News

The Department of Natural Resources has confirmed a new state record for freshwater drum. It’s the first record fish caught in 2015. Mark Leep of Middleville speared the fish on Gun Lake in Barry County January 24. It weighed 28.61 pounds and measured 34.02 inches. James Black caught the previous …

Tax Day is coming. Both state and federal income tax returns are due less than two weeks from today on April 15. The Michigan Department of Treasury is reminding taxpayers that all state forms and instructions they need to finalize their 2014 tax returns are available on Treasury’s website at …

U-S Senator Gary Peters visited Volunteers of America in Lansing on Tuesday, where he saw firsthand the work VOA is doing to support Michigan’s homeless veterans, and to discuss his work on behalf of veterans and service members. The Detroit Democrat met with local veterans and talked about a bill …

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is applauding Wednesday’s announcement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that it is listing the northern long-eared bat as a threatened species. The federal agency made the decision with an interim rule under the Endangered Species Act that provides maximum benefit to the …

A new poll shows most Michigan voters are against a business or nonprofit organization having the right to use religious beliefs as a reason for denying service to an individual. The poll by Lansing-based EPIC/MRA found just 26 percent of voters support businesses or nonprofits having such a right, while …

Governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation awarding $3 million to three Michigan Universities to help expand their autism programs. Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University and Western Michigan University will use the funding for autism programs and family support systems. Snyder says giving universities the resources they need to help …

Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly is making final preparations for its Easter dinners for area seniors. They have some last-minute needs, and are asking for your help to fill them. First, because of a calculation error, they need 250 pounds of ham (preferably in the form of around 25 …

Is it an April Fool’s joke? An online petition was posted this morning, asking for support to change the name of Lake Michigan to… Lake Wisconsin. Quote… “We, the citizens of Wisconsin, feel it’s time for the Great Lake of Michigan to be renamed Lake Wisconsin. For too long Michiganders …

The Secretary of State’s office in Mohawk has begun its summer hours. The office on US-41 will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 until 5:00, except for a lunch hour between 12:30 and 1:30. The two-day-per-week schedule will remain in place through the end of October. Customers renewing driver’s …

First District U-S Representative Dan Benishek has reacted cautiously to the decision by the the US Fish and Wildlife Service of their intention to list the Northern Long Eared Bat as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The bat population has been devastated by White Nose Syndrome, a fungal infection …