04-11-2019 Bainbridge Twp. works with County to do road repairs; Dollar General in Hartford celebrat

WE ARE POTAWATOMI… Some familiar smiling faces were recently spotted near the 39-mile marker of I-94. Ginny Wesaw Rice and Holly Drake Weinhart are Pokagon Band Potawatomi tribal citizens featured among a dozen others at IAmPotawatomi.com. The billboard promotes the new website which shares personal glimpses of the history and legacy of tribal culture through short vignettes of the 14 individuals sharing details of their lives and their proud Native American heritage of the rich history of the Potawatomi. Ginny is a Dental Hygienist and Holly a Registered Nurse who both work in the tribe’s healthcare services system. See their stories and more tribal history by visiting www.iampotawatomi.com

Bainbridge Twp. works with County to do road repairs

By Teresa Smithers Bainbridge Township Board met for their regular monthly meeting on Monday evening, April 8. It was business as usual as various agencies reported on their activities and the Board voted to approve the final amended budget. The Board discussed and then voted to accept an agreement with the County to pay $67,509 (50%) for road repairs in the Township. The following roads are scheduled to be repaired: Hochberger Road from Meadowbrook to the township line – level roadbed, prime and double seal; Hill Road, 1.01 mile – grind existing roadbed, add three inches of road gravel, grade and level; Bainbridge Center Road from Meadowbrook to Empire and from Territorial to Hill – add HMA as needed, then sealcoat. Board of Review A report by Assessor Scott Anderson stated that the recent Board of Review went very smoothly. For homeowners who question an increase on assessed values of their homes, Anderson explained in his report that “the value is influenced by the township’s sales that have occurred within the last two years.” So, as your house is worth more, the assessed value goes up. Now that the figures have been submitted to the County, Anderson plans to do more field work, so residents may see him out and about in Bainbridge Township as he prepares the 20% review plan. Other business Speaking of out and about, Ordinance Officer Dave Dent reported a total of 177 violations during the last fiscal year. All but three of those violations have been corrected. Most of the violations were for “litter and debris.” The Board voted to approve tree trimming at Boyer Cemetery by Total Tree Care for a quote of $1,800. Art Schmidt and Tom Wilson of Sister Lakes Cable came before the Board to ask their support as they seek a grant to provide high-speed fiber optic internet to Bainbridge Township. Superintendent Bill Hodge requested more time to do due diligence and be sure the County wasn’t making their own internet plans. He invited Sister Lakes Cable to present their request in more detail at the next planning commission meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, April 15, 7:00 p.m. Tom Wilson promised to be there. The Treasurer reported a total of $1,331,652.79 in assets for Bainbridge Township. The next Bainbridge Township board meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 13, at 7:00 p.m.

Lakeland celebrates lives saved through organ donation

Currently, 2,997 men, women, and children in Michigan, and 114,000 nationwide, are awaiting lifesaving organ transplants. Each day, on average, 88 lives are saved by an organ transplant in the USA; but 22 people die daily waiting for a transplant that never comes. During National Donate Life Month (NDLM), Spectrum Health Lakeland encourages community members to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors and celebrates those that have saved lives through the gift of donation. “Another person is added to the nation’s organ transplant wait list every 10 minutes,” said Maureen Bishop, RN, Clinical Nurse Specialist. “Through organ donation, one person can save up to eight lives while a single tissue donor can help up to 75 additional people in need. We encourage people of all ages and medical histories to become donors.” Last year, the generosity of Michigan’s 338 organ donors resulted in 1,087 life-saving organ transplants. Another 1,381 donors provided the gift of tissue for thousands of patients in need. So far this year, the generosity of Michigan donors has led to 245 transplants and saved numerous lives. To become an organ donor, visit any local Secretary of State office or www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/donatelife. Support for organ donation can also be shown by purchasing a “Donate Life” Michigan license plate. Proceeds from the purchase of this plate help support organ donation awareness.

Dollar General in Hartford celebrates grand re-opening Saturday

Dollar General’s store at 118 W. Main St. in Hartford is now open following major reconstruction and a complete makeover! It offers area residents a convenient new place to shop for everyday essentials at low prices. Dollar General will celebrate the store’s official grand re-opening on Saturday, April 13 at 8 a.m. with free prizes and special deals. Additionally, the first 50 adult shoppers at the store will receive a $10 Dollar General gift card and the first 200 shoppers will receive a Dollar General tote bag with complimentary product samples, among other giveaways. “Dollar General is committed to delivering a pleasant shopping experience that includes a convenient location, a wide assortment of merchandise and great prices on quality products,” said Dan Nieser, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development. “We hope our area customers will enjoy shopping at Dollar General’s new location.” The store’s fresh layout is designed to make shopping simple for customers. Seasonal products are displayed in the center of the store, departments are easily recognizable with visible signage and coolers are conveniently located at the front of the store. Traditional Dollar General stores employ approximately six to 10 people, depending on the need. Anyone interested in joining the Dollar General team may visit the Career section at www.dollargeneral.com. The Hartford Dollar General Store has been idle since May of 2018, the result of an arson fire that did serious damage to the structure and inventory. No one has ever been arrested for the crime and it is still under investigation. A $5,000 reward is still being offered for information about the fire.