Oaklawn open house sees big turnout

Long time Marshall resident Dottie Brown called the additional third and fourth floors at Oaklawn Hospital, showcased in today's third floor open house "beautiful" and "beyond what anyone could ever dream for Marshall." The new, all private rooms now total 38. The fourth floor opened in May while the third floor opens tomorrow, followed by renovations now expected to get underway on the second floor. Hailing the switch to all private rooms at today's open house were Dr. Tom Neidlinger, Dr. George Seifert and CEO Rob Covert, whose sister, Margaret, traveled from Barcelona to be at the landmark event. His mother, Christine, also attended, traveling from her Pennsylvania home to support Covert during the milestone event. See this weekend's Chronicle for pictures and for other news announced by Covert today.

Suspect's preliminary hearing postponed

The scheduled July 30 preliminary examination of first degree child abuse against Chadwick Damon of Marshall was adjourned Monday in Calhoun County's 10th District Court at the request of court appointed attorney Mark Webb of Marshall. Webb said Monday he asked for the delay to give him time to go over police reports, etc. No new date was set and no new charges have been filed against Damon though police and an assistant prosecutor said earlier that they expect Damon to be charged in connection with the little girl's death that occurred July 17, five days after Damon called 911 to his South Kalamazoo Avenue home where the girl was found unresponsive.

Lauren Krea Dean is back home!

Police released information today announcing the return of 16-year-old Lauren Krea Dean to Coldwater this morning. Sgt. Dave Crilly reported that a citizen spotted Dean at the Columbia Avenue Meijer store in Battle Creek at 8:30 a.m. and transported her to the Coldwater Police Department. We received an email from someone close to the case announcing that her mother, Natalie Dean, was on her way to pick up the daughter she has not seen since she ran away July 9 with a Missouri man she met on MySpace.com. See this weekend's Chronicle for more information on Natalie Dean's more than three week search for her daughter and the 20-year-old stranger with home she ran away. Police said no crimes were committed and no charges are expected. Log onto Find LKD for the latest.

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The bids are in

Bids from nine private cleaning firms were received by the Marshall Public Schools to provide custodial services for the next three years, MPS Director of Finance and Operations Amy Jones told a committee at a meeting Thursday. Three companies are being asked to give presentations to school officials Aug. 7 and the board will vote Aug. 13. The three firms offered proposals ranging from between $560,0000 and $695,000 in each of the three years. See today's Chronicle for details.

Verdict is not guilty in sexual assault trial

The trial of a 14-year-old boy accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in the Marshall High School library Feb. 7 & 8 continued today with testimony from the boy, assistant librarian Val Leonard and therapist Joan Furu. The jury received the case at about 11 a.m. and returned at 1:30 p.m. with a not guilty verdict. Testifying yesterday were the victim, her mother, police officers Lee Friend and Scott McDonald, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Donna Lawrence, the defendant's mother and assistant MHS principal, Andrea Nessel. The same boy is accused of similar offenses against another girl on Feb. 2 which were reported before the case tried this week. Sources say how the Feb. 2 case is handled will be determined by the outcome of today's trial. See the July 28 Chronicle for details.

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Second Reubenfest is now history

Marshall Police Dept. Sgt. Scott McDonald, left, gets ready to dive into the Second Annual Pastrami Joes World Reuben Eating competition which also attracted a slate of professional eaters from around the country to Marshall Saturday. See this week's coverage for who won and how much was raised for the free medical care facility, the Fountain Clinic in Marshall.

Aladdin, Jr. involves much local young talent

Left: Costumer Sally Garman, standing far right, is surrounded by
castemembers and some of the fabrics that will be used in the show.

With nearly half of its workshop and rehearsal time done, the cast and crew
of Disney's Aladdin, Jr. is deep into details.
"Our costumer Sally Garman has designed a beautiful show full of rich
fabrics and detail that define everyone from the townsperson, to the guards
to the royal court, and off course, Aladdin, Jasmine and the Genie," said
producer Sue Hutchings. "Our parents have been great about helping to pull
the costumes together by purchasing a few fabrics, but most of our costumes
and fabrics are courtesy of our predecessor, the King and I."

The costume workshops have been filled with color, chatter and some play
time. "I think our adults (one in particular) are bigger kids than the
kids," said Hutchings. "The workshops have been great not only to create
the look of the show, but also to bond the cast."

With Footloose the Musical just ending its run at the Franke Center, the
crew, cast and parents will soon be putting up the Aladdin set. "We will
have it all: A magic carpet, a cave, Jafar's den, a marketplace and the
palace," promised tech director Richard Lindsey. "The kids have already
made the cave stone's and will be helping with many other set details."

With makeup and prop workshops coming up, the cast and crew will have
plenty to do before the show opens in August. Performance dates are August
9 and 10 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 11 at 2 p.m.
All performances will be at the Franke Center for the Arts, 214 E. Mansion
Street, Marshall. The box office (269-781-3335) will open for ticket
reservations on Monday, Aug. 6 at 1pm. Tickets are $8.

Chadwick Leon Damon arraigned

Chadwick Leon Damon, a lifelong Marshall resident, was arraigned Thursday afternoon on one count of first degree child abuse for causing injuries to 4-year-old MacKenzie VandenHeede of South Kalamazoo Avenue in Marshall. Bond was set at $250,000 cash. The prosecutor's office indicated during the arraignment that Damon is also a suspect in the investigation into the homicide "of this same child," said the assistant prosecutor. Magistrate David Barnes in the arraignment said the offense date was July 4 though police were not called to the residence until July 12 when first responder Bill Hankinson found the child unresponsive and suffering from apparent head injuries. She was transferred via helicopter from Marshall to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo where she died Tuesday, police said. For more details, see the Saturday, July 21 Marshall Chronicle.

Child dies at Bronson; man arrested, lodged

Marshall Public Safety Chief Mike Olson has confirmed that the 4-year-old girl we reported on in the July 14 Chronicle Public Safety beat who apparently suffered inflicted injuries died yesterday at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. The girl's mother's boyfriend has been arrested and is lodged in the Calhoun County Jail awaiting arraignment Thursday.
"I can't tell you the time of arraignment as I don't know myself," said Olson late Wednesday. "I am sure it won't be an early morning arraignment as we have to meet with the Prosecutor's Office. We are not releasing any names as we are waiting for notifications of the next of kin for the family of the child and we are not releasing the name of the suspect until after arraignment."
The Marshall Police Department received assistance from the Battle Creek Police Department Crime Lab, the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department and the Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division.

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Citizens ask council to amend minutes

Two men who addressed the council and one man who commented before the meeting complained that the Marshall City Council minutes do not contain all of their comments made at previous public meetings when the council met in regular session last night.
Council members agreed to amend the minutes to reflect a comment made July 2 by John LaPietra that the Marshall District Library had not received the July 2 city council packet prior to the meeting,
However, members noted that neither the law nor the council rules of procedures requires the city to keep written record of all comments, neither by council members nor the public.
Clerk/Treasurer Finance Director Tracy Hovarter, reading from the rules, reminded the council that the video recording of the meeting serves as the public record of all comments while the minutes need only reflect the actions of the body.
For more on what happened at the July 16 session, see the July 21 Chronicle.

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Missing girl spotted in Battle Creek

Missing former Marshall resident and current Coldwater resident Lauren Krea Dean, 16, is being sought by police and by her family. She is believed to have left with a Missouri man in his 20's, Daniel Knopp, (pictured) whom she met on MySpace.com. Anyone with information is asked to call the Marshall Police Department at 781-2596 or the Coldwater Police at 517-278-4525 or 911. Her mother said Monday, July 16 that the most recent tip places the pair in Battle Creek July 11 inquiring about a place to stay.



Log on to http://www.findlkd.com/ for further updates.

Lions receiver MIke Furrey tees off for charity

Detroit Lions wide receiver Mike Furrey teed off at the Medalist Golf course near Marshall Friday to help raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The event was co-chaired by Ryan Traver of Marshall. See the July 14 Chronicle for sports writer John Hendler's interview with Furrey and how Cystic Fibrosis affects its victims.

Oaklawn buys Kempf property

Kempf Funeral home will move from its 103 East Mansion Street location of the past 29 years to five acres owner Craig K. Kempf expects to purchase from Family Bible Church on North Old US 27, he confirmed Thursday after the issue was discussed on public record at the Wednesday planning commission meeting. See page one of today's Chronicle for more on the plans by both the Kempf property buyer, Oaklawn Hospital, and Kempf.

Tenneco plans for potential plant expansion

Should the Tenneco corportation land a new contract currently pending, some 80 new jobs would be created along with two new additions to the Industrial Road exhaust system manufacturing facility to make way for the necessary production equipment, facilities engineer Mark Wallace told the Marshall City Planning Commission last week. See the rest of this story on page 1 of today's Marshall Chronicle.

Brownell guilty on all counts

The jury in the Timothy Brownell trial on two counts of open murder, fleeing and eluding police, home invasion and felony firearm returned a verdict of guilty on a total of eight counts stemming from the Oct. 21, 2006 slayings of his ex wife, Mary Brownell and her fiance, Larry Allen in their Ceresco home. Prosecutor John Hallacy said his thoughts were with the two Brownell children who not only lost their mother but now, their father is going to prison for the rest of his life.

Pratt bound over on CSC 3rd degree

Christopher Luke Pratt of Marshall was bound over to circuit court on one count of third degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly forcing sex on his live-in girlfriend in their home June 19. The woman tearfully testified at the Tuesday preliminary examination that she told him "no" three times that night in their bed. See this Saturday's Chronicle for more on what happened and how Judge Samuel Durham arrived at his bindover decision. Pratt remains in jail on $50,000 bond which was not reduced despite a motion to do so by Pratt's attorney, Thomas Shaeffer of Marshall.

Brownell trial on open murder completes first day

The first full day in the open murder trial of Timothy Brownell, 42, of Bellevue, concluded in Calhoun County 37th Circuit Court today. Brownell, charged with eight counts related to the Oct. 21, 2006 fatal shootings of his ex wife, Mary Brownell and her live-in boyfriend, Larry Allen, in the couple's Ceresco home, could face life in prison if convicted of first degree murder showing premeditation. Testifying Tuesday was Brownell's live-in girlfriend, Barbara Wells, his daughter, Amber, who was home when the shootings occurred, neighbor Jerry Nye who heard the shots, neighbor Stuart Denney, who helped Amber call 911, father Don Brownell, Connie and Ron Jackson (Brownell's biological mother and stepfather), Emmett Township Police Officer Pat Johnson, MSP Trooper Ann Poehlman, Marshall Police Officer Troy DeKryger and three Marshall Ambulance paramedics. Testimony reveals Brownell was upset over child custody issues and the feelings of his children toward him. Calhoun County Prosecutor John Hallacy is trying the case and Brownell is defended by Kennth Marks. See the Saturday, July 14 Chronicle for more on the details of the case revealed on the witness stand. Testimony continues Wednesday, July 11 in front of the three man, 11 woman jury.

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Pratt bond increased to $50,000; New criminal sexual conduct hearing scheduled for Tuesday, July 10 at 2:30 p.m.

At a video arraignment before Magistrate Earl Brutche, bond for Chris Pratt was increased to $50,000 and a new preliminary hearing on the re-introduced criminal sexual conduct charge against Pratt is scheduled for Tuesday, July 10 at 2:30 p.m.

Prosecutor's re-issue criminal sexual conduct charge against Chris Pratt; arraignment scheduled for 1:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Prosecutors re-issued third degree criminal sexual conduct charges against Chris Pratt after adding unlawful imprisonment to the three other counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, interfering with electronic communications and misdemeanor domestic violence. Pratt was bound over for trial on the charges Monday by Judge Samuel Durham at Pratt's preliminary examination stemming from his arrest last week after he allegedly got into a physical fight with his girlfriend. The girlfriend, visibly shaken, gave testimony of the events that led to Pratt's arrest. Pratt, the former boyfriend of Mary Lands had his bond reduced from $250,000 to $25,000 by Durham but a new ruling is expected to be made following Tuesday's arraignment.