Smith pleads no contest to first degree murder
Joel Dean Smith pled no contest to a charge of first degree murder Sept. 25 in the case of the death of his spouse, Angela Renee Smith, last December.
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Read MoreSmith pleads no contest to first degree murder
Stakeholders plan library’s future in Prescott
Richland Township Supervisor Dale Bronson and Village of Prescott President Mark Janowski led a discussion Sept. 18 which included other trustees from the township and village as well as two representatives from the Ogemaw District Library. The group gathered to discuss the future of the Prescott Library, which was damaged beyond repair in a fire this past April.
WPAS extends response time in superintendent inquiry
The Whittemore-Prescott Area School District has extended by 10 days its time to respond to information requests from the Herald-Independent relating to the sudden exit of the district’s former superintendent, Michael Ehinger, shortly before the beginning of the school year.
Plea deal pending in Smith trial
Murder suspect Joel Dean Smith appeared by video conference in the 34th Circuit Court of Ogemaw County in West Branch Wednesday
DHD2 plans furloughs in event of government shutdown
The board of directors for District Health Department No. 2 gathered in Hale Sept. 22 and approved health officer Denise Bryan’s performance evaluation and salary, after two closed sessions.
Industry Opportunities
Apply for Dairy Business Builder Grants by September 30
New MDARD report warns of tariff impacts on food prices, agriculture industry
LANSING – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) released a new report indicating that surging federal tariffs have increased food prices, reduced agriculture exports and generated uncertainty throughout Michigan’s food and agriculture industry.
State politics updates
On Sept. 10, the U.S. House passed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Jack Bergman voted in support of this legislation. The NDAA aligns with President Trump’s peace-through-strength agenda to build a more lethal, capable, and efficient military.
Budget proposed by the Michigan House of Representatives makes deep cuts to MSP
The FY26 state budget passed by the Michigan House of Representatives on August 26 would severely impact the services of the Michigan State Police (MSP) in multiple ways, including:
Consumers Energy reaches agreement to sell 13 Michigan hydroelectric dams
Consumers Energy announced Sept. 9 it has signed a purchase agreement to sell its 13 hydroelectric dams along five Michigan rivers to Confluence Hydro, an affiliate of Hull Street Energy, LLC. The decision will reduce long-term costs for Consumers Energy customers, ensure the dams will continue to operate safely and provide economic and recreational benefits for nearby communities.