Here comes the Addams Family
The St. Johns High School Theatre Department is proud to present The Addams Family! America’s darkest family comes to life in this new musical comedy with the following performances:
Friday, November 10 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 11 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, November 12 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are now on sale online. Simply visit sjdrama.ludus.com and click “get tickets” for the show(s) you are interested in. This will pull up a seating chart that allows you to select your seats. Once you’ve selected your seats, you can checkout using a credit card. You can choose to print your tickets, have them e-mailed or sent to your smartphone.
Tickets are $10. There is an online processing fee when you pay online with your card. Should you have any problems, please call Mary Donald (4134) or send an e-mail to boxoffice@sjredwings.org.
Please Vote Tuesday, November 7, 2017
On November 7 voters in St. Johns will go to the polls to approve a 3mil, five year dedicated levy for street and sidewalk improvement. This will be a reduction from the 4 mills that have been levied over the past four years.
Proposed Street Millage for the City of St. Johns – FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is there another election?
Answer: To insure there is money to continue the street repairs started four years ago.
2. How many streets were repaired over the last 4 years?
Answer: The 2014-2017 millage fixed 12 miles of City streets. The streets on the enclosed map, shown in red, were the ones fixed.
3. How many mills are being requested and for how long?
Answer: 3 mills over 5 years (a reduction from 4 mills over the past 4 years).
4. What will the funds be spent on?
Answer: As before, Only repairing streets. By law, the funds must be used for street repair and nothing else.
5. What type of repairs?
Answer: Remove and replace old asphalt, improve and upgrade sidewalk ramps, replace curb and gutter as needed, improve surface drainage.
6. If the millage passes, when will the street repairs begin?
Answer: The repairs will begin in the Spring of 2018 and will be completed in the Fall of 2022.
7. How will the city use these funds to more efficiently coordinate with other improvements in the public right-of-way?
Answer:
A. Consumers Energy will upgrade gas services and transmission mains as needed.
B. City Staff will replace old water main valves that have deteriorated.
This additional coordination minimizes future street disruptions in your neighborhood by addressing underground repairs prior to replacing new asphalt on the streets.
8. Isn’t there a way to get money from the State or elsewhere to repair the City Streets?
Answer: No. While the City receives some State money for upkeep, it is not sufficient to perform the needed heavy maintenance required to fix the streets.
For further information or to see a view of this map please visit City Offices, 1st Floor inside the Clinton County Courthouse or visit www.cityofsaintjohnsmi.com and see the brochure.
Veterans Appreciation Events
Local American Legion Auxiliary Unit to observes Veterans Day
In observance of Veterans Day, American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Edwin T. Stiles will celebrate military service members’ dedication and honor their sacrifices by hosting a soup and sandwich luncheon after the parade and Veterans Days service at Post 153, 110 E. Walker.
Activities in St. Johns begin on Saturday, November 11 with the raising of the Veterans Flags at MI. Rest Cemetery at 8:00 am, weather permitting. The annual Veterans Day parade will be at 11:00 am (the 11th hour of the 11th day of November to commemorate the signing of the armistice in 1918), followed by a service honoring all veterans at the Veterans Memorial.
Those attending are welcome to come to the Post following the service for the annual Bean Soup and Sandwich Luncheon, sponsored by Unit 153 Auxiliary and the donations of others. All are welcome as we accept the challenge of The American Legion National Commander Denise Rohan to open our Post up as a welcome to not only the veterans, but also our community members.
“The men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces make sacrifices every day to ensure that Americans continue to enjoy the freedoms that we hold so dear. This event is just one of the ways that we’re able to honor veterans, military, and their families,” said Marcy Jorae, Unit President.
For more information, call (989) 224-7282.
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Big Boy to honor Veterans with free breakfast
The St. Johns Big Boy will once again be honoring area veterans with a free breakfast for Veterans Day.
From 7:00 to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, November 10, any veteran can stop by the Big Boy to enjoy a trip to the breakfast buffet – compliments of David Hunt, owner of the Big Boy Restaurants in St. Johns and Mason.
“It is our pleasure to honor the men and women who have served our country,” said Hunt. “We are blessed with freedom and rights that so many others around the world don’t enjoy. We are grateful for the dedication of those in uniform. This is a small gesture of appreciation to all those who have served in any branch of the military.”
The St. Johns Big Boy is located at 1408 S. U.S. 27.
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VFW to host Veterans Appreciation Dinner – November 4
On Saturday November 4th, 2017 at 4:00 pm the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 41131n St. Johns will be having a Veterans Appreciation Dinner.
This is an invitation for you to be a part of and be welcomed to the new phase of this VFW’s history. For our members who have been a part of our post, you will be recognized for the years of loyalty you have devoted to the organization. Members will be presented with a commemorative pin for your years dedicated to the VFW.
Food will be provided by Chuckie D’s. Family and friends are welcome.
For more information or to make reservations please contact 989-307-8077.
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Veterans Dinner at Lowe UMC – November 10
Lowe United Methodist Church will host a Veterans Dinner at 5:30 pm on Friday November 10. The church is located at 5485 W. Lowe Rd. St. Johns, MI
All Veterans and a guest welcome. RSVP to (989) 224-4460
Local Superintendent of Schools named to State position
According to mlive.com, Dedrick Martin, the superintendent of St. Johns Public Schools, has been tapped by state Superintendent Brian Whiston to help lead efforts turnaround the state’s lowest performing schools.
He’s been appointed as State School Reform Officer, as well as director of the new Office of Partnership Districts at MDE. He’s slated to start in February.
“I’m extremely honored to be selected to work with Superintendent Whiston and schools across the state through the various Partnership Agreements,” Martin said in a statement. “I firmly believe that through collaborative efforts, focused support, and accountability, we can better address the numerous challenges facing schools in a manner more specific to the needs at the local level and not in a one size fits all fashion.”
He will replace Natasha Baker, the former School Reform Officer who left the position in September for a job as deputy superintendent at Hazelwood School District in suburban St. Louis, Mo. She generated controversy earlier this year for threatening to close 38 schools because of poor academic performance. The closures were eventually abandoned in favor of partnership agreements with MDE.
Prior to working at St. Johns, Martin served as superintendent of Ypsilanti Public Schools from 2009 to 2013.
He played a key role in the 2013 merger of Ypsilanti and the neighboring Willow Run school district. He started his career as a special education teacher and building principal in Texas. He went on to work as the Executive Director for Equity and Achievement at the Champaign Unit 4 school district.
As director of MDE’s Office of Partnership Districts, Martin will be tasked with working with Whiston and schools across Michigan operating under partnership agreements with MDE.
“Dedrick is a remarkable and experienced leader who will help lead the efforts to assist our Partnership Districts,” Whiston said in a statement. “This is a key position that will continue our work to make Michigan a Top 10 education state in 10 years – work that began over a year ago, with positive strategies being adopted in schools across Michigan.”
In a news release from MDE, Martin is credited with improving the financial standing of the St. Johns school district, as well as leading an effort to restructure the district’s elementary buildings and improving scores at several buildings on the 2017 M-STEP, the state’s standardized test.
Chamber Christmas Festival December 2
The 15th Annual Christmas Festival, sponsored by the Clinton County Chamber of Commerce is scheduled for Saturday, December2 from 8 am to 3 pm at the CC RESA Building at 1013 S US 27 in St. Johns.
The day begins with Breakfast with Santa from 8 to 10:30 am. Breakfast will include scrambled eggs, silver dollar pancakes, sausage, cereal, pop tarts, milk, juice and coffee. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children (age 2 and under are free). You must have a breakfast ticket to get your picture with Santa – please bring your own cameras. Tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce 1013 S US 27 in St. Johns or Big Boy of St Johns on S US 27. Depending on availability some tickets may be available at the door that day.
After Santa has seen the last child and breakfast gets cleared away there will be crafts that children of all ages can make (12:00 – 3:00 pm). These crafts are something the children can make for other kids, parents or grandparents, or they can make them for themselves. Many of them will be candy crafts and they will cost .25 or .50 each to make. If you don’t have time to make them that day, you can buy some of the kits to take home and make.
Of course the day is not all about the kids. From 8 am to 3 pm there will be a Craft Show throughout part of the building. There will be more than 90 booths of vendors selling everything from baked goods and jewelry to fabric crafts, wood items and much, much more. Attendees can also participate in a raffle that will award more than 75 prizes.
In the lobby of the building there will be many decorated trees to enjoy. You can vote on your favorite with a money donation. The tree that collects the most votes, ie the most money, gets to decide what charity receives all the money collected.
Lunch of BBQ pork sandwiches, hotdogs and nachos will be available from 10:30 a.m. until gone by the Clinton County Senior Center in the lobby of the building.
If you have any questions about any part of the Christmas Festival, please call the Clinton County Chamber of Commerce at 989-224-7248.