Volume 1, Issue 34 JANUARY 19, 2024
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Student robotics team readies for competition By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
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Oceana County #6128 Team M.O.T.O.R. (MOre Than Our Robot) and the only FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition Team in Oceana, recently received its “Robotic Challenge” for this year’s competition. While this is the first “county-wide” robotics team, interest in the sport has slowly gained momentum over the past eight years. It began back in 2016, when Hart formed the first robotics team in the county. In 2019, Pentwater had a team but disbanded when Covid hit. The Hart team was coached by Mark Platt and Mark Saari through 2022, when the team had just six students. Then in 2023, retired engineer Matt Werner of Pentwater, assisted by Nick Rombach, was recruited to coach the eight-member team. The 2024 team includes 14 members (five juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen). Its goal is to have 20 members, and hopefully enough members to help mentor a junior high team, by 2026. Coach mentors, students, families and sponsors are very excited for what the future holds for this young and energetic group. The team, which has been working on skills-building activities since September, officially kicked off the season Jan. 6 when they received this year’s official challenge. “This year teams will need to have their robot pick up and move a foam ring (called a “NOTE”), about the size of a frisbee, and place or shoot it into one of three scor-
The 2023 team at competition pictured above includes, back row from left, Brandon Moul, Abigail Studer, Avery Guikema, Ethan Schaner, Peter Tuinstra and Deegan Symons; in front, from left, Clayton Riley and Gaige Gallop. • Contributed Photo ing locations. Each location is awarded different points based on its difficulty. The alliances are working to score as many rings as possible,” said Werner. “Every season, teams are given a different challenge and spend two months building their robot, competing in March and April. The public is encouraged and welcome to attend any of the team’s competitions. Events are free to attend and have a really fun atmosphere. “The three-day events begin on Thursday evening when teams set up their work pits. Starting on Friday and continuing until about noon on Saturday, teams compete in a total of 80 qualification matches. In these qualification matches, teams are randomly matched to create alliances of three. Matches are two and a half minutes long and include the first 15 seconds where the robot has to perform without player control. In various qualification matches, they will be both allied with and competing against the same teams.
“At the end of qualification, the top-ranking eight teams take turns selecting two other teams to join their alliance. These eight alliances then compete in a playoff round of matches Saturday afternoon. The final two alliances compete in a best-of-three final matchup to crown the weekend’s top alliance. “There’s a strategy behind how quickly you can pick the NOTE up and move it to the goals. We’re trying to make strategic decisions that will make us attractive to other teams as an alliance member. Some teams just build a robot to play defense with. We are planning our strategy and working to do it really well. Becoming an alliance captain would be a real feather in our cap,” Werner said. The team will start their competition season at the FIM (FIRST In Michigan) Muskegon District Event against 39 other teams on March 14–17, 2024. The team’s second competition will be at the FIM East Kentwood District Event March
28–30, 2024. The Michigan State Championship will take place April 4-6 in Saginaw and is set to include 160 teams participating in four concurrent events. The FIRST World Championship will include 320 teams participating in eight concurrent events in Houston, Texas April 17-20, 2024. “Teams collect ranking points at the two district events. Last year, teams needed about 80 ranking points to make it to state. We ranked about in the middle of the state last year. We had a young team with mostly sophomores and some freshmen,” Werner said. The team’s building season is currently underway, with activities taking place at the West Michigan Research Station on Oceana Drive. The research station not only donated the space for team activities but generously provided funds to purchase capital equipment for robot fabrication. “With these new tools and machines, students can move past basic hand tools to state-of-the-art fabrication machines,” Werner said.
The team has also been the recipients of numerous grants, including the Michigan DOE (Department of Education) TechPlan 99h: Robotics competition grant (every team in Michigan receives to cover entry fees), a Community Foundation of Oceana County Youth Advisory Council grant, a Zack Snider Agricultural Memorial Fund grant and the Great Lakes People Fund. Sponsor donors include West Shore ESD, Hart Public Schools, AIS Construction, Great Lakes People Fund, Appletree Automotive, GHSP and Hart Rotary. Program Administrator/ Grant Writer and Capital Implementation Manager for Peterson Farms, Patricia Parsons has been very busy this fall on the back side of all the team’s endeavors. “I am excited to see a program like this offering centralized access to all rural high school students from Oceana County. Centralized accessibility to be able to learn and develop skills that will not only be a benefit to the community and technological-based industry but also can become a vital necessity in the growing technological aspect of our agricultural community and state industry,” she said. “Agriculture is becoming more and more automated. John Deere makes tractors that can run up and down the field without anyone inside them. Farmers are finding out it can be difficult to keep up with all the technology. Parents are encouraging their kids to learn these new technologies so they can keep their farms going in future,” Werner said.
Robotics
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Crystal Valley Dam and construction of tunnel under M-20 on commissioner’s docket By Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
HART – Several key issues were discussed and voted on during the Oceana County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday, Jan. 11. During the Courts and Public Safety Committee meeting, Life EMS Director of North Operations Jeff Stockhill presented a proposed increase to prehospital care and transportation rates for Life EMS. That motion was later approved by the board. Public comment for this committee brought Chris Conroy of Pentwater to the podium. Conroy asked the board to voice support for Michigan House Bill 4729, which provides workman’s compensation to include heart and
respiratory diseases for all first responders. The agenda for the Finance and Administration Committee saw a larger scale of items up for consideration and plenty of public comment to go along with it. Kasi Ostyn of Great Lakes Energy (GLE) kicked off the meeting with an update on the continued expansion of the company’s highspeed internet service, Truestream. Ostyn noted that GLE has completed construction in ar-
eas including Hart, Hesperia, New Era, Shelby, Silver Lake and parts of Walkerville. Though a majority of the county now has access to Truestream, there are still areas of Walkerville and Weare Township that don’t. Ostyn said that through Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) grants, GLE is set to complete construction in Pentwater, Hart and Weare Township in 2026. There is currently no timetable for when areas of Walkerville and Colfax Township will have access to Truestream. Next, Professional Engineer James Tiffany provided input on his recent investigations into the infrastructure of the Crystal Valley Dam via Zoom.
Commissioners continued on page 3
THE OCEANA ECHO JANUARY 19, 2024 2
City of Hart Economic impact of Apple & BBQ reviews audit, Festival ignites local prosperity plans next steps By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor HART - Tuesday, Jan. 9, the Hart City Council was given a 2023 audit review by City Accountant Jordan Smith of Maner Costerisan. In the 20-minute presentation, Smith reported that, for the most part, the city is in very good shape. He did recommend the city increase its Fund Balance Reserve. “At a minimum, you should have enough in reserve to operate for two months,” Smith said. “We’ve begun some discussions in preparation for budget season,” said City Manager Rob Splane. “It’s not a quick fix; the sewer fund was hit pretty heavily in 2023. I’m not afraid of audits; they are a key piece to good government. As we identify gaps, we can work together. I would like to do five- and tenyears and beyond budgets, so we’re looking at bigger purchases in the future. If we’re using good data and sound reasoning, we can justify them.” The full report will be made available on the city’s website (www.cityofhart.org) and at city hall. The City of Hart recently approved HydroCorp of Troy, Mich. as the city’s third-party contractor responsible for doing cross-connection checks on each resident’s home water system. These necessary checks are in preparation for the installation of a new automatic meter reading system the city is implementing. Having the ability to have meters read automatically each month will save city employees valuable time and limit mistakes that occur occasionally during the transfer of information. The company is in the process of contacting all Hart City residents by letter or phone to schedule in-home inspections, which will begin in March. The city council will be conducting their second annual retreat tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 20. Part of the retreat will include a community engagement piece with Hart Public School students and their families. Council hopes to hear from participants what present city services and amenities are most important to them and what ideas they might have for the future.
The annual Silver Lake Sand Dunes Apple & BBQ Festival, a beloved tradition in the heart of Golden Township, has once again proven its remarkable economic prowess. This past year’s festival, which took place Sept. 8-9, 2023, made a substantial economic impact, stimulating the local community and businesses. The 2023 event drew an estimated 20,000 enthusiastic visitors who spent an average of $147 per person, for a total impact of $2.2 million, reflecting the festival’s profound appeal to both locals and out-of-towners. Each year, proceeds from the festival benefit our community through contributions to the United Way of Oceana County and priority projects such as the Silver Lake fireworks fund development, flowers and flag at the roundabout, repainting the Golden Township Park sign, and assisting with a $20,000 donation for the park expansion. Acting as a catalyst for growth among small businesses and local vendors, the festival results in an above-average surge in revenue. With various aspects of the event requiring ded-
icated personnel, the festival extends its economic reach by boosting seasonal employment, particularly in the hospitality and food service sectors, creating more job opportunities for residents. Tourism and hospitality flourish as the festival attracts visitors from near and far. The region sees an influx of tourists eager to experience the
festivities and amenities of our region. They not only contribute to the festival’s success but also stimulate the local economy by spending on accommodation, dining, transportation, and unique local experiences. In conclusion, the Apple BBQ Festival’s economic boom extends its influence far and wide. From local businesses
to tourism, hospitality and essential infrastructure developments, the festival has firmly established itself as an engine of prosperity for Golden Township. As it brings together residents and visitors to celebrate the community, it continues to enhance the community’s image and legacy. The 2024 festival will take place Sept. 6-7.
Tails of Hope This is a really nice dog. His name is Cody, and he is one year old. Cody is friendly and gets along well with other dogs. He enjoys going for walks, and he has been neutered. Cody is looking for someone to love him. Are you that special person that Cody is looking for? Cody is available for adoption from the Oceana County Animal Shelter. If interested, please call the shelter at 231-861-5395. The adoption fee for cats is $35, and you receive certificates for $25 towards spay/neuter and $10 towards rabies if not already done. The adoption fee for dogs is $95 and you will receive a $50 certificate good for spay/neuter, if needed. Every dog should have an ID tag. L.A.S.S.I. provides free dog ID tags to all Oceana County residents. To request tags, send a text to 231-730-3906. Free tags are also available at the Oceana County Animal Shelter.
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Friends of S.A.D.L. tout 2023 accomplishments
At their first quarterly meeting this January, the Friends of Shelby Area District Library (S.A.D.L.) reviewed their accomplishments and efforts to boost activities and fundraising for 2023 with astonishing results! Overall, their work in the past year has allowed their budget to grow substantially, thanks to four successful fundraisers and personal monetary donations. They have purchased children’s books and DVDs; donated for spring, summer, fall and winter craft kits; approved funding for supplies to the new Local History Archival; helped fund the monthly newsletter costs; purchased candy for trick-or-treaters, brushes for paint classes, prize baskets for Library Card Sign Up Month; and renewed Canva Pro. With more than 40 members, the group relies on a core of about a dozen dedicated volunteers who offer their time and talent whenever the need arises.
President of Friends of S.A.D.L. Cindy McKinnon bragged, “We helped underwrite a training opportunity for staff in Cadillac and attended workshops and meetings for Friends of Michigan Libraries. We approved funding for the Friends Library Garden, United Way Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and Oceana Community Foundation and created baskets and displays for silent auction. We assisted with the Library Open House,
baked cookies, and underwrote refreshments for various activities and celebrated National Library Week and National Friends of the Library Week. It was a busy year!” In addition to being president of Friends of S.A.D.L., McKinnon also serves on the Executive Board of Friends of Michigan Libraries. Acknowledging the board and committee chairs, McKinnon said, “These dedicated volunteers are the primary rea-
son our Friends group has earned the support of the community with our activities like the Anything Goes Garden Sale, Good Buy Used Book Sale, Pet Photo Contest and Celebration of the Trees.” Current board members of Friends of S.A.D.L. are Kathy Sullivan, Sharon Zoller, Libby Brower, Paula Inglis, Mary Ann Carey, Julie McKeen and Mary Ellen Heyde. Volunteers Emilee Best, Janet Schultz, Connie Near, Diana Clark, Kathy Shea,
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Robotics
continued from page 1
Team members of the 2024 Oceana County MOTOR Robotics Club include: Joseph Bizon, Owen Eisenlohr, Ali Fleming, Aiden Henry, Austin Hosking, Shores Kinsey, Nicolas Ramirez, Peter Tuinstra and Owen VanderVlucht. Any Oceana County high school student interested in joining this year’s team should contact Program Administrator/Grant Writer Patricia Parsons at pparsons@petersonfarmsinc.com or M.O.T.O.R. Robotics Coach and Mentor Matt Werner at mwerner@hart. k12.mi.us or (616) 745-2471 as soon as possible. Currently, there is room for four more team members. Businesses and community members interested in becoming sponsors or mentors of the team’s endeavors are asked to contact either Parsons or Werner as well. Werner is hoping the community can help the team in another way. During last year’s Muskegon competition, a gentleman visited the team’s pit area. As a retired engineer from IBM, he was very interested and offered to help with the team this year. He gave Werner his name and phone number, but without the area code. Werner has made several attempts to locate “Bob Johnson of Mears” without success. If any Oceana Echo readers know how to reach this gentleman, please reach out to Werner. Werner would also invite any other interested volunteers to contact him; more help is always needed and appreciated. The FIRST Robotics organization has over 3,300 teams worldwide and 479 teams in Michigan. The organization also hosts a FIRST Lego League for 9-14 year olds, a FIRST Tech Challenge for 12–14 year olds and a FIRST Robotics Competition for students 14–18 years of age. More information is available at their website, www.firstinspires.org.
Commissioners Tiffany noticed that there was water and sand exiting a construction joint at the bottom of the dam’s spillway—something he noted has been going on for years. That information brought up concerns about sand coming from underneath the spillway, which prompted Tiffany to conduct tests in November to confirm his theory. Those tests, which included drilling holes into the top of the dam’s spillway, resulted in Tiffany confirming that there was low-density soil present below the spillway. Tiffany recommended conducting further investigations to determine the appropriate next step for remediation. The cost of that investigation was proposed to amount to $21,000. Commissioner Tim Beggs shared frustration that the proposed additional investigations weren’t made known as a possibility before initial investigations had been conducted. Tiffany noted that
continued from page 1
it’s difficult to understand the full scope of what is needed until initial investigations are done. Commissioner Phil Morse echoed Beggs on that front, asking Tiffany for any potential future steps that would need to be taken. “If (future steps) could amount to $250,000, I don’t want to spend $21,000 to study it more,” Morse said. “In my opinion, $250,000 isn’t worth fixing the dam. Is it worth putting $21,000 more in for something I can’t see myself supporting down the line should it cost that much?” Tiffany noted that the likely outcome of further tests would include polymer injections into the soil to aid in remediation. However, the extent of what is needed wouldn’t be known until after testing was complete. The board voted to approve funding for additional testing up to, but not exceeding, $21,000. Morse noted that his vote in favor of the
Shelby starts Getty Park fundraising, approves more façade grants The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
SHELBY - Despite the wintry weather outside, the Shelby Village Parks & Recreation Committee met earlier this month to finalize a fundraising plan for its Getty Park renovation project. As of Jan. 8, there was still a $247,832 funding gap left after grants, ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars and in-kind donations. The committee has assembled a fundraising packet, which includes a conceptual site plan for the new park, a construction schedule, a summary of project finances and information on naming rights options. Packets will be made available to key stakeholders and those who have already expressed interest. They will eventually be made available on the village website and Facebook page, as well as at the village hall, for anyone interested in supporting the project
financially. In 2024, the 115-year-old park will be completely rebuilt to include the following long-awaited amenities: basketball, tennis and pickleball courts; a Prisoner of War Camp memorial; a splash pad; an ADA-compliant (Americans with Disabilities Act) playground; a gazebo/bandshell; picnic shelter with restrooms; surface-mounted tables and seating; recycling/trash receptacles; walking paths; native planting areas; open play space; and improved parking. In other business, the council approved a Non-Discrimination on Basis of Handicap Policy, as well as approved funds in the amount of $3,573 for the replacement of the DPW building’s back garage door from Enterprise Door LLC of Fruitport. Council also gave approval to two additional façade grant applicants, thus using up the remaining $12,800 previously allotted grant funds. Ryan Kraai of West Michigan Insurance was
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granted $7,700 to be used for replacement windows at 150 N. Michigan Ave.; Scott Timmer of Village Plaza Company LLC, was granted $5,100 to replace the awning on the Shelby MiniMall located at 198 N. Michigan Ave. Other previous grant award recipients include Images Salon building owner James Wickstra for window and cracked stone veneer replacement at 169 N. Michigan Ave.; Wickstra Realty building owners Larry Byl, Tim Horton and Calvin Roskam for the addition of a sloped section of sidewalk at the front door for wheelchair access, along with upgraded vertical siding, front door and window at 163 N. Michigan Ave.; V & L Holdings building (next to the Brown Bear) owner Rob Veld, for commercial window and door replacement at 141 N. Michigan Ave. and Pizza Factory owner Annette Kurzer for replacement of the exterior door, soffit and fascia at 254 N. Michigan Ave.
Robert Walker and Michelle Martin funding was contingent on a future maintenance plan and a budget for possible dam repairs being drawn up in the near future. Public comments regarding the dam were made by Garry McKeen and Crystal Township Supervisor Lee Hyslop. McKeen stated that not only would the dam need to be fixed, but there would be a need for dredging of the connected pond in the future. Hyslop said that Crystal Township has been working on the dam for decades, and he later thanked the commissioners for voting in favor of its preservation. Morse also expressed the need to get an all-encompassing amount of funds needed to complete the Crystal Valley Dam project. Commissioner Paul Erickson voiced his support of the project throughout the discussion, citing the dam’s historic nature as something that needs to be preserved. “(Crystal Valley Dam) is a 1937 WPA (Works Progress Administration) dam – one of only two projects in Oceana County left from the Depression era, the other a fresco in the Hart Post Office.,” Erickson said. “It was built as a recreational pond in downtown Crystal Valley. If we drain the pond, we’ll have a whole new can of
worms in terms of who owns underneath the water. I believe that carrying out this project is in the best interest of the county.” The agenda also included a discussion led by County Administrator Tracy Byard about constructing a support tunnel underneath M-20 to provide safer passage for visitors to Lewis Adventure Farm and Zoo. The tunnel would allow visitors to the New Era attraction to pass underneath M-20 from the parking lot to the grounds themselves without the need to disrupt traffic. According to the board packet, the cost of the tunnel would be $2,500,500. It was made known that no request for financial support was made. All board members echoed support for the project, citing that it would alleviate a lot of safety concerns for patrons of the attraction. Additional items included the re-appointment of Beggs as Vice Chairman of the Board for a one-year term expiring on Dec. 31, 2024. Bryan Broderick was also appointed to the Planning Commision on a threeyear term expiring on Dec. 31, 2026. Board Member Robert Walker also presented Drain Commissioner Michelle Martin with a 20year service award.
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Oceana County Schools: Leavitt By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist
This week, we will be taking a look at seven different schools spread across the eight districts of Leavitt township. These schools, following the trend of all the rural country schools, seem to have declined into the latter half of the 20th century. In this case, there seems to be a magnetic pull towards the village of Walkerville. Up first is the Gowdy school. This school was located on North 204th Avenue and East Clock Road, but the building would later be moved into the Village of Walkerville in 1944, where it was used as storage. The names of some of the teachers who worked there include Stella Tate, Goldie Pierson, Maisie Whitaker and Leona Chase. Next is the Stetson school located “east of Walkerville” on North 190th Avenue and East Harrison Road. This school seems to have been around for a while, as it appears even on the 1876 map of the county. A 1905 article highlights the need for a newer building. “The erection of a new and larger school building would be a commendable act on the part of the patrons of this school.” But this too would be moved into Walkerville in 1914, where it was put to use by the Wesleyan Methodists. We have the names of very few teachers at this school, but they include Frances Fairchild, Emma Hardy, Vern Johnson, Maude Hale and Eva Benner. District number three is an interesting case. It starts out with the Walkerville school on Harrison Road west of the village of Walkerville. However, in 1903, many started to call for the school to be moved into Walkerville. “This met with opposition, finally the #3 district, as it was called, split up. The west half was added to the Pine Grove and Sayles Schools and the east half became dis-
trict #8 or Walkerville school district.” A new two-story building made of brick was erected in 1905, albeit not in time for the school term, and so classes were initially held in the town hall. In district number four, we have the aforementioned Pine Grove school. This school was located on North 168th Avenue and East Deer Road before it inexplicably burned down sometime in the 1940s. A newspaper article from the time captures the mystery well. “Residents of the community… were surprised Thursday night to discover the Pine Grove school house in flames…. Speculation is rife as to how the fire got its start, as the building is closed for the vacation and there was no occasion for fire anywhere near.” A photo of the old school also includes an interesting caption about the sale and eventual return of the land the school was built upon. “Andrew Covell sold one acre of property to the Walkerville School District in 1901 for $1.00. The school sold the property back to Mr. Covell for $1.00 in 1949.” Up next is the Beech school. Wiegand’s notes have this to say about the school: “One of the early schools in Leavitt Township built of logs was the Beech School, located about one-half mile north of the later Beech School, which is now used as the Leavitt Township Hall.” The school was closed sometime around 1942, and a newspaper article from just before that time really shows the struggle for these rural schools to survive. “A proposal of the Walkerville school to transport the seven pupils in the Beech district next year was defeated,” the article said. “Since the election, two residents of the district have decided to transport their children at their own expense to Walkerville, thus leaving only two pupils remaining in the school.” The school building still serves as the township hall to this day. In district number six, we have the Klond-
ike school, first housed in a log building constructed in 1873 “located 200 feet south and east of Klondike Corners land owned by Fred Russell.” In 1890, a frame building was constructed across the road at East Filmore Road and North 198th Avenue. The school closed in 1956, and the students were relocated to Hesperia. And lastly, we have the Goodrich school, located North 168th Avenue and East Filmore Road. This must be another one of the older schools in the township, as it too appears on the 1876 county map. An 1893 newspaper clipping brags about the construction of a new building for the school. “The new Cobmoosa-Goodrich school house has been completed, and is one of the finest district school houses in the county. It was built on a contract by I.D. Adams and Henry Dodge, and the school officers declare that they have built the house better than the contract called for, and highly recommend them.” This school was later converted into a private home, but unfortunately, it did not survive. It burned sometime in the year 2000.
The Oceana Echo © is published weekly at P.O. Box 192, Mears, MI 49436 • All rights reserved.
theoceanaecho@gmail.com • January 19, 2024 • Volume 1 • Issue 34 Office hours (Old Town Hall in Mears): Mondays: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Office phone: 231-301-8149, or for breaking news, please call 231-923-0751.
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5 JANUARY 19, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO
Ongoing Hart VFW Post 1329 Burger/Chicken/Brat/Ribs Night, first and third Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m., dine-in or carry out. The Ladder Community Center: M-F: The Huddle for 6th-12th grade youth, 3-5 p.m. Thursdays: Recovery Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Fridays: Open Jam Session, 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m. Knights of Columbus Bingo, 6 p.m. St. Gregory Parish Center, 214 S. Peach Ave. in Hart Second & fourth Fridays, doors open at 4 p.m. Forest School for Grownups Tuesday afternoons through Feb. 27.
Performing Arts Series to feature Labro and Garabini The Hart Community Performing Arts Series 2023-2024 season will continue Jan. 28 with a concert by Julien Labro and Cesar Garabini. The artists originally scheduled to appear on this date are unable to appear due to a medical situation, and the Series is pleased to present these two outstanding artists on that date and in the same 3 p.m. time slot. The concert will take place in the Hart Public Schools Auditorium, located at 308 W. Johnson St. in Hart. Heralded as “the next accordion star,” Julien Labro has established himself as the foremost accordion and bandoneón player in both the classical and jazz genres. Deemed to be “a triple threat: brilliant technician, poetic melodist and cunning arranger,” his artistry, virtuosity, and creativity as a musician, composer and arranger have earned him international acclaim and continue to astonish audiences worldwide. Picking up the accordion at 9, French-born Labro’s earliest influence was traditional folk music and the melodic, lyrical quality of the French chanson. After graduating from the Marseille Conservatory and sweeping first prize in many international accordion competitions, Labro moved to the U.S. to further pursue his musical dream. Equipped with advanced degrees in classical music, jazz studies, and composition, Labro draws from his diverse background and eclectic musical influences in his search for new themes and untried concepts, evolving and developing his ideas into new projects. Labro has worked with numerous symphonies, chamber ensembles and collaborators around the world. His albums and busy performance schedule are a testament to his musical journey. Born in 1987 in Minas Gerais, Cesar Garabini is an Italian-Brazilian 7-string guitarist who specializes in Choro, the predecessor to the well-known Brazilian music styles Samba and Bossa Nova. Choro began in the 1890s as a mix of European classical and folk with African rhythms; its popularity began in the 1900s and continues to the present day. Music became his passion at the first sound of the guitar. At 13, while walking home from school, he saw two musicians playing classical guitar, and it inspired him to take lessons. A citizen of the world, Cesar has lived in Brazil, Italy and the U.S., each of which influenced his playing and growth as a musician, teacher and performer. In 2009, Cesar started putting together Samba, Bossa Nova and Chorinho bands, performing in Florence and other regions of Italy. In 2011, he moved to New York City to expand his musical knowledge. In the past seven years, he has performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Jazz Standard, Birdland, Columbia University and the Museum of Modern Art, with a monthly residence at Barbes. He has worked with Anat Cohen, Olli Soikkeli and Tim Connell. He has been featured on NPR, NBC and Global. Cesar plays many other styles, such as Samba, Bossa Nova, Waltz, American Jazz, Portuguese Fado and more. He currently hosts a Roda with Regional de New York at Beco Bar in Williamsburg every other Sunday of the month. For further information about this concert or the rest of the Series schedule for 2024, visit the Series website at hartseries.org.
Memorial Service for the Unborn tomorrow in Hart
2023 January Jan. 19 - Fun Night, Spitler Elementary School, 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 - Memorial Service for the Unborn, Hart Wesleyan, 1 p.m. Jan. 21 - Broomball Tournament, John Gurney Park, 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 22 - Adult Winter Reading Challenge begins, Hesp. Comm. Library Jan. 22-26 - Walkerville Homecoming Spirit Week Jan. 22 - FAFSA Completion Night, Hart High School, 6-8 p.m. Jan. 23 - Tech Time, Hesperia Comm. Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Jan. 24 - All Pro Dads guest speaker Brian Pruitt, Hart Public Schools Auditorium, 6 p.m. Jan. 25 - Parent Time Gathering, The Ladder, 6-7 p.m. Jan. 25 - Walkerville Community Assessment Results meeting, Walkerville Wesleyan Church, 6-8 p.m. Jan. 26 - Play & Learn Group, Storybook Village, 9 a.m. Jan. 26 - Sensory Play, Hesperia Comm. Library, 10-11 a.m. Jan. 26 - Shelby Elementary School Carnival, 6-8 p.m.
Spitler’s annual Fun Night set for this evening Spitler Elementary School invites the community to its annual “Fun Night,” tonight, Friday, Jan. 19, from 6-7:30 p.m. Attendees can enjoy carnival games, food and the traditional “Cake Walk.” Spitler families are asked to provide baked goods for this event, as it is usually the most popular. All funds raised tonight will go into the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) budget for various student activities, field trips and related supplies. More volunteers are always welcome. Please contact spitlerpto@hart.k12.mi.us to sign-up!
Walkerville Assessment Results review is Jan. 25 The Walkerville Community Assessment Results meeting will take place this coming Thursday, Jan. 25. Join with friends and neighbors to hear the compiled results of the assessment conducted in November. During the report-out, attendees will spend time discussing the top five priorities from the community assessment. There will be small group discussions around each priority to determine what first steps need to be taken to work toward achieving those priorities. All are welcome!
Forest School for Growns Ups begins Jan. 23 Reconnect with nature and explore the outdoors just like the preschoolers do in the Knee-High Naturalists programming offered by the Oceana Conservation District! “Adults often forget the joy of exploration, the thrill of discovery, and the serenity of being one with nature,” said Kari Wilson, Conservation District Educator. This winter, adults will get the ultimate opportunity to rekindle their bond with the wilderness when the OCD presents their “Forest School for Grown Ups” series. “Join us in this unique, refreshing, and educational experience that promises to be as much fun as it is informative,” she said. The winter series will meet Tuesdays from 12:30–3 p.m. from Jan. 23 through Feb. 27. Participants will engage in a range of activities that are guaranteed to stimulate their senses, challenge their knowledge and ignite their love for nature. Most sessions in this series will include indoor classroom time, accompanied by various experiences in the field. The school is limited to 12 adults. Please visit www.oceanaconservation.org to register. The spring session will run from April 23 through May 28.
Knights of Columbus Spelling Bee for grades 4-9 to take place January 27 at St. Gregory’s in Hart
Oceana County Right to Life will host its annual Memorial Service for the Unborn Saturday, Jan. 20 at 1 p.m. at the Hart Wesleyan Church (3757 W. Polk Rd. in Hart). The guest speaker this year will be Barb Burwell, and her topic will be RaisPlease consider enrolling your child in the 2024 Knights of ing a Child with Down Syndrome. In addition, they will remember the 25 Oceana County children who were aborted in 2022. All are invited to attend. Columbus Spelling Bee. The local bee will take place Saturday, Jan. 27, in the St.Gregory Parish Hall at 314 S. Peach Ave. in Hart. This location is new for 2024, as previous spelling bees took place at the former Knights of Columbus Hall located on Washington Oceana College Access Network focuses on ensuring an educated and trained Street in downtown Hart. There is also a new start time, with signworkforce to meet local employer needs by lowering systemic barriers that pre- in beginning at 11:30 a.m. Contestants will compete in two age vent students from entering college and technical programs. In collaboration with groups. The Level 1 competition for fourth, fifth and sixth graders Oceana schools, community colleges and other organizations that have aligned will begin at noon. The Level 2 competition for seventh, eighth missions, Oceana CAN! has already begun hosting three FAFSA Completion and ninth graders will follow. Winners are eligible to compete at Nights that any high school senior and their family are welcome to join. They will the regional level in Hart on Feb. 10. Regional winners will then receive assistance with completing financial aid forms. The first took place at Pentbe eligible to compete for the state championship. water Public School Jan. 18; the next will be Jan. 22 at Hart High School; and the Another important change for 2024 includes new word lists, last completion night will be Feb. 6 at Shelby High School; all completion nights which take effect this year. Please scan the appropriate QR code will be from 6-8 p.m. There will be free food for everyone and bilingual support at right for a link to the 2024 word lists. Please call Nathan Kroon for families that need it. Visit oceanacan.org to register and for more information at 231-845-5436 to register your child. about college and events.
Oceana CAN! to host FAFSA Completion Nights
Level 1 Word List
Level 2 Word List
THE OCEANA ECHO JANUARY 19, 2024 6
SPORTS
HART • HESPERIA • PENTWATER • SHELBY • WALKERVILLE
Hart boys win nail biter over Hesperia By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor HESPERIA – In a game that resembled a heavyweight boxing match on Tuesday, Jan. 16, Hart’s boys basketball team survived several scoring surges from Hesperia to win, 60-57. The first quarter of action featured a separate narrative from what would transpire over the remainder of the game. In those first eight minutes, Hart took control of the game with a rather fluid offense that benefited from mistakes by Hesperia’s own offense. The Panthers struggled to move the ball without turning it over in the first quarter, a big reason why they trailed 11-5 heading into the second. It seemed as though the second quarter was going to feature more of the same as Hart started out on
a 9-1 run that gave them a double digit advantage. The Panthers quickly regrouped however, hitting shot after shot to lessen the gap as halftime approached. Then, with 45 seconds left in the quarter, Nicholas Guarnieri converted on a layup that pushed Hesperia in front 28-27 for their first lead of the game. “We talked about our energy level (between the first and second quarter),” Hesperia head coach Scott Warsaw said. “They put us on our heels early. We thought Hart was much more aggressive in the first so we knew we had to turn it up and play much better than we were.” Hesperia would hold that lead heading into the locker room. Exiting the locker room, Hart took advantage of a slow start for Hesperia, scoring three straight baskets to reclaim the lead. The Panthers were unable to get back in front, but their offense did pick up enough to keep them close. With just a three point deficit to
start the fourth quarter, Hesperia’s Bryce Billings knocked down a deep shot to even the score. Hart’s Ty Schlukebir – not to be outdone – hit a long range three of his own to answer back and put the Pirates back in front. “We always say we have to fight for every inch of the court and our guys did that,” Warsaw said. “They have the mindset that even though they might be down, they aren’t out.” Unfortunately for Hesperia, that was the only time the score was evened as Hart did just enough to keep the Panthers at arm’s length the rest of the way. Weirich had a big game for the Pirates, accounting for a majority of their offense with 31 points on the night. Weirich also added 11 rebounds and three steals. Junior Brendan Hiddema also added 17 points while Caleb Ackley had nine
Hart’s Caleb Ackley extends his left arm toward the rim on
Close Call a layup attempt. Ackley scored nine points for the Pirates
continued on page 7 in their win over Hesperia. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
Halen Boos vs. Dominic Smith
Eman Hertzler vs. Keith Nulf
Kole Thomas vs. Kamden Flanery
Haegan Hansen vs. Michael Fekken
Ivan Lara vs. Noah Walker
Stephen Priese
Pirates & Panthers Grapple
Hart wrestling hosted a tri-meet on Wednesday, Jan. 17. The Pirates welcomed Hesperia and Whitehall to their home mat, experiencing mixed results with the Panthers and Vikings. The first dual was between Hart and Hesperia, resulting in a 50-18 win for the Pirates. In that dual, Chico Salgado, Haegan Hansen, Joseluis Andaverde and Ivan Lara scored pins for Hart while Stephen Priese had the only pin for the Panthers. Hart also had two wins by technical fall (Kole Thomas and Alex Hicks), two wins by minor decision (Emmanuel Ortega and Ty Thomas) and one win by major decision (Halen Boos). Hesperia earned two wins by minor decision from Keith Nulf and Noah Walker. Both Hesperia and Hart moved on to face Whitehall and both were dominated by the Vikings. Hesperia started off falling 63-12 to Whitehall in a dual that saw Priese and Blake Sayer win by pin. Hart also struggled against the Vikings, falling 53-18. Winning for Hart in that duel were Thomas (pin), Andaverde (pin), Hicks (minor decision) and Lara (minor decision). • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
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Close Call continued from page 6
points, 12 rebounds and three assists. “We’ve asked Blake (Weirich) to step into a bigger role and he’s taken that on,” Hart head coach Nick Bronsema said. “He is a team player. He’s a great passer, a great cutter off the ball and a heck of a shooter.” For Hesperia, Billings led the way with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Guarnieri finished the day with 11 points while Ethan O’Neil had five blocked shots on defense. “The thing about (Hesperia) is they’re still a young team. You can see the improvement from year to year,” Bronsema said. “So for us to go out there and compete to win, it was a really cool thing to see for our kids and their kids.” The Pirates (4-7, 4-2 WMC Rivers) rebounded from a loss against Mason County Central last week with the win over the Panthers. Hesperia (4-7, 2-4 WMC Rivers) has now lost their last two conference games and will look to start anew when they host Mason County Central tonight (Friday, Jan. 19).
Hit the Mats
Hart and Shelby competitive cheer teams competed at Whitehall’s Conference Jamboree on Wednesday, Jan. 17. The Pirates and Tigers both had impressive routines, but it wasn’t enough to snag the top spot. Hart struggled in round two, recording a whopping 34 penalty points that hurt their finally score mightily. Still, the Pirates managed to take third place overall while Shelby landed in eighth. • Andy Roberts/ ECHO Phil is the father of Andrew White of New Era.
(Above, top) Hart’s Blake Weirich prepares to release a floater. (Above, bottom) Hesperia’s Bryce Billings fights through contact from Hart’s Caleb Ackley on a layup. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
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8 JANUARY 19, 2024 THE OCEANA ECHO
Obituaries Tina Marie Helberg
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• Here’s a fun afternoon of play just waiting to happen: Check with your local grocery store or big box store to see if it has uncrushed cardboard boxes. Get several to create a cardboard city in your living room or child’s bedroom. They can be decorated to look like anything, or cut, trimmed and taped into most any shape. Kids even like to stock them with pillows and blankets for a cozy sleepover. When you’re done, break them down and recycle until the next adventure. — J.J. in Florida • Sources who know say that if you drop a marble (clean glass) in your tea kettle, it will prevent it from scaling. • Like to use paper towels to dry your clean hands? Set them aside to dry, then you can use them for cleaning with glass cleaner or other solutions. • Use a shower curtain cut or folded in half under baby’s highchair to make cleaning up the floor easier. • Air-popped popcorn is better for you and healthier. If you have an air popper, you’ll also have a jar of popcorn kernels. Keep them in the refrigerator or even the freezer. You can use them straight from the fridge, and the bonus is that you’ll have less unpopped kernels and bigger, fluffier popcorn. — E.M. in Wisconsin • Stuck at school with a sticky zipper? Just rub it with a pencil lead and zip back and forth a few times. It totally works. — W.K., a middle-school student, in Georgia Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
March 15, 1962 ~ December 30, 2023 Tina Marie Helberg (nee Brimmer), 61, of Hazel Park, Mich., passed away Dec. 30, 2023. Born on March 15, 1962, in Hart, Mich., Tina was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister. Tina will be remembered for her caring and giving nature. She valued her family above all and adored her grandchildren. Her loving and caring personality touched the lives of those around her and will be immensely missed. Tina is survived by her father, Charles C Brimmer, her mother, Linda S Brimmer, her sisters Tammy (Rob) Peuler and Heidi (Mike) Vela, her husband, Robert L Helberg, her daughter Cassandra M (Phillip) Turner, her son Chadwick R (Holly) Helberg, and her grandchildren Lucas Turner, Lia Turner, and Henry Helberg. Tina attended Hart High School and went on to spend 3.5 years at Western Michigan University. She then embarked on a successful career as a property manager, working for Dominion Realty Services and McNabnay for over 20 years. At this time, there are no services planned. Her family and loved ones will gather privately to remember and celebrate her life. Tina Marie Helberg will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. May she rest in peace.
Gary Dean VanDenHeuvel
September 4, 1956 ~ December 25, 2023
Gary Dean VanDenHeuvel, 67, of Crystal Valley, passed away Monday, Dec. 25, following a long battle with cancer. Gary was born Sept. 4 to Christian and Evelyn (Hoffman) © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc. VanDenHeuvel. He was one of six children and spent his early childhood in Ferrysburg, where he attended St. Mary’s Catholic School. In 1967, the family moved to Montague, where he graduated from Montague High School in 1975. Gary is survived by his son, Joshua Dean VanDenBy Lucie Winborne Heuvel of Crystal Valley; step-daughter Leigha McCar• From 1953 to 1959, the Cincinnati rick of Orford, Tasmania; brothers, Lyle (Nancy) VanDenReds baseball team went by a different Heuvel and Thomas (Dorene) VanDenHeuvel; sisters, Kris moniker, the Cincinnati Redlegs, in VanDenHeuvel and Elaine Northcott; and brother-in-law, response to America’s fear of communism during the McCarthy era, when Dale Fogg; along with numerous nieces and nephews. the term “Reds” could be problematic. He was preceded in death by both of his parents, his sister, Shirley Fogg, and • The word “whisky” comes from the Skip Zatzke (mother of Josh and Leigha) and his beloved dog Lucky. Gaelic phrase “uisge beatha,” or “water Gary spent time working at DuPont and Silverstreet/Media Technologies as of life.” • According to researchers at Japan’s a sawyer/cabinetmaker. Gary enjoyed fishing, hunting, and sitting in his garage, Nagoya University, electric eels can use enjoying Crystal Valley sunsets. He lived on the family farm and enjoyed spending their shock to transfer genetic material to nearby fish larvae, altering the lar- time with his friends, including Rusty McDonald and Ray Lohman. va’s genes in the process. A celebration of life with family and friends will take place Sunday, Jan. 28 at • An AI program using merely 10 sec- the White Lake Eagles (1204 S. Lake St., Whitehall, MI) from 1-4 p.m. Memorial onds of human speech has been able to identify whether someone has diabetes contributions may be made to the family to help cover expenses by visiting www. with 89% accuracy. gofundme.com/f/paying-tribute-to-gary-van-den-heuvel. • Workers at an Akron, Ohio, auto wrecking company creatively stopped a potential car thief by using a forklift to raise him, while inside the vehicle, 20 feet into the air until (no doubt amused) police arrived on the scene. • If you make a visit to Iceland, you might run across a tiny, intricately designed house known as an alfhol. But it wasn’t built for a family of dolls. Rather, such structures are created for the “hidden folk” of Icelandic folklore, creatures often invisible to humans but who are believed to lead lives similar to ours. • Smokers with better math skills are more inclined to quit smoking. • When Reza Baluchi, a 44-year-old man from Florida, aspired to cross the Atlantic on a visit to London, he didn’t take a plane or boat, but a floating contraption much like a giant hamster wheel! Unfortunately, his mode of transportation was deemed “manifestly unsafe” by the Coast Guard off the coast of Georgia’s Tybee Island, and after a three-day standoff, Baluchi’s mission was aborted. *** Thought for the Day: “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” — Zig Ziglar © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Ray Joe Ludwig
February 22, 1934 ~ January 14, 2024 Ray Joe Ludwig, 89, of Shelby, passed away Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. He was born Feb. 22, 1934, the son of Henry and Mabel (Walker) Ludwig. Ray was a fun-loving, dependable, reliable and strong man with an enormous heart who loved his family. Ray was known for his incredible generosity and willingness to sacrifice his time when others were in need. He enjoyed playing his namesake Ludwig drums and his harmonica. Ray loved making everyone around him smile by telling jokes and singing songs, and he loved the wind in his face on the open road riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. As a retired mechanic from Shelby Public Schools, Ray could fix absolutely anything. His skilled hand was known by everyone around town. Ray also attended Shelby United Methodist Church. Ray is survived by: his children, son, Larry and wife, Rosemarie of Swartz Creek, Mich.; daughter, Lanette Vanderlinde and husband, Bill of North Muskegon, Mich.; son, Lee and his wife, Lisa of Bridge City, Texas; daughter, Laurie Coker and her husband, Ben of Fairbanks, Alaska; daughter, Lisa Pladdet and her husband, Daniel of Grand Rapids, Mich.; grandchildren, Tiffany, Brandon, Jeremy, Nathan, Nicholas, Stephanie, Broderick, Ben and Abigail; 15 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; sister, Shirley Herin and her husband, Bob, who also reside in Shelby, Mich.; as well as Ray’s very special friend and companion, Evelyn Vanderbeek of Hart, Mich. Ray was preceded in death by: his wife, Peggy; his eldest son, Lonny, and his wife, Jeanette; his grandson, Seth; his parents, Henry and Mabel; as well as his siblings, brothers, Richard and Henry (Victor); and sisters, Marge Willick, Elizabeth (Betty) Payne and Faye Darling. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Shelby United Methodist Church, 68 E. Third St., Shelby, Mich. 49455, with his grandson, Pastor Ben Ludwig, officiating. Visitation will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of services at the church. The Harris Funeral Home in Shelby is handling arrangements. www.harrisfhome.com
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THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR JANUARY 19, 2024131 THE OCEANA ECHO JANUARY 19, 2024
Reflections of our community
White Lake Mirror YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE
Wildcats help Wolverines march to title Montague band alums march at Rose Bowl, national title game By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor No shortage of White Lake area residents drew joy from Jan. 8’s Michigan win over Washington in the College Football Playoff national championship game, but Montague band alums Hayden O’Neal and Katie Roll got to see it unfold in person, and were even a small part of the triumph. The two Wildcats are in the Wolverines’ marching band, and both performed at the Tournament of Roses parade and the Rose Bowl Jan. 1, as well as in the title game in Houston Jan. 8. “I just looked around and saw so many people crying tears of joy,” O’Neal said. “Everyone was jumping up and down and the stadium was insane. We played ‘The Victors’ over and over again. It was an experience I’ve never had before.” O’Neal and Roll were part of the band all year, of course, but even within that group, they were special; Michigan’s travel band roster for road trips, as is typical in major college football, is not the entirety of the band. Performers had to earn their spot for any road trips, including the planes to Pasadena and Houston. “Everyone is in the stands at a home game, but they only have a certain set of people who march every week,” Montague band director Emma Greenwood said. “They almost had to
try out for that position, and it happens every week.” O’Neal said the process, which she said was called “challenges,” took about two hours each home game Friday and was physically and mentally taxing. O’Neal, a freshman clarinet player, marched every week of the season, which Greenwood said was an especially impressive feat given her age. O’Neal said she always intended to try to perform in the marching band, but knew because of its reputation and the jump from high school to college band in difficulty that it wouldn’t be easy; she said talk among band members when season preparations began was freshmen rarely were able to march in each game. However, as it turned out, she made it look easy. An elementary school showing of an animated adaptation of Peter and the Wolf sparked O’Neal’s interest in music; she became enamored with the idea of playing the clarinet, as depicted in the film, and later pursued it in middle school and beyond. Roll’s path to the Michigan band was impressive in an entirely different way. First of all, she deferred her marching band career for a year because her freshman year was slated to be 2020-21; the Big Ten Conference did not permit attendance at football games that season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and she wanted to be in the
Montague alums Hayden O’Neal (left) and Katie Roll pose for a photo prior to marching in the Jan. 1 Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, Calif. The two Wildcats are both in the Michigan marching band, which performed at the Rose Bowl that day and at the national championship game in Houston Jan. 8. • Courtesy Photo marching band. When auditioning for the band in 2021, Roll had another decision to make. She was a saxophone player for the Wildcat band, but in Ann Arbor, she was told the section was full. However, the UM band was short of tuba players, and would she like to take a stab at that? The request was unusual for two reasons. First, there are scarcely any two instruments less like one another in terms of performing them than a saxophone and a tuba. Second, Roll, a quiet and unassuming young woman
without great physical stature, would be joining the section that, Greenwood said, stereotypically contains some of the largest, most energetic and brashest players in a given band. However, Roll was on board, and she said three other saxophone players joined her in making the switch. Roll said one of her high school regrets was not trying out another instrument, and switching to tuba enabled her to rectify
Michigan band
continued on page 2
Montague city council discusses parking ordinance By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer MONTAGUE — City council discussed various options for providing more parking downtown at Monday’s meeting. Before voting to make any official changes, council and city manager Jeff Auch are working to reword ordinance 308. The council felt the ordinance’s language was contradictory and confusing and it believes clarification is necessary before adding additional parking. Currently, the hours and where people can park downtown are unclear. The council is considering restricting parking downtown between the hours of 2 and 7 a.m., common among other towns and cities. Some council members thought of only enforcing this during winter months, but others felt seasonal enforcement would be too confusing to the public. A primary concern is the parking on Sheridan Street, as many residents do not have driveways and therefore have to park in the street. The Department
of Public Works voiced concern in regards to this. Especially in the winter, the need for snowplows creates the possibility of accidentally damaging cars parked in the street overnight. “Am I liable if the wing drags down the side of a car?” Montague Department of Public Works superintendent Scott Beishuizen said. “Then the city’s in jeopardy because they have to pay for this. I think Jeff did a really good job on this and it’s in the winter months, that’s the main concern to address it.” Contradicting the thoughts of applying the restriction of overnight parking hours year round, some council members voiced concerns regarding the social district anticipated to launch this year. Members do not want participants who have had too much to drink to feel pressured to drive home because of possibly getting a ticket from leaving their car downtown overnight. Auch and the council said they will continue to make changes and discuss this ordinance until a consensus is reached.
Downtown Whitehall, which was at its wintry best Tuesday night, will team with Montague to host White Lake Wanderland Feb. 2-4. • Andy Roberts/Mirror
White Lake Wanderland gears up for 4th annual event By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor The fourth annual White Lake Wanderland will take place Feb. 2-4, with the goal of getting area residents downtown to patronize local businesses during the traditionally lean winter months. A major highlight of the event each year is the cardboard sled race at the
Hanson Street sledding hill in downtown Whitehall. Teams are invited to get creative in using cardboard to create sleds. There will be different age groups in the competition, which begins at noon Saturday, Feb. 3 - after an 11 a.m. registration - and lasts until 1 p.m.
Wanderland
continued on page 6
2 JANUARY 19, 2024 THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR THE OCEANA ECHO JANUARY 19, 2024 14
Michigan band
that. “Switching from a woodwind instrument to a brass instrument is a huge change,” Roll said. “I knew that it wouldn’t be easy, but I felt excited and accepted without a doubt. “It really did feel like starting over. I had to learn to read in bass clef and get used to having only three valves instead of all the keys on a saxophone to create different notes. My shoulder also had to get used to the weight of the tuba.” Anyone who marched in a high school band can tell stories of how grueling preseason preparations are, but in college, Roll said, it goes to another level. The band had a preseason camp that lasted about 10 days, for 10 hours each day, and even in-season, rehearsals lasted 90 minutes per weekday. Performing in the band, O’Neal said, is special for many reasons, but she said maybe her favorite moment was the day of her first home game last fall, when she took the field at Michigan Stadium for the first time. “It was an amazing experience running into the Big House for pregame,” O’Neal said. “It was a ‘maize out’ (for the first game) so everyone was wearing yellow, 110,000 people. I don’t
continued from page 1
think I’ll ever get another experience like that except in band. It’s amazing the opportunities this can bring you.” However, a close second for her had to be performing in Pasadena. “It was crazy to see the army of bands who were there and the floats and performers that were there,” O’Neal said. “It was crazy that I got to be part of it.” It wasn’t the first time Greenwood, who said “about eight to 10” former Wildcats were in college marching bands this year, had sent proteges to the Rose Bowl. When Michigan State defeated Stanford in the Rose Bowl 10 years ago, Jan. 1, 2014, a pair of her former students - Nick Verbanic, now a teacher at Whitehall, and Tracy Lawrence - performed in the Spartan marching band. Performing in the tradition-rich Tournament of Roses Parade is a once in a lifetime opportunity, one no sane person in the performing arts would pass up. It’s also, as Greenwood described it with a laugh, something akin to torture from a physical perspective. “The reality of not just how much hard work and precision (it takes), and how many calories they burn in a day is just insane,” Greenwood said.
“When they went to the Rose Bowl, they marched in a five and a half mile parade. They got a box lunch and they were on the bus and had to go to the pregame and the whole game at the Rose Bowl. Talking to them about that day, it was awesome and amazing, but it was also so much.” “We prepared for it pretty well, but we couldn’t have prepared for what was actually going to occur that day,” O’Neal said. “Doing the pregame and halftime right after (marching in the parade) was hard, but after it was over, I felt really accomplished.” The national title game is not paired with a massive nationally televised parade, so Roll and O’Neal’s schedules weren’t quite as full in Houston. The Wolverines band performed in assorted pep rallies, of course, leading up to the game, as well as during the game itself. As Michigan students, it could be easy for O’Neal and Roll, like other band members, to get caught up in the moment for big plays and touchdowns rather than launch into the dutiful playing of the fight song; for example, Roll recalled students rushing the field after Michigan’s 2021 win over Ohio State. However, O’Neal said playing during and after big moments became inextricable parts of the experience. “It’s almost like every time we have a touchdown, we associate it with the song,” O’Neal said. “We celebrate by
playing the music.” In a sign that marching band season can sometimes feel like it never ends, they also performed at a victory celebration back in Ann Arbor Saturday. It was a long, long season of playing - O’Neal said there were weeks the band spent as many as 20 hours preparing for its traditional role in a game week. However, being a part of something very few attending the school had ever seen - Michigan last won a national championship in 1997 - delivered a reward worthy of all that effort. Even for those not fortunate enough to perform on a national stage like O’Neal and Roll did, though, Greenwood said being able to share the stories of her successful alums is a big deal. “A misconception is, ‘I like band in high school but I’d never be good enough, coming from Montague, to play in college,’” Greenwood said. “(I love) to be able to talk to my middle school students, or my beginners, and show them pictures of different people in college bands. You don’t have to go to Michigan; you can play at Grand Valley State, or at whatever college you want. You do have the skills and ability. You just have to have the work ethic and desire to do it. It’s super gratifying to see your former students doing what they love.”
Montague finishes paying fire authority bond By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer MONTAGUE — The Montague fire district authority finished paying off the bond of $1.3 million they took out in 2009 for their new facility, the city council confirmed Monday. Their last
payment was in October, but the city waited for the legal review and agreements to confirm the information. City council voted to approve the termination of their contract lease, the bill of sale and the quit claim deed. City Manager Jeff Auch felt it was “very import-
ant to make it publicly known that the facility is paid off.” “I want to add, having been on the fire district authority, we went over and over this to make sure that we were leaving enough money in the accounts in the event of anything unanticipated
happening,” councilwoman Susan Newhof said. “We had all of that protected and the fire authority was so excited that they could pay the city and have the funds. It will save a considerable amount of money.”
Recent police activity since Jan. 5 Behind the
Badge Whitehall Police Report Jan. 5 A resident of the 300 block of Hall St. reported he was being harassed by an acquaintance. The two men involved are clients of the same service but do not live together. The victim reported the other man was making unwanted advances and would come to his home and enter without being let in. The victim just wanted to be left alone. The suspect was warned to not have any more contact with the victim. Jan. 6 Whitehall officers were dispatched to a family dispute in the 1100 block of Colby St. The officer responding to the 2:38 p.m. call learned the argument started when the mother told her 12-year-old son to stop bouncing his basketball in the house because of the downstairs neighbors. The child then started kicking the ball around and didn’t want to go outside because
of the cold. The boy told the officer his mother doesn’t like him and that upset him. They agreed to separate for a while until both were calmed down. Jan. 7 An officer on patrol at 1:06 a.m. observed a vehicle that was towing a lawn mower on a small trailer. The driver did not dim their headlights and the trailer did not have any taillights. The officer then stopped the vehicle in the 700 block of Colby St. and contacted the 20-year-old driver. After noting empty alcohol containers and a partially full one, the officer questioned the Montague man about drinking. After the man admitted to having had three or four drinks that night, tests were conducted, but the driver was not arrested for OWI. He was cited for Open Intoxicants and MIP and released to a parent who was called to the scene. At 1:55 p.m. Whitehall officers were called to the 1100 block of Colby St. for a dispute between a mother and her 12-year-old son. The mother had called reporting the boy was banging his own head against the wall and floor and would not stop. The boy told the officer the argument was over not being allowed to use the cell phone while his sister was allowed. The mother had taken the phone because her son was downloading apps and games to the phone. The boy eventually agreed to go watch television in his room and no further action was taken. A single car crash at Lakeview Street and Lewis Street was reported
at 5:35 a.m. The driver told the officer they were on Lewis and lost control on the slippery roadway when trying to make the curve. A 29-year-old North Muskegon woman was the driver and while the damage was limited to the passenger side front wheel, the vehicle did get towed from the scene. Jan. 10 A Whitehall Township woman was taken into custody at her residence on a warrant for a bad check. The case was investigated by Whitehall Police on the check written in November to a business in town. When the matter wasn’t resolved, the Muskegon County Prosecutor issued the warrant. The arrest was without incident at 11:48 p.m. and the 33-year-old suspect was lodged at the Muskegon County jail. Jan. 11 A resident of the 300 block of Livingston St. called to report that orange stakes he had placed on the property line had been moved. The officer responding to the 6:01 p.m. call was told the stakes had been placed in the rightof-way and they had been pulled and placed on his lawn. The caller accused a neighbor of taking the stakes but admitted he had not witnessed the event. As nothing was damaged or stolen, there was no further action taken. Jan. 12 At 1:03 p.m. a resident called because stakes he had placed on the property line had again been removed. The officer responding to the 300 block of Livingston spoke with the caller,
who again had placed stakes in the road right-of-way and they were again placed in his yard. The officer reminded the caller he cannot place such items in the right-of-way and that no crime had been committed. Jan. 16 A private property crash was reported in the 1600 block of Warner St. The caller told the officer they were leaving work at about 3:23 p.m. when they slid as they tried to exit a parking lot. The truck driven by the 43-year-old Whitehall Township man hit an unoccupied car in the lot. Both vehicles had minor damage and a report was taken for insurance purposes. A car trying to make a right turn from Colby Street onto Peterson Road slid on the slippery roadway and struck a vehicle waiting there to turn. The crash happened at about 3:18 p.m. when a 74-year-old Montague woman was eastbound on Colby when she tried to turn. The second car, driven by a 46-year-old New Era woman, was stopped and waiting to turn left from northbound Peterson. There were no injuries or citations in the crash. Jan. 17 A snow removal truck caused minor damage to a parked vehicle at 4:33 a.m. The worker was plowing a parking lot in the 3800 block of White Lake Dr. and misjudged the distance. The vehicle was unoccupied and had only minor damage.
THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR JANUARY19, 19,2024 2024 15 3 THE OCEANA ECHO JANUARY
Echoes of History: History Oak Grove Cemetery (pt. 2) By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor An auction sale was announced in the paper in September 1910 with proceeds going to the Cemetery Association. Through the generosity of a public-spirited citizen, many fine items were put up for action at the Montague Opera House Oct. 1. Some of the items were: Six upholstered chairs, five rockers, two fine couches, two small tables, a bookcase, a dining table, a china cupboard,two buffalo robes, barrel churn, and other items too numerous to mention. Although auctioneer W. E. Osmun had one of the slowest and unresponsive bidding crowds in his experience on the auction block, everything was sold out. The great surprise came when the proceeds were counted and found to total nearly $150. The articles sold were donated to the Montague Cemetery Association by Mrs. A. W. Dowling. The proceeds assisted them in carrying out their contemplated improvements at the cemetery. In November 1910, a letter of explanation was printed in the paper advising that the association had paid for 2,123 feet of pipe for carrying water from whatever source was decided on. Some suggested extending the water main from the village. Others advised the use of a gasoline engine. During the winter months, the ladies continued to investigate and decided which way was best. In April 1911, the officers from the previous year (1910) carried over for this year. Dues for the coming year were 50 cents. The May 1912 elections resulted in the following officers: Mrs. A. T. Steward, President; Mrs. Anna Dowling, Vice President; Mrs. S. A. Gritzner, Secretary; Mrs. Emma Mason, Treasurer. These same officers carried over their same duties in May 1913. In June 1912, Fred Folker resigned
as sexton of the cemetery and was replaced by Joseph Smith. This was the first mention of sextons for the cemetery. Also in 1912, after much thought and careful consideration, the ladies of the Association decided that for that season, the water at the cemetery would be free to all those who wished to use it. They wanted everyone to improve the lots under their care, and using water as needed would no doubt show the cemetery could be improved. Those who used the water were encouraged to carefully close the valve after use so as not to drain the tank dry. The sexton ran the engine between the hours of 3 and 5 p.m. when the pressure was better. A request was made for people to donate extra tulip, hyacinth and narcissus bulbs which would be used toward beautification of the cemetery. The bulbs were to be planted by Mrs. Hawks. In April 1914, the following ladies were elected officers of the association: Mrs. Stewart, President; Mrs. William Wilson, Vice President; Mrs. Hubbard, Secretary; and Mrs. William Hawks, Treasurer. The 1915 officers elected April 22 were: Mrs. Annie Dowling, President; Mrs. Hattie Stewart, Vice President; Mrs. Emma Hailey, Secretary; and Mrs. Ella Hawks, Treasurer. In June 1915, the Montague Cemetery Improvement Association reported on the work that had been done in the cemetery to get it ready before Decoration Day. Men had worked to grub out lilac and sassafras shrubs and other objectionable growths. Leaves were raked up and burned and the debris removed. In September 1915, The Montague Cemetery Improvement Association asked to have the cooperation of all lot owners in eradicating bunchgrass from the cemetery lots. Those wishing to have the association do the work, at
a very moderate cost, were to contact Mrs. Anna W. Dowling with their request. The May 1917 election of officers took place with the following results: Mrs. A. T. Stewart, President; Mrs. Anna Dowling, Vice President; Mrs. Willliam Hawks, Treasurer; Mrs. G. H. Mason, Secretary. A meeting was held by the Cemetery Association April 22, 1920, for the purpose of election of officers, paying of dues, and to discuss plans for the building of the vault. There was no listing of officers elected as in the past, or any information on the vault. The purpose of a receiving vault is to temporarily store dead bodies in winter months when the ground is too frozen to dig a permanent grave in a cemetery. On Oct. 14, 1920 it was announced in the paper that the building of a receiving wault would be started at the cemetery at a cost of $1,700, with financing by the Ladies Cemetery Improvement Association. A news article the following week called for additional contributions to be made to meet the expenses of the vault, despite a generous gift from Mrs. Elizabeth Row of Lansing. This explains why her name is the only individual name to appear on the plaque, along with the group name, when it was placed on the building upon its completion in 1920. It’s not known how much her donation was, but we do know who Mrs. Elizabeth Row was. And the connection is with Mrs. Anna Dowling. She was born Anna Wilson (1848-1920) and in 1875 she married George E. Dowling (1839-1896). Anna had an older sister, Elizabeth Wilson (18431929), and in 1863 she married Samuel H. Row (1840-1909) and they lived in Lansing. As both men were deceased by 1909, that left the sisters single ladies and free to visit each other often. Anna seemed very involved in the
cemetery project, and I think her sister Elizabeth became interested as well and supported her sister’s efforts with a generous gift to the project. On March 22, 1923 it was reported that Mrs. Marie Moritz died at her home in Maple Grove. Her body was placed in the cemetery vault until a more favorable time for burial. In April 1926, Mrs. H. P. Rogers’ body was placed in the vault at Oak Grove Cemetery, according to information in her obituary. There were certainly others during and after that time as well, but they were not reported in the paper. A mausoleum was built at Oak Grove Cemetery. On Feb. 19, 1959 it was announced that final arrangements were recently completed with the Montague City Council, which voted unanimous approval, for the construction of a community mausoleum in Oak Grove Cemetery. By June the sale of the crypts in the mausoleum were progressing well. Construction of the mausoleum got underway in mid-September. George Dillabaugh, Mayor of Montague, turned the first shovel of dirt. Gerald Proctor, construction engineer, designed the mausoleum. Keith Construction Co., under the direction of Keith Boltze, local contractor, built it. The original goal was a 72-crypt mausoleum. Local interest was so high that 36 more crypts were added to the blueprints. The sale of the crypts paid for the construction of the mausoleum. A picture of the newly completed 108-crypt mausoleum appeared in the Montague Observer Dec. 24, 1959. In September 2023, fundraising efforts were begun by the City of Montague to secure $25,000 needed to make significant repairs to the receiving vault and provide financial support to preserve the building for the next 100+ years.
A look back at a successful 2023 at the library By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor The numbers are in, and 2023 was a great year for the White Lake Community Library! We had more than 42,000 in-person visitors and 46,000 visitors to our website. We loaned out more than 70,000 physical items, including books, movies, magazines, digital devices, STEAM kits and more. Our cardholders borrowed an additional 18,000 digital/downloadable items through our Libby and Hoopla apps, bringing the total to more than 88,000 items loaned to people in this community. Beyond the usage statistics, there have been many other positive things happening at the library. We finished the HVAC upgrades under budget, reduced our energy consumption and earned nearly $2,000 in rebates. We also replaced the 23-year-old carpet, installed security cameras, and added a cement pad for the solar picnic table for increased accessibility. With generous support from the Community Foundation and other partners, we offered the first annual Good Neighbor Day Dinner, a truly delightful event that brought 75 local residents together at one long table to share a meal and friendly conversation. Another grant allowed us to offer a Spanish Language Camp for young
children, while private donations brought us a permanent story trail on the bike path that will serve the community for years to come. It was quite an honor for me personally to be recognized with the Lady Laker award through the White Lake Chamber of Commerce in October. I recognize that the award says as much about the entire library staff as it does about me. I also know it means I have a tough choice to make this summer – I can’t serve as the grand marshal of the July 4 parade and ride the library book bike at the same time! These are just a few of the highlights of 2023. We are so grateful for the support of this community and for the generosity of our donors that make it all possible. Watch for the library’s 2023 Annual Report coming out in March to read more about last year, and stay tuned to this column to learn of all the good things already in the works for 2024! FUN FACT: Of the books and other items borrowed from the library last year, approximately 44% were for children and teens. Another 55% were items for adults, with the other 1% non-traditional library items such as hotspots, museum passes, and musical instruments. We expect that last number to increase in 2024 as we expand our Library of Things offerings – watch
for more news soon! Grandmothers Group The Grandmothers Group is inviting new members to attend their next meeting at the library Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 10 a.m. In many other cultures, older women are highly respected and seen as a source of knowledge, experience, and history. They are named “Grandmothers”. A local group of women has
been meeting at the library on the last Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m. for lively conversations about their roles and relationships in our own society as they live out the second half of their lives. All interested women, grandmothers or not, are welcome to participate in the monthly meetings. Call at 231-894-9531 for more information.
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SPORTS WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER
Montague’s grit shows in WMC jamboree NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE Wildcats finish 2nd overall, top all schools in third round By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor WHITEHALL — Montague displayed the toughness coach Penny Grinage-Guy has hoped to see from her team Wednesday night at the West Michigan Conference jamboree in Whitehall, earning second place with 625.14 points. The Wildcats had the highest round three score of any team - 262.6 - an especially remarkable feat considering what happened the week prior at Fremont. Montague’s final round that day was “a disaster,” Grinage-Guy said, unfortunately including a concussion for one athlete. Montague had to tweak its lineup for the third round Wednesday because of the injury, and the team delivered in a big way to finish only six points behind first-place Mason County Central. “We had another girl (in at tumbler) that just had two days to practice because of snow days,” Grinage-Guy said. “The fact that they hit all their stunts in round three, that was icing on the grit cake, so to speak.” The jamboree was closer than usual at the top because Hart, the usual WMC leader, was assessed 34 penalty points in round two and fell from the top spot, opening the door for other teams. Grinage-Guy said the team was aware of the shakeup at the top and was hoping to finish strong enough to maintain its third-place position. “We didn’t talk about Hart specifically, but I just said going into round three in third (place), I said, ‘All you have to do is put a solid round out
The Montague cheer team lines up to perform a routine during Wednesday’s WMC jamboree in Whitehall.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
The Montague cheer team shows their spirit during a routine at Wednesday’s WMC jamboree in Whitehall. The Wildcats earned a second-place finish.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
Whitehall’s cheer team performs a routine during Wednesday’s WMC jamboree in Whitehall.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
and you’ll probably stay third,’” Grinage-Guy said. “Not only did they stay at third, they moved up a notch.” Whitehall scored 593.46 points to finish fifth. Coach Karlie Sika said the Vikings improved from last week’s performance, though they were disappointed not to be able to move up higher in the standings. “We definitely knew if we stuck round three that there was an opportunity to move ahead,” Sika said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t, but we were
The Whitehall cheer team hits the floor during a round two performance Wednesday at the WMC jamboree in Whitehall. The Vikings finished fifth.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
close. We just have little things we have to improve on as we move into next week.” Sika said the biggest thing Whitehall needs is to grow more confident in its ability as a team, which would boost its chances of executing the skills it’s
working on. “That’s just shown throughout every round,” Sika said. “Transition, movements, vocals, we need to be louder. Just putting more passion into what we’re doing, I think, is what we need to put on the floor.”
Vikings soar in lopsided win over Oakridge Whitehall throws down trio of high-flying dunks in terrific effort By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor WHITEHALL — On paper, at least, Oakridge was the top remaining opponent for Whitehall in the first leg of the West Michigan Conference Lakes’ double round-robin schedule after defeating Ludington. However, after a slow first few minutes last Thursday night, Whitehall made the Eagles look as overmatched as most of its opponents have this season. The Vikings dialed up their intensity even higher than usual in the second and third quarters, turning a close game into a runaway and delivering some highlight-reel plays along the way in a 91-54 blowout. Whitehall made much of the second half its showcase, delivering not one but two alley-oop assists to star Camden Thompson before Trannon Aylor capped it off with his first career in-game dunk. “It feels great,” Thompson said of
Whitehall’s Brock Morningstar powers through Oakridge defenders for a basket during last Thursday’s game.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
the high-flying slams, which came off assists from Ca’Mar Ready and Brock Morningstar. “My teammates trust me and we’re getting that chemistry built up. Just banging one out here at home, it feels great with the crowd and everyone supporting me.”
Whitehall’s Camden Thompson flies in for a dunk during last Thursday’s game against Oakridge. The Vikings romped, 91-54, and Thompson had 27 points and 14 rebounds.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
Coach Christian Subdon was as erupted for over 20 points in Whiteimpressed as anyone, but enjoyed hall’s JV win over the Eagles, delivered just as much how his starters supported the reserves when they got in the game late. Corde Anderson, who
Lopsided victory continued on page 5
Lopsided victory an and-one basket and a three-pointer to get the bench and crowd on their feet in the fourth quarter. “That’s the special part to me, because you could be a starter and sit down on the bench and go, ‘My work’s done.’ It’s not,” Subdon said. “You’ve got to be a great teammate, and they were. The ref was telling us to sit down. I was like, ‘No chance. We’re not sitting down.’ It was cool.” The Eagles grabbed an early lead with a trio of first-quarter three-pointers, and it took Whitehall until late in the quarter to take its first lead. Kal Koehler hit a trey in the final seconds to help push Whitehall to a six-point lead, and Thompson dominated the second quarter from there as the Vikings piled up the points. The junior star, who was honored pregame for his 1,000th career point - it was the team’s first home game since that Dec. 27 accomplishment - wound up with 27 points and 14 rebounds despite barely playing in the fourth quarter. “We’re getting better as a team, day in and day out,” Thompson said. “You’re going to see us getting better even more throughout the year.” The fast pace Whitehall has become known for over the years was evident, and it was that pace that pushed the Vikings into gear after taking a few minutes to settle into the game. It’s most noticed on offense, but Whitehall’s defense recorded 13 steals to kick-start many fast breaks. “As soon as the ball starts moving from here to there, we’re better,” Subdon said. “We’re not very good at the iso-ball stuff, even though we have guys who can score. As soon as the ball starts to really move from end to end within a couple seconds,
THE OCEANA ECHO JANUARY THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR JANUARY19, 19,2024 2024 17 5 continued from page 4
Whitehall’s Kolten Weiler is taken down by Hesperia’s Stephen Priese during Wednesday’s WMC tri meet in Hart. The Vikings beat both Hart and Hesperia.
• Brendan Samuels/Mirror Whitehall’s DJ Jamison makes his way between Oakridge defenders to the basket during Friday’s WMC Lakes game in Whitehall. The Vikings won easily, 91-54.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
we’re pretty dangerous.” Adding to the impressiveness of the win was that the Vikings shrugged off any hint of a potential hangover from the thrilling win over Ludington six days prior. On top of that, the victory also gave Whitehall wins - decisive ones at that - over everyone else in its district. You won’t hear any of the Vikings declaring their mission accomplished, though. In fact, several players made their way to the weight room after the game to get some more work in. The mentality is clear. “It’s great being 10-0, but that means nothing at the end of the season,” Subdon said. “I want to be successful at the end of the year, so we have to continue to work, continue to get better.”
Whitehall turns it on early in dominating win over Fremont
Whitehall takes down Hart in top-5 battle By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor Whitehall entered the week ranked #3 in Division 3 by Michigan Grappler and sent a strong message Wednesday night by downing fourth-ranked Hart 53-18 during the Hart Tri. The Vikings also dominated Hesperia, 63-12, during the tri to remain unbeaten in West Michigan Conference action. Whitehall swiftly took command of the Hart dual, winning the first three matches by pin. In all, seven Vikings scored pins against Hart: Gavin Craner, Trenton TenBrock, Blake Morningstar, Nolan Taranko, Caden Varela, Liam Leeke and Darnell Mack. Craner, TenBrock, Mack, Morningstar and Leeke also pinned their Hesperia opponents. Ryan Goodrich, Cody Manzo, Max Krukowski and Nolan Taranko also earned 2-0 records.
By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor WHITEHALL — If Whitehall coach Christian Subdon was nitpicking - and when you’re a coach, you’re always nitpicking - his biggest complaint with his undefeated Vikings to date was that it would often take a quarter or so for them to build up to the kind of quick-strike pace he likes to see. That wasn’t the case Tuesday night, as Whitehall took control early and rolled to an 80-31 West Michigan Conference Lakes win over Fremont. Whitehall (11-0, 6-0 WMC Lakes) got out on the break immediately, feeding Ca’Mar Ready with an outlet pass after Fremont’s first miss of the game for an easy bucket. “We want to be known as a defensive team because that wins you games in March,” Subdon said. “That’s what I asked them to do and then they did that. I appreciate them doing what I’m asking them to do. That tells me that they’re trying to grow as a team.” Whitehall attacked the basket in the first quarter, largely eschewing long-range attempts - though Camden Thompson did knock down a three-pointer in the quarter. Then, in the second frame, the Vikings switched tactics, delivering three treys and scoring 20 points in the first six minutes of the quarter. Eight different Whitehall players had scored by halftime as the Vikes built a 40-10 lead. “They make me look like a good coach when they’re shooting it like that and getting layups,” Subdon said. “They can do it all. It’s just continuing to keep that mental focus.” Whitehall kept up the strong effort throughout the game. Subdon was specifically impressed with the effort on what he now calls “100/0” balls, including one where Hunter Osborne hit the deck with the Vikes already up by a large margin. Subdon said he calls what are usually known as 50/50 balls by the new moniker because he thinks his team can and should come up with all of them. “If it’s on the (floor) and we don’t know (who has it), it’s got to be ours,” Subdon said. “It doesn’t matter the score. I want people to leave the gym and say, ‘Holy crap, those guys play hard.’ I think people can do that tonight.” Thompson led the team with 19 points, eight
Whitehall’s Camden Thompson and Kyle Stratton close in on Fremont’s Chaz Miller during Tuesday’s WMC Lakes game. The Vikings rolled, 80-31. • Andy Roberts/Mirror
Whitehall’s Gavin Craner (right) goes for a takedown of Hesperia’s Brock Bolles during Wednesday’s WMC tri meet in Hart. Whitehall knocked off the 4th-ranked Hart squad as well as Hesperia in the tri.
• Brendan Samuels/Mirror
Sports in Brief Boys Basketball Reeths-Puffer 81 Union 19 The Rockets got everyone into the game and played almost the whole seocnd half with a running clock. Travis Ambrose led the way with 21 points, and Jaxson Whitaker added 18.
Girls Basketball Holton 30 Whitehall 27 Lexi Daggett drilled four three-pointers and scored 14 points in all, but the Vikings lost a defensive battle at home.
Reeths-Puffer 70 Union 33
Whitehall’s Camden Thompson puts up a jump shot over Fremont’s Gavin Richards during Tuesday’s game at Whitehall. Thompson scored 19 points in a win. • Andy Roberts/Mirror rebounds and six steals in only 22 minutes of play. Ready had 12 points and Trannon Aylor chipped in 11. Subdon trumpeted the virtues of junior Kal Koehler, who had eight points and five boards and is probably the player whose numbers are most affected by being on the court with Thompson. “If I leave Kal in that game, Kal gets 20 (points),” Subdon said. “He got every rebound there was to have. That’s what we’re asking him to do. I’m super proud of that guy. That kid does not get talked about enough. “Everyone at the beginning of the year was like, ‘Man, we’ve just got to stop Cam.’ Yeah, you can do that. You can double-team him, but we’ve got other dudes that can really play the game of basketball and they’re playing it at a high level.”
R-P raced out to a 25-2 lead in the first quarter. Brooklynn Tornes had 23 points, nine assists and seven steals, and Irelyn Niklasch posted 10 points and 15 rebounds. Savannah Lockwood chipped in 13 points.
Wrestling
Montague goes 2-0 at Holton Quad The Wildcats edged Shelby, 42-40, and routed Holton, 60-18. Jimmy Thommen, Chris Aebig, Abby Thommen, Michael Jones, Clay Johnson, Malachi Plunkett and Maverick Osborne each went 2-0. “I’m extremely proud of our team tonight,” coach Kris Maddox said. “We wrestled really well and are starting to wrestle relaxed and with enjoyment.”
Reeths-Puffer 1-1 at Spring Lake Quad The Rockets rolled past rival Mona Shores, 52-24, and fell to Greenville, 50-23. Arin Maynard, Jake Rozycki, Ian Cook and Nathan Stafford each went 2-0 for the Rockets.
Bowling
Whitehall teams fall to Orchard View The Viking boys dropped a close match, 16-14, while the girls fell, 28-2. Mason Slaughter topped the boys’ scores, with a 189, and Ava Garcia rolled a 171 to lead the girls team.
Hockey Reeths-Puffer 6 Grand Haven 3 The Rockets picked up another key O-K Fischer Conference win. Jaxon Stone earned his 100th career point and had two goals on the night. Tyler Cuti also had two goals for R-P.
18 JANUARY19, 19,2024 2024 THE THEWHITE OCEANA ECHO 6 JANUARY LAKE MIRROR
Dancers liven up the holiday season
Whitehall school board re-elects its officers By Andy Roberts
White Lake Mirror Editor
WHITEHALL — Whitehall’s school board unanimously re-elected all its board officers at Monday’s meeting, which also included presentations from each school in the district for School Board Appreciation Month. Board president Rachel Fekken, vice-president Chris Mahoney, treasurer Jimmy TenBrink and secretary Paula Martin were all the sole nominations to continue in their positions. No one on the board saw their term end in 2023, though TenBrink and Fekken will each end their terms at • Madison Lajewski/Mirror the end of 2024. The board appreciation presentations included posters made by children at both Whitehall elementary schools as well as gift bags distributed by middle school principal Jessy Thompson. High school student council members Natalie Conners and Chloe Jensen joined principal Brett Westerlund for the high school’s presentation. Westerlund noted that his grandfather spent 35 years on The Releve Dance Studio in Whitehall the Reeths-Puffer school board, and put on a holiday dance performance Dec. commended the board for exhibiting 17, celebrating the season with themed the same love for students that he music and choreographed routines. saw from his grandfather. Beyond that, it was a light agenda; the board meeting lasted under a half
an hour in total. Superintendent Jerry McDowell did share that the middle school is having a heating problem as a pipe burst in the area of the cafeteria. Although the pipe was fixed, other pipes in that part of the building have also sprung leaks. As a result, that area of the building is cold. McDowell said the possibility has been discussed of moving classes in that area of the school, such as physical education and band, to the Viking Athletic Center as a workaround until a more long-term solution can be found. It’s also possible that food production for the cafeteria may occur elsewhere in the interim. The superintendent added that he anticipated these problems due to the age of the heating system and noted the millage request that was twice voted down by the district last year. The request included a new HVAC system for the middle school, as well as at Ealy Elementary. District finance director Steve Aardema said in his monthly finance report that an increase in the district’s retirement rate has resulted in a $350,000 increase in budgeted benefits district-wide. He added revenue from the state is up as well, which helps offset the increase, but it is still a hit. Aardema also noted that debt fund revenue has decreased due to the millage rate falling to 5.000 mills.
Wanderland CEIC encourages attendance at Jan. 25 public meeting Last Thursday, Jan. 11, the Chemours Environmental Impact Committee (CEIC) gathered at the White River Township Hall to present a summary of the reasons for the 62-year delay in the cleanup of the former DuPont property, now owned by Chemours. Thirty-two White Lake area residents joined CEIC members at the hall, while 17 joined remotely, by Zoom. Reasons for the delay include the fact that for all these years there has been no enforceable document to give Michigan’s state environmental agency the authority to establish timelines for the cleanup. Also, the Chemours site has been labeled as a Medium Priority. The state focuses on completing cleanup activities at High Priority contaminated sites, while for Medium Priority sites such as the Chemours property the focus is on keeping human exposures and contaminated groundwater under control.
Next Thursday, Jan. 25, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., the Materials Management Division of EGLE will be at the White River Township Hall, 7386 Post Rd, Montague, to provide their first update on the cleanup of the Chemours property since December 2018. Chemours is also expected to be present. There will be time allotted for questions during the meeting. CEIC is encouraging people to attend the meeting either in person or by Zoom to show EGLE and Chemours that our community strongly supports cleanup and conservation of this property. “Community Acceptance” is a consideration in the industry’s decision-making regarding their course of action for cleanup. For more information, or to find the Zoom link to join the meeting remotely, email makeitrightchemours@gmail. com or visit Make It Right Chemours on Facebook.
That’s not the only event at Wanderland to utilize snow; there will also be a snow sculpture contest at the Montague Artisan Market, moving from Goodrich Park in Whitehall in an effort to balance the uses of the two downtowns for the event. The contest will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Valerie Hanson, who is board president for Wanderland, said although it’s hard to envision a White Lake area without snow for the event given what has happened over the past week, both snowy features of Wanderland will take place regardless of whether there’s any snow that weekend. “Rain or snow or sun, the sled race will run,” Hanson said. “If there’s no snow, it would just be on a muddy hill, which might be even funnier. The snowman contest will also run. In the event of no snow, you’ll have to consider organic things like a bale of hay or gourds.” The event kicks off Friday, Feb. 2 with what’s being called a Starry Night in Wanderland in the Whitehall social district. In past years, the Friday night festivities have focused on children sledding. They’re still welcome to do so, but now the evening, hosted by the White Lake Snow Farmers, will also include music and food vendors as well as the traditional hot chocolate,
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and is intended for all ages. Following the cardboard sled race, the action will shift to the Snowshoe Shuffle at the Buttermilk Creek park in Montague from 3 to 5 p.m. The hope is the weather will permit use of the skating rink at Buttermilk Creek, but the main draw will be a puzzle for visitors to solve through a walk in the woods. “We had that last year, and that was a hit,,” Hanson said. Sunday brings a new event to Wanderland - the Frosty Fashion Quest, from 12 to 4 p.m. In the days leading up to Wanderland, visitors are invited to patronize local thrift stores with a partner and select each other’s outfit for the day; the only rules are the outfit must fit and be appropriate to wear in public. Then, participants will be invited to seek out a series of photo clues posted on the Wanderland website, which will take them throughout the two downtowns. If successful, the participants will discover a free hot soup as part of their travels. Participants should post selfies to Facebook with the clue solutions and the hashtag #whitelakewanderland24 to win the prize. More details on Wanderland are available at the organization’s website, whitelakewanderland.com.
The White Lake Mirror © is published weekly at P.O. Box 192, Mears, MI 49436 • All rights reserved.
whitelakemirror@gmail.com • January 19, 2024 • Volume 1 • Issue 10 Office hours: Mondays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Office phone: 231-301-8149, or for breaking news, please call 231-923-0751.
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