Archive - 2009

Tecumseh High School’s Student Athlete Advisory Council is hosting its first annual Hoops For Hunger event during the Indians’ boys basketball home opener against Milan on Friday Dec. 11.

This event is scheduled to raise money for the Tecumseh Service Club and Tecumseh Food Pantry to help those in need during the holiday season. All proceeds raised will benefit this organization, serving the communities of Tecumseh, Clinton, Tipton, Britton and Raisin Township.

Hoops For Hunger will have a Spaghetti Dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Tecumseh High School Cafeteria. Spaghetti, breadsticks, cookies, and drinks will be served.  All of the food was donated so 100 percent of the profits will go to the Tecumseh Service Club.  Tecumseh food service -Aramark- donated the spaghetti, Basil Boys donated breadsticks, Busch's donated drinks and SAAC members donated cookies.

There is free admission at the gate with a donation of five non-perishable food items. Or, for each item donated, receive $1 off gate admission. This promotion will run for the ninth grade, JV and varsity games.

By MICKEY ALVARADO

Former Tecumseh High School varsity wrestling coach Tim Connors will be working side by side with Clinton’s varsity wrestling coach this season as the assistant for the Redskins’ squad.

Connors said that he wasn’t ready to retire as a coach just yet and was happy to lend a hand to Clinton coach Kevin Beazley. His son Kevin Connors has also joined the squad as a volunteer assistant. Clinton’s assistants from last season, Jim Fulger and Chad Roush, left to finish schooling at college, according to Beazley.

“Tim Connors and his son Kevin decided to come on board here at Clinton, and I’m excited about that,” said Beazley. “They bring a wealth of knowledge. Tim, of course, has a lot of experience coaching.”

Beazley was pleased that his new assistant’s vast knowledge of the sport will allow him to get more hands on with his wrestlers.

“I can actually wrestle and get in with the guys when he’s running practice and vice versa,” said Beazley. “It makes me a little bit more versatile.”

Coach Connors still has his son, Kyle, wrestling for Tecumseh as a senior but it is doubtful they will face each other from across the mats. Beazley said the Redskins only see the Indians once during the season.

“We probably won’t even see them until the county meet,” said Beazley. “We’re not going to Tecumseh this year. The latest date backed us up a week. We always go to Fenton that weekend. Casey had to move his tournament back a week too, so we’re going to be at Fenton.”

The only home dual meet the Redskins have scheduled this season is on Saturday, Dec. 2, against Ida and Blissfield. The only other time Clinton is at home is during the Redskins’ annual Dave Elliott Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 9.

Tecumseh will be the place to be this weekend, from special Thursday night activities that kick off a gingerbread contest, to a live newscast and “Christmas in Paradise” parade on Friday night, Dec. 4, and Promenade Tecumseh Candlelight Candle Tour on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5.

From 5-6:30 p.m., Chrys Peterson and Jerry Anderson of WTOL Channel 11 News will broadcast live from the Depot as part of the TV station’s “Hometown for the Holidays” promotion. This event includes a “Pack a Pickup” event to help those in need. WTOL will bring two pickups to fill with food, blankets and toys. The toys are for Toys for Tots sponsored by the Marines. Food and blanket donations all will be delivered to needy families in Tecumseh.

The “Christmas in Paradise” themed parade begins at 7 p.m. with 64 entries, including the Britton and Tecumseh High School marching bands. Parade emcees include WLEN Radio’s Steve Barkway.

During and after the parade, free hot chocolate will be distributed by Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in front of the Tecumseh Area Chamber of Commerce office, and by the Tecumseh Assembly of God at Santa’s House in Adams Park. As Santa reaches his house at the end of the parade, Mayor Harvey Schmidt will honor him by presenting a key to the city.

The Tecumseh Area Historical Museum will sponsor a series of children’s activities at the museum directly following the parade.

Two historic homes at 216 W. Logan Street and 214 N. Union Street will decorated for Christmas for the Promenade Tecumseh Candlelight Tour, with tickets available for $5 each. Tecumseh’s First Presbyterian Church, 211 W. Chicago Boulevard, also will be decorated for the tour, as will the Tecumseh Area Historical Museum, where an annual poinsettia sale also is taking place. The tours will be conducted December 4 and 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Tecumseh Service Club volunteers have been busy interviewing families requesting assistance for the holidays. The organization has been helping people from Tecumseh, Clinton, Britton and Tipton since 1932. Whether it is with rent, fuel bills, medical bills or food, the organization is there for the families throughout the year but Christmas is when the majority of requests come in.

The Service Club is asking for the community’s help. Participating in the Adopt-a-Family program is the most common and fun way to join in, according to member Colleen Sunderland.

“You choose the number of children you would like to buy for and a family is assigned to you,” said Colleen. “While the family information is kept confidential, you will get the ages, sizes and interests of each child.” She said gift givers would purchase an outfit, pajamas and at least one toy for each recipient. The gifts are due back to the Service Club on Dec. 18. The families pick up the gifts, along with groceries provided by the Service Club, in time for Christmas.

“We have had a lot of calls already to adopt, but there are still several families remaining,” said Colleen. “We also will be receiving more names from Associated Charities this week as they give local families’ names to us to handle during the holidays.”

Last year during the holiday season the Service Club provided for 214 families with 183 of those being adopted by churches, businesses, organizations and families. Many people have been participating in the program for several years and have already called to adopt a family for this year, but there are over 50 children remaining with more requests anticipated.

By Bill Wright, TPS Chief Finanical Officer

The Tecumseh Public Schools, under the direction of the Board of Education, is in the process of developing a process to alert and inform district stakeholders of the unprecedented revenue shortfall due to the continued decline of the national, state and local economic conditions.  The first step in this process will be to develop a dialogue with the Tecumseh community to raise the overall level of understanding of the financial challenges and begin the process of receiving input on the future direction of the Tecumseh Public Schools.

A committee of community and business leaders is being formed to initiate the process and will be referred to as the Special Economic Advisory Committee (SEAC).  The primary functions of the committee will be to review and analyze the overall financial condition of the Tecumseh Public Schools; help assess the magnitude and duration of the revenue shortfall; and raise the overall level of understanding of the district financial issues within the community.

The primary contributors to the declining revenue outlook for TPS are two-fold.  The first factor is the recent decline in the district foundation allowance (FA) received from the state for each student that attends TPS.  Last year (FY-2009), TPS received $7,316 per student. After the mid-year state aid cuts of $292, TPS will receive $7,024 per student for FY-2010. State projections call for another decrease of $600 per student in FY-2011. Please see TPS FA History chart.

The second contributing factor is the continued decline in student enrollment.  TPS began ‘losing’ students in the 2006-2007 fiscal year and the trend is expected to continue for the next several years.  Please refer to TPS Student Enrollment chart.

Dean Everett McKenzie, 57, died unexpectedly at his home on Oct. 30, 2009, in Surprise, Ariz.  Dean was born March 22, 1952, to the late Everett and Eleanor (Sayler) McKenzie.  

Dean graduated in 1970 from Tecumseh High School.  He also earned two master's degrees from Western International University.  Dean worked as a senior test engineer for Honeywell Corp. and most recenty ACSS.

He is survived by three sisters, Sandy (Jerry) Hayes, Donna (Jerry) Hendershot, Cheryl (Rainey) Lopez and one brother, Garry (Vicki) Sharp.  He is also survived by a very special step-mother, Joyce McKenzie; a step-sister, Connie Allen; and a very special person in his life, Bonnie Allen.

A service to celebrate Dean's life will be held on Dec. 5, 2009, at 11 a.m. at the Clinton United Methodist Church.  Interment will be at Brookside Cemetery at a later date.