Local News

St. Patrick’s pipes

Montcalm County Honor Guard Pipes and Drums Band delights crowds with performances

When René Korsky and her husband picked up her parents, Bernadine and Dennis Trudell, the foursome were anticipating a nice evening out at Turk Lake Restaurant and Bar on Saturday.
What they received upon arrival, however, turned out to make the dinner one they won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Stanton city manager gets high marks for first year on the job

Rachael Coffey has received high marks in her performance review after her first year as Stanton’s city manager.

The Stanton City Commission conducted their first evaluation of Coffey last Tuesday.

List revealed of Ionia County road millage projects through 2029

Prein & Newhof Lead Transportation Engineer Connie Houk presented an overview of more than $9.3 million worth of proposed road improvement millage projects that will take place through 2029 to the Ionia County Board of Commissioners last Tuesday
Houk said all county roads were given a PASER (Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating) score in 2023, even most of the unpaved roads, in order to come up with the list of improvement projects.

Carson City-Crystal to renovate elementary school kitchen

The Carson City-Crystal Area Schools Board of Education served up some good news to Food Service Director Carla Dailey when they approved a proposed kitchen renovation project for the district’s elementary school.
In a 6-0 vote on Monday, with Board Treasurer Neil Kapustka absent, the board approved $40,000 worth of renovations to the kitchen, where moving things such as the walk-in cooler and freezer closer to the food prep location.

“Not one person was hurt”

FREE No one injured after bus carrying Carson City-Crystal High School Marching Band catches fire in Florida

Members of the Carson City-Crystal High School Marching Band are hugging each other a little tighter after safely escaping a bus fire 1,200 miles from home Sunday evening. Currently visiting Orlando, Florida for the band’s three-day trip to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, Band Director Chad Parameter told the Daily News that all 53 people on the trip were able to safely evacuate the bus that transported the students from Michigan to Florida after it caught fire following the band’s visit to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. 

Saranac’s ‘liquid gold’

 Ionia syrup farmers continue their grandfather's work harvesting sap from downtown Saranac trees

If you drive through Saranac during daylight hours recently, it would be difficult to miss the buckets, hoses and other equipment affixed to dozens of trees in front of homes and businesses in the downtown area.

This was primarily the work of Jake Smith, who manages about 1,500 taps on downtown Saranac sugar maple trees and on more trees surrounding his family’s Dusty Lane Farm on Patrick Road outside of Ionia.

Playing at a ‘higher level’

Central Montcalm High School band celebrates 10 straight years of top Div. I ratings 

As the final note played by the Central Montcalm High School Band resonated throughout the Performing Arts Center at Greenville High School, Director Matthew Reed could only look upon his students with a great sense of pride.

Performing at the annual Michigan State Band and Orchestra District 7 Band Festival on March 6, Reed didn’t have to wait for the judges to award their scores to know that an elite, high-quality performance had just emanated from his musicians. 

Montcalm County commissioner suggests lowering county’s operating millage

Everyone is feeling the pinch in their pocketbook.
All food prices in 2023 increased by nearly 6% from 2022 and are expected to continue to increase by 3% this year, according to the USDA (food prices increased by nearly 10% in 2022, faster than any year since 1979).
Gas prices are currently around $3.50 per gallon or higher and people think twice before going out to eat. Filling up a few bags of groceries is an eyebrow-raising experience.

Daily News wins Newspaper of the Year award

FREE For the eighth time in nine years, DN named best small daily newspaper in Michigan

The Daily News was named Newspaper of the Year in its class for the eighth time since 2015 in Thursday’s Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper Contest.
The Greenville-based newspaper took home a total of 38 awards for editorial and advertising excellence, including two open class public service awards, 12 first place awards, nine second place awards, 10 third place awards and five honorable mentions. Along with being named Newspaper of the Year, the Daily News was a top three finalist for the Daily Advertising contest.

Denied partnerships with surrounding counties, Ionia County goes it alone on recycling

The Ionia County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved the creation of an 11-member Materials Management Planning Committee to replace the existing Solid Waste Planning Committee after a request from Conservation District Manager Melissa Eldridge.
The new committee’s membership is “pretty spelled out” by state law, Eldridge said, and must include township officials, city managers, waste haulers and citizens.


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