A prefiling application has been made and approved by the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission in regards to the potential construction of the Nexus Pipeline that could traverse eastern Lenawee County.
A prefiling application filed with the federal agency Dec. 30 was approved Jan. 9.
Arthur Diestel, spokesperson for the Nexus Pipeline said this is not the official application but it does open the door to allow landowners, government officials and other stakeholders to voice concerns before the final application is made later this year.
The natural gas pipeline would begin in Kensington, Ohio, and span 250 miles across Ohio and Michigan and connect into the DTE Energy system, he said.
A separate pipeline preapplication filing was made earlier in December by the Rover Pipeline that could also connect the Marcellus shale region to Michigan and Canada.
Now with the pre-application in place, Diestel said the … Read More »

DTE and Spectra Energy filed a request with the Federal Energy Regulation Commission on Dec. 30, 2014, to use the Pre-Filing Process to potentially construct a new natural gas pipleline from the Marcellus natural gas region to Michigan and Canada.
The pipeline would potentially enter Michigan in southern Ogden Township and traverse through Blissfield, Deerfield and Palmyra Townships. Officials stated in the pre-filing application that if the project is complete it could be put in service in November 2017.
Officials of the competing Rover Pipeline filed paperwork with FERC earlier in December. That pipeline would connect the two regions but that one would take a proposed route a little more westerly, entering Michigan beginning in Seneca Township near of Morenci.
More details regarding the … Read More »

Residents in Riga reported a major fire shortly before 8 p.m. Friday evening. Several departments responded.
Blissgield Police Chief Dale Greenleaf reported to The Advance that the fire was contained at 8:34 p.m. Unofficial fire department reports say no injuries occurred.
As of 10 p.m., smoke continued to billow from the facility. Six fire departments responded to the scene. Riga Fire Chief Mike Norman said Riga was assisted by Blissfield, Palmyra, Deerfield, Richfield and the county air truck from Madison. Raisin Township was on standby for Palmyra. Consumers Energy gas and electric officials were also called in.
Norman said the building was fully involved upon arrival with several small propane and welding gas tanks inside. Neighbors saw flare ups they described as explosions.
A truck and a high-low were in the barn, according to Norman.
For the complete story, please see the Dec. 24 Advance.

First, the Shell Science Teacher of the Year and then an Induction into the National Teacher Hall of Fame, now, Gary Koppelman’s success in the Blissfield Elementary classroom could be going global.
The veteran elementary school teacher is one of 50 finalists from an original pool of 5,000 teachers worldwide for the $1 million Varkey GEMS Foundation Global Teacher Prize.
According to a press release from the foundation, the award is widely referred to as the Nobel prize for teaching, it is the largest prize of its kind and is open to teachers in every school i every country of the world. Applicants are judged on how they open up their pupil’s minds, how much they contribute to the community, and how much they encourage others to become teachers. The Varkey GEMS foundation founded by Sunny Varkey.
Koppelman will be competing with … Read More »

Several festive community traditions are packed into this coming weekend offering a variety of close-to-home options to help make the season brighter. Events and activities are scheduled throughout the weekend with the main events on Friday and Saturday evenings downtown Blissfield.
The Blissfield DDA/Main Street Program brings its fourth annual Wassail Fest to Lane Street Friday evening sponsored by Blissfield Rotary. The third annual Hot Cha Cha 5K Mug Run, benefiting the Miss River Raisin Scholarship Program, coincides with the Wassail Fest. Saturday evening the DDA/Main Street annual Parade of Lights presented by Anderson Rudd Funeral Home will make its merry way through the downtown.
Friday evening: Wassail Fest presented by Blissfield Rotary and the Hot-Cha-Cha 5k Mug Run sponsored by Miss River Raisin Festival Scholarship Program and Borchardt Brothers Market.
• Wassail Fest ° Event chairperson Dr. Ashley Bailey said a little … Read More »

BLISSFIELD — Runners are invited to enjoy the Blissfield Village Christmas decorations and warm up with a hot beverage after the Third Annual Hot-Cha-Cha 5K Mug Run Friday, Dec. 12.
The Hot-Cha-Cha 5K Mug Run has grown to become one of the largest runs in Blissfield, and is punctuated by some runners in costumes ranging from elves to the award-winning running Christmas tree in 2013. The run will take off from the beautifully decorated downtown, wind through the village neighborhoods, then end up back downtown for either hot wassail or hot chocolate.
The Wassail Fest is presented by Blissfield Rotary and hosted by Blissfield DDA/Main Street Program. The Hot-Cha-Cha 5K Mug Run aspect is sponsored by the Miss River Raisin Festival Scholarship Program and co-sponsored by … Read More »

The community has a busy week again starting with a Saturday benefit and a feather party and then the annual Lights of Love ceremony on Sunday.
Liv’s Diner will host a Mexican taco benefit dinner from 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at the Diner’s location. PLEASE NOTE: The day was incorrect in the Dec. 3 Advance story. It is Saturday, Dec. 6, not Thursday as written in the story. The Advance apologizes for the error.
Owner Jamie Armstrong said employee of the diner, Cassy Cook, a 29-year old mother of three children ages 11, eight and five, has been diagnosed with stage-three cancer and is unable to work due to the aggressive regimen of chemotherapy and radiation treatment to combat the illness. Cook’s treatments take four days per week.
According to Armstrong … Read More »

SMCC swept Blissfield three games to none to claim the class C District championship in volleyball at Erie-Mason Saturday afternoon. Scores were 25-17, 25-15 and 25-18.
For Brad Heineman’s complete story, please see the Nov. 12, 2014, edition of The Advance.

The Whiteford Bobcats’ football playoff hopes were left on the field of the host Morenci Bulldogs who put a 42-22 bite on the ‘Cats in district final action Friday night.

But the Bobcats made it a fight. The game was scoreless through the first quarter, with Morenci going into halftime with just a 14-6 lead, which may have surprised some after racking up impressive point spreads in the regular season. The majority of the scoring came in the second half with Morenci putting 28 more points on the scoreboard to Whiteford’s 16 second-half point, and sealing the deal to advance in state playoff action next week.

For the complete story, please see Brad Heineman’s story in the Nov. 12, 2014, edition of The ADVANCE!

Ben Allshouse, Yvonne Thomas and Doug Mayher were the top vote getters in the Britton Deerfield School District and will serve six year terms. Allsouse had 691 votes, Thomas had 635 and Mayher had 559 votes. Gary Judkins garnered 153 votes as a write-in candidate.
Britton Deerfield School district voters approved the non-homestead millage renewal request 768-401.