The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 45, April 5, 2024

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Silver Lake, Hart and Mears at the fairgrounds

Trinity Lutheran Church in New Era

Walkerville at the Village Park

Easter Egg Hunts across Oceana County

Shelby-Benona Fire Department battles blaze in Benona that injured one of its own

In the morning, just before 7:30 a.m. Friday, March 29, the Shelby-Benona Fire Department, along with mutual aid departments, were dispatched to a residential structure fire in Benona Township. Upon arrival, the first arriving crews found a two-story home with smoke and flames coming through the roof.

Following a 360-degree size-up of the scene, crews made an interior offensive attack on the fire, knocking it down and stopping any further spread into the residence. Crews remained on scene, doing overhauls and searching for hot spots.

During the incident, a Shelby-Benona Fire Department firefighter had to be evaluated and later transported by LIFE EMS to Trin-

ity Health Lakeshore Hospital in Shelby with non-life-threatening injuries. That firefighter has since been discharged from the hospital and cleared to return to duty.

This fire marks the department’s second fire in district, in as many months at a residence that did not have properly placed and working smoke detectors in the home. Though all residents and animals were able to self-evacuate from the structure this time, that is not always the case.

The department wants to remind everyone that, if they or someone they know needs smoke detectors, reach out to them or any local fire department. They

will come to your home and install the detectors completely free of charge.

The department was assisted on scene by the Hart Area Fire Department, Grant Township Fire Department, Ferry Township Fire Department, LIFE EMS and the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office while on scene. Also helping during the incident were Mason-Oceana 9-1-1, Great Lakes Energy, Oceana County Victim Services and the Grant Township Rehab Trailer.

For any fire safety questions or concerns, please contact the Shelby-Benona Fire Department via phone, email or Facebook. In the event of an emergency, always call 9-1-1.

LundBorg named Hart Rotary Citizen of the Year

Peter LundBorg was recently named Citizen of the Year for 2023 by the Hart Rotary Club. Since his retirement from the DNR, Pete has tirelessly worked as a volunteer to better our community. He serves on the Oceana County Parks and Recreation Commission and on the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center Board. Pete designed and built the Cedar Park stairway to the beach, built bookcases for the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society, volunteers as an usher for the Performing Arts Series and helps service clubs with highway trash pickup projects. Pete and his wife, Joan, reside in Pentwater, where he is the handyman for his extended neighborhood, repairing items that need to be fixed. He continually exemplifies the Rotary motto: “Service above Self.”

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Tool donation honors

John Wade’s 50-year legacy

Last November, the Shelby-Benona Fire Department lost one of its legacy members, John F. Wade. John was a member of the department for 50 years; it was ingrained in who he was until the day he passed and now beyond.

On Monday, March 18, prior to their monthly training meeting, ranking members met with John’s widow, Marcella, and their family as the department took ownership of and would later that night place into service a new set of battery powered Milwaukee Tools. These tools were purchased with the funds graciously donated in John’s honor at his funeral. These tools will replace some outdated and broken equipment, along with adding some specialty tools to the department’s arsenal.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication and commitment that John made to this community and this department. Nor would it have been possible without the outreaching support of this community toward John and the Shelby-Benona Fire Department. The department would also like to thank Rivers Ace Shelby for aiding in the purchase and ordering of these tools.

Hart Rotary Club President Austin Garcia, above left, and Walt Urick, above right, recently presented Pete LundBorg with a plaque honoring him as the 2023 Citizen of the Year.

• Contributed photo

• Amanda Dodge/Echo

• Paul Erickson/Echo

• Contributed Photos

A Faithful Focus: Redeemed, now reaching

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

“I hadn’t talked to God in a long time. But I prayed. I said, ‘If you’re real, you gotta help me’.” Back in 1994, that prayer would become the saving grace for the current Oceana County Jail Chaplain, Bill Ryder. After hearing the rest of his story, you almost cannot believe that his past includes being sentenced to a maximum-security prison after a 19year addiction to methamphetamine. He has been clean now for nearly 30 years.

Raised in Clare, Mich., Ryder moved to California in 1978, where he started using meth and would continue for the next 19 years. After numerous drug-related offenses, the judge finally sentenced Ryder to a 10-year joint suspension. He was told on the bus ride there, “You better know how to fight when you get off this bus.” However, Ryder knew one misstep, and he’d be sentenced for the full 10 years with no questions asked. Knowing the life that awaited him at the end of his bus ride, he did the only thing he could think to do: pray.

“One of the first people I met once I got there was the chaplain, who gave me a ‘Free on the Inside’ Bible and told me I’d need it for the rest of my life. I knew God had answered my prayer. I made a promise to be as committed to Him and his ways as much as I was committed to being a drug addict. I started reading the Bible that day and have not gone a day without reading it since,” Ryder said.

Ryder surrendered his life to the Lord while in prison, and in 1995, after his first year inside, his case was reassessed and he was released. He was told if he ever had another altercation, he would be sentenced to the full ten-year sentence. After leaving prison, he said, “I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to leave California. I planned to move back to Clare, but I had a brother who lived in Oceana County, so we decided to move here. He also heard God telling him to go into the jails and prisons and tell inmates what God had done for him. “I told God, ‘I’m not walking into any jail.’ But God, in His great mercy, paved the way,” Ryder said.

“Many doubt jailhouse salvations,” he went on to say. “Sometimes a decision made in jail or prison doesn’t stick. But over the last five years (in the local jail ministry), the recidivism I’ve seen has been less and less.” He truly believes that between the jail ministry and various programs available to individuals after they leave jail, they are helping individuals maintain a clean lifestyle and have success outside of jail.

When Ryder first moved back, he and his wife got involved with another jail ministry in the Muskegon area. Then Ryder connected with Jerry Thorne, the long-time Oceana County jail chaplain, who asked him to join the ministry. Once approved to volunteer, he hasn’t missed a week since. Oceana’s jail ministry partnered with Reach the Forgotten Ministry in 2018, and Ryder was named head chaplain.

According to https://jailministry.org, Reach the Forgotten Jail Ministry (RTF), formerly “Forgotten Man Ministry,” is a nationwide organization with chapters in every state. It is a biblically-based, chaplain-led ministry where volunteer teams visit inmates regularly, offering hope through teaching, preaching and showing the love of Jesus Christ. They believe that every inmate who returns home can start a new life, become a productive citizen

and never return to jail. In the process, families are transformed, churches are renewed and communities are rebuilt. Currently, there are 35 active chapters in counties across Michigan.

“The incarcerated and their families often think jail is the end of their lives. They often feel ‘forgotten’,” Ryder shared. “One of my favorite things to do is to help inmates understand who they are from God’s perspective over their own perspective of who they are. It is about being there, showing up, and letting them know that there are people who care about their life and future. Four out of five inmates have lived the addiction experience. Having been there myself helps to break barriers and creates a connection.”

“I love Oceana and have been so impressed with the work Bill and his group of volunteers do there. For being a smaller county jail, they are really involved. Bill truly loves this population,” Reach the Forgotten Director of Programs and Outreach Erika Mariglia said.

Spiritual services are available to any inmate who asks. In Oceana, volunteers visit every Thursday going cell-to-cell meeting with those who have signed up for bible studies, prayer or “Freedom Appointments,”  sessions led by specially trained volunteers and geared to help inmates address past trauma. Volunteers often visit the jail on Sunday afternoons as well, meeting one-on-one with inmates in a private setting out of their cells. In addition, there is a female chaplain and volunteer team who do all the exact same programming with any female inmate who requests it.

“Most addicts come to a point where they are confronted with the choice to give up their addiction or to die in it,” Ryder shared. “But God, in His mercy, says, ‘No, it’s not time for you to die; it’s time for you to get connected’.”

Thanks to the many relationships Ryder has built in the community, inmates have more options

once they leave incarceration. Ryder is also one of the founding members of the new “Elevate” sober living program being established on State Street in Hart.

“The cooperation of the jail administration has been phenomenal. The staff and corrections officers are Godly men and women who are an important part of us being able to reach the forgotten in the Oceana County Jail,” Ryder said.

People interested in volunteering or giving financially to Reach the Forgotten Ministries may visit https://jailministry.org to learn more, or they may contact Ryder personally at 231-742-6209. The public is also invited to their annual Oceana County Fundraising Banquet to be held Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at 6 p.m. at the Heritage Wedding Barn, located at 813 S. 32nd Ave., Shelby. Reservations are requested by June 6 and can be made at https:// jailministry.org/banquet/oceana/.

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Board of commissioners unanimously approve full body scanner purchase to prevent drug abuse in the Oceana County Jail

By Steve Gunn The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Over the past 18 months, at least four inmates have managed to smuggle “deadly narcotics” into the Oceana County Jail, including one bag of pure fentanyl, according to the memo sent by the Sheriff’s Department to the Oceana County Board of Commissioners.

To curb that problem – and eliminate the need for imperfect and very personal strip searches during the jail intake process - the board of commissioners voted 5-0 on Thursday, March 28, to allow the Sheriff’s Department to purchase and install a “Tek84 Intercept Full Body Scanner” that will be used on all incoming inmates at a cost of $142,500.

At least $92,500 of the money will come from the jail’s commissary fund, according to county documents. The Sheriff’s Department will apply for a $50,000 grant through the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority to defray some of the cost.

The need for the body scanner is clear because drug abuse has become so common in society, particularly among people who typically end up in jail, according to Sheriff’s Department officials.

In a memo to county commissioners, they wrote that “statistics indicate 70 percent of subjects coming to jail are addicted to prescription or illicit drugs. Obviously, at this point, everyone knows the current crisis of fentanyl in our community.

“We believe this machine will reduce drug overdoses and help protect the health and safety of all of

those in jail, as well as reduce our risk of liability.”

On March 11, an inmate under the influence of fentanyl and heroin attempted suicide in the jail’s intake shower and was prevented from taking his own life by alert jail staff, according to Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast.

Drugs are found and confiscated from inmates “quite frequently” during the strip search process during intake, according to Sheriff’s Lt. Mark Schneider, the jail administrator. But there is evidence that quite a few drugs have been successfully smuggled into the facility and never discovered by authorities, he said.

“We have some evidence that we haven’t been able to catch it all,” said Schneider. “When someone becomes erratic and there is no apparent reason for them to change their demeanor to that extreme, we put them in holding cells to monitor them. They are not going to tell us (about using drugs), but based on what we’re seeing, probably a few more than what we know have gotten some kind of narcotics into the jail.”

The current climate in the courts has made the drug problem worse in jails, according to the Sheriff’s Department memo.

“Bonds are now lowered nationally to allow inmates to get out of jail quicker to fight their cases, but their addiction remains,” the memo said. “Now, these inmates are bonding out of jail and then ‘catching’ a second case before they have been sentenced on the first case. This greatly increases the opportunity to bring contraband into the jail.

“Additionally, courts are using a

Oceana Center Grange Agricultural Report for April 2024

By Phil Carter

The Oceana Echo Agricultural Consultant

Things are very slow in ripening in the land of Oceana! March was a roller coaster weather pattern, and April seems rather unpredictable, too. Orchard sprayers have been active in desirable weather, with most activity applying peach leaf curl materials. Apple buds are very close to the first green tip issue showing, and higher predicted temperatures this week will bring out sprayers for the first fungicide applications. Last year, records indicated the first apple sprays were applied three weeks later. In agriculture, the only constant thing is change, and most will be ready for it.

The major focus now is the container ship destroying the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore and the resulting loss of life for bridge workers. This event will impact most Americans since Baltimore is a major deep-water shipping port handling imported vehicles and, more importantly, incoming agricultural equipment and fertilizers, especially liquid nitrogen solutions. Grain export shipments will not be greatly affected with the river terminals taking up some of these shipments.

The cleanup of the damage will take a massive effort in terms of time, equipment, manpower and finances. Most dock workers will be out of work for the

‘delayed sentence’ approach. This means the offender gets sentenced, but the judge doesn’t remand them immediately to jail. Instead, they are given time to get their affairs in order and then come to jail. This allows them to prepare for jail by ingesting or inserting plastic bags of drugs into their bodies so it can be consumed or shared after coming to jail.”

The current strip search process is not a solution to the problem, according to officials.

In the memo to county commissioners, the Sheriff’s Department wrote that “currently, the Oceana County Jail staff strip searches every arrest coming into the jail.”

That was written in error, according to Sheriff Mast. Strip searches are not applied to people who are booked and immediately released, but they are performed on all inmates who are lodged in the jail for any amount of time.

The process will never be able to detect all the drugs, because some inmates ingest or otherwise conceal them in body cavities, according to Schneider.

The new scanner will be able to detect and reveal drugs anywhere on or inside the body, Schneider said.

“The scanner can detect if you are constipated,” he said.

Meanwhile, the strip search process is not appropriate for all inmates. Some do not meet the “reasonable cause” threshold for a strip

search, as required by state law, but have to go through the process anyway.

“It might be someone who made the mistake of drinking too much before driving – it could be an (otherwise) outstanding citizen,” Schneider said.

Despite that, Sheriff’s Department officials feel compelled to strip search everyone who will be lodged in the jail, due to the drug problems that have occurred in the facility.

“We have had incidents where people have brought contraband into the jail and nearly overdosed, which is something we’re working every day to prevent,” Schneider said.

The new body scanner – which will also be used to monitor inmate mail and packages – will make the detection of illegal drugs much easier, more thorough and less invasive, according to Mast.

Allegan, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Chippewa, Clinton, Ingham, Macomb, Manistee, Monroe, Ottawa, Saginaw, Van Buren and Wayne counties have recently purchased the same type of scanner, and reports indicate that the equipment has been effective, Mast said.

“We have been told that there has never been anything quite this accurate,” Mast said about the body scanner. “It’s easy for the operator to view it. We will be able to see it, understand it and realize what it is. We have been hearing success stories.”

duration of repairs. A rumor is circulating that the riverbed also contains a large, high pressure gas line.

On the home front, some H-2A workers are beginning to arrive, and more will be here soon as spring work and the asparagus harvest approaches. Housing is being prepared, waiting for inspection, along with buses and vans used to transport these employees.

Cunning Corbin and the county seat

By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

Early on in Oceana’s history, particularly before the automobile became commonplace, there was a lot of inter-township rivalry. This rivalry manifested itself in many ways, but probably none as clear or competitive as the push for a railroad or for the county seat. In 1990, the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society put together the first volume of their compendium covering the history of our county. In it, they cover the multi-decade battle between the villages for the county seat in shrewd detail, and it is that which I would like to share with you today.

As Oceana grew and more and more townships began to crop up, the need for permanent government buildings became more and more apparent. In the OCH&GS’s book, they rather astutely point out that “these had to be, not on the extreme edge of the county, far remote from the center of population, but as near the middle of the settlement growth as possible.” Anyone with a map can tell that Hart is not quite in the center of the county, so how exactly did that happen? This is where a man named Lyman B. Corbin comes in, a settler from Dryden, New York. In 1863, Corbin came to the board of supervisors with an offer: he promised $1,000 in cash plus a temporary courthouse building if the board would make Hart the county seat. Up until this time, Whiskey Creek had served as the county seat, and Pentwater was the most promising developing region. But Mr. Corbin was, as the OCH&GS put it, rather “unperturbed by the fact that the village of Hart consisted… of a small mill operated by himself and one other board dwelling in which, apparently, his son-in-law, Wellington Hart, lived and operated a trading post.” It is also believed that Corbin’s

son-in-law is Hart’s namesake, although “there is no record of any kind to substantiate this.”

Following Corbin’s offer, the board made a special visit to Hart to view the site. It was decided to change the county seat, and despite Pentwater’s frustration, Hart won the vote 229 to 223. Corbin gave the deed on Sept. 10, 1864, and “in the deed was a clause which stated that the ownership of the property would revert to Corbin or his heirs if permanent county buildings were not erected on it within 20 years, or if it were ever abandoned as the county seat.” And thus began the decades-long struggle for other villages to steal the seat and the board’s desperate attempts to keep it in Hart.

With the $1,000, the supervisors built a new jailhouse and set up shop in the 16-by-24-foot building that previously served as a trading post. Corbin’s daughter and sonin-law, who were previously living in the building, “vanished from the Hart scene” around this time, and Corbin immediately traded off his mill and began selling lots and recruiting businessmen. “The results were phenomenal,” according to the OCH&GS, “within five years, Hart had all manner of businesses, including a newspaper. It had rapidly growing blocks of residences, a school and two churches. It was, in short, a thriving town and prosperous business center. And the county offices needed more room.” With each advancement, the other villages’ frustration rose. Around 1870, the board bought a 120-acre lot just north of Hart to be used as a poor farm, causing a “storm of protests… from Pentwater and the southern townships…. Such a purchase smacked too clearly of the permanence of the county seat of Hart.”

In 1871, Pentwater extended an invitation to the board of supervisors to all come visit. When they arrived, they were met with a brass

band, expensive cigars, a rich banquet and lavish entertainment. Of course, “no one was at all blind to what this meant.” In 1872, the first railroad would come to Pentwater, giving the citizens an even stronger desire for the county seat. The business leaders in Hart of course desired a rail immensely; however, “there was simply nothing they could do about the fact that Hart was surrounded by a rim of high hills which the railroad interests could not afford to surmount. The railroad came directly northward through the more heavily settled part of the county, then swung out to miss Hart on the west by four miles.” Shortly after the rail arrived, two new towns sprang up along the line: Mears and Barnett (later becoming Shelby), both of which were also vying for the county seat.

But even as the board of supervisors turned a blind eye to the blatant bribery employed by Pentwater, they still hadn’t done the one thing they absolutely needed to do in order to secure the future of the county seat, which was to build a permanent courthouse. In 1872, they finally considered constructing a brick courthouse, but “the idea was promptly killed by a counter motion from the Shelby supervisor.” Through the subsequent spring, delegations from Mears, Shelby and Pentwater would all come before the board, urging them to move the county seat to their respective villages. The appeals continued to fall on deaf ears. Then, in 1873, another resolution was put together to construct a permanent courthouse in Hart, this time bringing “a resounding ‘no’ from both Shelby and Pentwater and also from two southern townships, Grant and Benona.” Despite facing even more rejections than before, they still carried the resolution and drew up plans for a new frame building.

The plans were set to be brought

before the board in December, but before that could happen, another very generous resolution was put together by Shelby. If the county seat was moved to Shelby, they promised to pay for the construction of a courthouse, and they offered courthouse square for free. “The vote on this tied 8 to 8,” the OCH&GS wrote, “It failed only because Pentwater abandoned the Shelby forces in the showdown. The much larger northern village still had hopes of getting the seat for itself.” Pentwater then made their own offer, but it was Mears who made the most attractive offer of all, offering not only a square but $10,000 to the board. Despite all this, a motion to build in Hart was passed on Dec. 19. “The contract was let at once to David Benham for the exact figure estimated. It was completed and accepted Aug. 18, 1874.” This was not, however, the end of the battle for the county seat, but it was the end of the threat of Corbin’s deed. Had Hart failed to secure the seat or to build a courthouse, and the properties all reverted to Corbin, how damaging would that have been to not only the board of supervisors but to the businessmen and institutions who put their money in Hart?

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.

March 13- May 29 - Oceana Conservation District

Knee-High Naturalist Forest School Program

PLA board meeting planned for April 15

The Pentwater Lake Association board of directors will meet Monday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Centenary Methodist Church at 82 N. Hancock St., Pentwater. The public is invited to attend; enter at the Hancock Street Hall entrance. Membership in the PLA is open to all individuals interested in the lake, its natural resources, and its water quality. Members do not have to own lake property in order to join the non-profit organization. More details and past meeting minutes are available at www.pentwaterlakeassociation.com.

Reunión comunitaria de reconstrucción el próximo miércoles

Por Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo - Colaborador de la comunidad

El Comité de “Reconstrucción de la Comunidad” de Walkerville programó su próxima reunión para el miércoles 10 de abril a partir de las 7 p.m. La reunión se llevará a cabo en la Iglesia Metodista de Walkerville, ubicada en 189 East Main Street en Walkerville. Todos los miembros interesados de la comunidad son bienvenidos y alentados a venir.

El comité, formado como resultado de la Evaluación de la Comunidad, realizada recientemente por Oceana Community Foundation, espera planificar eventos y actividades que ayuden a promover la comunidad de Walkerville entre los residentes locales y los visitantes por igual.

En la reunión del comité celebrada el martes 26 de marzo, el grupo de voluntarios revisó una lista de ideas para crear comunidad generadas en las recientes reuniones de evaluación. El grupo ha decidido comenzar con una limpieza de primavera en toda la aldea a principios de mayo, un evento del Día de los Caídos que se llevará a cabo el mismo Día de los Caídos y una celebración navideña en diciembre. El éxito de todos los eventos y actividades dependerá de la participación y el apoyo de toda la comunidad.

El comité está muy entusiasmado con la oportunidad de unirse como comunidad y comenzar a reconstruir Walkerville. Aquellos que no puedan asistir, pero quieran ofrecer su opinión o tienen preguntas, deben comunicarse con Cecelia Hopkins, voluntaria de Americorps con la fundación comunitaria al 231-869-3377 o cecelia@oceanafoundation.org.

April 8 - Total eclipse of the Sun, 3:11 p.m.

April 8 - Lego play time, Hesperia Community Library, all day

April 8 - Solar Eclipse Celebration, Hesperia Community Library, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

April 9 - Tech Hour, Hesperia Comm. Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

April 9 - Author Erin Bartels, 2024 Michigan Notable Books

Author Tour, Hart Community Center, 10 a.m.

April 10 - Open House for retiring Shelby Township Clerk Marilyn Glover, Shelby Township Office, 2-4 p.m.

April 10 - “Rebuilding” Community Committee meeting, Walkerville Methodist Church, 7 p.m. All welcome!

April 11 - Teen Night, Hesperia Comm. Library, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

April 12 - Story Time, Hesperia Comm. Library, 10-11 a.m.

April 12 - Hart Performing Arts Series, Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Hart Public Schools Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

April 13 - Walkerville Daddy Daughter Dance, 6-7 p.m.

April 15 - Hart Public Schools Board of Ed. meeting, 6 p.m.

April 15 - After School Movie, Hesperia Community Library, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Rebuilding Community Meeting next Wednesday

By Sharon Hallack

Oceana

The

Echo Community Contributor

Walkerville’s “Rebuilding Community” Committee has scheduled its next meeting for Wednesday, April 10 starting at 7 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Walkerville Methodist Church, located at 189 E. Main St. in Walkerville. All interested community members are welcome and encouraged to come.

The committee, formed as a result of the Community Assessment recently conducted by the Oceana Community Foundation, hopes to plan events and activities that will help promote the Walkerville community to local residents and visitors alike.

At the committee meeting that took place Tuesday, March 26, the group of volunteers reviewed a list of ideas for creating community generated at the recent assessment meetings. The group has decided to start with a village-wide spring clean-up sometime in early May, a Memorial Day event to be held on Memorial Day and a Christmas celebration in December. The success of all events and activities will depend on the entire community’s involvement and support.

The committee is very excited about the chance to come together as a community and to begin rebuilding Walkerville. Those who cannot attend but would like to offer input or have questions, should contact Cecelia Hopkins, AmeriCorps Volunteer with the community foundation at 231-869-3377 or cecelia@oceanafoundation.org

OCCOA offers many April events for area seniors

The following are OCCOA events for April. All activities take place at the Oceana County Council on Aging, located at 4250 W. Tyler Rd. in Hart, unless stated otherwise. Please call 873-4461 to sign up or make meal reservations.

Breakfast is available on Thursday mornings, 8:30–9 a.m. Cost: $3, reservations required.  Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program - during Open Enrollment; call 873-4461 to schedule an appointment.

Strength and Balance: Mondays and Wednesdays, April 8, 15, 17, 22, 24 and 29; 10 a.m.

Gentle Yoga: Tuesdays, April 9, 16, 23, and 30; 10:30 a.m.

Drum Fitness with Gwen: Fridays, April 12 and 26; 10 a.m.

Thai Chi: Mondays and Wednesdays, April 8, 15, 17, 22, 24 and 29; 9 a.m.

Zumba: Fridays, April 12, 19 and 26; 9 a.m.

Sardinia Dinner: Saturday, April 6; 5:30 p.m. RSVP by April 3 $27.50

Quilt Class: Friday, April 5; 9 a.m. $15, lunch included.

Cleaning MDOT Highway Adventure: Tuesday, April 16; 1:30 p.m.

Shopping Trip: Friday, April 19; 9 a.m.

Beltone: Wednesday, April 24; by appointment

Butterfly Garden: Tuesday, April 23; 9 a.m. $30

Caregiver Support Group: Wednesday, April 17; 2 p.m.

Art with Bradley Youngstrom: Mondays, April 8 and 22; 10 a.m. Cost: $15, reservations required.

Board Meeting: Tuesday, April 30; 1:30 p.m., location: Oceana County Council on Aging.

Parmenter O’Toole Office Hours: Please call 8734461 for an appointment.

Lauren Eisenbarth, an elder law paralegal for Attorney Anna Urick Duggins of Parmenter Law, will offer a half-hour, no-charge introductory meeting from 2-4 p.m. at Oceana County Council on Aging.

Topics to discuss include elder law services such as estate planning, long-term care planning, Medicaid planning and VA aid and attendance.

Other Activities:

Farkle: Mondays at 10 a.m.

Mexican Train: Mondays from 9-11 a.m.

Walk With Friends: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 1:30 p.m.

Mahjong: Tuesdays from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.

Fitness at Hesperia American Legion: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9–10 a.m.

Euchre: Wednesdays from 10–11:30 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.

Quilting: Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Beltone Hearing Clinic: fourth Wednesday of the month, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 231-843-3039 for an appointment.

Bingo: Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

Blood Pressure Checks: Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon.

Bridge: Thursdays from 1-3 p.m.

Cribbage: Fridays at 9:30 a.m.

Cards & Games: daily following lunch.

Keith Alan VanBrocklin

February 26, 1949 ~ March 24,

Keith Alan VanBrocklin, 75, of Pentwater, passed away Sunday, March 24, 2024. He was a loving husband, fa ther, son, uncle and friend who will be deeply missed.

Keith was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing and golfing. He also co-owned and operated Target Mold Corporation in Muskegon until his retirement.

Keith is survived by: his wife, Kathleen VanBrocklin; son, Mark Bowling; son and daughter, Derek VanBrocklin and Danielle Kinny, and their mother, Joann McCarthy; and five grandchildren.

Keith was preceded in death by: his parents and seven siblings.

2024

In accordance with Keith’s wishes, cremation has taken place, and no services will be held at this time.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com

Diane Spencer Carlson

January 7, 1959 ~ March 23, 2024

Diane Spencer Carlson, 65, of Pentwater, Mich., former ly of St. Johns, Mich., passed away at the Leila and Cyrus Poppen Residence in Muskegon, Mich., on March 23, 2024. She went peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones, following a nine-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.

She was born Jan. 7, 1959, in Columbus, Ind., the daughter of Lloyd and Sue Spencer. Diane graduated from Grosse Pointe South High School in 1977. She then attended Northern Michigan University, where she met the love of her life, Mark Carlson. They were married Aug. 9, 1980, in Grosse Pointe, Mich.

Diane was a dedicated volunteer for many causes and enjoyed raising her family and being a homemaker. Her love of history and community was proudly demonstrated in her role as the director of the Paine Gillam Scott Museum. She loved sewing, quilting, reading, antiques and shopping. Diane was a dedicated member of the Dune’s Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution as well as her beloved Breakfast Club in St. Johns.

She is survived by her loving husband of over 43 years, Mark; her daughter, Karen (John) Dorcy; her son, Mark Carlson II; and her three precious granddaughters, Olive and Etta Carlson and Natalie Dorcy. She is also survived by her brother, David (Linda) Spencer; many cousins, nephews and nieces. Diane is preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Sue Spencer.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the dedicated, caring and professional staff at the Poppen House.

There will be a celebration of life at a later date in Pentwater, Mich. Additional details will be provided. In lieu of flowers and cards, please consider a donation in Diane’s honor to one of the below organizations:

The National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation: https://nlmsf.org/donate/

The Paine Gillam Scott Museum : http://www.pgsmuseum.com/

The Michigan Dunes Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution: http://dunes.michdar.net/

Charles ‘Chuck’ Hiler

January 3, 1950 ~ March 23, 2024

Charles “Chuck” Hiler, 74, passed away peacefully, March 23, 2024. He was born Jan. 3, 1950, in Fremont, the son of Clarence and Violet (Burden) Hiler.

Chuck grew up in Hesperia and graduated from Hesperia High School. During his time at Hesperia, he participated in football and track. After high school, Chuck found his way into a few other hobbies, such as golf, bowling, and even a baseball league. He also enjoyed playing video games, from old-school Mario Brothers to World of WarCraft.

In 2015, Chuck retired after 20-plus years of service with Elopak in New Hudson, Mich. At that time, he moved to his family property in Hesperia. Chuck spent much of his retirement cleaning up his family property. He prided himself on clearing it out and tending to it to create a better place for his family members to enjoy.

Chuck was a hard worker and provider, making sure his family’s needs were met, which brought him great joy and fulfillment. Chuck was not only passionate about providing for his family but for others too. He had a large vegetable garden, and he gifted much of his harvest to those in need within his community. He also spent a few years helping a friend with their youth outreach program. Chuck thoroughly enjoyed being able to make a difference.

Chuck is survived by: his wife, Beverley Hiler; daughter, Angela Stombaugh; step-daughter, Amber Logusz; sisters, Arlene (John) Potter and Janet Wildfong; brother Clarence (Vicki) Hiler; 13 grandkids, five great-grandkids; as well as many nieces, nephews and close friends.

Chuck was preceded in death by: his mother and father, Clarence and Violet (Burden) Hiler; son, Craig Hiler; brother-in-law, Richard Wildfong; and brothers, Melvin Hiler and David Hiler.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Newaygo County Compassion Home, 20 S. Stewart Ave., Fremont, MI 49412, and/or to Corewell Health Hospice, 750 Fuller Ave., Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

A reception for friends and family will take place from 1-3 p.m., Saturday, April 6, 2024, at the Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, Hesperia Chapel, 61 Hawley St., Hesperia, MI 49421.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, Hesperia Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.  www.beaconfh.com

On March 2, 2024, 11 teams of four participated in the sixth annual puzzle competition at The Ladder Community Center in Shelby. Prizes were given to the top three fastest teams and then to each team that completed the puzzle in the allotted 4-hour time period. Taking first place in 2 hours and 18 minutes was Levi Visger, Katie Visger, Naomi Visger and Logan Case. Carol Towne, Diane Cole, Vickie Roberts and Penny Burillo finished their puzzle in 3 hours and 10 minutes for second place. Ten minutes later, third place went to Rachel Fekken, Nora Mitteer, Corina Mitteer and Landon Mitteer. Congratulations and thank you to all of the participants. • Contributed photos

Eisenhower Dance

Detroit to be featured in Performing Arts Series

Eisenhower Dance Detroit (EDD) will appear in Hart on Friday, April 12, as part of the 2023-2024 Hart Community Performing Arts Series. Moving into its 33rd season as a professional contemporary dance repertory company, Eisenhower Dance Detroit gives life to the work of nationally and internationally known choreographers, along with that of its founding artistic director, Laurie Eisenhower, and current artistic director, Stephanie Pizzo. This year, Ms. Pizzo leads EDD into its 7th season under her artistic guidance following Ms. Eisenhower’s retirement in 2017. The company continues its artistic mission through collaborations with artists across genres, including film directors, composers, visual designers, and musicians. Recent collaborators have included film creative Zachariah Hagy and the electro-pop violin band Nuclassica. EDD also engages in collaborations with arts organizations including the Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings, the Rackham Symphony Choir, the Detroit Opera, the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, the Toledo Opera and the Detroit Institute of Arts, to name a few.

Since its inception, Eisenhower Dance Detroit has grown from a small pick-up company into an 11-dancer roster, employing seven professional company dancers and four apprentices. These artists have joined the EDD family from various parts of the country. As the company’s mission states, Eisenhower Dance Detroit strives “to be a professional repertory company that, through outstanding performances and educational services, strives to deepen the understanding and appreciation of contemporary dance regionally, nationally, and internationally and to reflect on and explore issues of social significance.” Ms. Pizzo continues to expand the company’s innovative style and artistic vision while still honoring the legacy of Eisenhower Dance Detroit’s founder.

Considered one of the finest contemporary dance companies in the Midwest, EDD has been hailed for its artistry from sources including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times,

Chicago Tribune, Hour Magazine, and Detroit Free Press. Eisenhower Dance Detroit presents an annual Detroit Metro performance series and tours nationally and internationally. In 2015, 2017, and 2018, EDD was featured at the Ladek Zdroj International Dance Festival in Poland and Tel Aviv, Israel. In 2019, the company performed to a standing ovation at the iconic dance mecca, Jacob’s Pillow, in Beckett, Mass. The company has performed works by choreographers Hope Boykin, Marc Brew, Tamisha Guy, Norbert De La Cruz III, Maleek Washington, James Gregg and Rauf Yasif, Micaela Taylor, Nicolo Fonte, Edgar Zendejas, Lar Lubovitch, Ron de Jesus and Darrell Grand Moultrie, to name a few. This season, EDD welcomes Joshua Peugh and Tess Voelker for choreographic residencies with the company.

EDD has also produced several evening-length touring productions, including “ARC,”  a dramatic and highly visual look at labeling and stereotyping; “The Rite of Spring,” set to Igor Stravinsky’s iconic score; and “The Light Show,” which pairs four choreographers with four lighting designers for a visually stunning evening of dance. During the pandemic, EDD pivoted to offering virtual dance experiences, highlighted by a major dance-for-film collaboration with the Detroit Institute of Art and Zazu Productions. “The Five Tangos,” an original production first conceived for the stage, was scheduled to premiere at the DIA in November 2020. The collaborators reimagined the project for film and used four iconic metro Detroit locations for each tango’s setting. The film premiered online in December 2021 and was selected as the winner of Best Experimental Film, 2022 Dancecentric Film Festival (Florida); semi-finalist, 2022 Inspired Dance Film Festival (Australia); and featured online in Dance Magazine’s “Friday Film Break.”

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Hart Public Schools Auditorium, located in the Hart Middle School at 308 W. Johnson St. in Hart. Tickets are available at the door or online at hartseries.org.

Shelby Township awarded numerous grants in 2024

Shelby Township is pleased to announce that recent grant applications have been awarded. The following is an outline of the grants.

U.S. Representative John Moolenaar was successful in receiving appropriations in the amount of $800,000 slated to be utilized at the new Shelby Township Community Park. The congressman and his team worked very hard to ensure Oceana County received federal money for projects in their community. “As Michigan’s only member on the House Appropriations Committee, I am proud to support the people and communities of the Second District with funding for their key priorities. The Shelby (Township) Community Park will be a welcome addition to the area for residents to enjoy,” Congressman Moolenaar said.

State Senator Jon Bumstead and his team worked through the state budget appropriations and were successful in securing $750,000 for Shelby Township. Senator Bumstead said, “I would like to congratulate the community of Shelby on receiving further funding for the Shelby (Township) Community Park. This park will surely be a pinnacle in Oceana County and provide additional enjoyment for residents and visitors alike.” Shelby Township is grateful for the hard work and dedication of Senator Bumstead and his team.

Shelby Township was also awarded $230,000 from the Michigan Labor & Economic Development – Michigan Community Center Grant Program to erect a community amphitheater at the Shelby Township Community Park, which will also house outdoor learning activities and community church events.

A recent $35,000 MSHDA grant will allow Shelby Township to update its zoning ordinance and enhance its master plan by utilizing a third-party expert for support.

“To date, over the last three years, the Shelby Township Board has successfully received $6.1 million in grants to enhance our small community,” Shelby Township Supervisor Richard Raffaelli said. “The board is acutely aware that this is all taxpayer money but also understands that this was money slated for other cities, townships and even other states, so it’s only fair that Oceana County receives its money back. It takes a lot of work and commitment, but Shelby Township has been up for the challenge.”

Tails of Hope

Let me introduce myself...I’m Duncan, a playful and energetic 80-pound bundle of energy and enthusiasm. Playtime is my absolute favorite, and I’m always ready for a game of fetch or a romp in the yard. I’ll bring boundless joy and laughter to your home.

I adore making new doggy friends! I’m known for being friendly and sociable with most dogs. If you already have a doggy companion, I’d be thrilled to join your pack, but a meet and greet is always encouraged if you have another doggo in the family. I have to admit, I’m not a fan of cats. So, a cat-free household is a must for me. I want to ensure everyone in the house feels safe and comfortable.

Duncan is 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 231-7303906. Free tags are also available at the Oceana County Animal Shelter.

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FOR RELEASE APRIL 1, 2024

By JoAnn Derson

• On April 15, 1945, British troops liberated the German Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where they discovered thousands of dead and rotting corpses, and many more thousands of sick and starving prisoners confined to severely overcrowded and dirty compounds. The prisoners were suffering from acute typhus, typhoid and tuberculosis due to a lack of running water. More than 30,000 others had died in the previous months, many from typhus, but even more from starvation.

FOR RELEASE APRIL 1, 2024

By Lucie Winborne

By Lucie Winborne

• Modern brunch was first proposed in 1895 as a post-hangover meal.

• On April 16, 1964, The Rolling Stones’ debut album, “The Rolling Stones,” issued in the U.S. as “England’s Newest Hit Makers,” was released. The band consisted of lead singer Mick Jagger, rhythm guitarist Brian Jones, lead guitarist Keith Richards, bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts.

• On April 17, 1985, the U.S. government announced a campaign to increase organ donation awareness with the hope of making the procedure as widespread as donating blood, following similar campaigns from other countries around the world as organ transplants became more common.

• On April 18, 1997, major floods in Grand Forks, N.D., caused by the Red River’s breaching a dike, necessitated the evacuation of 50,000 residents from their homes. In some areas, only the roofs of their houses were visible.

• On April 19, 1897, the world’s oldest annual marathon run took place for the first time. Today the Boston Marathon ranks among the world’s most prestigious road racing events, with an average of 20,000 participants, and is one of five members of the World Marathon Majors, which also include the cities of London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.

• On April 20, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI visited Ground Zero in New York, the scene of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the city’s Twin Towers, at the end of his six-day tour of America. He greeted survivors, fire and police workers, and relatives of some of the 2,749 people who died at the scene, and prayed for the rescuers and victims, as well as “those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred,” before celebrating Mass at New York’s Yankee stadium.

• On April 21, 1918, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the German ace pilot popularly known as the “Red Baron” and credited with 80 confirmed air combat victories, was killed in action during World War I. © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc. WEEKLY

• “Technology can be really helpful, especially if you have very little storage area for papers. I had a trustworthy neighborhood teenager come over and help me scan in all my important documents. I have everything on flash drives and have given copies to appropriate people. She showed me how to scan a copy of warranty receipts so I can find the information I need quickly if I have an electronic item or appliance break down.” — T.L. in Massachusetts

• D.B. in Minnesota has this to share: “When you are going fishing and only bringing a couple of lures, use an old, empty pill container. Holds well and you won’t get poked!”

• Oranges are wonderful treats and full of delicious fiber and vitamin C. Save your peels and stash them in a net bag hanging from your rearview mirror for just a day or two. As they dry, they give off the best smell.

• Need to take pills daily? Set a reminder on your cellphone. Most have alarm functions, and it works!

• “This tip is from my babysitter. She gives small children two ‘get out of bed free’ tickets at bedtime. If they get out of bed, say, for one last drink of water, etc. (we parents know these are stalling tactics),they have to give her a ticket. If they still have a ticket unused when they fall asleep, she will leave a prize with their parents for the morning.” — M.J. in New Mexico

• “My friend and I found these great vintage spice bottles at a garage sale. We decided that since we got such a good deal, we would treat ourselves to a few new, interesting spices that were a little pricey — and we went in half on them.” — E.D. in Illinois

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

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

• Quetzalcoatlus, the largest known flying animal, was as tall as a giraffe and may have used its powerful forelimbs to pole-vault into the sky.

• Cathay Williams became the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. Army in 1866. Since women were barred from joining the military at the time, she enlisted as a man under the pseudonym William Cathay.

• In Australia, weed whackers are called whipper snippers.

• Beaver College changed its name to Arcadia in 2001, partly because antiporn filters blocked access to its website.

• The human body emits visible light, but it’s not visible to the naked eye.

• The FBI dubbed Ted Kaczynski “The Unabomber” because his early mail bombs were sent to universities (UN) and airlines (A).

• As astronauts spend months traveling to Mars, their eyeballs may change shape. Some scientists believe that’s due to the pressure from fluids that won’t drain from their heads, thanks to the low-gravity environment.

• President Thomas Jefferson hated formal affairs so much that he would often greet foreign dignitaries in his pajamas.

• Newborn babies have nearly 100 more bones than full-grown adults.

• The Antikythera mechanism, discovered by sponge divers in 1900, is sometimes called the world’s first analog computer. Designed to calculate dates and predict astronomical phenomena, it was so advanced nothing surpassed it for nearly 1,500 years.

• Some libraries have been known to use extraordinary measures to ensure titles remained on shelves. A notable example is Marsh’s Library in Dublin, Ireland, where in the 1800s, visitors desiring to peruse rare books were locked in cages until they finished reading! ***

Thought for the Day: “If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future.”

— Winston Churchill

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Pentwater Village Council majority votes to act on a no-cause release of contract for longtime village manager

By Steve Gunn The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

At a March 11 meeting, the Pentwater Village Council fired longtime Village Manager Chris Brown by a 5-2 vote, citing no cause.

The firing was apparently arranged quietly, without the knowledge of all members of the council.

A draft copy of the minutes of that meeting suggests that two council members—Village President Jeff Hodges and Trustee Phil Frame—were not given any advance notice of the plan to fire Brown and were taken by surprise at the meeting.

Once they realized what was happening, Hodges and Frame both voted against the motion but were outnumbered.

Meanwhile, the five board members who voted to fire Brown—Jared Griffis, Dan Nugent, Kathy O’Connor, Don Palmer and Dave Bluhm—have not responded to requests by The Echo to explain their reasons for the action or how the effort was quietly organized without the knowledge of two of their colleagues.

Brown became the village manager in 2017 after serving as chairman of the board of commissioners in Cheboygan County.

According to a draft copy of the March 11 meeting minutes, obtained by The Echo through a Freedom of Information request, a last-minute addition was made to the agenda to consider the “village manager’s contract and employment status.”

When the issue came up during the meeting, a motion was made by Griffis and seconded by Nugent: “to place the village manager on a paid 30-day leave of absence effective immediately and to terminate the village manager’s contract without cause pursuant to paragraphs 3 and 8 of the village manager’s contract and direct the village attorney to provide the village manager with a 30-day notice of the termination as required by the contract.”

Hodges and Frame were obviously blindsided by the motion, according to the minutes.

“It is very disturbing we are coming in as (a) late edition to the council agenda,” Hodges was quoted as saying. “We try to be open and honest, yet there is no discussion prior to this? It is dropped in on the

College Communications Ferris State University

Over 800 students completed the requirements for certificates, associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at Ferris State University and Kendall College of Art and Design during the semester that ended in December 2023. The following Oceana County received their degrees: Alejandra Mendez of Hart, Victoria Ortega of Hart, Tyler Stitt of Hesperia, Nadia Millan of New Era, Kayla Young of New Era and Taylor Nienhuis of Mears.

University officials have announced that 3,550 students received Academic Honors for the semester that ended in December 2023 at Ferris State University and Kendall College of Art and Design. These Oceana County students were named to Dean’s List for the fall 2023 semester: Audrey Aerts of Hart, Brenna Aerts of Hart, Hannah Babbin of Hart, Delaney Brice of Hart, Cassidy Copenhaver of Hart, Layla Creed of Hart, Daniela Estrada of Hart, Keelie Fidler of Hart, Victoria Ortega of Hart, David Barranco Calixto of Shelby, Daphne Clark of Shelby, Kitrena Peters of Shelby, Trinity Peters of Shelby, James Turner of Shelby, John Wade of Shelby, Maddison Duer of Pentwater, Santana Luettgen of New Era, Taylor Nienhuis of Mears, Steven Brown of Hesperia, Jaimee Burd of Hesperia, Rebecca Castillo of Hesperia, Sierra Cechura of Hesperia, Caitlyn Frees of Hesperia, Caragan Frees of Hesperia, Alexandra Langley of Hesperia, Melanie Scharenbroch of Hesperia, Adriana Slater of Hesperia and Tyler Stitt of Hesperia.

eleventh hour.”

Hodges made several more statements during the discussion, expressing dismay at the sudden personnel move.

“So, is this something that has been worked on for a while?” he was quoted as asking. “Can I ask? We are trying to be open and honest. We have been working on this for a while?”

Griffis responded by saying, “Anybody that is alive in the village has been getting feedback on personnel relations and public relations for some time.”

Hodges asked if the case against Brown was “based on evidence or based on hearsay?”

“Both,” Nugent said.

“I have not seen any evidence,” Hodges said. “Have you seen the evidence? Because no one brought it to me. I have heard hearsay but no evidence. Has there been legal personnel advising you? As the village president, I have not been contacted. We talk about being open and honest, and this is dropped on us.

“So, there is a plan here involved,” he continued. “There are a lot of other opinions in this community. I get it. I am appalled by it. I have tried for seven years to stay above it. I guess I have failed. But it seems like whatever those other opinions are, they are working. That is very shameful for our community.”

Frame noted that the topic had not been mentioned at the council’s most recent personnel committee meeting.

“I did not hear a thing mentioned at that meeting,” he said.

Other council members went on to explain that the termination was without cause, which is allowed

by the at-will contract that Brown signed with the village.

“So again, how long have we been talking about this and with whom?” Hodges asked. “Will you give me the courtesy of an answer?”

Griffis responded by saying, “We are acting on a no-cause release of contract. That’s it.”

“So you do not want to tell me who you have been talking to?” Hodges asked. “Is this something you did on your own? You and Dan (Nugent)?”

At that point, Palmer said, “Call the question, Mr. President,” according to the minutes.

Brown could not be reached for comment, but Hodges, in an interview with The Echo last week, said he doubted that Brown had any idea before the meeting that he was about to be fired.

“If he would have known, I think he would have let me know,” said Hodges, who as village president has been performing the village manager duties until a replacement is hired.

It’s clear that a majority of council members were determined to fire Brown, but there were more respectful and dignified ways to go about it, Hodges said.

“It’s about being decent to people and not doing it in public,” Hodges said. “We could have had discussions privately. We could have done it legally behind closed doors.

“The process was absolutely wrong. I was very disappointed with how we did what we did.”

Hodges said, in his opinion, that Brown did a very good job for Pentwater.

“Our village is very sound because of the efforts of Chris Brown,” he said.

Our daily needs include: latex gloves, paper towels, syringes, baby bottles, baby wipes, bleach, pee pads, Gerber rice cereal, dry Purina puppy chow, Milk-Bone marrow treats, raw whole pumpkin seeds, peanuts in the shells, Gerber banana cookies, Gerber 2nd food baby food, Pedialyte, bleach, laundry detergent, and soft saw dust bedding for the fawn pens.

We also need donations to cover veterinarian costs, deworming medication, vaccines, antibiotics, fuel for going out on rescues, and much, much more.

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. No donation is too big or too small. The animals and I truly appreciate everything to can do to help us. emAil Kelly jeAn38@yAhoo.Com For more inFormAtion CheCK Us oUt on FACebooK, For

Those students are, pictured above right, standing, Sean Sedlarik, baritone saxophone; Jazmine Degroot, tenor saxophone; Hayden Wright, trumpet; Jacob Priest, trumpet; Nathan Ruhstorfer, trumpet; Olivia Gerard, trumpet; Aurora Harris, flute; kneeling, Hannah Hiddema, altosaxophone; Alyssa Wright, flute. The Hesperia High School band, below left, earned Superior ratings at their Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association evaluations Feb. 28 at Shelby. The Hesperia seventh and eighth grade band, below right, earned Superior and Excellent ratings at their MSBOA evaluations March 6 at Manistee. • Contributed photos

MHSAA Representative Council Makes Adaptive Track Events Permanent at Winter Meeting

EAST LANSING –

March 27 –The permanent addition of adaptive track & field events for Regional and Finals competitions highlighted actions taken by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) during its Winter Meeting on Friday, March 22 in East Lansing.

For the past two years (2022 and 2023 tournaments), the MHSAA has provided a pilot program for wheelchair track & field athletes

during its postseason meets with adaptive 100, 200 and 400-meter races and shot put.

The proposal to make these events permanent for Regionals and Finals was brought to the Council by the MHSAA Track & Field Committee.

The Council also approved a Softball Committee recommendation permitting schools to play District Semifinal and Final games on either a Thursday or Friday (instead of Saturday) if all participating teams agree to the schedule change. If any school in the bracket does not

Signed!

approve the change, the default District Tournament day will remain Saturday. This opportunity will take effect with this spring’s 2024 MHSAA Softball Tournament.

Additionally, the Council approved MH-

SAA Tournament officials fees for the next four school years beginning with 2024-25 and including increases in all sports for which the MHSAA sponsors postseason competition.

The Winter Meeting also frequently serves

as an opportunity for the Council to discuss items expected to come up for action at its final meeting of the school year, scheduled for May 5-6, and discussion of three topics continued after previously being discussed during the Council’s Fall Meeting in December.

The Council discussed a Football Committee recommendation that would cap enrollment of 11-player schools par-

Winter All-Conferece selections

Pentwater senior Ireland Breitner made her intent to compete in collegiate athletics official on Thursday, April 4. Breitner held a signing ceremony in Pentwater Public Schools’ gymnasium, putting her name on the dotted line to run cross country and track for Alma College. • Brendan Samuels/ ECHO

Above are the final All-Conference selections for wrestling in the West Michigan Conference. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Record-breaking attendance highlights 3rd annual Dan Homan Memorial Steelhead Tournament in hesperia

HESPERIA – The

banks of local rivers were alive with excitement and camaraderie as the community gathered to celebrate the 3rd Annual Dan Homan Memorial Steelhead Tournament. With participation across the community, the event reached new heights with 38 teams in attendance. That’s 76 anglers casting their lines for a day filled with sport and remembrance.

The event culminated at the Hightower Bar and Grill in Hesperia, which was transformed into tournament headquarters for the weighin ceremony. Guests were welcomed by a spirited musical backdrop provided by Beau Montague, which set the tone for the day’s festivities.

Highlighting the event were the anglers themselves, celebrating remarkable achievements. The youth were represented by Hugh Tanner and Braxton Rumsey taking the Under 18 category, while the Over 18 category saw Jim Carpenter and John McCaul atop the leaderboard. Additional accolades include Megan Guptill and Abby Joppich for Longest Fish by Female, Braxton Rumsey and Hugh

Tanner for Longest by a Panther, and Elliott Stahel for Longest Fish Overall.

The community’s presence —both in participation and through unwavering support— has cultivated an event that transcends mere competition; it is a gathering united by passion for fishing, the great outdoors, and collective memory of Dan Homan’s legacy.

At the heart of the tournament’s smooth execution was a volunteer team including Guptill, Kim Sytsma, Delaney Yates, Degan Klaus, Christian Fuentes, Braden Nielsen, Michael Norris, and Adriane Paine.

The event was sponsored by The Blind Squirrel of Fremont, the Hesperia Sport Shop, Johnson’s Great Outdoors, and The Wildlife Center at Legends Ranch. Their support was integral to the tournament’s success.

In the spirit of giving back, esteemed local fishing guides donated their time and talent for a noteworthy cause. Gabe Dennison of Steel Dreamin’ Guide Service, Glenn Spaulding of Summer Skool Sportfishing, Matt Brejcha of On Target Fishing Guide Service, Mike

MHSAA

continued from page 15

ticipating in Division 8 at 250 students. The proposal was made in order to protect those smallest 11-player schools from playing much larger opponents during the MHSAA Playoffs as the enrollment dividing line between Division 7 and 8 has continued to trend upward as more small schools have switched to the 8-player format. While the Council voted to not approve this proposal to take effect with the 2024-25 school year, the Council did vote to discuss the proposal again at its May meeting with possible implementation for 2025-26 if approved.

The Council also continued its past conversation on the start and end dates of winter seasons and the possibilities of moving up both or keeping the same current start date and moving up the end by one week. The Council reviewed results of a recent survey of MHSAA membership on the topic.

Also among ongoing topics of discussion were possible new and emerging sports, including girls field hockey, boys volleyball, water polo and indoor track & field for girls and boys, and girls flag football.

The Representative Council is the legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five members are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee.

Phillips of Knothead Outdoors Guide Service, and Chris Bosse of Hooked Guide Service were major contributors.

The generosity of local businesses flourished, with door prizes donated by CAP Farms, Armstrong’s of White Lake, Vinny’s Side Gig Jigs, Bloop Beads, Ludington Meat Company, PM River Lodge, Sanders Meats, Freeman Inn, Knotty Pine, Hesperia Wesco, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts in Fremont, Montague’s Chop Shop, 4B’s 3D Archery, Fremont Walmart, Houseman Foods in Baldwin, Hazekamp Meats, Lewis Farm Market, Sandy’s Harley Davidson, Fish’n Freakz, Knotty Pine and Norris Dairy Farms.

The organization committee extends its gratitude to each participant, sponsor, and

supporter. With their contributions, the Dan Homan Memorial Steelhead Tournament continues to be a benchmark event. Congratulations to all the winners and a special shoutout to Jeff Rumsey, the new owner of a Fire Ring, and Jesse Campbell, the winner of the coveted Wild Card Prize.

As the sun sets on this year’s gathering, lines reeled in with appreciation until next year’s tournament, where the community will once again come together for another spectacular celebration and competition.

For more information about the tournament, the full list of sponsors, or details on next year’s event, please contact Tony Grimard or Chad Paine.

Hunter’s taxidermy legacy

furthers wildlife conservation and support for veterans and youth

BITELY – In an act of benevolence and passion for wildlife conservation, Charlotte Wolfe of Tennessee has chosen to honor her late husband, John Wolfe, by donating his elaborate taxidermy collection to The Wildlife Center at Legends Ranch. With over 100 specimens, the collection found a new purpose at the fall auction held by Circle M Auctions of Iowa, renowned for taxidermy sales, amassing over $26,000 to aid the Wildlife Center in its vital conservation and education missions.

John Wolfe, a keen hunter, shared successful hunts at Legends Ranch, located in the natural splendor of Bitely, located in northern Newaygo County. His passing in 2020 left a void not only in the hearts of those who knew him but also in the hunting community where his legacy thrived. It was Charlotte’s and their son Mark’s desire to see John’s passion for hunting and conservation live on, prompting the generous donation.

Tony Grimard, Education Director at The Wildlife Center at Legends Ranch, describes the donation as a perfect reflection of what John would have wished for his valued collection. “The Wildlife Center thrives on such gener-

osity and shared vision, emphasizing the sustainability of our treasured Youth Challenge Hunt and Purple Heart Veterans Hunt,” Grimard adds. This charitable act culminated in a significant $26,000 donation for The Wildlife Center. The proceeds are set to enhance and sustain the multifaceted programs conducted by The Wildlife Center, including educational tours, youth hunts, and special events for veterans.

To celebrate and honor the Wolfe family’s contribution,

The Wildlife Center will proudly display a commemorative plaque within its state-of-the-art 24,000-square-foot facility, housing over 3,100 taxidermied animals and serving as a cornerstone of conservation education.

Ranch Director Robert Sergi anticipates the upcoming visit from Charlotte and Mark Wolfe.

“It will be a special moment where they will witness firsthand the profound impact John Wolfe’s collection is set to have on educational and conservation efforts moving forward.

Reflections of our community

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Valkyrie gears up for first 2-day tourney

Over 3 dozen gamers will descend on Montague for Warhammer 40,000 event

By Andy Roberts

MONTAGUE — You could walk past Valkyrie Wargaming on Dowling Street a thousand times and never know what’s inside, despite the fact the store has existed for nearly a decade. There’s no outward indication that inside the doors lies, for some, a whole different world to explore.

A few dozen people will be exploring that world this weekend when the store hosts its 10th annual Wild Hunt tournament for Warhammer 40,000 gamers. This year, for the first time, the event will span an entire weekend, with five three-hour gaming sessions spread through Saturday and Sunday. Tickets to play are $70 and include lunch both days; one-day tournaments Valkyrie hosts cost $30 to enter.

The expanded event is at least in part a result of the store’s physical expansion. Last December the store took over the real estate previously occupied by its next-door neighbor, the Montague Antique and Collectibles Mall. Store owner Anna Hakken, her wife Marie, her team, and even several customers joined together over a six-month period to get the new space ready for gamers - and to host Warhammer tournaments. The December reopening was by design, as the store stages an annual New Year’s Day tournament that many of its regulars were invested in it being ready to host.

Andy Roberts/Mirror

•

Warhammer is a simulation war game originally made in 1987 (and still regularly updated) by a British company, Games Workshop, but increasingly popular in the U.S. and, Hakken said, especially in West Michigan. She describes it with a chuckle as “chess with guns” because different game pieces move in different ways. Players are allotted a certain amount of points to use to assemble their army - most games set the limit at 2,000 - and choose how to deploy them. Any of several layout templates are used to set up the battlefield, and there’s often room for creativity. One Wednesday night game, with longtime friends Aaron Butler and

Ben Isenhof, featured two very different armies, with Butler fielding a highly specialized group while Isenhof aimed to wear him down with manpower.

“The whole shtick from my army is that I have to out-attrition him,” Butler said. “I have to kill enough (of his guys) before he can kill me and remove me. Every dead guy for me hurts more than every dead guy for him.”

Creativity within the game extends to the design of the game pieces themselves; Valkyrie and other stores like it sell paints and materials players can use to outfit their armies in different colors. (In fact, some customers don’t even play the game, preferring to

spend time painting and designing the figurines as a hobby.)

The rise of 3-D printing has provided for even more ways to customize the look of an army, so much so that for the sake of clarity, Hakken enforces a “70 percent” rule for gameplay, which doesn’t limit creativity but ensures players are purchasing at least most of their game pieces from legitimate sources and not just 3-D printing themselves an unrecognizable platoon that could confuse opponents.

So popular is the game that it ac-

New Kayak Adventure Series will make June stop in White Lake area

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror

Whitehall will be an early test ground for Bassmaster Kayak Series champion Drew Gregory’s new Kayak Adventure Series, which begins this summer and will host its second-ever event right here in the White Lake area June 7-8. The White Lake Chamber & Visitors Bureau and WaterDog Outfiitters will co-sponsor the event.

The new series will stage six events in all in 2024, starting with a visit to Thomaston, Georgia in May and continuing from Whitehall on to events in Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin before its final event in Bowling Green, Kentucky in October.

White Lake Chamber executive director Amy VanLoon said she’s looking forward to welcoming visiting kayakers to the area.

“We call it heads in beds,” VanLoon said. “People will be staying here. it’s outdoor recreation, which we love, and it’s supporting the recreational indusry. I think our businesses will feel it and

see it.”

Gregory took the top prize of $25,000 at the Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship in Oklahoma just last month, and he’s also been involved with the sport at the design level for years. He designed for Jackson Kayak for 10 years and is now doing the same for Crescent Kayak. He brings that knowledge of the sport to his new series, which is presented by his current sponsor, GoPro.

The last time the area hosted a fishing event of this magnitude was in 2013, when the Bassmaster Elite Series brought its all-star event to the White Lake area. Of course, those were the most noted and accomplished anglers on the circuit. The new series aims to bring ambitious and interested anglers into the kayak fishing world, maybe train a few up to become the next generation of Bassmaster kayak champions - but most importantly, have a lot of fun along the way.

“It will still be competitive, but the vibe of our series will be about making those memories, the fellowship and

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

the fun,” Gregory said.

The series will pursue that fellowship and fun with its schedule, different from many of the top fishing events. Competition will take place Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., rather than the usual Saturday and Sunday, which gives participants more time to enjoy the area.

Preceding the competition will be a Thursday night opening ceremony

at the Montague Band Shell, complete with kayak demos, food trucks and beverages and live music. There’s a post-event festival scheduled for Covell Park that will have many of those same attractions, as well as an afterparty set for North Grove Brewers.

The vibe Gregory’s looking for

Ben Isenhof (left) and Aaron Butler begin a game of Warhammer 40,000 Wednesday evening at the Valkyrie Wargaming Club. The club will host its first two-day tournament event this weekend.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

A battlefield layout to start a game of Warhammer 40,000 is shown prior to a Wednesday night game. There are several different layout and mission templates possible for a game.

White Lake will be the hub for the new Kayak Adventure Series’ second-ever stop. The new series, helmed by Bassmaster Kayak Series champion Drew Gregory, is focused on fun and camaraderie, as well as welcoming potential future kayak fishing stars.

Kayak series

comes in that schedule, allowing for Thursday and Saturday evenings to be filled with fun for participants without the stress of early morning prep time for the next day.

“It allows the freedom to be out and celebrate that night,” Gregory said. “Usually you have to get up early and go an hour to find your spot and you’re spending 45 minutes loading and unloading. We made it so you can hang out and have plenty of time to get to the water. We actually have an optional (Friday) brunch and seminar where we bring in pros to give some advice. It ends at 12:30 and you’ll still have time to get to your boat launch by 3.”

By ending the tournament Saturday, Gregory said, it gives out-of-town participants who may be headed back home or even to another fishing event the opportunity to spend their Sunday driving, rather than having to rush out of one of the competitive events when they end on a Sunday, as is often the case. For those who are local or desire an extended engagement, though, there will be a side pot tournament staged Sunday, June 9.

Whitehall is the hub of the event, but any waterway within an hour’s drive will be a permissible fishing spot for the tournament. Kayakers can fish in the Grand River in Grand Rapids all the way up to Hamlin Lake in Ludington and most everywhere in between. Sixteen bodies of water - 11 lakes and five rivers - will be open for the tournament.

“This one has the most lakes and rivers of any event on our schedule,” Gregory said.

The competition is scored by height rather than weight, with the length of the five longest fish for each angler being totaled for their final score.

The Michigan Kayak Trail, a notable statewide association of kayak anglers, will host a tournament in the White and Muskegon lakes the same weekend, which enables even more attention to be brought to the West Michigan fisheries.

The new series also has an aim of accessibility, with a relatively low entry fee of $150. (More information is available at www.kayakadventureseries. com/whitehall-mi.) It’s open to any kayaker - or canoer, Gregory said.

“There are probably people up there that have canoes and not kayaks and might think they want to do this,”

continued from page 1

Gregory said. “What we find is that if people with canoes come to our event and see the technology of the new kayaks, we’ll convert some people who are in canoes to kayaks. Our series is very inclusive of all different styles of fishing.”

The top prize of the “Wild Whitehall” event - each stop of the series got its own nickname, and Gregory halfjoked he can probably come up with something better than that for Whitehall - will depend on how many participants there are, but Gregory said if the field reaches 200, it will be $7,000. So far, he said the event has drawn about 15 registrants, a promising number for an event of this type this far in advance.

Gregory has fished the White Lake area before - he visited for a kayak demo last year - and recalls it being a haven for bass fishing, which is part of the reason it was selected for the new series.

Another key mark in Whitehall’s favor? The Playhouse at White Lake. It may seem different, but the existence of a quality theater is a prerequisite for being selected for the series because GoPro is bringing an audio-visual component to the competition. Participants will be invited (though not required) to submit photos and video clips of their fishing efforts, and the best ones will be displayed on the big screen at the closing ceremonies, which are set for 6 p.m. that Saturday.

“They’re obviously into selling cameras, so the anglers know there’s a chance if they catch a fish and do well, their fish could go on the big screen,” Gregory said.

A top performer in their field starting or joining a nascent event in the same sport could draw comparisons to the LIV Golf tour, which has lured PGA players with big checks amid an acrimonious relationship, but that’s not the case with the Kayak Adventure Series. If anything, Gregory is hoping the KAS can help grow the sport and make the Bassmaster kayak events better in the long run.

“I’m still fishing in these other leagues, and I’m still friends with them,” Gregory said. “The rules and the format are way different. We’re all about fun and fellowship, and those are the competitive series. There needs to be something where people can work their way up to the big competitive events.”

Valkyrie club

counts for the bulk of Valkyrie’s business now, and over the last few years, hosting gamers for informal sessions as well as larger tournaments has become a focus. Hakken said she noticed the increased desire to get together for games as society emerged from COVID-19 lockdowns in 2021.

“When we reopened, we really wanted to focus more on getting people back together, so we started focusing more on running leagues and tournaments and things like that after quarantine ended,” Hakken said. “There was enough popularity from that, we were just like, ‘We think we could go bigger than just 12-16 person things.’”

Valkyrie now has its own traveling Warhammer team, complete with jerseys “kind of like a bowling league,” Hakken said. The team competes in major tournaments throughout the extended area, even sometimes traveling to Detroit, Chicago or the like. Part of the reason for this weekend’s tournament is so Valkyrie regulars can experience a high-level tournament without having to make a longer trip than usual.

Butler, a charter member of the team, is from Newaygo, and Isenhof is from Greenville; players coming from a decent distance is a regular occurrence.

“I think we’re up to 15 or 16 members now at this point, or maybe a little more,” Butler said. “It’s a great time. I’m really happy they got the new place set up and I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”

Valkyrie enjoys a positive relationship with similar stores in West Michigan - Griffin’s Rest in Muskegon and Cobblestone Crafts & Hobbies in Holland. The three collaborate to make sure they aren’t hosting Warhammer events at the same time and even send players to each other’s tournaments if an extra is needed.

The sense of community is paramount for Warhammer players and certainly for Hakken, who places a

continued from page 1

huge emphasis on sportsmanship in the course of gameplay.

“One of the things I say to my guys is, if you’re winning, your responsibility is now your opponent’s fun,” Hakken said. “You don’t want them to have a bad time because you’re winning. But also, if they’re beating you, either you gave it to them or they earned it, neither of which is their fault, so you also have to worry about how much fun they’re having when they’re beating you.

“I want everybody to just enjoy it. Have a great time. Laugh. At the end of the day, we’re all adults playing with toy soldiers.”

Hakken adds to the experience by handmaking wolf-themed trophies for the top performing players in hosted tournaments; this weekend will also see awards given for creativity in army design. For her, the experience is the point.

The store, which on non-tournament days is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings and all day Saturdays, is a labor of love; Anna and Marie both have day jobs, so as Anna puts it, Valkyrie “is not a retirement plan.” It’s an opportunity to, as late grandfather Glen Lipka and mom Patti Ream taught her from their time operating the Lipka pharmacy and later soda fountain, build a business through community.

“As much as I love when somebody comes in and drops $600 or $1,000 on a whole bunch of stuff - that’s awesome - when I sit here and actually get joy out of this business, it’s when there’s 30 people here, all laughing, having a good time and smack talking each other and cheering, because maybe half of the games are done, so everybody’s gathered around the games that are still playing,” Hakken said. “If somebody throws the dice and it’s like a crazy good or a crazy bad roll and everybody’s like ‘Whoa!’ That’s where I sit here and grin ear to ear. Providing those experiences for people is what’s important.”

Montague social district opens; grand opening event set for May White Lake Chorale plans spring concert for April 27

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

MONTAGUE — The City of Montague opened its long-awaited social district Monday. Participating restaurants include all those in the downtown area, such as The Book Nook and Java Shop, Jimmy’s Pub, Sawyers Brewing Company and North Grove Brewers. The social district will allow participants to enjoy their alcoholic beverages outside, within the block of what is downtown.

The social district has been highly anticipated, as it has been in discussion with city council for at least a year. It was put on hold due to time constraints and

issues with paperwork and processing with the state of Michigan.

To participate in the social district, special cups will be available for purchase at all participating restaurants and bars. One cup will cost $1 and will feature a special sticker. This will confirm all legal participants as they carry their beverages outside in between vendors, and the purchase of a cup will be required when participating in the social district. Although the social district is technically open, each individual restaurant will start participating in their own time. A grand opening will be held by the participating restaurants in May, as the weather gets warmer.

The White Lake Chorale will hold its annual spring concert Saturday, April 27 at 4 p.m., at the Montague High School Center for the Performing Arts, 4900 Stanton Blvd. Attendees are invited to join the singers in celebrating the creativity of Michigan composers and arrangers. In the first half of the program, you will hear compositions from Hailstork, DeWald, Caldwell & Ivory and Silvey. The second half of the program will feature a montage of Detroit Motown, with many of the songs we remember listening to on the radio, as arranged by Huff. Free tickets for “Celebrating in Song” are available now at the following locations and/or from any Chorale member: The Book Nook and

Java Shop, The Arts Council of White Lake-Nuveen Center and the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.

Under the direction of Cindy Moore for several years, The White Lake Chorale is an all-volunteer community chorus dedicated to the performance of good vocal music by composers and arrangers of all musical periods. The non-professional group rehearses from September to April and presents two different public programs each year. They are supported by donations, grants and free will concert offerings. If you can carry a tune and love to sing, you are invited to join. For further information, follow them on Facebook or call 231-893-5745.

Three different games of Warhammer 40,000 in action Wednesday night at the Valkyrie Wargaming Club in Montague. The store sells game supplies as well as hosting players for informal games in between tournament events. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Echoes of History: Historic homes - 303 S. Mears

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor

This attractive Queen Anne style house located at 303 South Mears Avenue in Whitehall was built sometime around 1884. At over 3,500 square feet, it has five bedrooms and now has five bathrooms. Charles E. Covell and his wife Jessie raised their family in the house. The carriage house in the back was home to Barney, “the fastest horse in town.”

Charles Ellery Covell was one of twelve children born to Calvin T. Covell (1809-1879) and Elizabeth Coleman (18901857). He was born in Bradford County, Pennsylvania April 25, 1845, and worked on his father’s farm until January 1863 when he came to Whitehall, where he completed his schooling. His older brothers also came to Whitehall, Andrew J. in 1856 followed by Lyman T. in 1859. He began working at the Thompson & Covell mill and afterwards worked at Hinchman & Covell. In 1870, he became joint owner with his brother in the mill of A. J. and C. E. Covell, one of the best on the lake.

Charles married Jessie Hedges Jan. 27, 1877 in Whitehall. They had five children: Calvin T. Covell II (1879-1894), Guy Sidney (1881-1952), Blanche (1884-1955), Bessie (1886-1985), and Dora (18911982).

In addition to his lumber mill, he was township treasurer for many years; supervisor for six years; member of the village school board for 33 years; chairman of the county board of supervisors for one

year; county road commissioner for three years; and village trustee for several years.

Charles died at his home Oct. 25 1924, at the age of 79. His wife Jessie remained in the house until her death 11 Feb. 11 1938, at the age of 81. They are both buried in the Covell family plot in Oakhurst Cemetery.

The next to occupy the house were Ferdinand “Fred” and Elizabeth (nee Barrett) Walter. Fred was born in England in 1886, as was his wife Elizabeth (1890). They had two children: Joseph Fredrick (1914-1923) and Kathleen Mary (1915-1994). They arrived in the United States Oct. 13, 1921 and proceeded to the Grand Haven-Spring Lake area, where Elizabeth’s sister, Mrs. Porter, was living at the time.

By the 1930 census, they were listed as living on Livingston Street in Whitehall, and Fred was working in a foundry.

Kathleen attended Whitehall High School, where she graduated June 6, 1933. She was one of 26 members of the largest senior class to graduate in the history of the school to date. It would take several years to meet and surpass that number.

The William Clark family purchased the house in the early 1970s and gave the house its distinctive green color.

In June 1988, Michael and Marjorie Bronsink purchased the house, and by August opened a bed and breakfast called The Timekeepers Inn and Clock Shop, converting the front parlor to a clock repair shop. Three of the five bedrooms were converted to guest rooms, each with names pertaining to clocks. For ex-

Prior to 1940, they were living in the Covell house on Mears. Around 1936, Kathleen converted the front parlor into a beauty shop, which she operated for many years. The 1950 census shows them living in White River Township, but Kathleen was still operating her beauty shop. Fred died in 1954. It appears that Kathleen married a gentleman with the last name of Busch around 1962. Elizabeth Walter died in a nursing facility in Roosevelt Park Jan. 27, 1985. Kathleen died in Whitehall March 9, 1994. They are all buried in Spring Lake Cemetery.

ample, one room was named Ansonia. Another room was named Black Forest in honor of Germany’s Black Forest, made famous for producing cuckoo clocks. Fortunately for the guests, the three cuckoo clocks in the room did not announce to the house. The third room was named Seth Thomas for Seth Thomas clocks, and like the other rooms, contains a clock for which it is named.

Upstairs also contained a small cozy sitting area, complete with books and magazines. Continental breakfasts were served in a breakfast room also located upstairs. Michael had his clock shop on the first floor. He special-

ized in repairing and restoring clocks of all kinds, in addition, to selling clocks. Marjorie also sold her pen and ink drawing which featured historic scenes and nautical themes.

September 1995 saw another change in ownership when Ron & Cathy Russell purchased the house. They changed the name to the White Swan Inn in honor of the many swans that inhabited the area waters. The front parlor was changed once again and became a gift shop for the B&B guests. In 2021, after 26 years as owners of the White Swan Inn, Ron and Cathy Russell retired.

Library continues to seek community survey responses

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

Thank you so much for the robust response to the library’s community survey! We’ve received 89 responses so far and we would love to get more. The survey is open until April 13, and can be found at bit.ly/wlclsurvey2024. Print copies are available at the library, too. The survey only takes a few minutes to complete, and each response provides us with important feedback as we develop our strategic plan.

It is deeply gratifying to read so many positive comments on the surveys, especially the ones noting our friendly and helpful library staff. Using words like “welcoming”, “knowledgeable”, “kind”, and even “amazing” and “phenomenal”, a large percentage of respondents told us they love their library staff members. (Considering none of the survey questions even ask about staff, these comments are especially appreciated!) We look forward to compiling the survey results and putting them to use as we plan for the next 3-5 years

The

Bookworm Bul letin

of library service in this community. So please take four or five minutes to add your views to the mix and help us craft a strategic plan that serves the whole White Lake area.

Got High Speed Internet?

Now through April 23, every Michigander has the opportunity to help bridge the digital divide in our state. Simply verifying that internet service at their address is correctly identified on the state’s maps will help Michigan’s efforts to expand internet access to as many residents as possible.

Last year, Michigan was awarded $1.559 billion as part of the Broad-

band Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The state is now working to identify locations across the state that are eligible for highspeed internet access infrastructure expansion projects.

for whatever reason, don’t forget about the library! We offer computers for public use, free Wi-Fi inside and on the grounds, and hotspots and tablets that can be borrowed for home use. Borrowers just need to be 18 years old and have a White Lake Community Library card.

Current state maps of internet service are based on existing federal and state information, which in turn is largely based on information supplied by internet providers. To increase the accuracy of these maps, a State Challenge Portal was created. Michigan residents are encouraged to visit the portal at bit.ly/beadportal to learn more and to submit a challenge if the internet service information for their address is not correct. The portal will remain open until April 23.

Just a reminder - if you currently lack high-speed internet at home

FUN FACT: Michigan’s BEAD funding is the 4th highest in the nation. Texas is getting the most at $3.3 billion, followed by California at $1.8 billion, and Missouri at $1.7 billion. Total BEAD funding stands at $41.6 billion.

The Solar Eclipse is Monday

Clear skies? Cloudy? Either way, come to the library Monday, April 8 to watch the partial eclipse. We’ll have glasses for the first 45 attendees so you can watch from the lawn, weather permitting, and you can also watch NASA’s eclipse coverage livestreamed on the big screen in the meeting room. The NASA livestream will be aired from 1 to 4 p.m. Locally, the maximum partial eclipse will occur at 3:11 p.m. There is no charge to attend, and registration is not required.

The house standing at 303 S. Mears Avenue in Whitehall has a long and rich history.

• Courtesy Photo

DeMumbrum

Teams ready to dive into baseball season

Conference matchups begin this week for local squads

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Montague enjoyed another impressive campaign in 2023, earning a third straight conference championship. For the Wildcats to make it four, though, they’ll have to do a great job replacing two program cornerstones.

All-state players Kade Johnson and Nick Moss are graduated, having both signed to play at Lake Michigan College after impressive careers. Moss’ ability to get on base from the leadoff spot and Johnson’s reliable work as the top pitcher, as well as his big bat, will be deeply missed, said coach Jeff Moss.

They’re just two of seven key players who graduated, including players who supplied 17 of the 23 pitching wins Montague recorded last spring. With so much talent now gone and so much youth stepping into larger roles as a result, it will be interesting to see how the Wildcats develop early in the season. Coach Moss said the goals don’t change; his team still hopes to be a factor in the conference and district races.

“Pitching will be the biggest factor to determine if we meet those goals or not,” Moss said. “This is a young staff but I’m excited about them.”

Moss does bring back a good group of players, and he’s confident in their abilities to fill the positions they need to. He’s looking in particular for big seasons from Bryton Belinger, who will take over Nick Moss’ old shortstop position, and Kellan Francis, who will continue to be a fixture in the middle

infield. Both looked good in winter workouts, and Belinger smashed a three-run home run in the team’s season opener at Reeths-Puffer.

Junior Ryver Jarka did some pitching last year, but now moves into a more prominent role. He’ll also play center field, and Moss credited him with a solid winter in the weight room too. Jarka and Belinger were honorable mention all-conference performers in 2023.

Sophomore Eli Petersen had an impressive freshman season, and he too will be moving up in the rotation, taking Johnson’s old spot.

“He has put in a lot of offseason work and looks great,” Moss said of Petersen.

Petersen won’t be the only underclassman hurler, as sophomore Cole Herremans moves into the rotation. Herremans got a taste of varsity play last year and it should serve him well as he takes on more responsibility in 2024.

The Wildcats are a young team without a lot of experienced seniors, but Ben Mischler, Jimmy Thommen and James Cloud will provide needed leadership for the team.

Montague will play up in non-conference play as it often does, facing off with larger schools such as West Ottawa and Forest Hills Eastern, but it’s an early matchup with rival Whitehall that Moss thinks will be an early barometer for the team.

“I believe the Whitehall games will let both of us know where we stand,” Moss said. “They are always tough games when you cross the river to play your rival.”

Whitehall

Whitehall brings back players with impressive credentials this spring, stoking hopes that the Vikings can be contenders in the West Michigan Conference Lakes and in the postseason. The team finished third in the WMC Lakes a year ago and surrendered a late lead to Fruitport in a district heartbreaker last June.

Leading the way will be Kyle Stratton, an all-state second team player last year at shortstop. He hit over .450 in WMC Lakes games and stole 21 bases in only 12 conference contests. Stratton will also continue to be part of the pitching rotation, which also includes all-WMC Lakes honoree Isaac VanAmberg. VanAmberg is also a strong in-

fielder and hitter. Ryne Christensen, a Muskegon Community College signee and a mainstay for the Vikings at both second base and on the mound, is back as well. All three are seniors.

Those three are the most notable returning players for Whitehall, but the Vikings are bolstered by returners at several positions. Longtime coach Warren Zweigle is excited to see what veterans Brock Morningstar, Noah Meinert, Ryan Goodrich and Cash Bloomberg-Brown can bring to the diamond this spring.

“I think they have a real opportunity to make some major contributions,”

Vikings, ‘Cats softball teams ready for action

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall returns many of its top players from a 2023 team that finished second in the West Michigan Conference Lakes, so the Vikings’ hopes are high under first-year head coach Kyle McGrew.

“Tony Sigmon always says that a goal should always be to put trophies in trophy cases, and I couldn’t agree more,” McGrew said, referencing the Vikings’ accomplished football coach.

All-league performers Onnyka Dempsey and Hailey Carnes will be tough to replace, but Whitehall brings back top pitcher Megan LeaTrea, power-hitting Evelyn Darke and a strong core of veteran players behind them, so there’s plenty to build on.

Returning starters Kierra Hyrns, Annabel Kevwitch, Harper Leon, Taylor Ottinger and Lianne Fagan will also be big parts of Whitehall’s offensive attack; Leon was an all-league performer as an outfielder. Hyrns is capable at catcher or in the outfield, as is Kevwitch. Ottinger and Fagan will man the

infield.

Senior Natalie Manzo is in line for a bigger role, with McGrew noting her potential as a hitter. Fellow senior Alison Schaeffer returns to the varsity after taking time off last season, and Whitehall is excited about the prospect of some varsity newcomers as well. Bella Fogus, a strong athlete, will be full-time on varsity after making her debut a season ago and could affect the game in a variety of ways, and Breanna Eskew is also set for a strong junior season. Sophomore Janie Fagan is the lone underclassman on the roster and has displayed hitting ability and raw talent.

“She is a player that has the tools, now it’s our job to hone them and get her to reach her potential,” McGrew said of the younger Fagan.

Whitehall will learn quickly how good it can be, opening WMC Lakes

play against Oakridge. The Eagles dominated the conference last season and mercy-ruled Whitehall out of the postseason last spring to boot. A strong performance in that doubleheader would do a lot for the Vikes’ confidence.

“The first goal is to get better every day and minimize mistakes,” McGrew said. “If we force teams to make 21 plays by putting the ball in play and have a sound defense with very few mistakes, we have the potential for a great year. That being said, that is every team’s goal and easier said than done.”

Montague

If Montague can adequately replace two key pieces of its lineup this year, a good 2024 could be the result.

It won’t be easy; top pitcher Natalie Kellogg and outfielder Kiara Mikkelsen, both now playing college sports, departed after last season, and a pair of would-be senior starters are not projected to return. However, the Wildcats do have some veteran players to lean on in their quest to account for those absences.

Three seniors will lead the wayKennedy Johnson, Chloe Boutell and Abby Thommen. Thommen is back after a year away from Montague, and her return will be a big boost as she takes up a spot in the outfield. Johnson, the team’s shortstop and captain, projects as the team’s centerpiece on offense and defense. Boutell, the catcher last season, may move around the diamond more this year after suffering off-season injuries. Junior Hayden Boutell, a two-year starter at second base, will be a factor in Montague’s search for a new top pitcher and may also see time in the outfield.

Also back is sophomore Reagan Cederquist, who starred last year as a freshman, hitting cleanup and play-

Softball previews

Montague’s Bryton Belinger celebrates his home run with coach Jeff Moss during the team’s March 26 opener at Reeths-Puffer. Belinger will be key to the Wildcats’ pursuit of a fourth consecutive conference championship. • Andy Roberts/Mirror Thommen

L. Fagan

Baseball previews

Zweigle said.

Games against defending WMC Lakes co-champions Oakridge and Montague will be key to the Vikings’ own title ambition, and Whitehall will also get cracks at some strong nonleague foes. Ranked teams Zeeland East, Algonac, Spring Lake, Coopersville and North Muskegon dot Whitehall’s non-conference slate.

Reeths-Puffer

Reeths-Puffer has taken home district championships in two of the last three seasons, and the Rockets have the personnel necessary to make a run at another one this spring.

R-P had a winning campaign in 2023 and returns most of its top players from a season ago. The team’s biggest graduation loss is Kyle Schlaff, a strong defensive outfielder, along with starting catcher Catcher Earnest and utilityman David Wilhelm.

Two of the team’s best pitchers, Jaxson Whitaker and Trent Reichert, are back and are projected to hold down the top two spots in the rotation. They’re also expected to be fixtures in the middle of the batting order. The Rockets have impressive pitching depth, too, as Brayden Mitchelson evidenced when he pitched five shutout innings in the team’s season opener against Montague before handing the ball to Reichert.

R-P is hoping to put out a deep lineup that can produce runs from anywhere in the order. A key to those hopes will be third baseman/outfielder Lukas Johnson and centerfielder Jack Yonkman, each of whom coach Butch Attig expects to emerge as key cogs for the team.

“We must get 1% better every day,” Attig said. “If each player knows their role and does their job, we will be ready to compete for a third district crown in

Reeths-Puffer

four years.”

The Rockets will be tested in the O-K Green Conference, always filled with strong opposition. Last season, Zeeland East was king of the conference, winning all 21 league contests, and Zeeland West was third. It so happens that the Rockets end the league schedule with three games against the Chix and three more versus the Dux, so if R-P proves to be contenders, those last weeks of regular-season play could be exciting.

Returning second-place team Mona Shores should also be a factor in the conference race, although the loss of Michigan State signee Jaxon Huffman will create obstacles for the Sailors.

Beyond those conference series, another schedule standout is the annual GMAA tournament, which Attig said will be a great benchmark for the Rockets heading into the final month of the season. Last season, R-P reached the GMAA semifinals, and it would love to advance farther this year.

Youth will shine for Whitehall tennis in 2024

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

It’s going to be a year of building for the Whitehall tennis team, whose roster is set to be composed of mostly freshmen and sophomores.

Longtime Whitehall assistant coach Tom Sheesley has taken over the girls head coaching position, and he welcomes former Viking star Vanessa Heylmun to his staff as an assistant this spring. Heylmun played collegiately at Aquinas and has coached several current Vikings in summer programs, so her addition should be seamless, Sheesley said.

Whitehall’s final lineup positions remain largely up in the air as the season draws near. The Vikes must replace, among others, graduated seniors Lizbeth Bentz and Autumn Ferris, who were first singles and doubles players respectively.

“This year we had a couple girls that are seniors that didn’t come out, so i don’t have a senior on the team this year,” Sheesley said. “We’re a much less experienced team.”

As it stands, Whitehall will probably turn to either Grace McDowell or Brianna Bentz, both returning veterans, at the top singles flight. Doubles pairs will probably be determined by

trial and error early in the season as Sheesley hunts for the right combinations. Izzy Gould, a starter last year, is an up-and-comer to watch, as is freshman Akeelah Martin, whom Sheesley credits with a lot of work to improve her game after a strong middle school career.

“We have some good young players,” Sheesley said. “Inexperience will be a big deal when it comes to match play against other schools. Just from the beginning of the year until now, I’ve seen a ton of improvement. It’s just getting them to understand that a lot of these girls played in middle school, but going to high school tennis is a big jump. It’ll be a big difference. Tennis is very much a mental game, so it will take a little while.”

With the growth mindset in place, the Vikes are less concerned with any particular matchup or meet than on continuous improvement in 2024. Sheesley said he hopes by the end of the season, the team is consistently competitive. With strong programs like Fremont, Ludington and Manistee on the league schedule, Whitehall will get plenty of chances to see how it stacks up.

“It will be interesting to see how some of our Saturday tournaments go and how we fare,” Sheesley said.

ing left field and pitcher. Cederquist should slide into the top spot in the rotation, with Thommen and Hayden Boutell also likely to see time in the circle. Kayden Johnson, a sophomore, and freshman Kennedy Knapp will vie for time there too; Johnson came up during the season in 2023 and her bat should be a big factor for Montague.

Junior Greta Auch is new to the varsity this year but isn’t looking to play like it. Coach Randall Mikkelsen said no Wildcat put in more work in the offseason than Auch, and she should push her way into the lineup regularly.

The Wildcats, like everyone else, begin the season looking up at Oakridge in the conference standings. The Ea-

gles were unbeaten in the league last year and only graduated one starter. Mikkelsen said his team believes it can be in that conversation for the top spot, though.

“How the new young players rise, along with how our untested pitchers perform, go a long way in determining how we fare on the season,” Mikkelsen said.

Montague will take on larger schools in non-league matchups, including battles with Forest Hills Eastern and West Ottawa as well as a trip to the Mona Shores Invitational. Whitehall and Fremont join Oakridge as clear-your-schedule matchups in WMC Lakes action.

R-P, Montague eye big seasons on the links

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Reeths-Puffer made strides last year, winning an O-K Green Conference jamboree for the first time in a long time. Coach Matt Pallett believes his team can take the next step this year and challenge for an O-K Green Conference championship, something the Rockets haven’t won in 18 years.

“Our mental game will be the biggest factor in achieving our goals this year,” Pallett said.

The Rockets bring back three of their top five scorers from last year’s regional meet, including the top twosenior Dylan Panozzo and sophomore Kristian Brown. Brown sparkled as a freshman, achieving all-O-K Green recognition, and Panozzo picked up honorable mention. The duo should be evenly matched as they vie for the top position in R-P’s lineup.

“They are both challenging each other in practice and making each other better,” Pallett said.

Junior Ayden Hartzell is also back after a strong sophomore year, and Pallett said he improved a lot in the offseason. He will play a big role.

Senior Jake Lee and sophomore Beckett Mathes are the top contenders to earn full-time varsity spots alongside the three returning starters. Lee played some varsity matches last year and is hoping to be there all season in 2024; Mathes has worked hard in the offseason after a solid JV campaign.

Calvin Schlee, Aiden Waggoner and Tristan Baker, all juniors, will all be in competition for varsity spots as well.

The Rockets always play a full and competitive schedule, and this year is no exception, with three meets scheduled for the first week of competition following spring break. Two of those meets are O-K Green jamborees, which will give R-P a good look at how

it stacks up against conference mainstays Mona Shores and Zeeland West.

“We challenge ourselves with some tough competition early on,” Pallett said.

Montague Montague brings back a large crew of experienced players in 2024, and the Wildcats have their eye on an impressive season.

“The team knows that they are expected to get better each and every day,” Montague coach Brad Tate said. “They are hoping to be one of the better teams in the West Michigan Conference and are hoping to play their best golf at regionals.”

It just so happens the Wildcats get to host the regionals this year at Old Channel Trail Golf Course, the second time in three seasons Montague gets that distinction.

Among the returners are the Wildcats’ best two regional scorers from last spring - Owen Raeth and Trevin Silvers. Brayden Bultema is Montague’s third returner from the squad that took a solid seventh place in the regional a year ago.

Veterans Jack Bailey and Bucky Aney add to the team’s strong depth, and Max Welch and Eli Bunton are varsity newcomers that have significantly improved from last season.

“(They) will be players that are going to only get better as their confidence begins to grow,” Tate said.

Prior to the regionals, Montague will get plenty of chances to measure itself against some strong opposition. Certainly the WMC will offer chances to compete, and the Wildcats are also excited for the GMAA meet and the Ludington Invitational, which always features strong opposition.

“This is a team that is very competitive and will represent our school well,” Tate said.

Free dump days for residents begin April 13

es and tires are not permitted items for coupon use.

The dump day schedule following April 13 is as follows:

April 20 - Montague Township; April 27 - Whitehall Township; May 4 - White River Township; May 11 - Blue Lake Township; May 18 - City of Whitehall.

pitcher Brayden Mitchelson winds up for a delivery during the March 26 season opener against Montague. Mitchelson is part of a deep Rockets’ pitching staff.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall city council pursuing trio of DNR grants

By Andy Roberts & Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writers

The Whitehall city council passed a resolution approving three Department of Natural Resources grant applications at its Tuesday, March 26 meeting, committing a total of $132,800 in matching funds should the grants be approved.

The applications target improvements at three different Whitehall parks - Funnell Field, Gee Park and Goodrich Park.

The Funnell Field application largely revolves around replacing the bathroom facilities at the field. City manager Scott Huebler said the current facilities are theoretically functional, but they can be “hit and miss.”

The application seeks $80,000 in DNR funds for a $125,000 total project.

The grant for Gee Park, Huebler said, is similar to an application the city

unsuccessfully made last year. The city seeks just under $40,000 from the state for a project that costs about $85,000 in all and revolves around fencing in the park on its north and west sides in order to clearly demarcate the park area from the private property of its neighbors. The grant would also include a new play structure with wood fiber fall protection, as well as new parking spaces. Huebler added that the city would seek to have in-county workers do the installation, the use of whom would count towards the city’s matching funds.

Like the Gee Park application, the Goodrich Park application is being made after a previous unsuccessful attempt. This time, the city’s ask is $35,000 for a project costing nearly $78,000 total. Unlike the other two applications, the matching funds would not be coming from the city’s general fund, but from Tax Increment Finance

Authority (TIFA) funds. The project would seek to add a new swing set to the park, as well as fencing and security cameras around the splash pad, new cooking grills and striping for new parking spaces.

Huebler said if the grants are not approved, the council will determine alternate uses for the budgeted matching funds.

The city awarded two-year contracts to Ted’s Tree Service out of Montague for tree maintenance and to Jelinek Tree Service out of Twin Lake for brush pickup during the meeting. Three businesses put in bids for those services, with Ted’s and Jelinek providing the lowest pricing. Ted’s has worked with the city in the past, but it was noted that Jelinek was receiving its first city contract. Huebler said that Ted’s will be the city’s preferred contact in the event of an emergency, with Jelinek as the backup.

The council also discussed the chances of getting an additional stoplight or a crosswalk at the intersection of Colby and Franklin Street from the Michigan Department of Transportation. Huebler said MDOT will not support another stoplight; however, they may be able to add a “flashing” crosswalk, similar to the one in downtown Montague on the corner of Dowling and Ferry Street. The crosswalk features a flashing light, signaling to oncoming traffic when a pedestrian wants to cross the street. Especially during the school year, there are concerns about children trying to cross the street in a busy area, such as on Colby. Council members feel a flashing crosswalk would be most beneficial in trying to slow traffic down and making it safer. The council also approved the Chamber of Commerce’s request to sponsor a visit from the Kayak Adventure Series this summer.

On Tap & Uncorked returns to Muskegon Museum of Art

The Muskegon Museum of Art is excited to announce On Tap & Uncorked is returning Friday, April 19. On Tap & Uncorked is a multi-sensory tasting event with an artistic twist. Explore the galleries and exhibitions while getting a taste of artfully crafted beer, wine, cider, and food from around West Michigan.

On Tap & Uncorked is an annual event at the Muskegon Museum of Art.

In its ninth year, the event showcases artfully crafted beverages and food from within our West Michigan community. The museum selects a limited number of vendors to participate each year ranging from community favorites to new places that might not yet be on your radar.

Participating beverage vendors include local breweries Fetch (Whitehall), Pigeon Hill (Muskegon) and Un-

ruly (Muskegon), as well as Big Hart Brewing (Hart) and several other West Michigan breweries.

The 21+ event takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 19 at the Muskegon Museum of Art. Tickets are $30 for MMA members, $40 in advance, and $50 at the door. Purchase tickets in advance online at muskegonartmuseum. org/on-tap or in the MMA Museum Store.

Tickets include admission to the event and tokens for beer, wine, cider, and food samples. Additional tokens will be available for purchase at the event. The proceeds from each ticket purchase support the MMA and special programming at the museum.

The event is only open to adults 21 years and older. A pictured driver’s license or state-issued I.D. will be required upon arrival.

Police activity this week

Behind the Badge

March 27

Whitehall Police responded to a call of a breaking and entering in progress at a residence in the 400 block of Division St. The caller reported they heard a noise in the garage and the cats were now acting strange and staring at the door to the garage, adding, “Cats don’t lie”. The officer checked the home and did not find any criminal activity, but did make sure all the doors were locked before leaving.

March 28

At 12:32 a.m. a caller reported a man standing in the roadway in the 300 block of Hall St. The caller described the person, who was wearing a pink hoodie at the time. After escorting the caller into her apartment, the officer, being familiar with a nearby resident,

checked and found the person at his home in the 800 block of Sophia. The man said he was just outside smoking. The officer determined there was no further concern for safety and informed the caller of the situation.

March 30

The on-duty officer responded to a 911 call of a “man down” in the 200 block of E Colby St. When the officer arrived on the scene of the 7:26 a.m. call, he saw the assisting Montague police officer appeared to be fighting with the subject. The Montague officer was only attempting to get the 64-year-old to wait for medical, as he was shivering and having difficulty breathing. It was later learned the victim lived there and had a coughing fit. His roommate then told him to leave the house. After a medical evaluation, the man refused further medical attention and went back into his home.

A resident of the 1300 block of Waters Edge was arrested for domestic assault after police were called at 2:37 p.m. The victim told the investigating officer she and her husband were arguing over financial issues and it escalated. When she tried to isolate herself in the bathroom, it resulted in him pushing her and later he kicked her from behind, causing her to fall. The 44-year-old husband was lodged at the Muskegon County jail.

Whitehall Police assisted Michigan Child Protective Services with a situation involving a 15-year-old girl. CPS had placed the girl with an adult friend but was scheduled to return home. The girl was refusing and threatened self-harm if returned to her mother, whom she alleged was involved in criminal activity and abusing the girl. HealthWest was also called to assist, and eventually it was resolved the girl would remain with the friend for the time being.

At 10:45 a.m. Whitehall and Montague officers responded to a trespassing complaint in the 900 block of Warner St. The man had been banned from the property due to an incident there two weeks prior. When the situation was explained, the man denied he had been told of his ban. The 60-year-old was taken into custody and lodged at the Muskegon County jail.

March 31

Whitehall Police were called after a 56-year-old man made suicidal statements to his mother. Officers responded to the 600 block of River St. and were led to a bathroom, where he was found semi-conscious. The victim was later transported from the 9:28 p.m. call to Trinity Health by Trinity EMS.

April 1

Whitehall Police arrested a suspect for breaking and entering a business in

the 500 block of Mears Ave. The breakin, reported at 5:44 a.m., occurred shortly before the call. The business owner showed the investigating officer video of the suspect, whom the officer immediately recognized. The diligent officer had noticed the same suspect the night before in the early morning hours as the 32-year-old appeared to be “casing” a convenience store. Having identified the suspect at that time, the officer went immediately to where he was staying in the 1000 block of Colby St. and he was taken into custody without incident. Property stolen during the incident was also recovered. The suspect was lodged for the breakin and other charges at the Muskegon County jail.

April 2

Officers responded to the 1100 block of Colby St. on a report of a family dispute. After arriving at the 8:17 p.m. call, the officer was told by the mother she had taken her phone back from her 12-year-old son, who in turn took the mouse to her computer. The boy had then locked himself in the bathroom. A threat to remove the television from his room resulted in the return of the mouse, but the young man remained in the bathroom. The mother later reported after a change of medication the boy had been “out of control”. No further action was taken.