HISTORICAL NOTEBOOK: ALBION WATER WORKS AND CITY JAIL BUILDING
By Frank Passic Happy New Year everyone. It was heartening to learn recently of the establishment of an Albion Arts Center in the old Water Works building at 107 E. Cass St. This historic building has been modernized and…
How a small-town Jackson County farm boy impacted the world
By Ken Wyatt Every small town knows about its forgotten generations. These are the young people small towns raise – but then lose to big cities with jobs and better opportunities. Walter C. “Chris” Heisler was one such small-town product.…
One 12-year-old responds to the work of Friends of Albion’s Animals this holiday season in a big way
By Sylvia Benavidez During the Cookie Walk and Gift Wrapping for the Friends of Albion’s Animals at the Albion District Library, 12-year-old Taylor Weston, Clarence Township, brought $240.00 to the event and handed it over to one of the volunteers.…
Mike’s Musings: When Silence Walks Louder Than Shouting
In a world addicted to outrage, the most radical protest I’ve seen lately involved no slogans, no megaphones, and no demands shouted into the air. It was a line of Buddhist monks walking.I first noticed this on Facebook. The monks…
Mike’s Musings: We Need The Good News of Christmas
I was searching for words that would express an uplifting spirit this Christmas season. Too many of us, my self-included, consider the holiday season to be a distraction rather than a time to rejoice. Well my friend, Glenn Mollette happened…
SAPS presentation highlights local leadership and lifesaving prevention work
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Substance Abuse Prevention Services (SAPS) delivered an uplifting and personal presentation at the Dec. 1 Albion City Council meeting, offering a clear look at how youth leadership and prevention programs are growing in Albion and…
SAPS presentation highlights local leadership; lifesaving prevention work
By MAGGIE LANOUE Contributing Writer Substance Abuse Prevention Services delivered an uplifting and personal presentation at the Dec. 1 Albion City Council meeting, offering a clear look at how youth leadership and prevention programs are growing in Albion and across…
Poleski reports on jury duty and jail funding
By KEN WYATT Contributing Writer JacksonCounty Commissioner Earl Poleski had two items for his monthly report on county news of interest to the townships in his area. There has been some improvement in the percentage of citizens showing up for…
Jackson councilmember responds to parking concerns
By KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writer Parking laws in Downtown Jackson changed beginning Dec. 1 and there has been flurry of negative comments and confusion. In an attempt to clarify things, Jackson City Councilman Will Forgrave put the following information on…
Concord, Parma and Pulaski to partner on early voting
By KEN WYATT Contributing Writer Since the 2024 presidential election, Michigan voters have been allowed to cast their votes early. From a state website: “The early voting period takes place for a minimum of nine consecutive days, ending on the…
Road repairs, revenue shifts, and tight margins shape Albion’s 2026 budget talks
By MAGGIE LANOUE Contributing Writer Albion’s 2026 budget review began Dec. 1 with a study session. Council members worked through an 80-page draft budget and raised questions about changing revenue patterns, rising infrastructure costs, and the strain of road and…
Smiles and connections light up 2025 Albion Aglow Parade
By SYLVIA BENAVIDEZ Contributing Writer Bundled up parade watchers braved 20 degrees F, while watching the children from Harrington Elementary School lead of this year’s Albion Aglow parade themed The North Pole. The bright lights of the floats revealed plenty…
Mike’s Musings: Why America Needs Controlled Borders, Not Open Ones
The debate over America’s border policies often gets tangled in national politics, angry cable-news segments, and social-media shouting. But beneath all that noise, the issue comes down to something our readers in Allegan, Clare, Van Buren, St. Joseph, Calhoun, Jackson…
Historical Notebook: RAILROAD BUFFER
By Frank Passic This year there was some serious trimming of foliage and small trees on the west side of N. Eaton St. across from Albion’s Michigan Central Railroad depot in the vicinity of an old-style fire hydrant. That…
Albion households are facing a rising need
By MAGGIE LANOUE Contributing Writer Recent discussions about the region’s economic outlook have renewed attention to the needs of many area residents. At last month’s Economic Club luncheon at Albion College, the Upjohn Institute presented a countywide economic forecast showing…
Albion Arts Center gives area artists a home and opens doors just in time for the holidays
By SYLVIA BENAVIDEZ Contributing Writer A historic brick building behind downtown Albion’s iconic Coca Cola sign finds new life as the home of the Albion Arts Center and area artists finally have a permanent place to show their work, sell…
Mike Levine Trail extension in Jackson County
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer If you have noticed the unusual road work being done on Lansing Avenue in Jackson across the freeway, going north to Parnall Rd. – you are not alone. The curved concrete barriers and other hardscaping…
Crowds turn out for Downtown Jackson Christmas Parade
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer Thousands of people crowded Michigan Avenue in Downtown Jackson on Friday Nov. 21 for the annual Christmas Parade. The temperatures remained mild at around 45 degrees; no rain, snow, or winds impacted the festive event.…
Mike’s Musings: Congress works parttime, but receives fulltime pay
Every year, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate release their official calendars, and every year the same disbelief follows: this is how many days our elected lawmakers plan to work?I saw the House of Representatives schedule for next…
Marshall’s Eastend Studio & Gallery’s holiday market attracts artists and buyers.
by Sylvia Benavidez Despite online shopping, Eastend Studio & Gallery Holiday Market continues to have success. Having a holiday market that introduces more than traditional art at Marshall’s Eastend Studio & Gallery may seem counter-intuitive to some, but for Executive…
