JACKSON COUNTY, MI – The old Gilbert’s Steak House building that had been vacant for years is now in the process of being torn down.
Here is that headline and some more you might have missed this week.
Prime rib to wedding receptions: Memories remain as Gilbert’s Steak House comes down
From prime rib to family gatherings: As the former Gilbert’s Steak House falls, readers are sharing their favorite memories and meals from the historic restaurant.
Several readers mentioned the prime rib. People said they miss the clam chowder, filet mignon and sea scallops.
Since Monday, Sept. 15, workers have been demolishing the former Gilbert’s Steak House at 2323 Shirley Drive in Blackman Township. The building has been vacant since 2006.
Jackson’s Hunt Club restaurant rebranded as Sullivan’s under new ownership
Diners at the former Hunt Club in Jackson may have noticed some small differences.
New owners Hunter and Mallory Sullivan, who also own West Texas Barbeque Co., have changed the name and the signs to Sullivan’s. While the name change has been met with mixed reactions from customers, the restaurant was in need of “some fresh air,” Hunter said.
“We felt like it was time to let people know (it’s) a fresh start,” Hunter said.
Landfill expansion in Jackson County to create single 129-foot hill
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy said it needed a letter from the county to verify a landfill expansion met its guidelines.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners voted to sign a letter endorsing a vertical expansion at the Waste Management landfill on McGill Road. EGLE must ensure that the project is consistent with the Jackson County Solid Waste Management Plan, which outlines how local communities plan to manage their waste, Director of Communications Dale George wrote in an email.
See our top photos as Jackson High celebrates homecoming in style
It was Homecoming night at Jackson High School.
The evening kicked off on Friday, Sept. 26 with an alumni basketball game in the school gym. The 1988 boys basketball team, who went to the Class A semifinals, was honored at halftime.
At 6 p.m., the Homecoming parade kicked off and marched down Wildwood Avenue to the school. The parade featured the marching band, floats, homecoming court and lots of elementary school marchers from schools across the district.
Chili cook-off heats up Jackson’s Fall Fest despite 80-degree weather
Fall festivities are in full swing in Jackson, and despite the weather being 80 degrees, people showed up and showed out for the fifth annual Fall Fest & Chili Classic.
Many tents lined up across Michigan Avenue on Saturday, Sep. 27, for the chili cook off, where about 30 businesses created their own unique versions of the classic fall dish.
One team of chili cooks was not a business, just a team of girls who love chili. Lori Suomala started entering contests years ago, and is excited to return to this event.
Jackson bank robbery suspect gets time served, must pay $6,590 restitution
A man accused of robbing a Jackson bank and then pleaded no contest to a lesser felony charge is a free man.
Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain sentenced Jermaine Jones on Sept. 17 to 708 days, almost two years, in jail with time served, court records show.
Though his jail sentence is complete, he must pay $6,590 in restitution or face additional penalties, including prison time. A hearing has been scheduled for March 17 to assess the progress of his restitution payments, court records show.
Dettman Road closing for paving in Jackson County
The Jackson County Department of Transportation will close Dettman Road for paving.
The road will be closed between Blake Road and Michigan Avenue from Monday, Sept. 29 through Thursday, Oct. 2, weather permitting. During this time, Dettman Road will be fully closed to through traffic.
Woman who advertised animal rescue on Facebook pleads guilty to animal abuse
The criminal case against a self-proclaimed animal rescuer in Jackson accused of abandoning animals has ended in a guilty plea.
Makayla Mylin Stefaniuk pleaded guilty as charged on Sept. 23 to multiple animal cruelty charges, court records show.
Stefaniuk, 21, was charged with one felony count of animal abuse for abandoning 10 or more animals and six misdemeanor counts of improper burial of an animal, court records show.
Man sentenced to prison for soliciting underage girls in 2 southern Michigan counties
A Coldwater man, arrested for soliciting underage girls for sex, has been sent to prison.
Two judges in adjacent counties sentenced Walter Rodger Ward Jr. in early September to two to seven years in prison on identical charges, court records show.
Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain sentenced Ward on Sept. 3 to serve two to four years in prison for accosting a child for immoral purposes and one to seven years for using a computer to commit a crime.
Five days later, on Sept. 8, Calhoun County Circuit Judge John Hallacy sentenced Ward to one to four years in prison for accosting a child for immoral purposes and two to seven years for using a computer to commit a crime.
3-day active shooter training exercise happening at Jackson College this week
Students and passersby at Jackson College should expect to see numerous emergency vehicles on campus this week for a large-scale training exercise.
First responders from throughout Jackson County will gather at the Jackson College Central Campus for three days, from Oct. 1-3, as part of an active shooter training exercise.
The exercise, which was announced Sept. 25, is part of ongoing efforts to enhance emergency response readiness and coordination among first responders in the event of an active shooter incident.
Man pleads no contest to driving recklessly in 2022 crash that killed elderly couple
A man accused of driving recklessly and crashing head-on into another car, killing a married couple, has taken a plea.
Darian Ladell-Graham Ali pleaded no contest Monday, Sept. 29 to two felony counts of reckless driving causing death, court records show.
Ali, 27, was charged in August 2022 with causing the deaths of Glenda Maynard, 81, and her husband William Maynard, 84, who were critically injured in a head-on crash three months prior; they later died of their injuries.
Two new apartment buildings in downtown Jackson open for leasing
Two new apartment buildings are nearing completion in Jackson and now leasing.
Ohio-based company Pivotal began construction on The Blackstone, 209 N. Blackstone St., and The Greenwood, 702 Greenwood Ave., in January 2024.
Construction should complete within the next month, City Grant Administrator Cory Mays said Sept. 11. They are spacious units with open-concept kitchens and natural lighting, he said.
Two men killed in fiery head-on crash on U.S. 127 in Jackson County
Two men were killed in a fiery crash on U.S. 127 in Liberty Township Wednesday morning.
Rescue crews were called at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, to southbound U.S. 127 between Loomis and Reed Roads near the Liberty Landfill for a report of a three-vehicle crash, according to the Michigan State Police.
Crews arrived to find two pickups engulfed in flames. Their drivers, a 46-year-old Grass Lake man and 59-year-old Cement City man, were pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
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