Aug. 29, 2007 Marshall lightning video

Check out this video by Chronicle Editor Shelly Sulser with an appearance by front office clerk Kathy Miller that captures one of many lightning strikes over Marshall Wednesday. What you hear Sulser exclaiming at the end is, "I got it!" Watch for story and photos in the Sept. 1 edition.

What just passed through...

Winds up to and maybe even exceeding 40 mph pushed rapidly through Marshall late this afternoon, toppling tree branches all over the city. Police, electric crews and firefighters were called to Dobbins and Green Street where a pole fell across the Dobbins Street entrance to the Redfield Plaza. While there, officers and crews were called to North Mulberry where a secondary line to a home sagged low over the sidewalk and while there, crews were reportedly called to Homer Road where a primary line was apparently felled by a falling branch, according to a preliminary report. Watch this weekend's Chronicle for more on this severe storm that struck between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Please, share your comments and stories about this storm.

Giannunzios depart from Southwest Michigan Rehab

An interim administrator at Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center confirmed yesterday that long time president and chief executive officer Diane Giannunzio no longer works for the Battle Creek facility. The Chief of Staff, Dr. Zihni Yilmet is now working as the chief executive officer in the interim. No press releases have been issued though more information is expected. Giannunzio's husband, Lou Giannunzio, also an employee of the facility, is former Marshall Public Schools superintendent and was 2006 Marshall mayoral candidate. He is no longer listed on the facilty website as an employee. Former MPS School Board president and current Marshall Township Board member Jeff Albaugh is president of the Southwest Michigan Rehabilitation Board of Directors which also includes Roger Caswell of Marshall and Battle Creek Unlimited CEO Jim Hettinger.
Based in Battle Creek, Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center is an independent acute physical rehabilitation hospital which provides inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services to people who have been disabled by stroke, trauma, illness, surgery, arthritis and other diseases and injuries.

Schauer (D-Battle Creek) Praises Today's Announcement by the Lansing Board Of Water & Light to Increase Use of Cleaner Energy

The follow is a press release from Sen. Mark Schauer's office:

"Innovative partnerships like this are a step in the right direction and will benefit Michigan's consumers, economy, and environment. Senate Democrats are committed to expanding the use of clean, alternative energies, which is why we support Senator Jim Barcia's plan to require 20 percent of our energy comes from renewable sources by the year 2020. Hopefully, the Legislature will take up this important legislation soon."

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

Redhawks drop opener 36-14

Marshall's football team dropped its season opener Friday night against the Portage Central Mustangs 36-14 in a disappointing loss. Coach Rich Hulkow said his men "took it like gentlemen." See John Hendler's coverage of the first game of the 2007 fall football season along with a complete look at all of the fall teams in the 2007 Fall Sports Preview in tomorrow's edition of The Chronicle.

Old 27 Motor Tour arrives in Marshall today

Up to 100 cars are expected to join the Old US 27 Motor Tour from Coldwater to Cheboygan which makes a 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. stop in downtown Marshall today where they will be welcomed by Marshall Mayor Bruce Smith. Joining the tour is Butch Patrick who played Eddie Munster on the popular 70s TV show, the Munsters and Paul LeMat who starred in American Graffiti. Autographs will be available for a fee. The theme of the tour focuses on the era before the building of I-69.

City compost center to reduce from 24 to 8 hours per week

The city of Marshall compost center on Division Drive in Marengo Township will no longer have the $14,200 financial support of the Calhoun County Solid Waste Committee due to a budget cut. That's why city officials are going to try to go it alone. But not without a price to users. City officials announced last night that hours of operation at the leased facility will reduce to four hours on Tuesdays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and four hours on Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon. For the time being, there remains no cost to Marshall residents to drop off yard waste. Citizens who are not city of Marshall residents will not be permitted to make drop offs though everyone will be permitted to purchase the materials such as wood chips, compost, etc. Call the city of Marshall at 781-5183 for more information. The topic was the subject of a lengthy discussion at the City of Marshall council meeting Monday where the city voted unanimously with two members absent to rescind the contract with the Calhoun County Road Commission, sign a lease agreement with the CCRC and to accept the staff's recommendation for the new hours. See this weekend's Chronicle for more on this story.

Missing Hastings boy spotted in Battle Creek

A missing person poster at the Marshall Police Department seeks a 15-year-old Hastings boy who disappeared Monday, Aug. 6. Blake Curtis Parker was last seen wearing a white and gray Fox racing hat, black tee shirt and cargo shorts. A notation at the bottom of the poster reveals he was since spotted in Battle Creek Aug. 15. It asks that anyone who has seen him call their local police department. Marshall's number is 781-2596. UPDATE: We heard from our Hastings newssroom Tuesday, Aug. 21 that the boy was spotted in Nashville, recognized and returned home.

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Former postmaster subject of federal bill

A federal law pending in the United State House of Representatives could give retired Marshall postmaster Mike Schragg the honor of a lifetime. Introduced Aug. 3 by 7th District U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, H.R. 3446 would designate the historic Marshall post office at 202 E. Michigan Avenue the Michael W. Schragg Post Office Building if passed in 2007 - the last year a federal building can be named after living individuals. Schragg owns and operates the country's second largest postal museum (second only to the Smothsonian) in the basement of the Marshall post office. See the Aug. 18 Chronicle for a complete report.

23 jobs eliminated by Marshall Public Schools

Some 23 employees were let go from Marshall Public Schools Monday when the Board of Education voted unanimously to outsource custodial services to Grand Rapids Building Services for a projected savings of about $1.1 million over the next three years. The vote occurred in front of a crowd large enough to prompt the board to move the meeting into the middle school auditorium. Grand Rapids Building Services already contracts with 16 other Michigan K-12 schools and has 800 employees. They are slated to begin transitioning into the district next month. At a meeting last week to interview the firm, board members heard GRBS president Rex Kuhn and assistant Karen Wysocki say ideally, they would be fully operational by Thanksgiving if awarded the $695,000 per year contract.

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Grand Rapids Building Services (GRBS) is preferred firm

A meeting of the interview committee that screened the top three bidders for a private custodial service contract with the Marshall Public Schools has unanimously agreed to recommend that the high bidder, Grand Rapids Building Services get the job if the full board agrees tonight that privatization is the way to go. GRBS bid $695,774 in each of the next three years of the proposed contract. The committee met in open session this morning at 9 a.m. and had made their decision by 10 a.m. Making the unanimous decision were Paul Beardslee, Dan Stulberg, Bill Armstrong, Joyce Phillips and Amy Jones. Chris Varvatos sat in for John Coulter who was absent. Tonight at 6 p.m., citizens and custodians opposing privatization of the custodial services will meet at Brooks Fountain to hear an address by Michigan Education Association President Iris K. Salters before walking together as a group to Marshall Middle School for the 7 p.m. school board meeting. Board President Vic Potter said Friday he will vote in favor of privatization. Coulter also said Thursday he will vote for privatization. Due the crowd expected, school officials are discussing moving the meeting from the community room to the auditorium.

Semi strikes five cars

The Chronicle is the only area media to have pictures from the six car crash that occurred on I-94 Friday at the 115 mile marker that reportedly occurred when a semi driver fell asleep while driving in the westbound lane. Three individuals are being treated at area hospitals while two others refused treatment. The semi driver was not hurt. Shortly after the crash, authorities were also notified that a dog was missing from one of the vehicles damanged in the accident. According to another news source, the dog is a boxer that ran from the scene. It is reportedly micro chipped. Call the Michigan State Police at 269-968-6115 if you find this lost dog. See the Aug. 11 Chronicle for photos of this shocking, late afternoon crash scene. The paper went to press just prior to the issuing of a 10 p.m. press release detailing the accident. Troopers reported in it that I-94 was closed westbound for about two hours and that traffic was rerouted. "Investigation indicates that a semi driven by a 37-year-old man from Round Lake Beach, Illinois fell asleep and ran into five other vehicles. Injured in the accident were a 21-year-old female from Garden City, MI. She was transporated to Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall where she was treated before being released. A 31-year-old male from Madison Heights, MI refused treatment at the scene. A 50-year-old female from New Boston, MI was transpoered to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo with serious injuries. A 55-year-old female from Fort Gratiot, MI was transported to Oaklawn Hospital with serious injuries. A 60-year-old male from Vicksburg, MI was not injured in the accident. The driver the semi was issued a citation at the scene of the accident. The Battle Creek Post was assisted by Marshall Firefighters Ambulance Authority, Marshall Fire Department, Calhoun County Sheriff's Department and citizens on scene," the press release reads.