Kevin Murphy has been at his new job for eight weeks now. The new Carson City-Crystal Area Schools superintendent is settled in. He is the former superintendent of Houghton Lake Community Schools, about 100 miles north of Carson City. “We (he, his wife, Mary, and their three children — freshman Kennedy, sixth-grader Jackson and second-grader Taylor) moved into the area about a month ago,” Murphy said. “It’s very important for us to get in the area and get settled so the kids are ready for school.

The trail connecting two Carson City parks will be finished shortly after Labor Day. City Administrator Mark Borden told Carson City Council members Tuesday that the connector trails have already been marked out. “The new trails will be finished in 2 ½ weeks,” Borden said.

Two years ago Crystal resident Nancy Esch learned that her maiden name Fast was popular in early American history. Her son, Ron Esch of Carson City, started looking into his mother’s side of the family. What he found out about the Fast name surprised him and his mother. “I feel like we hit the jackpot in family history,” Ron said. “I searched Fast on the Internet and all this stuff started coming up about Christian Fast and I even found him on Wikipedia.”

A Carson City couple lost nine show horses and sustained additional major damages after a Friday night fire at their farm. Michael and Sue Thome own Winterspring Dressage at 5260 S. Mount Hope Road near Carson City.

Nearly 20 people gathered at the Crystal Community Center on Thursday night to hear from local and county candidates who are running for elected office this year. The forum, moderated by Tim Bohen, gave community members a chance to hear from five of the candidates running for positions on the Crystal Township Board, as well as two candidates running for Montcalm County drain commissioner. One of the questions asked was, “What are the top three issues you will address immediately if elected?”

Hands on Hubbardston event organizers didn’t know what to expect on Saturday, July 7, during their first Hubbapalooza event. “Throughout the day we had around 800 to 1,000 people show up,” said Hands on Hubbardston Vice President Scott Schmitt. “We had around 600 people stay for the evening show.”

The heat didn’t hinder families coming out to celebrate red, white and blue fun during the Independence Day parade in Crystal. People gathered and sounds from horns and sirens blasted loud noises that echoed throughout the streets of Crystal as the parade moved through town. Excited happy children raced to gather candy from various fire trucks, floats and other vehicles containing riders who were waving and smiling as they took part in the parade to celebrates America’s independence on a hot Wednesday morning.

This is Ethan Vance’s last year as a 4-H’er. “I went out with a bang,” he said. Indeed he did.

For 16-year-old Crystal resident Krysti Jolley and her American quarterhorse Ralph, participating in the Montcalm County 4-H Fair’s showmanship contest Monday was a surprise. “I was like, ‘Wait, what?’” Jolly said. “I need to do what?” Jolley found out the night before the event it was required for her at the Montcalm County 4-H Fair.

Carson City Hospital and Carson City Police Department have formed a unique collaboration to provide a better law enforcement presence after City Hall closes at 5 p.m. The Community Policing Partnership, which begins in June, is designed to assist the city and hospital at the same time.