Local monastery celebrates new wing, retreat house

Groveland Twp.’On the banks of Renchek Lake two Dominican sisters etched an enduring mark on the pristine wooded shoreline. In 1973, sisters Mary Martin and Anne Mary Kearney made the trek from New Jersey to Ortonville on a mission, establishing the Our Lady of Mt.Thabor Monastery. After 30 years and thousands of prayers, the small […]

Hometown has changed since youth

About a year ago I returned to my hometown of Alma, MI, located about 50 miles north of Lansing just off US-27. It had been several years since I visited the old homestead and although my family is now scattered throughout the county and the place is long since sold, I figured one last drive […]

A ‘wee bit? of Erin lost

Ortonville-While his roots were grounded in Ireland, his heart remained in Ortonville. Fr. John J. Hardy, the proclaimed ‘Bishop of Ortonville,? St. Anne’s first pastor and a priest for 65 years, died July 30, 2003 at Lourdes Nursing Home. He was 92. Fr. Hardy was born March 30, 1911 in the Corktown area of Detroit, […]

Fountain finds new life at school

Brandon Twp.? At least five coats of paint covered her face, her arm was cracked and mold covered most of her body. Yet, for more than 25 years the four-foot statue of a robed lady survived. A gift from the Brandon High School Class of 1968 which had once occupied the Harvey-Swanson Elementary school building, […]

Atlas Township makes history with new voting technology

Atlas Township and Goodrich residents will have a chance to make history when they head to the poll on Tuesday. Local voters, along with Flushing Township voters will be the first in Genesee County to utilize the new M100 Optical Scan Election System and Software voting system. Using a pen or pencil voters will blacken […]

Mobile Home Association: ‘respect the needs of all?

Atlas Twp.’The Michigan Manufactured Housing Association responded last week to new House bills that would change rules governing manufactured homes. The two bills, spearheaded by several lawmakers including State Representative David Robertson (R-Grand Blanc) provide township boards and city councils the authority to govern codes, licenses, repair and installation of manufactured homes parks. The second […]

Goodrich/Atlas voters OK police millage renewal

On Tuesday Atlas Township and Goodrich voters approved by a 5-to-1 margin 1 mill for a period of five years to contract police services with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department. The renewed millage cost an owner of a home worth $200,000 about $100 per year. The deputies also patrol Goodrich which contributes 30 percent of […]

Student laptop computer plan misguided

The Michigan House is considering a bill that would provide every sixth-grade student a laptop computer. The estimated 132,000 computers would cost taxpayers about $39.3 million with $17.3 million from the federal government. The ambitious project would provide students a ‘leg up? on technology and help educators by giving sixth grade students a computer to […]

Local mobile home parks near capacity

As Atlas Township and Goodrich residents brace for yet another round of debates regarding a proposed 1,000 unit mobile home community: existing area mobile home parks are nearly full’prompting some questions regarding the need for lower income housing. Representatives of the Mobile Home Association, created by the Mobile Home Commission Act in 1977 to respond […]

Brandon district sets opening day school schedules

Students in the Brandon school district return to class on Thursday, Aug. 21. The first day of school will begin with a full day for all students. The following is the schedule of opening day times and information for each building: nBelle Ann Elementary: Students attending Belle Ann Elementary School are scheduled to begin classes […]