column
Kintsugi: Embracing the flawed or imperfect
by Amy Heylauff In the past two weeks I randomly heard kintsugi mentioned twice. So, I looked it up. It’s the art of repairing broken pottery with seams of precious metals. This pottery is considered more beautiful and valuable because of the mending. Wikipedia says kintsugi is an embracing of the flawed or imperfect. In […]
History of Metal Roofing
by Arlene and Ron Kaiser Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, was being built in 1769. It had a standing seam metal roof. Metal roofs with galvanizing were common in Canada 1850s, more common in post Civil War era in the United States. The Realy (Reuhle) homestead farmhouse had a meal roof in early photographs, and with […]
StockBIZ: Stockbridge-area residents hungry for new grocery market may find soon-to-open Plane Food Market is their cup of tea
by Mary Jo David Donald and Deanna McAlister of Stockbridge are hungry—hungry for a sustainable grocery alternative in the village of Stockbridge and hungry to find a good use for the storefront space they own at the corner of S. Center and E. Elizabeth streets. The space has been empty since the auto parts store […]
Staff Spotlight: A winding path led Bonnie Rattai to students who love her at Smith Elementary
by Amy Haggerty For the past eleven years we are very fortunate to have Bonnie Rattai in the Stockbridge Community School District. Working at Smith Elementary School as a paraprofessional, she assists students with disabilities, and she accomplishes this with grace and ease. Rattai exhibits so many of the characteristics that are important for her […]
ASK AN EXPERT
Question: How is the Insurance Reform act going to affect claims handling? On July 1st. Michigan Auto Insurance Reform goes into effect. This is suppose to provide insurance coverage options and lower rates while maintaining the highest benefits in the country and strengthen consumer protections. There is a lot to this new law and everyone […]
Museum in crisis. Waterloo Area Historical Society reaches out to community
The Waterloo Farm Museum and Dewey School have been historical fixtures in the Stockbridge community for 58 years. During that time, organizers have provided ongoing educational opportunities for over 1,200 schoolchildren a year and celebrated local history through seasonal events like Pioneer Day, the Antique Tractor Show, Blacksmith-Log Cabin Days, and Christmas on the […]
StockBIZ: Some area business open and, thanks to COVID-19, adjust to a new normal
by Mary Jo David With each extension of the governor’s stay-at-home order, more businesses are re-opening. While life is far from normal in Stockbridge and surrounding areas, more local businesses are opening and adapting to the “new normal” that is life since COVID-19. This month, StockBIZ is sharing more perspectives, across a spectrum of businesses, […]
StockBIZ: During the COVID pandemic, small markets have a big presence in the area
by Mary Jo David Now, more than ever, it’s easy to see how Stockbridge area markets are considered “essential businesses.” With no grocery store in the immediate area, residents of Stockbridge and the surrounding communities are relying on the smaller markets during this COVID-19 pandemic to provide them with much-needed supplies. Since March 23, when […]
ASK AN EXPERT
In this month’s edition of Ask An Expert, we want to talk about hail damage. We recently sat down with Hannah from Lansing and fielded some questions she had about the complicated ins and outs regarding hail damage. So let’s dive right in and see if we can’t help answer some questions our readers might […]
Staff Spotlight: Sue Gasieski fills the hearts and tummies of Smith elementary students
by Amy Haggerty Preparing lunches for hundreds of elementary students is not an easy task. Cooking is just a small part of the responsibility. Just ask Sue Gasieski. She does it all—maintaining students’ lunch accounts, receiving money, preparing and serving the food, and operating the different kitchen equipment, all while following government guidelines. This isn’t […]