The Lenawee Voice — August 2025

Siena Heights to close after next year » PAGE A3

Tim Tebow to speak at fundraiser for CPC of Lenawee » PAGE A5

THE LENAWEE VOICE

AUGUST 2025

Childhood pen pals celebrate five decades of friendship » PAGE B1

‘Annie’ hits the stage at the Croswell for two weekends in August » PAGE C2

Morenci’s Labor Day bridge walk returns for 31st year » PAGE C3

LENAWEE COUNTY FAIR COVERAGE INSIDE

Clay it Forward now open in downtown Tecumseh » PAGE A9 One year later, Dakota Courington’s family reflects on the accident that changed his

By Arlene Bachanov The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Aug. 9, 2024, started out a typical summer day for 15-year-old

Dakota Courington of Adrian.

“He asked if he could go over to a friend’s house,” his dad, Jack, said.

“I said, ‘If you do all your chores, you can go.’ He didn’t argue.”

When Dakota was ready to leave, “he told me, ‘Dad, Dad, I love you very much.’

I said, ‘I love you too,’ and I gave him a hug and a kiss.”

About an hour later, everything changed for the Courington family.

Dakota was heading home on his bike, which had a trailer attached to it that he used to haul his lawnmower around to all the lawns he took care of around the area, when at the corner of Clinton and Chestnut streets someone hit him with their vehicle.

See DAKOTA, page A13

Grace Appling, 20, of Britton reacts after being announced as the winner of the 2025 Lenawee County Fair Queen pageant on July 20. For coverage of the Lenawee County Fair, including the Fair Queen pageant, 4-H results, and the unveiling of the new Show Barn, please turn to the B section of this month’s paper. LENAWEE COUNTY FAIR PHOTO

Dakota Courington is pictured recently with his dad, Jack, and mom, Carrie. Dakota, 16, was hit by a car while riding his bike a year ago. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COURINGTON FAMILY

Athena Lenawee awards event set for Sept. 16

ADRIAN — Athena Lenawee, an organization that works to support and empower women in Lenawee County, will hold its 2025 awards dinner on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 5:30 p.m. at the Hills of Lenawee Golf Club and Banquet Center, 4110 Country Club Road, Adrian.

The recipient of the Athena Lenawee Leadership Award will be Sherri Tuckey, the owner of Tuckey’s Big Boy in Tecumseh. The award is intended to honor those who:

n Assist women in reaching their full leadership potential.

n Demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their profession.

n Provide valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community.

The event will also honor the recipents of the Athena Lenawee Young Professional Award and the Athena Lenawee Parthenon Award.

The Young Professional Award will be presented to Kara Dominique, who works at Lenawee Medical Care Facility.

The Parthenon Award, which is for businesses and organizations, will be presented to the Lenawee County government.

Tickets to the event are $50 plus EventBrite’s $5.20 processing fee.

To reserve tickets or for more information, visit athenalenawee.org.

City considers new zoning ordinance

ADRIAN — A proposed replacement for the city of Adrian’s zoning ordinance will be considered by the Adrian City Planning Commission and the Adrian City Commission over the coming weeks.

According to planning commission chairman Mike Jacobitz, many of the proposed changes to the ordinance are aimed at making it simpler and easier to read and interpret.

However, the proposal does include a few changes to the city’s zoning rules. One change would make it easier to build accessory dwelling units in the city. Accessory dwelling units, such as small residences that are often called in-law apartments, would be allowed in any residential district, although there would still be size and setback requirements to meet.

Another would favor monument-style signs for businesses rather than pole signs.

And there would be height restrictions on buildings in the Education, Research and Office district going forward. The lack of such a restriction in the current zoning ordinance generated discussion after the erection of Adrian College’s new sports dome, which many neighbors opposed. Jacobitz noted that any changes to the ordinance would only affect new projects and would not require property owners to change anything they have now.

News tips and press releases can be emailed to news@lenaweevoice.com. We welcome submissions in either English or

the 15th of the month before the event.

End of an era nears

Siena Heights University announces it will close its doors at the end of the 2025-26 academic year

ADRIAN — Siena Heights University announced on June 30 that the school will close at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 academic year.

The decision was made with the full support of the Siena Heights board of trustees and General Council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, according to a news release. In the announcement, the university stated that senior leadership has assessed the school’s financial situation, operational challenges, and long-term sustainability, and determined that despite the dedication of SHU’s board, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters, continuing operations beyond the coming academic year is no longer feasible.

“For 105 years, Siena Heights University has been a beacon of light in a world sometimes cast in darkness,” said Siena Heights president Douglas B. Palmer. “The spirit of Siena Heights will continue long after the institution itself closes its doors because it lives in every graduate, faculty member, and staff person who has been on campus — whether in-person or online.”

The university stated that its top priority will be students’ academic progress and working with partner institutions to establish transfer pathways that allow as little disruption as possible. Faculty and staff will be supported with transition assistance. The intent is to have as full and vibrant an academic year as possible, including academics, athletics, support services, and extracurriculars.

“We are deeply grateful to the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have worked hard decade after decade to make Siena Heights an incredibly special place,” Palmer said. “We look ahead to the next academic year planning all the activities one would normally get including athletics, residential life, and great events that we share with our alumni and entire community.”

Siena Heights was founded in 1919 as St. Joseph College. Twenty years later, it was renamed Siena Heights College in honor of St. Catherine of Siena. It was originally a school for women but became coeducational in 1969.

Although founded and sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, it is a separate organization from the congregation.

The pace of college closures in the United States has been accelerating.

The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit news service that covers educational issues, reported last year that on average, one college or university per week announced a closure or merger during that school year — about double the previous year’s number.

Statement of the General Council of Adrian Dominican Sisters

The following statement was released by the Adrian Dominican Sisters General Council (Sisters Elise D. García, OP, Prioress, and Bibiana Colasito, OP, Frances Nadolny, OP, Lorraine Réaume, OP, and Corinne Sanders, OP, General Councilors):

It breaks our hearts to join in the wise but painful decision of the University Board of Trustees to close our beloved Siena Heights University at the end of the 2026 academic year.

Founded by our Congregation more than a century ago as a college for women, this Catholic Dominican institution has expanded over the years to give people of all faith traditions,

Odor complaints continue at powdered egg processing plant

ADRIAN — Complaints about noxious odors continue to be filed against Veos USA, which took over the former Crimson Holdings powdered egg processing plant after Crimson Holdings went bankrupt.

The state of Michigan issued a violation notice in July stating that odors were of sufficient intensity, frequency, and duration as to constitute a violation of state rules and strong enough to cause people in both nearby residential and commercial areas to attempt to avoid it completely.

Veos has been ordered to correct the problem and submit a written response to state regulators by Aug.13.

In addition, a new class action lawsuit has been filed against the company by an Ann Arbor attorney. With the initial filing against Crimson Holdings having been negated after the company filed bankruptcy last year, the new suit alleges that Veos has failed to employ adequate mitigation strategies and that the emissions are so noxious as to substantially interfere with nearby residents’ use and enjoyment of their homes.

Both the violation notice and the lawsuit were reported by Local Buzz Radio.

Information about the odor complaints can be found at michigan.gov/egle/about/ organization/air-quality/facility-specific-info/veos-usa-inc.

socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, nationalities, racial identities and genders a top notch, values-based education. We are so proud of all the students, faculty, staff, leaders and trustees who are now or have been a part of the Siena community since 1919 and have lived competent, purposeful, ethical lives — contributing their God-given gifts for the common good of our world and Earth home.

We extend deep gratitude to President Douglas Palmer, PhD, and the members of his Cabinet — as well as Board Chairman Harry “Dusty” Steele, and the University Trustees — for their faithful and dedicated efforts to find a pathway forward through the formidable financial and demographic challenges that Siena Heights University, like many other small private higher education institutions in our country, has been facing for a number of years. These leaders, faculty and staff envisioned and began to pursue some promising ideas for the future of Siena Heights University that aimed to provide students with educational opportunities that would meet both current and anticipated needs of rural communities like our own. We are grateful to the benefactors who shared the vision. Sadly, the challenges Siena faced finally proved insurmountable.

We are painfully aware of and lament the profound impact that this closure has on Siena Heights students, faculty, and staff. We also lament the significant cultural and economic loss for our region of the closing of our century-old educational institution and its impact on our cherished Lenawee County community.

A high priority for us Adrian Dominican Sisters, as the religious sponsors of the institution, is that the University closes honorably — attending, especially, to the needs and concerns of all members of the Siena Heights community. It means providing students, faculty and staff with this yearlong notice of the closing and assurances that every effort will be made to support them in their transitions to other educational and employment opportunities. It also means providing a vibrant final academic year, especially for the Siena Class of 2026. The leaders of Siena Heights University intend to do just this, and we stand by them in prayerful support.

All Adrian Dominican Sisters — especially those who have dedicated years of their lives in loving service to the institution and the many proud graduates — join with us in extending our hands to offer with great love and gratitude our Dominican blessing on every member of the Siena Heights University community. We join with our Dominican Sister Catherine of Siena, patron saint of the University, in encouraging everyone at Siena Heights, as you step into the unknown future, to “be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”

Siena Heights University has announced its plans to close in spring 2026.

County

OK’s license plate cameras

ADRIAN — After several weeks of discussion, Lenawee County commissioners voted on July 9 to approve a proposal to install license plate-reading cameras along some county roads.

The Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office plans to install six stationary cameras and one “Flex” camera that can be easily moved as necessary, for example during Michigan International Speedway race weekends.

The plan calls for six stationary cameras at three points along Ridge Highway in Macon, Ridgeway and Palmyra Townships — with two cameras, one facing each direction, at each location. The seventh would initially be on Deerfield Road. At a previous meeting, Capt. Jake Pifer of the sheriff’s office said that those tend to be the main routes taken in and out of Lenawee County by people who commit crimes.

“Criminals tend to stay off the main highways,” Pifer explained at a June 5 meeting of the criminal justice committee. “There is a notion that police officers are on the main highways. If they commit a higherlevel crime, they’re going to drive on the back roads.”

The cameras will be purchased from Flock Safety, which works with about 5,000 communities across the U.S., including the Adrian Police Department.

County commissioners’ debates centered mainly around civil liberties concerns, in particular how long data will be stored. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are among the groups that have urged municipalities not to install license plate readers, or if they do use them, to limit data retention to short periods of time.

Commissioner Kevon Martis (R-Riga), who voted against the proposal, said his reason for opposing it was the 30-day data retention period for plate images.

Commissioner Terry Collins (R-Adrian), who is a retired Adrian police chief, was not at the July 9 meeting but spoke in favor of the cameras at previous meetings.

At the June 5 meeting, Collins said that a shorter retention period — such as 72 hours — would not necessarily be long enough for some crimes. He recalled one kidnapping case he worked on where it took more than three days to get the young victim to open up about what happened and describe the suspect’s car.

See CAMERAS, page A6

Police chief addresses questions about federal immigration arrests

By Erik Gable The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — At the July 21 Adrian City Commission meeting, police chief Vince Emrick spoke about federal immigration agents’ actions in Adrian and tried to answer questions he has received from members of the community.

Emrick confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has changed its approach and is no longer looking to only detain people who have committed a crime.

He said that when he spoke with ICE officials, “they expressed that they used to look for people who were removable and had a criminal offense as well. What they informed me of now is that they are looking solely for removable status. So the person doesn’t have to commit a crime. If they think they can show that they should be deported, then they’re going to go just for that instead of waiting for an offense.”

In the past, he said, “if someone was arrested that fit their criteria, they would come and get them at the jail and take them.” But now, Emrick continued, “they are moving away from doing just that. Now they are aggressively going out and trying to find people that meet that removable status out in public.”

Making arrests in public is also part of ICE’s standard procedure, Emrick said. He said that when he asked the agency why they chose to make an arrest right next to the site of a large protest on June 14, he was told that “they want the person to be out in the open where they don’t have to try to pursue them into any kind of structure and get into an entanglement that they don’t have the ability to support.”

Emrick said he does not know how ICE decides who to target. However, he said that once they identify someone they want to detain, they generally get an

administrative warrant and then come to get that person.

“While they’re there they are going to also investigate anyone in the vicinity of that person — friends, family, anybody in the same car, anybody in the same location,” he said. “So while they may have an administrative warrant for one person, if they are with a sibling or a child or a spouse or whatever the case may be, and they think there’s enough probable cause to make an arrest on that person, then they will do that as well.”

Emrick also discussed the concerns residents have expressed about ICE agents operating without wearing uniforms. He said that while they don’t have to wear traditional uniforms, they are obligated to identify themselves to the person they are arresting. They have to identify themselves to the person they are arresting, but are not required to identify themselves to any bystanders.

Emrick said Adrian police do not have the authority to intervene in ICE detentions, and could be arrested themselves if federal agents thought they were obstructing an arrest.

“They’ll arrest us just like they’ll arrest anybody else,” he said.

However, he said, there are some benefits to having Adrian police on the scene when an arrest is happening. One is that Adrian police officers wear body cameras, so everything that happens will be documented.

In addition, he said, the Adrian Police Department has a policy that says all employees are required to intervene if they see any use of unreasonable force.

Emrick also addressed questions about 287(g), a section of federal law that allows ICE to enter into agreements with state or local law enforcement agencies and for state or local agencies to take part in immigration enforcement.

“We have no interest in 287(g), we never have, and we have not been approached about it,” he said.

Later in the meeting, Allie Quinn of Adrian, one of the residents who has been pushing the city to protect residents against any violation of civil rights by ICE, thanked Emrick for his comments.

“Over the last few weeks, Chief Emrick and the Adrian Police Department have shown real transparency and commitment in addressing concerns from the community,” she said. “When people were worried about missing families, he followed through. When questions were raised, he sought answers and shared them with us. That kind of communication, that willingness to listen, gives people hope, and in times like these, hope really matters.

“But we have to be honest, hope is not all that’s in the air,” she continued. “There’s also a fear. And it runs deep. In our neighborhoods, families live with the quiet, constant worry that any knock at the door, any trip to the store, any wrong word or wrong look could mean separation, detention or worse. Parents are afraid to take their kids to school. Workers are afraid to report crimes, even when they’re victims. People are staying home when they need help because they’re too scared to come forward. That kind of fear does not make us safer. In fact it hurts all of us. It divides us. It silences our neighbors and makes it harder for the whole community to look out for each other. So tonight I want to ask and invite all of you to continue this work with us. Let’s keep building on the progress we’ve already made. Let’s make Adrian a place where no one has to choose between feeding their family and keeping their family together. Let’s make sure people feel safe enough to show up, speak up, and belong.”

Adrian residents report on observations at ICE’s detention center in Baldwin

ADRIAN — Two Adrian residents recently visited the North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin, a formerly-shuttered prison in northern Michigan that was reopened in June to house people arrested by federal immigration authorities.

They describe a place that seems disorganized, with guards who are unable to communicate with the people they’re holding and a strong sense of hopelessness among the people who have been taken there.

Aaron Chesher and Ben Moorman first went to the Baldwin prison on July 13 because they were giving a ride to the pregnant girlfriend of an Adrian man who had been arrested a week earlier. However, they also decided to document what they observed.

Much of what they learned came from the man they were there to visit, who was arrested on his way to work on July 8. He told them that he was driving down Division Street when a car pulled up around him, forcing him into the parking lot of the Lenawee County Human Services Building. He said that his vehicle was then surrounded by that car and five others, and that when he reached for the papers in his sun visor, including his work visa, the agents became more aggressive and hostile, and he was ultimately forced to leave his papers in his car.

The man told Chesher that there are about 75 people in the lower-security level of the Baldwin prison, including people from El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, France, Brazil, Albania, and Peru. He said the majority of the detainees cannot hold a full conversation in English, but he has only encountered two guards who can speak Spanish. In addition, he reported that many of the detainees do not speak Spanish or English, and there is no translation support for them.

He said that the detainees are issued three uniforms, have limited access to

laundry, sleep on unsanitary bedding, and are served “loaf-style” prison food. Chesher said that on their July 13 visit, they arrived at 3:45 p.m., the time of their scheduled visit, and then waited for about an hour and a half before being taken to the visitation room, where they waited for another 20 minutes before guards started to bring detainees in. One man was brought in even though there was no one there to visit him, while one visitor waited for an additional hour because the

A license plate camera along West Maumee Street in Adrian.

Aaron Chesher and Ben Moorman reported recently on their observations at the detention center in Baldwin. Cameras are not allowed inside the center in Baldwin, but Moorman drew several sketches, including this one of the reception area.

Tim Tebow to headline CPC fundraiser in October

ADRIAN — Former NFL player Tim Tebow will be the keynote speaker at CPC of Lenawee Pregnancy & Family Resource Center’s annual Fall Friends & Fundraiser, which is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 23, in Adrian College’s Dawson Auditorium.

CPC of Lenawee is a local nonprofit offering free pregnancy and family support services in Lenawee County.

The program will feature personal stories, community impact updates, and opportunities to support CPC’s expanding services.

Proceeds from the event will fund programs such as pregnancy testing, limited ultrasounds, parenting education, fatherhood mentorship, and material assistance for families, which are provided at no cost.

“We’re honored to welcome Tim Tebow to Lenawee County,” Roxanne Meeks, executive director of CPC, said in a news release. “His message of purpose and hope speaks to people across generations, and we’re looking forward to an unforgettable night.”

Earlier the same day, in the Adrian College Chapel, CPC will host a student gathering with Tebow for young people between the ages of 14 and 24.

Founded a little over 40 years ago, CPC operates a resource center in downtown Adrian.

More information about the Oct. 23 event is available online at friendsofcpclenawee.com.

Questions about tickets or sponsorships may be directed to Megan Pippin at development@cpclenawee.com.

Woodworking institute receives honor from career schools accrediting body

ADRIAN — The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute has been named a 2025 School of Distinction by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, a national accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

The honor places SBWI among just 11 institutions selected from over 265 schools that underwent the accreditation process between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.

The School of Distinction title celebrates schools that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to educational quality, student success, and continuous improvement.

“Congratulations to the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute on being named a 2025 ACCSC School of Distinction,” Michale McComis, executive director of ACCSC, said in a news release “Through this award, ACCSC recognizes the school’s hard work and dedication to promoting excellence, making student success central, and fostering a community committed to providing quality education. The school’s efforts and success are evident.”

Founded in Adrian, the woodworking institute blends fine arts with the skilled trades. With programs that range from

custom furniture making to architectural timber framing, it attracts students from across the country and around the world.

“We are honored to receive this award,” said Dena Koehn, vice president of enrollment at SBWI. “Our mission is to elevate trade education to the level of respect and dignity that skilled trades truly deserve. This recognition validates the transformative work our team does every day.”

SBWI will accept the award at the ACCSC Annual Meeting and Institutional Awards Celebration on Sept. 17 in Arlington, Virginia.

Adrian College partnership

The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute also recently entered into a partnership with Adrian College to explore expanding the college’s prearchitecture program into a design-build curriculum.

“Our relationship with Adrian College represents an exciting chapter in the stories of both our institutions,” said Luke Barnett, founder of the institute, at Adrian’s annual State of the College event. “In 2020, we launched our flagship college program, marking a crucial step in providing career-focused education.

By 2022, we achieved GI Bill eligibility, reinforcing our commitment to veterans.

In August 2024, we were accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges — officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education — solidifying our standing as a premier educational institution.”

Tim Tebow

County board hears Tecumseh Products updates, reverses stance on possibility of industrial sale

ADRIAN — The former Tecumseh Products factory site was a topic of discussion at the Lenawee County Commission’s June 26 meeting.

County administrator Kim Murphy gave commissioners an explanation for a couple of things that people may have noticed happening around the site.

Consumers Energy has been doing some projects in the Tecumseh area and needed a place to park vehicles overnight, so the county has been allowing them to use an area on the east side of the property where the vehicles won’t be in the way of ongoing environmental work.

In addition, Murphy said, a second environmental company has started working on the cleanup process, and residents may notice additional activity around the south side of the property.

“As they’ve been entering chemicals into the ground to do the treatment that they need to do, some of the more shallow areas aren’t being impacted as much as they hoped that they would be,” she said, “so they have to install another system

in very specific areas to take care of that situation.”

“So if anyone sees those vehicles out there,” Murphy said, “that is not anyone who’s purchased the property. We don’t have any new construction going on or anything like that. It’s just continual work that Tecumseh Products is doing as they are obligated to do.”

The factory site is different from the former office site, which a private developer is planning to turn into an apartment community.

County commission chairman Jim Van Doren (R-Tipton) also said that the county has received inquiries from a few potential purchasers.

“Nothing pending, but there are people visiting the property,” he said.

At that point, commissioner Kevon Martis (R-Riga) made a motion to reverse the commission’s previous stance that it would not consider any sale of the property for industrial use, and instead make it available for sale with no countyimposed restrictions on land use.

County library disappointed by lack of opportunity to bid on Adrian Inn

ADRIAN — The Lenawee District Library was disappointed by not having had the opportunity to submit a proposal for the Adrian Inn property, which the Adrian City Commission recently voted to sell to Adrian College. The county library’s main branch, at 4459 U.S. 223, is next to the Adrian Inn.

Jim Driskill, vice president of the library board, spoke at the July 7 city commission meeting. He said the library had previously expressed interest in the land.

“Back when we found out that the Adrian Inn was going to be sold, I’m told by our director that on two occasions he sent emails and was responded to, yet we were not asked to bid,” he said.

“We don’t want to change anything,” Driskill said. “We’re fine with the way it is. However, we’re disappointed that we weren’t contacted in order to make a bid on that property.”

This drew an objection from commissioner David Stimpson (R-Tecumseh), who noted that the Tecumseh Products site was only listed on the agenda as a discussion item.

“We started this conversation tonight with an update, with no action items, and now we have an action item, so that’s a little disconcerting,” Stimpson said. He added that while he favors developing the property, he doesn’t want to see the county “throw together something just to get it sold.”

Stimpson also questioned why, as a member of the subcommittee working on the Tecumseh Products site, he was not made aware that possible buyers were being shown the property.

Commissioner Terry Collins (R-Adrian) said he would be concerned about industrial use of the property, particularly in light of its possible impact on Tecumseh.

“I’d like to be a good neighbor to the city of Tecumseh. I’m kind of loathe to put a smokestack right in the middle of

town,” Collins said.

Martis responded that deciding what’s appropriate for the land is up to the city of Tecumseh, which can dictate its usage through zoning.

“We don’t need to enforce any zoning restrictions,” he said. “They have zoning restrictions in place that protect the community in accordance with the expressed will of that community.”

Tecumseh city administrator Dan Swallow, who was in the audience, said that some of the property is zoned for industrial/commercial use that would allow light industrial activity, while the Evans Street frontage is mostly zoned commercial now.

The vote to reverse the commission’s previous position on not considering any sale for industrial use was 6-3. Voting yes, in addition to Martis and Van Doren, were David Aungst (R-Rollin Twp.), Beth Blanco (R-Clayton), Jim Daly (D-Adrian), and Dustin Krasny (R-Onsted). Voting no were Collins, Stimpson, and Ralph Tillotson (R-Adrian Twp.).

Border Patrol agent faces charge of soliciting sex from a minor

MONROE — A Border Patrol agent from Monroe County is facing charges of soliciting sex from and sending obscene material to an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl on the internet, U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. announced last month.

According to Lenawee Voice news partner Local Buzz Radio, the FBI arrested Harry Peless III, 51, of Newport on July 24.

Peless allegedly began communicating with a person who he thought was a teenage girl last September, using an online messaging application he logged into from work on a nearly daily basis.

According to the criminal complaint, during their almost-daily online conversations, Peless sent obscene material and multiple requests for the undercover officer to run away with Peless and have sex with him.

More than 4,200 Lenawee County residents to be relieved of medical debt

LANSING — More than 4,200 Lenawee County residents will have $3.56 million of medical debt forgiven, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said on July 17, through a partnership between the state and the nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt.

Cameras

from page A4

At that same meeting, Commissioner Dustin Krasny (R-Onsted) asked about security and whether the devices can be hacked. Jonathan Paz, a representative from Flock, said that no data is stored on the cameras themselves. Instead, the data is wirelessly transmitted with endto-end encryption, and if somebody stole a camera there wouldn’t be any information on it to access. He said the Flock system has never been hacked.

Baldwin

from page A4

guards hadn’t brought the correct person. Chesher said it seemed like the operation was disorganized and the guards didn’t really know who they were holding. Besides the seeming disorganization, Chesher said he was struck by how tense the environment was. He also described a sense of hopelessness.

Lenawee is among the top 10 counties in the state impacted by what Whitmer says is the first round of debt erasure totaling more than $144 million.

A total of 210,000 Michigan residents will benefit from the reduction, she said. To qualify for medical debt relief

Sheriff Troy Bevier said he had held back on adopting the system at first, but that his initial concerns have been answered.

He also said that cameras on the Flock system have been used to track down suspects in several high-profile crimes in the area, such as a case last year where a Lenawee County shooting suspect was found in Jackson County. The suspect, an Onsted man, led officers on a high-speed chase, shooting at them and tossing pipe bombs from his car, before he was shot and killed by police when the chase ended.

“They don’t think anyone cares or will help them, and it’s already done,” he said.

They also described a contrast between the reality of the conditions in the detention center and a few half-hearted attempts to make it seem friendlier. For example, a sign in the reception area says “Welcome” in multiple languages even though almost all of the employees speak only English. And on the walls of the visitation room are large pictures — one a beach scene and

under the program, people must either have incomes of less than four times the federal poverty level or have medical debts equal to 5 percent or more of their annual income. Undue Medical Debt works directly with hospitals and other providers who agree to let

The system takes pictures of license plates as cars pass the cameras, and then if law enforcement officers are looking for a particular car, they can put its plate number into a “hot list.” Flock will then search all cameras across its network for places where that car has been seen.

Bevier noted that there is an audit feature that allows a supervisor to see which officer searched for a plate in the system and why.

Flock is also rolling out a feature that allows camera feeds to be viewed live, but Lenawee County’s contract will call

the other a homelike Christmas scene with a Christmas tree and a fireplace — that seem to be intended as photo backdrops, although cameras aren’t allowed inside.

“It feels like they’re pretending,” Moorman said.

Chesher and Moorman have now made multiple visits to the facility and have shared their observations with the Adrian Police Department and the Immigration Assistance Office of the Adrian Dominican Sisters.

the organization purchase qualifying medical debt in bulk for pennies on the dollar.

No action is required on the part of the individual, but anyone whose debt has been purchased in order to be forgive will receive a letter in the mail.

for that feature to not be active on the county’s cameras.

“It’s an opt-in feature and we’re not opting in,” Bevier said at a June 24 criminal justice committee meeting.

The final vote to approve the camera proposal was 6-2, with Collins absent.

Voting yes were David Aungst (R-Rollin Twp.), Beth Blanco (R-Clayton), Jim Daly (D-Adrian), David Stimpson (R-Tecumseh), Ralph Tillotson (R-Adrian Twp.), and Jim Van Doren (R-Tipton).

Voting no were Martis and Krasny.

The agreement is for a two-year pilot program at a cost of $55,000.

The 1,800-bed facility, which had been closed since 2022, started housing federal detainees on June 16, according to Bridge Michigan.

It is operated by the GEO Group, a Florida-based for-profit company that runs about 100 private prisons in the U.S. and other countries. In a May 7 press release, the company said it expects to generate about $70 million per year in revenue from running the Baldwin facility.

NEWS FROM AROUND LENAWEE COUNTY

TWO HURT AFTER JUMPING TO ESCAPE FIRE: Two people were injured when they jumped from the second floor to escape a fire in their home. The Adrian Fire Department was called to the 600 block of Oakwood Road on the afternoon July 23. They found that two people had jumped out of the house because the stairs were on fire. When firefighters arrived, the residents were being assisted by a nurse who had been passing by. They confirmed that there was no one else in the house and were taken to ProMedica Hickman Hospital for treatment.

SUV CRASHES INTO CREDIT UNION: There were no injuries and only minor damage near the entrance when an SUV hit the Lenco Credit Union branch on U.S. 223 on the morning of July 16. Local Buzz Radio reported that the branch closed for about a half hour so contractors could conduct an assessment, and after they determined that there was no structural damage, normal operations resumed.

POLICE DEPARTMENT NOW FULLY STAFFED: Just a year ago, with seven members of the department slated to retire, it looked like an already shortstaffed Adrian Police Department might become even more so. But now the department is back to its full capacity of 32 sworn officers, according to police chief Vince Emrick. The chief noted that filling the last few positions was made easier by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards awarding $20,000 grants to cover some of the cost of training recruits at the Wayne County Regional Public Safety Academy.

ADRIAN POLICE STEPPING UP EFFORTS TO FIGHT NITROUS OXIDE ABUSE: Adrian police say a significant increase in people abusing nitrous oxide means they are initiating targeted enforcement of laws prohibiting its unlawful use and sale, Local Buzz Radio reported. Police are sending a letter to more than 10 stores that sell nitrous oxide and were recently visited by a plainclothes detective who observed that none of the other components needed to use the product as intended — such as whipped cream canisters or pressure regulator valves — were being offered for retail sale. Police say they are finding nitrous oxide canisters littering roadways and parks where children could gain access to them. Nitrous oxide abuse can potentially be fatal.

COMMISSIONER CONVERSATIONS: Adrian City Commissioner Bob Behnke invites residents to stop by the Align Center, 440 E. Church St., on Wednesday, Aug. 6 from 6-7 p.m. to discuss any city issues that may be on their minds.

SPANGLER NAMED DIRECTOR OF

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES: Adrian Public Schools recently announced the promotion of Abby Spangler, special education teacher at Adrian High School, to the position of Director of Student Support Services. She will replace Deb Agnew, who is retiring at the end of the calendar year after 39 years in education.

MOODY’S UPGRADES APS CREDIT

The city of Adrian is thanking Tom Neill, the Adrian Diversity Event Fund, Ben and Connie Negron, Hispanics of Lenawee Alliance, Rick’s Custom Concrete, AJ Brady Underground, and the Adrian Morning Rotary Club for their generous contributions that made recent improvements at the Parish Park splash pad possible. Three new 8-foot benches and concrete upgrades have been installed, enhancing comfort and accessibility for families and children enjoying the park this summer. The project started a few months ago while Ben Negron was co-hosting the Viewpoint show on WLEN with Dale Gaertner and a resident called to ask how to go about trying to get benches at Parish Park. Jeremiah Davies, the city’s director of parks and recreation, said the improvements represent the power of partnership between the city and its residents. CITY OF ADRIAN PHOTO

COUNCIL CONSIDERS CHANGING CITY HALL HOURS:

RATING: Adrian Public Schools announced that Moody’s Ratings has upgraded the District’s issuer and general obligation unlimited tax ratings, reflecting strong financial stewardship and improved fiscal health.

VETERANS OF THE YEAR: Bill Sanderson and Samantha Barnes shared the title of Veteran of the Year at this year’s Lenawee County Fair. Sanderson is an Air Force veteran and the current commander of American Legion Post No. 97 in Adrian. Barnes is an Army veteran and a member of Tecumseh American Legion Post 34.

POSTAL PLUS MOVING TO NEW LOCATION: Postal Plus in Adrian is moving from its current South Main Street location to the former KeyBank building at 1360 W. Maumee St. The first day of business at the new location is scheduled to be Monday, Aug. 11.

SOLAR COMPANY SUBMITS APPLICATIONS: Orsted, an energy company headquartered in Denmark, has submitted applications to Blissfield and Deerfield townships to build Glacier Meadows Solar, a 200 MW solar project that the company says would generate enough power for about 50,000 homes. The company is also proposing to put up a bond to ensure proper decommissioning of the panels when they reach the end of their useful lives.

LIBRARY RECEIVES GIFT OF MARK TWAIN PRINT: The Schultz-Holmes District Library has received a gift from a friend of the library, John Brown, of a framed print from a 1906 photograph taken of the author Mark Twain, titled “Mark Twain at Work.” Brown grew up in Blissfield and is now an attorney practicing in California.

NEW MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: The Britton Deerfield school district has hired David Raft as its new middle and high school principal. Raft has 32 years of experience in public education, including 23 years as a building principal in Saline.

NEW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER: The Clinton School Board voted unanimously on July 21 to appoint Zak McNitt to fill the board seat vacated earlier this summer by Monica VanTuyle, Local Buzz Radio reported.

FIRE DAMAGES SEMI, BUT IS STOPPED FROM SPREADING: A fire early on the morning of July 25 damaged a semi and destroyed dozens of straw bales on the flatbed trailer attached to the cab on East Main Street in Morenci, but crews were able to prevent the flames from spreading to two nearby houses. Local Buzz Radio reported that the Morenci Fire Department was dispatched shortly before 12:45 a.m. and found the 53-foot aluminum trailer, loaded with approximately 40 bales of straw, to be fully involved in flames. Fifteen Morenci firefighters used about 20,000 gallons of water to extinguish the fire, and were assisted by Lyons and Gorham-Fayette as well as by city police, the Department of Public Works, and T&R Total Lawn Care.

MORENCI WELCOMES VENDOR APPLICATIONS FOR FALL FEST: Vendor registration is now open for the fourth Annual Fall Fest, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, from 4-7p.m. in downtown Morenci. Hosted by the Morenci Downtown Development Authority, Fall Fest features the largest downtown event of the year, drawing crowds from across the area for a fun-filled afternoon of entertainment, shopping, good food, and free family activities. The cost for a 10-foot by 10-foot merchant booth is $25. Nonprofits hosting a free activity and distributing community information are invited to participate at no cost. Applications are due by Monday, Sept. 15. For more information, contact Heather Sarnac at 517-429-0100 or heather.sarnac@cityofmorenci.org.

NEW SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR: The Morenci Senior Center has a new director. Laurie Reinke started her new position in June following the retirement of Jimmie Garland. The senior center is inside Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 800 W. Chestnut St.

The city of Morenci is considering a change to the hours that City Hall is open. City Hall is currently open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. City clerk and superintendent Jeff Bell said those hours have been in place since 2014. However, traffic near the end of the day is light, and some residents have been requesting Friday hours, so the city council is considering a change. At their July 14 meeting, council members discussed the possibility of City Hall being open from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for a lunch hour from noon to 1 p.m., for a six-month trial period.

TECUMSEH BREWING CLOSES, BUT HOPES IT’S

TEMPORARY: Tecumseh Brewing Company, which marked 10 years in business this summer, has closed its doors. But when its owners announced the closure on Facebook, they said they plan to return. A Facebook post from Tecumseh Brewing stated: “In order to move forward, a serious restructuring is necessary — one that cannot happen without first closing our current operations. This decision was not made lightly, but we believe it is the only way to pave a sustainable path for the future.”

PROBLEMS AT TECUMSEH COMMUNITY POOL:

Degradation of steel columns at the Tecumseh Community Memorial Pool facility means the pool will remain closed until comprehensive structural testing can be completed, according to Tecumseh Public Schools superintendent Matt Hilton. Local Buzz Radio reports that the issue came to light during what had been expected to be a temporary closure for HVAC and mechanical equipment work. The architectural and engineering firms involved in those projects recommended additional structural testing of the steel columns in preparation for eventual roof replacement, which led to the discovery of the degradation. Engineers recommended keeping the pool closed until comprehensive structural testing can be carried out. Results are expected by Oct. 1. Until then, all pool programs are suspended.

NEW PRINCIPAL NAMED: A vacancy created by the recent departure of Tecumseh Middle School principal Trisha Howard is vacant no more. Local Buzz Radio reported that following a search process, Kris Hoag has been appointed to the position, after previously serving as the middle school’s assistant principal. Superintendent Matt Hilton said Hoag has demonstrated an exceptional understanding of the Tecumseh community’s unique needs, values, and aspirations.

CLINTON

TECUMSEH

MORENCI

Abby Spangler

Laurie Reinke is the new director of the Morenci Senior Center. ERIK GABLE/LENAWEE VOICE

Kris Hoag

Ross Dress for Less now open in Adrian

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Ross Dress for Less, the nation’s largest off-price retail chain, is now open at its new Adrian location.

The corporation was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Dublin, California. Four more stores are slated to open in Michigan in October.

Ross Dress for Less works directly with manufacturers, who shop worldwide for the merchandise sold in their stores, according to the company’s website.

Store manager Heather Martinez previously worked at the Ross Dress for Less Ann Arbor location. Martinez said the Adrian store has 19,000 square feet of space for merchandise. She compared shopping at the store to a “treasure hunt.”

“We sell a little bit of everything — home goods, apparel, shoes,” she said.

“We have a lot of better brands, like Nike and Michael Kors,” she continued. “It’s just an assortment.”

Martinez said shoppers can expect to find a unique selection of merchandise every time they come in to shop.

“We get trucks every single day, specifically Monday through Friday, so there’s always new merchandise,” Martinez said.

The merchandise that arrives daily is put out for display that same day.

“Every day it comes out on the sales floor,” she said. “We don’t carry backstock here.”

Because new merchandise comes in every day, Martinez said shoppers can expect to find something different every time they shop.

“Every day, there’s going to be something new here,” she said.

The store also offers a 10% senior discount on Tuesdays for shoppers ages 55 and up.

Ross Dress for Less currently has 50 employees at the Adrian location and is still hiring.

The chain has a relationship with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and as part of its opening, the Adrian store donated $5,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Lenawee.

Ross Dress for Less is located in the Crossroads Plaza, 1416 S. Main St., Suite 200, Adrian.

Store hours are Sunday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

The discount retailer Ross Dress for Less opened its new Adrian location in July.

BUSINESS

Just drop in for creativity

“I want this to be people’s home away from home,” says Katie Flowers, owner of Clay it Forward

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

TECUMSEH — Clay It Forward, a new drop-in art studio in Tecumseh, offers those wishing to express their artistic side the opportunity to create a paintyour-own ceramic piece through selfinstruction.

As well as written instructions, owner Katie Flowers is on hand to help with questions and give advice.

The studio runs on a drop-in basis rather than solely offering classes, which allows customers to come in at their leisure to create an item. The last sitting is one hour before closing time each day.

Customers can pick from the preformed clay pieces that are available in the store, and choose which colors they want to use from what Flowers has on hand. The finished clay pieces are fired in a kiln and are then microwave and dishwasher safe, Flowers said.

The store also carries art kits for watercolors, embroidery and other premade kits in case a customer is interested in working on something other than clay.

The studio is furnished with tables and chairs to seat around 50 people, Flowers said. In addition, sectional seating allows customers to enjoy a more casual feeling.

“It’s almost like a living room setting,” Flowers said. “I want this to be people’s home away from home.”

Flowers got interested in working with clay when she was young. In high school, she took three art classes a day, and found that clay was her favorite medium. She opened a roadside produce stand during COVID, when she and her family lived in southern New Jersey, and that eventually became a paint-your-own ceramic studio.

“I was really drawn to clay because I found it to be very forgiving,” she said.

“You can really just do anything you want with it,” she continued. “It’s not a box you have to stay in.”

When she and her wife, Alyse Corle, were living on an Army base, Flowers found a paint-your-own clay studio nearby, and found it was a great place to connect with other adults and make friends. She hopes to bring that experience to Clay It Forward.

In additional to the drop-in projects she offers, Flowers hopes to bring in afterhours events and classes, host events like birthday parties, and add a VIP option, giving customers the opportunity to reserve the entire studio for an event.

Because of her love for animals, Flowers is donating part of her sales to Little Mews Cat Rescue and Adoption in Adrian as well as various wildlife rehabilitation programs. Clay it Forward 210 S. Evans St., Tecumseh Hours: Sunday and Monday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Website: clayitforwardmi.com Facebook: facebook.com/clayitforwardmi

Katie Flowers, owner of Clay it Forward, is pictured inside her new drop-in art studio with Kresnick, the store cat. Clay it Forward offers drop-in art experiences in downtown Tecumseh. JULIE C. CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

Isaac Henry is Lenawee’s Realtor of the Year for 2025

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Isaac Henry, of Gil Henry & Associates real estate agency in Adrian, is the winner of the Lenawee County Association of Realtors Realtor of the Year Award for 2025. He is a lifelong resident of Lenawee County.

Henry has worked as a licensed real estate agent since 2019. He is carrying on a family tradition of working in real estate. Gil Henry & Associates was started by his grandfather, Gil Henry Sr., and the agency is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Isaac’s father, Gil Henry Jr., continued the tradition when he got his license and worked for the agency. Isaac is now the third generation of the Henry family to work for the business.

“My grandpa started it and my dad got into it and here I am — third generation,” he said.

Henry isn’t the first member of his family to be named the county’s Realtor of the Year. His grandfather won the award in 1972 and his father won in 1998.

Henry said there are four qualifiers for winning the Realtor of the Year Award. Those qualifiers are community involvement, association involvement, good ethics, and sales.

He is the chair of the Young Professionals Network, which is part of the Realtors association. For 2025, the YPN works with the Boys and Girls Club of Lenawee, doing charity work on behalf of the association. The YPN sponsored a Christmas toy, food and school supply

drive to benefit the Boys and Girls Club. The group also holds an annual basketball game with the members of the Hope Community Center.

In the coming year, the YPN will focus on work with Associated Charities.

“We try to be charitable and get involved with the community,” Henry said.

Henry’s advice for anyone interested in going into the real estate business, besides studying real estate law, is to “be personable.”

“Relationships are your best friend,” he said. “Relationships with clients and friends, family.”

Isaac Henry is the Lenawee County Association of Realtors’ Realtor of the Year for 2025. JULIE C. CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

With business growing, Thee Old Mill puts up new building on Water Street

ADRIAN — The construction that you may have noticed at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Water Street is the result of a local business growing and needing more space.

The property is owned by Thee Old Mill, which opened on the site of the former Cutler Dickerson store in 2017. The old building on the site was no longer in good enough shape to use, but the business needed more warehouse space, so they tore down the previous building and started putting in a new one.

“Our customer counts are up, the tonnage of feed that we make is up, and we brought in a couple of new product lines this year,” general manager Kevin Van Heusen said.

Thee Old Mill makes its own animal feed.

“I think people are realizing the value of buying feed that’s fresh,” Van Heusen said, adding that the rise in sales is also driven by consumers’ increased interest in buying local. Most of the

commodities, like corn, that go into Thee Old Mill’s feed are locally sourced.

Owners David and Michelle Van Brunt, who farm near Onsted, even use some

of their own crops in the feed. Van Heusen said the goal is to have the new warehouse finished by the end of August.

Downtown grocery and its newest local supplier share common roots in Launch Lenawee incubator

that the

companies have ties to Launch

and

ADRIAN — Marks Trading Company makes a point of carrying food from as many local producers as possible. But the downtown Adrian grocery store has more in common with its newest producer than just geography. For both companies, a big part of their story revolves around the Launch Lenawee business incubator program and the Adrian Armory Makerspace Kitchen.

Grocery store owners Gwynne and Jay Marks were part of the Launch Lenawee business incubator’s first graduating class. They also used the kitchen at the Adrian Armory in the early days of their business, which started out with mixing and packaging sustainably grown spices to sell at farmers markets. They opened their store in 2022 about a block north of its current location, and moved to 142 N. Main St. at the end of last year.

Their newest supplier is BOR Meats, founded by Bryan McEldowney — who makes his products in that very same incubator kitchen.

BOR Meats produces a rotating selection of sausages using traditional methods, clean ingredients, and smallbatch care. Customer favorites include roasted garlic and sage, jalapeño-cheddar brisket, breakfast sausage and goetta, a pork-and-oat breakfast sausage inspired by German immigrants.

started

McEldowney and his wife, Anne, who grew up in Tecumseh, had been making sausage as a hobby for a number of years, and got good enough at it that people said they should do it for a business, but they didn’t take the idea seriously.

“Our friends encouraged us for a long time to do this, and we said no, it’s not what we want to do,” he said.

But when the McEldowneys decided to move from Cincinnati to be closer to Anne’s family, “I told her that I’d just be open to anything and everything that came my way.”

The result was BOR Meats, an artisan, handcrafted sausage company rooted in tradition and committed to clean, smallbatch production.

McEldowney first heard about the Marks Trading Company from the staff at Launch Lenawee.

“I left my meeting with them, came over, and introduced myself to Gwynne,” he said.

Until that point, he’d been selling to friends and family and at farmers markets, and Gwynne Marks helped him navigate all the extra steps that were required in order to sell in stores — the additional licensing, the labeling, the UPC codes.

The store started carrying sausages by BOR Meats in late June.

“This partnership is what the Armory is all about,” said Mark and Mary Murray, directors of the Adrian Armory Makerspace Kitchen. “We love seeing our local businesses support one another, and we’re proud that the kitchen can be a launchpad for so many passionate entrepreneurs.”

Kevin Van Heusen shows the site of Thee Old Mill’s new warehouse at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Water Street in Adrian. ERIK

GABLE/LENAWEE VOICE

Gwynne Marks of Marks Trading Company and Bryan McEldowney of BOR Meats show some of the artisan sausages

store

carrying at the end of June. Both

Lenawee

the Adrian Armory Makerspace Kitchen in Adrian. ERIK GABLE/LENAWEE VOICE

Mr. Moo’s Ice Cream & More open for business in Onsted

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

ONSTED — Onsted has a new addition to make it easier to take the summer heat.

Mr. Moo’s Ice Cream & More is a family endeavor, with Tammy Perras and boyfriend Steve Crist operating the store along with Tammy’s son Shae Perras, his fiancée Brittany Stepnowski, and Stepnowski’s son, Cruz Hubbard.

Perras has experience with running an ice cream establishment, as she previously owned the Swiss Swirl in Brooklyn 20 years ago.

Mr. Moo’s opened on June 28, and Perras said the reception has been “overwhelming.”

“It’s better than we could have ever expected,” she said.

Mr. Moo’s uses a unique process to create their ice cream.

“It’s not your regular ice cream,” Tammy said. “We use a two-step process.”

Mr. Moo’s has walk-up and drivethrough service. Picnic tables and a gazebo are available for customers to sit and enjoy their ice cream treats. The menu currently includes both handdipped and soft-serve ice cream. Cones are served in regular and waffle cones. Sundae toppings include nine choices as well as pecans, banana and chocolate chips. Among the favorites are specialties such as “The Blob,” “Dirty Worm,” “The Blob” and a favorite, the Banana Split.

Flurries can be made with a choice of nine mix-ins and feature a choice of 10 favorites, including the “Irish Hills Jubilee.” Parfaits feature two flurry items,

syrup, whipped cream and a cherry, served in a cup. “The Cruz” is a featured parfait item. The store also offers floats, coolers, slushies, glaciers and freezes, and shakes and malts.

Mr. Moo’s also features “LuLu’s Doggie Treat,” which is vanilla ice cream and a Milk Bone dog biscuit served in a cup for customers who want a treat for their dog. Proceeds from the “pup cup” go toward a monthly donation to the Lenawee Humane Society, Stepnowski said.

Mr. Moo’s will soon be offering a regular menu along with the ice cream treats. Bubble waffles, “pizza on a stick,” chili dogs, nachos and “Sirloin Smash

Sliders” are some of the items the owners plan to carry.

Stepnowski hopes the unique ice cream items at Mr. Moo’s will be a draw for customers.

“We hope to be a destination ice cream store with specialty items that no one else carries,” she said.

“We’re hoping to set the standard,” Shae Perras added.

Mr. Moo’s Ice Cream & More is located at 8877 Onsted Highway in Onsted. The phone number is 517-937-2990, and the store can also be found on Facebook. Hours are noon to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

GARDEN OF THE MONTH

The Adrian Garden Club has chosen a business as its Garden of the Month for July. Sauce Italian Grill & Pub at 149 N. Main St., downtown Adrian, was chosen because of the outstanding floral arrangements in the patio area. Sauce is owned by Kim and Dave Horstman. Kim Horstman said it’s a group effort because she selects the flowers with help from Madison Garden Center and Dave does all the mulching and watering.

The team at Mr. Moo’s Ice Cream and More, a family-owned venture located at 8877 Onsted Highway in Onsted. JULIE C, CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

NOTICIAS LOCALES

Aceptamos envíos de noticias locales en inglés o en español. La fecha límite de cada artículo es el día 15 del mes anterior. Las noticias pueden ser enviadas por correo electrónico a news@lenaweevoice.com.

La Universidad Siena Heights cerrará después

del próximo año escolar

ADRIAN — La Universidad Siena Heights anunció el 30 de junio que la escuela cerrará al final del año escolar 2025-2026.

Según el anuncio, los líderes universitarios determinaron que debido a la situación financiera de la escuela y los desafíos operativos, no era factible continuar operando por más de un año.

La universidad está trabajando con otras escuelas para ayudar a los estudiantes a transferirse con la menor interrupción posible a su educación.

La Universidad Siena Heights tiene 105 años. Fue fundada por las Hermanas Dominicas de Adrian, pero es una organización independiente.

— Traducido por Lizbeth Perez-Cazares

Jefe de policía responde preguntas sobre arrestos por inmigración

Artículo original por Erik Gable Traducido por Lizbeth Perez-Cazares

ADRIAN — En la reunión de la Comisión de la Ciudad de Adrian del 21 de julio, el jefe de policía Vince Emrick habló sobre las acciones de los agentes federales de inmigración en Adrian y trató de responder preguntas que recibió de miembros de la comunidad.

Emrick confirmó que el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) ha cambiado su enfoque y ya no busca detener únicamente a personas que han cometido un delito.

Dijo que, cuando habló con funcionarios de ICE, le dijeron que antes solo arrestaban a quienes habían cometido algún delito. Ahora arrestan a cualquiera que consideren que puede ser deportado legalmente.

Cuando realizan un arresto, los agentes de ICE también investigan a cualquiera que esté con la persona a la que tienen en la mira, dijo Emrick.

Emrick también habló sobre las preocupaciones expresadas por los residentes sobre los agentes de ICE que operan sin uniforme. Explicó que, si bien no están obligados a usar los uniformes tradicionales, están obligados a identificarse ante la persona que están arrestando. Deben identificarse ante la persona que están arrestando, pero no ante ningún transeúnte.

Emrick dijo que la policía de Adrian no tiene autoridad para intervenir en las detenciones de ICE y podrían ser arrestados si los agentes federales pensaran que estaban obstruyendo un arresto.

Sin embargo, dijo que tener a la policía de Adrian en el lugar de los hechos durante un arresto tiene algunos beneficios. Uno de ellos es que los agentes de Adrian llevan cámaras corporales, por lo que todo lo que ocurre queda documentado.

Además, dijo, el Departamento de Policía de Adrian tiene una política que dice que todos los empleados están obligados a intervenir si ven cualquier uso de fuerza irrazonable.

Emrick también abordó preguntas sobre la sección 287(g), una sección de la Ley Federal que permite a ICE celebrar acuerdos con Agencias Policiales Estatales o Locales para que estas participen en la aplicación de la Ley Migratoria. Afirmó que la Policía de Adrian no tiene ningún interés en esto.

Más tarde en la reunión, Allie Quinn, de Adrian, una de las residentes que ha estado presionando a la ciudad para que proteja a los residentes contra cualquier violación de Derechos Civiles por parte de ICE, agradeció a Emrick por sus comentarios. Dijo que el Departamento de Policía ha sido transparente al abordar las preocupaciones y en ayudar a las personas a obtener respuestas sobre familiares desaparecidos.

Dijo que muchas personas viven con miedo. Algunas tienen miedo de llevar a sus hijos a la escuela y otras tienen miedo de denunciar delitos cuando son las víctimas. Esto divide a la gente y crea inseguridad en toda la comunidad, afirmó. Pidió a los Comisionados de la Ciudad que sigan trabajando con los residentes para garantizar que los residentes de Adrian se sientan seguros para presentarse, alzar la voz y sentirse parte de la comunidad.

Los residentes de Adrian informan sobre las observaciones en el Centro de Detención de Baldwin

Dos residentes de Adrian visitaron recientemente el Centro Correccional North Lake en Baldwin, una prisión anteriormente cerrada en el Norte de Michigan que fue reabierta en junio para albergar a personas arrestadas por las autoridades Federales de Inmigración.

Describen un lugar que parece desorganizado, con guardias que no pueden comunicarse con las personas que retienen y un fuerte sentimiento de desesperanza entre las personas que han sido llevadas allí.

Aaron Chesher y Ben Moorman fueron por primera vez a la Prisión de Baldwin el 13 de julio porque llevaron a la novia embarazada de un hombre de Adrian que había sido arrestado una semana antes. Sin embargo, también decidieron documentar lo que observaron.

Gran parte de lo que aprendieron provino del hombre al que iban a visitar, quien fue arrestado camino a su trabajo el 8 de julio. Les contó que conducía

INMIGRACIÓN continúa en la página A17

Continúan las quejas por los olores

ADRIAN — Siguen presentándose quejas por los olores nocivos contra Veos USA, que se hizo cargo de la antigua planta procesadora de huevos en polvo Crimson Holdings después de que esta última se declarara en quiebra.

El Estado de Michigan emitió un aviso de infracción en julio indicando que los olores eran de suficiente intensidad, frecuencia y duración como para constituir una violación de las normas estatales y lo suficientemente fuertes como para provocar que las personas en las áreas residenciales y comerciales cercanas intentaran evitarlos por completo. Se ha ordenado a Veos que corrija el problema y presente una respuesta por escrito a los reguladores estatales antes del 13 de agosto.

Información sobre quejas por olores se puede encontrar tanto en inglés como en español en michigan.gov/ egle/about/organization/air-quality/ facility-specific-info/veos-usa-inc.

— Traducido por Lizbeth Perez-Cazares

Mejoras realizadas en el Parque Parish

ADRIAN — La Ciudad de Adrian le agradece a Tom Neill, a Adrian Diversity Event Fund, a Ben y Connie Negron, a Hispanics of Lenawee Alliance, a Rick’s Custom Concrete, a AJ Brady Underground y a Adrian Morning Rotary Club por sus generosas contribuciones que hicieron posibles las recientes mejoras en el área de juegos acuáticos del Parque Parish (Parish Park).

Se han instalado tres nuevas bancas de 8 pies (2.4 m) y mejoras de concreto, mejorando la comodidad y la accesibilidad para que las familias y los niños disfruten del parque este verano. Jeremiah Davies, Director de Parques y Recreación de la Ciudad, dijo que las mejoras representan el poder de la asociación entre la ciudad y sus residentes.

— Traducido por Lizbeth Perez-Cazares

La Universidad Siena Heights anunció que la escuela cerrará al final del año escolar 2025-2026.

Aaron Chesher y Ben Moorman informaron recientemente sobre sus observaciones en el Centro de Detención Baldwin. No se permiten cámaras dentro del Centro Bardwin, pero Moorman dibujó bocetos, incluyendo este del área de recepción.

EDITORIAL

Ripple effect from SHU’s closure is impossible to measure

Adrian has faced its share of bad news over the years.

Certainly the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis is something nobody wants to experience again. During those years, Adrian faced a constant drumbeat of closures, layoffs, and other setbacks that made it feel as if we were constantly under siege.

But even looking back at those days, it’s hard to think of one individual piece of news as consequential as when we learned that Siena Heights University, a mainstay of the Adrian community for 105 years, would be closing its doors.

The most immediate impact on our community is obvious. Even after recent cutbacks, the university remains a significant employer in Lenawee County, and in addition to the impact on individuals, a large number of job losses at one time is a blow that will be hard for the economy to absorb.

Students will continue their educations elsewhere, and though some will no doubt go across town to Adrian College, many will leave Adrian entirely. In the near term, that means an immediate loss of customers for restaurants, retail stores, barbershops, and many other businesses. In the long run, it will also make it harder for Lenawee County to attract and retain young people in the community.

But there will be more subtle and farreaching impacts as well.

Generations of Siena Heights alumni, steeped in the uplifting values of the Adrian Dominican Sisters and heeding the call contained in the university’s mission statement to be “competent, purposeful and ethical” in how they live their lives, serve in key leadership roles throughout our community.

In addition, Siena Heights has drawn many skilled professionals to Adrian to take faculty and staff positions — and those people, in their spare time, have wound up lending their time and talents to countless local organizations by leading boards, heading up committees, and serving as volunteers. Not all of these faculty and staff members will move away, but those who do will represent a loss of talent that’s extremely hard to quantify.

The coming year will require many, many community conversations about how Adrian can reduce the fallout from this news.

What can we do to minimize the “brain drain” and give Siena Heights students, faculty and staff the opportunity to remain in Lenawee County?

What can we do to make sure that SHU’s beautiful campus doesn’t wind up sitting empty?

It may be too early to answer these questions, but it’s not too early to begin talking about them.

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Tax law changes: Implications and insights

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law by President Trump on July 4. The bill, with nearly 900 pages of provisions, reshapes policy across major sectors of the U.S. economy. Included are several provisions that impact philanthropy. Three major takeaways are of particular importance as the community foundation helps donors, fund holders, and nonprofits — as well as attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors — navigate charitable planning opportunities over the months and years ahead.

Insight #1: Standard deduction increase. The new law makes permanent the standard deduction increases under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), increasing the standard deduction for 2025 to $15,750 for single filers and $31,500 to taxpayers who are married and filing jointly. The new law also expands the “bonus” deduction for taxpayers 65 and older through 2028.

Under the new law, individuals who itemize may take charitable deductions only to the extent the charitable deductions exceed 0.5% of adjusted gross income. Taxpayers in the top bracket can only claim a 35% tax deduction for charitable gifts instead of the full 37% that would otherwise apply to their income tax rate. Note also that the final bill extended the 60% of adjusted gross income contribution limitation for cash gifts made to certain qualifying charities.

If you regularly support charities, it’s important to continue to do so. Our community needs you, now more than ever. If you’re a nonprofit, or if you’re an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor who works with charitable clients, remember that people do not give to charity solely

to secure a tax deduction. Many other factors motivate charitable giving, and philanthropy is an important priority for many families.

Insight #2: Deduction for nonitemizers. The new law includes a provision, effective after 2025, allowing non-itemizers to take a charitable deduction of $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for taxpayers who are married and filing jointly. As has been the case in the past, gifts to donor-advised funds are not eligible.

After the TCJA went into effect, households that itemize deductions dropped to under 10%. The number of U.S. adults who give to charity in any given year has dropped over the last 20 years from nearly two-thirds to less than half. The OBBBA’s deduction for non-itemizers has the potential to re-motivate charitable giving among a significant number of households.

For everyone, now is the time to take a serious look at your charitable giving plans to support the causes you care about over the years ahead, especially if you are early in your career and not yet itemizing deductions. If you’ve already established a fund or you’re working with the Lenawee Community Foundation in another way, please reach out to learn how we can help you make the most of the new tax laws, and even get your children and grandchildren involved.

If you’re a nonprofit, now is the time to attract and engage brand new donors. And if you’re an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor, make sure you talk about charitable giving with your clients who don’t itemize; a $1,000 or $2,000 deduction could be just the motivation they need to begin a journey of philanthropy.

Insight #3: No sunsetting estate tax exemption. The new law makes permanent the increase in the unified credit and generation-skipping transfer tax exemption threshold. The 2025 exemption is $13.99 million for single filers and $27.98 million married filing jointly. In 2026, these numbers increase to $15 million and $30 million respectively. Most people will give to charity during their lifetimes and in their estates for reasons other than a tax deduction.

What can you do?

There is no guarantee that the estate tax exemption will stay high forever. As families work with their tax and estate planning advisors, many are viewing the next two years as an important window to plan ahead. The upshot of the new law is that high net-worth taxpayers now have more time to thoughtfully consider estate planning strategies, including charitable giving. For nonprofit organizations, this means continuing to focus on long-term planned giving strategies is wise.

Bronna Kahle is president and CEO of the Lenawee Community Foundation. This column is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.

LOCAL VIEWS

BRONNA KAHLE

Linguistic misdirection helps obscure inconvenient realities

Real estate builders used to amuse this writer to no end when they named their treeless subdivisions things like “Dogwood Acres.”

Apparently, they hoped such names would make up for the lack of . . . actual trees.

But this kind of linguistic misdirection isn’t so funny when political leaders engage in it.

Political leaders consistently try to manipulate voters, but they don’t all do this with the same talent. Donald Trump, it turns out, is a grand master of the art.

Mr. Trump shares former president William McKinley’s enthusiasm for tariffs.

But tariffs on imported goods are an indirect sales tax.

Like sales taxes, they increase the prices that consumers of those goods must pay and the extra money goes to our government.

And of course, taxes are always unpopular.

Here’s where Mr. Trump’s talents for linguistic misdirection have proved invaluable.

Beginning with his second inaugural address, Mr. Trump has used language that diverts attention from the fact that tariffs are taxes paid by American consumers.

He called for the creation of an “External Revenue Service” to collect tariffs.

“External” suggests that the government’s revenues produced by

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Due process rights should be inviolable

Due process is a fundamental right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. It protects all people — citizens and non-citizens alike—against arbitrary government decisions and ensures fairness in legal matters. It’s a basic promise: before the government can take away someone’s life, freedom, or property, they must have a fair chance to defend themselves.

But today, that promise is under serious threat.

In April, the U.S. Supreme Court deliberated whether non-citizens have any right to a fair legal process before being removed from the country. Although the justices had different views on how much process is due, the court decided: due process protections apply to everyone in America, regardless of immigration status.

This reaffirmation comes at a time when immigration policies have made it easier to deport people without traditional legal hearings — raising urgent questions about the strength and future of constitutional protections for all of us.

In Lenawee County, many of our neighbors, co-workers, and friends are immigrants. Policies that deny fair hearings make it harder for them to explain their cases before a judge — and harder for judges to make fair decisions.

PAUL F. DELESPINASSE

the tariffs would come from outside the United States, in other words from other countries.

Technically, this was not exactly a lie, since it was only a proposal, not a statement claiming anything.

But what about the argument that tariffs would not cost Americans anything?

Since Inauguration Day, Mr. Trump has consistently spoken about tariffs with words like “we are going to make Japan pay,” “we are going to make China pay,” and the like.

But of course, Japan will not be paying us anything, and neither will China.

Foreign governments don’t dislike our tariffs because they have to pay us anything, but because the increased prices Americans will pay for imports will decrease American demand for them.

The foreign countries will be losing sales.

A second major example of Mr. Trump’s linguistic virtuosity has been his depiction of his budget, which Congress has now enacted, as a “big, beautiful bill,” although in many ways this bill is extremely ugly.

In Lenawee County, we have many families with mixed immigration status. These rapid deportation policies can break up families, leaving U.S. citizen children without parents.

In Lenawee County, we have young people who came to the U.S. as children. Without guaranteed legal representation, even toddlers must navigate complex court proceedings alone, often without understanding their rights.

In Lenawee County, we value fairness and justice. Weakening due process protections for some puts all of our rights at risk. If the government can take away someone else’s rights without a hearing, what prevents them from doing the same to you?

When due process is denied to any group, it weakens the rule of law for all Americans.

Mindy Dunn & Diana Fallot, co-presidents, League of Women Voters of Lenawee County

If I were the developer (or the devil)

If I were the developer, I wouldn’t come in loud. No, I’d come in soft with promises and handshakes and glossy brochures. I’d call it “clean,” “green,” and “the future.” I’d hide behind a wall of corporate logos, lobbyists, and Lansing lawyers. I’d speak in acres and megawatts, never in families, farms, or futures.

If I were the devil, I’d whisper into the ear of a cash-strapped farmer:

The “beautiful” bill will greatly increase the national debt.

Although many Republican legislators contend that this not true, they authorized increasing the national debt by $5 trillion, which indicates they know better.

The “beautiful” bill also cuts vital services for less well-off Americans, services like Medicaid and food stamps.

Prudently, to minimize political fallout, these cuts mostly don’t kick in until after the next elections.

The “beautiful” bill increases the military budget, already the world’s biggest both in dollar figures and in percentage of GDP.

This is $150 billion extra to be spent by the Pentagon, which has never been successfully audited. (Where’s DOGE when we really need it?)

Meanwhile, the “beautiful” bill guts our most urgent defense spending, which was aimed at protecting the future climate by encouraging the rapid substitution of solar and wind energy for coal, oil, and gas.

Some Republican leaders have criticized the “beautiful” bill for increasing the national debt. Others have criticized it for leaving millions of Americans without medical insurance.

They’re both right!

The increase in the national debt means that just paying interest on the total debt costs around a trillion dollars a year, tax money that is not available for any governmental programs.

“Lease your land, it’s just sitting there. Think of the payout. Think of the relief.” And while he sat alone at the kitchen table, balancing the books on a legacy he’s barely holding onto, I’d slide across a solar contract long enough to outlive his grandkids.

If I were the developer, I’d wait for a drought year or maybe just a bad harvest. Then I’d whisper to the man who’s worked the same ground for 40 years: “Here’s a way out. Lease it. You’ve earned a break.” I’d make sure the lease was ironclad, impossible to break. I’d offer just enough to divide neighbors, never enough to build community.

If I were both devil and developer, I’d divide communities like Blissfield and Riga. I’d make good neighbors eye each other sideways.

But I’m not the developer. I’m your neighbor.

I’m someone who believes this land is worth more than a subsidy. That our township isn’t for sale. That stewardship means something. That if we don’t protect this ground, no one else will.

So to the men in suits who’ve never fixed a fence post, who’ve never buried a calf, who’ve never watched their kid walk beans on a July morning, I say this: You can buy the lease. You can buy the silence. You can buy the local officials.

But you’ll never buy the soul of this land.

Not now. Not ever.

If I were the developer, I’d bet everything that small towns wouldn’t fight back.

But I’d lose.

Ryan Powell, Palmyra Twp.

Reductions in medical care will gravely injure millions of Americans and an industry that accounts for one sixth of our gross domestic product (GDP).

Many rural hospitals may have to close, and injuring such a major industry might even cause a recession — or worse.

Taxes now are much lower than they were during prosperous times under Republican presidents like Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.

There’s an obvious way to satisfy both sets of critics: Increase taxes enough to balance the budget while continuing to supply medical insurance and other critical federal services.

Although we are the richest country in the world, Congress will not do this. “Profiles in courage” its members are not.

Taxes are not popular. Dissident Republicans fear being “primaried” by Mr. Trump.

Few members, be they Republicans or Democrats, are willing, like Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), to vote their conscience even though it means losing their current job.

Ultimately, though, the problem is due to citizens who fail to educate themselves to see through the hot air and linguistic misdirection emanating from their political leaders and would-be leaders.

Paul F. deLespinasse is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Computer Science from Adrian College. To receive weekly columns, email pdeles@proaxis.com.

Saddened by news of Siena Heights’ closure

I am saddened to hear about the news of SHU closing next May 2026. To all my friends and family that will be affected directly, I am so sorry. This is also going to affect our community.

Siena Heights University has been part of my life and so many others. I didn’t go to school there.

Siena Heights University hosted many events that I was involved in ... PFLAG meetings, organizing and helping with paperwork for HIV testing with UNIFIED for Lenawee residents for four years, Special Olympics, the Black Live Matters march to Siena Heights, Associated Charities walk/run fundraiser, CMH/Community Outreach meeting for combating drug addiction in our community. I had a nice dinner outside with Stacy (my sister) to meet her co-workers and the SHU employees one year at Siena Heights! I met some wonderful SHU staff.

Siena Heights University never charged a fee to me or the organizations that I was part of to use their facilities. I have so many good memories, and I am happy that Siena Heights has been part of my life. Thanks so much Siena Heights University! I hope there will be a smooth transition. Maybe another college faculty will come there.

Scott Marvin, Adrian

Letters to the Editor should be 300 words or fewer and may be emailed to letters@lenaweevoice.com.

This page is dedicated to coverage of agriculture, the environment, and the intersection between the two.

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Conservation district awarded $1 million in grant funding to boost water quality

ADRIAN — The Lenawee Conservation District has been awarded $937,691 in grant funds to build capacity, outreach, and technical assistance in Michigan’s portion of the Western Lake Erie Basin.

The funding award comes from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a program founded in 2010 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes.

The Lenawee Conservation District was one of the four projects selected for funding, out of 14 proposals submitted for the Western Lake Erie Basin project area. Other grant recipients include the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Nature Conservancy in Ohio, and the University of Michigan Water Center.

The conservation district’s project fits within the GLRI Action Plan IV Focus Area Three: nonpoint source pollution. Specifically, the project will support the primary objective of reducing nutrient loads from agricultural watersheds to prevent harmful algal blooms.

The new grant funds will enable the district to expand staffing and amplify

outreach and technical assistance to Michigan farmers and agricultural retailers, with the goals of enhancing nutrient management and preventing phosphorus runoff into Lake Erie.

The grant represents a large milestone for the conservation district, which relies heavily on external grants to operate.

Many of the grants the district brings in are often focused on programs — farmer cost-share, wildlife and habitat restoration, landowner assistance, etc. This project specifically allocates money to internal organization, namely staffing, training, contact management, and website development. These are all necessary to successfully deliver conservation programs in the community.

The project also highly focuses on developing cross collaborative partnerships with technical service providers who can assist in delivering critical conservation services and assistance directly to farmers. The technical service providers with the most opportunity to partner with LCD through this grant are agribusinesses

that provide soil testing and fertilizer recommendation services, nutrient management plans, and contracting work for erosion control projects.

The project will run from July 2025 to March 2029. During this period, Lenawee Conservation District will:

n Increase district staffing capacity dedicated to outreach and technical assistance.

n Partner with agricultural retailers to develop and implement phosphorus management plans.

n Promote best management practices through existing cost-share and assistance programs.

n Host approximately 25 targeted training and information sessions for retailers, contractors, farmers, landowners, and local officials.

n Update the district’s website to improve user experience in finding up to date information about programs, services, events, workshops, contact information, and more.

By the end of the four-year project, the Lenawee Conservation District along with supporting partners will achieve:

n 20,000 new acres under nutrient management plans.

n Reduction of phosphorus load to Lake Erie by an estimated 20,600 pounds annually.

n Development of long-term relationships between the district and partners.

n Increased technical knowledge among district staff and basin stakeholders.

n Improved water quality for residents and recreational users across Lenawee, Hillsdale, Monroe, and Washtenaw counties.

Ultimately, the project is intended to bring much-needed support to the local conservation district in delivering upon its mission to sustain and enhance our county’s natural resources through education and technical assistance. It aims to bolster relationships between the district and private sector partners, improving the odds of reaching more farmers with a clear and unified message: we must do better to reduce and prevent nutrient losses from cropland to protect the quality of water for all.

Second annual Western Lake Erie Basin conference held in Adrian

ADRIAN — The second annual State of the Western Lake Erie Basin Conference on June 26 brought together more than 200 people representing efforts to reduce the risk of harmful algal blooms in the lake.

Each summer, Lake Erie is prone to runaway blooms of cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, that can harm aquatic life and impact drinking water. More than 11 million people in the U.S. and Canada rely on the lake as their drinking water source.

HAB risk factors include nutrientrich releases from wastewater treatment plants and runoff from farm fields and fertilized lawns; the effects of invasive species; and Lake Erie’s warm, shallow waters.

The daylong conference at Adrian College was presented by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the University of Michigan Water Center, and the Hillsdale Conservation District. It offered networking, discussion, and updates on phosphorus management in Michigan’s portion of the Western Lake Erie Basin.

“We wake up every day dedicated to protecting the resource that shapes

our culture, economy, and way of life,” said EGLE director Phil Roos.

“The health of the basin and the effort to reduce harmful algal blooms is personal to us.”

“Lake Erie is an invaluable resource that we’re working to protect as part of MDARD’s mission to improve quality of life for all Michiganders,” said Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development director Tim Boring.

“This conference is an opportunity to work with our partners, the community, and producers on ways to achieve meaningful outcomes for this vital waterway.”

Conference attendees represented agriculture, trade, conservation, government, education, industry, environmental protection, and more.

Much of the focus was on goals to reduce nutrients that feed harmful algal blooms.

Michigan’s recently updated plan for combatting algae blooms in western Lake Erie includes measures to reduce phosphorus runoff into the basin by a sustained 40% from 2008 levels.

Phosphorus is essential for growing crops in the Western Lake Erie Basin, but can enter waterways during rains or floods and ultimately reach Lake Erie.

Total phosphorus loads in the basin are down by nearly 23%, exceeding a

20% aspirational goal for the basin, largely due to point source reductions. At the Great Lakes Water Authority’s Water Resource Recovery Facility, for example, phosphorus loads dropped by more than half, from 764 metric tons in 2008 to an average of 362 metric tons between 2018 and 2022.

EGLE’s Water Resources Division has developed a plan to roll out lower phosphorus limits in U.S. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for all major wastewater treatment plants in the WLEB, as well as a new guidebook to help operators meet these targets.

Reaching the full 40% phosphorus reduction target will require progress in controlling nonpoint source and agricultural sources of pollution.

MDARD, EGLE, and the DNR review and revise the DAP every five years based on progress and changing needs. Key strategies include:

n Continued work with WLEB communities to tighten sewage treatment facility permits.

n A new Soil Health Investment Program in partnership with conservation districts in Michigan’s Hillsdale, Lenawee, Monroe, and Washtenaw counties.

n Partnerships for agricultural conservation.

n Regenerative agriculture principles and practices that reduce nutrient loss, mitigate impacts of extreme weather, and prioritize market-driven agricultural diversity that can power rural communities.

n Expanded water quality monitoring.

n Online modeling through the Great Lakes Watershed Management System.

n Formation of the WLEB Community Advisory Group.

n Work by the DNR, conservation group Ducks Unlimited, and partners to restore more than 300 acres of wetlands in the Stony Creek and South Branch River Raisin watersheds.

Conference speakers and presenters also included leaders and representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ducks Unlimited, the Michigan State University Institute of Water Research and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, the University of Michigan Water Center and School for Environment and Sustainability, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, The Nature Conservancy, The Ohio State University, and the University of WisconsinMadison.

For more information on the DAP update and Michigan’s actions in the WLEB, visit Michigan.gov/MDARDWLEB.

COURT NEWS

from Local Buzz Radio

Probation and restitution ordered for embezzlement

ADRIAN — A circuit court judge told a 34-year-old Lenawee County woman who had pleaded guilty in April to embezzlement that she was a thief who had betrayed the trust of her employer when she stole more than $131,000 from GLOV Enterprises, where she was working in 2020.

Judge Anna Marie Anzalone told Kaitlin Wise-Roberson at her July 25 sentencing, “I know people who even in the worst of times would not steal a candy bar from Meijer. You stole an amazingly large amount of money. You knew what you were doing and you knew you could get away with it for a long time and you did.”

Defense attorney Larry Margolis told Anzalone the embezzlement had occurred during what he called “a very emotionallycharged point” in Wise-Roberson’s life, adding that she was “a good woman who volunteers in the community” and would be paying the money back.

A representative from GLOV Enterprises told the court that the amount embezzled, the IRS penalties, and interest assessed on a trust fund into which the embezzled money had been placed, as well as what it cost to get the company’s books cleaned up, wound up costing more than $1 million and derailed plans to expand the building and hire an additional 50 employees. Anzalone placed Wise-Roberson on five years probation and ordered her to pay more than $231,000 in restitution, including more than $131,000 to GLOV and another $100,000 to Michigan Miller’s Insurance.

Additional penalty handed down for new abuse charge

ADRIAN — A 61-year-old Morenci man, who was already serving 17½ to 50 years in prison for sex crimes against a child in 1997, was sentenced on July 25 to a mandatory term of life without parole for an additional count of first degree criminal sexual conduct.

Gary Shumate was convicted in June of molesting another child under the age of 13 in April 2022. The jury deliberated for only 20 minutes before finding him guilty. The new sentence was handed down by Judge Anna Marie Anzalone.

Settlement reached in former Siena Heights CFO’s lawsuit

ADRIAN — A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit brought by Siena Heights University’s former chief financial officer against the university earlier this year, although the exact details have not been revealed.

A filing in U.S. District Court shows that, following an agreement between both parties, the case was dismissed with prejudice, which means that it cannot be brought again.

Debi Andrews had sued the university on April 8, claiming she had been terminated for refusing to lie to the board about budget-related issues she had uncovered. She alleged that the spending plan university president Douglas Palmer had proposed in the summer of 2024 was not based on sound accounting and that she was put on unpaid leave after refusing to lie to the board about what the university had done or not done to secure funding. She also alleged she had found instances of improper uses of money.

Dos personas resultan heridas al escapar de un incendio

ADRIAN — Dos personas resultaron heridas al saltar del segundo piso para escapar de un incendio en su casa.

El Departamento de Bomberos de Adrian fue llamado a la cuadra 600 de Oakwood Road a las 4:01 p. m. del 23 de julio. Encontraron que dos personas habían saltado de la casa porque las escaleras se incendiaron. Cuando llegaron los bomberos, las dos personas estaban siendo atendidas por una enfermera que pasaba por allí. Confirmaron que no había nadie más en la casa. Fueron trasladadas al Hospital ProMedica Hickman para recibir tratamiento.

Los departamentos de bomberos de Tecumseh, Morenci, Raisin Township y Cambridge Township ayudaron a extinguir el incendio. El equipo de drones del Condado de Lenawee también prestó asistencia. — Traducido por Lizbeth Perez-Cazares

Charges dropped in case against former Blissfield village employee

ADRIAN — Embezzlement charges against a former Blissfield village employee have been dropped, although the order from Lenawee County Circuit Judge Michael Olsaver leaves the door open for the case to be reopened in the future.

Assistant prosecutor Phebie McClure said that ending the case against Holly Koester of Palmyra was in the best interest of justice. McClure also said that witnesses were unavailable or not cooperating. Koester had been scheduled for a monthlong trial beginning Nov. 4 on a charge of embezzlement. She had been charged after accountants the village had hired found financial inconsistencies involving more than $27,500 that they said had been diverted from the proper accounts between September 2018 and December 2019.

Former Fellowship of Christian Athletes soccer coach convicted of sexually abusing a child

ADRIAN — A Lenawee County jury deliberated just over two hours on July 22 before convicting a former Fellowship of Christian Athletes soccer coach on 16 charges stemming from offenses involving a former player from the time the player was 11 years old until the player was approximately 16.

Andrew Olnhausen, 38, was remanded to the custody of the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office pending a Sept. 5 sentencing.

The charges were brought by the Michigan Attorney General’s office in

October 2022 following an Adrian Police Department investigation. A search of Olnhausen’s cell phone and social media accounts uncovered sexually abusive images and other evidence that Olnhausen was having an inappropriate sexual relationship with the victim.

Olnhausen had been the director of the competitive youth soccer program run through Lenawee Christian Ministries between 2014 and 2017. He was arrested in Texas, where had been working as vice president of sales and marketing of a health care business.

Toledo man sentenced for stealing from Adrian business

ADRIAN — In a case involving what prosecutor Allison Arnold called the largest embezzlement in Lenawee County, a Toledo man who had admitted stealing more than $1.7 million from the family-owned Adrian business where he had once worked was sentenced to spend 12 months in jail and to repay all the money he had taken.

Kevin King, 62, could have faced up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in May, but an agreement reached between the prosecution and defense counsel limited the jail time to 12 months.

His brother, Gary King, told the court that his actions were premeditated, had destroyed the family-owned King Tool, and involved the theft of money from retirement funds, adding that his brother should be in prison “just as he has imprisoned us to keep working in our golden years.”

In a brief statement to the court, the defendant said he understands how much damage he caused, adding: “I know I’ll never be able to make it right. I hope somehow I can make it better.”

NOTICIAS DEL GOBIERNO LOCAL

n La Comisión de la Ciudad de Adrian aprobó que los minoristas de cannabis en la ciudad puedan mantenerse abiertos hasta más tarde. Anteriormente, los minoristas de marihuana debían cerrar a las 9 p. m. Ahora podrán permanecer abiertos hasta las 11 p. m. Los minoristas habían solicitado este cambio porque la ley anterior los obligaba a cerrar antes que sus competidores en el cercano Municipio de Madison.

n La Comisión del Condado de Lenawee aprobó la instalación de cámaras de lectura de matrículas en algunas carreteras del condado. La policía que busque una matrícula específica podrá ingresar su número en el sistema y verificar si ha sido detectada por alguna cámara de la red. La Ciudad de Adrian también forma parte de la red.

n Una empresa de energía solar ha presentado solicitudes para construir un parque de paneles solares en los Municipios de Blissfield y Deerfield. La instalación proporcionaría energía suficiente para 50.000 hogares.

por la calle Division cuando un auto se detuvo frente a él, obligándolo a entrar al estacionamiento del Edificio de Servicios Humanos del Condado de Lenawee. Dijo que su vehículo fue rodeado por ese auto y otros cinco, y que cuando buscó los documentos en su visera, incluyendo su visa de trabajo, los agentes se volvieron más agresivos y hostiles, y finalmente se vio obligado a dejar sus documentos en su auto.

El hombre le contó a Chesher que hay aproximadamente unas 75 personas en el nivel de menor seguridad de la Prisión de Baldwin, incluyendo personas de El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, Francia, Brasil, Albania y Perú. Comentó que la mayoría de los detenidos no pueden mantener una conversación completa en inglés, pero que solo ha conocido a dos

guardias que hablan español. Además, informó que muchos de los detenidos no hablan ni español ni inglés, y que no hay servicio de traducción disponible para ellos.

Dijo que a los detenidos se les entregan tres uniformes, tienen acceso limitado al servicio de lavandería, duermen en camas insalubres y se les sirve comida carcelaria “estilo pan”. Chesher dijo que, en su visita del 13 de julio, llegaron a las 3:45 p. m., la hora programada, y esperaron aproximadamente una hora y media antes de ser llevados a la sala de visitas, donde esperaron otros 20 minutos antes de que los guardias comenzaran a traer a los detenidos. Un hombre fue llevado a la sala de visitas a pesar de que no había nadie para visitarlo, mientras que otro visitante esperó una hora más porque los guardias no habían traído a la persona correcta. Chesher dijo que parecía que la operación estaba desorganizada y

que los guardias no sabían realmente a quiénes estaban reteniendo. Además de la aparente desorganización, Chesher dijo que le impactó la tensión del ambiente. Dijo que hay una sensación de desesperanza entre las personas alojadas allí y que no creen que nadie les va a ayudar. Chesher y Moorman también describieron un contraste entre la realidad de las condiciones en el Centro de Detención y algunos intentos poco entusiastas de hacerlo parecer más acogedor. Por ejemplo, un letrero en la recepción dice “Bienvenido” en varios idiomas, aunque casi todos los empleados solo hablan inglés. Y en las paredes de la sala de visitas hay cuadros grandes: uno es una escena de playa y el otro como de estar en un hogar con una escena navideña con un árbol de Navidad y una chimenea, que parecen estar pensadas como fondos para tomar fotografías, aunque no se

permiten cámaras en el interior de las instalaciones.

Chesher y Moorman han realizado múltiples visitas a las instalaciones y han compartido sus observaciones con el Departamento de Policía de Adrian y la Oficina de Asistencia de Inmigración de las Hermanas Dominicas de Adrian.

La instalación de 1.800 camas, que había estado cerrada desde 2022, comenzó a albergar a detenidos federales el 16 de junio, según Bridge Michigan.

Su operación está a cargo de GEO Group, una empresa con fines de lucro con sede en Florida que gestiona cerca de 100 prisiones privadas en Estados Unidos y otros países. En un comunicado de prensa del 7 de mayo, la empresa afirmó que espera generar unos 70 millones de dólares anuales en ingresos por la gestión de las instalaciones de Baldwin.

After SHU closing announcement, Adrian school district puts a hold on plans for a recreational facility bond vote

ADRIAN — Adrian Public Schools has decided that the district will no longer consider placing the Community Recreation Facility Bond proposal on the November 2025 ballot. Instead, the district is now exploring a May 2026 date, pending approval by the board of education.

In his report to the school board at its July 28 meeting, Superintendent Nate Parker said that the agenda item to approve a November ballot proposal for the facility had been removed due to the recent announcement that community partner Siena Heights University will close at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

POLICE REPORTS

Following are reports from law enforcement agencies listed in the Courts and Law Enforcement Management Information Systems (CLEMIS) database.

ADDISON

July 2: Fraud, 100 block of South Talbot Street.

July 11: Property damage and burglary (nonresidential, no forced entry), 200 block of North Comstock Street.

ADRIAN

June 21: Assault, 1300 block of South Main Street. Retail fraud, 700 block of South Main Street. Disorderly conduct, 600 block of James Street. Operating while intoxicated, East Michigan and Division streets.

June 22: Burglary (residential, forced entry), 300 block of Frank Street. Assault, 100 block of Pleasant Knoll Drive.

June 23: Retail fraud, 200 block of East U.S. 223. Assault, 500 block of East Church Street. Drug possession, 900 block of East Front Street.

June 24: Burglary (residential, no forced entry), 600 block of Ormsby Street.

June 25: Burglary (non-residential, no forced entry), 500 block of North Main Street. Retail fraud, 200 block of East U.S. 223. Larceny from a yard, 200 block of Division Street. Assault, 1300 block of South Main Street.

June 26: Assault, 300 block of Frank Street. Assault, 100 block of Sand Creek Highway.

June 27: Assault, South Center and East Church streets. Retail fraud, 1000 block of South Main Street. Identity theft, 1500 block of Briarwood Court.

June 28: Operating while intoxicated and disorderly conduct, 400 block of East Michigan Street.

June 29: Burglary (residential, forced entry), 300 block of Erie Street. Property damage, 600 block of East Beecher Street. Property damage, 100 block of North McVicar Street. Property damage, 100 block of Sand Creek Highway.

June 30: Property damage, 300 block of South McKenzie Street. Drug possession, East Butler at Main Street.

July 1: Larceny from a vehicle, 700 block of Lakeshire Trail. Illegal credit card use, 300 block of Logan Street. Larceny, Bent Oak and Riverside. Fraud, 300 block of East Maumee Street. Retail fraud, 300 block of East Beecher Street.

July 2: Operating while intoxicated, East Michigan and Tecumseh streets. Larceny, 300 block of Erie Street. Assault, 100 block of Pleasant Knoll Drive. Larceny from a building, 100 block of Chestnut Street. Identity theft, 700 block of Harkness Drive. Larceny from a building, 200 block of East U.S. 223.

July 3: Operating while intoxicated, West Church Street and College Avenue. Vehicle theft, 100 block of West Beecher Street.

July 4: Vagrancy, 100 block of Chestnut Street. Assault, 1100 block of South Main Street. Assault, 1300 block of Feeman Court. Assault, Elm Street at Siena Heights Drive. Assault, 100 block of North Scott Street.

July 6: Assault, 500 block of Clinton Street. Assault, 700 block of Ormsby Street.

July 7: Property damage, 300 block of Division Street. Assault, North Main and Albert streets. Sexual assault, 400 block of East Michigan Street.

July 8: Property damage, 400 block of Erie Street. Larceny from a yard, 1100 block of Bristol Street. Assault, 100 block of Chestnut Street.

July 9: Assault, 300 block of East Beecher Street. Identity theft, 700 block of Harkness Drive.

July 10: Fraud, 700 block of East Front Street. Larceny from a yard, 600 block of South Winter Street. Assault, North Main and Bristol streets.

“Throughout this process over the last 18 months, we have worked closely with and listened to our community regarding this project,” Parker said. “We still believe that building this facility is the right thing to do for our students and the community; however, the closing of Siena Heights University requires further analysis and time for processing for our community and our district as we consider building a community recreation facility.”

Parker noted in his report that considering a May proposal rather than November will give the district and community additional time to determine how the closing of the university will

July 11: Disorderly conduct, 1300 block of West Maumee Street. Disorderly conduct, 100 block of McVicar Street.

July 12: Property damage, 700 block of Erie Street. Property damage, 400 block of North McKenzie street. Assault, 1200 block of South Main Street. Assault, 700 block of Frank Street. Assault, 900 block of Oak Street.

July 13: Assault, 200 block of Division Street. Arson (residential), 1000 block of State Street. Assault, 300 block of Anthony Court. Disorderly conduct, 300 block of West Hunt Street.

July 14: Larceny from a building, 400 block of College Avenue. Assault, 600 block of West Beecher Street.

July 15: Disorderly conduct, 100 block of East Maumee Street. Sexual assault, 400 block of Baker Street. Sexual assault, 1300 block of South Main Street.

July 16: Assault, 400 block of South Main Street. Assault, 1500 block of Ramblewood Court.

July 17: Property damage, 300 block of East Church Street. Property damage, 200 block of Jordan Street. Assault, 400 block of East Church Street. Assault and property damage, 100 block of East Maumee Street. Larceny from a shipment, 4100 block of West Maple Avenue. Retail fraud, 1500 block of West Maumee Street.

July 18: Robbery, 100 block of East Maumee Street. Retail fraud, 100 block of North McKenzie Street. Drug possession, Merrick and Spring streets.

July 19: Property damage, 1300 block of South Main Street. Assault, 1200 block of North Main Street. Sexual assault, 400 block of South McKenzie Street.

July 20: Assault, 100 block of Elm Court.

July 21: Sexual assault, 200 block of East Hunt Street. Stalking, 300 block of Greenly Street. Operating while intoxicated, East Beecher and James streets. Assault, 100 block of East Sand Creek Highway.

July 22: Fraud, 200 block of East Hunt Street. Illegal credit card use, 500 block of South Winter Street. Fraud, 700 block of East Siena Heights Drive. Assault, Division and Beecher. Assault, 1100 block of Vine Street.

July 23: Burglary (residential, forced entry), 300 block of East Maple Avenue. Sexual assault, 700 block of College Avenue. Operating while intoxicated, Springbrook Avenue and River Street. Assault, 600 block of North Dean Street.

July 24: Larceny from a vehicle, 100 block of Sand Creek Highway. Larceny from a yard, 500 block of South Center Street. Larceny from a building, 300 block of North Scott Street.

July 25: Larceny from a vehicle, 400 block of North Main Street.

ADRIAN TOWNSHIP

July 2: Assault, 3100 block of North Adrian Highway.

July 9: Larceny, 3500 block of Townline Highway.

July 16: Larceny from a vehicle, 2400 block of Curtis Road.

July 19: Operating while intoxicated, Hunt Road and Tipton Highway.

BLISSFIELD

June 23: Assault, 100 block of South Monroe Street.

CAMBRIDGE TOWNSHIP

July 11: Operating while intoxicated, M-50 and Onsted Highway.

CLAYTON

June 26: Property damage, Railroad Street and Seneca Street.

June 29: Property damage, 10900 block of Dover Street.

affect the planning and scope of this facility.

The plan, as currently written, calls for building an approximately 90,000-square-foot steel frame building with a 60-yard turf field, three multipurpose courts, a track, a fitness center, a golf simulator, batting cages, a 2,500-square-foot common area, and a secure entrance with space for concessions and a reception area.

The facility, intended to serve both students and the general public, would be constructed on the Adrian High School campus just north of the performing arts center.

DEERFIELD

July 11: Telephone harassment or threats, 600 block of West River Street.

DOVER TOWNSHIP

July 6: Assault, 6200 block of Whaley Highway.

July 11: Telephone harassment or threats, 5500 block of Morey Highway.

July 17: Larceny from the mail, 9000 block of West Beecher Road.

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP

June 26: Operating while intoxicated, 12000 block of Tipton Highway.

July 6: Burglary (non-residential, no forced entry), 5700 block of Pentecost Highway.

July 17: Property damage, 6900 block of Pawson Road.

HUDSON TOWNSHIP

July 7: Assault, 11500 block of West Carleton Road.

MADISON TOWNSHIP

June 23: Retail fraud, 1600 block of East U.S. 223.

June 25: Larceny from a vehicle, West Beecher Road at Porter Highway.

June 28: Retail fraud, 1600 block of East U.S. 23.

June 29: Assault, 2700 block of Roosevelt Avenue. Internet harassment or threats 3000 block of Baldwin Highway.

July 3: Sexual assault, 1600 block of East U.S. 223. Retail fraud, 1600 block of East U.S. 223.

July 4: Assault, 5900 block of Treat Highway.

July 5: Operating while intoxicated, 2100 block of Geller Drive.

July 7: Property damage, 6600 block of Baker Highway.

July 10: Disorderly conduct, 2200 block of East U.S. 223.

July 11: Larceny, 2900 block of West Beecher Road.

July 12: Assault, 100 block of Newbury Street.

July 17: Retail fraud, 1600 block of East U.S. 223.

July 21: Assault, 3000 block of Hillview Drive.

MEDINA TOWNSHIP

July 3: Larceny from a vehicle, 11500 block of Morenci Road.

July 7: Assault, 11500 block of Morenci Road.

July 21: Vehicle theft, 12500 block of Packard Road. Larceny from a vehicle, 15000 block of West Ridgeville Road.

MORENCI

July 19: Intimidation and assault, 200 block of East Street.

ONSTED

June 29: Assault, 400 block of Conner Street.

PALMYRA TOWNSHIP

June 23: Burglary (non-residential, forced entry), 3700 block of East U.S. 223.

July 1: Telephone harassment or threats, 5100 block of South Grosvenor Highway.

July 7: Assault, 7700 block of East U.S. 223.

July 25: Wire fraud, 4500 block of Ogden Highway.

RAISIN TOWNSHIP

July 6: Assault, 4400 block of Sutton Road.

July 12: Property damage, 1900 block of Oakwood Road.

July 16: Property damage, 5000 block of North Raisin Center Highway.

RIDGEWAY TOWNSHIP

July 13: Assault, 7100 block of Ridge Highway.

July 15: Burglary (residential, no forced entry), 8700 block of East M-50.

ACCIDENTS

CHILD DIES IN LAWNMOWER ACCIDENT:

On Sunday, June 29, at 4:52 p.m., Lenawee County sheriff’s deputies responded to the 11000 block of Herold Highway in Woodstock Township. A child was struck by a riding lawn mower. The homeowner, a 52-year-old woman and grandmother of the girl, had been mowing the lawn and was unaware that the child was outside. The child was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

JACKSON MAN KILLED IN CRASH: A 22-year-old Jackson man was killed when he lost control of his 2004 Chevrolet Malibu on Tipton Highway near Kemp Road on June 28 shortly after 6 a.m. The car crossed the centerline and went airborne before rolling over. Initial reports said that he also had what appeared to be gunshot injuries, but on further investigation that turned out not to be the case.

RIGA TOWNSHIP

June 25: Sexual assault, 7400 block of Thompson Highway.

ROLLIN TOWNSHIP

July 4: Operating while intoxicated, 9500 block of South Devils Lake Highway.

July 7: Larceny from a vehicle, 6200 block of Dexter Lane.

ROME TOWNSHIP

June 27: Operating while intoxicated, West U.S. 223 and Onsted Highway.

July 17: Fraud, 11800 block of Rome Road.

July 24: Fraud, 12700 block of Burton Road.

SENECA TOWNSHIP

July 8: Fraud, 9700 block of West Mulberry Road.

TECUMSEH

June 21: Operating while intoxicated, 1300 block of West Chicago Boulevard.

June 22: Internet harassment or threats, 600 block of Stacy Street. Disorderly conduct, South Occidental Highway and Westhaven Boulevard.

June 29: Operating while intoxicated, East Chicago Boulevard and Wyandotte Street.

July 2: Assault, 100 block of South Evans Street. Assault, 900 block of Sunset Drive.

July 4: Operating while intoxicated, North Union Street and Kirk Drive.

July 7: Property damage, 600 block of Herrick Park Drive. Property damage: 400 block of North Van Buren Street. Sexual assault, 500 block of Adrian Street.

July 12: Operating while intoxicated, 100 block of South Maumee Street. Property damage and larceny from a vehicle, 700 block of East Chicago Boulevard.

July 13: Operating while intoxicated, West Chicago Boulevard and Democratic Street. Larceny from a yard, 800 block of Adrian Street.

July 17: Assault, 900 block of Sunset Drive.

July 19: Sexual assault, 100 block of North Pearl Street. Disorderly conduct, 1400 block of West Chicago Boulevard. Assault, 800 block of Woodstock Lane.

July 21: Internet harassment or threats, 500 block of East Logan Street. Assault, 600 block of West Cummins Street.

TECUMSEH TOWNSHIP

June 21: Disorderly conduct, 2800 block of West Chicago Boulevard. Sexual assault, West M-50 and Billmyer Highway.

July 3: Assault, 9600 block of Tecumseh Clinton Highway.

July 10: Larceny from a building, 9700 block of Hewlett Highway.

WOODSTOCK TOWNSHIP

June 21: Operating while intoxicated, Devils Lake Highway and Hollyhock Avenue.

June 25: Assault, 5500 block of Robinwood Court.

June 26: Fraud, 12300 block of Silver Lake Highway.

July 1: Burglary (non-residential, forced entry), Grassy Lake Road and Prospect Hill Highway. Burglary (non-residential, forced entry), 16600 block of Cement City Road.

July 5: Larceny, Devils Lake Highway and Addison Road.

July 8: Assault, 10300 block of Briggs Highway.

July 12: Wire fraud, 100 block of South Shore Drive.

July 20: Assault, 13500 block of West U.S. 12. July 21: Assault, 11600 block of Silver Lake Highway.

page A1

The vehicle, described as a silver sedan or small SUV, knocked him off his bike and, after he landed on the pavement, ran over him and then fled the scene.

A passerby who happened to be a nurse stopped to help, and because Dakota was so well known in the neighborhood for his lawn-mowing work, someone was able to contact Jack to let him know what had happened.

He and his mother rushed to the scene, where they found him lying in the street. Apparently Dakota had been able to communicate right after the incident, but by the time Jack and his mom got there, the teenager had had a seizure and was unresponsive.

“I knew it was not good,” Jack said. “There was blood coming out of his ears.” And Jack, who previously worked as a firefighter, knew that was a bad sign.

First responders immediately rushed Dakota to Toledo Hospital. “He died en route,” Jack said. “They had to bring him back.”

Jack, who’s a stay-at-home dad, and his wife, Carrie, a school bus driver, got to

the hospital in time to see their son just briefly before he was taken into surgery, a procedure which included removing part of his skull to accommodate brain swelling. Dakota was then placed into a medically induced coma for several weeks.

He was moved into a rehabilitation facility the end of September, and had “started to be able to talk, high-five me, look at me,” Jack said.

But just three days after the move, his tracheostomy tube accidentally got plugged and his heart stopped for 16 minutes before he could be revived.

Dakota was stabilized and transported to a nearby hospital, then transferred to another and eventually was at Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor before going back to rehab.

Jack and Carrie have eight children in all, of whom Dakota is the second youngest, and “he was my sidekick,” Jack said.

Before the incident, Dakota was a hard-working young man who in addition to his lawnmowing business also shoveled snow for people. During one particular snowfall the previous winter, “he went out and shoveled sidewalks all day,” Jack said. “A lady gave

him another pair of gloves because his were so wet.”

He used the money he earned that day to buy a used snowblower.

“The kid was not a lazy kid,” Jack said. “In fact, he was hardly ever home because he was always working.”

Dakota’s doctors have said that because of his age, it’s possible that his brain will recover better than if he were an adult. But the Courington family knows that he will never be the way he was.

He only recently became able to swallow, Jack said, and is unable to speak or walk and still requires a ventilator. “We don’t know if he’ll be able to get off [the ventilator],” he said. “That’s a long process.”

But Dakota, who’s now 16, is aware of everything going on around him and communicates by blinking his eyes, once for “yes” and twice for “no.”

And, his father said, “he’s homesick.”

The family is working on a new place to live that’s equipped with facilities such as a wheelchair ramp and a walk-in shower, so that the Couringtons can bring their son home.

How is the family holding up a year since their lives changed forever? “It’s been hard,” Jack said.

At first, of course, there was a lot of anger that someone would hit Dakota and just drive away, leaving him in the street. Then the sense of guilt came. “I blame myself,” Jack said. “I feel like I should have told him to stay home.”

But, he added, whereas not long before the incident he had told his mom that he wasn’t sure if there was a God, he now actually has greater faith.

“I believe God works in mysterious ways. I firmly believe God has a plan for Dakota,” he said. “I’ll never question God again.”

The Couringtons’ other children have been very supportive, Jack and Carrie said, although “they’re angry at what happened and that he can’t be a normal teenager,” Jack said.

The couple said they are extremely grateful to the local community, which has supported them immensely throughout the ordeal, including participating in a May fundraiser at Lenawee Recreation and donating to the family’s Go Fund Me account and an account set up at TLC Community Credit Union.

“The community has been great,” Jack said. “I couldn’t ask for a better community to be in.”

BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY

NEIGHBORS

Childhood pen pals celebrate five decades of friendship

MADISON TWP. — It started with a TV show.

Lori Weber Beekel of Madison Township and Jenny Skogland Sternhoff of Stockholm were just 9 years old when they became pen pals — thanks to a children’s TV show that aired in the U.S. in the mid-1970s. Five years later, they met in person for the first time. Over the recent July 4 holiday, they reunited once more — marking 52 years of friendship that has spanned oceans, decades, and life’s many twists and turns.

See PEN PALS, page B4

Kesterke to lead Adrian College’s band program » PAGE B13

Memorial softball tourney marks third year » PAGE B13

Newly renovated Show Barn is the result of 14 years of work

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — A 75-year-old building was made new in time for animal judging at this year’s Lenawee County Fair.

Volunteers and 4-H club members worked together for 14 years to raise the funds that were used to renovate the 4-H Show Barn.

Chris Downard, chairman of the Show Barn Renovation Committee, said the renovations cost $185,000, and that at least that much labor was donated as well.

“This was the 4-H community coming together and raising a lot of money to do a great project.”

— Chris Downard

“This was the 4-H community coming together and raising a lot of money to do a great project,” Downard said.

The 4-H Show Barn now can accommodate up to 1,050 spectators, including bleacher seating for 510 people and seating on the main floor for 540 people, he continued.

The barn is multipurpose and can be set up for judging of many different animals.

The building is also available to rent for events like weddings or graduation parties.

“It’s a nice building inside and out,” Downard said.

Brad Williams, who works as the 4-H beef superintendent, is also on the Show Barn Renovation Committee. He said that funds from operating the Steak Shack helped pay for the project.

Local educator works to change how kids feel about math

HUDSON — Meggan Callison didn’t set out to be a math coach. She started her career in the classroom, teaching fourth grade for seven years in Tecumseh after earning her teaching degree from Eastern Michigan University.

EDUCATOR SPOTLIGHT

Certified to teach all K–5 subjects and math through eighth grade, she quickly realized something many educators feel but few say out loud: math is hard — for students and teachers alike.

But for Callison, math was a passion. And when the opportunity arose to become an Early Math Specialist with the Lenawee Intermediate School District, she saw a way to take her love of math beyond a single classroom and into schools across the county.

“I knew this was my chance to help build the elementary math community,”

she said. “I wanted teachers to feel confident in how they teach math, so that the excitement would show up in the classroom.”

Last school year, Callison partnered with all K–5 teachers in Hudson Area Schools through a state grant initiative focused on implementing Number Sense Routines — a research-backed curriculum that takes just 20 minutes a day and aligns with the state’s Essential Instructional Practices for Mathematics. She kicked things off with a half-day training and has spent the year deeply embedded in the work: leading monthly staff check-ins, developing materials, visiting classrooms, coaching, and cocreating a math leadership team with the assistant principal.

Her role is to be a teammate rather than just a coach.

See CALLISON, page B4

Lori Beekel and Jenny Sternhoff, whose friendship began as pen pals when they were 9 years old, reunited recently at Beekel’s Madison Township home.

Shane Morse, Bryce Downard, Janelle Stewart, Ben Downard, Chris Downard, Brad Williams, and Marc Rising are pictured at the dedication of the new 4H show barn at the Lenawee County Fair and Event Grounds. JULIE C. CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

By Renee Lapham Collins The Lenawee Voice

Meggan Callison, an Early Math Specialist with the Lenawee Intermediate School District, teaches a fourth-grade math class in February. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LISD

Gleaner’s Flag Day exchange helps DAV raise funds for new shuttle van

ADRIAN — Gleaner Life Insurance Society’s annual flag exchange led to a $7,400 donation to the local chapter of Disabled American Veterans, helping the group save for a new shuttle van.

The donation was presented on June 25 to Disabled American Veterans Lenawee Chapter #20.

The flag exchange on June 11 provided more than 150 new American flags to local residents at no cost in preparation for Flag Day. Although there was no charge for the flags, donations were accepted, and participants donated a total of $1,200.

Gleaner made an approximately 2-to-1 match of individual donations to bring the total to $3,700, and then that entire amount was matched by the Joseph Wildberg Fund for Veterans, which was founded by Gleaner employee Elly Sager in memory of her father and is part of the Lenawee Community Foundation.

“This will be used for the DAV van,” Disabled American Veterans president Paul Dye said. “It’s not in the immediate future but soon we’ll have to get a new one.”

Flag exchange donors were also entered into a Gleaner drawing for a campfire-themed collection of items that included a portable fire pit. Local resident Joseph Walter won the drawing. Founded in 1894, Gleaner Life Insurance Society is a not-for-profit fraternal benefit society that assists its members in achieving their financial security goals through a broad range of life insurance and annuity financial solutions.

As a fraternal organization, Gleaner provides volunteer opportunities and supports outreach programs intended to make a difference in the lives of its members and the communities where they live, work and serve.

From left, Gleaner employees Kristin Reid, Leandra Bryan, Jessica Vasher and Todd Warner are pictured with Disabled American Veterans Lenawee Chapter #20 commander Paul Dye and treasurer Dave Brevoort, and Lenawee Community Foundation director of operations Deb Salenbien. GLEANER LIFE INSURANCE SOCIETY PHOTO

‘Fighting Hate’ educational series planned

The course, organized by Bob Behnke, will focus on lessons from the Holocaust

ADRIAN — The Adrian Diversity Event Fund is organizing an educational series titled “Fighting Hate: Lessons Learned from the Holocaust,” which will consist of a number of book studies, learning sessions, and one field trip beginning in late August.

The series is being planned by Bob Behnke, an Adrian city commissioner and retired Adrian Public Schools superintendent.

Behnke said the free series is intended for people who want to participate actively in the learning opportunity, and he noted that it’s not just a lecture series — participants will be reading books on their own outside of the scheduled times.

The series can accommodate up to 30 people, and runs from Aug. 27 to Jan. 7. With the exception of a trip to the Holocaust Center in West Bloomfield, sessions will take place on Wednesday evenings at the Adrian District Library.

The first meeting, on Aug. 27, will be a learning session about the events that led to the rise of fascism and the Nazi party.

That will be followed by a two-session book study on the diary of Anne Frank that will also discuss Frank’s life before and after the time she spent in hiding.

Rhonda

Gage

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

Behnke, a former history teacher, has visited many sites associated with the Holocaust. He also developed a particular interest in the life of Anne Frank after being involved in a situation at Northville Public Schools where a parent challenged the inclusion of Frank’s unabridged diary on a middle school reading list. Behnke was Northville’s assistant superintendent for instructional services at the time, overseeing the district’s curriculum, and the parent’s challenge was ultimately rejected.

During a recent trip to the Netherlands, Behnke and his husband traced many of the steps Frank took during her short life, including the neighborhood where she lived before going into hiding and the Westerbork transit camp where she was sent after her family’s hiding place was discovered.

Meetings for the Anne Frank book study will be on Sept. 3 and Sept. 17.

An all-day trip to the Holocaust Center in West Bloomfield wil take place on Sunday, Oct. 26. Participants will attend two presentations — “Spreading Hate: The Impact of Propaganda in the Holocaust” and “Resistance: The Response to the Nazi Movement.” A tour of The Holocaust Center will take place with a debriefing during lunch. Participants will interact with a variety of Holocaust exhibits, which will also include stories of LGBTQ+ victims and survivors. Transportation will be provided.

‘Fighting Hate: Lessons Learned from the Holocaust’

Aug. 27: A brief history of the events that led to the Holocaust.

Sept. 3 and Sept. 10: Book study on the diary of Anne Frank.

Sunday, Sept. 26: All-day trip to the Holocaust Center in West Bloomfield.

Nov. 19: Ghettos, concentration camps, and death camps.

Dec. 3 and Dec. 10: Book study on “The Men with the Pink Triangle.”

Jan. 7, 2026: Planning session — Creating a caring and uplifting community free of hate.

On Nov. 19, students will discuss the ghettos, concentration camps, and death camps that the Nazis used to carry out murder on an industrial scale. This meeting will include a virtual tour of the Thereienstadt and Warsaw ghettos, Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.

In December, participants will read and discuss “The Men with the Pink Triangle,” which focuses on the gay men who were persecuted during the Nazi regime and imprisoned in concentration camps. The discussion will also touch on the censorship of LGBTQ+ history. These meetings will be on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10.

Finally, in the new year, participants will be invited to take part in what Behnke refers to as “focusing hope” — thinking about ways to prevent hate in the modern age and in our own community.

Behnke said this will bring the lessons of the 1930s and ’40s home to Lenawee County, and give participants a chance to ask “What do we, as people in the county, want to do to say ‘Hate is not welcome here’?”

The intent, he said, is to work on opportunities for individuals to design ways to have a meaningful impact on their community.

The “Fighting Hate” educational series is sponsored by the Maurice & Dorothy Stubnitz Foundation, the Adrian Morning Rotary Club, and Holiday With Heart in Toledo, in addition to the Adrian Diversity Event Fund, which was created a few years ago to help local groups cover some of the costs associated with staging events that reflect and celebrate diversity in Lenawee County.

Thanks to the sponsors, the series will be completely free to all participants, including books and transportation to the Holocaust Center.

Behnke also noted that teachers and administrators who take part will be able to earn credit toward their continuing education hours.

For more information and to register, search for “Adrian Diversity Event Fund” on Facebook or email Behnke at behnke168@gmail.com.

selected for Rotary’s Council of Governors Award

ADRIAN — Rhonda Gage of the Adrian Noon Rotary Club recently received the Council of Governors Award from Rotary International. The award is given out to 150 recipients worldwide each year. Gage is one of five Rotarians from the noon club to have won the award over the years.

SERVICE CLUB ROUNDUP

Gage is currently one of 12 assistant governors for Rotary International’s District 6400, which includes clubs in both southeast Michigan and southwest Ontario.

The Council of Governors Award is the premier honor given by District 6400. It is designed to “recognize an individual, currently active for outstanding service in one or more of the five avenues of service, including continued service to the individual’s club,” according to Rotary materials.

Gage moved here in 1995, and joined Rotary in 1999. She was on the board for the group starting in 2000. Gage said that she thinks her willingness to volunteer in any way for the Rotary clubs she is involved with is what helped her win the award.

“I’ve been on our board, I’ve been actively involved in doing things for our community,” Gage said.

These activities range from reading to kids during March is Reading Month, planting trees, and working at the Rotary tent during Artalicious, among others. Gage said she is always available to help out at any of the club’s function and volunteers to do so whenever she thinks she is needed.

Gage was the club president during Rotary International’s centennial year in 2005, and worked to form a sister club relationship with Rotarians in Moriyama, Japan, which is Adrian’s sister city. Gage has hosted visitors from international clubs in her home when they come for exchange programs.

“I’ve volunteered for everything they’ve tried to do,” she said.

Gage said she views her activities as giving back to the community that has given her so much.

Gage said that she didn’t know she had been selected until right before she actually received the award.

“I had tears,” she said.

Noon Rotary president Carrie Dillon said that Gage has been a great mentor, providing guidance in leading the club.

“She was available when I had questions or just talking about the direction of the club,” she said. “I appreciate her kindness and availability.”

Clinton Rotary names Rotarian of the Year: Dan Shoner was named Rotarian of the Year for 2025 by the Rotary Club of Clinton.

Morenci Kiwanis organizing bridge walk: The Kiwanis Club of Morenci will

host the 31st annual Silver Creek Bridge Walk on Monday, Sept. 1, at 11 a.m. More information, including sponsorship opportunities, is available on Facebook at facebook.com/morencikiwanis. Any proceeds from the event will benefit club programs and the Morenci Food Bank.

Adrian Kiwanis planning Duck Race at Comstock Park: The Kiwanis Club of Adrian is sponsoring its second annual Duck Race on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 2 p.m. at Comstock Park in downtown Adrian. The event coincides with the Artalicious fine arts festival. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place. Tickets are $20 each. More information can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/ adriankiwanis.

To submit service club news for publication, please email news@lenaweevoice.com.

Rhonda Gage of the Adrian Noon Rotary Club was recently selected to receive the Council of Governor’s Award. JULIE C. CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

Dan Shoner was recently named the Rotary Club of Clinton’s Rotarian of the Year.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF CLINTON

Lenawee Youth Lacrosse announces programs for upcoming season

ADRIAN — Lenawee Youth Lacrosse is offering a number of clinics starting this month as the organization gets ready for next spring’s lacrosse season. All programs are open to girls and boys in second through eighth grades living in Lenawee County.

Speed Lacrosse (3v3): A fun and fast-paced version of lacrosse played with sticks only and utilizing tennis balls. Teams consist of four to six players and the goal is to play as many games as possible within 90 minutes. Offered at the AJ Smith Recreation Center, Tecumseh, Sundays from noon to 1:30 p.m., Aug. 3-24 and Oct. 5-26.

Lacrosse Fundamentals: This program focuses on basic lacrosse skills for both new and experienced players looking to strengthen their foundational skills. Offered at the Frank & Shirley Dick Family YMCA on Mondays from 6-7 p.m., Sept. 7-28 and Nov. 2-23.

Offense Specialty Clinic: Players will focus on improving their shooting techniques and practicing the basic dodges that increase their offensive effectiveness. Offered at the YMCA, Mondays from 6-7 p.m, Oct. 6-27.

Pen pals

from page B1

Lori, who grew up in Hudson, said she first connected with Jenny through the children’s television show “The Big Blue Marble.” The program, which debuted in 1974, spotlighted stories of children around the globe and encouraged cultural understanding through pen pal exchanges. Inspired by the show’s global pen pal program, 9-year-old Lori signed up — and Jenny became her new pen pal.

For years, the two exchanged letters and photos. Then in 1979, when Jenny’s parents planned a six-week tour of the U.S., the girls met face to face.

“We recognized each other right away,” Jenny said. “Lori is the one friend I’ve stayed in touch with the longest. We didn’t even realize how long it had been until we did the math.”

As they sat together just before the holiday, paging through Lori’s photo album, the memories came rushing back — letters in their original envelopes, snapshots from the early years, and little mementos tucked between the pages.

“I’ve got a ton of these pictures in my scrapbooks at home,” Jenny said with a smile.

That 1979 trip planted a seed. Jenny returned to the U.S. in 1981 as a Youth for Understanding exchange student, attending high school in Mission Viejo, California. She and Lori reunited in 1982 and again in 1988, when Jenny visited for a third time. By then, Lori had married Mark Beekel and had a daughter, Katie. Son Nathan would come along later.

During that visit, one of Jenny’s favorite photos was taken — everyone seated on a white concrete bench beneath a pine tree on the Beekels’ Madison Township farm. Over this Independence Day, they returned to that spot and recreated the image — same bench, same friendship, decades later.

Through the years, the letters kept coming. Life got busy — marriages, children, careers — but the transatlantic

Defense Specialty Clinic: Learn the essential skills for effective defense, focusing on both on-ball and off-ball techniques. Offered at the YMCA, Mondays from 7-8 p.m., Nov. 2-23.

Speed Lacrosse (3v3): Another Speed Lacrosse clinic, this time with 60-minute sessions, will be offered at the YMCA on Mondays from 6-7 p.m., Dec. 7-28 and Jan. 5-26.

Offense & Defense Specialty Clinic: This clinic will provide two weeks focused on offensive skills, followed by two weeks on defensive skills, similar to the previous offense and defense clinics. Offered at the YMCA, Mondays from 7-8 p.m., Jan. 5-26.

Indoor Lacrosse League: Participate in a “Sixes” version of lacrosse, a fastpaced game featuring five players and a goalie. Offered in October, November, February and March at the Sylvania TamO-Shanter, 7060 W Sylvania Ave, Sylvania. Fundamentals of Lacrosse: Offered at Adrian Public Schools in October and January.

For more information about Lenawee Youth Lacrosse, go to lylax.net or email admin@lylax.net.

bond endured. “I didn’t write as much when the kids were young,” Lori admitted. “But we always picked up right where we left off.”

Jenny finished high school in California, earned a degree in economics from the University of Stockholm, and has spent her career working in various accounting roles. She now works in municipal health care accounting for the Nacka municipality, just outside Stockholm, where she lives with her husband Jesper, a sales manager for Nordic-Kooi Camera Surveillance. Besides their daughter, Lovisa, who joined them on this trip, Jenny and Jesper also have a son, though he didn’t make the journey.

Lori is a teacher’s aide for Sand Creek Schools and also helps out at the Tillotson farm stands throughout Lenawee County. Her husband, Mark, serves as president of the Southern Michigan Railroad Society.

This summer, the Sternhoffs — Jenny, Jesper, Lovisa, and Lovisa’s boyfriend, Harold Holmqvist — flew into Boston, rented a car and toured Niagara Falls, then drove to Madison Township to stay with the Beekels for a few days. From there, they continued on to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and Antelope Canyon before heading home to Stockholm on July 12.

Today, Jenny and Lori keep in touch more easily than ever, thanks to Facebook Messenger, texting, and the occasional phone call. Though the airmail letters have slowed, the connection hasn’t.

“We’re close,” Jenny said. “We usually catch up at least once a month.”

“And now with social media and cell phones, it’s so much easier,” Lori added.

During this most recent visit, Jenny brought a box full of Swedish treats — mostly candy and snacks the Beekels have grown fond of over the years. Lori had a box ready, too, filled with Smucker’s goodies for Jenny and her family to take back home.

What began with a children’s TV show has grown into a lifelong friendship — rooted in letters, sustained by visits, and carried forward with technology and love.

Show Barn

from page B1

“All the kids worked in that for 14 years, and some of the profits were put into a bank account to either renovate [the Show Barn] or build a new one,” Williams said.

“After 14 years, we had enough to renovate, so we renovated,” he continued.

The improvements include a new concrete floor, a new door and steel siding inside and out. Inside, renovations include a new ceiling, speakers, lights, fans, and door.

Callison

from page B1

When Callison arrived at Hudson Area Schools, she was the “new person” introducing new materials, new expectations, and a new way of thinking about math. “It started out rocky,” she admitted. “But we built a relationship where they saw that I’m not just the new person telling them what to do — I’m here as a teammate and a support system.”

That foundation of trust has paid off. Teachers now eagerly attend monthly meetings and have embraced her classroom-ready resources — like colorful laminated posters, reusable hands-on materials, and even videos of Callison teaching real lessons (mistakes and all). “They love seeing it’s not perfect,” she said. “That we’re all still learning.”

Hudson Area Schools teacher Emily Mansfield echoed that sentiment.

“She is extremely helpful and will go above and beyond,” Mansfield said. “She is always bubbly and excited. She fits right in with our staff.”

Mansfield also noted how impactful Callison’s guidance has been: “She has walked us step by step through the Number Corners curriculum and is always available to answer any questions — even ones unrelated to Number Corners. Math has become more fun to teach.”

A shift in math culture

The impact is clear. Teachers are no longer focused solely on right or wrong answers but instead are asking students how they think about math. Curiosity is encouraged. Student voices are valued. And math isn’t something to fear — it’s something to explore.

“Teachers have started giving themselves permission to be curious with their students,” Callison said. “They’re letting students lead and learn from one another.”

Classroom culture has shifted, too. Routines like think-pair-share and

Much of the work was done by 4-H clubs themselves. Members of the 4-H clubs pitched in at work bees by pulling out and replacing the bleachers, painting, and putting new sheeting on the walls.

“It looks like a new building,” Williams said. “We figure it will last at least another 75 years.”

As part of the ribbon cutting ceremony, one of the entrances to the building was dedicated to longtime Lenawee County Fair and 4-H volunteer Wayne Roback, who died in December. The Wayne Roback Memorial Patio sits at the north side of the building. The concrete patio features picnic tables for fairgoers to enjoy.

inquiry-based prompts are becoming the norm, not just in math but across subjects. “Students thrive on routine,” Callison said. “And they’ve learned that math is a place where their thinking matters.”

And yes — test scores are rising. Between fall and winter NWEA assessments, many classrooms saw significant growth. For Callison, the data was powerful — but the feeling was even more so.

“Leaving the classroom was hard. I didn’t know if I’d feel that same fulfillment again,” she said. “But seeing teachers succeed, watching their students think differently about math — that gave me the same proud teacher heart I used to feel.”

“Leaving the classroom was hard. ... But seeing teachers succeed, watching their students think differently about math — that gave me the same proud teacher heart I used to feel.”

— Meggan Callison

Mansfield agrees. “After attending Meggan’s fact fluency training, I’ve decided to revamp the way I teach math next year,” she said. “Meggan is helping me gather a list of math games and manipulatives to order — and she’s even helping me write a grant over the summer. Her passion makes it hard not to enjoy math after working with her.”

Looking ahead

The Hudson Area Schools team was thrilled to learn that Callison will be staying in her role for another year. Some even joked they weren’t ready to share her with other districts just yet.

“We work as one big team now,” Callison said. “And that’s exactly what it takes to make math meaningful — for teachers, and for kids.”

— Story and photo provided by the Lenawee Intermediate School District

Janelle Stewart, Lenawee County 4H program coordinator for the Michigan State University Extension, is pictured at the dedication of the new show barn on July 19.

JULIE C. CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

Grace Appling is 2025’s Lenawee County Fair Queen

ADRIAN — Two traditions always kick off fair week in Lenawee County: The Sunday afternoon fair parade and the Lenawee County Fair Queen pageant. This year’s fair queen is Grace Appling of Britton.

Appling, who is a student at Adrian College, spoke about the Make-a-Wish Foundation for her platform. She also won the Talent Award for the evening.

The evening was emceed by 2013 fair queen Abby Vittore and 2014 fair queen Molly Humphries, and Appling was crowned by 2024 fair queen Vivian Hinde.

There were 12 contestants, ranging in age from 17 to 20. Onsted High School was particularly well represented among the group, with five contenders being either students or graduates of Onsted.

The first runner-up was Gretchen Gautz, a Michigan State University student who adopted the National Ag Safety Database as her platform and gave a speech about her experiences as a member of FFA, for which she served as Region II state vice president. Gautz also won the Congeniality Award.

The second runner-up was Abyona Freeman, who graduated from Clinton High School this year and will attend Bowling Green State University in the fall. She spoke about the benefits of free preschool for 4-year-olds in Michigan. Freeman also won the Interview Award.

Brooke Robinson, a rising senior at Blissfield High School, was the winner of the People’s Choice Award. For her platform, she spoke about prevention of physical, mental and verbal abuse.

Grace Appling is crowned as Lenawee County Fair Queen by 2024 fair queen Vivian Hinde, while fellow contestant Mikaela Gray looks on. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE LENAWEE COUNTY FAIR

The Lenawee County Fair Queen and court: Fair queen Grace Appling (center), first runner-up Gretchen Gautz (left), and second runner-up Abyona Freeman (right).

People’s Choice Award, Brooke Robinson; Congeniality Award, Gretchen Gautz; Talent Award, Grace Appling; Interview Award, Abyona Freeman.

Brooke Robinson, a rising senior at Blissfield High School, gave a vocal performance for the talent portion of the Lenawee County Fair Queen competition, and her platform was prevention of mental, verbal and physical abuse.

Mikaela Gray, a senior at Onsted High School, performed a contemporary dance for the talent competition and spoke about environmental conservation for her platform.

Tanana Emmendorfer of Adrian, a graduate of Sand Creek High School who currently attends Spring Arbor University, performed a trombone solo and spoke about mental health for student athletes.

Fair Queen

from page B5

Denae Covey, a graduate of Sand Creek High School and current Adrian College student, performed a clarinet solo of Carole King’s “Beautiful” and spoke about increasing youth involvement in 4-H, a topic she cares about because of her own positive experiences with 4-H.

Bianca Miller, an Onsted graduate attending Michigan State University,

Denae Covey, a graduate of Sand Creek High School and current Adrian College student, performed a clarinet solo of Carole King’s “Beautiful” and spoke about increasing youth involvement in 4-H, which she said has played a huge role in her own life.

Grace Appling of Britton, a graduate of Memoria Academy who currently attends Adrian College, was named Lenawee County Fair Queen. Her platform is the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Abyona Freeman, a graduate of Clinton High School who will attend Bowling Green State University in the fall, gave a vocal performance and spoke about the benefits of free preschool for 4-year-olds in Michigan.

performed on drums and spoke about the Society For Women’s Health Research, which she chose as her platform because of seeing her mother deal with health conditions that are poorly researched and understood.

Isabella Gibbs, a rising senior at Onsted High School, performed a piano solo and spoke about children’s mental health.

Mikaela Gray, also an Onsted senior, performed a contemporary dance and spoke about environmental conservation for her platform.

Bianca Miller, an Onsted High School graduate currently attending Michigan State University, gave a drum performance for the talent portion of the competition and spoke about the importance of research into women’s health.

Clara Bumpus, a graduate of Onsted High School who currently attends Jackson College, spoke about her experience with Type 1 diabetes and discussed insulin affordability for her platform.

Allison Brockway of Clayton, a senior homeschool student who also attends the LISD Tech Center, gave a vocal performance for the talent competition and spoke about quality childcare for her platform.

Clara Bumpus, 19, an Onsted graduate currently attending Jackson College, spoke about her experience with Type 1 Diabetes. She described the extra steps she needs to take every day, displayed some of the devices she uses to manage the condition, and talked about her journey from being ashamed when she was first diagnosed and thinking that she must have done something wrong to embracing the things that allow her to live a full life.

Tanana Emmendorfer, a graduate of Sand Creek High School and current Spring Arbor University student,

for the talent contest and spoke about her platform of good nutrition.

performed a trombone solo and spoke about mental health issues specific to student athletes.

Allison Brockway, a homeschool student from Clayton who also attends the LISD Tech Center, gave a vocal performance for the talent portion and spoke about her platform of quality childcare.

Michaela Cross, a Madison High School graduate attending Jackson College, performed a French horn solo and spoke about the platform “Eat Well, Live Well: Nutrition Within Reach.”

Gretchen Gautz of Adrian, a graduate of Onsted High School who currently attends Michigan State University, gave a speech about FFA and talked about her platform of agriculture safety.

Michaela Cross of Adrian, a graduate of Madison High School who currently attends Jackson College, performed a French horn solo

Isabella Gibbs, who will be a senior at Onsted High School next year, spoke about children’s mental health awareness for her platform and performed a piano solo during the talent portion of the Lenawee County Fair Queen pageant.

LENAWEE COUNTY

4-H RESULTS

The following listings were provided by Lenawee County 4-H.

Repeated names represent multiple honors won by the exhibitor in that category.

Please report any errors or omissions to news@lenaweevoice.com to be corrected and included in our September issue.

LIVESTOCK JUDGING

Junior

Eloise Terry, South Riga Go-Getters

Intermediate

Wesley Garrison, Quaker Willing Workers

Sophie Smith, Tipton Jets

Senior

Kamryn Billings, Lenawee FFA

BEEF BREEDING

Grand Champion Commercial/Cross

Ryan Good, Britton-Macon

Reserve Champion Commercial/Cross

Eloise Terry, South Riga Go-Getters

Grand Champion AOB

Andi Dillon, Quaker Willing Workers

Champion Showman

Andi Dillon, Quaker Willing Workers

Reserve Champion Showman

Ryan Good, Britton-Macon

Overall Supreme Champion Animal

Ryan Good, Britton-Macon

Reserve Overall Supreme Champion Animal

Andi Dillon, Quaker Willing Workers

DAIRY FEEDER COSTUME CONTEST

Jemma Christian, Quaker Willing Workers

DAIRY

Junior Heifer Calf Brown Swiss

Jacob Caplon, Tipon Jets

Junior Heifer Calf Holstein

Sadie Whelan, Tipton Jets

Junior Heifer Calf Jersey

Daylin Pearce, Shooters Inc.

Intermediate Heifer Calf Holstein

Jase Whelan, Tipton Jets

Senior Heifer Calf Holstein

Lillian Root, Medina Pioneers

Summer Yearling Heifer Holstein

Blake Root, Medina Pioneers

Summer Yearling Heifer Jersey

Julianna Kurutz, Lenawee Rascals

Junior Heifer Yearling Jersey

Cory Hoover, Medina Pioneers

Junior Champion Female Brown Swiss

Jacob Caplon, Tipton Jets

Junior Champion Female Jersey

Daylin Pearce, Tipton Jets

Junior Champion Female Holstein

Sadie Whelan, Tipton Jets

Reserve Junior Champion Female Jersey

Julianna Kurutz, Lenawee Rascals

Reserve Junior Champion Female Holstein

Jase Whelan, Tipton Jets

Jr. 2-Year-Old Cow Jersey

Sophie Smith, Tipton Jets

3-Year-Old Cow Jersey

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Aged Cow Jersey

Cameron Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Senior Champion Female Jersey

Sophie Smith, Tipton Jets

Reserve Senior Champion Female Jersey

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Grand Champion Female Holstein

Sadie Whelan, Tipton Jets

Grand Champion Female Jersey

Sophie Smith, Tipton Jets

Reserve Grand Champion Female Holstein

Jase Whelan, Tipton Jets

Reserve Grand Champion Female Jersey

Cow & 1-Offspring Jersey

Natalie/Cameron Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Supreme Champion Dairy Animal

Sadie Whelan, Tipton Jets

Reserve Supreme Champion Dairy Animal

Jase Whelan, Tipton Jets

Club Herd

Tipton Jets

Senior Showmanship

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Intermediate Showmanship

Blake Root, Medina Pioneers

Junior Showmanship

Jase Whelan, Tipton Jets

Champion Showman

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Pee Wee Showmanship

Wyat Racine, Tipton Jets

DAIRY FEEDER

Champion Dairy Feeder Calf

Ashton Platt, Tipton Jets

Reserve Champion Dairy Feeder Calf

Trevor Lakatos, Quaker Willing Workers

Junior Showman

McKenna Corona, Quaker Willing Workers

Intermediate Showman

Gabrielle Maurer, Britton-Macon

Senior Showman

Karter Keil, Quaker Willing Workers

Overall Champion Showman

Gabrielle Maurer, Britton-Macon

Reserve Champion Showman

Caleb Glinski, Palmyra Future Leaders

GOATS

Grand Champion Dairy Meat

MaryOlive Caplon, Tipton Jets

Reserve Champion Dairy Meat

Violet Caplon, Tipton Jets

Grand Champion Boer Meat

Ellie Woodring, Quaker Willing Workers

Reserve Champion Boer Meat

Evan Gould, State Line Hustlers

Junior Showman

Ethan Coblentz, South Riga Go-Getters

Intermediate Showman

Jacob Caplon, Tipton Jets

Senior Showman

Ella Mishka, Lenawee FFA

Overall Champion Showman

Ella Mishka, Lenawee FFA

Grand Champion Pygmy

Abyona Freeman, Tipton Jets

Reserve Champion Pygmy

David Bauer, Fairfield 4-H

Grand Champion Boer

Ethan Coblentz, South Riga Go-Getters

Reserve Champion Boer

Rylee Coblentz, South Riga Go-Getters

Grand Champion Alpine

Ella Mishka, Lenawee FFA

Reserve Champion Alpine

Nova Rock, Medina Pioneers

Grand Champion LaMancha

Nova Rock, Medina Pioneers

Reserve Champion LaMancha

Levi Osgood, Palmyra Future Leaders

Grand Champion Nubian

Grace Brockway, Ponies Inc.

Reserve Champion Nubian

MaryOlive Caplon, Tipton Jets

Grand Champion Saanen, Toggenburg, Oberhasli

Madyson Fowler, Not So Boring

Reserve Champion Saanen, Toggenburg, Oberhasli

Abbagail Bauer, Fairfield 4-H

Grand Champion Nigerian Dwarf

MaryOlive Caplon, Tipton Jets

Reserve Champion Nigerian Dwarf

HORSE & PONY SHOWMANSHIP

Champion Versatility Horse/Pony

Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Reserve Champion Versatility Horse/Pony

Elizabeth Justice, Tecumseh Equestrians

Champion Fitting & Showing Horse/Pony

Paige Neill, Rome Blue Ribbons

Reserve Champion Fitting & Showing

Horse/Pony

Denae Covey, All Around Equestrians

HORSE & PONY (MONDAY)

Champion Registered AQHA

Paige Neill, Rome Blue Ribbons

Reserve Champion Registered AQHQ Horse

Madalyn Kay, Ribbon Chasers

Champion Grade Horse at Halter

Macie Drugalis, Quaker Willing Workers

Reserve Champion Grade Horse at Halter

Maggie Myers, All Around Equestrians

Champion Fine Horse at Halter

Serenity Johnson, Dream Riders

Reserve Champion Fine Horse at Halter

Piper Slovinski, Dream Riders

Champion Other Registered Horse at Halter

Avery Gawronski, Rome Blue Ribbons

Reserve Champion Other Registered Horse at Halter

Miranda Parker, Haydayz

Champion Mini Registered Horse at Halter

Tory Floer, Haydays

Reserve Champion Mini Registered Horse at Halter

Alaina Parker, Haydayz

Champion Mini Grade Horse at Halter

Lily Bales, Lenawee Legends

Reserve Champion Mini Grade Horse at Halter

Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Grand Champion Mini Horse

Tory Floer, Haydayz

Reserve Grand Champion Mini Horse

Alaina Parker, Haydayz

Champion Registered Pony at Halter

Sawyer Calvin, Them Crazy Country Kidz

Champion Grade Pony at Halter

Grace Hembree, Them Crazy Country Kidz

Reserve Champion Grade Pony at Halter

Jordan Stuck, Quaker Willing Workers

Grand Champion Horse at Halter

Paige Neill, Rome Blue Ribbons

Reserve Grand Champion Horse at Halter

Maddie Kay, Ribbon Chasers

Grand Champion Pony at Halter

Calvin Sawyer, Them Crazy Country Kidz

Reserve Grand Champion Pony at Halter

Grace Hembree, Them Crazy Country Kidz

HORSE (TUESDAY) CONTESTING

Champion Contesting Horse

Lillian Bear, Serenity Equestrians

Elizabeth Justice, Tecumseh Equestrians

Reserve Champion Contesting Horse

Kaitlyn Holly, Haydayz

HORSE & TUESDAY TRAIL

Champion Trail Horse/Pony

Peyton Luck, Ribbon Chasers

Reserve Champion Trail Horse/Pony

Denae Covey, All Around Equestrians

Champion Mini Trail Horse

Kimberly Sharp, Haydayz

Reserve Champion Mini Trail Horse

Tory Floer, Haydayz

4-H HORSE & PONY

Champion English Pleasure Horse/Pony

Paige Neill, Rome Blue Ribbons

Reserve Champion English Pleasure

Horse/Pony

Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Champion English Equitation Horse/Pony

Tory Floer, Haydayz

Reserve Champion English Equitation Horse/Pony

Madalyn Kay, Ribbon Chasers

Champion English Bareback Equitation Horse/Pony

Reserve Champion English Bareback

Equitation Horse/Pony

Tessa Williams, Serenity Riders

Champion Saddle Seat Pleasure Horse/Pony

Piper Slovinski, Dream Riders

Reserve Champion Saddle Seat Pleasure Horse/Pony

Serenity Johnson, Dream Riders

Champion Saddle Seat Equitation Horse/Pony

Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Reserve Champion Saddle Seat Equitation Horse/Pony

Hope Puckett, Stable Stars

Champion Mini Horse In Hand Jumper

Kimberly Sharp, Haydayz

Reserve Champion Mini Horse In Hand Jumper

Sadie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

HORSE & PONY CONTESTING (WEDNESDAY)

Champion Contesting Miniature Horse

Kimberly Sharp, Haydays

Reserve Champion Miniature Horse

Tory Floer, Haydayz

HORSE & PONY (WEDNESDAY)

Champion English Pleasure Horse/Pony

Paige Neill, Rome Blue Ribbons

Reserve Champion English Pleasure Horse/Pony

Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Champion English Equitation Horse/Pony

Tory Floer, Haydayz

Reserve Champion English Equitation Horse/Pony

Madalyn Kay, Ribbon Chasers

Champion English Bareback Equitation Horse/Pony

Hope Puckett, Stable Stars

Reserve Champion English Bareback Equitation Horse/Pony

Tessa Williams, Serenity Riders

Champion Saddle Seat Pleasure Horse/Pony

Piper Slovinski, Dream Riders Reserve Champion Saddle Seat Pleasure Horse/Pony

Serenity Johnson, Dream Riders

Champion Saddle Seat Equitation Horse/Pony

Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Reserve Champion Saddle Seat Equitation Horse/Pony

Hope Puckett, Stable Stars

Champion Mini Horse In Hand Jumper

Kimberly Sharp, Haydayz

Reserve Champion Mini Horse In Hand Jumper

Sadie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

HORSE (THURSDAY)

Champion Western Pleasure

Paige Neill, Rome Blue Ribbons

Reserve Champion Western Pleasure

Serenity Johnson, Dream Riders

Champion Western Equitation

Peyton Luck, Ribbon Chasers

Reserve Champion Western Equitation

Denae Covey, All Around Equestrians

Champion Bareback Equitation

Maddie Kay, Ribbon Chasers

Reserve Champion Bareback Equitation

Isabella Schilz, Cowboy U

Champion Ranch Pleasure

Colton Morton, Haydayz

Reserve Champion Ranch Pleasure

Ella Naebeck, Haydayz

Champion Ranch Riding

Ella Naebeck, Haydayz

Reserve Champion Ranch Riding

Lucas Halmekangas, Ponies Inc.

HORSE (SATURDAY)

Champion Versatility Horse/Pony

Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Reserve Champion Versatility Horse/Pony

Elizabeth Justice, Tecumseh Equestrians

Hope Puckett, Stable Stars

Daylin Pearce, Shooters Inc.

Abigail Brockway, Ponies Inc.

POULTRY

Junior Showman

Caleb Bailey, Country Clovers

Intermediate Showman

Gabriel Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Senior Showman

Wyatt Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Overall Champion Showman

Wyatt Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Reserve Champion Showman

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Champion Duck

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Reserve Champion Duck

Cameron Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Champion Goose

Cameron Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Reserve Champion Goose

Cameron Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Champion Large Fowl

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Reserve Champion Large Fowl

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Champion Bantam

Ethan Publiski, Palmyra Future Leaders

Reserve Champion Bantam

Ethan Publiski, Palmyra Future Leaders

Champion Breed Waterfowl

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Reserve Champion Breed Waterfowl

Cameron Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Champion AOV

Wyatt Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Reserve Champion AOV

Gracelyn Williams, Palmyra Future Leaders

Best of Show Fowl

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Reserve Best of Show Fowl

Ethan Publiski, Palmyra Future Leaders

1st In Class Broilers

Carly Melchert, Leads N Leashes

2nd In Class Broilers

Lainey Johnston, Lenawee Shooting Stars

1st In Class Roasters

Lily Tillotson, Deerfield Lucky Clovers

2nd In Class Roasters

Caitlin Carpenter, Deerfield Lucky Clovers

1st In Class Meat Duck

Josslyn Gray, Lenawee Legends

2nd In Class Meat Duck

Aidan Sweinhagen, Tipton Jets

1st In Class Meat Geese

Cameron Dickerson, Tipton Jets

2nd In Class Meat Geese

Natalie Dickerson, Tipton Jets

Grand Champion Turkey

Evan Rising, Quaker Willing Workers

Reserve Champion Turkey

Ethan Rising, Quaker Willing Workers

Grand Champion Meat Pen

Lily Tillotson, Deerfield Lucky Clovers

Reserve Champion Meat Pen

Carly Melchert, Leads N Leashes

Grand Champion Meat Waterfowl

Josslyn Gray, Lenawee Legends

Reserve Champion Meat Waterfowl

Aidan Sweinhagen, Tipton Jets

Grand Champion Eggs

Wyatt Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Reserve Grand Champion Eggs

Sedona Echelbarger, Rome Blue Ribbons

Champion Production

Grady Thompson, Medina Pioneers

Reserve Champion Production

Wyatt Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Kennedy Kanitz with the Dream Riders 4-H club hangs out with her brother, Kade, who loves watching his big sister compete at the fair. KELLY SEIDL-ALCOCK

Kenzie Anderson of the Dog Gone Fun 4-H club, with her dog Millie, won grand champion in dog obedience. KATIE FILIPCHUK

POULTRY FLYING CONTEST

Bantams

1st: Avery Gawronski, Rome Blue Ribbons

2nd: Avery Publiski, Tipton Jets

Standards

1st: Janey Fischer, South Riga Go-Getters

2nd: Maizie Kirkland, Quaker Willing Workers

RABBITS

Best of Show

Kylie Hicks, Palmyra Future Leaders

Best Opposite of Show

Kaitlyn Comar, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Champion Roaster

Paisley McMunn, Medina Pioneers

Reserve Champion Roaster

Avery Wallace, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Champion Fryer Pen

Annabella Demonico, Quaker Willing Workers

Reserve Champion Fryer Pen

Miles Inclan, Dog Gone Fun

Champion Homegrown Roaster

Magnolia Andre,

Britton-Macon Classic Clovers

Reserve Champion Roaster

Penelope Andre,

Britton-Macon Classic Clovers

Champion Homegrown Fryers

Jacob Caplon, Tipton Jets

Reserve Champion Homegrown Fryers

Wyatt Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Champion Showman

Brodie Griffin, Lucky Clovers

Junior Showman (9-12)

Kennedi Six, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Intermediate Showman (12-14)

Kaylee Whitney, Give It Your All

Senior Showman (15-19)

Brodie Griffin, Lucky Clovers

SHEEP

Grand Champion Market Lamb

Colt Jennings, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Reserve Champion Market Lamb

Wesley Garrison, Quaker Willing Workers

Grand Champion Pen of Market Lambs

Gretchen Gautz, Lenawee Legends

Reserve Champion Pen of Market Lambs

Virginia Barrett, Britton-Macon

Champion Ewe

Colt Jennings, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Reserve Champion Ewe

Owen Plum, South Riga Go-Getters

Champion Wether

Colt Jennings, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Reserve Champion Wether

Wesley Garrison, Quaker Willing Workers

Overall Champion Showman

Wesley Garrison, Quaker Willing Workers

Reserve Champion Showman

Brodie Griffin, Lucky Clovers

Senior Showman

Brodie Griffin, Lucky Clovers

Intermediate Showman

Wesley Garrison, Quaker Willing Workers

Junior Showman

Georgia Barth, Rome Blue Ribbons

Adalynn Anthony of Adrian, a member of Palymra Future Leaders, poses with her rabbit, Chestnut. LEANNE ANTHONY

Senior Lead Class

Violet Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Intermediate Lead Class

Vera Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Junior Lead Class

Victoria Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Ladd Lead Class

Owen Plum, South Riga Go-Getters

SHEEP BREEDING

Champion Ram Meat Breed

Makenna Wahl, Palmyra Future Leaders

Champion Ewe Meat Breed

Owen Plum, South Riga Go-Getters

SWINE

Grand Champion Market Hog

Joscelyn Laymen, Stateline Hustlers

Reserve Champion Market Hog

Andi Dillon, Quaker Willing Worker

Champion Barrow

Joscelyn Laymen, Stateline Hustlers

Reserve Champion Barrow

Brayden Shadewald,

Blissfield Hoofs and Horns

Champion Gilt

Andi Dillon, Quaker Willing Workers

Reserve Champion Gilt

Isaac Conn, Medina Pioneers

Champion Purebred

Jonathan Fisher, South Riga Go-Getters

Reserve Champion Purebred

Andi Dillon, Quaker Willing Workers

Overall Champion Showman

Joscelyn Layman, Stateline Hustlers

Reserve Champion Overall Showman

Jonathan Fischer, South Riga Go-Getters

Swine Showman — Junior

Sawyer Lennard, Stateline Hustlers

Swine Showman — Intermediate

Andi Dillon, Quaker Willing Workers

Swine Showman-Senior

Joscelyn Layman, Stateline Hustlers

DOGS

Obedience Sub-Novice A (8-11)

1st: Sophia Melchert, Leads N Leashes

2nd: Ella Fick, Haydayz

3rd: Scott Hensley, South Riga Go-Getters

Jon Neill, Rome Blue Ribbons

Scarlett Wells, South Riga Go-Getters

Obedience Sub-Novice B (8-11)

1st: Kenzie Anderson, Dog Gone Fun

2nd: Miles Inclan, Dog Gone Fun

3rd: Carly Melchert, Leads N Leashes

Obedience Sub-Novice A (12-15)

1st: Ariya Cook, Shooters Inc.

Obedience Sub-Novice B (12-15)

1st: Ethan Publiski, Dog Gone Fun

Logan Wells, South Riga Go-Getters

3rd: Molly Wright, Mighty Madison

Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Obedience Novice B

1st: Kendalyn Perry, Quaker Willing Workers

2nd: Ethan Publiski, Dog Gone Fun

Agility Beginners A (8-11)

1st: Matthew Oaklief, Palmyra Future Leaders

2nd: Jon Neill, Rome Blue Ribbons

Sadie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Agility Beginners B (8-11)

1st: Miles Inclan, Dog Gone Fun

2nd: Emmett Wright, Mighty Madison

3rd: Macy Anderson, Dog Gone Fun

Agility Beginners A (12-15)

1st: Ariya Cook, Shooters Inc.

Agility Beginners B (12-15)

1st: Ethan Publiski, Dog Gone Fun

2nd: Molly Wright, Mighty Madison

3rd: Jacob Preston, South Riga Go-Getters

Agility Intermediate A

1st: Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Agility Intermediate B

1st: Ethan Publiski, Dog Gone Fun

Agility Advanced A

1st: Kendalyn Perry, Quaker Willing Workers

Grand Champion Agility

Ethan Publiski, Palmyra Future Leaders

Ellie Nichols, Onsted Sweet Clovers

DOGS (CONTINUED)

Reserve Grand Champion Agility

Matthew Oaklief, Palmyra Future Leaders

Grand Champion Obedience

Kenzie Anderson, Dog Gone Fun

Reserve Grand Champion Obedience

Ethan Publiski, Palmyra Future Leaders

Logan Wells, South Riga Go-Getters

SHOWMANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES

Champion Sweepstakes Showman

Joscelyn Layman, State Line Hustlers

Reserve Champion Sweepstakes Showman

Brodie Griffin, Lucky Clovers

ARTS

Special Honors

Zoey Miller, Lenawee FFA

Kenzie Anderson, Dog Gone Fun

Morgan Anderson, Serenity Equestrians

Emily Charlton, Rome Blue Ribbons

Levi Kruger, Nature Buds

Maggie Huff, Britton-Macon

Macy Anderson, Dog Gone Fun

Virginia Barrett, Britton-Macon

Ellie Huff, Britton-Macon

Jane Ives, Quaker Willing Workers

Keegan Gray, Lenawee Legends

Keegan Gray, Lenawee Legends

Kendall Micon, Rome Blue Ribbons

Dashel Hayton, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Extra Special Honors

Keegan Gray, Lenawee Legends

Keegan Gray, Lenawee Legends

Kendall Micon, Rome Blue Ribbons

Dashel Hayton, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Ellie Huff, Britton-Macon

CERAMICS

Special Honors

Paige Holt, Rowdy Wranglers

CRAFTS

Special Honors

Veronica Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Shyanne Clark, Bits & Pieces

Shyanne Clark, Bits & Pieces

Julianna Kurtz, Lenawee Rascals

Gretchen Spence, Tipton Jets

Violet Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Sedona Echelbarger, Rome Blue Ribbons

Olivia Taylor, Palmyra Future Leaders

Augustino Mandelka, Shooters Inc

Emma Porter, South Riga Go-Getters

Katie Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

Jobe Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

Victoria Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Hazel Peck, Britton-Macon

Ethan Publiski, Palmyra Future Leaders

Harper Kreft, South Riga Go-Getters

Grace Wright, Bits and Pieces

Christopher Mullins, Quaker Willing Workers

Leah Mishka, Lenawee FFA

Eliana Pinson, Britton-Macon

Extra Special Honors

Katie Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

Jobe Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

Victoria Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Ethan Publiski, Palmyra Future Leaders

Violet Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Emma Porter, South Riga Go-Getters

Maggie Huff, Britton-Macon

Eliana Pinson, Britton-Macon

Kennedy Iffland, South Riga Go-Getters

Blake Swindeman, South Riga Go-Getters

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Special Honors

Emma Porter, South Riga Go-Getters

Wesley Garrison, Quaker Willing Workers

FLORICULTURE

Special Honors

Ethan Public, Palmyra Future Leaders

Brynn Public, Tipton Jets

Allison Brockway, Ponies Inc.

Abigail Goetz, South Riga Go Getters

Abigail Brockway, Ponies Inc.

Gracelyn Williams, Palmyra Future Leaders

Olivia Taylor, Palmyra Future Leaders

Abigail Goetz, South Riga Go-Getters

Kenzie Anderson, Dog Gone Fun

Holly Mitchell, Lenawee FFA

Avah Jenkins, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Rylee Coblentz, South Riga Go-Getters

Aaron Gust, Bits & Pieces

Ellie Huff, Britton-Macon

PARADE 4-H FLOAT WINNERS

1st: Rome Blue Ribbons

2nd: Country Clovers

3rd: Quaker Willing Workers

HORTICULTURE

Special Honors

Abigail Goetz, South Riga Go-Getters

Abigail Goetz, South Riga Go-Getters

Abbigail Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

Gretchen Spence, Tipton Jets

Extra Special Honors

Abbigail Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

FOOD AND NUTRITION

Special Honors

Katie Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

Jake Jula, Nature Buds

Hailey Libey, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Dottie Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

Logan Irwin, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Wyatt Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Gabriel Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Levi Kruger, Nature Buds

Carter Holtzbauer, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Extra Special Honors

Katie Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS

Special Honors

Zoe Rorick, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Brodie Pixley, Palmyra Future Leaders

Alton Mathis, Rome Blue Ribbons

Hazel Shirkey, Ponies Inc.

Benjamin Kay, Ribbon Chasers

Caleb Bailey, Country Clovers

Gabrielle Maurer, Britton-Macon

Austyn Felver, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Olivia Taylor, Palmyra Future Leaders

Luke Schamberger of the Medina Pioneers and the crew at C&J Pallets after they purchased his pen of broiler chickens. KRYSTAL SCHAMBERGER

Keegan Eisenmann, 7, of the Rome Blue Ribbons Cloverbuds shows his handling skills. MEGAN EISENMANN

Ava Marks of the Palmyra Future Leaders 4-H club is pictured with her bantam chicken. SHELLEY BERRY

Matthew Oaklief of Palmyra Future Leaders with his reserve champion trophy and first place ribbon for dog agility. SARAH OAKLIEF

Autumn, Emma, Josh, and Luke Gust, of the South Riga Go-Getters, wait for the chicken show results.

PERFORMING ARTS

Special Honors

Lanie Clairday, Rowdy Wranglers

Timothy, Melody, and Natalie Russell, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Naomi Gust, Bits & Pieces

Abigail Brockway, Ponies Inc.

Allison Brockway, Ponies Inc.

Extra Special Honors

Abigail Brockway, Ponies Inc.

Allison Brockway, Ponies Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Special Honors

Owen Plum, South Riga Go-Getters

Grace Brockway, Ponies Inc.

Charleigh Roesler, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Kaitlyn Comar, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Cera LaRatta, Not So Boring

Allison Brockway, Ponies Inc.

Lucille LaVoy, Palmyra Future Leaders

Virginia Barrett, Britton-Macon

Ania Glinski, Palmyra Future Leaders

Grace Brockway, Ponies Inc.

Veronica Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Emma Porter, South Riga Go-Getters

Celton Cook, Shooters Inc.

Spencer Andrews, The Believers

Ethan Publiski, Palmyra Future Leaders

Luke Kastel, South Riga Go-Getters

Zoe Rorick, Lenawee Shooting Stars

Ellie Huff, Britton-Macon

Jayleigh Williams, Lenawee Go-Getters

Tessa Benko, Rome Blue Ribbons

Adelynn McConeghy, Dog Gone Fun Club

Taylor McLaughlin, Ribbon Chasers

Extra Special Honors

Tessa Benko, Rome Blue Ribbons

Adelynn McConeghy, Dog Gone Fun Club

Taylor McLaughlin, Ribbon Chasers

JESSICA GUST

LIVESTOCK PROJECT RECORD BOOKS: GOATS

Beginner

1st: Abigail Nelson, Onsted Sweet Clovers

2nd: Nova Rock, Medina Pioneers

3rd: Levi Osgood, Palmyra Future Leaders

Intermediate

1st: Andrew Osgood, Palmyra Future Leaders

2nd: Violet Caplon, Tipton Jets

3rd: Meredith Miner, Lenawee FFA

Advanced

1st: MaryOlive Caplon, Tipton Jets

2nd: Sophia Curtis, Lenawee FFA

3rd: Ella Mishka, Lenawee FFA

LIVESTOCK PROJECT RECORD BOOKS: SHEEP

Beginner

1st: Izabella Slusser, South Riga Go-Getters

2nd: Natalie Wilson, Onsted Sweet Clovers

3rd: Henry Wilson, Onsted Sweet Clovers

LIVESTOCK PROJECT RECORD BOOKS: SWINE

Intermediate

1st: Gabe Sanford, Shooters Inc.

Advanced

1st: Holly Mitchell, Lenawee FFA

2nd: Wyatt Sanford, Shooters Inc.

LIVESTOCK PROJECT RECORD BOOKS: RABBITS

Beginner

1st: Joe Preston, South Riga Go-Getters

LIVESTOCK PROJECT RECORD BOOKS:

DAIRY FEEDER

Beginner

1st: Annabelle Beyer, Country Clovers

2nd: Madeline Beyer, Country Clovers

3rd: Libby Bleeker, Quaker Willing Workers

Intermediate

1st: Rachel Brayton, Onsted Sweet Clovers

Advanced

1st: Holly Mitchell, Lenawee FFA

SCIENCE

Special Honors

Virginia Barrett, Britton-Macon

SEWING & NEEDLEWORK

Special Honors

Leah Mishka, Lenawee FFA

Kaylee Anderson, Serenity Equestrians

Kaylee Anderson, Serenity Equestrians

Ellie Huff, Britton-Macon

Kaethe Spence, Tipton Jets

Ariya Cook, Shooters Inc.

Abigail Wegner, State Line Hustlers

Ariya Cook, Shooters Inc.

Jane Ives, Quaker Willing Workers

Vera Hinde, Palmyra Future Leaders

Extra Special Honors

Leah Mishka, Lenawee FFA

Kaylee Anderson, Serenity Equestrians

Kaylee Anderson, Serenity Equestrians

Ariya Cook, Shooters Inc.

Ellie Huff, Britton-Macon

SHOOTING SPORTS/

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Special Honors

Jaxson Lohr, Palmyra Future Leaders

Autumn Jula, Dream Riders

Extra Special Honors

Jaxson Lohr, Palmyra Future Leaders

Autumn Jula, Dream Riders

WOODWORKING

Special Honors

Caden Schmidt, Ponies Inc.

Julianna Kurutz, Lenawee Rascals

Bryce Opsal, Palmyra Future Leaders

Wesley Garrison, Quaker Willing Workers

Garrett Smith, Tipton Jets

Jobe Mitchell, Raisin Slickers

Wesley Garrison, Quaker Willing Workers

Extra Special Honors

Wesley Garrison, Quaker Willing Workers

WOOD BURNING

Special Honors

Mila Novak, Dog Gone Fun

Mila Novak, Dog Gone Fun

Emmett Stange, Palmyra Future Leaders

Extra Special Honors

Mila Novak, Dog Gone Fun

Isabella Gibbs of the Rome Blue Ribbons 4-H club shows her cow in the Show Barn at the Lenawee County Fair. SHARON GIBBS

Zachary Taylor of Palmyra Future Leaders placed second in his weight class with his wether sheep. SHELLEY BERRY

Levi Osgood of Palmyra Future Leaders won Reserve Champion for his La Mancha Senior Doe. JENNIFER OSGOOD

Taylor McLaughlin, a student at Sand Creek and member of Ribbon Chasers, with her photography entries. TROY MCLAUGHLIN

Scarlett Wells, 10, of South Riga Go-Getters, with her dog Wrinkles, getting ready for the showmanship contest. MEGGIN WELLS

Chloe Emmons of the Deerfield Lucky Clovers poses for a photo in the poultry barn at the Lenawee County Fair. KAITLIN EMMONS

Kesterke named Adrian College’s director of bands

ADRIAN — Longtime musician, educator and band director Dan Kesterke has been selected as the new Adrian College director of bands.

Kesterke has served as director of bands at Siena Heights University since 2018. He also chaired the university’s music department, leading the marching band, concert band, pep band, percussion ensemble, brass ensemble and woodwind ensemble.

Siena Heights will be closing at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

See KESTERKE, page B14

Third annual softball tournament benefits Ronnie Lee Legacy Foundation scholarships

BLISSFIELD — A slow-pitch softball tournament held in memory of Ronnie Lee VanSteenkiste-Amador marked its third year on June 21.

The tournament raises money to support an annual scholarship for Blissfield High School seniors who are pursuing higher education or trade school.

VanSteenkiste-Amador was a 2016 graduate of Blissfield High School and a first-generation college student. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Adrian College, where she was also a member of the softball team, and after college she started coaching the Blissfield High School JV softball team alongside longtime friend LeeAnn Forche.

She died in August 2022 from injuries sustained in a car accident.

“She was truly a light in every room and had an extraordinary gift for connecting with people, whether friends or strangers,” said Brooke Pickles, president of the Ronnie Lee Legacy Foundation board.

Pickles grew up with VanSteenkisteAmador and Forche, and the three had been friends since they were in daycare. She established a scholarship fund in VanSteenkiste-Amador’s memory in 2022, and the group became a nonprofit foundation in 2024.

The group has awarded $3,500 in scholarships since its inception. This year’s recipient was Nicole Brewer.

The 2025 tournament was sponsored by Todd Construction LLC, Renaissance Dermatology, Velocity, Molly Schmitz & Polly Jensen, Iott Insurance, 1Mosaic, Trussworks, Omni Ingredients,

Papenhagen Construction, Uckele Health & Nutrition Inc., Knapp Motors, and an anonymous donor who paid for most of the players and spectators to enjoy a free meal. The event also included the Press Stop food truck. The volunteer umpires were Chad Abbott and Lucas Rogers, and the winning team was called the Seed Spitters.

For more information, search for “VanSteenkiste-Amador Scholarship Spotlight” on Facebook, follow @RonnieLeeLegacyFoundation on Instagram, or email vansteenkistescholarshipboard@ gmail.com.

Ronnie VanSteenkiste-Amador’s brother, Dylan, plays in the June 21 softball tournament held in her memory.

Dan Kesterke, who previously was director of bands at Siena Heights University, has been hired to fill the same role at Adrian College.

Lisa Novak, Molly Schmitz, LeeAnn Forche, Brooke Pickles, and Rhonda VanSteenkiste are pictured at the third annual Ronnie Lee Legacy Foundation scholarship tournament on June 21 in Blissfield. The tournament raises money for an annual scholarship for a Blissfield High School graduate, and has awarded $3,500 since its inception.

REUNIONS

Tecumseh High School Class of 1970: Saturday, Aug. 2, at 4 p.m., The Station, 110 S. Evans St., Tecumseh. Appetizers provided. RSVP to 734-3230064 or cksteele11@yahoo.com.

Adrian High School Class of 1965: Saturday, Aug. 9, from 6-10 p.m., ZZ’s Sports Bar & Grill, 520 College Ave., Adrian. Contact Sue (Bayles) North at 517-265-2549.

Adrian High School Class of 2000: Aug. 8-10. Mingling on Friday, golf fundraiser and Family Day BBQ and potluck on Saturday, brunch on Sunday. Contact Melissa Arocha at 210-412-0814.

Adrian High School Class of 1980: Aug. 8-9. Friday at 7 p.m., get-together at the Comfort Inn, 425 Industrial Drive. Saturday at 5 p.m., reunion at the Hills of Lenawee Golf Club and Banquet Center, 4110 Country Club Road, $75 per person. Contact David Baker at davebaker503@gmail.com.

Morenci school reunion, classes from 1930s to 1980s: Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Morenci Eagles, 239 W. Main St. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., photos at 7 p.m. Teachers are also welcome. A loaded baked potato bar and pulled pork sandwiches will be available for $12 per person; contact Ivy Hutchison at tihutchison@hotmail.com or 517-306-3879 to sign up for dinner.

Adrian High School Class of 2005: Friday, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m. in Maple Stadium for the Homecoming football game. Gates open at 6 p.m. Game entry is $7. Family friendly. Contact Brittany (Wagoner) Farley at 517-488-2772 or brittwfarley@gmail.com.

Adrian High School Class of 1995: Sept. 19-20. For information, email kelly.judson77@gmail.com.

107th Britton-Macon Alumni Banquet: Friday, Sept. 26, at 5 p.m., Britton Deerfield High School Cafetorium, 201 College Ave., Britton. Social hour at 5 p.m., followed by banquet at 5:30 p.m. Honor classes this year are all classes before 1955 and the classes of 1955, 1965, 1975, and 1985. Prepaid reservations are required. For information, call Charlene Dickerson at 517-605-7925.

Adrian High School Class of 1970: Sept. 26-27. Friday, golf outing at 9 a.m. and casual gathering at ZZ’s Sports Bar & Grill, 520 College Ave., from 7-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, reunion at the Root 52 Event Venue, 8452 South M-52, Jasper, at 6:30 p.m. Contact Kathy Raines at k.raines360@comcast.net.

Third annual Bixby Hospital employee reunion: Saturday, Oct. 11, from 1-4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 1245 W. Maple Ave., Adrian. Past employees, physicians, and volunteers are welcome to attend. Please bring your own beverage and a dish to pass based on the first letter of your last name: A-H main dish, I-P salad, Q-X dessert. Committee members: Sylvia Stoner, Kathy Betzoldt, Linda Butchart, and Kathy Raines. Email k.raines360@comcast.net.

Adrian High School Class of 1959: Saturday, Oct. 25, from noon to 3 p.m., ZZ’s Sports Bar & Grill. Contact Jon Wetherbee, jpwetherbee@tc3net.com or 517-662-0729.

Lenawee County Snowbird Luncheon: Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 11 a.m., Golden Corral, 5525 Cortez Road, West Bradenton, Florida. Call 727-364-4273 or 517-260-0432.

To submit a reunion for publication in The Lenawee Voice, please email Linda Cline at lcline@lenaweevoice.com.

GLACIER MEADOWS SOLAR SUPPORTS IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM

Glacier

Kesterke from page B13

team recently donated $3,100 to the

“We are excited to add Dan’s talent and specialized leadership to our talented music department and to begin a new era for the marching Band at Adrian College,” said Frank Hribar, Adrian College vice president

Local veteran Kevin Tatsak was awarded a Quilts of Valor Foundation quilt and honored for his service by the Lucy Wolcott Barnum Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution. Tatsak served in the Marine Corps from 2007 to 2011 and deployed to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. The foundation aims to provide these individuals with a tangible token of appreciation. Tatsak is pictured here with his mother, Marge Tatsak, and father, Joseph Tatsak, a Navy Veteran.

Adrian Dominican Sisters join other congregations in billboard campaign

ADRIAN — The Adrian Dominican Sisters and other congregations of women religious in Michigan and Indiana have launched a billboard campaign to share the Gospel message of love and care for others.

In Lenawee County, six billboards placed by the Adrian Dominican Sisters simply read: “Love is kind. — 1 Corinthians 13:4.”

This message aligns with the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ commitment to help build the beloved community in which everyone is cared for, absent of poverty, hunger, and hate, according to the congregation.

The message is also a response to recent events. The congregation issued a public statement on April 7 saying that, in recent weeks, “we have witnessed a staggering array of orders issued by the White House and its agents with deeply troubling impacts that oppress and dehumanize persons, deny the image of God in each of us, and dangerously divide us as a nation and global community.”

In the statement, the Adrian Dominican leadership prayed that “the goodwill characteristic of the American people of all faith traditions will call us to kinder, more compassionate, respectful, and generous ways of being good, caring neighbors to one another — and to all the other beautifully diverse peoples of the world’s nations, neighbors in our common Earth home.”

The billboards are located at U.S. 12 and Miller Road, U.S. 12 and Matthews

Highway, M-50 and Matthews Highway, U.S. 223 and Sandy Beach Road, U.S. 223 and Humphrey Highway, and M-52 just north of Adrian.

Five other congregations are placing billboards with messages urging care and concern for people and planet. Those billboards are being displayed in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Michigan, and in South Bend, Mishawaka, and Plymouth, Indiana.

The other participating congregations in Michigan are the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters and Sisters of St. Joseph, and the participating congregations in Indiana are Sisters of the Holy Cross, Poor Handmaids, and Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

of admissions and student affairs. “We have been working to redevelop our marching band and having one of the top band directors in southern Michigan join our program should attract talented students looking for a strong college music program led by a respected director and teacher.”

Before joining Siena Heights University, Kesterke served as band

director for Adrian Public Schools from 2008 to 2018.

He teaches courses such as music theory fundamentals, music theory, music technology, advanced conducting, secondary music methods, instrumental methods, woodwind methods, string methods, brass methods and percussion methods.

Kesterke said he decided to take the

position at Adrian College because this will be his 23rd year living in Lenawee County, and he and his family have deep roots in the area. His wife, Jean, teaches in Adrian Public Schools, where their children also attend school.

“With Siena closing and this opportunity opening up, it gave me a reason to stay here,” Kesterke said. “If this is a good fit, it will benefit everybody.”

Orsted’s

Meadows Solar

Lenawee Community Foundation for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides free books to children from birth to age 5. Pictured from left to right: Alannah Woodring of Glacier Meadows Solar; Kirsten Stiver, Deb Salenbien and Paula Trentman of the Lenawee Community Foundation; and Francesca Martella Kehl and Vamika Jain of Glacier Meadows.

A billboard placed by the Adrian Dominican Sisters on U.S. 223 near Humphrey Highway.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Local mental health advocates concerned about proposed changes to state’s system

By Arlene Bachanov The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Changes to Michigan’s public mental health system proposed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services could have a major impact on the way services are provided by that system, which includes the Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority.

The MDHHS has released a Request for Proposals to restructure the state’s Prepaid Inpatient Health Plan (PIHP) system that LCMHA Executive Director Kathryn Szewczuk said could disrupt the system in ways that are detrimental to the clients served by that system.

“It’s just not good for our people,” she said. “It’s not good for Michigan.”

LCMHA will hold a town hall meeting on the issue from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16 at the Align Center, 440 E. Church St., Adrian.

LCMHA’s specific mission is to serve people who have Medicaid insurance, who are enrolled in MIChild or the Healthy Michigan Plan, or who have no insurance and cannot afford services. But the agency will also help people with other insurance find the mental health services they need.

“We are a huge part of the safety net for all of Lenawee County,” Szewczuk said.

Currently, there are 10 PIHP regions in Michigan. Lenawee, Livingston, Washtenaw, and Monroe counties make up one of those regions. In addition to each county having its own board, the regions have their own boards made up of representatives from the local communities, and certain services are shared throughout each region.

Local events planned to raise awareness of opioid overdoses

ADRIAN — United for Prevention and Recovery Lenawee is planning two upcoming events aimed at raising awareness for National Overdose Awareness Day, observed annually on Aug. 31.

The first event will happen on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at 1:30 p.m. in the Lenawee County Commission chambers at 301 N. Main St., Adrian. The county commission will issue a proclamation declaring Aug. 31 as Overdose Awareness Day in Lenawee County. This recognition will stress the urgent need to confront the overdose crisis locally and support ongoing efforts to save lives. The public is welcome.

On Saturday, Aug. 31, United for Prevention and Recovery Lenawee will host a ribbon display on the old courthouse lawn in Adrian. The display will serve as a visual representation of the lives that this public health crisis has impacted. The community is encouraged to visit the display to reflect, remember, and show their support.

For more information, contact Dawn Finney, outreach liaison, at dfinney@ lcmha.org or 517-438-2490.

The state’s proposal, which currently is slated to go into effect Oct. 1, 2026, would shrink those 10 PIHPs down to just three: one for the Metro Detroit tri-county area, one for the entire Upper Peninsula and the northern part of the Lower Peninsula, and one for the rest of the Lower Peninsula except for Metro Detroit, south of a line stretching from Mason County on the west side of the state to Arenac and Huron counties on the east side.

That would put Lenawee County into a PIHP made up not of just four counties, as is currently the case, but 44 counties instead.

Additionally, according to a fact sheet containing information provided by the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, the proposal would remove local decision-making authority and allow new regional entities, including private health plans, to manage Medicaid Specialty behavioral health funding and services.

The result, the fact sheet said, means “effectively dismantling the public health system that has existed for over 60 years.”

Current PIHPs are specifically barred from being part of this new system, “so that only leaves health plans, or hospitals,” Szewczuk said. “We should be working together to figure out how to support people, not to privatize the system.”

MDHHS in February conducted an online survey of those who are part of the current system — Medicaid beneficiaries and their families, providers, and other interested parties — and says that the proposal addresses the concerns raised in that survey.

Respondents, for example, said there are issues with provider availability, with accountability and transparency, and the amount of paperwork required.

Szewczuk said, however, that most of those survey results “have nothing to do with the goals of the proposal.”

MDHHS says those goals are to provide high-quality, timely services; to improve choice and consistency across regions; to ensure accountability and transparency; and to simplify the system with reduced bureaucracy.

The first goal, Szewczuk said, “is what our system does right now. In the new system, we’ll be part of 44 counties,” and who will represent Lenawee County in that system is an unknown. As for the second goal, “the issue that we find is that there aren’t enough providers in the state,” which means improving choice isn’t so easy.

Additionally, she said, if an entity such as a private insurer is managing a 44-county region, that might impact other agencies currently serving local clients and make the geographic distance to a provider hard for a client to manage.

“Are they still going to contract with Goodwill? Or the substance abuse providers in Lenawee County?” she asked.

When it comes to the third goal, accountability and transparency, “we have a public board,” Szewczuk said. Anyone can come to the board’s meetings and the governmentally required audits are all publicly available.

On the other hand, she said, if a private insurer takes over the system, that entity is not subject to measures such as the

Open Meetings Act or the Freedom of Information Act.

As to the fourth goal, of simplifying the system, the MDHHS survey apparently found that “the current administrative burden is too much and needs to be fixed,” Szewczuk said. “I said, ‘yes, it does.’ The state requires so much information. But that could be fixed now, at any time.”

It’s unclear right now exactly what LCMHA’s role will be if the new system goes into effect. “They haven’t posted any of the details,” Szewczuk said. “All we know is the system will be dismantled.”

But both she and LCMHA board chair Amy Palmer said they’re certain the proposed changes are going to greatly affect the clients their organization serves.

“We know there are holes in the system, but disassembling it isn’t going to solve anything,” Palmer said.

“This is just going to add to the stress that [clients and their families] are having.”

Szewczuk and Palmer urged Lenawee County residents to contact their state legislators to oppose the proposal and to attend the Sept. 16 town hall at the Align Center. Additionally, Szewczuk will make a presentation to the county commission at its meeting at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13.

With thousands of Michigan residents set to lose Medicaid funds, including many of the people in Lenawee County who rely on LCMHA, “this is the worst time to change how people access services. … We should be focused on what do we do to help people who lose Medicaid, because they’re still going to need [mental health] help,” Szewczuk said.

Weber Center in Adrian to offer workshop on healthy aging

ADRIAN — Sisters Mariane Fahlman, OP, and Esther Kennedy, OP, will offer a workshop titled “A Practical Guide to Healthy Aging” from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12, at the Weber Retreat and Conference Center.

The workshop will be offered in person and through livestream.

The workshop will highlight the vital relationship between physical activity, nutrition, cognitive health, and mindfulness, according to a news release.

It will include practical strategies to reduce stress and promote overall wellbeing.

Fahlman is a professor of kinesiology, health, and sports studies at Wayne State University in Detroit and studies physical function and cognition among those who are 65 and older. Kennedy is a retreat leader and spiritual director who offers monthly mindfulness sessions at Weber Center.

The cost is $35, including lunch. Registration is required.

To register, visit www.webercenter.org and click on “programs,” call 517-266-4000, or email webercenter@adriandominicans. org. Limited scholarships are available. Weber Center is on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse in Adrian. From East Siena Heights Drive, turn into the driveway between Adrian Rea Literacy Center and the solar panelcovered carport. Follow the signs to the Weber Center. For more information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.

Mission Fitness offers training package giveaway to celebrate its 15th anniversary

ADRIAN — Mission Fitness in Adrian will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a sweepstakes giveaway in which four people will win a transformation program valued at more than $750.

The program will include personal training, habit-based nutrition coaching, and accountability.

Winners will receive:

n Six weeks of Mission Fitness’s Total Transformation membership package, which includes three personal training

sessions a week and unlimited CardioFIT workouts.

n A custom fitness program based on their goals and current fitness level, designed by a certified trainer.

n Access to Mission Fitness’ jumpstart nutrition guides and resources, a protein package, and six weeks of nutrition coaching.

n Daily and weekly accountability with extra tips and tricks of how to stay on track outside of the gym.

The giveaway is open to adults in Lenawee County who are ready to make a meaningful change in their health and lifestyle. Winners will be selected based on their goals and motivation, not their fitness level or experience.

Selection will take place on Aug. 24. No purchase is required. The entry form can be found at giveaway. missionsportsperformance.com.

Mission Fitness is at 3245 N. Adrian Highway.

Back-to-school health: Building strong foundations for a successful school year

As the summer winds down and school buses prepare to roll out, families everywhere are shifting gears into back-to-school mode. Whether your child is stepping into kindergarten for the first time or heading off to college, one thing remains true: healthy students are better learners.

A strong start to the academic year begins with building healthy routines that support both body and mind. These habits, when reinforced early, can carry through a lifetime, setting students up for long-term success both in and out of the classroom.

Support emotional well-being: Academic pressures, social challenges, and extracurricular commitments can all contribute to student stress. Prioritizing mental health is just as important as physical health.

Build a foundation with balanced nutrition: Encouraging healthy eating is more than just a wellness trend, it’s a proven strategy to enhance learning outcomes. Research consistently links balanced diets to improved concentration, memory, and behavior in school-aged children. Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast and packing or choosing a wholesome lunch gives students the energy and focus they need to succeed.

Simple changes, like swapping sugary drinks for water, or adding a serving of fruits or vegetables to meals, can have a big impact over time. Remember, small steps can lead to lifelong habits.

Make movement a daily priority: Regular physical activity not only supports physical health, but also improves academic performance. Active students are more likely to earn higher grades, attend school more consistently, and demonstrate better behavior in the classroom.

The CDC recommends that children get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily. That could mean a walk after dinner, riding bikes, joining a team, or dancing around the living room. Children often model the habits of adults, so when parents prioritize movement, kids are more likely to do the same.

Don’t overlook the power of sleep: Sleep is often the unsung hero of student success. Children and adolescents who don’t get enough rest are at increased risk for health problems such as obesity, diabetes, depression, and injuries. They’re also more likely to struggle with attention, learning, and behavior.

Establishing a regular bedtime and wake-up routine helps regulate sleep cycles, making mornings smoother and school days more productive. Aim for 9–12 hours of sleep per night for younger children and 8–10 hours for teens.

Manage screen time wisely: Today’s digital world presents unique challenges for student health. Excessive screen time can interfere with sleep quality, physical activity, and faceto-face social interactions. Consider establishing tech-free zones in the home, particularly in bedrooms and during meals.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests creating a Family Media Plan that sets reasonable limits on screen time and encourages mindful media use. Powering down devices at least an hour before bedtime allows the brain to prepare for quality sleep.

Open communication is key. Let your child know home is a safe, judgmentfree space where they can share how they’re feeling. If you notice signs of stress, anxiety, or withdrawal, take the time to listen, and don’t hesitate to seek support from a school counselor or healthcare provider if needed.

Keep up with preventive care: Backto-school is also a great time to schedule annual wellness visits. These checkups play a vital role in supporting a child’s overall health and development. During the visit, healthcare providers assess growth milestones, monitor physical and emotional well-being, and provide valuable guidance on nutrition, sleep, exercise, and mental health.

These appointments ensure vaccinations remain current, protecting your child and others from preventable diseases. Many schools require proof of specific immunizations like Tdap, MMR, and meningococcal vaccines depending on your child’s age and state requirements.

Vision and hearing screenings are particularly important for classroom success, as undetected issues can significantly impact learning. If your child complains of headaches, squints frequently, or has difficulty hearing instructions, schedule these screenings promptly.

Germs spread quickly in classrooms, making good hygiene practices essential. Encourage regular handwashing, daily showers, and brushing teeth twice a day to keep students healthy and ready to learn.

Oral health is equally important. Schedule dental check-ups every six months to prevent cavities and other issues that can cause pain or distractions during the school day. Encourage daily brushing and flossing, and limit sugary snacks to support healthy teeth.

A holistic approach to student health: Fostering a healthy lifestyle for students means taking a whole-child approach: nourishing the body with good food and exercise, protecting the mind with stress-reducing routines and emotional support, managing technology use wisely, and staying on top of preventive healthcare. With these strategies in place, students are more likely to thrive, academically, socially, and personally.

Here’s to a happy, healthy, and successful school year!

Monica Hunt is the Lenawee County Health Department’s health officer.

MONICA HUNT

IN MEMORY

We regret that space does not allow us to print detailed obituaries. These listings are intended as a guide to the obituaries that may be found on local funeral homes’ websites. When available, brief biographical information is provided to aid the reader in determining if they knew the deceased. To view complete information, please refer to this key:

[ADS] Adrian Dominican Sisters, adriandominicans.org

[AM] Anderson-Marry Funeral Homes, andersonfuneralservices.com

[BVH] Brown-Van Hemert Funeral Home, brownvanhemert.com

[E] Eineder Funeral Homes, einederfuneralhomes.com

[H] Handler Funeral Homes, handlerfuneralhomes.com

[PA] Purse Funeral Home in Adrian, pursefuneralhome.com

[PS] Gil Purse & Son, gilpurseandson.com

[W] Wagley Funeral Homes, wagleyfuneralhomes.com

Alan Virle Smead, 63, of Adrian died on June 9. He loved the outdoors and bonfires at the farm. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and four-wheeling. [PA]

Bill Holbrook, 83, of Adrian died on June 14. He worked at Brazeway in Adrian for many years and drove trucks for J.B. Hunt until his retirement. He was active at the Adrian Senior Center, where he organized pool tournaments. He was the former owner of Gaslight Billiards in Adrian. [PA]

Debra K. Randall, 69, of Hudson died on June 15. She enjoyed casinos and playing bingo at the Hudson Legion. Her newfound game of fun was bunco at Leffingwell Estates. [BVH]

Philip D. Siegel, 81, of Hudson died on June 16. He was a graduate of Pittsford High School. He farmed in the Waldron area, did road construction for Thompson McCully for 20 years, and drove trucks for B&H Industries for 23 years. He was president of the Waldron Tractor Club and never missed the National Threshers Association Reunion at the Fulton County Fairgrounds. [BVH]

Hanni Laura (Gerhart) Nichols, 58, of Adrian died on June 18. She was a graduate of Michigan State University, where she then went on to teach. She enjoyed exploring the world and sharing her experiences. [PA]

Warner “Sonny” Stuart Snyder, 80, of Adrian died on June 18. He attended Round Top country school and graduated from Adrian High School in 1963. He was employed by General Motors for 32 years, first at Fisher Body and then Hydra-Matic in Toledo. He served in the Army National Guard/Reserve from 1965 to 1971. In later years he was a member of the VFW Honor Guard. [W]

Thomas Marshall Craig, 85, of Medina Township died on June 19. He served in the U.S. Army. In 1966 he started the family farm in Medina Township. He enjoyed rabbit hunting and raising beagles, and was a member and leader in the Detroit Beagle Club. [AM]

Nina Irene Merillat, 94, of Morenci died on June 19. She was a graduate of Liberty Center School. She enjoyed cooking, baking, crafting, birds, and horses. [PA]

Connie Faye Craft, 73, of Hudson died on June 21. She worked as a nurse for Tecumseh Products and as a validator for MPI. [AM]

Milton Antonio “Tony” Cuevas, 53, of Adrian died on June 21. He spent seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Operation Desert Storm. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and served in law enforcement for 30 years, spending 24 years with the Michigan State Police before becoming chief of police for the Clinton Police Department where he served for six years. He had a passion for mentoring youth and founded the Criminal Justice Club at Clinton High School. [AM] Jack D. Garland, 77, of Adrian died on June 21. He worked for the Lenawee County Road Commission for over 30 years, retiring in 2010. Following retirement, he built stock cars for his family to race. [PA]

John L. June, 81, of Adrian died on June 21. He was a 1962 graduate of Tecumseh High School. He was a Navy veteran, serving in Vietnam, and received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for saving two soldiers. He worked at Ford Motor Company for 30 years until his retirement. He owned J&J’s Pawn Shop in Adrian with his brother. [AM]

Elisabeth “Betsy” Kyung Soon Ross, 51, of Adrian died on June 21. She was born in South Korea and later adopted by Dr. William and Barbara Ross. She was a 1991 graduate of Adrian High School. She attended Michigan State University and graduated from Jackson Community College. She worked at Walmart as a manager of online sales. [W]

Diane Ann Skippers, 70, of Adrian died on June 22. She was a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Adrian and actively participated in Vacation Bible School. [AM]

Aileen M. Smith, 79, of Britton died on June 22. She was born and raised in the United Kingdom. Before moving to the U.S. in 1975 she worked for the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium. She furthered her education at the University of Toledo and worked for many years for Owens Corning in Toledo. In 1999 she moved to Britton to start a business where she could train students in general horsemanship and dressage. She also ran her own marketing company, Burnham Research Group. Most recently she served as practice administrator for Knoblauch Law Offices in Blissfield. [AM]

Ronald David Dickerson, 84, of Tecumseh died on June 23. He served in the U.S. Air Force. He worked as a millwright at several local factories and farmed. He retired from factory work in 2003 and farmed until he was 78 years old. He started his working days delivering milk for Trilby Dairy, then worked at Blissfield Manufacturing, Budd Company, Meyers Industries, and O&S Manufacturing. [AM]

James Eugene Fetzer, 93, died on June 23. He worked as a supervisor at Aget Manufacturing in Adrian. He played on the semi-pro football team Big Reds. He also enjoyed restoring furniture. [AM]

Curtis Eugene King, 28, of Tecumseh died on June 23. He worked as a union operator for several utility companies before starting his own business. He operated King’s Diesel Performance in Tecumseh. [W]

Shirley (Reid) Mikolas, 79, of Nancy, Kentucky, died on June 23. She was a 1964 graduate of Adrian High School. She had many hobbies and enjoyed reading, playing slots, and playing cards. She collected Wedgwood pottery and elephants and had an extensive and varied collection. She also enjoyed watching NASCAR and working in her flower beds.

Karen Ann Lefebver, 76, of Port Huron died on June 24. She graduated from Port Huron High School in 1966, studied at Eastern Michigan University, and earned her bachelor’s degree at St. Clair County Community College. She was a collector of many things and enjoyed purchasing school supplies for children in need. [AM]

Thelma Marie Sheldon, 90, of Ann Arbor died on June 24. She was a graduate of Blissfield High School. She was employed by an electrical contractor in Ann Arbor for many years and later worked for the city of Ann Arbor. [W]

Kenneth Paul “Kenny” Ottinger, 61, of Hudson died on June 25. He was a 1982 graduate of Clinton schools. [BVH]

Thomas Andrew Greene, 90, of Tipton died on June 26. After completing electronics trade school, he worked at Lockheed Aerospace in California. He then returned to Michigan and began working as a Teamster laborer on the docks. He was a member of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Tecumseh. [H]

Kay Ann Hawkins, 71, of Jerome died on June 26. She graduated from Rochester schools and earned an associate degree in

nursing from Jackson Community College, later becoming an RN. She worked at the former Bixby Hospital and Lenawee Medical Care Facility, and retired from the Adrian Dominican Sisters as a nursing supervisor. [BVH]

William Larry Matthews, 87, of Brooklyn died on June 26. He had a great love for the outdoors, where he learned the value of hard work, especially in his tractors, cutting trees, and farming. [E]

Carl D. McLaughlin, 82, of Sand Creek died on June 26. He was a member of the Model A Cars Club and was a volunteer fire chief for Fairfield Township for 20 years. [AM]

Anthony “Tony” Albert Newton, 72, of Waldron died on June 26. He served in the U.S. Army, then became a self-employed truck driver and worked with the family business, The Newton Boys. [AM]

Linda Marie Sannes, 72, of Adrian, died on June 26. She was employed for 13 years at DST in Clinton before working in the delicatessen area at Country Market in Adrian. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Adrian. [H]

Darrel Duane Anderson, 93, of Spring Arbor, formerly of Britton, died on June 27. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, and was retired from Ford Motor Company. [S]

Eilene Lafaye McGee, 82, of Britton died on June 27. She grew up in Tennessee. She was a talented seamstress and quilter, and was a member of the Macon United Methodist Church. [H]

Douglas Gene Shields Sr., 85, of Morenci died on June 27. He lived a simple life and enjoyed working around the house, going to church on Sunday, and golfing. (BVH)

Donnell Basham, 55, of Morenci died on June 28. She was a 1988 graduate of Morenci High School. She enjoyed helping out at the Dairy Depot in Morenci. [PA]

Kathleen G. Vanderpool, 86, of Adrian died on June 28. She attended St. Mary’s School and graduated from Adrian High School. She worked at several factories and later in the bakery at Bob’s Market House in Hudson. She operated a Montessori childcare business out of her home for over 20 years. She attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Adrian. She served on the board for the Foster Grandparents Program. [AM]

John William Murray, 66, of Hudson died on June 28. When he was a young man he ran away with the carnival, a career move he recounted with great stories. He served in the U.S. Army in Germany. He worked for more than 20 years at Ford Motor Company’s Wayne Assembly Plant, then bought a farm in Hudson. [AM]

Sister Janet Kubiak, OP, 90, of Adrian died on June 29. Formerly Sister Christine Thomas, she was in her 72nd year of profession as an Adrian Dominican Sister. A native of Detroit, she ministered for 32 years in elementary and secondary education in Michigan, Illinois and Iowa. She then served for nine years as an education/financial aid counselor at the Higher Education Center in Des Moines, Iowa. [ADS]

Aurora River Shepard, 1, of Addison died on June 29. [PA]

Rhea Louise Stephens, 80, of Adrian died on June 29. She worked as an administrative assistant for Adrian Public Schools and the Lenawee Intermediate School District. She was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church in Adrian. She was a member of the Alpha Omega women’s group. [W]

Sister Joanne Wimmer , OP, 90, of Adrian died on June 29. Formerly known as Sister James Alice, she was in her 64th year of profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa. After entering the congregation, she taught for several years in Michigan and Illinois before turning to the world of accounting and becoming a certified public accountant. She spent 27 years serving in Catholic hospitals. [ADS]

Ruth Ann Barber, 87, of Adrian died on June 30. She was a 1955 graduate of Wauseon High School. She worked as an administrative assistant for the Lenawee Intermediate School District for 28 years, retiring in 1996. She was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church of Adrian and sang in the choir. She enjoyed outings with the Red Hat Society. [W]

Ilah Almira Burch, 96, of Jackson died on June 30. She was a 1947 graduate of Addison High School. She worked for Commercial Savings Bank of Addison for 35 years and was a member of the Addison Congregational Church. [BVH]

Henry Joseph Mueller, 67, of Ottawa Lake died on June 30. He was a 1975 graduate of Deerfield High School and a 1979 graduate of Eastern Michigan University. He worked as parts manager at NAPA in Blissfield. [AM]

Robert E. “Skip” Wilks, 89, of Addison died on June 30. He served in the U.S. Army from 1959-1962. He worked at Rouge Steel in Dearborn for 30 years, retiring in 1992. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Brooklyn. [BVH]

Sally Marie Earles, 66, of Adrian died on July 1. After high school she attended cosmetology school. She worked at Bixby and later Hickman Hospital as an anesthesia tech until her retirement in December 2024. [AM]

Victoria “Vicky” Flores, 73, of Adrian died on July 1. She worked at Lynwood Manor and was a member of Holy Family Parish, St. Mary Campus. [AM]

Martha Lee Fuller , 81, of Adrian died on July 1. She was a 1961 graduate of Adrian High School. She worked for many years at the Sears store in Adrian and at Provincial House as a nurse aide. She was a longtime member of the Ogden Church. [W]

Larry Robert Gillies, 78, of Tecumseh died on July 1. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after high school in October 1965, during the Vietnam war. He was employed by Ford Motor Company, retiring after 30 years. He was a member of the Tecumseh VFW and the Tecumseh American Legion. [H]

Jere Thomas Hoover, 83, of Walled Lake died on July 1. He was born and raised in Adrian and graduated from Adrian High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed caring for his hybrid roses and 6-foot tomato plants. [LYNCH & SONS]

John Cyrie Kastel Jr., 84, of Deerfield died on July 1. He attended Deerfield High School and was a lifelong area resident. He farmed and also worked for Ford Motor Company at the Saline plant until his retirement. During the winter he sold horse equipment. For over 40 years he sold produce at area farmers markets. [AM]

Maria A. Smith, 87, of Adrian died on July 1. After earning her bachelor’s degree she began her career as an elementary school teacher in New York. She enjoyed traveling, and while living in Florida she was an active member of the Moose Lodge. [AM]

Terry Starkey, 76, of Tecumseh died on July 1. She was a 1967 graduate of Britton High School. After graduation she went to work at Ford Motor Company. She then worked at Saline Hospital and completed her career at Tecumseh Products. She was a member of the Tecumseh VFW Auxiliary. [H]

Larry Robert Hand, 83, of Adrian died on July 2. He was a 1961 graduate of Tecumseh High School and served in the U.S. Army with the 3rd Armored Division in Germany. After returning home he began working with General Motors at Fisher Body in Tecumseh, and retired in 2000 from GM’s Toledo Propulsion Systems (formerly Hydromatic). [AM]

Oscar Jason Mees Jr., 97, of Clarklake died on July 2. He served in World War II. He was employed at Macklow-Bendix as a machine operator for many years. [E]

Barbara Jean Fairbanks, 95, of Tecumseh died on July 3. She was employed as a shipping clerk at Tecumseh Products for 31 years. She loved to paint pictures and ceramics. [H]

Louis E. Gregor, 93, of Hudson died on July 3. After graduating from high school he served in the U.S. Army. He worked as a heavy equipment operator for the city of Wayne until his retirement in 1986. [AM]

Teresa Ann Pate, 54, died on July 3. [PA]

Kenneth Thomas Peach, 69, of Brooklyn died on July 3. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Sumter. He was known as “Papa Peach” and enjoyed spending time at his seasonal campsite at the Apple Creek Campground. [E]

Thomas Alan “Tom” Plesha, 66, of Adrian died on July 3. He was a 1978 graduate of Saline High School. He enjoyed camping and NASCAR. [PA]

Garry Allen Wilcox, 62, of Tecumseh died on July 3. He graduated from Garden City West High School in 1982. He attended Henry Ford College for law enforcement before serving in the U.S. Navy. While stationed in Texas, he worked as a mechanic on jets. He then worked as on a ground crew for Northwest and Delta Airlines at the Detroit airport. [AM]

Paul Regis McGurin, 76, of Tecumseh died on July 4. He retired as a computer programmer for the city of Pensacola, Florida. [H]

Corliss Ann “Cookie” (Beach) Garland, 73, of Adrian died on July 5. [PA]

Daniel Russell Herman, 74, of Morenci died on July 5. He lived most of his life in the Clayton and Morenci areas. He worked for many years for Stubnitz-Greene in Adrian and Charlotte until they closed, and then worked at several other factories in Michigan and Ohio. He was a member of the Salk Valley Original Rifles. [PA]

Ronald Ray Keel, 76, died on July 5. [PA]

Douglas Wayne Barricklow, 67, of Adrian, died on July 6. After graduating from Adrian High School he worked at the IGA store and then at Johnson’s Sporting Goods. He then worked in manufacturing at Ace Drill, M&S, Hydro Aluminum, and Faurecia Manufacturing. In 1996 he started his own business, Doug’s Animal Nuisance and Damage Control. [AM]

Arberta Ellen Fox, 88, of Brooklyn died on July 6. [E]

DeLeon Lyle Matthews Jr., 74, of Adrian died on July 6. He worked at General Motors Willow Run Assembly Plant in Ypsilanti. He was a mentor and Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 616 for several years. He also volunteered at the Associated Charities, picked up donations for The Salvation Army, and was a regular blood donor. After his retirement from GM, he worked for Lenawee Transportation. [PA]

Tracie Lee Filipek, 70, of Adrian died on July 7. After graduating from Onsted High School she held several jobs, including U.S. Forest Service, Leoni Veterinary Hospital as a Veterinary Technician, and most recently at JJ Western Boots. [AM]

David Eugene Harsh, 61, of Sand Creek died on July 7. He worked as a custodian at Madison Public Schools for 28 years. [AM]

Ronald W. White, 77, died on July 8. He was a 1966 graduate of Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor and served in the Navy Reserve. He received his bachelor’s degree in business from Eastern Michigan University. He was active with American Legion Post 176 in Clinton. When his wife became a pastor he worked as a pastor’s husband at the Clinton United Church of Christ and Bethlehem United Church of Christ. [H]

Lorna L. Anders, 66, of Adrian died on July 9. She was a graduate of Tecumseh High School and worked for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for 32 years. [PS]

Brian Hugh Howland, 69, of York, Maine, died on July 9. He was a 1973 graduate of Columbia High School in Brooklyn, He worked at Eldridge Hardware and Lumber in Maine. [E]

Helene D. Bleecker, 96, of Adrian died on July 10. She was employed as dean of women and music instructor at Northeastern Bible Institute in New Jersey and later as the director of orchestras for Adrian Public Schools, a position she held for 28 years. She served for a number of years as the president of the Tecumseh Pops Orchestra. She was an accompanist, violinist, and choir director in various churches over the years, most recently Grace Point Evangelical Church in Adrian and the Brookdale Senior Living Community. [AM]

Dennis Lavon Towne, 76, of Tecumseh died on July 10. He was a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Army. He worked in the automotive industry as a Hi-Lo driver at Ford Motor Company. After retirement he received his CDL and drove trucks for a short period of time. He was a member of the Tecumseh VFW, Tecumseh American Legion, Hillsdale Elks, and Brooklyn Moose. [H]

Patrick “Pat” Lee Vallad, 79, of Tipton, died on July 10. He was a 1963 graduate of Tecumseh High School and attended Stautzenberger and Henry Ford Community College. He served in the National Guard and worked as a diemaker and prototype and process engineer at Ford Motor Company for 36 years, developing several patents during his time there. [W]

Roxanne Wreath, 68, of Adrian died on July 10. [PA]

Ruth Ann Murphy, 84, of Brooklyn died on July 11. She was a 1959 graduate of Napoleon High School. After graduation she began raising her family and working as a mortgage processor. [E]

Niki Ann Oliver, 76, of Adrian died on July 11. She worked as a nurse after graduating from Wayne State University. [PA]

James Michael Wimple, 74, of Adrian died on July 11. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, canoeing, and tending to his garden. He loved spending time in Grayling, where he attended the canoe marathon each year. [AM]

Beverly Louise Berry, 93, of Adrian died on July 12. She was a 1949 graduate of Sand Creek High School. She worked for 22 years as a sewing machine operator at the General Motors Tecumseh plant until retiring in 1987. She attended St. Joseph Catholic Church in Adrian. She was a member of the Guadalupe Society, St. Vincent de Paul, and the UAW Local 1341. [H]

Douglas “Doug” Cherry, 64, of Adrian died on July 12. [PA]

Janet Louise Frees, 68, of Hudson died on July 12. She was a 1975 graduate of Hudson High School and received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Siena Heights University. She taught fifth grade in Toledo and was then asked to manage the district office of Rep. David Stockman. She also worked for Rep. Mark Siljander at his Adrian office and later moved to Washington, D.C. to be a legislative assistant and district caseworker. She belonged to the American Legion Auxiliary, the Lenawee County Republican Party, and Crystal Cathedral Ministries. [AM]

Tammy Denise (McCarley) Justice, 60, of Adrian died on July 12. [PA]

Anna Marie Kerns, 72, of Morenci died on July 13. She grew up in and attended school in Blissfield. She loved to cook and was known for her potato salad. She enjoyed gardening and was an animal lover. She also enjoyed finding bargains at garage sales. [AM]

Jon-Michael Scott Ross, 42, of Ann Arbor died on July 13. He was a 2001 graduate of Adrian High School and working as a car salesman and later as a truck driver. [W]

Cheryl Lynn Sineveck, 72, of Addison died on July 13. She was the co-owner of The Boat Gallery at Devils Lake. She was a lover of all animals. [AM]

Brice Ray Luttrell Sr., 73, of Lyons, Ohio, died on July 15. He was a 1970 graduate of Adrian High School. He was a skilled tradesman, working in maintenance for Stauffer Chemical and the state of Michigan before retiring from DTE Energy. He had a passion for music and could play nearly any instrument.

Dennis Wayne Pinter, 74, of Adrian died on July 15. He grew up in Tecumseh and attended Tecumseh schools. For over 35 years he built numerous area homes as a self-employed contractor for his business, Pinter Construction. He was a member of the American Legion Post 34 in Tecumseh. In earlier years he belonged to the Jaycees, a Jeep club, and a pool league. He enjoyed attending classic car shows with his ’68 Buick LeSabre convertible. [AM] Lawrence (Larry) Arthur “Juice” Clough, 82, of Jerome died on July 16. He was a 1961 graduate of Blissfield High School and moved to Jerome in 1967. As a young man he worked as a meat cutter and for an electrical company. He retired from Krieghoff Redi-Mix as a dispatcher. [BVH] Mary Alice Lockwood, 90, of Adrian died on July 16. She was a graduate of Sand Creek High School. She began working at the former Adrian State Bank as a teller, working her way up to the loan department and retiring in 2003, and then worked in the administration office at the Adrian Mall until its closing. [AM]

Thomas Melvin Bergman, 87, of Adrian died on July 17. He attended Cooley High School in Detroit and graduated from Adrian College. He began his career as a buyer for L.H. Field department store in Jackson and then in sales for Swenk-Tuttle Press in Adrian, which he later purchased. He also owned Nash Business Forms in Jackson. After his retirement from Grand River Printing in Detroit in 1980, he and his wife moved to Adrian. [W] Ruth “Ruthie” Taylor, 80, of Weston died on July 18. She loved playing pool and was inducted into the VNEA Hall of Fame in 2016. She enjoyed going to racetracks, casinos, and camping. [PA]

Bryan Hugh Mincks, 76, of Tecumseh died on July 19. He graduated from Iowa Wesleyan University, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. As a young adult he was an aide to an Iowa congressman. He worked in development at Iowa Wesleyan University, Aquinas College, Lake Superior State University and Boysville of Michigan. He enjoyed helping others through the Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh and volunteering at Hickman Hospital. He was a member of Grace Point Church of Adrian. [H]

Margaret “Peggy” Bush, 97, of Britton died on July 20. Throughout her life she shared her musical talents with everyone she knew. She was a member of the Iris Garden Society and the National Geological Society. During her adult life she was deeply dedicated to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, where she used her sign language talents to serve and connect with the deaf community. [PS]

Sheila Dawn Johnson, 68, of Adrian died on July 20. She worked for General Motors for over 22 years, retiring in 1998. In her younger years she enjoyed playing softball and was captain of her softball team. [PA]

Geraldine Lucille Willet, 93, of Manitou Beach died on July 20. She was a graduate of Morenci schools. While her children were growing up she was a Brownie and Cub Scout leader. She worked as a certified nursing assistant and telephone operator before moving on to the assembly line at Fayette Tubular and Morenci Rubber Plant. She was a longtime member of Medina Federated Church. [W]

Jerry (Vincent) Casanova Gonzales, 85, of Belleville died on July 21. He worked for the housekeeping department at the University of Michigan. He was a member of the Tecumseh Church of Christ. He enjoyed playing his guitar and singing gospel music. He was also an avid softball player who pitched for the church team and was known as “Pops” throughout the league. [H]

Richard Donald “Butch” Fronce, 77, of Adrian died on July 22. He was employed as a social worker with Community Mental Health for over 28 years. After retirement, he enjoyed using his handyman talents and spending time with his dogs. He also enjoyed computer programming and following politics. [AM]

Joseph Charles Simpson, 73, of Morenci died on July 22 at Midland Hospice Care Home in Topeka, Kansas. He was a U.S. Army veteran and worked in law enforcement in Pottawamie County, Kansas, as a police officer and police chief. [AM]

Ernest “Gary” Cousino Jr., 56, of Hudson, formerly of Morenci, died on July 23 in Jackson. Skilled in various trades, he worked as a carpenter flipping houses all over Michigan. He also worked as an automobile mechanic. [AM]

Janice Darlene Brown, 78, of Adrian died on July 24 at Adrian Bay Rehab and Nursing Center. She worked for 27 years for Dial-A-Ride. [AM]

Donna Jean Whiton, 96, of Adrian died on July 24. She was a teacher who spent her entire career in public schools within Lenawee County, teaching in Adrian and Blissfield before her last 20 years at Hudson Area Schools. She retired in 1986. She was a longtime member of Cadmus Presbyterian Church. She enjoyed spinning, knitting, quilting and sewing. [AM]

Pop’s Garage headlines ’90s night on August 9

» PAGE C3

Acoustic music series in Hudson wraps up with Suzie Vinnick » PAGE C6

ARTS & LIVING

THE LENAWEE VOICE THIRD SECTION AUGUST 2025

All-ages magic show in Morenci

» PAGE C7

Where learning never stops

Students take part in a Lenawee Lifelong Learning class about the River Raisin in 2022. The organization offers educational opportunities for adults twice a year, with most classes taking place at the Weber Retreat and Conference Center in Adrian. COURTESY OF LENAWEE LIFELONG LEARNING

Lenawee Lifelong Learning is dedicated to the idea that education for its own sake can continue throughout life

By Arlene Bachanov The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — A new set of Lenawee Lifelong Learning classes on topics ranging from poetry to the Supreme Court begins in October at the Weber Retreat & Conference Center, located on the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ campus, 1257 E. Siena Heights Drive, Adrian.

Lenawee Lifelong Learning’s Don Taylor said that the idea of LLL came from the late Bob Freligh back in 2010. “Bob was a true Renaissance man, well read and well traveled and just a prince of a man,” Taylor said.

Freligh gathered a group of community people together to develop the concept, and the program launched with five classes in fall 2012. Since

then, there have been more than 230 different courses on subjects ranging from films, art, and poetry to political science, psychology, and history. The classes are taught by volunteers such as retired educators or professionals in their fields.

For a $35 fee, participants can take as many courses as they like per semester.

Classes meet once a week on Tuesdays or Wednesdays over four weeks in October and April. Each class is 90 minutes long. Tours of sites around the area are occasionally part of the offerings as well.

Most of the sessions are held at Weber Center, but a few take place at other locations.

See LIFELONG LEARNING, page C4

Becky and Mark Schersten of Adrian look at a portion of the model train layout at the Blissfield Model Railroad Club during a Lenawee Lifelong Learning tour of the club in April.

Mark Schersten has taught LLL classes for several years. ARLENE BACHANOV/LENAWEE VOICE

Classic musical ‘Annie’ comes to the Croswell

ADRIAN — A beloved classic of the stage comes to the Croswell Opera House this month when the theater presents “Annie.”

The Croswell’s production opens Aug. 8 and runs for two weekends.

The 1976 musical, which is based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” tells the story of an orphan in Depression-era New York who finds a new home when she is adopted by the wealthy Oliver Warbucks. It includes well-known songs like “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life.”

The role of Annie is played by Caroline Hubbard, an 11-year-old from Chelsea. Although this is her first Croswell show, she has been dancing since age 3 and has appeared in numerous productions at southeast Michigan theaters, including as Susan Waverly in “White Christmas” at the Encore Musical Theatre Company in Dexter. At the age of 5, she was one of two girls chosen to play Lulu, the daughter of the main character in “Waitress,” when that show’s first national tour came to the Fisher Theater in 2019.

The other orphans include Charlotte Teall Beaver of Ann Arbor as Pepper; Zariah Blackmon of Adrian as July; Piper Dillon of Sylvania as Tessie; Parker Hinshaw of Ottawa Hills, Ohio, as Duffy; Alayna Brazzil of Holland, Ohio, as Kate; and Maddox Reitz of Sylvania as the littlest orphan, Molly. In the orphan ensemble are Makenzie Gonzalez and Genesis Mutatu of Adrian; Olivia Grzebik of Clinton; Cora Kepler of Dundee; Vivienne Taylor of Ottawa Lake; Clara Ross of Tecumseh; Sunny Barson of Ypsilanti; Adalyn Brazzil of Holland, Ohio; and Giuliana Kozak and Ryelee Pickett of Toledo.

Elizabeth Mitchell of Van Buren Township plays Miss Hannigan, the child-hating matron of the orphanage. Ward Ensign of Toledo is the millionaire Oliver Warbucks, and Emma Skaggs of Perrysburg is Warbucks’ secretary, Grace Farrell.

The ne’er-do-wells Rooster Hannigan and Lily St. Regis, who impersonate Annie’s parents, are played by Steven Kiss of Temperance and Cassidy Giddens of Adrian.

Filling out the cast in a variety of roles are Virginia Atkinson, Kimberly Blackmon, Haylie Blohm, Madelyn Bowman, Tyler Condon, Tiah DavisMutatu, Christopher Harlan, Shannah Mutatu, and Astrid Thomas, all of Adrian; Peter Kepler of Dundee; Lane Hakel

of Hudson; Morgan Decker of Ottawa Lake; Julia Kirn and Abigail Van Camp of Tecumseh; Emily Damschroder and Brian Jones of Maumee, Ohio; and Chris Stack of Toledo.

The production is helmed by Kirsten Hinshaw, who is making her Croswell directorial debut but is well known to Toledo-area theater fans as the director of performing arts at St. Ursula Academy.

The choreographer is Dom Glover, the vocal director of Wynne Marsh, and the live orchestra will be conducted by Ray Novak.

Tickets to “Annie” range from $26 to $46 for adults, $16 to $26 for students, and may be ordered online at croswell. org or by calling 517-264-7469.

The Croswell reminds theatergoers that it does not sell tickets through any third-party sites, and will never sell tickets for more than the advertised price.

Dates and times are:

n Friday, Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

n Saturday, Aug. 9 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

n Sunday, Aug. 10 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

n Thursday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

n Friday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

n Saturday, Aug. 16 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

n Sunday, Aug. 17 at 2:30 p.m.

UP NEXT

Coming up this fall at the Croswell: “Parade” — Sept. 12-21. Based on a true story, “Parade” follows Jewish newlyweds Leo and Lucille Frank as they struggle to make a life in 1913 Georgia. When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable and brutal test of faith. A story of religious intolerance, political injustice and racial tension, “Parade”was nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning three. The Croswell’s production is directed by Michael Yuen and features Matthew Porter of Adrian as Leo Frank.

“Bonnie & Clyde” — Oct. 17-26. This cult-favorite Broadway musical retells the true story of America’s most infamous couple, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the ill-fated lovers and outlaws whose story has been legendary since they achieved folk hero status during the Great Depression. Emma Skaggs of Perrysburg, Ohio, plays Bonnie and Kevin Ludwig of Monclova, Ohio, plays Clyde. The production is directed by Debra Ross Calabrese.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” — Nov. 21 to Dec. 7. This contemporary take on the classic tale features new characters, a hilarious libretto, surprising twists, and an unforgettable score. Ally Szymanski of Adrian plays the title role, and the production is directed by Ron Baumanis.

Caroline Hubbard “Annie”

“Annie” is the next show in the Croswell Opera House’s 2025 Broadway Season.

Morenci’s Bridge Walk returns

MORENCI — The Mackinac Bridge may have the most famous Labor Day bridge walk in the state, but Michigan’s southernmost city offers a bridge walk of its own.

The 31st annual Silver Creek Bridge Walk will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 1, on the historic truss bridge at the Michigan-Ohio border in Morenci. This fun, tongue-in-cheek tradition offers a lighthearted alternative to the five-mile Mackinac Bridge Walk up north, drawing participants from across the region to celebrate community. It is organized by the Kiwanis Club of Morenci.

This year’s walk will benefit the Morenci Food Bank, which serves more than 175 people each month. Participants are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food donation to help support local families in need.

The event includes a short and scenic walk across the 81-foot pedestrian

bridge. It also features a 60-second open mic for local leaders and guests who would like to say a few words. A free hot dog lunch will be provided by the Kiwanis Club, and commemorative T-shirts will be available for purchase at the event.

Immediately following the walk, the Kiwanis Club will hold a Golf Ball Drop Fundraiser Raffle in partnership with the Morenci Fire Department. Golf balls will be dropped from the department’s bucket truck, and the first three to land in the designated holes will win prizes. First place receives $250, second place receives $100, and third place receives $50. Golf balls are $20 each, and only 150 are available. You do not need to be present to win. All proceeds support Kiwanis of Morenci’s mission to help youth in the community. To enter, see a Kiwanian or stop by Engler, Garrow & Roth in downtown Morenci.

People cross Silver Creek during Morenci’s annual Labor Day bridge walk in 2024. COURTESY OF THE CITY OF MORENCI

Woodworking institute partners with Michigan Historic Preservation Network

ADRIAN — The Michigan Historic Preservation Network and the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute recently announced a groundbreaking partnership aimed at revitalizing historic preservation trades education in Michigan.

This collaborative initiative will offer a series of specialized handson workshops, covering essential preservation skills such as historic sash window construction, wood bending techniques, and timber frame engineering.

Funded in part by a grant from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, this initiative brings together the Historic

Preservation Network’s preservation advocacy and the woodworking institute’s nationally recognized expertise in woodworking education to meet the growing need for skilled tradespeople proficient in traditional building methods.

“This partnership represents a major step forward for preservation trades,” stated Luke Barnett, president of the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute.

“Skilled trades are the backbone of heritage conservation, yet many of these critical skills are at risk of disappearing. By teaming up with MHPN, we are providing accessible, high-quality training opportunities, preparing a

new generation of craftspeople to preserve and protect Michigan’s historic architecture.”

Upcoming workshops include:

n Wood Bending: Bend and Form (Aug. 4-8). Participants will learn multiple wood bending methods such as steam bending and vacuum forming, enabling them to produce historically accurate curved components.

n 19th-Century Windows and Doors: Construction & Repair (Aug 11-15). Part of the Thoreau’s Cabin Series, students will build historically accurate sash windows and doors using traditional joinery and glazing techniques.

n Introduction to Timber Frame Engineering (Sept. 19-21). This course combines theory with hands-on practice, focusing on timber frame structures, joint design, and structural testing methods.

“MHPN is proud to partner with SBWI, an institution known for excellence in trade education,” said Brenda Rigdon, executive director of the historic preservation group. “Together, we’re not just preserving historic buildings — we’re preserving the specialized knowledge that makes such preservation possible.”

Courses are open to the public, with registration available at www.mhpn.org and www.sbwi.edu.

‘Emerging Voices’ highlights work from Adrian Center for the Arts classes

ADRIAN — The Adrian Center for the Arts presents “Emerging Voices,” an ACA adult workshop showcase, in the ACA gallery through Aug. 24. The exhibit consists of works selected by teachers in the diverse media offered by the ACA, including clay, painting, glass, printmaking, sculpture, drawing, metals and fibers.

ART EXHIBITS

Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 1-4 p.m. In addition to rotating shows in the gallery, the Adrian Center for the Arts hosts a gallery store featuring a variety of one-of-a-kind works by local artists who are members of the ACA.

Lifelong

Learning from page C1

Classes planned for the upcoming October session include, among others, Latinos in Lenawee, Trees and People, The Story of Anne Frank, The Reformation, Supreme Court Cases, and several courses about local nonprofits such as Associated Charities and the Boys & Girls Club of Lenawee.

Many LLL participants, such as Denise Rock of Palmyra, have been taking classes for a number of years. Starting in 2016, Rock, who’s also on the program’s board, has signed up for most of the classes offered, learning about everything from Chinese writing to Shakespeare to Vietnam.

Besides expanding her range of knowledge, she enjoys the LLL atmosphere. She admits that when she came to her very first class, Supreme Court Cases, she felt a little uncomfortable because history was not her strong suit. But “everybody’s welcoming and friendly,” she said, and friendships often form that extend outside the classroom.

And there isn’t the pressure, like papers and tests, that people remember from their school days. “It’s easy learning,” she said.

Anne Jameson of Adrian has taken LLL classes for about six years. “They’re all fun,” she said. “It’s such a delight to be able to learn.”

A class on poetry, which has been led for years by retired teacher Charmaine Stangl and which returns this October, was among the courses both Rock and

The ACA is at 1375 N. Main St., on the campus of PlaneWave Instruments.

For more information about the ACA, call 517-759-3005 or visit adriancenterforthearts.org.

“4x4x4” at Hidden Lake Gardens: If you missed the ACA’s previous exhibit, which consisted entirely of works no larger than 4 inches in any dimension, you can still see it by visiting Hidden Lake Gardens, which will have the ACA’s “4x4x4” exhibit on display through the fall.

Featuring media such as clay, painting, drawing, sculpture, metalsmithing, and printmaking, the collection offers an intimate look at big creativity in a small format. From portraits and animals to landscapes

and abstract designs, this thoughtfully curated exhibit showcases the talent of regional artists. Many of the pieces are available for purchase.

The exhibit is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hidden Lake Gardens is at 6214 Monroe Road (M-50), Tipton.

Ceramics exhibition at Flatlanders: Flatlanders Art Galleries has a solo exhibition of the recent works of ceramist Julie Schnell-Madden on display through Aug. 30. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Schnell-Madden is a ceramic artist who has worked with the material for over 35 years creating both functional and non-functional clay objects. Her work has been exhibited nationally and

Jameson took this past April. Also in that particular class were Addison’s Mark Busha and Tecumseh’s Gerry Donaldson. Busha, who was also signed up for a course on the Manhattan Project, was actually taking the poetry class for a second time even though he had never been much of a poetry guy. Now, though, “I have a greater understanding of it,” he said.

Donaldson only recently learned about LLL from someone he knew, after he’d been retired for a while and decided he wanted to do something to stimulate his mind. He ended up signing up for all the classes being offered.

“I’ve not found any of them disappointing,” he said.

Bob Utter, a participant in the Spring 2022 “Exploring the River Raisin” Lenawee Lifelong Learning class, holds up a trail camera. Members of the class were given various items related to the work the River Raisin Watershed Council does and held them up as the other participants tried to guess what they were. At left is Utter’s wife, Linda.

COURTESY OF LENAWEE LIFELONG LEARNING

Don and Becky Fry of Adrian have both taken many of LLL’s classes over the years and look forward every year to participating. They’ve also taken part in tours of places such as the Lenawee County Courthouse, the Adrian Armory, Michigan International Speedway, and the Blissfield Model Railroad Club.

“The tours have been fascinating,” Becky said as the couple checked out the elaborate setups at the model railroad club one day during the April semester. “They’re places I would never have gone to.”

Among the more-unique classes the Frys have taken over the years are ones on humor and baseball. “These are topics that there’s no way I’d ever have read a book about,” Don said.

internationally, and she has served as visiting artist at various institutions, often creating curriculum and teaching strategies while in residence. She received her BFA from Ohio University, and her MA and MFA from Bowling Green State University.

Flatlanders Art Galleries operate in conjunction with Flatlanders Sculpture Supply, a full-service sculpture resource. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Flatlanders is located just east of Blissfield, at 11993 East U.S. 223. For more information, visit flatlandersculpture.com, call the gallery at 517-486-4591, or find Flatlanders on Facebook.

And in addition to the learning itself, “we’ve met interesting people” in the classes, Becky said. “It forms a little community.”

Cathy Thielan, a retired teacher who has served as LLL’s curriculum chair for about 10 years now, has been taking classes right from the program’s start. She had retired and her husband had died, “and I needed something to do,” she said. “I took a class and I was hooked. … The classes are interesting and I’ve made great friends. There’s something for everyone.”

Thielan said she would love to see even more people participating in the classes, and that there is always a need for more instructors.

People who volunteer to teach LLL classes enjoy the classes as much as their students do. For Stangl, it’s a chance to share her passion for poetry with others.

“I love teaching people about something that brings so much joy and is so beautiful,” she said. “I just think poetry is a gift to the world.”

Mark Schersten, a professor emeritus at Siena Heights University, has taught LLL classes for several years. To him, it’s exciting to be able to teach people about topics that especially interest him, and “I like getting people to think a little bit deeper,” he said.

And, he joked, unlike teaching on the college level, “there are no papers to grade, no tests to give.” But on the other hand, “if the students don’t do the reading, it’s just like college!”

For more information on upcoming classes and signing up, go to lenaweelifelonglearning.org or follow the organization on Facebook.

AUGUST

THINGS TO DO IN LENAWEE COUNTY

To submit events for inclusion in this calendar, please email news@lenaweevoice.com by the 15th of the month before the event.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1

45th annual Big Fun Fly

Heritage Park, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Join the Bits and Pieces RC Club as they show what radio-controlled airplanes can do. Free. 3221 N. Adrian Hwy., Adrian bitsandpiecesrc.com

Adrian First Fridays

Downtown Adrian, 5-8 p.m.

Pickles are the theme of this month’s Adrian First Fridays, including pickleball in the streets. Grab a paddle, challenge your friends, or try it out for the first time. The event will also include pickle-themed food vendors, a rock climbing wall and jumpers for kids, a swordswallowing show by Jax Silver Tree, and live music by Our Two Cents. Free. adrianff2016@gmail.com

517-264-4815

First Friday Car Show

Lenawee County Fairgrounds, 5-8 p.m.

The August theme is Mopar and entertainment will be provided by The Metros. Free. 602 N. Dean St., Adrian

BBQ at the Barn Fundraiser

American Farm Museum and Education Center, 6 p.m.

This annual fundraiser will benefit the American Farm Museum and Education Center. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m., with a cash bar. $75. 400 E. Jefferson St., Blissfield afmecblissfield.org/bbq-at-the-barn

Shakespeare in the Park: ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ Trestle Park, 6:30 p.m.

The Adrian Shakespeare Company presents its sophomore outing, a 1970s-themed adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. Bring your own seating. Free.

302 W. Hunt St., Adrian adrianshakespeare.org

Summer Concert Series: Science Dad

Bicentennial Park, 7-9 p.m.

Enjoy live music in downtown Blissfield. Bring your chair or blanket, or grab a seat at one of the picnic tables in Bicentennial Park. Free.

107 S. Lane St, Blissfield mainstreet@blissfieldmichigan.gov

517-486-4347

‘What’s Up in the Summer Night Skies’ Robinson Planetarium, Adrian College, 7 p.m.

The Robinson Planetarium will be open for public programs throughout the summer season, offering shows every Friday at 7 p.m., from May through August. Free. Peelle Hall, corner of Charles and Williams, Adrian mfairclough@adrian.edu

lego fiesta for adults

Legos are not just for kids. Join us for Lego building and snacks! Saturday, August 2 1:00-2:30 PM

BINGO

for BOOKS @

ADL

Adults, teens & kids ages 7+

Play Bingo to win books and other prizes, have fun and make new friends! Monday, August 4 | 10:00-11:30 AM

FINALE PARTY

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8 | 6:30-8 PM

Join us at Island Park near the Maple Pavilion for a funfilled foam party. We will bring the foam, music, prizes and snacks. You bring a towel and wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.

Complete your reading challenge by 5pm on Aug. 8 to qualify to win a grand prize. Winners will be drawn during the Finale Party.

Songs of the seas: a Sea Shanty Singalong! Lead by shantyman, Ben Traverse

Ahoy! Join us fer a Sea Shanty Singalong. No experience needed. Free fer all ages. Batten down the hatches fer a great time!

Thursday, August 21 6-7 PM

Lenawee Lifelong Learning is an educational program for adults in Lenawee County. We offer an opportunity to attend classes on a wide variety of topics.

Knowledgeable instructors donate their time and expertise. There are no tests, no papers and no grades – only fun and learning.

Over 230 classes have been offered in 13 years such as History of Industry in Lenawee, The Language of Film, The American Presidency, Humor and Psychology, Contemporary Islam, Supreme Court Decisions, Bill of Rights, How to Think About God, The Manhattan Project and The Vietnam War.

FALL SEMESTER CLASSES WILL MEET ON FOUR TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS IN OCTOBER AT WEBER CENTER

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2

Ahimsa Summer Social Ahisma Safe Haven, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ever wondered what goes into giving lifelong sanctuary to animals? Join Ahimsa Safe Haven for a relaxed morning of live music, local refreshments, family-friendly fun, and a behind-the-scenes look at the shelter’s rescue work. Free. 9740 Shepherd Road, Onsted ahimsasafehaven.org ahimsasafehaven@gmail.com

Day of Mindfulness: Open To One’s Own Suffering Weber Retreat & Conference Center, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

In the silence, listen for the soothing sounds or the awakening sense of being understood, accepted, and loved. Begin to experience the taste, the touch, and the warmth of selfcompassion. $35.

1257 E. Siena Heights Drive, Adrian webercenter.org 517-266-4000

Lego Party for Adults

Fiesta tematica de Lego para adultos Adrian District Library, 1-2:30 p.m. Legos are not only for kids. Join the library for a Legothemed party with snacks and get the chance to win a small dinosaur

Lego set! Adults only. Los Legos no son solo para niños. ¡Acompáñanos a una fiesta temática de Lego con botanas y obtén la oportunidad de ganar un juego de Lego! Adultos únicamente. Bilingual program. No registration required. Free.

143 E. Maumee St., Adrian www.adrian.lib.mi.us

Paddling the Raisin River Raisin at Indian Crossing Trails, 6 p.m. Join the River Raisin Watershed Council for an unforgettable kayaking adventure. This program is intended for ages 14 and up. The trip includes two short portages, one with a moderately steep hill. Basic kayaking instruction will be provided. Suitable for those with a moderate fitness level and a sense of adventure. Cost is $10 per person if you provide your own kayak; kayaks can be rented for an additional $5 per person. Register at givebutter.com/paddlerrwc.

703 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh givebutter.com/paddlerrwc 517-662-8755

Shakespeare in the Park: ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ Trestle Park, 6:30 p.m.

The Adrian Shakespeare Company presents its sophomore outing, a 1970s-themed adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. Bring your own seating. Free.

302 W. Hunt St., Adrian adrianshakespeare.org

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3

Shakespeare in the Park: ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ Trestle Park, 2:30 p.m.

The Adrian Shakespeare Company presents its sophomore outing, a 1970s-themed adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. Bring your own seating. Free.

302 W. Hunt St., Adrian adrianshakespeare.org

First Sunday Adult Improv The Croswell Opera House, 6-7:30 p.m. Say “yes, and...” to the magic of improv with fun drop-in classes for adults. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned expert, you’ll have fun thinking on your feet, exercising your wits, and spinning tales in these fun-filled sessions. Free, but advance registration is encouraged.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian

TUESDAY, AUGUST 5

Dine and Discuss: ‘American Mother’ Weber Retreat & Conference Center, 5:30 p.m.

“American Mother” by Colum McCann and Diane Foley is the powerful and heartbreaking story of journalist Jim Foley and his imprisonment and ultimate death by ISIS. Diane Foley, Jim’s mother, narrates the story beginning with her meeting with her son’s killer. Registration is required; books may be picked up at the Weber Center desk. $25 (includes book and dinner).

1257 E. Siena Heights Drive, Adrian webercenter.org

517-266-4000

Art Cuff Craft

Tecumseh District Library, 6:30 p.m.

Unleash your creativity in this hands-on crafting class. Participants will design and create their own unique art cuff bracelet using your favorite book passages. All necessary materials will be provided, and you are encouraged to bring your old books if there is a particular passage you like. Space is limited. Adults only.

215 N. Ottawa St., Tecumseh tecumsehlibrary.org

517-423-2238

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6

Wizarding Weekend Craft Tecumseh District Library, 11 a.m.

Transform an everyday stick into your own customized magic wizarding wand in this craft event. Free.

215 N. Ottawa St., Tecumseh tecumsehlibrary.org

517-423-2238

Magic show with Cameron Zvara Stair District Library, 1 p.m.

The Stair District Library presents a show by magician Cameron Zvara. Using a combination of mindblowing magic, hilarious comedy, juggling, music, and audience participation, this show is suitable for all ages.

228 W. Main St., Morenci stairlib.org or 517-458-6510

Cambrian Annual Cruise Night and 20-year anniversary celebration

Cambrian Senior Living, 6-7:30 p.m. Car show registration begins at 5:30 p.m.; the show opens at 6 p.m. No entry fee. Food will be available for purchase. Free. 333 N Occidental Hwy., Tecumseh cambrianseniorliving.com or 517-423-5300

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7

U.S. 127 World’s Longest Yard Sale Along U.S. 127, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Start your day at Siggy Parker’s General Store, the northernmost point of the U.S. 127 Yard Sale that takes place on the first Thursday through Sunday in August every year. The sale runs all the way to Gadsden, Alabama. 116 S. Steer St., Addison www.127yardsale.com addison127events@gmail.com

Music in the Park: The Rebel Elves Adams Park, 6-8 p.m. Downtown Tecumseh’s outdoor summer concert series. Free. 309 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8

Adrian District Library’s Finale Foam Party

Island Park, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Join the Adrian District Library at Island Park near the Maple Pavilion for a fun-filled foam party to wrap up the library’s summer reading program. The foam, music, prizes and snacks will be provided. Bring a towel and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. All ages welcome. No registration required. Free.

1090 N. Broad St., Adrian www.adrian.lib.mi.us

‘What’s Up in the Summer Night Skies’

Robinson Planetarium, Adrian College, 7 p.m.

The Robinson Planetarium will offer a free shows about the summer night skies.

Peelle Hall, corner of Charles and Williams, Adrian

‘Annie’

The Croswell Opera House, 7:30 p.m.

Back at the Croswell for the first time in 14 years, “Annie” is the perfect family musical! With equal measures of pluck and positivity, an orphan in 1930s New York City charms her way into everybody’s heart in this classic of musical theater. Adults $46/$36/$26, students $26/$22/$16. Continues Saturday, Sunday, and next weekend.

129 E. Maumee St, Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

North Street Pub Concert Series:

Chase Van Brandt & The Dive Bar All-Stars

North Street Pub, 8-11 p.m.

Morenci’s North Street Pub presents outdoor live music once a month all summer.

113 North St., Morenci facebook.com/NorthStreetPubMorenci 517-458-6469

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9

Trains, Trucks & More

Southern Michigan Railroad, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This event will feature classic cars, antique tractors, big trains, little trains, trucks, emergency vehicles, and more. Food will be available to purchase from food truck vendors and the gift shop will be open. Free. 301 Bartlett St., Clinton customerservice@southernmichiganrr.com 517-456-7677

Free portrait session by Autism GRACE of Lenawee

Tecumseh Family Dental, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Autism GRACE of Lenawee is providing a free 15-minute private session with a photographer intended for those on the autism spectrum. With a little extra time, space, helping hands and patience, we hope to catch a great picture of your loved one to be displayed in your home or shared with friends and family. Limited spaces available; registration is required by emailing autismgraceoflenawee@gmail.com.

101 Brown St., Tecumseh autismgraceoflenawee@gmail.com

‘Annie’

The Croswell Opera House, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

The classic musical “Annie” is on stage this month at the Croswell Opera House. Adults $46/$36/$26, students $26/$22/$16. Continues Sunday and next weekend.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

Blissfield on Tap

Clara Bachmayer Park, 4-9 p.m.

Join your friends and neighbors at an outdoor craft beer festival at Clara Bachmayer Park along the River Raisin. Enjoy craft beer from local breweries along with live music and food trucks. Presale tickets are $20, which includes entry to the event and a mug for the first 400 people. Tickets at the event are $25. Drinks are $3 each or 10 for $25. Ages 21 and up; no children or pets.

113 S. Monroe St., Blissfield blissfieldmichigan.gov/blissontap

’90s on the 9th

Downtown Morenci, 6-11 p.m.

Hosted by the Morenci Downtown Development Authority as part of its Summer Saturdays Series, the event features a free concert at 7 p.m. by Pop’s Garage, a dynamic band known for playing an eclectic mix of today’s biggest hits alongside favorites from the ’90s and earlier decades. The evening includes food trucks, beer tents, costume contests, and 50/50 raffles starting at 6 p.m. Everyone is invited to dance the night away under the stoplight downtown.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10

‘Annie’

The Croswell Opera House, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

The classic musical “Annie” is on stage this month at the Croswell Opera House. Adults $46/$36/$26, students $26/$22/$16. Continues Sunday and next weekend.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

Second Sunday Teen Improv

The Croswell Opera House, 6-7:30 p.m.

Dive into the spontaneous fun of improv with this inventive class that will test your reflexes and flex your creative muscles! Teen improv is offered on the second Saturday of every month, but you can come to every session or just a few, whatever fits your schedule. For ages 13-17. Free, but registration is encouraged.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian croswell.org/education 517-264-7469

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12

Pedal the Hills

Hidden Lake Gardens, 6-10 p.m.

Enjoy an evening of bicycling or walking at Hidden Lake Gardens. Explore over six miles of paved trails, surrounded by beautiful scenery and highlights of the gardens. Walk or bring your own bicycle. Helmets are recommended for all cyclists. Cycling permitted on paved trails only. The Sky Walk and hiking trails will be open for exploration on foot. For safety, Woodland Drive and Arboretum Road will be closed to motorized vehicles during this event. Free admission for members of Hidden Lake Gardens and cardholders at Adrian District Library, Lenawee County Library, Stair District Library and Tecumseh District Library (please present your library or membership card at the gate house). Regular admission rates apply to all other visitors.

6214 Monroe Road, Tipton hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu 517-431-2060

Gardening for Pollinators: What are the alterNATIVES?

Hidden Lake Gardens, 6-8 p.m.

Join the Hidden Lake Gardeners for a special evening featuring Vincent Ste. Marie, owner of Windy Rock Farm & Nursery in Manchester, for a talk highlighting the vital role native plants play in supporting native pollinator insects and bird populations — and how home gardeners can make a difference. Following the presentation, a selection of potted Michigan native perennials, shrubs, and trees, as well as books on pollinator gardening, foraging, and backyard fruit production, will be available for purchase. A suggested $5 donation is appreciated to help support program costs. No registration required. 6214 Monroe Road., Tipton hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu 517-431-2060

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13

Lunch and Learn:

There’s Nothing Like A Good Massage Weber Retreat & Conference Center, 12:15 p.m. Massage therapist Savvy Boyd and cranial massage therapist Kendra Crombez will describe different massage therapies and their benefits. Bring your lunch (drinks and dessert are provided) or purchase lunch from the Weber Center for $8 (your choice of egg salad, turkey and cheese, or chicken salad croissant sandwich with chips) by registering at least two days in advance of the event. Free to attend.

1257 E. Siena Heights Drive, Adrian webercenter.org 517-266-4000

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14

‘White Bird’ Lenawee District Library, 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. Struggling to fit in at his new school after being expelled for his treatment of Auggie Pullman (portrayed in the movie “Wonder”), young Julian is visited by his grandmother and is transformed by the story of her attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Free.

4459 West U.S. 223, Adrian lenawee.lib.mi.us or 517-263-1011

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14

Third Thursday Live Music

Downtown Adrian, 5 p.m.

Experience the energy of Third Thursday in downtown Adrian — an evening of live music by Brittani Joy and Billy Joe Hunt, food trucks, and summer vibes. Bring your friends, grab a bite to eat, and soak in the sounds of the season under the open sky. Free. adriancity.com or 517-263-2161

Car & Bike Show

Springbrook Commons, 5-8 p.m.

The shops and restaurants at Springbrook Commons host this monthly car show. Includes entertainment.

628 W. Adrian St., Blissfield

Beginning Archery

W.J. Hayes State Park, 6 p.m.

Whether you’re trying archery for the first time or just looking for a fun outdoor activity, this event is perfect for ages 7 and up (must be accompanied by an adult). A certified instructor will guide you through the basics. Equipment will be provided. Location: Ball field near the beach entrance. The class is free, but a Recreation Passport is required for park entry. 1220 Wamplers Lake Road, Onsted www.michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/hayes 517-467-7401

Hearts & Hands: Five Years of Giving

The Centre, 6 p.m.

A fundraiser for the Meal Assistance Program at City of Refuge Ministries, celebrating the program’s fifth anniversary. $25. 1800 East U.S. 223, Adrian cityofrefugeministritiesintl.com corministries.leader@gmail.com 527-442-5880

Celebrate Hudson Music in the Park: Suzie Vinnick

Southern Michigan Center for Science and Industry, 6:30 p.m.

Enjoy original acoustic music with this outdoor concert series. The featured musician for Aug. 14 is Suzie Vinnick, a Saskatoon native transplanted to the Niagara Region of Ontario who has a gorgeous voice, impressive guitar and bass chops and an engagingly candid performance style. Free.

550 E. Main St., Hudson

‘Annie’

The Croswell Opera House, 7:30 p.m.

The classic musical “Annie” is on stage this month at the Croswell Opera House. Adults $46/$36/$26, students $26/$22/$16. Continues Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15

30th Annual Chamber Golf Outing

Raisin Valley Golf Club, 8:30 a.m.

Includes 18 holes of golf, cart, and lunch. Participate in betting holes, longest drive, closest to the pin, and hole-in-one contest. Online registration at greaterlenaweechamber. org. Registration at 8:30 a.m., tournament starts at 9:30 a.m. $325 per team. 4057 Comfort Rd., Tecumseh greaterlenaweechamber.org 517-423-3740

Summer Garden Party

Madison Garden Center & Flower Shop, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Event runs from Friday to Sunday. Friday’s activities include:

n Botanical beverages workshop, 11 a.m.

n Handcrafted herb body scrubs, 2 p.m.

n Bussin’ Bowls food truck, 1 a.m. to 2 p.m. 1033 W. Beecher St., Adrian 517-263-2660

Comedy Capers show Bliss-Liewert Senior Center, 10 a.m. Free.

206 S. Lane St., Blissfield blissfield.seniors@lenawee.mi.us 517-486-2397

Onsted Classic Car Show

Downtown Onsted, 4-8 p.m.

From classic beauties to modern marvels, there will be something for every car lover at the Onsted Classic Car Show. Includes a period attire costume contest. Airbrush artist Joe Rupley will be displaying his work. The event also includes DJ Bob Brooks, contests, raffles and a kiddie car parade at 6 p.m. facebook.com/onstedmicarshow 517-902-6834

Onsted Summer Bash

Onsted Village Park, 6-10 p.m.

This summer festival is presented by the Irish Hills Chamber of Commerce, the DurkeeSeager Unit 550 American Legion Auxiliary, and Hubbard’s Auto in Onsted. Features food trucks, Onsted Community Recreation Committee concession stand, bounce houses for kids, an auto show, and a home run derby for kids and adults. Free.

227 E. Third St., Onsted www.ocrc.club

‘What’s Up in the Summer Night Skies’

Robinson Planetarium, Adrian College, 7 p.m. The Robinson Planetarium will be open for public programs throughout the summer season, offering shows every Friday at 7 p.m., from May through August. Free. Peelle Hall, corner of Charles and Williams, Adrian mfairclough@adrian.edu

‘Annie’

The Croswell Opera House, 7:30 p.m.

The classic musical “Annie” hits the stage at the Croswell Opera House. Adults $46/$36/$26, students $26/$22/$16. Continues Saturday and Sunday.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

Outdoor movie: ‘If’

Heritage Park, dusk

This 2024 fantasy-comedy film follows a young girl who goes through a difficult experience and begins to see everyone’s imaginary friends who have been left behind as their creators have grown up. Sponsored by the city of Adran. Free.

3221 N. Adrian Hwy., Adrian

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16

Summer Garden Party

Madison Garden Center & Flower Shop, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Event runs from Friday to Sunday. Saturday’s activities include:

n Intro to Beekeeping workshop, 10 a.m.

n Sip & Sweets and Bussin’ Bowls food trucks, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

n Music by The Mini Pearls, noon to 2 p.m.

n Music by The Native Heart, 3-5 p.m. 1033 W. Beecher St., Adrian 517-263-2660

Pets for Vets Charity Ride

The Brick Wall Pub & Grill, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Brick Wall presents its 10th annual fundraiser for the Pets for Vets program. Free hot breakfast in the morning before the charity ride. Drink specials and dinner special available. Live band, raffles, auctions and more. Charity ride is $20 per rider, $15 per passenger. 114 W. Maumee St., Adrian 517-759-4072

The Soft Life: A Wine Tasting & Charcuterie Experience

Black Fire Winery, 2-8 p.m.

Swanky Lady Couture and Black Fire Winery are partnering to present a day of wine tastings, charcuterie, and a curated market with 25 local brands. Tickets start at $35 plus Eventbrite fee.

(See link on page C6.)

1261 E. Munger Road, Tecumseh 517-424-9232 or blackfirewinery.com

Sense of Place Home Walk Series

Goose Creek Grassland Sanctuary, 2-5 p.m.

The “Sense of Place” Home Walk Series takes place on public and private lands and allows tour guides to share their connections to the places they love. For this installment, walkers will explore Goose Creek Grasslands Nature Sanctuary, off Cement City Highway near Cement City. Free. stewardshipnetwork.org/events

‘Annie’

The Croswell Opera House, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

See the classic musical “Annie” at the Croswell Opera House. Adults $46/$36/$26, students $26/$22/$16. Continues Sunday. 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

Rodeo

Lenawee County Fair & Events Grounds, 7 p.m. Ranch rodeo action by Southpoint Rodeo Productions. $20 for adults, $10 for kids ages 5-12, free for kids 4 and under. 602 N. Dean St., Adrian lenfair.com or 517-263-3007

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

Revitalize Morenci Initiative Golf Fundraiser

Woodlawn Golf Club, 9 a.m.

The 18-hole scramble features four-person teams, with an 8 a.m. registration and 9 a.m. shotgun start. Entry is $75 per golfer and includes a power cart, hot dogs at the turn, lunch afterward, contests, prizes, and more. Register by Aug. 8. Forms are available at Morenci City Hall or on the Revitalize Morenci Initiative Facebook page. Proceeds support Morenci beautification projects and murals. $75. 4634 Treat Hwy., Adrian revitalizemorenci@gmail.com 517-458-6828

Summer Garden Party

Madison Garden Center & Flower Shop, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Event runs from Friday to Sunday. Sunday’s activities include a cake and ice cream celebration of the garden center’s 70th anniversary. 1033 W. Beecher St., Adrian 517-263-2660

‘Annie’

The Croswell Opera House, 2:30 p.m. The final performance of “Annie” at the Croswell Opera House. Adults $46/$36/$26, students $26/$22/$16. 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

Read with Spartie Addison Branch Library, 3:30 p.m. Book lovers of all ages can drop by the Addison Branch Library to read a book to Spartie the corgi. 103 S. Talbot St., Addison lenawee.lib.mi.us

Medicare 101 Bliss-Liewert Senior Center, 10 a.m. Learn about Medicare in this presentation by Carrie Atkinson. Bingo to follow. Free. 206 S. Lane St., Blissfield blissfield.seniors@lenawee.mi.us 517-486-2397

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19

Smith-Kimball 70th Anniversary Celebration

Smith-Kimball Community Center, 6-8 p.m.

This free public event will include children’s activities by the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, a free community picnic while supplies last, and music by Pickin’ Roots Unplugged. Free. 211 Tecumseh St., Clinton

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20

What’s Happenin’ Wednesday Downtown Adrian, 5-8 p.m.

What’s Happenin’ Wednesday is a servicebased focus event encouraging people to explore downtown Adrian’s service-oriented businesses. Free. downtownadrian.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

Morenci Car Cruise Crossroads Lot (across from Wakefield Park), 5-7 p.m.

This monthly car show includes food, music, and door prizes. For more information, call Denise Walsh at 517-490-6068. West Main Street, Morenci

Songs of the Seas: Sea Shanty Singalong Adrian District Library, 6-7 p.m.

Earthwork Music presents “Songs of the Seas” led by Ben Traverse. No experience needed; suitable for all ages. Free.

143 E. Maumee St., Adrian www.adrian.lib.mi.us or 517-265-2265

Music in the Park: Out of Favor Boys Adams Park, 6-8 p.m.

Downtown Tecumseh’s outdoor summer concert series. Free.

309 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh Classic Car & Bike Show

Old National Bank, Tecumseh, 6-8 p.m. Registration is free; participants are encouraged to bring canned goods or non-perishable food items to donate.

205 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh downtowntecumseh.com 517-424-6555

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

Family Movie: ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Deerfield Branch Library, 3:30 p.m. The Deerfield branch of the Lenawee District Library will show the 2025 film “A Minecraft Movie.” All ages are welcome, and snacks will be provided.

170 Raisin St., Deerfield lenawee.lib.mi.us

Air Dry Clay Animals

Clayton Branch Library, 4 p.m.

Kids of all ages can drop by the Clayton Branch library to sculpt animals using air-dry clay. Registration is not required and all materials will be provided.

3457 State St., Clayton lenawee.lib.mi.us

Summer Concert Series:

The Amelia Airharts

Bicentennial Park, 7-9 p.m.

Live music in downtown Blissfield with the Amelia Airharts, a female-led band with an explosive presence and soulful sound. Free. 107 S. Lane St, Blissfield mainstreet@blissfieldmichigan.gov

Fourth Friday Comedy Night

Farver’s at the Croswell, 7 p.m.

Hosted by Tommy Cook and featuring a lineup of local comedians ready to share their jokes. This event may feature adult language. No cover. 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian www.croswell.org

‘What’s Up in the Summer Night Skies’ Robinson Planetarium, Adrian College, 7 p.m. The Robinson Planetarium will be open for public programs throughout the summer season, offering shows every Friday at 7 p.m., from May through August. Free. Peelle Hall, corner of Charles and Williams, Adrian mfairclough@adrian.edu

Movie Night: ‘Moana’ Blissfield Aquatic Center, dusk

A family movie night at the pool featuring Disney’s “Moana.” Bring your towels, chairs, and blankets, and settle in for a fun evening under the stars. Yard games, cornhole, and concessions available. Free for members or with paid daily pool admission ($7 for residents, $8 for non-residents).

304 Sugar St., Blissfield blissfieldmichigan.gov/movies 517-486-4347

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

Art at Your Feet

Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Enjoy a day of chalk drawings on Lane Street, as well as of vendors selling unique art. Prizes given out to the best art of the day. Free. South Lane St., Blissfield artatyourfeet@blissfieldlibrary.org 517-486-2858

Hudson Free Store Fundraiser

Hudson First United Methodist Church, 4-7 p.m.

A pulled pork dinner fundraiser to support the Hudson Free Store, a free, communityrun space providing clothing and household goods to those in need, with no judgment and lots of love. Dine-in and carryout available. Pay-what-you-can donation.

420 W. Main St., Hudson hudsonfreestore.square.site or 419-779-6655

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27

ASO Summer Chamber Music Series Holy Rosary Chapel, 7:30 p.m.

The Adrian Symphony Orchestra presents Montgomery’s Rhapsody No. 1 and Debussy’s Sonata for Violin and Piano. Featuring violinist Danielle Belen and pianist Sarina Zhang. $25. 1257 E. Siena Heights Drive, Adrian adriansymphony.org 517-264-3121

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28

Art in the Park

Downtown Brooklyn, 5-9 p.m.

Art in the Park is back in downtown Brooklyn’s Weatherwax Park every fourth Thursday from May to September. Features music, art, food trucks, farmers market, art market, and more. Contact fellow@VillageofBrooklyn.com for vendor participation information. Water Street, Brooklyn villageofbrooklyn.com 517-592-2591

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29

‘What’s Up in the Summer Night Skies’ Robinson Planetarium, Adrian College, 7 p.m.

The Robinson Planetarium will be open for public programs throughout the summer season, offering shows every Friday at 7 p.m., from May through August. Free. Peelle Hall, corner of Charles and Williams, Adrian mfairclough@adrian.edu

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Silver Creek Bridge Walk East Street, Morenci, 11 a.m.

Join the Kiwanis Club of Morenci for the 31st annual Silver Creek Bridge Walk, a fun, short stroll across Morenci’s historic truss bridge. The event includes brief public remarks (60 seconds or less) from community members and local leaders, followed by a short walk across the historic truss bridge. The event benefits the Morenci Food Bank; participants are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations. Free hot dog lunch and commemorative T-shirts available for purchase. All ages welcome.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Adrian First Fridays Downtown Adrian, 5-8 p.m.

Downtown Adrian’s monthly First Fridays event features activities for all ages. Free. adrianff2016@gmail.com 517-264-4815

First Friday Car Show

Lenawee County Fair & Events Grounds, 5-8 p.m.

A car show takes place on the first Friday of every month through October at the Lenawee County Fair & Event Grounda. The September theme is Chevelles and Novas, and entertainment will be provided by Braxton Garza. Free.

602 N. Dean St., Adrian

FOURTH FRIDAY COMEDY IN DOWNTOWN ADRIAN: Ypsilanti-based comedian Tommy Cook hosts a comedy night on the fourth Friday of every month in Farver’s at the Croswell, the bar located just off the main lobby of the Croswell Opera House. A different lineup of local and regional comedians is featured every month.

Friday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Lenawee Pride

City Market Pavilion, 3-8 p.m.

Lenawee County’s sixth annual celebration of love, equality and community focused on building, connecting and celebrating the Lenawee County area’s LGBTQIA+ community and allies. The festival will include music, line dancing, vendors, service providers, food trucks, a “Shop and Strut” through downtown, selfie opportunities, and more. Park in the old Pharm lot off of Front Street.

115 Toledo St., Adrian facebook.com/lenaweemichiganpride

BBQ Fundraiser for Share the Warmth Morenci Legion, 1-5 p.m.

Catered by Jake’s Smokehouse, this event will raise money to benefit Share the Warmth of Lenawee. $20. 9010 Morenci Road, Morenci sharethewarmthoflenawee.org

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

First Sunday Adult Improv

The Croswell Opera House, 6-7:30 p.m.

Say “yes, and...” to the magic of improv with fun drop-in classes for adults. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned expert, you’ll have fun thinking on your feet, exercising your wits, and spinning tales in these fun-filled sessions. Free, but advance registration is encouraged. 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian croswell.org/education

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Run for the Hills!

Hidden Lake Gardens, 8 a.m.

Enjoy a beautiful fall morning at Hidden Lake Gardens for the 15th annual Run for the Hills, which is a one-mile and 5K run or walk along paved roads. Proceeds from the race will benefit Hidden Lake Gardens and Oh These Irish Hills. Start time is 8 a.m., and all participants must arrive before the entry gate closes at 7:15 a.m. Register by Aug. 15 to receive the early bird discount ($35). Late registration ($45) will be available starting Aug. 16 until 7:30 a.m. the day of the race. The cost is $10 for kids 14 and under. All participants will receive a participation medal. Only participants registered by Aug. 31 are guaranteed a T-shirt. Registration is only available online. Registration includes entry into Hidden Lake Gardens and the Reach for the Sky Canopy Walk. 6214 West Monroe Road, Tipton hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu 517-431-2060

Farver’s at the Croswell

129 E. Maumee St. Adrian

LIVE MUSIC AT BARS AND NIGHT SPOTS

Information in this listing is taken from a mixture of submissions and information published by the venues. We recommend verifying that information is up to date before making plans. To submit listings, email lcline@ lenaweevoice.com before the 15th of the preceding month.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1

Brad Skinner Jazz Trio, 7-9 p.m., Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian. Marvin Riell, 7-10 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton. Joey D & The Small Bar Superstars 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn. $5 cover.

Godsmack Tribute by Bulletproof and Motörhead Tribute by Motörcityhead, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Two people for $50, four for $80, eight for $130; order at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2

Mike Lee, 6-8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Road, Adrian. Jonathan Crayne, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Starling Lounge, 133 S. Lane St., Blissfield. It’s Too Darn Hot in the Neighborhood with Betsy & Michael Lackey, 7 p.m., Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian. Frankly Jack, 7-10 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton. Jaded Soul, 7-10 p.m., Shea’Nanigans, 521 S. Meridian Road, Hudson.

Medicine Men & Westside Girls, 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn. $5 cover.

Beatles Tribute by Toppermost, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Tickets at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com

Stray Shot, 8-11 p.m., Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3

Frog & the Beeftones, 2-6 p.m., Artesian Wells Sports Tavern, 18711 U.S. 12, Cement City.

Power Play, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3505 Ocean Beach Road, Clarklake.

MONDAY, AUGUST 4

Dan Bickle, 6-9 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7

Dude & the Flanman, 6-9 p.m., Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Road, Clarklake. Lit Up, 6-10 p.m., Artesian Wells Sports Tavern, 18711 U.S. 12, Cement City.

Cat Canyon, 6-8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Road, Adrian.

Students of Betsy Lackey, 7:30 p.m., Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8

Bad Mojo, 5-9 p.m., Adrian Eagles, 2570 W. Beecher Road, Adrian.

Cat Canyon, 6-8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Road, Adrian.

John Louis Good & Rose City

Troubadours, 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy, Brooklyn. $5 cover.

Crooked River, 7-10 p.m., Flamingo Beach

Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton.

Beach Boys Tribute by Sounds of Summer, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Tickets at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com

Echo Vibe, 8-11 p.m., Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach.

Mallory Lynn, Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3505 Ocean Beach Road, Clarklake.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9

Frank Opus, 6-9 p.m., Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Rd., Clarklake.

Andy Schiller, 6-8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Rd., Adrian.

Jon Torrence, 7-10 p.m., Tecumseh Tavern, 206 E Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh

Soup Sandwich, 7-10 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton. Wishing Well, 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn.

Bob Seger Tribute by Katmandu, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Tickets at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10

Mass Saga, 2-6 p.m., Artesian Wells Sports Tavern, 18711 U.S. 12, Cement City.

Atomic Radio, 5:30-9 p.m., Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3505 Ocean Beach Road, Clarklake.

MONDAY, AUGUST 11

Marvin Rieli, 6-9 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14

Thom Scanlon, 6-9 p.m., Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Road, Clarklake. Act III, 6-10 p.m., Artesian Wells Sports Tavern, 18711 U.S. 12, Cement City.

The Murder Junkies with Busby Death Chair and Thomas Ate The Cat, 6 p.m., The Rex Theater, 235 W. Main St., Morenci. Tickets $20 on presale.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15

Cat Canyon, 6-8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Road, Adrian.

Dude & the Flanman, 6-9 p.m., Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3505 Ocean Beach Road, Clarklake.

Bret Maynard, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Starling Lounge, 133 S. Lane St., Blissfield.

Back Porch Duo, 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn. Dan Bickle, 7-10 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton. Your Generation, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Tickets at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

The Metros, 8-11 p.m., Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach. Leadfoot, 8-11 p.m., Onsted Legion Summer Concert Series, Durkee-Seager Unit 550 American Legion Auxiliary, 333 Conner St., Onsted.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16

Steve Rich, 6-8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Road, Adrian. Bret Maynard, 6-9 p.m., Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Road, Clarklake.

Mark Maze & The Big Deal Band, 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn. $5 cover.

The Stray Shot Band, 7-11 p.m., Onsted Legion Summer Concert Series, DurkeeSeager Unit 550 American Legion Auxiliary, 333 Conner St, Onsted.

Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash Tribute by The Devil Elvis Show, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy. Tickets at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

Bad Mojo, 8-11 p.m., Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

Medusa, 2-6 p.m., Artesian Wells Sports Tavern, 18711 U.S. 12, Cement City. Part Time Help, 4-7 p.m., Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach Phoenix Theory, 5:30-9 p.m., Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3505 Ocean Beach Road, Clarklake.

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

Frankly Jack, 6-9 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20

Act III, 6-9 p.m., Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Road, Clarklake.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

Frankly Jack, 4-7 p.m., Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach. Haze, 6-10 p.m., Artesian Wells Sports Tavern, 18711 U.S. 12, Cement City.

Wes Maharas, 6-9 p.m., Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Road, Clarklake. Reunion cabaret with the cast of “Annie,” 7 p.m., Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

Cat Canyon, 6-8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Road, Adrian. Bad Mojo, 7-10 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton. Public Scene, 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn. $5 cover.

Neil Diamond Tribute by Solitary Man, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Tickets at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

Soup Sandwich , 6 8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Road, Adrian.

Jon Torrence, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Starling Lounge, 133 S. Lane St., Blissfield. Michael Abruzzi, 7-10 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton.

Jack Pine Savages, 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn. $5 cover.

Wasabi Pearls, 7-10 p.m., Tecumseh Tavern, 206 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh. Jaded Soul, 8 p.m. to midnight, Adrian Eagles Club, 2522 W. Beecher Road, Adrian. $5 cover for non-members.

U2 Tribute by Wide Awake, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Tickets at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com

The Band The Group featuring Shelby Lynn, 8-11 p.m., Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24

Tad and the Fat Cats, 2-6 p.m., Artesian Wells Sports Tavern, 18711 U.S. 12, Cement City.

Bret Maynard, 4-7 p.m., Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach.

Local Heroes, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3505 Ocean Beach Road, Clarklake.

Kevin Krieger, 6-9 p.m., Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Road, Clarklake.

MONDAY, AUGUST 25

Cat Canyon, 6-9 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28

Alexandria N’Transit, 6-10 p.m., Artesian Wells Sports Tavern, 18711 U.S. 12, Cement City. Emily Psycher, 6-9 p.m., Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Road, Clarklake.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29

Chase VanBrandt & the Dive Bar All Stars, 6-9 p.m., Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3505 Ocean Beach Road, Clarklake.

Cat Canyon, 6-8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Road, Adrian. D Tour Band, 6-9 p.m., Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3505 Ocean Beach Road, Clarklake.

Billie Lewis & the Soulbacks, 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn. $5 cover.

Frankly Jack, 7-10 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton. ELO Tribute by Turn to Stone, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Tickets at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30

Blackstone Steel, 6-9 p.m., Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Road, Clarklake. Mike Lee, 6-8 p.m., Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, 3402 Chase Road, Adrian.

Billie Lewis & the Soulbacks, 7-9 p.m., Jerry’s Pub, 650 Egan Hwy., Brooklyn. 42 North Band, 7-10 p.m., Flamingo Beach Grille & Bar, 4321 Michigan Ave., Tipton. Phoenix Theory, 7-10 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn. $5 cover.

David Bowie Tribute by Serious Moonlight, 8 p.m., Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Tickets at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com. Summer Reunion, 8-11 p.m., Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 31

Spellbound, 2-6 p.m., Artesian Wells Sports Tavern, 18711 U.S. 12, Cement City.

D Tour Band, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3505 Ocean Beach Road, Clarklake. Big Foot Bob & the Toe Tappers, 6-9 p.m., Cherry Creek Winery, 11500 Silver Lake Hwy., Brooklyn. $5 cover.

This Month in Downtown Adrian:

August

First Friday - Pickles Everywhere!

Friday, August 1st

Join us for this month's First Friday celebration—which includes pickleball in the streets! Grab a paddle, challenge your friends, or try it out for the first time. We'll have pickleball courts set up right downtown for free, casual play all evening long. But that’s not all—we’re bringing the fun to every corner of Downtown Adrian with live music by, Our Two Cents, a rock wall and jumpers, pickle vendors, food trucks, and an amazing sword swallowing show by, Jax Silvertree!

Shop and Stroll- Back to School

Saturday, August 9th

Get ready for a special Back to School themed Shop & Stroll Saturday! Stock up on classroom essentials, score end-of-summer deals, and enjoy family fun while supporting your favorite local businesses. Whether you're a student, teacher, or just love a great deal — there’s something for everyone!

Third Thursday

Thursday, August 14th

Experience the energy of Third Thursday in downtown Adrian — an evening of live music by Brittani Joy and Billy Joe Hunt, food trucks, and unbeatable summer vibes! Bring your friends, grab a bite, and soak in the sounds of the season under the open sky.

What’s Happenin’ Wednesday

Wednesday, August 20th

Downtown is shining a spotlight on its service businesses, as many will be extending their hours this day! Whether it's a quick errand run, late appointment, or you just want to support local, come on down!

Student Welcome Back

Tuesday, August 26th

Downtown Adrian is rolling out the red carpet for our college students! We are hosting a fun and festive Welcome Back event filled with music, games, exclusive student discounts, and more.

Want to win hundreds in Downtown Dollars? Play in the downtown scavenger hunt! Download the TownTrek app, create an account and then find the code for hunts on the Downtown Adrian Facebook page.

A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors!