  2003: people, places, events in the news By Rhonda Westfall An Old Year gone, and a New Year to look forward to – time to turn the pages and see who and what was in the news in 2003.  Gavin Michael Calkins was the first baby born in 2003 at Clinton Memorial Hospital. The son of Robbie and Barbara Calkins entered the world Jan. 7.  Area residents mourned the passing of well-liked and respected St. Johns High School teacher and coach, Carlos Martinez, lost his life Jan. 4 as a result of an auto accident. He was 42.  Another beloved local educator, Ricki Dean, passed away Jan. 10 after a courageous battle with cancer. Ricki served St. Johns Public Schools for 25 years as a teacher and administrator, retiring in 2002 as principal of Oakview Elementary School.  St. Johns Police Chief Mike Madden was named as the director of the newly-formed St. Johns Public Safety Department.  Former St. Johns City Commissioner Dennis LaForest was named as the new city manager for St. Johns. He had served on the city commission since 1993. The city manager post had been vacant since the resignation of Mike Cain in September 2002. Relief After Violent Encounter (RAVE) began year-long observances of its 20th anniversary. School districts across the state scrambled to deal with unexpected reductions in per-pupil funding allocations, resulting from the State of Michigan’s budget crisis. The reduction of funding impacted the 2002-03 and 2003-04 school years. Representatives from every firefighter and emergency service agency in Clinton County formalized a county-wide mutual aid agreement.
Business associates and friends paid tribute to Ed Idzkowski, who passed away Feb. 9. He served the manufacturing community of Clinton County for over 50 years, and was the owner of the FC Mason Company since 1971.  Barry Dean was appointed to fill the vacancy on the St. Johns City Commission that was created by the hiring of Dennis LaForest as city manager. The cast and crew of Bat Boy: the Musical advanced to the regional level of competition at the State Theatre finals – another consecutive year of state-level competition for the St. Johns High School Theatre Department. VFW Post 4113 honored senior and junior division winners in the annual Voice of Democracy contest. Senior winners were Brad Ewart, Kate Theide and Kelsie Weismiller. Junior winners were Katlyn Weldon, Ann Lindquist and Michele Glowacki. Deputy Sharon Worthington was honored as the Employee of the Year by the Clinton County Sheriff Department. Well-known St. Johns resident, Hugh Banninga, was honored as the Volunteer of the Year by the Capital Area United Way Volunteer Center of Mid-Michigan.  The City of St. Johns and Clinton County Arts Council reached an agreement on a two-year lease of the old Grand Trunk Depot in St. Johns, providing a lovely new home for the CCAC – the Depot Art Center. Cultural diversity and leadership were the topics of an informative session attended by participants of the Tomorrow’s Leaders Academy. Presenters at the session included Shad Ahmed and Aafia Habib of the Islamic Center of Greater Lansing, and Wendy Chen, owner of The Jade Garden Restaurant, who spoke on her native land of China. Clinton County residents gathered on the steps of the Clinton County Courthouse as part of state-wide peace rally opposing the pending War with Iraq. The rally was coordinated by the Michigan Peace Network.  Friends and relatives of Matt Hutton were "overwhelmed by the support" demonstrated by area residents at a benefit on behalf of the family of the St. Johns resident who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Mariah Hesse was honored as the Employee of the Year at Clinton Memorial Hospital. The full-time OB nurse had worked at CMH since 1992.  Olive Township residents honored long-time clerk, Neil Harte, for his years of service to the board that included 39 years as township clerk. The always popular ‘Public Payroll’ special section appeared in the March 30 issue of the Clinton County News.  Downtown St. Johns was in the spotlight courtesy of a special program that appeared on WKAR-Channel 23, produced by St. Johns resident Dave Collins. Long-time St. Johns residents Fraser MacKinnon, Ray Parr and Catherine Rumbaugh were featured on the video segment highlighting the history and current status of downtown business districts in the mid-Michigan area.  Freezing rain and snow hit mid-Michigan in a freaky April ice storm that caused numerous power outages and accidents resulting from icy road conditions. Over 6,000 area residents were without power April 4-6. Area men spoke out against sexual assault and violence at the annual RAVE Mens March that was coordinated by the non-profit agency as part of events connected with Sexual Assault Awareness Month. St. Johns Middle School students brought down the house with their debut musical production of The Wizard of Oz. Leon Brewbaker was honored at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner with a special achievement award for his years of service to the Clinton County Republican Party.  Imagination was the key word at a workshop attended by area residents for landscaping and exterior site plan work at and around the old Grand Trunk Depot in downtown St. Johns. The $2.6 million expansion and renovation project at the Clinton County Jail got underway. The project included expansion of the kitchen and food service areas, and room for an additional 40 inmate beds. The CAN Council honored Dan Flint and Carolyn Ballard at the Champions for Children Lunch, recognizing their years of service on the CAN Council Board of Directors and work with youth programs across Clinton County. Tom Clay of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan was the guest speaker at the Fourth Annual CAPIT/St. Johns Rotary Government Day luncheon. Another successful Clinton County Relay for Life was held May 16-17 in St. Johns. Students, staff and area residents feted Wanda Baker on her 45 years of service at Eureka Elementary School.  The Clinton County Sheriff Posse learned about crowd control and other ‘equine law enforcement’ tools during a special training session at the Clinton County Fairgrounds, coordinated by Pat Muscat – a 25-year veteran of the Detroit Police Mounted Division.  Clinton County Honor Roll Gordon Shipley’s remarkable ‘Veteran’s List’ project appeared in the Memorial Day issue of the paper. Shipley, a Vietnam vet, is attempting to locate information on all Clinton County servicepersons who gave their lives during all the wars of the United States, beginning with the Civil War through the present War with Iraq. Fundraising for the St. Johns Performance Shell topped the $100,000 mark – two-thirds of the way toward the completion of the $150,000 goal. A coalition of local veteran’s groups launched a fund campaign for the construction of a county-wide veteran’s memorial in downtown St. Johns. Dave Ivan, Scott Marier and George Ayoub squared off in the only contested school board race in Clinton County during the Annual School Election. Ivan and Marier were elected. Clinton Area Retirement Community honored the Mint Country Garden Club and Doris Swatman with prestigious Volunteer of the Year awards. Esther Pung, beloved 4-H leader from the Westphalia area, was honored with a Michigan Volunteer Leadership Award. Esther has served as a 4-H leader since 1942. A parade of vintage Model T automobiles drew over 1,000 people to St. Johns Ford-Mercury in St. Johns during a cross-country caravan in conjunction with centennial observances for the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn.  A Civil War encampment provided a history lesson to visitors in Greenbush Township. The encampment was coordinated by David Rowley, commander of Co. A of the 10th Michigan Infantry. Lynn Coffman had his classic Oldsmobile 442 shined up as the feature car of the annual St. Johns High School Auto Program Car Show. D.J. Logan was named as the Teacher of the Year for St. Johns Public Schools. Runners-up were Jean Pingel and Mark Horak.  Groundbreaking ceremonies for the St. Johns Performance Shell drew a bevy of dignitaries June 23 at St. Johns City Park. A.J. Thelen was honored as the 2003 Knights of Columbus Man of the Year. Thelen, a member of St. Johns Council 3281, is editor of the Michigan Columbian, and K-C director of public relations.  Joe Humenik – Mr. Santa Claus – passed away June 25. Joe was involved in a wide range of community activities, including serving as a charter member of the St. Johns Mint Festival Steering Committee, and was highly respected for his professional dealings as a former sales manager of the St. Johns Reminder. Lt. Mike Carey donned a new law enforcement uniform, joining the St. Johns Police Department after having retired from a lengthy career with the Clinton County Sheriff Department. Cool spring weather meant a later than usual harvest of wheat for county farmers. Cooler than average temperatures in the spring pushed the annual harvest back by a week or more in most parts of the county. Queen Erica Dougherty and Princess Bonnie Menouske reigned over the Elsie Dairy Festival. New buildings began to take shape at Pewamo-Westphalia High School when construction began on a new gymnasium and athletic complex. Arnold Nurenberg, 95, of Westphalia, took first place in his debut effort at an antique tractor pull that was held at the Fowler Conservation Club. Arnold drove a 1951 John Deere Model A. The Bannister United Methodist Church observed its 120th anniversary with special services and a celebration July 26.  The annual Clinton County 4-H & Youth Fair brought crowds once again to the fairgrounds in St. Johns. Jim Crosby of Crosby Mint Farms got a jump start on Mint Festival fun by helping cook up a slab of mint fudge weighing 815 pounds – a world record effort.  Jamie Ackerman and Jenna Veith were crowned as the 2003 Mint Festival Queen and Little Miss Mint at the Mint Queen Pageant. Most Holy Trinity Parish in Fowler celebrated with a parade and lots of fun events during its annual parish festival. One of the most well-known ‘creeks’ in Clinton County continued to receive a helping hand from a group of volunteers dedicated to protect, preserve and restore the natural resource value and recreational opportunities of the watershed. The Stony Creek Conservation Association was begun in 1995 by Dallas Township resident, Dan Simmon.  Jody Smith was named as the new director of Relief After Violent Encounter, taking over for Beth Morrison who relocated to the southeast of Michigan.  Janet Sinke, an alumna of Rodney B. Wilson High School in St. Johns and former Hospice nurse, took on a new role – Grandma Janet Mary – after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. The Grandma Janet Mary series of children’s books is set for publication in 2004.  Lots of ‘Minty’ fun was the order of business at the annual St. Johns Mint Festival. Infrastructure and street repair was the focus of a workshop for the St. Johns City Commission. Plans for the multi-million dollar project continue.  Area resident bid farewell to a ‘dynamic duo’ who were set to depart their native Clinton County home for the warmer climate in Arizona – Ben and Bette Munger were feted at a community reception, organized by Firstbank-St. Johns and a group of local citizens.  Progress continued on construction of the new Performance Shell in the St. Johns City Park.  The Clinton County Paine-Gilliam-Scott Museum proudly displayed its newest acquisition – an original stained glass window that was part of the First Baptist Church when it was located from 1886 to 1923 on Church Street in St. Johns. The window was donated by the Parr family.  Logging practices from the turn of the century could be seen in the Westphalia Township woodlot of Evelyn Weiland. ‘Horseloggers,’ Rick Hinman and Carl Gillies used teams of Percherons and Haflingers in the logging process that does minimal damage to the landscape and remaining standing timber. Cindy Knight was honored as the Volunteer of the Year at Clinton Memorial Hospital. George and Marilyn McQueen were feted prior to their relocation from the county on their years of service to area youth and involvement with a variety of volunteer programs.  Ken Moore, long-time and active member of the St. Johns Exchange Club and St. Johns Episcopal Church, was the honored recipient of the Bill Patton Award presented by the St. Johns Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors. The respected businessman continues to work at the FC Mason Company – where he got his start in 1941.  Volunteers concluded another successful season at area cemeteries where they reset headstones and perform general clean-up duties. The old Lutheran cemetery on Wright Road in Dallas Township was the 14th project completed by the volunteers who are continuing the restoration efforts that were begun several years ago by Betty Driscoll. Clinton Area Fire & Rescue (CAFR) opened a new station at Lake Victoria to serve residents of Victor Township and the surrounding areas. The Village of Maple Rapids was buzzing with activity during its annual Riverfest events. One of best known and most respected businessmen in Clinton County, Bob Sirrine, passed away Oct. 1. Bob’s presence at the Osgood Funeral Homes created a sense of calm and soothed the pain of thousands of grieving families over the years.  The official opening of the Depot Art Center was highlighted by the dedication of the William J. Morriss Art Library. CAFR kicked off Fire Safety Week with special events at an open house at its various stations. Clinton County cyclist, Julianne Pattullo, began final preparations for her participation in the Tour of Hope, formulated by cancer survivor and renowned cyclist, Lance Armstrong.  The past, present and future of Mt. Rest Cemetery in St. Johns was detailed in a series of articles written by Ray Parr on behalf of the St. Johns Cemetery Association.  The annual Pumpkins on Parade activities of the St. Johns Lions and Lioness Clubs was termed a big success at its new venue in the St. Johns City Park.  Long-time coach and teacher at St. Johns Public Schools, Mike Humphrey, passed away Oct. 15. Robert Zimmerman was named as the new President and CEO at Clinton Memorial Hospital. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, Nick Cappelletti, Terry Knowlton, Nick Cowdry and Jeff Hills, were among the first servicepersons to return home from active duty in Iraq. The group was honored at a celebration in DeWitt.  Incumbents Barry Dean, Heather Hanover and Mark Bates were returned to office on the St. Johns City Commission, narrowly defeating challengers Glenn Voisin and Ken Harris.  The ‘matriarch’ of RAVE, Janet Holden, received special recognition during a 20th Anniversary celebration for the non-profit service agency. Veterans Day 2003 was observed with the annual parade and ceremony in St. Johns, and at a Veteran’s Dinner that was hosted by the students and staff of Most Holy Trinity Catholic School in Fowler.  Oklahoma arrived on the stage at St. Johns High School, drawing rave reviews from sell-out audiences.  Fund-raising efforts began in earnest for the construction of a new all-county Veteran’s Memorial in St. Johns. The Clinton County Courthouse got a taste of Hollywood glamour when the clerk’s office was selected as the site for the production of an election inspector’s training video. Andy Provenzano of WILX-TV 10 delivered his lines on cue – as did St. Johns High School student, John Kelly.  Residents supporting the continuation of programming by the MSU Extension Service attended an informational meeting at Smith Hall that was initiated in response to proposed budget cuts by Governor Granholm and state legislators.  Local members of a mid-Michigan band, The Last Broadcast, gave a debut performance of their EP, Matthew, written in honor of Matt Hutton and his on-going struggle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease. St. Johns resident Dan Gleason penned the song that the band performed in concert at Central Michigan University. Clinton County Hospice celebrated "20 Years of Giving." An informational meeting on proposed revisions to Clinton County zoning ordinances was well attended by area residents, sparking questions and discussion. A pair of local authors, Kevin Hayes and Jack Spencer, showed their support for Briggs Public Library and the Performance Shell fundraiser by donating profits from the sale of their books.  Jolly Old St. Nick visited with over 300 youngsters during his annual stop at Briggs Library in St. Johns. A youthful decorator, Alan Knight, took first-place honors in the Holiday Decorating Contest hosted by the St. Johns Area Chamber of Commerce.
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