A Tale of Too Many Cats

People are afraid of things they don't fully understand. I didn't understand why someone would choose to live that way and I didn't fully understand what the neighbors went through, I had no idea how many cats actually lived in the house and I was very relieved with Ms. Smith did not answer her door when I approached. If you've owned a cat or more than one cat you understand the smell of a litter box. Imagine if that's what the entire house smelled like times 10. That's what the neighbors of Ms. Smith had to deal with when they continuously complained about the smell and cat problem next door. Sad thing was, it was a really nice neighborhood. And every time I saw a cat wandering outside after a miraculous escape from the house I was even afraid to approach it. It's not like it was a tiger or something, but it came from a house not known for its cleanliness. To me it came from the unknown.

It was an odd story. Another one that brought up chuckles from the newsroom and disappointment from certain officials. And yet nothing could be done because the township had no cat ordinance. Come on. This is not the first time it's happened in that home or the first time in the township. Sometimes holes are found in local government. Maybe this is one of them. Either way I will keep my distance from this home, especially on a hot, windy summer's day.


A wild beast was sighted in the jungle, aka Ms. Smith's back yard.

Neighbors are fed up with smell of cat urine emanating from Summit Township home
By Sarah Schuch

Craig Brown worries about the heat, the direction of the wind and how the stench from his neighbor's house will carry over to his yard.

Brown and other neighbors are lobbying various officials to do something about the smell of cat urine that comes from 1276 Levant St. in Summit Township.

"It smells like what I would describe as putting your nose in a litter box," Brown said.

Neighbors on Levant Street have been frustrated for years by the situation at Anita Smith's home. The house has been condemned twice — once in 2003 and 2009 — by the Jackson County Health Department because it was deemed unsanitary. With some cleanup, Smith, who could not be reached for comment, was able to get it off the condemned list.

Want to keep reading? Of course you do! And you can do so right here.



Even the house was overgrown.

No Crying Over Spilled Milk

Fourth of July is known for fireworks, honoring our veterans and being thankful for the freedoms we have in the United States of America. But this Fourth of July I will remember for its spilled milk.
Jake and I covered a protest out in Cement City of a dairy farmer wanting citizens to understand the financial strife of all dairy farmers. He ended up dumping 1,300 gallons of raw milk down his driveway. At first us reporters at the Citizen Patriot were throwing out all kinds of milk puns, enough to make a middle school student unamused. But the more research done, proved it was a legit protest... to an extent.
A couple in New York started the idea. The amount of money dairy farmers are making versus the cost to produce the milk that you drink is extremely unbalanced. So maybe I don't agree with the farmers wasting their day's worth of product, but it got people's attention. The best quote in the story is “We feed our nation, and right now our farmers can’t feed themselves."



Check out the full story that includes a lot more detail. Go on. Do it!

All Is Well

My first major Sunday story at the Citizen Patriot was a pain in the butt. But I guess it makes sense given the subject — oil. And it's not the like the drilling of oil in the Gulf, so don't go flipping your lid until you read the story or do your own research. While being a journalist, I realized the major factor in people becoming upset is ignorance. I have learned way more than I ever thought I would have the oil process, especially on the smaller scale in Jackson County. The main wells or facilities are mostly on farmers' lands. And one of them told me something that made a lot of sense. "We're farmers. Why would we harm the land?" Sure, there are always going to be some companies that hurt the reputation. But some are just trying to run a business.
But one assumption that might be correct is in the right circumstances, some people can make some big bucks off the oil industry.

Read my story. Get educated.

Just Plane Fun

Sometimes there are perks to being an intern. You get the random assignments that don't really fit under anyone's beat. I worked on a preview story for the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Ballon Festival. Doesn't sound too interesting does it? How about if I added in the part that I was given the opportunity to go up in one of the air show planes? No it sounds awesome! Sure, it got the pilot a little more attention then the rest of those who were performing, but he offered...


Photos by Nick Dentamaro


Let me paint a picture for you. Imagine being on a 15-minute roller coaster. That's kind of how I felt. I tried to keep my cool, because there was a video camera on me at all times. At first the pilot took it easy, by doing a little roll, but then before you know it he's flying upside down for a solid couple of minutes. He thought it was funny. I, on the other hand, was gripping the bars with a death grip. We barrel-rolled around the plane that Nick rode in. At one point we did a hammer head maneuver. It's kind of like the Power Tower at Cedar Point only in a plane. The plane went straight up, leaving only a blue sky and the sun for me to see. Then it went straight down leaving only the ground. We did a couple of spins in a row and I had a hard time figuring out if I was upside down or right side up. It was nuts. Overall it was awesome! But I don't ever want to do it again. Thank goodness for motion sickness pills.

Check out the story, which includes a video. A portion of it you can see me spin. Enjoy!

A Hairy Situation

Odd stories make my days much more interesting. It gives me and the reporters around me lots to laugh at, and this story was definitely one of those. Sausage takes on whole new meaning for me, and soon you will find out why. I even have a grossed out expression on my face as I write this.
Usually when someone gets their hair cut, the hair usually gets thrown away or if it's enough hair it can be donated. Did you ever think about hair being used to clean up the BP spill in the Gulf? Hair is being put in nylons and used as hair booms to have the oil stick to it. It forms a hair sausage... yuck. Now picture hundreds of them stacked up. Double gross. They couldn't call it a hair boom or something less disgusting? Nope. I guess they are improvising. I will give them credit for that. If they help, great. But don't make touch one, please.
Oddly enough I found five salons and one pet grooming place in Jackson participating. There is a list on the website that shows you every place involved. Check it out. But really your first reaction will most likely be laughter followed by disgust once you see the pictures.

Here's my story...

Hair from local salons being sent to help clean up BP oil spill
By Sarah Schuch

Customers usually watch their hair fall to the ground after it’s cut and then it’s swept into the trash. Now, it could be heading for the Gulf of Mexico.

Salons all over the country are donating extra scraps of hair to an organization called Matter of Trust, which is making booms to help clean up the BP oil spill. The hair is stuffed into nylons and then covered by an orange mesh, creating a boom that floats in the water.

Five local hair salons and one pet grooming business are involved in the effort.
Annette Bartlett, owner of Jackson Hair and Nail Co., 1310 W. Michigan Ave., signed up to help six or seven weeks ago and has already sent four boxes of hair to help the cause.

“It’s a horrible thing that happened, so if it works why not (send it)?” she said.

Read the rest of the story here. You know you are intrigued!