Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I am most effective at my job when acting on your direct input. I encourage you to reach out to me and my staff with any questions, comments or concerns you may have regarding our community or state and with any policy ideas.

Please do not hesitate to reach out by phone at (517) 373-0822 or send an email to [email protected].

Sincerely,

Angela Witwer

State Representative, 76th House District

 

In This Issue:

  • Weekly Wrap-Ups
  • In-District Update
  • General Update
  • Legislative Update

 
A blue and red graphic that reads "Weekly Wrap-Up with Witwer" next to a cartoon coffee cup. Along the bottom, the graphic reads "State Representative Angela Witwer."

 

Weekly Wrap-Up with Witwer:

Please keep an eye out on my Facebook page for Weekly Wrap-ups scheduled in the coming months.

 

In-District Update:

December Teacher of the Month — Cathleen Weaver
Congratulations to our December Teacher of the Month winner, Cathleen Weaver. Cathleen is a 10th grade teacher at Waverly High School.

To quote her nominator, “Ms. Cat deserves to be recognized because she is the kind of teacher who truly listens to her students. She makes every person in her classroom feel heard, valued, and respected. Whether someone is struggling with classwork, dealing with personal challenges, or just needs someone to talk to, she always takes the time to understand what they’re going through. Her ability to connect with students on a real, human level creates a safe environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves.

Beyond her kindness, Ms. Cat works incredibly hard to make sure her students succeed. She puts in extra hours preparing lessons, checking in on students, and finding new ways to help each person learn in the way that works best for them. She doesn’t just teach the material, she makes sure we understand it and feel confident with it. When a student is falling behind, she doesn’t give up on them; she adjusts her approach, offers support, and stays determined until they’re back on track.

Her dedication goes far beyond what is required. Ms. Cat celebrates our achievements, motivates us when we lose focus, and pushes us to reach goals we didn’t think we could reach. She believes in every one of her students, and that belief makes a difference. Because of her patience, her effort, and her genuine care, she has helped so many of us grow—not just as students, but as people. Ms. Cat embodies what it means to be a supportive and hardworking educator, and that’s why she stands out in our school community.”

Congratulations again and thank you for all that you do!

 
A graphic of a road that reads "Road Update."

 

Grant Award Recipient: Eaton County Road Commission for Billwood Highway

The Michigan Department of Transportation recently announced that the Eaton County Road Commission received a Transportation Economic Development Fund Category F grant for the reconstruction of Billwood Highway. This project includes road reconstruction, curb and gutter replacement, shoulder paving and pavement markings. The grant is for actual construction costs up to the approved amount of $375,000. Please see the link below for more information on the project.

Read more here: MDOT announces transportation grants to urban areas in rural counties for road repair.

 
Students at resource booths at Representative Witwer's Education, Trades and Career Fair.

 

Hosted First Education, Trades and Career Fair at the Lansing Mall
I’m grateful to the great team in our District 76 office and to Maggie who helps with our special projects.

We built a great senior fair over the years and I asked them to work with me to build out an Education, Career and Trades Resource Fair for Eaton County high school students to attend. I didn’t want transportation to be a barrier, so we paid for busing and welcomed students from Waverly High School, Eaton Rapids High School, Maple Valley Schools and Grand Ledge High School. The fair featured 50 resource booths for students to learn about the range of postsecondary opportunities available to them, including virtual reality stations on the building trades.

It was our first year at the Lansing Mall, and we will keep building it up for our students.

 
Michigan state Representative Angela Witwer with students next to their robots at the Student Technology Showcase in the Michigan Capitol Building.

 

Attended the Student Technology Showcase at the Michigan State Capitol
I recently spent time at the Student Technology Showcase at the Michigan State Capitol. Eaton County had great representation from Charlotte Public Schools, Waverly High School and Waverly Robotic and Eaton Rapids High School. Our students are great presenters on how digital tools are transforming education and preparing them for their future careers.

 

General Update:

MI Student Aid Virtual Financial Aid Webinar

Students and families interested in learning about financial aid basics are encouraged to register for a virtual presentation provided by the Student Aid and Access outreach team.

Participants will be able to gather information on the following financial aid topics:

  • FAFSA application information
  • Federal financial aid programs
  • State financial aid programs
  • Scholarship searching resources
  • Sessions are free and open to the public. Register for one session only, as space is limited.

MDARD Last Food Mile Grant
The Last Food Mile Grant is a one-time funding opportunity offered by Farm to Family, an innovative program of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) that offers grants, networking opportunities and marketing consultations for farmers, food businesses and others in local food supply chains. The aim of this grant is to help producers deliver locally grown foods to Michigan institutions, markets and consumers by developing transportation and distribution infrastructure across Michigan.

MDARD will accept applications for the Last Food Mile Grant through the MIAgGrants portal until Feb. 6, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET. Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend the following webinar to learn more about the application process:

You can also find more information about this funding opportunity by reviewing the Last Food Mile Grant Guidelines.

Link to more information: MDARD – Last Food Mile Grant

Winter Safety Resources
With the risk of icy roads and extremely low temperatures this winter, the Michigan State Police encourages Michiganders to make a plan for winter weather emergency preparedness. To learn more about how to prepare for winter weather emergencies, check out the MIREADY Winter Weather Preparedness page at michigan.gov/miready.

Other Resources:

 

Legislative Update:

Here are our office’s end of year statistics to wrap up 2025:

 
An infographic from Michigan state Representative Angela Witwer that reads "2025 Year in Review: over 148 bills and resolutions sponsored and cosponsored, over 20 coffee hours, 100 percent legislative voting record, over 95 tributes and certificates for constituents and organizations, over 300 community meetings, over 1500 constituent correspondences, and read to 71 classrooms and 1490 students during March is Reading Month.