tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87650691605108738702024-03-13T20:33:21.993-07:00Inside the Newsroom @ Chelsea, DexterThe official blog for The Chelsea Standard and Dexter LeaderMichelle Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12928503583422208570noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-2110514896924124052013-02-09T19:47:00.000-08:002013-02-09T19:57:06.399-08:00Covering a chocolate-related assignment makes for a sweet day<div class="MsoNormal">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Times New Roman";
panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-parent:"";
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
</style></div>
I took on a tough assignment this weekend: <a href="http://www.heritage.com/articles/2013/02/09/chelsea_standard/news/doc51156febdf657709284814.txt">The Fifth Annual Chelsea Chocolate Extravaganza.</a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sampling chocolates and taking pictures of happy people
is hard work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, not really, but I digress.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We — I brought my husband and two boys along — first stopped
in at <a href="http://www.heydlauffs.com/">Heydlauff’s Appliances</a> where Marie Barnsdale made chocolate muffins with
Chelsea-made <a href="http://www.jiffymix.com/">Jiffy Chocolate Muffin Mix</a> in a Wolf oven. I have to admit, as
someone who enjoys cooking, I could have spent a good bit of time in there
looking at the kitchen appliances. However, with two elementary-age boys in
tow, that wasn’t happening. They did give the thumbs up to the muffins, though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next up, we wondered into <a href="http://www.gigisflowers.com/">Gigi's Flowers and Gifts,</a> not for
anything chocolate, but just because I love flower shops. Between the
daddy-daughter dance and Valentine’s Day, they were enjoying a busy Saturday.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After that, we crossed through the downtown to the <a href="http://www.chelsearivergallery.com/">River Gallery</a>. I wanted to meet owner Patti Schwarz in person since I receive press
releases and emails from the gallery on a regular basis. It’s nice to put a
face with the email address! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The gallery was gorgeous and my entire family enjoyed
milling around, looking at the art. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My sons, Nicholas and Ethan, were captivated by the ceramic
dogs created by artist Mark Chatterley. There was a large dog in the gallery’s
front window and several smaller ones throughout the space. There were also
some really cool ceramic crows that Chatterley made. The gallery had some displayed on
the street outside and a cluster of the crows were upstairs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next up, was <a href="http://thegardenmill.com/">The Garden Mill</a> where the boys made their own
chocolate coins with the help of Janet Brown. There were plenty of shoppers in
the store, and owner Jennifer Fairfield said the weather was helping drive
traffic. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From there, we made our way to <a href="http://www.globalmarketplacechelsea.com/">Global Marketplace</a>, which was
filled with shoppers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://mindochocolate.com/">Mindo Chocolate Makers of Dexter </a>were set up inside with
samples of their fine artisan chocolates and samples of a syrup made of the
fruit that surround cocoa beans. Mindo General Manager Zack Crawford warned
that it would not be a chocolate taste and he was right. It had a fermented,
fruity taste, which was interesting. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The most delightful moment of our entire day came when a
little voice near the counter at Global Marketplace caught our attention as we
were buying our Mindo’s chocolate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The voice belonged to owner Kevin Frahm’s 11-year-old
daughter Kira. She wanted to tell us about the finger puppets she was modeling
and the stuffed animals for sale at the store. She also offered origami art that
she and her dad made. I have the origami swan she gave me on my desk.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Leaving Global Marketplace, we crossed the street and headed
to a quick lunch at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Seitzs-Tavern/113925761972766">Seitz's Tavern.</a> This place reminded me of a place my dad
might have taken me to as a kid, when he just wanted to get a quick bite on his
way from here to there. It was a good memory and made me wish my dad were there
with us. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The tavern had a nice atmosphere with Michigan basketball on
the TV and the food was good. There were people going in and out, and as were
prepared to leave one of the staffers dropped off suckers for the boys.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then it was off to <a href="http://gleecakeandpastry.com/">Glee Cake and Pastry</a> so I could get a
mini-cheesecake to go. In case you’re wondering: Yum! Glee had free samples of
some of their decadent bars, which were delicious. As with most of the places
we went into, there were groups of people inside shopping and enjoying the day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our final stop was <a href="http://www.zouzouscafe.com/">Zou Zou’s Café</a> so I could grab a coffee
to go. Of course the kids heard about their chocolate treats and wanted some: A
chocolate-covered strawberry for Nick and a truffle for Ethan. My husband
sampled the chocolate-covered pretzels. Everyone was happy!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chocolate is one of my favorite things in life, so this was
not a tough day for me. It was work, but fun work made all the better by beautiful
weather and the really wonderful people of Chelsea.<br />
<br />
<i>Kathleen Murphy is the editor of The Chelsea Standard and Dexter
Leader. Contact her at (734) 429-7380, kmurphy@heritage.com or on
Twitter at @kathleeneditor.</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-17686748259669759032012-12-17T09:09:00.000-08:002012-12-17T09:09:08.506-08:00Facing the loss of a child is too darkThere were many times over the weekend when I wanted to sit down to share my thoughts on the Sandy Hook school shootings. I composed entire columns in my head, but could not get them down.<br />As journalist, writing is what I do, so it should be easy for me, right?<br />But it isn't. <br />I tried and failed several times to write about those 20 children and six adults. I couldn't do it.<br />Each time I tried, my mind kept going back to my two boys, ages 10 and 11, and my mind froze. I cannot — I will not — face the thought of them not being here, of them not being with me. My mind will not go to that place.<br />Yet, there are 20 families of very young children and families of six adults who don't have that luxury. Their minds have to go there. They have no choice.<br />How do they do it? How do they go on?<br />What those parents wouldn't give to be able to yell for the millionth time about why we don't bounce balls off the living room wall or wrestle on the couch. <br />How they must have wished for a normal Saturday morning, kissing their kids hello, letting the dogs out, making breakfast.<br />I am lucky my biggest worry is whether or not my boys are going to knock the Christmas tree down as they chase each other through the living room.<br />Fights over the remote control are no big deal.<br />Nagging them over homework or picking up their clothes reminds me they are home and safe.<br />I am so very lucky that on Friday afternoon, I picked them up from school. They were happy and healthy, and oblivious to the awful news from Newtown, Conn.<br />I kissed them goodnight Friday and tucked them in their beds, safe from the world outside, safe for another night.<br />As journalists, we are taught to be objective and to keep our opinions to ourselves, but I don't know how you do that in this instance. I watched veteran network news anchors break down on the air when relaying stories about those beautiful children, and the heroic teachers and school administrators at Sandy Hook.<br />I've thought very little about the gunman. I understand he was mentally ill and that is something as a society we have to deal with, but right now my thoughts are with the victims and their families. My thoughts are with those people who cannot block the loss of their children from their minds because it is not a nightmare, it is a reality. It is their story.<br />
<br />
<i>Kathleen Murphy is the editor of The Chelsea Standard and Dexter Leader. Contact her at (734) 429-7380, kmurphy@heritage.com or on Twitter at @kathleeneditor.</i><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-37826339052843301462012-11-16T09:36:00.000-08:002012-11-16T09:36:17.409-08:00Election 2012: Perception vs. Reality<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Perception
is reality it is said, but after this past election, that adage may have to be
modified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">We
all saw the polls and the crowds and the signs and considered who was going to
win the presidential race and others. Funny thing is, what we perceived to be
true and what was really true was often far apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Take
Mitt Romney for instance. The polls showed a nearly 50-50 split or Romney
holding a slight advantage. The crowds at his appearances spoke of a
groundswell of support and pundits across the spectrum were predicting either a
Romney landslide or an Electoral College tie that could end up in the House of
Representatives, if not the courts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">What
we did not see or in some cases, or maybe not wanted to see, was that President Obama
had more support than many people realized. The polls that sampled heavily
Democratic were on target, much to the chagrin of several radio talk show hosts
and websites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Locally,
there were some perception issues as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Many
people I talked to thought Mark Ouimet was a lock to keep his seat in the state
House of Representatives. The voters thought differently. They gave challenger
Gretchen Driskell a 3,000-vote margin to win the race. She was part of a
Democrat sweep of the four state House seats up for grabs in Washtenaw County.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
perception that Washtenaw County is still a Republican stronghold needs to be
wiped away with the reality that this is a blue county. It may be light blue,
but blue nonetheless. That’s not to say the GOP is done here, but results are
showing the county’s urban centers are going Democrat and have been for several
presidential election cycles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Saline
has become a safe zone for the Democratic Party that makes Driskell’s win
easier to understand. She has been mayor for 14 years and on the City Council
for 20 years. With that kind of support, it wasn’t a stretch to see her win
coming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
same goes for Brian Marl’s win in the mayoral race. An aide to the House
Democrats in Lansing, Marl has a strong base of support in the city. He is
personable and outgoing. Nothing against Glenn Law, but Marl got an early start
and had strong support from many sectors in the community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The
one result that boggles the mind is the voters’ rejection of the slates in the
Saline school board race. </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The election
pitted Smita Nagpal and Diane Friese against Paul Hynek and Karen Delhey. The
four ran as pairs in hopes of getting a like-minded person elected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Instead, voters went a la carte and
picked Friese and Delhey. What this says about the voters’ intent or name
recognition remains to be seen. The feeling before the election from people I
talked to was Nagpal and Hynek were the favorites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">How this going to shake out and the ramifications on future elections remains to be seen. In Pittsfield Township, the Democratic slate is effective and popular. So a slate may work well on that level.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">So dealing with this reality, we must now come together behind the winners. We need to see how they do when they are sworn in, but we must also hold them accountable. That's a reality that our elected officials have to perceive accurately or they will be on the sidelines soon enough.</span></span></div>
Jim Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00008464050220870153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-24110531603014909872012-11-15T08:30:00.002-08:002012-11-15T08:30:16.354-08:00Talking with a Dexter Museum supporter
Recently in the Community Media Lab, I had a nice visit with
Susan Schotts of the Dexter Heritage Guild, the fundraising arm of the
Dexter Area Museum and Historical Society.<br />
We talked about the holiday bazaar at the museum from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dec. 1. Proceeds from the bazaar help fund the operating costs of the
museum. Dexter Heritage Guild members work throughout the year, creating
crafts for the event.<br />
In addition to sharing great information about the museum and the
heritage guild, Susan also had questions for me about contacting the
media through email.<br />
One of the main points that I shared with her is something I always
tell people: In your email or press release, tell me what you are
promoting or what you want from me in the first sentence or two. Also,
put the name of your event or community in the email headline. Make it
eye-catching so that your email stands out in a flood of what could be
30 press releases. Include .jpg pictures if you have them.<br />
Also, include a contact name and phone number in case there are questions.<br />
Anyone who has questions about submitting information to us, can contact me at <a href="mailto:kmurphy@heritage.com">kmurphy@heritage.com</a>. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-12045784428133050362012-11-01T14:34:00.003-07:002012-11-01T15:02:23.521-07:00Allow me to introduce myself …Hi! I'm Kathleen Murphy, the new editor of The Chelsea Standard and Dexter Leader.<br />
<br />
I
am a proud graduate of Central Michigan University — fire up Chips! My degree is in broadcast journalism and political science, but life took a turn and I've spent
my career working in the print media as a reporter and editor in
communities in Lapeer, Macomb and Sanilac counties. I've covered
everything from local government and schools, to the police beat and
community events. My most recent assignment was on the copydesk at The Oakland Press in Pontiac, one of our sister publications.<br />
<br />
I have always enjoyed small towns, perhaps because I
grew up in the tiny town of Ubly in Michigan's Thumb. Ubly is best
known as the home of the Ubly Dragway. Invariably, someone always
mentions that to me and I sheepishly have to admit never having
been there! As a child, playing outside in the summer, I remember
hearing the noise at the track across town (which really wasn't that far), but we never went
there. My dad preferred the Tigers and puttering in his garden.<br />
<br />
Outside of work, my life revolves around my family. My
husband Dave and I have two boys, Nicholas and Ethan. Nicholas is in the
sixth grade and loves anything to do with football, especially
Michigan (my Chips haven't won him over yet). He also plays in a youth football league, and takes part in
organized wrestling, lacrosse and baseball. Ethan is a fourth grader and
is our extreme sports enthusiast. His passion is skateboarding. When
the weather is bad, he takes his board and heads to the basement —
always with a helmet and pads! Ethan also loves snowboarding and
cycling.<br />
<br />
As a family, we are passionate about our dogs. Our Sophie,
is a sweet 9-year-old black Labrador retriever we adopted from the
Lapeer County Animal Shelter when she was about 9 months old. We also
have a 3-year-old miniature dachshund, Bo, that we adopted from a neighbor.
His full name is Bo Blue, courtesy of <i>all</i> my boys. At some point, I think we may
have a dog named Brady!<br />
<br />
I am excited to get to know the
people of Chelsea and Dexter, and spend time in the communities.<br />
Please feel free to email me at kmurphy@heritage.com
or call (734) 429-7380. You can also follow me on Twitter at
@kathleeneditor or on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/StandardandLeader">Facebook</a>. I would love to chat with you, answer any questions you may have
and get your story ideas. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-12182507937675735122012-06-12T05:57:00.001-07:002012-06-12T11:26:57.623-07:00Civil War Days journalists<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3I2WNj3ARDfKjfPIXjU-rLGKlVM7n8mXxKpCttGFGEPtqgf7gIiBP1KUaro4zSz5ny36mPzn-KrW768nLqxS9MX4R3kJJnVnwuLo56rHKfEjkenQptEVsejUqu2L5YW7cKhAxEXWrKo/s1600/photo%25202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3I2WNj3ARDfKjfPIXjU-rLGKlVM7n8mXxKpCttGFGEPtqgf7gIiBP1KUaro4zSz5ny36mPzn-KrW768nLqxS9MX4R3kJJnVnwuLo56rHKfEjkenQptEVsejUqu2L5YW7cKhAxEXWrKo/s320/photo%25202.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erica McClain, Fred Priebe as Abraham Lincoln and Sean <br />
Dalton at Gordon Hall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Reporter Sean Dalton and I got the rare and fun chance to get involved with Dexter's Civil War Days this past weekend. By involved I don't mean "cover" the event but rather we got to re-enact with President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd.
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFGsgclt0AxorWoNelpXFI27Oc99gzNi0kqF0EovVBHVJY8Ruf7GN3WHGW6zRIQzgVqZdc6JoTUHFemAOj-guoKLSPSRlWT6DORP8wHPvqm1B53lkOJ31xLQCHvDnOE2rRk5tZF5Ig_g/s1600/photo%25201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFGsgclt0AxorWoNelpXFI27Oc99gzNi0kqF0EovVBHVJY8Ruf7GN3WHGW6zRIQzgVqZdc6JoTUHFemAOj-guoKLSPSRlWT6DORP8wHPvqm1B53lkOJ31xLQCHvDnOE2rRk5tZF5Ig_g/s320/photo%25201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">State Rep. Mark Ouimet and Reporter Sean Dalton chat <br />
at Gordon Hall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fred and Bonnie Priebe, who are <a href="http://www.alincolnstyle.com/">professional Lincoln re-enactors</a> and attended last year's event, were phenomenal. There were points when it was unclear whether the two were re-enacting or simply talking. They were simply amazing.<br />
<br />
A huge thanks to Donna Fisher and her daughter, Abby, for inviting us and letting us borrow period-correct clothing.Erica McClainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902928347341477078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-78715246037086252472012-06-11T11:44:00.001-07:002012-06-11T11:44:27.705-07:00La Jolla issues refund to Branch familyIn an effort to write a follow-up story to NBC and <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/elderly-michigan-man-mistakenly-buys-25k-diamond-necklace/story?id=16528763#.T9YIs1J4wVk">ABC's coverage</a> of Maurice "Maury" Branch's ordeal with La Jolla Fine Jewelry in Chelsea, it was revealed that the Chelsea-based jewelery store owned by Curtis Gough has issued a refund to the Branch family.<br />
<br />
As the story goes, Maury wandered into La Jolla last month to purchase a watch battery when a bracelet that he believed was adorned with rhinestones and a $20 price tag caught his eye. Unfortunately for the retired economics teacher, the item's actual value was $25,000, which the Branch family discovered recently when a bewildered Maury showed his most recent credit card statement to his daughter, Carol.<br />
<br />
"I saw this $25,000 charge and I said 'Dad, do you know this La Jolla Jewelry?'" Carol told ABC News last week. "He said, 'I bought your mom a real pretty rhinestone necklace there for $20."<br />
<br />
After sticking to his guns, Gough recently decided to take a step back from defending his shop's "no returns" policy and issued the Branch family a refund, according to a woman who is house-sitting at Carol's Milan home while the Branch's are up north for a bit of summer repose.<br />
<br />
Up to that point Carol and Gough attempted to cooperate on a consignment deal, but could not come to an agreement on the terms, according to the ABC News report.<br />
<br />
The fallout for Gough and his business has been significant online, where angry members of the public are making their displeasure known on sites such as <a href="http://www.ringenvy.com/jewelers/Michigan/Chelsea/L/LA_Jolla_Fine_Jewelry_zip_25371">ringenvy.com,</a> where the shop's customer rating has dropped to one star because of the negative backlash in reaction to standing by the no-returns policy, despite the Branch family pleading with the business-owner to have a change of heart due to the 90-year-old's advanced age and his condition, which the family describes as "cognitive impairment."<br />
<br />
Messages with Gough have been left at La Jolla Fine Jewelry and his residence in Chelsea, but were not returned as of publishing this blog entry. Heritage Media contact information for reporter Sean Dalton was left with the Branch's house-sitter, who agreed to pass it along to Carol. <br />
<br />
<br />Sean Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516383370019633929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-55352271145147847702012-04-13T11:10:00.000-07:002012-04-13T11:10:47.456-07:00A quiet memorial to Chelsea's Titanic victim<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2sDGiO3-De6EoNUpX_yyc9KK1drslYar4r6shqDaWswCXVv9vWlnOsTVzTDNfWao5wJ-GAUgyB7C3QAhyyqsks1aX1e2AMJa2NZLwzd3oi8cPQ4lwA2tLzLX32lVNrCJW2NTAWC4WiQ/s1600/titanic+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2sDGiO3-De6EoNUpX_yyc9KK1drslYar4r6shqDaWswCXVv9vWlnOsTVzTDNfWao5wJ-GAUgyB7C3QAhyyqsks1aX1e2AMJa2NZLwzd3oi8cPQ4lwA2tLzLX32lVNrCJW2NTAWC4WiQ/s400/titanic+front.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front page of the Boston Daily Globe from April 18, 1912,<br />announcing the sinking of the Titanic. This hangs in my living<br />room at my apartment in Clinton.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The Titanic has received a lot of attention this week with the 100-year anniversary of the sinking this weekend.<br />
<br />
But something that doesn't receive a lot of attention is a family headstone at <a href="http://heritage.com/articles/2012/04/13/chelsea_standard/news/doc4f88349d23565380958193.txt" target="_blank">Chelsea's Oak Grove Cemetery</a> that is a direct connection with the doomed ocean liner.<br />
<br />
The Lingane family headstone is a small memorial to John Lingane, a Sylvan Township resident who died in the ship's sinking while coming back from Ireland visiting family. John's name appears on the stone, with his born and death dates. No remains for him are buried, of course; his body was not recovered from the wreckage.<br />
<br />
This leads, however, to an interesting question: <b>What's with our societies obsession with the Titanic?</b><br />
<br />
Obviously centennial anniversaries are big for any major historical event, but the Titanic has always had this sense of intrigue for me and many others.<br />
<br />
Could it be because of its lauded fame when it first launched, being billed one of the greatest things man had built? Or that it sank before completing its first trip across the Atlantic? Or because of the horrible loss of life aboard, including John Lingane?<br />
<br />
I think it's a combination of all three, as well as it being rediscovered recently in 1985. For deaces, scholars and the public wrestled with the concept of how it sank. One piece or two? How high in the air did the stern get? What was the last song the band played aboard the ship before it went down?<br />
<br />
Several specials are on TV this week trying to find out more information on the boat. One of the biggest ones involves film director James Cameron, along with several other experts.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FSGeskFzE0s" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
What questions still remain will likely go unanswered for history, as all survivors from the wreck have now died. But it's still an interesting piece of human history, and a maritime disaster that is the first thing most people think of when they hear the term "shipwreck."<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-29249725082429369672012-04-06T11:08:00.003-07:002012-04-06T11:10:12.041-07:00Comcast in Dexter round two?Anyone continuing to have issues with Comcast should give me a call. I've heard through the grapevine that as recently as this week some people are continuing to hear from customer service reps that equipment fees will be charged for lost or destroyed equipment.<br /><br />Keep an eye on the Dexter Leader website for a follow up article in the coming day or two.Sean Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516383370019633929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-300067107904355622012-04-02T13:44:00.003-07:002012-04-02T14:10:04.277-07:00Too bad more businesses weren't open yesterday in DexterIt's always perplexing when I cover a really neat event, like yesterday's visit from Michigan Geocaching, and none of the downtown businesses are open.<br /><br />The event brought dozens of people to town, all of whom were walking all over the place, which is kind of the point to geocaching in the first place.<br /><br />The thought didn't occur to ask them if they noticed or were bothered by being unable to access much of the village's quaint downtown district, but I did notice Saturday when I was in town and wanted a fancy cup of coffee that Joe & Rosies closes at 6 p.m. and a trip to Foggy Bottom proved fruitless as well.<br /><br />I don't expect a coffee shop to be open until 9 p.m. on any given day in such a low population density area, but 6:30 p.m. doesn't seem like reaching too far on a Saturday, and if I were a business owner I'd want my shop to be open when a bunch of people who, in part, have made tourism and urban adventure a sport are in my area of business.<br /><br />This isn't a new topic. I've had this conversation with many small business owners, not just in Dexter, and the reply is always that they could open but nobody would come.<br /><br />My response is still the same: people aren't going to know that you've expanded your hours the first time you do it, because you've built up an expectation that you're typically closed at a certain time, but eventually that expectation will change and that new block of time that you've expanded your hours of operation with will be consistently profitable.<br /><br />Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was the pot of coffee I made at home to perk myself up Saturday evening so I could fully enjoy the Encore's "Godspell" without joining the ensemble with my fatigue-born snoring.Sean Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516383370019633929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-71053950090073983832012-03-30T10:56:00.004-07:002012-03-30T13:43:14.049-07:00You're famous(er) Dexter!While the tornado earlier this month drew a lot of local news crews to Huron Farms and other parts of Dexter to report on the damage and how people's lives have been affected, some of our cousins in the mainstream blogging world took notice of one piece of coverage - <a href="http://bit.ly/GYS9ud"><b>Comcast has been charging displaced residents "vacation fees."</b></a><br /><br />Yesterday someone at the Consumerist <a href="http://consumerist.com/2012/03/displaced-by-a-tornado-comcast-considers-you-on-vacation.html"><b>picked up the story</b></a> on Comcast's initial handling of cable customers in the village, particularly Huron Farms subdivision.<br /><br />The venerable, and sometimes venereal, Fark.com <a href="http://www.fark.com/comments/7022476/Comcast-charges-customers-in-an-entire-town-a-vacation-fee-for-not-responding-to-emails-letters-phone-calls-Difficulty-they-didnt-respond-because-their-town-was-ravaged-by-a-tornado"><b>followed suit with a posting of their own</b></a>.<br /><br />Hopefully some good comes of Internet humorists taking note of this situation.<br /><br />I know it's easy to hate the big dog, but to Comcast's credit, they're in the process of reaching out to the affected village residents. As someone who once worked in a call center, there's not much the low-level phone bank people can do that isn't handed down to them by their supervisors.<br /><br />It would have been nice for someone at Comcast corporate to parachute into the upper management levels of whatever company handles their phone support (if they farm it out to a call center company) with printed out manuals and verbal guidance detailing how to properly deal with tornado victims.<br /><br />It would have been nice days, rather than a week or two after, but it is what it is. Hopefully I'll be able to write a detailed followup about the cable giant reaching down to the village folks with a fair handed response.Sean Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516383370019633929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-74307177649197797532012-03-20T12:41:00.002-07:002012-03-20T12:49:45.268-07:00This week's print edition is going to be really specialI haven't been this excited to hold a newspaper in my hand in a long time.<br /><br />It's been incredible working as a team covering the situation going on in Dexter. Virtually our entire staff was phasing and shifting in and out of field reporting and telecommuting for nearly five days.<br /><br />We produced over 40 stories, hundreds of photos and more than a dozen videos; and somehow it still doesn't feel like we captured enough of what has happened.<br /><br />This has been an exciting time to be a reporter. At our best we are chroniclers of local history as it happens, and never has this felt more poignant that it has over the past couple of days.<br /><br />Please let us know how the print edition looks and how our coverage online turned out. Also keep your eyes opened for a documentary video that our staff is working on as I type this. The team collectively took an amazing amount of video since Thursday. <br /><br />Reporter James Dickson has a lot of great material to work with, so when it's done it should be something to behold.Sean Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05516383370019633929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-70115054699966444712012-03-12T10:23:00.007-07:002012-03-12T10:43:27.231-07:00TIME notes Chelsea's chicken advocates<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7Lt4lie-gSsLSJKGD1JmcnHvWoBxoaQGQEnMxqkue5MP9uv3h-SHMt_NxKCQqSXGUR2U9hSvyoMosi7FcxeS0VvtCgNo6xyP9sD0ILs-TV4KCofJgZ7UwKUdWOJBF7mIFqmIu0x_xPg/s1600/IMG_1458.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 138px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7Lt4lie-gSsLSJKGD1JmcnHvWoBxoaQGQEnMxqkue5MP9uv3h-SHMt_NxKCQqSXGUR2U9hSvyoMosi7FcxeS0VvtCgNo6xyP9sD0ILs-TV4KCofJgZ7UwKUdWOJBF7mIFqmIu0x_xPg/s320/IMG_1458.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719065399533014146" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">A Chelsea Standard reader recently posted on Facebook that <a href="http://www.time.com/time/">TIME Magazine</a> name dropped Chelsea, Mich.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">The short article, which was online and in the March 12 print edition, was about urban chicken coops and the "ultra-locavores'" fight to change zoning laws.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">It appears Chelsea is not alone as the article notes that Tampa and Appleton, Wis. are also considering changing the local rules. Appleton, Wis. boasts a population of about 78,000 people, while Tampa has about 335,000 people.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnMYyAdZV3Qh2gEF6ZfmSXr6HwTPSChIVaF1tqq8QRUoRZrWiudUWsElOmBegWOg_BRMZUvC8AQ9FIIR07nQ1-8uoCzGf1kvuLSwHTZL-QEY_mACGH-njn2cqutUBQ5emJ4HzJOuH3hI/s320/IMG_1459.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719066533743597202" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">If you're at your local grocery store or a bookstore within the next week, check it out. Also, please note that TIME has a paywall and the article cannot be viewed online if you are not a subscriber.</span></div>Erica McClainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902928347341477078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-91951034406898049132012-03-12T09:17:00.000-07:002012-03-12T09:17:02.615-07:00Dexter Cider Mill a contestant on Pure Michigan's version of "March Madness"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8F7Ov-Y27cIMp7UizD61aeFRWHejxIMLedj2jY0c6st1uVU2xZHwo3fUPem4hgXWCQMNhLMaoa-1YJw47JHl9sHXDsy0BhfBxYhzexyF1lbLEaH_djgPM5XpRaG-rQh5AxPBsV3RxYg/s1600/cider+mill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8F7Ov-Y27cIMp7UizD61aeFRWHejxIMLedj2jY0c6st1uVU2xZHwo3fUPem4hgXWCQMNhLMaoa-1YJw47JHl9sHXDsy0BhfBxYhzexyF1lbLEaH_djgPM5XpRaG-rQh5AxPBsV3RxYg/s400/cider+mill.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This blogger enjoying a cup of cider in Dexter last fall. He does not<br />
have one of him enjoying a chicken dinner in Frankenmuth. Case closed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
The Dexter Cider Mill is going to need our help.<br />
<br />
The Pure Michigan campaign is launching <a href="http://www.puremichiganblog.org/events/march-madness-in-pure-michigan/" target="_blank">its own version of March Madness</a>, pitting area recreational activities against one another. On the campaign's Facebook page, it plans to pit activities against each other, and its fans will vote on their favorites.<br />
<br />
The <span id="goog_935308266"></span><a href="http://www.dextercidermill.com/" target="_blank">Dexter Cider Mill</a><span id="goog_935308267"></span> is one of the first contestants in this challenge, and it faces a daunting opponent in the "food and drink" category: eating a <a href="http://www.bavarianinn.com/" target="_blank">Bavarian Inn</a> or <a href="http://zehnders.com/" target="_blank">Zehnders</a> chicken dinner in Frankenmuth.<br />
<br />
It's safe to say the cider mill is facing a tough road, but what if local residents could push it through? Once the poll is open, let's all vote for the cider mill in Dexter, which many of us can agree has some of the best cider every fall (I know I can).<br />
<br />
Voting should happen sometime this week on the Pure Michigan page, which you can find <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PureMichigan.org" target="_blank">here</a>. Be sure to keep an eye out for the poll!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-3548043242786988632012-02-08T10:27:00.000-08:002012-02-09T08:22:04.413-08:00The great chicken debate<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBRR38TA3Ff08o09MKP9dVKU3g2-Qo7AQ7odi694Maq8LW28gETVI4AlRiGF1kVPUEszpNP7-n0ONNNcoWvCltRhcPO8if2AeTFH6u_RiQiQD0BSrW7P8ry2MQVYSFt1v-tkTqphKZ9g/s1600/chix.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 315px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBRR38TA3Ff08o09MKP9dVKU3g2-Qo7AQ7odi694Maq8LW28gETVI4AlRiGF1kVPUEszpNP7-n0ONNNcoWvCltRhcPO8if2AeTFH6u_RiQiQD0BSrW7P8ry2MQVYSFt1v-tkTqphKZ9g/s320/chix.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707170066336154274" /></a><br />Is it enough to have farm fresh eggs at your disposal? Should people in a small yard be allowed to own chickens? Is a chicken a pet?<div>While off the cuff, the issue of owning a chicken might not seem like a big deal, it's one that many municipalities have been wrestling with considering the rise of the local food movement.</div><div>I recently delved into this topic for a story in this week's Standard after a <b><a href="http://heritage.com/articles/2012/02/08/chelsea_standard/news/doc4f319c557ecfe370694379.txt">family was told to get rid of their chickens</a></b>. They kept the five hens in their backyard, just a few blocks off Main Street, despite the fact that the city bans them – <b><a href="http://www.city-chelsea.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=597&Itemid=141">per a city ordinance</a></b> – in yards less than 4 acres in size.</div><div>Proponents of keeping backyard chickens, including <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001230406741&sk=info">Chelsea Backyard Chickens</a></b>, say that chickens are clean, quiet and much like having a pet dog or cat. The added bonus is that, unlike a house cat, families get fresh eggs from a chicken whose diet they can control.</div><div>The group has met with Chelsea City Council for two work sessions after member Chris Felesky spoke during a public comment session several months ago. </div><div>In that time, various Council members have discussed what potential problems could come with legalizing backyard chickens – including neighbor complaints and what the justification for allowing chickens might be versus not allowing other animals. In addition, Councilmember Rod Anderson wondered <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/rodandersonforcouncil/issues/chickens-in-chelsea"><b>whether property values would be affected and what evidence might be available</b></a>.</div><div>In addition there is the argument that fresh, grain-fed, range-free chicken eggs are readily available in Chelsea as it's in an agricultural area.</div><div>So, what do you think? How would Chelsea be affected by legalized backyard chickens?</div>Erica McClainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902928347341477078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-60612575497934556762011-07-11T12:29:00.001-07:002011-07-11T12:29:38.422-07:00Mudhens baseball is excitingPeople may think that the Detroit Tigers may be the only baseball team in town. Or maybe even the only tea worth spending any money on at all.<br />This couldn’t be more from the truth. The Toledo Mudhens have been around for years and it is just a short drive down the freeway to go and watch some up and coming ball players. Maybe you will even be fortunate like I was and get to see a player like Saline resident and Detroit Tiger Brandon Inge doing some rehab to get back to the majors.<br />Inge had been sick with mononucleosis and was down in Toledo last week when I was able to watch the Tigers’ AAA team play the Columbus Clippers. The game itself was a lot different than a professional game but I will say it is nice once in awhile to see that difference and get watch what these guys go through in order to make it to the majors.<br />They aren’t making a lot of money and I will bet you that Inge’s salary for one year is way more that what the entire Mudhen team makes. That being said the level of play at Toledo is nowhere near what you get at Detroit.<br />But, it is cheaper to go to Toledo to watch a game and you will get a seat that is probably better than what you will see with the parent club in Detroit.<br />They do all kinds of crazy promotions and things between the innings. One of my favorite has to do with picking a certain player from the other team and making them the goat of the game. If that player strikes out during the game a certain section gets free ice cream.<br />I couldn’t really tell if that pressure wore on the opposing batter but I will say he didn’t strike out at all. In fact, it appeared he had better game. Maybe when they play Columbus again they should pick someone different who may be more likely to strikeout.<br />Some of the players on the team like Fu-Te Ni and Clete Thomas have been up in the majors before and sent back down. Others like Andy Dirks and Brennan Boesch are up with the Tigers and may stay for awhile.<br />One player, Max St. Pierre has been with Toledo for years and never really gotten a chance at the majors. He is still holding onto that dream of getting up to the “Bigs” and having fun getting paid for doing what he loves. Although if he got into the majors he would get paid quite a lot more money.<br />His debut for the Tigers on Sept. 4th of last year made him the oldest Tiger position player to make the MLB since Mike Roarke in 1961. He got a hit during his first start.<br />The game is fun at any time but the minors tend to make a few more mistakes than the majors. You also get to see more pitchers. The Mudhens threw about five pitchers on the night I went.<br />I was also fortunate to see a fireworks show, which was fun I will admit but the most interesting part of the entire night was just watching the people and enjoying a very laid back atmosphere.<br />I would say run out and get season tickets buy season tickets but it might be nice for a change of pace or even a couple times a year. The game is fun and every player has a different story.<br />Some will rise to the top and end up in the majors while others may reach Toledo and that will be the highest level they ever play. Whatever the case if it comes to Detroit they will more than likely have to come from farm team down in Toledo.<br />So grab you mitt and put on your baseball hat for an enjoyable time down in the minors.<br />Check out the Mudhens Web Site at www.toledomudhens.com.<br />Dave Merchant is a staff writer for Heritage West Newspapers and can be reached at dmerchant@heritage.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-52987808373481129452011-03-08T13:56:00.001-08:002011-03-08T13:56:43.499-08:00A thank you to a Good SamaritanOn Saturday evening, I attended the Chelsea Rotary's Cash Bash, completely unaware of two things: how much snow would fall in western Washtenaw and that my driver's side wiper would fall off at 9:30 p.m. that night in the Silver Maples' parking lot.<br /><br />When I left the bash, I went to wipe off the inches of snow off my windshield, lifting up the wiper arms to get under them, when my wiper flew off its housing.<br /><br />Frantic, I searched for the pin, which held the blade to the arm -- but it was long gone.<br /><br />Minutes later, I ran back into Silver Maples, where quite a few people were still enjoying the Rotary event.<br /><br />After asking a few people if they could help me out, one guy went straight to someone named Dennis.<br /><br />Dennis took two safety pins, a coated paper clip and a rubber band and made magic. He pinned, twisted and fastened the wiper back to the arm so I could safely make the long drive home on I-94.<br /><br />You see, at this point Saturday night, the snow was still falling so hard that it would have been impossible to drive without a wiper, and I currently live 50 minutes away on a good day. Saturday night, it took me an hour and a half.<br /><br />So -- Dennis, thank you for your ingenuity and kindness. And if anyone knows Dennis, let me know, so I can, at the very least, send him a thank you card.Erica McClainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902928347341477078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-40324563569528757702011-02-23T14:00:00.000-08:002011-02-23T17:09:14.690-08:00Marriage: a dying institution?I'm piggybacking on a blog from on of our sister publications, The News-Herald. <a href="http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2011/02/23/michiganmatters/doc4d6439263e3b4280437787.txt?viewmode=fullstory">A blog</a> from their staff writer, Jim Kasuba, asks the question, "Are we likely to be attending many 40th and 50th wedding anniversaries in the future or is that a thing of the past?"<br /><br />Speaking as a never-been-married, 27-year-old female, yes; it is most definitely a thing of the past.<br /><br />I know, sounds rather brash of me to make such a quick decision, right? But consider this: most of my generation is flailing at even making it on their own.<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/magazine/22Adulthood-t.html?pagewanted=all"> A New York Times magazine article</a> last year even essentially stated that we are "slackers" when really, most of the time, we can't afford the cost of living, even while gainfully employed. We are the new depression-era generation as far as I'm concerned.<br /><br />With inflation rates rising, college loans looming and the general state of the economy, most of us 20-somethings, and indeed 30-somethings, have a lot more important things to worry about than "true love." No health insurance, poor job prospects and in debt up to our eyeballs due to college ... the anxiety can really keep you up at night. Being lonely can really take a backseat to these issues.<br /><br />Sorry, Shakespeare and other classic romance storytellers, but fate and whoever may soulmate might be will have to wait until I have my life in order.<br /><br />It's very sweet to think that past generations would marry before they had their career going or before they had their own home, but honestly, who can afford taking a chance anymore? I've seen a few others around my age marry, only to see them marry into debt, lose their livelihood or divorce in five years.<br /><br />Yes, I'm a pessimist, but really, isn't it a more realistic, logical approach to wait for marriage or, better yet, not marry at all?<br /><br />And for the record, I hate that NYT magazine article. It has more unfair generalizations than I can count.Erica McClainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902928347341477078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-90441518701064835722011-02-03T08:51:00.001-08:002011-02-03T08:51:27.543-08:00Be careful out thereEarly today, on the way into work, I watched a car not 15 feet in front of me wipe out on I-94. This was after the freeway had been plowed and salted.<br /><br />The driver was probably going about 60 miles per hour in the fast lane, where there were only slight bits of sludge here and there. Thankfully, there was no guard rail to stop him from spinning out and landing into the middle of the median separating west and east.<br /><br />I know we all think our cars are wonderful in the snow, and we might have the best tires and the best of intentions and driving skills, but please, be careful out there.Erica McClainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902928347341477078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-22023672319789909302011-02-02T11:06:00.000-08:002011-02-02T11:58:47.955-08:00Chelsea Milling Co. now has a 21st century tour<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnn4QOHsw-d4xw3IqBw4XhdTSEwCSi6SsQ1u1YE83cfZjXaXejyAkPaQbvB3NMrev81ojMuHSvcZT3bOK0z2ILYwxff15DvSSRDKteZxbsxbVIWOdQZYzdvH2C25KN7MDuJQzk1siHYcU/s1600/jiffyboxes-blog.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnn4QOHsw-d4xw3IqBw4XhdTSEwCSi6SsQ1u1YE83cfZjXaXejyAkPaQbvB3NMrev81ojMuHSvcZT3bOK0z2ILYwxff15DvSSRDKteZxbsxbVIWOdQZYzdvH2C25KN7MDuJQzk1siHYcU/s320/jiffyboxes-blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569184094396985602" border="0" /></a><br />When I recently toured the new facilities of the Chelsea Milling Company, not only was I surprised, but I also was briefly reminded of how far we've come in terms of technology and business.<br /><br />The company, known for its Jiffy Mix brand, has been in operation for four generations of the Holmes family, but in the past year, they've made a host of improvements.<br /><br />Aside from adding six new gigantic silos and a brand new research and development building, the company also completely revamped its public tour.<br /><br />My photographer and I began our tour with a informative, entertaining five-minute video in a small theater room, built to seat more than 30 tourists.<br /><br />Considering my unfamiliarity with the company, I was still rather impressed with its slick video presentation, which included a computer-generated cartoon Jiffy Mix box named Corny. Without giving away all the details, the video gives a complete synopsis of how Jiffy Mix is made, starting from the very beginning at local farmlands.<br /><br />However, my photographer was blown away.<br /><br />Having grown up in Chelsea, he said he had taken the tour countless times before the updates. He said before the renovation in late 2010, the tour began with a slideshow presentation (literally), where a tour guide would ramble off facts and tidbits about the company's production process. The phrase "out of date" probably didn't cover it.<br /><br />As we toured the factory and research and development building, President and CEO Howdy Holmes told us he knew his company needed "more science" to keep up with competitors and stay viable.<br /><br />Holmes and the employees of Chelsea Milling have accomplished that and more. The new tour is entertaining and educational for both children and adults. Perhaps what's most impressive is that a company with such strong family roots and history is willing to adapt and change with the technology of today.<br /><br />If you haven't made it out to see the new tour, I would highly recommend seeing it the first chance you get.Erica McClainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902928347341477078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-6667156682533673892011-01-25T18:49:00.001-08:002011-01-25T19:08:59.439-08:00State of the Union, a moment of optimismWhile I'm sure some Americans flip through the channels to navigate away from the annual State of the Union speech, for any self-respecting journalist, it's must-see TV (or radio depending on your schedule.)<br /><br />But for those of us who did watch, I'm wondering if anyone else felt America might be getting a tad more bipartisan -- if only for a moment. <br /><br />Sure, we have the tea party and we all have our arguments, but with the recent attempted assassination of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, politicians are, at the very least, watching their Ps and Qs.<br /><br />In fact, lawmakers made the occasion into what is being referred to as a "bipartisan date night," where one politician must pair up with another of the opposite party. Wonder where this leaves Independents?<br /><br />While this first date certainly won't lead to marriage or anything serious like agreeing on terms for health care, it certainly is a start.<br /><br />And hey, if nothing else, I didn't hear anyone shout, "You lie!"Erica McClainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902928347341477078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-13147840373111361442011-01-04T06:42:00.001-08:002011-01-04T06:52:52.424-08:00Retail forcast getting betterThe economy might not be the best right now but people in Michigan did spend money over the Christmas Holiday. People need to realize how important it is to spend money locally and keep those dollars in their community.<br />This does a couple different things. First it helps to keep companies locally from going out of business and it also keeps jobs in the area. In keeping those jobs here it keeps tax dollars and money in your community rather than sending it out of town.<br />By no means does this mean to not shop outside the community but keep in mind what stimulating your community can do.<br />The Village of Dexter had five important and well attended public hearings at the planning commission on Monday. A lot of good information was given and the public asked some good questions.<br />The commission voted to put the new items to the Village Council. You can read about this at <a href="http://www.heritage.com/">www.heritage.com</a> or in the print version of the Dexter Thursday.<br />Happy blogging and leave a comment if you have one.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-63706102878635559532010-12-21T13:02:00.000-08:002010-12-21T13:12:36.103-08:00Holidays are a time for praiseEver gone shopping during the holidays and gotten bad service at the counter? Next time you get to the counter and you see the clerk having a bad day or maybe a hard time with <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">the </span>previous person in line take time out and think.<br />How would I act in a situation like that and what can I do to make that person's day go a little better?<br />I have worked in the public for many years. I have worked in retail and currently have been at the same big box store for the past 14 years. Prior to that I have worked retail in several different aspects.<br />I will tell you as a journalist dealing with people can be difficult but not quite as cumbersome. I talk to a lot of people on the phone or by email. I am not given that luxury at my other job. It is face-to-face and a lot of the people are not very happy.<br />Next time you go to the store remember that person behind the counter has a life outside the store. Smile at them. Make a little small talk and believe me it will make their life a little easier and you may even make a new friend. Praise goes a long way.<br /><strong><em>Dave Merchant is a staff writer for the Chelsea Standard and Dexter Leader and can be reached at 734-429-7380 or </em></strong><a href="mailto:dmerchant@heritage.com"><strong><em>dmerchant@heritage.co</em></strong>m</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-79345197920095401002010-12-14T08:59:00.001-08:002010-12-14T08:59:59.682-08:00Joy of the holidaysThe holidays are often a time for joy and fun. Many people celebrate them in totally different ways.<br /> One of the greatest things about living in the United States is the ability to celebrate how you like and not be frowned upon or persecuted for one’s beliefs.<br /> I think people take that freedom for granted in too many ways. They don’t always look at things in such a positive manner. Freedom of religion is one of the best freedoms we as Americans can have.<br /> Whether people believe we should have a nativity set up at City Hall or a Christmas display in the park. I think those things bring people together. They unite communities and allow people to have similar beliefs and bonds with one another.<br /> Granted, not all religions celebrate the birth of Christ or even give gifts for Christmas, but one must realize how big of an event the holiday has become.<br /> The money that a lot of businesses and stores make during the holiday helps them make it through the slower periods in January and February. People celebrate with gifts, visiting relatives and in many areas just being with family.<br /> What can be better than spending time with the people you love the most? This time of year really means so much to so many different people.<br /> Whether someone is going to church to pray, going to grandmother’s house for supper or dessert or spending time with a friend, it is all equally important. In the end it is about doing what makes you happy and being with the people you love.<br /> It sounds so simple and it isn’t always that easy, but being with the one’s you love is really what makes this time of the year one of the best.<br /> I, for one, will be having an interesting time considering that my oldest child will be a teen-ager seven days before Christmas. This wouldn’t be so bad except she is now only one inch shorter than me and I really feel she is not quite done growing.<br /> About 13 years ago almost to the day I wrote a column about her being born and what a joy it was to have a baby for Christmas. It was one of the proudest accomplishments of my life. Getting married and having a baby are two of the best things in my life. The next is the birth of my son a few years later.<br /> The funny thing was I always said I wanted a daughter first and a boy later. Now as she is getting older I am not so sure that was the best thing to wish for.<br /> It really seems like the time has flown by for my family and I. Over the 13 years I have covered so many events and met so many different people. Being in Dexter and Chelsea now and covering those communities really sheds light on what this all means to me.<br /> People are very interesting to me and covering different aspects of the news and sports worlds is also interesting. I love hearing the different ideas and meeting the different types of people in this job. Everyone has a voice and it is part of my job to explain those voices.<br />Dave Merchant is a staff writer for the Dexter Leader and Chelsea Standard and can be reached at 734-429-7380 or dmerchant@heritage.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765069160510873870.post-30317887697125067142010-12-07T16:01:00.000-08:002010-12-07T16:10:59.129-08:00Village of Dexter needs LaFontaine ChevyThe Village of Dexter may want to make sure the expansion of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">LaFontaine</span> Chevrolet be approved. The planning commission allowed the plans to go through to the Village Council yesterday. The problem facing the deal is the timeline for General Motors. There have been several changes already made to the original plans.<br />Matt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">LaFontaine</span>, owner of dealership, said they are facing a deadline and he would like the deal done soon as possible. The people representing <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">LaFontaine</span> at the planning commission on Monday said they hope to get this done as soon as possible.<br />I just don't want to see the deal go down the drain and the Village and the residents lose out on what I see as a win-win deal.<br />It may be on the Council's agenda for this Monday or it may be at the next meeting in December. Keep in touch with the Dexter Leader or this blog for more info.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0