column
Active Aging: SASC gives back for a cycle of community strength
by Alexa M. Ten Eyck Receive. Participate. Give. Repeat. A strong community takes advantage of this cycle. In action, it looks like support across people and organizations creating opportunities to participate. Participation puts that support into motion, while giving carries its value back into the community. Active aging requires a determination to remain fluid within […]
Rural Perspectives: Colorful northern flicker can eat up to 5,000 ants daily
by Diane Constable The northern flicker (Colaptes auratus), which translates to chiseler-golden, is our most colorful woodpecker and has some interesting behaviors. As one of our larger native woodpeckers, it is 11 to 12 inches long, has a 16-to-20-inch wingspan and weighs in between 4 and 5.6 ounces. It has a distinctive color pattern of […]
Stockbridge area policing affected by millage defeat and budget shortfalls
by Mary Jo David On Aug. 4, Stockbridge Township voters voted down a public safety millage proposal. That proposal would have earmarked 2.4 mills specifically for police services, including operating expenses, sworn police officers, administrative staff, operations, replacement and additional equipment and vehicles, and for related program support for public safety. As a result of […]
Around the Open Air Market
Community impacts of local markets are economic and social by Kristen Stromski The Open Air Market is so much more than just a place to shop. Each week, we work to bring community members together to support our vendors while creating opportunities for connection, collaboration, and community. Some may imagine that a local farmers market […]
Stockbridge preschoolers to explore nature, build science skills with grant help
by Kelsey Rasmussen On any given morning at Smith Elementary, you might find a four-year-old crouching on the nature trail, magnifying glass in hand, studying the underside of a leaf or rock. Or listening, perfectly still, for birdsong in the outdoor classroom. Or building a tiny shelter from sticks and cardboard and asking, “What kind […]
Superintendent’s Desk: Moving beyond information sharing to more meaningful communication
by Jeffrey Trapp, superintendent of schools As the calendar turns to September and we settle into the rhythm of the new school year, I find myself reflecting on the energy that has filled our hallways these past few weeks. It has been a joy to see our students reconnecting with friends and teachers. As I […]
Voices of Service
Doug Sommer: Nearly six decades answering calls, aiding the community by Melissa McPherson At 77 years old, lifelong Stockbridge resident Doug Sommer has spent nearly 60 years as a volunteer for the Stockbridge Fire Department (now SAESA). When you hear about that kind of longevity, you might imagine he spent his boyhood dreaming about being […]
Clyde’s Corner: They called me ‘Coach’ as the years flew by
by Clyde Whitaker Usually an object or picture will spark a story in me. Today it was a community education shirt I wore that said “Stockbridge” on the front and “Coach” on the back. Coaching over the past 40 years has brought me much joy, working with the kids, seeing them improve with smiles on […]
Positive Parenting: Vacationing with little kids is not a vacation
by Dr. Erin Clifton Vacationing with little children is not relaxing. It is not rejuvenating. And yet, we keep doing it. The night before we leave, I lay out the girls’ clothes for the next day. By that I mean their pajamas, because I am not changing children into daytime clothes when, at 3 a.m., […]
Faces of Addiction: Local LifeWays agency assists in rolling out Michigan’s Recovery Incentives Pilot
by Tina Cole‑Mullins August closed with communities across the country pausing to acknowledge the weight of Overdose Awareness—honoring lives lost, lifting up grieving families, and naming the crisis that continues to touch every corner of society. As September opens into Substance Abuse Awareness Month, the focus shifts toward prevention, recovery, and the ongoing work of […]