The Lenawee Voice — October 2024

The election is November 5. Early voting begins October 26. Make a plan to vote, and make

THE LENAWEE VOICE

Campaign to overturn point-of-sale inspection ordinance gets underway » PAGE A3

Young entrepreneur launched two food trucks before turning 19 » PAGE B1

Adrian College student releases her second children’s book » PAGE C1

Military monument installed at Adrian’s Oakwood Cemetery

By Arlene Bachanov The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — In recent years, Oakwood Cemetery in Adrian has become the home of memorials to fallen peace officers and firefighters. Now, what Adrian Monument Co. owner Melody Adams saw as a missing piece — a monument honoring those who have served in the military — has been addressed.

“We just wanted to honor our military and have them represented, because the military had nothing at the cemetery,” she said. And, with children serving both in the military and in law enforcement, the cause is something especially close to Adams’ and her husband’s heart.

The monument, funded by Adrian Monument, was installed on Sept. 17 and dedicated at a Sept. 21 ceremony that included members of the G. Chandler Bond American Legion Post 275 of Adrian and American Legion Riders Post 315 of Brooklyn.

Adrian Monument previously created the firefighters’ Line of Duty Death Memorial, which was unveiled in 2021. Adams’ original intent was to place the servicemembers’ monument next to that memorial and the one honoring law enforcement members killed in the

line of duty, near the cemetery’s front entrance.

But they started working with Oakwood Cemetery Superintendent Denny Vescelius on the plan, and according to Vescelius, “we decided that the veterans’ section was logical. Considering what the monument symbolizes, it was fitting to have it in that place.”

And so, the new memorial was placed in the area known as Soldier’s Field, the final resting place for some 200 soldiers, both men and women, officers and enlisted personnel alike, who served in America’s wars from the Civil War forward.

Stan and Melody Adams of Adrian Monument, Gene Withrow from G. Chandler Bond American Legion Post 275 of Adrian, and Denny Vescelius from American Legion Riders Post 315 of Brooklyn, who is also the superintendent of Oakwood Cemetery, are pictured during the Sept. 21 dedication of the new military monument at the cemetery. ERIK GABLE/LENAWEE VOICE

Stan Adams caulks the base of the new military monument on Sept. 17 in Adrian’s Oakwood Cemetery. The memorial was donated by Adrian Monument.

Blissfield seeks residents’ opinions on local parks

Welcome back to The Agenda, a monthly column in which we highlight issues of importance in our community and ways you can get involved.

Parks and recreation survey in Blissfield: The village of Blissfield evaluates its parks and recreational opportunities every five years to ensure it is providing citizens with the necessary facilities and programs for the highest level of recreational experiences. As a step in the process, the village is performing a community survey to assess current and future park and recreation needs. The information provided by this survey will serve as a basis for discussion on the community’s parks and recreation desires and priorities.

According to village administrator Danielle Gross, the survey will be open through the end of October. You can take it by going to tinyurl.com/ blissfieldparksurvey2024.

Talk with an Adrian city commissioner: City commissioner Bob Behnke invites the public to another informal “Commissioner Conversation” on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 6-7 p.m. at the Adrian District Library. Behnke says anyone who’d like the chance to bend a city commissioner’s ear is welcome to drop by.

Help plan Adrian’s bicentennial: Adrian’s bicentennial celebration will take place in 2025, and the city is inviting citizens to join in the planning process. The next committee meeting will be held at the Adrian District Library on Monday, Oct. 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. If you’re interested in volunteering, being a part of the planning process, or would just like to listen in, you are welcome to attend.

Point-of-sale inspections still a hot topic: As you can see on the next page, the debate over point-of-sale inspections of residential property is not over. No matter what happens with the current petition drive, we’ll make sure to keep you updated.

Finally ... be sure to vote, and don’t forget about the local races! People across the United States will go to the polls on Nov. 5, and while the presidential race and other national offices naturally command a lot of attention, a lot of important local questions will be resolved at the ballot box too. Three seats on the Lenawee County commission have contested races, and voters will also decide who represents them on a variety of township boards, city councils, and school boards. There are some important yes-or-no questions on the ballot too, including a renewal of the city of Adrian’s local street millage and school district levies in the Tecumseh and Sand Creek districts.

Polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In addition, early voting is available for residents of most Lenawee County communities at the Lenawee County Human Services Building, 1040 S. Winter St., Adrian. Early voting will be offered from Saturday, Oct. 26, to Sunday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Opponents of point-of-sale home inspections start gathering signatures to overturn ordinance

The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Opponents of a city ordinance that requires point-of-sale exterior inspections before residences in the city can be sold have started gathering signatures on a petition to force a public vote on the rule.

In June, a narrow majority of the Adrian City Commission approved an ordinance that requires any residential dwelling being sold to undergo an exterior inspection for items such as peeling paint, damaged windows, rotting wood, roofs in need of repair, or junk accumulation. The ordinance states that residences must pass the inspection in order to be sold, unless the seller agrees to put aside money for the buyer to make repairs. It does not affect rental properties that are in compliance with the city’s rental inspection program, since they will have already undergone a recent inspection.

Supporters called the measure a valuable tool for reducing blight and making sure dilapidated homes get fixed up, while opponents called it needlessly burdensome and an example of government overreach.

Although the city commission has the power to enact and repeal ordinances, residents also have that power through the referendum process. The process begins with a petition, which must be

signed by at least 1,494 registered voters who live in the city. That’s 10% of the number of registered voters in the city as of the last municipal election.

Organizers of the petition drive started gathering signatures on Sept. 19. They must complete the process within 21

days, meaning the final day of collection will be Oct. 9.

In addition to going door-to-door, petitioners have been setting up at community events such as Artalicious and are advertising times that people can stop by a table to sign.

Boys & Girls Club CEO steps into new role

ADRIAN — Leadership changes are in the works at the Boys & Girls Club of Lenawee. Cody Waters stepped aside as CEO of the local club on Sept. 13 after accepting a position as director of organizational development with the Boys & Girls Club of America.

Waters has been with the local club for six years, according to a news release from the organization. He and his family plan to stay in Adrian.

In 2023, Waters was named the Michigan Boys & Girls Clubs’ CEO of the Year. During his time with the Boys & Girls Club of Lenawee, Waters helped the club complete a $2.5 million capital campaign and worked to enhance statewide funding for clubs across Michigan. During his tenure, the local club also purchased its

Cody Waters Sara Herriman

first van/mobile club unit.

A 2004 graduate of Adrian High School, Waters holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA specializing in nonprofit management from Eastern Michigan University. Before returning to Adrian, he worked at the Boys & Girls Club in Kalamazoo.

Sara Herriman, the club’s director of community relations and development, will serve as interim CEO while the organization conducts a search for its next leader. The national Boys & Girls Club of America organization will be assisting in the search process.

The Boys & Girls Club of Lenawee was founded in 2001 and currently operates two locations, one in Adrian and one in Hudson. It has more than 1,700 members. Both locations operate year round, with after-school hours during the school year and daytime hours during the summer, offering recreation, academic enrichment and mentoring to youth in the community.

There are more than 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs around the United States.

They’re planning to be at Trestle Park on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

If organizers gather enough valid signatures, the city clerk will take the petition to the commission, which then will have two choices: they can either enact the petition language themselves, which in this case would mean repealing the point-of-sale inspection ordinance, or they can put it on the ballot for all voters in the city to consider.

In the case of an effort to repeal an ordinance, if organizers exceed the 10% number and gather signatures from 25% of the city’s registered voters — or 3,735 people — the ordinance in question also cannot be enforced until the matter is resolved.

That second number is actually the target, according to Carrie Smith, one of the organizers. She said they are hoping to gather 4,000 valid signatures from city residents.

Smith estimated there are about 75 volunteers working on gathering signatures.

Organizers have also printed and distributed 100 yard signs to supporters; Smith said they stopped after 100 because if their petition drive is successful and the issue ends up on the ballot, they will need different signs for the election.

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Diana Faust and Carrie Smith, both part of the petition drive to overturn the city of Adrian’s point-of-sale real estate inspection ordinance, talk with passersby at the Artalicious festival in downtown Adrian on Sept. 21. ERIK GABLE/LENAWEE VOICE

Three county commission seats contested in November

By Erik Gable The Lenawee Voice

Three out of Lenawee County’s nine county commission seats have contested races in the November election, and all three of those contested races are a rematch between two candidates who faced each other in 2022.

The Lenawee County Commission is the county’s governing body. It currently has a 8-1 Republican majority. Commissioners are elected by districts. County commissioners in Michigan previously served two-year terms, but as a result of a bipartisan bill that was passed by the Michigan Legislature and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2021, their terms are now four years long.

The Lenawee Voice asked the county commission candidates in the three contested races to talk about what they believe the most important issues facing the county in the next four years will be. We asked incumbents what they are most proud of from their time on the commission, and we asked challengers how they would approach the job differently. We also asked candidates about one of the most contentious questions to come before the commission recently, namely, what to do about the former Tecumseh Products site that the county now owns and that was previously proposed to be the location of a sports facility dubbed Project Phoenix.

District 1 (Tecumseh and Tecumseh Township): Incumbent Republican David Stimpson is opposed by Bill Swift, the current chairman of the Lenawee County Democratic Party.

Stimpson said one of the most pressing issues facing Lenawee County is how to attract and retain young people.

“Our population has aged and not replaced the youth over the past several decades,” he said. “This will have a large impact on local school districts in declining population, local economy and overall erosion of services. We need to develop our community in ways to attract the youth and continue a strong local economy.”

He said another major issue is the loss of civility in the public process.

Stimpson, who was first elected to the commission in 2004, said he’s proud that the county has had a balanced budget every year for more than 20 years. As additional points of pride, he cited having been able to renovate the human services building, sheriff’s department, old courthouse, courthouse annex and drain building; expanding mental health services; continuing to operate the Maurice Spear Campus for rehabilitation of young offenders while many other counties have had to outsource those services; and making the prosecuting attorney and public defenders full-time employees of the county.

Swift, who works in management for a software development company, serves on the boards of Associated Charities, the Lenawee NAACP, the Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh, and the Lenawee County Fair.

He said he’s concerned about “the radicalization of the county commission” and what he sees as some commissioners’ embrace of Trump-style governance.

“I have a great deal of concern about the risks that the county will be facing over these next four years should we face any public health crisis similar to the COVID-19 pandemic or challenges to the fundamental constitutional basis of government,” he said. For example, he said, some counties have declared

themselves to be “Second Amendment sanctuaries” in defiance of gun control laws.

If elected, Swift said, “I would seek to bridge the gap between the Republican factions which have developed on the county commission. Currently, a lack of communication hampers the ability of the commission to function fully and completely and effectively on behalf of the people of Lenawee County. Regardless of any personal animus or feelings that I might have about members of the commission or their political beliefs or leanings, I would seek to build relationships and negotiate compromise solutions that serve the people of the county well.”

On the Tecumseh Products site, Stimpson said the county should stay on its current course, working with the company on cleanup and working with the city of Tecumseh to find a long-term purpose for the property.

Swift is critical of his opponent’s support for Project Phoenix, arguing that Stimpson should have recused himself as someone who owns property in the area, and said that he is “open to just about any proposal that puts the site back into use.”

District 6 (West side, city of Adrian): Incumbent Republican Terry Collins is opposed by Democrat Andrew Winckles.

Collins was first elected to the commission in 2012 after retiring as Adrian’s chief of police. He said housing is an important issue and that the county needs to work with others to get affordable, attainable housing in the county.

Another issue, Collins said, is how to use the money Lenawee County is receiving as a result of legal settlements with companies involved in the opioid crisis.

“We must use the opioid settlement funds prudently and seek both housing and treatment for those with drug or mental health issues,” he said.

Collins said the county commission’s recent accomplishments include making strides in government transparency, with all meetings available to be viewed online. He also said the county has made progress in upgrading its infrastructure, for example at the sheriff’s department, the old courthouse, and the Maurice Spear campus for youth.

Winckles, who works in student support services at Siena Heights University, said housing is the most important issue facing the county right now.

“The average price of a home in Lenawee County is now around $210,000, while the average cost to rent a two-bedroom apartment is now just over $1,000,” he said. “In other words, a minimum wage hourly worker would need to spend over half of their yearly income on rent alone. There is not enough supply and private developers are not going to be able to meet demand at a cost that is affordable for the majority of citizens.”

Winckles said he supports establishing a Lenawee County Housing Commission to explore building mixedincome public housing, something that he said would have the added benefit of creating skilled-trades jobs in the county.

Winckles said he respects Collins and his service to the community, but he has a different philosophy on government and would be “an unapologetically progressive voice on the commission.”

“I believe strongly that local government should take a more active role in making citizens’ lives and living conditions better,” he said.

On the issue of Tecumseh Products, Collins voted with the majority earlier this year in a 5-4 decision to not entertain any offers to sell the property for industrial development. In that discussion, Collins said it would not be fair to Tecumseh to sell the property to someone who would develop it in a way the city doesn’t want. He also expressed concern about the possibility of selling it to someone who would buy the property and just sit on it, instead of returning it to productive use.

Winckles has a similar position. “I think it is important that the people of Tecumseh have a voice in what happens with this property and who it is sold to,” he said. “I get their concerns about a potential industrial development on that site, which sits right next to downtown. Ideally, that site could be developed into a mix of commercial and residential properties that could have a positive economic impact not only on the city of Tecumseh, but on the entire county.”

District 9 (Clinton, Macon and Franklin townships and Adrian Township west of Wisner Highway): Incumbent Republican James Van Doren, the county commission chair, is opposed by Democrat Jeff DiCenzo.

Van Doren, a retired business executive, is serving his second stint on the county commission. He was first elected in 2000 and served on the board for 10 years, retiring after the 2010 election. Before being elected to the commission again in 2022, he was executive director of the nonprofit economic development agency Lenawee Now.

As the most important topics facing the county in the next four years, Van Doren named monitoring and balancing the budget, making important upgrades to security and other issues at the Rex B. Martin Judicial Building, and establishing a strategic plan.

A few of the commission actions Van Doren said he’s most proud of include reversing course on things done by past commissions — for example, ending the county’s contract with foreign-owned social media data processing company Zencity and dropping the Project Phoenix proposal.

However, he also cited some new initiatives the commission has undertaken.

“We commissioned a wage study allowing us to adjust compensation that allows us to keep the good, dedicated employees currently serving county government and our residents,” he said.

In addition, he said, “we reworked the commission chambers with audio and visual equipment allowing for better communication with our constituents. All committee meetings are currently live-streamed and in the very near future will be interactive.”

DiCenzo is retired from the commercial insurance industry. A Lenawee County resident since 1986, he has volunteered with a variety of service clubs (including the Jaycees, Civitan, and Hudson Kiwanis Club), business groups (such as the homebuilders association and chambers of commerce) and nonprofits (including Associated Charities, United Way, Re-Bicycle Lenawee, and the Adrian Symphony Orchestra). He currently is a board member for the Lenawee County Department on Aging.

He said the issues facing the county over the next four years will be “finances, changing philosophies in criminal justice and rehabilitation, and remaking our communities to make them more attractive to families and homeowners.”

The county commission doesn’t deal with divisive national issues, DiCenzo said, but rather “tangible, ground-level issues like budgeting, spending our money wisely, supporting a safe and healthy lifestyle, and taking care of our parks and infrastructure.”

DiCenzo said he isn’t spending any money on his campaign, and as a commissioner, he “wouldn’t be courting influence with people in the county who imagine themselves as power brokers.”

“I love living in Lenawee County, and people who know me know that I can talk to just about anyone, and I can see the good in anyone, Democrat or Republican, if their heart is in the right place,” he said. “I’m offering my services to the county for four years to do the detail work needed to keep things running smoothly, and to help keep communication open among county residents.”

On the subject of Tecumseh Products, Van Doren voted against the resolution earlier this year that stated the county would not consider any sale of the property for industrial use.

”This property needs to be put on the market for sale and reduce the continuing ongoing expense to the county,” he said.

DiCenzo said that although he would not have supported the county buying the property, “what’s done is done.” He proposed converting as much of the property as possible into parkland, including walking and biking trails; space for sports like disc golf, basketball and tennis; and maybe an amphitheater.

David Stimpson (Republican, incumbent)

Bill Swift (Democrat)

DISTRICT 1

Terry Collins (Republican, incumbent)

Andrew Winckles (Democrat)

DISTRICT 6

Jeff DiCenzo (Democrat)

James Van Doren (Republican, incumbent)

DISTRICT 9

FEDERAL, STATE AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Following is a list of candidates and ballot questions that will be on the November ballot in Lenawee County communities.

Polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone who doesn’t know their polling location can look it up by going to michigan.gov/vote.

Early voting is available for residents of most Lenawee County communities at the Lenawee County Human Services Building, 1040 S. Winter St., Adrian. Early voting will be offered from Saturday, Oct. 26, to Sunday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fairfield Township is conducting its own early voting site.

Please note that the deadline to file as a write-in candidate was Oct. 25, which was after the Lenawee Voice’s press deadline, so some write-in information may be incomplete.

PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT

The candidates on the ballot in Michigan are Kamala D. Harris and Tim Walz (Democratic Party), Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance (Republican Party), OIiver Chase and Mike ter Maat (Libertarian Party), Randall Terry and Stephen E. Broden (U.S. Taxpayers Party), Jill Stein and Rudolph Ware (Green Party), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Nicole Shanahan (Natural Law Party), Joseph Kishore and Jerry White (unaffiliated), and Cornel West and Melina Abdullah (unaffiliated). Ballot order in Michigan is determined by the parties’ performance in the last gubernatorial election.

U.S. SENATE

The candidates are Elissa Slotkin (Democrat), Mike Rogers (Republican), Joseph Solis-Mullen (Libertarian), Dave Stein (U.S. Taxpayers), Douglas P. Marsh (Green), and Doug Dern (Natural Law).

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The candidates are Libbi Urban (Democrat), Tim Walberg (Republican), and James Bronke (Green).

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

There are two seats open. The candidates are Theodore Jones (Democrat), Adam Frederick Zemke (Democrat), Tom McMillin (Republican), Nikki Snyder (Republican), Scotty Boman (Libertarian), Ted Gerrard (U.S. Taxpayers), Christine C. Schwartz (U.S. Taxpayers), and Mary Anne Hering (Working Class Party).

REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

There are two seats open. The candidates are Denise Ilitch (Democrat), Shauna Ryder Diggs (Democrat), Carl Meyers (Republican), Sevag Vartanian (Republican), Andrew Chadderdon (Libertarian), and Donna M. Oetman (U.S. Taxpayers).

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES

There are two seats open. The candidates are Rebecca Bahar-Cook (Democrat), Thomas Stallworth III (Democrat), Mike Balow (Republican), Julie Maday (Republican), Grant T. Baker (Libertarian), Janet M. Sanger (U.S. Taxpayers), John Paul Sanger (U.S. Taxpayers), and John Anthony La Pietra (Green).

GOVERNORS OF WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY

There are two seats open. The candidates are Rasha Demashkieh (Democrat), Mark T. Gaffney (Democrat), Michael Busuito (Republican), Sunny Reddy (Republican), Farid Ishac (Libertarian), William Mohr II (U.S. Taxpayers), Sami Makhoul (Green), Suzanne Roehrig (Working Class), and Kathleen Oakford (Natural Law).

MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT

(EIGHT-YEAR TERM)

This is for election to an eight-year term. Supreme Court seats are officially nonpartisan, but parties endorse candidates. Andrew Fink is endorsed by the Republican Party. Kimberly Ann Thomas is endorsed by the Democratic Party.

MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT

(PARTIAL TERM)

This is for a term ending on Jan. 1, 2029. Incumbent Kyra Harris Bolden is endorsed by the Democratic Party. Patrick William O’Grady is endorsed by the Republican Party.

MICHIGAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

District 34: This district covers most of Lenawee County. John E. Dahlgren is the Democratic nominee and former Rep. Nancy Jenkins-Arno is the Republican nominee.

District 35: This district includes the city of Hudson. Don Hicks is the Democratic nominee and Jennifer Wortz is the Republican nominee.

District 30: This district includes portions of the Britton and Deerfield areas. Rick Kull is the Democratic nominee and incumbent William T. Bruck is the Republican nominee.

District 31: This district includes Macon Township. Incumbent Reggie Miller is the Democratic nominee. Dale Biniecki is the Republican nominee.

LENAWEE COUNTY COMMISSION

District 1 (Tecumseh city and township): Incumbent David Stimpson, a Republican, is challenged by Democrat Bill Swift.

District 2 (Cambridge, Rome and Woodstock townships): Republican incumbent Dustin Krasny is unopposed.

District 3 (Rollin, Hudson and Medina townships, including the city of Hudson, plus the city of Morenci): Republican David Aungst is unopposed.

District 4 (Dover, Fairfield, Seneca and Madison townships): Republican Beth Blanco is unopposed.

District 5 (East side, city of Adrian): Democrat James W. Daly is unopposed.

District 6 (West side, city of Adrian): Republican incumbent Terry Collins is challenged by Democrat Andrew Winckles.

District 7 (Ogden, Palmyra, Riga, Blissfield, Deerfield and Ridgeway townships): Incumbent Republican Kevon Martis is unopposed.

District 8 (Raisin Township and Adrian Township east of Wisner Highway): Republican incumbent Ralph Tillotson is unopposed.

District 9 (Clinton, Macon and Franklin townhips and Adrian Township west of Wisner Highway): Incumbent Republican James Van Doren is challenged by Democrat Jeff DiCenzo.

CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE

Incumbent Anna Marie Anzalone is unopposed.

PROBATE COURT JUDGE

Incumbent Catherine A. Sala is the only candidate on the ballot, but Tamaris Henagan has filed to run as a write-in candidate.

UNCONTESTED COUNTY OFFICES

Unopposed are Sheriff Troy Bevier, county clerk Roxann Holloway, county treasurer Erin Van Dyke, prosecutor Jackie Wyse, register of deeds Carolyn Bater, road commissioner Stan Wilson, drain commission candidate Edwin Scheffler, and surveyor Kevin Pickford.

COUNTYWIDE PROPOSALS

Renewal of separate tax limitation: Voters will be asked to renew maximum levies for the county, townships, and the Lenawee Intermediate School District for five years.

Senior citizen millage: Voters will consider a four-year renewal of the 0.75-mill levy for senior services, estimated to generate a little under $3.6 million in the first year. 911 charge: Voters will consider renewing the $3/month fee on all phone lines to fund 911 services.

VILLAGE OF ADDISON

Andrew R. Snow is the only candidate on the ballot for village president, but Stephen Newman is a write-in candidate. The four candidates for three trustee seats are Barbara J. Barnes, Jeff Burke, Brian M. Kent, and Nicole Neuenschwander.

CITY OF ADRIAN

Road millage renewal: Voters will consider renewing the city’s millage for local street work and restoring it to the previously authorized 1 mill, which had been rolled back by the Headlee Amendment. The renewal is for 10 years and would bring in an estimated $400,000 in the first year.

ADRIAN TOWNSHIP

Stephen May is unopposed for township supervisor. Running for clerk are Sarah Buku and Tisha Welter, both unaffiliated. All other candidates are Republican Party nominees. The unopposed candidates for four trustee seats are Michael R. Herr, Jim Koehn, Douglas McGee and Ben Ruesink. Jim Malarney is unopposed for treasurer.

BLISSFIELD TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates, all Republicans, are Alan Dickerson for supervisor, Diann Paul-Warner for clerk, Nancy K. Cranor and Steven E. Wilson for trustee, and Tammy Cox-Wynn for treasurer.

VILLAGE OF BLISSFIELD

Mike Gunter is unopposed for village president. The eight candidates for three trustee seats are Gwen Dusa, Roger Bill Gritzmaker, Matthew T. Knoblauch, Jennifer Lamley, Sherri A. Luce, Ken Nichols, Greg Pickles, and Gary Rogers Jr.

VILLAGE OF BRITTON

Richard A. Frazier is unopposed for village president. Kevin Hurst and Jay Skees are unopposed for village council.

CAMBRIDGE TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates, all Republicans, are Tom Kissel for supervisor, Rick W. Richardson for clerk, Otis Garrison and Dan Hubbard for trustee, and Diane Higgins for treasurer.

VILLAGE OF CEMENT CITY

Dustin Blakely and Terrance Montague II are write-in candidates for village council.

VILLAGE OF CLAYTON

Running for village president are Henry Burrece and Shannon Johnston. Unopposed for clerk is Wendy Mullane. The seven candidates for three trustee seats are Cathleen Brown, Christina Burrece, Andrew Campo, Stephen Paul DeLine II, Susan Jacobs, John Lee, and Betty Patterson. Unopposed for treasurer is F. Denver Hedge.

VILLAGE OF CLINTON

All candidates are unopposed: Doris A. Kemner for president; David Clark, Stacy Orlowski and Larry J. Sines for full terms on the village council; and Tom VanTuyle for a partial term.

Unopposed for election to the Smith Kimball Community Board are Eleanor A. Campbell, Heather L. M. Ferman, Norleen A. Hicks, and Susan Newman.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP

No township seats are contested. The candidates, all Republicans, are Walter Jamie Murphy for supervisor, Kim Scott for clerk, Gary L. Couture and Basil Greenleaf for trustee, and Leslie Ann Kovalski for treasurer.

DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates, all Republicans, are Ronald J. Cousino for supervisor, Shirley Soldwish for clerk, Steve Andrix and Randy J. Dusseau for trustee, and Pam Witt for treasurer.

VILLAGE OF DEERFIELD

Todd M. Nighswander is unopposed for president. Michael Gilson and Dave Rogers are unopposed for trustee seats.

Fire rescue renewal: Voters will consider a four-year renewal of the 1-mill fire department levy, bringing in an estimated $91.380 in the first year.

DOVER TOWNSHIP

Unopposed candidates, all Republicans, are Daniel J. Borck for supervisor, Amber Swander for clerk, and Donna K. Baker for treasurer. Three candidates for two trustee seats are Michael Birdsell (Republican), Amanda M. Butz (Republican), and Stuart L. Proctor (unaffiliated).

FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates, all Republicans, are Chris McCallister for supervisor, Debra K. Keller for clerk, Paul Green and Bonnie D. Zenk for trustee, and Kay Rutledge for treasurer.

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates are Gordon Whelan (Republican) for supervisor, Sue Whitehead (Republican) for clerk, Adam Ondrovick (Republican) for constable, Mike Kelley and Daniel L. Van Valkenburg (Republican) for trustee, and Heidi Ross (unaffiliated) for treasurer.

CITY OF HUDSON

There are three candidates for the same number of council seats. Greg Hillegas and Natalie Loop are on the ballot and Brandi Clark is a write-in.

HUDSON TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates are Matthew Smith (Republican) for supervisor, Marcy Griffin (unaffiliated) for clerk, Douglas C. Cook (Republican) and Barry Anderson (unaffiliated) for trustee, and Nathan J. Smith (Republican) for treasurer.

Road millage renewal: Voters will consider a four-year renewal of the 2-mill roads and bridges levy, estimated to bring in $152,384 in the first year.

MACON TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates, all Republicans, are Dean Montrief for supervisor, Julia DeJonghe Marshall for clerk, Charley Downing and Joe Rine for trustee, and Beth DeJonghe for treasurer.

MADISON TOWNSHIP

Unopposed are Ryan Rank for supervisor, Janet Moden for clerk, and Harold A. Gregg for treasurer (all Republicans). The five candidates for four trustee seats are Michelle R. Holtz-Johnson (Democrat) and Howard Bales, Ralph R. Benschoter, Chad Rodgers and Norman Schutte Jr. (Republicans).

Infrastructure levy renewal: Voters will consider a four-year renewal of a 1.156-mill levy for roads, bridges, parking lots and street lights, estimated to generate $305,000 in its first year.

MEDINA TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates, are Jason Root (Republican) for supervisor, Sylvia Monserrate-Damon (Republican) for clerk, Timothy Sword (Republican) and Dwight Mansfield (unaffiliated) for trustee, and Jennifer Blaker (Republican) for treasurer.

OGDEN TOWNSHIP

Unopposed are Joshua Van Camp (Republican) for supervisor, Jan Ford (unaffiliated) for clerk, and Rick Dennison (unaffiliated) for treasurer. The three candidates for two trustee seats are Andrew Mills, Nicholas Van Camp and Brian Wilcox (all unaffiliated).

VILLAGE OF ONSTED

Sam Lafata is the only candidate on the ballot for president but Robert Schafer is running as a write-in. For four trustee seats, Libby Chase, Keri Jeffords, and Robert Schafer are on the ballot, and Jay Best is a write-in.

PALMYRA TOWNSHIP

There is no candidate for supervisor on the ballot, but David Pixley Sr. has filed as a write-in. Unopposed candidates for other offices, all Republicans, are Christine Whited for clerk, Mark L. Crane and Steven Papenhagen for trustee, and Angela Koester for treasurer.

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

(CONTINUED)

RAISIN TOWNSHIP

Unopposed are Tom Hawkins for supervisor, Susan M. Bunch for clerk, and Dale Witt for treasurer (all Republicans). The five candidates for four trustee seats are Democrat Jim Palmer and Republicans Debra L. Brousseau, Shelley Purkey Hunt, Kerry Hamilton Smith, and Cheryl Witt.

RIDGEWAY TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates, all Republicans, are Robert L. Downing for supervisor, Lora Feldkamp for clerk, Marc H. Brown and Daniel J. Prielipp for trustee, and Deborah A. Marks for treasurer.

RIGA TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates are Gary Lee Kastel (unaffiliated) for supervisor, Natalie S. Thompson (Republican) for clerk, Brenda Buyaki Delgado and David M. La Montaine (Republicans) for trustee, and Katy M. Gust (Republican) for clerk.

ROLLIN TOWNSHIP

Michael J. Clark (Republican) is unopposed for supervisor. Amy Emerson and Sharon M. Gust (unaffiliated) are running for clerk. Olis Burch and Denice Combs (Republicans) are unopposed for trustee seats. Marcia J. Willett (Republican) is unopposed for treasurer.

ROME TOWNSHIP

Bill Millner (Republican) is unopposed for supervisor. Robin Robertson (unaffiliated) is unopposed for clerk. The three candidates for two trustee seats are Matthew Minnick (Democrat), Leo Oswald, and Jeremiah Ruttkofsky (both Republicans). Roxann Sweet (Republican) is unopposed for treasurer.

SENECA TOWNSHIP

Unopposed are Republicans John L. Gould for supervisor, Allison R. Ott for clerk, and Anna M. Simpkins for treasurer. The three candidates for two trustee seats are David L. McCowan and Christopher White (Republicans) and Shellie M. Whitaker (unaffiliated).

CITY OF TECUMSEH

Brian D. Radant and Mark Raine are running for mayor. Unopposed for three council seats are Brent D. Gnodtke, Katie E. Mattison, and Ronald Wimple.

Street improvement bond proposal: Voters will consider authorizing the city to borrow $3.38 million for roads and bridges, to be repaid over five years and six months by an estimated levy of 1.9236 mills.

TECUMSEH TOWNSHIP

No seats are contested. The candidates, all Republicans, are Curtis L. Brown for supervisor, Rita A. Roth for clerk, Gerald L. Coulter and Michael Feight for trustee, and Rick L. Bunch for treasurer.

WOODSTOCK TOWNSHIP

There are three candidates for supervisor: John D. Clark (Democrat), James Anderson (Republican), and Ryan Laraway (unaffiliated). Unopposed for clerk is Ashley Wilson and unopposed for trustee are James P. Hassett and Joanne Wheaton (all Republicans). Running for treasurer are Democrat Teresa Votzke and Republican Heidi Perry.

SCHOOL ELECTIONS

ADDISON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Lauren Bailey is unopposed for a six-year term and Kim Ford for a four-year term.

ADRIAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The four candidates for three six-year terms are Michael C. Buku, Kayla Dunn, Anita Lewis and Jay Marks.

BLISSFIELD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

The three candidates for two six-year terms are Craig Bettis, Jennifer R. Stutzman and Gary Sullivan.

BRITTON DEERFIELD SCHOOLS

The three candidates for two six-year terms are Jordyn Bunker, Adam Roehm and Jennifer Spaulding.

CLINTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

The three candidates for two six-year terms are Mike Houghton, Amber K. Klotz, and Kelly Schmidt.

COLUMBIA SCHOOL DISTRICT

The three candidates for two six-year terms are Tim Creech, Tiffany Flinn, and Mark Holbert.

HUDSON AREA SCHOOLS

The three candidates for two six-year terms are Jason Borck, Michelle I. Jedele, and Tyler Mattison. The two candidates for one partial term are Ryan M. Isenhower and Claude J. Rowley.

MADISON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Allison Hulshof and Julie Ramos are unopposed.

MORENCI AREA SCHOOLS

All candidates are unopposed: Rebecca Berger, Perry R. Cox, Arthur Erbskorn and Heather Sarnac for six-year terms, and Josh E. Erskin for a partial term.

ONSTED COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

The three candidates for two six-year terms are Calby Garrison, David A. Lowe, and Craig McMichael.

SAND CREEK COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Nathan Adams and Clinton Brugger are unopposed for six-year terms. Karen Keller is a write-in candidate for a partial term.

Sinking fund proposal: Voters will consider a five-year, 2.6-mill levy to fund infrastructure needs such as building improvements, technology, and buses and other school vehicles, which would generate an estimated $433,724 in the first year.

TECUMSEH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

There are eight candidates for five full terms: Becky Brooks, Lynne Davis, Joe Kokenakes, Greg Lewis, Michelle Malewitz, Heather McGee, Darin L. Miller, and Holly Willey. The only candidate on the ballot for a partial term is Tim Simpson, but Jacob Willey is running as a write-in.

Sinking fund proposal: A proposed fiveyear, 1.75-mill sinking fund levy would pay for a number of projects, including work at the community pool.

WALDRON AREA SCHOOLS

The three candidates for two six-year terms are Mindy Grant, Brent A. Leininger, and Gary A. Leininger.

WHITEFORD AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS

Unopposed for four six-year terms are Shane Hillard, Brandon Iott, Jason Vida and Tom Wenzel.

LIBRARY ELECTIONS

CLINTON TOWNSHIP LIBRARY

Five candidates are unopposed for library board, a nonpartisan position. They are Shelby Dwyer, Jacob Hollenbeck, Deborah A. Rutherford, Paul K. Warr, and Nancy Wilt.

SCHULTZ-HOLMES DISTRICT LIBRARY

Running for seven seats are Blair Briggs, Gregory Brown, Onnolee J. Brown, Christine Burtle, Shelly DeVantier, Ciara McGrane, Debra G. Rogers, and Karen Waggoner.

TECUMSEH DISTRICT LIBRARY

Unopposed for four seats are Debralee W. Gilbey, Carma D. Roesch, Taylor Williams, and Sharon Wimple.

Siena Heights enters into educational partnership with Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

ADRIAN — Siena Heights University and the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (MHCC) recently announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes a significant partnership aimed at expanding educational opportunities for MHCC employees, members, and their dependents.

This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to fostering educational advancement and professional growth within the Hispanic business community. Through this agreement, eligible MHCC members and their families will have access to Siena Heights University’s undergraduate degree completion and graduate degree programs at a discounted tuition rate, further fostering their professional and academic growth.

Highlights of the agreement include:

n Tuition discounts: MHCC employees and members, along with their dependents, will receive a 25% tuition discount for Siena Heights University’s undergraduate degree completion (transfer students), online, and graduate degree programs.

n Scholarship opportunities: Current MHCC members and their immediate family members attending Siena Heights University’s main campus for undergraduate programs will be eligible for a $2,000 MHCC Scholarship each year of their enrollment, up to four years.

n Comprehensive support: The University and MHCC will collaborate on marketing and promotional efforts, including email campaigns, on-site presentations, virtual advising sessions, and educational fairs to ensure broad awareness and participation in the program.

n No application fees: MHCC members and their dependents will benefit from waived application fees

when applying to the university or designated programs.

n Streamlined enrollment: Siena Heights University will facilitate the enrollment process for MHCC members and their dependents, ensuring they meet academic admission standards and fulfill all program requirements.

“We are excited to partner with the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to provide greater access

to higher education for its members and their families,” said Siena Heights University president Douglas Palmer. “This collaboration aligns with our mission to create a more inclusive and educated community.”

“The Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is committed to supporting the professional and academic growth of our members,” said Mark Moreno, executive director of MHCC. “This partnership with Siena Heights University will open doors for our community, offering valuable opportunities for educational advancement and career development.”

The agreement will remain in effect for three years, with the possibility of renewal upon mutual agreement. Both parties will conduct regular reviews to ensure the continued success and effectiveness of the partnership.

For more information about the partnership and enrollment details, please contact Cynthia Sutherland at Siena Heights University at csutherl@ sienaheights.edu or 517-264-7693.

The Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, based in Auburn Hills, is the premier gateway to Hispanic businesses and Latino consumers. Siena Heights University is a Catholic institution founded in 1919 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters that offers offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees both in person and online.

La Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Michigan y la Universidad de Siena Heights anuncian una nueva asociación educativa

ADRIAN — La Universidad de Siena Heights y la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Michigan (MHCC) se complacen en anunciar la firma de un Memorando de Entendimiento que establece una asociación significativa destinada a ampliar las oportunidades educativas para los empleados, miembros y sus dependientes de MHCC.

Esta colaboración subraya un compromiso compartido de fomentar el avance educativo y el crecimiento profesional dentro de la comunidad empresarial hispana. A través de este acuerdo, los miembros elegibles de MHCC y sus familias tendrán acceso a los programas de finalización de licenciatura y posgrado de la Universidad de Siena Heights a una tarifa de matrícula con descuento, fomentando aún más su crecimiento profesional y académico.

Aspectos destacados del acuerdo:

n Descuentos en la matrícula: Los empleados y miembros de MHCC, junto con sus dependientes, recibirán un descuento del 25% en la matrícula para la finalización de la licenciatura de la Universidad de Siena Heights (estudiantes de transferencia), en línea y en los programas de posgrado.

n Oportunidades de becas: Los miembros actuales de MHCC y sus familiares inmediatos que asisten al campus principal de la Universidad de Siena Heights para programas de pregrado serán elegibles para una beca de MHCC de $ 2,000 cada año de su inscripción, hasta cuatro años.

n Apoyo integral: La Universidad y MHCC colaborarán en esfuerzos de marketing y promoción, incluidas campañas de correo electrónico, presentaciones en el lugar, sesiones de asesoramiento virtual y ferias educativas

para garantizar una amplia conciencia y participación en el programa.

n Sin tarifas de solicitud: Los miembros de MHCC y sus dependientes se beneficiarán de la exención de las tarifas de solicitud cuando soliciten ingresar a la Universidad o a los programas designados.

n Inscripción simplificada: Siena Heights University facilitará el proceso de inscripción para los miembros de MHCC y sus dependientes, asegurándose de que cumplan con los estándares de admisión académica y cumplan con todos los requisitos del programa.

“Estamos entusiasmados de asociarnos con la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Michigan para proporcionar un mayor acceso a la educación superior para sus miembros y sus familias”, dijo el presidente de la Universidad de Siena Heights, Douglas Palmer. “Esta colaboración se

alinea con nuestra misión de crear una comunidad más inclusiva y educada”. “La Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Michigan está comprometida a apoyar el crecimiento profesional y académico de nuestros miembros”, dijo Mark Moreno, director ejecutivo de MHCC. “Esta asociación con la Universidad de Siena Heights abrirá puertas para nuestra comunidad, ofreciendo valiosas oportunidades para el avance educativo y el desarrollo profesional”.

El acuerdo tendrá una vigencia de tres años, con posibilidad de renovación de mutuo acuerdo. Ambas partes llevarán a cabo revisiones periódicas para garantizar el éxito y la eficacia continuos de la asociación.

Para obtener más información sobre la asociación y los detalles de la inscripción, comuníquese con Cynthia Sutherland, en csutherl@sienaheights.edu o 517-2647693.

Pictured from left to right are Patricia Nava, business development and communication director at the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Douglas Palmer, president of Siena Heights University; and Mark Moreno, executive director of MHCC.

Maurice Spear Campus expansion will serve multiple purposes

MADISON TWP. — County officials broke ground on Sept. 4 on a major expansion to the Maurice Spear Campus, Lenawee County’s juvenile detention and rehabilitation facility.

In addition to expanding the number of young offenders who can be housed at the facility, the project includes a commercial kitchen that will serve senior citizens in the county by preparing meals for Lenawee County’s seven senior centers and its meal delivery program.

Speaking at the Sept. 4 event, county administrator Kim Murphy credited three people with leading the project: Maurice Spear Campus director Rodney Weaver, Lenawee County Department on Aging director Cari Rebottaro, and building and grounds superintendent Tim Mehan.

“These individuals came together and said ‘what if?’ ” she said.

Murphy said the project will serve two of the community’s most vulnerable populations — at-risk youth who are involved in the justice system, and the elderly population.

This extensive project will add 20 new beds to the 66-bed campus, allowing it to offer additional programming.

The detention unit expansion will:

n Add a wing for youth ages 15 and over with an additional 10 beds, safely separating the older population from those 10-14 years of age.

n Add a wing for youth with sexually harming behaviors, with an additional 10 beds, safely separating them from the other youth.

n Add an intake office.

n Add more recreation areas.

n Increase visitation and counseling rooms.

n Provide space for meals for the students in different areas, keeping groups of youth separated.

n Offer the space for additional programming.

n Update safety, security, and technology solutions.

The centralized kitchen will:

n Have 6,100 square feet of space, allowing for efficient flow in receiving, storing, cooking, preparing, and packing meals to be systematically delivered throughout Lenawee County.

n Provide meals for the youth housed at the Maurice Spear Campus.

n Serve each of the county’s seven senior centers for on-site congregate meals or take-out meals.

n Serve the Lenawee Department on Aging’s home-delivered meal program that delivers over 1,000 meals a day.

In addition, the kitchen will allow youth at the Maurice Spear Campus to receive on-the-job training toward earning food service certifications.

The $20 million cost is being paid for primarily through federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed by President Joe Biden in 2021.

The remainder of the funding will come from the Department on Aging and from the county’s capital improvement fund. Murphy said the county will not have to borrow money for the project.

Attempt to remove solar power from county energy project fails

ADRIAN — The ways and means committee of the Lenawee County Commission met on Sept. 10 to consider proposals from Veregy Consulting, a company retained by the county to come up with energy-saving ideas.

Immediately upon the beginning of discussion, Commissioner Kevon Martis (R-Riga) moved to reject the solar energy portion of the proposals. He then amended his motion to also require the county to obtain bids from two local contractors.

Commissioner David Stimpson (R-Tecumseh) said that the request for more bids “feels like a delay tactic” because the county has already gone through the state’s 1GPA program to

vet bidders. The motion was rejected. Voting for it were Martis, Nancy JenkinsArno, Dustin Krasny, and Jim Van Doren. Voting no were Stimpson, Dawn Bales, KZ Bolton, Terry Collins, and Ralph Tillotson. Martis then proposed moving forward with the lighting portion of the contract and rejecting the solar portion. That motion failed 8-1, with only Martis in favor.

Finally, Stimpson, who criticized Martis’ previous motions as grandstanding, moved to accept the LED lighting proposal. This motion passed 6-3, with Bales, Bolton, Collins, Stimpson, Tillotson and Van Doren voting yes, and Krasny, Jenkins-Arno and Martis voting no.

County administrator Kim Murphy speaks at the Sept. 4 groundbreaking for expansions to the Maurice Spear Campus. ERIK GABLE/LENAWEE VOICE

IN BRIEF

Area lawmaker seeks to keep radioactive

waste from southeast Michigan

VAN BUREN TWP. — In a move to keep contaminated soil and water from the Manhattan Project from being deposited in a Wayne County landfill, state Rep. Reggie Miller (D-Van Buren Twp.) has introduced legislation to bar radioactive waste dumping in Michigan.

The decision to move waste from New York to Michigan came as a surprise to Wayne County residents, who learned of the plan last month. However, there is no notification process or requirement to inform local officials of individual shipments of radioactive material, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) spokesperson Hugh McDiarmid told Planet Detroit in August. The U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers informed Van Buren Township that the shipments were incoming.

According to a statement from Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, 6,000 cubic yards of soil and 4,000 gallons of groundwater contaminated with radiation will be transported to the area for disposal.

The revelation has sparked concern in Van Buren Township and nearby communities.

“If you look across our country, hazardous waste sites are disproportionately located in working class communities and communities of color.

Communities that may not have the resources or political connections to fight back. Well, today, we are fighting back, and we are fighting back for Michiganders across the state,” said State Rep. Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City).

Miller’s House Bill 5923 would block the disposal of nuclear waste within the state When asked if there was any concern that the bill would conflict with the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution that prevents communities from blocking waste from entering their state, Miller said the bill has to proceed through the legislative process.

“Will it hit snags? We hope not, but I’m positive that we have enough support this time. That’s what makes the difference. I have a wave of support to move this. And yes, we will have to negotiate, we’ll have to talk and have discussions. That’s a given,” Miller said.

Miller’s district is mostly in Monroe, Wayne and Washtenaw counties, but also includes Macon Township in Lenawee County.

— Michigan Advance

Harmful algal blooms were detected in two Lenawee County lakes this summer

By Monica Hunt and Kasee Johnson Lenawee County Health Department

Two harmful algal blooms (HABs) were confirmed this summer in Lenawee County’s lakes. The first bloom was detected at Lake Hudson in Clayton on Aug. 21, while a second bloom was found at Devils Lake in Manitou Beach on Aug. 30. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) confirmed both blooms after investigations and water testing.

Current situation at Lake Hudson and Devils Lake: Since the confirmation of the HAB at Lake Hudson, staff have made several visits to monitor the situation. Recent observations suggest that the bloom has significantly diminished.

At Devils Lake, the limited public access — due to most of the shoreline being privately owned — has made monitoring more difficult. However, in the accessible areas, the bloom appears to have dissipated, and there have been no resident reports of algae in the past two weeks. A recent report of potential algae along the northwestern shoreline was investigated, but no bloom was observed.

Algae types and toxins found: At Lake Hudson, the HAB was caused by microcystis cyanobacteria, which produce microcystin, a potent liver toxin. Initial testing conducted by EGLE on Aug. 21 showed microcystin levels exceeding 10 parts per billion (ppb), which is the maximum the test strips can detect. Further lab testing revealed levels of 87.6 ppb and 81.5 ppb — well above the safety threshold of the microcystin limit of 8 ppb for recreational water activities set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Additional testing found no other toxins such as anatoxin-A, cylindrospermopsin, or nodularin.

At Devils Lake, samples collected on Aug. 30 revealed the presence of planktothrix cyanobacteria, another type of algae known to produce various cyanotoxins. EGLE did not conduct preliminary microcystin testing but sent samples to the state lab for detailed analysis. Test results were pending as of Sept. 16.

Comparison to previous years: While the presence of HABs in Lenawee County lakes is not unusual, this year marks the first time that Lake Hudson has been tested for toxins. Therefore, there is no historical toxin data for comparison. However, both Lake Hudson and Devils Lake have experienced blooms in recent years, and Lenawee County typically sees one or two HABs every summer.

The state of Michigan’s HAB map indicates that this year’s situation is not necessarily worse than in previous years, though awareness has increased.

Understanding HABs and health risks: HABs occur when cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, grow rapidly in warm, nutrient-rich water, often creating a thick, scummy surface that can be harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. Toxins produced by these blooms can cause a variety of health issues depending on the type of toxin and length of exposure.

Residents and lake visitors should avoid areas where water appears scummy or discolored, resembling spilled paint, pea soup, or floating mats. These visible blooms can contain harmful toxins, and it’s impossible to determine their presence just by looking at the water. EGLE strongly advises people to avoid swimming, wading, or engaging in water activities where the blooms are visible.

Health risks for humans and pets: Direct contact with a HAB can lead to various health problems in humans. Skin exposure to toxic water may cause rashes, hives, or blisters, while inhaling spray from affected waters could trigger asthma-like symptoms, throat irritation, or runny eyes and nose. Swallowing even small amounts of toxin-laden water could result in gastrointestinal issues like vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and flu-like symptoms. In severe cases, exposure may cause neurotoxic effects, including headaches, dizziness, numbness, and difficulty breathing. Swallowing large amounts could also damage the liver or kidneys.

Pets are particularly vulnerable to the toxins in HABs, as they may drink

contaminated water or lick their fur after swimming. Symptoms in animals often appear more quickly than in humans and can include vomiting, diarrhea, staggering, excessive salivation, and in extreme cases, death. If your pet comes into contact with HABs, rinse them thoroughly with clean water and seek veterinary attention immediately if symptoms appear.

Recommendations for safe water use: Residents and visitors are urged to take precautions to avoid exposure to potentially harmful water.

n Avoid swimming, wading, or playing in water that shows signs of algal blooms.

n Refrain from boating or water skiing in areas with blooms, as this can create water spray, which may carry toxins.

n Do not allow pets to drink or swim in water with visible scum or discoloration.

n If fishing in affected water, use caution, as parts of the fish may contain small amounts of toxins.

n After coming into contact with a bloom, shower immediately and wash any affected skin thoroughly.

n Contact a medical provider or veterinarian if you or your pet have ingested or been exposed to contaminated water.

What to do if you spot a bloom: If you suspect a HAB, report it to EGLE by calling 800-662-9278 or sending an email to AlgaeBloom@Michigan.gov. EGLE has noted that summer is the peak season for algal blooms, especially during periods of warm temperatures and lots of sunlight. Nutrient runoff from fertilizers and other sources can also contribute to their formation.

For more information about HABs in Michigan and how to protect yourself, visit www.michigan.gov/habs. Stay safe and help keep our waters healthy!

Hope is on the horizon for restoring water quality

The Great Lakes are a source of pride for all who call Michigan home. The lakes represent about 20% of the world’s freshwater supply, and 90% of the U.S. freshwater supply. The Great Lakes basin, which touches eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, supports 1.5 million jobs in the regional economy and supplies over 40 million people with drinking water. Our closest neighbor, Lake Erie, supplies 11 million people with drinking water, and is the most biologically productive, holding 50% of the fish population in the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes biosphere also provides habitat for rare and endemic species of wildlife, and is a cherished source of recreation. We all have our own connection to this freshwater system — it forms part of our cultural identity.

Nevertheless, our access to great water quantity and quality is not something we should take for granted. There are a number of rising risks and impairments that threaten the Great Lakes, from aquatic invasive species, to plastic and chemical pollution, to harmful algal blooms. The latter hits closest to home.

By now, most if not all of us here in Lenawee County are familiar with algal blooms. These blooms of cyanobacteria (commonly known as blue green algae) form a layer of green muck on the surface of warm, slow-moving waters. Not only are these blooms a nuisance due to their smell and appearance, they can also make drinking water toxic and cause large-scale fish kills when the blooms get to be severe, such as in Lake Erie.

So, what is causing the rise of harmful algal blooms and what action is being taken to prevent them?

These blooms are triggered by an influx of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients. Phosphorus provides the backbone to building cell structure for cyanobacteria, and nitrogen is needed to create the toxin microcystin that makes these blooms toxic. In a balanced ecosystem with limited access to these nutrients, algae are critical players making up the bottom of the food chain, feeding fish and other aquatic organisms. The combination of environmental variables (e.g. hotter weather and intense rainstorms) and greater supply of sediment-bound and soluble nitrogen and phosphorus have made the perfect conditions for bigger and more severe blooms to take place in Lake Erie and globally.

Where are all the extra nutrients coming from anyway? Nutrients entering into the water system are coming from a variety of sources — most of which can be traced back to human activity and land management.

Point sources of pollution come from specific points, typically pipes, that dump industrial wastewater into ditches and streams, which eventually make their way into bigger lakes. These are more easily identifiable and therefore can be quantified and even regulated. Examples of point sources include municipal storm and wastewater facilities.

Non-point sources could come from anywhere on the landscape, and we have no easy way to track or measure these sources. Examples of non-point sources of nutrient pollution include residential sewer systems and agricultural fertilizer runoff including animal manure from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Of special concern contributing to algal blooms in Lake Erie is phosphorus.

ALLEGRA BAIRD

How can we attempt to reduce these sources of nutrient pollution and repair the quality of water for all? There are a variety of solutions that exist or are being developed to address the nutrient problem. The state of Michigan has set targets to reduce our state’s contribution of phosphorus into Lake Erie by 40% annually. The Great Lakes Water Authority has taken action to greatly reduce Detroit’s wastewater contribution by setting discharge limits and improving infrastructure. However, reducing nonpoint sources continues to be a great challenge.

For farmers, the USDA has set forth agricultural best management practices — backed in science, these adjustments in farmland management could have a huge impact if adopted widely. These recommendations inform producers on proper nutrient management (the 4 R’s principle stands for right source, right rate, right time, right place), as well as the importance of reducing erosion and runoff through edge-of-field filter strips, improved drainage water management, and cover-cropping. We are still relying on the voluntary adoption of these practices through monetary incentives and promoting their cost-effectiveness and improved efficiency to farmers.

For homeowners, making sure septic systems are properly cared for and maintained is important for ensuring the prevention of nutrient contamination in groundwater. The EPA’s SepticSmart Program provides information to homeowners to encourage public stewardship in caring for wastewater treatment systems.

For private landowners, another promising solution is wetland restoration. Wetlands offer natural filtration of nutrients by slowing the movement of water and allowing aquatic vegetation to take up nutrients. The strategic placement of wetlands on the landscape at the headwaters of large catchment areas has the potential to maximize nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Wetlands are one of the most important ecosystems for all of the services they provide, and Lenawee county has lost 84% of its original wetland area. Non-profit organizations like Ducks Unlimited and Partners for Fish and Wildlife can provide free assistance to landowners interested in conserving and restoring wetlands. The USDA offers a Wetland Reserve Easement program to cover the cost of a conservation easement, and the Conservation Reserve Program provides rental payments to farmers for restoring wetlands previously converted to agriculture.

We are on our way to solving the nutrient problem, but we still have a ways to go. There are many potential pathways for intervention; it is not a one size fits all formula. One thing is for certain — it will take all of us working together to achieve long-lasting landscape-level change to save water quality.

Ben Carson to headline CPC of Lenawee fundraiser

ADRIAN — Care Pregnancy & Family Resource Center of Lenawee (CPC) is planning its 2024 Fall Friends & Fundraiser, a benefit for the organization’s programs, on Thursday, Oct. 24, at Adrian College’s Dawson Auditorium.

Doors to the auditorium will open at 6 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m.

Ben Carson

The speaker will be Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who ran for president in 2016 and was the U.S.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the Trump administration.

Tickets are $50 and include a copy of Carson’s book “The Perilous Fight.”

CPC of Lenawee operates a pregnancy center and family resource center in Adrian.

More information about the organization and its facilities can be found at cpclenawee.com or by calling 517-263-5701.

More information about the fundraiser, including a link to purchase tickets online, can be found by going to friendsofcpclenawee.com and clicking on “Events.”

Adrian Dominicans state solidarity with Haitian immigrant communities

ADRIAN — The Leadership Council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters issued this statement on Sept. 23 on behalf of Adrian Dominican Sisters and Associates:

“As we enter the final weeks of a national election in a deeply divided nation, with dangerous undercurrents of violence and threats to our democracy, we are deeply troubled by hateful language in political discourse — especially when fabricated to demonize immigrants. It not only violates their inherent dignity as persons made in the image of God but also places them and countless others in peril. This mean-spirited discourse is incendiary, giving rise to bomb threats that have closed or locked down schools, hospitals and other public

spaces in our neighboring state of Ohio.

“As women of faith who know and have worked with Haitians and many other migrants forced to leave beloved homes for the safety of their families, we are sickened and alarmed by the unfair, painful characterizations that endanger people already fleeing violence. In a nation gifted by the richness of our diversity, we pray for and are committed to building a beloved community.

“We call on all candidates for public office, especially those seeking our nation’s highest office, to engage in civil discourse characterized by respect, decency, and basic human kindness.

‘In God’s hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of every human being’ (Job 12:10).”

EDITORIAL

Support your local newspapers (all of them)

The first week of October is National Newspaper Week. It’s a week when readers are encouraged to celebrate the role that newspapers play in creating an informed, active citizenry. It’s also traditionally a time when newspapers run editorials highlighting what they do.

The Lenawee Voice is going to observe National Newspaper Week with a slightly different twist. After all, you’re already reading our paper. What we want to do in this editorial is urge you to read another newspaper. Maybe more than one.

When we started the Lenawee Voice, we decided to publish a digest of community news once a month, and we invested in the idea of free distribution to as many people as possible. We believe that this model allows us to play a valuable role in informing our community and bringing people together. But when it comes to detailed, week-to-week coverage of local news — particularly in the Lenawee County communities outside Adrian — if you rely exclusively on the Voice for news, you’ll be missing a lot. With no fulltime staff and 32 to 40 pages a month, there’s only so much we can do.

Lenawee County is fortunate to have several locally owned weekly newspapers serving different corners of the county. If you live in a community served by one of these papers, we hope you will subscribe to it.

The Tecumseh area is ably served by the Tecumseh Herald. If you were interested in the Tecumseh school district’s superintendent search, we told you that interviews were about to happen and we told you who was hired — but the Herald walked you step-by-step through the entire process. If you live in Raisin Township, a fast-growing area with lots of development, you should know that the Herald provides excellent coverage of the township planning commission, where important decisions about those developments are made. And if you see a story about a new Tecumseh business in this paper, there’s a good chance that we found out about it by reading the Herald.

If you live in the Blissfield area, nobody can compete with The Advance for coverage of local government meetings and community events. The same is true of The Exponent in Brooklyn, whose coverage area includes the Irish Hills. And lest anyone think that local weeklies are entirely the province of legacy owners, we should note that two of Lenawee County’s newspapers — the Clinton Local and the Hudson Post-Gazette — have relatively new owners who are carrying the local news legacy forward.

Finally, we believe that there is still plenty of value in reading The Daily Telegram. It’s no secret that we started the Lenawee Voice because of discontent with the cutbacks made by the Telegram’s corporate owners, but reporters who work for the Telegram continue to do good work, and there are many stories that they are able to cover in more detail than we are.

A strong community needs a strong local news ecosystem with many different voices. We’re glad you’re reading the Lenawee Voice, but we hope you’ll read other papers too.

Letters to the Editor should be 350 words or fewer and may be emailed to letters@lenaweevoice.com. Please include your town of residence and a phone number for verification purposes.

Have you made your voting plan?

Election Day is quickly approaching and now is the perfect time to make a voting plan. VOTE411.org and michigan.gov/Vote have the election information you need to create a plan before you vote.

Step 1: Check your voter registration or register to vote. Finding out if you are registered to vote takes approximately two minutes and you can get started using VOTE411’s easy online tool. Registering or preregistering to vote is also an easy process. You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 17.5 years of age to register, and at least 16 years of age to preregister. Everyone must be 18 years of age to vote in Michigan.

If you have a Michigan driver’s license or state ID, you can register/ preregister to vote online. Use the VOTE411 online tool, or go directly to michigan.gov/Vote.

You may also register/preregister to vote by filling out a paper copy of Michigan’s Voter Registration Application or Michigan’s Preregistration Application and mailing it to your local city or township clerk’s office. If mailing a form, it must be postmarked at least 15 days before Election Day.

You can register/preregister to vote through Election Day by going directly to your city or township clerk’s office. Not sure where your clerk’s office is located? Head over to michigan.gov/ Vote and you’ll find this information is readily available.

Step 2: Learn about early voting and absentee voting options. Michigan now offers several options for voting. Early voting is the opportunity to cast a ballot in person at an early voting site (EVS) before Election Day.

You can vote early at an EVS that serves your community. You will be able to vote early in every statewide and federal election for at least nine consecutive days, ending on the Sunday before Election Day, for at least eight hours each day.

You can vote early by going to an EVS that serves your community and filling out an “application to vote,” just like you do at an Election Day polling place.

There will be two EVS locations in Lenawee County. Lenawee County residents (except those residing in Fairfield Township) can vote early at the Lenawee County Human Services Building, located at 1040 S. Winter St., Adrian. Early voting will take place Oct. 26 through Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fairfield Township residents can vote early at the Fairfield Township Hall. Contact the Fairfield Township Clerk for details.

Voting by absentee ballot is the process of requesting a ballot from your city or township clerk, receiving and filling out the ballot, and then returning the ballot to your city or township clerk either in-person, by mail, or in a secure ballot drop box. A drop box is a secure, locked structure that voters may use for the return of completed absentee ballot applications and absentee ballots. All cities and townships in Michigan are required to have at least one drop box. Larger communities must have at least one drop box for each 15,000 residents Voters can check where their drop boxes are located by going to michigan.gov/ Vote. Voters may only use drop boxes that are located in their jurisdiction of residence.

Absentee ballots must be made available to voters in every election starting 40 days before Election Day. Your ballot must be received by your city or township clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you’re overseas or serving in the military, your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and received within six days.

To vote by absentee ballot, you must first request a ballot. You do so by email, mail, fax, or in-person. You can also submit an application to join the “Permanent Mail Ballot List.” If you join that list, you will receive a ballot by mail before each election without having to submit a new application each time.

Step 3. Explore your day-of voting options. Find out where you can vote and what you need to bring with you on Election Day.

You can look up your clerk’s office and your polling place in the voter information section of the michigan. gov/Vote website.

Polls will be open on Nov. 5, 2024, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., local time. You have the right to vote if you are in line by 8 p.m.

You will be asked to provide a photo ID when you arrive to vote, be it your clerk’s office, by absentee ballot, at an early voting site, or at your polling location on Election Day. If you have an acceptable photo ID, you must show it when asked. But, if you do not have an acceptable photo ID, you can sign the Affidavit of Voter Not in Possession of Picture Identification. Your ballot will be included with all others and counted.

Acceptable types of ID include:

n Michigan driver’s license or state ID (may be expired).

n Driver’s license or state ID issued by another state.

n Federal, state or local governmentissued photo ID.

n U.S. passport.

n Military photo ID.

n Photo ID from an educational institution.

n Tribal photo ID.

Step 4: Find out what’s on your ballot and where candidates stand on issues. VOTE411.org has nonpartisan election information that can help you decide how you will cast your ballot. See the races you’ll be voting on, read candidate responses, and learn more about proposals that may impact your community. You even have the option of printing off your ballot selections, a handy tool to have when you cast your ballot on Election Day.

5. VOTE!

See you at the polls!

This information has been provided by The League of Women Voters of Lenawee County. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to empowering voters and defending democracy.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Green energy opponents are costing our communities more and more money

The fight against green energy continues to grow more expensive for township residents.

The fight started with a once littleknown group in Riga called Interstate Informed Citizens Coalition back in 2009. The director fought off a wind farm in Riga and the surrounding area, chasing the project north to Gratiot County and leaving Lenawee County a huge loss in economic development. The IICC director has now become a Lenawee County Commissioner and has teamed up with a large statewide law firm that successfully implemented exclusionary zoning across the state, causing the state to react by passing PA233. The organized group Our Home Our Voice attempted a failed referendum to overregulate agricultural land, restricting farmers’ ability to diversify their farms. Now this group is attempting to start another war, costing

POLICE REPORTS

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

ADDISON VILLAGE

Aug. 29: Assault, 400 block of Lake Street. Sept. 3: Concealed weapons violation, 200 block of Comstock Street. Sept. 13: Internet harassment or threats, 200 block of Comstock Street. Sept. 18: Larceny from a shipment, 100 block of West Mason Road.

ADRIAN CITY

Aug. 24: Assault, 200 block of West Maumee Street. Disorderly conduct, West Michigan Avenue and South Main Street.

Aug. 25: Illegal use of a credit card, 900 block of Oak Street. Aggravated assault, 200 block of West Maumee Street. Assault and larceny from a vehicle, 200 block of West Beecher Street. Larceny from a building, 700 block of Bristol Street.

Aug. 26: Retail fraud, 300 block of East Beecher Street. Larceny, West Beecher Street and Industrial Drive. Property damage, 1000 block of East Butler Street. Assault, 400 block of Toledo Street. Retail fraud, 200 block of East U.S. 223. Assault, 1200 block of North Main Street.

Aug. 27: Vehicle theft, 300 block of Clinton Street. Drug possession, 700 block of Riverside Avenue. Assault, 400 block of Budlong Street. Assault, 1500 block of West Maumee Street. Disorderly conduct, 1000 block of East U.S. 223. Retail fraud, 200 block of East U.S. 223. Wire fraud, 700 block of Bristol Street. Larceny from a building, 500 block of East Hunt Street.

Aggravated assault/attempted murder, 600 block of East Michigan Street. Assault, 600 block of Frank Street.

Aug. 28: Drug possession, 700 block of Riverside Avenue. Fraud, 400 block of Riverside Avenue. Fraud, 100 block of Sterling. Sexual assault, 1200 block of East Siena Heights Drive.

Aug. 29: Larceny, 900 block of James Street. Drug possession, 700 block of Riverside Avenue. Identity theft, 4400 block of West Maumee Street. Telephone harassment or threats, 400 block of Riverside Avenue.

Aug. 30: Assault, 400 block of East Maumee Street. Assault, 1000 block of South Winter Street. Assault, 200 block of North Locust Street. Assault, 300 block of Erie Street. Assault, 500 block of Toledo Street.

Aug. 31: Stalking, 300 block of South Main Street. Operating while intoxicated, South Winter and Dawes streets. Aggravated assault, 200 block of Toledo Street. Retail fraud, 1300 block of South Main Street. Assault, 100 block of East Albert Street. Assault, 1300 block of West Maumee Street. Assault, 800 block of South Main Street.

rural townships even more money.

The Riga Township board, which uses this same law firm, recently discussed a law firm billing of $2,900 for the month of May. A board member asked why the planning commission is continually contacting the law firm for advice. At a Blissfield Township Planning Commission hearing it was learned that commission members were in contact with the law firm without permission from the board. How much did this cost township residents? At a Sept. 3 Palmyra Township Planning Commission meeting, it was revealed that a recent meeting with the statewide law firm cost the township $2,500 for one in-person meeting.

At the Aug. 14 Palmyra Township Planning Commission meeting, it emerged that the recommendations of the statewide law firm would result in a proposed ESA Solar development going to the Michigan Public Service Commission. Palmyra Township would lose out on $870,000 in state incentives from a fund set up to reward municipalities that create a local renewable energy ordinance compatible with state law. This money could go a

Sept. 1: Burglary (residential, forced entry), 600 block of James Street. Assault and property damage, 100 block of Pleasant Knoll Drive. Retail fraud, 200 block of East U.S. 223.

Sept. 2: Burglary (residential, forced entry), 1300 block of South Winter Street. Vehicle theft, 800 block of Ormsby Street. Retail fraud, 1500 block of West Maumee Street.

Sept. 3: Assault, 100 block of Gorham Street. Retail fraud, 1500 block of West Maumee Street. Property damage, 1300 block of South Main Street. Internet harassment or threats, 600 block of Lenawee Street.

Sept. 4: Sexual assault, 200 block of North Broad Street. Assault, 800 block of South Center Street. Larceny from a yard, 900 block of West Beecher Street. Larceny from a building, 200 block of North Winter Street. Drug possession, 700 block of Riverside Avenue. Aggravated assault. 700 block of Riverside Avenue. Drug possession, 1300 block of Division Street.

Sept. 5: Larceny from a vehicle, 200 block of Sand Creek Highway. Property damage, 1300 block of South Main Street. Larceny from a yard, 600 block of South Madison Street. Retail fraud, 900 block of South Main Street. Assault, 600 block of Springbrook Avenue. Assault, 700 block of Erie Street .

Sept. 6: Disorderly conduct, 500 block of South Main Street. Disorderly conduct, 400 block of West Beecher Street. Assault, 200 block of Division Street. Larceny from a vehicle, 100 block of Sand Creek Highway. Retail fraud, 200 block of East U.S. 223. Larceny, 200 block of East U.S. 223. Burglary (residential, forced entry), 200 block of East U.S. 223. Assault, 1100 block of East Maumee Street. Drug possession, 400 block of North Winter Street.

Sept. 7: Larceny from a building, 1500 block of West Maumee Street. Assault, 400 block of East Michigan Street. Assault, 500 block of French Street.

Sept. 8: Property damage, 500 block of South Main Street. Assault, 100 block of Pleasant Knoll Drive. Assault, 800 block of North Main Street. Assault, 600 block of Chestnut Street.

Sept. 9: Larceny from a vehicle, two reports in the 200 block of East U.S. 223. Illegal use of a credit card, 200 block of East U.S. 223. Larceny from a vehicle, 1500 block of West Maumee Street. Assault, 100 block of East Maumee Street. Property damage, 600 block of Erie Street. Property damage and larceny from a vehicle, Bent Oak and Riverside.

Sept. 10: Drug possession, 700 block of Riverside Avenue. Property damage and larceny from a vehicle, Bent Oak and Riverside.

Sept. 11: Assault, 1100 block of South Main Street. Assault and property damage, 1200 block of North Main Street. Property damage, 1500 block of West Maumee Street. Burglary (residential, forced entry), 300 block of Comstock Street.

long way in supporting our schools, fire departments and police patrols while giving residents some needed tax relief.

Is this in the best interests of the residents of Palmyra, Riga and Blissfield townships, or is this protracted fight against solar power being undertaken in the interests of outsiders with other motivations?

— Paul Wohlfarth, Ottawa Lake

Consider the contrasts

After watching the Republican and Democratic conventions, I am excited about the opportunity provided to U.S. voters this November. To choose light over dark; good over bad. To choose to move forward or look backward. To choose to set a course that continues to strengthen America as a multi-racial, diverse nation or that seeks grievance via white nationalism. We have a stark choice this fall when we cast our ballots.

The RNC showed an America that I grew up in — white and dominated by patriarchy. Its leader will continue to ensure his own self-enrichment and

Sept. 12: Retail fraud, 1500 block of West Maumee Street. Larceny from a building, 100 block of North McVicar Street. Larceny from a yard, 600 block of Dennis Street. Larceny from a yard, 800 block of North Broad Street. Assault, 200 block of East U.S. 223. Wire fraud, 400 block of North Winter Street. Retail fraud, 1500 block of West Maumee Street.

Sept. 13: Assault, 1100 block of East Maumee Street. Property damage, 300 block of South McKenzie Street. Assault, 800 block of Elm Street. Fraud, 700 block of East Siena Heights Drive.

Sept. 14: Assault and larceny from a building, 800 block of South Main Street. Disorderly conduct and larceny from a building, 500 block of South Winter Street. Assault, 400 block of North Locust Street. Property damage, 1100 block of Frank Street. Assault, 700 block of Erie Street.

Sept. 15: Sexual assault, 300 block of East Church Street. Vehicle theft, 300 block of East Church Street. Assault, 1300 block of East Church Street. Assault less than murder, 500 block of Tabor Street.

Sept. 16: Aggravated assault, 1300 block of Division Street. Larceny from a vehicle, 200 block of Division Street. Sexual assault, West Maple Avenue and Westwood Drive East. Property damage, 1200 block of East Siena Heights Drive. Larceny from a vehicle, 1000 block of North Broad Street.

Sept. 17: Drug possession, Main Street and Siena Heights Drive. Larceny from a building, 200 block of East Maumee Street. Assault, 1000 block of North Broad Street. Identity theft, 800 block of Chestnut Street.

Sept. 18: Assault, 900 block of East Maumee Street.

Sept. 20: Assault, 3200 block of North Adrian Highway. Fraud, 500 block of Rio Grande Drive. Larceny from a yard, 100 block of Union Street. Larceny from a yard, 700 block of College Avenue.

ADRIAN TOWNSHIP

Aug. 30: Wire fraud, 2600 block of North Adrian Highway.

Sept. 1: Assault, 1200 block of Cherry Drive.

Sept. 2: Assault, 1000 block of Loren Road. Drug possession, 3200 block of Mardan Drive.

Sept. 12: Aggravated assault, 3700 block of Carson Highway.

BRITTON VILLAGE

Sept. 13: Drug possession, 200 block of College Avenue.

CLAYTON VILLAGE

Aug. 28: Fraud, 11500 block of West Carleton Road.

DEERFIELD VILLAGE

Aug. 24: Burglary (non-residential, forced entry) and larceny from a vehicle, 100 block of Raisin Street.

Sept. 4: Larceny, 300 block of East Bacon Street.

aggrandizement. Our basic freedoms have been shown to be at risk: family planning decisions; who we love; what we read; who can vote - to name a few! I was shown a vision of America that needs to be rejected.

The DNC showed an America of who we are: Black, white, brown, handicapped, male, female, etc. I want to continue to see our nation take advantage of the Kamala Harris vision of freedom. To continue weaving this great tapestry of America through our strengths and hopes, our freedom to choose — policies that continue to improve our water and air; government structures that support public education, strengthen our taxes, care for the most vulnerable, etc. The list could go on. We were shown a vision of America that provides hope, freedom and, yes, joy! Hope for a better future for all Americans. Joy to be an American.

Consider the contrast you — we — are offered this fall. I look forward to choosing a forward-looking leadership team with policies that strengthen all of America.

— Pat Bogusz, Tecumseh

RIDGEWAY TOWNSHIP

DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP

Sept. 11: Operating while intoxicated, Rodesiler Highway and Aten Road.

FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP

Aug. 30: Vehicle theft. 1300 block of West Weston Road.

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP

Aug. 29: Wire fraud, 9400 block of Shady Drive.

Aug. 30: Larceny, 4400 block of West M-50.

Sept. 9: Sexual assault, 7700 block of North Adrian Highway.

Sept. 12: Assault, 8200 block of O’Dowling Drive.

HUDSON TOWNSHIP

Aug. 25: Larceny from a vehicle, 6900 block of Hughes Highway.

Sept. 2: Larceny from a yard, 12600 block of West Carleton Road.

MACON TOWNSHIP

Sept. 18: Larceny from a yard, 12300 block of Milwaukee Road.

MADISON TOWNSHIP

Sept. 1: Assault, 3100 block of South Winter Street. Assault, 2400 block of U.S. 223.

Sept. 2: Fraud, 2700 block of Prairie Drive.

Sept. 6: Larceny from a vehicle, 2200 block of Sharp Road. Burglary (non-residential, no forced entry), 4900 block of Treat Highway. Burglary (nonresidential, no forced entry), 4800 block of Treat Highway.

Sept. 7: Operating while intoxicated, U.S. 223 and Cadmus Road.

Sept. 8: Assault, 2300 block of Airport Road.

Sept. 13: Larceny from a yard, 1200 block of South Main Street.

Sept. 15: Burglary (non-residential, no forced entry), 1200 block of West Cadmus Road.

Sept. 16: Assault, 2000 block of Allen Street.

Sept. 17: Illegal use of a credit card, 2700 block of Park Drive.

Sept. 18: Sexual assault, 3400 block of Treat Highway. Sexual assault, 5700 block of Treat Highway.

MEDINA TOWNSHIP

Sept. 6: Assault, 12400 block of Medina Road.

MORENCI CITY

Sept. 1: Sexual assault, 200 block of Baker Street.

OGDEN TOWNSHIP

Aug. 28: Assault, 11500 block of Loar Highway.

PALMYRA TOWNSHIP

Sept. 16: Disorderly conduct, 6300 block of East U.S. 223.

RAISIN TOWNSHIP

Sept. 12: Assault, 1600 block of Val Rod Court.

Aug. 24: Operating while intoxicated, Ridge Highway and Milwaukee Road.

RIGA TOWNSHIP

Sept. 7: Assault, 11500 block of Thompson Highway. Burglary (nonresidential, no forced entry), Rodesiler Highway and Stadler Road. Operating while intoxicated, 14100 block of Stadler Road.

Sept. 9: Internet harassment or threats, 12500 block of East Horton Road.

ROLLIN TOWNSHIP

Aug. 24: Assault, 4800 block of Geneva Highway.

Aug. 29: Illegal use of a credit card, 14900 block of Griswold Road. Operating while intoxicated, Rome Road and Rollin Highway.

Sept. 4: Illegal use of a credit card, 300 block of Lenawee Street.

ROME TOWNSHIP

Sept. 16: Operating while intoxicated, Springville Highway and Forrister Road.

TECUMSEH CITY

Aug. 24: Operating while intoxicated, Raisin Center Highway and Ives Road.

Aug. 31: Larceny, 2600 block of West Chicago Blvd. Larceny from a vehicle, 700 block of East Chicago Blvd.

Sept. 4: Retail fraud, 100 block of East Chicago Blvd.

Sept. 6: Sexual assault, 300 block of North Maumee Street.

Sept. 11: Larceny from a vehicle, 700 block of West Russell Road. Larceny from a vehicle, 700 block of East Russell Road.

Sept. 12: Property damage, 900 block of Red Mill.

Sept. 14: Sexual assault, 2000 block of Conklin Road.

Sept. 15: Assault, 700 block of Bishop Reed Drive.

Sept. 17: Retail fraud, 100 block of East Chicago Blvd. Operating while intoxicated, 1000 block of East Chicago Blvd.

Sept. 18: Larceny, 1000 block of Preservation Drive.

Sept. 19: Disorderly conduct, 1100 block of Murray Drive.

TECUMSEH TOWNSHIP Sept. 11: Disorderly conduct, 1200 block of East M-50.

Sept. 12: Larceny, 9300 block of Macon Highway.

WOODSTOCK TOWNSHIP

Aug. 26: Wire fraud, 16200 block of Cement City Road.

Sept. 10: Burglary (residential, forced entry), 8000 block of Clarks Cove.

Sept. 18: Assault, 11500 block of Sanford Road.

Sept. 20: Operating while intoxicated and drug possession, U.S. 12 and U.S. 127.

an

of how many years each person had

care needs. This was the second year

IN BRIEF

Cyclist injured in hit-and-run

ADRIAN — At approximately 11:23 p.m. on Sept. 18, Adrian Police Department officers were dispatched to a car-bicycle crash near the intersection of South Main and Jordan streets in Adrian.

Officers found that a male cyclist had been riding south on South Main and was struck by a vehicle also traveling south.

The victim was transported to the hospital by the Adrian Fire Department and determined to have non-lifethreatening injuries. The driver involved in the crash fled the scene.

The vehicle is described as darkcolored passenger car. Debris left at the scene indicate it was a 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle should have damage to the front, and be missing the entire top portion of the grille.

Anyone with information regarding this incident, or any witnesses that have not yet made a statement to police, is asked to contact Lt. Joe Wisniewski at 517-264-4808, or submit information via email to APDTips@adrianmi.gov.

Howl-O-Ween Ball to raise money for Humane Society

ADRIAN — The Lenawee Humane Society’s annual Howl-O-Ween Ball will take place on Friday, Oct. 18, at the Lenawee County Fair and Event Grounds, 602 N. Dean St., Adrian.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the dinner begins at 7 p.m.

The Humane Society’s signature fundraiser consists of an online auction and in-person event. Attendees will enjoy a cocktail hour, dinner, desserts, live and online auctions, games, contests, raffles and more.

The Lenawee Humane Society is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to helping animals and the people who love them. Founded in 1921, the Lenawee Humane Society receives no government support and relies solely on donations.

For more information about the Howl-O-Ween Ball, contact Becki Nichols, fundraising manager, at 517-263-3463.

Former employees of Bixby Hospital gathered for a reunion on Sept. 22 at Island Park in Adrian. About 85 people attended, and

informal count

worked at the hospitals revealed that those in attendance had spent a cumulative total of more than 2,100 years serving Lenawee County’s health

the reunion has been held. PHOTO BY JEFF YIELDING

from page A1

Ted Aranda speaks at the Sept. 21 military monument dedication in Oakwood Cemetery. who handles pouring the concrete foundations for Oakwood’s grave markers. Also on the platform are benches donated by Post 275 and Post 315.

“There’s a lot of history there. … There are soldiers there from all walks of life,” Vescelius said.

While the earliest soldiers’ burials were in that particular section of Oakwood, over time families began burying their loved ones who were servicemembers in other parts of the cemetery. In all, more than 3,000 members of the military are interred at Oakwood, Vescelius said. Some were killed in combat and brought home to be buried; others were veterans.

The four-section granite monument is roughly five feet tall and nine feet wide in all.

Its panels are laser-etched with an American flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, an image depicting the iconic photo of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima during World War II, the emblems of the six service branches, a silhouette of a soldier kneeling by a cross, and a montage of cemetery images including rows of servicemembers’ grave markers, a flagdraped casket on a caisson, and a folded American flag being presented to a family member. The two tallest panels have cutouts that together form an outline of a saluting servicemember.

The memorial rests on a texturedconcrete platform created by Vescelius,

In time, Vescelius said, the American flag that flies over Soldier’s Field will be complemented by flagpoles holding the flags of each service branch.

Adams said she is very pleased with the memorial’s design. “It turned out really nice,” she said.

New eatery in the works for former JR’s site

Owners of Winchesters, a longtime favorite in Delta, are coming to Adrian

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Come January, Adrian will have a new family-style restaurant with a western theme to enjoy. Bits and Brews, a family restaurant that also serves alcoholic beverages, will open at the site of the former JR’s Hometown Grill & Pub near Meijer on Division Street.

The owners, Lisa and Ed Walter, are not new to the restaurant business. They started their careers in the business when they opened Winchesters Restaurant and Saloon on State Route 109 in Delta, Ohio, 20 years ago.

See BITS AND BREWS, page B2

Adrian Armory holds 100th birthday celebration » PAGE B6

Entrepreneurial spirit

By Arlene Bachanov The Lenawee Voice

TECUMSEH — Hannah Stepp was at a wrestling tournament to support her brother, a Tecumseh wrestler, about three years ago when a shaved-ice business at the tourney caught her eye.

“They were making money like crazy,” she said.

And it gave her an idea.

The then-16-year-old Tecumseh native and her family bought a trailer and cart and by the time she was 17 she had opened her own shaved-ice business, Hannah’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice.

But she wasn’t done there. Before she turned 19, she had already started a second food-truck business, Bussin’ Bowls, which sells açai-based sweet treats.

Bussin’ Bowls originally was intended to be an expansion of Stepp’s shaved-ice business. She was looking for a second trailer when a vintage VW bus caught her eye on Facebook Marketplace, “and I said, ‘there’s no way I can’t get this. This is so, so cool,’ ” she said.

Stepp ultimately decided to sell açai bowls from her bus instead of shaved ice, and planned for the bus to be a fixed-site operation. But when that plan fell through,

she didn’t let that discourage her and turned to Plan B: to take the bus to different events just like she was already doing with Hannah’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice.

Running two successful food truck businesses wasn’t exactly in Stepp’s original plans for her life. As a child, she wanted to be a teacher. Then, in high school, she decided on a career as a real estate agent, “but people don’t trust real estate agents who are 18 or 19 years old,” she said.

And while she was an excellent student at Tecumseh High School, graduating in 2023 with a 3.8 grade point average, she

See STEPP, page B2

Young business owner Hannah Stepp launched two successful food trucks before turning 19

Hannah Stepp is pictured with her second food truck, Bussin’ Bowls. ARLENE BACHANOV/LENAWEE VOICE

The former JR’s location in Adrian will soon be home to a new restaurant, Bits and Brews, owned by Lisa and Ed Walter.

wasn’t really a “school person” and knew college wasn’t for her.

“I just wanted to start my life,” she said. Then came that fateful high school wrestling tournament that changed everything.

Although her colorfully decorated bus and trailer, which she pulls with her pickup truck, have traveled as far away as Caseville, Michigan, for a festival there, most of the events she goes to are in Lenawee, Washtenaw, Monroe, and Jackson counties.

They include county fairs; farmer’s markets; area festivals such as the Clinton Fall Festival, Artalicious, and Appleumpkin; and school events like wrestling tournaments, where she does a brisk business because “the gyms are hot and people are there for 10-plus hours.” When she’s at a school event, 15 percent of her income goes back to the school.

The Lenawee County Fair has given her some of her most interesting experiences, with people stopping by to buy shaved ice not only for themselves but for their animals too, such as horses and cows. Stepp said she even had a customer who was carrying a chicken and gave it some shaved ice.

So how did she learn how to make Hawaiian shaved ice and açai bowls?

During a family trip to Maui when she was a high school junior, she went into a shop that sells the popular treat and watched how the process worked.

From there, “it was a lot of trial and error” involving her family and friends. “The amount of shaved ice they ate was just insane,” she said, laughing.

She makes her own syrups using concentrates she buys from a company in Maui.

As for her açai creations, that was a matter of watching lots of videos online and deciding what would work best for her business.

Hannah’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice sells 24 flavors including four that are sugarfree. Her No. 1 seller is blue raspberry, but tiger’s blood — made with fruit punch concentrate — is another customer favorite, as are the cotton candy and pink lemonade flavors. Hawaiian sweet cream, which is what actually makes shaved ice “Hawaiian,” or sour spray can be added on for an extra charge.

Bussin’ Bowls offers four different types of açai-based desserts, all of which also have granola, banana, strawberries, and blueberries. The Sweet Berry adds sweetened condensed milk, while The OG contains Nutella, The Bee Bowl

features honey, and The Berry Butter includes peanut butter.

The Berry Butter is Stepp’s biggest seller. Personally, she prefers The OG because she likes Nutella.

Planning the menus for Hannah’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice and Bussin’ Bowls was something of a challenge in that she had to decide what flavors to sell and how to price her items. But that was one of the fun parts of getting the operations up and running.

The far bigger challenge — as is true for many entrepreneurs, few, if any, of whom started two businesses before age 19 — was learning the ins and outs of actually running a business.

Fortunately, Stepp had two great role models and advisers in her parents, Robert and Danielle. Both are real estate

“The conversations I’ve had through that window are some of my best conversations ever. And I love being my own boss. I can’t imagine doing anything different.”

— Hannah Stepp

agents, and the family also own Robert’s Roll Offs in Adrian and Lakeside Self Storage in Onsted.

“I didn’t have any idea how to run a business. Zero clue,” Stepp said. “My parents have been my rock. They taught me how to do everything. Without my parents I could never have done it.”

Right now, for example, she’s learning to navigate the world of having employees. Four people currently work for her, “but they’re all my best friends,” she said.

And then there’s the discipline involved in being a business owner. There are plenty of times, Stepp admits, when she’s wished she could be just a regular teenager, and she often has to miss out on doing things with her friends, but “they’re okay with it,” she said.

“My friends are all super-duper supportive. They see that it works for me and it makes me happy.”

Stepp’s plan is to continue to run her businesses herself for two to four more years and then follow her goal of becoming a real estate agent with other people managing her two business operations.

But for now, she’s having a great time with her businesses. “I love what I’m doing,” she said. “The conversations I’ve had through that window are some of my best conversations ever. And I love being my own boss. I can’t imagine doing anything different. It’s so fulfilling.”

Bits and Brews from page B1

When the Walters decided to start looking to expand their business, Lisa said, they thought of Adrian because they like the city.

Another big reason that the Walters decided to open a restaurant in Adrian is because Lisa keeps show horses at a nearby horse farm, and working in Adrian would make it easy for her to work and be near her horses at the same time. The “Bits” in the name of the restaurant comes from Lisa’s background with showing horses.

“I always have to throw that in there,” Lisa said.

The planned opening date for Bits and Brews is around Jan. 1. The restaurant will feature a casual, western-sports bar atmosphere. Once completed, Bits and Brews will be able to seat around 100 people. The Walters are planning on serving customers who want to make a

visit to the restaurant fit into the rest of their day.

“People can come in from work or wherever,” Lisa said.

The menu will feature “American-style Steakhouse” food, such as burgers, steaks, chicken, wings, sandwiches, salads, and more, Lisa said. Prices will be “midrange,” she added, so customers can expect to see menu items ranging from around $15 up to $40.

The Walters are planning on providing a fun, family atmosphere to Bits and Brews.

“We pride ourselves on good food and fun atmosphere,” Lisa said.

“Families can come in with kids,” Ed said.

Applications for employment can be sent through the Winchesters Restaurant and Saloon website at winchestersrestaurant.com.

Bits and Brews will be located at 1368 Division St. More information can be found by searching for “Bits and Brews” on Facebook.

Hannah Stepp serves a customer at Hannah’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice, which she started when she was still in high school. PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH STEPP

Lisa Walter, co-owner of Winchesters Restaurant and Saloon in Delta, Ohio, is pictured inside the future location of Bits & Brews, which she and her husband hope to open in January at the former JR’s location in Adrian. JULIE C. CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

IN BRIEF

Launch

Lenawee

now offering business classes

ADRIAN — Launch Lenawee, a local nonprofit based out of the Adrian Armory that is working to boost local entrepreneurs, is now offering one-night classes on a variety of business topics.

All the classes will be offered on Tuesday nights from 6-8 p.m. at the Adrian Armory, 230 W. Maumee St. The cost is $10 per business for each class.

Registrations must be made two weeks prior to each class.

Upcoming topics are:

Oct. 15 — Creating a budget.

Oct. 22 — Maintaining cash flow.

Oct. 29 — How to read and use financial statements.

Nov. 5 — The fundamentals of effective PowerPoint slides.

Nov. 12 and 19 — Building a compelling presentaion (two parts).

Nov. 26 — Delivering presentations with confidence, clarity and impact.

Dec. 3 and 10 — Marketing and social media (two parts).

Dec. 17 — Recruiting and retaining employees in a contemporary workplace.

The series is sponsored by the Adrian-Tecumseh Local Development Finance Authority and the Greater Lenawee Chamber of Commerce. To register, go to greaterlenaweechamber.org/ business-education.

For more information about Launch Lenawee and its business education programs, email Sheila Blair at sheila@launchlenawee.org.

Creek Enterprise hosts community event on electric vehicle charging

ADRIAN — Creek Enterprise, a leader in utility construction for over 20 years, will host a community event in Adrian on Friday, Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The company is expanding its services to include infrastructure for electric vehicle charging and invites the community to come and learn about the topic. The meet-and-greet will be at Creek Enterprise’s headquarters in the former YMCA building, 638 W. Maumee St., Adrian.

County National Bank lists quarterly dividend

HILLSDALE — CNB Community Bancorp Inc. announced that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on the company’s common stock in the amount of $0.29 per share, consistent with the dividend paid for the third quarter of 2023. The dividend is payable on Oct. 11 for shareholders of record as of Sept. 30.

CNB Community Bancorp is a one-bank holding company. Its subsidiary bank, County National Bank, is a nationally chartered fullservice community bank that also offers investment management and trust services and has been serving southern Michigan since 1934.

Jersey Mike’s now open in Adrian

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — The Jersey Shore is now at the corner of Division Street and East U.S. 233 in Adrian.

Jersey’s Mikes, located at 1376 Division St. in the Adrian Meijer parking lot, had its grand opening on Sept. 18. Jersey Mike’s has 3,000 stores nationwide and 70 in Michigan, according to Jacob Happy, who is in charge of the Adrian location.

Because there’s not a Jersey Mike’s in Adrian or any of the neighboring cities, opening a store here seemed “perfect,” Happy said.

“Jersey Mike’s has just been growing a lot throughout the last few years,” Happy said, “so we’re just trying to get it, honestly, to as many people as possible.”

The restaurant offers cold and hot sandwiches, but they are known for their cold “East Coast-style” sandwiches, Happy said.

The premium meat and cheeses that make the sandwiches are sliced right in front of the customer, he continued, which is what makes Jersey Mike’s special.

“We’re going to hand-slice every sandwich in front of the customer,” Happy said.

The fresh meats included ham, roast beef, turkey, Applewood smoked bacon, salami and pepperoni. Italian specialty meat favorites, including cappacuolo and prosciuttini, are also on the menu. Tuna fish is also an option.

The sandwiches are topped with lettuce, onions and tomatoes and “The Juice,” which is a spiced dressing made from red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Meatless options feature a cold veggie sandwich and a grilled Portabella mushroom sandwich.

Hot sandwiches, including cheese steak sandwiches “fresh grilled to order,” are available as well.

Any sandwich can be made glutenfree with Udi’s Gluten Free Bread, or in a bowl.

Chips and other snacks, and Pepsi soft drinks, are also on the menu. Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip brownies and a gluten-free Snickerdoodle cookie are all baked fresh daily in the store.

Catering option include boxes of 12 individually wrapped subs, “Subs By The Bag,” and personal boxed lunches.

Jersey Mike’s takes employment applications in the store, said Peter Shipman, who is overseeing the opening of the Adrian store. Previous employment

experience is not required.

“Always in new stores, we have people who have never had a job before and it’s a great first place to start,” Shipman said.

Jacob Happy and Peter Shipman are pictured at the new Jersey Mike’s Subs in Adrian. JULIE C. CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

Gleaner Life Marks 130 years

The Gleaner Life Insurance Society became Michigan’s rst fraternal bene t society for farmers in October 1894. We’ve grown to include people of all walks of life, but our protection and care re ect our rural roots.

Lenawee County is a special part of that. Since 1981 our national headquarters have been in Adrian. We look forward to the next 130 years because we remain “Thoughtful for the Future.”

Cottage Door is home to all things Michigan

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

with the Michigan theme, Hosler carries items that have roots in the state as well.

Gleaner Life Insurance Society is domiciled in Adrian, Michigan, and licensed in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MO, NC, NE, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WI and WV. LW_VOICE_9.24

TECUMSEH — If you’re looking for a local shop that celebrates all things from the great state of Michigan, downtown Tecumseh might be a good place to start.

The Cottage Door Tecumseh opened Sept. 20 to coincide with the “Besties on the Boulevard” event that was held in downtown Tecumseh that day. Owner Laura Hosler operates the store along with her husband, Jim.

The Tecumseh location is Hosler’s second store. The first location is in Richland, north of Kalamazoo. The decision to open a second store is a homecoming for Hosler, who grew up locally. The Tecumseh store will be operated by the couple, as well as by family and friends who live locally.

“I grew up in Tecumseh,” Hosler said. “My parents and my in-laws both live here, and it just seemed like a good opportunity to invest in my hometown.”

The Cottage Door Tecumseh offers seasonal clothing items for men, women and children that feature themes reflecting the Great Lakes state. In addition to clothing items, The Cottage Door Tecumseh carries jewelry, home décor and gift items. And, going along

“If they’re not made in Michigan then they’re coming from a Michigan vendor,” she said. Items in the store are priced so there is “something available for every budget.”

“If you’re looking for a gift, you can stop in here and grab a gift, and then you might also stop in here and buy something for yourself to wear on the weekends or wear to work,” she continued. “We’re going to have a little bit of something for everyone.”

Hosler herself has a background in retail. She got interested in opening the store after attending Western Michigan University, where her studies were focused on fashion merchandising.

“I’ve always been in the retail industry,” Hosler said. “Our first store has done really well, so we are duplicating that model here.”

Owning her own business comes naturally to Hosler. She also owns an advertising agency in Kalamazoo.

“We’re entrepreneurs by heart, yes,” she said.

Laura Holser operates The Cottage Door Tecumseh along with her husband. Jim. Michigan-themed clothing and decor is a primary focus. JULIE C. CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

The Broom Closet offers a bewitching shopping experience

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

TECUMSEH — All things metaphysical, Tarot readings, holistic wellness items, classes and an apothecary of related dry goods are available at The Broom Closet, now located at 210 S. Evans St. in Tecumseh. The store, owned by Laura Heckaman, moved to the Evans Street location in July.

Heckaman got interested in opening The Broom Closet while she worked for DNA Sales 2100 in Tecumseh. She bought that business in June 2023, with the idea of expanding the collection to include artisan selections, as well as dry goods in the apothecary section.

“I wanted to be able to encompass more medicinal uses and more different dry goods kind of products,” Heckaman said. “We are a holistic wellness and metaphysical supply store.”

The store first carried rocks and crystals that are used for their metaphysical properties, which are the energies you can get from the crystals, Heckaman said. For example, Heckaman said that moonstones can be used if a person is having bad dreams.

“Our customers will come in to have a crystal that they can make their talisman or one that they can put in their bedroom, maybe, to help them sleep,” Heckaman said. Holistic practitioners will send customers to her to get supplies, she continued.

The Broom Closet has an apothecary section, where dry goods, such as teas, mushroom powders and clay powders

that can be used to make facials are found.

The apothecary also has bath products, food-grade Himalayan salts and Celtic salts, local honey, and sage and incense that can be used for smudging.

“If you’re into holistic wellness, you can come in and get your supplies for that,” Heckaman said.

The Broom Closet will host an Artisan Expo on Dec. 1. Local artisans who do consignments will be at the store to make more of their items available.

“We are definitely a stop for any of those kinds of gifts, things like that, that you can’t find other places,” Heckaman said.

Heckaman said that helping her customers is what got her interested in opening The Broom Closet.

“I fell in love with not only the customers but the helping anyone with questions — everything from smudging a brand-new house that I bought or what can I drink to regulate my blood sugar,” Heckaman said.

In addition to merchandise, the store also has a “Wiggle Room” that is used for classes and demonstrations, such as on how to blend your own teas. Tarot readings by DawnMoon Tarot are available, with bookings and prices online at dawnmoontarot.com.

The Broom Closet uses their Facebook page to promote upcoming events, such as the “Witches Dance” classes they are offering in September and October and their quarterly newsletter.

The Broom Closet, 210 S. Evans St., Tecumseh can be reached by phone at 517-424-2903 or on Facebook at facebook.com/thebroomcloset4u.

Laura Heckaman is the owner of The Broom Closet, which opened in July on South Evans Street in Tecumseh. JULIE C. CLEMES/LENAWEE VOICE

Gala fundraiser held to mark Adrian Armory’s 100th birthday

ADRIAN — The 100th anniversary of the Adrian Armory was marked with a gala fundraiser on Sept. 14.

Just over 100 people attended the celebration. The program was a history of the armory, the local area, and the country throughout the 100 years of the armory’s existence. Terry Hissong researched and presented the historical part of the program.

After the Michigan Army National Guard pulled out of the armory, it was purchased in 2017 by Mark and Mary Murray with the goal of restoring its original beauty and returning it to productive use as an asset to the community.

Throughout its history, the armory was not just a military facility, but also a public gathering space and a place

for performances, meetings, and other community functions.

The armory is now an event center for weddings, conferences, corporate events and meetings. It also hosts office space for entrepreneurs and houses the Launch Lenawee Program, with the goal of contributing to Lenawee County’s economic development by fostering homegrown business.

Supporters of the Adrian Armory gather for the facility’s centennial celebration on Sept. 14. A little over 100 people attended the event, which included food, drink, music, and history. KEITA KURAMITSU/W4 ENTERTAINMENT, FOR THE ADRIAN ARMORY EVENT CENTER

BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY

Outstanding faculty members recognized at Adrian College convocation » PAGE C2

NEIGHBORS

Lenawee NAACP plans annual Freedom Fund banquet

ADRIAN — The Lenawee County branch of the NAACP will hold its 30th annual Freedom Fund banquet on Sunday, Oct. 13, in the Adrian Tobias Center at Adrian College. The event begins with a meet-and-greet at 3:30 p.m., and the dinner and program will begin at 4 p.m.

The theme of the event is “All In,” and the keynote speaker will be Michigan Supreme Court Justice Kyra Harris Bolden.

The Freedom Fund banquet includes the presentation of the NAACP’s annual Community Service Award. Two community members will be honored this year.

Local business owner Don Lofton is being recognized for his dedication to the Adrian community, his role in providing employment to many people, and his volunteerism, which includes helping with the NAACP’s annual Juneteenth event, the M Society’s Lenawee Pride festival, the Daily Bread, back-to-school school supply distributions, and more.

Lizbeth Perez-Cazares, who oversees bilingual programs at the Adrian District Library, is being recognized for not just providing services to Spanishspeaking patrons of the library, but also working to preserve Latino and Hispanic history through the library’s Heritage Room, providing community-building programs, and many more activities.

Tickets to the Freedom Fund banquet are $75 each. A table of eight may be reserved for $600. For more information, email lenaweenaacp@comcast.net.

THE LENAWEE VOICE THIRD SECTION OCTOBER 2024

List of buyers from the Lenawee County Fair 4-H auction » PAGES C3 & C4

Author and Adrian College student releases second children’s book

By Dan Cherry The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Jillian Molnar is on a roll.

Less than one year after publishing her first children’s book, “The Ghost Goat,” the Lenawee County author has released her second book, “Mr. Bow’s Great Escape.”

A 2022 Britton Deerfield High School graduate, Molnar is currently studying at Adrian College, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in secondary English education. Her higher education goals also include a master’s degree in education in curriculum, instruction and assessment, and a reading endorsement certificate.

Molnar said her love for writing goes back to her first year in school.

“When I was in kindergarten, I would write stories and draw pictures to go along with them, and it was actually my kindergarten teacher, Colleen Connolly, who told me she thought I’d make a great author one day.”

In her latest book, Mr. Bow, a donkey, is a “loving little animal on our small farm,” and the story follows him on “his great escape of a day,” according to Molnar.

Molnar credits friends and family for encouraging her to “just do it” when bringing her creativity to book pages.

“I was a bit hesitant writing my first book, because I did not think it would go anywhere and I didn’t even know where to start,” she said. “...but my friend and local children’s author Dori Durbin helped me immensely in giving me step-by-step information and tips on how to self-publish. Without her I would have had no clue where to start.”

Molnar took the chance, and “it opened so many doors for me.”

Molnar has shared her book and writing experiences with students at Onsted, Blissfield and Britton Deerfield elementary schools, receiving valuable feedback and inspiration along the way.

“It feels amazing to have the chance to inspire so many young minds and be someone that they can look up to,” she said.

Molnar designed her own book layouts, a task she said at first took “a lot of experimenting and practice to make it look presentable.”

“However, when I got to my second book, ‘Mr. Bow’s Great Escape,’ I had a

better idea and understanding of what I wanted and how to make it that way.”

Molnar said she is the first teacher education student at Adrian College to begin a five-year master’s program, under guidance and mentoring from Kyle Griffith and Vanessa Morrison.

See MOLNAR, page C2

The Lenawee Voice

Kyra Harris Bolden

Jillian Molnar holds copies of her first two children’s books, “The Ghost Goat” and “Mr. Bow’s Great Escape.”

Outstanding faculty members honored at Adrian College’s opening convocation

ADRIAN — Three faculty members at Adrian College were presented with teaching awards at the college’s opening convocation on Sept. 4.

The Ross Newsom Award for Outstanding Teaching was presented to Kristin Clark, associate professor of music.

Clark earned her doctorate in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan, where she also completed master’s degrees in choral conducting and voice performance, and a bachelor’s degree in music education. She has appeared as a soloist throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Italy, Ukraine, Russia, and Estonia.

The Exemplary Teaching Excellence Award was presented to Thomas Muntean, professor of geology.

During his time at Adrian College, Muntean helped redevelop and modernize the geology and environmental science curriculum, has developed several new in-demand courses not previously offered at the college, and has served in numerous leadership roles. He is in his fourth year as director of the college’s Ribbons of Excellence Program.

Adrian College’s Creative Activity, Research and Scholarship Award was created to honor and recognize significant contributions to a faculty member’s field of study. This year’s recipient was Nathan Goetting, professor of sociology and criminal justice.

Goetting is the director of Adrian College’s George W. Romney Institute for Law and Public Policy and a full professor in sociology and criminal justice. His teaching and writing focus on constitutional law and civil liberties. He has taught at three law schools, served as faculty advisor to The University of Toledo Law Review and has published several writings, with some being sited in law reviews. He is also a contributing writer for Discourse Magazine. Goetting was an integral part in bringing a debate series to Adrian College.

Also during the Sept. 4 convocation, new faculty were introduced and newly promoted and tenured faculty were recognized.

New faculty members who were introduced included Danielle Gilbert (teacher education), Krista Schindel (teacher education), Alex Martin

(chemistry and biochemistry), Ian Steinke (chemistry and biochemistry), Christopher Rodgers (accountancy, business and economics), Jenna Cleary (accountancy, business and economics), Patty Higdon-Dudley (art and design), and Malak Bazzi (biology).

Brittney Cole (chemistry and biochemistry) was promoted to assistant professor while Jody DiMarco (social work) was promoted to associate professor.

Jennifer Towns (social work) and Cheryl Nutter (accountancy, business and economics) were promoted to associate professors with tenure.

Yasser Alginahi (computer science) was promoted to the rank of full professor.

Faculty promoted to the rank of full professor with tenure were Christie Boxer (sociology and criminal justice), Dorin Dumitrascu (mathematics), and Cedrick Heraux (sociology and criminal justice).

The speaker at the convocation was Michael Bell, an Adrian College alumnus who is a national authority on credit union and bank transactions and a member of the college’s board of trustees.

Molnar

from page C1

When not writing or studying, Molnar is a member of Young Life, a Christian young adult association, and is a member of Adrian College’s honor program, currently holding a 4.0 GPA.

“I was able to grow my relationship with God and build so many positive relationships with classmates and campus friends who also want to grow their relationship with God and understand their faith better,” she said. “It’s been lifechanging; I am so grateful for it.”

“I want to help students uncover what sparks their creativity and passion.”

— Jillian Molnar

Molnar is set to take a half-year break to start work on her third book, a project as-yet undeveloped but with a few ideas “brewing.”

“Being a junior in the thick of schooling right now is keeping me busy enough, and I really want to not only ensure I keep my grades up, but give myself time with my amazing family to enjoy myself and have downtime when I can find it,” she said.

Molnar said she is looking to teach high school English after graduation, ultimately advancing to the role of college professor.

“I have had amazing experiences with school,” she said. “My teachers throughout my educational career have been nothing short of amazing, and I love to read and write.”

Molnar’s interest in giving students an opportunity to tap into what makes their hearts sing drives her to meet her own education and career goals.

“I want to help students uncover what sparks their creativity and passion, and for them to understand that each and every one of them is valuable and holds a key component to making the world a better place,” Molnar said.

The Dundee Branch Library in Monroe County has a few copies of her book available for checkout, Molnar said. She is reaching out to bookstores specializing in hosting shelf space for Michigan authors, and a few copies have turned up in a Canadian library. She is also looking at local stores or venues through which she may sell copies.

“It’s a neat feeling knowing that your work is out there for people to pick up and connect to,” Molnar said.

Both books, “The Ghost Goat” and “Mr. Bow’s Great Escape” may be found for sale online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

From left to right, Adrian College president Jeffrey Docking stands with faculty members Kristin Clark, Nathan Goetting and Thomas Muntean, and vice president and dean of academic affairs Andrea Milner at the college’s opening convocation on Sept. 4.

4-H auction buyers from the Lenawee County Fair

ADRIAN — Following is the list of bidders and buyers from the 4-H auction at the Lenawee County Fair: 2024 Fair Queen Viv Hinde; A & A Rebottaro; Abbey Carpet & Floor; ACP of Lenawee; Adrian Electric & Generator Co.; Adrian Image Center LLC; Adrian Precision Machining; Adrian Steel Company; Advantage Livestock Magnawave; AGET Manufacturing Company; Aggie Mechanical; Alber Excavating; All Seasons Underground Construction; All-Phase Electric; Allen Family Farms; Amstutz Tree Service; Anderson’s Litchfield Farm Center; Anderzack/Pitzen; Lee & Donna Andre; ANG Water Technologies; Armor Insulation; Avery Oil.

Back in Balance Massage; Brooke Baima; Bakerlads Farm; Dawn Bales for Commissioner; Bank Michigan; Barrett’s Showplace Gardens and Flower Shop; Kevin II and Dawn Barrett & family; Beagle & Associates Inc.; Beagle Brothers Farms; Beck’s Hybrids (Bill Strouse Jr., Evan Leach and Doug Wildt); Beck’s Hybrids (Wildt Farms, Bill Strouse Jr.); Bell Chevrolet; Bellfy’s Plumbing LLC; Berkey Farm Center; Sally Berry; Chuck Bierman; Rob Blatchford; Jason & Kara Bleecker & girls; Bleich Family Farms; Blissfield Financial Services; Blissfield State Bank; Blissfield Veterinary Service; Ken Bollinger; Boullion Sales; Tim and Michelle Bovee; Bowles Family Farms; Bowman Chevrolet (Charlie Rebottaro); Lindsey Brayton; Breaking Records Cornhole; Brenner Oil; Brooks Family; Brown & Nofzinger PC (Brian Nofzinger, CPA); Riana Brown; State Rep. William Bruck; Isaac Brugger & family; Bulmon Farms; Burnips.

C & J Pallets Inc.; Callie L.; Candyland Child Care; Cappelletty Electric; Carousel Farms; Carpenter Farms Greenhouse LLC; Carpenter Farms Pumpkins LLC; Carter Lumber; Central Avenue Truck Parts; Charlie’s Repair LLC; Chelsea Lumber Co.; Choates Belly Acres; Bianca Cilley; Clayton Lumber; Clear Season General Contracting; Clift Buick GMC; Clinton Hometown Pizza; Clinton Trail Animal Hospital; Continental Service; Cornstar Racing Stables; Corrigan Oil; Country Market; Countryside Excavating Services LLC; Countryside Veterinary Services; County National Bank of Lenawee County; CR Motors of Hudson; Craig Show Pigs; Creek Enterprise; Creekside Carpentry LLC; Cutting Edge Engraving LLC.

D & B Terry Farms; D & P Communications; Dave Wilt Farms; Chris Davidson; Decker & Sons Insurance; DeJonghe’s Farm Drainage Inc.; Jill Desimone; Diamond E Farm; Rosemary Dickerson; DJN Cattle Farm; Down Under Trenching; Ben & Kari Downard; Downtown Dempsey’s; Dwight Fisher Farms.

E & R Lewis Trucking; Eagle One Firearms Training; Eagle Valley Ag Risk Advisors; Edison Builders & Two Lakes Tavern; Eisenmann’s Golden Acres (EGA Inc.); Deb Elliott; Chelsea Ellis; Mike & Karen Ely; Eric Emmendorfer; Norm Emmons; End-A-Lane Corporation; Engler, Garrow & Roth, Ltd.; ESA; ESC Dry Ice; Sam & Dawn Everly; Extrunet America.

Fall’s A-1 Auto Care; Family Farm & Home of Tecumseh; Family Farm and Home of Adrian #31; Farmers & Merchants Bank; Fayette Feed Mill; Ferris & Sons Milk Hauling; Ferris Farms; Chad Fisher; Dawn & Jason Fisher; Laura Fisher; Fishers Ag Insurance Services; Caroline Flores; Doug & Cathy Fox; Franks American Concrete; Friends of Jamie Fox.

Gallery Of Shops; Garrison Farms LLC; John & Charlotte Garrison; Garst LP Gas Inc.; Gerken Materials Inc.; Angela Germain; GGC Feeds; Gleaner Adrian Arbor; Gleaner Life Insurance Society; Global Medical Foam Inc.; Goetz Family Farm CSA; Goetz Land and Cattle; Golden Knob Farms; Gordon & Sons Water Well Drilling Inc.; Gould Farms; Grace Chandler’s Dog Grooming; Green Energy LP; Greene Family Farm; Greenstone FCS; Gust Brothers Pumpkin Farm; Gust

Flower and Produce Farm; Elisabeth Gust. Marty & Martha Hall; Halliwill Farms; Halsey

Hard Way

Mechanical

Hart

Hillcrest Vet Clinic;

Family;

Farms; Hampton Manor of Adrian; Hanks Plumbing

Contractors;

Farm;

Brothers; Hartland Farms; Heart Song Homestead; Wanda Heinz; Heritage Animal Hospital; Hickory Lodge Farms; Hill Top Farms; Matt & Hollie Hillard; Vernae & George Hillard;

Hinde

Hinesly Orthodontics; Hoddinott Acres;

Hoffland Dairy; Bryanna Hoffmann; Hoots Wood Flooring; Jodi Horner; Howells Mechanical Service; Hubbard Auto Center; Hughes Seed Solutions. In Memory of Isiah Stephens; Industrial Power Systems; Ingstead Farms; Ingstead Farms (Jason Root); Integrity Communicators LLC; Invenergy; Iott Insurance Agency; Iott Ranch & Orchard Inc.; Izzy Lievens (Sweet Izzy).

Grand Champion Fryer Rabbits and Grand Champion Home Grown Fryers — owned by Violet Caplon; purchased by Thee Old Mill.

Grand Champion Meat Pen (Chicken) — Owned by Lainey Johnston; purchased by Marry Funeral Home.

Champion Ewe — owned by Owen Plum; purchased by Adrian Precision Machining.

Grand Champion Boer Goat — owned by Landon Clabaugh; purchased by Downtown Dempsey’s and Sieler’s Water Systems.

Grand Champion Pen of Market Lambs — owned by Wesley Garrison; purchased by Thee Old Mill, Greenstone Farm Credit Services, and Nutrien Ag Solutions of Blissfield & Morenci. PHOTOS BY WIESLER PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF LENAWEE COUNTY 4-H

J & K Handyman’s Services; J & W Warner Farms LLC; Jacob’s Supply; Jasper Feed and More; Jeff Jackson Farm Bureau Insurance; Jeffery Schmidt Roofing; Stacy Jenkins; Chandler & Holly Jerore; Jim Goetz Farms LLC; Joe Gust Farm; Joe Salenbien Farm; John Marion Inc.; Alexa & Jon Fischer; Joe Jonas; Cristy Justice.

Kastel & Sons Ranch; Kathy Billings CPA PLLC; Keith Tillotson Farms; Andrew & Nicole Kellenberger; Keller Insurance; Amy Keller; Kelly Veterinary Clinic; Dr. Nancy Kelly; Kemner-IottBenz Agency; Knapp Motors; Kory L. Alcock Farms; Kossey Family Farm in Memory of Michael Kossey; KrieghoffLenawee Co.; Gaylord & Kay Kutzley. Lakatos Family Farms; The Lamkin Group; Layman Construction; Lenawee Christmas Insurance; Lenawee County Fair Board; Lenawee County Farm Bureau Young Farmers; Lenawee Fuels & Jerry’s Market; Lenawee Intergenerational Learning Academy; Lenawee Shooting Stars 4-H Club; Lenco Credit Union; Lenco Painting Inc; Lennard Farms Trucking; Leo’s Metal & Wood Pallets; Level One; Connie Loar; Connie & Roger Loar; Ed & Jen Loar; Kasey Loar; Long-Schot; Grant Long; Scott & Jen Long; Taegan Long; Longhaven Farms; Love Family Dental PC; Luckey Farmers Inc.; Lucky Acres Farm; Mike Luma; Lynwood Manor. MAC, Inc. Blissfield/Jasper; Machined Solutions LLC; Cindy Malaczewski; Mapstone Farms; Marks Farm and Greenhouse LLC; Marks Farms; Ben & Corie Marks; Ashley Marr; Marry Funeral Home; Marry Monuments; Kevon Martis, County Commissioner for District 7; Marvin Farms; Mason Farms; Chris & Dawn McCallister; Dillon McCullough; McKown Farms; McMunn Brothers & McMunn Transport; Mechanical Extremes Heating & Cooling LLC; Mepham Family; Michigan Living Real Estate; Midwest Energy and Communications; Keith Miller; Misfit Homestead; Mitchell Auctioneering; Russ Mitchell; Tim Mitchell; MMPA; Mohr Farm; Moll Family; Keith Morlock; Morning Glory Newfoundlands; Shane & Jennifer Morse; Linda Mueller. Napoleon Feed Mill; Napoleon Livestock; Neumann Family; NewGen of Clinton LLC; Next Generation Automotive; NextHome Elevate (Jessica Kruse); NFD (New Flavo Dairy); Norris Klump Farms Inc.; Nutrien Ag Solutions (Reading); Nutrien Ag Solutions (Blissfield & Morenci); Nutrien Of Saline. Old Orchard Point LLC; Joy Ollier; Onsted Car & Dog Wash; David & Cathy Onsted; Austin Opdycke & family; Ottawa Lake Co-op.

P & J Farms; Papa Jeff Wolcott; Jerry & Tammy Pape; Papenhagen Construction Inc.; Paschal Vault Company; PB Equipment Rental; Penn Acres Grain Inc.; Phenicie Enterprises Concrete Flatwork & Excavating; Craig & Julie Phenicie; Michael Phipps; Pioneer HiBred (Megan Gust); Pittsford Feed Mill; Platt Electric; Play & Stay Pet Resort; Jason Plum; Posey Creek Farms; Laura Powelke; Premier Bank (Adrian); Previch Durocs; Prime Acres Hay & Straw; Sarah Publiski.

R & A Thompson Farm LLC; R. Thomas Enterprises; Rapid Machine; Raymond & Stutzman Seeds; Reau & Associates PC; Reau Manufacturing Company; Rebottaro Family; Redline Equipment; Eric & Lisa Reichow; Richard Reitz; Rerun Acres; Carrie Ringkvist; Rising Excavating; Jeff Rising; Roberts Roll Offs; Robinson Post Frame

Construction; Robison, Curphey & O’Connell Attorneys; John & Kara Roesler; Amy Roome; Rural Roots; Rustic Lane Farm; RWE.

S & S Parts Salenbien Trucking & Excavating; Sampson Farms; Sand Creek Telephone Company; Laura Schaedler; Schaible Farm/Golden Harvest Seeds; Ed Scheffler; Schmidt Mobile Wash; Bill Schwingel; Rochelle Scott; Shepherd Hill Farms; Sieler Construction; Sieler Mini Farm; Sieler’s Landscape and Design; Sieler’s Water Systems; Six Family Farm; Karen Six; Larry Smith; Kathryn Smoke; Solid Rock Construction; South Riga Go-Getters; Spartan Crop Insurance; Heidi Spence; Doug & Julia Spiegel; The Spotted Cow; The Springs; Ross Stant; Karla Stanton; State Line Farms;

Stevenson Water Hauling; Stoney Creek Nursery; Strahan Sheep Farms; Dan and Tracy Stubli; SunRyz Dairy; John Sutherland; Symons Electric LLC.

T & R Total Lawn Care; T & S Fry; Terry Tabbert; The Taylor Agency; Jamie Taylor; Leigh Taylor; Travis & Sarah Taylor; Tecumseh Family Dental Care; Tecumseh Veterinary Hospital; Teepee Town Storage; Terrehaven Farms; Terry Farms Photography; Terry Insurance Farm Bureau; Thee Old Mill; Scott & Natalie Thompson; Travis & Ashley Thompson; Tilton & Sons Shoes; TLC Community Credit Union; Toby’s Instrument Shop Inc.; Tom Scharer Farms; Christina Tonenah; Top-o-Hill Farm; Towler Family Dentistry; TriCounty Feeds Rob-See-Co; Trick Cut

Metal Works; Trimark Construction; Triple A Excavating; Twin Pines Eatery. Underwood Orr Post 34; United Producers (Stryker, Ohio); VanBrunt Transport; Vet Standard; Viking Barber Shop; Violet Meadows Rabbitry.

The Wagley Group; Waldron Grain; Wallace Auto; Waltz Carpentry; Waterstone Digital, LLC; Josephine Weeden, DDS; WG Dairy Supply Inc.; Whitcher Plumbing & Heating; Shelly White; Cindy

The

Wielfaert;

Wilbur Ellis Co.; Will Thompson Oral Surgery; Willett Farms; Williams Family; Bradley Williams; Jerry & Barbara Witek; Andrew Woelmer; Wolf it Down BBQ; Worthington Steel; Wright Plumbing & Sewer Service; Yvonne McNicol CPA; State Rep. Dale W. Zorn.

Grand Champion Market Lamb and Champion Wether — owned by Dempsey Barrett; purchased by Country Market.

Grand Champion Dairy Goat — owned by Andrew Osgood; purchased by Mechanical Extremes Heating & Cooling LLC.

Grand Champion Roaster Rabbit — owned by Makayla Six; purchased by Keith Morlock.

Grand Champion Market Hog & Champion Barrow — owned by Blaine Wheeler; purchased by Lennard Farms Trucking, Tim & Michelle Bovee, and Bell Chevrolet.

Grand Champion Meat Waterfowl — owned by Aiden Sweinhagen; purchased by Greenstone Farm Credit Services.

Champion Gilt — owned by Isaac Conn; purchased by Ottawa Lake Co-Op and Wolf It Down BBQ.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

IN BRIEF

United Way to offer health checks on Oct. 10

The United Way of Monroe/ Lenawee Counties, along with ProMedica Charles & Virginia Hickman Hospital and Family Medical Center of Michigan, provide opportunities for low-cost health testing and health information every year in the spring and fall. The 2024 fall event will be on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 8 a.m. to noon at First United Methodist Church of Adrian, 1245 W. Maple Ave.

The cost for a 22-panel blood test is $20 and includes the following tests: a complete blood count, glucose, kidney function, sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide, thyroid function, and total cholesterol check.

Additional Vitamin D and HA1C tests are available at a minimum cost. Vitamin D tests measure how much vitamin D is in your body. Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, and a lack of it can lead to health problems, including cardiovascular disease. A HA1C (also called Glycohemoglobin) is a blood test that is an aid in diagnosing and monitoring diabetes. All tests range in price from $10 to $20. A 12-hour fast is recommended before blood tests.

No appointment is necessary. Call 517-264-6821 for any questions.

Al-Anon Family Groups offer local meetings

Al-Anon Family Groups (AFG) offer meetings to help families and friends of problem drinkers. There are several in Lenawee County and surrounding areas. These are the Lenawee County-area meetings.

n Tuesdays at noon: Serenity Now AFG, NewSong Church, 5211 S. Occidental Highway (back building), Tecumseh.

n Tuesdays at 7 p.m.: Tuesday Night 12 & 12 AFG, Madison Church of the Nazarene, 3993 Treat Highway, Adrian.

n Wednesdays at 8 p.m.: Irish Hills AFG, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 11151 U.S. 12 (upper level), Brooklyn. (There is also an Alateen meeting at this location. For more information about Alateen, call 517-403-0429.)

n Thursdays at 6 p.m.: Keep it Simple Thursday Night AFG, NewSong Church, 5211 S. Occidental Highway (back building), Tecumseh.

n Thursdays at 7 p.m.: New Hope AFG, All Saints Episcopal Church, 151 N. Main St., Brooklyn.

n Fridays at 7 p.m.: TGIF AFG, First United Methodist Church, 1245 W. Maple Ave. (Room 1), Adrian.

n Sundays at 1 p.m.: Sunday Afternoon AFG, First United Methodist Church, 1245 W. Maple Ave. (in the library), Adrian.

People are welcome to simply show up at a meeting, but anyone who would like more information can email michiganalanon. district3@gmail.com. Some meetings are available on Zoom. For details, go to www.area32d2. org/all-anon-meetings.

What does your local health department do?

Have you ever wondered who’s responsible for keeping your community healthy and safe? Whether it’s making sure the food you eat is safe, the water you drink is clean, or preventing the spread of contagious diseases, the Lenawee County Health Department (LCHD) plays a crucial role in protecting public health. From offering vaccines and health screenings to inspecting restaurants and monitoring environmental risks, LCHD provides a wide range of services to safeguard the well-being of every resident in Lenawee County.

Here’s a look at how LCHD serves Lenawee County residents every day.

n Preventing disease and protecting public health: LCHD safeguards the community by preventing the spread of diseases like Measles, Salmonella, Pertussis, Chickenpox and COVID-19. Our team monitors the health status of the county, investigates outbreaks, and takes preventive measure to stop illnesses from spreading. From influenza vaccines to follow-up care for infectious diseases, we’re here to keep Lenawee healthy.

For those concerned about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, or HIV, LCHD provides confidential testing, counseling, treatment, and partner treatment services. Early detection and prevention are key to maintaining a healthy community.

n Immunizations for children and adults: Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools in preventing illness. LCHD offers immunizations for children, adults, and travelers, protecting the community from preventable diseases like the influenza, measles, and whooping cough. Whether it’s back-toschool shots or vaccines for travelers, we’ve got you covered.

n Health screenings and preventive care: Preventive care is crucial for longterm health. LCHD encourages residents to take advantage of screenings for diabetes, cholesterol, breast and cervical cancer, and more. We also provide reproductive health services, pregnancy tests, and educational resources to help

you make informed decisions about your health.

n Children’s health services: Early detection is key to a child’s development. LCHD offers free hearing, vision, and dental screenings for preschool and school-aged children. Identifying potential issues early helps ensure that children can thrive both in and out of the classroom.

In addition, we educate families on the dangers of lead exposure, helping them take steps to prevent lead poisoning and protect their children’s health.

n Support for children with special needs: For families with children or youth with special health care needs, LCHD’s Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) is here to help. This program offers support to those with qualifying medical conditions, providing financial assistance, care coordination, case management, and referrals to community resources. Whether your child needs specialized medical care or assistance accessing equipment, CSHCS can guide you through the process.

n Environmental health: From restaurant inspections to monitoring public beaches, LCHD’s Environmental Health Division works tirelessly to keep Lenawee County safe. Our team conducts health and safety inspections of restaurants, child and adult care centers, body art establishments, and public swimming pools to ensure they meet county and state regulations.

We also issue permits for on-site sewage systems and water wells, making sure your home’s environment is as safe as possible. Monitoring for vector-borne diseases like those carried by mosquitoes and ticks is another critical part of our mission.

If you’ve ever attended a community

event with food vendors, LCHD was there behind the scenes, ensuring food safety by licensing and inspecting temporary food events. We also educate the public about food safety and respond to foodborne illness complaints.

n Community health education: Beyond direct services, LCHD is committed to empowering residents to lead healthier lives. Our community outreach programs focus on a range of health topics, from quitting smoking, marijuana education, and managing mental health to preventing chronic diseases. By providing resources and education, we help you take control of your health.

Whether you need vaccinations, health screenings, or environmental inspections, the Lenawee County Health Department is here for you. We’re dedicated to protecting the health of our community and providing resources to keep you and your family safe.

For more information on the services we offer, visit our website at lenaweehealthdepartment.org or give us a call at 517-264-5226. Your health is our priority!

Monica Hunt is the Lenawee County Health Department’s Health Officer.

MONICA HUNT

THERESA SHOEMAKER

Health Insurance Agent – Medicare Products (517) 265-2891 | tshoema@ctyfb.com

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 5 organizations which offer 34 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all your options.

Medicare vs. Medicaid: Two similar-sounding but different programs

Medicare and Medicaid are words we often hear when it comes to healthcare, and it’s easy to mix them up. But these programs are meant for different groups of people, and they work in different ways. Understanding how they differ is important, especially if you or someone you care for becomes eligible.

Medicare is a national health insurance program run by the government. It helps people who are 65 and older, as well as younger people who have certain disabilities or serious health issues, like End-Stage Renal Disease. To get Medicare, the Social Security Administration checks to see if you are eligible.

Medicare is divided into different parts. First, there is Part A, which is hospital insurance. Most people don’t have to pay a premium for this part, as long as they have worked enough years. Part A helps cover hospital stays, skilled nursing care, and other services like hospice. Then, there’s Part B, which is medical insurance. This covers things like doctor visits and outpatient care. Part B has a monthly premium that is often taken out of Social Security benefits. Both Part A and Part B have costs like deductibles and co-pays, meaning you still pay a portion of your medical expenses.

Medicare also offers a prescription drug plan, known as Part D. This plan helps cover the cost of medications. Part D is run by private insurance companies, but they must be approved by Medicare to ensure they offer enough coverage. You will likely need to pay a premium for Part D. Every year, from October 15 to December 7, Medicare beneficiaries can review their prescription drug plans. This is a good time to check if the plan still fits your needs and budget. Any changes made during this time will take effect on January 1 of the following year.

There is also another option called Medicare Advantage, or Part C. This plan combines Part A, Part B, and often Part D into one package. It is also run by

CARI REBOTTARO

private insurance companies, but they must follow Medicare’s rules. You may have to pay a premium for this plan, too. The same open enrollment period applies here, from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, with coverage starting on Jan. 1.

If you are nearing the age of 65, you should start looking at your Medicare options about three months before your birthday. Medicare coverage begins on the first day of the month you turn 65, not on your actual birthday.

Medicaid, on the other hand, is a state program run by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. This program provides health insurance for people with low incomes, including adults, pregnant women, and children. Whether you qualify depends on the specific Medicaid program, and it might cover part or all of your medical costs.

To learn more about Medicare, you can visit Medicare.gov. For Medicaid information in Michigan, check Michigan.gov under the Department of Health and Human Services section.

If you have questions or need help understanding these programs, the Lenawee County Department on Aging has volunteers who can assist through the Michigan Medicare Assistance Program. You can call them at 517-2645280. If you live outside Lenawee County, call 800-803-7174 to find a counselor near you.

Cari Rebottaro is director of the Lenawee County Department on Aging. She can be reached at Cari.Rebottaro@lenawee.mi.us.

Educational series on dementia planned for October in Saline

SALINE — Dementia Friendly Saline+ is partnering with Holy Faith Church of Saline to offer a five-week series of presentations and conversations about dementia, caregiving and living in a dementia friendly community.

The October “In This Together” dementia awareness and education series aims to inform the public, whether they are dementia caregivers, or might someday be, or have friends on the dementia journey, about the realities of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, about caregiver tools and techniques, about ways to reduce risk of developing dementia, and about some good news on the research and treatment front. There will also be information about Dementia Friendly communities.

With the huge Baby Boomer generation reaching the age when the Alzheimer’s risk sharply increases, roughly every minute another American develops Alzheimer’s, which is the most common cause of the memory loss and related problems. New drug therapies might help slow down its progression, allowing people with Alzheimer’s to live a good life longer. But

the increasing numbers of caregivers need more information and support to care for their spouses, partners, parents, and they continue to have a difficult time finding it, or even knowing that there is help and support on the dementia journey.

All of the talks are from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the social hall at Holy Faith Church, 6299 Saline-Ann Arbor Road, Saline.

The topics are:

n Oct. 1 — A disease, not a disgrace: Understanding Alzheimer’s and dementia; warning signs and what to do.

n Oct. 8 — Dementia risks, and good news on risk reduction and treatment.

n Oct. 15 — Dementia caregiving basics for families.

n Oct. 22 — The dementia journey: Love, learning and friendship.

n Oct. 29 — The Dementia Friendly Movement: Walking toward, not away.

Dementia Friendly Saline+ is a nonprofit aimed at making living in the community less difficult and more dignified for people with dementia. They raise awareness, provide education, and create fun, judgment-free events for those affected by dementia. For more information, go to dfsaline.org.

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

[N] National Cremation, obituaries.nationalcremation.com

[P] Gil Purse & Son, gilpurseandson.com

[R] Rupp Funeral Home, ruppfuneralhomeinc.com

[W] Wagley Funeral Homes, wagleyfuneralhomes.com

Carol Ann Jodis, 86, of Adrian died on July 9. She enjoyed performing and was involved with the Croswell Opera House in many roles, including administrative director, Town Hall program chair, and board member. She was a supporter of the Adrian Symphony, an artist, and an avid bridge player. She was active in Sacred Heart in Hudson and St. Joseph/Holy Family Parish in Adrian where she and Denis served as Eucharistic ministers. [N]

Sister Annette Sinagra, 88, of Adrian, formerly known as Sister Mary Grace, died on Aug. 12. She was in her 66th year of religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation. She spent 27 years in ministry in the Dominican Republic as a teacher, religious education coordinator, pastoral team member, and advocate for social justice. She later ministered with the congregation’s portfolio advisory board. She was a champion for women, minorities, and those living in poverty. [ADS]

Todd Allen Bower, 57, of Britton died on Aug. 13. He was a 1984 graduate of BrittonMacon Area School and was a certified meat cutter for nearly 40 years. He enjoyed processing deer for local hunters, hunting, fishing, and trapping. [P]

Thomas “Ed” Deere died on Aug. 13. After serving in the military he became a Detroit police officer and later went to work for ACCO until he retired. [H]

Cynthia Lynn Rolen, 69, of Morenci died on Aug. 17. She was a 1973 graduate of Milan High School and was employed for many years at Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor. [P]

Nancy Ann Tanner, 79, died on Aug. 17. She worked for Hayes-Albion Corp. and Homer Donaldson Manufacturing. She and her husband owned and operated George’s Towing in Hudson. [AM]

Janet Canales , 77, of Adrian died on Aug. 19. She worked several jobs, and before her retirement was a cashier at Family Dollar. [AM]

Loretta Charleen Dempsey, 52, of Morenci died on Aug. 19. She worked at the original Dempsey’s Restaurant with her father for a number of years until it closed. [AM]

Vera Lynn Gearhart, 68, of Rollin Township died on Aug. 19. [AM]

Kenneth Burr Glaser III, 71, of Adrian died on Aug. 19. After college he started driving for Sysco and USF Holland, from which he retired in 2015. He was a Science Olympiad coach and ran science and robotics programs at Allendale schools. [AM]

Janise Heston Wynne, 71, of Adrian died on Aug. 19. [P]

Vavle “Val” Beatrice Burgess-Browneller, 93, of Adrian died on Aug. 20. She worked for General Motors as a sewing machine operator for many years. [AM]

Joseph Anthony Johnson, 42, of Adrian died on Aug. 20. He was a 2000 graduate of Tecumseh High School. He worked in construction and had a passion for motorcross, where he became a series champion and was known as “Jumpin’ Joe Johnson.” [AM]

Charles Wade Lewis, 71, of Palmyra died on Aug. 20. He served in the Army National Guard and worked in manufacturing as a job setter, and also privately as a horse farrier. [AM]

Peet Mitchell, 87, of Brooklyn died on Aug. 20. He spent most of his life making windows. He attended Cornerstone Church in Brooklyn and mowed the lawn there for many years. [E]

Ronald Eugene Niedzwiecki, 80, of Brooklyn died on Aug. 20. He was a teacher, coach, athletic director, and principal at various schools, retiring in 2019 from St. Francis De Sales in Toledo where he served as vice president and director of operations. [E]

Cynthia “Cindy” Diane Nolan, 76, of Tecumseh died on Aug. 20. She enjoyed performing, and volunteered as an usher at the Fisher Theatre. She graduated from Mercy School of Nursing in 1968 and worked as a nurse in San Francisco and at Herrick Hospital in Tecumseh. Later she worked at the University of Michigan Hospital and as a diabetes educator at Herrick. She taught catechism at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church. [H]

George James North, 102, of Adrian died on Aug. 20. He was a U.S. Army veteran who served on the front lines in Italy as a staff sergeant during World War II. After the war he worked at Kewaunee Manufacturing in Adrian for 32 years as a welder. [AM]

Kay Lynn Firster, 77, of Adrian died on Aug. 21. She was a 4-H leader and volunteered with her daughters’ Brownie Troop. She was talented at sewing and worked for the West Adrian United Church of Christ and later for Onsted schools. [W]

Robert L. Terry, 84, of Fayette died on Aug. 21. A carpenter by trade, he was selfemployed for many years and later worked in maintenance for Bio Lab in Adrian, retiring in 2010. [AM]

Santos S. Aranda, 73, of New York died on Aug. 22. He was born in Adrian and attended Adrian Catholic Central and Siena Heights, later working for General Motors. [H]

Joyce Kay Elliott, 85, died on Aug. 22. After graduating from high school, she attended cosmetology school and worked as a hairdresser for over 30 years in downtown Ypsilanti. She was a member of Tecumseh Church: A Freewill Gathering Place. [H]

Stephen Arlen Haggard, 66, of Frankenmuth, formerly of Tecumseh, died on Aug. 23. He was a Ferris State University graduate and licensed pilot who worked for the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings. [AM]

Carolyn I. Jeziolkowski, 88, of Adrian died on Aug. 23. She was a 1953 graduate of Catholic Central High School and worked for telephone companies in Ann Arbor, Alpena, and Minneapolis. She was an associate of the Adrian Dominican Sisters for 21 years. [AM]

Karen L. Baughey, 70, of Adrian died on Aug. 24. She was a 1972 graduate of Sand Creek High School. Over the years she worked at Big Boy, Quick Print, Adrian Super Laundromat, and Lenawee Medical Care Facility. She was a member of Adrian First Church of the Nazarene and the DAV Auxiliary. [W]

James “Jim” Homer Colson, 93, of Tecumseh died on Aug. 24. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and worked in the engineering records department at Tecumseh Products, retiring in the late 1980s. He was a founding member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Tecumseh. He was a member of the Raisin Valley Golf Club and volunteered with Civitan. [H]

Donald Franklin Scott, 85, of Tecumseh died on Aug. 24. After high school he served in the Marine Corps for six years. He had a long career as a truck driver, retiring from Yellow Freight. [AM]

Sharon Louise Scott, 82, of Tecumseh died on Aug. 24. She made her career in accounts receivable at Medstat in Ann Arbor. [AM]

Richard “Dick” Gerard Monahan, 66, of Tecumseh died on Aug. 25. He was a tooland-die foreman at Milan federal prison. He attended St. Elizabeth Catholic Church and was a member of the Moose Lodge. [AM]

Joyce Lorene Trammell, 72, of Milan died on Aug. 25. She was an avid reader and loved animals. [P]

Roy Allen Waycaster, 82, of Tecumseh died on Aug. 25. He was a 1961 graduate of Adrian High School and served four years in the U.S. Navy as an electronics technician. He retired from Sensors Inc. in 2011. [AM]

Sydney Marguerite Covert, 80, of Brooklyn died on Aug. 26. She worked as a legal secretary at both Ford Motor Co. and Ford Credit Co., retiring in 2002. She volunteered at dog rescue organizations. [E]

Margaret “Marge” Ellen Kope, 80, of Adrian died on Aug. 26. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Early Ford V-8 Club of America. She enjoyed sharing her time with Share the Warmth and a widow’s club. [AM]

Douglas “Doug” Wayne Smith, 81, of Adrian died on Aug. 26. He was an automotive engineer, retiring from Ford after 25 years of service. He always had an interest in radio-controlled planes and building various models and trains. He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Adrian. [W]

Parke Atkinson, 67, of Clayton died on Aug. 27. A 1974 graduate of Hudson High School, he was an ironworker in the commercial building industry. His memberships included Clayton Corner Coffee Club, Local 55 Ironworkers Union, Bass Club, and Lenawee Pheasants Forever. [AM]

Kimberly Hanadel, 59, of Ypsilanti, formerly of Tecumseh, died on Aug. 27. She worked as a dental assistant for over 35 years. She was a member of Trinity Baptist Church. [AM]

Douglas William Fisher, 55, of Tecumseh died on Aug. 28. A 1987 graduate of Adrian High School, he worked with Ford Motor Co. as a pipefitter. [W]

Morris L. Newman Jr., 94, of Monroe died on Aug. 28. He served in the U.S. Air Force and then worked for Tecumseh Products for 43 years as a supervisor, retiring in 1996. He was a life member of VFW Post 1138. [R]

Vivian E. Sarabia, 55, of Adrian died on Aug. 29. She worked as a dental assitant, X-Ray technician, and clinical nurse technician. [AM]

Linda Lou Babbitt, 84, of Adrian died on Aug. 30. She was employed as a nurses aide, and most recently was a bus driver for Adrian Public Schools. [W]

Margaret Ann Borck, 83, of Hudson died on Aug. 30. She drove a school bus for Hudson Area Schools for 25 years, retiring in 2004, and rarely missed a home game. [AM]

Mary Ann Hart, 87, of Clayton died on Aug. 30. She was a member of Clayton United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Hudson Center Grange, Pomona Grange, Lenawee County Farm Bureau, Hudson Township Planning Commission and many other organizations, and volunteered at Lincoln Elementary School. [BVH]

Jerry Edison Shadley, 84, died on Aug. 30. He worked as a carpenter and in underground construction. He was an avid bowler and belonged to various leagues. [H]

Daniel Neal Merillat Sr., 80, of Pittsford died on Sept. 1. He was employed at Metalloy Foundry in Hudson for over 40 years, retiring in 2003. [BVH]

Donald R. Payne, 86, of Adrian died on Sept. 2. After retiring from the Adrian Police Department, he worked for the Sheriff’s Office. He was a parishioner at Holy Family Parish. [AM]

Alice Lillian Chilcote, 86, of Hudson died on Sept. 4. She was a secretary for Hudson Area Schools and also worked for Bob’s Market House in Hudson. [BVH]

David Murray Crosby, 80, of Tecumseh died on Sept. 4. He belonged to an Antique Car Club in Toledo and loved golfing, camping and fishing. [H]

Janet Sue Burnham, 87, of Brooklyn died on Sept. 5. In her younger years she worked as a switchboard operator. She was a member of the American Legion for many years. [E]

Brian Lee Rorrer, 61, of Tecumseh died on Sept. 5. After graduating from high school he worked as a machinist, for the past 23 years worked at DAVCO Technology in Saline. He also owned B&B Lawncare and Snow Removal. [P]

Geraldine Lynn Swihart, 72, of Jackson died on Sept. 7. She attended Brooklyn Presbyterian Church and was on the Bunco League and enjoyed crafting with other church members. [E]

Carol Louise Turner, 69, of Adrian died on Sept. 7. She studied at Adrian College, Siena Heights, and Eastern and Western Michigan Universities, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. She was a teacher for over 30 years, most of those years at Hudson Area Schools. She was Lenawee County Teacher of the Year in 2015. She was a member of Adrian First Church of the Nazarene. [AM]

Vernon D. Crandall, 91, of Hudson died on Sept. 8. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He farmed and worked at the factory for Hayes in Albion and West Unity. He attended Open Door Bible Church. [BVH]

Duane Frederick Dunlap, 88, of Brooklyn died on Sept. 8. He served in the Marine Reserves for seven years. He was the founder and President of Cnawlaecan, a consulting engineering firm focusing on highway design and safety. An avid runner, he continued jogging well into his 80s. [E]

Idalia T. Hernandez, 91, of Adrian died on Sept. 8. She attended Calvary Baptist Church and the Croswell Family Worship Center. The Berean Baptist Church was her home place of worship. She worked at the Adrian Big Boy, at Acme Cannery, and as a housekeeper. [AM]

Steven Michael Daniels, 76, of Clinton died on Sept. 9. He was a sheet metal model maker in the automotive industry. He was active in the Jaguar Club of North America, Boy Scouts, Historical Society of Clinton, Friends of the Clinton Township Public Library, Lenawee County Conservation League, and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. [H]

Nina May Pixley, 88, of Adrian died on Sept. 9. In her earlier years she worked as a cook at the Cherry Nook restaurant in Palmyra. She worked at Palmyra Upholstery for several years and then started her own upholstery business from her home. She belonged to the quilting club in Adrian for many years. [W]

Lois Jean Eveleth, 89, of Adrian died on Sept. 10. She nannied many children and taught children’s ministries for over 20 years. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Brooklyn for 30 years and joined the Jasper Bible Church after moving to Adrian. [AM]

Thomas F. Robarge, 83, of Tecumseh died on Sept. 10. He retired from Tecumseh Products in 1964. [P]

Pamela K. Marry, 79, of Hudson died on Sept. 11. She worked for the Lenawee County courts for 28 years, retiring from the clerk’s office. She was a member of the Altar Rosary Society and Beta Sigma Phi. [AM]

IN MEMORY

Nancy Ellen Work, 76, of Adrian died on Sept. 11. She owned and operated From Our Hands to Your Heart craft store for several years, and had been a member of Al-Anon since 1970. [AM]

Kristine R. Fogelsong, 50, of Adrian died on Sept. 13. She was a 1992 graduate of Adrian High School. She worked for Hi-Lex Controls for many years. When not working she enjoyed watching murder mysteries. She was a member of the Lenawee County Conservation League and enjoyed cooking and baking for her family. [AM]

Charlotte Marie Laskowsky, 69, of Adrian died on Sept. 13. She owned and operated Guys & Dolls Hairstyles for 50 years. She was the hairdresser at Maple Village for 10 years and also worked in housekeeping. She was a member of Bethany Assembly of God. [AM]

George Bertram Praay, 92, of Brooklyn died on Sept. 13. He was a carpenter by trade,

a retired plumber for the Jackson prison, and a member of the American Legion, Brooklyn Michigan Post 315. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving during the Korean conflict, and attended Cement City Baptist Church. [E]

Carol Evelyn Snead-Yanakeff, 63, of Addison died on Sept. 13. She loved crafting, garage sales, animal rescues and shopping, and being her hippie self. [BVH]

Matthew “Matt” Upp-Edwards, 33, of Adrian died on Sept. 13. He attended school through the Lenawee Intermediate School District. While in school he did some job training through the Salvation Army. [W]

Thomas W Woodward, 74, of Jasper died on Sept. 13. He served in the Army in the Vietnam War and worked for General Mills/ Smucker’s in Toledo as a forklift driver for over 30 years before retirement. [W]

George Holland Sutherland, 86, died on Sept. 14. He was a Tool and Die maker at The Ford Motor Company Rouge Plant for 40 years. He was a lifetime member of the Masonic Lodge. [H]

Jude Paul Broussard, 16, of Tecumseh died on Sept. 15. He was an exceptional student and was expected to graduate from high school in 2025. He was a National Honor Society member with a plan to become an engineer. He was an outstanding and versatile athlete, playing soccer and baseball in Tecumseh, Clinton, and Manchester as a youth. He played soccer, lacrosse, tennis and bowling, and enjoyed woodworking at school. [H]

Larry Russell Eddy, 66, of Brooklyn died on Sept. 16. He was a master of lectures, inspiration, and speaking from the heart with a flair all his own. He was an incredible role model and influencer to his family, friends, kids he coached, co-workers and strangers on the street. His greatest mission in life was to make people smile. [E]

John Edwin Gainsley Jr. , 88, of Deerfield died on Sept. 16. He enlisted in the Army in 1955, serving two years. After his service he bought a farm just outside of Deerfield. He was employed for 32 years

with General Motors in Toledo, retiring in 1991. He was a lifelong parishioner of Light of Christ Parish, St. Alphonsus Catholic Church. He belonged to the Deerfield American Legion Post 392, and his civic involvement included the Deerfield Co-op as well as a seat on the D&P Communications Board of Directors. [AM] Robert Lewis Huff, 93, of Adrian died on Sept. 16. He worked for nearly 33 years driving for Stubnitz-Greene. After his retirement he worked for a small paving company in Ohio. He was also the Clayton Village Marshal for 19 years and served on the Clayton Fire Department. [AM]

Donna Jean Lamson, 86, died on Sept. 16. She was a member of Tipton Community Church, as well as Hudson First Congregational Church. [H]

Linda Lou (Taylor) Redlin, 77, of Jasper died on Sept. 17. She and her husband, Timothy, were the first couple to be married at Jasper Bible Church. She worked at Tecumseh Products. [AM]

Tecumseh’s 30th annual Appleumpkin Festival is this month » PAGE C4

ARTS & LIVING

ASO season highlights the music of Copland

By Arlene Bachanov The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Last season was the Season of Stravinsky for the Adrian Symphony Orchestra. Now, for the upcoming 202425 year, it’s the Season of Copland.

The ASO focused on four particular Stravinsky masterworks last year in order to give audiences an in-depth look at one composer’s music “in a digestible way,” ASO music director Bruce Anthony Kiesling said. And, by the end of the season, “the story of the music started to really resonate.”

The success of this approach led Kiesling to decide he wanted to turn the ASO’s focus to Aaron Copland’s music. Although both Stravinsky and Copland wrote a number of ballet scores, the Stravinsky ballet music

See SYMPHONY, page D2

‘Young Frankenstein’ brings the comedy of Mel Brooks to the Croswell stage » PAGE C5

THE LENAWEE VOICE FOURTH SECTION OCTOBER 2024

‘Getting rowdy’ at the TCA

Tecumseh Center for the Arts kicks off its 2024-25 National Touring Season

By Arlene Bachanov The Lenawee Voice

TECUMSEH — As Amy Slupe, the Tecumseh Center for the Arts’ executive director, planned out the TCA’s upcoming 2024-25 National Touring Season, it quickly became apparent what the season’s tagline should be:

“Let’s Get Rowdy.”

“It’s a big season,” Slupe said. “’Let’s Get Rowdy’ [is] just how the season feels.”

Slupe said that it’s important to her that the TCA is a place that brings people together for a shared experience and to “make a memory.”

Live performance “matters to the quality of our life, and we’re so glad to be able to offer this to our community. … I think the best thing you get from live performance is the feeling you get in your soul, so I wanted performers who would bring joy,” she said.

Events on tap this season include comedy nights and musical performances in a wide range of genres from ’60s and ’70s AM radio hits to Celtic fusion to country/rock.

Compared to last season, this one — the first one Slupe has been responsible for programming — has two comedians instead of just one and several acts that are bigger in terms of the number of performers onstage.

The season begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 with a performance by New York-based comedian Myq Kaplan, whose work has been seen on Comedy Central and the Amazon special “Small, Dark, and Handsome.” The New York Times has called him “invigoratingly funny.”

Next up, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, is singer Lola Kristine. “She’s glorious,” Slupe said. “She has this really rich sound — these gorgeous, rich, soulful notes in her lower range and this beautiful soprano, too.”

For the holiday season, the TCA brings in Bernadette Kathryn and her Lonely Days Band at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 for the group’s Rock’N Country Christmas Show.

“Bernadette has this really rocking show,” Slupe said. “There are elements of the ’70s Christmas shows we all used to watch.”

The show will also feature a chorus of yet-to-be-selected area singers who will be the backup performers for a couple of songs.

“For young local artists to be able to sing alongside a national touring artist is really an opportunity,” Slupe said.

See TCA, page D2

Aaron Copland, shown here in 1970, was called the “Dean of American Composers” by his peers. PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTO

Acts included in the Tecumseh Center for the Arts’ National Touring Season are, on the top row, comedian Myq Kaplan, singer Lola Kristine, and Bernadette Kathryn’s Rock ‘N Country Christmas Show; second row, singer Sharrie Williams, Celtic fusion band Crossbow, and comedian Michael Palascak; and bottom row, Pure AM Gold.

Symphony from page D1

ASO audiences heard last year were all based on folklore and mythology, whereas this season’s Copland ballet music is all about “distinctly American archetypes,” Kiesling said.

Oct. 12’s season opener includes the full score, rather than just a suite, of Copland’s ballet “Billy the Kid,” while his score for “Rodeo” is part of the Nov. 10 concert and “Appalachian Spring” is on the March 14, 2025, program.

It’s music that evokes Americana as few other composers could, and Copland “is such a sensational storyteller,” Kiesling said. “The first notes of ‘Appalachian Spring’ and ‘Billy the Kid’ just set the scene.” And Copland’s music overall is “something that sounds simple but is deceptively complex. It’s so much trickier than it sounds.”

But those three works aren’t the only Copland pieces audiences will hear. There’s also “El Salon Mexico” on Nov. 10 and both the “Jubilee Variation” and the “Lincoln Portrait” on the season-ending program on May 2, 2025.

Also this season, the ASO continues its multiyear commitment to programming music by women composers, with Jennifer Higdon’s “Peachtree Street” on the Oct. 12 program and Reena Esmail’s

“Vishwas III: Testament” on March 14.

Esmail is a composer who’s “shooting to the top of the orchestral world,” Kiesling said, and March 14’s concert audience will hear a work with a very south Asian feel that “sounds like no one else’s [music]. It combines influences in a way that just leaps off the stage.”

The season also features both new and returning guest artists. Pianist Henry Kramer, who performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with the ASO last November, returns Oct. 12 for Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

Also returning to the ASO stage is Sarah D’Angelo, a singer and clarinetist who performed with Paul Keller and the ASO Swing Band in 2023. This time, she joins Kiesling and the ASO for its “Swing Into Christmas” pops concert on Dec. 14.

Kiesling said he’s always looking for a way to do the holiday concert differently each year, leading him to this year’s big band with strings performance. And he’s looking forward to having D’Angelo back. “She’s a great performer. She’s going to knock ‘em dead,” he said. “I think people will really enjoy this program.”

As for new-to-Adrian guest artists, violinist Fabiola Kim comes to Adrian as part of the Nov. 10 concert for a performance of one of the great violin works, the Brahms Violin Concerto, while violist Matthew Lipman performs John Williams’ Concerto for Viola and

Orchestra — which to date has never been performed other than by the Boston Symphony — on the March 14 program.

“I knew we wanted to have a violist, and [Lipman] is truly one of the world’s great violists,” Kiesling said.

But before ASO audiences get to hear one of Williams’ classical works, they’ll have a concert full of some of his most famous film music: pieces from the “Star Wars” canon.

February has long been the ASO’s movie-music pops concert, and this season’s edition, falling on Feb. 14, is no exception. This time, the orchestra returns to “Star Wars” but — given that Williams, after all, did score nine “Star Wars” films — the concert includes some works the ASO has not previously performed, along with audience favorites.

The May 2 concert that wraps up the Season of Copland does so with the composer’s “Jubilee Variation,” his shortest orchestral work, and the “Lincoln Portrait.” The latter “is a sensational piece,” Kiesling said, and for this performance it will feature not one but two narrators, Dorian Hall and LaVonte Heard.

Also on the program is Haydn’s “Paukenmesse” — known as the “timpani Mass” for its use of that instrument — featuring soprano Catherine Goode, mezzo-soprano Kristin Clark, Heard as the tenor soloist, Hall as the bass soloist,

Copland’s ‘Billy the Kid’ begins orchestra season; Henry Kramer returns for Rachmaninoff concerto

By Arlene Bachanov The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — After last season’s deep dive into the music of Igor Stravinsky, the Adrian Symphony Orchestra turns its attention this year to an American composer who, like Stravinsky, was an important part of classical music in the 20th century: Aaron Copland.

Five different Copland works are on the schedule for the ASO in 2024-25, beginning with the score to his ballet “Billy the Kid” as part of the Saturday, Oct. 12 season opener. As the season goes on, audiences will also hear “Rodeo,” “Appalachian Spring,” “Jubilee Variation” and “Lincoln Portrait.”

The Oct. 12 concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in Adrian College’s Dawson Auditorium. A Classical Conversation about the program, free to all ticketholders, begins at 6:40 p.m. in the auditorium.

Tickets are $39/$33/$25 for adults, $37/$31/$25 for senior citizens, and $20/$17/$13 for students, and are available online at adriansymphony. org; by calling 517-264-3121; at the ASO office in Mahan Hall, Adrian College, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; or at the door beginning two hours before the concert.

To ASO Music Director Bruce Anthony Kiesling, who first heard “Billy the Kid” as a high school student attending the Interlochen Arts Academy and was “bowled over by it,” Copland is singular in his ability to tell a story and evoke a sense of place, in this case the wide-open Western prairies and the legend of the famous outlaw.

Copland wrote the work on commission from Lincoln Kirstein of Ballet Caravan and choreographer Eugene Loring. The resulting one-act ballet premiered on Oct. 16, 1938, at the Civic Opera House in Chicago. A year later, Copland created a suite of music from the ballet, and that is the version

that will be most familiar to audience members.

For October’s concert, however, Kiesling and the orchestra will perform the full ballet score, which is somewhat longer and reorders some of the music from the way it appears in the suite.

The concert opens with a work by a composer who will be familiar to previous ASO audiences: Jennifer Higdon, whose piece “blue cathedral” was performed by the orchestra in 2022.

“She’s one of the true superstars in American music today,” Kiesling said, and performing her work is part of the ASO’s multiyear commitment to showcasing women composers.

This time, the orchestra will perform “Peachtree Street,” the last of three movements in a larger work titled “City Scape” that pays homage to Atlanta, Higdon’s hometown. “Peachtree Street” is evocative of not only that specific

street, but Atlanta’s bustling streets in general.

Also on the Oct. 12 program is a performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, featuring a guest artist who was in Adrian last November to play Beethoven’s Concerto No. 4: Henry Kramer.

The winner of numerous international competitions as well as the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and other honors, Kramer has performed with orchestras across the U.S. and around the world.

He suggested the Rachmaninoff Third for this performance because Kiesling wanted something “meatier” to balance out the rest of the program. And “meatier” certainly describes this concerto: written in 1909 and premiered that November by the composer himself with the New York Symphony Society, the piece is considered one of Rachmaninoff’s most challenging works and, indeed, one of the hardest compositions in the entire piano repertoire.

and the Adrian College and Concordia University choirs. While that concert closes out the orchestral season, in keeping with longstanding ASO tradition the season actually wraps up with something completely different. This time, it’s the Neil Diamond tribute band Nearly Diamond, performing on June 6. Individual concert tickets are priced at $39/$33/$25 for adults, $37/$31/$25 for senior citizens, and $20/$17/$13 for students. A variety of subscription packages are also available. All concerts are at Adrian College’s Dawson Auditorium. More information is available online at adriansymphony.org or by calling the ASO at 517-264-3121.

TCA

from page D1

The season’s second comedian, Michael Palascak, is a Midwest native who now hails from Los Angeles. He was one of the top five finalists on “Last Comic Standing,” has appeared on all the major late-night shows, and has produced his own Comedy Central special.

Palascak performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025.

Valentine’s Day at the TCA, Friday, Feb. 14, features a 7:30 p.m. performance by singer Sharrie Williams, whose style is billed as “gospel-drenched” blues.

“She is a tornado,” Slupe said. “She really knows how to work a crowd, so her show is going to be really exciting. … She just draws you in.”

The Celtic fusion band Crossbow performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8. Slupe described the six-piece ensemble as a blend of Celtic, bluegrass, rock, and R&B. “They’re really powerful … crisp, clean, and they have this uprising onstage. They’re just raucous,” she said.

Closing out the season at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, is the group Pure AM Gold. This group came to Slupe’s attention thanks to its frontman, Chuck Colby. He is also part of Three Men and a Tenor, which performed at the TCA last season.

Pure AM Gold, as its name implies, performs many of the greatest hits of 1960s and 1970s radio, such as those by Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Neil Diamond, and The Monkees.

“They’re just fantastic,” Slupe said. “We’re really excited to have them cap off our season.”

Separately from the National Touring Season, the Circus Science Spectacular is this year’s Family Show at the TCA. The performance, at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, features two Ringling Bros. veterans, Steve Russell and Kobi Shaw, who showcase science concepts using comedy, juggling, and magic.

Tickets to this show are $25 for adults, including senior citizens and military members, and $15 for youth.

For the National Touring Season itself, tickets to most shows are $33 for adults, $28 for senior citizens and military members, and $15 for youth. The two comedy acts, Kaplan on Oct. 12 and Palascak on Jan. 25, only have adultpriced tickets: $33 for adults and $28 for senior citizens and military members.

Season tickets come in a variety of packages: all seven shows for $173 (adults) and $147 (seniors and the military); six shows for $158/$134; five shows for $140/$119; or four shows for $118/$100. Packages do not include the Circus Science Spectacular.

Tickets can be ordered online at www. TheTCA.org; by calling 517-423-6617; or at the box office, 400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh. Box office hours are Thursday and Friday from noon to 5 p.m.

Pianist Henry Kramer will perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Adrian Symphony Orchestra on Oct. 12.

Composer Jennifer Higdon’s “Peachtree Street,” an homage to her native Atlanta, is part of the ASO’s season-opening concert.

OCTOBER

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.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3

Harvest Festival

Downtown Blissfield, 3-7 p.m.

A family-friendly, free carnival including games, a bounce house, scavenger and treasure hunt, petting zoo and more.

130 S. Lane St., Blissfield blissfieldmainstreet.com

Latino Poetry Writing Workshop/ Taller de escritura de poesía latina Adrian District Library, 6-7:30 p.m.

Inocencia and Nadia, two Latinx Adrian native poets, will give you tips on how to put your words into writing. Express yourself in English, Spanish or Spanglish ... be yourself! Open to everyone.

143 E. Maumee St., Adrian adrian.lib.mi.us or 517-265-2265

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4

Adrian First Fridays

Downtown Adrian, 5-8 p.m.

The theme for this month’s Adrian First Fridays is Fall Fest, and the event includes a commercial vehicle/tractor show. downtownadrian.com

First Friday Car Show

Lenawee County Fairgrounds, 5-8 p.m.

Bring a nonperishable food item and get entered to win a door prize. Free.

602 N. Dean St., Adrian

Star Party

AJ Smith Recreation Center, 7:30-9 p.m.

Join the University LowBrow Astronomers from Ann Arbor for a night of stargazing in Tecumseh. They will bring their telescopes and hone in on celestial objects for attendees to view. Lawn chairs or blankets are recommended for viewing comfort. This event is dependent on weather. Cost is $4 for city of Tecumseh residents and $5 for nonresidents.

810 N. Evans, Tecumseh 517-423-5602

‘Godspell’

Siena Heights University, 7:30 p.m.

Opening night of “Godspell,” the musical based on the Gospel of Matthew, performed by Siena Heights students. Tickets $15/$10. 730 Oakwood Road, Adrian

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5

Ag Day

Carpenter Farms, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visit this fifth-generation family farm for their annual Ag Day, which kicks off at 9 a.m. with the 5K Pumpkin Patch Dash. Enjoy agriculturalrelated displays and demonstrations in the greenhouse from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be a 1-mile Fun Run at 10 a.m. and a kids’ pedal pull for ages 3-10 at 1 p.m. 2534 E. US 223, Adrian carpenterfarmsadrian.com

Lenawee FAN Jeep Duck Run

Dollar Tree parking lot (the old Country Market Plaza across from Comstock Park), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A public fundraiser for Face Addiction Now. Jeeps will start the Duck Run between 10 and 11 a.m. and make their way to five designated locations to get a duck and their card punched. Return to registration by 4 p.m. to get entered into a prize drawing. Cost is $25. Face Addiction Now is a nonprofit organization guiding individuals, families, and communities affected by substance use disorder by coordinating care and reducing stigma, through a variety of free programs and resources.

416 W. Maumee St., Adrian facebook.com/lenaweeFAN

Genealogy Workshop

Lenawee Historical Society and Museum

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Lucy Wolcott Barnum Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution will host this workshop, at which people interested in family history can get help from genealogists.

110 E. Church St., Adrian cykujda86@gmail.com or 517-419-4146

PlaneWave Campus Open House & Science Expo

PlaneWave Instruments, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

PlaneWave Instruments, the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute, Adrian Center for the Arts, and River Raisin Ragtime Revue will collaborate on this event, a fusion of art and science, offering an opportunity for community members of all ages to explore the wonders of the universe through a creative and scientific lens. Free.

1375 N. Main St., Adrian planewave.com

Theatre Siena presents ‘Godspell’

ADRIAN — Students at Siena Heights University will present “Godspell,” the Stephen Schwartz musical based on the Gospel of Matthew, for two weekends in October. Michael Yuen, who played John the Baptist and Judas in the 2000-2001 national tour of the show, directs.

The cast includes Reina Cranford, Wyatt DuFord, Quinn Fritz, Sarahfay Hendin, Janae Jones, Amelia Keyes, Lydia Kirk, Ashlynne Moore, Brett Pearce, A’zharia Pratt, Jacob Riley, Alex Sheremeta, Eli Stachowske, Julie Wade, and Regan Williams.

The show will take place on the Haller Stage at the Mary and Sash Spencer Performing Arts Center, 730 Oakwood Road, Adrian.

Tickets are $15, with a discounted rate of $10 for students and seniors.

Dates and times:

n Friday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

n Saturday, Oct. 5 7:30 p.m.

n Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2:30 p.m.

n Friday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

n Saturday, Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

n Sunday, Oct. 13 at 2:30 p.m.

Morenci Fall Fest

Downtown Morenci, 4-11 p.m.

The third annual Morenci Fall Fest features live music performances, family activities, and opportunities to shop seasonal vendors.

Local restaurants and food trucks featuring festive menus will also be on hand. Free.

555 W. Main St., Morenci cityofmorenci.org

Fall Fest

Grace Point Church, 5-8 p.m.

Family fun includes hay rides, a pumpkin toss, axe throwing, pumpkin decorating, and more. Free.

4612 N. Adrian Hwy., Adrian gracepointefc.org or 517-265-7997

Standup Comedy Show

The Rex Theater, 7 p.m.

Standup comedy show featuring Corey W. King and Steve Iott at The Rex, downtown Morenci’s historic movie theater. $25.

235 W. Main St., Morenci cityofmorenci.org

‘Godspell’

Siena Heights University, 7:30 p.m.

The Gospel comes to life in “Godspell,” presented by Theatre Siena. Tickets $15/$10. 730 Oakwood Road, Adrian

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6

‘Edgar Allan Poe’

Adrian District Library, 3-4 p.m. Broadway and film veteran Duffy Hudson brings his talent and fascination for Edgar Allan Poe to life in this unique oneman play. Admission is free.

143 E. Maumee St., Adrian adrian.lib.mi.us or 517-265-2265

PlaneWave Campus Open House & Science Expo

PlaneWave Instruments, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

A fusion of art and science, offering an opportunity for community members of all ages to explore the wonders of the universe through a creative and scientific lens. Free.

1375 N. Main St., Adrian planewave.com

‘Godspell’

Siena Heights University, 2:30 p.m.

The Gospel comes to life in “Godspell,” presented by Theatre Siena. Tickets $15/$10. 730 Oakwood Road, Adrian

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7

Let’s Talk Cruises

Tecumseh District Library, 7-8 p.m.

Senior travel advisor Ben Rosebrock of Fairy Godmother Travel will help you plan the perfect cruise.

215 N. Ottawa St., Tecumseh tecumsehlibrary.org 517-423-2238

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9

Educational presentation on Compassion Fatigue

Adrian District Library, 1-2 p.m.

Learn more about Compassion Fatigue in this presentation by Hospice of Lenawee. Lupe Salazar Hamdenwill speak about defining compassion fatigue, identify risk factors, recognize the signs and learn strategies for building resiliency. Refreshments will be offered.

143 E. Maumee St., Adrian adrian.lib.mi.us

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL ANDERSON

Tecumseh’s 30th annual Appleumpkin Festival features arts and crafts, food, games, and more

TECUMSEH — The leaves are falling from the trees, the morning air has a certain crispness to it. This can only mean one thing in Lenawee County: It’s time for Tecumseh’s Appleumpkin Festival.

You’ll want to bring the whole gang to town for this one. The kids will enjoy the midway rides and carnival games, inflatables, bungee jump, make-and-take crafts, corn box and putt-putt golf. Helicopter rides and monster truck rides will also be offered.

The Antique Street Fair and Flea Market will keep you captivated for hours.

The Arts & Crafts Show brings wonderfully handcrafted creations into Tecumseh. Looking for live entertainment? Stop by one of three stages throughout the festival and take in the fantastic live performances. There is something for everyone to enjoy throughout the weekend.

All this fun is sure to work up an appetite. Good thing so many of your favorite fair food vendors have been invited to town for the weekend. Want to sit down and rest a spell? Tecumseh restaurants are ready to serve you a delicious meal while you relax.

Be sure to visit your favorite Tecumseh shops, many featuring specials and savings for the Appleumpkin weekend.

Free parking is available in and around the downtown area as well as at Tecumseh High School on the west end of town. Free shuttle service is available to transport festival goers downtown and to the Kapnick Orchards Apple Festival.

Tecumseh’s Appleumpkin Festival is held in conjunction with Kapnick Orchards’ Apple Festival. You can take a short drive out to the apple orchard and enjoy fresh apples, cider and donuts. Wagon rides, a petting zoo and over 80 craft booths are just some of the highlights at the Apple Festival.

Dates and times:

n Saturday, Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

n Sunday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10

Preserving Venison

Tecumseh District Library, 6-7 p.m.

MSU Extension specialists will discuss how to safely can, freeze, and dehydrate venison and where to find research-based recipes. 215 N. Ottawa St., Tecumseh tecumsehlibrary.org or 517-423-2238

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11

‘Godspell’

Siena Heights University, 7:30 p.m. The Gospel comes to life in “Godspell,” presented by Theatre Siena. Tickets $15/$10. 730 Oakwood Road, Adrian

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12

Appleumpkin Festival

Downtown Tecumseh, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Arts, crafts, street fair, helicopter rides, and more fun for the entire family. Held in conjunction with Kapnick Orchards’ Annual Apple Festival. Free shuttle between festivals. 100 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh

Apple Festival

Kapnick Orchards, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy food, entertainment, donuts, cider, wagon rides, and apple and pumpkin picking at Kapnick Orchards’ 45th annual Apple Festival. Held in conjunction with Tecumseh’s Appleumpkin Festival. Free shuttle between festivals.

4245 N. Rogers Hwy., Britton 517-423-7419

yART Sale

— downtowntecumseh.com

Adrian Center for the Arts, 10 a.m.

Items for sale include art supplies, art tools, equipment and much more.

1375 N Adrian Hwy., Adrian adriancenterforthearts.org

Pumpkin Quest

Downtown Brooklyn, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Pumpkin Quest is a free festival for the entire family. Pumpkins offered in exchange for a donation to the local food pantry and many fun things to do. Costume parade and prizes for best costume. Free.

Downtown Brooklyn

Adult Craft (bilingual event)

Adrian District Library, 10-11 a.m.

Paper skull luminaria bags: Come and decorate two paper skull luminaira bags (you will get flameless tea lights). Luminaria de calavera de bolsas de papel: Ven y decora dos luminarias de calavera de bolsas de papel (te daremos velas de pilas). 143 E. Maumee St., Adrian adrian.lib.mi.us

Community Cookoff

Parish Park, 2-6 p.m.

The East Adrian Community Coalition announces its annual Community Cookoff. The popular competition is back by popular demand and this year will feature a competition for the best barbequed chicken in addition to ribs and desserts prepared by local residents. Both grillers and tasters are welcome. See story on page D7.

721 Erie St., Adrian deangelo.boone@icloud.com

‘Godspell’ Siena Heights University, 7:30 p.m.

The Gospel comes to life in “Godspell,” presented by Theatre Siena. Tickets $15/$10. 730 Oakwood Road, Adrian

Adrian Symphony: ‘Billy the Kid’ Dawson Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

A celebration of American composer Aaron Copland with his dramatic musical story of legendary outlaw Billy the Kid, plus music by Jennifer Higdon and Sergei Rachmaninoff. $25-$39. See story on page D2.

240 S. Charles St., Adrian adriansymphony.org or 517-264-3121

Comedy by Myq Kaplan Tecumseh Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m.

The TCA welcomes New York City comedian Myq Kaplan, who has appeared on the Tonight Show, Seth Meyers, David Letterman, James Corden, and Conan O’Brien. $28-$33. 400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh 517-423-6617 or thetca.org

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13

Appleumpkin Festival

Downtown Tecumseh, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Arts, crafts, street fair, helicopter rides, and more fun for the entire family. Held in conjunction with Kapnick Orchards’ annual Apple Festival. Free shuttle between festivals. 100 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh

Apple Festival

Kapnick Orchards, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Enjoy food, entertainment, donuts, cider, wagon rides, and apple and pumpkin picking at Kapnick Orchards’ 45th annual Apple Festival. Held in conjunction with Tecumseh’s Appleumpkin Festival. Free shuttle between festivals.

4245 N. Rogers Hwy., Britton 517-423-7419

‘Godspell’ Siena Heights University, 2:30 p.m.

The Gospel comes to life in “Godspell,” presented by Theatre Siena. Tickets $15/$10. 730 Oakwood Road, Adrian

MONDAY, OCTOBER 14

Card Making for All Occasions

Tecumseh District Library, 2-3:30 p.m. Learn to make three different all-occasion cards with Laurie Krauss of Stampin’ Up. $6. 215 N. Ottawa St., Tecumseh tecumsehlibrary.org or 517-423-2238

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15

Sushi Making Experience Tecumseh District Library, 7-9 p.m.

The Tecumseh District Library is teaming up with Three Dudes and Dinner to offer this class. Materials fee is $10. 215 N. Ottawa St., Tecumseh tecumsehlibrary.org or 517-423-2238

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

Witches’ Night Out

Downtown Brooklyn, 5:30-8 p.m. Visit the square in downtown Brooklyn for shopping, laughing, sipping, and spooky cheer. Wear your best with attire. In-store prizes may be offered at each store.

Downtown Brooklyn

Trunk or Treat

Lenawee Medical Care Facility, 5-7 p.m. 200 Sand Creek Hwy., Adrian 517-265-6794

Learn something new

People looking to learn a new skill have multiple opportunities to do so without having to leave Lenawee County. Here’s a look at some classes being offered locally this fall.

The Adrian Center for the Arts offers classes in a variety of media, including clay (pictured above), glass, painting, drawing, metalworking and more. Some classes run for several weeks and some are one-and-done, so there are options to fit a variety of schedules. People can also schedule classes for a special occasion (the jewelry and metalworking studio is especially popular for birthday parties).

The ACA is located at 1375 N. Main St., on the campus of PlaneWave Instruments. Upcoming classes can be found at adriancenterforthearts.org.

The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute, also on the PlaneWave campus, offers woodworking classes that include making your own bowl with wood turning, making wooden puzzles with a scroll saw, crafting a butcher block cutting board, and more. More information is available at longlivewood.org.

The Buzz Cafe and Marketplace is restarting its popular fudge making classes beginning in October. Each session costs $60 per person, and each will focus on a different type of fudge. The first class is on maple nut fudge and it will take place on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m. Every participant will take home a box of the fudge they help make during the class. The Buzz is at 110 E. Maumee St., Adrian. Register at thebuzzadrian.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

‘Young Frankenstein’ Croswell Opera House, 7:30 p.m.

Opening night for Mel Brooks’ hilarious farce about the famous mad scientist’s grandson. Adults $44/$33/$22, students $25/$20/$15. 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19

Carpenter Farms Fall Craft Show Carpenter Farms, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Over 60 vendors with locally made products including art, baking, crafts soaps, candles, sewing, and more. Carpenter Farms is located just outside Adrian and is operated by Matt and Kelly Carpenter along with their children Jake and Abby, who are the fifth generation to live and work on the farm. 2534 East U.S. 223, Adrian 517-265-8399 or carpenterfarmsadrian.com

Comedy of Mel Brooks comes to the Croswell this Halloween season with ‘Young Frankenstein’

ADRIAN — You’ve heard of Victor Frankenstein, the mad scientist whose laboratory-made monster terrorizes Europe, as well as his own creator, in the novel by Mary Shelley and a score of movie adaptations. But have you heard of his grandson, Frederick?

That’s the premise of “Young Frankenstein,” the musical by legendary film producer Mel Brooks that opens Oct. 18 at the Croswell Opera House in Adrian.

Based on the movie of the same name, “Young Frankenstein” follows Frederick Frankenstein after he learns that he has inherited his late grandfather’s castle in Transylvania. Embarrased by his infamous ancestor, Frederick wants nothing to do with the family name — but after traveling to Europe to settle the estate and meeting the grandson of Victor’s henchman, he is eventually persuaded to pick up where the famous mad scientist left off.

The result is a madcap romp in Mel Brooks’ signature style, filled with gags, absurdity, and even an elaborate tap number performed to “Puttin’ on the Ritz.”

“Young Frankenstein” is directed by Mark DiPietro, with choreography by Sarah Nowak and vocal direction by Wynne Marsh. The orchestra is conducted by Ray Novak and the stage manager is Evan Schultz.

Steven Antalek plays Frederick, and Micah Risher plays the Monster. Igor is played by Jordan Treger and Inga, the yodeling lab assistant, is played by Payton Miller. Kyrie Crist plays Elizabeth, Frederick’s fiancee. Laura Sagolla plays the mysterious Frau Blucher, whose name when spoken aloud frightens all the horses. Steve Hillard plays a hermit and Matthew Herr plays a police inspector.

In the ensemble are Joanna Bacarella, Olivia Bacarella, Haylie Blohm, Kylie Bushman, Jared Freeman, Cassidy Giddens, Everett Hanley, Tamaris Henagan, Jonah Hiatt, Jay Hillard, Alexandra June, Aiden Ketola, Abigail Knight, Maxwell Lam, Meg Lam, Bobby Lindsey, Clara Losey, Lori MacDonald, John MacNaughton, Meg McNamee, Vincent Pisarski, Kaya Robinson, Ally Szymanski, Leah Wathen and Ja’Vaughn White.

Tickets range from $22 to $44, with student discounts of $15 to $25. Patrons are reminded that the Croswell will never sell tickets to any show for more than the advertised price, and any websites attempting to sell tickets for more are illegitimate.

Dates and times:

n Friday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

n Saturday, Sept. 19 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

n Sunday, Sept. 20 at 2:30 p.m.

n Thursday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

n Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

n Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

n Sunday, Sept. 27 at 2:30 p.m.

Circus Science Spectacular

Tecumseh Center for the Arts, 3 p.m.

Ringling Brothers veterans Steve Russell and Kobi Shaw combine comedy, juggling, and magic with science to create jaw-dropping tricks and stunts. An educational show that combines science and entertainent and is designed to appeal to the whole family.

$15-$25.

400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh thetca.org

Fall Foliage Festival

Hidden Lake Gardens, 2-8 p.m.

Experience the beauty of fall at Hidden Lake Gardens, Michigan State University’s 755-acre botanical garden located near Tipton. The festival includes hayrides, live music by the Saline Fiddlers, opportunities to explore the gardens, and a lantern-lighted trail to Hidden Lake Gardens’ new Sky Walk. Admission to the Gardens is $10 for most adults, $5 for students, $8 for military and veterans, and free for members.

6314 Monroe Road, Tipton 517-431-2060 or hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu

Fall Fest

The Centre, 5-8 p.m.

This fall festival includes family-friendly activities such as a bounce house, pumpkin bowling, bonfire, indoor trunk-or-treat, and more. Free.

1800 W. US-223, Adrian thecentre.info

Saturday, October 5

Downtown Morenci Fall Festmor icne

4 PM

alley 221

4-7 PM

music by bark’s tales COMMUNITY ART REVEAL

vendors & activities

downtown w. main st FREE FALL GAMES, PETTING FARM, HAYRIDE, ARCHERY, PHOTO BOOTH, CARICATURE ARTIST, FACE PAINTING, LIVE WOOD CARVING, MERCHANTS & NON-PROFITS

5 PM the forrest family band COMMUNITY BONFIRE morenci eagles

7 PM

9 PM flats pub the dive bar all-stars band COMMUNITY BONFIRE the rex theater stand-up comedy show COREY W. KING & STEVE IOTT TICKETS $25

Morenci Social District open until 11pm

GRAB & GO MENU SPECIALS

flats pub the eagles

morenci deli fire department food vendors

BBQ + FALL FEST SELECTIONS

HOMEMADE CHILI & HOT DOGS

TIKKA MASALA & VEGGIE SAMOSAS

BBQ CHICKEN DINNER

EL POQUITO CHAPULIN

BUMPY ROAD WATERIN’ HOLE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19

‘Young Frankenstein’ Croswell Opera House, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Mel Brooks’ hilarious farce about the famous mad scientist’s grandson comes to the Croswell stage. Adults $44/$33/$22, students $25/$20/$15.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20

Third Annual Trunk-or-Treat

ProMedica Hickman Hospital, 4-6:30 p.m.

Includes food trucks, photo booth, raffles, helicopter tour and more. 5640 N. Adrian Hwy., Adrian

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21

Rehabilitation Raptors

Tecumseh District Library, 6:30-8 p.m.

Dody Wyman shares photos, videos, and narrative highlights of her more than 35 years working with these amazing birds of prey. 215 N. Ottawa St., Tecumseh tecumsehlibrary.org or 517-423-2238

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24

Trunk or Treat

Bowman Chevrolet of Clinton, 5-7 p.m. Includes live music, donuts and cider, food trucks and more.

1070 U.S. 12, Clinton • 248-575-5000

‘Young Frankenstein’

Croswell Opera House, 7:30 p.m.

Mel Brooks’ hilarious farce about the famous mad scientist’s grandson comes to the Croswell stage. Adults $44/$33/$22, students $25/$20/$15.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

COMING UP

‘SpongeBob Musical’ will be fun for the whole family

ADRIAN — Who lives in a pineapple under the sea ... and became the hottest star on Broadway?

“The SpongeBob Musical,” a live-action show based on the hit Nickelodeon TV series “SpongeBob SquarePants,” will be staged at the

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25

Trunk-or-Treat

Onsted High School, 5-7 p.m. 10109 Slee Road, Onsted onsted.k12.mi.us

‘Young Frankenstein’ Croswell Opera House, 7:30 p.m. Mel Brooks’ hilarious farce about the famous mad scientist’s grandson comes to the Croswell stage. Adults $44/$33/$22, students $25/$20/$15.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26

GeoCaching 101

Adrian District Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Learn about the sport of geocaching from a member of MiGO (Michigan GeoCaching Organization). You will even find your first cache during the program.

143 E. Maumee St., Adrian adrian.lib.mi.us

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 checking to verify that information is up to date before making plans. To submit listings, email news@lenaweevoice.com before the 15th of the preceding month.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3

Jon Torrence, 7-9 p.m., at Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian. Open mic, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at Mammoth Distilling, 108 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4

Sean Stringer, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., at Mammoth Distilling, 108 E. Maumee St., Adrian. Sounds of Seattle Tribute by Grunge, 8 p.m., at Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Two people for $40, four for $70, eight for $120; order at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5

Dueling Pianos by T & Rich, 8 p.m., at Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Two people for $40, four for $70, eight for $120; order at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11

Spooky in the Neighborhood with Betsy & Michael Lackey , 7-10 p.m., at Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

Noah Martis, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., at Mammoth Distilling, 108 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

Alanis Morissette tribute by Jagged Little Pill, 8 p.m., at Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Order at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12

Foreigner Tribute by Blue Morning, 8 p.m., at Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Two people for $40, four for $70, eight for $120; order at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

Clifton Millimen, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., at Mammoth Distilling, 108 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

Ozzy Osbourne Tribute By Crazy Babies, 8 p.m., at Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Two people for $40, four for $70, eight for $120; order at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

If you suspect your child may have a disability affecting their growth, learning, or social skills, please notify your school or daycare, or contact the LISD Special Education department at (517) 263-8931.

Croswell Opera House for two weekends beginning Nov. 22.

Steven Kiss, whose previous roles at the Croswell include Buddy the Elf in “Elf,” plays the title role in this musical, which takes the characters from the TV show and puts them into a fun,

‘Young Frankenstein’

Croswell Opera House, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Mel Brooks’ hilarious farce about the famous mad scientist’s grandson comes to the Croswell stage. Adults $44/$33/$22, students $25/$20/$15.

129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 croswell.org

Autumn Festival

St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 4-6 p.m.

A free family event.

632 S Madison St., Adrian

Downtown Adrian Trick-or-Treat Downtown Adrian, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

The city of Adrian and the Adrian DDA/ Main Street have once again partnered with downtown businesses, local organizations, and volunteers to bring trick-or-treating to the streets of downtown Adrian. The event includes games, a costume parade, and treats. (Severe weather date Oct. 31.) Free.

Downtown Adrian adriancity.com or 517-263-2161

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19

Stray Shot Band, 8-11 p.m., at Two Lakes Tavern, 110 Walnut St., Manitou Beach.

Stevie Nicks Tribute by Street Angel, 8 p.m., at Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Two people for $40, four for $70, eight for $120; order at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24

Bring Your Own Talent Night, 6 p.m. at The Buzz Cafe and Marketplace, 110 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

The Irish Hills Roots & Strings Music Series, 7:30 to 10 p.m., at Jerry’s Pub, 650 Egan Hwy., Brooklyn. Admission is a donation for the Brooklyn Food Pantry.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25

Jonathan Crayne, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., at Mammoth Distilling, 108 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

Billy Joel Tribute by Angry Young Band 8 p.m., at Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Two people

big-hearted musical for all ages.

Musicians like Sara Bareilles, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, and Panic! At the Disco contributed songs to the show.

“The SpongeBob Musical” is a relatively new musical, having opened in Chicago in 2016 and moved to Broadway in 2017. Critic Dean Richards of WGN-TV wrote of the original production that “the story is multilayered for kids and adults.”

Tickets range from $22 to $44 for adults and $15 to $25 for kids. More information is available online at croswell.org.

Trick or Trunk

First United Methodist Church, 5-6 p.m. 1245 W. Maple Ave., Adrian

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27

‘Young Frankenstein’ Croswell Opera House, 2:30 p.m.

Mel Brooks’ hilarious farce about the famous mad scientist’s grandson. Final performance. Adults $44/$33/$22, students $25/$20/$15. 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian 517-264-7469 or croswell.org

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Halloween Family Friendly Night

The Clinton Inn, 6-8 p.m.

An enchanting evening of family-friendly fun in the Clinton Inn’s event center. 104 W. Michigan Ave. theclintoninn.com

for $40, four for $70, eight for $120; order at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

Jaded Soul, 8 p.m. to midnight, at the Adrian Eagles, 2252 W. Beecher. $5 cover.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26

KISS Tribute by War Machine, 8 p.m., at Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Two people for $40, four for $70, eight for $120; order at chateauaeronautiquewinery.com.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Cat Canyon, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., at Mammoth Distilling, 108 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

The Phoenix Theory, 8 p.m., at Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 12000 Pentecost Hwy., Onsted. Two people for $40, four for $70, eight for $120; order at chateauaeronautiquewinery. com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Blockhouse Valley Quartet, 7-10 p.m., at Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

Community Cookoff planned for Oct. 12 in Adrian’s Parish Park

ADRIAN — The East Adrian Community Coalition is pleased to announce its annual Community Cookoff will be held Saturday, Oct. 12 in Parish Park. The popular competition is back by community-member demand and this year will feature a competition for the best barbecued chicken in addition to ribs and desserts prepared by local residents. Organizations will be available to share resources, games, activities, music and more. Tickets are sold for 50 cents per chicken leg, rib and dessert sample while supplies last.

Rib grillers will begin cooking at 9 a.m. and all entries must be ready to serve to the public no later than 3 p.m. Celebrity judges will make their decision on the best ribs and chicken at 3:30 p.m. Desserts will then be judged and first, second and third place winners of all three categories will be announced starting at 4:30 p.m. People’s choice awards will also be given. based on ballots cast by the public for best ribs, chicken and desserts. All winners will be presented with trophies.

Bragging rights in this competition is what it’s about. The 2023 champion, Miguel Rivera, will return and be challenged by Frank Torres, the winner in the prior two years. Stephanie Kuiper of County National Bank won first place last year while Mayor Angie Sword Heath took second place after winning the previous year.

Robert Love and Greg Parish, whose parents are the namesake for Parish Park, formed a committee and insisted this event happen. Parish said, “Parish Park has a special place in my heart and I am proud to be the Community Choice award winner last year. The Community Cookoff and other positive community activities help bring the community together. Positive activities are always needed, and it shows just how committed east Adrian residents are when it comes to building each other up. This is about building a better community for all.“

Thanks to a number of community members and local sponsors, including the Align Center for Workforce Development, Hampton Manor, County National Bank and many others who have contributed, the event will take place again this year.

No registration is required for community members to attend the cookoff, which will be held from 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 in Parish Park.

Rib and chicken grillers are still welcomed and are asked to contribute a $25 entry fee to help cover the cost of the event. Dessert makers will receive a $25 gift card to Meijer the day of the event to help cover the cost of their ingredients.

Each category is limited to six contestants and there are only a few spots left. Anyone interested in cooking ribs or chicken (provided) or preparing a dessert can email deangelo.boone@ icloud.com. Sponsorships are still available and welcomed.

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If someone asks you to confirm your name or other information — do NOT confirm or say yes. Your voice can be recorded.

If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement.

This message is brought to you by Triad of Lenawee, a group of older adults and law enforcement working together for your protection.

East Adrian Community Coalition