February 2016

S E RV I N G WA S H T E N AW, L I V I N G S T O N A N D OA K L A N D C O U N T I E S
COURANTONLINE.COM
FEBRUARY 2016
1st National Bank
Announces Scholarship
EAT HEALTHIER
THIS WINTER
IN THE NEWS, PAGE 4
RIGHT AT HOME, PAGE 8
SARAH
KETTEL:
BRIGHTON
RUNNER
By Allison Nagel
Although she has only been running for two years, Sarah Kettel, 18, is
All-American and plans to run for Michigan State University in the fall. She began
training with the Capital Homeschool
Athletic Program (CHAP) in Lansing in
the fall of 2013. This Brighton native
continues to impress as she shaves off
her 5K time.
Q. What are some of your most notable awards?
A. The most notable awards that I’ve received are qualifying for Nike and Footlocker Nationals in 2014 (cross country
races), Elite 3200m Champion, runner-up at the 2015 indoor state meet,
and 2x All-American at New Balance (a
track meet). The highest award in my
mind would be winning the 2014 Nike
Regionals, the qualifying race for Nike
Nationals.
Q. Why do you run?
A. Honestly, I’m a bit crazy, but . . . “I believe that God made me for a purpose,
but He also made me fast and when I
run I feel his pleasure.” (I stole that from
Eric Liddell, but it totally expresses how
I feel.) I really enjoy bonding with people
(teammates, competitors, spectators) in
the special way that running promotes.
(Running’s hard, fun, exciting, disappointing . . . and runners understand all
that it is and sympathize with each other.) I love the competitiveness involved.
I like how running’s fun and challenging
at the same time. I love how running
mentally prepares me not only for my
race, but for life.
Q. Who is your model or inspiration
and why?
A. My coach. He has so many great
qualities that make him a great coach!
He knows about training runners, but
he is also continually striving to learn
more. He is very motivating, pushing his
runners to run up to their potential. He
is dedicated and genuinely cares about
his athletes. He is a godly example and a
great mentor to me as he has prompted
me to connect my spiritual life to running. My mom. She’s been there to give
advice and even just listen to my concerns or joys.
HERE WE JUMP AGAIN!
Happy 2016 to all of our friends and
neighbors!!! We, the Greater Area Whitmore Lake Kiwanis, are hosting our 7th
annual Chilly Dip on Saturday, February
6th. Registration is at 1 P.M. and our
dippers jump into the balmy Whitmore
Lake waters at 2 P.M. This is one of our
primary fundraisers throughout the year
and we look forward to this fun filled
event on a yearly basis. We enjoy hosting
this event in conjunction with the Pond
Hockey tournament, which makes for
enjoyable atmosphere and other family
oriented activities. Each dipper receives
verbal recognition on our loud speaker,
a warm fuzzy towel, tshirt, cup of hot
chili, and hot cocoa or cider after their
courageous swim in the lake! Entry
forms and fees as well as further details
are all posted on our website www.
whitmorelakekiwanis.org. All proceeds
go towards Whitmore Lake High School
student scholarships and our Northfield
Township Library expansion project
which is targeting new/exciting youth
and children programming, educational materials, technology, and a healthy
and safe place to hang with family and
friends! Since both of these projects are
near and dear to all of us and greatly
impact the future of our children and
community, we would LOVE for you to
join us for this event. If you would like to
provide your support through a financial
donation or if you would like to help/
volunteer with us, please contact Stacy
Specht at 734-449-0146. Otherwise, we
look forward to seeing ALL of you across
By Stacy Specht
from the Post Office, on the lake side, on
Saturday, February 6th, as to celebrate
courageous people having great times,
raising money for the children in our
community, and making life time memories…God bless you and yours.
JULIAN K’S MUSIC SCENE STEVIE WONDER
H
e was born in Saginaw, Michigan in May of 1950 named
Steveland Morris. At the age
of eleven, his mother, knowing
she had a musical prodigy, brought him
to Detroit to meet Berry Gordy, founder
and head of Motown Records. While
waiting for an audition he wandered
about the room playing various instruments like drums, harmonica, and piano. Singing star Martha Reeves, waiting
nearby for studio time exclaimed, “this
young man is a wonder.” A few months
later the world would be introduced
Story & Photo By Julian Konwinski
to “Little Stevie Wonder”, renamed by
Berry Gordy, as he released his first
hit “Fingertips.” Who could have predicted this shy, skinny, blind youngster
would become one of the world’s finest
musicians. Renowned performer and
producer Quincy Jones says simply,
“he’s the best musician ever to grace the
world stage.”
Now, more than fifty years later, I was
lucky enough to catch Stevie Wonder on
a snowy November night at Joe Louis
Arena performing his Grammy winning
album “Songs In The Key of Life” from
Q. What are your goals for running in
the future?
A. Some specific goals would be to qualify with my team for NCAA nationals (the
biggest collegiate race) in cross country
and become All-American in NCAA cross
country and track. More generally, I want
to keep improving as a runner, becoming
more consistent in my ability to perform
to my best.
Q. What advice would you give to other young people who want to pursue
their dreams?
A. God has an AWESOME plan for you
and if you’re open to Him, He WILL be
faithful in fulfilling it! The key is to be
open to Him. It’s easy to be start believing that things must follow our own
plans in order for us to be happy, but
God wants us to trust Him. Our greatest
joy is found when we are right where
God wants us.
CONTENTS
VOLUME XII • ISSUE 4
FREE
Advice.................................................. 12
Business Cards.................................. 12
Calendar.......................................................6
Gardening................................................... 3
Music............................................................. 1
Puzzle........................................................ 12
Social Security............................................ 5
Travel............................................................ 9
NEWS BRIEF
start to finish. What an amazing sight
and sound it was. Over sixty five years
old and quite rotund currently he implored the audience to stop violence
and fill their lives with peace and love
to better the planet. He was surrounded
by an incredible orchestra that included
a ten member string section, six horns
and six backup singers, three additional
keyboard players, two percussionists,
two drummers, bassist Nathan Watts,
two guitarists, and a ten member gospel
choir. The sound of this group was so
superb and substantial it nearly blew
the roof off Joe Louis Arena.
“Songs In The Key of Life” is a double
CD loaded with great music. I will just
mention some of the tunes that got
Stevie the Grammy for Album of the
Year. Among those played were “Village
Ghetto Land,” “I Wish,” “Ordinary Pain,”
“Isn’t She Lovely,” “As,” “Blackman,” plus
the fusion blaster “Contusion” and the
swing masterpiece “Sir Duke.” Once
done with the album Stevie became
playful and dabbled in his huge bag
of past hits. Eventually he became DJ
“Tick Tick Boom.” He would play backing tracks while getting the audience
to clap, sing, and stomp along to such
songs as “My Cherie Amour” and “Living
For The City.” We sang happy birthday
to his friend and guest Aretha Franklin
and did her hit “Respect.” He did a heart
wrenching version of “The Star Spangled Banner” on harmonica and finished
with a long driving rendition of his hit
“Superstition.” The concert, with break,
was over three and a half hours long.
It’s the best show I’ve ever been near.
Long live Stevie!
MICHIGAN POND HOCKEY CLASSIC RESCHEDULED The Board of MPHC
has been monitoring the weather forecast and thickness of ice
very closely. In order to put safety first, and keeping standards of
a first class tournament experience, we are reverting to our backup dates of February 19th, 20th, and 21st, 2016. Please visit our
website for more information, at www.michiganpondhockey.com
or email Mandy Grabowski ([email protected]) with any questions.
POSTAL
CUSTOMER
ECRWSS
SOUTH LYON MI
PERMIT NO. 15
PAID
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
2 • THE COURANT • FEBRUARY 2016
THIS MONTH @ THE BRIGHTON DISTRICT LIBRARY
FIRST TIME, FIRST YEAR PARENTING GROUP OFFERS HELP FOR NEW PARENTS
By Margaret Vergith
N
ew parenthood is an exciting time. It’s time to begin
life with your baby and take
on a new role. For some, it
comes naturally, for others, more gradually. The Brighton District Library is
offering new parents an opportunity
to gather information about life with
baby, ask important first year questions, and meet other new parents.
First Time, First Year is a new group
that meets on the fourth Thursday of
the month, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Each month parents will have an opportunity to hear presentations from
early childhood experts about their
child’s first year including growth, development, milestones, and caring for
their infant. Guest speakers include
pediatricians, dentists, early literacy
specialists, dermatologists, and more.
Topics range from coping with sleep
schedules, nursing and bottle feeding,
baby massage, reading, talking, singing,
playing, and writing with your infant,
oral hygiene, and other infant topics.
First Time, First Year was started in
response to the need for parent education and support for first time parents.
“As a community library, our goal is to
partner with community organizations
to provide new parents with the best
information available to them to raise
happy, healthy children. We are excited
to offer this program and look forward
to meeting new parents and their infants,” said Mary Daugherty, Early Literacy Specialist at the Brighton District
Library.
The Brighton District Library is located at 100 Library Drive. Preregister
by calling 810-229-6571 ext. 223. Admission is free and light refreshments
will be available.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 3
GARDEN SPOT SEED STARTING
I
’m going a different route for my garden vegetables this year. I intend to
pre-plan my garden since I planted
a cover crop for nitrogen last fall.
The good weather we had during the fall
allowed my winter rye to get established
with the compost I added. I’m going to go
through my seed catalogs this month and
see the different varieties of vegetables
that are available. I know some greenhouse owners who use Johnny Select
Seeds for the vegetables they sell. They
have rigorous seed trials and their seeds
are bred and tested for conditions all
over the world. One of the main benefits
of ordering through a catalog is you can
try different cultivars that you would not
find in your average store.
I have permission to use a greenhouse
to try to grow my vegetables. My friend is
going to make a cold frame to get a jump
on spring. He pointed out some old windows that he plans to use for his frame.
By John Keast
Our growing season is pretty short so if
you can get a jump on the process it can
help a lot. The variety of seed starting
techniques has made seed growing a lot
easier. Two important considerations
are the use of a grow light and be sure to
read the information on the seed packet
to learn how far in advance you should
start each particular seed. One of the
biggest mistakes is to plant them too
early. They will get potbound and weak.
Nick Zimmer of Willow Greenhouse said,
“One of the main concerns is not to over
water or you will drown the roots. If you
do not water enough they will die, too.”
You should soak your seeds in warm
water overnight so they can swell up and
soften. Some seeds have a hard surface,
so it helps to scar the surface. The local
weather trends can help decide when to
plant also. We all get busy so if we don’t
have time to plant our own, we can go to
a local farmers market for our produce.
The end of February is prime time to
trim your bushes and trees. They are dormant and you can see the outline of the
tree. Don’t forget your grapevines, too.
The Four Seasons Garden Club of
South Lyon will meet on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at the South Lyon High
School in the Center for Active Adults
at 7:00 p.m. Our guest speaker will be
Linsey Steel of Garden Fort. He will give
us tips on how to grow vegetables.
Information: 248-437-8539
John Keast is an Advanced Master Gardener. Q&A at [email protected]
Copyright©2015 John Keast.
4 • THE COURANT • FEBRUARY 2016
1ST NATIONAL BANK ANNOUNCES 2016
COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
First National Bank is pleased to announce their ‘2016 Community Scholarship Program’. Up to ten scholarships
of $1,000 each are available for Livingston County high school seniors, regardless of whether they attend public,
private, charter or are home schooled,
to continue their academic or vocational education. Again in 2016, five
teacher classroom grants of $250 will
be presented as part of the scholarship
program.
The selection criteria focuses on
academics (a minimum 3.0 GPA is required), community service participation, a written essay, recommendation
letters, and challenges, if any, overcome
to graduate. Scholarship applications
By Tom Gisewhite
are available online at fnbh.com or from
high school counselors. Completed applications are due by March 25, 2016
and the recipients will be announced at
the various schools scholarship events
and at a dinner hosted by First National for the recipients, their family and
invited guests. The teacher classroom
grants will be selected as part of the
scholarship process, no application is
necessary.
In making the announcement, First
National Bank President/CEO Ron Long,
said, “First National is all about ‘service’
– to our customers and our community.
The Community Scholarship Program
and Teacher Classroom Grants are wonderful examples of the power of local
banking at work – it is customers banking locally with First National who make
the community scholarship program
and our other corporate citizenship
efforts possible.” Randy Greene, VP and
Retail Banking Administrator at First
National and coordinator of the scholarship program for 2016 added, “First National staff and community leaders are
involved in the selection process. The
scholarships benefit the future leaders
of our community. And, the grants help
our teachers with their important work.
This is truly a win, win, win program
and First National is proud of the more
than $250,000 it has provided since its
inception.”
For an application and more details
about the scholarship program, visit
fnbh.com, see a high school counselor or
visit any First National Bank office.
First National Bank has been part of
the Livingston County community for
more than 120 years. They are focused
on providing practical financial services
for families and businesses and do so
through their 8 conveniently located
Livingston County offices and online at
FNBH.com. As the only bank headquartered in Livingston County, 1st National
takes great pride in its corporate citizenship and is known and respected for
their support of causes and events that
add to the quality of life across Livingston County. See our complete story at
www.fnbh.com.
SALESPERSON WANTED 734.629.6010 • SALESPERSON WANTED 734.629.6010
THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW
More local, state and national news and opinion and more
links to all your favorite websites and news sources.
Stay informed on a daily basis with the Daily Drift at
www.thedailydrift.com
With full access to The Drift Radio Show Podcasts.
Check out one of the fastest growing websites. FREE Subscription.
Email [email protected]
Catch
with Gary Wellings
on
SATURDAY AFTERNOONS
FROM 2PM to 3PM
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 5
Courant
SALEM AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S
2016 ANNUAL DINNER AND AUCTION
Tickets are now available for the Salem
Area Historical Society’s 2016 Annual
Dinner and Auction on Saturday, April
2td, at 6 PM at Fox Hills’ Classic Log Cabin Fox Club House. Cost of this pre-paid
event is $33.00 per SAHS Member and
$38 per non-SAHS Member. Everyone is
invited. This will include a buffet dinner,
By Terry Cwik
a silent auction, a live auction and Fun
for all. Auction items will include tickets
to area attractions (i.e. Tipping Point
Theatre, Grand Hotel, Meadowbrook
Hall), national attractions (i.e. Disney
World), historical items and restaurant
gift certificates. Check our Website’s “Annual Dinner/Auction” Webpage (http://
The
FEBRUARY 2016 EDITION
Published Monthly by Marula
Management and Consulting LLC
Copyright © 2015
www.sahshistory.org) for more details.
All proceeds will be used to maintain the
Jarvis-Stone School and the Dickenson
Barn. Tickets can be purchased at SAHS’s
Website’s “SAHS Dinner/Auction” Webpage (http://www.sahshistory.org) via
PayPal or via an email to Salem_Area_
[email protected].
P.O. Box 440
Whitmore Lake, MI 48189
(734) 922-2502
[email protected]
www.courantonline.com
THE COURANT STAFF
CHARYL STOCKWELL ACADEMY
ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE
The Spirit Club at Charyl Stockwell
Academy Elementary School collected
2,074 pounds of canned goods from the
school community during their annual
food drive. The Spirit Club, which coordinates student activities that reflect and
By Haika Gay
support the school’s mission and character values, donated the food to Gleaners
Community Food Bank of Southeastern
Michigan. This is the second year in a
row that Charyl Stockwell Academy was
designated a Hunger Hero School and
CHIEF EDITOR
Gary Wellings • 734.629.6010
DESIGN
Kevin Serbus • 248.506.9560
AD SALES & DISTRIBUTION
Gary Wellings • 734.629.6010
earned a spot in Gleaner’s Half Ton Club
by collecting over 1,000 pounds of food.
Charyl Stockwell Academy, a school in
the Charyl Stockwell Academy District,
is a tuition-free Michigan Public School
Academy located in Howell, Michigan.
Thank You to All of Our
Volunteer Contributing Writers
Printed by Ann Arbor Offset
SOCIAL SECURITY YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT STATEMENT
I
t’s that time of year again: time to
start preparing to file your taxes. If
you receive Social Security benefits,
one of the documents you will need
when filing your federal income tax
return is your Social Security Benefit
Statement (Form SSA-1099).
Your Social Security benefits may be
taxable. This includes monthly retirement, survivor, and disability benefits.
About one-third of people receiving
Social Security benefits must pay taxes
on some of these benefits, depending on
the amount of their taxable income. This
usually happens only if you have other
substantial income — such as wages,
self-employment, interest, dividends,
and other taxable income that must be
reported on your tax return — in addi-
By Mike Laird
tion to your Social Security benefits. You
will never have to pay taxes on more
than 85 percent of your Social Security
benefits, based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules.
To find out if you must pay taxes on
your benefits, you will need your Social Security Benefit Statement (Form
SSA-1099). You should automatically
receive your 1099 form each January.
It shows the total amount of benefits
you received from Social Security in the
previous year so you know how much
Social Security income to report to the
IRS on your tax return. The 1099 form
is not available for people who receive
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), as
SSI payments are not taxable.
Whether you file your taxes early or
wait until the deadline, Social Security
makes it easy to obtain a replacement
1099 form if you didn’t receive one or
misplaced yours. You can get an instant
replacement quickly and easily by using
your secure online my Social Security
account. If you don’t already have an
account, you can create one in minutes.
Follow the link to the my Social Security
page, and go to “Sign In” or “Create an
Account.” Once you are logged in, select
the “Replacement Documents” tab to
obtain your replacement 1099 form. If
you create a my Social Security account,
you can also use it to keep track of your
earnings each year, manage your benefits, get a replacement Social Security
card, and more.
You can also obtain a replacement
1099 form by calling us at 1-800-7721213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday
through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or
by contacting your local Social Security
office. If you live outside of the United
States, please contact your nearest U.S.
Embassy or Consulate.
With a my Social Security account,
gathering your Social Security information for tax season has never been easier. Open your own personal my Social
Security account today at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
For more information about Social
Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov. Mike
Laird is the Social Security District Manager in Ann Arbor. He can be contacted at
800-772-1213 or [email protected].
Ask The Mechanic
Q. What should I be looking for when I am selecting an
auto repair shop?
The average response time to 911 is 23 minutes.
Only $99 certifies you to get your CPL.
Be Prepared. CALL NOW!
“Sid”
S.M.A.R.T.
Auto Repair
10570 Hall Road
Whitmore Lake, MI
(810) 231-9655
www.sentryfirearmstraining.com
[email protected]
A. First, ask your friends and neighbors for some places
that they’ve had good service from. Next, go to the repair
shop and introduce yourself as a possible customer. Ask
them what types of vehicles they work on and see if you
vehicle is on the list. Some shops specialize in certain
makes such as GM or Ford, while others do all US made.
Most shops can handle steering, brakes and suspension
on any car make. When it comes to drive train problems
on foreign cars, you’ll want to make sure that they have
the right equipment and know-how because things can
get very expensive if something goes wrong. Also, look
around the shop when visiting and make sure they have
the proper license and shop signs on the wall. Make sure
that they also have current mechanics certifications in
the areas that you plan to have worked on like brakes,
engine, transmission, tune-up and so on.
WE HAVE TOWING
WE HAUL JUNK CARS FOR FREE
WE ARE LOCATED IN HAMBURG TOWNSHIP
HOURS M-F 8:30am-6:00pm
Also offering glass repair. WE ARE OPEN SATURDAYS 9am-2pm
[email protected]
6 • THE COURANT • FEBRUARY 2016
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FEBRUARY 2016
EUCHRE Every Wednesday. Begins at 7pm.
For more information call the American
Legion at 734-878-9522.
PINOCHLE Every Tuesday and Thursday.
2:00p.m.-4:00p.m. FREE! Northfield
Twp. Community Center, 9101 Main St.,
Whitmore Lake. Everyone welcome! For
more information, contact the Community Center at 734-449-2295.
FEBRUARY 2
TABLETS AND E-READERS 6:30 pm. Learn
about different brands of tablets and
e-readers and how to use them at the
Hamburg Township Library. Pre-registration is required for this free event at
810-231-1771, www.hamburglibrary.
org, or stopping by the library, located at
10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg.
FAMILY STORY TIME February 2, 3, 9, 10,
16, 17, 23, 24. 11 a.m. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125 Putnam St.
Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Family story time is open to children of all ages.
Please join us for stories, songs and craft
every week at the Pinckney Community Library. Call the library at 734-8783888 for more information about this or
any upcoming events or website www.
pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook and
Twitter.
FEBRUARY 4
PINCKNEY PURLERS Every Thursday of
the month. Noon. Pinckney Community
Public Library, 125 Putnam Street Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Knitters group.
Whatever your ability, come learn, share
and have a fun time with ladies (or men)
who share your love of knitting. Call
the library at 734-878-3888 for more
information about this or any upcoming
events or website www.pinckneylibrary.
org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
FEBRUARY 5
ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH, CHICKEN AND RIBS
5:00 - 8:00 P.M. Dinner Includes: BBQ
Ribs, BBQ Chicken, Oven Fried Chicken,
Fish, Macaroni and Cheese, French Fries,
Vegetable,Cole Slaw, Rolls and Butter.
Homemade Desserts, Coffee, Lemonade
and Ice Tea. Cash Bar Available. Adults
$10.00 Seniors $9.00 Ages 6-12 $5.00 5
& Under: Free. Cash Bar Available. The
Livingston County Wildlife and Conservation Club, 6060 E. M-36, Hamburg, MI
48139, (810) 231-1811.
FEBRUARY 7
TURKEY SHOOT Doors Open at Noon.
Selling begins at 12:30. Shooting starts
promptly at 1:00 P.M. We pay First and
Second Place. Bring your shotgun, we
supply the ammunition. Kitchen is Open.
Raffles - scatter Shots - 50/50. Fun day
for the family. WE DO NOT SHOOT TURKEYS........PAPER TARGETS. The Livingston County Wildlife and Conservation
Club, 6060 E. M-36, Hamburg, MI 48139,
(810) 231-1811.
FEBRUARY 9
BIG THREE AUTOMAKERS 6:30 pm. Get a
behind-the-scenes look at the early beginnings of the Big Three automakers at
the Hamburg Township Library. Pre-registration is required for this free event
at 810-231-1771, www.hamburglibrary.
org, or stopping by the library, located at
10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg.
VALENTINE’S DAY CRAFTS 6:30 pm. Ages 5
and under, come make some Valentine’s
Day crafts at the Hamburg Township
Library. Pre-registration is required for
this free event at 810-231-1771, www.
hamburglibrary.org, or stopping by the
library, located at 10411 Merrill Road,
Hamburg.
MEASURE YOUR MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS
Free Business Workshop. Learn how reports and analytics of digital marketing
give you the insights and key information
you need to measure the effectiveness
of your current marketing strategies.
Sponsored by Ann Arbor SCORE. Free,
but pre-registration required at: www.
annarborscore.com Location: South
Lyon District Library, 9800 Pontiac Trail,
South Lyon, 9-10:30am.
TUESDAY NIGHT THEATER- 90 MINUTES IN
HEAVEN (PG-13) 6:30 p.m. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125 Putnam St.
Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Free movie
showing starring Hayden Christensen
and Kate Bosworth. Popcorn and movie
style snacks provided. Call 734-8783888 for more information about this or
any upcoming events or visit our website
www.pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
FEBRUARY 10
LIBRARY AFTER HOURS- LOCAL AUTHORS
PANEL 6:30 p.m. Pinckney Community
Public Library, 125 Putnam St. Pinckney,
MI 48169. FREE. Interested in writing
or publishing something you’ve created?
Come hear from local authors how they
got started. Special guest local authors
J.R. Armstrong and Lori Taylor will be
joining us. Call 734-878-3888 for more
information about this or any upcoming
events or visit our website www.pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
FEBRUARY 11
LIVING WATER MOTHERS OF PRESCHOOLERS
9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Bible Journaling Demonstration. Hot Breakfast,
Friendship, Discussion. Whitmore Lake
Middle School Building, 8877 Main
Street. Free Child Care in Moppets Program. Contact 248.231.0128.
CREATE VALENTINE CARDS 12:00 pm. Create Valentine cards to send out to United
States veterans at the Hamburg Township Library. Pre-registration is required
for this free event at 810-231-1771,
www.hamburglibrary.org, or stopping
by the library, located at 10411 Merrill
Road, Hamburg.
THE GREAT FOODINI 6:30 pm. The Great
Foodini will demonstrate cooking several dishes containing chocolate at the
Hamburg Township Library, located at
10411 Merrill Road, Hamburg. Pre-registration required by visiting the Hamburg
Township Library. This program costs
$10, which is nonrefundable and must
be paid at the time of registration.
LOOK GREAT IN THE INBOX: 7 DON’TS OF
EMAIL DESIGN Free Online Webinar. Your
subject lines are a key to your success.
What you say and the way you say it
is how you will attract, engage, and be
shareworthy to your audiences. Learn
both the do’s and don’ts. Sponsored by
Ann Arbor SCORE. Free online webinar
but pre-registration required at www.
annarborscore.com 9-10am
FEBRUARY 12
EVENING AT OUR PLACE Shepherd of the
Lakes Lutheran School in Brighton invites you to their free Evening at Our
Place from 6:00pm until 8:30pm. 6pm7pm Games, crafts, and a chance to tour
the school 7pm Wild Swan Theater presents the skit Owl’s Winter. 8pm Dessert
and an opportunity to ask questions
about the school. Shepherd of the Lakes
Lutheran School provides an accredited,
Christian education to students in preschool through eighth grade. Preschool
is available for two, three, or five days
a week. School-provided tablets, concert band, and interscholastic sports
are offered to middle school students.
Extended care is available before and
after school. Registration for the 20162017 school year opens to the public
on Friday, February 12 at 6:00pm. 2101
S. Hacker Rd., Brighton, MI, (810) 2276473. http://sotlschool.com/
PINCKNEY PLAYERS Step back with us to
the Roaring 20’s, and join us for an evening of fine dining, cocktails, music, and
murder! 20’s attire is encouraged! When
a diner disappears and is presumed
murdered, the only objective witnesses
in the restaurant are the audience members, who must solve the mystery. No
one is above suspicion in this delightful
dinner theatre murder mystery. Stay
connected with show updates through
its Facebook event page. February 12th,
13th & 20th– Speakeasy Opens: 6:00pm.
Cabaret & Show: 7:30pm. February 21st–
Speakeasy Opens: 12:30pm. Cabaret &
Show: 2:00pm. Whispering Pines Golf
Club, 2500 Whispering Pines Dr, Pinckney, Michigan 48169. Ticket link: http://
www.pinckneyplayers.com/box-office.
html.
38TH ANNUAL LENTEN FISH FRY! Join us
4:30-7:00 pm Fridays, Feb. 12, 19, 26.
Fried Alaskan Pollack, choice of potato or
macaroni/cheese, salad bar & beverage.
Desserts offered. Beer & wine available/
donation. Adults $9.00 (Seniors, $8;
Children 6-11, $6.00; Children 5 & under
FREE). Old St. Patrick’s Parish Hall, 5671
Whitmore Lake Rd., north side of Ann
Arbor http://stpatricka2.org or 734662-8141.
ST MARY LENTEN FISH DINNERS The Men’s
Club of St Mary’s Catholic Parish in
Pinckney is proudly sponsoring its annual Fish Dinners on Friday evenings
during Lent. The dates are February 12,
19, 26. The Parish is located south of
M-36 at 10601 Dexter Pinckney Road in
Putnam Township. Our delicious dinner
is served from 4:00 to 7:00pm and includes baked or beer battered fried fish,
choice of French fries, scalloped or baked
potato, beets, coleslaw, homemade macaroni & cheese, cut vegetables, jell-o,
homemade rolls & dessert, assorted beverages as well as 3 cheese pizzas for our
younger guests. Cost is $10 adults, $9
seniors, $5 children (under age 12) with
a family (immediate only) plan available
at $35. Bankcards are accepted and take
outs are available! For further information contact Heather at the Parish office
734-878-3161.
FEBRUARY 14
ALL YOU CAN EAT BREAKFAST BUFFET 8:00
- 11:30. Buffet includes: scrambled eggs,
eggs your way, pancakes, french toast,
bacon, sausage, home-style potatoes,
sausage gravy and biscuits, toast, cereal,
pastries, coffee, milk and juice. Egg toppings: cheese, peppers, mushrooms and
onions. Adults $7.00 Seniors $6.00 Ages
6-12 $3.00 Under 5: Free. Cash Bar Available. The Livingston County Wildlife and
Conservation Club, 6060 E. M-36, Hamburg, MI 48139, (810) 231-1811.
FEBRUARY 16
BASICS OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SMALL BUSINESS OR NON-PROFITS Business Workshop
$10. This workshop will show you the
value of using social media to reach your
customers, members and prospects –
plus how it can drive repeat business
from your current customers, and how
it can lead to new customers, members
and volunteers! Sponsored by Ann Arbor
SCORE. $10, Pre-registration required
at: www.annarborscore.com New Center
Building, 1100 North Main St., Ann Arbor, 9:30 – 11:00am.
PINKALICIOUS PRINCESS PARTY 6:30 – 7:30
PM. Pinckney Community Public Library,
350 Mower Road Pinckney. FREE. Registration Required. Ages 4-10 are invited
to wear their pink and come to our first
ever Pinkalicious Princess Party! Please
call to register. Call the library at 734878-3888 for more information about
this or any upcoming events or website
www.pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook and Twitter.
OFF THE SHELF BOOK DISCUSSION- THE
ROSIE PROJECT 6:30 p.m. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125 Putnam St.
Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Join us for
lively discussion of this month’s selection by. Everyone is welcome. Copies are
available at the library or through MeL.
Refreshments will be served. Please call
to register. Call 734-878-3888 for more
information about this or any upcoming
events or visit our website www.pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, & Twitter
FEBRUARY 17
LENTEN SOUP & STUDY Community Congregational United Church of Christ would
like to invite you to their Lenten Soup
& Study every Wednesday during Lent.
Meet at the church at 6:00 p.m. for a soup
dinner (Please bring a soup, dessert or
bread to share) and a Lenten study of the
book Meeting Jesus Again for the First
Time by Marcus Borg. The Lenten Study
will run from Feb. 17 through Mar. 16. If
you have any questions please call the
church at 734-878-3140.
FEBRUARY 19
HUNTER’S SAFETY CLASS The Livingston
County Wildlife and Conservation Club,
6060 E. M-36, Hamburg, MI 48139. (810)
231-1811 will be offering a Hunter’s
Safety Class, February 19th - 21st , 2016.
You must attend all 3 days. There is a
written test on the last day of class. You
will earn your Hunter’s Safety Certificate,
(which is required in all states). Please
call (810) 231-1811 to register. This
class is free. Donations are accepted but
not required. Younger Children should be
accompanied by an adult. Please dress
warmly for 2 hours of outdoor activity.
Lunch will be provided on Saturday and
Sunday. This class is limited and does fill
up fast, call early to register. Friday 7:00
- 9:00 P.M. Saturday 10:00 - 5:00 P.M.
Sunday 10:00 - 5:00P.M.
FEBRUARY 20
FRIENDS OF THE PINCKNEY LIBRARY BOOK
SALE 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125 Putnam St. Pinckney, MI 48169. The Friends of the Library will hold a used book sale from 10
am – 2 pm. Call 734-878-3888 for more
information about this or any upcoming
events or visit the Friends of Pinckney
Library Facebook page.
FEBRUARY 23
GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH EMAIL & SOCIAL MARKETING Free Business Workshop.
Attendees will learn how to build their
electronic marketing knowledge and
skills for customer growth and retention.
Sponsored by Ann Arbor SCORE. Free,
but pre-registration required at www.
annarborscore.com South Lyon District
Library, 9800 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon.
9:00-11:0am.
PRESCHOOL MOVIE MADNESS 11:30 a.m.
Pinckney Community Public Library, 125
Putnam St. Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE.
Special movie showings for our youngest
patrons and their caregivers. Join us for
story time at 11:00 followed by a new
release movie at 11:30. Bring a lunch,
popcorn will be provided. Movies will be
rated G or under. Please call for title. Call
the library at 734-878-3888 for more
information about this or any upcoming
events or visit our website www.pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, & Twitter
FEBRUARY 24
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN WASHTENAW COUNTY 7:30pm. Salem Area Historical Society will be holding its monthly
meeting at the Salem Township Hall
(9600 Six Mile Road) starting at 7:30 PM.
After the business portion, there will be
a presentation by Deborah Meadows, the
Vice-Chair of the African American Cultural & Historical Museum of Washtenaw County on Washtenaw County’s part
in The Underground Railroad, including
information on local abolitionists, sites
and events significant to Michigan’s Underground Railroad history. Suggested
Donation: $2 for non-SAHS Members.
AFTER HOURS MOVIE- WALK IN THE WOODS
(R) 6:30 p.m. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125 Putnam St. Pinckney, MI
48169. FREE. Free movie showing. A
Walk in the Woods stars Robert Redford,
Nick Nolte and Emma Thompson. Popcorn and movie style snacks provided.
Call 734-878-3888 for more information
about this or any upcoming events or
visit our website www.pinckneylibrary.
org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
FEBRUARY 25
LIVING WATER MOTHERS OF PRESCHOOLERS
9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. “Five Love
Languages” Hot Breakfast, Friendship,
Discussion. Whitmore Lake Middle
School Building, 8877 Main Street. Free
Child Care in Moppets Program. Contact
248.231.0128.
PROFESSIONAL RESUME 6:30 pm. Get tips
on creating or improving your professional resume at the Hamburg Township
Library. Pre-registration is required for
this free event at 810-231-1771, www.
hamburglibrary.org, or stopping by the
library, located at 10411 Merrill Road,
Hamburg.
LEGO CLUB 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Pinckney
Community Public Library, 125 Putnam
St. Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE. Registration Required. Children 5 and older are
invited to join the PCPL Lego Club. Meetings will involve theme-based building
with Lego’s. Caregivers should plan on
participating! Lego’s will be provided.
Have fun building Lego creations. This
is an indoor program and space is limited. Call the library at 734-878-3888 for
more information about this or any upcoming events or visit our website www.
pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, &
Twitter.
FEBRUARY 26
ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH FRY NIGHT 5:00 8:00 P.M. Dinner Includes: Fish (Fried,
Baked), Smelt, Hush Puppies, Macaroni
and Cheese, French Fries, Vegetable,
Cole Slaw, Clam Chowder Soup, Rolls
and Butter. Homemade Desserts, Coffee,
Lemonade and Ice Tea. Adults $10.00
Seniors $9.00. Ages 6-12 $5.00 Under 5:
Free. Cash Bar Available. The Livingston
County Wildlife and Conservation Club,
6060 E. M-36, Hamburg, MI 48139, (810)
231-1811.
FEBRUARY 27
PUZZLE PALOOZA IV 10am-2pm. Pinckney Community Public Library, 125
Putnam St. Pinckney, MI 48169. FREE.
Registration Required. Back by popular
demand! Individuals and teams/families
are invited to come to the library for a
puzzle-solving competition. (Individuals
will be put on a team.) Puzzle solving begins at 10 am and continues until 2 pm
with lunch provided. The team closest to
completion when the time runs out wins
a prize. Each member of the team must
register. Call the library at 734-878-3888
for more information about this or any
upcoming events or visit our website
www.pinckneylibrary.org or on Facebook, & Twitter.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 7
A WONDERFUL
BIRTHDAY PRESENT!
Former Northfield
Police Chief Carl
Watkins with his
1950 highway patrol
cruiser, a gift from
his wife, local
veterinarian Doctor
Barb Griffith.
8 • THE COURANT • FEBRUARY 2016
JACK’S CORNER IT’S BEYOND ME
B
ill Cosby is accused of sexual improprieties by multiple
women, vilified by the media
and entertainment industry and
dragged into court on sex assault charges
with possible jail time.
Bill Clinton is accused of sexual improprieties by Juanita Broaddick, Kathleen Willey, Gennifer Flowers, Connie
Hamzy, Eileen Wellstone, Sandra Allen
James, Christy Zercher, Regina Hopper,
Robyn Dickey, Carolyn Moffett, Dolly Kyle
Browning, Elizabeth Ward, Sally Perdue,
Elizabeth Gracen, Bobbie Ann William
and Paula Corbin.
He’s dragged into court on sex assault
charges by Paula Jones. He pays her
$850,000 to avoid having to air his dirty
laundry at a trial. He later lies under oath
about a sexual encounter with Monica
Lewinsky while President that triggers
impeachment proceedings and loss of his
law license.
His friendship with Jeffrey Epstein,
former purveyor of teenage prostitutes
to the rich and famous is legend. Flight
logs of Epstein’s Boeing 727 dubbed the
“Lolita Express” show Clinton on board
for flights to Epstein’s Caribbean island
of Little St. James referred to in court records as “Orgy Island.”
At his trial for soliciting underage
By Jack Belisle
prostitutes, Epstein was asked about his
relationship with Clinton. He invoked the
5th Amendment protecting Clinton from
having to testify about his association
with a billionaire sex offender.
He emerges from all of this unscathed
now in campaign mode for a wife who
enabled his perversions and wages her
own life-long war on the truth. How anyone with a shred of decency would allow
these two ethically and morally corrupt
people back into the “people’s house” is
beyond me.
I don’t understand this infatuation
with Islam. When the space shuttle
program was gutted in 2011 NASA was
publicly tasked with Muslim outreach by
the President. Off the radar, it appears
academia was as well. Parents are not
happy.
A Virginia school district shut down
for a day after parental backlash against
middle-schoolers having to learn the
Muslim declaration of faith, “There is
no god but Allah and Mohammed is the
messenger of Allah.” Parents in Pine
Bush NY erupted when the Pledge of
Allegiance was recited in Arabic over the
high school intercom using the phrase
“One nation under Allah.” Spring Hill TN
middle school parents complained when
students were told to write the Five Pil-
lars of Islam.
Mums the word about Islam from the
separation of church and state police
ever vigilant for any post sneeze “God
bless you” or display or utterances of
the Ten Commandments on school property. Equally mum is the Freedom from
Religion group able to sniff out a picture
of Christ on the wall of an obscure high
school in rural Ohio while overlooking
front page headlines about Islam being
touted in classrooms under the guise of
Common Core curriculum.
Our schools should not be proxies for
local Imams. Let Muslims do their own
outreach. They can go door to door selling
Islam and handing out Korans just like the
Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons.
When the Civil War and slavery ended, slave states had gun control laws to
keep firearms out of the hands of freed
Blacks allowing the KKK to terrorize
them at will. When Castro ousted Batista
in Cuba he told everyone the Revolution
was over, turn in your guns. Hitler drafted a Gun Control Act in 1938 ordering
German Jews to turn in their weapons.
The Night of the Broken Glass, allegedly
a weapons sweep of Jewish homes and
synagogues, ushered in the Holocaust.
Taking guns away has never made people safe. It has always been the prelude
to oppression or worse.
The liberal social justice warriors
won’t let history interfere with their
pursuit of equal outcomes. In the Clinton years Fannie Mae, led by Democrat
operative Jim Johnson, expanded homeownership to low income and minority
borrowers by reducing underwriting
standards. If you had a pulse, you got a
loan. That didn’t end well in late 2008.
Fannie Mae calls the latest iteration
of housing is a right the “Home Ready”
program. Low credit scores won’t matter and down payments can be made
with borrowed funds. Expect a housing
bubble just like last time and another financial market meltdown propped up by
another taxpayer bailout.
Call me xenophobic but have you ever
noticed that the doctors and pharmacists
being investigated or convicted of Medicare of Medicaid fraud never have names
like Smith or Jones.
It’s amazing there are people who
think it’s wrong to display ten rules
about how to live a virtuous life in a
building where judges preside over cases
that violate many of them.
Your comments are welcomed and could
be referenced in future columns. Email
[email protected].
RIGHT AT HOME WINTER NUTRITION AS YOU AGE
W
hen the temperature drops,
healthy eating can become
less of a priority. As winter
settles in, staying inside
and piling extra cheese on a chilidog
may sound more inviting than squeezing
fresh lemon on an arugula salad. Keeping
a healthy diet in winter can be a challenge, especially if you are an older adult.
With age, the body naturally starts to
become less efficient in absorbing essential nutrients. Some seniors also face
chewing, swallowing and digestion challenges or experience a decreased appetite from diminished taste buds. Certain
health conditions and medications also
can interfere with the elderly consuming
nutritious foods and the right amount of
calories. Add in wintertime cocooning
and decreased activity, and many seniors
opt for a diet of convenient, comfort
foods laden with empty calories.
“As adult home care providers, we see
the importance of ensuring that the elderly are eating well and eating enough
every day,” said Barry Paxton, owner
Right at Home of Central Michigan. “Winter is tough on seniors because the harsh
weather limits them from getting out to
buy fresh foods or to exercise. Families
want to know that their aging loved ones
are adequately nourished, so our caregiv-
By Barry Paxton
ers often assist with grocery shopping,
cooking well-balanced meals and monitoring eating habits. Sometimes a few
simple dietary adjustments are all that
is needed to keep older adults enjoying
healthier foods.”
During winter, seniors benefit from
better nutrition through resistance to
illness, an emotional boost against “cabin
fever” and better management of overall
health conditions. Paxton recommends
that wintertime nutrition includes the
following:
• Dark, leafy green vegetables.
Choose antioxidant-rich, dark greens
such as spinach, broccoli, kale and chard,
and select yellow and orange vegetables
including yams, carrots and squash.
• Citrus fruits. Oranges, lemons,
grapefruit and limes are popular vitamin
C-packed citrus fruits also rich in flavonoids that promote good HDL cholesterol. For greater health benefits, it is best
to consume whole fruits instead of processed juices, which often contain extra
sugars.
• Protein. Eating protein sources at
meals and snacks throughout the day
helps with blood sugar and energy levels. Beyond red meat, seniors can vary
protein sources with eggs, fish, dairy and
nuts.
• Soups and stews. Adding vegetables,
beans and lentils to stews and soups is
an easy, inexpensive way to increase fiber and nutrients. Cook a larger pot of a
recipe and divide into smaller portions
to freeze.
• Vitamin D. With less sunshine in
winter, the body needs other sources of
vitamin D to help absorb calcium and
strengthen muscles. Foods naturally
higher in vitamin D include egg yolks,
seafood, grains and fortified milk.
As a general nutrition guideline, older
adults are advised to consume most of
their daily calories from plant-based
foods—grains, nuts and greens—closer to their whole or natural state. For
seniors who rarely cook, in-home care
assistance or local delivered meals are a
plus. If elders want to purchase frozen or
ready-to-eat meals, be selective by reading labels for nutrition content.
For an overview of optimum dietary
choices, WebMD lists a number of nutrients that may be missing from the
diet of seniors including vitamin B12,
calcium and magnesium. Encourage
your older loved ones to talk with their
geriatrician, doctor or dietician for a
tailored nutrition plan that accounts
for specific health needs and dietary
likes and dislikes.
No matter what age you are, an occasional wintertime cheesy chilidog is OK,
but don’t forget the carrot sticks and
glass of fortified milk.
For more information, contact Right at
Home of Central Michigan at www.RAHMI.com, 989-721-6230.
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 9
EXPANDING HORIZONS TANZANIA PART 2
L
ast month I wrote about the
beginning of my trip to Tanzania. This month we start off at
Tarangire National Park, where
we stayed at the Tarangire Safari Lodge,
set on a hill with gorgeous views of the
park That afternoon we went on our
first animal viewing safari. It was really
something to stand in the Land Rover on
a fairly warm day, with a breeze blowing
across my face, seeing acres of grazing
land studded with baobab and acacia
trees and lots of animals — zebra, elephant, dik dik, giraffe, impala, baboons,
and water buck. We also saw our first
lion — a female lying in a dried-up river
bed, partly hidden behind a bush. She
never got up, and we didn’t see any
companions. The next day, however we
were able to observe a pride of lions at
rest and play. We also saw baboons, a
five legged elephant (an aroused male),
and a baobab tree with a hollowed out
section which was once used as a bus
station.
The next morning, we headed for
Lake Manyara National Park. The park
is lovely and lush with the lake as background, but not as many animals as
Tarangire, although we saw a mother
elephant with three or four offspring
who had their lunch very near our vehicle. Our destination was Gibbs Farm, a
Story & Photo By Phyllis Kreger Stillman
coffee plantation with a beautiful lodge
set in the mountains overlooking the
coffee fields. We took a fairly long hike (2
1/2 hours) to see an elephant lick and
waterfall. That evening we met Patrick,
who will be our guide to the Hadza, one
of the last hunger-gatherer tribes left
in the world. Meeting them was to be, I
hoped, the highlight of the trip.
The next morning we started off for
adventure camping in the Kidero valley,
home of the Hadza. It was a long drive
along first bumpy, dirt roads, stirring up
lots of red dust, then cross country on
bumpy, dusty trails, some of which were
used by the Germans in World War II.
All along the way children and a few
adults appeared out of nowhere to wave
to us. We stopped at a clearing where
rocks have been placed to form pews
and a fence erected to form the back
drop for an altar — a Catholic church in
the bush. Four local boys walked up as
we were finishing lunch, tall and very
thin, and we shared our food with them.
After another hour’s drive, we arrived at
camp — tents set up underneath acacia
trees, with tents for showering, dining,
and cooking. There weren’t many trees,
so there wasn’t much shade, but it was
pleasant except for the nettles which
stuck to our shoes and ended up on the
floor of the tent. Under a tree just out-
CAUGHT READING
Dan & Lynn Powell, Cedar Falls, Hocking Hills OH. taken 1/12/15.
HORSESHOE LAKE CORNER
W
By Lisa Craft
e a re c e r t a i n ly i n t h e
midst of the winter cold,
snowy days and bundling
up. The Horseshoe Lake
Corporation meets monthly (the first
Tuesday at 7pm at the Public Safety
Bldg) and we address many issues
trying to improve our neighborhoods,
roads and lake. There is much talk and
debate about our entire lake community agreeing on one Trash disposal
service company. Currently there are
two or three companies servicing our
area but studies have shown the wear
and tear and impact that one disposal
truck has on our roads which equates
to 1000 cars on our roads. We are trying to minimize the destruction of our
roads, minimize the cost with a group
rate as well as selecting a company that
will provide satisfactory service to every subdivision. Currently we are vying
for the Duncan Disposal company to
be our contracted HLC disposal service
company. We have volunteers maintaining our roads and need to assist
their efforts as much as possible. Other
issues on our docket involve delinquencies of HLC annual due and weed
assessments, FOIA issues, community
events, boat launch improvements and
subdivision beautification projects. We
encourage anyone in the community to
attend one of our HLC monthly meetings. We welcome your input, recommendations and opinions.
side camp a meeting was taking place;
we found out later the leaders of a local
tribe (not Hadza) were discussing how
to deal with some local Maasai who had
stolen cattle. The Maasai think all the
cattle in the world belong to them, so
they have every right to confiscate their
property. Next month we’ll visit the
Hadza.
©2016 Phyllis Kreger Stillman. Phyllis
may be contacted at [email protected].
Cartoon by William Barrel
10 • THE COURANT • FEBRUARY 2016
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION
W
ith all the attention on this
year’s Presidential election,
people tend to forget about
the most important elections. No part of government affects you
more than your local elections. Township
Boards, City Councils and School Boards
directly affect your life more than any
federal or state election.
This year spend a little time thinking about your local municipality and
schools and ask yourself, are you happy
By Gary Wellings
with how your school or town is doing?
Are taxes too high? Is your town growing
correctly or growing at all? Is your school
board putting the proper curriculums
into place to give your child the best education they need to succeed in today’s
world?
Local elections are far more important
than any Federal or State election and yet
most people don’t really think about it.
Your local government affects your property rights, property values, lifestyles and
your pocket books. Your school directly affects the future of your child and grandchildren. In some instances the very survival of
your school district may be at stake.
It’s 2016 so educate yourself to local
issues and don’t be afraid to get involved and try running for office. We all
complain about government, yet career
politicians are the direct result of each
of us not doing our part volunteering
as citizen politicians. Public service is
important and worthwhile despite the
hassles and stress that is often involved.
New blood is what has made this country
great, so do your share, vote, campaign
and consider running for local offices
this year. You really can’t complain about
your community if you haven’t stepped
up and tried to make a difference.
Deadlines for running for public office
are in April 2016. Contact your local
Clerk’s Office or the County Clerk’s Office
for filing information. Go ahead, it’s easier than you think.
BENGHAZI-ON-THE-WATER
One of the good things to come out of
the 2012 Presidential election is, having decided America is too stupid to
survive, I can actually laugh at the latest Iranian adventurism. The capture
and ritualistic humiliation of American
naval personnel will go down in history as Benghazi-On-The-Water, Obama’s
aquatic version of the Jimmy Carter
Desert Classic.
Reading the words of people like Secretary of State John Kerry and California Senator Barbara Boxer, describing
the incident as a good thing, because
we had successfully opened channels
through which to more effectively beg
the mullahs for mercy and forgiveness,
were deliciously Orwellian in their absurdity. But the most profound response
came from the President himself, which
was silence.
Now, some believe his neglecting to
mention the incident during his State of
The Union address demonstrated diplomatic mastery. His silence was born of
By Michael Goodell
the understanding that words spoken
in anger cannot be withdrawn, and decisions made in haste might propel an
incident to the level of conflict.
That’s certainly a reasonable position
to take, but when this incident is viewed
in conjunction with both the Paris massacre and the Benghazi assault, a different
pattern emerges. Rather than judicious
silence, what the president’s behavior indicates most strongly is a sense of pique,
a resentment that the world is not going
the way he wants it to.
When 10 US sailors were captured
and, at best, psychologically abused,
Obama was angry, not at the Iranians,
but at the fact that this development
was going to mess up his planned SOTU
victory dance over the Iranian Nuclear
Weapons Development and Terrorism
Financing Agreement (or INWDTFA).
In other words, what he felt wasn’t concern for the men and women under his
putative command, but anger that they
were messing up his plans.
So, too, with the Paris Massacre. Recall the shock among primarily European journalists, who still labored under
the delusion of Obama’s deific qualities,
when he described the slaughter of
130 Parisians as “a setback.” It was an
untoward intrusion of reality into his
constrained approach to ISIS and the
Syrian auto-genocide. He was upset at
mass murder only to the extent that it
inconvenienced him.
Consider Benghazi. While not unprecedented, the assassination of an American Ambassador is sufficiently rare as to
be noteworthy. Certainly for a president
to abandon an American Ambassador
to a terrorist attack, leaving him to be
burned, mutilated and ritualistically
abused while gathering his campaign
advisors to figure out the best way to
spin it so he could continue to base his
reelection campaign on his having successfully defeated terrorism, is a first.
Deliberately lying, fabricating some spurious internet video as the cause for a
calculated act of terrorism, marks a new
low in presidential misconduct.
Again, the president’s reflexive reaction to Benghazi was not concern for
American casualties, but resentment
at how it messed up his preferred narrative. This dispassionate inability to
respond to tragedy except as it impacts
his own interests, indicates nothing less
than a sociopathic personality.
Recognizing the president as a sociopath, it helps to explain just about
everything he has said and done during
the past seven years. It is reassuring to
know that he hasn’t actively conspired
to destroy America, he has just acted
out from a sense of privilege, of misplaced entitlement, and the delusional
belief that he knows better than anyone
else what needs to be done.
Buy my new novel REBOUND, for $17.99
from http://www.whitebirdpublications.
com, or for just $5.99 on Kindle or Nook
www.mlgoodell.webs.com
SALESPERSON WANTED • For more info call 734.629.6010
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 11
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR SENATORS
Dear Michigan Senators Gary Peters
& Debbie Stabenow,
I am one of your constituents. I live in
Whitmore Lake and I have an important
message for you. The U.S. policy toward
Cuba needs your attention. I encourage
you to listen to my request, in alignment
with the majority of the American people
in our district and across the country. We
want to engage with Cuba. I do not think
Cuba is our enemy. We want to be able
to travel to Cuba without the restrictions
and the hoops I had to jump through to
visit Cuba in November 2015. I was fortunate enough to visit my daughter who
was studying abroad there through her
university. We had an awesome time and
the Cuban people were wonderful to us.
My daughter was able to make lifelong
friends and have one of the best experiences of her life. The Cuban people want
to be able to visit and travel to the U.S.
as well. My daughter’s host father has
tried multiple times to get a visa to visit
his daughter who lives in Miami and has
been rejected every time by the U.S. government. The blockade has been in place
for more than 50 years, it is ineffective,
and it is disproportionally affecting the
everyday people, not those it was meant
to affect. I bet you don’t even know that
the things we take for granted here, like
toilet paper for instance, which is something that the Cuban people may or may
not have available to them, due to the
blockade and additional trade restrictions our government has imposed on
businesses around the globe. I want to
see our businesses be able to trade with
Cuba without restrictions and have an
end to the extraterritorial laws affecting
businesses around the world that overstep the international norm of sovereignty. This will benefit both our people
and the Cuban people. Isn’t this what
our policy is supposed to do? Nearly the
whole world would like to see an end
to the blockade, as apparent in the vote
in the most recent session of the United
Nations. It is time for us to catch up to
the rest of the world and realize the economic, scientific, and medical benefits
that can come from engaging with Cuba. I
urge you to take action to end the blockade, allow trade and travel between our
nations, and continue to better our relationships between the two governments.
Thank you,
Cynthia Dreffs
THANK YOU FIRE & RESCUE!
Ken and I would like to thank Northfield
Township fire and rescue and Nothfield Township Police and Huron Valley
Ambulance and MOST of all Ed Blades.
On January 12, 2016, my husband Ken
Prizgint Sr. collapsed and didn’t have
a heartbeat, in our driveway, thanks to
the quick response of our neighbor Ed
Blades, and his giving Ken CPR and the
quick response to the above mentioned,
Ken would not be here today. He had
open heart surgery on January 19, and is
doing remarkable, and he is home. I don’t
know any of your names, but we are
forever grateful and thankful for all you
did...GOD Bless each one of you, you have
our love and most sincere appreciation....
YOU ARE ALL OUR HEROES, AND ED,
YOU ARE KENS ANGEL !!!!!!
Janet Prizgint
SALESPERSON
WANTED
For more info call
734.629.6010
12 • THE COURANT • FEBRUARY 2016
GRIFFITH VETERINARY HOSPITAL
240 Jennings Rd., Whitmore Lake, MI 48189
(U.S. 23 at Barker Road)
(734) 449-PETS (7387)
DR. BARBARA J. GRIFFITH - WATKINS
M 8-6 T 8-6 W 8-6 Th 8-6 F 8-6 Sat 8-12
SALESPERSON
WANTED
For more info call
734.629.6010
THE RESOLUTIONIST
F
By Amy Scholl
or some people Valentine’s
Day is a fun, whimsical, romantic time of year, but for
others it’s a rather annoying
reminder of old residual relationship
pain or other heartache. It can be frustrating to have that pain compounded
by all of the love-related marketing we
see this time of year. One frequently
used rule-of-thumb is to allow yourself half the time of the relationship to
heal (so if your relationship lasted 12
years, it may take 6 years to fully recuperate mentally). In actuality though,
some people heal much more quickly
while others hold onto their pain much
longer, so there really is no magical
formula for knowing when your own
heart will be mended. One can “stack
the odds in their favor” so-to-speak, by
making a vow to be proactive as they
heal. Examples include: joining a support group, seeking counseling, replacing a negative activity with a positive
one, taking up a mentally/physically
enriching hobby, and so forth. Years
ago a person had to stand amid the
self-help aisle at the bookstore and
then blush as they purchased some
sort of relationship recovery book…
nowadays we have the world of healing
at our fingertips with online bookstores and even online recovery groups
(naturally, use caution as you choose).
Bottom line: life is short and there are
methods for helping you enjoy life and
even love again. Heartbreak changes
people, but it doesn’t have to seal your
fate… the best may be yet to come!
Amy is a Mediation and Conflict Resolution Specialist.
FROM THE LYON’S DEN
By Tedd Wallace
I
t was early 1913 that the Eastern
Michigan Edison Company, a New
York operation, came before the
Green Oak Township Board to request a franchise. When granted, this
franchise permitted the construction
and operation of an electric line on the
streets and dirt roadways for the purpose of providing lights and power. The
first Edison high voltage line ran from
the big city of South Lyon to the village of
Whitmore lake in 1914 to provide street
lighting.
By October of 1919 the Detroit Edison company received approval from
the Green Oak Board to install a switch
at Reads Corner (Rushton and Ten Mile
Roads) for the purpose of furnishing
lights and power to the eastern area of
Green Oak Township to the Livingston
county border and western edge of South
Lyon. It still took years for the residential
areas to take in the electric lines, as many
of the farmers chose to keep their “Delco
Systems” already in place to create their
own electrical power. Gasoline engines
in the basement or out in an outbuilding
generated electrical current, which was
stored in batteries until called upon to
operate a few house lights and milking
machines. Oil lamps were still used by
many after the arrival of the batteries in
the basement, as the lamps could be carried where needed indoors or outdoors.
Humans are creatures of habit and extension cords were rather cumbersome.
So, it was over a decade before the electric poles were used by most residents.
One noted family of the area by the name
of Peach paid a whopping electric bill
of $3.34 in April of 1934. Whopping because it was during the depression.
Tedd Wallace is a former mayor and
retired teacher from South Lyon, email:
[email protected]
GIRLS ON THE RUN IS NOW
REGISTERING AT ST. MARY
CATHOLIC SCHOOL!
By Linda Schneider
Girls on the Run is a non-profit
organization that envisions a world
where every girl knows and activates
her limitless potential and is free to
boldly pursue her dreams! Their tenweek program for girls in 3rd – 8th
grade combines training for a 5k with
a brand new curriculum promoting
competence, confidence, connection,
character, caring and contribution.
Twice-weekly lessons and interactive
activities are led by trained volunteer
coaches who create a positive and safe
environment for girls to learn about
themselves, connect with others, and
contribute to the community. The program culminates in a non-competitive
5k event which gives the girls a chance
to shine and an overwhelming sense of
accomplishment.
St. Mary Catholic School girls will
meet afterschool on Mondays and
Wednesdays from 3:30 – 5pm March
7th through May 20th. All registered
participants will receive a healthy
snack at each lesson along with a program t-shirt and water bottle, a parent
guide book and entry into the incredible Girls on the Run on Sunday, May
15th (community members are welcome to come run/walk to support the
girls!) Space is limited and registration
ends February 15th. *Financial assistance is available.
For more information about registering, volunteering or supporting Girls
on the Run’s scholarship program contact the Girls on the Run of Southeastern Michigan staff at 734-712-5640 or
email [email protected].
LEO’S DOUBLE-UP
CROSSWORD
ACROSS & DOWN
By Leo Tschirhart
1. That what is left after the
whole is taken (the rest)
1
1
2
3
4
5
REM
I
2. A very small womans
handbag
2
3. Present state of getting
better
3
4. Accidental happening
of a train becoming
untracked
4
I NG
5
GED
5. Once again oblects have
been joined in place (as
in gearing)
I
WHITMORE LAKE CHAMBER
T
By Erika McNamara
he Whitmore Lake Chamber
of Commerce is very proud to
partner once again this year
with the Community Scholarship Fund, 501(c)3 to present a
Whitmore Lake graduating senior with
a scholarship for the dream of higher
education. Over the course of the year
we sponsor events to bring community members, business leaders, and
business owners together through
networking events, social mixers, and
ribbon cuttings. But certainly, the highlight of our social events is the Wine
Tasting Fund raiser we hold every year
to raise funds for the scholarship. We
are committed to business growth in
the Whitmore Lake community and be-
lieve very strongly our gift of a scholarship to a local student to continue
the dream for higher education is a
part of the foundation that builds and
strengthens our community. It is our
sincere hope that community members, organizations, and local business
owners will support our endeavor this
year and join us at our event. On February 23, 2016 at 5:00 pm our first fundraiser of the year will be held at Captain Joe’s. This is a Wine Tasting event
and tickets are $15. There will be a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. Please
contact the Whitmore Lake Chamber of
Commerce at 810.227.5086 or info@
brightoncoc.org for more information
and to purchase tickets.
Look for the answer to
this puzzle next month.
Here is the answer to
the last month’s puzzle.
4
3
8
4
9
2
9
5
1
3
5
7
2
7
6
8
1
6
6
7
2
6
1
8
1
5
9
7
5
3
8
3
4
2
9
4
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 13
14 • THE COURANT • FEBRUARY 2016
WWW.COURANTONLINE.COM • 15
16 • THE COURANT • FEBRUARY 2016