I'm your neighborhood reporter in East Lansing I'm so excited to be sticking around Mid-Michigan and telling stories in your neighborhood teens in our neighborhoods might have a harder time finding jobs this summer But a new business in Williamston might be able to help."Williamston That's just one reason that Steve Jenkins and his son Todd are opening Candy Cafe and Ice Cream in Downtown Williamston—with a grand opening planned for Sunday "That's going to all be wrapped up here with our family But beyond the tubs of Superman ice cream and buckets of taffy Steve tells me this business can provide something more to the community—jobs for teenagers "I think it's very important for younger individuals to really see what business is about," Steve said And he's offering these jobs as a new state report says teenagers might have a harder time landing a job this summer Michigan's teen unemployment rate is expected to his 15.8% this summer It would be the largest teen unemployment rate since 2020 Steve says he hopes to help teens find work this summer while giving them important experience that they might not have but they may not have a full understanding of the backside of it," Steve said "Having teens in here working and seeing a part of the business will give them that type of experience." Steve tells me the cafe is actively hiring and anyone interested can contact them at info@candycafe.store For teens in other neighborhoods, you can reach out to your local Michigan Works! office here Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Neighborhood News Follow us on X Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInUPDATE: - The missing boy has been found (WILX) - Officials are looking for a missing boy from Williamston and he was last seen wearing a purple fleece He was last spotted near Georgia St/Wallace St Anyone with information on the missing boy is asked to call 911 Officials have not released additional details on the case Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather. Looking to hire people, or grow your business through advertising? Gray Digital Media is your one-stop marketing solution. Learn more — The driver of a bus operated by the Capital Area Transportation Authority was killed in a two-vehicle crash on I-96 late on the afternoon of April 30 between the Okemos Road and Williamston exits Meridian Township firefighters arrived to find the rear of a semi-trailer and a "shuttle-sized bus" on fire and engulfed in flames according to the Ingham County Sheriff's Office They "determined relatively quickly that the bus was occupied only by the driver CATA spokesperson Lolo Robison confirmed the bus was operated by CATA an international public transit services company to assist with transporting some passengers CATA runs rural bus services in rural Ingham County as well as public bussing across the Lansing area "CATA and Transdev are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life of one of our drivers which impacts us at every level," Lolo Robison "Grief counseling is available today for those who need it We are cooperating fully with law enforcement during the still-active investigation." The sheriff's office said traffic was slowed because of an earlier crash involving a semi near the 109 mile marker Officials haven't released additional information about the crash Anyone with information is asked to called Sgt MORE: Will full scope of LPD lieutenant’s moonlighting ever be known? Records give glimpse of what happened I-96 westbound remained closed in the early evening hours but reopened about 10 p.m. There was a large public safety response to the incident with Meridian Township and Williamston police as well as Michigan State Police responding Ingham Township fire and the Northeast Ingham Emergency Services Authority on scene Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com Well done and God bless to the young folk of Saint Mary parish in Williamston who braved the elements on Good Friday to publicly re-enact the passion and death of Jesus Christ “This is a great event for the entire Catholic community because it is an eye opening first-hand experience,” said young Seth Hahnenberg who played a Roman soldier “it gives a sense of reality to what Christ actually did for us.” The Stations of the Cross are a traditional piety which charts 14 of the key stages of Christ’s passion upon Good Friday from legal condemnation at the hands of Pontius Pilot to burial after being killed upon the cross The Williamston stations were presented by Saint Mary’s Life Teen youth group The event took place after the parish’s Good Friday liturgy The prayerful performance was directed by Life Teen leaders "It can be a visual reminder of what Christ had to go through It is a way to humble ourselves...and to know that Christ did this for all of us,” said Pier Giorgio Hoeppner who played Jesus “Though it may not be as accurate as Christ's real death on the cross Friday's Stations of the Cross set off from the amphitheater of Williamston’s McCormick Park before progressing to the nearby parish church where the reenactment of Christ's crucifixion took place The body of the deceased Jesus was then carried into the church for burial the stations were accompanied by both a narrator and singers all with the aim of helping those present prayerfully meditate upon each event during the passion of Our Lord "It draws me closer to Christ and lets me participate in a different way in Jesus' journey through his passion,” said Katherine Hogan who played Mother Mary SIGN UP HERE ContactSign-Up e-newsSitemapOutreach Mass This story has been updated with new quotes In an unprecedented move, Williamston forfeited its Division 3 team wrestling regional Saturday after self-reporting an ineligible athlete, awarding Madison its' first regional title since 1979 The forfeit also allows the Trojans to take the Hornets' spot in the team state championship tournament at the Kalamazoo Wings Event Center Friday and Saturday Related: Lenawee County sending 30 boys wrestlers to Ford Field, including 11 regional champions no team advances in MHSAA Tournament competition when there is a forfeiture after an event is complete," a press release from the MHSAA read Saturday evening Madison protested during the match against Williamston citing the potential competition of ineligible wrestlers not listed on the team’s master eligibility list citing an MHSAA rule allowing for an athlete to still be eligible if left off the master eligibility list because of a clerical error." after days of protest following Wednesday's "I was on I-94 in the Trojan van with two wrestlers," Madison coach Scott Hall said "I got a call from my athletic director (Mindy Jordan) and she's crying she tells me she's got news and I tell her she better not be messing around and I told the kids with me to start texting guys that we won the regional title." The Trojans are in fact regional champions who puts their name on the line to say they are eligible assistant coach and athletic director standing there Wednesday night stating this kid is eligible I call that you got your hand caught in the cookie jar." the 10th-ranked Trojans looked to be in trouble against No 8 Williamston down 30-28 and 190-pounder Sam Staudinger fighting to stay off his back in the third-to-last match Staudinger reversed the nearfall and got his opponent on his back and finished off the pin to swing the momentum heavily in Madison's favor when Williamston sent out its' 215-pound wrestler Hall quickly alerted the officials of a potential ineligible wrestler coming onto the mat "I talked to the officials before the match alerting them that something would come up if they sent that kid," Hall said following Wednesday's dual it seemed the Hornets were indeed caught and they would forfeit at 215 But after a couple phone calls with MHSAA officials the wrestler was deemed eligible by way of clerical error The decision drained the momentum out of Madison and sent it right back to Williamston which picked up back-to-back pins to get the win at the time while the Trojans were handed an unsportsmanlike one-point penalty to bring the dual to a 42-33 final Madison's athletic department has been in constant contact with the MHSAA doing everything possible to try and get the ruling overturned Williamston chose to forfeit the title after discovering a student-athlete was not eligible According to Williamston superintendent Adam Spina the student-athlete not in compliance with the MHSAA did not win in the dual against Madison There was also plenty of support for the Trojans in the wrestling community in Lenawee County and outside of it as well "What I realized is how many people respect my kids my coaching staff and our program" Hall said is this kid eligible and I've got Williamston people coming back saying you can't win I probably made 20 calls to guys thanking them for standing behind me and to let them know we got it "It's so great to hear and be around and to be on the right side of this." which qualified six individuals to the state championships at Ford Field with three regional champions will now get another week together as a full team "My message to my kids (Thursday) was all about integrity," Hall said "When you lay down at night with your integrity intact you're going to be able to sleep a little bit more You've got to feel bad for the ones not doing the right thing because they have to live their lives knowing they took something that didn't belong to them." Now the Trojans need to get their hardware "What I'm most irritated about is they took the moment from our kids," Hall said The thing I'm most disgusted about is they did that to a bunch of teenagers MASON —Colton McCaleb finished with three hits three RBI and a run scored to help the Bulldogs split the CAAC Red double-header with Williamston Maddox Armour finished with two hits and a run scored and Hayden Hendrickson and Kohlton Tyrrell each tacked on a RBI for Mason Brett Palmer secured with victory in game one Miles Keener went 3-for-4 with a RBI and Grady Langdon and Jack Hart each chipped in two hits for the Hornets Asher Fackler and Casey Kueffner each picked up a victory on the mound to lead the Vikings to a CAAC Red road sweep over Eastern Joey Fleming and Zach Wells each notched three hits and Brandon Nelson added on a double a triple and three runs scored for Haslett (6-8 Alex Eno tallied two stolen bases and a run scored for the Quakers Jackson Gomez and Iggy Jackson each picked up a pitching victory to guide the Warriors to a nonleague sweep over Dansville Gomez went 3-for-4 with two RBI in game one as surpassed 100 career hits Dom Stone finished with two RBI and Jackson DeLong went 4-for-4 with two RBI in game two for Waverly (13-5) Quinnton Burgett finished with two hits and Austin Hovey and Wyatt Mosley each added on a hit for the Aggies (8-10) Kalli Ordiway picked up the complete game victory in game one as the Greyhounds split the CAAC White doubleheader with Lansing Catholic Madaelen Putnam went 2-for-2 with a home run and three runs scored Abi Pratt and Mallory Smith each finished with three hits and two runs scored and Riley Cutler and Brooke DePeel each chipped in two RBI for Eaton Rapids Avery Dunneback went 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI in the opener and Natalie Young went 3-for-4 and had the walk-off RBI single in the second game for Lansing Catholic Sydney Convey went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI in the finale for the Cougars Thea Fortin and Sidney Fortin each recorded pitching wins for the Hornets in their CAAC Red sweep Jaiden Griffth went 4-for-7 with three stolen bases and two RBI in the doubleheader to lead Williamston Julia Belloli had two hits and four RBI in the opener and Katie Bush drove in three and added two hits in the second game for the Hornets Tommi Kleinschmidt went 8-for-10 with seven runs scored and Kiely Davis was 7-for-9 with six RBI while leading Fowlerville in a CAAC Red doubleheader sweep of St Jaedyn Palus picked up two goals and an assist to lead the Marauders to a victory over Byron Breanna Helt and Norah Wilcox each chipped in their first varsity goals for Ovid-Elsie Brook Alberts and Rylie Ysasi each had a pair of goals for the Rams in their nonleague win over Fowlerville Nylah Dunham recorded the shutout for Holt (4-4-2) Aydin Sloan shot a 38 while leading Perry in its CMAC win over Potterville at Grand Ledge Country Club Dansville's Anthony Pawlowski tied for medalist honors with a round of 47 in a CMAC loss Viv Hagen had five goals and Kaitlyn Melling finished with 14 saves for Lansing Catholic in its CAAC loss In the days since forfeiting their Division 3 regional championship the Williamston wrestling team has faced claims that it knowingly cheated and lied last week Williamston says those claims that have come from Adrian Madison in the media since the Hornets forfeited the regional title are incorrect in a statement issued by Williamston superintendent Adam Spina on Tuesday evening “We understood the news of an eligibility issue would be devastating for our students,” Spina wrote in the statement “We also anticipated that this situation would be met with compassion and understanding for these children We especially believed this would be the case with fellow educators "We are greatly dismayed that some reporting on the regional final match has included non-fact-checked statements by school officials from another district who have accused our student-athletes and their coaches of cheating These statements are inaccurate and unnecessary.” More: Williamston self-reports violation to give Madison team wrestling regional title Williamston forfeited its 42-34 victory over Adrian Madison on Saturday after self-reporting the participation of an ineligible athlete Spina said all student-athletes whose matches resulted in the Hornets winning the regional final were fully eligible to participate which includes an individual whose eligibility was protested during the match that led to an appeal to the MHSAA The statement also said there were no concerns about the roster brought to the attention of the Williamston coaching staff before the match or during the weigh-in “There was never any ill intent or conspiracy to circumvent MHSAA rules,” Spina wrote any concerns could have been properly addressed in advance of the match commencing.” Williamston conducted an audit of the team’s eligibility in the days following the regional final Williamston found a student who had no impact on it winning the regional title was found to be out of compliance with MHSAA eligibility requirements “MHSAA rules are clear and intentional regarding student eligibility,” Spina said “They are in place to maintain the integrity of athletic competitions Williamston Community Schools made the painful but ethically correct decision to self-report this record-keeping error knowing that it did not impact the athletic outcome of the regional final in any way Our student-athletes and coaches are people of the highest character and have time and time again demonstrated their honesty and high standards through their actions “We respectfully request an apology from school officials who have slandered the integrity of our students and staff We furthermore request that the MHSAA counsel applicable school officials so that their actions do not further amplify this unfortunate and emotional situation when student-athletes from the two schools compete at the state individual wrestling final.” Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com The Williamston wrestling team will no longer be competing in the Michigan High School Athletic Association team state tournament The Hornets have forfeited their team regional title after self-reporting the participation of an ineligible athlete in Wednesday's match Adrian Madison will take Williamston's place in the state quarterfinals at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo on Friday Williamston's 42-34 win in the regional final was protested by Adrian Madison which cited the potential competition of ineligible wrestlers not listed on the team's master eligibility list The Williamston administration later reported that one of its wrestlers that competed in the match was ineligible to do so Since the protest by Adrian Madison came during the match and was later confirmed to be accurate it will be allowed to compete in the quarterfinals and receive a forfeit win over Williamston Adrian Madison contacted the MHSAA during the match about the issue The match was allowed to continue due to a MHSAA rule allowing an athlete to still be eligible if left off the master eligibility list because of a clerical error With Williamston withdrawing from the state tournament Greater Lansing will have just Fowlerville and Lakewood competing in the quarterfinals More: Madison wrestling falls in regional final after eligibility debate against Williamston LANSING — Williamston Community Schools is the latest local school district to add artificial-intelligence gun detection to its campuses signed a contract with the district to connect its AI software to the district's existing security cameras The amount of the contract was not disclosed by the company and Superintendent Adam Spina did not immediately respond to messages left Tuesday morning and Adrian and Vassar schools have also used the technology Spina said in the release that the software would augment existing security measures school resource officers and mental health programs the district provides “ZeroEyes is an important layer of security that complements the efforts that have already been put in place in the district,” Spina said “Our security layers combine to create a significantly safer school day for our students and staff.”  ZeroEyes' software is programmed to look for guns If a threat is detected by the AI software images are shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center which is staffed by specially trained military and law enforcement veterans ZeroEyes staff can alert school staff and police with a visual description gun type and last known location "as quickly as 3 to 5 seconds from detection." Williamston paid for the software through a state grant specifically to provide "AI gun detection software to improve student safety," the district and ZeroEyes said in the release Other districts in the state have used the grant to add the software to their security cameras ZeroEyes' CEO and co-founder Mike Lahiff said he hoped the grant could be expanded so more districts could take advantage of the technology "The extensive security protocols and systems of Williamston Community Schools reflects the districts’ commitment to keeping students and staff safe from gun-related violence," Lahiff said "The support of Michigan’s legislative grant program enabled us to provide proactive gun detection to a number of districts throughout the state We encourage policymakers to expand the program in 2025 to help protect more schools.” Contact Sarah Atwood at satwood@lsj.com 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 Contact editor Susan Vela at svela@lsj.com or 248-873-7044 Update: Smith has had his first court appearance and received no bond Police in Williamston say a man has been charged with murder after a shooting Friday According to police they were called to Wilson Street around 3 P.M Police say through their investigation it was determined that 40-year-old Brian Smith of Williamston and 39-year-old Cleveland Jones Jr from Virginia got into a verbal altercation Smith is in jail with no bond and is due in court on Monday Authorities are on the scene of a fatal shooting on Wilson Street in Williamston Officials tell us that one person was shot and killed This story will be updated as more information is made available Williamston — In a Michigan town of fewer than 4,000 people lives an indie brewery run by family and friends who are distributing the taste of our state's craft beer far and wide Old Nation Brewing Co. of Williamston, just east of Lansing, is celebrating a decade of successes this year. Earlier this month, Old Nation Brewing Co. was chosen by our readers as the winner of the very first Detroit News Michigan Craft Brewery Bracket Challenge The competition was fueled by readers' suggestions with an initial pool of 64 breweries seeded by our staff based on several factors beat their competitors in head-to-head competitions one by one leaving only them and one of the state's other largest independent craft breweries was founded in 2015 by brewmaster Travis Fritts they have extensive brewing education and decades of experience Fritts and Ghersi started together in Detroit at the Detroit Beer Company on Broadway a stone's throw from the Detroit Opera House and Comerica Park Old Nation's Williamston facility can produce as many as 24,000 barrels a year "This year we'll probably do a little bit more than that "Generally you run at 80% at your functional capacity." including their signature year-round M-43 New England IPA It's a beer they launched a few years after they started and it really put them on the map catching the attention of not only craft beer aficionados but also more casual beer drinkers who don't usually reach for an IPA one may smell dessert in the air mixed with a yeasty aroma at the brewing facility as the team churns out its popular seasonal variant That's available only at the brewpub this week — it pairs lovely with a crock of their creamy spinach and artichoke dip that's served with soft seasoned pita slices — and will be on store shelves by the end of April Another fun beer they make is the Cake Czar It’s a limited release but can be found on tap at the brewpub The team at Old Nation is all about having fun brewing and their excitement for craft products has translated into loyal customers and healthy sales that will likely usher them into the next decade of business Looking at the Michigan craft beer scene over the last three decades or so There are dozens of stories of short-lived attempts and failed dreams as well as tales of scrappy small businesses growing into massive craft influencers Considering the landscape of Michigan's 400-or-so current breweries size-wise Old Nation is probably in the middle of the top 10 and is likely one of the youngest breweries in Michigan's biggest 10 Fritts says there's a huge gap between the big boys "We really are less than one tenth of their production," Fritts told The Detroit News last week while giving us a tour of their 20,000-square-foot brewing and canning facility The Fritts have had offers to partner with larger companies like some of the biggest breweries in Michigan have Maybe the independent streak of Old Nation's founders is too strong They want the freedom to make the beer they want to produce "We're the only brewery in the top five breweries in the state that doesn't have any assistance at all from anyone," said Fritts "It really is just the family and the people we opened with It's just this crew of about 30 part-time workers and 15 full-time workers that have brought it to this It's kind of like the old-school brewery." being that kind of operation allows them to focus on their charity initiatives associated with their mug club Old Nation also partners with local schools to give kids vouchers when they do well which can be traded in for chicken tenders which has been tremendous," says customer and neighbor John Palmer of Williamston He lives about four minutes away with his wife and four children and they visit Old Nation's brewpub regularly for lunch "Everybody knows Old Nation for their beer but Williamston and surrounding areas know the Fritts for how much they do for the schools." The beers are phenomenal and the food just keeps getting better and better and better," he said there are some things they're currently navigating which could affect the price of ingredients and packaging like the aluminum for their cans that comes from Canada "We're worried," said Fritts of the aluminum tariffs "Our grain is American malt; we just switched over in November when Trump was elected We switched over a fair amount of our grain to the U.S because we knew there would be some trade (issues) so we're very concerned about all this nonsense about Canada." "It bumps up the cost by about 15%," he said about switching the remaining grain they get from Manitoba to American but the problem is we can't project … it's all uncertainty and there is no policy." While the bar and restaurant at the brewing facility accounts for less than 5% of Old Nation's revenue Fritts says he feels like it's "our number one salesperson." "People coming in and being able to be here in the middle of the cornfield where were are I think it gives them more of a connection to the brand," he says the Old Nation brew pub is a destination for anyone traveling across the state on M-43 or Grand River There's plenty of parking (including special spaces for motorcycles) and plenty to enjoy besides the craft brew Old Nation is known for Camilla Fritts says they strive to offer a mostly made-from-scratch menu to give customers good food to eat while enjoying the beer She gets a lot of feedback from customers who came for the beer and weren't expecting to eat so well "We just work really hard to do that whole experience: family-friendly good beer and people seem really happy when they come in," she said "We have really good specials during the week .. The family-friendly room is spacious and well-lit with seating at the bar and low-top tables This is the best place to sip and sample the rare and seasonal products which won't hit store shelves until later this month but pours freely in glasses and mugs at the brewpub They even brew their own sweetly spiced root beer for kids or those who don't imbibe you'll see colorful glass mug club mugs crafted by Fireworks Glass Studios The menu is stacked with fun pub grub like giant but also salads and wraps and comfort cuisine like Michigan pasties macaroni and cheese and a cinnamon-sugar doughnut ice cream sundae The younger set love it here as much as the 21-and-older crowd While the kids' menu is a deal for parents with $6 grilled cheese sandwiches and $8 chicken tender dinners it's a steal on Saturday afternoon when kids 10 and younger eat for half price until 4 p.m We have four kids and we feel we can come here," said Kristina Palmer who was having lunch last week at the brewpub with her husband Melody Baetens is The Detroit News restaurant critic (517) 655-1301 oldnationbrewing.com has been making and serving beer in Williamston 20: States that Old Nation is distributed to (plus Europe) 3,600: Soft pretzels sold each year at the brewpub 18,000-20,000: Number of barrels of beer produced each year the head football coach at Williamston High School When the first bell rings to start the school day Kersten is in the classroom teaching his Algebra class and heading the robotics program Kersten lives his second life as one of the winningest prep football coaches in the state of Michigan Kersten has been a full-time Algebra teacher at Williamston High since 1998 he’s also been at the helm of the Hornets’ football program The impact that he has been able to make on young lives has been his driving force “There’s not a greater noble cause than helping young people try to figure out life,” Kersten said He was recently inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame recognized for his numerous accomplishments on the field and two-time Lansing State Journal Coach of the Year his name is synonymous in the Michigan high school football scene with victory The story doesn’t begin on the football field I love my Algebra classroom,” Kersten said so I already kind of know what problems kids are going to have or certain problems they’re going to have with each day or each lesson and I enjoy watching kids succeed and have growth.” Kersten pointed out his involvement in Williamston’s robotics program in which he was asked to lead when the school launched its Math-Science Academy Kersten was enthusiastic when speaking about his experience with the program Holding competitions and learning alongside students it’s through the robotics program where he sees his closest relationships with kids form outside of the field “Sometimes robotics club works until midnight we’re working after school till midnight to get a project done or to get a go-kart ready to go for the competition For those kids that I’ve spent multiple hours with A lot of the impact of the robotics program is in one-on-one interactions He feels like the program allows him to not just teach “I remember on the first day we got robotics kits in my classroom and we opened them up like Christmas day on the first day of school with the kids,” Kersten said ‘Teach me so I know how to teach this next year.’” It’s the personal side of being a math and Algebra teacher that makes the job so worth it for Kersten Being able to help a student work through an issue while also learning alongside them are some of the many gifts that being able to teach has brought him This aspect of his teaching is evident not just to students he gravitates to them,” Williamston Athletic Director Paige Paulsen said He’s to the point in his career where he doesn’t have to be loud screaming and vocal to get his point across His communication when something needs to be addressed Kersten becomes one of the winningest football coaches in the state It’s on the gridiron where he is still teaching It is through football that he has been able to mix analytics with empathy while still being around the game he loves especially knowing that we get paid very little for the coaching It shows it gives worth to what’s going on and all the time you put in.” and requires close connections for a team to bond well The sport often requires coaches and players to do life together his success may very well be attributed to his relationship-based mindset “You don’t stick around in a high profile job like football that has some success in a community that is prolific in sports and academics without having that piece of inclusion and the ability to communicate on multiple levels; Kids with teaching This inclusion is more than just giving a wide receiver advice on a route It’s about living life with the kids he is coaching “We can see kids out at practice that are emotional and it’s not about football it’s about whatever happened or whatever situation they’re in,” Kersten said “There’s lots of opportunities to invest in these young men.” Although his story could be told over a lifetime there’s one main thing Kersten has learned from it all: When you win a football game that you should have won The kids are more resilient than we are as coaches but it’s just that the process is a critical thing The joy in the process for Kersten could be epitomized in a small business card he received in the mail from a former student to see if something was written on the back WILLIAMSTON — State officials suspect highly pathogenic avian influenza, a type of bird flu, killed off geese recently found dead at a pond in a Williamston mobile home park but they’re still waiting for final test results “We received preliminary results from MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory that suggest highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI),” said Mitch Marcus wildlife health supervisor for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources “We are awaiting confirmation of those results from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) the carcasses are considered suspect for HPAI.” 9 to collect two dead geese for testing at Michigan State University's veterinary diagnostic testing laboratory About 10 to 12 dead geese had been found at the pond The H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu, has been detected in both wild birds and domestic poultry flocks in Michigan and the outbreak has ravaged poultry flocks around the U.S The virus is extremely infectious in many types of birds and has a high fatality rate in chickens It also can infect cows and some other mammals Humans who have contracted the virus in the U.S since 2022 have been infected after direct contact with sick birds or cattle there has been no known human-to-human spread of the virus and the type of H5N1 that is spreading in North America has caused mostly mild illness in people Earlier in January, birds in a backyard flock in Wayne County were sickened by the bird flu according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development And it was also discovered in a flock of birds at Hess-Hathaway Park in Oakland County this year WILLIAMSTON — State officials said they don't know what caused geese to die at a pond in a Williamston mobile home park a couple of weeks ago State Department of Natural Resources personnel who went to the pond found 10 to 12 dead geese and collected two of them for testing at Michigan State University's veterinary diagnostic testing laboratory supervisor of the DNR's Wildlife Health Section and it was unclear if the birds died from a pathogen such as highly pathogenic avian influenza or any number of other possible causes they would be sent to a federal lab in Iowa for confirmation It was unclear how long that process might take has been detected in both wild birds and domestic poultry flocks in Michigan Earlier in January, birds in a backyard flock in Wayne County were sickened by the bird flu The Detroit Free Press contributed to this report WLNS 6 News Michigan State Police honors fallen troopers This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page HOWELL — A high-speed chase along Interstate 96 in Livingston County resulted in the arrest of Williamston man wanted by U.S marshals who was accused of stealing a vehicle from the Lansing area Livingston County Sheriff's Office deputies about 11 a.m Monday attempted to pull over an eastbound Kia Forte that was reported stolen but the driver refused to stop and speeds reached more than 100 mph In a video released by the sheriff's office a deputy can be heard saying speed reached 115 mph at one point The incident began near the Pinckney Road exit on I-96 and continued until the suspect attempted to exit at the Kensington Road exit but lost control of the vehicle and crashed after leaving the road MORE: 3 people critically injured in 4-vehicle crash in Holt MORE: East Lansing settles lawsuit with Lloyds of London over 2023 Country Mill Farms settlement “The driver and his female passenger had to be extricated by Brighton Area Fire personnel before being transported to the University of Michigan Hospital for treatment of serious injuries,” the sheriff's office said Marshals Service for an outstanding warrant and the woman was released at the hospital after treatment Deputies are seeking additional charges through the Livingston County prosecutor’s office Privacy Policy one curiosity lingered as I waited for U.S After working in the dairy industry for 35+ years I am finding City Pulse a challenging and rewarding new start Helping businesses get their message out is an exciting and gratifying experience WILLIAMSTON, Mich — Officials say that preliminary testing of dead geese at a pond in Williamston suggests highly pathogenic avian influenza as the cause Wildlife Health Section Supervisor with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Marcus says the preliminary results were received from the MSU Veterinary Diagnostics Lab and the National Veterinary Services Laboratory will need to confirm the results The DNR is still waiting for that confirmation as of Wednesday morning WATCH BELOW: Geese deaths near Williamston pond raise concern among neighbors I spoke with a property manager from Williamston Lakes and they say they will be working to clear the dead geese from the property and I am working to learn what this may mean for neighbors in Williamston A participant in the Town of Williamston Christmas Parade was injured after being kicked by a horse The incident occurred Saturday during the parade which featured a horse walking with the Martin Community College Equine Program the horse kicked one of the equine program members toward the end of the parade The injured individual was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Officials with Martin Community College say they are conducting an assessment and reviewing protocols to prevent future incidents Martin Community College released the following: Williamston Youth Theatre presents FAME Jr (The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story) I'm your Williamston Neighborhood Reporter Colin Jankowski One neighbor reached out to me with concerns after she says around 20 geese wound up dead at this pond just this month And I set out to try and find some answers "I pass by this at least once a day," Ryan MacKillop said Ryan MacKillop says she first noticed a goose along the side of Grand River Avenue "So the DNR gave me the name of a rehaber that would take it," she said she ended up learning about a bigger concern at a nearby pond "Michigan Duck Rescue ended up getting involved and coming out here and they said that it was a very sad scene," she said Ryan says she checked it out herself and saw dead geese near the pond She then returned to the pond and found even more She says while questions remain about what killed the geese she's concerned about potential health risks like bird flu "We have animal tracks out here as well," she said "It's certainly not uncommon to find dead wild animals during the winter time," Mitch Marcus said Mitch Marcus with the DNR tells me they've taken samples from the dead geese and then the results are confirmed out at the National Vet Services Laboratory," he said In terms of removing the remaining geese back at the pond Marcus says that's the property owner's responsibility the mobile home community surrounding the pond I'll continue to follow this story and will bring you updates as I get them — A bridge project set to begin next month will close a section of Grand River Avenue between Okemos and Williamston for about 10 months The Michigan Department of Transportation plans to replace the bridge over the Red Cedar River Both the eastbound and westbound lanes of Grand River (M-43) are expected to be closed until early December The existing bridge will be demolished and a new bridge will be built in its place The roadside park on Grand River will be closed for the duration of the project The new bridge will have bike lanes and 7-foot-wide sidewalks on both sides Later phases of the project will include work at the North Meridian/Grand River intersection and the South Meridian Road/Grand River intersection township officials said Thursday in a newsletter That work is expected to be finished by February of 2026 WILLIAMSTON – Williamston soccer came into this season looking to make a deeper run in the postseason after bowing out in the regional finals last season Being the host site for regionals this year the Hornets got through Grosse Ile in the semifinals on Tuesday to set up an opportunity for redemption Despite controlling play for most of the second half Williamston and a stingy opponent in Ann Arbor Greenhills were still deadlocked at 1-1 Williamston again possessed most of the two 10-minute extra time sessions but penalty kicks would ultimately be needed to decide the regional winner Even though Williamston wasn't rewarded with a winning goal in regulation it left no doubt in the shootout with the help of senior goalkeeper Garret Stenzel who made three saves in four rounds to send the Hornets to the state semifinals and secure a regional title trophy "I was just ready for it and excited," Stenzel said "I practice these every day and knew that this was my moment to step up Playing with these guys has been such a fun experience and now we're just ready to go further and keep pushing." and fourth rounds of the penalty kick shootout and Max Kuenhe all stepped to the penalty spot and delivered goals It was Pederson who scored Williamston's goal in the 12th minute converting a penalty kick after a Greenhills player was whistled for a handball in the box Greenhills would score a few minutes later off a corner kick to level it at 1-1 at the break Williamston got another penalty kick opportunity Williamston held a 16-5 shot advantage in the game these kids put in so much work from last year after losing in the regional final and for these seniors to get to win a regional on the field they grew up playing on and have played on in their careers is special," Williamston coach Ian Kurth said they had a master plan coming in here and making it really hard on us but I thought as the game went on we got better chances "We practice shootouts every single day in practice and having (Stenzel) in net is such a huge advantage for us because we know he's going to give us one or two stops," Kurth said "We have a ton of confidence in our shooters and I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish here tonight." Williamston (12-7-2) will face the winner of Flint Powers Catholic and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep on Oct Contact Nathaniel Bott at nbott@lsj.com and follow him on X @Nathaniel_Bott WILLIAMSTON — Christina Dixon got a little nervous Seeing teammate Kalisa Blue go down with an injury in the middle stages of the second quarter was tough to see for the junior standout and the rest of the Haslett girls basketball team But Dixon also knew she needed to pick things up with Blue no longer on the court Dixon had a big night Friday while helping Haslett capture a Division 2 district title with a 47-38 victory over CAAC Red rival Williamston in a Division 2 final Dixon finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds as the Vikings captured their second straight district championship "We've been working for this all season so it's exciting that we pulled out the win." Haslett (21-3) overcame early foul trouble and the loss of Blue to injury to get past Williamston (13-11) for a third time this season and advance to Monday's regional semifinal where it will face Chelsea at Pinckney High School "I think (last year's district title) was a huge part of us maintaining our composure when we got in foul trouble and obviously when Kalista went down," Haslett coach Ross Baker said "That was a gut punch and (Blue is) so valuable to us and does so many things that don't always show up in the stat sheet I think that experience and knowing that we had to stick together really helped us." More: Greater Lansing high school girls basketball district results Dixon also had a big hand in the Vikings overcoming the loss She scored back-to-back baskets following the injury to give Haslett a boost She had eight points during a second quarter in which the Vikings took the lead for good "I just needed to focus on what I needed to do on the court," Dixon said "I know my part on the team and I just had to take over." Baker said that was a big sequence for his team which had fallen behind in the early stages of the second quarter and had a hard time getting shots to fall "Christina is just an amazing scorer and I think her baskets kickstarted us and then we started to lock in a little bit defensively," Baker said That strong defense was on display in the second half as the Vikings held Williamston scoreless from the middle stages of the third quarter to the middle stages of the fourth quarter while building an 18-point lead "When you get to the tournament you've got to be great defensively," Baker said "You've got to lock in and they really took that to heart We saw a shift this week where they were really locked in and focused at practice on the defensive end and they just weren't going to be denied tonight." Thea Fortin finished with 16 points to lead Williamston squeaky sneakers echo through the Williamston High School gymnasium as 14-year-old freshman Anabelle Wortman dives for a loose basketball during J.V she’s already thinking about her next commitment: softball practice This relentless drive isn’t just about winning games but securing her future “I’ve always enjoyed being competitive,” Anabelle said I had the desire to win and to be able to play any position My love was pitching because I knew I could control the game but I soon realized that my true love was behind the plate as a catcher.” Anabelle’s competitive nature has shaped her journey not only in sports but in every aspect of her life earning multiple state and local titles in bowling as well as scholarships during her elementary and middle school years as her passion for softball and basketball grew stronger she faced the difficult decision to give up bowling in order to focus on the sports she loved most but Anabelle knew it was necessary to pursue her bigger dreams “I understood that to get to the next level and that meant leaving bowling behind,” Anabelle said She’s the oldest of four children in a single-parent household With her eyes set on earning a college scholarship Anabelle juggles a demanding schedule that would exhaust most adults when she packs both her basketball and softball bags before school she heads to her part-time job at a local daycare before transitioning to softball practice or agility training she studies and finishes any homework she has left and I want to quit or not go to practice,” Anabelle said Anabelle’s journey is fueled by a deep sense of purpose She is not only a standout athlete but also a straight-A student who was recently named Student of the Month she balances academics and athletics with grace and determination “She’s got a lot on her plate,” said April Nolan Anabelle’s surrogate Aunt and key supporter Tomorrow’s a new day.’ It’s a small ritual Anabelle’s commitment to excellence doesn’t stop on the field or in the classroom She works part-time at a local daycare after school a job that has ignited her passion for helping others she has discovered her long-term goal: to become a NICU nurse “I’ve always liked to help others,” Anabelle said I realized how much I love being around kids and I’ve decided that I want to pursue becoming a NICU nurse I want to be able to help families in their most vulnerable moments.” Anabelle’s pursuit of a healthcare career aligns with the same values of hard work and determination that drive her on the field “I’ve learned through sports that discipline I know that the same effort I put into my athletic career can help me succeed in a future career in nursing.” Anabelle’s competitive softball journey began at a young age her commitment and love for the game have only grown She earned a spot on Turnin 2’s national team playing in high-profile tournaments across the country but the financial burden of traveling and the desire to stay with her teammates led her to step back to the regional team Playing with Turnin 2 costs $3,000 each year This hefty price tag placed a strain on Anabelle’s family Though the national team offered incredible opportunities staying with her teammates on the regional team felt like the right choice allowing them to continue growing together while reducing financial pressure Anabelle understands how challenging it can be to secure a full-ride offer to play softball and the process is more than just about talent and finding the right fit for both the athlete and the program Anabelle knows that only a small percentage of athletes make it to the highest levels and she’s determined to give everything she has to stand out “Softball has taught me so much about discipline I know it’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedication Her academic success is just as important to Anabelle as her athletic achievements “I know school is just as important as softball,” Anabelle said “Getting good grades keeps my options open Anabelle heads into another training session With her unwavering determination and a village of supporters behind her she’s ready to take on whatever comes next I’m setting myself up for success in sports and in life.” Whitehead was found deceased in the Roanoke River on Friday The following agencies assisted in the search for Whitehead: NC Wildlife Resource Commissions and NCSBI Authorities are still searching for Theophilis "Theo" Whitehead The Williamston Police Department is working with the Martin County Sheriff's Office and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to conduct the search Anyone with information about Whitehead’s whereabouts are asked to contact the Williamston Police Department at 252-792-2124 to speak with an officer or leave a message on the tip line Have you seen Theophilis "Theo" Whitehead Whitehead was reported missing by his wife on Tuesday The Williamston Police Department says that Whitehead's vehicle was located at Moratoc Park Officials say that Whitehead is a 51-year-old black male and may be suffering from an altered mental status