News
Officers perform rescue on frozen lake in subzero temperatures
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer Jackson County Sheriff’s officers and Michigan State Police troopers braved subzero temperatures and unstable ice to save a person in crisis early Saturday. JSO officers responded to an emergency call Jan. 25 at about 6:30…
Frederick Noakes charged in fire that injured two last week in Jackson
By ELIZABETH FERSZT and KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writers Frederick Lewis Noakes, 43, was arraigned Jan. 23 in the courtroom of Magistrate Christopher Dickerson on felony charges related to a Jan. 21 fire that injured two other men. According to a…
Council approves ordinance tightening oversight of adult-use marihuana grow facilities
Albion City Council approved updates to the city’s adult-use marihuana ordinance Jan. 20, following discussion and a first reading earlier in the month. The ordinance clarifies municipal licensing requirements and expands the city’s authority to inspect and enforce compliance at…
Homicide victim found on Jackson’s east side
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer Michael Mishaw of Jackson is the victim of the second homicide of the year in the City of Jackson. He was found dead in a parking lot on the city’s east side. According to a…
Deer culling to take place this weekend in Jackson
By ELIZABETH FERSZT and KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writers A deer culling originally set to take place in Jackson, Jan. 16-18 has been rescheduled for this weekend. According to information posted on the City of Jackson’s website, the city, “in partnership…
Hearty Chili and Strong Roots: Albion Community Gardens Brings Neighbors Together
On a frigid January evening, while winter weather disrupted travel across much of the country, the warmth inside St. James Episcopal Church told a different story. Nearly 100 people, including volunteers, gathered for the Albion Community Gardens annual Chili Dinner…
Cass Street Vote Advances Broader 2026 Construction Plan
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Albion City Council voted Jan. 20 to approve a Michigan Department of Transportation contract for improvements on West Cass Street, advancing a project that has been in planning for several years and helping define the…
Permit for new massage establishment in TR recommended for approval Beebe: Talks may be coming of lessening burden for prospective massage businesses
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — A new massage establishment could soon be on the way to Three Rivers, and could, unrelated to its application, spark new conversations about the requirements for such businesses to come into the city.On…
Multi-step process led to Sturgis Public Schools bond proposal
By Dennis Volkert On Jan. 12, Sturgis Board of Education approved a bond election resolution, by a 7-0 vote. Proposal details were approved by the board in November.The proposal is scheduled to appear on the May 5 election ballot. If approved…
Sand sentenced to 5-15 years for sexual assault of minors
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — A prison sentence was handed down Friday to a former food service worker at Mendon Junior/Senior High School accused of sexually assaulting minors.Kaitlyn Sand was sentenced by Judge Paul Stutesman in St. Joseph County…
Deep freeze blankets Clare County
By Genine Hopkins The past week has seen record breaking cold temperatures for Northern Michigan, including Clare County, including temperatures well below freezing. The only consolation is there was little wind. Accuweather’s readings by the early morning hours of Friday,…
FAS BOE updates property, approves contract for Carncross
By Genine Hopkins Farwell Area Schools (FAS) Board of Education (BOE) held a Special Meeting on Monday, January 19th. Below are some of the items discussed.The FAS BOE voted to approve contracts for both Carrie Carncross as the Interim Superintendent…
Jon’s Country Burgers, Mount Pleasant’s drive-in diner, has closed
By Christopher Johnson After serving the Mount Pleasant community for nearly a century, it is with a heavy heart that Jon’s Country Burgers has announced an end to 69 years of service.On the diner’s Facebook, last Wednesday’s announcement reads, “Due…
New curbside recycling schedule begins immediately in Sturgis
There has been some confusion about dates for curbside recycling in Sturgis, city manager Andrew Kuk said. The new contract is structured for collection every two weeks for each residence, instead of twice-monthly, as had been the case since the…
Snow day
There’s no day like a snow day. Local students and others had plenty of opportunity to bundle up and head into an Arctic outdoors last week. Where’s global warming when we need it? (Photo by Scott Sullivan)
Saugatuck pub crawl calls heat up
By Scott SullivanEditorIt looks like another banner year for banners advertising pub crawls hung under Saugatuck’s iconic pallet sign at Lake Street and Blue Star HighwayCity council Monday approved requests from the Red Horse Center inviting all to the Saugatuck…
Otsego to host Anne Frank exhibit starting Feb. 2
Otsego will host Anne Frank: A History for Today, a traveling, museum-quality exhibit that presents the history of the Holocaust through the life and perspective of Anne Frank and her family.The 32-panel exhibit opens Feb. 2 and will be on…
City of Otsego advises residents not to run water for freeze concerns
Officials from the City of Otsego say they are not advising residents not to run their water at this time in response to cold weather and freezing concerns related to the city’s water system.According to the City, staff have been…
Winter weather leads to weeklong school closures in Otsego, Plainwell
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Snow days are often the stuff of student (and some teacher) daydreams—a hopeful glance out the window, a phone refresh before sunrise, and the quiet thrill of seeing school canceled.Last week, those hopes became reality in…
Harsh winter weather grips Allegan and Van Buren Counties
By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher A prolonged stretch of winter weather brought snow, extreme cold, and hazardous travel conditions to Allegan and Van Buren Counties over the past week, disrupting daily routines and prompting multiple school closings as districts prioritized safety.The active weather…
