Law enforcement says large quantities of marijuana are leaving the area for Wisconsin and other states that have not legalized the drug. Gladstone State Police Post Commander 1st Lt. Gregg Cunningham says it is not coming from legal distributors who are benefiting from people entering the state to buy cannabis but a black market.

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The woman accused of running a puppy mill near Rock in 2020 pled no contest yesterday to a felony count of cruelty to 25 or more animals and one misdemeanor count of running an unregistered animal shelter. Acting Delta County Prosecutor Lauren Wickman called it a win for the whole community.

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The city of Gladstone is considering a millege to pay for a shortfall in its public safety budget. Gladstone City Commissioner Brad Mantella says the public safety budget approved in March is $1.8 million. However, the taxable income to cover the budget is only $1.6 million. Mantella says it is the first time the public safety budget has exceeded the tax income of the city.

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At last week’s city council meeting, Jared Drown with the Terrace Bay Hotel mentioned that he may lose the Hampton Inn franchise by the end of April as part of his proposal for the former Delta County Jail site if the council did not act on their joint proposal for city and county land at the site. Instead, he said, the franchise was being requested by Dial Corporation which owns the Delta Plaza Mall and surrounding buildings including the former Super One.

But Escanaba City Manager Patrick Jordan says he thinks Hilton, which owns the Hampton Inn brand may be referring to Dial’s previous interest of building a hotel at the Super One site.

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Construction is expected to begin this week in Escanaba on a monument to labor. Escanaba Recreation Director Kim Peterson says the Delta Schoolcraft Community Labor Council will use the four large reliefs taken from the former public works building to build the monument.

A ground breaking will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. during a "Mourn for the Dead, Fight for the Living" event to remember fallen workers.

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A new Women’s Recovery Home in Escanaba was dedicated yesterday at the former parsonage of Bethany Lutheran Church. It will be operated by Catholic Social Services of the Upper Peninsula for women recovering from addictions. Kyle Rambo, director of Catholic Social Services, says it will be a safe place for those recovering from drug or alcohol abuse.

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After years of about one percent growth in assessed property values,  Delta County Administrator Emily DeSalvo says a total growth of 8.2 percent in 2022 is a significant increase. Most of the growth came from the additional wind turbines built on the Garden Peninsula. DeSalvo says the county should benefit from the construction of the turbines for several years to come.

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Delta County Commissioners approved a contract with the Delta Conservation District on a three two vote to continue operating the county parks for the next 10 years. There was consideration for the county to take over park operations but Delta County Chair Pat Johnson says the conservation district has done a good job revitalizing the county’s parks since taking them over in 2010.

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Public school enrollment in Michigan has rebounded slightly after falling at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a 4.1 percent dip in public school enrollment during the 2020-21 pandemic school year, the State Board of Education said last week that the number of students enrolled in Michigan’s public schools was less severe this school year.

The largest resurgence was in the enrollment of kindergarten students and the return of students who were reported as homeschooled last year. Doug Licensing, Superintendent of the Delta Schoolcraft Intermediate School District says the same thing is happening here.

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Former Delta County Prosecutor Brett Gardner will be serving as the city of Escanaba’s city attorney. The city council will be asked to approve a Professional Services Agreement on May 5. The city has been without an attorney since the resignation of John Bergman in December.

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Property values in Delta County rose 7.6 percent in 2022. The taxable value of property also rose by nearly 8.2 percent. Delta County Equalization Director Shalice Northrop told the county board this week that a large portion of the increase is from the wind turbines built in Fairbanks Township. However, she says the housing market remains hot which will affect property values as well.

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Lauren Wickman has already filed to run for Delta County Prosector in November. She was named acting prosecuting attorney Monday after the resignation of Brett Gardner.

Wickman started working in the prosecutor’s office under Phil Strom and continued as Chief Assistant Prosecutor under Gardner. She says being a prosecutor is something she has always wanted to do.

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The Delta County Board of Commissioners plan to schedule a public hearing on a proposed solar ordinance. The vote was divided 3-to-2 based on a still unresolved conflict of interest question concerned Commissioner Bob Barron. Commissioner Theresa Nelson says it is not right to vote on issues surrounding the solar ordinance until the conflict of interest question is resolved.

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Delta County Administrator Emily DeSalvo says she would support a proposal by three local developers for a joint project on city and county land that includes the site of the former Delta County Jail over the proposal that the city is recommending. She says the proposal could be something good for the community.

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Escanaba still needs to develop a “framework” for accepting marijuana businesses in the city after the city council last week voted to opt-in on allowing marijuana to be sold in the community. Escanaba City Manager Patrick Jordan says he has a rough process drawn up but he says the system for applying for and awarding licenses still needs to be worked out.

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On a 3-2 vote, the Escanaba City Council voted last night to allow marijuana businesses in the city. Citing recent tax dollars paid to local municipalities, Tyler Dubord says Escanaba needs to take advantage of the money that can be raised.

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The Delta County Planning Commission is recommending that the county board give more time for the ten townships in the county to learn more and prepare for handling zoning issues at the township level before the county stops enforcing its zoning ordinance.

The planning commission held a public hearing at the county board’s request on an ordinance to end the county’s involvement in zoning.

Delta County Administrator Emily DeSalvo says the new ordinance would take effect 15 days after the county board approves it which the planning commission felt was not enough time.

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Delta County Commissioners want to meet with Township supervisors to discuss what might happen when the county stops enforcing its zoning ordinances. The board voted earlier to end its responsibility for zoning. It would then be up to the townships to enforce any zoning they might have. Delta County Commissioner Dave Moyle says it is matter of money.

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The Escanaba Public Library is using National Library Week this week to let people know more about the services that the library provides. The theme this week is “Connect with you Library.” Escanaba Public Library Director Caroline Stacey says it is more than just books.

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Teenagers will learn various defensive driving techniques during 5-hour programs at the end of June in the Upper Peninsula. Gladstone State Police Post Commander 1st Lt Gregg Cunningham says the Train Like a Trooper program will be held at the U.P. State Fairgrounds in partnership with Midwest Truck Driving School.

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A frenzy of home buying across the Upper Peninsula is causing a shortage of properties available for the sale. Bob Peterson with State Wide Real Estate of Escanaba says there are a lot of people from outside the U.P. interested in buying property and finding little to buy.

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