The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 47, April 19, 2024

AREA ROBOTICS TEAMS WRAP UP 2024 SEASON

By Sharon Hallack

The

Hart, Hesperia and Walkerville Robotics teams recently completed their 2024 season. Each team participated in the same three events held across West Michigan.

“Our team, (Team MOTOR - MOre Than Our Robot) ended up doing well this year in our two competitions. We were in the middle of the pack, but our young team learned a lot. We were also surprised to find ourselves competing with two Rookie teams from Oceana County - the Walkerville Wildcats Team and Hesperia Robo PanthersTeam,” Hart Team MOTOR Coach/Mentor Matt Werner said.

“We (Walkerville) learned a lot this first season and are looking forward to competing again next year. The school plans to add a Robotics class next year that will focus on the engineering and design process, as well as coding. We are also planning to start a middle school team and are excited to mentor them,” Walkerville Wildcats Coach/ Mentor Susan Schwarz said.

The Robo Panthers, became a team last fall and were led this season by mentors Dan Postema, Mike Gerard and Tim Fraley. “Our rookie team had almost zero experience with anything robotic. At a kickoff event for beginning teams in December we learned the basics about materials, tools, and some robotics programs/applications. After hearing what the 2024 “challenge” was and picking up our kit, we spent the next three months building, programming, testing and improving our robot. At the Muskegon Competition, we finished 30th of 40 teams and received a “rookie inspiration” award. At the Kentwood Competition, we finished 26th out of 39 teams,” Postema said.

According to Werner, both the Muskegon and Kentwood competitions included 40 different teams from across West Michigan. In the first round, teams were randomly selected to determine alliances. Each team was then required to complete two tasks in

12 different team matches. Depending on how each team completed those two tasks, they were awarded ranking points. Each team had the potential to earn up to 48 points.

Werner further explained, “In the second round, the top eight teams were allowed to select two teams from the overall 40 teams to join them in an alliance, allowing twenty-four teams to advance into a double-elimination bracket. Winners of each match go into the upper bracket; losers go in the lower bracket. Teams who lose two matches are eliminated completely from the competition. Hart was selected as an alliance team however they did not win either of the two matches they competed in. As first year rookie teams, both Hesperia and Walkerville were awarded 10 extra points to add to their ranking points. At the end of the competition, out of 622 teams across the State of Michigan, Walkerville placed 398, Hart placed

338 (with no rookie bonus points) and Hesperia placed 325. This year was Hart’s 8th year competing as a team.”

Werner was also excited to share that going into next year, area teams will have access to their very own practice “field” in the Big Rapids area. Brian Dotson, MiSTEM Region 9 Director secured a grant earlier this year to purchase and set up a practice field for teams in Region 9. Practice “fields” are specially-equipped spaces with similar types of flooring, side walls and obstacles teams find at competitions, allowing them to more accurately determine how their robot will operate and react to each challenge. “This will provide a great opportunity for teams to practice before getting to competition,” Werner said.

“The Robo Panthers are proud of our accomplishments this year. Despite taking a jump into something completely different and new, our team was able to overcome many challenges and make it to both of the regional competitions,” said Postema. “Our team is being noticed at school and in Hesperia as well as surrounding areas. This is a great program to have at our school. The skills that the kids and mentors are gaining from building a robot are skills that can turn into jobs and growth for our communities.”

“It feels like Robotics is taking a step forward here in Oceana County. The MSU Research Station (on Oceana Drive) will be supporting more agricultural robotics work this summer. We (Hart) hope to take part in those activities. Robotic Agriculture is just getting started, and students participating in FIRST Robotics will be well positioned to help keep Oceana County growers apace with these advancements,” Werner concluded.

Hesperia breaks ground for new park pavillion

By Scott Kroepel The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

The Hesperia Beautification Committee, part of the Hesperia Area Chamber of Commerce, partnered with the Village of Hesperia and others to break ground for a new pavilion at Vida Weaver Park on Monday, April 15.

The pavilion is planned to include space for local families, visitors, school groups and a range of other activities to help drive economic activity to the downtown area, with the backdrop of the White River only steps away.

Mike Seng Enterprises is the contractor for the project and is planning to have the pavilion completed by late summer of this year.

The project is estimated to cost $140,000. To date, this endeavor is being funded by grants and pledges from: the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in partnership with The Right Place, Oceana County via funds from the American Rescue Plan, the Village of Hesperia via funds from the American Rescue Plan, the Oceana Foundation, and other private businesses and donors that the village and chamber intend to recognize at the dedication.

“We are so excited for the addition of the Vida Weaver Pavilion! Not only does this project further develop one of Hesperia’s parks, but showcases the value of collaboration in a rural community,” Senior Economic Development Director at The Right Place Julie Burrell said. “As a Hesperia native, this project is even more impactful to me! Vida Weaver has seemed like the forgotten park with nearly no investment in the past few decades, although it boasts the most beautiful setting on the White River. I am so proud to have been a part of this project, working alongside the Village of Hesperia and Hesperia Beautification, truly enhancing an amazing place in our community.”

Hart’s Robotics team (above, top) consists of, left to right, Gaige Gallop, Brandon Moul, Austin Hosking, JJ Bizon, Abigail Studer, Nicolas Ramirez, Matt Werner, Peter Tuinstra, Avery Guikiema, Deegan Symons, Clayton Riley and Owen Vander Vlucht (Ali Fleming, Aiden Henry and Owen Eisenlohr are not pictured.) Hesperia’s Robo Panthers (above, bottom) is made up of, left to right, Brandon Zavala, Eli Larkey, Zack Temple, Aiden Maxwell-Brant, Madison Berry, Mike Gerard and Dan Postema. • Contributed photo

Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Eileen Homan of Hesperia Beautification, above, Vicki Burrell, of Hesperia Village and Hesperia Village President Mike Farber, help to break ground on the new pavillion, below, that will be constructed at Vida Weaver Park in Hesperia. • Scott Kroepel/Echo

2023 Impact Report

A Message from our Chair

In 2023 the committee went from 5 members to 7. The OCDVA updated our mission statement, core values, and bi-laws. As well as rebranding the OCDVA online with an updated webpage and logo. All of this was done internally by committee members or volunteers with no tax dollars being expended for these improvements. 2023 was truly a build year for the committee.

A year of putting Community First

In 2023, The VSO and Administrative Assistant to the VSO participated in over two dozen community outreach events including The Oceana County Fair where committee members as well as our AVSO and VSO manned a booth for the entire four days. Other events with high visibility include, Apple BBQ Festival, a live TV interview with “Good Day Northern Michigan”, National Recognition from The Veterans of Foreign Wars Magazine, and as a regular guest speaker at area Legions and VFWs across the county.

Earth Day celebration this Saturday in Shelby

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Greenwave Initiative of Oceana County presents its 3rd annual “Honoring Our Earth”  Celebration, Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Shelby Middle School, located at 525 N. State St. in Shelby.

The entire community is invited to enjoy a day of fun and free activities and lots of “planet-friendly” information!

“More than 50 years ago, rumblings of a planet in distress began to make their way around the world.

Oceana County Book Walk tomorrow will honor local librarian’s legacy

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

After enjoying the 3rd annual Earth Day celebration event at Shelby Middle School, be sure to stop in downtown Shelby for the Oceana County Book Walk this Saturday, April 20 between 1-3 p.m. The event will kick off with a “Little Library” dedication in memory of Shelby High School graduate and local librarian Emily Eitnear, who shared her love of reading with so many children in the Shelby area. All families are invited and encouraged to join sponsoring organizations West Shore ESD Great Start Collaborative, Great Start Family Coalition and Read Early, Read Often for this family-friendly event, which will begin at the Pocket Park between Images and Fresh Point Nutrition. Following the dedication, families are invited to take a half-mile walk on the Rail Trail, which will include several interactive literacy activities and free books! Refreshments will be provided by the Shelby Chamber of Commerce. Free books will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, please visit each sponsoring organization at facebook.com/GreatStartMLO; facebook.com/groups/mlogspc; parentcoalitionmlo@wsesd.org; and www.shelbycommerce.com.

Citizens and scientists alike called for an annual event to draw attention to the wonders and challenges facing planet Earth, and the first Earth Day was born,” Anne Pawli, one of the event coordinators, said.

“This year’s focus is Planet vs. Plastic and will feature numerous booths and demonstrations on a variety of topics, including Microplastics: Why Are They Everywhere?, Fast Fashion: Dressing for a Healthy Planet, Hosting Butterflies: The Milkweed Challenge, Recycling: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly, Zebra Mussels: Aquatic Invasives, Eating for a Healthy Planet, Birds of Oceana County, Shelby Middle School: A MI Green School, and the Stony Creek Restoration Project and more,” Pawli said.

Each booth will highlight protecting the earth’s natural resources and offer many fun children’s Earth Day-themed activities and crafts. Adults will have the opportunity to test drive a hybrid or electric car or attend more in-depth presentations in the media center throughout the day.

Coffee will be served by Dark Water, food will be available from The Artisan Taproom of New Era and music will be provided by Canopy Space and Bill Koster.

All activities are free, although donations are happily accepted to offset building rental expenses. For more information, contact greenwaveoceana@ gmail.com.

Two local fire departments join forces to receive grant from Oceana Community Foundation to purchase interactive fire prevention attraction

The Grant Township Fire Department, along with the Shelby-Benona Fire Department, is pleased to announce it has received a $5,000 grant from the Oceana Community Foundation. These funds, awarded from the Oceana Youth Fund and the Gail Paulus Family Fund at the community foundation, will support the growth and education of fire safety and prevention in each department’s coverage area, the greater Oceana County area and beyond.

The funds will be used for the purchase and maintenance of an inflatable interactive activity house, utilized for fire prevention and fire safety education. The Oceana Community Foundation awards grants through a competitive application and review process twice a year. Information on these grant rounds and how to apply can be found at https://oceanafoundation.org/grants/applying-for-a-grant/

The Grant Township and Shelby-Benona Fire Departments are dedicated not only to the safe response and recovery of fire and medical incidents but also to the mitigation and preparedness for said incidents before they occur. Covering a large portion of the southwestern portion of Oceana

County, it is our mission to provide the most accurate, efficient and safe care for all before, during and after incidents.

The Oceana Community Foundation envisions an Oceana where everyone has access to resources to thrive. It receives and manages contributions from people and organizations and has provided nearly $8 million in grants and scholarships back to the community since 1989. More information can be obtained by calling Tammy Carey at 231869-3377, logging onto www.oceanafoundation. org, or following the Facebook page.

in the Colfax Twp, Elbridge Twp, Leavitt Twp or the Village of Walkerville area, please call Chief Al Purdy at 231-854-1525 or Rescue Captain Stephanie Van Sickle at 231-750-3477. We send for training.

114 Dryden St. in Hart, Mich. 49420 (231) 873-2600

oceanahistory.org

Native Americans in Oceana

By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

In last week’s article, we discussed some of the earliest known explorations of Oceana County, but that is technically a half-truth. What we actually discussed was the earliest known European exploration of Oceana. This area was known to another group of people for much, much longer. And those people were, of course, the Native Americans. Join me today as we look into the history of Native Americans in Oceana County.

The arrival of Native Americans in North America is a hotly debated subject even today. What we do know is that the first Native Americans migrated from Siberia. What we don’t know is exactly when or how. There was a very large window of time during which much of Canada and the northern portion of the United States was covered in a glacier. This is called the last glacial maximum. However, the timing for this event is not entirely clear. Some people put the window from 27,500 years ago to 19,000 years ago. Some say 31,000 years to 16,000 years. At some point, too, there was something called the Bering Land Bridge. This was a strip of land connecting Alaska to Siberia that existed due to lower sea levels. There are scientists who think that Native Americans migrated across this land bridge before the glacial maximum, and there are others who think they traveled by boat during the maximum. There are still others who think they arrived after the maximum. Lastly, there are those who think Native Americans migrated in all three stages: before, during, and after the maximum. Either way, though, it wasn’t until about 12,000 years ago that the last glacier retreated from Michigan, opening the land of Oceana to native settlement and carving out the Great Lakes in the process.

The earliest known Native American settlement in Oceana County is the Dumaw Creek Site. This was a 17th century Native American village and cemetery located northeast of present-day Pentwater. The Oceana County Historical Society book says, “These prehistoric Indians dressed themselves in robes of beaver skins and wore copper and shell beads.” It is theorized that these people may have been precursors of the Potawatomi tribe. If that is true, it would mean that they packed up and moved to the region of Sault Ste. Marie sometime around 1640. Many of the Native American tribes that frequented the area of West Michigan spoke some form of the Algonquian language. This is the same language that gives Michigan its name, coming from the words “Michi” and “Gama,” meaning “great” and “water,” respectively. “During the 1700s and 1800s,” the OCH&GS wrote in their book, “the American Indian tribes that used or passed through Oceana County to other parts of Michigan were the Chippewa, Pottawatomi, Ottawa, Sauk, Fox, Miami and the Asseguns.”

In 1855, the Native groups of the Grand River area signed a treaty with the American government, agreeing to leave their lands on the Grand River and move further north to lands that they would select. “In these…arrangements were made to purchase Indian land with schedules for payment set up and to establish schools, blacksmiths, and provide livestock and tools.” This led to 1,500 Ottawa Native Americans, “representing about 40 families,” boarding the steamers “Charles Mears” and “Ottawa” to emigrate to Oceana and Mason counties in 1857 and 1858. This event is recalled in a book that Florence R. Shrumpf put together, detailing Penwater’s history. “We see a long, colorful and regal procession winding its way along the beach, with the sidewheel steamer Ottawa in the offing. It is a band of Ottawa, Chippewa and Pottawatamie

Indians seeking their promised land –seven or eight hundred of them. The young men are riding their ponies up the beach, the others have their worldly goods with them on board ship. In the summer of 1858, the second contingent arrived on the C. Mears, a large propeller owned by Charles Mears of Pentwater; thus increasing the Indian population to about 1300.” From Pentwater, these groups would continue to Eden and Custer townships in Mason County and Crystal and Elbridge in Oceana.

Interestingly enough, the OCH&GS tells us that the Ottawa chief, Cobmoo-sa, “refused to leave his home county and remained at Grand Rapids in Kent County.” He did this for a time, although he did visit frequently, “and exercised his rights as chief.” They describe him as a “man of great appearance” and mention that his manner of walking is what gave him the name “Cob-moo-so” meaning, “The Great Walker.” Cob-moo-sa’s log cabin can still be visited at the Hart Historic District today. The OCH&GS also tells us a bit about the Ottawa tribe:

The word Ottawa means “trade or “trader.” Ottawas were known as traders of their own goods as well as those of other tribes. The men were traders as well as the hunters and fishermen of their communities. The women grew crops of corn and squash, gathered maple sap to make maple syrup and sugar, picked berries, wove cloth and made bags and baskets from the native ash trees.

According to the treaty, the government “for the first ten years…should pay them annuities in coin and goods, should build four schools, and should provide them with livestock and tools, and operate a blacksmith shop for their convenience. During the next ten years the Indians were to live on lands allotted to them, each receiving a certificate of his land. At the end of the 10 years they were given deeds to the land and had to support themselves with

no government aid.” It is well known now that Native Americans did not understand the concept of land ownership as it was known to the European settlers from the old world. Take, for example, this quote from Crowfoot, a Blackfeet chief. “As long as the sun shines and the waters flow, this land will be here to give life to men and animals. We cannot sell the lives of men and animals; therefore, we cannot sell this land.” Once the ten years had ended and the Native residents received their deeds, many of them traded their deeds in bargains that were less than fair. The encroaching white settlers took advantage of the Native people’s lack of understanding regarding land ownership and tricked them out of their land. The OCH&GS book states that, “for years many lived in poverty until the younger generation began to reap the benefits of education. Many moved out of the area to well-paying jobs in the private and public sector. They still return to the site of the graves of their grandfathers in Oceana County. Those families who remained in the area now live much as those who supplanted them, but remain conscious of their Native American Indian and Ottawa heritage.”

April Echo THE

Ongoing

Hart VFW Post 1329 Burger/Chicken/Brat/Ribs Night, first and third Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m., dine-in or carry out.

The Ladder Community Center:

M-F: The Ladder is open for adults (18+) 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

M-F: The Huddle for 6th-12th grade youth, 3-5 p.m.

Tuesdays: Pit Stops for Men 12 & up, 6:30 p.m.

Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m.

Complete schedule at: theladdercommunitycenter.com

Knights of Columbus Bingo, 6 p.m.

St. Gregory Parish Center, 214 S. Peach Ave. in Hart Second & fourth Fridays, doors open at 4 p.m.

Pentwater Jr. Women’s Club - Feeding America West Michigan mobile food pantry, third Tuesday of the month, Pentwater Fire Department, 11 a.m.

Through May 29 - OCD Knee-High Naturalist Forest School Program

Through April 30 - United Way of the Lakeshore Baby Drive

Adult Prom Fundraiser tomorrow in Shelby

The Midnight Enchanted Garden Adult Prom will take place tomorrow (April, 20) at the Pizza Factory Event Room, 254 N. Michigan Ave. in Shelby, at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $25, and proceeds will go to the Chuck Schultz Public Safety Scholarship Fund, which will go to students and adult learners who are pursuing a degree or certification in public safety (firefighter, police officer, EMS, etc).

Pentwater Business After Hours set for April 26

The Pentwater Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours will take place at Park Place, 310 N. Rush St. in Pentwater, on April 26, starting at 5:30 p.m. This evening is sponsored by the Cancer & Critical Care Fund and PMSI Marketing Group. Attendees will enjoy networking, chocolates, door prizes and light refreshments. They hope to see you there!

National Day of Prayer at The Ladder is May 2

April 20 - Earth Day Celebration, “Planet vs Plastics,” Shelby Middle School, 525 N. State St., Shelby, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

April 20 - Oceana County Book Walk, Shelby Pocket Park and Rail Trail, 1-3 p.m.

April 20 - OCD Spring Seedling Sale Order Pick-up, fairgrounds.

April 20 - The Midnight Enchanted Garden Adult Prom, Pizza Factory Event Room in Shelby, 8 p.m..

April 20 - Hart High School Junior/Senior Prom

April 23 - Tech Hour, Hesperia Comm. Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

April 23 - Walkerville Mother Son Laser Tag night, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

April 25 - Drive Your Tractor to School Day, Hart High School.

April 25 - Craft Night, Hesperia Community Library, 6-7 p.m.

April 25 - Hart Historic District Board Meeting, 7 p.m.

April 26 - Sensory Play, Hesperia Comm. Library, 10-11 a.m.

April 26 - OCF Feeding America Food Truck, SMS in Shelby, 5 p.m.

April 26 - Pentwater Business After Hours, 5:30 p.m., Park Place.

April 26-28 - Hart High School Drama Performance of “Clue,” HHS Auditorium, April 26 & 27 at 7 p.m., April 28 at 2 p.m.

April 26 & 27 - Shelby Middle School Drama Production “Alice”, SHS Auditorium, April 26 at 7 p.m., April 27 at 2 p.m.

The 73rd annual National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 2. Oceana County residents may join thousands of people across the nation to participate in this annual event by gathering locally at The Ladder Community Center, 67 N. State St. in Shelby from noon to 1 p.m.

President Harry S. Truman proclaimed a National Day of Prayer to be observed on July 4, 1952. Each year since that date, Americans have observed the day in their own way. The observance was moved to the first Thursday in May by President Ronald Reagan and has been proclaimed each year since. The theme for this year’s event is “Lift up the Word, light up the world” (2 Samuel 22:29–31).

Local leaders representing government, education, media, the military, the church, and the family will be on hand to facilitate our prayer time. Those who gather may pray silently or in small groups. We will close our time with the singing of God Bless the USA!

We pray that God would be glorified through each National Day of Prayer gathering across America! “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” (Ephesians 3:12).  Please join us for this important time.

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803

• On April 29, 2004, the World War II Memorial opened in Washington, D.C. The granite and bronze monument stands on 7.4 acres on the former site of the Rainbow Pool at the National Mall, between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

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FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803

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FOR RELEASE APRIL 15, 2024

By Lucie Winborne

NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20240415

FOR RELEASE APRIL 15, 2024

By JoAnn Derson

• On April 30, 1993, tennis player Monica Seles was stabbed between the shoulder blades by Gunter Parche during a match in Hamburg. Parche, a fan of German tennis star Steffi Graf, apparently hoped that by injuring Seles, his idol would be able to regain her No. 1 ranking.

• On May 1, 1963, Gloria Steinem published the first half of “A Bunny’s Tale” in SHOW magazine, recounting her brief stint as a Bunny in Manhattan’s Playboy Club. Steinem’s undercover reporting revealed a culture of misogyny and exploitation behind the glamorous facade of Hugh Hefner’s empire.

• On May 2, 1924, Patrick Mahon was arrested at London’s Waterloo train station on suspicion of murder. He was executed later that year for killing his pregnant mistress, but an important innovation resulted from the crime scene: The officers, who had no gloves, were forced to handle the victim’s remains with their bare hands. After the investigation, rubber gloves became standard equipment at murder scenes.

• On May 3, 1980, 13-year-old Cari Lightner of Fair Oaks, California, was walking to a church carnival when she was struck and killed by an outof-control car driven by an intoxicated Clarence Busch. Her death led her mother, Candy Lightner, to found the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), which would grow into one of the country’s most influential nonprofit organizations.

• On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island, which was founded by the most radical religious dissenters from the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony, became the first North American colony to renounce its allegiance to King George III. It would also be the last state to ratify the new American Constitution more than 14 years later.

• On May 5, 1816, the first published poem by John Keats, the sonnet “To Solitude”, appeared in the London journal The Examiner. Keats’ sadly brief but overall brilliant span of work includes “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” and “Ode to a Nightingale.”

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

• “My roses really look beautiful. When I am cutting stems to put in a bouquet, I use a clothespin to grip the stem. It saves me from getting pricked by thorns, because it has a bit of reach to it.” — L.E. in Georgia

• For even distribution in sowing seeds for your garden, use a saltshaker for tiny seeds. You can get a cheese shaker for larger seeds, if necessary.

• To keep your brick walkway clear of grass and weeds, sprinkle salt in the cracks.

• “If you have to cut a nylon cord or shoelace, you can use a flame to melt the end into a nub that won’t run or fray. Use a little heat and press it together on a hard surface very briefly. It works fast!” — R.S. in Maine

• “Cars are getting so big these days. I use a string mop to wash the top and back of my van. I can reach everything better, and it does a great job.” — S.C. in Nevada

• To get shower doors squeaky clean, use a paste of baking soda and water to scrub stubborn water stains, then rinse the whole thing with straight white vinegar. Put the vinegar in a spray bottle and spray well, then rub off with a sponge. Rinse with plain water.

Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

By Lucie Winborne

• It is impossible for a human to sneeze during sleep due to a bodily state called REM atonia.

• For 200 years tomatoes were considered poisonous in Europe. In reality, their acidity was dissolving poisonous metals like lead from plates.

• Scientists investigating the occasional appearance of thousands of dead fish on the banks of an African river eventually discovered that the cause was huge numbers of hippos pooping in the water.

• Actor Danny DeVito used to be a beautician.

• Ten thousand years ago, everyone’s eyes were brown until someone living by the Black Sea developed a genetic mutation that turned brown eyes blue.

• In 2007, a gorilla escaped from his exhibit, grabbed and mauled a nearby woman, and then attacked a restaurant. Later it was later revealed that the woman had been making eye contact and smiling at the primate several times a week, something zookeepers had warned her not to do.

• Freelance diamond setter Raffi Stepanian found he could collect enough bits of carelessly dropped diamonds, rubies, platinum and gold on the sidewalks of New York City’s Midtown Diamond District to earn a living.

• In April of 2018, scientists at the Gladstone Institutes in California completely erased Alzheimer’s disease damage in human cells by altering the structure of a single protein.

• The most expensive photograph ever sold, “Rhein II,” a basic picture of the lower Rhine river under an overcast sky that had been digitally altered to remove dog walkers and a factory building, was purchased in 2011 for a cool $4.3 million.

• Research has shown that taller people are happier but shorter people live longer.

Thought for the Day: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” — Bernard M. Baruch

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Memorial service for Kent Lee Coleson

at Mears UMC on the corner of 56th and Fox Road in Mears, Mich.

Shelby-Benona Fire Department issues reminder on burn ban

On Monday, April 15, 2024 at 3:30 p.m., the Shelby-Benona Fire Department was called to assist the Grant Township Fire Department on what was described as a large fast moving grass fire on Stony Lake Rd. in Claybanks Township.

This was the second grass/woods fire the department was dispatched to on that day and one of a long list over the past month. All of these fires have

occurred while an area open burn ban was in place by the State of Michigan and the Michigan DNR Fire Division. Not only is not following the burn ban illegal but is extremely dangerous to property and life. Even a small “controlled” fire can become very large and uncontrolled rapidly. That is why everyone MUST check the DNR Website (https://www.dnr.state. mi.us/burnpermits/) before burning. The

department also recommends having a sustainable water source nearby when having any form of fire (bonfire, agricultural fire, yard waste fire).

For any questions or concerns contact the Shelby-Benona Fire Department via phone at (231)-861-5525, message them on Facebook or stop in to the station (430 Industrial Park Dr, Shelby MI, 49455). In the event of an emergency call 9-1-1.

Meet Estelle (on the left in the photo) and Betty, an inseparable bonded pair of females eagerly awaiting their forever home. These charming ladies bring double the love and double the joy into any household.  Estelle and Betty share a remarkable bond that is truly heartwarming to witness. They comfort each other during moments of uncertainty and joyfully play together, enriching each other’s lives in countless ways. Their

Estelle and Betty are available for adoption from the Oceana County Animal Shelter. If interested, please call the shelter at 231-861-5395. The adoption fee for cats is $35, and you receive certificates for $25 towards spay/neuter and $10 towards rabies if not already done. The adoption fee for dogs is $95 and you will receive a $50 certificate good for spay/neuter, if needed. Every dog should have an ID tag. L.A.S.S.I. provides free dog ID tags to all Oceana County residents. To request tags, send a text to 231-730-3906. Free tags are also available at the Oceana County Animal Shelter.

Seven students competed in the Right to Life of Michigan Mason/Oceana/Manistee 2024 High School Oratory Contest at the Hart Wesleyan Church, Saturday, March 9. The winner, Adelline Oliveira, will go on to compete at the state competition at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in East Lansing, Saturday, May 25. The contestants, pictured above, from left are: Josephine Perigard (second place), Oliveira, Cy Kosmowski, Isibeal Horrigan, Gabe Grierson, Riley Cogburn and Mamie Balcom (third place). The codirectors of this contest are John Beckett, Dee Bennette and Susan Stace. This year’s judges were Susan Boes, Amanda Dodge and Sheryl Piper. • Amanda Dodge/Echo

Freshmen shine for Hart girls soccer in trio of weekend matches

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

To say Hart’s girls soccer team had a busy start to last weekend would be a vast understatement as the Pirates played three games over two days, coming away with a 2-1 record.

Things started on Friday, April 12 with a trip to Reed City where an unbeaten Coyotes team awaited them. The game’s early going was met with major adversity for Hart as starting keeper Emma Jeffries was taken out of the game after taking a knee to the head.

Rhylly Brown entered in Jeffries’ stead and faced immediate pressure from the opponent.

Reed City went on the attack, challenging Brown and Hart’s defense with aggressive play. The Coyotes found an opening and fired a shot past Brown into the top left corner of the net to take a 1-0 lead just six minutes into the game. The elements plagued Hart’s offense as several scoring opportunities came up empty due in part to

the wind taking speed off the Pirates’ strikes.

Hart was able to even things up off a combination of Devyn Adams and Addison Kokx with 28 minutes left to play in the first half. Adams found Kokx on a through ball that ended in a goal off the left foot of Kokx. That stalemate held up until five minutes before halftime when Reed City took a 2-1 advantage despite the Pirates dominating time of possession.

The underclassmen got going to start the second half. Lilli Mena netted a goal just 45 seconds into the second half on an assist from fellow freshman Natalie Rosema to even things at 2-2. Hart put on the gas from that point as junior Brianna Arjona and senior Sydney Goodrich found goals to seal the 4-2 win.

After the game, Hart took off for Cadillac where they’d face two tough northern opponents in the Comet Cup on Saturday, April 13.

The Pirates took on Buckley – the oldest

Pentwater baseball drops pair to Marion as offense struggles

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

PENTWATER – A youthful Pentwater baseball team experienced just how challenging taking on a seasoned team can be when they fell to Marion in two games on Monday, April 15.

The Falcons were simply unable to get things going on offense in game one as the bats weren’t active enough to keep up with the Eagles in a 17-0 loss.

Malichi Bigsby and Jonny Arnouts managed to work in single base hits each, but no other Pentwater batters were able to find a hole in Marion’s defense. Pentwater was given the opportunity to score a few times, working in a few walks to put runners in scoring position.

Bigsby started the first game of the evening on the mound, throwing four and a half innings before being spelled by Brody Keiser. Keiser finished off the top of the fifth inning, which happened to mark the end of the game as the Falcons lost by mercy rule after five innings.

Kaleb Brown was a bright spot on defense for Pentwater in the first game. Brown, a dual-sport athlete for Pentwater baseball and track, made several quick decisions from third base that led to outs.

Brown moved to the mound for game two, pitching two and a half innings before Keiser was called on once again. Keiser finished out the last one and a half innings before the game was ended once more by mercy rule with a final score of 16-1.

The sticks were working a bit more for the Falcons in that second game. Arnouts got on base to start the game after laying down a pretty bunt, but was left stranded on base. With not much working after that, Keiser got his team out of a funk with a single in the

fourth inning. Brown earned himself a run batted in immediately after, finding a gap and bringing Keiser home on a double – Pentwater’s only extra base hit of the day.

Pentwater (1-2-1, 0-2 West Michigan D League) dropped their first meeting with a conference opponent after having success against Hesperia’s JV team earlier in the season.

Falcons softball squad shows growth, falls to Marion

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

PENTWATER – In its West Michigan D League (WMD) opener on Monday, April 15, Pentwater softball dropped two back-to-back contests to Marion.

The Falcons are a young and inexperienced group, likely why both of Monday’s games with the Eagles ended via mercy rule before either reached the sixth inning. This season is about much more than the wins and losses for Pentwater though. The program is coming off a one year hiatus and looking to replicate the success of past teams by building with young athletes.

Pentwater’s young athletes got their first taste of varsity softball action when Marion visited.

The Falcons had already won two games entering play, defeating

Hesperia’s JV team. The Eagles were a very different team and the final scores reflected that.

In game one, Pentwater fell 14-1 to Marion as they struggled to bring runs across home plate.

Mandi Sayles was the leader for the Falcons in the pitching circle and at times looked capable of being her team’s ace. Sayles also was the brightest spot for Pentwater on offense in that game, connecting on a pitch and sending a line drive into right centerfield and ending on second base. The first game ended after five innings. The second of two games was a chance for new head coach Troy

Hart’s girls soccer team (pictured above) finished as runner-up in the Comet Cup held in Cadillac on Saturday, April 13. • Contributed

Pentwater’s Malachi Bigsby releases a pitch from the mound in a contest with Marion on Monday, April 15.

• Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Pentwater’s Charlie Swanger lets her team know how many outs they have. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Falcons

Holstad to see what he had behind Sayles in the bullpen. Sophomore Aubrie Adams was given the start in her pitching debut as Pentwater fell 16-1 after just four innings.

While the scores don’t seem encouraging, there were plenty of bright spots outside the stat sheet for the Falcons. Perhaps the brightest was the play and vocal leadership of Charlie Swanger and Mackenna Hasil.

Hasil, a senior at Pentwater, is an integral part of the team at the catcher position and displayed her instincts against Marion. On several occasions, Hasil was tasked with tracking balls that had been popped into foul territory down the first base line. Without a second thought, Hasil tossed her catcher’s mask off and took off running, often making spectacular catches at critical moments.

Swanger also flashed her potential on the defensive side of the ball. Apart from constantly talking and keeping her teammates in the loop, Swanger made a pair of catches on back-to-back plays that impressed. After catching a pretty routine infield fly, Swanger had one hit just high and far enough to make her turn and run. The ball hit the top of her glove and bounced away, but with a little bit of luck Swanger adjust-

Pirates

soccer program in the northern part of Michigan’s lower peninsula – in the semifinals of the tournament, coming away with a 3-0 win.

Scoring came early for Hart as senior Cris Rangel earned a penalty kick and buried her shot in the bottom left corner of the net just two minutes into play. The Pirates found two more first half goals with freshman Olivia Bradley and Goodrich finding goals to allow Hart to coast to victory the rest of the way. Freshmen Rilynn Porter and Rosema assisted on those goals.

Advancing to the championship round, the Pirates faced the host McBain Northern Christian with a trophy on the line. Unfortunately, Hart couldn’t quite get past the Comets, falling 2-1.

The first half’s early minutes were dominated by Hart as Bradley found herself with several scoring opportunities in front of the Comets’ net. Bradley sent several shots wide of the net and hit the keeper in the gloves twice, but

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ed and scooped the ball out of the air to make the out.

Holstad is no doubt going to lean on experienced players like Hasil and Sayles as the season winds on, but it bodes well for Pentwater that athletes like Adams and Swanger are getting their opportunities now.

The Falcons (2-2, 0-2 WMD) have nothing but conference opponents lined up the rest of the season with hopes to improve on early results.

Hart girls soccer unable to overcome mistakes in loss to Montague

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

MONTAGUE – Fatigue was undoubtedly a factor in Hart’s girls soccer team’s 5-1 loss to Montague on Tuesday, April 16.

Playing its fourth game in four days, Hart made several key mistakes that led to their loss to the Wildcats. Pair that with an intense press from Montague and the Pirates were in for a long evening.

The Pirates spent most of the first half trying to break out of their own half of the field to little success. With 32 minutes remaining in the first half, Montague found their first points. Hart’s defense committed a cardinal sin in the game of soccer, sending a pass across the middle where it was intercepted by the Wildcats and put into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Montague piled more on just five minutes later with help from another Hart error as an errant shot found a Pirate defender and deflected into the net to put the Wildcats ahead 2-0.

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was unable to put the Pirates on the board.

Hart’s defense kept McBain at bay for a good portion of the opening half, but found themselves behind 1-0 when the Comets made a rare push into Pirate territory and capped it off with a goal from Jada VanNoord – a three time division four All-State player for the Comets.

Less than a minute into the second half, Rosema got Hart on the board. After using her burst to drive into McBain’s penalty area, Rosema sent a shot right between the legs of the Comets’ keeper to tie things at 1-1.

With just under eight minutes remaining, McBain found the winning shot. The Comets earned a corner kick and used their size advantage to box out Hart defenders, winning a scrum in front of the net and walking away with a 2-1 victory.

The split decision brought Hart to 3-2 on the year overall.

Hart’s offense woke up after that as a spark from freshman Natalie Rosema allowed them to get going. Rosema earned the Pirates a penalty kick and though they couldn’t capitalize, the Pi-

rates saw the first semblance of fluid play.

Montague’s physical play style benefitted them greatly with five minutes remaining as a bout between a Wildcat striker and Hart’s Kailey Edenburn ended with Edenburn on the ground and a 3-0 lead for Montague.

“(We) decided that quick passes in the middle with a switch to the corner and isolating (Montague’s) fullbacks would be the best options for creating scoring opportunities,” Hart head coach Joe Gilbert said.

The Pirates took to that game plan early in the second half as Brooklyn Storms and Rosema found gaps and opportunities, but ultimately were unable to score. Rosema found the Pirates’ lone goal of the match when she cut through Montague’s defense and earned a penalty kick after a slide tackle tripped her.

Rosema missed her initial shot but found the rebound and punched it in to bring Hart’s deficit to two goals. Montague responded with two goals to put a nail in the coffin and send the Pirates away with their second conference loss of the early season.

Hart (3-3, 0-2 West Michigan Conference Rivers Division) will have no breaks in the foreseeable future as the spring season continues to truck on.

(Above, top right) Pentwater’s Mandi Sayles winds up a pitch in game one against Marion. (Above, bottom left) Pentwater’s Mackenna Hasil smiles as her teammates congratulate her after a big catch. (Above, bottom right) Pentwater’s Aubrie Adams takes off toward home plate. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

(Above, left) Hart’s Zoiley Sarabia clears a ball out of the Pirate’s side of the field.

(Above, right) Hart’s Kailey Edenburn gets physical with a Montague opponent while fighting through a slide tackle attempt. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hart’s Brooklyn Storms looks to stop a spot kick by a Montague opponent. Storms and the Pirates fell to Montague 5-1 on Tuesday, April 16. • Andy Roberts/ECHO

Hesperia baseball unable to keep pace with Pine River

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HESPERIA – There simply wasn’t enough in the tank for Hesperia baseball when they hosted Pine River on Wednesday, April 16, falling in two games of doubleheader action.

Hesperia fell to Pine River in the first of two games by a score of 11-3.

The Panther defense showed promise in the top of the first inning, sitting down the top of the Bucks’ lineup in order to bring their own bats to the plate. Unfortunately, Hesperia couldn’t make much contact as Skyler Stalbaum and Carter Cunningham went down on strikes before Blake Sayer went down via pop fly to second base.

Pine River was able to get things going in the second inning after its lead off hitter got on base via walk. The Bucks followed up that walk with back-to-back singles that scored one and gave them a 1-0 lead before Hesperia was able to escape thanks to a double play off the arm of Thor Klaus in right field.

Hesperia found their first hit in the third inning on a single from Anderson Boes, but were unable to string anything else together. Sayer started the bottom of the third inning with two strikeouts and appeared primed to escape the inning unscathed. Pine River had other plans.

The Bucks singled and later scored on a fielding error by Stalbaum at second base. Another single before the end of the inning brought Pine River out in front 3-0.

In need of a response, the Panthers got going with singles from Ethan O’Neil and Stalbaum after Hudson Schmitz was hit by a pitch to start the inning. With the bases loaded, Sayer hit into a ground out, but scored one. O’Neil would make it home shortly after on a wild pitch, bringing things to 3-2 in favor of the Bucks.

Pine River took full control from that point, bringing in eight runs over the course of three half innings. The Panthers found their third and final run of the game in the sixth inning when Sayer scored on an error by the Bucks’ catcher.

Sayer picked up the loss on the mound after throwing three innings with one earned run against to go along with four hits allowed and

three strikeouts. Noah Walker pitched two innings in relief while Skalbaum closed with one inning of work.

O’Neil was the Panthers top hitter in the first game, going 2-for-3. Sayer, Boes and Stalbaum each had one hit while Sayer was the only Hesperia batter to record a run batted in (RBI).

Hesperia was held without a run in the second game as they lost 6-0.

Each team saw struggles at the start of the game as neither recorded a hit in the first inning of play. Pine River broke a stalemate in the top of the second by no effort of their own. Ian Fox struggled on the mound for Hesperia, throwing four errant pitches that allowed a Bucks hitter to get on base and later score after working his way around the infield.

After failing to respond, Pine River gathered all momentum over the Panthers in the third inning. Fox walked three consecutive batters to start that frame before Klaus was brought in to spell him. Klaus walked two more at that point, pushing the Bucks in front 5-0.

Pine River would score an additional run to end the third inning on top 6-0, where they would remain until the final pitch was thrown. Hesperia failed to record a single hit in the game.

Despite not allowing a hit, Fox was given the loss on the mound after two innings of work and five runs earned against to go along with six walks and three strikeouts. Klas threw one inning in relief with one earned run, one hit allowed and one strikeout.

Panthers Softball

Hesperia (0-4, 0-2 West Michigan Conference Rivers Division) remained winless to start the 2024 season. Shelby had two athletes sign to continue their eduactional and athletic careers recently. Molli Schultz (pictured above) signed with Muskegon Community College where she’ll play basketball for the Jayhawks. Hannah Frees (pictured below) also made her intentions known as she plans to join the competitive cheer team at Cornerstone University next year. • Contributed

Hesperia’s Carter Cunningham tags a Pine River base runner out at home through a cloud of dirt. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hesperia’s Blake Sayer attempts to pick off a Pine River runner at first base from the pitcher’s mound. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hesperia’s softball team hosted Pine River for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 16. The Panthers battled the Bucks tough, but were unable to come away with a win, dropping both contests. Abbi Joppich (pictured above, bottom right) pitched the first game before being spelled by Molly Norris (pictured above, top left). • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hart girls soccer knocks off unbeaten Whitehall

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HART – The way that Hart’s girls soccer team has been playing over the first few weeks of the 2024 season, it’s hard to see them playing the underdog in a lot of matchups. When Whitehall came to town on Wednesday, April 17 however, there were more than a few shocked faces when the Pirates came away with a 2-1 victory over the Vikings.

Entering play, Whitehall owned a 2-0-1 record having beaten Newaygo, Shelby and tied Ludington. Add to that the fact that Hart hadn’t beaten Whitehall in girl’s soccer in a decade and the general consensus would be in favor of the Vikings.

“Feels good to beat my alma mater,” Hart Head Coach and former Whitehall graduate Joe Gilbert said. “We haven’t beaten that team since 2014.”

It was evident in the early going with Hart on Wednesday that the Pirates planned on giving their conference foe all they could handle.

Each team had several opportunities to score in the first half, but it was the Pirates that ruled time of possession. Hart’s passing game focuses on getting as many touches as possible in the midfield area before pushing the ball into scoring territory. That gave Whitehall some trouble early as they weren’t able to execute the type of offense they typically do.

“I thought we kind of got out of our passing game if I’m being honest,” Gilbert said. “Whitehall has been playing a lot of send and run this year so my girl’s did their best

to adjust to that while sticking with our game. I was very happy with that.”

Though Whitehall had their opportunities limited throughout the majority of the game, Hart handed them their best look at points with 22 minutes left in the first half. The Vikings drove the ball close to Hart’s penalty area before lifting a ball into the air at an angle that caught one of the Pirate’s defenders in the hand.

Whitehall was awarded a free kick from just outside the penalty area. Sophomore Kate Beda sent a low shot past Hart’s wall of defense where it collided with a heap of bodies and eventually rolled past keeper Emma Jeffries to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.

Hart was intent on not allowing their opponent to hold any sort of advantage and

that was made evident when the Pirates responded just one minute after Whitehall’s goal.

With 21 minutes remaining in the first half, two of Hart’s freshmen strikers combined for the Pirates’ first score. Natalie Rosema – Hart’s current scoring leader –used her electric speed to push Whitehall’s defense deep into their own territory before crossing the ball to teammate Rilynn Porter. Porter promptly tapped the ball past Whitehall’s keeper to lock the score up at 1-1.

Porter and Rosema have both been major contributors on varsity despite being restricted to just one half of play on most game days after competing in the JV contest as well. Wednesday was an opportunity for both players – along with freshman mid-

fielder Olivia Bradley – to get a full game of work in as Whitehall does not carry a JV team.

Rosema has particularly impressed Gilbert, often making him do a double take at her skill in only her first year at the high school level.

“All the girls played in a select league in the fall, so we got a chance to get a lot of the freshmen together to mesh and mold early,” Gilbert said. “Rilynn (Porter) and Sydney Goodrich combine well. There’s a lot of give and go there and our young group coming through from middle school to elementary have good talent and numbers coming through.

“I knew Natalie (Rosema) was a good runner from cross country, but holy cow she’s fast. She’s active and she’s running behind, which is exactly what we need. I definitely didn’t expect her to have the impact she has right from the start, but after seeing her give Kailey (Edenburn) a run for her money in a sprint, I knew this was going to be fun.”

The first half ended at 1-1 and much of the second half saw the score remain stagnant. It wasn’t until the final five minutes of the game that Hart was able to break the tie.

Pushing the ball down the field, Breslyn Porter found the feet of fellow junior Brianna Arjona. Arjona was able to find a gap and fire in a shot that lifted Hart to a 2-1 victory.

The Pirates (4-3, 1-2 West Michigan Conference Rivers Division) won’t have much time to celebrate the win as a brutal spring slate has them playing their sixth game in the last seven days when they host Chippewa Hills today (Friday, April 19).

“Just gotta make sure the girls are drinking a lot of water and their chocolate milk,” Gilbert said.

Hart’s Brianna Arjona fights through two Whitehall defenders. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Lake Mirror White Lake Mirror

Fire temporarily closes North Grove

Book Nook & Java Shop also heavily damaged by April 11 blaze

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

North Grove Brewers’ kitchen caught fire last Thursday morning, sending the restaurant - for the moment - out of business as it tries to pick up the pieces. The fire also did severe damage to the Book Nook & Java Shop, which shares a building with North Grove.

Fortunately, as no one was around when the fire began, there were no injuries.

The fire, as it happened, was documented on North Grove’s internal cameras. Co-owner Jason Jaekel said around 5 a.m. Thursday morning, a bag of towels used in the restaurant, recently laundered, caught fire, which engulfed the center of the North Grove kitchen. In an ironic twist of (relative) good

fortune, the flames burst a city water line, and the water put the fire out and at least prevented further damage. The flames also burst a CO2 line, Jaekel said, which limited oxygen in the kitchen and further helped to tamp down the fire.

It was the water spilling out from under one of the doors, though, that first caught Jaekel’s eye after dropping his kids off at school and coming to the brewery at about 8:45 a.m. Thursday. First believing a pipe had burst somewhere else and sent water into the brewery, he soon saw the worse news. Only after racing in to shut the brewery’s water off did Jaekel get a chance to take stock of the damage, which was severe.

“The kitchen is completely destroyed,” Jaekel said. “The heat caused all the piping and PVC in

there to melt. The refrigerators still work, but the power was cut to a couple of them due to the fire, because they hit the lights in the ceiling and caused the breakers to trip. It’s weird, because some things are completely fine and others are melted. It’s weird how the fire touched some things, but not paper products four feet away...but the trash cans went up.”

Book Nook owners Andrew and Brooke Kuharevicz discovered the situation around the same time Jaekel did. Brooke normally opens the store Thursday mornings, and when she opened the door and smoke came billowing out, she thought their own business was on fire. The heat and smoke was such that it had come through into the Book Nook, wreaking havoc on the store.

North Grove fire

continued on page 2

Local breweries come together for North Grove

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

WHITEHALL — Local breweries and businesses have started banding together to help North Grove Brewers, after a kitchen fire last Thursday forced the business to temporarily close.

Wednesday night, Fetch Brewing Company hosted their first fundraiser, opening their space for the Oat Bran Boys to perform. The Oat Bran Boys usually spend their Wednesday evenings performing at North Grove, and the fire prompted them to reach out to Fetch.

“It’s a difficult thing,” Oat Bran Boys double bassman Richie King said. “I’m good friends with RJ (Nordlund, one of the North Grove owners). I know these people personally and they’ve been supportive of us, having us play there. We wanted to raise some money, so we’re doing this both this week and next week. You want to help your friends.”

All tips given to the Oat Bran Boys went to North Grove, in addition to an open donation box. Addi-

Fundraiser

continued on page 2

Redeem Mi Land takes spiritual look at conservation

Upcoming 5K to raise money for rehabilitation of Montague land

By Andy Roberts

An upcoming 5K aims to give a kick-start to a land rehabilitation project near the Hart-Montague Bike Trail in Montague.

Rev. Dave Celeskey, pastor of the Unity Reformed Church in Norton Shores, launched his Redeem Mi Land group in 2022 as a doctoral thesis project for his studies at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, but he’s since pushed forward in hopes of making the organization something that “will carry many years into the future and hopefully beyond myself,” he said.

Celeskey, an outdoors lover, spends lots of time enjoying nature along with wife Kelyn and their two children, Lydia and Corban. The Celeskey family are avid runners, so it made sense to have a run - the Redeem Mi Run Saturday, May 4 - be the first fundraiser for the

group.

The event will consist of a 5K run/ walk ($40 to participate) starting at 9 a.m. and a half-marathon ($90) kicking off a half hour earlier, at 8:30.

Fittingly, the race will start and finish near the Trailway Campground in downtown Montague. (It was supposed to start at the campground, but due to the construction work being done on the trail this spring, the race had to move a block away.) The site is adjacent to the land Celeskey hopes to redeem, a former civic dump he said was covered over - but not cleaned out - in the 1980s when the city determined it didn’t want a dump in a tourist area.

With aid from the youth group at Ferry Memorial Church in Montague, Celeskey conducted an inventory of the area last fall.

“They just kind of rolled sod over it and called it good,” Celeskey said. “It looks OK on the surface, but if you look

A Montague fire truck responds to the fire at North Grove Brewery last Thursday morning. The fire and its aftermath were discovered by the owners of North Grove and Book Nook early that morning. • Madison Lajewski/Mirror

A donation tin welcomes Fetch Brewery patrons to offer help or words of support for North Grove during a fundraising event Wednesday. The brewery is temporarily closed after a kitchen fire last week. • Madison Lajewski/Mirror

Redeem Mi Land

Clear Springs Nature Preserve, underscoring the environmental focus of the group. Also in support of that aim, the “swag bag” that comes with registration will include seed paper with a QR code on it to redeem offers from event sponsors. The seed paper will then be able to be planted and produce wildflowers. The bags themselves will be dissolvable with hot water, and no water cups will be available on race day.

Celeskey views Redeem Mi Land’s mission from a spiritual perspective, likening the process of redeeming land that “bears the burden of sin” to that of redeeming souls - especially with regard to how the process is a lengthy and often taxing one. It takes more, he said, than “roll(ing) sod over it and call(ing) it good.”

“Just like in our lives, when we go through a cleanup or repentance process, it’s not a one-day thing, it’s a lifelong process,” Celeskey said. “Every piece of land we work with, we’re committed to working with for generations.”

According to the Redeem Mi Land website, redeemmiland.org, Celeskey met with Montague city manager Jeff Auch about the project and was direct-

Fundraiser

tionally, Fetch honored all North Grove “mug club” members, offering $1 off their purchase of beer or hard cider. Fetch also made their own donation.

“We reached out to (co-owner) Jason (Jaekel) the following day,” said Fetch owner Dan Hain. “I personally talked to him on the street and he said to hold off on doing anything. We were proposing, ‘What can we do for you? Can we help you brew some beer?’ We were proposing a bunch of different ideas. He was saying, ‘I don’t know right now because it just happened.’ Then the Oat Bran Boys reached out to us and said they had two dates that they could play, they were going to play at North Grove, but they proposed to play here. We said, absolutely. We incorporated that with a benefit to help North Grove.”

Similarly, Sawyers Brewing Company is hosting two benefits for North Grove. The Dave and Shawn Show will perform this Friday, April 19 and The Substitutes will perform the following day, on Saturday. One-fourth of revenue generated during the two events will go to North Grove, for cleanup, restoration and rebuilding. Both acts will begin at 7 p.m.

Unruly Brewing in Muskegon will also have a fundraiser for North Grove, scheduled for May 4 starting at 4 p.m.

“We started scouring social media and texting anybody that knew anything,” Hain said. “It’s always trying to help out anybody that’s in need, especially breweries, because everyone always tries to take care of each other in the brewing industry. It’s a really closeknit family. It’s kind of bizarre. Anybody in the industry reaches out, you don’t think about it because they’re always helping you. We’ve helped them out before and they’ve helped me, whatever we can do.”

The White Lake business community is excited and supportive of one another, especially when new businesses are introduced. North Grove patron Leighton “Flat Cap” Seys started helping by offering firewood to Jaekel when they

ed to another plot of land on the other side of the trail from which to draw inspiration. This land was excavated and repopulated with local plant species. He hopes to accomplish the same thing with his chosen plot - and, hopefully, seek out another one in the state afterwards.

“The city and the township have been great to work with and they’re excited about it,” Celeskey said. “It helps the community and the land there, just so people are aware of the ecological issues going on around there.”

It won’t be easy, of course, and requires sign-ups for the Redeem Mi Run to get the project going. Celeskey, though, appears in it for the long haul, and if the run raises sufficient money, he said he hopes to begin redemption of the land in June by excavating it.

“Because this is a first-year event, this is kind of our litmus test to see how this fundraiser works for this kind of a project,” Celeskey said. “We’re getting a lot of good talk with different places in the community and some good feedback from some people. We still need a lot of people to register for the race itself. We have people willing to volunteer.”

continued from page 1

• Madison Lajewski/Mirror

were first getting ready to open. This prompted a good, supportive and loyal friendship.

“I already knew Jason,” said Seys. “He was at the church I was at and was talking about starting this up. I was pretty excited about that, that we’re getting something new. I think we’re always better off when we have two or three of the same industry in a town. You get really good camaraderie and competition. I wanted to step in and support him, and be able to support people doing new things in the community.”

Many regular patrons, along with other community members were shocked and saddened to hear about the fire, leaving Facebook comments supporting North Grove as it updated customers.

“I was incredibly shocked,” Seys said. “I wanted to figure out what we could do to help. They’ve been great supporters of mine - Jason, RJ and the entire crew over there. They even let me do some podcasting from their brewery. I thought, ‘What can we do and how can we rally the community around them?’ I started getting hold of people I know and looking online to find out what was going on. If there’s anything I can do to get the word out about supporting people in the community, I want to help with that.”

The Oat Bran Boys will be performing at Fetch again Wednesday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m., with all tips and proceeds going to North Grove.

North Grove fire

“The fire was so hot, it destroyed pretty much anything that was around where the fire was,” Andrew Kuharevicz said. “It wasn’t just smoke damage, but heat damage too. Our deli case and a bunch of other appliances were destroyed. Once it was extinguished, the soot (still) covered everything. The front of the store was saved a bit, but our men’s bathroom was completely black (with smoke). It’s still closed and you can’t go in there. Our conference room, where book clubs meet, is destroyed, and it’s now a staging room for our loss, which is several hundred thousand dollars.”

Luckily for the Book Nook, through significant work by staff and volunteers, it was at least able to return to limited business Friday, with a health department inspection coming back clean.

“(The inspector) went in and touched every single surface in the living and dining room, and he was amazed that we pulled it off,” Kuharevicz said, noting he and his wife have put in 15-20 hour days to clean things up.

It is, however, a long road back to fully normal for the Book Nook. The shop has to purchase the ingredients necessary to serve its menu of food and drink items. Novelty items the store sells, such as tablecloths, t-shirts, dish rags and puppets, have such an odor of smoke on them that they’re unsellable, and the entire inventory of books needs to be looked over and likely cleaned. Kuharevicz said he hopes to have things back as they were in three or four weeks. In the meantime, by request from customers, the store launched a GoFundMe, which at press time had raised just over $3,000 of a goal of $31,000 to help fund items not covered by insurance, such as payroll and the purchase of new appliances.

That road is even longer for North Grove. There is no strict timeline for the brewery’s reopening yet as Complete Restoration out of Muskegon works on getting the restaurant back together. Jaekel, though, assured the public it plans to reopen once that’s possible; he hopes it will be within a month or two.

“Everyone wants to help, but we have to let the professionals deal with it,” Jaekel said. “We’d love to get a bunch of volunteers together to clean, but the soot can be dangerous to breathe in. We don’t want anyone getting sick later on.”

In the meantime, Jaekel has been working at his other restaurant - the Dog n’ Suds food cart, which he and wife Misty co-own. He said a couple of brewery employees have been trans-

ferred to the food cart to keep them working, and the brewery is working to help other employees collect unemployment funds while shifts are unavailable at North Grove.

There are several things for North Grove to juggle while waiting to reopen - the purchase of new kitchen equipment, certainly, and considering tweaks it may not have had time to think about had day-to-day operations continued as normal. Jaekel said the brewery will consider opening its outdoor beer garden if it can make it work. That, too, is contingent on other factors; there’s a limited quantity of available beer, and the damaged equipment means the brewery may need to figure out a way to brew offsite. Plans to do that are up in the air due to regulatory hurdles and a desire not to get in the way of other local breweries that need to make beer as well.

One thing that heartens Jaekel is the response from the community. Within a couple of days of the fire, several businesses had taken to Facebook to encourage local residents to patronize the Dog n’ Suds cart in support of North Grove. Sawyers Brewing, located just across the street from the food cart, offered a free drink to customers who came in with a Dog n’ Suds meal Friday night. Gnarly Heifer also encouraged patronage of the food cart.

“The community support is amazing right now,” Jaekel said. “We’ve been trying to be on Facebook to thank everyone. You see it and you’re so thankful you live in such a great community that’s willing to support and come out and help. I really appreciate a lot of the different businesses in the area.

“It shows it’s about more than just making money; it’s about making a place you’re proud to call home and a place where you feel welcomed as a business.”

Kuharevicz agreed, saying he’s lived in big cities and feels a closer kinship in the White Lake area.

“You don’t get that kind of help... all the time,” Kuharevicz said. “If your business burns down (in a big city), you’re kind of on your own. White Lake is a great area.”

North Grove has proven to be a resilient business in just four-plus years; before it had even opened, Jaekel said, there had been a flood there, and of course only two months after opening came the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing it from in-person business for a significant period. He joked that hopefully this third obstacle proves to be the last major one.

“Hopefully that’s it and there aren’t more bumps,” Jaekel said.

Montague council approves switch to even-year elections

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

MONTAGUE — During Monday’s meeting, the Montague city council voted to switch local elections from odd to even years. The council also approved the renewal for the lease of AT&T towers in the area.

Additionally, the city council discussed the prospect of changing the mayoral term from two years to four years. This will be officially voted on during the next city council meeting Monday, May 20. City council also announced they will be hosting a budget work session Monday, June 3.

Montague Farmers Market 2024 schedule

The Montague Farmers Market annnounced its operating dates this week for the coming season.

The market will be open every Saturday from May 11 throught Oct. 26. In

addition, the market will remain open an extra 30 minutes each week compared to last year, lasting from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

White Lake community members join the Oat Bran Boys in song during Wednesday’s benefit at Fetch Brewery in support of North Grove.

Echoes of History: Whitehall libraries & librarians (pt. 1)

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor

A newspaper item from May 1887 indicated that G. W. Frost’s store was now the site of the town library, as former librarian Nettie White was teaching school. This was the first mention in the available local newspapers of a library in town. George W. Frost operated a book and stationery business and had charge of the books.

Esther Jane “Nettie” White was the niece of C. W. Redfern. She was born Sept. 5, 1856. Nettie married John Lowe (1844-1930). He served in Co. K 21st Michigan Infantry. At some point, they moved to the Lake Odessa area. John died in Lake Odessa in 1930. Nettie also died in Lake Odessa, MI Dec. 5, 1938. They are both buried in Oakhurst Cemetery in Whitehall.

In 1889 the library was moved from Frost’s store to the home of Charles Walwyn Redfern, Nettie’s uncle. It was reported that Genivieve Law would sometimes cover for Nettie as librari-

an.

Genivieve “Jennie” Law was born in Oswego, New York in 1869. She came to Whitehall with her parents when she was one and a half years old. They built a home on Mill Pond in 1870 which she maintained until her death. She graduated from Whitehall High School in 1892. According to her obituary, she worked in New York and Chicago for the next 25 years as a financial broker. She returned to Whitehall in 1917, where she remained until her death in October 1961.

After the fire of 1890 destroyed Redfern’s house, the books that were saved were moved to the Scott residence on Colby. Mrs. Scott was the former Annie Elizabeth Redfern, the sister of C. W. Redfern. She was first married to Samuel Kellogg White Jan. 1, 1856. They had two children: Esther Jane “Nettie” (1856-1938) and Francis Oliver (18591865). It appeared they divorced by 1870 and Samuel White died in 1908. Annie then married Carl O. Scott

April 9, 1871. By 1880, they too were divorced. Annie died Aug. 12, 1908 in Whitehall. She is buried in Oakhurst Cemetery in Whitehall.

Mrs. Paul Hedges (pictured) was next mentioned as librarian. Her home was located on Division and Slocum. Mrs. Hedges was the former Helen E. Davenport, who was born Aug. 23, 1847 in New York. She married Paul Hedges in New York in 1867. They were living in Whitehall by 1870, where he was a lawyer at the time. He died Sept. 26, 1904. They had no children. After her first husband died, she married Charles H. Smith Oct. 28, 1906. Helen died March 10, 1914. She and her first husband are both buried in Oakhurst Cemetery in unmarked graves.

Mrs. M. G. Hollis was appointed township librarian in March 1914 to fill the vacancy caused by the passing of Mrs. Smith. The books were placed in Mrs. Hollis’ dry goods and millinery store, which was a very convenient location for the public. Minnie G. Hurd

was born in VanBuren County, MI Dec. 18, 1860. She married Frank D. Hollis May 2, 1889, and he died 10 years later. They had no children. She then married Charles A. Ocobock in 1923. Minnie died in Whitehall Jan. 26, 1931 and is buried in Oakhurst Cemetery.

Mrs. H. H. Olsen was the next librarian. Bertha Helene “Bertie” Christiansen was born March 19, 1861 in Wisconsin. She married Herman Hagberth Olsen Dec. 24, 1879 in Milwaukee. Her husband was a sailor and they sailed their own boat from Milwaukee to Whitehall in 1883 with their young son. Her husband founded Olsen and Dagen Roller Mill and she was his bookkeeper. She opened a grocery and dry goods store from 1902-1906 before becoming the librarian. Her husband died in January 1918. She served his remaining term as township supervisor. In 1920 she entered into business with her son Herman B. Olsen in Olsen’s Eat Shop, which became Connie Quint’s Restaurant in 1946. Bertie died in 1952.

Fruitland Twp. examines residents’ broadband service

By Steve Gunn White Lake Mirror Contributor

Fruitland Township has the highest percentage of unserved or underserved parcels in Muskegon County when it comes to high-speed internet access.

Roughly 600 out of the 3,773 parcels in the township lack adequate connectivity for internet service, according to a countywide survey that was recently completed by DCS Technology, a company that was hired by Muskegon County to survey internet access in the various communities.

It would cost an estimated $3.9 to $5 million to have the unserved or underserved parcels in Fruitport Township connected, according to officials.

There are federal dollars available to help cover the cost of running the necessary lines to homes that lack connectivity, under the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program (BEAD).

Approval for the funding has to go through the state’s “challenge” process to verify the lack of adequate connec-

tivity for individual homes.

Officials believe it would be best for the broadband companies active in Fruitland Township – Comcast and Charter Communications – to go through that process on behalf of all underserved residents.

Township Supervisor Jeff Marcinkowski said he will be talking to those companies soon to measure their willingness to do so, and potentially gain a lot of new internet customers.

“We determined that instead of having the residents challenge their parcel, the best thing to do at this time is to have Comcast and Charter challenge those,” Marcinkowski said. “The state is not going to release any funding until all of the unserved or underserved parcels have been challenged and verified.

“Comcast or Charter would have to make contact with a house and verify that they have no service or lack of service that meets the required speed. Until all of the (area) is challenged, there is no money available.”

Marcinkowski believes it would be in the companies’ interest to do the

legwork to verify the addresses that qualify for government dollars to cover the cost of connecting.

“Comcast has their network in here, and small runs to get it to the homes,” he said. “If they apply for a grant to do that, they will get money to connect all the homes in their area. On the front end (the company) is not paying any money, and then they will have a customer who can get the service and utilize it.”

A special map of Fruitport Township shows that Comcast currently provides connectivity service to a large portion of the southern part of the township while Charter serves a significant portion to the north.

A large portion of the middle of the township is designated as unserved or underserved, a fact that surprised township officials.

“I was surprised, and the township board was surprised, that we are the least served,” Marcinkowski said.

While Fruitland officials were not aware of the scope of the problem, Marcinkowski said he has long been getting phone calls from residents who

would like to have their homes connected for internet service but can’t afford to have it done.

“People in new subdivisions that have gone in, particularly the ones off Nestrom Road, were complaining about the amount of money it would take to get Comcast to come less than 300 yards to get to their home,” Marcinkowski said.

At first residents were saying it would cost about $3,000 to get their homes connected, according to Marcinkowski. Then others reported that they were being quoted prices as high as $8,000 or even $15,000, he said.

Marcinkowski said he contacted Comcast on behalf of the residents, but got nowhere.

“The corporate office asked me what single parcels I was calling about,” Marcinkowski said. “They didn’t want to handle 15 or 20. They were only interested in talking about one single property. I just let it go. I called back the residents and said there was nothing I could do.”

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

Ready to get started on spring planting? The library is once again offering a great selection of vegetable, flower, and herb seeds for you to “borrow” and plant. The collection includes this year’s “One Seed, One State” variety, Mammoth Long Island Dill. You are invited to choose up to five seed packets to take home and plant. If possible, save some of the seeds from your harvest and bring them back to the library to share with others for the next growing season. The seed library is open to anyone. There is no charge to participate, but donations are always welcome to help us sustain this community resource.

Seed libraries are a great way to connect community members and gardeners, create a shared experience, and promote gardening among

area residents. Besides being a great family activity and a way to reduce stress, gardening can also help people become more self-sufficient, eat healthier, and save money.

Looking for more ways to connect to the local community of gardeners? Explore the urgent needs of our bees and butterflies, bats and birds for native pollinator plants in a presentation at the library May 30. More info

on the library’s calendar at wlclib.org/calendar.

FUN FACT:

The first seed library to open in a public library was at the Gardiner Public Library in New York in 2004. This was just 4 years after the creation of the first seed library at the Berkeley Ecology Center in Berkeley, California.

Adult Craft Event April 29

Who doesn’t love a plant that lives forever? Visit the library Monday, April 29, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for an adult craft night making easy felt succulents. You’ll receive instructions and supplies to create your own unique mini succulent garden. Supplies are limited, so please register at

wlclib.org/calendar.

New Storytime Launches Monday, April 29

Our popular Baby Time and Play & Learn programs will be taking a break in May, but a new program for young children and their caregivers will begin Monday, April 29. This relaxed, fun program of stories, music and movement will be held in the meeting room each Monday morning from 9:30 to 10:15. All are welcome, and registration is not required. Just join us whenever you can!

Teen Game Night

Students in grades 7-12 are invited to a board game night at the library Thursday, April 25, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. We will supply some classic games, but participants are welcome to bring their own favorites to introduce to their peers. Light refreshments will be served. There is no charge to attend, and registration is not required.

Mirror

Mirror

Local teams soar in WMC Lakes opener

Whitehall boys, Montague girls earn sweeps at Montague Tri

By Andy Roberts White Lake

MONTAGUE — Whitehall’s boys team and Montague’s girls team came out on top Tuesday at the Montague Tri, which opened West Michigan Conference Lakes action.

The Viking boys overwhelmed the competition, defeating Montague 10433 and Oakridge 119-18; Montague beat the Eagles 82-52. In the girls’ meet, Montague edged Whitehall 72-65 and walloped Oakridge 104-25. Whitehall beat the Eagles 106-28.

Whitehall athletes came away with first place in all but one event; the Wildcats’ Jeremiah Atchison briefly interrupted the Vikes’ hegemony with a win in the 300-meter hurdles, finishing in 44.29 seconds.

Whitehall had a few two-time individual winners in the meet. Malcolm Earvin earned a sweep of the sprint events, with times of 11.10 seconds in the 100 meters and 22.58 seconds in the 200 meters. Stewart Waters picked up wins in the 800 and 1,600-meter races, with respective times of 2:13.8 and 4:52.9. Jason Smith won both throwing events, setting a personal best in discus along the way by tossing it 122-10. His winning shot put attempt was 43-10.

Smith’s PR in discus prevented teammate Camden Thompson from winning the event in his first career try at it. Thompson, who sprained his ankle in March and has not yet been cleared to compete in his normal high jump and hurdles events, competed in discus instead and threw an impressive 118-10.

Also winning and setting a PR in the field events was Ca’Mar Ready, who

notched an impressive 13-0 in pole vault. All three of Ready’s teammates to clear a height also set PRs.

Kal Koehler added to Whitehall’s success in field events with a win in long jump, leaping 20-2.75. Ayden Mendoza scored a win in high jump with a mark of 6-2.

More individual wins came from Trannon Aylor in the 400 meters (50.67), Drew Boeringa in the 3,200 meters (11:01.6),  and Logan Sines in the 110-meter hurdles (16.30).

Whitehall also earned wins in all four relay races. Sines, Ready, Earvin and Kyler Frees won the 400 relay (45.28) and Frees, Koehler, Ready and Aylor took the top spot in the 800 relay (1:33.5). Frees, Sines, Koehler and Ready won the 1,600 relay (3:39.3) and Boeringa, Waters, Tyler Van Antwerp and Jevon Hilliard completed the sweep in the 3,200 relay (8:48.7).

A pair of new PRs highlighted Montague’s victorious effort in the girls’ meet. Annelyse Schneider leapt 15-8 to win the long jump for the Wildcats, and Jenna Erickson won the 200

meters with a new personal best time of 28.72 seconds. Britta Johnson and Amanda Cederquist also earned individual wins on the track, taking the 400 meters (1:06.4) and 100-meter hurdles (17.96) respectively. Addison Smith chipped in a win in pole vault, with a mark of 7-0.

Montague also won three of the relay races, a key factor in the team triumph. The 400 relay went to Smith,

Pelton leads ‘Cats to win over Hart

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — Montague dispatched Hart Monday, 5-1, to remain unbeaten in West Michigan Conference play at 1-0-1 (4-2-1 overall).

The Wildcats’ Ava Pelton continued to be the offensive star, scoring three goals and assisting another. She put in Montague’s first two goals, both in a five-minute span in the first half, to give the team an early lead. The second of the two goals was not a shot, but the ball deflected off a Hart defender and into the net, giving Pelton an unexpected tally.

Keeper Addison Pranger delivered the first of her two penalty-kick saves later in the first half, turning aside a free shot from Olivia Bradley with 15:15 left in the first half. Montague added a third goal four minutes before halftime when the Hart keeper saved a Pelton shot, but Lilly Rice gained possession and quickly fired the ball back to the net to make it 3-0.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Hart got on the board early in the first half when Natalie Rosema rebounded Pranger’s second penalty-kick save; Rosema and Pranger collided as the former got her shot off toward the net. Fortunately for the Wildcats, Pelton quickly snuffed out

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

any momentum gained by that goal by breaking into the open field and scoring just 26 seconds later. Angelica Garza was credited with the assist.

Abby Dyer provided the game’s fi-

nal flourish with 23:09 to go, launching a long-distance shot that bounced into an open net after Hart’s keeper came out to defend the ball at the far end of her goalie box.

Whitehall’s Ca’Mar Ready clears the 13-0 mark in pole vault during Tuesday’s WMC Lakes tri meet at Montague. Ready easily won the event as the Viking boys rolled to a sweep of the meet. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague’s Lilly Rice defends against Hart’s Devyn Adams during Monday’s game at Montague. Rice scored a goal in the Wildcats’ 5-1 win.

Whitehall’s Andon Palmer leaps into the long jump pit during Tuesday’s tri meet at Montague. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall’s Cami Kraai (right) leads a pack of runners early in the 800 meters during Tuesday’s WMC Lakes tri at Montague. Kraai won all four of her events, but the Wildcat girls earned the sweep of the tri. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague’s Ava Pelton goes for the steal against a Hart foe during Monday’s WMC game at Montague. Pelton had 3 goals and an assist in a 5-1 win.

Montague Tri

Schneider, Cadence Fox and Ava Pumford (55.26), and the 800 relay saw Erickson, Cederquist, Smith and Johnson get the win (1:55.7).

Erickson, Cederquist, Schneider and Cammie Erickson won the 1,600 relay (4:38.1).

Cami Kraai starred for Whitehall, winning all three of her individual events and anchoring the victorious 3,200 relay. Kraai set a personal best of 12:19.1 to win the 3,200 meters, and also won the 1,600 (5:33.4) and 800 (2:29.7). She and teammates Adalyn Britton Kassidy Parmley and Izzy Hesse won the 3,200 relay (11:47.7).

Aaliyah Jamison was a twotime Viking winner, sweeping the throws. The freshman posted marks of 30-2.5 in shot put and 73-4 in discus. Arianna Black set a personal best in high jump, win-

ning with a mark of 5-2. Jenna Smolen added a 100-meter win, finishing in 14.17 seconds.

Vikes upset by Hart, 2-1

Whitehall took a tough loss to Hart on the road Wednesday evening, 2-1, when the Pirates pushed in a goal with only 5 minutes remaining in the game. It was the first Whitehall loss to the Pirates in 10 years. Kate Beda opened the scoring for Whitehall when her free kick deflected off of traffic in front of the net and made it past the Hart keeper.

Montague’s Britta Johnson set to run track at Davenport

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — Montague se-

nior Britta Johnson became the latest area athlete to announce her college sports plans last Thursday, signing a letter of intent to run track at Division II Davenport University.

Johnson will join older brother Kade, who plays baseball at Lake Michigan College, as a college athlete. Kade, Britta and younger brother Karter are the kids of Montague superintendent Jeff Johnson and his wife Jamie.

Johnson has excelled at middle distance running throughout her Montague career, including as part of the 2022 800-meter relay state championship quartet with Lauren Smith, Maddie Meacham and Natalie Erickson. She said Davenport is eyeing the possibility of having her run middle distance hurdles, although she hasn’t done it since her freshman year of high school.

“I ran with Grand Rapids Fire this winter and I got my 400 time down a lot,” Johnson said. “They were looking at my time and they said, ‘She could be really good at hurdles.’...I’m really excited.”

Johnson, just a sophomore when she helped win that state championship, is now in the position of elder stateswoman of a

young Wildcats’ roster. She credited her former relay teammates, as well as Montague alumnae Claire Meacham, Dreea Atchison and Ally Hall, as being influential in how she approaches that role this spring.

8-7 Ludington 7-8

The teams split a pair of thrillers. Bryton Belinger had the gamewinning RBI double in game one and picked up the win on the mound. Eli Petersen and Cole Herremans each got 2 hits and scored twice, and Kellan Francis and Ryver Jarka also got 2 hits each. In game two, Ludington rallied from a 7-1 deficit to win on a game-ending hit-bypitch. Robby Smith had a 2-run single, and Jack Degen had 2 hits.

Reeths-Puffer 10-15 Holland 0-8

R-P’s bats were strong in an O-K Green sweep. Jack Yonkman had 4 hits in game one, and Brayden Mitchelson had 2 hits and 3 RBI. Trent Reichert allowed just 1 hit in 4 2/3 innings, with 8 strikeouts. Reichert starred at the plate in game two, with a 2-run homer and a 2-run double. Holden Earnest and Cade Paugh each went 4-for-4.

Oakridge 4 Whitehall 2

Game two of the WMC Lakes doubleheader was suspended for darkness with Whitehall leading 2-1 in the 3rd inning. Game one went to the 9th inning before the Eagles scored twice to get the win. Ryne Christensen had a strong start, allowing 1 earned run in 5 2/3 innings and fanning 10.

Montague 10-19 Forest Hills Eastern 9-13

Montague earned a pair of high-scoring wins. Chloe Boutell threw out a base stealer at third to secure the game one win. Jocelyn RodriguezPerez hit a 3-run homer in the game, and Kayden Johnson got 3 hits. In game two, Montague scored multiple runs in all 5 trips to the plate. Kennedy Johnson and Reagan Cederquist each had 3 hits, and Kayden Johnson drove in 5 runs.

Reeths-Puffer 18-11 West Ottawa 0-1

The Rockets were terrific both in the circle and at the plate in a sweep. Kaylee Jones hit a home run in game one. Abbie Critchett had 2 hits and 4 RBI. Lainey McDaniel struck out 8 in game two, and Jones and Kyleigh Bilek eollcected 2 hits apiee.

Whitehall goes 0-2 at Oakridge Tourney Whitehall lost a 13-11 thriller to Zeeland East and fell 26-0 to Wayland. Annabel Kevwitch had 3 hits and 3 RBI vs. Zeeland East, and Evelyn Darke had 2 hits and 4 RBI. Lianne Fagan scored 3 times.

Montague 16-15 Ludington 1-0

The Wildcats smothered Ludington to move to 4-0 in league play. Kayden Johnson and Reagan Cederquist each had 2 hits and scored twice in game one, and Cederquist was impressive in the circle, allowing no earned runs. It was more of the same in game two. Jocelyn RodriguezPerez hit a 2-run homer, Greta Auch had 3 hits, and Abby Thommen had 2 hits with 3 RBI. Thommen pitched a mercy rule-shortened shutout.

Oakridge 16-16 Whitehall 0-1

Whitehall struggled against longtime league powerhouse Oakridge. Kierra Hyrns and Annabel Kevwitch each had 2 hits on the day, including a solo homer by Kevwitch in game two.

Reeths-Puffer 12-11 Holland 1-1

R-P remained undefeated with an impressive sweep. Natalie Kunnen had 3 hits and 3 RBI in game one, and Mady Snyder got the win in the circle. In game two, Snyder hit a home run and Rowan Bluhm and Bilek each had 2 hits. Bilek picked up the win.

Reeths-Puffer 4 Holland 0

R-P got on the board twice in the opening minutes of the game, setting the stage for a shutout win. R-P allowed only 2 shots on goal with a dominating defensive effort.

Reeths-Puffer 2 Fruitport 0

Abby Hill and Alyssa Herbert each scored a goal as the Rockets scored their 2nd consecutive shutout victory.

Whitehall 1 Ludington 1

Whitehall jumped ahead with a second-half goal by Kendall Osborne, assisted by Ava Garcia. Ludington evened the score a few moments later. Grand Haven 1 Reeths-Puffer 0

A second-half goal by the Buccaneers spoiled an impressive effort by R-P, snapping a 3-game unbeaten streak.

Reeths-Puffer 8 Muskegon 0

The Rockets dominated the Big Reds to stay tied with Mona Shores atop the O-K Green. Statistics from the game were not reported at press time.

Reeths-Puffer 1-1 at Union Tri

The Rocket teams easily defeated Union but had a tough go of it against powerhouse Zeeland West. Brooklynn Tornes set a PR and won the 200 meters (28.67), Gabrielle Chevez set a PR of 13:26.5 while winning the 3,200 meters, and Jersi Bilek won the 800 meters. Tornes, Madilynn Smith, Melana Johnson and Amani Starr also won the 400 relay. Tate Bradley earned both wins for the R-P boys, setting a PR of 4:43.4 in the 1,600 and also earning the top spot in the 800.

Golf

Reeths-Puffer 4th at Crestview Jamboree

The Rockets settled for 4th place again in the season’s second jamboree, shooting a 181 - the same score as the first jamboree. Kristian Brown led the team with a 42 (7th overall), followed by Dylan Panozzo with a 45.

Montague senior Britta Johnson (center of front row) celebrates her signing with Davenport University last Thursday at the high school. With Britta in the front row are mom Jamie and brother Kade, and in the back row are brother Karter and dad Jeff.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague’s Isaiah Atchison (left) and Whitehall’s Malcolm Earvin await handoffs from teammates Adam Baird and Ca’Mar Ready in the 400-meter relay during Tuesday’s tri meet at Montague. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Above left, Whitehall’s Allie Van Antwerp tries to ward off a Hart defender for the ball. Above right, Kendall Osborne winds up to boot the ball towards the goal while Brianna Arjona defends for Hart. At right, Anika Culp sends the ball upfield against Arjona. • Brendan Samuels/Mirror

Whitehall boys track edges Reed City for title at Newaygo Invite

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall’s boys track team sent an early message that it intends to once again be among the top groups in the state Friday with an impressive win in the Newaygo Invitational.

The Viking boys scored 165 points, eking out a 3-point win over Reed City among 10 scoring teams. The Whitehall girls finished fifth.

Several event wins propelled Whitehall to the top of the podium, including three individual running victories. Returning

400-meter state champion Trannon Aylor unsurprisingly dusted the field in that event, winning by over three seconds over the nearest competitor with a time of 53.35 seconds. Malcolm Earvin picked up a win in the 100 meters, finishing in a time of 11.01 seconds, and Stewart Waters overwhelmed the competition in the 3,200 meters, coming across in 10:15.99, 36 seconds ahead of anyone else in the field.

Kal Koehler picked up the team’s fourth individual win by topping the field in long jump with a leap of 19-7.5. The Vikings also earned a pair of sprint relay wins;

College signing

“That’s actually been on my mind a lot,” Johnson said. “I try to bring my experience to help improve our team. Our team’s big this year, but our younger girls, I just try to give them an experience those girls gave to me. I want to help them get better, so they can be where (I am now). How I (got to where I) am today is (because)

those girls pushed me harder.”

Johnson said her visit to Davenport made her feel like “family.” She plans to obtain her nursing degree so she can become a flight nurse.

The senior, who moved to Montague in fifth grade when her dad became superintendent, said growing up in the area is a posi-

Kyler Frees, Logan Sines, Ca’Mar Ready and Malcolm Earvin won the 400 relay (45.29), and Frees, Ready, Koehler and Aylor won the 800 relay (1:35.8).

Also for Whitehall, sophomore Caden Bowyer made his varsity debut with a second-place finish in discus (139-10), and Jason Smith was second in shot put, setting a new personal best (44-10). Ayden Mendoza took second in high jump (6-0). Sines was second in the 110 hurdles (16.84).

Returning high jump state finalist Arianna Black highlighted the Whitehall girls’ day, taking second in that event (4-10).

continued from page 5

tive experience filled with healthy competition. Her devotion to track shows no sign of abating as she approaches her college career.

“I love the atmosphere in track,” Johnson said. “You all come together as a whole...It’s my favorite thing to do. When I’m stressed out, I like to go for runs. I just love it.”

Shorthanded Reeths-Puffer drops close match to Holland in league play

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer dropped its O-K Green Conference match to Holland Monday, 5-3. The shorthanded Rockets had to shuffle their lineup to account for a few absences, enabling Holland to pick up a win by default at #3 singles that proved decisive.

R-P dropped to 1-3-2 overall and 0-1-1 in the O-K Green.

The top two singles flights, though, were fruitful for R-P, as their best players earned solid wins. Olivia Harris was dominant at #2 singles, dispatching Abby Sanchez by a 6-1, 6-2 score, and #1 singles player Brooke Titus edged Ahava LeFebre, 6-3, 7-5.

The Rockets’ doubles win came at the #3 flight, where Gabby Borgeson/Malania Eilers rallied from

Daily

Reeths-Puffer T-2nd at Winding Creek Jamboree R-P improved from its previous 4th-place finishes with a total score of 176. Kristian Brown and Dylan Panozzo each shot 42s to lead the wayBrown had a birdie in his round - and Ayden Hartzell shot a 43.

Montague edges Whitehall at Orchard View Jamboree

Montague finished 3rd with a team score of 167, four shots ahead of 4thplace Whitehall. Brayden Bultema led 3 Wildcats in the top 10, shooting a 40, and Jack Bailey and Trevin Silvers each added a 42. Brady Tate led local players with a 40 for Whitehall, and Braedon Bond shot a 43.

Lacrosse

Reeths-Puffer 14 G.R. Christian 11

R-P stormed back from a 7-0 deficit to secure a dramatic win. Kyler Brainard had 4 goals, and JT Fansler had 2, as well as 6 assists. Cohen Beck chipped in 3 goals in the win.

Reeths-Puffer 9 Jenison 5

Kyler Brainard and Carson Cooper each had 3 goals to lead the Rockets’ attack. Gavin Wright enjoyed a strong game in goal.

Tennis

R-P beats Whitehall at Grand Haven Quad

The Rockets went 1-2, beating the Vikings 6-2. Olivia Harris won all 3 of her matches for R-P at #2 singles. Both squads lost matches to Zeeland East and Grand Haven. Alivia DeWildt’s close win vs. the Chix was among the higlights of the day for Whitehall.

Whitehall 4 North Muskegon 4

Emily VanDam/Sophia McCreedy eked out a 6-1, 1-6, 10-8 win at #2 doubles to salvage a tie. Brianna Bentz/Akeelah Martin won at #1 doubles, and Izzy Gould and Ella Nicholson won singles matches.

Whitehall Manistee PPD

The scheduled Coastal Conference dual was rained out Wednesday and rescheduled for Thursday, April 25.

White River Twp. opts out of brining roads for 3rd straight year

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — The White River Township board elected to opt out of brining its roads for the third straight year Tuesday, April 9 at its monthly meeting. The road brining would have cost the township $7,345.75 in a 50/50 split with the county.

Reeths-Puffer’s Olivia Harris lines up a shot during Monday’s match against Holland. Harris picked up a win in her flight, but Holland won the match, 5-3.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Community Calendar

Hike the Lights @ Muskegon Luge, 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Free access to hiking trails. Pets welcome if leashed and cleaned up after.

Saturday, April 20

Put ‘N’ Store Grand Opening Open House, 12 to 4 p.m. 5070 Industrial Park Dr. in Montague. Ribbon cutting at 12:15. All are welcome.

Nook Knitting Group @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 1 to 3 p.m. All are welcome.

Bring Your Pot to Fetch Day, 4 to 7 p.m. Bring your Crock-Pot dish of choice and join the potluck. Bowls, plates and utensils provided.

Sunday & Monday, April 21-22 Earth Day nature hike @ Clear Springs Nature Preserve, 12 to 2 p.m. Hosted by the Mon-

tague branch of the Muskegon Area District Library. Free, but registration required through the library’s website.

Monday, April 22

Stuffed animal sleepover @ White Lake Community Library. Special story time for kids and their stuffed animals at 4:30 p.m. The animals then stay over at the library; social media posts will show kids what their animals get up to overnight! Animals can then be picked up Tuesday.

Tuesday, April 23

Steve Thielman performs @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 10 a.m. to noon.

Wednesday, April 24

Lunchtime guitar with Eric Michaels and Chris Kennedy a@ Book Nook & Java Shop, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Snacktivity @ Montague Library, 3 to 5 p.m. Games, crafts,

Lego and more. Snacks provided.

Thursday, April 25

Free general admission every Thursday @ the Muskegon Museum of Art, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

ACWL-Nuveen Adult Open Studio, 11 to 1 p.m.

Teen Game Night @ White Lake Community Library, 5 to 6:30 p.m. Games provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own as well. Open to grades 7-12.

Livestrong with Muskegon YMCA @ Viking Athletic Center. Focusing on cancer survivors’ health. 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. No cost to participate. Sign up at muskegonymca.org/livestrong.

Friday, April 26

Community Yoga @ Fruitland Twp. Hall, 10 to 11 a.m. Free to participate, open to all ages and skill levels.

The board voted 4-1 to opt out, with supervisor Ron Bailey the dissenting vote. During discussion, the board noted that in previous years, the brining resulted in an increased salt content in local waters. Additionally, the board seemed to believe past years’ brining had not made a significant difference in the quality of roads. Road brining brings underground moisture to the surface and is intended to limit the amount of dust kicked up by driving.

Also Tuesday, the township unanimously renewed its online subscription to services provided by the Michigan Township Association, which cost $1,000 for the year. The services include 35 webinars that keep board members up to speed with planning, zoning and other relevant topics.

The board had “no real update” on the planned Hancock Road repairs, for which it committed $106,000 at its March meeting. Bailey said the ball is currently in the county’s court to determine what repairs it wants done and what the township is permitted to do, using the example of where a walkway could be placed.

While there is no change in the cost to the township, the board noted it would now be splitting its share of Sports n’ Shorts costs with the city of Montague instead of Montague Township after the latter elected not to participate in the program this year. The White Lake Area Community Education summer program offers activities to schoolchildren ages 5 to 12 Mondays through Thursdays from July 8 to Aug. 8.

The board said it had received an update about the Lakeside Solar court case at a special meeting April 1. As the update took place in a closed session, there was no further discussion on the matter. As of now, the case is still slated to be heard in July.

Trustee Laura Anderson reported the White Lake Ambulance Authority had approved a $1 per hour wage increase for part-time personnel for the next six months, after which the raise will be reviewed. The raise did not require a budget amendment, as the existing budget allowed for the raise.

White River Township’s free dump day of May 1 was discussed, and clerk Debbi Sargent encouraged township residents who do not need to utilize their $25 coupon to sign up for it anyway and allow a fellow resident who may have more to bring to the dump site to use it instead.

a first-set defeat to knock off Haleigh Souder/Kristin Messer, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3.

Rothbury residents protest

Electric Forest change

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

ROTHBURY — While the item wasn’t on the agenda, Rothbury residents made their presence known Tuesday evening at the village council’s monthly meeting to protest the decision by Electric Forest to modify its neighborhood wristband program.

Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns and operates Electric Forest, in March that Rothbury residents who live in EF’s footprint would no longer receive complimentary daily passes to the festival, set for June 20-23 this year. Instead, neighbors can sign up online for passes to the Sunday of the festival, with the option to purchase discounted passes to the entire event.

The public comment period of Tuesday’s meeting revolved mostly around that announcement, with several speakers expressing displeasure with the move. One commenter said local residents view the passes as “compensation” for the interruption to their daily routine caused by festival traffic, adding the hope that such compensation could be achieved other ways, such as a strict ban on noise beyond a certain hour, with fines going to affected residents.

Trustee Mike Harris, who ran the meeting in the absence of president Vern Talmadge while the latter was in a training program, read a statement on behalf of the council addressing the concerns. The public commenters noted the proximity of the wristband announcement to January’s mass-gathering permit renewal that enables Electric Forest to operate, though Harris’ statement said the two items were unrelated and that the council was as taken by surprise

as residents were by the change to the program.

This did little to quiet the discontent among meeting attendees, a couple of whom noted that the meeting’s agenda also mentioned a potential ordinance change that would permit the council to appoint the treasurer and the clerk rather than them being elected positions. The citizens felt the change, which was not voted on Tuesday as an amended ordinance was not yet ready to present, was an attempt to head off electoral repercussions for the Electric Forest permit renewal and wristband change.

As for the regularly scheduled meeting items, the council continued to discuss the possibility of providing trash service to local residents through Kuerth’s Disposal of Twin Lake. Kuerth’s co-owner Jackie Kunnen was in attendance to take questions from the council about some particulars, and the council appeared receptive to what they heard. No firm date was set for service to begin, but all signs point to it doing so. Kunnen said the company has a list of Rothbury residents it currently serves, and if the village wanted to begin service prior to the beginning of the third quarter, it would issue prorated refunds to those who previously paid for second-quarter services.

The council also updated residents on the Czarny Park grant request, which the village is pursuing in order to facilitate park upgrades. The applications were sent in for both the Recreation Passport grant and the DNR’s Trust Fund grant, with the latter being a larger grant that would help fund more substantive upgrades. The village will hear back about potential tweaks to its application by September, with a final decision set for December.

Whitehall board thanks Steve Aardema upon his retirement

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — Whitehall’s school board didn’t get a chance to celebrate retired technology director Steve Aardema at Monday’s monthly meeting because, as superintendent Jerry McDowell joked, “he snuck out between board meetings.”

Aardema retired April 10 and quickly left for a deserved vacation, receiving an internal retirement luncheon before his departure. His original retirement date was at the end of the month before being moved up.

McDowell said Aardema was among the hardest workers he’d been around in education, saying “he would literally get on his hands and knees” to help with something if needed, noting repair jobs he’d been part of in the past. Aardema was also credited with spending time training Tayler Zweigle, who is inheriting many of his responsibilities, over the past couple of years to ensure a seamless transition. Zweigle holds the title of accounting specialist, and she, along with McDowell and assistant superintendent CJ Van Wieren, will share Aardema’s former role.

Beyond that, the board approved a

$93,750 purchase of 375 Chromebooks and licenses from Hewlett-Packard from its technology and security fund. The Chromebooks will be used to update the store of devices for sixth and seventh-graders’ use at the middle school, as well as ensuring adequate supply for high schoolers’ use and for students at the Duck Creek Learning Center. McDowell said the board chose to spend slightly more - $14 per device - on a higher-quality model in hopes they would last longer.

The board also discussed, but did not vote on, the possibility that the district will have to replace its phone system, which it said is out of date. McDowell said the district has maintained it so far but it will need replacement, and preliminary estimates have the cost at about $200,000 for installation throughout the district. The district has underspent in technology the past two years, which could help account for the expenditure once it is made.

There was also some discussion of the budget for 2024-25, which is being affected by 2023 failures of millage requests at the ballot box. McDowell said some budget reductions are being discussed, but overall things are progressing well there.

Playhouse at White Lake hosts Elephant/Man premiere

The Playhouse at White Lake will host the world premiere of a new adaptation of Elephant/Man by Del Martin, Thursday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m.

The White Lake Dramatic Club, a volunteer-run community, will put on the performance. The club, in existence since 1915, always welcomes new members.

The story of Joseph Merrick (a.k.a. The Elephant Man) comes to life in this retelling, featuring an ensemble of

performers that share the role of Merrick. Whether on a bare stage or with an elaborate set, this a play shines the spotlight on the vivid inner life of Joseph Merrick, and his relationship with the good Dr. Treves. This classic story of the ultimate outcast feels as fresh and as relevant as ever.

Tickets are $12 for students, $20 for adults, or pay what you can for any show time.