The Oceana Echo - Volume 2, Issue 18, Sept. 27, 2024 by theoceanaecho

Oceana Echo

Thank you to this week’s Lead This Legacy donors

READER:

Jim & Mary Ann Ottman Douglas & Linda Goodrich

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S WHITE LAKE MIRROR: Nature Awaits program shows off the outdoors

Volunteers clear path for Hart-Pentwater Kayak Trail

By AnnaMae Bush

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

This past spring, one project proposed to the Pentwater Service Club captivated the mind of club member John Faas. Although the suggestion was not adopted by the entire club, Faas was motivated to gather a group of interested club volunteers to pursue the goal of clearing a kayak path in the South Branch of the Pentwater River from Hart to Pentwater.

Faas said, “When I moved here 10 years ago, I tried to kayak down the river with a friend and found trees in the way. I attempted to remove the trees myself, but it was impossible. For the last year and a half, I’ve been trying to organize a group to work on it. I’m so glad others cooperated to make it happen.” His group of volunteers teamed up with a similar group of interested volunteers from the Pentwater Lake Association. The river clearance work took place on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Significant preliminary work had to be accomplished before the actu-

al river cleanup could be done. A scouting group needed to traverse the projected path to determine how many obstructions existed in the river and to determine how difficult it would be to remove or manage them. All the riparians along the riverbank would need to be informed of the proposed project and asked to grant river access where it was required. Proper equipment had to be found for dealing with the logjams and a strategy for organizing the volunteers had to be devised. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources needed to be contacted for input and instruction.

The enthusiasm of the volunteers propelled them through all the necessary steps and along the way captured the support of community officials who asked, “What can we do to help you?” Efforts were strengthened by Mike Stevens from Oceana Bike and Boat Rentals, David Gregwer from the Oceana Sheriff’s Office, City of Hart Community and Economic Development Director Nichole Kleiner and DNR Fisheries Biologist Mark Tonnello.

The scouting team found 18 logjams obstructing the path, the majority of which were on property owned by riparian Doug Irvine, whose land includes 3,000 feet of river frontage. Irvine granted the group access to the river from his property. None of the riparians contacted had objections to the project, and some volunteered to help with the work. Although a concern had been expressed about the possibility of trespassing, Faas responded with assurance that “kayakers as a group are very good at staying in their kayaks and protecting the environment.… Even though most of the river frontage is private land, future plans call for identifying public land where individuals can get out to stretch or take a lunch break.” Rich Pugsley from the Pentwater Lake Association assumed re-

sponsibility for communicating with everyone involved and called for an organizational meeting on September 11 at the Hart Community Center.

The DNR sent a very helpful publication titled “Woody Debris Management 101 Clean and Open Method.” This document discourages complete removal of logjams on the basis of studies that have shown “that properly managed logjams help reduce erosion, provide habitat for fish and wildlife, and are an important part of a river system’s natural processes… The Clean and Open Method was developed to give guidance on how to manage logjams, preserving the benefits they provide while minimizing the problems they create.” The suggested strategy was to cut a 5’ opening through the logjam for kayak passage while leaving the remaining woody structure in place. The material removed would be disposed of or placed along the riverbank. The process re-

quired no permits.

Thirteen volunteers were organized into three teams who met early Wednesday morning at the Hart Dam. Mike Schiller, the hydro-dam manager, granted river access to the volunteers and their equipment. Equipment included kayaks, a flat-bottom boat, chainsaws, and other assorted tools. Team one, led by Mike Stevens, was assigned to work from the Hart Dam to the Boondock Ridge. Team two, led by John Faas, was assigned to work on the multiple logjams on Boondock Ridge. Team three, led by Tom Walter, was assigned to logistical support of the work by teams one and two. The goal was to complete the project before the end of the day. However, the group found additional obstructions, found the challenges to be more difficult than they anticipated and they encountered some equipment problems.

When the work was halted about 4 p.m., there were still five obstructions

• Brendan Samuels/Echo

to clear. Rich Pugsley said, “I really appreciated the help from Doug Irvine and Goeff Hansen who helped us get our equipment in and out of the river on their property. I was extremely encouraged by the number of people who volunteered their time and energy to the project. In the past, several individuals were interested in clearing the river for kayaks, but there were not enough people to carry out the work. We aim to finish this on September

28 and then put a photo album online of the whole project.” Since the river is always moving, the group realizes that clearing obstructions is a task to be done repeatedly and anticipates the project to be required twice annually –every spring and fall. Once there is an understanding of the efforts involved, the work can be streamlined. The group is also hopeful that when the recreational space surrounding the Hart Dam is further developed in the near future, it may be possible for the plans to include a new kayak launch.

The group of volunteers who turned out to help clear the kayak trail path Wednesday, Sept. 18 included, from left, Rich Pugsley (Pentwater Lake Association), David Gregwer (Sheriff’s Department), Jeremy Schafer (Sheriff’s Department), Mike Stevens (Oceana Bike and Boat Rental), Tom Walter (PLA), George Richey (PLA), Tom Roose (volunteer), John Faas (Pentwater Service Club), John Gremer (volunteer), Keith Daniels (Pentwater Service Club), Steve Russell (PSC) and Glenn Beavis (PSC).

Amanda Dodge/Echo

After putting into the water at the Hart Dam, David Gregwer, Rich Pugsley and John Gremer, along with Jeremy Schafer, worked on logjams before floating under the bridge at 72nd Avenue to do more work. • Amanda Dodge/Echo

Jeremy Schafer

By Sharon Hallack

The

Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Before we get too far into Fall 2024, The Oceana Echo would like to share these updates from some late summer happenings.

Agriculture

From Curtis Burdette, Executive Director of the Oceana County Economic Alliance - “Congratulations to Michigan Turkey Producers Cooperative for their $75,000 Food and Agriculture Investment Program (FAIP) grant from Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to assist the company with expanding cold-storage capacity and upgrading their Quick Freeze Rack (QFR). The grower-owned cooperative includes owners and turkey producers from Oceana County.”

Lynda Herremans, MAEAPTechnician for Oceana Conservation District, reported the results of their annual “Farming for the Future Field Day” held Aug. 13. Nearly 70 growers, speakers and others interested in agriculture and healthy soils were in attendance. The event was organized by Oceana Conservation District and MSUE, in partnership with the Oceana County Farm Bureau and was held at the West Central Research Center on Oceana Drive. One of the highlights for attendees was a demonstration of a “Farm Droid,” an autonomous seeder and weeder for vegetables. In addition, information was shared on a variety of topics related to soil health, irrigation and cover management including a demonstration by Morgan Composting. The annual event is held every August and the entire community is welcome to attend.

Youth

The past few weeks, The Oceana Echo has shared many statistics and photos from this

News and Notes

year’s Oceana County Fair (OCF) held August 19-24. We are proud of and thankful to everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, who took time to participate this year! According to Jennifer Payne, the MSU Extension 4-H Program Coordinator, with statistics provided by the OCF, there were 198 youth participants at the Oceana County Fair this year. Of those, 150 were registered 4-Her’s. There were 113 youth and animal participants in the Large Market Animal Association program and six Little Buddies who partnered with an older exhibitor. There were 26 youth and animal participants in the Small Market Animal Association program and two Little buddies. And 14 Cloverbud 4-H Junior Market club members, aged 5-7, sponsored by the Oceana Ag Society, who participated in judged classes and livestock sales.

Oceana County’s new 4-H Ambassadors

are Emma Miller, Lillian Wasson and Grace Hallack. On their applications, each young lady shared their goals for the coming year of service: “I want to show people that they can do anything. I want to inspire them to go and try new things. Show them that 4-H is a place of fun and responsibility to make new friends. I want to help them all reach their best,” Miller shared. “I want to promote 4-H in our county and across the state. I attend many statewide 4-H and livestock events, giving me lots of experience and ideas to share. I’m dedicated to helping younger or new members learn about new projects and programs. I want to be active in Oceana 4-H’s councils and committees and help create a supportive and exciting community for everyone in 4-H,” Wasson said. “I’d like to be able to learn and grow new skills for leadership and communication. I want to have the ability to influence others and have a positive impact on how people see 4-H. I want to work as a team with other ambassadors to represent 4-H and Oceana County,” said Hallack.

JOB POSTING

VILLAGE OF SHELBY DEPUTY CLERK/TREASURER

The Village of Shelby is seeking applicants for a Deputy Clerk/Treasurer. The selected applicant will perform administrative assistance and general office support services for the Village Clerk/ Treasurer, Village Administrator, and Police Chief. The applicant will research and respond to both routine and unique matters regarding a wide variety of Village matters and serves as the first point of contact for Village residents visiting the Village Hall.

The position offers 28 hours per week with a flexible schedule, as it aligns with open office hours from Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The ideal candidate will be able to provide clerical support including sorting and distrusting mail, prepare letters and other correspondence, maintain office files, assist with preparing meeting packets, perform accounts receivable, acts as a receptionist, assist with accounts payable and payroll, manage website and social media, assists the Zoning Administrator in administering zoning and code enforcement, and in the Clerk/Treasurer’s absence, attends meetings, records and prepares official meeting minutes, and assures legal notices are published.

The compensation range is $16.36 to $21.47 per hour depending on qualifications and experience.

Applicants should submit a completed application and resume to:

Village Clerk Village of Shelby 218 N. Michigan Ave. Shelby, MI 49455

Or email: clerk@shelbyvillage.com

For questions, contact Village Hall at (231) 861-4400. Applications must be submitted by no later than October 4, 2024, at 4:30 PM.

THE VILLAGE OF SHELBY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

Business

Merten’s Farmhouse 2nd Annual Farm-to-Table Dinner, held at their farm Saturday, September 14, was another huge success. Over 160 people purchased tickets to dine outside at the farm for a completely homemade dinner featuring dishes using ingredients produced on their farm including meats, vegetables, fruits, honey, maple syrup and baked goods. Diners enjoyed visiting with their neighbors and making new friends while picking flowers, taking horse-drawn wagon rides, listening to live music, and watching a horsedrawn ice cream freezer prepare their dessert. Next year’s farm-to-table dinner date will be announced in April.

Municipal

From Curtis Burdette, Executive Director of the Oceana County Econom-

ic Alliance - “Congratulations to White River Watershed Partnership in Hesperia for being awarded $15,000 from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and to White Lake Association in Montague for their $39,999 award. Only 17 projects were awarded statewide of the 68 applications. Of those 17 awards for organizations across the state, White River and White Lake projects both brought grant funds to West Michigan.”

At the Hart City Council meeting Tuesday, September 10, the council approved an amendment to the city’s current Social District by including the Pink Elephant Diner on State Street and the Market Chalets on East Main Street and contiguous common areas as shown on an updated map of the district. The council also authorized city staff to approve City of Hart Social District permit application paperwork on behalf of the Pink Elephant, once the appropriate paperwork is submitted for approval.

Community

As reported by Lynda Herremans, MAEAP Coordinator for the Oceana Conservation District, “The 18th Annual Oceana Household Hazardous Waste/Clean Sweep Collection was held on Aug. 17 (the 3rd Saturday in August) at the Hart DPW. Contractors, Oceana Conservation District staff, and volunteers successfully collected over 21,000 pounds of hazardous materials for safe disposal or recycling. There were 249 households represented in the 220 cars that dropped off items and came from every township and municipality in the county. Items collected included electronics, pesticides from farms and households, oil and other automotive fluids, batteries of all kinds, oil based paints, pharmaceuticals, fluorescent light bulbs, mercury and more!”

SPLKA JOB POSTING

Position: Restoration/Maintenance Supervisor

Reports to: Executive Director

Work schedule: Full time March through November / Part time December and February Education: High School diploma, experience or training in one or more of the trades is desirable.

Physical requirements: Must be able to climb steps, bend, stoop, sit, and walk, lift up to 50 pounds. Manual dexterity is required.

Other requirements: Must demonstrate excellent public relation skills, have the ability to work well with others, give and take directions. Must be able to develop positive relationships with others. Must be self-directed and be able to work with little supervision.

Position purpose: The Supervisor of Restoration and Maintenance is responsible for the maintenance and restoration of the four lights maintained by the Association. This person must be knowledgeable about techniques for historical restoration and in all phases of maintenance and it is desirable that candidate hold a Builder’s License in the State of Michigan. This person must represent the Board and Association in a positive manner when dealing with the public, volunteers and members.

Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Promptly addresses maintenance and restoration issues at all SPLKA properties, conducting work in full compliance with the established budget, policies and procedures of the Association.

2. Promptly notifies the Executive Director regarding all emergency maintenance issues and presents a proposed plan of action to address the item(s).

3. Recruits and trains volunteer maintenance assistants on an ad hoc basis as needed.

4. Performs and/or supervises all maintenance and restoration work in compliance with historical guidelines.

5. Works in cooperation with local park officials and state agencies.

6. Purchases and delivers supplies to the residences as needed.

7. Performs regular year-around wellness checks on all SPLKA properties and structures.

8. Communicates with the Executive Director weekly regarding work plan.

9. Deliver to the Executive Director a written Supervisor’s Report regarding current maintenance/restoration work, not less than one week prior to schedule board meetings.

10. Prepares a proposed yearly written restoration and maintenance plan for all SPLKA properties (Annual Plan) to be delivered to the Executive Director for review and comment no later than Sept. 1 of the prior year.

11. Meets with the Executive Director to provide verbal and written updates on Annual Plan progress and to address other maintenance or restoration issues that might have arisen during the prior month.

12. Provides the Executive Director, no later than Sept. 1, requested maintenance and restoration budget for upcoming year with written estimates from third parties (as needed) for all proposed projects over $1,000.

13. Prepares a long range maintenance and restoration plan for review by the Executive Director and for the Board’s approval.

14. Develops and maintains a manual of maintenance procedures.

15. Attends meetings of the Board of Directors when requested and committee meetings as necessary.

16. Attends other meetings at the request of the Executive Director.

17. Performs other related duties as requested by the Executive Director.

Salary Range: $35,000 – $40,000 annual salary, mileage reimbursement, phone stipend Interested applicants should contact us at 231-845-7417 or office@splka.org

Autonomous seeder/weeder

Rainfall Simulator

This page is brought to you by:

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

Visit us!

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

Oceana protests an unjust draft

By Caleb Jackson

The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

Throughout the course of the Civil War, the early settlers of Oceana County responded in kind to the call for volunteers. Each time the call came, we supplied more men than our county’s quota called for, and we did so silently, without complaint. It was a strong, patriotic spirit among the early pioneers that permitted them to give so much, even at the beginning of our history, when the county was still growing and the men were sorely needed. And so, when a draft came to Oceana in November of 1864, it left a bad taste in the citizens’ mouths. As Hartwick and Tuller put it in their book, “Oceana County Pioneers and Business Men of To-Day,” “the disgrace was all the more keenly felt because of the injustice of the draft.” The results of the draft are published in Hartwick and Tuller’s book, but I will summarize

it briefly here. Claybanks gave three men, Greenwood gave six, Leroy (now Benona) gave three, Otto (now Ferry) gave three, Pentwater gave eight, Hart gave three (with a fourth having passed away before the draft) and Weare gave two. Following this draft, clubs of brave volunteers were formed. These men would go to Grand Rapids to take the place of those drafted men, whose families would suffer greatly from their absence.

Ultimately, this led to the board of supervisors expressing their complaints to the state and offering a resolution. The protest, as it appears in Hartwick and Tuller’s book, is as follows:

Whereas, since the present rebellion broke out, it appears that there are enlisted in the service of the U.S. 94 white men who were citizens of the county of Oceana, in the State of Michigan, and 34 Indians whom we regard as citizens of said county and state, for which the

said county has never received any credit.

Wherefore, resolved, that the Board of Supervisors in session assembled, appoint a committee of three to make a stated of the above facts to the Governor of this State and request him to use his efforts in procuring for said county the proper credit, which in justice we are entitled to receive for such enlistments.

They also copy a resolution that was adopted by the Board at the same session, demonstrating the willingness for Oceana to support its troops. Its states that the county of Oceana will raise $3,200 “to be paid to men who may enlist into the service… in bonds of $75 each to the amount of $150 for each man who shall thus enlist, when he is duly mustered into the service.”

Each of these bonds was signed by the clerk and the treasurer of the county, and they accrued a 7 percent interest.

One half of the aggregate amount was paid on Feb. 1, 1868, and the remaining amount was paid on Feb. 1, 1869. The cost of this money was incorporated into the general tax. Oceana may be a smaller county, and it was certainly smaller then, but we went above and beyond what was asked of us in times of trouble.

Check out the Golden Fair special edition of The Mears Newz as provided by the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society. The king and queen will be announced on the front, with memories of past Golden Fairs across the inside pages and a poem by Windy, seen at left, on the back.

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.

THURS-SAT: Pentwater Historical Museum open, 1-4 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.

The Ladder Community Center: Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m.

Community Health Survey underway

The community is invited and encouraged to participate in the 2024 Northern Michigan Community Health Survey sponsored by the MIThrives organization. The survey, available online from now until Sunday, Oct. 6, will ask questions about what health concerns are important to the community and what resources are available that could be used to improve health in the community.

The MIThrives website, sponsor of the survey, shares, “MIThrives is a collaborative body that brings together cross-sector partners, including local health departments and hospitals across the 31 counties of Northern Lower Michigan, and is working to improve the health of communities in these counties by collecting data, identifying key issues, and bringing people together for change.”

The survey, available in both English and Spanish, should take 10-15 minutes to complete. All participants can enter to win a $50 gift card. MIThrives ask that individuals only take the survey once.

Paper surveys are available locally from the following MIThrives organizationsDistrict Health Department #10 office located at 3986 North Oceana Drive in Hart.

For the survey submission link and more details, please visit: northernmichiganchir.org/mithrive/mithrive-community-survey/

Walkerville Hunting Contest canceled for this year

Due to limited participant registration, the Rebuilding Community Committee (RCC) of Walkerville has decided to cancel its Hunting Contest originally scheduled from Sept. 15-Oct. 6.

“While we are disappointed to have to cancel this year’s event, we are looking forward to promoting it earlier and offering it again next year. We wish to thank the generous sponsors who eagerly came on board to support this event and the sportsman who registered. All monies will be returned to sponsors and participants who signed up,” said event organizer Brian Burrell.

The next monthly RCC meeting will be held, Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the Walkerville Community Library.

Opportunity to give blood in Hart set for Oct. 3

Versiti Blood Center of Michigan will have its next bi-monthly blood drive, Thursday, Oct. 3, from 2-6:20 p.m. at the West Michigan Research Station located at 5185 N. Oceana Dr. in Hart.

Anyone attempting to donate at the Oct. 3 drive will be entered for a chance to win two floor tickets to see the Eras Tour Concert at Lucas Oil Stadium, Nov. 1, along with a $500 gift card. Only one winner will be selected. Names will be drawn from Versiti Blood Centers in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Official rules and entry for those not donating can be found at www.versiti.org/AmericasSuperstar.

Every pint of blood donated at Thursday’s drive goes directly to Michigan hospitals to give patients the gift of life. The blood donated next week could help save a family member or friend, please consider joining in this important effort.

Organizer Kathy Roskam can’t thank her regular donors enough and welcomes any new donors who can help fill all available appointments. She can be reached at 231861-6353 or krcmmom@hotmail.com.

Good News Club begins Oct. 2 in Hart

Area children, grades kindergarten through fifth grade, are invited to join Good News Club,® sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), every Wednesday starting Oct. 2. The club will run from 4-5:30 p.m. at Faith Christian Fellowship located at 400 S. Hart St. in Hart.

Every week, kids will enjoy snacks, games, singing, Bible lessons and prizes! There is no cost for club attendees, and parents are welcome to visit. All leaders are screened and trained community members who love sharing the Gospel with children. Registration is available by emailing shorelinecefclubs@gmail.com or on the first day of attendance. Questions can be directed to CEF Director Sean Southwell at 517282-6694.

September-October

Sept. 27 - Swiss Steak Dinner, Hart VFW, 5-7 p.m., adults $12 and kids $8, includes steak, potato, vegetable, bread and dessert.

Sept. 27 - Feeding America Food Truck, sponsored by Hart Rotary, Spitler Elementary School, 302 Johnson St., Hart, 5 p.m.

Sept. 28 - “Downtown Day” in Hart

Sept. 28 - Library Card Sign-Up Month Celebration, Shelby Area District Library, 189 Maple St., Shelby, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sept. 28-29 - Pentwater Arts, Crafts & Antiques Fair, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pentwater Township Cemetery Fall Tour, founders and notable people, Saturday at 1 and 2 p.m., Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

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

Oct. 3 - Versiti Blood Drive, West Michigan Research Station, 5185 N. Oceana Dr., Hart, 2-6:30 p.m.

Oct. 3 - Fall Decorating in Downtown Hart, 3 p.m.

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

Oct. 4 - Shelby Homecoming Parade, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Oct. 4 - Feeding America Food Truck, Walkerville Public Schools, 145 Lathrop St., Walkerville, 5 p.m.

Oct. 4 - “Seraph Brass Quartet”, Hart Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

Child Evangelism Fellowship Fall Faith Fund Banquet

Shoreline Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) will have its Fall Faith Fund Banquet, Tuesday, Oct. 8, beginning at 6 p.m. at Cornerstone Baptist Church, located at 121 Nelson Rd., in Ludington. Dinner tickets are $25 each and should be reserved by Tuesday, October 1 using the QR code at right, emailing shorelinecef@gmail.com or calling 231861-2225.

“People can use the QR code to reserve tickets or donate toward the ministry. Our giving goal for the evening is $8500,” Director Sean Southwell added.

Enjoy an evening of reconnecting and hearing how CEF is impacting children and the greater community with the love of Christ. A love offering will also be taken. Further questions about the banquet can be directed to Sean Southwell at 517-282-6694.

Pentwater Arts, Crafts & Antiques Fair Sept. 28-29

The Pentwater Chamber of Commerce will host its highly anticipated annual Arts, Crafts and Antiques Fair on Sept. 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

One of the highlights of this year’s event is the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center’s annual raffle. Attendees will have the chance to win exclusive, one-of-a-kind pieces of art, with all proceeds supporting the center’s ongoing mission to foster creativity and artistic expression in the community.

In addition to the arts and crafts, the Pentwater Service Club will be on hand, serving up hot dogs, brats, and more, while the Pentwater Fire Department will add to the show with their BBQ. Please email events@pentwater.org for more information.

Fall decorating in downtown Hart this Thursday

The Hart Economic and Redevelopment Team invites the community to come together at Hart Commons for a fun fall decorating event! Join in to help hang corn stalks with fall bows, and decorate the area with straw bales and pumpkins Thursday, Oct. 3 from 3-4 p.m. All supplies provided!

“We’re inviting everyone, community members, families and friends of all ages to get into the fall spirit and make downtown Hart look festive and inviting for everyone. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with neighbors, enjoy the seasonal atmosphere, and contribute to the beautification of our community,” said Community and Economic Development Director for Hart Nichole Kleiner. “Together, we can create a warm and welcoming fall ambiance that everyone can enjoy!”

For more information, contact Kleiner at nkleiner@cityofhart.org or (231) 923-0920.

Plein Air Painting Competition Oct. 5 in Hart

The H-art Project is now accepting registrations to compete in this year’s HartPrize event for a chance to win $750. This year’s contest is a Plein Air Painting Competition where artists are invited to choose a scene to paint from a designated outdoor location downtown any time between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Oct. 5. An exhibit featuring the completed paintings, titled “Hart in Motion,” will be on display throughout the month of October where the public is encouraged to vote for their favorite in each category (beginner/intermediate and advanced/ professional). Voting instructions will be available beginning Oct. 5, 2024, during Artwalk. The winning artist in each category will be announced on Nov. 1 and awarded the $750 HartPrize.

The purpose of Hartprize is to promote local artists, encourage community involvement, and beautify Hart with public art installments that bring new life, authentic stories and the arts to our growing community.

“We are excited about this contest and can’t wait to see what scenes of our beautiful downtown are chosen to paint! We encourage people of all skill levels to enter and compete for significant cash prizes,” states Economic and Community Development Director Nichole Kleiner.

Contest details and rules, along with the link to register, may be found at takemetohart.org/hartprize. There is a $10 registration fee to compete in the event. If you have any questions, please contact Kleiner at (231) 923-0920.

Russell Lee Dodge

July 20, 1948 ~ September 9, 2024

Russell Lee Dodge, 76, formerly of Ferry and the world, went home to be with Jesus Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. He was born July 20, 1948 to Owen and Josephine (Converse) Dodge and was the third of six children.

Russell was a 1966 Shelby High School graduate and was then drafted into the Vietnam War, where he served in the U.S. Army for two years. Upon returning, he had a number of jobs until his retirement. He also helped to found the Lake Community Bible Church.

He married Lou Ann Sellon in 1972 and became the proud father of Joshua and Jennifer. After the end of his first marriage, he married Joan Dunne in 1986. The two moved to her hometown of St. Johns in Newfoundland, Canada, where they remained until moving to Snohomish, Wash. a few years back.

Known for his quiet, faithful demeanor, Russell wished to be remembered through joyful memories.

He is survived by: his wife, Joan; son, Josh (Dawn) Dodge of Michigan; stepdaughter, Alex (Ray Guerrero) Dunne of Snohomish, Wash.; stepsons, Mark Schlehr of Santa Rosa, Calif.; Patrick (Erin) Schlehr of Walnut Creek, Calif.; brothers, James (Cecelia) Dodge, Alfred Dodge, Carl (Beth) Dodge and Lyle (Linda) Dodge, all of Michigan; grandchildren, great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by: his daughter, Jenny Dodge; parents, Owen and Josephine Dodge; sister and brother-in-law Judy and Stan Fessenden; and sisterin-law, Sharon Dodge.

A Celebration of Life potluck will take place Saturday, Oct. 19 at Newman Christian Community Church in Ferry from 1-5 p.m.

Charles Allen Eisenlohr

April 4, 1943 ~ September 22, 2024

Charles Allen Eisenlohr, known to most as Charlie or Chuck, passed away unexpectedly and went to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. He had just finished a tractor ride. He was born April 4, 1943, in Muskegon, the son of Maurice “Mike” and Ruby (Lynn) Eisenlohr.

Chuck belonged to the Oceana Antique Tractors Club and the West Michigan Old Engine Club, where he held office for a time in both. He loved to hunt, fish, camp, and go to tractor pulls or on tractor rides. Chuck worked for the City of Hart for 33 ½ years, with 13 years in management. After retirement, he worked 15 years for George England and the United States Postal Service.

Chuck is survived by: his partner of 24 years, Harriet Harris; children, Craig (Suzy) Eisenlohr, Yvonne Greenwood, and Michael (Heather) Eisenlohr; Harriet’s children, Stephanie Olmstead and Jeremy (Karen) Harris; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; sisters, Janet Eisenlohr and Diane (Frank) Silvis; sister-in-law, Carole Eisenlohr; nieces and nephews; Harriet’s mother, Helen Beebe; brother, Fay Beebe; sister, Sandy Patin; and brother, Bruce (Connie) Beebe.

Chuck was preceded in death by: his parents, Maurice and Ruby; and brother, Gerald Eisenlohr.

There will be a luncheon from 1-4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, at the Hart VFW, 802 S. State St., Hart, MI 49420, with burial to follow at Elbridge Township Cemetery.

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

Gregory Paul Blohm

Gregory Paul Blohm, 66, of Hart, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at home. Born on September 18, 1957, Greg was known for his humor, easy-going nature, and immense love for his family, making him a cherished presence in the lives of those around him.

Greg’s early education was completed in Shelby, after which he proudly served in the United States Marine Corps from 1976 to 1980, dedicating four years to service overseas as a rifle expert and assault man. Once discharged from the Marines, Greg continued his education at West Shore Community College, graduating with an associate’s degree in machining, tool and die. Greg worked for Viking Tool and Engineering in Whitehall, where he utilized his mechanical skills and work ethic to contribute significantly to the company.

Outside of work, Greg enjoyed hunting and fishing. He had a knack for tinkering with machines and was always ready to lend a hand, espe cially if it helped his daughters and wife. He loved traveling with his family to unique and historic destinations and visiting “Triple D” restaurants. Greg also

cherished his long walks at the beach with his beloved dog, Sadie. Greg is survived by: his loving wife, Mary Helen (Daggett) Blohm; beloved daughters, Andrea Blohm (Victor) and Jennifer Blohm; sisters, Sue (Bob) Smith and Michelle Jager; brother, Gary (Kathy) Blohm; his dear dog, Sadie; many loving nieces and nephews and dear friends. Greg was preceded in death by: his parents, Maxine (Burke) and Paul Blohm; brother, Bradley Blohm; sister, Sharon Annotto Blohm; brother-in-law, Bradley Jager. A celebration of life will be held from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024 at The Cottages, 30 Kenneth St., Pentwater, Michigan 49449.

Please consider memorial donations to your favorite animal shelter, honoring his love for animals.

Greg’s legacy of kindness, dedication, and love for his family will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew him. Harris Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. www.harrisfhome.com

St. Peter’s-By-The-Lake Episcopal Church 8435 Old Channel Trail, Montague 616-894-0172 SUNDAY EUCHARIST – 10:00 am stpetersmontague@gmail.com stpetersbythelake.weebly.com Reclaim the Promise!

Way of Christ Church

Stephen’s Lutheran Church (LCMS) 7410 W. Johnson Rd., Shelby • 231-861-2952 Sunday Service: 9:30 a.m. Summer Outdoor Service Rev. Kurt Overway StStephensShelby@gmail.com

8786 N. Business US-31 Pentwater, MI • 49449 231-869-2527

John C. Hansen

Village of Shelby approves resolutions, discusses IGA

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

The Shelby Village Council met Monday, Sept. 9, a number of business items on its agenda.

Village Administrator Phil Morse informed council the quote from Appetegy, an online platform for an updated website and citizen notification system, that was tabled in August, may be on permanent hold. A local citizen reached out to Morse following the Aug. 26 meeting to say they are in the same line of work and can do what the village is wanting for a lower price. This person told Morse they will be providing a quote before the next regularly scheduled council meeting.

Two resolutions were voted on and approved. Council gave their approval for a tree trimming proposal from A Cut Above of Hart, Mich. for $5,000 which will include the cutting down, chipping and removing of debris/wood for two pine trees at Barnett Station, three old maples across from Wesco and the pruning/ removing of large tree branches on Sixth Street near the cemetery that are obstructing driver’s views, as well as an old maple laying in the woods. Councilor Mike Termer wondered if another quote had been sought. According to Morse, two other contractors were contacted but had not responded.

By a vote of five to one, the council also approved the 294-page document “Codified Ordinances of the Village of Shelby” with the additional language regarding sidewalk maintenance and the Snowmobile Ordinance, originally adopted in October 2015. Councilors Curt Trott, Damien Omness, John Sutton, Dan Zaverl and Village President Paul In-

glis voted in favor, while Councilor Steve Crothers voted in opposition. Councilor Termer was absent for this portion of the meeting. Crothers had concerns about the sidewalk maintenance ordinance and what it could mean for people with large portions of sidewalk and the inability to have them cleared per village ordinance. The approved document is the result of months of work going over every village ordinance word by word and updating where needed and appropriate. For $900 a year, the ordinance document will be available online and searchable using keywords. No public hearing is needed for the adoption of this updated document. It will go into effect on Oct. 24, 2024, 45 days from its Sept. 9 adoption. A separate, yet related, Fee Schedule will be approved at a later date.

Council discussed a possible IGA (Intergovernmental Agreement) between the township and the village for the sharing of certain equipment. The village and township already do some equipment sharing; an IGA would formalize that sharing to protect both entities. Nearly every council member weighed in with their questions and concerns, including what equipment an IGA would cover and what would be the procedure, so the village would have access and working equipment when it was needed. Inglis noted he thought the proposed draft was very detailed. Sutton added that the village shares equipment with Hart and New Era already.

Also discussed was whether or not to keep a crossing guard at the State Street and Fifth Street crosswalk. With the construction of the new elementary school further north, use of the crosswalk has declined. Police Chief Dean Roesler

asked if a crossing guard was needed and if the village might be able to get by using signage and technology, commenting, “I’d like to give this more thought, map out what is in place, what’s coming and what we could do. The demographics have shifted. Perhaps we need to move the crossing area to where kids are actually going.” In the meantime, Roesler and his department are covering crossing guard duty at the aforementioned crosswalk.

The Shelby Benona Fire Department requested closure of Industrial Drive from Sixth Street to approximately 150 feet northwest of the fire barn from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8 for their open house. Council wanted to make sure people coming from 72nd Avenue would know the road would be blocked by the fire department and that there were plans for parking. Council gave permission to work out the details with the police department and the DPW.

Finally, Morse was pleased to announce that with the help of many volunteers, the playground surface at Getty Park had been installed; there have been several applications for the parks maintenance position with interviews to have been conducted in the two weeks following the Sept. 9 meeting; a traffic survey, sponsored by the county REACH team, was planned for Friday, Sept. 27 during both the morning dropoff and afternoon pick-up times at school; the Shelby Homecoming Parade will be October 4 from 4:305:30 through downtown.

Since the Sept. 9 Shelby Village Council meeting, Morse is pleased to announce the hiring of Owen Peterson of Montague to fill the Parks Maintenance position that was recently posted. He is set to begin his duties on Monday, September 30.

Tails of Hope

Meet LuLu Lemon, the most stylish 7-monthold Husky-Shepherd mix you’ll ever see! At 40 lbs. of pure fluff and sass, she’s ready to strut her stuff right into your heart. LuLu is great at many things— zoomies, cuddles and giving you that classic “Husky side-eye” when you’re taking too long to open the treat jar.

One thing she’s not great at? Chickens. Let’s just say they don’t quite make the cut for her fashionforward lifestyle. So, if you’re chicken-free and looking for a walking runway model who’s ready to turn your yard into her personal playground, LuLu Lemon is your girl!

If interested, please call the shelter at 231-8615395 and leave a message to be placed on this dog’s adoption list. No obligation, but it reserves your place in line on the list. The shelter will contact individuals as they appear on the list.

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

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By Lucie Winborne

• On Sept. 30, 1962, African American student James H. Meredith was escorted onto the University of Mississippi campus by U.S. marshals, setting off a riot in which two men died before the violence was suppressed by federal soldiers. The next day, he successfully enrolled and began classes, though the disruption continued.

• On Oct. 1, 1920, Scientific American magazine reported that radio would soon be used to broadcast music, noting that “Experimental concerts are at present being conducted every Friday evening from 8:30 to 11:00 by the Radio Laboratory of the Bureau of Standards. The possibilities of such centralized radio concerts are great and extremely interesting.”

• On Oct. 2, 1780, British Major John Andre, an accomplice of Benedict Arnold, was hanged as a spy by U.S. military forces in New York. Andre had asked of both his commander and Gen. George Washington that he be executed by firing squad, which was considered a more “gentlemanly” death, but the request was denied.

• On Oct. 3, 1997, 69-year-old Gordie “Mr. Hockey” Howe skated the first shift with the Detroit Vipers in their International Hockey League opener, making him the only professional in the sport to have competed during six decades.

• On Oct. 4, 1988, televangelist Jim Bakker was indicted on federal charges of mail and wire fraud and conspiring to defraud the public. The case against him and three aides exploded into scandal after it was revealed he’d had a sexual tryst with former church secretary Jessica Hahn in a Florida hotel.

• On Oct. 5, 1974, Dave Kunst finished the first round-the-world journey on foot, which took him four years and 21 pairs of shoes. His reason for embarking upon the 14,500-mile journey across four continents: “I was tired of Waseca [his home town], tired of my job, tired of a lot of little people who don’t want to think, and tired of my wife.”

• On Oct. 6, 1961, President John F. Kennedy recommended that American families build bomb shelters as protection from atomic fallout in case of a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union. He also assured the public that the U.S. civil defense program would soon begin providing such security for every American.

• “To clean the TV remote in my home, I dip a cotton swab into rubbing alcohol, shake off any excess and use it to gently clean the surface. I do this weekly during cold and flu season.”

— M. in Minnesota

• To keep track of rolls of tape or other rolled items in your shop, hang a length of chain from two “S” hooks on your pegboard. They will be readily accessible, and you can tear off what you need.

• “If you use those little plastic keyring cards for store rewards accounts and discount programs, you can keep them easily organized in a small photo brag book. These books can be found at drugstores and big box retailers, and are meant for a small collection of wallet-size pictures. However, if you put your cards in one, it’s easy to flip through to find the correct card to scan.” — R.I. in Arkansas

• Fill an easy-to-use hand soap dispenser with body wash or shampoo for kids to use in the bath or shower.

• “Here’s a fun idea for place cards at Thanksgiving (coming up in Canada): Scan in and print out a photo of each guest as a child. Laminate it and attach it to a pretty piece of ribbon with a glue gun. Use the ribbon to tie up a napkin and/or utensils. Guests will have a good time trying to guess who’s who and reminiscing about days gone by.” — P.D. in Ontario, Canada

• When working with juicy items (lemons, watermelon, etc.) on a cutting board, try placing the board on a kitchen towel. When the juices run over the edge, they will be caught by the towel. Cleanup will be easy!

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

By Lucie Winborne

• Beethoven went out of his way to ensure his morning coffee was made with exactly 60 beans per cup.

• In the hit film “Back to the Future,” the time machine was originally an old fridge. According to HuffPost, “Ultimately, it was determined that it probably was not a good idea to use a refrigerator in such a manner as kids might want to reenact the scene.”

• Up until the beginning of the 19th century, models were not used to showcase clothes. Fashion companies would use dolls instead.

• Pentheraphobia is the intense and disproportionate fear of your motherin-law.

• To ensure Queen Elizabeth II received her food on time, clocks in the royal kitchen at Windsor Castle were set five minutes ahead.

• While they might look the same, Jenga blocks have subtle differences in dimensions to make their construction less stable. Each brick is a different size and weight, so no two games are alike.

• As a souvenir from his trip to the Middle East, French author Gustave Flaubert brought home a mummy’s foot and kept it on his working desk.

• Herrings communicate through farts.

• In 1916, Adeline and Augusta Van Buren became the first women to travel across the country on two solo motorcycles. They made it despite frequently being arrested for the “crime” of wearing pants.

• Galileo’s middle finger is on display at the Museo Galileo in Florence, Italy.

• In 2009, a team of scientists searched Scotland’s Loch Ness for evidence of Nessie. While the fabled monster remained elusive, they at least recovered more than 100,000 golf balls. ***

Thought for the Day: “Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.” — Samuel Ullman © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

By AnnaMae Bush The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

Obviously not a tasty treat from the bakery, a lake turnover is an event that occurs twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. It is triggered when the water temperatures at the top and the bottom of the lake are approximately the same. Any wind mixes the water up and causes the material on the lake bottom to rise to the surface.

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Apple turnover, cherry turnover… lake turnover? PUBLIC AUCTION

the surface during the lake turnover.” Primozich said that in addition to NOT putting their leaves and grass clippings in the lake, riparians can also help to keep leaves from blowing into the lake and help to prevent fertilizer runoff from entering the lake by not mowing their lawns to the water’s edge. “A 12- to 15-inch-wide band of tall grass or other vegetation in front of the seawall or waterline will trap wind-blown leaves and rain runoff before it enters the water.”

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Depending on the nature of the material on the lake bottom, this turnover can mean trouble. According to Joe Primozich, a biologist on the Pentwater Lake Association Board, the lake turnover can lead to toxic blue-green algae blooms. He warns, “These toxic algae blooms can be harmful to people who come into contact with them and can be fatal to dogs who ingest them while in the water. The blooms have an iridescent appearance similar to an oil slick on the surface of the water and have a distinctive blue-green color, so are easy to identify.” Suspected specimens should be carefully scooped up with underlying water in a bucket and brought to the Health Department for confirmation and appropriate warnings. Toxic blooms were confirmed at Hamlin Lake and Bass Lake in August. Currently Pentwater Lake has seen only single-cell green algae, but it is in high enough concentration to produce poor Secchi (visibility) readings of three feet instead of the six to seven-foot depth of visibility normally seen on the lake. That makes it challenging for fishing enthusiasts to see their lures in the water.

Primozich explains that toxic blue-green algae needs two conditions to grow: warmth and nutrients. “Although we cannot control the water temperature, we can keep nutrients out of the lake. Phosphorus enters the lake through leaves and grass clippings, and from fertilizer runoff during rain events. It settles in the muck on the lake bottom and then rises to

Pentwater Lake has had another strong deterrent to toxic blue-green algae, and that is its mechanical harvesting program. Primozich documented that the invasive species starry stonewort grew from 2 inches to three feet thick in the lake in just three weeks this summer. The invasive fed that incredible growth with phosphorus and calcium it drew out of the water. When starry stonewort was removed from the lake by the mechanical harvesting machine, it also removed huge amounts of nutrients that would otherwise be available to feed toxic algae growth. When the starry stonewort dried out and was transported to local farmers, it provided a nutrient-rich fertilizer for crops.

Now if only there were not enough nutrients in the lake to feed the growth of starry stonewort…..

Directions:

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Husky air compressor, sports afield gun safe, 2 ton

picker, aluminum ramps, like new parts washer, live traps, Husqvarna 455 rancher saw, Husqvarna 50 saw, Kohler pressure washer 6.5 hp, Generac GP3300 generator, Honda 5hp pressure washer, floor jacks, 2 wheel carts, MTD front tiller, scrap iron, plus much more! See our website for a complete list and pictures @ www.beyerauction.com Auctioneers Note/Terms: No out of state checks will be accepted. Cash, check, or card with a positive ID. 5% credit card fee will be charged. Announcements take precedence over printed material. Not responsible for accidents or loss. There will be no lunch available

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• Photo courtesy of the U.S. EPA

Shelby soccer shutout by state ranked North Muskegon

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

SHELBY – Facing the No. 8 team in Division 3 is always a test for any team. That test became even more daunting for a Shelby boys soccer team that hadn’t won in eight straight contests.

The Tigers weren’t able to break that string Monday, Sept. 23, falling on their home field to North Muskegon, 5-0.

Those familiar with the Norsemen know just how successful the boys soccer team has been in recent years. North Muskegon finished third in the West Michigan Conference (WMC) in 2023, finishing the season with a District Finals loss to eventual state champions, Western Michigan Christian.

Shelby and first year Head Coach Damian Gonzalez were aware of the challenges that faced them, but that didn’t help stop an early scoring onslaught from North Muskegon.

“(North Muskegon) is everything we want to be in the future,” Gonzalez said. “Their speed of play is great, they’re looking to make space, they move the ball and they’re talking. (We) realize that’s where we want to be and we need to work and train hard everyday.”

In the first five minutes of play, North Muskegon snagged a 2-0 lead over the Tigers. Just 2:38 into the game, an ill-advised

decision in their own box saw Shelby hand their opponent a penalty kick opportunity. Freshman keeper Josh Vega did his best to stop a low ball that was placed in the bottom right corner, but the ball traveled just out of his reach to give the Norse their first goal of the night.

North Muskegon capitalized again just minutes later, taking that 2-0 lead with 35:13 remaining in the first half.

The Tigers played the first 15 minutes of that game on their heels for the most part. The defense was the saving grace for the team as senior Nathan Miller and sophomore Cael Omness spent a good amount of time clearing balls and making up for lost battles in the midfield.

“This was probably one of our best games defensively, even though the scoreboard doesn’t show it,” Gonzalez said. “Nathan is always a critical component for us.

Lately we’ve had trouble scoring the ball, so he’s been playing up top, trying to score some goals. Knowing our opponent today, we needed him on the back.”

It wasn’t until after the Norsemen found their third goal of the game with 27:26 remaining in the first half that the Tigers woke up. Shelby began finding more and more space, utilizing the speed of juniors Andrew Hayes and Eli Kelley on Shelby Soccer continued on page 11

Hesperia unable to limit big plays in loss to North Muskegon

By: Brendan Samuels

The

Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HESPERIA – An upset win was not in the cards for Hesperia football Friday, Sept. 20. The Panthers were unable to contain explosive plays, falling to North Muskegon, 42-7. From the jump, the Norsemen were a force to be reckoned with. Hesperia’s defense opted for a smarter approach initially, using Ian Fox and Blake Sayer as two deep safeties in an effort to keep North Muskegon from breaking off big yardage. That game plan quickly went out the window when a busted coverage allowed a 35-yard touchdown pass to put Hesperia in a quick 7-0 hole.

Discipline and patience allowed North Muskegon to hold the Panthers off the board on their first offensive drive. Hesperia tried to get senior Skyler Stalbaum going on the ground, but were only able to scrounge up limited yardage.

“(North Muskegon) is a really good football team, and we’re playing them so early in the season,” Hesperia Head Coach Tyler Fehler said. “We see the film and know what we’re gonna get, but (North Muskegon) is so fundamentally sound. They’re always in the right spot and they put in the offseason work. It was just about go-

ing in and trying not to hurt ourselves. That’s as hard of a team as we’ll face, so it’s a good test for us.”

The Panthers did move the ball enough to flip the field on special teams. Sayer placed a punt deep in North Muskegon territory, allowing the defense the opportunity to keep their opponent backed up.

Unfortunately that punt didn’t matter much. Just seconds later, North Muskegon’s Hunter Wilder ripped off an 85-yard touchdown run down the left sideline to extend the lead to 14-0.

North Muskegon added one more score in the first quarter, converting on a 24-yard run.

The Panthers caught a break in the opening minutes of the second quarter. After giving the ball back to North Muskegon on a punt, Hesperia forced the first turnover of the game on a fumble recovery for junior Noah Walker.

A long day for the leg of Sayer continued as the Panthers were forced to punt again on the following drive. North Muskegon took advantage of a short field, driving down close and capping off a short drive with a oneyard score.

With a 28-0 deficit, the Panthers found an answer of their own on offense. A drive of consistent plays made by receivers Dom Smith and Fox ended with

Stalbaum bruising his way in for a touchdown.

Sayer was efficient throwing the ball, going 11-of-18 for 155 yards through the air. Fox hauled in five of those passes for 58 yards while Smith provided big play potential, catching two passes for 60 yards.

“Our skill guys –quarterback, running back, receivers and tight end – are as good as anybody in the conference. We just need consistency,” Fehler said. “We took a huge step today. If we play like this, especially up front, for the rest of the season we’re gonna be good.”

North Muskegon

didn’t let Hesperia bathe in the light of that touchdown for long, capping off the first half with a kick return touchdown on special teams. The Norsemen headed to the lockers with a 35-7 advantage, just one touchdown shy of forcing a running clock.

One point of interest that came from Hesperia in the first half was the leg of foreign exchange student Roger Be La Sierra. Be La Sierra hails from Spain and it’s apparent that Fehler has confidence in him from some unusual range. That became apparent when Be La Sierra walked out to

HART • HESPERIA • PENTWATER • SHELBY • WALKERVILLE

Hesperia senior Skyler Stalbaum lowers his shoulder to brace for impact with an oncoming North Muskegon defender. Stalbaum scored Hesperia’s lone touchdown in a 42-7 loss to the Norsemen. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Shelby senior Nathan Miller meets an airborne ball with his head in a 5-0 loss to North Muskegon. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hesperia senior Ian Fox makes a contested catch with North Muskegon’s Jaden Villalpando draped all over him. Fox had five catches for 58 yards in a 42-7 loss to the Norsemen. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Hesperia

attempt a field goal somewhere near the 30-yard line. That’s close to a 50yard attempt – something unheard of in high school football.

Fehler noted that his decision was more of a field optimization tactic than an actual field goal attempt, but his confidence in both Be La Sierra and freshman Lacey Mey remains at an all-time high.

“We actually have a two-headed monster at kicker. Freshman Lacey Mey is 100 percent on PAT (point after touchdowns), and it’s smooth and locked in,” Fehler said. “Roger is a foreign exchange student from Spain so he joined just before our first game. He kicks off because he’s older and has a stronger leg. He was attempting field goals in our walk through yesterday and hit one from 43 yards.”

Hesperia’s defense held off the Norsemen in the third quarter, not allowing the opponent to score for a majority of the period. North Muskegon did find the endzone inside five minutes remaining in the third, taking a 35-point lead and implementing a running clock that would wind down the final quarter and leave the score at 42-7.

Defensively, four Panthers led the way as Stalbaum, Eli Edens, Thor Klaus and Fox all posted six tackles. Walker had four tackles and a fumble recovery.

While the Panthers weren’t able to come away with an upset win, they did show a lot of promise. An offensive line that features just one senior

continued from page 10

didn’t allow Sayer to get sacked while Hesperia’s skill positions – particularly at receiver – came up with big plays.

That should serve them well as they prepare for a Homecoming matchup with West Michigan Conference Rivers Division opponent, Shelby. That contest kicks off at 7 p.m. from Panther Field in Hesperia.

“I’ve got two games of film on (Shelby). Ever since I’ve been (at Hesperia), it’s been an even battle and I think we’re both getting better as a program,” Fehler said. “They have good skill players and we have good skill players. It’ll be a really good game like it always is.”

Hart falls in rematch with 2023 playoff opponent, Kent City

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

Hart and Kent City football met last fall for a historic postseason opportunity for the Pirates that saw them win the program’s first ever playoff game. A non-conference rematch in 2024 ended in favor of the Eagles, Friday, Sept. 20, with Kent City taking a 30-6 victory.

Déjà Vu was in full effect for the Pirates in that loss as they found themselves locked in a close contest through the first half of play. Just one week ago, Hart was knotted up with rival Shelby last week with each team having scored

just once through two three quarters. The Pirates were able to break out in the fourth quarter to claim victory in that one.

Fate was on the side of Kent City this week, much to the dismay of Hart. The Eagles led a tight game 6-0 through two quarters with Hart unable to find an answer. The Pirates’ defense did their best to hold that score in the second half, but Kent City broke through.

24 unanswered points pushed the Eagles past the Pirates as Kent City’s offense came alive.

Hart was able to break through and avoid the shutout in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Keaghan Monroe capped off a long drive with a

one-yard touchdown run to end the game at 30-6.

Senior quarterback Halen Boos went 4-of11 passing for 66 yards while freshman quarterback Kolton Rockwell completed two passes for 56 yards. Senior Eman Hertzler was the number one option through the air, hauling in four passes for 66 yards.

On defense, Kyle Greiner led the Pirates with 11 tackles while Alex Hicks posted eight.

The Pirates (2-2, 1-1 WMC Rivers) will look to avoid consecutive losses when they travel to North Muskegon, Friday, Sept. 27. The Norsemen currently lead the conference at 3-0.

Shelby Soccer

the outside with help from senior Venancio Cadena Arvizu and junior Alex Dealmonte in the middle.

Kelley made a run down the right sideline, using a slide tackle maneuver to keep a ball inbounds before careening towards the goal. Kelley’s shot didn’t find the net, but it did force North Muskegon’s defense to shift back rather than playing close to midfield like they had to that point.

“A lot of our guys are used to playing at a slower pace on JV. This is most of their first year on varsity,” Gonzalez said. “All of our games so far have been adjusting to that pace of play.”

None of Shelby’s attempts to break onto the scoreboard were fruitful in the first half, allowing North Muskegon to take control again. The Norsemen found a fourth goal in the final minutes of the half, giving them a 4-0 lead through 40 minutes.

The second half was another strong showing for Shelby’s defense. The Tigers’ back line held North Muskegon to just one goal, opening the door for their own offense to get going. Kelley was inserted in net for

the second half and the junior flashed his ability to track and stop shots, making a number of impressive saves. Unfortunately, there were no goals to be had for the Tigers, spelling a 5-0 shutout loss to one of the WMC’s – and state’s –best teams.

“We’ll take what we can from this one,” Gonzalez said. “A lot of the teams in our conference

continued from page 10

have all let in more goals to North Muskegon than that. We had chances, especially in the first half.”

Shelby (1-10-2, 0-6-1 WMC) has now dropped four straight games and have lost nine of the last 10. The Tigers will prepare for a home meeting with rival Hart (7-6, 4-4 WMC), Monday, Sept. 30.

Shelby football falls to high-powered Ravenna offense

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

For the third-straight week, Shelby football was handed a double-digit loss at the hands of a conference opponent. The Tigers dropped a road battle to Ravenna, falling to the Bulldogs, Friday, Sept. 20, 56-14.

The Tigers weren’t able to keep up with the Bulldogs, despite posting strong individual performances, highlighted by senior AJ

Melchor. Melchor took nine carries for 68 yards and a touchdown, leading the team in rushing yards.

Sophomore Jaylin Henderson received the nod at quarterback after junior Isaac Garcia left the game with a sprained ankle. Henderson went 5-for-14 for 84 yards and a touchdown. Henderson added 25 yards on six carries as well, but struggled with ball security as he threw two interceptions to the defense.

Trevor Weiss was a favorite target of Henderson, hauling in four

catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. DayDay Garcia had one catch of his own for 20 yards.

Shelby sophomore Brody Fessenden tallied six total tackles, adding three tackles for a loss. Melchor had four total tackles and one for a loss. Griffin Olmstead, Kaden Hallack and Trey Gauthier all added one pass breakup each. The Tigers fell to 1-3 (0-3 WMC Rivers) with the loss and will look to take down Hesperia (22, 0-1 WMC Rivers) on the road, Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.

Hart 0, Montague 3

Hart 3, Holton 0

Hart 3, Ravenna 0

Shelby 1, Cedar Springs 1

Shelby 0, Lakewood 2

Shelby 0, Lowell 2

Saturday, Sept. 21: Tuesday, Sept. 24:

Hart 3, MCC 1

Hesperia 3, Walkerville 0

Thursday, Sept. 19:

Hart (JV) 14, Kent City 42

Shelby (JV) 20, Ravenna 36

Friday, Sept. 20:

Hart 6, Kent City 30

Shelby 14, Ravenna 56

Hesperia 7, N. Muskegon 42

Friday, Sept. 20: Saturday, Sept. 21

Hart 8, Newaygo 0

Monday, Sept. 23:

Hart 4, Ravenna 1

Shelby 0, N. Muskegon 5

Wednesday, Sept. 25:

Hart 2, N. Muskegon 7

Shelby 1, Orchard View 0

OAKRIDGE INVITE

Hesperia Boys - 5th

Shelby Boys - 7th, Girls - 2nd

COUGAR FALCON INVITE

Hart Girls - 2nd, Boys - 4th

Wednesday, Sept. 24:

KELDER POURED WALLS

Hesperia Boys - 3rd

Shelby Boys - 4th, Girls - 4th

Hesperia junior Eli Edens attempts to round the corner on a kickoff return during a 42-7 loss to North Muskegon.. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

(Above, top) Shelby sophomore Cael Omness battles a North Muskegon striker for possession of the ball. (Above, bottom) Shelby junior Eli Kelley eyes a ball on its way to the net. Kelley was moved from his forward position to keeper in the second half of a 5-0 loss to North Muskegon. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Oceana

Our Area Makers and Markets

Kasza Sugar Bush

Kasza Sugar Bush is an Oceana County-based Maple Syrup farm that is a family-owned and operated business. They began in 1999 with tapping two maple trees in their front yard and boiling the sap on the kitchen stove. Throughout the years, they have continued to tap more and more trees, taking our sweet hobby to a new commercial level. Each year they keep improving to provide the highest quality Maple Syrup possible in a wide variety of jars and containers for each of your needs. Today, they have 3,500 taps, which yields about 2,000 gallons of syrup each year.

In 2013, they expanded their production to making a variety of specialty maple syrup products, including:

• Maple Cream is made from concentrated Maple Syrup chilled then stirred into an excellent maple-flavored spread.

• Maple Granulated Sugar is made by boiling Maple Syrup until most of the water is cooked off, then stirred, leaving only maple sugar and trace minerals. It can be used in the same way white refined sugar is used, but Maple Sugar is sweeter so use half the amount called for in the recipe.

• Maple Pancake and Waffle Mix is one of their family favorites! A rare and unique pancake and waffle mix that is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

• Michigan Maple Munch is their homemade granola. Great as a cereal, snack, on yogurt, and much more!

Their maple products can be purchased directly at their farm store, Rennhack Orchards Market, and West Shore Market, as well as online and shipped nationwide.

Golden-Hart Fruit Farms

Family-owned and operated Golden-Hart Fruit Farms in Hart was started by the late John and Beatrice Gebhart. Their daughter, Shirley, and her husband, Bob Oles, now own and operate the business, which has been growing for nine decades since Shirley’s family bought the land.

Located at 4504 W. Taylor Rd., the farm was only 10 acres when it was claimed by Shirley’s grandfather, and it covers more than 750 acres of land from Hart Township to Golden Township. Of that acreage, 150 are asparagus, 300 are sour cherries, 200 are apples, and the remaining are for a variety of other produce.

Shirley and Bob met at the Muskegon Farmers Market and have now been married for more than 50 years. Aside from fruits and vegetables, Golden-Hart Fruit Farms also sells maple syrup, raw honey, pickled asparagus and cherry juice. Autumn offerings are available for sale at their Taylor Road location as well as at the Muskegon Farmers Market. According to the market’s website, “They are one of the best established farmers at the market and have been selling their fresh snapped asparagus, apples, pears, and rhubarb for 89 years.”

For more information, email shirleyoles@hotmail.com, or visit Golden-Hart Fruit Farms in Hart or at the Muskegon Farmers Market.

and Cornstalks! Local Fleming’s Cider, many local & Michigan-made foods, gifts, and gift baskets! Stop by today!

873-7523 We offer Free Samples!

Rennhack Orchards Market

Open from early June through December 23, Rennhack Orchards Market offers fresh-from-the-farm produce and an extensive selection of local and Michigan-made foods, gifts, and gift baskets. Owners Dave and Joann Rennhack started selling their cherries at a little farm stand in 1984 and built their current market in 2006.

Dave Rennhack and son-in-law, Jeremiah Palmer, are the fourth and fifth generation owners/operators of the farm, located just around the corner from their market.

“We grow nearly all of the fresh produce we sell at our market, and that really separates us from most farm markets,” says Dave Rennhack. “Growing fruits and vegetables ourselves helps us maintain the high quality we are known for.”

“When you visit,” Joann adds, “your first stop should be at our Free Samples shelf. You can munch while you shop, educate your taste buds, and improve your diet by sampling some grapes, apples, and small tomatoes!”

For more information, find Rennhack Orchards Market on Facebook (with daily updates), the web, or stop in from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Stony Lake Naturals

Stony Lake Naturals is the CBD product line from Shoreline Hemp Farms in Benona Township, owned by Alex and Kimberly Felt. It is truly a “Pure Michigan” company. The family farm and processing facility are USDA-certified organic, and all Stony Lake Naturals products are guaranteed to contain no fertilizers or pesticides. Each product label contains a QR code that customers can scan to view third-party lab results. This ensures consumers truly get what they pay for.

Stony Lake Naturals is a seed-to-sale company, which means all products are produced onsite from plants grown on the farm. All processing, oil extraction, and product manufacturing take place on the property. Quality plants coupled with meticulous processing produce the high-quality CBD products Stony Lake Naturals has become known for. Since starting the company in 2019, the goal has remained the same: the production of superb full-spectrum CBD products at an affordable price.

Stony Lake Naturals can be purchased at several local businesses, including Hansen Foods, Up North Farm Market, Cherry Hill Supermarket, Stony Lake Market, Mac’s Meats, Shelby Floral, Blooming Valley Salon, and Healthy Pantry in Whitehall. The full product line is also available on the company website, stonylakenaturals.com. People can also follow the business on Facebook.

Pirates come from behind, steal win over conference opponent, Ravenna

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

While a final score of 4-1 leaned in favor of Hart boys soccer, claiming victory over Ravenna, Monday, Sept. 23 wasn’t as easy as the scoreboard shows.

Though they controlled the pace of play with dominant possession in the first half, Hart was unable to find the back of the net. Ravenna struggled to find opportunities of their own with the Pirates’ game plan forcing the Bulldogs to rush their forward play.

Ending the first half with several scoring opportunities, Hart took a total of six shots in the final minutes, including three that were on frame.

Ravenna got going early in the second half, putting keeper Miguel Escamilla to work. Escamilla fought off a bevy of shots, making some great saves on the five shots that the Bulldogs fired his way.

Escamilla was forced out of the net with 18 minutes remaining in the game, after center back Carter Ramseyer exited the game with a hamstring injury. Escamilla slotted into Ramseyer’s spot and senior keeper JJ Bizon was inserted into the net.

Less than a minute after that lineup change occurred, Bizon was thrown into the deep end. The Pirates gave up a penalty with 17:20 left to play in the game, forcing Bizon into a one-on-one. Ravenna converted the penalty kick, putting the Bulldogs in front 1-0.

That lead quickly diminished as sophomore Logan Dean sent a through pass to junior Adrian Belmares down the left sideline. Belmares gained possession of the ball and quickly drew a foul, awarding Hart a penalty kick of their own. Senior Emannuel Ortega took control from there, slotting a ball past Ravenna’s keeper to even the score at 1-1 with just under 12 minutes remaining in the game.

The flood gates opened for the Pirates from there. A corner kick opportunity for Hart ended up loose in the Ravenna box and Ramseyer –who re-entered the game after some stretching – poked the ball outside where senior Adan Cruz fired a shot that was deflected into the net.

With under four minutes remaining and a 2-1 lead, Hart poured on two more goals to secure the win. The first came after a Belmares throw-in that traveled a long distance before finding the feet of Chase Lorenz. Lorenz guided the ball into the net to put Hart on top 3-1. The final goal of the evening came from senior Tyer Larios-Mendez who capitalized on a through pass from Escamilla.

The win over Ravenna, paired with a loss to North Muskegon, Wednesday, Sept. 25, pushed Hart to 7-7 overall and has them sitting at 3-5 in the West Michigan Conference.

Hesperia sweeps Walkerville, 3-0

Hesperia hosted Walkerville for a volleyball showdown, Tuesday, Sept. 24. The Panthers were able to roll to a victory, sweeping the Wildcats in three sets. After claiming a lopsided win in the first set, Hesperia went on to claim the second set 25-10 and the third set 25-17, riding strong serving and a balanced attack to a non-conference win. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Reflections of our community

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Nature Awaits program shows off the outdoors

New DNR program offers free field trips for 4th-graders, debuted this year; Duck Lake State Park among 29 state parks participating

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

The state’s new Nature Awaits program has already been a big hit statewide, says communication coordinator Aileen Kemme, and state parks in the Muskegon area offer White Lake area students a chance to take advantage of it.

The program launched this spring under the Department of Natural Resources, courtesy of a $4 million infusion in the state budget, and offers every fourth-grade public school student in the state a free field trip to a state park. All the schools have to do, Kemme said, is sign up, and the Department of Natural Resources takes care of the rest.

“Transportation is free for public schools,” Kemme said. “That’s been the #1 thing teachers have said was their saving grace to get out to the parks... If you’re a public school teacher, we’ll reimburse up to $1,000 to get out there.

“That’s been the biggest hurdle for urban schools or smaller districts who want to participate but don’t know how to get there.”

Private schools are also welcome to participate in the program, Kemme said, though the budget does not allow for a transportation reimbursement in those cases.

Not many White Lake area classes have yet participated in the program, but one that did was Reeths-Puffer fourth-grade teacher Shalyne Harris’ class last spring. Harris, who noted that her class’ curriculum included a unit on animals’ defending themselves, said she signed up for the field trip

over an informational book given to students who participate in the Nature Awaits field trips. The statewide program offers a free field trip to any 4thgrade class who chooses to participate.

•

quickly after hearing about the program and took her class to Duck Lake State Park.

“We got an email early on in the winter, maybe January or February, saying this was an opportunity,” Harris said. “We were on the lookout to give our kids some experiences...We jumped right on that.”

The Nature Awaits trips include a 90-minute guided trip through the state park, with a walk of about a mile. Groups who attend are then split into smaller groups with DNR educators, chaperones and the teachers themselves being involved; the DNR’s goal is to have no more than 10 students per adult on the field trips to encourage individualized attention.

“We have a guided activity book where we’ll stop and do a couple activity pages, then we’ll keep walking,” Kemme said. “Each field trip kind of depends on what wildlife we see...

They’ll interact with the environment.

“One day we might see frogs everywhere. Another day you might be lucky enough to see a bald eagle flying overhead. It’s based on what wildlife we see and what questions (the kids) have.”

Harris said her class gave the field trip rave reviews, and she especially appreciated a portion of the trip that saw classes sit and just take in their surroundings, a favorite focus of Sophie Riley, who serves as park interpreter for the Grand Region of Nature Awaits (Grand Rapids and surrounding areas, including the White Lake area).

“They talked a lot about the trees and making connections to that, the different things you can see on a tree,” Harris said. “They enjoyed being out there and just hanging out. I loved the part where they just went down and sat on the water and did some reflective writing. They were super pumped about it.”

The new program had added meaning to Harris because her daughter Ca-

dence was in fourth grade last year and also participated in the field trip. Cadence reported that having the interpreters on the trip was a huge benefit.

“I just liked that we were actually there. We were not just taking a hike and looking around; there were people there to guide us,” Cadence said. “We actually had a program for it.”

Riley said she has had groups from the Whitehall district as well as from R-P during the several months the program has been available. As of now, according to the DNR’s website, there are slots open Oct. 10 and Nov. 8 at Duck Lake. Windows of 8:30-11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. are available.

A total of 29 state parks in Michigan are participating in Nature Awaits. In addition to Duck Lake, Muskegon County locations Muskegon State Park and Hoffmaster State Park are included in the program, offering many more

Montague senior to work with city council

NHS president Bailey Tallquist named student representative; first time in nearly 10 years MHS has had a student rep

By Madison Lajewski

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

White Lake Mirror Writer

MONTAGUE — For the first time in almost 10 years, Montague city council has welcomed a student representative from Montague High School. Bailey Tallquist, a senior National Honor Society member, was elected and introduced in her new position at the last city council meeting Sept. 16.

“It’s an honor,” Tallquist said. “I didn’t know that we haven’t done this in a while. After I heard that, I thought ‘I can’t believe that’s me, bringing this back.’ I’m hoping that with me being part of starting it up again, that others after me will want to be part of it. Hopefully someone gets elected and nominated next year to do it, because I think it’s a great thing for students

to be part of that council, as a way to represent our school and explain the stuff that’s going on. Not focusing on sports, but on our extracurricular activities and keeping the community informed.”

Tallquist was elected as president of NHS by her peers because “they knew she could hold the responsibility,” said NHS advisor and MHS social studies teacher Tyler Frank. Frank added that he selected her for the position of student representative of the city council because of her work ethic and outstanding leadership skills.

“Bailey is the kind of student who’s always impressed me,” said Frank. “I had her as a freshman and I have her now as a senior. You give her the parameters of what you want accomplished, whether it’s an assignment or

project and without real encouragement or guidance, she can get it done. It’s refreshing to have a legitimate student leader and problem-solver.”

Frank was approached last school year by city clerk Kelly Markley, who has made it a recent goal to restart the student representative position as a part of her mission of expanding public education and knowledge on local government.

“I looked to our president, Bailey, who Mrs. Markley asked about last year and although Bailey was interested, it fell through due to timing,” Frank said. “Bailey’s the one we put forward because she’s a motivated individual. She’s really good at that and I think she’ll do a great job.”

City council members were enthusiastic about being more connected with MHS students, and learning more about activities and events at the high school because of Tallquist.

“I’m looking forward to giving my

school a voice more,” said Tallquist. “Telling the council what’s going on in our school buildings, like with assem-

Student rep continued on page 3

Sophie Riley (left, in sunlight) supervises a Nature Awaits field trip with a fourth-grade class earlier this year. Riley is a park interpreter for the Grand Region of the statewide program, which launched this spring. • Courtesy Photo

Montague senior Bailey Tallquist is the first student representative from the high school in 10 years. She will keep the city council informed on current happenings at Montague schools. • Courtesy Photo

A student looks

Courtesy Photo

A student looks over an informational book given to students who participate in the Nature Awaits field trips. The statewide program offers a free field trip to any 4thgrade class who chooses to participate. • Courtesy Photo

Second ‘visioning session’ focuses on restoration process

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — A second ‘visioning session’ took place Tuesday night at the White Lake Community Library as stakeholders and area residents gathered to continue sharing their hopes for the future of Sadony Bayou.

The session was the second of three planned meetings to devise a restoration plan for the bayou, which has never fully recovered from environmental damage it took from, among other things, the old DuPont/Chemours facility. A third session is planned for Dec. 4, intended to finalize a restoration plan. The meetings are being funded by the Lois M. Ekstrand Fund under guidance from the Community Foundation of Muskegon County.

As CEIC’s Marty Holtgren said during his portion of the presentation, though, the plan will also have to include sources of funding, so the work won’t be done then.

Holtgren presented findings the organization received from Grand Valley State professor Mark Luttenton, who collected water samples from the bayou in May and again in July, focusing on nitrate and phosphorus levels. The samplings found phosphorus was cycling through the bayou at acceptable ecological levels, but that nitrates were being retained at very high levels - levels that increased from 60% to 94% retention from May to July.

Water temperature sampling was also done from

Nature Awaits

dates and times. Riley said about 85 classes are scheduled to take a trip to a Grand Region park this fall. Statewide, Kemme said, the program is closing in on “one of every five fourth-graders who either have been or will be on a field trip this fall.”

“We had such a great time last spring debuting the program,” Riley said. “It was a lot to throw together all at once. We’re a completely brand new staff of interpreters. We all got our new jobs and got started quite quickly.”

Riley said seeing students slowly tap into an ability to connect to nature that they may not have even known they had is a big reason she enjoys her job, and especially why she focuses on the less stimulating part of the trip.

“We had a lot of kiddos that didn’t know how to make those connections with nature, and you could see their gears turning a

Impact Committee displays a proposed timeline for devising a restoration plan for Sadony Bayou during Tuesday’s visioning session. It was the second of three planned sessions. • Andy

Roberts/Mirror

the Pierson drain as well as the bayou, showing the Pierson water was at temperature levels conducive to aquatic life but that Sadony Bayou waters were far above that. Dissolved oxygen in Sadony Bayou increased from 4-11 milligrams per liter; five is the figure, Holtgren said, at which aquatic life is stressed.

Spencer High, a nonprofit design consultant from Querkus Creative, also presented as he did at the first meeting. High shared results collected from survey questions presented to the first meeting’s attendees regarding what they hoped to see from the bayou.

High’s results showed the most popular answer to “What would you like to see from a functioning Sadony Bayou?” was some version of “a balanced ecosystem.” Many wanted to see a restoration of the

little bit,” Riley said of her spring sessions, adding that several of the students who have come said they’d never been to Duck Lake before despite its proximity. “They started asking questions about the outdoors and being connected with their surroundings. I am a bit of a nerd about it, but it felt magical.”

Recently retired teachers, Kemme said, have been involved with the program as DNR educators. This gives credibility to the instruction that’s part of the field trips.

“They’re able to go out a couple hours at a time, walk around in the woods with kids and inspire them to be environmental stewards and just be curious about the world,” Kemme said.

Participants in the program also, Kemme said, receive a voucher to return to a state park for free with their families. The program

continued from page 1

also has accommodations for students with special needs, whether they be physical or mental.

“We’ve had kids with full inclusion classes with autism, or with wheelchairs, and deaf students have come out and explored the park,” Kemme said. “If teachers of students with special needs want, we’re more than happy and willing to do accommodations for them.”

Riley said she and others who work with the Nature Awaits program enjoy introducing young people to the outdoors, now more than ever.

“It’s a very important thing to our team,” Riley said. “With us being in a world that’s very reliant on technology, a lot of kids are exposed to video games and things - which is fun - but this is great to balance that out to provide a natural and less stimulating environment.”

bayou that followed historical processes from prior to European settlement, in hopes that in the future, such measures would not be needed to revisit the issue.

When asked what they didn’t like about the bayou, respondents said the ecological condition of it turned them off, particularly the dense algae that covers much of the water’s surface. Concerns about a potential restoration process included overuse of the bayou, a restoration being too “human-centric” rather than being focused on ecology, and the currently acceptable water quality of the Pierson drain being affected.

The evening concluded with a Q&A session, which included discussion of how the bayou’s water levels may fluctuate naturally if a restoration is successful, potential property easements to facilitate hiking opportunities in the bayou, and how much work with local municipalities would be necessary to enact a restoration.

Saturday, Sept. 28

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

Community electronics recycling event @ Montague Farmer’s Market, 2-4 p.m. Open to all in the White Lake area. Suggested donation of $2 for up to 10 items and $5 for more than 10 items. Full list of accepted materials at http://bit.ly/goodwillewaste.

Community Calendar

Wednesday, Oct. 2

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, Oct. 3

Fetch Cycling Group meets every

Thursday at 6 p.m. All levels welcome.

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

Adult Open Studio @ ACWL-Nuveen Center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring projects from home or explore supplies available in the classroom.

White River Township Hall meeting from 6:30-8 p.m. WRT Township

Hall. The topic will be Transitional Open Space zoning, and short-term rentals.

Friday, Oct. 4

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 - Charles E. Covell

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor

Charles Ellery Covell was born April 25, 1845 in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, one of 12 children of Calvin T. and Elizabeth (nee Coleman) Covell. He worked on his family farm. In January 1863 at the age of 18, he came to Whitehall, where he joined his brothers: Andrew, who came in 1856, and Lyman in 1859.

He began working for Messrs C. C. Thompson and A. J. Covell’s mill. Afterwards he worked for Joseph Hinchman & A. J. Covell.

His first business venture was in 1872, when he entered a partnership with his brother A. J. Covell as owner of a sawmill. The partnership existed until A. J.’s death in 1886. M. B. Covell entered the firm in 1891 and it then became known as C. E. & M. B. Covell mill, continuing until 1924.

With hard work and frugality, he worked until he became a successful businessman. He was part of the White Lake Transportation Co. along with his brothers A. J., M. B., and Capt. Peter D. Campbell.

C. E. Covell was township treasurer for six years, supervisor six years,

member of the village school board 33 years, chairman of the county board of supervisors one year, county road commissioner three years and village treasurer for several years.

Charles married Jessie Hedges in Whitehall Jan. 27, 1877. They had five children: Calvin T. (1879-1894); Guy S. (1881-1952); Blanche (1884-1955); Bessie (1886-1985) and Dora (18911982).

Charles Covell died at his home in Whitehall Oct. 25, 1924. His wife Jessie died Feb. 11, 1938. They are both buried in Oakhurst Cemetery.

Public hearing Oct. 22 to consider Hilite tax abatement

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer

WHITEHALL — An Oct. 22 public hearing is scheduled for the Whitehall city council to consider a property tax abatement for a Hilite International expansion, the council announced at Tuesday’s meeting.

The new addition to the Hilite facility - Acutex, Inc. - will be 30,000 square feet and a $3.25 million investment. The hearing will take place at 6

Student rep

blies and homecoming, things like that.”

Frank and Tallquist are both excited for the opportunities and education this will bring her during her time as a student representative.

“She can take these skills and put them into a more real-world setting, like this with the city council that’s be-

p.m. as part of the regularly scheduled council meeting.

City manager Scott Huebler announced during the meeting that the city of Whitehall has been approved for a tree planting grant by Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources for $3,000 to $4,000. It is unknown what species of trees will be planted, but Brian Armstrong of the Department of Public Works will be in charge of this.

This was followed up by Tanya Cabala requesting an inventory of trees

on public property that were damaged or removed because of the devastating thunderstorm in June. She hopes the city will start looking into replacing and replanting trees in their place. She suggested working with either Weesies Brothers or local students who are looking for volunteer hours for help.

Huebler discussed budget amendments due to public damage from the thunderstorm in June. The city had to move $40,000 from the general fund to local streets because the majority

continued from page 1

yond the comforts of school,” Frank said.

“Those skills she learns can be applied everywhere in life. Not just getting good grades and scores, and leading school clubs, but developing skills for the real world. I bet you she will do well in anything that she follows in that respect.”

of storm expenses included cleanup on local streets, as well as parks. Huebler said the city had accumulated a total of $575,000 in damages due to the storm. He said although it hurts financially, all funds are secure and will continue to be secure throughout the remaining fiscal year.

The council also approved an increase in rates at White Lake Marina. This is based on state guidelines.

St. Peter’s free breakfast Oct. 5

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, located on Old Channel Trail in Montague, will host a free community breakfast Saturday, Oct. 5, its first of the season.

Breakfasts are open to the community and are served the first Saturday of the month from 9-10:30 a.m. All are invited to enjoy food and fellowship.

Great Gatsby discussion at Fetch Oct. 15

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

Raise a glass to good literature and great conversation! The library will host a discussion of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel

The Great Gatsby at Fetch Brewing Tuesday, Oct 15, at 5:30 p.m. We’ll explore the themes of wealth, social class, the American Dream, and the Roaring Twenties. We’ll also test your knowledge with some just-for-fun Gatsby-themed trivia! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow readers--and enjoy a great brew, if you’d like! Please register at wlclib.org/calendar to let us know you’ll join in the conversation.

This event is part of the Big Read Lakeshore project, an annual program that brings communities together over shared reading. This year’s titles include The Great Gatsby and the graphic novel American Born Chinese for adults and teens. The middle grade selection is Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir, and the picture book Dreamers was chosen for young readers. This will be the featured book on the library’s story trail beginning Oct. 1.

This year’s program will feature more than 150 events for readers of all ages in Ottawa, Allegan and Muskegon counties. These include lectures, craft events, movie nights, storytimes, book discussions, and even escape rooms. For more information and to explore all events, visit bigreadlakeshore.com. To see just the events planned for Muskegon County, go to madl.org/BR.

FUN FACT: Did you know The Great Gatsby was not F. Scott Fitzgerald’s first choice for the title of this now-famous

book? Other options that were considered at the time included On the Road to West Egg, Gold-Hatted Gatsby, and Trimalchio.

Floral Doodling Craft Oct. 21

Let your inner artist bloom at the library! Adults are invited to a Floral Doodle Acrylic Painting craft event Monday, Oct. 21 at 5:30 p.m. This nocost, beginner-friendly workshop is perfect for adults looking to explore their creative side. You’ll receive all the supplies needed for the craft and follow along with a step-by-step video instruction from a talented CreativeBug instructor. Let your imagination bloom as you experiment with colors and patterns. Supplies are limited so reserve your spot today!

Can’t make it that night? You can watch this CreativeBug video – and thousands of others - from home with your library card! Crafters of all ages can explore a huge collection of video classes for all ages and skill levels.

Painting, knitting, sketching, and many other kinds of creating are all offered through a variety of short lessons and daily practice ideas. Try the crocheted Halloween appliques, sew some animal baby slippers, or make a pop-up flower greeting card for a friend. You can find the CreativeBug link on our website, or go straight to creativebug. com/lib/wlclib.

DeMumbrum

• Courtesy Photo

Lake Mirror Lake Mirror

NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE community

Vikings take command late, top Montague

Whitehall ends game with 36 unanswered points

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — Whitehall faced a tough challenge even before Friday’s game with Montague, as the Vikings were forced to work around a season-ending foot injury to captain and two-way starter Parker Mott that took place at the end of Wednesday’s practice.

Perhaps still adjusting to that new reality, it took a half for the Vikings to break out against their archrivals, but once they did the results were remarkable, as they ripped off the final 36 points of a 42-7 victory.

Coach Tony Sigmon heaped credit on Jacob Alger for taking over Mott’s starting position on the offensive line as well as Nate Betz for doing so on defense. Betz earned Whitehall’s only sack on defense.

“I’m very happy with a lot of things tonight,” Sigmon said. “There’s still things, obviously, that we’ve got to clean up and it’s an evolution over time, but we’ve had a lot of adversity. I’m just proud of our kids for overcoming all of it and really having a strong week.”

The onslaught started on the final play of the first half. Scrambling to get a play off before halftime, quarterback Camden Thompson ended up doing his trademark moving around in the backfield before finding teammate Hunter Osborne in the end zone for a 15-yard score that gave Whitehall a

14-7 halftime lead.

After Montague (2-2, 2-1 West Michigan Conference Lakes) forced a punt to open the third quarter, the Wildcats caught a bad break when the ball bounced into a blocker on the return unit, and the Vikings (2-2, 2-0 WMC Lakes) recovered. Brock Morningstar scored from 29 yards out on the next play.

“We’ve just got to work on coming together when things like that happen, and not letting one bad mistake turn into 10 bad plays, because that’s kind of what happened,” Montague coach Justin Dennett said. “It fell apart real quick in the second half after we made one bad mistake.”

After Morningstar’s run made it 217, a three-and-out followed, and Goodrich took an option pitch to run for a 43-yard touchdown. Thompson ran in a 25-yard score soon after and the rout was on.

Thompson had four total touchdowns, three on the ground and the big throw to Osborne, and made another key play on the drive that preceded that big throw when he found Ryan Goodrich out of the backfield after a lengthy scramble. He also picked off a pass in the end zone on defense.

Sigmon cracked after the game that “believe it or not,” the Vikings have been working on the “scramble drill” so Thompson’s ability to extend plays can be made a positive for Whitehall. The two throws to Goodrich and Osborne were Exhibits A and B of that work.

“We were yelling out all practice on Wednesday, ‘Jailbreak,’” Sigmon said. “Part of our 7-on-7 was, ‘Here’s the pass combination. Here’s the defense.

Jailbreak and go.’ We didn’t allow him to throw until four seconds into the actual play. I think that was part of it. So much of that stuff, you try to draw it up

and it’ll never work. That’s so much on those kids and not giving up and play-

Vikes win rivalry

continued on page 5

Wildcats beat Whitehall for 8th straight win

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — A fast start propelled Montague to a rivalry victory over Whitehall Tuesday night, 25-14, 25-18, 25-18, just the latest impressive performance for the Wildcats.

Senior setter Jaelyn Sundberg continued her steady work, piloting the offense with 26 assists as the Wildcats grabbed a double-digit lead early in game one and never looked back. Whitehall briefly held a 14-11 lead and pushed Montague to an 18-18 tie in game two, but the ‘Cats finished with seven straight points to win that one, and an 8-8 tie in game three also did not last long as Montague rolled to victory.

Coach Gretchen Schneider said getting off to a fast start was a point of emphasis for Montague after it dropped the first game of a match against Whitehall last Thursday at the Big Rapids Quad. Montague went on to win that match in three games.

“That just wasn’t going to happen tonight,” Schneider said of the previous slow start. “We knew what we had to do so we came out strong and

set the tempo and never let them steal that tempo.”

Schneider added that she told her team, “They woke a sleeping giant,” after that first-game loss the previous week.

Sundberg credited her senior teammates with leading the way all night. Montague (14-6-2, 2-1 West Michigan Conference Lakes) played cohesive, connected volleyball throughout the match, with Maizie Collins’ eight kills leading the offense and Jordan Netcott’s 15 digs anchoring the defense.

“I think the seniors really carried that game,” Sundberg said. “We all talked about it before the game. We were so excited. We didn’t go into it cocky, we went into it confident.”

That focused mindset has propelled Montague to eight consecutive wins since a conference-opening loss to Fremont. The Wildcats know they’ll likely have to win the remainder of their league matches in order to earn the #1 seed in the WMC Lakes tournament, and it’s a goal they are focused on achieving.

“That’s one of our goals,” Schneider said. “We’re still feeling the pain of that dropped game to Fremont early,

and Kailyn

Ava Pumford

games. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

and that’s going to come back to haunt us a little bit, but we’re going to come strong.”

The Wildcats are reaping the benefits of an offseason spent bonding with Schneider, in her first year coaching at Montague. The new coach wasted little time instituting team-building activities after getting the job in Feb-

ruary; “we all just clicked,” Sundberg said.

Among other things, the Wildcats visited her house, went on a kayaking trip, and had a sleepover in the arena under the volleyball net, bookended

WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER

Montague’s Fletcher Thommen tries to break loose of a tackle by Whitehall’s Camden Thompson during Friday’s rivalry game at Whitehall. The Vikings won, 42-7.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague’s

connects on an attack against Whitehall’s Brianna Bentz (9)

Skuse during Tuesday’s match at Montague. The Wildcats won in 3 straight

Whitehall running back Gavin Craner rounds the corner as Montague’s Talan Degen stays on his heels during Friday’s game at Whitehall. The Vikings won, 42-7. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Rockets roll to homecoming win over Union, 48-13

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Reeths-Puffer got a break from its meat grinder of a schedule Friday night with a game against an undermanned Union program, and the Rockets took advantage of the chance with a 48-13 win to open O-K Green Conference play.

R-P (2-2, 1-0 O-K Green) wasted no time running over the Red Hawks, taking a 34-0 lead into the halftime break behind big plays from Bryce Muskovin and Marvin Moore. Muskovin carried for over 225 yards on only five attempts, scoring five touchdowns (including a 25-yard receiving score), and Moore rang up a 49-yard score on a pass reception and an 85-yard TD on a reverse.

Coach Cody Kater said he and the coaches didn’t even have to remind their team not to overlook Union because of how “detail-oriented” they have been this season.

“I think in years previous, we’d have said, ‘Hey, don’t overlook these guys, these guys can beat you,’ but we are so detail-oriented,” Kater said. “Not just the X’s and O’s but the team portion, the character building piece. We’ve been so dialed into that...we haven’t had time for that conversation. We’ve talked about creating a better team and a better brotherhood and getting better at football.”

R-P was as good as it’s been all season in all phases. The Rocket defense,

unable to create a turnover in the first three weeks, got three Friday and turned them all into scores. The big plays on offense were a welcome sight, as was Moore breaking loose.

“That was the Marvin we’ve been seeing in practice and been waiting for,” Kater said. “We’ve been waiting for him to find a comfort zone and perform the way he did tonight.”

Quarterback Mason Darke continued to progress running the offense. Darke hasn’t yet had the same kind of statistical breakout game enjoyed by Muskovin and Moore, but the Rockets are confident it’s coming.

“It’s going to come,” Kater said. “He’s working his tail off. He probably had three or four runs for around 3040 yards. He had some decent runs. He had a touchdown called back on (illegal formation), where he got to the sideline and showed his speed. There are spurts of it. We’re asking him to play quarterback and not play athlete, and he’s making progress.”

R-P will return to a difficult schedule this week with a game against Forest Hills Northern, the first of a fourgame stretch in which the Rockets will face three teams who received votes in this week’s AP rankings.

“We’re going to be right in the meat of this,” Kater said. “It’ll get our younger programs a chance to improve as well, because they’re playing tougher opponents than we’ve ever played in the school’s history...We’re just focusing on us and finding ways to improve.”

Vikes win rivalry

ing their hearts out.”

It was a team effort offensively for the Vikings, which got 142 offensive yards from Goodrich, 157 from Thompson and big plays from Gavin Craner and Corde Anderson along the way.

It all started up front, though, with Alger and his more experienced teammates.

“Those guys are amazing,” Thompson said. “The linemen are amazing. They work their (butts) off every day. Every single day, they watch film, they do everything they need to. It was a little slow in the first half, sure, but they just don’t stop. They keep going. They’re conditioned well. I love those guys.

“Our line knows I’m going to be scrambling around for a little bit, so they’re not getting downfield (which would be a penalty). I think that’s a huge part of our game. It opens up a lot more, especially when things go wrong.”

Montague played Ryver Jarka at quarterback the majority of the game, bringing in Eli Petersen mostly in obvious passing situations. Montague’s only two pass attempts in the first half came on fourth downs - one completed, one intercepted by Thompson in the end zone. The Viking defense zeroed in on Jarka’s running ability and were able to limit him to less than three yards per carry. In all, Montague managed 166 yards of offense.

“They were keying on Ryver,” Dennett said. “He’s been our guy

Rockets post best score of season, Montague outscores Whitehall at R-P Invite

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

All three local golf squads competed at Friday’s Reeths-Puffer Invitational, with the Rockets leading the trio with a third-place finish and its best 18-hole score of the season.

R-P posted a total score of 353, again led by top players Sophia McCollum and Rowan Bluhm, who finished second and third respectively on the individual leaderboard.

Both played consistently throughout the day, making worse than a bogey on a hole only once apiece. McCollum had an impressive chip-in on the third hole, and Bluhm shot a birdie on the par-3 sixth hole.

“Rowan and Sophia both played great on the same day for one of the first times this year,” Rockets’ coach Matt Pallett said. “They are definitely a great one-two punch for the team.”

Ella Voorhies posted a 94 for R-P, slicing her personal best down by 11

strokes - the third consecutive time she has beaten her previous personal best - and going four over par on her final nine holes. Olivia Ambler made a birdie on the par-4 13th hole and shot a 98.

Montague, notably, outdueled Whitehall for the first time this season, shooting a 384 to the Vikings’ 397 to earn seventh place out of 12 teams despite being the only Division 4 school in the field.

Cadence Fox led the Wildcats with a 92, followed by Braylyn Bultema’s 93. Fox birdied the par-3 sixth hole. Brynlee Kessler posted a 99 and Addi Smith added a 100.

“The girls keep pressing forward,” Montague coach Phil Kerr said.

Grace McDowell continued her steady play for the Vikings, who took ninth place. She led the team with a 90. Riley Shafer and Kelsie McClure each scored a 99, and Morgan Garcia closed out team scoring with a 109.

Rained-out events rescheduled

Tuesday night’s heavy rainfall resulted in the postponement of two sporting events this week. Both have been rescheduled.

The GMAA golf tournament at White Lake Golf Club was postponed

continued from page 4

the last couple weeks and we knew we’d have to throw the ball a little bit tonight, and we couldn’t. That’s just something we’ve got to work on. We’ve got to be less one-dimensional and be able to throw the ball in those situations when they’re able to take away our run game.”

Montague’s lone score, which at the time gave the ‘Cats a 7-6 lead, was set up by an acrobatic Fletcher Thommen interception that set up a short field. Thommen ran in a one-yard touchdown on the ensuing drive.

“Fletcher made an incredible play and then he ran the ball well and scored right after it,” Dennett said. “Things were really rolling then and we thought we were in a good spot. Even before then, we had a couple good drives that we

just couldn’t finish.”

Both teams have WMC Lakes tests next week, with Montague hitting the road to face a tough Ludington team that toppled Oakridge Friday, while the Vikings host Manistee for homecoming.

Whitehall will be focused on continuing its conference success as it will now be expected to take a run at a fourth straight league championship.

“I don’t care who you play, but when you start out 1-2, I think that’s something where people are like, ‘What’s the identity? How good are these guys? What does that all mean?’” Sigmon said. “On top of that, to have an injury to our captain late on Wednesday, it was a lot for us to overcome, but this is a special group and it was able to do that tonight.”

after the rain created unplayable conditions. The course will now host the GMAA event Monday, Oct. 14.

Tuesday’s Mona Shores @ Reeths-Puffer

soccer game was called off during the JV matchup due to the conditions. The varsity game will now be played Monday, Oct. 7 at 5:30 p.m.

Sports in Brief

Soccer

Caledonia 4 Reeths-Puffer 1 Cohen Beck had the Rockets’ only goal of the game as R-P lost its 4th consecutive game. R-P fell to 2 games out of 1st place in the O-K Greeen.

Reeths-Puffer 7 Grandville 1 Trent Hanks had 2 goals for the Rockets, and Nick Clemens and Kaleb Fowler each scored a goal and had an assist. Liam Copenhaver got the win in goal.

Volleyball

Montague 3-0, Whitehall 2-1 at Big Rapids Quad

edged Whitehall in a tough 3-game match, 25-21, 13-25, 15-8. Both teams beat Big Rapids and Lake City. Jordan Netcott had 44 digs for the Wildcats and Maizie Collins had 19 kills. Jaelyn Sundberg passed out 32 asissts. For Whitehall, Aaliyah Jamison had 30 digs and Bella Fogus posted 23 kills. Sidney Shepherd had 25 assists.

Golf

Reeths-Puffer 2nd at Jenison Jamboree R-P earned its highest finish of the O-K Green season in its final jamboree. Sophia McCollum led the Rockets with a 40, good for 3rd place on the individual leaderboard.

Tennis

Reeths-Puffer 0-3 at Traverse City Central Quad

Reeths-Puffer dropped three matches at the quad, falling 7-1 to stateranked T.C. Central and Glen Lake, as well as a 5-3 defeat to Big Rapids. Adam Miller, at #4 singles, won a pair of matches.

Byron Center 8 Reeths-Puffer 0

The Bulldogs overwhelmed R-P in an O-K Green match. The Rockets fell to 1-2-1 in conference duals with the defeat.

Cross Country

Reeths-Puffer girls 5th, boys 7th at Cougar Falcon Jersi Bilek led the R-P finishers, coming in 4th in the girls’ race with a season-best time of 19:36.9. Jack Yonkman led the boys, coming in 28th.

Whitehall 2 Oakridge 1 Whitehall earned

straight conference win. Ian Hinze and Tyler Van Antwerp put in goals for the Vikings, and Andon Palmer made 9 saves.

Whitehall T-3rd at Allegan Invite

The Vikings had an impressive day, outscoring a pair of top-10 ranked teams in D-4 (Lumen Christi and Notre Dame Prep). Evan Schuitema led the Vikings, finishing 2nd at #3 singles. Two doubles pairs, Jon Hall/ Myles Welch and Evan Thomas/Elijah Roberge, each took 3rd place.

Caledonia 3 Reeths-Puffer 0

R-P opened a burtal league slate - 4 of 5 league opponents received votes in the latest MIVCA poll - with a loss. Aubree Wilks had 10 digs and Alissa Klopp led the ofense wtih 6 kills.

Whitehall’s Ryan Goodrich outruns Montague defenders Dylan Bailey (11) and Kaiden Jeffery to the end zone during Friday’s game at Whitehall. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Magical ride continues

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — Montague’s magical 2024 season continued Monday night with a hard-fought, physical 3-2 victory over Oakridge, fueled by some remarkable work in goal by senior and first-year keeper Robby Smith. With the score tied 2-2 and 26 minutes to play, Smith made a diving deflection of a point-blank shot by Oakridge’s Connor Arevalo, sparking an opportunity in the transition game. The Wildcats cashed in that chance with Trevor Trevino’s second goal of the game, which turned out to be the game-winner. That extended Montague’s program-best win streak to 10.

through the Montague defense.

The Wildcats haven’t had to face a lot of on-field adversity, but with their perfect conference season on the line, they rose to the challenge to keep it going.

Smith was a big reason it was a game-winner, turning back a direct free kick with a one-handed save with nine minutes to go. His defensive teammates then walled off an indirect free kick after the Wildcats were whistled for a foul.

“That save he had was epic,” Montague coach Brandon Mahoney said of the one-handed stop, which came despite the ball being deflected by a teammate. “It was one of those ones where you can see the deflection coming, it’s going in the corner, and you’re like, ‘How did Robby see that? How did he get his hand on that?’ Amazing work.”

It was a bit of a surprise that Montague (13-2, 7-0 West Michigan Conference) had to fight so hard for the win after a dominant first half ended with a 2-0 Wildcat lead. Trevino got on the board first, 7:24 into the game, with a great individual effort, beating the Eagle keeper to a long pass and getting around him for an easy tap-in. Montague later got off to a quick start after an injury delay that resulted in a Javari Aldridge score.

Oakridge’s Landon Meacher ensured things wouldn’t be easy for Montague in the second half, scoring two impressive goals in under three minutes. His second goal was a jaw-dropping 40-plus yard laser off his right foot after weaving his way

“When those two goals happened, we dumped it out,” Smith said. “We forgot about it. It was a 0-0 game (for us) at that point. We’ve just got to keep playing our game, keep playing Montague soccer. When we do that, we score goals.”

Mahoney said he wasn’t surprised at his team’s response to the Oakridge surge, which amounted to getting back to basics. For Montague, that means getting the ball on the feet of Lucas Husband and Jonah Henderson, two of its best ballhandlers, and letting them go to work.

“When (Husband) and Henderson can possess back there in that defensive mid spot and then we can build up from there, we have so many more opportunities,” Mahoney said.

Trevino, the league’s top goal-scorer, continued to excel despite drawing extra attention from every opponent. In addition to his two goals, Trevino was credited by Mahoney with having a handful of crossing passes that, had a teammate been in position to finish, could’ve produced more goals.

Being more efficient with those scoring chances will be a focus for Montague down the stretch as it looks to secure its first-ever WMC championship. It won’t be easy; North Muskegon, with only one league loss, is chomping at the heels of the ‘Cats, and the two teams are slated to close WMC play against each other. Before that,

Montague must take on a very good Fremont squad - on the road - that beat the Wildcats twice last season.

“Fremont, last year, played us pretty physical in both of the matches we had them, during the season and during that (district) semifinal,” Mahoney said. “They played us very physical. I think playing this physical match beforehand and not having an easy time with it is helpful. I think if we would have come in here and it would have been a 8-0 (game), we would have gone in with probably too much

confidence, right on the verge of being cocky. We’ve got to reset. We know what we can do. We’ve got to finish the opportunities. We’ve all got to work. They’ve really done a great job with that all season.

“We’re used to always being the hunter at the end of the season, trying to knock off somebody big, whether that’s a North Muskegon or a Whitehall or whatever, and now everybody’s coming to us and they want to take us.

The boys have stood up to the pressure, which is good.”

Smith

Montague keeper Robby Smith (on ground) dives to stop a shot by Oakridge’s Connor Arevalo during Monday’s WMC game at Montague. Smith made several key saves in a 3-2 Wildcats’ victory. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague‘s Trevin Silvers races Oakridge’s Cole Wigger to the ball during Monday’s game at Montague. The Wildcats won, 3-2.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague’s Hunter Phipps takes a tumble while battling with Oakridge defenders for the ball during Monday’s WMC game at Montague. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Vikings sputter against #12 T.C. St. Francis

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — Whitehall picked a rough time to face Division 3 #12-ranked Traverse City St. Francis last Thursday. With the Vikings having lost leading scorer Mason Mulnix to a season-ending injury earlier this month and a virus working its way through the team, on top of playing a sixth game in an 11-day stretch, there was a lot working against them.

Whitehall couldn’t do much to overcome those obstacles, losing a 7-1 decision to the Gladiators, who controlled possession pretty much throughout and showed some impressive skill along the way.

St. Francis’ Liam Donnell scored twice on headers delivered off of corner kicks, and Sam McMann had a nifty goal where he evaded a trio of Viking defenders, then flipped the ball off his right foot while running to his left.

Whitehall coach Adam Prince was disappointed in the mentality of the team, blaming himself for not getting the Vikings more up to face the highly-ranked foe.

“(I) was just trying to find somebody that had a little bit of spark or wanted to be out there,” Prince said. “That’s on me, trying to get the guys

prepared and ready after three games this week. I didn’t do a good enough job of it.”

Whitehall (4-7) hung in with St. Francis for the first 20 minutes despite all it was facing, surrendering only one goal in that span and manufacturing a couple of scoring chances. However, once the Gladiators put in a second goal - Donnell’s first of two - the air seemed to come out of the Vikes’ collective balloon. St. Francis led 3-0 at halftime and had another goal waved off for an offsides call.

The visitors poured in three more goals in the first 20 minutes of the second half to essentially ice the game.

The game was the latest to feature Garrett Taylor at keeper, with previous keeper Andon Palmer in an offensive role. Prince said the move was made because the Vikings needed more offense after Mulnix’ injury and Palmer has the skill to provide it.

“We figured out that Andon gives us a little bit more speed and hustle up on the top, and without Mason being here anymore, we need him (there) more than we do Garrett playing defense in the back,” Prince said. “It also gives us another one of our captains that’s out in the middle of the field, being able to talk to people, instead of sitting in the goal waiting for the ball.”

St. Francis appeared poised to win the game by mercy rule when it put in a seventh goal with 19:45 to play, but with some reserves in the game, Whitehall began to perform better and even got on the board with a Carter Burrous goal, ensuring the contest would go all 80 minutes.

“When the new guys came off the bench, they busted their butts while they were out there,” Prince said.

Whitehall now hopes to bounce back. The schedule continues to be

grueling, as the Vikings face threegame weeks each of the next two weeks as well.

“Hopefully we can get over this virus that’s been floating around,” Prince said. “It started with the coaches and went all the way down through the whole team. If we can get through that and get everybody healthy again, maybe this can be a big learning experience for us. I can only hope that going forward that they took their woes today and (can) push it to the other side.”

Ragnar Relay makes its way through area

by scrimmages against their parents that Schneider dubbed “Moms and Munchies at night and Dads and Donuts in the morning.”

“When you spend time with each other, it’s just an easy connection,” Schneider said. “We’ve overcome some hurdles very fast by just taking the time to get to know them and letting down my guard to let them learn who I am as well. We’ve blended our team quite well.”

Whitehall (7-9, 1-2 WMC Lakes) struggled early in the match and was never able to fully recover. The Vikings, coach Ted Edsall said, showed improvements in passing and serving, but couldn’t put it together with a strong attack. The team posted only a .056 hitting percentage. Sidney Shepherd led the way with 11 kills, and Lou Mulder had 13 assists.

“We were ready,” Edsall said. “We had a great game plan and a good practice. We played them Thursday, lost in three, played good, and (tonight) we just didn’t show up. It happens. We’ve got four (sophomores) on the floor and this is their first Whitehall/Montague match. They were actually OK. I just thought their best was better than our best.”

Schneider credited her team - and its hardworking attitude - with providing the “best” that was too much for Whitehall.

“I get the pleasure of orchestrating this whole operation, but it’s all these girls,” Schneider said. The girls come in strong. They come in motivated. They come in skilled...It’s hard for me to get them to leave. They stay after practice quite frequently, so to get them to go home is hard.”

The Ragnar Relays made their way to Michigan over the weekend, as teams completed trips from Traverse City to Muskegon.

There are over 20 Ragnar events nationwide each year, with this one featuring a course that largely hugged the Lake Michigan shoreline. Teams of 12 runners gathered to race in the event, which saw each runner com-

plete three legs in a 36-hour span. Each relay leg was between 2 and 9.1 miles long, with teams completing nearly 200 miles of running in all. One of the relay’s final stops was the Montague Township Park Saturday morning, which saw team members use slap bracelets to signal the baton had been passed to a new runner.

Montague’s Maizie Collins lines up her shot during Tuesday’s match against the Whitehall Vikings. Sidney Shepherd

and Kailyn Skuse defend for Whitehall. The Wildcats won, 3-0.

At right, Whitehall’s Bella Fogus fires her spike at Montague middle hitters Reagan Cederquist (left) and Emalee McGee.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall’s Tommy Leeke tries to knock the ball loose from Traverse City St. Francis’ Liam Donnell during Thursday’s game at Whitehall. The Vikings lost, 7-1.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Above,

(7)

Images from the Montague Township Park handoff point of this weekend’s Ragnar Relay, which went from Traverse City to Muskegon. • Andy Roberts/Mirror Photos

Police activity this week

Behind the Badge

Whitehall Police Report

Sept. 18

A resident of the 1200 block of Colby St. called police to report someone had broken into her apartment. Officers were dispatched at 4 p.m. and the caller told the officer that food and clothing were taken while she was gone for an hour in the afternoon. There was no sign of forced entry and the suspect was not captured on her Ring camera. The woman said she believed someone had a key to her apartment. The report noted that there have been several, similar calls to that apartment in the past.

An officer observing traffic at 6:48 p.m. did a routine computer check of a license plate which showed the vehicle was uninsured. The officer then learned from the computer history that a driver associated with the vehicle had a suspended license. After matching the system photo with the driver, the officer contacted the suspect in the 1300 block of Colby St. The 36-year-old admitted to the officer that he did not have a license and the Whitehall Township man was cited for DWLS before being released when another driver arrived for the vehicle.

Sept. 19

A report of an assault was sent to the Muskegon County Prosecutor after

Fishing Report

Here is this week’s fishing report provided by the Michigan DNR.

Grand Haven - Steelhead and immature Chinook salmon were caught 40 to 100 down in 140 to 220 feet of water. Spoons worked best in the colors of green and orange. Pier anglers found the salmon action to be slow, however a few were caught casting glow spoons in low light conditions.

Muskegon - Boat anglers were catching a mix of immature Chinook salmon and steelhead in 140 to 200 feet of water. Most were caught 50 to 90 down on orange and green spoons.

one neighbor sprayed another with a garden hose. Officers were dispatched to the 100 block of N Livingston St. at 3:39 p.m., where the caller reported she was in her yard cooking chicken when it occurred. The suspect in the case reported he was in his backyard and the woman was shouting vulgarities about his wife.

Sept. 20

At 10:45 a.m. a traffic crash was reported at the intersection of Division and Slocum streets. A vehicle driven by a 79-year-old Whitehall man was traveling north on Division. A 37-year-old Montague man was driving a vehicle east on Slocum. After stopping at the sign, the second vehicle failed to notice the northbound car and struck the rear driver’s side. No one was injured or cited in the crash.

A resident of the 500 block of Mears Ave. reported that her campaign yard signs were stolen from her yard during the overnight. The incident was reported at 10:45 a.m. and there are no suspects or leads in the case.

A private property crash was reported in the 600 block of Colby St. Officers were dispatched at 2:01 p.m. the crash was investigated on scene. A 16-year-old Muskegon woman said she was backing from a spot and did not see the other vehicle until she had struck it, causing minor damage to the other vehicle while there was no damage to hers. The other car was unoccupied but the owner was contacted. No further action was taken.

At 3:24 another private property crash was reported to police. The caller reported her car was parked and unoccupied when it was struck by the second vehicle. That second vehicle was entering an adjacent parking space but did not navigate correctly, causing minor damage to both cars. There were no citations written for the crash.

A Fruitland Township resident reported they had items stolen during the football game Friday. The victim told the officer working the event that she was in the student section when her purse was taken and several other students also had things taken. Using “find my phone,” the purse was located in a small alcove at the middle school but $15 cash was missing. The caller told the officer her friends also found most of their things in similar locations. The case remains under investigation.

Sept. 21

A resident of the 1200 block of Colby St. reported she was scammed, but thwarted any loss by calling her bank in time. The woman related that she had been called by a person a few days prior and the caller said she was late on a credit card payment. Knowing she didn’t have that credit card, she resisted, but the caller was threatening to charge exorbitant fees if she did not pay immediately. The victim did give her account information to the caller, but then called her bank before the money was taken. No other action was taken.

Sept. 22

Whitehall Police were dispatched to a report of unknown trouble when a caller reported someone was screaming for help. When the officer arrived to the 1100 block of Colby St. at 12:46 p.m. he located a resident who was having a birthday party for kids but claimed they were not loud. A neighbor in the building stepped into the hall and said that the group was in fact loud. The first resident was warned to be considerate of her neighbors.

A person out for a walk in the 300 block of Hall St. called police, concerned a man was yelling at his 10-yearold child. When the officer arrived at the 6:39 p.m. call he found the resident

was watching a football game and may have been yelling about the game. No further action was taken.

Sept. 23

A minor crash occurred on Country Club Road at Southgate at 1:27 p.m. A 19-year-old New Era man was traveling west on Country Club when he overshot the intersection where he wanted to turn. He then started to back up but did not see that there had been a vehicle directly behind him. That second vehicle was driven by a 67-year-old Whitehall resident who was heading home on westbound Country Club. Only the second car was damaged and no citations were issued.

An Indiana man reported his moped was stolen from the 300 block of Lake St. The man came to the Whitehall Police office at 3:43 p.m. and said that he last used the moped on the 15th. When he returned today the moped was gone. There were no cameras in the area and there are no suspects or leads in the case.

Sept. 24

The SRO was contacted to assist in returning a student to his home. When the SRO arrived at the middle school at 12:09 p.m. the student was running a vacuum in the office, disrupting the daily operations. The SRO was also told that the 13-year-old had been repeatedly using a vulgar term that had recent social media prominence. After being taken to the office, he left to go to lunch and was told to stay because he was in detention, at which point he cursed at the principal. The youth then ran down the hall shouting and yelling into classrooms and trying to pull posters off the wall. The SRO offered the student a ride home but he refused and walked home in the rain followed by the SRO. The incident report will be sent to Family Court for review.

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The Whitehall High School homecoming court consists of, left to right, front row, Sidney Shepherd, Adalyn Britton, Audrey Conners, Grace McDowell, Gracie Peterson and Lianne Fagan; second row, Mansah Waller, Jacob Lewis, Jud Musk, Delainey Shepherd, Brady Tate, Andon Palmer, Ryan Goodrich, Tyler Van Antwerp, Camden Thompson, Drew Boeringa, Sawyer Sines and Carter Burrous. The school will crown its homecoming king and queen at halftime of Friday’s football game against Manistee.

Jody Romine/Courtesy Photo

Reeths-Puffer High School crowned homecoming king Yuri Mills and homecoming queen Cambree Bowen following Friday’s football victory over Union.

Joe Lane/Courtesy Photo