THE “NOK”—Using historic survey maps, modern topographical maps and plat book, Ron Stiebe and his son, Brad, (atop the Nok, for size perspective), trekked last fall to what Stiebe believes is an important spiritual and healing site of the ancestors of the Ojibwa, the Nokets. The 200-yard long outcrop is partially within the Keweenaw Bay Indian Reservation boundary, and partly on land owned by “Heartwood Forestland Fund IV”. This was labeled “Nok” on an 1849 survey map, with an Indian trail leading to it.
by Ronald Stiebe
A recent discovery could justifiably be billed as the Mount Rushmore of Baraga County. It was called, “Nok” by the Ojibwa band of the Nokets according to the original survey map completed by U.S. government liner and geological surveyors in 1849. This government document provides explicit verification of a rock that was revered by a sub-clan of the Makwa, or bear clan. Even more interesting, the map also made reference to the Noquets (Nokets) who reportedly had disappeared and were even considered extinct. They were the ancestors of many of the present day Ojibwa that took up residence on Keweenaw Bay sometime after 1721. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
SOLAR PANELS–The new solar panels at the L’Anse Water Treatment Plant have been installed by Peninsula Solar of Marquette and are now up and running, helping to offset costs in the future for Village water customers. Pictured above is Bob LaFave, L’Anse Village Manager.
By Melissa Lehto
The L’Anse Water Treatment Plant’s solar powered panels are now up and running, with the hope that it will save village customers some money in the future at the faucet. WPPI Energy, a non-profit wholesale power supply company, which L’Anse Village is a member of, provided a $25,000 grant to the Village of L’Anse to install an 11.4 kilowatt solar photovoltaic resource project at the village water plant. The village paid the remaining $18,000 on the $43,000 project. L’Anse and Baraga are two of seven Upper Peninsula municipalities that are WPPI Energy members. The other five locations are from the central U.P. “The power-generated electricity will feed back to the village water system, hopefully saving village customers money in the future,” said Village Manager Bob LaFave. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
BEARTOWN FIREFIGHTERS–The loss of two members of the Beartown Firefighters team was devastating to KBIC and surrounding communities. There was an outpouring of support for family and friends of the two young men. Lost in a fatal fire transport vehicle crash near Minneapolis in August were A.J. Swartz and Jimmy Shelifoe. This photo of crew members was provided. L-r, Cameron Aten, Alan AJ Swartz, James Jimmy Shelifoe, Mike Dakota, Gaven Loonsfoot, Jesse Ekdahl, Dave Varline and Joey Jossens. Several of the crew were injured in the single vehicle highway crash.
by Missy Lehto and Nancy Besonen
The L’Anse Sentinel continues to look back at the year in review. For the last segment, we give you July through Dec. 2016. The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) placed new signs on US-41 in Baraga, near the Pines Convenience Center and just south of the Baraga Lakeside Inn, showing vehicle speed and asks drivers to slow down if their vehicle is exceeding 45 miles per hour. The devices link via satellite to a company which collects and reports traffic data, including the number of vehicles per hour and their speed. Area residents enjoyed a sunny July 4th with parades and fireworks. First place in the Baraga parade for the homemade float was Bob Treadeau, Jr. and local families who built “The Black Pearl.” Murals painted by local artisans brighten the downtown L’Anse area. L’Anse area officials are hoping to expand this initial work with additional projects. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
ON THE SCENE–At mid-day Friday SEMCO crews were well into the task of replacing pipes and facilities at the L’Anse ‘gate station’ that was damaged and exploded following a vehicle collision early Friday.
by Barry Drue and Nancy Besonen
An efficient, dedicated response to a natural gas outage across the Village of L’Anse prevented a heating emergency over the Christmas weekend. Dozens of SEMCO maintenance people were called in just hours after a motorist slammed into the natural gas gate station on U.S. 41 across from Erickson True Value. A ball of flame erupted with the 3:40 a.m. accident last Friday morning, Dec. 23, 2016. The L’Anse Volunteer Fire Department responded, training a steady flow of water onto pipes near the shutoff valve to help keep them cool while waiting for gas company personnel to arrive. “The flames got as high as 50-60 feet,” said L’Anse Fire Chief Mike Bianco. “We were cooling pipes around the shutoff valve, about 30-40 feet away. You didn’t know what was going to happen. We didn’t know if you’d get an explosion.” Bianco said the gas was shut off and the flames shut down without further incident, and that the fire department was on the scene for a total of about three hours. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
REALITY CHECK–A Baraga County plow cuts a swath down the Ford Road in Watton in the wake of last week’s snow storm that buried the region in a thick layer of wet & heavy. Mother Nature delivered a one-two punch as the storm was immediately followed by an arctic blast that drove temperatures into the single digits and in some places, lower. The coming week promises a return to warmer temperatures, up to the mid-30’s.
by Nancy Besonen
Nature delivered a winter wake-up call last week with the first major snowstorm of the season. Schools were cancelled Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 14 and 15 as near-blizzard conditions enveloped Baraga County. High winds, heavy snow and temperatures that drove the mercury south of single digits teamed up to strike the bitter blow. According to the National Weather Service in Marquette, it’s pretty much business as usual. Meteorologist Todd Kluber provided details on the system, an early Christmas present from Canada that swept in last Tuesday night. Kluber admitted the system packed a punch but was nowhere near a record-breaker, considering the season. “It wasn’t a record, but it was kind of a shocker for a lot of people,” Kluber said. “This year, fall went so long, and the snow pack isn’t so deep. It’s not our ordinary weather. “We had a very strong air mass that’s been persistently coming in out of Canada the past few days, with west or northwest winds,” Kluber said Friday afternoon. “With Lake Superior still wide open and water temperatures relatively warm, a significant amount of snow developed. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
GROUNDBREAKING–The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community celebrates the groundbreaking for its $6.5 million renovation of the Baraga Ojibwa Casino. The ceremony, planned for outdoors, was quickly moved inside to escape cold wind and blowing snow. The renovated casino is due to debut in 2018.
by Nancy Besonen
The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) celebrated progress with a groundbreaking Dec. 7, 2016 for its Baraga Ojibwa Casino renovation. Tribal members voted this past August to approve major revamps at both the Baraga and Marquette casinos. The Ojibwa Casino Marquette project is budgeted at $33.5 million, with the Baraga project coming in at $6.5 million. The Marquette expansion will include a three-star hotel with 80 guest rooms, a 1,200 seat entertainment complex, three branded restaurants, a conference facility and 500 new slot machines. The Baraga Ojibwa Casino will receive a facelift, over 100 more slot machines and several more gaming tables. Its current floor space will double, a new bar will be added and the Pressbox Bar and Grill will be remodeled. The Baraga Ojibwa Casino will remain open and operational throughout the construction process. The anticipated opening date of the renovated Baraga facility is Feb. 19, 2018. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
MEET THE CANDIDATES–Five of the seven L’Anse and Baraga district KBIC tribal council candidates participated in a candidate forum at the KBOCC Wabanung Campus in L’Anse last Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016. Left to right are Gary Loonsfoot, Donald Messer, Jr., Rodney Loonsfoot, Jr., Elizabeth “Popcorn” Mayo and Lyndon Ekdahl. Michael LaFernier and Donald Shalifoe, Sr. are also running for the Council.
by Nancy Besonen
Issues were aired and stands taken at the Tribal Council Candidate Forum Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 in L’Anse. Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College’s (KBOCC) Anishinaabe Studies, Tribal Government Class and Student Government teamed up to host the event at the Wabanung Campus. Five of seven candidates responded to eight questions prepared by KBOCC students. Candidates for the two Baraga District seats include Rodney Loonsfoot, Elizabeth “Popcorn” Mayo, Donald Messer, Jr. and incumbent Donald Shalifoe, Sr. Three candidates are vying for two seats in the L’Anse District: Lyndon Ekdahl, incumbent Michael LaFernier and Gary Loonsfoot, Jr. Voters will make the final decision in the Tribal Council election Saturday , Dec. 17, 2016. Also on the ballot running unopposed is Associate Judge Violet Friisvall. Topics discussed last Thursday ranged from the environment to language and the presidential election. Anishinaabe Studies department Chair Denise Cadeau organized the event and Student Government Vice President Aimee Emery served as moderator. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
NOT IN VAIN–Ben Lytikainen with his dog Milo. Ben died in October from a drug overdose. That night Ben’s mother, Sandra, formed “Sandra’s 100 Women of Baraga County” to help prevent another such tragedy.
by Melissa Lehto
The death of a loved one is never easy. Knowing that death may have been prevented makes it harder still. Sandra Lytikainen of L’Anse knows this firsthand. She and her husband, Mike, recently experienced the loss of their son, Ben, after an apparent accidental overdose of drugs. Ben was 25 years old. He died on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016. Lytikainen, however, took her grief and turned it into something positive. She created a group called “Sandra’s 100 women of Baraga County.” “I actually formed it on the evening that Ben died. I was so overwhelmed with grief and disbelief over Ben’s death. I wanted to get 100 women behind me to see what we could do to prevent this from happening to someone else,” said Lytikainen. Sandra’s 100 women of Baraga County focuses on getting help for those who want help and are not sure where to go. “The group is not just for women. The group is for anyone in the community wanting to make a change,” Lytikainen said. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
HIGH TECH–L’Anse MDOT Maintenance Supervisor John Dault shows the array of equipment in one of the international tandem trucks. Operators have a ton of switches, controls, gauges and indicators to control and monitor all the functions happening in often-bad driving conditions at highway speed. Dault is looking into a computer screen with real-time Doppler weather radar. From Dault’s office he can see camera views through the windshields of any of the eight trucks to monitor road conditions.
by Barry Drue
You don’t have to tell the crews at the state and county road garages that it’s the beginning of a long, tiring, busy season. Winter snow plowing and road maintenance will keep employees with both organizations hopping for months. Keeping area local roads and highways open and safe is a huge, well-choreographed operation for the county and state crews. “We run a 21-hour, seven day a week operation. We sleep three hours a day from November through April,” said L’Anse MDOT facility Maintenance Supervisor John Dault. “The first and last storms are usually the most difficult. And the most dangerous time is from now until after the first of the year. There are a lot of moms and dads and kids out shopping or going to programs. Mother Nature can deal a bad hand. I don’t sleep a lot right now.” Dault directs an operation that includes 10 year-round employees and an additional six brought on for winter road maintenance. They are responsible for 250 lane-miles of state and federal highway. The L’Anse facility houses eight tandem International trucks that are highly complex and electronically equipped. They’re far more than “snow plows”. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
Veterans enjoyed breakfast and were then escorted into the Baraga gym.
by Barry Drue
Baraga students and staff honored military veterans with their traditional program on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2016. Veterans were served a breakfast at the school prior to being escorted into the gym by students for the program. The Baraga Student Council posted the colors and the Baraga Choir, under the direction of music/band director Tyrell Peterson, presented the National Anthem. The Pledge of Alliance was led by second graders Karli Clisch and Sophie DesRochers. K-12 Principal Tim Marczak and Student Council President Jake Putala provided a welcome and introductory remarks. The Baraga band presented “A Celebration of Taps”. Keynote speaker was Marine Corps veteran Don Mleko. Mleko used humor to tell of his service from 1961 to 1964. He and a friend intended to join the Navy and went to a recruiter “but we took the Navy test and flunked it!” To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.
