The Oceana Echo - Volume 2, Issue 33, Jan. 10, 2025 by theoceanaecho

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A pathway takes shape to save the historic Red Barn in Pentwater

By AnnaMae Bush

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

“Save the Red Barn” was the rallying cry that brought 40 area residents to a meeting at Centenary United Methodist Church in Pentwater on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at 1 p.m. The group included Pentwater residents who were “lifers” and “newbies,” as well as representatives from the Oceana County Board of Commissioners, the County Parks and Recreation Board and the state Department of Natural Resources. The passion in the group fueled a very lively discussion for two hours. The object of the passion was the 163-year-old red barn built by Charles Mears that greets everyone entering Pentwater on Monroe Road.

Saturday’s meeting was a grassroots response that followed on the heels of two recent meetings called

by Keith Edwards, Pentwater Township Zoning Administrator. Edwards initiated a discussion of the barn in the context of a recreation vision the township is exploring. Attendees at the township discussion included Larry Doran (Weare Township administrator), Manny Valdez (Mears State Park director), Peter Kailing (DNR wildlife biologist), Tammy Carey (Oceana County Community Foundation director), Heather Douglas (Pentwater Township treasurer), John Wilson (Hart-Pentwater Trail), Paul Erickson (District 4 County Commissioner) and Sharon Clark, an interested community member. Clark began a Facebook page, Red Barn of Pentwater, to disseminate information and gain broader support for saving the barn. She also organized the meeting on Saturday.

Clearly surprised by the turnout, Clark said, “I am delighted to see all of you. I didn’t know what to expect, but I know it will take all of us working together to accomplish our goal.” Clark opened the meeting with a slide presentation that outlined basic questions about the barn and what steps in the past have failed to preserve it. Clark said, “The first big question is, ‘Who owns the red barn?’ And the answer is a mystery.”

The barn is a local icon that has captured the interest of many people over the years and been the catalyst for past efforts to preserve the structure from falling apart and to give it a new purpose. After the community raised funds for painting the barn and fixing the roof through the Pentwater Historical Society, a “Red Barn Preserva-

• Paul Erickson/Echo

tion Fund” was established at the Oceana Community Foundation in 2016 with the remaining balance. For decades since the 1960s, the barn was used to store equipment from the Mears State Park. But that ceased two to three years ago.

“In going through our records, I found a signed agreement between the DNR and the state park that we would stop using the red barn once we had a storage facility on the park grounds that was sufficient to our needs,” Manny Valdez, park director, reported. “In addition, it was about that time we noticed the deterioration of the foundation and found evidence that homeless people were camping out in the barn and using burn barrels for comfort. Both factors put the building at risk. We didn’t need it, so we stopped using it.”

The risk factors remain, for the facility and for unauthorized users. Today $14,000 is gaining interest in the OCF fund for preservation work. Yet the longterm goal of owning and maintaining the barn has remained elusive.

The reasons are complicated. For starters, both federal and state governments have a stake in the property even though no one claims ownership of the building. The land on which the barn is located was donated by Carrie Mears for conservation. The land, but not the building, is under the jurisdiction of the Michigan State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and managed by the Wildlife Division. Since 1937, federal funding through the Pittman Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act has supported the Mears parcel.

The funding is derived from excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment, collected by the federal government and then distributed to the states. States often match

these funds for wildlife restoration with a portion of proceeds from hunting and fishing license fees. The forty-acre parcel with the red barn is maintained for wildlife with funds from these two sources. The barn itself is actually a liability for the DNR. Kailing clearly stated, “The DNR doesn’t have the money or the desire to fix it.” His most recent letter declared it is on a demolition list.

Kailing did offer an alternative way forward. First, the DNR is willing to issue a “use permit” to a local entity (i.e. a township, community organization or the like) to fix existing holes in the wood siding and foundation of the barn to weatherize it and minimize deterioration. The designated entity would have one year to engage a contractor and complete the repairs.

Second, the DNR is willing to wait three years for the local community to organize support, raise funding, and find a parcel of land to trade for the barn and some acreage around it. The DNR is interested in private land holdings within the Pentwater State Game Area, especially a 40-acre parcel south of the barn with Pentwater riverfront, upstream from Sandy Bend. The federal funds invested in the property prevent the DNR from selling the property, but a trade is possible.

After three years, if a trade is not successful, the DNR will make the barn available through an auction for disposal. It could be moved to another location. However, the sentiment ex-

pressed by local residents has been to preserve the barn in its original location. Clark voiced, “It is an icon that has welcomed everyone to Pentwater for one and a half centuries. It will lose much of its value if it is moved elsewhere.”

Erickson engaged in dialogue with state DNR officials several times and shared additional comments from Kailing. “The Wildlife Division mission… is about growing wildlife and creating wildlife habitat, not buildings or classrooms, for example. Therefore [we would] not consider repairing or operating the barn as a…nature center or similar, as has been suggested.”

Erickson is confident that the use permit will be received soon. He is in contact with the potential landowner of the trade property, who owns a company that specializes in moving houses and raising houses to put new foundations under them. The company estimates that the work to put a new foundation under the barn that will preserve the appearance of the original foundation will cost approximately $150,000.

Reports from those who have seen the barn interior are very encouraging. Mears built the barn from native hardwood trees on his property. Wilson assured the group, “The post and beam construction has held up very well. The hand-hewn beams are held together with wooden peg fasteners and are beautiful. The interior is dry and the roof is solid.”

Rumored to be the oldest structure in the county,

the barn has historical significance because it was used in experimental fruit farming that produced the earliest peaches grown in the state. If restored, it could be another gem in the community. The challenge has been spelled out. Find an entity willing to assume leadership and responsibility for the project. Raise $150,000 within a year to pay for the most urgent repairs. Find a suitable parcel of land to swap with the DNR for the barn and the land immediately around it within the next three years.

After many disappointments and dead ends over the years, there is finally a path forward toward the goal of restoring and reusing the red barn on Monroe. All readers interested in helping reach that goal are urged to follow the Facebook page, “Red Barn of Pentwater,” for information updates, and to send donations (designated for the Red Barn Fund) to the Oceana Community Foundation.

Sidebar: In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Pittman Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, which provides funding for wildlife conservation, restoration and hunter education in the U.S. The funding is derived from excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment, collected by the federal government and then distributed to the states. Federal law controls how the Mears-donated land and the barn can be used. Their use must be related to hunting and fishing. This restricts how the restored barn can be repurposed in the future.

A full house celebrates Village of Shelby RRC certification and attends Stakeholders Assembly

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

Over 60 community leaders and members, along with state representatives, packed the main meeting room of The Ladder Community Center in Shelby Tuesday, Jan. 7, to celebrate the Village of Shelby’s recent Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification.

“You should be very proud,” said Michelle Parkkonen of the MEDC. “It’s a lot of work. Planning is a process, and clearly this is an engaged community. We don’t usually see the numbers that we’re seeing here this evening. You’ve got a community that is on the same page.”

The path to the village’s RRC certification began back in August of 2019. Since then, the village has dedicated significant time to planning and implementing best practices to position themselves for maximum success. Two notable initiatives were the one-year hire of a CEDAM (Community Economic Development Association of Michigan) Fellow in 2021 and a complete update to village ordinances.

RRC is for existing businesses as well as new businesses interested in settling in the downtown, Parkkonen explained. “It’s not about attracting big business,” she said. And now that the village is RRC certified, she added, “This is where the rubber meets

the road.”

Following celebratory photos and applause, the group took a break before the scheduled 7 p.m. Stakeholders Assembly. The room was abuzz with positive energy as community members networked and caught up with one another.

During the second half of the evening, Village Administrator Phil Morse cast a broad vision for what a “safe and appealing” community could look like as a Redevelopment Ready Community. Morse also shared a list of who will be involved in helping bring the vision of “safe and appealing” to fruition. Morse sees everyone from village staff and village council to local businesses, state programs, volunteers and donors being involved, producing a precise vision for downtown and participating in its implementation.

He invited and challenged everyone in attendance to consider at what level they might become involved. The most involvement would be for those willing to become members of a new Downtown Stakeholders Stewardship Committee. These individuals would be actively engaged in providing leadership to carry out the precise vision.

Other engagement levels include those who want to actively participate but don’t want to be part of a formal committee, those who wish to provide input and those who prefer to only watch for now. Morse didn’t want to discount those

National Asparagus Festival Community Forum generates support and ideas

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

The National Asparagus Festival (NAF) received a proverbial “shot in the arm” Monday when 10 interested community members and the NAF board of eight met to discuss this year’s NAF at a community input forum held at the West Michigan Research Station, north of Hart.

Chairperson Michele Amstutz told the group the festival website had recently been updated and all events requiring registration are live. “Our plan is to start running with it. What it comes down to now is people to organize and run events,” she said.

who may only be interested in watching the process for now. He feels any engagement is beneficial for Shelby.

Leigh Young, of the MEDC’s Michigan Main Street Program, presented an informative slide presentation on the technical assistance available to the village now that they have become certified as a RRC.

Morse concluded by presenting a proposed timeline that includes setting up the Downtown Stewardship Committee by April 2025, developing a precise plan for moving forward by December 2025 and the implementation of that plan to begin in the Spring of 2026.

For now, community members are encouraged to complete a community survey that can be found on the village’s website at this link: forms.office. com/r/7iLj3UC9vG or by accessing the QR code above. Paper copies will also be available at the village office. Morse recommends individuals watch the YouTube recording of the meeting prior to filling out the survey, if possible.

Those who were unable to attend Tuesday and still want to watch the meeting in its entirety can visit the village’s YouTube page at “Village of Shelby 218.”

As in years past, the festival is set to run the second weekend of June, which is June 14-15, 2025, this year. The festival’s traditional offerings will include the Spear-It 5K, Arts and Crafts Show, Joan Glover Royale Parade, Taste of Asparagus Food Show and coronation of a new Asparagus Queen, something everyone missed having last year. In addition, the festival will offer its popular Farm Tours (adding in a stop to the West Michigan Research Station), Live Entertainment both Friday and Saturday and its Kidz Zone.

As an added benefit to festival-goers, the Hart Historic District has moved its annual car show date to coincide with this year’s festival. And the Oceana County Airport Association has historically held its annual pancake breakfast on the Sunday of festival weekend. “Even though these events are not organized by the festival committee, they do help fill out the weekend,” said Amstutz.

The festival, which has been operated with a skeleton team of volunteers and a limited budget for a number of years, is growing. Monday’s meeting was a real boost. The festival is something those gathered want to see continue.

The group was overwhelmingly supportive and believes the festival is worth continuing. Several offered not only suggestions but volunteered to help make this year’s festival a success. Ideas shared included bringing back the kids parade on Friday night, asking a local celebrity or chef to judge the food show, utilizing area chambers to help promote, more fine art offerings at the arts and craft fair, an aspara-

gus-eating competition, a farm market or a screening of the Kirsten Kelly asparagus documentary.

One idea suggested possibly holding the Friday night music event at the new Shelby Township Community Park as a way to bring people to Shelby, where the festival originally began. An idea many in attendance said they were in favor of. One community member added, “As a family with young children, we’d probably be more likely to attend an event where the kids could play while we half listen to the music.”

Currently the festival operates with an annual budget of $15,000. One community member spoke up and said they felt it should be three times that amount and is willing to seek out sponsors. To which someone else suggested that if the title of queen is open to women from Mason, Oceana, Newaygo and Muskegon, then sponsors from those counties could be approached as well.

When the possibilities of a farmto-table dinner or cooking demonstrations were brought up, West Michigan Research Station Manager Justin Adams shared the cold, hard facts, “The asparagus industry is bleak. In 2023 there were 10,000 acres planted to asparagus; within three months there were only 7,500. The festival goes a long way in helping producers. Anything we can do to promote people buying and consuming Michigan asparagus is ultimately going to help them and this industry succeed.”

The current NAF Board of Directors includes Michele Amstutz (Chair and 5K), Susan Merten (Royale Parade), Amanda Klotz (Secretary and Arts & Crafts Fair), Jesse Rickard (Treasurer), Mandy Achterhoff (Merchandise and Info Booth), Lyn Splane (Food Show), Kendra Larios-Mendez (Queen Coordinator) and Lindsey Brown (Food Vendors and Friday Night Event).

Upcoming board meetings will take place Monday, Feb. 3 and Monday, March 3, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Hart Community Center. Everyone is invited to attend to learn more about what is planned and where they can help. In the meantime, community members wishing to register for festival events, become a sponsor or become involved in any way can visit nationalasparagusfestival.org or email nationalasparagusfestival@yahoo. com.

The Shelby Village Council, pictured above, accepted the RRC award from Michelle Parkkonen of MEDC Tuesday at The Ladder. • Sharon Hallack/Echo

This page is brought to you by:

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

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

By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

The tragic death of Isaac H. Cogswell is one that certainly scarred our county for many years. We have two primary sources for this sad and strange bit of Oceana’s history. They are, of course, Page’s History of Oceana County and “Oceana County Pioneers and Business Men of To-Day.” Page’s History is from an earlier date but is of unknown authorship. It’s commonly referred to as Page’s History because it was produced by the Chicago-based publishing company H.R. Page and Co. The Pioneers book, on the other hand, was published in Oceana by Pentwater residents L.M. Hartwick and W. H. Tuller at the Pentwater News Steam Print in 1890. Longtime readers of my column will be familiar with all of this, but it is worth mentioning. The two accounts differ slightly in the specifics, but the book published in Oceana has a much more detailed account, despite being published eight years after Page’s History. Both accounts, however, agree that Mr. Cogswell was a well-respected, if not a bit sensitive, individual. “He is said to have been a man sensitive of his honor,” Page’s History tells us, “and proud of his good name, and exact and punctilious in his own affairs, and negligence on the part of others worried him.” We can find similar language in Hartwick and Tuller’s book, “He was a man of command-

ing appearance, highly sensitive on questions of honor, and was respected and loved by all who knew him.” But we can tell that Cogswell was well respected in his community just by the offices that he held. He first came to Oceana in 1856, settling in Newaygo, and he served one term as the judge of probate during that time. After this he emigrated to Kansas for four years, before returning to Oceana County, this time choosing to reside in Greenwood. While there, he served as the Supervisor of Greenwood Township for five consecutive terms and was in the early days of his sixth term when the ensuing tragedy took place.

The trouble all started when a lumberman named J. D. Stebbins died and Cogswell was appointed to be the administrator of the estate. Hartwick and Tuller offer the best description of these events as they unfolded. In short, the Judge of Probate, F. J. Russel had called for Cogswell to appear before the Probate Court on June 30, 1879, to render the account. We are told, “The amount of estate to be accounted for was about $2,000. It was not thought that there was any shortage when matters were figured out.”

In April, Cogswell made a proposal to settle, which was refused. On June 26, he paid a visit to his bondsman, Lachlan McCallum, “in hopes of getting the matter straightened out,” but McCallum was not home. It would seem that Cogswell returned home “under the impression that his administration was suspected and would be attacked….” He then spent

the next two days at home, “figuring,” and mentioned that he would have to get a horse on Monday so that he could go to Hart for a settlement. “He claimed he had everything but some money due from McCallum, and that appeared to worry him.”

However, Cogswell never made it to June 30. When he awoke on the morning of Sunday, June 29, he made a fire in the stove and called his wife into the room. He then “took four packages of money and a book and put them in the stove and burned them, in spite of his wife’s entreaties to not do so.”

Page’s history gives a little more detail here, telling us the items being burned were “the township books, the papers connected to the Stebbins estate and a large sum of money.” He burned these items while telling his wife, “I’ll show them a trick the devil never did.” Cogswell then took some of the burning papers from the fire and used them to ignite the clothes in their closet. Mrs. Cogswell apparently tried to save one of her dresses by throwing it out of the room, but her husband stopped her from doing so. He told his wife he was tired of life and he wanted her to go with him, a request which she refused. He followed her out of the house, imploring her to join him and saying, “The money is gone, and we must go.” After this he went into the house again and retrieved a pocketbook. He brought it back out to his wife, threw it at her, and said, “That is your wheat money,” before returning into the burning building to die. The house burned to the ground, and the

coroner’s verdict simply read, “Death by deliberately walking into his burning house.”

When Page’s history was published only three years after these events, it would seem the general public was divided on whether or not Cogswell actually died. “One man is full of reasons and arguments showing that he must be still alive,” he wrote. “His next neighbor is as positive that he is dead. Even husband and wife have been known to take sides on the question.” However, in the eight years that elapsed between Page’s history and Hartwick and Tuller’s book, it seems that more and more people were starting to realize this wasn’t some trick. “This opinion lost its force as year after year rolled by and nothing was ever heard of him.”

Pentwater Jr. Women’s Club spreads holiday cheer to families

The Pentwater Jr. Women’s Club (PJWC) gathered Thursday, Dec. 12, at Jamesport Brewery in Ludington for some holiday cheer. This year, each member sent or brought individually wrapped gifts to include in holiday gift baskets that were given to several families in need at Pentwater Public Schools. The ladies had fun buying toys, games, stuffed animals, hygiene items and clothing for the children, as well as various gift cards for families to use as needed. PJWC members were delighted to help bring Christmas joy, goodwill and happiness to local families.

The club sponsors the annual PJWC Juried Art Fair on the Village Green in Pentwater on the second Saturday of July. Members meet at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday during the months of March through November. For those interested in more information, please check out their website at www.pentwaterjrwomensclub.com.

by scanning the QR code at right or

• Contributed photo

Ongoing

MONDAYS: Free yoga, Lakeside Rehab Family Fitness, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

TUESDAYS: TOPS, Hart Wesleyan Church, 5 p.m.

3rd TUESDAYS: Pentwater Jr. Women’s Club - Feeding America W. Mich. mobile food pantry, Pentwater Fire Dept., 11 a.m.

WEDNESDAYS: Love INC and True North Housing Assistance satellite open by appointment throughout the winter months. Please call 231-861-4880 to make an appointment. Walkerville Wesleyan Church, 144 S. Hamon St.

WEDNESDAYS: Good News Club, Faith Christian Fellowship, Hart, 4-5:30 p.m.

1 st & 3 rd

WEDNESDAYS: Free community dinner, all are welcome, 5-6 p.m., Hart Wesleyan Church.

1st & 3rd

WEDNESDAYS: Hart VFW Post 1329 Burger/ Chicken/Brat/Ribs Night, 5-7 p.m., dine-in or carry out.

Every other WEDNESDAY: Shelby Optimist Club meetings, Stony Lake Inn, 7-8 p.m., (September to May)

FRIDAYS: Preschool Story Hour, HAPL, 11 a.m.

1st FRIDAYS: Free Soup Supper, Ferry Community Center, 5-7 p.m.

2nd & 4th FRIDAYS: Knights of Columbus Bingo, 6 p.m., St. Gregory Parish Center, 214 S. Peach Ave., Hart, doors open at 4 p.m.

Last FRIDAYS: Free Soup Suppers, Newman Christian Community Church, 4075 S. 132nd Ave., Hesperia, 5:30-7 p.m.

1st Saturdays: Baby Pantry, Trinity Lutheran Church, 5631 W. Stony Lake Rd., 8:30-10 a.m. (note new date)

The Ladder Community Center:

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

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

Tuesdays: Knitting Group, 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m.

2nd Saturday: Party Club for Kids ages 5-12, 1-2:30 p.m.

Complete schedule at: theladdercommunitycenter.com

Children invited to Mid-Winter Party at The Ladder

All children ages 5 to 12 are invited to The Ladder Community Center once a month for Party Club! Saturday, Jan. 11, join us for the “Mid-Winter Party” from 1-2:30 p.m. They will have songs, Bible lessons, games and snacks. Party Club is sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship, a Bible-centered ministry serving in every region of the world. All teachers and helpers have been trained and screened to ensure your child’s protection. Parents are welcome to attend. The Ladder is located at 67 N. State Street in Shelby.

Pentwater announces new ‘Prestart’ program

Pentwater Public School is pleased to announce a new “Prestart” 3-year-old preschool program now taking applications.

Children ages 2 1/2 to 4 years old who are potty trained are eligible for enrollment. The Prestart program will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:3011 a.m. from January through May.

Parents are encouraged to visit www.pentwaterpreschool.com to submit their child’s application. Parents will also need to provide their child’s birth certificate and immunization record or waiver.

For more information, please contact Pre-K Director Amy Roberson at 231869-4100, extension 239, or visit www.pentwaterpreschool.com.

January

Jan. 14 - Tech Time, Hesperia Comm. Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Adult Book Club Movie Showing, 2-4:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 & 21 - Story Hour with Miss Tiff, SADL, 10-11 a.m.

Jan. 14 - MSBOA Solo & Ensemble Honors Band Performance, Shelby High School Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 - Versiti Blood Drive, New Era CRC, 12:30-6 p.m.

Jan. 16 - Matinee Movie, Hesperia Comm. Library, 1-3:30 p.m., Family Fun Night, Community Room, 6-7 p.m.

Jan. 17 - Story Time, Hesperia Community Library, 10-11 a.m.

Jan. 18 - Storytime, Ferry Community Center, 10-11 a.m.

Jan. 19 - “Horszowski Trio” piano performance, Hart Public Schools Auditorium, 3 p.m.

Jan. 20 - Classic Movie Matinee, Pentwater Township Library 402 E. Park St., Pentwater, 2-4 p.m.

MSBOA Honors Band Concert next Tuesday

A MSBOA (Middle School Band & Orchestra Association) Honors Band concert will take place next Tuesday, Jan. 14 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Shelby High School auditorium. The entire community is invited and admission is free.

Just over 100 middle school musicians from MSBOA’s District 1, who received a Division I or “Superior” rating on their Solo & Ensemble performances last fall in Chippewa Hills, were awarded the “honor” of performing in the concert.

Of the four Oceana schools with middle school bands, 11 students have qualified to perform: six from Shelby Middle School and five from Hesperia Middle School.

On Tuesday, the entire MSBOA District 1 Honors Band will rehearse on stage in Shelby under the direction of Rebecca Kilgore, a 27-year veteran band director currently teaching at East Rockford Middle School.

District 1 of the MSBOA includes the high schools and middle schools from Baldwin, Big Rapids, Brethren, Cadillac, Chippewa Hills, Evart, Hart, Hesperia, Holton, Lake City, Ludington, Manistee, Manton, Marion, Mason County Central, McBain, Mesick, Morley Stanwood, Pentwater, Pine River, Reed City, Shelby and White Cloud.

New Era CRC hosts Versiti Blood Drive Jan. 14

Did you know that every two seconds someone in the U.S. needed blood or platelets? If donating blood is on your list of resolutions for 2025, you will have your first chance to do that and help save a life on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at the New Era Christian Reformed Church (NECRC) 1820 Ray Ave, New Era, MI 49446. The drive will take place from 12:30-6 p.m. in the narthex of the church. Those interested in donating may sign up using this link: https://donateblood.versiti. org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/11599760 or call 866-642-5663 or contact local coordinator Don Byker at (616) 325-6385.

Registration open for K of C spelling bee in Hart

Knights of Columbus Hart Council 2199 is set to host its annual countywide spelling bee, Saturday, Jan. 25 at noon. All spellers who place in local competition are eligible to compete at the regional level, with regional winners to proceed to the state level bee. Youth from grades 4, 5 and 6, and 7, 8 and 9 are eligible and will spell against others from their grade bracket. No school affiliation is required.

Oceana spellers have proudly carried the state championship title twice within the last five years. Please consider helping your child or grandchild pursue excellence.

Registration is free. Refreshments will be provided. Current word lists are available for study via the QR codes at right. For further information and to register your speller or spellers, please contact Nathan Kroon at (231) 845-5436. Level I Level II Hart Community Performing Arts Series to present Horszowski Trio Jan. 19

The Hart Community Performing Arts Series will present the Horszowski Trio in concert Sunday, Jan. 19, in the Hart Public Schools Auditorium. The auditorium is located at 308 W. Johnson St. in Hart and the performance will begin at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at the door or online and cost $20. For more information, see the Series website, hartseries.org

Giving performances that are “lithe, persuasive” (The New York Times), “eloquent and enthralling” (The Boston Globe), and described as “the most compelling American group to come on the scene” (The New Yorker), the Horszowski Trio has quickly become a vital force in the international chamber music world since their formation in

2011. In 2023, the “Horszowski Trio Prize” was created by the prestigious Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition to award piano trio winners. In 2019, the Horszowski Trio made its London debut in a sold-out concert presented by Wigmore Hall. Their success has led to a 21-concert tour in Germany in 2022, and they were acclaimed by major critics. During the COVID pandemic, the trio managed to keep performing, including a special project in several performances of Morton Feldman’s epic, two-hour-long Piano Trio—an artistically rewarding and timely work that offers a poignant reflection of the isolation of the times and also a hopeful and spiritual oasis.

The Horszowski Trio has

appeared at major venues in the U.S., including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, as well as Mexico, Canada, Japan, and throughout Europe and Asia. Their recording of the complete piano trios of Robert Schumann on AVIE Records received tremendous acclaim: “great care and affection” (BBC Radio); “intoxicating” (Gramophone); “exciting and deeply felt” (Strings); “fresh, supple and fantastic” (The Strad). The Trio takes its inspiration from the musicianship, integrity, and humanity of the pre-eminent pianist Mieczysław Horszowski (1892–1993); the ensemble’s pianist, Rieko Aizawa, was Horszowski’s last pupil at the Curtis Institute in Philadel-

phia. Described as “power players” by the Los Angeles Times, the Horszowski Trio’s repertoire includes works by many of the composers with whom Mr. Horszowski had personal interaction, including Gabriel Fauré, Enrique Granados, Bohuslav Martinu, Maurice Ravel, Camille SaintSaëns and Heitor Villa-Lobos. The Horszowski Trio’s debut recording – an album of works by Gabriel Fauré, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Vincent d’Indy on the Bridge label – was released in 2014 and dedicated to the memory of Mieczysław Horszowski. Gramophone praised the “exemplary performance” of the “highly accomplished group,” concluding, “I long to hear more of the Horszowski Trio.”

In addition to their perfor-

mance cycles of the complete trios of Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms, the Horszowski Trio is a passionate advocate for the music of our time. They have worked with the legendary composers John Harbison, Charles Wuorinen, and Joan Tower, for whom the Trio recorded “For Daniel” in celebration of her 75th birthday. Recent premieres include works by Daron Hagen, Eric Moe, and (through a grant from Chamber Music America) Andreia Pinto-Correia. Other premieres include works by Kenji Bunch, Stewart Goodyear, Scott Lindroth, Louis Karchin, and Charles Wuorinen in addition to their “Phantasiestücke Project” which commemorates their 10th anniversary with three new works by Derek Bermel, Paul Chihara and David Fulmer. The Trio’s violinist Jesse Mills, a two-time Grammy nominee who is also a composer and arranger, wrote “Painted Shadow” for the ensemble; the work was commissioned by and premiered at Bargemusic in Brooklyn, New York in January 2015. The Horszowski Trio is based in New York City. It is Ensemble-in-Residence at the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and of the Leschetizky Association in New York City.

Places of Oceana County – Country Dairy: Looking Back… Part VI

‘PassingtheTorch’

By Janet (Van Gunst) Hasselbring The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

In 1957, Henry purchased the farm from his father, Andrew. Until then, he didn’t reap 100 percent of the profits, but neither was he susceptible to the risks; however, now that he owned the farm, the profits were his, but so were the risks—a Catch-22.

As the years went by, the children grew and wended their way from childhood through adolescence and young adulthood, their experiences playing out within the relatively limited confines of family, school, and church.

Henry, a devout father, toiled to provide for his family, setting a daily routine of prayer and scripture reading, while Ellen was the thread running through the fabric of their lives, holding the family together. Both instilled in us qualities of hard work, diligence, faith and trust in God.

As rewarding as it was for Ellen to watch her children become independent and pursue their dreams and ambitions, it must have been disconcerting, at times, to see her traits of independence and perspicacity reflected in her children.

Their nest was empty before they knew it. Everyone was gone, except for Wendell, who would eventually buy the farm. Wendell had always dreamed of being a dairy farmer. In 1962, he received a 2-year dairy science degree from Michigan State University and then was drafted into

the Army. In 1964, he returned to the farm, forming a partnership with Henry. He moved into Andrew’s house, the original homestead, with his bride, Ruth. He purchased the farm in 1968.

Henry lived on the farm his entire life but had sole ownership for only 11 years.

Selling the farm to Wendell and knowing the family tradition would be carried on for another generation was a blessing. With the children gone and the farm sold, Henry and Ellen could slow down and relax. Gone were the money worries, crop failures, and milk contamination. Now they could afford to travel. They toured the continental U.S., Hawaii and Europe, though Henry maintained his favorite spot was right at home on the farm, relaxing in his recliner or on the porch.

They had time to read and putter in the flowerbeds and garden, now downsized since there were only two mouths to feed. Ellen pursued her crafts of knitting, crocheting, candlewicking, tatting, embroidery, sewing and quilt making. They fixed up the house and renovated the basement, putting in a pool table, where they spent many hours shooting pool. Ellen’s dreaded wringer washing machine was replaced with a modern washer; the clothesline with a dryer. Canning and freezing were now options instead of necessities.

All the while, under Wendell’s ownership, the

farm was being transformed from a small 80acre operation to a large dairy enterprise. The orchards, asparagus patches, bean and potato fields were replaced with fields of corn and alfalfa. Huge barns sprang up and large automated machinery replaced the horses, hand-held plows, wagons and steam-propelled tractors.

Henry and Ellen watched the transformation with amazement and pride. Henry could do as much or as little as he wished. Feeding the calves helped him feel a part of things.

“Many years passed – Hinie and Ellen were tired. It was time to pass on the torch.

“They sold the farm to Wendell, their son, And went out to sit on the porch.”

(CD – A Week with Hinie and Ellen)

*Material for this article is taken from “In the Garden,” the memoir, I wrote of my mother. Information about the memoir can be obtained from the author at janethasselbring23@gmail.com. “Country Dairy: A Week With Hinie and Ellen,” is available at the farmstore.

An illustration of Ellen by the house

the view from Henry and Ellen’s porch

An illustration of Henry by the barn

In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

obituaries

David ‘Dave’ Lee Moschke

June 5, 1967 ~ January 7, 2025

David “Dave” Lee Moschke, 57, passed away unexpect edly Jan. 7, 2025. He was born in Sturgis, Mich., June 5, 1967, the son of Duane Sr. and Flo (Slagle) Moschke.

Dave was a passionate sports fan, always cheering for his beloved hometown teams in Detroit—whether it was the Lions, Tigers or Pistons. He had the chance to attend a game for each of them, and the experience brought him so much joy. Music was another big part of Dave’s life. He could easily name the members of his favorite bands and often shared his love for them with others. He even created a report with a few of his musical inspirations and, at one point, worked on the road as a bouncer for a band. For his birthday one year, he was pulled up on stage by a band he considered friends, and they and the crowd sang him Happy Birthday.

What truly set Dave apart was his incredible sense of humor. He had a gift for making everyone around him laugh, always striving to keep smiles on the faces of those he loved. He infused his humor and warmth into everything he did, including his work at Walmart. As a member of the electronics department, Dave was known for his computer expertise. When it came to tech questions, his family always turned to him, knowing he’d have the answer.

Dave is survived by his father, Duane, Sr.; aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Flo; brother, Duane “Will” Moschke Jr.; cousin, Jerry Keeler; and uncle, Gordon Moschke.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 at Harris Funeral Home, 267 N. Michigan Ave., Shelby, MI 49455. A visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the funeral home.

Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements.

Memorial Service ~ Louis Swanson

Louis Swanson, 83, of Hart, passed away peacefully Jan. 6, 2025. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, at Harris Funeral Home, 267 N. Michigan Ave., Shelby, MI 49455. Visitation will be held the evening prior, Jan. 10, 2025, from 5-8 p.m. at Harris and one hour before services on Saturday.

Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements.

Obituary Information:

We, at The Oceana Echo, offer our deepest condolences for your loss and are here to help you tell others about your loved one’s life and the plans you have made to honor, celebrate and remember them. If you would like to place an obituary with us, please tell your arrangement specialist or email us at theoceanaecho@gmail.com.

Oceana

Scott Bryan Carlson September 27, 1968 ~ January 8, 2025

Scott Bryan Carlson, 56, of New Era, passed away sud denly on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. He was born Sept. 27, 1968, in Hart, the son of Jerry and Justine (Arden) Carlson.

Scott was recently employed as a butcher, but had always made an honest living working with his hands. He took great pride in his home and how it appeared. He enjoyed cooking, gardening, landscaping and many home improvement projects.

Scott is survived by: his children, Hayden Carlson and Olivia Carlson; his father, Jerry Carlson; brother, Douglas Carlson; as well as many aunts, uncles and cous ins.

Scott was preceded in death by his mother, Justine Carlson.

Memorial services will be conducted at 1 p.m., Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, at Lighthouse Lutheran Church, 8786 US-31 BUS, Pentwater, MI 49449.

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

Mid Michigan Community Action Agency (Mid Michigan CAA) is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Oceana Community Foundation to support housing counseling services in Oceana County. Funding for this project is provided by the Community Investment Fund, Homeless Prevention Endowment Fund, and William R. Lathers Foundation Fund.

This grant will help Mid Michigan CAA provide essential housing counseling services, including assistance for those seeking housing stability, first-time homebuyers, and counseling on property tax and foreclosure resources. These services are designed to ensure individuals and

Animal Shelter

Say “hello” to Brady! Brady is a 2 year old boy who weighs a healthy 57 pounds. Despite his size, Brady is very sweet and would love to be your personal lap dog! If interested, please call the shelter at 231-861-5395

Brady is available for adoption from the Oceana County Animal Shelter. If interested, please call the shelter at 231861-5395. 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.

Meet Brady

families in Oceana County have access to resources and support to secure and maintain safe, stable housing.

“We are so grateful to the Oceana Community Foundation for their continued commitment to strengthening our community. This grant will help us reach those who need housing counseling services most, supporting families and individuals on their path to stability,” said Cherri Swanstra, Community Empowerment Director at Mid Michigan CAA.

Those in need of housing counseling services can contact Mid Michigan CAA’s Oceana office by calling or texting

231-923-3066 or emailing contactus@mmcaa.org.

The Oceana Community Foundation partners with organizations like Mid Michigan CAA to ensure donor contributions make a meaningful impact. The foundation’s funds, including the Community Investment Fund, Homeless Prevention Endowment Fund and William R. Lathers Foundation Fund, support programs that improve the quality of life for Oceana County residents.

For more information about Mid Michigan Community Action, call or text 231-923-3066 or email contactus@ mmcaa.org.

Hi! We are Drummy & Giblet. We are two sweet girls who are looking for a home of our own where we can snuggle up and snooze the day away. We love pets and attention, but we won’t be up in your business begging for attention. Give us a bed or a couch and a can of filet every day, and we will be the happiest little felines on the planet.

If you would like to adopt Drummy & Giblet, please fill out an application through the OCAF Facebook page: Oceana County Animal Friends or online at: oceanacountyanimalfriends. wordpress.com

Drummy & Giblet

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

• On Jan. 13, 1995, America3 (“America Cubed”), an all-female sailing team, won the first race of the America’s Cup defender trials in little more than a minute. The team was the sport’s first all-women crew to compete in the Cup’s 144-year history.

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STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20241230 FOR RELEASE DEC. 30, 2024

By Lucie Winborne

• On Jan. 14, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Presidential Proclamation No. 2537, requiring non-U.S. citizens from World War II-enemy countries (Italy, Germany and Japan) to register with the United States Department of Justice, after which they were given a Certificate of Identification for Aliens of Enemy Nationality. The Proclamation facilitated the beginning of full-scale Japanese American internment the following month.

• Keep medication bottles to hold buttons, spare change or even hand lotion. Be sure to clean well before reusing.

• “Clean foam egg cartons can be stuffed down into boots to keep them from flopping over between uses. If the leg fabric is not heavy, you can even cut one in half. You may use rolled-up magazines for this purpose as well.” — I.Y. in New York

By JoAnn Derson

• On Jan. 15, 1951, Ilse Koch, known as the “Witch of Buchenwald” for the extraordinary sadism she displayed toward that camp’s prisoners, was sentenced to life in prison for crimes against humanity by a West German court. The sentence was reduced to four years and Koch was released, then imprisoned again with a second life term. She escaped that fate by hanging herself with a bedsheet in 1967.

• On Jan. 16, 1973, the final episode of “Bonanza,” written and directed by Michael Landon, aired on NBC, completing a 14-season run centering on thrice-widowed patriarch Ben Cartwright, his sons, and their adventures on the thousand-square-mile Ponderosa Ranch in Nevada.

• On Jan. 17, 2013, Sergei Filin, the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet, was attacked outside his Moscow home with acid by a masked man later revealed to have been hired by company dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko.

• On Jan. 18, 1862, America’s 10th president, described in his New York Times obituary as “the most unpopular public man that had ever held any office in the United States,” John Tyler died at age 71 in Richmond, Virginia.

• On Jan. 19, 2007, Beijing, China got its first drive-through McDonald’s restaurant, a two-story building next to a gas station that celebrated its christening in a ceremony complete with traditional Chinese lion dancers and, of course, a Chinese Ronald McDonald.

• “Used fabric softener sheets can be used to shine faucets and to clean the tub. I use mine for dusting around the house, too. To keep a steady supply, I put an empty tissue box next to my dryer. When the clothes (and the used sheets) come out, I stuff them down in the box, and they are ready whenever I need one.” — B.J. in Arizona

• A chef’s trick to keep cooked spinach green is to make sure the pot is not covered while cooking.

• “When cooking shrimp in a bouillon, put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes before cooking. They will cook up nice and tender. I have had success with this also when grilling. When putting shrimp on a skewer, I use double skewers, which hold about five shrimp. When I thread the skewers side by side, the shrimp are easier to turn over, and they do not spin on the skewer.” — R.R. in Florida

• To keep cheese blocks moist and mold free, place in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Place a piece of napkin dampened with white vinegar in with the cheese.

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

By Lucie Winborne

• Despite the NFL making more than $9 billion annually, being projected to make more than $25 billion a year by 2027, and paying its CEO more than $30 million a year, 68% of NFL stadium construction costs since 1923 have come from taxpayer money.

• One of Walt Disney’s first art jobs was drawing cartoons for a local barber in exchange for haircuts.

• The Khasis are a tribe in India that grow their own bridges. For generations, they have passed down the art of treeroot manipulation, forming centuriesold “living bridges” out of the powerful roots of Ficus elastica trees.

• Jesse James once gave a widow who housed him enough money to pay off her debt collector and then robbed the debt collector as the man left the widow’s home.

• In 2007, a Swiss woman was unable to enter the U.S. because she had no fingerprints. She had a rare genetic disorder called adermatoglyphia, where a person is born without fingerprints. There are only four known extended families worldwide that are affected by this condition.

• Arnold Schwarzenegger was paid $15 million for his role in “Terminator 2,” which averaged out to a most impressive $21,429 per word.

• Lions, tigers, leopards and other big cats go wild for Calvin Klein’s Obsession for Men cologne! It’s used by researchers to lure animals toward cameras in the wild and is sprayed at zoos and wildlife refuges.

***

Thought for the Day: “There’s no hope without endeavor. Hope has no meaning unless we are prepared to work to realize our hopes and dreams.”

— Aung San Suu Kyi

Pentwater Arts Council and Pentwater Historical Museum receive significant donation to further preserve community arts

Permanent installation to be housed at historical museum

The Pentwater Arts Council and Pentwater Historical Society are pleased to announce that “The Lamplighter,” a 2024-2025 Pentwater Arts Council Sculpture Walk selection, will become a permanent display at the Pentwater Historical Museum, 85 S. Rutledge in Pentwater, where it currently resides.

A generous donation from an anonymous family has made the purchase of this popular sculpture as a gift to the Pentwater Historical Society (PHS) possible. According to PHS President Dick Warner, “The Lamplighter enhances the beauty and interest of the museum’s historic building. Collaborating with the Pentwater Arts Council and other local organizations and businesses is a valued aspect of the Pentwater community and Oceana County.”

Michigan artists Tyler and Ashley Voorhees describe their piece, The Lamplighter, as “a sculpture harkening back to the early days when streets of most towns and cities were lit by gas lamps. By means of long poles, ladders, and even tall bikes, these lamps had to be lit each night as dusk turned to darkness. Lamplighters provided not only light but also safety in their communities. More than just a job, these harbingers of light represent a

way of life: illuminating darkness. We all carry light within us, and The Lamplighter symbolizes a collective connection to spread that light is a reminder of eras past.”

A formal dedication of The Lamplighter at the Pentwater Historical Society Museum will take place in early summer with the date to be announced soon. Follow the websites pentwaterartscouncil.org and pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org for The Lamplighter sculpture dedication

information. To help ensure that the arts and humanities will continue to thrive in Pentwater and Oceana County, donations can be made via these websites.

The Pentwater Historical Society is in the early stages of planning an expansion to the museum, and updating the features of the museum to make it a community resource and destination for both residents and visitors. For more information contact info@ pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org.

West Shore Bank raises over

area nonprofits

West Shore Bank is thrilled to announce the results of the annual Spirit of Giving Fundraiser, which, thanks to the generous contributions of the community, raised over $17,000. These funds will make a significant difference in the lives of individuals, families and pets in Oceana, Muskegon, Mason, Manistee, Benzie and Grand Traverse Counties. This is the 16th year the fundraising campaign has brought hope and support to those in need.

This year’s fundraiser was a testament to the collective spirit of giving, with donations from employees, community members and supportive businesses making the following impact:

• Oceana County: The Hart Branch raised $1,253.33 in donations for the Oceana County Council on Aging to help further promote and safeguard the independence of Oceana County individuals aged 60 or older.

• Muskegon County: $1,083.35 was raised for No More Sidelines, a non-profit whose mission is to empower those ages seven and older with an opportunity to play sports year-round and participate in community events and outings.

• Mason County: Raised $2,918.10 and over 2,500 non-perishable items and canned goods that were collected in-branch and during their Family Fare event on October 24. Donations will benefit Hand2Hand of Mason County, whose mission is to eliminate childhood hunger over weekends and extended school breaks.

• Manistee County: Over 360 food items and $1,257.58 in donations were collected for Blessings in a Backpack; West Shore Bank also donated $500 to Onekama School for its food pantry efforts. Both programs provide meals to school-aged children on the weekends.

• Benzie County: Raised $1,708.33 in donations for the Animal Welfare League of Benzie County to better the lives and well-being of the animals

throughout the community.

• Grand Traverse County: Collected 100 non-perishable items and raised an astounding $9,500 for the TCAPS Student Support Network (SSN) through online and in-person donations, along with providing the Traverse City branches’ community event space to host local businesses and other non-profits in a free meeting and event space in exchange for a donation(s) for SSN. Event space donations helped to raise over $6,000 towards the total.

West Shore Bank continues to make a real difference by supporting our community members through various bank-wide efforts and initiatives. We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support and generosity of our community members. We encourage you to join us in our future initiatives and make a difference in the lives of those in need. For more information on the donations raised from this year’s fundraiser, visit https://www.westshorebank. com/about-us/spirit-of-giving.html.

West Michigan CMH welcomes new Chief Executive Officer

West Michigan Community Mental Health (WMCMH) is pleased to announce the appointment of Julia Rupp as its new Chief Executive Officer. Julia brings a wealth of experience, a strong vision for the future, and a deep commitment to supporting our communities.

With over 30 years of leadership experience in behavioral health and community-focused initiatives, Julia has consistently demonstrated a passion for building collaborative teams and innovative solutions that meet the diverse needs of individuals and families. Her leadership will guide WMCMH as we continue to break the stigma surrounding behavioral health and expand access to essential services across Lake, Mason and Oceana Counties.

Larry Vansickle, Chair of the WMCMH Board of Directors, shared, “The Board is excited to welcome Julia and is confident that she will lead WMCMH in providing excellent services to the citizens of our three counties. Her experience and skills will continue the WMCMH tradition of innovation and excellence for the people and communities we serve.”

Current CEO Lisa Williams reflected on this new chapter for the organization, stating, “It has been an honor to serve as CEO of WMCMH for the past 11 years. I am incredibly proud of all the WMCMH team has accomplished and have full confidence that Julia’s leadership will take the organization to even greater heights. Her vision and dedication will ensure that WMCMH continues to provide hope, healing, and recovery to the people in our communities.”

Julia shared her enthusiasm for this opportunity, stating, “I am honored to be given this opportunity and looking forward to working with the very dynamic and skilled team at WMCMH.” Julia went on to share, “The reputation of West Michigan Community Mental Health as an innovator, both in the state and across the nation, is what attracted me to this position. This is an organization of excellence (that) has embraced the model of CCBHC substantially improving access to behavioral health services, providing comprehensive evidence-based services to all members of their communities and demonstrating positive outcomes through published data benchmarks.”

WMCMH is confident that under Julia’s leadership, the agency will continue to grow and serve as a beacon of hope and support for all those seeking behavioral health services.

Julia Rupp

The Lamplighter

• Contributed photo

Walkerville boys score inaugural win of the year in nail biter

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana

Echo Sports Editor

WALKERVILLE – The 2024-25 boys basketball season hasn’t been too kind to Walkerville, but the Wildcats were able to score their first win of the year in a close 37-35 matchup with Big Rapids Crossroads Academy (BRCA) Wednesday, Jan. 8.

“It felt great today. (Our) kids played hard and so did Crossroads,” Walkerville Head Coach Lee Oomen said. “We’re both young, so that’s good competition for us.”

The Wildcats are an extremely young team, fielding a majority of freshman and eighth grade players. That includes an almost entirely new starting lineup, with the only returner being senior Jordan Oomen.

Jordan is a leader on the court for Walkerville, but Wednesday was a breakthrough night for his younger brother Jaxson Oomen (17 points).

As the score reflects, offense was a tough thing for both sides to get going consistently. After starting the game off with seven unan-

Hart girls use ‘team of ten’ mentality in win over MCC

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HART – For the last two seasons, Hart and MCC have been jockeying for positioning atop the WMC Rivers in girls basketball, with the Pirates getting the better of the Spartans. It seems the Pirates are on a different level than their rival this year, and that was evident in a 58-30 win Friday, Jan. 3.

A lack of presence in the post was a major factor for the Spartans in the loss. The departure of 6-foot-3-inch center Wren Nelson drastically changed the looks that MCC’s offense got, forcing them to play on the outside a bit more

than usual. MCC senior guard Mallory Miller was able to take advantage of that, knocking down a pair of threes in the first quarter.

“It’s weird that we’re playing MCC and I feel like we have the size advantage,” Hart Head Coach Travis Rosema joked.

Hart maintained a 14-12 lead through that first period, but likely could have built a larger advantage, had they had their full lineup available. Sophomore Rilynn Porter and senior Breslyn Porter were not available, leaving the Pirates without two of their best ball handlers.

“We’re a team of 10 and we have girls that can fill (Rilynn and Breslyn’s) role,” Smith said. “We have a feisty defense, so getting steals and transition layups (was big for us).”

Rosema’s squad established a rhythm in the third quarter, using Smith’s ability to get to the basket to extend their lead. With MCC’s Miller face guarding Addi Hovey, Smith was able to notch another eight points in the third, bringing her to 16 on the night.

swered points, Walkerville cooled down completely. That allowed the Cougars to match them, turning the tide in their favor with eight points of their own.

Now trailing to start the second quarter, Walkerville once again got going on a streak of unanswered points. Logan Hill, Jordan Oomen, Anthony Shafer and Jaxson Oomen all got involved, pushing the Wildcats to a 17-9 lead with minutes left in the half. Unfortunately, a string of BRCA possessions saw Walkerville’s defense in poor positioning, leading to a couple of baskets at the rim and three trips to the free throw line.

At halftime, Walkerville maintained a slim lead at 17-15.

Walkerville fought off their own demons in the third quarter, allowing BRCA to get to the free throw line early and often. The Cougars attempted 13 free throws in that eight minute period alone, converting on just three of them.

That allowed the Wildcats enough time to find their own offense. Jaxson added a lone bucket

“I don’t necessarily love having a conference game over the holiday, because you’ve got people on vacation,” Rosema said. “We’re a team of 10 though. We had eight girls who had to step up and we had JV girls who sat on the bench and brought good energy.”

The absence of the Porter sisters, combined with a two week span with no games, forced the Pirates into struggles early. Hart was off balance on defense in the first half, allowing the Spartans to find easy lanes to the basket. MCC was also able to swap between a trio of defensive looks, which led to a rushed attack from Hart that often left the offense looking rushed.

Still, the Pirates carried a 20-18 lead into halftime. That was largely due to the play of sophomore Reese Smith, who carried Hart’s offense with eight points scored in the first 16 minutes.

Several others were also able to pick up critical baskets. Leah Walker, Alayna Schiller and Kelsey Copenhaver all helped

Shelby boys unable to crawl back in loss to Oakridge

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

SHELBY – An early hole proved to be too much for Shelby’s boys basketball team to crawl back out of Tuesday, Jan. 7. The Tigers dropped a non-conference game to Oakridge, 69-43.

It simply wasn’t Shelby’s night on either side of the ball in the first half. Fighting a noticeable size disadvantage against the Eagles, the Tigers struggled to limit scoring in the paint and second chance opportunities. Shelby isn’t an overly tall team when they roll out their typical starting lineup, but Tuesday was even more noticeable with senior Nathan Miller on the bench until the fourth quarter.

Opting for a different look, Head Coach Rick Zoulek walked out a starting five that includ-

ed three guards. Zaiden Harris, Eli Kelly and Leighton Belasco manned the backcourt, with Trevor Weiss and Evan Waller taking over down low.

Turnovers and a lack of rhythm on offense hurt Shelby in the game’s opening quarters. The Tigers managed just 13 points before halftime, trailing Oakridge by 22 points before the third quarter started.

The Tigers heated up on offense in the second half, posting 15 points in each of the final two frames. Unfortunately, the Eagles had their best scoring output in the third quarter, notching 28 points as a team to leave the score at 63-28 entering the final stanza.

For the first time, Shelby was able to outperform Oakridge, holding the Eagles to just six points in the final eight minutes.

HART • HESPERIA • PENTWATER • SHELBY • WALKERVILLE

Hart sophomore Reese Smith goes to the basket for a layup. Smith led all scorers with 20 points in a win over MCC. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hart senior Addi Hovey makes an easy bucket after a fourth quarter steal. Hovey finished the night with nine steals • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Walkerville’s Jaxson Oomen goes high for a transition layup. Oomen led the Wildcats with 17 points in a 37-35 win over Big Rapids Crossroads Academy. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Shelby freshman Leighton Belasco attempts a floater from inside the paint as Oakridge defenders look on. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Shelby Boys

Team of ten

build Hart to a 40-24 lead heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter was dominated by Hovey. On defense, the Hart senior caused disruption for MCC with five steals that turned into eight points in transition. Those eight points were scored in a string of six consecutive baskets from Hovey, leaving her with 11 total in the closing frame.

“Tonight was definitely a different role for me. (MCC) was boxing around me so it made it difficult, but I trust my teammates to score even when I can’t,” Hovey said. “I was able to take over in the second half and get some easy

Wildcats

in the third quarter, but it was Shafer that shined. Shafer added seven total points, including a buzzer beater at the end of the quarter to keep Walkerville ahead 26-22.

Fouling trouble caught up with the Wildcats again in the final quarter. Jordan Oomen reached five fouls and was forced to spectate for a majority of that frame, while BRCA shot another six free throws to bring their final total to 11-for-31 (35 percent) from the line.

“It was brutal… just rough out there today,” Lee Oomen said. “The kids grinded and played hard, but we were a little over aggressive. (BRCA) shot a lot of free throws, but that’s something we can correct and hopefully build on.”

In the end, it was a trio of trips to the free throw line for Jaxson Oomen that ended up being the difference for Walkerville. Jaxson scored the final six points for the Wildcats, allowing them to reclaim the lead after losing it late, and putting them in the win column for the first time.

Walkerville (1-6, 1-5 WMD) was led

Shelby Boys

That wasn’t enough to undo the damage dealt, leading the Tigers to their third loss in the last four games.

Shelby was led in scoring by Harris and Kelley, each of whom scored 11

continued from page 10

buckets. It’s all mental.”

Smith was the Pirate’s leading scorer with 20 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Hovey’s big fourth quarter pushed her to 19 points to go along with nine steals, four rebounds and four assists. Copenhaver and Macy Riley led the team in rebounds with six each.

Hart pushed further ahead in the WMC Rivers with the win, remaining a perfect 3-0 in conference play and keeping themselves a step ahead of Shelby (6-1, 4-1 WMC Rivers). The Pirates also pushed their overall record to 6-1 on the year.

continued from page 10

by Jaxson Oomen’s 17 points. Schafer added nine of his own while Hugh Tanner had four points and Jordan Oomen had three.

opening tip off Wednesday, Jan. 8. • Brendan Samuels/ ECHO

continued from page 10

points. Weiss and Belasco added eight points and five rebounds each.

The Tigers fell to 2-8 overall with the loss, and remained at 2-3 in the WMC Rivers.

The score

Thursday, Jan. 2:

Hesperia 26, Ravenna 58 Hart 47, MCC 51

Friday, Jan. 3:

Shelby 46, Holton 38

Pentwater 82, BRCA 15

Walkerville 9, Mesick 68

Saturday, Jan. 4:

Shelby 34, Grant 76

Monday, Jan. 6:

Hesperia 41, Manistee 54

Tuesday, Jan. 7:

Shelby 43, Oakridge 69 Hart 69, Grant 81

Wednesday, Jan. 8:

Pentwater 55, White Cloud 49

Walkerville 37, BRCA 35

Friday, Jan. 3:

Shelby 41, Holton 29

Hart 58, MCC 30

Hesperia 9, Ravenna 68

Tuesday, Jan. 7:

Shelby 51, North Muskegon 23

Hart 62, Ravenna 42

Hesperia 16, Holton 56

Pentwater 31, Bear Lake 34

Walkerville 26, Baldwin 40

Wednesday, Jan. 8:

Walkerville 8, BRCA 53

Weekly Wraps

Pentwater boys throttle Big Rapids Crossroads Academy

In a matchup that pitted experience against youth, Pentwater’s boys basketball team got the better of Big Rapids Crossroads Academy (BRCA), defeating the Cougars 85-18 Friday, Jan. 3.

A complete team effort saw nine different Falcons score in a dominating showing against the Cougars. Mikey Carlson and Trey Johnson led the way, notching 15 points each off quick rebounds and turning them into transition points. Johnson also recorded a team-high five steals while Carlson had three.

Jonny Arnouts had a full stat sheet, scoring 12 points and dishing nine assists to go along with six rebounds and four steals. Tyler Douglas also scored 12 points, while Wyatt Roberts had nine, including a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range.

The Falcons moved to an 8-1 overall record with the win and sit at 4-1 in the WMD.

Shelby girls dominate North Muskegon

Make it five straight wins for Shelby’s girls basketball team as the Tigers took control in the second half to defeat North Muskegon 51-23, Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Both Shelby and North Muskegon scored 11 points in the first quarter, but everything came up purple and white from that point on. The Tigers notched scoring outputs of 12, 17 and 11 in the final three quarters, holding the Norsemen to just 12 total points over that

same span.

Shelby was led by freshman Jayna Burmeister who recorded a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Michelle Peterson added 11 points and four steals while Kylie Brown pulled in seven rebounds.

The Tigers improved to 6-1 overall with the win and now sit at 4-1 in the WMC Rivers.

Pentwater girls fall short in battle for first place

Pentwater and Bear Lake met for girls basketball action Tuesday, Dec. 7 with the winner claiming the top spot in the WMD conference. The Lakers got the better of the Falcons, walking away with a narrow 34-31 victory.

Bear Lake took control early and held narrow leads of 6-4 at the end of the first quarter, and 18-13 at halftime. Despite clawing back and out scoring their opponent 18-16 in the second half, Pentwater fell just shy of the comeback.

“We only turned the ball over 11 times and won that battle (turnovers) but lost the war (scoreboard),” Pentwater Head Coach Jeff Knapp said. “We talk about being a ‘dawg’ or having grit and our girls displayed that tonight. We missed two layups at the end after forcing turnovers. If we make those we win the battle and the war.”

Leaders for the Falcons were Charlie Swanger with 14 points and seven rebounds and Aubrie Adams with nine points. Mandi Sayles also had eight points.

The Falcons (3-3, 3-1 WMD) now have a 10 day break in action and return to the court next Friday, Jan. 17 in another big WMD contest against undefeated BRCCA.

Shelby Optimists’ Sportsman’s Banquet Raffle Tickets Available

Shelby Optimist Club will once again host its annual Sportsman’s Banquet Wednesday, Jan. 15. While the event is sold out, raffle tickets are still available to the public for the many coveted prizes to be raffled at the event. You need not be present to win.

A limited number of tickets are available for the “Big Gun Raffle,” which features a Browning X-Bolt 2 Hunter .300 Win rifle, donated by Shelby State Bank. The “3-Gun Raffle” tickets will provide ticket holders a chance to win one of three rifles - a Browning bolt action, a Stevens by Savage shotgun, or a Winchester XPR .300, all donated by Wadel Stabilization Inc.

Tickets can be purchased from a

Shelby Optimist Club member, or by visiting N. J. Fox, 40 W. 2nd St., Shelby, during regular business hours. Those interested can also message Shelby Optimist Club through their Facebook page.

Shelby Optimist Club members thank all those who participate in, or otherwise contribute to, the club’s fundraising events. Proceeds provide grants to Oceana County youth causes and organizations, fulfilling the club’s mission as a “friend of youth.” Visit their Facebook page or website (www. shelbyoptimist.com) to learn more about Shelby Optimist Club and its community activities.

Walkerville’s Logan Hill battles with a BRCA opponent for the

Reflections

Reflections of our community

White Lake Mirror White Lake Mirror

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Buttons & Bows celebrates 55th anniversary

Preschool prepares Pre-K students for kindergarten each year

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — Celebrating its 55th anniversary this year, the Buttons and Bows preschool, located at the White Lake Congregational United Church of Christ building on Mears Avenue in Whitehall, is one of only two half-day preschool programs in the White Lake area, according to one of its teachers, Sherri Mikkelson. (The other such school is Good Shepherd, which is located at St. James Lutheran Church in Montague.)

The half-day designation is one Mikkelson and fellow teacher Kim Dubois think is important, as it provides more flexibility for area parents who don’t need a full day care-style preschool for their young children but still want them to be exposed to the school atmosphere prior to attending kindergarten.

“We have a pretty good relationship with some of the Shoreline (Elementary) teachers and some people from Montague, and we’ve heard a lot from them that our kids are very ready to start kindergarten,” Mikkelson said. “(They tell us), ‘We love getting Buttons and Bows kids in our classes because they know how to follow routines and they know how to follow directions.’”

The Buttons and Bows schedule is similar each day - individual time, group time, choice time and clean-up, with an outdoor recess most days - but it is fast-moving, which keeps things

fresh and prevents repetitiveness for either student or teacher. It helps that there are two different groups; a tuition-funded preschool group of threeand four-year-olds attends in the morning, followed by a state-funded Great Start Readiness Program group in the afternoon. Eleven students are enrolled in the latter program, with 23 total in the morning, though due to staggered attendance schedules - preschool kids attend up to three days of the four-day week depending on ageit’s usually around 12 students per day. The different schedule keeps things fresh.

The different schedule keeps things fresh.

“Every day, halfway through the day, we get all new kids in and it’s all that new excitement,” Mikkelson said.

“I really think that is a unique feature that we offer that (most) other schools around don’t.”

“Every day, halfway through the day, we get all new kids in and it’s all that new excitement,” Mikkelson said.

“I really think that is a unique feature that we offer that (most) other schools around don’t.”

“Every day, halfway through the day, we get all new kids in and it’s all that new excitement,” said. “I really think that is a feature that we offer that (most) other schools around don’t.”

Both teachers often see the students adjust rapidly to the schedule, and it’s never clearer than when a student from the three-year-old class returns the next year as a four-year-old.

“They’re comfortable coming in,” Dubois “There’s between even a three- and a four-yearold...We have kids that are starting to write. It might just be mock letters, but they’re learning that it’s a letter and it’s not a number. They’re learning a number is a value of how much, (not) a word. They’re just getting all that in their memory so when they kindergarten, ‘I already remember that,’ or, ‘I can write my name already.’”

“They’re comfortable coming in,” Dubois said. “There’s a difference between even a three- and a four-yearold...We have kids that are starting to write. It might just be mock letters, but they’re learning that it’s a letter and it’s not a number. They’re learning a number is a value of how much, (not) a word. They’re just getting all that in their little memory bank so that when they go to kindergarten, (they think), ‘I already remember that,’ or, ‘I can write my name already.’”

Buttons and Bows, which rents its space White Lake UCC and is not directly affiliated with it, didn’t start out as a preschool. Mikkelson said by the late

Buttons and Bows, which rents its space from the White Lake UCC and is not directly affiliated with it, didn’t start out as a preschool. Mikkelson said it was started in 1969 by the late

Elaine Warner with the intent of being a church-themed day care center. It largely remained that way until Warner left in 1988. Somewhere between then and when Mikkelson and Dubois took over the classroom in 2008 - attempts to find out exactly when or how have been fruitless, they chuckled - the program morphed into a targeted preschool.

Mikkelson and Dubois became the Buttons and Bows teachers one month apart. Mikkelson, whose youngest child had just started all-day school and had spent the previous eight years as a Buttons and Bows board membermost of the board is made up of current students’ parents - happily took over for a previous teacher who was leaving, armed with a social work degree and

Buttons and Bows

Britney Christensen found purpose teaching

Britney Christensen found her purpose teaching

By Madison Lajewski

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

White Lake Mirror Writer

WHITEHALL — Britney Christensen found passion in helping kids, specifically in special education, and continues to affect kids’ lives every day at Whitehall’s Ealy Elementary.

“When I graduated from Reeths-Puffer, I went to Grand Valley State University right away and couldn’t decide what I wanted to do,” Christensen said. “I started meeting with people to figure out what my interests were. One of the counselors asked me to reflect back on times in my life when I was motivated by an adult or some situation. My home life was a little crazy and the thing that kept coming to mind was that there were certain teachers, people within the school system from the time I was a kid to when I graduated, who made my life better. I think that just knowing that people have the potential to do that for kids, I liked the idea of that. I decided special education was the piece of that that I wanted to take on.” Christensen, born and raised in

Muskegon, her first job stomping grounds, Middle School. But her first day go as planned.

Muskegon, got her first job at her old stomping grounds, Reeths-Puffer Middle School. But her first day didn’t go as planned.

“When I first started, I was supposed to be in a resource room,” said Christensen. “On my first day, while I was getting introduced to staff, I found out I was going to be working with the emotionally impaired population. That was the first of many times of having to be flexible and open-minded. I loved it. Those kids were great. I think the kids sometimes underestimate what they can do.”

“When I first started, I posed to in a resource Christensen. “On first day, while was getting introduced to staff, I found out I was going to be working with the emotionally impaired population. That was the first of times of having to be flexible and open-minded. I loved it. Those kids were think the kids sometimes underestimate what they can do.”

Since starting at Reeths-Puffer, Christensen’s career has taken many unexpected twists and turns.

“My now-husband took a little bit longer in college and ended up doing his student teaching in Whitehall,” Christensen said. “He got a job there and there was an opening for a special education teacher at the high school. I interviewed and made that move in 2001. Since then, I had twins in 2002 and then we had budget cuts, which led to me getting moved from the high

school to a general education fifthgrade

school to a general education fifthgrade classroom.”

Christensen is still with Whitehall’s Ealy Elementary, but now teaches fourth grade. She said her career has been interesting in that she has gotten to experience teaching at all grade levels and various age ranges.

“I love ‘morning meetings’ and sharing my message with all of my students,” said Christensen. “We’re able to build a stronger community when we know each other and learn how

A look at the Buttons and Bows preschool classroom. The preschool, located in the White Lake Congregational United Church of Christ, is celebrating its 55th anniversary.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Teachers Sherri Mikkelson (left) and Kim Dubois have led the Buttons and Bows preschool class since 2008. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Ealy Elementary teacher Britney Christensen (center, sitting) spends time with her fourthgrade class. Christensen attended Reeths-Puffer and has been a teacher in the area ever since her first job there.

Courtesy Photo

A look at the Buttons and Bows preschool classroom. The preschool, located in the White Lake Congregational United Church of Christ, is celebrating its 55th anniversary.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Teachers Sherri Mikkelson (left) and Kim Dubois have led the Buttons and Bows preschool class since 2008. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

A look at the Buttons and Bows preschool classroom. The preschool, located in the White Lake Congregational United Church of Christ, is celebrating its 55th anniversary.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Teachers Sherri Mikkelson (left) and Kim Dubois have led the Buttons and Bows preschool class since 2008. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Remains in Rothbury confirmed as Kevin Graves

The Michigan State Police announced on X/Twitter Thursday afternoon, Jan. 2, that remains discovered earlier in the week did in fact belong to Kevin Graves, a 28-year-old man who went missing during the 2018 Electric

Forest festival and was never found. Graves lived in Oakland County.

Graves’ remains were found in a wooded area in Rothbury Monday, Dec. 30, and later investigation uncovered belongings of Graves’ near where the

Buttons and Bows

prior experience working with young kids. Dubois was recommended for the job by Liz Garman, whom she knew a little from their children being in school together. Garman herself taught at Buttons and Bows but moved on to be a Baker College instructor, teaching future teachers. Dubois always intended to be a teacher growing up, obtaining a teaching degree from Central Michigan University, but was a stay-athome parent for a while until teaching at Whitehall District Schools.

The two have been joined at the hip professionally ever since and are now close friends as well. They enjoy getting to know the families whose kids attend the school as well as the kids themselves. Some family relationships can last close to a decade if, like Mikkelson, parents have several kids who come through the program.

“We both have four kids,” Dubois said. “(Sherri) is a first-time grandma, and I have nine grandkids. You treat these kids like you want your kids, or your grandkids, to be treated. I think that is definitely a plus. I hope that’s why we’re still around, is that we care about them, not just academically, but also their social and mental (development).”

The duo works with the Muskegon Intermediate School District to develop a curriculum for its GSRP class,

Students’ handprints are shown on a cabinet in the Buttons and Bows classroom. Hands-on learning is a focus at the preschool, which is open to students of prekindergarten age.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

which prepares students for kindergarten - a different beast now, Dubois said, than it once was.

“I think even now, parents don’t realize what kindergarten actually is,” Dubois said. “It’s all day, obviously, but they come in and they’re tested. ‘What letters, do you know? What numbers do you know? How far can you count?’ (At their age), you didn’t do that, or you did that maybe at the end (of the year).”

In the time Mikkelson and Dubois have run the classroom, they said, they’ve never had concerns a class wouldn’t be big enough, though in

Britney Christensen

to work together. I also love ‘Explore & Do’ (which focuses on science and social studies), when we can do things for our school and our Whitehall community. I enjoy being outside with students and our native plants while we get our hands dirty and connect to the earth. I like seeing my students sharing that same space with me. We learn a lot about each other and the outdoors. Again, it’s all about the experiences we get to have together.”

Christensen takes to heart the

fact that she knows she could have a strong impact on her students’ lives, something that motivates her passion for teaching.

“I love my job because I enjoy working with students and watching them grow into amazing human beings,” Christensen said. “It’s fun to see everyone discover new things about themselves; what they can do that they didn’t believe they could do before.”

remains were found.

MSP said officials from Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine were able to positively identify Graves through dental records and thanked the school for

its assistance.

MSP further said that a cause of death has not yet been determined “and may take several months” to learn. However, foul play is not considered a factor at this time.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

recent years a smaller population of kids in general has led to a slight numbers dip throughout the county. The two said the only time they were ever concerned a shortage might occur was in the fall of 2020 as schools returned to in-person instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but instead they had an even larger group of students than normal, even briefly hiring a third person to help keep the classroom running smoothly.

The hope is that Buttons and Bows will continue for years to come. It will

always be half-day - Mikkelson said there would be all sorts of regulatory hurdles to going to full-day - and kids will keep learning as long as the school is there.

“I think it’s pretty exciting that we’re still here,” Dubois said. “It’s not easy being in a business, however you want to call it, but just being a part of the community (for this long). Word of mouth is the big way we get many children. People know the name and they know the quality and they know the care.”

The Buttons and Bows playground, where GSRP students have an outdoor recess period each day, weather permitting.

Saturday, Jan. 11

SmittyVision performs @ North Grove Brewers, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 12

Third Coast Swing performs @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 10:30 a.m.

Monday, Jan. 13

All are welcome to the monthly Cookbook Gathering @ White Lake Community Library, 5:30 p.m. Par-

ticipants cook a recipe fitting each month’s theme - this month’s is citrus - and bring a sample to share and a copy of the recipe for discussion. Please bring your own table service and a dish with a lid for leftovers.

Tuesday, Jan. 14

Family Storytime @ MADL Montague branch, 11:15 a.m. For kids ages 0-5 and their caregivers.

Pick Your Own Book Club meets @ White Lake Community Library, 5:30 p.m. This month’s topic is books with titles beginning with X, Y or Z.

Wednesday, Jan. 15

Join Wiley Fry and the Montague Commoners to learn about the process of making your own maple syrup, including tapping trees. The process also creates useful biochar. The

Echoes of History: Citizens - J. L. Steffee Community Calendar

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor

Joseph Lewis Steffee was born in Baltimore, Maryland March 17, 1856. He came to Michigan in February 1882. He married Rose Belle Steffee of Ohio Nov. 11, 1882 in Pipestone, MI. Her brother, Rev. J. W. Steffee, officiated at the wedding. They had five children during their marriage: Elizabeth Belle (1885-1959), Catherine (1887-1937), Harry Shipley (1892-1943), Cordelia “Delia” (1895-1969) and Joseph Lewis II (1901-1964).

Steffee, along with Israel Erickson and his brother Peter of Sweden, formed the Erickson, Steffee & Co. planing mill in 1891. It was the last mill built on White Lake and was located on River Street across from the current Chamber of Commerce depot building in Whitehall. Although Israel and Peter Erickson and Joseph L. Steffee’s names were on the building, the chief investor was Mark Covell.

Israel Erickson had come to this country from Sweden in 1870. In 1873, he was employed by Covell & Ocobock Co until the Erickson & Steffee Co. was organized. He remained one of the partners until his death in December 1914. His brother Peter came in 1875 and worked for several different mills as well as the Erickson & Steffee Co.

In January 1904, after over 10 years in business as a simple partnership, the company reorganized. The stockholders in the new company were Israel and Peter Erickson, Joseph Stef-

fee, Mark B.Covell, P. H. Fitzgerald and C. E. Covell. Officers were M. B. Covell, President; Joseph Steffee, Vice President; and P. H. Fitzgerald, Secretary-Treasurer.

In May 1924, after 33 years of business in the village of Whitehall, it was announced that Erickson-Steffee Co. was no more. The company’s real estate, planing mill, coal and lumber yards were sold to the Lyman T. Covell Co. The new owners combined the businesses but elected not to operate the planing mill.

Steffee was Vice President of the Erickson, Steffee & Co. and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a member for over 20 years. He was twice president of Whitehall, twice township treasurer and was repeatedly honored with minor offices. He died in January 1904. His wife Rose died at her daughter Delia’s home in Port Huron in 1936. They are both buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Daughter Elizabeth graduated from Whitehall High School. She worked as a saleswoman in a local dry goods store for a time. She never married and died in Traverse City Jan. 8, 1959. She is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Daughter Catherine Irene attended Whitehall High School. She married Charles A. Spellman in 1907 and they had a daughter, Lolita. They would later divorce and she would marry twice more. Catherine died in Grand Rapids in 1937 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery along with her first husband

event begins at 6 p.m. @ the White Lake Community Library. Thursday, Jan. 16

Original Dulcimer Players Club acoustic jam @ VAC, 1-6 p.m. Break at 3 p.m. All are welcome to listen, and other acoustic instruments are welcome to join in the jam.

in the Steffee family plot.

Son Harry Shipley Steffee married Greta Clifford in Kalamazoo in 1914. They had three children. He worked in the automotive industry for Ford Motor Co. and later at the Dodge main plant. He died in 1943 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Birmingham, MI.

Daughter Cordelia A. “Delia” graduated from Whitehall High School 1913 and became a teacher. She was teaching at North Muskegon when she married Fred R. Sherman Dec. 20, 1919.

He was employed at Continental in Muskegon, where they first made their home. They had no children. Later they moved to Port Huron, where she died in 1969. They are both buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Montague.

Son Joseph Lewis Steffee III graduated from Whitehall High School in 1919. He married Elizabeth Canham in Detroit in 1923 and they had a daughter. He died in Niles, MI Jan. 5, 1964 and is buried in Rice Cemetery in Hillsdale County.

Celebrate Martin Luther King day at the library

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

January 20 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and it’s also the first day of the annual January Series. Join us at the library at 12:30 for a thought-provoking lecture by Jonathan Eig, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of King: A Life. Jonathan will explore Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy as a leader, thinker, and strategist, drawing parallels to contemporary social justice issues.

campus, live-streamed at the library or another remote viewing site, or even by watching from the comfort of home. Other highlights of this year’s series include:

Come back each weekday through Jan. 31 to enjoy another January Series presentation. This award-winning lecture series from Calvin University brings together thought leaders and inspiring voices from around the globe to share their stories with you. It is offered to the public free of charge, whether in person on the university

Todd Komarnicki (Tuesday, Jan. 21): Screenwriter of Sully and producer/director of Bonhoeffer. Todd will share stories of bravery and moral complexity from his films, including Elf and Sully.

John Inazu (Wednesday, Jan. 22): First Amendment scholar and founder of The Carver Project. John will lead a conversation on learning to disagree while fostering empathy and understanding respectfully.

Peter Sagal (Monday, Jan. 27): Host of NPR’s Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me. Peter will take a humorous look at his 25-year career and share stories of interviews with notable figures.

Join us for this inspiring series that will challenge and encourage audiences to think critically about the world around them. For more information on speakers and events, visit the January Series website calvin.edu/ january or contact the Calvin Univer-

sity Events Office at (616) 526–7045. FUN FACTS: Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr. started college at age 15, was jailed 29 times in his short life (mostly for civil disobedience, but once for driving 30 in a 25 mph zone) and was a huge fan of Star Trek? Learn more by borrowing an MLK Jr. biography from the library! Creativebug Has Moved! Access to Creativebug for White Lake Community Library cardholders is now on hoopla! Unleash your inner artist with the Creativebug BingePass, available through hoopla. Get seven days of unlimited access to thousands of arts and crafts classes taught by top experts. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, there’s something for everyone. Just visit hoopladigital.com and search for creativebug. Questions? Give us a call at 231-894-9531.

Silent Book Club Begins Jan. 27

We’re trying something new! Adults are invited to escape the winter chill and unwind with a relaxing evening of silent reading at our Silent Book Club. Join us from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each

month. This is your chance to set down the cares of the day and indulge in some quiet, quality reading time. Wear your comfiest clothes and bring a book of your choosing, or come early to pick one from our shelves. Settle down in our inviting reading room with the fireplace aglow, and enjoy complimentary coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Blankets are welcome! We’ll read silently from 5:30-6:30, followed by an optional 15 minutes of socializing to chat about your latest reads, if you’d like. Take this hour for yourself this winter and lose yourself in the magic of a good book!

The Steffee family is shown circa 1900: Rose & Joseph Steffee surrounded by four of their five children. left to right in the back row are Elizabeth, Catherine and Harry, and Cordelia is in the front row. • Courtesy Photo

Lake Mirror Lake Mirror

NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE community

Koehler sizzles for Vikings in win over R-P

Senior forward goes 10-of-12, scores 24 points in victory

By Andy Roberts

White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — It’s never been news to the area that Whitehall senior forward Kal Koehler can shoot the ball. However, Tuesday night saw Koehler aggressively hunt his shot in a way he rarely does, and the results were remarkable in a 66-43 Vikings’ victory over Reeths-Puffer.

Koehler led all players with 24 points, shooting a remarkable 10-of-12 from the field and 4-of-5 from threepoint distance.

“Once he gets going like that, it’s dangerous,” Whitehall coach Christian Subdon said. “He’s a phenomenal player. He can go get it from anywhere. He can move inside in the post. You saw a great spin move for the finish. He stepped outside, they cut him off and then he pulled up for two. He can really do it all.”

Koehler started early, scoring 10 first-quarter points and making a pair of treys. That outburst effectively stalemated an outstanding opening quarter from R-P’s Marvin Moore, who poured in 11 points in the first eight minutesthe last two on a buzzer-beating jumper - to almost single-handedly keep the Rockets in the game. Whitehall led 2016 at that point.

Neither Koehler nor Moore scored

Whitehall’s Kal Koehler lines up a threepointer over Reeths-Puffer’s Drew Brooks during Tuesday’s game at R-P.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

in the second quarter as both defenses performed better, but Koehler picked up where he left off in the second half, with seven points in each of the final two frames. His shots were flawless, rarely even touching the rim.

Koehler said Subdon challenged him to exploit a mismatch the Viking coaches thought they had against the R-P defense, which was all the motivation he needed to be aggressive on offense.

“I just really looked for (that mismatch), and I was just looking for my shot really aggressively,” Koehler said. “I wanted to help our team out and come out with a W tonight.”

The Viking defense locked down R-P in the second quarter, allowing only five points to extend their lead to 12 at halftime, 33-21. The Rockets

made a brief push back in the third quarter, taking advantage of a couple of uncharacteristic giveaways and Camden Thompson’s brief absence from the game due to foul trouble, but Whitehall quickly answered and put the game away early in the fourth quarter.

“That pressure they were giving us, they were giving it to us all game, and we just folded in that third quarter,” Koehler said. “(Coach) told us to step it up and that’s what we did.”

R-P coach J.R. Wallace said his team got away from its offensive game plan after a strong early start, letting

the Whitehall 3-2 zone fluster it into poor decisions.

“I know that Cam Thompson is a big fellow up top and that is intimidating, but we got away from our game plan as far as pass-making and shot-faking on the arc and making them move with pass fakes,” Wallace said.

Thompson did his usual stat-stuffing, with 19 points, 16 rebounds and six assists. He and Corde Anderson (who had 11 points and seven boards himself) also combined for five blocked

Hoops win continued on page 5

Vikings roll up win against Benzie Central

Third time’s a charm for scheduled dual match

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — Despite a game effort by another batch of snow Wednesday night, Whitehall’s twice-rescheduled dual match against Benzie Central did go off as planned, and the Vikings rode some impressive pins and several forfeits to a 65-12 victory.

The match was originally supposed to be the season-opening Assembly Dual in December, but it was twice wiped out by snow. The Vikings were able to reschedule a planned West Michigan Conference quad meet for Thursday to accommodate Benzie Central, though since it occurred at 5 p.m., the match did not take place in front of a packed crowd of students as originally hoped.

“They wanted to wrestle us in the Assembly Dual,” Whitehall coach Justin Zeerip said. “I just wanted to wrestle them. They have a good program. They obviously had some holes (in their lineup) tonight, but they made it to the (Division 4) team semifinals last year, so I thought they’d be a good quality opponent. It’s good to see some kids from other areas of the state.”

Whitehall bounced back well after

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

a stunning opening loss in the dual. At 106 pounds, Viking freshman Tommy Leeke led 14-0, a juncture which is almost always followed by the final point being scored to earn a technical fall. However, Benzie Central foe David Wenkel turned the tables on Leeke and stunningly pinned him.

Zeerip said Leeke just got caught in a bad position and said it was something the young wrestler will be able to learn from.

“I know he’ll learn from it and it’s going to help him in the long run,” Zeerip said. “It’s just a tough lesson in the short term.”

From there, though, the Vikings dominated. First came a pair of forfeit

wins, then a couple of close decision wins by Cody Manzo and Max Krukowski. The Vikings earned another forfeit, then Caden Varela and Colton Kyser earned consecutive pins.

Kyser, at 150, has joined the wrestling team after previously playing basketball, and Zeerip has been impressed with him despite his lack of experience.

Whitehall took a second loss at 165, but rolled in the rest of the dual, with Parker Mott scoring a dominant tech-

nical fall and Gavin Craner and Wyatt Jenkins earning their usual pins. Mott, who is coming off a broken leg during football season and hadn’t wrestled since his freshman year, has been another good addition to the room, Zeerip said, and Craner and Jenkins give the coaches an enviable pair at the top of the lineup.

Whitehall’s Gavin Craner (left) takes down Benzie Central’s Lane Sanchez during Wednesday’s dual at Whitehall. Craner scored another pin victory as Whitehall won, 6512. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall’s Kal Koehler defends a drive by Reeths-Puffer’s Brayden Mitchelson during Tuesday’s game at R-P. Koehler had 24 points in a 66-43 Whitehall win.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall’s Cody Manzo escapes a hold by Benzie Central’s Ben DeRidder during Wednesday’s dual match at Whitehall.

Montague wins Ravenna Invite

By Andy Roberts

Lake Mirror Editor

Montague came away with what coach Kris Maddox termed an unexpected championship Saturday at the Ravenna Invitational, scoring 205 points to edge Kent City by six.

“I didn’t think we were in the position to fight for one this year, but the kids are starting to buy into our program and grow from the lessons we are learning,” Maddox said. “It will be exciting to see what this group of kids can accomplish over the next few years. The potential is there if they want to put the work in.”

Whitehall and Reeths-Puffer sent partial rosters to the meet, and the Vikings finished fourth with the Rockets in seventh.

Montague had six wrestlers reach the finals in their weight classes, with three champions: Kaiden Jeffery (144 pounds), Fletcher Thommen (150) and Malachi Plunkett (175).

Jeffery eked out an overtime win over Kent City’s Jayden Loomis-Sandison in the finals to cap his day, which also included a pin, a technical fall and a major decision. Thommen scored two pins and a major decision to win the title, and Plunkett dominated with

three wins by pin and one by technical fall. Maddox added that he loved watching Plunkett celebrate with his dad, who turned 50 that day.

“You know it’s a moment they will share and remember for years to come,” Maddox said.

Taking second place were Brock Hunter (120), Maverick Osborne (285) and Isaac French (190). Michael Jones added a third-place finish at 157.

“It was a complete team effort today and each wrestler contributed to our championship,” Maddox said. “I am extremely proud of our effort and attitude...There were a lot of tough matchups and wins that were won by our effort and grit.”

Colton Kyser led the Viking B teamers with a second-place finish at 150. Whitehall third-place finishers were Pablo Lugo (175), Jason Sheaffer (132), Robert Belinger (106) and Isaac O’Boyle (113).

Reeths-Puffer’s B team had three finalists. Micah Mills took first place at 106, scoring a technical fall and a pin, and Clay Rozycki (113) and Marcus Moore (126) each finished second.

Also for Montague, Anthony Hayt finished second in the 215-pound B bracket.

Pelton, Sapp win girls titles at Grand Haven

Montague sent its full roster of four girls to the mat for the first time at Saturday’s Grand Haven tournament, as Reid Thommen made her Wildcats debut and joined her three teammates. Montague finished sixth of the 26 schools to compete.

Thommen earned her first win of the season, but the highlight of the day was Ava Pelton securing her third championship of the year in the 145-pound bracket. Pelton dominated her bracket, scoring three straight pins after a first-round technical fall.

Taylor Moore added a second-place finish for Montague at 235, scoring two pins. Coach Kris Maddox said Moore held a 10-2 lead in her finals match before rolling her ankle, and she was pinned as a result. Zaniya Meza finished fourth at 105.

Whitehall only had two wrestlers at the meet, but both reached the finals. Kassie Sapp won the championship at 120, pinning all four of her opponents, and Miley Manzo took second place at 110, scoring a pin and a decision.

Sidney Shackelford was Reeths-Puffer’s lone wrestler, and she took fourth at 155.

continued from page 4

Sports in Brief

Boys Basketball

Traverse City West 68 Reeths-Puffer 63

The Rockets surrendered an 11-point halftime lead in the loss. Brayden Mitchelson scored 27 points for R-P and Marvin Moore had 21.

Montague 71 Newaygo 42

The Wildcats exploded out of the gate and had their best game of the year, snapping a 6-game losing streak. Cortland Schneider led the team with 21 points and Cole Herremans added 13.

Girls Basketball

Montague

and Avah Vandermeulen had 10. Whitehall 60 Oakridge 39

Lexi Daggett led 3 Vikings in double figures in scoring in an impressive WMC Lakes win. Daggett had 18 points, with Sidney Shepherd scoring 17 and Clare Westerlund chipping in 10.

Ludington 44 Montague 36

shots, keeping R-P away from the hoop.

Subdon said the Vikings refocused their defensive efforts on Moore, who ended the night with 18 points, after his terrific opening quarter. Relentless double-teams helped limit the junior star the rest of the way, and Wallace said he thought fatigue from fighting through that defense also was a factor in Moore being unable to keep up his blistering first-quarter pace.

Wallace said the Whitehall game was deliberately scheduled for this week with another area battle, against Mona Shores, on deck. He’s hopeful his team learned to bring the energy the Vikings brought to R-P when the Rockets go on the road for that rivalry battle.

“There were a lot of 50/50 balls that we didn’t get,” Wallace said. “There were a lot of box-outs that we didn’t make. Watching the film, learning from it, and then knowing that and sharing that, ‘Now you’re on the road, and now we’ve got to bring the energy that Whitehall did to us. We’ve got to take that across town.’”

The Wildcats struggled with turnovers down the stretch of a close loss. Braylyn Bultema scored 16 points for Montague. Whitehall 37 Manistee 27

The Vikings won a defensive battle with team-wide effort on that end of the court. Lexi Daggett led the offense with 19 points.

Reeths-Puffer

Wrestling

Cheer

R-P wins Cedar Springs Rumble

The Rockets scored 711.6 points to top all competitors. Three other teams scored at least 700 points in a close race. R-P led all teams in scoring in round 2, with 209.6 points, and was a close second in the other two.

Bowling

“It gives you a lot of flexibility and allows you to get matchups that can help you win the dual,” Zeerip said of Craner and Jenkins. “Having those two guys up there helps a lot just because those two guys are really, really good and they’re ranked really

high in the state.”

Once the varsity match was complete, since it took less than 90 minutes, the two teams agreed to wrestle several B team matches to get more athletes some work. Zeerip said he was pleased in particular with a victory by Robert Belinger in one of those matches.

The Vikes had a couple of early stumbles that sent them back several spots in the MichiganGrappler team rankings, but Zeerip is unconcerned with those. In any case, Whitehall, ranked No. 7 at

“Those guys would finish in the top half of our league, I believe,” Subdon said. “They’re a good team. They’ve been improving every second and continuing to be better every week.”

Subdon said scheduling the Rockets fit with his program’s ethos of challenging itself and noted R-P’s rapid improvement from early in the season.

continued from page 4

the time, earned a big-time win over No. 6 Lakewood at Grandville in December to flip spots with them in the most recent rankings.

“The big thing is where you get seeded at the team state tournament,” Zeerip said. “We try to challenge our guys with a tough schedule so we can get a seed that would help us and benefit us...We still have a little bit of season left here where we can keep moving up.”

Reeths-Puffer defeats Caledonia

The Rocket boys team won 18.5-11.5, and the girls won 18-12. Quinn Alderink and Ella Mattson each rolled a 202 to lead their respective teams, and Liam Copenhaver bowled a 201.

Montague boys roll past Ludington

The Wildcats dominated the boys match, 25-5, scoring all 10 Baker points. Matthew Leatherman scored a 191 and a 189, and Ethan Hite and Logan Hunter each won 2 individual matches. Jordyn Tolan scored a 150 and won 2 individual matches in the girls’ match, a 1614 loss. Whitehall splits matches with Ravenna

The Viking boys won their match 22-8, propelled by Max Schneider’s high game of 218. Jeffrey Hackey bowled a 163. Delaney Kramer rolled a 150 as the Viking girls lost their match, 25-5.

Whitehall teams fall to Oakridge

The Eagles decisively beat the Vikings in both matches, winning 28-2 in the boys’ match and 26-4 on the girls’ side. Felicity Dingman had the girls’ high game, a 157, and Max Schneider’s 200 led the boys’ team. West Ottawa 4 Reeths-Puffer 2

Hockey

Caledonia 3 Reeths-Puffer 1

Eli Cuti scored the Rockets’ lone goal in the game, assisted by Ayden Hartzell and Hayden Taylor.

Reeths-Puffer 5 G.R. Catholic Central 3 R-P ended a 3-game winless streak with an impressive win. Hayden Taylor scored 2 goals, and Eli Cuti had a goal and an assist. Huck VanDyke made 19 saves in goal.

Montague 2nd, Whitehall 5th at MCC Jamboree

scored 634.26 points, 60 behind champion Hart. Montague’s best round was round three, in which it scored 276.5 points, 5.4 behind Hart. Whitehall had 597.22 points, placing 5th.

Montague 2-0 at Orchard View Quad

The Wildcats picked up lopsided wins over Mason County Central and Orchard View. Eight Wildcats went 2-0: Zaniya Meza, Tony Garcia, Alex Breed, Toby Heykoop, Kaiden Jeffery, Fletcher Thommen, Issac French and Maverick Osborne.

White

Montague’s wrestling team celebrates winning the championship at Saturday’s Ravenna Invitational. The Wildcats edged Kent City by six points for the top spot. • Courtesy Photo

Whitehall’s Camden Thompson blocks a shot by Reeths-Puffer’s Drew Brooks during Tuesday’s game at R-P. Thompson had 19 points and 16 rebounds in the Vikings’ 66-43 win. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Jenkins

Rockets storm back late for win over Caledonia

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — The young Reeths-Puffer team is growing rapidly, and the Rockets displayed how much better they’re getting Friday night, playing with confidence and making several big plays late in a 52-43 win over Caledonia to open O-K Green Conference play.

And they may owe at least a little of their success to a 20th-century book.

R-P (2-5, 0-1 O-K Green) played with visible confidence throughout, particularly junior Marvin Moore, who took on primary ballhandling duties and scored a game-high 25 points. Moore was one of the team’s most experienced players entering the season, but due to the presence of stars Jaxson Whitaker and Travis Ambrose had not had many chances to lead the offense in years past. However, Friday night he looked like a player who’d been in control of his team for years.

Teammate Elliot Schneider said the team recently read the 1989 book Who Moved My Cheese?, a bestselling novel about characters who adjust to change around them, and Moore was inspired by the book.

“Last year, he didn’t talk,” Schneider said of Moore. “It really ran through Jaxson and Travis. This year, a lot’s being put on Marvin’s shoulders. I feel like confidence is coming through him, because he’s willing to change in practice. He’s willing to take on more and more, and he’s willing to talk more.”

Moore didn’t mention any literary inspiration but said his confidence has come through work and earning the trust of his teammates.

“All the hours in the gym and all

Reeths-Puffer’s Kristian Brown works against defense from Caledonia’s Lincoln Senti during Friday’s O-K Green game at R-P. The Rockets won, 52-43. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

the trust my teammates have in me,” Moore said. “Once I have their trust and they trust me to shoot, I’m going to do my best to do everything for them.”

R-P trailed 38-36 after three quarters and dominated the final quarter, outscoring the Scots 16-5 in that span. The Rockets were able to get to the basket repeatedly down the stretch, doing so off inbounds plays, on fast breaks and in the half-court offense.

“The guys have been working hard,” R-P coach J.R. Wallace said. “They’re doing a good job. It helps to get the victories, then you see the stuff that you’ve been working on come to fruition.”

The Rockets fell behind early, but did a fine job keeping up with the early surge by Caledonia and took a slight lead late in the second quarter on a three-pointer by Zayden Schneider. Both teams had lengthy scoring droughts to end the first half, and the Rockets took a 23-21 lead into half-

Reeths-Puffer’s Marvin

gets through traffic to get up a

time. Caledonia had a 10-0 run in the third quarter to grab the lead back, but as it turned out, it was only a preamble for R-P’s overpowering finish.

Elliot Schneider opened the outburst by scoring an and-one basket to start the fourth quarter, and contributed two more buckets to the run later, one on a breakaway thanks to a great pass from Brayden Mitchelson and another off an inbounds pass. Those were his only three baskets of the game, but it was a great sign for an R-P offense that’s been heavily reliant on Moore and Mitchelson (who had 18 points himself) to date.

Wallace said he was very pleased with his team’s effort, especially on the defensive end, calling it the Rockets’ best work yet on that side of the court.

“They say that teams take on the characteristics of the coach, and I have a lot of swagger, so hopefully, that’s rubbing off on them a little bit,”

Wallace grinned. “Boxing out, running the floor hard, communicating on defense, those transferable skills that translate into the game of basketball.

“You can teach a lot of guys to do offense, but defense maintains energy, effort and focus. If you’re focused and you bring the energy and you put forth the effort, then you can defend. You don’t have to be a great five-star player to defend.”

Elliot Schneider gave credit to Wallace for building an emphasis on defense and said the team has done a lot more running in practice under its first-year coach, which has helped with endurance.

“This year we’re sprinting up and down the court hundreds of times a practice, usually more,” Schneider said, adding the team has bought in to that extra work. “It’s a lot more amped up because Coach expects a lot out of us.”

R-P offense sputters in league opening defeat

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer could never get its offense figured out Friday night in an O-K Green Conference opener against Caledonia, and the Rockets dropped a 59-29 decision to the Scots.

The offensive struggles have been unsurprising given the team’s lack of experience, but coach Rodney Walker said the team needs to perform better on defense, where the path to success through sheer energy and effort is more navigable, to make up for it.

“We just didn’t do a good job of stopping them from getting to the basket and limiting them to one possession,” Walker said. “A lot of those things that we’re trying to clean up (are) realizing that it’s a collective effort to rebound, and it’s a collective effort to play defense.

“Our effort has to improve. We have to be able to match energy on the defensive side of the floor. We cannot win games without matching that energy. “

The Rockets (2-7, 0-1 O-K Green) did have a good stretch of defensive play early in the second quarter, holding the Scots to two points for the first four minutes after falling behind 15-4 to open the game. Unfortunately, R-P was unable to make much progress against the deficit in that time, and the Scots’ Emily Stauffer scored a threepoint play to spark a good finish to the

Reeths-Puffer’s Chloe Brainard drives to the basket against Caledonia’s Emily Stauffer during Friday’s game at R-P. Caledonia won, 59-29. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

second quarter for Caledonia. The visitors ripped off 12 more points in the final 3:22 of the half - fueled by a couple of turnovers the Rockets committed while attempting to inbound the ball - and led 32-13 at halftime.

Caledonia threw an aggressive press defense against R-P’s young guards and had some success. What Walker is looking most for from his team on offense, though, is a lack of fear of mistakes. He felt R-P passed up some makeable shots during the game and was too eager to pass the ball.

“We’re passing up shots when we have an open opportunity to make shots,” Walker said. “Those different things, you’ve got to definitely try to improve, and just build up the con-

Reeths-Puffer’s Ashlyn David tries to get to the basket against Caledonia defenders Kayla Drisend (2) and Baylee DeVries during Friday’s game at R-P. David had a team-high eight points in the Rockets’ 59-29 defeat. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

fidence in our kids to be able to take those opportunities...If you make a turnover, it’s OK. If you miss a shot, it’s OK. We’re not going to be perfect in this game.”

Freshman Raquel Walker, the coach’s daughter, certainly played like the most confident Rocket in the game, making aggressive moves to the basket at times and using her speed and athleticism to be the center of the R-P defense. She struggled to score, but coach Walker isn’t surprised that the adjustment to varsity play hasn’t always been smooth for her.

“I think that she’s growing,” coach Walker said. “It’s just taking a little

time for her to get there. Eventually, I think she will get there but you know there’s some things, some mistakes, that she really has to clean up.”

Walker said dealing with the errors that are expected from a largely new varsity lineup is the biggest key to his team’s success the rest of the season.

“When you lose, you learn,” Walker said. “One of the things that we were just trying to do here in the locker room at our end-of-the-game speech is that part of it. Learning how to keep your head up and moving forward through those mistakes. That’s part of the lessons that we’re trying to teach right now.”

Moore

shot during Friday’s O-K Green game against Caledonia. Moore had a game-high 25 points in the Rockets’ 52-43 win. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Police activity this week

Behind the Badge

Whitehall Police Report

Dec. 31

At 9:33 a.m. Whitehall Police were dispatched to the 200 block of Main St. on a report of a dispute between a mother and son. The police report noted everyone seemed calm on his arrival. The officer was told by the 27-year-old he had a recent breakup with a girlfriend and was upset about that. That led to a verbal argument with his mother, who called the police. The son said he went outside for a minute to calm down. There was no assault and no further action was taken.

Jan. 1

A person checking a residence in the

900 block of Livingston St. called when the back door was found open. Officers responded to the 5:50 p.m. call and checked the house, but there was no evidence of any criminal activity or breakin. The complainant allowed he might not have closed the door completely the last time he was there. No further action was taken.

Jan. 3

The on-duty officer investigated an anonymous tip received about teens drinking alcohol. A photo was submitted online around 9:45 p.m. showing the teens holding brown bottles. During the investigation both teens were identified and accounted for. It also appeared it was an old photo and did not warrant further police investigation.

Jan. 4

Whitehall Police were dispatched to the 500 block of Hanson St. to check the well-being of a resident there. Family members called about 9 p.m. after not being able to contact their mother that day. The officer located the resident and found her well. The resident then told the officer there was money missing from a drawer. The officer took a theft report but later was informed that the

coins were found in the house.

A driver that avoided a collision with a police car did get a ride in that police car. According to the police report, the officer was driving south on Mears Avenue when a vehicle came off Spring Street and caused the officer to brake to avoid a collision. The officer later stopped the vehicle in the 1300 block of Colby St. During the 12:02 a.m. stop the officer noted the odor of intoxicants. When asked how much they had to drink, the driver replied, “I didn’t keep track.” After sobriety testing, the 54-year-old was arrested for OWI. The passenger was unable to drive and arrangements were for a ride before the officer took the suspect to the Muskegon County jail. There, the Fruitland Township man provided a breath sample that was more than twice the legal limit. The driver was then lodged at the jail for OWI High BAC.

Jan. 6

The SRO was called to the middle school Jan. 7 after the principal caught a 13-year-old with a vape device on the 6th. The principal had received a tip about the vape and found it in the student’s locker. After speaking with the

student, the officer cited him for possessing the vape.

Jan. 7

Whitehall Police were dispatched with White Lake Fire to the 500 block of Alice St. on a house fire. A neighbor noticed smoke coming out the roof and eaves of the home and first called the non-emergency number before being instructed to call 911. There was no one home at the time of the 4:10 p.m. fire and a pet was removed from the home. Firefighters quickly suppressed the fire before the owner returned home and his pet was returned to him.

Jan. 8

At 12:20 a.m. Whitehall officers were dispatched to the 1100 block of Colby St. when a caller reported smoke alarms and smoke in one of the apartment buildings. When officers arrived, the grease fire had been extinguished by the resident, but there was still smoke in the air. White Lake Fire officers arrived shortly after and assisted in cleanup and exhausting the smoke.

White Lake Congregational UCC hosting pair of events

White Lake Congregational UCC will host the Feeding America-West Michigan Mobile Food Pantry Saturday, Jan. 18. Registration for the drivethrough style event starts at 8:30 a.m. No ID is necessary. Food distribution

is set for 10-11 a.m. in the church parking lot, 1809 S. Mears Ave. in Whitehall. The Mobile Food Pantry provides wholesome supplemental groceries for neighbors experiencing food insecurity at no cost. For updates and more

information, visit Facebook.com/ UCCthebikepath.

The Congregational UCC will host another event Tuesday, Jan. 21 as the Red Cross comes in for a blood drive from 12-5 p.m.

The Red Cross urges people able to donate to consider blood donation at this time to prevent shortages. For convenience, appointments can be scheduled online by visiting RedCrossBlood. com.

MCD urges area people to be aware of woolly adelgid

The Muskegon Conservation District urges local citizens to be aware of hemlock woolly adelgid and the ways to treat their trees if hit by an outbreak.

Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) is an invasive forest pest that attacks eastern hemlocks and has the ability to devastate Michigan’s estimated 170 million hemlock trees. Once infested, hemlocks have a 4-10 year life expectancy.

Look for hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) on the underside of the hemlock branches at the base of the needle. Though the insects are hard to see, HWA can be identified by its white, woolly egg masses (ovisacs) that look like tops of cotton swabs. Hemlocks are vulnerable to HWA at any stage of growth. Hem-

lock woolly adelgid can be transported to new locations by birds, wildlife, wind, field equipment such as trucks and campers, clothing, infested yard waste and nursery stock. This pest is most easily transferred from April through July, with their feeding cycle happening during the winter months.

Hemlock forests along the Lake Michigan shoreline have been hit hard by HWA, with infestations in 10 counties as of 2024, including Muskegon and Oceana. These forests are ecologically important due to the unique environmental conditions they create under dense canopies and are critical to the survival of a variety of species that rely on hemlocks for protection, food, and growing conditions. Hemlocks on your

property help create a beautiful, healthy ecosystem and can increase property value. The loss of Michigan’s hemlock resource could result in a dramatic change in ecosystem processes, which in turn could cause a disappearance of unique plants and wildlife.

To combat this invasive, chemical treatment is recommended to treat HWA. Trees can be treated with systemic insecticides called Dinotefuran (up to one to two years of protection) or Imidacloprid (up to five to seven years of protection). Without treatment, hemlocks will succumb to this forest pest. There are a variety of businesses that can perform the treatments forhire. The Muskegon Conservation District has a treatment program for HWA.

We are skilled and certified using both types of insecticides and have spots available for our 2025 treatment season. The cost of treatment varies from property to property and is dependent on the number of trees and the average size of those trees. The quote to estimate cost is free and you can sign up for this service on the MCD website at muskegoncd.org under projects and programs. Here you can also find more information about our treatment program and the process! You can also contact Lance McCarty at lance.mccarty@macd.org or call the MCD office at 231-828-5097 with any questions. We can all work together to protect Michigan’s hemlocks.

City of Montague, MCD awarded tree-planting grants

The city of Montague and the Muskegon Conservation District were each among 28 Michigan communities who were awarded a share of $106,680 last week as part of a grant presented by the state department of natural resources, the DTE Energy Foundation and ReLeaf Michigan.

Montague was awarded $3,400 in

grant money and the MCD received $4,000.

“We proposed about 40 trees as part of the project,” Montague zoning administrator Steve Coverly said. “That award is just for the purchase of the trees, and the city matches it with the labor to plant them. We’re taking a look at the area around Wilcox Street that was

just redone and the sidewalk around here.”

Coverly added that the city will also be planting trees at city parks. Planting is set for this spring.

The grants are distributed annually with the application process taking place over the summer. Consumers Energy has a similar grant program.

MCD will use its $4,000 to purchase and plant 20 trees at the Sullivan Township Park near Ravenna, with support from the Ravenna FFA chapter, in April.

“We will be using a variety of native trees in our project,” MCD executive director Melanie Knapp said.