Independent Editor,
Shiawassee County: A Gem with Twin Cities
Things we can all be thankful for every Thanksgiving Day. We are blessed to live in the heart of Michigan, less than three hours from the entire state of Michigan. We are blessed with the beautiful Shiawassee River, winding through the area including the James Miner Walkway.
I refer to Owosso and Corunna as the Twin Cities as we are connected within three miles by Caledonia Township. We can be thankful for those city managers – Nathan Henne and Joe Sawyer – and the staffs they have in place to take care of our day-to-day needs. We are blessed with a low crime rate and economic cost of living well below the state and national averages. I was born and raised in Owosso, my home for 70 years and now live in Riverwalk Apartments.
The city of Corunna is always a place to travel during the holidays to see their beautiful lights down Shiawassee Street and Corunna Avenue, leading to McCurdy Park and the Historical Village. Corunna, also the county seat, has one of the most unique and beautiful courthouses in Michigan. McCurdy Park has it all from the toboggan hill to the playscape, horseshoe pits, bandstand and pavilions. The little park on the river where the Corunna Dam used to be is a delightful spot to stop, have lunch and just admire the winding river. The newest addition is the fishing/viewing dock built this year just north of the former dam site. Corunna also has the Mitchell ball field and a beautiful National Guard Armory.
Corunna and Owosso also have many beautiful older churches for worship. Note the fantastic architectural designs. There are so many other things to be thankful for in the city of Corunna.
Owosso is also a city of gem’s including the restored National Guard Armory, Curwood Castle, The Mitchell Amphitheater, the Lebowsky Theater (now owned by the Owosso Community Players) who put on very professional shows (you would pay $50 to $60 a seat for in other cities like Lansing, Flint, Saginaw and Detroit). Memorial Healthcare ranks in the TOP 10 of all hospitals in Michigan with the cancer center, the dialysis center and soon to be opening in 2022, the new neurology building.
The twin cities are also very blessed to have some major employers such as Covenant Eyes and Crest Marine, which are creating many jobs for people in our area. There are also many other locally owned businesses responsible for the stability of the Owosso/Corunna area. The Shiawassee Regional Area Chamber of Commerce and the Shiawassee Economic Development staff (with Justin Horvath the leader) has filled some of our empty buildings, assisted local businesses in expansions and brought new businesses to this community.
Both Owosso and Corunna have wonderful educational buildings and systems to educate our children and grandchildren. Thanks to the efforts of Superintendents Dr. Andrea Tuttle and John Fattal, our school systems rank in the top percent of all schools in the nation.
Congratulations to YOU in our communities that financially and in other ways support both of these school systems. Congratulations to Owosso Schools for the completion of joining the Owosso Middle school and the Owosso High School into one campus.
I am also thankful for other surrounding communities including New Lothrop, Durand, Morrice, Perry, Ovid and Laingsburg, all having great schools and many great things in each of these communities to be thankful for. So please, take a few minutes and reflect on the issues I mention and be thankful you live in a wonderful place. Enjoy this holiday season and praises to God for the birth of his son, Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Don Horton,
Proud to live in Shiawassee County