In the second quarter of the year, people in the area heard more about Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 tunnel, the return of cruise ships to Escanaba, several vehicular accidents, Delta County’s second approved social district and a number of activities that indicated the onset of summer.

APRIL

1 – A group of local demonstrators protesting a variety of perceived issues stemming from federal decisions have been gathering at the intersection of Lincoln Road and Ludington Street in Escanaba once a week for “Take Action Tuesdays.”

2 — Falling ice on the Mackinac Bridge led officials to close the bridge three times in as many days. Unlike when the bridge closes for winds, usually for a set period, it was undetermined how long the closures would last this time — officials called it “indefinite.” The April 1 closure lasted almost 11 hours.

After the proposed notion of adding a new trail to Ludington Park was shot down, Enhance Escanaba — with the help of a prospective Eagle Scout and America in Bloom — added plants and signage to the existing path to beautify and educate about nature. (Daily Press file photo)

4 — It was announced the Upper Penisula’s only Planned Parenthood, located in Marquette, would permanently close at the end of the month.

5 — New Delta County Sheriff Todd Tardiff sat down with the Daily Press to discuss his background and how he sees the future of the department. He took over for former Sheriff Ed Oswald, who retired in January after 34 years of service with the department. Tardiff ran unopposed and was elected in 2024.

5 — The body of Escanaba native Jacob Veeser was found in Alaska, near where the young man had gone missing during a winter storm. Veeser had been working on fishing boats in the Bering Sea.

7 — A special meeting was held with the Gladstone City Commission and the Gladstone Housing Commission, the latter of which hopes to eventually tear down and rebuild Fairview Manor.

9 — The City of Escanaba decided to raise wastewater rates by 5% and water rates by 8%.

A ship from Victory Cruise Lines — a new company with the same ships that visited the town before — returned to dock in Escanaba this summer along with Pearl Seas Cruises. (Daily Press file photo)

10 — Because of a lack of laboratory evidence, cases against Colton Brunette and Tristan Halfaday were dismissed and adjourned, respectively. The charges were related to drugs and a firearm found during a February traffic stop.

12 — A profile on Players de Noc, the local theater group, highlights the organization as it reached its 60-year mark in 2025.

12 — Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital had its 75th Anniversary Gala at the Garden Grover Retreat Center to celebrate the hospital’s semisesquicentennial.

12 — Four people were hospitalized, two in critical condition, after a pickup truck collides with an Amish horse and buggy in the Riverland area.

14 — Escanaba Township man Hunter Gallagher was arraigned in court for multiple felonies, the most prominent of which were kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct.

Sculptors from Art Club were hired by Visit Escanaba to build massive sand sculptures on the beaches of Escanaba and Gladstone in June. (Daily Press file photo)

14 — More than 80 people attended an Escanaba School Board meeting that featured public comments against the dismissal of gymnastics coach Theresa Pascoe. The school district came forward to clarify the issue and defend their decision not to renew the coach’s contract, saying that policies had been breached and that they believed a staff change would be in the students’ best interest.

17 — A decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fast-track the permitting process for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 tunnel was applauded by U.P. legislators state Sen. Ed McBroom and state Reps. Karl Bohnak, Parker Fairbairn, Greg Markkanen and Dave Prestin.

18 — The Gladstone BraveBots, the high school’s FIRST robotics team, competed in the world championship in Houston, Texas.

19 — The Eskymos softball team earned three wins while claiming a Lakeshore Tournament championship in Muskegon.

22 — A car stolen from Bay College lost control on U.S. 2 and crashed near the train viaduct by Meier’s Signs.

24 — County Administrator Ashleigh Young accepted the position of Delta County Airport manager. At this point, she had been serving as interim manager since Ranstadler’s departure in January.

24 — The Michigan Department of Education announced that North Central Area Schools was one of three districts in the state to be awarded a grant to help consolidate buildings. North Central received $15.4 million.

28 — The closure of Ludington Street began from Lake Shore Drive to 4th Street for utilities replacement.

28 — The former secretary-treasurer of the Ford River Township Volunteer Fire Department, Todd Anthony Holland, was sentenced to three years in jail after embezzling about $70,000 from the fire department between 2019 and 2024. The full amount of restitution was repaid.

28 — The City of Gladstone adopted a new logo and branding package.

29 — Beverly Reynolds, a teacher at Mid Peninsula School in Rock, won a statewide contest through the Detroit Red Wings called “Best in Class.” Her prizes included a $5,000 grant for the school.

MAY

1 — JN Taxi, the only cab company in Escanaba, announced it would be closing. This would lead to other providers seeking to fill the gaps.

1 — The City of Escanaba chose not to move forward with a plan to put a new nature trail in at Ludington Park after multiple people questioned the ethics of a project spearheaded by Karen Moore for Enhance Escanaba while she also sat on city council.

2 — A 35-year-old Daggett man was arrested for stabbing a 24-year-old acquaintance in Daggett.

3 — The first cruise ship returned to Escanaba, marking the start of a new season that would welcome more than 30 port calls from Victory Cruise Lines and Pearl Seas Cruises. This was a revival after no cruise ships visited last year; American Queen Voyages of Hornblower Group came to Escanaba in 2023 before declaring bankruptcy. Their vessels were sold at a greatly reduced price to former Hornblower businessman John Waggoner, who formed Victory Cruise Lines.

3 — BACK to the BAY-CON, a pop culture convention organized by Dave Laur and purportedly the largest of its kind in the U.P., returned to Bay College.

6 — Voters in the Gladstone Area Schools District faced two bond proposals as the district sought to raise funds for facilities improvements. Both proposals were shot down.

6 — The Delta County Board appointed a Veterans Affairs Committee, made up of Benjamin Proel, Gary Marnard, Stacy Lake, Kal Smith and Steve Kwarciany.

9 — Kristina Hansen was chosen to be the new superintendent of the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District. She had been superintendent at Manistique Area Schools. The new role would begin July 1.

10 — The first Plantchella was held at the U.P. State Fairgrounds in Escanaba. Approximately 90 vendors attended.

12 — McCoy Construction and Forestry settled into its new home at 6442 U.S. 2. The brand-new facility is larger and more accommodating than their old place at 1818 N. Lincoln Road.

12 — The City of Gladstone approved a social district in its downtown, allowing alcoholic drinks from participating establishments to be consumed outdoors on Delta Avenue between 8th and 11th streets and on a couple side blocks.

14 — Demolition began of the old Super One building at 501 N. Lincoln Road to make room for Kwik Trip.

15 — During a special meeting, the Delta County Board voted to hire outside legal counsel to aid with two lawsuits against the county.

15 — During a nighttime storm, lightning struck the William Bonifas Fine Arts Center, starting a fire in the upper part of the theater area.

17 — In Spalding Township, two teens were taken into custody after a high-speed pursuit in Menominee County with a vehicle stolen from downstate.

19 — Escanaba junior Cam Buckley was celebrated by the softball team for her upcoming departure for the Army National Guard on the same day she hit her first home run.

19 — Students from Escanaba High School’s Business Professionals of America presented to the school board about their experiences at the National Leadership Conference.

21 — The first all-women U.P. Honor Flight, “Women of Valor,” made the trip from Escanaba to Washington D.C. and back again.

22 — The Stonehouse food truck opened for lunch at the site of the restaurant, which was destroyed by fire in December 2024.

24 — Shyanna Halfaday from Nah Tash Wahsh PSA was named Student of the Year by the Daily Press, chosen for an essay she submitted. Halfaday was an outstanding student academically and was active on student council and in volunteer activities and well as multiple sports.

27 — After receiving from Face Addiction Now a donation of a box of self-dispensing Narcan, a nasal spray that reverses effects of opioids, Escanaba Public Safety offers free Narcan at its office 24/7.

28 — U.P. Whitetails Association and other organizations and conservation clubs in the U.P. were awarded a total of $148,300 by the Department of Natural Resources to improve deer habitats.

28 — Colton Brunette of Wilson pled guilty to a stolen property charge after involvement with the concealment of a stolen Jeep in April 2024.

29 — Bay College partnered with Players de Noc, providing the theater troupe — displaced from their usual location after the fire at the Bonifas — with performance space at the Besse Theater of the college’s Escanaba campus for the 2025 to 2026 season.

30 — The 40th and final Krusin’ Klassics Fun Run parade took place in Escanaba, and the show continued at the fairgrounds that Saturday. Future similar events will be organized by the Downtown Development Authority, as the Krusin’ Klassics car club’s membership is aging.

JUNE

1 — A 60-year-old Rapid River man was killed in an automobile crash on County 513 T Road in Ensign Township. The driver of another vehicle involved, a 45-year-old from Rapid River, was taken to OSF St. Francis Hospital with serious injuries.

2 — The second measles case in the U.P. was a person who visited Escanaba on May 27, the Marquette County Health Department reported.

3 — The Delta County Board voted to offer former County Administrator Emily DeSalvo the position once again, a move called “perhaps the most significant reversal of the actions of the 2023-2024 Board of Commissioners.”

7 — The Escanaba Eskymos softball team defeated Gaylord, which had previously been state champs, for the MHSAA Division 2 regional championship trophy.

8 — Two campers were found dead on Isle Royale on what later was ruled a murder-suicide.

13 — The Island Resort & Casino unveiled its new convention center and golf course at an open house.

13 — The Great Lakes Area Traditional Powwow took place at the Woodland Gathering Grounds in Harris Township.

14 — Protesters at the Karas Bandshell in Ludington Park joined millions across the country in an organized “No Kings” movement to display opposition to President Donald Trump.

18 — The Delta Astronomical Society hosted a celebration to unveil the updated planet walk on Escanaba’s Ludington Street.

20 — Robert Mach was announced as the new CEO of Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital in Manistique. His health care career began in radiology and he has served in upper-level administration at several other hospitals.

20 — The Delta County Board unanimously voted to terminate its contract with attorney Scott Graham, who allegedly stopped communicating with the county after being asked to turn over files related to investigation of the Delta County Airport. Graham had been hired in 2023.

20 — A 58-year-old Escanaba man was killed in a motorcycle crash on M-35 in Marquette County.

21 — The first “Make Music Escanaba” event took place, with live musicians playing at several locations in town. It is part of a worldwide event to mark the start of summer.

23 — Classmates of 8-year-old Easton Winling, who was badly injured in a crash at Escanaba Speedway on June 7, set up a lemonade stand to raise money for the family.

23 — James Joseph Johnson of Escanaba was sentenced to 38 months to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of creation/delivery of analog (drugs) in relation to an April 2024 traffic stop. Another man in the car, David Frans, had been charged with possession and given a lesser sentence because of a lower level of involvement.

26 — A ceremony was held in Ludington Park to dedicate the development of existing walking paths into a nature trail. Enhance Escanaba and volunteers had planted more than 250 plants, Aiden Snouwaert contributed tree identification signs as an Eagle Scout project, and Canadian National provided funding through their America in Bloom grant.

27 — Art Club, a co-op of artists from Saginaw County, created massive Bigfoot sand sculptures on the beaches of Gladstone and Escanaba. They had been hired by tourism bureau Visit Escanaba.

28 — The first Log Jam Festival, featuring music and timber-themed activities, took place on Ludington Street in Escanaba.