Bohnak, WLUC’s longtime chief meteorologist who spent more than 33 years with the television station, announced on social media last Wednesday that he had been fired.

Why? For refusing to take a COVID-19 vaccination, a policy put in place by WLUC’s corporate owner, Gray Television, for all of its employees.

The policy, found on Gray Television’s website, is as follows:

“Gray Television has set the bar again with new policies for our employees that are meant to provide the safest possible workplace.

From left, Danielle Walin and Alyssa LePage, president and vice president, respectively, of Stand Up Michigan's Marquette County chapter, demonstrate at a rally in front of WLUC-TV6 in Negaunee Township on Sunday afternoon. The rally, which was organized by Stand Up Michigan’s Marquette County chapter, was held to show support for longtime WLUC chief meteorologist Karl Bohnak and to take a stand against companies that implement COVID-19 vaccination mandates. Bohnak, who had been with WLUC for more than 33 years, announced on social media last week that he had been fired for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, a policy the station's corporate parent, Gray Television, implemented for all of its employees at the 162 stations the company owns. (Journal photo by Ryan Spitza)

“Effective Sept. 1, 2021, all new full-time and part-time hires must be ‘fully vaccinated’ against the coronavirus (as defined by the CDC). This full vaccination policy will extend to all of our managers effective Sept. 15, 2021, and to all other employees, as well as all outside contractors, tenants and guests who enter our workspaces, on Oct. 1, 2021. We will make accommodations for employees with medical or religious needs.”

Bohnak cited this policy as the ultimate reason for his departure.

“I am leaving TV6 because the station’s corporate owner, Gray Television, has mandated vaccination against COVID-19 for anyone entering a property owned by the company,” he stated in a Facebook post. “Since I chose not to take one of the shots, I was fired. Many of you have taken one of these injections, and that is absolutely your right. It is also my right to choose the medical options I feel are right for me. I have authority over my body.”

Bohnak, originally from Milwaukee, had become a well-known face at WLUC over the years.

His familiarity appeared to be cemented on Sunday afternoon, when hundreds of individuals lined up in front of WLUC in Negaunee Township to show their support for Bohnak.

The rally was organized by Stand Up Michigan’s Marquette County chapter as a way for attendees to show their support for Bohnak while voicing their opposition to vaccination mandates.

According to its website, Stand Up Michigan’s vision “is to reclaim and defend the rights and liberties of Michiganders,” while its mission “is to equip and empower We The People to stand up for sacred values, citizen rights and constitutional freedoms.”

Marquette County Chapter President Danielle Walin and Vice President Alyssa LePage were the lead organizers of the event.

“We grew up watching Karl, we love Karl, we think what was done to him was wrong,” Walin said. “We’re not for employers mandating vaccines. Our group started to fight for freedom and our constitutional rights, so this constitutes as part of that. But like I said, it really hit home, because Karl is a local icon, we all grew up watching him, and we all want to stand up for him and voice our opinions.”

“Nobody should be mandated to have a vaccine if they don’t choose to do so,” LePage added. “We feel very strongly about this. If people want to get vaccinated, that is their choice. If they do not want to, that is also their choice, and that is very important that we stand up for these freedoms, and if we don’t, who else will?”

Walin continued by saying that receiving a vaccination should solely be up to the individual.

“We’re all for choice,” she said. “We’re just against mandates, you know, it’s your choice. If you want to do that, as far as getting a vaccine, that’s your choice. But we don’t feel the mandates should be used.”

Asked what they would say to Gray Television, Walin and LePage said:

“Shame on you,” Walin said. “Karl was a valued employee and I think they’re going to find that out. He was a great asset to TV6 and I think they gained a lot of viewers by having Karl Bohnak on TV6 News in their homes every day. I don’t think there’s any fault to the (WLUC) employees, they just work here, but I do think that maybe it could have been handled differently.”

“I agree with everything (Walin) said,” LePage added. “I do think that the Upper Peninsula is going to be lacking now that Karl has been let go because of a decision that he felt was necessary for him.”

Walin and LePage said Bohnak and his family were invited to the rally, which remained peaceful throughout the afternoon.

After Bohnak made the announcement of his departure, reactions rolled in across social media. His original Facebook post has garnered nearly 5,000 comments as of Sunday afternoon. A Facebook group titled “Stand with Karl” was started and now has nearly 3,000 members, and the story has been covered nationwide from media outlets such as FOX 2 Detroit, Newsweek magazine and The Associated Press.

Walin said the turnout at Sunday’s rally was a great one.

“Just awesome,” she said. “There’s people here from all over. Iron Mountain, I was told Escanaba, downstate … we put a Facebook post out the day that Karl was let go and decided that we wanted to do this and create an event, and we’ve had over-pouring support.

“Something I’d like to add too is that we’re not only here just for Karl. I mean it’s obvious that this is why it came about, but we’re here for all workers. Anyone that has these issues, if they need support, they can reach out to us.”

Calls and a message left with WLUC last week seeking comment on the matter were not returned as of Sunday night.

Prior to joining WLUC, Bohnak worked as a weather forecaster for WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee. He joined WLUC in 1988 and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, earning a bachelor’s degree in meteorology.

To find out more about Stand Up Michigan’s Marquette chapter, visit www.standupmichigan.com/marquette-county, email summarquette@gmail.com, or call 906-235-4257.

Ryan Spitza can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. His email address is rspitza@miningjournal.net.