AN INSPIRATION–Taten Hammerberg with his dad, Jim. This photo appeared in a December, 2013 L’Anse Sentinel story about Taten’s battle with Osteosarcoma, a bone cancer that claimed his life on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, Taten’s cancer was diagnosed in April, 2013, and he remained as active and happy as he possibly could be through his ordeal.
by Barry Drue
Ten year-old Taten Hammerberg passed away peacefully at a hospice facility near his home in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, on Feb. 2, 2016. Taten is the son of former Baraga resident Jim Hammerberg and Marnie Holditch. He is the grandson of Ken and Nancy Hammerberg of Baraga. Taten was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in April, 2013. He endured the loss of his lower leg, repeated trips to Toronto and Sudbury for chemotherapy, and illness, never losing his love for life, his family, classmates and of course, sports. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
DUST CONTROL–Blue tarps were used at Warden in an effort to control fugitive dust that has been reported as a hazard to the Department of Environmental Quality by area citizens.
by Barry Drue
Negotiations for resolution of an emissions violation and ultimately, a Renewable Operating Permit, between the Department of Environmental Quality and the L’Anse Warden Electric Co. (LWEC) will continue shortly in Lansing with an Enforcement Meeting that has been scheduled. The L’Anse biomass electric generator remains officially out of compliance with its permitted emissions, based on hydrogen chloride emissions beyond the permit
level. A stack test in September, 2015, revealed the excessive HCl emissions. Warden CEO Steve Walsh notified DEQ that a test conducted in early November showed the plant met permitted levels of HCl emissions. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
Swishin’ and spittin’–Students in Rachel Cox’s third grade class at C.J. Sullivan school in L’Anse take their dental care very seriously, exhibited by their winning form in the school’s fluoride program. The program is offered free of charge this year thanks to a grant from the Delta Dental Foundation. Students pictured above, l-r, are Emmy Mensch, Tessa Lanczy, Brooklyn Dompier and David Roy.
by Nancy Besonen
Free fluoride treatments administered by the Health Occupations II class are giving students plenty to smile about at L’Anse Area Schools (LAS). A grant from the Delta Dental Foundation is covering the cost of fluoride treatments for elementary school students throughout the UP this year and next. At L’Anse, the high school Health Occupations II class is enjoying the added benefit of valuable hands-on experience by working with participants. Intro to Health Occupations and Health Occupations II are geared for students interested in a career in the health field. They’re taught by LAS Nurse and HOSA Advisor Laura Schneider, who has administered the fluoride treatment in the schools for over 20 years, now with help from her students. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
L’Anse High School students, l-r, Zaza Edwards, Brooklynn Gleason and Gracie LaFernier are adding finishing touches to postcards soon to be on their way to Mt. Pleasant. The L’Anse library is in the running with four others in the Lower Peninsula to have their community’s historic newspapers digitized through a Michigan Digital Newspaper Grant contest. The community that sends the most post card or on-line votes will win and have their historic newspapers digitized at no cost. The L’Anse library’s collection of L’Anse Sentinels dates back to 1890.
The 2016 Michigan Digital Newspaper Grant Contest winner is decided by a voting process. The community collecting the most votes for its library will be declared the winner. The voting process can be done two ways: on-line and by mail. On-line voting will take place on Twitter. The tweet is #DigLAnse. You can Tweet as many times as you want, but if votes are done using an automated program they will be disqualified. Voting began on Tuesday, Jan. 19, and ends at midnight on Jan. 26. Voting by mail is done by postcards. Each postcard is worth 10 on-line votes. Postcards must feature a Michigan image, and in the message area putting #DigLAnse will place your vote. You can mail as many postcards as you like, but each postcard must be individually mailed. Postcards sent in bulk will be disqualified, with the exception of unique handmade postcards made as a class or library project. Postcards must arrive at the Clarke Historical Library by Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 5 pm. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
SWEARING IN–The KBIC tribal council conducted its annual reorganization meeting Saturday, Jan, 9, 2016. Three incumbents, l-r, Susan LaFernier, Warren “Chris” Swartz, Jennifer Misegan, and one new member–Fred Dakota, r, were sworn in by council secretary Toni Minton, far left.
by Chris Ford
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Tribal Council President Warren “Chris” Swartz, and the rest of the council’s executive council, were reappointed for another year at the group’s Jan. 9, 2016, regular council meeting. For the first time in recent memory, there were no challenges for the various executive council seats although there was a change in who filled them. Swartz remains at his post as does Jennifer Misegan as vice-president. For the past year, councilwomen Toni Minton and Susan LaFernier served as secretary and assistant secretary respectively. At Saturday’s meeting, the two switched positions. Swartz explained this was done as LaFernier works in the tribal center while Minton does not. The move was made to facilitate council business as it is easier for LaFernier to directly deal with any issues that may arise. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
PRESERVING PT. ABBAYE–The outline of the Buchan game ranch fence seen from the air and photographed by DNR pilot Neil Harri. The Buchan family has just sold the 1,245 acre parcel to the Keweenaw Land Trust to remain undeveloped and wild. Three other important wild parcels are also involved. Detractors of the effort to preserve wild lands note that KLT will have conservancy lands removed from the tax roll, costing various entities and municipalities to lose that tax revenue.
by Barry Drue
“The Huron Bay Conservation Initiative” is coming together to protect in perpetuity high value natural parcels on the Pt. Abbaye peninsula and at Lightfoot Bay on Huron Bay. Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT) headquartered in Hancock has organized the effort to purchase four parcels from sellers willing to see their land protected and enjoyed by future generations. The initiative involves the sale of about $2.2 million and was greatly assisted by a $1 million grant from the National Coastal Wetland Conservation Program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, matched by many private funders. A total of 1,345 acres and nearly a mile of Lake Superior shoreline is included in the four-parcel conservation initiative. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
NEW OWNERS–Tammy and Kevin Engelhardt of Riley, MI are the new owners and managers of Indian Country Sports, LLC on Front St. in L’Anse. The couple is holding an Open House today, Dec. 30, serving Hilltop sweet rolls and cake from Pat’s Foods to celebrate and meet the public.
by Nancy Besonen
Steve Koski of Indian Country Sports in L’Anse got an early Christmas present this year: retirement. Tammy and Kevin Engelhardt of Riley, in the Thumb of Lower Michigan purchased the sporting goods store on the L’Anse Waterfront Dec. 22, 2015. The new owners will continue quality service for the customers who’ve made their new business a local institution–and for new customers to come. Koski plans to stay on board too, working alongside
the new owners for their first five months to help them learn the ropes–plus fishing lines, hunting knives, guns, skates, snowshoes and a world of inventory that packs the gleaming sporting goods store. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
SAYING GOODBYE–A huge crowd of students, staff, former students and community members gathered for a picnic and program to say goodbye to the Pelkie School last May. Declining enrollment made the closure of the long-serving school a fiscal necessity. Above left, administrator Rich Sarau chats with students, and above right, Pelkie K-3 students eat lunch in their room.
by Nancy Besonen
As 2015 draws to a close, we at the L’Anse Sentinel pause a moment to look back at 52 issues and wonder: where did the time go? Actually, it takes a lot of moments but it’s well worth the trip. Hop on aboard for a ride you’ll find familiar as we look back on news and photos that warmed our hearts, raised our blood pressures, and everything in between. This week we look back at the first six months’ news and events. Next week we will review July-December, 2015. January: An initiative to have the county continue snow plowing services for private driveways stalled when Road Commission Engineer Doug Mills issued an even firmer “no.” The road commission voted to discontinue the service this winter, citing reductions in both funding and the work force. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
MAKING MUSIC–Children in KBOCC’s Little Eagles Great Start Readiness Program enjoy making music in their class at the Wabanung (L’Anse) campus. Top row, Hayden Bemis, Darren Cobert, Aiden Grentz, Kylen LaFernier and Aubrianna Haden. Front is Caden Tolonen.
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College began offering a new program for four year-olds on Nov. 1, 2015. Nine students are currently enrolled. The program is income-based for at risk children. It is funded by the Michigan Department of Education, administered through the Copper Country Intermediate School District. Called the Little Eagles Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), the program meets in a classroom on the ground floor of the OCC Wabanung (L’Anse) campus Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays are reserved for home visits and parent conferences. Kim Swanson is the teacher and Cheryl LaRose the Early Childhood Education Department chair. “The program is full now but recruitment for the fall of 2016 will begin in February,” LaRose said. “People can call Kim Swanson at 524-8523 for more information. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
BARAGA FOOD DRIVE–Baraga students collected 677 pounds of cans for the 2015 Can A Thon. The sophomore class collected 133 pounds winning themselves an ice cream party. Maddy Clisch is weighing cans with, l-r, Kerstyn Clisch looking at weight, Cooper Koskinen behind her, Brooklyn Fish looking at the weight on right side, Alex Jahfetson and Jeri Ann Lanala Tervo, and Jake Putala. Food was donated to the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry. Photo contributed by Katy Holm.
by Chris Ford
St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) volunteer Jan Hagbloom has a goal set for the SVdP food pantry on North Broad Street in L’Anse. The goal is to reach 10,000 pounds of donated food for the pantry in 2015. A big dent was made in that with the Dec. 2 annual TV-6 Can-A-Thon collection which brought in more than 3,500 pounds. Although Marquette’s WLUC-TV spearheads the annual holiday giving event across the Upper Peninsula, smaller outfits take over to help collect the food stuffs and deliver it on a county level. As in the past, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s Eagle
Radio made the rounds to various schools and other collection points to gather up the goods and drop them off. Hagbloom explained Can-A-Thon collection begins Nov. 7 and wrapped up Dec. 1. In addition to the 3,560.5 pounds that brought in, she said another 1,650.5 pounds have been dropped off by individuals, church and other groups. Add in the 4,002 pounds collected by the United State Postal Service (USPS) during its annual May collection, and Hagbloom’s goal is not far off. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
