Comcast available for Ortonville businesses

Ortonville- At the April 27 virtual meeting, the village council voted 7-0 to enter into a franchise agreement with Comcast. “At this time they’re not interested in branching into residential,” said village manager Dale Stuart. The service would be for business only along the M-15 corridor, and the franchise agreement is non-exclusive, as well as […]

Brandon park plan moves forward

Brandon park plan moves forward

Brandon Twp.– The Land and Water Conservation Fund 2016 grant utilized for the Brandon Township Community Park has a final development date of June 30, 2020. “This grant consists of two little league baseball fields, 150 car parking lot with benches, bleachers, solar lighting and pathways,” said Parks and Recreation director Fred Waybrant. “We are […]

Pandemic sparks revenue cuts to municipalities

Pandemic sparks revenue cuts to municipalities

While the financial cost of the coronavirus to individuals and businesses has been significant, local municipalities are anticipating a significant decline state constitutional revenue-sharing payments. Revenue sharing distributes bi-monthly a portion of the sales tax collected by the state to local governments. The recent Stay-at-Home order cut consumer spending on goods ranging from auto sales […]

August elections set: Atlas, Brandon and Groveland (updated)

August elections set: Atlas, Brandon and Groveland (updated)

The deadline for the Aug. 4 partisan primary election was April 21. In Atlas, Brandon and Groveland townships supervisor, clerk, treasurer and several trustee seats are up for election this November. In Atlas Township, incumbent Republican Township Supervisor Tere Onica will seek reelection and face former Atlas Township Supervisor Shirley Kautman-Jones and newcomers Tracy Butcher […]

Brandon Deputies issue ‘Stay at Home’ warning

At 1:25 p.m., on April 17, Brandon deputies responded to a report of an executive order violation. Upon arrival, deputies met with the homeowner, who said the truck in front of his house had stopped there and the driver buried the fork truck in his ditch. He felt this wasn’t necessary work. Deputies met with […]

Outstanding librarian award

Outstanding librarian award

Fran Hotchkiss (far left) during the after school reading club at Sashabaw Meadows in Brandon Township in May 2019. The Library of Michigan and the 2020 Rural Library Conference have awarded Brandon Library’s own Fran Hotchkiss with the 2020 Outstanding Librarian Award. “I feel overwhelmingly blessed and honored to have been nominated and to have […]

Cemetery cleanup draws ire of families

Groveland Twp.-Last week, Anne Walters had the feeling that she’d been robbed. “It was like my house had been broken into and destroyed,” said Walters. “It just makes my heart ache.” Though it wasn’t Walters’ house that had been destroyed. It was the graves of her father, brother, aunt and uncle. Like many others with […]

Northern Michigan residents say, ‘Stay at home’

Northern Michigan residents say, ‘Stay at home’

Eastport is a unique northern Michigan community. The village of about 200 residences is located between Grand Traverse Bay and Torch Lake. Steve Hendershott, an area resident and Brandon teacher for more than 37 years has frequently travels to the Eastport family home on shores of Torch Lake—the states second largest inland waterway. “As much […]

School bond includes new Gale Road bus entrance

School bond includes new Gale Road bus entrance

Goodrich-On April 13 the school board of trustees gathered via Mi StreamNet and voted 7-0 for an application of the preliminary qualification of school bonds. The proposal will be on the Aug. 4 ballot. The board posted the meeting, opened the meeting for public comment per Governor Gretchen Whitmer Executive Order 2020-15. Wayne Wright, school […]

Remembering ‘Mr. Tiger’ Al Kaline

Remembering ‘Mr. Tiger’ Al Kaline

  By David Fleet Editor Al Kaline recalled a game against Cleveland in 1955, the year he won the American League batting championship with a .340 average, when he was only 20 years old. He was playing right field when Indians’ pitcher Early Wynn, himself a fair hitter, lined a shot into right-center. “I sure […]