News Photo by Crystal Nelson Patrick LaBrecque, of Flushing, front, and Tom Lancaster, of Gaylord, sight in their guns Friday at the Alpena Sportsmen’s Club.

Courtesy Photo Pictured left to right are: top row: Wyatt Smith, Kalie Spragg, Mya Klimczak, Hunter Ballor, Lauren Kinsel and Clara Newhouse; bottom row: Ciarrae Gagnon, Grace Male, Brooke McKenzie, Marissa Powell and Kiera Werth.

Courtesy Photo Members of the Alpena Equestrian Team are pictured at districts in Gaylord. Pictured left to right are: Kalie Spragg, Kiera Werth, Wyatt Smith, Hunter Ballor, Mya Klimczak, Cirrae Gagnon, Brooke McKenzie, Lauren Kinsel, Grace Male, Marissa Powell, Clara Newhouse and Savannah Avent.

Courtesy Photo Pictured left to right are: top: Coach Amber Hibbler, Wyatt Smith, Kalie Spragg, Mya Klimczak, Hunter Ballor, Lauren Kinsel, Clara Newhouse, and coach Jenna Donajkowski; bottom: Cirrae Gagnon, Grace Male, Brooke McKenzie, Marissa Powell, Kiera Werth and Kayla Fras.

Courtesy Photo Besser Museum Education Coordinator Amanda Kucharek smiles for the camera as she puts the finishing touches on one of the trees in the 2020 Season of Light display.

Courtesy Photo DPI-Alpena employees on Thursday donated 800 Face Shields to the Alpena City and Township Fire Departments. Here, members of the City of Alpena Fire Department pose with the boxes of face shields.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Officer Ryan Wisely shows off his once-a-year beard outside the Rogers City Police Department on Thursday.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Alpena Building Department Clerk Paddi LaCross is seen at her City Hall desk on Thursday.

Courtesy Photo Downtown merchant The Local Basket Case will be one of the participants in Wednesday’s Virtual Shopping Night sponsored by the Alpena Downtown Development Authority. Above, a shopper peruses the merchandise at The Local Basket Case.

Courtesy Photo Downtown merchant Soaps and Such will be one of the participants in Wednesday’s Virtual Shopping Night sponsored by the Alpena Downtown Development Authority. Above is an ornament filled with handmade natural soap, lotion and chapstick from Soaps and Such.

News photo by Crystal Nelson Vietnam Veteran Jim Farrar is pictured with his wife Deborah Farrar, and one of his sons, William Farrar after being awarded a Quilt of Valor Wednesday night at Caledonia Township Hall in Spruce.

News photo by Crystal Nelson Dianne Rigato, representing Quilts of Valor in Alcona and Iosco counties, cloaks Vietnam Veteran Jim Farrar with a quilt Wednesday night at Caledonia Township Hall in Spruce.

News photo by Crystal Nelson Vietnam Veteran Jim Farrar is pictured with the ladies of the White Pine Quilters Guild of Harrisville, who made the Quilt of Valor he received Wednesday night at Caledonia Township Hall in Spruce.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Tom and Jean Keen place a memorial wrench in front of the white-cross graves of local heroes who died during World War II. A wreath was placed in front of the monuments of those who were lost from all wars, as well as for the missing in action, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and to those impacted from Agent Orange.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz The V.F.W. 2496 Honor Guard did a rifle salute at the end of the annual Veteran Day event Wednesday.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Frank Rosinski, left, was named the 2020 Alpena County Veteran of the Year during the Veteran’s Day ceremony Wednesday. He was presented the award by retired U.S. Army Major General Bert Francisco.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz 26th Circuit Court Judge and U.S. Army Captain Ed Black addresses the crowd at Little Flanders Field during a Veteran’s Day ceremony. Black said he always wanted to serve our country, and was raised to love his country. He finally joined the Army when he was 40 years old.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Aidan Kinsman, 3, plays Pokemon Go! on a smartphone, watched by sister PatienceMarie Kinsman and Amethyst Mann. Police should have access to digital data, as long as they have reasonable cause to extract it, the women said.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Alpena Fire Chief Bill Forbush used a slide show to help explain how a merger of the Alpena Township and Alpena Fire Department would operate. He said the city would benefit from having a large paid on-call first responders who can serve both the township and city, and the township would be able to utilize the city’s full staff of paramedics.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Charter Township of Alpena Fire Chief Dave Robbins made a case to not turn township fire department operations over to the City of Alpena at a special joint meeting of the two municipal boards. Robbins said he is going to fight the issue for his employees. The proposed merger was tabled, but will be revisited at a coming meeting.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Alpena Mayor Matt Waligora supervises as a virtual attendee makes a public comment via computer speaker during an open meeting Tuesday regarding a proposed merger between the Alpena and Alpena Township fire departments.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Alpena councilmen listen as Russ Rhynard speaks during the public comment section at a meeting Tuesday at the APlex.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Former Alpena Township Supervisor Marie Twite speaks to representatives of the township and the city at a meeting Tuesday night that invited comments from the public on a proposed merger between the two communities’ fire departments. Twite expressed concern about the city’s ability to follow through on its intention to take over emergency care of the township.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Alpena Fire Department Chief Bill Forbush explains the timeline for the development of a proposed merger between Alpena and Alpena Township’s fire departments during a presentation Tuesday night at the APlex.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Alpena Township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe and Alpena Fire Department Chief Bill Forbush discuss logistics with Alpena Mayor Matt Waligora before a meeting at the APlex Tuesday night.

News Photo by Julie Riddle About 100 people listen to a presentation about a proposed merger between the fire departments of Alpena and Alpena Township at a meeting at the APlex Tuesday night.

Courtesy Photo U.S. soldiers erect a cross in 1968, believed by some veterans to be the world’s first Vietnam memorial, in this photo taken by Alpena resident Chuck Bennett in the Cha Rang Valley in South Vietnam.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Deputy Christina Bednarski of the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office testifies regarding William James Allen in Alpena’s 88th District Court on Tuesday.

Courtesy Photo Friends Together was awarded a $25,000 grant from State Farm Neighborhood Assist. Pictured above from left to right is Gary Stevens, Abby Bowers, John Knapp, Lesslee Dort, Jim Kollien, Judy Burns, Shelly Gibbs, TJ Hoes, and Bill Mor.

Author Linda Stender and her husband Mark Stender take in a stunning view at McAfee Knob in Virginia during their hike of the Appalachian Trail.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Linda Stender poses with her recently published book, “The Trail Within.”

Courtesy Photo Pictured are Ben Berenkowski, Jarod Goodson, Mike Ziehl, Amanda Socha, Daniel, Cody Evans, Renee MacEwen, Natalie MacEwen, Reagan Alexander, Joan Myles, Paula Kauffman, Victoria LaPointe, Carson LaPointe, Colton LaPointe and Kelly Alexander.

Courtesy Photo Donna Hart is pictured with her dog, Ace, who provided great comfort to her when she returned home after receiving cancer treatments.

Courtesy Photo Students of the Geometry and Construction shop class at Alcona High School work on benches for Huron Pines. The students built 11 wooden benches for Huron Pines’ two nature preserves. Using lessons learned in their math class, students worked in groups to apply those concepts to their hands-on woodworking projects.

Alpena High School cheerleading coach Angel Howard, second from right, pictured here with gymnasts Lena Harrell, Paige Langley, Ashley Bridgewater, Reegan Potter and Trianna Rushton, has been nominated the 2020 Greatmats National Cheer Coach of the Year Award, along with 15 other coaches from 13 states.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Reacting to a blow from a firefighter, the glass window of a vehicle shatters at a training at the Alpena Township Fire Department north side station on Wednesday.

News Photo by Julie Riddle A firefighter saws an opening in the front windshield of a vehicle at a training at the Alpena Township Fire Department north side station on Wednesday.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Firefighters use hydraulic extraction tools to pull doors off a vehicle at a training at the Alpena Township Fire Department north side station on Wednesday.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Firefighters use hydraulic extraction tools to pull doors off a vehicle at a training at the Alpena Township Fire Department north side station on Wednesday.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Firefighters use hydraulic extraction tools to pull doors off a vehicle at a training at the Alpena Township Fire Department north side station on Wednesday.