News Staff Writers
Photo Illustration by Justin A. Hinkley
This collage of News archive photos shows, in the background, firefighters battling the John A. Lau blaze in July, and, foreground, from left to right, Style Wherehouse owner Jessica Krueger in June after J.C. Penney announced its closure, Alpena nurse Katherine Watts in May while helping the coronavirus fight in Detroit, and Lucas Moquin, then artistic director of Thunder Bay Theatre, after examining damage to the theater from the adjacent fire at John A. Lau.
ALPENA When this year’s New Year’s revelers belt out “Auld Lang Syne,” they’ll gladly call 2020 an old acquaintance best never brought to mind.
21 ALPENA, Mich. – On Tuesday Dec. 15, the first Airmen arrived at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center from around the country as part of the facility’s support for the Headquarters Air Force-led “Restriction of Movement” (ROM) mission.
Alpena CRTC, located in Northern Michigan, was selected earlier this year by the Air Force’s active duty component to serve as an ROM site, which provides a location for Airmen to spend two weeks in a closely controlled environment as a precaution to ensure they do not have COVID-19 before traveling to their overseas assignment.
“This is a very impactful mission in terms of supporting the men and women who are about to deploy and fight our nation’s wars,” said Col. James Rossi, Alpena CRTC commander. “When they arrive here, they are healthy; our mission is to ensure they leave healthy and as physically and mentally prepared for their deployment as possible.”