Pressure on fisheries raising tension; KBNRD focus on stocking, assessment and education; Agencies coordinating to manage Superior fishery

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LAMPREY ASSESSMENT–KBNRD uses nets across key rivers to catch and assess numbers of adult lamprey heading upriver to spawn. Lamprey control efforts, largely by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have brought lamprey numbers down to near-goal populations. Lamprey still have a large impact on the Lake Superior fishery, causing unknown numbers of fish kills.

by Barry Drue
Keweenaw Bay Natural Resources Department (KBNRD) wants people to know more about its management and support of Lake Superior and inland water fisheries. KBIC licenses between 15 and 20 commercial fishers, mostly using small boats and hand-pulling nets. The tribal Natural Resources Department’s stocking program and hatchery at First Sand Beach provides far more fish to inland and Lake Superior waters than taken by its commercial fishers. But the increased presence of large gill net tugs from other reservations has elevated concerns across the Keweenaw region for the fishery, particularly whitefish and lake trout in Lake Superior. Tension and much misinformation is circulating and will likely increase as the summer fishing season gets underway…….

Dave Caroffino works in the Michigan DNR Fisheries’ Tribal Coordination Unit, based in Charlevoix. He attended a public meeting on April 6, 2016, in Marquette and heard multiple concerns from sport anglers about increased tribal netting in Western Lake Superior. “There certainly was concern among anglers,” Caroffino said. “Two GLIFWC (Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission) officers attended and they provided valuable information about their oversight of Native American netting operations. GLIFWC can enforce tribal regulations in off-reservation waters.” Concerns over increased netting in the last couple of years have mounted. Gill net tugs from the Bad River and Red Cliff reservations near the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin are fishing off the Keweenaw and around the Keweenaw Peninsula. Keweenaw Bay Indian Community fisherman typically use small boats closer to the reservation and hand-pull their nets……. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Ford Center and Forest branching out

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SAWMILL MUSEUM- -is a popular attraction at the Ford Center and Forest in Alberta, open for self-guided tours during regular business hours and guided tours by prior arrangement.

by Nancy Besonen

The Ford Center and Forest (FCF) in Alberta is branching out, in a big way. “We’re repositioning this into a regional outdoor and environmental education center,” said Ken Vrana, Director of the Ford Center and Forest, as well as the Isle Royale Institute. “Our dean has made FCF a priority for program development.” The FCF is a unit of Michigan Technological University. Encompassing over 5,000 acres of woodlands, it includes a conference center, research forest, Alberta Village and the historic Henry Ford Sawmill Museum. The FCF also functions as a classroom, big as the all outdoors. Summer and fall Academic Field Camps take MTU undergraduate students out of the classroom and into the woods at the FCF. They bunk in dormitories and spend their days in the field and wetlands, honing skills needed for degrees in forestry, applied ecology and wildlife ecology. Whether school is out or in, a major focus of the FCF’s mission is bringing people back to the outdoors. Vrana noted 100 years ago, 75 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas such as villages and small towns. One hundred years later, 75 percent live in a metropolitan culture. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Non-fiction author a hit; Inspires L’Anse, Baraga students

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ALL ABOUT ANIMALS–Baraga’s Young Authors activities included plenty about animals, inspired by children’s non-fiction author Jerry Pallotta’s books and his visit. Kayah Loonsfoot proudly shows her whale project made with white and black beans.

by Barry Drue
“Hey kids, Who Would Win—a killer whale or a great white shark? A hippo or a rhino?” Prolific children’s author Jerry Pallotta from Boston is wildly popular among youngsters for his “Who Would Win?” series of animal books. Readers get a big dose of non-fiction scientific information on creatures large and small, right down to a bee vs. a wasp. Pallotta spent Friday morning, April 6, 2016, with young authors in the L’Anse school, and then moved over to Baraga for the afternoon, meeting with groups of elementary- aged students. Baraga second grade teacher Desiree Lauritsen knows just how popular Pallotta’s books are with youngsters. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

‘Rundown Abbey’ hit at LHS

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The comedy was a takeoff of the popular PBS series Downton Abbey

 

The reserved gardener did it and detective Sam Splayed put the pieces together to prove it. Splayed, (Chris Harden) was one of more than a dozen cast members in L’Anse High School Drama Club’s April 29-May 1 performance of Murder at Rundown Abbey. The two-act, seven scene comedy centers on Gus Grumble (Dylan Grentz) and Olive Green’s (Camryn Hahn) attempt to steal the family fortune of Lord Percival Crumbledown (Porter Davis) and his wife Lady Pamela Crumbledown (Emma Ostermeyer) after Lord Percival is dealt what ends up being temporary amnesia. Only long-time butler Treadlightly (Antonio Aleo) has been with the family long enough to know that rumble is actually Lord Percival’s brother. So after Grumble takes care of Treadlightly, Green presents paperwork intended to relinquish the family of its wealth. Meanwhile, a visit to Yankee Inquiries by Lady Pamela, results in Splayed and his secretary Kitty Katz (Dana Hiltunen), figuring out how to get themselves into the Abbey and help solve the mystery of Treadlightly’s disappearance. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Sexual Assault Awareness: A victim shares his story

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WALK, TALK–The KBIC Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) hosted a Sexual Assault Awareness program Friday which began with a walk through Baraga followed by a Skype presentation and potluck meal. Above left, Ellie and Chuck Miller of Baraga, front, and Joe Waara of L’Anse participate in the walk down M-38. Right, OVW Team Leader Cherie Dakota introduces speaker Vincent Schilling.

by Nancy Besonen
Vincent Schilling shared his past and present at a Sexual Assault Awareness event Friday, April 22, 2016 at the Ojibwa Casino Hotel in Baraga. Hosted by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW), the program began with a walk, followed by a presentation from Vincent Schilling via Skype in a casino conference room. Schilling is a St. Regis Mohawk, an award-winning Native American author, a freelance journalist and a childhood victim of sexual assault. Three people opted to join in the walk, wending their way through town back to M-38 and the casino for the presentation. While waiting for their return, OVW Team Leader Cherie Dakota explained how Schilling became a part of it all. “We have a women’s advisory board that spearheads all the programming we do,” Dakota said. “Vincent Schilling writes for Indian Country Today, and one of our advisory board members talked about having him speak at our Domestic Violence program. Since he is a sexual assault survivor, we decided to have him here.”  To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Citizens, Walsh debate Warden emissions, dust –LWEC CEO updates county board on biomass plant

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WARDEN CEO–Steven Walsh, standing, addresses concerns about the Warden electric plant at the Baraga County board’s Tuesday, April 12, meeting. Ailen Ketola, foreground, lives near the biomass plant and is very concerned over emissions and dust.

by Nancy Besonen
The L’Anse Warden Electric Plant generated heat at the April 12, 2016, Baraga County Board meeting when the public and CEO Steven Walsh squared off on plant operations and emissions. Warden is out of compliance with a condition of its emissions permit–a stack test in September, 2015, showed excessive hydrogen chloride emission–and received a notice of violation of fugitive dust. Walsh attended the meeting to provide an update on efforts to resolve the problems. About two dozen citizens also attended, many to express concerns about the environmental impact of the plant. Complaints ranging from burning skin to headaches to residue on boats and buildings were aired before the board. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

KBOCC ‘STEM’ for 6-12 graders

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AFTER-SCHOOL ACADEMY–Ojibwa Community College is offering after school classes in a variety of areas, with a focus on “STEM”–science, technology, engineering and math. Above, l-r, Matthew Kezek, Ben Layle, Raistlyn Awonohopay, Malachi Griffin (in back row) and Dana Thierry compute during Digital Media II class, open to ninth through twelfth graders on Monday afternoons.

by Nancy Besonen
The end of the school day marks just the beginning of learning opportunities at the KBOCC STEM Academy in Baraga. From Archery to Violin with Forensic Science Labs in the middle, the academy offers a wide range of classes on the KBOCC Baraga Campus. Open free of charge to all middle and high school students, the program still has a few choice openings to fill. Karen Colbert is the STEM Academy Coordinator at Baraga. On campus last week, with beginning violin notes from the music room and friendly banter from the Digital Media II class threading through the background, she described STEM’s mission. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

Apply for 120 wind turbines

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BIZARRE PROPOSAL–An unnamed entity has applied to the FAA for permits for 120 wind turbines scattered across roadless areas in northern Baraga and Marquette counties. The yellow line shows the proposed transmission line to Republic. It follows the route of the proposed 595 haul road for the Eagle Mine. That road was never built due to sensitive wetlands it would destroy. Some believe the wind turbines are not realistic to construct and are a cover for another attempt to build the haul road.

by Barry Drue

An unknown entity has applied to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for permits to build 120 giant wind energy turbines across rugged and remote wild country from the Mt. Arvon area to Eagle Mine on the Yellow Dog Plains. The turbines would be 500 feet tall—approximately the height of a 50-story building. The FAA website indicates that the permits for all 120 turbines were applied for on Jan. 22, 2016. Perhaps but not necessarily related, FAA permits for a 46-turbine industrial energy project were applied for in downstate Ovid, Shiawassee County, on Jan. 25, 2016—also by an unnamed entity. The FAA site notes that  the UP permits were filed under a Notice of proposed Construction, and that the proposal has not yet been studied. The FAA indicates the study will be announced when complete. Public comments on the project will not be sought by FAA, and will not be considered. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

DEQ-Warden compliance negotiations continue–CEO Walsh expresses anger over environmental challengers

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BRIEFING–Warden CEO Steve Walsh, standing, attended the L’Anse Village Council meeting with Warden’s J.R. Richardson, at left. Walsh reacted angrily toward citizens who have environmental concerns about the plant. Walsh notified the editor that he will attend the Tuesday, April 12, county commissioners’ meeting at 5 p.m. and a Baraga Village Council meeting, although it is on the same evening, starting at 5:30 p.m.

by Barry Drue
and Chris Ford

Negotiations continue between the Department of Environmental Quality and officials with the L’Anse Warden Electric Company (LWEC) to bring the biomass generator back into permit compliance. DEQ Senior Environmental Quality Analyst Ed Lancaster of the Marquette office has also periodically visited L’Anse to investigate citizen-raised environmental issues with the plant. Warden CEO Steve Walsh updated the L’Anse Village Council at its regular meeting Monday night, March 28, 2016. He plans to attend a county board meeting and a Baraga Village Council meeting with Warden updates in April. Monday Lancaster noted that efforts to work out an agreement between the DEQ and Warden regarding compliance with permit requirements have continued for almost two months. DEQ officials met with Warden attorneys and officials in a compliance enforcement meeting in Lansing on Feb. 3, 2016.  To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

UPEC, KBIC ‘Celebrate the UP’

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UPEC EVENTS–The UP Environmental Coalition held its day and a half annual meeting and related events at the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College in Baraga Friday evening and all day Saturday, March 18-19. Many topics were addressed. Above, Dr. Rolf Peterson, left, and his wife Carolyn Peterson discuss the ramifications of a growing moose population and only two wolves left on Isle Royale. Peterson has led the moose-wolf research through Michigan Tech for decades.

by Barry Drue
The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition celebrated the UP and the grassroots group’s 40th year with a day and a half of special events and an annual meeting. The group was hosted by Keweenaw Bay Indian Community at the Baraga campus of the Ojibwa Commumnity College last Friday and Saturday, March 18-19, 2016. UPEC members and KBIC share many values and concerns about the Upper Peninsula’s environment. In his opening remarks Saturday, Tribal Chairman Chris Swartz noted that one of KBIC’s biggest regional concerns is the Eagle Mine at the Native spiritual site, Eagle Rock on the Yellow Dog Plains. Swartz told the large group gathered in the OCC gym that the tribe is not opposed to mining. It is opposed to mining that brings adverse environmental effects, which he believes will happen at Eagle Mine with sulfide mining. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.

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