Nail-biting finishers seemed to be a signature of the Vicksburg boys’ basketball team this year. So it wasn’t surprising when the year’s final game against Battle Creek Pennfield in District play was no different.
The Bulldogs and Panthers traded the lead back and forth throughout the contest. Whenever it looked like Pennfield would pull away, Vicksburg came charging back. After the first quarter, Vicksburg had a 16-15 lead that shifted to a 33-30 deficit at the half. Throughout the night, the Bulldogs did an excellent job of spreading the ball around.
Mitchell Beyer was on fire throughout the game, scoring 24 points, 15 from three-pointers. Andrew Gless was the next leading scorer with 11 points. Jaxson Wilson had nine points and Jordan Diekman had seven.
Carter Brown and Gabriel Ryder each added six, while Grant Balazs added a three-pointer to round out the scoring.
As the third quarter ended, the Bulldogs were down by 14 points, and the game looked like it was over. However, the team never gave up and came battling back in the final quarter.
“That’s kind of the resolve we’ve had all year,” Head Coach Zach Wierenga said. “We haven’t really counted ourselves out in any game. We’ve won several close games this year. We knew we had to believe we could do it. We had a good look at the end, and it just didn’t go in.”
Vicksburg managed to cut the lead to six points with just over 4:30 remaining in the contest. Pennfield didn’t miss many shots in the home stretch, which meant that the lead was still with 1:30 left in the game. That’s when Beyer sank a huge three-pointer to cut the lead to 73-71 with just 56 seconds left.
After the Panthers made a successful free throw, the Bulldogs made it 74-73 after Marchese rebounded his own missed shot and made good on the second chance opportunity. Pennfield made another free throw to make it 75-73, and Vicksburg had about 18 seconds left to tie things up.
The Panthers took a strategic timeout and then successfully defended the Bulldogs’ last-chance shot opportunity as time expired. Wierenga said the look they wanted was there, the shot just didn’t make it.
“We expected that with the timeout we called, and we kind of had what we wanted regardless of what the time was,” Wierenga said. “They play good defense, good for them. The last time we played them, we made the shot, we got the stop. So, that kind of happened to us tonight.”
Vicksburg ends the season with an 11-13 record. The good news is that the Bulldogs are only graduating five seniors. Most of their playmakers will return for the 2024-2025 campaign.
Vicksburg’s 2024 Public Improvement Grant program features six recipients who have committed to making upgrades that benefit the public.
Village Manager Jim Mallery described the grants during Village Council’s March 18 meeting. The second year of the program made funds available to:
117 E. Prairie St., former offices for the Hideaway, $3,750.
Gilbert & Ivy, $7,000.
R&R Weddings and Events, $7,500.
Classic Mortgage, $7,500.
Rise-n-Dine, $7,500.
Apple Knockers, $15,000.
In addition to the Vicksburg DDA, the Vicksburg Foundation and the village contribute financially as sources to the funding pool.
One request was turned down. “A request was received for 402 W. Prairie St. It was recommended by staff, supported by unanimous vote from the DDA to not award money in that request,” he said. “The project was a $900,000 project. The maximum amount of an award that we would contribute is $15,000 and the project’s anticipated completion date is 2026.”
Due to the scale of that project, Mallery said it might be more prudent to consider potential funding through Brownfield Redevelopment funds. The property is at the northwest corner of Prairie and Boulevard.
In the first year of the program, more than $63,000 in grants were awarded.
Historically, the village has provided small grant opportunities restricted to façade improvements. The property improvement grant, however, focuses on investments into businesses and buildings that would add a public benefit in downtown Vicksburg, Mallery said.
During last month’s meeting, council member Ryan Wagner asked about the future of the grant program. In response, Mallery sounded optimistic.
“I’m going to try to submit for supplemental funding from where we can find it to continue at these levels,” he said. “It’s our goal to find that funding to continue it.”
Mallery said the village has seen more than $230,000 of investments by the private sector in the last two years in the core downtown related to the grants. The village’s portion of that amount is about $80,000, Mallery said.
A popular residential service is returning to Vicksburg. Village council members last month approved funding a curbside junk pickup to be scheduled in September.
Village Manager Jim Mallery provided details during the council’s March 18 meeting. He said a $35,000 contract will be formalized with College Hunks Moving and Storage to provide the service.
He noted the pickup was previously held in the spring but due to limited availability by the company, the village had no choice but to work around College Hunks’ schedule.
“This service will provide residents with an opportunity to dispose of unwanted items and clutter in an efficient and environmentally friendly manner,” Mallery said. “College Hunks has a proven track record providing reliable and professional hauling service with Texas and Comstock townships. The fall cleaning pickup will not only enhance the cleanliness and aesthetics of the community, but also promote responsible waste-management practice.”
Mallery said longtime village residents might recall the curbside service eventually evolved into a drop-off event at the Little League complex by Sunset Elementary.
He said the fall collection will be assessed and a decision made afterward to determine the fate of the curbside service.
“It is a weighted cost that we’re estimating. Our plan right now is to evaluate the program this September to determine if it’s fiscally responsible for the village to continue (in) subsequent fiscal years,” he said.
Council member Gail Reisterer said she prefers the fall collection because it gives her time to sort through her garage during warm-weather months and stockpile items for the pickup.
Council member Carl Keller noted the service is popular but it still comes at a cost to the village’s general fund.
“We’re having to budget money for this; it isn’t free,” he said. “But it is a service that residents had gotten used to over the years and when it went away, I know it affected me, as well.”
Several other matters were presented during the meeting:
Two part-time seasonal positions were approved. A total of $12,500 was allocated for the jobs. One is mowing village property, with a cap of 20 hours per week. The other is grounds and maintenance specifically focusing on weeding downtown properties, Oswalt and Clark parks and other village-owned properties. In addition, a six-month internship through WMU was approved for a 24-hours-a-week position focusing on event coordination. Council members approved a $9,000 allocation to fund the post.
The council endorsed the purchase of 24 new picnic tables. Mallery said the tables will enhance the village’s parks and recreation system, as well as support downtown events. The tables are eight feet in length; two will comply with guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mallery said the tables are portable and constructed of expanded metal. Total cost is $25,400 and will come from the village’s Parks and Recreation budget. He said the tables will arrive by mid-May.
The purchase of four radar speed signs was approved. The solar-powered signs display speed of an approaching vehicle and serve as a reminder to slow down entering the village limits. Cost for the four signs is $12,000 total. Mallery said they will be placed at the east and west ends of Highway Street, East V Avenue and Richardson Street. They will be installed this summer.
Fees and rental rates will increase starting July 1. Mallery said the current fee schedule has not been revised since January 2020. He said site-plan review is the most common service that will be affected by the increase. The move also means pavilion rentals will increase to $300, a $100 increase, with a $100 refund issued if garbage is taken care of and the pavilion area is left in order.
Left: Cub Scout Gemma and her dad Chris Laginess participating in the Pinewood Derby last month. LilyAnn Campbell, Eagle Scout, at right.
By Audrey Seilheimer
In 2017, Boy Scouts of America decided it would be registering both boys and girls for its scouting programs. In 2018, the policy change was put into action. The first girls to participate started in the kindergarten-to-5th grade Cub Scout division.
The Scouting program, with its familiar motto “be prepared” was started in the U.S. in 1910. It was officially recognized by Congress in 1916 with passage of a bill which incorporated the organization and created its national charter. President Woodrow Wilson signed it into law.
Fast forward to 2018 and it seemed the organization was preparing to adapt to a different future after struggling with years of abuse lawsuits and devastating news from its past.
The organization announced it was officially changing its name from Boy Scouts of America to Scouts BSA to drop the “boy” and encourage more girls to participate and formally receive the benefits of the scouting curriculum and leadership experience, along with other updates and changes.
“This really wasn’t anything disruptive because girls had been participating informally, attending as siblings with their older brothers for many years,” explained Jacob Maxon, Pathfinder district executive for Scouts BSA’s Michigan Crossroads Chapter.
“The position of BSA is one of understanding that there is nothing a girl can’t do.” says Maxon.
“Sisters would come to meetings and do everything the boys were doing. But now, by formally registering and participating in the program as Scouts, they get the benefits, rewards and all the opportunities to learn. The nice part for parents is that siblings of both genders can come to the same location at the same time and equally participate, which makes it a lot easier for parents juggling already complicated schedules.”
There are no special requirements or changes in the program other than some minor safety requirements as the program incorporates girls as participants, Maxon said.
“For our cub scouts in kindergarten through fifth grade, the boys and girls participate in activities together. For our troops participating in BSA grades 6-12 we have found that sharing resources – but having separate troops of both boys and girls – allows for more leadership skills to develop for youth leaders representing Scouts effectively for their peer groups. This was a National Council decision” said Maxon.
Maxon was asked why a girl would participate in BSA other than to be in the same location as her sibling.
“I can’t speak to what another program does or doesn’t do and some members of our troops participate in both programs. Our goal was to design a formal process to allow more people to participate at every level.”
As regional executive, Maxon helps to guide scouts and leaders in four counties with 1,200 Scouts.
Recently, LilyAnn Campbell was awarded her Eagle Scout rank in Vicksburg. The milestone was celebrated by all with her Eagle Court ceremony in November. Witnessing the hard work and dedication the program takes to earn such an honor, it’s heartening to see it awarded to LilyAnn, and also for leaders like Scott Luegge, who leads the local girls BSA troop, to step up to serve the kids in this program.
As a mom of a male scout participant, it was wonderful to see fathers and daughters enjoying the pinewood car derby alongside boys with their dads. Perhaps, best of all was witnessing a big brother applaud when his sister won an award for best-designed car. “That’s my sister!” He clapped and hugged her as she showed him the trophy.
So much of the good attributes of the scouting program are embodied in this modern effort to be prepared for the future and to include everybody. The future includes everyone getting to learn, achieve, and lead, and that’s a nice idea. Parent volunteers continue to deliver the program for future generations.
Vicksburg native Chris Moore, responsible for a multi-million-dollar restoration of the former Lee paper mill, is restoring three adjoining buildings on Vicksburg’s Main Street.
Construction crews are expected to begin the work at 106, 108 and 110 South Main in coming weeks. Exterior renovation will last through the summer. Interior renovations will continue over the next 12 to 24 months.
Vicksburg-based Frederick Construction serves as general contractor. HopkinsBurns Design Studio of Ann Arbor serves as the historic architect. Both are longtime collaborators with Moore. Eckert Wordell of Kalamazoo serves as the architect for interior renovations.
In 2022, Moore and his local staff collaborated with the village and historical consultant Cheri Szcodronski to place hundreds of commercial and residential properties on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation allows downtown developers to pursue tax credits for their projects.
Restoration of the three buildings follows Moore’s most recent endeavor to fully restore nearby buildings on Prairie Street into the popular Mackenzies Bakery and Prairie Ronde Artist Residency. These buildings have been designated on the National Register of Historic Places.
Moore is proud of the National Register designation. In the 1980s, his mother, the late Sue Moore, owned a nearby building that was eventually sold and torn down to make room for a parking lot. Witnessing the loss of a historically significant building inspired Moore to save as many buildings as possible.
“I strongly believe that small towns are going to rebound and be highly desired places to live and socialize in the future,” said Chris Moore. “A strong factor in bringing business and people back to ‘Main Street’ will be the charm and aesthetic appeal that historic buildings in small towns offer, compared to the cookie-cutter, generic atmosphere of suburban retail areas.”
Another benefit, according to Moore, is how the restoration of the downtown buildings directly correlates to The Mill.
“We see the investment in the downtown restoration as serving the same goals, which is to bring commerce to Vicksburg and ensure our buildings will be healthy and profitable for the next 200 years,” Moore said. “I’m excited to help the village bring these beautiful buildings back to life, and I’m passionate about ensuring that future generations can enjoy Vicksburg’s historic charm. The National Register designation will help protect these buildings for generations.”
During the renovation efforts, one of the building’s tenants, The Mill at Vicksburg Visitor Center at 106 S. Main, will temporarily relocate to 101 E. Prairie Street, a Moore-owned building connected to Mackenzies’ Bakery. The Visitor Center is where visitors can learn more about project updates at The Mill and other downtown restoration efforts. The other tenant in the space, at 108 and 110 S. Main, is Cone Top Brewery Museum, another project of Moore’s. The museum will temporarily close. When it reopens, it will serve as the anchor tenant of the space and occupy more space.
Aside from his desire to restore the physical structures in a way that highlights their historical features, Moore’s other motivation is to lure high-quality businesses that will continue to bring more people to the downtown area, something that has been successful within his past renovations.
“The people of Vicksburg deserve to have a downtown filled with businesses and retailers that bring value to the community,” Moore said. “We hope our efforts will lure some entrepreneurs and established businesses to try the area.”
Moore’s longtime architecture partner agrees with the thinking behind the renovation efforts.
“Having a vibrant downtown is extremely important to the success of a community,” said Gene Hopkins of HopkinsBurns Design Studio. “Celebrating the architectural heritage of downtown is a key component for expressing its vitality and relevance. Preserving the buildings in downtown Vicksburg enriches the community by celebrating its past.
“Chris Moore is doing just that. As preservation architects, we are very excited to be the architects working with Chris in restoring the downtown buildings, celebrating Vicksburg’s heritage.”
Being able to provide end-of-life care to a loved one is a blessing. Vicksburg resident Lisa Kreutz helped her father fight a brave battle for 17 years before his disease brought about his end. The long battle had a profound and lasting effect on Lisa.
At the end she was 55 years old and needed a release, so she turned to running. Running helped her “zone out’ and provided some mental relaxation. It may have been a response to her father’s illness; he was in a wheelchair toward the end of his battle. Early on she ran three times a week. Now, at the age of 63, she runs twice weekly.
Somewhere in her early running hobby she decided to take part in a 5-kilometer race. The hobby would soon become what some would call an obsession. Running became part of family vacations. She would find races in the states they were visiting. The expansion of running in other places was exhilarating, and soon vacations were expanded to run races in nearby states. And somewhere along the road the end goal became to run races in each U.S. state.
In the 48 contiguous states, this meant driving with her husband Chris Kreutz and the family dog, Hailey, at the beginning of the journey, and then Bronson after Hailey passed away. Chris and the dog were assigned to meet Lisa at the finish line at each of those races. The most races completed in a two-week vacation was six, in six different states in the northeastern U.S. Chris and the dogs did their job in each state other than from Alaska and Hawaii. Both required air travel, so Chris was on his own to greet Lisa at the final two races.
The quest was completed with a final race on January 20, 2024. It took her 2,821 days, or almost 8 years. Total miles in training and races added up to just under 3,371 miles. Lisa ran in 25 states under the age of 60 and the other 25 over. The highest elevation in her quest was 8,723 in Laramie Wyoming, and the highest elevation gain was 634 feet in a five-mile trail race in California. Lisa finished in the top three in 12 states, and her personal best time was 28:23 in Greenwood, Mississippi, where she won the Grand Master Award for being the first female over 40 to cross the finish line. The quest began with a race in Ohio and finished with a race in Hawaii. One of her races, in Omaha, Nebraska, was run virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.
All the memories hang in the Kreutz home on a wall plaque picturing the 50 U.S. states and holding all the medals received. Close friend and neighbor Patti Bowen describes Lisa as an “inspiration,” and points out that her grandson Brayden Odell, 17, is being mentored by Lisa. Patti adds, “Lisa gave a plaque, identical to hers, to Brayden and he has already completed races in 9 states.”
(Writer’s note: This story was completed with information provided solely by Chris Kreutz and Patti Bowen to surprise Lisa with this tribute. This explains why the obvious question of “What’s next?” was not asked.)
