Greenville native Cory Smith is coming home as the newest reporter at The Daily News. He will focus on writing stories about the Belding area and be responsible for producing videos and other multimedia content for www.thedailynews.cc.

On Monday I officially begin the job I have waited most of my professional life for — that as publisher of The Daily News and vice president of Stafford Media Solutions. Growing up in Greenville as part of the third generation of a publishing family, I take great pride in carrying on the tradition of excellence started by my grandfather, Dale, and carried forward by my dad, John, and brother, Rob. Our focus always has been on providing advertisers with the best tools possible to spread the word about their businesses and to tell readers each day the story about what is happening in our area.

The past couple months have been busy for the Greenville Department of Public Safety and nerve-racking for many of the citizens it serves. November saw a brazen mid-morning armed robbery at the downtown Huntington Bank branch, followed by a shooting at the Flat River Inn & Suites four days later.

Many residents and visitors have enjoyed visiting and returning to Clifford Lake Inn, a resort destination for 131 years. According to new paranormal investigative evidence, some people have never left.

Read The Daily News Funeral Notices for Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012

The Sparta Spartans girls basketball team got hot at the right time while the Belding Redskins got cold at the wrong time.
The Spartans, trailing 31-30, outscored the Redskins 13-3 in the fourth quarter for a 43-34 O-K Blue Conference win on Friday night.

When a meeting took place to discuss the creation of a skate park in Belding Thursday night, no one expected the most vocal person in attendance to be 14-year old Tessa Walters.

The Greenville Department of Public Safety responded to McDonald’s on Lafayette Street in Greenville after employees called Montcalm Central Dispatch to report fire in children’s play area around 7:45 p.m. on Friday.

Police are searching for the man who allegedly robbed the Family Dollar in Greenville at gunpoint on Thursday evening. Greenville Public Safety Sgt. Dennis Magirl said the robber apparently walked into the store around 8:30 p.m. armed with a handgun and wearing a black ski mask. The suspect pointed a handgun at the cashier and demanded cash. Two employees emptied the contents of the cash register, then locked themselves in the manager’s office in the back of the store with a customer who was in the store at the time and called 911.

A local man with a lengthy criminal record was arrested Thursday for breaking and entering and stealing — again. 
Bruce Wireman, 32, of Sand Lake, was arraigned and charged with breaking and entering a building with intent. He is scheduled for a preliminary examination Jan. 17 in 64B District Court.