Archive - Jun 2010

By MICKEY ALVARADO

Bicyclists from all over the country joined the 29th annual Pedal Across Lower Michigan (PALM), from June 19-25, and Macon Grocery was one of the stops on the tour.

The routes used during the six-day tour are different every year and normally follow scenic, paved back roads for novice and intermediate riders. The ride can be as relaxing or as exhilarating as participants like with PALM emphasizing on the social and recreational aspects of bicycling. The group travels between 35 to 60 miles a day and there is no time limit to get from point A to point B.

This year’s group of 700 cyclists stopped for a break in Lenawee County instead of camping. Back in 2008, PALM stayed overnight in Tecumseh at the high school. After leaving Macon, the bikers rode on to Milan High School and stayed for the evening.

This year’s route began in South Haven, stopped in Otsego (46 miles), Hastings (43), Eaton Rapids (47), Grass Lake (44), Milan (40) and ended in Gibraltar (33).

John Rossi, of Maryland, talked his wife and son into joining the ride and they were having a great time eating watermelon in Macon. He said they were having a lot of fun even though it stormed the night before. A tornado warning was issued and a siren sounded in Grass Lake.

“Everyone cleared the streets right away,” said John. “It was kind of scary. We thought it was a drill.”

Despite the crazy weather of Michigan, the Rossis and many others return annually for the PALM rides. Many say it’s because of the beauty and friendliness of the people.

Gina Gray and her husband Rick are the owners of Macon Grocery and they were very pleased the group asked if their store could be a stop on the tour. The Grays were busy greeting PALM’s riders between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 24.

By MICKEY ALVARADO

No practice - no problem. The talent that the Underwood-Orr American Legion (U-O) coach Randy Sparks put together this season has been unable to gather for a single practice with the MHSAA season bumping into the start of his Open 18U elite travel baseball team. But U-O is still playing competitively and winning games.

U-O is currently carrying an 8-5 record after recently going 3-2 in the Motor City Pride Tournament in Adrian. Still, Sparks and his boys will need to get busy to match last year’s success, finishing 27-8 overall.

Sparks expects that he’ll have another relatively good season despite having younger players than ever before. He said that the team has been solid defensively but has left too many runners stranded to win the close games.

U-O has compiled an overall record of 360-151-2 between 1994-2009 and has had more than 100 players receive college scholarships during that time.

“It’s an elite team that is under no guidelines as far as where players come from,” said Sparks. “We’re out there trying to help the elite baseball player as a transition. We grab players that have abilities colleges are looking for on the skills side and then give them a vehicle to showcase that talent. ”

This year, U-O’s Jared Kujawa of Bedford is on everyone’s radar as catcher and outfielder. He’s already getting looks from above college level teams.

“He’s versatile and extremely athletic,” said Sparks. “One of the fastest kids I’ve had in a long time.”

To start the Motor City Pride Tournament, U-O edged the Dawgs 2-0 and got on a roll, defeating A Green 4-1 and knocking out the Redsox 17U 8-0.

The next two games turned into close losses with U-O falling 3-2 to the Heat and 3-2 against the Ontario Bullets.

By MICKEY ALVARADO

While this year’s attendance at the annual fireworks was lower than the past few years with the Pow Wow being relocated to Adrian, those who kicked back at the Great Tecumseh Campout at Cal Zorn Recreation Center on Saturday, June 26, were treated to a wonderful array of exploding colors.

The Great Tecumseh Campout brought in seven RVs and 21 tent campsites were rented for the two-day event, according to Shelley Lim, the Tecumseh Parks and Recreation Department Director.

“We had about 120 folks camp out,” said Lim. “We thought it went wonderful for our first year.”

The two-day event featured free face painting and a pie eating contest that Lim said was a blast watching. Visitors to Cal Zorn created a 20-foot mural painting during the weekend and the kids absolutely loved being able to leave their mark on it.

A group of track-maintenance cars made their way across Chicago Boulevard in Tecumseh on Saturday morning as they toured the area on the Southern Michigan Railroad. The section of track that crosses M-50, at Chicago Boulevard and Evans Street, was repaired on Friday and the road was closed for several hours. The Southern Michigan Railroad has several train rides scheduled during the summer. For more information, go to www.southernmichiganrailroad.com.

Jack Baker presented Bob Brady with the Business Choice Award for his 1961 Corvette at the Thursday, June 17, car show in downtown Tecumseh.

Another standout at the show was an Auburn Speedster (see additional photos). The Speedster models were only built between 1935-37 and boasted speeds of 100 mph.
Local resident Jim Dehring (see additional photos) shows photos of his 1964 Corvair convertible.

By DEB WUETHRICH

Tecumseh High School Principal Robert Scheick will not be returning this fall to the post he has held as principal for the past seven years. According to discussion at Monday night’s board meeting regarding administrative restructuring possibilities and confirmation by Superintendent Mike McAran, Scheick’s contract will not be renewed and that the district wanted to “look at some other options.”

McAran said that Scheick has been employed by the district for the past three years through PESG (Professional Education Service Group), a third-party employer, and as such, they are at-will employees, a plan that allows school districts to hire educators that have retired at a lower cost than otherwise would be possible because the district does not have to pay for benefits.

Discussion Monday night on proposed plans to help reduce the district’s 2010-11 budget included a recommendation not to fill the position for one year, but to split the responsibilities between McAran, Assistant Principal Dennis Niles, and Athletic Director Griff Mills. McAran and his administrative staff are expected to move to the high school yet this summer in another cost-saving tactic — closing the Administrative Services Building which is projected to save $45,000 the first year.

“We had to take a look at programs or administrators in programs, and programs are more important,” said McAran at the meeting. “So I hope the athletic director and assistant principal will work with me and we’ll try to run it [the high school] between the three of us. We’re down to where everybody is going to have to do some sacrifices for a year.”