The Lowell Ledger

12/12/2025

The debate over a potential data center in Lowell will continue as the Lowell Charter Township planning commission meeting has been rescheduled to meet on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026 at 6 p.m. at the Lowell Performing Arts Center, 11700 Vergennes Street, Lowell.

12/12/2025

The Lowell Performing Arts Center was filled Monday, Dec. 1, as the LHS Bands presented their annual Winter Concert. Both the Jazz Band and Symphonic Band showcased months of preparation across a wide range of seasonal favorites.

The Lowell Performing Arts Center was filled Monday, Dec. 1, as the LHS Bands presented their annual Winter Concert. Both the Jazz Band and Symphonic Band showcased months of preparation across a wide range of seasonal favorites. The smaller Jazz Band opened the program with “O Come All Ye Faithfu...

12/11/2025

Lowell launched its Christmas season with the Dec. 6 Night-Time Santa Parade and community events.

The Christmas Festivities in Lowell encompass several events throughout the month of December, and the big kickoff was Saturday, Dec. 6, with the Night-Time Santa Parade. As with prior years, temperatures were cold, so attendees dressed for the event with coats, hats, gloves, and sometimes even snow...

12/11/2025

Lowell High School Musicians performed with the Grand Rapids Symphony on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at the Lowell Performing Arts Center.

It’s safe to say, it was easily one of the most anticipated nights of music at the Lowell Performing Arts Center. The young musicians of Lowell High School took the stage Tuesday, Dec. 2, for a memorable side-by-side concert with the Grand Rapids Symphony at the LPAC. Under the leadership of Dr. J...

12/08/2025

Two open houses on the proposed Lowell data center drew over 150 residents each, highlighting both the benefits and deep concerns associated with the project. On Dec. 8, Lowell Charter Township’s planning commission will hold a public hearing for Franklin Partners’ request to rezone the 237-acre Covenant Business Park from planned-unit development, a mixed-use category that promotes versatility and high density housing, to light industrial with the stipulation that the township amend its zoning ordinance to include data centers in all light industrial districts.

The City of Lowell held an informational open house at city hall on Dec. 2, from 5-7 p.m to tackle issues related to the proposed data center in Lowell Charter Township. Stakeholders from the City of Lowell, Lowell Charter Township, The Right Place, Franklin Partners, and Consumers Energy set up sma...

12/04/2025

Assistant City Manager Rich LaBombard secured $25,000 to replace problematic ornamental pear trees downtown.

The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) for the City of Lowell gathered on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, absent Brian Doyle, Mike DeVore, and Charlie Jeffrey. Janet Teunis, the executive director of Lowell Arts, came to the podium to give an update on the Public Art Master Plan. Through this initiative,...

12/03/2025

Lowell residents rally against proposed data center. Residents voiced worries about water bills, aquifer health, and infrastructure strain tied to the project at a meeting held on Fri., Nov. 21.

By Justin Tiemeyer Contributing Writer On Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, a group of concerned citizens led by Betsy Lopez-Wagner, Kathryn Robertson, and Jamie Thompson gathered to discuss the proposed data center in Lowell Charter Township. Data centers are the physical backbone that powers cloud storage, s...

12/03/2025

rally planned for Dec. 14

Concerned locals quickly organized Residents United for a Healthy Lowell after news of a proposed data center

By Justin Tiemeyer
Contributing Writer
Within days of an announcement that an unnamed entity is looking to build a data center in Lowell Charter Township, a group of concerned locals joined together and created Residents United for a Healthy Lowell.
The nonpartisan group seeks to understand data centers and their impact on communities, something they believe has been missing during the 12-plus months that delegates from Lowell Charter Township and the City of Lowell have known about the proposed data center. Betsy Lopez-Wagner, an environmental justice advocate, is one of the group’s organizers. “I think there’s a lot of heart and a lot of momentum, a lot of care and concern, across the community,” Lopez-Wagner said. “This issue has been a catalyst across the community for talking about environmental issues, utilities, and public health.”
In the days to come, the township and the city will hold meetings, and votes, to determine the fate of this data center project. Before anything is finalized, the Residents United for a Healthy Lowell wish to meet under the marquee at The Old Theater and hold a rally to raise awareness.
“I think one of the things that happens is these sorts of scenarios can get really divisive, really quick,” Lopez-Wagner said. “We are rallying in action for the health of our community and a lot of those concerns that unite us. Something that we’ve heard a lot of since some of the more recent news has broken is that people regionally see themselves in this fight, in this inherent need to protect communities from big tech. We’re looking at this as a Great Lakes region thing, as much as we’re looking at it as a hyper-local thing, and we’re hoping people interested in it are able to come out.”
The rally organized by Betsy Lopez-Wagner and Residents United for a Healthy Lowell is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 14, from 2 to 4:30 p.m., with hopes that residents will bring their concerns to the Lowell Charter Township board meeting the following day, on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.

12/03/2025

Schneider Manor has added fill to its property to meet floodplain compliance requirements for a future building.

At the beginning of November, folks driving by Schneider Manor noticed excavation work at Bowes Road and Pleasant Street. The Lowell Ledger reached out to Terra Bieneman, the manager at Schneider Manor, to see if the independent senior living community was putting in a new building. The answer: not....

12/03/2025

Marty Chambers discovered a Civil War-era cannonball, while helping Flat River Outreach Ministries with its affordable housing initiative on East Main Street.

When Flat River Outreach Ministries (FROM) purchased 504 and 511 East Main Street to create affordable, supportive, family housing in Lowell, Marty Chambers tagged along. Chambers is best known for his service on Lowell’s city council, but many around town know him as a handyman, as well, and he w...

12/02/2025

We take pride in being at LAS events, bringing you high quality images and reporting from events around Lowell Schools through our reporters and the Ledger camera.

Coverage of school events as they happen; before, during, and after!

11/27/2025

Council Member Marty Chambers praised incoming council members after losing reelection, but public voices urged caution about burdening ratepayers with water and sewer expansion costs tied to data center.

Lowell’s City Council gathered for a regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at 7 p.m., at City Hall, absent only Mark Ritzema. As the first order of new business, City Manager Mike Burns announced his recommendation that the city conclude its relationship with Williams & Works as its engineer o...