The Lenawee Voice — January/February 2024

Read about six new Lenawee County businesses inside this issue » PAGES B5-B7 Neighbors raise concerns about proposed gravel mine in Raisin Township » PAGE A5

Storyteller and musician Charlotte Blake Alston comes to Lenawee County » PAGE B1

THE LENAWEE VOICE

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JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2024

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Align Lenawee The future site of the Align Center for Workforce Development on East Church Street.

$10 million in state money will fund a workforce development center on Adrian’s east side. What’s it all about?

By Erik Gable

The Lenawee Voice

Students walk in front of the Donna E. and Delbert J. McLaughlin University Center on the Siena Heights University campus on the first day of the new semester on Jan. 8. LAURA HARVEY/SIENA HEIGHTS UNIVERSITY

Siena Heights rolls out free tuition guarantee for local students Eligibility for the ‘Brain Gain Promise’ is based on a student’s household income The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — In an effort to break down barriers to college access and make students more likely to stay in Michigan, Siena Heights University is rolling out a policy of guaranteed free tuition for any full-time undergraduate student from a household with an income of less than $65,000 per year.

To be eligible, a student must be a Lenawee County resident or have graduated from a Lenawee County high school. Students with a total household income of less than $65,000 are eligible for the full tuition discount, while students with a household income of less than $80,000 will pay less than $10,000 a year. To keep their eligibility, students must be enrolled full time on the Adrian campus for both the fall and winter semesters.

According to 2022 census estimates, the median household income in Lenawee County is about $67,000.

University president Douglas Palmer said that while Siena Heights already has a robust financial aid program, making a clear promise that there will be no tuition for anybody with a household income under $65,000 will help “clear away all the guesswork.”

“We already commit about $17 million a year in our own institutional financial aid,” he said.

But at the same time, Palmer said, some students may assume that attending a private college is out of reach for them.

“For certain families, the sticker price can be an obstacle,” he said.

The way the promise works, Palmer said, is that once the student’s eligibility for federal Pell Grants and Michigan tuition grants is determined, Siena Heights will make up the difference required to get the student’s tuition bill to zero.

“Students should have the opportunity to choose the school that is right for

‘Knights in Shining Aprons’ is local family’s tasty new venture » PAGE B5

them, regardless of their financial background,” he said.

Although the program does not cover room and board — Palmer said that wasn’t practical because of the direct cost those items represent to the university — campus residency is not a requirement. Although Siena Heights believes in the value of a residential undergraduate experience, he said, students will also have the option of continuing to live at home if that makes more sense for them.

Palmer said the guarantee is also part of an effort to reduce the number of young people leaving Michigan for other states. He cited research that shows one in five Michigan residents under 30 thinks they will need to leave the state for economic opportunities.

By giving Lenawee County students more opportunities locally, he said, the university hopes to help Michigan’s economy by getting more students into the talent pipeline.

Drop in natural gas prices will make heat bills cheaper » PAGE A7

ADRIAN — A $10 million state investment will fund the creation of a workforce development center on Adrian’s east side that aims to give both businesses and individuals more tools to succeed.

The Align Center for Workforce Development announced this month that it is purchasing the building at 430 E. Church St. from Restore World Church and will renovate it into a space with resources for employers, entrepreneurs, job seekers, and people looking to enhance their skills.

The project has been incubated by Lenawee Now, the county’s nonprofit economic development agency, since 2015, but the Align Center is now spinning off into its own organization that will maintain close ties with Lenawee Now.

See ALIGN CENTER, page A9

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Statewide Lake Erie conference held in Adrian » PAGE A11

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

THE AGENDA

Want to be heard?

Want to help shape your community’s future?

Read this column.

When we launched The Lenawee Voice, one of the core values we laid out was empowering citizens and encouraging people to become part of the civic process.

In this issue, we are launching a new column called The Agenda. Each month in this space, we will try to tell you not what your local elected officials did at their last meeting, but what they’re going to be discussing in the weeks and months ahead. We will highlight ways for you to get involved in shaping the future of our communities. Our intention is that this column will be a useful guide to the important conversations that are happening in Lenawee County — and how you can be part of them.

Are you motivated, academically-focused student?

Enroll in this five-year early middle college to benefit from a tight-knit community, personalized support and planning, and the ability to earn up to 60 college credits and an associate degree, all while completing your high school diploma.

2024 Key Dates Jan 31

Application Opens

Feb 1

Shadow Day

Feb 28

Information Session (Virtual) 6:00 PM, (tinyurl.com/52xtnmry)

Mar 6

Information Session 6:00 PM, JC@LISD TECH Rm 105

Mar 14

Information Session & Dinner 6:00 PM, LISD TECH Center

Mar 21

Information Session 6:00 PM, JC@LISD TECH Rm 105

May 3

Early Application Deadline

Learn More To learn more about the JC/LISD Academy, contact us at 517-266-6982 or visit us online at www.lisd.us/academy.

That rotten-egg smell should be getting better, but what can you do if it doesn’t? Crimson Holdings, the powdered egg processing plant on the east side that has been the source of numerous odor complaints over the last two years, has installed new equipment that is supposed to mitigate the problem.

(See page A5 for details on that.) Under a court order, the city has the right to initiate a court review of the situation if it believes the nuisance has not been fixed.

If you live in the area and that rottenegg smell comes back, you can file a complaint with the state by going to michigan.gov/EGLECrimsonHoldings.

The city also wants to know about it, and you can file a report by emailing Leslie Love at llove@adrian.mi.gov or calling 517-264-4805.

Speaking of Crimson Holdings ... If you are one of the people who has been affected by the odor problems, the city wants to hear from you about how to spend the $100,000 fund that Crimson Holdings was ordered to pay for the benefit of the affected neighborhoods.

An open meeting will be held on Monday, February 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the Merchants Building at the Lenawee County Fair and Event Grounds, 602 N. Dean St., so that city leaders can gather input from residents about how to use the funds.

Bohn Pool is about to become a front-burner issue. At its Jan. 16 meeting, the city commission will take up a recommendation to hire The Collaborative, a Toledo and Ann Arborbased planning firm, to help the city develop plans for future improvements.

The city commission had previously discussed building a new pool, but discarded that idea as being too expensive. Instead, they’ll be looking at how to shore up and improve the existing facility, which is typically open between 80 and 90 days every summer.

You can expect the topic of Bohn Pool to come up periodically over the coming months. A reminder — the Adrian City Commission typically meets on the first and third Monday of every month, with exceptions for holidays. There is also a pre-meeting study session for discussion of topics that aren’t quite ready to be brought to a vote. Both the meetings and the study sessions are open to the public, and agendas are posted online at adriancity.com.

Commissioner Conversations: If you’d like to chat with an Adrian city commissioner, Bob Behnke wants to hear from you.

Behnke, who was elected in November, has scheduled several upcoming times when he will be at the Adrian District Library, 143 E. Maumee St., to meet with any residents who have questions they’d like to ask or concerns they want to raise.

Those times are: n Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. n Monday, Feb. 5, from noon to 1 p.m. n Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 6-7 p.m.

No appointment needed, just stop by.

For Raisin Township residents: On page A5 you’ll find a story about the proposed sand and gravel mine northwest of Occidental Highway and Gady Road. As of this issue’s press date, the township planning commission expects the developers to bring a proposal to the planning commission’s February meeting, which will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the Raisin Community Center, 3266 Gady Road.

Learn about Michigan’s expanded voting rights: The League of Women Voters will host an informational session about the expanded voting rights that were added to the Michigan Constitution

by Proposal 2 in 2022. The presentation will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, at the Tecumseh District Library, 215 N. Ottawa St. Tecumseh city clerk Tonya Miller will be on hand to answer questions.

IS PUBLISHED BY

LENAWEE INDEPENDENT MEDIA LLC 2525 OGDEN HIGHWAY ADRIAN, MI 49221 DEBORAH J. COMSTOCK, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER ERIK GABLE, CONTENT DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: JULIE C. CLEMES • MARGE FURGASON BUSINESS STAFF: LINDA RAINES CLINE • KATHY RAINES SHARON KELLERMEIER 517-263-3530 • publisher@lenaweevoice.com Printed at the Tecumseh Herald

THE LENAWEE VOICE

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

LOCAL NEWS IN BRIEF Jackson mayor to headline Martin Luther King dinner ADRIAN — The mayor of Jackson, Daniel Mahoney, will be the keynote speaker at Lenawee County’s annual Martin Luther King Day celebration.

The dinner will take place from 6-8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, in the Adrian Tobias Center at Adrian College.

Mahoney, who was elected in 2021 and Daniel Mahoney re-elected in 2023, is Jackson’s first AfricanAmerican mayor. He previously served on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners. He works as the African-American Affinity Liaison for Jackson College and runs the nonprofit organization Many Hands Community Services.

Tickets to the dinner are $50. For more information, call Christopher Carter at 517-264-7606 or Andre’a Benard at 517-673-1218.

Where to recycle your holiday shipping boxes ADRIAN — According to the Environmental Protection Agency, household waste increases by 25 percent during the holiday season.

That’s partly due to the large number of cardboard boxes used in shipping gifts.

Although many Lenawee County communities offer curbside recycling, here are some options for recycling cardboard boxes for those who don’t have curbside service, according to the Lenawee County Solid Waste Department. n The Lenawee County Drop Off Site, corner of Race & River streets, 307 River St., Adrian. n Large amounts of cardboard should be taken to Goodwill Industries, 1357 Division St., Adrian. n Neighbors of Hope, 117 E. Maumee St., Suite 100, Adrian, also takes in cardboard recycling. n For those who live in Morenci, there is a cardboard dumpster at the Department of Public Works Building.

News tips and press releases can be emailed to news@lenaweevoice.com. To meet our print deadline, news about upcoming events should be sent by the 15th of the month before the event.

Tecumseh to close two school buildings The district says the change will cut about $1.8 million from its annual budget The Lenawee Voice

TECUMSEH — Two Tecumseh school buildings will close next year as part of a reorganization plan that the school board approved on December 11.

The buildings that will close are Patterson Intermediate Learning Center, 401 N. Van Buren St., and Herrick Park Intermediate Learning Center, 600 Herrick Park Drive. Both currently serve students in third and fourth grades.

After the reconfiguration, Young Fives through third graders will go to Sutton Early Learning Center and Tecumseh Acres Early Learning Center;

fourth through eighth graders will go to Tecumseh Middle School; and Tecumseh High School will remain for ninth through 12th grades.

In announcing the decision, Superintendent Rick Hilderley cast the reorganization as an intermediate step toward having all students in kindergarten through fourth grade together.

“These are difficult decisions,” Hilderley said in a news release. “Until we can get all K-4 programming under one roof, this plan gives us the best chance to operate efficiently.”

The move, which the school district said will save about $1.8 million, comes after several years of declining enrollment. According to state data, Tecumseh’s enrollment, which had been holding steady at just below 3,000 students for several years, began to drop starting with the 2018-19 school year. In

the most recently completed school year, the district had 2,563 students.

Patterson and Herrick Park were both built during the Baby Boom of the 1950s, which saw Tecumseh’s population nearly double over the course of 10 years.

Patterson, originally a six-classroom building, was built to relieve crowding at the district’s other buildings and was completed in 1954. It was named for Charles F. Patterson, a longtime Tecumseh school board member.

Herrick Park was built with eight classrooms and completed in 1958. It takes its name from the Herrick Park subdivision, which was founded in the late 1940s to house employees of Tecumseh Products.

For more details on this story, we recommend that interested readers refer to the in-depth reports published by The Tecumseh Herald.

A4 | LOCAL NEWS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

IN COURT

Two suspects to face trial in February 2023 shooting

Man to be sentenced in woman’s fentanyl death

Man sentenced to prison for 2020 traffic death

Dee Warner’s husband, Dale, faces murder charge in her 2021 disappearance

ADRIAN — Two men are scheduled to face trial later this year on charges that they killed an Adrian man in a drive-by shooting in February 2023.

Kenyatto Tiwaine Sylvertooth, 47, of Detroit and Gage Michael Winsett, 18, of Adrian are accused of killing Jonathan Simmons on Feb. 13 near the intersection of Frank and Tecumseh streets. Police say that security cameras on a nearby church and food pantry caught the shooting, and witnesses said the driver, who was wearing a black mask, was the shooter. A witness allegedly overheard Sylvertooth “freaking out” later because he thought his vehicle had been recognized, and a search warrant executed at his Detroit home recovered a black mask and spent shell casing from his vehicle.

A pretrial hearing is set for Feb. 14 and a trial is scheduled for May.

ADRIAN — An Adrian man is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 2 after pleading guilty to supplying the drugs that caused an Adrian woman’s death last spring.

Zachary David Rosenberg, 23, pleaded guilty on Dec. 20 to delivery of a controlled substance. According to police reports, officers were dispatched on May 28 to an apartment in the 1200 block of South Main Street, where they found Dakota Jenkins and Anjelica Church. Church was being treated for an overdose and was transported to ProMedica Toledo Hospital, where she later died due to fentanyl toxicity. She was 22 and left behind a son.

Jenkins told police that Rosenberg had sold them the drugs they used that day. Jenkins is also facing charges, but his case is at an earlier stage in the court process.

ADRIAN — A judge on Dec. 21 sentenced Joshua David Matthews, 27, of Detroit to between five and 15 years in prison for his role in the death of his then-girlfriend, Briana Hill.

Hill was struck by a car at the intersection of Division and Frank streets on Dec. 7, 2020. According to court documents, Matthews initially told police they had been walking together and she was struck while crossing the street. However, the investigation revealed that both were in a vehicle with Matthews driving, and that she had been opening her door to get out of the vehicle when Matthews accelerated and turned rapidly, throwing her out of the vehicle, whereupon she was struck by another car.

Matthews was charged with reckless driving causing death, lying to a police officer, and involuntary manslaughter, and was convicted by a jury in August.

ADRIAN — Nearly three years after Dee Ann Warner’s disappearance from her Tipton-area home, her husband, Dale Warner, 55, is facing charges of killing her. He was arrested in November and is scheduled for a preliminary examination in Lenawee County District Court in March.

Dee Warner was reported missing on April 25, 2021. In court filings, prosecutors wrote that “every statement Dale has given about that morning is inconsistent. Moreover, none of his statements align with other facts and evidence collected in this matter.”

Warner is also charged with evidence tampering.

POLICE REPORTS

Dec. 13: Burglary (forced entry, May Drive. Retail fraud, 4400 block of Dec. 30: Simple assault, 2600 Dec. 27: Simple assault, 12400 from a building, 400 block of South West Maumee. Use of telephone for block of Medina Road. non-residential), 1200 block of block of Friar Tuck.

Tecumseh. Drug possession, 700 harassment or threats, 1500 block of North Main. Simple assault, 600 block of Riverside. Larceny from a ADDISON VILLAGE RIGA TOWNSHIP MACON TOWNSHIP vehicle, 1200 block of North Main. block of Springbrook Ave. Larceny West Maumee.

Nov. 20: Drug possession, 200 Dec. 28: Larceny from a building, Nov. 27: Larceny from a building, Nov. 18: Retail fraud, 8100 block Identity theft, 1400 block of South from a yard, 400 block of West block of North Comstock.

Maumee. Retail fraud, 400 block of 900 block of Oak Street. Larceny 11500 block of East U.S. 223. of Clinton-Macon Road.

Main.

Dec. 4: Simple assault, 300 block from a building, 1500 block of West Dec. 2: Simple assault, 13000 Nov. 25: Operating while Nov. 28: Use of the internet for West Maumee. of West Main. block of Silberhorn Highway.

Dec. 14: Retail fraud, 200 block Maumee. Retail fraud, 1500 block of intoxicated, Ridge Highway and harassment or threats, 400 block of Dec. 11: Larceny, 100 block of West Maumee. of East U.S. 223.

North Main. Larceny from a yard, Clinton-Macon Road.

South Comstock.

Dec. 29: Burglary (no forced Dec. 15: Simple assault, 100 ROLLIN TOWNSHIP 600 block of Springbrook. Retail Dec. 21: Larceny from the mail, fraud, 200 block of East U.S. 223. entry, non-residential), 1300 block MADISON TOWNSHIP block of Dawes Ave. Simple Nov. 27: Larceny from a vehicle, 200 block of West Main.

16600 block of Manitou Road. assault, 500 block of North Winter. of South Winter. Larceny from a Breaking and entering, 300 block Nov. 18: Disorderly conduct, building, 500 block of East Church. 1600 block of East U.S. 223.

Larceny and property damage, Aggravated assault, 800 block of of State.

ADRIAN CITY Dec. 30: Property damage, 600 Clinton. Simple assault, 500 block Nov. 29: Larceny of parts and Nov. 19: Larceny from a building 13100 block of Woerner Road.

Nov. 14: Retail fraud, 200 block accessories from a vehicle, 1100 block of College Ave. Disorderly conduct, block of James. Simple assault, 100 and larceny from a vehicle, 2600 Dec. 7: Fraud, 3500 block of Glen of East U.S. 223. block of South Winter. Retail fraud, block of Woodridge Drive. Larceny, Hill Highway. of Treat Street. Use of a telephone for 500 block of College Ave. Nov. 15: Operating while 1500 block of West Maumee (two Dec. 18: Simple assault, 16200 Dec. 16: Burglary (no forced harassment or threats, 1100 block of Treat Highway and Woodridge Drive. intoxicated, 700 block of South entry, residential), 600 block of reports). Retail fraud, 200 block of block of Meateau Drive.

South Main. Drug possession, East Nov. 23: Disorderly conduct, Main. Larceny from a building, 300 Beecher and Liberty.

Dennis.

East U.S. 223. Property damage, 500 1900 block of Allan Street.

Dec. 30: Use of telephone for block of East Beecher. Identity theft, Dec. 17: Retail fraud, 4400 block of East Church. harassment or threats, 500 block of Nov. 30: Simple assault. 500 Nov. 24: Simple assault, 1300 100 block of South Main. block of West Cadmus Road. block of West Maumee. Vehicle Dec. 31: Simple assault, 1100 Grove Avenue. block of French. Identity theft, Nov. 16: Property damage, Nov. 27: Property damage, 2900 block of North Main. Burglary 1000 block of Elm. Criminal sexual theft, 300 block of Rice. Retail 400 block of North Main. Credit block of Sand Creek Highway. Fraud, ROME TOWNSHIP fraud, 1300 block of South Main. (forced entry, residential), 1200 conduct, 1200 block of East Siena card fraud, 400 block of Merrick.

100 block of Elkington Street.

Use of telephone for harassment Nov. 18: Operating while block of South Main.

Heights Drive.

Simple assault, 1200 block of South Dec. 2: Simple assault, 1100 intoxicated, U.S. 223 and Shepherd Dec. 1: Identity theft, 1300 block or threats, 1500 block of West Main. Breaking and entering and block of Shumway Road.

Maumee. Fraud, 500 block of Tabor. ADRIAN TOWNSHIP Road. of Trenton Road. Retail fraud, 200 property damage, 800 block of Dec. 7: Fraud, 3100 block of Dec. 18: Retail fraud, 100 block Nov. 23: Operating while Nov. 17: Operating while block of East U.S. 223.

South Main. Simple assault, 300 intoxicated, U.S. 223 and Dudley Dec. 2: Retail fraud, 200 block of of East Maumee. Property damage, intoxicated, Bent Oak Highway and South Winter Street. block of West Hunt.

Dec. 11: Larceny from a building, Road.

800 block of Erie. Burglary (forced Shepherd Road.

East U.S. 223 (two reports).

Nov. 17: Larceny from a building, 2000 block of West Beecher Road. entry, residential), 800 block of Erie.

Nov. 24: Disorderly conduct, Dec. 3: Property damage, 500 block of French. Retail fraud, Larceny from a yard, 1100 block of TECUMSEH CITY Burglary (forced entry, residential), 5600 block of North Adrian Hwy. 1400 block of Village Green Lane.

200 block of East U.S. 223.

South Main.

800 block of East Maumee. Simple Nov. 12: Operating while Nov. 27: Simple assault, 5600 Robbery and aggravated assault, Nov. 18: Operating while Dec. 16: Larceny from a vehicle, intoxicated, 100 block of West assault, 800 block of East Maumee. block of North Adrian Hwy. 1300 block of South Winter. intoxicated, intersection of Toledo Operating while intoxicated, East 1400 block of East U.S. 223.

Dec. 19: Simple assault, 1200 Logan Street.

Nov. 28: Simple assault, 2900 and Tecumseh streets.

Beecher and Division streets.

Dec. 21: Aggravated assault, block of Lexington Drive. Vehicle Nov. 15: Property damage, 200 block of North Adrian Hwy. Nov. 20: Simple assault, 1300 3400 block of Treat Highway.

Dec. 4: Larceny from a building, theft, 600 block of State. block of North Ottawa Street.

Dec. 10: Vehicle theft, 3100 block of South Winter. Credit card Dec. 29: Fraud, 5400 block of 600 block of Finch Street. Criminal Dec. 21: Simple assault, 1000 Nov. 18: Retail fraud, 800 block block of Aspen Trail. fraud, 1100 block of North Main. sexual conduct, 700 block of block of Treat. Simple assault, 1500 of West Chicago Blvd. Retail fraud, Dec. 16: Larceny from a vehicle, Sand Creek Highway.

Criminal sexual conduct, 1100 Riverside Ave. Dec. 30: Simple assault, 2600 900 block of West Chicago Blvd. block of Treat. Simple assault, 1500 2200 block of Heatherwood Drive. block of South Main.

Dec. 6: Simple assault, 1500 block of Cloverdale Ave. Nov. 30: Criminal sexual block of West Maumee. Simple Simple assault, 2800 block of Nov. 21: Larceny from a vehicle, block of Ramblewood Court (two Dec. 31: Disorderly conduct, assault, 300 block of Erie. conduct, 200 block of Adrian Street.

Carson Hwy. 600 block of South Madison.

2600 block of Cloverdale Ave. reports). Larceny from a building, Dec. 22: Larceny from a building, Dec. 1: Simple assault, 700 block Dec. 21: Disorderly conduct, Breaking and entering and simple 400 block of State. Simple assault, 200 block of Jordan. Vehicle theft, of Brown Street.

2600 block of Bent Oak. assault, 300 block of McVicar.

MORENCI CITY 600 block of West Beecher.

Dec. 3: Disorderly conduct, 2900 600 block of Ormsby. Disorderly Nov. 22: Larceny from the mail, Dec. 17: Simple assault, 100 Dec. 7: Wire fraud, 700 block block of West Russell Road. conduct, 400 block of Erie.

BLISSFIELD VILLAGE 400 block of State. Retail fraud and of West Beecher. Larceny from a Aggravated assault, 1500 block Dec. 6: Fraud, 200 block of East Nov. 30: Use of a telephone for block of West Stephenson Street. identity theft, 200 block of East Dec. 23: Property damage, 300 yard, 500 block of North Broad.

Cummins. Fraud, 700 block of of West Maumee. Retail fraud, harassment or threats, 400 block of U.S. 223. Breaking and entering.

Drug possession, 600 block of block of West Main Street.

Waskin Drive.

200 block of East U.S. 223. Simple North Lane Street.

1100 block of Lowe Ave. Disorderly Springbrook. Larceny from a Dec. 31: Simple assault, 200 Dec. 9: Aggravated assault, East assault, 400 block of South Winter. conduct, 200 block of East U.S. 223. building, 500 block of Kimole Lane. Simple assault, 500 block of Tabor. BLISSFIELD TOWNSHIP block of Stephenson Street.

Shawnee and Maumee streets.

Disorderly conduct, 500 block of Criminal sexual conduct, 4600 Dec. 11: Credit card fraud, 800 Dec. 23: Operating while Nov. 19: Disorderly conduct, North Winter. block of West U.S. 223.

OGDEN TOWNSHIP block of Stetson Drive. intoxicated, North McKenzie and 5400 block of Carroll Road.

Nov. 23: Vehicle theft, 400 block Dec. 8: Sex offense against a Dec. 13: Operating while Dec. 13: Larceny from a yard, St. Joseph streets. Retail fraud, 4400 Dec. 4: Mail fraud, 4300 block of of Stockford. Breaking and entering, child, 200 block of Clinton. Simple block of West Maumee. Aggravated intoxicated, 12800 block of Neuroth 100 block of North Pearl Street.

Ricker Highway.

500 block of French. Disorderly assault, 600 block of Springbrook Highway.

Dec. 15: Retail fraud, 100 block assault, 300 block of Erie. Retail fraud, Dec. 11: Identity theft, 4700 conduct, 4400 block of West Ave. Criminal sexual conduct. 600 of Herrick Park Drive.

200 block of East U.S. 223. Aggravated block of Iffland Road.

Maumee. Simple assault, 100 block block of Springbrook Ave. Simple PALMYRA TOWNSHIP Dec. 18: Fraud, 800 block of War assault, 700 block of South Main. of North McKenzie. assault, 400 block of Erie.

Bonnet Drive.

Nov. 16: Operating while Disorderly conduct, 4400 block of BRITTON VILLAGE Nov. 24: Simple assault and Dec. 9: Larceny from a building, West Maumee. Vehicle theft, 1100 Dec. 22: Larceny from a building, intoxicated, Pixley Road and Rogers Nov. 27: Simple assault, 200 aggravated assault, 600 block of 500 block of Frank.

1400 block of West Chicago Blvd.

Highway. block of East Michigan Ave. block of West Chicago Blvd.

Tabor. Simple assault, 300 block of Dec. 10: Simple assault and Dec. 25: Simple assault, 200 Nov. 20: Criminal sexual Dec. 24: Operating while East Church. property damage, 1400 block of block of Pine Street. conduct, 6800 block of Driggs intoxicated, West Beecher and CLINTON TOWNSHIP Nov. 25: Simple assault, 1000 South Main. Aggravated assault, Dec. 28: Simple assault, 1000 Industrial Drive. Simple assault, 900 Nov. 15: Larceny from a building, Highway. block of Lowe Ave. Property 800 block of East Butler. Simple block of East Chicago Blvd. block of Bradish. Aggravated assault, 1600 block of West Michigan Ave. damage, Elm and Front streets. assault, 100 block of Sand Creek Dec. 29: Property damage, 100 RAISIN TOWNSHIP 800 block of Bradish. Criminal sexual Nov. 24: Vehicle theft, 11100 Larceny from a yard, 500 block Highway. block of East Chicago Blvd.

Nov 23: Simple assault, 1400 conduct, 500 block of French. block of Matthews Highway. of North Scott. Larceny from a Dec. 11: Aggravated assault, 400 Dec. 31: Simple assault, 100 block of East Valley Road.

Dec. 25: Property damage, yard, 1300 block of South Main. block of Burt Street. block of Toledo. Aggravated assault, 100 block of Sand Creek Highway. FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP Dec. 3: Simple assault, 1300 Operating while intoxicated, Bent 1300 block of South Winter. Wire Property damage, 200 block of Dec. 6: Fraud, 4700 block of West block of Laberdee Road.

Oak and Riverside Ave. Property fraud, 100 block of South Madison. Southfield Drive. Robbery and WOODSTOCK TOWNSHIP Dec. 9: Operating while Munger Road. damage, 300 block of Lawrence aggravated assault, 200 block of Nov. 25: Aggravated assault and Larceny from a yard, 700 block of intoxicated, Laberdee Road and Dec. 11: Fraud, 100 block of Ave. Disorderly conduct and simple Dennis. Larceny from a yard, 500 operating while intoxicated, Round Southfield Drive.

Wilmoth Highway.

Evans Trail. assault, Bent Oak and Riverside Ave. block of Clinton. Larceny from a Dec. 26: Fraud, 700 block of Lake Highway and Vischer Road.

Dec. 11: Simple assault, 5100 Dec. 24: Property damage, 6400 Nov. 26: Simple assault, 300 yard, 600 block of Dennis.

Company Street.

Dec. 3: Property damage and block of Westgate Place. block of West U.S. 12. block of East Michigan. Operating Dec. 27: Operating while simple assault, 8900 block of Parker Dec. 12: Larceny from a building, Dec. 13: Simple assault, 5300 while intoxicated, 100 block of intoxicated, East Beecher and French HUDSON TOWNSHIP Highway.

500 block of Comstock. Larceny block of Sutton Road.

Revere. Simple assault, 500 block of from a yard, 1500 block of West streets. Drug possession, West Dec. 15: Simple assault, 10700 Dec. 16: Property damage, 3600 Nov. 21: Simple assault, 1000 South Main.

Maumee and Park streets. Larceny Maumee. Property damage and block of Cement City Highway. block of Mystic Court. block of South Meridian Road.

Nov. 27: Larceny from a building, disorderly conduct, 1000 block of from a building, 300 block of East Dec. 27: Larceny and vehicle Dec. 26: Fraud, 6800 block of Dec. 15: Simple assault, 7300 200 block of North Main. Larceny Hunt. Simple assault, 400 block of theft, 15100 block of West U.S. 12.

East Butler.

North Rogers Highway. block of Warwick Road.

THE LENAWEE VOICE

LOCAL NEWS | A5

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

Neighbors voice concerns about proposed gravel mine Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) is pictured in a video from Uganda’s National Prayer Breakfast in October.

Walberg under fire for praise of Ugandan president Uganda has some of the world’s harshest anti-gay laws The Lenawee Voice

The congressman who represents Lenawee County is facing national criticism for a speech he gave in which he praised the leadership of Uganda, a country whose draconian anti-gay policies have sparked international condemnation.

Tim Walberg, a Republican from Tipton, spoke at Uganda’s National Prayer Breakfast on Oct. 8, sharing the stage with speakers who referred to LGBTQ+ rights advocates using such phrases as “a force from the bottom of hell.”

In his speech, Walberg urged the country to “stand firm” in the face of U.S. and international criticism.

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni signed the country’s newest AntiHomosexuality Act into law in May of last year. Under the law, anyone who commits a homosexual act can be punished by life in prison. Anyone who is convicted of a homosexual act more than once can be considered a “serial offender” and sentenced to death.

Officials who condemned the bill after it was passed included President Joe Biden and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and the World Bank announced in August that it would stop lending to Uganda because of the law.

In his speech at the prayer breakfast, Walberg praised Uganda’s president and included himself in the ranks of people who would say to Museveni, “we stand with you.”

He urged Ugandans to do the same, saying: “Your esteemed president, his excellency President Museveni, needs a nation that stands with him and says, though the rest of the world is pushing back on you, though there are other major countries that are trying to get into you and ultimately change you, stand firm.

Stand firm.”

“Whose side do we want to be on?

God’s side,” Walberg said. “Not the World Bank, not the United States necessarily, not the U.N. God’s side.”

He also predicted domestic backlash for his remarks.

“Now, this will probably get back to the national media in the United States and I expect some pushback, but I’m not going to give in to them,” he said.

Walberg’s speech sparked sharp rebukes from many of his colleagues. Rep. Robert Garcia, who is gay, called the news “disgusting” in a social media post.

See WALBERG, page A9

The Lenawee Voice

RAISIN TWP. — A mining company’s proposal for a new gravel pit in Raisin Township, about halfway between Adrian and Tecumseh, has residents alarmed.

The proposed location is just northwest of the intersection of Occidental Highway and Gady Road. Lucky Strike Sand and Gravel first presented its plans to the Raisin Township Planning Commission in October. According to planning commission chair Marcus McNamara, the proposal was not very detailed and the commission asked the company to come back with more specifics.

On Jan. 4, the planning commission and several dozen residents heard a presentation from Michael Wilczynski, a geologist who often consults with local governments on mining issues.

Wilczynski, who is retired from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, told the audience he worked for

A yard sign at the corner of Occidental Highway and Gady Road urges opposition to a proposed gravel mine nearby. mining companies early in his career and isn’t opposed to mining, but feels it must be done responsibly.

Wilczynski said state law forbids local goverments from preventing mining unless “very serious consequences” would result from the operations.

Factors that can be considered include the relationship of extraction to existing land uses; the impact on existing land uses; the impact on property values;

traffic and pedestrian safety; the impact on public health, safety and welfare; and the overall public interest in extracting the natural resources being mined.

He said applicants “generally come in with just the minimal amount of information.” He encouraged the township to hire experts to review any mining application, and to require the applicant to pay for the review.

Residents at the meeting expressed concerns about private wells running dry, as has been documented near other gravel pits due to the amount of water that gravel mining requires. Other concerns included dust pollution in the air and increased traffic from trucks hauling gravel from the mine.

McNamara said he expects the mining company to resubmit its plans for the planning commission’s February meeting, which will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the Raisin Community Center, 3266 Gady Road.

New equipment should reduce odors from Crimson Holdings powdered egg plant The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — New equipment is in place that is supposed to reduce odor problems at the Crimson Holdings powdered egg processing plant in Adrian.

Crimson Holdings began processing eggs for the pet food industry at the former Dairy Farmers of America plant, 1336 E. Maumee St., in December 2021. After the plant started operating, neighbors began to report noxious odors coming from the plant. In a complaint to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, one resident described the smell as “organic death.”

State regulators have issued numerous violation notices to Crimson Holdings over the past two years — at one point noting that areas up to a half mile downwind were affected — and the city of Adrian took the company to court.

In March 2023, a taller stack was installed in an effort to control odors, but problems persisted. A few months later, Crimson Holdings applied for permission to install a packed bed scrubber, which is a system used to treat gaseous pollutants.

On Dec. 20, the company notified the city that the packed bed scrubber had been installed.

Under the terms of a consent judgment entered into by Crimson Holdings and the city in Lenawee County District Court, the city may request a court review of the effectiveness of the odor control measures after the scrubber has been fully operational for 45 days.

Any residents wishing to report problems can contact Leslie Love, the city’s community revitalization coordinator, at llove@adrian.mi.gov or 517-264-4805.

City plans forum on use of Crimson Holdings funds A pot of money has been set aside to help people harmed by odor problems from the Crimson Holdings powdered egg plant, and the city of Adrian is planning a meeting to gather residents’ input on how the funds should be used.

The Crimson Holdings plant at 1336 E. Maumee St. is pictured earlier this month.

The meeting will take place on Monday, Feb. 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the Merchants Building at the Lenawee County Fair and Event Grounds, 602 N. Dean St. Judge Laura Schaedler, in two separate actions, ordered Crimson Holdings to make payments to the city to be used for the benefit of affected residents.

One pot of money is to total $100,000, of which the city has already received $50,000 and will receive the second half this year. The other totals $22,750 and is a little more specific in how it is to be used, with Schaedler having asked the city to develop a workforce-based remediation program in which underemployed people would be hired to help residents with things like minor cleanups and repairs.

The $100,000 comes with less direction from the court. During a discussion in December, city commissioners agreed that they wanted to seek input from the people most affected by the problems on how the money should be used.

In addition, city administrator Greg Elliott commented that the money should be used to benefit residents of the area, not just property owners, some of whom are absentee landlords. Elliott also noted that some residents have been more impacted by the odor problems than others: for instance, he said, people whose houses have central air conditioning have probably not been as badly affected as people who had to have their windows open all summer for ventilation.

NOE LAW OFFICE

TWO LAW OFFICES SERVING LENAWEE COUNTY FOR 49 YEARS AND COUNTING ...

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MARGARET M.S. NOE

ATTORNEY AT LAW FORMER ASST. PROSECUTOR CRIMINAL LAW PERSONAL AND AUTO INJURY DIVORCE/FAMILY LAW ESTATE PLANNING

ATTORNEY AT LAW FORMER CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE FORMER ASST. PROSECUTOR PERSONAL INJURY ESTATE PLANNING

517-263-4062

517-263-8200

147 North Main Street, Adrian, Michigan 49221

A6 | LOCAL NEWS

Burned bridge will be costly to replace The Lenawee Voice

HUDSON TWP. — A hefty price tag for replacing a bridge over Beecher Road that was damaged by fire in November has the Lenawee County Road Commission looking for options.

The bridge — which crosses Saint Joseph Creek, just east of U.S. 127 and just north of Hudson — was severely damaged on Nov. 5 when an area resident’s leaf burn got out of control.

It has been closed since then, because it is not safe to drive on.

“At least two timber piles are out of alignment and the zinc sheets on top of the piles and galvanizing on the bridge guardrail have melted,” said Scott Merillat, managing director for the road commission.

For those components to have melted means the bridge was subjected to high heat for a long duration, Merillat said, and that means there’s a risk that the metal connections inside the bridge have been compromised.

“A timber bridge is 100 percent dependent on metal connections to hold the bridge together and distribute loads,” he said.

The cost to replace the bridge is estimated at $2,256,000.

Because the county doesn’t have the budget to complete projects of that size with just local funding, Merillat said, the road commission is applying for state and federal funds, and is also working with its insurance company in the hopes that insurance money can be used as a match for state and federal funds.

The road commission is in the process of hiring a bridge engineer to work on the replacement bridge design and complete the required environmental reviews.

IN BRIEF Man killed while hunting ROLLIN TWP. — The Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office responded on the morning of Nov. 30 to a report of a hunter being shot by another hunter in the 15000 block of Rome Road. Kirt Stubbins, 41, of Addison was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other person involved is underage and therefore the sheriff’s office is not releasing additional information.

The incident is under review.

Teen accidentally shot while preparing to clean rifle MEDINA TWP. — The Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office responded on Dec. 17 to a report of an accidental shooting at a residence.

Around 9:52 p.m., Lenawee County 911 received a call from a 19-year-old male who said he had accidentally shot his 16-year-old girlfriend. Responders found that the teen had sustained a gunshot wound to the wrist and abdomen.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

Changes made at intersection following crash that killed four The Lenawee Voice

MACON TWP. — In the wake of a Labor Day wreck that killed four people, the Lenawee County Road Commission has made several changes to the intersection of Milwaukee Road and Britton Highway in Macon Township.

The changes were made based on the recommendations of a traffic engineer who was hired to perform a safety evaluation after the crash. They are: n On Milwaukee Road, where there used to be a single stop sign in each direction, there are now two stop signs in each direction, one on each side of the road. n Those stop signs now have reflective posts and yellow “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” signs beneath them. n Each Milwaukee Road approach now has rumble strips as drivers near the intersection. n Each Milwaukee Road approach also has “Stop Ahead” warning signs with reflective posts.

New stop signs, with reflective posts and “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” warnings, have been installed on Milwaukee Road at Britton Highway. ERIK GABLE / LENAWEE VOICE The traffic engineer conducted video monitoring at the intersection and found

that the majority of drivers on Milwaukee Road did not come to a complete stop at the intersection.

“It’s amazing the number of cars that were rolling through the stop sign,” road commission managing director Scott Merillat said.

Of the 204 eastbound vehicles on Milwaukee Road during the study period, 54 made a legal stop, 146 made a rolling stop, and four vehicles did not stop. Of 207 westbound vehicles, 97 vehicles made a legal stop, 109 made a rolling stop, and one did not stop.

The Sept. 4 crash happened when the driver of an eastbound pickup truck ran the stop sign and struck another pickup that was southbound on Britton Highway.

All four occupants of the second pickup, who were employees of K&B Asphalt Sealcoating traveling between job sites, were killed.

The investigation into the crash is being handled by the Michigan State Police.

Murder case from 1997 could finally be resolved The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — A trial scheduled for Feb. 13 could finally close the book on a gruesome murder case that’s more than a quarter century old.

Brothers Richardo Sepulveda, 52, and Michael Sepulveda, 50, both from Ohio, are accused of killing a man who was found in a Blissfield Township cornfield in November 1997. The body, decapitated and missing both hands, was discovered by the farmer who owned the field.

“All crime victims deserve justice regardless of how long it takes to receive it,” Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel said in a news release. “I appreciate the hard work of the Michigan State Police, the many local and federal law enforcement agencies, and my criminal trial prosecutors for their persistence in pursuing this case.”

The Michigan Attorney General’s Office alleges that the victim, whose name is

According to Sheriff Troy Bevier, the two were preparing to clean a .22 caliber rifle when it accidentally discharged. The girl was taken by air to a Toledo hospital. Her injuries were not life-threatening.

Fatal collision on Bent Oak ADRIAN — Police responded on Thursday, Dec. 14, to a fatal crash on Bent Oak Avenue near Pine Shore Drive.

A three-wheeled bicycle with two riders was struck by a vehicle around 6:55 p.m., according to the Adrian Police Department. Both riders were transported to hospitals, and one died.

Fatal crash at Division and 223 MADISON TWP. — A Clayton man was killed in a crash the morning of Monday, Jan. 8, at the intersection of U.S. 223 and Division Street. He was riding in a sedan that was attempting to turn left on Division and was struck by a semi proceeding through the intersection. The driver of the sedan and the semi driver were both taken to area hospitals.

still unknown, was a courier for Richardo Sepulveda’s drug supplier. In documents filed in Lenawee County Circuit Court, prosecutors said Sepulveda planned to kill the man so that the supplier would not find out Sepulveda was stealing from him.

Prosecutors say the brothers met the victim at a bar in Toledo, then knocked him unconscious when he got into the van they were driving and took him to Michigan. By the time they arrived at the cornfield off Corey Highway, the man had recovered enough to run. Richardo Sepulveda allegedly chased him down, tackled him, and stomped on his head until he appeared to be dead.

The brothers then allegedly left the scene to buy shovels and returned to find the man still alive. At that point, prosecutors say, Michael Sepulveda stabbed the man three times, then the brothers cut off his head and hands

before burying him in a shallow grave and pouring bleach over his body.

Prosecutors say that over the course of two decades, investigators spoke to multiple people who said one or both of the brothers told them about the murder. Michael Sepulveda himself told investigators about killing the man, according to court filings. Prosecutors cited witnesses’ fear of Richardo Sepulveda as one reason the investigation took so long.

The reason for bringing the man to Lenawee County was allegedly that Michigan does not have the death penalty.

Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.

In court filings, Richardo Sepulveda’s attorney portrayed the testimony against him as attempts by the witnesses, including his brother, to gain favor with authorities or keep themselves out of prison.

Two appointments made to Adrian library board

Community foundation seeks award nominees

ADRIAN — One person was appointed and another reappointed to the Adrian District Library board at the Adrian City Commission’s Dec. 18 meeting.

Brenda Rigdon, a local architect, was appointed to a three-year term on the board. Aimrie Ream-Taylor, the library board’s treasurer, was reappointed to a new three-year term.

ADRIAN — The Lenawee Community Foundation is seeking nominees for three annual awards: the Lenawee Leadership Award, the Stubnitz Award, and the Incito Award. For information about the awards and their criteria, go to lenaweecommunityfoundation.com, then click on the “About” tab and select “Awards.”

Dennis Street fire injures one

Historical museum needs an online auctions whiz

ADRIAN — One person was hurt in a Jan. 3 apartment fire in the 600 block of Dennis Street.

According to the Adrian Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched at 7:11 p.m. Fire department EMTs and paramedica began treating the burn victim while firefighters worked to get the blaze under control. They also searched the other three apartments in the building to make sure no one else had been injured. The fire does not appear to be suspicious.

ADRIAN — The Lenawee County Historical Museum is seeking a volunteer to create and help manage an account on internet auction sites. The museum frequently receives donations that are intended to be sold to help raise operating funds, and needs someone to help list those items online.

Anyone who is interested in helping can stop by the museum, at 110 E. Church St., between 10 a.m, and 2 p.m.

Friday or Saturday, or call 517-265-6071.

THE LENAWEE VOICE

LOCAL NEWS | A7

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

IN BRIEF Charges OK’d for teen who led police on chase MACON TWP. — The Lenawee County prosecutor has authorized charges of fourth-degree fleeing and eluding against a 16-year-old from Macon Township who led law enforcement on a chase through parts of Lenawee and Monroe counties on the night before Thanksgiving, Sheriff Troy Bevier said.

A deputy, on patrol in the area of M-50 and Billmyer Highway around 10:41 p.m. Nov. 22, saw an SUV speeding and driving recklessly, headed east on M-50. When the deputy attempted to stop the SUV, the driver turned off the vehicle’s lights and fled, going down numerous roads in Ridgeway and Macon townships.

Sheriff’s department personnel attempted to end the pursuit by deploying stop sticks in the area of Holloway Road and Britton Highway. As the strips were being set out, according to the sheriff’s office, the driver avoided the strips, turned off his headlights, and left the road headed at the assisting deputy, at which point that deputy fired two shots at the vehicle, striking it.

The pursuit continued into Monroe County, at which point the driver stopped and surrendered to deputies. The suspect was lodged at the Maurice Spear Campus. The deputy who fired at the vehicle was on administrative leave as a matter of standard procedure, but is now back on duty.

Firefighters rescue man on Christmas Day ADRIAN — Firefighters rescued an Adrian resident from a fire in the basement of a home in the 900 block of East Maple Avenue on Christmas.

The fire was reported at 7:50 p.m., and the city fire department was dispatched along with Adrian and Madison townships. Firefighters went into the basement through heavy smoke and rescued the resident, who was not responsive, and he was taken to the hospital.

The fire was brought under control and firefighters cleared the scene at 9:44 p.m. Although the cause of the fire was not determined for certain, the initial investigation did not indicate anything suspicious.

Heating bills to decrease this winter due to drop in price of natural gas The average Adrian-area household should see savings of about $311 per year

By Erik Gable

The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Although Citizens Gas Fuel Co. is increasing its distribution fees for the first time in 14 years, Adrian-area residents will actually see lower rates on their gas bills this winter due to a decrease in the price of natural gas.

Joe Lucey, accounting manager at Citizens Gas, spoke to the Adrian City Commission at a study session on Nov. 20. He explained that Citizens Gas bills are made up of three pieces: the cost of the gas itself, which is passed straight through to customers with no markup, and the distribution fee and customer fee, which are used to support the company’s operations and maintain the distribution system.

Lucey said the last time Citizens requested a change in the distribution and customer fees was in late 2009. Since then, he said, the company was able to keep that fee the same for 14 years due to factors that included lower interest rates and more senior and higher-paid employees retiring and being replaced by people lower on the pay scale.

However, to keep pace with more recent increases in the cost of wages and benefits, as well as the cost of keeping up with regulatory requirements, the company requested a hike in that fee late last year.

Citizens Gas asked the city for an increase in two phases. The first phase went into effect as soon as it was approved and will result in an increase of $41 per year to the distribution and customer fees paid by the average residential customer, and $119 per year to the fees paid by the average commercial customer.

The second phase, which must be approved separately, would go into effect after a new 8-inch pipeline is in service. It would increase distribution and customer fees by an additional $15 per year for the average residential customer and $55 per year for the average commercial customer. Completion of that project is anticipated in fall 2025, according to a summary provided to the city commission.

However, residents will actually see the total rate on their gas bills go down this winter. That’s because the gas supply cost is decreasing by 34%. The gas supply cost is determined every year, based on what Citizens Gas paid during the past year and anticipates paying in the coming year, and is calculated so that, ultimately, the company neither makes nor loses money on the gas itself, and customers end up paying the same amount that Citizens paid.

Once the decrease in supply cost is taken into account, Lucey said, residential customers should see an average decrease of $311 per year in their gas bills, and commercial customers should see an average decrease of $1,384.

Lucey noted that those calculations are based on typical weather conditions.

Changes in the distribution fee must be approved by a two-person rate commission, which consists of the city administrator and a representative from Citizens Gas. This means, in effect, that the city’s permission is required in order for any increases to take effect.

City administrator Greg Elliott, acting on the city commission’s behalf, agreed to the first phase on Nov. 28, and the new rates went into effect with December bills.

The second phase will not be submitted for approval until the infrastructure upgrades are complete.

Citizens Gas is a subsidiary of DTE Energy and has about 17,800 customers in Lenawee County. Under Citizens’ franchise agreements with other local

governments in Lenawee County, rates for those areas will follow the city’s rates.

Natural gas production in the United States hit a record high in 2023. That, combined with lower demand due to a mild winter, helped drive natural gas prices downward over the course of the year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The National Weather Service is predicting a relatively warm winter this year as well.

A8 | LOCAL NEWS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

Patrons arrive at the Croswell Opera House for the sold-out final performance of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” on Dec. 3. LAD STRAYER/THE CROSWELL

Croswell Opera House reports record ticket sales in 2023 ADRIAN — A record number of people attended shows at the Croswell Opera House in 2023, according to the theater’s year-end figures.

A total of 39,313 tickets were sold to the Croswell’s mainstage productions, which included two plays, six Broadway Season musicals, an all-area high school show, a children’s musical, a summer performance camp production, and a pair of two-night concerts.

Two of those shows, “Mary Poppins” and “The Little Mermaid,” are now among the theater’s 10 highest-attended shows of all time, having brought in 6,538 and 5,751 audience members respectively.

The previous attendance record was set in 2019, when about 33,000 tickets were sold.

Roughly half of the Croswell’s ticket buyers come from Lenawee County, and roughly a quarter come from the Toledo area. The remainder are mostly from Monroe, Washtenaw and Jackson counties.

Following is a list of the Croswell’s 10 highest-attended shows: 1. “Elf” (2019): 6,693 2. “Mamma Mia!” (2018): 6,583 3. “Mary Poppins” (2023): 6,538 4. “The Wizard of Oz” (2018): 6,149 5. “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (1997): 6,060 6. “The Little Mermaid” (2023): 5,751 7. “Grease” (1997): 5,680 8. “Mary Poppins” (2015): 5,583 9. “Beauty and the Beast” (2017): 5,571 10. “Jesus Christ Superstar” (2000): 5,535

Alumna’s mementos offer a look at Adrian College life in the 1950s

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ADRIAN — People tend to hang on to items and photos that remind them of precious times in their lives. Those special items carry with them a piece of history — moments captured in time, and in some cases a bit of the spirit of the people or places or depicted.

Mildred “Millie” Mary (Hawthorne) Thompson and a couple of her Adrian College sorority sisters are shown in a donated black and white photo during a “scrub statue” initiation around 1951 sitting on the Laura Smith Haviland statue, which at the time was in front of the old Adrian Police station. Somehow the photographer snapping the picture encapsulated the spirit of the day on a piece of paper that takes viewers back in time, if only for a moment, in one small relic out of several packed in a package recently sent to Adrian College.

Thompson’s daughter, Kathy Davis, sent the items to Adrian College after her mother’s death, hoping some mementos from her mom’s college days might be of interest to others.

Thompson graduated from Adrian College in 1954 and went on to teach home economics in the Lake City Area School District, where she was also the girls’ basketball and cheerleading coach.

Millie was instrumental in allowing girls to take shop class and boys to take home economics, which had never been done before.

“Laura Haviland would have certainly been proud of Millie’s accomplishments, as are we,” said Adrian College president Jeffrey Docking. “We are blessed to have been gifted so many items over the years

Mildred Thompson, left, and two of her sorority sisters pose with the Laura Haviland statue in a photo that was recently donated to Adrian College by her daughter. from alumni who loved those pieces of memorabilia that reminded them of a period when they were literally having the time of their lives!”

Some of the mementos Thompson clung to include her Commencement Exercise program from June 6, 1954, and a program from Adrian College’s 1951 High School Play Day, where she must have been influenced to join the college through events such as the Get Acquainted Relays, the basketball, archery, and softball play periods, and square dancing.

She also kept a ledger of where she worked to help pay for college, noting she worked as a telephone operator for the Union Telephone Co. in Adrian, in the college campus dining room, and as secretary for the vice president and later the athletic director.

THE LENAWEE VOICE

LOCAL NEWS | A9

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

Visit Michigan’s Oldest T heater!

Adrian city attorney resigns; interim replacement named The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Adrian city attorney John Gillooly resigned on Dec. 12 following a meeting in which, acting in his separate capacity as Lenawee County’s counsel, he gave advice to the Lenawee County Land Bank Authority that contradicted the city’s position on plans to redevelop the former Daily Telegram property on Winter Street.

The Adrian Development Collaborative, which owns the property, asked the county land bank to apply on its behalf for state land bank funding to demolish the buildings and stablize the land. Only land banks are eligible to apply for the funding, and outside of a few very large cities, only counties have land banks.

On Dec. 4, the city commission unanimously passed a resolution supporting the developers’ request.

The city later discovered that, earlier the same day, Gillooly had told a subcommittee of the Land Bank Authority that forwarding the request would carry significant liability risks for the county, and advised them against it.

That’s an assessment that city administrator Greg Elliott — who is an attorney

Align Center from page A1 Sheila Blair is the director of the Align Center. She said the new building will bring all kinds of economic services together under one roof.

Employers will be able to purchase training services or consulting, Blair said, and the center has an extensive catalog of training programs that they can offer.

Entrepreneurs will be able to access small business consultants through Align Lenawee, and the center also plans to build a “maker space” with equipment like 3D printers and etching machines where startup businesses can do things like building prototypes.

Job seekers and people looking to gain new skills will be able to take advantage of training programs, such as Commercial Driver’s License certification, and also access services through Michigan Works, which provides a variety of programs to help people get jobs.

“Think of it as a one-stop for anybody who’s having any kind of employment issue,” Blair said.

Align Lenawee will also continue working with local school districts on programs like career fairs.

“You don’t build a talent pipeline by addressing today’s needs, you build a talent pipeline by thinking also about tomorrow,” Blair said.

Pat Farver, executive director of Lenawee Now, described the Align Center as taking a “campus approach” to employment services.

Walberg from page A5 “Tim, do you think the government should execute me and my 11 fellow gay Members of Congress because we are LGBTQ?” Garcia, a Democrat from California, wrote.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, posted that “this kind of bigotry is disturbing — especially since it comes from someone with a platform as a Congressman.”

In a statement provided to The Hill and

himself, though he does not serve in that capacity for the city — disagrees with.

“Obviously we’re extremely disappointed about that,” Elliott said of the Land Bank Authority’s decision not to forward the request.

Gillooly and the firm he works for, Garan Lucow Miller, resigned on Dec. 12.

After Gillooly’s resignation, Elliott reached out to Burke Castleberry of the Onsted law firm Castleberry & Lucas about representing the city on an interim basis. The firm represents several area municipalities, including the cities of Tecumseh and Manchester.

Castleberry is the husband of city commissioner Kelly Castleberry. The anti-nepotism rules in the city charter do not forbid hiring a commissioner’s spouse or close relative, but they do state that any such appointment must be approved by the entire commission (except for the related commissioner, who must abstain).

Commissioner Bob Benhke said he was concerned about the potential for conflicts of interest and the appearance of nepotism. The commission discussed the issue at length and ultimately agreed to the temporary appointment.

“We’re not trying to replicate or replace anything that exists right now,” he said. Instead, the goal is to bring both Align Lenawee’s services and programs offered by other entities together in one place.

Organizations that have already committed to having office space in the new center are Michigan Works, ProMedica’s Adrian Ebeid Neighborhood Promise, and Hispanics of Lenawee Alliance, whose founder, Ben Negron, worked closely with State Sen. Joe Bellino (R-Monroe) on securing the state earmark that is helping to fund the center.

The Community Action Agency also plans to offer services at the site.

Blair said that “everybody who’s in there has committed to doing a friendly handoff,” meaning that people seeking services won’t feel like they’re just being sent from one office to another.

“There’s a sense of frustration when people feel like they have been dismissed,” she said. This is going to be a different feeling, a different kind of interaction with the public.”

The center will also include a large community hall that will be named for Paul “Chico” Martinez, a longtime community activist who died in 2022.

Blair said the renovation will cost about $2.5 million. Though the state’s $10 million budget earmark is helping with startup costs, the plan is for the center’s long-term funding to come from a mixture of grants and fees for services.

More information is available at alignlenawee.org. other media outlets, Walberg’s office said that he “never endorsed any legislation or law while in Uganda,” and that he was criticizing the World Bank for holding Uganda to a different standard than other countries to which it lends money.

In the statement, his office said that the World Bank’s actions on Uganda were “just one example of a growing trend of global organizations abandoning their duties and missions to pursue a political agenda.”

Walberg’s office told MLive.com that he does not support the criminalization of homosexuality.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

A look inside the Adrian library’s renovated youth department The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — The youth services department at the Adrian District Library has a fresh look and several new offerings. It opened Nov. 13 after two weeks of construction, and the library held a ribbon cutting and open house on Dec. 9.

The walls are newly painted. Blue, yellow and green patches on the carpet create a colorful path through the department from one end to the other, with additional patches of color helping to delineate both a play area for younger kids and a spot in the northwest corner where older kids can hang out.

The furniture has been updated with an eye toward technology: where the department used to have just a few inconveniently placed electrical outlets, now there are outlets and USB charging ports built into furniture throughout the library’s second floor.

New features include a large play cube and a new puppet stage where kids can put on shows, both purchased with donations from the Kappa Kappa Epsilon service sorority.

The department has also been reorganized to make it easier to find things.

Picture books are all together in the southeast corner and fiction is along the north wall. A lot more space has been dedicated to the library’s growing graphic novel collection. And at the front of the department there’s a shelf with materials for parents.

Computer and tablet stations now have bench seats intended to make it easier for multiple kids to share a station, or for an adult and child to work together.

The remodel was designed by Library Design Associates.

The total cost of the renovation was about $300,000. Apart from gifts from KKE and funding from the estate of James and Lois Silberhorn, the cost was largely paid for using money from the library’s operating millage.

Each year, the library tries to spend less on day-to-day operations than it takes in, for the purpose of building a fund balance that can then be spent on care and upkeep of the building, including renovations.

Adrian District Library names new youth services librarian ADRIAN — Jess Bruechert has taken charge of the youth services department at the Adrian District Library, following

The Adrian District Library’s Youth Services Department is newly renovated. The colorful new carpet makes a path diagonally across the department, with additional areas of color helping to visually delineate both a play area for younger children and a gathering space for older kids. The walls were repainted and many new furnishings were added.

Allison Buehrer, 8, of Blissfield uses a tablet station with her mom, Rachel. The new furnishings for computer and tablet stations include bench seating so more than one child at a time, or a child and a parent, can easily work together.

Abigail Goldsmith, 8, and her siblings Mariam, 3, and Archer, 1, are pictured in the play area at the Adrian District Library. They were visiting the library’s newly renovated youth services department on Dec. 9 along with their siblings Eleanor, 3, and Bonabelle, 1, and their parents, Kara and Dale. In the background is the new puppet stage.

Ramiro Rosas, 11, of Adrian helps his younger brother Arthur, 4, with the play cube in the new Adrian District Library youth services department.

Dominic Bryan, 14, and Luciano Sanchez, 15, converse over a game in the youth services department, which has different areas intended for various ages.

Naomi Mitchell, 6, of Adrian and her mom, Brittany Cole, work on a coloring project in the new Adrian District Library youth services department.

the retirement of Cathy Chesher.

Bruechert, who began work on Jan. 8, is from the Twin Cities area in Minnesota and earned a master’s degree in library science in August 2023 from Emporia State University, focusing on digital services and youth services.

She previously worked in a school library setting at Hopkins High School in Minnesota.

The Adrian District Library is at 143 E. Maumee St. For information about library programs, go to adrian.lib.mi.us or call 517-265-2265.

A collection of parenting books and resources are at the front of the Adrian District Library youth services department.

Jess Bruechert is Adrian’s new youth services librarian.

THE LENAWEE VOICE

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

LAND & WATER

Lake Erie pollution is focus of statewide conference held in Adrian

By Kyle Davidson Michigan Advance

ADRIAN — Experts on water quality, agriculture and the environment gathered at Adrian College’s Adrian Tobias Center on Dec. 12 to discuss efforts to manage toxic algal blooms at the state’s first State of the Western Lake Erie Basin Conference.

Although algal blooms present concerns in each of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie’s shallow depth, warm surface temperatures and proximity to agricultural land make it particularly susceptible to algal blooms, according to the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessment program.

While the U.S. and Canada agreed to take action on the issue in 1972, algal blooms have once again become common, with 2011 and 2015 marking the largest harmful algal blooms on record in Lake Erie, with severe algal blooms also recorded in 2017 and 2019.

Some types of harmful algal blooms can produce liver toxins, neurotoxins and skin irritants. Harmful algal blooms can also lead to “dead zones” where algae consumes oxygen as it dies and decomposes, creating threats for aquatic animals. They can create other issues for aquatic life by blocking out sunlight and clogging fish gills.

According to Michigan United Conservation Clubs, harmful algal blooms have also contributed to $2.4 to $5.9 million in lost revenue for the Michigan portion of Lake Erie.

In 2015, the governors of Michigan and Ohio and the premier of Ontario signed on to an agreement to reduce the total load of phosphorus entering Lake Erie 40% by 2025, with an interim goal of 20% by 2020.

Phosphorus is considered a limiting nutrient in aquatic environments, controlling the rate at which aquatic plants and algae grow. However, if too much phosphorus is introduced into an environment through poor agricultural practices, urban runoff, septic leakage or sewer discharge, it can lead to harmful algal blooms.

While the state has successfully met the 20% reduction target, it still has work to do in order to meet its target of reducing nutrient source pollution by 40%.

Michelle Selzer, Western Lake Erie Basin strategist for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), said the state has met its reduction target for point sources — or singular, identified sources — which has helped it meet the 20% reduction goal.

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Tim Boring speaks at the State of the Western Lake Erie Basin Conference on Dec. 12 at Adrian College.

KYLE DAVIDSON/MICHIGAN ADVANCE

A sign warns of a Lake Erie beach closure due to algae bloom on July 30, 2022.

SUSAN J. DEMAS/MICHIGAN ADVANCE

However, actual and projected reductions show the state is not meeting its goals for nonpoint source pollution — or pollution that does not originate from a single, identifiable source — meaning the state will not reach its 2025 goal, Selzer said.

Michigan has focused its efforts on the Detroit River, River Raisin, and St. Joseph River watersheds.

With agriculture acting as one of the main sources of nonpoint source pollution, MDARD Director Tim Boring said there is work to be done.

“Agriculture’s got a lot of work to do.

And the fact that we’re just not anywhere close to the trajectory that we need in this area. I think it speaks to the complexity of it. But it speaks to the fact that we can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing expecting different results,” Boring said.

“It’s going to take a lot of work in different areas to get results in the way that all of us are committed to achieving.”

Boring identified a need for continued investment in monitoring to track

where phosphorus may be coming from.

The department is also in need of more research, he said.

“We simply don’t have all the necessary tools at our disposal to really nail down the problem and get into the weeds on how we’re specifically supposed to address these issues,” Boring said.

The department also has a lot to do when looking at current fertilizer management practices, Boring said.

“All too often we’re still applying fertilizer at rates that are in excess of fertilizer recommendations. We don’t spend enough time talking about rate, placement, timing. We’re not doing enough work on ensuring that we’re not applying fertilizers ahead of high intensity rainfall events,” Boring said.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are found in animal manure and chemical fertilizers, and can contribute to excess nutrients in waterways.

“There’s going to have to be discussions about how we continue to move away from waste disposal mindsets to more of a crop fertility based approach,” Boring said.

“We have a manure location problem, not a manure quantity problem. … The problem is we just are putting too much manure in too few places today,” he said.

Additionally, the state will struggle to make progress on nutrient reduction if it strictly treats it as a water quality issue, Boring said, encouraging a look at the social and economic factors that go into managing farms.

“The way you build farms today is you simplify management, you mitigate risk,” Boring said.

“We’re basically asking farmers to adopt suites of practices that the market

is sending them signals to grow in exactly the opposite way. Right? These two things aren’t compatible with one another and the way that we’re building farms today,” Boring said.

It’s not that farmers don’t understand conservation; there need to be economic incentives for farmers to do things in different ways, Boring said.

The framing around environmental discussions in agriculture is important, Boring said, noting that these discussions often become ones about environmental outcomes versus economic indicators for farms.

“We’ve got to make this a broader discussion about who is winning agriculture.

And regardless of if we’re worried about environmental outcomes if we have stakes and economic success. There’s a lot of shared values here that we’re missing out on this agricultural system today,” Boring said.

“I think there becomes a message here too as we look around our agricultural systems, like — is this what success looks like? Is this what winning looks like? Like, do you want to have to grow your farm by simply adding more acres and adding more cows to the detriment of your neighbor? Because at some point, like, we can’t all be farmers anymore if everybody has to have more and more land,” Boring said.

At the conference, representatives from other state agencies also detailed their plans to reduce phosphorus loading into the Western Lake Erie Basin.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) will be increasing its focus from monitoring four wastewater treatment facilities in the basin to 25. It will also continue monitoring watersheds for nonpoint source pollution.

EGLE will also look to expand its relationships with the Michigan State University Institute for Water Research, the Alliance for the Great Lakes and Limnotech, a water and environmental resource engineering consulting firm.

The Department of Natural Resources will be examining its properties and practices in the Lake Erie basin to ensure they’re not contributing to the issue of nutrient pollution. It also has about $14 million in funds to use for wetland restoration.

The DNR is looking to find a site where the flow comes together to create wetland to aid in nutrient reduction. The DNR is targeting the Upper Maumee or River Raisin watersheds, with hopes to move that project forward quickly.

This story is from Michigan Advance, a nonprofit newsroom covering politics and policy across the state. It is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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PERSPECTIVES

Letters to the Editor should be 350 words or fewer and may be emailed to letters@lenaweevoice.com.

EDITORIALS

East side focus is welcome The building of a new workforce development center on East Church Street is good news for Adrian and Lenawee County. But it’s also welcome news because of something else that it represents: a focus on the well-being of Adrian’s east side, a district that has too often not been in the forefront of discussions about the city’s future.

The gradual shift in Adrian’s center of gravity away from the east side can be seen in the history of our elementary schools. Fifty years ago, five out of the Adrian school district’s eight neighborhood elementary schools were located east of Main Street.

Now there’s only one, while all three of the west side elementaries that existed in 1974 are still open.

We highlight that fact not to pick on the school district — no single person or entity bears sole responsibility for this pattern of disinvestment over many years — but because it’s one of the more easily identifiable symptoms of something much larger.

The decision to build the Align Center for Workforce Development right across from Monument Park is a good move, and we hope it will turn out to represent a renewed focus on East Adrian by leaders in both the public and private sectors.

Here’s just one example: When discussing ways to make the planned Downtown Adrian Riverfront development feel more connected to downtown, the city should make sure that any traffic changes involved in that effort don’t have the effect of cutting downtown off the residential neighborhoods to the east. We’re glad that Mayor Angie Sword Heath took note of this concern when we discussed Winter Street streetscape plans with her for the last issue of this newspaper.

We’re also glad to note that City Hall stood up for east side residents by taking legal action against air pollution from the egg processing plant on East Maumee.

The neighborhoods on Adrian’s east side are an important part of our community fabric. Let’s keep a strong focus and not let up.

A disturbing embrace We don’t intend to often use this space to discuss things that happen outside of Lenawee County, but sometimes a news story comes along that’s so egregious that it can’t be allowed to go without comment.

The wholehearted embrace by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) of a cruel, extremist, anti-gay regime in Uganda is one such item.

Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, recently signed a draconian law that makes homosexuality punishable by up to life in prison — or by death, for anyone convicted more than once. The law is so obviously wrong that it’s been condemned by figures as far apart as President Joe Biden and Republican Senator Ted Cruz.

Yet our congressman, just five months after the bill was signed into law, chose to speak at a Ugandan prayer breakfast where he heaped lavish praise on Museveni and urged Uganda to “stand firm” in the face of nearuniversal condemnation.

We’re at a loss as to why an American congressman would laud a regime with such contempt for human rights, and give such full-throated support to its defiance of the United States and the international community.

A quick look at census data shows us that Walberg likely has thousands of constituents who would be considered criminals in Uganda simply because of who they love. This is not one of those topics where we can “agree to disagree” — this is a question of whether LGBTQ+ individuals should be considered fully human.

And here is our congressman, singing the praises of a leader who literally thinks thousands of people in Michigan’s 5th Congressional District deserve to be imprisoned or killed.

We guess those constituents now have a pretty good idea of how much regard their elected representative has for them.

LOCAL VIEWS

Fighting food waste in America Food waste is out of control in America. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 103 million tons (206 billion pounds) of food waste was generated in 2018. This is equivalent to over 450,000 Statues of Liberty.

America wastes a third of all food produced for human consumption according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which makes us the worldwide leader in food waste generation. Breaking this down nationally, this is approximately one pound of food per person per day.

The monetary value of food waste is approximately $161 billion, and the average family throws out about $1,500 a year.

So why is food waste so high in the US? It is not just a tendency to throw leftovers in the trash; there are deeper dynamics that play into the wasting of food.

Let’s consider production and the supply chain.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 20 percent of fruits and vegetables are lost during production, 12 percent are lost at the distribution and retail level and a further 28 percent are lost at the consumer level. Shoring up the mechanics of production, supply chain and even consumer factions could significantly reduce food waste.

In America, we have come to expect our food to look beautiful.

The perfect apple with no blemishes, the firm Romaine head of lettuce, and perfectly formed carrots are the expectation. Retailers have learned not to place inferior produce in their

of our population lacks access to quality and affordable nutritious food. In a country that is wasting 30 to 40 percent of the food supply each year, the fact that America is hungry is unconscionable.

So how do we curtail food waste?

Ryan Cooper, Director of Circular Economy Solutions at Rubicon, suggests several practices. These aisles, and as a result, this food is include: taken to landfills.

The environmental impact of 1. Putting together a detailed food rotting in landfills is methane. shopping list, and planning your As food rots in landfills, methane, meals in advance. a greenhouse gas, emits 28 to 36 2. Take your own leftover times more than the carbon that containers to restaurants keeping comes out of passenger vehicles. them up front in your refrigerator Landfills are the third-largest so you will use them and not forget emitters of methane, with food about them. waste alone representing 8 percent 3. Use smaller plates to help of total greenhouse gas emissions. reduce unnecessary portions that Determining food outlets for could be tossed out. misshapen food products would 4. Keep track of the food you are significantly reduce the tossing throwing away. Mentally attach of inferior produce products that a dollar sign to the food you are head to landfills. throwing away.

And, simply not 5. Don’t rely on expiration dates. buying more These dates are not standardized than is needed and are misleading. Trust your gut would curb the and sense of smell before throwing environmental food items away. effects of food Global preferences for a Western waste. diet consisting of high intake of We also have carbohydrates, sugar and sodium are unrealistic major contributors to environmental expectations about burdens of greenhouse gas food in general. emissions and land use. As the Increased portion planet is getting hotter, and climate sizes in schools, change is becoming a more restaurants, and home often leads to understood concept, analyzing all overpurchasing. When restaurants wasteful practices is mandatory. We overbuy, the food often spoils and produce more food products on farm has to be tossed out. The same is true land than the country, or the planet, in the home. Americans don’t think can use in a “just in time” supply twice about pitching a rusty looking concept. Converting some of this head of lettuce. land to energy producing initiatives In a wealthy country like America, may be part of the solution to our more than 54 million people are food food waste problem. insecure, 18 million of which are Deborah J. Comstock is editor and publisher children according to data collected of The Lenawee Voice.

by Feeding America. This segment

In America, we have come to expect our food to look beautiful.

Retailers have learned not to place inferior produce in their aisles, and as a result, this food is taken to landfills.

DEBORAH J. COMSTOCK

THE LENAWEE VOICE

PERSPECTIVES | A13

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

LOCAL VIEWS

100 Women for Lenawee: An introduction SUSAN NICHOLS On a warm spring day in 2016, the late Sue Keagle, Wendy Rogers, and I were discussing the unmet needs we saw being experienced by residents of Lenawee County. We were aware that many women and men in cities and towns across the country had founded organizations designed to help people in need in their local communities by pooling donations.

We thought maybe that would work in Lenawee County as well.

By summer, we were meeting with friends at each other’s homes and discussing how to organize a group to pool and distribute money to residents in need in the community. We visited the 100 Women Who Care group in Elkhart, Indiana, and researched other member-driven charitable organizations.

We learned these groups are largely unaffiliated and decided to follow much of what we admired about the 100Women Charitable Foundation of Los Altos, California, that was profiled in a Parade magazine article. Though ours is not as wealthy a community as Los Altos, we thought we could adapt some of their practices to Lenawee.

Our basic idea was to form a charitable group and ask each person who wanted to be a member to donate a minimum of $100 per year to a fund for donations.

Where those donations would go would be decided by a majority vote of members.

In December 2016, we piloted this idea, and 11 women — Sue and Wendy and I, plus Wendy’s daughter Jessica, and Marsha DiCenzo, Kim Gehres, Claudia Lark, Kate Riley, Monique Savage, Teresa Turner Sharp, and Janice Whelan — each donated $50 and decided where to direct it. We gave the $550 to Beth McCauley, who was then directing the program for homeless children in Adrian Public Schools. She spoke movingly to us about the unmet needs of homeless families and their children. Warmed by this success, we felt we had at least begun creating the structure of the organization we called 100 Women for Lenawee.

In January 2017, the 11 charter members formed the first board of directors of this fledgling organization and we began recruiting other individuals who were concerned about people in need in our county, asking them to donate to our growing grant fund. As we grew, we established committees that worked on developing our grant process, wrote the bylaws by which we operate, developed our mission and values statements, and recruited members through what we called “Spread the Word” meetings.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

More economic development would provide tax relief At the Dec. 11 Riga Township Board meeting a public discussion was raised about taxes on fixed income residents.

Two elderly Riga residents raised issues about the recent passage of the Blissfield Schools’ $23.6 million bond costing a $150,000 homeowner $244 in new yearly taxes. The millage passed by a 1004 to 860 margin. One elderly outspoken Riga

The presentation in 2018 of some of 100 Women for Lenawee’s first grants, to The Daily Bread (represented by Janie Colton) Share the Warmth (Helen Henricks), and the Adrian Rea Literacy Center (Sister Carleen Maly).

The 11 charter members of 100 Women for Lenawee at their first meeting: Teresa TurnerSharp, Janice Whelan, Kim Gehres, Marcia DiCenzo, Susan Nichols, Claudia Lark, Monique Savage, Kate Riley, Jessica Rogers and Wendy Rogers. Seated: Sue Keagle.

The mission of 100 Women of Lenawee is “To support vulnerable and at risk individuals and families and the organizations that serve them in the local community.” Our Values Statement is “Made up of progressive individuals, 100 Women for Lenawee embrace diversity and believe in the power of compassion and shared responsibility for the well being of our community.” We have often been asked about the word “progressive” used in our Values Statement, which is not a political term to us. To us, it is a word that describes our commitment to include and respect people of all classes, genders, races and ethnicities, and to approach our work with a sense of goodwill and trust toward others. We are a nonpolitical organization and bar our members from using their membership in political campaigns.

By December 2017 we had nearly 80 members and $7,900 designated to donate to the community. We took nominations of agencies and programs for grants only from members, a practice that continues to this day. After reading materials sent by nominated organizations in their applications for grants, and listening to representatives of those agencies and programs, members voted on which organizations would receive our funds in grants. In March 2018, at our annual meeting, funds were voted by members to be given as Impact Grants of $4,000 to Share the Warmth, and $2,500 to The Daily Bread; and Seed Grants of $1,000 were given to the Adrian Rea Literacy Center and $400 to the Hope Community Center.

Since our inception, we have been challenged by the work involved in managing an organization that has no staff, by deaths of individuals such as Sue Keagle and Peggy Treece Myles, who had

central roles in our operations, and by complications like the years of COVID. Still, due to the dedication, generosity and investment of time by many within 100 Women for Lenawee, we have persevered and continue to evolve.

Many of our original ideas still exist in how we function. We still welcome the participation of all members in meetings, but do not require it. We still work at respecting our members’ time, keeping business meeting to five or six a year. We still do not take nominations for grants from anyone but members, and only members can vote on which programs within Lenawee County receive our grant funds. We still work to educate ourselves about the needs in the community and the programs that serve people experiencing those needs. We still require membership donations that act as dues, at a minimum of $100 per year, and accept monthly payments for those dues if requested. We still disperse the entirety of members’ donations to the community on an annual basis. We still require that all monies we donate are spent on services that serve only Lenawee County residents.

In recent years, we have also established a Dire Needs Fund that accepts additional donations from members for the needs of individuals and families that fall through the cracks of the safety nets in Lenawee. Through that fund, individuals can better their lives through the purchase of work boots or other clothing required for new jobs; access birth certificates, driver’s licenses or other documents that require payment; obtain gas cards or Lenawee Transportation cards for transportation to work or medical appointments; obtain payment for food-handlers certifications, or other job-related costs; and get help

resident said she was on a fixed income and coupled with rising water, lights and taxes it’s become hard to live on a fixed income. The Wegner Road resident told me, “We were told when water came [to Riga] it would be a boomtown! But now I see there is nothing to draw business to the area. Inflation is hitting everyone, not just the old!” An earlier Riga board meeting revealed the need to raise a new possible future millage for a new tank truck for the fire department. The millage costs were estimated at $250,000.

Whiteford is also proposing a new $10 million bond millage, extending the

current $15.4 million bond. The current bond was passed in 2019 to improve school safety and technology. It passed by a 561 to 417 vote. The proposed $10 million bond will be spent on a $2.89 million elementary school improvement including four new classrooms and $7 million in sports complex improvements. The new proposed bond is said to not raise yearly taxes but to extend the life of the current building bond by six years.

At the Oct. 10 Lenawee County Ways & Means Committee meeting, County Administrator Kim Murphy gave the

Some of the members of 100 Women for Lenawee at a 2021 gathering. with uncovered prescription costs, such as insulin.

As of March 2023, members of 100 Women for Lenawee have donated more than $67,000 to families and individuals in need in Lenawee County and the programs and agencies that serve them. Since our inception, votes by members indicate an ongoing and deep concern for meeting the basic needs and safety of Lenawee residents. Organizations that have received grants include Associated Charities of Lenawee, the Boys and Girls Club, the Catherine Cobb Safe House, the Lenawee Child Advocacy Center, Lenawee Habitat for Humanity, Housing Help of Lenawee, the Hudson Free Store, the Lenawee Migrant Resource Center, Re-Bicycle of Lenawee, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Pantry among others.

In the years that 100 Women for Lenawee has existed, I have always been impressed by the generosity and kindness of our members, and by the seriousness in which each member takes our mission. I believe it is not only a testament to what individuals can do to better their communities, but also what collective action can do when people unite in a good cause. If you want more information about 100 Women for Lenawee, or wish to join, contact us at 100womenforlenawee@gmail.com. We will be happy to talk to you.

Susan Nichols is a charter member of 100 Women for Lenawee.

county financial report. She reported that 69% of the county revenues are from property taxes. That number increased by 4.25%. County expenses increased by 9% this year. The 2024 general fund budget is balanced utilizing a portion of the fund reserves.

As county and township officials rely on increased taxes to pay the bills more of our residents find it unaffordable. New economic development is badly needed to meet the needs of our region and not increase the burden on our residents.

— Paul Wohlfarth, Ottawa Lake

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

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. To view complete information, please refer to this key: [AM] Anderson-Marry Funeral Home, andersonfuneralservices.com [PM] Purse Martinez Funeral Home, pursemartinez.com [W] Wagley Funeral Homes, wagleyfuneralhomes.com Dustin “Dusty” Alex Rose, 27, of Adrian died on Nov. 13. He was employed at Adrian Steel and previously worked at GLOV Enterprises in Tecumseh and L&W Engineering in Blissfield. [W] Ruth L. Ritchie, 78, of Adrian died on Nov. 14. She taught in the Madison and GorhamFayette school districts and later worked for the American Cancer Society. She was a member of First United Methodist Church. [AM] Debra Kay Salsbury, 65, of Tipton died on Nov. 15. She retired from Maurice Spear Campus, where she had been a cook for almost 25 years, and previously worked at Sal’s and the Brass Lantern. [AM] Elizabeth Jean “Betty” Bolick, 82, of Manitou Beach died on Nov. 15. She worked for Northwest Airlines and Old Kent Bank, and enjoyed boating, fishing and gardening. [PM] Harold W. Keefer, 89, of Morenci died on Nov. 16. He worked for many years at Morenci Rubber and later at Ohio Art in Bryan, and was a builder of houses and boats. [AM] Connie Sue Sanders, 68, of Adrian died on Nov. 16. She worked as a dietary aide at Provincial House. [AM] Verna “Sue” Scott, 83, of Adrian died on Nov. 16. [PM] Jane Elizabeth Callison, 76, of Tecumseh died on Nov. 17. She founded the manufacturing company ididit Inc. with her husband, Ken, and also worked for many years at Great Ideas in Tecumseh. [AM] Joseph William Solik, 77, of Onsted died on Nov. 17. He served in the U.S. Air Force and went on to become a journeyman electrician. He worked for Tecumseh Products and retired from Ford Motor Co. [AM] Jerome “Jerry” Felix LeBlanc, 59, died on Nov. 17. He was a U.S. Army veteran and worked as a cardiovascular interventional technologist. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, skiing, cooking, and watching football. [PM] Gaylord Rexford Hill, 84, of Adrian died on Nov. 19. He owned Hill’s Automotive, was a member of the Eagles and Moose, was the commander of Sons of American Veterans Post 1957, and started the Adrian Street Cruisers. [AM] Ruby M. Rupert, 99, of Adrian died on Nov. 19. She worked as a “Rosie the Riveter” during World War II and then for the U.S. Department of the Navy. [W] Pauline Alarid, 94, of Adrian died on Nov. 21. She enjoyed crafts, country music, dancing, gardening, and caring for birds. [AM] Carmen Kathleen Graham, 85, of Blissfield died on Nov. 24. She worked for Deerfield Public Schools for 16 years and was a member of Light of Christ Parish. [AM] Frances Jean Fether, 91, of Morenci died on Nov. 24. She worked for many years for a printing company in California. [AM] Sharon Ladell DeJonghe, 86, of Dundee died on Nov. 24. She was a Clinton High School graduate and worked in many fields, including as the owner of her own catering business. [PM]

Norma Jean Kramer, 93, of Adrian died on Nov. 24. She worked as an operator for General Telephone Co. in Adrian for 39 years.

She attended New Hope Tabernacle and Bethany Assembly of God, and volunteered at Lenawee Medical. [W] Manual Bowman Jr., 65, of Adrian died on Nov. 25. He worked for General Motors, coached basketball and baseball, and was affectionately known as “Coot.” He also enjoyed fishing, bowling and cooking. [AM] Robert Schneider, 69, of Adrian died on Nov. 26. He supervised the wood shop at Venchurs Packaging until his retirement in 2016. He enjoyed bowling, playing softball, and woodworking. [AM] Angelica D. Martinez, 78, of Palmyra died on Nov. 26. She worked at Merillat Industries until the plant closed in 2011. She enjoyed cooking, baking, reading, crossword puzzles, walking, and collecting elephants. [AM] Emma J. Castillo, 78, of Adrian died on Nov. 26. She was a member of Holy Family Parish, St. Mary’s Campus. She enjoyed dressmaking, arranging flowers, and arts and crafts. [AM] Dianne Kay Galnares, 69, of Adrian died on Nov. 27. She loved art history, museums, cooking, baking, and for many years helped raise money for Relay for Life through Hydro Aluminum. She worked a number of part-time jobs, including at Prestige Title Insurance Agency. [AM] Janice M. Stone, 90, of Adrian died on Nov. 28. She worked for several local physicians’ offices. She was an avid reader and enjoyed creating stained glass and tending her magnificent gardens. She was a member of First United Methodist Church. [W] Dalbert E. Green, 89, of Adrian died on Nov. 29. He retired from Dura Corp. as a tool and die maker. He was a member of the Madison Fire Department and the Adrian Amateur Radio Club. [AM] Alice Fleshman, 95, of Adrian died on Nov. 29. She enjoyed playing bridge and golfing. [AM] Eddie Padro Gonzales, 87, of Adrian died on Nov. 29. He worked for Tecumseh Products for 42 years. He was a member of St. Mary of Good Counsel Parish and the Knights of Columbus. [AM] Aaron L. Pringle, 31, died on Nov. 30. A Pittsford High School graduate, he was an avid outdoorsman. [AM] Kirt Stubbins, 41, of Addison died on Nov. 30. He worked for several years as a dairy farmer, and in 2019 he started his own business, Lend A Hand Lawn Care. He was a member of Lutheran Church of the Lakes and the Kiwanis Club of Addison. [AM] Gary Dale Proffitt, 67, of Adrian died on Nov. 30. He enjoyed working on cars and listening to gospel and bluegrass music. [AM] Gary Burnette, 71, of Adrian died on Nov. 30. He served in the U.S. Army and worked at General Motors. [AM] Hal Lee Kaser, 76, of Sand Creek died on Nov. 30. He served in the U.S. Army, worked for Stauffer Chemical and later at the Gus

Harrison Correctional Facility, and ran Lou & Hal’s Weston Bar with his wife, Mary Lou. [AM] Nicole Anne Paulette, 37, of Ann Arbor, formerly of Tecumseh, died on Nov. 30. She worked as a chef in Kent, Washington, before returning to Michigan in 2022. [PM] Antoinette (Mona) Castillo, 100, of Adrian died on Dec. 1. She worked for many years at Michigan Book Bindery, was a talented seamstress, and enjoyed dancing with family and friends at Ybarra’s Barrio in Detroit. [AM] Dorolene Lou Dilworth, 91, of Adrian died on Dec. 1. She worked at the former Lassey & Morris Oil Company in Adrian until its closure.

She attended North Rome Baptist Church. [AM] Jane Ann Stites, 76, of Blissfield died on Dec. 1. She loved singing and camping. [W] Richard Henning of Dundee, formerly of Britton, died on Dec. 1. He operated a prosperous family farm. [PM] Eleanore M. Becker, 88, of Adrian died on Dec. 2. She taught at St. Stephen Lutheran School, became the school librarian in retirement, and was active in St. Stephen Lutheran Church. [AM] Richard Gerald Tabbert, 78, of Blissfield died on Dec. 2. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and retired from Tecumseh Products.

He was a member of the Petersburg VFW and was an avid deer hunter, NASCAR fan and family historian. [AM] James Robert Bone, 84, of Tecumseh died on Dec. 2. [PM] Nigel Ian Becker, 34, died on Dec. 3.

He was a member of the Hope Community Center and a Special Olympics athlete.

He worked at several places during his life including Goodwill and Red Lobster. [AM] Frederick Harold Frye, 73, of Adrian died on Dec. 3. He retired from Dura Corp. after 32 years. He enjoyed woodworking, model cars, and camping. [AM] Hubert Lee Holtz, 88, of Ottawa Lake died on Dec. 3. He was a U.S. Army veteran and had been a welder at Toledo Scales and a farmer. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church. [AM] Shawn Kyle Williams, 35, of Waldron died on Dec. 3. He loved listening to music and tinkering with anything that had a motor. [AM] Vicki Evonne Hancock. 65, of Clinton died on Dec. 3. [PM] Robert Paul Soto, 71, of Adrian died on Dec. 4. He worked for Tecumseh Produces, Budd Company, and Lenawee Limousine. [AM] Steven A. Lopez, 54, of Ridgeway died on Dec. 4. He worked for Briarwood Ford and was a groundskeeper for the city of Tecumseh. [PM] Dr. Gretchen Zimmerman Warwick, 81, of Adrian died on Dec. 5. She served in the Peace Corps in Venezuela, then earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She practiced psychology in Adrian, focusing on children and family issues. [AM] Lowell Perin, 90, of Hudson died on Dec. 5. He was the owner of Lowell Perin & Sons Decorating, working as a home decorator for many years. [AM] Richard “Dick” Albert Firster, 74, of Adrian died on Dec. 5. A U.S. Army veteran, he was retired from Anderson Development and active in 4-H. [W] Norman Eugene Williams, 73, of Clinton died on Dec. 6. He served in the Merchant Marine and worked as a mechanic for most of his life. He retired from the city of Adrian as a water distribution supervisor. [AM] Ollie “Vickie” Anderson, 80, of Adrian died on Dec. 6. She studied at beauty school and earned her license; she also enjoyed doing crafts. [AM] Wayne Estel Beaverson, 86, formerly of Waldron, died on Dec. 6. He worked for Lugbill’s of Archbold, Campbell’s Soup Co. of Napoleon, MultiCast of Wauseon, Kustom Fit of Pioneer, and LaGrange Products of Fremont, Indiana. [AM] Louis Wayne Hall, 83, of Adrian died on Dec. 7. He was an Air Force veteran and was known as The Helpful Hardware Man, working at Ace Hardware and Martin’s Home Center. He was a member of the Lenawee Conservation Club. [AM] Carolyn Hall, 80, of Adrian died on Dec. 7.

She was retired from Madison schools, where she worked as a teacher’s aide. [AM] David L. Seegert, 83, of Blissfield died on Dec. 9. He was retired as a truck driver for Kuhlman Concrete. He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Blissfield. [AM] Patricia Ann Ward, 88, of Adrian died on Dec. 9. She had worked at Merillat Industries and Delphi Automotive, and also had been a playground supervisor at Madison. [AM]

Patricia Ann Johnson, 89, of Adrian died on Dec. 9. She worked for the Mitten Bay Girl Scout Council and had been a member of the Douglas McArthur High School Booster Club, and a READ volunteer for Covenant Health Care’s Harrison Campus. [AM] Daniel Leland Klatt, 78, of Clayton died on Dec. 9. He was the co-owner of Adrian Peat Company. He enjoyed attending services at Jesus Is Lord Ministries in Adrian and Clinton Church of God. [AM] Dorothy E. Schirrick, 89, died on Dec. 9. [W] Gerald August Schutte, 85, of Adrian died on Dec. 10. He served in the U.S. Navy and worked as an electrician out of IBEW Local 8. He was a longtime member of Holy Family Catholic Parish. [AM] Carl D. Lamphier, 102, of Gaylord, formerly of Adrian, died on Dec. 10. He was retired from General Telephone and had been a member of the Tecumseh Kiwanis and Tecumseh Club. [AM] Roberta Jean “Bobbie” Betz, 69, of Morenci died on Dec. 10. She worked at the former Sheller Globe Sheridan in Wauseon, then at Lenawee Medical Care Facility in Adrian. [AM] Mary A. Relyea, 75, of Clayton died on Dec. 10. She worked at Bixby Hospital for many years, retiring in 2021. [W] Luis Valdez, 76, of Adrian died on Dec. 11. He was employed by General Motors and worked at Fisher Body in Tecumseh, and retired from Powertrain Toledo. [AM] R. Kelly Dunlap, 82, died on Dec. 11. He was retired from the Tecumseh Post Office.

He was a beekeeper and sold honey and produce at the Adrian Farmers Market. [AM] Norman “Norm” Bernard Lichtenberg, 90, of Adrian died on Dec. 11. He served in the Air Force and worked as a mechanical engineer. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Adrian. [W] Michael Geeting, 70, of Hudson died on Dec. 12. He loved music and playing guitar, and was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. [AM] Cory David Tremble, 32, of Adrian died on Dec. 14. He had worked at Inteva and enjoyed biking, camping, and going to McCourtie Park. [AM] Arthur Albert McDonald, 82, of Adrian died on Dec. 15. He worked at American Chain & Cable, where he served as shop steward, committeeman and vice president of the UAW. He was a Racing Homer Pigeon competitor and judge, and a breeder and trainer of sporting dogs. [AM] Harry Albert Horner, 84, of Adrian died on Dec. 16. He was an Air Force veteran and member of the Adrian Police Auxiliary, and worked for Kewaunee Scientific and later Anderson Development. [AM] Margaret T. Brighton, 98, of Manitou Beach died on Dec. 16. She was a founding member of the Devils Lake Preservation League and author of the book “Lake Reflections: Chronicles of Devils and Round Lakes.” [W] Michael Alan McWilliams, 71, formerly of Lenawee County, died on Dec. 16. He had served on the Deerfield school board and he was retired from General Motors. [W] Patricia Sue Horning, 70, of Brooklyn died on Dec. 17. She worked in education as teacher, counselor, administrator and principal, including for the Onsted and Morenci school districts and Siena Heights University. [AM] Rick Kaczor, 52, of Hudson died on Dec. 17. He worked for Malmac Tool and Fixture Company in Hudson. [AM] Barbara “Sue” Willnow, 79, of Jasper died on Dec. 18. She was a member of Ogden Church and the Cottonwood Cloggers. [AM] Elmer Louis Kovach, 93, of Palmyra died on Dec. 18. He was a U.S. Army veteran and worked as a millwright at the Budd Company Wheel and Brake Division in Clinton. He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palmyra and American Legion Post #325. [W] Keith “B” Hayward, 55, died on Dec. 20.

He worked at Sam’s Club and was a fan of comic books, Marvel, and Star Wars. [AM] Theodore “Ted” William Vassar, 84, died on Dec. 20. He was an art professor at Monroe County Community College and an outdoorsman. [W] Earlene Ann Carr, 90, died on Dec. 21.

She enjoyed crocheting and playing euchre and bingo at the Hudson Senior Center. [AM] Lester William Boyd, 79, died on Dec. 22.

He served in the U.S. Army and was a member of Adrian VFW Post 1584, Adrian Amvets, Eagles, and Moose Lodges. He was instrumental in facilitating the installation of the Huey helicopter in front of the Adrian VFW Post. [AM]

THE LENAWEE VOICE

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

IN MEMORY Juan Tabernero, 78, of Camden died on Dec. 23. He had worked at Hydro Aluminum and enjoyed birdwatching and gardening. [AM] Robert Lloyd Royalty, 88, of Cement City died on Dec. 23. He worked as an asphalt truck driver and was a member of Brooklyn Baptist Church. [PM] Sally Ann Fogel, 86, died on Dec. 26. A Blissfield High School graduate, she worked at Consumers Power for 25 years. [AM] Micheal Allen Everingham, 74, of Adrian died on Dec. 26. He worked at Dura Corp. and St. John’s Lutheran Church, and retired from Kewaunee Furniture Company. [AM] Carol A. Estey, 85, of Manitou Beach died on Dec. 26. She was retired from ProMedica Bixby Hospital. She attended North Rome Baptist Church, was a dog groomer and breeder, and enjoyed showing horses. [AM] Ralph Fred Parker, 67, of Adrian died on Dec. 27. He owned two successful businesses in Lenawee County and enjoyed hunting, fishing and farming. [AM] Aulene Watkins, 97, of Adrian died on Dec. 27. She attended First Freewill Baptist Church and enjoyed crocheting and quiltmaking. [AM] Dale Clarence Graham, 92, of Blissfield died on Dec. 27. He worked for Bendix Aviation in Ann Arbor and was part of a NASA project to test moon experiments before the first man landed on the moon. He later worked for General Motors in Toledo. [AM] James Eric “Jim” Griesinger, 64, of Adrian died on Dec. 27. He was a U.S. Army veteran and an over-the-road truck driver for more than 30 years. He was a member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Adrian. [W] Alexa Mary Kassel, 86, of Adrian died on Dec. 28. She had worked as an accountant for TAG Chemical and was a member of Faith Baptist Church in Adrian, where she had served as treasurer. [AM] Duaine Sayler, 84, of Adrian died on Dec. 29. He served in the U.S. Army National Guard , attended Bethany Assembly of God, and was known for collecting and restoring tractors. [AM] Carole Darlene Shiels, 89, of Tecumseh died on Dec. 29. She retired from Herrick Hospital and was a member of Adrian Church of God, now known as Redemption Outreach Center. [PM] Joseph “Jerry” Gaviglio, 89, died on Dec. 29. He was an educator who served as assistant superintendent of schools for Adrian. [W] Grace LiViana Jane Cook, newborn daughter of Kyle J. Cook and Reyna Najera of Clinton, died on Dec. 30. [AM] Ruth Double, 88, of Adrian died on Dec. 30. She worked at Fisher Body in Tecumseh and Delphi in Adrian. [AM] Wayne Alden Murry, 77, of Adrian died on Dec. 30. He was a self-employed truck driver who enjoyed construction, working on cars, and tinkering in his garage. [AM] Gary Driscoll, 80, of Adrian died on Dec. 30. He taught at Waldron Area Schools and Adrian Public Schools, and also worked for Gleaner Life Insurance Co. [AM] Cavoni M. Tindall, 35, died on Dec. 30.

[AM]

Peter Peay of Adrian died on Dec. 30. In 1977, at the age of 18, he was welcomed into an assisted-living adult foster care group home that would surround him with loving care and acceptance for the remaining 46 years of his life. He loved toy cars and was involved in the Goodwill LINC program. [AM] Judith Ann “J.J.” Ganun, 81, of Adrian died on Dec. 31. She had worked at Adrian Steel and was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palmyra. [AM] Donald Leo Knoblauch, 83, of Deerfield died on Dec. 31. He worked for General Motors at Toledo Hydramatic. He loved the outdoors and all types of hunting. [W] Catherine Michelle “Shelly” Molaro, 56, of Blissfield died on Dec. 31. She was an attorney and worked for the 6th District Court of Appeals in Toledo for many years. She was a member of Light of Christ Parish, St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Blissfield. [W] This list reflects the obituaries through December 31 that were available as of our print deadline.

When no biographical information is provided, it is because that information was not available at press time.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

County students compete in LISD’s annual debate league tournament ADRIAN — In a showcase of wit and eloquence, the Lenawee Intermediate School District’s annual county debate league tournament unfolded in December, hosting a showdown among high school students from Adrian Public Schools, Blissfield Community Schools, Hudson Area Schools, and Lenawee Christian School.

Each year, the LISD sponsors a debate league during the fall semester. This year, the scrimmages and tournament were held at the Adrian First Church of the Nazarene. The goal of competitive debate is to help students develop strong speaking skills and the ability to think logically, reasonably, and critically when presenting an argument.

In this year’s varsity final round, Blissfield’s Addison Martinez and Jonah Hiatt, with support from teammates Payten Dew and June Miller, triumphed against the affirmative team, Pearl Barbee and Tyler Condon from Adrian.

Meanwhile, rising stars Kayli Butler and Annabelle Czeiszperger from Hudson, arguing for the affirmative case, secured top honors in the novice division, edging out the duo of Parker Bell and Landon Chadek from Lenawee Christian.

Acknowledgment was also bestowed upon the league’s standout speakers for the season, recognizing five exceptional individuals in each division.

These speakers exemplify the league’s dedication to honing articulate communication and critical thinking among students. Varsity top speakers included Pearl Barbee (Adrian), Maddie Bough

Adrian team: Tyler Condon and Pearl Barbee.

Blissfield team: June Miller, Jonah Hiatt, Addison Martinez and Payten Dew.

Hudson team: Annabelle Czeiszperger and Kayli Butler.

Lenawee Christian team: Parker Bell and Landon Chadek.

(Hudson), Payten Dew (Blissfield), Jonah Hiatt (Blissfield), and Noah Roberts (Hudson). Novice top speakers included Kayli Butler (Hudson), Annabelle Czeiszperger (Hudson), Ava Feick (Lenawee Christian), MJ Loar (Blissfield), and Sam Lutz (Lenawee Christian).

This year’s debate topics centered on navigating the complexities of economic inequality. Students debated policies

such as Social Security expansion, federal jobs guarantees, and basic income.

“Debate empowers students to articulate their thoughts effectively, fostering essential skills crucial for their future endeavors,” Mark Haag, LISD Superintendent, said in a news release. “We congratulate the students and coaches on their hard work and success in this year’s debate season.”

Weber Center’s ‘Lunch and Learn’ series returns ADRIAN — The Weber Retreat and Conference Center will continue its Lunch and Learn series in the new year, with topics ranging from herbs and gardening to the experience of teaching in a correctional facility.

The Lunch and Learn series is offered one Wednesday per month from 12:15 to 1 p.m. at the Weber Center on the Adrian Dominican Sisters campus.

Upcoming topics are: A View from Inside the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility: February 7.

A panel of three guests will speak of their experience addressing criminal justice concerns and teaching inmates at the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility.

What’s New at Hidden Lake Gardens: March 13. Paul Pfeifer, managing director, will share news from the 775acre botanical garden near Tipton.

Let’s Get Ready for Spring: April 17.

Mike Walters, permaculture specialist for the Adrian Dominican Sisters, will share tips on soil preparation, when to start planting, and secrets to a good harvest.

Attendees are welcome to bring their own lunch, or can purchase a box lunch for $7. Drinks and dessert are provided for everyone.

Those purchasing a lunch must register at least two days before the event by going to webercenter.org and clicking on “Programs.” Registrations may also be made by calling 517-266-4000 or emailing webercenter@adriandominicans.org.

The Weber Center is at 1257 E. Siena Heights Dr.

What’s coming up in 2024 at the Croswell Opera House » PAGE B2 Theatre Siena stages Shakespeare’s masterpiece, ‘Hamlet,’ in February » PAGE B2

Brrrr! Annual ice sculpture festival returns to downtown Tecumseh this month » PAGE B3

ARTS & LIVING

THE LENAWEE VOICE SECOND SECTION JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

Sweet lessons

Charlotte Blake Alston will bring her masterful blend of storytelling and music to the Tecumseh Center for the Arts on Feb. 2.

DEBORAH BOARDMAN

Acclaimed storyteller coming to Tecumseh The Lenawee Voice

TECUMSEH — The power of oral tradition will be on display when storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston comes to the Tecumseh Center for the Arts in February.

The performance is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2.

Known for her melodic and mesmerizing voice, Alston will share from her extensive repertoire of traditional African and African-American stories and songs.

Alston’s storytelling skills were honed in childhood when her father introduced her to the work of African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. Her solo performances are often enhanced with traditional instruments such as djembe, mbira, or the 21-stringed kora. She is an expert in the West African history-telling traditions of Senegal, Mali, Guinea and Guinea Bissau.

Alston has performed at the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian Institution, and is the official storyteller, narrator and host for the Philadelphia Orchestra.

TCA executive director Amy Slupe said hearing Alston speak and play is a unique experience.

“It’s just a beautiful experience the way she manages to take you into the depth of a story,” Slupe said. She’s very gifted.”

Tickets are $33, or $28 for students, seniors and military.

The TCA is at 400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh.

For more information, call 517-423-6617 or go to thetca.org.

Ben Rosebrock, right, shows Audrey Wegner of Blissfield how to work a batch of fudge as it cools during a class on Dec. 14 at The Buzz Cafe and Marketplace. The table is a 3-inch-thick slab of marble, which helps the fudge cool at the right speed to avoid crystallizing and end up smooth and creamy.

Downtown Adrian cafe offers monthly classes in the art of making fudge

By Erik Gable

The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — On the second Thursday of every month, a sweet and tempting aroma fills the air at The Buzz Cafe and Marketplace in downtown Adrian.

People gather around a big marble table in the front of the shop while chocolatier Ben Rosebrock takes them step-bystep through the process of making the perfect batch of fudge.

Rosebrock — who is co-owner of The Buzz along with his wife, Deveny, and their business partner, Joyce Miller — first learned the craft of confectionery as a teenager, when he worked in the sweet shop at Sauder Village in Archbold, Ohio.

“I learned how to make artisanal chocolate and caramel and fudge,” he said.

“I was one of two fudge makers at the time, and it took me about a year to master.”

When he and Deveny married in 2008, he mentioned to her that he’d always wanted to open a fudge shop.

That dream led first to a home-based business making things like chocolatedipped pretzels, although the constraints of Michigan’s cottage food law limited what they could do.

Later on, Rosebrock, who works at Siena Heights University, was collaborating with Miller on a project to bring more students downtown, and learned that she had ambitions of opening a downtown coffee shop. The idea that eventually would become The Buzz was born.

In the back of the 110 E. Maumee St. store is a marketplace with locally and regionally made foods. At the main counter, people can order sandwiches, soups, salads and beverages. And in the front of the store — right behind a large

Ben Rosebrock pours half-and-half into a copper kettle while demonstrating how to make fudge during a class at The Buzz in downtown Adrian. window that overlooks the street — is the candy making area, complete with a large copper kettle and a 3-foot by 5-foot marble table for preparing fudge.

The Rosebrocks have both been active in community theater for many years, so maybe there’s a certain theatrical instinct at play in the layout. Far from being hidden away in back, the work of making candy is the most prominent thing about the cafe, easily visible to anyone who happens to walk by.

And not just visible: “We also have a fan that blows right out onto Maumee Street,” Rosebrock said. That way, the aroma of whatever they’re making that day can tempt passers-by to stop and take a look.

There’s a real art to making fudge turn out with the smooth, creamy texture that people expect.

“It can be temperamental,” Rosebrock said. “You have to know what to look for — the weight, the sheen, the color, the texture.”

The Buzz started putting together fudge classes a few years ago — not for the public at first, but as something they could donate to charity auctions.

“The first one was awesome,” Rosebrock said. “We had so much fun.

There were 12 people in here, they were laughing and joking, and they really had a good time.”

The classes were so well received that they decided to go public, offering sessions once a month for $60 per person.

It’s a participatory experience: In addition to explaining how the process works, Rosebrock makes sure everyone has a chance to try it out for themselves.

“People have really enjoyed it,” he said. “Even though there could be up to 12 strangers around the table, everybody’s going to have a chance to put their hands on something. Whether it’s stirring or kneading or working the fudge, if you want to have a chance to do something, you’ll be able to do that during the class.”

And, of course, everyone will take home a box of the fudge they made.

Each class highlights a different type of fudge. They’ll take a break over the summer, but right now The Buzz is planning classes for the second Thursday of every month through May. The Buzz is at 110 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

More information: 517-759-3289 or thebuzzadrian.com.

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IN BRIEF Neighbors of Hope comedy night fundraiser returns in February TECUMSEH — Neighbors of Hope, a ministry fighting poverty and homelessness, is planning its fourth annual comedy night fundraiser. The event, featuring comedian Taylor Mason, will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts, 400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh.

Tickets range from $30 to $45, depending on seat selection, and may be ordered at thetca.org.

Neighbors of Hope’s programs include a men’s ministry, the Blessings & More Resale Store in downtown Adrian, and the Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry.

For more information, go to neighborsofhope.com.

TYT middle schoolers stage Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’ TECUMSEH — Dozens of young performers are in Tecumseh Youth Theatre’s upcoming middle school production of the musical “Matilda.”

Cast members come from seven area schools, plus homeschool students.

The cast includes Mason Brogan as Matilda, Ella Flumignan as Miss Trunchbull, Zoelle Blackmon as Miss Honey, Leo McInchak and Carsyn Benzing as Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, Mitchell Way as Michael Wormwood, and Opal English as the librarian Mrs. Phelps.

Also in the 71-person cast are Josh Anderson, Penelope Andre, Claudia Baer, Colbie Baer, Emmarie Barden, Brynlee Baum, Sophia Betz, Zariah Blackmon, Isaiah Boils, Ebey Book, Kylie Boudrie, Olivia Brandou, Nevaeh Bravo, Joy Carr, Emma Clarke, Juliet Cousineau, Gwen Cousineau, Arthur Doerfler, Kathryn Doerfler, Reese Dolson, Kate Dolson, Mackenzie Durr, Adler English, Avery Funchion, Ellie Funchion, Finley Funchion, Alivia Germain, Aliyah Gibson, Harper Goodson, Jesse Gutierrez, Emma Hagen, Brook Harrison, Ellie Herr, Savanah Herr, Katherine Herr, Kris Hoag, Harper Hoag, JD Kobish, Jocelyn Lange, Kelsi Long, Tino Mandelka, Alan Mandelka, Allison Marr, Amelia Martinal, Claire McInchak, Maycie Musselman, Parker Nielsen, Layla Oberski, Brooklyn Palmer, James Parker, Reed Phillips, Sophia Powers, Clara Ross, Meigha Sackett, Vivi Schiller, Laila Seeburger, Chloe Smith, Selena Spicer, Mallory Stewart, Caroline Taylor, Pax Tindall, Josiah Torrence, Rhyin Wolfe and Faith Woodby.

The cast is primarily in fifth through eighth grades, though there are nine elementary school children playing the roles of younger students at Matilda’s boarding school.

Performances will be at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, and 3 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 11, at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts.

Tickets are $12 and may be ordered at thetca.org.

To let us know about an upcoming event, please email news@lenaweevoice.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

2024 at the Croswell Downtown theater’s upcoming season ranges from ‘Spelling Bee’ in January to ‘SpongeBob’ at the holidays ADRIAN — The Croswell Opera House’s 2024 shows include a mix of the serious and the silly, from the gritty classic “Cabaret” to a stage adaptation of the TV show “SpongeBob Squarepants.”

Musicals featuring the work of legendary singers and songwriters are also part of the theater’s lineup, along with several rock concerts, a magic show, and a musical for children.

Special Event Series The Croswell’s Special Event Series runs through the winter and early spring.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Jan. 24 to Feb. 4): The Croswell’s 13th all-area high school musical, this offbeat comedy features an eclectic group of six middle-schoolers vying for a spelling championship.

In the cast are Trent Aneed, Lila Brighton, Tyler Condon, Jenna Ferguson, Brenna Gifford, Aiden Ketola, Eliott Powers, Nicholas Trevino and Hallie Yuen (Adrian High School); Izzie Medley (Blissfield High School); Camdenne Kruse (Clinton High School); Andrew Landingham (homeschool); Madeline Bough (Hudson High School); Emilia Parker (Lenawee Christian School); Chance Adkins and Alex Pizaña (Madison High School); Abigail Lipsitz and Lana Wagner (Saline High School); Mylee Strock (Sylvania Southview); and Luke Barden, Wynter Osstifin, and Macy Schmidt (Tecumseh High School).

The show is directed by John MacNaughton, with choreography by Jessica Briggs, vocal direction by Gabriel Hagedorn, and music direction by Kevin S. Foster. The stage manager is Madelynn Ketola.

Tickets are $12 to $25 for adults and $12 for students.

Dates and times are: n Saturday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. n Sunday, Jan. 28 at 2:30 p.m. n Friday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. n Saturday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. n Sunday, Feb. 4 at 2:30 p.m.

Ultimate Tribute to Journey (Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m.): A concert of Journey’s greatest hits.

Women Who Rock (March 1 at 7:30 p.m.): A tribute to female rock ’n’ roll artists headlined by Melissa Toth of Toledo-based party band Not Fast Enüff.

Last Stop on Market Street (March 15-17): A hip-hop musical for young audiences based on the children’s book of the same name by Matt de la Peña.

The show is directed by Jen Letherer.

The assistant director is Anjewel Lenoir, the choreographer is Debra Ross Calabrese, and the vocal director is Taieshia Tindall.

Tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for students.

Dates and times are: n Friday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m. n Saturday, March 16 at 11 a.m. n Saturday, March 16 at 2:30 p.m. (sensory-friendly production with modifications for children on the autism spectrum). n Sunday, March 17 at 2:30 p.m.

An Evening of Magic (April 6 at 7:30 p.m. and April 7 at 2:30 p.m.): Adrian native Stuart MacDonald returns to the Croswell stage, joined by fellow illusionists Eric Buss and Oscar Muñoz.

2024 Broadway Season The Croswell’s 2024 Broadway Season begins in May. A presale period for subscribers is currently underway, and tickets to individual shows will go on sale Feb. 7.

Escape to Margaritaville (May 10-19): A musical comedy featuring the songs of Jimmy Buffett.

The Bodyguard (June 7-16): A romantic thriller incorporating the music of Whitney Houston and based on the 1992 movie of the same name.

School of Rock (July 12-21): A musical about a washed-up wannabe rock star whose stint as a substitute teacher at a straitlaced prep school turns a class of middle schoolers into a firstrate band.

Newsies (Aug. 9-18): A Tony Awardwinning musical based on the real-life New York newsboys’ strike of 1899.

Cabaret (Sept. 13-22): A 1966 classic set in the seedy nightclubs of Berlin at the end of the Jazz Age and the beginning of the Nazis’ rise to power.

Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein (October 18-27): A musical farce based on the movie of the same name.

The SpongeBob Musical (Nov. 22 to Dec. 8): A kid-friendly musical based on the long-running Nickelodeon show “SpongeBob Squarepants.”

The Croswell’s 2024 season is sponsored in part by a grant from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.

The Croswell is at 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

More information is available at croswell.org or by calling 517-264-7469.

Theatre Siena to stage Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’

By Erik Gable

The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — “It’s considered by many to be the greatest play ever written.”

That’s how Mark DiPietro, theater professor at Siena Heights University, describes Wiliam Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” which his students will perform in February.

Performances take place the evenings of Feb. 8, 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Spencer Performing Arts Center on the Siena Heights campus, 1247 E. Siena Heights Dr. It’s a challenging piece to perform, but also a rewarding one. DiPietro said the Siena Heights theater department tries to produce one of Shakespeare’s plays at least once every few years.

“They really push the students to become more complete and better actors.

Our program is known for the performers that we produce — singing-wise, dancing-wise and acting-wise — and doing Shakespeare really pushes the acting element forward,” he said.

“We know that if a student can perform Shakespeare, a student can perform contemporary pieces as well.”

To make Shakespeare’s words make sense to a modern audience, DiPietro said, all of the actors need an intimate understanding of the text.

“They have to understand every single

word, its importance to the sentence and DiPietro cast the play without regard the scene, and the subtext of that word,” to gender in most cases, and the role of he said.

Hamlet is played by senior theater major The play is Shakespeare’s longest Aiyanna Fivecoat.

— nearly 30,000 words — and, when “She’s got this kind of brooding delivperformed unabridged, can last more ery that she can do that’s really introspecthan four hours. When tive and deep,” DiPietro filmmakers adapt it for said. “I cast a woman the screen, DiPietro as Hamlet because she said, they often end up read it well and had a cutting entire subplots certain air about her and removing characters that really let me think from the play completely. she could play this torWhile Theatre Siena’s mented young soul.” version will be shortA total of 29 stuened, DiPietro said the dents, all theater majors cuts won’t be nearly and minors, make up so drastic. He’s gone the cast. In addition to through the play line by Fivecoat, they are Claire line with a goal of getting Adams, Autumn Bradit closer to the two-hour ford, Reina Cranford, mark, but keeping its Athana Cupino, Katelyn integrity intact.

Drazba, Quinn Fritz, POSTER BY RUGER TOLLIVER “We’ll keep the show Sarahfay Hendin, Millie moving, we’ll keep it active,” he said.

Huysentryt, Rafe Jacobs, Janae Jones, Theatre Siena’s production will have a Amelia Keyes, Lydia Kirk, Abby Knight, late 20th-century setting — “when Hamlet Jon La Belle, Bobby Lindsey, Clara Losey, stabs Polonius behind the curtain, he’ll Payton Miller, Brett Pearce, Azharia Pratt, shoot him instead,” DiPietro said — but Kaya Robinson, Alex Sheremeta, Cordell the modern aspects will be limited to Smith, Samuel Spaulding, Eli Stachowske, the scenery, props, costumes, and the Ruger Tolliver, Julie Wade, Regan Wilcharacters’ actions. Their words will be liams, and Griffin Yeater. unchanged.

For more information, go to “We’re not going to rewrite Shakewww.sienaheights.edu/academics/theatre-siena. speare,” DiPietro said.

THE LENAWEE VOICE

ARTS & LIVING | B3

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

Embrace the winter chill

ASO goes to Hogwarts with concert of film music The Lenawee Voice

A crowd gathers to watch the dueling carver competition at last year’s Ice Sculpture Festival in downtown Tecumseh. CITY OF TECUMSEH

Ice sculpture festival returns to downtown Tecumseh on January 20 and 21

By Marge Furgason The Lenawee Voice

TECUMSEH — The holidays are long past and we have settled into another cold Michigan winter.

But cold weather is no reason to stay locked indoors until spring. The city of Tecumseh offers a great way to embrace the winter chill with its 15th annual Ice Sculpture Festival on the weekend of Jan. 20 and 21.

Festival goers will find plenty of gleaming ice sculptures along Chicago Boulevard during the event, officially open from 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. After the weekend, the ice creations will remain on the boulevard until they melt away.

Most of the elaborately carved ice sculptures are designed specifically by the businesses and organizations which sponsor the event. According to Rhonda Nowak, Marketing and Event Coordinator for the City of Tecumseh, the 2024 event should have more than 40 ice sculptures, all carved by artists from Ice Creations in Napoleon, Ohio. There is no overall theme for the festival, Nowak said, in order to allow each business the opportunity to display a sculpture of their choice.

The ice carvers will arrive in Tecumseh on Friday, Jan. 19, bringing most of the already completed sculptures. They will also bring eight more large blocks of ice, four of which will be turned into lavish

Ryan Roth from Ice Creations carves a dragonfly during last year’s festival. creations during the dueling ice carver competitions at 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday.

The other four will also be turned into ice sculptures during the weekend.

A dueling carver competition will take place at the corner of Chicago Boulevard and Evans Street, where two carvers will saw, chip and chisel the ice to create sculptures based on suggestions from spectators. Once complete, the audience will vote for the best creation.

Other festival attractions include a scavenger hunt, open to all those interested in searching for answers at downtown businesses. Maps with clues will be available at the participating establishments as well as from a box placed at the

Four Corners. Participants will have the opportunity to win a prize packet filled with more than $200 worth of gift cards from Tecumseh businesses. A drawing for the winner, from all entries received, will take place the following week.

On Sunday afternoon, guests from the Michigan Avian Experience will be downtown to help educate the public about the care of Michigan’s bird population. They will also bring a bald eagle, America’s national symbol, for attendees to get an up-close look and snap a photo or two.

Those searching for a pick-me-up from the cold can take part in the Winter Warm-up Beverage Walk, with several businesses offering samples of hot chocolate and other warm beverages and treats. While all of the local eating establishments will be open for guests, other special culinary options during the weekend will be the food truck from Tecumseh’s own Sunset Ridge BBQ, and a return of the Toledo Mini Donuts truck.

The festival was started 15 years ago, Nowak said, to give Tecumseh businesses a boost after the holiday season. It is made possible by a three-tier level of sponsors: gold sponsors Visit Lenawee and Old National Bank; silver sponsors Next Era Energy Resources, the Tecumseh Downtown Development Authority, Tecumseh Central Business Association and the City of Tecumseh; and bronze sponsors Premier Bank and Chevrolet of Clinton.

ADRIAN — February is when the Adrian Symphony Orchestra traditionally performs a concert of film music, and this year, the symphony will take its audience on a trip to the magical world of Harry Potter.

The concert, titled “Harry’s Wondrous World,” will take place at 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 16, in Adrian College’s Dawson Auditorium. The start time is earlier than most of the ASO’s evening concerts, to make it easier for families to attend.

The concert will Bruce Anthony explore themes Kiesling from throughout the “Harry Potter” movie franchise, which is based on the books by J.K. Rowling.

“Most of these themes are written

by John Williams, of course, but other composers came in throughout the series of eight films,” ASO music director Bruce Anthony Kiesling said in a promotional video for the concert.

“We’ll also delve a little bit deeper into some of the individual characters and their themes,” Kiesling said. He noted that in the movies, you might only hear a given character’s motif for just 15 or 20 seconds at a time, but the concert setting gives the ASO a chance to really highlight those individual themes.

In addition to music from the “Harry Potter” series, the orchestra will also mix in selections from a few other famous John Williams scores.

Costume contests have become a tradition at the ASO’s film concerts.

Guests are invited to come dressed as their favorite “Harry Potter” characters. The audience will decide the winner.

Tickets range from $23 to $37, depending on seating, with discounted rates of $23 to $35 for seniors and $12 to $19 for students.

For more information, call 517-264-3121 or go to adriansymphony.org.

B4 | ARTS & LIVING

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

Greg Morton visits the TCA for family-friendly comedy show The Lenawee Voice

TECUMSEH — An all-ages comedy show will take place at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27.

The headliner is Greg Morton, who was featured on the 2019 season of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”

TCA executive Greg Morton director Amy Slupe said Morton is a versatile comic who’s fun to watch.

“He does incredible impersonation montages of all sorts of characters,” she said. “He also does more standard

IN BRIEF ‘Cut’ at Adrian College depicts the drama behind reality television ADRIAN — The Adrian College theater department presents “Cut,” from Feb. 21-24 at Downs Hall.

The play features three reality television writers find themselves just as “desperate” as the housewives they are filming. The director is Adrian College senior Kyle Johnson. For information, go to adrian.edu/calendar.

Winter session of Adrian Center for the Arts Kids Club begins this month

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ADRIAN — The Adrian Center for the Arts’ popular Kids Club is returning for a new semester. The club meets on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, for eight weeks beginning Jan. 20.

Students will grow their creative skills while they learn about new media and new approaches to familiar media, and will work in various twoand three-dimensional processes, including a clay project. The director is Taina Mantey.

The Kids Club is for students ages 6-11. The cost is $150. For information, go to adriancenterforthearts.org.

Learn about Michigan fossils and rocks at Blissfield library BLISSFIELD — The SchultzHolmes Memorial Library will present a program on Michigan rocks and fossils, hosted by Bill Tiede, on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 6 p.m.

The library is at 407 S. Lane St. For information, call 517-486-2858 or go to blissfieldlibrary.org.

Wilson Foundation names new president TECUMSEH — Sheri Powers has been named president and treasurer of the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation, which supports music and performing arts education in Lenawee County. Learn more at elizabethwilsonfoundation.org.

standup as well.”

The opener is Nick Leydorf, who Slupe said is “an attorney by day and a comic by night,” and the emcee is Simon Carlson.

“It’s going to be a nice lineup because there’s a great diversity of style for the evening,” Slupe said. “I think that’s going to make it super enjoyable.”

The comedy night is part of the TCA’s national touring season. Sponsors include Vision Performance Group & Technologies, Robert Fox of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, Carpet on Wheels, Tuckey’s Big Boy, County National Bank, the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation, and Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

The TCA is at 400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh.

For more information, call 517-423-6617 or go to thetca.org.

Auditions are coming up for Croswell’s summer season ADRIAN — The Croswell Opera House is holding open auditions for the four shows in its summer season, which are “Escape to Margaritaville,” “The Bodyguard,” “School of Rock,” and “Newsies.”

For the convenience of auditioners from a wide geographic area, in addition to Adrian, satellite auditions will be held in Ann Arbor and Toledo.

The following dates are for all four shows: n Sunday, Jan. 28, from 6-8 p.m. at the Wingate by Wyndham, 5480 S. Main St., Sylvania, Ohio. n Monday, Feb. 5, from 6-9 p.m. at the Croswell. n Saturday, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Croswell. n Sunday, Feb. 11, from 6-8 p.m. at the Kensington Hotel, 3500 S. State St., Ann Arbor.

In addition, there will be one date that is only for kids interested in “School of Rock.” This is to allow kids more time to demonstrate instrumental skills. That date is Saturday, Feb. 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Croswell.

More information is at croswell.org/ auditions.

Kids invited to explore the science of light ADRIAN — The main branch of the Lenawee District Library invites children ages 3-10 to explore the science of light. A drop-in program called “Light and Shadow,” which is part of the Leap Into Science initiative developed by the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, will be offered on Saturday, Jan. 20 between 2 and 4 p.m. No registration is needed. For more information, call 517-263-1011.

Talk to a teen about tech TECUMSEH — Members of the Tecumseh High School Key Club will be at the Tecumseh District Library, 215 N. Ottawa St., from noon to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 20, to answer questions about technology. People are invited to bring their questions and any devices they need help with.

THE LENAWEE VOICE

B5

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

BUSINESS Love of home-cooked food leads local family to open Knights in Shining Aprons

By Erik Gable

The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Homestyle comfort food, cooked in small batches from fresh ingredients, is the focus of Knights in Shining Aprons on North Main Street.

“We really try to only do foods that we like and feel good about,” said Jennifer Knight, who opened the restaurant in March 2023 with her husband, Deven.

The menu is anchored by a rotating dinner entree — typically one per day — and a variety of everyday items like sandwiches, salads, bowls, and baked goods. Meals can be eaten in the dining room or picked up to go, at the counter or at the drive-through window. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The restaurant stems from the Knights’ love of cooking and entertaining. Deven smokes meat as a hobby; Jen likes baking, canning and gardening. Over the last two decades, the garden at their Raisin Township home has grown from a small 8-by-10 plot to the point where most of their property is filled with vegetables, berries and herbs.

“I’d say 75 percent of the yard is edible,” Jen said.

Starting a restaurant, coffee shop or bakery was something the Knights had talked about for the entirety of their life together.

“We always cooked a lot of family meals,” Deven said. “We love to cook and host.”

As more friends, neighbors and co-workers started to enjoy the food they shared, Jen said, they started to wonder: “How can we do this for more people?”

Jen initially tried marketing food that she made at home, but the restrictions of Michigan’s cottage food law proved difficult to navigate: she could sell jam but not salsa; apple pie but not lemon meringue pie.

When they were spending more time at home during COVID-19, the Knights’ food interests expanded. They started experimenting with homemade pasta, sausages and sauerkraut. And the idea of opening their own restaurant started to seem more feasible.

They decided on the name after a comment from the younger of their two

Jennifer and Deven Knight are pictured at their restaurant, Knights in Shining Aprons.

They built the business around a shared love of wholesome, homestyle food.

Jennifer Knight chops vegetables for salsa in the kitchen of Knights in Shining Aprons, which she and her husband opened in March.

Deven and Jennifer Knight lean out of the drive-through window at Knights in Shining Aprons, located in North Town Commons at 1325 N. Main St.

daughters. They’d been sitting at the dining room table talking about ideas, and because they didn’t know what direction the business might go in, they didn’t want something too specific that would put them in a box.

“Izzy just walked down the hallway and said ‘Why don’t you just name it Knights in Shining Aprons and be done with it?’

And then she got something out of the refrigerator and went back to her room,” Deven said.

“And we just sat there and looked at each other.”

They found a location in North Town Commons, 1325 N. Main St., the former site of Senorita’s Mexican Food. One of the site’s advantages was the fact that it has a

drive-through window: with the pandemic and its restaurant shutdowns fresh in their minds, that made the idea of opening a restaurant feel a little less uncertain.

They opened to the public in March, for counter and drive-through pickup only — the dining room would come later. Their first daily special was a meatloaf dinner, which was also the first meal Jen made for Deven when they were dating.

In addition to meatloaf, their most popular dishes include smoky pork bowls, chicken alfredo, and lasagna. Chicken shawarma is growing in popularity.

A few Indian dishes, like butter chicken and butter paneer, also appear in the rotation, courtesy of recipes shared by family friend Vijay Caplon.

The butter chicken is one of Deven’s favorite meals to make.

“The transformation of the food is amazing,” he said. “We start with two big pans of onions and just cook those down over an hour and a half, and it becomes that amazing sauce.”

In addition to the daily dinner specials — which are posted weekly on their website and Facebook page — some items are always available, such as graband-go salads, a variety of sandwiches, honey butter rolls, and desserts.

The Knights try to keep prices reasonable: Most dinners are $15, including sales tax.

For the Knights, it’s important that their food doesn’t feel mass-produced.

“Small-batch to me means I’m not a manufacturer, so I made today’s chili, and then tomorrow’s chili is going to taste slightly different,” Jen said. That’s because even when the recipe stays the same, the nature of working with fresh ingredients is that little things will change from batch to batch.

It’s important to the Knights that they can give people the feeling that comes from eating a wholesome meal prepared with care.

“I think it all comes back to taking care of people,” Deven said.

“I like to feed people and see them make a memory about food,” said Jen. Knights in Shining Aprons is at 1325 N. Main St., Suite F, Adrian.

For information, call 517-920-4289 or go to knightsinshiningaprons.com

B6 | BUSINESS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 THE LENAWEE VOICE

Downtown consignment store offers home decor and more

Local yoga instructor Beth Flumignan has opened a new studio, Creative Spirit Yoga, in Tecumseh.

New studio aims to make yoga accessible for all TECUMSEH — A new studio, Creative Spirit Yoga, opened in Tecumseh in December, sharing a space with Infusion Performing Arts at 828 N. Evans St. Founded by longtime Tecumseh yoga teacher Beth Flumignan, Creative Spirit Yoga was established with the goal to serve the community and provide a space where anyone, no matter their ability, flexibility, or financial circumstances, can practice yoga.

Creative Spirit Yoga has a sliding scale for classes, allowing students to pay the cost that works for their budget.

If a student’s finances change — whether they’re able to pay more and support Creative Spirit’s mission, or are struggling — they can make adjustments and continue to practice. Flumignan also has created a scholarship program for anyone who finds her payment options are not feasible.

Flumignan said “yoga for all” also means providing a variety of class options, with more on the horizon, that serve both experienced yoga students and beginners. Offering both flow yoga led from a mat and yoga that incorporates a chair opens up the practice for those who need the benefits yoga provides — mindfulness, breathwork, balance, strength — but who may not want to or can’t practice on the floor. Her goal is to provide mindful instruction and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

For more information, go to creativespirityoga.com.

Beth Jessee opened onefourseven on Toledo, a consignment shop with an emphasis on furniture and home decor, last spring.

By Julie C. Clemes The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — When Beth Jessee decided that it was time to open a consignment shop, she didn’t have to go far to find a location for it.

The name of the consignment shop is onefourseven on Toledo, which should make it easy to find.

“That’s the address,” Jessee said.

“It’s just kind of a play on it.”

It’s located right next to The Jessee Salon Group, which is at the same address. That should make it easy to find, too.

The shop opened on May 1, and is a new venture for Jessee, who is in her 40th year of “doing hair.” Opening a consignment shop next to the hair salon seemed like a great way to get a new start.

“I’m kind of nearing the end of my hair career,” she said.

“I’ve always wanted to [open a consignment store], and I thought it’s now or never,” she continued. “I had the space and I thought it would be fun to do. It’s great.”

So far, Jessee has had a lot of positive feedback for the store.

“The biggest compliment I feel that I’ve ever had is that a lot of people walk in and say this looks like this should be in Ann Arbor or Traverse City or Saugatuck,” she said.

The shop carries a wide variety of seasonal merchandise, such as holiday décor items like pillows, wall art, ornaments, and vintage pieces.

The store also carries wall art in sizes ranging from small to large, and includes both pictures and signage.

The furniture selection features new and vintage items including dressers, tables, a set of bunk beds, upholstered chairs and shelving. Décor items include mirrors, pillows, lamps, rugs, and other larger accent pieces.

Smaller accent pieces include a wide variety of ceramic ware dishes, pitchers, pots, jewelry, word art, some pet items, and many other items that her customers might find to be interesting, or collectable. The store carries a selection of gift items as well.

“We mainly do home décor and furnishings, accessories, pillows,

clothing, jackets, sweaters, purses, anything fun that people like to shop for,” Jessee said. “We do it all.”

Prices range from around $6 for smaller items up to around $250 to $350 or higher for larger items, such as furniture.

Onefourseven on Toledo carries merchandise from about 40 consignors. Most of the consignors come from Lenawee County, but she has a few that come from Toledo and the Upper Peninsula as well. Jessee accepts consignments through her onefourseven on Toledo page on Facebook. Anyone who has items they want to have considered for consignment can send photos and message her through the Facebook page. She looks at the items to make sure that they fit in with “the vibe of the store.” She also considers what is going on seasonally, and if she has room for the item in the store. She added that she is “quick to answer.” onefourseven on Toledo is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lifelong book lover opens used bookstore in downtown Adrian

By Erik Gable

The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Julie Maurer’s goal in life was to end up as “the little old lady who owns a bookstore and writes novels.”

With the recent opening of her new store, Tropetastic Books and Gifts, she’s a little bit ahead of schedule.

“I’ve always wanted to start my own used bookstore,” Maurer said. She moved back to Michigan from Arizona in 2022, and the opportunity presented itself in the form of some extra space inside Rad Raptor Comics, the downtown comic shop owned by her brother, Jeff Conolly.

Rad Raptor’s business had started to shift toward online sales, which resulted in Conolly needing less of his retail space

Julie Maurer is the owner of Tropetastic Books and Gifts, located inside Rad Raptor Comics at 209 N. Main St. in downtown Adrian. at 209 N. Main St. So Maurer moved in, and now she has a stock of several hundred books at any given time, waiting to be discovered by the curious reader.

For Maurer, who used to manage a Waldenbooks in Okemos, finding books for the store — scouring thrift stores, going to estate sales, curating

a collection — is just as fun as selling them.

“I love the hunt,” she said.

And by running a store, she said, “the endorphins that I get from buying books, I can put to use.”

The bookstore’s main focus is genre fiction, such as science fiction, fantasy, romance, and horror. Maurer said that makes it fit well with the comic store’s existing audience.

She did a kind of test run for the store with a booth at last year’s Lenawee Pride festival in September. That experience led her to discover that there’s a huge market for LGBTQ+ themed books, which sell so quickly that she has trouble keeping them in stock.

“That’s an area that is clearly a need in the community,” she said.

Another offering is called “Blind Dates with a Book.” Maurer has curated a collection of books that she sells wrapped up so the title can’t be seen, with only a brief description of the content, so that buyers can be surprised.

In addition to being an avid reader, Maurer is also a lifelong writer. She started out in journalism, working as a community newspaper reporter in Arizona for six years, and is now a romance author, published through Harlequin.

Tropetastic Books and Gifts is located at 209 N. Main St., Adrian, inside Rad Raptor Comics.

Store hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, search for Tropetastic Books and Gifts on Facebook.

THE LENAWEE VOICE

BUSINESS | B7

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

Tecumseh Tavern is a sports bar with old-world charm

By Erik Gable The Lenawee Voice

TECUMSEH — The Tecumseh Tavern may be new to town, but its owners want everyone who steps through the door to feel like it’s been a part of the community forever.

Bill Leisenring is the co-owner of the Tecumseh Tavern along with his son Jack, a recent Kalamazoo College graduate who serves as general manager. He said the bar draws a lot of inspiration from the neighborhood pubs he and his wife, Heather, visited while traveling in Europe.

“These establishments are centuries old sometimes,” he said. “I wanted you to walk in and feel like this has been here a long time, it’s not all brand new.”

Dark green trim complements the building’s natural brick, and the logo — an image of a one-eyed jack from a set of playing cards — also echoes those oldworld pubs, which often have some kind of character serving as their symbol.

Both the building and the name are deeply rooted in Tecumseh’s history. The building, at 206 E. Chicago Blvd., was constructed around 1880. It was the home of the Tecumseh Camera Shop from 1947 to 2022. And an establishment called the Tecumseh Tavern operated in the 20th century in multiple locations, including the house on the northwest corner of Chicago and Union streets.

Though the building has been completely redone, it still contains reminders of its past.

“We purchased it in May 2022 and from there it was a total renovation, down to the bare brick walls,” Leisenring said.

But many elements of the building were repurposed in the new design. A metal grate from the old boiler covers one of the air vents. Some of the trim was reused. And spindles from the old staircase are part of the design behind the bar.

The renovation was done almost entirely by local contractors, Leisenring added.

Bill Leisenring is the co-owner, with his son Jack, of the Tecumseh Tavern, which opened in November at 206 E. Chicago Blvd. in downtown Tecumseh.

The Tecumseh Tavern is located in the building that used to house the Tecumseh Camera Shop on the east end of downtown.

Carter Smith pours a beer at the Tecumseh Tavern during the Michigan game on Jan. 1.

There are 11 TV screens around the room, and a 22-foot-wide ticker above the bar displays the latest scores. There’s a wide selection of draft beers, wine, liquor and non-alcoholic drinks; the food menu includes appetizers, flatbreads, toasted subs, paninis and salads.

Locally sourced foods on the menu include bread from Grand River Bakery in Manchester, salsa from Salsa Bliss in Blissfield, and hummus from Pita Delight,

right down the street in Tecumseh.

Leisenring said he hopes the Tecumseh Tavern can help expand downtown’s footprint and get people to stop thinking of Ottawa Street as the eastern boundary of downtown. Tecumseh’s downtown social district has been expanded to include the pub.

They also own the parking lot next door and hope to offer events like beer release parties and concerts starting in

the spring. They held a preview event for the bar in that parking lot during Tecumseh’s Appleumpkin festival last fall, with proceeds benefiting the Lenawee Humane Society, on whose board Heather Leisenring serves.

“So far the reception from the public has been great,” Leisenring said.

Two guests on New Year’s Day were Christopher Wall and Jane Spence of Tecumseh.

“This is such a nice addition to Tecumseh,” Spence said. “It’s very classy.”

“It just gives us that old pub feeling,” Wall said, adding: “The staff is excellent.

They have great food and a great selection.”

The Tecumseh Tavern is at 206 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh.

Hours are Sunday from noon to 11 p.m.; Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight.

For information, call 517-301-4224 or go to tecumsehtavern.com.

For owner of new hearing center, helping people hear is a mission, not just a business

By Deborah J. Comstock The Lenawee Voice

ADRIAN — Amanda Griewahn, owner of All Hearing, has provided hearing testing services for over 17 years, in both corporate settings and in private business.

Griewahn opened an office in Adrian in November, and also provides home calls for Lenawee, Hillsdale, Jackson and Washtenaw counties.

Her corporate world experience left her wanting to pursue a greater mission: To educate people about their hearing and the benefits of testing.

“People are not just a number to us,”

she said, “and we want to provide them with the services they need.”

She tells the story of an 18-year-old who experienced sudden and profound hearing loss. Because this patient got tested immediately, Griewahn was able to connect her with an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat physician) and remarkably, through treatment, the young woman was able to get half of her hearing back.

Testing is key to keeping the hearing you currently have.

As Griewahn explained, once you start losing your hearing, the brain fails to respond to sound signals, and this lack of response paves the way to greater hearing loss.

“Once you lose a level of hearing, you never get it back,” she said. That loss can translate to patient depression and lack of balance, especially in an older population. These factors alone often cause elders to lose their independence, and it need not be so with proper treatment.

There are also physical reasons for hearing loss. They include perforated ear conditions, wax buildup, acoustic neuroma (tumor of the ear) and nerve damage. These physiological conditions require a treatment partnership with a hearing specialist and an ENT. All Hearing is at 3260 N. Adrian Highway, Adrian.

For information, call 517-633-0100.

BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY

Amanda Griewahn is the owner of All Hearing in Adrian.

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