Jeff Knurek became only the second artist to create cartoons for the Jumble puzzle as seen in newspapers throughout the world. Jeff took over in March for Henri Arnold who had been drawing the cartoon for 47 years. Puzzle players might notice the occasional Michigan “M” thrown in the art as well as a winged helmet or two. The Jumble puzzle is in over 600 newspapers. This is in addition to his Word RoundUp puzzle in USA Today and the Boggle BrainBusters puzzle in other papers, surely makes Jeff one of the most syndicated puzzle creators in the world. Also to note, that last year (07) Jeff donated a kidney to a family member with Polycystic Kidney Disease at the University of Michigan Transplant Center. Both are doing great.

On June 9, 2008 Priscilla Ruth MacDougall,’70 was honored with 30 other feminist attorneys who, between l963 and l975 worked to change the antiquated laws against women. Ms. MacDougall was noted for her work in naming rights, including the right of women to name themselves, and their children on an equal basis as men. See www.lawyers.vetfems.org

Anmarie Currier, now Anmarie Mabbutt, lives in San Francisco with her husband and their two children. She has been working as a tennis instructor in Golden Gate Park since 1995. She has just released her first children’s book, “Tim takes a Tumble.” Published by Xlibris, available October 2008. It is the first in a series of books designed to encourage kids to get out and play and enjoy their local parks.

For all books purchased directly from the author, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the USTA Serves Foundation and The San Francisco Parks Trust. For more info, go to anmariemabbutt.com.

Robert (Bob) W. Powell has rejoined the firm Dickinson Wright PLLC as a member of its Appellate practice in the firm’s Detroit office. Mr. Powell, who previously was with Dickinson Wright for 17 years, spent the last nine years as an in-house attorney at Ford Motor Company. While at Ford, Mr. Powell was responsible for most of Ford’s product and general litigation appeals, managed product and non-product class actions and consulted on legal issues at trial. Mr. Powell has briefed and argued scores of appeals throughout the country for Ford and other clients, and written numerous amicus briefs on behalf of business and defense organizations.

Mr. Powell received his B.S. in Economics from the University of Delaware in 1977 and his J.D. from the University of Michigan in 1980. Mr. Powell clerked for the Honorable Wendell Miles in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan before joining Dickinson Wright in 1982. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1970-1974.

Glenn Robertelli, of Intelligen, makers of ViewGuard Brand products, has been named a finalist in Entrepreneur magazine’s 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year awards presented by The UPS Store. Glenn Robertelli launched to the top five in his category for passionately fueling America’s economy and positively impacting his industry, community, employees, and customers.

Sally DeBolt Ketchum’s middle reader, BREAD GARDEN (September 2008), is a multi-cultural novel built on Bloom’s Taxonomy (higher level thinking skills). Its protagonist is called Dogleash since his friends cannot pronounce Dalgliesh, his noble Scottish name. BREAD GARDEN’s themes are self-esteem, justice, and stewardship of the environment.

Betty Anne Gruschow Stone, BS in Design ’54, is completing her second year as president of Keep Michigan Beautiful, Inc. KMB is a state wide organization, created in 1961 by Governor John B. Swainson, which coordinates many community, government and garden groups in efforts to stop litter, to improve and sustain environmental quality and to beautify Michigan. KMB annually recognizes nominated programs from all over the state with its Award Program. Betty has been cochairman of the Award Committee for over ten years and would welcome anyone interested in KMB or its awards to visit www.KeepMichiganBeautiful.org.

Betty’s husband, Jerald D. Stone, BA Arch ’54, is a former president of KMB and is presently president of the Keep Michigan Beautiful Foundation.

Both are retired; Betty from Parish Publications and Jerry from the City of Lathrup Village, MI where he was City Administrator for 35 years. They have three adult children (one a Michigan grad, two went to the other school), and four grandchildren. Betty and Jerry are active in many civic and social groups and have enjoyed extensive travel through the years.

John Howard Wilson, (PBK, University of Michigan, 1983), planned, organized and directed the second Evelyn Waugh Conference, “Waugh in His World,” from 21 to 24 May 2008 at the Harry Ransom Center, the University of Texas at Austin. Waugh scholars and enthusiasts from Australia, Japan, France, Canada, England, and the USA were in attendance. Academic papers were presented, followed by lively discussions and a tour of Waugh’s library. The conference concluded with a festive dinner with Alexander Waugh, noted author and grandson of Evelyn Waugh, as the keynote speaker.

John Howard Wilson is associate professor of English at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania and the editor of Evelyn Waugh Newsletter and Studies. He is also the author of Evelyn Waugh, A Literary Biography, 1903-1924 and Evelyn Waugh: A Literary Biography, 1924-1966, and he has published essays in Biography and Midwest Quarterly. John was educated at the University of Michigan, where he received a BA in history, an MA in English, and a PhD in English Language and Literature. He has taught at the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Dakota Wesleyan University, and Koka Women’s College in Kyoto, Japan.

I returned to my hometown of Pittsburgh to start Equita [www.shopequita.com], a socially and environmentally conscious business, with my husband and my sister.
Equita specializes in design-conscious green, Fair Trade and sweatshop-free essentials for the body and home. We hand-select each item to make sure it adheres to our criteria of good design, functionality, and social and environmental responsibility.
We recently launched our blog, www.shopequita.com/blog-nitty_gritty, so stop by and join in the dialogue.