About 100 people toured the new Northern Lights YMCA facility at Bay College last night. It was part of the Delta Chamber’s monthly Business After Hours event. It was the first time Bay College Board of Trustee Chair Stephen Davis had been in the former M-TEC building since the 50 year contract with the Y was signed in February. He told the Y staff during comments to the group that he loves what they did with the place.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

Engineered Machined Products, EMP in Escanaba and Greenfield, Indiana, is being sold this week to a Swedish company based in the United Kingdom. EMP President and Chief Operating Officer Brandon Larche says the EMP identity, culture and focus will remain the same after the sale to Concentric AB. EMP has been a family-owned business in Escanaba for 30 years.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

Bay College enrollment is up 5 percent this year. This is after a year when Bay was the only community college in the state with an increase in enrollment. Bay College President Laura Coleman it shows that the college is meeting the needs of the students and employers looking for workers.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

Escanaba Mayor Marc Tall says rumors about the investigation of money connected to the development of the former Delta County Jail site makes it seem that the city did something wrong. Although he says he will not talk about the investigation, he did say that the city did nothing wrong.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

Escanaba City Councilman Ralph Blasier provided more information last night on what happened to money connected to the development project of the former county jail property after the chair of the Escanaba Planning Commission asked for the resignation of Blasier and Mayor Marc Tall for not being transparent on an investigation into where the money went.

James Hellerman said during pubic comment at the end of the city council meeting that there is a feeling of a coverup.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

Escanaba City Councilman Ralph Blasier says a crime may be at the heart of an investigation involving money in the city’s dealing with Proxima Management Group but, he says, he is not ready to make an accusation.

The Gladstone School Board extended a quarantine waiver program for another month for those students in contact with someone with COVID-19 but do not test positive for the virus. School Superintendent Jay Kulbertis says about 70 percent of students quarantined attended classes under the waiver program who would have otherwise stayed home.

Listen to Criag Woerpel's full newscast

Delta County Commissioner John Malnar says he believes a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac will be built to house Enbridge's Line 5 oil pipeline and other utilities. Malnar attended the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority meeting last week in St. Ignace. He says he is impressed with the plans to build a tunnel beneath the Straits.

As COVID-19 cases increased at area schools this fall, Delta Schoolcraft Intermediate School District Superintendent Doug Leisenring says each school district in the ISD handled cases and quarantines differently. No matter how the have been handling the situation, Leisenring says the process has been frustrating and exhausting.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

OSF St. Francis Hospital and Medical Group exceeded capacity this week for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, causing it to execute its emergency plan to make more room available at the hospital.

Dr. Bill Hook, director of medical services, says OSF has converted its ambulatory care unit to in-patient beds to handle the overflow. That means procedures normally conducted there are being postponed.

Although COVID-19 patients are the reason the hospital reached the tipping point this week, OSF President and CEO Dave Lord says they are seeing a lot of patients who put off treatment during the pandemic on other health issues who now need care.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

Cocaine use appears to be on the rise in Delta County. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Lauren Wickman says meth continues to be a problem in the area but cocaine is becoming more prevalent.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

Delta County Commissioners did not take any action on a resolution that said the county would not restrict any business with mask or vaccine mandates. Instead, the county will develop a policy that says COVID-19 vaccines will not be required to work for the county.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

A bloody handprint on a wall may make news as a domestic violence case did last week in Escanaba but Erin Viau with Tri-County Safe Harbor says it is only one of many that are not reported in the news.  October is Domestic Violence Aware Month. Viau wants the community to know that domestic violence continues to be a problem.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

The health needs of the community is being determined through a survey of residents by OSF Heathcare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group in Escanaba. Joanna Wilbee-Amis says the Community Health Needs Assessment is conducted every three years.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

The city of Escanaba is applying for a Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant to focus on tourism needs for the city. The grant is to help with an economic recovery affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mike Hantz, business development manager at C2AE, says the funding can be used for various city projects.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

Delta County’s 911 Authority is now operating independently of the city of Escanaba. Central Dispatch will continue to work from Escanaba Public Safety but Delta County Administrator Emily DeSalvo says, as of Oct. 1, all of the employees now work for the authority.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

Delta County Commissioners did not vote last night on a resolution that rejects mask mandates or proof of vaccination against COVID-19. Instead, they voted to refine the wording of the resolution to be considered at the next county board meeting.

It is being considered at a time when the community is struggling to address a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Dave Lord told commissioners that the past weekend was the worst he has ever seen in his nine years as president and CEO of OSF Healthcare St. Francis Hospital and Medical Group.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

One of the members of the Governor’s U.P. Energy Task Force says he felt the outcome of the committee was predetermined before the group made its recommendations.

Mike Furmanski was the Electric Superintendent with the city of Escanaba when he served on the task force. He is now general manger of the Alger Delta Electric Cooperative.

He says it seemed that the Governor formed the task force with a predetermined goal, to close Line 5.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is preparing to take Chinook and coho salmon egg for replanting in the spring.

DNR facilities are expected to complete the process in late October for all salmon egg takes.

Jay Wesley, fisheries unit supervisor for the Lake Michigan basin, says salmon fishing remains spotty but has improved tremendously on  Great Lake.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast

State Rep. Beau LaFave has filed to run for Secretary of State in 2022. The Iron Mountain Republican filed with the office he wants to run just after 5 p.m. last night.

Listen to Craig Woerpel's full newscast