Jason Asselin - Videos, News & More

FINDING GLOWING YOOPERLITES ALONG LAKE SUPERIOR!

2018-12-27T22:49:00.000-06:00

In a remote, undisclosed location in Michigan's upper peninsula we bounced down this sandy road heading towards Lake Superior just before sunset. As we neared the beach we saw we were the only ones there, a bonus in our minds. We were going hunting for the mysterious "Yooperlite" rock discovered by Erik Rintamaki.

The mineral sodalite is present in some rocks and under longwave ultraviolet (UV lights) illumination will fluoresce, creating the glowing yellowish orange veins of Yooperlites as seen below...

We got out to stretch our legs and felt the winds blowing off the lake, they were light and pleasant. The air temps were in the lower 40's but next to the lake it felt much warmer. Lots of rocky beaches and miles to walk each direction, the only thing to do was wait until it got dark. Neil and I decided we would walk as far south as we could, then as we walked back we would picked up rocks we found. This way we weren't carrying rocks both directions, making it easier on us.

(VIDEO) YOOPERLITES IN UPPER MICHIGAN - THEY GLOW UNDER UV LIGHTS!

Watch the video above and see where in upper Michigan we visited on our way to Lake Superior!

Ok fine, we were in the Keweenaw above Houghton.. Now you know! However you should also know that you'll need a powerful UV flashlight if you want any chance of finding them. They are pretty cheap too and well worth the investment! Just don't use it during your next hotel visit or you may never go back.. ha ha

There is a vast difference in the Yooperlites we found, some were really bright and you could see them from 10 feet away while others weren't as bright and you needed to be closer to see. On this trip my buddy Neil had a more powerful light than I did and found many more than me. They came in all shapes and sizes and as I said, many different shades of brightness. I'm sure you might be wondering what they look inside? Like we should cut one in half?

(VIDEO) CUTTING EXPENSIVE, GLOWING YOOPERLITE STONES IN HALF!

Oh yes, a friend of mine cut them in half for a project that he was working on for me.. He designed and built a custom "I Love Upper Michigan" concrete table with Yooperlites in it! It was pretty long process to make this heart shaped table with 2 shades of color, then embedding yooperlites into it.

(VIDEO) INCONCRETO BUILDING MY "I LOVE UPPER MICHIGAN" YOOPERLITE TABLE!

So needless to say after 5 trips over the last 3 months, I've gathered a nice collection of rocks that glow under UV lights! So many rocks that I've opened an Etsy Store hoping to sell these cool rocks to others who may not be able to come find them themselves.. Maybe you're hoping to have one of these neat glowing rocks for your collection? Or perhaps you'd like to get it as a gift for a rock collector friend..

Below are some that I've sold already and good examples of what you might find out there if you looked yourself..

Next year I'll be spending a lot of time along the shores of Lake Superior.. This is a fact!!

VISIT MY STORE BELOW:

LAKE SHORE YOOPERLITES - Bright Yooperlites Found On Beaches In Upper Michigan!

GYPSY FAMILY SURVIVAL OR SCAM AFTER PANHANDLING IN AMERICA FOR 2 YEARS?

2018-06-09T21:48:00.000-05:00

NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS DID I THINK THAT 2 YEARS LATER THE SAME GYPSY FAMILY I FILMED WOULD BE CAUGHT AGAIN 2,000 MILES AWAY STILL OUT OF GAS AND IN NEED.

HERE IS MY VIDEO FROM 2016:

NOW LETS SKIP AHEAD TO 2018 IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NEAR WHERE "ZANE DIO" WORKS. HE CONFRONTS A PANHANDLER WHO IS SITTING OUT WITH HIS FAMILY.

HE IS HOLDING A SIGN WITH 3 KIDS AND HIS WIFE, SHE LOOKS PREGNANT. APPARENTLY SHE HAD A BABY SINCE MY VIDEO AND MAY BE PREGNANT AGAIN.

WATCH THIS VIDEO THAT WAS RECENTLY POSTED ON FACEBOOK, YOU TELL ME IF THIS IS THE SAME FAMILY. WATCH HIM GO AFTER THE GUY FILMING, THEN WATCH AS SHE SPITS ONTO HIM.

THE GUY WHO FILMED THIS HAD SOMEONE WITH HIM WHO WAS ALSO FILMING BEHIND HIM. WATCH THAT VERSION HERE:

DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.. YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK.

DON'T BE FOOLED WHEN YOU SEE A FAMILY SITTING AND ASKING FOR YOUR DONATION. NOTE HIS EXTREMELY WHITE SHOES AND A NEWER LOOKING MINI VAN MUCH NICER THAN MOST WHO WORK.

I DON'T THINK THEY ARE SPANISH NOR EVEN FROM CENTRAL AMERICA BUT RATHER THESE ARE EUROPEAN GYPSIES WHO KNOW NOTHING ELSE BUT TO SCAM FOLKS INTO THINKING THEY ARE IN NEED.

SEEING THIS VIDEO 2 YEARS LATER ONLY PROVES THAT I WAS RIGHT. THIS FAMILY IS SCAMMING AMERICA.

DON'T BE SCAMMED. SHARE THIS POST AND VIDEOS. EXPOSE THESE FAKE PANHANDLERS AND MORE IF YOU FIND THEM. THEY NEVER WANT ASSISTANCE OR HELP, THEY ONLY WANT MONEY CARDS OR CASH. DO THEIR CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL?

I HOPE SOMEONE REPORTS THEM ANYTIME THEY ARE SEEN. THE LAST TIME WAS NEAR LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA..

WHEN MICHIGAN POLITICIANS SUPPORT YOUR 2ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS..

2018-05-13T15:05:00.000-05:00

A "March For Our Rights" walk took place in downtown Marquette, Michigan on May 12, 2018. Only TV6 showed up and didn't share all the story.. I've got video posted down below you should see.

Michigan State Representative Beau LaFave (pictured above, facing the camera) wasn't afraid to show everyone what he thought about the 2nd amendment when he was open carrying.

I was actually surprised they didn't considering the weapon he was open carrying to show his support of "the People". He wasn't the only one there either, his partner during the walk was the former man in that position Ed McBroom who is currently running for state Senate.

Over 100 people showed up after Bob Fassbender organized this peaceful walk from Harlow Park to the Federal Courthouse and then downtown and back to the park. They held a raffle with money raised being donated to the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette. Donations were also collected from local businesses including Lake Michigan Armory, Straight Line Archery and Marquette Power Sports. Many people brought SOCKS too that our local Veteran's need.

Not one person yelled anything bad or negative, it was all positive support as people honked their horns and yelled out the windows driving by.. The people walking were very talkative and weren't being destructive, instead they were very constructive looking for ways to build a positive relationship with all.

I'm not a reporter, just someone who was there and wanted to show you what I saw. This is as unbiased as I get.. I hope you like my page and share this video if you've read this far....

Here are the pictures I took of the march..

As you'll see in this video, the local news station failed to mention all the politicians who were present including Michigan State Rep Beau LaFave.

PLAYING MICHIGAN ONLINE LOTTERY - JUST A SCAM OR GOOD LUCK? (VIDEO)

2018-04-13T11:05:00.001-05:00

I was curious to see how much FREE fun I could get from just the $5 of free money from the Michigan Online Lottery..

(This is NOT an ad, just my opinion and video.)

Really like most skeptics, I don't trust anything online involving games. Things like this can be rigged or made totally random, winning that is.. How do you trust that they are giving you a fair chance to actually win? I felt playing the free $5 they offered might give me insight on this lottery system. Watch the video or keep reading below..

As you see I ran into a few problems when the system just failed and crashed.. Not just once, but a few times and only on this website because I have never had that happen unless the entire internet went down. Maybe their server was really busy on Thursday afternoon, but I find that hard to believe because what would happen on a Friday night?

There is definitely a "fun feeling" playing online games because the toy with your brain using these "bonuses". I believe no matter what you push the same outcome will happen. Giving people the ability to experience the same feeling as you might in a casino can be dangerous to those susceptible to gambling problems.

I think for now on I'll just stick to real scratch off lottery tickets and go to the casino when I want to have fun. Sitting at home hiding in private isn't the same enjoyment as seeing and hearing many others enjoying themselves. In my opinion.

Man Files Complaint Against Police, Then Gets Charges Recommended Against Him For Flipping Officer His Middle Finger!

2018-04-12T23:23:00.001-05:00

(NORWAY, MICHIGAN) It appears Norway Police Chief Tom Menard has recommended charges be filed against Neil Juntunen for "Disorderly Conduct" after he "flipped him the finger and said fuck you" after cars passed his child's school bus in front of the officer on March 20, 2018. Neil says over 15 cars have now passed his child's school bus this year in front of his house just feet from the Norway School entrance.

Neil has been having these issues with cars passing the school bus (red lights flashing) since the school year began and so far the police have done nothing he says. Don't even ask about the daily stop sign violations Neil films, police say no problem exists there either. There have been many calls to police about cars passing his bus, but nothing is ever done to stop it. Now it appears police are allegedly retaliating against Neil for filing this complaint posted below, which he said he filed after their confrontation that morning. Neil says he has had enough, now it appears so has the police...

Neil has had media to his house to talk about this problem, hoping they could find a solution to his problem of making the city do something to stop these violations. That only made it worse as the city tried forcing the bus company to stop using the flashing red lights, citing a traffic hazard near the school. The bus company moved to the alley after giving Neil a choice saying they would no longer use red lights on the street after the city stated they didn't have to. Soon after the snow flew, they learned the city didn't maintain the alley in the winter. Neil says after the bus slid out of control in the alley, they moved his stop back out front of the house and said they would start using their red lights again. Apparently they realized the city was wrong in saying they didn't need to use their safety equipment on a city street...

Since October 2017 this has been a problem, it's now April 2018. How many cars do you let by your child's bus before you get mad and say things to the officer in charge?

On March 20, 2018 - Neil says as he loaded his child onto the bus, cars began to pass it. He didn't see the lights turn off, in fact he said he looked and they were on. Even the officer stated in his report that the lights stopped, but then came back on after a few cars had passed. The bus driver stated it must have been a "malfunction" of some sort... Hmm..

Apparently as the officer made contact with the bus driver, Neil walked up and was visibly upset as any parent would be thinking cars just passed the bus AGAIN but this time in front of the police chief who so far has done nothing to stop past infractions. He exchanged words with the officer, including flipping him off and telling him "fuck off" as he walked away. He then said he went to the city hall and filed the above complaint. This is where it gets weird..

This criminal complaint (below) was filed by the police chief 45 minutes after Neil filed his at the Norway City Hall..

Nice of the chief to put "Juntunen was his usual confrontational self".. Well that sounds like the police chief doesn't like him to begin with. That might be due to the constant refusal by police to do anything about the daily traffic infractions or cars passing the school bus all year long, Neil has been to many council meetings asking for them to fire this chief.. Wouldn't anyone be "confrontational" after months of being ignored and called names by city leaders? At the bottom of the criminal complaint the chief states, "I would like to note that Jununen was loud and vulgur, on a public street, and within feet of a bus driver while her window was down with young children in close proximity"..

This must be why the bus driver was asked by police to fill out a statement of what she heard. She must have been upset about what Neil said... Lets read it!

Reading her statement, it appears that she saw Neil flip off the officer but never mentioned any swear words he said.. Maybe she didn't hear it or maybe she didn't feel the children heard anything either.. The only thing she confirms is that Neil "flipped off" the officer. Most people will agree that flipping anyone your middle finger is an expression of speech, protected by the US Constitution.

Neil didn't know anything about this "criminal complaint" until he filed a FOIA request with the city. He said he was shocked to learn they wanted to press charges against him for him speaking his mind and using his "freedom of speech" as the US Constitution allows. He says he isn't surprised either, maybe the city thinks they can shut him up by filing these charges against him. I think they just opened a whole new can of worms they didn't have to..

MY SUGGESTION? Move out of that town and never look back just like I did many years ago when I learned this city places cameras in public bathrooms violating privacy laws. You can find that video on my youtube channel here.

HOW TO GET 4 CASES OF McDONALD'S SZECHUAN SAUCE?

2018-03-06T11:04:00.000-06:00

I'M WILLING TO BET YOU THINK THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE AND I DID TOO UNTIL I FOUND THIS EBAY AUCTION ONLINE..

~ CLICK HERE TO SEE IT ON EBAY ~

Can someone please explain to me how this seller from rural upper Michigan was able to obtain 4 cases of the "hard to get and rare" McDonald's Szechuan Sauce?

It does say there is only one available on this eBay auction, but in the description it says they have (4) available? I live in Michigan and know how hard it was to get just a few handfuls of this hard to get sauce! When I went to get some from the Iron Mountain, Michigan McDonald's they would only give me a few per order.

I even joked about wanting to buy a case and they said they only had a few cases, in fact they said some UP McDonald's only got one case (depending on the local population).. Is it safe to say that these stores most likely got 2 cases each?

SO CAN SOMEONE TELL ME HOW THIS PERSON OBTAINED 4 CASES OF IT? I HOPE THEY CAME ABOUT IT LEGALLY AND DIDN'T DO SOMETHING STUPID..

YOU TELL ME - HOW DO YOU GET 4 CASES OF McDONALD'S SZECHUAN SAUCE?

VISITING THE EBEN ICE CAVE (UPPER MICHIGAN) IN 2018

2018-01-22T09:37:00.000-06:00

VISITING THE EBEN ICE CAVE!

Even in winter the early birds get the worms when going to visit the EBEN ICE CAVE in Michigan's upper peninsula!

We left before 8am and headed to the ice caves (its about a 2-hour drive IF we didn't stop) but its really hard to drive through Trenary, MI without stopping where Trenary Toast is made at the Trenary Home Bakery.. Don't tell anyone, but their cinnamon buns are the best I've ever put in my mouth! A perfect treat to eat or bring with on your journal to the cave.

When you leave Trenary, its a 10 minute ride north to Eben Junction and then you are just minutes away from arriving to the place where you park and walk. The earlier you arrive the closer you can park and the better chance you'll have of experiencing the cave with less people..

I suggest you bring ice cleats you can wear on your boots that will protect you from falling, without them you'll be slipping and sliding all the way there and back. For under $10 you can pick up a pair at any sporting goods store or even Walmart.

Its about a mile walk back into the woods from the entrance and there are bathrooms on-site for you to use. The parking is limited, so chances are you'll be parking on the street. Be sure you pull as far right as you can, you'll understand when you see the pictures below. However, if you come by snowmobile you can ride right up to the woods and walk from there.

My wife (above) as we walk to the ice cave..

You'll never get to experience this alone unless you are the first to arrive or the last to leave.. As you see, we were following large groups of visitors and many more this day.

The walk in isn't too bad until the first hill leading down along a rocky ridge. Be sure you take the path leading down, if you take the upper path you'll find yourself over the top of the ice cave wondering how to get down..

(THIS IS WHERE YOU WANT ICE CLEATS ON)

As you may see in the picture above, the ground is sightly slanted down so unless to have cleats or maybe a ski pole you may end up sliding down the hill as many people did.

As you follow the trail and people, you'll come across this small "bridge" made of logs that goes across a small ravine. I've seen some unable to cross and actually got down into it to cross, I guess whatever you decide is best..

Just past this point you'll find you first big obstacle where cleats will make the difference. However there is a secret way to go if this is just too much for you.. As you sit and watch people cross this deep ravine (trust me you'll enjoy watching them), step a few feet back and look left for a pathway leading down into the woods towards Silver Creek.

Truth be told we found this way on the way out and this is after times being here.. I thought it might be nice to share that with you. If you go this way, your only obstacle is the main path leading up to the ice caves that will be icy and snow packed with running water under in places.

Many will never go this way, most will stick to the main path and cross the huge ravine.. It is a really nice way to go, as you walk through the woods with eye candy in every direction. As you work your way towards the caves, keep in mind not to climb up until your down on the main path. Once you get to the top, you'll know why I said that..

Most who finally get there have to stop and take it all in.. Unless you have a really good camera with a wide lenses, you'll never get it all in one shot. Watch as people climb down from dangerous places, these are the ones who went the wrong way. Then you've got others who climb up the steep edges to take that upper path out. This is not recommended.

I've never seen the ice caves this busy before, many taking risks that weren't necessary. You should never be climbing up ice and snow with any cleats or anything on your feet.

I guess I should share the pictures now, huh?

Remember about that early bird thought? Try it!

Proper footwear is needed, even fluffy knew that!

Many were slipping and sliding without cleats.. Some even went inside the caves, but many of them ended up falling.

Have you even been inside them?

You wonder how ice formed out of walls..

See icicles hanging everywhere overhead!

If you are daring, you'll look up and see this!

As you walk out, see many more people experiencing it for the first time. I enjoyed people watching..

FROM HERE THE ADVENTURE BEGINS WITH YOU! WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE? WHAT IS TO BE SEEN NEXT?

Come see my facebook called "I LOVE UPPER MICHIGAN" and see all the pictures that I didn't post here!! Also join me on "JASON ASSELIN - VIDEOS, NEWS & MORE"..

SHARE THIS IF YOU LOVE IT!!!

PETA MESSAGES MEMBERS TO HARASS OSWALD'S BEAR RANCH?

2017-10-13T09:14:00.000-05:00

The simple answer is yes..

After seeing this post on the Oswald's Bear Ranch wall, I had to respond..

Upon looking at the facebook profile of this person who posted, I learned she was NOT even from this area and chances are she has never even been to the bear ranch in Newberry, Michigan..

This morning I got a private message from her asking if what PETA was saying was even true.. Confirmation that she in fact had never been there..

So PETA is sending messages to their supporters asking them to harass and go after this upper Michigan bear ranch, even though they have never been there? Sounds to me as if PETA needs to be neutered..

I was happy to respond to her message and explained what this bear ranch does.. I told her these bear cubs do NOT have mothers, because all were rescued from the wild. If they tried putting these cubs with other adult bears, they might kill them..

I was happy when she said "Thank You, I'll Donate".. It is only one person, but it is a start..

TELL PETA TO GO SUCK ON SOME BEAR SHIT..

Did This EMT Just Try Bribing Me At A Landfill Tire Fire?

2017-09-20T17:32:00.001-05:00

I went to get a few simple videos of the fire trucks coming and going from the Niagara Development LLC landfill tire fire in Quinnesec, Michigan today..

It quickly turned into something much different! Did she just say was EMS and that I couldn't be there? Next I think she crossed the line by telling me that IF I left, she would give me a huge story. She insisted there was no fire here and I should "think about it"..

Watch the video, then share it with your thoughts about "it".. Did she just try to bribe me???

It now comes to my attention she works for this local landfill as security but she is also an EMT for the local area.. She may even work for a competitor ambulance service, other than "Integrity Ambulance" which she tried telling me about IF I left the scene.. She acted like I was the idiot!

She obviously doesn't know much about rights as she told me I didn't have the right to film her without asking.. Yet before I was even near her, she had taken my picture and my van too.. Watch this video, then come over to My Facebook Page and discuss it!

I TOOK HIS PANHANDLING SIGNS WHEN HE WAS IN WALMART!

2017-08-31T09:28:00.000-05:00

Near Walmart & Tractor Supply, Iron Mountain, Michigan - After many messages to my facebook page, I took the drive to see if the PANHANDLER was still there and yes he was.. Things are about to get real interesting!

I decided a different approach should be taken this time, rather than just confronting him right off the bat.. So instead I sat back and watched, long enough to see him take a break from his job. He dropped his sign as if it was trash and walked away.

I followed him into Walmart where he was buying sun glasses (2 or 3 pairs), a phone card(?), snacks and a Monster Energy Drink. This is when I had to leave to pick up my wife from work at 3:30pm, but before I did.. I TOOK HIS SIGNS HE LEFT SITTING!!!

I actually had 2 signs there, yep I took them both. When I got back he had made another sign and was busy at work. I watched some more and thought about confronting him when a woman (w/kid) walked up and made his day. So much so that he packed it up and left, back to Walmart he goes..

That is when I caught him smoking another cigarette and on his smart phone texting or chatting with someone.. Then my phone rang, you can even hear me say I am going to confront him and then he walks into Walmart...... Grrr......

~ COME VISIT MY FACEBOOK PAGE ~

THIS MICHIGAN COUNTY IS AUCTIONING OFF A BRIDGE, TRAIN TRACKS & A MINE TOO?

2017-08-21T21:51:00.000-05:00

What would you say if I told you I had a bridge to sell you? Well I don't, but Dickinson County where I live in Michigan does..

You may think I am joking, but you can place a min bid of only $450 on this "Private Bridge Over The Sturgeon River" in Felch, Michigan.. Imagine the awesome fishing spots to be had or maybe you can be a troll!

Description & Comments - " This parcel is 66 feet wide (east-west) and 278.3 feet north-south. It runs along Sturgeon Ln and crosses over the river. The parcel contains an aging BRIDGE that crosses the Sturgeon River and provides access to several properties. Those properties are likely holders of either an express, implied or prescriptive easement .... which means that they probably have a legal right to use the bridge, but no obligation to maintain it. A purchaser may assume the legal responsibility for its repair. "

WANT TO BUY AN OLD MINE SITE WITH DEEP SHAFTS? For a $700 min bid, you could pick up "10.65 Acres At The Pewabic Mine Location" in Iron Mountain, Michigan!

"This property is located due east of iron Mountain at the old Pewabic Mine site. That's right ... you can own your own iron mine ! Properties like this come with a certain amount of potential liability, so please be aware that the property includes a mine shaft .... This is nice wooded property with some scenic views of the panorama over Iron Mountain and Kingsford to the south. It is high and dry, and the local radio and TV station towers are just a few hundred feet to the north. There are no buildings on this property."

NO BRIDGES OR MINES, EH? ARE YOU INTO TRAINS? For only $1,500 min bid you can pick up this "Railroad Right-Of-Way" in Breitung Township!

"This parcel was a Wisconsin & Michigan railroad right-of-way. It may have been abandoned, but that is unclear. It runs east to west, and across the entire NE 1/4 of Section 5. That would start (on the east) at the end of Dawn South Lake Road, and run west to the centerline of the Section. Curiously, the tracks are still in place here, and these have usually been harvested by the railway prior to abandonment. So you may wish to confirm the location of the line and question any party with a contractual right (or easement) to use it before disturbing the infrastructure. There is substantial value to the steel track and the gravel bed. Whether you would have a right to remove and sell them is a question you will want to be sure of the answer to prior to bidding. If this is only land ownership and you don't have ownership of the actual track material, you could end up in deep poo-poo if you tried to remove them. Please make sure what you're bidding on here, folks.

This parcel may be subject to utility, road, driveway right-of-way, or other easements which could allow third parties access to the property. Easements are not extinguished by tax foreclosure and foreclosed parcels are sold subject to these preexisting rights, if any..

I'm not making this up, those are quoted words from the website.. "you could end up in deep poo-poo if you tried to remove them"?

SO YOU DON'T WANT A BRIDGE, A MINE OR EVEN TRAIN TRACKS, EH? SO WHAT ABOUT LAND UNDER A ROAD IN VULCAN??

A $600 min bid might get you a "Parcel Located Under A Street" in Vulcan, Michigan!

"This parcel is mostly or completely located UNDER Spruce Street in Vulcan. It is being sold subject to the rights of others to use that road. In other words, it's of little practical use. And that's why we have it. If there is land that is not under the road ... it would be a sliver located east of it ... where the pine trees are. We think.

This parcel is too small to be practically useful under most circumstances. Many times such parcels are the result of survey or property transfer errors which create small orphaned slivers of land. These parcels are frequently too small to allow construction or any other practical use. They often have no road frontage or legal means of access. These parcels can often lead to adverse claims or encroachments by neighboring land owners which can be complicated legal issues to resolve."

I'VE GOT IT! I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED FOR ALMOST $45,000 AT RIVER POINTE PARKWAY IN KINGSFORD, MICHIGAN!

Unfinished Condo Project. 32 Incomplete Units. - "This is a sale of development rights for 32 unbuilt units (16 duplexes) at the "River Pointe" condo project in Kingsford. This is NOT a sale of "land", but instead the right to build the 16 duplex buildings that are required by the Master Deed, which you can find recorded at the County Register of Deeds office in Iron Mountain. If you'd like to have a look at the structure required by the Master Deed, there are already 5 duplex units built here that are examples. This project sits along the banks of the Menominee River, with Wisconsin right across the way. The seller reserve the right to create a deed restriction, prohibiting the "splitting" of these unbuilt units for resale prior to the physical construction and issuance of certificates of occupancy for each two unit duplex building. This would permit a successor developer the opportunity to build one at a time, but would discourage speculators from trying to "flip" condos that do not even exist."

CURRENTLY THERE ARE 23 AUCTIONS LISTED JUST FROM DICKINSON COUNTY, MICHIGAN..

MANY ARE HOMES IN ROUGH SHAPE OR LAND THAT IS MOSTLY UNUSABLE.. HOWEVER, SOME ARE GOOD INVESTMENTS AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BID AND OWN IT.. WILL YOU BE BIDDING ON ANYTHING? Be at the Holiday Inn Marquette on August 25, 2017 at 12:00 PM.

Look At ALL Central UP Available Properties Here!

The next time you hear of someone offering a bridge for sale, you may just listen a little closer.. Eh?

THE NEW YORK TIMES IS HELPING UPPER MICHIGAN TOURISM!

2017-07-27T17:29:00.000-05:00

WATCH OUT UPPER MICHIGAN!

THE SECRET IS OUT!!

Today the NEW YORK TIMES published an article by Steve Reddicliffe that he wrote called "36 Hours in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan" that will boost tourism..

This article covers lots of waterfalls, foods and U.P. attractions.. From Marquette's Black Rocks to Tahquamenon Falls in the eastern U.P.! If you have about 10 minutes to spare, give it a read HERE.

NOW FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS, THIS MIGHT BOOST TOURISM CROSS UPPER MICHIGAN!!

~ GIVE THIS A SHARE ~

Cougar Spotted Near Iron Mountain, Michigan?

2017-07-25T13:31:00.001-05:00

On her morning walk near the Millie Hill Estates in Iron Mountain, Michigan she saw this..

This morning I got quite a few messages asking me if I heard about the COUGAR being spotted and seen on Millie Hill early Monday morning. Apparently this person took the picture (above) I posted..

I called "anonymous" this morning and asked if she was the person posting about the cougar on Millie Hill.. She said yes she was but she said that photo was just one she got from google because it shows exactly what she saw.. I believe her, read her story below as told to me by phone..

She told me she walks often alone and has never seen anything like it before. She said she say a SNAKE just a minute before, so her eyes were glued to the ground looking for more and never saw the cougar until she got really close.. She said she froze with fear, not knowing exactly what she should do or not do.. She said the cat turned and trotted away, sort of a fast paced walk..

She described how its ears weren't tall, but more short and stubby. The body was slender and colored like a deer, with a long tail that followed behind just like a cat.. She told me that she quickly walked away and when she got her phone she googled "cougar" and that picture came up, she said that is exactly what she saw.

SEEN BEFORE IN TOWN?

Just last year or maybe earlier this year (I can't remember) someone in Iron Mountain on E Street reported a cougar walking around the neighborhood in the middle of the afternoon, they never found it but I thought that was strange.

Quite a few years ago I remember someone reporting one downtown near the Moose Jackson Cafe, someone saw it run from the dumpster area and said within seconds it was to the train tracks and gone.

I myself have seen 2 cougars, once near Crystal Falls, Michigan that I even reported to the DNR and was laughed right out of their office.. A few years later (maybe 7 years ago) I saw one cross the road near the US-2/M-95 junction as it was chasing a deer..

Cougars are definitely around here and as people continue to get out walking and exploring new areas, more will likely be seen. Many believe these cougars are really no threat, unless you have a dog our walking with you not on a leash or maybe one running loose around your yard nears a wooded area.. For the most part, cougar attacks on people are very uncommon.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A COUGAR NEAR WHERE YOU LIVE? GIVE THIS A SHARE!!

Teacher’s Viral Confrontation w/ Border Patrol Agents (VIDEO)

2017-07-25T12:22:00.000-05:00

SAN DIEGO – Video of San Diego mother and middle school teacher Shane Parmely's tense confrontation with Border Patrol agents at a checkpoint in New Mexico has gone viral after she was asked if she was an American citizen.

Watch all (6) six videos below of her interaction with border patrol agents who are at a check point miles away from the border to Mexico.. The first video seems ok, they have a good conversation to start but that all changes really quickly when she refuses to state yes or no to the question, "Are you a Unites States citizen?"..

Part #1 "Being "Detained" - Basically, make sure you have a full tank of gas to keep your air conditioner running, some water and some snacks. I also recommend a pillow cuz this was a great place to take a nap. And they do have bathrooms in the cells where they hold people when they pull them out of their cars (my son got to use it)."

Part Two:

Part 3: "After a 15 minute "timeout" she came back and asked if I was ready to go. I said yes and then it came with a catch... Admitting that I, "Ms. Connelly", was a citizen. I told her she had the wrong name and I wasn't ready to answer. She doubled down and told me my name was Suzanne. Nope.
But Suzanne Connelly is definitely my new pseudonym."

Part Four: "Talking with the kids. E is now B-roll deity."

Part Five: "Using the bathroom while "detained" - The supervisor said my son couldn't go to the bathroom unless I told them whether or not we are citizens. She pointed to a bathroom past the checkpoint and told us we couldn't use it without answering."

Part Six: "Conclusion? - Seriously though, this guy interrupted my nap. And what's up with this dude's straight up nationalist propaganda? The philosophy governing our southern border (cuz there ain't none of this shit along the northern border or eastern or western) can be reduced to:
Fascism > Terrorism
As if these are the only two choices."

DO YOU HAVE CHECK POINTS WHERE YOU LIVE IN AMERICA? DOESN'T THIS JUST PISS YOU OFF?

SUPPORT THIS TEACHER, SHARE THIS POST!

TickPick Insults U.P. of Michigan, Yoopers Respond w/ Bad Reviews

2017-06-19T23:08:00.000-05:00

Earlier tonight a popular upper peninsula of Michigan Facebook page "Word on the Street" posted this picture that shows TickPick insulting Yoopers and anyone who lives in the upper peninsula of Michigan.

By 11pm - The REVIEWS for TickPick were below 3.0 and falling fast.. It seems that people are COMING OUT OF THE WOODS so to speak to leave a review of their own..

What do YOU think?

"But Seriously, It's Just A Bunch Of Forests"? SHARE THIS, SHOW THEM OUR WOODS!

TICKPICK RESPONDS THE MORNING OF JUNE 20, 2017! READ THIS...

U.P. Veterans War Memorial Purple Heart Monument Found Cracked!

2017-05-25T23:58:00.000-05:00

(Iron Mountain, Michigan) Earlier today on May 25, 2017 the Iron Mountain Daily News paper published online that the Purple Heart Monument from the U.P. Veterans War Memorial next to the Pine Mountain Ski Jump was missing... It appears that someone stole it!!

Sadly I have good news and bad news..

On the way back from filming my YETI VIDEO I remember seeing something purple next to a tree! At 11pm when I saw that story, I had to go back up there to find it..

When I got there, I found that someone else had already seen it sitting in the woods and was talking with the Dickinson County Sheriff Dept..

I explained to her who I was and she said they wanted her to bring it to the station. Good thing I was there, that thing weighed over 75lbs it felt like!

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW!!

~ SHARE THIS ~

What Caused the FIRE at the Iron Mountain, MI Mobil Gas Station & Burger King?

2017-05-23T12:56:00.000-05:00

The $1,000,000 question..
What do you know?

On May 20th around 3:20pm the first calls were going out about a fire at the Iron Mountain, Michigan Mobile Gas Station and attached Burger King. Immediately upon arrival, the IMFD knew they had a big fire and called for mutual support of the Breitung Township Fire Department. It is unclear as to why Kingsford didn't send a fire truck over to help, maybe they were busy or weren't asked..

I think it was posted some where that the first call came from "across the street"? I know Burger King was open, although some officials during the fire were unsure if they were even open at all. I'm not sure at what point did the employees even know the building was on fire..

I'm not saying anyone in the BK knew it was on fire, but on the other hand... How did no one know about it for so long? It is possible the exhaust fans were getting the smoke out of the building, that is the only reasonable explanation I can think of if that fire was burning for a long time before the call.

You can see on video (posted below) that the right side collapses first. How hot was that fire behind it?

You can see on the video below, the right side appears to give way and the rest comes down with it...

Below is the video I captured from the front of the store.. It shows the rescue of that firefighter after it collapses onto him.

Below is 18+ minutes of video that includes the above incident along with slow motion as the wall fell.. I'm sure most questions will be "how long was this fire burning"..?

A former employee tells me there was "issues" with the building that they tried to report but went unanswered..

I'm sure the local fire department will get to the bottom of what caused this huge fire that destroyed 2 businesses.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE!

Marinette County (WI) Child Abuser Cody Alan Fifarek Sentenced!

2017-04-05T12:20:00.001-05:00

Convicted child abuser Cody Alan Fifarek of Athelstane, Wisconsin was sentenced this week in Marinette County Court. He was found guilty of "Child Abuse-Intentionally Cause Harm" after a no contest plea on January 23, 2017. READ IT HERE

On 04-03-2017 the following was ordered:

State Prison, Imposed and Stayed - 3 Years

Extended Supervision - 3 Years

Probation, Sent Imposed - 3 Years

If probation is revoked and a prison term is not

ordered or if probation is discharged/terminated,

a civil judgment shall be entered against the

defendant and in favor of restitution victims and

government entities for outstanding financial

obligations. Collection may include income

assignment.

JAIL TIME - 120 DAYS

Huber release if in compliance with the jail rules and regulations.

Restitution, Costs, Other Fees

Pay all court obligations and DOC supervision fees.

Expunction

Court will grant expungement if defendant successfully

completes probation and all of it's requirements.

Other..

Undergo assessments, treatments, and counseling as

recommended by agent - including anger management

and parenting classes. Defendant may have contact

with victim if agent approves. Defendant must make at least 3

presentations per year regarding child abuse.

Firearms/Weapons Restriction

May not vote or serve on a jury until civil rights are restored.

No firearms or body armor. Provide DNA sample on 4-3-17.

Pay DNA surcharge.

__________________________________________

PEOPLE WHO ABUSE CHILDREN BELONG IN PRISON,
THEY DESERVE MORE THAN A SLAP ON THE WRIST!
THIS FELON SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HIDE IT
FROM OTHERS.. HE DIDN'T EVEN TRY FIGHTING
THE CHARGE, HE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT
FOREVER AS THIS CHILD PROBABLY WILL..

SHARE THIS - DON'T LET HIM FORGET IT!

ONE DOZEN, DOUBLE YOLKED EGGS FOUND IN MICHIGAN!

2017-03-06T14:35:00.003-06:00

ONE DOZEN, DOUBLE YOLKS..

THE ODDS OF FINDING ONE EGG CONTAINING A DOUBLE YOLK IS 1 OUT OF 1,000... WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF FINDING ALL 12 EGGS IN ONE CARTON TO CONTAIN DOUBLE YOLKS?

When these first 2 eggs were opened and discovered to contain double yolks in each, Tara Duchene couldn't believe here eyes. She said she bought these eggs as she always does from Elmer's Country Market in Escanaba, Michigan. When she went home and cracked open the first 2 eggs, she though she was seeing double! So she began to crack open the rest of them, just to see if they all could contain double yolks...

And they did! "My kids couldn't believe it" she said!

WHAT ARE THE ODDS? >FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK<

DICKINSON COUNTY, MI - ANNUAL MINE INSPECTOR'S REPORT JANUARY 30, 2017

2017-02-14T12:21:00.001-06:00

This annual report from the Dickinson County (Michigan) Mine Inspector is composed of two parts. The first is the complete 6 month interim Mine Inspector report, the second part is the rest of 2016.

WARNING!!! IT IS FELONY "CRIMINAL TRESPASSING" TO ENTER MINE PROPERTY, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND BEFORE ENTERING ANY AREAS LISTED IN THIS REPORT! WARNING!!!

Part 1 - Jan-July 2016 Interim Mine Inspector report

City of Iron Mountain Mines

⦁    Pewabic Mine- Nothing has changed here. The fence is in fair condition with several areas that are continually visited by trespassers pulling the fence down to get in. The fence has been repaired so many times that it has become a snarled mess. Other areas need tightening up and are missing strands of wire in some places. Since last year someone has been cutting the wires just to be malicious as it does not appear they are entering. It also still needs brush cut back in some areas. Signage is good at this time. At some point the fence will need to be replaced with a better fence or all of the barb wire replaced and tightened. Another issue with the entire mine is the fact that the land surrounding the pit, right up to the fence has been pared off and there isn’t even enough land to walk the fence legally, or repair it. This probably will be an issue in the future. At this time I am walking the fence line, but probably on someone else’s property. In reality, the entire pit needs a chain link fence with barb wire installed to be safe. I fear that another fatality will happen at this site because of the ease of entry. High Priority.   The 200’ shaft that is on Laydon-Forgette property is still fenced but open. It is covered with deadfalls and falling into disrepair. I have notified them to clear the brush but they refuse to do it, or tighten the fence up. It is an accident waiting to happen. High Priority.
⦁    Chapin Pits –I attended a City Council meeting and aired my concerns and seem to be getting some results from that meeting. The city did put up a new chain link fence on the bottom of the Ford Exploratory mine behind the DPW building, but the pit still needs brushing out and a lot of fence is still on the ground or cut. They also fenced an area just NE of the bat cave, where several shaft had been filled in the 90s. Another area of concern on West Chapin pit is the area where the city dumps snow. The gate is being is being closed quite regularly now, however they have failed to place the cement blocks on the edge as a safeguard. Chapin "B" shaft located just Northeast of the baseball field has subsided substantially and still needs to be backfilled and mounded. I have talked to the city manager several times on this issue and even offered to operate the excavator for free if he would rent one but have made no headway. Every year this subsides a little more. The shaft is on city of Iron Mountain property. Work that still needs completing is updated fencing on the pits, brushing out and marking property corner on West Chapin.
⦁    Millie Mine-Still in good condition. Some minor fence damage.
⦁    Walpole Mine-Apparently a Good Samaritan has cut all the brush back and tightened up the fence on the # 1 shaft near the low income housing. The other shaft just east and across the road from the bat cave area still has deadfalls on the fence, and one area of fencing that is substandard but still secure. In the future the fencing should be upgraded in the area that was opened to allow filling of the shaft at some point. The #2 shaft further up the road towards the towers still needs further investigation. The city did approach me for guidance on the fencing, but I cannot ascertain the exact location of the shaft.
⦁    Federal Mine or West Chapin- mine is located just south of Pine Mountain and contains some fairly deep depressions that should be mitigated or fenced. The actual mine pit and shaft have been backfilled in the past. The fence has been breached at an area near Beverly Street by pulling down the barb wire and stepping over it. There is a sinkhole also forming on the northwest side of the Pine Mt. Rd that I am watching. I am working with Keweenaw land to correct several issues.
⦁    One of these pits is the one that the county fenced when I found out it was on County property. The county had fenced this last year, but with only 3 strands of barb wire. I included pictures last year of me stepping through the fence as there is a 3’opening. This needs repair.
⦁    Bradley Mine- The mine fence is in good condition. Several areas have been damaged by trees but are still secure.
Breitung Township Mines

1.    Quinnesec mine or Devils Icebox- Nothing changed in 2016. Fence is in terrible condition with large sections on the ground. I have sent a new report to the owner. This is another mine where a fatality is likely if someone falls off the edge. This site is still visited quite often. High Priority. The adit is still open but poses no threat. I have offered to have the MDNR look into gating, but apparently there is no interest by the owner.

1.    The Cundy mine- The mine does not appear to have subsided since filling and mounding several years ago. The fence is in good condition but could use a little tightening up.

1.    Vivian-Robinson mine- This spring loggers severely damaged the fence surrounding the main pit. Loggers seem to damage more fence than any other threat at this time in the county. Walking the fence is now treacherous and horrible to navigate the tree tops all over. There is also a small hole that is becoming larger on the #10 shaft. Dropping a rock down the hole it fell a ways and then hit metal, probably a car that was used to choke the shaft before filling. The fence has also been damaged at this shaft. The rest of the shafts are still mounded and look good.

1.    Indiana Mine- Good shape.
2.    Cuff Mine-There is a few deadfalls on the fence. The shaft that is subsiding inside of the fence does not appear to have changed.

1.    Illinois- Fence is still up. Poor job of putting fence posts in as previously mentioned. Will need tightening up shortly.

1.    Forest Mine-Perfect, no work needed.

City of Norway mines.

    The City of Norway has started brushing and repairing their mine fences. This summer, work has begun on the Cyclops mine. As of 2 weeks ago, approximately 70% of the mine was brushed and the fence repaired and signage placed. I spoke to Kurt Stromquist of Parks and Recreation and we will visit the sites this week and walk through the rest of the work to be done.

Breen Township Mines

     Calumet Mine-I visited the Calumet mine this spring and found a few deadfalls on the fence surrounding the main pit. The Hecla shaft fence is starting to show age and will need a little work.

Felch Township Mines:

    The Groveland Mine- The mine fence had been damaged by windfalls on the Western end, but has mostly been repaired. Trespassing is still an issue.

Sagola Township Mines-

    The Saint Louis Exploration - T41N R30W Sec 5.

    I received a call from a logging company this spring doing some contract logging for AFM Land. They thought they possibly had found some mining activity. It turns out that they had found the St. Louis Exploration mine, which had gone unfound for many years. The mine contained several shafts, one which was still open on the top of a rock outcrop. The shaft was around 20’ deep and quite dangerous. I recommended they fence it with barb wire and put warning signs. The area is very remote. County Work Van-The van has been too busy with other projects to get mine work done this year.

Recommendations are the same as in the annual report for 2015:
        My recommendation includes the following points concerning an ordinance or ordinances that would be composed of these or similar parts. We need some type of     enforcement in place. I would also recommend that we continue to use the county work van to do what repairs they are able to safely complete.
a. No property that contains mines, abandoned mines or caving ground, or any type of mining activity could be sold unless it has been inspected and deemed safe by the County     Mine inspector. Safe means that all fences are in serviceable condition and all shafts, pits or other unsafe mine features is made safe. If this is not acceptable then these properties will     have the mine features recorded in deeds and the new owner is responsible for fixing them within a year or another acceptable time table. NO sales of mining property unless it is safe.
b. Any mining feature, including cliffs, shafts and adits will not be filled until inspected by the County mine Inspector. ANY and ALL mine features will be either GPS or GIS location and a monument erected in perpetuity so these shafts will not be lost, EVER. In other words it would be a criminal matter to fill in a mine feature without consulting the Mine Inspector.
c. The mine inspector can issue citations and force the repair of fences and filling or covering of shafts when mineral owner or land owner will not comply within a reasonable amount of time. These can be simple fines for non-compliance. Damaging fences is already a law so maybe not repairing them can be a law. Maybe $10.00 a day until repaired once issued a citation. I am not a lawyer so it is just a suggestion.
d. The county should consider petitioning the State of Michigan to update the mining law so that an inherent right of entry is given to the mine inspector to enter and inspect     mining lands even when crossing private lands.
Conclusion:
    I am very grateful to report that going into my 4th year as the Mine Inspector there has been no reported mine injuries. I have made some progress with the mines in the City of Iron Mountain and Norway. It is a start, but much is left to be done. It has been a pleasure working for the county and I appreciate the support of the board of Commissioners and the people of Dickinson County.
One final note: The interim report and the annual report should only be considered a summary of the work done in a given year. To be complete, it should be bound together with all individual reports that I have forwarded to the county throughout the year. In this way future mine inspectors may have detailed information on all mines, contacts and all pertinent information.

Part 2 Annual Report July-December 2016

Summary

2016 has been a very successful year as far as work on dangerous mines is concerned. The highlights are the gating of the Pewabic #1 shaft with a steel grate, and the gating of two shafts at the Keel Ridge mine and the clearing of the entire pit for new fencing. The major problems left are the main pit at Pewabic, Devils Icebox, City of Iron Mt, Section of Norway Mine owned by Merlo Korlis of Florida. Also will be the legal issues that are going to come up with the City of Norway refusing to fence their pits, and Mark Bubloni refusing to do anything with his dangerous pit. Details follow in main body of report below. And last but not least, loggers destroying fences is an issue that needs to be addressed.

City of Iron Mountain Mines
1.   Pewabic Mine- The section of Pewabic owned by Bill Neuens continues to degrade with windfalls and trespassers damaging the fence. There are several areas of fencing that need to be replaced. A lot of work is needed and this is still the most dangerous mine condition in this county. 2 people have been killed here already; it really needs a chain link fence topped with barb wire to make it really safe, but that will cost tens of thousands of dollars. High Priority!

    Pewabic #1 Shaft. This dangerous shaft now has been gated with a tubular steel structure that was donated by the DNR and is bat friendly and includes an opening to enter and     check for bats over the winter. The opening is securely locked and the DNR has the key. The landowners paid to have the clearing and install done. There is a small amount of     welding to be done this spring, but the gaping hole is now covered. All trees and brush have been cleared and the fence is in good repair. It took 4 years of continued effort to get this done.

2.   Chapin Pits – I attended a City Council meeting and aired my concerns and seem to be getting some results from that meeting. The city did put up a new chain link fence on the     bottom of the Ford Exploratory mine behind the DPW building, but the pit still needs brushing out and a lot of fence is still on the ground or cut. They also fenced an area just NE     of the bat cave, where several shaft had been filled in the 90s. Another area of concern on West Chapin pit is the area where the city dumps snow. The gate is being is being closed quite regularly now, however they have failed to place the cement blocks on the edge as a safeguard. Chapin "B" shaft located just Northeast of the baseball field has subsided     substantially and still needs to be backfilled and mounded. I have talked to the city manager several times on this issue and even offered to operate the excavator for free if he would rent     one but have made no headway. Every year this subsides a little more. The shaft is on city of Iron Mountain property. Work that still needs completing is updated fencing on the pits, brushing out and marking property corner on West Chapin. (No change from interim)

3. Millie Mine- Still in good condition.

4.     Walpole Mine- Apparently a Good Samaritan has cut all the brush back and tightened up the fence on the # 1 shaft near the low income housing. The other shaft just east and across the road from the bat cave area still has deadfalls on the fence, and one area of fencing that is substandard but still secure. In the future the fencing should be upgraded in the area that was     opened to allow filling of the shaft at some point. The #2 shaft further up the road towards the towers still needs further investigation. The city did approach me for guidance on the fencing, but I cannot ascertain the exact location of the shaft. I have an old map that may show the location of the shaft and I will work on that this coming year. (No change from interim)

5.   Federal Mine or West Chapin- mine is located just south of Pine Mountain and contains some fairly deep depressions that should be mitigated or fenced. The actual mine pit and shaft have been backfilled in the past. The fence has been breached at an area near Beverly Street by pulling down the barb wire and stepping over it. There is a sinkhole also forming on the northwest side of the Pine Mt. Rd that I am watching. I am working with Keweenaw land to correct several issues. (No changes from interim)

6.   One of these pits is the one that the county fenced when I found out it was on County property. The county had fenced this last year, but with only 3 strands of barb wire. I     included pictures last year of me stepping through the fence as there is a 3’opening. This still needs repair. (No change from interim)

7.   Bradley Mine- The mine fence has been damaged by a large tree and someone has cut a hole in the fence. Keweenaw has been notified of the work needed. I temporarily closed     the hole.

Breitung Township Mines

        1. Quinnesec mine or Devils Icebox- This mine is changing hands in 2017 and I have been in contact with the new owner and provided him the latest report of repairs to be performed. He has done some work at the site clearing, but much remains to be done. This is another mine where a fatality is likely if someone falls off the edge. I believe the new owner will fix this. High Priority. The property with the adit has been sold and I need to contact the new land     owner and talk to him about gating it. The adit is still open but poses no threat. I will offer him the same option of having it gated by the DNR for bat research.

       2. The Cundy mine- The mine does not appear to have subsided since filling and mounding several years ago. The fence is in good condition but could use a little tightening up.

       3.    Vivian-Robinson mine- This spring loggers severely damaged the fence surrounding the main pit. Loggers seem to damage more fence than any other threat at this time in the county. Walking the fence is now treacherous and horrible to navigate the tree tops all over. There is also a small hole that is becoming larger on the #10 shaft. Dropping a rock down the hole it fell a ways and then hit metal, probably a car that was used to choke the shaft before filling. The fence has also been damaged at this shaft. The rest of the shafts are still mounded and look good. (No change from interim)

      4.   Indiana Mine- Several deadfalls have landed on backside of fence and damaged it.

5. Cuff Mine- The fence is in good condition and needs no work. The new subsidence outside of the fenced area has not changed and it is not a concern. I will continue to monitor it. New sign (s) are still up.
          The new hole, or subsided shaft found last year does not appear to have changed; it is still about 8’ deep. Since it is within the fenced area it is not a danger at this time. If it continues to subside we will have to fill and mound it to stabilize the shaft to prevent it becoming a larger problem in the future.
6. Illinois Mine - Fence is still up. Poor job of putting fence posts in as previously mentioned. It will need to be tightened up shortly.

7. Forest Mine-Perfect, no work needed. At this time I believe the Forest Mine Minerals are owned by the State of Michigan and will be responsible for any work needed there. I will clarify this Information and include it in future reports.

8. Keel Ridge Mine- The Keel Ridge mine is another success story this year. I was able to get several deep shafts filled and another 2 shafts fitted with bat compatible gates. The entire pit is now cleared and new posts and fencing have been priced out and will be completed this spring or summer. This is another huge accomplishment that took years to organize and get done.

9. Traders, Globe, Cornell. (Best known as Traders mine) This mine has at least 3 distinct owners, Keweenaw Land, Doug Henke, and Greg Larson. The Larson section is in excellent shape, the Keweenaw land needs a few deadfalls removed and the Henke section has a lot of damage caused by logging. Please see individual report to Larson. Keweenaw Minerals and Henke reports are forthcoming.

City of Norway mines

Norway Mine, Cyclops mine, Aragon Mine and other parts of mines: The City of Norway had started brushing and repairing their mine fences. This summer, work had begun on the Cyclops mine and approximately 70% of the mine was brushed and the fence repaired and signage placed. I spoke to Kurt Stromquist of Parks and Recreation after this and now have been informed that the city is not planning on doing any more work as they were advised by their city attorney to not do it. He apparently told them they don’t need to do the work since they don’t own the mineral rights, Keweenaw land does. After speaking to Keweenaw land, they state that the property was given to the city of Norway with the stipulation that they had to maintain and be responsible for any repairs or problems with the mining property. This is going to be a long winded affair and is going to get nasty. I am in the process of locating documents that will provide the answer.

(Curry Mine - ABOVE - Vulcan, MI)

2. A portion of Curry Mine property. T39N R29W, Sec 9,   SW-NE. - This large dangerous pit has 80’ cliffs surrounding one portion of it and has been used by the owner,, Mark Bubloni for years as his personal dump for his apartment buildings. He has dumped roofing materials, siding, tires, etc. into this pit for years. I thought we had reached an agreement on his fencing this pit, but he has reneged on his promise to do it. He told me he was informed by the City of Norway Attorney that he doesn’t have to because either he doesn’t own the mineral rights or it may not be part of a mine. I have worked with Mr. Bubloni for quite some time trusting him to do the right thing, but now he refuses to do the work. I have informed the DEQ of his dumping and they will now contact him. I am attempting to find who he purchased the property fro, and find out if he accepted responsibility for the condition of the property as is normal when Keweenaw sells land to
     private parties.

3. Few-Munro Mines – These mines have two distinct landowners that apparently are in a legal dispute at this time. Inspection details are in separate reports previously sent. The gist is that Steve Tinti has forbid me from entering his property to inspect the Few Mine. I will update on this later. While, by law he cannot forbid this entry, I ran out of time this fall to deal with it. I will also forward the letter he sent me.
City of Vulcan Mines

1. East Vulcan Mine-is a combination of shafts and pits that cover a fairly large area of approximate 60 acres. This property is due east of the Iron Mountain Iron Mine. Most of these shafts are filled and fenced. Inside the fence a large hole has opened and needs further inspection. I believe it to be
    quite deep and there is a large tree lying on the fence damaging it and providing a means for people to get over the fence. Most of the fences are serviceable but need brushing out and in some case the fence has been knocked down by deadfalls and/ or trespassers. There is also one shaft that is filled but not marked. I am not positive if it is in fact a shaft but appears to be in the correct location. There is also a very large pit or quarry that is unfenced at this time. There are the remnants of fencing on site that rotted away long ago. This area needs signage and fencing. Please see individual inspection report for more details.
2. Central Vulcan Mine-includes the Iron Mountain Iron Mine, the large ventilation shaft further north up the hill and the surrounding area. I have spent a lot of time walking this area and the ground has subsided here quite a bit. Most of the old fencing is down from past logging operations and needs to be reestablished as this is a dangerous area. Signage is lacking also. There is a huge air shaft NW of the actual Iron Mine entrance that has a huge steel grating over the entrance and a good solid fence around it. This poses no problems. Please see individual inspection report for details.

3. West Central Vulcan Mine, Jones Adit, West Central Shaft.- A lot of this area was mitigated over the course of the winter of 2014-15, but some of the crevasses have settled and need more work. Some are quite deep. Please see individual report for details. See Brent Swanson report of 2016 for details. It includes the pits and crevasses section below.
a. Open pits and crevasses- There are many dangerous openings on this property and the fences are in poor condition. I am working with the owner to get them repaired.
b. Jones Adit- This adit is filled with bats in the winter. The State of Michigan will have funds to gate this adit.
c. West Central Shafts- Old Central Vulcan #1, #2 shafts, Unknown location and mitigation method, if any. West Central Shaft- Capped but needs attention along edges, brushing and signage needed. Old Central Shaft-this shaft is subsiding, it has no fencing, and no signage. Klondike
      Shaft-fenced and mounded but has subsided considerably.     This shaft will need backfilling to prevent larger subsidence. Please see individual report on West Central Vulcan mines for more details.

Breen Township Mines

    Calumet Mine-I visited the Calumet mine this fall it found the fence in good repair and completely brushed out. I did find an unfenced, unmarked shaft that has been backfilled and is starting to settle. I will continue to monitor it. The Hecla shaft is slowly subsiding and the fence is starting to show age and will need a little work and some clearing.

Felch Township Mines:

    The Groveland Mine- There are several areas of the fence that need repair on the Michigan Mining section of the mine, one area from a windfall, and another from a small landslide that has pushed approximately 75’ of fence down at an angle.

   Metropolitan Mine – A report is forthcoming after I meet with the Landowner. Metronite Quarry – A report is forthcoming after I meet with the landowner.

Northwestern Mine – Nothing to report at this time.

Sagola Township Mines-

The Saint Louis Exploration - T41N R30W Sec 5.
    I received a call from a logging company last spring doing some contract logging for AFM Land. They thought they possibly had found some mining activity. It turns out that they had found the St. Louis Exploration mine, which had gone unfound for many years. The mine contained several shafts, one which was still open on the top of a rock outcrop. The shaft was around 20’ deep and quite dangerous. I recommended they fence it with barb wire and put warning signs. The area is very remote. I have to contact them and send them a report.

County Work Van-The van has been too busy with other projects to get mine work done this year.

Investigative Calls- Mr. Lon Hale, who purchased some land from either Joe Lafave or the City of Norway, had some issues with a shaft settling on his property located in Norway. I visited Mr. Hale and inspected his property and provided him with what info I could. He is being careful to avoid areas that are subsiding. I visit this site each year.

Other Inspections-Inspections that I performed during the year but did not submit reports on yet include the following: Metropolitan Mine in Felch, Metronite Quarry Mine near Hardwood, Stephenson and Perkins Mines in Norway, Penn Mines West Vulcan, Joe Lafave subdivision settling shaft.
Internet-I have scanned the web occasionally and have seen no new posts or photos of interest.
Letters requesting history of previous mine reclamation-I have gotten a poor response with this project but will continue this year. (No change from interim)
Logging-Loggers continue to be a major problem in the county. They have damaged hundreds feet of fencing this year surrounding mines. I have contacted the land owners and requested over and over that the loggers do not damage the fences or bury the access to fences with brush and tree tops. These areas get harder and harder to access because of brush piling up.
The Law-is clear on who is responsible for maintain the fencing on shafts and dangerous properties. The PA 163 of 1911-425.108 law states that the landowner of the mine is responsible, but there was an attorney general’s opinion in 1955 stating the mineral rights owner is responsible. I have been able to get a copy of that opinion, and that is what mine inspectors’ for 50-60 years has been basing their authority on. I have exhausted my abilities and still have no concrete answer. I have called the attorney general’s office and left messages for the opinions branch, I have researched judgments online and have talked to mining officials and still do not have the answer. Even the state of Michigan Minerals division cannot or will not give me a definitive answer. It is difficult to enforce the law when I cannot even find where the law is written. I will seek guidance this coming year from our District Attorney and you, the Commissioners. I have also found that the State of Michigan has passed a law quite a while ago that states that land they get through tax reversion is exempt from them having to repair or maintain fences. This is pretty sad. I don’t see where it states whether minerals are attached or not. I will look into this further. The State has been pretty good about repairing what they own.

    My recommendation includes the following points concerning an ordinance or ordinances that would be composed of these or similar parts. We need some type of enforcement in place..
a.    No property that contains mines, abandoned mines or caving ground, or any type of mining activity could be sold unless it has been inspected and deemed safe by the County Mine inspector. Safe means that all fences are in serviceable condition and all shafts, pits or other unsafe mine features is made safe. If this is not acceptable, then these properties will have the mine features recorded in deeds and the new owner is responsible for fixing them within a year or another acceptable time table. NO sales of mining property unless it is safe.
b.     Any mining feature, including cliffs, shafts and adits will not be filled until inspected by the County mine Inspector. ANY and ALL mine features will be either GPS or GIS location and a monument erected in perpetuity so these shafts will not be lost, EVER. In other words it would be a criminal matter to fill in a mine feature without consulting the Mine Inspector.
c.     The mine inspector can issue citations and force the repair of fences and filling or covering of shafts when mineral owner or land owner will not comply within a reasonable amount of time. These can be simple fines for non-compliance. Damaging fences is already a law so maybe not repairing them can be a law. Maybe $10.00 a day until repaired once issued a citation.
d    The county should consider petitioning the State of Michigan to update the mining law so that an inherent right of entry is given to the mine inspector to enter and inspect mining lands when crossing private lands.
e.    I would also recommend that we continue to use the county work van to do what repairs they are able to safely complete when time allows.
Conclusion:     I am very grateful to report that going into my 5th year as the Mine Inspector there have been no reported mine injuries. I will continue to be diligent in my duties. Thank you for your support.

Please call anytime with questions, comments, or concerns regarding my work. Sincerely,

Steven M. Smith
Dickinson County Mine Inspector

Cody Fifarek Found Guilty - Child Abuse-Intentionally Cause Harm

2017-01-26T15:56:00.001-06:00

The crime allegedly took place on June 13, 2016 by Cody Fifarek of Coleman, Wisconsin. The victim was a 4 year old female who was not related to the now convicted abuser. This child had severe bruising on her face, around her eyes and neck.. It was later determined that this child was abused and Cody was questioned by the Marinette County Sheriff Department when he apparently admitted to whatever took place and was charged for this felony.

>>>READ IT HERE<<<

On January 23, 2017 Cody Fifarek plead "no contest" to a felony charge of "Child Abuse-Intentionally Cause Harm". His sentencing date is scheduled for April 3rd, 10am at Branch 2, Courthouse Annex, Second Floor.

>Join the discussion on Facebook here<

THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO EVER HIT A CHILD AND LEAVE MARKS LIKE THIS GUY DID! I FIND IT SAD THAT SO MANY OF HIS FRIENDS ARE TRYING TO PROTECT HIM BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE HAS DONE AND PLEAD TOO... OBVIOUSLY HE DID IT!

Iron River City Council Embraces City Manager Who Fired Police Chief #DeadNorth

2017-01-25T18:22:00.001-06:00

Nothing can describe the actions taken today by the Iron River, Michigan City Council when they said "We feel that City Manager David Thayer has served the city in an exceptional capacity this past year and are confident he is the right person to continue leading us"..

On Wed, January 25, 2017 this special meeting was held to which the annual evaluation would be presented to the people.. This is where citizens would normally have 3 minutes each to say their remarks concerning an issue. In many city meetings this time is allowed because our US Constitution allows free speech, at least it does most of the time... In Iron River, Michigan they have a different idea of how to do things..

You can see in many videos that I have filmed of this council during the last few months and almost every time Mayor Tarsi doesn't agree with something your saying, he interrupts you and says you can't continue or insists your comments aren't the truth. He denies your freedom of speech in all reality. If a person decides to lie or speak what you don't agree with, this is their right.

As if he was the deciding factor on whether your comments were the truth or not, this little time they offer is supposed to be a time for anyone to say what they feel in a reasonable manner. No one deserves to be cut off by a mayor who needs to be working for the people instead of against them!

After public comments, the council voted to go into a closed session after the mayor cited laws allowing them to do so. He pointed to the press (I felt it was directed towards me) and asked if we understood. A reporter from ABC 10 asked him if he could repeat it and the city attorney did just that. Minutes later the entire room was cleared of the public and press. Most of us who could waited outside the room until they were done talking behind closed doors, just about one hour...

The following PRESS RELEASE was read by Mayor Tarsi when we returned to the room which explained a lot of what most already expected would happen.. This council gave City Manager David Thayer a rating of 82.6 out of 100 points.

The council says they stand behind David Thayer's firing Laura Frizzo and cited in this official press release, "He asked us to be patient as he worked through a process to determine whether Ms Frizzo could be rehabilitated and continue in her capacity." - SHE TOOK HER OWN SICK TIME OFF!!

She took her own sick-time off and this city manager REFUSED to let her come back, even when she provided him with 2 doctor notes including one from the doctor he selected. As far as anyone was concerned, her coming back to work was stopped by the city manager and supported by this city council. He took this action illegally (I feel) against Laura Frizzo when he realized the doctor slips cleared her for work. Not once did this accusation come to light until now...

I would be extremely surprised if Laura Frizzo doesn't file a lawsuit against this city.. Even the citizens told this council that David Thayer has cost many cities a lot of money...
Here we go again!

(BONUS FOOTAGE IN VIDEO BELOW)

What most citizens didn't see is what David Thayer said afterwards to local media.. Most media can only allow a limited time "10-25 seconds" of video but that is what makes me different. I filmed most of what David had to say which included his obvious hate for me and this blog. Many times he seemed to direct his comments towards me as if I were the reason he was having all of his troubles.

Please WATCH & SHARE this video!

Did Iron River, Michigan City Manager David Thayer LIE To The Press/Media? #DeadNorth

2017-01-18T19:45:00.002-06:00

On December 22, 2016 local media TV6 & FOX UP posted an article titled, "Supporters rally around former police chief at city council meeting".

In one part of the story, people were accusing Iron River City Manager David Thayer (pictured below) of calling former Police Chief Laura Frizzo a "BITCH" while on the job..

"Absolutely did not happen," Thayer said. "Laura's dismissal has to do with a disagreement we have on management style and professionalism. I demand that all of my staff people treat all of our citizens with respect; I expect that they're able to control their temper; I expect that their assessment of situations is not a prejudgment but something based on the facts. That did not take place in this case."

Now I'm guessing that David perhaps didn't look around himself to see who else might have heard him say that because someone else did.. An employee of the police department filed an affidavit of what he heard.. Now if that wasn't enough, below you will an affidavit from the editor of the local Iron County Reporter who also heard a "story" from David..

I'm a little unsure how a standing city manager can straight up lie to the press about his actions can ever be taken seriously from this point forward.. I mean why would anyone believe a word he says after allegedly lying to many of the press there that day.

More? Can there possibly be more?? This is the icing on the cake if you will.. Below is a letter from Veteran Police Officer Patricia Dawson who retired from the City of Lexington, Michigan because of David Thayer. I'll let you read the letter yourself...

After reading Patricia's letter, do you see the same thing happening now with Laura? Isn't this the very same thing he was doing to her?

As for David Thayer's denial as to calling then Police Chief Laura Frizzo a "bitch".. I tend to believe the words of a police officer and that of a local news editor before I believe what David Thayer has to say any day..

What do you believe after seeing this new evidence? Do you believe the current city council are afraid of this man? What is going on in Iron River?

These photo's were taken of a press release from Attorney Roy Polich, hired by Laura Frizzo to help her.

WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE JANUARY 18 IRON RIVER CITY COUNCIL MEETING..

PLEASE SHARE THIS NOW!!!

Flint, Michigan New Years Eve War Zone? Multipal Shots Fired, Bullet Lands On Foot!

2016-12-31T23:24:00.000-06:00

Listen to the 1,000's of gunshots going off! Just moments ago this video was posted on Facebook live by James Harvey from the east side of FLINT, MICHIGAN at midnight..As James was on the sidewalk, a bullet dropped from the sky almost hitting him..

Major Turnout & Support For Fired Police Chief Laura Frizzo at Iron River City Council Meeting #DeadNorth | Jason Asselin

2016-12-22T11:27:00.002-06:00

Iron River, Michigan City Council
December 21, 2016

The room was packed with many in support of the fired Police Chief Laura Frizzo. Many had something to say!

The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, then immediately went into "public comment"where the mayor advised everyone they would have 3 minutes each to say what they wanted about this situation. Many people spoke out about this issue, including Amanda List who is a former Michigan State Trooper and currently serves on the Iron Mountain City Council.. Even she couldn't understand how this city manager could do the things he is accused of.. Including gaining entry into an evidence room or looking at Chief Frizzo's computer files. She suggested someone should contact the Michigan Attorney General to investigate this.

Another woman I spoke to said she over heard David Thayer tell patrons in a bar she was working at that "he lived close and was the police chief" when asked if he was ok to drive home.. She told those people that he was NOT the police chief and that he was lying.. It seems as if this city manager has lost all sense of what his job is.. Another person said he was answering police calls on his own, yet the man is allegedly said to not even be able to own a gun?

At times the mayor seemed to take offense to what people were saying, sometimes interrupting them well before their 3 minutes were up. One woman refused to back down and continued to speak to the crowd, you could hear the mayor ask what they should do. The city attorney could be heard saying that the police could remove her..