Today finishing touches were taking place on the Beach Bar’s new Gear Garage, across the street from the restaurant, between Ocean Beach Road and the Clark Lake shoreline.  The new building will feature Beach Bar and Clark Lake memorabilia, ice cream for the kids, and ice for the raft ride.

The construction went forward under the watchful eye of M-R Builder’s Mike McKay.  A Plus Electric’s Carl Evanson says “we’re proud to be the electrical contractor and to become part of this new building.  Like the Beach Bar, it will become an icon on the shores of Clark Lake.”  People from all over visit the Beach Bar, and now they will be greeted by this eye pleasing structure as well.  “Congratulations to John Collins and his team–A Plus Electric wishes you well!”

As finishing touches took place, the Beach Bar team was stocking shelves. This view, below, is from Ocean Beach Road.

Construction in this case required demolition of the old building.  To view a three minute video of this taking place, please click here.  Before that process began, A Plus Electric was on the scene to install temporary power.

As construction progressed, A Plus Electric was often on the scene.

 

A Plus Electric believes in supporting local communities, and does so regularly in different ways.  Carl Evanson comments “it’s where we work and live.  In the local economy we depend on each other to grow and prosper.”

Recently A Plus Electric became a sponsor of Clark Lake Spirit–the website of the Clark Lake Spirit Foundation, a non-profit group that does important work locally.  Experience has shown the website has regional impact, according to Google Analytics.  “That’s similar to A Plus Electric,” says Carl.  “We’re headquartered at Clark Lake, but our business takes us well beyond Jackson County.”

To read Clark Lake Spirit’s welcome to the A Plus Electric sponsorship, please click here.

Consumers Energy keeps a watch on weather, especially storm forecasts that could lead to power outages.  They report “Several rounds of thunderstorms, some of them strong to severe, are expected across portions of Michigan beginning early Wednesday through Thursday morning. Some of these storms may include winds in excess of 50 mph and could result in power outages, downed wires and other safety hazards.”

Consumers completed restoration from the last storm Monday afternoon.  They comment “Personnel are getting sufficient rest while we are restocking our mobile storm units and essential materials. The Company is making other preparations to quickly respond to any service interruptions.”

The National Weather Service’s hazardous weather outlook acknowledges that trouble could be on the way:

“There is a chance of thunderstorms early Wednesday morning, some of these storms could have gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall.  Thunderstorms are expected to be ongoing during the mid morning hours. These storms will likely not be severe but may have wind gusts over 40 mph, half inch hail and locally heavy rainfall. There is significant risk for severe thunderstorms Wednesday
afternoon into the early evening. Damaging winds, large hail, isolated tornadoes, and locally heavy rainfall are all possible with these storms. At this point any location in Southwest Michigan would have that threat.

Headlining this report are these counties: Mason-Lake-Osceola-Clare-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Isabella-Muskegon-Montcalm-Gratiot-Ottawa-Kent-Ionia-Clinton-Allegan-Barry-Eaton-Ingham-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun-Jackson.  Get updated weather by clicking here, and scrolling down.

Consumers Energy’s website has helpful information for what to do before, during and after a storm.  Click here to check out their outage center.  At this location, customers also can visit the online outage map, report an outage and sign up to receive power restoration updates.

As always the A Plus Electric Storm Team is ready to go into action if you need them.  If damage occurs, click here to learn what is the customer’s responsibility and what is CE’s.  The A Plus Electric phone number is easy to remember (517) 529-0000.  If  you have a smartphone, click “emergency” for a quick connection.

The severe storm that blew through last night left 130,000 customers of Consumers Energy without service. Crews are at work, but not all customers may see service restored until Sunday.  “We have been working to restore customers since Thursday evening when the storms first hit northern Michigan,” said Guy Packard, the company’s vice president of electric operations. “Additional storms early Friday across western and central Michigan have us working around the clock to restore power.”

CE offers an outage map that shows areas without power.

Find a complete, updated map by clicking here.

Consumers Energy offers this advice:

• Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines. Call 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050 to report downed wires.
• Operating a generator may produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement or near any air intakes, and never fuel a generator when it is running.
• Be alert to crews working along roads and “slow down and go around.” Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear then safely pass workers on roadsides.
• Customers can sign up to get outage alerts and restoration times sent to a phone, email or text message, Text ‘REG’ to 232273 or visit: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/alerts . Customers can also report an outage, check the status of an outage and get useful tips what to do before, during and after a storm by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter.

 

As always, A Plus Electric is standing by to help.  If there is storm damage, this information can help you learn what is the responsibility of Consumers Energy or whether you will need an electrician for repairs.  If you have damage, call now for quick service.  Because so many are affected, waiting may cause delay.

You can reach A Plus Electric 24/7 at this number: (517) 529-0000.  If you have a smartphone, simply click the emergency button on this website and it will connect you to your friends at A Plus.

 

The July 4th celebration centers on family, friends and fireworks.  It marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence on this date in 1776.  The words are inspirational. Part of it reads:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Would you like to read the entire document?  You can by clicking here.

Your friends at A Plus Electric wish you and yours a safe and happy Fourth!

Fireworks photos were taken last year at Clark Lake by Diane Deming.

Carl Evanson is A Plus Electric’s master electrician.  Over the last 11 years, Carl built the company from small beginnings–he was the first and only employee for a while.  That has changed over the years, and today A Plus Electric thrives with 13 electricians in the field and a full office staff in the building at Hyde and Jefferson Roads.

Recently, the area’s premier newspaper, The Exponent, sought out Carl’s expertise on questions people have about electrical issues.  The piece is entitled “Ask an Electrician.”  And here it is! (scroll down for an easy to read text-only version).

TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 • THE EXPONENT • PAGE B7

People often have questions about electrical issues. We sent our Bill Lauterbach to A Plus Electric to get some answers.

By Bill Lauterbach

When you first look at the owner’s business card from A Plus Electric, you do not see the words “owner,” or even “general manager.” You see “Carl Evan son – Master Electrician.” Those words are printed with a two-fold purpose. First, it demonstrates that his business is about being the best electrical contractor for your budget. Secondly and most importantly, says Evanson, A Plus Electric is a team. If you ask Evanson what makes his electrician business stand out from all of the other area electricians, he

quickly responds that they make every possible effort to give same day service. “We attempt to be the ‘day-of’service. Our goal since day one has been to be the day-of; if not, then the day-after. Most of our competitors book a week or two out. We try to leave a person open. (Sometimes) I’m paying somebody just to sit there.” In fact, competitors know this and will often let their callers know that since they are unable to help that day, A+ Electric has someone available.

During our conversation, much of the topic revolved around the March 8, 2017 windstorm. One question we had: who is responsible for what when it comes to a downed power line to your home? From the stand-off insulators (“knobs”) that are attached to your house, and the wiring that goes into your house from those “knob” insulators, the home owner is responsible.

Consumers Energy then brings the wire from the utility pole to the “knobs” and reattaches the line. “What typically happens, a tree comes down, it pulls the service line(s) down on the ground, knobs and all. People wait a day and they call Consumer’s Energy because they still have power. It’s lying on the ground and they have power and they are fine. Consumer’s Energy arrives on Friday at 4 p.m. and they cut those wires (at the knobs) even if they are lying on the ground, and they turn around and say ‘Call an electrician.’” That’s where A Plus Electric comes into the picture and attempts to be there ASAP, so home owners are not stuck all weekend without electricity.

Another subject initiated from the March windstorm; the purchase and use of enerators. A Plus Electric sells and permanently installs Generac propane generators. Typically, they will power your home for up to three days, depending on how much electricity you are using. By the time you pay for an entire home generator system and its installation plus the installation and fill of a 500 gallon propane tank, the cost is around $7,000.

Is it more economical than purchasing one or two portable generators? That depends. Evanson says “When you say ‘economical,’ how much does it cost when you go to Florida and your pipes freeze and you come home to a flooded home? Or, he asks, should an elderly man or woman drag a two wheeled portable generator through two feet of snow when the power goes out?  Evanson continues “For $7,000, you can buy peace of mind. When day one (of an outage) hits, everybody’s fine; day two, there is a little bit of a panic; day three, they haven’t showered in three days, they’ve lost all of their food and their house is either really hot or really cold. By that third day, money is no object.”

Another issue in our discussion revolved around the do-it-yourselfer, which describes many of us. At what point does a job become too dangerous for a do-it yourselfer? Evanson says “A lot of people can make something work. But usually they never make it work right. So they get it to a state of operation, where it does perform. But when it comes time to sell your home, and the home inspector comes and says ‘This isn’t right,’ and on the last day you live there, we come in and everything is done correctly; everything is done safe. We also get calls from wives who say ‘Please don’t let my husband do this – I don’t want him on a ladder or he doesn’t know what he’s doing. So please come when he leaves for work and please be gone before he comes home.’”

What does it take to become a career electrician? The correct route, according to Evanson, is working in an apprenticeship position with an electrical contractor for four years, combined with vocational college. “Teaming up with a contractor first gets you real world experience, it gets you paid, and the contractor will usually pay for your vocational schooling – Jackson College or Saginaw Valley come to mind.”

Our final topic, and something everyone has experienced, was what to do when the power in our home goes out. Evanson’s response: “Call the utility company, because it’s free. Whenever a customer calls me and says ‘I have no power,’ I tell them to please call the utility company. There is no cost associated with it. If you want to do it yourself, shut off all circuit breakers and then shut off the main breaker. Turn the main breaker back on, and one by one, turn on each circuit breaker.” At this point, Evanson makes an interesting analogy: circuit breakers need to be occasionally “exercised” just like our elbows. If we kept our elbows in locked positions for years, it would be pretty hard to move them after all that time. This can often be a problem with circuit breakers. They simply get stuck and don’t display that they have been tripped.

From general contracting work, home generator installations, to replacing a light socket, call the team at A Plus Electric; 517-529-0000. Check out their website at apluselectricpro.com. And while you are on their website, download the free app that lets you contact them for immediate emergency service.

For more about Carl Evanson, and A Plus Electric, please click here.  To learn about the Exponent, please click here.

Consumers Energy advises “Strong to possibly severe thunderstorms are expected across portions of lower Michigan during Thursday afternoon and into early Friday, with winds gusting up to 55 mph. This active weather pattern 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.”

Consumers Energy outage center provides helpful tips for what to do before, during and after a storm.  At www.consumersenergy.com/outagecenter, you can also visit the outage map, report an outage and sign up to receive power restoration updates.

The National Weather Service forecasts a slight risk of severe weather, and notes “the main threat is for damaging winds. The potential will be limited but is greatest this evening as a line of storms moves in from the northwest with the storms slowly weakening as they move southeast at about 30 mph overnight.”  Their hazardous weather statement specifies these counties: Mason-Lake-Osceola-Clare-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Isabella-Muskegon-Montcalm-Gratiot-Ottawa-Kent-Ionia-Clinton-Allegan-Barry-Eaton-Ingham-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun-Jackson.

As always, A Plus Electric is standing by to help.  If there is storm damage, this information can help you learn what is the responsibility of Consumers Energy or whether you will need an electrician for repairs.

You can reach A Plus Electric 24/7 at this number: (517) 529-0000.  If you have a smartphone, simply click the emergency button on this website and it will connect you to your friends at A Plus.

The National Weather Service has indicated severe weather could be on the way:

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
349 AM EDT Wed Jun 14 2017

St Joseph to South Haven MI-South Haven to Holland MI-Holland to Grand Haven MI-Grand Haven to Whitehall MI-Whitehall to Pentwater MI-Pentwater to Manistee MI-Mason-Lake-Osceola-Clare-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Isabella-Muskegon-Montcalm-Gratiot-Ottawa-Kent-Ionia-Clinton-Allegan-Barry-Eaton-Ingham-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun-Jackson

Today and Tonight

A slight risk for severe thunderstorms exists for the region mainly for tonight. Damaging winds and large hail are the primary risks. Frequent lightning and localized very heavy rainfall could
accompany the stronger storms. Urban and poor drainage flooding is possible.

Thursday through Tuesday

Scattered thunderstorms are possible Thursday into Friday.

We will need to monitor the potential storm system that is
forecast over the weekend. Impacts are possible from this
system. An elevated risk for hazardous marine conditions and
perhaps severe thunderstorms exists.

Consumers Energy is also watching the situation.

Strong to possibly severe thunderstorms are expected across portions of lower Michigan late Wednesday and into early Thursday morning, with winds gusting up to 60 mph. This active weather pattern 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.

For help to prepare for what to do before, during and after a storm, visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. At this location, you can visit the online outage map, report an outage and sign up to receive power restoration updates.

A Plus Electric is standing by if you need help.  Call (517) 529-2000.  You can dial direct from your smartphone when you push the emergency button on this website.

 

A large tree branch crashed to the ground this morning, but not before striking a utility pole.  The impact caused a major short and immediately power went down for a few customers at Clark Lake along Eagle Point Road. Once Consumers Energy began work, it was necessary to take down power for a much larger area. Power was restored in the noon hour.  For some, the outage lasted over 4 hours; for others, not as long.  But nonetheless, whenever the power goes out, it’s inconvenient.

When the branch crashed loudly to the ground, the effect was immediate.  One neighbor reported a bright flash, along with the noise.  The branch’s contact with the utility pole left the structure to mangled.

Once the a tree trimmer cleared the area, restorative work began.

Voltage at the pole is 4,800 volts.  From there, it is stepped down so it can be routed through your house via the electrical panel.

Consumers Energy is responsible from the pole to your house. Once the line enters the mast, repair becomes the responsibility of the homeowner.  For more information on this, please click here.  Consumers Energy outage provides lots of helpful information.  Click here to view more.

A Plus Electric is always standing by, ready to help.  Call (517) 529-0000 anytime, day or night.  You can dial direct by clicking the emergency button with smartphone from this website.

Those who enjoy Clark Lake are watching progress of the construction of a new building between Ocean Beach Road and the shoreline.  Replacing an old storage building, the new Beach Bar Gear Garage is located across from the Beach Bar.  The Gear Garage will feature Beach Bar branded favorites like hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and towels.  It will also serve as a convenience for those who moor their boats at the Beach Bar Marina.   Items like coolers, ice, bait, and outboard engine oil are expected to be available.  And there will be treats like hand-dipped ice cream.  The new building will house rest room facilities and showers for those at the marina.

M-R Builders is the general contractor, and the project is proceeding under the watchful eye of Mike McKay.  Their work is well known in the Clark Lake area.  M-R Builder is responsible for over 100 homes either built or upgraded along Clark Lake’s shoreline alone.

A Plus Electric is responsible for the electrical work and has been attentive to needs from before the groundbreaking.  A Plus Electric’s Carl Evanson comments “we’re proud to be part of what will become a new landmark at Clark Lake.

To view video of the demolition of the previous structure, please click here.   You may also be interested in these links to M-R Builder and the Beach Bar.

Introducing new generations to the meaning of Memorial Day is an American tradition.  It’s important that kids understand the sacrifice made by those in our military.  We find ways to teach them that we are forever in the debt of the men and women who secured the safety and security of our country, and gave all in doing so.

Yesterday was an opportunity to help kids learn about Memorial Day.  At Clark Lake’s “biggest, little parade,” kids are invited to decorate bikes, or themselves, and be part of the procession.  Along with many other families, A Plus Electric’s Carl Evanson and wife, Abby, brought their kids to the parade.

Remembering our fallen heroes is essential to a child’s well-rounded education.  To learn more about this event at this small, close-knit community, please click here.