We owe a great debt to the brave patriots who answered the nation’s call to defend our liberty. We enjoy the blessings of freedom today due to the selfless courage of America’s service men and women, many of whom protected our lives at the cost of their own.

The Greenville City Hall was more full than normal Tuesday, after many people came to support a student who asked the City Council to help him make a difference. Justin Barr, a junior at Greenville High School, spoke to council members during public comment.

Montcalm County union employees want one of their paid holidays reinstated. In December 2011, the Montcalm County Board of Commissioners and Local 3067.03 approved a three-year labor contract good from Jan. 1, 2012, through Dec. 31, 2014.

Read The Daily News Funeral Notices for May 22, 2013

The Center for Michigan’s highly acclaimed Bridge Report revealed this week that dozens of Michigan cities are facing serious to devastating financial shortages in the foreseeable future. Bridge reported financial viability scores provided by Auburn Hills data consultant Munetrix. Much of the cities’ problems result from a perfect storm: years of increasing pension and health care obligations, in many cases unfunded; coupled with consistent decreases in funding from state revenue sharing. Of course, a decade of shrinking employment exacerbates the issue.

A man awaiting trial on criminal child abuse charges has pleaded no contest to an abuse/neglect charge in a related civil case. Samantha Slater and Benjamin Wilkins, both 26 and both of Greenville, were each charged with first-degree and second-degree child abuse of Slater’s 2-year-old daughter Brooklyn Weimer, who has been hospitalized in intensive care since March 24 with severe abdominal and brain injuries.

Never give up. That’s the advice Tri County High School graduating senior Patrick Overzet would like to pass along to future generations of students.

Just because some students are being home-schooled doesn’t mean they can’t make up a golf team. They also can play just as well as golfers who play on public school teams.

Greenville’s girls soccer team celebrated senior night at their last home game of the season Monday, but Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern spoiled the party.

A lifelong Montcalm County resident who has not only taken pride in her family and its heritage, but has celebrated it with the start of the Danish Festival, has been announced as the 49th Danish Festival grand marshal for 2013. Catherine “Kate” Hansen (Larsen) has been selected to represent this year’s festival.