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Superiorland Yesterdays

30 years ago

HOUGHTON — A couple fell through thin ice while snowmobiling late Friday night and were heroically saved by Roy and Lenore Bonini. At 10:15 pm, Lenore heard cries for help outside of her home on Portage Lake. Waking her husband, Roy went outside and found Paul and Sue Smith in the water nearly 100 feet from the shore. Bonini took his aluminum rowboat to the victims where he reached the couple, pulling Sue into the boat but was unable to get Paul out of the water. Bootjack Fire Department Chief Dan Sarazin and his crew were already on the way. Once rescued, the couple was transported to Keweenaw Memorial to be treated for severe hypothermia. Both snowmobiles were recovered days later. In a small town twist of fate, Lenore Bonini and Sue Smith know each other well, as they are coworkers in the Western Upper Peninsula District Health Department. Paul’s emergency contact was nonetheless Guy St. Germain, the Health Department’s director, who was operating the ambulance that drove the Smith’s to recovery.

60 years ago

NEGAUNEE — A $34,368 urban renewal planning grant for Negaunee has been approved by the Housing and Home Finance Agency. This is the largest grant of the four announcements from the 11th Congressional District. Powers-Spalding has been approved for a generous grant as well as Menominee, Cheboygan, and Mackinaw City, whose combined grants total $91,302. City Manager Rodney Hodge says the grant will cover a comprehensive plan for the city and township which will be drafted by planning consultants Vilican-Leman & Associates, Inc., Southfield, Mich, who recently worked with the city of Marquette, Marquette Township, and Chocolay Township. Negaunee’s grant represents 75% of the total cost of the urban renewal planning project, the other 5% will be put up by the City of Negaunee and Negaunee Township who are working together for the planning project.