The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 39, February 23, 2024

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Many firsts for new Shelby Elementary

By Amanda Dodge

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Shelby Elementary School opened its doors to staff and students at the beginning of last month, as they returned from Christmas break and transitioned into their new scholastic home.

While many were able to see the school at its official ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Saturday, Dec. 16, and students got a sneak peek at their new classrooms before break, classes were not officially held until Wednesday, Jan. 3, when students from Thomas Read Elementary (K-3) and New Era Elementary (4-5) were now officially housed in the same building.

“The excitement that staff, parents, students, and overall community had at the open house carried over to the first day of school. The first day overall was a success,” Shelby Public Schools Superintendent Mark Olmstead said. “Building leaders had plans for activities that would help students become familiarized with the building and associated routines/expectations throughout the first week. The first day and overall first week were a success for students given the planning by elementary teachers, staff and administration.”

That planning and hard work were realized over the break by many.

“The success of the two move-in days was a result of planning by our district program leaders, as well as teachers and other staff putting in hard work to prepare,” Olmstead explained. “Elementary staff began packing boxes this (past) fall and maintenance staff picked up and stored the boxes in advance of the move. Secondary staff were invited to make a connection with a given elementary colleague, reaching out to learn how they could be of service to aid them in preparing for or helping during the days moving into the building.”

With the mild winter that Michigan has experienced on and off this season, weather conditions were uncertain for moving things to the new school.

“Of course, the first day of moving was a blinding snowstorm,” Olmstead recalled. “Moving items was difficult in the snow and wind. The staff worked hard to make the move happen in these difficult conditions.

“Members of the Shelby football team moved books from both former elementary libraries to the new building. The goal of having items moved (in) one day and elementary teachers being able to use the second day to begin settling into their classrooms was realized.

“It is amazing how all of our staff came together as one to make this transition from the old buildings to the new building happen. It speaks volumes of the connection that exists among our staff and the continual growth of that connection in the interest of serving the students and families of our school community.”

Before Christmas break, parents and guardians were notified of the school’s new drop-off and pick-up system. The driveway into the new school off of Oceana Drive and across from Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church had been changed into a one way, and the speed limits on Oceana Drive were lowered leading up to the school. There were also new school zone signs and signage for the

elementary school installed.

“Our local law enforcement partners from the Village of Shelby and the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office were instrumental in safely guiding and bringing the presence of the new traffic patterns to motorists’ attention while on campus,” Omstead said. “We continue to encourage lower speeds and care to be taken by motorists on campus as everyone gets used to the new traffic flow that exists.”

Students riding the bus board behind the school, and there are crossing guards stationed near the high school to help elementary students who walk home cross to the new walkway that was put in there for them.

“One of the main features of the new building is an expanded parent drop off and pick up area.  Parents were exceptionally patient and understanding as the number of vehicles that drop off their students was combined from both former buildings into one spot,” Olmstead said. “Our elementary staff learned from each drop off and pick up time what adjustments (to make) to have safety and efficiency be present.

“By the end of the (first) week, the initial length of time to pick up students had been reduced to less than half the time it took for pick up on the first day. I credit this to our parents working together with elementary staff, (and) adapting to adjustments made so a better experience could be realized by everyone.”

Shelby Elementary is also utilizing the Pikmykid app to help organize

students and help them into their family and caregiver’s vehicles in a timely and efficient manner. Staff are positioned along the driveway leading up to the school and students are identified via a preassigned number. Cars are to form two lines as they enter, but then merge into one before they reach the school building. There are five loading stops, and students wait in the gym to be told which numbered cone to go to be picked up at. Some staff can often be seen dancing to fun, upbeat music that is played during pickup.

Shelby Elementary School Principal Kara Vanderweele said they are having a sound system installed that will allow for music to be played more easily outside, as they have been using a portable speaker.

After the weeks following that first day, the students and staff have had many other firsts. These include playing on the new playground, learning in their new classrooms, a school carnival, celebrating 100 days of school, a guest speaker, Donuts with Dads and a Student of the Month Breakfast.

“Our students love their new playground at Shelby Elementary! There’s new equipment to explore and new friends to meet,” Shelby Elementary

School Assistant Principal Abbie Gorton said. “Our new classrooms are beautiful! Students are all settled in and enjoying their grade level classrooms and specials rooms.”

Specials at the school include music, art, physical education, STEM and library.

There are also three colorful hallways in the new school, with students in kindergarten and first grade in one hall, second and third grade next, and fourth and fifth last. There are also words decorating the walls in both English and Spanish.

“We had our first carnival at the new school on Friday, Jan. 26,” Gorton said. “The PTO did an awesome job getting volunteers to run numerous games and activities. Some of the favorites were face painting, the inflatable obstacle course, and the duck pond.”

The students then celebrated 100s Day on Wednesday, Feb. 7. “Our kindergarten teachers and students had a blast dressing up like 100-year-olds,” Gorton exclaimed.

She added that Shelby Township Supervisor and Peterson Farms Chief Operating Officer Richard Raffaelli “visited our third graders to help bring their economic and government studies to life! He

brought engaging activities to enrich their curriculum, and the students loved it!”

One of the many hallmarks of the new school is the expansive cafeteria, where two more firsts took place. The central kitchen for Shelby Public Schools has been moved there as well.

“We had over 100 people for our third Donuts with Dads event. This event is sponsored by All Pro Dads,” Gorton said. “We (also) had our very first Student of the Month Breakfast on Friday, Feb. 9. Every Student of the Month was allowed to bring in two guests for breakfast. Mary Rose and her kitchen staff provided an amazing meal to over 220 people!”

Olmstead expressed his thanks to so many regarding this historic event in the Shelby community. “I credit our staff and parents for the success that has been realized in the opening of Shelby Elementary. Elementary staff have been diligent, community partners have stepped in to help where identified needs exist. Overall, the experience of opening Shelby Elementary has been a true reflection of the great community we are all fortunate to be a part of.”

Scenes from Shelby Elementary include, at top left, many people enjoying the school carnival Jan. 26, such as School Resource Officer Tim Simon, top center, and School Board President Jason Fleming, top right. Shelby Township Supervisor Richard Raffaelli, above, spoke to third grade students about their economic and government studies. Kindergarten teacher Nikki Klotz and four of her students, at left, dressed up to celebrate the 100th day of school. • Amanda Dodge/Echo and Contributed Photos

A Faithful Focus: Fighting Diamond Foundation

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

After serving three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Army veteran Sam Stitt IV of Shelby was searching. He tried to settle back into family, civilian and church life, but it wasn’t easy. He looked to the church but didn’t find what he was hoping for.

“I was frustrated with Christian men,” he said. “It didn’t seem like there were a lot of standards. In the military, you know what the standards are, how to meet those standards and who’s got your back. I was tired of the superficiality, yet I didn’t know how broken I was,” Stitt said.

By the fall of 2017, in the midst of restoring a historic barn on his property in rural Shelby, he and five other guys started meeting together. The group had no formal structure, and the barn wasn’t anywhere near done. “We sat in lawn chairs on a dirt floor. We started asking ourselves some hard questions. What barriers and struggles—anxiety and depression or grudges—are we holding on to? What about forgiveness and repentance? At its most basic, Christianity is salvation, baptism and joining the church. But we knew there had to be more,” Stitt said.

Then in 2019, some combat veterans invited Stitt to attend a “Heroes Return” event, specifically designed for veterans and first responders, sponsored by Set Free Ministries in Big Rapids. Stitt confesses that he went in with a plan of his own, but God had other plans. “It was the first time I actually understood what a relationship with Father God looked like,” he said.

Shortly after, fellow U.S. Army veteran Jose Trejo, a Shelby grad and newly married, received some devastating family news. “I wanted to reach out to someone, but I didn’t know who,” he said. “I was literally scrolling through the contacts on my phone when Sam’s name popped up. I knew ‘of him,’ but wouldn’t say I ‘knew him.’ I’m not even sure how his name got on my phone. As a guy, it’s hard to open up. I kept telling myself, ‘I can’t do it,’ but something inside of me wouldn’t let the idea go.”

Stitt listened, then invited him to attend one of their men’s gatherings at his barn.

During 2020, the group really began to grow. “Base Camp,” a parachurch ministry with roots in the Grand Rapids area, had been meeting at Big Hart Brewery. When the restaurant closed for Covid, their leader, Wes VanderWilk, asked if the group could meet at Stitt’s. “We had about 20 guys gathering every month. Then people started referring to the gatherings as ‘Sam’s club’ and ‘Sam’s barn,’ but I didn’t want it to be about Sam Stitt; I wanted it to be about the Father; about forgiveness; about reconciliation. We divided into teams led by other mature Christian men, not me. We are not a club, not a church. Christ is the church,” Stitt said.

Wanting to go deeper, Trejo attended a “Heroes Return” event for himself. “It was like the scales fell off my eyes. I came away from that wanting to do more for the men and families in our communities,” he said. “Shortly after, in 2021, Sam and I founded the Fighting Diamond (FD) Foundation ministry.”

The FD ministry uses the illustration of a diamond in its logo. Each point of the diamond represents another person in a man’s life. Their website’s homepage asks, “Who’s in your diamond?” The center of the diamond represents the man. The top point represents the man who is discipling the man in the center of the diamond. The lower point of the diamond represents who the man in the center should be discipling. The right and left points of the diamond represent the encouragers in this man’s life.

Its mission statement states: “To build up men in our local communities, who seek a relationship with Abba Father, maturing in the faith and bearing fruit where they are planted.” Their vision is to “Provide opportunities for men to stand firm on the spiritual battlefield, training and equipping men to identify and renounce Satan’s lies and replacing them with God’s Truth.”

“We’re not recruiting anybody or telling men what church to go to,” Trejo said. “It’s about having a right relationship with Abba Father. A lot of what we do is patterned after the military. I discovered I wanted men in my life like I had in the military. Men

who would hold me accountable and who were for Christ.”

Logan Kotzian, a fellow Men of Valor team member from Shelby, shared how he got involved in FD ministries. “I was attending a local house church one Sunday during Covid when I ran into a former classmate. He was the last person I expected to see there. He was so excited about what God was doing in his life, and he invited me to Base Camp at the wedding barn,” Kotzian said. “Next thing I know, he’s inviting me to go to a “Return” event. Here I was, a Christian most of my life, but not really living it, and here was someone who had just come to Christ and he was on fire.”

Besides local Base Camp meetings, which take place the third Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Heritage wedding barn, and Men of Valor accountability groups, which happen conveniently at all days and times, men are also challenged and encouraged to take advantage of other FD events and opportunities available both locally and with their other partnering organizations.

“Freedom Appointments” are similar to health assessments used by the military to determine if a soldier is relevant and ready for battle. FD has leaders who have been trained by Set Free Ministries of Big Rapids. “We were able to walk through freedom appointments with about 20 men last year,” Stitt said. “We spend a lot of time in prayer, asking God to reveal areas of sin in our lives. Ideally, there is a confession of that sin. Once a person goes through their Freedom Appointment, they are ready to move into maintaining ‘freedom in Christ’ by joining a ‘Men of Valor’ team,” Trejo said.

“Freedom Walks” are another valuable “tool” as a man works toward spiritual freedom. Held in an outdoor setting, usually on a Saturday, the day includes activities to focus a man’s mind on his spiritual life and where he may need to make changes.

“Man Camp” is a collaboration between FD and the Impact Church of Lowell, Mich. Men attend the weekend event at Grace Adventures’ Paradise Ranch in Mears, Mich.

“Forge” events, which take place in Barryton, Mich. give men the chance to “...learn how God wants to forge them into a powerful instrument that is useful in his hand.” Men actually forge their own knife as part of the weekend.

learning from other men who are strong in the faith; passionate about walking alongside their “brothers” and encouraging them, and passionate about passing the truths on to their families and community. They don’t just want to be guys who are satisfied with being saved, baptized and part of a church. They want to be the church for God’s glory and their own good.

Stitt and Trejo would both say the basis for all FD ministry programming is found in two key verses. The first is the Greatest Commandment, found in Matthew 22:36-40, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” And the second is the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20, where Jesus says to his disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

By God’s grace, they plan to continue to build their lives and the FD ministry on these precepts.

All Base Camp gatherings and Men of Valor team meetings are open and free to any man who is interested in hearing more. Individuals should contact Stitt to get plugged in. Upcoming FD events include a Conquerer Series (sexual purity training) starting March 11 at the Stitt’s “Patriot Barn” located on the corner of 32nd Ave and Buchanan Road in Shelby, two more Forge events in Barryton this April, an upcoming kayak adventure and their annual cornhole tournament this summer. For more information on Fighting Diamond Foundation’s purpose or future activities and events, please visit www.fightingdiamond.org or email Stitt at sam@fightingdiamond.org

It is clearly evident that FD founders and members are passionate: passionate about their relationship with their Father God, passionate about

The Fighting Diamond Foundation ministry takes place at the Patriot Barn in Shelby, top right. The ministry includes a number of different offerings for men, including a forge event, top left, and Men of Valor meetings. • Contributed Photos

By Mike Smalligan Forest stewardship coordinator, Forest Resources Division Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Bill and Patrice Bobier are Michigan’s 2024 Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year, honored with the award by the Michigan Tree Farm Committee. Michigan’s chapter of the American Tree Farm System has helped Michigan’s family forest landowners take great care of their woods since 1949.

The Bobiers were given the award after their decades of work in the woods, advocating for good forestry policy and inspiring neighbors by sharing their love of the land with their community.

They have had their forest land enrolled in the American Tree Farm System for five years, but they have been exemplary stewards of the land and active in their community for more than 50 years.

In 1971, Bill and Patrice bought 40 acres of land west of Hesperia in rural Oceana County to homestead and raise a family. They moved an old cabin onto the land the following year. As their family grew, they expanded the cabin a few times with lumber milled from trees grown in their own woods.

A Northern Spy apple tree now grows where the outhouse once stood. A large garden on the south side of the house provides food for four generations of family and visitors.

Earthscape Farm, as their establishment grew to be called, has also grown over the years. It now spans 415 acres, where Bill and Patrice raise Angus beef cattle and carefully manage 200 acres of mixed hardwoods and lowland conifers.

The Bobier Tree Farm is a multigenerational family and community forest. Bill and Patrice have two adult children, five grandchildren and a new great-grandchild. Their grandchildren have planted white pine and red pine seedlings in the woods, and everyone helps with cutting firewood. Tree tops left after timber harvests heat their cabin and two neighbors’ homes. They also provide income from firewood sales.

Sharing the woods is a given for the Bobiers.

A neighbor, who lives primarily in Chicago, kept getting lost in their woods, so Bill put up birdhouses as trail markers. Birds never nested in them, but the neighbor finds her way home now.

The Oceana Conservation District regularly brings children to their outdoor farm camp to pick vegetables, play in the woods and create art in nature with Bill and Patrice.

Bill’s father managed a lumber yard, so Bill may have inherited his love of wood from his dad. The Bobiers hired sawyers to bring portable sawmills to the farm 10 times over the last 50 years to mill boards from trees grown in their woods.

Two years ago, Bill and his neighbor bought their own portable sawmill that they operate together. It takes a lot of cedar posts and ash boards to maintain the 8 miles of fencing that enclose the many pastures at the farm.

They have built more than a dozen outbuildings on the farm with wood milled onsite from trees grown in their woods. Mill scraps are used for fuel to boil sap down into about 15 gallons of maple syrup each spring. Bill has a custom grapple hook on the back of his tractor to drag logs to his sawmill.

Bill and Patrice are active in their community, generously sharing their love of the land. They hosted tours for state and national policymakers to showcase important agriculture and forestry issues in the federal Farm Bill.

The Bobiers have also hosted several agricultural tours of their farm, highlighting systems like windbreaks and silvopasture, a pasture management method where livestock are grazed among trees in-

stead of on bare fields.

Earthscape Farm was the first farm in Oceana County to achieve verifications of four different systems with the Michigan Agricultural and Environmental Assurance Program: farmstead, cropping, livestock and forest.

Bill and Patrice have worked with several foresters over the years to manage their woods. Consulting foresters David Wilson and Richard Cooper helped with management plans and marking timber for harvest.

Oceana Conservation District foresters Michael Paling and Rod Denning helped with program enrollment, forestry field days and training events. Paling suggested the Tree Farm Program to Bill, who had long admired it for its land ethic and eye-catching sign. Denning recently visited for an inspection to keep the Bobiers current with Tree Farm Program requirements.

Both Bobiers have interesting careers to supplement farming and forestry on the homestead.

They owned a woodshop with three partners who made toys and furniture with wood milled from trees on the farm. Patrice is a midwife who has helped with almost 2,000 births around west Michigan since 1977. Bill taught sustainable agriculture at Grand Valley State University in the 1970s, then started a consulting firm in the 1980s to share advice about agriculture, timber, minerals and homestead design. Bill’s love for the land also led to a career in politics.

Bill joined the Ferry Township zoning board in 1980 because he was concerned about good landuse planning. He served as the township assessor and supervisor for six years. In 1990, he defeated an incumbent state representative and served Michigan’s 101st District, representing four counties along Lake Michigan from 1991 to 1998. He helped update Michigan’s Commercial Forest Act in his first term as a legislator while serving on the Agriculture, Forestry and Minerals Committee. He was endorsed by organizations across the entire political spectrum from the Sierra Club to Farm Bureau. He won four legislative awards from constituent groups for his policy

work on parks, conservation districts, townships and wildlife conservation.

The Oceana Conservation District gave the Bobiers its Conservationist of the Year award in 2017. Besides taking care of the land, Bill and Patrice work to protect water quality too. The north branch of the White River, a state natural river, runs through their woods. They obtained the required permit from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources when harvesting trees near the water.

Putney Creek runs through a cedar swamp before entering the White River, and the Bobiers are especially proud of some tiny cedar trees regenerating under the protective cover of prickly ash that keeps hungry deer away. They are looking to the future by exploring various carbon offset programs for carbon sequestration and climate mitigation.

Bill worked as a policy advocate for a decade after term limits ended his career as an elected public servant.

His clients included the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, The Nature Conservancy, Union of Concerned Scientists, Environmental Defense Fund, Future Farmers of America and Michigan Townships Association.

He served on several boards, including the Michigan Nature Association, the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Michigan Food and Farming Systems, and the Oceana Community Foundation.

He also worked as a policy analyst for six years for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

Bill worked on several important property tax issues and helped create the Qualified Forest Program in 2006, which lowers property taxes for thousands of people and 850,000 acres of family forest in Michigan. The Bobiers have 140 acres of their own woods enrolled in the Qualified Forest Program.

More information on Tree Farm and other programs

A variety of programs help landowners who want to manage their forests responsibly, and some offer tax breaks as well.

• Qualified Forest Program: Encourages landowners to actively manage their privately owned forests for commercial harvest, wildlife habitat enhancement and improvement of other nonforest resources. Enrolled landowners receive an exemption from the local school operating millage.

• American Tree Farm System: Provides the tools and information to help tree farmers and woodland owners keep forests healthy and productive.

• Commercial Forest Program: Offers those who manage their forest for long-term timber production reduced taxes. Landowners can withdraw from the program at any time. The State of Michigan makes an annual payment to counties with commercial forest lands to make up for lost local tax revenue.

• Forest Stewardship Program: Connects landowners with professional foresters to help them manage, protect and enjoy their forests.

Learn more about forest management and resources for private forest land owners at Michigan. gov/Forestry.

Check out previous Showcasing the DNR stories at Michigan.gov/DNRStories. To subscribe to upcoming Showcasing articles, sign up for free email delivery at Michigan.gov/DNREmail.

This page is brought to you by:

County Historical & Genealogical Society is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Private tours are available by appointment. oceanahistory.org

Oceana County Schools: Newfield

By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

Moving east from Ferry, we now turn to Newfield Township as we continue to explore the rural schools of Oceana County. Up first is the McLaren school, which was located on the corners of South 200th Avenue and Yonker Road. Like many of the old schools, lessons were first held in a log building until a framed school house was constructed. The school was eventually closed in 1945, and the students went over to Hesperia. Wiegand’s notes include some interesting recollections from this old school. “One teacher reports that there were many nails on the wall holding the drinking cups. As there wasn’t enough money to change this, talking to mothers, within the year a new drinking fountain was installed. The county nurse brought a big bottle of cod liver oil, and each child took a teaspoon — not a popular event. The children all helped each other with their work.”

On the corner of South 192nd Avenue and East Fish Road, we can find the McGill schoolhouse. We don’t have a whole lot of information on this school. The names of some teachers who worked there include Letrey Bennett, Doris Jackson, Mary Sullivan, and Maxine Coleson. The school can be found on the 1876 map of Oceana County, so it is at least that old, and the building still stands today as a private residence. Wiegand’s notes simply tell us that the McGill school shared a joint graduation with the Rathbone, Gale, Sturtevant, Ferry, and Herin schools in 1959. Some of these schools will be familiar to anyone who read last week’s article covering Ferry Township.

There are no schools on record for district number three, so we will move on to district number four, where one can find the Croff

and Philo schools. The Croff school was built first, so called because the land was purchased from the Croff family. A newer brick school house was built in 1908, and it was called the Philo schoolhouse. The Philo schoolhouse would continue up until the 1940s, after which it would serve some time as a private residence until it was finally torn down in the 1980s.

We again have no school on record in district number five, so we jump instead to district number six. Here we find two schools: the Lattin school and the Gale school. Swift Lathers recounted a funny story from the Gale school in his Nov. 6, 1953 issue of The Mears Newz. “They could hardly believe their eyes, the children of Gale school, when they found a real live opossum in the bottom shelf of a wooden bookcase. With due caution for his sharp teeth and claws, they got him into a box and planned

to make a schoolroom pet of him. It was Friday afternoon, and one of the boys took him to a farm to get it a rabbit pen to stay in for the week-end. But he chewed his way out of the box he was in.” Another Mears Newz article from March of that same year has this to say of the Lattin school, “The children used to run over at noon for peppermint candy and for big five cent tablets with cover pictures of dogs and beautiful girls and autumn woods.” This school was located on East Buchanan Road, somewhere between South 164th Avenue and South 168th Avenue.

In 1904, James and Julia Herin sold a portion of their farm on Loop Road to district number seven, resulting in what would be known as the Herin school. Wiegand’s notes tell us the school was heated with a “wood-space heater in the center of the room.” Some of the teachers who worked here include Marcel-

la Gustine, Ruth Mahan, Marion Knapp, Merle Archer, and Ada Peterson. The school was eventually torn down in 1987.

And finally, in district number eight, we have the Sturtevant school. The school was built and opened in 1911, on an acre of land that was bought from Clarence Place for $15. The first teacher was a woman named Olive Walker. She was 18 years old at the time. Wiegand’s notes tell us there was a heavy snowstorm on the night of Nov. 14, the year the school opened. Olive’s father, “Medicine” Walker, “brought her over with a team and sleigh the next morning.” Wiegand also gives us some interesting insight into the name of the school, claiming that the “owner of Cloverdale farm lived in town, and was dead set against the school because it would raise their taxes. They wanted it called the Cloverdale School, but Jack Sturtevant insisted it be called the Sturtevant School because his dad was the first settler.” Some other teachers who have worked here include Joyce Peterson, Ruth Mahan, Lois Veenstra and Jenny Fidler. The school was closed in 1966, and the students went to Hesperia.

Echo THE

Ongoing

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

The Ladder Community Center:

M-F: The 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.

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.

Forest School for Grownups

Tuesday afternoons through Feb. 27.

Art You Can Feel

Ludington Area Center for the Arts through Feb. 24

“Cooking for One” at OCCOA

Every Tuesday from Feb. 6 - March 12, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Fish dinners at St. Joseph’s in Weare

Fridays in Lent, 5-7 p.m.

Fish dinners continue at St. Joseph’s in Weare

St. Joseph’s and St. Vincent’s Catholic Churches Annual Lenten Fish Dinner will be every Friday during Lent, from February 16 - March 29, at the St. Joseph’s Parish Hall, located at 2349 West Jackson Road in east of Oceana Drive. Dine-in or takeout from 5-7 p.m. every Friday. Dinners will include the choice of fried or baked Fish, vegetable, parsleyed potatoes, coleslaw, dinner roll and your choice from our famous dessert selection! Cost for dine-in or takeout will be $14.00 each, for ages 9 and up. Donations will be accepted for children 8-years and younger. Contact the Parish Office at 231-873-5776 for more information.

Applicants

requested for oratory contest

The Tri-County Right to Life Oratory Contest will take place Saturday, March 9 at 10 a.m. at Hart Wesleyan Church, 3757 W. Polk Rd. in Hart. The contest is for students in grades 9-12, and they must prepare and present a 5-7 minute speech on one of the many pro-life issues outlined in the rules. There will be prizes for the winners, and they will get the opportunity to compete at the state level. Please call Susan Stace at 231-903-9997 for a contest application form, oratory contest rules and information.

Full Moon Owl Prowl at Otto Nature Preserve

Join Oceana Conservation District staff member Adam Chandler on a guided Full Moon Owl Prowl night hike through Otto Nature Preserve, Saturday, Feb. 24, 6:30-8 p.m. Learn about an owl’s many fascinating adaptations that allow them to navigate their life in the forest. Hikers will also listen and possibly hear calls from owls located in the preserve. If participants are lucky they may hear from an Eastern Screech, Barred, Great-horned and/or Long-eared Owl. Either way, the event will be a great time to get outside, enjoy the full moon and appreciate more of what makes Oceana such a great place, even during the winter months. Please register at www.oceanaconservation.org/oceana-events

All Pro Dads event rescheduled for tonight

Oceana County All Pro Dads will host Brian Pruitt, founder and CEO of Pruitt Motivational and The Power of Dad non-profit organization, Friday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. in the Hart Public Schools Auditorium on the Hart Public Schools campus. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and all are welcome to attend. This free event was rescheduled due to inclement weather earlier this winter. “Brian Pruitt has traveled the country for the past 27 years speaking, training, coaching and has worked with major sports organizations and companies all over the United States.

We are pleased to have him come and meet with our All-Pro Dads group for this evening event,” said Spitler Elementary Principal, Brandon Bruce. Mr. Pruitt will also be speaking to Hart students during the school day on Friday, Feb. 23. More information can be found at https://www.pruittmotivation.com or https:// www.powerofdad.org

Full Moon Owl Prowl at Otto Nature Preserve

The Oceana Conservation District is now accepting spring seedling orders at its web store which can be found at www.oceanaconservation.org/oceana-events. This annual sale is a great source for all native conifers, hardwoods, shrubs and dune grass for reforestation and restoration projects. They also have disease-resistant fruit trees, berries and grapes for backyard orchards and gardens as well as tree tubes to protect young seedlings from deer browse. Limited quantities are available and orders will be filled on a first-come, first serve basis through March 20.

February

Feb. 17-25 - Early 2024 Presidential Primary voting, Oceana County Courthouse, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Feb. 23 - All Pro Dads Event, guest speaker Brian Pruitt, 6 p.m., Hart Public Schools Auditorium

Feb. 24 - Phil with Purpose Workshop, Hart Wesleyan Church, 9-11 a.m.

Feb. 24 - Cherry Pie Contest, The Avenue Event Center

Feb. 24 - Wild Game Dinner, Walkerville Wesleyan Church, 144 S.Hamon St., Walkerville, 5 p.m.

Feb. 24 - Full Moon Owl Prowl, Otto Nature Preserve, 3001 16th Ave., Shelby, 6:30-8 p.m.

Feb. 27 - 2024 Presidential Primary in-person voting, local precincts.

Feb. 27 - Women’s Wellness Workshop, “Parenting Education I & II”, Harbor House 315 S. State St., Hart, 6:30-8 p.m.

Feb. 29 - Red Cross Blood Drive, Pentwater High School, 600 E. Park St., Pentwater, 10:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m.

March 1 & 2 - Hart High School Drama, “Into the Woods,” HMS Auditorium

March 9 - Tri-County Right to Life Oratory Contest, grades 9-12, Hart Wesleyan Church, 10 a.m.

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 school is limited to 12 adults. Please visit www.oceanaconservation.org to register. The spring session will run from April 23 through May 28.

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.

Shelby Rotary Club wants to send kids to camp

The Shelby Rotary Club and the Oceana Community Foundation are pleased to offer the chance for Oceana youth to attend camp this summer.

Camp experiences bring new skills and self-worth to our youth and build up the 4 C’s within them: compassion, contribution, commitment and character. The rotary club and foundation donors realize this impact, and work to ensure camp experiences are accessible to all, regardless of financial status.

Awards are capped at $250 per applicant, but higher requests will be evaluated according to available funding. All awards will be paid directly to the camps and are available for any type of camping focus: arts, sports, scouts, church, general and leadership experiences.

The application is for one camp experience per child. Preference is given to first-time requests. To apply for support, complete the quick, one-page application! The suggested deadline to apply is April 1, 2024. Applications are available on the foundation’s website at www.oceanafoundation.org and at the Shelby Area District Library. Questions can be directed to Tiffany Haight at haightfour@ gmail.com or by calling 231-873-1859.

Donald Drum

October

2, 1935 ~ February 6, 2024

Donald Drum, 88, of Mears, Mich., passed away peaceful ly Feb. 6, 2024. Don was born Oct. 2, 1935, in West Branch, Mich., to Raymond and Beulah (Bond) Drum. The family settled on a farm in Walkerville, Mich., and had two more sons, Dale and Doug.

The Drum boys lost their father when they were young, and they helped run the farm while their mother taught school. These younger years were also filled with hunting and fishing at any opportunity. Over the years, family and friends have been thoroughly entertained when Don told stories of those simpler times with very little money and of all the trouble those three young boys could get into!

Don married his high school sweetheart, Alta Strayer, in 1954. The two were inseparable and would become very skilled hunting and fishing partners their whole lives through. Don and Alta moved to Hart and started their family, having three daughters over the years, Sheila, Susan, and Rhonda.

Don was a fast learner and excelled in many trades. He started as a meat cutter at Gales IGA and, in later years, opened his own small shop as a side income, where he butchered and processed beef and deer. With his vast knowledge of guns, he also helped many people with their firearm problems. His interests were piqued when he started work at DuPont and was offered classes in electrical and refrigeration. Before and after Don’s retirement, he helped family and many others with these skills without pause, making many close and dedicated friends along the way.

Don has finally been granted the peace he deserves and can now retell those hunting, fishing, and boyhood stories with all the people that played a role in them.

Don leaves behind his three daughters, Sheila Drum, Sue (Gary) Lyman, Rhonda (Paul) Gray; beloved grandchildren, Donnie (Michelle) Lyman, Dawn Lyman, Justin Lyman, Falon (Josh) Markow, and Adam (Jody) Gray; seven precious great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Peggy (Dale) Drum and Pat (Donald) Strayer; and cherished nieces and nephews.

Don was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Alta; brothers, Dale and Doug Drum; son-in-law, Gary Lyman; brother-in-law, Donald Strayer; sister-in-law, Kathryn Drum; and nephew, Rick (Desiree) Strayer.

As per Don’s wishes, there will not be a service at this time. His family has planned a private celebration of life in the spring, for both Don and his son-in-law, Gary. Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements. www.beaconfh.com

Sue Ann Stanfield

June 11, 1961 ~ January 28, 2024

Sue Ann Stanfield, 62, of Hesperia, passed away peace fully at home, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. She was born June 11, 1961, in Hart, to Wilford and Mabel (Crisple) Conkle.

Sue graduated from Walkerville High School. After school, she mainly worked as a cook in the restaurant industry. Throughout her life, Sue enjoyed many outdoor activities, from playing softball to camping and fishing. Sue loved cooking for her family and friends and listening to them sing and play music. Sue also had an affinity for doing jigsaw puzzles; in recent years, her time was spent with her loving husband, children and grandchildren.

Sue is survived by: her husband, Tom of Hesperia; three brothers, James Conkle of Pentwater, Larry Conkle of Walkerville and Denny (Gail) Conkle of Hesperia; two sons, Justin (Lisa) Kirwin of Montague, and Kyle (Rachel) Kirwin of Whitehall; and five grandchildren, Darren, Lexi, Makayla, Ivy and Bryce.

Sue was preceded in death by: her parents, Wilford and Mabel (Crisple) Conkle; her brother, Jeffrey Conkle; her sister, Kathy Monton; and her beloved dog, Chloe.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the American Legion, 4075 S. 198th Ave., Hesperia, Mich., 49421.

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

Stephen Thomas Hall February 12, 1954 ~ February 7, 2024

Stephen Thomas Hall, 69, of New Era, Mich., passed away Feb. 7, 2024, surrounded by family, in Hospice care in Fremont, Mich. He was born Feb. 12, 1954 in Chicago, Ill., the fifth child of Langton Hall, a Chicago policeman, and Margaret (McNaught) Hall, a proprietor of a restaurant.

Steve was a free spirit. He loved riding his motorcycle and traveling, making lifelong friends everywhere he went. Steve was such a great storyteller and lived his life on his own terms. A total foodie, Steve found great joy in preparing food for everyone around him. Steve was a dog whisperer, and his animals absolute ly loved him. Steve was an avid outdoorsman and spent many days fishing on Stony Lake while living there. Above all, Steve loved his family. There was a special place in his heart for his grandkids.

Steve is survived by: his beloved partner of 28 years, Carla Richard, of New Era, Mich.; was a loving father of Lori Ellmer of Paw Paw, Mich., Michel (John) Hall of Albuquerque, N.M., Margaret Mejia of Holland, Mich., and Levi Richard of New Era, Mich.; a cherished grandfather of Mckenzie, Jacob, Branden, Lillian, Skylar, Nathan, Braylee and Aspyn (his girlies); a dear brother to Carolyn (John) Hinch of Davidsonville, Md., Kathleen Meech of Arnold, Md., and Theresa (Theodore) Maniurski of Whitehall, Mich.

Steve was preceded in death by: his mother (1980) and father (1980), and his brother, Langton Kyle Hall (2022).

In true Steve style, we will throw a party at the lake this summer with family and friends. More information will be given at a later date.

The family of Stephen T. Hall would like to give special thanks to Carla’s family and friends for all the support and love. Deb, Alan and Lenny – you were so special to Steve. Thank you to Valley City Metal Products LLC, especially Dave Beckman, for being kind and generous always. Finally, thank you to Shelby Early Childhood Center for supporting Carla and Steve in their time of great need. Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements.

www.harrisfhome.com

Christine Louise Jensen

November 27, 1945 ~ February 20, 2024

Christine Louise Jensen, 78, passed away Feb. 20, 2024, at the Oceana County Medical Care Facility in Hart, Mich. Chris was born Nov. 27, 1945, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Dr. Benjamin Hawkins and Ruth (Benzon) Hawkins.

Chris is survived by: her husband of 57 years, David Jensen; their two sons, James David Jensen of Hart and Thomas Richard (Pam) Jensen of Gypsum, Colo.; brothers, Benjamin (Barb) Hawkins and Bradley (Cindy) Hawkins; and sister, Karen Hawkins.

Chris was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Lee Hawkins.

After graduating from Walnut Hills High School in Cin cinnati, Chris earned her bachelor’s degree at MSU, where she met David. She taught at Weare-Crystal school, then Ferry Community School, where she became principal/superintendent after earning her master’s at Western Michigan University, followed by a doctorate degree in 1995. Chris worked at Spitler Elementary in Hart for 13 years before retiring in 2003 after 30 years in education. She then continued teaching an adult ESL class part-time in Hart for Whitehall Schools until the Covid epidemic ended the program. Throughout her married life, she worked in her spare time on their family farm east of Hart.

Chris was the first female member of the Hart Rotary Club and its first woman President. She attended the Hart Methodist Church, where she held several different church board positions. She served on the board of directors of the Oceana County Medical Care Facility for the past six years.

Chris and her family were avid travelers, visiting nearly all the states plus 41 countries during retirement. She especially enjoyed many trips to her favorite city, Paris, and winter stays in Vail.

Memorial services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at Hart United Methodist Church, 308 S. State St., Hart, MI 49420, with a luncheon to follow in the fellowship hall. The family will receive friends Saturday from 10 a.m. until time of services at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made in Chris’ name to Hart Rotary, P.O. Box 702, Hart, MI 49420, or the Hart United Methodist Church, 308 S. St. Street, Hart, MI 49420.

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

www.beaconfh.com

Kathryn (Kay) Ann Michael

January 16, 1942 ~ February 19, 2024

Kathryn (Kay) Ann Michael, 82, of Whitehall passed away Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. She was born on January 16, 1942, in Battle Creek, Mich., to Donald and Helen (Swayzee) Kieser.

Kay married her high school sweetheart, John Paul Michael, on Feb. 3, 1961. They were married for 59 years. Kay was a homemaker for most of her life. She worked hard, aside from raising her family, picking asparagus and apples, and later in life, working at Master Tag, then Wesco. She enjoyed painting landscapes as well as creating beautiful quilts for her chil dren and grandchildren when each got married, and also for special birthdays and golden anniversaries at her church. She was part of the local garden club, loved to read, play cards, and watch hummingbirds come to her feeders, but her favorite thing to do was spend time with her family. She always had time for her family; being with them always made her so happy. Kay will be greatly missed by all of her loved ones and friends. She was a blessing to so many.

Kay is survived by her three children: Art (Lori) Michael of White Cloud, Sue (Pat) Conroy of Montague, and Sharon (Rick) Sobers of New Era; 16 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren; and two brothers: John (Eileen) Kieser of Raynham, Mass., and Carl (Lorraine) Kieser of Sebewaing, Mich.

Kay was preceded in death by: her parents, Don and Helen; husband, John; grandson, Ted Conroy; great-grandson, Austin Michael; and sister, Phyllis Hill.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, at White Lake United Methodist Church, 8555 Cook St., Montague, Michigan 49437, with Pastor Tim Dibble and Jim Tanis officiating. Visitation will take place from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, at Harris Funeral Home, 267 N. Michigan Ave., Shelby, Michigan 49455, and one hour prior to the service at White Lake United Methodist Church. A luncheon will be offered following the service. Interment will be at Hubbard Cemetery, Montague, later this spring.

Memorial contributions may be made to the White Lake United Methodist Women’s Society.

Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements. www.harrisfhome.com

Tails of Hope

Say “hello” to Wyatt, a 2-year-old pup on a mission to find his forever home.  Wyatt is a social butterfly and loves making new human friends. His tail is always wagging, and he’s eager to share his love and joy with you. Wyatt gets along well with most dogs and would be thrilled to have a furry playmate in his new home. Unfortunately, Wyatt is not a fan of cats, so a cat-free home is a must. Wyatt is an energetic walker and thrives on outdoor activities. Whether it’s a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood or a hike in the woods, he is up for any adventure. Wyatt is looking for an active family or individual who can keep up with his energy and provide plenty of playtime and exercise. Wyatt would love a home with a secure yard for extra fun. Wyatt is fantastic with people of all ages, so whether you’re a family seeking a lively companion or an individual looking for a loyal friend, Wyatt is here for you. Wyatt is in great health and ready to embark on new adventures with you. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and lots of love are all he needs to thrive.

Wyatt 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.

Janet Ann Morningstar

August 5, 1956 ~ February 21, 2024

Janet Ann Morningstar, 67, of New Era, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. She was born Aug. 5, 1956, in Oceana County, the daughter of Wendell and Fern (Fessenden) Griffin.

Jan married the love of her life, Tom Morningstar, on July 3, 1975, and together they raised three children. She had a heart of gold and was the most loving and caring person. Jan enjoyed going to hockey games, car races and traveling with Tom to Nashville, Tenn. She loved the Grand Ole Opry and was a member of the fan club. Jan especially enjoyed cookouts with her sister-in-law, Annette, and brother-in-law, Dave.

Jan is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, Tom; children, Jared Thomas (Amanda) Morningstar, Holly Jo Morningstar and Eric Paul Morningstar; grandchildren, Stella Morningstar and Hank Morningstar; siblings, Bryan, Margo and Sonya; sisters-in-law, Annette (Dave) DeLore and Jean (Albert) Meyer; and brother-in-law, Mike Morningstar.

Jan was preceded in death by her parents, Wendell and Fern.

In accordance with Jan’s wishes, a private celebration of life will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Shelby Wrestling Club, 2665 W. Garfield Rd., New Era, MI 49446

Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is handling the arrangements.

www.harrisfhome.com

Hart High School Honor Roll 2nd

12th grade High Honors

Joseluis Andaverde, Pedro Barros, Julia Bishop, Laura Bitely, Imogene Brumbaugh, Lluvia Burillo-Castro, Ethan Castro, Damian Dematteo, Aiden DuMont, Connor Edwards, Alyson Enns, Gregory Escamilla, Lynessa Fielder, Matthew Frasier, Chase Gale, Grace Gamble, Marissa Goodrich, Sydney Goodrich, Lauryn Greiner, Rayah Helenhouse, Adriana Hernandez, Keira Hernandez, Manrique Hernandez, Abagail Hicks, Allysen Hopkins, Mercedes Jobbins, Myca Johnson, Jesse Lenon, Samantha Lonsway, Grace McGhan, Timothy Mills, Gabriela Morales, Maya Morales, Kadence Morris, Gabriella Nienhuis, Remington Oomen, Daria Pesavento, Gabrielle Quijas, Cristelia Rangel, Gabryella Schmieding, Noah Smith, Harley Stayner, Payden Stone, Samantha Trojanowski, Tyler VanderZanden, Bonnie Vela and Blake Weirich

11th grade High Honors

Devyn Adams, Brianna Arjona, AnnElise Bitely, Joseph Bizon, Joshua Bustos, Brooklyn Carter, Nora Chickering, Kelsey Copenhaver, Alisya Cruz, Irelyn Cunningham, Olivia DeBrot, Kailey Edenburn, Kevon Gray, Avery Guikema, Eric Hannan, Alexander Hicks, Lilly Hopkins, Addison Hovey, Jessica Jazwinski, Harriet Kidder, Maryn Klotz, Kayla Kumzi, Tyler Larios-Mendez, Julia McTaggart, Austin Merten, Amber Miguel, Celeste Miller, Kai Miller, Lexie Nienhuis, Emmanuel Ortega, Mia Perea, Isaac Ponce, Breslyn Porter, Lauren Pretty, Carter Ramseyer, Clayton Riley, Brynn Russell, Ty Schlukebir, Kuryn Simkins, Maxwell Stitt, Brooklyn Storms, Ty Thomas, AustinTrantham, Faith Vander Vlucht, Anaya Vander Zwaag, Gideon VanderKooi, Beverly Wagner and Robin Walton.

10th grade High Honors

Caleb Ackley, Elon Babbin, Rowan Best, Makenna Carrier, Shelbie Choponis, Brendan Copenhaver, Aiden Cull, Miguel Escamilla, Ali Fleming, Dominic Fulford, Kyle Greiner, Addison Hain, Grace Hallack, Blake Helenhouse, Rosemary Hernandez, Lauren Hopkins, Emma Jeffries, Wesley Kinsey, Kenai Kokx, Jagger Lenon,

Marking period

Payton Lindgren, Nicolas Ramirez, Hollis Rockwell, Addison Schiller, Renleigh Schiller, Jack Slotman, Madelynn Smith, Emily Steffens, Abigail Studer, Christian Thomas, Bryce Vander Kodde, Leah Walker and Leila Zamora.

9th grade High Honors

Carson Ackley, Jenna Babbin, Kassie Baker, Caydence Bateson, Naomi Bitely, Aide Cruz, Calyn Eisenlohr, Emiliano Escamilla, Nina Frick, Mauricio Galindo, Mason Guikema, Haegan Hansen, Austin Hosking, Robert Jazwinski, Wyatt Johnson, Bronx Jones, Joel Knobel, Hunter Loudermilk, Pascal Miller, Mason Opalewski, Rilynn Porter, Sonia Reyna Camacho, Nevaeh Reyna, Macy Riley, Natalie Rosema, Alayna Schiller, Reese Smith, Alexis Taylor, Peter Tuinstra, Owen Vander Vlucht, McKenna VanderZanden and Caden VanGelderen.

12th grade Honors

Lizette Avila, Molly Dessauer, Lorena Hernandez Campos, Selena Herrera, Nikolas Michael, Samantha Pickard, Gennavie Ramos, Mitchell Slade, Athena Thocher, Jack Thompson, Mercedes Torres and Caleb Westerbeek.

11th grade Honors

Kaden Bond, Rhylly Brown, Brody Clark, Aiden Coker, James Galindo Lucio, Mathias Hovey, Jefferson Lorenz, Catherine Navarro, Jeremy Pearson, Alexandre Rieger, Connor Riker, Andrew Riley, Hector Rodriguez, Trisha Sauser and Blane Sawdy,

10th grade Honors

Adrian Belmares, April Chaffee, Shanna Chapman, Lola Davila, Lyric Fielder, Gaige Gallop, Rivaldo Gonzalez, Maxwell Mull, Joseph Osorio Espinoza, Chloe Simpson, Kennedy Symons and Kelly Torres-Uresti.

9th grade Honors

Olivia Bradley, Larry Bromley, Samuel Escamilla, Sofia Garza Estrella, Alliah Hall, Kailyn Harmon, Layla McCann, Keaghan Monroe, Erick Perea-Hernandez, Zoily Sarabia, Kole Thomas, Kailey Trejo, Luke VanderWilk and Kyrsten VanDerZanden.

WEEKLY SERVICE,

Orlando, FL 32803

(800) 708-7311 EXT.

#12345_20240219

2024

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

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803 CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. 257

• On March 4, 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as the 32nd U.S. president. He would later notably lead the country out of the Depression and to victory in World War II.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

257

STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20240219

• On March 5, 1963, beloved American country western singer Patsy Cline, whose rich, soulful voice made her one of the genre’s classic performers of such ballads as “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy,” died in an airplane crash at age 30.

FOR RELEASE FEB. 19, 2024

NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20240219

FOR RELEASE FEB. 19, 2024

By JoAnn Derson

By Lucie Winborne

• On March 6, 2018, the world’s oldest known message in a bottle was discovered by Tonya Illman in Western Australia as she walked on the beach with her husband, Kym. The bottle had been thrown overboard from the German sailing ship Paula in 1886 as it crossed the Indian Ocean, and said only, “Could the finder please plot the coordinates it was found, and the date it was found, and send it back?”

• On March 7, 1965, up to 600 nonviolent activists marched to help African American citizens obtain the right to vote. Despite the peacefulness of their actions, the protesters were brutally attacked, with one woman, Amelia Boynton, beaten to the point of unconsciousness.

• On March 8, 1986, 29-year-old tennis star Martina Navratilova became the first in her sport to earn more than $10 million in prize money when she won the U.S. Women’s Indoor Championships in New Jersey.

• On March 9, 1611, Dutch astronomer Johannes Fabricius and his father, David, first observed sunspots, which are areas of reduced surface temperature. Johannes wrote and published a 22-page pamphlet on their findings, “Account of Spots Observed on the Sun and of Their Apparent Rotation with the Sun,” though his father initially disagreed with his son’s conclusion.

• On March 10, 1949, Mildred Gillars, aka “Axis Sally,” became the first woman in American history to be convicted of treason. Gillars worked for Nazi Germany’s state radio program during World War II, and from 1942 to the end of the war broadcasted Nazi propaganda in an effort to convince U.S. soldiers to give up the fight. Records of the broadcasts eventually convicted her when she was later arrested and returned to the States.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

• When putting in new plants, you can tear strips of tin foil, then use toothpicks or small stakes to pin them to the ground in your new garden. It will keep the cats out, and can even discourage birds.

• To remove the fat from your pot roast or other slow-cooked meat dish, make then refrigerate. The fat will float to the top of the juices and coagulate. Remove this layer of fat and then reheat.

• “My kids are long past wagon size, but their wagon isn’t done hauling yet. I put it to good use in the garden. I can park it in the shed stocked with all the things I might need. It’s very handy.”

— A.A. in Florida

• “When starting out a new exercise class, be sure to give it a full month before you decide whether you like it or not. Especially classes that are harder, since you might be very sore and think that means you don’t care for the class.” — L.M. in Virginia

• “Dedicate a photo album to class photos. It will be easy to see the changes your little ones have gone through over the years. It’s especially nice when you include the individual portraits for each year and make the album for just one child. It makes a special gift, too.” — J.K. in Pennsylvania

• To sharpen a pair of worn scissors, try cutting through a piece of aluminum foil that is doubled or tripled over. Be sure to clean and dry scissors you use in the kitchen.

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

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

By Lucie Winborne

• On their urban forest data site, the city of Melbourne in Australia assigned email addresses to each of the city’s trees so it would be easier to catch and rehabilitate damaged ones. Instead, the trees received love letters.

• Wild female chimpanzees, much like humans, experience menopause.

• Giant lily pads in the Amazon River can grow up to 6 feet in diameter and even support up to 100 pounds without breaking.

• A man in the U.K. who became paralyzed after a cycling accident spent four years raising 22,000 pounds for an innovative treatment that might enable him to walk again. However, when he heard of a disabled boy who also needed surgery, that had better odds of success, he donated the entire amount to the child instead.

• On the moon, it would be possible for humans to walk on water.

• Eric Money is the only NBA player to officially score for both teams in the same game.

• A group calling themselves Sieged Security hacked into the Idaho National Laboratory with a most extraordinary ransom demand — not cash, but for the lab to research the creation of felinehuman hybrids!

• In the small Japanese town of Kamikatsu, residents are required to sort their solid waste into 45 different recycling categories.

• “Yield the crow a pudding” is an old slang term for death.

• Morton’s toe is when your second toe is longer than your big toe. It’s widespread in art, with the Statue of Liberty being one of the more famous examples.

• Jenga blocks have subtle differences in dimensions to make their construction less stable. Each brick is a different size and weight, so no two games will be alike.

***

Thought for the Day: “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” — Vincent van Gogh © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Phil is the father of Andrew White of New Era.

The Last Stand

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HESPERIA – With so many details factoring into who wins or loses a game on any given night, it truly may have been just one play that was the difference between Shelby and Hesperia’s boys basketball teams on Friday, Feb. 16.

The Panthers ended the night victorious by a score of 58-57, but it took every ounce of their effort to do so as Shelby kept things interesting and pushed the game past regulation.

In the night’s early going, both teams battled pretty evenly across the board. Shelby seemed to own a bit more momentum than the Panthers, mounting runs of six unanswered points at the start and the end of the first quarter to keep them in front 16-14.

Hesperia wasn’t far behind in that frame by any means. Almost fittingly, seniors Bryce Billings and Nicholas Guarnieri teamed up for all of the Panthers’ first quarter points on a night where they were celebrated before the game. Billings was particularly paramount, sinking two straight shots from three-point territory and keeping Hesperia from falling into a hole.

“I’ve been calling college coaches. I think (Guarnieri) is one of the best kept secrets in the whole state. He can play college ball and I think some college coach is going to get himself a find,” Hesperia head coach Scott Warsaw. “Bryce is

the greatest competitor I’ve coached in my life. He hates losing, he doesn’t accept losing and when it does happen, he’s almost in tears. Those are our leaders.”

Scoring slowed down immensely in the second quarter as each team ramped up their defensive efforts. Trading shots was once again the theme of that period, with Shelby’s Phillip Hayes and Hesperia’s Ethan O’Neil getting two early baskets each.

Billings hit another three-pointer near the end of the second quarter to draw Hesperia to within a single point of knotting things up. Shelby responded with five combined points from Hayes and Eli Kelley to close out the first half with a 2521 advantage.

Hesperia was finally able to grab the reins in the third quarter, getting others involved courtesy of good ball movement. Andrew Sherburn scored four in that frame while Jared Tanner hit an early three to accompany Billings and Guarnieri en route to a 37-35 lead entering the fourth quarter.

The Tigers started separating themselves in the final frame. Hayes and Lalo Garcia paired together nicely, combining for 14 points in that quarter to go along with two points from Wyatt Dickman. That propelled Shelby to a six-point lead as time began wasting away.

Hesperia was in need of some answers offensively in the final minutes of regu-

Last Stand

continued on page 10

District matchups set for boys basketball

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

We are officially at the end of the boys basketball regular season and the district tournament matchups have been announced.

Four of five schools will play in the quarterfinal round which is set for Monday, Feb. 26. Shelby will take on Holton at 5:30 p.m. in Hesperia while the Panthers will also play on the same day and court against Ravenna at 7 p.m. The winners of those games will move on to face either North Muskegon or White Cloud in the semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 28.

In division two, Hart will travel to Manistee for a quarterfinals matchup with Mason County Central on Monday at 5:30 p.m. Should they win, either Ludington or Reed City will be waiting in the semifinals.

Division four features both Pentwater and Walkerville. The Falcons will take on host Marion on Monday at 5:30 p.m. for the quarterfinals and will have Baldwin or McBain Northern Christian in the semifinals. Walkerville is hosting districts this year and received a first-round bye, advancing them straight to the semifinals where they’ll take on Muskegon Heights Academy with a chance to move into the district finals.

HART

Hesperia’s Ethan O’Neil prepares to let go of a free throw.

• Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Above are brackets for the district tournament featuring all five boys basketball programs in Oceana County. District play will begin on Monday,

26. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Ethan O’Neil stymies Shelby’s last attempt on offense in overtime win for Hesperia

Last Stand

lation. They found what they needed on the backs of Guarnieri and Sherburn. Guarnieri started things off by driving to the hoop and capitalizing on an and-one opportunity. Then, in the final moments, Sherburn knocked through a deep shot to tie the game at 51 and force extra basketball in overtime.

Hot shooting continued for the Panthers in overtime. After surrendering a single point on a Dickman free-throw, Hesperia scored six unanswered points on the backs of Guarnieri and Billings.

Kelley answered for Shelby with a shot from beyond the arc, but the Tigers still trailed by three. In territory for intentional fouls, Shelby sent Guarnieri to the line twice where he went one-for-three. A made shot from Hayes between those

foul line trips opened the door for Shelby to win the game on one final possession, trailing by a single point.

With the ball on their own baseline and six seconds remaining, Garcia received the inbound pass from Hayes. Garcia went up toward the rim with hopes of closing things out, but was quickly met by O’Neil who made a clean block and watched time expire.

“Phillip (Hayes) took the ball out of bounds and we wanted Eli (Kelley) to kind of decoy up and then Lalo (Garcia) would pop out and get the ball. Then Lalo would have the option to hand the ball off to Phillip coming in or turn and drive to the basket. (Garcia) made the right choice in the end, he’s just gotta get that shot off quicker. The guys on the end of the bench

thought there was a foul, but it looked like a clean block to me,” Shelby head coach Rick Zoulek said.

“Great block by Ethan at the end. He does everything the unselfish way. He’ll score when he needs to, but he rebounds the whole year and blocks shots. He’s kind of what our team should be,” Warsaw said. “We’re a very small team, but (O’Neil) occupies the center and does a great job playing defense, blocking shots. Even when he didn’t block shots he altered shots and made people think.”

Big games from Hesperia’s seniors were key with both Guarnieri and Billings scoring 22 points. Tanner was an unsung hero for the Panthers, scoring just three points but adding 10 rebounds.

Shelby was paced by Hayes who fin-

ished with a game-high 23 points to go along with 10 rebounds and five assists. Garcia also had a double-double, putting up 16 points and 13 rebounds while Wyatt Dickman had seven points and seven rebounds.

Both Hesperia (8-13, 5-6 WMC Rivers) and Shelby (3-17, 1-10 WMC Rivers) are nearing an end to the regular season with the district tournament in sight. Interestingly enough, both will play their district matchups in Hesperia.

“This is a good game to go into districts with. The atmosphere of every possession is huge and you’ve got to play like that in districts,” Zoulek said. “I like where we’re at right now, we just have to clean it up a bit more.”

Mental fatigue hurts Hart girls in non-conference loss to state-ranked Lake City

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HART – What was supposed to be an exciting matchup between Hart and Lake City’s girls basketball team’s on Wednesday, Feb. 21, ended in disappointment for the Pirates as they fell 49-36.

The Pirates are no stranger to playing tough teams for non-conference battles as they’ve done so all year. Hart played No. 1 ranked Niles-Brandywine earlier this year and played impressive teams such as Morley Stanwood, Kent

City and Holland Christian. Lake City – who currently sits tied for fourth in the state polls – was just another team on the schedule for Hart.

A look at both teams in pregame warmups showed one major advantage for the Trojans, height. Lake City’s roster has a cousin duo that features plenty of length in seniors Alison and MacKenzie Bisballe. Both are committed to play college basketball with MacKenzie going to Northwood and the 6-foot-4 Alison preparing to join Wisconsin next season.

The play of both girls gave Hart

fits all night as the Pirates struggled to come up with answers defensively. MacKenzie had seven points in the first quarter to lead the Trojans to an 8-2 lead. Alison got going in the second half, scoring seven of her own to bring her first half total to eight.

“We told (our team) before the game that we had to eliminate offensive rebounds and putback points (for Lake City), but they had six right in the first quarter,” Hart head coach Travis Rosema said. “Anytime (Alison Bisballe) gets in the post, we said we wanted to swarm and leave other girls open. Executing what we talked about in practice needs to happen.”

Hart’s offense seemed to be a bit out of rhythm in the early going as turnovers and missed shots piled up and led to a double-digit deficit at halftime. Rosema pointed to mental fatigue as a big reason why Hart had an uncharacteristically slow start.

“These are 14 to 18 year old girls, they should be recovered and able to play. A lot of these

Hart Girls

continued on page 16

(Above, left) Shelby’s Treyjin Waller goes up for a layup between Hesperia’s Jared Tanner (32) and Ethan O’Neil (55). (Above, middle) Hesperia’s Nicholas Guarnieri has his shot contested by a host of Tigers including Waller, Eli Kelley (3) and Wyatt Dickman (22). (Above, right) Guarnieri elevates toward the rim on a layup attempt while Waller attempts to get a piece of the ball from behind. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hart’s Addi Hovey fights through contact from Lake City defenders on her way to the hoop on Wednesday, Feb. 21.

Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hart’s Abby Hicks makes a pass on the baseline. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Second half woes lead to defeat against Montague for short handed Tigers

By: Brendan Samuels

The

Oceana Echo Sports Editor

SHELBY – An already limited roster for Shelby’s girls basketball experienced a few more losses, contributing to a 45-36 loss to Montague on Monday, Feb. 19.

One of the losses for

Shelby was post player Bailey Dickman who didn’t suit up for the game, but instead sported a new brace on her wrist. The Tigers typically run the five-girl starting unit with two athletes on the bench for substitutions. With Dickman gone, head coach Sarah Wolting opted for some youth,

pulling up Emma Stovall and Isabella Rudat –both freshmen – from the JV unit.

“Just having that extra girl is huge. Numbers are going to be our weakness the rest of the year,” Wolting said.

Despite being short handed, Shelby got off to a pretty good start. After allowing Montague to score the game’s first seven points without an answer, Shelby’s Molli Schultz started to heat up. Schultz nailed three consecutive shots from three-point range giving Shelby their first lead. Kendall Zaverl added two more points to give the Tigers confidence.

The Wildcats ended up scoring five to end the first eight minutes, taking a 14-11 lead into the second frame.

Shelby’s defense was strong in that second quarter, limiting their opponent to just four points while scoring 12 of their own. Schultz hit another deep shot and teamed up with Lydia Soelberg to give the Tigers a 23-18 advantage at halftime.

Montague played with energy coming out of the locker room, going on a 9-2 run in the first few minutes to reclaim the lead and send Shelby spiraling. The Tigers were able to find enough offense from the likes of Soelberg, Zaverl and Friedman to stay in contention, but found themselves trailing by six with just eight minutes left in the game.

Things went from bad to worse in the fourth and final quarter as the already limited roster for Shelby suffered another blow when Zaverl fouled out of the game. The Tigers tried to crawl back in, but points were hard to come by and Montague continued to score, ultimately spelling defeat for Shelby.

“We’ve got to play smarter when we only have six girls because of injury or foul trouble,” Wolting said. “(Kendall) is another ball handler who can dribble by the defense and taking her out was hard. Normally she’s tough and takes it to him, but she seemed off tonight.”

Schultz led the way for Shelby with 16 points while Soelberg had seven. Zaverl scored five points on her shortened night and Kylie Brown, Friedman and Biloxi Lee all had two points each.

The Tigers are approaching the final week of regular season play with a 5-14 record over-

all. They’ll hope to gain a win over rival Hart as the two square off on Tuesday, Feb. 27.

“We’ve got to learn how to finish a game,” Wolting said. “It seems like we go into halftime ahead by four or six and we run out of steam. We’ve got to mentally prepare.”

Hart boys roll to victory in conference rematch with Hesperia

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HART – Hart’s boys basketball team completed a conference sweep of Hesperia on Tuesday, Feb. 20, defeating the Panthers in a 74-29 blowout victory.

Just a month prior, Hart and Hesperia met on the Panthers’ home court for their first matchup of the season. Perhaps to the Pirates’ surprise, Hesperia nearly pulled off an upset, taking Hart to the wire in a 60-57 loss.

Those in attendance may have expected a similar hard fought game on Tuesday, but instead Hart took care of the Panthers convincingly. One big reason for that was the absence of Hesperia senior Bryce Billings who will be sidelined for the remainder of the year after having an emergency appendectomy.

“Bryce had an emergency appendectomy yesterday and I don’t want to be that guy to say ‘with Bryce we’d have won,’ but it hurt us. He’s our leader, our scorer and our captain,” Hesperia head coach Scott Warsaw said. “The team is in a bit of a Bryce shock. We don’t know what we’re going to do without him. We need to figure

that out.”

With Billings out, the scoring onus fell on the shoulders of fellow senior Nicholas Guarnieri. Hart’s defense was well aware of that, playing tight defense on Hesperia’s guard and limiting the offensive output for the Panthers.

Neither team was lighting up the scoreboard in the first quarter as Hart owned a narrow 8-3 lead after the first eight minutes of play. Ethan O’Neil and Guarnieri were able to get the Panthers on the board, but Hart took over in the second.

Brendan Hiddema and Caleb Ackley paired up for 14 points in the early going of the second quarter with Guarnieri only scoring one for the Panthers over that stretch. From there, the Pirates laid on the gas, extending the lead to 32-15 at halftime.

The second half didn’t offer much in terms of resistance for Hesperia either as Hart continued to force the issue. A huge fourth quarter for Hiddema and Ty Schlukebir put an exclamation point on a dominant performance for the Pirates, pushing them to 11-10 overall and 8-3 in the conference.

Hesperia (8-13, 5-16 WMC Rivers) was led by Guarnieri who had

nine points while O’Neil chipped in eight rebounds.

Hart’s Blake Weirich finished the night with 21 points over three quarters of work, nailing five three-point shots in the third quarter alone. Ackley finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds while Schlukebir and Hiddema each had 10 points.

The big night for Weirich was even more special as the Pirates honored him along with Chase Gale and Jesse Jacobs at halftime.

“Each of our seniors have been playing basketball for a while and they each bring something different to the team,” Hart head coach Nick Bronsema said.

Shelby’s Kendall Zaverl makes contact with a Montague defender on a transition layup attempt. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

(Above, left) Hesperia’s Nicholas Guarnieri moves the ball down the court. (Above, right) Hart’s Caleb Ackley releases a floater over the top of Hesperia’s Ethan O’Neil. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Shelby’s Molli Schultz rises up for an easy two points. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hart Girls

ison scored another six points in the third quarter while MacKenzie pushed her total to 17.

continued from page 10 girls play travel basketball and are used to playing three to four games in a day,” Rosema said. “There shouldn’t have been any physical fatigue but maybe more mental fatigue and not remembering what we went over in practice. They just weren’t running plays that we asked them to run and we didn’t remember our defensive assignments.”

The second half went largely the same way as the first 16 minutes with the Bisballe cousins dominating. Al -

Hart got Abby Hicks, Addi Hovey and Rilynn Porter going in the third quarter as the Pirates found ways to get better shots off. Still, Lake City continued to tally up points, moving their lead to 15 by the time the fourth and final frame started.

After surrendering two buckets to start the fourth quarter, the Pirates

went on a mini run that looked promising. Rayah Helenhouse, Reese Smith and Hicks all connected on shots to draw within 12, but that’s as close as Lake City allowed them to get.

Alison Bisballe finished the game with 18 points while MacKenzie had 21. No other trojan had more than four points as only three other Lake City athletes scored, combining for 10 additional points.

Hicks was the top performer for

Hart, scoring 12 points and adding nine rebounds. Kelsey Copenhaver had seven points while Hovey added six points and five rebounds. Porter also chipped in six points in the loss.

The Pirates are now 14-5 overall, but still own a 10-0 mark in the conference. They’ll look to move to 11-0 tonight (Friday, Feb. 23) when they take on Holton in hopes of putting a lid on another conference championship.

From pom poms to precision drills, Hart prepares for regional competition

By: Stacia Erickson

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

HART – Throughout history, groups have formed to yell encouragement. Cheers were heard in Rome during the days of the gladiators. In our country, “cheerleading” has only been around for about 100 years with credit given first to Princeton University in 1884. The nationally recognized “birthday of cheerleading” comes from the first organized cheer which was credited to the University of Minnesota on Nov. 2, 1898, when Johnny Campbell jumped the fence and led the student body in a “Rah! Rah! Rah!” chant. Cheering proved contagious to the opposing teams as well, and they developed their own “yell leaders.”

Although cheerleading began as an activity for men, today’s cheerleaders are predominantly women. The sport is far different now than what many may remember. No longer is cheerleading just waving pom poms while yelling catchy phrases of encouragement to the home team. It’s fast-paced, never dull and very entertaining, whether fans know how to score or not.

Competition in the world of cheer made its debut in the 1960s at the college level. College teams would vie for awards from the “International Cheerleading Foundation.” Today, that elite group is called the World Cheerleading Association and many cheerleaders dream of joining its ranks.

Competitive cheerleading routines, complete with music, began in the 1970s, and by the 1980s collegiate cheerleading championships were being broadcast on television. Today’s competitive cheerleading is not a sport for the faint of heart. It is precision, timing, coordination, choreography, agility,

strength and pure teamwork at its best.

For anyone interested in seeing such athletes in action, there’s a prime opportunity this weekend. Jenison High School will be hosting the MHSAA Division 3 regional competitive cheer event this Saturday. Open to the public, the event begins at 10 a.m. and usually runs about two and half hours. Hart High School’s cheer team, under the direction of coach Jennifer Hlady, has earned the No. 1 spot from District 18, and are now headed to their fourth consecutive regional competition.

Hart’s competitive cheer team earned its second consecutive MHSAA Division 3 district championship Saturday, Feb. 17, placing first at West Catholic High School in Grand Rapids with a score of 727.34. The Pirates dominated their opponents, owning a score more than 25 points higher than the second place team. The top four place finishers in Jenison will earn a place in the state competition to follow on Saturday, March 2 at Central Michigan University.

This Saturday’s competition will include three rounds of judging. Round 1 includes jumps, floor mobility and execution of motion. Round 2 has five tumbling skills and precision drills. Round 3 consists of open stunts and tumbling passes. Hart’s team will be showcasing their back walkovers, standing back tucks, toe touches, nearhand cartwheels and back handsprings.

The competition is fierce and so are the seven Pirates all bound and determined to move on to the state competition. Hlady did mention that the number seven is her lucky number and should her team win a top spot in Saturday’s competition, it would also be her seventh trip to the state finals competition. Coincidence? Hart Pirates don’t think so.

Hart has earned a district title before. Hlady is a coach with style and grace, and has taken her competitive cheer teams to success many times before. From 2011 through 2015, her teams earned conference championships, then again in 2020 and are still going strong. Hlady’s teams were district champs in 2013, 2015, 2023 and, now, 2024. Winning the regional championship is no new feat either. Hart most recently won that honor in 2003 and they have their sights on it again for 2024.

”We have our eyes on Tri-County on Saturday. They’re the one to beat for us and we’re going after them,” Hlady said.

There was only a 15-point difference between Hart and Tri-County’s scores in district competition. With the large number of points attainable in this sport, that’s a relatively small margin. Hart is ranked No. 1 in Division 3.

Hlady credits her success to having great athletes to work with, and first and foremost, a very supportive husband (Steve) and son (Koye). She said both encourage her to do what she loves, even though it requires a large commitment of time from November through March. Hlady also credits now-retired Shelby High School teacher Penny Grinage-Guy, with whom Hlady student taught, as the first person to introduce her to competitive cheerleading. Hlady calls Grinage-Guy her “mentor,” attributing her with “a great wealth of knowledge.” Hlady said, “I will be forever grateful for what she introduced into my life!”

Grinage-Guy was the longtime coach of the Shelby competitive cheerleading team, and now coaches the Montague

Wildcats.

Hlady says this year’s team is very strong, particularly in tumbling. “They’re scoring 10s consistently, and I couldn’t be prouder!”

She also gives credit to her team’s gymnastics coach, Markaya McBean, whom Hlady calls “stellar.’’ McBean has been coaching gymnastics for Hlady’s teams for 14 years. Together, the two women have led young ladies to countless wins.

Hlady began the Hart competitive cheer program in 2008, and with the exception of taking four years off to start and nurture her young family, she’s been coaching ever since. She said she continues to coach “because I like to see the girls enjoy the sport and to see the passion cheer elicits in them. I appreciate watching them grow and change as individuals and a team.”

She has also enjoyed watching some of them come back and become cheerleading coaches themselves. Asked if she’d be coming back to coach next year, Hlady said “I don’t think I can stay away! I’ve tried and it doesn’t seem to work.”

Hlady offers the following advice to new cheerleaders hoping for success. “I’d tell them to always work their flexibility as much as they can, and to spend time working their tumbling skills however they can. And, of course, to come be a Hart Pirate!

“I want to see competitive cheer remain in Hart High School for years to come. And, secretly, I would love a state championship!”

Spoiler alert…it’s not a secret anymore.

Hart’s competitive cheer team poses with their district championship trophy. The Pirates are made up of, back row, left to right, Assistant Coaches Gianna Bromley and Ashleigh Hildreth, Kadie Koehl, Nora Chickering, Celeste Miller, McKenna VanderZanden, Head Coach Jen Hlady and Assistant Coach Markaya McBean; front row, left to right, Sam Trojanowski, Jasmyne Villanueva and Lexie Beth Nienhuis. • Contributed

Hart’s competitive cheer team flies high during a competition. Pictured above, from left to right are, Jasmyne Villanueva, Sam Trojanowski, Nora Chickering and LexieBeth Nienhuis • Contributed

Reflections of our community

White Lake Mirror White Lake Mirror

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

ACWL hosts Sundance film screening

Both showings of Sundance films sold out

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

The Arts Council of White Lake recently offered their first film screening in years. The screenings of Sundance Film Festival movies took place Thursday, Feb. 8 and Friday, Feb. 16.

“We had an interest in doing something film-related here,” said ACWL marketing and events coordinator Ian Martin. “We hadn’t done much with film and I have a background in film, so we had talked about getting a film festival that has a short tour. We did a little searching and saw that Sundance had a short tour. We reached out to them and they made it really easy to screen the films here.”

The full Sundance festival takes place annually in January in Utah and has gained a lot of attention in recent years.

“For me, film is something that I’ve always loved,” Martin said. “Many years ago, I had a chance to actually go

to the Sundance Film Festival. It’s so much fun and a really cool experience. From my perspective, as soon as I went, I was interested in bringing something like that to White Lake. I knew it was something that the Arts Council was interested in doing as well. When I suggested the idea of Sundance, they were all very supportive. We used to do film screenings in the past at the Playhouse with classic films, so we wanted to consider doing something like that again and this was a little different.”

With it being a few years since White Lake’s last film viewing opportunity, the ACWL was looking for something different to offer the community. Both showings of the Sundance films sold out and have received positive feedback.

“We were testing the waters with a screening to see if there was an interest from the community,” said Martin. “We had originally only planned one screening and it sold out really quickly, then the second screening sold out really fast as well. It seems there’s enough interest in the community for us to do another film-related event in the future.”

The ACWL requested attendees

take a survey after the screenings and look forward to offering some type of Q&A style discussion after future screenings.

“The response has been really positive,” Martin said. “Some of the movies are a little bit more challenging than what you might typically expect from movies. We were glad to see that people were open to talking about it and

more receptive to movies that were maybe a little bit more unconventional. We’ve gotten some feedback that people would like to have a conversation afterwards...Overall, we’ve gotten really positive feedback.”

In addition to the excitement of

Sundance films

continued on page 3

Big John’s announces future move to Colby St. plaza

Local pizza place will continue current operations before moving in August

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Big John’s Pizza is spending one last summer in its current location where Colby Street in Whitehall curves to become Thompson Street, but over the weekend it announced plans to move to the Colby St. plaza where Healthy Pantry, Colby’s Cafe and Brew, White Lake Nutrition and others currently sit. The move will take place at the end of the summer.

Big John’s will continue current operations through the middle of August before closing for a couple of weeks to allow time to move all the necessary equipment over to the new location. Part of the new space’s footprint included Releve Dance Studio before the studio recently moved into a new space,

but the building also once housed Gustino’s Pizza and Grinders in the 2000s and had some necessary equipment Big John’s needed for its business. That helped pique Big John’s interest when considering future properties.

The well-known pizza place is moving after selling its current building to the city of Whitehall. Whitehall, which is using Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA) funds to make the purchase, plans to demolish the building and incorporate the property into a planned Colby promenade, which will begin construction later this year after the demolition.

“It’s kind of funny, a couple years ago they asked us about moving and we said we were good, and we didn’t know all this was coming down the pipeline,” Big John’s owner Amy Martell said, referring to the building purchase.”That was the space one of the partners approached us on a couple years ago, We looked at a lot of spaces, spaces in

The future site of Big John’s Pizza,

the Colby Street plaza, will include the three window spaces on the right of this photo. Big John’s announced via social media Friday that it will move operations to the plaza in August after selling its current building to the city of Whitehall. • Big John’s Facebook page

Whitehall and a handful of spaces in Montague.”

Martell added one of the biggest selling points about the Colby space was readily available parking. The Big John’s owners have been open about the frustrations they have faced due to limited parking availability near the restaurant’s current location.

There was a lot of excitement on social media for the announcement, with nearly 1,000 ‘likes’ on Facebook and over 180 comments expressing support for the move. Martell said local support has been a major factor in keeping mo-

Big John’s

continued on page 2

Whitehall alum named MCC distinguished alumnus for ‘24

Muskegon Community College announced Feb. 9 that Ryan Wheeler, a 1994 alum of Whitehall High School, is its 2024 recipient of the school’s most prestigious award for alumni, the Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Wheeler obtained his associate’s degree from MCC in 1997 and went on to earn a bachelor’s from Michigan Technological University in 2001, and later added dual master’s degrees from

Iowa and Iowa State. Today, Wheeler is a senior technical fellow of advanced visualization at Collins Aerospace, one of the world’s largest companies in the field. He’s based out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Wheeler shared news of his award on his public LinkedIn profile and noted that in his senior year at Whitehall, he took early morning classes just to be able to scrape by and graduate in the

bottom 25% of his class.

“The thought of becoming an engineer was as alien to me (at that time) as becoming an astronaut,” he said in his post.

However, Wheeler said he was inspired to get into the field by a workstudy job he obtained at the school’s

Alumni award

continued on page 2

Ryan Wheeler

A full room of viewers enjoys a Sundance film screening Friday at the Arts Council of White Lake-Nuveen Center. The ACWL-Nuveen hosted screenings of Sundance films Feb. 8 and Feb. 16. • Madison Lajewski/Mirror

in

Alumni award

electronics lab early in his MCC career.

Wheeler told MCC’s website in an interview that he stresses the importance of always moving forward to young people, even if it isn’t always necessarily as fast or easy as it may seem for others.

“What matters infinitely more than

continued from page 1

some arbitrary timeline of when-youshould-be-where in life is to just… keep…moving…forward,” Wheeler said in the MCC interview. “And as you move forward, opportunities will arise. When they do, step up. Take a chance on them and on yourself.”

READER ADER RE FLECTIONS FLECTIONS

I’m writing to correct a potential misconception in the Mirror’s headline for the Feb. 16 story about maple syrup production. Local people were making maple syrup around here hundreds of years before I was born, and I would hate to imply that I was introducing anything new. Quite the contrary - one of my fondest hopes for the community sugarbush is that I’ll get a chance to learn some of the oral history of maple syrup production

us to the earth, and without them nothing healthy can grow.

I strongly encourage anyone with stories about past Montague maple tappers to visit us at the Trailway Campground Pavilion Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and share those stories with us. We can also be reached on Facebook or at montaguecommoners@gmail.com.

WILEY FRY

Montague Commoners

Primary set for Tuesday

Early voting is in progress now leading up to the Feb. 27 presidential primary in Michigan.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday for the primary, which was moved up this year in order to give state voters a bigger voice in the primary process. Michigan primaries had previously taken place after the point at which major party candidates are usually decided.

Friends of Montague Library select logo contest winner

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

MONTAGUE — Friends of the Montague Library announced a new logo contest in October 2023. Recently, the Friends voted on and selected their winner, submitted by Kassia Salisbury. “I was inspired by an old book embosser I had,” Salisbury said. “I had a custom one with my name on it and it was the same, round shape. It had a book in the middle. I just wanted to do something simple.”

While recently trying to reconnect with her love of reading, Salisbury learned about the contest on Facebook and spontaneously decided to enter her design.

“I had gotten it as a gift when I was a kid,” said Salisbury. “I love to read. I was a voracious reader when I was a kid and I’m getting back into reading now. I saw the contest and thought it wouldn’t hurt to enter.”

Big John’s

rale up during the process of finding new premises.

“We honestly weren’t really sure what we were going to do, and we were up front about that,” Martell said. “It was a lot to think about. It wasn’t just a space issue, it was everything that went into it. We seriously considered not reopening because we didn’t know if we could handle it, but our customers kind of peer pressured us into moving and taking that leap. We realized how much support we really do have.”

The new space will offer more room for dining, which could be a boost to the business. Martell joked that one drawback of the move is needing to find a new purpose for the deck the business

Along with her logo being selected, Salisbury won $200 in Chamber bucks, which are redeemable at local small businesses.

“I was surprised, pleased and honored to win,” Salisbury said. “I didn’t expect it, but it was exciting and a fun experience.”

continued from page 1

installed in 2021, saying it may end up at her and husband Neal’s house.

“Other than that, it’s just trying to prepare all the (summer) customers and letting people know,” Martell said. “That was important to us, because we have people that come here (just) for the summer.”

Towards the end of the summer, Martell said, Big John’s may invite longtime customers on a tour of the building prior to vacating it. One customer suggested having a videographer document the process of closing the current location and moving to the new one.

“There’s a real sentimental piece to this,” Martell said. “There’s so much history here.”

Police activity this week

him home.

Feb. 16

Behind the

Badge

Feb. 15

Whitehall Police were called to the 1100 block of Colby St. at 6:03 p.m. for a missing 13 year old. When the officer arrived, the mother reported her son had left for school in the morning and had not yet returned home. She told the officer she had not gone looking for her son because it was cold outside and there were two other children at the home. The mother provided a phone number for a friend but said she had not called the friend. The officer called the number and was able to speak with the teen, who reported he had told his mother that he was going with a friend to the Comfort Inn to swim. The officer was able to locate the boy as he was walking home on Colby and returned

A domestic assault that happened in the early morning of the 15th was reported at 12:49 p.m. The caller reported her boyfriend lives with her and while they were in the bedroom, she checked his phone and suspected he was seeing other women. They began to argue at about 1 a.m. and during the argument, the man reportedly grabbed, pushed and choked the victim. The suspect was located on the 21st at the Muskegon County jail, where he was lodged on unrelated charges. The case was sent to the Muskegon County Prosecutor for review.

Feb. 17

A 3:18 a.m. call was made to Whitehall Police for a domestic assault that had just occurred. The investigating officer responded to the 1100 block of Water Tower Lane and spoke with the victim, who reported her husband had choked her and threatened to kill her. The victim reported they had both been drinking when they started to argue, and it escalated to a physical assault. According to the victim, there have been past unreported incidents of assault. After speaking with both parties, the officer arrested the 42-yearold Whitehall man and he was lodged at the Muskegon County jail for assault. Whitehall Police were dispatched

to the 800 block of Sophia St. for an assault report. At about 2:49 p.m., the officer arrived and spoke with the victim, who is a caregiver in an assisted living home. According to the police report, the caregiver called the resident to lunch but instead the 39-yearold became angry and pointed a cane at the caregiver who, in fear of being hit, grabbed the cane. The resident then pushed the caregiver to the floor. The victim did not want the suspect charged criminally since he is partially disabled. The officer spoke with the suspect to warn him of consequences if it happened in the future but no further action was taken.

Feb. 18

A resident of the 300 block of Elizabeth called police to report prowlers in his yard. The caller woke around 9 a.m. and noted an event on his security camera that happened at 5:30 a.m. As the young teens entered his yard, a spotlight on the camera activated and the two ran off. Nothing was taken or damaged.

Officers responded to a family dispute that occurred in the 300 block of E Lewis St. The caller reported when she woke, she found all the things that had been attached to the refrigerator had been thrown in the trash. The woman reported that it was likely her son who lived with her and has mental health is-

sues. Further she noted a gift card was missing. When the officer located the son, he refused to open the door to his room and said that the card belonged to him. No further action was taken.

At 7:26 p.m. a resident of the 200 block of Johannah St. called to request police assistance as her son was at her house and she did not want him there. Before arriving at the call, the officer checked the computer to find that the 45-year-old was wanted for failing to appear in court on a probation violation. The officer arrived and took the suspect into custody without incident and he was transported to the Muskegon County jail, where he was lodged.

Feb. 19

Whitehall officers responded to a call of loud noise in the 1200 block of Colby St. The caller reported to dispatch that the noise had persisted all day and when she asked the neighbors to turn the radio and television down, the neighbors only turned it up. When the officer arrived to the 7:30 p.m. call, he noted the noise was excessive and went to each of the apartments and had the volume turned down. The report noted the volume at one of the apartments was so loud he could not communicate with the offender. No further action was taken.

Whitehall Police Report

Echoes of History: C. L. King & basket companies (pt. 2)

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor

In the early morning hours of Thursday, June 6, 1890, flashes of lightning lit up the skies and crashes of thunder awoke the sleeping citizens, along with the shrieking of whistles and the clanging of bells. The night watchman at the C. L. King & Co. basket factory discovered a fire under a heater and extinguished it. However, moments later he found flames breaking out all over the engine house. It was not definitely known if the fire originated from under the heater or from lightning. An alarm was sounded, but before the engines could reach the scene, the immense wooden structure was a seething mass of flames. Only the books and papers could be saved. The fire rapidly spread to the surrounding lumber and log piles, and it looked like the whole plant, warehouse and all, would succumb to the lapping flames. With a great effort by the firemen, however, they were able to confine the flames to the immediate surroundings of the factory, which, together with its contents and about 200,000 feet of lumber and a large quantity of logs, were reduced to ashes. The loss of the business was

great because the season had just started, and 25 additional hands were about to start work. As it was, 75 people were thrown out of work.

Offices were temporarily set up over Ripley’s drugstore. Plans for the future were unknown pending the insurance adjustment. Until then, there was talk about putting a few machines in the warehouse where some stock of baskets and butter plates were saved to supply future orders.

There was talk that a large brick factory, three times the size of the old one, might be built, which would give employment to no less than 200 men, boys and girls. The dimensions of the old building that burned were three-story, 50 feet by 120 feet,connected with a 200-foot tramway to the 50 feet by 100 feet two-story warehouse, which contained $6,000 worth of baskets and butter plates ready for shipment.

Local Montague photographer Theo. Wirsing took pictures of the King factory ruins.

In August 1890, C. L. King & Co. made a contract to build a large wooden ware factory in Holland. They were given a bonus of $7,000 in money and 12 acres of land on Macatawa Bay.

In February 1891, the C. L. King Company indicated they would operate their Montague basket factory the whole next season in hopes of getting stock ahead to supply their trade while the new factory in Holland was underway.

By late May 1891 a new engine built by the Montague Iron Works was being shipped to the new Holland factory, which was near completion.

In June 1891, a fire was discovered under the King warehouse by George Lawton, who was working at the Iron Works. The firemen did a good job of putting the fire out with little damage to the building. This was the second unexplained

fire in the area in recent days.

On July 23, 1891 it was announced the C. L. King basket and butter plate factory would shut down for good that week. Machinery was being removed to the Holland plant. Some of those employed in Montague were also heading to Holland to work.

By mid-September 1891, the King Basket Company began making preparations to move their business. A barn on site was loaded onto a lighter and was towed by the Steamer Cayuga to Holland. The watchman’s dwelling near the old factory was the next to go and then the factory itself. The warehouse was staying,

as it was being used by George Gardiner for grain and vegetable storage.

In October 1891, three workmen employed to tear down the King Company two-story factory building miraculously escaped death. Charles Fechner and Adolph Windeknecht were working on the roof tearing off shingles, when a gust of wind blew the building to the ground. George Squires, working on the second floor, was carried down with the debris but luckily the old steam box prevented the timbers from crushing him. He fell lengthwise between the joists. Had he been a few inches either way, no doubt he would have been killed. He escaped with a bruised nose, black eyes, a scalp wound, and both shoulders bruised. Windeknecht was thrown forward when the roof struck the ground, and received chest injuries that laid him up for a few days. Fechner was not injured beyond a severe shaking up.

In June 1892, Herren Grocery and Stock Company of Montague announced berry crates made by C. L. King & Co. were available in their store. It’s not known how long the King Company remained in business.

Library hosting used book sale March 2

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

Come to the library 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.

Check out this new book sale perk just for being a member of the Friends of White Lake Community Library: Friends Group members are eligible for one free bag of books at the sale. That’s a $5 value! Not a member yet? You can join at the sale, with memberships starting at just $10 for an individual, $5 for students and seniors. For more information about the Friends Group, visit wlclib.org/ friends-of-the-library.

Make Your Voice Heard – Vote!

Michigan’s presidential primary election is Tuesday, Feb. 27. If you haven’t already taken advantage of the new opportunities for absentee voting or early in-person voting, please remember to head to the polls on Tuesday to cast your vote. Polls are open

from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You do not need to be a registered member of a political party to vote in the primary, but by law you will need to select which party’s primary you wish to vote in when you fill out your Application to Vote form.

Visit mi.gov/vote to check your voter registration status, see a sample ballot, find your polling place, and more. If you have questions about the new early in-person voting option, check out the informational video available from the City of Whitehall at bit.ly/MuskegonEarlyVoting.

FUN FACT: Early in-person vot-

Sundance films

continued from page 1

trying something new at the ACWL, Martin shared that this has been a reflective experience from his past professional work with colleague Amy Geist. Geist helped direct and write the first film featured in this year’s Sundance lineup, “Help Me Under-

stand.”

“When I was getting ready to promote this, I noticed that one of the producers on the first short film was someone who I worked with on a movie in Chicago many years ago,” said Martin. “It was really fun because I

ing is brand new in Michigan, but already more than 18,000 people across the state have taken advantage of it! Absentee ballots continue to be popular as well, and more than half of the 1.3 million ballots requested have already been returned to the local clerks who mailed them out.

Preparing for Retirement

Do you wake up at night wondering if you’ve saved enough for retirement? Get your retirement questions answered at the library Tuesday, March 5, at 6 p.m. with Patsy Jud, MBA, Investment Advisor Representative at Anchor Wealth Advisers. In this informational session, learn how much money you’ll need to retire as well as how to decide the best time to retire. Hear about the greatest risks to your retirement and ways to invest. Registration appreciated at wlclib.

got to do an interview with her, and we posted that on our YouTube and Facebook pages. It was a really fun experience for me promoting it because I got to see an old face and see that they are now doing really cool projects in Los Angeles, so that was particularly rewarding for me.”

Martin’s film, “Cooke Concrete,” is available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. “It was around nine years ago,” Mar-

org/calendar.

Searching for Patty Hearst

Get the insider’s perspective on the controversy surrounding heiress Patty Hearst Wednesday, March 6, at 5:30 p.m. from author Roger D. Rapoport. Copies of Rapoport’s book Searching for Patty Hearst will be available for purchase at the event from the Book Nook and Java Shop. Registration is appreciated at wlclib.org/calendar.

On the night that Patty Hearst was kidnapped in 1974, journalist Roger D. Rapoport was a short drive away in his El Cerrito home. He quickly became one of the primary reporters covering the saga as it unfolded in real time. His reporting gave local and national readers a window into one of the most bizarre and polarizing crimes in U.S. history. Now, 50 years later, he has written a novel, Searching for Patty Hearst, that draws heavily from that time. In this compelling new book, he explores alternative theories of the crime and delves into the complex psychology of many of the key actors in a drama that kept the country riveted.

tin said. “It was a long process to actually film and complete the project, but we did complete it and she volunteered as a producer’s assistant. To see her now being a professional producer was really cool and rewarding. I did a Kickstarter and raised a little over $30,000 over the course of about a year, and shot the movie.”

The

A collage of images that appeared in 2024 Sundance films. The ACWL-Nuveen hosted a Sundance screening this month.

Mirror

Mirror

NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

SPORTS SPORTS

WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER

Vikings top O’s, secure WMC Lakes title

Camden Thompson delivers another gem, with 35 points and 22 rebounds, as #5 Whitehall goes to 20-0

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — Junior Camden Thompson is Whitehall’s centerpiece on the court, but what stood out to coach Christian Subdon late in the Vikings’ 71-62 win over Ludington Friday night was his star’s work off the court.

Subdon took Thompson out of the game with about 5:30 to go after Thompson was called for his fourth foul. The Orioles were surging, cutting a 17-point lead down to 10, and the coach sensed his star needed a quick rest, so he told Thompson he’d put him back in the game at the three-minute mark.

Thompson had another spectacular game in a career full of them, with 35 points and 22 rebounds, but once out of the game, he went to work on the bench as well.

“He’s out here coaching when I’m over here jumping and yelling and doing things,” Subdon said. “He’s out here coaching the guys and they’re engaged with him because they respect him. They care about him. That speaks volumes about him, because he’s a junior and he’s got seniors looking at him going, ‘I’ve got you.’”

The Vikings on the court, meanwhile, held down the fort. Kyle Stratton hit a pair of free throws after a Ludington technical foul, and Kal Koehler scored on the next possession. Stratton also drilled a dagger three-pointer late in the game. With the win, unbeaten Whitehall all but secured the outright

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

West Michigan Conference Lakes title, needing only to win one of its remaining two games to finish the job.

“I don’t expect anything less than that,” Thompson said. “They’re amazing teammates. I wouldn’t want anyone else on my team. During the summer, we worked that chemistry up all the time. It’s just amazing to have those guys in there and I can always trust them, and they trust me.”

The teams battled back and forth throughout the first half, with Whitehall hampered by two fouls each called on Thompson, Stratton and Ca’Mar Ready. Subdon credited assistant coach Matthew Shepherd with a halftime adjustment against the Orioles’ zone that sparked Whitehall

Whitehall’s big win

continued on page 5

Tornes pilots Rockets to win over Zeeland East

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer senior star Brooklynn Tornes has been the mainstay for the Rockets all season, and she was again Tuesday night, leading R-P to a 53-35 O-K Green win over Zeeland East.

Tornes had 22 points, five assists and five steals in the win. Even standing at 5-5, and even with opposing teams knowing Tornes is the Rockets’ top player, her numbers throughout the season have been remarkably consistent. No opponent has held Tornes under 17 points since the calendar turned to 2024.

“Her numbers have been consistent,” Rockets’ coach Rodney Walker said of Tornes. “She’s been keeping us in every game. She’s filling up the stat book, not just points, but rebounding the ball and playing great defense. We had her on one of (Zeeland East’s) best players tonight, so she’s playing on both sides of the floor. Being able to find shooters sharing the ball, she’s playing a complete and total game and that’s helping us with the consistency

that we’re able to (have).”

R-P dominated three of the four quarters of play, only hitting one brief rut in the second quarter. Walker said the team attempted too many jump shots in that span rather than attacking the basket; only a Megan Barmes three-pointer connected for the Rockets in the first five minutes of the frame. The Chix rallied from a 15-3 deficit to get back within five points by halftime, at 21-16.

It didn’t take long for the Rockets to regain control of the game in the third quarter, though, scoring 10 points in the first four minutes out of the locker room.

Walker also tried some different things on defense, playing more manto-man on that side of the ball. It was a gutsy decision against the Chix and their big center, Emily Wierenga, but it proved to be an effective one.

“We were trying to mix it up a little bit,” Walker said. “Everybody’s used to us playing zone (defense), so the last couple games, we’ve been working a lot on our man-to-man, so that later on down the line, when the playoffs start, we’ll have a variety of different defens-

es to go to.”

Late in the third quarter, Megan Barmes and Chloe Brainard knocked down consecutive three-pointers, and Barmes added another early in the fourth. That outburst effectively salted the game away for the Rockets. Brainard’s trey was her only one of the game,

but she was a menace on defense, hounding Chix guards and coming up with six steals. Barmes had 14 points, and Irelyn Niklasch grabbed 10 rebounds.

Rockets top Chix

Whitehall’s Camden Thompson hangs on to the ball while Ludington’s Gage Jones tries to grab at it during Friday’s WMC Lakes game at Whitehall. Thompson had 35 points and 22 rebounds in the Vikings’ 71-62 win.

Reeths-Puffer’s Brooklynn Tornes drives to the basket during Tuesday’s O-K Green game against Zeeland East. Tornes had 22 points in the Rockets’ 53-35 win.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall’s Kal Koehler (right) tries to beat Ludington’s Cameron Gunsell to a loose ball during Friday’s WMC Lakes game at Whitehall. Camden Thompson looks on for the Vikings. Whitehall won the game, 71-62.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall’s Kyle Stratton drives past Ludington’s Cameron Gunsell to the basket during Friday’s game at Whitehall. The Vikings won, 71-62.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall’s big win

in the third quarter. The Vikings unleashed a terrific array of fast breaks - Thompson finished several of them, whether by himself or via tipping in a miss - to race out to a huge lead and get the packed arena fired up.

“It’s hard to play like that for 32 minutes, and Ludington makes you play like that for what feels like 60 minutes,” Subdon said. “I’m super proud of our guys for continuing to do that and buying into what we’re selling. The bottom line is, without them buying into what we’re saying, it doesn’t matter what we run. They’ve really

bought in.”

continued from page 4

While Thompson earned the offensive headlines, Subdon gave Stratton special mention for his defensive work on David Shillinger, the Orioles’ all-time leading scorer. Shillinger scored 22 points, but half of them came in the fourth quarter after Whitehall had built a significant lead.

“Kyle Stratton is built for the big moments,” Subdon said. “He hits the dagger three in the corner. He gets to the line and makes free throws. I don’t know how many (points) he had, but I don’t even care. He guards (David) Shillinger

Rockets top Chix

R-P’s win pushed it over .500 in league play, at 7-6 (8-11 overall). The Rockets got off to a tough start to the season, mostly by design as they assembled a tough non-conference schedule. The idea behind the tough start was to get ready for conference action, and it seems to have worked, as R-P has played competitively throughout the league slate, even against elite teams like Muskegon. The Rockets hung with second-place Wyoming for four quarters in the game prior to beating the Chix.

It’s that type of effort that has R-P dreaming of being a district spoiler this year, much like Kenowa Hills did to the Rockets last season.

“Maybe we can be Kenowa this year and be the spoiler for somebody,” Walker smiled. “I don’t think anybody would like to see

all night. He’s never tired. He started that game because he gave me every ounce of what he had.”

The impending outright WMC Lakes title means a lot to Whitehall, which had to share it with the Orioles last season. As Subdon put it, it’s one more box to check for a Vikings team that has its eyes on achieving some special things.

“We’ve got one more game to earn that,” Subdon said of the title. “(Fremont is) coming off a big win, and they’re looking to upset us. We’ve got to stay laser focused on them. It’s important to us. We just tied the best record ever in Whitehall history. We’re looking to surpass it. We’re looking to check off some more goals and add some more numbers to that banner.”

continued from page 4

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

us on their schedule, to be honest, because we do have the capability of winning games. Once the playoffs start, from what I see, any given night, anybody can win de-

pending on who steps up...I think we have a great opportunity to be very effective when the playoffs start.”

Whitehall reverses 2023 blood-round misfortune, qualifies 11 to state

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall emerged from the blood round at Saturday’s Division 3 individual regional tournament at Tri-County with an 8-2 record, which combined with the team’s three regional finalists, helped the Vikings send 11 wrestlers to the upcoming state meet at Ford Field.

The 11 qualifiers, according to the school, tied a Whitehall record set three years ago.

The Vikings had a rough blood round - the consolation semifinals are so named because the winner advances to state and the loser’s season is over - in 2023, losing several wrestlers just shy of state qualification. For the returning Vikings, their Saturday performance marked sweet redemption.

“Last year was a disaster,” Whitehall coach Justin Zeerip said on the Vikings’ athletic website. “I think we might have watched

11 qualifiers continued on page 6

Whitehall state qualifiers

Montague’s Maizie Collins tries to find a teammate to pass to during Monday’s game against Shelby. The Wildcats won the game, 45-36.

•

Brendan Samuels/Mirror

Montague picks up win at Shelby

Montague bounced back from a sluggish second quarter to earn a 4536 win at Shelby Monday night.

The Wildcats trailed 23-18 at halftime after the Tigers hit a last-second three-pointer, but

they controlled the game on defense in the second half.

“We didn’t back down and came out and had a strong second half to come out with the win,” Montague coach Jess DeBruin said.

Sports in Brief

Boys Basketball

Fremont 49 Montague 42

The Wildcats surrendered a late lead in a tough loss at home. Cole Herremans led the way with 15 points for Montague.

Reeths-Puffer 83 Wyoming 70

R-P battled hard and made 30 of its 39 attempts at the free throw line to hold off Wyoming. Jaxson Whitaker led the team with 26 points and 8 assists. Travis Ambrose had 20 points and 14 rebounds, and Antrel Jones pulled in 15 rebounds. The Rockets moved to 17-2 with the win.

North Farmington 47 Reeths-Puffer 28

The #9-ranked Rockets’ offense struggled against #8 North Farmington. Travis Ambrose led R-P with 9 points and 11 rebounds.

Montague 32 Manistee 27

The Wildcats came out on top in a defensive struggle on the road. Owen Raeth and Isaiah Atchison each had 8 points. Raeth hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the first half which loomed large in the outcome.

Reeths-Puffer 71 Zeeland East 66

R-P remained in position for a share of the O-K Green title with a tough road win. Jaxson Whitaker exploded for 22 points in the 4th quarter alone to make the difference in the game. Whitaker had 33 points in all.

Whitehall 65 Fremont 43

The Vikings dominated the second half to secure the outright WMC Lakes championship. Camden Thompson had 29 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Vikings, and Kal Koehler added 14 points,

Girls Basketball

Montague 36 Manistee 33

The Wildcats scored the final 9 points of the game to come away with a close victory after losing the first meeting. Addison Pranger led the team with 15 points. Coach Jess DeBruin called the win “a good boost for us.”

Fremont 53 Whitehall 37 Whitehall was unable to keep the Packers from staying unbeaten in the WMC Lakes. Vikings’ statistics from the game were not reported.

Wyoming 51 Reeths-Puffer 44

The Rockets were unable to hold a 30-19 halftime advantage. Brooklynn Tornes had 20 points, but three Wolves reached double figures.

Grant 71 Whitehall 44

Lexi Daggett and Kendall Osborne each had 10 points for the Vikings in defeat. Grant’s Julie Ashbaugh ripped off 32 points.

Cheer

Reeths-Puffer wins 3rd straight district title

The Rockets racked up 735.82 points to take home a 3rd consecutive district championship. R-P earned the high score in each round of the meet, including a terrific 304.4-point effort in round three.

Whitehall, Montague seasons end at districts

Montague finished 5th, with Whitehall in 6th, at Saturday’s district meet at Grand Rapids West Catholic. The Wildcats scored 670.5 points, while the Vikings had 655.2. The top 4 finishers advanced to regionals.

Bowling

Reeths-Puffer girls 2nd at conference meet

The Rockets were led by all-tournament efforts from Bianca Kammers and Brenna Ackerman, who finished 5th and 6th respectively. Quinn Alderink led the boys team, which took 7th at the tournament.

Hockey

Reeths-Puffer 5 Kenowa Hills 2

R-P earned a share of the O-K Fischer Conference title with the win. Croix Klint had 3 goals and an assist, and Jaxon Stone added a goal and two assists for the Rockets. Connor Anderson scored and had an assist.

Reeths-Puffer 5 FH Northern/Eastern 4 (OT)

Montague student Bucky Aney scored the game-tying goal with under 4 minutes left in regulation, then added the game-winner in overtime. Croix Klint also scored twice for the Rockets.

Krukowski

Goodrich

Craner

Morningstar

Manzo

Mack

Weiler

Taranko

Smith

Christensen

Leeke

Reeths-Puffer’s Megan Barmes applies pressure to a Zeeland East ballhandler during Tuesday’s game at R-P. Barmes had 14 points in the Rockets’ 53-35 win.

historic qualification highlights Wildcats’ regional efforts

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Montague boys and girls alike had much to celebrate after Saturday and Sunday’s regional tournaments at Tri-County and Cadillac respectively. The Wildcats sent two boys and five girls to the state finals at Ford Field.

Among that group will be senior Chris Aebig, who made Wildcats’ history Saturday as the first four-time Division 3 state qualifier for the program. Aebig outfought local opponent Caden Varela of Whitehall in the 132-pound blood round, 6-4, to punch his ticket to state.

“Chris is really on point,” Montague coach Kris Maddox said. “The 132-pound bracket was loaded. We hated to see Varela of Whitehall in the blood round, as we really would have liked to see them meet up in the finals or consolation finals and both qualify.”

Aebig, though, isn’t the only fourth-time Wildcat qualifier to state. In the girls bracket, Emma Pendell and Savannah Winkleblack also went to 4-for-4 in qualifying and will compete at Ford Field for the third time (the MHSAA began sponsoring the girls state tournament in 2022). Pendell scored two pins be-

fore falling in the 145-pound finals, and Winkleblack finished third, winning four times by pin during the tournament.

“We are taking a very experienced group of upperclassmen to Ford Field,” Maddox said.

Jimmy Thommen was a regional finalist at 113 to earn his state spot, edging Whitehall’s Kolten Weiler, 9-8, in the semifinals. Wildcats Fletcher Thommen and Isaac French each reached the blood round before bowing out, and regional qualifier Brock Hunter also ended his season Saturday.

At Sunday’s girls tournament, Pendell and Winkleblack weren’t alone on the podium. Ava Pelton won the 155-pound title, rolling through the bracket with four pins.

“Ava is wrestling with a very relaxed, fun attitude and it’s transferring into some outstanding performances,” Maddox said. “All year her brackets have been huge, and she is battle-tested.”

Trisha Beckman finished third at 235, bouncing back from a defeat to Abigayle Dahl of Traverse City West in her first match to earn three pins in a row, including aveng-

11 qualifiers

continued from page 5

our guys lose five or six (blood-round matches) in a row. It was awful for our guys.

“Our guys put a ton of time in, so it’s an incredible feeling to see them make it to Ford Field.”

Unbeaten Darnell Mack and Gavin Craner each ran their records to 47-0 and earned regional championships Saturday, and neither was ever threatened. Craner, a 175-pounder, pinned all three of his opponents in the first period - he has pinned all six of his individual postseason opponents - and Mack, at 150, scored a pair of technical-fall shutouts before earning a pin in the finals.

The Vikings had one other regional finalist, Ryan Goodrich at 157. Goodrich battled out an overtime semifinal win against Drew Alward of Durand before facing nemesis Blake Peasley of Belding. The duo have battled hard in the individual districts and the team regionals already, and Saturday’s finals was no different, as Peasley edged Goodrich 3-2.

“Those guys were fantastic,” Zeerip said. “I’m really happy for them. Craner and Mack came in as top guys in the state, and they’ve set themselves up for a great tournament. Goody wrestled well enough to win that finals match. He’s going to make another run in Detroit.”

The blood round had several highlights for Whitehall, but probably none more personal than the win by Ryne Christensen, the senior son of Viking assistant coach Craig Christensen. Ryne won a six-minute all-out battle against Birch Run’s Aiden

ing that first loss. Maddox said the win was Beckman’s third over Dahl.

Abby Thommen rounded out Montague’s state qualifiers with a fourthplace finish at 125. Maddox said Thommen’s bracket was loaded - she had two pins and a major decision on the day - and her qualification was an emotional one.

“We still feel like she has more inside,” Maddox said. “I got teared up a bit when she finally punched her ticket. She’s been through a lot and continues to push. It’s amazing to see the growth.”

Zaniya Meza Wilson also competed at regionals and earned a pin, but fell short of the state meet.

Reeths-Puffer sends three wrestlers to state

Three of Reeths-Puffer’s four regional qualifiers left the bracket with a spot at state after Saturday’s tournament in Holt.

Each of the three Rockets to qualify - Jake Rozycki, Ian Cook and Nathan Stafford - battled out of the blood

round to earn their spot by winning decisions. Cook, at 132 pounds, wrestled in four close matches to earn third place, winning three of them. He edged Hastings’ Colton Smith and Okemos’ Easton Hardesty by identical 1-0 scores to end his day.

Tornberg, also a senior, by a 7-6 score to earn a spot at state.

“I’ve always wanted to be one of those guys who went to state and got a medal,” Ryne said on the Vikings’ site. “I’ve always wanted my name on our wall. Last year, I lost in the blood round, and I was devastated. It’s so much different wrestling there as a senior. Much more intense.

“When it’s one of your guys who also happens to be your son, and you know how much it means to him because you can see it in his eyes, and you watch him work, and you listen to him talk about it at home…that was just a great moment,” Craig added. “That hug and those tears felt really good.”

Nolan Taranko (126), Liam Leeke (144) and Jason Smith (285) each finished third to punch tickets to state. All three of their blood-round wins were dominant; Taranko and Leeke each won by 14 points, and Smith scored a pin. Smith also earned thrilling wins by ultimate tiebreaker and by a 5-4 score during the tournament.

Joining Christensen as a fourth-place finisher were Cody Manzo (106), Kolten Weiler (113), Max Krukowski (120) and Blake Morningstar (215). Krukowski, like Christensen, won an exciting bloodround match, defeating Birch Run’s Kaelen Harrington 4-2. Manzo, Weiler and Morningstar easily won their blood-round matches.

Coach Christensen said the blood-round wins are extra special for coaches getting to share the moment with their athletes.

“We’re the ones who are there to try to catch them when they fall, but we’re also the first ones they see when they accomplish a pretty big goal,”

Rozycki (120) also finished third, earning two major decisions along the way, and Stafford (285) took fourth place with a pair of decision wins. Arin Maynard (106) won his first-round match, but lost a tough blood-round battle to Union’s Sam Kik, 3-2.

Christensen said. “I love being in the corner for all the kids in those moments. There’s a gravity to that.” Vikings to end their individual seasons in the blood round were Caden Varela (132) and Blake English (150), though both will get their shots at redemption when the team competes in Kalamazoo in the state quarterfinals, and potentially beyond.

Pelton Cook Beckman

Stafford Rozycki

Pendell

Winkleblack

J. Thommen

A. Thommen

Aebig

Whitehall’s Jason Smith (right) battles Tri-County’s Raymond Culver during the Feb. 14 team regional finals. Smith was one of 11 Viking state qualifiers.