IONIA — The Ionia Department of Public Safety recently donated an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) to a local training studio using funds from the annual Firefighter Pancake Breakfast in March aims to enhance access to life-saving equipment in active environments hosted a CPR Training and Certification Class on April 30 The course was $55 per person and led by two certified Life EMS instructors The need for training was underscored by a recent incident at the studio when a client experienced cardiac arrest during a session Studio owner Joe Cantwell performed CPR and with assistance from others and a quick response from Ionia Public Safety and Life EMS According to the American Heart Association immediate CPR can double or triple the chances of survival for someone experiencing an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest The donation and training class reflect a commitment to community health and safety in Ionia More: A second year of construction is slated to begin on I-96 in Ionia. Here's what to expect This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct or share your thoughts at http://bit.ly/3RapUkA with our News Automation and AI Team This story was updated to add new information — An 80-year-old Okemos man died and several others were injured after a semitrailer crashed into stopped traffic along Interstate 96 in western Ionia County during the evening hours of April 26 The Michigan State Police did not provide the man's name in its social media update Michigan State Police said on X the crash happened in the eastbound lanes “Preliminary information is that traffic was stopped at the construction zone when a semi failed to stop and ran into traffic,” the post said without providing the exact number of those hospitalized or their conditions The highway was shut down for the investigation The Michigan Department of Transportation said on X eastbound lanes reopened after midnight "This is a reminder that when you see the orange barrels prepare for slow-downs and remain focused on the roadway ahead," MSP said Contact editor Susan Vela at svela@lsj.com or 248-873-7044 — A man racing in a bicycle competition this weekend suffered a cardiac emergency requiring the help of first responders for his survival April 19 during the Dirty 30 Gravel Grinder race based out of Saranac Deputies from the Ionia County Sheriff's Office already helping provide security and support for the event They found the man having a cardiac emergency with race volunteers already performing CPR Emergency teams used an AED to help stabilize the man The sheriff's office wrote the man is alive and recovering Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube IONIA — They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day Whether you’re looking for something sweet like french toast or pancakes or something savory like an omelet or skillet there are plenty of directions to go for a good breakfast There are also plenty of places in the area to get your first meal of the day But which restaurant in Ionia County serves up the best breakfast and residents came out in droves to answer According to those voters, Willow Wood Golf Club is the very best breakfast spot in Ionia County The business at 12227 Sandborn Road in Portland has a stuffed menu including blueberry lemon stuffed french toast More: Ionia County's favorite seasonal business specializes in fruit, baked goods In second place, C and R Homestyle Café at 1027 Fourth Ave and is especially well-known for homemade pies Terry's Woodbury Café at 7170 Saddlebag Lake Road in Lake Odessa came in third place with 15.14% of the vote Other nominees that received votes included: — Cassandra Lybrink is the local editor of The Sentinel-Standard GRAND RAPIDS — As Greater Lansing braces for another round of severe weather the National Weather Service has released images tracking the tornadoes that struck Williamston The spin ups in Ingham County damaged homes, barns and outbuildings in the communities with winds that roared up to 110 mph in Williamston and up to 75 mph in the Leslie area, according to NWS meteorologists in Grand Rapids. A man was killed when a tree fell on a home in Stockbridge Township that showed both twisters arriving and then traveling a northeast path and threatened the community for about three minutes It was about 50-yards wide and traveled a 2.7-mile path that began along Olds Road at about 150 yards wide and blowing through between 6:40 p.m It traveled a 5.3-mile path from near Shaftsburg and Sherwood roads to West Lovejoy Road between South Lovejoy and South Boutell roads Two communities in Ionia County also experienced EF-0 tornados on Sunday Sunday’s thunderstorms knocked out power for more than 18,000 in Greater Lansing while a serious ice storm in Northern Michigan has also knocked out power to many people Thunderstorms are possible throughout the day on Wednesday The highest risk of severe storms will be near and south of Interstate 96 LANSING — Four Michigan corrections officers are criminally charged with beating a prisoner at Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility near Ionia according to court records and a county prosecutor had four state prisons in his county and now has three said Tuesday that it's rare for state prison officers to be charged for their use of force but an investigative report from the Michigan State Police satisfied him that the charges are justified and Jordan Thomas Csernyik are scheduled to appear in 64A District Court in Ionia for an April 16 probable cause conference and on April 23 for a preliminary exam Michigan Department of Corrections spokeswoman Jenni Riehle said The prisoner they allegedly assaulted on July 7 identified in prison records as John Paul Callaghan was sentenced to another 18 months to five years in December after pleading guilty to assaulting one of the four officers An internal Corrections Department investigation into the initial assault and the officers' response led to a Michigan State Police investigation and the Ionia prosecutor charging Callaghan late last year and the corrections officers on Feb a Bay City attorney representing Carr and Csernyik said Tuesday that the incident began in one of the housing units for higher security prisoners when Callaghan More: Michigan prison worker raised red flag over safety issue. More inmate deaths followed Csernyik and the three other officers "reacted … over a period of less than 30 seconds until this defendant was fully restrained," Foldie said who is also serving time for a 2020 arson and a February 2024 prison incident of assault with a dangerous weapon according to the Corrections Department website Injuries suffered in the encounter with officers sent Callaghan to the hospital for treatment Foldie said he expects the prosecution will make much of the fact that four officers delivered a series of punches and knee strikes while Callaghan was down But Foldie said Callaghan was preventing handcuffs from being applied and the officers responded according to their training Butler confirmed that according to the report from MSP Callaghan told investigators that on the day of the assaults Callaghan's cellmate said he planned to rape Callaghan The inmate told investigators the motivation to assault an officer was to get sent to segregation and be safe from the cellmate Butler said that he reviews many prison incidents and "the vast majority of corrections officers handle things in a very professional way in … difficult situations." Attorneys for Rubley and Mustafa did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Callaghan did not immediately respond to a request for comment through the prison email system Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com IONIA COUNTY — When it comes to lunch it doesn’t get more classic than a good sandwich there are plenty of options for a diverse palate there are plenty of local spots to satisfy those sandwich cravings from the Red Tomato to Bluewater Café to Aunt Stephie's to Renucci's to Joe's Market In a recent poll, we asked locals to name the best sandwich shop of them all. The crowned winner was Joe's Market in Palo More: Results: You'll find the area's best affordable eatery in downtown Ionia Other nominees that earned votes included: Contact her at clybrink@sentinel-standard.com Ionia County can expect a mostly sunny weekend ahead, with temperatures between 39 to 75 degrees, according to data from AccuWeather You can search for more information on hourly, daily, and monthly weather forecasts and current air quality conditions here Here's a breakdown of the weekend weather: Friday has a forecasted high of 72 degrees with a low of 42 degrees and a possible thunderstorm early at night Expect the daytime temperature to feel two degrees warmer There will be moderate rain during the day with winds blowing south-southwest at 8.1 miles per hour Is Friday's forecast typical for this time of year?Friday's forecasted high is above average for this time of year The 30-year average maximum temperature for April 25 is 60 degrees This internationally agreed-upon average represents climate data from 1991-2020 and is recalculated every 10 years The forecasted low is three degrees warmer than the established normal of 39 degrees for this time of year Ionia County saw a record-breaking temperature high for April 25 in 1990 at 85 degrees What will summer be like in Michigan? What the Farmer's Almanacs, NWS predict for 2025 Saturday has a forecasted high of 59 degrees with a low of 39 degrees and partial clouds at night Expect the daytime temperature to feel the same as forecast winds will blow north at 11.5 miles per hour Saturday's forecasted high is below average for this time of year The 30-year average maximum temperature for April 26 is 60 degrees The forecasted low is the same as the established normal of 39 degrees for this time of year Ionia County saw a record-breaking temperature high for April 26 in 1986 at 87 degrees Sunday has a forecasted high of 66 degrees with a low of 45 degrees and some clouds at night Expect the daytime temperature to feel five degrees warmer winds will blow southeast at 4.6 miles per hour Sunday's forecasted high is above average for this time of year The 30-year average maximum temperature for April 27 is 61 degrees The forecast low is six degrees warmer than the established normal of 39 degrees for this time of year Ionia County saw a record-breaking temperature high for April 27 in 1986 at 85 degrees Monday has a forecasted high of 75 degrees with a low of 62 degrees and breezes; and a possible strong thunderstorm late at night Is Monday's forecast typical for this time of year?Monday's forecasted high is above average for this time of year The 30-year average maximum temperature for April 28 is 61 degrees The forecast low is 22 degrees warmer than the established normal of 40 degrees for this time of year Where the tiny birds are now? Spring's annual hummingbird migration is reaching Michigan. Ionia County saw a record-breaking temperature high for April 28 in 1990 at 85 degrees daily weather forecasts can be unreliable at times due to the volatile nature of Lake Effect — cold air passing over warm water that causes extreme low or high temperatures — and lack of weather-measuring coverage in the state I went to visit the Ionia County Genealogical Society archives on Jan ready to talk and help people with their research The room is open to the public for research on the last Saturday of the month and is located in the same building where the society meets on the second Saturday of the month (February-November) from 1-3 p.m. in Lake Odessa (right behind the caboose and the old train station/freight house) It is amazing what you can find in that one room They have lots of genealogy-oriented books The First Families of Ionia County records are all there including documentation for over 360 people who have proven their ancestry back to before 1881 in Ionia County The main reason I went to visit was that Pam was going to be there The Library of Michigan has newspapers for Ionia County for many years on microfilm but these haven’t been updated for several years even though it is a really nice collection I checked the obituary collection and found over twenty obits that I had not found before I couldn’t believe that there were over fifty thousand of them The obits I printed are ones I had not been able to find at the LOM or online Another large collection they have is their shelves of yearbooks from Ionia County I even found my graduation yearbook from Portland There are several binders of records from the Bandfield Funeral Home from 1906–1950 Funeral home records are a wealth of information The ICGS has several books they have put together on various topics concerning Ionia County and the books on Ionia County residents who served in World War II I learned about some of my military relatives and classmates You can check out the holdings by going to migenweb.org/ionia but the originals (which are more important) are in the building Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage The Society meetings are good because there is a speaker each month You don’t have to be a member to go to the meetings One last thing I’ll mention about the research room is their vital records. Binders and books hold several types of vital records, and the website has information about finding Ionia County records on FamilySearch.org This is a newsletter that comes out three times a year and is attempting to present information about all the rural schools in the county I taught for a short time at Travis School even though I didn’t have much teaching experience at that time I had to get there early in the morning to light the heater and warm up the room The older students helped the younger ones while they were learning their own lessons If you have information about any of the rural schools in the county — Jim Moses welcomes comments and suggestions at jmosesgen@gmail.com More: Results: The most-missed restaurant in Ionia had an 'unfortunate reputation for fires' But where in Ionia County can you get the best sandwich We asked the community for nominations and compiled them into a poll — Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@gannett.com.  IONIA TWP. — A 39-year-old Pewamo man died Saturday evening in a single-vehicle crash that also injured a child, according to the Ionia County Sheriff's Office. The man was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, in the 3300 block of East Stage Road, while the boy was transported to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The man, and a 4-year-old boy who was a passenger in the vehicle, was eastbound on Stage Road, east of the city of Ionia, at about 8 p.m. when his vehicle went off the road and struck a tree, the sheriff's office said in a press release. The crash remains under investigation by the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office, the release said. Deputies were assisted at the scene by Ionia Department of Public Safety, Michigan State Police, Lyons/Muir Fire Department, Ionia County Central Dispatch, Ionia County Victim Advocates, Life Ambulance, and Ruehs Towing. and more will arrive along with season two of League of Legends by Cass Marshall LinkImage: Riot GamesCass Marshall is a news writer focusing on gaming and culture coverage, taking a particular interest in the human stories of the wild world of online games.After spending a few months in Noxus League of Legends players will be moving on to a new season Riot released a cinematic that revealed the theme of season two: Ionia’s Spirit Blossom festival the developer followed up with some more tangible details on what players can expect during this Spirit Blossom-themed season Season two will include a new in-client metagame, similar to the recent release of the card game Demon’s Hand Brawl is a fast-paced 5v5 game mode set on a Bandle City map with a focus on skirmishing and combat over tactics and objectives The trailer also shows a glimpse at the game’s next champion Spirit Blossom skins in League of Legends take champions and cast them in the role of characters from these old Ionian stories is changed from a skeletal jailer from the Shadow Isles to a demon of obsession haunting the afterlife and luring curious souls off the path of salvation we can expect new Spirit Blossom skins for Ashe Ionia is one of the regions that make up the fantasy world of Runeterra Ionia is inspired by various strains of Eastern mythology and is one of the most obviously magical parts of the setting.The Spirit Blossom festival is a celebration Ionians hold beckoning creatures from the spirit realm forward while the veil between life and death is thin The Ionians swap stories of legendary figures like the benevolent Spirit of Salvation who guides those who have recently died to a safe resting place While the Ionians celebrate, we know that LeBlanc and Vladimir are staging a secret operation in search of a cursed weapon, and that storyline may pay off later on in the season. The best of Polygon in your inbox, every Friday. We asked the community to nominate their favorites and have compiled them into a poll Thursday to vote in the poll below on the best breakfast spot in the area — Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@gannett.com IONIA COUNTY — Let's face it Ionia County has lost plenty of amazing businesses over the years we asked locals to tell us which retailer or restaurant they miss the most Jimmy's Grill is the most-missed spot in Ionia located just inside the county lines in Boston Township was best known for serving up homecooked meals and It operated for more than 50 years before burning down in September 2007 It was the third major fire to strike the business following a 2002 blaze that damaged the structure and a fire in the late 1970s that killed original owner Alex Still More: Looking back on Ionia-area restaurants we miss Second place went to Big Boy and Southside Restaurant State Road in Ionia from 1992 until January 2020 The eatery then de-franchised and became Southside Restaurant and WhiteWater Express Car Wash now operates there which served customers in downtown Ionia for two decades Known for steak burgers and chicken baskets the restaurant closed in June 2023 when ownership decided to retire Brick House Tavern has since opened in the space IONIA — The Ionia Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Business Expo from 9 a.m enjoy live performances and participate in unique demonstrations A silent auction and t-shirt sale will also support the Ionia Firefighter Equipment Fund and non-perishable food items will be collected for a local food bank Learn more by calling 616-527-2560 or email info@ioniachamber.net This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct Ionia County sellers asked for less money in March. Here's how muchUSA TODAY NetworkIONIA COUNTY — The median home in Ionia County was listed for $259,950 in March, down 4.2% from the previous month's $271,250, an analysis of data from Realtor.com shows the median home list price decreased 1% from $262,500 The statistics in this article only pertain to houses listed for sale in Ionia County, not houses that were sold. Information on your local housing market, along with other useful community data, is available at data.sentinel-standard.com Ionia County's median home was 1,704 square feet The price per square foot of homes for sale is up 4.9% from March 2024 at a median 39 days listed compared to the March national median of 53 days on the market Around 44 homes were newly listed on the market in March the same number of new listings from March 2024 The median home prices issued by Realtor.com may exclude many The price and volume represent only single-family homes The median Michigan home listed for sale had 1,562 square feet The median American home for sale was listed at 1,800 square feet The median home list price used in this report represents the midway point of all the houses or units listed over the given period of time Experts say the median offers a more accurate view of what's happening in a market than the average list price which would mean taking the sum of all listing prices then dividing by the number of homes sold The average can be skewed by one particularly low or high price IONIA COUNTY — Ionia County is searching for a new administrator The Ionia County Board of Commissioners voted to accept Administrator Patrick Jordan’s resignation during a special meeting Tuesday Jordan told the board he “wasn’t looking” for a new position but a friend of his was elected to the Alaska Legislature and asked Jordan to be his chief of staff “It was just something I couldn’t refuse,” Jordan said “It was an opportunity to do something different and kind of exciting.”  Jordan said he was in a “time crunch” to notify the board of his resignation and travel to Alaska for new legislative employee training Jordan wanted to give the board as much time as possible to search for his replacement “I’m thankful for this job — I’m thankful for all of you and for the opportunity to come and serve the residents of Ionia County,” Jordan said More: Here's what administrator candidates asked commissioners on Tuesday District Three Commissioner Larry Tiejema said he enjoyed working with Jordan and wished him luck “He knows how to hire the right people for the right jobs and not overmanage it most of the time .. I think he’s put in place a real good staff and we’re going to need to lean on that staff in the meantime before we hire another administrator." District Six Commissioner Jack Shattuck told Jordan he appreciates everything he’s done for the county and wished him well “I’m not looking forward to going through the process of getting another administrator again District Seven Commissioner Terence Frewen also wished Jordan well we will see the benefits of Patrick’s planning for the future," he said Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage Jordan said Ionia County Health Officer Chad Shaw is capable of serving as interim administrator Shaw indicated his interest in the position “I feel it would be in my ability to do that at this time,” Shaw said Shattuck and District Five Commissioner Gordon Kelley will create a list of internal names to act as interim administrator commissioners voted to have Human Resources Specialist Priscilla Walden craft a job description for a limited interim administrator The board also voted to have another special meeting at 1 p.m The board’s 2025 organizational meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m — Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@sentinel-standard.com. Follow him on X @SalsaEvan (This story was updated to add new information.) IONIA COUNTY — Typically by this time of year and people are ready to get outside and enjoy the sun it’s felt more like good weather to curl up with a good book In addition to anticipated new releases or timeless classics there are plenty of books written and published by friends and neighbors here in the Ionia County area Whether you’re looking for fantasy or history there are plenty of local authors to take you on a journey We collected nominations from the community put those into a poll and let our readers decide “Arcana’s Avatar” and “Fire’s Avatar.” Together More: Singers on the Grand will return to Portland Community Theater in May According to a biography on Amazon Bennett started his first novel at age 16 during a high school class Second place in our poll went to Colleen Lance with 5.77% of the vote. Lance, who publishes under the name Colleen M. Clark-Lance, is the author of the “An Elizabeth Guthrie Mystery” series “An Elizabeth Guthrie Mystery: The Restaurateur,” was released in 2024  — Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@gannett.com IONIA — A grand opening for the long-awaited Ionia Dog Park is set for Friday a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 1 p.m at the southeast corner of Adams Street and Steele Street Attendees will include Mayor John Milewski the Ionia City Council and the Ionia Area Chamber of Commerce The dog park has approximately 0.75 acres of fenced-in area including separate sections for small and large dogs There will be supplies available for pet owners to clean up after their pets Residents can use a gravel parking lot directly south of the park The lot is expected to be paved during the first phase of the Steele Street Park Complex which is anticipated to begin construction in 2026 The Ionia Dog Park was funded by a $375,478 Community Development Block Grant More: Delayed opening dates announced for Hale Park, Dog Park in Ionia The city also provided an update on renovations at Hale Park Crews were scheduled to resume construction on March 17 The renovation includes new off-street parking The park is expected to reopen by the end of summer The project received $382,000 from a Land and Water Conservation Grant This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct or share your thoughts at bit.ly/3RapUkA with our News Automation and AI Team IONIA — Ionia County officials said the tornado warning system was activated by mistake Saturday afternoon while workers were cleaning up water damage from a burst pipe The tornado sirens went off shortly before 4 p.m Ionia County Central Dispatch Director Lance Langdon said in a release "As the result of an error as we were working on and moving equipment in dispatch due to a pipe that had burst Friday night." Just before 7 p.m. Friday, Langdon said, the newly remodeled dispatch center suffered damage when a pipe burst in the attic of the building "Staff worked quickly to shut the water down and protect the workstation equipment 911 calls and response continued as they also dealt with the water," he said Langdon said a cleanup company arrived Friday night to help with the damage and on Saturday the county's radio vendor and IT department were moving work stations into the training/conference room at the dispatch center the button to set off the sirens was tripped We do want to apologize for the sounding of the siren when it was not needed," Langdon said Tornado sirens typically are tested at noon on Saturdays "The test was performed as planned today at noon but they were sounded again a short time ago by accident as we worked to move equipment in the center," Langdon said "I do want to stress that with all the turmoil within the center operations continued and will continue as we have repairs made to the Dispatch Center." MI – University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Ionia is excited to announce the opening of a state-of-the-art cardiac rehabilitation clinic designed to improve patient outcomes and quality of life of patients recovering from heart attacks or other cardiac conditions requiring surgery or treatment University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Ionia Cardiac Rehabilitation patient Julie Pung (center) celebrates the opening of the new clinic with exercise physiologist Robin Erskin (left) and cardiologist Chad Link University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Ionia Cardiac Rehabilitation exercise physiologist Robin Erskin works with patient Julie Pung on her cardiac fitness The comprehensive clinic offers personalized exercise programs nutrition counseling and emotional support empowering patients to improve their heart health while staying close to home “It just means a whole lot to have this facility closer to my home,” said cardiac rehab patient Julie Pung “I feel like I’m getting stronger with my sessions and not having to drive 45 minutes each way to the clinic Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S and U-M Health is committed to reversing this trend by offering leading-edge rehabilitation services to help patients recover reduce their risk of future heart events and live healthier lives “Cardiac rehab has been proven to improve a patient’s quality of life increase cardiovascular fitness and reduce future hospitalizations,” said Chad Link UM Health-Sparrow Ionia Cardiac Rehabilitation "Completing 36 sessions reduces the chance of having a heart attack by 31% and the risk of cardiac death by 47%." UM Health-Sparrow also has cardiac rehabilitation clinics at in Lansing Patients looking to improve their heart health are encouraged to speak with their physician or cardiologist about a referral For more information about the leading-edge cardiovascular services provided at UM Health-Sparrow, visit UofMHealthSparrow.org/Heart This website will offer limited functionality in this browser We only support the recent versions of major browsers like Chrome — A Saranac woman was killed and two other people were seriously injured in a head-on crash on M-66 south of Ionia Wednesday evening State Police with the Lakeview Post said in a statement on X that a vehicle driven by a 27-year-old man from Portland was traveling southbound on M-66 near Grand River about 6:30 p.m when he crossed into the northbound lane and struck a northbound vehicle head-on The 31-year-old Saranac woman driving northbound was killed and a 32-year-old man and 2-year-old girl in her vehicle were hospitalized with serious injuries The Portland man was also hospitalized with injuries The crash remains under investigation and anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact the Lakeview Post at 989-352-8444 — "Significant snowfall and alcohol use" resulted in two people getting hurt in a head-on collision Saturday evening according to the Ionia County Sheriff's Office (ICSO) crossed over the centerline on Jordan Lake Road near Musgrove Highway and crashed into a Dodge Nitro Both drivers were taken to the local hospitals with "non-life-threatening" injuries — Many residents on East Main Street in Ionia Township are facing a parking crisis after officials banned parking on both sides of the road The "no parking" signs went up several months ago with township officials giving residents until May 1 to find alternative parking arrangements They're destroying a road that's been here for years," said Sally Harris-Koeppen who has lived on East Main Street for decades The issue impacts multiple homeowners whose properties sit lower than the road level and lack proper driveways "We have pads that we park on that are full of dirt mine across there has a cement foundation that my grandpa made and that's where we've always parked," Harris-Koeppen said Residents say the township's suggestion to find alternative parking isn't practical Park in town and then have Dial-a-Ride bring us home We can't do that," Harris-Koeppen explained The topography of the area presents a significant challenge to creating proper off-street parking and nobody can pull down in there and get back out," she added Harris-Koeppen's daughter who lives next door We'd definitely love to be closer to our houses Harris-Koeppen is spending thousands of dollars to build a new driveway to solve her parking issues but she says most of her neighbors are less fortunate She wants the township to remove the "no parking" signs "So that we can rest in peace and the people that have moved out Ionia Township Supervisor Jamie Stephens said the township has no comment This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy IONIA — Shoulder closures are already in effect as construction continues on I-96 in Ionia County the Michigan Department of Transportation is rebuilding eight miles of the highway between Bliss Road and Sunfield Road This year’s work includes rebuilding westbound I-96 Gretchen Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan Program which aims to enhance state highways and bridges critical to the economy The investment strategy focuses on repairs that extend the lifespan of infrastructure Traffic going westbound will be shifted to the eastbound side while the westbound lanes are rebuilt A movable barrier will manage traffic flow with one westbound lane available from approximately 11 p.m Ramp closures will occur on westbound I-96 at M-66 and Jordan Lake Road the investment is expected to support 1,271 jobs This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct or share your thoughts at bit.ly/3RapUkA with our News Automation and AI Team KEENE TWP. — A barn in Keene Township has been declared a total loss after a fire Friday that required a response from 15 departments according to the Saranac Community Fire Department to reports of a semi-trailer on fire in a barn in the 500 block of Potters Road responders were notified the semi was pulled out of the barn and both were on fire they found a fully involved barn fire with exposures on all sides The department requested mutual aid throughout Ionia County and received assistance from 14 other fire departments Firefighters made a defensive attack and protected the exposures They were also able to protect the nearby tanks The cause of the fire remains under investigation point to significant security failures at two Ionia prisons Corrections officers apparently falsified cell search records and frequently took less than a minute to search cells when they did so, Auditor General Doug Ringler said in the reports. Also, many vehicles and people were not searched upon entering Ionia Correctional Facility and Richard A Lax security measures "could jeopardize the safety and security of staff and members of the public," the audits said the Michigan Department of Corrections agreed with the auditor general's recommendations though it said clerical errors were mostly to blame for apparent falsifying of records by corrections officers The audit comes amid chronic understaffing at Michigan prisons that the union says is endangering safety and as Director Heidi Washington seeks legislative approval of the department's proposed $2.2 billion budget for 2026 Ionia Correctional FacilityThe auditor found that, at the prison that houses hundreds of Michigan's highest security-level inmates, corrections officers "likely falsified cell search logbooks 38% of the time," and did not complete more than 20% of the required daily cell searches the auditor general reviewed The audit randomly selected 60 required cell searches from 2023 and found that officers logged 47 of the searches as completed video showed no officer entered the cell during the relevant time "31% of the cell searches we observed on surveillance video footage were completed in less than one minute bringing into question the thoroughness of the searches," the report added The average search time was two minutes and 10 seconds the department mostly blamed clerical errors or training issues for the apparent falsification of records and said searches conducted in less than one minute likely involved vacant cells or ones with very little property in them A review of surveillance video also found that prisoners were not subjected to metal detectors as required when entering certain areas of the prison or were not searched when flagged by the detector items in the auditor's sample were not fully searched when entering the facility through the sallyport — an entrance used to deliver supplies to the prison — and that 55% of the vehicles and 24% of individuals passing through the sallyport were not fully searched a forklift with a pallet of boxes entered the gate but none of the boxes were opened and searched Corrections Department officials have mostly blamed visitors, prison mail, and items containing contraband being thrown over the fence for the prison system's significant problems with narcotics and other banned items. The auditor's findings point to other potentially significant factors, including corrections staff though the Ionia audit did find that 98% of required daily employee searches selected for review were documented as completed More: 4 Michigan corrections officers charged in severe 2024 beating of inmate the Corrections Department again blamed training issues for problems with searches at the sallyport though it said searches of sealed items carried in state vehicles are "very time-consuming" and block the sallyport for extended periods The audit found that corrections officers likely falsified cell searches about 4% of the time and more than one-third of the cell searches surveyed took less than one minute The prison did not complete 15% of required daily tool inspections and 23% of required monthly tool inspections reviewed IONIA — A man who died in a crash in Ionia County on Jan 4 had two children and two stepchildren and was trying to start a construction company was a Lansing native who had two sons and two step-children "As a young entrepreneur working on establishing his own construction company Darrell worked when he had to and played as much as he could," the obit said a smile for everyone and loved his family and God above all else." The Ionia County Sheriff's Office said a 39-year-old Pewamo man died Jan. 4 in a single-vehicle crash in the 3300 block of East Stage Road but did not release the man's name A 4-year-old boy who was riding in the vehicle was taken to a Grand Rapids hospital with non-life-threatening injuries the sheriff's office said in a news release The family said donations may be made in lieu of flowers to Butt's wife and children through a crowdfunding campaign Arrangements were handled by Lake Funeral Home in Ionia Online condolences may be made at www.lakefuneralhomes.com Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com — A man wanted for armed robbery returned to West Michigan after leaving the country then led law enforcement officers on a multi-county pursuit On Monday investigators with the Central Michigan Enforcement Team received a tip that Enrique Vazquez was back in Ionia to visit his mother Vazquez has an outstanding warrant for armed robbery in Kent County but had fled to Texas and Mexico to evade arrest according to the Ionia County Sheriff's Office Sheriff's deputies were in place to try to intercept the 22-year-old on December 30 attempting a traffic stop on a vehicle believed to be his near East Lincoln Avenue and Cyrus Street leading deputies on a chase that wound from Ionia to Greenville and finally ended just southeast of Rockford Along with deputies from Ionia County other agencies joined in the pursuit including the Montcalm County Sheriff's Office the Greenville Department of Public Safety Multiple attempts to pop the vehicle's tires were unsuccessful until deputies finally got a hit on M-57 near Northland Drive The SUV stopped just west of the intersection with several people inside making a run for it However all five people who had been riding in the vehicle were caught Three of the people arrested were released without charges is being held on the outstanding armed robbery warrant and on a charge of illegally carrying a concealed weapon faces a charge of fleeing and eluding police along with a violation of his parole He told detectives he knew Vazquez had an outstanding warrant The 21-year-old feared being caught with Vasquez because the driver was out on parole Investigators say all 5 people in the vehicle are related — Dozens of fire department workers from around Ionia County spent hours rescuing a man trapped in a grain bin Friday afternoon The incident involved a 62-year-old man and occurred in the 4200 block of Ostrum Road Orleans Township Fire Chief Ron Hill told FOX 17 that "it was a complicated rescue." He said two other departments were called in — the Belding Fire Department and the Lake Odessa Fire Department — because "they had the tools and the expertise." Hill said a minimum of 40 people from the three departments were involved in the extrication He said the man was trapped in soybeans up to his waist about halfway down the grain bin "they were able to get him out," said Hill Ambulance workers then checked the man over and wanted to take him to the hospital but "he denied transport," according to Hill "You normally don't have a great outcome in that kind of call." He also praised the coordinated effort of the three departments working together "That's what mutual aid is all about," said Hill — While the driver was not believed to be impaired the 27-year-old is now facing charges after a crash took the life of one passenger and seriously injured another Ionia County Deputies were called to the crash at 6:45 a.m finding a Ford F-150 stuck in a ditch on E One of those hurt was taken to U of M Sparrow in Lansing —Another was first taken to U of M Ionia Hospital before being transferred to Sparrow The other three were not critically injured The driver— a man from Grand Rapids— was arrested on a Moving Violation Causing Death Deputies citing excessive speed and not using seat belts as determining factors in the crash pending family notifications for the victims and arraignment of the driver brought players into the grittiest realm of Runeterra where strength reigns supreme the game will venture into the mystical region of Ionia with a 'Spirit Blossom Beyond' theme Let's explore League of Legends Season 2's key info including its release date Riot Games revealed the next League of Legends Season theme would be Spirit Blossom Beyond Riot Games expressed that future League of Legends season themes would more deeply explore the in-game world Runeterra explored a spartan military state where strength reigns supreme 'Spirit Blossom Beyond' will pivot to the archipelago nation of Ionia which is full of mages and mystical secrets It will also take place during a traditional festival celebrating the Spirit Blossom plant's rare blooms League of Legends' Champion meta is closely interconnected Previous communications indicate Yunara is likely to be an ADC She could become a competitor for Champions including Caitlyn if this is the case Season 2's Ionian theme may mean Ionian Champions will receive time to shine in the meta Here's a quick list of current Ionian characters: the team is reducing 'objective overload Atakhan's Voracious form will be removed leaving him with only one 'Thornbound' form Voidgrubs will spawn only once and later in the game Jungle and Support roles are receiving the most changes as Riot Games is significantly altering their builds "only Junglers will have access to Smite [during Champion select] and it will be automatically assigned." In addition "Supports will automatically be given World Atlas at load-in." This means Junglers and Supports will have less flexibility but will overall provide more team value and adhere to traditional functions it will heavily combat early-game lane swapping Ranked players will receive far more grief protection in Season 2 This means matches will be less taxing to play and more accurately reflect users' skill levels According to the 2025 League of Legends Patch schedule Season 2 will likely be released on April 30 This will coincide with the 25.S2.1 / 25.09 Patch Notes Exact update times will vary depending on players' time zones and server locations The League of Legends team has also not confirmed the date stating only that Season 2 will arrive "this summer" so it's possible the date could change Now that we've covered how it will affect the meta let's examine a detailed list of League of Legends Season 2's key features Summoner's Rift in Season 2 is lush and different from Season 1's stark Noxian atmosphere / Riot GamesThe new Spirit Blossom Beyond theme will update the Summoner's Rift map with bright blue and mystical purple hues It will also adorn the map with flowers and trees The player's team base is partially submerged in water reflecting Ionia's tropical island atmosphere Junglers and Supports are receiving significant changes in Season 2 that will reduce their build flexibilities but provide more team value and prevent trolling only Junglers will be able to access Smite and it will also automatically assign to them will automatically receive World Atlas once the match starts Riot Games does note that non-jungle Champions (including Brand) can still pick Smite upon entering the game The Brawl Mode map contains a closed-in fighting zone / Riot GamesBrawl is League of Legends' newest game mode allowing players to test fast-paced 5v5 combat Its main objective is to push your own minions to the enemy's base while protecting your own Most Brawl matches will be short and "lower-stakes" so it will be a great way to refresh from Ranked and hone mechanics Bringer of Ruin's addition brought more dimension to League of Legends' matchups in Season 1 his Voracious form would repeatedly occur far more than his Ruinous form devs are removing Atakhan's Voracious form entirely in Season 2 leaving him with only a 'Thornbound' form According to the League of Legends Dev Update Thornbound Atakhan will look the same as Ruinous Atakhan the team who kills Atakhan receives all unclaimed Blood Roses on the map and all of their Bloody Petals are purified into Spirit Petals the team will also get a Spiritual Protection buff [...] that slows and damages nearby enemies on Champion Kill." The team also states many Void Objectives will be changed Voidgrubs will now spawn later in the game and only appear once per match continuing Season 1's mission to ensure they do not appear on the losing team Just got confirmation from Riot, Yunara is designed to be ADC pic.twitter.com/MwoX1o5vH6 Yunara will soon become League of Legends' newest Champion addition Players got a first glimpse at the character in the Season's cinematic which showed her with braided lavender hair Most communications point Yunara's release date towards the middle of the season and rumor has it she is an ADC and possibly a Marksman Dev communications also indicate she has a special "connection to the spirit blossoms." The update will include many mechanics to combat them plenty of cosmetics will arrive in Season 2 players can earn Prestige skins for Lux and Zed Spirit Blossom Ivern and a new Pool Party Twitch A Morgana Exalted skin will arrive sometime soon GABBY DESENA © 2025 ABG-SI LLC. - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Patrick's Day street party relocated from Ionia Avenue to Calder Plaza celebrating all things Irish with a green beer in hand food and drinks to the thousands that attended an Irish pub band from Grand Rapids; Wakefire a six-part Celtic rock band from Michigan; the Motor City Irish Dancers and several other acts put on performances throughout the day The drinks are flowing," said Nick Simonds Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X - Instagram - YouTube — Ionia County dispatchers say a teen who went missing in Ionia County Wednesday morning has been found IONIA COUNTY — Ionia County’s health officer will now also serve as interim administrator The Ionia County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Health Officer Chad Shaw as interim during an organizational meeting Jan District One Commissioner David Hodges said he spoke with members of the county’s administration office and they reported being comfortable with Shaw They indicated he would work roughly 10 hours or less in the position “It’s nothing more than checks and balances on things,” Hodges said Shaw will be paid $250 per week for the interim role in addition to his wages earned as health officer Shaw told the board he would “gratefully accept” the position “I look forward to the opportunity and see where it goes from there," Shaw said who was elected the board’s new chair at the meeting appointed a search committee for the permanent administrator position The seven-person committee comprises Shattuck a representative from the Ionia County Road Department Human Resources Specialist Priscilla Walden Finance Director Bernadette Blonde and whichever official chairs the Personnel Committee Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage Shattuck thanked Shaw for taking on the interim role “It takes some of the heat off and some of the uncertainty,” Shattuck said Shattuck was voted board chair by secret ballot receiving four votes compared to three for District Seven Commissioner Terence Frewen District Three Commissioner Larry Tiejema was elected vice chair in a split vote with District Five Commissioner Gordon Kelley earning three votes — People who stopped to help at the scene of a single-vehicle crash south of Ionia pulled two small children and a man from a burning car Thursday A 2012 Subaru Impreza driven by a 27-year-old man left South State Road (M-66) near Bennett Road and struck a tree before catching fire about 7:30 p.m. Police initially were told people were trapped in the vehicle after the crash but all had been removed from the car by the time police arrived suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a Grand Rapids area hospital were transported to the hospital as a precaution and Reed & Hoppes Towing assisted the sheriff’s office — The Ionia County Sheriff's Office is investigating a fatal crash that occurred Saturday night in Ionia Township Investigators said a 39-year-old Pewamo man was driving eastbound on East Stage Road near Wilson Lane with a four-year-old boy around 8 p.m when he left the shoulder of the roadway and crashed into a tree The driver was pronounced dead at the scene while the child was taken to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital for non-life threatening injuries This incident remains under investigation by the Ionia County Sheriff's Office Patrick’s Day this weekend with its annual Irish festival This year, the festival, formerly known as Irish On Ionia, has a fresh new look and name, Irish Off Ionia. The decision to relocate the festival comes in response to community feedback It will be held at Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids the festival has drawn thousands of attendees Organizers hope that the new venue will provide more space For more information on performance lineups and to purchase tickets, visit the link here Read more stories from the FOX 17 Morning News team Do you have an idea for the Morning News team or maybe an idea for a guest segment or something for the gang to come out and try? Send them an email at mornings@fox17online.com or call 616-447-5252 and leave a message — More than a dozen crews responded to a large barn fire in Saranac Friday afternoon Ionia County dispatchers say the call first came in before 4:40 p.m They say the fire broke out in the 500 block of Pinckney Road It was initially reported that a tractor had caught fire inside the barn the Ionia Department of Public Safety (IDPS) says it was a semitruck that burst into flame Deputy Director Kevin Heinlein says the homeowner managed to remove the truck but the barn — constructed in the late 1800s — was fully engulfed a family-owned business specializing in office furniture is located on the same property as the barn Heinlein says no products were made inside the barn and no other buildings were affected A total of 15 agencies responded to the blaze Around 100 firefighters are estimated to have helped put out the fire Water had to be shuttled from three separate locations to get the job done Heinlein scene fire crews finally cleared the scene after almost 12 hours at 3:59 a.m