Alma College has released the Dean’s List for those students who achieved outstanding academic performance during the 2025 Winter Term Students who achieve a 3.5 or better grade point average Students who achieve a 3.5 or better grade point average during a term at least eight of which are evaluative grades ALMA — Hyun Kim and Justin Rito ’08 are the 2025 recipients of the Andison Awards for Excellence in Teaching while Eric Calhoun and Brianna Harfmann ’11 have received this When I spoke to literary critic Ruth Franklin earlier this year about the new Anne Frank exhibition in New York City she said her hope for visitors was that walking through full-scale recreations of the annex rooms “brings them back to the existence of Anne Frank as a real person.” It’s on this note that she begins and ends her book “Anne’s transformation into an icon has had the effect of obscuring who she really was She becomes whoever and whatever we want her to be,” Franklin writes in the introduction Franklin explores Anne’s many identities in roughly chronological but fundamentally thematic chapters on Anne before and after her death — as a child “survivor” (as imagined in fiction) and pawn She concludes with a final plea that we remember her also “as a teenager behind a locked door Franklin spoke with me about how this objective came to undergird the biography what we’ve gotten so wrong about Anne and the “Diary” for so long and what we stand to gain by seeing Anne as a person rather than an icon This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity you’d read the “Diary” and visited the Anne Frank House so the Holocaust was always very present in our lives I grew up listening to my grandparents’ stories Anne — for me as for so many Jewish girls — was somebody who was extremely relatable in that she goes through so many of the things that ordinary teenagers do and yet this unfathomable thing happened to her Part of what made her so compelling for Jews of my generation is that we think of Holocaust survivors as these elderly people who come from a different world She’s a teenager like anybody we might have known When and how did this interest bloom into a book project to which you’d devote years of research and writing I’m always very interested in the origin stories of books — how they come to be written I think it was in the ‘90s that I started hearing about how Anne’s diary existed in these different versions It struck me that it was really important to appreciate that Anne had deliberately revised it herself with the intention of publishing it she just seemed to become more and more iconic What I wanted to do in the book was to put those two pieces together to investigate and try to understand her process and her intentions in creating this book and also what made it so enduring for so many people over the years You say you hope to write “alongside Anne rather than over her.” Why it was my response to the implicit question of: Why is it useful to write a biography of somebody who has already narrated her life so beautifully and comprehensively Part of what I wanted to do was to explain what was going on outside the annex while Anne was in it but also giving context to her larger life and to understand all the social and political and historical forces that contributed to what happened to her it struck me that so many people use her as a mouthpiece for their own beliefs regardless of whether we have any information about what she would have thought about these ideas or in some cases deliberately contradicting her I felt that it was so important to give her a voice in this book to complicate and elaborate on her own narrative without replacing it What do you mean when you talk about Anne’s transformation into an icon She has become this touchstone for all kinds of different things depending on who is using her You looked closely at changes Anne made to her own writing as she revised it for publication from small details — like changing “If people were told how we Jews lived” to “If we Jews were to tell how we lived” — to larger choices like removing most of the romance between her and Peter van Pels (sections her father Otto mostly restored) I felt like that was the key to her whole project That was why she decided to do what she did that the story of what happened to the Jews of the Netherlands — to the Jews in Europe in general — couldn’t be told by anybody else It has to be told by them in their own words There are changes she made to emphasize the persecution story Especially early on in the first few months of her diary it makes perfect sense that her first draft is about boys and friends and gossip When she looks at it again from the perspective of somebody who is not only two years older but had experienced a lifetime of events in those two years and matured extremely quickly because of that she realized that if her diary is going to work as a document of persecution it needed to have a lot more about the actual persecution So she went back and she actually wrote new entries with new dates [with] stories she hadn’t included the first time around She has one about going to the dentist on a very hot day when she has to walk for an hour across the city because Jews are no longer allowed to use public transportation She points out not only what the new Nazi regulations are but the effect they have on her as an ordinary person She also made changes for the sake of style To make the language more dramatic or emotional It’s clear that she was thinking about things on an artistic level You talk about several common misconceptions about Anne and the “Diary.” What have we gotten wrong that you’d be most eager to dispel I felt frustrated by all the misconceptions and I think the most fraught aspect of her legacy Reading the “Diary” as an adult and especially as a parent was very different from the experience of reading it as a child it’s impossible to imagine oneself in his position and the only resident of the eight in the annex He is given this gift that is also a burden He immediately saw its potential to reach so many people and I found it kind of mind boggling that he’s been so vilified by people who think of themselves as Anne’s defenders People believe that he censored her thoughts about her body I trace some of the ways in which I believe these misconceptions came about that readers have been so eager to jump to conclusions about what he did or didn’t do without checking the sources Can you talk a bit about the unique experiences of women in the camps and what this might tell us about the last months of Anne’s life It was important to me to try to reconstruct what happened to Anne first in Westerbork then in Auschwitz and finally in Bergen-Belsen There’s testimony from people who knew her in the camps and remember having seen her there I read as many testimonies as I could find by women who were in the camp at the same time as she was The women’s accounts differ [from familiar stories by Primo Levi Elie Wiesel and others] in some details that might seem minor We picture the typical prisoner at Auschwitz as wearing the striped uniform but without regard for the appropriateness to their circumstances So you might see women being forced to wear dresses that were revealing or made out of very light fabric in the cold Polish winter They might have been given high-heeled shoes they had to walk around the camp in and this has been the subject of some debate by Holocaust historians but I find the accounts persuasive by historians who’ve argued that women showed a greater amount of cooperation amongst each other We see this specifically with regard to Anne A number of the other women prisoners who knew her in the camp talk about how close she was not just to her sister The women in Auschwitz would form these little groups This is really striking and something we don’t see nearly as much in the accounts of male prisoners either on behalf of the guards or fellow prisoners who were in a more powerful position was one that was always present for these women this is an element of the Holocaust that is almost never talked about You talk about how “the extraordinary effect of the ‘Diary’ depends on her death.” Can you unpack that a little That’s certainly something that has made it so malleable as a text The fact that Anne isn’t around to tell us what she meant or didn’t mean has made it possible for people to interpret her words in all kinds of different ways it surely has helped the book be so enduring It’s why he was so anxious about the “Diary” being adapted for Broadway He realized that was always going to involve a level of fictionalization anybody can do whatever they want with her That’s exactly what we see happening in the works I discuss in which she appears counter-historically as having survived the war Those books are never about her as a person She becomes a mirror to reflect the preoccupation of whoever is writing about her you write that “no one can know what political beliefs a surviving Anne would have held.” How does her invocation in the name of a vast range of political causes play into how we’ve distanced ourselves from Anne as a person This is a problem that presented itself from the moment the “Diary” was published There is a tension between whether to understand it in a particular way as a document against persecution more generally This is made even more complicated by Otto Frank’s desire that it reach the largest possible number of people and be a beacon against intolerance Otto realized that had the potential to go in all sorts of directions and tried to walk it back and say that the “Diary” had to be a Jewish book the genie is already out of the bottle and he’s opened the door for all kinds of new interpretations she would be supporting the Palestinian cause My take is that we cannot ascribe any of these positions to Anne almost never expressed any kind of politics whatsoever Western European Jews like her family were not the primary supporters of Zionism before the war Israel took in the greatest number of survivors who had nowhere else to go but also because they believed in the aftermath of the Holocaust that there was a need for a Jewish state That is the position that the majority of Holocaust survivors and the majority of American Jews today tend to take That is why there’s a special provocation in recruiting her for the anti-Zionist cause What do we stand to gain by looking closely and seeing Anne as a real person I was giving a talk to a group of undergraduates you’ve been talking about the relevance of Anne Frank for us today People for decades have thought that Anne Frank is just a girl who wrote a diary The critics have literally called her diary a found object that was picked up from the floor of the annex rather than acknowledging that she created herself as a voice of the Holocaust That she heard a Dutch minister on the radio call for citizens to preserve their documents of the war years for a future national archive so that people would have a full understanding of what had really happened to them And she resolved that her diary was going to be a document that told the story of the Holocaust to the world To think that she was just a girl who wrote a diary diminishes her achievement The idea that she could accidentally write a book that went on to mean so many things to so many people I think it does her an enormous disservice We owe it to her to understand who she really was and what she was trying to do Stav Ziv (she/her) is a journalist based in New York City whose work has also appeared in The Forward By submitting I agree to the privacy policy. Broncos Add Alma Taleni4/30/2025 10:00:00 AM | Football © 2025 Boise State University Athletics Accessibility Statement NC – Cinco de Mayo is here – and we’re kicking off the celebrations early this morning As Israel continues to fight and thwart threats to its security on multiple fronts it faces increased international criticism of Israel’s presence and strikes in Lebanese and Syrian territory This criticism is often biased and misleading international pressure on Israel is also mounting The recurring international criticism claims that Israel’s presence in Lebanon and Syria is not driven by security needs but rather indicates Israel’s intention to occupy territory in violation of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and international law regarding Syrian sovereignty the international criticism asserts that Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Syria are harming uninvolved civilians the criticism against Israel argues that the Lebanese government and army are working to enforce their authority Israel’s presence and continued strikes undermine Lebanon’s ability to enforce the ceasefire terms.In the context of Syria the argument is that there is no longer any threat to the State of Israel The old regime supported by Iran has fallen and the new regime has declared that it is not interested in conflict with Israel there is no justification for Israel’s presence in Syrian territory or for conducting strikes there In both Lebanon and Syria, Israel maintains a limited presence in areas near the border at several strategic points that allow for monitoring and detection of activities that pose a threat to Israel (see article) Hezbollah’s activity in southern Lebanon—including south of the Litani—is on the rise This constitutes a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.Although the Lebanese Army’s activity in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah’s violations is occasionally mentioned in headlines and general statements—including claims that several Hezbollah sites were allegedly destroyed—there is practically no actual evidence of this on the ground.On April 14 Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared that Lebanon is committed to disarming Hezbollah but he added that the process would occur through dialogue Expecting Hezbollah to willingly disarm is and Israel cannot ignore Hezbollah’s ongoing rehabilitation efforts while the Lebanese government and president make declarations and the actions of the Lebanese Army remain ambiguous.Since the ceasefire there have been four shooting incidents from Lebanese territory into Israeli territory constituting blatant violations of the ceasefire terms and severely harming the sense of security among residents of northern Israel who are currently in the process of returning to their homes.While Hezbollah denied responsibility for the shootings and the Lebanese Army stated it is working to locate the suspects it did not act to prevent the attacks in the first place—highlighting its ineffectiveness and the necessity for Israel to continue operating against threats This requires a certain level of presence in Lebanese territory and continued strikes against violations of the agreement and against clear and immediate threats Syria:Changes are indeed taking place in Syria—but are they truly for the better?The new Syrian regime and its leader are at a crossroads between the desire to build a state with Western support and the radical Islamic ideology they embrace it is still unclear which path al-Julani has chosen The image he presents to the Western world does not align with the actions of his forces within Syria.On April 26 it was reported that al-Julani conveyed a message to the United States stating that Syria does not intend to pose a threat to Israel and would even be open to future normalization talks Syria remains divided and subject to considerable pressure and external interference from actors that even if the new regime does not wish to engage in conflict with Israel it may not be capable of enforcing its will or preventing internal or external actors involved in Syria from establishing infrastructure that could potentially threaten Israel Israel’s activity in Syria is intended to prevent hostile entities from gaining a foothold and becoming a threat Below are the key recent developments in Syria that may pose a security threat to Israel: In addition to the developments listed above it is important to remember that the ongoing instability further amplifies the threat of tactical terrorism from southern Syria against Israel This threat did not vanish with the collapse of the Assad regime or the weakening of the Shiite axis This threat could manifest in the form of infiltrations into Israeli territory The Human Shield:Despite the numerous pieces of evidence that Israel has published since the beginning of the war (and even in the years prior) regarding Hezbollah’s use of civilians as human shields to make it more difficult for Israel to act against it—knowing that Israel operates in accordance with international law—and to delegitimize Israeli actions.Unfortunately many in the international community refuse to acknowledge the fact that this is a deliberate policy by Hezbollah.Hezbollah’s military activity takes place within the civilian population among whom it operates Israel conducts precise and targeted strikes and makes every possible effort to minimize harm to civilians in accordance with international law even as Hezbollah continues to use the civilian population as part of its rebuilding efforts.In addition Israel reports every violation it detects to the mechanism that is supposed to operate under the ceasefire framework and acts only when those violations are not addressed.Many European countries differentiate between Hezbollah’s military and civilian wings only 9 have recognized Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization—among them are the Netherlands The rest attribute terrorist activity solely to Hezbollah’s military wing.) Hezbollah’s civilian activities enable its military operations The civilian and military functions are intertwined and Hezbollah itself has stated that it is one single organization with no separate branches—therefore it will not give up its military activity.As a result international media often misleadingly portray Hezbollah operatives (who are dressed in civilian clothing while carrying out military terrorist activity) as uninvolved civilians harmed in Israeli strikes It is highly likely that in the near future criticism and pressure on Israel will intensify—especially if conciliatory messages continue to emerge from Lebanon and Syria conciliatory messages do not actually neutralize threats Radical Islamic ideology—both Sunni and Shiite—is here to stay proved that our understanding of the other side’s intentions is limited and we will not always have advance warning regarding the realization of such intentions Israel’s presence and strikes in Lebanese and Syrian territory are necessary International coverage must be based on accurate and balanced information that provides a full overview of Israel’s security situation Alma is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) education and research organization made possible in part by the Galila Foundation said Alma was a "ray of sunshine everywhere she went." Alma was one of four people who died April 28 after a woman drove her car into the YNOT Outdoors building in Chatham "She loved her friends and family fiercely and went to 17 states in her short life," Billie told the State Journal-Register on April 29 Billie also said Alma was a great big sister to her younger brother "She loved him and supported him the only way a big sister could." Alma Buhnerkempe was identified by the Sangamon County Coroner's office along with three other victims All four of the girls were pronounced dead at the scene by the coroner's office The crash happened after a vehicle being driven by Marianne Akers hit several people outside of the building before crashing into the building Six additional children were taken to area hospitals Taylor Godwin, a neighbor, said he heard the crash when it happened "I went out back around our fence and had seen the aftermath of the building...The whole back of the building had been blown out," Godwin told the SJ-R Akers was not injured but was transported to a hospital for evaluation due to the crash being under investigation Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register He can be reached at tackerman@gannett.com Sisters in Cinema—which celebrates Black girls and gender nonconforming media makers—hosts part of their 2025 series The Black Women’s Film Canon is building a collection of essential and culturally significant films by Black women directors Turner Classic Movies host Jacqueline Stewart joins director Ayoka Chenzira for a screening of her 1994 coming-of-age story CART captioning is provided. To request additional accessibility services like ASL interpretation or audio description, please contact us at [email protected] or 312-397-4076 Ayoka Chenzira is an award-winning filmmaker and a recognized pioneer in Black independent cinema She is part of a generation of African American filmmakers who helped create a genre of filmmaking now identified as Black independent cinema Her distinctive body of work spans fiction She is a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and is one of the first African American women to write Alma’s Rainbow (developed at Sundance Institute) She is considered the first African American woman animator with her animated satire Hair Piece: a film for nappyheaded people and later Zajota and the Boogie Spirit Hair Piece was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2018 Ayoka’s episode of Queen Sugar was nominated for a 2019 NAACP Image Award There have been many international retrospectives of Ayoka’s films and several of her them are in permanent collections including the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art Jacqueline Stewart is Professor of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago and host of “Silent Sunday Nights” on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) A 2021 MacArthur “genius grant” Fellowship recipient Stewart is an award-winning film historian and archivist dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices in cinema Stewart served as Director and President of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles Author and editor of numerous publications Stewart co-curated the five-disc set Pioneers of African American Cinema for Kino Lorber and serves as chair of the National Film Preservation Board Stewart founded the South Side Home Movie Project a community-centered archival program at the University of Chicago that is celebrating its 20th year in 2025 This screening is co-sponsored and presented by Sisters in Cinema Sisters in Cinema is a Chicago-based non-profit with an inclusive mission to create a world where all Black women girls and gender non-conforming media makers have equal opportunities to create and thrive Screening | The Sojourner Truth Film Festival Lead support for Learning programs at the MCA is provided by Jana and Bernardo Hees Major support is provided by Carol Prins and John Hart/The Jessica Fund Additional generous support is provided by the Friends of Edwin A and The William Randolph Hearst Foundations Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Dandridge She is survived by her husband of 66 years Clark Paschal and Blake (Michaela) Paschal; great-grandchildren Elsie Paschal and Holston Paschal; daughter-in-law Marilyn Holcomb; and several nieces and nephews In lieu of flowers donations may be made to First Baptist Church of Dandridge in her honor A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m 2025 at Pleasant Grove Piney Cemetery with Rev Pleasant Grove Piney Baptist Church Cemetery Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors      Alma May Stroer, 84, Nevada, MO passed away on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Nevada Regional Medical Center. Alma was born February 11, 1941 in El Dorado Springs, MO to John Frank and Dolly May (Thompson) Horning. She was united in marriage to David J. Stroer on June 3, 1959 in Nevada and he preceded her in death on August 22, 2019.      Alma  grew up in El Dorado Springs and graduated from El Dorado Springs High School Class of 1959. Throughout her life, Alma was primarily a homemaker although she worked for a time at Nelly Don in Nevada as a seamstress. She also worked at Peerless in Ft. Scott, KS and TLT Wire in Nevada alongside her husband David. They enjoyed spending winters in Texas and while there helped build and manage an RV Park in Port Aransas, TX.      Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 9, 2025 at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada with Pastor Chad Bailey officiating. Interment will follow in Newton Burial Park in Nevada. The family will receive friends from 5-7:00 p.m. on Thursday evening at the funeral home.      Memorials are suggested in her name to the Vernon County Cancer Relief c/o Ferry Funeral Home.         This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Then I Got to Columbia.Smolny College is a warning Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Artem Priakhin / SOPA Images / Getty; Yuki Iwamura / Getty; DNY59 / Getty; hapabapa / Getty; David Tran / Getty.May 2, 2025 ShareSave Listen-1.0x+0:009:15Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (Noa) using AI narration When my university, Columbia, recently capitulated to President Donald Trump’s $400 million ultimatum Before coming to Columbia as a grad student The Smolny I knew was one of Russia’s few independent colleges; students and faculty had extraordinary autonomy which they often used to challenge the government Smolny’s story offers a warning that Columbia must heed while it still has the chance: When autocrats realize they can manipulate a school they won’t stop until they have total control A few years after the Soviet Union collapsed Professors at SPSU—one of Russia’s most prestigious universities—had proposed partnering with Bard so he went to speak with the faculty about what he thought Russia and the West could learn from each other he left an impression: Professors quoted him to one another long after he left Garry Kasparov: How America can avoid becoming Russia SPSU joined with Bard to create a liberal-arts program that grew into Smolny George Soros’s newly established Open Society Foundations funded the initiative Smolny matured into a true liberal-arts college offering a dual SPSU–Bard degree and majors including literature and hosted much broader political debate than could be found on most Russian campuses SPSU sent Dubrovsky a renewal contract that he said didn’t reflect the provisions he’d agreed to The school fired him for refusing to sign.) Kudrin announced that Smolny would separate from SPSU “Our education model differs from the one used at SPSU,” he said at the time a pro-Kremlin group persuaded the Russian state prosecutor’s office to investigate Smolny’s ties to Soros whose NGOs had been outlawed in the country The group alleged that Soros and Bard were using Smolny to turn Russia’s youth into a “protest electorate” with a “pro-Western” and “hostile ideology towards their own country.” SPSU cooperated with the prosecutors who determined that Bard posed a “threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation.” Instead of separating from SPSU losing out on funding as well as the schools’ student-faculty exchange Graduates began receiving standard SPSU diplomas rather than dual degrees was baffled by the response among her professors (She requested that we use only her first name to speak candidly about them.) “We need to prove that Smolny is independent and distinct from Bard—that it is authentically Russian,” Julia recalls her teachers saying Over the next year, Smolny purged dozens of professors, including one who was fired for joining an anti-war protest. Meanwhile, SPSU conducted a review of Smolny’s curriculum, finding that its classes were “highly ideological” and representative of “the worst Western stereotypes.” Kudrin stepped down voluntarily administrators aligned with SPSU took his place They would undertake “just a few corrections to the curricula,” one of them wrote on social media Smolny swapped out discussion-based seminars for lectures and cut the number of electives from 129 to 10 The administration also reduced the school’s 12 majors to seven and gave them new names such as “Literature in the Context of Culture,” “Economics of Culture,” and “Music in the Context of Culture.” (“Culture in the context of culture” became a sneering refrain on campus.) Sensing that the changes posed an existential threat to the school Two were expelled after an academic committee decided to fail them Today, the Smolny I knew survives only in fragments. The school has maintained its size but now attracts only half the applicants it once did. With help from Bard, a group of former professors founded Smolny Beyond Borders, an initiative that offers online classes outside the reach of SPSU administrators and Kremlin bureaucrats An alum recently told me that in order to teach an uncensored seminar talk about the pro-Palestine protests roiling Columbia’s campus I would stand beside the protesting students now,” Kostyuchenko said at a conference one week after police began arresting demonstrators But because I know what happens when you don’t defend another’s opinion you yourself won’t be allowed to speak out.” Garry Kasparov: The Putinization of America empowering campus-security officers to arrest students and African Studies Department under review—all in hopes of getting the $400 million back It didn’t work; the money is still gone. And now the White House is reportedly planning to pursue a consent decree which could effectively allow Trump to enforce his demands via the courts Even though Columbia remains more insulated from state power than Smolny the concerns I hear from my peers in America have begun to sound a lot like what I heard from my peers in Russia Kostyuchenko’s warning that authoritarian forces could sway Columbia seemed far-fetched Due to recent events, you can now leave online condolences with each obituary posted on the Kutis Funeral Home website. COVID-19 Funeral Assistance – FEMA is now helping those that have lost a loved one from COVID-19. Click HERE to review the information on eligibility and requirements on the COVID-19 Funeral Arkansas to Thaddeus and Zebeline (nee Haumschildt) Wilkiewicz Loving wife of over 66 years to the late Vincent Manning Dear mother of Patricia (Joseph) Martineau Alma was a gentle woman of deep faith and unwavering devotion to both God and her family guided by strong Christian values that she lived out daily She always thought of others before herself She appreciated the beauty in creation and often commented on the nice breeze the sound of the birds and was especially fond of chickadees She truly looked for the good in the world and in others One of her favorite sayings was “it’s a good day when you learn something new.”  She was extremely proud to be the wife of a policeman and she lifted first responders up in prayer every day She adored her husband and we are comforted knowing that she is back in the arms of the love of her life to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary SERVICES a Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 pm on Thursday May 8 at Kutis South County Funeral home 5255 Lemay Ferry Rd May 9 at 9:30 am at St Mark Catholic Church 4200 Ripa Ave Memorials in her honor appreciated to deGreeff Hospice House or St Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" For personalized and affordable funeral arrangements choose Kutis Funeral Home - a family-owned establishment serving St 2906 Gravois Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118314-772-3000 10151 Gravois Road, St. Louis, MO 63123314-842-4458 5255 Lemay Ferry Road, Mehlville, MO 63129314-894-4500 EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is featured in the Spring 2025 edition of The Tartan magazine Read more from The Tartan at alma.edu/tartan Alma College’s newest president has a wealth of You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the commencement ceremony The general seating entrance is at the east-facing end of the Hogan Center Accessible seating: If you or one of your ticketed guests require accessibility accommodations, please complete this form by 5 p.m. April 11, 2025. Each request will be reviewed, and a response will be emailed back from our commencement email, commencement@alma.edu as well as the number of members from your party that may accompany you in the accommodated seating section To ensure all guests can fully participate in the commencement ceremony we ask that you submit a separate request form for each guest requiring accommodations We have a number of campus maps available online Accessible parking is available in the monitored lot behind the Heritage/Hogan buildings General parking is available in the monitored lot of Heritage/Hogan building as well as in the lots to the north and east This map shows parking lots and accessible routes Parking is free at Alma College and on city streets Candidates may personalize their mortarboard under the following provisions: No derogatory profane images or words are allowed on mortarboards Anything deemed offensive will not be tolerated and candidates will be asked to remove their mortarboard All other adornments and ornamentation including pins Graduates will be asked to remove any such adornments prior to entering the arena Each graduate was provided eight commencement tickets graduates received an email with a PDF containing all of their tickets Every guest must have their own ticket to enter Please be sure to have the complete code ready for scanning If you cannot find your tickets, please check spam and junk folders and ensure fansupport@hometownticketing.com is not a blocked address Please note: there are no additional tickets available for request or purchase from the college Yes! You can watch it from the comfort of your own home on the Alma College YouTube channel The stream will also be broadcast on campus Graduating seniors may register for professional commencement photos here There are flower shops in the city of Alma that will be open prior to the commencement ceremony beginning Commencement typically runs about two hours staff will lead graduates out as they pass through the faculty gauntlet Who is the commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient We’re proud to announce that our keynote speaker and honorary degree recipient is social ethicist, theologian and member of the Class of 1974, Gary Dorrien. You can read all about the Rev. Dr. Dorrien here The student speaker is Toby Layson, who was awarded Alma’s most prestigious award for a graduating senior, the Barlow Trophy, at a ceremony earlier this month. You can read all about Toby and his many accomplishments here The Point While the skatepark is not intentionally a male-dominated space it’s undeniable that a majority of denizens are guys And while the skateparks in San Diego are generally inclusive and open-minded places that unbalanced gender dynamic can be intimidating But that hasn’t stopped a certain group of girls from tearing it up at the park and the pump track Self-proclaimed as “the world’s okayest skateboarders,” GRLSWIRL is a women-led skateboarding collective that aims to create community and engagement within the skate community for women Consisting of chapters all across the world workshops and events to promote a safe space for beginners loose trucks and a skate style akin to surfing Monti and Lyssie spoke to me about their involvement with SwirlSanDiego (the San Diego GRLSWIRL chapter) how they began skating in Ocean Beach (OB) and the music that filled the soundtrack of their skate journeys.   she’s taking care of her three chickens and listening to punk music.  “The Ramones are my fav [favorite],” she said and before she accidentally left her longboard out in the rain would rip down the 101 from Encinitas to Solana Beach using digital tools or acrylics to reimagine her pets or the birds around her house.  “I get distracted because I’m always trying to draw birds Kendra moved to San Diego three years ago from Boise after falling in love with the skating/surfing lifestyle she saw online.  “I saw the SoCal surf/skate culture on Instagram and just knew I wanted to be a part of it,” Kendra said then surfed my way down the coast until I got to San Diego Kendra lived between Airbnbs and her car until she got a job in OB and never looked back an OB skate collective adjacent to GRLSWIRL “I feel like the skatepark can be a pretty intimidating place [but] when there’s 20 other women there holding your hand cheering you on … they just lift the vibration of everywhere they go “Empowerment is what I like about them.” Kendra listens to punk and surf rock when she skates “[Punk and surf rock] embodies having a good time and not caring what other people think about you And I skate better when I’m in that mindset too.” Not caring what people think is essential to Kendra’s skate philosophy “Even The Yellow Bird Dies Alone,” inspired by the works of Kate Chopin and the Brontë sisters.  “I love literature that gives full justice to the human experience and isn’t afraid to say what people don’t want to hear,” she said One of Kendra’s favorite bands is the Australian surf rock band Hockey Dad The two met at a Swirl San Diego event and bonded over their shared affinity for the group Monti came to San Diego chasing the surf/skate lifestyle Monti surfed for a few years before picking up skateboarding “San Diego is just the perfect place for it,” she said Monti started skating six months ago and is self-admittedly still exploring what kind of music she likes to listen to when she’s cruising.  I really like Rage Against the Machine.” Monti skates with GRLSWIRL because being with a group is way less intimidating.” Her friend Lyssie is also fairly new to skateboarding and learning through GRLSWIRL meetups Lyssie moved to San Diego because of how much she liked surfing but has found that she might like skating more.  but the growth [with skateboarding] can be a lot faster,” she said it depends on the waves and you have to wait for them but with skating I can repeat the same line over and over again and watch myself get better at it.”  She likes GRLSWIRL for the “inclusive community and the ‘meet you where you’re at mentality.’” She states she’s into folk and country “I love ‘Let Me In’ [by Dermont Kennedy] when I’m skating somewhere out there is a group of skaters ready to help you call the skatepark home.  Kendra put it best: “It’s about having a good time and not caring what people think about you.” You can check out Alma’s art at chicanahummingbird.com. Kendra’s book is available on Amazon, and you can learn more about GRLSWIRL at grlswirl.com and industry professionals will share their words of wisdom with University of Miami graduates during seven commencement ceremonies over three days at the Watsco Center on the Coral Gables Campus.   The ceremonies will be livestreamed for virtual viewing from anywhere enabling everybody to celebrate the accomplishments of approximately 1,243 new doctoral and master’s degree holders and 198 medical students earning their degrees from the University of Miami.  Read on to learn more about each commencement speaker and the schools and colleges associated with the specific ceremony Graduate degree ceremony for the Graduate School Kushlan’s fascination with the birds and other exotic creatures that filled the South Florida waterways blossomed during a high school biology class This realization would define his life’s work and lead to 50 years researching and establishing conservation programs for waterbird populations he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1969 graduating cum laude; a master’s degree in 1972; and a doctorate in 1974 in biological sciences His thesis focused on studying the University’s mascot He has authored 12 books and more than 270 technical articles taught at multiple universities—including his alma mater founded several conservation organizations and helped shape conservation policy and research at national and global levels.  Kushlan is a board director of the Everglades Foundation He also serves on the advisory committee to BirdLife International He continues to mentor young scientists and advocate for the protection of wetlands and wildlife the School of Education and Human Development Susan Mullane arrived at the University and became one of the first women in the country to receive an athletic college scholarship She went on to earn three degrees from the University in higher education and sport administration She is a professor of professional practice at the School of Education and Human Development and a founder of the undergraduate sport administration program Her contributions to ethics in education extend to Miami-Dade County where she served as chairperson of the Ethics Advisory Committee for the school board and co-authored the board’s Code of Ethics She has published extensively in leading journals and presented at more than 50 conferences on her research areas of leadership Mullane has not only shaped the field of sport ethics but also paved the way for generations of students and women in sports and academia.  Undergraduate degree ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences and Division of Continuing and International Education After earning his law degree at Washington University in Saint Louis Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign An interest in how government agencies collaborated with private businesses launched his career into the business side of sports representing major sports leagues and teams Today his work with Sidley Austin’s Entertainment and Media industry group spans global markets—from European soccer and Formula 1 to professional and collegiate leagues throughout North America Raij represented a group of investors that included Earvin “Magic” Johnson on the purchase of the LA Dodgers for a record-breaking $2.15 billion and represented Major League Baseball in its negotiation for approval to build Miami’s Marlins Stadium.  Raij served two terms as Student Government president and chaired the committee that led to the student body’s approval of the 1992 referendum to build the Herbert Wellness Center He remains engaged with the University as an adjunct faculty member and a member of the Board of Advisors for the School of Law’s Entertainment Undergraduate degree ceremony for the Miami Herbert Business School and College of Engineering Lila Snyder earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1994 She went on to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering while studying how to regenerate the peripheral nervous system using materials and scaffolds that would be implanted in the human body Her career pivoted when she took a job at McKinsey & Company one of the country’s most prestigious consulting firms she applied the problem-solving skills she honed as an engineer to her business clients a strategy that propelled her to the role of partner she served as executive vice president and president for commerce services at the technology-driven company She joined the Bose Corporation in 2020 as CEO including global supply chain disruptions and computer chip shortages As Bose’s first female CEO in the company’s 60-year history she is paving the way for others to follow.  Undergraduate degree ceremony for the School of Architecture and the School of Nursing and Health Studies Jonathan Vilma grew up in a household where academics always came first Once his parents allowed him to play football—if he did well in school—he quickly established himself as one of the nation’s premier linebackers He consistently earned Dean’s List honors graduating from Miami Herbert Business School with a bachelor’s degree in finance He was a two-time Academic All-American and a three-time Academic All-Big East Team honoree the recipient of the 10th annual Walter Kichefski Endowed Football Scholarship and the Jack Lambert Trophy and was a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award given annually to the nation’s top linebacker Vilma was selected by the New York Jets with the 12th pick in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft In 2008 Vilma was traded to the New Orleans Saints He was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2017 Vilma transitioned to broadcasting following his NFL retirement in 2014 and is in his sixth season as a color analyst with FOX Vilma has remained deeply committed to giving back to the University and to the community currently serving on the University’s Board of Trustees and chairing the Student Affairs Committee Dov Seidman attended the University of California where he graduated summa cum laude with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy in 1987 and economics before acquiring his legal expertise at Harvard Law School His company LRN works with thousands of organizations and has educated more than 50 million employees in 70 languages in over 100 countries to both navigate complex legal and regulatory environments and make ethical decisions The HOW Institute for Society works to instill a culture of moral leadership and principled decision-making at every level and sector of society.  and The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity In 2022 he was appointed a Hauser Leader at the Harvard Kennedy School Each year he visits the University’s School of Law to teach in the Entertainment in which “HOW” is used as the foundational textbook Elena Fuentes-Afflick earned her undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in public health from the University of California before completing her pediatric residency and chief residency at the University of California She completed a research fellowship at the UCSF Philip R after which she stayed in the Bay Area as a UCSF School of Medicine professor of pediatrics.  A former president of the American Pediatric Society and Society For Pediatric Research member of the American Board of Pediatrics’ Board of Trustees and elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fuentes-Afflick became the UCSF School of Medicine’s vice dean for academic affairs and faculty development before accepting the school’s vice dean role in 2022 peacefully passed away on Thursday morning at a local healthcare facility in her hometown of Rome daughter of the late Ervin Broom and Birma Dewberry Broom Alma dedicated her life to her family and community leaving a lasting impact on all who knew her as she worked at Riverwood Senior Living in various capacities demonstrating her commitment to the well-being of others Her nurturing spirit extended into her personal life where she found joy in her role as a mother She was a proud member of  Fellowship Church where her faith played a central role in her life Alma lived in the Village at Maplewood since 2019 before moving to Harborview Nursing Home in mid March aunt and friend who will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.  six great-grandchildren and a number of loving nieces and nephews.  Alma was preceded in death by her beloved husband who she missed dearly but has been reunited in their heavenly home; her brothers: Billy Broom A Graveside Service to honor and celebrate the life of Mrs 2025 at 2:00 PM at Oaknoll Memorial Gardens with Pastor Brady Fortenberry and Pastor Ralph Jenkins officiating Please make note that the family needs to meet at Salmon Funeral Home by 1:30 on Monday to process over to the cemetery for the service.  The family will receive friends for a visitation on Sunday 2025 from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM at Salmon Funeral Home.  the family respectfully asks that memorial donations be made to Fellowship Church in loving memory of Mrs Salmon Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to serve and care the family of Mrs plant and animal health in agriculturalist societies will graduate with a degree in evolutionary anthropology and a Global Health Graduate Certificate from the Duke Global Health Institute Arizona and Mexico as her father worked in agriculture This experience molded Solis’ research interest on addressing health disparities among farmers investigating communicable and non-communicable disease susceptibility Her research received funding from DGHI’s Doctoral Scholars program.  I studied … the variation in social environment to understand communicable and non-communicable disease susceptibility I did this within the “One Health Disparities” framework that looks at the interconnectedness of human health environmental health and animal health in a small-scale agriculturalist society in Madagascar I studied Blastocystis and its prevalence to better understand if variation in wealth or handwashing practices decreased the odds of infection I studied sleep as an important dimension of hypertension risk and immune dysregulation.  I enrolled in the graduate certificate program because … I wanted to pair my evolutionary anthropology training with global health perspectives I also wanted the opportunity to meet with other students and professors with an interdisciplinary mindset to see how different disciplines can be applied to address global health challenges.  It’s important to integrate lived experiences and diverse research disciplines in global health and I hope to continue to do that in the future understand there isn’t one way of seeing and doing research; global health can be addressed in multiple ways It taught me the importance of collaboration which is a key part of community involvement I leaned on a team of scientists from the Association of Vahatra and community members in Madagascar My plan after graduating is … I’m excited to join the Tsimané Health and Life History Project (THLHP) a joint health and anthropology project at the University of California-Santa Barbara I’ll focus on advancing my research interest in sleep and health as both play a central role in promoting heart health and brain health there is limited research on the association between Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) risk and sleep and that research is even more limited at a global scale.  At Tsimané, I will examine the role sleep has on immune dysregulation heart health and risk of ADRD among the Tsimané an Indigenous population in lowland Bolivia They’re known for their high levels of physical activity and pathogen exposure yet low rates of ADRD and cardiovascular disease This opportunity will allow me to utilize some of the most robust sleep data address critical questions that emerged from my dissertation research and gain valuable mentorship to prepare me for future research endeavors My advice to students seeking a global health experience … is to just go for it There is space for everyone in global health especially people from the global majority Don’t feel limited by not having a formal education in global health or coming from a social science background. It’s important to integrate lived experiences and diverse research disciplines in global health DUKE GLOBAL HEALTH INSTITUTE(919) 681-7760globalhealth.duke.edu310 Trent Drive The University is currently operating under normal conditions Comedian and Carolina alumnus Lewis Black will perform at Memorial Hall April 29 More than 50 years ago, an anxious Lewis Black stepped onstage at Cat’s Cradle and proceeded to embarrass himself The Carolina undergraduate was trying his first stand-up comedy set at the request of a good friend that a cocker spaniel wandered onstage because it could sense the comic was “in danger.” This first performance could have also been his last “What was amazing was I went back the next week,” Black said “After you’ve been crushed and you see yourself die on stage then chances are you may end up doing it for a long time.” Black went on to have a long and fruitful comedy career winning two Grammy Awards and earning the moniker “King of Rant” for his loud Black is a longtime contributor to Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” and voices the character Anger in Pixar Animation Studio’s “Inside Out” movies Black also played a college dean in the 2006 comedy “Accepted’ and performed on three USO Christmas tours during the Iraq War Now 76, Black is embarking on “Goodbye Yeller Brick Road, The Final Tour.” Fittingly, the tour will bring Black back to the same town where his comedy career began. As part of Carolina Performing Arts’ 2024–25 season, Black will perform at Memorial Hall at 7:30 p.m. April 29. Tickets are available on the CPA website Chapel Hill remains a special place for Black who had an apartment close to Franklin Street for many years until the COVID-19 pandemic struck The opportunity to perform at Carolina during both his final tour and CPA’s 20th anniversary feels like “kismet,” he said “A portion of the show will be going down my feelings about being in Chapel Hill and I think it’ll be a funny look back at my time there and where I see it now,” Black said “And then I’ll talk about what’s happening in the world.” Black graduated with a drama degree from Carolina in 1970 and aspired to become a playwright He spent the next two decades pursuing that goal serving as playwright-in-residence for theater companies and festivals and writing 40 plays — all while doing stand-up comedy on the side In 2022, Black donated all his plays, television scripts and comedic materials to the Wilson Special Collections Library an honor he said meant more to him than his two Grammys Black is retiring from touring to shift his focus back to writing He expects to spend more time at his alma mater “Everything I’ve written is in that library,” Black said “I think there’s about 12 plays I haven’t read in 30 or 40 years I want to look those over again and possibly write about them in a book and all of my writing has been done down there.” politically charged “Back in Black” segments continue on “The Daily Show,” and he hosts a regular “Rantcast” podcast about audience-submitted topics In the country’s divided political climate Black said he thinks satire is just as important as ever “It’s important to allow people to stand back from what’s occurring and get out of the middle of it and laugh about it,” Black said what satire provides is insulation from the madness.” The dean of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy talks about her research The Well compiled all the details you need before attending UNC-Chapel Hill’s May 10 graduation The Well newsletter updates Tar Heels on UNC-Chapel Hill’s top stories NC Children’s will be North Carolina’s first freestanding hospital dedicated to caring for kids The Carolina sophomore shares her life through her poems Heather Wasser focuses her work on safe infant feeding a concern after the storm hit western North Carolina Neha Varrier did CPR on a patient until help arrived nearly a thousand Tar Heels got help from fellow students through this free Learning Center program © 2024 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Sutherland-Alma won the boys RPAC golf title on Thursday in Sutherland Individually Jack Baker of Hitchcock County continued his winning ways shooting a 71 William VanBoening of Alma led the Cardinals with a 78 © 2025 Nebraska Rural Radio Association. All rights reserved. Republishing, rebroadcasting, rewriting, redistributing prohibited. Copyright Information Website ©2025 Nebraska Rural Radio Association | All rights reserved. | Website developed by Hollman Media you will be automatically redirected here whenever you go to https://ruralradio.com you can click the "Clear home" link in the footer of the site while Eric Calhoun and Brianna Harfmann ’11 have received this year’s Barlow Awards for Faculty Excellence Karen Ball and Kristin Olbertson were awarded the Charles A Dana Professorship and Liping Bu was awarded the Reid-Knox Chair of American History made possible by a gift from the late trustee Thomas Andison recognize excellence in teaching through pedagogical innovation Faculty members nominate their colleagues for the award who each receive a $1,000 cash grant to support their scholarship Kim, an associate professor of integrative physiology and health science (IPHS) She has a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University as well as a master’s degree from the State University of New York and a doctoral degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Her research interests are based on epidemiological and socioeconomic approaches in the topic areas of chronic conditions health behaviors and social disparities among population groups Rito is an assistant professor of music whose career at Alma began in 2023 He has a bachelor’s degree from Alma College as well as master’s degrees from the University of Western Ontario and Central Michigan University and a doctoral degree from Michigan State University recognize faculty members for excellence in teaching Harfmann is an associate professor of IPHS. Hired in 2017, she has a bachelor’s degree from Alma College, as well as a Ph.D. in physiology from the University of Kentucky. Her expertise is in circadian rhythms and skeletal muscle glucose metabolism. Calhoun is an associate professor of biology whose career at Alma began in 2008 He has bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry from Truman State University in biomedical sciences from the Mayo Clinic Graduate School Dana Professorship was established in 1972 The primary consideration for selection is a record of innovation in teaching and engaging students and colleagues in the academic endeavor and potential for continued innovative contributions to the college and its programs Ball, a professor of IPHS, has taught at Alma College since 1995. She has a bachelor’s degree in exercise and health science from Alma College, as well as a Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Olbertson, a professor of history Her teaching and research interests include U.S The Reid-Knox Chair of American History was established in 1992 in recognition of faculty excellence in teaching The gift to create the named chair was given by Annie Reid Knox a member of the Class of 1908 who was Secretary of the Navy under President Franklin D She has a bachelor’s degree from Beijing University a master’s degree in applied history from Carnegie Mellon University and a Ph.D in history and policy from Carnegie Mellon Her teaching and research interests include American international relations and cultural diplomacy educational exchange and knowledge circulation Dana Professorship and the Reid-Knox Chair of American History are awarded for 6-year terms the City Council authorized a contract with BKF Engineers for the Embarcadero Road Corridor Improvements Project which included improvements at El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road/Galvez Street and along Embarcadero Road from El Camino Real east to Emerson Street  Final construction documents (100% design) were completed in 2019 which included an encroachment permit approval from Caltrans for work on El Camino Real.  The construction of the project was placed on hold shortly thereafter due to the ongoing Grade Separation study and potential conflicts and overlap resulting from the potential mitigation work on Emerson Street and Embarcadero Road the Rail Committee asked staff to revisit this project and to complete the east portion of this project (from Alma to Emerson) The design for the Improvements for the east portion of the project includes pedestrian improvements at the intersections of High Street Shahla.Yazdy@paloalto.gov City Service Feedback INDIANAPOLIS — Stephanie White knows exactly what it's like to play in front of hometown fans White played her rookie year in the WNBA for the Charlotte Sting then returned home to Indiana as she was traded to the Fever ahead of their inaugural season in 2000 And the first game White played in a Fever uniform was at her alma mater The Fever played their first preseason game at Mackey Arena on May 20 one of White’s franchise players is getting the same treatment The Fever will play the Brazilian National Team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, the home of Caitlin Clark’s alma mater Clark’s trip to Iowa marks the return of a player who not only changed the Hawkeyes’ fortunes but shook up women’s college basketball altogether “I remember it was so cool for me to be able to play for the Fever in Mackey Arena,” White said “And I can imagine it's going to be equally as cool for Caitlin to go back and play an exhibition Tickets for the game sold out in under 45 minutes when they went on sale in February and resale prices are going for nearly $450 Over 15,000 fans will be screaming for the former two-time National Player of the Year who captivated the state and nation as a Hawkeye who brought her hometown team to back-to-back national championship games in 2022 and ‘23 and left as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer “I honestly haven't been back to Iowa City a ton since I left a year ago,” Clark said. “I’ve only been back a couple times, once for a football game and once for my jersey retirement who played for Missouri from 2015-19 experienced that fandom firsthand even before Clark played her first game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena Cunningham’s Tigers headed to Iowa City for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament in 2019 back when Megan Gustafson (now playing for the Las Vegas Aces) was leading the Hawkeyes as National Player of the Year The Missouri grad has mostly good memories of Iowa City — other than that’s where she ended her college career with a loss to Iowa in the second round “And especially when you go to a college town like Iowa City to get behind someone so great like Caitlin Clark I just think there's a lot of positive and excitement around women's basketball so I'm not salty or anything,” Cunningham joked The lack of air conditioning in Carver-Hawkeye Arena there’s no air conditioning in Carver-Hawkeye and usually they don't play basketball games there in May,” Clark said I don't know what the humidity is looking like especially on the second day of a back-to-back in the preseason calls for a little extra planning on the coaching staff’s part “I didn't know there's no air conditioning,” White said so we're going to have to work through that and make sure that you stay hydrated.”  White and her staff will be prioritizing working out lineups Neither will other popular Fever players and projected starters like Kelsey Mitchell “We know what the goal of preseason is,” White said but it's to see a lot of different players to make sure that we can really evaluate to make sure that we can start to build our rotations And so this is more of an evaluating kind of phase for us Get IndyStar's Indiana Fever coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Fever newsletter ALMA -- Police say an Alma woman is in critical condition after her son-in-law shot her in the face The suspect admitted to investigators he shot the woman and tried to shoot his father-in-law Miller of Alma was arrested in connection with first-degree attempted murder first-degree battery and three counts of endangering the welfare of a minor according to Crawford County Detention Center records Miller was taken into custody by Crawford County Sheriff's Office investigators after the Monday shooting according to probable cause affidavit in the case provided by Kevin Holmes Authorities were called Monday to a residence on Carousel Lane in Alma regarding a battery Sheriff's Office investigator Matthew Hesson wrote in the affidavit and was airlifted to a hospital in Springfield Investigators interviewed witnesses and family members and then Miller Alvin Winborn with his three juvenile children .. Miller remained in the Detention Center on Wednesday on $200,000 bond Penny Weaver is an award-winning journalist who covers crime court proceedings and more for the River Valley Democrat-Gazette She has more than 30 years of experience as a reporter Penny has reported on everything from national civil rights issues to hog farming in Illinois She digs until she uncovers all the facts for every story This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing I was lovingly raised by my maternal grandparents I had the good fortune to meet Mollie J Bushell She presented me with four incredible children While there I met and worked with some of the finest people I have ever known In my lifetime I have made many acquaintances A very special debt of gratitude to Richard never gave up on my eternal salvation; Sammie for her love; “E” for never forgetting; Jerry and Carma for their love and hospitality; Jack and Sherma for a lifetime of great memories and always knowing you were there thanks for your association and dedication to your profession Richard Scott Slater and David Richard Slater of Ogden Other family are my beautiful grandchildren Brandie and Travis; nine great-grandchildren; three sisters Susan (Pete) Bullara and Peggy (Karl) Peterson; two brothers and Jerry (Linda) Hogge; as well as several beautiful nieces and some handsome nephews I will be excited to see you when you get there Now I out walking The world desert,And my shoe and my stockingDo me no hurt.  I leave behind Good friends in town.Let them get well-wined And go lie down.  Don't think I leave For the outer dark Like Adam and Eve Put out of the Park.  Forget the myth. There is no one I Am put out with Or put out by.  Unless I'm wrong I but obey The urge of a song: I'm—bound—away And I may return If dissatisfied With what I learn From having died.(Away Dad spent a little over two years in Alaska with the family There he grew his trademark beard that has remained ever since He loved Alaska perhaps more even than Hawaii Richard served many people and touched many lives for the better Richard was educated in Ogden City Schools and graduated Class of 1948 from Ogden High School where he was a lieutenant in Jr fired second highest score in State competition He attended Weber College majoring in theatre/speech and minor in music He was active in community theatre and was president of Ogden Chorale when they performed at New York World Fair and Washington D.C A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he held many positions including Ward Chorister Preceded in death by his wife of 32 years; his parents; and precious grandparents Friends may visit with family on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park Services will be live-streamed and available the day of the services by scrolling to the bottom of Richard’s obituary page at: www.lindquistmortuary.com ORDER VIDEOS Lindquist's Washington Heights Memorial Park EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is featured in the Spring 2025 edition of The Tartan magazine. Read more from The Tartan at alma.edu/tartan Alma College’s newest president has a wealth of expertise and years of academic leadership Joseph Odenwald comes to Alma College from Southwestern Michigan College (SMC) where he has served as president since 2020 SMC developed an ambitious strategic framework with goals to develop and sustain purposeful academic programs to support enrollment and enhance engagement with alumni as well as its local community of Dowagiac Odenwald led efforts to increase the college’s enrollment every year from fall 2022-24 (surpassing 2,000 total headcount for the first time since 2019) devise its 2020-23 and 2024-26 strategic plans create the Offices of Institutional Advancement and Academic Affairs retain an “AA Stable” credit rating from Standard and Poor’s and double its budget-stabilization fund Under Odenwald’s leadership, SMC implemented its first fully online courses, added eight completely new academic programs, and revived its intercollegiate athletics program after a 25-year hiatus. Odenwald led fundraising efforts that went toward the $3.5-million renovation of an athletic facility and expanded campus residence hall capacity by 8 percent using grants and institutional fund balances to cover the $3-million cost Odenwald in 2005 earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana College a private university that enrolls about 1,100 students He further earned his Master of Science degree from Mississippi College Doctor of Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and master’s degree in management strategy and leadership from Michigan State University He also holds a Certificate in Fundraising Management from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy Prior to his service at SMC, Odenwald served in a variety of key academic leadership roles. He worked for six years in student affairs at Mississippi College ultimately serving as associate dean of students and an adjunct faculty member in the school of education Odenwald moved on to the College of Engineering at Louisiana State University where he served as assistant dean for academic affairs and student services before joining SMC in 2017 as its vice president of student services Odenwald lives in Dowagiac with wife Laura their son Joseph and nearly 14-year-old dog Eleanor ALMA — Alma College is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Currently president of Southwestern Michigan College Odenwald brings with him a wealth of expertise and years of academic leadership The appointment was unanimously approved by the Alma College Board of Trustees based on the recommendation of the presidential search committee Odenwald will assume his new role on June 1 succeeding interim president Eric Blackhurst ’83 Odenwald’s leadership experience serving higher education and learners in the state of Michigan,” said Erika Powers Appelt ’91 vice chair of the Board of Trustees and chair of the presidential search committee “He truly embraces Alma College’s mission and will bring both a spirit of innovation to the campus as well as a respect for our rich tradition as a leading residential liberal arts college.” Board of Trustees Chairman Darryl Schimeck ’82 echoed Powers Appelt: “We had an extraordinarily strong pool of both internal and external candidates from which to choose our 14th president under the leadership of our board vice chair went through a very thorough process of discerning who would be the best choice Odenwald’s commitment to liberal arts education experience as an impactful leader in higher education and enthusiastic vision for the future of our alma mater made him the clear choice to be our next leader I look forward to welcoming Joe and his family to our Alma College community.” Southwestern Michigan College (SMC) developed an ambitious strategic framework with goals to develop and sustain purposeful academic programs to support enrollment SMC implemented its first fully online courses added eight completely new academic programs and revived its intercollegiate athletics program after a 25-year hiatus Odenwald led fundraising efforts that went toward the $3.5-million renovation of an athletic facility and expanded campus residence hall capacity by 8 percent skills and passion for the mission of Alma College have made him a pleasure to get to know budget and strategic planning make him the right leader at this critical juncture,” Blackhurst said “I’m excited to welcome him as Alma College’s 14th president.” Odenwald served in a variety of key academic leadership roles He worked for six years in student affairs at Mississippi College Odenwald has deep experience in student affairs As vice president of student services at SMC he led the creation of new student leadership development opportunities which aims to increase the number of underrepresented student leaders on campus in appreciation for its community-centered programming the Dowagiac Area Chamber of Commerce awarded Odenwald with its “Partnership Award,” on behalf of SMC son Joseph and nearly 14-year-old dog Eleanor “I am grateful to the presidential search committee and ultimately the Board of Trustees for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve as Alma College’s 14th president Leading an institution the caliber of Alma is the fulfillment of a nearly-25-year dream,” Odenwald said “Alma’s mission to ‘prepare graduates who think critically and live responsibly’ reminds me very much of my own liberal arts education This mission is even more critical today than it was two decades ago We cannot see the liberal arts mission as merely a ‘value-add,’ because the challenges we face are too difficult to overcome without a critical mass of college graduates who possess the skills and frameworks that can only be honed within the residential liberal arts setting.” ALMA — A new documentary produced and directed by Alma College staff and faculty members aims to shed light into the stories of Michigan agriculture and the lives of people who put food on our table “Did You Guys Eat? ¿Ya Comieron?: Stories of Michigan Agriculture” is the latest film produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning documentarian and Alma College Professor of World Languages and Cultures Stephany Slaughter A sneak peek will take place from 4 to 6 p.m “This is a project that has grown over time we wanted to make a documentary about support services for migrant farmworkers we realized we needed to tell a more complete story,” said Slaughter who won an Emmy for her work as a field producer on the Oscar-nominated 2009 documentary “Which Way Home.” “I think that what you’re going to see is a very eye-opening story about how food gets on our tables It’s a lot of hard work from many different groups of people who take pride in what they do It’s because of them that we get to eat — and I think that’s a story worth telling.” “Did You Guys Eat?” is a truly holistic look at life for Michigan farmers and the people who support them particularly those from the Lower Peninsula It includes interviews with small and large farmers It also contains interviews with farm workers — some of whom are migrants — and their network of supporters Significant parts of the dialogue are spoken in Spanish and contain subtitles “Agriculture is the type of business that doesn’t allow for many days off,” said co-producer Nick Wracan, an instructor of media, art and design at Alma College farmers are the first ones up in the morning and the last to go to bed at night so we were pleased to be able to give them the spotlight “I also felt we were able to showcase the wide variety of Michigan’s agriculture industry the people that we interviewed have completely different life experiences and issues at hand they’re tied together by what they do for a living I feel like this is not just a story about agriculture in Michigan “Did You Guys Eat?” is truly an Alma College production. It’s co-produced by Slaughter and Wracan, with Center for College and Community Engagement (3CE) co-director Benjamin Peterson and Audio/Visual Specialist Jacob O’Brien rounding out the production team O’Brien also edited and color graded the project Assistant Professor of Music Justin Rito Other Alma College students and alumni worked in the film crew “Collaborating with a student on a project like this is a unique opportunity because we’re able to provide real-world experience,” Rito said “Working on film is different in the sense that the structure is dictated to you You think about time and function a little differently and a total team effort between Audrey and I.” Slaughter is working with a number of different groups from across the Michigan agriculture and nonprofit industries to promote the film in advance of its release “We hope that the film is merely the start of something bigger along with community stakeholders — including some who were interviewed in the film — have had discussions about the many different types of research and experiential learning opportunities that could come from the subject of agriculture in Michigan,” Slaughter said “This could be part of something that turns into positive learning outcomes for students and improvement of our relationship with the agricultural community in Michigan.” “Did You Guys Eat?” is scheduled for a wide release this summer. For more information on the sneak peek event, including how to reserve a seat, visit its page on Eventbrite Alma College helps every Scot uncover their strengths so they can build a future that’s all their own How will Alma College remain a place where students can thrive, lead and succeed for generations to come? It takes your continued support — and there’s no better time to show that support than Alma Day, on Thursday, March 13 Alma Day is more than a day when we ask for your gifts — it is a celebration of the incredible impact our community can make when we unite for a common cause will help us continue to provide the highest-quality education and create meaningful opportunities for our students Join in the celebration of Alma Day by using #almaday and friends to reflect on the memories that define the Alma experience For first-time donors: Your gift of $30 or more will score you a limited-edition “I Love Alma” glitter sticker. Just visit our page on GiveCampus to make your donation today For those who need some fresh Alma gear: The college bookstore is doing a 20-percent off sale on Alma Day. The sale is both in-store and online, with code “Alma2025” at checkout. Visit the Bookstore website and check it out For those who want to be an advocate: New for Alma Day this year, we’re teaming up with GiveCampus to allow alumni and donors the opportunity to become advocates for Alma College. If you share the good news about Alma College with your friends, classmates and other supporters, the more likely we all are to hit our goals. The Alma Day media toolkit has all the information you need to become an advocate. Thank you for your continued support of Alma Day and our fundraising efforts! Your help, enthusiasm, energy, and commitment are what will make this day unforgettable for our campus and community. ALMA — Hyun Kim and Justin Rito ’08 are the 2025 recipients of the Andison Awards for Excellence in Teaching, while Eric Calhoun and Brianna Harfmann ’11 have received this passed away peacefully at Northcrest Living Center in Council Bluffs to the late Chris and Christine (Sonksen) Albertsen at her parent’s home in Douglas Township Alma was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lincoln Township northwest of Audubon She attended rural school Douglas #2 then graduated from the Audubon High School in 1951 Alma helped her parents on their farm while growing up and was involved in 4H Alma was united in marriage to Richard Lee Wetzel at Trinity Lutheran Church in Douglas Township Richard and Alma enjoyed over 60 years together until his death in 2015 They raised six children together in Audubon After their children had graduated and moved out of the home Richard moved his construction business to Council Bluffs Iowa and they relocated to Council Bluffs for the remainder of their lives Alma was a hard worker throughout her life Over the years she worked a variety of jobs including dental assistant From 1968 to 1972 Alma owned and operated the Irwin Café in Irwin She retired from working in 2000 as a bank teller at Mercantile Bank in Council Bluffs In their later years Alma and Richard enjoyed traveling on group bus tours around the country and frequent visits to Branson She enjoyed spending time with her family including her grandchildren and great grandchildren Alma was an excellent cook and enjoyed baking for family and friends Jr.; siblings Helen Hansen and Alvin Albertsen Iowa and Richard (Gale) Wetzel of Council Bluffs Iowa; brother Leroy (Sharlene) Albertsen of Carroll Iowa; grandchildren and great grandchildren; nieces Visitation will be held from 11:00am-12:00pm at Hoy Kilnoski Funeral Home on Friday Funeral Service will be held at 12:00pm at Hoy Kilnoski Funeral Home on Friday Jeff Abernathy was named president emeritus of Alma College in November His impact on Alma College will endure for many The cover story of the Fall 2020 edition of The Tartan magazine highlighted Jeff Abernathy on his 10-year anniversary as Alma College President Abernathy is quoted as saying: “It’s not in our DNA to brag about ourselves but we need to be willing to tell the great story of Alma College I think we’ve made some strides in that department On the occasion of Abernathy’s departure as college president let’s brag about a tenure that has been utterly transformative in the nearly-140-year history of Alma College Abernathy’s time as president has not always been easy a period of great economic challenges across the globe that threatened many small colleges like Alma an ongoing national dialogue about the value of traditional higher education institutions in a changing marketplace At the time, Alma College had not added a new major in 17 years, and had not added a new sport in 25 years. Abernathy responded by working with faculty to create new, pre-professional programs like nursing, engineering and new media studies which over time have integrated seamlessly into the liberal arts culture of Alma He also facilitated the introduction of new sports that have proven very popular among incoming students, including eSports, dance and competitive cheer Some 70 percent of first-year students at Alma College now play a sport Jeff Abernathy was well-known on campus for his love of bicycle riding Abernathy’s legacy extends beyond the classroom and the field of play — the physical structures that make up Alma College look dramatically different than they did in 2010 Abernathy led the successful “Our Time is Now” philanthropic campaign that raised more than $125 million for Alma College It enabled the college to renovate key buildings the Hogan Center for athletics and the Greg Hatcher Learning Commons The Wright Leppien Opera House in downtown Alma was renovated as a shared space for campus and community events The Andrus Family Field House provides space for the college’s athletic teams Abernathy understood that the impact of Alma College does not end at the campus’ physical borders he made strides to improve “town-and-gown” relationships with the city of Alma and other community stakeholders modeling positive citizenship for students along the way in order to foster a sense of belonging among local students “Alma Aspires” was launched in 2019 in order to bring civic leadership together to develop and execute a visionary strategy to position Alma for renewed success It attracted a range of community stakeholders Place and Prosperity” of the city of Alma and greater Gratiot County area Selfie-taking during commencement was a tradition during Jeff Abernathy’s presidency Abernathy intends to return to the Alma College faculty — returning to his roots as a former English professor turned administrator — following a one-year sabbatical that begins July 1 “Serving as Alma’s president has been a great privilege I’m so proud of this community and all we have accomplished together Despite the challenges before all colleges today ALMA — For nearly 14 years, Sarah Dehring has served Alma College as a coach, athletic administrator and vice president. Now, she’s moving on from athletics and into a new role in the Alma College Advancement Office Dehring, originally of Mackinac Island, Mich., this week started a new role as senior director of alumni and family engagement at Alma College. Kiana Verdugo-Maday, who has for five years worked in the athletics office at Alma College “I am excited to have the opportunity to remain at Alma College and serve in this new capacity,” Dehring said I’ve had the privilege of working on projects related to alumni and family engagement and I’m looking forward to digging deeper into that work The Advancement Office is filled with enthusiastic and driven individuals and it will be a pleasure to get to know this new team.” Dehring joined Alma College in 2011 as head volleyball coach She moved into administration two years later and served as associate athletics director from 2013-19 also serving as senior woman administrator from 2013-20 she earned the additional title of vice president Under Dehring’s leadership, athletics has grown into a ubiquitous part of the Alma College brand. At a time in which many college and university athletic departments across the country are shrinking, Dehring played a pivotal role in the addition of both the eSports (2018) and women’s wrestling (2022) programs the total number of student-athletes at Alma College rose by 25 percent Alma’s athletic facilities also saw an upgrade under Dehring’s leadership. The Stone Recreation Center was turned into a home base for the college’s golf program and The Sanctuary was created in order to provide a standalone facility for the college’s dance team. The newly completed Andrus Family Field House serves as an indoor home to track and field softball and a variety of other athletics and non-athletics programs the individual student-athlete experience has remained top of mind She was instrumental in bringing the “Helper Helper” volunteer initiative to Alma’s campus with the Scots coming in as the Division III national leaders in service hours in back-to-back years Student-athletes at Alma consistently retain through to graduation in high numbers and perform well academically; in 2024 Athletics placed 178 students and 13 teams on the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s honor roll Athletics has also seen advances in alumni engagement. The Athletic Hall of Fame has seen exponential growth in recent years averaging close to 200 people in attendance annually for its induction ceremonies Athletics has also helped lead the way in fundraising and alumni engagement through increased gift amounts and number of donors Sarah Dehring has been the glue holding together different departments on campus — athletics and others — that make up the whole of Alma College,” Vice President for Advancement Robert Murray ’88 said “We’re thrilled that she’s chosen to pursue advancement in this new chapter of her career She has played a pivotal role in facilitating relationships between Alma College and alumni in her previous roles and has been an excellent fundraiser in support of athletics projects she will continue to be a tremendous asset to Alma College moving forward.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Game Recap: Softball | 4/26/2025 5:48:00 PM Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here ALMA — Alma College seniors Megan Neeley of West Bloomfield; Charlotte Howald of Freeland; and Toby Layson of Washington Township are the 2025 nominees for the Barlow Trophy Alma’s most prestigious award for a graduating senior the award recognizes academic achievement for students in the top 10 percent of their class as well as contributions to campus and community determined by a vote of Alma’s Student Congress and faculty will be announced at a special event honoring academic accomplishments on Thursday at the Wright Leppien Opera House in downtown Alma Megan Neeley has pursued a wide range of diverse interests while excelling in academics, shows leadership through her involvement in student organizations and actively participates in spiritual life and athletics activities on campus. A professional accounting major she plans to take the certified public accountant (CPA) exam upon her graduation and pursue a career in the field of public accounting Neeley is a winner of the 2021-22 President’s Cup, a Presidential Scholar and a member of both Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Alpha Theta. Among her extracurricular involvements are the Almanian student newspaper, where she serves as editor in chief, the Student Advancement Association where she previously served as campus relations director campus events director and recruitment data director Neeley is a four-year varsity athlete on the women’s swimming and diving team and won the 2024 Todd A. Harburn Award recipient for academic and athletic excellence. She is a member of the Interfaith Chapel House and attended the 2025 Montreat College Conference and keynote presentations with the mission of creating more accepting college campuses A member of the Alma College faculty who recommended Neeley for the award wrote “I believe that Megan’s strong academic abilities and dedication to her education and writing make her an excellent candidate for the Barlow Trophy her leadership and her strong work ethic will serve her well in the future and I have no doubt that she will be very successful.” Charlotte Howald has dedicated her time and energy to bettering the Alma College community by volunteering at locations throughout Gratiot and Midland counties, involving herself in extracurricular activities, working at on-campus jobs and excelling in academics. A double-major in environmental studies and biology upon graduation she plans to pursue a career as a naturalist teaching members of the public about nature and the environment Howald has volunteered at a number of local community organizations; including the Gratiot County Community Garden, Forest Hill Nature Area and The Bridge Food Center. She has presented research at the CORE Summer Student Symposium twice and at Alma College’s Honors Day event once; she has also assisted with a hydrological assessment of the Upper Saginaw River Drainage Basin with the Healthy Pine River group A member of the Alma College faculty who recommended Howald for the award wrote She is passionate about helping the environment Toby Layson has devoted his time at Alma College to serving the greater campus community while excelling academically and working to benefit people in developing countries A double-major in political science and philosophy he plans to attend law school at either the University of Michigan Law School or Michigan State University College of Law In 2023, as part of the Posey Global Leadership Fellows program Layson completed an internship in Tanzania he explored the intersection of ethics and law with attorneys and interviewed women’s groups about legal protections surrounding human rights issues Layson led the “Doing Democracy” summer seminar in an effort to help students find common ground on controversial political issues A member of the Alma College faculty who recommended Layson for the award wrote “Toby has become a transformative leader on Alma’s campus and commitment to service to effect meaningful change oftentimes in the face of significant institutional challenges He embodies those attributes most valued by Joel Barlow including … the leadership skills necessary to promote a more just equitable and compassionate society.” Pictured from left are representatives of Alma College; Peggy Yates Tim Pinnow and Sean Burke; along with representatives from Mid Michigan College; Scott Mertes Richard Smith and Kristin Simon; at a signing between the two institutions Jan ALMA — Paraeducators working in Michigan schools who aspire to become special education teachers can now achieve their goals through Alma College’s newly launched Bachelor of Arts program the Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher program provides a streamlined pathway to teacher licensure while accommodating the schedules of full-time paraeducators The program has been approved by the Higher Learning Commission Participants in the program may qualify for the Alma College Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher Scholarship This generous financial support aims to remove barriers and make higher education more accessible to dedicated paraprofessionals who are already working closely with students Peggy Yates, Alma’s director of special education teacher preparation collaborated with Mid Michigan College faculty and staff; including Dean of Business and Professional Studies Amy Fisher Associate Dean of Off-Campus Instruction Rick Smith and Registrar Kristin Smith; along with Alma College staff and faculty to develop the program which is focused on removing barriers and embedding essential supports to help paraeducators succeed in earning teacher licensure The program is part of Alma College’s commitment to addressing Michigan’s ongoing shortage of special education teachers By empowering paraeducators with the skills and credentials necessary to support students with disabilities effectively the college is helping get more qualified teachers in classrooms around the state “We are pleased to offer this program at Alma College Peggy Yates for her work in seeing it through,” Blackhurst said “Paraeducators who are already working with students with disabilities are well suited to help fill these critical roles but they need degree options that fit into their lives That’s where Alma College comes in—removing barriers to provide a pathway for paraeducators to achieve their goal of teacher licensure.” Yates led development the program based on her collaborative research and publication “Alma’s commitment to financial support through the Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher Scholarship addresses a significant barrier that often hinders program completion,” Yates said “This generosity toward supporting future special education teachers holds the potential to make a profound positive impact on students with disabilities across the state of Michigan.” Alma College provides a streamlined pathway for paraeducators to become special education teachers through a four-year program that includes student teaching students will begin selected courses at Mid Michigan College supplemented by a career development course through Alma College financial assistance through Michigan Reconnect may be available to cover Year 1 costs “This partnership is representative of our commitment to collaboration and addressing Michigan’s ongoing shortage of special education teachers,” Smith said “By empowering paraeducators with the skills and credentials necessary to support students with disabilities both organizations are dedicated to helping get more qualified teachers in classrooms around the state.” In June 2026, eligible students will begin Alma College’s Mild to Moderate Disabilities major the first stand-alone special education teacher licensure program in Michigan approved by the Michigan Department of Education This program allows future educators to focus exclusively on special education earning endorsements in learning disabilities and to complete other graduation requirements in the final three years of the timeline Paraeducators will continue to work full time completing clinical hours required for the program while on the job Students will receive ongoing one-on-one guidance from Alma College faculty for the entire four years including assistance with planning the selected classes in the first year To accommodate the schedules of working paraeducators the program offers year-round evening and weekend courses Students need only to attend one weekend of in-person class per semester on Alma College’s campus Completers of the Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher program who maintain a 3.0 GPA can choose to continue their education through an accelerated Master of Arts in Special Education For more information on the Alma College Paraeducator to Special Education Teacher Program, visit alma.edu/para-to-pro or call (989) 463-7139 in Haywood County to the late Rufus Reece and the late Genevieve Corn Reece Alma had resided in Buncombe County before returning to Clyde to make her home within the last year She had been employed as a nursing supervisor with Biltmore Manor in Asheville Her commitment to caring for others was truly an example of her giving and caring heart and always striving to provide wonderful care for those who needed her Alma attended God’s Filling Station Church in Asheville where she was greatly loved and will be deeply missed by her church family She faithfully read and studied her Bible and she was also a Prayer Warrior always offering her prayers and support to others Something that Alma often enjoyed was consignment shopping and finding unique treasures She also cherished her time with her family and friends and her sweet presence in all their lives was a source of love A beautiful and precious memory for her devoted husband to hold dear in his heart forever is that Alma left this earthly home on their 58th  wedding anniversary Their last words shared of “I love you and I will see you later” will never be forgotten We rejoice knowing that Alma is in her glorious home in heaven on this day and we will all be reunited with her again Left to cherish her memory are her devoted husband Sharon Ramsey and Dennis of Clyde; her son Williams and Crystal of Rutherfordton; two sisters A graveside funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm Tuesday Pastor Steve Brockwell will be officiating Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service is deeply honored to be caring for the Williams family