The Argus-Press

12/05/2025

The Pere Marquette 1225 is set to pull the North Pole Express to Ashley tonight after starting the season in the repair shop.

OWOSSO — Two weeks after the Pere Marquette 1225 was sent for repairs, the historic steam locomotive is back on the rails and ready to haul the North Pole Express from Owosso to the village of Ashley for its annual Christmas celebration.

The Steam Railroading Institute announced the news Thursday, Dec. 4, on its page, saying the team had worked hard to return the iconic locomotive to service.

The 1225 — best known as the model for the 2004 animated film “The Polar Express” — was sidelined in late November, just ahead of its sold-out 2024 season, after developing a problem with its superheaters that required repair.

Diesel locomotives handled all 2024 holiday excursions after superheating problems sidelined the 1225 for the season.

At first, the situation looked more promising in 2025.

Community members gathered Nov. 20 at the Steam Railroading Institute for the North Pole Express 2025 kickoff event. The engine appeared ready to roll: passenger cars were attached, steam drifted above the tracks, and its signature whistle echoed through downtown Owosso as the train departed on a test run to Ashley.

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OWOSSO — Two weeks after the Pere Marquette 1225 was sent for repairs, the historic steam locomotive is back on the rails and ready to haul the North Pole Express

12/05/2025

The trial for Noah Boise wrapped up today with closing arguments, jury deliberations and a split jury.

CORUNNA — A jury that deliberated for about five hours could not reach a verdict on two of the three charges against a 24-year-old Ovid man accused of molesting a child.

​​On Thursday, Dec. 4, jurors found Noah J. Boise guilty of one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct but were deadlocked on two other charges: one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and another count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

First-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony involving sexual pe*******on, carries a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. Second-degree criminal sexual conduct is a felony that is limited by touching and is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The charges against Boise contained a caveat that the victim was under 13. Had he been found guilty of the first-degree CSC count, he would have faced a minimum of 25 years in prison due to the victim’s age.

The trial began Tuesday, Dec. 2. By the end of the day Wednesday, Dec. 3, jurors had heard hours of testimony, including from the victim — now 17 — who described multiple occasions when Boise allegedly assaulted her at two homes in Owosso and a home in Ovid, beginning when she was 8 years old.

Jurors also watched nearly two hours of video from Boise’s interview with Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Jim Moore, during which Boise eventually admitted to one of the crimes.

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CORUNNA — A jury that deliberated for about five hours could not reach a verdict on two of the three charges against a 24-year-old Ovid man accused of molesting a

12/04/2025

Wednesday brought the second day of the trial of an Ovid-area man accused of molesting a child.

CORUNNA — An Ovid-area man accused of molesting a child returned to court Wednesday, Dec. 3 for the second day of his trial.

Noah J. Boise, 24, is accused of sexually assaulting a minor multiple times between 2016 and 2022, starting when the alleged victim was eight years old.

Boise is charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony that involves sexual pe*******on of a child younger than 13 and is punishable by up to life in prison, and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child younger than 13, a felony that does not involve pe*******on and carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

The trial began Tuesday, Dec. 2, in Shiawassee County Circuit Court, with Judge Matthew J. Stewart presiding. On the witness stand, the alleged victim, now 17, described multiple occasions when Boise allegedly assaulted her at two homes in Owosso and one in Ovid.

She detailed one of the alleged assaults from 2022, which she said took place beneath a bed at the house in Ovid. She said Boise took her phone and crawled under the bed, where her younger sister was lying. When she followed to retrieve it, she said Boise assaulted her. At the time, the alleged victim was 13 and Boise was about 21.

The trial resumed Wednesday with the alleged victim’s younger sister recalling the alleged incident. She said she did not see her sister or Boise wrestling over a phone, but testified she did hear moaning and crying coming from beneath the bed.

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CORUNNA — An Ovid-area man accused of molesting a child returned to court Wednesday, Dec. 3 for the second day of his trial.

12/03/2025

The trial for Noah Boise began yesterday in Shiawassee County Circuit Court and resumes this morning.

CORUNNA — A second Boise brother facing accusations of molesting a child is facing a Shiawassee County jury.

The trial for Noah J. Boise, 24, of Ovid, began Tuesday, Dec. 2 in Shiawassee County Circuit Court with jury selection, opening statements and the start of witness testimony. Judge Matthew J. Stewart is presiding over the trial. Boise is represented by defense attorney Tiffany Hughes, with Shiawassee County Prosecutor Scott Koerner trying the case for the state.

Boise is charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony that involves sexual pe*******on of a child younger than 13 and is punishable by up to life in prison, and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child younger than 13, a felony that does not involve pe*******on and carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

The alleged victim, now 17, was the first witness to take the stand Tuesday. She testified that the assaults took place in two homes in Owosso and a home in Ovid between 2016 and 2022.

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CORUNNA — A second Boise brother facing accusations of molesting a child is facing a Shiawassee County jury.

12/02/2025

OWOSSO — A 40-unit complex of Quonset hut-style apartments could be coming to Owosso.

On Monday, Dec. 1, the Owosso City Council approved the sale of a 3.12-acre piece of land at 1000 Bradley St., where the Vaungarde Factory once stood before it was destroyed in an April 2005 fire.

The sale was approved by a unanimous 6-0 vote, with Mayor Robert Teich Jr., Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Haber and council members Rachel Osmer, Janae Fear, Emily Olson and Chris Owens voting yes. Council member Carl Ludington was absent.

City Manager Nathan Henne said the $10,000 offer from NB Concepts LLC was the only one submitted during a required 21-day posting period. He recommended the sale, citing the need for additional housing in the city. Henne also noted that the property, currently zoned light industrial, would need to be rezoned for residential use.

“I think that’s going to be a better fit for what is kind of a transition parcel between commercial on M-21 and residential (in the area surrounding Bradley Street),” Henne said. “This is a good thing on many levels, and so far the Pirkovic family has been working very well with the city. They are knowledgeable about this process, and they have a good design that seems to have gotten some positive interest from the community.”

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OWOSSO — A 40-unit complex of Quonset hut-style apartments could be coming to Owosso.

12/01/2025

Argus-Press staff writer Matthew Bartow covered the Michigan/Ohio State game. Here are his thoughts on the state of Wolverines football.

Ohio State’s decisive drive in the 121st edition of “The Game” Saturday — the Buckeyes covered 81 yards in 20 plays, bled 11:56 off the clock and kicked a field goal to increase their lead to three scores with 8:10 remaining in the contest — felt oddly familiar as a Michigan fan.

That’s because the back-breaking, 16-run-four-pass-sequence is just like what Michigan did to teams in the glory years of the Jim Harbaugh era: Seal a game with a soul-crushing drive in the second half, where the opponent could do nothing as Michigan ran the ball mercilessly down its throat and drained the clock and with it almost any chance the opponent had of a comeback. Michigan inflicted this fate on Ohio State in the 2021 and 2023 editions of The Game, and even under coach Sherrone Moore’s tenure in its 2024 upset of the Buckeyes.

Saturday, however, No. 1 Ohio State (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten) returned the favor in its 27-9 drubbing of the Wolverines, capturing its first win in the bitter rivalry since 2019 and ending almost any chance No. 15 Michigan (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) had of making the College Football Playoff.

As Michigan’s 2025 season has played out, I’ve seen two distinct thought patterns emerge among the fanbase on social media — one of relaxation and the second of panic. The relaxation one goes something like this: Michigan won nine games — with the opportunity for win No. 10 in its bowl game — with one of college football’s youngest squads, including a true freshman at quarterback and six freshman starting in The Game. People in this camp may point out Michigan’s prowess on the recruiting trail under Moore, with the program reeling in 247Sports’ No. 6-ranked high school class in 2025 and currently sitting at No. 11 for its 2026 class.

Moore would clearly fall into this coalition, indicating in his presser that he would consider the season a success if Michigan wins its to-be-determined bowl game and finishes 10-3.

“We’ve got another game we have to play after this, so we have to regroup, and try to get 10 wins. That would be a huge success for this team to get 10 wins with such a young team, starting six freshman — redshirt freshmen, true freshman quarterback, redshirt freshman running back, three redshirt freshman offensive linemen — so we have to regroup as a team and make sure we do that,” he said.

The panic thought pattern goes something like this: Michigan lost its only three games against ranked opponents this season and has averaged an 8-4 regular season record in Moore’s first two years leading the program. Michigan fans in this camp will point to the Wolverines’ losses to ranked competition including Texas, Illinois, Oregon and Indiana in 2024.

At this moment in time, I fall firmly into the panic coalition of the fanbase. The streak against Ohio State ending was an eventuality — teams don’t eternally win in rivalry games — but Saturday was more than just a loss: It showed that the Wolverines’ blueprint that helped it master Ohio State from 2021 to 2024 and win three Big Ten titles and a national championhip in the span is broken.

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Ohio State’s decisive drive in the 121st edition of “The Game” Saturday — the Buckeyes covered 81 yards in 20 plays, bled 11:56 off the clock and kicked a field

11/30/2025

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — An Owosso teen recently participated in a USA National Select Camp featuring the nation’s top amateur swimmers.

Aubrial MacKay, 16, was selected to attend the camp held Oct. 23-26 after having one of the top three times in her age group in the 100-meter butterfly. MacKay received an email the USA National Select Camp to let her know that she had been selected.

“I was a little bit shocked, because I would say I didn’t really know I was reaching this level yet,” MacKay told The Argus-Press. “I think it jumps on you pretty fast. So I was like, ‘oh, this is actually happening.’ So I was very excited.”

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — An Owosso teen recently participated in a USA National Select Camp featuring the nation’s top amateur swimmers.

11/29/2025

ANTRIM TWP. — After eight picture books, two memoirs, a middle-grade novel and a history of Bancroft, former Corunna elementary teacher and principal turned author Sally Labadie is turning her attention to another piece of Shiawassee County’s past.

Labadie’s latest book, titled “Where Was North Newburg?,” is a history of the once-thriving settlement now lost to time.

The book, which is nearly 100 pages, traces the rise and disappearance of North Newburg, a small crossroads community that once sat at Bancroft and Newburg roads in what is now Shiawassee Township.

The book is available for $20 at MI Favorite Store, 207 N. Washington St. in Owosso. Labadie said all proceeds from sales go to the Bancroft Historical Society, where she serves as president and spends much of her spare time compiling binders of information on prominent families who lived in the area.

“People need to know that when they buy this book, every penny goes into the Bancroft Historical Society,” Labadie said. “I don’t take a penny. I’ve done this just for myself because I enjoy doing it.”

The goal, Labadie said, is for the Bancroft Historical Society to have a physical location in the near future where community members can stop in and view the archives, which are currently housed in Shiawassee Township Hall but not open to the public.

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ANTRIM TWP. — After eight picture books, two memoirs, a middle-grade novel and a history of Bancroft, former Corunna elementary teacher and principal turned author Sally Labadie is turning her

11/26/2025

Bryon's Zadie Schmidt is the 2025 Argus-Press Volleyball Player of the Year.

BYRON — No volleyball team in The Argus-Press-coverage the past few years has been more successful than Byron.

The Eagles won three-straight Division 3 district titles and made a run to the regional finals in 2024. At the core of their success has been a group of seniors that have played together for a long time — some since elementary school.

The group is led by 2025 Argus-Press Volleyball Player of the Year Zadie Schmidt.

Schmidt ended her Eagles career for with a season that saw her record 380 kills, 312 digs and 65 aces. The kill total was the best in the area.

“I couldn’t have done anything I did without my setter and all the passers behind me and all the support from everyone on the team, my parents and our coach,” Schmidt told The Argus-Press.

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BYRON — No volleyball team in The Argus-Press-coverage the past few years has been more successful than Byron.

11/22/2025

Wednesday's Owosso schools board meeting brought accusations of a toxic environment within the district's softball program.

OWOSSO — Much of the oxygen at Wednesday’s Owosso Public Schools Board of Education meeting was used discussing an alleged incident between one of the state’s winningest prep softball coaches and one of her standout players.

The two public participation portions of the meeting saw nine speakers address the board about a matter involving district varsity softball coach and athletic secretary JoEllen Smith who, according to multiple speakers, struck Owosso catcher Ady Freeman in the face, grabbed Freeman by the jersey and directed an expletive at Freeman last season.

Smith has coached Owosso High School’s varsity softball program since 1983 and is credited with 905 wins by the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association, ranking her seventh in Michigan among active coaches. She ranked 18th nationally among active coaches entering the 2025 season, according to previous Argus-Press reporting. Smith coached Owosso to its first Michigan High School Athletic Association title in 2021.

Freeman, currently a junior at OHS, is an accomplished softball player for the Trojans, receiving a first-team Michigan all-state nod as a sophomore. Following the season, she was part of a team from Grand Blanc that won the Senior League Softball World Series in Roxana, Del., consisting of girls ages 13-16. She is committed to Western Michigan University for softball.

The alleged incident involving Smith and Freeman occured after Freeman made an error during the second game of an April 21 doubleheader featuring Owosso and Lake Fenton in Flint Metro League action at Lake Fenton. Lake Fenton swept the twinbill, 4-1, 12-11.

Leslie and Jason Freeman, the mother and father of Ady Freeman, were the first speakers to detail the events in question on April 21.

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OWOSSO — Much of the oxygen at Wednesday’s Owosso Public Schools Board of Education meeting was used discussing an alleged incident between one of the state’s winningest prep softball coaches

11/21/2025

All aboard the North Pole Express!

The Pere Marquette 1225 took a test run to Ashley on Thursday and is ready for the 2025 North Pole Express season, which kicks off today at 5 p.m.

OWOSSO — After a year on the sidelines for repairs, Pere Marquette 1225 returned to the rails Thursday, Nov. 20, fully coupled and ready to lead the North Pole Express on its annual holiday trips beginning this weekend.

Community members gathered at the Steam Railroading Institute, 405 S. Washington St. in Owosso, for the North Pole Express 2025 kickoff event, where steam clouds drifted overhead and the unmistakable whistle echoing through downtown signaled that the holiday season is about to begin.

Built in 1941, the Berkshire-type steam locomotive is the model for the train in the 2004 animated film “The Polar Express.” It hauls the North Pole Express each holiday season from Owosso to the Gratiot County village of Ashley for its annual Christmas celebration.

The historic train was sidelined last November, just ahead of its sold-out 2024 season, after experiencing a technical issue with its superheaters that required repair. A diesel locomotive was used for the 2024 holiday excursion instead.

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https://www.argus-press.com/news/community/owosso/article_720038e3-8172-5012-935b-a03ad311f70f.html

11/21/2025

CORUNNA — The Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners at its Wednesday, Nov. 19 meeting approved a Brownfield plan for a developer who intends to turn a 25-acre plot of land into an apartment complex called Corunna Flats.

The council’s unanimous approval was the final green light needed for Michigan-based developer Ben Striegle to develop the 607 E. King St. property into 96 apartments. The city of Corunna and Shiawassee County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority had previously approved the Brownfield plan.

The apartments would be both one- and two-bedroom units with one-bedroom apartments in the $1,025 to $1,175 monthly range, states previous Argus-Press reporting. Corunna City Assessor/Planner Merilee Lawson said at an April Corunna City Council meeting the development could bring in as much as $9 million in tax revenue into the city.

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CORUNNA — The Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners at its Wednesday, Nov. 19 meeting approved a Brownfield plan for a developer who intends to turn a 25-acre plot of land