Letter to the Editor: Please yield to emergency vehicles!
April 20, 2021 To the Editor: While driving South on M-52 going into town a few days ago, we spotted a car on the side of the road with smoke coming out of it. When we got closer, we saw that the engine was on fire, and quickly called 911. The Manchester Township Fire Department […]
Road Commission announces work on Grass Lake Road
The Washtenaw County Road Commission has announced its planned road work for the week of April 26. All schedules are subject to change, due to weather or other circumstances. In Sharon Township, Grass Lake Road between Rank and Sharon Hollow Roads will have intermittent lane closures as part of a limestone resurfacing project. Commuters on […]
Stories of Wil: For what they do
submitted by Christie Taylor Wil is a 14-year-old boy with Down syndrome. He is the little brother, by 20 months, to twin sisters, Katherine and Elizabeth. Wil’s mom, Christie, knew very little about Down syndrome when Wil was diagnosed shortly after his birth. It didn’t take long for Christie to realize how enriching life with […]
Michigan offers $97 million for projects that can boost recycling in state
by Kelly House (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s latest idea to boost the state’s abysmal recycling rate: Shark Tank for trash. State government and business leaders on Monday announced a program to bankroll ideas that would create new markets for materials that would otherwise be destined for landfills. Think “upcycled” duffle bags made from scrap fabrics, toilet […]
FDA ends pause on J & J vaccine for COVID, but with warning to women
by Robin Erb (Bridge Michigan) The Food and Drug Administration ended its suspension of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine late Friday, allowing it to be restarted across the United States. But reports of very rare blood clots among women may make the vaccine-hesitant less likely to roll up their sleeves. The FDA decision Friday […]
As Michigan begins redistricting, ‘communities of interest’ take center stage
by Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) Claudia Pohlen has a big task ahead. She’s trying to convey to the Hispanic and Latinx community in west Michigan the importance of participating in the state’s redistricting process to improve their political representation in Lansing and Washington D.C. Much is at stake: Latinos are estimated to be the largest […]
GOP wants to split Michigan Electoral College votes. That would help the GOP.
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) Republicans in the Michigan House are considering a plan to award most of the state’s presidential electors by congressional district, an overhaul that could give new influence to voters in rural areas dominated by GOP candidates. Legislation debated Tuesday would likely help Republican candidates by ending the state’s winner-take-all system […]
Progress begins on Watkins Lake Trail
Travelers along Austin Road west of town may have noticed some tree clearing going on. This is a significant step forward in the development of the Watkins Lake Trail, which has been under discussion for a few years now. “We are in the process of developing access to this trail segment; however, it may be […]
Consumers Energy commits to further safety updates at Freedom Township plant
An invitation to “learn how Consumers Energy is increasing safety measures in Freedom Township” led to an important announcement about a long-awaited safety improvement at the Compressor Station near Pleasant Lake that dates back to 1947. John Broschak, vice-president of gas operations at Consumers Energy, introduced the virtual announcement last Friday by saying that the […]
Cemetery now under township ownership
Two years after the Oak Grove Cemetery Board approached Manchester Township to incorporate the cemetery as township property, the final paperwork from the state of Michigan has been completed to finish the transition of ownership of the cemetery, located just west of the village on Austin Road. The cemetery now officially belongs to Manchester Township, […]
