Bath High School’s Chalkboard Project creates a welcoming environment

After weeks of seeing negative and hurtful comments on walls throughout the school, Bath High School students covered them with kind words.

The Chalkboard Project took over the walls of Bath High School in March, a project where students and teachers posed holding a chalkboard of a slur, offensive or rude comment directed at them. On April 3, those words were covered with kind, encouraging and helpful words to bury the effects of bullying and bring kindness to campus.

Controversy shrouds Bath Board of Trustees following charges against supervisor

The Bath Charter Township Board of Trustees has come under public scrutiny due to the handling of charges filed against Board Supervisor Marie Howe. During the board meeting on March 20, multiple residents spoke out against what they described as “disrespectful and inappropriate” behavior.

On Feb. 8, the State of Michigan charged Howe with assault and battery. Records from the 65A District Court reveal that the alleged offense occurred Aug. 25, 2022. The reported victim is Deputy Clerk April Dunham. 

Two men in yellow jail clothes and their attorneys confer at courtroom table.

Men accused of 2018 slaying of Bath hunter to stand trial

Two men accused of the 2018 slaying of a Hmong-American hunter in Bath Township will stand trial. This comes after a three-day preliminary hearing to determine whether there is probable cause to bind the charges over from the District Court to the Circuit Court to move the case forward to the formal trial.

Posters of students holding chalkboards with insults line a school wall.

Bath High School chalkboards fight bullying, plan to bury slurs

Throughout the hallways of the high school, large black-and-white portraits are hung of students and teachers holding a chalkboard. On the chalkboard, participants wrote an insult they have been called. Profanities were uncensored throughout the building, showcasing the discomfort and hurt that comes with getting bullied. The slurs are to be covered over with positive messages.

Comedy Through the Looking Glass: comedians and their differences

Looking Glass Brewery Company held one of many comedy nights on Feb. 4, consisting of five comics.

In the basement of an old church-turned-brewery, Comedy Through the Looking Glass hosted four comics: Jordan Hanson, Louis Michael, Nicole Melnyk, and Dave Wellfare, who created laughs throughout the room with the help of special guest comic Jake Silberman.

Bath Township engages community in colorful art piece

Kelsey LesterBath Township’s most recent community mural. After being displayed at Wiswasser Park, the success of this project inspired the art committee to start planning for the new art piece in the township board room. Bath Township Hall will get a splash of color that reflects community members.   

With permission from the township, the artist committee has decided to create a ceramic art piece for the township board room wall. This sculpture will feature five clay flowers of different sizes where community members will be invited to stamp textures into the petals. Tayler Reeves-Hodge, township deputy superintendent, said the board room is overdue for an update.

Watch Focal Point: Mel Tucker becomes the new football coach, New Hampshire Democratic Primaries, Michigan towns apply for make-overs

This week on Focal Point, we’re live from a local flower shop to see how people are sharing the love on Valentine’s Day. Over the weekend, the Lansing Women’s Expo celebrated 20 years with more than 300 attendees. The Lansing Pup House celebrates Valentine’s Day with their pets during speed dating for dogs.  In entertainment, the 92nd Oscar’s had a lot of firsts and Justin Bieber returns from a four-year hiatus with a new album. 

This and more on this episode of Focal Point.

Mid-Michigan cities apply for HGTV show

It’s not every day that you get to be on TV, but three mid-Michigan towns, Bath Township, Grand Ledge and Charlotte, applied for the chance to win a town makeover from HGTV. The home renovation channel’s newest show “Home Town Takeover” is a spinoff of a current series “Home Town” that renovates businesses and homes in the hosts’ hometown of Laurel, Mississippi. The network put out a nationwide call for cities with a population under 40,000 and a downtown in need of updating. “This is a great opportunity for Bath,” said communications coordinator Tayler Reeves. “Our goal is to bring in more small businesses that would help this community and that we could help support, and this HGTV show would really help us.”

Bath and DeWitt experiencing continued growth

Much like a flower needs water and sunlight to grow, a city needs certain things to flourish as well. Developing neighborhoods, thriving businesses, and exceptional school districts help the communities of Bath and DeWitt to grow. Both these townships are in periods of growth and development according to their planning and building commissions. Bath’s Planning Director and Zoning Administrator Brian Shorkey said from a project perspective it’s been a slow year, but there are big plans for the township. Building new houses and businesses

There’s been an uptick in housing developments including apartments, duplexes and senior housing.