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LatestBellevue students eligible for direct admit to Olivet College
Submitted by Olivet College (Photo provided: Bellevue Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark...
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Charlotte
Charlotte
Latest114-year-old lumber company keeps thriving
Submitted by Ryan Upton from Johnson’s Lumber (Photo by Pennie Lake/TCJ) L.L Johnson...
Charlotte
Featured Story

114-year-old lumber company keeps thriving
Submitted by Ryan Upton from Johnson’s Lumber
(Photo by Pennie Lake/TCJ)
L.L Johnson Lumber in Charlotte, Michigan, has been a staple in the community for over a century, providing high-quality wood products to customers throughout the state. Founded in 1909 by Lauren Lewis Johnson, the company has remained family-owned and operated for four generations. Sherry Johnson-Guzy, Marketing Director, said of her great grandfather, “He was just known for being very honest and really taking care of his employees and customers.”
Over the years, L.L. Johnson Lumber has become known for its commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. The company sources its wood from responsibly managed forests and uses cutting-edge technology to reduce waste and minimize its environmental impact. This allows the company to offer high-quality products. “Customers can trust when they’re making a fine piece of furniture, the lumber they’ve gotten from us is high quality.”
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, L.L. Johnson Lumber has continued to thrive, adapting to new safety protocols and meeting the increased demand for home improvement projects. The company has also continued to invest in its operations, recently upgrading its equipment and expanding its product line to better serve its customers.
Guzy also said, “Our company was considered necessary. So, we did not shut down. We found that a lot of people, if they lost their jobs, they would come in and buy woodworking equipment and start their own woodshop businesses. We stayed open during COVID and did fine.”
As L.L. Johnson Lumber approaches its 115th anniversary the company remains focused on its core values of quality, sustainability, and customer service. With a strong reputation and a bright future ahead, it is clear that this Michigan institution will continue to be a force in the lumber industry for years to come.
Olivet
Olivet
LatestBellevue students eligible for direct admit to Olivet College
Submitted by Olivet College (Photo provided: Bellevue Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark...
Olivet
Featured Story

Bellevue students eligible for direct admit to Olivet College
Submitted by Olivet College
(Photo provided: Bellevue Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark McGarry, Bellevue Board of Education President Seth Madry and Olivet College President Steven M. Corey, Ph.D. (L to R) signed the Olivet Direct! agreement on May 18. Olivet Direct! gives qualified Bellevue Community Schools seniors direct admission to the College.)
Bellevue Community Schools students will now be automatically admitted to Olivet College, thanks to Olivet Direct!, a program that makes the admissions process faster and easier for high achieving students. President Steven M. Corey, Ph.D., and Bellevue Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark McGarry signed the Olivet Direct! agreement on May 18.
Direct admission allows students to lock in their acceptance and financial aid award without requiring them to undergo a lengthy admissions process. Bellevue is the sixth Olivet Direct! partner, joining Bangor, Bloomingdale, Charlotte, Olivet and Potterville schools.
“Olivet College is excited to welcome Bellevue Community Schools to Olivet Direct!. More graduates of Bellevue will be able to attend Olivet College and benefit from our generous financial awards structure while remaining close to home,” said Corey. “A four-year degree increases a person’s lifetime earnings, opens the door to countless career possibilities, broadens life experiences, and offers opportunities to build lasting friendships and mentorships with diverse populations. An Olivet College education alters the trajectory of a person’s life.”
Bellevue Community Schools high school students may also qualify for the Olivet College ADVANTAGE Scholarship, which covers the full cost of published tuition and general fees after all federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships are applied. To qualify for free tuition, seniors must be eligible for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, be Pell-eligible and have been a Michigan resident for at least one year. The Olivet College ADVANTAGE Scholarship aims to guarantee students, especially first-generation students and those from low-to-moderate-income families throughout Michigan, a quality, relationship-based college experience.
McGarry said, “We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Olivet College to eliminate barriers and open up new opportunities for our high school graduates. Together, we aim to empower our students and enable them to explore a world of possibilities.”
Established in 1844, Olivet College is a residential, relationship-based institution in south-central Michigan. The College remains dedicated to its academic vision of Education for Individual and Social Responsibility by providing a quality higher education to all, regardless of gender, race or financial means. Olivet College is committed to each student’s personal, academic, and career success from enrollment to graduation. The College offers 34 majors and 26 minors, including a nationally-ranked insurance and risk management major, criminal justice, business, sports psychology and more. Olivet College graduates have the confidence to be more than they ever dreamed and the conscience to do good in the world around them. www.olivetcollege.edu
Bellevue Community Schools serves 588 preschool through grade 12 students, providing an environment of academic excellence and social and emotional support for each student. Its vision is to challenge students to strive for academic excellence and personal accomplishment resulting in confident leaders who are equipped to make a positive impact on society. www.bellevue-schools.com
Bellevue
Bellevue
LatestBellevue students eligible for direct admit to Olivet College
Submitted by Olivet College (Photo provided: Bellevue Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark...
Bellevue
Featured Story

Bellevue students eligible for direct admit to Olivet College
Submitted by Olivet College
(Photo provided: Bellevue Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark McGarry, Bellevue Board of Education President Seth Madry and Olivet College President Steven M. Corey, Ph.D. (L to R) signed the Olivet Direct! agreement on May 18. Olivet Direct! gives qualified Bellevue Community Schools seniors direct admission to the College.)
Bellevue Community Schools students will now be automatically admitted to Olivet College, thanks to Olivet Direct!, a program that makes the admissions process faster and easier for high achieving students. President Steven M. Corey, Ph.D., and Bellevue Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark McGarry signed the Olivet Direct! agreement on May 18.
Direct admission allows students to lock in their acceptance and financial aid award without requiring them to undergo a lengthy admissions process. Bellevue is the sixth Olivet Direct! partner, joining Bangor, Bloomingdale, Charlotte, Olivet and Potterville schools.
“Olivet College is excited to welcome Bellevue Community Schools to Olivet Direct!. More graduates of Bellevue will be able to attend Olivet College and benefit from our generous financial awards structure while remaining close to home,” said Corey. “A four-year degree increases a person’s lifetime earnings, opens the door to countless career possibilities, broadens life experiences, and offers opportunities to build lasting friendships and mentorships with diverse populations. An Olivet College education alters the trajectory of a person’s life.”
Bellevue Community Schools high school students may also qualify for the Olivet College ADVANTAGE Scholarship, which covers the full cost of published tuition and general fees after all federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships are applied. To qualify for free tuition, seniors must be eligible for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, be Pell-eligible and have been a Michigan resident for at least one year. The Olivet College ADVANTAGE Scholarship aims to guarantee students, especially first-generation students and those from low-to-moderate-income families throughout Michigan, a quality, relationship-based college experience.
McGarry said, “We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Olivet College to eliminate barriers and open up new opportunities for our high school graduates. Together, we aim to empower our students and enable them to explore a world of possibilities.”
Established in 1844, Olivet College is a residential, relationship-based institution in south-central Michigan. The College remains dedicated to its academic vision of Education for Individual and Social Responsibility by providing a quality higher education to all, regardless of gender, race or financial means. Olivet College is committed to each student’s personal, academic, and career success from enrollment to graduation. The College offers 34 majors and 26 minors, including a nationally-ranked insurance and risk management major, criminal justice, business, sports psychology and more. Olivet College graduates have the confidence to be more than they ever dreamed and the conscience to do good in the world around them. www.olivetcollege.edu
Bellevue Community Schools serves 588 preschool through grade 12 students, providing an environment of academic excellence and social and emotional support for each student. Its vision is to challenge students to strive for academic excellence and personal accomplishment resulting in confident leaders who are equipped to make a positive impact on society. www.bellevue-schools.com
Eaton County
Eaton County
Latest114-year-old lumber company keeps thriving
Submitted by Ryan Upton from Johnson’s Lumber (Photo by Pennie Lake/TCJ) L.L Johnson...
Eaton County
Featured Story

114-year-old lumber company keeps thriving
Submitted by Ryan Upton from Johnson’s Lumber
(Photo by Pennie Lake/TCJ)
L.L Johnson Lumber in Charlotte, Michigan, has been a staple in the community for over a century, providing high-quality wood products to customers throughout the state. Founded in 1909 by Lauren Lewis Johnson, the company has remained family-owned and operated for four generations. Sherry Johnson-Guzy, Marketing Director, said of her great grandfather, “He was just known for being very honest and really taking care of his employees and customers.”
Over the years, L.L. Johnson Lumber has become known for its commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. The company sources its wood from responsibly managed forests and uses cutting-edge technology to reduce waste and minimize its environmental impact. This allows the company to offer high-quality products. “Customers can trust when they’re making a fine piece of furniture, the lumber they’ve gotten from us is high quality.”
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, L.L. Johnson Lumber has continued to thrive, adapting to new safety protocols and meeting the increased demand for home improvement projects. The company has also continued to invest in its operations, recently upgrading its equipment and expanding its product line to better serve its customers.
Guzy also said, “Our company was considered necessary. So, we did not shut down. We found that a lot of people, if they lost their jobs, they would come in and buy woodworking equipment and start their own woodshop businesses. We stayed open during COVID and did fine.”
As L.L. Johnson Lumber approaches its 115th anniversary the company remains focused on its core values of quality, sustainability, and customer service. With a strong reputation and a bright future ahead, it is clear that this Michigan institution will continue to be a force in the lumber industry for years to come.
Vermontville
Vermontville
LatestNational Crime Victims’ Rights Week
Submitted by Douglas R. Lloyd, Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney (Photo Provided) National...
Vermontville
Featured Story

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week
Submitted by Douglas R. Lloyd,
Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney
(Photo Provided)
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 23 to April 29, 2023. This annual observance provides the opportunity to raise awareness and underscore the importance of helping crime survivors find their justice by enforcing victims’ rights, expand access to services and ensure equity and inclusion for all.
This year’s national theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate, Engage, Effect Change,” The observance provides an opportunity for communities to amplify the voices of survivors and create environments where survivors have the confidence that they will be heard, believed and supported. Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has challenged the Nation to confront and remove barriers to achieve justice for all victims of crime. We celebrate these accomplishments of the victims’ rights movement and reflect on how far we have come by remembering crime victims and survivors.
The Eaton County Prosecutor’s Office would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for those community members, victim service providers and criminal justice professionals who are advocating for expanded support and services to communities affected by crime. They are committed to improving our response to all victims of crime so that they may find relevant assistance, support, justice and peace. We are fortunate to have SIREN/Eaton Shelter, located in Charlotte, providing support for the victims of Eaton County.
A Candlelight Vigil honoring Crime Victims’ Rights Week will be held at the State Capitol in the new Capitol Heritage room on Wednesday, April 19, at 6 p.m. it is open to the public, and I invite you to attend. This is a solemn event, which my staff supports and attends. It is another chance to honor past victims from across the state, as well as to inspire everyone in the criminal justice system – from legislators to law enforcement, and from prosecutors and victim advocates to judges – to make victim rights a practice, not merely a slogan.
Together we can make a difference!
Potterville
Potterville
LatestCustodian of the past
Douglas Hoy Contributing Writer (Photos Provided) Try to just imagine; over 20 million...
Potterville
Featured Story

Custodian of the past
Douglas Hoy
Contributing Writer
(Photos Provided)
Try to just imagine; over 20 million dead. Do you remember this number?. Do you know where it comes from or what it represents? The number is as real as the blood that was shed, as the lives lost. The love ones carried on. Difficult, heart wrenching, missing their love ones. You, I, and most of us have, if not forgotten, never give it any more than a casual concern. I am talking about the war to end all wars. Lofty statement and ideals, but far from reality. This was World War I, and yes, I am sure you never give a thought. No, not any longer.
But a man named Keith Colley in Oklahoma has not forgotten. He was brought to this eye-opening reality in a most unusual way. But you see Keith is a most unique and unusual man. He came to the cause of letting, not making, the country remember the sacrifices, the losses, suffered over 100 years ago. Back then almost every family was affected. In some way, it was everyone’s personal tragedy.
Keith went to Sri Lanka to work as a grief counselor after their tragedy. This was not only his training but his empathetic makeup. He simply wanted to help. So, he stayed on. He counseled, he listened and shared the grief of the individual. Later he returned home working as a bereavement counselor for Hospice. To compliment his vocation, he specialized in working with Alzheimer and Dementia patients.
Speaking with a particular WWII individual suffering from Alzheimer’s, Keith was looking for a way to make a connection with the man. This vet kept drifting back to conversations he had with his father who had served and fought in WWI. Keith had an idea. He brought to his WWII patient a shovel from WWI and placed it into his hands. The man’s eyes not only lit up but so did his attitude. He began recalling the actual, completely lost and forgotten, conversations he had with his WWI father so long ago. The veteran, all of a sudden, blurted out one of his dad’s favorites saying about the shovel. In WWI “If I wasn’t shoveling, I was shooting; if I wasn’t shooting, I was shoveling.” This is what, for many, is what WWI simply boiled down to. Keith, with one single gesture, opened up this man’s memory not only to the war but to his personal life, to his father!
Keith just got his message, Keith had his calling, Keith knew what he was destined to do. Hence, more than ten years ago, was born the idea for Awakening the Mind, the WWI Traveling Memorial. A memorial brought to one and all by contributions and private donations. And yes, sometimes that gets a bit thin.
Paul Bach, a dedicated history teacher at Potterville High School, heard of Keith and his mission. Upon the exchange of a few texts an agreement was reached. Keith would pack up his entire traveling museum, located in Oklahoma, and bring it to Potterville. This is not unusual, just sort of special. Keith normally does over 220 shows per year. But COVID basically canceled all his activities. Needing to get back on the road with his display, the contact from Paul Bach was just in time.
This traveling museum, magnificent beyond description for WWI enthusiasts, will be arriving in Potterville, at their high school and will be available for viewing on April 18 & 19. There you will discover, maybe rediscover, items and memorabilia from that horrid, modern war over 100 years ago.
It was said over 27,000 miles of trenches were dug during the war. Every foot of these trenches was filled with someone’s stories, someone’s agonies, and death – which, as it was once proclaimed, would never happen again. Come, have your own Awakening, so just maybe it won’t.
Eaton Rapids
Eaton Rapids
LatestRoss & Associates serving Eaton Rapids area since 1995
Lisa Lee Contributing Writer (Photo by Lisa Lee: Ross & Associates can help you with more than...
Eaton Rapids
Featured Story

Ross & Associates serving Eaton Rapids area since 1995
Lisa Lee
Contributing Writer
(Photo by Lisa Lee: Ross & Associates can help you with more than just finding or selling a home.)
Ross & Associates Realtor, L.L.C. is more than a real estate agency. They also provide property management services, new construction and whole home remodeling. Duane and Brian Ross, father and son, started the business as a real estate broker in 1995. Brian soon expanded the business by obtaining a builder’s license
Joining Ross & Associates in real estate is Broker, Dale McNabb and Real Estate Associates, Brooke Stevenson, Barbara Rogers, Dale Ernst and Kelly Miller. In addition to being a Real Estate Associate, Kelly Miller is also the office manager and coordinates the rental property management.
Ross & Associates Professional Property Management Services has over 70 area rental units for which they provide services. About half of the units are owned by Ross & Associates, the rest are privately owned residential and commercial properties that are managed by them. As property managers, they collect rents, vet perspective tenants, show units, and maintain the property for the owners.
Brian Ross steers the construction and remodeling side of the business. Available construction services offered include new home building, additions, pole barn installations, new and replacement roofs, kitchen and bath remodeling, new siding and decks. Brian advises that the construction and remodeling business is really brisk at the moment and they are looking to hire qualified, experienced carpenters.
The office is located at 147 S. Main Street in Eaton Rapids, phone (517) 663-4500, or visit their web page at www.rossassociates.net.
Ross & Associates strives to create a lifetime of referral and repeat business from their clients and community involvement is very important to them. They are members of the Eaton Rapids Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary, and LDFA (Local Development Finance Authority). They also enjoy donating to Hearth and Hands along with the hospital and Christmas food drives. Brian has been reelected several times to serve on the Eaton Rapids Public School board. He also serves as the Chairman for the Eaton County Planning Commission. The Commission decides how to balance land use between the needs of the public and the needs of individual land owners. Together the Ross family and their associates are working with the community to provide services that strengthen the community.
Sunfield
Sunfield
LatestNational Crime Victims’ Rights Week
Submitted by Douglas R. Lloyd, Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney (Photo Provided) National...
Mulliken
Mulliken
LatestNational Crime Victims’ Rights Week
Submitted by Douglas R. Lloyd, Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney (Photo Provided) National...
Dimondale
Dimondale
LatestRives Quality Meats approaching 50 years of service
Christine Terpening Contributing Writer (Photo by Christine Terpening – Tom Hosler, his...