Michigan

Jill Schult

ALBERT TWP. -- ORV usage on Lewiston’s paved roads continues to be a hot topic. Just ask Larry and Lynn Marson of Lewiston who attended the Jan. 20 Albert Township board meeting to express concerns of ORV use.

“ORVs were never designed for high speeds on paved roads,” stated Larry Marson, counting costs for extra police, courts, road damage, signage, education and more, among the detriments.

B.J. Hetler

CHARLEVOIX - Off-road vehicles are a hot topic in the northern part of the state as counties and municipalities attempt to find a balance between recreation and regulation.

The ORVs are built to traverse both countryside and roads used by everyday traffic. Public Act 240, which became state law last summer, allows local governments to enact an ordinance that permits ORV travel on the far right of county roads and streets at speeds not to exceed 25 mph. The law also provides for counties, townships and other municipalities to close any roads and streets to ORVs.

Dionna Harris

RAPID RIVER - Thinning of a stand of red pine planted in the 1930s, along with repairing damage caused by illegal off-road vehicles is planned for the Dutch Mill area of the Hiawatha National Forest.

Dutch Mill, located just north of Rapid River, is home to Rapid River Falls Park and the Rapid River Cross County Ski Trail. It is along a section of the ski trail where a red pine stand, planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the 1930s is expected to be thinned.

Hadley Robinson

BELLAIRE - Antrim residents continue to weigh in on a state law the county could adopt to allow off road vehicles to travel along the right side of county roads.

Though commissioners have discussed this at their last two monthly meetings, they have not acted yet and are not required to. If they do not make a decision, the townships will individually have an opportunity to opt in or out next July, one year after it was signed into law by Governor Jennifer Granholm.

BLOOMINGDALE, Mich (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A suspected drunk ATV driver is listed in critical condition after he hit a mailbox.

The Van Buren County Sheriff's Department says it happened around 1:30 a.m. Sunday on the 47000 block of 8th Avenue.

PAW PAW, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Police chased down a suspected drunk ATV driver Saturday.

The Van Buren County Sheriff's Department says they attempted to stop an all terrain vehicle driving on the 39000 block of Paw Paw Road around 11:50 Saturday. The ATV driver sped up and tried to lose the cops when they say them.