04-23-2020 Coloma author helps solve 90-year-old murder mystery; Edward Jones; Kute Kids

FREE FOR KIDS… In an effort to keep children engaged and reading, the Hartford Public Library has activities, crayons, and books in reading bags available for children on the front porch of the library. There is PreK to First Grade selections for the young children and Star Wars activities plus books for the older children. They are free to take and enjoy the activities, sticker sheets and books.

RIGHTING A WRONG… Celebrating together after the forum and luncheon are (from the left) Marie Williams, wife of Robert Williams (Alex’s nephew), Teresa Smithers, Dr. Sam Lemon, Osceola Perdue (Alex’s great-niece) and Jack Pokorny.

Coloma author helps solve 90-year-old murder mystery

Author and genealogist Teresa Smithers of Coloma, Michigan, was one of a handful of people recently recognized at the prestigious Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, one of the nation’s top-ranked liberal arts colleges, for helping to solve a 90-year-old Pennsylvania murder mystery of a Michigan woman that resulted in the partial expungement of the record of an innocent boy and in the creation of the podcast, “The Arc of Justice.” While researching her family history, Smithers discovered the tragic death of Vida B. Robare (nee Kinnee), who had married Smithers’ great-great uncle Fred Robare on January 29, 1916, in Schoolcraft County, Michigan. Their marriage was troubled from the start. Domestic violence was not spoken of in 1920 and resources were almost non-existent for single mothers. After divorcing in 1921, Vida (like many domestic violence victims) returned to her husband in 1922. Fred and Vida obtained a second marriage license in Baltimore, Maryland, and Vida began working at schools for boys. They were both working (Vida as a cottage housemother and Fred as a farming instructor) at Glen Mills School in Pennsylvania in 1930 when Vida was discovered dead of 47 stab wounds with what would later be determined to be an ice pick. No money was taken, despite there being $15 and a watch lying on the dresser in the room, and the only thing missing was Vida’s set of keys. The only other clue was a man’s bloody handprint (left hand—the identity of which was never followed up on). The story would be picked up by the Associated Press and make headlines across the country, bemoaning the death of this “attractive woman”. Fred was the last person to see his wife alive at the noon meal, and the first to find her body that evening when he returned from the fields with a group of students. Although all of the students at the school were questioned and had alibis, detectives returned to focus on one simple boy, Alexander McClay Williams. At first he emphatically denied any knowledge of the crime, but after three days of intense, possibly abusive, questioning, Alex wrote a confession. He actually wrote three confessions, each one more detailed, more sophisticated and more lurid than the last. He was then allowed a lawyer, William H Ridley, a black lawyer who, due to the restrictions placed upon him in 1930, was unable to save his young client. Ridley never got over his inability to prevent this youngest execution in Pennsylvania. His great-grandson, college professor Dr. Samuel Lemon, took up the mantle and determined to find justice. In his efforts, he contacted a distant relative of Teresa Smithers whom Smithers had already approached with thoughts that their great-great-uncle may have “gotten away with murder”. Lemon and Smithers made contact and the two began a partnership of research, searching for the truth. Through her research, Smithers discovered the Robare divorce record, the domestic violence and the strong possibility that Fred had committed the crime himself, providing a voice from the victim that would make Williams’ case for innocence even stronger. Dr. Lemon obtained court transcripts and records and contacted lawyers and judges that could advise and direct him on his quest. It became the focus of his book, “The Case That Shocked the Country: The Unquiet Deaths of Vida Robare, and Alexander McClay Williams – the youngest person in Pennsylvania to die in the electric chair – for a crime he did not commit” (2017). He told the story to Dr. Keith Reeves, Professor of Political Science at Swarthmore College, and Reeves suggested making a podcast of the story, although the technicalities of such a venture were foreign to him. Soon after, Jack Pakorny was assigned to him as a teaching assistant. Jack was able to take over the task of filming the podcast. The three of them spent many long hours in its creation. At her end, Smithers is in the process of writing the story as historical fiction, “The Curse of the Robares.” At the celebratory luncheon at Swarthmore, Smithers was able to meet the family of Alexander Williams and apologize on behalf of her family for the wrong done him by them. Glen Mills School in Pennsylvania has recently been closed by the state of Pennsylvania because of widespread student abuse. Release of the podcast, “The Arc of Justice,” which tells the full story of this case and its aftereffects, is temporarily delayed due to the recent state of affairs due to the coronavirus. Interested persons are asked to watch for it on their app store in the future. For more information on the podcast, contact: Jack Pakorny, Urban Initiatives Fellow and Teaching Assistant, Lang Center 210, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081.

THIS KUTE KID IS… Alyssa Krenek of Coloma who is turning 18 today! She is a student at St. Joe High School and has an older brother, Ryan. Alyssa’s parents are Scott and Ina Krenek who want to wish their daughter a HAPPY BIRTHDAY along with Aunts Evie and Lori and her Uncle Bruce!

Tax-deferred accounts get (temporary) boost from CARES Act You need to primarily rely on yourself to protect your health during the coronavirus. But from a financial standpoint, you may have gotten some relief – or at least some flexibility from the recently passed $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Retirement account holders, including owners of IRAs and 401(k)s are usually required to start taking distributions from these accounts once they reach age 72. The CARES Act waives these required minimum distributions (RMDs) for all employer plans and IRAs in 2020, with the exception of defined benefit plans. If you’ve already taken your distribution for 2020, you can put the funds back in your retirement account if you meet certain requirements. Of course, if you needed – or will need – the money from the RMD for your cash flow needs, you won’t have to return it. But if you don’t really need the money, avoiding an RMD in 2020 or returning an RMD to your retirement account will give the funds more time to grow on a tax-deferred basis before the RMDs are once again required in 2021. Another CARES Act provision allows for the 10% early withdrawal penalty to be waived for withdrawals up to $100,000 from qualified retirement accounts, including IRAs and 401(k)s, for individuals who qualify for COVID-19 relief. Qualifying individuals include those who are diagnosed with COVID-19, have a spouse or dependent who is diagnosed with COVID-19 or experience adverse financial consequences as a result of COVID-19, including quarantines, layoffs, business closures or child care responsibilities. Income tax on the distribution would still be owed but could be paid over a three-year period. Employer plan participants also may increase the amount that can be taken as a loan from a qualified retirement plan from $50,000 to $100,000 for 2020. While the CARES Act allows these penalty-free withdrawals and increased plan loan amounts, you will need to contact your plan administrator to determine whether these options are available in your plan. Even though you may be able to access these funds penalty-free, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should do so. Try to exhaust some of the other provisions in the CARES Act first, such as the mortgage or student loan relief, or using the direct payment to bridge the gap on current expenses before taking a distribution or loan from your retirement account. If you decide to take a withdrawal or loan, work with your financial advisor to consider developing strategies to contribute/pay back these funds over time to reduce any long-term impact to your retirement goals. Please consult with your tax professional before making any CARES Act-related moves with your retirement accounts. Partnering with your tax and financial professionals can help in the decision-making process. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy and keep looking forward to brighter days ahead. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC.