Recently A Plus Electric completed work on its role for new construction at Mag-tec.  Located on Research Drive in Jackson, Mag-tec has a 25-year history offering full-service die casting in magnesium, aluminum, and zinc. Their customers are global and diverse, serving industries like auto, medical, consumer and agriculture.

The new construction will provide the 36 employees with state-of-the-art offices and new locker facilities for the manufacturing area.

Employees and clients will notice that gone are the humming fluorescent tubes, ballasts, starters–and their glare.  In their place, A Plus Electric installed and wired new easier-on-the-eye, highly-efficient LED ceiling fixtures.  Motion sensors will minimize power needs.  A Plus also wired for the high-tech needs of data and internet.

Below are photos taken during construction.

It’s not surprising Mag-tec would go forward with a project like this.  They are a company driven by innovation and are on the cutting edge with advanced die casting process control.  Because of their breakthrough processes, Mag-tec can offer low volume prototype or replacement parts and can scale up to higher production runs.

Well known for their excellent work, R.W. Mercer is the general contractor for the construction.

The kitchen is not just another room.  The kitchen is central to how people experience and enjoy their homes.  It’s not unusual for A Plus Electric to hear from someone who wants to accent their kitchen with just the right lighting.  Recently, A Plus Electric’s Carl Evanson suggested LED lights to someone on that quest. The customer liked the idea, and gave the go-ahead. The technician installed LED tape.  It’s called “tape” because the lights are attached with a double-sided 3M product that hold the lights firmly in place against most any surface.

From the first moment, it was clear the lights performed admirably in creating the desired accenting under the counter and toe-kick.  That heightened the look and feel of the kitchen, just as the customer had hoped.

The lights are controlled by a switch mounted on the wall.  And there is a bit of magic in how the cabinet lights operate.  The A Plus technician installed a motion-sensor so the cabinet lights illuminate when the cabinet is opened.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory that includes several Michigan counties and Jackson County.  At 3:08 pm today, they predicted “southerly sustained winds around 35 mph, veering west this evening.  Wind gusts will reach 50 to 55 mph this evening.  The highest wind gusts are expected between 6 and 10 pm.”  For the latest forecast for our area, click here.

Consumers Energy adds “This activity, along with the potential for light freezing rain…could result in power outages. Consumers Energy is monitoring the weather closely, mobilizing resources and making other preparations to quickly respond to any service interruptions.”  The number one cause of power outages are trees or their limbs falling on power infrastructure.  This can also affect cable and Internet service.

For preparation for what to do before, during, and after a storm, CE encourages you to visit their outage center for helpful tips.  At this location, you can view an outage map, report an outage, and sign up for power restoration updates.

A heavy duty storm roared through last night and left its mark.  A significant number of Consumers Energy customers are without power.  Some Comcast customers are also missing internet and cable service.

You can view areas currently without power by going to Consumers Energy’s outage map.

If you spot a downed power line, it could pose danger.  It may still be live.  A downed live power line is capable of electrifying the area surrounding it for a considerable distance.  In a Consumers Energy online message, you should stay at least 25 feet from it. Read about it here.

What an important observance!  If it were not for our service members, our country and the world would be very different.  From heroic action in wars to ensuring peace at times when no battles rage, those in the military deserve our thanks.

Today there are 21-million veterans in the United States.  We salute them, and indeed, it’s a time to say “thank you for your service!”

Photo from Clark Lake’s Memorial Day Parade

A measure of a community’s vitality and strength is the degree to which it supports its institutions.  This area is fortunate to have an institution as accomplished as the Jackson Symphony Orchestra.  It takes much more than the price of tickets to maintain and grow an orchestra of this caliber.  The good news?  Community support for it is wide and deep.

Recently at the JSO’s season opener, Matthew Aubin, music director designate, stepped before the large audience assembled at the Potter Center. He turned to his musicians and with a wave of the baton, a drum roll filled the hall that commenced an inspiring rendition of our National Anthem.  All in the audience stood.

Perhaps this sign of respect for our country also symbolizes the support for community institutions like the JSO.   Carl Evanson, and A Plus Electric, are proud to be part of the JSO’s annual giving program.  Another fine local company, Kelly Fuels, sponsored this inaugural performance–and A Plus Electric underwrote the After Glow event that followed it.

Many out of town businesses operate ethically in our community.  But it is locally owned businesses, like A Plus Electric, that not only provide service to customers and paychecks to employees, but also provide essential financial and moral backing for important local institutions.  And strong local institutions strengthen our community.

Carl Evanson and his team like people to know A Plus Electric is all about great service.  And today, Saturday, October 15th, Carl and his wife, Abby, served in another setting–Beerfest, a fundraiser for the Clark Lake Spirit Trail. Carl and Abby were among the “pourers” for those who came to sample some of the 60 craft beers.  The afternoon was made complete with music.  Kung Fu Diesel, a well-known local band with a strong following, provided accompaniment as samplers went from table to table.

Below is your sample of this October Saturday afternoon at Clark Lake’s Eagle Point.

Carl Evanson believes in supporting community projects. In addition to Carl and Abby volunteering their efforts at Beerfest, A Plus Electric was also a sponsor.

The Clark Lake Spirit Trail is a 7.5 mile path around the lake, and is available to runners, walkers and cyclists.  Those on the Trail get to experience an engaging variety of scenes including the lake, wooded areas, and friendly neighborhoods. There is also a wide range of surfaces.  Without fundraisers and donations it would be impossible to keep this community gem in top condition.  Volunteers handle most chores, but major rebuilds, improvements and extensions require funding.

Consumers Energy is installing new gas and electric meters in Jackson County.  According to CE’s Kathryn Burkholder, “We’re ahead of schedule.”   “Because of problems in Flint, meters are available for Jackson County now.”  Originally, this update was to take place in 2017.

The CE website says you should receive a series of notifications that new meters will be installed at your house.  However, not everyone has received those notices.

The new meters will send a text message between midnight and 3 am to CE each day.  The text message will tell CE how much gas and electric you used during the previous day.  That information should be available to customers through Consumers’ website as well.  “This ends the need for estimated bills,” comments Kathryn Burkholder. “You should always know where your usage stands.”

There is more information on the Consumers Energy smart energy page.

A Plus Electric’s Carl Evanson believes in supporting the community.  Not just because he, his family, and team work and live in it, but because it benefits many others–and improves the whole community.

One of Carl’s favorite community endeavors is the Clark Lake Spirit Trail.  This path enables walkers, runners, and cyclists to circumnavigate the 71/2 miles around the lake.  It presents users with a remarkable variety of visuals while they travel on several different surfaces.

The Spirit Trail only exists because of grass root community support.  Volunteers handle much of the maintenance, but major construction and upkeep projects must draw on financial resources from donations and fundraisers.

Carl would like you to know about an upcoming event that benefits the Spirit Trail and offers plenty of fun–Beerfest.  This year’s annual gathering will take place at the Pointe Bar and Grill on Eagle Point, Clark Lake.  If you attend,  you can sample a wide variety of craft beers.  In all, there will be sixty of them. Success of the event depends on the people who attend and the support of businesses who purchase pouring tables.  Carl Evanson and his wife will be at one of the pouring tables, ready to offer you a sample.  They also hope you’ll stop long enough to say hello and chat.

Below are some scenes from last year’s event.

Beerfest features live entertainment for this event, on Saturday, October 15, noon to 4 pm.  You can purchase tickets in advance for a $25 donation by clicking here, or at the door for $30.

Read more about the Clark Lake Spirit Trail by clicking here.

 

If you know someone who is struggling to find a career or weighing decisions on schooling, Carl Evanson’s comments during an interview with the Brooklyn Exponent could help. Below, Carl expands on those thoughts:

Growing up, I wondered what kind of work I should do, just like many others. I ended up going to college, but the degree in marketing did not turn out to be the core of my future work. It was not the college classes, but my summer vacation job that awakened me to the satisfaction of working with my hands, problem solving, and performing worthwhile services for others. My summer job helping an electrician convinced me that life in a cube farm was not for me.

When asked for career advice, I repeat the advice given me by my dad “consider the trades.”  Take my line of work–electrician.  There will always be a need for it.  No Silicon Valley miracle will replace the electrical wiring in your house, the hands-on effort it takes to supply power to air conditioning or installing lighting in the ceiling.  When you solve a problem, you walk away with a smile on your face. Life in a suit isn’t for everyone.

After 10 years of growth, A Plus Electric now employs 15 people and services 55-6o jobs per week on average. I’m proud of the accomplishments of our expert team who are part of this great ride.  For me, it’s still the hands-on approach that I feel is satisfying, and I think it is for them, too.

It’s true that some people will want to start their own business.  That was my passion.  I’m all about helping others if that’s their dream.  But that, also, is not for everyone.

I’ve learned schooling is about preparing you for the work you want to do. By focusing on this, you can avoid wasted years, lost earning power, and the burden of student debt.  I suspect you could steer clear of a lot of heartache by determining your goal first; and second, the path to get there.

Life is more rewarding when you are fulfilling your hopes and aspirations.  I feel particularly good whenever I help someone find their career or help them build on what they have accomplished so far.  And I’ll be forever grateful to my dad who helped me find my niche when he said “trades were an option.” For me, it turned out he was right!

The Exponent’s John Hummer conducted the interview upon which this is based.  To read the interview in the Exponent, click here for the larger print version, or click here for the original image as seen in the newspaper.

A falling branch severed a Consumers Energy power line on Eagle Point Road this morning (Tuesday 10/4/16).  Several customers were affected.

Consumers crews reacted quickly, and power was restored by 10 am.

Downed wires pose a hazard. You may not know if the line is dead or alive.  A live line can be dangerous, and it’s a good idea to maintain considerable distance.

You can see the burn marks on the branch.

Looking closer, you can see splatter marks from the wire.

 

A Plus Electric is playing a key role in the construction of the new Jones Tennis Complex at Spring Arbor University.

This first-class facility features eight courts constructed of post-tensioned concrete, more durable than asphalt in our climate. Some courts are lighted, and that’s where A Plus Electric comes in.  The A Plus team pulled out the old electrical, wired the new light poles and changing facility. With an eye on energy conservation, they installed occupancy sensors and timers to control the lights.  Connectivity was also a goal.  The A Plus crew wired for Wi-Fi and laid conduit for fiber, another element that makes this a state-of-the-art facility.