Three new members were inducted into Baraga High School’s chapter of the National Honor Society in a special ceremony held last Wednesday evening at the school. The organization recognizes and promotes both scholarship and good citizenship. New members pictured in the front row are, l-r, Elisa Reynolds, Gabby Jukkala and Kathryn Danielson. Welcoming them on board are NHS members in back row, l-r, Melanie Lemerande, Jessica Deziel, April Forest, Haley Krueger and Danielle Keranen.

   L’Anse school board trustees voted to not renew two administration contracts at its Tuesday, April 29 meeting at Covington’s multi-purpose facility.
   High school principal H. Pete Moore’s and junior high school principal Rob Willman’s contracts were not extended beyond the 2008-2009 school year. However the reasons were not the same. District superintendent Ray Pasquali said the vote not to renew Moore’s contract was unanimous at 5-0 and stated unsatisfactory job performance as the reason.

   The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) has opted to challenge the federal court’s decision backing the State of Michigan on a suit filed by the KBIC regarding sale and use tax charged to KBIC members.
   At the council’s regular May 3 monthly meeting, council Chairman Warren “Chris” Swartz announced the tribe will file an appeal with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, OH.

   Dave Grossman is a man on a mission.
   Kids are dying of violence from fellow students in some classroom or school yard every day somewhere, but nobody’s doing much about it. Meanwhile we have all kinds of mandated fire drills and procedures for the extremely unlikely event that a student is going to die in a school fire.
   “We teach our kids what to do if they catch on fire,” Grossman told a group of educators at a recent Baraga in-service session. “But every day we have kids dying in the classroom from violence.

   The Copper Country Intermediate School District Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2008.
   The board hired staff for a one-week Camp Nesbit summer program on June 8-13, 2008. The Director will be Cecelia Marcotte; teachers will be Angela Marczak and Rebecca Stroube; the nurse will be Mary McCord; and counselors will be hired as needed.

   A Lake Linden man received minor injuries Friday, May 2, 2008, when his vehicle struck the guardrails by the Falls River on US-41 in L’Anse and went into the ditch.
   Christopher Schuldt, age 19, was driving northbound at about 5:30 p.m. when the accident occurred. Michigan State Police responded and were told by Schuldt he’d fallen asleep at the wheel.

   Vandalism has left a portion of the Aura Cemetery badly rutted.
   L’Anse Township Supervisor Brian Jentoft said the damage was discovered by Township Parks Superintendent Tom Nordstrom the weekend before last. A heavy vehicle had been driven on the new portion of the cemetery, a one-acre extension, and spun circles, leaving deep ruts behind.

   With garage sale and election season approaching, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is again reminding political candidates and property owners that political, real estate and other signs placed along state trunklines must conform to state regulations.
   "This time of year we see an increase of signs placed along state highways," said MDOT Superior Region Delivery Engineer Ray Roberts. "Our primary concern is the safety of the motoring public, and we want to make sure these signs do not become safety hazards by blocking the vision of motorists or pedestrians."

   Each year, the National Weather Service in Marquette presents Severe Weather Storm Spotter Training Courses across the Upper Peninsula. The presentations are free, open to the public, and no advance registration is required.
   A class will be held in L'Anse on Thursday, May 22, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. The location will be upstairs in the Baraga County Courthouse in L'Anse.