Harvest festival today at fairgrounds

The CCAIS 11th annual Harveset Festival gets underway today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the Marshall Police Dept. vs. the Marshall Fire Dept. and Ambulance in a Chili Challenge. Other festivities include arts, crafts, kids ID, antique tractor pulls, 50/50 drawing, music, largest pumpkin contest, best pumpkin pie contest, best meatloaf contest, fres produce, food, kids games, wagon rides and pumpkin painting. Demonstrations include glass blowing, wool spinning, basket weaving, soap making, rope making, blacksmithing, wood carving, a saw mill and log rolling. Admission is free to this event at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds in Marshall. Call 781-8161 for more information.

Tenure commission rules in favor of MPS

A decision by an administrative law judge who heard testimony in tenure hearings on three charges against 12-year high school teacher and coach, Jody Mac Foreman to deny two charges but grant the third, thereby dismissing him from the Marshall Public Schools, has been upheld by the Michigan Tenure Commission. The first two charges involved a party with recent graduates at his home where underage drinking and sexual assault was alleged but never fully prosecuted. Officials rules he could not be terminated based on those charges due to inconsistent testimony. The officials ruled, however, he could be dismissed based on testimony from a former JV tennis coach who was only 19 when she said he bought her beer during lunch while attending a Troy, Mich. school sponsored tennis clinic in 2001. Foreman said he will appeal the decision to the Michigan Court of Appeals in hopes of restoring his tenure and possibly suing Marshall Public Schools. See more on this story in today's Chronicle.

Poll question correction

Editor's Note: The poll question should indicate that the MPD has three Taser stun guns, not two. Blogger will not allow editing of the poll question.

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Marshall Brass employees still awaiting company response

An 18-year Marshall Brass employee said today that the 104 UAW Local 1294 members who voted 72 to 32 to turn down a company request for a 17.5 percent pay cut and an $85 increase per month for health insurance coverage still have not been informed of the company's response to the vote. The woman said the company had told the workers that the concessions were needed to keep the plant operating. A company official from the San Marcos headquarters in Texas returned a phone call to say the company has no comment at this time and an official statement is being considered. See this Saturday's Chronicle for more on this developing story on a company that last was celebrated last April for its announcement that it would expand. The company's request for a 12 year, 50 percent tax break was granted by city officials with teh understanding that 32 new jobs would be created at that time.
See more on this 74 year old companay at www.marshall brass.com or http://www.sh-leggitt.com/edlees/index.html

Compost center to revert to 24 hours

A county Solid Waste committee meeting attended by area city and township officials led the panel to vote Monday to restore funding to the compost center after it had voted last month to withhold funding. That earlier vote led the city, the lone funding agency, to cut hours from 24 hours to eight and to limit use to city residents only. Last night, the Marshall City Council learned that the Division Drive operation will return to its previous hours and access by county residents once the county signs on the dotted line, likely by November.

Council holds unplanned closed door session

The Marshall City Council spent the first half hour of the Monday night meeting discussing how to discuss concerns over the pending sale of the 63-acre State Farm property at I-94 Exit 110 by area developer Trae Allman. Mayor Bruce Smith said he wanted to be able to explain to the public the process by which property is rezoned, the issue that brought the pending purchase to light last week. He added that he wanted to give the city manager direction in how to handle rezoning issues and pointed out that the council had never set goals for City Manager Chris Olson since he joined the staff in May The discussion included consideration of a possible workshop session and led into the decision with At Large Trustee Ron Goodwin voting against the issue and Luanne Miller absent to add a closed session to last night's agenda at the end of the meeting. When Open Meetings Act concerns were raised, Trustee Jim Dyer said "we could couch it as a personnel issue." The council at about 9 p.m. agreed to Dyer's motion to go into closed session to discuss economic development issues as a personnel matter with Olson.

Board sets goals for Phillips

With 1 1/2 years left in her contract, the Marshall Public Schools Board of Education last week adopted two goals with sub-points for Dr. Joyce Phillips, superintendent in the district since 2004. She plans to leave the district at the end of her contract in 2009. See what the board expects of her during her remaining time in the district in this week's Chronicle.

Albion, Marshall move ahead with joint dispatch

It's hardly a done deal, but the concept of a consolidated dispatch system for the cities of Albion and Marshall moved a step closer last Monday night when the city councils of both communities held a joint, special meeting at the Albion District Library to discuss a report on the idea. Marshall Mayor Bruce Smith noted that while they want to move forward, "this will not solve all of the details tonight." Citing advances in technology, Marshall Public Safety Director Mike Olson told the councils consolidation "is the way to go." See more on why Olson and Albion Public Safety Chief Eric Miller have been working hard with a task force of individuals to put this plan together in a front page story by Albion Recorder Reporter, Catherine Kerley.

Developer seeks rezoning of 63-acre State Farm land

The same night Battle Creek developer Richard Trae Allman of Allman Development and Allman Partners, LLC appeared before the City of Marshall and Marshall Township Joint Planning Commission with a request to rezone the former site of a proposed State Farm Insurance office building, the panel unanimously approved a concept plan showing the property in a commercial zone. Currently, the 63-acre site at Exit 110 is designated as Professional Office Service District (POSD) but though Allman would not reveal his plans for the land, he has requested a change to B-4 Regional Commercial District. It appears the city is well on its way to adopting the concept plan which will later reflect in the master plan when the update is complete. Even so, Allman still must follow the steps to receive approval of his request. See more on this and on this unique joint planning panel, an unprecedented sign of cooperation, on the Sept. 15 front page edition of the Chronicle. It's this week's top story.

Redhawks ahead in second quarter

The Marshall High School Redhawks were reportedly ahead 17-12 with three minutes to go in the second quarter at Niles Friday night, Sept. 14. Marshall boosted their lead on a BJ Konkle fumble recovery which he turned into a 10 yard TD.

In tribute...

What kinds of feelings, memories, thoughts does this City of Marshall Public Safety image of their tribute to the fallen heroes/victims of 9/11 evoke for you today? Please share with us here on this forum.

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Chronicle Exclusive: Consumer's Energy to make big investment here

Consumer's Energy announced Sept. 4 that it is investing $5 million to epxand and modernize its Marshall Training Center which provides safety and operation training to some 1,000 electric line, substaton and natural gas service workers annually. After the state-of-the-art rebuilding project is complete in the fall of 2008, the facilities will accommodate an additional 200 to 500 students from not only Consumer's Energy but from community colleges and other power companies, said Sr. Employee Development Consultant/Marshall Training Center Director, Dwane N. Johnson last Wednesday. See the complete story on this operation that has quietly operated in Marshall for nearly 30 years. It is our lead, exclusive story on the front page of the Sept. 8 Marshall Chronicle available all over town and at our offices, 514 South Kalamazoo Avenue.

First day of Home Tour sees good turnout

The 2007 Marshall Historical Society Home Tour is wrapping up the first day of the two day event with tonight's Civil War Ball, featuring a visit from Abe Lincoln himself. Volunteers in the homes reported a healthy turnout. Here, a line of tourists waits to see the Dan and Judy Babcock home on North Kalamazoo Avenue. The 44th annual tour continues Sunday. Watch for other homes with signs in the yard announcing they will be on a future Marshall Historic Home tour to get a sneak peak at what's to come.