Declare this 4th of July
Sometimes I wonder if the Founding Fathers had any inkling that the 4th of July would become a day of national celebrating with fireworks, parades, and hotdogs. (I’m sure if they thought about future celebrations it didn’t include the hotdog.) More so, I wonder if...
The Hen House celebrates 40 years in downtown Charlotte
Nancy Conn didn’t know she was creating an enduring legacy when she started the Hen House from her home on Pearl Street in Charlotte in 1976. Her eye for primitive fabrics and passion for quilting struck a chord with customers throughout Mid-Michigan and beyond....
Passion, generosity revive Charlotte’s Camp Frances
Stepping inside Camp Frances, you would never know the facility had struggled for years to remain open. New paint, new flooring, a new kitchen complete with new appliances, and new restroom make the log cabin, built in the early 1950s, look like a completely new...
Annual Fly-In a Father’s Day staple in Charlotte for 32 years
Father’s Day is not complete in Charlotte without a stop out to Fitch H. Beach Municipal Airport for all you can eat pancakes. It’s a tradition that has endured for 32 years, and one that continues to grow both in size and popularity. Held this year on Sunday, June...
Bluegrass Festival appeals to music lovers of all ages
Wes Pettinger remembers falling in love with music at the Eaton County Fairgrounds. He was just a boy when his dad would take him to the Charlotte Bluegrass Festival each summer. There he found his passion for music as he wandered the grounds listening to the “parkin’...
The wholeness of the flag
I’ve always been interested in different perspectives and interpretations of the American flag — what people think the colors represent, the place it holds in their hearts, how the country’s history influences their view, etc. Views are obviously wide ranging, with...
Eaton Rapids varsity softball team advances to state semifinals
2018 has been an exciting season for the Eaton Rapids varsity softball team. Undefeated in league play, and with a record of 36 and 6, the greyhound girls have given every team a run for their money with what head coach Scott Warriner calls “a scrappiness they’ve had...
Eaton Rapids Teen Center to receive grant from AT&T
2018 is the first real year in the life of the newly established Eaton Rapids Teen Center. It’s the first year the teens have a building to go to. It’s the first year there’s a center director, and it’s the first year of real programming. Everything was planning for...
Art of Charlotte 2018
Photos by Vincent Brady Nocturnal Photography
Charlotte Celebrates four days of family fun
The name change may be subtle, but organizers hope the new festival — Charlotte Celebrates — has a big impact on the community. Celebrated Father’s Day weekend as usual, Charlotte Celebrates is returning some community favorites to their preferred locations and mixing...