{"id":5318,"date":"2019-08-01T20:59:26","date_gmt":"2019-08-02T00:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/?p=5318"},"modified":"2019-08-01T20:59:26","modified_gmt":"2019-08-02T00:59:26","slug":"latest-news-74","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=5318","title":{"rendered":"Latest News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Beatles tribute band, Toppermost, performs August 7 at Concert in the Park<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/toppermost1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"219\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5321\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Toppermost, the Beatles&#8217; tribute band that thrilled audiences in past years, is back again at the St. Johns Concert in the Park summer music series. The lively group will &#8220;twist and shout&#8221; its way through chart-topping songs by the Fab Four beginning at 7 p.m., Aug. 7 at the William E. Tennant Performance Shell in the St. Johns City Park; no admission charge.<\/p>\n<p>Toppermost has been entertaining all ages for more than a decade at shows across the Midwest with its accurate recreation of a high energy and fun Beatles concert. The group has earned praise for both its musical talent and uncanny ability to make audiences feel like they&#8217;re at a live Beatles concert &#8211; &#8220;no one can scream like our Paul and John can.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Paul and John in Toppermost are Tom Diab and Tony Iadipaolo. They&#8217;re joined by Ron Lockhart (George) and Dan Gerics (Ringo). Visit the band&#8217;s website at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.toppermost.info\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><font color=\"#0000CC\">http:\/\/www.toppermost.info\/<\/font><\/a> and like them on Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>Concert in the Park is sponsored by the Clinton County Arts Council and the City of St. Johns with support from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. Concerts are held each Wednesday evening; rain or shine. The St. Johns Lions and Lioness Club staff a concession stand that offers light refreshments.<\/p>\n<p>For detailed information on the Concert in the Park series visit the CCAC web site, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.clintoncountyarts.org\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><font color=\"#0000CC\">http:\/\/www.clintoncountyarts.org\/<\/font><\/a> and check out the William E. Tennant Performance Shell page on Facebook.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Pageant Kicks off 35th Annual St. Johns Mint Festival August 6<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/pageant.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"190\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5322\" \/><\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday, August 6 festivities for the 35th Annual St. Johns Mint Festival will begin with the Mint Pageant at the St. Johns High School. The pageant will start at 7:00 p.m. with general seating tickets $8.50 each. Tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce office and if any seats are remaining they will be for sale outside the auditorium Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. Contestants participating this year include:<\/p>\n<p><em>For Little Miss Mint<\/em><br \/>\nSavannah Beverly Ann Butler-9, Avelyn Johnson-9, Kaitlyn Knapp-10, Elaina K Kriss-8, Kylie Miller-8, Bella Payment-9 and Molly Watts-8.<\/p>\n<p><em>For Junior Miss Mint<\/em><br \/>\nSarah Bovee-12, Katie Rozen-13 and Morgan Watts-12.<\/p>\n<p><em>For Mint Queen<\/em><br \/>\nBecca Bovee-17, Isabella Gunnell-17, Madisyn Kotowicz-18, Olivia R. Powell-17 and Jessica Weinberg-16.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Dennis Scott is 2019 Mint Festival Grand Marshal <\/strong><br \/>\nby Rhonda Dedyne<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/DennisScott.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"456\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5323\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s no doubt that Dennis Scott is a man of many talents &#8211; published author and journalist, community organizer and public servant, decorated Vietnam War veteran, and devoted family man. Those attributes make him a perfect choice to help lead the 2019 Mint Festival as Grand Marshal of the Mint Parade, says Mint Festival General Chairperson Brenda Terpening.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Dennis has been a very instrumental member of the St. Johns community, especially in his representation and support of veterans. He was a main player in bringing the Veterans Memorial to St. Johns &#8211; something that was definitely a labor of love for him. The Mint Festival Committee is honored to have Dennis as our 2019 St. Johns Mint Festival Grand Marshal.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The common thread in all his service endeavors is simple advice from his parents many years ago. &#8220;Be open to helping others, and give back to your community and the people you serve with,&#8221; Dennis recalls, smiling at that memory.<\/p>\n<p>Originally from Brighton, Dennis and his wife, Janet, moved to St. Johns in 1968 following his discharge from the U.S. Army. He was drafted out of Western Michigan University in 1966, and served from August 1967-July 1968 in Vietnam with the 2\/1 Calvary that was part of the &#8220;Fighting Fourth&#8221; Infantry Division. Actions of valor with the Fighting Fourth led to his receipt of a Bronze Star, Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.<\/p>\n<p>His involvement with veteran organizations and their contributions to their country was part of Scott&#8217;s life going forward. A partial list includes:<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Member of VFW, American Legion and DAV; holding various offices in each organization.<br \/>\n&#8211; Past Commander and 30-plus years of service with the St. Johns Honor Guard.<br \/>\n&#8211; Clinton County representative of the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund for 25-plus years.<br \/>\n&#8211; Clinton County Soldiers and Sailors Relief Fund for 30-plus years.<br \/>\n&#8211; President of the National 2nd of the 1st Cavalry Association for 25 years.<\/p>\n<p>The formation of the Clinton County Veterans Memorial Committee and subsequent dedication in 2006 of the impressive structure located in downtown St. Johns is definitely a highlight of his service.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Many, many people worked together on that committee and still remain active &#8211; that&#8217;s what it takes,&#8221; Dennis says as Janet notes her husband remains as the committee&#8217;s chairperson. &#8220;Like my mother said, &#8216;You have to give it back.&#8217; That&#8217;s most important.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>As the Grand Marshal, Dennis will have a great view at the parade of the thousands of people who will line the streets from St. Johns High School through to the downtown business district. He will be waving at them all &#8211; especially Janet, their children, Bill and Elizabeth, and seven grandchildren. The parade begins at 10 a.m., Saturday, August 10.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>AgroExpo is August 13-14<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/agepo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5324\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The fourth annual AgroExpo will feature agricultural companies with new methods and technologies, commodity groups with the latest in news and marketing, and all supporters with their eye on the future of agriculture.<\/p>\n<p>The focus of AgroExpo is to bring together the best in the ag industry to connect, discover, and innovate. Michigan&#8217;s leading agricultural companies and groups will be gathered in the same location as last year&#8217;s event &#8211; but wear your most comfortable boots, because the AgroExpo is bigger and has more to see than ever before.<\/p>\n<p>The popular in-field demonstrations this year feature sprayers, drones, and soil and remote sensing technology. These demos offer the opportunity to see the newest tools in action.<br \/>\nThe speaker tent offers educational opportunities, many of which give CCA and RUP credits. There will be sessions both days with experts in the industry taking an in-depth look at the most pressing industry topics like risk management, increasing yields, nutrition, insurance, technology, and estate planning.<\/p>\n<p>AgroExpo is also the site of the 2019 Crop Management Challenge, where FFA chapters compete to make the best agronomic, economic, and environmental decisions for their plots of corn. The top three of the ten chapters win cash and awards. In addition to the FFA, there are 75 seed, plant nutrition, and crop protection products plots to examine and evaluate.<\/p>\n<p>Since machinery is a large part of farming operations, Ford, Chevrolet, and Ram will offer a ride and drive experience, and FFA students will also be competing in a tractor skills driving contest.<\/p>\n<p>With over 130 exhibitors, the AgroExpo caters to agricultural professionals looking for information, inspiration, and connections. AgroExpo is where you will find not only the latest in innovation, but the experts behind the discoveries.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/theagroexpo.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><font color=\"#0000CC\">theagroexpo.com<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Homegrown Productions announces Fall production of God&#8217;s Favorite<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/godsfav.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"250\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5325\" \/>Homegrown Productions is proud to present God&#8217;s Favorite, a Neil Simon comedy.<\/p>\n<p>Directed by Tom Webb, the show is about a successful Long Island businessman, Joe Benjamin. Joe is a modern-day &#8220;Job&#8221; with a demanding wife, ungrateful children, and wise-cracking household employees. Just when it seems things couldn&#8217;t get any worse, he is visited by Sidney Lipton, a.k.a. A Messenger from God (and compulsive film buff) with a mission: test Joe&#8217;s faith and report back to &#8220;the Boss.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The jokes and Tests of Faith fly fast and furious as Neil Simon spins a contemporary morality tale like no other in this hilarious comedy.<\/p>\n<p>Auditions are scheduled for August 5 and 6 at 7 p.m. at the Wilson Center Auditorium, 101 W. Cass St., St. Johns. This show will mark the unveiling of the Wilson Center&#8217;s new lighting system, a change that promises to enhance the entire production.<\/p>\n<p>Performances will be September 27, 28, and October 4, and 5 at 7:30 PM. A matinee performance is also scheduled for September 29 at 2:00 at the Wilson Center Auditorium, 101 West Cass Street in St. Johns.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>SJPD and The Voice for Clinton County&#8217;s Children partner for school supplies<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/voicesupplies.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"394\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5327\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The St. Johns Police are partnering with The Voice for Clinton County&#8217;s Children as a drop off point for school supply and gift card donations. These include Sephora and Wal Mart gift cards, Nice heavy duty water bottles, and general school supplies.<\/p>\n<p>Donations can be dropped off at the table in the lobby of the police department building during regular business hours (Mon-Fri, 8-4). If you are dropping off gift cards, please take them to the front window.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Tony Spagnuolo to announce candidacy for Clinton County Prosecutor<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeWitt resident Tony Spagnuolo will be announcing his candidacy for the Republican Party nomination for Clinton County Prosecutor this Tuesday, August 6th \u2013 one year prior to the statewide Republican primary election.<\/p>\n<p>Spagnuolo was raised in Lansing\u2019s Groesbeck neighborhood, graduated from Eastern High School, Lansing Community College, Michigan State University, and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and has litigated over 1,000 criminal and civil matters throughout mid-Michigan.<\/p>\n<p>Spagnuolo is a member of the Dewitt Lion&#8217;s Club, Dewitt District Library Board, Sparrow Clinton Hospital Foundation Board, Clinton County Republican Party, Knights of Columbus, and serves as of Treasurer of the Clinton County Bar Association.<\/p>\n<p>Spagnuolo has been endorsed by State Representative Graham Filler, Clinton County Road Commissioners Gail Watkins and Mike Frederick, DeWitt Mayor Sue Leeming, DeWitt Mayor Pro Tem Dave Hunsaker, DeWitt City Councilmember Matt Cooper, former Benzie County Prosecutor John B. Daugherty, as well as a number of attorneys, members of law enforcement, and community and business members.<\/p>\n<p>For more information go to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.TonySpag2020.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><font color=\"#0000CC\">www.TonySpag2020.com<\/font><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Beatles tribute band, Toppermost, performs August 7 at Concert in the Park Toppermost, the Beatles&#8217; tribute band that thrilled audiences in past years, is back again at the St. Johns Concert in the Park summer music series. The lively group will &#8220;twist and shout&#8221; its way through chart-topping songs by the Fab Four beginning at <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=5318\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5318"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5318\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}