Carson City-Crystal Area Schools Board of Education members are questioning the timing and cost of a restroom addition to the south pod of Carson City Elementary School. The issue arose at Monday night’s school board meeting. The school board originally approved $150,000 for a small renovation to the elementary school’s south pod. However, Tony Leininger, owner of CARMI Design Group in Edwardsburg which arranged the bidding process, came to the board with bids more than $260,000.

Kelly Frost, from Carson Health’s Maintenance & Security Department in Carson City, recently completed training offered by the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), in Anniston, Ala. The CDP is operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and is the only federally-chartered Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) training facility in the nation.

A historic Carson City farm sustained major damage after someone took a joy ride and attempted to create crop circles in the soybeans. The Montcalm County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crime, which occurred around 3 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 9.

Two local artists will be competing in what is billed as “the world’s largest art competition.” Ken Crouse of Carson City and John Pung of Pewamo will participate in ArtPrize, which will take place Sept. 19-Oct. 7 in Grand Rapids. The event features 1,517 entries at 161 venues this year.

Patrick and Agnes Cusack were married on Sept. 13, 1952.
“My lucky day, the 13th,” Patrick said.
Agnes and Patrick have enjoyed each other’s company for six decades now.
“It goes by awful fast, I just can’t believe it has been 60 years,” Agnes said. “Where does the time go?”

A former bustling produce manufacturing building in the heart of Carson City later became an unavoidable eyesore in town Montcalm County Building Department Director Scott Minard eventually condemned the property at 102 E. Elm St. The Michigan Produce building had also been an apartment complex for a time in the 1970s. Larry Jordan purchased the property for $50 at the Montcalm County no minimum bid foreclosure auction in October 2011. The property had previously failed to sell at the minimum bid auction after being listed for $16,158.11. Jordan, who owns Crystal Family Hair Care with his wife, Norma, lives just east of the property, purchased the building to get rid of it.

The Friends of the Maple River bi-monthly meeting on Sept. 19 will be a wetlands development field tour on a farm in southeast Montcalm County. Donald Cooper, who will soon retire as Montcalm County drain commissioner, has a farm at 11260 South Crystal Road in the Hubbardston area. He has developed and/or restored three separate wetland units on his farm and wants to share his ideas and thoughts on how a landowner can restore or develop wetlands, and the importance of wetlands in good land management.

Members of the DuHadway Dance Dimensions Elite Competition attended the national championships for Applause Talent Competition the week of July 5 in Columbus, Ohio. They traveled with 68 dancers ages 8 to 18 from the communities of Alma, Carson City, Crystal, Ithaca, Merrill, Mount Pleasant, Shepherd, St. Louis and Swan Valley. The dancers performed more than 50 different dance pieces and most placed in the top 10 or higher.

After a big win against Traverse City Christian last Thursday, one would think the Carson City-Crystal Eagles would be sky-high about it. Not so, said coach Jason Gray. The Eagles are more focused on themselves as they get ready for a home game against Big Rapids Crossroads Charter Academy on Friday.

Mark your calendars — on Sept. 14, Carson City-Crystal Area Schools and the varsity football team will host Vestaburg in CC-C’s first ever Salute Our Soldiers game. Salute Our Soldiers was created to pay tribute to past and present soldiers and raise money for Montcalm County Veterans Trust Fund. This fund is set up to help veterans in Montcalm County in need of handicap ramps, wheelchair accessibility renovations, utility bill assistance, and other living necessities that they might need.