April 2016

Plymouth’s Brent Davis Jr. signs with Spring Arbor Men’s Basketball

April 19, 2016

SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University men’s basketball program has added Brent Davis Jr. to its 2016 recruiting class. Davis, a 6-foot-2 guard from Plymouth High School joins Jeff Beckman from Shelby High School as the newest Cougars. As a senior, Davis averaged 17.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game for the Wildcats. He was named Kensington Lakes Activities Association First Team All-Conference, Observer All-Area First Team, Detroit News All-State Class A Honorable Mention, Detroit News All-West Second Team and Detroit Free Press All-West Honorable Mention. Plymouth Head Coach Mike Soukup had the following comments about his prep standout. “Brent is one of the best competitors I have coached. His drive to be successful is very high. I know these traits will serve him well as he moves on to play at the collegiate level.” Brent plans to pursue a degree in business from Spring Arbor. He is the son of Brent Sr. and DeRay. “Brent is an explosive athlete that can impact the game on both ends of the floor,” noted SAU head coach Ryan Cottingham. “He has a high ceiling and we are excited to see his development…

Jackson College Students Recognized for Academics, Service

April 19, 2016

Nicole Cossum-Ready, Martha Petry, PTK Faculty Advisor and Todd Roberts Photos: JC Congratulations to Jackson College students Nicole Cossum-Ready and Todd Roberts, who have been named to the 2016 All-Michigan Academic Team. They were recognized recently at a reception in Lansing presented by Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and the Michigan Community College Association. Nicole Cossum-Ready is a Hillsdale resident who is majoring in business administration. She has taken all of her classes online as she helps with a family business. She is a member of Jackson College’s Phi Theta Kappa – Alpha Rho Lambda chapter, serving as president this year. She took the lead on the chapter’s Honors in Action and College projects. She will graduate in May and intends to transfer to a university to complete her bachelor’s degree. Todd Roberts is a Jackson resident who is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in business administration through a program Jackson College @ LISD TECH in Adrian offers in partnership with Siena Heights University. He will graduate in August 2016 with his Associate in Arts business degree. Todd and his wife, Angela, are members of the Phi Theta Kappa. In addition to going to college, Roberts is a father…

Tuesday, April 19

April 19, 2016

Todd Knepper, City of Jackson DPW Director; Monica Moser, Jackson Community Foundation; Neil Fernandes, Rise Above; Jacob Inosencio & Crisilee DeBacker, Western High School National Honor Society; Mark Oliver & Lori Gardner, STEM Program, Allskate; Brandon Thomas & Michelle Hinkley, Mission of Hope Cancer Fund Run/Walk

Miss Jackson County Teen USA Candidates Chosen

April 18, 2016

(from left to right) Back row: Lindy Kelso, Ella Carr, Ellery Hill, Clair Brown, Mikayla Williams. Front row: Paige Avery, Emily Mast, Julia Duffrin Miss Jackson County Teen USA 2015, Chloe Stowell and Jordyn DuPuis (Not pictured: Emily Downs) Courtesy photo The Jackson County Rose Festival has announced the names of candidates selected to compete for the title of Miss Jackson County Teen USA in August. The Teen pageant is a division of the Jackson County Rose Festival and is the little sister program to the RoseQueen Pageant. Last year over $11,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded at the Teen Pageant. Young ladies ages 13-17 were invited to compete. The first ten qualified applications were selected and the candidates are: Lindy Kelso, Ella Carr, Ellery Hill, Clair Brown, Mikayla Williams, Paige Avery, Emily Mast, Chloe Stowell, Jordyn DuPuis and Emily Downs. The Miss Jackson County Teen USA Pageant will be held Friday, August 12 at Western High School's Performing Arts Center. The RoseQueen Pageant follows on Saturday. Tickets and more information are available on the Rose Festival website here.

2016 RoseQueen Candidates Announced

April 18, 2016

(left to right) Emily Blakeman, Clair Bourdeaux, Koryanna Beavers, Surya Eccelston, Jameshia Suddeth, 2015 Jackson County RoseQueen Myeshia Jones, Celia Napolitano, Ebony Dicks, Sarah Brown, Maggie Belcher and Ashley Sierminski. Photo courtesy: Rod Soat Photography Twenty young women took to the stage this past weekend for a chance to compete as a top ten finalist in the Jackson County RoseQueen Scholarship Pageant this summer. The Jackson County Rose Festival is pleased to announce the following young ladies were selected in the preliminary competition: Emily Blakeman, Clair Bourdeaux, Koryanna Beavers, Surya Eccelston, Jameshia Suddeth, Celia Napolitano, Ebony Dicks, Sarah Brown, Maggie Belcher and Ashley Sierminski. "The Pageant is focused on important assets that will help develop long lasting life skills such as outstanding public speaking skills, commitment to your community, poise and leadership. The majority of the scoring will be focused on these assets,” says Lynda Waldron, Executive Director of the RoseQueen Scholarship Pageant. On Saturday, August 13, ten contestants will compete at Western High School’s Performance Center to determine who will wear the crown and represent Jackson County at the 2017 Miss Michigan USA pageant. Between now and August 13, the contestants will participate in various public service appearances. At…

Consumers Energy Innovation Center

April 18, 2016

Jackson Receives Grant for New Trail System

April 18, 2016

City of Jackson officials recently announced a $250,000 grant from the Weatherwax Foundation has been set aside for a trail project through Summit Township and the city. The funds are earmarked for a new trail along Horton Road in Summit Township that will connect to a new city trail along Fourth Street by the Ella Sharp Park and the Middle School at Parkside. The trail would then connect to Jackson’s Martin Luther King Equality Trail (formerly the inter-city trail) to the north. The $250,000 is bundled with a $300,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for the same project. An additional $50,000 is slated to come from the city’s major street fund to complete the project next year. At its meeting earlier this month, Jackson City Council voted to have the trail named the “PAKA Trail” in memory of Peter A. and Kenneth A. Weatherwax, who founded the Weatherwax Foundation. Council approved the concept for the trail and the DNR grant in March. “The city has worked with outlying townships and Jackson County to connect its trail systems for some time,” Public Information Officer Will Forgrave said. “We’re excited that we’re receiving the necessary funds through grants to help us do that now.” The state DNR also granted Summit…

The arms to win

April 18, 2016

Lumen baseball team has pitching depth to make another run (file photo above) By Mike Moore Staff Writer Jackson — They were the best team in Division 3, a collection of guys that went to East Lansing with a dream, and exited with a state championship trophy. In 2015, there were none better than the Lumen Christi baseball team. And when the 2016 season began a few weeks ago, coach Phil Clifford made it a point to stress last year is just that — last year. “You have to separate the two years and the two teams,” Clifford said. “That was last year, the 2015 team. This is the 2016 team, one that has to create it’s own identity. We still have to figure out chemistry, the guys on the field. We’re replacing our outfield and pieces of our infield. Sure, we recognize the achievement, but this is a new team.” True, but some of the key pieces from that group are back in the mix. Nine guys that were part of the state title returned this spring, including four starters. But the key, Clifford said, is pitching depth — and the…

Once the bats get going

April 18, 2016

Nearpass knows success of Jackson baseball will be determined when offense gets going By Mike Moore Staff Writer Jackson — Pitching often has the early season advantage in terms of baseball. When the spring season begins, sometimes with snow flurries still swirling, getting legit swings off live pitching is a luxury few teams have. As David Nearpass looked back on the first four games of the 2016 season, the Jackson skipper sees plenty of potential with his group, “once the bats wake up,” he said with a laugh. “We’ve played four games and allowed 10 total runs. We should be 4-0,” Nearpass said. “We’ve pitched well enough to win. The defense has been pretty strong for being early in the season. We just need to get the bats going.” The Vikings were just 1-2-1 through those games, and as Nearpass said, a pitching staff that’s allowed 10 runs deserves a better record. Asked what the main issue has been so far, Nearpass said pitch selection. “We’re letting too many good pitches go by,” he added. “We’re taking that first strike, then getting behind in the count. If it’s there, smack it. We have…

Spring Arbor Track & Field sees strong performances at SHU Don Kleinow Invitational

April 18, 2016

ADRIAN, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at the Don Kleinow Invitational Saturday at Siena Heights University. The women’s team saw its second athlete book a trip to the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships as freshman Katrina Tovar hit the NAIA B standard in the pole vault. Tovar cleared a height of 11’ 5.75” (3.50m) to earn ninth place in the event. Sophomore Bethany Kuenzer, who has also qualified for the championship meet in the event, earned fifth place with a mark of 11’ 9.75” (3.60m), which matched her career-best. Tovar also had a standout performance in the long jump as she claimed fifth place. She jumped 17’ 7” (5.36m), a distance that was just three inches shy of the program record. Junior Grace Sallee posted a new school record in the hammer throw. Her toss of 124’ 7” (37.98m) smashed her previous PR and bested the program’s all-time mark by almost four feet. Freshman Ryann Laier recorded the fifth-best mark in program history in the discus with a throw of 122’ 6” (37.34m) to earn ninth place out of 36 competitors in the event. …