Improving our school grounds: east and
stadium parking lot renovations
Coloma Schools community,
I am thrilled to share some exciting updates about our ongoing improvements to the East Parking Lot and Stadium Parking Lot. These upgrades are part of the commitment we made to our community when we sought a Sinking Fund in 2018, which passed successfully thanks to your support.
The East Parking Lot has been a focal point of our repair projects this summer. The student parking lot and access road were removed and are being completely replaced. Next time you stop by, you’ll notice significant enhancements have been made, including widening the exit onto St. Joseph Street to accommodate separate left and right turn lanes, as well as a dedicated lane into the lot. We hope these changes improve traffic flow and safety for everyone accessing the school.
Additionally, new lighting is being installed in the parking lot to enhance visibility and security. We are upgrading to LED lighting to benefit from rebates offered by Michigan Indiana Power Company, which will also help us save on energy costs.
The Stadium Parking Lot has also undergone substantial improvements. The surface has been milled and we are in the process of refinishing and painting the entire lot. This will not only improve the aesthetics but also provide a safer and more functional parking area for our students, staff and visitors.
I am pleased to report that the bids for this extensive work came in well under our estimates, saving us approximately $500,000. This financial efficiency allows us to reallocate funds to other critical areas of need within our district. Both parking lots are scheduled to be completed around August 5, just in time for the new school year.
At Coloma Community Schools, we are committed to continuously improving our facilities and creating an environment where our students can thrive. Thank you to everyone who supported the Sinking Fund initiative. Your trust and investment in our school district enable us to make these necessary enhancements that will benefit our students, staff and visitors for years to come.
Superintendent Dave Ehlers
Press Box sports writer does wonderful job
Dear Editor,
Jerrod [Birmele] does a magnificent job covering the communities that he does. He is covering kids from all ages and I think he does a wonderful job. I enjoy reading all of his articles. Last year I put a picture of the young Watervliet girls in our football league. Which I got the idea from him, when he did it. Keep up the good work Jerrod!!
Marvin Ott
Mary Ann Pater hopes to continue serving Watervliet Twp.
Dear Editor,
Hello, I am running for Watervliet Charter Township Trustee and would like to ask for your support.
My husband, Joe Pater, and I have resided full-time in Watervliet since my retirement from Corewell Health where I was General Counsel and Vice President of Legal for over 30 years. Prior to our move, we lived in St Joseph where we raised our three children and had a summer home in Watervliet.
I’ve held many board positions over the years. I was on the St Joseph Public Schools board over 20 years where I served as both Vice President and President. I was also President of the Berrien County Medical Authority Board and past president of the Harbor Habitat for Humanity board.
I was appointed to the Watervliet Charter Township Board last year and hope to continue using my background and experience to provide leadership and oversight to this vibrant and beautiful community we live in.
Thank you for your support,
Mary Ann Pater
Ford is right for Coloma Twp. Trustee
Dear Editor,
Joanna Ford has entered the race for Coloma Township Trustee and I am thrilled to have someone of her caliber running on behalf of our community.
I have had the pleasure of getting to know Joanna this year through her position as Executive Director of Hope Resources. As someone that has shown impeccable leadership skills and a disciplined work ethic, Joanna consistently exudes a positive/caring attitude that is truly inspiring!
I feel confident that Joanna Ford is right for Coloma as our Township Trustee. I urge you to vote for Joanna Ford on August 6 and help our community continue to grow in the right direction.
Vickie Campbell, Coloma
Stepich has vision for growth of Watervliet Twp.
Editor,
I’m writing this letter to support Joe Stepich in his bid for re-election as Watervliet Charter Township Supervisor.
I’ve known Joe since he moved to Watervliet in 2003. I’ve worked closely with him over the last 2 years and have seen the dedication and commitment he has shown to the Township during that time.
I don’t think the community is aware of the many hours Joe devotes to the position of Supervisor and how well prepared and very knowledgeable he is about all the issues in and affecting the Township. Joe works well with our surrounding community leaders and under Joe’s leadership the Township is a growing, fiscally sound and progressive community.
Joe has proven his dedication to the Township since his first election to Supervisor and I strongly support his vision for the growth of the Township.
Please join me in voting for Joe Stepich as Supervisor of Watervliet Charter Township.
Joe Pater
Stay informed on where our democracy may be headed
Editor,
Project 2025 (P2025) is a Heritage Foundation (HF) Policy Guide staffed with Trump supporters that lays out their extremist plans for Trump’s presidency. P2025 supports special interests by proposing to dismantle democratic institutions, abolish governmental checks and balances, and greatly weaken the protection of women’s rights.
P2025 proposals include:
Eliminating/replacing government employees who refuse to bend/break laws to achieve authoritarian goals. P2025 plans to fire 50,000 career civil servants and replace them with political appointees who will support Trump’s extremist agenda;
Taking partisan control of the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Department of Commerce, the Federal Trade Commission;
Dismantling the Department of Homeland Security and eliminating the Department of Education;
Dismissing governmental checks and balances by increasing the President’s ability to act without Congress and installing conservative allies as acting administrators without seeking Senate confirmation;
Reducing the scope of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid;
Favoring the fossil fuel industry by rolling back many of President Biden’s climate policies and dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable energy programs;
Eliminating federal protections for reproductive health care, including contraception and abortion: Limiting utilization of mail-order abortion pills; Eliminating federal funding for providers who offer reproductive health services.
The President of the (HF) recently said that “the second American Revolution” will “remain bloodless if the left allows it to be”. The (HF) now coordinates with extremist groups, and recruits “foot soldiers” at State Fairs.
P2025 lists Trump’s name on 190 pages and is promoted by Trump’s superPAC. One of Trump’s key donors sits on the (HF) Board. His national press secretary appeared in a pro-P2025 video. Despite these strong links, Trump now claims he doesn’t know anything about P2025. He is doing so because he knows that the extremist policies contained in this document are highly unpopular.
It is time to fully educate ourselves. Do we really want authoritarian leaders to dismantle our democracy?
Kenneth Peterson
MAJ USA (Ret.)
Buchanan
Vote for common-sense leadership
Editor,
You don’t need us to tell you this is an election year! We are all seeing candidate TV and digital ads and mailings and receiving phone calls… “vote for this or that candidate.” Here at Right to Life of Michigan, we are in the thick of activity to elect prolife candidates who will safeguard the rights of women, parents and children, all at risk this year.
The 2024 election is one of the most important elections our state has seen. Not only is it the first election since the passage of Proposal 3, but it comes as political discourse centers on life issues. While a woman in Michigan can have an abortion for any reason at any point in her pregnancy, as a result of Proposal 3 passing, for choice to truly exist, a woman must have every opportunity to make a choice for life!
Women, parents and children are currently in danger under Michigan’s radical proabortion elected leadership. Parental consent is threatened in the state legislature and safeguards preventing tax dollars from being used on abortion are now challenged in the courts. This is after proabortion Democrats in the state legislature voted to remove abortion clinic health and safety regulations, and the courts stopped enforcement of the informed consent law which requires doctors to provide women medical facts about an abortion before she undergoes the procedure. Sadly, there is no question that women who ultimately decide to have an abortion now are at greater risk today than they were even a year ago.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer and her radical proabortion allies in the state legislature also are determined to further chip away at parental rights, intent on overturning parental consent for a minor girl seeking an abortion in Michigan. Currently, a minor girl seeking an abortion must receive her parent’s consent or seek a judicial bypass before obtaining an abortion. Parental consent for minors seeking an abortion is supported by 68% of voters.* Yet, just this March, when referring to the Reproductive Health Act which the Governor signed into law, Governor Whitmer told Michigan Public Radio the removal of parental consent for abortion “was a part of the original package, and I was advocating for the whole package to get to my desk…”
We must elect candidates who will stop eroding parental rights and instead do what they can to ensure a woman has what she needs to make a choice for life if she would like to do so. This includes strengthening prenatal and postnatal care and supporting the extraordinary work of Pregnancy Resource Centers as they provide free medical care, confidential counseling and material support to women facing an unexpected pregnancy.
This election is our opportunity to take back the State House of Representatives by electing candidates who better represent our values.
With the Michigan Primary Election underway, take time to vote for prolife candidates who stand for women and children in Michigan! Absentee ballots are now available. Early in-person voting started on July 27. The last day to vote is Primary Election Day, August 6. There is less than a week left to vote. It is imperative that you cast your ballot or, if you already have, encourage family, friends and neighbors to vote.
To aid in your effort to vote prolife, Right to Life of Michigan PAC endorsements can be found at rtl.org/elections. You can also generate a personalized prolife ballot at rtl.org/vote.
*Repealing Parental Consent: Opposed at 68%. Marketing Resource Group conducted a poll of registered voters in the state of Michigan, April 8 – 11, 2024 (614 Sample/MOE 4%).
Anna-Marie Pluymert
Director of Education &
Communications
Right to Life of Michigan
Comments