 Forget the curse of Bobby Layne. SI prediction might be worse
By Ken DeLaat After last season and the continued gridiron renaissance of the Detroit Lions anyone who is a long suffering fan of the team has to be looking at the upcoming season with more than a tad of optimism. Coach Dan Campbell is back along with the innovative Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn who directs the defense. They are young and hungry. A recent story in The Athletic named the top 25 players aged 25 and under. There are 32 teams in the NFL and yet 5 of the 25 names wear the Honolulu Blue and Silver. We’ve grown to embrace Jared Goff and can even give Matthew Stafford some love for supplying us with a boatload of draft picks AND a QB who knows how to win. The draft and free agency filled some needs and there are many reasons for a rosy outlook, right? At N3 we were thinking this year’s theme for the Lions would be “It’s Next Year! Then Sports Illustrated had to ruin it all. They predicted the Lions would win the Super Bowl. Over the Cincinnati Bengals. Why is this bad news? Well in the 24 years they have been doing this, they correctly predicted the winner… Once. Last year? Eagles over Bengals. Neither made it. Year before? Bills over Buccaneers. Neither made it past divisional playoffs. Of their 48 selections for Super Bowl participants they got it right 6 times. Though not one to dwell on jinx mentality, it would have been a bit easier had they not chimed in by selecting our Lions. After all, when you are the fans of one of 4 teams to never make it to the big one, there will undoubtedly be a lot of angst, even when you have a team that has seemed to do it right with an eye on the prize. But hey, let them climb aboard what should be a fun bandwagon as former Lion pessimists as myself enjoy the ride and embrace the smugness of being a frontrunner formerly restricted to the Packers and Vikings and even once upon a time the Bears. Whatever happens this season the team has certainly gotten its mojo back. Well, getting it back would mean they once had one. Let's call it mojo acquisition. Go Lions.
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From the Newaygo County Democratic Party The Newaygo County Democrats are hosting two local Candidates who are eager to meet with the public and represent our communities in the coming election. “Coffee with Chris” will take place at 10am on Tuesday, August 27 and Tuesday, September 10. Chris Crain is the Democratic Candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives District 101, which includes all of Newaygo County. Coffee and donuts will be provided. “Lunch with Lynch” will be held on Tuesday, September 17, 12noon. Michael Lynch is a Democrat running for Michigan’s 2nd US Congressional District, which sprawls across all or part of 20 Counties, including all of Newaygo County. Lunch will be provided. The Meets & Greets will take place at the Newaygo County Democratic Party Office, 1032 W Main St, Fremont, 49412 (West Village Shopping Center). Chris Crain, a steadfast resident of Wexford County, is seeking to represent the 101st House because “community members feel disconnected from their elected officials, yet their input and feedback are crucial in shaping the policies that affect their lives,” states Chris. “People still struggle with food and housing security, medical care, educational opportunities, and economic mobility.” “In addition, as a US Army Veteran, I could no longer stand by and watch what has been sacrificed by so many for our State and Nation, be destroyed by others for their own benefit,” added Chris. Active, community grassroots participation has led Chris to local township participation, with a focus on housing availability and rent stability. Community, Justice, Equality and Equal Freedom are Chris’ mottos. Michael Lynch resides and works in Gratiot County. A lifelong advocate for working- and middle-class families, his focus is on affordable health care, affordable housing, labor and union issues, reproductive rights and “responsible” gun legislation. “Transparency at all levels of government should be the rule instead of the exception,” states Lynch. “Half-truths, rumors, and misinformation from our elected officials should no longer be circulated or tolerated. I believe that you should be able to trust your representatives and not have to worry about their motivations.” Michael is a manager with the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan and has earned several teaching awards for his work as a lecturer and instructor at universities including DePaul University, West Virginia University and Georgetown University. Community members are encouraged to attend these initial opportunities to meet and question these candidates. The next monthly Newaygo County Democratic Party meeting is Monday, September 9 at 1039 W Main St, Fremont. 6pm offers an open forum for discussions, with the business meeting starting at 6:30pm. For more information, visit https://newaygocodems.org.  By Kathy Morrison Morrison Orchards has been delivering high quality fruits and veggies to our area for decades. Recently Kathy Morrison (an occasional contributor to these pages and an untiring defender of the environment) posted on local social media expressing her thanks for the many folks who have made Morrison Orchards a regular stop over the years. We reached out to her to ask if she might be willing to reprise her thoughts in a guest column. After a bit of arm twisting she agreed. John is 78, I am 63 and the rigors of farming and fruit/corn harvest gets pretty overwhelming at times (gees how did we do it when our 3 sons were young? ) . We talk about cutting back, slowing down, traveling more, etc but then…the comments ….. they make staying the game all worth it. “ My grandma is 95 and she said this was the best peach she’s ever eaten!”. “Hi, I’m from Detroit and your cherries were the best we’ve ever had! What kind were they?” “Hi this is Steve K, we made jam with those “softies” you sold us. It's the best jam we’ve ever had!” “ We travel up here from Illinois because we can't find corn as fresh as yours!" (and often we’re able to say it was picked 40 minutes ago). …. And on and on all summer, the kind words come to us. HUGE HUGE HUGE! THANK YOU to our many customers old and new. Your appreciation and kindness make this a joy. We appreciate you buying local Michigan produce, whether from us or other area growers. Keeping it local and supporting small Michigan farmers is absolutely the way to go! THANK YOU from John, Kathy, and our son Max at Morrison Orchards!  By Ken DeLaat, N3 Publisher Kudos to the folks in Fremont who are going to put a splash pad in Vet’s Park. We got invited to a little celebration touting a contribution from the Gerber CU people but it was raining and Election Day and all so we missed the photo op. We will, however, applaud the effort. In March of ‘22 we posted this as part of a column. How cool would a local splash pad be? That’s right, very very cool. The staff at N3 World Headquarters often stop at the Clam Lake Brewery in Cadillac and park in back where a frequently used splash pad is awash (pun intended) with kids while the parents sit on the edges watching the fun and having conversations with other parents between the usual interruptions for questions or toweling off. It looks relaxing and fun and there are few of the usual fears sometimes associated when it comes to little kids and water. We’re reminded of a line from the movie Field of Dreams, because when it comes to a splash pad? Build it and they will come. Wednesday, March 23rd at 6:30 pm in the community room at the Fremont Area District Library a guest speaker will talk about how Grand Haven worked at getting the splash pad in their community. That meeting must have provided some traction because now it looks to be a reality. And while a splash pad is likely to be vilified by the omnipresent “we got by with a sprinkler in the backyard” contingency we applaud what will be an absolute boon for parents of young children. You know, the kind of folks we would like to have either remain in or come to our community. Yeah, those people. Wow, some election that one was. One candidate facing off with her current boss, another challenging his former boss and a couple of three ways that brought an incumbent a win and saw an election newcomer secure a commission seat. And that was just on the Republican side. The Democrats had no county candidates, a non surprise considering the county continues to be overwhelmingly GOP at about a 3-1 clip but 85% of them cast their votes for Senate candidate Elissa Slotkin over Hill Harper. Slotkin will face off in November with Mike Rogers who outdid the other Senate wannabees garnishing 51% in our county. So now we turn to November. Likely to see less signs since the number of candidates has dwindled considerably. Oh, and it seems no one is stepping up to oppose the current Grant School Board folks this time around. Must be the vile character assassinations and outlandish accusations distributed to the community via a sensationalistic mailing during the recall election were enough to deter any decent, interested citizens from participating. And for those who might think the ends justify the means here? They don't. Not even a little. Panda-monium hits Newaygo. Think our citizenry enjoys their Asian cuisine? Panda Buffet recently opened in Newaygo and ran out of food after being deluged by folks craving something beyond the fast food and the standard options that populate so many menus. Not to say we don’t have some places that offer up some intriguing dishes. NewBrew features some less than commonplace items here and there, Hit the Road Joe is unafraid to be adventurous, and Moon Dance lays out some fine homemade fare but for right down the middle Asian grub that always involves a high level of quantity (always a big draw) Panda seems like the current rage.  Facility may close if millage fails
Voters in the city of Fremont along with Dayton Township and Sheridan Charter Township will be making a decision on the future of the Rec Center when they go to the polls Tuesday. The Center offers a wide variety of programs including swimming, a fitness center and is the area’s hub of indoor pickleball. We caught up with Fremont Community Recreation Authority Board Chair Bryan Kolk for a few questions. Why is the Rec Center seeking a millage? Rec center is seeking to renew their millage which is nearing expiration. We asked for the original millage nine years ago after we had been operating for about three years and thought we knew what the cost was going to be. It wasn't until later that we sorted out the final entanglements and ended up operating in the Red. For the past four years Dawn Finch and Jon Grimes have donated their time and efforts to run the center which is the only reason we are still open. The costs of everything have risen sharply in the past few years dramatically increasing operating expenses. This is why we are also asking for a 1/4 mil increase. Are there other financial supports? Last year the three municipalities that started us (City of Fremont, Dayton Township and Sheridan Charter Township) assisted us with the purchase of many new pieces of workout equipment. Other than that, we have a couple modest lease agreements and also some membership revenue. How long has the Rec Center been open? The Rec Center has been open for 12 years. The effort began about 20-25 years ago when the three municipalities combined to complete a Master Plan and had a Recreation Committee. The Committee operated as such until about 9 years ago when it became an Authority and took over the Rec Center from the School to operate it independently from the Municipalities. Who benefits from the Center? What groups are your primary users? The entire Fremont Area benefits from the Rec Center. Residents of the City of Fremont, Dayton Township and Sheridan Charter Township can take advantage of a reduced rate on the usage whether it's an individual or family membership, pool rental, gym rental or the rental of other space. We have members from a large area of Newaygo County as well as some persons from Muskegon and Oceana Counties. One popular use of the Rec Center is for students to hang out between school letting out and having to be home. We are a safe space that it is easy to congregate at and just hang out, work out or shoot a few hoops. We are also used by a number of more organized groups such as Fremont Wrestlers, Lap swimmers, water aerobics, and things like home shows, gun shows or pancake breakfasts. The Fremont Fire Department holds some training there as does the Newaygo County Law Enforcement Dive Team. What will be the result if the millage doesn’t pass? If our proposal does not pass we will not be able to remain open. Anything to add? The ballot language had to be written by an attorney which makes it difficult to completely understand to begin with. There is one section that mentions the City of Fremont Downtown Development Authority and the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. No, we are not trying to share with either of these. There is a law about TIFA (Tax Increment Finance Authority) which is a way for places like Downtown Development groups to capture a portion of the millages levied on properties in these well defined areas for their own use. This millage would be subject to that as are the mileages for the County Road Patrol, Commission on Aging, Medical Care Facility and others. |
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