Jena Johnson, a Hastings senior and a museum student staff member, created “Tour Tuesdays” as a 45-to-60 minute program for people of all ages to enjoy during the summer.

“I know when I was a kid, when July rolled around, I was bored and ready to go back to school,” Johnson said. “(“Tour Tuesdays”) gives something for the kids to do, and the parents love it too because it’s educational.”

Johnson proposed the idea for the summer program to William Pretzer, associate professor of history and director of the Museum of Cultural and Natural History. With Pretzer’s guidance, Johnson was able to make her plans a reality.

“It’s great to see that the museum is asserting itself into the community,” said Sharon Tilman, a Counseling Center faculty member.

Tilman participated in Tuesday’s tour because she saw it covered prehistoric Michigan, a topic in which she wanted to learn more.

As part of the natural history, tour participants learned about the fossils, early animals, and primitive humans that make up Michigan’s past. Afterward, an activity was held for children where they had the opportunity to become archaeologists and excavate chocolate chip cookies.

Merritt resident Heidi Minthorn and her son Lincoln came to the museum to learn more about prehistoric Michigan. They have plans to take advantage of all four tours.

“I really want to be a scientist,” Lincoln Minthorn said while waiting for the tour to begin. “I plan on doing all of them.”

Pretzer counted more than 60 people at the event.

“This demonstrates to us that people in the Mount Pleasant community are interested in the types of services we can provide,” he said.

Next week’s tour focuses on Michigan’s cultural history. The tour will cover early Native American lifestyles through the work of the Civilian Conservations Core, established by Franklin Roosevelt.

The Museum of Cultural and Natural History is located in Rowe Hall. Although not required, reservations for “Tour Tuesdays” can be made by calling 774-3829.

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Along with the traditional Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament, the festival offers activities and events for both college students and families.

Jay Lanctot, Associate Director of Athletics and Director of Development, said some of the activities offered during the festival include canoe races, live music, and the Taste of Mount Pleasant, which takes place on Friday and Saturday nights.

“The Taste of Mount Pleasant is a place where local restaurants and businesses have the opportunity to show what them unique,” said Mitch Carb, marketing director for the Mount Pleasant Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We don’t want to scare people by the 3-on-3 tournament,” Scott McNeal, founder of the Gus Macker basketball tournament and Central Michigan University alumnus, said. “You don’t have to be a basketball player to participate in this festival.”

Carb said he is hoping families take advantages of the festival. It is a chance to bring families together for one last summer vacation.

“We’ve already had people calling to make plans for the festival,” Carb said. “This event is going to be great for the local economy and for CMU to showcase their facilities.”

The proceeds of the festival will go to support Central Michigan University’s Events Center project, which plans to renovate Rose Center into a first-class complex to better serve the needs of the student, athletic, and local communities, Lanctot said.

“It’s a way to get students and local businesses to get involved with the Events Center promotion,” Lanctot said.

McNeal said the Gus Macker festival is serving as a test market for collaborations between Gus Macker tournaments and college towns. Western Michigan University has already shown interest in a similar festival in early October.

The festival is scheduled to take place in Lot 62 on the campus of Central Michigan University. Additional events are also scheduled to take place in Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

More information on the CMU/Mount Pleasant Gus Macker Festival can be found on the CMU Athletics’ Web site, cmuchippewas.com.

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The funding is part of the Michigan Humanities Council’s “Michigan People, Michigan Places . Our Stories, Our Lives” program, which awarded $151,581 to 12 organizations across the state.

Scott Hirko, public relations officer for the Michigan Humanities Council, said that in order to be considered for a grant, organizations had to submit an application showcasing their involvement in the public humanities.

“We wanted to see community collaboration presented to the public in the best way to learn,” Hirko said about the selection process. “It’s important that the public was able to both learn and participate in the program.”

Hirko said that the Michigan Story Festival has done an excellent job supporting the public humanities in the past. Its proven track record helped the Michigan Story Festival receive the maximum amount awarded by the council, he said.

“We knew the content from the 2009 Michigan Story Festival would be first-rate and adhere to the humanities,” Hirko said. “The community collaboration is outstanding.”

According to michiganstoryfestival.org, the festival is a two day event that offers performances, exhibits, workshops and lectures from national, regional, and local storytellers.

“The Michigan Story Festival is very different from other festivals,” said Nancy Eddy, communication and dramatic arts assistant professor and member of the Michigan Story Festival committee. “It looks at story in all of the arts.”

Eddy said the funding will go toward covering the costs of running this year’s festival, which includes a performance from national storyteller Beth Horner.

“Traditionally, most the events at the festival have been free for the public,” Eddy said. “This grant will help to keep most of this year’s events free as well.”

Hirko said the Michigan Humanities Council was able to award the funding to organizations across the state because of a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities.

As part of this grant, the council agreed to award a percentage directly to non-profits in support of public humanities programs.

The 2009 Michigan Story Festival is scheduled to be held October 23 and 24.

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The novel, entitled “Once There Was and Will Never Be Again,” follows a young boy named Peter as he experiences the political turmoil of Eastern Europe during the twentieth century. His experiences and personal losses eventually cause Peter to immigrate to North America by himself at the age of 18.

Siers, a lifelong Michigan resident, first discovered the idea for the story on a trip with her family to the Eastern European village her father emigrated from when he was young.

Since then, she has continued to write and rewrite the story over the past two decades.

“This is really a lifetime accumulation of information and stories,” Siers said. “I did this mainly for my family. It’s very much a family history.”

Siers sent the story to publishers across the country, but only received limited interest. Publishers thought her father’s story was compelling, but not marketable enough to make a profit.

“I read the original manuscript and I loved it,” said Becky Kurtz, director of the Wheatland Township Library in Remus and friend of Siers. “I encouraged her to try to get it published.”

Two years ago, Siers decided to publish the book herself with the help from R. J. Communications, a New York-based company. The company provided her with editorial services and served as a guide as where to get the book printed.

“I wanted to tell a story of ordinary people with extraordinary lives,” Siers said. “It’s more than just my father’s story; it’s the immigrant’s story in the early twentieth century.”

The artwork of the book was designed mostly by Siers, but she did receive help from her daughter Kari Siers, a professional graphic designer for a national non-profit in Clare.

“My job was to tell a visual story,” Kari Siers said. “(The artwork) comes from traditions of arts and crafts in the Ukrainian culture.”

Gloria Siers said her background in geography was also an advantage in writing the book because it helped her with the descriptions of settings and times in the novel that makes the story a very visual experience for the reader.

Written mostly for junior high and high school students, “Once There Was and Will Never Be Again” has been well received by all ages.

“I’ve recommend it to a lot of people who come into the (Wheatland Township) library,” Kurtz said. “It’s been getting a lot of great responses.”

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As a means to cut spending, Gov. Jennifer Granholm ordered all state offices to use six furlough days before September 30 to cut spending and eliminate the state’s budget deficit.

According to michigan.gov, unpaid furlough days will save the state $21.7 million by the end of the state’s fiscal year. Approximately 37,400 state employees will go unpaid the six days, although 15,500 are exempt to maintain public health and safety services.

“Furlough days are mandatory closures for a majority of state offices and are unpaid days off for state employees,” said Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for the Michigan Secretary of State. “Only offices such as Parks and Recreation and law enforcement remain open during a furlough day,” she said.

The Unemployment Insurance Agency, veteran’s homes and youth facilities and emergency human services programs will also remain open.

According to the state Web site, the remaining five closures are scheduled for July 6, July 24, Aug. 7, Aug. 21 and Sept. 4.

Chesney said the furlough days should not affect local governments and are only required at the state level.

Motorists are encouraged to renew licenses and plates before Friday to avoid any long waits at a local branch office.

“Our busiest times are always before and after closures,” Chesney said. “We always encourage customers to visit their local office a few days before the closure if they can.”

Any driver’s licenses or plates that expire on Friday can be renewed on Monday without penalty because of Secretary of State’s policy to allow an additional day for renewal when state offices are closed.

To avoid the closure, motorists can also renew license plate by mail, or if eligible, by Internet or touch-tone phone. Information and eligibility can be found on the renewal notice.

The Department of State mails renewal notices 45 days before driver’s license or plates expire to ensure motorists have enough time for renewal.

Excluding holidays, normal business hours for the Mount Pleasant Secretary of State branch are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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