Dexter Community Band Kicks Off 2026-27 Season with Director William Gourley’s Podium Favorites

DCB’s free concert to be held 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8, at Dexter High School. The Dexter Community Band kicks off its 2026-27 season by featuring a collection of podium favorites from Director William W. Gourley as he prepares to retire from the band after 28 years. The concert...

Chelsea Boys Cross Country Qualifies for State Finals for 25th Straight Year

The Chelsea boys’ cross country team continued one of the most impressive streaks in Michigan high school cross country Saturday, October 31, earning its 25th straight trip to the Division 2 state finals with a third-place finish at the D2 regional at Pinckney. The Bulldogs finished with 69 points...

Hartland school board considering superintendent search process on Monday

The Hartland Schools Board of Education will consider the timeline, advertised salary range and public input process for its superintendent search during a special meeting at 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, at the Hartland Educational Support Service Center, 9525 E. Highland Road. Superintendent Chuck Hughes announced in July that he...

Jonesville to play for district title, Litchfield ends historic season

HILLSDALE COUNTY — The opening round of the MHSAA football playoffs produced two different outcomes for Hillsdale County’s remaining teams Friday, Oct. 30. Jonesville earned its first playoff victory since 2020 with a 36-22 road win over Cascades Conference rival Hanover-Horton, advancing to its first Division 7 district championship game in six years. Meanwhile, Litchfield’s historic season came to a heartbreaking end at home as Marcellus rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to defeat the Terriers 50-36 in an 8-player Division 2 regional semifinal. Check out our first breakdowns of Friday night's matchups, with more stats and features to be added this weekend. More: Watch Litchfield's first Selection Sunday Watch Party celebration Jonesville 36, Hanover-Horton 22 Jonesville’s defense took center stage in Friday’s playoff rematch, shutting down Hanover-Horton’s Wing-T rushing attack while senior running back John Milks delivered another dominant performance on the ground. The Comets avenged their 32-14 regular-season loss to their Cascades Conference rival, securing their fifth road victory of the season. Senior quarterback Carson Young opened the scoring with a touchdown run on Jonesville’s first possession, followed by a successful 2-point conversion from Milks. Jonesville's defense got off to a dominant start after senior Reece Rundquist earned

MSU sanctions SAE after video circulates showing alleged drug use

Michigan State University has sanctioned Sigma Alpha Epsilon following a circulated video showing alleged members of the fraternity using illicit drugs. The fraternity was issued a "Deferred Loss of Registration" on Tuesday, Oct. 27, for "other prohibited conduct." This means the group is still affiliated with MSU, but SAE "must comply with all outlined sanctions and avoid any additional violations of University policy." President Kevin Guskiewicz posted a statement to his social media platforms early Sunday morningcalling the "incidents that occurred...deeply concerning." MSU Spokesperson Emily Guerrant said the university is starting an investigation "immediately" into SAE. "Communication between the MSU chapter and our university has also begun on what this review needs to look like," Guerrant said. The video , posted on Oct. 30 by DonnieFrazier69 on X, shows a montage of alleged fraternity members doing what appears to be cocaine and whippets. The video references the Pennsylvania State University multi-year, campuswide cocaine operation. Earlier this year, 14 individuals were charged in connection with the over $120,000 drug ring. The operation was tied to two fraternities. "People thought Penn State was bad? Lets rip some f-ing bag babyyyy. And some f-ing k too baby," the video reads. Bag and K

Alleged assaults prompt MSU review on delays in reporting Saxena to state

EAST LANSING — Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz said a review is planned about how the university reports misconduct by medical professionals to the state after officials took 17 months to alert the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs that a medical resident physician was removed from patient care following allegations of sexual assault . Guskiewicz said MSU's health care system is "complex," consisting of two medical colleges, a nursing college, a physician assistant program, sports medicine clinics, recreational wellness clinics and the campus Olin Health Center. "I will say that I am initiating a review, and I am calling it a review, by an outside consultant to help us be sure that there aren't gaps within this complex system that we operate around," MSU's president told the media after the Friday, Oct. 30 board meeting. He added that Dr. Mark Smith, the chief medical officer for MSU Health Care, would be "running point" across the university health care system as they worked with LARA to improve their reporting processes. The review and its scope is in the process of being initiated, Guskiewicz said. Officials failed to report medical resident MSU was alerted to allegations of sexual assault

Williamston boys soccer captures regional title with late winning goal

FLINT — The Williamston boys soccer program knew it would be facing its toughest test of the season in Division 3 No. 3-ranked Flint Powers Catholic in a regional final on the Chargers' home turf. Although the Hornets didn't control the majority of possession, they did capitalize on an opportunity late to break a scoreless draw. From there, the defense clamped down, clearing everything while bleeding the clock before the final horn sounded to earn a 1-0 regional final win on Oct. 29. "I'm just so proud of the effort from the boys," Williamston coach Ian Kurth said. "They've stayed resilient all season long and we've started to find our form. We talked to our guys before the game about the history Williamston has with Powers Catholic. They've knocked us off many times in the past, and we used that as fuel to come into enemy territory and get a result." After battling through 70 minutes of scoreless soccer, Williamston took advantage of a Powers Catholic turnover that led to a 2-on-1 break. Substitute midfielder Grant Masi dribbled down the right side of the field before delivering a cross that went through a defender's legs. Waiting on the other side

50-year Genesee Co. high school football referee hangs up his whistle

GENESEE COUNTY, Mich. (WJRT) - A beloved Mid-Michigan high school football referee is retiring after 50 years on the field. The upstairs office of Doug Dillon's home acts as a sort of museum dedicated to his time as a high school football white hat referee for Genesee County. The room...

Grand Ledge bringing agricultural education back after nearly 40 years

Grand Ledge Public Schools is preparing to open a new school dedicated to agricultural education, something the district hasn’t offered in nearly 40 years.

Brianna Scott seeks re-election to MSU Board of Trustees

Ten candidates are running for seats on the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, and two seats will be filled after Election Day on Nov. 3. The Board of Trustees governs MSU by overseeing university policies and managing funds. The eight trustees are elected by Michigan voters and serve eight-year terms.

Washtenaw Community College student wins medal at an international welding competition

Dexter native Mikala Sposito, 21, made history by becoming the first woman to win a medal in welding at the WorldSkills competition, held last month in Shanghai, China. Sposito won the bronze medal at the international competition, often called the “Olympics of the skilled trades.”. Her welding journey began...

Cooley Law School Expungement Fair helps 116 individuals

Representatives from Cooley Law School, Michigan Department of Attorney General, Safe & Just Michigan, Ascend Co-Lab for Social Equality, and Legal Services of South Central Michigan, held an expungement fair at Cooley on Oct. 9 to aid in the removal of certain arrests and convictions from qualifying individuals’ public criminal records.

Highlights: Jackson Lumen Christi moves past Columbia Central 56-27

Greater Lansing high school football predictions for district semifinals

The high school football playoffs are here. Greater Lansing high school football teams begin their pushes toward state championships this week. Teams like Grand Ledge, Portland, Pewamo-Westphalia and Portland St. Patrick will try to keep their perfect seasons going, while league champions Mason and Ithaca will try to take steps toward claiming district titles. We weigh in on each of this week's matchups in Greater Lansing with LSJ reporters Brian Calloway and Nathaniel Bott and WVFN 730 AM's Brock Palmbos providing their predictions. D1 – Rockford (5-4) at Grand Ledge (9-0) Bott: Grand Ledge Calloway: Grand Ledge Palmbos: Grand Ledge D2 – East Lansing (4-5) at Caledonia (7-2) Bott: Caledonia Calloway: Caledonia Palmbos: Caledonia D3 – Lowell (6-3) at DeWitt (7-2) Bott: DeWitt Calloway: DeWitt Palmbos: DeWitt D3 - Dexter (4-5) at Mason (8-1) Bott: Mason Calloway: Mason Palmbos: Mason D4 – Paw Paw (8-1) at Portland (9-0) Bott: Portland Calloway: Portland Palmbos: Portland D4 – Williamston (5-4) at Goodrich (9-0) Bott: Goodrich Calloway: Goodrich Palmbos: Goodrich D4 – Ortonville Brandon (6-3) at St. Johns (7-2) Bott: St. Johns Calloway: St. Johns Palmbos: St. Johns D4 – Sexton (6-3) at Dearborn Divine Child (8-1) Bott: Dearborn Divine Child Calloway: Dearborn

Greater Lansing final regular season high school football stat leaders

Here is a look at the final regular season high school football stat leaders in Greater Lansing. This reflects stats provided by area programs. For inclusion, stats should be sent to bcalloway@lsj.com. PASSING Name, school - Comp.Att. Yards TDs Joel Cranmore, Leslie - 93-185 2,075 28 Gibson Rondy, Ithaca - 99-127 1,950 25 Tyger Whitbeck, Perry - 113-206 1,910 12 Gavin Hellwege, Everett - 114-254 1,572 11 Blake Burke, Okemos - 141-222 1,562 11 Evan Killinger, Stockbridge - 97-165 1,298 15 Griffin Braman, DeWitt - 87-132 1,270 11 Conner Kurncz, St. Johns - 88-136 1,206 13 Max Thrun, Lakewood - 64-115 1,024 12 Abdual Carter Foreman, Sexton - 68-113 1,008 9 Mayson Burgett, Dansville - 55-122 991 16 Zyeir Rembert, Waverly - 76-155 977 7 Griffin Long, Morrice - 55-94 939 14 Emmett Eyde, Lansing Catholic - 62-108 923 8 Luke Criscuolo, Williamston - 61-90 764 5 Carson Simon, Portland - 41-63 756 11 Kellen Douglass, Fowlerville - 66-145 755 3 Kingston Nixon, Grand Ledge - 27-37 732 10 Casen Willard, Holt - 47-99 678 6 Luke Nurenberg, Pewamo-Westphalia - 43-78 652 10 Greg Croze, Potterville - 37-71 605 10 Zion Mathis, Sexton - 31-46 566 10 Gerrit Koot, Mason

One year since Spartan Ventures launch, here is where it stands

Saturday will mark one year since Michigan State University's Board of Trustees approved the creation of Spartan Ventures. The non-profit entity was founded as a "groundbreaking" name, image and likeness fundraising arm with a $100 million gift from longtime MSU donors Greg and Dawn Williams to jumpstart its bank account.Since then, new leaders have taken the helm following the loss of its CEO and the Athletic Director. From its inception, transparency has been a concern. Trustees were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements to view documents related to the entity, which some trustees have penned op-eds disputing. In an October interview with The State News, MSU Athletic Director Dan Bartholomae said transparency was a top challenge for Spartan Ventures. He also said to expect "a pretty loud statement" defining Spartan Ventures in early 2027 - over a year after the entity's initiation. Here is a breakdown of where Spartan Ventures stands today: Prior to the implementation of Spartan Ventures, all of the "revenue generating units" were housed under MSU Athletics, according to MSU Athletics Spokesperson Matt Larson. Now, units like the marketing and fan engagement teams are kept under the Spartan Ventures "umbrella." These sectors still serve as the marketing provider

Full playoff slate with Saxons, Trojans, Vikings, Lions all in

The Michigan High School Athletic Association busted out the map this weekend and set up 64 district tournaments in its eight divisions across the state – not many tougher than the one the Saxons landed in. The Hastings, Thornapple Kellogg, Lakewood and Maple Valley varsity football teams will all...

Livingston County High Schoolers Explore New Art Techniques At Cleary

High school art students from Brighton and Fowlerville had an opportunity to explore new art techniques at Cleary University during the “Arthur Secunda Immersive Experience”. It’s a two-day workshop designed specifically for Livingston County high school students interested in unleashing their artistic talents and creativity - using the...

Elementary Schools Celebrate Inclusion Week

High school and elementary students also took part in activities designed to build trust, help them learn more about one another and foster community in their classrooms. Each classroom visit also included a craft project completed by the elementary students. To end the day, the high school volunteers met with...