Clinton County News S^^JtkLetinji0n.i2^a.SinaLf8S6 117th year No. 7 ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN June 21, 1972 15 cents Six Clinton County men announce as candidates Bruce Angell Robert Ditmer John Huhn ST. JOHNS-Slx Clinton County Angell has been active in working also of St. Johns. Last year 'he was appointed to residents have announced their in­ with the youth during his seven years An active community leader, he Local Draft Board No. 19 and is now tentions to seek public office during in police work and has continued his presently is a member of the Clin­ serving as secretary. Sills is serving A clock tower atop the the upcoming elections. , education through graduate study at ton Memorial Hospital board of his third year on the Elsie Village Clinton County Court­ Candidates throwing their hats into Michigan State, University of Michigan trustees and a member of the Council. the political ring this past week in­ and Lansing Community College. He Masonic Blue Lodge and Knights A member of the United Metho­ house in st. Johns offers clude: DeWitt Township Police Chief has also participated in numerous Templars. He is also a mem­ dist Church and Elsie Lions Club, a striking architectural Bruce Angell, Clinton County sheriff; law enforcement seminars. ber of the Lansing Executives Club Sills also belongs to the Elsie Masonic Timeless beauty Clinton County Commissioner Robert An active member of the Central and the Lansing Industrial Associ­ Chapter and the Bay City Consistory. beauty to passing Ditmer of St. Johns, state represent­ Michigan Law Enforcement Associ­ ation. Other club memberships include the motorists but at night ative from the 88th District; St. Johns ation and past trustee, Angell is Gilson was president of the St. Elsie Order of Eastern and American the ljghted structure ap­ real estate salesman Don Gilson, an American Red Cross First Aid Johns Area Chamber of Commerce Legion. He is a World Warn veteran. Cliiiton -County Commissioner; Elsie Instructor. He and his wife, Vir­ twice, served on the United Fund pears even more im­ He and his wife, Esolda, have one merchant Charles Sills, Clinton ginia, reside at 2201 Clark Rd. in Campaign as chairman of the In­ posing. County Commissioner; John Huhn, Bath with a son, Bruce m and a daugh­ dustrial Division and served for six son, Ronald who recently graduated a Catholic priest from Eagle who ter, Kristine. years as a member of the board of from western Michigan University. seeks the" Democratic nomination for Don Gilson, a real estate sales­ trustees at the Congregational Church Robert Ditmer, current Clinton the 56th District state representative man for Houghten Realty inSt. Johns, and is a past chairman of the group. County commissioner from the fifth seatj - and Ovid freelance writer/ has announced his intent to seek the district, is seeking the Republican Stoplight posses Another candidate for county com­ nomination for the newly created photographer Kenneth M. Somers, fifth district county commissioner's missioner is 52-year-old Charles H. .Democratic candidate for the 88th seat now held by Ditmer. He retired 88th state'representative district in Sills, an Elsie businessman and a the August 8 primary. District state representative seat. from his post as personnel manager member of the Elsie Village Council. The 30-year-old DeWitt Township of Federal Mogul Corporation's St. He has announced his bid for Re­ The new state house district in­ first reol test Police Chiefhasservedinhlspresent Johns plant early this year after 21 publican nomination to the first dis­ cludes all of Clinton County except post since 1965 and has lived in years with the firm. Prior to working trict seat currently held by Derrill the townships of Victor, Eagle, LANSING — Engineers from the initely favors US-27 traffic" because Watertown and a portion of Bath. of the greater volume northbound, Clinton County for the past 25 years, at Federal Mogul, he spent 18 years Shinabery. t ' Michigan State Highway Department A 1668 graduate-of-Michigan state as manager of the A & P store in St. jSllls has lived in Elsie for the past AlSo In the district are the Gratiot report , no serious traffic tieups * "The flashing warning lights are University's School of Police Ad­ Johns. 14 years and operated a store in -^ County townships of "New Haven, developed this past weekend at the " placecTtwo miles ahead of the inter­ the village. He presently operates Newark, Fuiton and North Shade; newly installed stoplight on the US- section and detectors placed in the ministration, he is also serving as The 59-year-old Gilson and his pavement to regulate the signal," he Civil Defense, Director of DeWitt a laundromat in Elsie and one in Fairfield Township in Shiawassee 27/M-57 junction about 12 miles north wife, Muriel, reside at 601 S. Oak­ County; Carson City and Fairplains added. Township, land St. and have one son, Kenneth, Ashley, of St. Johns. Township in Montcalm County and all The red light operates around the of Ionia County except Danby, Port­ "We're keeping a close eye on il," Robert Rigotti, a traffic operations clock but the detectors will activate land, Orange, Odessa, Sebewa and allowing traffic on one highway to Campbell Townships. engineer said of the stoplight in­ stalled last week, and "initialreports continue if the other route is clear. Chamber plonsannualprojects from the past weekend were quite Minimum and maximum time limits The 42-year-old Ditmer is pres­ favorable." are set for the green light in all ident and general manager of Dit­ t directions plus the left turning slot. ST. JOHNS—The annual organiza­ Among the announcements of National Bank. mer Broadcasting Company which Rigotti explained a decision to place On US-27 the maximum green light the stoplight at this intersection re­ tional meeting of the St. Johns Area coming events were activities of the The three officers elected to head operates radio station WRBJ in St. time is 120 seconds and the minimum Chamber of Commerce included the retail and general committees. Norb Johns. As a Clinton County Com­ sulted from a study on accidents and is 45 seconds. Maximum green light the Chamber have been active in traffic volume. If either situation induction of five new members, elec­ Rehmann of the retail group an­ community affairs, Huard, a Cham­ missioner he is a member of the time on, M-57 is set for 60 seconds tion of officers for the 1972-73 year nounced that "Sidewalk Days" would County Finance, Property Manage­ reaches a critical point, the Michigan and the minimum is 35 seconds. A ber board member since moving to St, State Highway Department normally and an announcement of several be held on Thursday and Friday July Johns in 1968, is also chairman of ment and building Authority com­ 10-20 second time lag Is set for the projects and events slated for the 27 and 28 with a rain date of Satur­ mittees. He also serves on the board Installs a light. left turning slot. Rigotti explained the the St, Johns Area Development Corp. "One wouldn't stand alone but the coming months. day the 29th. He, Max Field and Dean He is immediate past chairman of of directors for the Family and Child detectors which gauge traffic volume will direct the retail committee Services In the capitol area. two conditions did justify proceeding determine whether the maximum or Two of the three officers chosen the planning and zoning commission toward a stoplight," said Rigotti, He to head the Chamber were re-elected during' the coming year and future and continues as a member of that He- and his wife, Beverly, reside minimum time limit is activated. meetings and events will be announced at 1008 Hampshire Dr. in St. Johns. stressed that gaps between traffic The state highway department en­ to posts held this past year. RoIUn body and is also a member of the St. was getting fewer and fewer plus A. (Ron) Huard, Jr. will continue as by the trio. Johns Parking Committee, a group They have four children: Renae, a gineer expressed an awareness that The annual Chamber dinner will be sophomore at St. Johns High; Robert accidents at the corner were increas­ weekend motorists traveling north and president of the organization while named by the city commission to ing. However, neither sets of data William PattonwiUremainvicepres- * held in October and Patton will serve study and plan for long-range parking II, a freshman at St. Johns High; south on US-27 may become dis­ as chairman of the event. and twins Judith Lynn and Jeanette had yet reached the point where a tressed at having to stop but he said ident. 'Huard is supervisor of public programs. Huard is also president light is considered necessary. relations and advertising at Clinton A Chamber "fun day* is being of the board of St. Joseph Church and Juleen, third grade students. the present setup seems to have National Bank and Patton Is manager planned for Wednesday August 23 was recently elected president of the r In discussing how the new stop­ improved traffic control at the inter­ of the St. Johns office of Capitol and the event will be open to mem­ St. Joseph Home-School Council. (Continued on page 16 A} light operates, Rigotti stated it "def­ section. Savings and Loan Assn. bers and guests. The day's activities The third _officer elected came will include a "surprise'golftourney Patton is currently serving as from the ranks of the recently chosen and a cook-out at the Clinton County president of the St.