Elisabeth Waldon began interning at The Daily News in 2001 during her senior year of college. She was hired as a reporter in 2002 and was named news editor in 2012. Her beat includes Montcalm County government, local townships/Planning Commissions and courts/crime. Contact Elisabeth at ewaldon@thedailynews.cc or (616) 548-8726.
The Crystal Township Board approved an annual budget, split on a vote to hire a leaf pick-up service and discussed a blight ordinance at Wednesday evening’s meeting. Supervisor Curt McCracken, Clerk Patty Baker-Marek, Treasurer Alisha Little and trustees Vera Bogart and David Wight were all present.... READ MORE >
The number of local youths participating in 4-H may have experienced a decline over the last decade, but thanks to new Cloverbuds as well as adults who return as volunteers, the program is alive and well as fair week looms just around the corner.... READ MORE >
Students at Carson City-Crystal Area Schools are doing well in reading but need to work more on math, according to a progress report presented by two administrators at Monday’s school board meeting. CC-C Lower Elementary School Principal Sara Manzullo gave a reading and math growth report for her third-grade students.... READ MORE >
At the start of Wednesday evening’s Crystal Township Board meeting, Supervisor Curt McCracken added an unfortunate item to the agenda: “Vandalism.” Crystal Township Park on Crystal Lake was vandalized and the neighboring Crystal Community Center, where the township board meets, was broken into in the early morning hours of Wednesday, around 2 a.m. The incidents were reported to the Montcalm County Sheriff’s Office at 6:40 a.m.... READ MORE >
A new supervisor oversaw his first township board meeting on Monday, which included votes to amend a purchasing policy, to create a board vacancy policy, the appointment of a new Planning Commission member and the removal from the agenda of a second chance for public comment. Bruce Deur was appointed interim supervisor after Dan Boes abruptly resigned mid-term in April. Deur presided over his first meeting on Monday, which featured the typical opportunity for public comment at the start of the meeting. However, the typical second opportunity at the end of the meeting had been removed from the agenda, surprising some in the audience as the meeting adjourned.... READ MORE >
The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners typically spend their meetings quizzing department heads about budget requests, paying bills and hearing routine updates from local officials. However, Monday’s meeting featured drag performers in full makeup, finger-snapping (instead of applause), Bible verses being read aloud, exhortations about going to heaven or hell and standing room only on the third floor of the county Administrative Building in downtown Stanton.... READ MORE >
Amid an avian influenza outbreak one year ago, no operation was harder hit in Michigan than Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch. Based in Ionia County’s Saranac, Herbruck’s is Michigan’s largest egg producer and the 10th largest in the U.S., raising nearly 11 million birds in operations across Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania.... READ MORE >
Village Manager Darin Dood says the annual Lakeview Summerfest reminds him of something his grandfather always said, “It’s the same, only different.” “The celebration of our community is the same each year to a degree; however, there are so many new things as well as subtle changes each year,” Dood said.... READ MORE >
A Stanton man pleaded no contest on Thursday to first-degree child abuse, which is a felony with a possible maximum sentence of life in prison; however, the Montcalm County Prosecutor’s Office is offering minimum guidelines of three and a half years in exchange for the plea. Thaddeus Christopher Barrett, 23, pleaded no contest to the crime related to an incident on May 22, 2024, in Douglass Township involving an infant who was just a few months old.... READ MORE >
The Douglass Township treasurer is resigning less than one year into her term due to relocating a quarter-mile over the township line into a neighboring township. Becky Sowles was elected treasurer last November over challenger Kristi Cordray, who is now the township supervisor in the wake of Cindy Shick resigning as supervisor in April due to health issues.... READ MORE >
