Elisabeth Waldon

For decades, Pierson Township has been getting bigger. Now, that growth is beginning to change not only what the community looks like, but how it operates. The township's population nearly doubled from 1980 to 2020, growing from 1,701 residents to 3,363, according to U.S. Census records. That growth is continuing to show up in development, from new homes to industrial investment. Last Monday's Pierson Township Board meeting offered a snapshot of how that growth is creating both opportunities and new demands on local government.

A $17.9 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year with 3% raises for employees was approved on Monday by the Montcalm County Board of Commissioners following several months of budget workshops this summer.

Fireworks, parades, live music, tractor pulls, frog jumping and plenty of family activities will fill Trufant over Labor Day weekend as the Trufant Jubilee returns Sept. 4-6.

Trail projects in Lakeview and along the White Pine Trail are set to receive a combined $680,000 in state funding, while Ionia will likely decline a $400,000 grant for park improvements because of the city's deteriorating financial position.

A total of 235 veterans, some dating back to the Civil War, will be honored through a new project making its debut during the Trufant Jubilee parade on Saturday, Sept. 5.

A proposed network of high-voltage transmission lines could eventually stretch into eastern Montcalm County, but the exact path of the lines remains very much up in the air. ITC held a media briefing on Tuesday to provide an update on the Copperton project, part of a regional transmission need identified through the Midcontinent Independent System Operator's (MISO) long-range transmission plan. The plan is intended to strengthen Michigan's power grid and help meet the state's growing energy needs.

Firefighters from four departments battled flames shooting through the roof of a Howard City-area home on a hot Tuesday, ultimately using about 10,000 gallons of water to extinguish the destructive blaze.

A 33-acre property that has hosted archery tournaments, political forums and a sporting-goods business for more than three decades could soon have a new purpose: A rustic family campground. John Campbell and Harley Hansen attended Tuesday’s Stanton Planning Commission meeting to share their goal of purchasing the Twin Ponds Sports Shop property at 650 S. State St. (M-66) and turning the 33 acres into The Ponds Resort.

The Montcalm County Road Commission is preparing for a major expansion of its Stanton complex that will involve demolishing part of its existing facility and constructing a new building next to the relatively new facility, which was completed in 2022. The Stanton Planning Commission approved a special use permit and site plan Tuesday for the expansion of the Road Commission facility at 619 W. Main St. The vote followed a public hearing during which no public comments were offered.

Concerned about the potential impact on fire protection for residents of the city of Ionia and Ionia Township, a judge has ordered the two communities to try mediation before she rules on a lawsuit challenging a 25-year-old agreement between them.