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The front page of the Sept. 27, 1976 Alpena News details the crash of a U.S. Air Force plane near Hubbard Lake.
HUBBARD LAKE Northeast Michigan’s weather on Sunday, Sept. 26, 1976 was slated to have a high temperature of 64 degrees, with a low of 31 degrees.
Sunrise was at 6:58 a.m., and winds were projected to be light.
At the ground level, visibility was somewhat low, but higher flight elevation clear.
No precipitation was projected.
The U.S. Air Force KC-135A departing K.I. Sawyer AFB near Marquette was on a routine training flight. The aircraft made a stopover at Sault Ste. Marie’s Kincheloe Air Force Base and was en route to Wurtsmith AFB near Oscoda.
sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com
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A group of firefighters train on fire suppression at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. The federal government and the state are working with local health officials to decide on a plan to clean up chemical contamination from the firefighting foam.
ALPENA It has been nearly four years since the presence of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid were discovered at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.
Today, the U.S. military, the state, and local health officials are moving forward to rectify the situation.
Cleanup efforts are still a ways off, however, as viable ways to remediate the area are still being explored.
By CHAD GARLAND | STARS AND STRIPES Published: November 9, 2020 An Air Force A-10 pilot has been awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for landing his jet without serious injury after the cockpit canopy blew off and the landing gear failed during a training flight. Air Force Secretary Barbara M. Barrett presented Maj. Brett DeVries with country’s oldest decoration for military aviation. “Maj. DeVries, you certainly demonstrated heroism and extraordinary achievement in your flight,” Barrett said during a ceremony Friday at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., northeast of Detroit. During the training flight in 2017, DeVries flew for 25 minutes after a misfire in the aircraft’s 30 mm cannon caused the canopy and several panels to blow off, Barrett said on Twitter. His “deft expertise” allowed him to save the aircraft and walk away with only minor injuries, she said.
jriddle@thealpenanews.com
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A National Guardsman helps administer a COVID-19 test at a drive-thru testing event in Alpena over the summer, one of 1,100 Michigan guardsmen deployed to give 206,000 tests in 2020.
ALPENA In 2020’s great battle against the coronavirus, National Guard members wielding nasal swabs were mobilized by the thousands to assist local health departments in conducting COVID-19 tests.
Alpena was part of that effort.
Eight guardsmen from the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center were activated for state COVID-19 support missions since March, according to Capt. Andrew Layton, public affairs officer for the Michigan National Guard.
Master Sgt. Billy Fields, full-time guardsman and medical officer at the CRTC, spent five weeks administering COVID-19 tests at nursing homes in the spring.
Alpena News Intern
News Photo by Alyssa Ochss
The world headquarters for the Besser Co. is located in Alpena.
Northern Michigan’s climate, geography, and natural resources provide the perfect atmosphere for specific types of industry to thrive.
Here’s a look at what works Up North, and some of the companies pushing the economy:
CEMENT
LaFarge North America, in Alpena, is one of the main cement companies in the region. It was founded about 106 years ago, according to an online pamphlet by the company, and has been going strong ever since.
Jeffery Scott, Alpena plant manager, said the resources in the region help to build the industry up.