Wednesday, September 6, 2023
The Mining Journal 5A
Region
The Ryan
Street Commu-
nity Garden,
started in
Laplander
2010, is raising
funds to help
purchase the
land and turn
it into a Han-
cock city park.
The property
was owned
by Finlandia
University
and went into
receivership
after the
dives into role
By Houghton Daily
Mining Gazette staff
HANCOCK — Hough-
ton Canal View’s new lead-
er officially started work
Friday.
Adam Laplander was
named as the Houghton
County medical care facil-
ity’s new chief executive
officer and administrator
in August. Prior to his new
position, he served as Canal
View’s comptroller for the
past four years.
me to it, and it presents a
whole new set of challeng-
es. So it’s exciting.”
One of his immediate
priorities is growth. Last
fall, staffing was still 30%
below pre-COVID levels,
meaning 70 beds could not
be filled.
Canal View is planning to
open a ground-floor rehab
unit with 16 beds on Oct.
1. The new staff positions
required for the unit drew a
high number of applicants,
Laplander said.
Staff levels are also rising
elsewhere in the facility,
with the facility seeing its
highest numbers in summer
orientation, he said.
“We have a great team,
we have a great staff,” he
said. “I really believe it’s
truly a great place to come
to work. I believe we pro-
vide great care to our resi-
dents. And it’s a great com-
munity organization that is
a staple in this community.
And we just have that as
a plan to continue on, and
we’ll get back to the place
where we were.”
One effort that had been
talked about as a possible
attraction for employees
was a child care center built
next to Canal View, with
employees given priority
for slots. That idea has been
tabled for now, Laplander
said.
“Right now, we’re going
to put our efforts into our
strategic plan to grow and
to get staff back into the
workforce, into our organi-
zation,” he said. “It’s defi-
nitely something we’ll look
at down the road.”
The CDC eased many of
the COVID-19 restrictions
in place during the height
of the pandemic last fall.
Precautions are still taken
when a case is discovered.
Thursday, visitors were
required to put on masks
upon entering the building
due to a recent positive test
from a resident.
university
announced it
was closing.
(Houghton
Daily Mining
Gazette photo)
He replaces Kim Salmi,
who resigned from the po-
sition in March.
“It’s been a plan with
our board and the organi-
zation for a long time,” he
said. “We’ve had succes-
sion planning in place, it’s
just taking place a little bit
sooner than we expected.”
As administrator, Lap-
lander is responsible for
strategic planning, growth
and overseeing daily opera-
tions. He is also tasked with
knowing guidelines, rules
and regulations for various
boards and agencies.
“It’s rewarding, because
every day is different,” he
said. “No day is the same.
Health care is constantly
changing. And that includes
us, and we’re constantly
changing.”
Ryan Street Community Garden
raising funds to preserve site
By Houghton Daily
Mining Gazette staff
“Between those three, what we were
trying to do is get a community effort,
gardening when I started, and you just
learn a lot from the other members,”
Lounibos said.
HANCOCK — The Ryan Street rather than the city covering the whole
Community Garden is raising funds thing,” she said. “That’s our garden
to purchase the land and keep it open philosophy anyway, is encouraging
to the public as a Hancock city park. people to contribute, that whole com-
The garden was started in 2010 on munity spirit here. We just encourage
property owned by Finlandia Uni- a lot of volunteerism.”
versity, which went into receiver-
ship when the university closed this ers have to contribute eight hours of
year.
community service.
The goal is to raise $6,000 over a
The garden provides educational
60-day period to go towards the pur- and volunteer opportunities through-
chase of the land. If the garden reach- out the year.
es or exceeds that amount, the Mich-
igan Economic Development Corp.’s a plot can apply for the season, Louni-
Public Spaces and Community Spaces bos said. Currently, there are 19 gar-
grant will match all donations. It’s the deners and 25 plots; some people
same grant program the city used last have more than one. There are also
The garden was built along the path
Finlandia University students used to
cross the property; anyone is still wel-
come to use the space, Lounibos said.
The garden also does educational
outreach. Student groups come for
tours, amd members also helped the
Ryan Center preschool start its own
garden at its playground. Copper
Country Intermediate School District
students have also helped out, build-
ing a counter with a sink and helping
clear out debris.
For the most part, the garden doesn’t
fundraise, instead charging minimal
dues and receiving in-kind donations.
The city provides water and mulch;
other friends of the garden also con-
tribute manure, straw and other need-
ed items.
“Usually when I ask for anything,
people pitch in and help, so that’s
been really fun for me,” she
“I wasn’t born here, but I started
gardening here right after I moved
here, so it really enabled me to be-
come a community member quickly,”
she said. “This is a nice place to meet
people, give back a little if you’re in-
terested.”
A Calumet High School
graduate, Laplander went
on to earn a bachelor’s of
science and master’s de-
grees in accounting from
To be part of the garden, the garden-
Michigan
Technological
University. He also served
as a sergeant in the U.S.
Marine Corps. To qualify to
be licensed as an adminis-
trator for a health care facil-
ity, he also completed addi-
tional education through
Madonna University.
Before coming to Canal
View as comptroller, Lap-
lander was a financial ana-
lyst for Aspirus Keweenaw
Hospital, also serving as an
adjunct instructor for the
business school at Michi-
gan Tech.
Any community member who wants
year to help get a dog park.
beds where everybody pitches in
The Patronicity page for the fund- and shares fruits and vegetables like
raiser went online Monday. Since berries and asparagus. Collectively,
then, the garden has raised more than they feed about 50 people, Lounibos
$3,600.
Donations of any size can help, said
Amanda Lounibus, the garden’s coor- community experience, even more so
dinator.
than the gardening part,” Lounibos
“If we go over, that’s even better, said. “But everybody has their differ-
because then it’s supporting the city’s ent reasons. Some people just love to
efforts, too,” she said. “Because it’s garden and they love being here. Like
right downtown, it’s a very special a mental health break.”
piece of land. And all these beds have
been established, so it would be a $19 for the season, depending on size.
shame to lose it.”
The garden has all the necessary tools
said.
“I really enjoy it, I think more for the
“I’ve always been more
on the finance side of
things, on the business side
of things,” he said. “And to
dive into this role, and see-
ing where we can improve
and be productive in each
and every area of the orga-
nization is really what drew
“A lot of the regulations
have changed, but we will
continue to do everything
that we can do to ensure
that our residents are safe,”
Laplander said. “So, if cases
rise, or an outbreak occurs,
we’ll follow recommenda-
tions and regulations.”
Each plot costs between $17 and
People can donate online at patro-
nicity.com/project/ryan_street_gar-
dens#!. They can also send donations
by mail to City of Hancock, RSCG,
399 Quincy St., Hancock, MI 49930.
The city of Hancock is also con- on-hand. For newer members, the
tributing funds. And the garden is other gardeners also supply the know-
also looking for additional grants that how.
could help, Lounibus said.
“I really didn’t know anything about
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Island executive chef draws on experience
Bureau of Professional Licensing
By Escanaba Daily
Press staff
HARRIS
Over the years, the Island
has grown. Pomeroy said that
when she first started, there
was “one restaurant and one
little snack bar.” At present,
fifteen food and drink outlets
are on the premises, and only
a couple of them are bars that
serve beverages only. Pome-
roy’s focus as executive chef
is primarily in the full service
convention center — which
provides all the food ser-
vice for weddings and oth-
er events — and Horizons
Steakhouse on the top floor,
but she can and does go
wherever needed.
“We’ve cross-trained each
other,” said the Island’s food
and beverage director, Ste-
phen Gakstatter. “Out of
everybody here, I can confi-
dently say that Kristina’s had
her fingerprint on everything,
pretty much.”
It might seem natural for
Pomeroy’s career to have
developed as her experience
grew and Island Resort and
Casino expanded, but her po-
sition and culinary expertise
were not attained without ef-
fort.
“I just worked hard, took
every extra shift I could, and
found every opportunity to
learn everything I could and
— you know, work my way
up,” said Pomeroy. “It’s been
fun.”
done. The partnership with
the Daily Press for the up-
coming event of Sept. 14 is
new territory.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
October 2, 2023
—
Executive
9:00 a.m.
Chef Kristina Pomeroy —
originally from Stonington
but now based in Escanaba
— has worked in the kitchens
of the Island Resort and Casi-
no for 22 years.
During her teen years, she
worked as a dishwasher at
Jack’s Restaurant in Rapid
River. Her introduced to food
preparation began toward the
end of her time there.
“Just by watching them
cooking … really kind of
piqued an interest in it,” said
Pomeroy.
But her role with food at
Jack’s was limited to helping
get the fish ready for fish fry
Fridays. Upon finishing high
school, she left to explore oth-
er avenues.
After graduation, Pome-
roy moved away and tried
her hand at a couple of other
things — none of which tru-
ly resonated with the young
woman.
It didn’t take long for Pome-
roy to realize she missed the
Upper Peninsula. She moved
back, and when her mother
— who worked at the Island
— suggested Pomeroy look
into the open cook position
there, she gave it a shot.
“It was just a stopping point
to figure out what I wanted
to do with my life. And then
I found out it was what I
wanted to do,” Pomeroy ex-
plained.
At the time, she was not ex-
pecting her path to unfold the
way it did.
Location: 611 W. Ottawa Street, UL-3
Lansing, Michigan
MARQUETTE CITY
COMMISSION
The hearing is held to receive public comments on the following administrative rules:
AUG. 22
SPECIAL MEETING – 9 a.m.
Present: Mayor Mayer.
Mayor Pro-tem Davis.
Commissioners Hanley,
Larson, Ottaway, Smith.
Absent: Commissioner
Stonehouse.
Genetic Counselors – General Rules (MOAHR #2023-29 LR)
Authority: MCL 333.16145, 333.16148, 333.16174, 333.16201, 333.16204, 333.16287, 333.17091, 333.17092,
and 333.17096, and Executive Reorganization Order Nos. 1991-9, 1996-2, 2003-1, and 2011-4, MCL 338.3501,
445.2001, 445.2011, and 445.2030.
Overview: The proposed revisions to the rules include typographical revisions, clarification of when a licensee
must request a waiver of continuing education, clarification that completion of implicit bias training under R
338.7004 may also count toward continuing education requirements, a provision that non-Accreditation Council
for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) accredited providers engaging in joint providership with ACCME
accredited providers are acceptable continuing education providers, and clarification that a licensee shall report to
the department a change in qualified supervisor no later than 30 days after the change occurs.
Medicine – General Rules (MOAHR #2023-30 LR)
-Approved Consent Agenda:
a. Minutes of 8-14-23.
-Recessed for 10 minutes at
9:55 a.m.
-Recessed for 90 minutes at
11:00 a.m.
Authority: MCL 333.16145, 333.16148, 333.16174, 333.16204, 333.16215, 333.16287, 333.17031, 333.17033,
333.17048, and 333.17076, and Executive Reorganization Order Nos. 1991-9, 1996-2, 2003-1, and 2011-4, MCL
338.3501, 445.2001, 445.2011, and 445.2030.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting
was adjourned at 2:36 p.m.
Overview: The proposed revisions to the rules include typographical revisions, updates to accreditation standards,
removal of the requirement that an applicant shall pass all steps of the USMLE within seven years from the date
the first step was passed, clarification of when a licensee must request a waiver of continuing education, and
clarification that completion of implicit bias training under R 338.7004 may also count toward continuing educa-
tion requirements, and a provision that non-Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
accredited providers engaging in joint providership with ACCME accredited providers are acceptable continuing
education providers.
AUG. 28
REGULAR MEETING – 6 p.m.
Present: Mayor Mayer.
Mayor Pro-tem Davis.
Commissioners Hanley,
Larson, Ottaway, Smith,
Stonehouse.
-Approved agenda with the
addition of Early Voting
Location Resolution.
-Approved Consent Agenda:
a. Minutes of 08-22-23;
b. Bills payable;
c. Grant of license for
American Legion parking lot;
d. KBIC Funding for the
YMCA;
e. Sault Ste. Marie Tribe
of Chippewa Indians
Funding for the YMCA.
-Approved the purchase of a
used fire truck.
-Approved the Early Voting
Location Resolution.
The rules will take effect immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State, unless specified otherwise in
the rules. Comments on the proposed rules may be presented in person at the public hearing.
Written comments will also be accepted from date of publication until 5:00 p.m. on October 2, 2023, at the
following address or e-mail address:
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Professional Licensing– Boards and Committees Section
P.O. Box 30670
Lansing, MI 48909-8170
Attention: Departmental Specialist Email: BPL-BoardSupport@michigan.gov
“And I’ve got to see quite
a bit of it,” added Gakstatter,
who came to the Island sev-
en years ago. “And I’m very
proud of her. She’s amazing.”
Gakstatter said that he first
met Pomeroy and others who
are now colleagues while he
was district manager at Sys-
co. Island Resort and Casino
was one of the wholesale dis-
tributor’s major accounts.
A copy of the proposed rules may be obtained by contacting Board Support at (517) 241-7500 or the email
address noted above. Electronic copies also may be obtained at the following link:
Genetic Counseling - General Rules
“I said, ‘Well, I kind of
know how to cook,’” said
Pomeroy of her foray into ap-
plying for that first line cook
job 22 years ago. “Then I sort
of worked my way up after I
realized that this was the real
deal.”
From line cook, Pomeroy
went on to become lead cook,
then head cook. Today, she
wears a coat embroidered
with “Kristina Pomeroy —
Executive Chef.”
Medicine – General Rules
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting
was adjourned at 6:49 p.m.
The public hearing will be conducted in compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. If
the hearing is held at a physical location, the building will be accessible with handicap parking available.
Anyone needing assistance to take part in the hearing due to disability may call 517-241-7500 to make
arrangements.
Cody O. Mayer, Mayor
Since working more closely Kyle Whitney, City Clerk
with Pomeroy, Gakstatter said
that he “always marveled” at
her abilities and “how many
A complete copy of the official
People with disabilities requiring additional accommodations (such as materials in alternative format) to
participate in the meeting, or those that have questions should contact the department at
proceedings for this meeting,
as well as true copies of all
outlets she managed.”
In all the years of the Is-
land’s operation, though, a
cooking show in front of a
live audience has never been
ordinances and resolutions
adopted, can be found in the
Please call (517) 241-7500 or email BPL-BoardSupport@michigan.gov with any questions related to
the hearing.
City Clerk’s office or online at
