tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60891560859136841042024-02-19T21:25:39.651-05:00Inside the NewsroomNews, commentary, insight on local happenings and fun from the staff of The Saline Reporter and Milan News-Leader.Michelle Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12928503583422208570noreply@blogger.comBlogger405125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-87689294850043139622013-02-28T15:41:00.001-05:002013-02-28T15:41:07.856-05:00Making bowlsOne of the things I like about being a reporter is that I get to meet so many great people on my beat. Every time I go out to do a story I never know who I am going to meet.
Nearly every time I will meet some really great people and learn something I didn’t know before. That is what happened to me when I accepted an invitation in October to become a celebrity bowl maker for Saline Area Schools’ Empty Bowls fundraiser for Food Gatherers.
While the story sounded intriguing, the idea of working with clay caught me off guard. It had been 30-plus years since I had worked with clay and even then I produced works that only my mom would accept and keep around for these many years.
But the art teachers were a patient and encouraging group and they showed me the ropes of working with clay.
I used a bowl as my mold and then let the clay speak to me, a phrase art teacher Kevin McCown coined. While others were making really nice bowls or a beehive, my clay was telling me to make a baseball mitt.
McCown showed me how to use tools to create the webbing of a glove and the leather threads to tie it together. I created a ball to rest in the pocket. I enjoyed the experience and wish I had more time to work on my bowl.
Other celebrities, such as Fire Chief Craig Hoeft, had done this before and got to work on making a bowl that would eventually have a Dalmatian pattern on it. Some, like then-school board president Lisa Slawson had her old art teacher nearby for inspiration.
I muddled through and got my mitt to a condition I was happy with and then I had to leave.
I came back in January to paint my bowl. I had considered what colors I wanted to use before I settled on Saline’s school colors of maize and blue. This was hard for a dedicated Spartan fan, but I told myself it was for a good cause.
The painting went smoothly as I made the mitt blue, with yellow for the threads; I used white and red to make the baseball and red on the underside.
It soon became apparent that I had made a copy of the logo for the Milwaukee Brewers. Not exact, but close enough for people to comment on it later.
The work paid off on Feb. 7 at Empty Bowls at the high school when I saw my bowl among the other creations and I got a lot of congratulations. I had fun complimenting my fellow bowl makers and fishing for compliments.
The celebrity bowls were up for a silent auction and even though I campaigned, I only saw $8 on it. Still, it was for a good cause, so the hungry won in the end.
If I come back next year, I am already thinking of what I can create.
My thanks again to all the art teachers who helped me, it was a wonderful experience.
Jim Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00008464050220870153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-62264549154051168162013-01-31T14:47:00.002-05:002013-01-31T14:47:44.620-05:00Life at the Community Media LabToday at the Community Media Lab I took a break from my stories to work on several apps that can help journalists tell a better a story or improve the presentation.
The sites I went to today included bighugelabs.com, Flickr and Storify.
The first site is one of the coolest I have visited and one where I had the most fun. You can make movie posters ID badges, calendars and more. I had fun trying to create something special.
On Flickr, you can make slideshows with all the photos you upload. I did one last weekend for the Winterfest in Saline. I am still learning.
Storify I am going to try today to see if I can do something with a story I am working on.
Please come and say hi on Thursday afternoons between 12:30 and 4 p.m. at 215 Michigan in Ypsilanti.
Staff Writer Jim Pruitt can be reached at 734-429-7380, jpruitt@heritage.com or via Twitter @BigPruitt. Text HERNews and HER-Weather to 22700 to receive news and weather alerts to your cell-phone. Msg and data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.
Jim Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00008464050220870153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-40388484123192965602013-01-03T13:32:00.004-05:002013-01-03T13:32:49.551-05:00Welcome to the CML 2013Another year has begun and that means another year of service here at the Heritage Media Community Media Lab.
I have been working at the lab since September and I have met some interesting people here. Though the pace is slow sometimes, I have enjoyed the people I have had a chance to help.
I work Thursday afternoons from 12:30-4 p.m. at the lab in Ann Arbor Spark building at 215 Michigan in downtown Ypsilanti. The shifts are nice and location is great. There is a lot of activity here at the Spark site. They have many events so I can meet people that way.
But helping the public connect with the world of journalism is my main focus. I am here to help anyone who comes by with questions about blogging (like this article) and how to access social media.
So if you have the time and are interested or have questions, please come on down.
Staff Writer Jim Pruitt can be reached at 734-429-7380, jpruitt@heritage.com or via Twitter @BigPruitt. Text HERNews and HER-Weather to 22700 to receive news and weather alerts to your cell-phone. Msg and data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.
Jim Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00008464050220870153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-8449847342918344802012-12-21T11:57:00.000-05:002012-12-21T11:57:07.480-05:00Interviewing legislatorsI got a chance to interview the four people who will represent Washtenaw County in the Michigan House of Representatives Thursday at the Community Media Lab. The lab is a great place to show off and I thought it would be a great spot to showcase the Ann Arbor Spark building as well.
So the four state reps, Jeff Irwin and Dave Rutledge, who will start their second terms next month and newly elected Gretchen Driskell and Adam Zemke and I chatted for nearly 90 minutes about various issues for the county, the recent election and what the future holds.
The story will come out late next week after I go through my notes and edit some videos.
I had a good time and I hope to use it as an interview spot again in the future. I would appreciate some more company. So in January, you can come down Thursday afternoons between 12:30 and 4 p.m. at 215 Michigan in Ypsilanti.
I'd love to see you.Jim Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00008464050220870153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-67297845457687863472012-10-18T13:59:00.001-04:002012-10-19T09:57:46.522-04:00What are your thoughts on mass transportation?The countywide transportation plan is getting different receptions so far across the county. AATA officials say about five townships have opted out. Saline said yes, but Milan has tabled the matter until it gets more information.<br />
<br />
What are your thoughts on the issue?Jim Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00008464050220870153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-31643930269704663052012-09-04T11:57:00.000-04:002012-09-04T11:57:03.281-04:00Art PrizeThree area residents are entering this year's Art Prize contest in Grand Rapids. It's an interesting contest with 1,517 entries in 161 venues all withing a 3-square-mile area downtown. Check out artprize.org for more details.<br />
<br />Jim Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00008464050220870153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-73130404018691898182012-05-31T18:53:00.000-04:002012-05-31T19:01:49.680-04:00IT workshop for women at EMU draws crowd of teenagers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniVzZgoRTnM9e1FAbh5GPx9viEq0qD6LCenEFVVTjCMYuLDbScp_tj3Z8EbjR4TC76PQ9RJ1XedlTNvlDMnv_Va94nhu7AqaIsKpU3zVuTF_tbBkSu3D1mWDRtWVILNcjkfxTXh6mVjU/s1600/webDigital+Divas+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniVzZgoRTnM9e1FAbh5GPx9viEq0qD6LCenEFVVTjCMYuLDbScp_tj3Z8EbjR4TC76PQ9RJ1XedlTNvlDMnv_Va94nhu7AqaIsKpU3zVuTF_tbBkSu3D1mWDRtWVILNcjkfxTXh6mVjU/s320/webDigital+Divas+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Last week I covered an interesting event at Eastern Michigan University, a workshop for middle school- and high school-aged girls focused on being safe online while also introducing them to the possibility of future careers in the IT and information assurance fields. Only about 12 percent of the workforce of these fields are women. This presents an opportunity as employers seek to develop a more diverse workforce. Among the speakers at the workshop was Debbie Dingell, wife of Congressman John Dingell, who spoke to the girls in attendance about both main topics. The workshop was titled Cyber Security in the 21st Century: Digital Divas. <a href="http://heritage.com/articles/2012/05/25/ypsilanti_courier/news/doc4fbeeaa413ac5153400610.txt">Click here for the full story with video</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-83227253022605022532012-03-14T12:05:00.000-04:002012-03-14T12:05:06.641-04:00Wild turkey running around downtown Saline caught on tape!Maybe to me it's not uncommon, but I can't say I've seen this before.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Arriving at the Heritage Media office at about 7:30 a.m. today, I got out of my car and spotted a strange sight: a giant bird walking through the parking lot.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I quickly moved out of my car, moving carefully toward the back of the lot near the Key Bank drive-thru ATM. I spotted the bird walking toward the back door of Key Bank, and moved in a little closer to capture some footage. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Needless to say, it started running and flew away, but not before I was able to capture the bird on film. Take a look:</div><div><br />
</div><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="330" id="cs_player" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&auto_start=0&auto_next=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&auto_start=0&auto_next=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="330" /></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-77860901758762741452012-03-05T14:01:00.000-05:002012-03-05T14:01:02.157-05:00Special Olympics basketball is quite the game to watch<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcVHPyHDFM8kVRyLVCmLxW1DvJx5xv9okW_XuoaOI9b3v5VKa0LllKGE276rOgRXGHXuA3gWxonmA2hbfQkNWHzGsKoqmIMbi7D3N3-rnPGXRZcyZXciD97XkUr4pU2-Sok7HyYAbmPg/s1600/basketball+photo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcVHPyHDFM8kVRyLVCmLxW1DvJx5xv9okW_XuoaOI9b3v5VKa0LllKGE276rOgRXGHXuA3gWxonmA2hbfQkNWHzGsKoqmIMbi7D3N3-rnPGXRZcyZXciD97XkUr4pU2-Sok7HyYAbmPg/s400/basketball+photo+for+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tipoff between the Hot Shots of Oakland County and the Green Wasps<br />
of Washtenaw County at Saline High School Saturday.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
There can be a stigma to the phrase "Special Olympics."<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Unfortunately, the events have seen some very negative connotation over the years. Crude jokes, insults, you name it, it's probably been said by people.</div><div><br />
</div><div>But many of those people haven't seen some of the athletes, and man, can they play.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I attended the regional tournament this past Saturday for basketball at Saline High School, which is for teams in southeast Michigan. My brother has competed in the games in different events for years. He's competed at the state summer games in Mount Pleasant, the basketball tournament in Saline and Grand Rapids and the soccer tournament in Warren. It's been very important to him and many of his friends, who he competes with.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The tournament for most teams is a four-team bracket: winners play winners, losers play losers. My brother, who competes for a team in southeast Oakland County, played against teams from Brighton and Saline Saturday. After losing an early match to the team from Brighton, he and his teammates played against the Saline Green Wasps, a game I was excited to see them play, since Saline is now my turf in my family.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Some of these athletes definitely play elsewhere, and are quick and skilled. They really can leave on the edge of your seat when you watch.</div><div><br />
</div><div>After being shut out fin the fourth quarter, my brothers team squaked out a win against Saline 29-27 (They play four 6-minute quarters). It's a fun event during the day at Saline High School, with many area teams and local high school students and referees volunteering their time on a Saturday in March.</div><div><br />
</div><div>In case your curious what gameplay may look like at an game like this, take a look at the sequence I captured on my phone. Saline is in blue and yellow, and southeast Oakland County is in white: </div><br />
<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="330" id="cs_player" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&va_id=3326227&auto_start=0&auto_next=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&va_id=3326227&auto_start=0&auto_next=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="330" /></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-47060372777732869292012-02-27T14:00:00.000-05:002012-02-27T14:00:26.187-05:00A commendation to Milan High School student Alyssa Stuart writer for telling her storyLike most others, I was amazed at the writing of Milan High School student Alyssa Stuart when she wrote about <a href="http://heritage.com/articles/2012/02/27/milan_news_leader/news/doc4f4946345e5ab450933650.txt" target="_blank">her experience of being bullied to the point of being assaulted</a> earlier last week.<br />
<br />
I commend Alyssa for her writing of what happened. It's tough for anyone to do, let alone a high-schooler. I was assaulted in high school, and not once did I feel the need to write about it in such detail to share my story. Especially with the way publishing is these days, it means the whole world can potentially have insight into what happened that day.<br />
<br />
It takes writers such as Alyssa, who has <a href="http://alyssastuart.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/no-tolerance/" target="_blank">written about bullying before</a>, to help bring light to what happens in high school. It's been almost six years since I was in high school, but I'm certain some things have changed, while others have not. Unfortunately, bullying doesn't seem to have gone away, even with the loads of education against it.<br />
<br />
Of course we will wait and see what happens, since someone has <a href="http://heritage.com/articles/2012/02/27/milan_news_leader/news/doc4f4965b7bcaa1929999324.txt" target="_blank">been charged in the case</a>. Until then, it's best we look at how to help eradicate problems such as bullying, and use examples such as Alyssa's to do just that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-53132399713743565852012-02-22T17:45:00.003-05:002012-02-22T17:58:23.918-05:00Local fire chiefs talk about cooperation and consolidation between departmentsI've put together and uploaded two videos today based on my talks with Saline Fire Chief Craig Hoeft and Pittsfield Township Fire Chief Sean Gleason. I interviewed them for a story that will be appearing in an upcoming special section called What's Next. One video is on cooperation in general and possible consolidations in the future.<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="cs_player" width="425" height="330"><param name="movie" value="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&va_id=3297959&auto_start=0&auto_next=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&va_id=3297959&auto_start=0&auto_next=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="330" /></object><br /><br />The second focuses on one of the topics, a specific example of cooperation, that will be featured in the full story: a box alarm system between Ann Arbor, Pittsfield Township, Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township.<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="cs_player" width="425" height="330"><param name="movie" value="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&va_id=3297934&auto_start=0&auto_next=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&va_id=3297934&auto_start=0&auto_next=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="330" /></object><br /><br />It was great talking to both Chief Hoeft and Chief Gleason.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-79973472556242838522012-02-21T07:59:00.000-05:002012-02-21T07:59:47.842-05:00It's paczki day: where did you get yours?<div>Tomorrow begins the season of Lent for Catholics and many Protestants, a season of fasting and penitence. Which means it's time for the metro Detroit favorite, the paczki.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4_aAlublwM2bnLC2ZiAn-y6Mje9erNDoubF3_zL6_3ivMOplZNWfuMQ9EnK7AcfvEGgII_nPYpy-epJbm_WxRNbh9YbcaFbnAha4bEHliz_nJ-Fx_L5y7oQo33Qt5TVNbx5IDU8Ch3w/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast of champions...?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
A Polish favorite, the paczki has gained statewide popularity. I picked mine up at Benny's Bakery in downtown Saline this morning, and the line was the longest I've ever seen at the bakery.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where did you pick yours up around Washtenaw County today? And who makes the best paczki?</b><br />
<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-40086150831625789732012-02-15T20:30:00.007-05:002012-02-15T21:00:22.104-05:00A reflection on Native American imagery in sports in Milan<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBV34uJ_JdEkaJrc_G-h2z-IY7XZJZkCR7g2Hxqs2AzDyYT_veTPJKgt6SqMmhP0u5uYf89e5ljocR1bTWzzbELFYShXoCkH6QQtwK3xVyIW-XxGHVUvNJjU1HgcThCq6xuRtEssHz95o/s1600/CMU+Michigan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBV34uJ_JdEkaJrc_G-h2z-IY7XZJZkCR7g2Hxqs2AzDyYT_veTPJKgt6SqMmhP0u5uYf89e5ljocR1bTWzzbELFYShXoCkH6QQtwK3xVyIW-XxGHVUvNJjU1HgcThCq6xuRtEssHz95o/s400/CMU+Michigan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Flying C" replaced a spear and feather on the helmets at Central<br />
Michigan University years ago. Although the jerseys look different<br />
now, it's still a sharp-looking logo. (Courtesy photo)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's in a nickname?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What does it symbolize? Does it symbolize the fight and tenacity of an athletic team or school? Does it represent something else?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Flashbacks of my college days came as<a href="http://www.heritage.com/articles/2012/02/15/milan_news_leader/news/doc4f3a9ea1627b2577185053.txt" target="_blank"> this story out of Milan was published</a>, discussing the call to end the use of Native American imagery for the Big Reds.</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I graduated from Central Michigan University in 2010.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our nickname, of course, was the Chippewas, a nod to the area Native American tribe, although the term "Ojibwe" is more accurate in description of the tribe. Living near and visiting the nearby reservation, home to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, educated me greatly on Native culture, and what it means to be a living among a Native community. Growing up in suburban Detroit, I had never met a Native American person, nor did I give it much thought until 2005.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2005, the NCAA began its crackdown of schools <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2125735" target="_blank">using Native American imagery</a>. Many schools began changing their nicknames and logos, taking out the Native American imagery and replacing it. Some schools, such as CMU, received waivers because of their relationship with the local tribes and their approval of the name. One of the last schools to hold out, North Dakota, is currently in the midst of <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6856970/north-dakota-officials-prepared-change-fighting-sioux-nickname" target="_blank">removing the imagery</a> from its campus.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, "approval" means the tribal council has approved it; it doesn't mean the complete tribe approves. The subject came up of <a href="http://www.cm-life.com/2009/11/09/action-will-change-school-mascot-not-open-forums-and-other-talks/" target="_blank">changing the nickname</a> at least once a year, and of course it was always shot down and no steps were ever take to change the name.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before attending college, I wasn't against using Native American imagery. I compared it to schools such as Alma and Rochester Adams, which use "Highlanders" as a mascot. I found no offense in that term, as I hold mostly Scottish blood.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But my views changed. I met Native people and heard their case. CMU has students go through orientation sessions when they arrive on campus with local tribal officials on proper use of the nickname in how to honor the tribe and its people. And it stuck with me. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How does this pertain to Milan?</b> Mostly just to point out this happens elsewhere. CMU axed the Native American imagery decades ago, and has a strict policy on students attending athletic events in Native American wear (Namely, they don't allow it. At all. Show up in it, and they ask you to leave).</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Students still attend football games, <a href="http://www.cm-life.com/2012/02/15/football-attendance-well-below-division-i-mark-had-a-close-call-in-2009-too/" target="_blank">although barely in recent years</a>, and they still have a great time and love their school. I'm certain students will still do the same after all traces of Native American lore are gone from football helmets, banners and signs.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course several factors go into making a decision such as this, and the district has said they are working to phase out the use of images such as a spear and feathers. I'm just here to offer my observations from someone who has observed this issue firsthand. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-33996399803639305402012-02-06T13:03:00.001-05:002012-02-06T13:14:52.319-05:00It's time to get those potholes filled, Washtenaw County Road Commission<div><p><br>
The most obvious sign of the warm weather we've had the last few weeks can be spotted on Austin Road, west of Saline in Saline Township. The potholes are some of the worst I've driven in quite some time.</p>
<p>They stretch from the west side of the City of Saline and then mostly through Saline Township. Once you get to Bridgewater, most of the nasty potholes stop.</p>
<p>The weather looks pretty nice out, perhaps the county could take their truck and fill some of them...?</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyymVSM5_mqw3qsj1htjORcnWxeA3YSYe8a4ObOxjzIAzMf7Y9oNM25mw08JcIpJTSSaLiiD3eI5KwIktT_BCGLxi9H4BBElS3H68AIGbuvOIL_CbiRRP-9YJ1mj418pxDtmVtZLDqris/' /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-1574676126656333252012-01-31T10:24:00.000-05:002012-01-31T10:24:18.283-05:00Social media in the classroom: a total taboo 6 years agoI'm not one for inspirational quotes. I don't get inspired by them, they don't do much for me.<br />
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But one stuck out to me yesterday while beginning my Monday morning routine of story linking and sharing. It was in a tweet by <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/superscot" target="_blank">Saline Area Schools superintendent Scot Graden</a>:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>If a school prohibits social media, should they have to cross out the words "create responsible citizens" in their mission statement?</p>— Scot Graden (@SuperScot) <a href="https://twitter.com/SuperScot/status/163973496605655040" data-datetime="2012-01-30T13:15:02+00:00">January 30, 2012</a></blockquote><script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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This attitude toward social media is radically different than what many of us are used to in schools even younger people like me. It's incredible to think how the space has changed since I graduated high school in 2006, when MySpace still ruled the market. Educators are now embracing the change instead of rejecting it.<br />
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I'm curious how exactly teachers plan to use social media in the classroom. If any of them are reading this, I'd be interested in sharing some of the ways you use it in the classroom.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-24520396811197653552011-12-23T22:25:00.003-05:002011-12-27T12:12:52.529-05:00Ride along with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's OfficeI went on a ride along with a deputy of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday this week. I have been looking forward to it for awhile. As the police and court reporter covering Washtenaw County, I wanted learn more about the sheriff’s department and its methods. I was assigned to ride along with Deputy James Roy, who has been with the sheriff’s department for about five years. He is part of a violent crime unit stationed in Ypsilanti Township, but there are a number of aspects of his job. Deputy Roy explains it himself in this video:<br />
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Deputy Roy showed me around Ypsilanti Township and the different areas he regularly patrols, which include neighborhoods like West Willow, some apartment complexes like Village Grove Apartments, and trailer home parks. Part of the reason for the patrols is simply to have a visible police presence in the community. I’m still pretty new to the area so I was seeing quite a few things for the first time. He also talked about the different technology and techniques he uses, and about his own experience as a law enforcement officer.<br />
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The different kinds of technology used by police are among what I learned about on the ride along. Recording equipment is heavily used. Deputy Roy showed me a body microphone held in patrol vehicles. When he leaves the vehicle he clips it onto his uniform, and it provides an audio record such as for interactions with residents and suspects. Patrol vehicles have cameras in them. Footage gets downloaded wirelessly when a vehicle gets to the station, which for him is usually the Ypsilanti Township Civic Center on Huron River Drive.<br />
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The sheriff’s department also looked into portable video cameras for deputies to keep on themselves like the microphone. Deputy Roy said he tested a few of these cameras out over the summer, trying to find something that works out good. It needs to be easily portable, he said, because deputies carry plenty of equipment already.<br />
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From my own understanding, recording equipment is used both as a record of what happened if needed in court and as a means to protect officers from accusations.<br />
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I was also shown the computer deputies connect to their vehicles while on the road. They look like heavily armored laptops. There’s all kinds of features, such as a touch screen and easy to navigate screens that allow deputies to look up information even while on the move. Systems are in place capable of pulling up any driver’s license photographs and mug shots a person may have, allowing deputies to cross reference – useful for determining if somebody has a fake ID. Some of the computers even have a print reader, which is able to pull up this information with the imprint of a finger or thumb.<br />
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I also learned quite a bit about Deputy Roy during the ride along. I could tell he was passionate about being part of the sheriff’s department and working to make the community a better place.<br />
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“I could do this every day,” he said. “It’s what I always wanted to do.”<br />
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Three members of his family are also in law enforcement, two cousins and an uncle, so one explanation for his interest in law enforcement is that it’s simply in his bloodline.<br />
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Overall the ride along was a good experience. I’m glad I got to know Deputy Roy. He invited me to do another ride along pretty much whenever, but there were some suggestions like a midnight shift in July. I was told that’s one of the most active times in the year for law enforcement – mostly because people are themselves more active and get out more when its warmer, and this activity peaks in July.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-22080736277340513512011-12-22T16:22:00.001-05:002011-12-22T16:24:57.059-05:00A different kind of Christmas (well, Advent) decoration in Saline<div><p>Driving from Milan on Saline-Milan Road, I spotted a unique Christmas decoration in one front lawn.</p>
<p>It was four "candles" in some bushes made to look like an Advent wreath. </p>
<p>It was something I hadn't seen before that big, and thought it would be worth the share. </p>
<p>The Advent wreath is useful by Catholics and some Protestants to mark the four weeks leading up to Christmas. It has four candles, one new one is lit each week until the week before Christmas, where all four burn.</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Ke03_2G1kIO4klTqRqCtaZxcd2a9mPESSrZRJsFXlGXLjlMqNi0b4iTzsvYvGgxvTYMo1iuIm9-Y0SEO4voy6Ai3wqP_XLCYw-ibkyqXU6wdawC_BAhiiPw0-cHpobjTW-OnG3RNZA/' /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-50971683215036824072011-12-12T13:56:00.000-05:002011-12-12T13:56:30.618-05:00Blogging at the Saline Senior CenterWe're at the <a href="http://salineseniors.org/" target="_blank">Saline Senior Center</a> with a blogging class of 11 people. They are setting up their own blogs currently (those with computer access, anyway).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3f1QBmTchUND3ZuU3tRPOrtdohteYMg-WjP6HuD-gZUoDNWu2wTbwP_N7SNfmlYfrwepp5oRJpiqNzWBwSU6T20IQgYpyOy96zh9lSuxCBEhJ9PFA4rznjoz93JPG9wTk3e1kc3x-uPo/s1600/beginning+blog+photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3f1QBmTchUND3ZuU3tRPOrtdohteYMg-WjP6HuD-gZUoDNWu2wTbwP_N7SNfmlYfrwepp5oRJpiqNzWBwSU6T20IQgYpyOy96zh9lSuxCBEhJ9PFA4rznjoz93JPG9wTk3e1kc3x-uPo/s320/beginning+blog+photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-27375287078713054592011-12-11T20:18:00.002-05:002011-12-11T21:18:10.223-05:00Is it a myth that icy roads cause accidents?I recently received an e-mail from a reader in regards to a story I wrote on <strong><a href="http://www.heritage.com/articles/2011/12/01/manchester_enterprise/news/doc4ed67e7fde42f452973936.txt">the accident on M-52</a></strong>, the accident that led to the death of former Manchester village president David Little. She disagreed with the following sentence: 'At this time it looks like icy roads and improper driving caused this accident, according to the sheriff's office.'<br /><br />She told me this furthers a myth that icy roads cause accidents. I almost thought it wasn't a serious comment at first because I'd never heard that some believe that this is a myth. Even after thinking a bit about it I didn't really see the arguement that could be made. Icy roads can lead to accidents, sounded about right. I asked the reader to elaborate, which she did, and I can now say I can see where she's coming from.<br /><br />She wrote: "Inability to adjust your driving to the road conditions is what causes the accidents. If one was driving at a prudent speed, able to maintain control of their vehicle under the present conditions, there wouldn't be all these accidents.<br /><br />"Icy roads don't cause accidents. People not adjusting their driving to the road's conditions causes icy roads."<br /><br />She also told me drivers with technology like electronic stability systems drive like they're exempt from slipping when they're not, and that when road conditions are so bad the answer is to just not drive. I'm not entirely convinced that its a myth that icy roads cause accidents. Improper driving given road conditions plays a role in many situations, I would imagine, but I think there are situations like a rare patch of black ice on a day of otherwise clear roads would present a problem for all but the most cautious drivers.<br /><br />I try to drive carefully, but occasionally I will lose some control over my car during bad road conditions. Fortunately it's never led to an accident. Personally I try to be the most careful about turning and stopping, because that's where the majority of problems seem to happen.<br /><br />I spoke with Saline Police Chief Paul Bunten about icy roads and he shared some traffic safety tips.<br /><br /><br /><object id="cs_player" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="425" height="330"><param name="_cx" value="11244"><param name="_cy" value="8731"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&va_id=3094341&auto_start=0&auto_next=0"><param name="Src" value="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&va_id=3094341&auto_start=0&auto_next=0"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="-1"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value=""><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="Scale" value="ShowAll"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value=""><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="true"><br /><embed src="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf/3/&pl_id=22386&wpid=10237&page_count=25&windows=1&show_title=0&va_id=3094341&auto_start=0&auto_next=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="330"></embed></object><br /><br />Feel free to share what you think about whether or not it's a myth that icy roads cause accidents.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-3342609215728299402011-11-28T11:57:00.004-05:002011-11-28T14:05:54.227-05:00Introduction: New general assignment reporterHi, I'm Krista Gjestland and as of today I am the general assignment reporter here at Heritage Media West. I'll be covering news and life events all across Washtenaw County, filling in whenever and wherever the other beat reporters can't be.<br /><br />For the past eight months, I have been freelancing at Heritage, mainly <a href="http://www.heritage.com/chelsea_standard/">The Chelsea Standard</a> and <a href="http://www.heritage.com/dexter_leader/">Dexter Leader</a>. I've spent time covering a wide range of events, from township and city council meetings to last summer's black bear sightings.<br /><br />Before coming to Heritage, I worked at <a href="http://www.easternecho.com">The Eastern Echo</a>, while I studied toward my journalism degree at Eastern Michigan University. There, I spent time as a news writer and copy editor, and ended my 3.5-year stint there as chief copy editor before graduating last April.<br /><br />Although I've lived in Washtenaw County for almost five years now, I am most familiar with Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. Therefore, I am really looking forward to getting to know the other communities and people that make up the county.<br /><br />Feel free to contact me with any ideas or suggestions, and I look forward to meeting you all!<br /><br />Staff Writer Krista Gjestland can be reached at kgjestland@heritage.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-74384302217033303462011-11-23T10:35:00.003-05:002011-11-23T11:06:48.776-05:00Introduction from police and court reporterHello, my name is Ben Baird, and as of earlier this month I am the police and court reporter covering Washtenaw County for Heritage Media.<br /><br />My beat includes the local police and fire departments, the Michigan State Police, the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, the county trial court, and the county's three district courts. I have established a nice level of contact with many of these agencies, while others are still a work in progress. Regardless I want to do my best to pass on information so that residents have a better idea of what is going on in their communities.<br /><br />Previously I wrote for two other Heritage Media publications, the <a href="http://www.thenewsherald.com/"><strong>News-Herald</strong></a> and <strong><a href="http://www.pressandguide.com/">Press & Guide</a></strong>. I primarily wrote about Flat Rock for the News-Herald, but I also covered Huron Township and Trenton at times. Dearborn Heights was my focus with the Press & Guide.<br /><br />One upcoming event I wanted to mention is that I am trying to arrange a ride along with an officer of the sheriff's office. I can't say for sure yet when this will occur or what sorts of things I might encounter during the ride along, but it should offer some valuable insight into local law enforcement. I will be writing about the experience and I plan to get some good video too.<br /><br />If anyone has anything they are curious about or any questions they would like me to ask during the ride along, feel free to share them.<br /><br /><strong>Staff Writer Ben Baird can be reached at <a href="mailto:bbaird@heritage.com">bbaird@heritage.com</a>.</strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-18098702261428228072011-09-15T11:24:00.000-04:002011-09-15T11:26:37.185-04:00And then I met a man who had no feetMany moons ago, I was perusing a gift shop after dinner in a nearby restaurant.<br /><br />The walls of the shop were filled with corny aphorisms on plaques or plates that are at times amusing, sometimes even trenchant, but just as often cause you to wince at the sometimes-cloying sentiments for sale.<br /><br />One that I have remembered, and likely will always remember as a reminder to impose perspective on the importance of events in one’s life, went as follows: “I felt sorry that I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.”<br /><br />A brief search on the Internet suggests it is a Jewish proverb.<br /><br />I was reminded of the saying late Sunday morning, as my wife and I watched CNBC on television, in which the survivors of those who had perished on Sept. 11, 2011 read the names of the deceased.<br /><br />Just a few hours earlier, I was in a foul mood late Saturday night into early Sunday morning, and woke up on Sunday still out of sorts, as a result of a football game.<br /><br />My beloved Fighting Irish, with a 17-point lead going into the final quarter, allowed Michigan to score 28 points in a single quarter of football, enabling them to win the game 35-31.<br />Let me congratulate my friends who are Michigan fans, as my son Matthew did in a Facebook post on Sunday.<br /><br />It was a weird, improbable victory, but it’s the only thing that matters in these contests, especially as your team is 0-2 as the season begins.<br /><br />But it’s a game, right? Easy to say, and the intellect recognizes the wisdom of the saying, but it’s hard to forget a discouraging, frustrating loss in a contest over which you have no control.<br />Like the scene in the television show Seinfeld where someone runs up to Jerry and says, “We won, we won!”<br /><br />To which Jerry Seinfeld replies, “No. They won. You watched.”<br /><br />How true.<br /><br />So, as Jan and I watched the unspeakably sad, tragic ceremony in New York City in which the names of the victims were read, I was reminded yet again of just how lucky I’ve been in my 60 years walking this earth, and the memory of a lost football game receded. What emerged in its place was thankfulness and gratitude, and more than a little embarrassment at my small-mindedness and skewed priorities.<br /><br />I’m working on it. And maybe, depending on the context, it helps to laugh at yourself a bit.<br />Like the late comedian George Carlin’s edgy take on the proverb: “I felt sorry that I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.”<br /><br />“I took his shoes. Now I feel better.”<br /><br />Gerald LaVaute is a staff writer for Heritage Newspapers. He can be reached at glavaute@heritage.com or call 1-734-429-7380. Check out our staff blog at courierviewnews.blogspot.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-53714285435042555792011-09-07T13:45:00.000-04:002011-09-07T13:48:07.508-04:00New smart phone is changing how I gather informationSince I was in my teens, I have enjoyed reading newspapers.<br /><br />One of my jobs during high school was at the Syracuse Post Standard newspaper, Syracuse’s morning daily.<br /><br />I was a copyboy, probably the low man on the totem pole at a newspaper. One of our duties was to get coffee for the editors, but it was a great experience.<br /><br />The large, brightly lit newsroom just outside the tiny, dimly lit room in which we worked was filled with bright, energetic people. It seemed as if the air that surrounded these busy, smart people in the newsroom was charged with electricity.<br /><br />I developed a taste for reading the Sunday New York Times, and, combined with reading dozens of books over the next several years as I completed high school and went to college, I developed a deep affection for good writing.<br /><br />When I moved to Michigan, I brought with me the affection for reading good writing and the daily pleasure of a morning newspaper over coffee, and subscribed to the Detroit Free Press for many years.<br /><br />And I continued to go out each Sunday morning to get a copy of the Times. At times, I would have to travel as far as Canton, and pay $4 or $5 for the privilege. The current price for a copy of the Sunday Times is $6.<br /><br />In the last decade or two, newspapers across the country began to struggle as the world changed around them. The Free Press cut back its home delivery to three days each week, on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. It wasn’t the same, and when I was able to resume daily home delivery I jumped at the chance.<br /><br />But then, a few weeks ago, I got a smart phone, and things really began to change.<br /><br />I had been thinking about a smart phone for the last two or three years. My children had long since begun to use them, and I was increasingly surrounded by them at work and in daily life.<br /><br />I thought, it would make me more productive. That thought process, combined with a generous gift card from my family for my birthday, pushed me over the edge. I now gather news using the phone, from any of a plethora of news and opinion websites. I think that there’s a bit less depth in my news gathering, but it is satisfying, and I’ve learned more about how to substitute Internet news resources for the information formerly provided by the Free Press.<br /><br />USA Today, for example, has an Internet site that enables you to find out what football games are being played that weekend, when and on what television channel. It was one of the things I most looked forward to with the Free Press each Wednesday.<br /><br />And if I want to keep up with Notre Dame football (admittedly an alloyed blessing, after the loss to USF), I’ve bookmarked a Google search on “Notre Dame football,” and can read several stories about the Irish each day, published in newspapers or magazines across the country.<br /><br />Ironically, the new phone has enabled better, more timely information for an interest sometimes associated with older people – information about the weather forecast.<br /><br />I now have at my fingertips instant information about the weather forecast, and can find information by the hour if needs be – when will it begin raining later today, for example?<br /><br />After the excitement over the new, admittedly amazing technology quells a bit, I hope that I will revert to a hybrid way of gathering info, in which print and digital information sources combine to give me the best of both worlds.<br /><br />But for now, having a world of continually updated information at my fingertips is a heady, exciting experience. It’s truly an amazing thing.<br /><br />Gerald LaVaute is a staff writer for Heritage Newspapers. He can be reached at glavaute@heritage.com or call 1-734-429-7380. Check out our staff blog at courierviewnews.blogspot.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-55139420483701258822011-09-07T09:38:00.002-04:002011-09-07T09:51:46.600-04:00Recalling 9/11 via interviewsI'm often emotionally detached from an issue, including when I write a news story. In fact, many years ago in supervisor training at Ford, I was criticized in a role-playing exercise for not appearing sufficiently empathetic to a subordinate's problem. I realized afterward that my critics were right, but it took some time for me to come around. I was genuinely surprised by the feedback.<br /><br />It's not that I don't care; better, I think, to approach the issue analytically, in order to resolve it most effectively.<br /><br />For a recent story on the tenth anniversary of 9/11, I interviewed seven people over the phone, recorded the conversations on iPadio software, and published a two-part story.<br /><br />Part of the fun of writing the story was weaving together the disparate stories, identifying common ground while highlighting the uniqueness of each person's experience.<br /><br />As I listened to them tell their stories, I was emotionally affected, although I was surprised by it. Parts of their stories responated with me, because I too faced that awful day almost ten years ago. I am grateful to my interview subjects for sharing their stories with me, and for helping to bring yet another new satisfaction with my new career to life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6089156085913684104.post-44115496717997834892011-09-06T11:14:00.004-04:002011-09-06T11:40:06.075-04:00Saline Fair Helping Kids Learn About Agriculture<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> 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mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 9.35pt;"><span style="">While I was at the fair this past week, there was one recurring thought that kept coming up in my conversations with people. They wanted the kids in the area to be aware of farm life and agriculture.<br /><br />I can perfectly understand where they are coming from. During the Miss Saline Pageant one of the contestants was asked why she was active in clubs especially 4H and she responded in length but the part that stuck out to me was, "Saline used to be a farm town." I grew up in Okemos, a town similar to Saline in many ways. One of those ways is that well before I was around on this Earth, Okemos too was a farming community. Until the 70's and 80's that's basically all Okemos was. However, by now, there is scant a farm within the district lines of Okemos. Right when i moved away, the big farm located across the street from Okemos high School was sold so that more subdivisions could be built. AS far as I'm aware the only farm left is Cook's where my family has been buying our sweet corn since I was eight.<br /><br />This caused problems. Being a nice community, still surrounded by farm communities (sans East Lansing) I see more similarities to Saline, another nice community (granted there is still more farming in Saline and Pittsfield) surrounded by more agriculturally oriented communities (sans Ann Arbor). When I was in high school, some of the more elitist and socially harsh kids would make fun of the neighboring communities for being, "hicks" or farm kids. This is just mean. I obviously don't know the inner-workings of Saline High School, and whether this kind of taunting exists, but i would not be too surprised I guess. Again, growing up I was, and similarly neither were my classmates, schooled in agriculture even though we lived 10 minutes away from one of the biggest agricultural schools in the region. I can't speak for those hurtful kids, but I feel as though if they had truly understood the benefits of agriculture and farming and such, then possibly they would not have been so cruel.<br /><br />Besides all of that, it just makes sense for kids to be aware of where their food comes from, especially in these times. So much processed and unnatural food is being served to our nation's children, if they knew that they could be supporting local families and neighbors by buying different foods that not only support people, but is actually better for them, who's to say they wouldn't? We need to have faith in our children, and teach them things like this. I know for one, that after high school, I became much more interested in learning where the food I put in my body came from. How hard would it have been to take a field trip in elementary and middle school to a local farm to teach kids that? Not very. Plus, kids are impressionable, and some love to take what they learned at school, and especially on field trips and tell their parents everything they learned.<br /><br />Parents are also a root cause of this problem, and with enough insistence from their children who knows what differences we could see. The one positive aspect out of all of this that I have noticed in the last few years in the growing trend of non-farm oriented small communities with farmers' markets popping up. That's great in my mind. You can't know where your food is coming from any better than if you're buying it from the person who grew or raised it.<br /><br />I talked to the fair President Kevin Ernst at the end of the fair and he said thanks in part to the baby animal exhibit and the fact school had not started, they had much more interest and excitement from area children. I asked him if they talked at all with the school district to help promote and he said they had talked with Superintendent Scot Graden. However, since school had not started yet it makes it hard for the schools to help promote the event.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 9.35pt;"><span style="">Basically, it seems important to me that kids in areas not focused on farming learn more about it and where there food comes from.<span style=""> </span>Not only from a healthy eating perspective but also from a community building and knowledge perspective.<span style=""> </span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0