State Police at the Negaunee Post are investigating the death of a Wisconsin man whose body was found early this morning at an area truck stop. Troopers were called to Koski’s Konvenience Korners BP Station near Champion just before 3-am after an employee discovered the body of 44-year-old Neal Henjum of Green Bay, Wisconsin in the men’s restroom. Troopers say Henjum had stopped at the station to use the restroom about twenty minutes earlier, but never came out. State Police say no foul play is suspected.
Federal prosecutors have added new charges and a second defendant in a case involving more than 4,000 pounds of explosive materials. Ken Kassab, of Brimley, appeared in federal court in Marquette last week on two charges, including the illegal transportation of explosive materials in 2010. Reports say Kassab worked for co-defendant John Lechner, of Sault Ste. Marie, who is accused of buying and hiding the explosives. Lechner was arrested in September after an informant said he wanted help to move a large quantity of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil in Chippewa County. A federal indictment includes charges against Lechner of transporting and storing the explosive materials, and distributing them to Kassab, a convicted felon. Kassab now is charged with transporting and possessing the ammonium nitrate and fuel oil mixture. He is temporarily detained without bail.
Organizers of a food drive held this past weekend in Western Marquette County say the effort was a success. Well over 6,000 pounds of food was collected on Saturday as part of Operation “Food For A Neighbor”. Project Coordinator Dick Derby says the food pantries of the Salvation Army and St. Vincent De Paul stores are once again full thanks to the generous families of Ishpeming and Negaunee. Derby adds that over 225 people helped organize and carry out the food drive on behalf of Wesley United Methodist Church in Ishpeming and St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Negaunee, and more items are still coming in from homes and churches throughout the area.
The Great Lakes Center for Youth Development is presenting the 19th Annual Excellence in Education Awards Presentation tonight in Marquette. The gathering is part of a week-long series of activities and events hosted by the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development to recognize students, parents and teachers in the Marquette and Alger County School Districts. Tonight’s event will feature the presentation of 47 scholarships and 25 professional development awards to outstanding students and educations in Marquette and Alger Counties. The event runs tonight from 6:00 to 8:30p.m. in the Great Lakes Rooms of the Bottum University Center at Northern Michigan University.
Hearings will begin before the end of the month in Lansing on a new effort to significantly ease restrictions on beachfront property owners’ ability to cut weeds and take care of other beach grooming. A law allowing beachfront property owners to groom their beaches with a permit from the state expires in August. Supporters of the effort oppose current law which effectively says the government shall regulate all types of traditional beach grooming, including the use of mechanized equipment. Legislation easing current restrictions is sponsored in part by Senate Republican Tom Casperson of Escanaba. In 1999, the state banned all forms of mechanized beach grooming.
