Thick wildfire smoke from fires burning in Canada and Minnesota blanketed Michigan on Thursday, prompting state officials to warn residents to limit time outdoors as air quality reached hazardous levels across much of the state. The Michigan Department of Environment,…

Michigan health officials are investigating a cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened 4,312 people statewide, including 102 who reported being hospitalized, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The totals include 167 cases in Jackson County, 145 in…

By KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writer The Hot Air Jubilee opens Friday at Ella Sharp Park as the U.S. Women’s Balloon National Championship continues after a week of competition flights affected at times by heat, haze and rain. The championship began…

By MAGGIE LANOUE Contributing Writer A larger-than-usual audience filled the Albion City Council chambers July 6 to honor longtime community visionary Vera Simpson. Friends, neighbors, and community leaders came to recognize a woman who saw needs in Albion and quietly…

Americans worry about inflation. They worry about the cost of groceries, gasoline, mortgages, and whether Social Security will be there when they retire. Yet the greatest financial threat facing our nation is one that receives surprisingly little attention: the staggering…

By KEN WYATT Contributing Writer With homeowners and utility crews still dealing with Independence Day weekend storm damage, scores of people gathered Wednesday evening for a ceremonial reading. This was no minor text being read. It was the words crafted…

By MAGGIE LANOUE Contributing Writer The public will have an opportunity to see Albion College’s Ludington Center during the Greater Albion Area Career Fair on Thursday, July 16, as community organizations begin working together from their new downtown home. The…

By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer More than 30 people attended Monday’s Albion City Council meeting, where officials addressed long-term challenges facing the city’s water and sewer system, approved the team that will create Albion’s next comprehensive plan, heard details about…

By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer The Fourth of July fireworks show at Cascades Park went off on July 3 as planned, in spite of a severe rain and thunderstorm that had rumbled through the area from about 5-7 p.m. While…

One could argue, America is much more than 250 years ago. In fact America’s beginnings began over 500 years ago.In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed west across an ocean that many Europeans still viewed as the edge of the known world.…

By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer A new seasonal resale shop has opened at 800 S. Superior St., offering affordable household goods, furniture, clothing, toys, gifts and collectibles during Albion’s warmer months. Resale Treasure Chest celebrated its grand opening June 19…

By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Albion residents will soon begin receiving monthly water bills under a new billing system as the city undertakes one of the largest water and sewer infrastructure improvement programs in decades. During a nearly 40-minute presentation…

By Sylvia Benavidez The mood of the crowd for the 21st Marshall Blues Fest in downtown Marshall Saturday was warm and embracing. People were kind and made room for each other’s lawn chairs and cheered on the performers with generous…

By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer Stabilization work is now underway at one of Albion’s historic downtown buildings located at 203 N. Superior St. Known as the BBQ building, it sits between Dickerson Music Co. and Lopez Taco House. At its…

By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Under an extreme heat warning that kept attendance light, the Albion City Council spent more than an hour and a half Monday evening reviewing and refining a list of priorities for City Manager Dr. Sheryl…

This Fourth of July is unlike any other in our nation’s history. As fireworks illuminate the night sky and families gather for parades, picnics, and backyard barbecues, Americans are celebrating something truly remarkable—the 250th birthday of the United States of…

By KEN WYATT Contributing Writer It’s likely the most significant paint job in Concord Village this summer. The 1883 Mann House exterior is being spiffed up for at least two major events this summer – a public reading of the…

By ELIZABETH FERSZT and KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writers Several mayoral and judicial candidates appeared at a Juneteenth political panel discussion held June 18 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, speaking with audience members and the broader community about their…

Western High School golfer Bentley Coon hits a shot during the MHSAA Division 2 state meet earlier in the month. By JEFF STEERS Contributing Writer The Jackson area has always been known as a hotbed for golfing. Based on the…

By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Construction projects, utility upgrades and property developments continue across Albion as city officials work through one of the busiest infrastructure seasons the community has seen in decades. For residents, many of the changes are already…