News

Pink School restoration connects Mason to its past

By |

Mason’s Pink School is located on Mason parkland at 707 W. Ash St. When you walk into The Pink School on Mason parkland on West Ash Street, you can immediately feel the history in the 720-square-foot one-room schoolhouse. An old piano sits next to an American flag in the corner. Wall cases display old documents such as attendance records and homework assignments from the late 1800s. The desks are a hodgepodge of different designs, yet they all sit three feet off the ground with the old-fashioned bench seat that connects to the desktop.

News

A volunteer firehouse provides Mason safety and protection with a family touch

By |

Chief Kerry Minshall at his desk at the City of Mason Fire Department

Mason Fire Chief Kerry Minshall has lived in Mason his entire life. He knows what the town has been through and what it needs from a fire department. A family atmosphere is what he has created at the City of Mason Fire Department, Mason’s local volunteer fire department located in the heart of downtown on West Ash Street. 

The department is made up of nearly 30 volunteer paid-on-call firefighters. These volunteers have full-time jobs and commitments but give back to a community they love. “If you take the oath to put the pager on your hip, you have a community to protect,” said Powless, 29, who has been volunteering at Mason for five years. 

Powless, who has lived in Mason her entire life, was impacted by some fires that took place in Mason when she was younger.

News

Enterprising teen expands lawn care business Mason

By |

Mason is getting a new local lawn care business, but this is not your typical lawn-care company. Austin Lewis, a 15-year-old resident of Stockbridge and owner of A Lewis Lawn, is expanding his business to Mason this summer. 

Katie SmithAustin Lewis, the 15-year-old owner of A Lewis Lawn, mows one of his bi-weekly lawns in Stockbridge. Lewis has the help of his stepmom, Katie Smith, and father, Justin Lewis, running the business and marketing himself as a trusted and hard-working contractor. 

A small business powered by one weed whipper, one leaf blower, two gas cans and a lawnmower that was purchased by Austin on a $2,000 loan that he promptly paid back to his father in one summer, Austin knows the value of wanting something and working for it. “If I want something, I’m just the type of person to go get it. My dad does a lot for me but he’s never been the type of guy to just give me whatever I want whenever I want.

Business & Economy

Business as usual in East Lansing despite heavy snowfall 

By |

After a week-long build-up toward Michigan’s largest snowstorm so far this winter, weather predictions came true Wednesday with heavy snowfall beginning early in the morning. 

Jonathan Newell is a snow plower for Lawn Sprinklers, headquartered in Lansing. Newell, who typically gets called out for snow removal duties of city walkways during any snowfall, had a long day Wednesday. “I’ve been up since 4 a.m. and we’ll be out here until about 1 a.m.,” said Newell. He and his crew worked throughout the day with just an hour for lunch. “Yeah we’ll be out here for a little longer, take lunch, go back out until about 1 A.M., get four hours of sleep and then get up and do it all again tomorrow,” said Newell. 

 Lawn Sprinklers was working at the Hannah Lofts & Townhomes apartments complex near Hagadorn Road. 

“I’ve done about 1,000 walkways already today,” said Newell around noon, a mere eight hours into what would be a 21-hour workday.