Kinross News

A man and woman are wanted for cashing several counterfeit check in the eastern Upper Peninsula.

An update today on a check scam that appears to be spreading throughout Northern Michigan.

By Christina Rohn News-Review Staff Writer

She describes her nephew as a “hero.”

Kendra Griffin, a Petoskey resident and Wal-Mart optician, said she always knew her 24-year-old nephew, Sgt. Christopher T. Griffin, would join the Army.

“He was a Civil War buff — he liked to watch the History Channel,” she said. “He always wanted to be a soldier.”

But Kendra, and her sister, Kerri Causley, a Petoskey resident, department manager of cosmetics at Wal-Mart and Christopher’s mother, were not prepared for what would come next.

On Oct. 3, Christopher, a Kincheloe resident and 2004 graduate of Rudyard High School, died in combat in Afghanistan, along with seven other U.S. soldiers, when hundreds of insurgents, armed with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, attacked their remote outpost near the Pakistan border, in what military officials are calling the deadliest assault against U.S. forces in more than one year. (MORE)

The Mascoma plant in Rome is expected to quadruple its production capabilities over the course of the next two years - likely resulting in five to 10 new jobs, said Justin van Rooyen, senior director of business development for Mascoma.

An out-of-state church group is coming to Chippewa County to help people bundle up this winter.

Mascoma teams with Chevron to turn ethanol byproduct into diesel and jet fuel

Soon after announcing funding for Soane Energy —a company working to clean up its oil extraction projects — Chevron released news that it will partner (PDF) with biofuel maker Mascoma to turn lignin, a byproduct of ethanol production, into diesel and jet fuel.

If the technology takes hold, it could nearly double the productivity and efficiency of ethanol plants. This is important, considering the national emphasis on ethanol derived from agricultural sources like corn and other feedstocks. Critics of ethanol says that the process used to make it is just as dirty and wasteful as using gasoline. With Mascoma’s technology, bioefuel producers may be able to change their minds.

Raquel McClendon of Kincheloe will compete for the title of MISS MICHIGAN USA 2010.

The 2010 MISS MICHIGAN USA competition is slated for September 18-19, 2009 in Port Huron, Michigan. Port Huron will soon welcome nearly 100 outstanding young women representing every corner and every major city in Michigan. Plans for the state competition are in the final stages.

"We are overwhelmed by the response and caliber of all the participants from Michigan," Melissa Pitchford, Executive Director with the Miss Universe Organization said. “There is not better opportunity for ambitious young women out there today. The MISS MICHIGAN USA competition offers women in the state of Michigan an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to advance their personal and professional goals. The MISS MICHIGAN USA and the MISS MICHIGAN TEEN USA Pageants will be offering over one million dollars in college scholarships to be awarded to the winners, finalists and semi-finalists!

We are looking for people or businesses to help sponsor Raquel McClendon who is competing in the Miss Michigan USA 2010 pageant this fall. Raquel was the winner of the Miss Michigan Teen USA 2006 and was last year’s 1st runner up in the Miss Michigan USA 2009 pageant. Please reply to this email if you are interested in helping. Contributions can also be mailed to:

Raquel McClendon c/o Joe and Pauline Paczkowski 3 Parkside Drive Kincheloe, MI 49788 (906)440-0711

The time many in Chippewa County have been dreading is almost here-- Hiawatha Correctional Facility in Kincheloe closes tomorrow, Saturday.

Staff at Hiawatha Correctional Facility in Kincheloe found out today they're one of three prisons in the state scheduled to close.