This time, Inside Calhoun County visits with David Makled, who oversees the Calhoun County Public Defender's Office.

Created in 2019, the office was created after a state commission charged with studying the state of public defense called for reforms.

Click to listen to how that affected those in need of legal representation in Calhoun County - which, as you'll hear, is significant.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Public Defender's Office website

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

This time on Inside Calhoun County, we hear from Krista Trout-Edwards. executive director of the Calhoun County Land Bank Authority.

The CCLBA is working from many angles to keep neighborhoods stable, particularly when properties become foreclosed. Trout-Edwards discusses how properties become foreclosed upon, efforts to mitigate such situations, as well as how the Authority takes ownership of such properties and put them back on the tax rolls.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Land Bank website
Calhoun County Treasurer's Office Property Tax Assistance website

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Once known as the "juvenile home", the Calhoun County Youth Center has adopted an outlook more befitting of its mission: To bring a positive difference in the lives of young people who visit.

In this episode of Inside Calhoun County, Youth Center Director Tori Benden talks about how the team works to help young people make a course correction and become successful and law-abiding citizens.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Youth Center website

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Calhoun County's Community Development department is the focus of this episode of Inside Calhoun County.

Community Development Director Jen Bomba discusses the multiple areas that encompass community development - and how staffers often become the "thinktank" for new ideas.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Community Development website 

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Calhoun County Administrator/Controller Kelli Scott and Amy Dolinky with the Michigan Association of Counties join host Richard Piet to discuss the Calhoun County Opioid Settlement Steering Committee and its focus.

Calhoun County is slated to receive approximately $11 million in opioid settlement funds over the next two decades. Scott and Dolinky co-chair the committee, with Dolinky's role as a technical advisor integral to the process.

The pair discuss the goal of the committee, where the money came from, how it could potentially be used, as well as the process to use the funds to fight opioid overdoses in Calhoun County.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Opioid Settlement Funds website
Calhoun County Opioid website
Michigan Association of Counties Opioid Settlement Resource Center

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Inside Calhoun County visits with Kristine Parsons, interim executive director of the Calhoun County Road Department. She shares pertinent information related to road work in 2024, including:

• How the warm winter has affected planned road work in 2024.
• The many considerations involved during the planning process for road projects.
• Some of the road projects which will be undertaken in 2024.
• How to track current and future road projects on the Calhoun County website.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Road Department website
Calhoun County Government website

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Calhoun County residents - just like anywhere else - must feel assured their emergency response operations are in good working order. An integral component is emergency dispatch, where 9-1-1 calls are routed.

Michael Armitage, director of the Calhoun County Consolidated Dispatch Authority joins Inside Calhoun County to talk about how his team has kept up with technology, the benefits of consolidation, and what to do if you dial 9-1-1 accidentally (the answer may not be what you think!).

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Consolidated Dispatch Authority website
Calhoun County Government website

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Registered Michigan voters have the first chance ever to cast ballots before the state primary election with the implementation of early voting. Voters passed a ballot proposal in 2022 adding 9 days of early voting ahead of many Election Days.

In this episode, Calhoun County Clerk and Register of Deeds Kimberly Hinkley discusses the process her office has undertaken to prepare. As well, she discusses what voters should know before coming to the polling place for early voting.

Episode Resources
Early Voting: February 17 - 25, 2024
Michigan Presidential Primary Election: February 27, 2024

Calhoun County voting information
Michigan Voter Information Center
Michigan Secretary of State Early Voting Information Site
More Inside Calhoun County episodes

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

In her inaugural visit with Inside Calhoun County, Administrator/Controller Kelli Scott helps listeners understand her role, as well as how it relates to other management roles in Calhoun County.

As well, Kelli looks back at 2023 and the County's emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic and the priorities in 2024. Among them, transportation and access to broadband internet.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Administration website
Calhoun County Transit Authority website
Calhoun County Broadband Task Force website
Calhoun County Overview website
More Inside Calhoun County episodes

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Calhoun County Treasurer Brian Wensauer joins Inside Calhoun County to talk about some accomplishments he is particularly proud of during his tenure. Not the least of which is the Primary Residential Exemption Tax Repayment Program.

Imagine: COVID caused an interruption or reduction in your personal income. But, property tax bills continue to arrive. Other priorities - like food, medicine and others - take priority. Now you may face the threat of losing your home due to unpaid taxes.

Treasurer Wensauer and Deputy Treasurer Melinda Weaver talk about this particular program which helps keep people in their homes - and reduces the burden of foreclosed homes on the county.

Click to hear more about it - as well as some additional programs and current events the Treasurer's Office is watching.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Treasurer's Office website
More episodes of Inside Calhoun County

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

First elected by Calhoun County voters in 2012, David Gilbert began leading the office of the prosecuting attorney in early 2013. That length of service, along with prior service as an assistant prosecutor and a defense attorney, has afforded Prosecutor Gilbert some perspective on a number of legal issues.

In this episode, Prosecutor Gilbert will discuss a number of those perspectives, including law enforcement from the Calhoun County view, how TV crime dramas affect our perception of court cases, and his staunch support of local law enforcement officers.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Prosecuting Attorney website
Calhoun County website
All Inside Calhoun County episodes

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Calhoun County Chief Judge Michael Jaconette is joined by court administrators Kate Ambrose and Kris Getting in this update from the Calhoun County courts.

The trio discusses how the courts have adapted since COVID, along with other operational changes including technological updates. Also discussed: Chief judge appointments and what you should know about jury duty.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Courts website

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Making sure Calhoun County residents are protected against flooding and other drainage and water-related concerns is the job of the Water Resources Department.

In this episode of Inside Calhoun County, Water Resources Commissioner Ron Smith talks about how they go about accomplishing that job, as well as how residents can get involved.

Episode Resources
Water Resources Department website
Phone the Water Resources Department at 269-781-0790

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Supporting Calhoun County veterans and their families is the goal of the Veterans Affairs office.

In this episode of Inside Calhoun County, we learn from VA office Director Aaron Edlefson about the resources available for vets. He also focuses on some of the myths that may be keeping veterans from accessing them.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Veterans Affairs website
Calhoun County Veterans Affairs Office Phone: 269.969.6735

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Calhoun County Sheriff's Deputies deal with significant challenges at the Calhoun County Jail. That is just the nature of the job. However, in this episode of Inside Calhoun County, we learn about a modern challenges being fought using modern technology.

Also, Sheriff Steve Hinkley discusses the role of school resource officers and the impact they have on students in Calhoun County.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Sheriff's Department website

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.

Welcome to the official podcast of Calhoun County, Michigan government: Inside Calhoun County.

In the inaugural episode, Calhoun County Health Officer Eric Pessell discusses health clinic locations, available flu and COVID vaccines, and a special honor bestowed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Episode Resources
Calhoun County Government website
Calhoun County Public Health Department website

Inside Calhoun County Podcast is produced by Livemic Communications.