ALPENA — Despite the recent closures of Big Lots and JOANN Fabric and Crafts there is a host of economic development projects that are about to wrap up or are coming down the pipeline local economic development officials say the tariffs instituted by President Donald Trump have thus far had no bearing on interest from potential developers and projects being proposed for the area Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Mike Mahler offered an update on development projects in Alpena He said some of the projects that have been ongoing are not complete while others are still in motion or in the exploratory talks phase none of the developers he has worked with seem concerned about tariffs interfering with future goals and projects “I have not heard a single comment about the tariffs or about future development at all,” he said “I can say it doesn’t seem to be a part of the calculus at all yet.” Mahler said he and some members of the city staff met with the new owner of the former Decorative Panels International seeking an update on its plans for the old plant Melching purchased the plant in January and has said it intends to demo and prepare the property for future development It is still unknown if Melching will develop the land itself or sell it to other interested parties the demolition work should be done in less than two years and then a new use will be found for the lakeside property “I was part of a meeting with city staff and the buyer of DPI and their environmental consultant two weeks ago and they are planning to begin the asbestos removal process in the next week or two,” Mahler said they intend on beginning demolition of the plant itself They have indicated there has been considerable interest from developers and they expect the site will be fully cleaned up and shovel-ready for development within 18 months.” The announcement about the new Hampton Inn and Suites hotel came in 2022 which features all of the modern amenities people look for a stone’s throw away from the new Aldi grocery store Mahler said Alpena has needed more hotel rooms as well as meeting and convention space for years and the Hampton will help ease some of that especially when large events are scheduled “I had the opportunity to tour the new hotel (last) week and it looks great inside and out,” Mahler said “These new rooms will be great for the community with the events occurring this summer such as the International ROV competition in June some of the competitors had to book lodging as far away as Gaylord Having this new hotel will be a welcome addition to the community and the growing number of visitors.” The final preparations for the new Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) facility in the former Peebles store on U.S.-23 South are ongoing and it could open in the next several months PACE is an adult day center with a broad array of services for its participants Those services can range from more recreational like providing exam rooms for medical checkups offering different kinds of therapies such as physical or speech PACE provides those services and others with the goal of providing all the care elders need while still allowing them to live at home Mahler said he has also been inside the new facility and was impressed with it and what it will provide seniors in the Alpena area “I had the chance to visit the new PACE location “The final inspection is set for mid-May and then it will be at least 90 days or until it receives government approval and the 17,000-square-foot facility will hopefully breathe life into that shopping center.” Both of the primary retail stores in the U.S.-23 South corridor closed this year but Mahler said he believes the presence of PACE could spark some interest in the former Big Lots and JOANN Fabric and Crafts locations He said it may be new stores or small medical clinics that offer health care services filling the old stores is key to continued growth on the southside of Alpena “There is a lot of space with the old Big Lots and JOANNs but maybe we can find some new tenants that can breathe some new life into the plaza.” The proposed $47 million senior living facility on U.S.-23 South called The Gardens of Alpena Senior Living Community will provide 128 apartments in two structures as well as a host of amenities and recreational offerings which could also boost the area’s employment numbers Mahler said the project will commence soon with the clearing of trees on Hemlock Lane after the developer receives its survey for the road extension needed for the 10-acre project that will cost about $48 million to build it is expected to loosen up the local housing market as more homes become available to purchase Mahler said there are projects and others that are in the works He said the M-32 and U.S.-23 corridors will have improvements “You will note that these commercial projects cover all parts of Alpena which is really encouraging,” he said “All corners of the community are seeing improvement This is certainly a step in the right direction.” Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com Today's breaking news and more in your inbox Copyright © 2025 Alpena News Publishing Company | https://www.thealpenanews.com | 130 Park Place at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor April Lyn Tovey was born in Alpena on April 6 to the late Donald and Kathleen (Cousineau) Tovey and married Jeffrey Robinette on July 18 Jeffrey (Krysta) Pawloski; two grandchildren Joni (Brian) Timm; several nieces and nephews Memorial visitation will take place at the Bannan Funeral Home on Thursday until the time of the memorial service at noon with Pastor Mike Potter officiating That is the motto of the Future Farmers of America These 12 words tell us about the organization’s commitment to hands-on learning this youth organization has been guiding future leaders in agriculture and beyond through experiences in both livestock and leadership The Alpena FFA Chapter was chartered in 1936 and has been fostering agricultural education ever since When asked what she hopes students take away from their FFA experience Smith said “I hope that they would learn leadership skills to follow in life as well as different career opportunities within agriculture and natural resources.” This month is full of year-end competitions Courtesy Photo Blaine LaCross and Gavin Achatz are seen with their rabbit projects at the State FFA Rabbit Competition FFA students were able to participate in the State Meat Rabbit Contest This hands-on learning experience helped members gain knowledge in raising rabbits for market Participants selected a meat type rabbit breed such as New Zealand Whites or Calfornians to raise many of which they bred and cared for in the Alpena High School’s Agriscience Department in the weeks before competition The focus is on breeding superior genetics and managing their rabbits to meet weight requirements between 3.5 and 5.5 pounds Detailed records of the rabbit’s weight gain and growth are kept along the way students selected their best three rabbits to take to Munsell’s Poultry Processing where they were judged for health and meat quality Members enjoyed their time and learned from their experience The FFA Awards Banquet took place on May 2 in the AHS Commons to celebrate and honor the achievements of members Members’ families and past alumni were invited to have dinner and participate in an auction to raise funds for chapter activities the following year President Katie Bushey called the meeting to order with a pound of her gavel Liliana Tolan to confirm all officers were at their stations Each officer noted their positions and duties Awards were given to members for involvement Senior members gave heartfelt speeches about their four years thanking parents and staff for their time and investment “Being the president has taught me that being a leader means stepping up when it’s difficult to be the person to look up to,” Bushey said “It has given me the opportunity to help the community as a whole and help me become a better version of myself I’m grateful to my officer team this year to lean on and learn from as well.” the current officers transitioned their roles to the incoming 2025-2026 officer team in a moving ceremony was honored to be elected by fellow members to serve in the 2025-2026 school year Courtesy Photo Abby Dziesinski and Brynn Kasubowski are seen with their rabbit projects at the State FFA Rabbit Competition “I get to be part of a huge organization and represent an amazing group of young individuals,” Kasubowski said I hope to work with my officer team to make a difference for others within the chapter and beyond.” Alpena FFA and the agriscience students would like to invite the community to their spring plant sale on May 9 and 10 Saturday at the AHS Agriscience Greenhouse located in the back oval of Alpena High School FFA students in the Innovation in Agriscience class have planted and cared for many varieties of plants this semester and can’t wait to share them with you I’ve learned how to properly seed and care for plants,” Ellisyn Olson said “We have gone over how to fix problems that happen in the greenhouse like bugs and pests.” and Olson notes they’ve learned about customer service and how to run a cash register There will be hanging baskets and planters of flowers with fun names like the “Midnight Moon” basket and the “Garden of Wonders” planter If you need a petunia for your patio or a dahlia for your deck Courtesy Photo Kaelyn and Tori are seen holding the “Sunset City” Planter and “Dark Hearts” hanging baskets at the AHS Greenhouse This year’s FFA Plant Sale is Friday and Saturday The Alpena FFA Chapter stands on the pillars of leadership and service promoting community engagement and fostering lifelong skills in their members From its proud history to the exciting opportunities it provides today we are sure to see many more great things come from these youth Bryanna Beyer is a local farmer with a passion for educating others about agriculture She and her husband Collin operate Beyer Farms in Alpena Courtesy Photo The newly elected Alpena FFA officer team for the 2025-2026 year will be filled with Brynn Kasubowski (president) Courtesy Photo The 2024-2025 all-female Alpena FFA officer team is pictured here: Katie Bushey (president) With the snow gone and spring well established even in the Upper Peninsula I watched a successful sales executive’s motivational speech to a group of junior staff Alpena High School boys golf coach Tate Skiba is optimistic about the direction of his team Skiba noted that this year’s first tournament score already surpassed any team score posted last season — a sign that the team’s offseason preparation is paying off “There’s been some positive growth,” Skiba said “Our first tournament score was better than any team score we had last year so we’ve shown some solid starts.” Skiba emphasized that success on the course requires more than just technical skills Developing the mental side of the game has become a major focus for the coaching staff “The first step to shooting good scores is believing that you can shoot good scores,” Skiba said we’ve had low numbers on the scorecard Skiba and his staff simulate high-stakes scenarios in practice to help the players learn to maintain focus and composure As the team prepares for the regional tournament in late May the ultimate goal remains advancing to the state finals Skiba acknowledges the strength of the competition but maintains that steady improvement is the key to success “The boys know they need to see some improvements before the tournament,” he said “We preach a message of incremental progress — a few shots at a time — until what once was your best round sounds like a bad day.” Among the standout players this season is Kaleb Werth who has made rapid strides since picking up a golf club for the first time just two years ago He’s already recorded the team’s lowest individual score this year Another player showing consistent development is junior Carter Koproski moving from the 100s as a freshman to the 80s this year With several strong individual performances and a team mindset centered around steady growth the Wildcats are focused on building momentum through the rest of the season Their next few competitions will be critical in sharpening their game ahead of postseason play ALPENA — A bill that would require a cell phone policy to be enforced at public schools is making its way through the Michigan legislature House Bill 4141 was introduced to the House on Feb The policy would require school district boards and boards of public school academies to implement a wireless communications device policy that governs device use on school grounds according to the House Fiscal Agency’s legislative analysis Wireless communications devices would be defined as an electronic device capable of text messaging School grounds would be defined as a building or property used for functions and events sponsored by a school but would not include a building used primarily for adult education or college extension courses For students in kindergarten through fifth grade a school district would have to create a policy that prohibits wireless communications device possession on school grounds under the bill school districts would have to prohibit students from using a wireless communications device during instructional time For students enrolled in grades nine through 12 a district’s policy would have to prohibit students from using a wireless communications device during instructional time In addition to the above required limitations boards could implement additional restrictions regarding the use of a wireless communications device “We want our kids off their phones and paying attention in class,” State Rep “Devices have become a huge distraction and barrier to students receiving a quality education This plan would enforce some bare minimum restrictions for cell phones in schools but leaves additional enforcement to local school districts We want to give locals the ability to make decisions that best suit their district while ensuring cell phones don’t continue to corrode our education system.” Alpena Public Schools is in support of personal communication devices being put away during instructional time APS already has policies in place that are similar to those laid out in the bill or other personal communication device by a student is a privilege The handbook states that cell phones and personal communication devices of any kind will not be seen/used in classrooms and house offices without permission When leaving the classroom during the period cell phones must be left with the instructor Phones being used in the hallway while students are transitioning to the restroom will be confiscated or other electronic communication device by a student is a privilege Cell phones in the possession of students are expected to be powered off and not visible while in hallways Students are allowed to use cell phones during lunchtime in specifically designated areas teachers may allow students to use these devices to facilitate an educational activity the handbook says that all personal electronic devices are prohibited from being used during the school day students are only allowed to use cell phones before and after school Atlanta Superintendent Sue Grulke said that there are charging stations in each classroom Students can leave their phone on the charger and not become distracted by having it in close proximity Grulke said that students will try to go to the bathroom with their phones students have their phone taken away for the rest of the day and get it back once school lets out even if they are standing right next to each other Grulke said that she would be happy about a bill passing that requires electronic communication device policies in all public school districts Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com 4 (DHD4) meeting will be held on May 20 at 10 a.m ALPENA — When Bob’s Bullpen owner Bob LeFevre reflects back on the humble beginning of his business he said he never would have expected it would grow the way it has the Bullpen includes a connected restaurant and an arcade that is named Two Bit Operation as a tip of the cap to the former arcade that was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s in Alpena Bob’s Bullpen is celebrating its 10th anniversary LeFevre still has big plans for Bob’s Bullpen and is looking to expand its reach LeFevre took a walk back in time and reflected on the humble beginnings of the comic book store and the struggle to stay afloat when the regulations for the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to close LeFevre said he is in awe at what the business has become since the day he first opened thought it would grow to what it has,” he said “I really wanted to do something special I have been a fan of the comic book and video business since I was a little kid and I just love operating the comic book store and everything that comes with it.” LeFevre said it wasn’t long after the comic book store opened when he began considering opening a small restaurant that would be attached to the shop He said the restaurant would provide a diversified revenue stream and add another food option for people downtown the restaurant may have saved the comic store from going out of business “In my mind and the way I looked at it “That decision was something that proved to save us during COVID because we could still get food out It turned out people still wanted things to read too so we just ran out the books to them with their food.” The nostalgia and popularity for old video games and old comic books have also proved to be a plus for all of LeFevre’s businesses He said once the restaurant was established He said he did some research to see if the Two Bit Operation name was available again so he set the plan in motion to add an arcade downtown going to Two Bit was a big part of my childhood and I sort of wanted to recreate that,” he said “The name had gone back into the public domain The original owner of Two Bit actually stopped by As he did in the growth of his current businesses LeFevre still has his eye on the future and other goals he wants to accomplish he has been working toward growth outside of Alpena and has much of what he needs to open another store on hand Realtors around Michigan are looking for a storefront for him and he hopes a new Bob’s Bullpen in another market will become a reality and it’s all been put into storage,” LeFevre said “I basically have a twin of my store in storage from the arcade machines to all of the merchandise I have Realtors are keeping an eye out for something for me so the goal is to expand and become a chain.” LeFevre didn’t want to tip his hand on where a new store or stores could pop up next but vowed to let everyone know when a new development happens is a sponsor of local events and charities and has assisted with the annual comic con events and marched in local parades He said lending a hand and creating fun things to do for families is something he intends to do moving forward “I wouldn’t have any of this if it wasn’t for the community,” he said “Giving back to the community was something my mom and dad instilled in me and LeFevre will make sure his customers don’t leave the store empty-handed He said people who dress up in costumes will be eligible for prizes there will be a 25-foot Mario displayed outside the store for people to get photographs with The anniversary event will begin when the store opens at 11 a.m LeFevre said people who take a picture of the huge Mario and share it on social media will receive a free hour in the arcade ALPENA — Step back into the Prohibition era for a historical adventure full of action and crime in “Harsens Island Revenge” at Sanctuary Cinema in Alpena Filmed primarily in Alpena during the fall of 2023 “Harsens Island Revenge” takes viewers back to the 1920s centering on World War I veterans who had their own Canadian whiskey smuggling operation on Harsens Island near Detroit The infamous Detroit bootlegging crew called the Purple Gang pursues a fight with the veterans to defend their territory Prohibition was in effect from 1920 to 1933 and transportation of alcohol were banned in the U.S Organized crime rose significantly during Prohibition Historians say the Purple Gang killed over 500 people and supplied Al Capone and the country with 80% of the whiskey during a time when only 30% of the country was in favor of dry states Lansing-based film company Collective Development Inc shot the Prohibition-era drama in the Alpena area including Alpena’s Matt Southwell and David Usher “Harsens Island Revenge,” is an adaptation of a book of the same title by Karl Manke and Tim Taber at the premiere of “Harsens Island Revenge” at Sanctuary Cinema in Alpena “Harsens Island Revenge” starts with an exciting night boat chase as WWI veteran Frankie (David Michael Reardon) attempts to escape his pursuers shooting at him as he evades their bullets to continue his quest The young Frankie overcomes many obstacles in the film thanks to his own crew of strong men willing to stand up to the Purple Gang with him a World War I veteran who helps Frankie push back against the mob Axel’s strong leadership and drive help propel Frankie to do what needs to be done to keep control of Harsens Island while chaos caused by the Purple Gang continues to impede his progress who has gotten caught up in a lifestyle she would not have chosen herself including Eddie Fletcher (Shane Hagadorn) and the terrifying Abe Axler (Dean Teaster) abduct Stella and Carla as Frankie’s love for Stella propels him into fierce action to save her Courtesy Photo Kyla Schatz and Barry Schatz pose at the afterparty for the premiere of “Harsens Island Revenge.” The afterparty was held at Black Sheep Pub in Alpena “Harsens Island Revenge” leaves viewers with lessons: Greedy pursuits rarely end well as long as enough good people are willing to stand up and fight against the mobsters of the world and Alpena’s Matt Southwell plays Big Mouth Bobby in “Harsens Island Revenge.” Many of the historic buildings in the Alpena area provided the perfect backdrop for this film including the Fletcher House on State Avenue Alpena has been a great location for Collective Development Inc. a Lansing-based film company formed in 1996 “Harsens Island Revenge” is showing multiple times today and through Thursday and Black Sheep owner Kris Conger stand in front of a 1920s car on 2nd Avenue in Alpena prior to the premiere of "Harsens Island Revenge" at Sanctuary Cinema The afterparty was held at the Black Sheep Pub and Karol Walchak are seen dressed up for the premiere of "Harsens Island Revenge" in Alpena ALPENA — The Alpena Wildcats varsity softball team picked up two wins Friday defeating Garden City 13-3 in Game 1 and Negaunee 7-3 in Game 2 .. Historical May days: Nazi Germany surrenders WWII May 7 (AP) — An explosion destroyed a house before dawn Thursday in suburban Detroit killing a woman who was trapped in the rubble and severely .. Read a digital version of the newspaper on your computer tablet or smart phone using either an app or a web browser Employment News › Advertising affords you the opportunity to give people reasons to do business with you rather than your competition A northern Michigan school district controversy is one of the first to test whether Michigan school districts will follow the state's civil rights laws or change long-held policies that they fear may now run afoul of the Trump administration's executive orders on gender issues The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan earlier this month told Alpena Public Schools that a school board proposal to require students to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender at birth would directly violate Michigan's civil rights law which protects transgender students from discrimination in education The Alpena district's board has scheduled a first reading of the new proposal on Monday Board of Education President Anna Meinhardt told The Detroit News despite two legal opinions from the district's legal firms that said such a policy would be inconsistent with the district's current anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies "They (law firms) understand concerns regarding compliance with the Executive Orders; however the District does not need this policy to comply with the Executive Orders," Meinhardt said of the legal opinions "A couple of board members have requested getting another opinion from an outside legal firm." The district has no specific bathroom-use policy gender-neutral bathroom in each of its schools and in all of its buildings said the seven-member board has mixed feelings about the proposed change She declined to provide her personal opinion on the matter "We are doing the best to learn as we go and gather information," Meinhardt said "We have some board members who want to get ahead of what is coming from the federal government and worry if we don’t have a bathroom policy that we are not in line with the executive orders Others have said we should sit back and wait for more clear directions before we make changes." Board member Monica Dziesinski, who took office in January, proposed the change and asked for a new policy to be modeled after one approved in 2017 by Fairview Area Schools, which is 52 miles away Dziesinski did not respond to a request to comment and neither did Vice President Eric Hansen Fairway's student physical privacy policy says student restrooms locker rooms and showers that are designated for one biological sex are only to be used by that biological sex The policy says non-conforming students will be denied access to the facilities of the opposite biological sex but may be granted use in a uni-sex restroom or "controlled" use of faculty facilities staff attorney for the ACLU’s LGBTQ+ Project said his organization sent a letter to the northern Michigan district on April 4 after it learned of the proposed bathroom policy change "There's been a number of school districts that have been looking at policies that they have in writing that are supportive of transgender students and considering whether or not they should remove those policies so it's not within the radar of this administration," Kaplan said "But the bottom line is Trump's executive order does not provide a license to discriminate against transgender students We have state civil rights laws in Michigan that explicitly protect transgender students And to deny a transgender student access to restrooms that align with their gender identity to refuse to recognize a transgender student based on their preferred name or pronouns or to deny a transgender student the ability to participate in school activities in accordance with their gender identity we believe violates our state civil rights laws." "Let's put every school district on notice in Michigan that if they that would discriminate against transgender students," Kaplan said "So you will take note of that and we will consider remedial action including filing a complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights." Asked how Alpena school officials would enforce such a policy He doesn’t know how he or others could enforce it." Alpena High seniors Lucy Cook and Callie Brousseau said they oppose the proposed policy and have spoken to the school board to ensure board members hear from students said the proposal creates a negative environment targeting students who may be different "This policy seems to be a political and religious agenda for the board despite the fact that the students and staff are voicing that the current environment is a welcoming and safe place to learn," Brousseau said said the Alpena High student council plans to speak at the Monday board meeting to oppose the measure "This policy is impossible to enforce without violating students' privacy and creates an uncomfortable situation for everyone involved Our school should be accepting of all students regardless of their gender and this policy would negatively impact the overall environment within the school," Cook said Trump campaigned against the participation of transgender athletes in sports in the 2024 election campaign Attorney General Pam Bondi said the issue is a priority for the Republican president this has been a huge issue for him,” Bondi said at a press conference “Pretty simple: Girls play in girls’ sports Trump’s departments of Education and Health and Human Services have argued that Maine’s education agency is violating the federal Title IX anti-discrimination law by allowing transgender girls to participate on girls' teams The Justice Department is asking the court to order the state of Maine to tell all schools to ban the participation of males in athletic competitions designated for females Maine officials have refused to agree to a settlement that would have banned transgender students from sports arguing that the law does not prevent schools from letting transgender athletes participate Janet Mills has said the lawsuit is part of a pressure campaign by the Trump administration to force Maine to ignore its own human rights laws The Trump administration has also threatened to cut education funding over diversity the Rochester Community Schools superintendent discontinued its unfilled DEI director position on April 11 The move was applauded by former Rochester school board member Andrew Weaver who warned school officials they needed to do more Other parents opposed the measure on social media "Eliminating one position does not erase the broader activities and frameworks that fall under DEI Ignoring this reality places our students and district in jeopardy," Weaver said in an email to the school board "The Board of Education must exercise strong oversight to ensure this is not just a symbolic gesture to protect funding but a realignment of all programs in compliance with federal law Anything less would be smoke and mirrors at the expense of our students." Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined 19 other attorneys general in contesting the Trump administration's threats to withhold federal funding over DEI policies arguing the administration should be barred because its Department of Education's policy is a "vague contradictory and unsupported interpretation of Title VI." State Board of Education President Pamela Pugh said earlier this month she asked the Michigan Department of Education to advise every school district in the state not to comply with policies or demands that would inflict harm violate civil rights laws or force educators to teach lies "DEI means ensuring that rural students have reliable transportation to school It means that students with disabilities receive the services they need It means affirming students’ identities and protecting them from harm," said Pugh Republican state board member Tom McMillin from Oakland Township proposed an amendment calling for biological boys to stay out of girls’ sports McMillin said the measure was to ensure safety for all students "The Democrats' refusal to support my amendment makes it clear that they have no real interest in the safety of girls in schools otherwise they would have agreed to oppose boys' access to girls' bathrooms locker rooms and playing in girls’ sports," McMillin said in a statement "It appears that the Democrats on the Board are willing to sacrifice the safety of girls at the altar of the radical PETOSKEY — After taking their first league loss of the season last week there wasn’t much time for the Petoskey girls soccer team to mope on the defeat Petoskey has jumped right back into it and added more wins late last week The Northmen (6-3) picked up a 3-2 victory late in the week over Alpena 1 team in Division 4 with a 2-0 Saturday victory over Royal Oak Shrine “We put together our most complete game of the season against a very high level opponent,” Petoskey coach Zach Jonker said “One of the greatest strengths of this group is how diverse our attack can be and that was on display the past two games with five different girls scoring our five goals.” Jonker is spot on what makes his team so tough with so many legs capable of finding the back of the net Annika Gandhi and Brynn Jonker getting the credit then Claire O’Donnell and Lily Premo scored Saturday Both goals Saturday came in the first half PHS Baseball: Petoskey baseball suddenly a triple threat, show slugging power over weekend Top Performers: Petoskey softball makes program history in Cadillac. Top performers for May 1 “We didn't convert in the second half but we continued to generate chances with Mady Smith hitting the post and Annika hitting the crossbar,” Jonker added. Against Alpena, a pair of goals did come in the second half following a 1-1 halftime, but more opportunities also could have come. “Alpena always plays us tough and they have the quickest player in the league,” Jonker said. “She got behind us twice and converted for both their goals.  “I was really happy with our build-up, especially in the second half, and the chances we created. We hit a couple of posts and had a couple of other chances we just narrowly missed. Conditions were once again pretty brutal so it was nice to get out of there with the win.” Sadie Corey earned the win in net in both games, though split it Saturday with freshman Isla Scheib, who had to make a diving stop on a Royal Oak PK in the second half to preserve the shutout.  With so many games called early in the season, Petoskey (6-3, 4-1) has hit crunch time on the season with a host of games ahead.  They’ll welcome in Cadillac on Tuesday and Traverse City Central Thursday, before then hosting their annual Petoskey Invite Saturday at the Click Road Soccer Complex, with the likes of Grand Blanc, Marquette and other regulars in attendance.  Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny ALPENA COUNTY, Mich,. (WPBN/WGTU) - - Nearly everyone living in Alpena has now been without power for more than 48 hours. Lines for gas stations and running on generators are overflowing into main roads. Downed trees and power lines can be seen across the city, and people are flocking to one of the only operating grocery stores, Meijer on M-32. Meijer is also serving as a hub for gas, but be prepared to wait in line for several hours, and bring approved gas cans so you don’t get turned away. ALPENA — A severe thunderstorm that had wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour, heavy rain, and small hail that hit Alpena early Tuesday afternoon caused thousands of Alpena Power Co. customers to lose power, many trees to fall, and spawned numerous grass fires from downed power lines. The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Alpena County just before noon, and within minutes, the storm began to batter the area. The weather warning instructed people to shelter in place until the storm passed. The storm lasted less than 10 minutes, but caused power outages around Alpena County. Some of the power outages were from trees falling on power lines, and other trees blocked some roads in the Alpena area. The fires sparked from live wires lying on the ground, which was still abnormally dry, despite the heavy rain from the thunderstorm. Many of the people who lost power live on or near the U.S.-23 South corridor in Alpena Township, and there were also scattered outages in Alpena. It is unknown if there was extensive damage from the thunderstorm. Tuesday’s severe weather comes on the heels of a historic ice storm that began on March 28 and caused tens of thousands of people to live without electricity for days. Many trees from the ice storm were weakened or damaged by the ice storm, which likely made them vulnerable to the high winds associated with Tuesday’s thunderstorm. The Alpena area is still recovering from the ice storm, and cleanup from it is still ongoing in all of Northeast Michigan. Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com. The Michigan Public Service Commission is hosting a public forum on May 21 in Gaylord from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to ... Copyright © 2025 Alpena News Publishing Company | https://www.thealpenanews.com | 130 Park Place, Alpena, MI 49707 | 989-354-3111 If you see red lights casting against the Alpena Township Fire Stations from April 27 to May 4, don’t be alarmed, the fire department said in a Wednesday press release. The department is taking part in the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Tribute prior to the Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend that runs from Saturday through Sunday. Since its creation, Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters has expanded to include fire departments and families lighting their homes in red. The Alpena Township Board of Trustees and the fire department ask the citizens of the township and across Alpena County to join them in Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters. ALPENA — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Alpena County Prosecuting Attorney Cynthia Muszynski have submitted their briefs to the Michigan Court of Appeals arguing why the court should not overrule the local court’s verdict for Brad Srebnik, who was found guilty of murdering two women in Alpena in 2021. A jury in February 2024 found Srebnik guilty of killing Alpena women Brynn Bills and Abby Hill, and Judge Alan Curtis in March 2024 sentenced Srebnik to life in prison. Prosecutors said Srebnik strangled Bills at his home and then mutilated and buried her body behind the Naylor Road home of his friend, Josh Wirgau. Prosecutors said Srebnik later shot Hill in the head when he feared she would go to the police to report that he murdered Bills. Friedman said that part of Wirgau’s testimony is considered hearsay, which is often not permissible in court. Plus, Wirgau and other witnesses lied to investigators on multiple occasions, which tested the credibility of the witnesses. The prosecution responded on April 11 and outlined a counter to Friedman’s claims that he is using for the appeal. In its brief, the prosecution claims that all of the search warrant requests that were granted were legally obtained and based on probable cause and evidence that pointed to Srebnik, Wirgau, and Hill. The prosecution also claimed the cell phone data used to determine Hill’s location before she was killed and near where her body was found was accurate enough to meet the probable cause standards to obtain a warrant to search for additional evidence. The defense challenged Hill’s cell phone location and her exact proximity to where Srebnik killed her because the cell phone tower that detected Hill’s phone has a 20-mile range and claim that that wide of a range makes it hard to say Hill, Srebnik, and Wirgau were in the proximity to where her corpse was found. During the trial, a witness testified that she was a very good friend of Hill and noted that Srebnik had a “1%” tattoo, a symbol associated with criminal motorcycle gangs. Srebnik’s defense attorney called for a mistrial, saying the meaning behind the tattoo could influence jury members. Curtis denied the motion, but Friedman is challenging the tattoo reveal and the potential impact on jurors in his claims to the appeals court. The prosecution says it is unlikely that many of the jurors knew what the tattoo meant or if they did, they wouldn’t automatically assume Srebnik committed the murders. In its brief in January, the defense claims that Srbnik’s friend Bruce Kinsey, who testified against him, should have had a competency hearing to determine if he would be a credible witness. The prosecution says in its brief that Kinsey did lie to police during its investigation, but after he was charged with crimes associated with the murders and reached a deal with the prosecution, he would tell the truth on the stand. Bills was reported missing in early August 2021, and her remains were eventually found buried in the backyard of Wirgau’s house. The prosecution proved to the jury that Srebnik strangled Bills to death at his home and moved the body, eventually renting an excavator to bury her remains, with Wirgau’s help, in the backyard of Wirgau’s home. Hill, Srebnik’s girlfriend, was reported missing on Oct. 5, 2021, and her remains were found in a wooded area behind the Holcim Plant on Oct. 15. The prosecution says she was killed by Srebnik with a single gunshot to the head. In his plea deal, Wirgau pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact and disinterment and mutilation of a body in the death of Bills and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Hill. Charges of first-degree murder and felony firearm were dropped. In February of last year, Circuit Court Judge Ed Black gave three concurrent sentences, giving Wirgau a maximum of 20 years for the disinterment and mutilation of a body, a maximum of 10 years for accessory after the fact, and a maximum of 30 years for involuntary manslaughter. He was facing life in prison until he cut a deal with the State which oversaw the case along with Muszynski, to testify against his friend. Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com. ALPENA — On Tuesday, the Alpena Downtown Development Authority Board voted to purchase a series of small buildings for businesses to use in a new market planned in downtown Alpena. The market will be at the foot of the 2nd Avenue bridge where the former Alpena Power Co. office was. Anne Gentry, executive director for the DDA, said the board voted to buy five 10’x12′ tiny shops that will be leased out to businesses. A 24’x12′ shed was also purchased and will be used as a taproom where people can purchase cocktails and utilize the downtown’s social district. The currently-unnamed market will also have a space and electrical hook-up for food trucks and, at times, live entertainment. Gentry said the plan is to have the market open in time for many of the large-scale events in the Alpena area to begin. “We are targeting to be open by Memorial Day, but we will know for sure in the next few weeks,” Gentry said. “We definitely want to be open for the high traffic events in June for things like the Flower Festival and the MATE ROV World Championship.” Gentry said there will be an application process, and the DDA will decide which businesses will fill the small stores. “In the next few weeks, we will be launching a business application for businesses interested in leasing a tiny shop or the beverage shed,” she said. “We are targeting businesses that diversify what is currently offered downtown.” Since the news about the project broke earlier this year, Gentry said there has been a lot of interest from potential businesses and excitement from the public. She said similar markets in other communities are popular and they help to increase business for other nearby shops and restaurants. “We have had a lot of excitement about this project from the community and are excited to move forward with it,” Gentry said. “It aligns with a lot of our key goals as the DDA to activate the riverfront, bring additional foot traffic downtown, and provide a low-risk entry point for businesses to try out downtown and hopefully then consider a brick-and-mortar location.” Currently, Target Alpena owns the property, and it is for sale. The goal is to find a developer to purchase the land and build a mixed-use family consisting of commercial shops on the first floor and housing above it. Several developers have expressed interest in doing so, but plans have fallen through. Gentry said if the property is sold, the small stores can easily be moved to another location or be sold so the DDA can recoup its investment. Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com. According to a MyMichigan Health press release, My Michigan Medical Center Alpena received its fourth top “A” ... The regular meeting of the Rogers City Parks and Recreation Commission scheduled for Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 8:00 ... ALPENA — After months of experiencing drought, Northeast Michigan has received enough precipitation to alleviate those conditions. Though precipitation was a bit less than average for April, Northeast Michigan has bounced back from a prolonged drought. Joe Delizio, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Gaylord, said this shift in drought conditions is most likely a result of increased precipitation over the last month and a half. However, due to the recent ice storm that began on March 28, the National Weather Service in Gaylord was unable to record weather data for April 1 through April 3. The ice storm left tens of thousands without power, devastated forest land, damaged property, and blocked access to roads. As a result of power outages and resulting damages, data presented for the month of April (sums and averages) are incomplete. “There was some damage…we couldn’t get that data exactly,” Delizio said. Delizio also stated that the recent ice storm likely brought much-needed moisture to the area, though it resulted in other consequences. “(Northeast Michigan) went from severe drought to no drought,” Delizio said. On Tuesday, a severe storm system passed through the Alpena area, consisting of strong winds and rain. Though the storm mimicked tornado-like conditions, Delizio explained there were no indications of rotating winds, though gusts reached 54 miles per hour, west of Alpena. Delizio, who was watching the radar during the storm, explained that there weren’t any clear indications that a tornado had occurred in the Alpena area. “(Storm conditions) looked like straight-line winds,” Delizio said. “(These) can certainly cause quite a bit of damage.” According to the National Weather Service, damage caused by straight-line winds is commonly misinterpreted as tornado damage. Straight-line winds can also cause similar roaring sounds. Overall, the National Weather Service recorded only 1.44 inches of precipitation for the month of April. This amount is 1.49 inches less than the average 2.93 inches expected. Likewise, Alpena only received 0.4 inches of snow, while Alpena normally receives 6.6 inches of snow in April. This equals 5.8 inches less snow for the month. The highest temperature recorded in April was 80 degrees on Tuesday. The average high for April was 54.6 degrees. When compared with the long-term average, 52.2 degrees, Alpena’s high temperatures were 2.4 degrees higher than normal. The lowest temperature recorded in April was 14 degrees on April 9. The average low was 31.4 degrees. When compared with the long-term average, 30.2 degrees, the low temperatures were 1.2 degrees higher than normal. Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com. ALPENA — Starting late Friday night, Northeast Michigan was struck by a rare late-winter ice storm, causing the loss of power for tens of thousands of people in the region. The storm dropped nearly a half-inch of ice, covering trees that eventually fell onto powerlines, power poles, cars, and houses. Many trees also fell across roads, making them impassable. Power officials continue to work on power restoration with the help of their mutual energy partners from around the state. There is no timeline for when power will be restored to everyone, and it could take up to five days or more for power to be returned to some in the area. Some power has been restored to Alpena Power Company customers in Alpena, as of Monday night. Utility workers tend to work around the clock to restore power for everyone. The loss of power forced nearly all of the businesses in Northeast Michigan to close, leaving people few options to get needed supplies and gasoline for their vehicles and generators. The Meijer gas station in Alpena was the lone gas station open, for the most part, and lines of cars stretched down the highway and sideroads with customers waiting hours in line for fuel. On Monday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency which will send needed resources and manpower to the area. Alpena Mayor Cindy Johnson said the ice storm was a storm like no other in Alpena. She encourages everyone to show compassion and work with others in the community to provide assistance, warmth, and power to those who need it. Getting news and updates out to people in Northeast Michigan has been a challenge. Local media, including The News, have been hampered by not only a loss of power but also a loss of internet and phone systems. Many people sat in their vehicles to charge their devices and scoured social media for updates, information, and to encourage one another. Some in the community helped others by cutting trees that were blocking people’s driveways, borrowing heaters and generators, and even opening their homes to those who needed to warm up and charge their devices. Many businesses in the local food industry, knowing that their food could spoil, provided meals and local warm-up shelters, while others used food trucks to feed those who were hungry. First responders and energy companies reported more than 200 downed powerlines on Saturday night alone. As power crews worked to connect one line, trees would fall, taking out others, which created a dangerous environment for them. First responders in Alpena County were able to fill their vehicles with gas at the Holcim plant in Alpena. Local officials say it will take time for all the needed cleanup to take place and are asking the public for their patience. Alpena County Administrator Jesse Osmer said a typical storm of any kind normally impacts certain regions within the county. The ice storm over the weekend was historic. He said the county has worked and will continue to work with its partners until everyone has their power returned. “In most emergencies, only portions of the county would be impacted but this time, our entire county and neighboring counties have been affected,” he said. “What happened in Alpena is unprecedented, it is something few — if any — have experienced in our lifetime. We will continue to focus on collecting resources and working to ensure those who are seeking help get the help we are able to provide.” Unfortunately, the area may not be out of the woods yet as the National Weather Service is monitoring another winter storm that could include freezing rain, heavy snow, and high winds beginning Wednesday afternoon. Those conditions potentially could hinder restoration efforts or even result in more loss of power. Alpena Power Company, Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-Op, and Consumers Energy have released periodic updates on their restoration efforts and will continue to do so. The next District Health Department No. 4 (DHD4) meeting will be held on May 20 at 10 a.m. The meeting will take ... ALPENA — Alpena Public Schools will remain closed on Tuesday. APS staff that normally report on snow closure days should report to work tomorrow. Residents in Alpena have until 6 a.m. Monday to get their yard debris left from the ice storm out to the curbside ... The Public Works Service Center, located at 1001 Long Lake Avenue, is open on weekdays Monday through Friday, from ... ALPENA — Construction projects at parks in Alpena are either underway or slated to begin soon. The demolition of the old tennis and basketball courts at Bay View Park is underway, which will pave the way for a new sports complex, and the construction of the new restroom and pavilion slated near the bandshell at Bay View is also ready to commence. The project to renovate Culligan Plaza is still slated to begin this spring, as city officials will review bids for the project, which then have to be reviewed by the state, and then approved by the council, maybe as early as the end of May. The Culligan Plaza project also includes a renovation of the parking lot and construction of a new restroom facility downtown. On Monday, City Engineer Steve Shultz provided an update on the local projects that will add more amenities to the parks. Shultz said people will soon see contractors beginning to build the new restroom facility near the Kiwanis Kiddie Park and bandshell. He said materials are already being delivered, and soon the structure will begin to be erected. While the project is ongoing, Shultz said the parking lot at the kiddie park will be closed, but the road that goes down to the breakwall will remain open. “I have a bunch of submittals approved and that is ready to go,” he said. “Some of the materials, like manholes and piping, are already in the parking lot. We will have to close the parking lot, but all of the events scheduled for the bandshell this year are still moving forward, but that parking lot will be unusable.” In another area of Bay View, the Friends of the Alpena Courts are making progress on the project that will see the new Bay View Sports Complex created. When phase one is complete this summer, three regulation-size tennis courts, five pickleball courts, and three basketball courts will be in place, each with new surfaces. New LED lights will illuminate the entire complex, and new fencing surrounding the tennis and pickleball areas will be erected. Windscreens surrounding the tennis and pickleball areas will also be installed. The total cost of phase one of the project is approximately $340,000, with the project being paid for with local donations, as well as a generous $100,000 grant from the Alpena Youth and Recreation Commission. The commission allocates tax revenue from the county-wide property tax earmarked for recreation. Phase two of the project will include the construction of a new pavilion that will be built by Mike Kendziorski, who constructed the wooden bridge and water tower at Duck Park. That part of the project is expected to take place next year. If things remain on schedule, the Friends of the Alpena Courts hopes to meet the goal to be playing on the new courts by July 1, Ron Fusina, a member of the Friends group, said in an email to The News. Culligan Plaza is undergoing a complete redo. Alpena officials had hoped to begin the project last spring, but there were many requirements the city needed to deal with to comply with the nearly $1 million Community Development Block Grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to use toward the projected $1.2 million cost of the renovation of the plaza and a new restroom facility near it. In order to receive the grant, the city agreed to pay a 10% cash match of $118,555. A $20,000 grant from the Alpena County Youth and Recreation Committee was added to the pot. A $100,000 donation was also made from the First Federal of Northern Michigan Legacy Foundation. When completed, the new plaza, which will retain its name, will include a performance stage, a fire feature, and a rolling river with miniature waterfalls. It will also contain many trees and flowers, and features concrete, rock, and brick out of respect for Alpena’s history. Because the plaza and fountain are entering their final weeks before being torn down, Shultz said the city decided to make the fountain operational for a short time, so people have one last chance to enjoy it and take photos if they want. “It gives people one last chance to enjoy it or pose for a photo in front of it,” he said. “We never made an announcement when we turned the fountain off last fall that it would be the last time people would see it, so we figured it makes sense to have it running, at least temporarily.” “It is still kind of up in the air, but I have a feeling we won’t see the last of it when the fountain is torn down,” he said. Another project that could begin this fall is the construction of a restroom facility with an attached pavilion at Duck Park, where the proposed River Center was to be built. Shutz said that the project could begin in the autumn and, depending on the weather, could be completed by the end of the year or in the spring of 2026. ALPENA — The recent ice storm in Alpena took a heavy toll on many trees at Mich-e-ke-wis Park that were already in poor health, and it forced the city to cut many of them down on Thursday. Alpena officials say the trees had become a threat to public safety, and although they didn’t want to, they felt the only avenue to take to protect people from falling branches and large sections of tree stumps was to have them removed. As the contractor was cutting the trees down, concerned citizens flocked to the lakeside park to try to limit the number of trees that were being taken down. At least one concerned citizen said while livestreaming on Facebook Live from the scene that he was going to tie himself to a tree to prevent crews from cutting it down. City Engineer Steve Shultz said the city is not happy about having to take such drastic action, but it needed to be done to make sure nobody gets injured or killed if one of the large trees or limbs gives way. “It’s unfortunate, and we are sick to our stomach about it,” Shultz said. “When it comes to trees, we always use the three Ds when making a decision about them. Are they dead, dying, or dangerous, and unfortunately, they are.” Eric Peterson, who was trying to work with the city to help save some of the trees, said he believed the city was moving too quickly to remove the trees and not considering any long-term repercussions that could occur after the trees are gone. Peterson said he will work with the city to bring in and plant more trees to help revitalize the park. “This is a park that is used daily by the community to use for shade, enjoy the lake, and if we cut all these trees down, we are left with a hot, empty field,” Peterson said. “That isn’t going to look very pretty. This is very painful.” Shultz said city staff talked with an arborist who was at the park and they agreed with the city’s assessment of the health of the trees. To some people, the trees, which are beginning to have some green shoots sprouting from parts of the trees, may look perfectly healthy. Shultz said that isn’t the case, as other sections of the trees are dead or dying, and it is just a matter of time before they reach the point of no return. Shultz added that just cutting parts of the trees that are unhealthy on one side sets the stage for the tree to collapse unexpectedly. “There are only about two feet of wet sand under those trees and then rock, and if we only cut one side, they will fall,” he said. “We really don’t enjoy taking down trees, but it is a public safety issue.” Shultz said he wasn’t sure how many trees were scheduled to be cut down, but he said there were seven clusters of trees that needed to be removed. He did not specify how many trees were in an average cluster. Mich-e-ke-wis Park may not be the only park where some trees may need to be removed, Shultz said. He said there are at least two trees at Duck Park and possibly another pair at Washington Avenue Park. Shultz added that an assessment of the trees at the other city-owned parks is ongoing. “There is no doubt in our minds those trees would have come down,” he said. “Like I said, we don’t enjoy doing this, but public safety has to be our top priority.” Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Michigan State Police investigate deadly Alpena fire amid storm aftermathby Sumner Moorer — A man has died following a house fire in Alpena and authorities are investigating whether the death was related to recent storms Officials have indicated that it may take some time before they can confirm the cause with township fire officials reporting that they were called to the scene just after 2 a.m crews found the home fully engulfed in flames and already collapsed Fire officials believe the blaze had been burning for several hours before they were alerted Neighbor Bonnie Frantz described the challenges faced in alerting emergency services due to poor cell phone reception in the area "One of the neighbors jumped in his car and he took a cell phone and went because we do not have cell phone service in this area even if the power isn't out," said Frantz "He called 911 when he finally got the service And then that's when they were alerted that the house Neighbors reportedly had to drive for several minutes to obtain cell phone service and contact emergency responders Michigan State Police have taken over the investigation and plan to release more details Monday to get their yard debris left from the ice storm out to the curbside .. ALPENA — Firefighters saved the life of a woman who refused to leave her home in Alpena as a fire engulfed it on Tuesday The Alpena Fire Department was requested around 11:59 a.m for a home filling with smoke in an upstairs apartment located at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Spratt Street According to a press release from the fire department the tenant of the upstairs apartment opened three windows to clear the smoke The tenant was outside and stated she thought the fire started behind her kitchen stove and was an electrical fire The tenant from the downstairs apartment needed to be assisted out of her residence as she returned to the apartment and locked her door “It delayed the second crew from attacking the fire but life safety always comes first,” Alpena Fire Chief Rob Edmonds said When firefighters entered the building in an attempt to put out the fire the blaze was so severe that it destabilized the structure and forced firefighters to evacuate the building and fight the fire from outdoors a loud siren sounded to inform the firefighters inside to get out immediately the firefighters and their gear exited the home and an accountability check was done to make sure everyone on the crew was accounted for the firefighters used hoses from the ground and from the water cannon attached to the basket on the department’s aerial truck to attack the flames as large flames erupted out of the side of the structure Once it was determined the fire was under control crews cautiously reentered the structure to begin overhaul operations to both the first and second story apartments A total of 26 personnel were involved in the incident: eight on duty Crews remained on the scene for approximately six hours One firefighter was transported to MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena as a precaution for treatment of a medical issue The fire remains under investigation as to the cause and origin The fire department was assisted at the scene by the Alpena Police Department Alpena Power Company employees were at the scene to disconnect power at and near the home and DTE Energy was also there to address any utility gas concerns The Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center Fire Department was requested for a Rapid Intervention Team standby for firefighter safety while interior operations were underway MyMichigan Emergency Medical Services was placed on a mutual aid standby to handle EMS needs within the city and county while fireground operations were underway The Alpena Township Fire Department was also placed on readiness standby in the event an additional fire occurred within city limits during the operation The Alpena Victim Advocates were requested to aid with the displaced tenants’ housing and personal needs The Alpena Salvation Army Canteen assisted with the hydration needs of the fire personnel on the scene Those are only a few of the emotions people in Northeast Michigan described experiencing during the ice storm Every person who was caught up in the storm and the blackout has a story to tell and memories to share from the historic weather event which left tens of thousands of people in the region without power for many days began the night of March 28 and carried on for much of the following day Some areas in Northeast Michigan received up to a half-inch of ice Cell reception and high-speed internet service disruptions added to the hardship were at home on Fowler Street in Alpena when the ice storm arrived She still does not have power 10 days after the power went out She said the sounds of the trees and large branches falling near the house were one of the scariest things she has experienced “Some sounded like explosions and other ones made this loud eerie scratching noise on the side of the house,” she said “It was terrifying and I was freaking out.” Zylman said the first few days were the most challenging they would spend time alone in their rooms on their electronic devices they became bored and spat with each other and the kids found other things to do to entertain themselves She said doesn’t have a large support system to get help she learned her father was diagnosed with cancer “It broke me and pushed me over the edge,” she said “I have had a few times when I have broken down crying because I feel so helpless Elizabeth Kelly lives in a heavily wooded area of Moltke Township with her husband Quintin She is five months pregnant with the couple’s first child she feared for her family’s safety and her home and he got us out of there because the trees were falling everywhere I was scared our home was going to be destroyed and my daughter wasn’t going to have a home when she was born.” Kelly said she and her husband hunkered down with a family who had a generator lives with her husband and still has no power as of Monday afternoon and they were forced to shelter in place with no cell reception until their son was able to walk in to check on them She said the first few days were the most difficult because of the cold and dark but eventually they borrowed a portable propane heater that helped mute the cold a little After power was restored to some in the area a friend connected a generator for them to use that is powering some of the necessities she figured it would be like other blackouts She said getting updates and news was nearly impossible but it didn’t take long for her to realize this could be a long event “When I looked out the window and saw all of the ice and heard the trees fall and the branches break in the distance you just sort of knew things were bad and the damage was serious,” she said but I’m sure others have it worse.” The electrical restoration in Northeast Michigan has ramped up Hundreds of power crews have flowed into the area from around the state and outside of it to help reconnect everyone The National Guard has also provided critical services and infrastructure to help the people of the area there are also good things that came out of it the communities impacted by the storm have banded together to fight through the dark times “There are a lot of people helping people,” he said that is how it’s going to be for a while because even when there is power there is still a lot of work to do to get back to normal.” According to a MyMichigan Health press release My Michigan Medical Center Alpena received its fourth top “A” .. The regular meeting of the Rogers City Parks and Recreation Commission scheduled for Thursday ALPENA — Residents and businesses were still shoveling and plowing snow after a snowstorm brought more than a foot of snow to the Alpena area which began Saturday and moved out of the area early Sunday night The Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning on Friday that called for eight to 13 inches of snow in Northeast Michigan Alpena received 4.7 inches of fresh snow and the lingering storm followed that up with an additional 7.7 inches on Sunday Sunday’s snow total broke the one-day total record for Feb Weather records for Alpena date back to 1916 The first half of this month has been a snowy one as the area received some type of measurable accumulation almost daily The consistent lake-effect flurries have added up on the ground and a storm on Feb 12 and 13 which dropped 6.1 inches caused snow banks to rise The storm over the weekend has pushed the total amount of snow on the ground to 19 inches but there are snow banks around Northeast Michigan that are 20-plus feet high the Weather Service says Alpena has received 27.1 inches of snow The long-term average for the first 16 days of February is about 9.7 inches The average February snowfall for the entire month is 17 inches so the snowfall already received this month has easily surpassed the long-term average with half of a month to go The snow in Alpena looks as if it is going to stick around for the duration of the winter The current forecast predicts frigid weather for Northeast Michigan until Thursday Low temperatures are expected to be near zero with wind chills that could drive temperatures well below zero The Salvation Army in Alpena says people who need assistance to get out of the cold or need help with other matters should call 211 The extreme cold isn’t going to stick around long Temperatures are expected to rebound into the mid to upper 30s this weekend but there is a chance for lingering lake-effect flurries road crews did their best to clear streets while snow removal businesses worked feverishly to accommodate all of their customers Alpena City Manager Rachel Smolinski City crews will continue to work on the local streets to make them passable and then on to the snow removal process “The city is doing the best it can to get everyone cleared out Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com a man was struck by a car at the intersection of Ripley Boulevard and Washington Avenue The Alpena Police Department is still investigating the wreck The man was transported by ambulance to the MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena The Alpena police and fire departments were at the scene The extent of the man’s injuries and the full details of the incident are unknown at this time Alpena — Residents across northern Michigan huddled Monday in warming centers and drove south in search of gasoline to fuel their generators that were partially powering homes businesses and hospitals rocked by a debilitating weekend ice storm that public officials called unprecedented More than 59,000 customers across 10 counties in the northern Lower Peninsula and eastern Upper Peninsula spent their second full day without power as utility companies scrambled to restore electricity and Gov Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency falling chunks of ice were so dangerous that the Mackinac Bridge was closed to traffic in both directions The widespread nature of the outage and its duration are unprecedented “The difficulty with this is our whole county — just shy of 30,000 people — lost power,” Smith told The Detroit News “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.” By midday Monday, Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Alpena County and nine others: Charlevoix 23 and throughout the city of Alpena on Monday branches still hung heavy with a thick coating of ice drooping and dragging on power lines and roofs and shattering into a fine dust where they hit the ground A long line of cars waited outside the Meijer gas station the only station along the Sunrise Side drive from Harrisville to Alpena whose marquee wasn't darkened for fuel to keep their generators working through the night At the Merchant building at the Alpena County Fairgrounds cots with new mattresses from the county jail lined a cement-floored building where heat was being pumped with a generator borrowed from the school district about two dozen people gathered to escape temperatures that were expected to dip into the teens that night "What do you do when the grocery stores and gas stations are down?" asked Rob Golding who was there for a warm meal with his wife and 95-year-old mother-in-law Although Whitmer declared a state of emergency earlier in the day Alpena residents still had not received additional aid as of Monday night And estimates to restore power to the area's critical facilities — such as the local hospital — were continually delayed electricity at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena was restored after the hospital operated on generator power for 49 hours Longtime residents of Alpena County said they'd never seen the level of destruction still on display late Monday a couple of days after a freezing rainstorm that took out power for the 28,000-person county along the shores of Lake Huron "It looks like a tornado came through town," said Barb Beaulieu of Alpena Local chef Eric Peterson whipped up a meal with donated food for individuals finding shelter or just a warm meal at the Alcona County Fairgrounds "It's just a gentle reminder of the things that we need to get back to this community-mindedness and making sure we have each other's back," Peterson said an Alpena resident volunteering at the warming shelter said the city came together to help each other in the wake of the unprecedented storm "And then once they started coming down and you could hear the branches snapping said Sunday night on Facebook that the "outage occurred at an ITC substation that provides service to Alpena Power" around midnight Saturday "The outage was a result of an initial wave of ice storms that impacted northern Michigan," ITC spokeswoman Rebecca Miller said in a Sunday statement "Service was temporarily restored at 7 a.m and is still ongoing due to a second wave of wintery mix and thunderstorms We are working closely with Alpena Power Company to restore power to the affected areas as promptly and safely as possible and as weather conditions allow." officials said all of Alpena Power Company’s customers remained without power due to the effects of the weekend ice storms "APC is expecting to have its interconnection with the regional electric transmission system restored mid-afternoon on Monday at which point we will immediately begin restoring power to essential services," a statement said which regulates electricity providers in the state it was "monitoring restoration of power across the state particularly for the northernmost Lower Peninsula counties hit by a devastating ice storm." "The MPSC is working with state emergency management officials and affected utilities," commission spokesperson Matt Helms said in a statement "We encourage everyone to stay away from downed power lines use backup generators outdoors at least 20 feet away from windows and doors people with disabilities and others in vulnerable households about 200 people gathered Monday evening at the Evangelical Free Church for relief from their frozen and freezing homes was one of two warming centers the Michigan State Police said were open in the area The church set up 75 cots for people to spend the night and was waiting for another 75 from the Red Cross Distler said he has heard heartbreaking stories from people who have been coming to the church since Saturday night One couple wept as they told the pastor about how their home was destroyed by a falling tree A young woman told Distler she had nowhere else to turn from the power outage that had decimated the town “It’s been overwhelming at times,” Distler told The News Munson Healthcare's Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord was still running on generators Monday evening Outpatient services were canceled Monday at Munson's Gaylord and Charlevoix hospitals The hospital system was hopeful that power would be restored at Charlevoix Hospital by early Tuesday morning Jane Sharkey of Gaylord said her tree-strewn yard was just one of the consequences of the winter storm Far more urgent was the lack of heat during the cold weather Connie Springston of Gaylord said her home was damaged by a falling tree But she couldn’t stay there because of the lack of power internet,” Springston said while charging her phone at the church “You don’t know how much you need it until something like this.” the owners of a small town grocery store and restaurant were improvising Monday to remain open a gas-powered generator is keeping some lights and cash registers operating although they're only able to accept cash or checks we know real well where we're floating a loan or whatever .. and fire departments already have charge books set up so we're just doing it that way with those guys," Madison said Monday afternoon by phone Down the street in the town of about 900 residents the mother and daughter who own Ma's Diner opened up Sunday morning at 7 a.m and stayed open five hours beyond their normal 3 p.m running their stoves on gas and a few lights on a generator baking bread from scratch because there's no bread being delivered to the isolated northern Michigan town “We’ve been super crazy busy the last two days,” said Higgins More: Mackinac Bridge closed due to falling ice; Whitmer declares state of emergency Madison said he was tossing out perishables from his grocery store's coolers that survived Sunday without power pork and all that we had to toss this morning — ice cream," Madison said Ma's Diner ran out of some meats on Monday "We're trying to get a hold of our food vendors to see if there's anything they can do to be able to get us some more food," she said The businesses in Onaway get their electricity from the Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op which was reporting more than 32,000 customers without electricity as of early Monday afternoon the owners of the local McDonald's fast food restaurant secured a generator and reopened at 7 p.m the drive-thru was "crazy busy," store supervisor Tracy Borowicz said "We've got (employees') family members who don't even work here in the back washing dishes." Power went out for most of Alpena County in the early hours of Sunday morning after freezing rain brought down trees It’s not unusual for residents in northern Michigan to lose power for 12- to 24-hour periods but those outages are usually isolated and residents are able to travel to a family member’s home until power is restored bridge director for the Mackinac Bridge Authority recorded a social media video from the backseat of a pickup truck Monday and said the ice on the 68-year-old span was the worst she's seen in 23 years of working at the bridge As the power outage drags on and generators run low on fuel said Alpena County Board Chairman John Kozlowski just one gas station in the entire county had a generator able to pump gas Kozlowski’s wife had to drive 40 miles south to Tawas to access fuel a 500-gallon diesel generator can keep the jail running for about three days but that’s if it were full ahead of the storm The sheriff recently had an area farmer deliver 210 gallons of his own diesel fuel to help keep the generator going emergency service providers were getting calls about issues with oxygen tanks and other essential appliances that rely on generators not to mention fears about dipping temperatures so it’s a real challenge right now because the uptick in EMS calls is just through the roof,” Edmonds said Edmonds and Smith were hopeful that Alpena Power would have power restored to some essential facilities — such as the hospital — later Monday both the city and county are hopeful for swift aid in the form of extra EMS crews But Alpena County Administrator Jesse Osmer said most resources aren’t expected until Tuesday morning the county is opening up additional warming centers for area residents “We’re really trying to make do tonight,” Osmer said Jennifer and Scott Bartels were asleep in bed when the power running their Onaway home was lost and the arduous work of keeping their seven freshwater aquariums and their inhabitants alive began the Bartels said they have been using a generator to pipe power back into their home and into equipment that heats and filters hundreds of gallons of water for more than 100 fish and it is currently powering all the aquariums,” Jennifer Bartels said Monday They are all nice plants that also require light That helps with the oxygen exchange and photosynthesis within the tank as well.” The concern for the days ahead is that gas has become scarce We're about to travel two hours today to go get gas to keep our generators going,” Jennifer said “There is no power (at nearby gas stations) and the places that had power yesterday had run out of fuel While the couple has no running water — no showers But they are worried about their underwater creatures The Bartels have not lost any fish as of Monday afternoon but Jennifer is worried after seeing some stressed-out behaviors such as refusing to eat and a fish lying on its side That’s the one I collected the eggs from the parents and grew these guys Jennifer said the couple has already spent all of their bill money for this week on gas to stay warm and to get the aquariums going again While she is aware of Whitmer's emergency declaration Now they have to decide if they will use gasoline to power the chainsaw or use the gas for other purposes The storm brought about new logistical headaches for public school leaders in northern Michigan superintendent for Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools just east of Gaylord said she is hopeful lawmakers will be receptive to the idea of forgiving the northern Michigan school districts for some of the days missed because of the ice storm Xenakis-Makowski is also president of the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators "There is ice build-up on trees and powerlines up to six inches in diameter in some areas," Xenakis-Makowski said we have over a dozen power poles that are literally snapped in half and laying across M-32." the Gaylord area had over 180 inches of snow and had 14 snow days She didn't anticipate the area having the power needed to resume school before next week "Every pole is down," Xenakis-Makowski said With no electricity to spare for computers employees at Tom's Family Market in Onaway were keeping paper ledgers of all sales and using flashlights to search store shelves for non-perishable food but we ain't collecting tax," he said with a laugh and the owner planned to stay open for the same hours on Tuesday Madison is unsure if he'll have enough gasoline to keep his generator running Area residents are having to drive 30 to 40 miles south into areas that have power in order to find gasoline "We're going to try to keep it going as long as I can find a gas can here and there," Madison said ALPENA — At its workshop meeting on Monday night the Alpena Public Schools Board of Education discussed ice storm response and the Fairview Community Schools student physical privacy policy APS Superintendent Dave Rabbideau said that Rep and State Superintendent Michael Rice have all made statements saying that they are working on granting schools forgiveness for days missed during the ice storm emergency It technically has to go through the legislature to forgive those days School districts are allowed six snow days Any days above that have to be added on to the school year Rabbideau said that the district put 181 days into their calendar this year so they actually get seven snow days that do not need to be waived Three of the ice storm days will go through the usual waiver process and the rest will likely be waived due to the state of emergency the board and superintendent will be reading the book “Great On Their Behalf: Why School Boards Fail They will be discussing the book at their workshop meetings for the next four months The book study is especially timely as public commentators at the March 24 board meeting showed concern that the board is not collaborating well and is prone to micromanagement Rabbideau decided to read the book with the board based on a recommendation he heard from the School Superintendents Association when he attended the March session the board discussed a student physical privacy policy from Fairview Community Schools that lays out rules for the use of restrooms and showers by gender non-conforming students Fairview’s policy dictates that facilities that are designated for one biological sex shall only be used by members of that biological sex biological sex is defined as “the biological condition of being male or female as determined at birth based on physical differences community members spoke up about the policy saying that there is already a process in place at Alpena High School where gender non-conforming students and their parents talk to staff and administrators to come to a solution about bathroom usage Those who spoke up said that they see no need to make a policy modeled after Fairview’s as there have been no complaints with the current procedure A letter from community member Janet Fairchild was read at Monday night’s meeting saying that state law mandates that school physical privacy policies let students use facilities that align with their gender identity over their biological sex Rabbideau said that the Fairview policy would be in violation of the district’s anti-harassment policies according to a conversation he had with Thrun Law Firm Board member Monica Dziesinski was concerned that not having a policy in place would violate an executive order The exact executive order being referred to was not stated it could be implied that it had to do with biological sex and gender identity According to Rabbideau Thrun said that not having a policy would not be in violation of the aforementioned executive order since that order does not dictate that a district must have a policy in place Thrun also said that the Fairview policy is in violation of the Elliot-Larsen civil rights law which could invite complaints or grievances The Elliot-Larsen civil rights law is a law in the state of Michigan that prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion Dziesinski responded saying that she would still like a first reading of the policy at the next meeting to be in compliance with federal law “Usually when there’s conflict between state law and federal law federal law does go over Michigan law,” she said “…And as far as the executive order not necessarily just the executive order.” Board member Eric Hansen said that he was not opposed to having discussions about the Fairview policy “I think that having discussions is certainly a reasonable thing,” he said “My reservation falls in the fact that things are unfolding so rapidly that we don’t — It’s more of a moving target We don’t know where the laws or the executive orders or the guidance is going to end up “Although I am completely in favor of having conversation on this I think that at a later time would be more appropriate,” Hansen concluded Board President Anna Meinhardt thought that the district is sitting in a good spot where there is no policy in violation of the current executive order Policies like the one at Fairview have drawn the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and she would not like to see a lawsuit from them since it would cost the district money to defend itself in court “Part of our board responsibility is to be fiscally responsible for our district,” she said She also did not see a reason for modifying the policy when no complaints have been made about the current process Board member Eric Lawson was not concerned about litigation from the ACLU and agreed with Dziesinski that federal law is more important to consider I’m not worried about an activist organization sending us an email,” Lawson said “But I am worried about the federal government and I still believe that the larger financial risk comes from being out of alignment with the federal government’s dictates on this question.” Meinhardt suggested that the reason this policy is being brought up is for personal or political gain “It’s not coming to us because the staff has concerns,” she said “It’s not coming to us because the students have concerns The only reason it’s coming to us is what I just can’t wrap my head around it.” “As far as the board functioning together I think it kind of needs to stop,” she said “That is not why I’m bringing this forward,” Dziesinski said “I’m bringing this forward because I’ve been reading up on losing federal funding and I do not want to lose that.” there will be another legal opinion from Kallman and a potential first reading — Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District Superintendent Justin Gluesing presented on the SOAR room partnership at Ella White Elementary The SOAR room is for students struggling with learning in a general education environment they transition to the general education environment The board will vote on whether to continue the partnership at their April regular board meeting president and bond campaign specialist at KingScott presented on the facility master plan development process for APS APS is trying to plan out the use of its facilities in the future as enrollment continues to decline “This whole effort is really about creating a sustainable future for Alpena Public Schools,” Atkins said They are looking to start the data collection process this month The board will vote to start the project with KingScott at their April 28 board meeting — The board discussed changing the wording of Policy 1210 Board-Superintendent Relationship Dziesinski suggested changing the second sentence of the policy from “policy should not be originated or changed without the recommendation of the Superintendent” to “Therefore… the board shall not originate or amend a policy without first giving the superintendent the opportunity to provide recommendations or input.” — Discussed a new course at Thunder Bay Junior High and made a motion to approve a new English Language Arts course: Advanced English for grades six and eight to be offered during the 2025-2026 school year The board voted unanimously to pass the motion — Made a motion to approve a new English Language Arts course: Eng 1050 Practical Writing for grades 10 and 12 to be offered during the 2025-2026 school year — The board moved to a closed session to discuss a graduation requirement waiver request they made a motion to approve the waiver of the state MME testing graduation requirement for two students — The board decided to push their visit to Hinks and Besser elementary to next school year as it will be difficult to reschedule with the end of the school year coming up This story has been updated to reflect that the board member agreeing with Dziesinski is Eric Lawson and that the legal group is named Kallman This information was incorrect in an earlier version of the story ALPENA — Schools in Northeast Michigan closed last week keeping student and staff safety in mind as power outages from the recent ice storm affected the area School cancellations have conflicted with state testing as many schools in the area planned to hold their testing this week Alpena Public Schools opened Wednesday for students and staff Their new testing dates for students at Alpena High School taking the PSAT Original testing dates were set for Wednesday and today Superintendent Dave Rabbideau said that the testing window for this year as determined by the College Board and the state The SAT test is strict in when and how it can be administered making it difficult to adjust testing dates Other districts are utilizing the flexible testing window to change their testing dates like Onaway Area Community School District according to Interim Superintendent Jake Huffman The district plans to push testing to next week but after they found out a radio tower was down APS discovered that the antenna to the repeater on Manning Hill that amplifies the radio signal for buses was not operational Bus drivers went out and ran their routes on Monday Superintendent Dave Rabbideau said at the regular board meeting Monday night They reported that in the north end of the county Rabbideau said they had communicated with affected families and made arrangements for alternate location pickups Other area schools that returned Wednesday include Atlanta Community Schools Hillman Community Schools will be closed for the remainder of the week according to a post on their Facebook page Onaway Area Community School District remained closed Wednesday Huffman said they plan to return to school today Pied Piper opened its doors Monday to students and staff Alcona Community Schools reopened on April 2 Superintendent Dan O’Connor said that Alcona’s schools never lost power and were open as a warming center for those in need is working on drafting a bill to grant schools forgiveness for days missed due to power outages and damage caused by the ice storm “I’m actively working with our local superintendents and fellow legislators on a bill I’m drafting and plan to introduce soon,” Cavitt said in a statement “It will address the need for school closure forgiveness in Northeast Michigan during the recent state of emergency I’m also preparing additional legislation to directly aid the ongoing cleanup effort Now that we have the Governor’s attention it’s more important than ever that we move quickly to ensure vital resources continue reaching our communities.” ALPENA — The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education voted against implementing the long-awaited rain garden at their regular meeting Monday night to the dismay of many people in attendance and students packed the Gerry Ludwig Boardroom to voice their opinions and participate in the school board meeting two letters from community members were read and 10 community members came forward to speak their minds about topics ranging from the importance of the involvement of educators in the curriculum process and the proposed creation of a student physical privacy policy six of the 10 people spoke a second time and five new people came to the podium “I feel that this (the garden) would be a great source for student learning as well as helping them protect the environment as well as us playing a role in protecting the environment.” Community member Carol McKay reiterated that the rain garden fits the five pillars of the district’s strategic plan which she had spoken to the board about during their meeting on March 10 Before making their final vote on the rain garden board member AJ MacArthur analyzed the engineering plans for the rain garden and pointed out where the plans were wrong in mapping out where run-off water drains out of the Alpena High School lot MacArthur said that the water would drain into Mud Lake The intention of the rain garden was to keep Lake Huron clean and he did not see how that would occur when run-off from the high school does not drain there Board member Sarah Fritz asked whether Mud Lake eventually drains into Lake Huron MacArthur said he believes that Mud Lake is landlocked MacArthur was also concerned that soil borings had not been tested in the empty AHS dirt lot so he was unsure whether the soil there would be ideal for planting the garden Board member Monica Dziesinski expressed concerns about what the cost of maintaining the rain garden in the long run would be APS Associate Superintendent for Business and Operations Mary Lyon said she did not know what the cost would be at this time but expressed that community members would be willing to donate to the effort and maintenance would not be overly expensive and Eric Lawson voted against implementing the rain garden Board members Fritz and Eric Hansen voted in favor Board President Anna Meinhardt was not present at the meeting Prompted by the comment of a community member Costain explained why she chose to vote the way she did I spent over 80 hours researching rain gardens,” she said I’ve looked at studies that said the expectancy of rain gardens how much the satisfaction has gone down.” She said that she read the emails sent to her by community members and researched what they recommended Costain acknowledged the number of great groups that were willing to help maintain the rain garden it wasn’t clear to her who would actually help at the end of May through August and I only had two people that supported it,” Costain explained “A lot of them were worried that it would end up like Ella White.” She learned through the board’s workshop meetings that the rain garden would have the most effect on well water She reached out to the well company and they told her that there is a well at the high school Costain was excited about students being involved in the project but after learning that the initial planting would be done over the summer by Huron Pines “So I know that a lot of you might not agree with me and I came to the conclusion that I just don’t — I am not against clean water — but in that area I didn’t think that was the right fit for that part of the school,” Costain concluded * Jen Myers of the Alpena Family Partnership presented what the partnership does The program serves homeschool families in the area and offers hybrid homeschooling options * The board passed the motion to award Sehi for the procurement of JL676A switches and JL675A switches in the amount of $22,852.08 for technological upgrades * The board passed the motion to award Vector for the procurement of Ruckus R350 Wireless Access Points (WAPs) and Access Licenses in the amount of $39,000 for technological upgrades * APS announced the hire of IT Director Andrew Reinhardt * Donations for the AHS hockey team fan bus to the final four tournament totaled $3,542.21 * There was also public comment about the policies that Board Member Eric Lawson brought forward at their workshop meeting on March 10 * Reviewed student physical privacy policy from Fairview Area Schools * The board has a retreat scheduled for next Monday * The board will be visiting Hinks and Besser elementary schools on April 9 ALPENA — The Alpena Figure Skating Club will present its annual show on Friday March 8 at Northern Lights Arena in Alpena and the same show will be held again at 1 p.m according to Alpena Figure Skating Club Vice President Corey Cook She said there were a little over 60 skaters last year The theme for this year is “Enchanted Waters.” Each group will perform to music pertaining to that theme with costumes to coordinate with each song “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Cook said Courtesy Photo Alpena Figure Skating Club participants in Basic 2B will perform to the song “Splish Splash” by Bobby Darin Pictured in the back row are Coach Abbey Ruby She added that all the proceeds go toward making skating more affordable for families who want to get involved with the Alpena Figure Skating Club and they have their annual show each March to present the skills the skaters have learned and to celebrate their progress over the season Cook said some children start figure skating as young as age 3 or 4 She added that there is no upper age limit for joining the Alpena Figure Skating Club Courtesy Photo Alpena Figure Skating Club participants in Basic 4 will perform to the song “Wellerman” by Sea Shanty Pictured in the back row are Coach Taylor Widajewski “The Alpena Figure Skating Club is a nonprofit organization promoting the sport of figure skating,” the AFSC website states “Its existence can be traced back to the 1930s and advancement of our members in free style We also have basic skill classes that are the building blocks for figure skating.” The club offers group lessons for skaters of all levels which is the national governing body of eligible figure skating in the United States,” the AFSC website states “The USFS sets the standards and rules under which all member clubs operate.” Cook encourages the community to come out and support the Alpena Figure Skating Club while enjoying an entertaining program showcasing the talents of all the skaters Northern Lights Arena is located at 751 Woodward Ave. For more information about Alpena Figure Skating Club Courtesy Photo Alpena Figure Skating Club participants in Senior Spotlight will perform to the song “Ocean Eyes” by Billie Eilish The Senior Spotlight routine was choreographed by Meghan Cameron Courtesy Photo Alpena Figure Skating Club participants in Basic 2A will perform to the song “In Summer” by Josh Gad (from “Frozen”) Pictured in the back row are coaches Alexa Blumenthal and Violet LaFleur Courtesy Photo Alpena Figure Skating Club participants in Basic 1 will perform to the song “Rubber Ducky” by Sesame Street Pictured in the back row are Coaches Lexi Gembel and Rielle Sanders ALPENA — The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its studies and programs will be either directly or indirectly impacted by the cuts imposed by the Trump administration Fish and Wildlife office in Alpena and potentially other federal agencies in northern Michigan like the National Weather Service office in Gaylord It is still not known if there have been cuts to the staff to the sanctuary staff because administrators and spokespeople of the agencies are reluctant to speak about personnel matters to the media about 800 NOAA employees have lost their jobs around the country and a second wave of layoffs is possible at probationary employees who have two years or less of tenure or others who have recently been promoted who represents Michigan’s 6th congressional district confirmed in a letter to Vice Admiral Nancy Hann deputy undersecretary for operations for NOAA that 15 probationary employees at NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab in Ann Arbor had been fired The research lab has a direct connection to the Sanctuary and the cut in jobs could impact Sanctuary operations and initiatives locally The research lab partners with the Sanctuary and helps with research and exploratory projects It also shares research vessels with the NOAA staff in Alpena and has a dive team to assist local scientists in Alpena The 20% cut of staffing could trickle down to Alpena and impact operations and mission goals if the job loss is long-term president of Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary described the cuts to NOAA staff as devastating for the Sanctuary and people need to contact their elected officials to speak out against them and staff are under attack,” Wiesen said in an email to The News “The firings and proposed budget cuts could be devastating to the sanctuary I have had the privilege of witnessing the hard work Our board is urging that every resident of Northeast Michigan take a few minutes to call or write to your federal and state elected officials and let them know how important NOAA is to our community and Great Lakes This is the least we can do for an institution that has done so much for all of us.” has been a strong supporter of the Sanctuary and has made numerous visits to it and even scuba-dived some of the shipwrecks NOAA is trying to preserve He said the NOAA staff and all of its partners do much more than research that funding cuts and a reduction of staff could have a negative impact on Alpena and the entire region “From educational opportunities and historic preservation to increased economic development and tourism the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a critical component of Michigan’s maritime cultural landscape,” Peters said “Reckless cuts to staff and funding for Thunder Bay have serious consequences for the local community and to preservation efforts across the Great Lakes I’ll always fight to protect the people and the resources that help support Michigan communities and our Great Lakes.” said employees at federal agencies need to continue to show Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency their value and importance He said it is not unprecedented to have a president force large job cuts to shrink government and spending but he said he will continue to watch closely all developments with cuts to federal employees and funding in northern Michigan and fight to restore jobs that are needed “I’ve long supported much of the work being done by NOAA and Fish and Wildlife Services which have been a large topic of discussion across the 1st District,” Bergman said “Over the next few weeks and months it will be critical for each agency to show what the added value of each position lost is we will work to make sure those jobs are restored Just like the taxpayer has had to do over the past few years during record high inflation the government must find all of the areas where we are overspending or jobs that are just straight up not the role of the federal government rightsizing the government has not been a partisan issue – in fact President Clinton cut the federal workforce by nearly 270,000 people,” he continued “Our Nation’s government is in dire need of reform and President Trump is doing just that some cuts that need to be backfilled or replaced – and that is something I’m keeping a close eye on especially in areas concerning our national security and our natural resources.” Some of Trump’s and DOGE’s actions appear to run parallel to the controversial Project 2025 Project 2025 is a political initiative published by the Heritage Foundation that aims to promote conservative and right-wing policies to reshape the United States federal government The project calls for sweeping changes to many of NOAA’s six primary offices These entities could be privatized or merged with other federal government departments or their responsibility could be handed off to private companies if Trump follows Project 2025’s game plan Project 2025 says NOAA has become too vast and costly and aspects of it need to be changed significantly The plan claims all of the offices under the NOAA umbrella cost taxpayers millions of dollars while stirring up fear over the potential effects of climate change Trump said he knew nothing about Project 2025 and has distanced himself from it is also experiencing cuts to staff which includes forecasters Northeast Michigan depends on the weather office in Gaylord for its weather information and it is not known if there have been cuts to staff a public affairs specialist with the Weather Service said in an email to The News that she could neither confirm nor deny any job cuts at the Sanctuary in Alpena or at the weather station in Gaylord we are not discussing internal personnel and management matters,” she said “NOAA remains dedicated to its mission and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation’s environmental and economic resilience We continue to provide weather information forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission Fish and Wildlife Service also had little to say about any job cuts in Alpena “The USFWS reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the American public and the fish wildlife and natural resources we manage,” Marshall said in an email “We are working closely with the Office of Personnel Management to ensure we are prioritizing fiscal responsibility for the American people.” Details on the cuts are sure to come to light at some point Wiesen said it is too early in the process and it is still unknown how deep the cuts and layoffs could go He said it is hard to predict how severe the damage “The firing and cuts are happening in real-time and it seems things are changing by the moment It is too early to know the full impact,” he said EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is the 50th in a series of stories adapted from William Kelley’s book For catastrophic weather events such as the northern Michigan ice storm customers of investor-owned utilities are eligible for the credits if their power has been out for more than 96 hours.  While not enough to fully compensate for losses or hardships experienced by many customers as a result of these outages this accommodation to customers acts as an accountability metric for the investor-owned utilities paid directly to those affected These power outage credits do not apply to customers of electric cooperatives or municipal electric utilities neither of which are regulated by the MPSC Electric co-ops are member-owned nonprofits regulated by their own boards of directors municipal utilities are regulated by their local government agencies The MPSC does not have the legal authority to require co-ops or municipal utilities to provide outage credits Thousands of customers in the hard-hit area are customers of Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op which are not subject to MPSC billing rules Customers of Consumers Energy and Alpena Power whose outages extended beyond the 96-hour threshold for restoration of service from catastrophic weather are eligible for outage credits Under rules adopted in recent years by the MPSC customers of regulated utilities no longer need to request outage credits from their utilities The credits are automatically added to customer bills once a customer qualifies Customers of electric cooperatives or municipal utilities are encouraged to contact their utility with questions they may have including whether their utility offers credits the Big Lots in Alpena is closing and the property where the store is located is available for lease It is not known at this time when the store will close its doors for the last time Big Lots filed for bankruptcy in September and has been trying to unload the business and its assets since Big Lots was a popular place to purchase seasonal and holiday items and decorations It was also a store where people could shop for reasonably priced furniture The closure of the local store comes amid a fury of changes with the Big Lots company over the last year that left hundreds of stores not knowing if they would remain open or close Big Lots gave potential buyers of the company until the end of 2024 to purchase the franchise and had a purchase agreement with Nexus Capital Management which could have prevented some store closures Going out of business sales began nationwide Big Lots struck a sales deal with Gordon Brothers Retail Partners and intellectual properties that breathed life into the idea that the Alpena store could stave off closure The properties for the stores that are closing have already been listed as available for lease by Big Lots’ new owners Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Mike Mahler said the news of the closure is disappointing especially for the seniors who might utilize the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and want to shop within the plaza “It seems like we take one step forward and then two steps back,” he said “The shopping center was beginning to fill up and now we have lost our anchor.” Gordon Brothers began listing the Big Lots locations on Jan The store listings say they are primarily located in shopping centers across 47 states and range in size from about 19,000 to 55,000 square feet Mahler said the large footprint of the building opens up a range of businesses that could utilize it He said the south corridor of Alpena offers developers lower investment costs than the area out by Walmart and Meijer “For someone who wants to be in the community but doesn’t want to pay a premium it is a way for them to do it,” he said “Hopefully we’ll be able to find something to pop in there.” co-head of North America real estate services at Gordon Brothers said the former Big Lots properties provide a chance for other investors to build businesses “This is a fantastic opportunity for expansion-minded retailers to grow their footprint by acquiring well-located stores with long-term below-market rents,” Burden said in the press release “These spaces offer a seamless path to enhance their presence and serve new communities making it an ideal time to capitalize on prime retail real estate.” The Big Lots store in Alpena is located on U.S.-23 South in the Giantway Plaza Shopping Centre The plaza also includes a JOANN Fabrics and Crafts store and construction for the new location for PACE and Medicare and Medicaid services to seniors a Norton Shores company that specializes in demolition and environmental remediation and has experience preparing large industrial properties for mixed-use development has agreed to purchase the Decorative Panels International property in Alpena The company specializes in asbestos remediation owner and president of the firm working to buy the DPI property said his business intends to seek input from the Alpena community on a site redevelopment plan and plans to address environmental contamination at the property “We wish to find a financially viable use for the Alpena site that meets the needs of the community,” Melching said and federal resources to develop a site plan that complements the surrounding area and provides a sense of place.” Melching has hired an environmental consultant to help navigate safe redevelopment of the site The company has also communicated with city representatives to better understand local development initiatives and plans to continue seeking input from local stakeholders DPI announced the closure of its Alpena plant and laid off more than 150 employees there the Alpena Municipal Council rezoned the property on Ford Avenue from heavy industrial to waterfront which the city hopes will spur mixed-use development along the shores of Thunder Bay on the northern end of town the company is working on a complete demolition and environmental cleanup of a 1.2-million-square-foot paper mill and power plant in Muskegon That project is similar to what needs to be addressed at the former DPI site Melching is restoring the Muskegon property from an industrial site dating back to 1898 to a mixed-use commercial and residential property similar to what some Alpenans have said they’d like to see happen at the DPI plant The downstate project has an estimated cost in excess of $10 million in demolition along with an additional $2 million in asbestos abatement and remediation Concrete removed from those buildings and foundations will be crushed and recycled onsite Alpena Mayor Cindy Johnson said Friday the prospect of Melching developing the DPI property into something the community supports and addressing environmental contamination there is a good first step “We are excited to collaborate with Melching Inc to develop the former DPI site,” Johnson said “This project represents new opportunities for our community and we look forward to exploring the possibilities together and working closely with our residents to shape the future of this space.” and Energy provided the Alpena Municipal Council an update on contamination at the old plant The state reported that six tests detected perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOA) a specific per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) Four of those tests showed a level of PFOA nearly double the state maximum limit for groundwater The state is still awaiting more test results from DPI to determine the extent and severity of the contamination “We still have to find out how large the plume is and where it is going and see the whole extent of the contamination,” EGLE’s Lisa Kruse told The News last month “We have to see if it is going into the Great Lake or the (Thunder Bay River) We are still in the first phase of this.” Kruse also added EGLE’s Remediation and Redevelopment Division and Air Quality Division all are working with DPI in regard to lagoons on the property and air pollution matters company officials developed and implemented a decommissioning plan for the Alpena facility focused on identifying and disposing of waste materials and mothballing the wastewater treatment plant and lagoons DPI has kept regulators and the city informed of site activity DPI’s Daryl Clendenen in a news release praised Alpena and the community and added that the company intends to work with Melching not only to finalize the sale but also on future plans “Alpena is a great place to live and work and we are grateful for the past 60 years of support and stewardship from the City of Alpena,” Clendenen said “We are excited to extend our support to Melching as they work toward a successful redevelopment of the DPI Alpena site.” Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Mike Mahler said that that would be a good start to getting the property in shape for future development Mahler added that he will also work with Melching and provide any assistance that it needs “I will say having the plant torn down and not sitting there decaying is a great thing,” Mahler said “I have already told the city that I would like to be involved in the conversations and process and find a way to assist all of them if they would allow me to.” 91% of Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-op have had their power restored Photos by The Alpena News staff and others provided to The Alpena News ALPENA — The Alpena Fire Department is a member of the Michigan Mutual Aid Box Alarm System which helped secure aid when the department was being overrun with medical calls after the power went out from the recent ice storm The Michigan Mutual Aid Box Alarm System is an organized local and statewide mutual aid response system for fire and specialized incident operational teams Being a member of MI-MABAS ensures that if there is a large emergency neighboring counties and departments from around Michigan will respond with manpower The Alpena Fire Department became a member of the MI-MABAS system in 2023 and this was the first time it has needed to use it to call for help Alpena Fire Chief Rob Edmonds said as the ice storm intensified and power began to go out the number of calls from people seeking medical help jumped significantly He said that was also the case the day after the storm Edmonds said many of the calls were from people who depend on oxygen monitors to breathe and others who have cardio systems that rely on power to operate He said there were also more calls from people who had suffered trauma injuries than on a normal day The department also had to respond to other health emergencies such as chest pains and other health issues that are common during a normal shift “The influx of calls from Saturday until Monday were at such a level that we were having difficulties meeting people’s needs on a sustained basis,” Edmonds said “We chose to make a request for assistance with MI-MABAS for an ambulance strike team and they were able to send us help.” mutual aid partners in the department’s division scrambled crews to help A strike team of five ambulances and personnel from the Clear Lake Fire Department rushed to Alpena as did the departments from Fredrick Township MyMichigan Health also sent five ambulances and a supervisor Echo unit from several of their distant stations to assist local efforts ready to respond to the influx of calls,” Edmonds said “There were 32 personnel in our station ready to answer EMS calls for services The system worked as designed and everything went smoothly.” the additional resources made their way back to their own municipalities the fire department in Alpena also stands ready to assist another community if needed Alpena has been activated twice but was told to stand down because of the distance between the city and the requesting department If Alpena does need to respond to a large emergency to help another community Edmonds said there would be enough resources left at home to handle most emergencies that could happen locally “Members can only send 20% of their overall manpower and equipment,” he said “MI-MABAS outlines what each department’s responsibilities are and what their role is when an emergency happens Some local department may just need to bring a water pumper and a couple guys more specialized response could be needed from anywhere around the state Alpena would also utilize its mutual aid resources in the area where other nearby departments would assist,” Edmonds said The ice storm in the region caused a mass blackout that impacted tens of thousands of people who lost power and internet There are still many people in Northeast Michigan waiting for their electricity to be turned back on especially in remote areas of Presque Isle County and even in some small pockets of Alpena County Gretchen Whitmer issued a state of emergency for 14 counties and the National Guard was dispatched to northern Michigan to assist with the power restoration efforts Governor Garlin Gilchrist toured the storm’s damage with visits to Alpena and Whitmer briefed President Trump on the emergency and asked for federal assistance on Wednesday in Washington D.C Recent actions taken by law enforcement agencies in Northeast Michigan the Alpena High School baseball team faced Traverse City West ALPENA — The U.S.-23 South corridor was once the primary business hub of Alpena where people went to shop at places like the Alpena Mall many of the businesses — old and new — have closed and the number of vacant buildings is adding up and local development leaders and their partners are trying to find new tenants to fill the empty spaces the U.S.-23 corridor has lost the businesses noted above Alpena was not the only place where these chains have closed as these companies closed stores in hundreds of locations and several other small businesses have opened over the last several years and the incoming Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Northeast Michigan center is slated to open soon where Peebles formerly was it has been a challenge to lure larger retailers and restaurants to that side of town Young’s Appliance and Furniture owner Bob Young said when businesses close He said what is transiting on the southside of Alpena is not unprecedented because he can remember when businesses left the downtown and moved to the U.S.-23 corridor because that is where business was beginning to boom Young said he thinks the current business climate on U.S.-23 South is part of a cycle and the area will bounce back there are still a lot of things that make the corridor appealing “The highway isn’t going anywhere and we aren’t going anywhere,” Young said “The highway is still a primary way in and out of town and there is a lot of traffic I feel really good about the future and still think there is room for growth It may end up a mix of businesses and not big-box stores and there could even be new neighborhoods I think the future’s still bright.” who has been at his current location since the 1980s said he believes the popularity of online shopping has made it challenging for retail stores to survive “Their business model got stale,” he said who was the president of the now defunct South Bay Group that spearheaded improvements throughout the corridor and promoted development and growth said it is sad to see businesses close and people lose their jobs “We are all concerned when you see one business close after another they are all companies that are going into bankruptcy or going out of business,” Clark said “The corridor seems like it may have lost some of its luster I just think it needs a little attention and focus because I believe there is still a lot of opportunity there.” Both Young and Clark said it is good to see all of the development on the M-32 corridor there could be a time when things shift again and the south corridor could benefit “The more congested it gets out there and the more traffic there is “It is costly to purchase land and build out there and on the south corridor you have more purchasing power because it isn’t as expensive and doesn’t take as large an investment.” Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Mike Mahler said it is always a concern when businesses close because people lose their jobs and it limits the products and services residents can choose from He said businesses and business practices change Mahler said shoppers today have more convenient ways to spend their money and the jobs that are lost when a business closes many people shop after hours for the items that they once bought at places like JOANN Fabrics and they can find the same product online and order it and it arrives 24 hours later to their door,” Mahler said The jobs that were traditionally found in a brick-and-mortar store have been shifted to online order centers routed to a fulfillment center where a person or robot picks it and sends it to a pallet where it ends up in some sorting facility and placed in a box truck or van and delivered by a driver.” Alpena Township Supervisor Abbi Kaszubowski said it is always the township’s goal to foster a strong and vibrant business community and the township is committed to supporting local entrepreneurs and creating an environment where businesses can thrive She said although some businesses have closed other new and exciting businesses have opened too Kaszubowski said the township will continue to work with its partners and investors to help fill the soon-to-be vacant buildings a large anchor store will come into the south corridor and help bolster business,” she said with the knowledge and expertise Target Alpena offers we can move towards making that happen.” ALPENA — The staff at Meijer in Alpena had a special visitor on Thursday Gretchen Whitmer visited the store and chatted with the employees Whitmer also toured the damage from the ice storm that caused an ongoing blackout for some and after the severe ice storm last weekend that caused a complete loss of electricity to entire counties in Northeast Michigan Meijer and its employees were one of the lone resources people had to get needed items to help them make due during the blackout Despite losing power and other challenges at their own homes the employees worked many hours to prepare the store for its reopening so it could provide relief to people who needed products while they hunkered down for the power outage many people still don’t have electricity it could take weeks for power to be restored Meijer and its gas station were primarily the only businesses open and inquired about their living conditions Whitmer said after her tour of the store that the dedication of the Meijer staff should not go unnoticed and many in the area would have had a more difficult time during the ongoing ordeal “It’s been incredible to see how Meijer has become a hub in this community and I have seen that with them before during a crisis and I’m sure it won’t be the last,” Whitmer said and a lot of them still don’t have power and yet they showed up to help their neighbors I think that it shows the best in them.” said there was a lot of work to do before the big-box store could reopen there was a generator that powered a cooler and employees worked quickly to empty all of the coolers and freezers and fill the generator-powered cooler with the perishable goods Richter said most of the product was saved they had to quickly replace the items so the customers could begin to come in and purchase what they needed and the dedication of all of them to come in and serve other people who are going through the same exact things “When you’re going through a crisis like this The Meijer gas station was also a godsend for many people Power generators were shipped to Alpena to open the store and power the fuel pumps so people could fill their vehicles and gas cans for their generators lines on M-32 and Hobbs Drive stretched far down the street as people waited hours before it was their turn at the pump The governor began her day in Petoskey and made stops in Gaylord and Alpena She was able to see the destruction the ice storm caused and the efforts to revive power and provide essential services to people who needed assistance Whitmer said until you see the vastness and severity of the destruction it doesn’t register how bad things are up north right now and likely for many weeks to come and go the extra mile to help those who need it once they have power restored for themselves “This may take a while for everyone to get restored,” she said “There are so many counties where there are so many utility poles that are snapped in half and the power lines are lying on the ground It is going to take time for the utility companies to get the power restored and we’re doing everything we can to hasten that.” ALPENA — As midnight and the beginning of 2025 approached hundreds of people waving large glow sticks huddled together in downtown Alpena eagerly waiting for the New Year’s countdown to begin people from around the area attended the first-ever Sunrise Side New Year’s Eve Celebration which was capped off with a large lighted ball slowly ascending from the ground to the top of the Alpena Fire Department’s aerial truck at midnight the lit sphere was raised to mark the beginning of 2025 celebrating Alpena’s location on the Sunrise Side of Michigan The ball rising high into the air may have been the highlight of the night visitors downtown flooded local businesses Fire barrels were strategically placed so people could take the chill off if they became cold and the entire parking lot was transformed into a large dance floor as people reacted to the disc jockeys that were providing entertainment April Jansen made the trek to Alpena from Oscoda with some friends for a night out and to celebrate the new year She said she occasionally visits Alpena but hadn’t really been to downtown businesses such as Mangos She said the group of friends were staying at a hotel in Alpena and would return home on New Year’s Day and downtown is really nice with a lot of cool places to have dinner and have a few drinks,” she said “Everyone seems to get along and I haven’t seen any trouble I think everyone just wants to have fun and are ready for the new year.” and other partners have been planning the event for months Many of the businesses stayed open later than normal to accommodate the partygoers and missed out on the rush of customers as midnight neared Most of the people took advantage of the downtown’s social district which allowed them to enjoy their beverages outside of the bars and restaurants Joleen Buchler said her husband James and her enjoyed dinner at the Red Brick Tap and Barrel and then met up with friends and had cocktails from an outdoor bar at Mango’s and another round at Rusty Petunias Marketplace “I saw about this on Facebook and we didn’t have any other plans so we decided to check it out,” she said “Thanks to everyone who put this together I think the area needs more events like this.” said last month that when the event wraps up it would be reviewed and making the event annual is something she would like to see If Tuesday is any indication for what the future of the event is people may want to book their hotel rooms soon for next year I’ll be back again next year,” Jansen said “It is a great girls’ night out and we are really having a great time.” The Alpena Wildcats baseball team finished their Saturday doubleheader against Sault Area with a statement — two dominant 13-3 victories powered by confident bats Head coach Eric Mackenzie credited his team’s aggressive approach and disciplined focus as key factors in the sweep “I think the kids were more aggressive today at the plate,” Mackenzie said “These were big confidence-boosting games one batter at a time allowed us to focus on defense and make the plays when they presented themselves.” Clark Weir and Brady Chapman led the offense with matching three-for-three performances and Jase Kollen went two-for-two with a run and an RBI and McEwen combined to limit Sault Area to just four hits while striking out four in the first game racking up 15 hits and holding Sault Area to just three McEwen and Kollen both went three-for-three again striking out five before handing things over to Kollen who struck out four and allowed just one hit in relief Alpena totaled 26 runs on 31 hits and committed only two errors — both in game one keeping Sault Area’s offense in check all afternoon ALPENA — Alpena experienced significant economic development success in 2024 and more development projects will wrap up or kick off this year Alpena had a new Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and various other small businesses opened their doors and other projects worked on behind the scenes should continue to move forward Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Mike Mahler provided an update to the Alpena Municipal Council on the development success from last year and gave a peak on the status of some ongoing projects Mahler said the opening of Ollie’s and Aldi were big additions to the Alpena retail landscape They excited residents and seemed to join Marshalls as a viable shopping choice for both residents and visitors Aldi was in the works for many years and endured a series of speed bumps the company wanted to build it where the Alpena Public Schools bus garage is and offered to build the school district a new garage at a different location in exchange for the land Mahler continued to work with the developer and convinced him that the property on M-32 “I’m so glad to see this finally open,” he said in his report Nothing that I have been involved in so far in this role has garnered more favorable feedback to me than this project The store looks busy given the number of cars in the lot when I drive by or stop in.” Work is still being done at the former Peebles location on U.S.-23 South where the new Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) facility is slated to open and plans are moving forward for a new convenience store to be constructed at the corner of M-32 and Airport Road Mahler said interest in Alpena for business and housing continues to be strong and there are potential projects that he can not comment on at this time “I am aware of other projects across the area that are in the early exploration stages,” Mahler said “I will continue to collaborate with the various parties to help address the needs that arise My goal remains to bring these projects from concept to reality When it is appropriate to share information about these projects Mahler also updated on the new senior housing project that is slated to be developed on the city-owned property on U.S.-23 North which would also boost the area’s employment numbers It could also add homes occupied in Alpena currently to become available for either rent or for sale A proposed mixed-use project in the works for the former Alpena Power Company property at the foot of the 2nd Avenue bridge may have also lost momentum Mahler said new ideas for the property are being considered in conjunction with the City of Alpena and the Alpena Downtown Development Authority Mahler said any use of the property would be able to be changed if another developer were to move forward with a project “We’re looking at alternatives to activate the space and turn it into a productive community asset by taking advantage of the great downtown location,” Mahler said “Among the items being explored is an opportunity to partner with the DDA for a pop-up market The idea is to make this non-permanent use so we do not block future development opportunities that may arise.” Joshua Weisfeld brought his handcrafted custom surfboard business thousands of miles from home after losing their house and surfboard factory in the Lahaina wildfire “It was kind of hard for me to come here because my career choice and my creative outlet of making surfboards is pretty tied to Weisfeld has made a goal to introduce Alpena and the surrounding area to surfing and doing more activities in the Great Lakes saying he’d like to open the Sunrise Side’s first surf shop with custom boards “I would love to have the Sunrise Side’s first surf shop,” he said in fact — are not going to be in the market for a high-end He said having cheaper alternatives and rentals will engage people and draw them in Weisfeld created his first “real” surfboard from a blank but he has been messing with composites for over 20 years Weisfeld said it all began when he was creating the skateboards he would use for racing in the World Cup of Downhill Skateboard competition “I was making the skateboards I was racing on,” he said and I kind of ran through the paces of competitive skateboard racing and traveling and ended up moving back home to Maui and got back into surfing.” He said looking at the boards you surf on and the high-end skateboards he was making at the time He tore apart an old longboard and reshaped it as one of the first experiments Weisfeld’s surfboards are created using classic construction methods and can take 10 to 25 hours to complete based on the complexity of the build or design The surfboards are constructed out of either a polyurethane or expanded polystyrene blank It is then covered in fiberglass saturated with resin which is then sanded to have a smooth honed finish Color can be added to either the fiberglass or resin to craft designs or a more traditional He said he sometimes uses measuring tools and templates to create the boards a training he’s learned to perfect over time but really heartbreaking at the same time,” he said “It was awesome because I learned and got to be in the factory how people wash over details and send things out the door that are going to break or be a problem shortly after the surfer rides it for the first time.” but it led him to craft high-quality surfboards himself “It wasn’t really paying the bills at the time but was filling the soul,” he said of making surfboards he said he’s so accustomed to people always being in the water but he thinks it’s a different culture here in Alpena “I’m getting to experience what I’ve never experienced before and that’s having space,” he said “Everyone is on top of each other in Hawaii You can’t go anywhere cool without a bunch of people being there.” Weisfeld said that now he’s in Alpena he’s hoping to play a part in getting people in the water more he said there were some days that he saw the possibilities of surfing in parks along the coastline claiming it could easily be possible to find surf nearby “They’re perfect learning waves,” he said “Great waves for people who want to learn since it’s shallow enough that they can stand up at any time.” “There isn’t really surf in the Thunder Bay,” he continued “But there’s a lot of waves around the Thunder Bay Despite not a lot of surfing happening in Thunder Bay Weisfeld said he’s considering the possibility of expanding his work into something more suited for the community He said wake surfing and paddle boards are something he could see himself doing to get people out there Weisfeld said that though it’s not yet in the works he’s been brainstorming the possibility of opening his own shop in the area He also said he’d like to see if there’s anything he can do about bringing Gone Boarding a scholastic program at schools where they teach kids to make surfboards “It could bring in something else,” he said “Getting started and getting this up and there could be surfboard jobs in Alpena … It’d be cool to have something like that or have a surf shop where people could work at or even surf instructors in Alpena.” He said he’d love to see kids get involved in the area especially as he has a young son who he hopes to teach to surf and make boards one day “I would love for him and other kids to have an opportunity to experience the joy and excitement for surfing and working with your hands,” he said “It’d be great to see the kids up here having an outlet and getting to utilize the expansive coastline up here.” he said his online presence is going to help him continue to sell until the surf scene hopefully grows in Alpena “Mostly everything is going to be going elsewhere,” he said about selling the boards nationwide “Doesn’t mean we can’t build it here.” Weisfeld said if anyone has old boards kicking around he specialized in restoring vintage boards from the 1960s and 1970s Connect with Weisfeld on Instagram @jaw.surf and check out his website ALPENA — Alpena County residents will soon have glass recycling after years of requests the Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority recently announced The recycled glass will be kept locally and shipped directly to the Holcim Alpena cement plant Holcim will grind down the recycled glass and use it for silica in cement Residents will have two new recycling bins where they can dispose of glass materials One recycling bin will be placed at the current recycling facility The second will sit with the other recycling bins currently located at the Northern Lights Arena The recycling authority doesn’t have a date yet for when it will begin accepting glass recycling as they are still finalizing details and getting approval but it hopes the process will be up and running soon said that this new service will be an impressive new addition to the local economy Johnson explained that the new partnership with Holcim will keep the recycled materials in the local economy and contribute to a circular economy Circular economic models recycle discarded products and materials and then reintroduce them into the local economy Not only do circular models attempt to reduce waste within communities but they also aim to lengthen the lifespan of materials and products within the local economy Johnson noted that residents will need to keep glass materials clean This means that residents should rinse glass containers before placing them into the correct bins Residents will need to rinse their glass recyclables as Holcim will grind down the glass and use the ground glass for silica in their cement Johnson explained that the county wants to maintain this partnership with the cement plant and Holcim will need to receive consistently clean glass products Residents should also remove metal lids and any other large metal pieces from glass recyclables Johnson said that residents shouldn’t worry about things like labels or small metal bands on wine bottles Holcim will use magnets to catch any small metal debris before the glass is crushed and used for its cement The county will add these recycling bins in anticipation of the new Material Recovery Facility (MRF) beginning construction soon The new facility is planned to be operational by July 2026 and Iosco Counties all plan to send recyclables to the new MRF Iosco County is currently working to establish a recycling drop site program The City of Alpena plans to work towards curbside pickup once the MRF is operational Presque Isle County may utilize the MRF in the future One of the MRF’s goals includes diverting materials from landfills this diversion will hopefully extend the lifespan of landfills Other benefits will include providing materials to local and regional manufacturers as well as increased recycling access Some accepted recyclable materials will include cardboard the county will ship recycled glass directly to Holcim Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com ALPENA — The Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce has canceled the Good Mid-Day Alpena lunch that had been scheduled .. Rogers City City Council will meet on Wednesday at 10 a.m The meeting will be held at the Rogers City City Hall at .. The portable oxygen trailer located at MyMichigan Health Center Alpena will resume filling oxygen tanks for ..