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The school will host its annual March is Reading Month event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 13. The evening will include guest readers, crafts, a used book swap, Scholastic Book Fair and book-themed snacks.

Along with Merrill, guest readers will include Bart Matthews, deejay at 92.5 The Castle, State Representative Ken Horn and Chesaning Union Schools Superintendent Kathy Stewart.

Admission is free, but guests are asked to bring used children's books for a book swap. A wide variety of new books and other items can be purchased at the Scholastic Book Fair in the school library.

Sponsored by the Brady Parent Support Group, Family Reading Night is open to the community. Brady Elementary School is located at 17295 Hemlock Rd., Oakley.

For more information, contact Carol Somers at (989) 661-2365.

Free senior health exams scheduled for March 19

MONTROSE - Montrose Senior Center will offer free health exams for anyone 60 years and older living in Genesee County on March 19.

The services offered at the exam include blood pressure and pulse screenings; tests for cholesterol, blood sugar, Hemoglobin (iron), stool samples, Creatine/BUN for kidney function TB Skin and a PSA for men; and Pneumonia, Flu, Tetanus and Diphtheria shots.

Appointments will be offered from 9 a.m. to noon at the Montrose Senior Center, located at 200 Alfred Street in Montrose. To schedule an appointment, call the center at 810-639-2822.

Services are provided by the Genesee County Health Department.

Montrose Senior Center changes hands

MONTROSE -- After nearly a year of discussion and negotiation, the Montrose Senior Center has a new owner.

Papers were signed on Wednesday, Feb. 27 for the purchase of the center by Montrose Charter Township from Montrose Community Schools.

The township has long overseen the center, but rented it from the school district. Because the township didn't own the building, grant money for improvements was unavailable.

The township offered the appraised price of $150,000, which the school board accepted.

"It's been a long process, but we finally got here," said Mark Emmendorfer, township supervisor.

Of that $150,000 purchase price, the township will get $54,726 from Community Development Block Grant money for use in the purchase, Emmendorfer said. The township has also applied for $50,000 from the 2009 CDBG allocation, to be used as well.

That leaves $45,274 for the township to cover. However, Emmendorfer said they have applied for their unspent money from the Genesee County senior center millage. He said they've carried over $74,000 allocated for capital improvements, which they weren't able to use.

Improvements are also planned for the center, including adding a drop ceiling and putting in a new furnace/air conditioning system. A new sign will also be put up for the center.

"The sale of the senior center is a win/win for the community," said Mark Kleinhans, superintendent of Montrose schools.

The center, at 200 Alfred Street, was built by the school district in 1975 and used as a kindergarten classroom. In 1979, the township took it over for the senior center.

Kleinhans said it would cost in excess of $400,000 to bring it up to Building School Code Regulations to create three classrooms.

"The fact that the senior center is close to our elementary school will allow the district to continue the excellent relationship we have with the township and continue to plan activities between the school and the senior citizens who attend the senior center," Kleinhans said.

CAPA captures state rating with 'Bug'

CAPA pioneers State Competition with 'Bug,' places third in class Hillary Darling The Tri-County Citizen CHESANING - Former Chesaning Association of Performing Arts director Jeff Murdoch watched a bus full of hopeful actors, dancers and technicians pull away from the school February 15 to do something CAPA had never done before in their 28 years of competition in the Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association-perform in State competition. The cast and crew of "Bug" placed third in Class B competition at Avondale High School in Auburn Hills in the February 15-16 theatrical contest.

Kaitlyn Gustafson, who played Agnes in the psychological drama, said Murdoch, who began CAPA in 1976, told the group they were doing something important for every past CAPA member who had been disappointed in their chance to compete on a state level.

"There were several students that really stepped up their efforts," said Director Jason Woodworth, who has headed the drama program since Murdoch's retirement. "...Third place is exactly where we belong and they worked hard to get there."

The cast and crew placed fifth in a late-January district competition with six other teams, but advanced to take second place honors in regional competition. CAPA scored numbers high enough to compete in states, despite weather-related school closings that cancelled several practices prior to regionals.

Bay City John Glen took the title at the state match, with Chelsea behind in second.

CAPA individuals also received several excellence awards in the contest-Lisa Muirhead for make-up, Jordan Lorencz for dance, Jackie Streeter and Emily Mikolanz for costumes, and Brett Russell and Laura Bates for lobby display.

"Bug" went through several struggles to become state stage worthy. The production-which portrays cocaine addicted Agnes (Gustafson), who lives in a motel room hiding from her abusive ex-husband (Myles Shephard), and Agnes' dysfunctional relationship with supposed government fugitive Peter Evans (Kellan Aldrich), who tells her about the psychological "bugs" that haunt him-brought controversy over the contents.

"There were a few adjustments made in the presentation," said Chesaning Union Schools Superintendent Kathy Stewart. "It was extremely well done and showcased the talent of our actors and actresses and also our production team."

The crew also persevered through difficult dances. The dancers-Lorencz, Gabby Contreras, Megan Crippin, Krystal Indlekofer, Heather Kardas, Kimber Lucis, Lisa Muirhead, Heather Nathan, Jamie Polom, and Amy Roagn-portrayed the story conceptually. "Our choreographer (alumni Jesi Lehman) set the bar high for our dance number," said Woodworth.

Bug's genre also presented difficulties for the group. "It is difficult in drama to make people scared," said Woodworth. "I've only done two shows in my career where the aim was to scare the audience; it is kind of difficult to do."

All of Bug's elements had to be compacted into competition regulations, including a 45-minute time limit. "It is hard not to get overwhelmed with everything you have to be conscious of," said Gustafson.

Cast members also included Jacob Bliss (Dr. Sweet) and Mackenzie Melwing (R.C.).

Woodworth said the presentation of Bug for state competition was the cast and crew's best performance, from the three competitions to the two home shows presented at Chesaning Middle School.

CAPA will move from the dark drama of "Bug" to "Seussical the Musical," a lighthearted portrayal of Dr. Seuss's stories set to music, for their next production.

Nixon's Grocery burglarized

Authorities believe recent crimes connected, seek information

DEB MILLER

The Tri-County Citizen

BRANT - Nixon's Grocery, located at the corner of Brant and Hemlock Roads in Brant, is open for business despite being burglarized and vandalized last weekend.

According to the Saginaw County Sheriff's Department the establishment was the victim of a breaking and entering sometime between the hours of 2 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Sunday, February 24.

A worker discovered the break-in when she arrived at the business around 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

"Forced entry was gained into the establishment and the phone lines were tampered with," said Saginaw County Sheriff's Department Detective Sergeant Randy Pfua.

According to Pfua, entry was gained into the safe and currency was taken along with food items and numerous cartons of cigarettes.

Storeowner Gary Nixon said the break in did not cause him to shut down operation despite the amount of vandalism.

"We are always closed on Sunday so clean up did not affect the operation of business," Nixon stated.

"We had quite a mess to clean up. Produce was thrown all over the floor, along with bags of cat food and candy being poured on the floor in the aisles."

Nixon said he is concerned with the amount of break-ins that are occurring in the area.

"There are too many break-ins happening and unfortunately we're one of them. It is such a difficult time; businesses are struggling so much anyway and now this. It's scary and devastating."

Nixon noted that the vandalism did not hinder operations but the loss of money did.

"They stole every penny I had in my safe. It hurt me bad. I didn't have any money to open my registers Monday and we open before the bank does."

The family owned grocery, which opened in 1967, celebrated 40 years in business in December of 2007.

According to Pfua there are currently no suspects in the case but authorities believe the theft is related to a recent break-in at an auto parts store in Chesaning.

Although they are unable to release details due to the ongoing investigation, authorities believe that the Nixon's break-in is connected to the February 25 break-in at the Bauman Brothers Auto Parts store located on Peet Road in Chesaning.

"We definitely feel these two crimes are connected," stated Pfua.

In the Bauman case the suspects forcibly entered the establishment somewhere between 4 a.m. on February 25 and 8 a.m. when the crime was discovered.

In this case the safe was taken.

A third case, which authorities do not believe is related, involved the Crossroads CafÈ in Oakley, which was broken into sometime between 8 p.m. on February 19 and 5 a.m. on February 20.

The State Police canine unit was called out to assist in tracking of foot impressions but the trail was ultimately lost in the fresh fallen snow.

In this case, forced entry was gained through the back door of the establishment and into a cash register. Miscellaneous currency was taken.

Anyone with information in any of the cases should contact the Pfua at 989-790-5450.