Contact: Laurie Abel, 517-599-6703 or Kathleen Lavey, 517-930-4218

Crews worked through the night?Sunday?to increase the flow of water through the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex, using a crane to remove gates from the dam, adding?pumps?and bringing in a load of?electric cable needed to reopen the hydroelectric station and further increase flow.

“We had a productive session overnight and we are continuing our work today,” said Mike Janisse, leader of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Incident Management Team that is leading the effort to mitigate flooding while preserving the dam and lock.

Efforts late Sunday included the following:

• Using the crane – so large it took?multiple?trucks to carry – to remove gates from the dam.?Although?all of?the dam’s six?gates?have been open, removing the doors increases the water flow capacity.
• Bringing industrial wire from Illinois to Cheboygan, where it will be installed to fully open the dam’s hydroelectric station, which also will increase flow. Work began last night and continues today.

Read more

April 11, 2026

Contact: Laurie Abel, 989-599-6703 or Kathleen Lavey, 517-930-4218

Work crews strategically placed more sandbags today around the Cheboygan Lock and Dam, while large pumps were running to move water around the structure.

The measures are part of continuing efforts to move water through and around the dam and lock to help get ahead of additional rain and snow melt forecasted over coming days.

“The DNR is actively engaged with our partners to prevent the failure of the dam to the fullest extent possible,” said Mike Janisse, leader of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Incident Management Team.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency Friday and activated the State Emergency Operations Center as rising waters from spring rains and melting snow threaten to overwhelm the dam in the city of Cheboygan.

The sandbagging, which began earlier this week, is intended to provide a buffer for rising water and help channel the water. The pumps are being used to move water from behind the dam to the spillway in front, where it can continue flowing out toward Lake Huron.

A wooden timber debris screen, built years ago in front of one of the dam’s gates was removed to help increase water flow through the dam. Engineers carefully reviewed historic photos to make sure the structure could be taken down without damaging the dam itself.

Additional water level monitoring equipment also has been installed by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Cheboygan County emergency managers are encouraging residents to sign up for alerts through Be Alert or to call 211 if they need information about preparedness and possible evacuation. Read more

GunBroker.com is giving motorsports fans and supporters of a powerful cause the chance to secure an unforgettable experience at one of the most high-profile racing events in the world. A new charity auction benefiting Project R3con is now live, featuring two tickets to the 2026 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.

Hosted on GunBroker.com, the auction offers bidders the opportunity to attend the Miami F1 race while directly supporting Project R3con, an organization dedicated to assisting veterans and first responders through community, purpose, and outdoor-based healing initiatives.

The auction begins at just one penny with no reserve, ensuring that every bid helps drive support for Project R3con’s mission. The winning bidder will receive two tickets to the 2026 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix—one of the premier events on the global racing calendar, known for its high-energy atmosphere, elite competition, and world-class entertainment.

All proceeds from the auction will go directly to Project R3con, reinforcing GunBroker’s ongoing commitment to supporting organizations that serve those who have sacrificed in service to others.

The auction is open now and will close the evening of March 29, 2026. Bidders are encouraged to act quickly and return often, as competitive bidding is expected for this one-of-a-kind experience.

To view the auction and place a bid, visit:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1161564240

About Project R3con

Project R3con is a nonprofit organization focused on helping veterans and first responders reconnect with purpose through outdoor experiences, community engagement, and personal development.

March 17, 2026 Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers responding on snowmobiles in whiteout storm conditions Monday helped deputies from the Luce County Sheriff’s Office rescue a stranded snowmobiler in the remote, northern part of the county. During the early evening hours of March 16, Chippewa County Central Dispatch received calls and text messages from an individual who had said he was stranded near Snowmobile Trail No. 8UP in an open area by the Little Two Hearted River, west of Little Lake Harbor. At about 8 p.m., Luce County Sheriff’s deputies contacted DNR conservation officers for help in finding and retrieving the 55-year-old Rexton man whose sled had become stuck in deep snow. The man had been out for a ride during the second day of a severe blizzard that had pounded the entire Upper Peninsula with brutal winds and heavy snowfall. Law enforcement agencies had warned motorists of life-threatening travel conditions, urging people to stay off roadways unless absolutely necessary. Conservation officers Cpl. Cole VanOosten and Justin Vinson responded on their snowmobiles, from their residences, with roads drifted, snow-choked and impassable by motor vehicle. Conditions included a constant 40-mph. wind and gusts reaching 70 mph with snow falling at a rate of 1-3 inches per hour. Read more

This short video highlights the Trust Fund’s statewide reach and legacy.

March 3, 2026

Contact: Clay Summers, 517-388-0295 or Jon Mayes, 517-284-5954 (DNR Grants Management)

To date, the Trust Fund has provided nearly $1.4 billion for land improvements and acquisitions across Michigan’s 83 counties

• The award-winning Ocqueoc Falls Trailhead and Scenic Overlook in Presque Isle County, offering the first universally accessible waterfall in the U.S.
• Milliken State Park and Harbor, the Detroit Riverwalk and the Outdoor Adventure Center, a trio of dazzling destinations that annually draw millions of visitors to downtown Detroit.
• The manually propelled raft at Kitch-iti-kipi (“Big Spring”) at Palms Book State Park in Schoolcraft County, allowing visitors to cross and view the 200-foot-wide, 40-foot-deep natural spring and underlying limestone. Read more

GW:  One communist sent packing but the next man up is no better.

Conservation Officer Kyle McQueer received a Lifesaving Award for his actions to help a Barry County man in cardiac distress Oct. 17, 2024.

In addition, veteran hunter safety instructor Jane Gordon was honored for 40 years of volunteer service to the DNR’s recreational safety and education program.

 In mid-October, Michigan DNR Conservation Officer Kyle McQueer received an emergency call dispatched by the Barry County Sheriff’s Office to a residential address on Keller Road in Orangeville Township. The call was regarding a CPR-in-progress situation.

Less than a mile away, McQueer immediately responded and was the first emergency responder to arrive on scene, within minutes of the initial dispatch call.

Upon arrival, McQueer was directed to a detached garage where he located a 64-year-old man unconscious and not breathing. After assessing the situation and confirming there was no pulse or signs of breathing, McQueer activated his department-issued automated external defibrillator and began lifesaving measures.

An AED is a portable, user-friendly device that analyzes the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, delivers an electric shock in an attempt to restore normal heart rhythm during cardiac arrest.

McQueer performed CPR, directing people on scene to assist with equipment, and maintained communication with dispatch regarding the man’s condition.

McQueer continued CPR and AED monitoring until the Orangeville Fire Department arrived, followed shortly by EMS. He assisted firefighters and remained engaged in resuscitation efforts. After several critical moments, responders were able to regain a pulse before transporting the man to Pennock Hospital in Hastings. The man was later transferred to a hospital in Grand Rapids and eventually released.

“Officer McQueer’s quick response and ability to stay calm under pressure and utilize his training were instrumental in giving this man a fighting chance at survival,” said Chief Brandon Kieft, DNR Law Enforcement Division.

McQueer has been a conservation officer since 2017 and is assigned to Barry County.

Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect residents through general law enforcement and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Learn more at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.

Contact: Acting 1st Lt. Stephen Mooney, 269-685-6851

Katadyn Group, a global leader in sustainable hydration, nutrition and cooking solutions, will present its latest advancements at SHOT Show, Jan. 21 to 24, at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas. Visitors to Booth #42638 will have the opportunity to explore the Aquifer 3000 portable desalination system, the Explorer Pro and a range of field-ready hydration, nutrition and cooking solutions designed for demanding operational environments.

The Aquifer 3000 is a new portable desalination system developed with input from the U.S. military and is one of the most advanced water purification technologies designed for remote military operations. Using military-grade water purification technology, the Aquifer 3000 delivers up to 3,000 gallons of fresh water daily through a portable desalination system designed for use with seawater, brackish water and freshwater sources for military, humanitarian and disaster response scenarios. Read more

“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American … There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”

Theodore Roosevelt

There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag…We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language…and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.