UPbeat News

12/24 - I've been trying to think of an original way to express holiday greetings. So many times the old ways sound as personal as the automatic "Have a good day" that we hear so often all year long. So I was impresssed with a young man (anyone under 50) a gentleman really, someone I didn't know, who was leaving our local grocery store at the same time I did this morning. He held the doors open for me, and watched as I carefully avoided icy places on the sidewalk in front of my car. Then, before getting into his pickup truck he flashed a big smile and said, "You take it easy there now, eh!" His courteous manner and cheerful attitude definitely said "Merry Christmas" and the "eh!" added a personal Yooper touch. So I'll pass it on to all of you - Take it easy there now, eh! If you do it will make the holidays and the new year much more enjoyable.

12/20 - Item D on the Action Items portion of the agenda for the Stephenson School Board meeting was "Motion to accept resignation." They did, with regret, and so at the end of the school year Mr. Leonard Massoni will become a retiree. He will have completed 35 years in the school system, starting as an elementary school teacher and retiring from the position of Special Projects Coordinator.

In the Public Participation portion of the meeting the sitution at the Mellen school was discussed. Teachers and parents present asked for an explanation of why nothing was done to reduce the number of students in the kindergarten class from 27 by dividing the class or providing an extra teacher. They were told the board was aware of the problem and will continue to work on it. This year 8 or 10 new students came into the system on short notice making it difficult to make last minute adjustments. Other concerns are the only available extra room would be at the Daggett school and many parents do not want their children from the Mellen area going to Daggett. Supt. Kalhoefer noted that next year's class may be smaller, and they will continue to look at the situation and deal with such problems as best they can when they arise.

12/15 - The Stephenson Fire Department responded to a call to a chimney fire at the Charlie Smith residence on Wery Road at 8:50 p.m. There was no serious damage.

12/15 - The Mid-County Senior Center had their combination Christmas, birthday and employee/volunteer recognition party today. Thirty-eight people enjoyed the noon meal, with music by Terry Broberg at the piano, and many stayed for the cards, drawings and socializing that followed. Harold Gruenstern, who celebrated his 90th birthday recently was there. He comes from a family with good genes. Both parents lived to be 97, his brother is 92 and his two sisters are in their 80's. Harold's dad bought the Palestine Store and Cheese Factory east of Stephenson in l928. His brother Norman was responsible for running the store and Harold took over operation of the cheese factory in l930 and spent the next 42 years making cheese. Those were the days when kids from the nearby Grant School used their lunch hour to go to the store and shop for penny candy. The cheese factory provided emloyment for many young men from the area during the lean years of the 30's

12/14 - That Santa sure is a nice guy. And he must be watching children the way their parents tell them he does. He took time out at his busiest time of year to drop in on the Mellen Elementary School's Christmas Program in Stephenson tonight. He seemed to know how hard the students and teachers worked learning songs and making costumes and felt he should show his appreciation by passing out a few goodies, even though their real presents aren't quite ready yet. He may also have had something to do with bringing our first snowfall of the season and turning our little portion of the world into a glistening fairyland.

12/12 - If you try to be too honest things can get pretty funny. Most dishes women take to a church dinner aren't a matter of luck. The recipes are old reliables they have a lot of faith in. So, the Stephenson Assembly of God church called the meal at tonight's Christmas gathering a potfaith dinner instead of a potluck. A review of the available talent in their group led to the decision to call the entertainment portion of the evening an "Untalent Show." They wound up with l5 presentations and conceded that a few of those involved actually were talented. Sandy Boburka's Litany of Nonsense brought howls of laughter. Sarah and Joe Boburka did a song about toasted white bread and creamy-style peanut butter sandwiches that had people howling, and clapping hands and stomping feet. There were good-natured boo's and calls of "I want my money back" for a group that admitted they signed up because they all had horrible voices.

Two teens did a pathetic demonstration of how to be a pickpocket. They obviously were inexperienced. Gene Johnson has a good voice and plays guitar well. Unfortunately he writes some of his own music. He kept stopping in the middle of a line to explain, "I can't read my own writing...and I typed it! Or, "That's not right. I've got to rewrite that line. That's terrible." And a few lines later, "That's terrible too. I think I'll just end it." And he did, to wild applause

Barb and Bob Winkler, among the churches most senior members, did a lively, if off-key, duet on "The Royal Telephone,' a number that came from World War II, via the Methodist Church or something, a long time ago. They weren't as bad as some of the other acts but they were picked as the winners, probably more for their courage and age! The audience got back at the performers when three young women, who really could sing, asked everyone to join in for the closing "Silent Night'... and everyone sang off key.

There was more. A "White Elephant Gift Exchange" was an opportunity for people to take some useless eyesore they wanted to get rid of, gift wrap it and hope it would find a happier home. Gaudy gold plastic wall decorations, old neckties, plastic toys, toilet paper holders, old jewelry, and worse were on the move. Quite an evening! Honest.

12/11 - When you belong to the only Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter in the Upper Peninsula and have to travel 200 miles for special activities, programs and competition you need help! The Stephenson FFA Alumni group, formed in September of '98, is helping by providing chaperones for trips, money for travel costs, scholarships and other expenses, and extra coaching for contests and leadership programs. At their dinner meeting at Belgiumtown last night they made plans for a second annual Consignment Auction in March. Local farmers and others interested provide machinery and equipment for the auction and 10% of the proceeds from sales goes to the FFA. They are trying a new approach for a raffle. Prizes are 5 days of free hunting at several camps in the area during the year 2000 hunting season. They also sponsor a fruit sale and most of the group were waiting at the high school at 8:30 this morning to help unload the truck. The Alumni has 23 members with 7 more planning on joining. They are looking for more members and say the only requirement is the desire to support area youth and agriculture. For further information contact Secretary Cheryl Scarborough at 906-788-4063, or attend their next meeting in the Ag Room of the High School at 7:30 on January 20.

12/10 - When someone reports an unusual sight around here it's usually an albino deer or a frog with an extra leg or something. Linda Hoijer's report was different. She lives near the railroad tracks and has heard a lot of train whistles but the one at about 6 a.m. sounded different. When she looked out the window to check it out she was surprised to see a short passenger train going through town headed north. The cars were all decorated for Christmas. Passenger trains are a rare sight in Stephenson these days so someone must have had a very special Christmas celebration. Maybe, if it went far enough north, they even had snow.

12/10 - This is from a"housekeeping hints" leaflet found at a rummage sale. Life may have been simpler years ago but housework was more complicated: "If you don't have a vacuum cleaner, clean upholstered furniture this way. Soak an old sheet in hot water. Wring it dry and cover over the chair or sofa completely. Fit into the corners and crevices, then beat the cushions and back with a cane or beater. When you lift the sheet the dust and dirt have loosened and cling to the sheet. Rinse the sheet out several times and repeat the process."