I graduated from Berrien Springs High School in '80. I lived in Baroda. The nuke plant is in Bridgeman straight west down Shawnee Road (?..it's been a long time) from where my folks lived . We moved to the area in my Freshman year of HS from just over the border in Indiana.
My mom used to work in the Ace Hardware there in Bridgeman. My dad was an engineer at Heath Company in St. Joseph. I used to work at Neuchterlein's Camera store in St. Joseph. And the Hardings market there in Baroda before that. These are my old stomping grounds! Oh boy, I miss the place.
Well, I've never been there but I HAVE been to Allegan, MI. And I built several HeathKits back in the 70's. (Oh, man, we are REALLY going back now...)
I'll be there for two weeks, starting, maybe, as soon as the week after next! And after that, I'll be back for as many as three or four more weeks by the end of the year.
I flew over the area at 31,000 feet (well, maybe not QUITE at that altitude since we would still be climbing at that point) on Tuesday as I flew from Midway to Cleveland.
It was SO COOL, as I flew along right over Coldwater, Quincy, Jonesville - all towns I grew up in. Once we got east of Jonesville, I could look out and see Jonesville, the old farm I grew up on, etc. I'd never flown over so high, I could see from home all the way past Jackson and Marshall. That is, I could see out the window about all four places I lived in 40 years at one glance. (Jonesville, Moscow, Litchfield and Jackson).
I'd flown over before, when taking lessons in the 80's, but that was only up to 4500 feet - you can't see four counties from that altitude, but you can from 31,000 feet.