Thumb pair face Dash through snow Then and now: felony charges with historical group couples celebrate Page 4 Page 2 Pages 6 and 7 Complete coverage of the Cass City community and surrounding areas since 1899 VOLUME 111, NUMBER 49 CASS CITY, MICHIGAN - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2018 .75 CENTS ~ 16 PAGES Educators laud career-tech funding proposal by Tom Montgomery and Economic Development According to Michigan Depart - spectively. Center in Caro. Editor (TED), and Michigan School ment of Education statistics, some Christin Hempton, dean of stu - “The tech center provides a won - Supt. Brian Whiston applauded 850 Tuscola County students were dents at Cass City Junior-Senior derful opportunity for students to School districts could receive an the governor’s proposal for dis - enrolled in career and technical High School, said 36 percent of obtain a wide range of industry incentive up to $50 per pupil for tricts to receive $25 for every high education programs during the Cass City High School juniors and certifications,” she said. Career and Technical Education school student enrolled in any ca - 2016-17 school year. Huron 55 percent of seniors – roughly 72 Cass City Schools Supt. Jeff Har - (CTE) under Gov. Rick Snyder’s reer-tech program, and an addi - County and Sanilac County, students in all – attend career and tel welcomed the governor’s pro - executive budget recommenda - tional $25 for those students meanwhile, had about 730 stu - technical education classes at the posals. tion. enrolled in a career-tech program dents and 380 students enrolled in Tuscola Intermediate School Dis - “I know that one of the goals at Snyder revealed the plan last that provides instruction in critical the same type of programs, re - trict’s (TISD) Tuscola Technology Please turn to page 8. week as he unveiled his proposed skills and high-demand career budget for fiscal year 2019, which fields. runs from Oct. 1, 2018, through Critical skills programs cover a Sept. 30, 2019. variety of career options, includ - The plan also calls for a founda - ing agriculture, natural resources tion allowance increase for and conservation, communica - schools of about $312 million, or tions technologies, computer and roughly $120 to $240 more per information services, engineering, pupil. That would be the largest biological and biomedical sci - increase in the state’s minimum ences, construction trades, me - foundation allowance in 15 years, chanic and repair technologies, according to the governor’s pres - precision production and health entation. professions. If Snyder’s plan remains intact, “We are incredibly excited that the budget represents the first time the executive budget…includes an in recent history — and poten - investment in expanding career tially ever — that there has been and technical education for stu - per-pupil funding aimed at CTE dents in Michigan,” Curtis said. students, according to Michigan “This investment will greatly Career Pathways Alliance leaders, help schools in offering, and suc - who are lauding the governor’s cessfully operating, tech pro - proposal. grams, and further demonstrates Roger Curtis, director of the Michigan’s commitment to being Michigan Department of Talent the national leader in developing talent and pro - viding multiple pathways for students to high-demand, high-wage jobs,” he added. About 109,000 students are en - rolled in career- tech classes, with about 72,000 in criti - CASS CITY High School senior Danielle Kopah, an automotive technology cal skills pro - student at the Tuscola Technology Center in Caro, utilizes a diagnostic tool to grams. Overall enrollment in “talk” to a car’s computer system in order to find out why the vehicle won’t career-tech start. The patch on her shirt signifies that Kopah has earned the ASE (Auto - classes has in - creased by motive Service Excellence) student certification. about 5,000 students since KINGSTON High School juniors 2015. Lacie Peters (left) and Cheyenne Clay - The Thumb is well repre - Suspect in custody in string pool hold lambs in the agriscience sented in those barn at the tech center. numbers. of break-ins in upper Thumb by Tom Montgomery several of the burglaries run a stop Smith, detectives and Investiga - Ice fisherman survives Editor sign at Deckerville and Wheeler tors from the various county, city roads. and state agencies subsequently A Huron County man is behind “Upon contact with the driver performed a series of search war - falling through bay ice, bars after being arrested in con - and only occupant of the vehicle, rants in the Bad Axe, Mayville nection with a string of break-ins it was determined that he was in and Vassar areas. in the Thumb. violation of several traffic laws “These search warrants produced sheriff issues warning That’s according to Sanilac and was in possession of an illegal evidence linking the suspect to County Sheriff Garry Biniecki, quantity of marijuana,” Biniecki several of the area B and E’s,” by Tom Montgomery who said weeks of investigating said. “Further investigation led Smith said. Editor the crimes paid off with the arrest Sgt. Park and her back-up, Deck - of 38-year-old Gonzalo Medellin erville Police Chief Bob Willis, to “The solving of this case was due Tuscola County Sheriff Glen Skrent repeated warnings to ice fisher - III of Bad Axe, who has been for - locate stolen items in the vehicle to solid police work by all my men tempted to head out on Saginaw Bay after deputies rescued a fish - mally arraigned on felony charges that were taken in some of the area deputies involved in the case, as erman who fell through the ice early last week. of home invasion, larceny in a B and E’s.” well as neighboring agencies, but In a statement released by the sheriff and posted on the department’s building and larceny of firearms. The officers arrested Medellin I feel it should be noted that Sgt. Facebook page, investigators said a woman called 911 at about 7 p.m. Medellin also faces charges of and transported him to the Sanilac Park’s initiative and focus was key Monday and reported that her son had called her after falling through possession of a controlled sub - County Jail. in bringing this suspect to justice,” the ice. stance and receiving and conceal - According to D/Sgt. Nathan Biniecki said. “He had been five miles out from Thomas Road and was coming back ing stolen property. when he drove into open water. He and the quad went into the water,” “Good police work capped off a Skrent said. “The subject had managed to pull himself out, but was un - lengthy multi-agency response to able to get back in to shore, so he took refuge in a shanty he had been a series of B and E’s that occurred Greenleaf home invasion towing. during the fall of 2017 in north - “Sgt. (Justin) Nitz and Deputy (Kirk) Dutcher, who are part of the joint western Sanilac County and defendant faces evaluation Huron/Tuscola airboat team, responded. Caseville Fire Chief Ben Wil - neighboring Tuscola and Huron counties,” Biniecki said last week. Please turn to page 2. “Several residential (break-ins) by Tom Montgomery occurred where various tools, Editor electronics and other items were taken,” he noted. “These cases The criminal case against the remaining suspect in a home in - Traffic crash claims one life were investigated by sheriff’s vasion-double homicide in Sanilac County in November is on deputies from Huron, Tuscola and hold following his attorney’s request to have her client undergo by Tom Montgomery Sanilac counties as well as the a psychiatric evaluation to determine if he’s competent to stand Editor Michigan State Police.” trial. The case was broken open Jan. 9 The request was recently granted in Sanilac County District A Tuscola County man lost his life in a two-vehicle traffic accident at about 2 p.m., when Sanilac Court. Thursday in Fremont Township. County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. No other court dates have been set for the defendant, Preston Troopers from the Michigan State Police post in Caro were dispatched Shelly Park — who was respond - Jack, 30, of Flint, who is being held without bond in the Sanilac to M-24 and Snover Road, according to Specialist First Lt. David A. ing to a call in the northwest cor - County Jail. It can take several weeks to schedule and complete Kaiser, public information officer for the MSP Third District Headquar - ner of the county — observed a psychiatric evaluations. ters. vehicle matching the description Please turn to page 2. Please turn to page 4. of a vehicle seen in the area of PAGE TWO CASS CITY CHRONICLE - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2018 CASS CITY, MICHIGAN Greenleaf historical group planning old-fashioned sledding fun Feb. 17 by Mary Drier warm if they have to wait for their “It’s a part of our history that we Special for the Chronicle turn for a ride,” said Greenleaf are trying to show,” said Cleland. Historical Society Board member “The rides are free. It’s open to Greenleaf Township residents Jerry Cleland. “There are Amish Greenleaf Township residents and will have an opportunity to go in the area. Andrew Miller will to those who are interest in the dashing through the snow in a provide the horses and I have an area’s history.” one-horse open sleigh this week - old bobsled that we will be using.” The Greenleaf Township Histor - end, just like in bygone days. Before automobiles became the ical Society is always on the look - The Greenleaf Historical Society main mode of transportation, out for new members, according will host bobsled rides from 2 to 4 horseback or a horse and buggy to Cleland.