The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 38, February 16, 2024 by theoceanaecho

Volume 1, Issue 38 FEBRUARY 16, 2024

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Hart becomes new branch for ‘Purses with a Purpose’ By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

you wish. As an official branch, Hallack can donate the filled purses to local agencies of her choosing. She invites any agency wishing to receive the collected bags to contact her. “I’ve been picking up red nail polish to include too. Just because you may be at the bottom doesn’t mean you should have to feel like it. You should be allowed to feel good about yourself - ‘dress up to feel up’,” Hallack said. The official Michigan Purses for a Purpose drop-off site is 5-Star Real Estate - Hart, located at 109 E. Main St., in downtown Hart. However, because it is a real estate office, she suggests calling ahead (231-955-7355) to make sure someone is available to receive any donations. “No one should have to feel ‘less than.’ I have felt ‘less than’ in my life and doing this little thing makes me feel like I am helping someone feel better about themselves or (their) situation,” Hallack said.

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Three years ago, Crystal Hallack recalls being somewhere and seeing the State Police collecting gently used purses and toiletries for the Purses for a Purpose Inc. organization. Being a purse-lover as well as a people-lover, Hallack gladly stepped up and donated to the project. Purses for a Purpose Inc. is a 501(c) (3) based in California that accepts donated purses, handbags and backpacks and fills them with travel-size toiletries to deliver to homeless women in select cities across the nation. Wanting to do more, Hallack began saving purses and purchasing toiletries whenever she got the chance. She put the next collection date on her calendar so she wouldn’t forget. Wanting to do even more, she did a Google search to see if she could become a collection site for the organization. “I am a busy person, and I wanted a year-round option. I thought others could be involved if there was a place where people could drop off their donations anytime,” Hallack said. She is pleased to announce she recently became an official “branch” for Purses for a Purpose Inc. Michigan is one of only four states (California, Connecticut, Michigan and Washington D.C.) currently collecting for the organization. Not only that, but Hallack is the only official collection branch in Michigan. She invites community members to think about donating to this worthy cause. Monetary donations can be made, and an Amazon wishlist can be viewed at the organization’s website, www.pursesforapurposeinc.com. For those wishing to donate purses, it is recommended that purses, handbags and backpacks be arm-deep, mid-sized and in good condition. Suggested toiletry items include travel-sized soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, deodorants, first-aid items, dental hygiene products, feminine products, combs, socks, sunscreen, chapstick, hair ties, shower caps, make-up wipes, face lotions, Purse-lover and collector, Crystal Hallack can be seen etc. You can donate as much or as little as above at a purse auction. • Contributed Photo

Early voting begins tomorrow By Amanda Dodge The Oceana Echo Community Contributor Early voting for the presidential primary on Feb. 27, which is new this election cycle, begins tomorrow in Oceana County and across the state. After a constitutional amendment to allow early voting was passed in November 2022, Michigan voters can now cast their ballots in the nine days preceding any state or federal election. According to Oceana County Clerk Amy Anderson, early voting will take place in the jury room at the Oceana County Courthouse from Saturday, Feb. 17 through Feb. 25. “There will be signs in the hallway, and they will have to go through a security check,” Anderson said. “We are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, including Monday (Feb. 19), which is a holiday.” She added that the nine consecutive days do not include the Monday directly before the election, which is Feb. 26 for this primary. “Clerks are required to download their Electronic Poll Book on that Monday,” Anderson explained. Along with the primary, voters in Crystal Township have three proposals to consider on their ballots regarding its fire department and road improvements.

Fancy clothes and fun were aplenty at the first annual “Senior” Prom at Our Friends House in Hart. Top, from left, Lauryn Moore, Tracey Kurilla (volunteer), Tami Smith, Hannah Johnson (volunteer), Michelle Verschueren, Phyllis Shance (volunteer) and Jacci Smith stand behind King Duane Priese, Queen Donna Bon and Mavis Smith. The StringAlongs serenaded attendees, above, as they danced the afternoon away, below. • Sharon Hallack/Echo

Our Friends House hosts first ‘Senior’ Prom By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor Everyone was “dressed to the nines” Wednesday afternoon for the First Annual “Senior” Prom at the Oceana County Council on Aging’s Our Friends House (OFH) located at 621 E. Main St. Nearly 50 OFH clients, family members, community band members and staff joined together to celebrate Valentine’s Day in style. “Many of our clients have never attended a prom,” said OFH Manager Tami Smith. “We have regular, daily activities for our friends, but we like to hold larger events at least once a quarter.” A community member band called “The String-Alongs” entertained by singing fun, love-themed songs accompanied by their stringed instruments of all kinds. “Professional stylist Hannah Johnson did all of the ladies’ hair for today,” Smith said. “Wrist corsages and boutonnieres were donated by Birch & Blossom and the golden rose floral bouquets for our prom queen and all other ladies were donated by Shelby Floral.” Everyone cheered when Donna Bon was crowned “2024 Prom Queen” and Duane Priese was crowned “2024 Prom King.” There was certainly no shortage of smiles on Wednesday. Our Friends House, the Adult Day Service of Oceana County’s Council on Aging, is open daily Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clients can expect to receive transportation to and from the center, stimulating social interaction, regular activities, a hearty noon meal and personal care. They may also participate in outings in the community and special events, like the prom. Smith said other quarterly events include an Easter party, a Mother’s Day tea, a Father’s Day cookout and a Christmas party. More information on Our Friends House is available at www. oceanacoa.com/services/adult-day-services.

THE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY 16, 2024 2

Contest return evokes sweet memories By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor We here at The Oceana Echo are so excited that the New Era Chamber of Commerce Cherry Pie Contest and Auction will return next Saturday! After a three-year hiatus because of Covid, this year will mark the 52nd Cherry Pie Contest and Auction. The event began in 1970. “In the past, we’ve always done a joint venture with a nonprofit, and the other half went to the chamber for funding community projects,” Scott Meyers of the New Era Chamber of Commerce and owner of Meyers Chevrolet said. “This year, (all proceeds) will go to the chamber, so the money is still going to go right back into the community.”

Hearing about the pie contest brought a flood of memories to New Era resident Joan Lound’s mind. Memories about learning to bake, cherry pie recipes and friends. She contacted The Oceana Echo and asked if we were interested in hearing some of them. Cherries? History? Stories about local people? You bet we’re interested! Thank you, Joan, for sharing! “When I was a student at Shelby High School in the late 1960s, our home economics teacher was Mrs. Evelyn Tompkins. Fast forward to 2014, when a SHS classmate, Anita Vela Alviar, asked me if I remembered the cherry pies that we made in the ‘Home Ec’ class, wondering if I knew how to get the recipe for her. “I realized that Mrs. Tompkins’ son, Rich, lived in Hart, so I wrote him a letter in late 2014, explaining the sit-

uation and asking him if he had his mom’s recipe. In January 2015, I received a long handwritten letter from Rich indicating that, in fact, he had his mom’s recipe box and that he had found three recipes, which he sent me. In turn, I passed the recipes on to my classmate Anita. “In his letter, Rich also mentioned that cherry pie was not his favorite because his sister, Linda (Tompkins) McLouth (Mrs. Clem McLouth), had competed in several cherry pie contests in the late 1950’s. While she was perfecting her technique, she would make pies before and after school, almost daily. He remembers eating cherry pies for breakfast, lunch and dinner during January and February.,” Lound said. All her practice paid off when she was named Oceana County’s pie-baking queen in 1955,” Lound reported.

In the next week, local bakers will be busy preparing to enter their prize-winning pies in next Saturday’s competition. No matter how the “pits” fall, everyone will no doubt have a wonderful time baking, sampling, gathering, bidding and celebrating this prized Oceana County fruit. The New Era Cherry Pie Contest and Auction will take place Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. Cherry pie entries need to be baked with a double-crust or lattice-crust in a disposable 8-inch or 9-inch pie tin. Pies should be dropped off at The Avenue Event Center in downtown New Era between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. Pies will be judged on crust, filling and appearance by a panel of independent judges. The auction will be at 2 p.m. Proceeds from the auction will go to help support the New Era Fall Fest and other village events.

New Era Cherry Pie Contest & Auction

All local bakers are encouraged to submit their beautiful pies for judging and the auction Pie Requirements: Double crust or lattice cherry pies only. Baked in an 8” or 9” disposable pie tin. Pie Submission: Must be dropped off between 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24 at The Avenue Event Center in New Era. Pie Judging: 3 judges will each give an independent score on crust, filling and appearance.

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Baker’s categories and prizes: Youth 10 and Under 1st place: $50; 2nd place: $40; 3rd place: $30; 4th place: $20; 5th place: $10 Youth 11–17 years old 1st place: $50; 2nd place: $40; 3rd place: $30; 4th place: $20; 5th place: $10 Business entries: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th places awarded Adult 18-59 1st place: $100; 2nd place: $90; 3rd place: $80; 4th place: $70; 5th place: $60; 6th place: $50; 7th place: $40; 8th place: $30; 9th place: $20; 10th place: $10 Senior: 60 and over 1st place: $100; 2nd place: $90; 3rd place: $80; 4th place: $70; 5th place: $60; 6th place: $50; 7th place: $40; 8th place: $30; 9th place: $20; 10th place: $10

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Pie Auction: Pies submitted will be auctioned off at 2 p.m. at The Avenue Event Center Funds Raised: Proceeds will help support the New Era Fall Street Festival and additional community events in New Era. This event is sponsored by the New Era Chamber of Commerce.

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3 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO

Cherry pie recipes for Cherry Month By Sharon Hallack

⅓ c. lemon juice, fresh or bottled 1 t. vanilla extract 1 (21-ounce) can of cherry pie filling, chilled In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. It’s February and officially Cherry Month! With Oceana County’s long-standPour into the prepared crust. Chill for 3 hours or until set. Top with the desired ing love affair with this iconic fruit, here are a few tried-and-true and totally amount of pie filling before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers. scrumptious desserts to try. The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Cherry Holiday Squares From Jean Riley, of Riley Orchards in Mears *The recipe also gives credit to other Mears residents, Esther Moul and Vickie Fenton

Ingredients: 1 ½ c. sugar 1 c. butter 4 eggs 2 c. flour 1 ½ tsp. almond extract 1 Tbsp. lemon juice Cream first two ingredients until light and fluffy. Add eggs singly, beating well after each. Add flour, extract and juice, mixing well. Pour into a greased 15 X 10 inch jelly roll pan. Mark off into 24 imaginary squares and place a tablespoon of cherry pie filling into each “square.” Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar while still warm. Cherry Cheese Pie From an Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk cookbook No time to bake? This is for you! Ingredients: 1 (9-inch) graham cracker crumb crust or baked pastry shell 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)

Prize-winning Cherry Pie Recipe Marjorie “Marge” (Field) Peterson’s 1947 National Cherry Pie Queen Recipe My mother used Marge’s prize-winning pie filling recipe for decades, using the buckets of cherries my dad would bring home from the cooling pad. Us kids would have pitting contests; she would cook up the filling and freeze it in foillined tin pans and stack it in our freezer. Then, when she needed a pie, she’d put the frozen pie filling in her crust and bake! Ingredients: 4 c. Oceana County red tart cherries, pitted (save juice) 4 Tbsp. cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) 1 to 1 1/2 c. sugar (Marge’s recipe called for 2 ¼ c. sugar) ½ c. cherry juice 1 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. lemon juice Combine sugar and ¼ c. cherry juice. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl, combine the remaining juice and cornstarch to make a smooth paste. Add it to the hot mixture. Cook until just thickened. Add cherries, lemon juice and butter. Add to the pastry-lined pie tin, add the top crust; prick to allow steam to escape. Bake in a hot oven, 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 10–15 minutes, or until the crust is evenly browned. Note: If using frozen cherries, you’ll need to thaw the cherries to get some juice. Mix whatever accumulates with the cornstarch or arrowroot powder. You may need to bake it a bit longer if using frozen cherries.

County board takes no action on OCCOA millage By Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Community Contributor HART – During the Oceana County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday, Feb. 8, a decision about moving a millage renewal request from Oceana County Council on Aging (OCCOA) onto the August ballot was tabled. The aforementioned request from OCCOA was for a millage lasting 10 years. The board had previously approved the language of the millage in December of 2022. OCCOA has since requested that the millage be moved

By Sharon Hallack

from May’s ballot to August’s instead. Concerns over the length of the millage prompted Board Chairman Bob Walker and Commissioner Paul Erickson to question the consequences of a 10-year millage. With counties restricted to collecting 1 mill for senior services, other organizations such as The Ladder in Shelby could be left out should they require assistance over the 10-year span. “This is a 10-year millage that (OCCOA) is asking for,” Walker said. “I think we need to look into the future. If we put this on the ballot the way it is, what happens to The Ladder in Shelby if they need assistance? Oceana County is only allowed to have 1 mill for se-

nior resources. This language says that the whole 1 mill goes to the Oceana County Council on Aging and nobody else will have the opportunity for any of those funds whatsoever. That concerns me.” Erickson echoed Walker’s concern about a possible lack of funds for other organizations, adding Love INC into the mix. “I was in Walkerville at the report that was done by the Community Foundation for Oceana County,” Erickson said. “In that room that evening, we had people from Love INC there that were looking at the possibilities of creating a satellite out in that territory. The Ladder has performed a tremen-

dous service in Shelby and is looking at moving south. I must agree with Mr. Walker that we can’t tie our hands on this because there are other entities in Oceana County that might better serve these rural locations.” With a deadline of May 14 for the request to be given to the clerk’s office, Walker proposed adding additional language to the millage that would disperse funds among multiple organizations. Erickson added that perhaps a shorter term would be beneficial, noting the board could revisit their decision at the end of three years instead of 10.

News and Notes

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Municipal On Monday, the Shelby Village Council extended their best wishes to Village Administrator Brady Selner, who recently announced he will be leaving in the next month to take the job as village manager for Spring Lake. Several council members shared parting thoughts with Selner, thanking him for his contributions to the village. “We wouldn’t be where we are if you hadn’t been pushing the broom,” said Steve Crothers. “We are all so proud of you, you are like a son to us,” said John Sutton. “I believe you will go on to do bigger things than Spring Lake someday,” said Village President Paul Inglis. “I’ve appreciated your hard work ethic. Even if I challenged you, you always looked into it for me. Your character makes all the difference,” said Mike Termer. “Don’t forget about us. If you hear of any grants, be sure and cc us,” quipped Damien Omness. Selner humbly shared similar sentiments, saying, “I owe a lot to Shelby. My time has been both rewarding and challenging. I’m not so arrogant to believe I’m not replaceable,” he said. “I can’t thank this

council enough; you were a good boss to work for.” Selner’s last official work day as village administrator will be Wednesday, March 13. Several Village of Shelby and Shelby Township stakeholders have committed over $160,000 in donations within the last month to close the funding gap for the Village of Shelby’s Getty Park project. Donations are still being accepted, and any funds donated over the reported gap will go towards further enhancements at the park.

qualify for a refund and make under $66,000 annually, we will prepare their return free of charge,” said Amanda Kitchka, Goodwill Industries West Michigan, and coordinator of the program. Those interested in scheduling an appointment should call “211” to speak with an intake specialist. Scheduling an appointment will help keep this site available in future years for this valuable free service. You do not need to be an Oceana County resident to take advantage of this valuable service.

Community

Hart and Shelby Rotaries recently joined the Ludington Rotary Club and were able to provide the funding needed to upgrade the internet and electricity at the Sable Points Lighthouse Keeper’s Association visitor’s trailer at Little Point Sable Lighthouse in Silver Lake. Together, the three rotaries contributed a total of $4,500, and as a result, they were awarded an additional $3,376 grant from their rotary district. “We really appreciate the Ludington Club for bringing this opportunity to our attention and we’re happy that we could be involved to help make improvements in our backyard,” said Valerie Fedewa of the Shelby Rotary Club. For community members who may be interested in joining Rotary, the Rotary Club of Shelby meets Tuesdays at 12:10 p.m. at Shelby Congregational Church, 51 E. Third St., Shelby and the Rotary Club of Hart meets Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. at Hart United Methodist Church, 308 S. State St., Hart.

Did you know Oceana County Council on Aging is a registered site for this year’s VITA program (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) tax appointments? Did you know free tax preparation services are available to anyone who made $66,000 or less in 2023? Do you realize there are many advantages to having a knowledgeable professional help you with your return? There are currently 50 free appointments available every Monday, Feb. 26 through April 15, with trained volunteer tax preparers ready and willing to help eligible community members with their tax returns this year. (Please refer to the Jan. 26 Oceana Echo article entitled “RSVP VITA programs” for more information on this valuable program.) “The VITA program focuses on federal returns, for families and individuals who have low to moderate incomes, including the elderly, veterans, disabled, single parents and low-income families. If they

4 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO This page is brought to you by:

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Oceana County Schools: Ferry By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

Welcome back, dear readers, as we cover the history of some of this county’s rural schoolhouses. This week we look at Ferry, the township with what are quite possibly some of the best school names we have encountered thus far. We begin with district number one, where we can find a school called “Fish.” The Fish school was located on the corner of East Hayes Road and South 124th Avenue. It appears on both the 1895 and 1913 maps of Oceana County, and it was eventually consolidated with the Ferry School. Regarding the name of the school, Mort Wiegand’s notes simply say it was “called the Fish School because of the name of the people who lived near there.” Some of the teachers who worked at this school include Laurel Robinson, David Beachum, Hazel Haight, and Irma VanWickle. Up next is the Condon school, also appearing on the 1895 and 1913 maps. We don’t have any explanation for the name of this school, however, Wiegand does tell us that the school began in 1869 and the early lessons were held in the house of one E.D. Smith. Later, a log school house was constructed, which was used until it was finally replaced with a frame building in 1882. The location of this school house was South 124th Avenue and East Johnson Road. Consolidation seems to have been a hot topic in Ferry, and indeed, it seems to be the case with all of these rural schools as automobiles became more common in America. There was a call to consolidate the schools in Ferry as early as 1920, as can be seen in newspaper articles from that time. “Application has been made to the state for an investigation into the desirability of uniting school districts No. 1, 2, 4, 5 frl., and 7 of Ferry Township. Small rural districts are facing a problem just now in not being able to hire teachers and keep up other expenses without excessive taxation, and consolidation seems to be the only remedy.” In district number three, we have the Rathbone school, so named because it was built near an area known as Rathbone corners. This school is located on South 144th Avenue, between East Buchanan Road and East Pierce Road, on the west side. The building was made out of cement blocks, and it still stands today, although it is now privately owned. The names

of some teachers that have worked here include Eva May, Mr. Cogsdill, Edith Rogers, Fern McCarty, and Lena Branch. In district number four, a school was built on the land of the Ebert family for $10. Appropriately, on the 1895 plat map, this is referred to as the “Ebert” school. However, many photographs and articles show that it was also later known as the Lickskillet school, no explanation given. A small frame building was erected in 1871, which was replaced with a cement building in 1902. Rather than street names, we are simply told that the school was located “North and East of Ferry.” The cement school house was destroyed by a fire in 1922, at which point a new brick building was constructed about a half of a mile to the east of the old school house. This new school was called Elm Valley. District number five is home to the Maple Range school, which once stood on South 154th Avenue, somewhere between East Garfield Road and East Hayes Road. This district was first organized in 1865, and the first school was a log building. According to Wiegand’s notes, “A teacher was hired for 3 months for $40, eleven dollars in cash and the rest in produce.” The log building was replaced sometime around 1873, and when the school closed down, the students

went to Ferry instead. On the corner of East Buchanan Road and 120th Avenue, we have the Loop school. Wiegand mentions that on the 1895 plat map, this school was labeled as the Converse school, but pictures from the 1920s refer to it as Loop. Perhaps the Converse name was taken from a local family, as a 1920s class photo does show one Donald Converse in attendance. The school was founded in 1874 and housed in a log building until a frame building was constructed in 1884. A1905 newspaper clipping tells us about some of the improvements going on at that time. “The recent improvements at the Loop school, Ferry Township, include a 52 ft. well. Last year, a bookcase and a globe were added to the school equipment. Miss Thyra Anderson is (the) teacher, the enrollment at the current time is 17.” Before a school was built in district number seven, a woman named Emma Powers taught children “in her home and also in the upstairs of the blacksmith shop.” A brick-veneered school house was finally built in 1905–1906, but it was short-lived, as the building burned down in 1907. A newspaper clipping from that time tells us the fire was probably caused by an “explosion of gas in the furnace.” A new, solid-brick building was built to replace it, and children attended school in the old school house and the Maccabee Hall in the meantime. Then, in 1958, we saw the construction of the Ferry Community School. This school consolidated the previously mentioned rural schools. It was finally closed in 2007.

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theoceanaecho@gmail.com • February 16, 2024 • Volume 1 • Issue 38 Office hours (Old Town Hall in Mears): Mondays: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Office phone: 231-301-8149, or for breaking news, please call 231-923-0751.

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

2023 February Feb. 16 - Story Time, Hesperia Community Library, 10-11 a.m. Feb. 10 & 17 - Pentwater Winterfest

The Ladder Community Center: M-F: The Huddle for 6th-12th grade youth, 3-5 p.m. Thursdays: Recovery Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Fridays: Open Jam Session, 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 - Puzzle Competition, Shelby Middle School, 2-6:30 p.m. Feb. 17-18 - Free fishing weekend

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.

Feb. 20 - Mobile Food Pantry, Pentwater Fire Dept., 11 a.m.

Forest School for Grownups Tuesday afternoons through Feb. 27.

Feb. 17-25 - Early 2024 Presidential Primary voting, Oceana County Courthouse, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 20 - Women’s Wellness Workshop - “Substance Use Prevention Education,” Harbor House, 6:30-8 p.m.

Art You Can Feel Ludington Area Center for the Arts through Feb. 24

Feb. 20 - Oceana County College and Career Fair, Shelby High School

“Cooking for One” at OCCOA Every Tuesday from Feb. 6 - March 12, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Feb. 21 - Cyber Security Awareness with Mark Shotwell, Pentwater Township Library, 1-2 p.m.

Tutoring sessions available at Shelby Middle School Shelby Middle School is offering tutoring on Tuesdays from 7-7:45 a.m. and Thursdays from 3-4 p.m. through Thursday, March 14.

The Ladder to host Power of a Man’s Story Event HERO is honored to welcome “The Naked Farmer” to The Ladder Community Center Saturday, Feb. 17 from 9:15-11:15 a.m. On a frigid December night in 2013, Tim VanderZwaag, a 6-foot-tall, 250-pound West Michigan farmer, was pulled backward into a spinning PTO (power take-off) shaft. He was forced through a 10-inch gap numerous times before being thrown out into a snow-covered field, stripped of his clothes and all alone. Tim’s story of survival and faith is gripping and inspiring. It will have a powerful impact on every man who hears it. All men 12 and older are welcome to join us Feb. 17. We encourage you to invite friends! There is no charge for the event, though donations will be accepted. We will provide donuts for all the hungry men who walk through the door – no pre-registration required. We look forward to packing out The Ladder for “The Naked Farmer” to kick off our next season of HERO: The Power of a Man’s Story. The Ladder is located at 67 N. State St. in Shelby.

Hart Community Performing Arts Series The Hart Community Performing Arts Series will continue its 2023-24 season on Sunday, Feb. 18 with a 3 p.m. performance by the Tom Knific Quintet. The Tom Knific Quintet is a joyful and exhilarating jazz ensemble that draws on a world of influences and delivers highly interactive performances ranging from the intimate moments of stirring melodic beauty, to deep groove and contemporary virtuoso turns. The ensemble features violinist Renata Artman Knific, pianist/composer Lisa Sung, percussionist Kevin Dalton-Jones and drummer David Alvarez III. Together they are current and emeritus faculty of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Western Michigan University, Hope College and Calvin University. A Cleveland native, Knific has gone on to perform on tour and record with many of the great jazz and classical artists of our time including Dave Brubeck, Michel Legrand, Fred Hersch, Randy Brecker, Edward Simon, Toots Thielemans, Andre Watts, Pepe Romero, and many more. The concert will take place in the Hart Public Schools auditorium, located inside Hart Middle School at 308 W. Johnson St. in Hart. Tickets will be available at the door and further information is available at hartseries.org.

Feb. 22 - Oceana Deep Dive, West Michigan Research Center, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Feb. 24 - Phil with Purpose Workshop, Hart Wesleyan Church, 9-11 a.m. Feb. 24 - Cherry Pie Contest, The Avenue Event Center Feb. 27 - 2024 Presidential Primary in-person voting

Cyber Security Awareness event at Pentwater Township Library set for Feb. 21 The Pentwater Township Library is hosting a Cyber Security Awareness event on Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 1-2 p.m. with IT Specialist Mark Shotwell. The public is welcome to come learn about common scams in your email and on the internet and how to keep your information secure when using your computers, tablets or smartphones. All ages are welcome and there is no cost to attend. More information is available at www.pentwaterlibrary.org.

Lenten brunch at Centenary UMC Pentwater’s Centenary United Women in Faith invites all community members to their annual Lenten brunch. The event will be held in the church’s Fellowship Hall on Tuesday, March 15 at 10 a.m. located at 82 S. Hancock St. Guest speaker Sandi Kersten will present “Lent in Music.” RSVPs can be sent to pentwaterumc@gmail.com, 231-869-5900 or given to the church office.

Forest School for Growns Ups

Reconnect with nature and explore the outdoors just like the preschoolers do in the Knee-High Naturalists programming offered by the Oceana Conservation District! “Adults often forget the joy of exploration, the thrill of discovery, and the serenity of being one with nature,” said Kari Wilson, Conservation District Educator. This winter, adults will get the ultimate opportunity to rekindle their bond with the wilderness when the OCD presents their “Forest School for Grown Ups” series. “Join us in this unique, refreshing, and educational experience that promises to be as much fun as it is informative,” she said. The winter series will meet Tuesdays from 12:30–3 p.m. from Jan. 23 through Feb. 27. Participants will engage in a range of activities that are guaranteed to stimulate their senses, challenge their knowledge and ignite their love for nature. Most sessions in this series will include indoor classroom time, accompanied by various experiences in the field. The next Share Our Stories (SOS) event at The Ladder Community Center in The school is limited to 12 adults. Please visit www.oceanaconservation.org to Shelby will feature the theme “Being Born” (carried over from January, due to register. The spring session will run from April 23 through May 28. inclement weather cancellation). Adults, join us on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 1:30 p.m. as we discuss what it’s like working with expectant families, new moms, and babies in a variety of locations. Our guest speaker is Maggie Bowman, a certified doula and assistant to local midwives. Those in attendance will be invited to share their birth stories. Pentwater Winterfest is set to return for the second of two weekends starting SOS is a monthly event held at The Ladder, where people gather and share Friday, Feb. 16. Returning this year is the Annual Ryan Williams Perch Tournamemories, photos, and other memorabilia from Oceana County. There is no ad- ment from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost for the tournament is $10 per adult and $5 per ditional cost for registered adult members 18+. Please visit theladdercommuni- child age 15 or younger. Registration is from 7-10 a.m. at Pentwater Convenience tycenter.com to view all our upcoming events. Events are subject to change. To Center or Port View. The final weigh-in will be at Port View no later than 4 p.m. inquire about an event, or if you have ideas for future topics of interest for SOS, A Winter Farmers Market will also take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m at Centenary call The Ladder at 231-259-0211. United Methodist Church. For a full list of events, visit www. pentwater.org.

Share your birth stories at The Ladder

Pentwater Winterfest continues this weekend

THE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY 16, 2024 6

Artisans teach students, and vice versa By Ron Beeber The Oceana Echo Volunteer Contributor

Pentwater Artisan Learning Center member Barry Freed, above left, helps Anaviolet Jeruzal use a lathe. Scarlett Reid, above right takes a turn at a pottery wheel. • Contributed Photos

tion experts regard the STEAM curriculum as an essential component of 21st-century education. Giving students an opportunity to use both the analytical and creative sides of their brains helps them become good thinkers. She is collaborating on this indepth project with Joe Gorton, the school’s seventh–twelfth grade math and science teacher. “I love the way STEAM allows students to get hands-on experience of the engineering process,” says Gorton. “It forces them to think creatively about their ideas and designs. This project is highly successful at getting students immediately engaged and invested in their designs. Oftentimes, the initial plan doesn’t come to fruition, and they are forced to reassess, reevaluate, and make adjustments based

on the progress of their builds.” Continued Jeruzal, “I love to see what kids come up with. I love it when they come up with something truly inspiring and original— one-of-a-kind. I like to see how kids build their confidence through art and find their voice through art. It’s just great to see a kid who finds art challenging initially. But after working hard, through trial and error, they come up with something they’re proud of.” Jeruzal also leads a group of eighth- and ninth-grade girls from Hart, Ludington, Pentwater and Shelby who belong to Girl Scout Troop 8350. For her Scouts to earn their woodworking badge, she recently brought them to the Artisan Center to make custom charcuterie boards.

PALC members Darryl and Julie Massa and Sue Hopp helped them use tools such as measuring devices, screw drivers, sanders, drills and woodburning pens to engrave their initials. “I really appreciate the Artisan Center,” continued Jeruzal. Gene Davidson was a champion for students to have access to it. I’m forever indebted to Sue Hopp. Whenever I have an idea, I’ll just contact her, and she’ll organize the troops. I’ve been working through her for years now. Pentwater School’s relationship with the Artisan Center is truly unique. It’s right next door, and we have access to all these volunteers. They are experts who can guide students - one-on-one - to learn something about pottery making, woodworking, stained glass, painting and welding. It’s anoth-

er way to expand their learning.” The Pentwater Artisan Learning Center is a recognized 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, founded with the help and support of the Pentwater School Board, memberships and volunteers. It welcomes donations, bequeaths, endowments and corporation matching gifts, and has raised $173,000 of its $250,000 goal to repair, replace and add new equipment that’s needed for the next 20 years. “We are so blessed by our members and the

community at large, who are committed to keeping the artisan center the gem it is,” added Hopp. For more information, call 231-869-5323. Contributions can be charged to a credit card by logging onto oceanafoundation.org/ give/our-funds. In the “Search Funds” box, enter “Equipping the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center for the Next 20 Years Fund” and follow the prompts. More information can be found at pentwaterartisan. org and on the Center’s Facebook page.

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Singer Phil Collins once wrote a song lyric that says, “In learning, you will teach...and in teaching, you will learn.” That’s certainly what happens when members of the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center (PALC) share their skills with students who are working on projects that involve making something at the center under the watchful eye of PALC members. “The Artisan Center is a crown jewel, where adult volunteers devote time to teaching young people,” said Sue Hopp, PALC board member. “Working with students is really one of the very favorite things that happens here. We get so much satisfaction introducing students to skills we’ve learned ourselves - either here or during our younger years. We know each student takes away something they’ve learned from us. And as we teach them, we certainly learn from working with them. Really, the students bring a breath of fresh air to this place that we love so much.” One Pentwater Public Schools educator who’s devised PALC-related projects for her students for many years is Carrie Jeruzal, K-12th grade art teacher. “My favorite artistic medium now is actually my students,” said Jeruzal. “When you become a teacher, you devote your life’s work to them.” In 2006, Jeruzal came to teach at Pentwater School, which she describes as a “fantastic, high-performing, high-functioning school.” She recently had her seventh graders build wooden bases at the Artisan Center for their toy “automatron” projects. These are works of art that are programmed to move in a predetermined motion, like a jack-in-thebox. Over the next few months at school, students will be working two hours a day to engineer how their piece will move and design how it will look. “This ‘automatron project’ is a STEAM lesson - which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math,” Jeruzal explains. Many educa-

Obituaries In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

William A. “Bill” Cookenmaster June 14, 1931 ~ January 28, 2024

William A. “Bill” Cookenmaster passed away peacefully at home Jan. 28, 2024. He was born June 14, 1931, to Vivian (Stovel) and Thurber Cookenmaster in Caro, Mich. After graduating from Caro High School, he joined the U.S. Navy in 1951. After serving for four years, he entered Western Michigan University, graduating with a degree in accounting. Bill was an Internal Revenue Service agent until his retirement and then worked several part-time jobs in the Kalamazoo area. Eighteen years ago, he was able to move to Pentwater to enjoy his retirement with his wife, Shari; sister-in-law, Lynne; and his children and grandchildren. Bill enjoyed playing golf, bowling, looking at Pentwater Lake during all the seasons, tending to his cats and walking his dogs. Bill leaves behind his best friend and wife, Shari (Tate) Cookenmaster; sister, Marilyn (Don) Kay; sister-in-law, Lynne Cavazos; step-daughter, Sara (Jarrett) Rice and son, Alex; step-son, Nick Moleski and children, Jackson and Elaina; son, Michael (Rachel) Cookenmaster and children, Caitlyn and Cale; daughter, Michelle (Phil) Dratt and children, Daryn and Dayton; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by: his parents; sister, Joanne Pogel; granddaughter, Tatum Moleski (Rice); and grandson, Dalton Dratt. Shari would like to extend a very special thank you to her sister, Lynne, Harbor Hospice and Oceana County Council on Aging for their love and unwavering support. At Bill’s request, there will be no service or visitation. A Celebration of Life will take place in the spring at the Oceana County Council on Aging (OCCOA). Memorial contributions may be made to Oceana County Council on Aging, 4250 W. Tyler Rd., Hart, MI 49420, or Harbor Hospice of Muskegon, 1050 W. Western Ave., Suite 400, Muskegon, MI 49441. Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements. www.beaconfh.com

Raymond LeRoy Warner

December 12, 1932 ~ February 4, 2024 Raymond LeRoy Warner, 91, of Pentwater, passed away Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. Ray was born on Dec. 12, 1932, the son of the late Samuel and Bertha (Schumaker) Warner. On May 27, 1978, he married Janet (Bier) Warner. They shared 45 years of marriage together. Ray was employed by Jackson Vibrators/Pandrol Jackson, working as a painter. In 1995, after 25 years, Ray retired. He also worked as a roofer. In his free time, he enjoyed woodworking, drawing patterns for his projects, and later gifting them to his family members. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing. He loved his time with his nephew, Gary, where they enjoyed pizza together. Ray loved Western movies and could be found watching them from the time he woke up until the time he went to bed. Ray is survived by his wife, Janet Warner; children, Beth (Doug) Warner, John (Deborah) Warner, Kathy (Michael) Nabicht, James Lathers, and Sharon (Bill) Sponhauer; 13 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and sisters, Ruth Freese and Beatrice Wilson. Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel and Bertha Warner; children, Kenneth Lathers, Douglas Lathers, and Susuan Lathers; great-grandchildren, Gairon Gaffney and Elijah Sponhauer. There will be a memorial service Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Park Place (310 Rush St., Pentwater). Arrangements were entrusted to Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington, www. OakGroveLudington.com.

THE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY 16, 2024 7

Shelby to combine voting precincts this year Shelby Township will be combining their Voting Precincts 1 and 2 for the 2024 election year. Due to all the changes in the voting laws from Proposal 2-22, it is in the best interest of Shelby Township voters to have a combined precinct. They will have all voters come to their Township Hall located at 204 N. Michigan Ave. in Shelby, to cast their votes. Other voting options are absentee voter ballots by mail and the nine-day early voting, which will take place at the Oceana County Courthouse in Hart for the nine days prior to the election. All Precinct 2 residents affected by the change have been sent new Voter ID cards. If anyone hasn’t received their new card, please call the Shelby Township office and they will be happy to send a new one. Any questions or concerns can be directed to the clerk at Shelby Township at 231-861-5853, or email info@shelbytownshipoceana.com

Correction In the article “Gale family marks the end of an era” in the Feb. 9 edition of The Oceana Echo, Harrison Gale was mistakenly identified as Newell Gale’s brother. Harrison was Newell’s son. Newell Gale was the founding member of Gales Agency and the patriarch of many in the Gale family who would come after him. The Oceana Echo apologizes for the error.

Tails of Hope Hercules is a handsome 2-year-old Husky with striking blue eyes and a plush coat. This energetic and loyal pup is seeking a forever home where he can thrive and be a cherished member of the family. It’s important to note that Hercules is not good with cats. He has a strong prey drive, which is typical of his breed. Hercules loves nothing more than being outdoors, exploring new surroundings, and engaging in physical activities. Whether it’s going for long walks or playing fetch in the backyard, Hercules is always up for an adventure. He’s also incredibly affectionate and thrives on human companionship. Hercules is house-trained, making him an ideal companion for indoor living. Additionally, he walks well on a lead, making daily walks enjoyable and manageable. However, Hercules will benefit from a family committed to providing him with mental stimulation, exercise, and plenty of love and attention. Hercules 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.

1820 Ray Ave. 231-861-5554 Sunday Services: 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Rev. John Medendorp www.neweracrc.org

Church Directory

Growing in Relationship with God, with Each Other, and with Our Community.

Meet Hercules

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9:30 a.m. Morning Service 11:15 a.m. Sunday Bible Classes 6 p.m. Evening Service (1st and 3rd Sundays)

Nursery provided Senior Pastor - James Enns Associate Pastor - Bryan Wolff Associate Pastor - Luke Craymer Adult small groups and family ministries every week Second Monday Food Pantry 9:15-11:30 a.m. www.rothburycommunity.com Becoming Committed Followers of Jesus Christ

Would you like to join our new Church Directory? Contact Jan Thomas jthomas@ oceanaecho.com

8 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO

By Lucie Winborne

• On Feb. 26, 1917, the Original DixS WEEKLY SERVICE, ieland Jass (later Jazz) Band recorded FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, “Livery Stable Blues,” the world’s ndo, FL 32803 first jazz record, for the Victor Talking 628 Virginia Drive, Machine Orlando,Company FL 32803 in New York. FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, That same year, the group also made 800) 708-7311 EXT. the first appearance of a EXT. jazz band in CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 a motion picture, a silent film titled 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803 “The Good for Nothing.” 257 • On Feb. 27, 1938, a new mascot 345_20240212 CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. design was created by Chris Klein and STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20240212 C. Karnstadt for use by the Pontiac car brand, in the form of an Indian maid, 2024 257 en. 12, The2024 theme was inspired by conFOR RELEASE FEB. nections with the General Motors war NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20240212 chief who was employed in the GM By Lucie Winbornemanufacturing division. • On Feb. 28, 1983, the final episode FOR RELEASE FEB. 12, 2024 of “M*A*S*H,” a series about the staff of an Army hospital during the Korean War, titled “Goodbye, FareBy JoAnn Derson well and Amen,” became the mostwatched television episode in U.S. history, with an estimated 106 million American viewers. • On Feb. 29, 2012, Davy Jones, a former teen idol and singer for The Monkees, died of a heart attack at the age of 66. Jones starred with his bandmates in a popular TV series and a few other shows during his career, later returning to his first passion of horses and becoming a jockey. • On March 1, 2008, Britain’s Prince Harry, who had been sent secretly to Afghanistan with his regiment in December at his request, was forced to return to Britain after the American website the Drudge Report made his deployment public. • On March 2, 1969, the supersonic airliner and joint British/French project Concorde set off on its maiden flight, reaching 10,000 feet and 300 mph. It would be another seven years before the plane began commercial flights, which continued until 2003, when it was retired from service. • On March 3, 2005, Steve Fossett became the first person to fly a plane solo and nonstop around the globe without refueling, landing his Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer in Salina, Kansas, after a 67-hour journey. Two years later, he would disappear while flying over the Great Basin Desert, with his wrecked aircraft discovered in 2008.

• From L.D.W. in Illinois: “When I have a recipe, I put all the ingredients on the counter, and as I use each one, I put it away. My daughter and daughterin-law like the idea, as they at one time or another forget an item.” I like that one, too, L.D.W. A well-prepared cook makes a delicious meal. • “To wrap a baby gift in unforgettable gift wrap, circle the announcement in the paper with a colorful marker, then use the newsprint to wrap your package. It has always gotten rave reviews from recipients.” — R.L. in Virginia • Another reason to get the newspaper: Crushed newspaper makes a great rag for shining windows in your home and in the car. No lint left behind! • “When thickening soup, don’t overlook instant potato mix. It’s perfect for making a thin broth into a nice, thick stew sauce, and it’s pretty cheap. It only takes a couple of tablespoons.” — I.F. in Utak • Want delicious fried chicken crust but not the dripping oil? Baste chicken pieces with mayonnaise, then dredge in crushed cracker crumbs mixed with a bit of flour. Bake and enjoy. • If your plastic food containers develop an unpleasant odor, never fear: Scrub with a paste of baking soda and lemon juice. Rinse and air-dry. Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

• Researchers have developed an algorithm that transforms complex data into musical sounds. • In 2003, Marvel successfully argued in a U.S. court that mutants were “nonhuman creatures” and, therefore, toys, in order to save on taxes, since X-Men action figures were being imported as dolls but toys have a lower tariff. • An ostrich can run faster than a horse. • Seventy-five percent of Japanese homes boast a high-tech toilet, the latest models of which eliminate the need for toilet paper, keep you warm, check your blood pressure, play the sound of running water to, er, drown out your business, and automatically open and shut so you won’t have to touch anything. • Prior to the adoption of standard time zones in 1883, each city or town set its own local time based on the sun’s position. • Six years after Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry stated, “They’ll put a man on the moon before I hit a home run,” he struck the only one of his career just hours after Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface. • Actor George Reeves, who played Superman in the 1950s, once had to deflect a young fan who wanted to test his “invulnerability” by bringing a pistol to a live appearance. Reeves convinced the boy to hand over his gun by warning him that a bystander might be hurt by bullets that bounced off his Superman suit. • A 2018 study found that wearing a necktie can reduce the blood flow to your brain by up to 7.5%. *** Thought for the Day: “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein.” — H. Jackson Brown Jr. © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Phil is the father of Andrew White of New Era.

9 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO

SPORTS

HART • HESPERIA • PENTWATER • SHELBY • WALKERVILLE

Hovey, Hicks key Hart girls to critical conference win over Mason County Central By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor HART – Gone are the days when the neighboring Shelby was the biggest rivalry on the minds of Hart girls basketball. In recent years, contests with Mason County Central (MCC) are the ones that mean the most and the Pirates scored another win over the Spartans on Friday, Feb. 9. Back in the early part of January, MCC traveled to Hart to take on the Pirates for the first of two regular season meetings. Hart dominated that contest, walking away with a 42-31 victory and a firm grasp on the West Michigan Conference Rivers title. As is often the case, the second meeting between the two teams proved to be a much different affair. Now in the Spartans’ home gym, the Pirates were tested mightily. In the game’s first quarter, Hart’s offense sputtered out of the gates. It wasn’t until the clock hit two minutes remaining in the period that the Pirates finally found the bottom of the net, connecting on an Addi Hovey threepoint attempt. Even then, Hart only managed to score one additional time for a five point showing through eight minutes. “I think definitely when we started we were slow and

missing little bunnies,” Hovey said. “Toward the second quarter we picked it up and were like ‘we’re still in this, we’re not down by a lot.’ Our defense picked up and led to easy transition buckets.” Conversely, MCC seemed to have found an answer to a defense that smothered them. Getting the ball down low worked well for the Spartans and put Hart into foul trouble. Breslyn Porter picked up her second foul in the first quarter, forcing the Pirates to get others involved. At the start of the second quarter, MCC owned a 13-5 advantage. Hart woke up its offense at the right time, forcing the issue and out-scoring the Spartans 9-4 in that frame behind six points for freshman Rilynn Porter. Unfortunately, that still wasn’t enough as the Pirates trailed 17-14 heading into halftime. Scoring ratcheted up for both sides late in the game’s third quarter. With only seven points combined for both team’s through that period’s first four minutes, a frenzy of made buckets highlighted the final three minutes in the quarter. Hart tied the game up for the first time since the scoreboard read zeroes on two free throws from Breslyn Porter with three minutes remaining in the third. Hovey then put Hart in front for the first time with a made basket at 2:35. Traded shots for both sides continued,

High Stakes

Hart’s Abby Hicks drives toward the baseline with an continued on page 10 MCC defender in tow. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Pirates claim regional championship, set to return to team state quarterfinals By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor Another year, another successful season for Hart’s wrestling team. The Pirates are officially heading back to the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo after claiming a regional title on Wednesday, Feb. 14. Hart dispatched Chippewa Hills and Gladwin rather easily en route to a team state quarterfinals appearance. A regional semifinals matchup between Hart and Chippewa Hills leaned heavily in favor of the Pirates as they scored pin after pin to come out with a 42-22 win over the Warriors. Things started off rather close between the Pirates and Warriors. After Aiden Schaner earned a victory via forfeit, Kole Thomas snagged an 8-2 decision to put Hart in front, 9-0. Chippewa Hills battled back, taking two matches by decision and pulling the score to 9-6. Logan Jorissen and Ty Thomas

earned back-to-back pins to notch 12 points for Hart and add some cushion to their lead. Not dead yet, the Warriors earned 13 points in the next three matches, winning by decision, pin and major decision to pull within two points of evening things up. Hart didn’t let things get any closer than that, finishing the dual with wins in four of five matches. Chico Salgado, Ivan Lara and Adrian Lara all had pins while Adrian Tice won by 3-0 decision. Advancing to the finals with Gladwin, Hart once again flexed its ability to finish bouts with pins. Jose Chavira and Kole Thomas earned wins by forfeit to put a 12-0 lead on the board early for Hart, but it was Jorissen and Ty Thomas that got things started once more as each won by pin. Salgado also snagged his second win of the day and with only one loss for the Pirates, they owned a quick 39-6 lead. Gladwin worked in two minor decision wins early, but that wasn’t enough to stave off Hart’s grapplers. Haegan Hansen and Adrian Lara each finished the night off with pins

to push Hart’s lead to 48-21. That was good enough to have the Pirates hosting another trophy. The Pirates will now travel to Kalamazoo on Friday, Feb. 23 for another crack at a state title. Hart was in the same situation in 2022, but faced

Michigan high school wrestling powerhouse Dundee in the quarterfinals. The competition will be stiff once again this year. Dundee is in play, but so is neighboring Whitehall. Seeding for the quarterfinals is still yet to be determined.

Hart’s wrestling team hoists another trophy as the team claimed a regional title on Wednesday, Feb. 14. • Contributed

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10 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO

Hart’s Rilynn Porter splits two MCC defenders while taking heavy contact. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

High stakes but the Pirates had enough answers to walk away with a 29-27 lead heading into the final eight minutes of play. Hovey (16 points, five rebounds) and Abby Hicks (nine points, five steals, four assists) flexed their senior leadership and play-making ability in the fourth quarter, combining for 10 of the team’s eleven points over the final stretch. That was enough for the Pirates to hold on, defeating MCC 44-36 and all but securing them another conference title. There is still business to be done in order for Hart to officially earn that title, but the remaining conference schedule is extremely encouraging. The Pirates will play Hesperia, Holton and Shelby over the final two weeks of the regular season, three teams that have combined for a 20-32 overall record this season and have each been dispatched rather easily by

continued from page 9

Hart once already. Should Hart indeed take care of business, it’ll mark the third consecutive year that the Pirates have finished with the conference’s best record. Since the WMC realignment, the WMC Rivers has run through Hart with the team currently 21-0 in conference matchups over the last two seasons. “(Winning) the conference isn’t the goal, that’s something that happens along the way,” Hart head coach Travis Rosema said. “The girls had a taste of the Breslin Center and they want to get back there. Doing things to get better and hopefully playing our best at the end of the season is what we want. Having wins in the conference is great, winning the conference – if we’re able to hold out and beat the couple of teams we have left – would be great, but that’s just part of the process.”

Hart’s Kelsey Copenhaver controls the ball as she pushes toward the paint during a transition opportunity. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

THE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY 16, 2024 11

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2.99

2/$6

12 oz., Sel. Var.

4 ct., Sel. Var.

THE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY 16, 2024 13

Best Choice Chunk Light

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5 oz, Sel. Var.

20 oz., Sel. Var.

4 oz., Sel. Var.

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Tuna

79¢

Mustard

Mashed Potatoes

1.39

1.00

Alway’s Save Old Fashioned or Quick

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Gravy 10.5 oz. Sel. Var.

4/$

Alway’s Save Assorted Sandwich

Oats

1.19

Pasta or Rice & Sauce

Kellogg’s

Cereal 2/$

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies

2/$

30 oz., Sel. Var.

14.75 oz.

3.99 Rice Cakes 4.5-6.56 oz. Sel. Var.

3.49 Frito-Lay

Chips

Lay’s 7.5-8.5 oz. Kettle Cooked 8 oz. Poppables 5 oz. Sel. Var.

2/$

20 oz.

Mustard

Nabisco Honey Maid

Grahams or Nilla

Wafers

11-14.4 oz., Sel. Var.

3.99

2.49 7-8.5 oz., Sel. Var.

3.49

Kraft

2/$3

12 oz., Sel. Var.

Ritz Chips

2/$

Hot Cocoa Mix 8 ct., Sel. Var.

Heinz Yellow

Nabisco

Trix 10.7 oz. Cherrios 8.9 oz. Cocoa Puffs 10.4 oz. Honey Nut Cherrios 10.8 oz.

Nestle

Heinz Home Style

2.49

4/$

Cereal

5.49

Gravy

Pudding or Gelatin

Mayonnaise

Chips 3/$

Quaker

4 ct., Sel. Var.

7.9-14.03 oz., Sel. Var.

Fritos 9.25 oz. Cheetos 7.5-8.5 oz.

Pink Salmon

57¢

23-30 oz., Sel. Var.

Hellmann’s

Frito-Lay

7.25 oz., Sel. Var.

Snack Pack

Nabisco Oreo or Nutter Butter

Chicken Of The Sea

Dinner

General Mills

3.99

8 ct., Sel. Var.

Alway’s Save Macaroni & Cheese

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2/$

Treats

2.19

1.49

Cereal

Raisin Bran 24 oz. Rice Krispies or Corn Flakes 18 oz. Frosted Flakes 21.7 oz.

1.29

Applesauce 6 ct.

2.29

3.59

Alway’s Save Saltine Crackers 16 oz.

Alway’s Save

25 oz., Sel. Var.

42 oz., Sel. Var.

Cider Vinegar

Mac & Cheese

5.5-7.25 oz, Sel. Var.

4/$

Libby’s

14.5-15.25 oz. Sel. Var.

20 oz. Sel. Var.

Fruit

2.19 Nabisco BelVita Breakfast

Biscuits

5-8 ct., Sel. Var.

3.49

Pineapple

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Newtons 10 oz., Sel. Var.

3.49

MiO, Crystal Light, Kool-Aid or Tang Liquid Water

Arm & Hammer Liquid Laundry

Meow Mix

1.62 oz., Sel. Var.

32.5-33 oz., Sel. Var.

3-3.15 lb. Sel. Var.

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2.99

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2.99

Cat Food

5.69

14 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO Clyde’s

French Toast Fritters

bakery

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4.49

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Butterscotch Pecan Cookies 12 ct.

bakery 2.99

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6 ct., 18 oz.

4.99

deli

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2/$

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2 Ltr. Bottles Plus Deposit

3/$

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15 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO

Pentwater boys score conference win over MCE, matchup with Baldwin looms

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor PENTWATER – A strong first half propelled Pentwater’s boys basketball team to yet another conference win, this time dispatching Mason County Eastern (MCE) in a 59-36 affair. Things were working early for the Falcons as two of their top athletes had monster outings. Will Werkema-Grondsma led the way in the first quarter, posting eight points to lead all scorers and push Pentwater out to a 17-6 lead. We r k e m a - G r o n d s m a slowed down in the second quarter, but the Falcons’ offense didn’t follow suit. Trey Johnson picked up where his teammate left off, posting 14 points and connecting on

three shots from three-point range to extend Pentwater’s advantage to 38-14. The offensive flow is no surprise for the Falcons, but it was nice for them to see how the team can operate with a key cog in the machine missing. Starting point guard Jonny Arnouts was not present on the floor as the Pentwater junior was dealing with flu-like symptoms that kept him sidelined. According to Pentwater head coach Ashley Lubera, the entire team had gone through a rough patch of missing practices due to illness. That likely was part of the reason a seemingly welloiled Pentwater team started to break down in the second half. “(Jonny) averages somewhere between 12-15 (points) a game. He’s quick and small and a little rock-

et ship all over the court defensively,” Lubera said. “We’ve been so sick the past couple weeks. We’re on the mend now, focusing on getting guys healthy.” Fouls and missed opportunities were the name of the game in the third quarter for Pentwater. The Falcons pushed MCE into the bonus and gave them eight attempts at the free-throw line in that frame alone. Luckily for Pentwater, the Cardinals only converted on around half of those opportunities. With just two points scored for the Falcons offense in the third quarter, a 40-24 lead still showed on the scoreboard. An adjustment to a half court press on defense allowed Pentwater to gain back a little bit of offense. “We were flat offensively. We weren’t moving and cut-

ting the way we could have,” Lubera said. “This team is one that just needs to run the motor because when they slow down, everything slows down. Throwing in the half court trap was what they needed.” Pentwater did a much better job spreading the ball around in the final period of regulation, helping them toward the finish line and conference win No. 14. Johnson finished the night with a career-high 25 points, adding six rebounds and three steals. Werkema-Grondsma posted a double-double, scoring 17 and grabbing 18 rebounds as well as two assists and three steals. The Falcons (15-5 overall, 14-2 WMD) are now just one game away from finishing the regular season and getting district play going. Hopes are still alive for

a shot at a conference title, but winning that outright is likely not an option. Pentwater will have to take care of Baldwin – the No. 1 team in the conference – in the season finale in order to become co-champs with the Panthers. The good news for the Falcons is they faced Baldwin once before,

losing by a mere four points. This time, Pentwater gets a home crowd behind them. “Two different atmospheres,” Lubera said. “Everybody loves home-court advantage, right? You shoot a thousand shots in your home gym every week. We value that opportunity.”

(Above, top) Pentwater’s Trey Johnson drives the ball up the court. (Above, bottom) Pentwater’s Will Werkema-Grondsma goes up for a dunk. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

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Hart cheer wins big

Hart’s varsity competitive cheerleading team has been busy over the past week, compiling some big wins as the end of the seasons draws near. On Wednesday, Feb. 7, the Pirates took first in the West Michigan Conference tournament to earn the title of conference champs. Then, on Saturday, Feb. 10, the Pirates took second place in Grandville at the D3 level. Hart will now prepare for districts which will take place Saturday, Feb. 17 at Grand Rapids West Catholic. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

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16 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHOTHE WHITE LAKE MIRROR FEBRUARY 16, 2024 1

Reflections of our community

White Lake Mirror YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Bigelow makes it back to the big stage Former Whitehall Viking makes 2nd run at Olympic trials By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor Libby Bigelow, a former star runner at Whitehall and later Central Michigan University, isn’t a professional athlete or a household name in marathoning. What she is, however, is a better marathoner now at age 38 than she was four years ago, which she proved Feb. 3 with an impressive run at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Orlando. It was the second time Bigelow competed in the trials, having done so in Atlanta in 2020 as well. She posted an impressive time of 2:38:34 this time around, just a few minutes off her personal best, achieved three months prior at the Indianapolis Marathon. Bigelow is a physical therapist and lives in Twin Falls, Idaho with husband Ryan, a scholarship coordinator at the College of Southern Idaho. When she started running marathons several years ago - Ryan joined her soon af-

Libby Bigelow works hard during the Indianapolis marathon last November. Bigelow ran her best career time at that marathon to earn a spot in this month’s U.S. Olympic Trials.

• Courtesy Photo

Libby Bigelow poses for a photo in front of the Olympic rings while in Orlando earlier this month for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the marathon event. It was Bigelow’s second time qualifying for the trials, having done so in 2020 as well. • Courtesy Photo

ter - the idea of becoming an Olympic trials-level runner was little more than a pipe dream. However, once she saw she was running times that were close to qualifying for the trials, she pursued the goal and made it for the 2020 trials. Bigelow’s journey back to the trials

began soon after she raced four years ago. Not even a surprisingly large drop in the trials’ qualifying time - eight minutes, from 2:45:00 to 2:37:00 would stop her from taking a shot at it. “I think my big motivation was, what if?” Bigelow said of her decision

to take another shot at the trials this year. “What if I can do it again and get to two Olympic trials marathons? A lot of people are lucky to make one; what if

Marathon trials continued on page 2

WLFA uses $10K grant to purchase new safety equipment By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

ment (PPE) for their firefighters. (Nearby Dalton Township’s department, McCarthy said, was also among the grant recipients.) The only catch to the grant was it was only open to departments for which at least 50% of the workforce is on-call and not full-time staffers, which meant big-city departments need not apply. McCarthy said he applies for “at least three different grants” each year for the department. Other than a grant for firefighters to receive hazard pay during the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first one it has been awarded during his time as chief, though sponsorships

The White Lake Fire Authority made the most of the $10,000 MI Fire Equipment grant it applied for and received last year. Lt. Lars Nilsson was the man tasked with spending the grant money once it was disbursed to recipients this month, and Nilsson squeezed just Wiley Fry of the Montague Commoners presents information about maple syrup about every available dollar out of it. “We had up to $10,000 to spend, production Wednesday, Feb. 7 at the White Lake Community Library. • Madison Lajewski/Mirror and I think he spent $9,975 and some change,” chuckled WLFA chief Pete McCarthy. “He made sure we got every possible dollar we could.” The grant, part of a multimillion-dollar state initiative, enabled the WLFA and other recipient departments how to properly identify a maple tree in to purchase personal protective equipBy Madison Lajewski continued on page 3 their presentation. They are usually best White Lake Mirror Writer identified by their colorful leaves that WHITEHALL — Wiley Fry of the change in the autumn, but during winMontague Commoners presented an ter, the best way to find them is by their introduction to maple syrup production twigs. Maple twigs will be symmetrical, at the White Lake Community Library rather than on other trees, the twigs last Wednesday, Feb. 7. would be in an alternating pattern. Per their Facebook page, the MonDrilling a hole in the tree at an uptague Commoners consider themselves wards angle allows the sap an easy flow “a collective of foragers, artists and per- to exit the tree. It is recommended that maculture practitioners.” They have instead of reversing the drill, to just started a public space under the pavil- keep it in the current setting and pull it ion in Trailway Campgrounds, across out as straight as possible to avoid leavfrom Montague Foods, that will allow ing sawdust in the drill hole. Using a people in the community to help con- spile, tube and large bucket is Fry’s recvert sap into maple syrup. ommended method to tapping. Community members are encouraged to tap their own maple trees if A new batch of protective gloves are shown at the White Lake Fire Authority offices. The possible. Fry explained the process WLFA recently spent a $10,000 grant designed to help smaller fire departments purchase and the best ways to do this, including continued on page 2 new protective equipment for on-call firefighters. • Courtesy Photo

Locals introduced to maple syrup production

Maple syrup

WLFA grant

2 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE WHITE LAKE MIRRORTHE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY 16, 2024 17

Whitehall Hope Squad spreads love on Valentine’s Day By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

putting it together to pass out during lunch, so everyone has a chance to get some sort of candy on Valentine’s Day.” Hope Squad is centered around supporting positive mental health and discussion, said member Tyler Van Antwerp. Students are promoted by their peers based on what qualities they think would be beneficial for the squad. “Many people don’t get stuff for Valentine’s Day,” Hams said. “You’re going to get stuff if you’re a couple or you’re in a relationship. Just being able to do this, everybody has an opportunity and chance to get something for Valentine’s Day. Some people get sad on Valentine’s Day. We’re trying to lift their spirits more.”

WHITEHALL — The passionate students of Whitehall High School’s Hope Squad spent Valentine’s Day spreading love and positivity. The students made dozens of Valentine cards with candy to Libby Bigelow flashes a smile while competing in the U.S. Olympic marathon trials in pass out to students at lunch. Orlando Feb. 3. The former Whitehall star runner made her 2nd run at the trials and “We went around to the advisories outpaced her ranking by over 40 spots, placing 53rd. • Courtesy Photo and we had spent all week cutting out little hearts,” said Hope Squad member Payton Hams. “We gave the hearts to each advisory so that somebody could continued from page 1 write something they love about themselves or something they love about I could make two? That motivated me.” last November as her final chance. somebody else, then deliver it to said The steep cut in qualifying time led The stars aligned, and Bigelow im- person. We ordered candy and we’re to a notably smaller field at the 2024 pressively finished in second place trials. Only 117 women finished the among women racers with a time of Orlando trials, less than a third of the 2:35:33, only 16 seconds behind the 2020 crew. However, even among this winner, Rachel Hannah, who set a group, Bigelow was strong, finishing course record that day. Late in the race, 53rd among them in hot weather in- Bigelow took a calculated risk and tense enough that it knocked out de- slightly upped her pace, believing she fending trials champ and 2020 Olym- had it in her to do it. That led to one of pian Aliphine Tuliamuk. her running career highlights - passing “I would’ve liked to run a little fast- her dad, Thomas Carpenter, around er, but since it was such a hot day, I the 24-mile mark in the race and seefelt like I raced it smart and probably ing the shocked look on his face as she the best I could’ve raced it,” Bigelow approached. said. “I can’t think of any point in the “I had closed in on the top lady race where I thought I should pick it pretty hard,” Bigelow said. “I could see up more. With four or five miles to go, her maybe 50 meters away. My dad I thought I could pick it up and pass turned his head and he was in commore people, but my legs started get- plete shock. After the race, he said, ‘I Members of Whitehall High School’s Hope Squad work on handmade Valentines to give ting crampy. I thought I raced smart had just seen the first-place lady go by to students Wednesday. The Hope Squad’s goal was to spread positivity. and handled the heat as well as I could, and your mom was able to see you and • Madison Lajewski/Mirror considering I live in Idaho.” cheer you.’ Running has been someBigelow said the new qualifying thing special to us since I was little, so standard was released later than usual that was a really neat moment.” in this cycle and caught her off guard, Bigelow hasn’t decided if she’ll try but having already been training for it, for a third bid to the trials in 2028. By Bigelow wasn’t going to stop now. then, she’ll be 42, and while qualifying It was a mental and physical grind. isn’t impossible at that age - Roberta Top runners can only compete in a few Groner, 46, finished in the top 25 at the marathons per year, so ones near the trials - it does get progressively more borderline of qualifying for the trials, difficult for athletes to achieve the like Bigelow, are at the mercy of any needed results as Father Time starts number of things that can go wrong. kicking in. Poor race-day weather conditions, in“There’s so much you don’t know,” jury issues and more can derail a bid Bigelow said. “I feel satisfied. If that’s The public syrup production location near Montague Foods allows those interested to explore producing their own maple syrup. for the trials. She said she could tell what I got, it’s way more than most • Wiley Fry/Courtesy photo through keeping up with fellow mar- people ever get. I can’t say I won’t try athoners via social media that many again, but right now I’m sitting more in runners in her situation were battling my gratefulness than looking ahead.” as hard to qualify as she was. Whether she’ll keep pursuing that continued from page 1 “I was already signed up for Boston specific goal or not, Bigelow anticiwhen they opened (qualifying) up,” Bi- pates continuing to run even if it’s not “The minimum tapping size is 8-10 hi is fun,” Fry said. gelow said, referring to the 2022 Boston in pursuit of the trials - or even necesinches in diameter and 30 inches in cirThe sugarbrush space will be Marathon. “That’s a well-known tough sarily at the marathon distance. cumference, ” Fry said. “I do a ‘one-arm open for public production Tuesdays, course, so I knew I probably wouldn’t “This summer I may do some trail hug’ test to measure the tree trunk, like Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. qualify there. Then I got injured after racing on the mountain trails out here,” estimating how many inches the trunk Setup begins at 9 a.m. The boiling periBoston and I was out for nine months. Bigelow said. “There are some really is from my chest. Using a clean, sharp od lasts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at which I pretty much only had 2023 to qualify.” beautiful trails out west. I might switch drill bit after making 1.5 inches with point cleanup begins. They say if atObstacles kept popping up on Bige- it up for a little bit. I always wanted to masking tape, choosing a spot over levtendees are having difficulty finding low’s quest to return to the trials. After do the New York City marathon. el ground between waist and eye level. the location, to “look for the cloud of recovering from injury and training for “I’ve also toyed with increasing the “I offer the tree a gift before beginsmoke” next to Montague Foods. a marathon in Houston, she contract- distance, seeing what I could do in a Different ways community memed COVID-19 and couldn’t compete. 50K road ultramarathon. Could I may- ning, whether that be charcoal, tobacco, or a lock of hair. For example, if the bers can help are by signing up for a Her standby, the Grandma’s Marathon be be one of the top Americans in the American Red Cross were doing a blood shift including setup/sap collection, in Duluth, Minnesota, was where she 50K? Could I be top 10? In the back of drive, just came in, strapped you down fire tending, splitting kindling, charcoal qualified for the 2020 trials, but even my head, I wonder if I was to move up, and took your blood, you wouldn’t be processing and cleanup. Another good that race didn’t deliver the needed re- what I could do. Sometimes I feel the very happy. I ask the tree for permisway to contribute is by donating supsult; she finished in 2:40:34. That left longer the distance, the stronger I am, sion, so it doesn’t heal the drill hole plies, like woody brush for firewood and her with the Indianapolis marathon especially as I’ve gotten older.” too quickly or drop a branch on my car. clean glass jars with labels removed for Then gently tap in your spile using a finished syrup (preferred sizes are 4-16 mallet. I prefer plastic spiles, although ounces.) both plastic and stainless steel spiles Volunteers have the opportunity at each have their pros and cons.” the end of the day to take home either As Fry discussed during the pre- a jar of maple syrup or biochar, which sentation, syrup production is a very has multiple benefits, especially for garlong process that takes on average eight deners. hours per day. They feel the more hands Community members interested they have, the better, and even just com- can like the Commoners’ Facebook pany is appreciated. page for updates on cancellations, plans “It can be a lonely undertaking to and sign up. The first community syrup just sit by the fire for eight-hour days, boil took place Friday, Feb. 9. and having people just stop in and say

Marathon trials

Maple syrup

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THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR FEBRUARY 16, 16, 2024 2024 18 3 THE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY

Echoes of History: History C. L. King & basket companies (pt. 1) By Barbara Bedau Brow Fruit Packages. Further invesVolunteer Contributor For about 10 years, during the 1880s to the 1890s, it appears Montague had two companies that made baskets, butter plates and other similar types of products. The June 1880 census shows a Charles L. King working as a foreman of a basket factory in Muskegon. He was about 24 years old and was born in Minnesota. At the time, the factory was known as Wood Package and Basket Company. On Dec. 3, 1881, at the age of 25, Charles L. King of Winona, Minnesota, married Mary Johnston of Six Corners, Minnesota in Muskegon. His occupation was listed as a foreman in a basket factory. The 1883 city directory showed a listing in Montague for Charles L. King of C. L. King & Co., Hanchett Bros., Chicago, Manufacturers of Baskets, Butter Plates and

tigation revealed the Hanchett Bros. consisted of Charles H., Frank J., Fred B., and Louis J., all of Chicago. A map, also from 1883, showed the Montague Basket Company facilities, which were located on Water Street east of Knudsen, near the E. P. Ferry Mill. The names associated with this company were Rutter Bros. and Fenlason. The Rutter Brothers appear to be Frank and William. Orin C. Fenlason was born in Wisconsin in 1858. He married Jeannie Boomsluiter in Grand Haven Dec. 23, 1893. A news item in the Forum on Feb. 7, 1884 stated that King & Co. had installed a kindling machine. This news item seems to be the first mention of the King company locally. In August 1885, it was reported that 8,000 market and bushel baskets were shipped to Chicago by the Montague Basket Factory on the steamer Brittain.

On May 7, 1886, at 3 a.m., the Montague butter plate factory was enveloped in flames. Fire departments from both towns responded, but with the absence of several Montague members at the state firemen’s convention, Whitehall was the first to throw water. Both departments worked heroically and succeeded in saving the surrounding property. The factory with contents, however, was totally destroyed, but the engine and storehouses, containing six million plates, were saved. The loss was listed at about $12,000. About a dozen insurance companies were reported to be interested in the fire. With F. J. Hanchett reportedly being in town all week, this indicated that the fire was at C. L. King & Company. In the 1887 city directory, Chas. H. Cook (Muskegon County Bank) is listed as the proprietor of the Montague Basket Factory. C. L. King was listed in the city directory as one of the Vil-

lage trustees in 1887. At the end of September 1887, it was reported the C.L. King Company was planning to build a 50 feet by 100 feet warehouse on the sidetrack near their factory, to be used for storing butter plates and fruit packages. By the end of October 1887, the large warehouse was near completion. On Sunday, June 10, 1888, high winds contributed to the basket factory in Montague catching fire. Before anything could be done, the entire structure was a seething mass of fire. The two departments and the Forum yacht were promptly on the scene. The first water came from the Ferry mill hydrants, followed by the Whitehall engine and the Montague department. As it was clear the factory was going to be lost, attention was turned to the large storehouses filled with baskets. The firemen were able to save these, even in the face of a wind amounting almost to a gale. In an hour’s

time, the factory was reduced to ashes. The building and its valuable machines, worth upwards of $25,000, were a total loss with an insurance amount of $7,500. It was thought the fire originated from firecrackers which were being exploded by boys in the neighborhood. At the time of the fire, the plant was owned by C. H. Cook, of Michigan City, and O. C. Fenlason of Montague. Unfortunately for the town, the factory was not rebuilt, so that just left the C. L. King Basket Factory. In October 1888, C. L. King purchased two new boilers from Wilson & Hendrie and would be putting in about $8,000 worth of new equipment during the winter, including a new chime whistle and a new 12-foot-long peeler. During 1889 and 1890, Frank and Louis Hanchett and their families came to the area several times and visited C. L. King and his wife.

Playhouse tickets available at the library By Virginia DeMumbrum

The

Volunteer Contributor We are very excited to announce a new partnership with The Playhouse at White Lake! The library is now offering five free passes to select performances at the playhouse. Each pass will admit two people to a specific event. The first set of passes is for the March 1 Grace Thiesen concert, part of the First Fridays Michigan Music series. Tickets are normally $20 in advance or $25 at the door, so each pass is a $40-50 value! Next up is the Puppy Pals Live show, featuring rescue dogs who have been trained to perform some amazing tricks. This family event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 8. You must have a valid library card from White Lake Community Library or Muskegon Area District Library to receive a pass, and each library cardholder is limited to two passes per year. The passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis and must be picked up in person at the White

Bookworm

Bulletin

Lake library. We are so pleased to be able to offer this no-charge opportunity to attend outstanding concerts, plays, and other events right here in Whitehall. A huge thank-you to Beth Beaman and The Playhouse at White Lake for partnering with us to expand access to arts and culture for the entire White Lake Area! FUN FACT: The Playhouse was built by the White Lake Dramatic Club in 1916. The crews broke ground on April 1 and the first show was Sept.

WLFA grant and donations have been there in that time as well. “Thankfully it was a relatively simple process,” McCarthy said. “I typed for a half hour...and (Nilsson) spent hours finding the equipment.” The department was able to get equipment, McCarthy said, for each firefighter it has. Newer employees and those who are still going through certification process, who did not have equipment of their own, were able to get fresh pairs of boots. Each firefighter got a new traffic safety vest and new gloves, and some received helmets and other equipment. The department was also able to bring in some backup equipment, which McCarthy said will enable firefighters to return to action quicker should their existing equipment be damaged while on duty.

26 - a mere five months later! Book Sale Set for March 2 Looking for some great books for your home library, or need to restock a Little Free Library? Come to the liDeMumbrum brary Saturday, March 2, to browse thousands of gently-used books, all priced at $2 or less. Better yet, fill a bag for just $5! Sale hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You’ll find a variety of books, movies, music, and more to suit most any age or interest. We are still looking for a few volunteers to help with the sale, beginning with set-up on Friday afternoon and continuing through tear-down on Saturday afternoon. If you are interested in helping, give us a call at 231-8949531 or use the sign-up sheet at the front desk.

Library Closed Monday, Closing at 6 p.m. Tuesday Just a reminder that the library will be closed Monday, Feb. 19, for a staff in-service event. We will also be closing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, for an additional staff event. We apologize for any inconvenience. Mid-Winter Break Fun for Kids Staying in town for the school holiday this week? The library has a few things planned for kids of all ages! A Pokémon scavenger hunt is available anytime from Feb. 20 through Feb. 24. Some of Professor Oak’s Pokémon have escaped and are hiding in the library! Find them all and collect your reward. You can also join us at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, to celebrate the live action release of Avatar the Last Airbender with family-friendly bending games and crafts. For the little ones, Baby Time and Play & Learn story times are offered on Friday mornings at 9:30 and 10:30, respectively. These events are all free and registration is not required.

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“The difficult thing is, if a firefighter damages their gear on a call, they’re stuck with that pair until the new things come in,” McCarthy said. “We’re trying to make it so a firefighter has no downtime while waiting for new equipment to come in.” Nomex hoods, which are heat-protective and flame-retardant, were also a big part of the grant. Each firefighter must have those hoods in pairs, because they must be washed in between shifts to remain effective. McCarthy said he appreciated the state’s support of its fire departments through the grants. “I appreciate Michigan recognizing that those dollars go a long way in public service,” McCarthy said. “And also, a huge shout-out to Lt. Nilsson for doing the legwork.”

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community 4 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE WHITE LAKE MIRRORTHE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY 16, 2024 19

e Mirror

SPORTS WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER

Another to Kalamazoo locked in NONPROFIT NEWStrip SOURCE Whitehall wins 8th regional championship in 9 seasons By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor BELDING — It was a happy homecoming for Whitehall wrestler Gavin Craner Wednesday night, and another successful day at the office for the Vikings as they rolled to an eighth regional championship in nine years. Whitehall easily dispatched Belding, 44-29, and then routed Tri-County, 61-9, to secure its near-annual trip to Kalamazoo for the state quarterfinals. The Vikings find out their quarterfinal opponent Sunday when the sport’s seeding committee reveals the bracket for the final eight. Craner, a Whitehall junior, made his return to the Belding mat after two years as a Black Knight prior to transferring to Whitehall. Perhaps poetically, Craner was the first Viking to take the mat, as the semifinal match started at his weight class, 175 pounds. He didn’t spend much time on the mat, pinning both his opponents early in the first period to remain undefeated for the season, but said it was good to reconnect with his former Belding teammates and coaches. “It was tough, but they’re still family,” Craner said. “They did really good this season, so it was nice to see them...I have some really good friends over there.” Whitehall coach Justin Zeerip said Craner handled his return to his old gym very well. “I thought he did great,” Zeerip said. “He wrestled hard and got the fall in both matches. Gavin does all the right things on and off the mat.”

Whitehall’s Kolten Weiler (left) lifts TriCounty opponent Isaac Gitchel during Wednesday’s regional finals match in Belding. Whitehall won, 61-9.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall’s Gavin Craner looks to his coaches for instruction during a match against Belding’s Linkin Glavan during Wednesday’s regional semifinal. Craner earned 2 pins in his return to his old home gym, helping the Vikes win the title.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Belding won the next three bouts after Craner’s pin, but the Vikings picked up three wins by forfeit after that and cruised to the win. Whitehall added four more wins in the dual, earning bonus points in three of them; Nolan Taranko and Darnell Mack scored pins, and Ryne Christensen got a technical fall. Caden Varela won his bout by decision. “In the Belding match, the guys did a great job getting bonus points,” Zeerip said. “A couple of those guys got off their backs, which was huge. Against Tri-County, I thought we wrestled really well as a team. “I’m really proud of our team for Nolan Taranko works toward a pin against Belding’s Andy Inman during Regional champs Whitehall’s Wednesday’s regional semifinal match in Belding. Taranko scored his pin, helping continued on page 5 Whitehall win its 8th regional title in 9 seasons.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague pushes Vikes to the end in rivalry thriller By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor WHITEHALL — Whitehall’s season of breezing through each non-Ludington opponent in conference play nearly ran into a Montague-sized roadblock Thursday night before the Vikings were able to hold off a spirited game from their rival to win, 64-62. The Wildcats had one final chance to tie or win the game with four seconds to play, but couldn’t get a shot away, allowing Whitehall to exhale and remain unbeaten. “I got outcoached tonight,” Whitehall coach Christian Subdon said. “Credit to (Montague coach Nick Thaler), he did a great job. I didn’t put our kids in the right place to make the right plays, so it hurt us. I’m going to be better from it. My kids bailed me out, so I appreciate that from them.” Neither team led by double digits at any point, and momentum swings were plentiful. One of the biggest, in Whitehall’s favor, came in the final minute of the first half. With the Wildcats ahead 26-20 and set to soar into the locker room on a high, Kyle Stratton

Whitehall’s Ca’Mar Ready (0) and Kal Koehler leap to defend a drive by Montague’s Paul Olson during last Thursday’s game.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

and DJ Jamison drilled three-pointers to salvage a tie score. Whitehall led pretty much the rest of the night, but the Wildcats refused to go away. In the final minute, Paul Olson made two remarkable shots, one through a foul, that kept Montague in the game. When the Vikings missed two free throws with a chance to ice the game, the ‘Cats got one last chance, but couldn’t summon any more heroics. Subdon and star Camden Thomp-

Whitehall’s Kyle Stratton loses hold of the ball while Paul Olson defends for Montague during last Thursday’s game at Whitehall. The Vikings won a thriller, 64-62.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

son, who had another big statistical game with 25 points and 16 rebounds, credited Montague and said the Vikings didn’t enter the game with the right mindset. “We haven’t been on each other at practice,” Thompson said. “We’ve just been taking practice off a little bit and

not locking in the whole time. We really needed (this game). It just showed us how much more work we need to put in. If that happens in the playoffs, it’s not going to cut it. Tonight is what we

Rivalry thriller continued on page 5

20 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHOTHE WHITE LAKE MIRROR FEBRUARY 16, 2024 5

Regional champs this regional championship. They deserve it. They put in a lot of time and worked really hard this off-season.” The Tri-County match was even less taxing on Whitehall, which saw Cody Manzo and Blake Morningstar pick up early pins. The Vikings scored the final 46 points of the dual after Tri-County trailed 15-9 early on. Taranko, Varela, Christensen and Mack improved to 2-0 on the night with wins - Mack, like

Craner, boasts an unbeaten mark - and Liam Leeke, Blake English, Ryan Goodrich and Jason Smith got wins in the finals too. “I think we wrestled really good tonight,” Craner said. “We looked really good. We’ve just got to close up some things.” Whitehall will have ample chance to clean up whatever needs to be cleaned up, as 13 wrestlers are set to compete in Saturday’s individual regional

continued from page 4

tournament. That becomes the team’s new focus for the next few days. After that, eyes will turn to Kalamazoo, where the Vikings are in solid position to make yet another appearance at the state final four and maybe make it to the finals for a third time in four seasons. “We’re definitely curious who we’ll have in that first round,” Zeerip said. “We’ll see Whitehall’s Blake Morningstar (right) grapples with Belding’s what comes our way Sunday Jack Ward during Wednesday’s regional semifinal match. The morning.” Vikings beat Belding, 44-29, on their way to the regional title. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Rivalry thriller really needed.” “It’s been a great run and when people start talking about you, you might start to listen a little bit, myself included,” Subdon added. “We’re going to drown that out and we’re going to get back to work.” Thompson provided the game’s biggest highlight play for Whitehall, leaping to the rim to put an alley-oop pass from Stratton into the basket through a foul. He sank the free throw to put Whitehall up 3631. He later powered through strong defense from Isaiah Atchison to score another three-point play that made it 47-42. For the Wildcats’ part, seniors Atchison and Owen Raeth were standouts. Atchison, who spent a lot of the game battling Thompson in the paint, held his own with 16 points and played with toughness while contending with foul trouble. A tough putback in the first half helped stake the Wildcats to that sixpoint lead. Raeth had 15 points and was a defensive presence as well, as Montague forced 18 turnovers. In all, five Wildcats scored nine or more points. “When you play games like this, you’ve just got to play tougher,” Thaler said. “I’m really proud of our guys for the effort they gave tonight. I thought we played an outstanding 32 minutes of basketball against a top-5 team in the state. Hopefully, down the road we’ll get them again and it’s going to be an-

continued from page 4

Whitehall’s Camden Thompson goes up for a layup against Montague’s Riley Mulder during last Thursday’s game at Whitehall. The Vikings won, 64-62.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

other knock-down drag-out affair. “We got better tonight even though the score doesn’t indicate that. Sometimes you win by losing, and we did that.” The teams could yet face off again in the district tournament. If Whitehall didn’t feel it was ready for Thursday’s game, it seems likely the Vikings would come to a potential third meeting with a different mindset.

Rockets’ 12-game win streak halted as Muskegon avenges loss to R-P By Andy Roberts

White Lake Mirror Editor MUSKEGON — Muskegon silenced a Reeths-Puffer crowd hoping to celebrate a big step toward an O-K Green Conference championship Friday night with a fast start and physical defense that kept the Rockets off balance in a 48-28 Big Reds’ win. The Muskegon win avenged R-P’s decisive win at Muskegon 10 days prior and ended a 12-game winning streak. The two squads, now tied atop the conference, are likely to be the top two seeds Reeths-Puffer’s Jaxson Whitaker tries to get through the Muskegon defense in their district when the brack- during Friday’s O-K Green game at R-P. The Rockets fell to the Big Reds, 48-28. ets are announced Sunday, so a • Andy Roberts/Mirror third meeting could settle the 1-1 deadlock. Muskegon came out shooting well and made four first-quarter three-pointers, two of them by star Justin Watson, who led all scorers with 14 points. That 18-5 lead after eight minutes stood up all night, as Muskegon made life difficult for the Rockets, particularly Travis Ambrose, on the defensive end. Ambrose, who missed the team’s previous game with a hip injury, didn’t show any visible signs of ailment Friday but

R-P defeated Reeths-Puffer’s JT Fansler tries to shake off a Muskegon defender during Friday’s continued on page 6 game at R-P. The Rockets lost, 48-28.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague’s Owen Raeth faces tough defense from Whitehall’s Kyle Stratton during last Thursday’s rivalry game at Whitehall. The Vikings narrowly won, 64-62.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

“I think we’re just shocked by the whole outcome, but we’ve been preparing for that in a lot of our close games,” Thompson said. “At the end, it’s a good thing we executed, but (for the whole game), it was terrible execution by us. We’re just lucky we came out of it.”

Sports in Brief Boys Basketball Whitehall 73 Manistee 32 Whitehall celebrated senior night with a dominant win. Camden Thompson had 19 points and 13 rebounds in the Vikings’ victory. Ca’Mar Ready had 13 points, and Trannon Aylor and DJ Jamison each scored 11.

Ludington 70 Montague 41 The host Orioles raced to a big early lead to dispatch Montague. Cole Herremans led the ‘Cats (11-8, 4-6 WMC Lakes) with 9 points.

Reeths-Puffer 81 Union 43 R-P romped over the Red Hawks to bounce back from Friday’s loss to Muskegon. Jaxson Whitaker had 23 points, and Brayden Mitchelson added 18, with 9 rebounds. Travis Ambrose chipped in 15 points.

Girls Basketball Muskegon 73 Reeths-Puffer 54 R-P’s offense had some success against 1st-place Muskegon, but the Big Reds rang up 27 points in the 3rd quarter. Brooklynn Tornes excelled again, with 29 points, and Irelyn Niklasch had 12, with 15 rebounds.

Montague 47 North Muskegon 27 Montague pulled away from the Norse and played strong defense to halt a 3-game losing skid. Addison Pranger led the Wildcats with 15 points, and Ella King added 10.

Whitehall 53 Oakridge 44 The Vikings staved off a 20-point effort from Eagles’ star Anna Lundquist, as Kendall Osborne and Lexi Daggett countered with 31 points between them. “All four of our seniors contributed,” said coach Brian Milliron.

Mason Co. Central 47 Whitehall 26 Kendall Osborne led the Vikes with 14 points, but the team’s offense collectively sputtered in a cross-division WMC game.

Reeths-Puffer 59 Union 28 Brooklynn Tornes had another big night in the Rockets’ conference win, scoring 26 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and passing out seven assists. Megan Barmes added 17 points for R-P.

Montague 37 Ravenna 25 Addison Pranger posted a double-double for the Wildcats (5-11) in the win, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Hockey Reeths-Puffer 9 East Kentwood 0 The Rockets blasted the league foe Falcons in a game that ended after two periods due to the mercy rule. Jaxon Stone led the offensive attack with 3 goals, and 6 other Rockets got on the board once each.

6 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE WHITE LAKE MIRRORTHE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY 16, 2024 21

Whitehall’s Phoenix Hoffmeyer and Montague’s Chris Williams (first and second from left) earned the top two spots at Monday’s WMC bowling tournament at Northway Lanes.

• Courtesy Photo

Hoffmeyer, Williams take top two spots in WMC boys finals By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor Area bowlers Phoenix Hoffmeyer (Whitehall) and Chris Williams (Montague) earned the top two spots in the boys West Michigan Conference bowling tournament Monday, played at Northway Lanes in Muskegon. Hoffmeyer was the top boys bowler for the day, with an impressive threegame series of 671, bowling a 222, a 214 and a 235. Williams was second, with a three-game series of 631. The Viking boys took third place at the tournament and finished the WMC season in fourth place overall. Montague was sixth in the tournament

and ended the season in eighth place. Hoffmeyer ended the season as an all-WMC bowler, finishing sixth in the league with an average score of 178. Williams picked up honorable mention with a 168 average. In girls play, Whitehall finished sixth and Montague eighth at the tournament, matching their final spots in the league standings. Ava Garcia of Whitehall was part of the all-tournament team with her three-game series of 470, and also earned all-conference for the season. She finished with the seventh-highest scoring average in the conference, a 154. Teammate Felicity Dingman was honorable mention for the season with a 134 average.

R-P defeated was held to five points and didn’t make a field goal. “I thought they had a great game plan,” R-P coach Nate Aardema said. “They defended us really well. Credit to them. They were locked in and did a great job guarding us.” The Big Reds came at R-P (15-2, 9-1 O-K Green) with physical defensive play that upset the Rockets’ bench, and their crowd, at several points. When asked if Muskegon played more physically than it had in the teams’ first meeting, Aardema just smiled and said it did. R-P trailed 29-15 at halftime before making its best push of the game early in the third, scoring five quick points. Brayden Mitchelson’s three-pointer cut the Rockets’ deficit to nine. However, Muskegon swiftly responded with its own five-point run. The Big Reds also displayed a willingness to slow the pace down, keeping R-P from playing at the pace it prefers. Especially when the Rockets showed a zone defense, Muskegon chose multiple times to dribble the ball outside the three-point line until the Rockets gave it a dif-

continued from page 5

Reeths-Puffer’s Marvin Moore tries to get a driving shot attempt to the basket against Muskegon’s James Martin during Friday’s game at R-P.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror ferent look. Mitchelson’s 10 points led a Rockets’ offensive attack that was held to its lowest point total since a 26-point game in January 2023; the Big Reds were the defenders then too. “I’m proud of them tonight and I’m proud of them always,” Aardema said of his team. “That doesn’t change. They played hard. They competed. You’re not going to have it rolling every single night. Sometimes the other team just plays better, and that was the case tonight.” Five games remain in the Rockets’ regular-season schedule, four of them league tilts they likely must win

to earn a share of the league championship. Sandwiching those four is a showcase game in Grand Rapids against North Farmington, which holds the #5 spot in the state rankings three ahead of the Big Reds and four in front of R-P. The Rockets may yet get another chance at Muskegon, but will know better than to count on it. “We know our district,” Aardema said. “We know they’re in there... We’re going to continue to work to get better. We’re going to get some guys in the training room quite a bit, and we’ll see what we can do moving forward.”

Check MHSAA site for district brackets

District boys basketball brackets will be released by the MHSAA Sunday, Feb. 18. Brackets will be viewable on the MHSAA website.

Whitehall’s Ryne Christensen tries to get free of a hold by Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Michael Wilson during Saturday’s individual district tournament in Whitehall. Christensen went 3-1 and qualified for regionals. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall earns 13 regional qualifiers at district tourney By Andy Roberts

White Lake Mirror Editor WHITEHALL — Whitehall sent 13 wrestlers at Saturday’s district tournament on to the regional round, including nine district finalists. Vikings Nolan Taranko (126 pounds), Darnell Mack (150), Ryan Goodrich (157) and Gavin Craner (175) earned district titles. Mack and Goodrich won close battles in the finals against Newaygo’s William Berenbrock and Belding’s Blake Peasley respectively to earn championships. Craner romped through the tournament with three pins, and Taranko won a close semifinal decision over Alex Russo of Grant before being awarded the district title by medical forfeit due to an injury to his opponent. Whitehall runners-up were Cody Manzo (106), Max Krukowski (120), Ryne Christensen (138), Liam Leeke (144) and Blake Morningstar (215). Christensen recorded two pins and a major decision to reach the finals. Morningstar had two pins, and Manzo earned a technical fall and a pin in the tournament. Kolten Weiler (113) and Jason Smith (285) each earned third place. Smith had an especially exhausting day, losing an overtime match to Jamario Dash of Orchard View and then escaping Isaac Delgado of Wyoming Lee by ultimate tiebreaker in the blood round. He had two pins on the day as well; Weiler also had two pins. Caden Varela (132) and Blake English (150) rounded out Viking qualifiers, each taking fourth place. English had a pin and a technical fall in the tournament. Montague was in the Whitehall district as well and qualified five wrestlers to regionals. Jimmy Thommen led the way, earning a 113-pound district title. Thommen

Whitehall’s Ryan Goodrich and Belding’s Blake Peasley battle during the district finals match at Saturday’s individual tournament. Goodrich won the match and was one of 13 Vikings to qualiy to regionals.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall’s Darnell Mack (right) takes on Newaygo’s William Berenbrock in the district finals match Saturday in Whitehall. Mack earned a 5-3 win.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror had a pair of major decisions and a pin on the way to the top of the podium. Chris Aebig (132) and Isaac French (190) finished in third place; Aebig faced Varela in the third-place match, coming away with a 10-1 victory. He also had a pin and another major decision on the day. Taking fourth for Montague were Brock Hunter (106) and Fletcher Thommen (144). Thommen wrestled Leeke in the semifinals and the two turned in a hard-fought match, with Leeke winning 14-12. Hunter faced Manzo in the semis and was defeated by his Whitehall foe. Kaiden Jeffery, Malachi Plunkett and Maverick Osborne each won a match in the districts before bowing out.

Reeths-Puffer sends 4 to next round Reeths-Puffer qualified four wrestlers to the regionals at Saturday’s Division 1 district meet in Grand Haven. Two were runners-up - Arin Maynard (106) and Jake Rozycki (120). Also qualifying for the Rockets were Ian Cook (132) and Nathan Stafford (285), both in third place. Cook scored two pins in the tournament. Lyric Stewart and Sage Secrest each scored two pins for the Rockets but fell short of regional qualification, and Nathan Reeves also won twice. Earning single wins for R-P were Blake Miller, Mason Goodno, Hunter Eek, Andrew Corradin, and Owen Schab.

22 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR FEBRUARY 16, 2024 7

Early voting begins Saturday for Michigan primary By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor MONTAGUE — White River Township is one of many townships in Muskegon County that have partnered up to make early voting for the 2024 presidential primary available at the Muskegon County Administration Complex (formerly Baker College), located at 1903 Marquette Avenue in Muskegon. The early voting will begin Saturday, Feb. 17 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and continue daily through Sunday, Feb. 25 prior to the scheduled primary Feb. 27. Both Saturdays in that span will feature 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. voting and both Sundays will have 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. voting.

The weekdays will have voting available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the exception of Thursday, Feb. 22, when it will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The new early voting days are a result of the approval of Proposition 2 by Michigan voters in November 2022, which provided for nine days of early voting prior to any statewide election. For smaller townships like White River, partnering up with others made sense, as it would have brought a hefty cost in finances and in time - to go it alone. Clerk Patti Sargent said it would have cost White River Township $60,000 to provide early voting itself, to say nothing of the mental strain of township employees putting in all those hours prior

to a 16-hour election day. Sargent will join township supervisor Ron Bailey and treasurer Deb Harris for the Feb. 22 public testing of the election equipment. Beyond election matters, the board also welcomed back trustee George Dufresne, who missed the past few months due to illness. Dufresne said he was pleased to be back. The board unanimously appointed resident Stephen Niezgoda to the planning commission. Niezgoda previously wrote to the township expressing interest in filling a vacancy on the commission, and Sargent said she supported his candidacy. The board also discussed roads in

need of repair in the township. Due to the cost - it’s estimated that it would cost $331,000 to the township for all four roads to be repaired - there are no imminent plans to do so. Bailey said it would likely require the township to save money for multiple years in order to tackle any of the projects. In some cases nearby bodies, such as the city of Montague, would also have to support repair projects due to the roads crossing the township border. The four roads discussed were Hancock Road, Lau Road, Indian Bay Road and Lamos Road, with Sargent saying she would rank the roads in that order by how often she hears about them from residents.

Police activity this week Behind the

Badge Whitehall Police Report Feb. 8 An officer on patrol at 1:40 a.m. stopped a vehicle for no insurance and later cited the driver for possession of a vape device. The traffic stop occurred in the 700 block of Warner St. and during contact with the 18-yearold driver, the officer noted the odor of marijuana. The Montague man consented to a search and a vape device was found in his pocket. After being cited for the civil infraction, the driver was released. Whitehall Police were called at 2:28 p.m. when a person walking in the 200 block of Country Club Rd. could hear someone calling for help. The responding officer found a man on the floor of his garage. The 73-year-old resident said he had fallen and was unable to get back on his feet. He was assisted by the officers, and no further action was taken. At 5:24 p.m. Whitehall police were called to investigate a crash that occurred at 7:30 a.m. that same day. According to the police report, a vehicle was traveling east and stopped at Warner Street waiting to turn left. That vehicle was driven by a 36-yearold Nunica man. The second vehicle was traveling north on Warner and was turning left onto Slocum Street when it was struck by the first car, who started forward before the intersection was clear. The second vehicle was driven by a 29-year-old Lakewood Club resident. Neither driver was injured and no citations were issued. Whitehall Police investigated a re-

port of an alleged child abuse in the 900 block of Warner St. The officer investigating the 6:04 p.m. call spoke with the alleged victim and suspect, but there was no evidence found to support the allegations. No further action was taken. A resident of the 800 block of Livingston St. called police to report she was being bothered by her neighbor. The caller told the officer that her neighbor was controlling noises in her head and talking to her through the wall. After speaking with the caller for several minutes during the 6 p.m. call, the officer suggested an evaluation, but the victim was not willing to go to the hospital. HealthWest was notified, but no further action taken at that time. Feb. 9 Whitehall Police were called to the 500 block of Division St. after a man came up on the property and asked to rent a room. The officer responding to the 10:15 a.m. call was told the man previously had walked into one of the apartments at that location without being invited and was told to stay away that time. When the man showed up a second time, it was requested he be given a trespass warning. The on-duty officer located the 60-year-old resident and told him returning to the house could result in him being arrested. A minor vehicle crash occurred in a driveway in the 500 block of Muskegon Ave. when an Amazon delivery truck backed into a vehicle behind him. The 54-year-old driver told the officer he had just finished a delivery but did not see a vehicle had pulled into the driveway behind him. The Muskegon man struck a vehicle belonging to another resident, who had just arrived home. There were no citations issued in the 1:06 p.m. crash. A resident of the 200 block of Johannah St. reported $200 stolen from her purse. The caller claimed the theft had occurred a few days prior and believed her son had taken the cash. The victim believed it was taken from her purse while she was sleeping. The case is still being investigated, as the officer is attempting to contact the suspect. At 4:12 p.m., the on-duty officer was

dispatched to a report of harassment at Shoreline Elementary School. According to staff at the school, a man was calling the office to complain they had put the children on a bus to go home when it was his visitation weekend. The officer then made contact with the mother of the children, who reported she was withholding the children due to allegations of abuse. The man was informed of the allegation and directed to contact the court about the child visitation issues. The driver was cited and the passenger arrested in a 6:11 p.m. traffic stop. An officer on patrol observed a vehicle with no license plate in the 400 block of Colby St. and initiated a traffic stop. When speaking with the 36-yearold Whitehall man, the driver told the officer he had recently purchased the vehicle, but had not transferred the title or put insurance on it. When checking both passenger and the driver in the computer, the driver was found to have a suspended license and the 23-yearold passenger was found to have an outstanding warrant for possession of cocaine. The passenger was taken into custody and later transported to the Muskegon County jail. The driver was released after being given his citation. Feb. 10 At 6:32 p.m., Whitehall police were dispatched to the 900 block of Warner St. The caller was reporting someone was attempting to break into the church there. When the officer arrived, he observed a known person walking away from the entrance door. When speaking with the 37-year-old, the officer was told by the man that he wanted to ask if he could camp in his truck in the parking lot. After telling the man he could not camp in the parking lot, the man became angry, and began to curse at the officer and left the scene. No further action was taken. Feb. 12 A domestic assault was reported in the 700 block of Mears Ave. The officer investigating the 8:31 p.m. call first spoke with the 30-year-old man, who reported he had an argument with his 29-year-old girlfriend, and she had pushed him, causing him to fall into

the corner of the bed. It was further explained that his girlfriend is married to another man and pregnant with his child. Officers then spoke with the woman, who resides at the home, and were told that during the argument the man was breaking furniture in the house. At the time of the report, both wished to have the other prosecuted. The man, a Muskegon resident, left to go home. The case is being forwarded to the Muskegon County Prosecutor for review. Feb. 13 An officer on foot patrol at 12:42 a.m. checked the license plate of a vehicle to find the owner wanted on outstanding felony warrants. When an assisting officer arrived at the location in the 1000 block of E. Colby St. they knocked at the door of the room. After speaking with a woman at the door, the officers were allowed into the room, where they noticed a large lump under a blanket between the bed and wall. Pulling back the covers, the officers found the suspect. The 48-yearold Whitehall resident was taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Muskegon County jail, where he was lodged for a felony assault charge and larceny. The SRO was called to the Whitehall high school to assist after a 15-year-old student was found to be in possession of a vape device. At 10:28 a.m. the principal reported they had been alerted about the Twin Lake resident having the device and it was later recovered from a bag she had. The device was also tested and found to contain THC products. The student was given a citation and released to the parent. At 2:34 p.m., the SRO was called to the middle school after a student ran away from the school building. The officer was able to locate the 13-year-old boy a short distance away and returned him to the school. The student’s mother arrived shortly after and then requested the officer transport the child home. She was concerned he would jump out of the moving car during the trip. The officer transported the student home with no further incident.

whitelakemirror@gmail.com • February 16, 2024 • Volume 1 • Issue 14 Office hours: Mondays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Office phone: 231-301-8149, or for breaking news, please call 231-923-0751.

THE OCEANA ECHO FEBRUARY 16, 2024 23

24 FEBRUARY 16, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO

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