Spartan Newsroom (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/category/elections-politics/local-elections/clinton-county/)
Election news from Clinton County
Michigan voters headed to the polls this morning amid a pandemic that’s helped push absentee voting to record levels. More than 3 million Michigan voters have cast absentee ballots, according to the Secretary of State’s office, and 2 million people are expected to vote in person at the polls today. That could beat a turnout record of just over 5 million ballots cast in 2008.
Michigan voters head to the polls today with the Great Lakes State playing an increasingly key role in the race to decide the nation’s next commander-in-chief. Polls across the state are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., where voters also will choose their candidates in a variety of state and local races.
By Nathaniel Bott
Clinton County Chatter Staff Reporter
ST. JOHNS — Thursday evenings in April at Briggs Public Library in St. Johns bring Marie Geller a certain kind of joy. Working for nearly 40 years as a children’s librarian with Briggs, there is nothing more rewarding for her than singing the welcome song with every toddler who attends her story time sessions. She has adopted the title of youth services coordinator at the library, and runs youth development programs for the kids in St.
By Cydni Robinson
Clinton County Chatter Staff Reporter
DEWITT — Two men, ages 39 and 40 years old, who were arrested by Bay County Sheriff Department at the end of a recent alleged retail theft spree could face charges in Clinton County for part of that spree. The two men, who allegedly went from store to store in the mid-Michigan area, had their case forwarded to the Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration of charges of organized retail crime for a reported theft from the DeWitt Township Meijer store last month. Originally no one knew who they were until Bay County Sheriff Department was alerted by different Meijer stores that these guys had allegedly been doing crimes all across Michigan, says Chief of DeWitt Township Brian Russell. The police report says a Meijer asset protection officer has been working on a case that has affected nine Meijer stores in the Mid Michigan area. On March 29 their alleged target was the Meijer supermarket on 12821 Crossover Drive, DeWitt Township.
By Nathaniel Bott
Clinton County Chatter Staff Reporter
ST. JOHNS — What to do with the vacant space at 116 and 118 N. Clinton Avenue was a major point of discussion for the St. Johns City Commission at its regular March 28 meeting. The building, which was a former furniture and mattress liquidators store, has been vacant for some time, and the planning commission began to take matters into their own hands. The planning commission recommended the the city commission approve a petition for special land use allowing residential units to be constructed on the second and third floors of the building.
By Cydni Robinson
Clinton County Chatter Staff Reporter
DEWITT — Driving under the influence doesn’t simply mean drunk driving. Prescription drugs can also impair a driver, something a 27-year-old woman allegedly learned the hard way earlier this month. The woman was arrested by DeWitt Township police for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs after an alleged hit-and-run with a mailbox on March 5, police officials said. Driving under the influence doesn’t only deal with illegal drugs and alcohol, it includes any mood or mind-altering substance, says Diana Julian, substance abuse/program manager and counselor at McAlister Institute. Julian says being aware that driving under the influence involves prescription drug abuse is very important.
By Nathaniel Bott, Rachel Bidock, Kenedi Robinson and Cydni Robinson
Clinton County Chatter Staff Reporters
Law enforcement in Clinton County will be dealing with the issue of regaining trust in the public eye following the arrest of neighboring Ingham County’s chief prosecutor. Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III was arrested in the early morning of March 14 on numerous charges, including 10 counts of engaging in the services of prostitution, four counts of willful neglect of duty, and one count of prostitution/pandering, a felony offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to a press release from the Attorney General’s office. DeWitt Township Police Chief Brian Russell was one law enforcement officer who was taken off guard by the arrest of Dunnings. “I was shocked, I know everyone’s human and we make mistakes and the higher you go the harder you fall,” Russell said. “I know he’s still innocent until proven guilty, but I’m just shocked that someone that high in an office could be charged with these kind of crimes.”
Dunnings, who has served as the Ingham County Prosecutor since January 1997, is facing charges in in Clinton County and Ionia County in addition to Ingham.
By Ella Kovacs
Listen Up Lansing Staff Reporter
The Lansing area has several print news sources to keep its community up to date on all the happenings around them. While these publications are similar in some ways, they differ in content or audience, creating a well-rounded collection of publications. However, working with these differences can be a challenge to ensure that news is not repeated exactly in multiple different sources. The audience to these print publications varies, but according to Roy Cunningham, the only people who read the news are older people. Cunningham is a 74-year-old Lansing area local, who reads “anything from City Hall,” he said.
By Nathaniel Bott
Clinton County Chatter Staff Reporter
ST. JOHNS — The Ouch Urgent Care in Southpoint Mall has been operating now for just over two months after moving into the location previously occupied by a Save-A-Lot store. In February, the Clinton County Medical Center moved next door, allowing Ouch Urgent Care to start offering their full range of services. In addition, the Clinton County Medical Center, which moved just across the parking lot, hopes to add improvements and additional upgrades to their new building. The medical center was previously operating in the Southpoint Mall for 25 years, servicing somewhere around 200 patients per day.
By Cydni Robinson
Clinton County Chatter Staff Reporter
On Feb. 24, DeWitt Township Police and Mercy Ambulance were called to the Town and Country Motel, 16262 U.S. Route 27, at 4:52 a.m., said police officials. When Officer Kyle Kolka arrived to the scene he noticed a naked 45-year-old woman lying on her left side on top of a large amount of blood. Allegedly next to the woman was a male infant that was still attached to an umbilical cord and appeared listless, he said. Kolka attempted to clear the child’s airway and begin CPR.
By Emily Elconin
Clinton County Chatter Staff Reporter
DEWITT — For Dr. Randy Chambers, there isn’t much difference between work and home. After all, he sees his family all day at 203 S. Bridge St., where Chambers runs Chambers Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center. His wife Rebecca Chambers, daughter Austin Chambers, 4, and dog Ginger all join him at work there. “It allows us to spend time with our kids and work at the same time. It’s important to us that we are able to spend as much time with our kids as possible.
