Battle Creek Enquirer from Battle Creek, Michigan • A3

ALAMAZOO An astronaut came to town to talk about a hundred-year plan to launch a starship to Alpha Centau- ri, but her message was about making life on Earth better. Dr. Mae Jemison, who was a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in 1992, spoke at Western Michigan Miller Auditorium Thursday as a part of speaker series, Science and the Human Endeavor. It was also the Kalamazoo Community 2017 Community Meeting event. Jemison, a Chicago native, was a physician and engineer before her trip to orbit, and since leaving NASA has helped direct the 100 Year Starship program.

The Houston-based nonprofit seeks to develop a craft that can reach another solar system in the next century. To reach that goal, people today are going to have get serious about science education. Jemison told reporters at a pre-talk press conference that means kids being trained in science, technology, engineering and math STEM but that particular message directed at young people. STEPHANIE THE ENQUIRER Astronaut Mae Jemison took questions before her presentation Thursday at Western Michigan University. BLAZE A PATH TO ALPHA CENTAURI Jemison promotes 100-year space plan in Kalamazoo speech Mae Jemison ANDY FITZPATRICK BATTLE CREEK ENQUIRER if we were able to go a little step on the way.

What would that mean for energy here on MAE JEMISON ASTRONAUT, ON TRYING TO DEVELOP FUSION, FISSION OR ANTIMATTER DRIVES MICHIGAN SATURDAY, MARCH 25, CREEK 3A Tribute Monday for Dennie Franklin Abenefit program for a longtime Battle Creek barber is scheduled for Monday. Bobby Holley, a community activist, said the musical tribute for Dennie Franklin will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Kool Family Community Center at 200 W. Michigan Ave. Franklin, a barber for more than 50 years, died on Feb.

24. He was a graduate of Battle Creek Central High School where he played basketball and baseball and ran track. Later he became an avid golfer. love of family, friends and music is Holley said. Holley said an offering for the family will be collected.

Aservice for Franklin will be held Thursday at Mount Zion A.M.E. Church at 364 W. Van Buren St. Power outage closes Minges Brook elementary Minges Brook Elementary School closed Friday morning because of a power outage. The Lakeview School District closed the school at 10 a.m.

and immediately began asking parents to pick up their children, said Wendy Meyer, communications director. closing due to a power outage at the Meyer said. this time, we have not determined the cause of the power Child care for Minges Brook also is closed. About 450 students attend the school. Meyer said the outage has not affected any other Lakeview schools.

Consumers Energy is investigating the cause of the outage, spokesman Terry DeDoes said. not showing any interruption on our DeDoes said. need to investigate to determine the cause and how long it might take to restore their City seeks volunteers to serve on TIFA board The Battle Creek Tax Increment Finance Redevelopment Authority is looking for new members. Anews release said the goal is to the decline of property values, increase property tax valuation, eliminate causes for a decline in value, and promote growth in the Fort Custer Industrial The board is made up of at least four city residents; four property owners, business owners, or designees of the TIFA District; and the city manager or designee and members serve no more than four consecutive four-year terms. For more information or to apply, go to www.battlecreek mi.gov.

Navigate to Your Government; Boards, Committees Councils. Applications are due by Friday, March 31. Second Missionary Baptist Lenten luncheon Wednesday The Rev. Denry White, will be the Devotional Speaker during Lenten luncheon at Second Missionary Baptist Church, 485 N. Washington Ave.

The annual Lenten Luncheon Series is held at noon each Wednesday until April 12. The emphasis for this year is a Surrendered White is a pastor at the Kalamazoo Trinity Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church and Battle Creek Berean SDA Church. The series is open to the community and a light lunch will be provided by Auxiliary Ministries of SMBC. IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD decision to fire Maddin was legal, not or In Detroit, where Maddin lives and 400 miles away from that Capitol Hill hearing room, he finds it his DETROIT During Supreme Court nominee Neil Senate confirmation hearings, one case came up repeatedly: A truck driver was fired for leaving his trailer of meat on the side of an Illinois road after breaking down on a frigid night in 2009, fearing freeze to death. The federal appeals court judge last year dissented from a ruling ordering a trucking company to rehire Alphonse Maddin.

Gorsuch argued he had to determine whether the trucking personal story has been the focus of national debate and is now part of the discussion on whether someone ascends to the highest court. Assured of support from majority Republicans, Gorsuch appears primed to join the bench. But Maddin, 48, is using his unexpected platform to render an opinion on a jurist he believes put ideology above human interest in his case. makes me consider what would the consequences be if my case had gone to the Supreme Court level and had been adversely impacted by his Maddin said Wednesday from the conference room of the lawyer who success- fully argued on the former truck behalf. case has been cited by many Democrats and other critics, who have argued Gorsuch tends to favor business interests over ordinary Americans.

Gorsuch counters there are many cases when he has ruled for the little guy, when the law has been on the side. The confirmation hearing will end with outside witnesses talking about Gorsuch. A committee vote then is expected April 3, with a Senate floor vote later that same week. Republicans con- Trucker: to be topic of Supreme Court nomination JEFF KAROUB ASSOCIATED PRESS you think something a legal matter I would think that he would have referred to me by ALPHONSE MADDIN TRUCKER, ON NEIL GORSUCH.