Third suspect in Anthony Owens murder captured in West Virginia
By KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writer Dion Jamel Flowers Jr., wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of Anthony Owens on Lincoln Court in Jackson has been apprehended by U.S. Marshals after nearly 10 months on the run. “Following a multi-month…
Judge Thomas Wilson retires from bench
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer Hon. Thomas Wilson, a judge in the 4th Circuit Court, Jackson County retired Feb. 27 according to Chief Administrative Judge Susan B. Jordan. Wilson is facing a Judicial Tenure Commission formal complaint (FC 110), filed…
Albion man found hiding in a camper after fleeing from ADPS
By KARA DECHALK Contributing Writer Demetrich Hall, a 44-year-old Albion man was arrested Sunday after fleeing from officers and hiding in a camper at a residence on Erie Street in Albion. Just after 10 a.m. Sunday, an Albion Department of…
Hanover Road Bridge: Winter, Progress, Completion
By Ken Wyatt While most residents were huddled in warm places during this bitterly cold winter, workers on the Hanover Road Bridge project have been making steady progress. A visit to the site made clear that completion is well within…
From demolition to new homes: Land Bank projects reshape parts of Albion and Homer
By Maggie LaNoue, contributing writer The Calhoun County Land Bank Authority outlined plans at its Feb. 26 meeting that affect both Albion and the Village of Homer, including the demolition of a fire-damaged downtown building, stabilization of another historic structure…
Millions in Infrastructure Work Move Forward Alongside Downtown Redevelopment
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer Nearly $8 million in federally and state-supported infrastructure projects, along with approval of a major downtown redevelopment plan, moved forward Monday night as Albion’s elected officials worked through a full and at times complex agenda.…
Mike’s Musings: Opinion: It’s Time to Ban Cell Phones From Classrooms
Walk into almost any classroom in America today and you’ll see a familiar sight: heads tilted down, thumbs scrolling, students half-present as glowing screens command their attention. Teachers often joke that they’re competing with a device designed by some of…
Jackson teen dies in wrong-way crash on US-127
By Elizabeth Ferszt And Kathryn Palon Contributing Writers A Jackson teenager was killed in a wrong-way crash on US-127 last Thursday. The teenager, identified as 16-year-old Rickie Pickens, was a passenger in the car traveling the wrong way. Pickens was…
Man pleads no-contest to murder of child
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer A 43-year-old Jackson County man, Donald Flack, pled no contest to second degree murder charges in connection to the death of a 15-month-old Jackson County child in 2022. According to a press release from Prosecuting…
Jackson Collaborative Network presentation gives demographic data about Jackson County
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer Sheri Butters, manager of the Jackson Collaborative Network, gave a presentation at the Feb. 24 Jackson City Council meeting that highlighted some sobering data about the demographics, health, and wealth of both the city and…
Albion Invites Public Input on Roads, Redevelopment, and City Planning
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Albion residents will have several opportunities in the coming week to learn more about planned road work, infrastructure projects, and redevelopment proposals, and to share questions and input with city leadership. The first opportunity will…
Stronger Together: Black Work, Business, and Belonging in Albion
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Albion’s Black history is often told through landmark events and institutions, but it is also a story shaped by work — by the jobs people came north for, the industries that sustained families, and the…
Albion Art Center Current Multi-cultural Display runs to March 13; so much more than a labor of love
by Sylvia Benavidez The Albion Art Center is rapidly becoming a place where Albion’s cultural influences and history are preserved, celebrated, taught, and displayed. Mary Slater, president of the Albion Arts Commission, shared in an interview how community teamwork is…
Age and Practice: On the craft of learning to grow old
By Ken Wyatt “Acceptance of one’s life has nothing to do with resignation; it does not mean running away from the struggle. On the contrary, it means accepting it as it comes, with all the handicaps of heredity, of suffering,…
Mike’s Musings: A Moment Worth the Wait — Why the U.S. Hockey Gold Feels So Good
Sometimes a sports moment turns into something bigger than a medal — it becomes a balm for a weary national psyche, a reminder of resilience, pride and unbridled joy. That’s exactly what happened when Team USA’s men’s hockey team edged…
Council Advances Development Projects as Public Weighs in on City Manager
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer The Albion City Council meeting on Tuesday evening drew a higher level of public engagement than in recent months, with about 20 residents attending to offer respectful yet pointed comments on the proposed city manager…
Swains Lake sewer update: Is a whole-lake solution in the works?
By KEN WYATT Contributing Writer Pulaski Township took a step forward in the Swains Lake Sewer Project at this month’s board meeting. After a report from Alan Smaka, project engineer, the board voted to authorize application to the U.S. Agriculture…
Albion Scouts celebrate 110 years with packed anniversary dinner by the river
By Maggie LaNoue, contributing writer A full house filled the American Legion hall overlooking the Kalamazoo River Monday night as Scouts BSA Troop 158 marked its 110th birthday with a community celebration, Court of Honor, and recognition of youth and…
Albion City Council Approves Contract With Returning City Manager Sheryl Theriot
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing writer The Albion City Council voted Tuesday, Feb. 17, to approve a contract with Dr. Sheryl L. Theriot as city manager, bringing back a familiar leader as the city faces major redevelopment projects and ongoing challenges…
Mike’s Musings: Congressional net worth keeps riding and nothing is being done about it
For years, the public has watched members of Congress enter office with modest wealth and leave as millionaires. Lately there has been a lot of talk about Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s net worth soaring from o to $30,000,000 while holding office…
