Archive - Jul 15, 2010

On a recent really hot day, I dragged poor Jake Larson and Patrick Bates of JTE around town in order to get some shots for a feature story on the duo. They were good sports. It's alway fun talking to musicians and artists in the community, and I couldn't resist getting shots of them here and there since they brought along their guitars.

The guys have a packed summer schedule. Many of their performances are for private parties. They do, however, have a few upcoming public shows that I've listed below.

• Saturday, July 17 - Rose Run Breast Cancer Run (Petersburg, MI) - 7 a.m. (phew, that's early!)
• Monday, July 26 - Lenawee County Fair Bandshell - 2:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug.14 - Sequoia Campground - 7 p.m. 

By JIM LINCOLN

A career that started in Tecumseh on September 10, 2001, will officially end on September 10, 2010. Tecumseh Police Chief Mack Haun has stepped down from the city’s top law enforcement post, and will use accrued time off to stay on the city’s payroll until Sept. 10.
City Manager Kevin Welch has appointed police officer Scott Smith to fill in as interim police chief. Smith, who was one of five final candidates for the position in 2001, is set to retire in November.

Haun, formerly of Charlotte, Michigan, served as a deputy and then chief deputy for the Eaton County Sheriff’s Department for 26 years before coming to Tecumseh.

In addition to the retirements of Haun and Smith, Tecumseh deputy chief John Clark will step down Friday, using accrued time off through Sept. 1. A special retirement reception is scheduled for Clark this Friday at the police department from 1  to 3 p.m. Clark has served the department for 24 years.

Others retiring recently from the city also include Duaine Wells, superintendent of public works, and Tom Wegner, an equipment operator at the DPW.
The city is currently seeking applicants for the chief of police.

By DEB WUETHRICH

Tecumseh Public Schools have recently completed another rough year with tight budgets limiting what educators can spend on program needs, including the constant challenge of keeping technology current. A Tecumseh School Board authorized Installment Purchase Agreement passed last September helped the district upgrade equipment, however, including video systems that had been in the planning cycle. The $363,000 IPA was piggy-backed with agreements for the athletic complex, but for a shorter time period of just under five years.

Over the past school year, the technology upgrades have included new computers in  classrooms for teachers and new computers in the library computer lab at Tecumseh Middle School, among others. Also as planned, 18 servers were reduced to three through a process called “virtualization.”

“All our servers were over seven years old and we would have had to replace them at a much higher cost to replace 18, but by virtualizing, our electric company has projected a savings of over $40,000 a year in energy costs so over four years we’re going to recover those costs through energy savings,” said Todd Thieken, Technology Director.

Another area of focus, drawing from the district’s technology plan as part of the strategic plan, was upgrading the district’s video systems. Teachers can now run video, along with other options such as Power Point presentations, from ceiling mounted projectors.

Elementary schools also have special carts that include new projector systems, a computer and the necessary wiring. Thieken said that the newest systems, which include an option of turning any smooth surface, including white boards, into an interactive board using an apparatus called a “Mimio,” will essentially replace the need for classrooms to have televisions with VCRs and DVDs or cable.

A question was recently raised as to whether there were any Smart boards in Tecumseh High School (THS) Social Studies rooms this past school year.

TPS Technology Director Todd Thieken and Supt. Mike McAran said new overhead projectors were installed in six social studies rooms during the past school year using funds from an Installment Purchase Agreement approved in late September 2009, and teachers had access to new Mimio systems that mimic Smart boards. The units include taking an electronic wand and attaching it to a smooth surface, like white boards or a classroom wall, and makes the screen surface interactive.

Thieken and McAran offered Herald staff a tour of the rooms where the new overhead projector systems were mounted and included Matthew Dailey’s and Tim Marks’ Social Studies rooms downstairs, and the rooms of James Kessler, Steven Pike (now retired), Glenn Hollbusch, and Deborah Madgewick upstairs.

Thieken said the Mimio wands have been available for these teachers, as well as others who might be interested in using them at the high school, since November; however, some of the teachers have not yet responded to requests to set aside time for training on the units. He said that more training opportunities would be offered for the coming school year so more teachers can convert to the newer technology.

McAran said that the social studies area had been targeted for video upgrades in conjunction with new textbook cycles, which the district has been working on for the past few years. Some math and science rooms have Smart boards, having been equipped in the past as part of their textbook upgrade cycle. The district hopes all TPS classrooms will have access with the new technology as funds are available, and Thieken pointed out that with the portability of the Mimio systems, teachers can share the units across various classrooms.

Patricia Lee Dwyer,  63,  of Portage, formerly of Tecumseh, passed away July 12, 2010.  Patricia was born Feb. 20, 1947, in Manchester, Mich., the daughter of Warren Miller and Clarissa (Susie) Walker.  

 
Pat received a master’s of nursing and was employed for 12 years at Herrick Hospital, Tecumseh.

Patricia is survived by her husband, Kevin Dwyer of Portage; children, Dean Sweckard of Cincinnati and  Jennifer (Brandon) Grice of Jackson; four grandchildren; brother, Steve (Judy) Walker of Tecumseh; and a sister, Diane Zincke of Howell.  

She was preceded in death by her parents; stepfather, Hollis Walker; sister, Holly Sue; and a brother, Michael.

Memorial services will be 3 p.m. Saturday, July 17, 2010, at the J. Gilbert Purse Funeral Home, Tecumseh with Pastor Clayton Carn officiating. Visitation will be from 1 to  3 p.m. Saturday before the service at 3 p.m.   Condolences to the family may be made online at www.pursefuneralhome.com.

Lois Jordan, 95, of Lansing, formerly of Clinton, died Sunday, July 11, 2010, at the Grandhaven Living Center, Lansing with her loving family at her bedside. She was born in Livingston, Tenn., on July 19, 1914, the daughter of Sidney and Sallie (Clark) Harward. She was united in marriage with Truman Jordan on Jan. 5, 1936, in Livingston and he preceded her in death on Dec. 5, 1996.

Lois moved to Lansing from Clinton in 1992. She attended the Lansing Trinity Methodist Church and was a member of the Lansing Area Patchers, and a former member of Adrian Quilt Guild. Lois lived on a farm near Macon, Mich., for many years where she raised chickens and sold their eggs.

Lois is survived by a daughter, Lenora (Gene) Rathbun of Lansing; a son, Truman H. (Linda) Jordan of Mt. Vernon, Iowa; six grandchildren, Cindy (Dirk) Case, Paul (Brenda) Rathbun, Jim (Rachel) Rathbun, Jenny (Eric Wood) Jordan, Jackie (Andy) Morrical, and Joy (Mark Johnson) Jordan; twelve great grandchildren, Joshua (Natalie) Case, Amanda Case, Ben, Sam, Allyssa, James, Shalyn, and Jeremiah Rathbun, Sam and Emma Jordan-Wood, and Matt and Mandie Morrical.

In addition to her husband, Truman, Lois was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers; and two sisters. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Visitation will be at the Tecumseh Chapel of Handler Funeral Homes, 313 W. Pottawatamie St. Tecumseh, MI  49286, on Friday, July 16, 2010, from 6 to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be on Saturday, July 17, at 1 p.m. at the Macon United Methodist Church, 11964 Macon Hwy.  Clinton, Mich. 49236, with the Rev. Lance Ness officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 12 noon until service time. Interment will follow at Macon Cemetery.