The Oceana Echo - Volume 2, Issue 23, Nov. 1, 2024 by theoceanaecho

Oceana Echo

Getty Park open house set for Nov. 9

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

The Village of Shelby invites the entire Oceana community to a special Getty Park Open House Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

(The event will follow the Veterans Day 5K set to begin at the park at 10 a.m.)

Enjoy cider and donuts served by the Shelby Optimist Club while checking out all the wonderful new features of this historic park renovation.

Amenities available now include basketball, tennis and pickleball

Early voting sets records

• Contributed Photo

courts; an all-access playground; a pavilion with a fireplace and restrooms; a gazebo/performance stage; and walking trails. By springtime, the park will utilize the new splash pad and include native plantings, improved parking and a POW Camp Memorial.

“This will be more of an informal event to mark that Getty Park is ‘official-

ly’ open for recreational use. We plan to do a larger ‘grand opening/ribbon cutting’ in 2025 when the weather is warmer and the turf is more established,” Village Administrator Phil Morse said.

The now-completed, multi-million dollar project has been in the works since 2015. Numerous individuals have worked tirelessly to bring this project to fruition. Paid for by grants, donations, village funds and in-kind support, the updated park has been called a much-needed and much-appreciated addition to the village and community.

By Amanda Dodge The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

Early voting records have been set in Oceana County, according to County Clerk Amy Anderson. Early voting began Saturday, Oct. 26, which brought 371 voters to the Oceana County Courthouse, and continues through Sunday, Nov. 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. “We’ve averaged 300 people per day,” Anderson said. “We’ve had just under 1,400 people vote early as of Oct. 30.”

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5 and voting precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Along with the federal and state races, there are a number of local positions that will be determined on election day, including: Oceana County probate judge, road commissioners, Claybanks Township treasurer and trustees, Colfax Township trustee, Ferry Township

supervisor and trustees, Grant Township trustees, Rothbury Village president and trustees, City of Hart mayor, Hart Public Schools board of education, Hesperia Village trustees, Leavitt Township supervisor and trustees, Newfield Township clerk, Pentwater Township trustee, Pentwater Township Library board of directors, Pentwater Village trustees and Shelby Village president.

Anderson noted many county races are unopposed and that the following proposals and millages will be on the ballot: the Walkerville Public Schools sinking fund millage, Pentwater Public Schools bond, Pentwater Township fire protection millage renewal, Newfield Township fire protection millage, City of Hart charter amendments and a street repair and improvements millage.

Full election results will be in next Friday’s special veterans edition of The Oceana Echo.

City of Hart reviews past 6 years, Mayor Platt bids farewell

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

HART - Following the November elections,

many local municipalities councils and boards will change as outgoing members terms expire and new members are voted in. Serving in this capacity is important work.

At last Tuesday’s Hart City Council meeting, City of Hart Mayor Vicki Platt reflected over her past six years on the council, saying, “As a council, we’ve worked to understand and make decisions to the best of our ability. The next council will need to trust our decisions just as we trusted those made before us.”

City Manager Rob Splane then took the opportunity to present a report of some of the city’s major projects completed during Platt’s tenure.

Grant activity included over $8M in grant funds being realized to help upgrade the city’s water and sewer infrastructure; support plant expansion at Hart BioPure; bring a West Shore Community College satellite to Hart; demo a blighted building, create pop-up shops and add

parking; install art pieces; create the downtown Pocket Park; and conduct a “First Impressions” tourism assessment.

The city was able to implement several financial initiatives as well, which benefited the city by thousands of dollars: the annexation of several Hart Township parcels into the city; implementation of a city investment policy; updated the city’s TIFA (Tax Increment Financing Authority) plan; implemented Retiree Health Funding Vehicle Corrective Action Plan; implemented meter reading technology to save over 450 staff hours annually; and successfully completed collective bargaining agreements with the police and utility workers unions.

Several improvements to the city’s roads and infrastructure have been undertaken and completed: updates to the DPW and Hart Energy buildings; upgrades to the systems monitoring the city’s water and sewer systems; extensive street work on

Lincoln, Hanson, Wigton, Griswold, Wood, Jefferson and Hart Streets; receipt of $9.5M in revenue bonds to improve water flow, add water system redundancy, expand BioPure capacity and allow new efficiency to operations; and replacement of 65+ percent of water meters.

Community and economic development efforts included the creation of a downtown Pocket Park; removing and repurposing of a blighted building on East Main; allowing golf carts on city streets; graduation from Hart Main Street and the creation of HEART (Hart Economic and Redevelopment Team); achieved Redevelopment Ready Community Certification; implemented TextMyGov testing system; created a social district downtown; completed wayfinding signage project; developed The Hart Project to bring more art and culture experiences; secured a developer to build new housing units within the Creeks subdivision and

worked with the HOA to set up future building opportunities; formed a new Parks and Recreation Department; involved the public and local students in city council retreats; implemented a sidewalk replacement program; began a future streetscape design; negotiated sale of commercial property at 3 E. Main to allow for redevelopment; as well as created and supported several community events.

Platt closed the Oct. 8 meeting tearfully, saying, “I can’t say much right now except, you know what you’ve done, and I really appreciate it.”

The past six years have been busy for sure, and it is assumed that every municipality across Oceana County could come up with its own long list of accomplishments. Each entity appreciates and welcomes citizen involvement; from meeting attendance and participation to becoming involved on a committee or running for a council or board position. The Oceana Echo reminds its readers that it’s up to everyone to stay informed and get involved. More information can be found at each municipality and organization’s website. Community members are encouraged to attend a meeting, ask questions and be a part of helping to make our community better and stronger.

Despite all that has been accomplished and ongoing over the past six years, the city shows no signs of slowing down. They have a long wish list and are currently working on next steps for several projects including: improving access downtown from Hart Lake; creating an improved pedestrian/ bike-friendly streetscape and enhancing public gathering spaces; working toward becoming more inclusive and improving communications; installing more art; creation and implementation of a rental property inspection program, all while striving to develop strong relationships with neighboring communities.

Grateful organizers announce end of Maxine’s Closet

For well over a decade, Maxine’s Closet has served the children of this community with school supplies, clothing and more. Organizers and sisters Kristen Bisard and Laurel Sawyer started this endeavor in honor of the late Maxine Martin and have announced their decision to end this program. “While we have truly enjoyed and have been blessed serving in this ministry for the past 16 years, after much careful consideration, we have chosen to discontinue the annual Maxine’s Closet back-to-school event. We feel strongly that it is time to switch gears and serve in other ways, and feel confident that needs will be met through the many backpack/school supply events that are now sprinkled through the community,” Bisard and Sawyer wrote on the Maxine’s Closet Facebook page.

This news also coincides with the announcement that the Shelby United Methodist Church will be closing at the end of this year, which is where the ministry began and where its many donations are housed. Due to this, there will be a Maxine’s Closet Clearance this Saturday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Shelby UMC gym, located at 68 E. Third St. in Shelby. This is a free clothing giveaway with both children’s and adult clothing, hats, coats, boots and more items.

Bisard and Sawyer went on in their Facebook post to further explain the origins of Maxine’s Closet and how thankful they are to the community for their support over the years.

or accolades. She just had a humble desire to serve. She was a role model for those of us young women who had the opportunity to know and learn from her. Sadly, Maxine passed away in 2009, followed by Bill in 2017.

“Around the time of Maxine’s passing, Michigan was experiencing a heavy recession. While chatting on the phone one day, we talked about the challenges families were facing meeting basic needs, with the added stress of back-to-school expenses. We started kicking around ideas of a community clothing exchange, and that night in our parent’s living room, the idea of ‘Maxine’s Closet’ was born in her memory.

“What started as a small grassroots effort with a few friends and family, grew over time. Since then, each year the project changed and grew to include backpacks and school supplies, new packages of socks and undies and community resources. For most years, food distribution was added to the event. Covid happened and clothing was not an option, but we figured out how to operate as a drive-thru event. We decided the drive-thru was pretty efficient, and

“A question that inevitably comes up is, who is Maxine? When we first met her, Maxine, along with her best friend and husband, Rev. Bill Martin, had retired from fulltime ministry, and made their home in the Shelby area. We attended church together, and quickly became like family.

“Chances are if you live or lived in the Shelby community, you have been impacted in some way by Bill and Maxine’s volunteer efforts. They were regular, dedicated volunteers at the local library, hospital, church, school, cancer support group, and numerous other endeavors. Maxine would seek students in need whom she could buy clothes, shoes or a coat for. It was never too hard to identify a need, and it made her so happy to quietly help. She never wanted recognition

we opted to adopt that format for good.

“Families had come to rely on the project. The record attendance was in 2023, with nearly 800 children served from the surrounding area. This was only possible with the help of the many donors who partnered with us to bring the program to local families.

“Funding was provided through grants, businesses, churches, community organizations, and individual donors. Volunteers have come in the form of sports teams (especially Shelby’s volleyball program!), church groups, 4-H participants, scouts, and individuals, including lots of friends and family. Some volunteers have been with us each and every year. We are especially blessed to have had Bill and Maxine’s children, who travel across the state to join us, help in the effort each year.

“We truly appreciate those who shared the vision and came along side to support us in big and small ways over the years. The love and spirit of Maxine will live on in those of us who knew and loved her. On behalf of area kids and families, thank you all so much! We are so grateful!”

Village of Shelby officially a RRC

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

SHELBY - Monday, Shelby Village Administrator Phil Morse was pleased to share some very exciting news with the council. “After years of work by many, many people on behalf of Shelby, today I received notification from the MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation) that we are now a certified Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC),” his report to the council read.

According to the miplace.org website, “Redevelopment Ready Communities® (RRC) is a voluntary technical assistance initiative offered through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to empower communities in shaping their future by building a strong foundation of planning, zoning, and economic development best practices.”

“The Redevelopment Ready Community certification is one sign of many that shows that Shelby is on the move. The RRC designation is going to provide tools and resources that will advance our vision of a safe and appealing Shelby. I’d like to express my appreciation to my predecessors, Jae Guetschow and Brady Selner for getting the ball rolling on the certification,” Morse said.

In other business, at Morse’s invitation, MSU Extension District Director James Kelly gave a brief presentation to council. Morse wanted to provide council members with information they may want to access or direct others with questions to.

Kelly shared a brief history of how the Extension Service got started 170 years ago and provided a packet listing the many programs and services available from MSU Extension.

“We have so many resources,” Kelly said. “Consider us a part of your network.”

Most people are familiar with the 4-H program, seen most often at the Oceana County Fair, however one of the Extension Service’s goals is to educate the entire community, he said. Not only is the local extension a huge agricultural resource for farm producers, but it also has staff and programming available to help individuals, families, businesses, local municipalities, and nonprofit organizations. He encouraged the council and those in attendance to reach out if there was anything they ever needed help with, chances are MSU has a program that could help.

Morse updated the council on several projects currently happening within the village and within his office, including the construction of a new DPW pole building, development of the new website and text communication tool, completion of the Sixth and School Streets crosswalk, welcoming new Administrative Assistant Amy Bowditch, working on proposed ordinances and attending various meetings.

The only expenditure approved by council Monday was $6,377.91 to Mears Service Center for brake repair on “Blue,” the village’s 2001 plow truck. The village only has one other plow truck in its fleet. DPW Superintendent Jeremiah Helenhouse relayed to the council that the truck’s brakes have been going out for some time, and staff need to be careful how they park as the brakes go out of adjustment quickly. There is currently $3,500 budgeted, so a budget adjustment will need to be made to cover the expense. This quote was the only one sought as they are the only ones available to do this kind of work in Oceana County; the next closest places would be in Muskegon or Grand Rapids.

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

The final resting place of Alonzo Irons

By Caleb Jackson

The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

The answer to one of Oceana County’s greatest mysteries of all time could possibly exist in a collection of articles and photographs entitled “Bicentennial Collection of Walkerville Area,” which can be found on the shelves of the Oceana County Historical and Genealogical Society. I am speaking, of course, of the disappearance of Alonzo Irons. If you’ve never heard of the Alonzo Irons case before, allow me to give you a brief summary. Irons was a young man, a resident of Pentwater and a storekeeper for Nickerson & Collister Lumber Company near Walkerville. On Friday, June 3, in 1881, Irons and a man named Fisher set out towards the residence of one Mr. Chase in Walkerville. Irons owed Mr. Chase some money for some hay, and Fisher accompanied with the intentions of returning some borrowed axes to the Johnson brothers, who lived part-way to Chase’s house. However, the string holding the axes broke, causing them to fall and cut Mr. Fisher’s heel on the way down. They bandaged

the wound and Fisher turned back. Irons took the axes and continued on. He managed to make it to the Johnson brothers and safely delivered the axes. However, he would never make it to his end destination, as he disappeared sometime after leaving the Johnson’s and was never seen again.

The go-to source for information on the Alonzo Irons disappearance is Hartwick and Tuller’s “Oceana County Pioneers and Business Men of To-Day.” According to them, “people from all sections turned out in numbers and scoured the country, and… a solution to the mystery has never been reached.” Not only that, but a Pinkerton detective was even hired to search for Irons. The entirety of the detective’s report is reproduced in Hartwick and Tuller’s book, and it really is a very thrilling read. There are false leads, romances and jealousy - the whole nine yards. The detective (referred to as “Operative C”) even drags a lakebed at one point, although, as we may later see, it is quite possible that he chose the wrong lake. Considerable progress is made in the case. Even though a body is never recovered, Operative C. closes in on a small group of

Native American suspects but ultimately gives up his investigation, concluding that the community is too tightly knit and unwilling to give up one of their own. The closing remarks in the report are as follows: C. thinks that the results of his inquiries among the Indians shows that they must know something about the matter or they would not lie so about it. Sayles, who at first did not believe that the Indians knew anything about it, is now inclined to think that they know more about it than they will tell.

But it seems possible that the detective was even closer to the end of the case than he may have thought. In the Historical Society’s book on the Walkerville Area, it is revealed that one Rodney Negake, an Ottawa Indian Chief, admitted, shortly before his own death in 1971, that he had information regarding the disappearance of Alonzo Irons. According to this source, “Irons had been accidently killed by two Indian lumberjack brothers, who had attempted to scare Irons because of his attentions to their pretty sister. Supposedly, the two brothers confided in Chief Negake and, after-

Honoring the fallen

A group of Oceana County women have been hard at work in Elbridge, working to honor those buried in the cemetery next to Saint Joseph Chapel on N. 144th Ave. Alice Battice, Emily Smith, Helen Scripter, Mary Sherman and Ponce Zamborowski (pictured above) among others, have been working tirelessly in their free time to keep the cemetery clean and well maintained. The group of women have been restoring gravestones that were so dirty that names were nearly unrecognizable and making them shine as if new. Cleaning the gravestones was important to all those involved, as a majority of those buried next to Saint Joseph Chapel are fallen soldiers with Native American bloodlines. The good samaritan work has been going on for quite some time and is a reflection of good deeds in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day, which was celebrated on Oct. 14, and Veterans Day on Nov. 11. • Brendan Samuels/Echo

scanning the QR code at right or by sending

wards, dumped the weighted body of Irons into Cob-Moosa Lake; this lake is located near Taylor Road in south-eastern Elbridge Township.”

Operative C’s prime suspects were brothers-in-law to a Native American girl that Irons was affectionate with. However, the lake that the detective inspected was known as Paybama Lake. Is it possible the detective was deliberately misled? Who knows. Unfortunately, the answer to that question is now lost to time.

DAR hosts Good Citizens Contest, winner to be selected Nov. 3 in Mears

Each year, the Michigan Dunes Chapter, NSDAR, hosts a Good Citizens Contest. This local chapter was assigned 16 schools to contact. Each school was asked to choose one senior student as the Good Citizen of the class, and that student could send an application along with a timed essay on a specific subject. This year, seven schools of the 16 contacted had a student who applied. A reception will be held for these students following the regular DAR meeting Sunday, Nov. 3. The winner will be announced at the reception.

The meeting will take place at the Mears Methodist Church, 1990 56th Ave. in Mears at noon. The Good Citizens Reception is by invitation only and will follow the meeting at 2 p.m. the same day. The guest speaker for the meeting is Miss Ludington Area 2024 Athena Dila.

Ongoing

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

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

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

WEDNESDAYS: Love INC satellite open, Walkerville Wesleyan Church, 144 S. Hamon St., noon to 4 p.m.

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

1 st & 3 rd

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

1st & 3rd WEDNESDAYS: Hart VFW Post 1329 Burger/ Chicken/Brat/Ribs Night, 5-7 p.m., dine-in or carry out. Every other WEDNESDAY: Shelby Optimist Club meetings, Stony Lake Inn, 7-8 p.m., (September to May)

2nd & 4th WEDNESDAYS - True North Housing Assistance satellite open, Walkerville Wesleyan Church, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

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

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

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

2nd & 4th Saturdays: Food Pantry, Trinity Lutheran Church, 5631 W. Stony Lake Rd., 7:30-10 a.m.

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

Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m. Complete schedule at: theladdercommunitycenter.com

November

Nov. 1 - Shelby Middle School 8th Grade Career Day

Nov. 1 - Story Time, Hesperia Comm. Library, 10-11 a.m., Tween Night, Community Room, 3:15-4:45 p.m.

Nov. 1-2 - Strategic plan focus groups with Carol Dawe, Hesp. Comm. Library, Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and all day Saturday.

Nov. 1 - “Xavier Davis” jazz piano performance, Hart Public Schools Auditorium, 308 W. Johnson St., Hart, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 1-23 - Poets’ Houses art installation by Karen Antrim and Frank Galante, Ludington Area Center for the Arts.

Nov. 2 - Annual Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale, Hesperia UMC, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a BBQ lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Nov. 3 - DAR Good Citizens Contest and meeting, Mears, noon.

Nov. 5 - Tech Time, Hesperia Comm. Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Nov. 8 - Story Time, Hesperia Comm. Library, 10-11 a.m., Friends of the Library Book Sale begins, all day.

Nov. 8 - Annual Fall Bazaar, Hart UMC, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Nov. 9 - Friends of the Library Photo Contest Entries ends, Hesperia Community Library, all day.

Nov. 9 - Warren G. Varney Memorial Veterans Day 5K, start and end at Getty Park, Shelby, 10 a.m.

Nov. 9 - Getty Park “Soft Opening”, Getty Park, Shelby, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Nov. 9 - Veterans Day Parade, Downtown Hart, 2 p.m.

Nov. 11 - Veterans Day Observance, Shelby Middle School gymnasium, 10 a.m.

New parade part of Oceana County Veterans Day events

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

The Oceana County Department of Veterans Affairs (OCDVA) is pleased to announce two community events in celebration and recognition of Veterans Day 2024.

The third annual Veterans Day 5K will begin with registration at 10 a.m. in historic Getty Park, followed by the run/ walk at 11 a.m. “The race starts and ends at historic Getty Park in honor of the parks’ significant military history during WWII,” said Tracy Blamer of the OCDVA. “Residents and businesses alike are encouraged to sign up to run or walk as a community each year. This year the annual event has been renamed ‘The Warren G. Varney Memorial Veterans Day 5K.’ Born in West Virginia, May 4, 1921, Warren G.

Varney, father of Shelby resident, Joseph Varney, was captured during the North Africa battle of Kasserine Pass in February of 1943 and held as a prisoner of war in Germany until his release shortly after Germany’s surrender in 1945. Warren G. Varney passed away in June of 2008. As always, 100 percent of all race proceeds will go back to Oceana County veterans.”

In addition, the OCDVA will host its first annual Veterans Day Parade, Saturday, Nov. 9 starting at 2 p.m. in downtown Hart. The parade will begin and end at the Hart High School parking lots and go on rain or shine.

“We’ve added a Veterans Day parade this year in hopes of continuing the mission of supporting our local veterans and their families through recognition events, support services, and community outreach,” said Blamer. “We have a significantly higher veteran population in Oceana County than the state average, in

fact nearly double, and that’s just those who have chosen to identify. For a county of approximately 25,000 people to have nearly 10 percent of its residents identify as veterans says something. This is a county that supports veterans, makes our veterans feel at home and wants to back them after their tour of service. We are also a county that opens their arms and accepts new faces too. As a committee, with local partner support, we decided it was time to bring recognition home to the county seat. Recognition not only for our veterans but for the business, organizations and private residents that support our mission. We are looking forward to seeing this day of celebration grow into an event everyone in the county can be proud of, veterans and private citizens alike.”

Blamer would also like to dispel a rumor that the Clydesdale horses will be a part of this year’s parade. They have submitted their name for consideration with

the organization only. They hope to have one of the Clydesdale teams as part of next year’s celebration.

The Hart VFW will also be a part of the Nov. 9 events. The Post will be open from noon to 4 p.m. selling their famous burger meals. Following the parade, the celebration will continue with a special speaker. Those interested in joining the Warren G. Varney Memorial 5K, should visit, https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/ Shelby/CharlieMike5K

For those interested in joining the first ever Veterans Parade, please visit https:// docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAhc0T2PFE0HGnUxfRHKzl1D2yUuPfM-fH1rGrq4Vlrro7qw/viewform. All are welcome!

Finally, Blamer said the annual VFW-sponsored remembrance ceremony at the Veterans Park on Hart Lake, will be held as usual starting at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11.

OCCOA offers many November events for area seniors

The following are OCCOA events for November. All activities take place at the Oceana County Council on Aging, located at 4250 W. Tyler Rd. in Hart, unless stated otherwise. Please call 873-4461 to sign up or make meal reservations.

Breakfast is available Thursday mornings, 8:30–9 a.m. Cost: $3, reservations required. Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program - during Open Enrollment; Call 873-4461 to schedule an appointment.

Birthday Party: Wednesday, Nov. 6; noon. Veterans Day Lunch: Wednesday, Nov. 13; noon. Thanksgiving Dinner: Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 20 and 21; noon.

Drum Fitness: Tuesdays, Nov. 5, 12, 19 and 26; 10 a.m.

Chair Volleyball: Fridays, Nov. 1, 8, 15 and 22; 10: a.m.

Zumba: Fridays, Nov. 1, 8, 15 and 22; 9 a.m.

Bingo: Thursdays, Nov. 7, and 14; 10:30 a.m.

Podiatry: Fridays, Nov. 1 and 15; 1-4 p.m.

Medication Take Back: Wednesday, Nov. 6; 1 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Shopping Trip: Thursday, Nov. 14; 9 a.m.

Dinner and Movie: Tuesday, Nov. 19; 3:30 p.m.

Quilt Shop Hop: Friday, Nov. 15; 9 a.m.

Beltone: Wednesday, Nov. 27; by appointment

Caregiver Support Group: Wednesday, Nov. 20; 10 a.m.

Board Meeting: Tuesday, Nov. 26; 1:30 p.m., location: Oceana County Council on Aging.

Holiday Movie and Snack: Friday, Nov. 22; 1:30, location: Oceana County Council on Aging.

Art with Brad: Monday, Nov. 25; 10 a.m.

Meijer Gardens Christmas and Holiday Traditions Tour: Tuesday, Nov. 26; 9 a.m.

OCCOA Center Closed: Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11 and Thanksgiving Holiday, Thursday and Friday, Nov. 28 and 29

Advent Market and Craft Show: Saturday, Nov. 30; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Parmenter O’Toole Office Hours: Monday, Nov. 18; 2-4 p.m. Please call 873-4461 for an appointment.

Lauren Eisenbarth, an elder law paralegal for Attorney Anna Urick Duggins of Parmenter Law, will offer a half-hour, no-charge introductory meeting from 2-4 p.m. at Oceana County Council on Aging. Topics to discuss include elder law services such as estate planning, long-term care planning, Medicaid

planning and VA aid and attendance. Other Activities:

Farkle: Mondays at 10 a.m.

Mexican Train: Mondays from 9-11 a.m.

Walk With Friends: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 1:30 p.m.

Mahjong: Tuesdays from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.

Fitness at Hesperia American Legion: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9–10 a.m.

Euchre: Wednesdays from 10–11:30 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.

Quilting: Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Beltone Hearing Clinic: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 231-843-3039 for an appointment.

Bingo: Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

Blood Pressure Checks: Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon.

Bridge: Thursdays from 1-3 p.m.

Cribbage: Fridays at 9:30 a.m.

Kaffeeklatsch: daily at 10 a.m.

Cards & Games: daily following lunch.

New AmeriCorps member joins the team at Oceana Community Foundation

The Oceana Community Foundation is pleased to announce that Alicia Ortega has accepted the position as our new AmeriCorps member serving the Foundation and Oceana College Access Network! (OCAN). Alicia is excited to utilize her knowledge in marketing and apply her efforts towards helping both organizations. Alicia graduated from Central Michigan University in December 2023, where she studied business and received her degrees in Marketing, Logistics Management and Spanish.

Alicia has previous experience working within a nonprofit organization. During her time at CMU, Alicia completed an internship abroad in Dublin, Ireland, as a Marketing Intern for Common Purpose Ireland. There she developed her networking and event management skills while helping the company maintain their global branding.

Alicia is a 2019 Shelby High School graduate, and as a former recipient of an Oceana Community Foundation Scholarship herself, she is excited to plan and implement outreach programs and tools to connect the organization with the community and promote its mission and services.

“I am very enthusiastic to have this opportunity to not only grow as a professional but also give back to my community and provide resources to families like mine. As a first generation Mexican American and college graduate, it has been a hard, yet incredible, learning curve. I can relate to and sympathize with many students who are in similar positions as my family. I am excited to connect with my community and provide an easier transition for families in Oceana. I am honored to have

John C. Hansen

the opportunity to work closely with OCAN and the Foundation. I am looking forward to learning all that I can in this new position as the AmeriCorps Outreach Coordinator.” Alicia said.

The Foundation exists to enhance the lives of the people of Oceana by leading, promoting and channeling philanthropy to connect resources with needs. The Foundation receives and manages contributions from people and organizations and has provided over $12 million in grants and scholarships back to the community since 1989.

Working with the Foundation will provide Alicia with an opportunity to continue working within a nonprofit organization while connecting with the community as a professional. Alicia will work with OCAN to help ensure students are prepared and have access to post-secondary education.

OCAN is a collaborative of K-12 schools, businesses, colleges, and organizations focused on ensuring all Oceana residents have resources to pursue and complete post-secondary education. The Network strives to build a culture focused on post-secondary education awareness, access, and attainment to build and sustain a vibrant local economy and help alleviate poverty and prove an educated and trained workforce.

The Foundation and OCAN have hosted six different AmeriCorps members in partnership with the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM). CEDAM’s AmeriCorps program connects local and statewide agencies to meet neighbors’ critical needs. Members create community, build capacity, and serve communities across Michigan.

CEDAM’s program advances equity in two ways: cultivating the new generation of leaders in the community economic development field and supporting economic inclusion for Michiganders. Tammy Carey, Foundation CEO, says, “Our members have served a critical role in our organization to expand capacity and to develop specific programs over the years. The organization benefits from their laser focus on growing specific programs, and the members benefit from the opportunity to grow skills, relationships and experience community development.” Alicia will be the 7th AmeriCorps member hosted by the Foundation and can be reached via email at alicia@oceanafoundation.org or by calling the Foundation office at 231-869-3377.

The Oceana Community Foundation was founded in 1989 by community leaders who envisioned a bright future for Oceana County. The Oceana CAN! program was initiated by the Foundation in 2012 as a leadership initiative, and the Foundation continues to provide fiscal oversight to the Network. The Foundation serves as a bridge to connect philanthropy with community needs or opportunities and envisions an Oceana where everyone has access to resources to thrive.

Tails of Hope

Macho Man is a lovable 2-year-old boy who has a playful and energetic personality, making him a wonderful companion for an active individual or family.

Macho Man would thrive in a home where his energetic nature is embraced. An active household with space for play and exercise would be ideal for this young man. His friendly disposition makes him a great fit for families, and his compatibility with other dogs adds to his social charm.

Macho Man is available for adoption from the Oceana County Animal Shelter. If interested, please call the shelter at 231-861-5395. The adoption fee for cats is $35, and you receive certificates for $25 towards spay/neuter and $10 towards rabies if not already done. The adoption fee for dogs is $95 and you will receive a $50 certificate good for spay/neuter, if needed. Every dog should have an ID tag. L.A.S.S.I. provides free dog ID tags to all Oceana County residents. To request tags, send a text to 231-730-3906. Free tags are also available at the Oceana County Animal Shelter.

Meet Macho Man

Annual Fall Bazaar is Nov. 8

Hart’s United Women in Faith will hold their Annual Fall Bazaar on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hart United Methodist Church, 308 State St., Hart, Mich.

Lunch will include soup and sandwich, dessert and beverage for $7. Take-out is available. Please call 231-873-3124.

They will also have a Bake Sale and Treasurers & Trinkets for sale. All are welcome.

Alicia Ortega

In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

obituaries

Dick Graff

November 11, 1936 ~ October 21, 2024

Dick Graff, 87, of Hesperia, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family, on Monday morning Oct. 21, 2024. He was born on Nov. 11, 1936 in Shelby, Mich. to Harold and Frances (Visger) Graff.

Dick loved his family and being out in nature. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking and camping. On July 21, 1956, he married the love of his life, Joan Gleason. They met when she was 8 and he was 9 and married 10 years later.

Dick is survived by his wife, Joan, and three children: daughters; Debra (Shawn) Gibson, Vicki (Rick) Check and son; Fred (Juanita) Graff; sister, Mary Porter; sister-in-law, Marilyn Graff; and brother-in-law, Gary Gleason. He is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, all whom he loved dearly. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Frances Graff; brother, Clifford Graff; sister, Joanne Anson; brother-in-law, George (Bud) Porter; his father and mother-in-law, Lee and Ethel (Kennedy) Gleason; and sisters-in-law; Joyce (Jim) Hart, Judy Gleason and Rona Gleason.

There will be a Celebration of Life held on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Hesperia United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the True North TrueMentors’ Parks in Focus program. An outdoor-based mentoring program whose focus is to connect youth to nature through photography. Outings of various lengths take youth to Michigan State Parks, public lands, and National Parks. We chose this program because of Dick’s great love of nature. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Friends may send a condolence or share a memory with the Graff family online at www.crandellfh.com.

Kippy “Kip” Wayne Cole

April 22, 1955 ~ October 27, 2024

Kippy “Kip” Wayne Cole, 69, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, surrounded by his family. Born on April 22, 1955, in Hart, he was the son of Lyman and Viola (Snyder) Cole. Kip was raised in Whitehall until the age of 9, when the family moved to Ferry; he was the youngest of five children. His first job was at the local sawmill, and he graduated from Shelby High School in 1973.

Kip met the love of his life at the Rothbury Tavern in 1975. They would go on to have three children and six grandchildren, who became the greatest joy in their lives. He loved sharing his passion for working on vehicles with each of them.

After working in foundries for a few years, Kip landed a job at the MAISD in 1982 as a certified paraprofessional in the auto body and auto mechanics shop at the Muskegon Vocational Center, now known as the Muskegon Career Tech Center, where he is still fondly remembered since his retirement in 2010.

Kip was a 4-H leader and volunteer in Oceana County for 37 years, where he poured his heart into the program. He loved to hobby farm, and he considered the County Fair to be his annual vacation. In recent years, his hobby farming led him to sell Dairyland Seed. He loved to help farmers grow the biggest and best crops they could.

Kip is survived by: his wife, Diane (Schmiedeknecht) Cole; children, Alisha (Jim) Gray, Steffany Otaoroju and Kimberly (Frank) Adkins; grandchildren, Cayden Gray, Lane Eubank, Kevon Gray, Luke Eubank and Helena Otaoroju; and brother, Charles Cole.

Kip was preceded in death by his parents Lyman and Viola (Snyder) Cole; grandson, Ethan Gray; siblings, Roger Cole, Carol (Cole) Clark and Kathy (Cole) Tufts.

Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the Shelby Wesleyan Church, 54 N. State St., Shelby, MI 49455, with Pastor Todd Deuling presiding. A visitation will take place one hour prior to services at the Wesleyan church, and a luncheon will immediately follow at the Shelby Congregational United Church of Christ, 51 E. Third St., Shelby, MI 49455. Interment will take place in Peace Lutheran Cemetery of Claybanks Township following the luncheon.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Kip’s name to the Shelby Wesleyan Church, 54 N. State St., Shelby, MI 49455.

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

Obituary Information:

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

Cheryl Maxine Jobbins

June 27, 1965 ~ October 26, 2024

Cheryl Maxine Jobbins, 59, of Pentwater, passed away Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, at her home. She was born June 27, 1965, in Flint, the daughter of James and June (Spears) Barrett.

Cheryl was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. Her favorite thing to do was spend time with her family and grandchildren, but her paradise was sitting in the warmth of the sunshine. Cheryl was also a passionate reader, often reading until she couldn’t read anymore, and then she would listen to books on tape.

Cheryl was also very crafty, making many different crafts, including wreaths and Christmas ornaments. For a short time, she also owned and operated a floral shop in Pentwater where she could showcase her skill for others enjoyment.

On May 19, 1984, Cheryl married the love of her life, Jerry Jobbins, and he survives her, along with their children, Justin Jobbins, Diana Cory and Kenneth Jobbins; grandchildren, Silas Jobbins, Brennen Cory, Lincoln Cory, Camden Jobbins and Phoenix Cory; sister, Alice Guetzka; sister-in-law, Laura Angell; brothers-in-law, Bob Amy and Kenny Bruner; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Cheryl was preceded in death by: her parents, James and June Barrett; and her siblings, Barbara Amy, Susan (Jack) Yoesting, Paula Barrett, Charlene Bruner, Douglas (Sherri) Barrett, David Barrett and infant brother Russell.

Memorial services will be conducted at noon, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, 2370 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420. The family will receive friends Saturday from 11 a.m. until time of services at the funeral home.

An outdoor Celebration of Life will be held in Summer 2025, in the warmth of the sunshine.

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

Donald “Don” E. Reinsmith

March 1, 1949 ~ October 28, 2024

Donald “Don” E. Reinsmith, 75, of Shelby, passed away Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. He was born March 1, 1949, in Mason, Mich., the son of Leslie and Frances “Fran” (Hall) Reinsmith.

Don is survived by his longtime friend Janet Swanson.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Leslie and Fran.

A time of remembrance will be held from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at Harris Funeral Home, 267 N. Michigan Ave., Shelby, Mich., 49455. Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements. www.harrisfhome.com

TrueNorth seeks donations for Hygiene Drive

TrueNorth Community Services is holding a hygiene item drive for Homeless Awareness Month throughout the month of November. This drive will collect essential items and raise awareness for individuals experiencing homelessness and working toward housing stability in West Michigan.

Collection boxes will be placed in the five counties where TrueNorth provides homeless solutions, including Oceana County. Boxes are available to collect donations at partnering community locations, such as: Cherry Hill Super Market, District Health Department #10, Hansen Foods, Hart Area Public Library, Klotz Auto Parts in Hart and Shelby, Northwest Michigan Health Services in Shelby, Pentwater Township Library and Shelby Area District Library. Community Health Worker at the District Health Department #10 Dora Rodriguez said, “I am a community health worker for Oceana County and have used

TrueNorth’s resources for my participants’ needs. TrueNorth is a great resource for our community, which I have turned to for my participants that are homeless. I am glad to be affiliated with TrueNorth.” Hygiene items such as soap, razors, toothpaste, feminine products, deodorant, nail clippers and other personal hygiene supplies are accepted for the drive. For a complete list of accepted items for TrueNorth’s hygiene drive go to https:// tinyurl.com/DriveList24.

“The hygiene items collected throughout November are distributed directly to those in need. When participants who are homeless or struggling come to us, it’s incredibly valuable to offer them products they can take to motels or shelters to meet their basic hygiene needs,” TrueNorth’s Housing Services Director Melissa Geroux said. “These items are greatly appreciated, as they help participants restore a sense of dignity and pride by enabling them to practice self-care.”

TrueNorth Housing Resource Specialist Jackie with one of the hygiene donation boxes at the District Health Department #10. • Contributed Photo

By Lucie Winborne

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

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

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

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

257

• On Nov. 4, 1960, English primatologist Jane Goodall was observing a group of chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania when she saw one of them making and using a tool, something previously believed exclusive to humans.

STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20241021 FOR RELEASE OCT. 21, 2024

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. 257 NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20241021 FOR RELEASE OCT. 21, 2024

By JoAnn Derson

STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20241021

FOR RELEASE OCT. 21, 2024

By Lucie Winborne

• On Nov. 5, 1862, more than 300 Santee Sioux in Minnesota were found guilty of raping and murdering Anglo settlers and sentenced to hang. A month later, President Abraham Lincoln commuted all but 39 of the sentences. While one of the condemned was granted a last-minute reprieve, the others were hanged simultaneously on Dec. 26 in a mass execution witnessed by a large crowd.

• On Nov. 6, 2013, it was announced that the only known copy of Napoleon’s will, which had been written by his close adviser, would be auctioned off in Paris, France. It sold for $483,000.

• On Nov. 7, 1944, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to a fourth term in office. He remains the only American president to have served more than two.

• On Nov. 8, 1939, on the 16th anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch (a failed takeover of the government in Bavaria), a bomb hidden in a pillar behind him exploded just after he finished giving a speech. He was unharmed, though seven people were killed and 67 others wounded.

• On Nov. 9, 1965, one of history’s largest power failures occurred when New York State, portions of seven nearby states, and parts of eastern Canada went black at the height of rush hour, thanks to the tripping of a 230-kilovolt transmission line near Ontario, Canada, which caused several other lines to fail as well. Eight hundred thousand people were trapped in subways, thousands more were stranded in office buildings, elevators, and trains, and 10,000 National Guardsmen and 5,000 off-duty policemen had to be called into service.

• On Nov. 10, 1973, newspapers reported the confiscation and burning of 36 copies of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel “Slaughterhouse-Five” by school officials in Drake, North Dakota, after a student’s mother took a complaint about the book to the principal.

• Medication labels can fade, so when you get yours, put a piece of clear tape over the instructions. This way, you’ll always be able to read the instructions.

• “During the holidays (the height of baking season for me), I keep a large plastic saltshaker filled with flour and a bit of dry rice. The rice helps the flour to shake out without getting clumped up, and I use it to dust cake pans, rolling pins, kneading boards, etc.” — W.F. in Canada

• “One of the household cleaners I prefer comes in a spray bottle, and it’s on the expensive side. I make sure to get all of the liquid out by adding some regular glass marbles to the bottle. It displaces the liquid up, ensuring it finds the bottom of the sprayer’s suction tube.” — T.H. in Mississippi

• “Stack pucks in the holes of a cardboard soda six-pack carrier. Tell your coach. And to keep them bouncy, store them in your freezer (as long as your mom says it’s OK).” — via e-mail

• Keep the fog off your glasses by cleaning them with shaving cream. It will prevent mist-ups when you come in from the cold.

• Save your citrus peels and dry them. You can use them for kindling in your fire. They contain flammable oils, and they smell pretty good, too.

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

• Golf legend Jack Nicklaus earned his nickname, the “Golden Bear,” thanks to his size and blond hair. Conveniently, it was also the name of his high school mascot.

By Lucie Winborne

• Golf legend Jack Nicklaus earned his nickname, the “Golden Bear,” thanks to his size and blond hair. Conveniently, it was also the name of his high school mascot.

• The Statue of Liberty wears a size 879 shoe.

• When Americans moved out of one house and into another in the early 20th century, they would burn all their old dishcloths so that none of the bad energy that had been wiped up in the old house would move with them into their new abode.

• The Statue of Liberty wears a size 879 shoe.

• “Horizontal refreshment” was a 19th-century slang term for sex.

• The term “mortician” was invented as part of a PR campaign by the funeral industry, which felt it was more customer-friendly than “undertaker.” The term was chosen after a call for ideas in Embalmer’s Monthly.

• “Horizontal refreshment” was a 19th-century slang term for sex.

• It would take 76 workdays (if you work an eight-hour day) to read every online privacy policy you agree to in an average year.

• Sorry, Scotland: Persians invented bagpipes.

• It would take 76 workdays (if you work an eight-hour day) to read every online privacy policy you agree to in an average year.

• Walt Disney World is the secondlargest buyer of explosives in America, following only the U.S. Department of Defense, but don’t worry — most of them are in the form of fireworks.

• Sorry, Scotland: Persians invented bagpipes.

• Walt Disney World is the secondlargest buyer of explosives in America, following only the U.S. Department of Defense, but don’t worry — most of them are in the form of fireworks.

• A Canadian police officer named Ward Clapham created a program giving “positive tickets” to people who do good deeds.

• Harriet Tubman was the first woman to lead a U.S. military raid.

• A Canadian police officer named Ward Clapham created a program giving “positive tickets” to people who do good deeds.

• Great white sharks rarely survive in captivity. Experts suspect the electricity in buildings interferes with the animals’ electrosensory systems, though that hasn’t stopped some aquariums from trying, and failing, to display them.

• Harriet Tubman was the first woman to lead a U.S. military raid.

• Marie Curie remains the only person to earn Nobel Prizes in two different sciences.

• Instead of mowing the lawn, Google rents goats to eat the grass at its headquarters.

• Marie Curie remains the only person to earn Nobel Prizes in two different sciences.

• Instead of mowing the lawn, Google rents goats to eat the grass at its headquarters.

***

Thought for the Day: “A good example has twice the value of good advice.” — Albert Schweitzer

Phil is the father of andrew white of new era

City of Hart discusses master plans, approves rate study

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

HART - The month of October saw the Hart City Council considering several items. At their Oct. 8 meeting, the council approved Resolution 2024-28 to allow a 42-day minimum review period of its 2017 Master Plan. This review period is to allow for the public and area agencies to offer comments on the proposed extension.

According to City Manager Rob Splane, as a Redevelopment Ready Community, the city is required to include a review of its master plan every five years. Currently the city’s master plan meets state requirements, but not RRC requirements. The last time the city’s master plan was reviewed and approved was 2017, prior to receiving its RRC designation.

A copy of the plan is available on the city’s website, www.cityofhart.org > Connect > Public Notices. The public has until the end of December to offer comments via letter, email or in person at the city hall, or during public comment at a regularly scheduled city council meeting. There is a required 42 day-minimum review period, however, the city won’t begin

its RRC recertification until January 2025.

Council also discussed the city’s five-year Parks and Recreation Master Plan at their Oct. 8 meeting. “The parks plan will be a full revision, and there will be some public engagement opportunities before it is officially adopted,” Splane said.

This master plan is also available for review by going to the city’s website, www.cityofhart.org > Connect > Public Notices.

Residents and visitors may have noticed the DPW department has begun removing trees in the downtown area. This is in an effort to prepare for Phase I of the TIFA-planned streetscape set to begin Phase I in 2025. “They (the trees) will all need to come out eventually (when we) replace lead service lines. There is an expense to leaving them up. This year, the majority of trees removed were requested specifically by the business or property owners. My feeling is a phased removal gives the community a little bit of a chance to see what it will look like and be open to new planting/design ideas in Phase II,” Splane said.

At the council’s Oct. 22 meeting, the council approved Resolution 2024-29 to have Bendzinski & Company Municipal Financial Advisors conduct a water utility rate study at a cost not to exceed $9,000.

Shelby Village Police to purchase new data equipment

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

SHELBY - At its Oct. 14 meeting, the Shelby Village Council authorized the purchase of new equipment for the police department. The purchase will include two MDTs (Mobile Data Terminals), two incar video units, and four body-worn camera units with the necessary storage, mounting hardware and service agreements for the police department. The lowest quote for the equipment came from GETAC from Midwest Public Safety and will cost the village $35,916. An additional $1,400 was approved for the mounting and installation of the new equipment.

The department’s current body cameras can no longer be serviced, and the program for storage can no longer be updated, Police Chief Dean Roesler told council. “In-car computers are between five and six years old, slow and cannot be updated either,” he said.

Roesler went on to say he has been researching the equipment since March. “I recognize this request is over the budgeted amount of $30,000. I would note that the village received a $2,500 “rebate” (for) the radio encryption project costs, as Mason Oceana Central Dispatch Authority agreed to cover the costs of the encryption process for the

two new portable radios we purchased. The remaining costs ($4,816) could be covered by reallocation of some of the budgeted money for part-time police wages, or the current open, full-time budgeted position,” a memo from Roesler said.

Roesler had received bids from Motorola and Panasonic as well, however, they were much higher. “I have contacted five other agencies in Michigan that are using GETAC technology, and all five, including the City of Ludington, report no concerns with the quality of the products and services provided.”

In conclusion, Roesler assured the council the new equipment should meet the needs of Shelby for the next five years.

In 2022, the city had contracted with Baker Tilly, municipal financial advisors, for the same work, however, the study was never completed. Splane said that at that time the city did not have a good capital improvement plan, therefore the study was never done.

The city’s current municipal financial advisor, Andy Campbell, formerly with Baker Tilly, has worked with the city for a number of years and will be overseeing the study. He has recently moved to Bendzinski & Company, a smaller family-owned company located in Grosse Pointe, Mich. Splane noted that no monies were ever paid to Baker Tilly, and Campbell moved to Bendzinski with their blessing.

Splane added, “Bendzinski’s quotes are equal to or less than Baker Tilly’s, so ultimately it is going to save the city money, with no loss in quality of service.” He expects the study to be completed by early 2025.

A sewer rate study was completed in 2023 and an electric rate study in 2024.

Girl Scout Troop 8749 hosted a Pumpkin Rally Sunday, Oct. 27 in Hart. The scouts were joined by troops 8768, 8478 and 8772 for a funfilled event where they designed and raced their own pumpkin karts.

• Contributed Photos

MAXINE’S CLOSET CLEARANCE

Saturday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This is a FREE clothing giveaway of children’s and some adult clothes, hats, coats, boots and more!

Shelby United Methodist Church Gym 68 E. Third Street, Shelby, Mich.

Shelby volleyball takes second in conference tournament, earns share of WMC Rivers title

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

SCOTTVILLE – A battle of conference goliaths and newly formed rivals, didn’t go the way Shelby volleyball expected as the Tigers fell to North Muskegon in the WMC Rivers conference tournament Saturday, Oct. 26.

Earlier in October, Shelby and North Muskegon faced off in a regular season meeting that would decide the top seed in the conference tournament. Shelby de-

feated the Norsemen in three sets, claiming the No. 1 seed and owning their destiny the rest of the way.

The Tigers looked primed to roll through the tournament on Saturday, as they spent a majority of the day in the stands watching others compete to take them on in the finals.

Shelby’s lone qualifying match came against MCC and saw the Tigers steamroll the Spartans.

Brylee Friedman was electric in the first set

Shelby volleyball continued on page 11

SPORTS

Personal records lead Hart to runner-up finish at regional meet

Shelby and Hesperia continue to show growth at season’s end

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

A highly successful day for the Hart boys and girls cross country teams saw both qualify for the MHSAA D3 State Finals, finishing as runner-ups in the regional meet at Benzie Central, Friday, Oct. 25.

While the finish for both teams was impressive considering the overall youth on each roster, the individual times that got them spoke volumes about the Pirates’ progress. Every runner on both the boys and girls teams achieved either a personal record (PR) time or a season record (SR) time.

The boys team got an overall score of 73 points, slotting them in second out of 14 teams in contention, only finishing behind Benzie Central.

Freshman Silas Ackley was the top scorer for Hart’s boys, snagging ninth place overall with a PR time of 16:49.77. Following Ackley with top 20 finishes were sophomore Aiden Schaner (16:57.48) in 11th, junior Jack Slotman

(17:04.78) in 15th and freshman Grant Ackley (17:11.35) in 17th. Both Schaner and Grant Ackley scored PRs as well while Slotman notched his season best.

No Pirate runners on the boys side fell out of the top 30 runners, a big piece in their second place finish. Rounding out the runners in the boys’ race for Hart were a trio of sophomores including Carson Ackley (17:28.14) in 26th, Mason Opalewski (17:29.80) in 27th and Pascal Miller (17:33.18) in 29th. All three sophomores finished with PR times as well.

Hart’s girls also finished in second behind Benzie Central, only trailing the Huskies by 10 points in team scoring.

Sophomore Natalie Rosema continued to pace the Pirates, running a PR time of 19:38.25 that landed her in eighth place overall. Youth and experience rounded out Hart’s top four runners as freshmen Alaina Schaner (19:58.70) and Joselyn Flores (20:28.63) finished top 20 with senior Lexie Beth Nienhuis finishing between them with a SR of 20:19.99. Schaner and Flores

finished in 12th and 20th with PR times while Nienhuis was 16th. Three PR times finished out the top seven on the girls side. Senior Harriet Kidder placed 24th with a time of 20:46.80 while freshmen Bryn Riley (20:49.22) and Emery Velat (21:13.93) came in 26th and 32nd.

The Pirates have now qualified for the MHSAA D3 State Finals which will take place Saturday, Nov. 1 at MI International Speedway in Brooklyn, MI. Shelby and Hesperia were also in attendance and while no runners qualified for the state meet, plenty of PRs were set to end the year.

For the Tigers, sophomore Lydia Soelberg – who typically leads the way for Shelby’s girls – was unable to finish the race. That left opportunities for others to step up with sophomore Noel Parker (20:49.69) leading the way in 27th. The remainder of Shelby’s finishers for the girls team included freshman Kaythryn Beyer

Pirates drop season finale to Central Montcalm

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HART – Towering heights was the theme of the night for Hart football as they dropped their final regular season game of the 2024 season 3816 to Central Montcalm Friday, Oct. 25.

In the most literal sense of towering heights, the Pirates’ opponent owned a major size advantage. Figuratively speaking, Hart faced hurdles of massive proportions. The Hornets entered the game 7-1, a lock for the playoffs and hungry to kill any hopes – no matter how slim – that Hart had of getting to the postseason themselves.

“Two years ago we were 6-3

and fell a little short (of the playoffs),” Hart Head Coach Joe Tanis said. “One more game doesn’t really make a difference. It’s about our time together and the journey we’ve gone through with the highs and lows. We knew we were close, but we also knew we loaded up our schedule with a lot more playoff teams this year. We had to mature fast.”

It became apparent early that Central Montcalm had no intention of easing off the gas in its regular season finale. Hart received possession of the ball first, but just two minutes into that opening drive, the ball landed in the hands of a Hornet defender on a Halen Boos interception.

Central Montcalm took

over, starting their drive in plus territory at Hart’s 36-yard line. Nearly three minutes later, the Hornets punched in the first points of the game on a run from two yards out. A conversion on the two-point attempt gave them an early 8-0 lead that would stay intact for the remainder of the opening quarter.

Hart showed life in the second quarter however, answering the Hornets with a long drive that left them knocking on the door at the one-yard line. Kyle Greiner finished that drive off with a touchdown run, adding a successful two-point conversion run as well to tie the game at 8-8 early in the second.

The Hornets were quick to respond to that score, march-

ing down the field in less than two minutes time to set up a go-ahead touchdown run. Another two points were added after that to give Central

HART • HESPERIA • PENTWATER • SHELBY

WALKERVILLE

Montcalm a 16-8 lead midway through the quarter.

Hart’s boys and girls cross country teams (pictured above) both qualified for the MHSAA D3 State Finals thanks to second place team finishes in the regional meet held at Benzie Central High Schoool Friday, Oct. 25. • Contributed Photos

Shelby’s Navea Gauthier (2) rises above the net to spike the ball while two MCC defenders attempt to block her. The Tigers finished in second at the WMC Rivers Tournament, Saturday, Oct. 26. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hart senior Julian Vazquez makes a jump cut as the Pirates’ offense drives deep into opponent territory. The Pirates lost to Central Montcalm 38-16 Friday, Oct. 25. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hart football Cross Country

Offense for the Pirates stalled out for the remainder of the first half with Hart struggling to gain enough yardage to move the chains. That resulted in a turnover on downs for the Pirates, handing the ball back to the Hornets with four minutes left until halftime.

Hart’s defense stood up with its back against the wall, only allowing Central Montcalm to advance the ball to the Pirates’ 25-yard line. At that point, Hart forced a fumble that was recovered by Jose Torres. That ended the first half on a high note, sending the Pirates into the locker room with just a one-score deficit.

Entering the second half, it was exclusively Kolton Rockwell at quarterback for Hart. That wasn’t a coaching decision, but one made by the senior leader, Boos. In a true passing of the torch moment, Boos let the entire team know in the locker room that it was Rockwell’s team from that point on.

The change at quarterback wasn’t enough to spark Hart’s offense as they failed to score any points in the third quarter. Central Montcalm didn’t follow suit, adding two more touchdowns to their lead to enter the final stanza with a 30-8 lead.

Rockwell tried his best to lead the Pirates to an improbable comeback in the fourth quarter, but the Hornets were too strong on both sides of the ball. One of Rockwell’s pass attempts went the other way for six points as a Central Montcalm defender came away with the pick-six.

continued from page 10

Hart did break through late, adding their second score of the game on a 14yard run from Keaghan Monroe. Alex Hicks completed a pass on the twopoint conversion to bring the game’s final score to 38-16.

The Pirates were led by Greiner on the ground with 67 yards rushing and a touchdown while Julian Vazquez took 15 carries for 64 yards. Rockwell went 3-for-9 passing for 54 yards.

“Julian is a kid that’s been working his butt off, and not getting his chance,” Tanis said. “It just happened that in his final game of his high school career he got to go out there and he played a heck of a game. It was a lot of fun to see him have that kind of success.”

Greiner led the team on defense with eight total tackles. Hicks recorded six tackles while Boos had five.

The Pirates were unable to build off last season’s inaugural postseason berth for the program, finishing the year at 4-5 with a fourth place finish in the West Michigan Conference Rivers Division at 2-3.

A large group of seniors saw their final action in a Pirate uniform as Hart will be without the core group of guys that helped build the program from the ground up.

“These kids respond when things don’t go their way,” Tanis said. “We understand football and we love it, but it’s not the end all be all. It’s a big part of our life, but these kids have shown that they’re outstanding on and off the field.”

Shelby volleyball

between the two, building Shelby a 10-0 lead at the service line before the Spartans were able to answer. That allowed them to take a 25-8 win in the first set before closing it out with a 2514 win in the second.

The Tigers were led in that match by Navea Gauthier who recorded 21 kills and three aces. Friedman added five kills and three aces while Audrey Horton had 27 assists and seven digs. Janya Burmeister added 11 digs and Kylie Brown had one block.

With their win over MCC, the Tigers secured themselves a spot in the championship match with their opponent yet to be determined. As many expected, North Muskegon cruised through the competition they faced, setting the scene for a rematch between the best two teams in the conference.

There was no room for error for either team in the first few sets. Backand-forth battles saw Shelby fall 26-24 in the first set, only to come back and claim a win in the second by the same score. Needing a third set to decide a winner, it was North Muskegon who shocked the Tigers, taking a 15-11 win and muddying the waters in the race for conference champs.

Though Shelby lost, they still owned the top record in the conference and a

Saturday, Oct. 26:

Hart 2, Hesperia 0

Hart 0, N. Muskegon 2

Hart 2, Ravenna 0

Hart 2, MCC 1

Shelby 2, MCC 0

Shelby 1, N. Muskegon 2

Hesperia 2, Holton 0

(21:21.80) in 34th, sophomore Grace Hasenbank (22:22.78) in 47th, junior April Luna (23:51.41) in 70th and sophomore Sydney Reed (23:53.39) in 71st.

Parker, Beyer, Luna and Reed all scored PR times while Hasenbank set a SR. Shelby’s girls team finished in 10th as a team.

Shelby’s boys team finished 13th as a team and were led by junior Iziquiel Picon (18:05.39) who posted a SR with his 36th place finish. Behind Picon was sophomore Alex Crowder (19:10.83) in 58th, senior Ethan Fessenden (19:19.19) in 61st and a trio of freshman including Max Cubillos (22:37.43), Declan Waller (23:36.24) and Edmund Hayes (24:19.77). All of those times apart from Picon’s SR were new personal bests.

continued from page 10

head-to-head win over North Muskegon. The Norsemen winning the tournament made it necessary to split the crown, giving both teams a share of the 2024 WMC Rivers title.

While it was a disappointing day for the Tigers, some solace can be found in the fact that losing a contested game now should set them up for district play next week.

The Tigers will host the district tournament and are slated to take on MCC Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 24:

Friday, Oct. 25:

Hesperia 0, MCC 2 Hart 16, Central Montcalm 38

Tuesday, Oct. 29:

Shelby 2, Onekama 0

Hart 1, Oakridge 2

continued from page 10

Hesperia only had one female runner in attendance as sophomore Rokhaya Ruhstorfer came in 77th with a SR time of 24:24.27.

The Panthers did finish in eighth as a team on the boy’s side, with four top 50 finishes. Sophomore Nate Ruhstorfer was the top runner for Hesperia, placing 32nd with a PR time of 17:57.61. Junior Zack Temple (18:07.37), senior Andrew Sherburn (18:16.36) and freshman Andy Lopez-Garcia (18:27.22) finished in 37th, 41st and 45th individually.

Rounding out Hesperia’s boys was freshman Keegan Roberson (20:00.87) in 70th and juniors Kolt Milner (21:43.05) and Dain Kraus (22:08.55) in 85th and 88th. Milner posted a SR with his time while Kraus had a PR.

Hart volleyball claims third in conference tournament, Hesperia takes sixth

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

SCOTTVILLE – Hart volleyball scored a third place finish in the WMC Rivers conference tournament Saturday, Oct. 26, defeating Hesperia, Ravenna and MCC.

The Pirates entered the day as the No. 3 seed, giving them a chance to climb through bracket play for the opportunity to reach the championship match.

Hart had no trouble in their opening action with Hesperia, taking the Panthers down in two quick sets to advance. The first set saw Hart take a quick 10-2 lead before closing it out with a 25-14 win. The second set ended in an identical 25-14 score.

North Muskegon –the second best team in the conference behind Shelby – awaited Hart in its second match of the day. That didn’t go quite as well as the first match with Hesperia, as the Pirates started off slow and were unable to recover. The Norsemen rolled past Hart in two sets, winning by scores of 25-17 and 25-13.

The loss pushed Hart

Friday, Oct. 25:

out of contention for the top two spots in the conference, but left them in a battle to get as high as third. They started that road with a convincing win over Ravenna.

Against the Bulldogs, Hart cruised to a 25-8 win in the first set with little to no pushback from Ravenna. The Pirates had to fight a bit more in the second set as Ravenna gave them all they could handle in a 25-22 win for Hart.

That set the Pirates up for their final match of the day, taking on MCC to determine who would take third and fourth place respectively. Another tough set resulted in Hart taking a 25-22 win in the first set on the backs of their defense and digging ability. Hart had to overcome questionable calls on the court and other challenges in the second set, but still fell 25-20 to the Spartans.

A third and final set saw Hart adjust their rotation, helping them out to a quick lead that they turned into a 15-9 win to claim third outright.

Leading the way for

Hart in all four of their games were Alayna Schiller, Brynn Russell, Calyn Eisenlohr, Jenna Babbin, Kelsey Copenhaver, Leah Walker, Makenna Carrier, Maryn Klotz and Reese Smith. Smith ended her day with 33 digs, 30 kills, four assists, two blocks and an ace while Copenhaver had 42 digs, 33 kills, 17 assists and four aces. Eisenlohr went 96 percent at the service line, adding two aces, 22 digs, 32 assists and three kills. Schiller led the team with 73 digs from her libero spot.

Hesperia rebounded from their first match loss to Hart, taking on Holton in the loser’s bracket. That ended with the Panthers taking a large margin victory in set 1 (25-13) before squeezing out a second set victory (25-23).

The Panthers advanced to take on MCC, but couldn’t find the same rhythm, falling 25-16 and 25-10 in backto-back sets. That set up Hesperia for a sixth place finish in the tournament.

Hesperia 0, St. Louis 6

Shelby 29, Orchard View 34

Hart (JV) 6, Central Montcalm 27

Shelby (JV) 34, Orchard View 14

Hesperia 18, St. Louis 54

MHSAA D3 Regionals

Hart Boys - 2nd, Girls - 2nd

Shelby Boys - 13th, Girls - 10th

Hesperia Boys - 8th

MHSAA D4 Regionals

Pentwater Boys - 8th

Hart senior Kelsey Copenhaver sends a ball over the net, into the faces of the Hesperia defense. • Brendan Samuels/ ECHO

Shelby’s Brylee Friedman (left) and Ariana Garza (right) both go for a dig on the defensive side. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Reflections of our community

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Emma Greenwood is leader of the band

Has taught at Montague over 20 years, directs marching band

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

MONTAGUE — Montague’s band teacher, Emma Greenwood, has taught at Montague Public Schools for over 20 years. She runs the district’s band program (grades 6-12) and directs the marching band. During her 20 years teaching, Montague has provided her with unique experiences and fond memories with hundreds of students.

MONTAGUE — Montague’s band teacher, Emma Greenwood, has taught at Montague Public Schools for over 20 years. She runs the district’s band proDuring her 20 years teaching, Montague has provided her with unique experiences and fond memories with hundreds of students.

“In Montague, my experience has been really positive overall,” Greenwood said. “With my first few years in mind, there were definitely some transitions that were a bit hard to go through. I always tell people I feel like band kids are really territorial towards their teachers and how they learn. It’s things like that that they feel initially. I followed somebody who had completely different teaching styles than I have and I’m pretty direct, to the point and animated. It took a few years for that transition to happen, but once it

happened, I have seen a steady growth, and an incline of our program and our community support.

“A lot of times people say that Montague is just a football town or a sports town, but I can say that I feel very supported in what I do, what my kids do and how much work we put into it. I feel like my administrators and my staff support the kids in any way they can to make sure they succeed and continue to build the program.”

Greenwood’s interest in teaching sparked from her own experience participating in band as a kid. Originally from Minnesota, she pursued an assistantship at Central Michigan University, which prompted her move to the state. After achieving her master’s degree and teaching one year in Springport, she was offered the position she currently holds with Montague Schools.

“I had a really dynamic and positive band and choir teacher when I was in high school,” said Green-

Chamber of Commerce honors award winners

The White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce announced its annual award winners at the White Lake Area Chamber nual Dinner Monday, Oct. 21, at The Sundance Saloon & Grill restaurant in Rothbury.

The White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce announced its annual award winners at the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce’s sold-out Annual Dinner Monday, Oct. 21, at The Sundance Saloon & Grill restaurant in Rothbury.

The Legacy Award recognizes a person or business demonstrating 10 or more years of contributions to the betterment and quality of life in the White Lake Area with a track record of business health and growth, community involvement and a collaborative spirit. This year’s award went to Scheid Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. Now in its third generation of doing business, this family-owned business continues to provide friendly service to a multitude of residents, schools, businesses, and municipalities.

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes a new or existing business whose extraordinary vision and efforts have helped to enhance the local economy. The award went to The Gnarly Heifer restaurant owner, Kara Smith. The Gnarly Heifer opened in 2022 and

has become not only a favorite for locals, but a destination for visitors as well. Surrounding the board’s decision was a discussion around her and her team feeding first responders for free during the big storm in June, their business expanding to the point of including catering, the decisions they make being community-minded, and their love and support of other local businesses as well.

The Lady Laker award recognizes an individual within the community who has served in an exceptional manner, especially in mentoring and assisting future leaders in the White Lake Area. This year’s award recipient was Dee Briegel, former pharmacist at Pitkin Drug. Dee has been a fulltime pharmacist at Pitkin Drug for 37 years. She shares the passion of her family business in helping customers with one of the most important aspects of their life—their health. Numerous times, Dee has informed and educated customers about the medication and symptoms they are experiencing.

The El Award recognizes an out-

Erb thanks board

standing local person and is in memory of the late Eleanor Polley, a former director to the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. The recipient of this award is an individual who has been influential in the community and has been affiliated with various organizations, involved in local efforts, and is connected with the business community. Congratulations goes to community member John VanLoon. John re-

tired from education in 2020, but prior to that served as the Whitehall High School principal for 10 years where he led the charge in their new building. For the past two decades, he had come alongside wife Amy VanLoon at the White Lake Area Chamber & Visitors Bureau. As an unpaid “staff member”

Chamber awards

continued on page 2

Erb thanks board for time as supervisor

for time as supervisor

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — Whitehall Township supervisor Arnie Erb thanked his colleagues and the community for the chance to serve as supervisor over the last four years at the end of Monday’s regular board meeting.

Erb was elected in 2020 when he defeated Democrat Paul Stark at that year’s ballot box. His term ends at the end of the year and he is not seeking re-election. Township trustee Dennis Kroll, who like Erb is registered as a Republican, is running unopposed for the supervisor position. Kroll in turn thanked Erb for his time on the

board and noted that it’s been mostly a smooth four years with them serving together.

In board business, several items were discussed, although the only official votes taken were to pay regular bills. The board briefly discussed an update for assessor Kelli Navarro’s computer, a recommendation made by CatchMark Technologies. The board considered whether the upgrade was necessary and ultimately voted 5-0 to table the idea for next month’s meeting to determine the urgency of the need and whether it could be fit into the current year’s budget. Later, during public comment, Steve Dufort, who said he works with computers, recalled the

board had said the computer runs the Windows 7 operating system. He offered that Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7 five years ago, so any Internet-enabled computer running that OS would be vulnerable to cyberattacks. He recommended an upgrade as soon as possible if Navarro regularly connects to the Internet.

The township also discussed activities of the pickleball committee. The committee has been in contact with the township on what it would like to accomplish next year, including working with area school districts to set up classes for students who would like to learn the game. The board also approved using the fund it’s running for

the pickleball club to pay the bills for recent landscaping work that was done at the Whitehall Township park.

Erb noted that the Silver Creek Road water main project is on schedule, with plans for it to be done by the winter. There will be a similar project on Mill Pond Trail next spring.

Township treasurer Madge Kraai gave the planning commission report and said the commission is continuing to work through various topics regarding the proposed planned unit development (PUD) in the township. The PUD’s working title is Hickory Knoll, though it has no relationship to the nearby golf course of the same name.

Gnarly Heifer owner Kara Smith (second from left) displays her Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year award at the Oct. 21 Chamber dinner in Rothbury. With Kara, from left, are Chamber events director Stephanie Ware, Kara’s husband Mike Smith, and Chamber executive director Amy VanLoon. • Courtesy Photo

Montague High School band director Emma Greenwood leads the marching band during a recent performance. • Courtesy Photo

Band director continued on page 2

(second

Entrepreneur of the Year award at the Oct. 21 Chamber dinner in Rothbury. With Kara, from left, are Chamber events director Stephanie Ware, Kara’s husband Mike Smith, and Chamber executive director Amy VanLoon. • Courtesy Photo

Montague High School band director Emma Greenwood leads the marching band during a recent performance. • Courtesy Photo

Band director continued on page 2

Whitehall approves Hilite tax abatement

By Madison Lajewski & Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Writers

WHITEHALL — The Whitehall city council approved Resolution 24-35, regarding the industrial facilities tax abatement request of Acutex, at its regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 22. Acutex is in the midst of a large expansion of its Hilite International facilities on Colby Street in Whitehall. The 12-year agreement says the expansion will create 32 jobs and have a goal of maintaining 323 other employees.

The abatement was approved 5-2, with councilmen Scott Brown and Tom Ziemer dissenting.

“The letter of agreement does allow council to consider a revocation if they fall below 15 employees or the taxable value drops below $1 million,” city manager Scott Huebler said. “This is a standard agreement we have with all tax abatements.”

The abatement will begin once the

project is complete, and Acutex will pay 50% of the taxable value of the expanded property for 12 years.

Huebler said if the council felt unhappy with Acutex, or should they fail to comply with the agreements, it would have to have a public hearing with Acutex present to plead its case as to why the tax abatement shouldn’t be revoked. At that point, it would go to the state of Michigan.

The City of Whitehall will have leaf pickup starting Oct. 28 through Nov. 22. Leaves cannot be bagged and should be raked to the edge of pavement, with all sticks removed. If residents have a curb or gutter, the city requests they rake leaves over the curb onto the street.

Also at the meeting, councilman Steve Sikkenga noted city manager Scott Huebler’s letter of support for a Muskegon Conservation District grant application, stating it’s an “awesome idea.”

The application is for a National

Band director

wood. “I really like playing music and I’m a pretty big people person. I thought it would be fun and that’s what made me decide to go into teaching. I had really good mentors at the college level and even in my first few years of teaching.”

By teaching grades in both middle and high school, Greenwood is one of the few teachers who has the unique experience of watching students grow and blossom in their creative environments until graduation.

“I like teaching the whole program, because I get to watch the kids develop...into graduates that have bought into the program, philosophy and the band community that we create,” Greenwood said. “I get to see them develop as humans, and (it’s great) to be one of the only teachers in the whole district that gets to teach kids for seven years in a row. The relationships that I build with them are really cool. I like watching kids go through the process of beginning and really struggling, and they work really hard and eventually succeed. I like watching the process and to challenge them to be amazing humans. There are so many lessons that you can learn through playing in a musical ensemble or different things like that. So while music is cool and striving for a great performance is great, it’s the overall drive that I get to use to

Chamber awards

of the Chamber, he has spent countless hours and days at events, at travel and tourism shows to promote our area, maintained the historic depot with maintenance needs, driven the Petunia Patrol, helped tourists with directions, been to numerous ribbon cuttings and business celebrations to show his support of local, and much more. All of this was done in his own time, and often when Amy was not around—Chamber staff has always known John can be called for help.

Certificate of Completion of the Board of Directors went to David Dusenberry with Coldwell Banker Woodland Schmidt, who completed two terms (totaling six

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) grant that would enable MCD to conduct a feasibility study regarding the restoration of the White Lake Celery Flats. The grant, Huebler said, would be for $170,000 if approved.

Under the application, Ducks Unlimited would collaborate with MCD, as well as the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission, to study how best to proceed as the city continues to rehabilitate the Celery Flats to a functional wetland. In the letter, Huebler stated that the area has become “a habitat for migratory birds and a spawning ground for fish” since the city acquired the 164 acres in two separate transactions in 2012 and 2021.

Ducks Unlimited, a nationwide nonprofit focused on waterfowl habitats, has committed $5,000 to the project if the grant is approved and previously reached out to the city about having it contribute the remaining $12,000 needed; the grant requires a 10% funding

help create this atmosphere.”

One of Greenwood’s favorite experiences during her teaching career is the trip she and the Montague choir students take every other year. This trip includes musical experiences and education, with a variety of different locations, including Toronto, Washington D.C. and Cleveland.

“The memories made on those trips are always super fun because a lot of my kids don’t get that opportunity to travel,” said Greenwood. “Kids take responsibility for themselves since there aren’t a ton of parent chaperones and they have to do a lot of their own stuff. A lot of students have never left Michigan or don’t get to travel, so to spark that interest is awesome.

“The choir teacher, Scott, and I both try to include some sort of major musical performance (on those trips). Last spring we went to Toronto and saw Les Miserables, and both Scott and I did a Les Miserables medley at our spring concert beforehand. So when they went to see the professional musical, they already knew a lot of the music and the story behind it. At intermission, we overhear the students talking to each other about the French horn or how ‘the pit people didn’t miss one note,’ and ‘the singers are so in tune.’ The musical aspects, as well as the kids who are interested in theater and things like that, for them to see something at such a high level. Hopefully it motivates them to come back and maybe play differently or approach music differently when they get to that. But a part of it is that goal to build well-rounded

cluding time as the Vice Chair.

continued from page 1

years) on the Chamber of Commerce Board, in-

“This is always my favorite event of the year,” said Amy VanLoon, Executive Director of the White Lake Area Cham-

match by its recipient. Huebler said given the scope of the proposed project, a $12,000 investment seemed like a good value proposition. Sikkenga agreed and said the study could be a big help to the Celery Flats area. The grant application is due Friday, hence the timing of the letter.

The city council will also soon approve a bid to repair Zellar Road, which is temporarily closed due to pipe damage underneath the road that was sustained during recent heavy rainfall. Huebler said bids are due Oct. 31, and it’s possible a special city council meeting will be called to allow a bid to be approved sooner so the project can be completed. Huebler reiterated his belief from the Oct. 8 council meeting that repairs should only take about a week. Backfilled asphalt will be used to repair the road, and the city is confident the repairs should be a solid long-term solution to prevent the situation from repeating itself.

humans and give them the opportunity to travel. If they don’t travel with their families, traveling is scary and for them to even just see that it’s possible and it’s not that scary, and that there are great people everywhere, there are so many cool things to see.”

Greenwood also enjoys the annual challenge that is marching band season, introducing new students and watching older students step up to become leaders.

“It’s a challenge every marching band season, but so fun,” Greenwood said. “The seniors are gone and the new seniors are stepping up, and every year the group evolves differently. It’s never the same group of people. Their motivation isn’t the same. Their goals aren’t necessarily the same. How we achieve results aren’t the same. As leaders are built and learn and grow, and they fail and succeed, and how to work through that the best intentions for sure.”

ber of Commerce. “Being able to celebrate a year of successes in our organization and within our business community is a highlight.”

Saturday, Nov. 2

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church hosts its monthly free community breakfast, 9-10:30 a.m. All are welcome.

Bar Code performs @ Pub One Eleven, 8 p.m.

Community Calendar

Wednesday, Nov. 6

Youth Open Studio @ ACWL-Nuveen Center, 3-5 p.m. Open to middle and high school students. Students are welcome to bring in school art projects or anything they are working on and get help from ACWL-Nuveen staff.

Thursday, Nov. 7

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

White River Township Town Hall Meeting from 6:30-8 p.m. Topic: Tiny

Houses; Reducing Square Foot Requirements for Housing.

Friday, Nov. 8

Community Yoga @ Fruitland Twp. Hall, 10 a.m. Free to participate ($5 suggested donation), open to all ages and skill levels.

Echoes of History: Citizens - The Covell Sisters

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor

In addition to eight sons born to Calvin T. and his wife Elizabeth (nee Coleman) Covell, there were also four daughters: Emeline (1829-1889), Rebecca (1838-1921), Elizabeth (1840-1856), and Augusta (1842-1928). Here are their stories.

Emeline Covell was the first born of the 12 Covell children. She was born Nov. 28, 1829 in Ridgebury, Pennsylvania.

She married Joseph Hinchman in 1849 in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. They had two children: Melvina (1850-1921) and Edwin (1858-1932).

They moved to Whitehall in 1862 where they remained until 1884. Due to the poor health of her husband Joseph, they tried a change of climate and settled in Arkansas.

Joseph died in 1887. Emeline died in Berryville, Carroll, Arkansas June 19, 1889. They are buried in Oakhurst Cemetery.

Rebecca Covell was born April 23, 1838 in Ridgebury, Pennsylvania. She came to Whitehall in 1862 where she joined her other siblings.

She married Hiram Edward Staples in Whitehall May 26, 1864. They had four children: Dudley Edward (1865-1926), Maggie E. (1872-1872), Hiram Earl (1875-1911), and Mayme “Mary” (1876-1876).

Rebecca was a firm advocate of women’s rights and a strong suffragist. She believed women should help build and advance the community in which they lived by taking part in the public work.

Hiram died at his home in Whitehall Nov. 21, 1915. Rebecca died in Whitehall July 5, 1921. They are both buried in Oakhurst Cemetery.

Elizabeth P. was born Aug. 18, 1840 in Ridgebury, Pennsylvania. She died in Wellsburg, New York Jan. 3, 1856. There doesn’t seem to be any other information about her. She is buried along with her parents in Ashland Cemetery in Wellsburg, New York.

Augusta Melissa Covell was the youngest of the four Covell daughters. She was born in Ridgebury, Pennsylvania Dec. 22, 1842.

In August 1863, she joined two brothers and two sisters who had come to the White Lake area and where the Covell brothers became prominent in the lumber industry.

She married John C. Lewis in Whitehall July 25, 1865. He was a pioneer lumberman and financier. They had three daughters: Elizabeth (1869-1942), Nettie (1875-1901), and Florence (1888-1986).

John Lewis operated a lumber mill with James Carless from 1863 until around 1874, when it became the C. E. & A. J. Covell mill. Lewis also had a mill boarding house on Lake Street, where the Lewis fam-

ily lived until building the house on Mears in 1878.

The last 20 years of her life, Augusta spent the winters in St. Louis with her daughter Florence, returning each year to spend the summers at her home in Whitehall. Augusta died at her home in Whitehall Sept. 23, 1928. John Lewis had died in 1894. They are both buried in Oakhurst Cemetery.

Although eight of Calvin and Elizabeth’s children came to Whitehall to live, it appears that Calvin did not. He may have come a time or two for a visit, perhaps. Elizabeth died in 1859, Calvin married again in 1861, and he died in1879. Calvin and Elizabeth are both buried in Ashland Cemetery in Wellsburg, New York along with their four young children.

Whitehall wetland filling moving forward despite objections

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

WHITEHALL — Earlier this fall, the filling of a wetland in Whitehall sparked conversation at council meetings. Councilwoman Tanya Cabala noticed the filling early September next to Tannery Bay and spoke about it at recent meetings. She has been an advocate for the environment and White Lake in the past, taking part in various committees and during her previous time with city

council before being reelected last year.

The filling of wetlands is illegal nationally and can only be approved if the construction group is granted a permit by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy from the state of Michigan. Whitehall city manager Scott Huebler said a permit has been issued, and will include a walkway and observation deck open to all White Lake residents and visitors. Huebler also said if the contractors were to dispose of anything in the wetland, they would be

legally required to test and characterize it. Despite there not being any major construction in that spot, Cabala voiced her distaste of the filling taking place.

According to the National Park Service, the filling of wetlands across the nation can have effects on aquatic life and ecosystems, as well as blocking the natural flow of water systems.

“In Michigan, we’ve lost over half of our wetlands,” Cabala said. “We should not be filling them unless it’s avoidable. There is not enough reason to fill this

wetland in my opinion, while keeping it could benefit possibly thousands of creatures. Wetlands are natural flood control. We’ve removed so many of our wetlands, that’s why we have so much flooding.”

Despite Cabala stating she will send a letter to the contractor of the project expressing how she feels and her having councilman Scott Brown’s support, the filling of the wetland appears to be moving forward.

New streaming service available at library

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

We are thrilled to announce a new service for White Lake Community Library cardholders! Kanopy is a video streaming platform that gives you access to an amazing collection of films, including award-winning documentaries, TV series, film-festival favorites, world cinema, The Great Courses, children’s videos, and even a language-learning program for kids! Popular titles on Kanopy this month include the BBC TV series Father Brown and new movies After the Fall and Ferrari. Kids will recognize their PBS favorites like Sesame Street, Nature Cat, and Pinkalicious, along with “storybooks come to life” like Corduroy and Where the Wild Things Are.

download the Kanopy app onto your phone, tablet, or smart tv. You will need your library card and an internet connection to create an account. Cardholders have 25 tickets to use each month. Each video you access clearly shows how many tickets it uses and how many tickets you have left for the month. Best of all, Kanopy Kids movies and TV shows do not require any tickets – access is unlimited!

For more information on Kanopy and all of our digital services, visit wlclib.org/digital-library. For help getting started with Kanopy, visit help. kanopy.com.

Smokey Bear Reading Challenge

FUN FACT: During WWII, Disney granted the Ad Council permission to use Bambi in fire prevention ads, but only for one year. It was soon obvious that cartoon characters resonated with people of all ages for fire safety messaging. The Ad Council needed a character to replace Bambi when the year was up, and that’s how Smokey was born.

Book Sale and Holiday Shop

Nov. 9

To get started, visit Kanopy.com or

Smokey Bear turns 80 this year! Join Smokey in completing a reading challenge to learn about wildfires and the environment in honor of his birthday. Kids and teens are invited to read books, do activities, earn badges, and receive prizes. Just visit wlclib. beanstack.org to get started. For those who prefer a traditional paper reading log, you can pick one up at the library or download it from our website at wlclib.org. This reading challenge is open now through Nov. 28.

Just in time for the holidays, the library is hosting its quarterly used book sale and annual holiday shop. Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list – or a treat just for you – when you browse the tables full of gently-used books and the shelves of donated craft items, framed art, and other unique gift items. The book sale is Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but come early for the best selection. With hardcover books priced at $2 each or $5 for a shopping bag full, the tables empty quickly! The holiday sale will continue through mid-December or until everything is sold.

Quick Fixes for a Healthier You Nutritionist Inna Bilaniuk and

Certified Health Coach Emily Ciosek team up at White Lake Community Library Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 5:30 p.m. to answer your health questions and teach quick fixes for a healthier you. In this class, adults will learn some quick and easy diet fixes, natural ways to gain energy, anti-aging techniques, and how to get started on a healthy path. Inna and Emily teach that sometimes small, simple tweaks to your diet and lifestyle can change your health in big ways - and quickly! Visit wlclib.org/calendar to register for this free class and learn how to feel better every day.

Emeline Covell-Hinchman (left) and Augusta Melissa Covell-Lewis. • Courtesy Photo

DeMumbrum

Lake Mirror Lake Mirror

NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE community ‘Cats shut down Ravenna, make the playoffs

Montague defense ties season best in points allowed, gets 3 INTs

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

RAVENNA — For two weeks, Montague’s defensive unit took it on the chin, allowing 60-plus points in backto-back games. Friday night, though, the Wildcats looked like a different group.

The Montague defense largely locked down Ravenna’s two quarterbacks, Jaxson Wilburn and Dylan May, and scored as many points itself as it allowed, setting the Wildcats up for a 49-7 romp.

Montague (4-5) secured a playoff spot with the win as one of the last teams in in Division 6; the Wildcats travel to Newaygo Friday night. Immediately after the game, though, their position was uncertain.

“We talked to these guys,” Montague coach Justin Dennett said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen. We knew if we won, we had a chance to make the playoffs, but it’s not guaranteed. These seniors were just going to leave it all out there.”

After the teams traded three-andouts to start the game, Montague took command, going with a ground-heavy attack to score on a one-yard run by Ryver Jarka. After a fourth-down stop in their own territory, the ‘Cats struck again with a 19-yard touchdown run by Jarka around left end. Jarka, rarely stoic anyway, ran with emotion and purpose throughout the evening, often dragging Bulldog defenders for extra yardage. He ended the night with 170 yards on 23 carries.

“I think we were just sick of losing,

Montague’s Fletcher Thommen drags down Ravenna ballcarrier Blake Eadie during Friday’s game at Ravenna. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

sick of falling apart mid-game and collected it all together during practice and got it done,” Jarka said, explaining his team’s mindset.

Ravenna put a drive together on its next possession after Jarka’s second scoring run, and was approaching the Wildcat red zone when Cooper Bradley snagged an overthrown ball and found nothing but green grass ahead of him, racing 81 yards for a touchdown that gave Montague a healthy 20-0 cushion.

Bradley picked off a pass on Ravenna’s next possession, too.

“He made a great play there, and for him to return it all the way to take some pressure off the offense, that was a pivotal point for sure,” Dennett said.

“It was a great play by Cooper.”

Ravenna finally did manage to find the end zone to open the third quarter, but the ‘Cats quickly responded with an impressive drive, and Eli Petersen hit Talan Degen for a 10-yard score on third-and-9. Just for good measure, Montague got a two-point conversion on a shovel pass to Fletcher Thommen.

Thommen and Dane Roesler later found the end zone for touchdowns of

Montague wins big continued on page 5

Whitehall coach Edsall wins 1,000th match

Ranks No. 16 all-time in michigan HS volleyball

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall coach Ted Edsall hit a personal milestone Saturday at the West Michigan Conference Lakes tournament, winning his 1,000th career match as a head coach.

Edsall is the 16th coach in Michigan to hit four digits in wins. He has coached almost continuously since 1991, first leading his alma mater, Reeths-Puffer, for six seasons before coming to Whitehall and taking over the job in 1998.

It was a great day to hit that mark for Edsall, because it was part of one of the Vikings’ best days of the season. Whitehall finished third in the league

tournament, earning a 3-1 record. The Vikings defeated Oakridge in the first round of the tournament (25-16, 2521) before falling to the top seed, Fremont, in the semifinals (25-15, 25-17).

Whitehall’s win over Orchard View in consolation play (25-8, 25-20) was the milestone win, and win number 1,001 was even better, as the Vikings topped Oakridge for a second time in the thirdplace match, 25-21, 25-18.

“You can’t plan on having that accomplishment, because you never know if you’re going to win or not,” Edsall said. “That’s not how volleyball works. We needed a couple wins, and we hadn’t been playing really well. We played a couple really good matches

Whitehall’s volleyball team celebrated the 1,000th victory of Ted Edsall’s coaching career Saturday during the WMC tournament at Oakridge. The Vikings finished the tournament in 3rd place. • Whitehall Schools Courtesy Photo

Montague’s Ryver Jarka evades Ravenna tackler Brody Anderson during Friday’s game at Ravenna. Kellan Francis blocks Anderson in support of his teammate. Montague won the game, 42-7. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague’s Ryver Jarka (2) heads upfield with an interception as Ravenna’s Brody Anderson reacts to it during Friday’s game at Ravenna. Jarka’s pick was one of three interceptions for Montague in a 42-7 win. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Bradley

Portland hammers Vikes in regular-season finale

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall ran into a buzzsaw Friday night against unbeaten and Division 4 No. 2-ranked Portland, taking a 49-7 defeat.

The loss is the most lopsided for the Vikings since 2013, coach Tony Sigmon’s first year, when Oakridge defeated Whitehall 62-20.

“This wasn’t our night. That’s the best way I’d describe it,” Sigmon said. “They played complementary football in all three phases, and we made some mistakes.”

The Vikings (6-3) were also shorthanded by injuries. Already down star running back Ryan Goodrich and the team’s top tackler, Parker Mott, with season-ending maladies, Whitehall also was without two-way player Gavin Craner for a second straight week with an ankle sprain. Sigmon said the team is hopeful Craner may be able to return for the playoff opener.

“He’s had trouble putting weight on it, but he’s getting better each day,” Sigmon said of Craner. “He was pretty beat up after (the game against) Ludington.

Hopefully he’ll be good to go.”

Portland built a 21-0 halftime lead and threw the hammer down to start the second half, scoring within 30 seconds of kickoff. Red Raiders’ back Nolan Zbytowski scored five touchdowns and their team ran for over 400 yards.

“They were an excellent football team,” Sigmon said. “They’re very well disciplined and they were very fast.”

The Viking offense managed 199 yards and turned the ball over three times, going 1-of-12 on third down attempts. Camden Thompson passed for 147 yards to lead the way, and Hunt-

er Osborne scored the lone Whitehall touchdown.

Sigmon said the team had a good week of practice and hopes the coaches and players can diagnose what went wrong on film to be ready for its postseason opener, set for Friday night at Forest Hills Eastern.

“It’s never as bad as you think it is or as good as you think it is,” Sigmon said. “Hopefully we can return back to center and have a good first week of the playoffs and build from there.”

Rockets fight hard again in season-ending defeat

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Reeths-Puffer showed its season-long resilience Friday night against Forest Hills Eastern, but still was unable to end its season in victory, falling to the Hawks 35-28.

R-P (2-7) fell behind 21-0, but battled back to get on the board just before

halftime on a one-yard run by Mason Darke. The Rockets then opened the second half with another score, by Sage Secrest, to get within eight points, but FHE put up two more touchdowns to put the game away.

Still R-P fought back, scoring twice more before time ran out on the Rockets.

R-P controlled the time of posses-

Montague wins big

their own as Montague kept pounding away at the Bulldog defense in the final quarter.

“The offensive line’s been great all year, and they’re mainly juniors, four of the five,” Dennett said; he credited senior David Myers for helping lead the Wildcats on and off the field. “They grew as the year went on, too, and got better and better. In the last few weeks, we’ve been running the ball really well and it’s because of the offensive line up front and what they’re doing.”

But the story was the defense, which tied a season best in points allowed and delivered when it meant the most. On top of Bradley’s two picks, Jarka also snagged an interception - off a tipped pass by Bradley. Fletcher Thommen re-

continued from page 4

corded a team-high eight solo tackles, and Dylan Bailey added six.

“I was really proud of how they played,” Dennett said. “Guys were flying around and defensive backs were making plays. We’ve still got some things we’ve got to clean up, but to hold them to seven points and force the turnovers that we did was an awesome night from the defense.”

The ‘Cats hadn’t yet learned in the immediate aftermath that they were headed for the postseason, but Jarka and his teammates, especially the seniors, can prepare for at least one more week in their season.

“I’ll just pray that we get one more week, and turn it into five more weeks, and just keep being us,” Jarka said.

sion, running nearly twice as many plays as FHE, converting 10-of-16 third downs, gaining 30 first downs in all, and outgaining the Hawks 424-300, but two lost fumbles loomed large in the final outcome.

Darke led the Rockets, throwing for 178 yards and a touchdown as well as running for 21 and a score. Secrest fought for 172 yards on 30 rushing at-

tempts and got in the end zone twice. Shaun Haley had 69 yards receiving and Luke Johnson went for 63, including a touchdown catch.

Cal Millis had seven assisted tackles and two solo stops to lead the Rocket defense. Max Ferrick ran for 112 yards and three scores for the Hawks.

Montague bounces back with wins at R-P tri meet

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — Montague bounced back well from its disappointing showing in the West Michigan Conference Lakes tournament by sweeping both of its matches Monday at the Reeths-Puffer Tri.

The Wildcats downed Grand River Prep, 25-5, 256, 25-8, and beat back solid Rocket efforts in two of the three games of their second match to win 25-21, 25-10, 25-21.

Montague coach Gretchen Schneider said her team “lost track of the fun” of playing volleyball at the WMC Lakes tournament, where it had to settle for a fifth-place finish, and the ‘Cats focused on bringing that back Monday.

“We pulled it back together,” Schneider said. “We’re going to do a lot of our work this week in practice team-building again. We’ve worked hard all year long on team-building and just trusting each other. That’s what we need to do. We’re going to do a lot of mental work.”

The ‘Cats never sweated against an outmanned Grand River Prep squad, but Reeths-Puffer provided a different test. Montague fell behind early in game one before storming back to take a 14-7 lead and forcing a R-P timeout. The Rockets hung around and got as close as three points down the stretch before the ‘Cats finished things up.

After an easy game two win, game three played out similarly, with the Rockets going ahead 9-4 before Montague came back to take the lead soon after.

Schneider credited her seniors for efficient play; the Wildcats got 16 kills from Maizie Collins on the night and also involved their middle hitters in the matches. Reagan Cederquist and Ava Pumford combined for 19 kills.

“We have really strong middles,” Schneider said.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

North Muskegon 3 Whitehall 1

The Vikings played a competitive match but were unable to pull off the victory. Bella Fogus had 16 kills for Whitehall, and Aaliyah Jamison had 19 digs.

Montague’s Kellan Francis (12) barrels through the Ravenna defense to get near the end zone during Friday’s game at Ravenna. The Wildcats earned a 42-7 win to secure a playoff berth. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Reeths-Puffer defenders Hailey Johnsen (13) and Alissa Klopp try to stop an attack by Montague’s Ava Pumford during Monday’s R-P Tri. Montague beat the Rockets on the way to a 2-0 night. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague’s Emalee McGee leaps to the net to play the ball against Reeths-Puffer’s Mairyn Peterson (12) and Abby Machinski during Monday’s tri meet.

Montague boys send 3 runners to the state meet

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Montague runners Nolan Kessler, Alix Draves and Noah Raeth secured entries to the state finals Saturday at the Division 3 regionals in Allendale, each running impressive times.

Kessler and Draves both ran personal bests for the ‘Cats. Kessler finished eighth with a time of 17:00.1, and Draves was 12th in a time of 17:06.1. Raeth grabbed the final individual qualifier position by taking 16th place in a time of 17:11.9.

The Wildcat boys finished fifth as a team. Bucky Aney earned a personal best time of 17:34.1, placing 24th; the senior Aney’s time was over a minute and a half better than when he started this season, his first in cross-country. Matthew Leatherman rounded out team scoring with a 43rd-place finish and another PR time, 18:21.0. Gibson Sholes finished right behind Leatherman and set a PR of his own, 18:21.4.

Montague’s girls team ended its season with a 12th-place finish. Grace Reavey and Erica Hansen led

the way for the ‘Cats, finishing within a second of one another. Reavey was 48th (23:26.9) and Hansen was 49th (23:27.7); Reavey’s time was a personal best. Each of Montague’s final three scorers also set personal bests; April Howard finished 64th (24:19.96), Carmen Howard was 71st (25:21.1) and Lilou Ruch was 73rd (25:28.0).

Whitehall sends 2 to state

Whitehall runners Stewart Waters and Adalyn Britton exploded for personal best times Friday at the Division 2 regional meet at Benzie Central, earning the right to have their final high school races be at the state meet.

Waters finished in fifth place in the boys’ race, and Britton was 10th in the girls’ race to earn state spots. The top 15 individual finishers automatically qualify for state.

Both runners blew past their previous personal best times on the fast Benzie course. Waters secured a time of 15:48.8, only the second time he has cleared 16 minutes. Britton’s performance was even more remarkable relative to her career results; she finished

Wildcats win tri

“They do a very good job of reading the defense, finding the holes and hitting. I just credit that to the eyes on the court. We have senior leadership out there and they do a really good job watching the opponent all throughout the game and just understanding where that ball needs to go.”

Jaelyn Sundberg had 48 assists and illustrated some of that heady play late in the final game, taking advantage of a discombobulated R-P defense to fire an attack over herself for a kill. She also tied the team lead with six aces; Jordan Netcott also had six aces. Netcott was, as usual, the Wildcats’ defensive leader with 35 digs.

The matches were Montague’s last before districts; the ‘Cats will no longer compete at a planned Thursday meet at Calvin Christian. Montague earned the No. 2 seed in the district tournament, but their road is by no means easy. Its first district opponent will be either Spring Lake - which has taken Fremont to five games and beaten Ludingtonor Oakridge, which just beat the Wildcats in the conference tourney. And Fruitport looms as the No. 1 seed on the other side of the bracket. However, Monday provided renewed optimism

things will go well.

“I’ve been thrilled this whole entire season with what I’ve seen, and the progress that these girls have made,” Schneider said. “As a first-year coach at Montague, I’m happy. I’m very proud...I’m hoping to go out on top.”

Reeths-Puffer started very slowly, losing game one to Grand River Prep before rallying to win the final three games. The Rockets then had to wait for the Titans to play Montague before tangling with the Wildcats themselves.

Coach Justin Birr said the team continues to handle tough circumstances well. Injured outside hitter Mady Snyder is working her way back - she played a little against Grand River Prep - but the Rockets are still dealing with a rearranged lineup.

“We moved one of our middles (Makayla Disselkoen) to the outside,” Birr said. “Makayla did well, but it’s a lot to throw on a junior for sure.”

As much as anything else, Birr said he was pleased to have his team in matches where it can compete. The brutal nature of the O-K Green Conference - four of R-P’s five league opponents have been ranked or honorable mention in Division 1 all year - has pre-

over a minute faster than any other time she’s run for Whitehall.

The Viking boys finished a solid fourth at the regional meet. Hunter Parsons (16:42.5) and Drew Boeringa (16:44.6) also set personal best times, finishing 22nd and 23rd respectively.

Freshman Rex Pumford showed reason to be excited for his future, placing 28th and slashing his PR by 50 seconds, at 16:54.2. Tyler Van Antwerp made it 5-for-5 for Whitehall scorers setting PRs, finishing 64th and posting a time of 17:58.7.

Whitehall’s girls team finished 11th at the regional race. Cami Kraai capped a sterling career as a Viking by finishing in 19:49.6, a season’s best time, and placing 24th. Samantha Mead (60th, 22:17.6), Corina Mitteer (61st, 22:19.6) and Kassie Sapp (69th, 22:55.9) also scored for Whitehall; Mead set a personal best time.

Pair of Rockets reach state Reeths-Puffer girls runners Jersi Bilek and Gabrielle Chevez each earned berths in the state meet Saturday at the Division 1 regional race in

Allendale.

The Rocket girls finished in eighth place as a team in the race.

Bilek finished 21st in a time of 19:27.5, just a few seconds off her season best, which was set at the same course. Chevez qualified with a 28thplace finish, snagging the final individual qualifying position, and finished in a season best time of 20:01.0.

Also for the Rocket girls, Kaitlyn Durow finished 47th (21:27.5), Adrienne Fluette was 62nd (22:38.5) and Darcy Keefe was 70th (23:53.4). Durow’s time was a personal best, and Fluette’s was a season best.

R-P’s boys ended their season with a 12th-place finish. Dylan Sturr led the Rockets with a 54th-place finish, earning a time of 17:51.7, barely missing his personal best. Samuel Perez was close behind, finishing 63rd with a personal best time (18:29.6). Also scoring were Jamie Neel (68th, 18:53.4), Jack Yonkman (74th, 19:05.7) and Gage Bouwman (85th, 20:30.8). Neel’s time was a season best.

vented the Rockets from getting into many close-and-late scenarios.

“I’m glad we have nights like tonight,” Birr said. “We still lost to Montague, but (we can) play against a team and compete and get to 25-20 a couple different times. Our girls deserve that. This group of seniors, to go from the conference we were in last year to this year’s conference, I think we would probably be third in our conference from last year, and right now, we’re (fifth) of six. It’s just a beast of a conference.”

The Rockets are slated to face one of the teams from that conference, ri-

val Mona Shores, in their first district match. They’ll at least have the advantage of familiarity, having already seen the Sailors a few times.

“We can focus specifically on how to game plan to beat a team like that,” Birr said. “They’re obviously very big, very disciplined and have lots of options swinging, but I think even tonight, we learned some things about our blocking scheme that we can improve on and that did get better.”

Madilynn Dyer had 49 assists and Alissa Klopp had 17 kills for the night. Chloe Brainard served 10 aces and Carlee Bowen had 15 digs.

Local squads earn top 2 spots at 7th grade league tourney

• Courtesy Photos Whitehall and Montague finished first and second, respectively, at the West Michigan Conference seventh-grade tournament last week at the Viking Athletic Center.

The young Vikings were coached by Macy Taranko, and the Wildcats were coached by Dawn Bectel.

Montague’s Kendi Rachow winds up for a spike during a match against Grand River Prep as part of Monday’s Reeths-Puffer Tri. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Police activity this week

Oct. 25

Behind the Badge

Whitehall Police Report

Oct. 24

Whitehall Police responded to a disturbance in the 1200 block of Colby St. When the officer arrived at the 8:59 a.m. call, he found two women in the parking lot yelling at each other. Each claimed the other was harassing them. The officer told them it was not a criminal matter and suggested that they each could ignore the other. No further action was taken.

A 12-year-old student was cited for possessing a vape device after being caught with it at school. The SRO was called to the school at 11:14 a.m. after the principal was told the girl was using the vape in the bathroom. When called to the office, the student surrendered the vape to the principal and it was later turned over to the SRO for destruction.

Chamber

The White Lake Chamber Music Society board has made some important and impactful decisions for the future of the White Lake Chamber Music Festival. After receiving substantial feedback from audience members, community residents, and friends of the Festival near and far, it has been decided to move the Festival dates from the first two weeks of August to the last two

There were no injuries in a crash on Colby Street at Peterson Road. The crash was reported at 7:17 p.m. and during the investigation, the officer found that a vehicle on Peterson was traveling south and stopped for the sign before proceeding through the intersection. When the 67-year-old Whitehall man did cross, he hadn’t seen a westbound vehicle and pulled into its path. The second vehicle was driven by a 39-year-old Montague man. No citations were issued in the crash.

Oct. 26

An attempt to change lanes in the 300 block of Thompson St. led to a sideswipe crash causing minor damage to both vehicles. A 79-year-old New Era woman was traveling north in the inside lane and started moving over only to strike another northbound vehicle in the curb lane. The second vehicle, driven by a 20-year-old Fruitport woman, had been behind the first and was passing at the time of the crash. The crash was reported at 10:28 a.m.

A resident of the 900 block of Division St. called 911 when she had trouble with the hot water valve on the kitchen sink. The 94-year-old told the officer the handle was turning harder than normal. After getting the water turned on during the 11:55 a.m. call,

the officer recommended calling family for further assistance.

Whitehall Police responded to the 1200 block of Lake St. for a disturbance by a customer concerned about the use of his credit card. The 49-year-old went to pay his tab to find it was already paid and when he couldn’t find his credit card, thought someone else had taken it. The credit card was then found on the counter where it had been left. The police report noted that there might have been something clouding the Fruitland Township man’s memory of the events. No further action was taken.

Oct. 28

At 3:51 p.m., a business in the 2000 block of Peach St. reported a terminated employee had returned taken items belonging to the business. The 48-year-old Blue Lake man returned when the shop was closed, but video in the building recorded the events. The suspect initially refused to return the items, but after police were called the items were returned and the business was content to close the investigation.

Oct. 29

A student with previous violations for possessing vape devices was again cited after using a vape in the restroom. At 11:38 a.m. the SRO was informed that because of the previous violation at school, the 13-year-old was required

to use a bathroom that is in the central office of the middle school. After he left, staff members noted a “fruity” odor in the bathroom. Just a few minutes later, the student was returning to again use the bathroom but was confronted by the principal, and the boy turned over the device. It was the fourth time the student was cited this school year.

A lunchtime game at the middle school led to an assault by a 14-yearold student. The incident happened about 12:46 p.m. when students were playing Gaga ball. A 12-year-old, who is a friend of the 14-year-old, hit the ball into play and it accidentally hit the first boy in the face. The second boy went and apologized, but the 14-yearold punched the second boy in the face causing injury. The incident was recorded on video and the school, parents and SRO are working on a resolution.

Oct. 30

At 3:21 a.m. Whitehall Police were dispatched to the 900 block of Division St. when the caller heard a “squawking” noise in the house. When the officer arrived, he found it was a smoke detector with a low battery. The officer changed the battery and re-mounted the smoke detector for the 94-year-old resident.

Music Festival dates move for 2025

weeks of July.

The board remains committed to continuing to present an impressive array of exceptional performances, excellent programming, and bringing world-class artists to the White Lake area. The 2025 White Lake Chamber Music Festival will run July 18 – 26, 2025.

Planning, programming, and hiring

Edsall’s 1,000th

after losing to Fremont. It’s fun to do it when everyone is contributing.”

Sidney Shepherd had a big day for the Vikes, with team highs in aces (seven), kills (27) and assists (45). Bella Fogus added 25 kills.

Shepherd is a player who represents Edsall’s Whitehall tenure coming full circle. Her mom, Stacy, was on Edsall’s first Vikings team, and the Shepherds have been something of a constant at Whitehall ever since, whether a family member is on the roster or not.

“Every match I’ve been at Whitehall, they’ve kind of been involved,” Edsall said.

On defense, Aaliyah Jamison racked up 40 digs. Delaney Kramer had eight blocks at the net.

Certainly Edsall’s milestone is a

continued from page 4

testament to his longevity, but he also credited a strong community support for the game that’s led to a steady Whitehall program. He noted that while some teams he’s coached have been better than other ones, every Vikings squad has been, at least, competitive.

“That has a lot to do with the community,” Edsall said. “I’ve had some good assistants, JV coaches and kids who wanted to be good at volleyball.”

There’s also a sense of the past greats connecting with the current ones. It’s notable that Jenna Pider, who joined the Vikings’ coaching staff this year, was on Whitehall’s last final four team in 2012 (she was Jenna Pesch then). Edsall half-joked that no one on his current team knows those Viking

world-class musicians is now underway and announcements revealing the new 2025 season will be made by the end of the year.

The board would also like to announce that there are some open seats on the board of directors. The mission of the Society remains strong. “Producing world-class chamber music concerts, promoting and supporting clas-

players, but Pider’s being around does create a sense of history for Edsall and his team.

Whitehall will head into the districts with a tall task in front of it. If the Vikings dispatch Orchard View in the first round as they did in the regular season, a matchup with top seed Fruitport awaits. The Vikes saw Fruitport in the GMAA meet and know how good the Trojans are.

“We played great this last weekend, so if we play at that level we can be competitive with just about anybody,” Edsall said. “The best doesn’t always win on paper. We have several practices now to prepare, and hopefully we’ll play our best volleyball next week.”

It was a less successful day for Montague, which settled for fifth place in the tournament after taking second in the regular season standings. The Wildcats opened play with an easy win over Orchard View (25-7, 25-11) but

sical music learning opportunities for all ages, and creating awareness of the value and significance of fine music. We believe that live music should be accessible to all as it expands creativity enhances intelligence, and enriches the spirit.” Resumes may be submitted to Director Sondra Cross at sondrawhitelakemusic@gmail.com.

took a tough defeat to the No. 3 seed, Ludington, in the semifinals (14-25, 25-16, 15-9).

“We really didn’t expect Ludington to come back in that second set, and that took the wind out of our sails, and it was just a spiral downhill,” Montague coach Gretchen Schneider said after Monday’s Reeths-Puffer Tri. “After that, we just couldn’t recover.”

To make matters worse, Montague dropped a match to Oakridge in the consolation bracket (25-17, 26-24) before salvaging a bright spot by beating Orchard View again in the fifth-place match, 25-16, 26-24.

Jordan Netcott led the Montague defense with 56 digs, and Reagan Cederquist had eight blocks. Offensively, Jaelyn Sundberg passed out 51 assists, and Emalee McGee had 22 kills. Maizie Collins and Ava Pumford added 17 each. Gentry Knop served nine aces, and Collins had eight.