The Argus-Press

06/23/2026

A resident was arrested Monday morning as firefighters fought a blaze at an Owosso home.

First responders were called to the one-story house at 1300 N. Huntington Drive shortly after 10 a.m. They arrived to find heavy smoke permeating from the dwelling and flames coming from a bedroom at the northeast corner of the home.

No injuries were reported.

Police on scene confirmed that a woman was taken into custody shortly after the fire began. A neighbor said the resident of the house, a woman in her 70s, was not home when the fire started and that her granddaughter — the woman taken into custody — was staying at the home.

DETAILS: https://www.argus-press.com/news/community/owosso/article_15584d57-ffaa-4bdb-b375-2c21c61c2399.html

06/20/2026

Ever wonder why there are so many plea deals? Editor John Schneider spoke with Shiawassee County Prosecutor Scott Koerner and breaks it down ⤵️

Like clockwork, whenever we post a crime story on our page about a suspect agreeing to a plea deal, it is met with negative comments from readers who just don’t understand why they happen.

Looking at an Argus-Press Facebook post earlier this month — about a local mom who sent n**e images of her young child to a prospective lover and accepted a plea deal — there are several comments from readers angry that a defendant is not going face a jury.

“Why are we making plea deals for predators,” reads one comment.

“They dropped 3 of the 6 aggravated felony child molestation charges in a plea bargain. Absolutely no plea bargaining for child molesters,” states another.

“This is just sickening. There should not have been any plea deals. Just lock them up and throw away the key,” another commenter posted.

The overwhelming majority of all felony cases in the United States end in a defendant accepting a plea offer — not just in Shiawassee County.

Let me attempt to explain why.

READ MORE:

Like clockwork, whenever we post a crime story on our page about a suspect agreeing to a plea deal, it is met with negative comments from readers who just

06/18/2026

Residents no longer have to be buzzed through the school office to visit the library.

The Byron branch of the Community District Library opened its new building Monday, June 15, ending years of sharing space inside Byron High School and giving the community a dedicated library with expanded amenities and room to grow.

The 1,400-square-foot library, located at 124 Lehring Road in Burns Township, cost about $610,000 to build. Most of the project was funded through a $500,000 Community Center Grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity in February 2024. The remainder was covered by Burns Township's general fund, according to Township Clerk Shirley Riley.

The library is connected to the new $1.2 million Burns Township Hall, which opened in December as the first phase of the project, but maintains its own entrance and dedicated space.

DETAILS: https://www.argus-press.com/news/article_f53cc86d-d342-4c2c-8ec8-93707d33c397.html

06/17/2026

An Owosso man was sentenced Wednesday to 5 years, 10 months to 20 years in prison for his role in an elaborate fraud scheme that targeted residents and businesses across Shiawassee County.

Kody C. Kern, 33, pleaded guilty May 7 to conducting a criminal enterprise stemming from a scheme in which he used another man's identity to open bank accounts and credit cards and deposited altered checks stolen from mailboxes around the county.

Kern returned to Shiawassee County Circuit Court on Wednesday, June 17 where he was sentenced by Judge Matthew J. Stewart.

DETAILS: https://www.argus-press.com/news/article_eeb750a3-7a7f-45a5-95f4-80192acf46fb.html

06/17/2026

Ground in Perry Township was broken by 15 shovels Monday, June 15 to welcome Centennial Woodworking, LLC to Shiawassee County.

DETAILS: https://www.argus-press.com/business/article_0e0fc8ca-bd27-4324-ab5b-442fc0178b47.html

06/15/2026

Best of the Best publication moved to July 18

The winners of The Argus-Press’ annual Best of the Best contest will be revealed in a special section within the Saturday, July 18 edition of the newspaper.

The publication date has been moved back from June 27 to allow for more time to tally votes.

Voting has closed for the 2026 version of the contest. The winners of the dozens of categories will be listed in the special section.

The Argus received more than 110,000 votes during this year’s contest.

The contest switched this year from paper ballots to an online-voting format.

06/13/2026

A lawsuit, filed May 21 in Shiawassee County Circuit Court, alleges the city of Durand is violating its lease agreement with Durand Union Station Inc. (DUSI), the nonprofit that operates the Michigan Railroad History Museum on the first floor of Durand Union Station, 200 S. Railroad St.

The city, which serves as the landlord, is seeking to reassign a portion of DUSI’s space to another nonprofit, Durand Union Station Model Railroad Engineers Inc. (DUSMRE).

Durand City Manager Cameron Horvath told The Argus-Press that DUSMRE, which already occupies space in the depot, approached the city in January with an opportunity to expand.

He said the city is acting within its right according to the lease agreement.

DETAILS: https://www.argus-press.com/news/article_16fa8bfb-3310-4240-a837-017332d35ae0.html

06/13/2026

New Lothrop's fairytale season came to end yesterday in the D-3 semis

EAST LANSING — New Lothrop’s historic softball season ended Friday on the biggest stage.

The Hornets (33-11) saw the clock strike midnight on its Cinderella season in a 7-0 Division 3 state semifinal loss to No. 3 Ravenna at Michigan State University’s Secchia Stadium.

It was New Lothrop’s first appearance in the state semifinals since 1982, when the Hornets won the Class C state championship. The Bulldogs advanced to today’s 3 p.m. state final against defending Division 3 state champion Grass Lake.

EAST LANSING — New Lothrop’s historic softball season ended Friday on the biggest stage.

06/12/2026

The Morrice Senior Center is poised to change ownership later this month.

Village of Morrice Council President Todd Scott told the council at its Tuesday, June 9 meeting that a transfer of ownership of the center — 101 W. Mason St. in Morrice — will be discussed at the council’s next meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. June 23 at the village hall.

Scott said he expects the center to be sold from Shiawassee Council on Aging (SCOA) to the village, which will subsequently sell it to Morrice Area Schools — with each transaction for $1. SCOA Executive Director Cynthia Mayhew and Morrice Superintendent Daniel Nolen each told The Argus-Press that while not finalized, they expect the sales to proceed.

DETAILS: https://www.argus-press.com/news/community/morrice/article_4f20d8e6-6e5b-497b-844b-bf55aaf8388a.html

06/12/2026

Tom Cook, executive director of the Cook Family Foundation, writes a weekly nature column for The Argus-Press. Here is his latest

It’s summer, and time to head up north and enjoy what nature has to offer in our state which is, as a bumper sticker says, preferred by four out of five Great Lakes. Which is your favorite Great Lake? What is your favorite place on their waters to visit? What is your fondest Great Lake memory?

Point Betsie at sunset is one of my special places. As a kid, my family would go to Crystal Lake, which the thread of the Ann Arbor Railroad ties to Owosso. While most of our days were spent swimming in the shallow waters or sailing a Sunfish on Crystal, I always looked forward to a trip to the "Big Lake," it being Lake Michigan. I remember sleeping out on the beach there as a young teen.

It’s summer, and time to head up north and enjoy what nature has to offer in our state which is, as a bumper sticker says, preferred by four out of