25 The Grand Valley Ledger Loivell Readers Since 1893 Volume 10, Issue 48 October 15,1986 Along Main Street Residents ask for traffic light on Lowell's West Main Street Anyone who drives in Lowell knows West Mam Street can be in adventure that rivals 28th Street in Grand Rapids Heavy traffic with numerous drivers exiting and entering side streets GET READY FOR HALLOWEEN!!! and commercial drives make for a fast paced environment that can The Ledger is again sponsoring a Halloween Costume Contest raise the hair of even the most ^lor employees of area businesses. We arc in need of prizes, so experienced driver. Three resi- any merchants out there who would like to kick in a gift certificate dents of Lowell One Apartments or other prize, please give us a call at 897-9261. The Judges will located just north of Mam and visit only those businesses that call the Ledger to tell us they have west of Valley Vista Dr. decided employees in costume. This contest was a tremendous amount of to do something about the situa- fun last year, let's make it bigger and better this year! tion.Vera Sherman, Margaret Gardener and Dorothy Haney COUNT WEEK FOR PUPILS OCTOBER 20-24 presented a petition with over 350 signatures at the Monday, The Depanment of Education for the State of Michigan has put October 6, Lowell City Council into effect a new funding formula for transportation of school meeting. The petition asked that children. One of the large factors in this new funding formula will a traffic light be located at Main ^be pupils transported. Count week for pupils transported will be St. and Valley Vista Dr. Octobcr 20-24. Help your school by having your child ride the Sherman said. "It takes bus each morning. We can only count in the a.m. and count actual forever to get out on to Main St., students that depart at each school. and if you want to make a left turn, you might as well forget it. An eastbound auto owned by Julie Bradbury, 31, of Belding crashed head-on into a utility CLASS OF 88 TO HOLD FUND RAISER FOR SIGN You're better off to make a right pole near the comer on Main and Center Streets Sunday evening. The impact nearly severed and turn around down the street the pole and sent five occupants of the vehicle to the hospital. The Junior class of *88 is having a fund raiser to purchase a somewhere ". Gardener said, "I Lowell Police, Fire and Rescue personnel along with a Kent County Sheriffs Department lighted sign for the front of Lowell High School. The sign has could get signatures from the E-Unit and Life Ambulance responded to the scene at about 8:00 p.m. Other occupants included changeable letters to put up the latest events in Lowell. The Great whole town, everyone wants to Larry Jeffery, 35, Gary Jeffery, 23, Randy Utter, 36, and a two-year-old juvenile. All are from Class of '88 is having a candy sale, starting October 13, to raise see something done". Belding. All five occupants were transported to Butterworth Hospital suffering from various the S5.800 needed to purchase the sign. Any person who would Lowell City Manager Ray injuries. | like to donate money for the sign can contact Curt Kaeb or Marsha Quada, agrees that the area is The Lowell Police department is still investigating the crash. No tickets have yet been issued. LaHaye at the Lowell High School (897-9202). congested at times, but isn't sure This was just one of three accidents on West Main St. during the past weekend. a traffic light will solve the prob- lem. Quada feels that a traffic he plans to request assistance OFF THE BLOTTER would improve flow on to M-21. There has been at least one light will create more problems from the Slate department of but starting and stopping traffic recent fatal accident in the area. in the area when traffic is backed Transportation in conducting Involved in a property damage accident Tuesday, October 7 at always creates other problems. On April 3.1985 James McCaul, up at the light. "You normally traffic counts and offenng sug- Hudson and Foreman Streets, were Cheryl Blodgett, 40, of Lowell, Zimmerman said that all traffic 74. was eastbound and struck a expenence more accidents when gestions. "It's a busy little com- and Donald Fickert, 50, of Celina, Ohio. The semi truck and trailer signal surveys are conducted out pickup truck exiting the starting and stopping traffic, and munity. All the stores are open, driven by Fickert struck Blodgett's vehicle at the comer. of the D.O.T.'s mam office in McDonalds Restaurant McCaul the staged traffic would block the there are lots of commuters head- A car owned by Doris Rhines. of Lowell, was struck by a hit Lansing. "They would survey later died of his injuries The driveways of busy businesses ing through town on their way and run driver on Broadway near Chatham St. Friday. October 3. the situation at peak hours such Ledger has reported on numer- such as McDonalds and to Grand Rapids or Ionia and ) Apprehended in Johnson s market on Friday, October 10, for as mommg, noon and late after- ous personal injury accidents in Eberhards'4. Quada feels that a there is over three miles of M-21 shoplifting was a 13 year-old juvenile from Lowell. noon. The study would not only the area, but does not have a proposed new street and the edu- within the city" Emmons pointed Cited into 63rd District Court Friday evening, October 10, were: concern M-21. but also traffic complete record. cation of the driving public out. "The state sets the speed Scott Roth. 24, of Lowell, for contributing to the delinquency of from side streets, from busines- The problem could get worse might go a long way toward eas- limits on M-21, and its difficult a minor by furnishing alcohol, Brian Hurley, 19, of Lowell for ses and pedestnan traffic in the before it gets belter. A new ing some of the problems in the to properly enforce the law with transporting an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle and area" Zimmerman said. supermarket being constructed area. A new street, if con- only one car on the road" Em- Dennis Eckman, 17, of Lowell, for minor in possession of alcohol. Emmons could not comment on West Main will likely add to structed, from the west end of mons said. However, he didn't Apprehended in Eberhards food store by store employees for on numbers of accidents in the the traffic in the area. Also, a Sibley to Main, would create a feel that speeding is a major shoplifting was Gloria Shenoskey, 44, of Lowell. She was also area. "We're putting that infor- new pnson being constructed in good access and egress to and problem along West Main St. cited into 63rd District Court for "use of marajuana " She will mation together now, and will Ionia will add to the commuter from the Valley Vista subdivi- "I'm conducting a study, and appear at a later date. report to the City Council at their traffic through town. Coopera- sion. Quada noted that nearly all when the problems are identified Edward Rash, 65, collided with a moped cycle driven by a next meeting" Emmons said. He tion among state and local au- Valley Vista traffic uses Valley we'll take steps to correct them" M6-year-old juvenile Saturday afternoon, October 11 at Avery and did agree that there are a lot of thorities may find an answer to Vista Dr. to enter and leave the Emmons said. Monroe St. when Rash failed to yield right of way at the interse- accidents on Main St.. but the problem, but in the meantime subdivision. "If we could get Brian Zimmerman, a District ction. There were no injuries. Both parties reside in Lowell. couldn't say whether more occur motorists would be wise to drive more of these people to use Traffic Techniciasn at the Grand Jeffery Ostrander, 28, of Grand Rapids, failed to yield the right on West Main than on other por- extra-defensively when traveling Church and Center Streets, we Rapids office of the Department of way as he pulled from a private drive onto Amity St. north of tions of the thoroughfare along Lowell's West Main St. would have less problems at Val- of Transportation says his office Main St. Friday morning, October 10. Ostrander collided with a ley Vista and Main" Quada said. does not currently have anything car driven by 17-year old Monica Johnson of Lowell. No one was At the instruction of Quada active in their files concerning FFA Pres. speaks here injured. and the City Council, Lowell Lowell's West Main St. "We Arrested and lodged in the Kent County jail Friday evening, ^ Rick Malir, the National Pres- gion V Greenhand and Chapter Chief of Police Barry Emmons have no report of trouble, no October 10, on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol ident of the Future Farmers of Farmer Degree initiation high- is putting together a report on work scheduled, no proposed was Clifford DesJarden, 54. of Lowell. DesJarden was involved America, spoke to the Lowell lighted the visit. The Greenhand the traffic situation on West work or studies in progress. The in an accident on Main St. near Valley Vista Drive when he made Chapter while visiting chapters Degree is for the first year FFA Main Emmons said, "I know we last thing in the file concerned ^a left turn into the path of a car driven by Margaret Wood, 35.