By Sue Moore
The weather has played havoc for schools, roads, cars, retail, budgets for plowing and just general dissatisfaction, unless one likes winter sports. The schools’ administrators get up in the middle of the night to check the roads and decide whether students will sleep in another day. Getting stuck is one of the hazards of this profession, but when Superintendent Charlie Glaes got stuck and had to call for help, he got a lot of ha ha’s, from his cohort, out on the road, Assistant Superintendent Steve Goss. The moment of retribution was in store for Steve, when he slid off the far edges of the school district’s roads last week. He had to be hauled out with a wrecker and did some damage to the front end of his car. Students in Vicksburg, did get that day off too.
Banana Bread
Ken Schippers, Vicksburg’s interim village manager and head of the plow boys for the Village, got his come-uppance too, last week. He was called to a home on Park Street that had frozen water pipes, not once but twice. He warned the resident to keep a trickle of water running to no avail. The second time when he came back, the lady was apologetic, so much so, that she baked him a loaf of banana bread and brought it to the office the very next day. It was still warm, had butter melting on it, ready for the big guy to consume. It had walnuts in it, she said. Kenny is allergic to this delicacy and had to hand off his gift to the rest of the staff and sit there and watch them eat it.
Strive Winners
The Rotary Club in Vicksburg supports the Strive program in the high school, for students who need mentoring and motivation to complete their studies. To help finance the prizes and scholarships awarded at the end of the year, Oswalt Family Farms has donated a whole beef for the raffle drawing that was conducted at the Homecoming basketball game. Only 500 tickets are sold each year and four winners are announced who are the proud possessors of a quarter of a processed beef. Rotarians sell the tickets and they have been ably assisted by Keevin O’Neil, high school principal. He believes in the strength of the Strive program and has seen what it can do for students. Last year, two of his ticket buyers won a quarter each. This year he was shut out, but South County Community Services, was one of the lucky winners. Along with that, Dave and Charlene Taylor (Oswalt neighbors), Tiffany Brinkert (KCSB banker), and Vicksburg Family Dentistry, each found themselves a winner.
Library Renovations
Judy Imanse has exhibited her impeccable taste in decorating by choosing the colors for the fresh coat of paint on the walls of the Vicksburg District Library. All the books were moved from the selves by staff and Hugh Rinehart, who stacked in the middle of the room as the library closed for two days. A hired paint crew came in to make fast work of the job last week. Now it is reshelving the books and getting everything back in place that will take a lot longer. The colors are warm and inviting, replacing the neutral beige that had been on the walls for many years.
Chamber Events Announced
The Chamber of Commerce had two successful events in downtown Vicksburg in 2013 but they lost money on both, according to their leader, Steve McCowen. This summer they have announced one event, the Taste of Vicksburg and Art Hop combined, in hopes of drawing more people to town at one time and making some money to benefit the community. Its date has been set for Saturday, June 28 from 3-11, with the music planned to cease a half hour earlier, so residents living close by can get a bit more shut-eye than they did last year.
WWMT Interview
Ever the promoters, Dr. Ken Franklin and Mary Ruple were successful in getting Channel 3 interested in filming an interview focusing on the Showboat and the good that it does for the community. Alexandra Jokich met Ken, Mike Tichvon (Rotary Club president) and Dr. Lloyd Appell at Vicksburg Family Doctors office for an interview last week just after she had filmed the Polar Plunge in Kalamazoo. It will be aired just before the Showboat launches its 61st on-stage performance on Feb. 28.