Spartan Newsroom (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/author/idziorbr/)
Coronavirus has swept the nation, affecting individuals and families everywhere. In Woodhaven, Michigan, the Grima family experienced first-hand how damaging the virus can be. Falling ill is bad enough, but the real pain comes from worrying if a loved one will ever return home. The Grimas share the struggles they faced while waiting to be reunited.
Those who are used to going to work and enjoying life outside of their homes are now forced to adjust to staying inside. The stay-at-home order is still in effect in Michigan, and residents are encouraged to stay in their homes and social distance from others in the community. Not only has Taylor resident Stephanie Idzior had to make the transition from working in her office to her living room, but she also struggles with being isolated from her elderly parents. Aside from taking the time out of her day to drop food off to her parents and talking to them from her car, she has turned to cooking to occupy her free time. She even has a food blog and Instagram account dedicated to her culinary creations.
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.
What attracts someone to a city? It may be great food, beautiful landscaping or good job opportunities. But for many in DeWitt, it is the strong education system. “A lot of people come here because the schools are great,” said DeWitt mayor Sue Leeming.
DeWitt Public Schools consist of six buildings that have students ranging from early childhood to high schoolers. The number of students enrolled in these schools is just over 3,100 and has been rising since 2014.
Not many stores sell fresh produce, skincare made from beeswax, goat milk soap and turkeys all in one place. But the Bath Farmers Market does. The outdoor farmers market came to a close and moved inside of the Bath Community Center on Nov. 7. Temperatures are dropping, but the indoor farmers market gives vendors an opportunity to continue providing for the community, even in inclement weather.
The Pretty Shaky String Band plays at every Bath Farmers Market.
DEWITT, MICH. – The sky is falling! Oh wait, it is just the leaves. Autumn leaves are flooding the city streets, and DeWitt’s weekly leaf pick-up is a convenient way for residents to clean up their yards.
“Streets are full of leaves, nice and messy out there,” city administrator Daniel Coss said. “So far we’ve collected about 104 cubic yards.”
During most of October and November, the city leaf vacuum sweeps designated areas of DeWitt each week and collects leaves that residents move to the side of the street.
A coffee shop that promotes good health? Welcome to Reputation Beverage Co. in DeWitt. Formerly known as The Crafted Bean, Reputation Beverage Co. opened in 2017 in downtown DeWitt offering products such as coffee, tea and kombucha.
Looking to work out without it feeling like work? Zumba might be the answer.
Bath Township has an instructor who is sharing her experience with the community. Jade Arnold has been a licensed Zumba instructor since 2017. “I think I learned to dance before I walked,” Arnold said. “And the best part is, it’s exercise disguised as dancing.”
Jade Arnold teaches Zumba in Bath Township, Perry and East Lansing.
The average number of people who die every year in U.S. house fires is over half the population of DeWitt. According to the National Fire Protection Association, approximately seven people die every day in a house fire in the U.S.. And according to the most recent U.S. census, the DeWitt population is approximately 4,756. October is fire prevention month, and DeWitt firefighters have made it their priority to educate children and adults on fire safety.
Both the DeWitt Area and DeWitt Township fire departments held the Fourth Annual Fire Prevention Open House on Oct. 8 to educate children on the dangers of fires.
I scream, you scream, DeWitt residents scream for Scoopy Doo’s ice cream!
Scoopy Doo’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream is an ice cream shop located in the heart of downtown DeWitt. The smells of warm, fresh-cooked waffles and hand-dipped ice cream lure people in from the city sidewalks. There is no denying the shop’s long reputation for successfully satisfying any ice cream connoisseur’s appetite. Olivia Thurner, a senior at DeWitt High School, has been coming to Scoopy Doo’s since her family moved to DeWitt in 2011.
“I remember when we moved here, we went on a field trip at school to Scoopy Doo’s when it was across the street,” Thurner said. “We walked over there and everything, it was fun.