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ALPENA — The access driveway for Mich-e-ke-wis Park will be closed to all vehicular traffic while improvements to the park, including the installation of the new volleyball courts, are being completed.

Access to this area will be limited for the duration of the construction of the volleyball courts.

Also, the Alpena Municipal Council will vote at its next meeting on Tuesday to move forward with other proposed improvements at the park, which would include a new parking area, and a rain garden storm-water drainage, as well as pedestrian trials.

This closure will also allow for the removal of the existing gravel drive within Mich-e-ke-wis, but the park will remain open throughout the construction process, however, access to areas of the park under construction will be limited.

Construction of the volleyball courts will be completed through volunteer work provided by the Alpena Mixed Volleyball League, and as such, work will not be performed every day. The project is anticipated to take up to a month to complete.

The overall project includes a new paved parking lot and rain garden which will be installed tentatively in September as work is completed on the new clear well project at the water treatment plant.

This delay will eliminate overlapping construction operations which could damage the new road and parking area. The project is being funded through a Michigan Passport Grant, donations acquired by the Alpena Mixed Volleyball League, and the City of Alpena General Fund for a total project cost of $301,200.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.

Audio By Carbonatix

Mondo Duplantis figured out a way to hack the World Athletics bonus system for world records in track and field. The greatest athlete in pole vault history has bills to pay!

He is finally willing to admit what we already knew.

Duplantis already accomplished everything there is to accomplish in track and field. His place in history is already written at the young age of 25 years old. However, there is always room to improve.

And for more money!

The current world record in pole vault is set at 6.28 meters. Duplantis actually set that mark at a Diamond League meet last month. He also set the record before that, and the record before that, and the record before that, and the record before that, and the record before that, and the record before that, and the record before that, and the record before that, and the record before that, and the record before that and the record before that. 12 in a row.

Mondo Duplantis broke Renaud Lavillenie’s record at 6.17 meters in 2020. It has been a nonstop one-centimeter increase ever since. 6.18 meters, 6.19 meters, 6.20 meters, etc. All the way to 6.28.

Here is where the financial side of his world records comes into play. World Athletics grants any athlete in track and field with a $100,000 bonus when he or she breaks a world record.

Duplantis broke 12 world records over the last five+ years for a grand total of $1,200,000!

We all know what he is doing with this extremely slow build. His goal is to rack up as many world records (and paychecks) as he can, one centimeter at a time. As he should!

However, up until very recently, Duplantis had not publicly addressed his world record money hack. Tiara Williams of Real Talk With Tee finally got him to talk.

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POCATELLO — Idaho State University has released its 2025 volleyball schedule, which includes a home opener against Northern Arizona University on Sept. 27.

The schedule, posted to the team’s social media pages this week, features just eight home games.

Grab your calendar ?️

The complete 2025 Idaho State Volleyball schedule is here#RoarBengalsRoar pic.twitter.com/O8vYyu2srf

— Idaho State VB (@IdahoStateVB) July 8, 2025

The Bengals finished the 2024 season with a 21-10 overall record and an 11-5 conference record, good enough for second in the the Big Sky, behind Northern Colorado (14-2). ISU will meet the Bears just once this season, in Greeley, Colo. on Nov. 13.

ISU Rivalry home games include an Oct. 9 visit from the University of Idaho and an Oct. 17 showdown with Weber State.

The Bengals will finish the regular season with back-to-back home matches, against Montana State on Nov. 19 and University of Montana on Nov. 21.

Football schedule tweaked

ISU will now be playing a Week 0 game.

Following one minor change to their 2025 schedule, the Bengals visit to Las Vegas and UNLV will be on Aug. 23, instead of Sept. 13. This adjustment means that the Bengals will play in one of just five Week 0 games, headlined by a matchup between Iowa State and Kansas State.

A start time of the Bengal-Rebel game is yet to be determined.

ISU will now have a bye on Sept. 13. The rest of their schedule remains the same.

Small schedule change, Same Goal ?#ROAR pic.twitter.com/dSYERCnyTU

— Idaho State Football (@BengalGridiron) July 7, 2025