Charlotte man arrested in fatal scooter hit-and-run
BLACKMAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Jordan Morey, 35, of Charlotte has been arrested in a hit-and-run crash that killed a man riding an electric scooter on Rosehill Road, authorities said. Eric Estey, 58, of Jackson was riding west near Videto Lane…
September construction wrap-up: Albion streets show progress
By MAGGIE LANOUE Contributing Writer September ended with some of Albion’s heavily traveled construction areas beginning to look more like roads again, although plenty of work remains. At Austin Avenue and North Eaton Street, much of North Eaton is now…
Jackson County traffic crashes produced fewer fatalities in 2025
By Ken Wyatt Jackson County’s 2025 traffic crash statistics are out, and they offer both good and not-so-good news. If you value life and limb, here’s the best news from a complex assortment of statistics: There were 15 traffic fatalities…
‘Basically wide open’: Big Albion Plan work exposes 1860s block
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer A familiar stretch of downtown between the Bohm Theatre and Albion’s Coca-Cola mural is changing almost daily. Construction fencing lines the Superior Street sidewalk, while large specialized demolition equipment works behind buildings that date to…
Mike’s Musings: The cruelest part of the jury duty scam
A very good friend of mine was recently reduced to tears by a stranger on the phone. The caller claimed she was in trouble over jury duty and demanded that she show up with cash (credit card payments were not…
HISTORICAL NOTEBOOK: ALBION HIGH SCHOOL FIELD HOUSE 100 YEARS OLD
By Frank Passic Did you know that Albion High School once had its own fieldhouse for its athletic teams? In fact, that structure is still standing and is 100 years old this year! Let me explain. Our story goes back…
Jackson City Council advances street projects, bans virtual currency kiosks
JACKSON, Mich. — The Jackson City Council unanimously advanced four street reconstruction projects Tuesday, approved a ban on virtual currency kiosks and moved several housing and development proposals forward during a meeting dominated by infrastructure, recovery services and concerns about…
‘She just worked so hard’: Albion dedicates Vera Simpson Way
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer Cars lined both sides of Jefferson Street as family members, friends, city officials, pastors and others who worked alongside Vera Simpson gathered to dedicate three signs honoring a woman whose vision helped transform part of…
Despite rain delays Festival of the Forks a success
By SYLVIA BENAVIDEZ Contributing Writer Thunder and lightning couldn’t stop Albion’s 59th Festival of the Forks on Saturday; the weather just delayed the day’s festivities a bit. Conditions on Friday couldn’t have been more different, with sunny skies overhead for…
Questions, adjustments keep Albion projects moving
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Plans changed, questions led to second looks, and persistence paid off in several different ways at Monday’s Albion City Council meeting. Council approved several agenda items Monday, while other questions were left for staff or…
Mike’s Musings: Mr. President, Make a Decision Before Gas Prices Climb Even Higher
Americans are once again feeling the pain every time they pull into a gas station.The national average for regular gasoline has climbed to about $4.48 a gallon, compared with $3.18 a year ago. Diesel has reached a record $6.51 a…
Jackson Keeps Flock Cameras as Crime and Privacy Debate Continues
By MAURICE IMHOFF Contributing Writer The City of Jackson will continue using Flock Safety license plate reader cameras after City Council approved federal funding for the system earlier this month. Council voted 5 to 2 Sept. 8 to accept and…
Homecomers: What makes Albion home?
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer Festival of the Forks has always been partly about coming home. People who grew up in Albion return to see family and old friends. Classmates reunite. People who moved hundreds of miles away walk Superior…
Mike’s Musings: Why Good People No Longer Want to Serve in Local Government
Local government may be the most important level of government—and the one most people understand the least.Township trustees, village council members, county commissioners, school board members and local clerks make decisions that directly affect our daily lives. They maintain roads,…
Lankton brings ‘Motor City Boomer’ home to Jackson
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer JACKSON — Before Larry Lankton began talking about the cars of his childhood at Ella Sharp Museum, some of the people who shared that childhood were already gathering. Bill Crossley, who lived next door to…
The EHD deer menace: Reports pouring in from Jackson County
By Ken Wyatt Next month, Michigan motorists enter that time of year when car-deer accidents soar in Jackson County, leaving many roads littered with carcasses. But while October is still weeks away, deer are reportedly dying in significant numbers –…
College property, buried dump among Albion council agenda items
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer Labor Day had passed and Albion was moving from summer activities toward the Festival of the Forks when City Council gathered Tuesday, Sept. 8, a day later than usual because of the holiday. Among the…
Mike’s Musings: When Michigan’s big newspapers abandon print, local weeklies matter more
Another chapter in Michigan newspaper history is about to close.MLive Media Group recently announced that it will stop printing and delivering eight newspapers after Dec. 6. The affected publications are The Grand Rapids Press, Kalamazoo Gazette, Jackson Citizen Patriot, Flint…
One of Albion’s Finest Laid to Rest
For more than 60 years, Carol deNicola quietly shaped the heart of Albion By JILL KINGSLEY HINDE Special to The Recorder The measure of a person’s life is often not found in titles or awards, but in the number of…
Bright Walls Lion Roars Again in Downtown Jackson
By MAURICE IMHOFFContributing Writer Seven years later, the lion is roaring again in downtown Jackson. Artist Emily Ding recently returned to Jackson to restore her popular Lion & Mouse mural at Jackson School of the Arts, originally painted during the…
