BINGO rules at Newberry Assisted Living Community

Participants get ready to win BINGO!

Newberry Women’s Club held a special get-together this month. Seven club members assisted residents of Newberry Assisted Living Community with a few rousing rounds of the perennial favorite, BINGO.

Tuesday's winning ladies and gentlemen received quarters as they filled out their cards, crying “BINGO!” when they covered all four corners, had a postage stamp corner or the traditional up and down, side to side or diagonal winner. At the end of game time, six people covered all for... a $1 prize each.

Following the BINGO games, those who participated were treated to various confections baked and donated by the Newberry Women’s Club ladies. There was also soda, water or coffee, served with a smile by club members.

During the social time, several of the residents took time out from their treats to voice a special thanks to those who remembered the assisted living community and shared this time of gaming and merriment.

Enjoy the photographs posted below.

Following the event, club members held their regular monthly meeting, discussing membership issues, updates to the club constitution, state convention requests and answering questions about the information needed for the club’s annual report to the state.

Next month’s meeting, scheduled for Feb. 16, 10 a.m. at Zellar’s, will feature a presentation about Heifer International. Eleanor Lane and Pearl Schnorr will act as hostesses. Please call regrets to these ladies.

As always, all members are encouraged to attend, and to bring a friend!

Marie Nicholson gets ready to call BINGO.

Club secretary, Sandy Caswell sets up treat plates for BINGO players.

Club treasurer, Eleanor Lane leaves a table where she just delivered a plate full of scrumptious cookies.

Residents of Newberry Assisted Living Community discuss the day's BINGO while waiting for treats prepared by the ladies of GFWC Newberry Women's Club.

Not an empty seat was had for the annual BINGO party hosted by the ladies of GFWC Newberry.

Village scores $45K Recreation Passport grant

Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced that 33 communities across the state will share $1,348,700 in Recreation Passport grants. Funding for this program is derived from sales of the Recreation Passport, the $11 annual pass that grants residents vehicle entry at state parks and recreation areas throughout Michigan.

This year, Recreation Passport grant applicants sought funding for a broad range of public outdoor recreation projects, including playground development and renovations, dog park improvements, ice-skating rink development, trail and walkway development, park and picnic area improvements and improved access for those with disabilities.

The village of Newberry received grant funding in the amount of $45,000 to make improvements at Atlas Park. According to the DNR, the village project includes development of playground equipment, benches, picnic tables, grills and lighting.

The full list of grant recipients, grant amounts and project descriptions is available on the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/recreationpassportgrants.

Successful applicants clearly demonstrated projects designed to increase public access to quality outdoor recreation opportunities. The selected projects were chosen from a field of 45 grant applications seeking nearly $1.8 million in funding.

“These Recreation Passport grants go a long way in helping local units of government bring quality recreation opportunities to their citizens,” said Steve DeBrabander, DNR grants manager. “We are proud to work with these agencies so that, together, we can create world-class outdoor recreation resources statewide. The recreation industry plays an important role in moving the state’s economy forward by providing vital jobs and tourism in both urban and rural settings.”

Application materials for future Recreation Passport grants will be available by Jan. 1 at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants. Interested individuals also may call DNR Grants Management at 517-284-7268 or write to:

Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Grants Management
P.O. Box 30425
Lansing, MI 48909-7925

Learn more about how the Recreation Passport gains you access to Michigan state parks and more at www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport.

Officials commemorate 10-year anniversary of Big U.P. Deal in Luce County

Gov. Rick Snyder uses his left-handed scissors to cut a ribbon on a new interpretive sign detailing the reconnection of the Two Hearted River. Watching, from left, are state Rep. John Kivela, state Sen. Tom Casperson, Helen Taylor, The Nature Conservancy’s Michigan state director and Keith Creagh, director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Editor's note: Additional photographs, courtesy of MDNR, follow the article.

  

In January 2005, The Nature Conservancy and several partners announced the “Big U.P. Deal” that preserved roughly 423 square miles of forest land for forestry, recreation and conservation through a unique public-private partnership.

Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Rick Snyder and other dignitaries, including the conservancy’s Michigan state director, Helen Taylor, and Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Keith Creagh, marked the 10-year anniversary of the historic land deal with a ceremony at the Mouth of the Two Hearted River State Forest Campground.

“This monumental land deal provided key environmental protection for landmarks across the Upper Peninsula, from the Porcupine Mountains in the west to Tahquamenon Falls and the Two Hearted River in the east,” Snyder said. “Michigan has set a model for responsible land management that supports healthier forests and rivers while creating more jobs and improved recreation opportunities.”

Under the $57.9 million Northern Great Lakes Forest Project – nicknamed the “Big U.P. Deal” – the conservancy facilitated the DNR purchase of several conservation easements over a period of years on about 248,000 acres located throughout eight counties in the Upper Peninsula.

In addition, the deal included the purchase of 23,338 acres in the Two Hearted River watershed in northern Luce County, helping to enhance an existing conservancy nature preserve.

At the time the deal was announced, Snyder was serving as a member of The Nature Conservancy Michigan Board of Trustees, a position he held from 2004-2009.

Managing the conservation easements under a “working lands” approach provides several benefits to a range of interests in the region. Among them, the conservancy said the easements:

    Keep the lands open to the public for recreation, including fishing, hunting, snowmobiling and other pursuits.
    Protect thousands of timber and tourism jobs.
    Keep the lands in private ownership and on the tax rolls, generating important revenue for local communities.
    Help protect some of Michigan’s most treasured landscapes.
    Keep valuable and environmentally sensitive forest lands habitat from fragmentation.
    Limit development, which keeps forest lands from being converted to non-forest uses.

The easements and lands were purchased from The Forestland Group, LLC, a North Carolina timberlands investment firm, which outbid the state and bought 390,000 acres at auction in 2002 from the Kamehameha Schools Trust of Hawaii.

Much of that land had been purchased by the trust from Cliffs Forest Products more than a decade earlier.

Some of the notable features protected with the easements and land purchase include:

    More than 500 miles of rivers and tributaries, with almost 200 miles of prime trout streams.
    More than 300 lakes.
    52,000 acres of wetlands.
    Thousands of acres of important buffers along federal and state park units and forests.

Taylor praised and thanked the public and private donors to the deal for their support. She also commended others, including government officials and interest groups who worked hard and cooperatively to make the ambitious project a reality.

“We always accomplish more when we work together,” Taylor said.

“The leadership of three of Michigan’s governors – John Engler, Jennifer Granholm and Rick Snyder – is unprecedented and should be applauded,” Taylor said. “We were fortunate that this was truly a bipartisan effort with many legislators in both Washington, D.C., and Lansing who supported this project along with staff at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, The Forestland Group, LLC, and within the conservancy.”

Taylor said she especially wanted to recognize the conservancy’s local partners, including Luce County and the Luce County Road Commission, McMillan Township, the Central Superior Watershed Partnership and the East Branch Sportsman’s Club.

Taylor also acknowledged local contractors and businesses that have worked to complete many of the conservancy’s improvement projects and the loggers and mills that buy its forest products.

Some of the biggest donor contributions to the project’s land and easement purchases included $10 million from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, $5 million each from the Kresge Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and $4.5 million from the Herbert H. and Grace Dow Foundation.

Among the additional donors to the land project was the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund – administered through the DNR – which contributed a total of $16.1 million over a five-year period, beginning in 2002.

“This project represents a great use of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund to leverage local partnerships and assure access, recreation and forestry on Michigan lands,” Creagh said. “This deal ensures generations to come will be able to celebrate Michigan’s world-class natural resources, and U.P. residents will continue to benefit from the jobs these lands provide.”

Over the past 39 years, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund has granted more than $1 billion to state and local units of government to develop and improve recreation opportunities in Michigan.

Nearly $10 million was also contributed in federal funding through the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program, which is funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

During Wednesday’s ceremony, Snyder cut a ribbon on a sign detailing efforts of The Nature Conservancy and its partners to reconnect 35 miles of rivers and tributaries within the 130,000-acre Two Hearted River watershed.

Twenty-three re-engineering projects were undertaken to remove obstructions, stabilize stream banks and make other improvements, reducing the estimated sediment load into Michigan’s only designated “wilderness river” by 626 tons each year.

Before the ceremony, Snyder, Taylor and Creagh joined others on a canoe and kayak trip down a stretch of the Two Hearted River.

Along the way, the group saw some of the landscape scorched as the Duck Lake Fire raced north in May 2012, blackening 21,069 acres and claiming 136 structures at a cost estimated at $4.1 million.
 

Snyder – who is a strong advocate for Michigan’s developing system of water trails – enjoyed his trip down the Two Hearted River leading to the campground.

The river is home to more than 50 fish species.

In 1919, famed author Ernest Hemingway fished for brook trout along the East Branch of the Fox River, which is located farther to the west.

Afterward, Hemingway penned “Big Two-Hearted River,” borrowing the name for his Nick Adams adventure from this winding river in northern Luce County, because its name had more poetry.
 

Snyder and the canoeists floated the river for roughly an hour, from the fish ladder north to the campground where the ceremony was held, which is located just a short distance from the Lake Superior shoreline.

The Nature Conservancy’s interpretive “Reconnecting the Two Hearted River” sign will be erected along the CCI Road, a few miles to the west, just north of Pine Stump Junction.

 

Captions - from top -

Gov. Rick Snyder, in blue life vest, takes a picture as he kayaks toward a bridge over the Two Hearted River in northern Luce County Wednesday.

Gov. Rick Snyder, right, talks with canoeists in his paddling party along the Two Hearted River Wednesday in northern Luce County.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Keith Creagh talks about the “Big U.P. Deal” at a commemoration event at the Mouth of the Two Hearted River State Forest Campground in Luce County. 

Gov. Rick Snyder is pulled ashore at the end of his paddle down a stretch of the Two Hearted River.

Gov. Rick Snyder, left, listens as Jeff Knoop, The Nature Conservancy’s Upper Peninsula director of land protection, talks about the Duck Lake Fire in Luce County.

Gov. Rick Snyder’s paddling party heads down the Two Hearted River in northern Luce County. Higher along the banks of the river, burnt trees from the Duck Lake Fire continue to stand.

Gov. Rick Snyder is getting ready to begin his Two Hearted River canoe trip with the help of Theresa Neal of Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

Helen Taylor, The Nature Conservancy’s Michigan state director, talks at the ceremony commemorating the 10-year anniversary of announcement of the “Big U.P. Deal.”

  

Terry Webb - A heartfelt tribute to a true friend

Today I write with a heavy heart because I have lost a friend and a long-time confidant.

Terry Webb was a man of integrity, a man of foresight, a man with a plan – for his life and for this village. I cannot begin to share with you the number of hours we spent discussing life in general as well as village business, hashing out solutions to problems, addressing village needs and considering the long-term impact of decisions made by him, as village president, along with the members of Newberry Village Council.

When the idea of selling the former 41 Lumber property came up, we talked at length about the consequences of taking the property off the tax rolls. We discussed the planned move of village offices to that location. We talked about our dogs, Terry and Vicky’s Newfoundlands and our German shepherd and Chihuahua, sharing their maladies and foolish adventures. We had conversations about the garbage service provided by the village and how the administration had been instructed to save money for future needs for that enterprise operation. We talked about Terry’s school years in Newberry.

We talked about his service to all of us as a member of the United States Air Force. We discussed his job in the service as a communications specialist. As a former telephone person myself, I could speak Terry’s language, making the conversations all the more meaningful. We talked about eliminating parking on Newberry Avenue during the annual July 4 parade. We talked national politics. We talked religion.

We talked about raising rabbits. We talked about gardening. When it was learned funding was not in place for all elements of the Tahquamenon Outdoor Recreation Park project, we talked about ways to pursue grant monies to get the park built to the perception drawings that were presented to village council members as a, presumably funded, done deal.

We talked about hunting. My husband and I visited the Webb camp, enjoying a day of exploring and storytelling and good food and drink. I will never forget that day. It was fantastic. We talked about the content of Terry’s newspaper column – Village Viewpoints. We talked about the Alice in Wonderland-themed wedding of his son and how Terry made the PERFECT white rabbit – clock and all!

It seems hard to believe that I just talked to Terry a little over a week ago. This time our conversation was about the good things of life, with Terry recounting the trip he made with Vicky to Kentucky to visit with Waylon and Tabby, their son and daughter-in-law. I recall his description of their apartment and its convenient location. “You could see the roof of Sam’s Club from their front door,” Terry said.

We talked about how their blind puppy was progressing and how the puppy had visited with them recently. We talked about one puppy that was coming home because the owner could no longer care for her (she returned to Newberry last week). We talked about the upcoming gardening season, praying together for warmer weather to create a better harvest. We talked about my daughter and her children. We talked about Christmas. We wished one another a happy and prosperous new year and said we would talk soon. Much to my chagrin, we never did.

And now this.

Even though I know it is part of His plan, I sometimes just want to shake my fist at God and ask, “WHY?”

I loved Terry. I love Vicky. I will miss him terribly. I will miss his wit. I will miss his level headedness. I will miss our long-winded conversations. I will miss his gentle and caring nature. I will miss Terry Webb. God rest his soul.

Today I end with the King James Version of the 23rd Psalm, as I know Terry made that walk yesterday, and I am confident that he resides in a better place now.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Amen

Changes to DNR's Master Angler program announced for 2015

Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently announced that, effective Jan. 1, 2015, multiple changes have been made to Michigan’s Master Angler program, which allows anglers to submit large fish they have caught for recognition. The program has been in place since 1973.
The Master Angler program recognizes two categories of catches: catch-and-keep and catch-and-immediate-release. Previously, the catch-and-keep category was determined by the weight of the fish caught, but that requirement has been removed and replaced with a length requirement. Now recognition in both categories will be awarded based on an established minimum length for each recognized species. Verified entries will receive the Master Angler patch. Only one patch will be awarded for both catch-and-keep and catch-and-immediate-release entries. No more than one patch per species will be awarded to each angler per year.
“Eliminating the weight requirement for part of the Master Angler program really helps to streamline both the application and the verification process – especially as anglers will no longer have to find a certified scale to have their catch weighed,” explained Lynne Thoma, the program’s coordinator. “We hope this change will make it even easier for anglers to have their large fish recognized.”
In addition to the change to the category criteria, some changes were made to the submission procedures. A witness signature is no longer required and each application must have a color photo submitted with it. Anglers can now submit their applications in hard-copy or electronic formats.
Please note, state-record fish still are recognized by weight and still require identification by a DNR fisheries biologist.
The 2015 Master Angler entry application is available online at www.michigan.gov/masterangler. 

Notice something missing?

Check out the Christmas lights on Newberry Avenue and tell me what you see is missing.

Amazing.

Walk for Diabetes - 2014 Edition

Were you one of the walkers who braved the chilly weather to walk for diabetes? If so, check out these photographs to see if your commitment to the cause was captured on camera.

Lynn Kihm, center, and her co-chairmen.

Signing up for the walk.

Our sister website, NewberryFreePress.com, sponsored the walk.

Setting up a glucose meter for walk participants.

Even dobermans participate.

Nice ride in a wagon for a great cause.

Wee ones take the easy stroll.

Walkers make it to the turnaround point.

Largest crowd of the walk converges on Snyder's.

Water or juice?

Sweatshirts were the most popular garb.

Everyone is smiling.

Mad dash across M-123.

Hoofin' it.

My kind of vantage point.

Wavin' right back at ya.

This wee one enjoyed some attention from a walk volunteer.

Free Fishing Weekend brings fun events across the state June 7-8

On Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8, everyone in Michigan – including residents and non-residents – can fish without a license, but all other fishing regulations still apply. Those two days make up the Summer Free Fishing Weekend – an annual effort to promote Michigan’s world-class fishing opportunities. While many individuals and families will head out to fish for free on their own, there are many organized events scheduled throughout the state to celebrate the weekend as well. Some of these events include:

• 4th Annual Fishing Fest in DetroitThis event will be held Sunday, June 8, from noon to 4 p.m. Come to Milliken State Park for an afternoon of fun, including free food, free fishing rod rental, games and activities, instruction and much more. All gear is provided. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
  
• 10th Annual Youth Fishing Tournament in CheboyganThis event will be held Saturday, June 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Visit the DNR’s Cheboygan Field Office for this annual event geared toward kids age 16 and younger. Participants should be accompanied by an adult and bring their own fishing rod and life jacket. Bait is provided.
  
• Kids’ Fishing Contest at Goodrich Park in Muskegon CountyThis event will be held Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Join the White Lake Area Sportfishing Association in Whitehall for this free event. Participants will be broken up into three age groups and will compete for prizes.
  
• Rice Lake Fishing Derby at Lake Linden in Houghton CountyThis event will be held Sunday, June 8, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join the Lake Linden-Hubbell Sportsmen's Association as they host a family fishing day. Prizes will be awarded for walleye and northern pike caught during the derby. Raffles and refreshments also will be provided.
  
• River Day throughout St. Clair CountyThis event will be held Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8. River Day is a weekend full of free, fun activities on the land and in the water across the rivers of St. Clair County. This event is organized by the St. Clair County Health Department.

There are many more events scheduled in various locations throughout the state in more than 25 Michigan counties. For more information about the 2014 Summer Free Fishing Weekend please visit www.michigan.gov/freefishing.
Michigan has celebrated the Summer Free Fishing Weekend annually since 1986. With more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, more than 11,000 inland lakes, and tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams, Michigan and fishing are a perfect match.

Experience outstanding bass fishing when catch-and-keep season opens May 24

Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers to prepare for the statewide catch-and-keep bass-fishing season which opens this Saturday.
This season opener provides the perfect opportunity for anglers to partake in world-class bass fishing. In April, Bassmaster magazine produced its list of the 100 best bass lakes of 2014 – of which six locations were in Michigan.
The six locations on Bassmaster’s list included Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan (No. 9), Lake St. Clair (No. 16), Burt Lake (No. 39), Thunder Bay, Lake Huron (No. 43), Mullet Lake (No. 46) and Lake Charlevoix (No. 82). This annual, national list is developed courtesy of information from every state’s natural resources agency, B.A.S.S. Nation presidents and conservation directors, and B.A.S.S. members.
Please note the catch-and-keep bass season for Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River does not open until Saturday, June 21.
“We’re always thrilled to see Michigan water bodies recognized as top bass-fishing destinations in the country,” said DNR Fisheries Division Chief Jim Dexter. “For these locations to be recognized by bass experts from across the country really proves the value of the state’s fisheries.”
For more information on Michigan's and other states' rankings, see Bassmaster’s complete 2014 list of the 100 best bass lakes at www.bassmaster.com/top100.
Just a reminder that Michigan's new license season began April 1, so anglers need to be sure they have purchased a new fishing license for this fishing season. The 2014 fishing licenses are valid through March 31, 2015. Please note, anglers are not required to purchase a base license when purchasing a fishing license.
For more information on fishing for bass in Michigan, including rules and regulations, check out the 2014 Michigan Fishing Guide available at www.michigan.gov/fishingguide. 

Tahquamenon Falls trail closed

Due to extremely high water levels on the Tahquamenon River, the popular River Trail at Tahquamenon Falls State Park has been temporarily closed until further notice.

The 5-mile-long River Trail connects the park’s Upper and Lower Falls, using a combination of dirt trail, boardwalks and bridges.

“Sections of the trail are underwater and some bridges have been washed out by the rapidly moving high water,” said park supervisor Craig Krepps. “Reopening of the trail will depend upon when the water recedes, allowing park staff to assess any safety issues and repair damage to the trail.”

Other trails within the park, including the Giant Pines, Wilderness, and Clark Lake Trails, are also currently underwater in some areas.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Tahquamenon River is currently running three times higher than the average for May, with the Upper Falls measuring a flow of approximately 40,000 gallons per second.

In addition to the trail closure, the owners of the independently operated Tahqua Trekker hiker shuttle service announced they will cease operation of the shuttle until the trail is reopened.

For status updates on the River Trail and other areas of the park affected by the high water levels, contact park headquarters at 906-492-3415, visit www.michigan.gov/tahquamenonfalls, or follow the park’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tqfalls.

Family Fun Night is . . . . FUN!!!

If you missed Newberry First Baptist's Family Fun Night, you missed an evening of good food and games. Participants were treated to homemade pizza and drinks. After the food was gone, folks enjoyed some lively rounds of  Minute to Win It. Check out the photographs below to see if you can find friends and neighbors who played and ate with the friendly people at First Baptist.

Church outreach includes the Baby Pantry, Awanas, youth group for the teens, men's and women's Bible studies and family get togethers like Friday's Family Fun Night. On Sundays there is Sunday School for all ages at 10 a.m. and services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesdays include the aforementioned Awanas and youth group as well as prayer meeting at 7 p.m.

This week - Monday, March 24 through Friday, March 28, First Baptist hosts prayer meetings each night at 6 p.m., and, if you are too rushed to fix dinner before the prayer meetings, you can eat at First Baptist. Church ladies plan to serve dinner each night at 5 p.m. for a $3 donation. Tonight's menu includes chili and cornbread - YUM! On Saturday, March 29, the prayer meeting begins at 5 p.m. with dinner and fellowship at 6 p.m. or shortly thereafter. Come join us to find out about how to get more out of your prayer life as we explore "Praying With Paul," by reviewing the apostle's prayers found in the New Testament.

Hope to see you there!