Okemos High School is faring well in national rankings.
The Daily Beast rated Okemos as the fourth-best high school in Michigan, behind The International Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Troy High School and Bloomfield Hills Andover.
The Beast rated Okemos 312 out of the nation’s top 2,000 high schools.
Willimston High School made the top 1,000 at 954.
Earlier, U.S. News & World Report ranked Okemos High School as seventh-best in Michigan, one click behind East Lansing High School.
By Isabella Shaya
Meridian Times staff writer
In the freezing, snowy morning of April 5, 42 people in 22 teams attempted to travel 160 miles across Michigan by canoe or kayak — only eight teams finished the race.
The Campus to Coast canoe and kayak race was hosted by the Michigan State University Outdoors Club, for anyone interested in being outdoors and on the water.
Racers competed for a pint glass, to raise money for the club and enjoyment.
The race started in the Red Cedar River in Okemos’ Wonch Park, and finishers qualified if they reached Lake Michigan off the coast of Grand Haven, Mich. at set times from April 6 night to the evening of April 7.
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By Merinda Valley
Meridian Times staff writer
A recent property tax settlement with Meridian Township will return over $300,000 dollars from public agencies to Meijer.
MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP—A recent settlement on the property tax value of the Okemos Meijer store at 2055 W. Grand River Ave. will draw back more than $320,165 from public agencies and place the money into Meijer Inc.’s coffers.
The settlement is the result of a property tax appeal by Meijer. The appeal was filed through the Michigan Tax Tribunal on the basis that from 2010 to 2012, the township’s assessments of Meijer property were too high.
Taxable value was reduced by over $1 million for each year, according to township documents detailing the settlement.
Meridian Township, and public entities it supports with tax dollars will finance the refund due to Meijer. The township and public entities it collects taxes for will be refunding money. The Okemos School District, Ingham Intermediate School District and CATA are among those returning funds.
Click here for the interactive infographic.
David Lee, Meridian Township assessor, said the economic downturn around 2007 and 2008 resulted in decreased property values nationwide, including in Michigan and Meridian Township.
According to attorney Tarek Baydoun, who represents tax petitioners for the Allen Brothers law firm in Detroit, businesses are appealing property taxes all over the state.
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By Patrick Mullen
Meridian Times staff writer
Over the past decade, schools throughout the state of Michigan have been changing their Native American school mascot.
A current look already in use is similar to the new Okemos “O” being proposed by Principal Sermak
“We are in the process (of a new logo),” said Christine Sermak, principal of Okemos High. “At our next board meeting, I will be presenting to our committee, standardizing our logo.”
Sermak went more in-depth than just the idea, though.
“I can give a sneak preview,” Sermak said. “It is similar to the Oregon ‘O’ with script through it similar to the Kansas City Chiefs.”
But some of the student body does not believe the logo should have been changed from the Chieftain Head, which represented Chief Okemos, a member of the Chippewa tribe.
“I mean we are honoring Chief Okemos by being the Chieftains,” said Josh Robison, a senior at Okemos and varsity athlete.
“I took pride in wearing the Chieftain Head on my chest because I knew I was not only playing for Okemos High School, but Okemos as a whole,” Robison added.
By Isabella Shaya
Meridian Times staff writer
With about 27 years of experience, First Class Dog Training instructor Hector Hernandez is ready to train dogs of any type or size.
“(It’s) rewarding because you initially see a problem dog, and you solve the issue and they are able to keep the dog now,” Hernandez said.
On April 13, Hernandez taught dogs basic obedience at his First Class Dog Training class in the Meridian Township Service Center, 2100 Gaylord C. Smith Court, in Okemos.
Hernandez started training police dogs, and now teaches a variety of dog education classes, including teaching dogs to locate a certain scent and off-leash obedience.
Hernandez also has authored four books, including “Train Your Dog Before Your Dog Trains You” and “Preparing Yourself For Dog Encounters.”
The basic obedience group training sessions are held in a three-day format on either Saturday, Sunday and the following Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or Monday, Wednesday and the following Monday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
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The restaurant is named after the Red Haven peach, developed by MSU professor Dr. Stanley Johnson, and referred to as the standard for all other peaches to be judged against.
By Merinda Valley
Meridian Times staff writer
OKEMOS–Although Red Haven typically serves local cuisine, the Okemos eatery will soon dish out New Jersey native Anthony Bourdain.
Bestselling author and culinary TV personality Bourdain will reminisce about his travels and experiences in the food industry at the Wharton Center on May 7, as part of his Guts and Glory Tour. In conjunction with his performance, Bourdain will attend a private event the following night at the new and distinctive Red Haven restaurant.
Red Haven co-owner and operator Nina Santucci was slightly incredulous when she received the call from Bourdain’s tour producers. They requested the restaurant as a sponsor for Bourdain’s East Lansing stop, though the business had been open only a month.
Red Haven co-owner and operator Nina Santucci said small plates allow for sharing, and cleverly created meals encourage guests to try familiar foods in new ways.
“It was incredibly exciting. I mean, it was a great boost for us because we had just opened, and so it was just kind of one of those things where it felt like we were doing what we were supposed to be doing,” Santucci said.
Since its opening in October of this year, the Okemos restaurant has been delivering unique dishes that reflect Santucci’s and co-owner Anthony Maiale’s experiences in big “foodie” towns across the country. Santucci said encouraging sharing, and pushing the boundaries of diners’ palates with dishes like ribeye steak with a side of skewered beef heart, lies at the center of the Red Haven philosophy.
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Close encounter of the turtle kind.
On April 5, parents and their children attended the Extinction is Forever weekday science class at the Harris Nature Center, 3998 Van Atta Road.
The center hosts three weekday science classes each season, on topics such as predators and their lunch and crows and ravens. The classes cater to children ages 5 to 14.
Park Naturalist Kati Adams taught the class in a classroom setting and on the center’s trails.
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Here is a map of where the property being discusses for purchase is located.
By Patrick Mullen
Meridian Times staff writer
At the April 8 Planning Commission meeting, two members of the public came to the podium to support a new construction site.
The first was Ken Jones, a member of Studio Intrigue Architects of Lansing. Jones is planning on building a new apartment complex in Meridian Township right off the Red Cedar River.
“Across the river from this property is a park, kind of a large forested area,” Jones said. “We are trying to take advantage of the seclusion and the views.”
In the complex, there will be 12 two-bedroom rental apartments with commercial space on the first floor.
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Frank Walsh
City of St. Joseph photo
Meridian Township has hired a township manager and it seems that the township board is excited.
Gerald Richards has been township manager for 23 years and will be leaving his work to Frank Walsh.
Walsh, currently the city manager for St. Joseph, said this is a homecoming to a beautiful community.
“I was born in Lansing and raised just south of Meridian in Pleasant lake,” said Walsh.
Walsh said he couldn’t be more excited, “My family is ready to move home and become a part of what I consider to be one of the best towns in Michigan.”
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By Isabella Shaya
Meridian Times staff writer
After about four years without a raise, Meridian Township Treasurer Julie Brixie now sees her salary restored to that of the clerk’s.
In 2009, Brixie took a voluntary 20 percent pay cut during hard financial times. From 2008-2012, Brixie said she saved the township more than $50,000.
The board discussed pay increases for elected officials at its meeting March 19, but the Local Officials Compensation Commission made the final decision on salaries.
The part-time members of the board received a 2 percent pay increase, which is what township employees received.
Trustee Angela Wilson was opposed to any raise of more than 2 percent, but said she was happy to see the treasurer’s salary equal the clerk’s.
“(Brixie) was trying to do the right thing,” Wilson said.
Brixie wrote a letter to the board, asking to have her salary match the clerk’s because the positions are comparable. While her salary has not increased over the years, her workload has, she said.
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