By JOHN EBY
Dowagiac Daily News

Guest speaker for Dowagiac’s fourth annual Arbor Day celebration Friday, April 30, will be Geoffrey D. Cripe, a land protection specialist for the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy in Portage.

Cripe and his fiancee attended the planning meeting Tuesday evening at the Wounded Minnow where it was also confirmed that the Dowagiac rock band CSBS will be performing live outside City Hall.

Planning for Arbor Day, which will be observed at 4:30 p.m., is being overseen by A-1 Expert Tree Service, represented March 30 by Dan Williams and his secretary, Kimberly Pomeroy.

Also attending the planning session were Michigan State University Extension Youth Educator Jessica Poulsen, Cass County Conservation District Executive Director Amy Druskovich, Charles Goodrich of the Michigan Nature Association, Scoutmaster Shirley Larson and Second Ward Councilman Bob Schuur and his wife, Donna, of Town and Country Garden Club. Mayor Donald D. Lyons proclaimed that in memory of Ed Darr, who died March 7 at 82, “This Arbor Day and all Arbor Days thereafter will be dedicated in his name on behalf of the citizens of the City of Dowagiac.”