A 40-year old Mecosta County man faces up to two years in prison after he plead guilty to illegal marijuana delivery charges. Chad Lyle Wellman of Stanwood plead guilty in Mecosta County Circuit Court to delivery of medical marijuana to a person who is not a patient. The felony charge carries a two-year sentence. Wellman is scheduled to be sentenced January 7th. Image by (Salvatore Vuono)

A Stanwood Couple was arraigned Thursday in Mecosta County District Court on charges connected to storage unit thefts around Mecosta County. 20-year old Johnathen Anderson and 18-year old Samantha White were charged with four counts of breaking and entering a building with intent to commit larceny and one count of receiving or concealing stolen property valued between $1,000 and $20,000. The two are also being held on separate charges of retail fraud investigated by the Michigan State Police.

A Stanwood man is dead after he was thrown from his motorcycle during an accident over the weekend in Mecosta County. Sheriff Deputies say the accident happened Saturday on 30th Avenue near 22 Mile Road in Barryton. They say the victim, 48 year old Michael Lynn Harvell of Stanwood, and a companion, were riding separate motorcycles northbound on 30th avenue when they were unable to avoid a vehicle that was turning left from the northbound lane.

The Morley-Stanwood Community Schools Board of Education had to make some tough decisions in regards to its budget. The district having to make more than a million dollars in budget cuts decided to close Stanwood Elementary. The move is expected to save the district $170,0000. Officials say Kindergarten through sixth grade students will be housed in the current middle school building and seventh through 12th graders will be housed in the high school building. In related news, the board also accepted the retirement of nine teachers as well as laid off four parapro's.

Attention bikers, runners and walkers, a portion of the Fredrick Meijer White Pine Trail in Mecosta County was re-opened Wednesday after being closed for a month due to a culvert washout. The Michigan Department Of Natural Resources and Environment says the portion of trail was 1 mile in length beginning just south of Stanwood at 180th Avenue, and continuing south to Polk Road.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials say because recent heavy rains, a small section of the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park was closed Tuesday in Mecosta County due to a culvert washout. The affected section of trail is approximately 1 mile in length beginning just south of Stanwood at 180th Avenue, and continuing south to Polk Road. The trail is posted as closed at both road crossings. The DNR is working to expedite the repairs to have the section of trail reopened as soon as possible.

There was at least one alcohol related accident in Mecosta County over the New Years Holiday. Sheriffs Deputies say a 34-year old Stanwood man lost control of his car on 90th Avenue, south of Buchanan Road in Stanwood hitting a tree knocking him unconscious early morning on New Years day. The driver and his 29-year-old male passenger, from Remus, were transported to Kelsey Hospital in Lakeview for non-life threatening injuries. Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the accident.

A Stanwood man who in May, robbed the Chemical Bank in Stanwood will spend at least 9 years in jail. 39-year old Daniel Joseph Harris was sentenced to a minimum of nine years in prison with a maximum of 20 years, a sentence that was requested by the Mecosta County Prosecutor’s Office. In a plea agreement with the Prosecutor, a second charge of armed robbery and a charge of assault with intent to rob were dismissed.

A business group in hopes of establishing a gentleman’s club at the former Ruddy Dux Food and Spirits building in Stanwood will have to wait a little bit longer to do so. The Mecosta Township Planning Commission issued a moratorium on the review of a special land use permit Gentleman 131 Inc. applied for meaning, the commission will wait another six months to review all submitted information before making a decision. The business group hopes to create 30 to 40 jobs in the area.