Since it’s award season, I wanted to give thanks and praise to some very important people I work with who received some very important awards. Last week the Michigan Press Association announced winners of the 2022 MPA Better Newspaper Contest.
Nearly a foot of heavy and wet snow wasn’t enough to keep thousands of people from attending this year’s Fenton Community Expo last weekend. Just as all of the companies and organizations were about to set up their booths Friday afternoon and evening, the snow started to fall, and very he…
This is my first column since the mass shooting on Monday, Feb. 13, at Michigan State University that claimed the lives of three MSU students, Brian Fraser, a sophomore, Alexandria Verner, a junior, and Arielle Anderson, a sophomore. Brian and Arielle were from the Grosse Pointe area and …
Wow. What a great turnout they had for this year’s Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Michigan presented by Michigan Law Enforcement held in front of the Fenton Moose Lodge on Saturday, Feb. 4 on Lake Fenton. Weather is always a factor for the day and with our mild temperatures, hundreds o…
For the most part, so far, this winter has been a bust if you like snow. This area did receive a few inches in mid November and then a few more inches and very cold temperatures right before Christmas, but other than that, it’s been mild. At this point, I feel like we should just skip to …
There are two groups of people being recognized in the month of January. Not to say that other groups aren’t being recognized for their work, but these two involve many local residents. January is National School Board Appreciation Month and Monday was National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.
If everything goes as planned, a Fenton family with seven kids will be able to spend Christmas in their newly renovated home. Right now, they are staying at a hotel in Fenton. John and Jessica Nelson own their home on Sixth Street but found themselves falling behind with maintaining it. T…
If you are in the mood for Christmas festivals and tons of activities for the whole family, look no farther than Holly, Linden and Fenton. Our area is so fortunate to have one-of-a-kind festivals practically in our back yards. Last weekend, the Holly Dickens Festival kicked off its three-…
Several employees with the Tri-County Times and View Newspaper Group (VNG) recently met over at the Fenton & Linden Regional of Chamber’s office with Dawn Placek, the executive director of Fenton Area Resources and Referral Network, Inc. (FARR) to present FARR with a $5,000 check tha…
Now that all the Halloween festivities are over, many people and organizations start thinking about the upcoming holidays, focusing on giving thanks and providing gifts to loved ones.
Have you ever gone through your pantry and realized you bought too much of one thing, maybe because it was on sale, and realized that the expiration date is approaching and you have no intention of using that item before the expiration date? It can happen. With the cost of food rising at …
I’m sure you’ve seen those TV ads where home health care companies show smiling elderly folks enjoying daily visits with their hired care givers. To me, the men and woman who are being cared for at home appear to be so happy and carefree as they play puzzles, sip on coffee or change into …
The weather certainly cooperated for the 50th anniversary of Applefest, which was held this past weekend in Fenton. I don’t think it could have been any nicer for an outdoor event. However, it looks like I’ll continue driving my SUV since I didn’t get a call about winning one of those ama…
You know you live in a great neighborhood when you can walk across the road and enjoy an end-of-summer concert with all of your neighbors, young and old. That’s what we got to do this past Sunday night.
The other morning there was a chill in the air that suddenly reminded me that summer is ending and the new school year is upon us. It also felt like there should be some college football on TV. I’m definitely more of a summer person than any other season we have here in Michigan, but ther…
It’s been a busy past several weeks. While we’ve been trying to fit as much fun into our summer so that we can enjoy our lake and seeing our kids and grandkids, we’ve also been working every day and finishing up the work of moving my 92-year-old mom into an assisted living facility here i…
The thunder and lightning storm we had very early in the morning last weekend was such a glorious show. I love storms like that as long as we don’t lose power. I watched lightning bolts exploding in the sky and some of them felt like they were over my house. After one large boom, my phone…
Well it appears that I slept through a severe thunderstorm and tornado Monday night. We even had our bedroom windows wide open. I typically receive fire department alerts on my phone, but when I went to bed about 10 p.m. Monday night, I had set my phone on vibrate. I was exhausted and imm…
When I heard the first 911 alert last Tuesday, June 21, saying the front of the Holly Moose Lodge was on fire, I imagined it would quickly be extinguished. I turned on my police and fire scanner and started listening while I was working on another story. I had just gotten back to the offi…
We’re ready for this Saturday. Well, at least I think we’re ready. And if not, hopefully no one will notice. I truly believe everyone must host a wedding and a golf outing at least once in their lifetime so that they know how much work is involved. This Saturday, my husband Jeff and I wil…
I had mentioned in a previous column that I was going to announce the winner(s) of the Brad Stone scholarship during the Senior Awards Night at Lake Fenton High School on May 11. As most of you know, this college scholarship is in memory of my son, Brad, who died in 2000 at the age of 12 …
I can see how rumors get started, even unintentionally. One person observes something, tells what they think they saw to a friend and then that friend asks me about it since they figured I’d know what was going on since I’ve been the police reporter for the Times for more than 18 years. S…
Sometimes you just know when you’ve made the right decision. Whether it’s taking a vacation, going on that second date or taking on a new role at work, you’ll know in your heart what’s best for you and your family.
Sunday’s sunshine and a hint of warm breezes prompted several people in my neighborhood to take walks and enjoy the fresh air. The sunshine prompted me to finally get outdoors and remove the Christmas lights from a few trees in the front yard. I even tossed the tennis ball for a while wit…
It’s been a rough and stressful week for our family. My mom, who will be 92 in May, had a health scare last week and I had to make the dreaded 911 call to get medical attention for her. I calmly explained to the 911 dispatcher what was happening and she said an ambulance would be on the way.
I recently flew to Miami for a long weekend getaway. My husband and I traveled with my 91-year-old mom, Barbara. Jeff and I are no strangers to traveling and flying, but flying with one who doesn’t get around very well on their own presented some challenges. We purchased direct flights fr…
After taking last year off due to the pandemic, the Fenton & Linden Regional Chamber of Commerce is putting on the Fenton Community Expo this weekend at Fenton High School. The chamber and local business representatives are thrilled to be back at an exciting, in-person event that wel…
I am convinced that the tri-county area is full of generous, thoughtful and caring people. You just have to know how to look. I’m sure other areas are just as fortunate but I know first-hand what people are doing for others right here.
Despite it being the heart of winter in Michigan, there is much to do.
It’s hard for me to believe that we are already in the second half of January. Christmas and New Year’s Eve seem like ages ago.
Now that Christmas and New Year’s Day are over, things are calming down a bit, at least for my family. I’m sure delivery people are enjoying a breather after working extra long hours making sure packages made it to their intended destinations on time. People making food deliveries likely …
The mass shooting that happened Tuesday, Nov. 30 at Oxford High School left four teenagers, Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Madison Baldwin and Justin Shilling, dead. There also are seven other families who are coping with loved ones who were shot and injured in this senseless shooting. I am…
As the current editor and police reporter here at the Times for the last 18 years, I’ve covered a variety of court cases, deaths, arrests, disappearances and more. I will never forget the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009 when I met the Jawhari family. The frantic Jawhari sisters were d…
Dozens of volunteers, including my co-workers and my husband, Jeff, gave up their personal time last Saturday to pour some beer and wine and raise much-needed money for Fenton Area Resources & Referral network, Inc. (FARR).
Tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day. An Act approved May 13, 1938 made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday — a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.”
I love it when businesses get creative to provide new and exciting experiences for their customers. It’s that entrepreneurial spirit that creates a new service to be enjoyed by many and if it’s in the tri-county area, all the better.
To all the small business owners and their employees who show up every day with a smile on their face and a genuine desire to take care of every customer that walks into their business — thank you.
As soon as I feel the chill from a crisp breeze and smell the beginning of leaves turning, it’s time that I make my first pot of chili of the season. My recipe, Nichols worth of chili, is an old family favorite that I have tweaked over the years. The pot simmering on the stovetop signifies t…
I was away last week on a much-needed vacation. We had a trip to Florida planned for months and counting down the days until we flew there was exciting. My husband and I traveled to New Smyrna Beach with two other couples that we have been dear friends with for decades. Our son, who lives in…
I’m jumping on the bandwagon to thank and praise the work of Consumers Energy, DTE and contractors from the seven states that worked around the clock to restore power to much of Mid-Michigan following the storms that began last Wednesday, Aug. 11. Huge kudos also to all the fire and police d…
Every day for the past five years, Nikki and Franz Brueger have started their day wondering who killed their only child, 31-year-old Ally. July 30 marked the five-year anniversary of her murder. She was shot at several times as she ran her usual 10-mile route in Rose Township. Nikki told me …
With this pandemic going on for nearly a year-and-a-half, we’ve all adjusted our way of life and adapted to keep our households running smoothly, or at least attempted to keep things running smoothly.
People across this country love their fireworks. There’s just something nostalgic about relaxing on a warm summer night and watching the skies above explode with colorful sprays of fireworks. The bright lights can momentarily light up your surroundings and cast a patriotic red, white and blu…
What a weekend we had. Actually it’s been a chaotic couple of weeks. My family hosted the 21st annual Brad Stone Summer Classic in memory of our son who died in 2000 at the age of 12.
Now that the weather is summer-like, my husband, Jeff and I need to clean out our kayaks to make sure all of the spider webs, leaves and dust are gone before we take our first adventure of 2021. If I remember correctly, we only took them out once last summer. Sometimes we just cruise around …
I recently announced the winners of this year’s Brad Stone Scholarship. Just like last year, I had to submit a video announcement because of COVID restrictions. Lake Fenton High School played my short two-minute video at Senior Awards night. The school live streamed the event and I watched a…
The Tyrone Township Board of Trustees will look at the possibility of facilitating the move and preservation of the 150-year-old township hall, commonly referred to by longtime residents as Town House.
Being the police reporter here at the Times since 2004, I have met many men and women in blue who are dedicated to serving the tri-county area. I have been chatting or emailing with several on a weekly basis to provide police reports and details about crimes and accidents for our readers. I …
How many people by their 14th birthday can say they are CEO and founder of an organization, honored by the Martin Luther King Foundation, the recipient of the Everyday Young Hero Award and be featured on The Today Show, among other things?
I wrote a story, “Three dozen dogs now have path to better life” for the Jan. 31 issue of the Times. It covered the dog rescue and trip that Fenton Adopt-A-Pet volunteers made to West Virginia. They were contacted about a hoarding situation following the death of the woman who had been carin…