State Roundup

 Temperance

14-year-old boy plans to carry brother 40 miles 
TEMPERANCE, Mich. (AP) — A 14-year-old Michigan boy plans to carry his 7-year-old brother about 40 miles over two days to heighten public awareness of cerebral palsy.
Hunter Gandee plans to walk June 7 and 8 from Bedford Junior High in the southeastern Michigan community of Temperance to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor while carrying Braden Gandee, who has cerebral palsy, The Blade of Toledo, Ohio, reported.
“I’m excited about the walk,” Braden said. To keep his brother occupied, he said: “I’ll talk to him. I’ll sing songs.”
Because of Braden, who uses a walker and braces, his older brother has adopted awareness of cerebral palsy as a personal cause. Braden is “my inspiration,” said Hunter, who also has raised $350 for cerebral palsy research at the University of Michigan.
Hunter, who weighs 150 pounds, is a wrestler and football player. He plans to carry his 50-pound brother piggyback. They live in Temperance, near the Ohio border.
The brothers are expected to be joined on the walk by supporters. Their parents, Danielle and Sam Gandee, plan to drive ahead of them. Hunter estimated the entire walking time at 13 hours, with an overnight stop in Milan before ending at the university’s Bahna Wrestling Center.

Traverse City
Cherry Festival costs, use of parks questioned
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Some Traverse City officials have expressed dismay about the National Cherry Festival, which is scheduled to use a popular downtown park along Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay for 17 days.
The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that commissioners criticized this summer’s festival as too long, too expensive for the city, and an unnecessary infringement on city parks over the Fourth of July holiday.
Commissioners last week approved the festival’s annual contract, but pledged to take a close look at festival operations in September.
Festival executive director Trevor Tkach said he welcomes that and said many of the commissioners’ concerns arose for the first time after months of discussion and that adjustments are made each year.
“At the end of the day, we can’t have the Cherry Festival without a good relationship with the city,” Tkach said.
Last year, Traverse City commissioners approved a limit on the number of summer festivals in the area called “Open Space.” The decision followed local debate about whether festivals were occupying the area for too long during the busy tourist season.
“I’m hearing from a lot of people in the community (that) it’s the Cherry Festival that’s too long and the length and intensity is a concern,” said Commissioner Gary Howe.
The Cherry Festival typically begins the first Saturday in July, but this year allows vendors, the midway and beer tent to open a half-day earlier for the fireworks. A portion of extra day proceeds will go to the Boom Boom Club, sponsor of the fireworks.
This year’s Cherry Festival runs eight days, from July 5 to 12. The festival’s contract with the city, however, allows workers to begin setting up on June 29 and gives them until July 15 to clean up.
Several commissioners said they wanted to curtail the festival’s length, but later said the focus will be to reduce the days allowed for setting up and tearing down.
“I hate seeing the Fourth of July always being the opening fireworks of the Cherry Festival,” said Commissioner Barbara Budros. “The Fourth of July is an important national holiday and I don’t support it being overshadowed by the National Cherry Festival.”
Budros has proposed pushing the festival back to the second or third Saturday in July.
Commissioners indicated they want to rewrite their new “Open Space” policy to bring the Cherry Festival and Traverse City Film Festival under the same rules that limit other festivals in the city. Both events are exempt from the policy.