Double turkey hunting The M&hurs celebrate Vassar man killed permits in Thumb 70 years together in 2-chr crash Page 6 See special bridal section Page 3 VOLUME 91. NUMBER f =TY CHRONICLEFIFTY CENTS CASS CITY, MICHIGAN - WEiDNESDAY. JANUARY 7.1998 18 PAGES r Computer systems reviewed Area firms prepare for millennium bug New Year’s Day celebra- Some technology profes- to oversee upgrades that will Officials at Thumb National tions offered a sobering re- sionals say the year 2000 meet the corporation’s needs Bank also plan to he well minder to just about any one problem should not cause in the year 2000 and beyond. prepared. who relies on computers: major problems for users of Wirtz noted Walbro’s ma-jor “We won’t have to hire con- There are only 2 years left in newer home computers , systems -production mate- sultants or programmers be- which to deal with the Year However, there is concern rial control and financial sys- cause we don’t write OUT own 2000 Problem. that the Millennium Bug tems - are already year software. Our major vendors Predictions of what will could interrupt everything 2000 compliant. However, have heen year 2000 ready happen when Jan. 1, 2000, from phone service to finan- all other systems are being for some time,” said Jeanine rolls around range from the cial transactions to the auto- reviewed, and the company Comment, data processing disaster of the century to motive industry. has targeted its Car0 facility supervisor. mi Id inconvenience. For some companies, in- as a “pilot plant” where soft- However, many businesses cluding Walbro Corp,, Cass ware and hardware in need ALL BASES COVERED and governmental agencies City, preparations to meet the of upgrades will be identified are taking no chances. year 2000 problem are well and tested. Wirtz said infor- Comment said the bank has Experts say the problem, underway, mation obtained there will be established a Year 2000 also known as the Millen- In fact, Walbro officials utilized at all Walbro facili- Committee to assure all bases nium Bug, revolves around plan to have all of their soft- ties worldwide. are covered. the fact that most older coni- ware and computer systems In addition, Walbro has “So far, we have prioritized puter programs use the date “year 2000 compliant” long taken steps to help ensure its our processing systems and in their coding sequences. before the year 2000 arrives. suppliers and vendors are we’ve contacted (software) The date typically appears as prepared, and the company companies to see where a series of 2 digits indicating OPPORTUNITY is working with theAutomo- they’re at,” she said. “Most the month, the day and the tive Industry Action Group, are prepared or plan to be year. For example, 1997 ap- “We’re treating it not so which has drafted a check- prepared. We’re also going peared as 97 in computer much as a disaster as an op- list geared to help companies to be doing some testing on codes. portunity to review our sys- address the year 2000 prob- our critical applications just The problem, experts say, tems. .and upgrade older lem. to be sure.” Meeting the challenge “has will surface when the year technology,” said Jim Wirtz, Comment said the bank is expense to it,’7Wirtz 1999 becomes the year 2000, director of information sys- some checking everything from its and many computers begin tems for Walbro Corp. said, “but it’s also a benefit the corporation to upgrade alarm and vault systems to to read the code as the year Towards that end, Walbro to back-up software. its equipment 1900. has established a conimi ttee .” Similar measures are being taken at Chemical Bank, ac- cording to Doug Herringshaw, president of Chemical Bbk-Thumb Area. “We are spending a sizable amount 01 money to make A BOATFUL OF animated animals and a life-like Noah are all part of the Rev. sure” all systems are year 2000 compliant, he said, not- Duane Plonta’s ark. The attraction will be featured in a Christian theme park ing federal regulations re- being constructed by Plonta. (See story page: 4) quire hanks to be ready be- fore the arrival of January 2000. Herringshaw said Chemical officials are working to be sure all of their vendors are New village construction certified year 2000 compli- ant. The bank is also remind- ing its corporate customers to be prepared. id97 At Cass City Public tops $2.78 million Schools, officials say they expect few problems related to the Millennium Bug, New constructiun in Cass 1 rid us tr i a1 add i ti o I is ran ked totalcd $2,645,041. New a former Detroit Edison City ofticially topped $2.78 construction in 1996 was niaintenance building in the largely because of the pur- second at $8 16,774, includ- chase of newer equipment million in 1997. ing $800,000 for a 4,000- boosted by more than $1 mil- i ncius tr i a1 park. The total didn’t break any lion in industrial additions, that is already programmed sq 11 arc - f‘oo t t‘x pa n s i o 11 at to handle the year 2000. records, but huildcrs enjoyed Walhro Corp.’s research and inc I ud i n g $5 02,000 for an The village’s record ycar fur new construction came in George Bushong, technol- a dccent year, thanks largely lilt. ocat addition at Anrod Screen develop nt t’aciIi t y 1 cd ogy coordinator for the dis- to iiew residential construc- just east of Doerr Road, he- Cylinder, 61 60 Garfield Avc. 1994, when building permits OFFICIALS AT Thumb National Bank have taken steps to tion, including the new The majority ofthe reniain- listed a combined trict, indicated he is con- t w em M ar sh ii 1I Di s Lr i bu t i ti g ensure their operations are not affected by the so-called Mil- cerned about some adminis- Kranz Funeral Home, and Inc. and the Dctroit Edison ing huilding that ycar oc- $5,008,150 in huilding projects. The previous trative software and how it i nd 11 s t r i id add i ti o ns . currcd at Walbro Corp., North Area Energy Center. lennium Bug when the year 2000 arrives. Above, Colleen will handle information on Interestingly, 1997 could wherc additions werc iiiade record - $4,552,332 -was in rcally bc considered a ban- The reniainiiig $1 6,774 was at the c om p an y s he aciq 11 ar- set in 1992 and included De- Langenburg, mortgage loan officer, and Ben Schott, credit graduating classes the fu- ture. “I’ve been trying to get n er ye ar for c on s t r u c ti on spent on parking lot im- tcrs, the former Orhital Fluid troit Edison’s $3 million analyst, utilize the Cass City branch’s computer system. with the erection of the new provciilcnts at Anrod Screen Tcchnologics building and at North Area Energy Center. Please turn to page 10. Cass City Middle School. Cyli ndcr. However, the school cost is not iiicluiicd iii the village Village of’ticials said resi- figures due to the public de n t i al ad d it i on s (gar ag cs, school disuict’s tax-exempt home additions, (e ncc s, c tc .) status. last ycar totaled $1 20,542. The new middle school cost is estiniatcd at $6.8 niillion Ano thcr $38,608 w iis spc n t plits anothor $400,000 iri in- on new iiiclustri;il L‘OIIS~TW- Library $300,000 bequesTexceeds- terest Investnlcllt, tion (rental shcds on Division Cass City Women’s Club, panded library is planned for newly renovated library. As tor other new construc- Strcut), and $14.600 went I‘or Mart is now located. She “Esther’s legacy will con- Hobby Club, Book Club, the present,” Hutchinson tion, Cass City ofticiais re- 11 uw c I) 111 11 ier c: i 11 1 bir i 1ti i lip worked tirclcssly to get a tinue to give support to the (rental sheds on Conitncnt new library huilding. It was charter member of the Hills said. port SO huilding permits “The endowment fund, library she worked for in her were issucd in 1997. Drive). a culmination of her vision and Dales Hospital Auxil- lifetime,” Hutchinson said. Rounding out new con- for the library when the iary, AAUW and Zonta Inter- started with bequests from Toppitig thc list was new Doris Evans and Catherine She noted the money was residential huilding at $1.794 struction was $1,765 for Rawson hniily donated the national. left to Rawson Memorial Li- conmercial additions. funds to build the new library McCulPough, who was MacGillvray, will gcrierate million. Thc total includes more than $20,000 annually brary in memory of Mrs. as a tribute to the memory of named Cass City’s Citizen of $1 .S niillion tur construction to go toward library opera- McCullough, her late hus- In all, new construction in Lena Rawson. the Year in 1980, also taught of the new Kranz Funeral tions. It is hoped that the in- band, Raymond, and her Home at the east cnd of the 1997 totalcd $2,786,289, “Esthcr gave hoth her time piano, organ and violin for brother, Alhin Tarnoski. and hcr money to further li- many years. come from the endowment, village. and S;170,000 for 2 which ranks fourth anlong along with other gifts from A ceremony is planned in new homes.