By Sue Moore
This has been a winter for the record books. The snow is coming down again with more ferocity and we have a newspaper to print and distribute in the next two days. Fortunately, it is all pretty much done electronically these days, so with a push of a button on Sunday night, our designer Kim Marston will send it to J-Ad Graphics in Hastings. They will print it on Monday, it should go to the post office on Tuesday and if the roads are somewhat clear, it should be in your mailbox by Wednesday, February 5.
Melissa at the Vicksburg post office reports that her carriers must make all attempts at delivery, no matter the weather. This past week, some back roads have been impassable so drivers have been stuck a few times, but managed to get help and keep going. She is asking residents in the rural areas to get the area around mail boxes cleared out to make the approaches for the mailperson less treacherous. The town carriers would also appreciate having the sidewalks shoveled so the walk up to the door can be navigated.
Snow plows have been working overtime for a month now and the wear and tear has meant lots of parts that breakdown. NAPA Auto Parts on W. Prairie has done a brisk business in keeping these heavy trucks and plows out on the road each day. The villages biggest headache is the overtime and cost of fuel to keep the roads and sidewalks clean.
Traffic on I-94 has been halted a number of times with accidents due to the conditions, but last week, a Summit Polymers semi rolled over and dumped part of its contents. That meant that production had to go into overdrive (no pun intended) at the Vicksburg plant to make up for what was lost.
The stores shelves at Harding’s in Schoolcraft and Family Fare have had a naked look from time to time as customers rush in to stock up every time a new blast rolls in from the West.
Certainly the schools have been affected, particularly the winter athletic contests. Mike Roy reports that rescheduling has had to occur so many times over, the teams might even have to forfeit if another snow day happens in the next two weeks. The state MHSAA says that no more than three basketball games for a team can be played in any one week. Plus, the season ends on 2/18 with many cancelled games to play before then.
The Kalamazoo Symphony has a concert on Sunday, February 9 at Chenery Auditorium that features a marimba solo by Ken Jones a Schoolcraft resident and High School graduate. He teaches music during the week at Lincoln school and has a 15 year old son who is a percussionist with the Schoolcraft band.
Bob Smith, Vicksburg’s expert on making maple syrup with his Sugar Shack operation on V Avenue shared he expertise at Wedels Garden Center on February 1 during a big extravaganza they are having to encourage spring to get here just a little bit sooner.
New owners have taken over Child’s Play Learning Center on W. Prairie in Vicksburg. Christi Hill the granddaughter of Bonnie and Tom Holmes, is one of buyers.
Dwight Blodgett has joined as a partner with Norman & Paulsen, P.C. with offices in Sturgis and Three Rivers but plans to keep his office on Sprinkle Road in Vicksburg for the time being, especially for tax season where his wife Donna will continue to work, taking care of their many local clients.
It’s great to see that the Vicksburg Hall of Fame, which recognizes top high school athletes through the years has sprung back into action under the tutelage of Tom Willmeng and Mike Roy. A ceremony honoring the four people chosen for induction in 2014 will be held at Angels Crossing on March 22. The honorees will be announced in the March edition of the South County News.