The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 52, May 24, 2024

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Dog saved from Shelby house fire

Just prior to midnight on Monday, May 13, the Shelby-Benona Fire Department was dispatched to a report of residential fire just inside the south village limit. Upon arrival, fire command found a single-family residence with smoke and flames showing near a bedroom on the north end of the home. All occupants of the home were accounted for, but it was noted that a dog was still inside. Fire command was able to enter the home, combat the smoke-filled room and locate the animal without further incident. Initial engine crews arrived, stretched multiple hose lines and began work on knocking down the fire. Much of the fire was contained to a back bedroom with minimal extension into the living area of the home. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined.

The department would like to thank Grant Township Fire Rescue, Ferry Area Fire Department, Mason-Oceana 9-1-1, the Michigan State Police and Consumers Energy for their assistance during this incident.

Area Memorial Day observances

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Another Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and whether you will be taking your first camping trip, hosting a barbeque or plan to catch some of the Indianapolis 500, take a moment to learn about/remember the real reason behind the holiday.

According to History.com, Memorial Day had its beginnings at the end of the 19th century. “The Civil War ended in 1865, claiming more lives than any other conflict in U.S. history, requiring the establishment of the first national cemeteries. By the late 1860’s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers.

“The town of Waterloo, New York, is credited with officially starting the holiday. On May 5, 1866, its citizens closed its shops and businesses so that everyone could decorate the graves of the men killed during the war.

“Then on May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. On May 30, 1868, 5,000 war widows, orphans and other mourners gathered at Arlington National Cemetery, where they placed flowers and ribbons on the 20,000 graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers.

“The date of Decoration Day, as he (Logan) called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. ‘The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,’ he proclaimed.

“The holiday gained in popularity and was renamed “Memorial Day” by the end of the 19th century. Originally it honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I, the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars.

“In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial

Day a federal holiday.”

Today people across our nation gather on the fourth Monday of May to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrificetheir lives, for our freedoms. We also remember all veterans who have passed away of natural causes. While many Americans use the day to visit and decorate loved ones graves, the holiday is first and foremost a day to remember United States veterans who have died.

In the spirit of community, we invite all Oceana Echo readers to attend one of the following services to pay their respects. Invite and bring a veteran, your family and friends. There’s a saying that says, “Freedom isn’t free.” Attending a service will cost you some time. However, it will be time well spent remembering those who’ve passed and educating the younger generation about their shared history and the origins of this day we celebrate. No matter your schedule, all veterans, community members and groups are urged to attend one of the several opportunities listed below to commemorate this most solemn of all American holidays.

• 9 a.m. The Walkerville Memorial Day Observance will be held at Fairlawn Cemetery, located at 121 East Street, Walkerville. The service will include prayer by veteran Rev. David Peplinski, music by Sharon Hallack, recitation of the Gettysburg Address by veteran Gary Strait and the Veterans Ritual by the VFW and American Legion Honor Guards.

• 9 a.m. - The Rothbury Village Memorial Day Observance will be held at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Cemetery, located at 2419 West Winston Road in Rothbury. Community members will join Fr. Peter Omogo, a special speaker and area veterans, for their annual ceremony.

• 9 a.m. - The Ferry Memorial Day Services will begin at the North Ferry Cemetery (attendees are reminded to come from the east, as the road from the west is currently blocked off). This will be followed by the service at the South Ferry Cemetery at 9:30 a.m., the Otto Township Cemetery Service at 10 a.m. and will conclude with a service at the pavilion by the river near downtown Ferry at 10:30 a.m. Participants and veterans no longer march at any location, and each service includes a gathering at each monument with a rifle salute and Taps.

• 9:30 a.m. - The New Era Memorial Day Parade will begin at the New Era Christian School on Ray Street and proceed to the Veterans Park located at South First Street.

The parade will include veterans, community groups, the Shelby High School Marching Band, and the New Era Christian School band. A ceremony at the park will feature a special speaker and music.

• 10 a.m. - The Mears Memorial Day Observance will take place at the Mears Cemetery, located at 6189 West Fox Road, Mears. Services will include music by the Hart High School band, a speaker and Veterans Ritual led by members of the Hart VFW.

• 10 a.m. - The Pentwater Memorial Day Parade will begin on First Street, across from the Pentwater Baptist Church and proceed to the Village Municipal Marina, where a special ceremony will remember all those who have perished while at sea. The parade will make its way to the Village Green for a second short ceremony. A final observance will be held at the Pentwater Township Cemetery located at 8060 N. Business US-31. The Pentwater School Band will march in the parade and play at each location.

• 10 a.m. - The Shelby Memorial Day Parade will begin at the corner of Sixth and Elm Streets and proceed down Michigan Avenue to Centennial Park at State and Third Streets. There, a ceremony will include a guest speaker and veteran Wes VanderWilk, music by the Shelby High School band and a Veterans Ritual performed by local Shelby veterans. Air Force veteran Kevin VanDyke has been selected as Officer of the Day.

• 11 a.m. - The Hart Memorial Day Parade will begin at the Oceana County Courthouse, located at 100 S. State St. in Hart and proceed to the Hart Cemetery, where the Hart High School band will perform its traditional Military Anthem Melody, followed by a guest speaker, and Veterans Ritual led by members of the Hart VFW.

• 2 p.m. - There will be a ceremony at both the Oceana County Medical Care Facility and Cherry Blossom Manor to honor the veterans there. The public is invited to attend.

No matter which service you attend or if you choose to commemorate those who’ve fought for your freedoms privately, the words of veteran Darrell Hansen of Shelby should be our heartfelt prayer: “We remember the ones who have served and passed before us. Because of them, we can continue with our lives and freedoms. I feel very strongly about the ones who’ve served before me. I’m very honored to do what I can do at this stage of my life.”

Did you know that each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m.?

Brian Fessenden, Bill Tufts, Darrell Hansen and Larry Fessenden, above center, of the Gordon Bates American Legion Post #30 in Shelby, visited the veterans at the Oceana County Medical Care Facility in Hart, Friday, May 10 to present them with patriotic blankets crocheted by Janise Burmeister. Harold Schaner, above left, is thanked for his service by Tufts. Burmeister thanks Chuck Felt for his service, above right, as she handed him a blanket. • Amanda Dodge/Echo

OCMCF honors longtime employees

By Stacia Erickson The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Words such as “dedication, pleasant, determination, meaningful, hard-working, heart of everything and purposeful” were flying through the air like fireworks at last week’s Oceana County Medical Care Facility’s (OCMCF) Recognition of Service Celebration. Local and state dignitaries were on hand to celebrate a staff that appears to be nothing short of wonderful!

Begun in 1964, the county-owned, skilled-nursing facility has since served residents in both the long and short term with exceptional comfort, providing 24-hour care and rehabilitation needs. What began as a 53-bed facility is now 115 beds. In addition, in 2005, the Margaret D. Fuehring Memorial Care Center, an 18-bed Alzheimer’s care unit, was built. OCMCF has always been known for its exceptional person-centered care and up-todate accommodations, along with its friendly, welcoming staff and homelike atmosphere. It now boasts private and semi-private rooms, a bistro-style dining area, as well as a resident dining room, dayrooms, activity rooms and a short-term rehabilitation wing. Each resident has an individualized daily agenda and a variety of activities available, all promoting improving lives and involvement.

Recognizing the strength and devotion of its employees is of such importance that it is reflected and directly included in OCMCF’s mission statement saying, “Through the efforts of our employees, Oceana County Medical Care

Facility provides high-quality skilled nursing and related human services to all qualified persons in a professional, sensitive and courteous manner and in partnership with other care providers.” Employees are the heart and soul of this establishment.

Employees from all areas of service within the facility were acknowledged for their years of faithful work and contributions ranging from five years to 45 years. Each received certificates, some received special pins and those with the longest track record were awarded official personal certificates of recognition from the Michigan Senate and presented by Senator Jon Bumstead, Michigan’s 32nd District and Michigan House 102 District Representative, Curt Vanderwall. Honorees were:

• Sally Jo Miller 45 years

• Diane Wabsis 40 years

• Becky Reid 40 years

• Dana McCulley 30 years

• Terri (Teresa) Shafer 25 years

• Shannon Monroe 25 years

• Tiffany Seals 5 years

• Amanda Lange 10 years

• Karyna Pochyla 15 years

• Karissa Pease 20 years

• Suzanne Finley 5 years

• Caitlyn Salliotte 5 years

• Heidi Findorff 10 years

• Cheyanne Slade 20 years

• Tara Bateson 20 years

• Jennifer Teal 15 years

• Karen Kersjes 15 years

• Melissa Tanner 10 years

• Laurie Hammond 10 years

• Britney Auble 10 years

• Chris Miller 5 years

• Cassandra Holladay 5 years

• Ryan Auble 5 years

NOTICE TO ALL NEWFIELD TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS

Newfield Township will have its annual Spring Clean-Up Day On Saturday, June 1, 2023

Dumpsters will be available at the parking lot adjacent to the Township Hall - 3890 S. 198th Ave.

Beginning at 8:00AM and lasting until 12:00PM or Until all Dumpsters are filled

ELIGIBLE MATERIALS INCLUDE:

Household Goods (no chemicals)

Construction Materials Metals Old Batteries

Please note that Yard Waste, TVs, Electronics and Hazardous Waste will NOT be ACCEPTED

No Tires will be ACCEPTED

Free Pick-Up Service is available for eligible seniors and folks with disabilities. Please contact Joan at 231-854-1089 to arrange For Questions Please Contact: Steven Micklin, Zoning Administrator 231-301-0181

Shelby Rotary Club and the Oceana Community Foundation send 26 students to summer camp

This summer, 26 Oceana students will attend summer camp with the support of the Shelby Rotary Club, the Oceana Community Foundation, and its donor-advised partners! These students received a total of $7,275 in camp scholarships (or ‘camperships’) with individual awards ranging from $100 to $650 each. Awards were determined based on preference for first-time applicants and those with financial need. Given the camp cost for some students, awards were increased beyond the standard $250 limit.

Since 2015, the Oceana Community Foundation and Shelby Rotary Club have been partnering each spring to offer young camp-enthusiasts with camperships. The focus of the program is to ensure that children of all financial backgrounds can enjoy summer camp and further develop their skills and interests outside of the classroom. Students can apply for support for any camp of their choice, including arts, sports, religious, nature, leadership or academic-focused programs. Further, Shelby Rotary Club’s Camperships support overnight and day camps, as well as programs throughout the nation. Shelby Rotarian and Shelby Library Director Tiffany Haight, oversees the annual program and facilitates the

• Proof of residency in the Township of Newfield will be required

scholarship application process. She is the main contact for any questions regarding the scholarship program.

As a parent and librarian, I see firsthand what a difference a camp experience can have on a child’s life,” Haight shared. “They come home with new stories, friendships, and cherished memories. Every child should be able to attend camp if they want, regardless of their family’s financial situation, and enjoy the opportunity to relax, have fun, and be carefree.” Camp is often a respite for young people, a break away from their daily lives to try something new and meet new people. One student shared their hope to overcome anxiety and make new friends. “This is a big step for me as I hope to make more friends and try things that are out of my comfort zone.”

Awards were given to students of all ages, ranging from 2nd to 12th grades, across all school districts. Some will be attending local West Mich-

igan camps like Camp Ao-Wa-Kiya, Grace Adventures Camps, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Other popular choices include Timber Wolf Lake - A Young Life Camp, sports camps at colleges, Camp Newaygo and Oceana Conservation District’s nature camps. Several of the foundation’s donor-advised funds contributed to this year’s camperships, including the Shelby Rotary Club Fund, the Hart Rotary Club Fund, the JT Sackett Memorial Fund, the David P. Markiewicz Memorial Fund, and the Boy Scout Camp Fund. The Boy Scout Camp Fund is the Foundation’s first scholarship fund dedicated to supporting camperships.  Questions regarding the campership program can be directed to Tiffany Haight at the Shelby Area District Library. To support future campership awards or establish your own named fund, please contact Foundation CEO Tammy Carey at tammy@oceanafoundation. org or 231-869-3377.

Looking for Crafters to Participate Call for Table Pricing: 231-578-9920 Leisure Haven Campground 3056 E. M20 in Hesperia

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Golden Township is requesting bids for final grading and concrete work at the new Emergency Service Building at 7847 W. Taylor Rd.

Labor and Materials for the following: Earth Work

Remove organic soils between barn and road edge, place compact fill (approx. 36’x40’)

Place 2”-6”stone and fabric on East, West, sides of building (approx. 450 sq ft)

Complete site grading for proper slope drainage Import fill sand to be used in drive approach

Prepare and grass seed

Concrete Work

36x54 concrete approach width of building to road

Walk wrapped around to porch and 5’ out 6” with thickened edges 2 wings at the road

Please return bids to Golden Township P.O. Box 26 Mears, MI 49436

Return by June 3, 2024

Questions: 231-873-4413

Pictured from left: Larry VanSickle, Senator Jon Bumstead, Teresa (Terri) Shafer, Becky Reid, Diane Wabsis, Sally Jo Miller, State Rep. Curt VanderWall, Dale Danes, and Oceana County Commissioner Paul Erickson. Longtime award honorees Dana McCulley and Shannon Monroe are missing from the photo. • Stacia Erickson/Echo

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

Early Pioneers: Ira Jenks

By Caleb Jackson

The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

It is interesting to read about the early pioneers of our county. Many came with their families prior to mid-life. Some, such as the Haugheys, whom we’ve discussed previously, came in their prime shortly after getting married. Still, some others came in their later years, after much of their lives had been lived. Dr. Ira Jenks is one of those people.

Reading through Jenks’s biography in “Oceana County Pioneers and Business Men of To-Day,” gives the impression that he lived several lives before finally settling down and living out the rest of his days in our corner of the world. He was born in Homer, N.Y., in 1808. At the age of 9, he moved to Scipio with his parents, and then a year later they moved again to Sheldon. Another year later, we find him in Wyoming, N.Y., where he would finally stay, at least until the age of 24. At the age of 20, he learned the shoemaking trade, and at the age of 21, he “took upon himself the entire responsibility of his father’s family, consisting of three, besides his sister and her two children.” Hartwick and Tuller don’t mention why such a large responsibility was thrust upon such a young man. The obvious answer would be that his father passed away, which would be another tragedy in and of itself. Then, in 1838, Jenks served as a fifer in the Patriot War. The role of the fifer was to play the fife in

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

order to communicate signals or orders to the battalions. The fife was preferred for this role because its high pitch could be heard over the sounds of battle. Jenks was about 30 when he served in the war.

At the age of 36, an injury left Ira Jenks crippled in one hand for the rest of his life. This was also the time he started to study medicine, and by the next year he married Miss Direna L. Davis, “with whom he had become acquainted while doctoring her mother, 40 miles from home.” Normally, this is the point at which I would expect our young pioneer to arrive in Oceana County, but in Jenks’s case, it is not that simple. He still has a few more stops along the way. In 1846, the couple moved to Ionia, Mich. According to our good authors, “their experience there was a severe one, as he was sick a whole year with ague and acute bronchitis, and his wife with malarial fever over 4 months.” They go on to say that this experience was “the most severe and trying of any in their lives.” I’m sure this left them eager to get out of Ionia, and in 1848, they moved to Roxand Township in Eaton County. It was here that his experiences in the Patriot War paid off, as he obtained a warrant for 160 acres of land for his services.

Next, in 1850, he moved to Greenville, then North Oakfield in Kent County, and in May of 1866, “he began work as a ‘pathfinder’ in the Oceana Co. wilds.” And so it was that in 1856 he finally located to Oceana County in Hart Township on an area known as Prospect Hill, “his

nearest neighbor then being A.C. Randall, at Shelby Corners.” Hartwick and Tuller give us a little more in-depth look at this event in chapter 11 of their book, in the section discussing the township and village in Hart. They say that in the spring of 1856, “Dr. Ira Jenks came from Kent, in company with two other men, wending his way via Croton, on the Muskegon, across the Marengo Plains, through the wilderness, with a pocket compass, to the lake shore below Pentwater, and two sawmills and a boarding-house, with one partly built, was all there was then of Pentwater. Dr. Jenks came up the woods, and called on Mr. Glover. In June, he came again and chopped on his place, have had to cut a road four miles into his place. His bark shanty had no floor, no door, no windows, and the bark had curled so that one could put one’s head out of the cracks, if one wished.”

Hartwick and Tuller have only good things to say about the doctor, noting that “the interesting vicissitudes concerning his experience in this county as a pioneer would fill a volume.” Still, his name crops up here and there in their book, and it becomes easy to see what they mean. It would seem that, on April 5, 1858, when the township of Elbridge was organized, Jenks and H.H. Fuller served as Inspectors of Election. Not only that, but the ensuing elections resulted

well. He is referred to as a “man of iron” and a self-made man “in every sense of the word.” He was “a conversationalist of great ability, instructive and entertaining” and even at the age of 81, presumably the year when Hartwick and Tuller penned their little biography, he was “in the full possession of all the faculties of his mind” and able to walk a mile as quick as he ever could. Lastly, they wrote, “He has his tombstone placed where his wife, who died eight years ago, is lying, and in faith and hope awaits the day of his coming rest from earth’s tempestu-

Ongoing

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

The Ladder Community Center:

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

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

Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m.

Complete schedule at: theladdercommunitycenter.com

Knights of Columbus Bingo, 6 p.m.

St. Gregory Parish Center, 214 S. Peach Ave. in Hart

Second & fourth Fridays, doors open at 4 p.m.

Pentwater Jr. Women’s Club - Feeding America West Michigan mobile food pantry, third Tuesday of the month, Pentwater Fire Department, 11 a.m.

Through May 29 - OCD Knee-High Naturalist Forest School Program

Preschool Story Hour, HAPL, Fridays at 11 a.m.

Multiple opportunities to give blood coming up

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Want to help save up to three people in less than an hour? Donate blood! Three area blood drives will take place in the Hart area over the next two weeks. Even though it is summer, the need for blood never takes a vacation. Organizers of both drives appreciate their regular donors and welcome new donors to help fill all available appointments.

Versiti Blood Drives will be Monday, Memorial Day, May 27, 2024 from 8 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. and Thursday June 6, from 2-6:20 p.m. at the West Michigan Research Station located at 5185 N. Oceana Dr. Versiti reports that in 2023, local blood donations totaled 332 units, saving up to 996 lives. They are hoping to exceed that total in 2024! Every pint of blood that is donated goes directly to Michigan hospitals to give patients lifesaving blood in health emergencies or for routine care. The next Versiti Blood Drives at the same location will be Monday, July 29 and Thursday, Aug. 1. Contact coordinator Kathy Roskam at 231-861-6353 to make an appointment.

An American Red Cross Blood Drive is planned for Tuesday, May 28 at the Hart VFW, located at 802 S. State St. in Hart from 11:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Blood donation appointments are required but can be easily made by visiting www. redcrossblood.org/give. Walk-ins are welcome, if there are cancellations or noshows. The next Red Cross blood drive at the VFW will be Tuesday, July 23. For questions, please contact Steve Fell at 231-873-1727.

For the best donation experience, be sure to eat a regular meal and hydrate well before giving blood. Keep in mind, when deciding which blood drive to attend, that blood donations must be 60 days apart.

Friends of SADL to host sale and giveaway June 1

The Garden Sale and Free Plant Giveaway sponsored by the Friends of Shelby Area District Library will take place Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. until noon on the library grounds at 189 Maple St. in Shelby.

The event will offer donated plants, garden tools, pots, yard art—anything goes with this sale! The community is encouraged to share plants from their own yards, shovels, rakes, extra pots, bird feeders or other garden items they may no longer need. Donations of garden items and plants can be dropped off at the library Tuesday, May 28 through the morning of June 1. Many freshly dug plants from the Shelby Library Garden will be available that morning! Garden-themed baskets on display now at the library will also be silent auctioned with bids being taken through June 1.

Cash donations are encouraged to support the maintenance of the Friends of SADL Garden. Those interested in helping to take donations, set up tables, and answer garden questions can show up early Saturday, June 1 to assist. Contact Chairperson Diana Clark at 231-861-2204 or sign up at the circulation desk. The best plants/items go first, so be sure to arrive early. Even if you aren’t bringing plants, stop by Saturday to chat with other gardeners, make a monetary donation, and help yourself to the free plants.

Thrift & Gift Crawl in Hart next weekend

The third annual Thrift and Gift Crawl will be next weekend, Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following Hart area businesses: Ivy Cottage, Cup of Kindness, Birch & Blossom, Morningside Pallet Merchandise, Main Street Market Chalets, On The Farm and Pole Barn & a Passion. Attendees can pick up a free punch card at any location, visit each location in any order and have their punch card stamped at each stop. Once finished, leave the completed punch card at the last stop for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate from participating businesses. Winners will be announced at the www.takemetohart.org website and social media.

May

May 24 - Plant Sale, Oceana Conservation Dist., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

May 24 - Oceana Community Foundation Feeding America Food Truck, GHSP parking lot, 1500 Industrial Park Dr., Hart, 5 p.m.

May 24 - A Night of Jazz, SPS Auditorium, ticketed event, 7 p.m.

May 27 - Veristi Blood Drive, West Michigan Research Station, 5185 N. Oceana Dr., Hart, 8 a.m. to12:20 p.m.

May 28 - Red Cross Blood Drive, Hart VFW, 802 South State Street, Hart, 11:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.

May 28 - Tech Hour, Hesperia Comm. Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

May 30 - Craft Night, Hesperia Comm. Library, 6-7 p.m.

May 30 - June 2 - Silver Lake Sand Dunes Jeep Invasion

May 31 & June 1 - Thrift and Gift Crawl, Hart and Mears, 10 a.m.

May 31 - Sensory Play, Hesperia Comm. Library, 10-11 a.m.

June 1 - Garden sale and plant giveaway, Shelby Area District Library, 9 a.m. - noon.

Calling all Pentwater Community Lovers of Art

The Pentwater Arts Council (PAC) asked for the Pentwater community’s input regarding the third year of the Pentwater Sculpture Walk and they received it. Following much planning, community support and voting, the PAC invites the public to watch the installations of the 2024-2025 pieces. The walk officially begins June 1, but the artists are in town to install their pieces beginning the week of May 19. New sculpture locations have been chosen throughout the village. Onlookers are encouraged to grab a chair and watch creativity in progress as the artists assemble and place their sculptures that will remain in the village until the conclusion of the Sculpture Walk in May 2025.

The locations, sculpture piece, artists’ schedule for installations are as follows (times are subject to change):

• Thursday, May 23, “Lamplighter” was installed by Tyler & Ashley Voorhees, at the Pentwater Historical Museum beginning around 10:30-11 a.m.

• Thursday, May 23, “Galaxy” by Kathy O’Neill was installed at Marina Park around noon.

• Friday, May 24, “Gypsy” by Jeff Best will begin around 11 a.m. at Channel Lane Park.

• Tuesday, May 28, “Time Passes” by David Zahn at the Pentwater Township Library will begin in the morning.

• Wednesday, May 29, “Prairie Watcher” by Sunday Mahaja at the water tower will commence in the afternoon.

O bituaries

In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

Duane Swihart

July 24, 1951 ~ April 10, 2024

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Duane Swihart of New Era, Mich., on April 10, 2024.

Duane was the ultimate outdoorsman who participated in most outdoor activities, from hunting and trapping to fishing and camping.

Duane is survived by: his wife, Kathryn Swihart of New Era, Mich.; his children, Rachel Swihart of Peoria, Ariz. and Scott (Lisa) Swihart of Montague, Mich.; step-sons, Robert (Michelle) Porrett of Panama City Beach, Fla. and Kevin Porrett of St. Ignace, Mich.; brothers, Steve (Gladys) Swihart of Hart, Mich. and Daniel Swihart also of Hart, Mich.; step-brothers, Pete (Jolyn) DuMonte, Joe (Terri) DuMonte and David (Michelle) DuMonte and a sister, Sandy (Joe) Rosse of Hart, Mich. He is also survived by grandchildren: Brittney (Jon) Popejoy of Kansas, Corey Popejoy and Shelby Popejoy of Arizona, Seth Sparks of Muskegon, Mich., Austin Swihart of Montague, Mich., Morgan Porrett of Ohio and Jamison Porrett of Florida; also six great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Duane was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne and Ethelyn Swihart and Delores and Wilbur DeRuiter and a grandson Tyler Swihart.

Cremation has taken place and burial of ashes will take place in the Hart Cemetery on June 2, 2024 at 1 p.m. with a celebration of Duane’s life at the Oceana Eagles in Hart, Mich. from 2-4:30 p.m. also on June 2, 2024.

Celebration of Life ~ Richard Burton Page

Richard Burton Page, 86, of Pentwater, formerly of Flushing, passed away Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, June 2, 2024, from 1-3 p.m. at Park Place (310 Rush St., Pentwater). Memorial contributions may be made to Cherry Blossom Manor, 611 E. Main St., Ste B, Hart, MI 49420. Arrangements have been entrusted to Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington, www.oakgroveludington.com.

Memorial Service ~ Dorothy Jane Far

Dorothy Jane Far, 96, of Whitehall, passed away, Thursday, May 2, 2024. She was born Dec. 22, 1927, in Bristol, Ind., the fifth daughter of Olen and Edna (Menges) Ringler. Memorial service will be conducted at 5 p.m., Saturday, July 20, 2024, at the Shelby Congregational United Church, 51 E. 3rd St., Shelby, MI 49455, with a light meal to follow.

Obituary Information:

Ralph H. Sircher Jr., 80, went to be with God on May 6, 2024. He was born Nov. 19, 1943, in Muskegon, the son of Ralph and Bernetta (Lubber) Sircher Sr.

Ralph grew up as a sibling to three other children: his brothers, Russell and Gerald, and a sister, Diane. On Nov. 9, 1962, in San Diego, Calif., Ralph married Sandra Kay Rask. Ralph and Sandra were blessed with three sons throughout their years together, Ronald, Michael and Robert. Throughout his years, Ralph participated in community events and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Ralph is survived by: his loving wife, Sandra; sons, Ronald Duane Sircher of Muskegon, Michael Allen Sirch er of Muskegon, and Robert Wayne (Holly) Sircher of Twin Lake; and grandchildren, Brittney Bond, Garth Tyler Sircher, Garrett Michael Sircher and Payton Andrew Sircher.

Ralph was preceded in death by: his parents, Ralph and Bernetta (Lubber) Sircher Sr.; his brother, Russell Lee Sircher; and a sister, Diane Katherine Miel. Private memorial services are planned for this summer.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Ralph’s honor to the Muskegon County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #99, P.O. Box 0125, Muskegon, Mich. 49443.

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

Golden Township considers ordinance to allow certain types of ORVs on roadways

By Steve Gunn

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Three years ago, the many people who opposed an ordinance that would have allowed off-road vehicles to use public streets in Oceana County’s Golden Township were probably convinced that the issue was dead.

After a packed public hearing in 2021, many residents voiced their opposition, the township board voted 5-0 to reject the proposed ordinance, and that seemed to be that.

But last December, a draft of a new ordinance that would allow certain types of ORVs on the streets popped up on the township’s website, inviting public comment.

So how did the issue come up again?

When contacted by The Echo, Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast said Golden Township Supervisor Carl Fuehring and Trustee Bill Kolenda – two of the board members who voted against the ordinance in 2021 — contacted him about revisiting the idea.

At some point, a committee was appointed, with Kolenda as chairman, and a new draft ordinance was posted on the website (GoldenTownship.org).

Officials say the public comment period may be followed by another public hearing, but one has not been scheduled.

If a public hearing occurs, it will probably be later in the year, af-

ter seasonal residents return for the summer, according to Township Treasurer Connie Cargill.

“We have waited to set up a public hearing until people are back in the area,” Cargill said. “Otherwise, we are accused of doing things in the winter when they are not here.”

Sheriff Mast said he became aware of a renewed interest in the issue last year and was willing to discuss it with township officials.

“I was contacted by several board members who wanted to revisit the subject, including the supervisor who wants to revisit this, as well as Bill Kolenda,” Mast said. “I was contacted by them, I met with them, and we talked about some potential obstacles if this was going to proceed.

“There is quite a bit of division in the township: a good part of the township who would like to have it for an array of reasons, while a good part of the township is very much opposed.”

Under state law, most ORVs are not allowed on the road (unless specifically modified to meet standards) if there is no local ordinance specifically approving that.

Many townships in Oceana County have such an ordinance, but Golden Township is one of the few that does not.

The ORV issue is unique in Golden Township because it includes Silver Lake State Park and the sand dunes, which attract a very

wide variety of ORVs in the summer months, including many types that some people have voiced that they do not think belong on public streets.

At a previous public hearing, a reported crowd of about 60 people showed up, with many voicing their opposition to making the roads open to ORVs.

There now appears to be some interest among some township officials in exploring the idea of allowing some ORVs, but not others.

The draft ordinance that appears on the township website states that “An ORV for the purpose of this ordinance is specifically aimed at side-by-side style vehicles.” It goes on to say that “An ‘ORV’ or ‘vehicle’ does not include an ATV, a two-wheeler (dirt bike), three-wheeler, four-wheeler (quad), golf cart, dune buggy or a sandrail for the purpose of this ordinance.”

Allowing some ORVs on the streets, but not others, is not a legal op tion, according to Mast.

“You can’t limit an ORV ordinance to only side-by-side vehicles,” the sheriff said. “It has to be open to any and all ORVs. Most people are in agreement that it would not be beneficial to have three-wheelers, dirt bikes and quad runners on the shoulder of the streets.”

Mast said there has been interest among some business owners to allow ORVs on the street “for obvious reasons.”

With so many ORV owners in the area during the summer months, their ability to take them on the street would make them more likely to patronize local businesses.

The sheriff stressed that he’s willing to discuss the issue with supporters and opponents of the idea, but his primary interest will always be safety.

“My business is not making sure that all of the business lots are full every night,” Mast said. “I

Shelby students receive hands-on agriculture lesson at FARM Science Lab

All last week, students from Shelby Elementary School learned more about how their food is raised when they visited the Michigan Farm Bureau Food, Agriculture & Resources in Motion (FARM) Science Lab.

Equipped with the latest teaching technologies and STEM-based lessons to increase agricultural awareness, the mobile classroom brought hands-on, field trip-type learning directly to kindergarten through fifth grade students.

The lab is facilitated by regional educators who have been trained on the current Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), who aim to expand participants’ horizons regarding science and agriculture.

Students learned more about careers in agriculture and science through experiential lessons, which helped them understand how the impact of agriculture, so they can grow into informed consumers.

The FARM Science Lab has visited over 500 schools in Michigan since fall of 2017, impacting more than 76,600 students and 3,100 educators. The program is facilitated by regional educators who aim to expand the horizons of students regarding science and agriculture.

Stemming from an idea proposed by county Farm Bureau members, the FARM Science Lab was made possible by the Michigan Foundation for Agriculture. This FARM Science Lab was brought to life by the generous donations of our Farm Bureau members, 26 county Farm Bureaus, agricultural commodity organizations and other corporate sponsors.

Teachers or school districts can learn more about how to book a lesson by visiting farmsciencelab.org.

KIDS WANTED TO FISH FOR CARP

Friends of Silver Lake proudly presents 1st Annual Silver Lake Kids Carp Cull Contest

Open to all kids 16 and under to help remove nuisance carp from Silver Lake. Friends of Silver Lake will pay a reward of $2 per carp submitted at the collection site, the Golden Township Park at Silver Lake Sand Dunes, only on the designated Sundays, May 26, June 2, & June 9, from 1:30-2:30 P.M. Participants can fish at anytime (no license required), must fish on Silver Lake, and must keep the carp to submit at one of the collection events. Participants may submit carp on multiple Sundays.

CONTEST RULES –

• Participants must be age 16 or younger

• Only nuisance carp submitted qualify for rewards

• Only carp taken from Silver Lake (Mears, MI) qualify for rewards

COLLECTION SITE – Golden Township Park at Silver Lake Sand Dunes 8453 W. Silver Lake Rd, Mears, MI 49436

COLLECTION DATES –

• Sunday May 26, 2024, from 1:30-2:30 P.M.

• Sunday June 2, 2024, from 1:30-2:30 P.M.

• Sunday June 9, 2024, from 1:30-2:30 P.M.

CONTEST REWARDS –

• Cash per Carp* – payout of $2/carp submitted on each collection date,

• Most Carp Award* – payout of $50 for the greatest number of carp caught (two or more) by the same angler at each collection date.

• Free t-shirts to the first 50 kids who submit a culled carp across the entire three collection events.

* Total cash payout is capped at S250 per collection date ($750 for the entire event). Removing nuisance carp from Silver Lake

Tails of Hope

Are you looking for a four-legged friend with boundless energy and a heart full of love? Look no further than Koda, our delightful 10-monthold Husky who’s on the hunt for his forever home! Koda is the perfect mix of playful puppy and loyal companion, ready to fill your days with joy, laughter and a touch of Husky mischief.

“Hey there, future family! I’m Koda, and I can’t wait to meet you. I’ve got a confession to make— I’m not a fan of chickens. They’re just too...feathery for my liking. But don’t worry, I love everyone else! People say I’ve never met a stranger, only friends I haven’t played with yet. I’m great with kids, and I promise to be the best friend you’ve ever had. Let’s make some pawsome memories together!”

If Koda sounds like the perfect fit for your family, come meet him today! He’s ready to find a home where he can share his playful spirit with you.

Koda 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.

Meet Koda

To request tags, send a text to 231-730-3906. Free tags are also available at the Oceana County Animal Shelter.

Individual excellence pushes five Falcons to D4 State Finals

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

For the third straight year, Abe VanDuinen will compete on the track with the best of Division 4 as the Pentwater senior qualified for two events during a regional meet at Brethren Saturday, May 8. This year, VanDuinen will have company as four additional Falcons will join him on the state’s biggest stage.

VanDuinen, Pentwater’s most accomplished distance runner, owns plenty of records for the Falcons. He treated Saturday’s action as an opportunity to better his standing, nailing two first place finishes with a pair of personal record (PR) times that also set new school bests.

Starting with the 800-meter run, VanDuinen eked out his first of two first place finishes with a PR time of 1:59.61, finishing just a second ahead of the nearest runner. That time set a new record in the 800, but VanDuinen wasn’t finished yet as he set another record, scorching the competition in

the 1600 with a time of 4:21.13. VanDuinen was also close to qualifying in the 3200, but fell just one placement slot shy.

Fellow senior Mitchel Daniels found success where VanDuinen could not. Daniels snagged sixth place in the 3200 with a time of 10:26.48, marking the second time he has qualified for the D4 State Finals and the first time since 2022. Daniels also qualified for the 400 relay with a time of 47.00 and a second place finish.

Joining Daniels on the 400 relay team were sophomores Ben Merten and Logan Fatura as well as eighth grader Chase McGuire-VanGills. McGuire-VanGills may still be in middle school, but he’s shown growth this season, breaking Pentwater’s middle school record in the 100 with a time of 12.34 just a few weeks prior.

Fatura also came up just shy of grabbing a qualification in the field events. Fatura threw a PR in the shot put, hurling a throw 41 feet and 2 and ¼ inches for a third

Unbeaten

Hart’s JV girls soccer team completed an undefeated season with a perfect 10-0 record. The Pirates finished their season Thursday, May 16 with a 4-2 win over Hornet Soccer Club in Hudsonville. • Contributed

Qualified! Qualified!

Hart boys and girls track teams headline D3 State Finals qualifiers

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

When the calendar flips from May to June, there will once again be a crew of Pirates burning the rubber of Kent City’s track as 18 Hart runners qualified for the MHSAA Division 3 State Finals in Remus on Saturday, May 18.

Among the 18 Pirates who qualified, there were nine from both the boys and girls teams with 12 of the 18 set to compete for individual state titles in multiple events.

For the back-to-back state champion girls team, there was no shortage of success at the regional meet in Remus. Leading by example was junior Addi Hovey who not only qualified in all four of her events with first place finishes in all of them, but also ran her best mark of the 2024 season in the 100-meter dash and nailed a personal record (PR) in the 200.

Hovey’s 12.40 mark in the 100 beat her previous best time of 12.52 that she set in April at the Kent City Elite Invite – it also positions Hovey as the second fastest runner in the event spanning across all runners in D3 in Michigan. Moving to the 200, Hovey ran a PR time of 25.51 and now reigns supreme as the fastest runner in the state to run the 200 in 2024. Hovey also placed first in the high jump with a mark of 5 feet and 3

inches and was a member of the 400 relay team that took first with a time of 50.51.

Joining Hovey in that 400 relay were the only other Hart girls to qualify for four events. Sophomore Addison Hain ran the third leg of the 400 relay, but also placed fourth behind Hovey in the 100 with a PR of 13.07, second in the 800 relay (1:49.50) and first in the 1600 relay (4:18.24). Junior Lilly Hopkins was also in the 400, 800 and 1600 relays with Hain, but her more impressive feat was qualifying in pole vault with a third place finish and a mark of 9-03.

This marks the second consecutive year that Hopkins has qualified in the pole vault event, placing 11th in the 2023 finals. Lilly’s

younger sister Lauren Hopkins also made it through in the same event, achieving a ninth place mark 8-09 which marked a PR and snagged the last qualifying slot.

Qualifying for three events each were Lexie Beth Nienhuis and Laura Bitely. Nienhuis and Bitely were both members of the 800 and 1600 relay teams. The 800 relay team placed second and the 1600 relay team took first. Nienhuis also took third in the 400 individual race with a PR time of 1:02.43 while Bitely joined the first place 400 relay team for her third event.

Senior Alyson Enns will be the lone Hart distance runner in competition. Enns has rebounded from injuries that plagued her cross country campaign at the perfect time with teammate and two-time individual state champ Jessie Jazwinski sidelined with mono. Enns ran away with first place in the 1600 (5:14.41) and 3200 (11:40.57).

Rounding out the qualifiers for the girls were senior Imogene Brumbaugh and sophomore Shelbie Choponis. Brumbaugh matched Hovey’s 5-03 mark in the high jump while Choponis became the first Pirate in recent memory to qualify in throwing events on the girls side. Choponis tossed a PR of 118 feet in the discus, slotting her in second place overall.

While the individual finishes feel good, it’s the team win that really shows where Hart ranks

Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hart junior Addi Hovey sprints toward the finish line during the 100-meter dash. Hovey will run the 100 and three other events at the D3 State Finals in Kent City Saturday, June 1.

Hart junior Lilly Hopkins attempts to clear her mark during the pole vault event at the WMC Rivers Conference Championship in Holton. Hopkins was one of 18 Hart athletes to quailify for the 2024 D3 State Finals which will take place in Kent City Saturday, June 1. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

State Qualifiers Falcons

among D3’s elite. The Lady Pirates had a team score of 119, 14 more points than second place Traverse City St. Francis – the No. 1 ranked D3 team in the state according to Michigan Interscholastic Coaches Association (MITCA).

Hart’s boys were also successful as a team, taking third place with a score of 81. The Pirates finished behind TC St. Francis and MITCA’s NO. 7 ranked team of Reed City.

Just like the girls, the Pirates’ relay teams were über successful on the boys side. Hart placed first and qualified for the State Finals in the 400 (43.92), 800 (1:31.79), and 1600 relays (3:32.36). Taking part in all three of those events was senior Joseluis Andaverde.

Andaverde was accompanied in the 400 relay by Lyric Fielder, Eman Hertzler and Hunter Chaffee. Fielder, Chaffee and Andaverde were joined by Chase Lorenz in the 800 relay while Andaverde, Lorenz, Connor Edwards and Jack Slotman ran the 1600 relay.

Lorenz, Slotman and Fielder all qualified in their own individual events. Lorenz took first in the 400 (51.28) while Slotman placed fourth in the 800 (2:03.27) and Fielder took fourth in the 300 hurdles (42.68) – both of which were PR times.

Freshman Bobby Jazwinski took first place in both distance events for the

continued from page 9

boys, winning the 3200 with a 9:45.32 time and a PR of 4:27.01 in the 1600. Senior Caleb Westerbeek rounded out qualifiers for the boys, taking third in the 110 hurdles with a time of 16.24.

All 18 of Hart’s state qualifiers will wrap up their season in Kent City Saturday, June 1 as they vie to take home individual state titles and the girls look to make it a three-peat!

Hart sophomore Chase Lorenz leans across the finish line during the 800-meter relay at the WMC Rivers Conference Championship in Holton. Lorenz qualified for three events in Remus over the weekend and will compete in the D3 State Finals in Kent City Saturday, June 1. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

place finish. Unfortunately, only the top two advanced, leaving Fatura just four inches shy of his second qualification.

No athletes from the girls’ side were able to crack the qualification list, though one did come close. Senior Mackenna Hasil placed third in discus with a throw of 91-7, just two feet shy of taking second.

Plenty of other Falcons snagged PRs. Among them were Alden Grondsma in the long jump (12-1), Sam Gaylard in shot put (27-4) and discus (73-3), An-

Hesperia qualifies one for D3 State Finals, Shelby to send relay team

By: Brendan Samuels

The

Oceana Echo Sports Editor

Hart’s track teams weren’t the only Oceana County teams to send athletes to the MHSAA Division 3 State Finals. In fact, both Hesperia and Shelby will be represented in Kent City Saturday, June 1.

For the Panthers, it’ll be senior Bryce Billings who’ll carry the torch for Hesperia. Billings had several opportunities to punch his ticket to Kent City, competing in the 100-meter, the 200 and long jump. Billings started off hot in the running events, qualifying for both the 100 and 200 in the prelims with top 10 finishes in both.

Unfortunately, Billings fell just short of qualifying in those events. A 23.53 mark in the 200 had him in fourth, landing two slots shy of moving on while his eighth place finish in the 100 at 11.80 wasn’t enough either. Billings found his success in the field events, landing a personal record (PR) in the long jump.

Billings jumped a mark of 20 feet and 10 inches in the event, landing him in second place overall and guaranteeing him one of three qualifying spots for the State Finals. The jump for Billings also put him in the top 20 for the state of Michigan at the D3 level. Also competing in the long jump was Shelby senior Carlos Hernandez. Hernan -

dez fell just short, finishing in fifth with a PR of 20-02 and ¼.

While Hernandez wasn’t able to get it done, Shelby was able to get its name on the board thanks to their 800 relay team.

That group, made up of sophomores Isaac Garcia and Danyel White along with junior Trey Gauthier and senior Levi Cooley, ran a mark of

1:34.35 which landed them in third among 10 teams. Only three teams could move on, leaving the Tigers with a state qualifying relay team and a chance to pull in a state title.

There were plenty of other performances that came close for the Panthers and Tigers, but in the end the two schools will hope their five combined athletes can get it done in June.

thony Acosta in the 400 (1:15.80), Michael Smith in the 400 (1:13.18), Abby Hughes in the 800 (3:05.01) and 1600 (6:43.98) and Laura Bortoluzzi Vieira in the 100 (16.3).

VanDuinen, Daniels, Merten, Fatura and McGuire-VanGills will all compete in the MHSAA D4 State Finals which will be held in Hudsonville Saturday, June 1.

Carter medals

When Shelby freshman Titan Carter teed off at Lakeside Links in Ludington Thursday, May 16, he sat in fifth in the conference individually. By the end of the day, Carter had a conference title under his belt, claiming the first place spot by leapfrogging the competitors in front of him. Carter finished the year at a 41.3 season average through nine holes. His two-over par score of 37 on Thursday was just enough to push him .2 points higher than North Muskegon’s Avery Freeland. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Pentwater seventh grader Alexis Lathrop set a new middle school track record for the Falcons, finishing the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 10.53. The previous record was set at 10.68 by Whitney Becke in 1998. • Contributed

(Above, left) Hesperia’s Bryce Billings launches off the board during the long jump event at a home meet. Billings qualified for the D3 State Finals with a 20 foot, 10 inch jump on Saturday in Remus. (Above, right) Shelby’s Isaac Garcia hands the baton to teammate Trey Gauthier during the 800-meter relay at the WMC Rivers Conference Championship in Holton. Garcia and Gauthier will be joined by Levi Cooley and Danyel White to compete in the same event at the State Finals in Kent City Saturday, June 1. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

(Above, left) Left to right, Pentwater’s Logan Fatura, Chase McGuire-VanGills, Mitchel Daniels and Ben Merten qualified as a team for the D4 State Finals in the 400-meter relay during a regional meet in Brethren Saturday May 18. (Above, right) Pentwater senior Abe VanDuinen also qualified for the finals, setting new school records in the 800 and 1600. • Contributed

On the Diamond

Hesperia softball had a productive day Tuesday, May 21 when they hosted Shelby. The Panthers, led by Molly Norris (above) swept the Tigers in two games, winning 12-8 and 9-8. Shelby nearly found a way back into game two, scoring five runs in the final inning of play. The Panthers weren’t quite as successful next door, as the baseball team also hosted Shelby. The Tigers claimed victory in the first game with Chase Simon pitching (below), dominating by a score of 12-4. Hesperia battled back in game two to force a 7-7 tie. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Carlson wins Oceana County Cup, Falcons take team title

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

FREMONT – Among a pool of 34 golfers from Hart, Hesperia, Pentwater and Shelby, it was Falcons’ junior Mikey Carlson who claimed an individual victory in the annual Oceana County Cup Wednesday, May 22.

With each school getting the chance to host on a rotating basis, 2024 saw the Panthers host at their home course of Northwood in Fremont. Competition between the four schools was tight, but it was Carlson and Shelby freshman Titan Carter who fought each other for the top individual spot.

After 18 holes of play, Carlson and Carter finished with identical scores of 78. Carlson ended up beating out Carter, winning the handicap hole for first place honors.

Carlson’s day was highlighted by 11 pars, but it was his final hole that allowed him to get even with Carter. A birdie on the 18th hole knotted things up.

Pentwater impressed as individuals which contributed to a team win with a total stroke count of 338. That beat out the second place Tigers by nearly 20 strokes.

Following Carlson and Carter were a host of Falcons. Seniors Alivia Kolenda (86) and Hunter Cornelisse (86) tied for third place while sophomore Bode Powell (88) came in fifth. Junior Nathan Macher rounded out the top performers for Pentwater, finishing in eighth place with a score of 92.

Shelby’s second place effort came on the back of Carter’s performance, but there were other Tigers that put in quality rounds.

Senior Treyjin Waller finished in sixth place individually, scoring an 89 while freshman Rafael Davis tied Macher in eighth with a 92. Senior Zach Horton finished at 96 while Josh Neuman (101) and Ignacio Ortiz (114) were the bottom two scorers for Shelby.

Both Hesperia and Hart had rough performances with neither team able to come within 40 strokes of the top two teams.

Hesperia finished the day in third as a team with a stroke count of 402. The top performers for the Panthers were Jared Tanner (98) in 11th and Timmy Hoaglin (99) in 12th. No other Panthers were below 100 strokes. Sophomore Alex Scott, who typically leads Hesperia, finished the day in 20th with a score of 108.

Hart’s team finished the day at the bottom of the scoreboard with

a team score of 413. Hart’s top finisher was senior Nikolas Michael who snagged a top 10 spot with his 90 strokes. Kaden Bond (100) and Braydan Baron (102) were the Pirates’ best scorers behind Michael.

Next up for all teams is the MHSAA Regionals. Hart and Shelby will compete in Division 3 which will be held at Old Channel Trail in Montague Thursday, May 30. Pentwater and Hesperia will play on the same day in Division 4 competition at Stonegate Golf Course in Twin Lake.

Pentwater’s Mikey Carlson tees off. Carlson took first place individually in the annual Oceana County Cup Wednesday, May 22. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Spring at Shelby Acres!

As you drive on Oceana Drive, you might notice the progress of the much-anticipated homes in Shelby Acres. Shelby Acres hopes to help fill the void of our area’s housing shortage by providing quality, new construction homes at a reasonable market price. Shelby Acres has just listed their three model homes on the MLS and by early June, the three model houses will be available for viewing through a private showing or by attending one of our open houses. The new listings outline additional details about each model, such as the floor plan, the sale selection and approval procedures and the Association Bylaws.

Shelby Acres Saturday 5/18 9:00 am Thursday 5/23 6:00 pm Thursday

THE TAMARACK: $214,000 - Enjoy the cozy yet open layout with spacious, fully-equipped kitchen with granite countertops, dining room, living room, and two main-level bedrooms, full bath, and plenty of storage. Downstairs, explore the additional well-lit space: recreation or living room, additional bedroom and bath, and laundry. The Tamarack has an attached, fully finished garage and could be your new home in Shelby Acres!

THE ELM: $224,000 - Here, functionality meets comfort in a home that is both light and open yet fully utilizes every square foot of space. The main level exudes natural light and functional living with two bedrooms, spacious kitchen, dining and living areas, and bathroom. The new appliances, granite countertops, abundant cabinetry, and ample storage radiates comfort and quality. The finished basement offers an expansive additional living area, another bedroom, bathroom, and laundry. Additionally, the attached fully finished garage, inviting neighborhood, and close proximity to Shelby Public Schools and downtown Shelby make this home the perfect place to set down some roots.

THE ASPEN: $249,000 - This home exhibits classic country charm from the moment you step onto the front porch. Enter into a bright living space with cathedral ceilings, equipped kitchen, separate dining area, two main-floor bedrooms and full bathroom. Designed for comfortable living: new appliances, quartz countertops, walk-in kitchen pantry, and bountiful natural light. As you head downstairs, it is well-lit and well-designed, offering additional finished living space for an entertainment or recreational room, as well as two complete bedrooms, a full bathroom, laundry and mechanicals. The Aspen also boasts a detached garage and is located in a neighborhood close to Shelby Public Schools and the welcoming downtown.

As a reminder, if you are interested in becoming a candidate for the lottery, the prospective buyer must attend one of our workshops. To be added to an upcoming workshop roster, please email one of the instructors: gabypetersonhomes@gmail.com, dfox@shelbybank.com or Mreyna@shelbybank.com

Reflections of our community

White Lake Mirror White Lake Mirror

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Montague celebrates Class of 2024

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

MONTAGUE — The Montague High School Class of 2024 celebrated its graduation Friday at the football field. Montague alumna and English teacher Brooke Novy was the commencement address speaker this year. She commended the class for their transition from starting high school virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic to attending high school in-person and hybrid. She reflected on her memories with the students, as she taught many of them during STEM in elementary school and again in high school English.

“Have a strong mindset and a kind heart,” Novy advised the graduates.

Class of 2024 president Eric Brown addressed his classmates and teachers, and presented the color staff to class of 2025 president Greta Auch, signifying the junior class’ ascension to seniors.

“Take risks, try new things and work hard to manifest your dreams into reality,” Brown said. “Go out and achieve everything you can. But when you become famous businessmen, CEOs and world leaders, remember the humble town of Montague which we all share.”

Whitehall alum designs rollaway seat, allowing seating for 4 at library’s solar-powered table

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

When Whitehall High School grad Alex LeaTrea received word that the White Lake Community Library was asking for help with a new rollaway seat at its solar-powered tables that were unveiled in 2022, he decided to be part of the solution.

In the Muskegon Area Career Tech Center’s biotech class, LeaTrea led a project to construct and install three new seats, which now allow seating for four people at three tables while also maintaining flexibility to roll away one of the seats if a wheelchair user wants to use the space. The tables were intentionally designed, in their original configuration, to leave an empty spot on one of the four sides, leaving room for a wheelchair user if needed.

Library director Virginia DeMumbrum said the idea came from board member Annlyn McKenzie in response to several comments from people who wanted to make it possible for four people to sit at the tables. McKenzie approached the CTC about having a stu-

dent construct a solution, and that got LeaTrea’s wheels turning.

“This is one of the first projects I started on for the biotech class,” LeaTrea said. “The biotech class was designed around finding people with physical and mental disabilities and building something to make their lives easier in the long run.”

LeaTrea worked to build a seat that allows for a fourth person to sit at the solar tables, but also sits on a wheel and can easily be moved to the side if a wheelchair user wants to use that spot.

Incidentally, at one point LeaTrea himself faced the issue the library’s customers were concerned with. His family visited the library and wanted to sit down to eat at the table, but there was not enough room for them all to sit because of the empty space where a fourth seat could have been.

LeaTrea worked with Teagan Bane, a Holton alum, on creating the rollaway seat, but said Bane was later pulled away to work on another project, leaving LeaTrea spearheading things.

LeaTrea began by approaching the company that made the plastic seats

for the tables - a small company named EnerFusion, out of Lansing - to explain the situation. After procuring a seat, the project was, he said, pretty straightforward.

“The rest of it is pretty much all metal, welded by instructors and students in the CTC welding class,” LeaTrea said. “I machined multiple pieces and parts on the actual seat as well.”

The project went smoothly, LeaTrea said, though he had to come up with a slight design tweak late in the process

Rollaway seat

The rollaway seat at the solar-powered table at the White Lake Community Library is shown in action. Whitehall grad Alex LeaTrea designed the seat in a Muskegon Area Career Tech Center class. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

The Montague High School graduating class of 2024 tosses their caps in celebration after turning their tassels Friday night. • Madison Lajewski/Mirror

The Montague High School choir performs the 2024 class song, “I Lived” by OneRepublic during the graduation ceremony Friday. • Madison Lajewski/Mirror

Montague senior class president Eric Brown presents the traditional color staff to junior class president Greta Auch, introducing the new senior class of Montague High School, during the Class of 2024’s graduation Friday, • Madison Lajewski/Mirror

Whitehall school board approves purchase of phone system

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — The Whitehall school board unanimously approved a purchase of new phone equipment from MiTEL for an amount not exceeding $170,000 at Monday’s monthly meeting.

The purchase came at the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District’s recommendation; the ISD previously investigated the district’s phone system, which was powered by Cisco, and noted it was out of date - the last system update was in 2017.

Superintendent Jerry McDowell said the ISD considered the phone upgrade a “critical need” for the district, citing recent system troubles. He added the district had a planned cost of $147,000 for the upgrade, but created

some wiggle room in the approval in case of other materials adding to the cost. During discussion, the system was praised for being simple to install, which should make implementation prior to the 2024-25 school year a formality.

Also in the technology area, the board unanimously approved a recommendation to continue transitioning the hosting and management of its servers to the ISD. Whitehall is presently one of only three schools in the district that does not have the ISD hosting its servers, and McDowell said having the ISD do it “is the kind of thing an ISD is designed for,” adding it would avoid redundancies, streamline maintenance and save the district money in the long term. Treasurer Jimmy TenBrink endorsed the move.

The board also approved a 2024-25

Suspects arraigned in counterfeit bill ring

Two suspects in a counterfeit bill scheme were arraigned last Thursday in Muskegon County. Austin Thomas, 23, of Grand Rapids and Hudsonville resident Brandon Jeurink, 39, were arrested by Whitehall Police, with the assistance of Montague Police and the Michigan State Police. The suspects are alleged to have passed thousands of dollars’ worth of fake $100 bills throughout Muskegon County. Several police agencies, including the Secret Service, were also looking for the suspects.

The arrest came Tuesday, May 14, about 8:30 p.m., as investigators from Whitehall and Montague worked together to identify and locate the suspects. A Montague officer, following a hunch, discovered their vehicle in Whitehall Township. A Michigan state trooper later stopped the vehicle on Pe-

terson Road in Whitehall, which resulted in the capture of the first suspect. A second suspect fled the stop and avoided capture. A third suspect was located by Whitehall officers at the hotel where they had been staying.

A search warrant was executed on the hotel room and significant evidence of the counterfeit operation was seized from the room.

The suspects were charged with multiple counts of counterfeiting and additional drug possession charges are pending lab testing on suspected methamphetamine. A warrant is being sought for the suspect who fled.

The police chiefs of both towns credit the cooperation, initiative, investigative skills and hard work of the officers of Montague and Whitehall for solving these cases.

budget hearing to immediately precede the regularly scheduled June 17 board meeting.

In personnel matters, Whitehall approved tenure for several teachers and made some small modifications to the support staff agreement. The board also approved a new three-year contract for McDowell, which TenBrink said keeps the Whitehall superintendent’s compensation in line with other “similarly situated administrators” in the ISD.

The board also hosted an annual report from the White Lake Community Library, delivered by library board president Brian Hosticka and vice-president Annlyn McKenzie. Hosticka said the library had a successful year, ending up in the black financially. Capital projects helped the library cover upgrades to security cameras, carpeting and the entryway, as well as

the pending purchase of new furniture for the meeting room. McKenzie added that the library averaged about 1,700 materials being checked out per week and that 42,000 people physically visited the library in 2023. Trustee Paula Martin commended the library for its work.

McDowell closed the meeting with some impressive statistics from the Whitehall Class of 2024, taken from the weekend’s senior awards ceremony. He said the class collectively earned over $2.5 million in scholarship money, and over half of the 157 graduates qualified for the Muskegon Promise scholarship that covers Muskegon Community College tuition (29 will utilize it). In all, 123 of the 157 graduates will attend college or trade school, four are enlisting in the military, and the remainder will enter the workforce.

Rollaway seat

to make the seat easier to manufacture. He said he was proud of the results.

DeMumbrum said the library was thrilled with the results, too, and especially excited a local resident took a lead role in the seat’s production. She added she’d love to pursue a patent for LeaTrea for the rollaway seat.

“We’ll be reaching out to the manufacturer of the tables to get one for the other (solar tables),” DeMumbrum said. “We want to get one downtown and at the Whitehall Township one.”

Early reviews have been positive. DeMumbrum said she noticed a family using the newly configured table soon after installation was complete and received a glowing report.

“We just wanted to be as inclusive as possible in order to be ADA accessible,” DeMumbrum said, referring to the Americans with Disabilities Act. “The rollaway seat is a perfect happy medium. It’s usable by everyone.”

• Contributed Photo

Montague Farmers Market part of Double Up program

Farmers market season has begun in Montague, and the Montague Farmers Market is happy to announce its participation in the Double Up Food Bucks program, administered by Fair Food Network. The Montague Farmers Market joins more than 230 other locations across Michigan participating in Double Up – making fresh, Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables more within reach of families using SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps).

Double Up Food Bucks is designed to incentivize the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables for individuals and families using SNAP benefits. By using their Michigan Bridge/EBT cards at participating farmers markets like the Montague Farmers Market, SNAP

recipients can increase their purchasing power, receiving a dollar-for-dollar match on fresh fruit and vegetable purchases, up to $20 per day.

Cassidy Strome, associate director of Double Up Food Bucks at Fair Food Network, shared the programs impact on both families and local economies:

“Double Up Food Bucks supports families by helping them to bring home more fresh fruits and vegetables, especially as groceries have become so expensive. Additionally, it puts more dollars into the pockets of our local farmers, strengthening our communities and keeping dollars flowing in our local Michigan economies.”

To participate in the Double Up Food Bucks program, visitors to the Montague Farmers Market simply need

to visit the market manager or information booth to learn more about how the program works and get started. Additionally, individuals can find more information about Double Up Food Bucks and find participating markets, farm stands, and grocery stores by visiting DoubleUpFoodBucks.org.

Michigan Bridge/EBT and Double Up Food Bucks tokens for the Montague Farmers Market are available during regular business hours at Montague City Hall and at the market on Saturdays. The Montague Farmers Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 11 through Oct. 26, at 4511 Church Street in Montague. In addition to offering Double Up Food Bucks, the Montague Farmers Market offers Senior Market Vouchers supporting

healthier food access for senior residents of participating municipalities. Senior residents, age 62 and up, that live within the City of Montague, Whitehall Township and Fruitland Township are eligible for the Senior Market Vouchers. The monies for this program are made possible through the Muskegon County Senior Millage, which will be up for renewal this summer on the Aug. 6 ballot. City of Montague Senior Market Vouchers will be available to residents at City Hall starting June 3. Whitehall Township Senior Market Vouchers are available at the township hall now. Fruitland Township Senior Market Vouchers will be available at the township hall beginning in June.

The White Lake Chamber Music Festival will present a Summer Soirée event June 27 at 7:30 p.m. featuring marimbist David Hall. This is a fundraiser for the upcoming 15th annual White Lake Chamber Music Festival, August 2-10. Tickets are $60 and include hors d’oeuvres, wine, coffee, and desserts starting at 6:30 p.m., followed by exceptional music making at 7:30 in the

beautiful home of Harold and Barbara Wheaton on Lake Michigan.

David will present a varied program of Bach to Brazilian choro music, as well as a little ragtime, jazz and contemporary works. He will dive into the history and the techniques of marimba playing, one of the world’s most primitive and yet exotic instruments.

David Hall has been Assistant Prin-

cipal Percussionist and Assistant Principal Timpanist with the Grand Rapids Symphony since 1987. As one of America’s leading marimbists, David has been delighting audiences with his virtuosity and musical sensitivity. In addition to his many recitals throughout the Midwest, David often solos with the Grand Rapids Symphony and other West Michigan arts organizations. He has

toured as a soloist in Taiwan, in Guatemala, and together with the North American Choral Company. A limited number of tickets are available in advance at the Book Nook & Java Shop, 8744 Ferry St., Montague 231-894-5333 and online at https:// whitelakemusic.eventbrite.com/e/ summer-soiree.

Kathy Van Til and Brent Nummerdor are instructors at the Muskegon Area Career Tech Center and installed the rollaway seat at the library table.

Saturday, May 25

Montague Farmer’s Market open every Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Monday, May 27

Memorial Day ceremony @ Covell Park along the causeway. The Whitehall American Legion post and the Montague VFW post will parade from their respective towns and meet at the park to honor those who gave their lives for the U.S. Ceremony begins by 11 a.m. but could begin earli-

Community Calendar

er - plan accordingly.

Tuesday, May 28

White River Light Station opens for the season. Climb the light for $8 for adults or $5 for children (must be at least 40 inches tall). Open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Steve Thielman performs @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 10 a.m. to noon.

Wednesday, May 29

Lunchtime guitar with Eric Michaels and Chris Kennedy @ Book

Nook & Java Shop, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Snacktivity @ Montague Library, 3-5 p.m. Games, crafts, Lego and more. Snacks provided.

Thursday, May 30

Free general admission every Thursday @ the Muskegon Museum of Art, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Fetch Cycling Group meets every Thursday at 6 p.m. All levels welcome.

Visit White Lake Community Library at 6 p.m. for an evening of pol-

linating ideas and planting seeds of action to kick off a Pollinator Paradise Garden project. Explore the urgent needs of our bees and butterflies, bats and birds for native pollinator plants. Free, but registration appreciated at wlclib.org.

Friday, May 31

Community Yoga @ Fruitland Twp. Hall, 10-11 a.m. Free to participate, open to all ages and skill levels.

Echoes of History: The blizzard of 1918 (pt. 1)

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor

The worst snowstorm in many years struck the area Sunday morning, Jan. 6, 1918, and kept up for nearly 24 hours. The snow was so blinding it was not safe for pedestrians to leave their homes. Snow on the level was over two feet deep and drifts were from 10 to 14 feet.

On Monday morning, Jan. 7, the Eagle-Ottawa Leather Co. was called upon to try to break a road through Whitehall and they sent their mammoth snowplow and two teams, but it was a hard pull all the way as the snow was quite heavy.

Colby Street was a sight to be seen. A bank of snow about 11 feet high extended from Gee & Carr’s to Hotel Mears. The Pere Marquette train did not make its run down from the north until Tuesday at noon. No train or mail was received from the south until Tuesday evening.

The snowstorm of the 6th and 7th had hardly passed over when another blizzard came. It started Friday night, Jan. 11 and continued until Monday, Jan. 14. The snow was at least four feet on the level.

Montague experienced two disastrous fires during Saturday and Sunday’s blizzard which drove three families out of their homes, one barely

escaping with their lives.

The first fire occurred Saturday morning about 10 a.m. when the Adrian Koert house on North hill caught fire, presumably from a defective chimney flue. Mrs. Koert detected smoke, and upon going to the kitchen, discovered it was on fire. Despite the raging storm and deep snow, the fire department was promptly on the scene and did a very credible job in extinguishing the flames. The chemical truck was also put into play and proved worthy by blanketing the fire before it gained headway in the upright part of the house. The rear of the house was practically ruined.

About 2 a.m. Sunday morning the alarm of fire was again sounded while the blizzard was still raging. This time Harry Kropf and his family barely escaped with their lives as the flames were spreading throughout the old Saunders house. Mr. Kropf ran downtown after being badly burned to ring the fire bell. Mrs. Kropf ran in her stocking feet through the deep snow to her neighbor’s house. Will Lipka and Rev. Chamberlain rescued the four small children and an aged grandmother and took them to the home next door and when it too caught fire, they were taken to the M. E. parsonage.

The fire department was handicapped by the deep snow, shortage of

men and the lack of a team to pull the hose cart, so several lengths of hose were unreeled, carried up the hill and connected to the nearest hydrant. A short time later a team was secured, the hose cart pulled up, and the second line of hose laid to the fire. For a considerable time, a bucket brigade prevented the fire from spreading to Waitman house, which was close by, but finally they had to abandon it. The firemen fought to save this structure and prevent the fire from moving on to a third house owned by M. W. Ripley. Mr. & Mrs. Will Lipka occupied the wing part of the house and saved most

all of their household effects, but Mrs. Waitman’s furniture in the upright part of the house was badly damaged. Both the Waitman and Saunders houses were fully covered by insurance. Mr. & Mrs. Kropf, however, lost practically everything in their house without any insurance. It was determined the fire originated from the explosion of an oil stove which Mr. Kropf had lit upon coming home late. In his effort to throw the stove outdoors, he was severely burned on his face, hands and legs.

Library unveils summer activities

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

Readers of all ages are invited to journey through the wonders of nature, travel, and imagination with the library’s summer reading program. This year’s theme, “Adventure Begins at Your Library,” promises a season packed with thrilling activities designed to ignite curiosity and foster a love for reading. The free, 8-week program runs from June 13th through July 31st and is open to all ages, from infants to adults. Program participants will receive a welcome kit, including a paper reading log to record their reading, or participants can log their time on Beanstack, at WLCLIB.BEANSTACK.ORG.

Visit the library’s website at wlclib.org or our Facebook page for a complete listing of event information. Here’s a sampling of what’s to come at the library this summer:

For Kids and Families:

Family Storytimes - Mondays at 9:30 a.m.; enjoy stories, songs, rhymes, and movement activities centering around weekly themes such as royalty, beaches, farm animals, the jungle, and more.

Community Pop-Up Storytimes – select Tuesdays at 11am; hosted at various community locations such as a fire station, lighthouse, and blueberry farm!

Crafternoons – Mondays at 2 p.m.; school-age children are invited to explore a new nature craft each week, including homemade bird feeders, seed mosaics, and suncatchers.

Family Nights – Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.; families can look forward to special adventure-themed evenings at the library. These events are designed to entertain and educate all ages and will feature Tipping the Scales Exotic Animal Experience, survival skills with Sarqit Outdoor Living School, a wildlife talk with a Michi-

gan DNR officer, geode cracking with White River Rock Club, and a special Christmas in July event at Stibitz farm.

Outdoor Play & Learn – Fridays at 10 a.m.; hands-on experiences will bring the themes of adventure and nature to life for young children and their grownups. Spend an enjoyable hour together exploring the woods, building forts, playing lawn games, looking for critters, and walking the story trail.

For Teens:

Afternoon Hangouts – Fridays at 2 p.m.; youth ages 10+ are invited to enjoy games, book discussions, creative projects, and video games. The Nintendo Switch and VR headset will be available to use each session. Watch for other teen events to be offered throughout the summer, including a movie night.

For Adults: Ron Radamacher of Michigan Backroads will entice adults to ex-

plore some of Michigan’s hidden gems like the underground rathskeller in the Irish Hills, the gravity mystery in Frankfort, and the Monarch Butterfly Migration in a presentation on Wednesday, July 17th, at 6pm.

All Ages:

The library is especially excited to be hosting an all-ages concert by Troy Graham Saturday, June 15 at 11 a.m. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and come listen to this singer/songwriter and poet. Troy has played music his whole life, ranging in genres from old-time, bluegrass, folk, indie, and gospel.

On Saturday, July 13 at 11 a.m., young and old can delight in a live, interactive, virtual tour of Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica. Adventure through rainforest and pristine beaches, ask the tour guide questions, and appreciate the diverse array of animals and vegetation.

The library’s summer reading program is not just about books; it’s about creating experiences that inspire and engage. So, pack your bags and prepare for an unforgettable summer of exploration and discovery. Your adventure begins at the library!

A view of Colby Street in Whitehall looking east, Jan. 14, 1918. • Courtesy Photo

DeMumbrum

NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE community

Lake Mirror Lake Mirror

SPORTS SPORTS

WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER

Stratton breaks state stolen base record

Senior steals 181st career base vs. MCC, breaks former Viking McLouth’s all-time record

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

“I never saw him coming,” said Whitehall coach Warren Zweigle of Kyle Stratton, and that’s probably also true of most pitchers who have seen Stratton whiz around the bases during his four-year career.

Last Thursday, Stratton entered his name into the MHSAA record books, stealing his 181st career base to surpass previous record-holder Nate McLouth, a Whitehall legend and former major league All-Star.

Stratton set the record in the first inning of game one of a doubleheader at Mason County Central. After he singled on an infield pop-up that fell in, Stratton swiped second to set the record. Teammate Ryne Christensen, co-

incidentally, made the stolen base moot a moment later by cracking his first career home run, the first of three hits for him in that game.

As Zweigle alluded to, Stratton may have been an unlikely record breaker - he only stole around 15 bases his freshman season - but his feat was no accident.

After the multi-talented athlete - he’s headed to Taylor University to play football this fall - took a leap forward as a player and stole 50-plus bases as a sophomore, Zweigle did the math and realized Stratton, with good health and

more development, could take aim at McLouth’s record.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind,” Stratton said during Tuesday’s doubleheader against Manistee. “After my sophomore year, me and Coach

Z talked about it a lot, the possibility of chasing Nate McLouth. We talked about what I needed for the next two

Kyle Stratton continued on page 5

Viking boys repeat as regional champion

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

FREMONT — Whitehall put out a terrific performance last Thursday at the Division 2 regional meet, earning its second straight title by outscoring runner-up Hamilton 105-88.

In the process, the Vikings qualified 11 entries into the state meet, which coach Kirk Mikkelson said afterwards would be the team’s focus. Generally, Mikkelson prefers to focus on the coaches’ association team state meet, but with his team shorthanded by injury - distance runner Hunter Parsons recently had his appendix removed, forcing him from action - he said the team will try to get healthy for the MHSAA finals June 1.

“There are some teams out there this year that have phenomenal team state teams,” Mikkelson said. “We’d do ourselves a disservice this year, and risk

injury, by going to an extra meet when we have that big one. We’ve got enough people qualified that if we have the right day, we can win that one...If our kids do what they can, it’s possible.”

Team leaders Malcolm Earvin and Trannon Aylor both said they agreed with their coach’s decision to shift focus. Ideally, the Vikings would gun for a team state title, but both trust Mikkelson’s judgment.

“It’s just where our strengths are this season,” Aylor said. “I don’t know how well we’d be able to compete and if it’s going to be worth it to go to that (MITCA) meet and potentially place fifth or 10th.”

Whitehall certainly looked like a team capable of taking the big prize in the MHSAA meet Thursday, win-

Regional champs

Rockets split O-K Green with Zeeland West

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer broke the single-season program record for victories Monday when the Rockets defeated Zeeland West 1-0. The team’s 30th win of the season also earned a share of the O-K Green Conference title.

The Rockets had to settle for a split when the Dux avenged the loss Tuesday with a 3-2 walk-off win. Each team ended the conference season with 13-1 league records. Monday’s game was cut short by lightning and weather, but by league rule, since five full innings were completed, the Rockets were declared the winner. Tessa Ross delivered what became effectively a walk-off hit, lashing a double into the left center field gap in the fifth inning to score Kyleigh Bilek. Prior to Ross’

double, R-P’s Kaylee Jones was the only player on either team to reach second base as the pitchers dominated.

Lainey McDaniel earned the win in the circle, overwhelming Zeeland West batters with 12 strikeouts and no walks, allowing just one hit.

R-P took a 2-0 lead when play resumed Tuesday, as Mady Snyder drove in a run with a single in the first inning and McDaniel scored on a wild pitch in the third. However, the Dux came back with a run in the fourth and pushed across the tying and winning runs in the seventh, taking advantage of a pair of Rocket errors, their only miscues of the game. Natalie Kunnen had two hits for R-P, and McDaniel pitched another strong game, allowing only one earned run on three hits and striking out nine.

Whitehall’s Kyle Stratton (1) makes a sliding catch of a pop fly during Tuesday’s doubleheader against Manistee. Stratton broke the state career record for stolen bases last week in a road doubleheader at Mason Co. Central. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall celebrates its regional championship in boys track Thursday at Fremont. The Vikings qualified 11 entrants into the June 1 state meet. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Stratton

Reeths-Puffer’s Kyleigh Bilek celebrates scoring the only run of Monday’s game against Zeeland West. The Rockets won the first game of a doubleheader, setting a new program record with 30 wins and clinching a share of the O-K Green championship. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Kyle Stratton

years.”

Stratton hasn’t stopped running ever since, going over 50 again last year on his way to Division 2 all-state honors. He stole seven more bases Tuesday to bump his season mark to 66, and should surpass Cayden Ritchie’s single-season program record of 72 before it’s all said and done.

The senior is obviously a terrific athlete, but there’s more to stealing bases than just speed.

“He’s worked specifically on stealing bases,” Zweigle said. “He works on getting jumps and reading pitchers. We talk a lot about moves and leads and what to do in this situation and what to look for and what counts to steal in. He’s been a fast learner.”

McLouth paid it forward upon learning of Stratton’s record. Tipped off by his former coach Zweigle that Stratton was approaching his mark, McLouth sent Stratton a congratulatory video once the deed was done. CatchMark SportsNet posted the video to its YouTube channel Friday morning. Adding that he’d seen a few of Stratton’s football games, McLouth, who played on the gridiron at Whitehall too, said Stratton was among the greatest athletes in school history.

“It (makes you) proud to have a kid that’s so passionate about baseball and so humble about records and so happy for a kid,” Zweigle said of McLouth. “You could watch the video and tell that he’s genuinely happy for somebody else to break his record, and that’s got to be hard for anybody to do. He couldn’t wait to make that video.”

Stratton was thrilled to receive the recognition, further validating

Sports in Brief

Baseball

Zeeland East 5-8 Reeths-Puffer 2-2

Whitehall’s Kyle Stratton watches a foul ball after connecting with a pitch during Tuesday’s doubleheader against Manistee. Stratton’s increased skill as a hitter as his career progressed was a major factor in his breaking the MHSAA record for career stolen bases. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

his hard work over the years to achieve the new mark.

“It was sweet,” Stratton grinned. “I opened up my phone after our game and saw that. It was really cool for a guy like that, an MLB All-Star, to reach out to me.”

The new record might be the biggest notch yet in the belt of a player who’s accomplished as much as any Viking ever, but Stratton hopes it’s not the capper. After Whitehall’s football and basketball seasons ended with postseason disappointment, Stratton is as determined as ever to author a positive ending to his high school sports career.

“It certainly adds a little pressure, but there’s also motivation,” Zweigle said. “He has unfinished business to take care of and he knows this is his last opportunity to take care of that. He’s pretty motivated by that.”

The Vikings drew Big Rapids, owner of the gaudiest record in the district, in the semifinals of the bracket. The Cardinals are also the team that ended Whitehall’s football championship dreams last fall. Stratton and his teammates

will be ready.

“That means something to us, so we’re hoping to put a little run in next week and maybe make some distance in the playoffs,” Stratton said.

Against MCC, Nolan Taranko scored the first game’s winning run in the sixth inning - both games were six-inning affairs - after the Spartans made an error on a sacrifice bunt by Cash Bloomberg-Brown. Taranko singled and reached second on a passed ball prior to the error. Taranko also got the win on the mound, with Stratton pitching a spotless sixth inning for the save.

No such dramatics were necessary in game two, as Whitehall scored five times in the first inning and added two four-run innings later to pick up an easy win. Stratton had a pair of hits, including a double, and added five more stolen bases to his career mark. He also scored three times and drove in three runs. Christensen added two hits, two walks and two RBI. Stratton got the win, allowing one earned run in three innings and striking out three. continued from page 4

Best of the best compete at All-Star meet

By

MUSKEGON — The annual West Michigan All-Star meet at Reeths-Puffer yielded some impressive results from local teams in a showcase of the best talent in the area.

Whitehall earned two event wins at the meet, including a new personal best pole vault by Ca’Mar Ready, who topped the field with a mark of 14-3. Trannon Aylor continued his impressive work in his best event, the 400 meters, with a win and a time of 48.50 seconds.

Other top-6 medal winners for Whitehall’s boys included the 800-meter relay team of Aylor, Malcolm Earvin, Kyler Frees and Ready, who took second; Corde Anderson, who set a PR in the 110-meter hurdles and finished fourth (15.93 seconds); Graysen Olstrom, who earned a PR in pole vault to take sixth (12-0); and the 3,200 relay team of Drew Boeringa, Jevon Hilliard, Stewart Waters and Tyler Van Antwerp, who were sixth.

A pair of Viking girls medaled, as Cami Kraai took third in the 1,600 meters and Arianna Black placed fourth in the high jump. Reeths-Puffer had several

Montague’s Annelyse Schneider lands in the long jump pit on an attempt during Wednesday’s West Michigan All-Star meet at Reeths-Puffer. Schneider finished 7th in the event and set a new PR. • Andy

medalists Wednesday. Caiden Bolduc medaled twice individually, coming in third in the 200 meters and fifth in the 100, and also contributed to the 400 relay team’s second-place finish, along with London Rankin, Marvin Moore and Brody Johnson. Tate Bradley added a sixth-place in the 1,600. On the girls’ side, Brooklynn Tornes and Melana Johnson helped both the 400 and 800 relay teams take second, joining Amani Starr and Madilynn Smith in the 400 and Jersi Bilek and Savannah Lockwood in the 800. Tornes also placed sixth in the 100, and Bilek took fourth in the 800.

For Montague, Isaiah Atchison medaled twice, taking fifth in

The Rockets’ run at an O-K Green title was sidetracked by a pair of tough losses. Zeeland East scored 3 unearned runs in the 6th inning to win the game delayed by darkness from the previous Tuesday. Cayden Theisen had 3 hits, and Trent Reichert pitched well, allowing 1 earned run and 2 hits in 5 innings. R-P never led in game two despite 2 hits from Jaxson Whitaker. The Rockets struggled with 4 errors in the game.

G.R. West Catholic 14-7 Whitehall 4-1

The Vikes struggled to keep West Catholic off the scoreboard in a tough doubleheader. Whitehall walked 11 Falcon batters in game one, but did manage 10 hits at the plate, led by Brock Morningstar’s 3. In game two, the Vikings were held to 2 hits. Ryne Christensen scored the only run.

Oakridge 16-16 Montague 1-2

Montague was unable to stop Oakridge from claiming the WMC Lakes title. Ryver Jarka tripled and scored in each of the two games. Bryton Belinger got 2 hits in game two.

Softball

Whitehall 17-32 Mason Co. Central 4-12

Whitehall battered Spartan pitching all day, collecting 44 hits and scoring 49 runs. In game one, Annabel Kevwitch smashed a home run among her 4 hits, driving in 4 runs and scoring 3. Kierra Hyrns, Megan LeaTrea and Natalie Manzo each added 3 hits and scored 8 runs betwen them. Evelyn Darke had 2 hits. LeaTrea allowed no earned runs and struck out 9. In game two, Darke had 5 hits, 3 for extra bases, scored 5 runs and drove in 6. Kevwitch and Taylor Ottinger had 4 hits each, with Kevwitch scoring 6 times. Bella Fogus had 3 hits, including a home run, and Manzo also had 3 hits. Harper Leon, Allison Schaeffer and Janie Fagan had 2 hits each as Whitehall completed the sweep.

Reeths-Puffer 12 Spring Lake 0

It was another dominant effort by the Rockets, who allowed just 1 hit to Spring Lake. Lainey McDaniel, Mady Snyder and Kyleigh Bilek teamed up for the shutout. Kaylee Jones and Abbie Critchett both surpassed the single-season runs scored record for the program; Jones sat at 51 and Critchett was at 50 after the game. Jones hit a home run among 3 hits, driving in 4 runs. McDaniel and Snyder each also had 3 hits, and Critchett added 2. R-P improved to 29-2-1 in what’s been a banner year.

Whitehall goes 1-1 at home tournament

The Vikings earned an exciting 6-5 win over North Muskegon to open their day. Bella Fogus delivered a walk-off single to score Kierra Hyrns in the 7th inning. Fogus had 2 hits in the game, and Megan LeaTrea picked up the win. Division 2 honorable mention Hamilton blanked Whitehall 11-0 in the second game. Annabel Kevwitch had 2 of the Vikings’ 4 hits.

Oakridge 11-17 Montague 1-0

The Wildcats had a rough day against WMC Lakes power Oakridge. Jocelyn Rodriguez-Perez had Montague’s lone RBI on the day, scoring Reagan Cederquist. The Wildcats had 2 hits in game two.

Girls Soccer

Zeeland East 2 Reeths-Puffer 1 (OT)

The Rockets dropped the 3rd-place game of the O-K Green tournament by shootout. No statistics had been reported at press time.

Whitehall 1 Grant 0

Whitehall advanced to the district semifinals with a tight road win. The Vikings dominated ball possession but were held out of the net until Abbie Berman scored on a cross from Aaliyah Jamison.

Track

R-P qualifies 2 relays to boys state meet

The 400-meter and 1,600-meter relay teams each beat the qualifying standard for the state meet at regionals Friday. The 1,600 team of Marvin Moore, Caiden Bolduc, Tate Bradley and Mason Darke qualified with a time of 3:25.8, finishing 4th. The 400 team of London Rankin, Moore, Brody Johnson and Bolduc finished 5th and posted a time of 43.33 seconds to qualify as well. Bradley medaled in the 800 meters with a PR time of 1:59.99, taking 4th place. The 800 relay team took 5th to medal. In the girls meet, the 400 relay team medaled with a 4th-place finish.

Whitehall 17th at Rockford Invite

Reeths-Puffer’s Mason Darke and Hart’s Caleb Westerbeek leap over the final hurdle in the 110-meter hurdles race at Wednesday’s All-Star meet. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

the 200 and sixth in the 100. Trisha Beckman added a sixth-place medal in the discus.

The Vikings tested themselves against top competition at Cedar Chase Golf Club and shot a 354. Brady Tate led Whitehall with an 84 and Braedon Bond shot an 89.

Whitehall 3rd, Montague 10th at Ludington Invite

Whitehall notched a solid team score of 338 in the meet, and Montague shot a 359. Brady Tate tied for 2nd to lead the Vikings, shooting a 78. He birdied twice in his round. Braedon Bond shot a 79 and birdied once. Mason Mulnix posted an 86, and Jack Bailey led the ‘Cats with an 87. Golf

R-P finishes 3rd at league finals The Rockets had a strong day at the O-K Green finals meet, taking 3rd place with a 338, only 4 strokes behind 1st-place Mona Shores. Kristian Brown shot a 77, his best 18-hole score of the year, to take

Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Roberts/Mirror

Wildcats’ Atchison makes state in all his events at regional meet

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — Montague earned state qualification in 10 events Saturday in the Division 3 regional meet at its home track.

Senior Isaiah Atchison helped account for four of those events, leading the Wildcat boys to third place as a team. Atchison won the regional championship in high jump with a mark of 6-0; he was one of five to clear that height, but earned first place by missing fewer attempts than his competitors. Atchison also qualified in both sprint events with second-place finishes, earning times of 11.25 seconds in the 100 meters and 22.80 seconds in the 200 meters. Atchison’s 800-meter relay team also took second, with Devlin Dean, Talan Degen and Paul Olson joining him to run a time of 1:33.1.

Isaac French took

home a regional championship for the ‘Cats as well, reaching the top of the podium in the shot put. His mark was 43-11. Wyatt Fairchild earned a state spot in the adaptive 400 meters, finishing in a time of 1:24.2.

The Wildcat girls squad earned four event state nods and placed fifth as a team. Trisha Beckman finished in second place in discus with a throw of 92-2, and Annelyse Schneider was second in long jump with a leap of 155. Amanda Cederquist placed third in the 100 hurdles and beat the qualifying standard with her season-best time of 17.01 seconds. The ‘Cats qualified in the 800 relay by taking second, as Jenna Erickson, Cederquist, Schneider and Britta Johnson ran a time of 1:52.1.

Other regional boys medalists for Montague included: Noah Raeth in the 1,600, who ran a PR time of 4:38.8 and

Montague’s Isaiah Atchison pursues North Muskegon’s Jerry Wiegers in the 200-meter finals at Saturday’s regional meet in Montague. Atchison qualified for state in all 4 of his events. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

finished third; Michael Jones, sixth in pole vault; Clay Johnson, sixth in the 800; Dean, seventh in the long jump; Jeremiah Atchison, seventh in the 300 hurdles; Isaac French and Logan Hansen, seventh and eighth in the dicus respectively; Maverick Osborne, eighth in the shot put; and the 3,200 relay team, which placed fifth.

Beyond the state

Regional champs

ning five events. Seniors Malcolm Earvin and Trannon Aylor were big scorers, each winning an individual event and teaming up as part of wins in both the 800 and 1,600-meter relays. Aylor, the 2023 state champion in the 400 meters, look primed to defend his title by running a personal best time of 48.49 seconds, easily outpacing the field. Earvin won the 200 meters in a time of 21.88 seconds, beating out Hamilton’s Ben Boehm at the line after Boehm edged him for the win in the 100 earlier.

“I was really nervous going into that race, because he beat me earlier and he beat me (in the regionals) last year,” Earvin said of Boehm. “But Coach told me that the 200 is my race. I just had to go out there and prove it, and that’s what I did.”

Aylor had to work harder than he anticipated to secure the win for Whitehall in the 1,600 relay. It took him only about 100 meters on his anchor leg of the relay to catch Hamilton’s Josh Langeland, but Langeland, a distance running specialist, managed to keep up with Aylor and force a final surge from the latter to eke out a win by 0.06 seconds - a time of 3:25.4.

“I feel like I can usually hear them (when they’re close behind me), but that dude must have quiet feet, because I didn’t even know he was behind me,” Aylor smiled. “I had to give a secondary push, and I wasn’t ready for it, but I’m glad I was able to.”

Aylor also qualified for state in the 200 with Earvin, finishing fourth in that race with a season-best time of 22.68 seconds.

“Great day by both of those

qualifiers, girls medalists were Johnson, fifth in the 400; Erickson, fifth in the 200; Addison Smith, fifth in the pole vault; Molly Mulder, seventh in the shot put; and Grace Torsch, eighth in both the 800 (2:43.8) and the 1,600 (6:01.8), with PR times in each. The Wildcats also earned medals in the 3,200 relay, taking fourth, and the 1,600 relay, where they were fifth.

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guys,” Mikkelson said of his senior leaders. “We’ve asked a lot of them, and they’ve stepped up. They did everything that we expected them to do, and they did it well.”

Kyler Frees and Ca’Mar Ready ran with Aylor and Earvin in the 800 relay, where the winning time was 1:29.3, and Frees and Kal Koehler ran in the 1,600 relay, where the Vikes finished in 3:25.4.

Camden Thompson picked up his second straight regional title in high jump despite not yet being at 100 percent after a March ankle sprain. Thompson won the title with a mark of 6-0, beating three others who cleared that height, including teammate Ayden Mendoza, by tiebreaker. Mendoza also earned a state spot with his jump.

Other state qualifiers included Koehler, who took second in long jump (20-11.25); Ready, who set a personal best in pole vault to finish third (13-3); and Stewart Waters, who beat the qualifying standard in the 1,600 with a personal best time of 4:27.3, taking fourth.

Jason Smith medaled twice for

Reeths-Puffer places impressive 4th at regionals The Rockets closed out one of the program’s best seasons with a bestever 4th-place finish at regionals, scoring 14 points. R-P reached the semifinals in 6 of the 8 flights, including all 4 singles flights. Singles players Brooke Titus, Olivia Harris, Molly Matz and Mylie Neel each drew first-round byes and won second-round matches in straight sets before bowing out to the #2 seeds in their flights. The top 2 doubles pairs, Hope Latsch/Olivia Smith and Lauren Matz/Emma Fraser, followed the same path, with the lone difference being Latsch/Smith fell to the #1 seed.

Reeths-Puffer’s Reese Tryska (left) tries to come up with the ball during Wednesday’s pre-district battle with Mona Shores. The Sailors eked out a 1-0 win. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Shores turns back R-P upset bid in districts

For the second time this season, Reeths-Puffer put up a terrific effort against rival Mona Shores, but the Rockets were denied an upset in pre-district play Wednesday, losing 1-0.

R-P played Shores to a 1-1 tie during the regular season and were equally strong Wednesday.

The Sailors scored the game’s only goal with under three minutes to play, with Shay Norden securing the tally to finally turn back the Rockets.

R-P only managed three shots on goal to Mona Shores’ 15, but keeper Sara Carlson made 14 saves to keep her team in the game.

The Rockets end the season with a 7-11-2 record.

College-bound R-P athletes honored

the Vikes in the throws and set personal bests in both, taking fourth in shot put (45-10.25) and sixth in discus (135-11). Corde Anderson medaled by taking sixth in the 110 hurdles. Graysen Olstrom scored a PR in pole vault to finish seventh (11-8), and Waters earned a second medal with a PR in the 3,200, placing eighth (9:57.6). Thompson medaled in discus with an eighthplace finish, and the 3,200 relay team finished eighth as well.

The Whitehall girls finished in 10th place, scoring 30 points. Cami Kraai and Arianna Black led the way with regional titles. Kraai won in the 800 meters, setting a PR of 2:20.99, and Black took the high jump with a mark of 5-1. They were the only Vikings to earn state qualification.

However, Whitehall also saw Aaliyah Jamison deliver a strong effort in shot put, taking fourth with a PR of 33-3.5. Adalyn Britton also medaled, earning fifth in the 800, and the 3,200 relay team also medaled, in eighth.

hosted a senior signing event Monday afternoon to honor 17 graduating seniors who are playing collegiate sports. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Reeths-Puffer

Whitehall’s Trannon Aylor (left) grabs the baton from teammate Malcolm Earvin during the 800-meter relay at last Thursday’s regional meet in Fremont. The Vikings won the event and the team title. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Allison Mikkelson recorded White Lake Golf Club’s first hole-in-one of the season May 7, acing hole #11. • Courtesy Photo

Second City improv performers headline Playhouse

“Improv(e) Your Life” by enjoying an inspiring evening of improv and helping to support the arts in White Lake. The Arts Council of White Lake –Nuveen Center is excited to showcase two veteran Chicago-based Second City performers, Dee Ryan and Kevin Reome, for an improv comedy fundraiser at The Playhouse at White Lake Friday, May 31 at 7 p.m. Buying a ticket to this event will have a ripple effect of goodness; it will help fund future arts programming at the ACWL-Nuveen and let you experience the agility of professional improvisors collaborating on stage with your fellow community members.

“We gotta do this together,” said Ryan, enthusiastically describing what they enjoy about improvisational comedy. “That is the ultimate goal of improvisers. We’re just going to come in together and we’re going to create something wonderful right away.”

Ryan, who has worked as an instructor at Second City since 2022, has a diverse range of performance experience. They have spent time as a producer, host and writer for Louder Than

fundraiser

a Mom, a theme-based storytelling show, and as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University’s Department of Radio, Television and Film.

Fellow Second City performer Reome has been studying improv for over 30 years, starting first at The Second City Training Center in Chicago and then also at iO Chicago with Del Close. Reome currently teaches at the Second City Training Center in Chicago as a faculty member and has since 2005.

Alongside their evening performance, Ryan and Reome will also be teaching two improv classes for beginning and intermediate students earlier in the day Friday. Students who partake in the intermediate class will be included in the first half of that evening’s show.

Inspired to “Improv(e) Your Life”? You can purchase tickets for the event and learn more about the classes by visiting https://www.artswhitelake. org/improv or calling the Arts Council of White Lake – Nuveen Center at 231893-2524.

WMEAC receives grant to boost recycling in county

West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC) is pleased to announce it has received support from the Environmental Endowment Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County for its innovative recycling initiative, “Revitalizing Recycling: Transforming Muskegon County’s Sustainability Landscape.”

The grant, awarded through the committee’s spring 2024 grant round will support WMEAC’s efforts, with a group of community leaders, a Recycling Leadership Team, to help improve recycling infrastructure and increase recycling rates throughout Muskegon County. The initiative, which aligns with the Foundation’s Environmental Committee priorities, aims to address recycling challenges, and promote environmental sustainability in the region.

“We are grateful to the Community Foundation for Muskegon County for its support of this important recycling initiative,” said Tanya Cabala, Lakeshore Outreach Organizer at WMEAC. “This funding will enable us to work alongside community partners to advance necessary improvements and work towards creating a more sustainable future for Muskegon County.”

The “Revitalizing Recycling” initiative will focus on three key areas:

Enhanced Inter-Municipal Collaboration: Organizing meetings to gather input from municipalities, align strategies, share best practices, and iden-

tify potential collaborative cost saving measures, and fostering a cohesive and coordinated effort among municipalities to address recycling challenges at a broader county level.

Public Awareness Campaigns: Developing a comprehensive communications plan and educational materials, based on updated recycling infrastructure information, to raise awareness and foster a sense of responsibility, and establishing partnerships with schools, municipalities, and organizations to educate the community on the why, how, and where of recycling in Muskegon County.

Comprehensive Recycling Coverage Countywide:

Collaborating with interested community partners to design and propose a central collection hub and recycling drop-off center model, ensuring broader coverage and increased participation to align with new requirements of the state solid waste law, Pt. 115, that requires counties to improve recycling services and programs in the next several years.

“We believe that by working together with local partners and community stakeholders, we can make significant strides towards achieving our recycling goals,” according to Doug Wood of Muskegon Rotary, a co-chair of the Recycling Leadership Team guiding the project.

Montague social district hours discussed at meeting

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

MONTAGUE — The Montague City Council proposed moving the social district time to allocate for more times at the participating businesses during Monday’s meeting.

The argument was made that most of these businesses open in the morning or early afternoon, making it beneficial for the social district to open earlier. The current social district hours are 5-10 p.m. seven days per week. Hours will remain the same, except for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, when the social district will open at noon.

Smoking in public parks was also discussed at the meeting. Numerous council members mentioned they re-

ceived complaints from White Lake residents, specifically little league baseball families, about people disregarding the smoking rule and being disrespectful. City Manager Jeff Auch stated it is already illegal to smoke in parks in Michigan, per the Michigan Smoke-Free Law and Tobacco-Free Recreation Area Resolution, but the law has been difficult to enforce. Before getting the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services involved, city council decided to add more signs to the park, reminding people of the rules including no smoking or tobacco use.

A special budget meeting will take place Monday, June 3 at Montague City Hall. City council will be discussing scheduling road repairs, sidewalk repaving, park improvements and more.

Rothbury appoints Ethan Walker as new police chief

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

ROTHBURY — Rothbury police officer Ethan Walker was unanimously appointed the village’s new police chief Tuesday night at the monthly village council meeting, replacing Tom Hasper, who has retired.

Hasper, Walker said during the meeting, was chief for 15 years prior to retirement earlier this month. Walker’s appointment was accompanied by a polite round of applause from the assembled public. Walker also received a small monetary bonus from the village for extra work done while Hasper was on medical leave earlier this year.

In addition to Walker’s appointment, the village followed up on a discussion from May’s council meeting by unanimously approving a change to the village ordinance to make the clerk and treasurer positions appointed instead of elected. Trustee Mike Harris said in support of the move that most of the townships and villages in the area already appoint their clerks and treasurers, and Denise Kurdziel added that the move will help ensure the village always has someone with experience performing the job duties of a clerk and treasurer in those roles. It was also noted the clerk and treasurer are nonvoting positions on the council, so making the change

does not affect any decision-making at the village level.

Also in Rothbury, complimentary garbage service will begin for all village residents at the beginning of June. The village contracted with Kuerth’s Disposal to provide the service. In an open letter to village residents earlier this month, the council noted that the revenues that made this service possible are coming from Electric Forest revenues.

However, that did little to quiet residents’ continued discontent over EF’s changes to its wristband program, which now provide Sunday-only passes to village residents closest to the festival footprint after previously providing passes to the full weekend of activities. The public comment period of the meeting was almost exclusively devoted to residents’ disagreement with the policy, and by extension with the council for the Forest’s mass gathering permit renewal, though the council denies the renewal was related to the wristband changes.

The council unanimously approved allowing Montague Area Public Schools to again use the village hall as a dropoff location for its summer meals. The meals will be dropped off each Tuesday between June 11 and Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon, except for the week of July 4.