Sun Insider

Second graders tour The Morning Sun

2009-06-03T22:13:00.000-04:00

It's never too early to become media literate - and a group of second-graders from Mt. Pleasant's Vowles Elementary School got to see first-hand how their local newspaper is put together.
The group toured the Morning Sun, and staffers Tony Sapienza, Nancy Shackelford and I got to be their tour guides.
We showed them how ads come together, told them how news gets to be news, and how it all gets onto paper.

The presses weren't running, so we could stop and take a good look at the remarkable, precision machinery that puts ink on paper.

I pointed out how we can print in color, and how the web-fed offset press works.

And how, after everything's printed, folded and cut, it comes out at the end of the line, ready for inserts, packaging and distribution. I'v been around it for years, but I'm still amazed at what happens to produce The Daily Miracle.

Prudence, paranoia and the white minivan

2009-05-20T10:44:00.002-04:00

It's easy to see how the whole white van thing got to where it was - because people did exactly what they're supposed to do, and reacted the way they can be expected to act.
Let's go back to the beginning of the incident at Fancher School. A group of kids - and remember, Fancher houses fifth- and sixth-graders - runs ahead of the rest of the class after outdoor physical education.
Waiting outside the school in a white minivan is a man who is a substitute teacher for the school district, but who doesn't get assigned to Fancher very much. His wife was subbing at Fancher that day, and he's there to pick her up.
Being a responsible adult, he speaks to these apparently unsupervised kids. Nothing's wrong.
But imagine this: One of the kids goes home and tells a parent, "This creepy guy talked to us outside school today."
If you've been a parent of a sixth-grader, particularly a sixth-grade girl, you'll know that any male over 30 is, by definition, "creepy." But if you're the parent of a sixth-grade girl, and she tells you a "creepy guy" talk to her outside school, you'd be a responsible adult and make sure the school administration knew about it.
The school administration, being responsible, would then gather information about what happened. Maybe there was a threat, maybe not, but it's prudent to let police know.
There's enough weird stuff going on that it's best to err on the side of caution.
It's also prudent to give parents a clue. Imagine the headlines if something really were amiss: SCHOOL KNEW ABOUT THREAT, DID NOTHING - subhead: SEARCH FOR MISSING GIRL CONTINUES
No, let's get the police on board and notify parents. That's prudent and responsible.
As soon as the note from school went home, the Sun began to get phone calls and message-board postings from people - good parents who wanted to be responsible - who wanted to know more about the incident. The newspaper did the responsible thing, gathered what information there was, and presented it.
The police did the responsible thing and increased patrols around Fancher.
In short order, police identified a possible suspect, but determined there was no wrongdoing. That, too, was made public.
Finally, the actual guy in the actual white minivan comes forward and tells what happened. Now it all fits, and it's all perfectly harmless.
What strikes me is that everyone did the responsible thing. We were looking out for one another. Every single move was aimed at keeping our kids safe.
And our kids are safe, because we look out for them.

Are we ready for hybrid cars?

2009-05-19T08:45:00.003-04:00

Is the answer to the automakers' woes 'going green?"
Boston.com's Derrick Z. Jackson thinks so:

Toyota sales in Japan are up, driven by the new version of the Prius:

The Canadian Press says Nissan is trying to catch up on the hybrid front:

The hybrid Honda Insight has become the largest-selling vehicle in Japan, according to a company press release:

But not everyone loves the Insight. Jeremy Clarkson writes the most devastating car review I've ever read.

Your Monday morning links

2009-03-23T06:07:00.002-04:00

Conventional wisdom takes a beating this Monday morning.

Firms nationwide say they're doubling or tripling work forces to upgrade millions of homes, businesses and government buildings to make them more energy efficient, reports ChicagoTribune.com. The reason? The stimulus spending and an accompanying batch of new tax breaks for efficiency.
CEOs and analysts expect the demand to last, in part due to some fine-print strings attached to the stimulus money that push states to adopt ongoing efficiency incentives.

Steven Henderson asks, in Freep.com, could a backlash to Gov. Jennifer Granholm -- call it the "Granholm effect" -- threaten what should be a strong Democratic year?

The Swedish government says it won't prop up Saab, the Swedish car company owned now owned by General Motors. NYTimes.com reports that the last thing they want is to seem to be bailing out a despised foreign company.

Suzanne Garment, writing an op-ed piece for WSJ.com, says the president was irresonsible in his approach to AIG's bonuses.

And a provocative piece from David Barash on Chronicle.com.
Marx was wrong: The opiate of the masses isn't religion, but spectator sports.

Go State!

From the Sunday sites

2009-03-22T10:10:00.002-04:00

Add Brighton to the list of school districts closing schools in face of dropping enrollment. Freep.com reports that parents' battles, including an online petition, went for naught in saving the Miller Early Childhood Center, which currently houses 568 students.

Congress is sending money to schools. But NYTimes.com reports that some dollars are going to districts that don't need it, while some poorer districts are getting little.

WashingtonPost.com reports that these are tough times for Starbucks. It's been closing stores by the hundreds and laying off workers by the thousands. People started skipping Starbucks even before the recession got really bad. What to do?

How are we dealing with tough times? Sacbee.com says thrift and responsibility suddenly sound sexy. Balance, both in lives and in bank accounts, oozes desirability. Instant gratification, by contrast, sounds like the cheap thrill it really is.

How can business prosper in these times? My old friend and editor Jack Telfer at OurMidland.com reminds us of how treating customers like they were the people who pay the bills pays off.

Friday morning reads

2009-03-20T10:05:00.002-04:00

Heading into the weekend, check out these must-reads:

The Grand Rapids Press looks at polling data showing Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and Rep. Peter Hoekstra as the leading candidates to be the Republican gubernatorial nominee in 2010.

Meanwhile, we're reporting on a non-politician who might seek the office, too.

The Globalist puts together in a simple, easy-to-digest format, a look at the troubles facing General Motors.
Note: It doesn't seem to be a marketing problem or a product problem. It's a health care problem.

Bloomberg News reports that Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, plans to award $2 billion in extra compensation to about 1 million U.S. hourly workers this year after sales jumped in the recession. Through freep.com

How'd the president do on "The Tonight Show?" Well, except for that little Special Olympics gaffe ... Read about it in The First Post.

The New Criterion reports that while supposedly living in a market economy, today’s Russians understand making money by stealing, but not by producing. Efficiency remains a foreign concept. One scholar remarked that Russian spirituality allows people to deal with abstractions but leaves them unable to repair an elevator or television.

Quick read - Tuesday

2009-02-24T09:54:00.002-05:00

CNN is reporting that President Obama's address Tuesday to a joint session of Congress will have a heavy emphasis on the economy and will try to strike an optimistic tone, aides said.

Freep.com is reporting that Rep. Dave Camp was one of the participants in Monday's Fiscal Responsibility Summit called by the president.

Camp has been a leading voice of opposition to the stimulus plan in Congress. (Video)

A new Washington Post poll says 64 percent of those polled back the economic recovery package, and the same percentage support the mortgage proposal. Only 10 percent said the bill was too heavy on spending and too light on tax cuts, the primary contention of the Republican leadership in Congress. Overall, 60 percent of poll respondents approve of how Obama is dealing with the economy.

But CNN says its new poll says most Americans are fearful about the state of the country

Willie Nelson's answer to economic downturn: Back to the land, according to TheFirstPost.co.uk

Founders Day in Isabella County

2009-02-11T17:06:00.003-05:00

One hundred fifty years ago today, Isabella County was organized as a county by the Michigan Legislature. Today, the county celebrates its history and its founding families.
Historians, history buffs and history groupies came to the Isabella County Building for Founders Day. Above, dozens of people stopped by the Morning Sun and TheMorningSun.com's display.

Bound newspapers from 1961 provided a hands-on experience for Founders Day visitors. And the site was updated - including this post - several times from the field as people looked on.
The past - and the future - side by side.

Why not a pedestrian bridge over Mission?

2009-02-06T15:19:00.001-05:00

The Mt. Pleasant Planning Commission's discussions about improvements to Mission Street have, once again, brought out well-meaning questions asking why the Michigan Department of Transportation doesn't just build some pedestrian bridges over the busy roadway.
The reason: They won't work. They would be a gigantic waste of money.
Here's why: In real life, most pedestrians, confronted with stairs, long ramps, switchbacks or even elevators to a pedestrian bridge, would choose to take their chances in traffic.
The Americans with Disabilities Act would require the construction of a pedestrian bridge with either a long ramp or an elevator.
The recommended slope for a public access ramp is 1:12, meaning 12 feet of ramp for each 1 foot of rise.
A pedestrian bridge's deck would likely be about 18 feet above the road, giving 15 feet for truck clearance and 3 feet for trusses supporting the bridge. That would require ramps 216 feet long on either side of the bridge.
How much is that? It's roughly the distance between Washington and Main streets - a city block.
Few people would walk two blocks out of their way - and climb - just for safety's sake. People, especially young people, judge real risks very poorly.
Take a look at a full explanation, with pictures, at pedestrian.org.
Any Mission Street pedestrian bridge would be a lot like the crossing pictured in Maryland - expensive, with the pedestrians running through traffic in the shadow of the bridge.

What's wrong with us?

2009-01-23T11:00:00.002-05:00

It's Friday morning and people around town are joyous!
I've had three or four people tell me how nice it is outside.
I was feeling the same way.
It's cloudy, drab, a little breezy, and it's 28 degrees.
Twenty-eight degrees. Warm and nice, huh?
I guess it's all in comparison to what we've gotten used to.

A disquieting contrast

2009-01-19T21:22:00.004-05:00

As the inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States approaches, I set up a keyword notification system from the Associated Press to notify me anytime something on the newswire contains both the words "Obama" and "inauguration."

Believe me, there's a more than you can imagine, in text, in images, in graphics and in videos. The whole world is watching.

But sometimes, things come too close together. Take these two photos. I was paging back in my notifications tonight, and found this one:

Elizabeth Bailey, 8, seated with her father, Coast Guard Lt. Jim Bailey of Bowie, Md., cheers during the "Kids' Inaugural: We Are The Future Concert" in Washington, Monday, Jan. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

That image of the joyous, all-American girl had crossed the photo wire just after this one:

Palestinian girl Ayat, 10, reacts at her house after her uncle Billal Nabham, not seen, was found dead under rubble of a house, after being missing for 20 days, in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza strip, Monday, Jan. 19, 2009. Israel hopes to pull all its troops out of the Gaza Strip by the time U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is inaugurated as president of the United States on Tuesday, Israeli officials said. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, Pool)

The whole world's watching.

Friedman and Der Spiegel

2009-01-19T13:54:00.002-05:00

Der Spiegel, the German news magazine, does a wonderful interview with Thomas Friedman on the eve of the Obama inauguration.

Saginaw Chippewas send semi-load of gifts to Pine Ridge

2008-12-20T00:02:00.005-05:00

Santa Claus traveled more than 1,200 miles and arrived at the Piya Wiconi (New Beginnings) administration building Wednesday and Thursday, handing out presents to students in the Oglala Lakota College Head Start Program.
The story from the Rapid City (S.D.) Journal.

In the snow in Alma

2008-12-19T15:27:00.002-05:00

There's probably a good chance of a White Christmas this year.

Roofs are full of snow.

Only a few tracks made it through the 10-inch snowfall at the corner of Court and Richmond in Alma.

Icicle lights and snow in the back yard.

Photos courtesy Tiffany Decker.

Images from the snowstorm

2008-12-19T08:52:00.003-05:00

Heavy snow reduced the visibility in the neighborhood near Sweeney and Abbey Court in Mt. Pleasant Friday morning.

The Eastpointe neighborhood disappears into the heavy snow.

Homes in a Mt. Pleasant neighborhood are obscured in the falling snow.

The white stuff piles up around the bleachers at the softball diamond in Horizon Park in Mt. Pleasant.

1972 revisited

2008-12-04T16:30:00.001-05:00

I bought gas last night for $1.62 a gallon.
It’s been a long time since the price was that low. There are some gaps in my price records, but it looks as if it’s been since before Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that the price has been down that far.
That’s in absolute terms. But let’s not forget that the value of the dollars we’ve been paying for gasoline has been falling as inflation has crept – or leaped - up.
The first full year I had my driver license was 1972. Dad’s Plymouth had a 318-cubic-inch V-8, and he considered himself lucky if he got 14 mpg with it. It was the time of muscle cars, horsepower generated by pure cubic inches, and the only people who cared about gas mileage were the weirdos who drove Volkswagens, with their ridiculous four-cylinder engines.
I remember cruising State Road in Saginaw in my dad’s Plymouth, and having the gas jockey put in “a dollar’s worth” of regular. Gas was about 35 cents a gallon, so you got almost three gallons of gas.
That was enough to take you maybe 40 miles, good for a short night’s cruise.
The first Arab oil embargo, the very first oil shock, was year away. Life was good with gas at 35 cents a gallon. A minimum-wage hamburger flipper, like I would become, would have to work a whole 13 minutes to pay for a gallon of gas.
Now apply 35 years of inflation to that price of 35 cents. It works out to $1.72, which is what we were paying for gas last week – and people were screaming when Alma-area stations put the price there after it had been lower.
To earn $1.72, by the way, a minimum-wage worker in 2008 has to work about, um, 13 minutes. Less, at this week’s slightly lower prices.
So is it the same? Not quite. The elderly Ford Escort I’m driving now, and my wife’s newer Chevy Malibu, each get about 30 mpg on the highway, so we can cruise twice as far as we could … back in ’72.
And the CD player sounds so much better than that wobbly eight-track.

Recess at Rose: Just brilliant

2008-11-26T09:42:00.003-05:00

“Recess at Rose” was just a brilliant idea.
This holiday week is a tough time to teach or to be in school. The distraction of Thanksgiving is pretty powerful.
Central Michigan University came up with a brilliant solution – a combination of a leadership and anti-bullying seminar, aimed at kids, and a women’s basketball game. They invited kids from about 18 different mid-Michigan districts to come to campus.
It wasn’t just about filling the seats, although they did that. Think about what this did:
It got kids to come to a university campus. They might live just a few miles away, but if someone doesn’t have a reason to cross Mission Street, most people won’t do it.
There’s something about a university campus that sparks people to think more about their own possibilities. You’re surrounded by bright young people pursuing an education and having a good time. Even if you’re 9 years old, you can catch that sense of possibility, even if you can’t name it.
It was a women’s basketball game. A lot of the kids were girls, many from central Michigan’s little towns. How valuable is it for them to see women, just a few years older than they are, performing at the Division I college level?
Again, it might get them started on thinking about the possibilities, and get them past self-defeating “I’m just a girl” thinking.
The boys saw the game, too. They saw strong, talented women playing a game they play, too – and playing it way better than any boy can play it at the elementary school level. Practice, boys, practice.
The future will require well-educated, talented people, or we all will fail. If spending “recess at Rose” makes some of these young people comfortable with the idea that there are more possibilities than they have been exposed to, comfortable with the idea of gaining higher education, comfortable with being part of a university community, we all win.
Some of the best lessons in school aren’t learned behind a desk.
And it might even produce a few Chippewa fans.

How a mistake happens

2008-11-06T15:58:00.002-05:00

I've made my share of goofs in print, and had to run corrections. It's an occupational hazard - none of us were born in mangers nor were we dropped from the planet Krypton to save the Earth.
But I unilaterally elected the wrong person village president in Shepherd. The voters set me straight on that.
Here's what happened: Because Isabella County can't post running election totals on its own, we do it. We've designed an extensive online spreadsheet where we can enter each precinct's vote totals as they come out of the counting machine.
On election night, we updated the totals from that about every 15 minutes, sometimes faster.
We've used it the last few elections and had great confidence in it. We found the bug this time.
It was a human error - mine. A programming error. When I set up the spreadsheet for the village election, I put the candidates' names in the wrong order.
In one of the two Shepherd precincts, incumbent Lee Coughlin got the votes meant for challenger Sandy Baxter, and vice-versa. It was enough to change the apparent outcome.
A sharp-eyed commenter on TheMorningSun.com spotted it, and I read the comment early Thursday morning.
By 7:15 a.m., I had tracked down the goof and fixed it online. But that wasn't until after Thursday's print edition carried an item saying Baxter beat Coughlin.
I said some things that the profanity filters on our comments section would ban.
I count both Lee and Sandy as public-spirited people who both want what's best for their community. As people, I like them both.
I hope they'll accept my apology.
I do know that in the bang-bang, zoom-zoom world of online journalism, it won't be the last time a mistake will be made. But just as making the mistakes is faster than it used to be, correcting them is faster, too.
-- Mark R

Want a sample ballot?

2008-10-27T19:17:00.002-04:00

An online comment:
" Did you known there are no ballots in Clare County? We been trying to see a ballot so we could have an idea when we vote. The local papers can't get a copy it. Seems the townships can't get their [acts] together.Hey, its next week! Will there be a local ballot? Stay tuned. "

Actually, it's easier than you think.
All registered Michigan voters can go to the Michigan Voter Information Center, run by the Secretary of State, type in their names, birth months and ZIP codes, and get a sample ballot and directions to their polling places.
Try it:
Go here:

I know that all of my races, down to the local ones, are listed there. Take a look.

Who is Barack Obama?

2008-10-19T22:30:00.004-04:00

The candidate answers at a white-tie charity fundraiser in New York.
Click here to play video from the BBC.

Habitat for Humanity construction in Mt. Pleasant

2008-10-13T17:08:00.006-04:00

Habitat for Humanity of Isabella County's latest house in on Henry Street in Mt. Pleasant.

Rich Clark of Mt. Pleasant is construction chairman for Habitat for Humanity of Isabella County and has been working on the house during his free time.

On Monday six students from the CMU Habitat group came to the site to volunteer as well as Mel Kooiker of Mel's Electric.

Sun Photos by RYAN EVON

A walk in the woods

2008-10-07T16:58:00.009-04:00

I spent the afternoon with a lovely bunch of preschoolers on a field trip in Veits Woods. Here are some pics:

Two great papers

2008-10-05T12:00:00.002-04:00

Today's Morning Sun notes that the newspaper has, for the second straight year, been named the Michigan Press Association's newspaper of the year for its circulation class.
The other daily newspapers of the year are the Detroit Free Press, the Jackson Citizen-Patriot and the Traverse City Record-Eagle. That's some really great company.
What also was released today was that the other paper in town - Central Michigan Life, the CMU student-run paper - was awarded the General Excellence award for large-college newspapers by the MPA and the Michigan Collegiate Press Association. Life beat out the papers at Michigan and Michigan State, among others, for this honor.
In other words, mid-Michigan has not just one, but two top-quality newspapers.
That's not just us saying that - independent professionals from outside the state judge these contests.
What's all the more remarkable is that these two papers are operating successfully in a community of about 40,000 people.
CM Life and the Morning Sun serve different communities, of course. But any good publication reflects the community it serves, and it's clear that both publications do exactly that.
We compete, of course, for news and advertising dollars, and that makes both publications better. But there's actually a lot of connection between the two.
Looking around the Sun's newsroom, there are numerous ex-Lifers, including me. Both the current Life adviser, Neil Hopp, and the previous adviser, Jim Wojcik, edited the Daily Times-News, the predecessor of the Morning Sun.
Two current Sun staffers are adjunct faculty members in the CMU journalism department - I'm one of them - and a third often picks up a class when necessary. CM Life operates independently of the journalism department, but many journalism students work for Life - and their offices are on the same floor of Moore Hall as the J-Department.
I looked over the list of the 49 individual and category honorees from CM Life, and found about a half-dozen students who have been in my classes. I also looked over the list of professional winners and found another half-dozen or so whom I taught before they graduated.
It's such a great feeling to be able to say, "They're one of mine."
It might be tough times in the newspaper industry, but a major need of every community is to have its stories told. That's what we do, and even though the landscape and media are changing, we're continuing to figure out how to make money doing it.
Meanwhile, my colleagues and I will continue to tell the stories of mid-Michigan, and try to do it better than those top-notch student journalists on the other end of town - the ones we teach how to do it.
It's also worth noting that two of our sister weekly newspapers were named Newspapers of the Year for their categories. The Southgate News Herald was honored as best large weekly, and the Chelsea Standard as best small weekly.
All three of us are owned by Journal Register Co. - the only chain with more than one newspaper honored this year.

A note from Laura Rodriguez

2008-09-27T09:31:00.004-04:00

TheMorningSun.com received this note from Laura Rodriguez, widow of Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Rodriguez, the Mt. Pleasant High School graduate and Weidman native who was killed in action in Afghanistan.

A very wonderful man put together Greg's memorial video for me and posted it to YouTube. It is 10 minutes long as there are 3 songs - Tim McGraw's "If You're Reading This," PuffDaddy's "I'll Be Missing You," and Trace Adkins "Arlington."

For those of you who haven't seen it or gotten the chance to see the final version of it, here it is:

There is also an on-line guest book for family and friends to leave comments/messages about Greg on. I will eventually get it professionally printed so each of the kids can have a copy as they grow up. Here is the link.

Greg's memorial service was beautiful. I probably cried more at the memorial than I did at his funeral.
Greg and I had our ups and downs, but overall he was a wonderful husband, an awesome father, and a dedicated K9 handler and soldier. During the month of August he sent me flowers with beautiful notes to both home and work. My husband was stealing my heart back all over again--after 9 1/2 years of marriage.

Jacko, Greg's K9 companion, is now "home". He's a beautiful, wonderful companion with very good manners. I just wish his Daddy were here with him.

On another note, I would like to thank so many people for their heartfelt support and kindness during this difficult time for our family. I have a lot of personal thank you's to do and I hope I don't forget anyone.

I'm going to cut this short.
Thoughtfully,
Laura Rodriguez

New site FAQ: The comics

2008-09-21T13:10:00.004-04:00

Posted in one of our forums:

" I like the new on line Morning Sun, but I cannot find the comics. Where did they go? "

A. The old site didn't carry the comics in an HTML-accessible format, either. The comics still are online, right where they've always been, in the ePaper.
Here's what they look like:

The ePaper is essentially an interactive PDF that allows access to the newspaper in the print-style look. It includes everything, including the ads. Access it by clicking on the upper right of the front page - where it says ePaper.
Guest access is enabled now for everyone, and although we might begin charging for ePaper access in the future, it's free now.
The Sunday funnies remain a print-only product.

Finding obituaries

2008-09-19T15:30:00.002-04:00

"If you search for the word “obituaries” you get them all, in order, going way back."

It's been an exciting several weeks at TheMorningSun.com.
The new design is up and running, and comments are mostly positive.
The main complaint: It's tougher to find past obituaries.
Under the old system, which was archived by day, it was possible to go into the archives, click on a particular day, and view the archived obits for that day. People living far and near would check in every few days to see.
Our new archiving system doesn't work that way - it's a searchable archive, rather than a day-to-day file.
Here's how to find obits in the new system: Simply search (in the seach window near the top of the page) for the word "obituaries." Rick Mills, the Sun's executive editor, figured this out and reports:

"If you search for the word “obituaries” you get them all, in order, going way back."

Thanks, Rick.
Pass the word.

Students remember 9/11

2008-09-12T05:11:00.003-04:00

Around 3,000 small American flags were placed in the lawn next to the Park Library on the campus of Central Michigan University in honor of the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. About 3,000 people were killed in the attacks on New York, Washington and rural Pennsylvania.
Derek Gainsforth of Bay City said it took him and other students about an hour and a half to place the memorial.

Central Michigan University students Amanda Brown, left, of Scottville and Hillary Weaver of Northville walk along the student placed Sept. 11 memorial on campus. Many of today's students were in junior high school when the attacs happened seven years ago.
“I think a lot of people forget,” Brown said. “It’s cool someone would take the time to remember.”

Sun photographs by RYAN EVON

Out of the smoke

2008-09-06T22:07:00.002-04:00

Ava Edmondson of Rosebush holds a wet, bedraggled, sooty, 8-week-old ragdoll kitten rescued from a fire at her home on South Street. No one was home when the fire started, and flames were visible in the living room when Edmondson arrived back from shopping.

Isabella Northeast firefighter Rick Ervin, center, emerges carrying a kitten from the burning house.

An Isabella Northeast firefighter stands by as his tanker unloads hundreds of gallons of water into a portable water tank to fight the fire.

A firefighter equipped with breathing gear prepares to enter the smoke-filled home. No one was hurt.

'The best and the bravest'

2008-09-06T21:24:00.002-04:00

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Rodriguez, a Mt. Pleasant High School graduate, was killed in action in Afghanistan. Rodriguez and his dog, Jacko, were a special search team in the military police.
Jacko and Rodriguez slept together in Afghanistan, according to Rodriguez' wife. Rodriguez' patrol came under fire in central Afghanistan, and "Rod," as he was known to his Army buddies, was killed. Jacko survived.
Sgt. Rodriguez is to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

He was 35. He joined the Army Reserves in 1994, and went on full-time active duty two years later.

Rodriguez told his wife that if anything happened to him, he wanted to be buried in Arlington, among the "best and the bravest."

(Photos courtesy Laura Rodriguez and the Vietnam Dog Handlers Association.)

Crunch time in Georgia

2008-09-06T21:11:00.003-04:00

Chippewas fall to No. 2 Georgia, 56-17

Georgia linebacker Marcus Dowtin, right, and defensive end Justin Houston, bottom, bring down Central Michigan running back Carl Volny (29) during the second half.

Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour (13) is pressured in the backfield by Georgia defensive end Justin Houston (42) .

Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno (24) stiff arms Central Michigan defensive back Josh Gordy, right, during the first half in Athens. Moreno rushed for 168 yards and tied his career high with three touchdowns in their 56-17 win.

Moreno (24) evades the tackle from Central Michigan defensive back Tommy Mama (14) during the first half.

Georgia flanker Michael Moore (82) is brought down by Central Michigan linebacker Nick Bellore during the fourth quarter.

Photos by John Amos/AP

Soldier from Weidman dies in Afghanistan

2008-09-05T21:50:00.004-04:00

Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Rodgriguez, shown in this image taken from MySpace, died Tuesday in Afghanistan. Rodriguez' home town is Weidman.

A soldier from Weidman died Tuesday in combat in Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced late Friday.

Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Rodriguez, 35, a military policeman, was killed in Ana Kalay, Afghanistan when his patrol came under small-arms fire, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
Rodriguez was a dog handler for the military police. He was assigned to the K-9 unit of the 527th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th MP Brigade, Ansbach, Germany, according to the Pentagon.
There was no word on the fate of Rodriguez’ dog.
According to postings on Internet forums, Rodriguez, known to his friends as “150,” loved Jeeps.
His wife’s MySpace page Friday night showed a slide show of Rodriguez with his family, his dog, of the two in action in Afghanistan, and included a photo of a makeshift military memorial erected in his honor. It also included a blog entry of a poem titled “Guardians of the Night,” celebrating the strength and courage of a military working dog.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
Ana Kalay is in central Afghanistan, in a remote, mountainous region about halfway between Kabul, the capitol, and Kandahar.
Rodriguez is the 18th member of the military with Michigan ties to die in Afghanistan since Operation Enduring Freedom began nearly seven years ago.

Republicans love their hockey mom

2008-09-04T16:54:00.004-04:00

A Republican delegate holds a sign in support of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

By MATTHEW GOLDEN
Special to the Sun
The entire Michigan delegation dressed in hockey jerseys Wednesday night.
The jerseys were provided by Attorney General Mike Cox. Cox hosted “Mr. Hockey,” Gordie Howe earlier this week at a reception for the Michigan delegation.
During Sarah Palin’s speech, at one point the Michigan delegation started a chant of “HOCKEY MOM.” That’s the point when Palin said that the only difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull was lipstick.
Being on the floor, we are able to watch the rear teleprompter. I was amazed that this was an off-the-cuff remark that today has so many people talking.

---

PALIN HITS BACK: Palin took Wednesday night as an opportunity to hit back and to dispel any rumor that she lacks experience. My favorite line last night was the well-reported, “I guess a small town mayor is kind of like a community organizer, except you have actual responsibilities.” Wow.
At the end of the night, I went to Facebook. Scrolling through my friends’ updates, I was shocked at some of the people who wrote about how much they liked Palin’s speech. Talk about energizing the GOP base and bringing independent women to the McCain-Palin ticket. If Facebook could count as an official poll, I think they just got one heck of a post-convention bounce.

----

BUTTONS: Just like any political event, the campaign buttons are all over the place. From personalized McCain-Palin buttons with a guests’ names on them to the funny ones, almost everyone has some sort of button on.
One finally got me to look twice. On a 20-something delegate from Texas, I saw a button with a photo of Sarah Palin next to the phrase “HOT VP, COOL STATE.”

----

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., Wednesday.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

HUCKABEE WAS … HUCKABEE: Using his typical sarcastic and easy to relate to sense of humor, former Gov. Mike Huckabee worked to dispel any rumors that Palin should be less credible because she is from Alaska or a small town. Huckabee noted that that Alaska has the same number of electoral votes as Delaware. That’s where Obama VP candidate Joe Biden is from.

---

Former Massachusetts Gov. and presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks at the Republican National Convention.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

MITT ROMNEY: Mitt Romney was one of the featured breakfast speakers at the Michigan hotel on Wednesday morning. He got the crowd riled up! For a former opponent, he sure had come over to the McCain side!
Matthew Golden is chairman of the Isabella County Republican Party and is blogging from the GOP convention in St. Paul for The Sun Insider blog. Reports from earlier this week can be seen there.

Gustav still on Republicans' minds

2008-09-03T15:56:00.002-04:00

By MATT GOLDEN

Special to the Sun

LAURA BUSH: Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land hosted a breakfast on Tuesday morning. Originally, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour was planning to attend. However, because of Hurricane Gustav, Barbour stayed in Mississippi. Land staffers were notified on Monday night that a surrogate would be sent but not told who the surrogate would be.

Just before the event, it became known that First Lady Laura Bush would address the Michigan group. Bush told Michigan attendees that Michigan could be the swing state in this election, similar to Ohio was in 2006. She also spoke about the importance of helping the victims of the hurricane.

***

Tuesday at the Republican National Convention had a much more upbeat mood, with everyone obviously still mindful of the victims of Hurricane Gustav. The calls were unified for everyone to find a way to participate in one of many community service programs to aide victims of Hurricane Gustav.

***

BLOOD DRIVE: A few of our GOP leaders, including United States Senate candidate Jack Hoogendyk organized for a blood drive to take place at our hotel on Tuesday morning. It was a great way to show that our thoughts and prayers are with the victims in the Gulf Coast.

***

CROPSEY HOSTS EVENT: Tuesday evening before the convention, state Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, joined Sen, Jason Allen, R-Traverse City, in hosting a reception for everyone from Michigan. The event was held in a private residence overlooking downtown St. Paul, just two blocks from the X-Cel Energy Center. It was awesome to see everything from a bird’s-eye view, including some of the protesters and the security setups.

***

THOMPSON MESMERIZES CROWD: Fred Thompson delivered a speech that left everyone in the Convention Hall in awe. Thompson focused on why he believes that Sen. McCain would be the best person to lead the ticket, and the excitement that Sarah Palin brings to the ticket.

From a former opponent of McCain, you could hear and see the sincerity from Thompson. At some points you could hear a pin drop the audience was so focused on what Thompson had to say.

***

LIEBERMAN GETS TOUGH: The highlight of the night had to be the Lieberman speech for me. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into the night. After all, just a few years ago, Lieberman was the vice presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket.

Lieberman said the things that needed to be said, and while his speech was obviously tailored to Democrats who might be on the fence, the reaction from the Republicans was nothing short of awesome. He focused on change, but closed his speech by saying the real change we need was to elect John McCain and Sarah Palin to go “shake up Washington.”

***

More to follow, after the much awaited speech from Sarah Palin scheduled for Wednesday night, as she accepts the official nomination of the Republican Party.

Matt Golden is the chairman of the Isabella County Republican Party. He is blogging for the Sun Insider from the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

Palin, Gustav the buzz of the convention

2008-09-02T18:21:00.003-04:00

By MATTHEW GOLDEN
Sun Special Correspondent

Greetings from Minneapolis!
Or, to be correct, Brooklyn Park, a suburb about 15 minutes northeast of downtown Minneapolis, where the Michigan delegation is staying. This week, I will be blogging for the Morning Sun to provide a local perspective of the happenings here at the Republican National Convention.
I’ve had a lifelong interest in politics, and couldn’t be more excited to be on the ground in Minnesota as Republicans kick off this phase of the election, by making our presidential and vice-presidential nominees official.
In the interest of disclosure, at 24 years old, I am a lifelong Republican. I currently serve as the chairman of the Isabella GOP and formerly served as youth vice-chairman of the Michigan Republican Party. I was an active supporter of Sen. John McCain in the primary, and spent time in Florida and Missouri volunteering in other key primary states following the Michigan primary.

----------

THE PALIN PICK: Since Friday when McCain announced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running-mate pick, the first question in so many conversations with delegates, Alternates, guests and others from Michigan has been something along the lines of “How about that pick?”
Palin seemed to draw a new energy into the grassroots of the GOP. Comments like “a maverick chose a maverick” and “someone we can all relate to” lead the conversations regarding Palin.
Personally, I would have loved to see Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty picked to run with McCain, but the Palin pick got me excited almost immediately and seeing the response in the days following has me convinced that the McCain-Palin ticket was an outstanding choice.

---------------

THE PALIN PICK, REVISITED: On Saturday, a small group of people began to discuss the rumors that Gov. Palin’s 6-month-old son, Trig, was actually born to Palin’s oldest daughter, Bristol. Most discredited it as rumor.
Then, on Monday the bombshell was dropped: Bristol Palin was pregnant. The text messages and e-mails started pouring in or many of us, a sign of how news spreads so quickly among the often tech-savvy political groupies.
Even among the hardcore conservatives, the comments extended beyond the simple line, “This is a family matter for the Palin family.” They actually praised the family for doing the right thing by announcing the pregnancy and “doing the right thing,” in keeping the baby.
The other interesting comments I heard over and over again was that this shows that the Palin family is dealing with many of the challenges that other families in America deal with and that its refreshing to see a politician who doesn’t fight to hide anything that may be tough to deal with.

--------------------

WHO’S HERE: Central Michigan is well represented here in Minnesota. Kim Emmons, the chairwoman of the Clare County GOP is here, as is our state Sen. Alan Cropsey with his wife, Erica. The Michigan group is together a large amount of the time, as we all are staying at the same hotel, and travel to and from the convention center and events together.

---------------------

HURRICANE GUSTAV: As everyone began to arrive Saturday and Sunday, the all-too common question was “Are we going to have a convention?”
The outpouring of support for hurricane victims has been amazing thus far. During the first few minutes, delegates were promoted to take out their cell phones and make a contribution, via text message, to help hurricane relief programs. I was shocked by the number of people, of all ages, around me that were using their cell phones to make contributions.
The tone has certainly been more mellow. The televisions in our hotel lobby are continuously on the news, and there is often a crowd in the lobby watching the news to find out the latest. It will be interesting to see how everything moves forward for the rest of the week.
I had the opportunity to meet a delegate from Louisiana on the convention floor on Monday. Hearing about the real experiences of the Louisiana delegation was really interesting. Of course, it was moving to hear how many rushed home to be with their families. But, what was more interesting was his comments about how some planned to come back once if possible and that they wanted to bring their families with.

-------------------------

CINDY McCAIN AND LAURA BUSH: Our schedules only indicated that the speakers for Monday’s abbreviated convention session were “to be announced.” As we were boarding the busses to head to the X-Cel Energy Center, the buzz started that Cindy McCain and Laura Bush would make an appearance.
Laura Bush delivered a thoughtful and inspiring speech that focuses on helping the victims of the hurricane. Cindy McCain then joined Mrs. Bush on the stage and shared a similar message. Both Mrs. Bush and Mrs. McCain steered clear of talking politics and once again encouraged everyone to find a way to contribute to the victims of Hurricane Gustav.
It’s been a roller coaster of a few days out here and I look forward to continuing updates. No matter who wins in November, this year will prove to be a historic election. The excitement, energy and dedication to their parties is evident on the ground here in Minneapolis and was obvious last week through last weeks coverage of the Democratic National Convention.
Matthew Golden is chairman of the Isabella County Republican Party. He is blogging for the Morning Sun and TheMorningSun.com from St. Paul during the GOP convention.

The Detroit Speech

2008-09-01T20:00:00.003-04:00

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks to supporters at Hart Plaza in Detroit.
(AP Photo/Detroit Free Press, Andre J. Jackson)

The original plan for our family's Labor Day weekend didn't involve Detroit or Barack Obama, but that changed. We went to see the Mt. Pleasant High School jazz band perform at the Detroit Jazz Festival - more on that later - and a Detroit Tiger game. But when we heard that Obama would stage a rally Monday, we thought, Why not? Why not see what this is all about?

Supporters cheered when Obama said he didn't choke on the word "union."
(Photo by Robert Ranzenberger/The Ranzenblog)

We were surrounded by a huge, extremely well-behaved crowd. There was no rowdiness, except for the huge cheers for the candidate. There was no booze, almost no line-cutting that I saw, and just a sense that this is a Movement, not just a candidacy.

The crowd spilled out beyond Hart Plaza, filling up several blocks of Jefferson and Woodward.

Long lines snaked through downtown Detroit as people waited to get through security and enter the event along Detroit's riverfront.

The line my family and I joined turned out to be 15 blocks long, but it moved fairly quickly. The people waiting to see the Democratic presidential nominee were black, white, mostly middle class, and frankly, looked like America.

Much of the crowd didn't take much convincing.

Often, when I've gone to Detroit, I've gotten a sense of hopelessness and defeat. That's easy to understand. But there was none of that this time. I hesitate to say there's a sense of optimism, but there's certainly a sense of the future among the people who saw Barack Obama in Motown.

The stadium speech

2008-08-31T21:50:00.003-04:00

After giving his acceptance speech. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., waves to the crowd as he exits the podium at Invesco Field in Denver during the final day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
(AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez - Rocky Mountain News)

By JOHN K. HARTMAN
Sun Special Correspondent

DENVER-- The first bus to Invesco Field at Mile High, the scene of Barack Obama's acceptance speech, was full and crowded. At 1:30 we left the holels in Broomfield. We arrived 45 minutes later at the stadium parking to summer heat and long lines. It took an hour to get through security and nearly two hours start to finish to find a seat 10 rows in front of the giant scoreboard in the south end zone of the football stadium.
The crowd was building and I wondered if Obama could fill the 76,000 seat stadium. It turned out yes and no. Because thousands were seated on the field, the crowd was estimated at 85,000, but there were several thousand seats empty in the stands. None around me.

Obama and his family celebrate on stage after Obama delivered his speech.
(AP Photo/The Rocky Mountain News, Darin McGregor)

The names of Denver Bronco greats are posted around the stadium. It reminded me of taking my father, the late Harvey H. Hartman, a big Bronco fan and a longtime Colorado resident, to the last game in the old Mile High Stadium. It was nearly a decade ago. As my father taught me to treat all persons equally and to be rid of all manner of prejudices, I felt he would be proud that this event featuring the first black major party presidential nominee was being held in Denver and that I was in attendance.

***

Obama continued to cater to the young by inviting folks to text message their names and states and had a competition to see which state had the most hits. It also gathered a list of supporters and attendees for future campaign purposes.

***

Obama's catch phrase "yes, we can," seemed to be an evolved version of Black civil right leader Jesse Jackson's "I am somebody."

Unidentified people watch as Obama delivers his speech.
(AP Photo/The Rocky Mountain News, Barry Guiterrez)

Sheryl Crow got the crowd rocking singing about change, winding roads and sunny days. Many folks sang along.

***

www.BarackObama.com was plastered throughout the stadium. I guess if one is planning to run for president some day, it would be wise to reserve one's name as a domain name.

Obama, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and their families celebrate onstage after Obama's acceptance speech.
(AP Photo/Preston Gannaway/Rocky Mountain News)

I tuned to NPR for a while. One radio reporter found it interesting that attendees were eating stadium food like nachos and hot dogs. Another commented on the beautiful sunset on the perfectly clear day in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. An third praised the Democrats for magnificent stagecraft, a la a football bowl game. A black woman told a reporter the Obama would be a good role model for black children. I think that is why Oprah Winfrey risked her fame endorsing Obama. She believed it would be good for the black community from a sociological perspective.

Colorado Delegate Vivian Stovall of Denver reacts as Obama speaks on the final night of the Democratic National Convention.
(AP Photo/Cyrus McCrimmon - The Denver Post)

In front of me, a young black man gets his picture taken holding a U.S. flag and a "Change" sign. The pride that blacks feel in Obama was palpable. In the basement press area after the event, a young black male photographer threw off his veil of objectivity and walked out of the building holding a change sign aloft. It was a magical day for black Americans, and for all Americans who believe that folks should be judged by their character and accomplishments, not by the color of their skin.

***

Somewhere, up there, Harvey H. Hartman is smiling.

(John C. Hartman is a Central Michigan University journalism professor who is blogging about the Democratic National Convention for the Morning Sun.)
(Editor's note: Hartman sent this early Friday, but technical difficulties prevented us from posting it until Sunday. Jack made his deadline.)

Class - right from scene

2008-08-28T16:03:00.004-04:00

By JOHN K. HARTMAN
Sun Special Correspondent

DENVER - I was able to link up through the online Blackboard system with 29 of my students in journalism issues class, that I ordinarily would have been teaching in person on Wednesday nights at CMU. We text-chatted about the media coverage of the convention. I reminded them of their assignments for next Wednesday night. One of them figured out how to use the audio feature and started talking to the class. I asked him to stop. The college students are just so far ahead of me from a technological perspective. (But I like to believe I can still out-think them!)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, speaks with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., as he holds his grandson Hunter at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Wednesday. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

On the bus after the convention session Wednesday night, the driver asked me if it was really true that Barack Obama came out on the stage to join Joe Biden after the latter’s speech. Some passengers were doubting the driver. I said it was true. A few minutes later I called up the picture of Obama and Biden together via cnn.com on my Blackberry. The bus driver passed it around to the doubters with enthusiasm. I guess I am closer to state of the art technology ability on that front.

***

Delegates carry placards and pole signs onto the bus and keep them as souvenirs. A fresh set is issued the next night.

***

I boarded a cab to take me back to the Pepsi Center from a restaurant in downtown Denver, but the driver could only get three blocks before he encountered barricades. Cost me $5. Should have walked.

***

Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s husband, Dan Mulhern, was master of ceremonies for the Thursday morning Michigan delegation breakfast. He said the Democrats must have “message discipline” in order to win in November. Speakers included Gov. Phil Bredensen of Tennessee, Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, U.S. Rep John Dingell and his wife, Debbie Dingell.
The congressmen told the crowd not to send him to Washington by himself and added, “Things that bring us together are far more than things that divide us.”
Mrs. Dingell echoed Mulhern, “We must stop letting other people (Republicans) define us (Democrats).”

***

Granholm headlined Thursday’s press briefing. She said President Bush would not help manufacturing and would not enforce trade agreements (that have hurt Michigan) and that John McCain would be “more of the same.”

***

State chairman Mark Brewer answered a question directed at Granholm about the effect of the controversy over the possible removal of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
He said the matter, which Granholm could resolve by removing the mayor as early as next week, would not be a factor. Other political observers are no so confident because if substantial numbers of Detroit’s largely black population become unhappy and stay home Nov. 4, it would affect Obama’s chances of carrying Michigan.

***

Six of my students emailed questions for Granholm. I gave them to her aide and asked for responses. Tiffany Brown, her communications assistant, promised answers.

***

A former student of mine at CMU from a decade ago, Jason Ellenburg, is making it very big in politics. He is managing the re-election campaign of Sen. Carl Levin. We got reacquainted Thursday morning.

***

The driver, a middle-aged African-American man, who shuttles me between the Omni, where I am staying, and the Renaissance, where the Michigan delegation meetings are held, told me he grew up in the “projects” eight blocks from Invesco Field at Mile High, the scene of Thursday night’s acceptance speech by Obama. He said he was hoping to attend the historic speech of the first African-American ever to be nominated to run for president by a major party. You could tell he was proud.

(John C. Hartman is a Central Michigan University journalism professor who is blogging about the Democratic National Convention for the Morning Sun.)

After Hillary's speech, Michigan Dems come together for Obama

2008-08-27T22:22:00.001-04:00

By JOHN K. HARTMAN
Sun Special Correspondent
DENVER -- I failed again Tuesday in my quest to obtain a floor pass so that I could interview delegates and dignitaries firsthand and describe the atmosphere.
I finally found an out-of-the way press office filled with desks and reporters that had a line for temporary floor passes.
Even though Hillary Clinton's speech was about to begin, I got in line and took my chances. When I got to the head of the line, the person in charge told me that I was in the wrong line and give me directions to a locale elsewhere in the Pepsi Center that I had been to four times before, finding no line.
I will keep asking, but the folks stationed throughout the building who are supposed to know the answer to questions, usually don't. They need a toll-free number for us to call.

***

After the latest rebuff I headed upstairs to Section 372, where my credentials say I am supposed to sit. Bad news. All the seating areas were full and closed. Big turnout for the Hillary Clinton speech.
I exited the building and walked halfway around the Pepsi Center to the familiar white tent known as Pavilion No. 2, where reporters have open work space.
I joined a small crowd gathered around TV monitors in a hospitality area sponsored by Captain Morgan, the rum. It offered free food and drinks.
Many in the crowd were reporters shut out of hall seating like I was. The feed from CSPAN on one TV was slightly out of sync with the feed from CNN so Clinton's speech had an echo. Eerie, to say the least.

***

Across the way was the LexisNexis booth, where free water was given out earlier. To buttress the research data provider's reputation, a big screen offered LexisNexis Dashboard, a listing of "share of voice, share of coverage" of key political figures: the Obamas, the Clintons, John McCain, and Joe Biden. Barack, Michelle and Hillary had up arrows, Bill was about even and John and Joe were in decline. Another screen showed the top issues as energy and health care.

***

Former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard, a Hillary Clinton campaign co-chair turned enthusiastic Obama supporter, kicked off the Michigan delegates' breakfast Wednesday morning. He said the bad things that have happened to the United States under the Bush Administration could have been avoided if Democrats had pulled together and elected Al Gore in 2000. He urged Clinton supporters to join him in the Obama camp, hinting that their failure to do so could lead to more bad times.
Later in an interview, Blanchard told me that he is discouraged by the skyrocketing cost of higher education (CMU's tuition has more than doubled in six years) in Michigan. He said he was proud of his administration's efforts to keep tuition low and hold down increases.

***

Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon told the delegates that Hillary Clinton's campaign for president showed that the "door is open to every woman" to aspire to the highest office. He said Democrats must come together around Obama because of "our shared sense of values."

***

AFL-CIO executive Richard Trumka told the delegates that race is being used to divide Democrats. "We must educate voters as to who Obama is and who McCain isn't."

***

Another prominent Democrat who originally supported another candidate for president but is now on the Obama bandwagon spoke at the press briefing after the breakfast. Former U.S. Rep. David Bonoir was John Edwards’ co-chair until Edwards quit the race. Now he serves as a "whip" for Obama in Michigan. He said Obama is right on the environment, energy, jobs and "the need for the U.S. to open dialogue with other nations."

***

One of my CMU students wanted to know how social web sites such as Facebook and MySpace have affected the presidential race.
Bonoir said those two sites, along with YouTube, will play big parts in Obama's victory.
"If there is a drop-off in the vote of traditional older Democratic voters, the young will make it up," he suggested.
Elizabeth Kerr, the young press spokeswoman for the Michigan Democratic Party, said, "The Internet is how young people talk to each other about why they should vote for Obama, and other like groups are doing the same talking to one another (about the presidential race), too."

(John C. Hartman is a Central Michigan University journalism professor who is blogging about the Democratic National Convention for the Morning Sun.)

Clintons vs. Obama - what will it cost?

2008-08-26T22:22:00.007-04:00

Delegates hold up signs in support of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

By JOHN K. HARTMAN
Sun Special Correspondent
DENVER – The convention is still buzzing about the Clintons withholding just enough support to cost Barack Obama the presidency.
I have some questions for Bill Clinton that I will never get to ask unless I run into him in the cavernous halways of the Pepsi Center.
Question No. 1: People gave you the benefit of the doubt when you ran for president. Why won't you do same for Obama?
No. 2: How long did it take you to "get over" your loss for re-election as governor of Arkansas way back when?
No. 3: Would you feel better if you could blame Hillary's loss to Obama on a "right-wing conspiracy?"
No. 4: Do you think Hillary would have gotten as far as she has if her last name were not Clinton and you were not a former president?
No. 5: Do you think the media and sexism (such as prejudice in favor of women) ever helped Hillary?
I guess I'll go roam the hallways at the Pepsi Center for a while.

***

There are facilities for the working press in Pavilion No. 2 outside the Pepsi Center. It is a big white tent cordoned off inside by dark curtains. The cloth is in constant motion from the fans blowing the cool air around. Denver pushed 90 again today so it took a lot of fans to keep it comfortable.
The floor is plywood and crunches a bit if you hit it wrong. Big news organizations like Business Week and USA Today are housed in the tent, one of at least 5 surrounding the venue.

***

Sen. Barack Obama was in Kansas City, not St. Louis, when he talked to the Democratic convention. But when his daughter asked him where he was, he knew.

I got together with former CM Life editor and CMU journalism grad of three years ago, Chad Livengood. He is the political writer for the Springfield, Mo., News-Leader.
He reported that Barack Obama misstated being in St. Louis Monday night instead of the correct city, Kansas City. Livengood posted it on his blog for the newspaper and it was picked up by the very popular conservative news blog, The Drudge Report. That led to thousands of hits on Livengood's blog. News travels at lightning speed in the digital era.
There are still reporters' notebooks in evidence but Blackberrys and digital audio and video recorders are more plentiful. When I started in the newspaper business 40 years ago we used manual typewriters.
LIVENGOOD

***

A Denver newspaper reported that actor and heartthrob George Clooney is skipping the convention in favor of a film festival in Venice. I guess he can't compete with Obama's so-called celebrity.

(John C. Hartman is a Central Michigan University journalism professor who is blogging about the Democratic National Convention for the Morning Sun.)

Dance of the Diesels in Denver

2008-08-26T16:45:00.003-04:00

By JOHN K. HARTMAN
Sun Special Correspondent
Getting in and out of the Pepsi Center might well be called the dance of the diesels as hundreds of buses come and go, letting delegates and other participants off in the afternoon, then picking them up after the festivities.

***

The Al Jazeera cable-satellite news channel, displaying a bright, colorful sign and an Arab point-of-view, has a prime location between CSPAN and ABC News at the convention. This is interesting because few cable and satellite systems carry its telecasts in the United States for fear of being accused of being unpatriotic.

***

My press "Hall pass" gets me in the nosebleed section at the Pepsi Center so that I can see the side and back of speakers' heads from afar.
But I can see the teleprompter that the speakers read off of. It includes a reverse time clock that blinks red if they exceed their allotted time.

***

The tip-off that Sen. Ted Kennedy was in the house Monday came from running into several Kennedy relatives in the press hallway. Spotted were Joseph Kennedy III, William Kennedy Smith and Maria Shriver, among others.

***

While Kennedy's courageous speech while under cancer treatment is to be admired and his efforts to unify the convention around Barack Obama appreciated by Democratic partisans, one cannot forget that in 1980 he ran unsuccessfully for the nomination against incumbent President Jimmy Carter and offered only an "arm's length" embrace of Carter, who subsequently lost, not unlike the shyness that former President Bill Clinton continues to exhibit regarding Obama, who appears to have defeated Hillary Clinton for the nomination.

***

The warning clock was turned off when Kennedy spoke.

***

At Tuesday morning's breakfast of the Michigan delegates, Gov. Jennifer Granholm referred to GOP standard-bearer John McCain as the "outsorcerer," a play on words to suggest McCain is too cozy with firms that send U.S. jobs overseas.

***

Granholm referred to the "5 W's" that will help lead Michigan's economic comeback: "Wind, Water, Workforce, Wood and Waste (converging the latter to energy)."

***

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer got the delegates really fired up with his folk hero approach, colorful language and Western attire of blue blazer, blue jeans and bolo tie.

***

I got to ask another of my journalism students' questions at the press briefing after the delegates' breakfast. A student from Rochester wanted to know how Democrats were going to get Obama and the Clintons to bury the hatchet.
State Sen. Gilda Jacobs of Huntington Woods said that a unity meeting had been held Monday between the competing factions that went well.
"Women will progress only under Obama," she added.
"Don't believe the hype,” added Edna Bell, a delegate from Detroit. “Women not just in the United States but around she world need Obama."
Nan Welke, a delegate from Westland, said, "Women cannot afford more years of Bush and McCain."
(John K. Hartman is a Central Michigan University journalism professor, offering his take on the Democratic National Convention in Denver.)

Nuggets from Denver

2008-08-24T21:20:00.003-04:00

By John K. Hartman
Morning Sun Special Correspondent

DENVER -- I arrived in Sunday afternoon intending to get to the root of
the Democratic National Convention. I did not expect to be dealing with
another root, but after having a sore tooth for 48 hours, my dentist
informed me by phone Saturday morning that the root in one of my lower
molars was going bad. There was no time to begin work on it, so he
prescribed a powerful antibiotic and some pain pills. He will get to the
diseased root and remove it the day after Labor Day.
I am here to provide some "nuggets" (apologies to the NBA team
headquartered here and to gold miners everythere) of information and
commentary to readers of the print and online Morning Sun. My reporting
will be supplementing the coverage provided by the Associated Press, not
replacing it. I will emphasize the local angles of interest to folks in
the Sun's coverage area.
***
I am a professor of journalism at Central Michigan University, trying to
practice what I preach. I will be holding my classes online Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday ... if the wireless laptop computer I borrowed is
up to the challenge. I have asked my students to give me questions they
would like asked of convention delegates and dignitaries. They get bonus
points if it works out.
One student wants me to ask Gov. Jennifer Granholm her stance on an
alleged proposal by the Bush Administration to declare the use of birth
control pills as abortion. Another wants to know from Sen. Barack Obama
what Sen. Hillary Clinton will have to say in her speech Wednesday night
to win her supporters over to his bid for the presidency. A third
student wants to know when the American public is going to become more
important than foreign countries. And a fourth wants U.S. Rep. John
Conyers to tell him how to advance the Democratic Party's fortunes in
Detroit.
Sun readers are invited to email me their questions at
hartm1jk@cmich.edu
***
Visitors arriving at Denver International Airport such as I were whisked
into motorized carts for their trip from the landing gate to the baggage
area by friendly folks wearing carnation lapel pins. They took our names
and promised good seats on our return flights.
At the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver, security around the
headquarters Denver Sheraton Hotel was tight with dozens of police clad
in black riot gear in sight.
The Michigan delegation is staying 20 minutes away from the Pepsi Center
in the Renaissance and Omni hotels in Broomfield. I will attend their
breakfast meetings Monday through Thursday.
Job No. 1 will be helping the presumed nominee for president, Sen.
Obama, win Michigan. A Detroit Free Press poll Sunday gave Obama a
7-point lead over presumed Republican nominee Sen. John McCain, but
two-thirds of the voters said they were "not sure" about Obama.
Jobs No. 1, 2 and 3 for Obama are winning over Sen. Clinton's diehard
supporters, helping unsure folks to feel comfortable with him, and
overcoming the reluctance of some voters to support an African-American
for president.
I will keep you posted. Let me hear from you.
***
By way of disclosure, my wife Kay and I were delegates from Ohio to the
2004 Democratic National Convention, pledged to Sen. John Edwards. He
won't be speaking at the 2008 convention after his recent personal
scandal. I wish his wife Elizabeth Edwards would be here and speaking.
Now there is someone to admire.

Excitement at Stadium Mall

2008-08-23T21:00:00.002-04:00

It was a real call - a suspicious package turned up at the Alltel store in the Stadium Mall in Mt. Pleasant Saturday afternoon. Store employees called police - and Mt. Pleasant police called in the bomb squad.
The area in front of a half-dozen stores, including the Kopy Korner, the Book Mark, Charter Communications and the Alltel store, was cordoned off. The stores were evacuated.

Experts from the bomb squad brought in a portable, hand-held X-ray machine to look at the suspicious package - which turned out to be harmless. The screen on the laptap computer showed a bunch of random electronic parts - nothing that would blow up.
Case closed.

The pennies count

2008-08-20T22:31:00.002-04:00

I've been spending too much time on the road recently, but it's certain that mid-Michigan drivers are paying more for gasoline than many drivers elsewhere. Last Sunday, I spotted this price - granted, it was at a Murphy Oil station, with a reputation of undercutting everyone else - in Houghton Lake.

Then last night, I filled up at this station at the corner of Middlebelt Road and Ann Arbor Trail in Westland.

Meanwhile, stations in Mt. Pleasant and Clare are charging $3.88 - even as we have a report from Monroe that the price there has fallen to $3.45.

Images released of chain saw theft suspects

2008-08-20T10:25:00.002-04:00

These two men were caught on camera at Tillman's Hardware in Beal City, and are suspects in the theft of four chain saws worth about $3,400.

This man also is a suspect in the theft.

Sheriff’s deputies have released surveillance images of three men who made off with four chain saws worth $3,400 in June from a Beal City hardware store.
Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski said the department had just received images of the three men.
In a statement, the sheriff said the three white men, all believed to be in their early 20s, took the machines from Tillman’s Hardware on North Winn Road in Beal City. The suspects left the scene in a green, older-style Chevrolet, possibly a Lumina, that smoked badly.
The department is asking people who might have information to contact the sheriff’s department at 989-772-5911.

Playing the price point game

2008-08-13T16:27:00.001-04:00

Speedway is at it again.
Earlier today, Springfield, Ohio-based Speedway made another regional price move, posting a price of $3.95 a gallon at stations from Eastpointe to East Lansing, Kalamazoo to Kentwood, Milford to Mt. Pleasant.
There’s every indication that locally owned retailers will follow along.
How can this be, given the fact that the price of crude oil is dropping? As of today, the price is about $116 per barrel.
Let’s take a look at what happened.
Last summer, we screamed bloody murder when the price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded moved past $3, but we didn’t cut back on gasoline consumption. The price of crude oil last summer was in the $60 range.
This spring, the price of crude oil spiked up to around $140. That’s a 133 percent increase in the raw material for gasoline.
The price of gasoline, on the other hand, increased “only” 33 percent, from $3 to $4
What happened?•
• We made a lot of noise
• We cut back on gasoline consumption a little. In other words, we showed the oil companies the price point at which price begins to cut into demand.
• Oil companies made record profits.
What didn’t happen?
• Fuel riots
• A windfall profits tax
• Any serious effort to expand mass transit
• Grass-roots demands that the country move away from gasoline as a motor fuel.
• The economy went into an official, nationwide recession.
Now, if the retail price of gasoline had increased as much as the cost of crude, we would have been paying $7 a gallon at the pump. How many of those things would have happened? All of those things, frankly, would have been bad for the oil companies, so they ate the extra crude cost, saw their refining margins drop, but found the price point at which they can extract the maximum number of dollars from consumers without cutting too badly into demand.
It’s a good bet we’ll see retail gasoline prices between, oh, $3.70 and $4.10 the rest of the year, no matter what happens to the price of crude oil. They got us where they want us.

Unusually cool for August

2008-08-08T17:07:00.002-04:00

Unusually cool, dry air is spreading across the eastern half of the country this weekend, and forecasters with Accuweather, the weather service that brings you the print Morning Sun's weather page, will make it feel more like September than early August.
Lows dropping to the low 50s will be the norm overnight.
"It's going to be even colder tonight around the lower Great Lakes," said Accuweather Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet. "Lows in the rural areas of western New York and Pennsylvania could dip into the 40s."
Kocet adds that conditions forecast for this weekend from the Great Lakes to the Deep South can be described simply as splendid. Cool, dry Canadian air will spread behind a cold front that will plunge almost to the Gulf Coast.
In mid-Michigan, the passage of that front is expected to tough off some isolated thundershowers and scattered showers before dry weather returns Saturday night and Sunday, say National Weather Service forecasters.
The absence of humidity will be a welcome relief across the Southeast, where steamy conditions are the rule in mid-summer. Daytime heating will result in near normal temperatures; however, the dry air will make it feel much more comfortable.
The big difference will be felt at night, when it is going to feel more like September.

Police release sketch of suspect

2008-08-08T16:42:00.002-04:00

The Isabella County Sheriff’s office released a sketch of the man who is wanted for robbing a rural Isabella County store Wednesday night.
A forensic artist from the Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Lansing met with the store clerk Thursday afternoon to do a sketch of the suspect.
According to Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski, the man who robbed Koppela’s Korner store at 8990 E. Pere Marquette Road in Wise Township is still on the loose, but deputies now believe the black car he was driving to be an Infinity which is a division of Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
The suspect, described as a white man in his 20s, approximately 6 feet tall with a thin build, and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses, was carrying what appeared to be a handgun when he entered the store Wednesday night around 7 p.m. and demanded money.
After getting an undisclosed amount of cash from the store, the man got into his car and drove off, heading toward Clare, the sheriff said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s department at 989-772-0911.

- Reporting by Lisa Satayut and Susan Field

The state of politics

2008-08-07T15:50:00.001-04:00

News item across my desk:
The city of Denver has banned the carrying of urine and feces.There's a political convention coming to town.

And what of Gratiot?

2008-08-07T08:50:00.003-04:00

Numerous comments here kept asking the question - where are the Gratiot County results?
That's a question that deserves an answer.
But first, some background.
I covered my first election 35 years ago, in 1973. It was a city election in Mt. Pleasant, and I tagged along with another student journalist from WMHW-FM, the student-run radio station at Central Michigan University.
All that we needed was a pencil, pad, calculator, tape recorder and a pair of alligator clips to tie into a telephone. Over the next 17 years, I covered a lot of elections and did a lot of broadcast reporting from the field.
Those numbers had to be right, the journalism had to be good and the technical aspects had to come together. There were enough breakdowns in sending stuff from the field - not just election coverage, but sports events, other news events and commercial remote broadcasts - that I learned to give great respect to Murphy's Law.
The law says, "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." To deal with that, a field producer has to know, or figure out, what can go wrong, plan as much as possible to prevent that, and have backup plans in case things really do go sour.
When I moved into print 18 years ago, it still was pencil-pad-calculator time, and the job actually became a little easier. A print journalist has the luxury of waiting until all the numbers are in.
Sure, there's a scramble to get the paper out if the last numbers are late. That's happened, but people expect complete numbers and perspective in their morning papers.
Now, it's the age of the Internet, where readers expect not only the complete numbers in the morning, but partial numbers in the meantime. We expect to deliver that, but we have to learn how.
Our first experience was in May, when we covered the library millage in the Chippewa River Library District. That was a fairly simply election: One major question, 12 precincts, yes or no.
To get the numbers up, we had to establish a high-speed Internet connection from the Isabella County Building. The county won't permit outsiders to access its network for security reasons, so we had to set up our own.
With Murphy's Law looming in the background, we made it work. We updated The Sun Insider seven times and got things wrapped up by 9:45 p.m.
But I saw potential problems. In a larger election, it would be easy to get the numbers confused, and when precincts start rolling in at a fast pace, it would be easy to get behind. And we needed a desk.
This time, we got more ambitious. Tuesday's primary in Isabella County involved 26 contested races with 57 different choices. There were lots of opportunities for error.
It was a good test.
We assigned reporter Lisa Satayut, community volunteer Andrew Ranzenberger (yes, he's my son; he worked cheap and has a good technical background) and me to the county building. I played the role of producer/technical geek/blogger/analyst, while the Lisa and Andrew collected the numbers and entered them into an online spreadsheet.
I think it's important to have two people checking the numbers. There were 585 different numbers that had to be entered, precinct by precinct, contested race by contested race. All had to be right.
There was enough vague Internet fuzziness to worry me. Sometimes numbers were entered and took way too long to show up. Lisa and Andrew caught each others' fat-finger errors, and sometimes, I noted out-of-place or missing numbers. It's called quality control.
By the time it went out to the public, we were pretty confident in them,
There were changes we made on the fly. I didn't like the way the percentage of precincts reporting showed up at first, so I changed it. I had planned to present the numbers in tables, but the HTML coding turned out to be impractical in the field. That needs to be fixed.
But overall, the project worked. I learned what I needed to learn, so I can teach it to other people. I made changes, discovered glitches, found fixes on the fly or made plans to find them between now and November.
Was this at a stage where I could have coordinated two remote sites 30 miles apart? No way. I would have been setting ourselves up to fail.
I didn't know, going in, what questions needed to be asked, let alone the answers. I do now.
Come November, we hope to be ready to provide real-time updates from both Ithaca and Mt. Pleasant, with a well-trained staff to do it.
That's what you want - and we hope to deliver it right.
Thanks for being part of our great experiment.
-- Mark R

Brunner happy to see Favre go

2008-08-06T18:36:00.002-04:00

The Brett Favre-Green Bay Packers soap opera has dominated the sports world.

With the latest developments pointing to Favre finally parting ways with the Packers, most Green Bay fans have expressed disappointment with the Packers organization.

CMU quarterback Brian Brunner is not one of those fans.

"I know Brett Favre must understand it is an election year because he sure has done a lot of flip-flopping," Brunner said. "I grew up a Packers fan and always liked Brett Favre, but when he announced his retirement, I thought it was the right decision. Through this whole saga, he has expressed that he wants to comeback, but then the Packers management visited him and he wasn't sure about coming back. Favre has really been inconsistent in his views and put the Packers in a bad situation."

Brunner, who originally hails from Hubertus, Wis., knows that he is in the minority when it comes to his feelings on Favre.

"Being the Wisconsinite that I am and the cheese-head that I am, I know there are plenty of Packers fans that aren't level-headed about the situation and think everyone is out to get ol' Brett Favre. But Favre put the Packers in a tough spot and the management has handled it very well. I think it is about time for Brett to ride off into the sunset on his tractor."

Brunner also voiced his support for Aaron Rodgers and hopes to see Favre on the opposing sideline when Green Bay hosts Minnesota during the opening week of the NFL regular season.

"I have been on the Aaron Rodgers bandwagon for a year or two now and I wouldn't mind seeing Brett in purple and see Green Bay take it to the Vikings and see the new lion teach the old lion a thing or two."

Dan LeFevour, who is a Chicago Bears fan, has been very happy to see the Packers'-Favre situation get out of control, as he feels it will damage the Green Bay season.

Brunner couldn't disagree more.

"Dan can come talk to me when Chicago has sorted out their quarterback situation," Brunner joked. "They can choose between below average and strictly awful. So, I think the Packers are going to be alright."

Final numbers

2008-08-06T00:19:00.004-04:00

Here are the totals of Tuesday's Isabella County contested elections:

Sheriff - GOP	Total	Percent
Kevin Dush	2,174	38%
√ Leo Mioduszewski - I	3,518	62%

Road Commission, 6 years, GOP	Total	Percent
√ Bob Curtiss - I	2,536	51%
William B. Ruddel	2,415	49%

Road Commission - 6 years - Dem	Total	Percent
William Scott Moss	564	36.67%
√ Margie Williams	974	63.33%

Road Commission - 2 years - GOP	Total	Percent
Joseph Sowmick	1925	40.24%
√ Terry Turnwald	2859	59.76%

(Winner faces Dem Rick Jakubiec)

Drain Commissioner - GOP	Total	Percent
√ Russ Alwood	1742	33.17%
Frank Engler	1353	25.77%
Roger Hauck	1171	22.30%
Bruce Starr	985	18.76%

County Proposal 1 - ICTC, 1 mill, 4 years	Total	Percent
√ Yes	5173	74.10%
No	1808	25.90%

County Proposal 2 - Fixed Millage	Total	Percent
√ Yes	4825	72.51%
No	1829	27.49%

Chippewa River Library 1.75 mills 10 years	Total	Percent
√ Yes	3776	79.75%
No	959	20.25%

Mt Pleasant - Define electors	Total	Percent
√ Yes	1734	83.81%
No	335	16.19%

Mt. Pleasant - Increase signatures	Total	Percent
√ Yes	1468	73.81%
No	521	26.19%

Sherman Twp Fire 1 mill 6 year renewal	Total	Percent
√ Yes	236	77.12%
No	70	22.88%

County Board - District 5 - GOP	Total	Percent
√ Charles Pepper	422	62.70%
Richard Swindlehurst	251	37.30%

County Board - District 5 - Dem	Total	Percent
√ James Moreno	256	56.02%
Ron Roby - I	201	43.98%

Chippewa Twp. Supervisor - DEM	Total	Percent
√ Robert P. Smith	62	61.39%
George Grim - I	39	38.61%

Chippewa Twp. Trustee (2) DEM	Total	Percent
Buhl Billsby	39	25.66%
√ Clair Lapham - I	45	29.61%
√ Michelle Quakenbush - I	68	44.74%

Coe Twp Clerk - GOP	Total	Percent
Beth Bryant	135	45.61%
√ Paul Hawkins	161	54.39%

Coldwater Twp. Supervisor GOP	Total	Percent
Andy Bellinger	28	32.94%
√ James Dague - I	57	67.06%

Deerfield Twp. Supervisor GOP	Total	Percent
Chris Courser	165	33.07%
√ Timothy Murphy - I	334	66.93%

Deerfield Twp Trustee GOP (2)	Total	Percent
David Garrett - I	216	30.95%
√ Alan Johns	223	31.95%
√ Randy Martin - I	259	37.11%

Denver Twp. Supervisor - DEM	Total	Percent
√ John J. Pedjac - I	61	59.22%
Dennis Grim	42	40.78%

Nottawa Twp. Clerk GOP	Total	Percent
Dave Brickner	133	48.01%
√ Judith Schumacher	144	51.99%

Union Twp. Supervisor GOP	Total	Percent
√ Richard Haynes	397	52.79%
James T. Collin - I	355	47.21%

Union Twp. Treasurer - GOP	Total	Percent
√ Pam Stovak	383	52.04%
Deborah Supka - I	353	47.96%

Wise Twp. Clerk GOP	Total	Percent
√ Doris Methner - I	86	65.65%
Kathy Ranck	45	34.35%

Wise Twp Treasurer DEM	Total	Percent
√ Lisa Card	30	66.67%
Tammy Hasenfratz	15	33.33%

Wise Twp Trustee (2) GOP	Total	Percent
√ Joseph Babosh - I	100	44.84%
√ Lee Ranck - I	80	35.87%
Gerald Stryeski	43	19.28%

Collin, Supka defeated in Union Twp.

2008-08-05T23:43:00.002-04:00

Republican challengers Richard Haynes and Pam Stovak defeated a pair of long-time Union Township incumbents Tuesday.
Haynes defeated Supervisor James T. Collin, and will face a challenge from Democrat John Barker in November; Stovak beat long-time Treasurer Deborah Supka.

Sheriff - with 90 percent of the precincts reporting
Kevin Dush..................... 2000 39.05%
√ Leo Mioduszewski - I 3121 60.95%

Road Commission - 6 years - GOP - with 90 percent of the precincts reporting
Bob Curtiss .............2301 51.51%
William B. Ruddell 2166 48.49%

Road Commission - 6 years - Dem - with 90 percent of the precincts reporting
William Scott Moss 501 36.97%
Margie Williams ... 854 63.03%

Road Commission - 2 years - GOP - with 90 percent of the precincts reporting
Joseph Sowmick 1735 40.22%
Terry Turnwald 2579 59.78%

Drain Commissioner - GOP - with 90 percent of the precincts reporting
Russ Alwood 1557 33.06%
Frank Engler 1188 25.23%
Roger Hauck 1068 22.68%
Bruce Starr .. 896 19.03%
(Winner faces Dem Rick Jakubiec)

County Proposal 1 - ICTC, 1 mill, 4 years - with 86 percent of the precincts reporting
√ Yes 4391 74.17%
No .... 1529 25.83%

County Proposal 2 - Fixed Millage - with 86 percent of the precincts reporting
√ Yes 4100 72.57%
No ....1550 27.43%

Chippewa River Library 1.75 mills 10 years - with 90 percent of the precincts reporting
√ Yes 3092 80.67%
No ........ 741 19.33%

Mt Pleasant - Define electors - final
√ Yes 1734 83.81%
No ......... 335 16.19%

Mt. Pleasant - Increase signatures - final
√ Yes ... 1468 73.81%
No ......521 26.19%

Sherman Twp Fire 1 mill 6 year renewal - final
√ Yes 236 77.12%
No ..... 70 22.88%

County Board - District 5 - GOP - final
√ Charles Pepper ...... 422 62.70%
Richard Swindlehurst 251 37.30%

County Board - District 5 - Dem - final
√ James Moreno 256 56.02%
Ron Roby - I .......201 43.98%

Chippewa Twp. Supervisor - DEM - final
Robert P. Smith .....62 61.39%
√ George Grim - I 39 38.61%

Chippewa Twp. Trustee (2) DEM - final
Buhl Billsby ..........................39 25.66%
√ Clair Lapham - I ...............45 29.61%
√ Michelle Quakenbush - I 68 44.74%

Coe Twp Clerk - GOP - final
Beth Bryant ... 135 45.61%
√ Paul Hawkins 161 54.39%

Coldwater Twp. Supervisor GOP - final
Andy Bellinger ...... 28 32.94%
√ James Dague - I 57 67.06%

Denver Twp. Supervisor - DEM - final
√ John J. Pedjac - I 61 59.22%
Dennis Grim .......... 42 40.78%

Nottawa Twp. Clerk GOP - final
Dave Brickner ............ 133 48.01%
√ Judith Schumacher 144 51.99%

Union Twp. Supervisor - GOP - FINAL
√ Richard Haynes 397 52.79%
James T. Collin - I 355 47.21%

Union Twp. Treasurer - GOP - FINAL
√ Pam Stovak ....... 383 52.04%
Deborah Supka - I 353 47.96%

Wise Twp. Clerk GOP - Final
√ Doris Methner - I .......... 86 65.65%
Kathy Ranck ...................... 45 34.35%

Wise Twp Treasurer DEM - Final
√ Lisa Card ........... 30 66.67%
Tammy Hasenfratz 15 33.33%

Wise Twp Trustee (2) GOP - Final
√Joseph Babosh - I 100 44.84%
√ Lee Ranck - I 80 35.87%
Gerald Stryeski 43 19.28%

Sheriff's race continues

2008-08-05T22:49:00.002-04:00

Miodoszewski, Alwood continue to lead; long-time Chippewa Township Supervisor George Grim goes down to defeat; Schumacher wins in Nottawa.

Sheriff - with 55 percent of the precincts reporting
Kevin Dush ................. 1261 38.05%
Leo Mioduszewski - I 2053 61.95%

Road Commission - 6 years - GOP - with 55 percent of the precincts reporting
Bob Curtiss .............. 1526 52.60%
William B. Ruddell 1375 47.40%

Road Commission - 6 years - Dem - with 55 percent of the precincts reporting
William Scott Moss ...... 336 35.15%
Margie Williams ........ 620 64.85%

Road Commission - 2 years - GOP - with 55 percent of the precincts reporting
Joseph Sowmick 1189 43.05%
Terry Turnwald 1573 56.95%

Drain Commissioner - GOP - with 55 percent of the precincts reporting
Russ Alwood 999 33.02%
Frank Engler 800 26.45%
Roger Hauck 650 21.49%
Bruce Starr ...576 19.04%
(Winner faces Dem Rick Jakubiec)

County Proposal 1 - ICTC, 1 mill, 4 years - with 55 percent of the precincts reporting
√ Yes 3199 76.59%
No ...... 978 23.41%

County Proposal 2 - Fixed Millage - with 55 percent of the precincts reporting
√ Yes 2943 74.39%
No ... 1013 25.61%

Chippewa River Library 1.75 mills 10 years - with 60 percent of the precincts reporting
√ Yes 2363 82.48%
No ... 502 17.52%

Mt Pleasant - Define electors - final
√ Yes 1734 83.81%
No 335 16.19%

Mt. Pleasant - Increase signatures - final
√ Yes 1468 73.81%
No ... 521 26.19%

Sherman Twp Fire 1 mill 6 year renewal - final
√ Yes 236 77.12%
No ..... 70 22.88%

County Board - District 5 - GOP - final
√ Charles Pepper ...... 422 62.70%
Richard Swindlehurst 251 37.30%

County Board - District 5 - Dem - final
√ James Moreno 256 56.02%
Ron Roby - I ....... 201 43.98%

Chippewa Twp. Supervisor - DEM - final
√ Robert P. Smith 62 61.39%
George Grim - I 39 38.61%

Chippewa Twp. Trustee (2) DEM - final
Buhl Billsby .......... 39 25.66%
√ Clair Lapham - I . 45 29.61%
√ Michelle Quakenbush - I 68 44.74%

Coe Twp Clerk - GOP - with 50 percent of the precincts reporting
Beth Bryant 77 45.29%
Paul Hawkins 93 54.71%

Nottawa Twp. Clerk GOP - final
Dave Brickner ....... 133 48.01%
Judith Schumacher 144 51.99%

City numbers final

2008-08-05T22:16:00.002-04:00

City numbers are now final; both city proposals passed overwhelmingly.
The Chippewa River District Library property tax proposal passed nearly 9 to 1.
Isabella County Commissioner Ron Roby has gone down to defeat; challenger James Moreno will face Republican Charles Pepper in November.
And Sherman Township voters approved a renewal of that township's property tax for fire protection.

Here are the latest returns:

Sheriff - with 41 percent of the precincts reporting:
Kevin Dush ................. 842 35.44%
Leo Mioduszewski - I 1534 64.56%

Road Commission - 6 years - GOP - with 41 percent of the precincts reporting:
Bob Curtiss .............. 1021 49.35%
William B. Ruddell 1048 50.65%

Road Commission - 6 years - Dem - with 38 percent of the precincts reporting:
William Scott Moss 257 33.12%
Margie Williams .... 519 66.88%

Road Commission - 2 years - GOP - with 41 percent of the precincts reporting:
Joseph Sowmick 910 48.53%
Terry Turnwald .. 965 51.47%

Drain Commissioner - GOP - with 41 percent of the precincts reporting:
Russ Alwood 803 38.20%
Frank Engler 531 28.86%
Roger Hauck 506 24.07%
Bruce Starr .. 262 12.46%
(Winner faces Dem Rick Jakubiec)

County Proposal 1 - ICTC, 1 mill, 4 years - with 38 percent of the precincts reporting:
√ Yes 2387 79.70%
No 608 20.30%

County Proposal 2 - Fixed Millage - with 38 percent of the precincts reporting:
√ Yes 2169 77.24%
No 639 22.76%

Chippewa River Library 1.75 mills 10 years - with 45 percent of the precincts reporting:
√ Yes 2123 84.28%
No 396 15.72%

Mt Pleasant - Define electors - with 100 percent of the precincts reporting:
√ Yes 1734 83.81%
No 335 16.19%

Mt. Pleasant - Increase signatures - with 100 percent of the precincts reporting:
√ Yes 1468 73.81%
No 521 26.19%

Sherman Twp Fire 1 mill 6 year renewal - with 100 percent of the precincts reporting:
√ Yes 236 77.12%
No 70 22.88%

County Board - District 5 - GOP - with 100 percent of the precincts reporting:
√ Charles Pepper ...... 422 62.70%
Richard Swindlehurst 251 37.30%

County Board - District 5 - Dem - with 100 percent of the precincts reporting:
√ James Moreno 256 56.02%
Ron Roby - I ..... 201 43.98%

Chippewa Twp. Supervisor - DEM - with 50 percent of the precincts reporting:
Robert P. Smith ... 24 63.16%
George Grim - I .....14 36.84%

Chippewa Twp. Trustee (2) DEM - with 50 percent of the precincts reporting:
Buhl Billsby 9 31.59%
Clair Lapham - I 19 34.55%
Michelle Quakenbush 27 49.09%

Alwood, Mioduszewski lead; Library winning overwhelmingly

2008-08-05T21:53:00.003-04:00

Sheriff - 24 percent of precincts reporting
Kevin Dush ............................ 392 30.96%
Leo Mioduszewski - I..............874 69.04%

Road Commission - 6 years - GOP - 24 percent of precincts reporting
Bob Curtiss ................ 515 45.90%
William B. Ruddell .... 607 54.10%

Road Commission - 6 years - Dem - 24 percent of precincts reporting
William Scott Moss 158 32.78%
Margie Williams 324 67.22%

Road Commission - 2 years - GOP - 24 percent of precincts reporting
Joseph Sowmick 483 45.87%
Terry Turnwald 570 54.13%

Drain Commissioner - GOP - 24 percent of precincts reporting
Russ Alwood 423 37.73%
Frank Engler 263 27.00%
Roger Hauck 288 25.69%
Bruce Starr 147 13.11%
(Winner faces Dem Rick Jakubiec)

County Proposal 1 - ICTC, 1 mill, 4 years - 24 percent of precincts reporting
√ Yes 1424 80.32%
No 349 19.68%

County Proposal 2 - Fixed Millage - 24 percent of precincts reporting
√ Yes 1287 77.02%
No 384 22.98%

Chippewa River Library 1.75 mills 10 years - 30 percent of precincts reporting
√ Yes 1293 84.29%
No 241 15.71%

Mt Pleasant - Define electors - 57 percent of precincts reporting
√ Yes 1047 84.57%
No 191 15.43%

Mt. Pleasant - Increase signatures - 57 percent of precincts reporting
√ Yes 882 73.93%
No 311 26.07%

County Board - District 5 - GOP - 75 percent of precincts reporting
√ Charles Pepper 297 61.49%
Richard Swindlehurst 186 38.51%

County Board - District 5 - Dem - - 75 percent of precincts reporting
√ James Moreno 200 56.18%
Ron Roby - I 156 43.82%

Chippewa Twp. Supervisor - DEM - 50 percent of precincts reporting
Robert P. Smith 24 63.16%
George Grim - I 14 36.84%

Chippewa Twp. Trustee (2) DEM - 50 percent of precincts reporting
Buhl Billsby 9 31.59%
Clair Lapham - I 19 34.55%
Michelle Quakenbush 27 49.09%

Library millage passing overwhelmingly

2008-08-05T21:27:00.002-04:00

The first out-county precinct is in: Fremont Township.
The Chippewa River District Library renewal is passing handily - a remarkable 9 to 1 vote.

Here are the results until now:

Sheriff % precincts Total Percent
Kevin Dush 7% 112 35.00%
Leo Mioduszewski - I 7% 208 65.00%

Road Commission - 6 years - GOP
Bob Curtiss 10% 241 47.16%
William B. Ruddell 10% 270 52.84%

Road Commission - 6 years - Dem
William Scott Moss 10% 72 30.25%
Margie Williams 10% 166 69.75%

Road Commission - 2 years - GOP
Joseph Sowmick 10% 189 42.86%
Terry Turnwald 10% 252 57.14%

Drain Commissioner - GOP
Russ Allwood 10% 184 39.57%
Frank Engler 10% 108 26.47%
Roger Hauck 10% 116 24.95%
Bruce Starr 10% 57 12.26%
(Winner faces Dem Rick Jakubiec)

County Proposal 1 - ICTC, 1 mill, 4 years
Yes 10% 647 83.06%
No 10% 132 16.94%

County Proposal 2 - Fixed Millage
Yes 10% 576 79.12%
No 10% 152 20.88%

Chippewa River Library 1.75 mills 10 years
Yes 14% 618 87.78%
No 14% 86 12.22%

Mt Pleasant - Define electors
Yes 29% 496 85.66%
No 29% 83 14.34%

Mt. Pleasant - Increase signatures
Yes 29% 413 74.55%
No 29% 141 25.45%

County Board - District 5 - GOP
Charles Pepper 50% 175 60.98%
Richard Swindlehurst 50% 112 39.02%

County Board - District 5 - Dem
James Moreno 50% 137 58.05%
Ron Roby - I 50% 99 41.95%

Mioduczewski takes early lead

2008-08-05T21:07:00.000-04:00

The first precinct has reported, and Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduczewski has taken a commanding early lead - 147-45.

Polls are closed

2008-08-05T20:30:00.002-04:00

The polls are closed, and all that remains is the counting.
The staff of the Isabella County Clerk's office is ready, and a small audience has gathered in the commissioners room of the Isabella County Building.
And the punch is cold. It's green this election.
Now all that's necessary is the first cartridge of election returns to come in the door.
Stay tuned.

Election night

2008-08-05T18:59:00.002-04:00

It's about an hour until the polls close across mid-Michigan, and TheMorningSun.com is preparing for what he hope will be another round of live election coverage.
In May, we took the first shot at blogging and posting election returns live from the Isabella County Building. It wasn't a massive election - but an important one.
The feedback we got indicated that people found themselves glued to the Sun Insider as we updated regularly. We hope to do the same thing tonight on several races.
Turnout today has been reported as "steady."
Weekend editor Mindy Norton reports that as she was voting today, another voter began calling out, "If I want the library to stay open, do I vote yes or no? Yes or no?"
She was clearly confused.
The answer she was looking for, was yes, by the way.

Little League Baseball

2008-07-19T17:45:00.004-04:00

No lack of moisture now

2008-07-16T23:22:00.003-04:00

Wednesday's warm, moist air was the perfect recipe for a summer thunderstorm that dumped as much as 5 inches of rain across southern Isabella County, northern Gratiot County and southern Midland County.
A frontal boundary was just sitting across mid-Michigan. A warm, partly sunny day drove the temperature to 91 degrees at 3:55 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Municipal Airport. With all the water in the atmosphere, that started thunderheads to build.
It didn't take long for the rain to start falling - but the thunderheads weren't moving very fast. That allowed torrential rain to continue, and the flooded fields near Shepherd were ample evidence of that.
The rainfall did provide some relief from the heat. The temperature plummeted from 91 just before 4 p.m. to 70 at 6:36 p.m.

Heavy July Rain

2008-07-16T23:16:00.004-04:00

The drainage system added to Red Maple Lane a few years back couldn't keep up with Wednesday's heavy rain.
As much as 5 inches of rain dumped on southern Isabella County Wednesday evening, flooding streets and farm fields, and filling small creeks to their banks.
Slow-moving thunderstorms crept across mid-Michigan beginning late Wednesday afternoon, crawling along a frontal boundary at about 10 mph. That gave the storms plenty of time to drop plenty of water.
National Weather Service Doppler radar analysis showed the heaviest rain was in the Shepherd area of southern Isabella County, as well as far northern Gratiot County and southern Midland County.

Beans need rain, but enough is enough.

Corn plants in this field had their feet in the water.
The slow pace of the storms prompted weather service meteorologists to extend the severe thunderstorm warning at least twice.
Thunderstorm winds caused scattered downed trees about five miles northwest of Farwell. A county official told the weather service that some large trees were down along M-115 for a three-mile stretch, including at the intersection of M-115 and Silver Lake Drive.
In Montcalm County, a tree was blown down at M-91 and Kendaville Road south of Lakeview.

Standing water was reported on Blanchard Road between Summerton and Isabella roads near Shepherd, and on M-46 near Alger Road in Gratiot County, as well as on side roads.

How I Shot that Photo

2008-07-09T15:25:00.008-04:00

A lot of people are asking me about this photo:

People want to know how far away I was, was I standing on something, what lens did I use...here's the scoop...

Sun reporter Sue Field and I were about what looks to me to be about 1/8th of a mile away from the suspect when he was arrested. Or, when looking below, where Sgt. Hugel is standing. The suspect was toward the edge of the cornfield, all the way in the back of the picture, near the blue pole barn.

Or, to give another perspective, in the picture below, near the car in the foreground, shooting toward the car in the waaaayy background.

As you can tell, I was on a hill, and very far away. I used a 300 mm lens, and still, this is what the picture looked like uncropped:

It was exciting to be so close, and have such amazing access to something like that. I feel like the picture was mostly luck, and since yesterday was my birthday, a really fabulous birthday present:)

police chase

2008-07-08T18:08:00.008-04:00

A 26-year-old parole absconder from Wayne County eluded searchers for nearly 18 hours Monday and Tuesday before being busted in a cornfield near Winn.

The man, from downriver Taylor, was accused of driving off in an old Dodge Caravan with $73 worth of gasoline from a Fremont Township service station about 8 p.m. Monday. Deputies couldn't find him, but found the minivan crashed into trees at Winn and Fremont roads.

Then shortly after noon Tuesday, a deputy on patrol spotted the suspect riding a bicycle in the area. The man took off into the swamp nearby, but was spotted a little more than an hour later in a cornfield. Five sheriff's deputies, a Shepherd police officer and a Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Police officer with a dog surrounded the man.

His name hasn't been released, but the Michigan Department of Corrections says he has a record of resisting and obstructing police, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, disarming a police officer, two counts of unlawful driving away of an automobile, two second-offense drunken drivings and two additional second-degree home invasions, all in Wayne County.

Photos by Lisa Yanick-Jonaitis, words courtesy of Mark Ranzenberger

Marine Patrol

2008-07-05T17:20:00.002-04:00

Isabella County Marine Patrol
Video Here

Photographs and Video by RYAN EVON

Isabella County's lowest-rated bridge

2008-07-05T13:43:00.005-04:00

Isabella County's lowest-rated bridge is the Wise Road bridge in Coe Township that crosses the Little Salt River downstream from Shepherd. It carries a federal sufficiency rating of 2.0 on a scale of 0-100.
The “federal sufficiency rating” is a complex formula used to determine federal bridge program funding eligibility.
The sufficiency rating combines the condition and functional adequacy data collected on every bridge into a single number. Sufficiency rating values range from 0 (low) to 100 (high).
If the sufficiency rating on a bridge is 50 or less and it is designated as “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete,” the bridge qualifies for federal replacement funding.
A low sufficiency rating number does not necessarily mean that the bridge is in need of immediate repair, but a pretty good argument has been made that this one is. It is up for replacement in 2009.

Beneath the bridge, the problems are obvious. The steel beams supporting the bridge are heavily corroded. It's possible to pass one's hand through the hole in one massive I-beam.

Daylight shines through a hole in the deck.

It's a good bet that this I-beam, now shaped like a Z, once was straight and true.

One guardrail post seems to have taken a hit at some point, and the I-beam below it is twisted out of shape.

On a county primary road, the bridge carries substantial traffic, including heavyweight agricultural and truck traffic.

Click here for a fully interactive map

Mid-Michigan has many "structurally deficient" bridges. Click on a placemarker near you to see them in your area.

Read Susan Field's story on mid-Michigan's bridges in Sunday's Morning Sun!

Gratiot County's lowest-rated bridge

2008-07-05T13:20:00.005-04:00

The lowest-rated bridge in Gratiot County is just east of Riverdale and carries Lincoln Road across the Pine River. It carries a federal sufficiency rating of 2.0.
The “federal sufficiency rating” is a complex formula used to determine federal bridge program funding eligibility.
The sufficiency rating combines the condition and functional adequacy data collected on every bridge into a single number. Sufficiency rating values range from 0 (low) to 100 (high).
If the sufficiency rating on a bridge is 50 or less and it is designated as “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete,” the bridge qualifies for federal replacement funding.
A low sufficiency rating number does not necessarily mean that the bridge is in need of immediate repair.

Like many bridges of its era, it is a concrete bridge. But weathering has taken a heavy toll on the Riverdale bridge, exposing the steel reinforcing rod at the east end of the bridge.

Huge chunks of the facing have fallen off the west end of the bridge, as well, with gravel from the conglomerate collecting at the bottom of the concrete truss.

The bridge features window-like openings in the concrete truss that provides strength to the structure, but now, the edges are crumbling.

The steel rebar is rusty, but apparently continues to provide strong reinforcement.

The bridge is classified as "structurally deficient," but bridge engineers are quick to point out that that term doesn't necessarily mean unsafe. The bridge is narrow, on a county primary road, and carries a substantial amount of traffic, including heavyweight agricultural traffic.

The Lincoln Road bridge is a beautiful design that compliments the beautiful setting on the Upper Pine, but its problems are obvious.

Click here for a fully interactive map

Mid-Michigan has many "structurally deficient" bridges. Click on a placemarker near you to see them in your area.

Read Susan Field's story on mid-Michigan's bridges in Sunday's Morning Sun!

Clare County's lowest-rated bridge

2008-07-05T13:08:00.005-04:00

Clare County's lowest-rated bridge is on Clare Avenue - Old. U.S. 27 - in Frost Township near the Roscommon County line. With a federal sufficiency rating of 4.0 on a scale of 100, the concrete bridge shows its age.
The “federal sufficiency rating” is a complex formula used to determine federal bridge program funding eligibility.
The sufficiency rating combines the condition and functional adequacy data collected on every bridge into a single number. Sufficiency rating values range from 0 (low) to 100 (high).
If the sufficiency rating on a bridge is 50 or less and it is designated as “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete,” the bridge qualifies for federal replacement funding.
A low sufficiency rating number does not necessarily mean that the bridge is in need of immediate repair.

It crosses Townline Creek in a middle of a swale. The bridge's concrete deck is barely above the water, and it looks as if the deck could be submerged during times of extremely high water in the swamp.
The years have not been kind to concrete bridges, which were built quickly and cheaply during the middle of the 20th century. Concrete facing falls off after years of exposure to sun, heat, cold and salt, exposing the conglomerate and rebar below. below.
Gravel on the narrow curb next to the narrow bridge deck seems to come from the bridge itself as the concrete disintegrates.

The bridge traffic isn't heavy, but Clare Avenue is a county primary road.

Click here for a fully interactive map

Mid-Michigan has many "structurally deficient" bridges. Click on a placemarker near you to see them in your area.

Read Susan Field's story on mid-Michigan's bridges in Sunday's Morning Sun!

St. Louis Blues Festival

2008-07-04T21:46:00.002-04:00

A video of the St. Louis Blues Festival is available Here.

Photographs by Dick Bolton

Fireworks at the casino

2008-07-04T11:34:00.003-04:00

The Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe are promising a huge fireworks show at dusk on the Fourth of July.
More than 1,000 shells are set for the show, and a viewing area is being set up west of the casino-hotel. Parking is available in the casino lot, in a newly-designated parking area off Summerton Road, and in overflow parking south of the viewing area.

Nature study in wild flowers

2008-06-30T13:38:00.005-04:00

In Deerfield Park, just west of Mt. Pleasant, There is a field of beautiful, colorful wildflowers. I spent time stalking bees and other bugs today.

These butterflies were skittish and playful. They played hard to get for a long while.

Eventually I caught this one, whose wings were tinged pink and looked jeweled.

I don't know what this is. It flew like a moth but jumped off its landing spot like a grasshopper.

Is this a moth? No clue, but there were tons of them.

My heron's prettier! Nyeah!

2008-06-26T19:19:00.005-04:00

When ace Sun photographer Lisa Yanick-Joaitis posted her image of a huge, beautiful heron she took at Island Park, I had to jump in and share this image that I took of a heron farther upstream in the Chippewa River.
My son and I were canoeing. We first spotted the bird upstream of Meridian Park, and he (she?) kept an eye on us all the way to town.
This could be the same bird.
More on the canoe trip here on my personal blog, the Ranzenblog.

Through the rail trail tunnel

2008-06-26T06:54:00.003-04:00

When the expressway carrying what was then U.S. 27 was built back more than 40 years ago, trains still ran regularly along the C&O tracks from Midland to Ludington, with the train cars connecting to points west on cross-lake ferries like the City of Midland, Spartan and Badger. The highway bridge over the railroad and Saginaw Road in Clare was built extra high to accommodate the rail cars.
Now, the rails are gone, the right-of-way converted to the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail. A recent Michigan Department of Transportation project to repair the bridges lowered the height of the highway bridges and added a tunnel to carry the rail trail under the U.S. 127 freeway.

The stonework and design evokes the look of railroad tunnels of the 19th century.

Beyond the tunnel headed east toward Loomis, Coleman, Sanford and Midland, a pleasant vista opens up.

The rail trail is perfect for cyclists, walkers, people who use wheelchairs and others. Mostly lined by trees, the linear park provides a quiet, pretty path through the countryside. It's paved from its beginning at the Tridge in downtown Midland all the way to Clare, and the state-owned portion of the linear park extends all the way to Baldwin through Evart and Reed City.

Trailheads are in Midland, Sanford, west of Sanford, Coleman, Loomis and in Clare. It doesn't take any gas to ride.

Heron

2008-06-25T16:57:00.004-04:00

Saw this fella in Island Park today hanging out by the river.

Normally when I get pictures of blue herons, it's of them flying away from the camera.

But this guy (or girl, I have no idea) didn't give two rips about me being there. He just casually sauntered down the edge of the river, completely ignoring me.

Punk bird.

The buzz

2008-06-23T15:46:00.004-04:00

"It looks like it is the season for swarming," says reader and Chippewa Township resident Steven Lowrance. He passed along these photos after a similar swarm blocked the entrance to the Blue Gator tavern in downtown Mt. Pleasant.

"We had this swarm show up last Tuesday evening," he told us. "They stuck around until sometime in the afternoon on Thursday ... Anyway, we contacted the folks at the Michigan Beekeepers Association, and they were going to send out someone to pick up the swarm but (the bees) were gone before (the beekeeper) could get to us."

Lowrance said that many beekeepers are happy to pick up swarms because the beekeepers get to keep the bees, which are running about $70 for three pounds with a mated queen. That's about what it takes to start a new hive.

"The last pic is with 'Flat Stanley,'" Lowrance said. "My niece sent us Stanley to spend a summer vacation with us. We take pictures of him all over, and she'll get him back this fall for a report at school."

That's a big swarm in a little tree.

The moonlight cruise down the Chippewa

2008-06-22T10:37:00.002-04:00

Moonlight on the Chippewa (Click here to watch the video)

Read the story from TheMorningSun.com

Most of the dozen or so people gathered at Buckley's Mountainside Canoe Livery near Mt. Pleasant were experienced canoeists and kayakers.
All of us shared a love for mid-Michigan's hidden gem, the Chippewa River, which rises in the lake country of Mecosta County and runs across the forests and fields of Michigan's midsection.
Almost all of us knew the Chippewa by daylight. Almost none of us knew the Chippewa by night.
We had a guide - and for that, we were grateful.

Summer festival videos!

2008-06-22T10:13:00.007-04:00

Lots of videos from the Mt. Pleasant Summer Festival ...

Thursday shuffleboard (Click here to play the video)

Friday night fireworks (Click here to play the video)

Saturday night fun (Click here to play the video)

Meet Summer Festival President Sue Richmond (Click here to play the video)

The swarm

2008-06-21T11:26:00.003-04:00

To go along with Ryan Evon's fabulous images, here's a video of the swarm of bees that blocked the entrance to the Blue Gator Friday afternoon.

A glimpse into the future?

2008-06-21T11:15:00.002-04:00

If I'm reading this right, this says unleaded gas for $41.69 a gallon.
It ain't so, but it proves that it matters where the decimal points go.
To be fair, the problem was fixed within minutes, and the price dropped a penny the next day.
But still - when I first got my driver license back in the early 1970s, gasoline was about 35 cents a gallon. What will it be when my kids are in their 50s?

BEES!!!!

2008-06-20T16:26:00.004-04:00

A swarm of bees descended on Court Street, between Broadway and Mosher, on Friday. The couple thousand bees alternated between a spot on the sidewalk in front of the Blue Gator and a tree next to the Isabella Bank.

Bee keeper Bob Barnard said the swarm was likely looking for their queen. She must of have left from a hive on the tree then landed on the sidewalk, leaving her scent that they picked up on.

I'm not scared of or allergic to bees, but it hurts to get stung, so I tend to avoid them if possible. But photographing tends to remove any regard for self-preservation that I have, so I walked right into them.
I've never been surrounded by thousands of bees and completely serene at the same time...it was quite an experience.

Sun Photographs by RYAN EVON

Shuffleboard at Summer Festival

2008-06-19T15:17:00.002-04:00

Summerfest is on in Mt. Pleasant, and the shuffleboard tournament is in full swing. watch the video.

A link to Dad

2008-06-15T08:58:00.004-04:00

Dusty Pennell has a little bit more today than she has had on any other Father's Day.
Pennell, 27, of Weidman has a cherished possession: a photograph of her father, Albert Frank Pennell.
"I know I'll cry, but it will be a better day," she said. "I usually have a rough time on Father's Day."
Pennell was 3 years old when her parents parted ways and was 9 when Albert Pennell died.
Having last seen her father when she was a toddler, Pennell doesn't remember him and never had contact with him after her parents split.
Pennell and her mother, Deborah Lynn Pennell, relocated to Romulus from Pontiac, and then lived for a brief time in Mio. A fire destroyed their home and belongings, which was devastating to her and her brother Christopher Paul Pennell.
They no longer had any photographs of her father.
Pennell grew up knowing nothing about him.
She moved to Weidman in 1997, where she worked at the Zanzibar Beanery before she became blind in one eye and could not work. She and other family members tried in vain to find her father's relatives.
After fruitless searches, Pennell decided to look in a local phone book, and found a listing for Janet Pennell in Harrison.
That effort paid off – Janet Pennell was indeed related to Albert Pennell.
"The next thing I know, I got a phone call from my dad's sister," Pennell said. "We kept in touch for three years.
"I went to the family reunion in Mt. Morris."
Pennell met other paternal relatives at the family gathering, and a paternal aunt, Rita Pennell, agreed to give her niece an envelope containing photographs of her father.
Pennell never got that package; her aunt died in September 2007 before sending it to her.
Pennell's luck changed during a maternal family gathering at her mother's home in Weidman in mid-May.
Pennell's aunt and cousin had taken boxed photographs from her maternal grandmother's Mt. Pleasant home, intending to clean and sort them.
Sandy Reaume, Pennell's aunt, and her daughter, Mary Reaume, took the photographs out of their frames and attached them to scrapbook paper, hoping to spruce them up before displaying them at grandmother Evelyn Teeples' home.
When they took one photo out of its frame, they found another one behind it: a posed picture of Albert, Deborah and Christopher Pennell.
The sight of the photograph brought tears to Teeples' eyes, prompting her to give the photograph to Pennell.
Tammy Folwell, one of Pennell's maternal aunts, said the photograph stunned the family.
"It was a big shock to everyone in the family," Folwell said.
After getting the photograph, Pennell shared the story with Stephen Ashley, who owns the Zanzibar Beanery and is her best friend.
In addition to having the photograph of her father on Father's Day, Pennell is marking the 18th anniversary of his death June 24 and hopes to visit his grave at Lakeview Cemetery in Pontiac.
"I've never been to the graveyard," she said. "I didn't know where he was buried."
Since obtaining the picture, Pennell marvels at how much she resembles her father.
"I didn't know how much I looked like him," she said. "There are still a lot of questions."
In July, Pennell is planning on meeting her paternal uncle, Doug Pennell, who plans to bring the photographs of her father that her aunt Rita had planned on turning over.

Photo by Lisa Yanick-Jonaitis

Reporting by Susan Field

Women get their turn

2008-06-14T13:19:00.001-04:00

Well, I guess there are a few women after all who have complaints about men.
As promised a few weeks ago I am giving the fairer sex a chance to respond to what some claim is my slanted point of view on the genders.
Personally, I think most of them really had to dig down deep to find anything at all negative to say about “their man” or even “males in general.”
So what really does bug women the most about men?
The biggest complaint seems to be that they just don’t listen when someone of the female persuasion is talking.
Maybe that’s because women always seem to insist on having a “meaningful conversation” at the most inopportune times.
It never fails. Just when you sit down to relax after a hard day at work and begin reading the newspaper or watching the Big Game (remember any sporting event on TV is a Big Game), it starts.
Face it, unless it’s something like, “The oven is broken so dinner will be a little late,” or “You got a notice in the mail saying your Sports Illustrated subscription will run out in February (just before the Swimsuit edition comes out),” it’s just not important enough to interrupt our “chill-out time.”
We don’t want to hear about trivial stuff, talk about “our day” or think about putting money away for little Mary’s college education. Heck, she’s only 17, after all.
Those women who claim they “know all about men” should certainly understand that and show some compassion rather than complain about being ignored.
Communication, or lack thereof, was by far the biggest gripe females had about men. But there were a few others such as:
They’re too proud to ask for directions.
• Men never relay telephone messages.
• They don’t mind spending money on “toys” like snowmobiles, boats or another hunting rifle, but they never have any cash when it’s time to replace the washer, dryer or microwave.
• Males are “hogs.” They don’t pick up their soiled clothes, take care of their dirty dishes and they “can’t hit the toilet.”
• Men can never admit when they are wrong, it’s always someone else’s fault.
• They don’t want romance, just sex.
• Men whine when they catch a little cold but women are expected to “get off our death bed” to make them supper, clean the house or wash their clothes.
• After they are married, males would rather drink beer, go hunting or watch a football game with their buddies instead of spending “quality time” with their wife.
There were a few others but as you can see for yourself these are pretty petty beefs, the types of things men usually just put up with as part of a “normal relationship.”
Because I promised to devote this space to women’s complaints I won’t try to refute each and every one even though it would be easy to do. In fact I will even publish this list I received of the “10 Things Men Will Never Say.”
• Let’s watch Lifetime.
• Sex is overrated.
• I don’t want to go too far on the first date.
• Yes, I did notice your sister was prettier than you.
• There is nothing I like better than crawling into bed with a good book.
• My hips are too big.
• Aw, can’t we watch Oprah?
• Does this suit make me look fat?
• Let’s go to the ballet instead of the hockey game.
• I can’t tonight. I have a headache.
See, real men can take a joke. Like this one about Adam talking to God.
“God, why did you make Eve so beautiful,” Adam asked.
“So you would love her,” God said.
“But why did you make her so dumb? Adam wanted to know.
“So she will love you,” God explained.
I’ll even let the ladies have the last word with this one regarding “role reversal.”
“Should we try a new position tonight honey,” the husband asked.
“Sure,” the wife said. “You stand by the oven and I’ll sit in the recliner, drink beer, watch TV and belch.”
There you have it. Now I expect all those women out there to be singing my praises and telling their friends what a fair and wonderful guy I really am.
Yeah, right!
Greg Nelson is a Morning Sun staff writer. He can be reached at gnelson@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 989-463-6071, ext. 15.

Pig Out at the Pixie

2008-06-12T09:14:00.004-04:00

The main event during "Coneys for a Cause" pitted eight stomachs against each other in a coney eating contest in the parking lot of the Pixie.

Sun Photograph by RYAN EVON

Mt. Pleasant Baseball

2008-06-10T19:43:00.003-04:00

The Mt. Pleasant Oilers defeated the Escanaba Eskimos at Theunissen Stadium on Tuesday.

These photos and others will be for sale: Here.

**Currently my favorite sports shot I've ever taken. Thanks for being B.A. Donny!

Sun Photographs by RYAN EVON

St. Louis Fishing Derby

2008-06-07T18:18:00.004-04:00

Images from the St. Louis Fishing Derby on Saturday. 10 photos of all the fishy fun at Leppien Park.

Sun Photographs by RYAN EVON

Game 5 - The Front Page

2008-06-03T07:57:00.004-04:00

It was just plain awesome hockey.
Three overtimes at the Joe in Game 5, an incredibly hot goalie, and the emotions ran as high as they can only run in Hockeytown.
Just watch as the front page of TheMorningSun.com changed between 11:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. above. It tells it all.
To paraphrase Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, as he caught his breath in the locker room after the game ended early Tuesday morning, "A little tiring, eh?"

Robot bomb disposal on the Rez

2008-05-29T15:34:00.004-04:00

Operating a remote control near the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe’s Ziibiwing Center Thursday, Josh Graff guided a robot toward an abandoned trailer to retrieve a suspicious package. Graff, who works on the bomb squad based at the state police Crime Lab in Grayling, came to Mt. Pleasant Thursday to show Tribal employees and first responders how the bomb robot is used following an explosives awareness program he oversaw a month ago.

Graff, a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad, moved the F6A Remotech robot to a small package in the trailer as a group of Ziibiwing employees, Tribal police, Tribal firefighters and others looked on.

A slight glitch -- when leaving the trailer, the robot tipped off the stairs -- didn’t stop Graff, from showing the group the dangers involved in retrieving suspicious packages.
“It’s like anything else,” Graff, a former trooper at the Mt. Pleasant post, said. “It’s not fail proof.”
Graff learned from the robot slipping off the stairs.
“In this case, it was user error,” he said. “It’s good to see that because that can happen on a potential call.
“You have to improvise and move forward.”

“They have us come every year,” he said. “It’s a precaution.” Thursday’s presentation included Graff using the robot to retrieve the suspicious bag, taking it to a portable X-ray machine and showing the group that the package contained a pipe bomb.

Because the Ziibiwing Center is in close proximity to Tribal operations first responders and court, along with the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort, the training and Thursday’s presentation were offered because of the potential threat and number of people who could be affected in a bomb incident, Graff said.

Graff used the robot to shoot a high velocity stream of water at the bag to destroy it, then shoot the end cap off the pipe bomb once it was exposed, eliminating the risk of detonation.Such training is important, Graff said, because any business or person can be at risk.Businesses such as the casino, where large groups of people gather, are at more risk, Graf said.

Reporting by Clare Managing Editor Susan Field

Assistance by Sun Staff Writer Patricia Ecker

Photos by Joseph Sowmick, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe

Evening in the Park 2008

2008-05-29T07:29:00.003-04:00

Here is the schedule for Evening in the Park 2008:

• June 17: Central Michigan Area Concert Band
7 p.m. A popular favorite is back again to open the 30th anniversary of the summer season. Local musicians play show tunes, marches and old favorites.
Wright Park, Alma (Rain location: Alma High School)

• June 24: Container Gardening
7 p.m. Get tips from the master himself when Bob Eldridge, director of Keep Michigan Beautiful, shares his know how on the popular gardening trend.
Breckenridge Historical Society Museum on M-46. (Rain location: Breckenridge High School)

• July 8: Love and Romance in Early Gratiot County
7 p.m. From free love to chivarees, local historian Dave McMacken takes us back to the late 1880s and the customs, traditions, and yes, the scandals that enveloped the lovelorn even then. An evening you’re sure to remember.
Leppien Park, St. Louis (Rain location: St. Louis High School)

• July 15: Gratiot Idol Finalists
7 p.m. The stars of the summer’s hit will entertain at the Masonic Pathways for a stellar performance you won’t want to miss.
Masonic Pathways grounds. (Rain location: Doig Chapel)

• July 22: New Moonshine Band
7 p.m. Bluegrass music with a little flavor of the South tops tonight’s agenda.
Bring your friends for a most enjoyable evening.
Clapp Park, St. Louis (Rain location: St. Louis High School)

• July 29: Not Just for Kids?
7 p.m. It’s fun for the whole family when jugglers and a magician take center stage tonight from Ithaca. Bring the kids for a special treat they are sure to like.
Woodland Park, Ithaca (Rain location: Ithaca Community Center)

• Aug. 5: Bob Crist and Friends
7 p.m. An evening of jazz is just the ticket as Bob and his friends return for another outstanding performance.
Woodland Park, Ithaca (Rain location: Gratiot County Commission on Aging.)

• Aug. 12: Starry Starry Night
Dusk Wind up the summer season on the Alma College campus for a look at the night sky. It’s star gazing at its best.
Alma College (Rain location: Alma College planetarium.)

Stevenson Lake Road barn fire

2008-05-28T23:27:00.003-04:00

Clare and Surrey Township Fire Departments responded to a barn fire on Stevenson Lake Road, East of Isabella Road, late on Wednesday night. The barn was destroyed and a little of the surrounding grass was burnt.

Sun Photograph by RYAN EVON

Meet of Champions

2008-05-27T20:43:00.003-04:00

Images from the Meet of Champions on Tuesday.

These and other images are up for purchase Here.

Memorial Day in Mt. Pleasant

2008-05-26T17:08:00.005-04:00

Here are some pics from today's parade...

10 Questions with "The School of Rock"

2008-05-25T18:08:00.002-04:00

10 Questions with "The School of Rock" radio hosts Marty Curry, Jeff Smith and Trey Stohlman.

The video of this weeks, and previous weeks (if you scroll down the list), can be found Here.

Sun Photographs by RYAN EVON

Highland Festival - Images and Video

2008-05-25T18:00:00.006-04:00

A multitude of images from the 41st annual Highland Festival in Alma.

There is also a video for your viewing pleasure Here.

Sun Photographs by RYAN EVON

Don't lose sight of who we remember

2008-05-24T09:35:00.003-04:00

By now, most everyone is likely enjoying their three-day holiday weekend - the unofficial start of summer.
I’m sure there are a lot of plans for family get-togethers, picnics, barbecues, trips Up North, attending the Highland Festival, and of course watching the Red Wings play for the Stanley Cup, the Pistons in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, and Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, among assorted other celebrations.
Those are all great ways to spend some time off work and I will probably be doing some of the same things.
But I’m wondering just how many of us will take some time out of our busy schedules to think about why we have the opportunity to enjoy an extended weekend.
Monday is Memorial Day. Hopefully, we all know what that represents. It’s a day to honor those military veterans who paid the ultimate price for their country. They died so that we can continue living in a free nation.
Sure we can complain about the economy going into the crapper, the high cost of fuel, food and health care; the lack of jobs, illegal immigrants, Social Security, our government leaders, or whatever else is on our minds (just read Sound Off).
But hey, at least we have the right to complain about almost anything we want without fear that we will be imprisoned, tortured or shot for our views.
We have that right not because of the Declaration of Independence, but because generations of servicemen have fought and died to ensure the freedoms outlined in that great document were never taken away from us by some egomaniac foreign dictator who wanted to rule the world.
For all of its shortcomings, there still is no better place to live than the Good Old USA.
Sometimes it seems we take the things we have for granted and we worry too much about what we don’t have.
I’ve spoken to numerous World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans over the years. Many don’t like to talk about what they experienced without some prodding.
After hearing their stories I can’t imagine what it was like having bombs and mortars exploding around you, being shot at, watching your friends die and wondering if you will be next.
Those of us who have never been through it will never be able to comprehend the true horror.
I didn’t have to serve in the armed forces much less fight in a war. No, I wasn’t a Draft Dodger or sneak off to Canada to avoid military service.
I was a teenager during the Vietnam era and although I was in college at 18 there were no more deferments for that. I was subject to the draft just like everyone else.
At that time they had initiated a “draft lottery” according to your birthday. Your draft status was subject to the whim of the draw. The lower your number the better chance you had of being drafted. If I recall, my number was 32.
Not good. I was sure I would be getting one of those letters that began with “Greetings.”
Actually the first letter I receive told me I had to catch the bus in Alma for a trip to Detroit for my physical.
But then I got another notification that said it had been canceled and to await further instructions. I waited and waited. Finally I heard - Nixon had ended the draft and I was no longer subject to induction. Whew.
I was certainly happy but there were times I felt some guilt. I had friends and relatives in the military and fighting in Vietnam. Fortunately the war ended a short time later.
Maybe that’s why I feel even stronger about the sacrifices our servicemen made for their country. I never had to put my life on the line but they did.
Unfortunately, American soldiers are still dying overseas. That’s why it’s time to bring them home. Why do we feel the need to protect the Iraqis and those in other Middle Eastern nations from themselves?
I’m a firm supporter of our troops but no more dads, sons, brothers or nephews should have to die there.
This Memorial Day take some time to honor those who have helped make this the greatest nation on earth. Remember the dead and recognize the living. Attend one of the local parades or holiday observances or just pause for a moment to say a prayer and give thanks. Better yet, tell a veteran you appreciate what they have done.
God bless all of those who have courageously served their country and those who are still doing so.
God bless th USA.
Greg Nelson is a Morning Sun staff writer. He can be reached at gnelson@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 989-463-6071, ext. 15.

Memorial Day closings

2008-05-23T08:57:00.001-04:00

These government offices and businesses will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day:
• Veterans Memorial Library in Mt. Pleasant; also closed Sunday.
• Isabella County offices
• Union Township offices
• Isabella County Sheriff Department business office: Open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday.
• City of Mt. Pleasant including business offices at City Hall, Public Safety and Public Works. There will be no refuse or curbside recycling collection for city residents Monday. Collection will be one day behind schedule for the remainder of the week.
• Morning Sun offices in Mt. Pleasant and Alma
• City of Clare
• Clare County offices
• City of Harrison
• Secretary of State (all locations)
• Post Offices (all locations)
• Firstbank locations
• Isabella Bank
• National City branches
• Commercial Bank locations
• Chemical Bank locations
• Gratiot County offices
• City of Alma
• City of Ithaca
• City of St. Louis
• Gratiot Area Chamber of Commerce
• Isabella County Transportation Commission
• Isabella County Senior Center/Commission on Aging
• Gratiot County Commission on Aging/Home Delivered Meals
• Isabella County Recycling Center

Reporting: Jeremy Dickman in Mt. Pleasant

Beal City Baseball and Softball

2008-05-20T18:57:00.003-04:00

The Beal City Aggies took on the Pine River Bucks in baseball and softball on Tuesday. Both Beal City teams were victorious.

Shots from both games are available Here.

Sun Photographs by RYAN EVON

Alma High School Baseball

2008-05-19T18:22:00.004-04:00

Some shots from the first game of Alma's double header against Chesaning on Monday.

These shots should be available Here for purchase.

The $4 barrier

2008-05-17T06:30:00.000-04:00

Another week, another price record
It wasn’t pretty: Friday afternoon, Michigangasprices.com reported a Sam’s Club station near Flint was charging more than $4 a gallon for gasoline.
Sam’s Club. You know, the place with gas so cheap it drives down the prices for miles around.
Michigan’s ever-increasing fuel prices setting more new records this week. Statewide fuel price leader Speedway moved the price to $3.999 for a gallon of unleaded on Tuesday, and by the end of the day, the price across central Michigan settled within a few cents of that point.
Diesel prices made a major jump to a painful $4.59 a gallon in many places, and there’s no end in sight.
Average mid-Michigan prices were up 45 to 48 cents from a month ago; statewide, prices were up 46 cents from a month ago and 59 cents a gallon from a year ago.
Here is a look at some representative prices for a gallon of unleaded regular gas as of Friday afternoon:
Average price by county:
• Clare $3.96, up 6 cents from one week ago;
• Gratiot: $3.98, up 9 cents from last week;
• Isabella: $3.99, up 10 cents;
• Midland: $3.96, up 8 cents.
• Montcalm: $3.96, up 8 cents;
• Lowest reported prices in region: Greenville, Midland: $3.94
• Highest prices in region: Alma, Clare, Mt. Pleasant,: $3.99
• Lowest prices in state: Mt. Morris, $3.76
• Highest prices in state: Beaver Island, $4.99; Paradise, $4.17
• Statewide average Friday: $3.94
• Year ago: $3.35
• Lowest metro-area average: Detroit: $ 3.89
• Highest metro-area average: Traverse City, $3.99
• Lowest mid-Michigan diesel price: Stanton, $4.49
• Highest mid-Michigan diesel price: Alma, Greenville, Mt. Pleasant, St. Louis, $4.59
• Statewide diesel average: $4.56
Sources: Michigangasprices.com, Oil Price Information Service through Michigan AAA.

MPHS Baseball

2008-05-12T17:42:00.005-04:00

Mt. Pleasant played at home against Saginaw Heritage on Monday.

Photos are available for purchase Here.