By Kathryn Lynch-Morin
Bay City Times
STANDISH — About 350 people attended a candlelight vigil Monday at Resurrection of the Lord Catholic Church in Standish to pray for a meeting between local leaders who are committed to saving the prison and Gov. Jennifer Granholm who announced earlier this month that the prison would close later this year.
Standish City Manager Michael J. Moran III attended the vigil and said he is still optimistic that Gov. Jennifer Granholm will meet with city and state officials to discuss the closing of the prison.
“Hopefully we can give her enough reason to reconsider her executive order,” Moran said. “If not, we feel that we have other options we can discuss with her.”
He said the mood at the vigil was different than that of the rally that took place at the same church June 12.
“It was more of a formalized religious experience in a way,” Moran said.
The Rev. James Fitzpatrick organized the vigil as well as a petition that collected nearly 8,000 signatures and the rally to try and urge Granholm to change her mind about closing the prison, Standish’s largest employer.
Copyright 2009 Bay City Times