December 12 - Bomb Scare at Handy and Central Schools
Yesterday, the Handy school building was cleared of students and staff as police scanned the facilities with a trained dog in search of a bomb. Fortunately, the caller that is accused of having caused this scary event was caught quickly and the school was reopened for use. The same was not true at Central High School were a second bomb scare was received today. The students were sent home after a delay as it became clear that inspection of the school would take most the day to complete. The accused perpetrator of the Handy school incident is 13 years old and faces a maximum potentential sentence of of four years in custody if found guilty.
December 12 - $7.6 Million State Grant Coming
In spite of current budget pressures, the State of Michigan will grant $7.6 million to the Saginaw Basin Land Converancy located in Monitor Township. The grant is to support continued improvement of the Saginaw Bay watershed and will allow the purchase of about 4,000 acres in counties encircling the Saginaw Bay. These land acquisitions will allow retoration of the water system to improve by inducing nature to provide natural vegetation such as native grasses, wild flowers, shrubs and trees to prevent contaminants from entering the main water ways.
December 13 - Toys for Tots!
The folks at "Maier & Associates Financial Group, Inc." are in the Christmas spirit and are doing their part to make sure kids don't go without a toy this Christmas. The company has been an active supporter of the "Toys for Tots" program for many years, not only in giving to this needy cause but helping to the collection of toys. Picture here is their special "Toys for Tots" trailer sitting outside of the Target Store at the Bay City Mall today with employee Marcie Noonan and owner, Wayne Maier manning the collection station. And, for each toy donated the company will match it with another toy for the kids. Donations are being collected until December 21 and may be dropped off at the Maiers and Associates office building located on West Side Saginaw Road.
- [Toys for Tots Foundation]
- [Maier & Associates Financial Group, Inc.]
December 16: Sober Report On Uptown At River's Edge (UARE) (Bay City)
After a two-day study, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) of Washington, D.C., reported on their findings at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday night. Their suggestion is to move slowly and make sure the main attraction of the project will draw people to it! ULI is concerned about the local job situation and are recommending that the project be delayed until the economy is better, and for the present, focus on cleaning up the land in preparation for its ultimate use.
Representatives from the Weitzman Group of New York that is the coordinating consultant firm were also at the meeting. They pointed out that the ULI findings were based on tourism being the primary focus of the project which is not the case. No final plan has been submitted, they are still evaluating the feasibility what is possible. One idea being considered is a focus on family oriented activities that might include an educational aspect and cultural related items like a museum.
Editorial:
We like the idea mentioned by Weitzman. We believe the primary focus of a plan should be aim at improving the quality of life. Doing so will assure its success for generations to come. Commerical enterprises come and ago, leaving behind empty buildings. Whatever goes into the UARE project needs to endure and become a permanent fixture of this community. We embrace a cultural theme for the project that will enhance the desire of people and businesses to be a part of this this community. We've expressed some of our ideas in an article, "Possibilities of Uptown At Rivers Edges."
The possibilities are endless, and over time new ones may arise. Therefore, we believe the master plan for the project should be broad and flexible, implementing the most basic concepts that can be shaped and developed when the timing is appropriate. The obvious for phase one is to clear the land and prepare it for use and this should be done as quickly as possible. Some thoughts on what might be done are:
Clean up and landscape the land adding access to it with walkways. Large portions could be it could become wilderness park areas with trails until developed later on. Include garden areas with seating.
Create a tentative plan for a channel with a docking areas that can be implemented in phases. Initially an inlet off the river with a dock, later it can be extended to flow through the property to another docking area near a residential community which also connects to the river.
Plan for a trolley car system that would provide a transporation loop through the eastside over the Liberty Bridge to the westside and returns over the Lafayette Bridge. The present historical Traction and Electric building could serve as its station.
Retain one or more of the Industrial Brownhoist buildings. One could be used for semi-enclosed public activity center housing the farmer's market and the present one could be converted into a covered parking lot. Other uses of this building would be concerts, special events, etc., and more than one could be taking place at the same time. The building would include public accommodations like restrooms and seating area. Another building might be utilized as a multi-purpose home for a museum. Half of the structure could be enclosed for housing smaller exhibits and the open half for large exhibits such as the presidential yacht, fire trucks, etc.
The above could be phase one of the project and completed in a relatively short time with funds already available. Additional phases could then be added to the master plan as conditions warrant doing so. In the meantime, the land has been returned to use and stands ready for further development.
Related referenced:
- Bay City Traction and Electric Building
- Industrial Brownhoist
Christmas Remembered!
