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To the Editor,

The Tecumseh District Library (TDL) Ballot Question Committee would like to thank the many people who helped us garner a Yes + Yes vote to secure funding for the library for the next 10 years. We were privileged to be able to present a message on behalf of the library to business owners, school staff members, PTO groups, Tecumseh Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions Club members and are grateful for the hospitality and support we received. We also want to thank the pastor and staff of the First Presbyterian Church in Tecumseh for allowing us to use their facility to host a community forum.

We are grateful to many individuals for generously donating their time, talents and resources which helped us get voters to go the extra mile to support both ballot proposals. Special thanks go to the Board of Trustees of the Library, and the library staff. They provided valuable statistics of the library’s accomplishments over the past 10 years. This was central to our message on what a vital role our library plays in the lives of our constituents.

The Friends of the TDL were the backbone of the millage committee. Every step we took and every move we made involved members of the Friends group. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the staff of the City of Tecumseh especially Joe Tuckey, Brad Raymond, Denine Wells and the Police department for letting us use their meeting rooms.

Through our multiple contacts with community members we learned we weren’t the only people passionate about keeping our library funding strong. Second grader Allison Dice independently made bookmarks and canvassed her neighborhood to get out the vote. Eric Long of Long Motor Sales donated ads on WLEN. Danielle Ward of the Friends of the Pool shared experiential wisdom on effective campaign strategies and many business owners spoke of the importance of the library to them. We are truly grateful.

From 1924 until 1955 visitors to the Irish Hills had to choose between two towers where they could see for miles. The chance to gaze over seven miles and 10 lakes may never happen again unless the Irish Hills Historical Society is able to raise $200,000 to renovate the landmark Irish Hills Towers.

A Dangerous Building Hearing was held in Cambridge Township on April 24, which presented the results of an April 17 building inspection by Dailey Engineering. The towers are considered structurally unsound due to lack of maintenance and weather protection. Water has been able to enter the buildings and there is a chance for falling debris. Cambridge Township officials are concerned about several dangerous scenarios that could occur if the towers are not secured.

Bruce Nickel, Cambridge Township Building Official, stated in a written presentation, “The structures have loose siding and other building materials that are a danger to adjacent properties, people and vehicles traveling on the adjacent state highway. These loose or potentially dangerous materials must be repaired or removed immediately.”

According to Cambridge Township, the Irish Hills Historical Society must have a viable plan for repair and renovation in place by August 1 with repairs completed by the end of the 2013 construction season. If this requirement is not met, the township expects a demolition permit be obtained by August 1 with demolition completed by Oct. 1, 2013.

Owner Donna Boglarsky had signed a quitclaim deed for the towers, gifting them to the Irish Hills Historical Society, Inc., which she formed in 2010 as a 501c non-profit organization. A Board of Directors, with Boglarsky as president, guides the renovation process.

The Society has been working the past three years to raise money to refurbish and reopen the Towers. The plans include the addition of a museum dedicated to Irish Hills memorabilia located in the base of the Towers.

The issue of reimbursement for medical expenses resulting from a skin infection outbreak among Tecumseh wrestlers this season was revisited during the public comment segment of Monday night’s Tecumseh School Board meeting.

Pat Pelham, the father of two varsity wrestlers, asked the board if it was considering paying the medical bills of the wrestlers who contracted the rash as it had done in the case of one of the wrestlers.

Board President Ed Tritt responded that board representatives had met with the former wrestling coach Tony Greathouse and Supt. Mike McAran on the subject, but that there had not been a decision.

“The coach may ask for a closed session for further discussion,” Tritt said. “For right now, it’s in the lower court.” Tritt was referring to the fact that investigation and discussion are still ongoing. “We’re still trying to figure out a way to do what’s right.”

Tritt said that the legal counsel for the board is meeting with the schools’ insurance carrier but the consultations are still in the preliminary stage. “They have to get back to us on that,” he said.

During the regular portion of the meeting, the board heard a presentation from health teachers Kristalyn Musselman and Chris Hoag on an upgrade to the health education curriculum. Musselman said that the suggested revisions would help Tecumseh students in a number of health curriculum areas that are currently not being addressed and that the revised curriculum would put Tecumseh schools in compliance with a recommendation from the Michigan Board of Education for all public schools to offer 50 hours of health education in each grade.

CLINTON — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Fund of Michigan has joined with the United States government in opposition to a claim filed in federal court by Eden Foods. Eden Foods and owner Michael Potter feel the company should be excused from providing contraceptive coverage in employee health insurance required by new mandates of the Affordable Health Care Act.

According to the complaint, Eden Foods has never provided insurance coverage for contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs, identified as lifestyle drugs by the company’s Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plan, because such care goes against Michael Potter’s religious beliefs. Potter, a Roman Catholic, is the chairman, president and the sole stockholder of Eden Foods, a natural food company started in the 1960s.

The ACLU was granted a motion to file an amicus brief by Judge Denise Page Hood at the hearing in federal district court in Detroit on Friday, May 10. Attorney Michael Steinberg filed the brief for the ACLU, which stated Eden Foods and Potter are using religion as a justification to discriminate against women.

The brief made the comparison of religion to justify racial discrimination and unequal pay for women at different times in the past. Free access to contraception, according to the ACLU, will promote equality between men and women in society.

Future hearings in this case are not scheduled. Hood took under advisement a motion by Eden Foods for a temporary restraining order to the contraceptive insurance requirement, but did not state when she would provide a ruling.

Tecumseh’s varsity softball team played in Canton’s Tournament on Saturday, May 11 and recorded three ties.

The Indians tied Belleville 9-9, Canton 2-2 and Plymouth 5-5.

Belleville and Plymouth advanced to the seven-team tournament’s final.

“Having played against three pretty good teams, three ties is not all bad, but the disappointment comes with the fact that we made one or two mistakes in each game that cost us a chance at winning all three games,” said Tecumseh head coach Jeff Nowak. “As I told them after the games, even with this sort of empty feeling today, overall we are still playing very good softball and have a lot that we can and want to accomplish this year.”

Katie Martin was 6-for-11 with three big home runs, six RBI and a walk while Kelsey Rendell was 4-for-11 with a double, triple, two RBI and her sixth home run of the season.

Tecumseh’s Mattie Wright was 4-for-11 with a double. Karly Smith went 3-for-4 in the first game before injuring her hand early in the second game.

Tecumseh played a doubleheader at Ann Arbor Skyline on Thursday, May 5, and picked up a pair of wins.

Tecumseh won 12-0 with Kayla Kormos (7-1) in the circle. She allowed no hits while striking out five.
Smith was 3-for-4 with four RBI. Rendell hit a home run. McKenzie Rowe, Claire Burnett, Morgan Monahan, Kylie Hill, and Kormos added two hits each.

Tecumseh won 13-2 with Kayla Wild (1-0) striking out six over six innings.
Taylor Tucker went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI while Hill was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Mattie Wright and Wild added two hits each for Tecumseh.

Tecumseh beat Blissfield 16-1 in just five innings on, Wednesday, May 8.

Emily Maves (7-2) recorded the pitching win after three hitless innings.

Martin led the Indians’ offense going 4-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Kelsea Kaliszuk had two hits and four RBI while Rowe, Anneka Hart, Hill and Claire Burnett contributed two hits each.

Clinton’s varsity boys golf team defeated visiting Blissfield 165-196 in a dual match at the Rustic Glen Golf Club on Monday, May 13.

Luke Schaffner carded 38 to lead Clinton while Josh Donahey and Ryan Karapas each scored 42. Kaden Kelly carded 43 for Clinton.

Clinton is scheduled to host a Tri-County Conference (TCC) Jamboree on Friday, May 17 beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Clinton placed first at the Woodlawn Golf Course on Friday, May 10, in a TCC Jamboree hosted by Sand Creek. Clinton totaled 170 while Whitmore Lake carded 172. Madison scored 185, Summerfield 191 and Sand Creek 214.

Karapas and Kelly each carded 42 while Donahey and Schaffner each carded 43.

On Tuesday, May 7, Clinton placed third at the Onsted Invitational with a score of 345. Napoleon placed first with 329 while Hillsdale Academy was second with 338.

Karapas led Clinton with a score of 83 while Schaffner had 85, Kelly, 87, Donahey, 90 and Matt Zahn, 99.