Finally Champs: CMU volleyball wins first-ever MAC championship

Central Michigan freshman outside hitter Kelly Maxwell celebrates with teammates after winning the first Mid-American Conference championship Nov. 20 in Geneva, Ohio.

CMU middle blocker Kaitlyn Schultz prepares to serve the match point against No. 1 Northern Illinois.

Broom ball, at midnight

Broomball players in action at the Isabella County Events Arena. Teams, including Central Michigan student organizations, like Program Board member Mathew Perry (bottom photo, center) meet up once a week to play. Games often play until 3 a.m.

To hell with shoes

Shoes hanging off power lines in Island Park.

You Lucky Duck

Gabby Moutsatson, 6, waits for the ducks to be dumped into the Chippewa River. A group of students from a class at CMU, RPL 430: Planning Recreation Programs and Events, ran the Lucky Ducky Derby at Island Park last week to benefit the Mount Pleasant Public Schools Education Foundation. About 300 ducks were entered in the derby.

Dumping the ducks.

Aundrail Griffin Jr., 7, shows concern of his duck's whereabouts after watching a group of ducks float towards the riverbank.

The ducks were sorted and given back to people who wanted them as a keepsake.

Zachary Feger, 5, rests on a hillside while waiting to get his duck back.

Central Michigan Life senior reporter Mike Nichols talks with a Lucky Ducky Derby participant. Videographer Tyler Besh records the interview.

Crayons and watercolor, elementary art finds its stage

Artwork posted by mid-Michigan K-6 elementary students is on display at the Art Reach Center, 111 E. Broadway St. in downtown Mount Pleasant. The artwork was included in the 2012 Art Reach calendar.

Sent to cover dancing, then becoming the dancer

My friend Jamie Favazza, left, receives dancing lessons Friday from instructor Judi Swartz as the other instructor, Janet Reed, looks on at the Off-Broadway Performing Arts Studio. Jamie was sent to cover a story for Central Michigan Life about people learning ballroom dancing, but nobody showed up, so they taught her instead! Haha

The warm window

Looking into Gray's Furniture in downtown Mount Pleasant, Thursday.

Halloween on CMU, Part I

Grand Rapids sophomore Zach Mitchell tells a story to a group of students during the Legends of the Dark tour Thursday night near the Health Professions building.

Violins and fiddles, the tools of bluegrass

Jon Cotton, owner of the Kaya Coffee & Tea Company, plays bluegrass music on a cello Tuesday night on his coffee shop's stage. Other instrumentalists played violin, guitar and fiddle. They played from 7 p.m. to about 10. The band's timeslot is marked every other Tuesday on Kaya's calendar, as "Old Time Jam."

Dave Leonard prepares his violin for an upcoming bluegrass song.

Bruce Bauman on the violin.

Dan Bracken on the guitar.

Bruce Gartner on the violin, left.

Sledge-hammering cars: a young homecoming tradition

Charlie Farnum, director of Wesley at CMU, a Christian church, stands atop a car during Wesley at CMU's Car Bash event Friday. The church organization sponsored the event. The car was painted an Eastern Michigan University green, whom CMU played in its homecoming football game.

Kendall Farnum, Charlie's wife, walks towards the car to take her swings Friday in the Wesley at CMU parking lot.

Rochester freshman Alex Boyd takes a swing at the steering column of the car Friday.

Momence senior Luke Sokoloff swings at the roof of the car Friday. "I've never hit a car before," he said. "So, I decided to do it."

Music notes echo in quiet halls

Andy Wade, a musician, practices on the xylophone in the Music Building on the Central Michigan University campus. As Mr. Wade practiced his scales, he held the sticks and said, "I'm not that good yet."

A town's legacy quietly dismantled

The former mill of Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. in Ontonagon has been steadily dismantled since the summer. The mill was Ontonagon's largest employer until it closed Dec. 31, 2009.

Thousands of people worked in the mill since it was built in 1921. It produced corrugated medium for cardboard boxes.

A man working with a cutting torch loses his helmet in a gust of wind.

Making a skatement

Scotty Lucia, a 13-year old from Farwell, skateboards Sunday afternoon in the Island Park skate park in Mount Pleasant.

The open mic scene

The Kaya Coffee & Tea Co. on a September evening. Ontonagon freshman Emily Shiner performs inside with a guitar during Kaya’s weekly Wednesday night Open Mic.

Crop Walk against hunger

Central Michigan University president George Ross talks to a crowd before the Crop Walk on Sunday afternoon in Island Park in Mount Pleasant. The event allowed participants to walk one or three miles. At least $19,252 hast been raised statewide to battle hunger, including $3,850 from CMU students.

Fall doesn't start without Applefest

Sandy Metiva paints Kayleigh Thompson's face during the 24th annual Applefest on Oct. 1 near Mount Pleasant.

Kids play on the log jam course during the 24th annual Applefest on Oct. 1 near Mount Pleasant.

Nancy Nerbonne, of Mount Pleasant, picks through mini pumpkins and gourds at the 24th annual Applefest on Oct. 1 near Mount Pleasant.

Kids play on hay bales and in playhouses at the 24th annual Applefest on Saturday near Mount Pleasant.

Walker Owen, 5, poses in the left cutout as his brother Wyatt, 8, poses in the right one for their father Scott Owen (behind fencepost), who took photo of them during the 24th annual Applefest near Mount Pleasant.