Mini movers, 10 a.m., ages 2 and younger. Flat River Community Library. Enjoy a story, songs, Read more [...]
JUST IN: Investigators find Dicastal explosion caused by sparks from tool
Fire investigators from the Greenville Department of Public Safety have ruled Friday night’s explosion and ensuing fire at Dicastal North America to be an “accidental incident.” According to Greenville Department of Public Safety Interim Director Brian Blomstrom, public safety officers and fire investigators Jamie Sorsen and Jess Dear, both trained in fire and explosion investigations, worked with Dicastal Facilities Manager Sam Myers, as well as agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) who are trained in explosion investigations, to investigate the cause of the explosion.
Greenville Public Schools to ‘maintain’ Chinese immersion program
In the wake of a large showing of community support after facing a decision to be phased out, it appears the Chinese Immersion program at Greenville Public Schools is now here to stay. On Tuesday, Greenville Public Schools Superintendent Wayne Roedel emailed families of the school district’s Chinese Immersion students an update following a meeting with a task force team of teachers and administrators at Walnut Hills Elementary School last week.
Howard City Village Council takes next step on retail marijuana
The Howard City Village Council took its next step toward allowing retail marijuana businesses within the village limits. The Village Council voted 6-0 on Monday, with Councilwoman Paula Hagstrom absent, to direct Village Manager Mike Falcon to move forward with drafting a marijuana ordinance with the village’s attorney for the Village Council’s consideration at a future meeting. The Village Council directed Falcon to write the draft to allow “up to three” adult use dispensaries and to require a permit fee of $5,000 per business in the first year, with any future permitting costs yet to be determined.
Reynolds Township Board clarifies marijuana ordinance with Planning Commission
The same night the Howard City Village Council directed its manager to begin drafting a marijuana ordinance, the Reynolds Township Board was holding an “emergency meeting” with its Planning Commission regarding its own pending marijuana ordinance. “I just came from our emergency meeting,” Reynolds Township Board Trustee Dave Saucier told the Howard City Village Council during public comment on Monday evening. “It was about lack of communication between the Planning Commission and the board."
MAISD redesigns its website
After an anonymous complaint that was issued to the Office for Civil Rights, the Montcalm Area Intermediate School District has launched a new website district officials believe addresses any outlying concerns. During the March 16 meeting of the MAISD Board of Education, Superintendent Kyle Hamlin reported that while the school district had already been planning to update its website (maisd.com), additional efforts were put in place to ensure it will comply with the Americans Disabilities Act.
Judge dismisses lawsuit against Maple Valley Township
A Montcalm County judge for the second time dismissed a lawsuit filed against Maple Valley Township and its supervisor. As previously reported in Monday’s Daily News, Steven Davis of Vestaburg initially filed a small claims complaint against Maple Valley Township Supervisor Dan Boes of Coral on Dec. 20, 2022, in Montcalm County District Court, saying Boes “took property purchased from Maple Valley Township without notice of permission” on Dec. 4, 2022.
Benn still awaiting trial, jury selection set for April
An Ionia woman awaiting trial for a double-fatal collision last summer appeared in Ionia County Circuit Court via remote access from the Ionia County Jail for a brief hearing with Judge Ronald Schafer on Tuesday morning.
After parent concerns, Ionia schools to hire a safety liaison
At Monday’s Ionia Public Schools Board of Education, a parent spoke out about bullying. That same night, the school board approved the hire of a new school safety liaison, which Superintendent Ben Gurk said had been in the works for three weeks.
A ‘permanent home’ for Danish Festival
On the surface, at only a half-acre in size, the northwest corner of M-91 and M-57 has long sat as a reminder of what once was and what failed to be, having sat vacant since 1988. Once the home of multiple storefronts and historic buildings — the majority of which were either destroyed or heavily damaged in a fire in 1982 — the lot was never redeveloped despite desires and intentions to do so by both the city and the original purchaser of the vacant property.
Maple Valley Township residents vote on budget, elected official salaries
About 70 residents of Maple Valley Township in a marathon three-and-a-half-hour meeting on Saturday morning/afternoon made multiple decisions regarding the township budget and the salaries of elected officials. Michigan’s Public Act 187 of 1988 eliminated the requirement that general law townships hold an annual meeting of the electors. However, if the township board adopts a resolution to hold an annual meeting and has not created a compensation commission, the electors at the annual meeting are authorized to set the salaries of the township supervisor, clerk and treasurer and trustees, according to MCL 41.95.
Maple Valley Township residents vote to table forensic audit for now
Residents of Maple Valley Township after a lengthy debate voted to table having a forensic audit done on the last five years of township finances until sometime this autumn. About 70 residents participated in Saturday’s annual meeting, at which the 2023-2024 budget and the salaries of elected officials were also discussed and approved (see accompanying story). At that meeting, township residents approved allocating $20,000 for a potential forensic audit.
Montcalm County prosecutor promotes 1, hires 2 more
The Montcalm County Prosecutor’s Office recently hired two new assistant prosecutors and promoted another employee to chief assistant prosecutor. Ryan Villet, who was hired as an assistant prosecutor two years ago, was promoted to chief assistant prosecutor, succeeding Chris Hekman in that longtime role after Hekman resigned to take a job in Kent County.
Ionia County Board of Commissioners discusses, tables new pagers for fire departments
During its March 14 meeting, the Ionia County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a one-year extension on a five-year service contract with Motorola Solutions for maintenance of existing radio pager equipment, but again tabled a request from Central Dispatch Director Lance Langdon to fund new pagers. The amount of the one-year service agreement increased from the five-year rate of $13,776.27 to the one year rate of $16,384, a 19% increase, and applies to equipment used daily at the dispatch center. The board had minimal discussion about this item, and quickly and unanimously approved it.
Central Montcalm talent on display at Hornet Wolf Art Show
After teaching art for 35 years, Laura Ruggles knows art. She also loves teaching art. On Friday evening, Central Montcalm Public School sixth- through 12th-graders had the opportunity to showcase their works of art at the Hornet Wolf Art Show.
Explosion at Dicastal results in ‘serious injury’
An explosion felt from miles around, resulting in a “fairly serious injury” to one employee, had multiple fire departments working to extinguish a blaze at Dicastal North America on Friday night. At approximately 9:46 p.m., the Greenville Department of Public Safety was dispatched to “multiple reports” of an explosion/fireball at the large industrial manufacturer of aluminum alloy wheels, located at 1 Dicastal Drive in the city’s industrial park.
CM’s lefty standout
Last season was supposed to be a continuation of success for one of the most talented and consistent programs in the area — Central Montcalm varsity softball. Had they been at full strength, the Green Hornets expected to continue their streak of conference championships and go for another district title. But the team would suffer an early blow, losing then-senior Kam Nicholson to an injury during the basketball season that left the Hornets with a young, inexperienced core.
AUSTIN CHASTAIN: This is why we love March, I guess
My friends are hilarious, or heinous, however you want to think of it. I laid out some ideas of what we could see during the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in Wednesday’s Daily News — and, goodness, was I wrong. My friends let me have it, too, as I shamefully burned my bracket.
Keeping the trio together
Lily Bohen has been a staple in the back row for the Central Montcalm Green Hornets varsity volleyball team for the past two seasons. Bohen’s laser-like focus and determination are what have made her such a valuable player for the Green Hornets — so much so that just having her on the court is equivalent to having more than the allotted six players on the court.
AUSTIN CHASTAIN: Let’s call them the big shots, because they are
Daily News area bowlers have put together a solid season, it’s been great to see their progression throughout the winter season. What especially was great was to see how some of the bowlers across the area made their impressive run to the state finals. The area had two bowlers have an afternoon shot to compete for a championship around the state on March 4 for the individual finals. None of the teams around the area qualified for states, but nine bowlers qualified in all.
CC-C’s Oren Anderson signs to MCC trap shooting, 1st Eagle to sign from program
Hearing about firsts at a scholastic athletic program like Carson City-Crystal doesn’t happen often. Oren Anderson has been part of some legendary teams on the football field as an interior lineman on the offensive line and a defensive end, where he led the Eagles in sacks in 2022. He also has been part of the clay target shooting program at CC-C, which is still in its infancy in its six years.
STEVE MERREN: The big trio of spring
After all the hours well-spent in the wild this spring scoring up turkeys, fish and morels, it will finally be time to reap the rewards. Enjoying those spring successes is only complete when they hit the table and, whether they are served alone or paired with each other, all of the big spring trio make for an excellent meal. Everyone has their favorite recipes and I’d like share a few of mine that are meant for the open fire of a grill. Enjoy!
A burning passion for volleyball
Throughout her life, no hobby, no sport, no activity has come close to topping volleyball for Tiana Whitacre. The Central Montcalm senior has been obsessed with volleyball, by her own admission, ever since she could walk. She’s been a staple for the Green Hornets volleyball team at the setter position for the last two years on varsity but her time with the sport in the green and white jersey started long before that.
AUSTIN CHASTAIN: Time to dance! Let’s talk about brackets
March is always my favorite time of the year — this three-week stretch with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament are the most insane, ludicrous, unhinged and exciting for basketball fans like myself. What makes this tournament so exciting every year are the upsets and the storylines that we can follow from the first games to when “One Shining Moment” is played following the national championship game.
Montabella boys hoops season ends with 34-point loss to No. 4 Calvin Christian in Kent City regional semifinals
The Montabella boys basketball team entered Monday night’s regional semifinal with just two blemishes on their record and plenty of confidence after earning the program’s first district title in 16 years on Friday. A 15-point loss on the road on opening night to Lansing Catholic and a 3-point overtime loss to Watervilet, the No. 2-ranked team in the state at the time — that’s it. A truly historic run that produced one of the area’s best boys basketball teams in half of a decade was hit with its third blemish on Monday night in a big way against Calvin Christian.
Running like a Centurion
Kevin Sweeney has some goals in his mind and heart, and he’s putting them to work. On top of his duties as the head coach of the Montcalm Community College cross country program, when he was hired on Sept. 7, Sweeney is working on a more-than-four-year goal: run in a marathon in each state across the country each month. To this point, he is 14 months into it and will be hitting his 15th run this week when he travels to Virginia Beach, Virginia.
District champs, check!
An epic basketball game for a district championship was sandwiched in between two local programs showing love and admiration for each other on Friday night. The game started with smiles and handshakes for both the Montabella and Carson City-Crystal boys basketball team Friday night at Ithaca — it ended the same way. But at the start, those handshakes and smiles were going to be fleeting — only one team would walk away happy with the hardware.
Ionia boys basketball falls in district final to GR Christian
March basketball, more often than not, equals heartbreak for someone. Emerging from the visitor’s locker room on Friday at Forest Hills Eastern High School, the Ionia boys basketball team didn’t appear to be distraught. The Bulldogs weren’t dejected, they were just simply soaking in the final moments of the 2022-2023 season.
