On September 28, 2026, 27-year-old Donevan Brueggeman was arraigned in the 92nd District Court on one count of Operating Under the Influence Causing Incapacitating Injury and one count of Moving Violation Causing Serious Impairment of Body Function.

Bond was set at $10,000 cash/surety. His next court date is scheduled for October 9, 2026. The subject is considered innocent unless proven guilty.

Until now, the DDA has paid the city’s Public Works Department to water and maintain flowers throughout downtown. Under a new plan, the DDA will take on more responsibility next year for flower maintenance in the downtown.

DDA Vice Chair Peggy Berg said the goal is to work with the city and Enhance Escanaba to expand the number of flowers and containers in Escanaba’s downtown.

“It just adds a brightness, it just adds a feeling of this community really cares about the downtown, which makes people feel more welcome,” Berg said. “Flowers are very inviting, just adding to the beauty of the whole city.”

The DDA hopes the enhanced floral displays will encourage more people to visit downtown businesses, including shops, restaurants and bars. Berg said an attractive downtown can also help increase property values and make vacant buildings more appealing to potential tenants.

As part of the new plan, the DDA board has approved the purchase of a side-by-side utility vehicle that will be equipped with a water tank to help maintain flowers along downtown sidewalks.

“The plan is to have the UTV go down the sidewalk with a water tank on the back,” Berg said. “We are planning on starting that early in the morning so it doesn’t really affect, or has very little effect, on pedestrians and shoppers.”

The equipment will provide the DDA with greater access to flower containers located along sidewalks and allow staff and volunteers to more efficiently water displays later in the fall.

The effort is part of a broader streetscape program involving the City of Escanaba and Enhance Escanaba. The Escanaba City Council has approved matching funds for a grant that would allow the city to purchase additional floral containers for downtown.

Berg said expanding the number of flowers will also require a significant commitment to their ongoing maintenance.

“It’s going to take an extensive program to maintain the added flowers in the downtown,” Berg said.

The expanded floral program is intended to add color and vibrancy to downtown while supporting efforts to make the area more inviting to residents, visitors and customers of local businesses.

The new lock, a $3.219 billion investment in Great Lakes infrastructure, increases resiliency at the Soo Locks facility by constructing a second Poe-sized lock. Currently, 88% of all U.S. domestic iron ore transport is dependent on the 1969-era Poe Lock.

“Reaching the halfway point on this mega project is a testament to the dedication of the Corps of Engineers team and the joint-venture contractor Kokosing Alberici Traylor LLC,” said Corps of Engineers Integrated Project Office Chief, Mick Awbrey “The progress made here is a direct reflection of the more than 600 people working on this project. They come to work every day committed to the successful completion of the new lock.”

Work on Phase 3 includes but is not limited to constructing a cofferdam at each end of the lock, demolishing the existing Sabin Lock, filling in the existing Davis Lock, excavating bedrock, constructing the New Lock chamber walls and floor, fabrication and installation of miter gates, installation of mechanical and electrical systems, installation of an innovative hands-free mooring system, rehabilitating the downstream approach walls and constructing a new pump well.

To date, KAT has completed $975 million worth of work through the end of August 2026. The current focus is on mass concrete placement for the concrete walls, the lock floor and new pump well construction. Offsite fabrication of the steel structures, including the miter gates, ship arrestors and culvert valves are also in progress.

It will take approximately 400,000 cubic yards of concrete to complete the New Lock at the Soo.

“If you were to build an average sidewalk that you see in a neighborhood, with 400,000 cubic yards of concrete, you could build a sidewalk from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Orlando, Florida,” Awbrey said. “It’s a massive amount of concrete and we are making progress every day.”

The total quantity of concrete placed through August is 140,198 cubic yards, extending almost to Dayton, Ohio, on the “sidewalk to Orlando.

Despite the harsh conditions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the project remains on schedule for its 2030 target completion.

The project is a flagship example of the Army Civil Works’ Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ initiative, which prioritizes speed of execution, smart risk-taking, and mission-focused results. By streamlining processes and empowering decision-makers at every level of the vertical chain, the Corps of Engineers is delivering critical infrastructure for the nation faster and at less cost.

The New Lock at the Soo is one of the highest-priority commercial navigation projects in the United States. Its completion will ensure the reliable passage of raw materials crucial for American steel production, protecting thousands of jobs and reinforcing the domestic supply chain for decades to come.

It is for these reasons that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is working with the current landowner, Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands, to potentially protect this area through a working forest conservation easement.

At around 152,000 acres, the Great Lakes Basin project covers parts of the central and southern Upper Peninsula.

It includes 231 miles of rivers and streams, 91 acres of lakes, 11,500 acres of wetlands, more than 20,400 acres of critical deer wintering complex, habitat for species on the federal and state threatened or endangered species lists, and important habitat for black bear, bobcat, pine marten, fisher, ruffed grouse, eagles, brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, steelhead, Chinook salmon, walleye, bass and northern pike.

If successful, land in the the Great Lakes Basin conservation project would continue to be privately owned by Lyme. The DNR would hold conservation easement rights on behalf of Michigan’s residents. This would ensure that the property would be sustainably managed as a working forest, protect wildlife habitat, prevent development or subdivision of the property and ensure public recreational access forever.  

Learn more about the proposed Great Lakes Basin project and keep updated on its progress. 

The public and interested stakeholders are invited to learn more about the Great Lakes Basin project and see the property for themselves during two upcoming property tours:

• Thursday, Oct. 8, at 12:45 p.m.: Meet in the dirt parking lot on the east side of the Circle K located at the intersection of M-28 and NF-13E 9721 M-28, Wetmore. RSVP by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6
• Thursday, Oct. 15, at 12:45 p.m.: Meet at the MDOT Park & Ride located on the north side of U.S. 41, intersection of U.S. 41/M-69 at Bark River. RSVP by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13.

To ensure you have a seat on the tour, RSVP by email to: GreatLakesBasin@lymegreatlakes.com.

The informational sessions and property tours will last about two hours. Transportation between the meeting sites and the property will be provided.

During the ceremony in Lansing, Col. James F. Grady II, director of the Michigan State Police (MSP), administered the Oath of Office to ten individuals who begin their assignments at MSP posts across the state this week.

Four of those new troopers will be stationed here in the Upper Peninsula.

Troopers Noah Morse and Daniel Stacks will be at the St. Ignace Post, while Troopers Seth Bjorne and Conner Bryant will be at the Negaunee Post. All graduates of this recruit school had previously been licensed police officers before now becoming troopers. 

Also at the academy, Bjorne received the Academic and Marksmanship awards and Stacks received the Outstanding Achievement Award. 

“We are thrilled to welcome our 10 newest troopers to the MSP,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP. “They are well versed in public service, as all were in law enforcement prior joining the department. We know they will keep doing a great job making sure our communities are safe.”

“Congratulations to the graduates of the 151^st Trooper Recruit School for their entrance into a proud tradition of excellence and public service,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “Every day, troopers help keep our roads, neighborhoods, schools, and communities safe. I’m immensely grateful to the sacrifices they make in the line of duty. Congratulations to today’s graduates. Let’s keep working together to bring down crime, invest in our communities, and build a Michigan where everyone can thrive.”

The 151^st Trooper Recruit School began on Sunday, July 5, 2026, with 12 prospective troopers, at the MSP Training Academy in Lansing. During an accelerated program designed to acknowledge their prior experience, recruits received training in patrol techniques, report writing, ethics, cultural diversity and implicit bias, decision making, leadership, first aid, criminal law, crime scene processing, firearms, water safety, defensive tactics and precision driving.

Including the new graduates of the 151^st Trooper Recruit School, there are approximately 1,200 troopers assigned statewide, and a total of 1,850 enlisted members in the MSP.

Under current law, only about 15 percent of the nearly nine million Veterans enrolled in VA health care are eligible for VA dental services. Eligibility is generally limited to Veterans with a service-connected dental condition, a 100 percent disability rating, or former prisoner-of-war status.

“For too many Veterans in rural communities, basic dental care is either too far away or simply out of reach,” said Rep. Jack Bergman. “The SMILE for Veterans Act offers a practical solution by connecting Veterans with trusted dental providers already serving their communities. Rather than building an expensive new federal system from the ground up, this legislation uses existing local providers to deliver care efficiently and closer to home.”

The SMILE for Veterans Act is supported by AMVETS, the National Rural Health Association, and the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.

In 2024, the CareQuest Institute funded 10 projects across the country to identify the barriers Veterans face in getting oral health care.

The Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (UPCAP) was among the recipients, and with the help of the funding, was able to hold community forums across the region. The forums brought together Veterans, servicemembers, families and caregivers, dental providers, insurers and health plans, and policymakers to discuss Veteran oral health and what keeps Veterans from getting care.

The project, led by Frank Lombard, UPCAP’s U.P. Veterans Program Manager, produced troubling findings about the dental health and unmet needs of Veterans in rural Michigan. One survey of 835 Veterans found:

Poor oral health: More than a third of Veterans surveyed rated their oral health as only fair or poor.

Veterans are pulling their own teeth: 32 Veterans reported extracting one of their own teeth during or after military service because they couldn’t get in to see a dentist – 1 in 8 of those who answered the question. Among Veterans who rated their oral health as poor, the rate was more than 1 in 4.

Widespread tooth loss: More than 75 percent of respondents who answered reported losing two or more teeth to decay or gum disease. Nearly 40 percent have lost six or more.

Enrolled in VA care, but no dental benefit: 83 percent of respondents are enrolled in VA health care, yet 44 percent reported they are not eligible for VA dental care, with another 32 percent unsure whether they qualify. Fewer than 2% reported being service-connected for dental care.

No dental insurance: Nearly 37 percent of Veterans reported having no dental insurance. Among those rating their oral health as poor, more than half are uninsured.

Cost is the leading barrier: Affordability was the most frequently cited reason for not visiting the dentist more often. That includes 43 percent of Veterans in poor oral health.

Long gaps in care: Nearly a third of Veterans had not seen a dentist in more than a year. More than 20 percent had gone three or more years. Among Veterans in poor oral health, 58 percent had not had a dental visit in the past year.

UPPCO is seeking a $17.3 million rate hike, amounting to a 15.6% average rate increase for residential customers. The company is also seeking to increase its profit margin on capital investments from 9.86% to 10.55%, which would make it the highest return on equity in the state and likely one of the highest in the nation.

Attorney General Nessel filed expert witness testimony, jointly with the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan, arguing that UPPCO should only receive a rate increase of $9.9 million, at most.

In addition, the Attorney General argued that UPPCO should only receive a 9.47% return on equity, that the Commission should reject the Company’s storm restoration expense tracker as just another way to increase rates between rate cases, and that the Commission should reduce the proposed residential fixed monthly charge from $15.00 to $10.87. 

“Electric rates for UPPCO’s residential customers are already significantly higher than the national average, and it’s essential that the MPSC consider this when examining the reasonableness of further rate hikes,” said Attorney General Nessel. “The MPSC should also reject mechanisms, like the one UPPCO proposes in this case for storm costs, because they only allow the utility to raise rates even higher outside of the usual, public rate review process.”

UPPCO sells electricity to approximately 53,000 customers in the Upper Peninsula.

On Saturday, at approximately 9:35 a.m., troopers from the Michigan State Police (MSP) St. Ignace Post responded to a pickup truck versus train crash on Borgstrom Road near Black River Road in Hudson Township.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the pickup truck disregarded the traffic control device at the railroad crossing and failed to yield to the train, causing the crash.

The driver, a 34-year-old man from Newberry, and a juvenile passenger both sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. Drugs or alcohol are not believed to have been contributing factors.

Both the driver and passenger were transported by EMS to Helen Newberry Joy Hospital for treatment. The crew operating the train was uninjured. The investigation is ongoing.

MSP was assisted by the Mackinac County Sheriff’s Office, Hendricks Township Fire Department, Hudson Township Fire Department, Garfield Township Fire and EMS, Luce County EMS, and Chippewa County Central Dispatch.

On September 26, 2026, at approximately 3:00 a.m., troopers from the Michigan State Police (MSP) Sault Ste. Marie Post responded to a single vehicle crash reported at the intersection of M-28 and M-117.

The preliminary investigation indicates the vehicle was traveling north on M-117 when the driver disregarded traffic control devices at the intersection of M-28/M-117 and continued straight. The vehicle then entered M-28, traveling north and crossing both the eastbound and westbound lanes. The vehicle entered the ditch on the north side of M-28 and crashed into the embankment.

Upon arrival, troopers found all three passengers were seriously injured. Troopers immediately began administering first aid, including applying a tourniquet on one of the subjects who was bleeding severely. All three injured passengers were transported by EMS to Helen Newberry Joy Hospital. The driver was assessed at the scene and refused medical treatment for his minor injuries.

The driver, a 27-year-old man from Cedarville, displayed signs of being under the influence. Following further investigation, he was placed under arrest for Operating While Intoxicated Causing Incapacitating Injury and lodged in the Luce County Jail.

The suspect’s name is not being released at this time, pending arraignment. He is considered innocent unless proven guilty.

MSP was assisted by Luce County EMS, Newberry Fire Department, and Chippewa County Central Dispatch.

A serious two-vehicle crash on the Mackinac Bridge resulted in multiple injuries and the arrest of an individual for Reckless Driving Causing Serious Impairment of a Body Function, which is a felony offense. The bridge was temporarily closed while emergency personnel responded to the scene and troopers conducted their investigation.

On September 23, 2026, at approximately 2:55 a.m., troopers from the Michigan State Police (MSP) St. Ignace Post responded to a two-vehicle crash on the Mackinac Bridge.

A preliminary investigation indicates that multiple vehicles passed through the toll booths on southbound I-75. As the vehicles exited the toll area, they quickly accelerated and began driving recklessly at high rates of speed.

The traffic crash occurred near an active construction area on the bridge where southbound traffic is restricted to a single lane.

The crash occurred when one driver struck the rear of the other vehicle. Speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in the crash. Two individuals sustained serious injuries, while two others suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

All four injured individuals received treatment at a local hospital.

The at-fault driver, a 28-year-old man from Jamaica, who had been working and living seasonally in the area, was arrested and lodged in the Mackinac County Jail for Reckless Driving Causing Serious Impairment of a Body Function. The suspect’s name is being withheld, pending arraignment.

Additional charges may be requested for the suspect pending the results of the ongoing investigation and review by the Mackinac County Prosecutor. Further investigation is also being conducted into any other individuals related to this incident who may have been operating vehicles recklessly on the bridge.

All subjects are considered innocent unless proven guilty.

MSP thanks all assisting agencies, including the Mackinac Bridge Authority, Michigan Department of Transportation, Mackinac County Emergency Management, St. Ignace Police Department, Mackinaw City Police Department, Mackinac County Sheriff’s Office, Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Office, Straits Area EMS, St. Ignace Fire and Rescue, Chippewa County Dispatch, and CCE Dispatch.