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[ "Blake Bacho" ]

[ "Failed motions and slim margins were common throughout the Bedford Township Board appointment process.\nThe first meeting of the new year for Bedford Township’s Board of Trustees was very similar to its final meeting of 2020, as appointments to the township’s various boards and commissions led to another lengthy and often contentious session.\nThe virtual meeting on Jan. 5 lasted well over three hours, as appointments were made to the township’s Fire Department Board of Appeal, Grant and Loans Committee, Green Initiatives Committee, Lewis Avenue Redevelopment Committee, Library Advisory Board, Fire Advisory Board, Housing Commission, Construction Code Board of Appeals, Grant Writing Committee, Downtown Development Authority, Board of Review and Communication/Media Commission.\nFailed motions and slim margins were common throughout Tuesday’s voting, with the Lewis Ave. Redevelopment Committee among the biggest points of contention. The board unanimously appointed Sam Jabro, John Groll, Mike Fisher and Brett Jandasek, but Mark Ellsworth and Geoff Joseph were appointed by 5-2 votes with supervisor Paul Pirrone and trustee Craig Montri voting ’no’ both times. Kristi Mirra was appointed with a 6-1 vote with Pirrone the lone ’no’.\nPirrone and Montri attempted to have several former members re-appointed for second terms, arguing that their experience would benefit the committee. The rest of the board expressed a desire to appoint fresh faces, a philosophy they say is in keeping with the spirit of the township’s policy on committee appointments that says new applicants should get preference over committee members seeking re-appointment.\nFollowing the appointments, Pirrone announced that he’d be stepping down as board liaison to the committee and nominated trustee Joe Gore as his successor. Gore’s appointment was unanimously approved.\n“Quite frankly, two of the people (this board) has put on (the committee) I have real issues with personally, and I think a couple of you already know that,” Pirrone said in announcing his decision to step down as liaison. “I’m going to have a hard time working with people that I have real, personal issues with.”\nPirrone and Montri also broke with their peers on appointments to the Library Advisory Board, arguing that new appointees needed to have at least some construction background due to ongoing and planned improvements to the Bedford Branch Library.\n“This board is in construction mode,” Pirrone said. “They are doing a lot of work now and in the future, a lot of planning, the boilers, landscaping, carpet, the reconstruction of the front desk in there. We need people that have some construction backgrounds.”\n“The typical role of that advisory board is very different within this five-year window as opposed to normal, before the (library) millage and after the millage,” added Montri, who serves as the liaison to the advisory board. “...You need different kinds of backgrounds, different kinds of people in these situations.”\nHarry Lambers was unanimously reappointed to a second term. Ashley Owens Libstorff and Dee Ellsworth were each appointed to first terms by 5-2 votes, with Pirrone and Montri the lone ’no’ votes.\nGore and clerk Trudy Hershberger pointed to Libstorff’s background working in both school and public libraries when explaining why they feel she will be a good fit on the advisory board.\n“I was a liaison to the library board for many years, through millages and no millages, and I’ve picked someone that, as a liaison to the board in past years, I think will be a perfect fit,” Hershberger said.\n“We’re getting a valuable asset that has worked in libraries before and knows the system, so she’ll be fine,” Gore added.\nGore said that Ellsworth, a retired schoolteacher and longtime Bedford resident, “cares about this community deeply.”\n“I think she’s absolutely a valuable asset for the library board,” Gore said. “She truly, truly cares...”\nAs he did at the board’s last meeting, Pirrone again nominated Joe Fike to fill the open seat on the township’s Planning Commission. The motion failed 2-5 with the supervisor and Montri again the lone ’yes’ votes. During discussion preceding the vote, Gore noted that, per state law, only the chief elected official of a municipality has the power to appoint members of the planning commission, subject to approval by the majority of the municipality’s legislative body.\nPirrone confirmed Gore’s point, and added that the law also applies to the board’s liaison to the commission. To that end, he informed trustee Rick Steiner that he could not serve as liaison until officially nominated by Pirrone approved by township vote.\nSteiner took umbrage with Pirrone’s remarks, accusing the supervisor of “playing politics.\nSteiner said the board had already approved him as liaison at its previous meeting, and he had already attended one planning commission meeting in an official capacity. He also questioned why the supervisor requested the planning department conduct an interview with Fike to see if he would be a good fit for the commission when no other applicants had been offered that opportunity.\n“Now you’re playing politics, and you and Mr. Montri have done it all evening long,” Steiner said. “We’ve seen the back and forth between the two of you... You guys sit there and accuse other board members of certain things, and you have no basis and no background...”\n“It was obvious this board knew what was going down, and this board still does know what was going down, other than pretty much Craig and I,” Pirrone replied.\nWhile there were other applicants for the open seat on the planning commission, Pirrone opted not to nominate anyone else after his failed motion to appoint Fike. The board instead voted unanimously to appoint departing member Dennis Jenkins to fill the position through the rest of the month, or until a permanent replacement is appointed.\n“We should have been appointing a permanent person,” Steiner said.\nBoard comments were largely focused on the friction that has marred the governing body’s last three meetings. Steiner reiterated his disappointment in the politics that he believes have been at play, while Montri reiterated comments he made last meeting, saying that \"choosing to appoint or not appoint someone to a board for no other reason than to spite the supervisor is not only unbecoming, I believe it is a slap in a face to those who voted you into office.“\nNeither Hershberger nor treasurer Krista Jandasek initially commented on the board dynamics, but they responded to comments Pirrone made characterizing the relationship between the three as “extremely toxic.”\n“To say it’s been rough around this township hall the last couple of weeks is a total understatement,” Pirrone said. “I’d be lying if I said myself, and Trudy and Krista were getting along at all; We’re not. I hope and I pray we can start working together, and build trust...”\n“I want to work with you as well... We can’t always be at each other’s throats,” Jandasek replied. “Unfortunately you think you get the last say, but I want to say my piece out there as well and let people know it’s not just Trudy and I.”\n“I have come to you and tried to talk to you, and you didn’t want to talk,” Hershberger added. “This door is swinging both ways... The office is very toxic, yes, and we do need to get along for the betterment of this township. But it’s very hard at times, very hard.”", "Appointments continue to cause rift in Bedford Twp." ]

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[ "Shortly, the U.S. Senate will start Donald Trump’s impeachment trial after his unprecedented effort to illegally keep the presidency after his defeat. His debunked \"Stop the Steal\" campaign polarized the nation. His rally speech resulted in an attack against the Capitol with five dead. His call to Georgia’s Secretary of State to \"find\" more votes attempted to disenfranchise 5 million Georgia voters. If these crimes are not impeachable, what would be?\nYet, despite inciting a seditious and violent mob, his crooked Georgia phone call, and his false claims of stolen elections; the articles of impeachment failed to capture the worst of it.\nHis dereliction of responsibility during the COVID-19 pandemic was far worse. The United States is 4 percent of the world’s population but suffered 20 percent of the world’s COVID-19 deaths. It is projected that by next month we will have lost 500,000 souls to this disease. The virus’ death rate is now equivalent to a 9/11 attack every day.\nThis was not fate. This worst-in-class failure falls squarely on Donald Trump’s indifference, misdirection, and lying, which directly cost fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends, and neighbors their lives.\nMany of his actions accelerated the spread of the disease: he denied it, he jeered at life-saving steps such as mask-wearing and social distancing, he held super-spreader rallies, and he failed to provide necessary tests, supplies, equipment, data gathering, and direction. While muzzling scientists within his administration, he offered dangerous unscientific remedies and spent his time in self-praise and conspiracy theories. His indifference to this viral attack killed more Americans than WWII. Is that not a crime?\nThe articles of impeachment are enough to convict this president, even though his worst crimes were not included. In February, the senators will show whether their constant talk of justice and truth matches their actions.\nRichard Kamischke\nGrand Haven Township", "Letter: Will talk of justice convert to action?", "Shortly, the U.S. Senate will start Donald Trump’s impeachment trial after his unprecedented effort to illegally keep the presidency after his defeat. His debunked \"Stop the Steal\" campaign polarized the nation. His rally speech resulted in an attack against the Capitol with five dead. His call to Georgia’s Secretary of State to \"find\" more votes attempted to disenfranchise 5 million Georgia voters. If these crimes are not impeachable, what would be?Yet, despite inciting a seditious" ]

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[ "Jameson Chesser’s favorite play for the Lenawee Christian Cougars is called Gator.\n\"I like our sweep and jet sweep or motion, but on ‘Gator,’ I really love watching my line do the work,\" Chesser said. \"It’s sort of up the middle. It’s really fun to watch it happen right in front of me, watching them move bodies and get the work done.\"\nChesser and his Cougar teammates will have at least one more chance to run Gator and a wide variety of other plays that head coach Bill Wilharms has put into the LCS playbook this weekend when they take on Martin in the 8-Player Division 1 state semifinals. The game is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Adrian College. The winner gets to the 8-Player state finals January 16 at a site to be determined against the Indian River Indian Lakes (8-1) vs. Suttons Bay (9-0) semifinal.\nFor the Cougars, it's been a remarkable season already.\nLCS has made a seamless transition from 11-player to 8-player football. The team is 9-0 and averaging 55.3 points a game. The Cougars have been even more dominating as the season has gone on – they have won by scores of 56-0, 78-25 and 49-0 in three playoff games.\nChesser said it was an unknown world when LCS entered the 8-Player division this season and then, without a summer to hone their skills, the players had to jump in when practice started in August.\n\"It’s different in the run game for sure,\" he said. \"Once the line does what they do, it just opens up that field for a lot of different things.\"\nChesser presents all sorts of problems for opponents from his running, receiving, passing, special teams and defense. He has scored 32 touchdowns and scored 209 points.\nMartin head coach Brad Blauvelt recognizes Chesser’s game-changing ability.\n\"He’s our biggest concern,\" the third-year Martin coach said. \"He’s the person we will be keying on the most.\"\nThe Cougars have other weapons in its record-setting offense. Landon Gallant has thrown for 1,126 yards. Elliott Addleman, Collin Davis and Clay Ayers are more than capable receiving threats and lineman Joey Breckel and Koby Kegerreis were all-state choices.\nMartin made the move to 8-Player football in 2019, going 10-1 and losing to eventual state champion Colon in the Regional final. This season the Clippers forfeited Week 4 to Lawrence and has gone 7-0 on the field and accepted on forfeit for an 8-1 record.\nThey are led by quarterback/defensive back Gabe Meyers and running back/linebacker Brayden Eckman.\n\"They have a very dynamic offense,\" Wilharms said.\nIn seven games, Meyers has rushed 86 times for 1,011 yards and 12 touchdowns while throwing for 702 yards and 13 touchdowns.\n\"He’s the leader of our offense,\" Blauvelt said. \"He didn’t play or played very limited reps in three of our seven games during the second half. His ability to run and throw makes him a problem for defenses each week.\"\nThe Clippers rushed for 2,097 yards this season. Eckman averaged 9.5 yards a carry as a running back. A lot of those yards were behind 6-0, 260-pound offensive lineman Thomas Osenbaugh.\n\"Brayden brings power and speed to the running back position,\" Blauvelt said. \"He is our go-to on short yardage, runs hard and rarely goes down on first contact.\"\nMeyers and Eckman both received all-state recognition for defense. Meyers had 42 tackles and two interceptions as a safety while Eckman made 48.5 tackles, had 13 tackles for loss, recovered four fumbles and had three interceptions. Sophomore middle linebacker Junior Hildebrand is also stout in the middle of the Clipper defense.\n\"The defense is based around the blitz and they are very fast,\" Wilharms said.\nBlauvelt said Martin returned to practice last week fired up and ready to take on LCS, who finished the regular season as the No. 1 ranked team in 8-Player football.\n\"We have to win some of the one-on-one matchups and execute,\" he said. \"They are a really good football team. We’ve watched a month and half of film on them. We have a good game plan; we just have to execute it.\"", "Chasing down a championship: LCS preparing for 8-man semifinal matchup", "Jameson Chesser’s favorite play for the Lenawee Christian Cougars is called Gator.\"I like our sweep and jet sweep or motion, but on ‘Gator,’ I really love watching my line do the work,\" Chesser said. \"It’s sort of up the middle. It’s really fun to watch it happen right in front of me, watching them move bodies and get the work done.\"Chesser and his Cougar teammates will have at least one more chance to run Gator and a wide variety of other plays that head coach" ]

[ "Arpan Lobo" ]

[ "WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga again said Tuesday night during a telephone town hall he will not object to the certification of Michigan’s electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden when Congress certifies the Electoral College’s votes Jan. 6.\nHuizenga, R-Zeeland, said after hours of extensive research conducted by his office, no credible evidence of widespread election fraud in Michigan was found.\nHe said the same during a December town hall after the Supreme Court declined to hear a lawsuit challenging election results in Michigan and other states won by Biden.\nHuizenga and more than 100 other congressional Republicans signed in support of the lawsuit.\nHowever, he did not rule out objecting to other state’s certification if credible evidence of fraud appeared. To date, there has been no credible evidence of election fraud taking place in the U.S. during the Nov. 2020 election.\n\"Short of additional evidence coming out between now and tomorrow, I do not plan to vote to to reject Michigan's electors,\" Huizenga said.\n\"That is not the same story necessarily for other states. What I have said about other states is that I want to hear the evidence coming out of Pennsylvania, I want to hear the evidence coming out of Arizona and other states that may be challenged.\"\nAs of writing, Michigan Republican Reps. Jack Bergman and Tim Walberg have announced they intend to reject Michigan’s election results. Republican freshman Rep. Lisa McLain has also indicated she will reject the state’s results.\nHuizenga, fellow West Michigan Republican Rep. Fred Upton, freshman Rep. Peter Meijer, Rep. John Moolenaar and Michigan’s Democratic delegation will vote to certify the state’s 16 electoral votes. .\nDuring the town hall, which lasted just over an hour, Huizenga told constituents that claims over ballot dumping and inflating vote counts in Michigan had no credible evidence, and election systems would have flagged the instances.\nHe cited an affidavit which mentioned polling precincts in his own district, Michigan’s Second, which falsely claimed voter turnout rates multiple times higher than the actual number of voters in places like Zeeland Township. The township went for Huizenga and other top-of-the-ballot Republicans like President Donald Trump and Senate candidate John James.\n\"... I'm not seeing it,\" Huizenga said of the alleged fraud in the affidavit. \"And no one has been able to provide the evidence — a second set of books, or even the numbers coming out of there, that got reported out of Ottawa County. It just isn’t there.\"\nHuizenga said challenging electoral votes without credible evidence would set a precedent for opposing parties to challenge election results in the future.\n\"(It would) also set the precedent for the next (Democratic leadership) Chuck Schumer and the next Nancy Pelosi, when they don't like the electors showing up out of Michigan or any other state, that they can say, ’We don't have to actually follow what the state is sending us,’\" he said.\n— Contact reporter Arpan Lobo at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @arpanlobo.", "Huizenga reiterates he won’t object to Michigan’s electoral vote certification", "WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga again said Tuesday night during a telephone town hall he will not object to the certification of Michigan’s electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden when Congress certifies the Electoral College’s votes Jan. 6.Huizenga, R-Zeeland, said after hours of extensive research conducted by his office, no credible evidence of widespread election fraud in Michigan was found.He said the same during a December town hall after the Supreme Court" ]

[ "Don Reid", "Don Reid Dwreid Aol.Com" ]

[ "BRANCH COUNTY — There are COVID-19 vaccine clinics scheduled for Branch County in the next two weeks, but chances of getting an appointment are gone.\nHealth Officer Rebecca Burns said \"the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is asking for patience as scheduling for COVID-19 vaccine appointments become available to category 1B and 65-74 year old’s. COVID-19 vaccine supply remains limited. \"\nA clinic at the Dearth Center in Coldwater will take place today, but only 80 appointments were available for the eight-hour program. Those were quickly filled. Another is set for next Thursday with 80 slots. Those are filled.\n\"More clinics will be posted on our website as they become available,\" Burns said. \"These mass vaccination clinics are by appointment only. Appointments are only open to people who live and work in the tri-county area and can be made using the online scheduler on our website at www.bhsj.org and clicking on the yellow banner. Individuals without access to the internet can call our office for assistance with scheduling at 517-279-9561 option #7.\"\nWhile the state has a dashboard that shows vaccines sent to each county, it includes those sent to hospitals. It does not include those to long-term care facilities under contracts with CVS and Walgreens pharmacies.\nThe state showed 1,875 doses to St. Joseph County, 900 to Branch and 3,025 to Hillsdale for a total 5,800 doses.\nSince Dec. 22, the health agency itself has received 1,575 doses for the tri-county area. While the state lists them going to each county, Burns said the agency can move them where needed.\nBranch County did not receive any Pfizer vaccine which went to Hillsdale County where it has access to an ultra cold freezer. Pfizer vaccine will be brought to Coldwater Dearth Center for the Thursday vaccinations. A total of 160 shots over two weeks.\n\"At least 30,000 more individuals in Branch, Hillsdale, and St. Joseph counties are now eligible for vaccination,\" Burns said. \"This includes people 65 years of age and older and frontline, essential workers with frequent or ongoing exposure as a part of their work, including first responders, police officers, jail and prison staff, pre-K-12 teachers and educational staff, and workers in childcare centers and protective services.\"", "COVID-19 vaccinations underway, slots filled", "BRANCH COUNTY — There are COVID-19 vaccine clinics scheduled for Branch County in the next two weeks, but chances of getting an appointment are gone.Health Officer Rebecca Burns said \"the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is asking for patience as scheduling for COVID-19 vaccine appointments become available to category 1B and 65-74 year old’s. COVID-19 vaccine supply remains limited. \"A clinic at the Dearth Center in Coldwater will take place today, but only 80" ]

[ "Carolyn Muyskens" ]

[ "ALLEGAN COUNTY — The Allegan County Health Department begins vaccinations of healthcare workers next week.\nThe first to be vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus at health department clinics will be medical workers who do not work in hospital settings, starting with paramedics and EMTs. Next up will be other non-hospital healthcare workers, such as dentists and their staff, workers at doctors' offices and urgent care workers.\nLindsay Maunz, public information officer for ACHD, said the department would hold three immunization clinics a week. Vaccinations are by appointment only.\nWith two immunization nurses and dozens of clinical and non-clinical volunteers signed up to help run the clinics, ACHD will have the capacity to vaccinate about 80 people per day for now, she said, although they will be able to increase capacity if necessary.\nStaff and volunteers who will be administering COVID-19 vaccines are receiving their first doses of vaccine this week, Maunz said.\nLast week the department received its first shipment of 500 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, one of two COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved for emergency use by the federal Food and Drug Administration.\nOther health departments and hospitals in West Michigan received shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which was approved by the FDA one week earlier.\nThe Moderna vaccine is currently only authorized for people ages 18 and up, whereas the Pfizer vaccine received approval for ages 16 and up.\nMaunz said ACHD is still exploring whether it will be able to also administer the Pfizer vaccine in the future. Some challenges with the Pfizer vaccine include the ultra-cold temperatures needed to store the vials and the shelf-life of the vaccine, which is distributed in trays of 975 doses.\n\"That age group of 16- and 17-year-olds who may be working in essential places, such as grocery stores and nursing homes, we want to be able to provide the vaccine for them as well,\" Maunz said. \"We're still planning that out and the logistics that that will entail.\"\nThe Moderna vaccine requires two doses given 28 days apart to be most effective.\nMaunz said vaccinations for the first priority group, Phase 1A, are expected to take several weeks.\nIn mid-January, when the health department’s next shipment of vaccine is expected to arrive, the vaccine may be made available to the next priority group, 1B, which includes frontline essential workers such as teachers, utility workers and public safety staff such as police and firefighters who are not also EMTs.\nACHD is using an online form to collect contact information from people who would like to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to them.\nThe form, \"I want the COVID-19 vaccine,\" is available at allegancounty.org/covid. The health department will notify people who have filled out the form when the vaccine is available to them and send instructions for how to make an appointment to receive the vaccine.\nThe responses to the form will also help ACHD plan the logistics of future phases of vaccine distribution.\nThose who do not have internet access or are unable to complete the online form can call the ACHD's COVID-19 hotline at 269-686-4546 to provide their information.\n— Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens.", "Allegan County COVID-19 vaccine clinic opens next week", "ALLEGAN COUNTY — The Allegan County Health Department begins vaccinations of healthcare workers next week.The first to be vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus at health department clinics will be medical workers who do not work in hospital settings, starting with paramedics and EMTs. Next up will be other non-hospital healthcare workers, such as dentists and their staff, workers at doctors' offices and urgent care workers.Lindsay Maunz, public information officer for ACHD, said the" ]

[ "Kris Lodes", "Kris Lodes Daily Telegram Sports Editor" ]

[ "ADRIAN — When the 2020 college baseball season was shutdown, it couldn’t have been a worse time for Adrian College.\nNot that there is ever a good time for pandemic to hit, but the for the Bulldogs they were beginning to hit their stride on the diamond with an experienced group poised to make a tournament run.\nMuch of the senior class from 2020 accepted the NCAA’s offer for an extra year of eligibility and are back to finish what they started last season.\n\"We really started to play well and beat some really good teams,\" said Craig Rainey, who enters his 28th season as head coach. \"Things were really starting to come together and to get shutdown was really disappointing.\n\"We’re fortunate we have a great group guys.\"\nThat group of guys returned to Adrian last week and began practice for the first time since mid-November and the Bulldogs are poised to have a memorable season with a strong group of upperclassmen, pitching depth and a few newcomers looking to make an impact on the lineup.\nMost of the class of 2020 will return for another shot a senior season including Rainey’s son and Madison graduate Gunner Rainey (2019 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year) behind the plate, outfielders Tristan Richardson and Brady Wood, infielder Brandon Baldus and pitchers Pierce Banks and Spencer Ford.\n\"(Gunner) has grown up around baseball,\" coach Rainey said. \"He’s been in a dugout since he was diapers, so it’s always good from that standpoint. He’s just staring to grow into that role as a catcher.\n\"Having Brady (Wood) back, Tristan (Richardson) back and (junior shortstop) Tommy Miller back, those guys who are now four and five year guys is invaluable experience wise.\"\nWhile the lineup is deep with experience, the pitching rotation is as well.\nBanks was off to a great start in his 2020 senior season as he went 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA.\nAlongside Banks is 2019 MIAA Pitcher of the Year Maxwell Denny and Mo Hanley, who happens to be one of the top MLB prospects in the nation.\nDuring the offseason, Hanley was ranked 37th in D1baseball.com’s list of the top 100 college prospects in the nation.\n\"He’s been all the way to 97 (mph) in the fall,\" Rainey said. \"He threw for the first time off the mound last week since the fall and was at 92-94 so that’s encouraging. His command, being a guy who has only pitched for four years, this year it has taken a step forward.\"\nAdrian has sent a couple guys into the minors with shortstop Ryan Dorow getting drafted in 2017 by the Texas Rangers Tommy Parsons getting picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018 as an undrafted free agent.\nBoth Dorow and Parsons have been promoted and in their organizations with Parsons reaching the Cardinals’ alternate site during the 2020 season and finishing 2019 in Triple-A.\n\"They are two different guys and it’s hard to compare them,\" Rainey said. \"Tommy has been a pitcher his whole life, threw 3-4 pitches for strikes, competed and knew how to maneuver his way through a lineup.\n\"Mo (who is a lefty) is really just touching the surface of what he can be. His velocity is what makes him, I don’t think there is another guy in Division III who can throw 95-97 mph. His size, he’s now 6-foot-3.5 and 220-225 pounds. They are both really good in the way they go about their business.\"\nThe core of the Bulldogs group is filled with veteran leaders, but they’ll also look to some newcomers to step up in a big way.\n\"Angel Gutierrez will probably hit in the middle of our lineup and play third on most days,\" Rainey said. \"AJ Miranda is another sophomore who was getting playing time last year before we were shutdown.\n\"We have two freshman from Tampa, Florida who were on ESPN’s No. 1 ranked team in the nation last year, Tampa Jesuit, they won a state championship. Those two guys, Joe Casale (OF/INF) and Tripp Russo (pitcher), we will look to perform throughout the season. We have some young guys who are going to play big roles if we’re going accomplish the goals we want to accomplish.\"", "Back for more: AC baseball poised for another run with experienced group", "ADRIAN — When the 2020 college baseball season was shutdown, it couldn’t have been a worse time for Adrian College.Not that there is ever a good time for pandemic to hit, but the for the Bulldogs they were beginning to hit their stride on the diamond with an experienced group poised to make a tournament run.Much of the senior class from 2020 accepted the NCAA’s offer for an extra year of eligibility and are back to finish what they started last season.\"We really started to" ]

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[ "Patricia Ann Major notice to creditors\nPAID PUBLIC NOTICE\nSTATE OF MICHIGAN\nPROBATE COURT\nCOUNTY OF MONROE\nNOTICE TO CREDITORS\nDecedent’s Estate\nFILE NO. 2021-0004-DE\nEstate of\nPATRICIA ANN MAJOR\nDeceased\nDate of birth: 10/06/1936\nTO ALL CREDITORS:\nNOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Patricia Ann Major, died 07/16/2001.\nCreditors of the decedent are notified that all CLAIMS against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jennifer Carter, personal representative, or to both the probate court at Monroe County Courthouse, 106 E. First Street, Monroe, MI 48161 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice.\nDated: 01/11/2021\nJennifer Carter\nPersonal representative\n3246 Elmwood St.\nMonroe, MI 48162\n734-770-5336\nSteven T. Jedinak P73959\nAttorney-at-Law\n2 East First Street, Suite #207\nMonroe, MI 48161\n734-682-5702\nJANUARY 21, 2021", "Patricia Ann Major notice to creditors" ]

[ "Daily Telegram Staff" ]

[ "Village issued the boil advisory after a water main break occurred last week; water samples came back negative for bacteria, other pathogens.\nDEERFIELD — A water main break in the village of Deerfield was remedied last week, and testing of the water showed that no harmful bacteria is present in the village’s water system.\nA water main break Jan. 14 left the entire village without water for an unknown amount of time last Thursday, the village said in noticed posted online. Water was restored to village residents within a matter of hours following the break, which was caused by a valve failure.\nTo ensure that water was safe for consumption, the village issued a boil water advisory for its residents. Boiling water kills off bacteria that might be present in the water system.\n“Due to a drop in pressure in the Village of Deerfield water supply, bacterial contamination may have occurred in the water system,” a report from the village read. “Bacteria are generally not harmful and are common throughout our environment. Corrective measures are currently being undertaken to correct the situation.”\nWater samples were taken and studied at the Deerfield Water Filtration Plant throughout the course of the boil advisory and over the weekend. As noted on the village’s website, www.deerfieldmichigan.gov, all bacteria samples taken of the water came back negative.\n“The boil water advisory has been lifted,” the website stated.\nWhenever a water system loses pressure for any significant length of time, precautionary measures are recommended, the village’s report said.\nGeneral guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water hotline by calling 800-426-4791. For information about safe drinking water, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov/safewater.", "Boil water advisory for Deerfield lifted" ]

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[ "Let's manage well the beautiful city that we love and not change it so drastically.\nWe are not in favor of the proposed rezoning changes.\nJohn and Pat DeHaan\nHolland", "Letter: No changes to zoning rules", "Let's manage well the beautiful city that we love and not change it so drastically.We are not in favor of the proposed rezoning changes.John and Pat DeHaanHolland" ]

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[ "In spite of the riot incited by Donald Trump, at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Rep. Bill Huizenga voted \"no\" on impeachment. Did \"Law and Order\" Rep. Huizenga not understand the gravity of the event and the consequences? Five people dead, dozens hospitalized, hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and the lives of legislators and the vice president threatened?\nFortunately for the sake of justice, the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Trump for inciting the riot. Now it is the job of the U.S. Senate to vote Trump guilty and finish its duty. No one is above the law, even the president of the United States.\nIf Trump is found guilty of incitement, he will learn that crime does NOT pay, and he will lose significant perks of retirement:\nAnnual pension of $219,000Former president annual travel expenses of $1 millionFormer first lady annual travel expenses of $500,000Moving expenses up to $900,000Franking privilege — free postageFuneral costs — state funeral and plot at Arlington CemeteryOffice space and staff — millions annually if in Manhattan\nTaxpayers and citizens expect to see justice done. Crime should not pay, even if you are the president.\nBob Bird\nHolland", "Letter: Crime should not pay", "In spite of the riot incited by Donald Trump, at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Rep. Bill Huizenga voted \"no\" on impeachment. Did \"Law and Order\" Rep. Huizenga not understand the gravity of the event and the consequences? Five people dead, dozens hospitalized, hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and the lives of legislators and the vice president threatened?Fortunately for the sake of justice, the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Trump for inciting the riot. Now" ]

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[ "Mabel Marlene Rothman name change\nPAID PUBLIC NOTICE\nSTATE OF MICHIGAN\nPROBATE COURT\nMONROE COUNTY\n38th Circuit Court – Family Division\nPUBLICATION OF\nNOTICE OF HEARING\nFILE NO. 2021-100829-N\nHonorable Frank L. Arnold\nIn the matter of\nMABEL MARLENE ROTHMAN\nTO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS including:\nwhose address(es) are unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following:\nTAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 09:00 a.m. at 106 E. First Street, Monroe, MI 48161 before Judge Frank L. Arnold P-52771 on the petition of Charlotte Warnke requesting a Change of Name for Mabel Marlene Rothman to Mabel Marlene Warnke.\nDated: 1/11/2021\nCharlotte Warnke\nPetitioner\n16889 Milwaukee Rd.\nDundee, MI 48131\nJANUARY 14, 2021", "Mabel Marlene Rothman name change" ]

[ "Ed Symkus More Content Now" ]

[ "There’s a natural border in areas of southern Texas, having nothing to do with any walls. It’s the river known as the Rio Grande, and long stretches of it separate Mexico and the United States. But there are also some border fences north of the river, and myriad geopolitical regulations have resulted in a gap between the two countries. The area, physically in the U.S., is unofficially known as No Man’s Land.\nIt’s the location of the Greer cattle ranch, where Bill and Monica Greer (Frank Grillo and Andie MacDowell) have raised their sons, Lucas, and his younger brother Jackson (Alex MacNicoll and Jake Allyn). They’re a tight-knit, resilient family who love the land and have long-endured the hard work it takes to keep everything going.\nBut times have changed. While Bill and Monica used to leave care packages for the few Mexicans coming north to find work, now there are hordes of them - some stealing Greer cattle, others running guns or selling drugs. Bill and Monica realize that their land is losing value, that danger is everywhere, and they don’t know what to do about it. But they’re happy that Jackson is headed for college in New York, with hopes of someday playing ball for the Yankees. At least he has a chance to get away.\nBut the script written by Allyn and David Barraza, and directed by Allyn’s brother Conor, has different ideas, and they’re not filled with optimism.\nA nighttime raid on the ranch by Mexican rustlers results in Bill and Lucas heading south to get their cattle back. But Jackson is forced to stay on the ranch.\nAt the same time, a small group of Mexicans are moving north, dreaming of a new life in America, led by well-meaning Gustavo (Jorge A. Jimenez), who has brought along his 8-year-old son Fernando (Alessio Valentini), and is accompanied by a troublemaking punk named Enrique (Andrés Delgado). At the moment those going south and those going north meet, Jackson has - against his dad’s wishes - joined them, tensions spike, a knife comes out, as do guns, accidents happen, Fernando is dead, and Lucas is gravely wounded.\nFrom there until the ending, this dramatic and emotional wrenching film slowly brings a few concurrent stories together. Texas Ranger Ramirez (George Lopez) must deal with the situation, and though he’s a decent, honorable man just trying to do his job, everyone around him makes it difficult. Jackson goes on the lam, riding into Mexico; Gustavo is overwhelmed by grief over the loss of his boy; Enrique and his gang of thugs want to kill Jackson. Bill and Monica pray for Lucas to pull through and they worry about Jackson’s welfare.\nIt’s a balanced study of both families in turmoil, with the lawman trying to make things right. With terrific acting from all, and kudos going to Lopez and Jimenez, there’s a standout moment that doesn’t even involve any words: a moving, heartbreaking scene in a hospital of Monica - coming from her vigil at Lucas’ bed - and Gustavo - right after identifying his son’s body - standing together on an elevator, unaware of who each other is.\nMeanwhile, Jackson, hungry and thirsty and running, finds himself on a personal mission that might bring him peace of mind, and Ranger Ramirez is on a mission to bring him home and uphold the law. The script blends in some light moments of good luck and kindness but keeps them tempered by including brief, unsettling shots of Jackson imagining he sees the little boy, visions that haunt him. And don’t forget the presence of vicious Enrique.\nEverything comes to a head when most of the principal characters finally meet up at the climax, and the happyish ending is reached a little too conveniently. But at all works effectively as a thoughtful contemporary Western.\n“No Man’s Land” opens in select theaters and on VOD on Jan. 22.\nEd Symkus can be reached at [email protected].\n“No Man’s Land”\nWritten by Jake Allyn and David Barraza; directed by Conor Allyn\nWith Jake Allyn, Frank Grillo, Jorge A. Jimenez, George Lopez, Alex MacNicoll\nRated PG-13", "Movie review: ‘No Man’s Land’ is a contemporary Western exploring families, violence, and cultural differences", "There’s a natural border in areas of southern Texas, having nothing to do with any walls. It’s the river known as the Rio Grande, and long stretches of it separate Mexico and the United States. But there are also some border fences north of the river, and myriad geopolitical regulations have resulted in a gap between the two countries. The area, physically in the U.S., is unofficially known as No Man’s Land.It’s the location of the Greer cattle ranch, where Bill and" ]

[ "Tracy Beckerman More Content Now" ]

[ "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.\n*****\nI am not a terrible skier, but I am not a particularly good skier either. On the Official Bumbling Ski Scale, I fall somewhere between a 3-year-old on the bunny slopes and those beginner adults you see on the intermediate slopes with their arms flailing wildly and their faces frozen in an expression of sheer panic. Having skied for about 15 years now I can usually manage to get down one of the lesser slopes without careening into either another skier or a tree. Therefore, I am at my best when there are neither other skiers nor trees in my path. And naturally, things can get a little dicey when I encounter both.\nSuch was the case when I hit the slopes over the holidays. I hadn’t been skiing for three years because I’d had a knee replacement, and for some reason, I was under the delusion that my limited ski skills had improved tenfold during my hiatus. Without a second thought, I hopped on the chair lift and skied over to one of the more advanced slopes.\nThis was probably my first mistake. When I got to the top of the trail, I realized the slope was not only steeper than I’d remembered, it was also narrower. It was also much busier than the easier slopes I usually skied. As expert skiers whizzed by me, I wondered if I might be better off feigning an injury so I could get a ride down in a stretcher, before I got an actual injury skiing off a cliff.\nUnfortunately, as I stood there wondering if my will was up to date, I got caught up in a tide of teenage snowboarders who carried me over the edge of the slope. I managed to get about halfway down doing a combination of skiing and sliding and was actually beginning to believe I would make it down alive, when all of a sudden I came upon a wall of skiers. Apparently this group thought it would be fun to ski down the mountain with arms linked, side-by-side, like some kind of special skiing Rockettes. This may, in fact, have been fun for them, but it created a bit of a problem for me since I was going much faster than they were and there was no place for me to pass them. Since I couldn’t go through them and I couldn’t go over them, I did the only thing I could do … I tried to go around them. The good news was, I managed not to hit any of the people in the ski wall. The bad news was, I hit a tree instead.\nDid I mention I’m not very good at stopping, either?\nI guess I should thank that tree for jumping out in front of me like that and helping me stop. However, I think it might have been a softer impact had I slammed into a person rather than a tree.\nSomehow though, somewhat miraculously, I escaped from my tree altercation completely unscathed. As I plucked pine needles from my helmet and confirmed that I had no broken bones, I got back on the slope, which was now less steep and completely uncrowded, and skied down to the bottom.\nWhen I arrived at the base I ran into a friend who was headed for the chair lifts.\n“Hey, is it a good ski day?” she asked me.\n“I don’t know,” I said, “But it’s a great day for careening into a tree.”\nYou can follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyBeckerman and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LostinSuburbiaFanPage.", "Lost in Midlife column: Skiing by the seat of your pants", "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.*****I am not a terrible skier, but I am not a particularly good skier either. On the Official Bumbling Ski Scale, I fall somewhere between a 3-year-old on the bunny slopes and those beginner adults you see on the intermediate slopes with their arms flailing wildly and their faces frozen in an expression of sheer panic. Having skied for about 15 years now I can usually manage to get down one of the lesser slopes without careening into either" ]

[ "Matt Sisoler", "Matt Sisoler Daily Telegram Sports Writer" ]

[ "TECUMSEH — There's a commonly held belief that a person does their best thinking when their mind is completely at ease.\nSo it should come as no surprise that when Tecumseh senior cross country standout Kaitlin Knape made up her mind where she wanted to continue her athletic and academic career, it came where she says she does her best thinking: on a run.\nWith COVID-19 forcing changes to recruiting and visits, Kaitlin and her family made a trip to the home of the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and in the middle of the visit, went for a run.\n\"The moment that I really knew I wanted to go to Iowa in the fall was when we were in Iowa City, and we had woke up early in the morning to go for a run to go check out more of the campus and different areas that we had seen the day before,\" Knape said Sunday, \" and at one point we had run to a farther side of the city, and there was this really nice park and just looked out onto it. There was a river right next to it, and looking behind you would see all of these bridges across the river, and I was like 'wow, I would love to run here every, single day. I could completely imagine myself living here and going out with my friends or seeing people downtown', and I hadn't felt that feeling anywhere else that I had looked at or gone to, and that's when I knew this was the place for me.\"\nKnape, a three-time winner of the Lenawee County Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award, held offers from a number of schools interested in bringing her onto their teams, but made her commitment at the start of December to become a Hawkeye and run for their NCAA Division I program at the start of the 2021-22 season.\nIowa, whose campus is located in the eastern portion of the state that it is named for, was on Knape's shortlist of schools, along with NCAA Division II Grand Valley State, but ultimately settled on Iowa to be her next step in her running career.\n\"It's like the best of both worlds for me, because when I was going to pick a school that I was going to run at, I had a list of priorities on it, and at the top of that was good academics, and I knew that I wanted to go to the best academic school that I could that also would be able to run at improve,\" said Knape. \"At the end of the day, if you go to a school and you run there, and you don't have a good time because the training doesn't work for you or your always getting injured or the environment on the team isn't good, it's just not worth it and not fun, and you're doing something that is no longer something you love, and I think it's really great to be able to do something I love and also be able to learn.\"\nKaitlin is not the first in her family to run in college, as when she suits up for Iowa in the fall, she will be following in the footsteps of her parents, Tecumseh girls cross country coach Wendy Knape and her husband Ryan Knape, both of whom ran for Grand Valley State in college.\n\"It's kinda hard to put into words a bit, but pride (in Kaitlin), and knowing how much work it takes to get there. The dedication that you have to put into sports or anything to be able achieve a goal like that is always a perspective that a lot of people might not realize,\" said Wendy Knape, \"especially because not everybody understands running as much as football or basketball. They understand what it takes to get to a certain level, but going to a DI school is a tremendous accomplishment, and just to even garner the attention to be able to say that you are going is a great achievement.\n\"She's not just a great runner, but a great student also, so her grades and what she's looking to go into is going to be a great accomplishment for her,\" Wendy continued, \"because she's worked very hard in all aspects to become a DI athlete.\"\nAdded Kaitlin Knape: \"At the end of the day when you look at it, I was either choosing to follow my parents footsteps, stay somewhere a bit closer to home that I knew a bit more, or go and try something that, as far as I know, no one ever really tried in my county, and that's something that is very special and goes more with what I want in life in regards to being able to put myself out there and seeing things, and getting the most out of every experience that I can.\"", "Becoming a Hawkeye: Tecumseh’s Knape commits to run for Iowa", "TECUMSEH — There's a commonly held belief that a person does their best thinking when their mind is completely at ease.So it should come as no surprise that when Tecumseh senior cross country standout Kaitlin Knape made up her mind where she wanted to continue her athletic and academic career, it came where she says she does her best thinking: on a run.With COVID-19 forcing changes to recruiting and visits, Kaitlin and her family made a trip to the home of the University of Iowa, Iowa" ]

[]

[ "This has been a rough year for so many. Some of us have lost one we’ve dearly loved, loved so deeply that we no longer wanted to see them suffer.\nThis even goes for pets. Have you ever loved a pet so much that when they died a part of you went with them? That was the way it was with \"Prince\" our dog. On top of losing his master, our dog was very old and suffered from severe arthritis. It got so bad he’d cry out in his sleep and pull the leg up tight to his body.\nMy son and I talked about how long we should wait before having him euthanized; how long we should massage his hip. We both cried when we had to love him enough to let him go.\nNow, think of those you’ve loved and who God called home last year. Were the useless arguments worth the pain you’re now suffering as you remember the hurtful words that have passed between you and them? If you had them back wouldn’t you gladly realize you both gained nothing from a simple disagreement?\nThere is a country song that says, \"Love the one God gives you for one day He’ll call them home.\" Perhaps the best New Year’s resolution we can make in 2021, with COVID still threatening the very ones we love, would be to love those people who play an important part in our life.\nPerhaps we should just accept the fact that there are times we must agree to disagree and let the ridiculous, puny things we humans find to argue about die without a resolution. Maybe we should just concentrate on the caring that can take place between two people who the Father has brought together and love the one God loans us because one day with His absolute return policy, one day He’ll call them home.\nPersonally, I believe that if we love another enough that would be an easy resolution to keep. The resolution to love the one you’re with, whether it’s a parent, a child, a sibling, a mate or even a pet.\nFaye Harris is a former Lenawee County resident who retired from North Adams Schools. She can be reached at [email protected].", "Loving another is easy resolution", "This has been a rough year for so many. Some of us have lost one we’ve dearly loved, loved so deeply that we no longer wanted to see them suffer.This even goes for pets. Have you ever loved a pet so much that when they died a part of you went with them? That was the way it was with \"Prince\" our dog. On top of losing his master, our dog was very old and suffered from severe arthritis. It got so bad he’d cry out in his sleep and pull the leg up tight to his body.My son and I talked" ]

[ "Evan Sasiela" ]

[ "IONIA — One decade after his father’s death, Matt Howard is keeping his memory alive by taking on a steep hill in Ionia and raising money for the local library.\nHoward, 34, is challenging himself to run/walk up and down Union Hill in Ionia on Feb. 2 to pay tribute to his father, Steve Howard, and raise money for the Ionia Community Library, 126 E. Main St., in Ionia. Matt Howard plans to begin the challenge at 9 a.m.\nMatt Howard will go up and down Union Street from the Ionia Community Library to Tower Street 28 times up and down — for a total of 56. Feb. 2 marks a decade since Steve Howard died at age 56.\nA GoFundMe has been created to raise funds for the ICL in Steve Howard’s memory. Matt Howard’s challenge is to honor him and to raise money for the ICL, in which Steve once served as president of its board of trustees.\n\"I figured that was a good way to keep his memory in Ionia alive,\" Matt Howard said.\nSteve Howard graduated from Caledonia High School but became an active member of the Ionia community for 20 years, Matt Howard said. Steve Howard worked as news director of WION for about 15 years, for Ionia Public Schools as a school-to-work coordinator and then for Michigan Works.\n\"He pretty much adopted (Ionia) when he took on the WION job,\" Matt Howard said.\nSteve Howard volunteered with the Ionia County Commission on Aging and coached youth sports with the city of Ionia Parks and Recreation Department.\nMatt Howard graduated from Ionia High School in 2004. His father coached him in a variety of youth sports, including soccer, flag and tackle football and basketball. When Matt Howard was the kicker for the football team, Steve bought him a book to try and help him be the best he could be.\n\"He pushed me all throughout my youth and a bunch of other people in Ionia, too, that went on to play high school sports,\" Matt Howard said.\nSteve Howard served as president of the ICL Board of Trustees and attempted to help bring a new library facility to Adams Street.\n\"He was very active with the library… That was one of the things that was mentioned in his obituary was he was a ferocious reader and was never not in a book unless he was coaching me or out in the community,\" Matt Howard said.\nMatt Howard wanted to run a marathon one year after his father’s death on Feb. 2, 2012, but it didn’t happen. He said he didn’t have a lot of cold weather gear as a college student and called the decision shortsighted. Matt Howard eventually ran a marathon in 2014.\n\"I remembered I wanted to do something to challenge myself, push myself and just thought of Union Hill,\" he said. \"It’s known as one of the steepest (hills) in Ionia.\"\nMatt Howard, who now resides in Mason, visited Ionia last summer and was walking with friends who suggested they walk up and down the hill on Union Street. That’s when the idea sparked.\n\"I said, ‘Sure, why not?’ It would be fun, I thought. It wasn’t too fun,\" Matt Howard said. \"I ended up walking most of it. I thought it would be a good idea to do in the winter.\"\nMatt Howard has been training mostly indoors and doing incline work on a treadmill. He expects the Union Hill challenge to take roughly four hours, but his wife believes it’ll be six.\nThe Ionia Community Library notified patrons of the Matt Howard’s challenge and GoFundMe through email.\n\"The ICL applauds Matt Howard for the passionate remembrance of his father and is grateful to be the beneficiary of the challenge,\" the ICL stated.\nMatt Howard launched the GoFundMe on Dec. 2 and received $1,000 within the first two weeks. After surpassing the GoFundMe surpassed the $2,000 goal, Math Howard bumped it to $2,500. It has raised $2,125 as of Thursday, Jan. 21.\nThe goal will continue to increase as previous goals are met, Matt Howard said. He thanked those who have donated to support his challenge, the ICL and his father.\n\"There have been multiple people who I don’t even know or didn’t know that they knew my dad who have sent messages and donated,\" he said. \"I have to thank the Ionia community… It’s amazing to see how many people still think highly of him and remember him and want to help with this.\"\n— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.", "Ionia native to honor late father with Union Hill challenge, fundraiser", "IONIA — One decade after his father’s death, Matt Howard is keeping his memory alive by taking on a steep hill in Ionia and raising money for the local library.Howard, 34, is challenging himself to run/walk up and down Union Hill in Ionia on Feb. 2 to pay tribute to his father, Steve Howard, and raise money for the Ionia Community Library, 126 E. Main St., in Ionia. Matt Howard plans to begin the challenge at 9 a.m.Matt Howard will go up and down Union Street from the Ionia" ]

[ "Brian Davis", "Community Columnist" ]

[ "The manner in which we come to interpret events in life is everything. This is particularly true when we experience instability in our lives and a break from our normal patterns and routines.\nThe PreK-12 school community has certainly experienced a great deal of upheaval and change since March 13, 2020. COVID-19 had a dramatic influence on just about everything we did related to school. We have had to seize a crisis and turn it into a new opportunity. I surrender, isn’t that what the education system should always be doing — always striving for continuous improvement?\nIt appears as though the majority of opinions resonate that people can’t wait to rid themselves of 2020 and ring in the new year. I admit that I have felt that numerous times myself. However, I think as we look to the new year, we should reflect on what were positive outcomes from 2020, at least from an education perspective. Here are my top thoughts.\nAffirmation of the teaching profession: As caregivers at home were suddenly thrust into being teachers at home, many reflected on and expressed a greater admiration and appreciation for our teachers. The individuals who choose to be a teacher do so from a servant heart, love for children, and desire to pay forward what they appreciated in learning. They do so selfishly and spend countless hours, resources, and even time from their own families to care for and educate the children in their care. So, when parents found themselves gathered around the kitchen table Zooming — trying to connect virtually with 2-3 learners, who may/may not have gotten along for greater than 10 minutes, with the new math that was different from when they were in school — they couldn’t imagine doing this every day with 25-plus students at a time.\n2021 resolution: Thank your child’s teacher — frequently.\nA community that collaborates and shares resources: Organizations across the Holland/Zeeland community have been meeting regularly since COVID-19 began to mobilize and strengthen partnerships to address the growing needs in the community. Individual mission statements were set aside to address the common good and care for anyone in need. The support that was provided to schools was overwhelming. Existing partnerships were improved, and new relationships forged — some that may have never crossed paths without this crisis afoot. So, now, we have to be intentional and strategic to carry forward these partnerships, even when things are seemingly good.\n2021 resolution: Consider a donation to a local nonprofit serving in our community.\nFamily engagement: Educators have often asked for more family engagement in schools. During this era of online/hybrid/remote learning, the amount of communication and emails from parents/students has increased substantially. So much so, it is difficult to keep up. Educators are attached to their devices working to respond in real-time. Whether it was by design or default, there is an incredible opportunity to engage families in their child’s education with even greater intentionality.\n2021 resolution: Find ways to engage in meaningful ways to support learning at home and at school.\nRemote learning/work: While certainly challenging in the beginning, our educators and students have found ways to be effective in engaging learning beyond the classroom walls. The creativity of Zoom meetings, projects that engaged the whole family, the ways in which students collaborated, the use of learning management systems, the stretching and creativity of teachers to try new things they never thought possible; we are at a tipping point of opportunity to change the way in which we provide education. The use of technology can be a big differentiator, if done well. It can simplify and yet expand the learning. It can be more individualized and improve growth more rapidly. But, it has to be accessible and reliable to everyone.\n2021 resolution: Ubiquitous broadband in our community. Educators keep taking risks!\nMental health/wellness: Thanks to the work of many in the social sciences, we now have a better understanding of the needs of our students. COVID-19 exposed so many inequities, some known and others not. Hidden behind a mask, we have opened a window to the life-experiences of our students in new ways. It really is unfortunate that we didn’t have a better understanding of the need than we did, but now that we do, we can begin to address mental health/wellness in our community and let everyone know that it is not a stigma and help is available.\n2021 resolution: Be Nice.\nStructures/routines: When the expectations are clearly defined, taught, and modeled, it is amazing what greatness can grow from that. Districts’ return to learn plans evaluated and defined over 250 new structures and routines for the return back to school. We did so successfully mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in our schools. Strategic teams were assembled across the school community to define these new expectations. Students responded, and we moved forward. Imagine the possibilities if we put forward this same level of energy around learning and career advancement in our community!\n2021 resolution: Summer Enrichment Programs to mitigate the learning loss of 2020.\nThese are but a few of the many lessons learned in 2020. As we look toward the future and what 2021 will bring, let’s continue to build upon a crisis that in the end, has the capacity and opportunity to change the education system for the better.\n— Brian Davis is superintendent of Holland Public Schools. Contact him at [email protected].", "Brian Davis: A look back: Lessons 2020 taught us", "The manner in which we come to interpret events in life is everything. This is particularly true when we experience instability in our lives and a break from our normal patterns and routines.The PreK-12 school community has certainly experienced a great deal of upheaval and change since March 13, 2020. COVID-19 had a dramatic influence on just about everything we did related to school. We have had to seize a crisis and turn it into a new opportunity. I surrender, isn’t that what the" ]

[ "Kortny Hahn", "Kortny Hahn Staff Writer", "Khahncdt" ]

[ "PELLSTON — Emmet County late last year completed the first official step in its process to address the existence of contaminants near the Pellston Regional Airport.\nAt a meeting at the end of December, county administrator Mike Reaves said the county had finished Phase I of its investigation, which primarily sought to confirm the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) on airport grounds, and to determine what next steps would be necessary. The investigation, which involved collecting soil borings from the property, began around September.\n\"The next process to be completed is the investigative plan for Phase II testing,\" Reaves said. \"We are working towards putting together a plan for Phase II.\"\nReaves also said the county had recently taken part in a conference call among some of the leaders of entities which have a stake in the investigation. That meeting, which occurred Dec. 7, included representatives from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), Health Department of Northwest Michigan, Department of Health and Human Services, Emmet County, Village of Pellston and Sen. Wayne Schmidt’s office, said Randy Rothe, district supervisor for EGLE’s Gaylord Office.\nEmmet County agreed at that meeting to send a letter to Pellston residents providing them with an update on the findings of the investigation.\nA final version of the investigation findings is not yet available — Rothe said the county is in the process of finalizing a report. But the data seem to confirm the source of the contamination was aqueous film-forming foam, AFFF, used for training purposes at the airport. AFFF is a firefighting substance used particularly in extinguishing engine fuel fires. It contains PFAS, and is a common source of contamination near airports or military bases, where the fuel is used for training.\nRothe said the county’s investigation showed no contamination in the soil, but did find AFFF in the groundwater beneath the airport.\n\"Typically, you would have to use this stuff on a routine basis to have it actually build up in the soil column,\" he said. \"The stuff is so soluble that it washes off the soil fairly easily. ... In order for you to have seen a lot of soil contamination, you would have had to use this routinely — three to four times a year — to actually saturate that column. This is pretty consistent with what we’ve seen down in Grayling.\"\nPFAS contamination in Grayling, associated with the military base in the area, is the example most experts have cited for its close similarities to the case in Pellston.\nEGLE’s Pellston investigation has been ongoing since February, when the state agency confirmed the results of the initial residential sample, and began testing household water samples nearby.\nIn the months that followed, wells showed significant levels of PFAS in residential areas southeast of Pellston Regional Airport.\nThe sites which tested above health advisory levels so far were all within a perimeter on the west side of town from Washington Street to Mill Street, and east-side areas including parts of Washington, Pell, Bogardus, State and Wright streets. All the elevated results are also west of U.S. 31, with other less-elevated results popping up farther south and southeast, suggesting a groundwater plume that fanned out as it followed the general path of the West Branch of the Maple River watershed.\nThe new data obtained by Emmet County will help further fill in the picture of the situation in Pellston — somewhat literally. Using the samples already analyzed, Emmet County will likely be installing monitoring wells at the airport, which will be able to pinpoint the length, width and depth of the plume. EGLE intends to then use that data to render a model of the underground plume.\n\"That will also help lead the county, because as soon we can show them OK, here’s the (plume) based on our limited information, that should help them decide, ‘OK, here’s where we need to focus our attention,’\" Rothe said.\nThe next phase may begin this spring, at the earliest.", "Officials seek to establish fuller picture of contamination in Pellston", "PELLSTON — Emmet County late last year completed the first official step in its process to address the existence of contaminants near the Pellston Regional Airport.At a meeting at the end of December, county administrator Mike Reaves said the county had finished Phase I of its investigation, which primarily sought to confirm the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) on airport grounds, and to determine what next steps would be necessary. The investigation, which involved collecting" ]

[ "Gene Ferdig" ]

[ "The election is over and we are all in this together. We have the same hopes for our country. We all want the same chances for success, the same chances for our children and grandchildren to go to a safe school, with the same educators to teach what the children really need to succeed, and have a safe and happy life.\nWhat we need to do to make this happen is we have to, as adults, think over what has occurred over the past couple of years up until now, and renew our common desire for a free, safe and equal country for all of us Americans. After much thought, I come to the conclusion that we have to start right at the beginning of our rights as citizens to vote for the people who show us in their actions that they want the same things that we do.\nThe actions we have seen by some of those in both parties of our elected officials have been far off the the mark that they were chosen to do for us as citizens. They were chosen to speak for us, to do what’s in our best interests, and not theirs. For example, in the COVID-19 pandemic, we expected them to protect our most vulnerable and endangered citizens, the elderly, those with weakened underlying conditions, and the caregivers who put their lives on the line for us every day, and put them first. What did we see Instead of that? They criticized the vaccine, warning everyone not to trust it, that it was too soon, and it needed more testing. But as soon as it was available they were the first ones in line to get their shots of it, ahead of the caregivers, elderly and others who needed it more than they did!\nI wonder how many lives could have been saved if the at-risk individuals could have been given the protection they needed — how many families could still be alive?\nMy thoughts are that what we, as citizens, have to correct this. First, we have to get rid our representatives who are not working for us. What party they are has no bearing on this, in my opinion. They should all stand for us citizens that they were elected to represent. We don\"t need lawyers or people wanting to make a career in the government, but we need homemakers, and blue collar citizens that will be directly affected by their decisions.\nThe way to do this is we have to start at the beginning and give every election the importance and thought that it deserves. This means our city council, all of our elected officials, up through to our governors and our president.\nNow the way to do this, (in my opinion) is to elect those who want what we want! Safe schools, safe communities and equal treatment for all of us, regardless of their race, religion or politics. That’s my opinion.\n— Gene Ferdig is a resident of Holland.", "My Take: We need leaders who will work for all of us", "The election is over and we are all in this together. We have the same hopes for our country. We all want the same chances for success, the same chances for our children and grandchildren to go to a safe school, with the same educators to teach what the children really need to succeed, and have a safe and happy life.What we need to do to make this happen is we have to, as adults, think over what has occurred over the past couple of years up until now, and renew our common desire for a free," ]

[]

[ "By Everett Henes\nThere is something magical about turning the page, finishing a chapter, or moving on to the next stage of a project. New opportunities, though, bring new challenges. The trouble is that we remain much the same. No matter the year, no matter who is president, and no matter how often we try to remake ourselves, we are sinners, and we cannot save ourselves. An illustration of this reality is found in Genesis 16.\nIn Genesis 15 we saw the extent to which God was willing to go in order to covenant with man. While the covenant made is between two parties, God and Abraham, God has taken it upon himself to guarantee this covenant’s success. He does this by passing through the cut animals, essentially invoking upon himself the covenant curses if there is a breach. Of course, there will be a breach because man is one of the parties and this will ultimately require God to take the covenant curses upon himself.\nSynergism is made up of two Greek words: sun,’ meaning together and ergos, meaning work. The combination is straightforward – ‘working together.’ In theological studies, then, it is the doctrine that \"the human will cooperates with divine grace in regeneration.\" This is why it is said that salvation, from a Christian perspective, is monergistic, that is, God works alone. This is something we have learned in our study so far as God takes the initiative to redeem man. Knowing the ending of the story of redemption, we recognize that God is the one who will accomplish the salvation of his people. But as you read through the story, there seem to be moments when man thinks that they are the responsible ones. Genesis 16 is another such moment.\nGenesis 16 tells the story of Abraham taking his wife’s maid, Hagar, and having a child by her. It is a well-known story. Oftentimes it is used to speak of the Arab-Israeli conflicts in the Middle East or of an example of a broken Christian home. I don’t deny that there are conflicts both in the Middle East and in Christian homes, but what is going on here regarding the furthering of the covenant that God has made with Abraham? Remember the promise from Genesis 15, that God would fulfill his promise.\nSo, what is going on here in this text? In many ways it is something normal – just not for us in our culture. It would be a very modern response to look at this passage and declare that Judaism and, therefore, Christianity are awful patriarchal religions that devalued marriage. What takes place here with Hagar and Abraham point to both the normalcy of the Biblical characters as well as the extent to which sin has gone. It was not until the seventh from Cain, Lamech, that polygamy started to show up in the genealogies. When God created man and woman in the opening chapters of Genesis he did so with the implication of monogamy. But sin has come into the picture and Abraham is not exempt from that sinfulness.\nHumanly speaking it was a success. Hagar becomes pregnant but then, expectedly, trouble begins. We are told that she looked with contempt on her mistress. If Hagar had been with Sarai and Abraham since their time in Egypt, we are now at least 10 years later and that whole time she has learned of Sarai’s barrenness. Undoubtedly, as her handmaiden, she has heard more than many would outside of the home. She has heard Sarai’s frustrations and she seems to take advantage of both her newfound role as wife as well as her pregnancy.\nThe story leads to Hagar being sent away, but all is not lost. In her sorrow, God appears to her and assures her that her and her son will live. There is a great deal of comfort that we can take away from a passage like this. God owed nothing to Hagar. She was not called out by God. She was not the one to bear the promised seed. And yet God extends his common grace to her and to her son. How much more will he care for those who are his own children? We serve the God who hears and the God who sees. The one, who Hagar did not know and so had to name, has revealed himself to his people and is known by them. This is our hope in the new year, that our God is good and never changes.\nPastor Everett Henes, the pastor of the Hillsdale Orthodox Presbyterian Church, can be reached at [email protected].", "New year, same God", "By Everett HenesThere is something magical about turning the page, finishing a chapter, or moving on to the next stage of a project. New opportunities, though, bring new challenges. The trouble is that we remain much the same. No matter the year, no matter who is president, and no matter how often we try to remake ourselves, we are sinners, and we cannot save ourselves. An illustration of this reality is found in Genesis 16.In Genesis 15 we saw the extent to which God was willing to go in order" ]

[]

[ "Pet Peeves cartoon: Quarantine guests", "Cartoon by Pete Chianca and Dave London." ]

[ "Richard Montgomery More Content Now" ]

[ "Columns share an author's personal perspective.\n*****\nReader Question: A recent article you authored titled \"What's wrong with real estate\" was insightful. The overview described several conditions that contribute to the real estate sales environment. We will be selling our home soon and feel that expanding on the agents would help alert us to which agents to avoid. Can you drill down to the individual agents and better describe the \"masses of part-time, untrained, unethical and incompetent agents?\"\nMonty's Answer: In my experience, one of the most challenging tasks when selling your home is picking a competent agent. Most real estate agents I have worked with are friendly and present themselves as honest and sincere. They likely believe in their abilities and come across as confident and competent. You cannot always distinguish shortcomings until after you engage them. It takes effort on the seller's part to uncover weaknesses in their ability before you hire. There are many articles on the DearMonty website to help. Here is an example at DearMonty (http://bit.ly/2LKsDmf) that describes differences in agent's practices.\nAttitudes and Motivation\nHere are differences in why I believe they may be working:\nHard-working, efficient use of time, and not afraid of sharing information they know you will not like to hear. These agents can defend their conclusions with accurate data and present them diplomatically. They are customer-focused, active listeners, intending to satisfy their customers by putting their interests ahead of their own. This is the agent you want. They are hard to find.Hard-working, efficient and honest, but lacks knowledge and common sense.This agent needs a cover to camouflage their real interests, be it gambling, alcohol or drugs, playing sports, shopping, looking for love or something else.This agent is lazy, invests little effort and waits for business to come to them.Agents that use their agent status to prospect for bargains to build their real estate portfolios.Agents that work only to sell their listings and get paid on both sides of the transaction. They are greedy and short-sighted. “Coming soon” promotions are an example of both sides.The part-time real estate agent suggests using caution. Agents who consider themselves full-time may hold a bias that overlooks that part-time agents can perform well. I once met a retired physician with time on her hands and an interest in real estate. She could outperform many full-time agents. What is the new agent's background?Experienced real estate agents generally believe new agents do not know enough. To hire one is a bad idea. That may not be the case. What were they doing before they entered real estate? I am aware of an agent that completed over 60 transactions in their first year with five-star recommendations. That said, many new agents are not prepared.\nIn my opinion, these descriptions are accurate. This writer operated real estate brokerages for many years and was active with local and state Realtor organizations. If you would like to learn more, here is a link (https://bit.ly/3i1pta5) to an independent study from 2015 of industry problems commissioned by the National Association of Realtors. Please scroll to the agent section on page 20 to learn how agents described their fellow agents.\nRichard Montgomery is the author of \"House Money - An Insider’s Secrets to Saving Thousands When You Buy or Sell a Home.\" He advocates industry reform and offers readers unbiased real estate advice. Follow him on Twitter at @dearmonty, or at DearMonty.com.", "Dear Monty column: Eight real estate agent categories", "Columns share an author's personal perspective. ***** Reader Question: A recent article you authored titled \"What's wrong with real estate\" was insightful. The overview described several conditions that contribute to the real estate sales environment. We will be selling our home soon and feel that expanding on the agents would help alert us to which agents to avoid. Can you drill down to the individual agents and better describe the \"masses of part-time, untrained, unethical and incompetent" ]

[ "Arpan Lobo" ]

[ "HOLLAND — State Sen. Roger Victory now says he doesn’t believe widespread election fraud took place during the November 2020 election, although he, like other state Republicans, continues to take issue with the way absentee ballot applications were sent to Michigan voters.\nVictory, R-Hudsonville, was among the 11 Republican members of the state Senate who signed a letter to Congress and Vice President Mike Pence asking for a delay in the certification of Electoral College votes, which took place Wednesday.\nThat letter was one of two versions of the GOP lawmakers' request of Congress and Pence posted on social media Tuesday night. In one version, described as a draft that was accidentally released publicly, the lawmakers asked Congress to \"temporarily delay certification in the name of national unity,\" The Detroit News reported.\nThe final version didn't include that statement and instead called on \"the imminent joint session of Congress to pursue every available option and procedure to examine the credible allegations of election-related concerns surrounding fraud and irregularities.\"\nThe 11 Michigan senators said in that letter they wanted Congress and federal law enforcement to conduct an \"objective and transparent investigation into credible allegations of misconduct\" in the election.\n\"We do not seek to overturn the will of the people,\" the letter from the Michigan senators says. \"However, it is vital that the citizenry at-large be confident that the election results were accurate and free from misconduct, criminal or otherwise.\"\nThe certification was notably interrupted by a riot Wednesday when supporters of President Donald Trump rushed the Capitol building in Washington, forcing Pence to be evacuated. The riot resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including a Capitol police officer.\nErik Nordman, a Spring Lake resident and a professor at Grand Valley State University, left a voicemail with Victory’s office expressing his dismay at the letter.\n\"I called him the morning to ask if he had any thoughts about reconsidering his position in light of the incitement of violence and the ensuing chaos,\" Nordman said.\nA staff member in Victory’s office left Nordman a voicemail Thursday condemning the riot. She also said that election fraud, although not enough to overturn President-Elect Joe Biden’s 154,000 vote victory in Michigan, did take place during the November 2020 election — despite numerous officials and election experts debunking allegations of fraud.\nVictory walked the claim back in an interview Friday.\n\"I do not have tangible evidence of fraud or invalid votes to counteract the 150,000 (vote) differential in the state of Michigan,\" he told The Sentinel.\nLocal and state officials, including Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and recently resigned U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr, have gone further, saying there was no credible evidence of voter fraud during the presidential election in the county, state or country.\nVictory, like U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, continued to take issue with the way Benson distributed absentee ballot applications to every registered voter in Michigan, particularly the verification of signatures used to submit those applications. No credible evidence of fraud has been found regarding votes cast with absentee ballots.\n\"(T)hat's where the area of concern is — with the changes in the absentee ballot system and how it was handled in the state of Michigan,\" Victory said.\nBenson cited the coronavirus pandemic in sending the applications, which had to be filled out and returned to a local clerk in order to receive an actual ballot. Almost 3.2 million Michiganders voted absentee in the November election.\nVictory said Senate committees will continue to evaluate how the state should oversee future elections.\n— Contact reporter Arpan Lobo at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @arpanlobo.", "Victory walks back stance on vote integrity", "HOLLAND — State Sen. Roger Victory now says he doesn’t believe widespread election fraud took place during the November 2020 election, although he, like other state Republicans, continues to take issue with the way absentee ballot applications were sent to Michigan voters.Victory, R-Hudsonville, was among the 11 Republican members of the state Senate who signed a letter to Congress and Vice President Mike Pence asking for a delay in the certification of Electoral College votes," ]

[ "Laura Tolbert", "More Content Now" ]

[ "One of my daughter’s favorite dishes from Tellini’s Pasta Market is their Italian casserole. Begin with a cheesy baked rigatoni, which is heaven on a plate as is, but top it with a zesty marinara sauce. It’s the best of both worlds when you can’t decide whether you’re craving an Alfredo or marinara sauce-based dish.\nAs a surprise for her, I attempted to recreate the recipe. I believe I came really close!\nBAKED RIGATONI ITALIAN CASSEROLE TOPPED WITH MARINARA SAUCE\nMake the marinara sauce topping first:\n*2 tablespoons olive oil\n*1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped\n*1 teaspoon minced garlic\n*1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes\n*2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning\n*1 teaspoon sugar\n*1 tablespoon red wine vinegar\n*A few grinds of black pepper\nIn a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and let them cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and let cook for a minute longer.\nAdd tomatoes, Italian seasoning and sugar, and bring to a simmer. Cover and let cook for 30 to 45 minutes. During the last few minutes of cooking, add the red wine vinegar and black pepper. Taste and add a little salt if needed.\nNow for the casserole:\n*16-ounce box rigatoni, cooked according to package directions and drained\n*2 tablespoons butter\n*2 tablespoons olive oil\n*2 tablespoons flour\n*3 cups milk\n*3/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan, plus extra for topping\n*1 cup shredded Mozzarella\n*24 ounces ricotta cheese\n*1 teaspoon white pepper\n*1 teaspoon salt\n*1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes\nPreheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-by-13-ince casserole dish with non-stick spray.\nIn a large saucepan (at least 2 quarts), heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add flour and, stirring constantly, let it cook until it is a light brown color. Slowly add in milk, stirring constantly, and allow the mixture to thicken slightly.\nAdd the cheeses a little at a time until blended and evenly melted. Stir in pepper, salt and dried parsley flakes. Remove from heat and stir into drained rigatoni noodles.\nPour casserole mixture into a prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Cook for 25 minutes and remove foil. Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top and return to oven for 10 more minutes. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Top each serving with a generous portion of marinara sauce. Add a fresh green salad and breadsticks, and you have a delicious meal.\nSOUTHWESTERN TATER TOT CASSEROLE\nThis recipe is an easy meal for beginning cooks and fills the bill for a fast weeknight dinner.\n*1 pound ground chuck, browned and fat drained\n*1 can cream of potato soup\n*1 can white shoepeg corn with chipotle peppers, drained\n*1 small can diced green chilies, drained\n*1 can black beans, rinsed and drained\n*1 can Rotel tomatoes (I used hot)\n*1 teaspoon granulated garlic\n*1 teaspoon onion powder\n*1 tablespoon chili powder\n*1 small (28-ounce) package tater tots\n*1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack/Colby cheese blend, divided\n*Cilantro, sour cream, green onions (optional)\nPreheat oven to 400 degrees.\nCombine the first nine ingredients in a large bowl. Add one-half cup of cheese. Spray a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.\nGently pour casserole mixture into baking dish. Arrange tater tots on top. Place in the oven for 25 minutes.\nRemove from oven, add remaining cheese and return to oven for about 5 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes before serving. Top with cilantro, sour cream or chopped green onions - or all three!\nLaura Tolbert, also known as Fleur de Lolly, has been sharing recipes, table decor ideas and advice for fellow foodies and novices on her blog, fleurdelolly.blogspot.com for more than eight years. She won the Duke Mayonnaise 100th Anniversary nationwide recipe contest for her Alabama White BBQ Sauce. You can contact her at facebook.com/fleurde.lolly.5, on Instagram and [email protected].", "Fleur de Lolly column: Italian casserole starts with baked rigatoni", "One of my daughter’s favorite dishes from Tellini’s Pasta Market is their Italian casserole. Begin with a cheesy baked rigatoni, which is heaven on a plate as is, but top it with a zesty marinara sauce. It’s the best of both worlds when you can’t decide whether you’re craving an Alfredo or marinara sauce-based dish.As a surprise for her, I attempted to recreate the recipe. I believe I came really close!BAKED RIGATONI ITALIAN CASSEROLE TOPPED WITH MARINARA" ]

[ "Laura Schultz Pipis" ]

[ "January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and Jan. 11 is Human Trafficking Awareness Day.\nHuman trafficking is a humanitarian crisis that is a form of modern day slavery. Not only is human trafficking prevalent around the world, but cases of human trafficking are reported in all 50 states.\nThe Lenawee Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition will be hosting an online panel forum titled \"A Look into Human Trafficking\" at 7 p.m. Jan. 28. Here is the lineup:\n• \"What is Human Trafficking? — Laura Schultz Pipis, associate director, United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties and Lenawee Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition co-facilitator.\n• \"Raising Our Consciousness about Human Trafficking\" — Patricia McDonald, O.P., professor of counselor education at Siena Heights University.\n• \"Human Trafficking Trends\" — Kelly Castleberry, victim advocate/forensic interviewer, Child Advocacy Center.\nTo attend, please email [email protected] to RSVP and a Zoom meeting link will be sent to you. You can call 517-264-6821 for more information as well.\nHuman trafficking victims are trafficked for a variety of purposes, such as commercial sex, agricultural work or other forms of labor. The face of human trafficking can be rich, poor, men, women, adults, children, foreign national or U.S. citizens. They are all generally vulnerable in some way, but all victims share the loss of a most-cherished human right — freedom.\nThe Polaris Project hosts the national Human Trafficking Hotline and conducts extensive research on human trafficking. Their research shows there are 25 industries who utilize human trafficking in the United States. Human trafficking is a market-based economy that exists on principles of supply and demand. It is a high-profit enterprise with limited or low risks.\nHuman trafficking is illegal under international, federal and Michigan state law. The Federal Victims Protection Act of 2000 and the Michigan Penal Code (2006 and revised in 2017), address underage minors and adults involved in all forms of human trafficking, affected by the use of force, fraud or coercion (i.e. manipulation by traffickers or perpetrators). As a society, we are seeking to better understand the nuances of trafficking.\nIt is a power and control issue, similar to domestic violence and sexual assault. Because of the secretive, coercive nature of human trafficking, it is hard to find an exact figure of how many people are trafficked in the United States. Moreover, because of the use of force, fraud or coercion to keep people under the influence of traffickers, much goes unreported.\nIn Lenawee County, there has been an Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force — or Coalition — for over 10 years, formed initially through the Adrian Dominican Sisters. Their goal has been to promote education, awareness and advocacy of human trafficking. The Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition is part of a larger group called the Lenawee Coalition Against Abuse and Trafficking (LenCAAT) that also addresses domestic violence and sexual assault. This leadership group is representative of the Lenawee County Prosecutor’s Office, Child Advocacy Center, Catherine Cobb Safe House, ProMedica Hickman Hospital sexual assault nurse examiner, Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office, United Way, Adrian Dominican Sisters and area mental health professionals. As a group, these agencies address human trafficking from a legal, mental and physical health perspective. They understand the nuances of this issue.\nI have been a part of both the Monroe and Lenawee County anti-human trafficking coalitions, collectively for over eight years. This is a subject dear to me, as dark as it is. It breaks my heart.\nI asked my father, who is retired from a 38-year law enforcement career in Monroe County, how he handled dealing with such dire human situations like human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault. I asked him, \"How did you handle it when you could not help everyone or ensure all perpetrators are held accountable for their actions?\" He told me, \"You win some, you lose some, and you go back to fight another day.\"\nYou can help fight human trafficking by reading more about it, having a Lenawee County coalition member speak to your group, or simply helping mentor vulnerable youth in your sphere of influence. There are many ways to get more information about human trafficking.\nThe Department of Homeland Security has an excellent awareness campaign called the Blue Campaign (www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign). The Polaris Project is home to the National Human Trafficking Hotline (888-373-7888) and they have great information as well (www.polarisproject.org). There is also a very active Michigan Human Trafficking Task Force (www.mhttf.org). The Catherine Cobb Safe House is also a good resource on violence against women issues: 517-265-5352 or www.fccsoflenawee.org.\nFor more information about Human Trafficking, you can contact Laura Schultz Pipis at [email protected] or by calling 517-264-6821. You can also contact Amanda Davis Scott, Child Advocacy Center, [email protected] or by calling 517-662-3442.\nPlease note that the United Way is also hosting another 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge from Feb. 1-21. The challenge is a self-guided learning journey designed to deepen participants’ understanding of, and willingness to confront, racism. Participants will engage in a series of readings, videos, podcasts and daily reflections as part of the program.\nThe challenge facilitates a way for participants to identify and commit to their actions to advance racial equity. Participants can register at www.unitedwayMLC.org anytime between now and Jan. 31.\nLaura Schultz Pipis is the associate director of the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties.", "Forum to look at human trafficking trends, issues", "January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and Jan. 11 is Human Trafficking Awareness Day.Human trafficking is a humanitarian crisis that is a form of modern day slavery. Not only is human trafficking prevalent around the world, but cases of human trafficking are reported in all 50 states.The Lenawee Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition will be hosting an online panel forum titled \"A Look into Human Trafficking\" at 7 p.m. Jan. 28. Here is the lineup:• \"What is Human Trafficking? —" ]

[ "Matthew Girardmore Content Nowusa Today Network" ]

[ "Thanks to folklore and TV reality shows such as \"Ghost Adventures,\" \" Ghost Nation\" and \"Ghost Hunters,\" searching out the world’s most haunted places and researching paranormal activity have become a favorite activity in today’s culture. According to a recent YouGov survey, more than 4 in 10 Americans believe that ghosts, demons and other supernatural beings do exist. If you’re a believer or just want to learn more, here are a few podcasts about ghosts, hauntings and paranormal activity to check out.\nReal Ghost Stories Online\nThis daily paranormal podcast brings together the stories of real people who have experienced all kinds of paranormal activity. These stories come from all areas of the paranormal, supernatural, demonic, ghost investigations, haunted houses, possessions, shadow people and the unexplained. Listeners are encouraged to call in with their own paranormal stories or events. Recent episodes include \" Spirits & Coffee,\" \"Ghostly Couple\" and \"Grandparents Reunited.\"\nFind it: https://bit.ly/36n20vb\nHaunted Places\nTaking listeners to the creepiest and spookiest places on the planet, host Greg Polcyn gives insight to the most famous haunted locations. Every Thursday, with a blend of history and legend, Polcyn takes listeners on an audio tour of the real backstories of paranormal activities. Recent episodes include \"The Haunted Vicarage,\" \"Old City Jail\" and \"Donner Memorial State Park.\"\nFind it: https://www.parcast.com/haunted\nReal Life Ghost Stories\nDedicated to real paranormal experiences, this podcast discusses hauntings, ghosts, death, aliens, psychology and skeptics. Each episode also features the hosts favorite and least favorite shows and movies. Listeners are encouraged to share their own stories. Recent episodes include \"Cheshire Cat,\" \"Waverly Hills\" and \"Black Spheres.\"\nFind it: https://www.stitcher.com/show/real-life-ghost-storie\nUnexplained\nThis bi-weekly podcast delves into strange and mysterious real-life events. Each episode explores haunting and unsettling events that continues to evade explanation. Events are sometimes eerie, sometimes strange and sometimes terrifying. Recent episodes include \"Tenebrous,\" \"Sound of the Overground\" and \"A Man of Wealth and Taste.\"\nFind it: http://www.unexplainedpodcast.com/", "Podcasts to Listen To: Real Ghosts Stories and the best paranormal podcasts", "Thanks to folklore and TV reality shows such as \"Ghost Adventures,\" \" Ghost Nation\" and \"Ghost Hunters,\" searching out the world’s most haunted places and researching paranormal activity have become a favorite activity in today’s culture. According to a recent YouGov survey, more than 4 in 10 Americans believe that ghosts, demons and other supernatural beings do exist. If you’re a believer or just want to learn more, here are a few podcasts about ghosts, hauntings and" ]

[ "Spencer Durham", "Spencer Durham Daily Telegram Staff Writer" ]

[ "ADRIAN — A long vacant property is in the hands of a new owner with plans for a convenience store and gas station.\nRex Crist, owner of Lightning Quick Gas-N-Go convenience stores, purchased the property at 1853 W. Maumee St. in Adrian at a recent tax sale.\nIt is directly across from the Christian Family Centre and Lenawee Christian School on the south side of U.S. 223.\nWhat was once the Brass Lantern restaurant has been vacant for well over a decade. The building is blighted.\nCrist said he intends to tear down the old restaurant to make way for a gas station and convenience store. He said it will be a little bit bigger than other Lightning Quick stores and offer more food service.\n\"We're excited to spruce the place up,\" he said. \"It's the only eyesore in the area.\"\nVery little is salvageable, but the old bar is. Crist said they will save the copper top bar and use it in the new store's wine section.\nThere's a good deal of space on the nearly 3-acre plot. As someone who lives on the west side of Adrian, Crist said a gas station that offers \"easy in, easy out\" service is needed.\n\"That's one of things we are going to capitalize on,\" he said.\nCrist compared the space to Wesco where the parking lot can get congested during busy times.\nThere are a lot of gas stations on the north and south sides of the city but \"east and west is where they are actually needed,\" Crist said.\nThe location will not offer diesel fuel for tractor-trailers.\nThe property will need to be rezoned from B1 to B2. A B1 zoning distinction does not allow for a Lightning Quick store.\nThe Adrian Planning Commission had an introductory discussion about Crist's request for rezoning on Tuesday.\nThere are five parcels in the strip that includes the old Brass Lantern. All are zoned B1. To rezone Crist's property, the planning commission will consider rezoning all the parcels, which include Premier Bank, a law office and a few other businesses.\nTo only rezone 1853 W. Maumee St. would constitute spot zoning, a practice planning commissions try to avoid, according to city administrator Greg Elliott.\nA rezoning would not negatively impact the other property owners. Elliott said all current businesses are allowed under a B2 distinction, which offers more options for future uses. He said a B2 zoning can increase property values.\nThe city will send notices to everyone within 300 feet of any of the five properties about the rezoning request. This is a required action.\nThe planning commission is expected to vote on a recommendation to either approve or deny the zoning change in February, after which it will go to the city commission for a vote.\nThe public will be allowed to comment prior to the vote. There's already a good indication Crist's decision to purchase the property will generate considerable feedback.\nTwo people spoke out against another gas station in the area on Tuesday. There have also been some buzz on Facebook from people opposed to the planned use of the property.\nA Lightning Quick location, which would be the 23rd for Crist, will have to compete with the BP at the corner of Sand Creek Highway and U.S. 223, along with Wesco.\n\"The area will support it,\" Crist said.\nIf all goes according to plan, Crist said he's hopeful to open the new location later this year.", "Brass Lantern property in Adrian bought by Lightning Quick", "ADRIAN — A long vacant property is in the hands of a new owner with plans for a convenience store and gas station.Rex Crist, owner of Lightning Quick Gas-N-Go convenience stores, purchased the property at 1853 W. Maumee St. in Adrian at a recent tax sale.It is directly across from the Christian Family Centre and Lenawee Christian School on the south side of U.S. 223.What was once the Brass Lantern restaurant has been vacant for well over a decade. The building is blighted.Crist said he" ]

[]

[ "Monroe County Recycling and Green Community Program and Republic Services hosts the free county-wide recycling drop off sites.\nThere are no changes in the schedule of free countywide recycling drop-offs for January sponsored by Monroe County Recycling and Green Community Program and Republic Services.\nThe recycling trailer will appear first at the Kroger store off M-50 in Dundee Monday and Tuesday at the Bedford Township Hall, 8100 Jackman Rd., Temperance. It will be stationed at the Bedford hall every Tuesday during the month, said Dan Rock, Recycling and Green Community Program coordinator for the county. The trailer will visit the Monroe Township Hall at 4925 E. Dunbar Rd. every Wednesday. It also will visit the Dundee Kroger Jan. 18 and St. Joseph Catholic Grade School in Erie Jan. 12.\nVisitors are reminded to bring only materials accepted for recycling and that plastic bags should not be dropped into the bins. Recyclables can be dropped loosely inside and plastic bags can be dropped off at grocery store entrances, Rock said.\nThose materials accepted for recycling include aluminum, steel and tin cans; clear and colored glass; plastics labeled Nos. 1-5 or 7; newspapers, slicks, office paper and magazines; junk mail; soft-cover books; paperboard, and milk and juice cartons. Lids and labels can be included.\nRecyclables should be clean and dry and dropped in loose. Greasy pizza boxes, soiled paper, diapers and food are not accepted, he said.\nTo recycle other materials, such as batteries, CFL bulbs, computers, laptop computers, televisions and electronics, contact Rock at 734-240-7909 or email Dan_ [email protected] or visit greenmonroecounty.com.", "No changes in January recycling schedule" ]

[ "Daily Telegram Staff" ]

[ "ADRIAN — Enrollment at Adrian College for its spring term has reached an all-time high, a news release from the college said.\nAdrian College surpassed its previous spring term enrollment mark with 1,604 students committing to the final term of the 2020-21 school year, the release said. Add to that 73 new and returning graduate students seeking master’s degrees and the total enrollment is a new record of 1,677 spring students as of move-in day, Jan. 11.\n\"The efforts we made to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, along with our commitment to the students to provide in-person classes on campus, have resulted in Adrian College setting a spring term enrollment record,\" Docking said in the release. \"And, we couldn’t be more pleased. We hear our students, loud and clear, and will continue doing whatever we can to give them the full Adrian College experience they deserve.\"\nFrank Hribar, Adrian College vice president of enrollment and student affairs, reported that the college had a 91.8% undergraduate retention rate and a 100% graduate retention rate for spring.\n\"It just goes to show how much the students appreciate all the innovation and care this campus has provided during this pandemic,\" Hribar said in the release. \"Our campus has devoted countless hours to creating a comprehensive preparedness plan, spent literally thousands of dollars on COVID-19 testing, and is now gearing up to help provide vaccinations for our students, faculty and staff.\"\nAndrea Milner, Adrian College vice president and dean of academic affairs, was ecstatic when hearing undergraduate enrollment targets were achieved with the help of 34 new incoming students, the release said. The college has 1,572 total full-time registered and enrolled undergraduates, 10 part-time enrolled students, and 22 guest and high school students.\n\"Establishing a record enrollment this semester is impressive given all we faced during a COVID-19 restricted semester,\" Milner said in the release. \"We continue to provide exceptional instruction and experiences and I look forward to what we can provide when protocol become closer to normal. It is very fulfilling to see that we surpassed our expectations this semester. It gives us continued inspiration for continued academic expansion and optimism for an even brighter future.\"", "Adrian College sets record for spring term enrollment", "ADRIAN — Enrollment at Adrian College for its spring term has reached an all-time high, a news release from the college said.Adrian College surpassed its previous spring term enrollment mark with 1,604 students committing to the final term of the 2020-21 school year, the release said. Add to that 73 new and returning graduate students seeking master’s degrees and the total enrollment is a new record of 1,677 spring students as of move-in day, Jan. 11.\"The efforts we made to mitigate" ]

[ "David T. Farr" ]

[ "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.\n*****\nPicture this: I’m sitting on the floor with the albums “Thriller,” “Purple Rain,” “Like A Virgin,” “Synchronicity,” “Footloose,” “Private Dancer,” “Can’t Slow Down” and so many others. It’s like it was yesterday.\nThat’s because it was yesterday.\nI never dreamed I’d re-live those kinds of moments again. But I did and I’m loving it. Music has been a huge part of my life and that will never change.\nCan you imagine how thrilling it was for me to venture into the stores over Christmas and see what I was seeing? Thank goodness for having to adorn masks, because I’m sure the look on my face was ... interesting. I was like a kid in a candy store.\nI used to love going to department stores to check their music offerings. It’s been a sad realization to see the music section dwindling over the past few years in the wake of digital music and streaming services. Don’t get me wrong, the ease and quickness to play music is wonderful. But it’s not the same experience.\nNow when I go into the stores, it’s like seeing my old friends: Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, The Police, Tina Turner, Lionel Richie and all my favorites - back on vinyl! Who knew? If I had known, I would have kept some of those albums from years ago.\nWhat’s equally cool is a few artists from today are seeing their likeness on a full album cover, such as Adele, Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift, next to the all-time greats.\nWith all this emotion and reflection, I decided to treat myself and get back into my love for albums on vinyl. I needed a place in my house to do this, so I thought about it and, Boom! There it was. I converted a built-in glass cabinet in my basement to a record nook. It’s perfect. My basement already is entertainment-themed with memorabilia, classic ’80s movie posters and everything else pop culture-related you can imagine, not to mention a huge music collection. I purchased an awesome, vintage-looking record-player with bluetooth capability. It can play CDs and tapes, too.\nThe pandemic brought a lot of change, most of it unfavorable. However, some good came from it. People and families connected more and better than before. People took an appreciation for their home and surroundings.\nMusic gained greater importance, as it was a great way to pass the time and find enjoyment. Physical sales of vinyl record albums saw its biggest increase since the early 1990s, when CDs took over. According to Billboard, vinyl had its best sales week ever during the week of Christmas, with 1.842 millions albums sold in the U.S. For the first time in 34 years, record albums outsold CDs in 2020. It certainly was a different kind of year.\nI helped contribute to those figures. I purchased about 20 vinyl LPs for my collection. Most of those I first had obtained when I was a kid, first on vinyl, then cassette, then CD.\nI was on a mission to get albums that I consider a must. I hit a few stores hoping to find them and it was like the skies opened to the sound of a choir: I had found Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and Prince’s “Purple Rain.” Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!\nI want to get only the best albums or my all-time favorites on vinyl. I can enjoy them in their entirety, surface noise and all! It’s beautiful.\nMy friends know me well, too. I love their comments about how my basement is so “me,” One friend surprised me with an authentic copy of Tina Turner’s “Break Every Rule.” He came across it at a resale shop and thought of me. I love it! When the pandemic is over, you’re going to find me at all the music shows.\nDavid T. Farr is a Sturgis, Michigan, Journal correspondent. Email him at [email protected].", "The Farr Side column: 2021 arrives, vinyl-y", "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.*****Picture this: I’m sitting on the floor with the albums “Thriller,” “Purple Rain,” “Like A Virgin,” “Synchronicity,” “Footloose,” “Private Dancer,” “Can’t Slow Down” and so many others. It’s like it was yesterday.That’s because it was yesterday.I never dreamed I’d re-live those kinds of moments again. But I" ]

[ "Daily Telegram Staff" ]

[ "ADRIAN — Almost two-thirds of the deaths in Lenawee County attributed to COVID-19 happened in December.\nThere have been 60 confirmed and three probable deaths from the illness caused by the coronavirus reported to date in Lenawee County, a news release from Lenawee County government said. Of those, 37 of the confirmed cases and the all of the probable deaths were reported as of Dec. 30.\nThere have been 4,075 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lenawee County since the pandemic began, the county reported Wednesday, the most recent date when the county released updated COVID-19 statistics. As of Wednesday, there were 1,276 active confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lenawee County; 16 of those cases were hospitalized.\nThe county lists 2,739 people who were confirmed to have had COVID-19 plus 130 people with probable cases as discontinued from isolation.\nProbable cases include individuals with COVID-19 symptoms and an epidemiological link to someone with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, but no diagnostic test, according to the county health department.\nThe state health department reported 8,983 new cases of COVID-19 and 265 deaths Saturday. The update — the first for 2021 — is a three-day total, including New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.\nSince the last report on Wednesday, the average number of new confirmed cases is approximately 2,994 per day, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.\nThe state now has 497,127 confirmed cases and 12,598 deaths since March.\nBoth ProMedica and the Lenawee County Health Department have started administering COVID-19 vaccine to hospital, emergency and health department workers.\nThe Detroit Free Press contributed to this report.", "December deadliest month for COVID-19 in Lenawee County", "ADRIAN — Almost two-thirds of the deaths in Lenawee County attributed to COVID-19 happened in December.There have been 60 confirmed and three probable deaths from the illness caused by the coronavirus reported to date in Lenawee County, a news release from Lenawee County government said. Of those, 37 of the confirmed cases and the all of the probable deaths were reported as of Dec. 30.There have been 4,075 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lenawee County since the pandemic began, the county" ]

[ "Dusty Rickettsmore Content Nowusa Today Network" ]

[ "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.\n*****\nWhile it doesn’t have the Marios or Zeldas that Nintendo does, or the Halos and Gears of War titles that Xbox has, PlayStation has long been the home to the exclusive video game titles that appeal most to me.\n“Marvel’s Spider-Man,” “The Last of Us”, “God of War,” “Ratchet and Clank” and “Astro Bot” are some of the top titles in their respective genres. As great as those franchises are, my favorite PlayStation franchise, my favorite video game franchise, is the Uncharted series.\n“Uncharted” is like a modern-day Indiana Jones series, following treasure hunter Nathan Drake as he and his friends get in over their heads trying to secure their fortune and glory. Each game in the series plays out like a massive Hollywood blockbuster, with huge action set pieces and great characters and beautifully written, acted and animated characters.\nSince the series started in 2007 on the PlayStation 3 with “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune,” there have been three direct sequels and one spinoff game all created by the developers at Naughty Dog, along with a prequel created for the PlayStation Vita handheld system that was designed by Sony’s Bend Studio rather than Naughty Dog.\nNaughty Dog wrapped up Nathan Drake’s story in “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End” in 2016, and the series has been dormant since the 2017 spinoff “Uncharted: The Last Legacy” was released. That game instead focused on Chole Frazer, Nathan’s old friend, former love interest and associate who is a treasure hunter of her own.\nBut finally, it looks like a new game in the Uncharted series is in development, just not at the Naughty Dog studio. Instead, it looks like Sony has created a new unannounced studio based in San Diego that is hard at work on the next chapter of the Uncharted series.\nMichael Mumbauer was apparently the studio head at this new studio through last November. On his LinkedIn profile, he wrote: “His latest achievement is having built a brand new, all-star, AAA Action/Adventure development team for PlayStation. Based in San Diego and utilizing proprietary engine technology, this team was assembled to expand upon existing franchises and craft all new stories for the next generation of gamers.”\nWhile his page doesn’t specifically mention the Uncharted series, he also shared a YouTube video on his page about Sony setting up a secret studio to create “Uncharted 5.”\nNaughty Dog has created masterpiece after masterpiece since 2007, so I am disappointed it has moved on from the Uncharted series. That said, I am extremely excited to see this series continue. “Uncharted 4” did an amazing job wrapping up Nathan Drake’s story, so it will be interesting to see if the next game in the series will bring him out of retirement somehow or focus on a new character.\n(Editor’s note: Spoilers are ahead for the end of “Uncharted 4”) The fourth game ended with an epilogue that jumped the series forward many years and put you in control of Nathan’s teenage daughter Cassie. I wouldn’t mind if “Uncharted 5” moved the story ahead a few more years and focused on Cassie going on her first real adventure and could even have Nathan around as a support.\nDusty Ricketts is the editor of The Destin Log and The Walton Sun newspapers and can be reached at [email protected].", "Play Life, Live Games column: PlayStation could be headed back to ‘Uncharted’ territories", "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.*****While it doesn’t have the Marios or Zeldas that Nintendo does, or the Halos and Gears of War titles that Xbox has, PlayStation has long been the home to the exclusive video game titles that appeal most to me.“Marvel’s Spider-Man,” “The Last of Us”, “God of War,” “Ratchet and Clank” and “Astro Bot” are some of the top titles in their respective genres. As" ]

[ "Sentinel Staff" ]

[ "GRAND RAPIDS — A Holland native in prison for a 2018 murder and dismemberment in Grand Rapids has lost a bid to have his conviction and sentence overturned.\nA judge sentenced Jared Chance to a maximum of 200 years in prison in October 2019 after being convicted of the murder of Ashley Young.\nJudge Mark Trusock explained his reasons for going beyond the recommended range of 22.5 to 75 years provided by the sentencing guidelines, calling the murder and dismemberment of Young \"without question\" the worst murder case he ever presided over.\nYoung was killed in late November 2018. Her torso, arms and legs were found at Chance’s Grand Rapids apartment after his neighbor decided to investigate a foul smell and found a bloody tarp in the basement. After a weeklong trial in September, a jury convicted Chance of second-degree murder, mutilation of a dead body, concealing a death and tampering with evidence.\n\"What you did and what I saw in photographs was reprehensible and heinous. This goes beyond comprehension,\" Trusock said.\nThe judge said Chance’s lack of remorse and compassion, the brutality of the crime, the lack of motive for the \"completely senseless killing,\" and the fact that he lied to Young’s mother repeatedly to give her hope that her daughter was still alive were factors that the sentencing guidelines didn’t take into account.\n\"You, sir, are in my mind a very evil individual,\" the judge said. \"You are clearly a monster without any conscience whatsoever, and you are someone who is a danger to society and should never be allowed free.\"\nIn his appeal, Chance said jurors should have been allowed to consider the lesser offense of involuntary manslaughter, WZZM-13 reported. He also said Trusock’s sentence was too harsh. Chance also took exception to the judge calling him \"a very evil individual.\"\nIn the end, the three-judge panel rejected all of Chance’s arguments and upheld the conviction and sentence.\nChance, who turns 32 later this month, is at a state prison in Saginaw County.", "Appeals court upholds Jared Chance murder conviction", "GRAND RAPIDS — A Holland native in prison for a 2018 murder and dismemberment in Grand Rapids has lost a bid to have his conviction and sentence overturned.A judge sentenced Jared Chance to a maximum of 200 years in prison in October 2019 after being convicted of the murder of Ashley Young.Judge Mark Trusock explained his reasons for going beyond the recommended range of 22.5 to 75 years provided by the sentencing guidelines, calling the murder and dismemberment of Young \"without" ]

[ "Rev. Kevin Eccles" ]

[ "Pastor Kevin Eccles is among the Monroe-area ministers participating in The Monroe News' clergy column series.\nI wanted to wait until after I watched the Inauguration of President Biden before I wrote this column. Pastors never lack for platitudes, turns of phrase, or advice, but something told me that my best words would likely come after.\nAfter I saw another peaceful transition of power, I was reminded how grateful I am that power in this country comes down to paper ballots and not metal guns. I am grateful that my day tomorrow will likely be very much like my day yesterday. The world still rotates on its axis, there are still things I'd like to criticize about our nation's leadership, and I expect that I will continue to work, be paid, and buy the necessities of life for my family.\nAfter National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman spoke, I felt a renewed sense of purpose in that same-ness. There was a stronger pull toward the future, a greater hope for compassionate change, and a stronger will to see it progress. Laureate Gorman was wise enough to remind us of the things that would stand in our way, so that we can eradicate those things within ourselves.\nShe said: \"...we lift our gazes not to what stands between us, but what stands before us. We close the divide because we know to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside. We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another. We seek harm to none and harmony for all. Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true. That even as we grieved, we grew. That even as we hurt, we hoped. That even as we tired, we tried that will forever be tied together victorious. Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division.\"\nWe have a Poet who can preach in our country today. Divisive behavior and calls for unity often come from the same people. Often they come from the same person within a single hour. Unity can sometimes be used as a cover for backstabbing, selfishness, and cruelty. Laureate Gorman shows us what a wholesome unity would look like.\nUnity can only be found when we are unified around an intolerance of abuse and violence. True unity comes when justice is the highest ideal, the oppressed receive help, and we seem harm to none. In short, unity can only be found among a group of people who each seek to love one another as they love themselves. There is a wholesome unity to be found among a people who can both refuse to sow division and also refuse to allow harm to come to a neighbor. Unity has harmony as its prerequisite, and unity built on the sacrifice of some is no unity at all.\nIf we would seek reconciliation, it must come alongside restitution. If we seek unity, we need safety and harmony. There ought to be a place at the table for everyone, except abusers and men of violence.\nRev. Kevin Eccles is a resident of Monroe and an appointed pastor at the Ypsilanti Free Methodist Church. He can be reached at [email protected].", "Pastor Kevin: Seeking unity, safety and harmony" ]

[ "Niles Kruger", "Niles Kruger Monroe News Sports Editor" ]

[ "Milan and Williamston will meet for first time on football field during Saturday's playoff.\nHistory will be made in a lot of ways Saturday when Milan and Williamston meet for a Division 4 Regional championship football game.\nThe two schools have never met on the football field before.\nNeither has ever played a football game in January.\nAnd, if Milan wins, it will qualify for the state semifinals for the first time in school history.\nIn a strange season that’s featured a lot of stops and starts because of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s fitting that history will be made.\nAnd Milan athletic director Robert Hull can’t help but feel that some of the oddities revolve around him.\nHull, who came to Milan in 2019, is the former boys and girls tennis coach at Williamston. He coached the son and daughter of Williamston football coach Steve Kersten.\n“Milan has never played Williamston before, then I get here and this happens,” Hull said. “It’s crazy.”\nThe two schools have been operating in different spheres, but have enjoyed similar success.\nKersten has won 62 percent of his games (124-77) over 20 seasons and has qualified for the state playoffs 13 times. The Hornets have appeared in the Regional finals four times, twice in the state semifinals and once in the finals. They lost to Grand Rapids Catholic Central 27-23 in the finals in 2010.\nMilan’s Jesse Hoskins has won 69 percent of his games (79-35) over 10 seasons and has made the playoffs 8 times. This is the third time the Big Reds have made it to the Regional finals in his tenure.\nBoth teams are 8-1 this season.\nKersten got a chance to see Milan play on Nov. 13 in a District championship game against Redford Union.\n“After a few minutes I thought, ‘Their team looks a lot like our team,’” he said. “I feel like their coaching staff and kids are a lot like ours. They are a rock-solid football team.”\nHoskins sees it the same way.\n“They’re a good, solid team all-around,” he said. “They have no weaknesses and talent at every position.”\nWhen two evenly matched teams like this meet, it comes down to the basics.\n“It’s our fundamental belief that you win football games when you don’t turn the ball over and you don’t give up big plays,” Hoskins said.\nThe key to shutting down big plays from Williamston will be containing quarterback Luke Mahaney, who has completed 76 of 138 passes for 1,118 yards and 14 touchdowns.\n“He reminds me of (former Milan quarterback) Demetrius Barnes,” Hoskins said. “He’s a little shorter than Demetrius, but is quick and throws the ball well.”\n“He’s a smaller kid, but is super smart,” Kersten said.\nWilliamston puts Mahaney’s intelligence to use with a lot of run-pass option (RPO) plays.\nMilan hasn’t seen much of that kind of attack.\n“They are most-similar to Grosse Ile, but really nobody in the Huron League runs a true zone-read, RPO offense. We don’t face a ton of that.”\nSullivan Sparks (134 carries for 744 yards and 8 TDs) is the top rusher for the Hornets and Jacob Dunckel (24 receptions for 309 yards) is the top receiver.\n“The key for our defense will be stopping the inside run,” Hoskins said. “We cannot give up gaps. … We’re a gap-responsibility defense. They will be reading us. The goal will be to be aggressive and dictate where the ball goes.”\nKersten said Dylan Beck stood out when watching film of Milan’s defense. The All-Stater was hard to miss with a team-high 90 tackles, including 15 for loss.\n“We are well aware of him,” said Kersten. “He’s a nice player. Teams ran away from him.”\nJunior quarterback Cole McElvany caught Kersten’s eye on offense. He passed for 792 yards and ran for a team-best 713 in his first season as a starter at quarterback.\nThe Big Reds have a big-play threat in Kendrick McBride, who lines up at receiver but takes hand-offs and returns kicks.\n“Those two make a lot of plays,” Kersten said of McElvany and McBride. “Their running backs are fast and they run a great scheme. They use a lot of formations.”\nHoskins said his team will stick with what got them this far.\n“We’ll do what we do,” he said. “We want to run the football and get positive yardage on first and second down to stay out of third and long.”\nThe game will be played at Lansing Catholic.\nWilliamston wanted to host the contest on its field, but heavy snowfall in the area made that impossible.\nCold temperatures will make ball security and issue for both teams.\n“My philosophy on weather is that is always favors the better team,” Hoskins said. “As you get later into the year, and now we are playing into January, playing in the Huron League really helps. We have such a tough, run-based league. It’s always about stopping the run. That’s our No. 1 focus.”\nAlso in focus for the Big Reds is a chance to reach the state semifinals for the first time in school history.\nIf Detroit Country Day beats North Branch in its Regional final, Milan would get to host the semifinals.\n“We have an opportunity to do something no other Milan team has done,” Hoskins said. “That will provide motivation, but the bottom line is that we have to prepare same way we’ve prepared for every opponent.”", "Football matchup is history in the making" ]

[ "Dean Cousino", "Dean Cousino Monroe News Staff Reporter" ]

[ "With the help of dedicated volunteers, professional hawk counter Kevin Georg conducted 568 hours of data collection over 83 days between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30.\nSixteen different species were counted in the Detroit River Hawk Watch’s fall raptor migration released this week.\nThe 2020 count was the 38th consecutive season of monitoring diurnal raptor and turkey vulture migration at the mouth of the river and the 23rd year of consistent coverage at nearby Lake Erie Metropark.\nWith the help of dedicated volunteers, professional hawk counter Kevin Georg conducted 568 hours of data collection over 83 days between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30. It was his fourth season of counting, said Jody DeMeyere, Visitor Services Manager at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge in Trenton.\nDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, special precautions were made to ensure the safety of the counter, volunteer staff and visitors to the site, DeMeyere said in a press release.\nThis season, 101,200 total turkey vultures and raptors across 16 different species were counted, he said.\nThe count included four unknown raptors. The total was 19% below the Long-Term Average (LTA) of roughly 125,500 raptors counted at the metropark between 2011-2019.\n“We compared this season’s totals to the respective LTA for each species since 1998,” DeMeyere said. “Turkey vultures (42%), red-shouldered hawk (28%), merlin (41%) and peregrine falcon (118%) were the only species counted above the LTA.”\nMeanwhile, osprey (-73%), bald eagle (-56%), northern harrier (-7%), sharp-shinned hawk (-16%), Cooper’s hawk (-75%), northern goshawk (-88%), broad-winged hawk (-72%), Swainson’s hawk (-100%), red-tailed hawk (-6%), rough-legged hawk (-22%), golden eagle (-42%), and American kestrel (-27%) were significantly lower than their respective LTA, where values under 15% are considered “significant” for the count.\nIn addition, two northern goshawks and zero Swainson’s hawks were counted this year.\n“Strong winds seemed to significantly affect the number of raptors that flew over our count site this year and pushed these birds south,” he said.\nAlthough the hawk watch is located in a major flyway, spotters are unable to view the entire expanse at once and a lower count may mean an elevated count at a neighboring site.\nRaptor count data are entered into a database managed by the Hawk Migration Association of North America to facilitate collaboration. This allows more accurate estimates of raptor population health than assessing one raptor count site could offer, he said.\nThe Hawk Watch 2020 Season Summary is available at detroitriverhawkwatch.org/.\nResults for individual species, monthly highlights and photos and narratives are at facebook.com/groups/detroitriverhawkwatch.\nThe Hawk Watch is the premier community science initiative of the refuge. It is a partnership among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Refuge’s Friends Organization the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance, Huron Clinton Metroparks, and the Detroit River Hawk Watch Advisory Committee.\nFor more information, go to detroitriverhawkwatch.org, or contact Jessica Fletcher, a Wildlife Biologist, at 734-362-3729.", "16 species counted during Metropark hawk watch" ]

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[ "To Dan Fleming who writes of tyranny in the Jan. 19 Sentinel, I sincerely doubt Mr. Fleming has any idea what real tyranny is.\nHe’s unhappy because someone, using the best information and advice available, has asked him to put aside his righteous indignation and do something for the general good. I’m sure he’s a good citizen and doesn’t smoke in a restaurant, wears his seatbelt when driving and obeys traffic laws, but asking him to wear a mask in public and follow recommended health department protocols is just going too far.\nUnfortunately, to air his grievance and make himself heard, Mr. Fleming seems happy to perpetuate an activity started some time ago by Newt Gingrich during his heyday in Congress. Newt’s idea was to always demonize the opposition or anyone you disagree with at every opportunity by describing them in the vilest possible terms, using name-calling and labeling, and repeating it over and over again until it sticks, hence where we are in the world today, and Mr. Fleming’s use of the word \"tyrant\" when referring to our leaders in government.\nIt’s too bad he couldn’t have found a more appropriate and useful way to express himself while doing less damage to his personal reputation. Unfortunately, in the Age of Communication, words have become nothing more than a weapon to use against people with whom we disagree.\nWith so many tired of the divisiveness today, and trying to heal a badly damaged nation, name-calling and derision are not the way. It’s done nothing but debase our country, destroy our reputation in the world and halt any useful and meaningful progress forward. It’s time to stop acting like a bunch of bratty kids on the playground and begin to act like adults. It’s time for other words like \"civility\" and \"cooperation\" and \"respect,\" words that seem to have fallen out of favor and been forgotten.\nMartin Keirnan\nPark Township", "Letter: We need to act like adults, not bratty kids", "To Dan Fleming who writes of tyranny in the Jan. 19 Sentinel, I sincerely doubt Mr. Fleming has any idea what real tyranny is.He’s unhappy because someone, using the best information and advice available, has asked him to put aside his righteous indignation and do something for the general good. I’m sure he’s a good citizen and doesn’t smoke in a restaurant, wears his seatbelt when driving and obeys traffic laws, but asking him to wear a mask in public and follow" ]

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[ "Welcome to the New Year. With some luck and an extra effort on our part, we can make this year better than last; although, that shouldn’t be hard as last year was so troubling that it wouldn’t take much. But what about 2020? If nothing else, we were reminded of, or learned a lot about, ourselves as Americans; not all of it was pretty.\n2020 made us aware that we are a nation that has a culture that is being subverted by a toxic mix of a white-privileged, wealthy male oligarchy and rugged individualism. By March 2020, with the earliest cases of COVID-19, we began to see the consequences of this mix.\nThe Trump administration downplayed the severity of the pandemic. It refused the advice of scientists and the medical profession by discouraging safety measures such as the wearing of masks, keeping physically distanced, and avoiding prolonged indoor contact. Instead, they encouraged rugged individualism by casting mask mandates and shelter-in-place orders as somehow un-American. It also placed \"business as usual\" above our health and lives leading to a total of more than 346,800 deaths from COVID-19 as of Dec. 31, 2020. It celebrated armed protestors entering Michigan’s Capitol stating that their \"right\" to ignore scientists trumped (pun intended) the need to save lives. It led terrorists to plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer. We shouldn’t have been surprised.\nWe live in a society in which each of us is subject to the whims of an oligarchy that does not care about the less privileged or marginalized citizens among us. The members of this oligarchy care only about their wealth and power; and their wealth increased substantially since the pandemic hit, while most Americans were economically devastated. The wealth of America’s 651 billionaires has jumped by over $1 trillion since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. To put this figure in perspective, the $1 trillion wealth gain by these billionaires since mid-March is more than enough to cover the cost of sending a stimulus check of $3,000 to EVERY ONE of the 330 million people in the United States, man, woman, and child! But the Republicans, including the 7th MI District congressperson, Tim Walberg, voted against even sending $2,000 to adults and $600 to dependent children (Inequality.org, Dec. 9, 2020). Yet Walberg voted to support the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which made the wealthy even wealthier but did little for the majority of citizens. He is part of the oligarchy.\nThe desire of oligarchs to stay in power is exemplified by Oligarch-in-Chief, Donald Trump, who refuses to admit that Joe Biden will become the duly elected President on the 20th of this month. He and his cronies and supporters both in and out of government, including Tim Walberg and Bronna Kahle (neither of whom have publicly acknowledged Biden as President-Elect), have been engaged in a seditious attempt to destroy the democratic process that has served our country since its founding.\nNow, Trump is encouraging his supporters, including the Proud Boys, to attend a \"wild\" rally on Jan. 6 when Congress votes to accept the Electoral College vote. According to Business Insider (Dec. 30, 2020), \"A former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence said she was ‘very concerned’ that there would be violence in Washington, DC, on January 6 ‘because the president himself is encouraging it.’\" Congressional Republicans also are threatening to disrupt the process. Anything to stay in power.\nYet, here we are entering 2021 and I am optimistic. The vaccines against COVID-19 are being administered. We may be on the cusp of conquering the virus and returning to the things we missed for the last 10 months. We have a forward-looking administration lead by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ready to start immediately in making needed changes to our weakened democracy. After last year, things can only get better. I wish all my readers a very Happy New Year.\nDr. Hank Cetola is a Professor Emeritus at Adrian College and the founder of Lenawee Indivisible. He can be reached at [email protected].", "After last year, things can only get better", "Welcome to the New Year. With some luck and an extra effort on our part, we can make this year better than last; although, that shouldn’t be hard as last year was so troubling that it wouldn’t take much. But what about 2020? If nothing else, we were reminded of, or learned a lot about, ourselves as Americans; not all of it was pretty.2020 made us aware that we are a nation that has a culture that is being subverted by a toxic mix of a white-privileged, wealthy male oligarchy and" ]

[ "Ryan Czachorski", "Sentinel-Standard Contributor" ]

[ "All it took was a gentle reminder for Ionia’s Madeline McGee to recalibrate her goals.\nShe entered Saturday’s Division 3 state championship swim meet hoping to get top 10 in the 100-yard backstroke.\nIonia coach Amy Fuller reminded her that if she’d finish in the top eight, she would grab an all-state honor to go along with it.\n\"Oh, well maybe I want to do that now,\" McGee said of the coach’s suggestion. \"I was really happy with that one. I kind of added it on late. It just kind of happened I guess.\"\nShe went on to take eighth on the nose with a time of 1:00.38 in the event. She also scored in the 100-yard freestyle, swimming a 55.65 to finish 15th.\nShe is also the Ionia Sentinel-Standard Swimmer of the Year.\nFuller said McGee is swimming in uncharted waters for the program, at least under her leadership in her sixth year as head coach.\n\"In the time I’ve been coaching, I’ve never had a state meet finisher score points,\" Fuller said. \"Off the top of my head, I don’t know when that’s happened. She certainly made Ionia proud.\"\nIt was a nearly two-month pause for McGee before she could start prepping for the state meet due to the COVID-19 restrictions on high school sports that went into effect in November. During that time, she was able to get workouts in across the area, swimming in Ionia, Rockford and Grand Rapids for shorter bursts.\nShe said she thought she had prepared enough, but came out in the freestyle a little slower than she’d hoped. But she used that for motivation going into her other race on the day.\n\"I was hoping to go low 53ish (in the freestyle), and I added about a second on that,\" McGee said. \"After doing that, it kind of made me think, I’m not going to let myself do this again in the backstroke.\"\nMcGee said she was hoping to go low into the one-minute mark for the backstroke.\nGoing forward, she said she wants to also try and diversify her swims, hoping she can take the school record for the 200-yard freestyle.\nShe was back in the pool Monday night with her club team.\nThat doesn’t surprise her coach, who complimented her determination as she looked forward to what McGee could still do at Ionia.\n\"She just continues to impress and amaze me,\" Fuller said. \"At some points swimmers tend to plateau. She hasn’t reached that yet. Just when I think we’re going to kind of stay the same, she drops time. She has such incredible drive. It’s really fun to watch her, it’s so fun to work with her.\n\"She wants it more than I want it for her.\"", "Ionia’s Madeline McGee is Ionia County Swimmer of the Year", "All it took was a gentle reminder for Ionia’s Madeline McGee to recalibrate her goals.She entered Saturday’s Division 3 state championship swim meet hoping to get top 10 in the 100-yard backstroke.Ionia coach Amy Fuller reminded her that if she’d finish in the top eight, she would grab an all-state honor to go along with it.\"Oh, well maybe I want to do that now,\" McGee said of the coach’s suggestion. \"I was really happy with that one. I kind of added it on late. It just" ]

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[ "Monroe Public Schools asbestos abatement proposals wanted\nAdvertisement for Bids\nMonroe Public Schools\n1275 N. Macomb Street\nMonroe, MI 48162\nPhone: (734) 265-3000\nMonroe Public Schools is seeking proposals for Asbestos Abatement at the Riverside Learning Center. Bid specifications are available from the office of the Consultant, DMD Environmental, Inc., 3424 West Laskey Rd., Toledo, OH 43623-4032, (419) 473-1980 and are also available for viewing and/or downloading from the Monroe Public Schools website at https://bids.monroe.k12.mi.us. Bidders are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-bid meeting scheduled for 3:30 pm on Thursday, January 28, 2021 at the Riverside Learning Center, 77 North Roessler St., Monroe, MI 48162. Bids must be received by 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at Monroe Public Schools Operations Department, 4920 West Albain Rd, Monroe, MI 48161. The School Board will not consider or accept any bids submitted after that due date and time. The School Board reserves the right to reject any and all bids.\nJanuary 14, 16, 2021", "Monroe Public Schools asbestos abatement proposals wanted" ]

[ "Carolyn Muyskens" ]

[ "GANGES TWP. — Ganges United Methodist Church, hoping to raise enough money to pay for repairs to its beloved stained glass windows, has raised about $17,000 in the last month toward the work.\nPastor Marcia Tucker credited an article in The Sentinel and a segment on WZZM’s local news broadcast that raised awareness of the church’s plight and said the response to the news coverage has been \"wonderful.\"\nThe church is trying to save two large sets of stained glass windows original to the 1931 church building, one behind the altar at the front of the sanctuary and one in the second-floor balcony.\nThe wooden frames that have held the windows in place for 90 years have weakened over the years, and Tucker believes the windows could fall in at any time if the church isn’t able to replace the frames.\nThe total cost of the work that needs to be done is $89,000, about twice the church’s annual budget.\nThe $17,000 raised from the community adds to $22,000 that the church’s small congregation pulled together for the repairs.\nTucker said many of the donations the church has received have been accompanied by memories of the church’s significance to people’s lives.\n\"Two couples who were married in the 1970s at the church sent in a donation,\" Tucker said. \"A 1952 student at Western Theological Seminary sent in a donation with a note saying he did his first preaching assignment at the Ganges Methodist Church.\"\nFirst established in the mid-1800s and originally located in Pier Cove, Ganges United Methodist Church is one of few churches in Ganges Township, a go-to location for the community’s weddings and funerals and a landmark in the rural township.\n\"A lot of the people in the surrounding communities think of this as their church,\" Tucker said.\nThe church is accepting donations mailed to the church at P.O. Box 511, Fennville, MI 49408, or made online through a GoFundMe page called \"GUMC Stained Glass Window Restoration.\"\n— Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens.", "Church sees 'wonderful' response to plea to save windows", "GANGES TWP. — Ganges United Methodist Church, hoping to raise enough money to pay for repairs to its beloved stained glass windows, has raised about $17,000 in the last month toward the work.Pastor Marcia Tucker credited an article in The Sentinel and a segment on WZZM’s local news broadcast that raised awareness of the church’s plight and said the response to the news coverage has been \"wonderful.\"The church is trying to save two large sets of stained glass windows original" ]

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[ "The cat is out of the bag. Holland residents have seen their city government is up to serious shenanigans with the proposed rezoning of R-1 residential districts to \"LDR\" (low-density residential). Compared to the existing R-1 zoning, \"LDR\" is much higher density residential in spite of its innocuous acronym. Our city government is busily trying to fix what isn’t broken. The question is \"why?\"\nRecall that this effort started as an \"affordable housing\" initiative to accommodate those who can’t afford to live in Holland. I recall that chant from the last election. Was that label chosen to give the program a socially attractive aura and to silence its critics as heartless? After it was pointed out to city planners that increasing the density in the most expensive neighborhoods in town would not produce more affordable housing, the city has now admitted that this rezoning is not now, nor was it ever, intended to produce affordable housing. What, pray tell, was it intended to do? The residents deserve an answer from those who would purport to have their \"best interests\" in mind.\nWhy is it the staunchest champions of this initiative are those who are invested in the real estate sector? Lawyers, developers, lobbyists and builders are loudly promoting this effort as something that is good for \"growth.\"\nThe increased density will destroy R-1 neighborhoods, which in many areas are just recovering from the city’s last experiment in multi-family residential social engineering. If there is a legitimate governmental reason for this rezoning, the residents should be told. Otherwise, the city should keep their hands off the existing zoning.\nFred Floberg\nHolland", "Letter: Hands off Holland’s residential zoning", "The cat is out of the bag. Holland residents have seen their city government is up to serious shenanigans with the proposed rezoning of R-1 residential districts to \"LDR\" (low-density residential). Compared to the existing R-1 zoning, \"LDR\" is much higher density residential in spite of its innocuous acronym. Our city government is busily trying to fix what isn’t broken. The question is \"why?\"Recall that this effort started as an \"affordable housing\" initiative to accommodate those who" ]

[ "Dave Boucher", "Detroit Free Press" ]

[ "The angry mob that overwhelmed the U.S. Capitol in a matter of minutes this week has forced Michigan officials to re-examine a controversial policy that allows people to carry weapons into the state Capitol.\nDemocrats called for a ban on guns in the building long before the violent display in D.C. on Wednesday. Republicans, in a shift, appear to be less recalcitrant about installing new restrictions.\nOn Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, said he would support banning the open carry of firearms in the Capitol, according to the Detroit News. A Shirkey spokeswoman has not responded to several requests for comment.\nPreviously, Shirkey said the Michigan State Capitol Commission shouldn’t be responsible for setting the policy. He also said last year he didn’t expect to take legislative action on a weapons ban.\nHouse Speaker-elect Jason Wentworth, R-Clare, was non-committal in a statement Thursday about whether lawmakers should push for banning or restricting guns in the Capitol.\n\"I know the commission, the Senate majority leader, and previous House leadership were working on various options. I am still considering and reviewing those ideas, and I look forward to continuing the conversations on this issue soon to find the best solution possible,\" Wentworth said.\nThe topic has garnered considerable attention in the state, especially after armed protesters entered the Capitol last spring. Several of the men who carried long guns to the statehouse were later charged in an alleged plot to kidnap and kill Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.\nThe debate also comes the same week a bomb threat temporarily closed the state Capitol. On Thursday, law enforcement officials announced Michael Varrone, 48, of Charlotte, allegedly called the Capitol to make the threat. He was arrested and is expected to face charges Friday.\nLegislators could pass a new law or institute a rule restricting guns in the state Capitol. But many believe the Michigan State Capitol Commission can and should craft new policies that ban guns in the Capitol.\nOn Friday, the House Democratic Caucus called on the commission to \"stop dragging their feet,\" hold an emergency meeting and enact new policies to secure the Capitol.\n\"The violence we saw play out at the U.S. Capitol... shook us to our core. This was a direct attack on our democracy designed to undermine the peaceful transfer of power that our very republic is founded on,\" reads a statement attributed to several leaders of the caucus.\n\"And though we were appalled by what transpired, not a single member of the Michigan Legislature should be shocked — because it was our Capitol — where we gather to do the people's work day in and day out — that was used as a dress rehearsal for exactly what happened yesterday.\"\nRep. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, for months has implored commissioners to pass a weapons ban. She gave tearful testimony in September expressing fear for her safety when she works in the building and said the presence of weapons in the building could be intimidating to lawmakers, especially when discussing or voting on controversial bills.\n\"It is frustrating,\" she said Friday. \"I have been beating this drum for months and months. Unfortunately, proactive steps, whether it’s at the state level or the federal level, are not taken.\"\nA weapons ban would give police more tools to keep the building safe, she said. She pointed to other public buildings such as courtrooms and Lansing city hall, where weapons are banned.\nFears of violence hang over the incoming lawmakers who call with questions about working in the House, Anthony said.\n\"They are asking me about their safety,\" she said. \"How they can procure a bulletproof vest. How should they select a seat on the House floor based on how quickly they can find an exit in case of violence. Those are the questions we’re getting from incoming members who should be focused on all the ways they should be helping their constituents. I think that’s just very telling of where we are right now.\"\nIn September, after months of studying and debating a weapons ban, a majority of commissioners voted against an outright ban. They also split 3-3 on a ban of openly carried weapons, which did not pass.\nIn a phone interview Thursday evening, commission Vice Chairman John Truscott said the commission will absolutely review security concerns at the Capitol.\n\"The events of yesterday, at least for me, highlighted the need to have a much broader discussion beyond weapons about what we should be doing to keep the people in the Capitol protected,\" Truscott said.\nHowever, as he and others have noted in the past, implementation of broad security measures will take time and money. Even if the commission approved a complete ban on fire arms today, Truscott said implementing and maintaining the process needed to enforce the ban would cost approximately $1 million a year.\nDuring discussions last year, some commissioners opposed to the ban said they don’t want to write such a policy without taking measures to enforce it, such as installing metal detectors and hiring more security staff. That would be expensive and could cause delays for people trying to get inside.\nJoan Bauer, a former Democratic lawmaker who proposed the full weapons ban, said commissioners had \"the moral and legal responsibility to act before something terrible happens.\"", "U.S. Capitol riot forces new conversation about guns at Michigan Capitol", "The angry mob that overwhelmed the U.S. Capitol in a matter of minutes this week has forced Michigan officials to re-examine a controversial policy that allows people to carry weapons into the state Capitol.Democrats called for a ban on guns in the building long before the violent display in D.C. on Wednesday. Republicans, in a shift, appear to be less recalcitrant about installing new restrictions.On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, said he would support banning the" ]

[ "Dr. Elaine Heffner More Content Now" ]

[ "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.\n*****\nSome things seem too hard to talk about with our children. Even normal things like death or the illness of a parent. But these days, surrounded by ever-present media presenting stories and pictures of unimaginable events, as parents we have even greater concern about how we can protect our young children from the effects of what they see and hear.\nThis past week newspapers and TV have been flooded with stories and pictures of the horrifying assault on, and invasion of the Capitol by those seeking to overturn our national election of a new president. How do we talk to our children about these things?\nWhile young children don’t have our memories of upsetting events in the past, such as 9/11, or even former protest marches, our impulse is to protect our children from upset or worry, and to minimize an event as a way of denying its impact on a child.\nChildren are much more aware of what is going on around them than we think they are or would like them to be. Yet sometimes our own emotions get in the way of our recognizing or understanding what our children are thinking and feeling. We can’t explain to them why this happened in a way that makes sense, because it makes no sense to us. This is difficult for us as parents since we expect to be able to explain things to them and they expect that of us.\nChildren react to events in different ways, which may be different than we imagined. The media already have been filled with advice about how to talk to your children about this. Perhaps the best advice is to listen to your children. This means to try to hear what it is that concerns them - if anything - before deciding what kind of story to tell them.\nThe way we talk to a child about disturbing events depends a great deal on the age and developmental stage of the child. By listening to his questions and what he says, you can correct any distortions in his understanding and offer a simple story about what is known. The story needs to match the child’s age and level of development but can be straightforward and real without going into gory details.\nThat may seem obvious but it is more difficult than it may seem. What interferes with hearing our children are our own emotional reactions. If we are aware of the feelings aroused in us, we can put them aside and listen instead for our children’s feelings and concerns. I found this in talking to several teenagers. Knowing about the absence of civics in school curricula these days, I inwardly wondered if they could possibly be as affected as I was by this assault on the seat of our democracy.\nOne said it was the “dirtiness” of it that was horrible, the “trampling of majesty - like a temple.” Another said it was like watching pictures of the Titanic going down. There were comments about the contrast between police reaction at the George Floyd protest march and at the invasion of the halls of Congress. These were high school students currently in school, only remotely. Talking to younger students would no doubt elicit different thoughts and associations.\nWe can’t protect children from life’s painful events and experiences. We can only listen and respond to their concerns to help them develop the mental and emotional muscles they need to confront whatever life holds.\nThe reassurance for us is our children’s resilience, and their preoccupation with the more usual events of daily life.\nElaine Heffner, LCSW, Ed.D., has written for Parents Magazine, Fox.com, Redbook, Disney online and PBS Parents, as well as other publications. She has appeared on PBS, ABC, Fox TV and other networks. Dr. Heffner is the author of “Goodenoughmothering: The Best of the Blog,” as well as “Mothering: The Emotional Experience of Motherhood after Freud and Feminism.” She is a psychotherapist and parent educator in private practice, as well as a senior lecturer of education in psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Heffner was a co-founder and served as director of the Nursery School Treatment Center at Payne Whitney Clinic, New York Hospital. And she blogs at goodenoughmothering.com.", "Heffner column: What do our children think?", "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.***** Some things seem too hard to talk about with our children. Even normal things like death or the illness of a parent. But these days, surrounded by ever-present media presenting stories and pictures of unimaginable events, as parents we have even greater concern about how we can protect our young children from the effects of what they see and hear. This past week newspapers and TV have been flooded with stories and" ]

[ "Marlo Alleva", "More Content Now" ]

[ "There is just something exciting and fresh about a new year and a new plan.\nThat is especially true for our fitness goals and our plan to follow through.\nSimple and basic is the best way to start anything new (or not done in a while), even exercising. Luckily, there are many basic movements to start with and build on throughout your fitness journey.\nToday’s move is a walking lunge. This exercise will be working your complete lower body and, by adding the walking element, will add in a small amount of cardio. All you need for this exercise is a clear path. If you need intensity, you can always add a set of light to medium hand weights.\nTo begin this walking lunge, you will first need to decide on a location. This can be your driveway, the sidewalk, your local park or even on a treadmill. Once you pick a location, you are ready to go.\nStart this exercise by standing tall, engaging your abdominals and placing your feet about hip-width apart. Proceed to step forward with your left foot. Make this stride somewhat wide and plant that foot in front of you with your weight on your heel. At this point, you should be in a wide split stance, and begin bending in both knees, aiming for a 90-degree angle with both legs. Keep your front knee behind your toe and your body weight on your back toe.\nNow, once you reach your deepest lunge, return back into your upward motion bringing your back leg forward to meet back into your standing/starting position. From here, continue the same movement on the opposite side. Keeping your core strong and solid for optimal balance, place your fists on each hip. If you choose to use hand weights, you will simply just hold them down by your sides.\nContinue this alternating walking lunge for either as far as you can go, or at least 10 lunges on each leg.\nAt this point, take a small break, shake your legs out and continue into another set. If you are going for an unlimited set, simply continue to lunge until you are fatigued. Otherwise, shoot for at least three sets of 10 alternating lunges on each side.\nAlthough this is a basic simple exercise, the added movement can challenge your balance at first. But once you get the feel of the motion, you are good to go!\nAnd the best part, this exercise can be performed virtually anywhere.\nMarlo Alleva, an instructor at Gold’s Gym and group fitness coordinator at Fontaine-Gills YMCA in Lakeland, Florida, can be reached at [email protected].", "Today’s Workout column: Walking lunge works lower body", "There is just something exciting and fresh about a new year and a new plan.That is especially true for our fitness goals and our plan to follow through.Simple and basic is the best way to start anything new (or not done in a while), even exercising. Luckily, there are many basic movements to start with and build on throughout your fitness journey. Today’s move is a walking lunge. This exercise will be working your complete lower body and, by adding the walking element, will add in a" ]

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[ "EDITOR’S NOTE: The Allegan County Health Department has suspended restaurant inspections due to the current dine-in ban because of COVID-19. According to the ACHD’s website, Marlena’s Bistro & Pizzeria's only inspection in 2020 was Sept. 23, however, no details from that inspection have been made publicly available.\nReply to Pamela Nordhof’s \"What other health rules does Marlena’s scoff at?\" Dec. 27.\nIf Marlena’s didn't have any health violations pre-COVID-19, nothing would've changed now. Since, she has been operating her restaurant post-COVID, in the exact same manner. If anything, she has the cleanest place in town, since the county is probably in there every day trying to \"catch her\" at doing anything wrong ... other than trying to make a living out of her only source of income. What a crime!\nDo you know her story? She fled Poland. Do you know why she may have fled Poland? Because of the lack of freedom. Marlena is going to fight for the freedom here that people (like you, maybe?) born here take for granted every day. She knows what it's like to be told how to run her business/life by her government and she's not going to take it lying down. She has the freedom to fight for freedom here in the United States.\nYou can look up her taxes and her health code violations for yourself on the county website. Or are you just cooking up trouble for her by asking rhetorical questions? (By the way, no health violations and taxes are paid up).\nIf you're concerned about the health risks, then you have every right to not go to her restaurant. Now, allow her the freedom to conduct her business the way she sees fit, and to fight for freedom from tyranny that you, apparently, are all too comfortable imposing upon her.\nMichelle Traynor\nHolland", "Letter: Marlena fighting for freedom from tyranny", "EDITOR’S NOTE: The Allegan County Health Department has suspended restaurant inspections due to the current dine-in ban because of COVID-19. According to the ACHD’s website, Marlena’s Bistro & Pizzeria's only inspection in 2020 was Sept. 23, however, no details from that inspection have been made publicly available.Reply to Pamela Nordhof’s \"What other health rules does Marlena’s scoff at?\" Dec. 27.If Marlena’s didn't have any health violations pre-COVID-" ]

[ "Tracy Beckerman More Content Now" ]

[ "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.\n*****\nApparently there is a warrant out for my arrest.\nI’m not sure exactly what it is that I did wrong but according to the voicemail I got, I had 24 hours to call a certain phone number or the local police were going to come arrest me.\nThen the voice on the other end of the line wished me a nice day.\nI don’t know how you’re supposed to have a nice day when someone tells you you’re about to go to jail, but I figured they were just trying to be polite.\nAlthough I was pretty sure this was some kind of phishing scam since they never mentioned my name or what it was that I’d done, I thought I’d check with my friends to see if they had received the same phone call.\nThey had not.\nSo, either I was just the first of my friends to get in on this scam or there really was a warrant out for my arrest. Still, I was pretty sure that if the police wanted to arrest you, they wouldn’t have some lady call you and let you know it was going to happen. I think if they are going to arrest you they come to your door unannounced, with a warrant, and then they cuff you and take you in. And nobody wishes you a nice day. Out of curiosity, I checked with a friend who was a former police officer about this and he said he’d never called anyone before he arrested them, but he did slam the bars behind a really bad guy, laugh and wish him a nice day. But I don’t think he meant it.\nIt occurred to me that calling you and telling you you’re going to be arrested is, a) kind of a tip off that you’re going to get arrested and, b) the kind of news that would make most sane people immediately buy a plane ticket to Cuba. Since the number of arrests would probably dip dramatically if the alleged criminal got a forewarning that the police were coming for him, I finally and definitively decided this whole thing must be a scam.\nStill, on the off-off chance that this might be a real thing, I thought I should consider all the things I’d done that might get me in trouble.\nFirst I recalled I had left the top off the toothpaste that morning AND squeezed from the middle. It was possible my husband had called this infraction into the police although I’m pretty sure while annoying, I didn’t break any actual laws.\nNext I remembered that I’d burnt the steaks on the grill last night. Again, I didn’t actually break any laws but I think my family was pretty unhappy about having charred hockey pucks for dinner.\nFinally, I remembered that I had made my own parking spot at the supermarket when I was buying the meat I would burn at dinner because there were no actual spots available. This time I think I did actually break the law. I wondered if someone had reported me for wanton parking space consumption. Was that a real thing? Was this something that could actually get me arrested? I started to break out in a sweat. Then I thought for a minute more and decided at most, I might get a parking ticket for parking in a not-a-parking spot and that it probably would not lead to me being arrested.\nConfident that the whole thing was a bunch of baloney, I deleted the voicemail.\nThen I went and put the cap back on the toothpaste, just to be sure.\nYou can follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyBeckerman and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LostinSuburbiaFanPage.", "Lost in Midlife column: Arrested development", "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.***** Apparently there is a warrant out for my arrest.I’m not sure exactly what it is that I did wrong but according to the voicemail I got, I had 24 hours to call a certain phone number or the local police were going to come arrest me.Then the voice on the other end of the line wished me a nice day.I don’t know how you’re supposed to have a nice day when someone tells you you’re about to go to jail, but I figured" ]

[ "Laura Tolbert More Content Now Usa Today Network" ]

[ "I’ve received many emails inquiring what my family’s favorite dishes are. This week, I decided I’d share them with you. I asked my husband and two (adult) children for their all-time favorites. Here we go!\nANDREA’S FAVORITE ONION RINGS\nMy daughter is an onion ring aficionado. Each year for her birthday meal, she always requests onion rings to go along with whatever I cook for her. We’ve had onion rings with ribs, lasagna, grilled chicken and ribeye steaks. If you like a thinly sliced, lightly battered onion ring, you’ll love these.\nWhen choosing onions for your onion rings, select the flattest and largest you can find.\n• 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings\n• 3 cups buttermilk\n• 1 to 2 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce\n• 2 cups self-rising flour\n• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning\n• Peanut oil\nWhisk buttermilk and hot sauce together in a large bowl. Place onion slices in buttermilk to soak for at least 30 minutes. Combine the flour and Creole seasoning together in another large bowl. Heat peanut oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees. Using a fork, remove onion rings from buttermilk and dredge (a half dozen or so at a time) in flour and shake off excess. Fry in hot oil until well browned. Drain on paper towels and lightly salt. Devour immediately.\nNATHAN’S FAVORITE CHICKEN POT PIE\nThis has been my son’s favorite since he was in elementary school. During his high school football playing days, he was known to eat an entire chicken pot pie by himself!\n• Two pie crusts (either homemade or store-bought)\nFor the filling:\n• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken\n• 8 ounces sour cream\n• 1 can cream of chicken soup\n• 16-ounce bag frozen mixed veggies, thawed\n• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper\n• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley\n• 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water\nPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a pie plate with one of the pie crusts.\nAdd all ingredients (except egg wash) to a large bowl and stir well to combine. Carefully spoon into pie crust and gently place second pie crust on top. Either make a gorgeous decorative border for the edges, or do like I did and crimp the edges together with a fork to seal. I call this version “rustic,” which sounds better than “I can’t make a gorgeous decorative border.” Using a pastry brush, coat the entire top of the pie crust with the egg wash you mixed up earlier. Cut a few slits in the top crust with a knife.\nWith a sharp knife, cut a few quarter-inch slits in the top pie crust. Place in oven and cook for 35 to 38 minutes. Near the end of cooking time, check the crust. You don’t want it to get too brown. If needed, cover the edges of the crust with foil during the last few minutes of cooking. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.\nSWEET HAROLD’S FAVORITE FRIED PORK CHOPS\nI knew before I asked him what he would immediately answer when asked for his favorite meal. He absolutely loves my fried pork chops. You can use either boneless or bone-in for this recipe.\n• 6 to 8 bone-in pork chops\n• 1 cup self-rising flour\n• Salt and black pepper to taste\n• 1 cup vegetable oil\nMix flour with salt and pepper on a shallow plate with a fork until blended. Press each pork chop into the flour mixture on both sides until well covered. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering.\nCook two to three pork chops at a time (depending on the size of skillet) for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. You will need to lower the heat to medium-high to control the browning of the pork chops.\nAs pork chops are cooked, place on a plate in a warm oven to keep warm while the remainder cook.\nLaura Tolbert, also known as Fleur de Lolly, has been sharing recipes, table decor ideas and advice for fellow foodies and novices on her blog, fleurdelolly.blogspot.com for more than eight years. She won the Duke Mayonnaise 100th Anniversary nationwide recipe contest for her Alabama White BBQ Sauce. You can contact her at facebook.com/fleurde.lolly.5, on Instagram and [email protected].", "Fleur de Lolly column: Sharing my family’s favorite dishes", "I’ve received many emails inquiring what my family’s favorite dishes are. This week, I decided I’d share them with you. I asked my husband and two (adult) children for their all-time favorites. Here we go!ANDREA’S FAVORITE ONION RINGSMy daughter is an onion ring aficionado. Each year for her birthday meal, she always requests onion rings to go along with whatever I cook for her. We’ve had onion rings with ribs, lasagna, grilled chicken and ribeye steaks. If" ]

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[ "I carefully read the Jan.13 Letter to the Editor regarding possible election fraud. I appreciate the Telegram (and The News) sharing Mr. Sype's views which seem to be shared by many others, but I did have some questions:\n1) Why did so many Republicans get voted in if the elections were unfair?\n2) Why no mention of 2016 irregularities when foreign actors interfered in favor of Trump?\n3) What did Trump appointees and Republican election officials have to gain by blocking more audits and recounts?\n4) Short of overturning the election results in every disputed state and giving Trump enough electoral votes to override the popular vote as he did in 2016, would Trump supporters ever be satisfied the election was fair?\n5) Exactly how did all these people all over the country coordinate at the local and state level enough to achieve the same \"landslide\" electoral victory for Biden that Trump achieved in 2016?\nIncumbent presidents historically have the advantage over challengers. Isn't it possible that Trump just lost the election, plain and simple?\nI am an Independent, not seeing that much difference in the parties until abortion became a big issue. Is that possibly the source of the tremendous fear and anger currently being expressed?\nNilaine Gordon\nOnsted", "Fraud accusations create questions", "I carefully read the Jan.13 Letter to the Editor regarding possible election fraud. I appreciate the Telegram (and The News) sharing Mr. Sype's views which seem to be shared by many others, but I did have some questions:1) Why did so many Republicans get voted in if the elections were unfair?2) Why no mention of 2016 irregularities when foreign actors interfered in favor of Trump?3) What did Trump appointees and Republican election officials have to gain by blocking more audits and recounts?4)" ]

[ "Tracy Beckerman More Content Now" ]

[ "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.\n*****\nI am not a terrible skier, but I am not a particularly good skier either. On the Official Bumbling Ski Scale, I fall somewhere between a 3-year-old on the bunny slopes and those beginner adults you see on the intermediate slopes with their arms flailing wildly and their faces frozen in an expression of sheer panic. Having skied for about 15 years now I can usually manage to get down one of the lesser slopes without careening into either another skier or a tree. Therefore, I am at my best when there are neither other skiers nor trees in my path. And naturally, things can get a little dicey when I encounter both.\nSuch was the case when I hit the slopes over the holidays. I hadn’t been skiing for three years because I’d had a knee replacement, and for some reason, I was under the delusion that my limited ski skills had improved tenfold during my hiatus. Without a second thought, I hopped on the chair lift and skied over to one of the more advanced slopes.\nThis was probably my first mistake. When I got to the top of the trail, I realized the slope was not only steeper than I’d remembered, it was also narrower. It was also much busier than the easier slopes I usually skied. As expert skiers whizzed by me, I wondered if I might be better off feigning an injury so I could get a ride down in a stretcher, before I got an actual injury skiing off a cliff.\nUnfortunately, as I stood there wondering if my will was up to date, I got caught up in a tide of teenage snowboarders who carried me over the edge of the slope. I managed to get about halfway down doing a combination of skiing and sliding and was actually beginning to believe I would make it down alive, when all of a sudden I came upon a wall of skiers. Apparently this group thought it would be fun to ski down the mountain with arms linked, side-by-side, like some kind of special skiing Rockettes. This may, in fact, have been fun for them, but it created a bit of a problem for me since I was going much faster than they were and there was no place for me to pass them. Since I couldn’t go through them and I couldn’t go over them, I did the only thing I could do … I tried to go around them. The good news was, I managed not to hit any of the people in the ski wall. The bad news was, I hit a tree instead.\nDid I mention I’m not very good at stopping, either?\nI guess I should thank that tree for jumping out in front of me like that and helping me stop. However, I think it might have been a softer impact had I slammed into a person rather than a tree.\nSomehow though, somewhat miraculously, I escaped from my tree altercation completely unscathed. As I plucked pine needles from my helmet and confirmed that I had no broken bones, I got back on the slope, which was now less steep and completely uncrowded, and skied down to the bottom.\nWhen I arrived at the base I ran into a friend who was headed for the chair lifts.\n“Hey, is it a good ski day?” she asked me.\n“I don’t know,” I said, “But it’s a great day for careening into a tree.”\nYou can follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyBeckerman and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LostinSuburbiaFanPage.", "Lost in Midlife column: Skiing by the seat of your pants", "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.*****I am not a terrible skier, but I am not a particularly good skier either. On the Official Bumbling Ski Scale, I fall somewhere between a 3-year-old on the bunny slopes and those beginner adults you see on the intermediate slopes with their arms flailing wildly and their faces frozen in an expression of sheer panic. Having skied for about 15 years now I can usually manage to get down one of the lesser slopes without careening into either" ]

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[ "Winter has returned and I would like to express my appreciation to the ambitious people who shovel their sidewalk, keeping Holland such a great city for walking.\nWhen there’s just a few inches of snow, it may not seem necessary to shovel. But, when those few inches of snow start to melt, the sidewalk becomes quite icy. I don’t always run into the people while they are shoveling, but I want you to know that I recognize your efforts and thank you for making the sidewalks safer for us walkers and joggers.\nMy dog thanks you also.\nDiane Payne\nHolland", "Letter: Thank you for keeping sidewalks clear", "Winter has returned and I would like to express my appreciation to the ambitious people who shovel their sidewalk, keeping Holland such a great city for walking.When there’s just a few inches of snow, it may not seem necessary to shovel. But, when those few inches of snow start to melt, the sidewalk becomes quite icy. I don’t always run into the people while they are shoveling, but I want you to know that I recognize your efforts and thank you for making the sidewalks safer for us" ]

[ "Todd Spangler", "Detroit Free Press" ]

[ "WASHINGTON — On or before Jan. 20, when President Donald Trump leaves office, Elisabeth Prince DeVos — Betsy, to Michiganders — will end her tenure as perhaps the most polarizing U.S. education secretary in the 41-year history of the office.\nA lightning rod for controversy, media attention and liberal outrage unequaled by anyone in the Trump administration beyond the president, DeVos will return to her West Michigan home with a handful of accomplishments and a host of headlines.\nThe latter runs from her becoming the first Cabinet member whose nomination required a tie-breaking vote in a U.S. Senate controlled by her own party to just this month, when she told Education Department employees to \"resist\" changes if they don't put students first, as President-Elect Joe Biden prepares to pursue his own agenda.\nBut her most significant accomplishment — and failing to her critics and even some would-be supporters — may be that she survived to the end, generating so much passion and controversy that it made it impossible for priorities close to her heart, such as promoting school choice, to progress very much.\n\"From those of us on the inside, she’ll be remembered as someone who made it harder to advance at the state and local level many of the policies she cared about,\" said Michael Petrilli, president of the Fordham Institute, a Washington-based group that promotes charter schools and more conservative education policy.\n\"She made it harder for Democrats who cared about charter schools and accountability testing to voice support for those ideas. ... That's the tragedy of Betsy DeVos. She actually hurt the very causes she cared so much about.\"\nAccomplishments, for better or worse\nHer supporters see it differently. At the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank in Washington, Education Policy Director Rick Hess said she shattered any notion that a school choice advocate couldn't serve as secretary.\n\"Whatever the short-term effects on public opinion or the policy debate, this may come to be seen as validating the idea that the department is also there to serve system 'outsiders,' \" he said.\nAnd she did force change, for better or worse, despite a reputation, especially early on, as a billionaire dilettante — a perception fueled by a disastrous confirmation hearing in January 2017. It was there she first became fodder for late-night TV skits by suggesting, in response to a question from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., as to whether firearms should be banned in all schools, that they might be needed in some schools to protect students from grizzly bears.\nIt didn't end there, however: At that hearing, she also seemed woefully unprepared to answer questions about some of the bureaucratic policies she was about to oversee, including federal laws mandating how schools treat students with disabilities and the difference between growth and proficiency in education assessments.\nSome of her accomplishments, such as expanding Pell Grants for incarcerated students and creating a mobile app to allow students to apply for and pay student loans, promise a real impact. But DeVos is far more likely to be known for a series of changes that embraced an aggressively conservative viewpoint in education policy, reversing course in a department she has suggested should not exist.\nAmong them:\nShe rewrote rules put in place by former President Barack Obama's administration on how college campuses respond to sexual misconduct to expand the rights of the accused and to limit institutional authority as to where and when colleges and universities investigate alleged misconduct. And while some groups credited her with returning a needed measure of due process to a system many said exposed institutions and accused students to too much liability, it angered women's groups and others. Noting DeVos was doing so in the wake of the Larry Nassar sexual assault scandal at Michigan State University, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, whose district includes the institution, urged her to reconsider and meet with survivors, but DeVos declined. \"I don't rate her performance (as secretary) well,\" Slotkin said.DeVos reversed Obama-era guidance to schools that was intended to curtail discipline policies in schools that appeared to lead to students of color facing suspension or expulsion at a higher rate than white students. That earlier guidance had encouraged schools not to suspend, expel or report students to police except as a last resort after finding Black students were three times as likely to face those sanctions. It also warned that schools that did not follow the guidance could be found in violation of federal civil rights laws. Critics, however, worried it would mean disruptive students might not be dealt with and DeVos' agency and the Department of Justice rescinded it, with DeVos saying the issue was better left with states unless there was a clear violation of federal law.She defended President Donald Trump's decision to rescind earlier guidelines that transgender students be allowed to use whatever gender's bathroom they identify with, leaving it to the states and local school districts in a change an official for the Human Rights Campaign called \"disgraceful.\"She ordered changes in the agency's Office of Civil Rights that managed to clear much of a backlog of cases and close more complaints but at the expense of not opening as many new investigations of systemic discrimination or bias.And she altered rules on for-profit colleges, getting rid of a rule that tied federal aid to those schools with proof that students could find gainful employment while promising to make those institutions' information on student debt and earnings potential more accessible. Meanwhile, she raised the burden of proof for students to have debts forgiven, leading to multiple lawsuits. One proposed settlement was turned back by a court after finding DeVos denied 94 percent of the claims made to the department after April.\nAnd then there is school choice, the issue nearest to DeVos in Michigan and across the U.S., where she has for decades antagonized public school teachers' unions by pushing to give parents and students greater leverage to take funding with them to charter and private schools via vouchers, and to which her primary focus will almost certainly return upon leaving office.\nShe came into office with Trump promising they together would \"break the bureaucracy\" and provide \"school choice to all families.\" But the truth is more modest. Proposals to pump billions into school choice programs and provide tax breaks to donors to help fund private schools were largely rejected by Congress, though it did expand the use of tax-advantaged savings accounts for private or religious schools. A voucher program for private schools in Washington, D.C., was restored as well.\nBiden expected to make changes\nIt's doubtful that many of DeVos' signature initiatives will remain in place, given that Biden — who has nominated Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, a former elementary school teacher, to succeed DeVos — has promised to undo most or all of them. As with many actions taken in recent administrations, presidents or their Cabinet officials have taken unilateral actions where possible to get around a Congress riven by partisanship, but only to see those policies overturned by courts or rescinded by whatever administration follows.\nOf all of DeVos' changes, however, the one involving the handling of alleged sexual misconduct at schools may be the most difficult to turn back because the agency took the route of going through a longer rule-making process involving comment periods and reviews. As such, any change will likely take just as long — and be just as divisive — for the Biden administration.\nIt's equally true, though, that Cardona is unlikely to raise hackles the way DeVos has. Petrilli, for one, had written that whomever Biden put in the role, he hoped it would be someone who can help lower the partisan back-and-forth over education policy as a way to find agreement to move forward with changes. Cardona, who the Washington Post said is \"not aligned with either side in the education policy battles of recent years,\" could fit the bill.\nThose changes are likely to include some of the items that Biden promised on the campaign trail: pushing for increased teacher pay, especially at schools with higher percentages of low-income families; working toward universal pre-kindergarten programs for 3- and 4-year-olds, and for higher education, cutting student debt.\nLess likely may be sweeping plans such as making public colleges and universities free to children from families with incomes of less than $125,000.\nDeVos and others have already pushed back against some suggestions, such as those that would make college free. In a recent speech, she called such efforts to do that or forgive loans entirely \"a socialist takeover of higher education,\" arguing it will lead to rationing of educational resources and force, through the tax structure, those Americans who don't pursue higher education to pay for those who do.\n\"Ultimately, nothing is free,\" she said, in a speech that suggests she could be part of a discussion over policies well beyond the issue of school choice for years to come. \"Somebody, somewhere pays the bill.\"\nAs Hess pointed out, however, no matter which party takes control of the U.S. Senate — which will be decided in two Georgia runoff elections in early January — neither will have a majority large enough to force through vast programs or huge changes.\nOne thing that many experts, including Matthew Chingos, who directs the Center on Education Data and Policy at the Washington, D.C.-based Urban Institute, expect to see continue is more policies being made through administration actions rather than congressional agreement.\n\"Debt forgiveness is one place they can go in some different directions,\" he said, though it could mean an abrupt change again in four years if a new administration takes office.\nA good lieutenant\nUltimately, it's likely that the most lasting impact of DeVos' tenure as education secretary may be the role she played during one of the most partisan and tempestuous eras in the nation's history and as a lieutenant to a president who regularly broke traditional norms.\nAnd while she may not have always agreed with the White House, she dutifully did what she was asked, such as when she went to Capitol Hill and defended deep cuts to her department ordered by Trump's budget advisers — including an $18 million reduction to Special Olympics — that she may not have personally agreed with. In the resulting furor, Trump reversed the cut.\nShe also appeared to have Trump's back as he issued an empty threat to withhold funding to schools that didn't reopen for in-person learning this fall amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with a spokeswoman confirming the department was looking at \"all of our options.\" The threat was eventually walked back, as was an attempt to force states to provide more in federal COVID-19 relief funds to private or parochial schools. But both were seen by some as counterintuitive from a secretary who had said she was all about leaving decisions with local and state officials and not enforcing dictates from Washington.\nAt the National Education Association, a union of some 3 million members who are primarily educators that has sparred with DeVos repeatedly, President Becky Pringle said DeVos \"lived up to our low expectations. She was the least qualified, the most sued ... everything suggested that she was unqualified and unfit for this position.\"\nPrior to her nomination by Trump, DeVos was best known in Michigan, along with her husband, former Amway head and unsuccessful gubernatorial nominee Dick DeVos, for funding Republican causes and for having served as the party's chairwoman, as well as for philanthropic causes to which the family gave millions.\nA Holland native and daughter of Elsa and Edgar Prince, founder of Holland-based auto supplier Prince Corp. — and the sister of Erik Prince, the former Navy Seal who founded Blackwater, a controversial overseas security contractor — Betsy DeVos and her family also spent decades fighting for school of choice in Michigan and elsewhere. She chaired the American Federation for Children, a national school choice advocacy group in Washington, and served with other organizations and boards committed to the cause. But while she has been a strong voice insisting that school choice has shown results, the evidence has been mixed, in Detroit and elsewhere.\nDid her reputation as a school union opponent and gaffes — such as when she went on \"60 Minutes\" and claimed school choice, by introducing competition, made public schools stronger in some states, including Florida, but was unable to say whether it had done so in Michigan, where she had been a driving force behind it — lead to a stronger union? \"I would put it this way,\" Pringle said. \"It reminded our members that elections matter.\"\nframeborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen>\nAt Democrats for Education Reform, a New York-based political action committee that supports the charter school movement, National President Shavar Jeffries said DeVos has been a disappointment, making proposals that could benefit for-profit charter schools instead of public ones; rolling back civil rights investigations, and failing to provide meaningful guidelines for local districts to use in deciding how and when to reopen during COVID and how to provide remote learning to students.\nAs for the prospect that many of her policies will be overturned, Jeffries said that doesn't make up for \"four years of bad policy in these areas ... that affect millions of children.\"\nTo some of DeVos' supporters, the ire aimed at her is more about her boss, however, and her background. U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, who has known her for decades and is a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, said she can point to a host of accomplishments — he particularly noted the program to support incarcerated students — and said he believes DeVos pursued both her own beliefs as well as those she knew the president wanted her to act on.\nAnd that would have happened with any education secretary.\n\"If she was going to be aggressive about these things ... give more control to the states and to parents ... she was going to be challenged,\" Walberg said. \"I (also) think just because of her persona, being a lady in a wealthy family ... she was going to be attacked.\"\n\"It came with the fact that it was Betsy DeVos' name before the 'Secretary of Education.'\"\nAt the Education Department, DeVos' chief of staff, Nate Bailey, said she achieved much of what she set out to do.\n\"I think she came to office with a goal to elevate to the highest level a conversation about education reform in this country,\" he said. \"It's undeniable that has happened. One of the reasons she took the incoming fire she did was because people were listening to what she was saying.\"\n\"For all the talk of her being a lightning rod ... she's the first secretary of education since Bill Bennett with name ID and when you're trying to spark change, that matters.\"\n— Contact Todd Spangler:[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler.", "Betsy DeVos leaves polarizing legacy", "WASHINGTON — On or before Jan. 20, when President Donald Trump leaves office, Elisabeth Prince DeVos — Betsy, to Michiganders — will end her tenure as perhaps the most polarizing U.S. education secretary in the 41-year history of the office.A lightning rod for controversy, media attention and liberal outrage unequaled by anyone in the Trump administration beyond the president, DeVos will return to her West Michigan home with a handful of accomplishments and a host of headlines." ]

[ "Peter Becker", "More Content Now" ]

[ "The banner constellation of Northern Hemisphere winter evenings is certainly Orion. The pattern, dominated by bright stars and three in a neat row right in the middle, is unmistakable.\nOrion and the Big Dipper are easily the most well-known star patterns north of the equator (the Big Dipper being the brightest portion of a larger constellation, Ursa Major the Big Bear).\nAround 10 p.m. on mid-January evenings, Orion is highest in the south. The Big Dipper is directly opposite in the north, and at this hour and time of year, appears to be balancing on its “handle” with “bowl” stars on top.\nOrion has been celebrated and admired certainly since anyone paid attention to the night sky, millennia ago.\nThe ancient Greeks referred to Orion as “the Hunter.”\nI like looking back (as well as “looking up”) into history.\nGarrett P. Service described Orion in his 1908 book, “Astronomy with the Naked Eye.” He described the balance and color contrast between the figure’s two first magnitude stars, gleaming white Rigel at lower right, and fiery red-orange Betelgeuse at upper left, with the stunning triad, the “Belt of Orion” tipped at an angle, right between. Betelgeuse and Orion are each about 10 degrees from the center Belt stars.\n“Their splendid contrast of color, and the dazzling beauty of the stars in the Belt, which lie in an almost true straight line, and are matched perfectly in size and tint as selected gems, impart to this constellation the appearance of a gigantic piece of jewelry,” Serviss wrote. “There is nothing else in all the sky to equal its splendor.”\nOrion is at least partly visible to everyone on Earth. The celestial equator passes right through the Belt. As viewed from the Earth’s equatorial region, Orion passes straight overhead. Someone on the north pole would only see the top (northern) half of Orion, as the celestial equator follows the horizon among the icebergs; the North Star is nearly overhead and the night is continually ablaze with northern lights.\nFrom the south pole, the southern half of Orion appears above the frozen horizon.\nBetelgeuse, a red giant star, fluctuates in brightness on an irregular schedule. You may recall this past winter, when night sky watchers and astronomers, in general, were amazed to see Betelgeuse make an unusual dip in brightness, rivaling the Belt stars and the other two corner stars in Orion, which shine at around +2 magnitude. Betelgeuse stayed that way for months; it was a relief to see it has regained its glory. The suspected cause of the dimming was a cloud of dust that was expelled from Betelgeuse, temporarily masking some of its light.\nTake note of the string of stars making a line on the left side, below the three Belt stars. This is “Orion’s Sword.”\nYou should be able to see on close inspection that the middle star in the Sword is distinctly fuzzy. Binoculars will bring this out clearly. You are looking at the “Great Nebula of Orion,” designated as M42.\nAstronomers point out that this is a scene where new stars are being developed from cosmic dust and gas. In a sense, we can call it a “stellar nursery.” There are many examples of these nebulae across the sky; M42 is the brightest.\nA telescope, of say 6 to 10 inches aperture, will bring out incredible detail on a dark, clear night. Even a small telescope with a 3-inch mirror or lens will show the famed “Trapezium,” a cluster of four dim stars packed closely together like a little (imperfect) square, imbedded in the Great Nebula.\nWhile there is practically no end to what you can explore with a telescope, this column stresses that none is really needed to appreciate the stars and other wonders of the universe that open to us every clear night. Orion was enjoyed for thousands of years before Galileo first turned a telescope that way in the early 1600s.\nBetelgeuse and Rigel mark opposite corners of a tall rectangle. The corner star to the right of Betelgeuse is named Bellatrix. These can be imagined as Orion’s shoulders.\nThe corner star to the left of Rigel is Saiph; these two mark Orion’s feet.\nThe Belt stars, from the top right down, are named Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnita.\nMaking a triangle with Betelgeuse and Bellatrix, in the middle and above a line connecting them, is a dim grouping of three stars, the brightest being named Meissa. This is pictured as the “head.”\nA long line of fairly faint stars to the right of Bellatrix neatly marks the Hunter’s catch, a lion’s hide, held up like a shield.\nTo the upper left of Betelgeuse is a group of dim stars outlining the Hunter’s “club.”\nLooking Up frequently makes use of stars chart made available online through Pachamamatrust.org. These charts bring back special personal memories, as they appeared in a small pocket-size book, “Stars”, part of the classic Golden Nature Guide first published in 1951. “Stars” was written by Herbert S. Zim, Ph.D. and Robert H. Baker, Ph.D., D.Sc, and illustrated by James Gordon Irving.\nThis was one of the books that helped inspire me to appreciate the night sky as a preteen back when Apollo astronauts were preparing to go to the moon.\nOrion has always captured our imagination and attention of the beauty of Creation of which we are a part.\nFirst-quarter moon is on Jan. 20.\nKeep looking up at the sky!\nPeter Becker is managing editor at The News Eagle in Hawley, Pennsylvania. Notes are welcome at [email protected]. Please mention in what newspaper or website you read this column.", "Looking Up column: Enjoying Orion, the Hunter", "The banner constellation of Northern Hemisphere winter evenings is certainly Orion. The pattern, dominated by bright stars and three in a neat row right in the middle, is unmistakable.Orion and the Big Dipper are easily the most well-known star patterns north of the equator (the Big Dipper being the brightest portion of a larger constellation, Ursa Major the Big Bear).Around 10 p.m. on mid-January evenings, Orion is highest in the south. The Big Dipper is directly opposite in the north, and at" ]

[ "Kris Lodes", "Kris Lodes Daily Telegram Sports Editor" ]

[ "MADISON HEIGHTS – Wegner Stadium is special place for many Lenawee County football fans.\nHome of Clinton football, it has seen a lot of triumphs over the years and the team has become a perennial power.\nSaturday, Wegner Stadium will have a first as it’ll host the Division 6 semifinal matchup between Clinton and Constantine and it’ll do so in Mid-January. A win would be three-straight wins in semifinal appearances for Clinton, but it would be the first with Jeremy Fielder as head coach.\n\"Wegner Field is a special place,\" Fielder said.\nThe MHSAA ruled for this postseason, the semifinals would not be played on neutral sites and would not be required to be played on field turf.\nWith Clinton holding a slim 40.833 to 40.667 advantage on Constantine in playoff points, it means one final game this season at Wegner Stadium.\nIn many ways the home to Clinton football optimizes the program.\nAs Fielder told his team following a thrilling 13-12 regional championship victory against Warren Michigan Collegiate on Saturday, Clinton football isn’t about flashy play and often times doesn’t look pretty.\nBut it wins.\n\"This team is special,\" Fielder said. \"There is just something about this team that’s a little different than some of them in the past. They have all bought in. This community loves football and it loves this team.\n\"We want to play at Wegner Stadium,\" Fielder said. \"It’s thawing out now and we’re hopeful it’ll be ready.\"\nWegner Stadium itself isn’t flashy.\nIt is built into a bowl stadium, which makes it a little unique to other high school fields.\nBut there is no turf and no designs painted at midfield or in the endzones. It’s simply grass and chalked boundaries and yard lines.\nWhat happens inside the boundaries is what makes it special and this Clinton team is something special.\nThe team has been through a lot to get back to Wegner Stadium.\nThe season was delayed, started, halted and now has re-started with a myriad of tests and protocols to go through in between.\n\"Everyone gets tested three times a week,\" Fielder said. \"The players do the swabs themselves and then get the results back 15 minutes later. If there’s a positive that player is out and has to contact their providers.\"\nThe seniors especially have been through the ups and downs of the 2020 and now 2021 season.\n\"We have been through it all together,\" said senior captain Brayden Randolph. \"They’ve taken the season away, gave it back, taken it again and we’re just enjoying every moment we get. This is my last season and the last time I’ll get to play with these guys.\"\nIt has been two months since Clinton beat Erie Mason in the district semifinals on what was supposed to be the final game of the season at Wegner Stadium.\nThese seniors have been through it all this season and have earned one final game at Wegner Stadium at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16 against Constantine for a chance to play at Ford Field.\n\"We’re excited,\" Randolph said. \"It’s a bowl, so the wind can whip around down there and it makes it louder with fans. It’s going to be wet and cold. It’s going to be a mud pit.\"\nClinton wouldn’t have it any other way.", "Wegner Stadium on the big stage", "MADISON HEIGHTS – Wegner Stadium is special place for many Lenawee County football fans.Home of Clinton football, it has seen a lot of triumphs over the years and the team has become a perennial power.Saturday, Wegner Stadium will have a first as it’ll host the Division 6 semifinal matchup between Clinton and Constantine and it’ll do so in Mid-January. A win would be three-straight wins in semifinal appearances for Clinton, but it would be the first with Jeremy Fielder as head" ]

[ "Paul Egan", "Pegan Freepress.Com" ]

[ "The Michigan Capitol Commission has voted unanimously to ban the open carry of guns inside the Michigan Capitol, the rule took effect Monday.\nLANSING — The Michigan Capitol Commission, in a sudden reversal, voted unanimously Monday to ban the open carry of guns inside the Michigan Capitol, effective immediately.\nCritics say the ban does not go far enough and the commission should ban all firearms inside the Capitol, whether they are carried openly or concealed, by anyone who is not law enforcement.\nThe commission had resisted such a move for years and sometimes claimed it did not have the authority to order a gun ban, despite building pressure in recent months amid angry protests, often involving armed men, inside and outside the Capitol.\nThat all appeared to change on Jan. 6, when a pro-Trump mob overran barricades and forced their way into the U.S. Capitol, causing significant damage and killing a Capitol police officer. One rioter was shot to death by police.\nSenate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, recently came out in favor of a ban on open carry of weapons.\nAlso contributing was a recent opinion from Attorney General Dana Nessel that said the commission does have the authority to ban guns.\nThe FBI has issued a bulletin saying armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols from Jan. 16 through at least Jan. 20 and at the U.S. Capitol from Jan. 17 through at least Jan. 20, ABC News reported Monday.\nMichigan was one of only three states with virtually no firearm regulations or security measures in place for its state Capitol, the Michigan Advance reported Monday. House Democratic leaders urged the Michigan State Capitol Commission to ban all firearms and weapons before the 101st Legislature convenes.\nHouse Democrats said in advance of the meeting the open carry ban does not go far enough and said the carrying of all firearms — open or concealed — should be banned inside the Capitol, except by law enforcement.\n\"In addition to lawmakers doing the work of the people, our Capitol is open to school kids, tour groups and others seeking to learn more about the history of our amazing state. Without a significant change in policy, lives will continue to be put at risk by domestic terrorists carrying weapons,\" said House Democratic Leader Donna Lasinski, D-Scio Township, Rep. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, and Rep. Brenda Carter, D-Pontiac, in a joint statement.\nBut John Truscott, the vice chairman of the commission, said the commission does not have the budget or the infrastructure to go further, and setting up metal detectors could cause significant delays in public access to the Capitol. He said statistic show few crimes are committed by people with concealed weapon permits.\nCommissioner Joan Bauer said Monday's action should be viewed as \"a first step,\" and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said more action is needed.\n“The Capitol Commission’s action to ban open carry guns at the Capitol is a good start, but more action is needed. On a normal day, hundreds of people walk through the Capitol, including groups of fourth graders, teachers and parents on school field trips to learn about state government,\" Whitmer said.\n\"That’s why we must take action to ban all weapons at the Capitol to keep Michiganders safe. I am hopeful that the Capitol Commission will recognize the need for further action, and I stand ready to assist in implementing this policy to keep Michiganders safe.”", "Open carry weapons banned in Michigan's capitol" ]

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[ "Dear Lynn,\nThe price of meat is taking a huge bite out of my grocery budget. Please see if folks will share their very best recipes for meatless dinners.\nLois from Toledo\nDorothy from Caro sent in her rich and delicious recipe for Fruit Swirl Coffee cake. Joan from Lake City uses fresh berries to make her Blueberry Streusel Coffee cake. Jim from Coldwater says his recipe for Pineapple Streusel Coffee cake is simple and delicious.\nFRUIT SWIRL COFFEE CAKE\n1 1/2 c sugar\n1/2 c softened butter\n1/2 c shortening\n1 1/2 t baking powder\n1 t vanilla\n1 t almond extract\n4 eggs\n3 c flour\n1-20 oz can cherry pie filling\n1 c confectioner’s sugar\n1 to 2 T milk\nDIRECTIONS: Grease and flour two 9x9 inch square cake pans. Beat together sugar, butter, shortening, baking powder, vanilla, almond extract and eggs in a large bowl for 3 minutes on high speed. Stir in flour by hand. Spread 1/3 of batter in the bottom of each of the cake pans. Drop 1/2 of pie filling into each pan by spoonfuls. Carefully spread over batter. Drop remaining batter by tablespoonsful over pie filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until light brown. Combine confection’s sugar with enough milk to make a glaze. Drizzle over warm coffee cakes.\nBLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE\nStreusel:\n1/4 c sugar\n1/4 c brown sugar\n1/3 c flour\n1/2 t cinnamon\n1/4 t mace\n1/4 c cold butter\nCoffee Cake:\n6 T softened butter\n3/4 c sugar\n1 large egg\n2 c flour\n3 T cornstarch\n2 t baking powder\n1/4 t salt\n1 t vanilla\n1/2 c milk\n2 c fresh blueberries\nDIRECTIONS: Streusel – In a medium sized bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and mace. Dice cold butter into the bowl and cut in with a pastry blender until small crumbs are formed. Set aside. Coffeecake – In a large mixer bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Measure milk and stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk on low speed. Fold in blueberries by hand. Spread batter in a greased 8x8 inch pan. Spoon streusel topping evenly over batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean when done. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.\nPINEAPPLE STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE\n1-20 oz can crushed pineapple\n1/2 c packed brown sugar\n1/4 c softened butter\n1 egg\n1 t vanilla\n1 1/2 c flour\n2 1/2 t baking powder\n1/2 t salt\n1/2 t allspice\n1 t grated orange peel\n1/4 t nutmeg\nStreusel Topping:\n1/2 c packed brown sugar\n3 T flour\n1/4 t allspice\n1/4 c cold butter\n1/2 c chopped pecans\nDIRECTIONS: Drain pineapple well pressing out excess juice with the back of a spoon. Reserve 1/2 cup of juice. Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add egg, reserved juice and vanilla. Beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, allspice, orange peel and nutmeg. Beat into creamed mixture. Spread batter in a greased and floured 9 inch square baking pan. Spoon pineapple evenly over top. Streusel Topping. Combine brown sugar, flour and allspice. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over top of pineapple. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean when the cake is done.\nVisit Lynn’s blog, Lynn’s Musings From a Deep Well at www.lseckerle.wordpress.com. Send recipes and requests to The Recipe Exchange at [email protected].", "Coffee cakes make every morning special", "Dear Lynn,The price of meat is taking a huge bite out of my grocery budget. Please see if folks will share their very best recipes for meatless dinners.Lois from ToledoDorothy from Caro sent in her rich and delicious recipe for Fruit Swirl Coffee cake. Joan from Lake City uses fresh berries to make her Blueberry Streusel Coffee cake. Jim from Coldwater says his recipe for Pineapple Streusel Coffee cake is simple and delicious.FRUIT SWIRL COFFEE CAKE1 1/2 c sugar1/2 c softened butter1/2 c" ]

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[ "Whiteford Schools 2/11/2021 bids\nNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF WHITEFORD AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE BIDS UNTIL FEBRUARY 11, 2021, AT 2:00 P.M. AT WHITEFORD MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL LOCATED AT 6655 CONSEAR ROAD, OTTAWA LAKE, MI 49267. THE BOARD OR ITS DESIGNEE WILL OPEN AND READ EACH RECEIVED BID AT A PUBLIC VIRTUAL MEETING AT 2:05 P.M. ON FEBRUARY 11, 2021 AT: By Computer: https://plantemoran.zoom.us/j/99389680292\nBy Phone: (312) 626-6799\nMeeting ID: 993 8968 0292\nBIDS ARE FOR GENERAL CONTRACTING SERVICES\nIN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT\nAND THE APPROVED DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS\nWhiteford Agricultural Schools will not consider or accept a bid received after the above-specified date and time for bid submission.\nAt the above-specified time and place for receiving bids, the Board of Education, acting by its designee, will publicly open and read all timely-received Bids. The Board of Education reserves the right to waive any irregularity or informality in its bid process, to reject any or all Bids, to award the work by component, group of components, or total project, and to accept the Bid or Bids which the Board determines will perform in the District’s best interests and will be the lowest responsible bidder(s) as required by law. Each and every bid shall be accompanied by a sworn and notarized statement disclosing any familial relationship that exists between the School District or any employee of the firm submitting the bid and the Superintendent of Whiteford Agricultural Schools or any member of the Board of Education, as well as a certification of Iran-linked business status. Bids are to be presented in accordance with the Bidding Documents, dated January 14, 2021. For a copy of the Request for Proposals or more information call Charlie Butz at (734) 856-1443 ext 107.\nCovid-19 Requirements: Due to the ongoing and uncertain nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible that the process or schedule may be modified as permitted by applicable laws and Executive Orders. Communication will be distributed as the COVID-19 situation develops to update potential bidders on any changes to the schedule, as well as the location and method for activities. Potential bidders are also encouraged to contact Charlie Butz at (734) 856-1443 ext 107 to receive an update on any changes.\nJanuary 18, 2021", "Whiteford Schools 2/11/2021 bids" ]

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[ "Michael J. Siekierski notice to creditors\nPAID PUBLIC NOTICE\nSTATE OF MICHIGAN\nPROBATE COURT\nCOUNTY OF MONROE\nNOTICE TO CREDITORS\nDecedent’s Estate\nFILE NO. 2021-0016-DE\nEstate of\nMICHAEL J. SIEKIERSKI\nDeceased\nDate of birth: 07/17/1949\nTO ALL CREDITORS:\nNOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Michael J. Siekierski, died 11/24/2020.\nCreditors of the deceent are notified that all CLAIMS against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Gail Ballantyne, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 106 E. First Street, Monroe, Michigan 48161 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice.\nDated: 01/19/2021\nGail Ballantyne\nPersonal representative\nP.O. Box 4388\nSunriver, Oregon 97707\n541-480-7081\nConly K. Crossley P47157\nAttorney-at-Law\n212 E. First Street\nMonroe, Michigan 48161\n734-241-6470\nJANUARY 27, 2021", "Michael J. Siekierski notice to creditors" ]

[ "Laura Schultz Pipis" ]

[ "Human trafficking is a humanitarian crisis that is a form of modern day slavery.\nIt’s human trafficking awareness month\nJanuary is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and Jan. 11 is Human Trafficking Awareness Day.\nHuman trafficking is a humanitarian crisis that is a form of modern day slavery.\nNot only is human trafficking prevalent around the world, but cases of human trafficking are reported in all 50 states.\nVictims are trafficked for a variety of purposes, such as commercial sex, agricultural work or other forms of labor. It can affect the rich, poor, men, women, adults, children, foreign national or U.S. citizens.\nWhile they all are generally vulnerable in some way, victims share the loss of a most cherished human right — freedom.\nThe Polaris Project hosts the national Human Trafficking Hotline and conducts extensive research on human trafficking. Its research shows there are 25 industries which utilize human trafficking in the U.S.\nHuman trafficking is a market-based economy that exists on principles of supply and demand. It’s a high profit enterprise with limited or low risks, even though it’s illegal under international, federal and state law.\nThe Federal Victims Protection Act of 2000 and Michigan Criminal Law 750 (2006 and revised in 2017), address underage minors and adults involved in all forms of human trafficking, affected by the use of force, fraud or coercion (i.e. manipulation by traffickers or perpetrators).\nAs a society, we are learning to better understand the nuances of trafficking. It’s a power and control issue, similar to domestic violence or sexual assault. Because of the secretive, coercive nature of human trafficking, it’s hard to find an exact figure of how many people are trafficked in the country.\nI have been part of both the Monroe and Lenawee County Anti-Human Trafficking Coalitions collectively for more than eight years. This is a subject dear to me, as dark as it is. It breaks my heart.\nI asked my father, who is retired from a 38-year law enforcement career in Monroe County, how he handled dealing with such dire human situations like human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault.\nI asked him, “How did you handle it when you could not help everyone or ensure all perpetrators are held accountable for their actions?”\nHe told me, “You win some, you lose some, and you go back to fight another day.”\nYou can help fight human trafficking by reading more about it, having a Monroe County Coalition member speak to a group you belong to, or simply help mentor vulnerable youth within your sphere of influence.\nYou also can donate to the Monroe County Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition through the Community\nFoundation of Monroe County (cfmonroe.org or 734-242-1976).\nDuring this awareness month, you can help local human trafficking survivors through a “Dine & Donate” fundraiser held by Joy’s –Bring Home the Goodness, 1125 W. Front St., Monroe.\nCall 734-682-5051 to pre-order a delicious Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin dinner for pick-up from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 26.\nAll proceeds benefit the SOAP Project that provides rescue and support services for local human trafficking survivors.\nThe Department of Homeland Security also has an excellent awareness campaign called the Blue Campaign at dhs.gov/blue-campaign.\nThe Polaris Project is home to the National Human Trafficking Hotline (888-373-7888), and it also has great information at polarisproject.org.\nThere is an active Michigan Human Trafficking Task Force, with information at mhttf.org.\nFamily Counseling and Shelter Services also is a good local resource for issues related to violence against women For information, go to fcssmc.org or call 734-241-0180.\nFor more information about human trafficking, contact Tressa Duffin of the Michigan State Police of the Monroe post at [email protected].\n***\nUnited Way funds 25 Monroe County agency programs and services. We also sponsor countywide 2-1-1 services, and coordinate Project Ramp, 4 annual Health Check events, and the FEMA based Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP).\nAll funds raised in Monroe County stay in Monroe County.\nFor information about GIVING AND LIVING UNITED, contact United Way at 734-242-1331; [email protected], visit unitedwayMLC.org, or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.\nLaura Schultz Pipis is the associate director of the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties.", "United Way column: Human trafficking awareness month" ]

[ "Corey Murray" ]

[ "HILLSDALE — Due to decreasing rates of new COVID-19 cases in the county, Hillsdale Hospital is again opening up limited visitation for patients, effective immediately.\n\"We are encouraged by the decreasing number of new cases in the county and feel confident that visitors can return to the hospital without posing significant risks to patients or staff,\" Rachel Lott, director of marketing and development, said. \"We are still limiting the number of visitors and in what areas they will be permitted, but we recognize how important it is for patients to have their loved ones involved and present in their care, so we are opening up visitation where we can. We are still unable to allow visitors for our skilled nursing facility units, McGuire and MacRitchie, due to federal requirements, so we are continuing to offer virtual visits for our patients and residents.\"\nThroughout the pandemic, the hospital has taken measures to keep staff, patients and visitors safe, like increased cleaning, screening, mask usage, hand washing and social distancing. Restrictions on visitation have been regularly evaluated and adjusted based on current numbers and trends regarding new cases, community spread, severity of illness, etc.\nVISITATION GUIDELINES\nVisitors permitted only as designated below, as necessary for the patient to receive care (i.e. communication, mobility, caregiver, etc.) or in end-of-life circumstances. All patients aged 21 and under may be accompanied by one parent or guardian. Unit- or clinic-specific permissions are as follows:\n· Emergency Room: One adult visitor per patient for the duration of that patient’s ER stay. Visitor must stay in the patient’s room unless asked to move to the waiting room due to patient condition.\n· McGuire & MacRitchie (Skilled Nursing Facility): No visitors permitted.\n· Medical/Surgical/Critical Care Unit: One visitor permitted per 24-hour period. Visiting hours are 8 am-8 pm. COVID-19 positive patients are not permitted visitors for the duration of their stay.\n· Behavioral Health Unit: One designated visitor per patient for the duration of patient’s stay. Permitted only from 6-7:30 pm Monday through Friday or 3-5 pm Saturday, Sunday and on holidays.\n· Birthing Center (OB): One significant other/adult support person is permitted for the duration of the laboring mother’s stay (labor, delivery, and post-partum). One visitor per patient per 24-hour period for all others (post-surgical, etc.). Except for laboring mothers, visiting hours are 8 am-8 pm.\n· Surgery : One visitor per patient for the duration of that patient’s stay. Surgery patients requiring an inpatient stay may receive visitors according the Medical/Surgical Unit visitation rules.\n· OB/GYN Clinic & All OB Ultrasounds: One adult visitor per patient for obstetrics appointments at the OB/GYN clinic and obstetrics ultrasounds at the hospital.\n· All Other Outpatient Services & Clinics: No visitors permitted.\n· Bills & Medical Records: On-site bill pay and medical record access permitted.\nThe hospital and all of its locations and clinics will continue to screen all patients and permitted visitors. Masks are still required for all individuals, except patients who are medically unable to wear them. Hillsdale Hospital has not and will not deny medical care of any kind to patients who do not wear a mask. Visitors who do not wear a mask, however, are not permitted entry. The Hillsdale Hospital Gift Shop and cafeteria will remain closed to the general public.\nThese restrictions will be reassessed daily and changes will be communicated to the media and to the public via official Hillsdale Hospital channels as soon as possible. For complete details, visit www.hillsdalehospital.com/coronavirus.", "Limited visitors again permitted at Hillsdale Hospital", "HILLSDALE — Due to decreasing rates of new COVID-19 cases in the county, Hillsdale Hospital is again opening up limited visitation for patients, effective immediately.\"We are encouraged by the decreasing number of new cases in the county and feel confident that visitors can return to the hospital without posing significant risks to patients or staff,\" Rachel Lott, director of marketing and development, said. \"We are still limiting the number of visitors and in what areas they will be" ]

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[ "Police are looking for Allan Joseph Brady. He is wanted on felony charges of second-degree home invasion, larceny in a building and safe breaking from an incident that happened Dec. 9 in Lenawee County, according to a news release from Crime Stoppers of Lenawee County.\nBrady is described as a white man who is 35 years old, 6 feet tall and weighs 170 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes.\nAnyone who knows Brady’s whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 517-266-6161 or 877-276-8477, texting a tip to 274637 or submitting a tip online at www.tipsubmit.com. Tips can be made anonymously. Any tips that lead to the arrest of the responsible person or persons will earn the caller a cash reward.", "Lenawee’s Most Wanted: Man sought on home invasion, larceny and safe-breaking charges", "Police are looking for Allan Joseph Brady. He is wanted on felony charges of second-degree home invasion, larceny in a building and safe breaking from an incident that happened Dec. 9 in Lenawee County, according to a news release from Crime Stoppers of Lenawee County.Brady is described as a white man who is 35 years old, 6 feet tall and weighs 170 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes.Anyone who knows Brady’s whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 517-266-6161 or 877-" ]

[ "Dusty Ricketts More Content Now" ]

[ "Columns share an author's personal perspective.\n*****\nIt's always exciting when new gaming consoles get announced. With the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S systems released in November, I wasn't expecting any more big console reveals coming in 2020.\nBut the end of the year brought a doozy.\nOn Dec. 22, fast-food chain KFC announced a partnership with Cooler Master, a company known for making components for custom-built gaming PCs, with plans to release the KFConsole, the first video game console with a built-in Chicken Chamber for keeping your chicken warm while you're playing games.\nI'm still not 100% convinced that this isn't a joke the two companies are pulling on us. I find it hilarious either way.\nNo release date or price has been given yet, but everything else about the announcement looks very legit.\nThere are photos of the console itself, which is mostly black and shaped like one of KFC's chicken buckets. According to the console's website, it features a custom Cooler Master NC100 chassis, is powered by the Intel Nuc 9 Extreme Compute Element, a swappable GPU slot so the system can stay up to date, and two Seagate BarraCuda 1TB SSD. All that adds up to a system capable of 4K gaming at up to 240 frames per second that supports the latest ray tracing lighting techniques and is VR compatible.\n\"This machine is capable of running games at top-level specs, all on top of keeping your meal warm for you to enjoy during your gaming experience ... what's not to like?,\" Mark Cheevers, PR and social media lead at KFC UK and Ireland, said in a press release. \"If Sony or Microsoft want any tips on how to engineer a chicken chamber for their efforts next time, they'd be welcome to get in touch.\"\nMy guess is this is probably a real system, one that will be released in very limited numbers as a collector's item and one that will be very expensive based on its specs, probably $1,000 or more.\nIf you're interested in finding out more about the system, you can follow KFC Gaming on Twitter or go to https://landing.coolermaster.com/kfconsole/ to check it out for yourself.\nWho knows? If the PlayStation 5 remains hard to get, I might have to settle for the KFConsole instead. It's a good thing I love hot fried chicken.\nDusty Ricketts is the editor of The Destin Log and The Walton Sun newspapers and can be reached at [email protected].", "Play Life, Live Games column: Is KFC entering console gaming or playing a holiday prank?", "Columns share an author's personal perspective. ***** It's always exciting when new gaming consoles get announced. With the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S systems released in November, I wasn't expecting any more big console reveals coming in 2020. But the end of the year brought a doozy. On Dec. 22, fast-food chain KFC announced a partnership with Cooler Master, a company known for making components for custom-built gaming PCs, with plans to release the KFConsole, the first video game" ]

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[ "Monroe Township 2/10/2021 ZBA hearing\nNOTICE OF MONROE CHARTER TOWNSHIP\nZONING BOARD OF APPEAL\nPUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD\nFEBRUARY 10, 2021\nPublic Notice is hereby given that the Monroe Charter Township Zoning Board of Appeal will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 7:00 P.M. at the Monroe Charter Township Hall, 4925 East Dunbar Road, Monroe County, Michigan to consider the following items:\n1. Request of Connie Smith, F & C LLC, 13993 LaPlaisance Road, Monroe, Michigan, Property I.D. #5812-010-027-01, to split and create a separate parcel from the parent parcel with the accessory buildings (unlawfully combined into one oversized accessory building) to be located on the separated parcel without a principal building, all within a C-1 (Local Commercial) Zoned District, contrary to Ordinance 52-2010.\n2. Request of Michael Beydoun / Jonathan McCarty, American 5 LLC, 1121 South Monroe Street, Monroe, Michigan, Property I.D. #5812-020-206-30, to develop an existing site with less than the minimum required greenbelt between adjacent uses on the north and south sides of the property (in order to maintain the required fire lane), all within a C-2 (General Commercial) Zoned District, contrary to Ordinance 52-2010.\nApplication, plans and text may be viewed at the Monroe Charter Township Building Department during normal business hours. All written comments are to be sent to the same prior to the public hearing. All written comments will be addressed at the public hearing.\nThe public is invited to attend.\nMonroe Charter Township\nZoning Board of Appeal\nJanuary 25, 2021", "Monroe Township 2/10/2021 ZBA hearing" ]

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[ "Frenchtown Township Kiwanis Park Rentals 2021\nFRENCHTOWN CHARTER TOWNSHIP\nNOTICE\nKIWANIS PARK RENTALS\nFrenchtown Charter Township will start taking reservations from Frenchtown residents for the use of the air-conditioned Frenchtown Kiwanis Park Hall at 2775 Nadeau Road on Monday, February 1, 2021 at 9:00 am. ID proving residency is required. Reservations will be strictly 1st come, 1st served. Reservations from non-residents will be taken beginning February 15, 2021. If you have any questions, please call the Clerk’s Office at (734) 242-5800.\nReservations for the air-conditioned Kiwanis Park Hall are limited to parties of 90 or less. Reservations may be made at the Township Hall, 2744 Vivian Road, Monroe, Michigan. A rental fee of $225.00 plus a deposit of $100.00 must be paid in advance before a date can be reserved. The ball fields may be rented for an additional $25.00 each with the rental of the park building (if available).\nKyle T. Bryant\nFrenchtown Charter Township Clerk\nJanuary 18, 25, 2021", "Frenchtown Township Kiwanis Park Rentals 2021" ]

[ "Dave Boucher", "Detroit Free Press" ]

[ "State employees likely violated some procurement rules in awarding a no-bid contract to a Democratic-connected firm earlier this year to perform contact tracing related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the findings of a report from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.\nThere is no evidence of an intentional violation, though, and there are no criminal penalties ascribed in law for any violation of procurement rules, her office stated in a 29-page investigative report.\nNessel's office also found no evidence anyone involved in the awarding of the contract committed any criminal act, the report states.\n\"With the benefit of hindsight, there may have been a better way to accomplish the (Department of Health and Human Service's) ultimate purpose but we found no evidence of criminality,\" Nessel said in a news release.\n\"Instead, it appears the imperfect process used here was mainly a result of the department’s attempt to get a contact-tracing program underway as quickly as possible in light of the dire public health crisis.\"\nThe investigation was prompted by a request from state Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake. Republican outcry over the initial awarding of the contract played a role in its almost immediate cancellation.\nWhile Nessel's investigation into the awarding of the contract may not lead to criminal charges, it raises questions about how one of the largest departments in the state gives out contracts that may be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.\nThere was no money ever exchanged through the contract awarded in April to a company owned by Mike Kolehouse, who has performed work for Democratic political campaigns in the past. Several companies he manages or is otherwise affiliated with, including K2K Consulting, Great Lakes Community Engagement, NGP VAN and Every Action VAN, were at times tied to the contract.\nGov. Gretchen Whitmer canceled the contract the day after it was formally awarded. The state also has wide leeway in awarding contracts during a declared state of emergency, and this contract was considered during the early stages of the pandemic.\nBut Nessel's office found there was still likely a violation of procurement rules, along with general confusion about the exact nature of the contract and who should approve it. Her team also acknowledged several key figures involved in the crafting and awarding of the contract — including Andrea Taverna, the health department employee in charge of creating the contact tracing program — refused to participate in their investigation.\nTaverna also declined to appear before a state legislative committee that reviewed the contract earlier this year.\nJames Colangelo, the chief procurement officer for the state Department of Technology, Management and Budget, also made a series allegations against the health department and how it awards contracts.\n\"In his opinion, this contract should have gone through DTMB. He was aware of (the health department's) relationship with (the Michigan Public Health Institute) and believed they often used MPHI to avoid oversight,\" the report states.\nBob Wheaton, a spokesman for the health department, provided a general statement in response to the report. He did not immediately answer questions about Colangelo's statement, or what the department has done since this contract was awarded to prevent similar problems in the future.\n\"We appreciate the department of the Attorney General’s report. (The health department) continues to work on protecting Michiganders and delivering vaccines to save lives during this terrible pandemic,\" Wheaton said.\nRepresentatives for Whitmer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Whitmer and health department Director Robert Gordon have previously said the awarding of this contract was a mistake. A new contract was eventually awarded to Rock Connections and Deloitte, which continues to carry out contact tracing efforts for the state.\nNessel's staff determined the health department likely violated a rule that required the State Emergency Operations Center approve the contract before it be awarded. However, Nessel's staff also noted it is unclear if the department knew about this requirement before awarding the contract.\nThey note there was a discussion about other vendors but no formal bid process. There was also a debate about whether this was an \"IT\" or \"services\" contract, a distinction that would affect the approval process.\nThe report determined Whitmer was not personally involved in awarding the contract, but her communications office was familiar with the process before the contact was signed. Zack Pohl, then Whitmer's communications director and current deputy chief of staff, was informed about the contract days ahead of it being signed, the report states.\nPohl told Taverna awarding the contract to the firm in question could be a \"distraction,\" given its ties to Democratic politics, according to the report. Taverna told him the department would instead award the contract to entities affiliated with Kolehouse, but not the company with a name he associated with political operations. The report states Pohl \"advised her that sounded better.\"\nNessel's staff ultimately determined no one with the health department, governor's office or other state entity neglected their duties, performed misconduct or received any sort of kickback, additional funds or benefit from the awarding of the contract.\n\"With the present case, there is no evidence to support proof beyond a reasonable doubt, or even the lower burden of probable cause, that there was any misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance on behalf of any of the individuals involved in the selection, negotiation or execution of the...contract,\" the report concluded.\n\"Additionally, there is the possibility that some of the actors would not even meet the definition of a public officer, although not enough information is known to make a full analysis of that element. There is also no evidence of any corrupt behavior on the part of any of the individuals involved with the...contract. Thus, there can be no criminal charges arising from Willful Neglect of Duty or Misconduct in Office.\"\nThe report does not prevent a local prosecutor from filing criminal charges related to the contract, although the findings of the report render charges unlikely.\n— Contact Dave Boucher at [email protected] or 313-938-4591. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.", "Nessel: No criminal act with controversial contact tracing contract", "State employees likely violated some procurement rules in awarding a no-bid contract to a Democratic-connected firm earlier this year to perform contact tracing related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the findings of a report from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.There is no evidence of an intentional violation, though, and there are no criminal penalties ascribed in law for any violation of procurement rules, her office stated in a 29-page investigative report.Nessel's office also" ]

[ "Evan Sasiela" ]

[ "IONIA — Ionia County restaurants have been hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the county health department is offering a nice gesture to help them out.\nThe Ionia County Health Department is waiving fiscal year 2021 license renewal fees for licensed food establishments. The one-time waiver was approved by the Ionia County Board of Commissioners during its meeting Tuesday, Jan. 19, on Zoom.\nIonia County Health Officer Ken Bowen said the decision was made to help local restaurants affected by COVID shutdowns.\n\"Obviously the dine-in food establishments in the county have been pretty hit hard by COVID and all the associated shutdowns,\" Bowen told the board. \"We’d like to make a gesture to help them if we can.\"\nThe waiver doesn’t apply to the portion of the fee collected by the state — only the county portion, Bowen said. It also doesn’t apply to Special Transitory Food Units, or food wagons, as those inspection fees are set by the state.\nThe waiver would cost the health department roughly $70,000 for fiscal year 2021, but Bowen believes it can offset the loss with local community stabilization funds — a new source of funding granted last year. Bowen said the amount of the funds is about $84,000.\nBowen noted the health department received the local community stabilization funds in 2020 but wasn’t convinced it would receive the money for 2021, so it wasn’t budgeted for this year.\nBowen expects to receive the funds, but said the health department would have to dip into its fund balance to make up the cost if it doesn’t.\n\"We do need that revenue,\" Bowen said. \"I don’t want to give the impression that we can throw that revenue away and not worry about it. It’s just that we kind of had a little bit of a quirk in the budget that allows us to make it up and help out our local establishments.\"\nCommissioners supported the gesture, including Scott Wirtz of District Five.\n\"Those folks are being hit pretty hard,\" Wirtz said. \"Other folks are, too, but if you can help it’s a good idea to do it.\"\nCOVID-19 vaccine update\nBowen updated commissioners on the COVID-19 vaccination distribution for the county. Bowen said the health department finished its first pass through Group 1A, which includes hospital staff, EMS and medical first responders.\nThe county started Group 1B, prioritizing schools, officers with the Michigan Department of Corrections and residents ages 65 and older.\nAs of Tuesday, the health department received 600 doses of the vaccine from the state and 300 doses from Sparrow Health System. It was awaiting 400 additional doses and 300 second doses Tuesday.\nThe Michigan Department of Health and Human Services was notified Tuesday by distributor McKesson that several shipments of the Moderna vaccine shipped on Jan. 17 \"had their temperatures reported as going out of range and getting too cold,\" according to a news release. McKesson is investigating the cause.\nMcKesson repacked additional vaccine and the majority of the 21 shipments were resent Monday night with the rest sent out Tuesday, the release stated.\nBowen told The Sentinel-Standard on Wednesday the health department was affected, but said it received the replacement shipment and is actively planning vaccination clinics.\nSparrow announced 580 vaccine doses have been used or allocated for Sparrow Ionia Hospital as of Wednesday.\n— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.", "Ionia health dept. to waive restaurant license renewal fees, provides COVID vaccine update", "IONIA — Ionia County restaurants have been hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the county health department is offering a nice gesture to help them out.The Ionia County Health Department is waiving fiscal year 2021 license renewal fees for licensed food establishments. The one-time waiver was approved by the Ionia County Board of Commissioners during its meeting Tuesday, Jan. 19, on Zoom.Ionia County Health Officer Ken Bowen said the decision was made to help local restaurants" ]

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[ "In response to Ray Buursma’s column, \"Beware of false prophets (Dec. 15),\" we should be very careful when coming against God’s prophets. This is very negative and he does not like that. The ministers he called out by name are God’s messengers and the Bible says to not touch mine anointed.\nTrump is going to win the election and Mr. Buursma will need to not only apologize to each of these prophets, but to repent for his lack of spiritual discernment. He should also feel ashamed that he led many people into error.\nWilliam Holland\nHolland", "Letter: Buursma’s attack on God’s messengers shameful", "In response to Ray Buursma’s column, \"Beware of false prophets (Dec. 15),\" we should be very careful when coming against God’s prophets. This is very negative and he does not like that. The ministers he called out by name are God’s messengers and the Bible says to not touch mine anointed.Trump is going to win the election and Mr. Buursma will need to not only apologize to each of these prophets, but to repent for his lack of spiritual discernment. He should also feel ashamed" ]

[ "West Michigan Works" ]

[ "The COVID-19 pandemic sent shockwaves through the economy and changed how we live and work. The unexpected dive into virtual services, remote work and new technologies have challenged employers and job seekers to adapt.\nAndrew Davidson is a career coach at West Michigan Works. He works one-on-one with job seekers to prepare them for a successful job search, including interview and resume assistance, referrals to support services and skill assessments.\n\"Many job seekers are struggling going virtual in almost every aspect of their lives because they don't have the knowledge or skill when it comes to modern technology,\" said Davidson.\n\"They may not have had to use computers or other hardware and software at past jobs or in their personal lives.\"\nDavidson advises job seekers to learn the basics of the new technology employers are using. Learning new technology can be challenging, but dedicating time now will pay off post-pandemic.\nWave Burns, a career navigator, is one of the first people you might talk to when you call the WMW service center in northwest Grand Rapids. Wave assesses a job seeker’s needs and determines what information or services would help them meet their employment goals.\n\"Virtual job fairs and interviews are our reality right now,\" said Burns. \"Practice using equipment like web cameras, headphones, lighting, etc.\"\nThe demand for workers is currently high in essential industries such as health care, manufacturing, and customer service.\nFor job seekers who might be considering a move to one of these industries, Burns suggests they focus on transferable skills — skills and abilities relevant across occupations or industries.\n\"Look for high-demand jobs in your area that you think you'd feel comfortable working in and that suit your skills,\" said Burns. \"Freshen up your resume to be relevant with the high-demand job opportunities you'll be applying to.\"\nThe pandemic also introduced considerations for the work environment. Job seekers want to know what safety precautions employers have in place to keep employees and their families safe.\n\"Most people don’t want to be too close to others in a work environment,\" said Kesha Sain, a career navigator in the Muskegon service center. \"Research. Don’t be afraid to ask employers what safety precautions are in place to keep everyone safe.\"\nWhile West Michigan Works service centers are open limited hours for appointments only, all of their services are offered virtually. Call a service center near you to get started!\n— Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works. Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.", "Employment Expertise: Searching for work during pandemic?", "The COVID-19 pandemic sent shockwaves through the economy and changed how we live and work. The unexpected dive into virtual services, remote work and new technologies have challenged employers and job seekers to adapt.Andrew Davidson is a career coach at West Michigan Works. He works one-on-one with job seekers to prepare them for a successful job search, including interview and resume assistance, referrals to support services and skill assessments.\"Many job seekers are struggling going" ]

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[ "By Kristy Smith\nNormally, I don’t follow celebrity gossip, except for the occasional few minutes when I’m forced to stand in a grocery store checkout lane with nothing to do besides pass silent, wide-eyed judgment on the items being purchased by the person ahead of me and read the headlines on the National Enquirer, The Globe, Star and other tabloids that astronomically dominate checkout areas.\nDoes anyone actually purchase those publications, or do we all just stare, transfixed at their unflattering, photo-splashed covers? For all I know, the pages inside are blank. But without them, we couldn’t self-righteously keep tabs on the latest aging movie diva plastic surgery disasters, political sexcapades, country singer lawsuits, Kardashian reproduction statistics, former child star overdoses, and catfights among royals.\nAlong similar lines, but on TV rather than in checkout lines, I recently viewed celebrity gossip involving Alec Baldwin’s social media \"influencer\" (there’s that phony word, again), heavily-accented wife, Hilaria: she’s apparently been pretending for a decade that she’s from Spain, when in reality, she wasn’t born in Mallorca, Spain, but in Boston, Massachusetts – to American parents!\nHilaria Baldwin’s given name was Hillary Hayward Thomas. Her mother is a Harvard medical school professor and her father a Georgetown-educated attorney: American royalty. As part of her back-pedaling following widespread exposure of her appropriated Spanish persona, Hilaria explained her family enjoyed going \"on holiday\" (barf) in Spain in her youth, hence her affinity for all things Spanish, including an in-your-face Spanish identity.\nFrom videos I’ve caught, Hilaria both proclaimed and embraced her alleged Spanishness, down to pretending to struggle with finding the right English word for \"cucumber\" during a media appearance. It’s major B.S. (universal abbreviation) for which she’s not taking responsibility, but is claiming involves a misunderstanding. Ten straight years of self-described \"misunderstanding.\" It just doesn’t get more American than that! I rest my case.\nConsider which is more pathological: living a very public, decade-long lie or denying living a very public, decade-long lie? Hmm. In the spirit of full disclosure, I suddenly feel the need to confess right here, in front of God and my critics, that at least twice in my lifetime I pretended to be someone I’m not – (gulp) intentionally!\nOnce, when out with a group of high school friends, I pretended to be completely deaf (not a complete lie for someone already partially deaf, I later double-speak defended), but I was unceremoniously outed by some stranger who knew sign language. What were the odds of that?! Lesson learned. Mostly.\nA second time was during college. I waitressed with Stephanie, a woman who was originally from Minnesota. Pre-political correctness, she’d mock my Michigan accent (despite my insistence there is no such thing) and I’d mimic her Minnesota cadence and how she pronounced certain words.\nOne night I went out to a bar and on a whim started chatting to nearby patrons using my best Stephanie-imitation accent. To my surprise, a guy came over and asked me if I were from Minnesota, the state from which he hailed. \"Hail, no\" I laughed, wasting no time gloating to Stephanie!\nThe obvious difference (besides looks) between me and Hilaria Baldwin is I was only playing, knew I was only playing, admitted I was only playing, and never for a second started living, breathing, spreading and believing my own B.S. That’s important, although her way of operating is infinitely more interesting to watch, especially as it unravels.\nI thought about that as I spent several minutes Saturday spitting into a test tube. My kids got me a 23andMe kit for my birthday and are eager to find out who I \"really am\" genetically. It’s immaterial to this child of God, because I already know who I am, which is decidedly not \"Kristeria\" from Spain or some other preposterousness.\nHowever, when a friend reared by adoptive parents sent away some of her DNA in 2018, her results came back indicating a match \"close to first cousin,\" which ended up being two younger, biological siblings from California who’d been searching for her. Wow. I vow now to be cool as a . . . how you say? . . . \"pepino\" (cucumber) . . . when I receive my less-dramatic results.\nKristy Smith’s Different Drum humor columns are archived at her blog: diffdrum.wordpress.com.", "Uh oh, real family roots are starting to show", "By Kristy SmithNormally, I don’t follow celebrity gossip, except for the occasional few minutes when I’m forced to stand in a grocery store checkout lane with nothing to do besides pass silent, wide-eyed judgment on the items being purchased by the person ahead of me and read the headlines on the National Enquirer, The Globe, Star and other tabloids that astronomically dominate checkout areas.Does anyone actually purchase those publications, or do we all just stare," ]

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[ "ADRIAN – When the Siena Heights men’s basketball returned to practice last week after not having played a game since Nov. 10, head coach Joe Pechota and his staff weren’t expecting much.\n\"It was rough,\" Pechota said. \"It was rough. Basketball is such a timing and rhythm sport and you hit that pause for that long, you can workout and do things on your own until you’re blue in the face, but when you’re working on timing with teammates, there is going to be such a gap.\n\"We were meeting as coaches and braced ourselves for three bad days of really looking bad.\"\nAfter two and-a-half months, the Saints are scheduled to get back into action at 8 p.m. Wednesday when they host Cornerstone to open play in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.\nSeventy-seven days between the season opener and the second game of the season for SHU.\n\"We had 58 days between practices,\" Pechota said. \"It was like we were living in March all over again. The university sent the guys home and we stayed connected via Zoom meetings and tried to stay connected.\n\"That’s been the hardest thing, just me personally, is the connection with players. In the spring and summer, we do so much together with workouts and team activities and you don’t have that, then communication won’t be authentic. We pause for 58 days and trying to restart that and recultivate that is always going to be a challenge.\"\nMaking matters more difficult for the Saints, this is one of the youngest teams Pechota has had during his time as head coach.\nSHU has only two seniors on the team to go with six freshman and four sophomores.\n\"The year before we lost seven seniors,\" Pechota said. \"This is the most inexperienced team I’ve had and then you add this to it and the challenges on connection and communication is a struggle. It will be as we keep going and forever how long we get to play.\"\nInjures have also become and unfortunate side effect to the time off.\n\"Talking with other coaches in the league, when you come back from a time off one of the biggest things is injuries,\" Pechota said. \"We’ve had that already. We had six guys not practice because of injuries and it’s not from getting hit, but it’s a pull or a strain or a hip flexor. Guys were on the break for two of the holidays where you eat the most in Thanksgiving and Christmas.\n\"It doesn’t help and it’s another challenge.\"\nFortunately for the Saints, they were able to play in one game prior to the pause in play, an 81-70 loss to Grace in Nov. 10.\nMost teams in the WHAC have played this season, but like SHU, most have also been off for quite some time.\n\"It gave us a chance as coaches, even though it was one game, to sit back and be analytical,\" Pechota said. \"How can we grow off of this one? We looked at it as, when we come back to practice, we need to dial in how we can get better in a short window.\"\nBut now that countdown to tip-off is on and it feels like opening night all over again for SHU.\nWhile the team is excited to get back in action, it is a cautious optimism as the Saints know all too well the starting line can be pushed back further on any given day.\n\"We’re all living like that,\" Pechota said. \"I don’t care if you’re Tom Izzo in East Lansing, or Juwan Howard in Ann Arbor or me. We are all living day-by-day and it’s kind of the approach. We have to prepare the best we can physically, mentally and emotionally and then we’ll see what we got.\"", "Coming off the bench: Siena Heights men’s hoops preparing for season restart", "ADRIAN – When the Siena Heights men’s basketball returned to practice last week after not having played a game since Nov. 10, head coach Joe Pechota and his staff weren’t expecting much.\"It was rough,\" Pechota said. \"It was rough. Basketball is such a timing and rhythm sport and you hit that pause for that long, you can workout and do things on your own until you’re blue in the face, but when you’re working on timing with teammates, there is going to be such a" ]

[ "Sentinel Staff" ]

[ "A pair of organizations are partnering to offer $600,000 in grants to construct outdoor Fitness Courts in Michigan.\nPriority Health, Michigan’s second-largest health plan provider, and National Fitness Campaign, a wellness planning and consulting firm, are offering grants to 15 cities and/or schools in Michigan to construct Fitness Courts.\nThe Fitness Court is a trademarked system created by NFC Founder Mitch Menaged. The courts are designed to be \"the world’s best outdoor gym\" and the partnership aims to create equitable access to exercise for communities across the state.\nMore than 150 cities in the U.S. have Fitness Courts, including Big Rapids, Saginaw, Roseville, Brownstown and Garden City in Michigan, as well as on the campus of Oakland University.\nMunicipalities and schools can apply for a grant at nationalfitnesscampaign.com/michigan. Priority Health and NFC plan to build 15 Fitness Courts in Michigan over the next 18 months. Grant recipients will receive tools, education and planning resources to build and sustain an \"exceptional outdoor wellness culture.\"\nFitness Courts feature a series of seven-minute workouts, with digital coaching available on the free Fitness Court app.\n\"This partnership with NFC couldn’t be more timely as we continue to look for innovative partnerships that help create more safe, equitable access to health and wellness for Michigan residents,\" stated Marti Lolli, Chief Marketing Officer and SVP of Consumer and Government Markets at Priority Health.\n\"We believe that all people deserve the opportunity to live a healthy life and we are proud to be Michigan’s first statewide sponsor to show our commitment to improving the health of our communities.\"", "Priority Health, National Fitness Campaign partner for grants", "A pair of organizations are partnering to offer $600,000 in grants to construct outdoor Fitness Courts in Michigan.Priority Health, Michigan’s second-largest health plan provider, and National Fitness Campaign, a wellness planning and consulting firm, are offering grants to 15 cities and/or schools in Michigan to construct Fitness Courts.The Fitness Court is a trademarked system created by NFC Founder Mitch Menaged. The courts are designed to be \"the world’s best outdoor gym\" and" ]

[ "Daily Telegram Staff" ]

[ "Traces of E. coli were found in the city’s water supply last week; testing and treatment of the water took place this weekend\nMORENCI — A water boil advisory, which was issued late last week for residents of the City of Morenci after traces of E. coli were found in the water system, has since been rescinded by the city and water treatment officials, citing safe and clean water for consumption.\nWater test samples of Morenci’s public water supply were taken to Blissfield and tested at the village’s water treatment laboratory last week, after discovering the bacteria found in the water.\nMorenci’s Department of Public Works on Jan. 7, conducted a system flush of the southeast part of Morenci. More than 200,000 gallons of water were flushed through the distribution system.\nSamples of the water, after being flushed and treated with increased amounts of chlorine, came back negative for total coliform and E. coli present in the water.\nThe water boil advisory was lifted over the weekend.\n\"Due to the negative sample results for total coliform and E. coli, the City of Morenci is rescinding the Advisory Boil Water Notice Order,\" a statement from the city said on the city website. \"We appreciate your attention to the matter and your understanding during this water emergency.\"\nResidents last week, were advised by city officials to bring their water to a full, one-minute boil before using it and to let it cool, as boiling of the water kills the bacteria and organisms present in the water.\nThe positive sample of E. coli came from a water link break in Skyline Industrial Park, which caused a loss of water pressure for three marijuana-growing facilities and the Morenci Fabricare Laundromat. A contractor, according to the city, mistakenly tore a 2-inch water lateral off of the city’s 12-inch water main, which likely caused contamination due to a backflow of water into the main. City personnel isolated the water line break by shutting the water off at Hammontree Drive near the laundromat, and then at a valve near Hammontree Drive and Skyline Industrial Drive.\nColiform bacteria are described as bacteria whose presence indicated that the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste. Human pathogens in the water can cause short-term effects such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches or other symptoms. Greater risks are posed to infants, young children, some elderly and people with severely compromised immune systems.\nWater samples tested were from the following locations:\n• 118 Orchard St. (Morenci City offices)\n• 13013 Sims Highway (Morenci Area Emergency Medical Services)\n• 788 E. Coomer St. (Morenci Area High School)\n• 517 E. Locust St. (Morenci Area Elementary School)\n• 575 Hammontree Drive\n• 520 Hammontree Drive\n• 1092 E. Main St.\n• Well No. 1 at the City of Morenci Water Treatment Plant\n• Well No. 2 at the City of Morenci Water Treatment Plant\n• 597 W. Chestnut St. (Department of Public Works facility)\nAll water samples taken at these locations came back negative for the presence of total coliform and E. coli.", "Morenci water boil advisory lifted" ]

[]

[ "Sue C. LaVigne trust\nPAID PUBLIC NOTICE\nSTATE OF MICHIGAN\nMONROE COUNTY\nPUBLICATION OF NOTICE\nNOTICE TO CREDITORS\nSettlor’s Trust\nTHE SUE C. LAVIGNE TRUST\ndated September 8, 2006 and First Amendment to and Restatement of dated December 27, 2016.\nDate of Birth: September 13, 1943\nDate of Death: December 5, 2020\nTO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS:\nwhose address(es) are unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following:\nTAKE NOTICE: The decedent, Sue C. LaVigne, who lived at 8615 South Stoney Creek Road, Carleton, Michigan 48117 and died on December 5, 2020 had a Living Trust.\nNOTICE TO CREDITORS: There is no estate or personal representative at this time. If there are any creditors of the decedent those claims are to be presented to the Trustee within 4 months after the date of this publication. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all CLAIMS against the trust or decedent estate will be forever barred unless presented to Edward J. LaVigne, Jr., named trustee, at 8615 South Stoney Creek Road, Carleton, Michigan 48117, with a copy to the Attorney for the Trust, William P. Godfroy, within 4 months of the date of publication of this notice. Notice is further given that the trust estate will be thereafter assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it.\nDated: 1/15/2021\nEdward J. LaVigne, Jr.\n8615 South Stoney Creek Road\nCarleton, MI 48117\n(734) 243-4309\nWilliam P. Godfroy P27566\nAttorney-at-Law\n19 East Front Street, P.O. Box 587\nMonroe, MI 48161\n(734) 242-3434\nJANUARY 22, 2021", "Sue C. LaVigne trust" ]

[ "Dean Cousino", "Dean Cousino Monroe News Staff Reporter" ]

[ "The following are among recent reports to Monroe County law enforcement agencies.\nThe following are among recent reports to Monroe County law enforcement agencies. You'll find other police and fire news at this link.\nMan threatens deputy with baseball bat\nAn intoxicated 49-year-old Frenchtown Township man was arrested after he threatened a Monroe County Sheriff’s deputy with a wooden baseball bat at his home Christmas night.\nThe man, who lived in the 3100 block of Maplewood St., confronted the deputy on the front porch of his home about 7:15 p.m., according to a deputy’s report. The deputy threatened to use his taser gun on the man if he didn’t put bat down. The man complied and told the deputy he was angry and scared because family members told him there were allegations that he slashed his father’s tires and he feared they were coming to his house. The man, who had a strong odor of intoxicants about him and slurred his speech, was lodged in the county jail without further incident, the report said.\nThe incident followed a similar deputy’s report that on Nov. 14 another deputy was called to the same home and the suspect threatened him with a large kitchen knife and came out in a fighting stance.\nIntoxicated driver arrested\nAn intoxicated Akron, Ohio, woman was arrested after the gray 2009 Nissan Altima she was driving collided with a white 2009 Dodge Avenger in Bedford Township Dec. 26.\nThe crash occurred at the intersection of Smith and Whiteford Center Rds. about 2:20 p.m., according to a deputy’s report. When deputies arrived, both vehicles were facing westbound in the right-hand lane of Smith. The woman, 36, was sitting in the driver seat and had a strong odor of intoxicants about her and slurred speech, the report said. The Nissan had heavy front-end damage while the Avenger was damaged in the rear.\nThe woman was taken to ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital for a blood draw that will be sent to a crime lab for analysis. She was lodged in the county jail on a charge of operating while intoxicated. Her vehicle was towed by LaRocca’s Towing.\nDTE truck damaged\nA DTE Energy utility truck was damaged in an attempted break-in while parked Christmas morning in the 2500 block of Newport Rd. in Berlin Township.\nA DTE employee who drives the truck home at night told deputies he was awakened about 3:45 a.m. by two loud bangs outside. He looked out a window, but didn’t see anything unusual. That morning, he discovered that two storage containers were opened on both sides of the 2016 Ford pickup and that latches were pried open. Nothing was taken, he said.\nTemperance man arrested\nAn intoxicated Temperance man, 43, was arrested after the Dodge Ram that he was driving jumped a curb in the parking lot of the Kroger store in Lambertville on Dec. 26.\nWitnesses called 911 after seeing the driver jump the curb at the store located at 7462 Sterns Rd. and leave the scene, a deputy’s report said. Deputies stopped the driver in the 7400 block of Silo Meadows Dr. and noticed a strong odor of intoxicants coming from inside the pickup. The suspect was taken to ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital for a blood draw and then lodged in the county jail on a charge of operating while intoxicated, the report said.", "Police blotter: Man threatens deputy with baseball bat" ]

[ "Dr. Richard Greenberg More Content Now" ]

[ "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.\n*****\nQ: My husband is 88 years old and is in late stage dementia. One of his upper molars, which has had a crown for years is now infected with some decay. Our dentist, in whom we have great confidence, is recommending we have it extracted and that it must be done by an oral surgeon due to its size, multiple roots, and also because it touches the sinus cavity. My concern is whether the procedure will likely cause immediate further mental decline. I understand that anesthesia is harmful for dementia patients, so I would want only novocaine used rather than a sleeping procedure. I have searched so much to find help for our situation. I want to do what is the right and best thing for my dearest one and am hoping for as much guidance and information from a professional before moving forward.\n- P. Mc.\nA: First let me say how sorry I am for the position you and your husband are in.\nIn regard to the dementia problem and anesthesia, I believe that if there is harm that could be done to his condition you would be referring to general anesthesia where your husband, the patient, would be completely sedated and unconscious. That type of pain control would only be necessary in very rare circumstances, even considering how severe the dementia is.\nI am sure that your dentist has good reason to recommend the extraction and it therefore remains in the hands of the clinical dentist you choose, as to what type of pain control is needed. With many patients who are not overly fearful, local anesthesia (of the novocaine variety) is all that is needed. However, there can be much in the way of heavy pressure that for some can be objectionable. When this is the case then conscious sedation (nitrous oxide) can be administered rather than general anesthesia and this will provide the additional level of comfort needed. With conscious sedation, the patient will usually report after the procedure that they felt the pressure but it did not bother them.\nAll of this depends on the evaluation that the dentist does prior to the procedure in consultation with you. It is remotely possible that to manage your husband during the procedure that more than local anesthesia and conscious sedation may be needed. But that is very rare. Your dentist has chosen to refer you and your husband to a dentist who specializes in oral surgery. Any dentist that is specialty trained and board certified (a member of the American Academy of Oral Surgeons) will be well qualified to help you choose the type of pain control and patient management that will be necessary in this somewhat unique situation.\nI wish you and your husband all the best and I am sure you and your general dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon who will then deliver a very positive result. Your husband is very lucky to have the loving, caring person you are, to be in control of his well-being.\nDr. Richard Greenberg of Ipswich practiced dentistry for 45 years after having attended dental school at Columbia University, where he was later an associate clinical professor of restorative dentistry and facilitator of the course of ethics. Do you have a dental question or comment about the column? Email him at [email protected].", "Nothing but the Tooth column: What to consider when a dementia patient needs oral surgery", "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.*****Q: My husband is 88 years old and is in late stage dementia. One of his upper molars, which has had a crown for years is now infected with some decay. Our dentist, in whom we have great confidence, is recommending we have it extracted and that it must be done by an oral surgeon due to its size, multiple roots, and also because it touches the sinus cavity. My concern is whether the procedure will likely cause immediate further mental" ]

[ "Corey Murray" ]

[ "HILLSDALE — A Hillsdale man who fled from authorities Dec. 13 in the city of Hillsdale appeared in the 2B District Court Wednesday and requested a probable cause conference be delayed a week to allow him and his attorney time to discuss the case further.\nMatthew Thomas Shankster, 19, was charged with receiving/concealing a stolen vehicle, third-degree fleeing police, two counts of resisting/obstructing/assaulting a police officer and two criminal bench warrants for failing to appear in court.\nDetails surrounding the pursuit Dec. 13 were not disclosed Monday afternoon, other than to note Shankster allegedly resisting Officer Eric Giacobone and Sgt. Cory Dow with the Hillsdale City Police Department.\nShankster posted bond for his pretrial release from the Hillsdale County Jail and faces up to five-years imprisonment if convicted as charged.", "Hillsdale man who fled from officers requests delay in hearings", "HILLSDALE — A Hillsdale man who fled from authorities Dec. 13 in the city of Hillsdale appeared in the 2B District Court Wednesday and requested a probable cause conference be delayed a week to allow him and his attorney time to discuss the case further.Matthew Thomas Shankster, 19, was charged with receiving/concealing a stolen vehicle, third-degree fleeing police, two counts of resisting/obstructing/assaulting a police officer and two criminal bench warrants for failing to appear in" ]

[ "Brad Heineman", "Brad Heineman Daily Telegram Staff Writer" ]

[ "BROOKLYN — Julie Wetherby, the current chief executive officer of the Region 2 Area Agency on Aging has been elected to a position that will allow her to make an impact on the lives of seniors and older adults across Michigan.\nOn Jan. 1, Wetherby stepped into the role as president of the Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan, which is located in Lansing.\nThe Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan provides services and support to older adults and persons with disabilities in all 83 of Michigan’s counties. The association is a statewide group that advocates on behalf of Michigan seniors.\nMeanwhile, as CEO of the Region 2 Area Agency on Aging (R2AAA), Wetherby has a direct involvement with services for older adults in Lenawee, Hillsdale and Jackson counties. She works closely with the Lenawee County Department on Aging and its director, Cari Rebottaro.\nThe R2AAA is based on Brooklyn.\nWetherby will remain with the R2AAA while transitioning into her new role as president of the Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan.\nThe association, which also goes by the term \"4AM,\" speaks as a collective voice to Michigan’s many area agencies on aging. The goal of 4AM is to promote healthy aging, dignity and independence, according to a news release.\nWetherby said she was nominated for the presidency and elected by her peers across the state. The presidency is a two-year term.\nAs president, Wetherby will work with the association on making sure Michigan seniors are cared for.\n\"This role is especially important and challenging right now with the COVID-19 pandemic,\" she said.\nWetherby will not have direct oversight or influence over the 83 counties in Michigan. She will, however, delegate to those counties and make sure the needs of seniors are met.\n\"What might be the need for seniors in Lenawee County might not be the same needs for seniors in Wayne County,\" she said.\nWith the year ahead of her, Wetherby said top priorities include ensuring that home- and community-based services are available to all who need them in order to live safely and independently in their own homes and local communities.\n\"We will be advocates for our direct care work force and for bringing the aging network together to stay strong and supportive of one another,\" she stated in a news release.", "Region 2 Area Agency on Aging CEO to lead state association", "BROOKLYN — Julie Wetherby, the current chief executive officer of the Region 2 Area Agency on Aging, has been elected to a position that will allow her to make an impact on the lives of seniors and older adults across Michigan.On Jan. 1, Wetherby stepped into the role of president of the Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan, which is located in Lansing.The Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan provides services and support to older adults and persons with disabilities" ]

[ "Dr. Richard Greenberg More Content Now" ]

[ "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.\n*****\nQ: My husband is 88 years old and is in late stage dementia. One of his upper molars, which has had a crown for years is now infected with some decay. Our dentist, in whom we have great confidence, is recommending we have it extracted and that it must be done by an oral surgeon due to its size, multiple roots, and also because it touches the sinus cavity. My concern is whether the procedure will likely cause immediate further mental decline. I understand that anesthesia is harmful for dementia patients, so I would want only novocaine used rather than a sleeping procedure. I have searched so much to find help for our situation. I want to do what is the right and best thing for my dearest one and am hoping for as much guidance and information from a professional before moving forward.\n- P. Mc.\nA: First let me say how sorry I am for the position you and your husband are in.\nIn regard to the dementia problem and anesthesia, I believe that if there is harm that could be done to his condition you would be referring to general anesthesia where your husband, the patient, would be completely sedated and unconscious. That type of pain control would only be necessary in very rare circumstances, even considering how severe the dementia is.\nI am sure that your dentist has good reason to recommend the extraction and it therefore remains in the hands of the clinical dentist you choose, as to what type of pain control is needed. With many patients who are not overly fearful, local anesthesia (of the novocaine variety) is all that is needed. However, there can be much in the way of heavy pressure that for some can be objectionable. When this is the case then conscious sedation (nitrous oxide) can be administered rather than general anesthesia and this will provide the additional level of comfort needed. With conscious sedation, the patient will usually report after the procedure that they felt the pressure but it did not bother them.\nAll of this depends on the evaluation that the dentist does prior to the procedure in consultation with you. It is remotely possible that to manage your husband during the procedure that more than local anesthesia and conscious sedation may be needed. But that is very rare. Your dentist has chosen to refer you and your husband to a dentist who specializes in oral surgery. Any dentist that is specialty trained and board certified (a member of the American Academy of Oral Surgeons) will be well qualified to help you choose the type of pain control and patient management that will be necessary in this somewhat unique situation.\nI wish you and your husband all the best and I am sure you and your general dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon who will then deliver a very positive result. Your husband is very lucky to have the loving, caring person you are, to be in control of his well-being.\nDr. Richard Greenberg of Ipswich practiced dentistry for 45 years after having attended dental school at Columbia University, where he was later an associate clinical professor of restorative dentistry and facilitator of the course of ethics. Do you have a dental question or comment about the column? Email him at [email protected].", "Nothing but the Tooth column: What to consider when a dementia patient needs oral surgery", "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.*****Q: My husband is 88 years old and is in late stage dementia. One of his upper molars, which has had a crown for years is now infected with some decay. Our dentist, in whom we have great confidence, is recommending we have it extracted and that it must be done by an oral surgeon due to its size, multiple roots, and also because it touches the sinus cavity. My concern is whether the procedure will likely cause immediate further mental" ]

[ "Dmitriy Shapiro", "Dmitriy Shapiro Daily Telegram Staff Writer" ]

[ "ADRIAN — The defendant in a double homicide in Adrian was formally charged Friday with also breaking into a home in Morenci with the intent of killing someone inside.\nChristopher Lee-Ryan Carden, 34, of Morenci was arraigned Tuesday in Lenawee County District Court on one count of first-degree home invasion. He is accused of breaking and entering a residence in the 400 block of Pearl Street in Morenci Jan. 15 with the intent to commit a homicide.\nThe felony charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.\nThe arraignment was conducted by Lenawee County District Judge Laura J. Schaedler with Carden represented by public defender Salvatore Molaro Jr.\nCarden is being held at the Lenawee County Jail on a $10, 010,000 bond. The bond on the new charge is $10,000. He originally was scheduled to have a hearing Friday on the $10 million in the murder case, but that was adjourned.\nAdrian Police Detective Greg Lanford said the incident occurred later the same day as the double homicide, which is estimated to have happened at about 3 to 3:30 p.m.\nIt is alleged that Carden entered the house in Morenci but decided against murdering a registered sex offender who lives there due to others being in the home.\nEarlier in the day, Carden is accused of murdering Samuel Compton, 82, and Robert Braman Sr., 67, both of Adrian, at 904 1/2 Frank St. in Adrian as well as stealing a car and leading police on a chase after officers attempted to stop the vehicle, according to an Adrian Police Department news release.\nCompton and Braman both had previous convictions for criminal sexual conduct with minors. Compton was released recently after posting a $20,000 bond on a charge of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13. That victim, according to Lanford, was related to Carden.\nAdrian police officers were checking on the welfare of the people at the Frank Street residence at 10:30 p.m. Jan. 15 when they discovered the two bodies inside the home, shot at \"point blank\" range, Lanford said. No reports of gunshots were reported in the area that day.\nPolice located the suspect shortly after discovering the bodies and saw him leave the residence as a passenger in a car.\nOfficers initiated a traffic stop and while speaking to the driver — who is not associated with the homicides — outside the vehicle, Carden got in the driver’s seat and took off at a high rate of speed.\nA pursuit was initiated but was later called off due to the high rates of speed. Carden then crashed the vehicle and left the scene on foot. He was found and arrested by police after a brief search involving multiple agencies.\nCarden was first arraigned Tuesday on two counts of open murder, one count of unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle and one count of third-degree fleeing from police. The Lenawee County Prosecutor’s Office has added four more criminal charges in the murder case: first-degree home invasion, carrying a weapon with unlawful intent, possession of a firearm by a felon and felony firearm.\nCarden was recently discharged from prison in Ohio after serving time on charges of possessing controlled substances, breaking and entering, and prisoner possessing contraband, according to court records.\nLanford said Carden made statements on Facebook saying that he was going to come after child molesters after being released, though not specifically mentioning the victims by name.", "Adrian murder suspect charged with break-in, seeking to kill man in Morenci", "ADRIAN — The defendant in a double homicide in Adrian was formally charged Friday with also breaking into a home in Morenci with the intent of killing someone inside.Christopher Lee-Ryan Carden, 34, of Morenci was arraigned Tuesday in Lenawee County District Court on one count of first-degree home invasion. He is accused of breaking and entering a residence in the 400 block of Pearl Street in Morenci Jan. 15 with the intent to commit a homicide.The felony charge carries a penalty of" ]

[ "Dennis Volkert", "Sturgisnewsroom" ]

[ "DEAR AMOR: I love gardenias and always wanted my own plant. In the past year, I finally bought one in a container. It was doing well and had a few blooms, but about three weeks later, the leaves started turning brown. Can you tell me why this might be happening? – Brenda\nDEAR BRENDA: Gardenia is named after Alexander Garden (1730-1791), a Scottish-born American physician, botanist and zoologist.\nCoveted for their milky-white and fragrant blossoms, this gorgeous white beauty also is known as jasmine or cape jasmine.\nThere are more than 200 species of gardenias, but none of them will survive in hardiness zone 5 and below. Their flowers are varying as well. Some double-flowered blossom cultivars may look like an open white rose. Single-flowered blossoms resemble a flower of a jasmine vine.\nAs a potted houseplant, it need tons of tender loving care, but so does any other houseplant, like geranium and poinsettia. Gardenias also are vulnerable to diseases that attack their foliage and root structure. There are hardier gardenia varieties available that can be resistant to some diseases.\nFinding the root cause why the leaves of a gardenia prematurely turn brown may be answered by one of the following questions:\nWas it placed outdoors on a location that received direct heat from the sun? Gardenias love bright light, but not direct sunlight. Shaded area is best when placed outdoors for the summer.\nWas it watered regularly? The soil of a gardenia should be moist and not allowed to dry out. However, its roots should not be sitting on water, either. A soaking plant will not grow new, water absorbing roots without oxygen, resulting in dehydration instead. And yes, browning of leaves follows.\nWas it given too much fertilizer? Wrong kind of fertilizer or over application of fertilizer scorches the leaves of plants. Why? Its fertilizer-damaged roots were unable to hydrate the plant, causing its leaves to dry and turn brown.\nWas it infested by powdery mildew? Powdery mildew infection in gardenias begins as a small yellow-brown spot. As it spreads throughout, leaves become dark-brown. Indoor plants should be spaced from each other for air circulation. Low humidity among the plants will inhibit the growth of fungal spores from germinating and infecting other foliage. Fungicide may be used to control powdery mildew.\nBug infestation, stem canker and root rot in gardenia causes yellowing, wilting and leaf or bud drop. A severe infection will kill the plant. If the plant has been outside, it is a good practice to repot and check its root system before taking the plant indoors. Prune diseased leaves, branches or brown rotting roots.\nDisinfect pruning shears before and after pruning from plant to plant to avoid cross-contamination of mold, mildew, stem canker or bug infestation. Use of a commercial potting soil is a good prevention from bugs and diseases later on.\nGardenia is an acid-loving plant. Iron deficiency will cause leaves to turn yellow. An ideal pH is 5.0-6.0. A slow-release fertilizer that is intended for acid-loving plants is highly recommended to maintain a good pH level for this sweet-scented white beauty.\nBlack sooty mold is not killing the plant, but is a hint there may be whiteflies, mealybugs, scales, aphids or spider mites in the plant. Control is directed toward these nutrient-sucking insects that left traces of sugary \"honeydew\" on leaves in which this mold is feeding upon. Hand-removal or insecticide may be used.\nAmor Chamness of Howe, Ind., is an intern in the Purdue Extension master gardener program. Send your gardening questions to [email protected].", "Dear Amor: Growing gorgeous gardenia", "DEAR AMOR: I love gardenias and always wanted my own plant. In the past year, I finally bought one in a container. It was doing well and had a few blooms, but about three weeks later, the leaves started turning brown. Can you tell me why this might be happening? – BrendaDEAR BRENDA: Gardenia is named after Alexander Garden (1730-1791), a Scottish-born American physician, botanist and zoologist.Coveted for their milky-white and fragrant blossoms, this gorgeous white beauty also is known" ]

[]

[ "In 1964, my fifth-grade history book had a section on Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a cabinet position in the United States. I remember my teacher emphasizing how important her role had been in Roosevelt’s administration. She was appointed in 1932 at a time that it was almost unheard of for a women to have a powerful position.\nThat lesson stayed with me as a beacon of what a girl could accomplish, never dreaming that one day a woman would run for president, and another would be elected Vice-President.\nWhen Frances was offered the position of Secretary of Labor, some staff threatened to resign rather than serve with a woman. The Baltimore Sun in an editorial said, \"a woman smarter than a man is something to be on guard about. But a woman smarter than a man and also not afraid of a man, well, good night.\" This was the type of prejudice she faced for her audacity to take a seat at the most important table in the country, the cabinet of the President. When she accepted the nomination she said, \"the door might not be opened to a woman again for a long, long time and I had a duty to other women to walk in and sit down on the chair that was offered, and so establish the right of others long hence and far distant in geography to sit in the high seats.\" She recognized the enormity of her position and for all women to follow her.\nIn 1932 not unlike 2020, the United States was in the midst of great hardships and dissension. The country was divided over the Depression, unfair labor practices, poverty, unemployment, no social network for the aged, no minimum wage and rampant child labor. Frances said she didn’t want to waste her time moving to Washington, D.C. if Roosevelt wasn’t serious on the social programs she advocated for: old age pensions, unemployment insurance, a 40 hour work week, 8 hour day, a minimum wage and restrictions on child labor.\nAlone in a room full of men, Frances made all of these programs happen; programs we take for granted today. Today Social Security is considered a given part of our retirement. Children are not allowed to toil in factories rather than going to school. We have Frances to thank for that. Her belief was that the, \"people are what matter to government and a government should aim to give all the people under its jurisdiction the best possible life.\" She created what we know as being good for employees and workers, ensuring safety and quality of life for all.\nIn 2020 that door was opened wide for a woman. When Kamala Harris in her first address as Vice-President elect said, \"I may be the first woman in this office but I will not be the last, \" the cheers of women across America could be heard. This glass ceiling being shattered had been a long time coming and it was fitting that it happened on the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. In Biden’s administration, women have more than one seat at the table.\nFrances Perkins followed her own path which started a trail of women making a difference in our country. Twelve years after women gained the right to vote, she stood up and fought for what she believed in. It has taken 88 years for a woman to sit at the side of the President. It is only a matter of time before she sits at the head of that table.\nMary Strevel is a member of Stronger Together Huddle, a group engaged in supporting and promoting the common good of all. She lives in Newport and is a retired teacher from Monroe High. She can be reached at [email protected].", "Frances Perkins, a woman ahead of her time", "In 1964, my fifth-grade history book had a section on Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a cabinet position in the United States. I remember my teacher emphasizing how important her role had been in Roosevelt’s administration. She was appointed in 1932 at a time that it was almost unheard of for a women to have a powerful position.That lesson stayed with me as a beacon of what a girl could accomplish, never dreaming that one day a woman would run for president, and another" ]

[ "Kelly Goward", "Macatawa Area Coordinating Council" ]

[ "So far, it’s been a mild winter, but have no fear, snow and ice will surely appear. When they do, make sure you manage snow and ice responsibly to protect water quality.\nSalt is toxic in the environment, but there are easy ways we can protect our soil and water resources.\nThe most common de-icing product applied to roads and driveways is salt (sodium chloride). Salt dissolves in water and is difficult to remove. Dissolved salts increase water salinity, which affects aquatic organisms.\nIf the salt-contaminated lake, river or groundwater is a source of drinking water, then it can impact human health. And salt can alter soil chemistry and harm plants.\nWe are specifically concerned about chloride in our lakes and streams since it is toxic to aquatic life. Historically, we have not monitored chloride in Lake Macatawa and area streams.\nHowever, the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council (MACC) is doing preliminary monitoring in an urban stream this winter to determine if further study is necessary.\nMeanwhile, there are many ways to reduce salt use and protect our soil and water.\nAt a large scale, area road agencies follow plans to balance public safety with protecting the environment.\nSome actions they take include only applying salt to critical areas prone to icing, like intersections and bridges, as well as calibrating trucks to apply the right amount of salt and removing snow first before applying salt.\nYou can use these same tactics at home.\nKeep in mind that a little goes a long way. Scatter salt so there is space between the grains. You only need about a coffee-mug worth for a 20-foot driveway.\nIf some doesn’t dissolve, sweep it up when dry and save it to use again. Only use salt where it is absolutely necessary for safety, like walkways and building entries.\nRemember that salt is more effective if you first remove the snow, especially if it’s deep. The type of winter precipitation can impact when you apply salt.\nIf snow is heavy and wet, apply salt while it is falling to prevent ice buildup. If sleet or freezing rain is expected, apply salt ahead of the storm to prevent ice from forming.\nFinally, salt is not effective when the air temperature is 15 degrees or colder.\nSwitch to sand for traction or an alternate de-icer that works at lower temperatures (such as magnesium or calcium chloride), but follow the guidelines above to limit the amount you use and clean up the excess.\nTogether, we can all do our part this winter and make a difference for water quality in the Macatawa Watershed.\n— Kelly Goward is the environmental program manager at the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council. She works with local communities to improve, restore and protect Lake Macatawa and the surrounding landscape.", "Living Sustainably: Watch that salt for watershed’s health", "So far, it’s been a mild winter, but have no fear, snow and ice will surely appear. When they do, make sure you manage snow and ice responsibly to protect water quality.Salt is toxic in the environment, but there are easy ways we can protect our soil and water resources.The most common de-icing product applied to roads and driveways is salt (sodium chloride). Salt dissolves in water and is difficult to remove. Dissolved salts increase water salinity, which affects aquatic organisms.If the" ]

[ "Lydia Seabol Avant More Content Now" ]

[ "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.\n*****\nMy grandfather took care of his two antique vehicles like he maintained everything else in his life - with quiet, meticulous attention and patience.\nOne of the vehicles, a 1931 red Ford Model A truck, he spent years rebuilding from rusted wreckage that he pulled from his farm in Minnesota. The result was a glossy red truck with authentic details that he won awards for in car shows, a truck that we relished in taking rides in as kids and sounding the “ahhoooooogaaaa” of the horn.\nThe other antique car was less work, but just as pretty: a 1954 Plymouth Belvedere, with powder-blue body and a white hood. Although he did not build that car - he bought it in the 1960s - it was one he took just as much pride in. His antique vehicles represented the women in his life, in a way - the Model A was a 1931, the year my grandmother was born, and the Plymouth was a 1954, the birth year of my mother.\nIt was the Plymouth that my mother first learned to drive on as a teenager, which must have been difficult considering it has no power steering and is a stick shift. I suppose, if you can learn to drive on that, you can drive anything.\nAs a child, my sister and I rode in the backseat of the Plymouth, throwing candy out the window as my grandfather drove it in Christmas or homecoming parades. Years later, when my sister got married, the car served as her “getaway” vehicle after the wedding reception. I’ll always remember how, with a smile on his face, my grandfather stood outside the car and opened the door for my sister and her new husband as they climbed in the backseat - my grandfather with a plaid flat cap tilted on his head just slightly, the way he always wore it.\nMy grandfather died in 2011, and poetically, that Ford Model A ended up going back to Minnesota with my great-uncle, to the farm where my grandfather grew up.\nAnd for the last nine years, the Plymouth has largely sat in my mother’s garage. We’ve taken it for joy rides around the neighborhood, used it for pictures with all six of my mother’s grandchildren piled in the backseat. But more often than not, it’s been the “cemetery” vehicle, meaning a few times a year on our visits to my mom’s, we climb onto the bench seats and my mom puts on one of my grandfather’s caps, and we drive to the cemetery where my grandfather is buried.\nIt’s a drive we took in that old Plymouth for the last time last week. The day after Christmas, my mother carefully backed the car out of her garage with its sputtering engine sound. My kids climbed in the backseat, I sat in the front next to my mom as she drove, and I noted how almost a decade after my grandfather died and my grandparents’ home was sold, the inside of that car still smells like my granddad’s garage - a dusty metallic smell like a mixture of tools and oil.\nWe drove through the neighborhood where I grew up, and to the cemetery nearby. As we drove, I told my kids about how I used to ride in parades in that car, and how the Plymouth had been in the family so long. We talked about my grandfather and what he was like, since he died when my kids were very young.\n“I want you to remember this ride,” I told my kids as we left the cemetery and headed back home.\nSoon after we got back, a man with a trailer was parked out in front of my mother’s house. My mom has decided that she could no longer care for the car the way it needs to be taken care of, the meticulous way my grandfather always had. The buyer, as it turns out, wanted the vehicle because it was identical to the car his father once had. And so it was sold.\nI decided to leave before the Plymouth was loaded up on that trailer. I couldn’t watch it be hauled away. Instead, I want to remember its smell, the way it sounds, and the sight of my grandfather at the wheel, with his tilted cap just so.\nIt’s like saying goodbye to a piece of him. But I know the memories are what counts - and it’s the stories that will be easiest to hand down to my children, instead of an antique car. I just hope the buyer will appreciate the car, and perhaps it will remind him of his father, the way it reminds me of granddad.\nLydia Seabol Avant writes The Mom Stop for The Tuscaloosa News in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Reach her at [email protected].", "The Mom Stop column: Antique Plymouth Belvedere filled with memories of grandfather", "Columns share an author’s personal perspective.*****My grandfather took care of his two antique vehicles like he maintained everything else in his life - with quiet, meticulous attention and patience.One of the vehicles, a 1931 red Ford Model A truck, he spent years rebuilding from rusted wreckage that he pulled from his farm in Minnesota. The result was a glossy red truck with authentic details that he won awards for in car shows, a truck that we relished in taking rides in as kids and" ]

[ "Carolyn Muyskens" ]

[ "HOLLAND — The annual St. Paddy's Day Leprechaun Chase 5k won't take place as usual due to COVID-19, but the road race organizers with the Holland Running Club are inviting runners to tackle a virtual 100-mile challenge instead.\nThe St. Paddy's Day Leprechaun Chase raises money for the Lakeshore Chapter of myTeam Triumph, an organization that provides road-racing experiences to people with disabilities.\nBetween Jan. 1 and March 17, participants are challenged to run or walk a total of 100 miles. Virtually, they will be traveling across Northern Ireland, following a route through the parts of the country where St. Patrick lived and traveled during his lifetime.\nBy logging their mileage after each run or walk on the website RunSignUp, participants can track their progress on the route, beginning at Slemish Mountain, traveling through Armagh and ending at the grave of St. Patrick in Downpatrick.\nParticipants who register for the St. Paddy's Virtual 100 Mile Leprechaun Chase Challenge will receive a long-sleeve shirt and a finisher's medal and will be entered in weekly prize drawings.\nA portion of the proceeds of the race will go to myTeam Triumph to purchase specialized race chairs for individuals with disabilities.\nRegistration for the virtual challenge is $30 and is open through Friday, Jan. 15. A free registration option, which does not include a shirt, medal or prizes, is also available.\n— Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens.", "Running club retools 5K race into 100-mile challenge", "HOLLAND — The annual St. Paddy's Day Leprechaun Chase 5k won't take place as usual due to COVID-19, but the road race organizers with the Holland Running Club are inviting runners to tackle a virtual 100-mile challenge instead.The St. Paddy's Day Leprechaun Chase raises money for the Lakeshore Chapter of myTeam Triumph, an organization that provides road-racing experiences to people with disabilities.Between Jan. 1 and March 17, participants are challenged to run or walk a total of 100" ]

[ "Marlo Alleva", "More Content Now" ]

[ "Oh, that hurt so good feeling!\nIf you have started a New Year fitness plan you definitely know the statement.\nThe best part is simple and basic is the best plan to start and build from.\nOur move today is a slow biceps curl. This move will be working the upper portion of your arm. You will need a set of medium hand weights. Perform this move either standing up or sitting down.\nBegin this biceps curl by gripping your hand weights in each hand. Extend both arms down by your side with your palms facing forward. Hold your chest tall and engage your abdominals to give yourself a strong base and core. This way, you can focus on the muscle you are working.\nOnce you are in position, you are ready to start curling.\nKeeping the biceps curl on the slower side, proceed to bend in the elbows and lift your forearm upward, shooting to lift your hand weight to at least a 45-degree angle above the elbow. Once you reach your fullest contraction, slowly return your forearm back down toward your thighs.\nKeeping this movement controlled, give yourself at least eight to 10 bicep curls per set.\nIf this becomes too difficult to do with both hands simultaneously, break it up, and alternate each arm.\nTake a small break in between sets, then continue on with your next repetitions with a goal of at least three sets total.\nBe mindful of your added weight as well. If it is too easy, add more. If you can’t complete a full set, drop your weight so you can efficiently complete a full routine.\nThis exercise is simple and can be added easily into any upper body routine. Just add weight as you go to intensify the move!\nMarlo Alleva, an instructor at Gold’s Gym and group fitness coordinator at Fontaine-Gills YMCA in Lakeland, Florida, can be reached at [email protected].", "Today’s Workout column: Slow biceps curl is good starting point", "Oh, that hurt so good feeling! If you have started a New Year fitness plan you definitely know the statement. The best part is simple and basic is the best plan to start and build from. Our move today is a slow biceps curl. This move will be working the upper portion of your arm. You will need a set of medium hand weights. Perform this move either standing up or sitting down. Begin this biceps curl by gripping your hand weights in each hand. Extend both arms down by your side with your palms" ]

[ "Dave Herriman" ]