Kittens

Two little kittens are just waiting for a good person to share life with.  They are litter mates and are both very playful and friendly.  Both kittens are female and should be spayed right away.  You can visit these two  in pen 7  docket 7870 at the St Joseph County Animal Control located 652 E Main, Centreville, MI.  Animal Control is opened Monday – Friday from 8 AM – 4:30 PM.  AC will be opened this Saturday from 9 AM – Noon for adoptions only.  Please visit the Animal Rescue Fund web site to see more adoptable pets. Don’t forget to take your newly adopted pet to the vet for a check up.  The Animal Rescue Fund needs new active members.  Go to www.ARFund.org for more information about this organization.

 

Gracie has a new home!

John Gilbert, 64

John A. Gilbert, age 64, of Three Rivers, Mich., died Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at his home, following an extended illness.

John was born on May 12, 1944, in Owsley County, Ky., a son of Orville and Louise (Short) Gilbert.

He lived in Kentucky early in life and moved on to White Pigeon and Middlebury, Ind., and had lived in Three Rivers for 11 years.

On Sept. 6, 1969, he married Alice L. Connelly in Plymouth, Mich.

John was a veteran of the U.S. Army and has been a self -employed owner and operator in trucking, employed with Leland Engineering in White Pigeon for 13 years, and most recently worked with Gilbert and Son Trucking.

John was a member of Riverside Church in Three Rivers. He enjoyed racing and building his Chevy drag racing car, collecting hats, coins, guns and semi trucks. He was an expert marksman and a champion storyteller.

Surviving are his wife, Alice of Three Rivers; three sons, John (Amy) Gilbert of Middlebury, Billy (Linda) Gilbert of Virgina Beach, Va., and Michael (Sarie) Gilbert of Round Lake Beach, Ill.; a daughter, Sherry (Tom) Miller of Toledo, Ohio; six grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; two sisters, Betty (Johnnie) Bishop of Oneida, Ky., Imogene (James) Abshear of Nicholasville, Ky.; two brothers, Sedric Gilbert and Fred Gilbert, both of Lexington, Ky.; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Friday at the Farrand Funeral Home, 300 N. Kalamazoo St., White Pigeon.
The funeral is at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Cremation will follow the services.

Memorial contributions may be made to Riverside Church in Three Rivers. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.

Kalamazoo’s Matt Giraud leaves “Idol”

There was no saving Matt Giraud this time on “American Idol.” The 23-year-old dueling piano player from Kalamazoo,  was rescued by the show’s judges two weeks ago. But last night, he received the fewest viewer votes on the Fox singing competition — just beneath this season’s most formidable front-runner. At the start of the show, host Ryan Seacrest split the finalists — Giraud and Kris Allen on one side, Danny Gokey and Allison Iraheta on the other. Seacrest then allowed seemingly unstoppable Adam Lambert to choose which group he belonged in. Lambert picked Gokey and Iraheta, but Seacrest dropped a bomb: Lambert was in the bottom three with Giraud and Allen.  (AP)

White Pigeon school board issues layoff notices

The White Pigeon Board of Education has approved the issuance of layoff notices to six employees of the White Pigeon Community Schools.

The action came Tuesday evening (April 28^th) as the board and administration work to address a projected deficit of $420,000 in the budget for the upcoming school year.

Layoff notices were approved for the following employees:

• Jim Takace, maintenance supervisor
• Rebecca Hummel, custodian at Central Elementary School
• Grant Lockwood, transportation supervisor
• Mike Allan, mechanic
• Shawn Pippenger, secretary to the superintendent
• Christina Furlong, parapro at the high school.

Recommended layoffs for two teachers were not approved with the suggested layoff of Jessica Kline failing on a 3-to-3 vote and no motion on the recommendation to lay off Jessica Farr.

During a post-meeting interview, Superintendent Ron Drzewicki said, “We’ve been working for the past couple months on a variety of recommendations and ideas and options and discussions and finally came to the point where, at the board meeting, we had to make some decisions regarding staffing.”

Drzewicki cited several factors related to the anticipated budget deficit including a projected loss of 15 students, no increase in state aid, an increase in insurance costs, “a little spike in retirement” charges by the state, and inflation.

The layoffs are slated to take effect July 1^st.

White Pigeon school board ratifies contract

The White Pigeon Board of Education has ratified a three-year contract with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), the bargaining unit that represents the school district’s custodians and bus drivers.

                Action on the pact came during the board meeting Tuesday evening (April 28^th).

                According to Superintendent Ron Drzewicki, the contract – from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2012 – calls for a zero percent pay increase in the first two years, but with a “me, too” clause which means that, if teachers get a raise, that same percentage would be afforded to members of the IUOE bargaining unit.  The agreement also includes provisions for re-opening the contract in the third year to discuss wages and benefits.

                Drzewicki said, “It was a very cooperative negotiation process and we feel that the employees in the IUOE unit are trying to help the district deal with the excess expenditure over revenue issue.  We appreciated their cooperation and understanding and work to mutually benefit the district.”

Springers plead “not guilty”

Anthony and Marsha Springer have waived a court appearance for arraignment in St. Joseph County Circuit Court on charges stemming from the death of their daughter, 16-year-old Calista Springer, in a fire at the family home in Centreville early last year.  Calista was found dead, chained to her bed, after the fire on February 27, 2008.

                Through “paper arraignments,” each entered “not guilty” pleas to charges of Felony Murder, Torture, and Child Abuse in the First Degree.

                According to court officials, Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman will schedule a status conference for the Springers after which a trial date will be set.

                In action on April 1^st, District Court Judge William Welty ruled there was “sufficient probable cause” to bind both parents over for trial on the charges and scheduled their Circuit Court arraignment for April 27^th.

Felony Murder and Torture both carry penalties of up to life in prison while the Child Abuse in the First Degree charge is a 15-year felony.

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