Co// 224-236 J Your County Clinton County News News Line t,—» ST JOHNS, MICHIGAN 48879 15 Cents December 4,1974 Vol.53 22 Payss «HSem»8»^^ Santa's on the way to St Johns Commission appoints ST JOHNS - Santa Claus comes to town A children's Christmas story hour will be ft Friday in St Johns, escorted by the St Johns held in the Bement Public Library Saturday % Fire Dept and St Johns High School Band at and the following 2 Saturdays from 10 am £ Randy Humphrey 6 30 pm until noon. •:• After his arrival he will go to the Free movies are another attraction in $ Municipal BIdg where he will visit with area downtown St Johns during Santa's visits. •:• youngsters from 7-7:30. * Movies and cartoons will be shown at 1 and 3 $ He will return to visit Saturday from 10 am until noon pm Dec 7,34, and 2L * interim manager ST JOHNS -- Randy Humphrey, St Johns City Clerk, has been appointed interim city Kroger freezes prices: manager by the' City Commission to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Harvey Weatherwax. Weatherwax, city manager for 6 years, resigned to accept the manager's position in area shoppers react Roseville. Humphrey has served as city clerk for the past 13 months, previously serving as the ST JOHNS - Last week Kroger Food assistant cify manager for 3"£ years. Stores announced a nationwide anti- During that time, he was also zoning inflation program designed to freeze prices administrator and code enforcement of­ on 1100 grocery items for 60 days or until ficer. Feb 1,1975 A graduate of Central Michigan The Clinton County News asked Bob University, Humphrey and his wife, Melanie GemmUl, St Johns Kroger manager, what and 3 children, reside at 805 W Park, St grocery items were included in the freeze Johns He said that they were alt basic, fun­ Randy Humphrey damental items and brands which are a regular part of the family's weekly supermarket purchases. St Johns Joycees Included are cereals, canned vegetables, canned meats, juices, paper products, household items, cheese, rice, peanut butter, dry beans and frozen foods announce date of Gemmill further pointed out that the •'frozen" items will be identified for shop­ pers by blue "Kroger Price Freeze" shelf 1975 Soapbox Derby markers Kroger is implementing the program in ST JOHNS - The date of the 1975 Clinton The new rule book is scheduled to be support of President Ford's caU to "Whip Robert Gemmill, St Johns County Soapbox Derby has been announced delivered after Jan 1. Inflation Now" through voluntary action, Kroger Manager as May 18, following the Nov 26 Soapbox Director of the Clinton County Derby this "We do not pretend that this move will solve year is Terry P Cornwell, who takes over the underlying causes of inflation," Gem- Derby Committee organizational meeting. During the organizational meeting, the reins from John Arehart, who was mill said "It will provide relief and some director of ihe Derby for 4 years. real values for our shoppers." reports were given by John Arehart and Jim Edwards, who represented the St Johns Cornwell stressed the fact that the Derby Following are comments by shoppers Jaycees at a 2-day Derby work session in no longer has a national sponsor and that all in the local Kroger Superstore: Akron, Ohio Oct 19 money must be raised on a local basis. During the Akron work sessions, "The franchise fee of $200 is a minimal representatives from local derbys part of local financing," Cornwell said, ?* The St Johns Jaycees, assisted here by Ron Huber, braved the throughout the country attended "The St Johns Jaycees are now proceeding •:• cold and snow Sunday to put up Christmas decorations in down Host of the meeting was the International to raise funds to finance the many phases of <: town St Johns. For Christmas activity details, see story in upper Soapbox Derby Committee, a group formed the Derby tha t are involved leading up to the f> left hand corner of page. to take over the AU-American Soapbox actual race day " Derby, after the Akron Chamber of Com- Cornwell added, "Iri addition to fiinds for metc*< anfiourred they woulo no longer running the Derby, we alwi raise money for Sporotor the Derby. the prizes, plus the trip to Akron for the Spokesmen from the International winner and several local racers whose Santa announces Soapbox Derby Committee told officials of names are drawn the day of the race " the local derbys that the rules committee is Cornwell said announcements will be currently studying rules and rule changes made later about fund raising activities as visit to DeWitt proposed by the directors in a questionairre well as dates for sign-up, clinics, inspections previous to the Akron meeting and trial run dates Mrs John Spousta. St John:*: DEWITT - Santa claus will arrive in at the hall at l pm and hot chocolate and "Yes, 1 like it. Hate to see things DeWitt Saturday, Dec 14 cookies will be served go up all the time " He will come into town on a fire truck and Santa's mailbox will be located at Ackles will arrive at the VFW Hall next to the bank Union 76 station and letters deposited in the Mental Health works at 2 pm mailbox by Dec 14 will be answered by Prior to his arrival, movies will be shown Santa Charles Bushnell, St Johns: "Pm not too posted on this. It's to prevent suicide hard to tell what Hill come of Reading, hearing sef on By Deborah LaParl years and has not as yet lost an active client it." County News Writer by suicide "We would like this to be an indication to ST JOHNS -The feelings of loneliness and others that counseling can help," he said. Senior Citizen Complex alienation begin to build and problems seem The director explained that there are 2 insurmountable. Is there a way to get help? basic types of suicides, and not all may be Many people faced with problems they prevented The first type is the person who feel they cannot handle see suicide as the has planned his death weeks in advance, he ST JOHNS - The 1st reading mercial to R3, multi-family. only solution. may have even taken out insurance for his of a rezohing ordinance to make A previous recommendation The people who work at the Mental Health family. The second type is the impulsive way for a 4 B7 acre senior by the Planning Commission to Center, 300 East Sturgis St, would like the person who, in a moment of extreme upset, citizen apartment complex will extend the re-zoning to include chance to come up with an alternative to commits suicide, be held by (he St Johns City 13 8 acres was reduced by the suicide "We may never be able to prevent the Commission Jan 9 with a public City Commission to include only Thomas Sherby, director of the center, impulsive type, but we may be able to reach hearing on the project to be held the 4 87 actes originally sees a real problem with the number of the persons who are thinking about it," Loretta Eseher, St Johns: "I Jan 13 at 7 45 pm * requested people who have eemmitted suicide that the Sherby said. am sure that grocery stores are The senior citizen complex is NEW BUILDING center has not had a chance to reach. The center has just added Gary Mc- not raking in all the profits proposed by Fedewa Builders - PERMIT FEES "At least give us a chance, we may be able Campbell to the staff to make 4 full-time some p.-ople say they are. I Inc who are requesting a zoning In other action by the Com­ to help with deep feelings of depression and therapists. think that many other factors change from general com- mission at their most recent loneliness that preceeds suicide," Sherby McCampbell will be working with adults such as high fuel costs, etc. meeting, new building permit in marriage and family counseling. He has a force the prices up." fees were adopted, following a The director noted that one misconception masters degree in mental health from Road pinch ? study by Bruce Wood, zoning people have about a mental health center is Northern Illinois University. administrator that in order to go there a person must be Although the staff has increased by 40 Mrs William Thomas, Alma: LANSING - Local counties may feel the The old fee schedule called for mentally ill. Sherby noted that this is not the percent in the, past year, the referrals have "It's about time they freeze pinch of the decline of state gasoline tax $2 on the 1st $1000 of value and case. increased by 100 percent, Sherby sajd. prices, wages don't go up in revenue, and may be forced to cut road 50 cents for each additional "Most of the people we see are people with The center receives referrals from the proportion. I really do like to maintenance as 3 Northern Michigan $1000 family, marital and personal problems and juvenile court, social agencies, school of­ shop at the Kroger store in St counties have already done The new fees will be $35 for a cannot be labeled as mentally ill. They just ficials, and physicians, Johns." In a press release issued by the County residence with or without at­ have problems that they have tried to deal Sherby noted that in counseling the center Koad Association of Michigan, Earl F.