KBOCC GRADUATES–Earning associate degrees, l-r, were Danielle Hueckstaedt, Lindsey Loonsfoot, WabaNunGoQuay Alakayak, Nancy Pawlowski, Terri Curtis, Dylan Friisvall, Dawn Gauthier, and Veronica Adams. Photos by Lauri Denomie.
Eight individuals received associate degrees Saturday, May 2, 2015 as the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC) held its honors and commencement ceremony at the Niiwin Akeaa Center in Baraga. KBOCC Board of Regents chair Kathleen Mayo served as master of ceremonies for the event. Lynn Aho, dean of instruction, presented graduates with their diplomas. KBOCC president Debra Parrish and Elizabeth Veker-King, dean of student services, presented a number of special awards. Faculty members Megan Haataja, Jesse Koenig, Andrew Kozich and Cheryl LaRose handed out departmental awards. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers..
GRINDING TIES–The burning of treated railroad ties at the L’Anse Warden Electric Plant has raised concerns in the community for years. Plant officials offered a tour of the “Fuel Aggregate Facility” last Friday to members of the Warden Citizen Advisory Panel. They watched an industrial grinder shredding ties, above, which are scooped into a covered building before being sent to the plant in the fuel mix.
L’Anse Warden Electric Company (LWEC) officials provided an hour-long tour of the biomass electric generating plant’s Fuel Aggregate Facility on Friday, May 1, 2015. Only four people attended. Some members of the Warden Citizen Advisory Panel (CAP) were unable to attend due to the one-day notice they received for the tour. Conducting the tour were Traxys CEO Steve Walsh, Warden Plant and Fuel Manager John Polkky and Warden Technical and Safety Manager J.R. Richardson. The fuel facility is where the wood chips and railroad ties are stockpiled and prepared to be burned in the Warden plant. The ties have long been a source of environmental concern in the community, for possible leaching into the soil and ultimately, Lake Superior; for airborne particles of ground ties that fall out nearby; and for possible air pollution after the material (along with ground tire fuel and wood chips) is burned. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers..
COMMUNITY FUNCTIONS–The L’Anse Library serves for a variety of programs and events. Backers hope to bring a steady stream of programs and activities, such as Story Time, above, on the first and third Thursdays.
Baraga County voters will have more than just the statewide Proposal 15-1 to decide when heading to the polls Tuesday, May 5, 2015. The ballot will also contain a county-wide library millage proposal. Covington Township constituents will also decide on the renewal of both a fire and ambulance question as well as the renewal of a recreation proposition (see separate story). Backers of the Baraga County Public Library are asking the electorate to support a half-mill, five-year proposal–2015-2019 inclusive, with funds specifically earmarked for general operation and maintenance of the existing public library. The generated revenue is estimated at approximately $121,400 for the first year. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers..
HELPING OUT–Polly Schaefer of Plum Creek presented L’Anse Superintendent Carrie Meyer a check last week. The $8,150 donation will help fund a new fence around Volunteer Field to be installed by fall.
By the start of the 2015 Hornet football season, Volunteer Field will have a new addition. With help from a Plum Creek Foundation grant, the field will be surrounded by a chain-linked fence and gates. Last week, Plum Creek representative Polly Schaefer dropped off an $8,150 check to L’Anse Area Schools’ Superintendent Carrie Meyer. Meyer said she, district athletic director Darrin Voskuhl and maintenance-transportation supervisor John Juntunen surveyed the field, drew up project specifications and placed the project out on bids. Final day for submitting bids is today, April 22, 2015. Meyer said the fencing will be installed over the summer. Putting up fencing has several benefits. The first is that it meets Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) guidelines allowing the school to host playoff football games and, down the road, track and field events. The second is that it provides field security.
SPRING DAY FUN–Not only was the weather outside enjoyable on Saturday, April 11, things inside the Niiwin Akeaa Center were just as fun. More than 350youth and family members gathered to participate in the activities included in the third annual Baraga County Spring Fling.
Things just keep getting better for the annual Baraga County Spring Fling, according to Baraga Great Explor-
ation Site Coordinator Heather Jahfetson. This year’s marked the third and was held Saturday, April 11, 2015, at the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s (KBIC) Niiwin Akeaa Center. Cathy Benda, director of the Copper Country Great Start Collaborative (CCGSC) said more than 225 children and 125 adults attended the event. “Families and children had an opportunity to receive free books and tote bags courtesy of the Baraga County Community Foundation,” Benda said. “(They) had the opportunity to play in the Bouncy House, attend a teddy bear clinic and participate in hearing and vision screenings provided by the Chassell Lions Club.” Heather Jahfetson, Baraga Great Explorations site coordinator, said numbers were upsubstantially over last year and have increased since the inaugural event in 2013. “Last year we had approximately 300 participants and the year before we had approximately 250,” Jahfetson said
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY–New Sacred Heart School principal Christy Miron will continue with her coordination of the Faith Formation program, doing both jobs on a part-time basis. She replaces Dr. Eric Grekowicz who resigned recently after bringing technology, innovation and new curriculum to Sacred Heart School. Enrollment doubled during “Dr. G’s” tenure.
When Dr. Eric Grekowicz unexpectedly stepped down as Sacred Heart School’s principal, it didn’t take the pastor and the Diocese of Marquette long to find a replacement. Christy Miron was already well known for her work and commitment as the Faith Formation Coordinator in the local Catholic community. Miron has been approved as Sacred Heart’s new principal by Bishop John Doerfler. She will work in that position part-time and continue as the Faith Formation Coordinator, also a part-time position. Grekowicz had been a principal and fifth and sixth grade teacher. Sacred Heart has a long-term substitute teacher on board, and will hire a teacher in the summer. The staff will have four teachers and an aide. Amber Johnson will continue in her role as the school secretary, and she will serve part-time as the Faith Formation secretary. Although the changes have the Sacred Heart community looking ahead, most are also taking time to look back on the accomplishments of “Dr. G”. In two and a half years as principal Dr. G led efforts to double Sacred Heart School’s enrollment, which is now 55 students. He was a successful grant writer and he brought SHS up to current standards with classroom equipment, smart boards and student computers.
2015 ESTIMATE–Every two years the DNR does an aerial survey to estimate UP moose numbers. Specific grids are flown and sitings recorded. The numbers are then used to estimate the herd. There has a been a drop from an estimated 451 moose in 2013 to 328 in 2015. DNR pilot Neil Harri provided this photo of two bull moose taken during the winter count.
The UP moose herd has taken a hit, down an estimated 128 animals since 2013. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released its 2015 moose population survey which estimates the herd at 323 animals. In 2013, the herd was estimated at 451. Potential factors range from climate change to a possible increase in wolf predation. “We do a core range survey in the Western UP, in Iron, Baraga and Marquette counties where we did the reintroductions,” said Chad Stewart, deer, elk and moose management specialist for the DNR. “There’s a smaller population in the eastern UP as well.” The moose range in the Western UP covers roughly 1,400 square miles. Every other year DNR staff survey most of that area from above. In 2015 flights covered all survey plots within the core moose area, where 80-90 percent of the Western UP moose population is located.
RESCUE OPERATION–Several agencies and numerous volunteers trained last Sunday in a mock missing person drill. Aided by the Civil Air Patrol plane search rescue squads efficiently located the vehicle and missing person. L-r, are James Soli, Mike Malloy, Ed Roth, Dean Velmer and Nathan Stockton. The team set up an Incident Command Center at Big Erick’s Bridge and organized the mission.
Multiple agencies coordinated on a search and rescue drill on Sunday, March 22, 2015. From the Civil Air Patrol based at Houghton County Memorial Airport to local police, fire and rescue personnel the drill was successful. The mission was to rescue a lost four-wheeler operator. Mike Roth served as the lost rider. He took his pick-up out on the Triple A road, unloaded his four-wheeler and took off, finding a remote location. Ed Roth is the Training Officer for the Baraga County Search and Rescue (SAR) team. He explained how the exercise was unfolded. Participating were personnel from the Civil Air Patrol, KB Tribal Police, Bay Ambulance, L’Anse Fire Department and the county search and rescue team. “We would have gotten notified by the Sheriff’s Department about a missing person somewhere in the Huron Mountains. We set up an incident command at Big Erick’s Bridge,” Roth said. Meanwhile the Civil Air Patrol..
SENIORS–Four HS seniors skated in their last shows Saturday and Sunday. L-r, Sonja Welch, Kelsey Kemppainen, Genevieve Smith and Nicole Rossi.
L’Anse Meadowbrook Arena hosted the L’Anse-Baraga Figure Skating Club’s annual and always well-attended spring skating show March 14 and 15, 2015. The theme for this year’s performance was “Skate Like Nobody’s Watching.” Two performances were held over the weekend with a Saturday show at 6:30 p.m. and another on Sunday at 2 p.m. This is the club’s largest performance of the year and features skaters from both the L’Anse and Baraga rinks. “We live in a community that thankfully really supports our youth,” said club President Sarah Thompson. “With approximately 70 girls in skating, we get a lot of family members and friends that come to watch the show. We’ve had people from out of town come every year to watch, and some of the girls that have graduated come back to support their friends that are still in the club. Figure skating is a fun sport to watch and anyone who has been on figure skates knows it’s not as easy as it looks!”
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PICKING UP THE PIECES–US-41 was closed from around 2:30-11 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 after two logging trucks lost their loads. Logs were scattered on both sides of and on the Sturgeon River bridge at Canyon Falls near Alberta. Two other vehicles were damaged in the accident which remains under investigation. Strong winds and heavy snow squalls hampered cleanup operations. No serious injuries were reported although the driver of one logging truck was taken to BCMH, treated and released.
US-41 near Alberta was closed for more than eight hours Wednesday, March 4, 2015, after logs from two pup
trailers were scattered across the highway on and near the Sturgeon River Bridge near Alberta’s Canyon Falls.
According to Michigan State Police (MSP) reports, the accident occurred around 2:30 p.m. Police report a pup
trailer’s metal bracket which helped secure logs on a fully loaded northbound logging truck snapped, causing
the load to spill across both lanes of the roadway.
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More photos are available here.
