News

Cassopolis starts to see growth from small town rebuild

By |

Beach at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/ Spartan Newsroom)Beach at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Beach at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Beach at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Beach at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Pier at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Pier at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Pavilion at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Arches at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Arches at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Pier at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Parking at Stone Lake (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)Downtown Cassopolis (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)New Village Hall (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)New Village Hall (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)New Village Hall (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)

CASSOPOLIS – According to StrongTowns a non profit organization, small towns are dying across the U.S. But the village of Cassopolis is trying to flip the narrative and keep its small town alive.   

The village of Cassopolis has finished $13 million in new improvements to it’s downtown. In the first phase of construction, four projects were planned. The two main projects under the Image Cass master plan were a beach and pier on the bank of Stone Lake that is located within the village. Two other projects that were highlighted in the first phase of the Image Cass master plan. The projects being a streetscape project and a new village hall. 

“The village of Cassopolis has always been a slow and steady, not much change town,” said Cassopolis planning commission member Jay Smith.

News

Stone Lake hosts first Rock the Block event

By |

Stone Lake in Cassopolis, Michigan (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)

CASSOPOLIS – The new pier and beach at Stone Lake was the place to be in the Southwest Michigan area on July 17. 

The Cassopolis Main Street Committee hosted its second summer event of the year and its first Rock the Block event. 

At the event there was a beer garden, food vendors, live music and a DJ. The event rocked the village until about 1:30 a.m. 

“The event was fun and it was great to see how the community is using the new improvements,” said Cassopolis resident Jesse Binns. Also, during the event there were activities and areas for kids to enjoy both the beach and the pier. One of the committee’s goals is to have events for the whole family to enjoy. 

“Events like this are great because the proceeds go back into the village,” said Cassopolis village manager Emilie Sarratore. 

Hundreds of people attended the event and took in all of the new improvements the village has to offer. Many people from surrounding communities also attended the event. 

“It’s great to see people from the community come together and have a great time,” said Sarratore. 

The committee plans to have a Rock the Block event once every month running through October.

News

Cassopolis superintendent Angela Piazza resigns

By |

Cassopolis High School (Caleb Steensma/Spartan Newsroom)

 CASSOPOLIS – The Cassopolis Public Schools system will have a new leader  this school year. 

On July 26, the Cassopolis Board of Education accepted Angela Piazza’s request for resignation from her position as the school’s superintendent. 

Piazza had been superintendent of Cassopolis for four years and just finished the first year of her five-year extension. 

The resignation comes after months of questioning and push back from parents and community members about Piazza’s running of the school system.  

While under Piazza’s leadership, Cassopolis switched from traditional common core learning to the project-based new tech learning system. 

Piazza brought the new tech system from Goshen Public Schools where she was previously the assistant superintendent before going to Cassopolis. 

“Thank you for your decision to accept the resignation,” said Cassopolis parent Kim True to Cassopolis School Board. “You just restored a lot of hope in this school system.”

The school board appointed Cassopolis graduate Brooke Brawley as the school’s interim superintendent until the board can find a new superintendent. 

Brawley was a teacher for several years at Cassopolis and has served as curriculum director of Cassopolis the last two school years. 

Board President Deb Deubner talked about how the board doesn’t have a timeline for Piazza’s replacement but has full confidence in the board appointing a new superintendent. 

“I have complete confidence in the leadership team we have and their ability to guide us in the new school year,” said Deubner. Piazza declined to comment.