Mike’s Musings: National debt crisis- here’s one lawmakers solution
Readers of this column know I have been an avid proponent of balancing the federal budget. Our leaders simply refuse to turn off the money spending spigot, i.e., one has to only listen to the two presidential candidates and their…
Mike’s Musings: The day Santa was booed
I would like to thank the dozens of readers that commented on my Bicycle Hippie finds sobriety column from last week. It certainly was a change of pace from my ranting and raving about government overreach, so much so I’m…
City council hears BlueOval on target for starting 2026 production and hiring despite rocky road to construction
by Sylvia Benavidez During Monday’s Sept. 16 City Council meeting, Mayor Victoria Snyder welcomed Stephanie Fries, Ford government affairs representative by acknowledging that Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park has been contributing to the community and dealing with challenges over the last…
Albion College’s Annual Albion Community Day cleans up city and builds relationships
By Sylvia Benavidez Cleaning up the city before the Festival of the Forks has been a tradition in Albion. When former Mayor Dave Atchison was in office, he held a mayor sponsored Community Clean-up Day and college students played a…
Napoleon win Rivalry Jug for fourth consecutive year
by Jeff Steers Contributing Writer The Jug will stay at Napoleon High School following a rivalry win over Columbia Central last Friday. Napoleon claimed the Jug – which the winner posts the score on – with a 22-13 win over…
Looking Out: Shelling peanuts
by Jim Whitehouse Peanuts. They are delicious. I like peanuts. A couple of weeks ago, I invited some friends over for a spur-of-the moment bonfire gathering around our firepit. I put a great deal of effort into the party. My…
Mike’s Musings: The bicycle hippie who overcame addiction
I was riding my bicycle last Saturday (yes, the same bike I fell and broke my hip from a year ago) when I was about 8 miles from home, and I heard a loud splat. I knew immediately my bsck…
Looking Out: The last tomato
by Jim Whitehouse Tomatoes. Wonderful things are tomatoes. Every spring when I plant tomatoes in our garden, I anticipate eating one of those sun warmed beauties picked right off the plant and scoffing at the memory of the rock-hard flavorless…
Historical Notebook: When Douglass Houghton Traveled Through Albion
In celebration of our “Festival of the Forks,” coming up this next weekend, we go way back to the beginning of Albion’s history. Tenney Peabody (1792-1856) was the first white settler at “the Forks” of the Kalamazoo River. In March,…
9/11 Memorial at Cascades Falls
On the evening of Sept. 11, Cascade Falls in Jackson, Michigan, provided a solemn backdrop for a memorial honoring the victims and first responders of the 9/11 attacks. Organized by the Jackson, MI Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the event brought…
Mike’s Musings: Problems galore, but Congress takes six weeks off
Welcome back Congress, I hope you enjoyed your six-week vacation. That’s right while two wars commanding our attention, an economy that is not well, and a border that is actually borderless, our elected leaders took six weeks off.Of course they…
Obituary: Robert “Bob” Arlee Holt
Robert “Bob” Arlee Holt, age 106, of Albion, Michigan, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. He was born April 30, 1918, in New Bloomfield, Missouri to Myrtle and Neillie (Logan) Holt. He was raised on a farm with a…
Obituary: Jeffrey Scott Boyd
Jeffrey Scott Boyd of Jonesville, Michigan passed away on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, at the age of 40 years. Jeff is survived by his father, Otto Boyd; his loving soulmate, Angela Walker; his two beautiful children, Logan Scott Boyd and…
Mike’s Musings: Stories that tickle your funny bone
Once in a while, when I have no other topic that peeks my interest, I like to scan stories I find interesting in other media. Here’s what my latest look see from stories I found to be odd, but interesting.Headline-…
Walking the Beat in Albion
Festival raises money for instruments and lessons for children By KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writer Walk The Beat Albion 2024 was held on Saturday Aug. 24. The event featured 18 bands at nine different locations competing to win a professional recording…
Albion Farmer’s Market ends a little early this season, public notices a little too late
By Sylvia Benavidez From May to September on Wednesdays, Albion’s Farmer’s Market vendors in Stoffer Plaza offer the local community fresh produce and an opportunity to mingle with neighbors or visitors, but this year season will be cut a little…
A JSO ‘Salute to America’ … and small towns
(or Jackson Symphony’s ‘Salute to America’ and small-town delights) By Ken Wyatt Jackson Symphony Orchestra has officially launched its 75th concert season. It took place, however, not in its traditional Potter Center venue in Summit Township, but last weekend on…
Jackson Superintendent Pressured to Resign
Jackson, MI — After mistakenly sending a text message to the wrong recipient, Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Beal is facing significant pressure to resign. The controversy has reignited longstanding tensions within the district and began when Beal mistakenly sent a…
Obituary: Arminda G. Lerma
Arminda G. Lerma, age 90, of Albion passed away at her home under the loving care of her family on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. She was born on July 7, 1934, in Calabos, Texas. The eldest of 10 children born…
Obituary: Robert Michael Mulkey
Robert Michael Mulkey, age 71, of Albion, passed away Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born in Dana, Kentucky on March 28, 1953, the son of Delzie and Dolores (Thacker) Mulkey and they precede him…
