Archive - Apr 2012

To the Editor,

Monday, April 16, 2012 is National Healthcare Decisions Day. Are you one of the 80 percent of Americans who haven't completed an Advance Directive yet?

Hospice of Lenawee invites you to join us in taking the time to discuss and document your healthcare wishes.

Stop by anytime between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday, April 16. Hospice of Lenawee residential facility is located at 1903 Wolf Creek Hwy. in Adrian.

Hospice of Lenawee

Robert MacGeorge, 59, of Albion passed away Friday April 6, 2012 at his residence. He was born May 1, 1952 in Adrian, Mich., to James Robert and Virginia MacGeorge. On April 10, 1971, he was married to Sandee Walters in Ridgeway, Mich., and she survives.

Robert worked as a service technician in the Gaming Industry, he enjoyed Kayaking, spending time with his family up north; his passion was his grandson Joshua; he also enjoyed classic cars and civil war re-enactment.

Besides his wife Sandee of Albion, he is survived by one daughter, Jennifer Osburn of Grand Rapids, Mich; one son, Brian (April) MacGeorge of Toledo, Oh; one grandson, Joshua MacGeorge; his mother, Virginia MacGeorge, of Tecumseh, Mich; one sister, Linda (Jack) Reeck, of Tecumseh, Mich; two brothers, Jerry (Jackie) MacGeorge of Grand Haven, Mich., and Randy (Marcia) MacGeorge, of Grand Rapids, Mich. He was preceded in death by his father James Robert MacGeorge.

Visitation for family and friends was Monday April 9, 2012 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Erie Street Chapel of the J. Kevin Tidd Funeral Home, 208 West Erie Street, Albion, Mich., 49224. Funeral Services were Monday April 9, 2012 at 7 p.m. at the Funeral Home with Rev. Jeremy Williams officiating. Cremation followed services.

Assistance with Memorial Contributions to: American Cancer Society; Oaklawn Hospice; or Hope Lodge, 129 Jefferson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 is available at the Funeral Home, www.kevintiddfuneralhome.com.

By MARY KAY McCORMICK

In 2003, a gift of $3.1 million was made to the Village of Clinton by the family of John F. Robison. The money is only to be used to make capital improvements in the village and at Tate Park, with the total amount divided between them. Rather than just spending the approximately $1 million immediately on updates or additions to the park, Village Council and officials wanted to have the Robison money benefit future generations of Clinton residents. As a result, the John F. Robison Trust was established, and the decision was made to utilize only the interest payments for the capital improvements in Tate Park.

“What we chose to do is model the donations similar to what the city of Adrian did with the Fee Estate,” said Village Manager Kevin Cornish. “That funds most of their park improvements.”

This decision spurred the village to create a five-year community recreation and park plan. Once the five-year plan was in place, Cornish applied for grants with the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund as well as the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Grant. The interest payments from the John F. Robison Trust allowed the village to complete several projects because matching funds were available. Before receiving the gift, no thought had been given to applying for grants.

“We felt that if we took the money and spent it on stuff, then it would be gone pretty quick and you’d have nothing to show for it going generations forward,” Cornish said. “So we chose to go like the Fee Estate where we would only spend the interest earnings of that money which are currently in the $40,000 to $45,000 range.”

By DEANE ERTS

Tecumseh’s Pamida department store on the west end of the city will be undergoing renovations to become part of the Shopko chain of department stores sometime during the current year.

Shopko’s director of media operations, Tara Powers, was unavailable for comment, but Tecumseh’s Pamida store manager Brian Muessig confirmed that the change is coming.

“It’s true, but we’ve been told by corporate headquarters to refer all questions to them,” said Muessig. “All I’m allowed to say is that over the next six months to a year we will be transforming from Pamida to Shopko. After the renovation, we will be reopening with new stuff and a new look. Other than that, I can’t say anything more than to refer you to headquarters.”

According to Shopko’s website and other online sources, the company is headquartered in Ashwaubenon, Wisc., near Green Bay, and specializes in department stores that serve midsize communities.

Pamida, which is based in Omaha, Neb., and Shopko have had an on and off corporate relationship, including a partnership that began when Shopko purchased Pamida in 1999. The two chains operated as separate divisions until 2007 when Pamida again became an independent entity. Shopko purchased Pamida outright this year.

Pamida operates approximately 175 stores in 16 mostly Midwestern locations, and most will be undergoing a revamping to become Shopko outlets. Pamida originally opened in Tecumseh as Big Wheel in the mid-1980s.

“We haven’t heard too much about it, either,” said Tecumseh economic development director Paula Holtz, “but, overall, with the store staying here and being renovated, it sounds like a good thing.”

Information about changes in product line or additions to staff will be forthcoming when released from Shopko headquarters, along with the date of the local revamping.

Ruth P. Couture, age 86 of Manchester, died peacefully on Friday, April 6, 2012 at the Saline Evangelical Home with her family at her side. She was born on February 4, 1926 in Adrian, Mich., the daughter of Richard and Lillie (Bates) Ellis. Earlier in her life, she was married to the father of her children, Kenneth Couture.

Ruth was a member of the Clinton Baptist Church and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Tecumseh, Post #4187. She enjoyed cooking, baking, spending endless hours in the kitchen and had worked at J&C Family Foods and later Busch’s Valueland in Clinton. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend and will be missed by all those who knew and loved her.

She is survived by her son Gary (Sherry) Couture of Clinton, her daughter Brenda (Dale) Hegwood of Manchester, two grandchildren; Michael (Tonya) Couture and Andrea (Scott) McDermott, eight great grandchildren; Ellen, Emily, Jacob, Joel and Jared Couture and Hannah and Natalie Abram and Ryan McDermott, also several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Ruth was preceded in death by her half brothers Richard Ellis and Jack Haynes.

Visitation for Ruth will be held on Monday, April 9, at the Clinton Chapel of Handler Funeral Homes from 2-8 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 10 at 11 a.m. in the Clinton Baptist Church with Pastors John Turner and Bob Riddle officiating. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery, Clinton. Visitation will also be held at the church on Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the time of services.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Clinton Baptist Church. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.handlerfuneralhomes.com.

By DEB WUETHRICH

Art Trail Tecumseh is ready to launch for its fifth year with sculptures soon to be placed at various sites throughout the downtown and nearby areas.

“The committee met to review this year’s pieces and recommended 16 pieces at the Downtown Development Authority meeting in March,” said Tecumseh Economic Development Director, Paula Holtz, who has helped coordinate the project throughout the initiative.

Holtz said the selection committee is made up of artists, community members and some city officials, and had looked at an estimated 300 pieces submitted for consideration this year. The group continues to work with Midwest Sculpture Initiative, spearheaded by artist Ken Thompson, who owns the Flatlanders gallery in Riga.

“Ken helps us screen the pieces, and we contract with them to install them, usually at the end of April or the first of May,” Holtz said. “They really have a great network of artists that gives us more pieces than what we could put together ourselves.”

While many of the artists are from Michigan and Ohio, some work has been selected by artists from Florida, New York and North Carolina this year.

“We look for different medium, style and composition, and different scale and colors,” said Holtz. “For instance, the sculpture we place at the Community Center has to be a big piece. We also look for interactive pieces, and things that will appeal to kids. This year there is a dinosaur and once again, a horse, along with some wind chimes and other representations.”

Besides being a draw, bringing people into the community for a look at the art, Holtz said other communities have been seeking out Tecumseh to ask how they have facilitated the project. In fact, Holtz will represent the city on a panel at the Building Michigan Communities conference in Lansing in a couple of weeks.