, with students from both sides of the bay eagerly attending to explore future employment options.

by Nancy Besonen
If you were a Baraga County news maker during the first half of 2017, hello again. The L’Anse Sentinel annually welcomes the New Year with a look back at the one we just wrapped up. This week we’ll recap our biggest news stories from January through June. Next week we’ll revisit July through December, along with the first big news stories of the New Year. Hope you had a Happy Old Year. Now, read all about it! To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Proceed with ‘community solar’

Tammy
-
0
Frosty and friends in Baraga: L-r, Lindsay Hoff, Weston Nygord, Mark Gazlay, Gina Nygord, Frosty, Bella Jenkins and Paul Jenkins enjoyed the Baraga Village Christmas gathering held at the Baraga Village Office on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017. All present were treated to enjoyable weather, Baraga Fire Department fire truck rides, a visit with Santa, treat bags, a visit with Frosty the Snowman and sled dog rides.

by Barry Drue
A community solar project is deemed feasible for L’Anse following a Michigan Tech Social Sciences Department survey of local residents and an exhaustive review of the findings. An Executive Summary of the findings was presented at a public meeting at the L’Anse Area Schools cafetorium on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017. Community solar is a concept where a solar array could be built, in this case in the Lambert Road Industrial Park. Residential and commercial electric customers of L’Anse could buy shares in the project. Based on the shares they buy, the amount of solar energy produced and sold into the grid would be deducted from those customers’ village electric bill. People not participating would not be impacted on their bills. A community survey to determine interest in the project was sent out with September electric utility bills for L’Anse customers. The survey could also be completed online. The survey and analysis was done by Michigan Technological University’s Fall, 2017, Special Topics class focusing on community solar. The class is part of the MTU Social Sciences Department. Five graduate students analyzed the L’Anse  project. The project is part of a larger study by UPSTART, the UP Solar Technical Assistance Research Team. Among those involved are L’Anse electric provider WPPI, the Village of L’Anse, WUPPDR, and MTU. L’Anse Superintendent Susan Tollefson, Chamber of Commerce Director Debbie Stouffer, KBOCC President Debra Parrish and Village Manager Bob LaFave are involved. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

DNR clear cuts pines along Sand Point access

Tammy
-
0
IN THE CLEAR–The state has cut its 14 acres of stately mature red and white pine along the south side of the access road into the Ojibwa Campground, Sand Point and the marina/RV camping area. The sign with the Ojibwa Campground map and information was, until recently, surrounded by the towering stand of mixed pine and red oak. The DNR timber sale netted $27,600.

by Barry Drue
A modified clear cut with some remaining mature seed trees has taken place on state land along the Sand Point access road leading to the Native pow wow grounds, Sand Point lighthouse and marina/RV camping area. DNR forestry officials inventoried the 14 acre parcel of mixed pine that lies directly behind the DNR Field Station in the winter of 2015. The sale was awarded earlier in 2017 to Triest Forest Products for $27,600. Triest sub-contracted the harvest to Yoder of Pelkie who recently completed the logging. Don Mankee is the West UP District Manager for the DNR forestry division. He oversees management on 960,000 acres of state forest in 11 counties west of AuTrain. He commented on the local project from the Baraga DNR office on Friday. Mankee expects there will be some concerns as people discover the cut. The area remains surrounded by mature red and white pine on adjacent tribal land. “This is the most dramatic-looking thing we do in the woods. It’s a modified clear cut with a few scattered mature trees left as seed trees. The regeneration will be naturally occurring. It should bush out in about three years,” Mankee said. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Whitman to coach U.S. Luge Naturbahn Team

Tammy
-
0
IN UNIFORM–Keith Whitman shows his colors while sister, Fran, coaxes a smile from outside the camera range. Whitman will travel to Europe this Christmas to coach the U.S. Luge Naturbahn Team.

by Nancy Besonen
Keith Whitman will be flying high this Christmas, en route to Europe to coach the U.S. Luge Naturbahn Team as it trains and competes in Italy, Austria and St. Sebastian. And he gives the credit to a L’Anse High School coach. Whitman of Escanaba grew up in L’Anse, where his family owned and operated the Whirl-I-Gig bowling alley and dance hall. One of eight siblings, most all of them ranging to tall and lanky, he struggled with both coordination and others’ poor judgement. “A phys ed teacher told me I couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time,” Whitman said. “Teachers don’t understand the impact and influence they have on a young man or woman. Then Jim Mattson, the track coach, took me under his wing.” And Whitman, who had once driven his knee into his front teeth and required stitches from a assigned somersault, soared. “He told me, ‘I believe in you, I think you’re worth something, and I care about you,’” Whitman said. “He worked with me from my freshman through senior year. As a senior in 1969, I held the state record in the mile run.” Whitman was on the run again in the early 1980’s, this time exercising in the woods near Negaunee, when he met a man working on a luge run. The man invited him to come back and try out the track. Whitman returned, and a passion was born. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

L’Anse High finds its voice

Tammy
-
0

 

CHOIR COHORTS–Choir members are, back row l-r, Associate Director Courtney Jones, pianist Les Elmblad, Shelby Harrison, Tristyn Aleo, Kyle Usimaki, Logan LeClaire, Greg Dowd, Reeyce Fish, and Associate Director Carol Mattson. Front row l-r are Kayla Hoffman, Sienna Stein, Mikala Hererra, Maya Dove, Brianna Hoffman. Front and center is Alexis Aleo. The group will perform Sunday, Dec. 3.

by Melissa Newland

L’Anse Area School (LAS) has some new voices in its midst with the creation of the L’Anse High School (LHS) Choir, led by Associate Directors Courtney (Clisch) Jones and Carol Mattson, and accompanied on piano by Les Elmblad. Jones and Mattson, along with Elmblad, have had many years’ experience in the musical field and bring much knowledge to pass on to the students at LAS. LHS Choir students are Greg Dowd-Bass, Logan LeClaire- Bass, Kyle Usimaki- Bass, Donnie Paquette-Tenor, Tristyn Aleo-Alto, Shelby Harrison- Alto, Mikala Herrera- Alto, Hollynd Makela-Alto, Alexis Aleo-Alto/ Soprano, Maya Dove-Soprano, Reeyce Fish-Soprano, Brianna Hoffman-Soprano, Kayla Hoffman-Soprano, Sienna Stein-Soprano. According to Jones, the L’Anse High School Choir was created when a few musically-inclined students pushed for a new after-school program geared toward encouraging young adults to get together and increase their musical knowledge. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

‘Village 104 Collective’ a community effort; L’Anse independent artists collective puts talent on display

Tammy
-
0
L’ANSE COLLECTIVE–Area artists are sought for the newly opening collective to sell their unique products and projects. Welder Payne Chassen, left, and carver Keith Almli, right, are among those who have jumped in to the renovation of a storefront to serve as home for the collective.

by Barry Drue
“Building community” is the cornerstone of the Village 104 Collective on Main Street in L’Anse. And the artists’ collective has already involved a big community effort. “This is a collective of independent artists,” said Coordinator Payne Chassen, herself a multi-talented artist and welder. Her L’Anse-based metal fabrication business is called Peninsula Hotworks. “We have a lot of talented people and we’re trying to pull them out of the woodwork and give them a place to sell the beautiful things they make.” The ten or twelve vendors already on board have volunteered their time as the collective in the old Sunshine Cafe storefront has taken shape over the past three months or so. Organizers are also very appreciative of support from the Village of L’Anse and a $2,500 Downtown Development Authority facade grant to spruce up the front of the building. It is owned by Alyn Bell who is investing in properties here since discovering L’Anse through his property manager, Pennie Halpin. “This is a bay front village. We’re trying to build commerce,” Halpin added. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

1...343536...52Page 35 of 52