News across Gratiot County
Wright House Comes Alive as Restoration Continues
Pat Benson Wright House Restoration Coordinator The Wright House is beginning to look like itself again. One of the most visible phases of the restoration of the historic home at 503 N. State Street in Alma has now been completed, and the results are striking. After months of…
$1M bond remains for man accused of attempted murder
A Montcalm County judge on Wednesday denied bond for a local man accused of firing multiple shots at his ex-girlfriend and her friend, saying he was particularly concerned that the man allegedly returned and fired a second time. Richard Jerome Johnson, 41, has a listed address of…
Missed Days Remain Challenge for Schools
Michael MacDonald Herald Editor Chronic absenteeism varied widely among Gratiot County’s six public school districts last year, with affected students missing the equivalent of nearly four weeks of classroom instruction. The Michigan Department of Education released the figures…
County Adopts Fiscal Year Budget, Raises Elected Pay
Michael MacDonald Herald Editor The Gratiot County Board of Commissioners will use $904,035 from savings to balance its fiscal year 2026-27 general fund budget, adopted last Tuesday following a public hearing at which no residents offered comment. Expenses under the spending plan…
Animal Control Defends Workload, Wage Request
Michael MacDonald Herald Editor A proposed pay increase for county animal control employees was met with scrutiny from the Gratiot Board of Commissioners last Tuesday, leading to a contentious exchange over the agency’s workload and responsibilities. Gratiot Animal Control…
Pine River Twp Housing Plan Tabled Amid Public Concern
Michael MacDonald Herald Editor Gratiot County commissioners postponed a decision last Tuesday on a plan to reimburse more than $2 million in development costs for 19 single-family houses in Pine River Township after residents questioned the subsidy and raised concerns the…
Wings & Wheels Reset for This Saturday
The annual Wings & Wheels Fly-In/Car Meet at the Gratiot Community Airport was rescheduled for this Saturday, Sept. 26. Inclement weather canceled the original date of Saturday, Sept. 19. Aircraft and automobiles, both modern and vintage, both local and from far away, typically…
Alma Nurses Cancel Strike After Reaching Tentative Deal
Michael MacDonald Herald Editor A second three-day strike at MyMichigan Medical Center Alma was canceled after the hospital system and Michigan Nurses Association reached a tentative contract agreement last Wednesday. The walkout had been scheduled to begin Monday morning. The…
New Playground Gives Ithaca Preschoolers More Room
Michael MacDonald Herald Editor Ithaca South Elementary preschoolers have more room to climb, slide and swing this fall after a long-planned playground expansion was completed before the school year. The building’s 36 preschool students, divided among two classrooms, use a…
Letters To The Editor
To the Editor: Our Next Generation of Farmers Deserves a Chance. This letter is in response to the proposed industrial solar project in Gratiot County’s Sumner & Seville townships. My wife and I operate a specialty crop farm in Sumner Township, and we both come from farming…
Marcella Seifert – Obituary
Marcella Ann Seifert, 89, of Ashley, passed away Tues., Sept. 15, 2026, at Woodland Hospice House, Mt. Pleasant. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Pauls Apostle Catholic Church, Ithaca, on Sat., Sept. 19, 2026, with Rev. Fr. Edwin Dwyer presiding. Burial took place at…
Debra Carman – Obituary
Debra Sue Carman, 60, of Ithaca, passed away Thurs., Sept. 17, 2026, at her home surrounded by her family. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes Ithaca, at 11:00 A.M. on Thur., Sept. 24, 2026, with Pastor Randy Peterson officiating. Burial will take place at…