1. This is a sample version of the electronic edition. This sample is a collection of a few stories we
have inside this week’s issue, but it will show you how you can read the Cass City Chronicle on-
line. For any questions, contact us Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at (989) 872-2010.
Note: The Cass City Chronicle’s actual front page will look different than the sample provided
here.
Complete coverage of the Cass City community and surrounding areas since 1899
VOLUME 105, NUMBER 15 CASS CITY, MICHIGAN - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2011 FIFTY CENTS ~ 20 PAGES, 1 SUPPLEMENT
Clarke Haire Tom Montgomery
Publisher Editor
Our teachers union,
board deserve hand
We haven’t minced words in the past when it comes to our
opinion of certain Michigan Education Association (MEA)
actions/statements.
We’re going to address the teachers union again this
week, and you can bet we’re going to be as upfront as FIVE GENERATIONS of the same family are represented in this photo fea-
we’ve always tried to be regarding our view. However, this turing (from left) great-great-grandmother Nancy Coverdill, great-grand-
time, we have nothing but praise for the leadership of the mother Norma Adams, grandmother Becky Adams, mother Treanna Dietrich
local union, the Cass City Education Association. and baby Landan Sprague, all of Cass City.
We also applaud the Cass City Board of Education and
school Supt. Jeff Hartel.
Here’s why:
Both sides exhibited a spirit of cooperation at the bar-
House bill doubles moving
gaining table that can be hard to find in lean financial
years for schools.
violations in bus safety zones
Gov. Rick Snyder recently signed tions committed in school bus safety Internet service options led to a
Let’s face it, negotiating a teachers contract in the years legislation targeting motorists whozones will be treated similar to viola- severe drop in the number of cus-
immediately following passage of Proposal A was a no- tions committed in work zones.
fail to exercise caution in school bus tomers choosing landline telephone
safety zones. He also signed legisla-“This legislation sends a clear sig- service. The updates are aimed at
brainer, because school districts such as Cass City were tion updating landline telephone nal that it’s not OK for drivers to dis- making landline telephone service
rolling in cash. There was plenty of money to go around. service regulations. regard school bus safety zones,” more competitive.
Snyder said. “Drivers need to take
House Bill 4168, sponsored by state Among the major changes, tele-
But those days are long gone. Our lawmakers in Lansing Rep. Margaret O’Brien, doubles bus stop lights seriously.” phone companies offering landline
have time and time again attempted to fix the state’s on- fines for moving violations commit- The bills are now Public Acts 60 service will no longer have to print
and 59 of 2011, respectively.
ted in a school bus safety zone. The and deliver telephone books for
going financial crisis on the backs of K-12 education, dis- bill also makes it a one-year misde- The governor also signed H.B. every customer. Instead, companies
tricts have been losing students hand over foot for the past meanor for injuring and a 15-year 4314, sponsored by state Rep. Ken will provide free printed or electron-
Horn, which updates Michigan’s
felony for killing a child getting on ic copies to customers by request.
several years, and many area families are struggling to or off a school bus. landline telephone service regula- “To make Michigan a competitive
make ends meet. tions.
H.B. 4167, sponsored by state Rep. place to do business, we need to be
Tom McMillin, adds the new felony Although periodically updated, the relentless in our efforts to make sure
In spite of those factors, the Cass City Public Schools — offense to Michigan’s sentencing last major re-write of the Michigan our laws and regulations keep pace
and we’re talking the teaching staff, administrators and guidelines. Telecommunications Act was in with changing technology,” Snyder
2005, before the widespread avail- said.
support staff — has delivered platinum results when it With these changes, moving viola- ability of wireless and voice-over The bill is now P.A. 58 of 2011.
comes to academic achievement. We’re talking about
posting the top Michigan Educational Assessment Inside This Week
Program (MEAP) scores in the area, not to mention
Ignore the “whiners”.
“Beating the Odds” recognition from the Michigan Board Bring Colwood float back to
of Education for academic performance at Cass City Cass City Freedom
Middle School, in spite of economic factors that usually Festival parade
negatively impact student performance in the classroom. Letters to the editor, page 3
Looking back, negotiation of the teachers’ current 2-year Local teens appear in
contract, which expires in August, had the board and union court on break-in, theft
at each other’s throats. The talks droned on and on, with charges stemming from
crimes in Cass City
no end in sight and the board threatening to present its Page 4
“last, best offer”. It wasn’t pretty.
This year was a whole different story. Meet this year’s
Both sides came to the table without the usual consultants lifeguard staff at the
Cass City pool
hired to negotiate in the respective side’s best interest. In Page 6
other words, the board and union leadership worked this
one out on their own. Cass City gearing up for
Another key, we believe, is the relationship Hartel has its annual Freedom Festival!
Check out all of the details in
developed with the union leadership during his relatively our special section this week.
brief tenure as school chief. Pages 11-17, 20
The bottom line?
E-MAIL
Both the Cass City Education Association and the local
ASHLEE GIBSON, Agriscience teacher at Cass SUBSCRIPTIONS
board of education negotiated in good faith to reach this Receive a PDF format of the
City High School, stands outside of the newly-built Cass City Chronicle every
contract. Both also brought something to the table, includ- Wednesday morning.
ing a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of the school dis-
AG Learning Lab. The barn will be used to house Only...
small animals and a few large animals to teach stu- $2000/year*
trict’s financial health and, ultimately, the quality of edu- *E-mail subscriptions will be
cation Cass City students will continue to receive in the dents responsibility, animal nutrition and hands-on accepted by pre-payment only. If
purchasing an E-mail
Subscription, please provide con-
future. The same can be said of our administrators. education. The community donated some $70,000 tact information, along with an
e-mail address.
In our opinion, this community should be proud to have to pay for the structure. A whopping 150 students Send check or money order,
made payable to the
Cass City Chronicle, to:
such leaders in charge of helping to make this school sys- have signed up to participate in the year-old pro- Cass City Chronicle
PO Box 115
tem one of the best in the region. gram in the coming school year. Cass City MI 48726
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