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Viewing 1 - 13 out of 13 Blogs.
  Linda Hundt, owner of the Sweetie-licious Bakery Cafe, is appearing between 8 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. Friday on the "Today" show via a live remote from the APC Crisco National Pie Championships outside Orlando, Fla. She'll present weatherman Willard Scott with the 2009 Best of Show winning pie, Tom's Cheery Cherry Cherry Berry pie. Her prize-winning pie topped nearly 130 other entries in 2009 and was named to honor her brother-in-law who passed away a week before the competition. "I am always thrilled to give people our delicious, award-winning pies, and Willard is like a favorite uncle that I grew up watching on the 'Today' show," Hundt said. "I am honored to present him with the nation's best pie, made with Michigan fruit from our darling little bakery."
Tags: Sweetie-licious Bakery Cafe Today Show Lansing Area
Choose your distance! Choose your charity! Choose from a 10K, 5K or 1M course and help support The Spartan Scholarship Challenge Endowment Fund.
In addition, you can get a team together to raise funds for your favorite area non profit. We'll supply you with a fund-raising kit and help get you started. Every penny you and your team raises will go directly to your charity of choice.
Wear Your School or Team colors! Whether your colors are green and white, maize and blue, red and white or any other color combination, wear them proudly!
Tags: 2010 Heart Of A Spartan And Health And Wellness Expo Michigan State Walk Ru
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State football concludes its 15 spring practices under fourth-year head coach Mark Dantoniowith the Green-White intrasquad game on Saturday, April 24 at 1:30 p.m. in Spartan Stadium. Parking is free (in Lots T-79, A-62, S-56, P-39/40, H-63 and M-66), and the stadium gates (Gates B, C, J and K) open at 12 p.m. Admission is free. Prior to the spring game, MSU's coaching staff and players will conduct a free youth football clinic (no registration required). Children, ages 8-12, are invited to attend the youth clinic from 10-11:30 a.m. on the grass practice fields behind the Duffy Daugherty Football Building, located at the corner of Chestnut Road and Shaw Lane. Clinic participants and their parents are requested to enter the practice fields through the gate on Shaw Lane. Over the last seven years, nearly 3,200 children have participated in the annual youth football clinic. The purpose of the clinic is to introduce youngsters to the game by stressing fundamentals. No football gear is required. From 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Coach Dantonio and his players will be available for an autograph session for clinic participants. In addition, clinic participants will receive a coupon for a complimentary hot dog and soft drink to be redeemed at a concession stand in Spartan Stadium during the spring game. For the third year in a row, fans will have an opportunity to purchase press box seats and enjoy the same view as the media that cover Spartan football. Only 100 press box seats - priced at $50 each - are on sale for the spring game. (Note: Minimum age requirement is 12 for press box admission.) Proceeds from the sale of press box seats will benefit the George Webster Scholarship Fund. Fans may order press box seats online at msuspartans.com. The George Webster Scholarship Fund, created in February 2007 through the generosity of Jim Nelson (1960 MSU graduate from Ada, Mich.), provides opportunities for former student-athletes to return to Michigan State each year and complete their degrees. The 2009-10 scholarship recipients are Lee Falardeau (hockey, 2002-04), Eric Knott (football, 2001-04) and Thomas Wright (football, 1999-2002). Born Nov. 25, 1945, in Anderson, S.C., Webster earned three letters for the Spartans from 1964-66, while playing for legendary head football coach Duffy Daugherty. The two-time consensus All-American and two-time all-conference selection helped Michigan State to a combined record of 19-1-1 in 1965-66 as the Spartans won back-to-back Big Ten Conference and National Championships. At 6-foot-4, 218 pounds, he revolutionized the roverback position with his size and speed. As a senior, Webster recorded 93 tackles, including 10 for losses, as Michigan State ranked third nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 51.4 yards per game. In 1967, he became just the second former Spartan to have his jersey number (No. 90) retired. Webster was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987. He has been rated among the 100 Greatest Players of All-Time by CollegeFootballNews.com. A first-round selection (No. 5 overall) by the Houston Oilers in 1967, Webster spent 10 years in the National Football League (Houston, 1967-72; Pittsburgh, 1972-73; and New England, 1974-76). He was selected the American Football League's Rookie of the Year by United Press International after averaging more than 10 tackles per game in 1967. Webster played in three AFL All-Star Games, earning Defensive MVP honors in 1969. In 1970, he was named to the AFL's All-Time Team (first team) by a special panel of Pro Football Hall of Fame voters. Webster died of heart failure on April 19, 2007, at the age of 61. Additional spring game notes:
• The Spartan Sports Network will broadcast the spring game, with a list of statewide affiliates to be published in the near future.
• Michigan State's spring game will be streamed live on www.bigtennetwork.com and replayed Sunday, April 25 at 5 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
• Michigan State's spring football games have attracted crowds in excess of 20,000 each of the last three years, with estimated attendance totals of 25,000 in 2007, 27,000 in 2008 and 26,000 in 2009. Those spring game attendance figures have ranked among the nation's top 20 each of the last three years: No. 11 (tied with Florida State) in 2007, No. 17 in 2008 and No. 19 in 2009.
• Fans are reminded that all digital video recording devices are strictly prohibited during the spring game.
• Fans also are reminded that the "open container" ordinance will be enforced on campus and in parking lots for the spring football game.
Weekend Sports Calendar (On-campus and football-related events scheduled for April 23-25)
Friday, April 23
MSU Football Players Association Golf Outing: 10 a.m. (Brookshire Inn & Golf Club, Williamston, Mich.)
Baseball: vs. Illinois, 3:05 p.m. (McLane Baseball Stadium)
Women's Soccer: exhibition vs. Central Michigan, 4 p.m. (DeMartin Stadium) Saturday, April 24
Men's Golf: Fossum/Spartan Invitational, 9 a.m. (Forest Akers West Course)
Youth Football Clinic: 10-11:30 a.m. (Duffy Daugherty Football Building/grass practice fields)
Women's Tennis: vs. Indiana, 11 a.m. (Spartan Outdoor Tennis Courts)
Baseball: vs. Illinois, 12 p.m. (McLane Baseball Stadium)
Spring Football Game: 1:30 p.m. (Spartan Stadium)
Sunday, April 25
Men's Golf: Fossum/Spartan Invitational, 9 a.m. (Forest Akers West Course)
Women's Tennis: vs. Illinois, 11 a.m. (Spartan Outdoor Tennis Courts)
Baseball: vs. Illinois, 1:05 p.m. (McLane Baseball Stadium)
Men's Soccer: exhibition vs. FC London, 1 p.m. (DeMartin Stadium)
Tags: Michigan State Spring Game And Youth Clinic 2010
Are you hungry? Recently featured on the travel channel. This very unique steak restaurant, located in southwest Michigan. At The Grill House, when patrons order a steak, they don't wait for the chef to prepare it; they pick out a hunk of raw beef and cook it themselves. Customers swap stories while cooking their dinner. Here read the History from Grill House website. The Grill House, formally known as the Hubbard House, was built in 1836. Used as a company headquarters and boarding house for area lumberjacks, it was the very first local public lodging and watering hole for settlers. Today, this 7,000 sq/ft farmhouse is home to one of the finest dining establishments in West Michigan.
The Hubbard House was named after the man who built it, Samuel Hubbard. He was a Massachusetts Supreme Court justice who dabbled in real estate and land speculation. His Boston Company was granted 25,000 acres and eventually became The Allegan Company that developed the Village of Allegan.
As legend has it, in 1847, when the building was being used to serve food and drinks to local sawmill workers, a lumberjack was killed in a barroom knife fight. His body was buried on the property in an unmarked grave. Although his remains have perished, his presence is still felt throughout the Grill House.
Jack, the name given to our friendly resident, has shown himself on numerous occasions. He has all too frequently been known to move chairs and leave candles burning. Dimming the lights, changing radio stations, opening and closing doors, and rattling dishes are other parts of his repertoire. On rare occasions a single shot of whiskey, Jack's drink of choice, will even be found sitting on the Rock Bottom bar, acting as a haunting reminder of our supernatural companion.
Tags: The Grill House Allegan Michigan Steak Kalamazoo Travel Channel Lumberjack
Three blondes died and are at the pearly gates of heaven. St. Peter tells them that they can enter the gates if they can answer one simple question. St. Peter asks the first blonde, “What is Easter?” The blonde replies, “Oh, that's easy! It's the holiday in November when everyone gets together, eats turkey, and are thankful…” “Wrong!” replies St. Peter, and proceeds to ask the second blonde the same question, “What is Easter?” The second blonde replies, “Easter is the holiday in December when we put up a nice tree, exchange presents, and celebrate the birth of Jesus.” St. Peter looks at the second blonde, shakes his head in disgust, tells her she's wrong, and then peers over his glasses at the third blonde and asks, “What is Easter?” The third blonde smiles confidently and looks St. Peter in the eyes, “I know what Easter is.” “Oh?” says St. Peter, incredulously. “Easter is the Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover. Jesus and his disciples were eating at the last supper and Jesus was later deceived and turned over to the Romans by one of his disciples. The Romans took him to be crucified and he was stabbed in the side, made to wear a crown of thorns, and was hung on a cross with nails through his hands. He was buried in a nearby cave which was sealed off by a large boulder.” St. Peter smiles broadly with delight. The third blonde continues, “Every year the boulder is moved aside so that Jesus can come out and, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.”
Happy Easter!!!
Tags: Easter Bunny Egg Blonde Joke Asks Three Holiday Gates November December
We have been in business since 2003 and we have not reached the point were we are done learning. Some would say that the ability to keep learning is the mark of a great business owner. I would say that sometimes it is the mark of a business owner that doesn't know what they are doing and so they are forced to keep learning. Failure, although not recommended, is great for the learning curve.
I have spent a lot of time sifting through ideas on everything from how to treat our customers to how to write a great press release. Press releases are a new idea for us. We have had a lot of good news lately and we want to share it with everyone in the Mid Michigan area. Recently I just had a press release published with Capital Gains Media and I was over the moon. My secret weapon was Maureen McNulty Saxton from PR Edge.
PR Edge is a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in writing, event planning, issue management and strategic planning. I am lucky in that I have her to sit next to on field trips, school committees and playdates. I usually begin our conversations with, "Hi, how are you!" and a hug. Somewhere inbetween our salutation and interruptions from the kids I insert, "So, I have this idea."
And then we are off and running. I am bouncing ideas off of her like a dodge ball target and she is sending them back at me at the same speed. I have asked her to proof my writing, plan seminars and participate in a referral program for my Business to Business clientele. She has even helped me deal with difficult customer relations and how to deal with innapropriate comments on our Facebook Fan Page.
Check back for the referral program. I am still working on it and it's going to be fantastic. But I digress.
One of her company's biggest roles is to help public awareness about issues that may effect your business. She is currently on the board of the Women's Caring Project, a non-profit dedicated to helping prop up families that are having to choose between three vital needs. Employment, childcare and/or early education and the basic neccessities. The criteria for recieving assistance is income based and usually involves a parent that is working and attending school at the same time. She assists the Women's Caring Project by offering her expertise in spreading public awareness and seeking out like-minded foundations and endowments for the Child Care Commitment.
She educated me. Did you know that as a nation, we agree that early childhood education is important but there is no viable budget support behind those statements. I didn't know that but I do know many women who find working a challenge because their wages are not enough to pay for childcare and not quite low enough to qualify for State assistance. The math doesn't add up and their children end up going without something (ie, quality care, healthy food, medical care) but that is a topic for another blog.
Recently, I ran across this article by John Schneider from the Lansing State Journal. Oh my, someone really needs a issue management consultation with my friend. So I asked her.
*microphone lifted up to her like a paparazzi*
"Maureen McNulty Saxton from PR Edge, if you had any advice for the owners of this remodeling company what would it be?"
And this is what she said.
"While it may be (appallingly!) true that the law allows liens to be made on homeowners who've done nothing wrong, it's too bad that this remodeling company didn't get out in front of this situation and contact the homeowner before the distribution company did - and before they took a hit in the newspaper. While it's good to hear they are now working with the homeowner to resolve the lien issue, they are still just playing catch-up and in the future might want to consider setting up a proactive press strategy. This is not the kind of story with which they want their name to be associated. They might even want to consider contacting their state representative and inquire as to why the state fund to relieve homeowners is "broke" and how they can help rectify that -- as a local business concerned about their customers. Assuming the situation gets resolved and they take some proactive measures to show their concern, they might want to issue a press release. They most definitely should contact the same newspaper columnist once the situation is resolved to everyone's mutual satisfaction."
Great advice, don't you think.
To contact PR Edge, you can come with me on a field trip or two. Or, you can just refer to the information below. I recomment that you do...but I will bounce that idea off of her too. :)
Tags: In Business Mid Michigan Remodeling Liens The Homeowners
Detroit carmaker General Motors Co. said Monday it will start making a new version of the Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon later this year in Lansing. It will be a high-performance of the sport wagon built at the Lansing Grand River assembly plant. The limited-run version will be added to the plant's lineup, alongside the standard wagon and the CTS and STS sedans. The sedans also have "V" versions. Vehicles in the Cadillac V-series are high-performance variants of existing Cadillac models and produced in smaller numbers than other more standard versions. The Cadillac CTS has been made at the Lansing Grand River plant since 2001 and the standard coupe version of the CTS is scheduled to go into production next year,. A V-series version of the CTS sedan is already in production. "The CTS-V Sport Wagon is a natural extension of both the V-Series and the CTS lineup, offering an uncompromising performance car to enthusiasts who want the extra room of a wagon," Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing, said in a statement. The CTS-V wagon features a 556 horsepower supercharged 6.2L V-8 engine, six-speed transmission and other features. The CTS-V Sport Wagon will go into production in late 2010, with initial sales in North America, followed by export markets including Europe and the Middle East. The addition of the V wagon won't mean new workers will be hired at the Lansing Grand River plant's work force of 1,216. "The V series are usually not high-volume products, so it would be a V that's just added into our regular production schedule," plant spokeswoman Heidi Magyar said. Though it doesn't mean more jobs, the Sport Wagon V is good news to workers at the Lansing Grand River plant, said Mike Green, president of United Auto Workers Local 652. "Every little bit helps," he said. "The more choices you have, the more customers you have." - ThankS MelissA
Tags: Lansing 2011 CTS Sport Wagon The Grand River Cadillac General Motors Compan
Don't bet against Tom Izzo and Michigan State this time of year. Raymar Morgan's free throw with less than 2 seconds left gave the Spartans a 70-69 victory over Tennessee in the Midwest Regional final Sunday, sending Michigan State to its sixth Final Four in 12 years and second in a row. No team in the country - not North Carolina, not Kentucky, not UCLA - has done it better during that span. And all six trips have come under Izzo, the hard-nosed coach who preaches defense, rebounding and physical play. "I like it more than I used to," Izzo said of playing in March. "It's even better than I thought." Oh, and how's this for some symmetry? This happens to be the 10th anniversary of the "Flintstones," the team that gave Michigan State its second national title. Highlights from that run were included in the video montage of past championships that played on the Edward Jones Dome's massive Jumbotron during halftime. The fifth-seeded Spartans, last year's national runner-up, will be looking for championship No. 3 next weekend in Indianapolis. They play Butler, also a No. 5 seed and sure to be the hometown favorite, in the semifinals Saturday night. The Spartans (28-8) led by as many as eight in the second half, but Brian Williams pulled sixth-seeded Tennessee (28-9) within 69-68 on a putback with 2:10 left. Korie Lucious, who took over as point guard after 2009 Big Ten player of the year Kalin Lucas ruptured his Achilles' tendon last weekend, missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 29 seconds left and Scotty Hopson got the rebound. Hopson was fouled at the other end, and made the first. But after a Michigan State timeout, he missed the second and Lucious - generously listed at 5-foot-11 - ended up with the rebound. Draymond Green fed the ball inside to Morgan, who got hacked by J.P. Prince with 1.8 seconds left. Morgan made the first and, after timeouts by both teams, missed the second - on purpose. Williams came up with the rebound but Prince fumbled the inbounds pass and had to heave up a prayer just before the buzzer. "It's just tough, 1 second," Prince said. "You want to shoot it perfect but you've got to rush. You don't want it to come down to a half-court shot, but that's what it came down to." Prince wasn't even close, and Michigan State and its fans - led by Spartan-in-chief Magic Johnson - began what's become a traditional postgame celebration. "I'm not surprised," Johnson said. "Tom Izzo does his best in the NCAA tournament." Hard to argue with that. Izzo, who took over from longtime mentor Jud Heathcote for the 1995-96 season, is 6-1 in the regional finals. The only loss was to top-seeded Texas in 2003. Michigan State is the only team from last year's Final Four to make it back. Heck, North Carolina, which demolished the Spartans in the title game, didn't even make the NCAA tournament. Neither did Connecticut, and Villanova was knocked out in the second round. "There is nothing greater than going to a Final Four that I know of," Izzo said, "except winning it." And while it's hard to beat that title in 2000, this might be the finest coaching job Izzo has done. In addition to losing Lucas, Delvon Roe is playing on a torn meniscus and Chris Allen has an aching foot. The Spartans have been forced to go to an offense-by-committee, led by Durrell Summers. Summers, who played just 9 minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, finished with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Morgan and Green added 13 each, and Morgan also had 10 rebounds. Tennessee, meanwhile, will have to take comfort in knowing it got further than any other Volunteers team. This was their first appearance in the regional finals, and there is no question they belonged. They made their first six shots of the game - going 4 for 4 from 3-point range, shot 51 percent overall and had four players in double figures, led by senior Wayne Chism's 13 points. Prince finished with 12 on 5-of-5 shooting, and Williams had 11. Tennessee has long been a basketball powerhouse - in women's hoops. But coach Bruce Pearl has energized the men's program, as evidenced by the orange-hued dome and the Vols' first appearance in the regional final. Few would have thought the Tennessee men would last longer than the top-seeded women, who were beaten by No. 4 Baylor on Saturday in the regional semifinals. "We came to St. Louis expecting to win two games and we played pretty well both nights," Pearl said. "We saw all that orange out there. This isn't close to home, either. They got in their car and they drove here. I think they enjoyed this group tremendously." Though they were going against a program that oozes experience - "Final Fours are a big thing in this program," Green said Saturday - the Vols came in with swagger and strut. Chism's 3-pointer put them up 50-45 with 15:46 left and prompted another roar from the thousands of Tennessee fans who had made the trek north. But come tournament time, the Spartans simply find a way to get it done. Cranking up the in-your-jersey defense that makes Big Ten opponents shudder, they held the Vols without a field goal for the next 7 1/2 minutes while ripping off a 14-1 run. Chris Allen made a 3, and Summers converted a three-point play after being fouled on a jumper just inside the line. After Williams' free throw, Morgan scored on a layup and Lucious hit a 3-pointer to put the Spartans up 56-51 with 12:25 to play. As a timeout was called, Lucious held up his right hand toward the Michigan State section as if to say, "Bring it on." Green then converted another three-point play, giving the Spartans a 59-51 lead, the largest of the game, with 11:42 to play. But the Volunteers had one more run in them. Bobby Maze scored on a layup - Tennessee's first field goal since 15:46 - and Williams followed with two jumpers to put the Vols back on top, 62-61, setting up the frenetic finish. - ThankS A.p.
Tags: Michigan State Spartans Final 4 Final Four Basketball Tennessee Midwest Reg
It's an amazing act of heroism; a nanny from Shelby County, Ky risked her life to protect the child she was responsible for. The nanny, Allison Myatt, suffered from burns to her hands and feet, and is recovering in at University Hospital. She says it happened around 6:00 a.m. in the bathroom of a home on Goldenrod Court. The nanny says she didn't hear a smoke alarm and just the ceiling crashing down. She immediately ran upstairs and down a hall on fire to rescue 5-year-old Aiden who she was caring for. She says her only thought was to save the little boy and got severe burns on her hands and feet in the process. A fire chief said that had she not been so heroic, the boy would not have survived the fire. The fire cheif also said he believes a fan in the bathroom started the fire. Neighbors called 911 and took video of the massive fire that destroyed most of the home. - ThankS AnnA
Tags: Nanny Saves Boy Fire Ky Shelby County Heroism Hero
Can a basketball shoe be too light?
Turns out yes, at least according to Arnie Kander, the Pistons strength and conditioning coach for the past 18 years (via Ball Don't Lie). After a string of ankle and foot problems with Pistons players. He told the Detroit Free Press about the problem but was too kind to name the problem shoes.
We're not so kind -- it's the Nike Hyperize.
"I'm not going to name the brand of shoe it was, but it has been banned from our locker room and the guys aren't allowed to wear it," Kander said. "These shoes had taken most of the support out of the sides and it was a lighter shoe. Most basketball shoes weigh between 1.4 and 1.7 pounds.
"These shoes were weighing 0.8 pounds, which was way too light as far as side support. Since we've banned the shoe, knock on wood, we haven't had any ankle sprains. Hopefully, the good Lord willing, we won't have any more and we can finish the season healthy and see what these guys can really do."
Rip Hamilton stopped, his ankle got better. Same with Ben Gordon. Third year player Will Bynum new better than the nearly two decades of experience for Kander, so he kept wearing them. Until he hurt his ankle again. Then he stopped.
Piston players are not alone -- three of four Orlando players (Rashard Lewis, Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson) have moved away from the Hyperize, according to Ben Q. Rock of Orlando Pinstriped Post). It is a league wide trend.
Kalin Lucas and Chris Allen, the Michigan State Spartans. wear these shoes!!
You may not want to try these on for yourselves!!
-ThankS DoG!!!
Tags: Basketball Nike Shoe Shoes Spartans Pistons
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