Tire marks stretch from the roadway to the sidewalk at a roundabout on M-43 in Grand Ledge.

M-43 roundabout creates new access to Grand Ledge schools

Drivers through Grand Ledge have to navigate a new roundabout on M-43 near the city’s middle and high schools. The roundabout opened in late August on M-43 between Jenne Street and Brookside Drive. It was paid for by Grand Ledge Public Schools to give direct access from the state highway to Beagle Middle School and Grand Ledge High School. Traffic previously had to go through residential neighborhoods to get to the schools. Steven Gabriel, assistant superintendent for human resources and operations for the district, said he uses the roundabout almost daily and it’s accomplished the district’s goals.

Grand Ledge, MDOT, Roundabout, M-43

Grand Ledge Public Schools bond approval will finally improve access to high school and middle school property

GRAND LEDGE- A project to build a new roundabout, approved by voters over two years ago, might be finally getting under way. The roundabout project, which is part of Grand Ledge Public Schools’ 22-acre athletic field restructuring, was designed to help with the flow of traffic from the high school, middle school and the new athletic fields that are under development by providing access to and from M-43.  The roundabout project will be placed on M-43 between Jenne St. and the Brookside drive neighborhood.  

22 Acres is used as an athletic practice field for sports like soccer, football and lacrosse. There is no driveway from M-43 that allows access to this property. Madison StoddardThe current 22-acres field that the new access road will be placed on.

Grand Ledge High School, Varsity, Junior Varsity, Girls Basketball

Grand Ledge girls varsity basketball team playing “no matter what”

GRAND LEDGE – “No matter what” is this year’s theme for the Grand Ledge girls varsity basketball team. 

The team has gone through its ups and downs when awaiting the status of its season early on. Before the announcement made by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Feb. 8 in regards to the return of winter sports, the team didn’t know if they were going to have a 2021 season. 

The initial season started on track with tryouts in early November. Not too long after the week of tryouts, on Nov. 18, there was an announcement of a partial pause of all high school sports until Dec.

Grand Ledge Public Schools

Grand Ledge school doors open

GRAND LEDGE – Parents, teachers, students, and staff have been waiting for this moment. After months of deliberation, the Grand Ledge Public Schools are physically open for the first time this year on March 1. 

Since Sept. 8, 2020, all Grand Ledge students have been attending classes virtually Monday through Friday. There is an approximate of about 2,200 to 2,500 students that started in-person learning on March 1. However, about 50% of families in the district have decided to remain virtual through the academic year.

Cugino's Grand Ledge

A small-town restaurant still thrives in Grand Ledge

GRAND LEDGE – Cugino’s is a family run Italian restaurant established in 2001 owned by cousins Mark Naccarato and Patrick DeLuca. Cugino’s is still surviving while making accommodations according to the pandemic. These COVID-19 guidelines include daily temperature checks, COVID-19 questionnaire, face masks, and routinely sanitation.