JPC wants more time and information

More time to look over a 15-page report from Marshall City Manager Chris Olson is what Joint Planning Commission Chairman Mark O'Connell says his six member panel has now that they have voted 5-1 to table a rezoning request from Trae Allman and business partner Kevin Neilsen. The developers had asked in August that local officials change the zoning designation on prperty they want to buy from professional office service to commercial so they can develop the 63 acres owned by State Farm they refer to as The Crossing. Commissioner Vic Potter cast the lone dissenting vote, saying the panel would have no more information at the next meeting than they had last night. "We could keep doing this until hell freezes over," Potter said repeatedly as the meeting was breaking up. Citizens and some commsissioners wanted more information on the proposed development first while Olson said in his report that the action should be postponed to allow for a traffic study. See more on this story in Saturday's Chronicle.

Dad grieves daughter, her boyfriend and his long time companion

The Detroit News published an interview today with Percy Shaw, the 71-year-old Detroit man whose car was disabled on I-94 Monday night. He told the News that he was returning from Chicago with his long time companion when the car began experiencing problems. He called his daughter in Detroit who drove to Battle Creek with her boyfriend to render assistance. It was they who died inside the second vehicle when a semi truck struck the second car from behind containing all but Shaw. The fiery crash occurred in Marengo Township just one mile east of Marshall at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 15. See the complete story in the Detroit News and the Chronicle's coverage in the Oct. 20 edition.

Crash victims still not identified

Michigan State Police say that the identifications of three people killed in a fiery crash on I-94 at the 113 mile marker in Marengo Township, eastbound lane at about 8:3o p.m. last night, have not been confirmed. Their bodies are at Sparrow Hospital where officials are working make positive identifications before notifying family members. Troopers said the three were occupants in a car that was pushing another, disabled car, driven by a 71-year-old Detroit man. They were attempting to push his car off the highway at a low speed when their car was struck from behind by a semi truck hauling apples driven by a 55-year-old Canadian man. Responding to the scene were Marengo Township and Marshall City Firefighters, Marshall Firefighters Ambulance Authority, the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office, the Battle Creek Post of the Michigan State Police and Bud's Wrecker Service. The highway was closed for 9 hours following the crash.

Sharpley to start for Notre Dame against USC

Marshall's Evan Sharpley has not started a game since joining the Fighting Irish football team in 2005. Saturday, he gets his chance to quarterback the team against arch rival, USC. See award winning Chronicle sports writer John Hendler's commentary on this milestone day for the home town boy in the Oct. 20 Marshall Chronicle.

Chronicle is only Calhoun County paper to win awards

The Marshall Chronicle is the only Calhoun County newspaper to garner awards in the Michigan Press Association's annual Better Newspaper Contest held each year during National Newspaper Week, Oct. 7-13. Editor Shelly Sulser clinched first place out of 10 entries for her Spot News Story on the police bust of a large drug ring that occurred when local, state and federal authorities wrapped their 18 month investigation by executing eight search warrants simultanously. And, Sports Reporter John Hendler took first place out of 21 entries for his Sports Feature on Marshall man Bill Welke, who works as a professional, Major League Baseball umpire. See more on the story behind these awards in Saturday's Chronicle.

This week's front page. Click for larger view.

This week's front page. Click for larger view.

Small business people angry over new taxes

Susan Love and Jim Zawodni, both computer IT consultants, joined Angel Stage of Marshall Cutting Edge Lawn care and Lee Justice of Sunshine Window Cleaning Service in sharing their frustration with state lawmakers last week after the last minute budget deal included a six percent sales tax on their services in addition to an income tax hike. See what they're doing about it in the Oct. 6 edition of The Chronicle.

Fire departments take part in training burn

Area fire agencies gathered on South Kalamazoo Avenue in Marshall this morning to participate in the controlled burn of an abandoned home for training purposes. Firefighters have been participating in rapid intervention training on the site for several weeks and are learning techniques for rescuing themselves in certain firefighting situations, according to Lt. Jeff Rhodes of the Marshall City Fire Department.

Man charged with sexual assault

A 41-year-old Marshall man whom police said lives near the Marshall Alternative High School has been charged with second degree criminal sexual conduct with a 15-year-old girl he allegedly took for a motorcycle ride to Stuart Lake's boat launch where police say he sexually assaulted her. The man, Cameron Engle, is lodged in the Calhoun County Jail awaiting preliminary examination on the charges.

Cronin sisters kept card file on patrons

The women who patronized the former Cronin Department store were catered to by the late Elizabeth and Virginia Cronin in a way they may not have realized. The sisters kept a card file on their regulars recording their bra, girdle and shoes sizes, among other statistics in order to help them meet their customer needs. This and many other fading memories of the store that thrived in downtown Marshall since 1851 until circa 1988 are shared in a front page story about former Cronin Department Store owner, Phil Weber, now 90 years old. Weber wanted to chronicle his stories of the sisters and the Cronin building for the first time in The Chronicle to help preserve the history with words, while the building's structural history changes with renovations underway now.

It's National Walk to School Day, Oct. 3

The Marshall Public Schools are for the second consecutive year participating today in National Walk to School Day observances to promote healthy lifestyles with physical exercise like walking to and from school. The event also helps cut down on exhaust emissions and congestion at the schools where more and more parents who drive their children to school gather to drop them off. Organizing this year's event are school district nurse Sue Boley and counselor, Pam McCann, among others. Watch for extra pedestrians on the streets this morning on your way to work and this afternoon when school lets out.

Healing racism summit this Saturday at MHS

Tree trimming is hot topic

The tree branches are extensive and so was the debate last night over the City of Marshall's tree trimming program and the lack thereof. In recent years, the issue was trimmed from the budget, saving the city some $23,000 annually but last night, Director of Utilities and Infrastructure Tom Tarkiewicz said the 600 man hours and up to $50,000 he wants to pay AMP Ohio to trim trees, including "back lot" trees near the city power lines - those in your back yard - would not be enough get the city caught up on the long overdue task. Overhanging branches fall onto power lines during high winds causing major repairs for the city's municipal electric department. At Large Trustee Ron Goodwin voted against outsourcing the work because he feels the city's line crews can do the job. Fifth Ward Trustee Luann Miller voted in favor of the budgeted expense but urged the city staff to consider how far the $50,000 would have gone toward training the city crews to trim backlot trees. In response to the comment below, Ron Goodwin voted against the tree trimming contract with AMP Ohio. His was the only dissenting vote with Luanne Miller, Brent Williams, Mike Kinter, Matt Glaser, Jim Dyer and Mayor Bruce Smith voting in favor the contract.

This week's front page. Click for larger view.