News Archives - Page 4 of 6 - The Morenci Advocate

New director on the job at Morenci Senior Center

August 12, 2025 by Erik Gable

Laurie Reinke is the new director of the Morenci Senior Center, located inside Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at 800 W. Chestnut St. (Photo by Erik Gable)

MORENCI — There are plenty of things Laurie Reinke hopes to do in her new job as director of the Morenci Senior Center, but they all come down to this: “I’m hoping to bring smiles to people’s faces.”

Reinke started working at the senior center on June 10 after retiring from a factory job.

“Honestly, this is a job that I’ve been looking at for quite some time,” she said, noting that her daughter works for the Lenawee County Department on Aging so she was already somewhat familiar with its programs.

However, she said, “it just never was the right time — and this time I just said ‘you know what, I think the time is right.’ ”

Council discusses changing City Hall hours

July 21, 2025 by Erik Gable

MORENCI — The city of Morenci is considering a change to the hours that City Hall is open.

City Hall is currently open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. City clerk and superintendent Jeff Bell said those hours have been in place since 2014.

Fresh produce available in Morenci every Thursday

July 20, 2025 by David Green

Amanda Easler makes a purchase at the ProMedica Veggie Mobile in front of Candyland Child Care in Morenci while driver Nathan Letson handles her credit card transaction. Most items are unbagged and can be purchased in small quantities. (Photo by David Green)

MORENCI — Morenci may be without a grocery store, but that doesn’t mean there’s no access to fresh fruit and vegetables.

The ProMedica Veggie Mobile comes to the rescue every Thursday morning at two locations. Like a traveling farmer’s market, the Veggie Mobile offers an array of fresh produce to shoppers.

Stephenson Park reopens after renovations

July 20, 2025July 17, 2025 by Katherine Simpkins

Pictured at the Stephenson Park reopening are Mayor Tracy Schell, David Green, landscape architect Lisa DuRussel, Christopher Fenmore of DisAbility Connections, community and economic development director Heather Sarnac, Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority board chair Amy Palmer, and city council member Jerome Bussell. (Photo by Katherine Simpkins)

MORENCI — Morenci’s Stephenson Park reopened to the public on June 26 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the park’s extensive renovation, made possible by an $863,500 Spark Grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Originally gifted to the city in the 1860s, Stephenson Park has served its community as a gathering place for many activities from shuffleboard to playground fun. For generations, Morenci’s community has enjoyed what the park has had to offer, so when it came to its reopening, many came to celebrate.

Summer Saturdays series off to a good start

June 10, 2025 by Katherine Simpkins

Callie Gautz and her children pick out their decorations at the hat-making station at "Horsin' Around," the first event in downtown Morenci's Summer Saturdays series. — Callie Gautz and her children pick out their decorations at the hat-making station at “Horsin’ Around,” the first event in downtown Morenci’s Summer Saturdays series. (Photos by Katherine Simpkins)

MORENCI — The Morenci Downtown Development Authority launched its new Summer Saturdays series on June 7. The theme for the first event was “Horsin’ Around.”

A printer’s life

June 4, 2025 by David Green

Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., talks at Morenci’s Stair District Library about one of his favorite posters with a quote from the late Alabama architect Sam “Sambo” Mockbee. (Photo by David Green)

Sometimes a person’s life takes an unforeseen turn and ends up entirely different than expected.

That’s certainly the case for letterpress printer Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. The mathematics major was living in Chicago and working in a corporate office of AT&T when he got blindsided by his calling in life.

Kennedy spoke May 6 to a crowd at Stair District Library as part of the 2025 Michigan Notable Books program. The book “Citizen Printer” is about his work.

A new chapter for the Class of ’25

June 2, 2025 by Katherine Simpkins

Morenci High School’s Class of 2025 graduates throw their caps in the air after moving their tassels from the right to the left at the close of commencement exercises on May 18. (Photos by Katherine Simpkins)

MORENCI — Under sunny skies on May 18, the Morenci High School class of 2025 celebrated their graduation at Henry Geisler Field, marking the 189th commencement in the school’s history. The event was filled with reflections, gratitude, and a touch of humor as 44 graduates bid farewell to their high school years.

Find local produce and much more at Old Orchard Point

May 19, 2025 by Julie C. Clemes

Matt and Hollie Hillard are pictured in front of Old Orchard Point, a family-owned store that sells produce from area farms and a variety of other local products, as well as offering workshops and classes. (Photo by Julie C. Clemes)

FAIRFIELD TWP. — Old Orchard Point, a family-owned and community-oriented farming and retail market enterprise, is beginning its second season in business at 7062 S. Adrian Highway.

Working the land, protecting the water

May 15, 2025 by Sophie Bird Murphy

Patrick Madden, who farms 100 acres near Clayton, is one of a growing number of local food growers who are taking steps to ensure the health of the region’s waterways.

CLAYTON — Local farmer Patrick Madden is part of a growing number of farmers who are not only providing food for the country but also taking steps to ensure that local waters are kept clean and safe.

At Madden’s 100-acre farm, that takes many forms. Named Mastodon Farm for the mastodon bones Madden’s grandfather uncovered while digging a pond on the property nearly 30 years ago, Mastodon Farm is now home to cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, honeybees, fruit and maple trees, and chemical-free produce like squashes, tomatoes, mushrooms, and berries.

Student-led farmers market returning to Wakefield Park

May 12, 2025 by Advocate staff

Zackary Shields and Colsen Waltzer help a customer at last year’s student-run farmers market at Wakefield Park. The market, which is now in its third year, will take place on May 17. (Lenawee Voice file photo)

MORENCI — On Saturday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wakefield Park will come alive with the energy of the Morenci Area School Farmers Market — a unique, student-led event highlighting entrepreneurship, creativity, and community collaboration.

This is the third year that Morenci science teacher Grace Gierucki has led the Small Business Farmers Market class for middle school and high school students at Morenci. She started the class both to give students valuable experience and to fill a community need.