The Greenville High School Theater Department presents the classic Orson Welles Radio Play “The War of the Worlds” live onstage in a truly unique performance 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Greenville Performing Arts Center. GHS Auditorium Manager Chris Chapman said, “We’re really pleased to close out the 2011-2012 season with this special production. GHS students have risen to the challenge of adapting Orson Welles infamous 1938 radio play into an entertaining and chilling night onstage.”

The eccentric Willy Wonka places five golden tickets in the wrappings of his chocolate bars. Those who find them will begin a great magical adventure. Central Montcalm Public School presents the well-known musical “Willy Wonka” opening tonight and playing Friday and Saturday at the Central Montcalm Middle School Cafeteria. Curtain time is 7:30 with tickets available at the door for $5. The two-hour production is a family-friendly event.

For the first time in several years, Belding Area Schools had to borrow against the State of Michigan in order to make payroll during the first four months of the school year. As a result of that action, the Belding school board unanimously approved a measure to send a resolution to stop borrowing against the state to the desk of Gov. Rick Snyder, asking for the state to reimburse Michigan public school districts for any interest paid on loans taken to meet expenses before the October school aid payment.

Read The Daily News Funeral Notices for Thursday, March 8, 2012

A new era of Belding High School football is underway. Rockford graduate Joe Schwander was introduced as the new varsity football coach on Wednesday in front of current and potential players, along with administration and coaches.

Tri County’s boys basketball team is heading to the district finals, and they can thank Devin Longoria for that. The senior jump-started a stagnant offense and helped the Vikings to a 58-46 win over the Chippewa Hills Warriors Wednesday night in the Class B district tournament at Belding.

If the Lakeview boys basketball team could take back the second quarter of their Class B district semifinal against Sparta Wednesday night it would have made all the difference. The Wildcats scored just three points in the second quarter and lost to the Spartans 59-40 in the Belding district tournament.

A decision on the money donated from the Blanche E. Ash Trust to the Belrockton Museum has officially been made. Members of the Belding City Council approved a motion Tuesday night at the Pere Marquette Depot to establish a Belrockton fund agreement between the city and the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.

The Greenville City Council has hired an appraiser regarding a recent appeal of assessments on behalf of United Solar Ovonic (USO). USO and its parent company, Energy Conversion Devices, both filed for bankruptcy on Feb. 14.

At first glance, the 2011 Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) results for our area may cause panic. But delve a little deeper into why the scoring system was changed, how numbers actually compare to past years and what our local schools do with these results. We went straight to the source and the information is more than encouraging.