The English Inn

            The English Inn, 677 S. Michigan Road in Eaton Rapids, is a Select Registry distinguished inn of North America, as well as a restaurant, pub, and conference center. One thing the public may not know, however, is that the English Inn is also a hotspot for “hauntings.”

            Construction began on the private residence of Irving Jacob Reuter and his wife, Janet, in 1927. The 10,000 square foot home was built on the 15 acre property and was given the name Medovue. Along with the main house, the property currently has a swimming pool, pond, gazebo, Honeysuckle Cottage, and a banquet facility built in 2002 given the name Medovue Hall after the original name of the property.

Soccer in Eaton Rapids

             The Eaton Rapids Soccer Club is a non-profit organization “dedicated to supporting youth soccer in the Eaton Rapids Community.” It was formed in 1996 and since then has not only hosted soccer tournaments for local children, but also provided scholarships for those who may be unable to pay the fees, continued field maintenance throughout the community and provided uniforms for the players. The club includes boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer teams, American Youth Soccer Organization teams and United States Soccer Federation teams. 

            Soccer is taken very seriously in Eaton Rapids as can be seen from the organization of the club. With nine members on the board and a lengthy set of bylaws, the Eaton Rapids Soccer Club knows its game and cares about the children involved. The club operates all year, with meetings held the second Wednesday each month.

Check out the ERSC!

Coffee with a Cop in Eaton Rapids

On the last Friday of each month, the Eaton Rapids Police Department reaches out to the community through its Coffee with a Cop program.

Starting at 8 a.m., anyone who needs or wants to talk to Police Chief Paul Malewski can go to Evelyn Bay Coffee Company, 203 S. Main St., and have their questions and concerns answered. It is a way for the ERPD to reach out to its community in a non-threatening, informal atmosphere, explained Malewski. If the chief is not available, another police officer will be there to tend to residents’ needs.

            The Coffee with a Cop program is in its third year, and Malewski said it normally deals with quality of life issues like the amount of trash a resident’s neighbor has piling up in their back yard or public safety issues such as protecting against local crime and making sure residents stay safe.

            “If we don’t provide this to the community we are doing them a disservice,” said Malewski, who has worked with the Eaton Rapids Police Department throughout his law enforcement career. After attending Lansing Community College to study criminal justice and graduating from the Wayne County Sheriffs Training Academy in 1981, Malewski was hired just after graduation as a patrolman. The ERPD was established in December 1981 and Malewski was one of the first patrolmen hired.

            Now in its 27^th year, the police department continues to reach out to the community in various ways through programs such as Coffee with a Cop.

Malewski said that it is difficult to estimate turnout of residents for the discussion forum. Since there is no official sign-up for the event, it is hard to determine who has gone specifically to talk with the chief and who jumps in because they think of something to add, but was just there to grab a cup of coffee.

            “We put an advertisement up in our shop,” said Evelyn Bay employee Kirsten Johnson. While she has not worked at Evelyn Bay very long, or during the time slot allotted for Coffee with a Cop, she explained that the coffee shop is a popular place for residents to come. “They come after city council meetings and other meetings,” she said. “Political people come here.” Evelyn Bay is a center where the residents of Eaton Rapids can gather, enjoy a cup of coffee, and make a difference in their community through programs like Coffee with a Cop.

Eaton Rapids discusses City Clerk, snow removal

A crowd of over 75 residents filled a meeting room at Eaton Rapids City Hall Jan. 28, more than double the normal number of participants, to speak and hear comments regarding an issue involving City Clerk Kristy Reinecke, her husband, and unearned vacation days she approved for him, said City Assessor Mike Baker, who has served as city assessor since 1995 and said he rarely misses a city council meeting.