News Photo Illustration This collage of photos shows, left, Doug Taratuta and Clint Kendziorski at their wedding, Josh Wirgau in his prison mug shot, and, in the background, Brendon Mac leading a crowd of Northeast Michiganders while filming a music video in Alpena.

ALPENA — In a year chock-full of news, from multiple political recall attempts to school bond proposals to the decade-old court fight between Alpena and Alpena Township over water and sewer rates heading to trial, a number of stories stood out to News readers.

A music video and a feature film came to town. A man on trial for murder pleaded guilty. The state changed the rules for camping and fishing.

Below’s a recap of the year’s most-read stories at TheAlpenaNews.com.

STATE NARROWS CAMPING RESERVATION WINDOW

In the future, campers at state campgrounds will only be able to reserve cabins, cottages, tents, and campsites up to six months in advance, instead of the year in advance offered now.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources started on Nov. 1 to gradually change the reservation window for state campgrounds and overnight buildings because, officials say, the change helps park leaders plan for needed maintenance or construction.

Because the state only budgets for its departments a year at a time, officials can only plan maintenance a year out at most. When campers can make reservations a year in advance, that makes it hard for park leaders to find windows when facilities are vacant so they can be fixed.

The DNR will not allow people to set up reservations with an arrival time after Oct. 31. Campers can reserve a stay that lasts beyond the end of October, but the latest arrival time currently available is Oct. 31.

Once May 1 comes, campers can reserve an arrival date of Nov. 1, exactly six months out.

BRENDAN MAC FILMS VIDEO IN ALPENA

Up-and-coming country music artist and Alpena native Brendon Mac recorded his first music video for the rockabilly hit “Rock This Town” in Alpena in early September.

Hundreds of locals were recruited as extras in the video shoot that featured Mac walking through the downtown of his hometown followed by his fans and then performing an impromptu concert scene featuring local musicians at the bandshell at Bay View Park.

The single for “Rock This Town” was released in November and is gaining momentum on streaming platforms and with music industry insiders.

Mac said that, although the video has been delayed a couple of times because of an extensive editing process, he hopes to have the Alpena footage released sometime in early 2024.

The “Rock This Town” remake is Mac’s followup to his remake of “Burning Ring of Fire,” which has been streamed well over 1 million times worldwide.

HEALTH WORKERS BURNING OUT

Forty-six percent of American health workers reported often feeling burned out in 2022, according to a University of Chicago survey reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Pankaj Jandwani, system vice president of medical affairs at MyMichigan Health, the Midland-based owner of the Alpena hospital, said the mental health of health care providers has been a topic among MyMichigan administrators for a while and that MyMichigan has a Web page titled MyWellbeing on which employees can find resources and other helpful information.

On that website, MyMichigan defines wellbeing as “our ability to feel good, struggle well, and function effectively.”

The environment for health care providers may also become less hostile as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed two bills on Dec. 6 that increase fines for those who assault health professionals or medical volunteers.

The new laws go into effect on March 5.

CLINT AND DOUG TIE THE KNOT

After being together for two decades, Douglas Taratuta and Clint Taratuta-Kendziorski finally tied the knot on the 20-year anniversary of their first date, at the age of 63.

The men talk about what life was like growing up gay in Northeast Michigan, and why they love living here, despite some of the challenges they’ve faced over the years.

Overall, both of them have had mostly positive experiences as adults, but, growing up as gay males came with some struggles, especially for Taratuta, who was bullied when he was in junior high and high school.

As an adult couple, the men have been widely accepted in Alpena and Posen, where they reside, and plan to continue to share their married life together.

JUDGE: COUPLE’S RIGHTS VIOLATED

In late September, federal Judge Thomas Ludington ruled that the Fourth Amendment rights of Michael and Susan Mockeridge were violated when their neighbor and three government officials searched their property without a warrant.

In a 74-page opinion, the court said that, in June 2021, the Mockeridges had their five recreational mini-cabins, located on 40 acres of their property south of Hubbard Lake, visited unannounced by their neighbor, Keith Krentz, Alcona County Building Department official Harry Harvey, now-former Caledonia Township zoning officer Ken Gibson, and District Health Department No. 2 Environmental Health Program Coordinator David Schmidt.

According to the ruling, the officials never sought permission to enter the property and never attempted to get a warrant before their search, thus violating the couple’s Fourth Amendment rights.

The case is currently heading to a jury trial, which is scheduled to take place on March 5 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan to determine what damages, if any, the Mockeridges are owed.

ELK LIVES ITS BEST LIFE IN ROGERS CITY

People in the Rogers City area adopted a rare pet late this fall when a young bull elk took up residency in the city and remained there for several weeks.

The elk became a star on social media as residents flocked to areas along the Lake Huron shoreline to take photos and videos of the large animal that was often relaxing in the sun or snacking on the vegetation near local parks.

Paul Fox, a conservation officer for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said he observed the animal for several weeks and used firecracker-like devices to spook it back into the woods.

The animal was not a threat to the public, but the DNR asked residents to stay a safe distance away from the animal and not feed it.

Fox said elk really don’t have natural predators in Northeast Michigan, so they tolerate people and often allow humans to get close, unlike other wild animals. Fox said that is exciting for the people who want to celebrate the animal and take pictures of it, but he said getting too close brings potential pitfalls, should the animal begin to feel threatened or agitated.

“They really aren’t skittish around people, but people need to respect it, because it is a 600-pound animal,” he said. “Yes, it is super cool and people love it, but I don’t want a bull elk taking up residence in the city.”

Eventually, the elk began to move farther out into more wooded areas, but recent photos from people who live just outside Rogers City appear to show the same elk hanging out in the area.

WIRGAU PLEADS GUILTY, SREBNIK HEADS TO TRIAL

One of two men facing murder charges for the deaths of Alpena women Brynn Bills and Abby Hill pleaded guilty in November to accessory after the fact, disinterment and mutilation of a body, and involuntary manslaughter.

In exchange for Joshua Wirgau’s guilty plea, charges of first-degree murder and felony firearm will be dropped.

Wirgau is expected to testify against his codefendant, Brad Srebnik, at a trial currently set to begin in January

STATE CHANGES FISHING REGULATIONS

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission approved multiple changes to local and statewide fishing regulations during its meeting on Oct. 12, with regulations going into effect on Oct. 13.

The change in regulations allows anglers to catch and release Arctic grayling, but they cannot possess the fish.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources started a project in 2018 to bring back Arctic grayling to the state after the fish went extinct in Michigan in the 1930s.

Another regulation approved by the commission was the removal of Type B trout regulations for Reid Lake, located less than 10 miles away from Barton City.

The DNR asked for the removal of the regulations after an unsuccessful rainbow trout and brown trout stocking program. The fishing order notes that an “abundant fast-growing yellow perch population” created competitive pressures for the stocked trout.

FEATURE FILM SHOT IN NORTHEAST MICHIGAN

Lansing-based film company Collective Development Inc. shot a Prohibition-era drama in the Thunder Bay area from Sept. 17 to Oct. 6.

The film, “Harsens Island Revenge,” is an adaptation of a book of the same title by Karl Manke.

The story follows World War I veterans who had their own Canadian whiskey smuggling operation on Harsens Island close to Detroit.

The Purple Gang, a feared Detroit bootlegging crew infamous for dangerous and unpredictable behavior, cornered the illegal markets in the city and heard that whiskey was coming onto the island without their control, leading to a fight between the veterans and gang members.

MARSHALLS OPENS IN ALPENA

After years of development, the Marshalls department store had its grand opening in Alpena on Aug. 10.

Marshalls President Tim Miner said in the news release at the time that the new Alpena store will provide quality products and services at reasonable prices to people who live or visit Northeast Michigan.

Since its opening, the store has been a popular spot for those in Alpena, especially during the holidays.

In addition to Marshalls, Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Mike Mahler said grocer Aldi has purchased property on M-32 near where a Hampton Inn is being constructed.

COMING TUESDAY

Check out Tuesday’s edition of The News for a look at some of the stories we’ll track in 2024.