Niles Daily Star

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 SERVING NILES, BUCHANAN AND EDWARDSBURG

leaderpub.com • $1.00 Established 1886

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

HOLDING COURT
Restaurants see regulars return
as restrictions loosen P2

Coming in
A WARM GESTURE
Niles Service League Bundle A Buddy
fundraiser returns Monday P4

EAT UP
Lions Club to host St. Patrick’s Day

landing
dinner to-go fundraiser P5

for
FRESH START?
Niles Township, parks board consider
revitalizing trailhead on Ontario P6

CRIMES & COURT

Former physician sentenced to 10 years
for criminal sexual conduct P10

NEW TOOL

Niles High Schoool graduate retiring Friend of the court can

suspend DNR licenses for
from American Airlines after 50 years missed child support P8

OBITUARIES
Barbara Burton Mickie Lundy
Viola Clark Michael D. Shibinski
Martha Fee
Tracy Keck Sr.
Dixie Krueger
Danette Lovelace P20
Two teens injured in shooting at Niles hotel P10 Niles hires French to replace Sassano P16 Students unveil interactive museum P11
 FOCUS

Holding court
Page 2 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 Niles Daily Star

Local restaurants see regulars return as restrictions relax

By CHRISTINA CLARK
christina.clark@leaderpub.com
NILES — Tuesday morning, a couple walked into
Prime Table Restaurant in Niles. Though masks cov-
ered their noses and mouths, the crinkles around their
eyes gave away their wide smiles.
Bill Giannakakis, one of the establishment’s owners,
recognized them and ushered them toward a table of
their friends who were already seated and awaiting
their arrival.
Across the street at Plaza Restaurant, servers like Ce-
celia “CG” Sanchez can spot their regulars pulling up
in the parking lot and get the tables ready and coffee
poured as they walk in the door.
This is a slice of Americana — one that
sometimes includes the apple pie.
There is community created with-
in diners and restaurants that
many have missed through-
out the sporadic shut
downs and capacity
limits during the
COVID-19 pan-
demic.
In Niles,
March 1 through
March 7 is Niles
first Restaurant
Week. On Feb.
25, the Berrien
County Board
of Commis-
sioners passed a
resolution making March Restaurant Month in Berrien
County. Since the pandemic started, restaurants have
been shut down to indoor dining completely at times,
leaving workers in a challenging spot with employment
and regulars without their normal visit for social inter-
action and a hot meal.
Now, with pandemic restrictions loosening, local
restaurants are ready to welcome back their beloved
regulars.
The dining room at Prime Table Restaurant, at 1915
S. 11th St., Niles, has tables removed and every other
booth blocked off with a table plant to signify that it is
out of service for the time being. The sounds of conver-
sation, clinking of dishes and the smell of coffee fills the
restaurant with a familiar setting many knew regularly
this time last year.
Karen Martindale, a regular diner at Prime Table
Restaurant, said the owners’ personal touches keep her
and her husband coming back, despite the COVID-19
pandemic.
“The owners, Nick, Mary and Bill [Giannakakis], treat
you like you mean something to them,” Martindale said.
She said the fun holiday decorations remind her of a
more “normal” time.
“The owners are always smiling, and they share
themselves,” Martindale said. “It’s very important. Se-
nior citizens visit and need the smile. You forget for a
while what is going on in the world.”
For Martindale, her weekly meal at the restaurant is
usually filled with personal touches from joking with
the servers to being able to forget, for a little while, oth-
er stresses in life.
“They’ve taken time to know you and remember the
little details,” Martindale said.
Niles Daily Star FOCUS Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 3
The staff at Prime Table Restaurant are dressed in St. Patrick’s Day green, awaiting customers. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
Bill said the ownership and staff have tried to adapt
throughout the shifting landscape of the past year. As the
restaurant approaches its 28th anniversary in April, Gi-
annakakis said he is thankful for the staff and customers
who have continued supporting them through this past
year.
“We have staff that has been with us, not just years, but
decades,” he said. “The people up front and in the kitchen,
they have all stuck with us through both shut downs, which
in turn gives the customer who comes in on a regular basis
the same experience.”
With the implementation of the spaced-out dining room
and addition of carry out and curbside service, Giannakakis
said the restaurant has continued to serve many of its regu-
lars in one way or another. The second epidemic shut down
of restaurants spanned over the winter holidays, which he
said made things difficult for the staff.
“It was hard because it was right before Christmas. They
depend on the money,” Giannakakis said. “Better days are
coming. We are doing well. The customers and staff have
returned.”
The owners of Plaza Restaurant, at 1976 S. 11th St. in
Niles, Tricia Rule and Julie Rudolph, know their restaurant
well. Both took over ownership of the restaurant nearly 11
years ago, and prior, they had both worked there for more
than 10 years each as servers.
Rule said after the first shut down in March 2020, some of
their regulars seemed confused and lost.
“We had an older senior who came in twice a day during
the shutdown when we did carry-out, and would try to come
in and take a seat,” Rule said. “He was confused. We had to
keep telling him we could get him something to-go, but we
weren’t open in the dining room. He didn’t understand.”
Rudolph said there were others that would sometimes
forget they were closed and drop by, wondering where ev-
eryone was. After a while, she said she saw some of their
long-time regulars start to become depressed without their
normal routine.
“Our regulars have met others here and become friends,”
Rule said. “They meet here. It’s like their country club. For
those three hours in the morning, that’s their booth.”
“They hold court,” added Rule.
When the restaurant was able to reopen the dining room,
Rudolph said it was like a reunion.
Rule and Rudolph said the customers worry about one
another, and now that the dining room has been reopened,
will ask for updates on those they have not seen in a while.
For server Sanchez, the depression for many of the reg-
ular seniors has been noticeable. She has been a server in
Niles for around 20 years, and just more than nine at Plaza
Restaurant. She sees how important it is to regulars who
stop in for a piece of pie and a cup of coffee for a half an
hour.
“Even just getting a cup of coffee and having a half an
hour of social interaction with somebody makes a huge
difference in somebody’s day,” Sanchez said. “Especially for
a lot of the older customers who don’t have family around
here. They don’t have anyone looking after them.”
She would see some regulars for every meal throughout
the day.
“If they’re not in, you wonder if they’re OK. You worry.
You make a phone call to make sure they’re OK, whatever
it takes,” Sanchez said. “You don’t want to go to their house
and interfere or overstep your boundaries, but you also
want to make sure they’re OK.”
The sense of community she has fostered and seen creat-
ed within the restaurant has become even more important
throughout the past year.
“Some of these customers I’ve been serving for literally 20
years,” Sanchez said. “It’s a small community.”
SEMCO ENERGY ASKS
CUSTOMERS TO KEEP METERS
CLEAR OF SNOW AND ICE
During the winter, here are a few ways to help protect
gas meter equipment and gas appliances to avoid a
potentially hazardous situation or service disruption:
• Clean and repair leaky seams in your gutters and
downspouts to prevent melting snow and ice from building
up on the gas meter or pressure regulator.
• Never allow snow to cover your natural gas meter or its
pressure regulator or block your appliance exhaust vents.
• Please use caution when shoveling snow, plowing or snow
blowing to avoid piling snow against the natural gas meter,
regulator or appliance vents.
• Clear a path to the meter free from snow and ice
for easy access.
• Remove soft snow build-up gently, using only a broom
or your hand rather than a shovel that could damage
the meter.
• Do not try to remove ice or frozen snow from the natural gas
meter pressure regulator or piping. If you find your meter
or pressure regulator covered in ice or frozen snow, do not
attempt to remove the ice or use de-icer. Contact SEMCO
ENERGY Gas Company, toll free, at 1 800 624 2019.
Page 4 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 GIVING Niles Daily Star
A warm gesture
Niles Service League’s annual Bundle-A-Buddy fundraiser kicks off Monday
By CHRISTINA CLARK
christina.clark@leaderpub.com
NILES — A local group is looking ahead
to make sure students have the winter gear
and clothing they need.
The Niles Service League Bundle-A-Bud-
dy fundraiser kicks off at the Niles Martin’s
Supermarket, 720 S. 11th St., on March 8.
Soon, cashier stations will have the colorful
Bundle-A-Buddy mascot taped all over as
donors contribute to the cause.
The cashiers will be in a friendly com-
petition to raise dollars for the fundrais-
er, which helps provide coats, hats, boots,
mittens and clothing to Niles Community
Schools, Brandywine Community Schools
and Buchanan Community Schools stu-
dents in need.
“Even with COVID-19 and virtual learn-
ing, the need remains,” said Becky Brown,
president of the Niles Service League. “It
was down a little bit this year, but we still
gave away 33 brand new coats, 14 pairs of
snow pants and 38 pairs of boots. We also
provided two children with glasses. We get
whatever the schools call us and need.”
The fundraiser usually happens in the fall,
with winter on the minds of many. This year,
due to the pandemic, Martin’s Supermar-
ket’s put fundraisers on hold. In lieu of host-
ing the fundraiser, Martin’s contributed to
the Niles Service League until it could host
the annual fundraiser again.
The fundraiser is traditionally a cash col-
lection, asking for $1 at checkout. Dona-
tions will be accepted through March 28.
The Niles Service League has been doing
this fundraiser for more than 15 years, ac-
cording to Brown.
“The Niles Service League is a group of
women that raises money, and all of the
proceeds go to the children of Niles, Bran-
dywine and Buchanan Schools,” Brown said.
This year marks the league’s 88th years in
Niles.
“We haven’t been able to do any fundrais-
ing this year because of COVID-19. Usual-
ly, we do a Color Run and things like that,”
Brown said. “We have been doing every-
thing virtually.”
The group is looking for more women to
volunteer this year.
Those interested in volunteering, or who
have questions about the Bundle-A-Buddy
Fundraiser, should contact Niles Service
League President Becky Brown at becky.
brown@edwardjones.com.
 Niles Daily Star GIVING Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 5

Lions to host St. Pat’s drive-thru

By CHRISTINA CLARK
christina.clark@leaderpub.com
BUCHANAN – The Buchanan-Galien Lions
Club is serving up a St. Paddy’s Day meal for
the first time this year.
Jerry Flenar, board member of the club,
said the chapter wanted to try something
new to get people out to show their support
of the Buchanan-Galien Lions Club.
“We’ve done corn and sausage, but never
a corned beef and cabbage,” Flenar said. “We
thought, with COVID, we needed to start get-
ting out and getting people back out.”
The money raised from the event will go
back into the community.
“We sponsor some little league teams and
soccer teams,” Flenar said.
The Buchanan-Galien Lions Club also
sponsors eye exams and care for people in the
area, including students of Buchanan Com-
munity Schools. The club is involved in spon-
soring events throughout the area as well.
“We just felt like it was a good time of the
year, and St. Patrick’s Day is midweek, so peo-
ple can work and then come by on their way
home to pick up their meal and have a nice,
sit down meal when they get there,” Flenar
said.
Included in the meal will be corned beef
and cabbage, a baked potato, carrots and a
dessert.
The meals are $10 each. Preorders are
strongly encouraged and can be placed by
contacting Alice Kring at (269) 695-3000, or at
Red Bud Insurance at 110 Main St., Buchan-
an.
The event will be a drive-thru pickup from
3 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Buchanan
Area Senior Center, 810 Rynearson St., in Bu-
chanan.
The club recently raised almost $1,000 at a
silent auction it hosted. The Buchanan-Galien
Lions Club also hosted a virtual trivia night
that had 65 participants.
“It was a fun night,” Flenar said.
The club recently began meeting in person
again. Members, and those interested in be-
coming members, can attend a meeting at 6
p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of
the month at the Buchanan American Legion
Hall, at 403 E. Front St., Buchanan.

NONPROFIT NEWS IN BRIEF

- Niles Scream Park seeks
- new nonprofit organizations
o NILES — The Niles Scream Park, one
of Michiana’s most popular autumn
destinations, is currently seeking to recruit
- new community nonprofit groups to assist
- with putting the “care in scare.”
The Niles Scream Park is a nonprofit
community project that uses approximately
- 150 to 200 volunteers per night to staff
its various attractions. These volunteers
represent more than 65 Michiana area
e community and school organizations such
- as Boy Scout groups, church youth groups
. and booster groups for colleges and high
schools. Since 1996, more than $2 million has
been donated to local and national nonprofit
- organizations, as well as the Niles Scream
- Park funded college scholarships for students
” at Niles, Cassopolis, Brandywine, Dowagiac
- and Edwardsburg high schools. The Niles
Scream Park has often been called the “Mini
o United Way” as it continues to channel
funds to assist other nonprofit groups in the
o community.
y If a nonprofit organization in the
e community is seeking to raise money for their
. group, Scream Park officials said the park
was the place was for them for guaranteed
earnings and no startup costs.
Anyone can volunteer from within an
organization. The park will find a spot that
works best for the organization; there are
various personnel needs including parking
lot attendants, metal detectors, survey takers,
etc. The park’s greatest need is for volunteers
to whom they provide a costume and face
paint, then hide them in the dark to scare the
“yell’ out of paying customers.
For more information, please email niles@
haunted.org.
BCF awarded $60,000 grant to
combat drug overdose epidemic
BERRIEN COUNTY — The Berrien
Community Foundation sought – and won –
a $60,000 grant to help in the ongoing fight
against drug abuse.
BCF is one of 10 Michigan foundations to
receive the Michigan Harm Reduction Project
grant from the Community Foundation for
Southeast Michigan. Berrien Community
Foundation will partner with Carol’s Hope
Crisis Intervention Center to increase
access to vital, drug-addiction intervention
and overdose prevention services in
Berrien County.
“This grant opportunity was open only
to community foundations, and we want
to do everything we can to bring additional
resources to help in Berrien County,” said BCF
President Lisa Cripps-Downey. “Lives are
saved, and families are helped when people
are able to access professional resources and
counseling services for drug addiction. It also
allows our hospitals and law enforcement
agencies to focus their time elsewhere. We
are so grateful to the Community Foundation
of Southeast Michigan for making these
funds available.”
The grant will help reduce the harm caused
by drug addiction in two ways. First, it will
increase remote and immediate access to
addiction intervention specialists throughout
Berrien County, officials said. Second, it will
help reduce overdose deaths by educating
the community on the availability and use of
free naloxone, known as Narcan, kits.
This work will be executed by Carol’s Hope
Crisis Intervention Center. Carol’s Hope is
a 24-hour crisis intervention facility that
provides a supervised, supportive setting
for individuals with substance use and
co-occurring disorders. An alternative to
emergency room care, the center provides
clients a welcoming environment where
individuals can develop a recovery plan and
connect to services.
“Because Berrien Community Foundation
sought out this grant, we will be better
equipped to work with people in crisis at the
moment they wish to seek help,” said Mike
Pioch, Interim CEO for Community Healing
Centers, which oversees Carol’s Hope.
“Sometimes, even a 15-minute wait to speak
to a peer counselor can mean the difference
between a substance abuse user getting into
treatment programs or continuing with their
harmful behavior. We are extremely grateful
to BCF for pursuing this grant opportunity.”
Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the
nation’s overdose epidemic continues to be a
leading cause of death for Americans. More
than 72,000 Americans lost their lives due to
overdoses in 2019, making it the worst year
in the nation’s decades-long drug overdose
epidemic. Overdose fatalities in Michigan are
among the highest in the nation, behind just
nine other states. Preliminary data from 2020
suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has
only exacerbated the trend, both locally and
nationally.
Page 6 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 LOCAL GOVERNMENT Niles Daily Star

Parks board proposes new trailhead for RV Trail

Ontario Road entrance would
include shelter, parking, water
By CHRISTINA CLARK
christina.clark@leaderpub.com
NILES TOWNSHIP — A new trailhead
is in the early discussion days for the In-
diana-Michigan River Valley Trail over the
next year.
Jill DeLucia, chair of the Niles Charter
Township parks board, presented a plan
to the board members Monday evening in-
cluding a pavilion shelter, 10 parking spots
and a water source to the IN-MI Trail as it
comes to cross Ontario Road in Niles.
“It’s a good place to have a trailhead. It
affords more parking spaces than available
at any other location of the trail,” DeLucia
said. “That’s the goal, to make it an actual
trailhead. Trailheads generally have sev-
eral of those things. We have a seasonal
restroom. Next, we would like to create a
place to park and some shade.”
DeLucia said many people run the trail
and ride their bicycles on it. She thinks hav-
ing a pavilion shelter would be a positive,
as it would provide shelter for residents to
rest under or take refuge from unfavorable
weather.
When the section of the trail running be-
tween Niles Township and the city of Niles
The Ontario Road Trailhead is center to early discussions between the Niles Township Parks
Board and Trustees. The proposed plan would include a pavilion, water source and parking
for pedestrians using the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
was completed in 2019, DeLucia said the
trail counters at Darden Road showed the
volume of people using the trail doubled.
The increased volume proved to DeLucia
there was an increased need for parking,
as well.
“We used a lot of feedback we got from a
survey when we made our five-year plan,”
DeLucia said. “We looked at other trail-
heads, like the Pumpkin Vine Trail out in
Goshen, Indiana. I’ve ridden [my bike] out
east and looked at those trailheads.”
The cost for the features at the potential
Ontario Road Trailhead would total just
over $165,000.
Treasurer Jim Ringler voiced his concern
for the pavilion’s location. The pavilion’s
cost was estimated at $65,000.
“If I was putting an investment into one
pavilion for the township, I’d tell you it
would get used the most back here,” Ring-
ler said, indicating the portion of the Indi-
ana-Michigan Trail that runs by the town-
ship building on Bell Road. “If you had a
pavilion to put up in the township, I would
say it would have more value to be back
here than versus down at the trailhead, not
that it wouldn’t be nice.”
DeLucia said the parks board will be ap-
plying for a grant through the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources. The
grant, if awarded, would fund 75 percent
of the amount needed, leaving 25 percent
for the township to fund. DeLucia said the
parks board would discuss what amount it
would be able to put toward the trailhead
of its annual budget, which was said to be
about $15,000.
“We hope to be able to do some fund-
raising, because some local foundations
contributed to the original building of the
trail,” DeLucia said. “We think that they
might be agreeable to make it more wel-
coming to people.”
At the board meeting, Ringler noted
that grants tend to be awarded in late
December. The township would be on
the hook initially for the cost, if the grant
were awarded, and reimbursed from the
grant award.

Niles Township board considers full-time firefighter applicants

Board members approve state-outlined poverty
guidelines, purchase tractor attachment for trails
By CHRISTINA CLARK
christina.clark@leaderpub.com
NILES TOWNSHIP — Poverty
guidelines for Niles Township were
adjusted and accepted Monday eve-
ning by the township board mem-
bers. Members also discussed and
approved a tractor attachment pur-
chase, and discussed the hiring prog-
ress for a full-time firefighter hire.
Clerk Terry Eull said the fire de-
partment has eight applications for
the open full-time firefighter that will
be left by acting chief Tim Jesswein,
as his contract is being negotiated
for the fire chief position. The board
voted to hire Jesswein on Feb. 16,
though contract negotiations con-
tinue.
“All eight of them are existing
township [department] volunteers,”
Eull said.
Eull said Jesswein will be moving
forward to ensure the applicants can
pass the physical agility test required.
“We know these men. It’s all men
at this point,” Eull said. “As we move
forward with the tests, [the safety
committee] will keep the board up-
dated.”
Treasurer Jim Ringler also updated
the board members that Jesswein is
getting quotes for new firefighting
gear for the department.
Ringler said the items were likely
the “highest priority items” for the
department. Jesswein got the equip-
ment cost quoted and was forward-
ing the information to the board
members.
“We’ve got two weeks to look at it,”
Ringler said.
The amount of 26 sets of turnout
gear was quoted around $80,000 for
the department.
During the meeting, the board
passed the poverty guidelines resolu-
tion for 2021.
According to Clerk Terry Eull, the
state of Michigan sets the guidelines.
The guidelines outline who may be
considered for a tax exemption.
Resolution 21-05 states the total
taxes owed must be at least $500 for
a person to be considered for an ex-
emption, as well be the owner and
occupier of a property where the ex-
emption is requested. Steps are laid
out in the resolution, including filing
a hardship exemption application
with the assessor or board of review,
having the deed, land contract or evi-
dence of property ownership of prop-
erty being requested to be exempt
due to poverty income guidelines.
The applications must be filed
before the last day of the board of
review.
Niles Township is hosting its first
meeting date for board of review on
March 10.
This year, a family of four meets
annual poverty guidelines at an in-
come level of $53,000.
The board also approved the pur-
chase of a Trailblazer tractor attach-
ment to be used in trail maintenance.
The piece attaches to an existing
tractor, and helps in trimming back
overgrowth of brush and branches to
keep a trail clear.
 Niles Daily Star LOCAL GOVERNMENT Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 7

Berrien County courts to enter

s
Mapping out a plan phase three of reopening
Commissioners discuss latest epidemic order, push for regional approach
e Planning Commission to host public hearings if approval given to move forward By CHRISTINA CLARK appointment only in the buildings,
- By CHRISTINA CLARK can voice what they would like to Categories within the master christina.clark@leaderpub.com at both courthouses,” Smietan-
- christina.clark@leaderpub.com see more or less of in their com- plan, according to the Niles City ka-Haney said.
- munity. website, include: transportation BERRIEN COUNTY – The Ber- The Berrien County Juvenile Cen-
a NILES – At Monday evening’s “We can go on record elevat- and street design, public services rien County courts will be entering ter will be allowing a few individuals
Niles City Council meeting, ing the concerns of constitu- and facilities, parks and recre- phase three of reopening beginning for therapeutic and case manage-
k council members will vote on ents,” Correa said. “It’s really up ation, natural resources, historic Monday. ment appointments. Video visits will
whether to approve or reject to people to speak to their city and cultural resources, neigh- During the Berrien County Board be maintained until further orders
the City of Niles Master Plan. If ward representatives.” borhood and housing, economic of Commissioners meeting on from MDHHS are received.
- approved, the current, proposed If the Niles Master Plan is development, and land use and Thursday, Carrie Smietanka-Haney, “The current state guidelines state
n version may be viewed by the approved, there will be a pub- zoning. Berrien County trial court adminis- the return to full capacity is phase
public, where city residents can lic comment period including Features in the Niles com- trator, gave an overview of what will four, and that is not until the nation-
t give feedback and their own rec- public hearings scheduled. munity, including the “urban be changing with the Berrien County al pandemic is declared over,” Smi-
ommendations before the plan Information will be sent out forest,” where trees are inten- court systems. The commissioners etanka-Haney said.
e is adopted. through utility bills, the Greater tionally placed throughout the also passed a resolution to approve She said the courts anticipate
t According to Planning Com- Niles Chamber of Commerce, neighborhoods and downtown, an agreement with Lake Michigan being at phase three for quite some
mission Chair Rodrigo Correa, the city website, Mayor Nick are an example of just one of College for use of an event space to time.
e the number one priority with Shelton’s Facebook page as well the many features noted in the host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic, and At the end of the meeting, the
the city’s master plan is to define as radio spots and public no- master plan. discussed steps moving forward for commissioners reviewed the latest
- what the city should look and tices placed in newspapers to Correa said the plan has the urging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and MDHHS order that began on Friday,
s feel like 10 years from now. reach community members power to “augment our people.” the Michigan Department of Health which includes increased restaurant
If approved, the draft of the who would like to view the doc- Public health is a factor to many and Human services to utilize a re- and bar capacity to 50 percent, an 11
y Niles City Plan will be available uments and weigh in with the decisions within the plan. gional approach to COVID-19 re- p.m. curfew and expanded gather-
- to view on the Niles city website, planning commission. The last update to the master strictions. ings outlines.
at the Niles District Library and “[We will] send copies to plan was made in 2013. Smietanka-Haney said with phase “I was encouraged there was some
at the Niles-Buchanan YMCA. contiguous local governments, “We want to help make our three of the reopening plans for the motion that had been made in this
e While the planning commis- Berrien County and the Berrien city more healthy and more pro- Berrien County courts, more in-per- most recent order. I was discour-
sion’s job is not to approve spe- County Planning Commission, ductive,” Correa said. son services will be available. aged to see an extension from what
cific businesses, but rather to the Southwest Michigan Plan- The Niles City Council meeting “We are going to be allowing walk- was supposed to be [ending] March
e ensure the builders and owners ning Commission to get their will be hosted virtually on Zoom in filings at that time. We won’t be 29 with the current orders, to be ex-
are working within codes, Cor- reviews,” Correa said. “We try at 6 p.m. on Monday. The link allowing general walk-in questions tended out to April 19,” said Com-
rea said the master plan’s input to create harmony between to join is available on the Niles or comments,” Smietanka-Haney missioner Teri Freehling. “[What]
period is a time when residents municipalities.” city website. said. “We have added a few addi- I would ask this board to perhaps
tional hearing types to be in-person, consider, and to have a discussion
though if individuals would prefer to on, is a process of writing another
participate by Zoom, we are happy communication, a letter or resolu-
to do so.” tion, that urges the state and our
She said the courts will begin governor to give us clear metrics [on
jury trials again on March 15. The this decision making].”
d courts will follow a similar format as Chairman of the Board Mac Elliot
to what was followed last fall, with agreed and said the board would
large jury selections being hosted do some preliminary work to send
t at the Niles courthouse in the north another communication out in the
n portion of the building. weeks ahead.
Misdemeanor, civil and family cas- “I think it is best to keep this at
es will be hosted at both Niles and St. the forefront and to press for an
- Joseph courthouse locations. explanation as to how these deci-
Some payments and other ser- sions are being made, and to ask
- vices that have been challenging for some rationale for not employ-
- to manage remotely will also be ing a regional approach,” Elliot said.
. allowed in person, while the build- “One size does not fit all. What’s go-
ings will remain closed to the ing on here isn’t necessarily what’s
k general public. going on in the southeast corner
o “We will be working with our of the state or some other major
partners to allow some [people] by population center.”
Page 8 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 HEALTH Niles Daily Star
Region prepares for farm workers
with new COVID-19 precautions
March brings new vaccine priorities for food
production, agriculture workers in Michigan
By CHRISTINA CLARK
christina.clark@leaderpub.com
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN — In one
of the actions the state of Michigan is
taking to enhance its COVID-19 vac-
cine equity strategy, essential food
and agriculture workers became eli-
gible for the vaccine on March 1.
Michigan is one of the first states
to prioritize agriculture and food
processing works for the vaccine,
according to InterCare Community
Health Center President Velma Hen-
dershott.
“Van Buren and Berrien are the
largest counties that have farm work-
er numbers and the highest labor
camp licensing numbers [in Michi-
gan] as well,” Hendershott said.
She said the center’s established
relationship with growers, workers
and medical providers will help them
move forward through the challeng-
es, especially as they seek to work
with a minority demographic partic-
ularly vulnerable to the coronavirus
due to the nature of their work.
Most of the farm workers have not
arrived in Michigan yet, as spring and
the planting season have not offi-
cially arrived. However, growers like
Schilling Family Farms are already
learning what it will take this year to
work within pandemic protocols.
According to Bae Schilling, of Schil-
ling Family Farms, farm workers with
H2-A visas will still be arriving to Ber-
rien County. Protocols have changed
since last year.
The Michigan Department of Agri-
culture and Rural Development has
sent out checklists to growers with
updated protocols for migrant labor
housing. Included in the checklists
are mitigation measures for hous-
ing such as spacing out beds within
the living units, or placing barriers
between beds where spacing is not
possible. A COVID supervisor is to be
assigned for each camp to help main-
tain information about occupants of
the labor camps and ensure workers
receive COVID-19 mitigation train-
ing, conduct reviews of conditions,
do screenings and communicate with
the local health department. Per-
sonal protection equipment is also
required for the workers in migrant
agriculture housing.
According to Hendershott, vaccine
distribution to agriculture and food
production workers will be largely led
by federally qualified health centers
like InterCare.
“There is a lot of planning and
preparation happening related to
how we are going to vaccinate our
On March 1, farm and food process-
ing workers became eligible for the
COVID-19 vaccine in Michigan. (Leader
photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
farm workers,” Hendershott said. “We
are trying to get ahead of the game
with planning, communicating and
coordinating with growers on getting
farmworkers coming here for care.
We already have a ton of materials
available for them now.”
Hendershott said southwest Mich-
igan saw fewer migrant workers last
year, which was expected. With the
citrus crop being hit with the freez-
ing temperatures seen in Texas last
month, she said those employed on
those operations might have had to
change plans this year.
“We are expecting H2-A workers
to return as well, and they too will
be eligible to receive the vaccine per
the [state] guidance,” Hendershott
said. “At least there is hope on the
horizon. Right now, people are more
concerned about the [coronavirus]
variants, though. Nonetheless, the
vaccine brings a lot of hope.”
Health department expands
access to COVID-19 vaccination
SUBMITTED
BENTON HARBOR — The Michigan Department of Health
and Human Services has announced the state is moving to the
next phase of vaccination as of Monday.
As vaccine supplies allow, the Berrien County Health De-
partment will expand access to vaccinations to adults over
the age of 50. Also on Monday, caregiver family members and
guardians who care for children with special health care needs
will be eligible for vaccination as well.
To date, more than half of Berrien County residents over
the age of 65 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19
vaccine. With recent increases in vaccine supply allocations,
Berrien County Health Department anticipates being able to
start providing vaccines to Berrien County residents who fall
in this expanded eligibility group. Starting Monday, BCHD will
allow all adults over the age of 50 to schedule appointments
when they are available. According to the CDC, nearly 80 per-
cent of older adults have at least one chronic medical condi-
tion, which further supports the early expansion of eligibility
to all adults over the age of 50.
The Berrien County Health Department will not have a
pre-registration process or “waitlist” for this newly eligible
group. Rather, eligible individuals seeking vaccination ap-
pointments should visit the BCHD website regularly, as infor-
mation will be posted on the website directly when there are
appointments available for self-scheduling. Eligible residents
are encouraged to check the website often as new appoint-
ment availability may be added daily and self-scheduling will
be on a first-come, first-serve basis. People with limited inter-
net access are encouraged to call the BCHD COVID-19 hotline
at 1 (800) 815-5485 for further assistance in scheduling an ap-
pointment.
Adults over the age of 65 will continue to be prioritized for
vaccination, if they have not already received it. BCHD will re-
serve special appointment slots at upcoming clinics so those
over the age of 65 may have assurance that they will continue
to receive opportunities for vaccination.
All eligible residents are also encouraged to explore vacci-
nation through other vaccine providers in the area, including
Meijer Pharmacy in Benton Harbor, Spectrum Health Lake-
land, and Rite Aid pharmacies around the county.
Niles Daily Star FEATURE Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 9
Coming in for landing
By CHRISTINA CLARK
christina.clark@leaderpub.com
DALLAS, Texas – The first time Claudette
Miller stepped on an airplane, she was on her
way to the American Airlines Stewardess Col-
lege 50 years ago.
Miller said flying felt good to her, and it felt
natural to be on the airplane. When she began
working on an airplane in flight, it took her a bit
to get her “sea legs,” walking in the clouds, but
she never had any second thoughts or doubts
about her career that took her from her family
home in Niles on adventures all over the world.
“I felt almost like an astronaut
working in space,” Miller said. “I re-
member thinking, ‘this is out of sci-
ence fiction,’ that you could get up
and walk on an airplane.”
On April 1, Miller will retire from
being a flight attendant for exactly
50 years. She has spent her entire
career working with American
Airlines. She graduated from the
American Airlines Stewardess Col-
lege on April 1, 1971. Her career
took her from Niles to destinations
all over the country and the world.
Miller graduated from Niles Se-
nior High in 1969. She still returns
to Niles for the class reunions, but
in 1969, she was not sure what to do
next after graduating.
“I worked for a year at Simplicity
Pattern Company, folding patterns
and putting them into the little en-
velopes,” Miller said.
One of seven children, Miller’s family arrived
in Niles when she was two and a half years old.
Her father worked for New York Central Rail-
road. Her uncle and grandfather also worked
for the railroad.
“Travel has been in my blood,” Miller said.
In 1970, her brother went on a double date
with his future wife. A woman in the other cou-
ple was a flight stewardess for American Air-
lines at the time, and he thought Miller might
be interested in the career. Miller decided to
fill out the application. By November, she was
called for an interview in Chicago.
She remembers shopping for her interview
suit in Niles in preparation for the trip. Her
brother picked her, her mother and her sister
up to go to the interview. Her mother did not
want her to go to Chicago for an interview by
herself.
“When they called my name to come in, my
mom and my sister walked into the interview
with me,” Miller said. “The interviewer was so
impressed by my family wanting to be a part of
the process that he gave me a big envelope.”
The envelope contained hiring paper work
for her to complete.
In January 1971, she was asked to go to stew-
ardess school.
On her first ever flight, she flew to Dallas,
where American Airlines Stewardess College
was located. She observed for the first time
what a stewardess did.
After eight weeks in school, she graduated at
the age of 20 as the youngest in her
class.
“Everything with the airlines is
based on seniority and age,” Mill-
er said. “We all got sent to Buffalo,
New York. We didn’t have a choice.”
After the first fuel crisis around
1973, Miller transferred to be based
out of Chicago. American Airlines
flew only domestic flights at the
time, and she spent 20 years based
in the Midwest. Around 1990, when
American Airlines acquired an
airline that flew internationally,
she began working for the last 30
years of her career on internation-
al flights. She met her former hus-
band, got married and had her two
children.
“I always said this was the best
job to have for raising a family,” Mill-
er said. “Based on seniority, I wasn’t
getting the premium trips during
the week days. I was working most weekends,
which was perfect because I was home with my
children Monday through Friday.”
Miller said she knew many flight attendants
who were able to go to school through the week
and launch second careers. For a time, she lived
in California while commuting to Chicago by
air for her international flights.
She said her children were raised being “air-
line kids.”
“They know their way around an airport like
the back of their hand. They know how to navi-
gate European cities,” Miller said. “It’s just been
a wonderful experience for them.”
She remembers speaking with people who
had saved up their entire lives to go to Hawaii.
She remembers seeing passengers still wearing
hospital tag bracelets, as they were so deter-
mined to get to their once-in-a-lifetime trips
Niles graduate retiring after
50 years with American Airlines
that they went straight from a health scare to
the airport.
“[The flights to Hawaii] were the most won-
derful, magical flights,” she said.
On her long flights to Europe and Asia, Mill-
er said the crew would schedule both rest and
sight-seeing.
“On our long-haul trips to Asia, the layovers
were 48-hours. That was really a treat,” Miller
said. “You could literally sleep all day the first
day, then travel around the next day and sight-
see. You could even go to different cities by train
or by bus and still come back to your layover
city, get 10 to 12 hours of sleep, and come back
the next day. It was a good variety of flying and
a good experience seeing the world.”
Miller loved the adventures.
“I have always said, ‘I don’t know how this
little black girl from Niles, Michigan got here,’”
Miller said with a laugh. “Here I am, walking the
streets of Rome where Romans walked centu-
ries ago. Here I am at the Taj Mahal, or at Lon-
don at Big Ben. Coming from Niles, I marveled
at that time and time again.”
Now, based in Dallas for the past four years,
she decided it was time to retire. She is excit-
ed, as she will retain travel perks after she has
officially left the position. She will still be able
to see the world, when travel restrictions relax.
Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Miller
saw much of what she loved about airline travel
diminish. She said many of the manners have
gone out of air travel, as well as the connection
with passengers she was able to make before
having to wear a face mask.
“We are all in this together. We are all in this
metal tube, and we only have each other to de-
pend on, as was experienced during 9/11 [2001],
when all aircraft had to be landed,” Miller said.
“All those passengers and the crew became one.
That’s what I feel has been lost during this pan-
demic, and this last year, is the comradery that
we used to have with the public.”
With the masks, she knows passengers can-
not see her fun facial expressions through the
presentations and interactions on the flights.
Having speech muffled behind a mask is diffi-
cult in the small environment as well.
“You have to raise your voice in order to be
heard,” Miller said. “Raising your voice was nev-
er a good thing towards a crew on a flight.”
Still, when she looks back at her career, she
said she never had any doubts about it.
“I just felt like that was where I was supposed
to be. This is what I was supposed to be doing
for a job, and it turned into a career,” she said.
Page 10 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 PUBLIC SAFETY Niles Daily Star

Former surgeon given

10 to 40 years for
criminal sexual conduct
By MAXWELL HARDEN
max.harden@leaderpub.com

NILES — A retired surgeon is heading to prison on crimi-

nal sexual conduct charges.
Berrien County Trial Court Judge Sterling Schrock sen-
tenced Norbert Schwer, of Berrien Springs, to a minimum of
10 years to a maximum of 40 years in prison Monday morn-
ing. Schwer previously pleaded guilty to first-degree crimi-
nal sexual conduct.
The charges stem from a July 18, 2020, incident, where
Schrock said Schwer unlawfully entered the victim’s home
and sexually assaulted the victim and tased them multiple
times with a taser. According to Schrock, the victim ran
towards the door in an attempt to escape before Schwer
grabbed them and prevented them from doing so.
“It is my most important task this morning to express my
deepest and most heartfelt regret for the criminal acts that
I perpetrated against [redacted] and for the terrible conse-
quences of these illegal acts,” Schwer said. “I wish to God
that I had the power to erase and undo all these unlawful
acts, and I deplore their consequences. Please accept my
most sincere apologies.”
Upon release, Schwer is ordered to spend the rest of his
free life on electronic monitoring and register as a sex of-
fender. He must also pay $258 in fees and costs.
A retired surgeon, Schwer had specialized in general sur-
gery for more than 30 years in the Michiana area. He earned
his master’s degree of divinity in theology at Andrews Uni-
versity before graduating from Loma Linda University’s
School of Medicine in 1988 with his doctorate of medicine. A male and a female are reportedly being treated for gunshot wounds sustained at the Quality Inn at 1265 S. 11th St. in Niles. Lt.
In other news, Roy David Floyd Jr., of Niles, was sentenced Michael Stanton, of the Niles Police Department, said a call came into the station at 10:20 a.m. Monday, reporting shots fired.
to two years of probation following his guilty pleas to larce- (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
ny in a building and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. Floyd

Two teenagers injured in shooting

must serve 75 days in jail with credit for 53 days and is for-
bidden from contacting the two victims.
“I take full responsibility for everything I’ve done,” Floyd
said. “I wish I was a better friend to the people that were
friends to me. I’m ready to get my life back on track.”
Floyd was ordered to pay $821 in fees and costs and also
must successfully complete TRI-CAP’s probation program
as a condition of his probation.
TRI-CAP is a Saginaw-based correctional facility with a
drug treatment component. According to its website, res-
idents are sentenced to TRI-CAP by the court system be-
cause they have not been successful in a community set-
ting while on probation or parole and would benefit from
a more structured environment. Intensive substance abuse
counseling in a supervised residential atmosphere is avail-
able there.
Austin James Imus, of Niles, was sentenced to one year of
probation for fleeing/eluding third degree, a class E felony
that carries up to five years in prison. Imus was also ordered
to pay $658 in costs and fees.
at Niles Quality Inn hotel Monday
NILES — A 17-year-old female and
an 18-year-old male were taken to the
hospital on Monday morning with
gunshot wound injuries.
The Niles Police Department re-
sponded to a call that came in at
10:20 a.m. of shots fired at the Quality
Inn, located at 1265 S. 11th St.
Niles PD Capt. Kevin Kosten said
when officers arrived, they located
two people with gunshot wounds on
the third floor of the hotel.
According to Niles PD Lt. Michael
Stanton, the male and female were
transported to an area hospital for
treatment of their injuries.
Kosten said the female had a gun-
shot wound to her hand, and the
male had a gunshot wound to his ab-
domen.
According to the officers, the inju-
ries did not appear to be life threat-
ening.
Kosten said it was not believed any
other people were involved in the
shooting, and there was no danger to
the general public.
A warrant was obtained to search
the hotel room, during the execution
of the warrant, the handgun believed
to be involved in the shooting, along
with other evidence, was discovered.
Kosten said investigations were on-
going.
The Niles Police Department asked
that anyone with information con-
tact the department.
Michigan State Police are assisting
with the case.
 Niles Daily Star EDUCATION Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 11
learning
Interactive
Eastside Connections seventh, eighth graders
finish Black History Month virtual museum
By CHRISTINA CLARK
. christina.clark@leaderpub.com
NILES – The students in Shanna Lam-
berton’s classroom at Eastside Connec-
tions School have wrapped up their virtual
museum project for Black History Month.
The virtual museum allows users to
navigate through a “museum lobby” to
eight different exhibits where they will be
introduced to black and African Amer-
ican Civil Rights leaders, singers/song-
writers, athletes, abolitionists, political
figures, authors, actors and actresses and
leaders in their fields.
Recent figures like ballerina Misty Co-
d peland, actor Chadwick Boseman and
g Vice President Kamala Harris are fea-
tured, along with past figures like author
- School, worked with her classes through
Phillis Wheatley, musician Muddy Wa-
ters, and civil rights leaders Malcom X
d and Martin Luther King Jr. are included in
- about black and African American histori-
the museum.
Eighty students in seventh and eighth
grade participated in putting together the
virtual museum.
“[The students] were really excited to
see everything come together,” Lamber-
ton said. “I think it was hard for many of
them to wrap their mind around what I
was envisioning, so this finally gave them
the opportunity to see this project come
to life.”
Finalizing the project happened in two
waves for the students and Lamberton.
The first was to ensure the links worked
and spelling, punctuation and grammar
were on point, as Lamberton teaches
language arts. The second wave was to
see it from a student’s perspective.
“They would be introduced to people
in our history that they’d never heard of
before and learn new things about our
past,” Lamberton said.
In her classroom, Lamberton said she
leads by example. By doing so, she can
set clear expectations.
“I chose to do a slide on author Ta-Ne-
hisi Coates,” Lamberton said. “I love
learning about different authors. At the
same time, it’s my job to introduce my
students to diverse authors and charac-
ters, so I was excited about the writing
that Coates had done.”
The “exhibits” take the users to each
room where they see portraits of each
person. The portraits can be select-
ed, as if the user were stepping closer
to an exhibit in a physical museum, to
read more about what they are looking
at. The profiles include a portrait, birth
date and death date, if applicable, and
what the person is known for. Some
slides include video and audio links, and
all have links back to the sources of the
information for more reading.
Lamberton said she sent the link out to
other teachers in her building, with the Shanna Lamberton, a middle school lan-
hopes of sharing the knowledge her stu- guage arts teacher at Eastside Connections
dents found and published. February to create a virtual museum for
“I hope that they gave their students Black History Month. The students learned
time to check it out,” she said.
The link to the virtual museum is free cal figures and leaders and put together
and available to the public on the Niles exhibits on each one for the museum. (Sub-
History Center’s webpage at nilesmi.org. mitted photos)
Page 12 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 OPINION/EDITORIAL Niles Daily Star

Niles Daily Star GUEST COLUMN

ADMINISTRATIVE
GENERAL MANAGER
Ambrosia Neldon Failure to pay child support could
result in revoked DNR license
(269) 687-7700
ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com

ACCOUNTING MANAGER
Rhonda Rauen
(269) 687-7711

T
rhonda.rauen@leaderpub.com
here is no way around it — the pan-
CUSTOMER SERVICE & DISTRIBUTION demic has put our way of living as we
Donna Knight knew it in an upheaval. It has brought
(269) 687-7717 many changes to what was previously consid-
ered “normal,” including changes to how child
Nicole Craven
support orders are enforced. Bearing in mind
(269) 687-7727
the impact the pandemic has had on both the
payer and payee as well as on our ability to
EDITORIAL safely pursue in-person support enforcement
MANAGING EDITOR measures, the friend of the court has contin-
Sarah Culton
ued enforcing payment of child support by
(269) 687-7712
sarah.culton@leaderpub.com
increasing its use of some different enforce-
ment tools.
SPORTS EDITOR In the past, many child support orders
Scott Novak were enforced through in-person show cause
(269) 687-7702 hearings in front of a referee. With the public
scott.novak@leaderpub.com having limited access to the law and courts
building because of COVID, we have not been
REPORTERS
Christina Clark able to hold in-person show cause hearings.
(269) 687-7720 However, a show cause hearing is only one of
christina.clark@leaderpub.com many enforcement tools available to the FOC
to ensure a party is regularly paying child sup-
Max Harden port. Several other enforcement tools avail-
(269) 687-7706 able include calling payers directly to obtain
max.harden@leaderpub.com
a payment, intercepting tax refunds; inter-
cepting bank accounts; wage withholdings;
ADVERTISING placing holds on passports; and suspending
MARKETING CONSULTANTS professional licenses, drivers’ licenses, and
Jen Bounds
recreational licenses.
(269) 687-7717
jennifer.bounds@leaderpub.com
Over the course of the COVID pandem-
ic, we have increased our calls to payers to
Bill Mathews work with them directly to obtain voluntary
(269) 687-7725 payments. We also started looking into other
bill.mathews@leaderpub.com tools available to us that we could increase
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
(269) 591-6105
APRIL McKEE
is an enforcement
caseworker for Cass
County Friend of the
Court. Questions or
suggestions for future
columns may be sent to
foc@cassco.org.
using and one tool stood out — suspending
Michigan Department of Natural Resourc-
es licenses. The process of DNR license
suspension is not new. However, technol-
ogy advancements have allowed for better
communications between the DNR and
point-of-sale locations and made the process
for suspension of recreational hunting and
fishing licenses simpler. These improvements
compelled us to move forward with pursuing
DNR license suspensions.
Before suspending a payer’s DNR license,
the payer must owe child support arrears of
more than two months of the monthly sup-
port obligation. If a payer meets the arrears
requirement, we attempt to contact the payer
by either phone or letter. When we reach a
payer, we discuss their current situation and
see what agreement we can reach to prevent
the suspension from moving forward. If no
contact is made, we move forward with the
suspension. Once the suspension has taken
place, the payer can still contact us, and we
will discuss on a resolution that will hopefully
work for all parties involved.
In order to receive their license back, the
payer needs to contact their local friend of
the court and let them know about their
current situation. The caseworker will work
with the payer on an obtainable agreement
to bring the payer into compliance with their
support order so the license suspension can
be lifted by the court.
It is important to keep in contact with the
friend of the court if you receive a notice
that your DNR license could be suspended
as there are penalties outside of the FOC
that can be imposed for hunting or fishing
without a license, including up to 90 days in
jail and/or fines up to $500 plus additional
fines depending on the type of game that is
acquired without a license.
To many living in the state of Michigan,
hunting, fishing and the outdoor is a way of
life and given the rural area that our coun-
ty covers, the same is true. So much that
the DNR typically sells more than 1 million
fishing licenses and half a million hunting
licenses every year. Additionally, in 2020 the
DNR sold more than 200,000 off road vehi-
cle licenses and more than 150,000 trail use
permits.
Will suspending DNR recreational licenses
make a difference in terms of the FOC receiv-
ing regular support payments for families
and children? It appears so, as our office has
collected more than $4,500 since starting to
suspend DNR recreational licenses in Novem-

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 Niles Daily Star OPINION/EDITORIAL Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 13
d Trying something different
GUEST COLUMN
A t 10 minutes after 3 p.m. on a
sunny spring afternoon, Big
John Hudson stepped from the
Amtrak train and took in the ambi-
ence of his new surroundings. He was
about to embark on the next chapter
of his life.
John had lived at the Center of the
Universe for all of the 30 [brief] years
of his existence. It was a pleasant, full,
yet predictable life — starting every
morning at Sarah’s Diner, and joined
by the usual members of the Circular
Congregation Breakfast Club. How-
ever, recently, he began to yearn for
something different. Not something
more meaningful, more exciting or
even more pleasant — just something
different.
After much thought and consid-
eration, Big John decided the most
logical thing to do was take his prize
cow and relocate to a small Indi-
ana town. He toyed with the idea of
moving to an equally small Nebraska
town, but worried that the population
of a small town in Indiana is com-
parable to a booming metropolis in
Nebraska — and John didn’t want all
that big-city, Cornhusker, hustle and
bustle upsetting the sensitivities of his
prize cow.
The sight of John and his cow
strolling away from the train station
was something not often seen on the
streets of Hoosierville — but it had
been seen before. Therefore, it did not
cause much of a stir. To be clear, John
did not charge off on this adventure
all willy-nilly. Prior to his exodus, he
got on Craigslist and found a small
house for rent, just outside of his
chosen new town. The advertisement
said that pets were allowed, and John
signed a lease, sight unseen. Likewise,
his new landlord accepted John’s pet,
sight unseen. Big John Hudson and
his prize cow were ready for some-
thing different.
The next morning, Big John eagerly
entered the local diner, anticipating
joining his new neighbors in stimu-
lating morning conversation — just
like he had always done at Sarah’s. He
walked through the front door, ready
LARRY WILSON
is a mostly lifelong resident of Niles.
His essays stem from experiences,
compilations and recollections from
friends and family. He
can be reached at w
flw@hotmail.com.
to toss his hat down on the big, round,
communal table —just like at Sarah’s.
But there wasn’t one. Instead, John
found a long counter and a half-doz-
en booths, with patrons keeping to
themselves or in small groups of two
or three.
This wasn’t Sarah’s Diner. This was
different.
Back at the Center of the Universe,
John sold water softeners. When he
decided to do something different,
he transferred to his new town, so he
could do the same thing someplace
different. His usual sales technique
was to visit a potential customer,
test their water, and if it was hard, he
would try to sell them a softener —
because that is what you need if you
have hard water. If their water wasn’t
hard, he would try to sell them a soft-
ener anyway — because it made their
hair and skin feel good after a shower.
The folks in his new town did not like
soft water. They felt it wasn’t natural.
This was different.
The pattern continued. The town
was set up differently, the timing of
the stoplights was different, even the
cans on the grocery store shelves were
in different places. Everything was
different. However, John’s prize cow
didn’t seem to notice any difference at
all. The grass in John’s new backyard
was just as sweet as the grass in his
mom’s backyard, back home at the
Center of the Universe.
Eventually, Big John Hudson came
to the conclusion that different isn’t
always better — it’s just different. He
started to yearn for the sameness he
once yearned to escape. He wanted
the same street alignment, the same
stoplight timing, the same cans in
the same places on the same grocery
store shelves, and (most of all) he
wanted the same friends every morn-
ing at breakfast.
Fortunately for John, his boss liked
his work ethic and ability to sell water
softeners to folks that liked how their
hair and skin felt after a shower.
Equally fortunate, John’s landlord
was quite willing to terminate his
lease — once he found out the nature
of John’s pet. Big John Hudson re-
turned home to the Center of the Uni-
verse, happy to have done something
different, and equally happy to not be
doing it anymore.
GUEST COLUMN
Calls for investigation
into nursing home
coronavirus-related
deaths intensifying
T
he governor of New York is currently em-
broiled in multiple controversies, one of which
is for the state’s intentional underreporting of
nursing home resident deaths caused by COVID-19.
An investigation by the state’s attorney general
(one that received bipartisan support) found New
York undercounted the number of deaths in nursing
home facilities by more than 50 percent.
Michigan, at the direction of Gov. Gretchen Whit-
mer, or at least with her consent, was one of only a
few states like New York that brought COVID-19-pos-
itive people into
nursing homes
KIM LASATA,
as a matter of R, represents the 21st
policy. To date, District, which includes
36 percent Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph
counties. She can be
of our state’s reached at (517) 373-6960
COVID-19 or SenKLaSata@senate.
deaths have michigan.gov.
occurred among
nursing home
and long-term care facility populations. Despite the
horrific statistic and months of frustration and ques-
tioning by Republican lawmakers and others, the
Whitmer administration has defended the policy.
In September, when I asked the governor’s then-di-
rector of the Department of Health and Human
Services why it took so long to form a task force to
find ways to keep nursing home residents safe, he
responded, “We were busy.”
I hope Attorney General Dana Nessel isn’t too busy
to respond to calls for an official investigation into
the Whitmer policy, which have so far been ignored.
Families deserve answers as to how and why they lost
their loved ones in what was supposed to be a safe
environment.
It is time that the governor’s party faithful recon-
sider who or what is more important — politics or
people in nursing homes — and join in calling for an
investigation.
Even then, it might just be time, like in New York,
for the FBI to do what state Democrats won’t: seek
justice for Michigan’s nursing home victims of
COVID-19.
Page 14 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 LIFESTYLES Niles Daily Star

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
PET OF THE WEEK

“L’eggo my Eggo” and grab hold

of Waffle’s leash. This handsome
2- to 3-year-old boy is ready
for adventure and fun. Waffles
certifiably has a zest for life and
loves to play with other dogs,
volunteers said.
He has a need for tennis balls;
they bring a smile to his face. Only
Jones 40 pounds, he is ready to pack up
Andrew Jones, 36, of Dowagiac, celebrated his birthday
Feb. 26. His family includes Miranda Barger, Abigail Jones, and go or enjoy a snuggle on a cozy
Isaiah Jones, Olivia Merkling and Baby Jones. The family blanket (with tennis ball, too). He
will celebrate with dinner and festivities to follow at Niles’ is neutered, and is current on all
Restaurant Week.
vaccines.
ANNOUNCEMENTS For more information, call
Berrien County Animal Control,
Manchester University announces fall 2020 dean’s list
NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. — In fall 2020, 382 under- 9269) 927-5648.
graduate students who were named to Manchester Col-
lege’s dean’s list.
Two of those students are Niles natives Jora Barnes and
Carly Greaves. Barnes is majoring in criminology. Greaves

United Way invites community to

is majoring in English.
Students earning a semester grade point average of 3.5
or higher who have completed at least 12 semester hours

sponsor children to receive free books

with no more than three hours of Pass/Not Pass grades are
included on the Dean’s List.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS SUBMITTED Residents can:

Smuda-Mejer SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
Veronica Smuda and Stephen Mejer, of Buchanan, are — March is National Read-
the parents of a daughter, Marlaina Mejer, born at 1 p.m. ing Month, and United Way
Feb. 17, 2021, at Spectrum Health Lakeland in Niles. of Southwest Michigan is en-
Marlaina weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce and was 19 inches couraging the community to
long. rally around early childhood
literacy by sponsoring 200
King-Rzanca children to participate in
Mya King and Randy Rzanca, of Niles, are the parents of Dolly Parton’s Imagination
a daughter, Mayla Rzanca, born at 12:12 a.m. Feb. 21, 2021, Library for five years.
at Spectrum Health Lakeland in Niles. Dolly Parton’s Imagina-
She weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces and was 21 inches long. tion Library serves children
Maternal grandparents are Jodi and Jerry King, of Niles. from birth through age 5 to
Paternal grandparents are Sandra and Randy Rzanca, of help them develop early lit-
Niles. eracy skills, foster a love of
Maternal great-grandmother is Carol Wilson, of Debary, reading, and be prepared to
Florida. enter kindergarten. Children
Paternal great-grandparent is Allegra Worcester, of enrolled in DPIL receive a
Niles. specially selected age-ap-
propriate book mailed to
their home each month until
their fifth birthday. This pro-
gram not only affects kinder-
garten readiness, but it also
makes a big impact on third
grade reading proficiency.
DPIL is provided free of
charge to all children under
the age of 5 and their fami-
lies, regardless of income.
However, the cost for United
Way to provide this program
is $25 per child per year.
Everyone is invited to
sponsor one or more chil-
dren to participate in Dolly
Parton’s Imagination Li-
brary, United Way officials
said.
• Sponsor a child for one
year, providing 12 books —
$25
• Sponsor a child for three
years, providing 36 books —
$75
• Sponsor a child for the
whole program, five years,
providing 60 books — $125
United Way’s goal for
this March campaign is the
sponsorship of 200 children
for the full five years.
United Way offers spon-
sors the opportunity to hon-
or or remember someone
special in their lives with
their sponsorship.
To sponsor, visit uwsm.
org/DPIL.
Niles Daily Star BUSINESS Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 15
Berrien, Cass County businesses awarded
Michigan Small Business Survival grants
STAFF REPORT
CASS COUNTY — Southwest Michigan
businesses received more than $4 million
in grants from the Michigan Small Business
Survival Grant Program.
According to a press release from the
Michigan Economic Development Corpora-
tion, $4,150,000 was allocated to assist 279
businesses in southwest Michigan with the
retention of 3,819 jobs.
In total, the MEDC distributed $52.5 mil-
lion to more than 5,500 small businesses
across the state.
“The Michigan Small Business Survival
Grant Program provides crucial support
to Michigan’s small businesses hit hard by
the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor
Gretchen Whitmer. “These grants, com-
bined with additional business relief efforts
offered by the MEDC, will create a strong
foundation for Michigan’s long-term eco-
nomic recovery. As we distribute the safe
and effective vaccine and work to end the
pandemic once and for all, I will continue
partnering with leaders across the state and
urging passage of the MI COVID Recovery
plan to provide relief for our small business-
es, protect public health and jumpstart our
economy.”
Approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund
on Jan. 14, the Michigan Small Business Sur-
vival Grant Program allocated $55 million to
provide support to Michigan small business-
es to meet the urgent need of businesses that
experienced a significant financial hardship
due to COVID-19 emergency “gatherings
and face mask orders.” The program allowed
for grants of up to $20,000 to be awarded to
businesses that are fully closed, with grants
of up to $15,000 awarded to businesses that
have been partially closed, or otherwise are
FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
NEWSPAPERS
open and can demonstrate an impact. A
total of 5 percent of overall funding for the
program was able to go toward administra-
tive costs of the economic development or-
HAVE
ganizations administering the grants.
The State of Michigan appropriated the
funds through Senate Bill 748, signed into
YOUR BACK.
law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, to sup-
port Michigan’s small businesses that have
been especially impacted as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The Michigan Small Business Survival Local newspapers have the print and digital advertising solutions
Grants program was administered by 15 lo- to help businesses bring customers back and quickly regain lost
cal or nonprofit economic development or- revenue. Local newspapers’ reach across products has never been
ganizations covering all 83 counties across higher. And with special packages tailored to local businesses,
the state, with Southwest Michigan First ad- there are options for any size business with any budget.
ministering the program for Cass and Ber-
rien counties.
Cass and Berrien County businesses that
When it comes to delivering results
received grant funding include: for local businesses,
NEWSPAPERS
• Wegner’s Lakeside Bar and Grill, 2628
Lake Shore Dr., Niles
• Locri, 510 N. Front St., Niles
• JT Motors, 2555 S. 11th St., Niles
• Hob Nob Bistro, 1109 S. 11th St., Niles
• EJ’s Home Plate, 730 S. 11th St., Niles
HAVE YOUR BACK
• Stoler/Kindt Associates, Inc., 21854 Lake Reach, Results, Solutions
St., Cassopolis
• Maple Cafe, 68867 M-62, Edwardsburg
• Gus Karacson Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 2284, 69946 M-62, Edwardsburg
• Burtsfield’s Black Belt Academy, 71051 217 N. 4th St., Niles, MI 49120 • www.leaderpub.com
M-62, Edwardsburg (269) 683-2100 • publisher@leaderpub.com
• Spicy’s, 68717 M-62, Edwardsburg
• L&D Associates, Cass County America’s Newspapers is a national association supporting
• BT Enterprise, Inc., Cass County journalism and healthy newspapers in our local communities.
Find out more at www.newspapers.org or follow us on Twitter
• Stackev Corp., Cass County @newspapersorg or on Facebook @americasnewspapers.
• Innovation X, LLC, Cass County
GOT RESULTS?
scott.novak@leaderpub.com
(269) 687-7702
SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021
MORE ONLINE
For more stories and photos
visit www.leaderpub.com

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GIRLS STANDINGS

BASKETBALL
WOLVERINE
Div. All
Plainwell 7-0 7-0
Vicksburg 6-2 6-2
Edwardsburg 5-2 5-3
Three Rivers 5-2 6-2
Otsego 4-3 4-4
Paw Paw 2-5 3-7
Sturgis 2-5 2-6
Allegan 0-6 3-7
Dowagiac 0-6 0-9
BCS
Red Division Div. All
Buchanan 4-0 7-0
Niles 3-1 7-2
South Haven 3-2 4-4
Brandywine 2-2 8-2
Comstock 0-3 0-9
Berrien Springs 0-4 0-6
SOUTHWEST 10
Schools Div. All
Bloomingdale 4-0 6-2
Mendon 3-1 5-1
Centreville 3-1 3-1
Marcellus 3-1 5-4
Hartford 3-2 5-3
White Pigeon 2-2 2-4
Bangor 1-4 2-5
Decatur 1-4 1-5
Cassopolis 0-5 0-5

BOYS STANDINGS
Cody French has been named the new Niles varsity football coach. He replaces Joe Sasanno after five seasons with the Vikings. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

French tabbed to rebuild program

BASKETBALL
WOLVERINE
Div. All
Otsego 6-1 6-1
By SCOTT NOVAK last season. He was also an assistant coach for cess in this competitive atmosphere and lead Edwardsburg 5-2 5-2
scott.novak@leaderpub.com Shattuck at Elkhart Central and Seymour High Niles High School to championships.” Three Rivers 5-2 5-3
School, also in Indiana. Upton liked what he read, and so did the Paw Paw 4-3 7-4
NILES — Cody French has been given the “The first email I received from Cody Niles hiring committee. Sturgis 4-3 5-3
task of turning around the Niles football French stated ‘my passion, knowledge, expe- “In announcing our new football coach to- Plainwell 4-3 4-3
program. rience and coaching success have prepared day, I believe that statement is a very good Dowagiac 1-5 2-7
French, who was an assistant coach at me to be the next head coach of the Vikings, indication of the coach we will have leading Allegan 1-5 4-6
Elkhart [Indiana] High School in 2020, was an- and to help Niles High School compete for our program,” Upton said. “Cody realizes that Vicksburg 1-7 1-7
nounced as the Vikings’ varsity coach, replac- championships in the fall,’” said Niles Athletic he needs to increase participation numbers
ing Joe Sassano after five seasons. Director Jeff Upton. in Niles and get our student-athletes in the BCS
French, who played his high school football French went on to say, “Niles is located in an weight room so they can be properly condi- Red Division Div. All
at Gladwin High School under Coach Josh Sat- area, and plays in a conference, with high cal- tioned for success on Friday nights.
tuck, was the co-defensive coordinator and iber football. I have the vision, work ethic and
defensive line coach for Shattuck at Elkhart football knowledge to facilitate and guide suc- See FRENCH, page 19 See STANDINGS, page 19
Niles Daily Star SPORTS Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 17

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING

Brandywine rallies to defeat rival Buchanan

By SCOTT NOVAK
scott.novak@leaderpub.com
NILES — After sweeping Berrien
Springs and Colon in the first two
rounds of the Brandywine Quad
on Wednesday night, the arch rival
Bobcats and Bucks turned their
sights on each other in a key BCS
Conference.
Despite both teams having to
give up points due to forfeits, the
match was high-energy and in-
tense. Buchanan had a chance to
get the win over Brandywine, but
the Bobcats rallied late, earned a
few key victories, and came away
with a 45-36 victory.
Brandywine improved to 12-6
overall and 3-1 in BCS matches
with three wins on Wednesday.
Trailing 30-9 after Buchanan’s
win at 152 pounds, a pin by Jack-
son Starnes over Gage Hoskins in
1:22, the Bobcats went on a roll,
winning four consecutive match-
es, all by pins, to take a 33-30 lead
on the Bucks with three bouts re-
maining.
Brandywine’s Hunter Heath,
who earlier this year picked up
his 150th career victory, got the
pin parade started when he stuck
the Bucks’ Andrew Ruth in 1:57 at
Brandywine’s Kevin Roberts works for a pin during the Bobcats’ 46-36 victory over arch rival Buchanan on Wednesday. (Leader photo/
SCOTT NOVAK)
160 pounds. Gavin Schoff followed
that up with a pin of Brayden Se-
basty in 1:03 at 171 pounds before
Ivory McCullough pinned Alex
Weinberg in 21 seconds at 189
pounds to move the Bobcats to
within three points.
Philip McLaurin capped off the
streak of pins at 215 pounds with
his in over Dean Roberts in 45 sec-
onds.
Buchanan’s Mason Colglazier
stopped the bleeding with Ben
McKee’s pin in 3:39 at 285 pounds,
which gave the Bucks the lead
back at 36-33.
Unfortunately for Buchanan, it
had to forfeit the final two weight
classes, which allowed the Bob-
cats to pull out the win.
“I am pleased with our young
team,” said veteran Brandywine
Coach Rex Pomranka. “We gave up
some points, but I am happy with
our young guys. We came out and
fought hard, even in the matches
that we lost. I had it being 39-39,
and we would have lost on criteria
[ forfeits]. The 215 match was big. I
told our upper weights we had to
pin out, and they did it.”
Buchanan veteran Coach Andy
Riggs, while not happy about the
loss, said these are the types of
nights his team needs to prepare
for the state tournament, which
begins in two weeks. He also gave
credit to the Bobcats for doing
what they needed to do for the
win.
“You have to give it to up to
Brandywine,” he said. “There
were some key match-ups that
didn’t go our way. We still wres-
tled hard and still did what we
could do on a shortened season.
I think it will be a lot of fun in
a couple of weeks at team dis-
tricts. No matter how it falls, it is
going to be a lot of fun between
us, Dowagiac [district host],
Brandywine and Berrien.”
Going undefeated on the night
for the Bobcats were Allison Lau-
ri (103), Kaiden Rieth (112), Drake
Heath (119/125), Hunter Health
(160), Schoff (171), McCullough
(189) and McLaurin (215).
Going undefeated for the Bucks
were Zach Weaver (2-0 at 125),
Frank Furst (130), Walker Bartz
(135/140), Jackson Starnes (152)
and Colglazier (285).
The Bobcats are back on the mat
Saturday as they travel to Bronson
for a quad. Wrestling is set to be-
gin at 10 a.m.

HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING

Coaches dislike format changes for state tournament

By SCOTT NOVAK
scott.novak@leaderpub.com
NILES — As bowling teams are
wrapping up their regular seasons, the
Michigan High School Athletic Associ-
ation announced changes to the for-
mat for the regionals and finals, which
begin March 19.
Regionals will remain a two-day
event, but instead of the team competi-
tion on Friday and singles competition
on Saturday, the MHSAA has decided
Conner Weston land the Niles bowling team went 8-2 during the regular to have the boys compete on March 19
season after their win over Burr Oak. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK) and the girls compete on March 20.
Instead of bowling separate compe-
titions to decide the finals qualifiers,
all regional participants will bowl four
games on their designated day with
their scores determining the qualifiers
for the state finals.
There will also be no Baker games
at the regionals. Instead, 20 regular
games will be bowled, four each by five
bowlers or subs. A bowler must roll
four games in order to qualify for the
finals.
Two teams and 10 individual singles
will advance to the state finals March
26-27.
The MHSAA is using the new format
in order for bowling centers to be able
to space out participants over twice as
many lanes. There will also be a limited
number of spectators allowed, which
will be based on the current Michigan
Department of Health and Human Ser-
vices guidelines.
Niles Coach Jim Jaynes and Brandy-
wine Coach Pepper Miller are happy
there will be a state tournament, but
not particularly thrilled with the new
format.
See CHANGES, page 19
Page 18 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 SPORTS Niles Daily Star

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Niles rebounds after suffering first losses

By MAXWELL HARDEN
max.harden@leaderpub.com
NILES — The Niles girls basket-
ball team took care of business
Tuesday night against visiting
South Haven.
The Vikings used a 13-0 sec-
ond-quarter run to pull away from
the Rams and went on to win 51-24.
Three players scored in double
figures for the Vikings, led by Na-
talie Lucero’s 12 points. Kamryn
Patterson and Alexis Rauch each
tallied 11 points while Sydney Skar-
bek added nine. Up 32-8 at halftime,
the Vikings led by as many as 32
points when a Patterson 3-pointer
gave Niles a 42-10 advantage late in
the third quarter.
Jordyn Holland and Lexie Young
scored nine and eight points,
respectively, for the Rams, who
found tough sledding against
Niles’ defense. The Vikings held
South Haven to just two points in
the second quarter.
“We were focused on playing
defense and boxing out,” said Niles
coach Jessica Johnson. “We strug-
gle with boxing out, so this game
gave us a chance to focus on that.”
Tuesday’s win over the Rams was
Niles’ fourth game in five nights,
with the Vikings going 2-2 in the
stretch, with losses to Buchanan
Friday and Mattawan Saturday be-
fore rebounding with a 58-48 win
over Lakeshore on Monday.
“I’m really proud of the girls for
always playing defense and being
aggressive,” Johnson said. “I was
concerned coming into the game
because this is our fourth game
in five days. I didn’t know how
much legs they were gonna have
for the game. I was happy to get
a good start so that we could get
some subs in.”
The Vikings move to 7-2 (3-1 BCS
Red Division) on the season and
are currently in second place in the
BCS league. Johnson is proud of
how her players have stepped up in
the absence of junior forward Ama-
ra Palmer.
“They’ve come a long way,” she
said. “Everyone has stepped up in
their own ways. Everybody appears
to know their roles on the team
and have stepped up in Palmer’s
absence. I’ve been really impressed
with them, especially after fight-
ing so hard against Buchanan, and
then we took a loss to Mattawan. I
wasn’t sure how the girls were go-
ing to bounce back from that, but
they bounced back, and we’re hap-
py about it. There was a lot of ener-
gy out there, which helps other girls
on the floor. Tonight was definitely Niles’ Alexis Rauch tries to get to the basket against South Haven Tuesday night. (Leader
a team effort.” photo/MAXWELL HARDEN)

Niles boys team snaps 21-game losing streak against Buchanan

By SCOTT NOVAK
scott.novak@leaderpub.com
NILES — The waiting is
over.
For the first two weeks
of the high school basket-
ball season, the Niles boys
team has been waiting for
everything to come togeth-
er. The Vikings came close
to winning through the first
five games of the 2020-21
season, but could not quite
finish the job.
Vikings, which dates back
to pre-COVID times. The
last Niles win came on Jan.
7, 2020, when it defeated
New Buffalo.
“I am just so happy for our
boys,” said second-year Niles
Coach Patrick Touhey. “As
you know, it has been a long
time. We have had compet-
itive contests, and we have
had contests that were close
enough that we could get a
win. But we were never able
to close the deal.”
Touhey said about 6-foot-7
senior Logan Carson. “That
is a difficult matchup for us
because of our size. So, for our
kids to continue to fight and
execute what we asked them
to do to neutralize Carson all
the way to the end, I am just
very happy for our boys.”
The Vikings would hold
Carson to 15 points and only
allowed one other Buchan-
an player to reach double
figures. Niles (1-5, 1-2 Red
Division) was able to do that
cause that builds confidence.”
Bradley would finish with
nine points, all on 3-point-
ers. The Vikings were able to
spread the offense around
as Adrian Thomas scores
14 points, George Pullen
scored 12, while Mike Gil-
crese added eight.”
Touhey said that a bulsk
of the credit goes to the ef-
fort his team put in to stop
the Bucks at the court’s of-
fensive end.
“Two things help us ac-
Carson wasn’t able to move
him or do what he wanted
with him. So, Murray’s contri-
bution tonight was big.”
The loss was the second
straight for the Bucks in Red
Division action. Buchanan (4-
3, 1-2 Red Division) was edged
by arch rival Brandywine the
previous Friday night. Veter-
an Bucks’ Coach Reid McBeth
said the game was lost early.
“I think it was the first
quarter,” he said about the dif-
ference in the outcome. “We
ken ankle. Young was averaging 16.5
points per game after the Bucks’ first
two contests.
Besides Carson, Buchanan got
14 points from Gavin Fazi. Ma-
coy West added seven points.
Niles hosted Mattawan in a
non-conference game Saturday
afternoon.
The visiting Wildcats defeat-
ed the Vikings 48-34. No further
results are available. Niles lost
to host Lakeshore on Monday,
50-26.

Against visiting Buchanan
Friday night, Niles put a com-
plete game together as it got
off to a quick start, maintain
control of the game through-
out, and held off a Buchanan
rally in the final minutes of
its 49-46 BCS Red Division
victory.
The win snapped a 21-
game losing streak for the
Snapping the losing streak
in itself was a big deal, but to
get it against a rival school
like Buchanan, which is one
of the top Class B programs
in southwest Michigan, was
even bigger as far as confi-
dence is concerned.
“Buchanan is a very good
team that has a very large
presence in the middle,”
with their quickness and
athletic ability.
“We wanted to spread
them out and create oppor-
tunities by attacking space,”
Touhey said. “But, impor-
tantly, when we attack, pull
up and shoot the 10-footer or
8-footer or kick it out. Austin
Bradley came up big for us.
That is a big thing for him be-
STANDINGS
complish what we wanted didn’t match their intensity.
tonight,” he said. “Our defense I don’t think my kids showed
was awesome tonight. Our up ready to play. We have to
rotations, our ability to rotate learn how to do that because, Continued from page 16
down and create traffic in the every night across the coun-
paint, never let him [Carson] try, teams that don’t show up Brandywine 3-0 6-2
become comfortable. The in- ready to play get beat.” Comstock 1-1 8-1
ternational student [Murray Buchanan will play the re- Berrien Springs 1-1 3-5
Allan] from Scotland did an mainder of the season with- Niles 2-2 2-7
unbelievable job of hounding out its leading scorer Ryan Buchanan 1-2 5-3
him. He has such strength, Young, who suffered a bro- South Haven 1-3 2-6
Niles Daily Star SPORTS Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 19

VIKINGS
Continued from page 16
“He brings to our community the
drive to succeed, yet admits he has
much to learn and will always strive
to improve. His references included
opposing head coaches, who were
extremely impressed by Cody’s or-
ganization, game plan and execu-
tion from his players.”
French played college football at
St. Joseph’s in Rensselaer, Indiana.
He spent five years at St. Joseph’s
before beginning his high school
coaching career. He helped rebuild
both the Elkhart Central and Sey-
mour programs with Shattuck.
At Elkhart Central last season,
the Lions were 9-1 and won the 6A
sectional championship.
French was equally impressed
with how Niles conducted its job
search.
“The quality and character of the
people in the hiring and the inter-
view process really stood out to
me,” French said. “It is very close to
home for me, so we do not have to
move right now. Through the pro-
cess of meeting the individuals on
the hiring committee, and obvious-
ly the player meeting was awesome.
There was a good group in there,
probably 50 players. You could feel
their excitement.”
French said that putting together
a coaching staff and getting players
out and into the weight room to be-
gin conditioning are top priorities.
Sassano was 11-32 in five seasons,
including 1-6 in the COVID-short-
ened 2020 season.

CHANGES
Continued from page 17
“First and foremost, I am all for
the athletes to compete,” Jaynes
said. “During these trying times,
the athletes need to have some
sort of normalcy.”
As far as his thoughts on the
format, Jaynes said, “I am sure
many people in charge tried to
maintain some kind of integrity
within the changes during this
ever-changing year. Right away,
no Baker competition and re-
gionals, then reverting to a Bak-
er-rich format at the state finals
seems odd. Bringing complete
teams in, then spreading them
out and sharing lanes with other
teams seems like more risk than
reward as each team has kind of
been isolated together until now.”
Miller was happy the state put
something together for the stu-
dent athletes.
“Out of all the winter sports,
bowling is the safest as far as not
having physical contact with the
opposing team,” she said. “I feel
they could make it safer by keep-
ing the teams together instead of
spreading them out. I really do
not like the format, but if this is
the only way we get to move for-
ward to finish the season, then I
guess we will take it.”
The Niles boys bowling team
wrapped up its regular season at
Joey Armadillo’s against Burr Oak
on Monday.
The Vikings defeated Burr Oak
27-3 to post an 8-2 overall re-
cord and a 6-2 mark, which was
good enough for first place in
the Southwest Activities Confer-
ence’s South Division.
Niles swept the Baker Matches,
winning 223-148 and 218-115.
Andrew Jackson turned in the
top series with a 297. Nathan
Ryman had the top game as he
rolled a 243.
Brandywine results are cur-
rently unavailable. Check out
Saturday’s print edition, as well
as leaderpub.com for those The Brandywine bowling team will wrap up the regular season at the SAC Tournament
scores. on Friday. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

Need Help Finding Resources?

Visit the easy-to-use
Berrien County referral website for:
l Food Counseling
l l Legal Services
l Housing l Senior Services l & More!

Help4Her.org
Page 20 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 OBITUARIES Niles Daily Star

Martha Fee Rosual “Andy” Brand, Rue- etery in Buchanan.

We’ll be there when you need us most
April 4, 1936 — March 3, 2021
Martha J. Fee, 84, of Niles,
passed away on Wednesday,
March 3, 2021, at her daugh-
ter’s home in Niles.
She was born in Fayette,
Alabama on April 6, 1936,
to the late James L. and Lily
Mae (Wright) Brand.
Martha married Archibald
Fee in Tupelo, Mississippi.
She worked in several fields
throughout her lifetime;
she was a cook, a taxi driv-
er, a home health-care aid,
and most recently a security
guard. In her free time, she
enjoyed crocheting, knitting,
and watching for red birds,
especially cardinals.
She was preceded in death
by her parents; husband, Ar-
chibald Fee; siblings, Willard
Pendley, Dempsey Pendley,
David Pendley, Ruth Stough,
ben Brand, Solomon Brand,
Mamie Bankston; her chil-
dren, LeRoy Fee, Marshall
Fee, Cathy Hare, Ronnie Fee,
and Shirley Killion.
Martha is survived by her
children, Brenda (John) Roos,
of Niles; Archie (Katrina) Fee,
of Niles, Sammie Fee, of Niles;
nineteen grandchildren; a
host of great-grandchildren;
along with a large extended
family.
Funeral services will be
held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday,
March 9, 2021, at Brown Fu-
neral Home, 521 E. Main St.,
Niles. A time of visitation will
be held one hour prior. Burial
will follow at Oak Ridge Cem-
In keeping with the
COVID-19 guidelines, the
gathering is limited, the
State of Michigan requires
all in attendance to follow all
guidelines including, social
distancing, mandatory mask
and hand sanitizing. Brown
Funeral Home appreciates
your assistance helping us to
keep everyone in attendance
healthy.
Condolences, photos, and
memories may be left for
the family at BrownFuneral-
HomeNiles.com.
Arrangements have been
entrusted to Brown Funeral
Home & Cremation Services,
of Niles.

Michael David
Shibinski
July 12, 1949 — Feb. 25, 2021
On Thursday, Feb. 25,
2021, Mike Shibinski, loving
father, passed away in his
home at the age of 71.
Born on July 12, 1949, in
Mansfield, Ohio, he worked
at French Paper Company
for 41 years. He lived with
his partner Kim Dailey, for
the last 10 years.
Mike had three daughters,
Tricia (Karl) Dinda, Chanda
(Brian) Skalski, and Carrie
(Seth Freyer) Shibinski. He
also leaves five grandchil-
dren, Grace Marie Dinda,
Brianna Paige Skalski, Isa-
bella Alexandra Skalski, Ad-
ison Avery Krieger, and Bro-
die Michael Shibinski.
He is preceded in death by
Shopping on a budget?
We can help!
Leader Publications (269) 683-2100 • 217 N. Fourth St.
his parents David and Anna
(Beuila) Shibinski, and his
brother, Jeffery Shibinski.
He leaves his daughters and
partner with fond memo-
ries.
No services will be held
at this time, due to COVID.
Condolences may be sent to
HovenFunerals.com.
Find the best deals each
Sunday in The Leader
DEATH NOTICES
Barbara Burton, 84, of Dowagiac, died Satur-
day, Feb. 27, 2021, at her home. Arrangements are
in-progress at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home
in Niles.
Viola Clark, 95, of Dowagiac, passed Saturday,
Feb. 27, 2021, at Timbers of Cass County. Arrange-
ments are pending and entrusted to Brown Funeral
Home & Cremation Services, Niles. BrownFuneral-
HomeNiles.com.
Martha Fee, 84, of Niles, passed away Wednesday,
March 3, 2021, at home Arrangements are pending
and entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation
Services, Niles. BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.
Tracy Keck Sr., 78, of Niles, died Tuesday, March
2, 2021. Arrangements are being made by Halbritter
Wickens Funeral Home, of Niles.
Dixie Krueger, 78, of Niles, passed away Monday,
March 1, 2021, at her home. Arrangements are pend-
ing and entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Crema-
tion Services, Niles. BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.
Danette Lovelace, 57, of Dowagiac, passed Feb.
25, 2021. Funeral services were March 4, 2021 at
Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services. The fu-
neral video is available at BrownFuneralHomeNiles.
com.
Mickie L. Lundy, 70, of Edwardsburg, died Mon-
day, Feb. 22, 2021. The family will observe a private
remembrance. Arrangements entrusted to Wagner
Family Funerals, Cassopolis. Please share a memo-
ry or a message and read full obituary online: wag-
nercares.com.
Niles Daily Star COMICS Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 21

COMICS PUZZLES
ADAM
& ALLEY OOP

ARLO & JANIS BIG NATE

BORN LOSER FRANK & ERNEST

GRIZZWELLS THATABABY
Page 22 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 COMICS Niles Daily Star

SODOKU PUZZLE MODERATELY CONFUSED CROSSWORD PUZZLE

HOW TO PLAY: Each row, column ANSWER TO PREVIOUS
and set of 3-by-3 boxes must
contain the numbers 1 through 9
wihtout repetition.

DIFFICULTY RATING: 5/5

REALITY CHECK

BREVITY

HEART OF THE CITY

Page 22 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 www.leaderpub.com Niles Daily Star
Niles Daily Star CLASSIFIEDS Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 23

Classifieds
Marketplace
217 N. Fourth St. LeaderPub.com
NILES, BUCHANAN AND Niles, MI 49120 classifieds@leaderpub.com
SURROUNDING AREAS (269) 591-6105 public.notices@leaderpub.com

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1st shift 7am-3pm need to successfully market on a tight
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Advertise here and sell it faster.
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Niles Daily Star www.leaderpub.com Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 23
Page 24 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 CLASSIFIEDS Niles Daily Star

Job Opportunities
Experienced Aluminum
Extrusion Operators
Postle Extrusion a leading
manufacturer and
distributor of aluminum
extrusions, is seeking
quality minded production
workers for its Cassopolis,
MI facilities on all 3
production shifts.
**Hiring
Bonus Available**
**Increased Starting
Wage Rates**
We are looking for people
that will be running
various aluminum extrusion
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throughout the extrusion
process.
Open Positions:
•Machine Operators/
Press Operators
•Saw Operators
Job Opportunities
Part-Time General Labor
Weekend Workers Postle
Extrusion
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located in Cassopolis,MI,
is looking for part-time
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you! Work Friday,
Saturday,and/or Sunday.
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:HDUHÀH[LEOHDERXWWKH
days and the hours for
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If you are interested in
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apply in person at
201 N.Edwards St.
Cassopolis,MI 49031,
apply online at:
www.postledistributors.com
and click on
Employment, or
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& Appliances
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el suroeste de Michigan, 269-445-7514
ahora está www.greenmarkequipment.com.
contratando para los Email resume: BILL’S APPLIANCES
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Used/New, Scratch & Roto-Tilling
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Tercer Turno
(269)340-5952
Ofrecemos salarios Miscellaneous
competitivos, excelentes Refrigerators
EHQH¿FLRVGHVDOXGN Stoves For Sale
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Aplicar en Persona: Microwaves The Restoration Station
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Aplicar en línea en: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm plus more.
www.postledistributors.com Saturday:10am-4pm Estate Clean-outs.
y haga clic en empleo, Sunday: Closed Handyman Services
o envíe un currículum a Online auction @
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HR@postledistributors.com myshopify.com
Security Officers 814 State Street
Full-Time & Part-Time
Openings
ORIGINAL Cassopolis
South Bend & Bristol IN areas. CONTOUR CHAIR 269-845-5274

•Stretchers send resume to: IDEAL FOR RETIREES Everything needed

•Saw Helpers
•Forklift Drivers
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Postle offers highly
competitive wages and an
H[FHOOHQWEHQH¿WSDFNDJH
(Medical, Dental, Vision,
and 401k plan with
company match).
Apply in person at
201 N. Edwards St.
Cassopolis, MI 49031,
apply online at
www.postledistributors.com
and click on
Employment, or send
resume to
HR@postledistributors.com
Production/Assembly
Workers needed.
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hours required when
needed. Hourly,
attendance bonus,
holiday-vacation pay,
401K with company
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Apply in person
27328 May St
Edwardsburg, MI
HR@postledistributors.com
Please call (574)232-9653 to furnish your first
from 11am-4pm Monday-Friday
EOE home! Want to Buy
Call Charlie for Merchandise
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NOW HIRING
Maintenance Tech &
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)XOOWLPHZLWKEHQH¿WV
Hunting & Fishing Large Michigan lumber
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Please call for an trees to sell
application Call: (517)566-8061
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Applications can be found at Advertise here and sell it faster. Dr. Saxton
https://sampco.com/contact-us/. Call Classifieds at 269-591-6105. 574-309-3666
Page
Niles 24 • Saturday,
Daily Star March 6, 2021 www.leaderpub.com
CLASSIFIEDS Niles •Daily
Saturday, March 6, 2021 PageStar
25

Trucks, SUVs
ASK US HOW TO GET THE Apartments Automobiles
& Vans Services
AMAZING iPHONE® 11
FOR SALE
2017 Kia Forte 4dr
Low mileage! Only $750 Caregiving
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Transportation 269-461-4197
We Have Interstate Batteries!
Automobiles
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© 2020 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the Globe logo are registered Good condition. $6,000 or best Advertise here and sell it faster.
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RU'()ÀXLG0HUFHGHV
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Niles Daily Star www.leaderpub.com Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 25
Page 26 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 CLASSIFIEDS Niles Daily Star

Drywall Services Junk Removal Miscellaneous Miscellaneous Miscellaneous Miscellaneous

Services
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2021 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW
Milton Township
32097 Bertrand St.
Niles, MI 49120
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that because of the State of Michigan mandated COVID-19 precau-
tions, the 2021 Board of Review will be an “online only” virtual meeting or a taxpayer may
“write-in” their petition to Milton Township -- Attn: March Board Of Review @ 32097 Bertrand St.
Niles, Michigan 49120, to examine and review the 2021 Assessment Roll. The board will convene
on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemp-
WLRQVYHWHUDQ¶VH[HPSWLRQVSDUFHOFODVVL¿FDWLRQDSSHDOVDQGRUFXUUHQW\HDUTXDOL¿HGDJULFXOWXUDO
denials:
Tuesday March 2, 2021 2:00 PM Organizational Meeting
Monday March 8, 2021 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM Appeal Hearings
Tuesday
Wednesday
March 9, 2021
March 10, 2021
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
10:30 AM
Appeal Hearings
Wrap-Up Meeting
The electronic address for the Board of Review meeting is as follows
KWWSVYULQJFHQWUDOFRPMRLQ
‡)DVFLD 6RI¿W Call anytime
•Mobile Welding 989-923-1278.
Call:Randy
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269-208-9838 Rustic Table and Chairs,
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bondhomeimprovements.com Lowest price in Michigan!
dandanthemattressman.com
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Rafter C Customs
AUCTIONS
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doors/skylights and MORE! Tools, Lawn & Garden,
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surrounding areas. Auctioneer Joe Sherwood
for your LIVE ONSITE Auction
(269) 259-5499 Needs
(989)763-7157
Virtual Gun and Ammunition
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13. Simulcast bidding begins
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Hablamos Espanol
(Please call the Milton Township Hall @ (269) 684-7262 to set an appointment and get infor-
MISCELLANEOUS mation concerning the online “Ring Central” meeting and any instructions on how to attend.)
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Page 26 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 www.leaderpub.com Niles Daily Star
Niles Daily Star CLASSIFIEDS Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 27
Miscellaneous Miscellaneous
Services Services
Roofing and Guttering
Public Notices Public Notices
p y ( ) y
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p p y after the scheduled time of re- PUBLIC NOTICE
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plan. [Don’t wait!] Call now! Get online. If approved, your Residential & Commercial CHARTER TOWNSHIP
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Niles Daily Star: The City of Niles, Michigan, is grass and uncontrolled plant
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Option. Request a FREE, no CITY OF NILES, MICHIGAN all improved property within
Deer Path Excavating INVITATION TO BID Request for Proposals the Township.
obligation, quote today. Call
1-855-476-9698 Septic Repair and all other 34.5 kV RECLOSER Marihuana Proposers In default whereof, NOTICE IS
Excavating needs!! INSTALLATION PROJECT HEREBY GIVEN that the Char-
Put your ad here Please Call: 269-208-5180 &LW\ RI 1LOHV 'HVLJQDWHG &RQ- ter Township of Niles may enter
call 269-591-6105. Sealed proposals marked “Bids tact: Sanya Vitale, Community the premises and cut the same
for 34.5 kV Recloser Installation Development Director as frequently as necessary
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ond Street, Suite 201, Niles, Email: CommunityDevelop
charge the cost thereof against
the property owner and for col-
home, away, and for travel Michigan 49120 until 2:30 P.M. ment@nilesmi.org lection may place the amount
(local time) on Thursday, March The Request for proposals is upon the next tax roll of the
25, 2021 at which time and available on the City’s website Charter Township as a tax lien
Introducing the INOGEN ONE place the proposals will be pub- at: http://www.nilesmi.org/fre against the offending premises.
It’s oxygen therapy on your terms licly opened virtually and read TXHQWO\BUHTXHVWHGELGVBDQGB PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NO-
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NOW! Utilities link of the City of Niles of the Community Develop- 320 Bell Road
website at http://nilesmi.org. PHQW'LUHFWRUDW16HFRQG Niles, MI 49120
6WUHHW6WH1LOHV0LFKLJDQ 269-684-0870
All bidders are required to sign  QR ODWHU WKDQ 7XHVGD\
D&HUWL¿FDWHRI&RPSOLDQFHWKDW 0DUFKDWSP(67 Niles Daily Star:
they will comply with all Feder- 3OHDVH VXEPLW RQH  RULJLQDO Mar. 6, 2021
al and State non-discrimination DQG RQH  FRSLHV RI \RXU UH- CUT WEEDS
laws and regulations. sponse to this RFP. There are
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in the opinion of the City Coun- RUFGZLWKWKHLUSURSRVDO WE CAN HELP.
1-877-460-0206 cil, is most advantageous to the
City. Late submissions will not be ac-
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Reach the county for less using Leader
Publications classifieds. Need a quick
quote? Submit your ad online at
No proposal shall be withdrawn LeaderPub.com.
© 2020 Inogen, Inc. All rights reserved. MKT-P0108 after the opening of proposals 1LOHV'DLO\6WDU0DU Call 269-591-6105.
for a period of thirty (30) days RFP MARIHUANA PROP
Page 28 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 EDWARDSBURG ARGUS Niles Daily Star
Dowagiac man heading back to jail
Two others sentenced
through Adult Treatment
Court Friday morning
By DEBRA HAIGHT
Leader Publications Contributor
CASSOPOLIS — A Dowagiac
man who cut off his electronic
tether last fall is going to be spend-
ing more time in jail after being
sentenced Friday in Cass County
Circuit Court.
Zachary Ryan Williams, 24, of
Cherry Grove Road in Dowagiac,
pleaded guilty to tampering with
electronic monitoring and was
sentenced to 330 days in jail with
credit for no days served. He must
pay $1,548 in fines and costs and
$690 in restitution for the cost of
the tether.
Williams is currently on parole
from a 2019 assault by strangula-
tion or suffocation conviction out
of Ottawa County. Cass County
Circuit Judge Mark Herman or-
dered that Williams can serve his
jail term in any correctional facil-
ity.
The incident occurred Sept. 21,
2020, in Dowagiac when he cut off
the electronic monitoring device
and absconded from parole. By the
time he was picked up by police
in Dowagiac in December, he had
amassed charges in Arizona, Mis-
souri and Berrien County.
Assistant Prosecutor DeVante
McCullom noted that Williams at
just age 24 has nine felony convic-
tions.
“I have some pretty big con-
cerns,” he said. “He was given a
chance for freedom and he decid-
ed to throw it all away by cutting
off his tether. He used alcohol ev-
ery day while he was absconding.”
RECYCLE YOUR PAPER
Zachary Ryan Williams
Defense attorney Robert Drake
noted that Williams has “a lot of
business to unwind” with the other
charges he faces here and in other
states.
“He’s not going to just be walk-
ing out the door,” he said.
Williams admitted that he has
been wasting his life away the last
few years and making bad deci-
sions.
“This is the first time that I’ve
gotten help,” he said. “I want to
move forward, I know I have a lot
of potential to do good things in
my life.”
Judge Herman called it disheart-
ening to see what Williams has
done with his life.
“You seem pretty out of control.
You’ve already been to prison,”
he said. “It’s disheartening to see
what you’ve done. You’re certified
as a nutritionist, you excelled in
sports and academics but you let
your impulses get the better of
you.”
“You can make changes, but you
need to get on board quickly,” the
judge added. “If you don’t change,
Michael Fritsche
you’re going to spend a lot of time
behind bars. Subsequent convic-
tions will increase your guidelines
to a prison sentence. That’s just the
reality of it.”
Two other area residents were
ordered to complete the Adult
Treatment Court program as part
of their sentence.
Michael Joseph Fritsche, 32, of
U.S. 12 in Edwardsburg, pleaded
guilty to possession of metham-
phetamine and was sentenced to
three years’ probation, completion
of Adult Treatment Court, cred-
it for nine days served, one-year
license suspension and $2,628 in
fines and costs.
He also had his probation con-
tinued and given credit for 12 days
already served for violating his
probation from a 2018 conviction
for possession of methamphet-
amine.
In the current case, police
stopped him April 30, 2020 in How-
ard Township. A police search of
his vehicle found a meth pipe and
other items.
“You’re 32 years old, and this
Richard Owen Kapiszka
is your second felony conviction,”
Judge Herman said. “You’re still
living in Edwardsburg with your
mother. It’s time to grow up, act
like a man, get a job and support
yourself. Part of the problem is
that you have no responsibilities.”
Katrina Marie Rice, 41, of Les-
ter Street in Dowagiac, pleaded
guilty to possession of metham-
phetamine as a habitual offender
and was sentenced to three years’
probation, completion of the Adult
Treatment Court program, cred-
it for three days served, one-year
license suspension and $2,628 in
fines and costs.
The incident occurred July 29,
2020, in Edwardsburg where police
found drug paraphernalia includ-
ing a meth pipe, scales and meth
residue during a search of the
home.
“You are 41 years old, and this is
your third felony conviction, all for
possession of meth,” Judge Herman
said. “With these priors, your next
conviction will lead to harsher and
harsher penalties. The guidelines
today would permit me to send
Ingvar Korogodsky
you to prison, I hope you keep that
in mind.”
“You need to get your act togeth-
er,” he added. “You can’t change
what you did in the past, but you
can move forward and change your
life for the better. … I hope you’re
serious about changing your life. If
not, prison is on your horizon.”
In other sentencings:
• Richard Owen Kapiszka,
35, of South Bend, pleaded guilty
to conspiracy to commit larceny
over $1,000 and less than $20,000
and was sentenced to credit for
86 days served and $1,608 in fines
and costs. The incident occurred
Aug. 3, 2020, in Mason Township.
Kapiszka also faces charges in In-
diana.
• Ingvar Korogodsky, 33, of
Union, pleaded guilty to posses-
sion of methamphetamines as a
habitual offender and was sen-
tenced to two years’ probation,
credit for 46 days served, one-year
license suspension and $2,268 in
fines and costs. The incident oc-
curred Sept. 15, 2020, in Newburg
Township.
Niles Daily Star EDWARDSBURG ARGUS Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 29

District narrows search to two

Lewis Cass ISD board
interviews first round of
superintendent candidates
BY SARAH CULTON
sarah.culton@leaderpub.com

CASSOPOLIS — After nearly a full day

of interviews, the Lewis Cass Intermediate
School District narrowed its superinten-
dent search to two individuals.
Following interviews Monday, the board
of education selected Blake Prewitt, super-
intendent of Lakeview Schools in Battle
Creek, and Andy Hubbard, superintendent
at Hartford Public Schools, to move forward
to a second round of interviews. Whichev-
er candidate is chosen will replace current
Superintendent Brent Holcomb, who an-
nounced last fall that he intended to retire
effective June 30.
Also interviewed during the first round
of interviews Monday were Jonathan Whan,
superintendent at Dowagiac Union Schools,
and Rusty Stitt, superintendent at School-
craft Community Schools.
“We interviewed four quality individuals
today who have done outstanding work for
students in their respective districts,” said
district board president Kevin Anderson
following Monday’s interviews. “Our focus,
as a board, has been to find the right leader
that will continue to move the LCISD for-
ward in the areas of student opportunities,
student achievement and working with our
local districts to achieve those goals. We are
The Lewis Cass ISD narrowed its superintendent search to two candidates Monday. (Leader photo/SARAH CULTON)
confident that we will find the right educa-
tional leader after our next round of inter-
views.”
On Monday, Prewitt began the series of
interviews. A superintendent of seven years,
he has previously worked in three different
ISDs, which he believed made him an ideal
candidate for the superintendent position.
He also comes with experience in special ed-
ucation and career and technical education
programs.
“I’ve worked in a number of different dis-
tricts, from small, rural districts to more
urban and suburban districts, which allows
me to bring a variety of experiences to the
table here,” Prewitt said. “My work as an ed-
ucational leader is my mission, and educa-
tion is a people business. It’s about building
relationships, whether that is with your em-
ployees, your parents, your students, your
community. That’s how you get things done
for the benefit of the kids. I’m excited about
working here, the culture that has been cre-
ated and continuing to move that forward.
Hubbard’s interview served as the last of
the day. Born and raised in southwest Mich-
igan, Hubbard worked in Dowagiac Union
Schools and Cassopolis Public Schools be-
fore moving to the Hartford Public School
District, where he has served as superinten-
dent for the past eight years.
He said he was drawn to the Lewis Cass
ISD position due to its rural, small-town feel.
“I think with me, the one thing you are
going to get is you are going to get loyalty
and trustworthiness,” he said. “I feel the next
step, and honestly the final step, in my ca-
reer is here. This is the area that I am from.
I feel I am a product of the area and want to
give back to the area.”
Hubbard and Prewitt will return for a sec-
ond round of interviews next Tuesday at
the Lewis Cass ISD administrative offices,
61682 Daily Road, Cassopolis. Hubbard’s
interview will take place at 8:30 a.m., with
Prewitt following at 10 a.m. Interviews will
be open to the public, though access may
need to be via Zoom.

Cass County Board of Commissioners to return to in-person meetings

STAFF REPORT
CASSOPOLIS — After nearly a
year of only talking to each oth-
er over a computer screen, Cass
County commissioners will see
be able to see each other in-per-
son.
During Thursday’s Cass County
Board of Commissioners meet-
ing, commissioners voted to re-
turn to in-person meetings. Since
the beginning of the COVID-19
pandemic, commissioners had
been meeting via virtual plat-
form Zoom.
According to the resolution
passed, starting Friday, county
meetings will be held in-person,
with virtual participation from
the public and any commission-
ers who are unable or unwilling
to participate in person.
According to commission-
ers, the decision to revert to the
in-person meetings due to in-
consistent practice among coun-
ty public boards. Some county
boards had been meeting in-per-
son, while others hosting a virtu-
al or hybrid option.
The resolution was introduced
by District One Commission-
er Ryan Laylin, and seconded
by District Four Commissioner
Roseann Marchetti. The resolu-
tion passed unanimously, with
Commissioner Robert Benjamin
absent.
Virtual meeting information
for the public can be found on
the county’s website, casscoun-
tymi.org.
In other business:
• The board approved a reso-
lution to continue services with
ICS Solutions for inmate com-
munications at the Cass County
Jail. In addition to the continuing
services with the company, the
resolution expanded services to
include optional video communi-
cations for inmates.
• In his public safety report,
Cass County Sheriff Richard
Behnke reported that his office
had received several calls of peo-
ple going through the ice over
the past week. He reminded resi-
dents that as the weather warms,
the ice on Cass County lakes and
ponds thins, increasing the dan-
ger of activities such as ice fish-
ing. He urged residents to use
caution.
Page 30 • Saturday, March 6, 2021 EDWARDSBURG ARGUS Niles Daily Star
Pictured is Deputy Supervisor Brigid Forlenza. She worked with the ad hoc committee to get new dry hydrants placed in Ontwa
Township. (Leader photo/SARAH CULTON)
Increasing public safety
Ontwa Township
installs dry fire hydrants
By SARAH CULTON
sarah.culton@leaderpub.com
ONTWA TOWNSHIP — Rural parts
of Ontwa Township and Edwardsburg
just got a little safer.
Ontwa Township recently complet-
ed phase one of its dry hydrant project
by installing two dry hydrants within
the township: one on the Christiana
Drive Bridge and one on the Redfield
Road Bridge. Dry hydrants are typi-
cally used in rural areas where munic-
ipal water systems are not available.
A dry hydrant is an unpressurized,
permanently installed pipe with one
end below the water level of a lake or
pond. When needed, firefighters can
use a dry hydrant to pump water from
the lake or pond to fight a fire.
The dry hydrants were installed last
week by Selge Construction, and the
project cost roughly $12,000.
According to Deputy Township Su-
pervisor Brigid Forlenza, the new dry
hydrants will increase public safety
Ontwa Township recently installed dry
hydrants on Redfield Road and Christia-
na Drive to help increase public safety.
(Submitted photo)
by providing additional resources and
close access to water to firefighters at-
tending to fires in rural areas.
“We have a lot of places that are
very rural in the township, which is 23
square miles,” she said. “We have a lot
of waterways, so this was something
viable we could do to address that.”
The project began in 2018 when an
ad hoc committee was formed to de-
cide how to spend township funds
set aside for fire purposes. Working
with Kevin Marks, project engineer
for Wightman, and Joe Bellina, chief
engineer Cass County Road Commis-
sion, the ad hoc committee decided
to install dry hydrants and chose their
locations based on recommendations
from Edwardsburg Fire Chief Bruce
Stack.
“This was really a group decision,”
Forlenza said. “This is what we kept
coming back to. It was a really collab-
orative project.”
Forlenza said the dry hydrants
would not only be used by the Ed-
wardsburg Fire Department but any
department that needed to use them
in the area.
“We are excited about this,” Forlenza
said. “It’s always exciting when a proj-
ect is completed.”
The ad hoc committee is current-
ly working on phase two of the proj-
ect, and Forlenza said the township
might install two more dry hydrants
throughout the area.
“We are looking forward to the next
phase of this project,” she said.
 Niles Daily Star EDWARDSBURG ARGUS Saturday, March 6, 2021 • Page 31
Fun in the snow
y EPS foundation awards physical education teacher $2,500
By SARAH CULTON
sarah.culton@leaderpub.com
n are trying to make a map. They were able
- EDWARDSBURG — This winter, stu-
dents at Eagle Lake Elementary School
g were able to trek through the snow and
become explorers, thanks to a grant
f from the Edwardsburg Public Schools
- Foundation.
The EPS Foundation recently awarded a
$2,500 grant to physical education teacher
Amanda Wallick to fund a project titled
“Winter Fun in Snow Shoes.” The grant al-
lowed Wallick to purchase snowshoes and
” compasses for a five-week program that
gave students the opportunity to learn
- about the benefits of snowshoeing, winter
safety and protecting wildlife.
s “I was very excited,” Wallick said of
- when she received the grant. “It was so ex-
citing for me, and for the kids to be able to
experience that.”
Wallick said the “Winter Fun in Snow
a Shoes” program built off of previous les-
- sons she had taught students while still
allowing them to learn something new.
- “I wanted to give the students a new
- experience, help them enjoy exercise
while being outside and have them learn
something that they can use for the rest of
their lives,” she said. “They learned how to
t do the different snowshoeing techniques.
They learned how to read a compass. They
learned how to problem solve when they
to use teamwork, and they learned about
things like wildlife safety and weather
safety to ensure that when they do play
outside, they are fully prepared.”
According to Wallick, her students were
as excited about the program as she was.
She said the program, which was complet-
ed in late February, was a success.
“They loved it,” she said. “They just
had a lot of fun being able to experience
something new. Being able to see their re-
actions was awesome. I would say out of
all the grades I teach at the building, only
about five kids have snowshoed before, so
being able to see their joy and their reac-
tion the first time they tried it, being able
to accomplish something they have never
done before, was really cool.”
Wallick said she was grateful to the EPS
Foundation for the grant and hopes to
continue to be able to expose her students
to new experiences and fun programs.
“My goal as a PE teacher is to give the
kids these different opportunities,” she
said. “It’s really cool to do all these differ-
ent units that give each child their individ-
ual thing that they fall in love with. What
was cool about the snowshoes is that it
gave us another opportunity to do that.”
 Edwardsburg Argus

Enhancing
public safety
Ontwa Township installs dry fire hydrants

Edwardsburg physical education students

learn to snow shoe thanks to grant P31

Multiple sentenced on drug charges

in Cass County Court P28