Albion Recorder & Morning Star

Local pastor Lee Hampton to receive 2025 MLK Medal of Service Award

Local pastor Lee Hampton to receive 2025 MLK Medal of Service Award

Editorial StaffJan 17, 20254 min read

2025 Celebration set for Jan. 18 Jackson College announced that the winner of the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Service Award will be Lee Hampton, a local pastor and past educational administrator. Hampton serves as senior pastor…

Our EDC Board Chairman has issued the following statement today:

Our EDC Board Chairman has issued the following statement today:

Editorial StaffJan 17, 20251 min read

Ammerman Resigns from Albion EDC The resignation of Virgie Ammerman was confirmed by a statement issued on Thursday by EDC Board Chariman Jerome Harvey. The Statement read: “The Albion Eco­nomic Development Board has accepted the resignation of Virgie Ammerman as…

Mike’s Musings: Is insurance claim worth chopping your feet off?

Mike’s Musings: Is insurance claim worth chopping your feet off?

Editorial StaffJan 15, 20253 min read

In the midst of all the drama many of us experience I thought I’d write about an unusual story, actually better words would be strange and bizarre, that comes from the Ozarks in Missouri.Here’s the setup:A man wanted to cash…

Guernsey becomes first female lead prosecutor in Jackson County

Editorial StaffJan 10, 20253 min read

By Jeff Steers Contributing Writer New Jackson County Lead Prosecutor Kelsey Guernsey did something interesting before Circuit Court Judge John McBain officially signed her to the position. Guernsey asked people in the audience to stand up if they were part…

Columbia Central has solid week in girls basketball

Editorial StaffJan 10, 20254 min read

by Jeff Steers Contributing Writer The Columbia Central High School girls basketball team won three games last week. The Golden Eagles defeated Ann Arbor Pioneer, Concord, and Napoleon. Here are scores from area teams. Columbia Central 56, Ann Arbor Pioneer…

Cooper Street in Downtown Jackson closing for bridge replacement

Editorial StaffJan 10, 20251 min read

The Michigan Department of Transportation is closing the Cooper Street bridge over the Grand River in Downtown Jackson starting Monday, Jan. 13. MDOT is fully replacing the street’s deteriorating bridge and outdated water main. According to an MDOT press release,…

Light agenda at city council meeting includes further discussion on EDC budget

Editorial StaffJan 10, 20253 min read

At Monday’s meeting, Albion City Council again tabled the discussion on the request of the Albion Economic Development Corporation to transfer $150,000 from the TIFA (tax increment finance authority) fund into the EDC budget. The reason for this request is…

Looking Out: An alarming story

Editorial StaffJan 10, 20253 min read

by Jim Whitehouse “Ringggggggg” sounds my roommate Otter’s alarm clock. We are sophomores in college. Otter sets his alarm clock for very early each morning. I lift my head from my pillow and see him slap the snooze button on…

Obituary: Vennie Ree (Gibson) Williams

Obituary: Vennie Ree (Gibson) Williams

Editorial StaffJan 10, 20252 min read

Vennie Ree (Gibson) Williams, born on March 3, 1933, in Chester, Georgia, peacefully departedthis life on Dec. 25, 2024, at her residence in Greensboro, North Carolina, surrounded byher loving family. She was the cherished daughter of the late Ammie Lee…

Obituary: James Leland Manthei

Obituary: James Leland Manthei

Editorial StaffJan 10, 20252 min read

James Leland Manthei, age 89, of Albion, Michigan passed on Jan. 2, 2025. He was born July 01, 1935, in Parma, Michigan to Paul and Thelma (Hubbel) Manthei. Jim was a quiet man that loved wood working, building furniture, collecting…

Community Table of Albion helps fight food insecurity

Editorial StaffJan 10, 20253 min read

The Community Table of Albion had their last food pantry distribution of 2024 on Friday, Dec. 20. Operated by the Albion Health Care Alliance, CTA is the largest food distribution program in Eastern Calhoun County. In 2024 CTA held 35…

Mike’s Musings: Congress should not ban TikTok

Mike’s Musings: Congress should not ban TikTok

Editorial StaffJan 8, 20253 min read

There has been a new push in Congress to out right ban or heavily regulate TikTok. I’m neither a user nor am I fan of social media in general. However, to ban or heavily regulate the most popular social media…

Northwest wrestling wins Addison Team Invitational

Northwest wrestling wins Addison Team Invitational

Editorial StaffJan 3, 20252 min read

Northwest High School went 5-0 at the Fred Boss Memorial Wrestling Tournament at Addison Saturday. The Mounties defeated Hillsdale 46-36 in the final to earn the title. Here are results from area wrestling events last week. Fred Boss Memorial at…

Looking Out: Snowdays

Editorial StaffJan 3, 20253 min read

by Jim Whitehouse My 4 grandchildren live in southern Florida. The first time my oldest, Ruby, visited us in Michigan in the winter, soon after she had learned to talk, she climbed out of the car in the driveway, felt…

Marshall Opportunity High School hosts holiday celebration and awards presentation

Marshall Opportunity High School hosts holiday celebration and awards presentation

Editorial StaffJan 3, 20253 min read

Marshall Opportunity High School hosted their annual holiday celebration Wednesday, Dec. 18. Students and guests were treated to a soulful holiday meal prepared by MOHS staff. The cafeteria was decorated by members of the MOHS student council who also helped…

There’s NO place like HOME

There’s NO place like HOME

Editorial StaffJan 3, 20252 min read

By Octavia Crawford Turner Special to The Recorder Mary Kurtz is a successful recording artist and an Internet Influencer. In November, Kurtz came from Georgia where she currently resides to Michigan to introduce and drop her new single called “OKAY.”…

Main Street Hanover: ‘Bombshell’ of a book exchange

Main Street Hanover: ‘Bombshell’ of a book exchange

Editorial StaffJan 3, 20253 min read

By Ken Wyatt It isn’t every town that would close down Main Street traffic in mid-day to please local librarians. Count Hanover among that municipal fraternity. For about half an hour on Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 18, students of the Hanover-Horton…

Over a half-dozen Albion establishments open for New Year’s Eve celebrations

Over a half-dozen Albion establishments open for New Year’s Eve celebrations

Editorial StaffJan 3, 20257 min read

The number of choices in Albion for New Year’s Eve celebrations shows that businesses are ready to grow with the city. There were over a half dozen places open to greet the new year. Many business owners and guests shared…

Mike’s Musings: Dose of DOGE needed to curb government spending

Mike’s Musings: Dose of DOGE needed to curb government spending

Editorial StaffDec 31, 20243 min read

Maybe DOGE has a good thing going. DOGE, the acronym for Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, has been charged with eliminating waste and inefficiency at the federal government level.I have been a…

Albion resident Orlando Billingsley sentenced to 40-60 years for murder of Battle Creek resident Stanley Wilson

Albion resident Orlando Billingsley sentenced to 40-60 years for murder of Battle Creek resident Stanley Wilson

Editorial StaffDec 27, 20243 min read

By Sylvia Benavidez A murder that rocked the Albion Community last spring and the resulting police investigation concluded Friday, Dec. 20. Judge Sarah Lincoln of the 37th Judicial Circuit Court sentenced 46-year-old Orlando Capado Billingsley, Albion, to 40-60 years in…