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Top Newsmaker #1:
Climax residents shocked by what is believed
to be first homicide in village
By Bruce Rolfe
Village of Climax residents were left shocked during the late hours of October 26 and early October 27 when they learned a homicide had occurred in the 100 block of North Main Street.
While the Climax Crescent is not certain, the homicide is believed to be the first in this small bedroom community.
According to court documents, Adam Gerard Lyons, of 120 North Main Street, Climax, was charged with open murder for the alleged killing of Nichole Doerschler, two weapons and felony firearm charges and one charge of killing/torturing an animal in the third degree at an arraignment hearing October 29 at the Kalamazoo County 8th District Court.
According to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office, a female and dog were found deceased in the 100 block of North Main Street October 26.
Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Williams said according to the court, Lyons’ Examination that was scheduled for December 11 was adjourned to give the defense more time to prepare, however Williams later said Lyons waived his preliminary examination, meaning there will be no additional hearings in the District Court and the case was bound over to the 9th Judicial Circuit Court.
A pretrial conference that was scheduled for December 20 in Court 5400 did not take place after Lyons’ attorney filed a notice of intent to seek an insanity defense according to Williams.
Williams said because of the filing December 18, the case will be stayed until Lyons can be interviewed by a mental health professional who will render an opinion on the issue.
He adds until that opinion is received, there will be no additional court dates.
The incident was very troubling to local residents.
Noah Miller, his wife and family live across the street from where the shooting took place. He said he didn’t know anything had happened but his interest picked up when the fire department, ambulance and police cars showed up.
“It hits pretty close to home. We had just gotten to know these new neighbors so it was pretty hard to hear to be honest,” said Noah Miller, who adds he never saw any signs there may have been any issues between the couple.
Top Newsmaker #2
Man barricaded in FedEx building calls
tornado experience very frightening
By Bruce Rolfe
A Climax resident who was barricaded in the Portage FedEx Building when a tornado ripped through Portage, Pavilion Township and other parts of Kalamazoo County May 7, feels management’s quick decision likely saved his life as well as others.
Justin Pyle, who was closing in on his third year working at the FedEx facility on Portage Road at the time, was looking forward to starting a new position in a different part of the huge facility May 7.
It turned out to be a memorable day for the 2018 Climax-Scotts High School graduate, but not in the way he was expecting.
Pyle was about to begin his shift when the tornado ripped through the facility, causing massive destruction, anxiety, and for a few moments, a feeling of whether he would get out alive.
Pyle said about 15 minutes before his shift, which was delayed, his boss felt the shift could start at 7 p.m. However Pyle said after his boss received an alert about a tornado moving closer to the area, male employees were quickly moved into the men’s restroom and females went into the women’s restroom.
Pyle said about 10 minutes after he and his co-workers were moved into the restroom, the tornado blasted through a large portion of the huge facility. He estimated he was within 10 to 20 feet of the area the tornado cut a path through.
Pyle said a large air vent located on top of the facility above the restroom he and his co-workers were in came crashing through the roof and landed in the area the workers were at in the restroom, just five seconds after the FedEx workers moved away from the area the vent came through.
“Had I been standing underneath it, I probably would have been crushed,” said the 24-year-old Village of Climax resident, who said there were at least eight FedEx employees in the rest room including co-workers, two security workers and two of his bosses.
Pyle said after the roof collapsed the doors to the restroom started to blow open. He said three men were barricading the door to prevent the FedEx workers from getting sucked out.
The C-S graduate said the boss of his boss, told the FedEx workers they needed to evacuate the restrooms. He said the workers were then asked to move into a break room area, but a short time later they were told to move to the parking lot after it was determined that area may not be safe. He said the workers were told to get out of the building quickly, “because part of the building was crumbling as we were going out.” A short time after the workers were asked to evacuate to the parking lot, a gas pipe broke, setting off the fire alarms.
“We got out just in time and then that part collapsed,” said Pyle, who said nobody was trapped inside and made it out of the facility safely.
“I firmly believe that my bosses and management saved all of our lives and getting us out in a timely manner. Without them, I don’t think I’d be here,” said Pyle, who guessed there were 50-70 employees working during his shift when the tornado struck.
In what was a historic and memorable night, Kalamazoo County fire departments, law enforcement agencies, humanitarian organizations, and the private and public sector networked together very impressively following the tornado.
As more and more reports of destruction and the need for help came into the 9-1-1 dispatch center, mutual aid local fire departments provide to each other, became very important.
The need became so great, an all county response was requested when every fire department in Kalamazoo County was asked to assist. There were even fire departments from two other counties assisting.
While the Climax and Galesburg-Charleston Township fire departments did not have any calls directly involved in their respective jurisdictions with the tornado, they provided mutual aid at Pavilion Estates Mobile Home Park in Pavilion Township where many mobile homes were damaged or destroyed.
An exact number of mobile homes in Pavilion Estates Mobile Home Park that were damaged or destroyed was unavailable, however Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller said 30 to 40 percent of Pavilion Estates “is total devastation”. He adds the two storm events were within an hour of each other and at one point the second storm cell was 700 feet between the two.
Fuller said the National Weather Service said the tornado was an F-2 and the second storm event that blasted through about an hour later, were straight line winds. He said as the second storm cell moved closer to Pavilion Estates, people were moved into fire trucks, police vehicles or the closest home possible until it was safe to be outside again.
Remarkably, there were no serious injuries from the tornado in Pavilion Estates.
Top Newsmaker #3:
State’s new renewable energy law was
a topic of discussion often in 2024
By Bruce Rolfe
Michigan’s new renewable energy law that includes solar, wind and battery storage facilities was a topic of discussion often at Climax Township Planning Commission and Climax Township Board meetings in 2024.
The new law, signed by Governor Whitmer, removes local control from townships and other units of government for siting of certain renewable energy wind, solar and battery storage facilities, went into effect November 28. The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has siting authority under the new law.
Climax Township ordinances did not address any type of solar or wind energy system before the new law was signed by the Governor. However after months of discussion, the Climax Township Planning Commission approved revised ordinances drafted by the township attorney at a special hearing August 26 that was aimed at minimizing exposure to multiple large scale projects and the Climax Township Board approved the recommended ordinances September 10.
For months, many in the area have been concerned one large piece of land in Climax Township would become a target for an energy company for large scale renewable energy use.
However Brian Bourdages, Land Protection Project Manager with American Farmland Trust, said when Owen and Ellen Love signed an agreement with AFT that deeded the couple’s historic 667.8 acres to AFT as part of its farm legacy program, the conservation easement filed with the Kalamazoo County Register of Deeds requires the Love farm and land remain in agriculture.
Bourdages said the land has been transferred to current owners, Ceres Partners. The Ceres Partners website lists the Love Farm at 856 total acres with 774 total tillable acres. He adds the conservation easement rides along with the deed so it is incumbent on all future land owners to follow any restrictions in place.
Bourdages adds there is a restriction in the current conservation easement with Ceres Farms that notes any type of energy generation can only be used for the farm operation itself.
Bourdages said if the land owner is considering changing how the land will be used outside of what is in the conservation easement, they must approach AFT first.
With a rumor still present that the owners of the land south of the Village of Climax were interested in leasing the land for solar, Climax Township Supervisor Trent Piper told the board and audience at the township board meeting September 10 a representative from Ceres Partners informed the Supervisor the company has not designated the land for solar. He said the email he received from the Ceres Partner representative said “the farm currently has no solar lease in place.”
Top Newsmaker #4:
Military memorial area in Climax Village Park dedicated
By Bruce Rolfe
An area in the northwest corner of the Climax Village Park where a marker recognizing eight World War II Climax area veterans who lost their lives during the war, has received significant enhancements and was dedicated last Memorial Day.
The old marker contains the names of Max Bailey, Amos Force, Wilfred Gibson, Dallas Malone, Loyd Puffer, Wesley Simmonds, Carroll Smoke and Fred Trubey.
An idea brought to the Climax Village Council’s attention by Library, Parks and Cemetery Chairperson Janet Sutherland to make the marker more visible turned into an impressive project.
Climax resident Roger Smith, a member of the American Legion Riders for many years who has a passion for helping veterans, was asked if he would be interested in helping with the project. Smith put a lot of time in researching, developing a landscape plan and obtaining estimates for the Memorial area.
Two bushes surrounding the old memorial marker were removed. The Council approved purchases totaling $3,815.93 for other improvements.
The area was expanded by the Department of Public Works. Pea stone was installed, three dwarf shrubs were planted and a new light pole with a flag has been installed to light up the area.
A 36-inch by 24-inch soldier plaque that contains the names and some information about the eight Climax WW II veterans, was installed.
Because there is a large number of veterans who commit suicide each year, Smith requested two Buddy Benches be a part of the area. The Buddy Benches contain a suicide prevention phone number.
Top Newsmaker #5
Galesburg man is 2024 Mullet Champion
By Bruce Rolfe
The Climax Crescent’s #4 top newsmaker of 2024 recalls an article that was published in the September 27 Climax Crescent about a Galesburg man who was named the 2024 Mullet Champion and raised over $20,000 for veterans.
Galesburg resident Todd Grubb recalled he once had a mullet when he was in high school, however the mullet he has today at the age of 60 brought considerable more attention.
Grubb, a 1984 graduate of Galesburg-Augusta High School, learned he was the Jared Allen’s Home For Wounded Warriors Mullet contest winner in the adult category.
The mulletchamp.com website notes 100 percent of the contestant’s donations go directly to the Jared Allen’s Home For Wounded Warriors Foundation to aid in the construction of homes for critically injured Veterans.
Grubb got into the contest last year and won the 55 and over division, putting him into the national competition where he finished 5th overall in the nation. The 2023 Mullet champion event raised over $220 thousand for the Jared Allen’s Home For Wounded Warriors Foundation.
After finishing fifth overall last year, Grubb thought he would try one more time.
After raising $3,800 last year, Grubb said he wanted to double that total and he did that and more, raising $20,027. Grubb received 2387 votes and had a score of 132. The Galesburg man was also the top donor this year.
He said he competed this year against approximately 1,500 contestants. The winners were announced August 28.
A panel of judges critiqued each mullet based on length, style, uniqueness, and showmanship. A winner could also be determined by receiving the most votes, raising the most money, or having the most impressive mullet.
Grubb thought he was 1,300 votes below another contestant but he had a higher judge’s score.
Grubb said he was quite surprised at the total he was able to raise. “Absolutely. It blew me away and it kept going,” said the Galesburg man.
Grubb said he was surprised to learn he placed first.
“I was blown away. I didn’t think honestly I was going to do it. I’m 60 years old. The guys I was competing against are in their 30s. It just blew me away. It just kept getting more attention,” said Grubb, who used the profile name of ‘Flow Motion’.
Grubb said he received a custom championship belt, similar to a UFC belt, a GoPro HERO12 Black Action Camera, and $5,000 which he donated back to the Jared Allen’s Home For Wounded Warriors, for a total donation of $25,000 to the fund, something he was pleased to do.
“It’s all about our veterans. If I can grow my hair and raise money for it and donate it back to them, I’ll do it every year,” said the Galesburg man.
Is the Galesburg man willing to get into the contest again in 2025?
“I might try it one more year and see what happens,” said Grubb.
Top Newsmaker #6:
G-A track team enjoys first home track meet
in over 20 years; new track dedicated
By Bruce Rolfe
Galesburg-Augusta student-athletes competing on the Ram track team faced bus trips for away track meets for over 20 years after the district determined the track at the old Maskill Field was not suitable to compete on in the early 2000s.
But that all changed April 10 when G-A hosted Martin in the first home track meet for the Rams since G-A coach Paul Schab believes was 2002.
The track at the old high school deteriorated to the point it could no longer be used.
Bond proposals in 2000, 2005, 2006, 2015, and May, 2021 all included the construction of a new athletic complex with an all-weather track, however the proposals were defeated in each election.
However in November, 2021, a new $5.88 million athletic facility that included a new all-weather track and field events area that was part of a $16.5 million bond proposal, was passed by G-A voters.
A short dedication was held before the April 10 track meet. With current and former school board members, administrators, track team student-athletes, coaches, teachers, and the G-A band on the field, former G-A superintendent Wendy Somers offered some brief comments about the bond process and the new track during the dedication ceremony. G-A track coach Paul Schab told the audience how thankful he was to have an impressive facility for G-A student-athletes to practice and perform at after many years of facing road track meets and practices at other facilities.
“This is a great occasion for us and I personally, are deeply moved for this. I have been coaching for Galesburg-Augusta for 10 years, and luckily, we have a track now. So I really, really appreciate it,” said Schab.
The brief dedication concluded with the G-A band performing the school fight song.
Carter Stevens and Jaidyn Klimp, both juniors at the time of the dedication, said after competing on the road in track meets their first two years in high school, they were very excited to compete at G-A in front of home supporters as well as have a facility at G-A to practice at.
“It’s invigorating. It’s so much fun. I had a lot of fun here today. It feels nice to know that we’re supported as G-A athletes, not having the proper equipment for the past couple of years,” said Stevens.
“It’s really amazing because I know most of those people up there (in the stands). When I look up there I recognize every single face and it’s great to hear them cheer,” adds Klimp.
G-A graduates who returned for the track dedication and first home track meet at G-A since 2002, were also happy to see G-A athletes enjoy a home track meet again.
“It’s great that they got this facility to run on that we didn’t have to train on. They have more of an opportunity to train under better (circumstances) then what we had,” said Hayley Hall, a 2022 G-A High School graduate.
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