News

“Not one person was hurt”

FREE No one injured after bus carrying Carson City-Crystal High School Marching Band catches fire in Florida

Members of the Carson City-Crystal High School Marching Band are hugging each other a little tighter after safely escaping a bus fire 1,200 miles from home Sunday evening. Currently visiting Orlando, Florida for the band’s three-day trip to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, Band Director Chad Parameter told the Daily News that all 53 people on the trip were able to safely evacuate the bus that transported the students from Michigan to Florida after it caught fire following the band’s visit to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. 

Saranac’s ‘liquid gold’

 Ionia syrup farmers continue their grandfather's work harvesting sap from downtown Saranac trees

If you drive through Saranac during daylight hours recently, it would be difficult to miss the buckets, hoses and other equipment affixed to dozens of trees in front of homes and businesses in the downtown area.

This was primarily the work of Jake Smith, who manages about 1,500 taps on downtown Saranac sugar maple trees and on more trees surrounding his family’s Dusty Lane Farm on Patrick Road outside of Ionia.

Upcoming and pending services for March 18, 2024

Upcoming and pending services for March 18, 2024

Playing at a ‘higher level’

Central Montcalm High School band celebrates 10 straight years of top Div. I ratings 

As the final note played by the Central Montcalm High School Band resonated throughout the Performing Arts Center at Greenville High School, Director Matthew Reed could only look upon his students with a great sense of pride.

Performing at the annual Michigan State Band and Orchestra District 7 Band Festival on March 6, Reed didn’t have to wait for the judges to award their scores to know that an elite, high-quality performance had just emanated from his musicians. 

Montcalm County commissioner suggests lowering county’s operating millage

Everyone is feeling the pinch in their pocketbook.
All food prices in 2023 increased by nearly 6% from 2022 and are expected to continue to increase by 3% this year, according to the USDA (food prices increased by nearly 10% in 2022, faster than any year since 1979).
Gas prices are currently around $3.50 per gallon or higher and people think twice before going out to eat. Filling up a few bags of groceries is an eyebrow-raising experience.

Daily News wins Newspaper of the Year award

FREE For the eighth time in nine years, DN named best small daily newspaper in Michigan

The Daily News was named Newspaper of the Year in its class for the eighth time since 2015 in Thursday’s Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper Contest.
The Greenville-based newspaper took home a total of 38 awards for editorial and advertising excellence, including two open class public service awards, 12 first place awards, nine second place awards, 10 third place awards and five honorable mentions. Along with being named Newspaper of the Year, the Daily News was a top three finalist for the Daily Advertising contest.

Denied partnerships with surrounding counties, Ionia County goes it alone on recycling

The Ionia County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved the creation of an 11-member Materials Management Planning Committee to replace the existing Solid Waste Planning Committee after a request from Conservation District Manager Melissa Eldridge.
The new committee’s membership is “pretty spelled out” by state law, Eldridge said, and must include township officials, city managers, waste haulers and citizens.

AMISH COOK: A day at country school

Seventeen children came beaming in the doorway.
There was a slight shuffling as they placed their coats on the couch and lined up in three rows to sing. Our country school next door was having a special day, and we got to be a part of it.

Ionia County FFA Chapter celebrates 96th Michigan FFA State Convention


The Ionia County FFA Chapter proudly represented our community at the 96th Michigan FFA State Convention held on the campus of Michigan State University Feb. 28-March 1.
Ionia County FFA students joined more than 2,500 members and guests from across the state’s 127 FFA chapters for an exciting and motivating three days.

GUEST VIEW: State vs. local control: Let the voters decide

In his March 2 Guest View in the Daily News, Richard Farnsworth urged readers to not sign the petition sponsored by Citizens for Local Choice, claiming “We have the right to decide what we do with our own property.”
Yet, the petition Mr. Farnsworth condemns is not about property rights. It is about protecting local zoning rights.


Category Pages are limited to 90 days. Please use the archive page or the search box to find older articles.