Watervliet Independence Celebration This Weekend New Railroad Talk
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• \ Watervliet Independence Celebration this weekend By Lynn Attlli The Beer Garden will be featured in ceeds being donated to the American The cxciting and much anticipated the parking lot next to Don Young Red Cross Berrien County Chapter. 2007 Watervliet Independence Cele- Insurance Agency. Headlining on The hinds will stay in Berrien Coun- bration is slated to delight festival- Friday from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. ty. goers June 29 through July I. will be country music stars Jay Teter Along with the breakfast, the Fire To get the festival kick-started, the and Brad Tyler, Proceeds will bene- Department will feature a Car Bash activities will begin at 1:00 p.m. on fit the Berrien County Council for A Burn from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 Friday, June 29, with the opening of Abused Children. noon. The "bashing" will take place the Carnival. Location will be in the Food and craft vendors will be at this time. The car will be moved parking lot across from the Elite Bar available all weekend for your en- to the old paper mill site for the & Grill. joyment. "Bum" portion of the ftin and will Sidewalk Sales, sponsored by Wa- Saturday, June 30, dawns bright and take place at 8:00 p.m. tervliet merchants, will he open early with the Dawn Fly-In at Water- The annual Gene Bednarowski 5K Friday and Saturday. vliet Airport. Run/Walk will begin at North School The first time-ever Kiddies Parade A Pancake Breakfast will take place at 9:00 a.m., with signup starting at SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE IS ON TAP THIS WEEKEND IN WATERVLIET... from the Airport to the will begin at 6:00 p.m. Signup forms at the Fire Department from 7:00 Fire Hall, with the downtown in-between; including kiddie carnival rides, fireworks, food, parades and more. arc available at Watervliet City Hall. a.m. to 12:00 noon, with all pro- COb TLMJtD OH PAdF 14 See Pa^e 15 for a complete event agenda, plus many merchant specials (Karl Bayer photo) Coloma grads earn Pratt family history donated Hartford Concerts in the $836,365 in scholarships to NB Historical Society Park line-up listed • Page 9 Page 3 Page 4 The Newspaper for Coloma - Hartford - Watervliet 463-i N/C HOAG & 'SON* TRI-CITY RE SPRINGPORT. Ml 492S4 123rd Year Issue No, 55 June 28, 2007 Seventy-five Cents Hartford Citv Manager on Countxwidc committee I New railroad talk inspires another look at area for more development projects Bv Angela Stair Burglary/Forced Entry/ By Angela Stair unit of government in Van Buren (they would keep the trail) would be Motor Vehicle Theft A few months ago, a meeting was County; the top two business at least S30 million, Akinwale esti- Officer Brett Langston of the Colo- held to look at the possibility of put- employers of each unit area will be mated. ma Township Police Department ting a railroad track back on the Van asked to have representatives there; "We plan to explore the needs and was dispatched to the 4000 block ot Buren Trail that runs between Hart- each school district will bring infor- possibilities of the County and how Bundy Road on June 19 at 5:48 p.m. ford and South Haven. The idea has mation on technical training avail- the replacement of the railroad could in reference to a belated larceny. grown into looking at the whole area able; and bring local economic affect it positively," Akinwale said. Upon arriving at the scene, Linda MELISSA SKINNER...(seated, with sleeping son Jonny) organized the for possible economic development developers. "There may be more than just the Hurst advised Langston that her Hartford Strawberry Ride for Autism Awareness to raise money for the centered around the addition of a The logistics of getting that many one company in South Haven that 2002 Harley-Davidson motorcycle needs of children like her son. Skinner presented the Family Support new railroad. people from so many areas to one could utilize it to promote economic had been taken. She advised that she Services uroup with a check for $706. Pictured are: (from the left) Hartford City Manager Yemi Akin- place at one time will be the hardest development Countywide. Then it believed it had been taken late Kathleen Easterlinu, Marcella Bell-Pitchford, Ruth Fuentes, and Cris- wale has been put on a sub-commit- pari, but the sub-committee is look- would be easier to find funding for Friday evening or early Saturday tina Caruso. Not available for the photo was Kevin Ou/ts, also a mem- tee to put together a forum that could ing to set the forum up for sometime the railroad." morning. She had not realized that it ber of the uroup. (Angela Stair photo) look at Countywidc economic de- He said the 1-94 economic develop- in September. They plan to meet in was missing until just prior to the velopment. July or August to put an agenda ment that is being looked at for the call to the department. This committee held a meeting in together and set up the time, date, Hartford and Watervliet area is sure Autism awareness ride The motorcycle is a 2002 Harley- Hartford Township Hall on Thurs- and place for the forum. to play a part in it. If there is enough Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom. It day, June 21, and put together the Akinwale said that as the meetings interest in the replacement of the is dark blue m color and a value outline of who should be included in progressed on the possibility of railroad and we see it's possible, nets $831 for Van Buren placed on it is $10,000. Officer the forum. replacing the railroad, other ideas then we could go after it, Akinwale Langston contacted the Berrien Akinwale said the forum would County Hope Center emerged. The cost to replace the said. County Sheriff's Department and have two representatives from each railroad beside the Van Buren Trail provided that department with the By Angela Stair SI25 from the Motorcycle Show vehicle information. Melissa Skinner of Hartford found that was held. That makes $831 for out her son, who is 4 years old, is a the Hope Center." Coloma City Commission OKs bid for Property damage high-functioning autistic, with Asp- Skinner said $210 was made from bergers Disorder. This past June 9, the signup for the ride and nearly Church St. repaying; balks at Mayor's accident/personal an autism awareness ride was organ- $500 was made from raffles held injury ized by Skinner to be added to the during the ride. I mda l.ouann Wayman contacted Strawberry Festival events in Hart- Marcella Bell-Pitchford of the sup- request to keep workshops at Library Officer Trent DeGroff of the ford. port services group said the money By Lynn Attila accept two new ordinances to add to library setting, as it "encourages Coloma Township Police Depart- The ride was successful, with 39 would stay in Van Buren County and Coloma City Commission accepted Article II of the Building Code. public participation and is more suit- ment on June 24 at 4:20 p.m., in ref- riders; and the Motorcycle Show she be used for the special activities a bid from Quality Paving in the Commissioner Julia Smith said that able to the meeting environment" erence to an accident that had organized last year had 25 entrants, over and above the outreach to the amount of S5,000 to pave a Section 10-32 makes the Building He said the library was "a more occurred on June 16 in the T's Tap compared to the six entries the first children with developmental delays 25'xl95' section of Center Street Inspector of the City of Coloma the comfortable place to meet. At City parking lot in downtown Coloma. year. and special needs. She said it would from the bridge to South Paw Paw designated enforcing agency to dis- Hall, especially in the summer, you Wayman advised DeGroff that Proceeds from the ride went to the also be used only for the autistic Street at its workshop meeting June charge the City's responsibility either have the air conditioner blast- sometime around 1:00 a.m. on June Van Buren Hope Center that has children's special activities that state 25. under the Stille-DeRossett-llale ing so people in the back of the room 16 she was assisting a friend, Ileah programs tor high-functioning autis- budget cuts have affected. Commissioner Marsha (Fishbum) Single State Construction Code Act. can't hear or you turn off the air con- Zehner, to back up her GMC Jimmy. tic children. Skinner was very Hartford Greater Area Chamber of Hammons said the road was paved Coloma's Building Inspector is ditioner and suffer with 100-degree Zehner accidentally struck Wayman, pleased to be able to present the Commerce President Ron Sefcik over brick and that was causing a re- Butch Kelly, Smith said. temperatures." pinning her to the guardrail. When Family Support Services group with said the donation to the autism occurring problem with the road Section 10-33 established a After Mayor Owen finished with his the vehicle pulled away, she fell to a check for $706. awareness ride is one of the many breaking up every few years. Construction Board of Appeals. comments, the Commission voted 6- the ground and felt some pain and "I was really pleased with the re- things the Chambe;' d'd with the City Mayor Chuck Owen said he I in favor of going hack to City Hall burning in her left knee.