Local archive
Community
B. Kensa posted the lowest score in the P.A. Systems group at Alpena Golf Club on Sept. 22, while golfers shared low marks on several holes and earned recognition for putting, birdies and chip-ins.
Community
MediLodge of Alpena has received the AHCA/NCAL Silver National Quality Award, placing the 132-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation center among only seven Michigan facilities to earn the distinction this year.
Sport
The Alpena Wildcats girls’ golf team won the Cadillac Invitational with a team score of 374, earning its third victory of the season and moving into a tie with Traverse City West atop the Big North Conference standings.
Community
Alpena Community College will host an Oct. 21 gathering at the Granum Theatre alongside the Bridge Michigan Issues Summit, giving residents a chance to watch statewide discussions and join local breakout conversations.
Sport
The Alpena Wildcats defeated Gaylord 3-2 in a Big North Conference match Thursday, winning a tense fifth set 17-15 after the Blue Devils twice reached match point.
Community
The final Aliferis Memorial Race has ended after 25 years, with $677,883.80 raised for local cancer care initiatives and scholarships for future health care professionals.
Education
Alpena Public Schools board members heard concerns about the delayed Family Partnership Program, alleged personnel action involving its director, campaign use of APS imagery and construction costs during the board’s regular meeting Monday.
Culture Downtown Alpena
A free lecture at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center will explore the history, culture and science connecting Great Lakes fisheries and communities.
Sport
The Alpena Wildcats defeated the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils 5-0 Thursday, improving their season record to 7-7. Alpena returns to action Thursday against Traverse City West in Traverse City.
Community
After 16 years with the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Stephanie Gandulla is moving to Oswego, New York, to lead the new Lake Ontario sanctuary while remaining connected to Alpena and its education and outreach programs.
Education
A League of Women Voters event in Alpena replaced the traditional debate format with small-group conversations between voters and five Alpena Public Schools Board of Education candidates.
Community
Alpena County Administrator Jesse Osmer announced a spending freeze from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, while commissioners authorized him to rewrite a policy governing certain elected officials’ accounts.
Education
Alpena Community College welcomed more than 100 students to The Market at ACC Open House earlier this week, where students received free soup and bread while learning about resources available on campus.
Community
MyMichigan Urgent Care Alpena will expand its schedule effective September 27, adding Sunday appointments and extending access for patients seeking walk-in treatment.
Education
The Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel will meet Oct. 8 at First United Methodist Church in Alpena, with a catered lunch, a presentation on natural supplements and an update on retirement benefits.
Education
Alpena Public Schools employees showed measurable improvement in engagement compared with a 2024 survey, but staff responses continued to raise concerns about workload, leadership turnover and disruptive behavior. District leaders say they are reviewing the feedback and plan to conduct another survey in the spring.
Community
The Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan awarded $70,350 in 2026 Northeast Michigan Women’s Giving Circle grants to 22 projects across Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency and Presque Isle counties. Several Alpena-area organizations received funding for child care, transportation, cancer support, youth programs, a museum restoration and more.
Community
The All Recovery Group will meet every Thursday afternoon at the Bay View Center in Alpena for people navigating mental health and addiction recovery.
Education
A new Alpena Community College policy approved by trustees will give students more consistent ways to receive credit for apprenticeships, certifications, military training and other college-level learning completed outside the classroom.
Community
St. Paul Lutheran Church’s Outreach Ministry recently donated to the Cancer Center at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, supporting local patients facing difficult times.
Traffic & Construction
The Second Avenue Bridge in Alpena will close to all traffic Saturday for maintenance work and is expected to reopen Sunday.
Sport
The Alpena Wildcats varsity volleyball team lost 3-1 to Traverse City West on Tuesday, despite a strong individual performance from Madelynn Cameron and a competitive fourth set. Alpena will travel to Gaylord on Thursday for its next match.
Culture Downtown Alpena
The Thunder Bay Arts Council is showcasing artwork by the Northeast Michigan Artists Guild and 19 permanent gallery artists at the TBA Gallery in Downtown Alpena during September and October.
Traffic & Construction
Passenger boardings at Alpena County Regional Airport fell slightly in August, but annual enplanements were up by 570 and the airport remains on pace to reach the 10,000 passengers needed for a potential $1 million federal subsidy.
Community
The Association of Lifelong Learners has scheduled programs and outings for next week, including travel advice, a history presentation, a Lady Michigan glass-bottom boat tour, a group meal and an exercise-and-aging discussion.
Business & Openings M-32 Corridor
The Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority plans to award a new construction bid Oct. 22 for a materials recovery facility near M-32 and Airport Road in Alpena. If the project stays on schedule, the facility could begin operating in January or February 2028, while other NMMMA updates include a new glass-recycling bunker, improvements at the Moose Lodge collection site and a warning about trash being mixed with recyclables.
Sport
Alpena High School’s girls swim team defeated Cadillac 98-71 Monday, led by multiple individual wins and strong relay performances. The Wildcats’ next meet is scheduled for Sept. 29 against John Glenn.
Education
Alpena Community College has begun planning a new climbing range south of its Woodward Avenue solar array, using a $3.125 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant to train future utility linemen.
Community Water Street Commons
United Way of Northeast Michigan will host Give Like Dolly Day at Water Street Commons from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, supporting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and local children’s access to free books.
Crime & Public Safety
Sgt. Mark Bluck retired from the Alpena Police Department after 28 years with the city and more than three decades in law enforcement. He was honored by the Alpena Municipal Council, while the department began an internal promotional process to fill the sergeant position he left open.
