K9 Storm and Game Warden Chad Robertson located a missing elderly Edgecomb man Thursday evening just as freezing temperatures started to set in.

Valmar Thompson, age 91 of Edgecomb, lives alone at his house in Edgecomb, and has caregivers who are there each day. Yesterday, when one of the caregivers arrived at 10:00 a.m., Thompson was not there, yet the house and stove were still warm, indicating that he was there recently. The caregiver was not alarmed, as Thompson often worked around his property during the day, but when he did not return, the caregiver called Lincoln County Sherriffs office, who contacted the Maine Warden Service.

Game Wardens and members of the Sheriff’s office and the Edgecomb Fire Department searched the area, and at approximately 5:40 p.m., Game Warden Robertson and K9 Storm located Thompson in the woods, disoriented, and sitting on a stone wall with one shoe missing. Game Wardens and other assisted getting Thompson out of the woods as his knee was hurting, and he was loaded onto an ATV, and brought out to a waiting ambulance where he was examined but not transported by emergency medical personnel, and then released to his family. Read more

Dewy White of Paoli, Indiana, visited Crater of Diamonds State Park on October 2 and found a beautiful 2.71-carat white diamond.

White and his wife embarked on the road trip of a lifetime with Crater of Diamonds State Park as their first stop. The couple spent two days digging and sifting in the park’s 37.5-acre search area before moving on to their next destination. Having created a lasting memory, the couple revisited the park on their return trip for three more days.

With some screens he had bought on his way into Murfreesboro, White started digging in the Canary Hill area by the south wash pavilion. “A very nice gentleman I met on my first day out here suggested that area,” noted White. “He seemed like he knew what he was doing, and it looked like a nice, shaded spot.”

White spent most of the day dry sifting, a process where dirt is broken up by hand and sifted through mesh screens without water. Getting excited at every piece of quartz and calcite he found, White finally spotted something that looked different than everything he had seen. Read more

Oct. 1, 2025
Contact: Lt. Jeremy Payne, 989-297-2941

A 70-year-old man from Ogemaw County, Michigan, was reunited with family Tuesday afternoon after becoming lost near his home earlier that day.

Around 11:30 a.m. the man wandered away from his home, a wooded and rural area located near County Highway F-18 and M-30 in Edwards Township. Read more

Military-grade water purification technology delivers 3,000 gallons of fresh water daily

Katadyn Group, a global leader in sustainable hydration, nutrition and cooking solutions, today announced the release of the Aquifer 3000, a new portable desalination system developed with input from the U.S. military. The system is one of the most advanced water purification technologies designed for remote military operations.

Capable of producing 3,000 gallons (11,350 liters) of safe drinking water per day, the Aquifer 3000 provides 6 gallons of drinking water per person per day from seawater, brackish, or fresh sources. It comes in two rugged transport cases, each under 190 pounds, for two-person carry. Tool-free assembly, intuitive controls, and rapid setup and takedown make the system reliable for mission-critical operations.

The Aquifer 3000 is the newest product in the Aquifer Series from Spectra Watermakers, a Katadyn Group brand. The series includes solutions designed for military, humanitarian aid, and disaster relief applications. The 3000 offers a dedicated defense solution, combining mobility, quick setup, daily redeployment, and durability proven through MIL-STD-810H testing.

“The Aquifer 3000 was developed for the U.S. military to deliver dependable water supply in the most demanding conditions,” said Chris Voxland, president, North America, Katadyn Group. “Its combination of portability, output, and durable military-grade design ensures readiness in environments where failure is not an option.”

The system operates in two modes for maximum flexibility. High Mode (3,000 gallons per day) is used under normal conditions, while Low Mode (1,600 gallons per day) is suited for solar applications, smaller power sources, or reduced sound signature. The Aquifer 3000 is tested to MIL-STD-810H for durability and is compliant with the Buy American Act and Berry Amendment. Read more

The Ruger Blackhawk “Premier” is a Custom & Collectable Firearms, 1 of 200 sequentially numbered limited series. This remarkable firearm, which includes cylinders in .45 LC & .45 ACP, embodies the essence of sophistication and charm. Featuring a classic color case-hardened design paired with authentically crafted stag grips, it stands as a testament to the finest craftsmanship, making it a prized addition to any collection. Each piece comes in a sleek black presentation box that has a Custom & Collectable logo in gold foil on top, accompanied by a challenge coin and a certificate of authenticity personally signed by the owner, delivering a complete and memorable collector’s experience. Read more

On September 17, 2025, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (SAF) filed the final brief in our appeal challenging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) puppy ban in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The puppy ban prohibits all dogs under the age of six months and dogs without an implanted microchip from entering the country. The purported purpose of the age and microchip requirements is to make sure that the dog is old enough to have been vaccinated for rabies and has the appropriate vaccination paperwork linked to an implanted microchip as proof. The puppy ban applied even to countries with almost no risk of rabies and that many breeders depend upon for genetic diversity – such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and others.

Prior to the rule change, CDC declared these same countries to be free of rabies or to possess such a low risk of rabies that it did not require the dogs coming from those countries to be vaccinated. It did not even ask for the dogs’ age or microchip number. Nevertheless, it now applies the ban to those dogs.

“Federal law requires that agency actions be both within their scope of lawful authority and to be logical and rational,” said Michael Jean, Litigation Counsel for the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation. “This ban is neither. CDC has no idea which statute authorizes it. It has changed its position and grasped at straws after the fact while simultaneously telling the court to ‘trust the experts at the CDC.’” Read more

NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, joins the nation in grieving the loss of Charlie Kirk, Founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, struck down by an assassin during a public open appearance at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah. Kirk was a thought leader who peacefully challenged opposing viewpoints. But more than that, Kirk was a husband and father to two small children.

Kirk was a man who challenged ideas with ideas. He invited open debate with those who vehemently disagreed with him. He believed in free and spirited exchange of ideas and using words to reach millions of young adults across America’s college campuses. Kirk was also a man of deep-rooted and unapologetic faith in his Creator. He was dedicated to preserving and exercising our American rights granted by that Creator and guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, including not just First Amendment rights of Free Speech but also Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms.

This targeted assassination of Kirk, in what can only be understood as a measure to silence his voice and ideas, is vile. There is nothing – absolutely nothing – that could justify political violence against Kirk who sought to engage his fellow citizens in civil discourse. This assassin is the manifestation of evil and NSSF remains confident that local, state and federal authorities will find and bring this individual to justice.

Likewise, NSSF joins those who are repulsed by some who claim Kirk invited this senseless and cruel act of criminal violence, as well as some who celebrated it. We dedicate ourselves to honoring Kirk’s memory and legacy. We humbly pray for his young widow and children who will grow in their lives without their husband and father, taken so cruelly and senselessly by a politically-motivated assassin.

Today, we grieve. We also commit ourselves to advancing the principles which Kirk held dear, that freedom of thought and expression of rights cannot be compromised, that this nation is truly unique and preserving the nation’s liberties requires each of us to enter the arena. We are also committed to the principle that Kirk demonstrated to recognize, with the insight of the Creator who grants us our freedoms, the humanity of those around us – even those with whom we disagree. Read more

RavenEQ, the AI solutions provider built exclusively for outdoor brands, has launched a first-of-its-kind consumer-facing AI experience that puts official and approved hunting regulation information into a mobile-first, conversational chatbot. Powered by RavenEQ’s technology, the Raven Guide gives instant answers to hunters, guides, and wildlife officers at any moment, anywhere.

For generations, state hunting brochures have been the go-to resource for rules and regulations, often stretching to 80+ pages in print and hosted as large pdf files that are difficult to read. Finding answers requires reading, searching and retaining knowledge from these traditional formats. The Raven Guide harnesses all of that information in a simple to use chatbot that can be accessed by desktop or mobile and can be used to apply, plan and stay legal in the field.

It works with natural language and answers simple questions such as: Read more

Aug. 12, 2025
Contact: Lt. Ryan Aho, 906-367-1177

Two paddleboarders drifting far from shore on Lake Superior were recently rescued with quick action by two Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers in Ontonagon County.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 8, Conservation Officer Ethen Mapes received a call from Negaunee Regional Dispatch/DNR Report All Poaching Hotline operators reporting two paddleboarders in distress on Lake Superior near Ontonagon.

“They were in good condition overall but just could not paddle against the strong wind to get back to shore,” said Conservation Officer Pete Shambaugh, who was called by Mapes to assist in the rescue attempt. Read more