September 19, 2015 • Vol. 136 No. 36
514 S. Kalamazoo Ave. in Marshall, MI · Phone 269-781-5444 and FAX 269-781-7766 · www.advisor-chronicle.com
In The News: Focusing on Albion’s youth: Hundreds attend community forum An open dialogue about the Albion community and its youth took place Sept. 15 at Washington Gardner School in Albion. Dubbed “1,700 Hearts and Minds,” the forum, hosted by Albion College, and attended by about 200 residents, featured local leaders and child advocates sharing ideas about local programs, services and opportunities for Albion’s children and young adults. “Like a snake, we shed old skin and old ways and we become something new,” said Albion Superintendent Jerri-Lynn Williams-Harper about positive changes for the Albion school district. “ See story on page 10 Keep & Martinson Lumber celebrates 140 years in business Keep & Martinson Lumber, Inc. of Tekonsha is celebrating 140 years of being in business. Owner and operator Benjamin Johnson has chosen Saturday, Sept. 26 to invite customers and friends to come to 921 N. Washington St. in Tekonsha to help him celebrate, from 12-5 p.m., with a short ceremony at 2 p.m. See story on page 33 Are you prepared to be emergency-ready? September is National Preparedness Month, a nationwide effort to encourage Americans to take the necessary steps towards emergency preparedness. “People don’t think about, if their electricity is off for three days, what are they going to need?” said Durk Dunham, director of the Emergency Management Division for the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. “What can be stored? How much money will they need? I want people to be asking questions like that of themselves. I want people to be thinking about that. There is no excuse for somebody that is living in a dwelling to not have an emergency plan.... You’d be surprised at the number of people that don’t have a plan or have never really thought about it.” See story on page 42 Scarecrow Fun Days comes to Marshall Four Marshall residents plan to resurrect a popular fall event “Scarecrow Fun Days” that will take place from Oct. 13-30 with decorations be displayed in downtown Marshall. “This event is an opportunity for our community to work together to draw visitors to our local area to enjoy the beautiful fall festivities in Marshall,” said organizer Joan Rapp. See story on page 11 Bellevue farm to participate in 2015 Alpaca Day Because it is the goal of the 4 Musketeers Alpaca Farm to put the alpaca in the public eye, each autumn the business participates in National Alpaca Farm Day, scheduled this year for Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the public to learn more about these gentle animals. See story on page 41 Local artists to be featured in Art Prize Kimber Thompson of Marshall will have her artwork displayed during the 7th Annual Art Prize in Grand Rapids, as will EastEnd Studio & Gallery artist Lane Cooper of Freemont, Mich. Thompson’s work, “RealiTV,” is an acrylic-painted canvas that depicts the relationship people have with television. Cooper’s metal art “WELLSPRING” is representative of his journey overcoming a closed head injury from a car accident. See stories on pages 43 and 47
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fter years of consideration and planning, the curtain is about to go up on the finishing touches at the Joyce & Lucy Franke Center for the Arts. An extensive renovation effort has been underway since early spring and the “refreshed Franke” will be on display beginning at the Sept. 26 blues concert and Oct. 4 rededication. Inviting the public to visit the downtown Marshall site are those most instrumental in this recent initiative to keep arts alive in Calhoun County, from left, Project Designer Patrice Marquardt; Facility Events Manager Dave Deppe; Executive Director Patty Franke Williams and Chairman of the Board Tom Franke. See story on page 2
Refresh your own space! Look for the Home Improvement Section starting on page 23!