FREE but priceless Presorted Standard US Postage Paid Permit No. 81 Cedar Springs, MI The SHOWCASING CEDAR SPRINGS & Reaching around the world ~ www.cedarspringspost.com Vol. XXX No. 12P Thursday, March 23, 2017 STServing Northern Kent County and parts of Newaygo and Montcalm Counties INSIDE THIS ISSUE Howard City to interview Two die in Boy Scouts collect food manager finalists Former CS Mayor Charlie Watson a finalist murder-suicide page 2 FFA week By Judy Reed Monday April 3, in the Village The Village of Howard of Howard City has selected four final- City Coun- ists to be interviewed for cil Room, the job as Village Manag- 125 E Shaw St, Howard for the Village of Lakeview er. Their current Manager, City. as Village Manager, Zoning Randy Heckman, has been The schedule for March administrator, DPW Direc- Gloria Launiere was found dead in her home Monday, doing double duty as Vil- 27 will be Wally Delamater tor, and in other areas. after being stabbed by her son. Photo from her Facebook page. lage President and Village at 7 p.m.; Charles Watson page 3 Charles Watson was a Manager. He recently noti- at 7:30 p.m.; and Thomas full time aircraft rescue fire- The Kent County Sheriff Department responded to a “The Waif” fied the Village he was re- Raymond at 8:00 p.m. On fighter at the Kent County home in Courtland Township Monday and found a woman signing as Manager and a April 3, Michael Falcon Airport from 1994-2015, dead and her son injured. search got underway. will interview at 6 p.m. when he retired. He also Police were dispatched to the 9200 block of 14 Mile One of the four final- Wally Delameter grew served on the Cedar Springs Road, on Monday, March 20, about 2:24 p.m., after receiv- ists is familiar to residents up and worked most of his Fire Department, was a re- ing a 9-1-1 call from a third party asking them to do a wel- in Cedar Springs. Charlie life in Montcalm County. serve police officer in Cedar fare check. When they arrived, they went inside and found Watson, who served on the He is currently the Vil- Springs, worked for the CS Gloria Launiere, 59, deceased. Soon after they found her Cedar Springs City Council lage Manager in Suttons DPW, and worked as an am- son, David Applegate, 34 seriously injured. Both had been for eight years, including Bay, and has worked for bulance attendant. Watson stabbed. some of that time as Mayor, them since 2008. He has served on the Cedar Springs Applegate was transported to Butterworth Hospital, will be one of those inter- also served as their Zoning City Council for eight where he later died of his injuries. viewed. Administrator and DDA years, both as Mayor and Police believe that Applegate killed his mother, then Interviews will take place Director. Prior to that, he Mayor Pro Tem. He most stabbed himself. A&E - pages 6-7 on Monday, March 27, and worked from 1994-2008 FINALISTS - continues on page 13 No other information is being released at this time. Leave wildlife in the wild Fire Department purchases life-saving Byequipment Judy Reed People living in Cedar Springs who suffer sudden cardiac arrest now have a better chance of surviv- al, thanks to new equipment recent- ly purchased by the Cedar Springs OUTdOOrS - pages 8-9 Fire Department. The CS Fire Department held donating blood a spaghetti dinner fundraiser on March 8 to raise money for the LU- CAS automatic chest compression device, which would help them give CPR to heart attack victims. The device was $15,000. “This piece of equipment is cost- ly but well worth the price,” noted Fire Chief Marty Fraser. March 8 was the Wednesday eve- ning that high winds blew through the area, and many areas were with- Health - page 10 out power. That translated to people going out to dinner, including the fundraising spaghetti dinner at Big Cedar Springs Firefighters show off their new LUCAS automatic chest compression device. Courtesy photo. PLUS Boy. Sports .............page 9 “We had a large crowd and anonymous donors contribute to and they put it into service on Tues- surrounding areas for their generos- our cause.” day evening, March 21. “I and the ity in making this a very successful Tax Time .......page 11 through the generosity of everyone, raised a sizable amount of money,” The Fire Department made staff at the Fire Department are very project,” remarked Fraser. Auto Life ......page 15 said Fraser. “We also had several enough to purchase the equipment, grateful to the community and the Page 2 The Cedar Springs Post Thursday, March 23, 2017 GroupsThe Cedar Springs Public donate to Library Library is nearing comple- tion, and two local commu- nity organizations recently stepped and made donations toward the cause. On Wednesday, March 15, the Cedar Springs His- torical Society donated 40 chairs for use at the new library. The chairs were originally donated to the CS Museum several years ago by Steelcase, and valued at $100 each at the time. Now that the Museum has sever- al pews from East Nelson UM church, they don’t have the need for the chairs. “Our whole board was so happy to be able to share them with another group right here in our community,” said Sharon Jett, Director. The Cedar Springs Historical Society donated 40 chairs like the blue one in this photo to The Cedar Springs rotary Club donated $8,000 to the CS Library for their children’s area. The Cedar Springs Rota- the Cedar Springs Library. From left to right is Fred Gunnell, CS Historical Society; Amy Pictured from left to right is Jerry Hall, Mayor, CS City Council; Amy Hall, CS Library ry also made a donation to Hall, CS Library Board; Jerry Hall, Mayor, CS City Council; Sharon Jett (in front of Jerry), Board; donna Clark, CS Library director; Julie Wheeler, rotary; and Linda Stout, rotary. CS Historical Society; Tanya Eldred, CS Historical Society; donna Clark, CS Library di- the Library at its meeting on rector; dan Clark, Cedar Springs City Council. Post photo by J. Reed. Wednesday, March 15. “Cedar Springs Rotary is happy to help the new Cedar Springs Public Library with the children’s area via this $8000 donation,” they said in the announcement on their Facebook page. Watch for more information in the Post as the Library gears up for opening in May! Hometown Hero Boy Scouts collect food for pantry U.S. Air Force Airman Courtney G. Butler grad- uated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Butler is the daughter of Kelly A. and Todd D. But- ler, and sister of Jonathan S. Butler and Kyle D. But- ler, all of Cedar Springs, Mich. She is a 2015 graduate of Rockford High School, Rockford, Mich. Thank you to our Advertisers for KEEPING THE POST COMING! Boy Scout Troop 222 recently collected hundreds of items for the United Methodist Food pantry. They collected both #shopthepost food donations and money, and Troop leader John Kerr bought more food items with the money they were given. 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Sabinas, IGHLIGhts School board bits Bayink, Nichols, and Shoffner all voted to table them. Shoffner POST H ByContracts, Judy Reed privatization of transportation said that he voted to table them because the contracts were not in News ........................................ pages 1-3 the packet and he wanted to see them. He said he voted to pass Church Connection ................ pages 4-5 Board votes on administrative, other the administrator contracts because they did see that information. contracts The Board then had to vote on a non-renewal of contracts for Voices & Views .............................page 5 The Cedar Springs Board of Education found themselves split two employees—high school principal Ron Behrenwald and pages 6-7 4-3 Monday evening, March 13, when voting on contracts for transportation supervisor Jerry Gavin. Arts & Entertainment............. administrators, executive assistants, and administrative assistants. VanDuyn said that Behrenwald was the administrator that did Outdoors ................................. pages 8-9 Dr. Laura VanDuyn, Superintendent of Cedar Springs Public not approve his contract. She explained that he had asked for more Schools, brought the contracts to the Board that evening. She told time to review it because he had a question about salary.