Monday, January 30, 2023
Since 1854 — News from Montcalm County and Ionia County, Michigan
From being charged with forgery, pleading guilty to a lesser crime and briefly facing a recall before resigning, the former Montcalm Township clerk had a whirlwind of an exit to her time in public office.
The issues with Jessica Shearer were only some of many challenges faced by Montcalm Township government — and its residents — in 2022.
As three Winfield Township Board members attended their final meeting as officials after being recalled, thanks was voiced for their service and calls were made for healing and reconciliation going forward.
But it’s easier said than done in this township which is one of many locally that has been torn apart over the debate on renewable energy.
Dear Editor,
My husband Larry and I have experienced many ups and downs in our nearly 60 years together. The downs include our close exposure to homicide and suicide; catastrophic lingering illnesses of loved ones; crops that died for lack of rain; crops that drowned from too much rain.
A Canadian-owned company is continuing the years-long process of abandoning underground natural gas storage facilities in Winfield Township.
As previously covered by the Daily News in 2018, nearly 100 natural gas sites are in the process of being abandoned (or are already abandoned) in Winfield Township’s northwest corner, as well as in a portion of Reynolds Township, by ANR Pipeline Co. on behalf of TC Energy (formerly known as TransCanada).
Dear Editor,
I see by the Daily News article from Sept. 20 that Apex “Clean Energy” is now delving into solar farms for Montcalm County.
The wind energy debate continues to blow about in Montcalm County, but solar is rapidly coming in hot on the horizon.
A host of companies are closely looking at Montcalm County (and, in some cases, Ionia County) as a site for solar projects, including Apex Clean Energy — the Virginia-based developer looking to bring a wind turbine project into Montcalm County — as well as Consumers Energy, DTE Energy, Atwell, Leeward Renewable Energy, Nexamp, NextEra Energy, Oya Solar and Ranger Power.
Dear Editor,
A lot of people, including myself, are really disappointed in some of the township boards.
Dear Editor,
When neighbor is pitted against neighbor, friendships are destroyed and nobody wins.
As the Cato Township Board prepared to finally vote on a wind energy ordinance Monday evening, Clerk Todd Lincoln said he wanted to make “just a little bit of change” to the ordinance as drafted by the township’s Planning Commission.
Those changes turned out to be major for many residents who are concerned with Apex Clean Energy’s proposed Montcalm Wind project for multiple townships in Montcalm County.
As the dust begins to settle from the chaos resulting from Apex Clean Energy’s massive commercial wind turbine proposal for Montcalm County, a practical solution to zoning ordinance provisions for Montcalm Township has emerged. It is protective, popular, community-based, legally sound, reasonable and should satisfy almost everyone.
