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Saginaw sophomore Jeff Wegner dreams of one day owning a cooler that always stays cold.

West Branch junior Nick Fox images being able to drive a car that never needs the gas to be refilled.

These ideas and many more were the focus of the Make-a-Pitch contest Thursday in Grawn Hall.

Twelve students shared their ideas for a project or invention in a five-minute time frame to an audience of around 35 while six judges critiqued their work.

The winner — Alma senior Jason Whitmore — received a $500 check.

Chuck Fitzpatrick, director of LaBelle Entrepreneurial Center, was one of the judges and said the presentations were well prepared and practiced.

“I was impressed,” he said. “We would like to get people from other disciplines and hold competitions at other schools.”

The winning idea

Whitmore plans on using the prize money to launch his idea, which is is to create a Web site similar to hulu.com, where users can watch television shows not given air time on cable networks.

Whitmore said the site would create a way to connect the content creators with the advertisers to achieve several things, such as the advertisers paying for product placement.

“I’m pumped,” Whitmore said. “I’ve never won $500 before.”

Vassar junior Molly Bender pitched an idea that could benefit ice tea drinkers.

Her idea is to create an ice tea pack, hot or cold, that will speed up the boiling process and can fit into a bottle of water.

Bender said she’s been thinking about the idea for a couple of years.

“I drink ice tea everyday and it takes a long time to prepare,” she said. “(With my idea), you wouldn’t have to boil it.”

Midland senior Baron Kimble has an idea he said would help all college students.

Kimble, who has been working on it for about a month, plans on providing tax help for low-income earners.

“Everybody needs their taxes done,” he said. “I guarantee you’ll be seeing fliers around for this and I’ll be getting calls.”

Fenton junior Nicholas Laue wants to help people in third-world countries with his idea.

Laue plans on creating a Web site that would connect a portal to sites for stores such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Circuit City.

From there, he would take a percentage of the revenue from the money made and donate it to third-world countries.

“It’s a noble business,” he said. “I don’t feel enough people give back anymore.”

Mount Pleasant residents who love the flavor of Biggby Coffee will soon have two locations to choose from.

A new Biggby Coffee will open Wednesday at 210 S. Mission St., in the north half of the old Isabella County Credit Union building.

Owner Matthew Taylor said he is excited to start business and that his operating philosophy is designed to ensure that every customer leaves the store in a better mood than when they first walked in.

Taylor has been drinking Biggby Coffee ever since the first Lansing location opened in his hometown of East Lansing.

“I fell in love with Biggby Coffee, especially black, which I drink everyday,” he said. “I got to have my Biggby black coffee.”

He said one of the reasons he decided to open the cafe is the “express box,” a box which is at the counter and allows fast access to brewed coffee.

During a long line, customers ordering brewed coffee can go straight to the express box without waiting in line.

People should wait in line just for brewed coffee, Taylor said.

Taylor will start training his 26 current employees on Friday, five days prior to the grand opening.

During the first week of business, free brewed coffee will be given away.

On Tuesday August 25, the business will be hosting a remote broadcast with WMHW-FM 91.5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The business will have a drive-thru and a patio on the north and south sides of the location.

Taylor said the cafe’s location is perfect and is not concerned about the competition that may result from having two Biggbys in town.

“I think its good to have one on the north side and one on the south side,” he said. “But we’re going to have lower prices.”

Canadian Lakes junior Stephanie McGuffie and Lake Isabella senior Emily Zolynski are both baristas at the Mission Street location, and worked at the Bluegrass Street location before it closed.

“I’m extremely excited to meet new customers,” McGuffie said.

Taylor said customers will love his staff.

“(Biggby) has the world’s best coffee,” Zolynsky said. “I’m looking forward to working with energetic customers.”

The new location will be open until 10 p.m., Taylor said. He said the location may eventually be open until midnight, and hopes to start these hours by finals week of the fall semester.

metro@cm-life.com

A 19-year-old Central Michigan University student could be facing prison time in connection to a hit-and-run accident Sunday morning.

Matthew Allen Grinzinger, a Mount Pleasant freshman, is facing five charges resulting from the incident.

According to the Isabella County Sheriff’s Department, a 25-year-old Mount Pleasant female was struck down by a 1988 Cadillac DeVille, allegedly driven by Grinzinger, on East Bluegrass Road just west of Collegiate Way in Union Township at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

The victim was in the process of crossing Bluegrass Road when she was hit by the westbound traveling vehicle, according to the release.

According to police, Grinzinger initially fled the scene but returned within a few minutes and was arrested.

Grinzinger is charged with operating while intoxicated causing injury, failure to stop at the scene of a personal injury, failure to report an accident, zero tolerance, which requires 360 hours of community service and a minor in possession. He could face more than six years in jail, more than 360 hours of community service and $100 in fines.

According to court documents, the victim was laying on the roadway in a puddle of blood from a severe head injury when police arrived to the scene of the accident.

Witnesses stated in the documents that Grinzinger’s car had struck her, and then stopped for a few seconds without ever attempting to aid her or identify himself before fleeing the scene.

Grinzinger arrived back at the scene during the investigation and stated he was sorry and that he left because he was scared and shaken up.

The documents stated that Grinzinger claimed he was westbound on Bluegrass Road when the victim crossed the street in front of him. He claims to have tried to avoid her.

Grinzinger admitted to drinking prior to the accident and the responding officer smelled a strong odor of intoxicants on his breath, according to court documents.

His PBT Breathalyzer test was a 0.06. In Michigan, 0.08 is considered under the influence.

Principal Trial Attorney Bob Holmes said Grinzinger’s blood-alcohol level during the incident has yet to be determined, as the prosecutor’s office is waiting for the results of a toxicology test.

Holmes said the victim is recovering with the help of her family, and was released Wednesday from Covenant Healthcare, 800 Cooper Ave, Saginaw.

The victim spent four days in the hospital and was shipped to Covenant after initially being treated at Central Michigan Community Hospital, 2120 S. Mission St.

She has more than 100 stitches in her head, a broken leg and uses a walker and neck brace, Holmes said.

According to a police press release, she suffered multiple broken bones and head trauma resulting from the accident.

Holmes said the victim could have died.

“Anytime you have someone who was ran over by a car, its pretty serious,” he said. “But it could’ve been much worse.”

Grinzinger’s parents supported him during his Thursday arraignment.

Holmes said Grinzinger’s family has expressed concern for the wellbeing of the victim.

Grinzinger has no previous criminal history and is not being tried as a habitual offender.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place at 8:15 a.m. Aug. 27 at the Isabella County Courthouse, 300 N. Main St. He is currently out on bond.

Check cm-life.com for more updates.

A 28-year-old Mount Pleasant resident is facing multiple charges resulting from allegedly strangling his 8-month old daughter.

Wayne Allen Hartley is lodged in Isabella County Jail on a $1 million dollar bond and was charged with assault with intent to commit murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, child abuse and domestic violence.

According to a police press release, investigators are requesting a warrant for attempted murder.

Isabella County Sheriff Department Undersheriff Laude Hartrum said Hartley allegedly strangled his daughter while his wife was away.

“He used his hands to assault the child when his wife wasn’t home,” he said.

According to a statement from the Isabella County Sheriff’s Department, Hartley’s wife and the victim’s mother found her daughter bruised in bed Tuesday morning.

The victim’s mother then proceeded to take her daughter to Central Michigan Community Hospital, 1221 South Dr., and Hartley was arrested after police questioned him.

According to a press release, the mother of the victim asked her husband what had happened to the child and did not believe the husband’s answer.

Hartrum declined comment on details regarding Hartley’s reaction to being arrested but said that he did make several admissions to the police.

Hartley could face up to life in prison on the attempted murder charge. The assault charge carries a maximum 10-year penalty; the child abuse charge carries up to four years in prison and the domestic violence charge a year in jail.

news@cm-life.com

Two Mount Pleasant area residents have been charged with assaulting, beating and abducting a 32-year-old Lansing man.

Juan Luis Montoya-Pego, a 27-year-old member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and Nickol May Jackson, a 26-year-old Mount Pleasant resident, were arraigned Monday in the 76th District Court in Mount Pleasant in connection to the incident.

According to the Michigan State Police, the victim, Farhang Silevany, was attending a party at Jackson’s trailer home residence Friday morning on Isabella Road when he was assaulted by the suspects. He was bound by duct tape, thrown into the trunk of Montoya-Pego’s maroon 2004 Chevy Impala and dumped in a Grand Rapids alley 90 miles away.

Silevany stated that Montoya-Pego choked him, held a knife to his throat and bound him in duct tape. According to court documents, he stated Jackson assisted in binding him with duct tape and took his wallet and cell phone.

He was dumped in an alley near Turner Avenue and Mrytle Street in Grand Rapids around 11 a.m. Friday, said Sgt. Del Putnam of the Michigan State Police Mount Pleasant post.

According to court documents, witnesses confirmed seeing a dark skinned male with a shaved head, Montoya-Pego, pulling the victim out of the Impala’s trunk, dumping him in an alley and then fleeing the scene at a high speed.

Grand Rapids Police found Silevany with duct tape bound to his wrists, ankles, shoulders and mouth and started conducting the investigation with the help of state, local and federal agencies.

The suspects were taken into custody within 48 hours of the initial Grand Rapids Police report, according to a release.

Montoya-Pego was arrested at a motel in Alma, where his Chevy Impala was found. Court documents state he purchased the car two days prior to the crime.

Montoya-Pego admitted to fighting with Silevany at Jackson’s residence, but denied any further involvement, the documents stated.

A search warrant of the 700 block residence of South Isabella Road, where the incident occurred, resulted in the seizure of Silevany’s ID, wallet and other evidence and property.

Putnam said Silevany and Montoya-Pego were acquaintances and the incident started from an argument.

“It wasn’t about money,” Putnam said. “They had a dispute and they (the suspects) were taking out their frustrations.”

The victim suffered only minor injuries and some bruises, Putnam said.

According to court documents, Jackson confessed to witnessing Montoya-Pego holding Silevany down on a couch at her residence with a knife to his throat.

She also confessed to slapping Silevany in the face and binding his arms, legs and mouth with duct tape. She said she saw Montoya-Pego put Silevany in his Chevy Impala’s trunk.

Montoya-Pego remains lodged in Isabella County Jail on a $500,000 bond. He was charged with armed-robbery, unlawful imprisonment and assault with a dangerous weapon and faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Jackson remains lodged in Isabella County Jail on a $200,000 bond and is charged with unlawful imprisonment and assault with a dangerous weapon. She faces up to 15 years in prison.

Montoya-Pego has prior criminal charges including breaking and entering and larceny with a firearm. Jackson also has prior arrests relating to theft.

news@cm-life.com

Students may hear interesting sounds when walking in front of Sloan Hall this week.

But it’s no accident – a local artist and about a dozen of her friends spent Sunday evening transforming a tree in front of the building into a musical piece of art.

Mount Pleasant resident and Central Michigan University alumna Ingrid Tourangeau and her friends spent the day hanging hundreds of bells in a tree in front of Sloan Hall.

“We wanted to string thousands so the tree would sing,” Tourangeau said. “It sounds like fairies are in the tree.”

Tourangeau said she has had the idea since the beginning of summer, and said the idea was influenced by Gordon Matta-Clark’s art piece, “Tree Dance.”

The tree will be part of Tourangeau’s art display called “Housewarming,” which will be presented at the Art Reach Gift Shop and Gallery, 111 E. Broadway St., until Aug. 29. The opening reception for her work will be at 5 p.m. Thursday.

“It’ll be nice to walk underneath and hear bells ringing,” said Mount Pleasant resident Andrew Dunn, who helped put the bells up. “It’s a beautiful tree, it deserves to be noticed.” Dunn said people walking by the tree may not realize where the sounds are coming from, since the bells appear to be very subtle. He said the exhibit lasts one month, and then they will take the bells down.

“The sound is the coolest part,” Dunn said. “Hearing bells will cheer people up. I’d be cheered up if I was walking by.”

Mount Pleasant resident Dave Musser connected the bells to the strands in various different ways.

Stevenson Lake resident Jolene Klumpp also helped hang the bells. Klumpp took art classes with Tourangeau when she taught at Mid Michigan Community College, 5805 E. Pickard Road. She said she loved having Tourangeau as an art teacher.

“The students loved her,” she said. “She got me out of the box with art and creativity.”

Mount Pleasant resident Sarah McBryde shot a video of the tree decoration for Art Reach.

“I think it will be interesting to see people’s reactions,” she said.

news@cm-life.com

Two people from the Mount Pleasant area have been charged with assaulting, beating and abducting a 32-year-old Lansing man.

Juan Montoya-Pego, a 27-year-old member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and Nicole Jackson, a 26-year-old Mount Pleasant resident, were arraigned in the 76th District Court in Mount Pleasant today in connection to the beating.

According to a police press release, the victim, while attending a party on Isabella Road early Friday afternoon, was assaulted by the suspects, bound by duct tape, thrown in the

back of a truck and then dumped in a Grand Rapids alley 80 miles away.

Montoya-Pego assaulted him and held a knife to his throat, while Jackson allegedly bound his mouth, shoulders, ankles and wrists with duct tape, police said. The suspects also stole his phone, wallet and ID.

Sergeant Del Putnam of the Michigan State Police Mount Pleasant post said the victim was dumped around 11 a.m. Friday in Grand Rapids, where many witnesses saw the victim removed from the truck. He was dumped in an alley near Turner Avenue and Mrytle Street.

“He had some minor injuries, but he’s doing fine,” Putnam said.

The victim then went to the Grand Rapids Police, who helped conduct the investigation with the help of state, local and federal agencies. The suspects were taken into custody within 48 hours of the victim’s report being filed.

Putnam said the victim knew Montoya-Pego.

Troopers executed a search warrant at 707 S. Isabella Road, where the party allegedly occurred and recovered the victim’s property.

A 22-year-old Saginaw man found at the residence was arrested on an outstanding felony warrant for unrelated charges.

Montoya-Pego is charged with armed-robbery, unlawful imprisonment and assault with a dangerous weapon. He remains lodged in Isabella County Jail on a $500,000 bond, Putnam said. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Jackson remains lodged in Isabella County Jail on a $200,000 bond and is charged with unlawful imprisonment and assault with a dangerous weapon. She faces up to 15 years in prison.

Check cm-life.com for more updates.