Exponent Blog

2012-01-10T16:44:00.004-05:00

Important information for area high school students!

A video on changes being made to MEAP and MME cut scores, and what students are considered "college ready."

2011-12-07T13:28:00.007-05:00

Winter Wonderland coming to JCC on Friday

Chris Sell

Columbia Central High School graduate Chris Sell has been in a number of classic musicals.
His favorite production was Fiddler on the Roof where he served as an orchestra members.

Sell will have a chance to show off his musical and dance talents on Friday as part of The Broadway Revue.

Jackson Community College’s popular jazz/show ensemble – The Broadway Revue – will perform Winter Wonderland: The Ultimate Christmas Show in the Sheffer Music Hall of the Potter Center for Performing Arts at the College’s campus at 2111 Emmons Road, Jackson Michigan, on Friday. Directed by the musical team of Keith and Joann Drayton and Dr. Stephen R. Murphy, the ensemble cast will perform holiday favorites, Broadway, jazz, and popular music in a spectacular holiday setting.
Show time is 8 p.m. on Friday, December 9, at Sheffer Music Hall in the Potter Center for Performing Arts on the College campus at 2111 Emmons Road.

   For information about tickets, phone 796-8600 or visit jccmi.edu.
   There have been a number of local Christmas shows. What has been your favorite?
   Tell us in the comments below.

Columbia launches school survey

2011-11-07T12:26:00.005-05:00

Columbia School District wants to know what you think!

Board members and faculty have created an online survey at the district’s website – www.myeagles.org – with questions regarding the schools. Each parent can access the school their child attends and answer questions regarding safety, communication and staff.

Board member Amy Miller said that it is part of Columbia’s ongoing mission to increase communication between parents and the school district.

“As part of our school improvement process, we periodically conduct surveys in order to gather valuable information that is used to refine and direct our efforts to continually improve teaching and learning,” Miller said. “Anonymous feedback from parents within the district is important to us.”

The survey has been launched this week to coincide with parent teacher conferences.

A spooky time in Norvell

2011-11-02T12:30:00.004-04:00

‘Young Frankenstein’ Gabriel Michel, 1, was ready for tricks and treats at Norvell Township hall on Monday night. His mother, Margaret Michel, brought him to compete in the costume competition.

On right, Lindsey Hobbs, 9, won the costume competition in Norvell. She was dressed as a little devil and had horns and a pitchfork. Her friend Kasey Condra, 8, was dressed as a vampire. The two enjoyed candy and a cake walk at the event on Monday.

What happened on the stairs of the Norvell Township hall?


"Charlie goes to war." Talon Wilson, 10, as Charlie Brown and Hunter Thayer, 9, as an Army man.

Norvell Township Hall was filled with little army men, Frankensteins, and vampires on Monday night who filled their bags with candy and enjoyed a number of other activities. Nancy Landes, who has organized the Halloween events in Norvell for the last 29 years, said she tries to make it better every year.

“The township and the community really help me out,” she said.

Kids in costume participated in a penny scramble, guessed a giant pumpkin’s weight, broke a piñata, and drank cider. A cake walk made sure no one went home without sweets.

Remembering Dundee

2011-10-26T11:48:00.001-04:00

It has been a few years since I visited Dundee High School to watch a football game. Columbia Central will face Dundee in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 5 playoffs on Saturday at 7 p.m.

   The last time I was down to that quality field behind Dundee Middle School was 2003. On that eventful evening, CCHS player Tate “Tater” Curtis dominated the action.

   The very large lineman planted the center and half of the line into the quarterback so many times, it was almost hilarious. He would play hard for two plays and then come back to the bench to catch his breath for a couple of plays.

   Tater put the fear of God into the Viking linemen that night. There may be a bump in the middle of the field where Tater buried a few players.

   If you go to the game – and please support the local team – remember this . . . there is seating on the opposition side for about 50 skinny women. You may want to take your own chairs like youth soccer matches.

   May the ghost of Tater rise up on Saturday.

Jeff Steers
Brooklyn Exponent editor

2011-10-05T12:53:00.003-04:00

Brooklyn Exponent launches SmugMug picture gallery!

Your favorite photos from the Brooklyn Exponent (and a few you didn't know we shot) are now available to peruse at exponentphotos.smugmug.com! Feel free to swing by and see your friends and family at events around the Irish Hills.

Conveniently organized into categories, such as Sports, Government, School and Events, you can click to purchase beautiful prints of them for your scrapbook. Stop by and see what we shot!

2011-09-13T13:05:00.002-04:00

Dearmyer Road Bomber

Prosecutor says results of stupidity was punishment enough

Columbia Township Police Chief David Elwell said the department has solved the case in which two men were injured when a four inch fireworks mortar blew up in the pickup truck they were driving on Dearmyer Rd.

Daniel Robert King, 22, of Adrian, the driver of the vehicle, and Terry Lee Murphy, 23, also of Adrian, received severe injuries after the fireworks shell blew up in their pickup truck. The men originally claimed that an unknown person had thrown the shell from another moving vehicle into their truck just before it exploded.

Officers immediately suspected the credibility of the story. A following interview with a witness, who had observed the two men run into a nearby field after the explosion carrying items, further led them to believe that the story was concocted.

Elwell said a “grid search” of the bean field revealed several unexploded 3 and 4 inch mortars.

“Although all of these mortars being described are of the fireworks variety, they are extremely dangerous, especially in an enclosed area, and especially in the hands of untrained professionals,” said Elwell.

In follow-up interviews, Elwell said the men admitted that they had actually lit the mortar while in the truck and traveling down the road, and they did not realize that it would go off as quickly as it did. Evidence in the vehicle indicates that after being lit, the mortar fell to the floorboard between the driver’s feet, where the initial explosion lifted it to the roof inside the truck. The secondary explosion then went off, in the roof area above the passenger.

In this follow-up interview, King acknowledged that he had taken the fireworks from a house he had recently worked on, without the knowledge of the homeowner.

Sgt. Jay Niles was able to get the address and made contact with the homeowner. The man acknowledged that he did have some leftover fireworks from a show he had put on a year or two ago. The fireworks display had been done by a licensed individual, by his account, and he provided that person’s information.

The homeowner still had approximately two dozen fireworks displays in his house, including numerous 3 and 4 inch mortars. Elwell said they were secured in a second blast-proof container, and transported to the Columbia Township Police Department.

Since that time, the department has been in contact with both the ATF and the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad. The bomb squad offered to take them, as well as gather evidence from one, and video record the destruction of another.

On Friday, September 9, 2011, the MSP Bomb Squad came to Columbia Township and took custody of the mortars and other displays. The ATF was likewise in attendance and took samples of the mortars. One mortar was taken to a remote location, where it was detonated, while the event was videotaped.

Elwell said he requested that the blowing up of the fireworks be taped as an educational tool to highlight the danger they pose. The video will be posted on The Brooklyn Exponent website.

The investigative report from the incident was reviewed by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office on September 12. As both men involved in the explosion were injured fairly extensively, no criminal charges will be forthcoming locally, although the ATF is conducting their own investigation.

Elwell said the investigative report was reviewed by Jackson County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Mark Blumer, who advised, in part, that “…both subjects were severely injured by their own stupidity”, and that prosecution would not be a “…reasonable use of public resources”.

Elwell said he agrees.

Anyone finding fireworks mortars, or any item either marked as explosive or believed to potentially be explosive, is asked to call their local police or fire department, or 911.

Chamber of Commerce

2011-09-12T13:20:00.003-04:00

Chamber of Commerce President Cindy Hubbell catches the clay pigeon at the top of its arc on the trap course. Instructor Jack Hill showed Hubbell how to use the 20 gauge semi-auto gun to knock targets out of the sky at Business After Hours last Thursday.

Nicki Kennedy, center, of ERA Reardon was a tough act to follow with the shotgun, hitting the majority of her targets. Kennedy and other business owners socialized and ate dinner at the club during Business After Hours.

Chamber members shoot, socialize

By Nathan Mahan

Brooklyn Exponent

staff writer

It did not take long for the word to spread that this month’s Business After Hours event would involve shotguns, clay pigeons and pistols.

The event for members of the Brooklyn-Irish Hills Chamber of Commerce took place at the Brooklyn Sportsman’s Club on last Thursday and attracted both business people and their spouses. More than 50 chamber members attended the event.

Shooters crowded the trap stage and pistol range to try to out shoot their fellow business owners. New shooters got professional instruction on the best way to make lead reach the target and safety on the range.

Primary sponsors of the event included the Brooklyn Sportsman’s Club, Oh These Irish Hills and Tom Coffey’s Soft Water.

“The Business After Hours was a huge success. The chamber members were happy to get outdoors and socialize while having some fun,” Chamber President Cindy Hubbell said. “The Sportsman’s Club was a great venue.”

The event was catered by Poppa’s Place restaurant.

The next scheduled Chamber of Commerce event is a golf outing on September 11. For more information, contact Hubbell at 592-8907.

Election Results

2011-08-04T11:26:00.004-04:00

Police and fire millage renewals pass in Columbia Township. Special education funding fails in Jackson County.

Columbia Proposition 1, to renew millage for fire protection funding in the township:

YES - 759
NO - 272

Columbia Proposition 2, to renew millage for police funding in the township:

YES - 712
NO - 314

Jackson County Intermediate School District millage:

YES - 5233
NO - 5621

2011-08-04T11:02:00.001-04:00

UFO mystery solved!

Thanks to an anonymous tip, we are pretty sure the Unidentified Flying Object seen over the north end of the Village of Brooklyn last Thursday was a Chinese lantern. There were no flying saucers or little green men involved.

Sprucing up Columbia

2011-08-04T11:00:00.005-04:00

Hunter Miller tries out his painting skills on a door at the new Columbia Elementary School

Potted plants colored brown and “Columbia Blue” wait for their place around the elementary school.

Emily Bontrager does her best to find all the weeds in the garden bed next to the parking lot during “Spruce Up Columbia” on Monday night.

Principal Geoff Bontrager tries not to get paint on his shirt while helping to spiff up the outside of the new Columbia Elementary school building in Brooklyn. More than 40 volunteers showed up to help on Monday night.

Lil’ helper

PHOTOS BY NATHAN MAHAN

Smoking too much K2?

2011-08-04T08:00:00.005-04:00

Last week's conversation on The Exponent's Facebook page about drunk driving spurred a lot of questions about synthetic cannabis. Synthetic cannabis, often known by the brand name "K2" is a designer drug which uses synthetic cannabinoids to mimic the effects of marijuana. K2 does not show up on drug tests for THC, the active material in marijuana. Because it is made up of a number of different cannabinoids and is produced in a laboratory, K2 (and other similar brand name drugs) are not illegal. It is sold legally in Irish Hills area convenience stores and gas stations. Do you think drugs like K2 should be illegal?

2011-08-01T13:44:00.004-04:00

This Rotweiler puppy was found in the area of Water Street and Mill Street in Brooklyn on Monday. He was wearing a black collar. Are you the dog's owner? If so, please call the Columbia Township police at 517-592-3122.

**UPDATE! The dog's owner has been found according to Police Chief David Elwell.

A baseball bug

2011-07-28T17:20:00.001-04:00

Are you looking at me?

A red dragonfly spent a few minutes staring right into the camera last week while watching the Walker Wheels play baseball at Walker Historical Tavern. Whether or not he was cheering for the home team is unclear.

Healing Ceremony

2011-07-27T10:50:00.010-04:00

From left, Ashlyn Kouba, Hailey Miller, Travor Overbaugh and Nolan Arthur record a video message for Andrew Harper who was hurt in an accident on July 17 and badly burned.

More than 150 balloons wait for the get-well wishes of the community. Small message cards were tied to the balloons and floated into the air on Sunday evening.

Pastor Kevin Cherry of Heart o’ the Lakes Church in Brooklyn lead the group of people in a prayer, in which he prayed for God to heal the young men.

Friends of White and Harper signed T-shirts for the victims to be brought to the hospital.

Small cards like this one were tied to more than 150 balloons and released into the air on Sunday during a get-together of friends of White and Harper.

More than 150 friends of Samuel White and Andrew Harper released balloons on Sunday night with well wishes for the boys who are in the hospital after an automobile accident.

Chinese lanterns lit the skies and people hugged during the ceremony.

Andrew Harper’s stepfather James Sciarrabba floats a Chinese lantern into the sky during a ceremony where 150 people prayed for the accident victims.

Lynsey Morea and Darian Liogghio of Brooklyn sign T-shirts for the young men who were in an accident on July 17.

Andrew Harper’s mother Kris Scirrabba watches the glow of a lantern that was floated into the air on Sunday while friends of the boys gathered in the park.

2011-07-20T14:57:00.003-04:00

Under the Oaks

2011-07-19T11:32:00.000-04:00

Village looking for opinions from all residents

The Village of Brooklyn needs your help.

Throughout the months of July and August, Brooklyn will be seeking input from all residents, business owners and visitors to help make it a better place.

In an effort to update the village’s Comprehensive Plan, a survey is available online with questions about how the village can better serve residents’ needs. The survey will help the boards and commissions as they make decisions on behalf of everyone, including property owners, businesses, and people looking to buy homes in the area. It will also help Brooklyn budget for the desired future.

Village Manager Jennifer Coe said that having a large number of responses is important.

“Please ask your neighbors, friends, and co-workers to also complete the survey because the greater the response rate the more accurate a picture we will be able to draw,” Coe said.

PLEASE
HELP US
Click here to complete this survey.

2011-07-13T19:38:00.003-04:00

Saying goodbye to Miller Elementary

A photo essay by Nathan Mahan

The Miller Elementary building in Cement City will be heated enough to keep water pipes from freezing next winter. It will also be used for storage until the district can find a use for it.

An organized pile of sports equipment sits in the middle of the gymnasium at Miller Elementary, ready to transported to the new campus.

Pencils, paper, shelves and books are being moved one carload at a time.

Some of the classrooms are being used as storage in the transition, while others remain empty.

A janitor moves through the empty halls of the old elementary school.


Waiting for the students Sunlight shines in the windows at the elementary school building in Cement City, but nobody is there.

To see hundreds of photos NOT published in the Brooklyn Exponent, visit www.exponentphotos.com

2011-07-11T17:05:00.002-04:00

Got his kicks for Exponent 66

Long-time Brooklyn Exponent employee Harry Cogan retired – for good thistime – earlier in the month. A surprise retirement party was held for Coganlast week at the Cruise Inn on US-12. Cogan worked for the Brooklyn newspaperfor 66 years, starting as a linotype operator and completing his tour of dutyas a proofreader. His wife, Holly, is semi-retired and will continue to covertownship and school meetings on a limited basis. The duo has more than 110years of experience in the newspaper business.

2011-07-01T17:01:00.002-04:00

'50s night at Poppa's Place restaurant

From left, Whitney Dufek, Paige Sabin, Tim Cown, Rita Hall and owner Linda Reckley dress up like it is the 1950s again for Back to the Bricks cruise. The employees of Poppa’s Place restaurant in Brooklyn got in the spirit with old fashioned cooking and old fashioned clothes.

To purchase hundreds of photos NOT seen in the Brooklyn Exponent, visit exponentphotos.com

2011-06-27T13:40:00.009-04:00

Pictures from Race Fest, 2011

Four-year-old Jordan Peek of Brooklyn

enjoys the inflatable slide and insisted

on going more than once.

Big kids

Margie Little, left, of Napoleon
takes on her friend Jackie Hubbard
of Onsted in some slot car racing
at Race Fest on Thursday.

Starstruck

A very young Jeff Gordon fan looks a little shocked
while her daddy gets his picture taken with
the famous driver.

2011-06-21T15:47:00.005-04:00

What do you think?

Marijuana moratorium challenged

Local businessmen Tyler Boss and Aaron Westbrook are challenging a moratorium on marijuana dispensaries in Woodstock Township because they started their business about the same time the law went into effect.

Westbrook said, "We are not a clinic. We sell medical marijuana to card-carrying members. We are a medical marijuana retail store."

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Would you mind a medical marijuana business near where you live?

2011-06-17T14:25:00.001-04:00

Public Service Announcement

2011-06-14T11:40:00.003-04:00

New school traffic map for 2011-2012 school year

Picking up/dropping off students:

Parents enter Broad Street from Monroe Street.

Children can be picked up or dropped off in the existing parking lot directly west of the middle school.

Broad Street traffic will only be able to exit the school by returning to Monroe St. The access to School St. will be blocked.

Only school buses are allowed on School Street. Cars on School Street will be turned away by a crossing guard.

2011-06-08T14:55:00.004-04:00

Columbia Police investigating hit-and-run in Brooklyn

    The Columbia Township Police Department is looking for the driver in a hit-and-run accident on Tuesday night that left a man unconscious in the street.

   At around midnight, Officer Jeff Anderson was dispatched to the corner of Main Street and Marshall Street for a person laying injured in the roadway. The 47-year-old man from Brooklyn was laying against the curb and was seriously injured. He was taken by ambulance to Allegiance Health, and then by helicopter to University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor.

A southbound motorist saw the man and called police. While canvasing the neighborhood, one resident said that a "thud" was heard shortly before the man was found.

   The man regained consciousness for a short time at the scene but was unable to provide any details about the car that struck him. Even though he was laying against the southbound curb, it is unknown for certain which direction a suspects car would be traveling.

   The victim is listed in stable condition. A next-of-kin have not yet been notified; the name of the victim has not yet been released.

   Anyone with information is asked to call the Columbia Township police department at 517.592.3122. Although it is unknown the extent of the damage to the suspect vehicle, it is believed that it would show visible damage from the impact.

2011-06-08T10:38:00.001-04:00

Public forum discusses transition

Columbia School Board member-elect Amy Miller asks a question of school officials during a public forum on Monday night. The board talked to a crowd of about 100 parents who attended the community forum. Topics such as traffic flow were discussed, as well as the current budget crisis.

2011-06-06T15:30:00.005-04:00

It's Boat Time!

Employees of Boaters Choice in Brooklyn attempt to "float" a boat lift out to the end of a dock on Vineyard Lake. To purchase hundreds of photos NOT seen in the Brooklyn Exponent, visit exponentphotos.com

America at War

2011-06-01T12:58:00.009-04:00

CHARGE!

Bayonets affixed, soldiers charge across the field during the Battle of Philippi which was reenacted last month at Walker Tavern Historical Complex. Many people forget that recruits were often in their young teens when they were called into battle.

The Battle of Philippi took place almost 150 years ago, on June 3, 1861.

It was the first organized land action of the Civil War. The battle, also mockingly known as “The Philippi Races,” was centered around protecting bridges and lines of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The Union, in an effort to protect these critical supply lines, “raced” the Confederates into the town of Philippi, Virginia (now West Virginia).

The Union was lead by Brig. General Thomas A. Morris who commanded 3000 soldiers of the Indiana Volunteers. Col. George A. Porterfield of the Confederacy had 800 recruits from the area. The victory by the Union army was almost bloodless, and helped polarize the region as being against secession.

The Walker Tavern Historical Site in Cambridge Township hosted a reenactment last month of the Battle of Philippi. Hundreds of volunteers camped and lived as mid-19th century Americans.

An injured confederate soldier gets some help limping away from the front line.

Carrying a regiment’s colors into battle was considered an honor and a privilege. It was very dangerous, and required an inordinate amount of courage. These young color bearers are ready for anything.

Not on my watch.

A member of the militia from around Philippi, Virginia draws a line in the sand as the union army approaches.