Spartan Newsroom (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/category/news/community-news/clinton-county-news/bath-dewitt/)
Two Lansing-area men accused of the 2018 killing of a hunter in Bath Township were denied bond in a hearing Jan. 31.
Thomas Olson, of Grand Blanc Township, and Robert Rodway, of St. Johns, both 34, face murder and robbery charges in the death of Chong Moua Yang. Yang, 68, of Lansing, was found fatally shot in the Rose Lake Wildlife Area of Bath Township in November 2018, where he frequently hunted.
Last week, the greater Lansing area received nearly four inches of rain, for a total of more than 10-inches so far this year. This level of rainfall is almost 50% higher than the 30-year average for this time of the year.
In light of recent storms, the greater Lansing area has seen rises in river water levels which raised concerns about flooding. Residents within these communities are taking notice and officials are working to take care of the problems.
Ahead of spring, local governments across the greater Lansing area are looking to implement various strategies of mitigating stormwater runoff to prevent flooding, water quality issues and damage to nearby infrastructure.
DEWITT, Mich.—In many towns across the country, high school football is the local attraction, the same could be said about DeWitt, Michigan. DeWitt High School has had long success with its football program over the last 25 years. Since 1999, The Panthers have only missed the playoffs twice, while at one time having a streak of 16 straight conference championships. But this year’s team was led by a dynamic duo at quarterback and wide receiver.
Elliot Larner and Abram Larner share a bond as identical twins. They both have played football together since they were in elementary school.
EAST LANSING- As Michigan gears up for high school football playoffs, high school programs across the state are facing issues with declines in participation. The sport is now grappling with shrinking rosters and shifting attitudes from parents, players and schools.
High school football is still Michigan’s most popular sport among male high school students, but each year, they are faced with statewide issues ranging from concussions to drops in the state population. Geoff Kimmerly, director of communications at Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) said that school enrollments are partially responsible for the decrease in high schools’ team rosters since 2008.
Geoff Kimmerly Outside The MHSAA Office in East Lansing, MI. Nov. 8, 2024
“Our state’s population is down, school enrollment has dropped every year since 2008-2009, this past year we had hundred and five thousand fewer students than we did in 2008-2009, that’s basically 20% fewer,” said Kimmerly.
In addition to declining enrollment, an overall safety concern has been a part of a national decline in football participation due to concussions and disorders like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
BATH, Mich—A small town in Michigan with nearly 3,000 people, Bath has a thriving public library that hosts events nearly every weekday. The Bath Library is an above-average, small-town library because its funding is above the average for towns of similar size. The Institute of Museum and Library Services 2022 public library budget survey results show that the average budget for towns with up to 10,000 residents hovers around $289,000. According to the Bath Charter Township 2024 budget, the library receives nearly $360,000 in municipal funding a year, nearly $100,000 higher than the average budget for similar-sized towns. Local libraries like Bath Library function as what is known as a “third space.” Third spaces, a term coined by Ray Oldenburg that includes places such as libraries, parks, and community centers, all provide a place for people to spend their free time outside of the home (first spaces) and the workplace (second spaces) and also do not require money to use the space.
Libraries of all sizes, including the Bath Library, offer much more than only access to books.
Chronic homelessness is defined as living on the streets for 12 months out of the last 36. A number of shelters and organizations are finding their own ways to address the needs of these citizens in Lansing. One of the organizations is the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH). According to MCAH’s communications manager Amy Stephenson, MCAH works more “behind the scenes.”
During the bi-monthly meeting on Monday (Sep. 25), the Dewitt City Council voted unanimously in favor of approval for a new Finance Director position. The decision came in response to acknowledging staffing shortages, and it aims a fresh proposal to separate duties currently handled by the Interim Clerk-Treasure Sarah Stoltzfus, who is temporarily overseeing the financial aspects.
This summer, two public parks will get new playgrounds along with other improvements, and the DeWitt Downtown Development Authority is partnering with a local artist to install six benches in the downtown area.
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.
Concerns about the possible discontinuation of two youth archery teams dominated the DeWitt Board of Education meeting on April 10. During public comment, several parents and students expressed anger and sadness over the possibility that both teams might be cut.
