The Herald-Palladium from Benton Harbor, Michigan • 1

mv Inside today SPORTS 77e Newspaper for Southwest Michigan THURSDAY, October 23, 2003 50 cents Benton Harbor Carter's goal: Up to 35 homes i Chiefs enjoying the ride Dowagiac taking odd road to playoffs Page 1 if 'V A Bridgman advances Bees win soccer district semifinal against M. Lutheran Page 1 NmI Vaugtian H-P staff founder lay out details of 2005 project By KIM STRODE H-P Staff Writer BENTON TOWNSHIP Donning her new tool belt complete with hammer and nails, Gov. Jennifer Granholm, along with Habitat for Humanity International founder Millard Fuller, announced Wednesday that former President Jimmy Carter and nearly 3,000 volunteers will build 25-35 houses in Benton Harbor in 2005. Benton Harbor and Detroit have been selected to host the 22nd annual Jimmy Carter Work Project June 19-24 that year. Sites have not yet been selected for the new homes.

Wednesday announcement gave a ceremonial flourish and additional details to the story mat emerged last week about the big project in 2005. And Carter, while not in Benton Harbor in person, made an appearance via videotape, speaking about problems in Benton Harbor and Detroit. Harbor Habitat for Humanity, the local branch of the nondenomina-tional Christian' house-building organization, will start taking applications for the homes in January, said Harbor Habitat Executive Director Michael Green. Green said the local affiliate also plans to build 12-15 houses in 2005 in addition to those built during the project He said the project selection for 2005 was well under way by the beginning of June, and the riots in the middle of the month did not sway the selection committee to choose Benton Harbor as a project site. This is not a reaction" TO what happened this summer," Green said.

"It is a recognition of fee hard work of Habitat and their partners." Detroit and Benton Harbor had been under consideration for the project by Habitat officials since early in die year, Fuller said. The housing needs in the communities and the presence of strong Habitat affiliates were deciding factors: Fuller said Michigan leads the nation in the number of Habitat for Humanity affiliates. Michigan boasts 84 affiliates, and each will build houses 250 total during the week the Carter work project takes place in Benton Harbor and Detroit. Harbor Habitat is the fastest-growing affiliate, Fuller said. This year alone the local Habitat for Humanity will build six, and possibly eight, houses in the area.

Please see HABITAT, page 8A GOV. JENNIFER GRANHOLM poses for photos with area children after the dedication of a Habitat for Humanity house on Wednesday. Granholm's grand tour Governor endorses task force's 'bottom-up' approach, but still promises state help CNTERTAMMSNf By LYNN STEVENS -'T W-FStaff kf i in inn 'Thank you for your -willingness to put aside old mstory, old thoughts that it can't be done, your willingness to put feet to your GOV. JENNIFER GRANHOLM plan." The task force submitted its report to Granholm Tuesday on the root causes of rioting in June and recommendations to correct those problems. Granholm slipped easily into the it A 1V if 1 BENTON -HARBOR- "At' every stop on her whirlwind visit of this city Wednesday, people told Gov.

Jennifer Granholm she's their kind of governor. And apparently she thinks people here are her kind of people. At a reception at Brotherhood of All Naiions Church of. God in Christ that was held to thank members of Granholm's Task Force on Benton Harbor and Citizens for Progressive Change, the Rev. Kenneth Gavin quoted scripture.

"We thank God for a governor who has vision, the vision of 'One Gavin said. "Without vision the people perish, and for many years that's been the problem: no vision. "We thank God she's honest. She said, 'I don't have the money to do all I Now that we have the plan (the task force report), it's up to us, not the governor, to work this Celebrating young life New Silver Beach sculpture was inspired by artist's grandson -PagelD style and rhythms of the ministers NaaivaughanH-p photo presiding over the thank-you recep- DEBORAH WILLIAMS cries tears of joy as she hugs her grandson, tion: When CPC officers Sandra Joseph Ison, 1 6, after the dedication of a Habitat for Humanity house in Benton Harbor that is owned by Lue Williams, who is Deborah's Please see GRANHOLM, page 8A -daughter and Joseph's mother. WEATMZrt Tonight Cold Low 34 Governor picks Butzbaugh for Berrien judge seat Friday Some clouds 2001 was presented with its highest honor, the Robert P.

Hudson Award, for service to the state bar, the legal profession and the public. Butzbaugh, who was notified Tuesday of the appointment, said he will need some time to close out his practice, so he doesn't expect to be sworn in as a judge until sometime in High BA lawyer firm of Butzbaugh Dewane which is located near the Courthouse. "I've never been in public service, and I've always wanted to have the opportunity to do that," he said in explaining why he applied to be a judge. "My family has been in Berrien County over 150 years. I want to have the opportunity to be of service to the county." Butzbaugh was president of the State Bar of Michigan in 1999-2000 and in to the judgeship.

He will replace John Fields, who retired Aug. 15. Butzbaugh was one of five lawyers to apply for the judgeship. The others were Andrew Burch of Benton Township, Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Gregory Cleveland, John M. Donahue of St.

Joseph, and Rebecca Sanfordof Joseph. Burch, Donahue and Sanford are in private practice. Butzbaugh has been a lawyer since 1967. He is a senior partner in the six- By MICHAEL ELIASOHN H-P Staff Writer ST. JOSEPH At age 63, St.

Joseph lawyer Alfred M. Butzbaugh is getting ready to move down the street to the public side of the law when he leaves private practice and becomes a Berrien Trial Court judge later this Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Wednesday said she had appointed Butzbaugh Jh Low 3g Details on page 8A Please see JUDGE, page 8A BUTZBAUGH Berrien County Brick mailboxes must come down INDEX Business 4A Classifieds 5C Comics Crossword Entertainment 1D Michigan 5C 7A Opinions 6A Outdoor: 1B SW Michigan 1C Television 5D Weather box policy after a three-hour public their Benton Township offices, also hearing by the Berrien County Road adopted a new Landscape Policy Road mmmission 9 4r commission. adopts new pohcy, i Peoole who live on 25-mph resi I Dui givtss reynevt; iu side street residents that prohibits any objects other than mailboxes on or in tree lawns and county rights-of-way unless the road, commission specifically grants a permit for the object. About three dozen people attended the public hearing, and the Road Commission's engineer-manager, C7 dential streets outside of city and village corporate limits will be able to keep their brick mailboxes and reinforced supports and can keep building more of them.

1 But homeowners whose rural L1V imiwun iivi iivuv county roads permit speeds over 25 Brian Bemdt, read aloud more than a mph must dismantle their brick dozen letters and e-mails from a fold- By KATE SHERIDAN H-P Correspondent BENTON TOWNSHIP Some, but not all, owners of brick mailboxes and reinforced box supports won a reprieve Wednesday from Berrien County tough new mail- John Madni7H-P staff RRIAM RPHWriT Rorrion Cm intu RnaH rVimmlosinn enninaer-man- er filled with citizen nespondence about new rightof-xry policies. Please see MAILBOXES, page 7A structures and reinforcements or face "encroachment removal" by county road workers; Road rommissioners, meeting at ager, addresses attendees Wednesday at the commission's meeting about road right-of-way obstructions..