Dr. John Stroube

Those of you over 40 may remember Dr. John Stroube. He was a physician in L'Anse for 33 years beginning in 1951. He delivered many of your babies, maybe even you.
Dr. Stroube and his wife moved to Wyoming in 1985. Dr. Stroube passed away on December 21, 2008 in Cody, WY.

Dr. Stroube had a well lived life. He loved the outdoors especially hunting and salmon fishing. He enjoyed raising Arabian horses.

Our hearts go out to his family.

Sunshine in Winter

We don't see the sun much in winter especially this winter. It peeks out for brief minutes just to let us know it's still up there. The sparkle of sunlight on new snow is beautiful but blinding. Sunglasses are a must for me.

Road Conditions - Nov thru March

Some days are better, some are worse.

Munising

If you are looking for snow, you'll find it in the Munising area.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all! I hope no one is spending Christmas alone and that you are all safe. I hope no one overspent and everyone realizes that Christmas is about love, not presents.

Having said that: We aren't at home this Christmas. We are visiting our daughter and family in the Detroit area. I hope Santa knows where we are. I'm expecting big things this year, I've been good, sorta good, maybe.

It gets boring to always writing about the weather but, hey, the weather rules our life in the Upper Peninsula.

We drove half way on December 23rd and spent the night in St. Ignace. We got up early to finish the drive only to discover freezing rain. At 25 degrees it should have been snow but either way it made the going slow. The defroster didn't want to keep the windshield clear. All the traffic bowed to mother nature and we made the last half of our trip without incident even if it did take us much longer.

Winter Roads

Travel in the winter in the UP is not fun but that can be said for much of the US over the past week.

We made the trip across the UP today at a snails pace. The roads weren't all that bad but the traffic wasn't taking any chances. If you managed to pass a car you didn't go too far without encountering another slow moving car.

We made good time from home to Marquette but after Marquette the speed dropped to 50 MPH and then to 45. Our new tires were a must but they really helped. What didn't help was that the plows were not plowing the roads. The snow wasn't deep but it was hard to see the road.. all was white.

I'm glad I don't have a job that requires a long drive every day. Keep save.

Jingle Bells

I forgot to tell everyone that I was recording.. No time to redo it. Thank Pat for these treasures. Young and old alike love them.. but only the first and second time around. Three year olds like them to play constantly! Sorry boys, the batteries are worn out.

Merry Christmas to all

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Picture perfect morning

It was cold and foggy. When the fog left we had beautiful frost on the trees. I took pictures similar to this a few years ago. I've upload more so click on the title to see them.

Happy Birthday Kim

Once a Yooper always a Yooper even if you marry a troll. Happy Birthday to our daughter, Kim. I was thinking she'd be a Christmas baby. Her brother was born on Thanksgiving.

No time to write..Picture time

I don't have my usual enthusiasm for Christmas this year but I did buy a new decoration. Worked out great on the mailbox.

Pictures tell a story

If this looks like fun than you could be a Yooper.

Computer Problems

Be sure your computer security is updated. I have a virus that I can't clear. Internet Explorer is gone, it freezes the entire computer when I try to use it. Firefox works but it does strange things when I try to download help. It won't let me download anything from Microsoft.

At any rate, if you watch my webcam on my regular website... it's down. I know several people check for weather conditions. I'll get it running asap.

I have two computer and this older one is fine.

Now stop reading this and go right to Microsoft for critical updates. Don't wait.

University Graduation

Both Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan University will hold Graduation ceremonies this weekend. NMU has 555 students receiving degrees. Tech will award 260 undergraduate degrees, 27 masters degrees and 16 Ph.D's.

Graduations bring people in to town, filling hotels and restaurants. I can't think of a better reason to visit the UP. Job placement for Michigan Tech graduates is over 95%.

Congratulations Grads!

Murder Trial

There hasn't been much in the news about the trial of a Scott Johnson, accused of fatally shooting three teens after ambushing them near the Wisconsin-Michigan border last summer.

Judge Tim Duket denied a motion for a change of venue Tuesday.

Prosecutors said the 38-year-old Kingsford man fired about 17 shots from a rifle at a group of swimmers at the Menominee River. The three Michigan teens were killed.

Johnson has pleaded insanity to charges that include three counts of first-degree intentional homicide.

Snow again

I was surprised to hear that Green Bay has as much snow as we do, according to a representative who stopped at our house today. Also a friend from Milwaukee said that they had as much snow as the UP.

If you want to find a lot of snow you need to visit the Munising and Shingleton area. They always have high snow totals and this year is no exception.

Dave has only had the snow blower out once but he's used the yooper scooper many times. I think it's more for exercise than a need to shovel.

Shopping

The worst part about living in the Upper Peninsula is the shopping or lack of shopping. If we want to do some Christmas shopping we can go to Houghton to a limited number of stores; Shopko (smaller than most), Walmart, Dollar Tree, JC Penney (also small), Maurice's, Bath and Body, and I'm running out of stores. Yes, we have a group of smaller, Mom and Pop type stores that are great but we are talking serious shopping here. So, it's off to Marquette.

If you are traveling to Marquette in the winter you should check the weather forecast. If you check the weather forecast you may never leave your house. We made just such a trip today without checking the weather forecast.

It looked great when we left home but it didn't take more than 10 miles and the roads changed, not so much the weather, but the road conditions. The roads were very slippery and snow covered. After another few miles the blowing snow hampered the visibility.

For those of you not familiar with the area, Marquette is 75 miles from us. A very long trip at 35 to 45 miles an hour. Every few miles we'd see a car in the ditch or a place where a car had been in the ditch.

The wind was howling in Marquette. We hated to get out of our car to go in a store. It wasn't any fun shopping when all I did was worry about the ride home. I didn't even make it to the big craft show at the Superior Dome.

The ride home was better but still slow but we made it safely.

On-line shopping sounds better and better.

Elections

And you thought the elections were over. Not true in Baraga County. The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community has it's General Election on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Registered voters (of the KBIC)will vote at the Ojibwa Senior Citizens Building or the L'Anse District will vote at the Zeba Methodist Church.

Some of there proposal are to open a gas station in L'Anse on US41. They also propose to open a pharmacy within the Tribe's Health center. A Tobacco Ordinance in also a hot topic. Money used from tobacco sales would be returned to members in a Christmas Gift check. On Nov. 26th the KBIC Tribal Council adopted an amended tobacco ordinance. It prohibits the sale of non-stamped cigarettes by anyone or any business on the reservation except tribally-owned entities. Only tribal businesses, such as the Pines Convenience center or the Ojibwa Motel gift shop or the Casino, may sell tobacco products without a Michigan tax stamp. There are currently three business that would no longer be able to sell tobacco products under the new ordinance.

Cookie walk, bazaar, craft sales

Do you have a free weekend? Take in the TV6 Craft Show at the dome in Marquette. That's always a fantastic event.

If you are in Aura on Saturday, stop at the Fire Hall. Santa will be there at 12:30. After you say hi to Santa take in the cake walk, pay a raffle ticket, white elephant sale, buy a grab bag or buy lunch.

The United Lutheran Church in L'Anse has a Christmas cookie walk on Saturday 9:30 - 12:00. That's a morning event so stop in L'Anse before you head out to Aura.

How about attending the Advent Songfest at Sacred Heart Church in L'Anse. It's a benefit for St. Vincent dePaul. The songfest will feature Courtney Clisch, Bells on the Bay, Light Keepers, and Local church Choirs. Dec. 7, 2:00 PM

And...... the L'Anse - Baraga Figure Skating Club will present their Annual Christmas Exhibition on Saturday, December 13th at the Baraga Ice Rink. 2:00 PM.

Add some events that you've noticed...

Slip sliding

I hate winter driving. You need to think ahead, planning stops well before the stop sign, slowing for turns to half the speed you'd need on a bare road. It just isn't safe to slide half way through an intersection. We have only a light covering of snow but it is covering a nice slippery layer of ice.

I manage to not collide with anything as my car refused to turn on to a side street. I did everything right. I slowed, I was cautious, I was watchful but the car just didn't want to make that turn. Luckily it did cooperate and also luck was with me there was no other car in my way.

It's icy out there. Take care.

Back to work.

It was back to work for me today. I should be thankful I still have a job. Baraga County has the highest unemployment rate in Michigan at over 14%.

Most the the manufacturing jobs in the County have 1/2 to 3/4 of their employees on unemployment. There just isn't enough work.

Baraga County has Terex Handlers and Pettibone, both keep many subcontracting businesses in operation. We have the prison, hospital, area schools, the Casino and other Keweenaw Bay Indian Community businesses. There are also Celotex and several saw mills. It's hard to believe there isn't a job for everyone.