News Photo Illustration In this collage of photos, 2nd Avenue is closed during construction, Alpena County Library supporters are seen at a rally, John Briggs signs his name on an envelope for his absentee ballot, Ollie’s and Aldi open in Alpena, a DPI sign shows directions, and Roger the elk roams Rogers City.

ALPENA — Controversial books at the county library.

A controversial push to protect a fish popular with anglers.

New stores and major road projects.

Those are among the stories that drew the most interest in 2024 at TheAlpenaNews.com.

Here’s a look back at The News’s most-read stories of the year:

LIBRARY BOOKS CAUSE A STIR

In June, the Alpena County Board of Commissioners reviewed several books in the children’s and teens’ sections at the Alpena County Library that some residents believed were too sexually graphic and wanted moved.

Other residents defended the books as tools to help parents and caregivers discuss difficult topics with children and said the books were protected by the First Amendment.

Library officials said they followed national standards in placing the books.

The commissioners threatened to replace all of the library board members, but later backed off on the threat and instead decided to replace board members through attrition. The county board appointed two new library board members earlier this month.

The controversy came on the eve of a proposed renewal of the property tax that funds library operations and maintenance and a property tax increase requested by the county.

Supporters of the library threatened to vote against the county millage and people opposed to the books threatened to vote against the library millage.

In the end, the library millage passed in August, but the county tax proposal failed. The county tried again in November to get its millage passed, but voters rejected it once more.

Today, the books remain in the children’s and teens’ sections, but the library has instituted a new system to categorize books, and library officials claim the new system reduces the chance of a child stumbling upon the controversial books.

ALPENA ATTORNEY ARRESTED

Police arrested Alpena attorney Michelle Elowski in February and charged her with check fraud, non-sufficient funds $500 or more, common law fraud, embezzlement by an agent or trustee $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, and embezzlement of $50,000 or more but less than $100,000.

Police accuse her of embezzling money from clients.

Elowski’s trial was delayed once, but is expected to take place early in 2025.

HUNTING ON THE DECLINE

Across every ZIP code that touches Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, and Alcona counties, the number of residents with a deer hunting license declined by 2% between 2019 and 2023, according to data from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, a continuation of a years-long trend of fewer people heading out to the woods trying to bag that big buck.

Hunting contributes millions of dollars to the region’s economy and helps control the deer population, officials told The News.

With fewer hunters in the woods, economic development officials worry about the economy taking a hit and state wildlife officials said too many deer can damage the habitat of other animals and make it easier for invasive species to thrive.

COMMUNITY MOURNS AFTER U.S.-23 CRASHES

Two crashes in Alpena on U.S.-23 claimed four lives this year.

The first crash happened in February on U.S.-23 North when a truck crashed into a Thunder Bay Transportation Authority bus. The driver of the shuttle and a passenger of the truck both died in the wreck.

The second crash happened in March on U.S.-23 South. A pair of pickup trucks collided head-on, killing two people. Police said a witness to the wreck said one of the trucks appeared to be driving over the speed limit and weaving prior to the crash.

STATE KILLS ROGER THE ELK

A young bull elk, affectionately named Roger by the residents of Rogers City when it decided to hang out in the small city in 2023, returned in fall 2024.

The elk became a public attraction as people from Rogers City and beyond visited the small town hoping to catch a glimpse of the animal and grab a photo.

In October, the feel-good story took a dark turn as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources decided to euthanize the animal, claiming Roger had become aggressive toward humans and habituated to his new surroundings, losing his instinctual fear of people.

Residents were furious over the decision to kill Roger and wanted answers on why the elk couldn’t have been moved or kept in a preserve. The DNR said that, because the elk had become habituated, he would likely roam to another town or hang out at campgrounds.

State Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, who represents Northeast Michigan, called for an investigation into the DNR’s handling of the situation.

STURGEON KEPT OFF ENDANGERED LIST

The federal government earlier this year considered listing lake sturgeon as an endangered species, which could have stopped the popular fishing season on Black Lake near Onaway.

In late March, U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, introduced the Michigan Sturgeon Protected and Exempt from Absurd Regulations Act, or Michigan SPEAR Act, which would prevent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services from listing Michigan lake sturgeon as an endangered species.

In the end, Fish and Wildlife determined lake sturgeon will not be listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Management efforts, such as fish stocking, have contributed to the conservation of the species.

OLLIES, ALDI COME TO TOWN

In May, The News confirmed that Ollie’s Bargain Outlet would open a store in Alpena in the Thunder Bay Shopping Center. The store opened early in November.

Alpena also welcomed a new Aldi store on M-32 this year. The new grocery store opened in June next to a new Hampton Inn under construction.

2024 ELECTIONS

In August, voters in Alpena County renewed the property tax that funds the county library but decided against a proposed property tax hike for Alpena County.

County officials said the county needed the additional tax revenue to stabilize the county budget, which faced a more than $1 million shortfall.

In November, the county tried again to get the tax proposal across the finish line, but, once again, it failed narrowly. The county board slashed several jobs to help balance the budget.

Voters this year also shook up the Alpena Public Schools Board of Education by ousting longtime trustee Gordon Snow and changed leadership in Alpena Township by replacing supervisor Nathan Skibbe.

DPI CLOSES, CITY REZONES PROPERTY

In February, one of Alpena’s largest employers unexpectedly closed its doors.

Decorative Panels International announced its closure and informed employees just moments before locking the doors and placing security in front of the plant’s entrance.

The Alpena community rallied to help the workers who lost their jobs and many local manufacturers hired many of them.

Earlier this month, the Alpena Municipal Council rezoned the property along the shores of Thunder Bay from heavy industrial to lakefront, opening the doors for mixed-use development.

DPI threatened to sue the city if the council rezoned the property, saying the new zoning would make the property more difficult to sell.

An auction for the DPI property is scheduled for late January.

BAGLEY, 2ND AVENUE RENOVATED

Two major road projects disrupted traffic in Alpena in 2024.

Officials closed Bagley Street for much of the summer for milling and resurfacing nearly an entire mile of roadway.

Also in the summer, officials closed 2nd Avenue for a large water, sewer, and road project.