Obituary: Ruth Ann Fankhauser

Obituary: Ruth Ann Fankhauser

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20222 min read

FANKHAUSER, Ruth Ann – of Birch Run, age 82, entered into the presence of her Lord and Savior on January 4, 2022. Funeral Services will be held at 12PM Friday, January 7, 2022, at Fellowship Baptist Church. Pastor Darrel Manning…

Obituary: James Alexander Johnson

Obituary: James Alexander Johnson

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20223 min read

James Alexander Johnson, 96, died on April 19, 2022 in Lansing, MI, following a brief illness. Jim was born on January 9, 1926 in Mount Pleasant, MI, the eldest son of Mark Andrew and Verna Charlotte (Hensley) Johnson of Cadillac, and…

Obituary: Genevieve Mae Kruger

Obituary: Genevieve Mae Kruger

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20223 min read

KRUGER, GENEVIEVE MAE “JENNY”, age 95, of Rosebush, passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at Rosebush Manor.Funeral Services for Genevieve will be held on Monday, April 18, 2022, at 12 p.m. at Clark Family Funeral Chapel with Pastor Tim Bateman…

Farwell softball sweeps Chip Hills

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20222 min read

By Ben MurphySports Writer The Farwell softball team was able to pick up a pair of early season non-conference wins on Thursday, April 14. The Lady Eagles, hosting Chippewa Hills rolled to 15-5 (five innings) and 6-4 victories.In game one,…

Harrison woman dies in Tuesday crash

Harrison woman dies in Tuesday crash

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20221 min read

By Pat MaurerCorrespondent A 94-year-old Harrison woman, Annabel Matthews died in a single vehicle accident on Clare Avenue Tuesday morning.A release from the Clare County Sheriff’s Office said Central Dispatch received the 911 call reporting a crash on Clare Avenue…

High speed chase sends two to hospital

High speed chase sends two to hospital

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20222 min read

By Pat MaurerCorrespondent A high-speed motorcycle chase through Clare and north on Old US-27 led to a crash that sent the rider, and a passenger in the vehicle he hit, to the hospital last Friday afternoon.Clare Police Chief Dave Saad…

Marion boys claim victory in first WMD jamboree

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20223 min read

by Ben MurphySports Writer There is of course plenty of work to be done, but the Marion boys’ track and field team had a big win at the first West Michigan ‘D’ League meet at Big Rapids Crossroads on Wednesday.…

Postcard from the Pines: Is Spring ever going to be Sprung?

Postcard from the Pines: Is Spring ever going to be Sprung?

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20223 min read

We’ve got some green grass here and there and the maples are definitely showing signs of wanting to pop. The daffodils range from budded to barely blades, migratory birds are returning in droves and as usual we all want more.…

Pat’s Bits and Pieces: Activities gear up even when the weather doesn’t

Pat’s Bits and Pieces: Activities gear up even when the weather doesn’t

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20224 min read

That’s it, I am not going to talk about spring anymore.That way maybe it really will finally, actually, arrive.Well maybe I will amend that “not talking about spring” to “after this week.”It snowed again (Monday) and despite the fact that…

Farwell woman dies in Surrey Township crash

Farwell woman dies in Surrey Township crash

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20222 min read

By Pat MaurerCorrespondent A two-vehicle crash on M-115 near Harding Avenue last Friday claimed the life of a Clare woman.A release from the Clare County Sheriff’s Office said Central Dispatch received the 911 call around 6:56 p.m. April 15 reporting…

Motorcycle rear ends school bus

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20221 min read

By Pat MaurerCorrespondentA Harrison school bus that had stopped for a tree in the road last Thursday was hit from behind by a motorcycle.A release from the Clare County Sheriff’s Office said the school bus was eastbound on Townline Road…

Grimm named Marions’ Outstanding Educator

Grimm named Marions’ Outstanding Educator

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20222 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent MARION – At the school board meeting of Marion Public Schools on Tuesday there was an official recognition of the Outstanding Person in Education.Heather Deighton, Sixth grade teacher for Marion and MSEA president, pointed out the Outstanding…

Lee recognized as Friend of Education

Lee recognized as Friend of Education

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20222 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent MARION – At the school board meeting of Marion Public Schools on Tuesday, there was an official recognition of Dan Lee and Farm Bureau Insurance as Friend of Education.Heather Deighton, sixth grade teacher for Marion and MSEA…

Faces in the Crowd: Maggie Southwick

Faces in the Crowd: Maggie Southwick

Editorial StaffApr 25, 20227 min read

Maggie Southwick, an ’04 Lake City grad, takes great pride in knowing that she can help brighten someone’s day.After all, she’s in the flower business.And after what seems like a never-ending winter, who couldn’t use a flower or two?For the…

DeFranco named fulltime township manager

DeFranco named fulltime township manager

Editorial StaffApr 20, 20223 min read

BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR The Saugatuck Township Board, looking for both competence and consistency, hired Daniel DeFranco April 13 as full-time manager for a 3-year contract paying $75,000 per annum. DeFranco, a township resident whose résumé includes a Ph.D. in…

Douglas Blue Star rebuild to begin

Editorial StaffApr 20, 20222 min read

BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR Screw trees budding, flowers blooming and warmth stealing over the land. In spring what road workers’ fancy turns to is asphalt plans reopening. To that end, Douglas plans to button up its $573,378.25 streets renovation project…

Waste collection day to return May 24

Editorial StaffApr 20, 20223 min read

BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR The Tri-Community Recycling Committee will present its second annual Household Hazardous Waste Day collection Tuesday, May 24, at the Saugatuck Department of Public Works building, 3338 Blue Star Hwy., from 3 to 7 p.m. Saugatuck Township…

Lady Rebels crowned regional champions

Editorial StaffApr 20, 20222 min read

By: Katie McElvy Chambers 8, Fort Dale 2The Rebels took to the road to take on the Fort Dale Eagles to start off the week. Chambers got on the board first after Ben Caulfied got to first base on an…

Vision LaFayette hopes to snare Main Street designation

Vision LaFayette hopes to snare Main Street designation

Editorial StaffApr 20, 20221 min read

Vision LaFayette is a group of private citizens and business owners which met this past week at Harmon Insurance to further lay out their plan to ask the state of Alabama for a main street designation. LaFayette has been working…

Sledge sentenced to a year for theft conviction

Editorial StaffApr 20, 20222 min read

Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that former Chambers County deputy district attorney Roland Sledge, 68, has been sentenced to serve 12 months in the county jail. Sledge pleaded guilty on February 25 to theft of property first degree, a Class…