The Oceana Echo - Volume 3, Issue 22, October 24, 2025 by theoceanaecho

Thank you to our most recent donors to our Lead this Legacy Fundraising Campaign

READER:

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

October is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, and the Oceana Echo invites our readers to enjoy a two-part informative series highlighting the stories of two Oceana County residents whose lives were saved by the heroic efforts of family and friends following their own cardiac events this summer. We, along with their family and friends, are so thankful they are still with us. May their stories inspire, challenge and bring hope to all.

Two days before Mother’s Day this year, Barbara and Tom Sims, of Hart, were spending the night at home celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary. They enjoyed preparing a special surf and turf meal, complete with champagne, and were enjoying it together in their library when Barb told Tom she’d take care of the dishes and asked him to pick out a movie.

Suddenly the evening took a very different turn, as Barbara explained, “Tom was perfectly fine. We’d just finished our

Rilla

Part 1: The Heart of the Matter - Celebrating Tom & Barbara Sims

dinner and were enjoying looking at our wedding book. Normally I would have started putting things away in the kitchen, but then I told myself, ‘No, it’s my anniversary too - this can wait.’ I went to join Tom in the library, and he was completely unconscious. He didn’t have a pulse and was not breathing. His eyes were open, but I thought I’d lost him. Immediately I thought to check his mouth to see if he’d choked on some food and he bit my finger. I knew he was still in there and immediately called 911.”

She stopped to share that she often can’t find her phone, and if she can, it isn’t always charged. Miraculously, it was right on their coffee table.

Barbara continued, “I called 911 and had them on speakerphone, but I hung up, saying I was certified in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and to please hurry. In hindsight, I wished I would have stayed on the phone with 911. Tom was slumped down on our loveseat, and I couldn’t move him. I started doing compressions, but the chair was too soft. I grabbed our wedding book and put it behind a pillow he had behind his back and started again.”

Those who have taken CPR training in the distant past may remember it was recommended to give 15 compressions, followed by two breaths, until help arrived. Recent studies have shown that it is just as effective to perform chest compressions only. Current training teaches participants to do chest compressions to the beat of the Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive.” That’s how fast someone needs to do CPR compressions for it to be the most effective. And that’s exactly what Barbara did.

“I could feel I was getting his ribs to move. They tell you in training you should press hard enough to make them go down. I worked at compressions for a good five minutes,

and it was getting laborious. I kept calling Tom’s name and telling him, ‘I’m not losing you on our anniversary!’ Just before help arrived, Tom started to blink his eyes and move his head. I could hardly believe it. The CPR was working! Finally, after what seemed like forever, the EMTs and four members of the Hart Fire Department arrived. It was one of those nights where there were three other emergencies going on in the county at the same time. Even though Tom was conscious, the EMTs were insistent we needed to get him up and on the gurney because he would probably have another episode. And sure enough, two or three minutes later he flatlined. But this time he was hooked up. The firemen who had been on another emergency arrived next. Instead of shocking him, because compressions had worked for me, they started doing compressions again. I calmly, but firmly, told Tom, ‘No, you’re not leaving me!’ I talked to him the whole time. I was blowing on his face, telling him to stay with me. I was positive we could do this. I told the EMTs, ‘We’re not going to lose Tom.’ I was a woman on a mission!”

By then the neighborhood had gathered and wanted to know how they could help. Barb took charge once again and said she’d be fine. She promised she would keep everyone posted and followed the ambulance to Trinity Health Shelby Hospital.

“To be honest, I need-

ed to be alone. I expected to see a corpse when I got to the hospital. I found out later Tom had flatlined a third time in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, but when I got out of my car at the hospital, I could hear Tom’s laugh and him telling the EMTs, ‘When I told Barb our dinner was to die for, I wasn’t serious.’

By this time the reality of what had just occurred started to sink in. Barb was afraid she’d done the compressions wrong and wondered if she should have done something differently. The EMTs and the staff at the hospital reassured her saying, “Look at him, he’s alive, you did everything right!”

After Tom was stabilized in Shelby, he was taken to Grand Rapids for further evaluation and a short hospital stay. “I had what is called ventricular tachycardia. Basically my heart raced, and then it stopped,” he said. “I asked both my EMTs and my

doctor what the chances are that someone is brought back after something like this. The EMTs relayed that it is rare they get to talk to someone after such an event.”

Tom recalled that when he got to the hospital, Barb hadn’t arrived, and he was able to sign his own admission paperwork. “I talked with Mike (Barefoot) all the way to Grand Rapids, and he said in 15 years of running up and down the freeway with patients, that was the first time anyone had signed their own paperwork!”

Tom continued, “Thankfully I didn’t have any blockages. I had a pacemaker/defibrillator installed, and through the wonders of modern technology, it can start my heart again if needed. My heart is monitored 24/7. For Barb, the reason to do this story is the importance of knowing how to do this (CPR), but for me the thing I want people to know is what I learned about the difference between a cardiologist and a heart failure doctor. I now have both of them, but they are different doctors. They train and practice differently, they look at different studies, they treat patients differently and both are necessary in my situation.”

Today Tom is back home, and one would never know by looking at him that his heart had completely stopped nu-

merous times back in May. Since performing these lifesaving maneuvers, Barb has shared with others, when given the opportunity, what happened and how important it is to be prepared.

“I’ve been taking CPR recertification courses since I was a young teacher. Doing the compressions felt exactly the way it did in training. I realized if I can do this, anybody can do this. We can’t depend on emergency help arriving right away. Have your phone near you….and charged. Better yet, have a landline. And most importantly, get the training yourself. You never know who you might need to help. I never expected to have to use it, but I’m so glad I was able to do it when the time came. I’m just so thankful for every day together since then.”

The Sims wish to thank all of the emergency responders who came to their rescue that day in May, from Life EMS Mike Barefoot and Dan Medema and from the Hart Fire Department Mark Haynor, Lynn Schiller, Kyle Dillingham and Dan Liembeck. Read Part 2 of this two-part series next week; hear about how friends performed CPR on another friend in July and saved their life, and how to be a part of making medical assistance more available.

Barbara and Tom Sims

Many West Michigan Fire Departments assembled in Walkerville to pay tribute to the late Jerry Frick last Sunday afternoon. Shelby and Pentwater ladder trucks flew our beautiful flag in his honor. • Paul Erickson/Echo

Farmers Markets

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent Weather

Our thanks to Radio

News and Notes

Bob at WEEH FM Radio Station in Mears for the September weather stats taken from data gathered at the radio station every morning at 7 a.m. each day for the previous 24 hours. The average high for September was 75.3 degrees and the average low was 51.4 degrees. The highest temperatures for September were 87 degrees on Sept. 16 and 17. The lowest temperature recorded was 39 degrees on Sept. 7. It was another very dry month with only .82 inches of rainfall in 30 days. September was a beautiful, albeit dry, month. It appears Oceana County has been catching up on some of its severe drought this past week.

Thank you to Mary Sheppard of Golden Stock Farms in Mears, who sent us this sunrise picture taken early October.

Community Celebrations

It was another fun night at the Oceana Center Grange’s Penny Fair, Saturday, Oct. 11. A large crowd gathered for a program featuring vocal, guitar and piano numbers, jokes, recitations and singalongs. Almost $4,000 was raised through the always popular auction, quilt raffle, traditional Penny Fair BBQs, desserts and kids' games.

The Walkerville Fire Department was the place to get your fill of pancakes and sausage, Saturday morning, Oct. 11 when the Walkerville Thrives community group hosted a pancake breakfast fundraiser at the fire station. Over 70 community members came out in support. Nearly $500 was raised and donated back to the department.

Nature

campus in early October. Students learned about careers in agriculture by participating in a variety of experiments and activities.

The annual Walkerville School Carnival, Saturday, Oct. 4 saw dozens of families out for a fun evening of games, food and fun on a wonderfully warm fall evening! Taking a turn in the dunk tank was John Kirwin from the Lake-Osceola State Bank.

Churches

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. This fall the community has been treated to some stupendous sunrises, sunsets, colorful trees and bushes the past couple of weeks. Postcard views can be found around every corner and over every hill. Oceana County’s color show is peaking and will likely start to diminish after this week’s rain. Enjoy it while there is still time. There’s plenty of raking to come in the weeks ahead! Thank you to Jerrod Eisenlohr for taking this photo last month along 72nd Avenue and to Tara Eisenlohr who sent it to us.

Schools

Nearly 450 curious Shelby Elementary students enjoyed a visit to Michigan Farm Bureau’s Food, Agriculture & Resources in Motion (FARM) Science Bus that made a stop at the Shelby

Radiant Church of Ludington has been busy the past several weeks preparing their new Hart location on State and Johnson Streets in Hart. Outside building renovations are set to be completed by mid-November, with interior renovations to continue until mid-January. The congregation is planning to “launch” its new campus in March of 2026. The building includes 7,000 square feet of ministry space and room for 198 people in the new sanctuary. “It took a lot of imagination with all of the walls dividing the space, but now that it is opened up, it is really coming together,” said Pastor Jerry Kid. More information can be found at www.radiantcoast. org/1hope2-the-coastlands.

Community

The Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society recently expanded the Mears Museum Historical Complex when they purchased the Red Russell property on Fox Road in Mears directly west of the complex. Renovations on the house have been underway for the past several months with plans to turn the location into a new welcome center for the museum.

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

The Armistice Day Storm - Part One: The Build-Up

By Claire Marshall The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

The summer of 1940 gave way to a remarkably beautiful autumn. The weather was mild, and even into early November, the temperatures were averaging in the 50s. “Shirtsleeves weather” some were calling it. Across the Midwest on Nov. 7, folks began their days like any other, unaware of what the next several days would bring. Along the Mississippi River, many Minnesota duck hunters were enjoying the hunting season, hoping the warm weather would hold out for a few days more. Other fowl in the state, millions of turkeys, were being fattened up for the quickly approaching Thanksgiving. On the Great Lakes, industry was booming as usual. Iron ore, grains and lumber were being transported across the superhighway of water.

In Tacoma, Washington, the newly built Tacoma Narrows Bridge was carrying fairly light morning traffic. It had only been open for five months, but already held the title of the third longest sus-

pension bridge in the world. Likewise, it had already gained a peculiar nickname - “Galloping Gertie” - for the, at times, unpredictable way it would occasionally undulate in the wind. It was difficult to discern what exactly caused the swaying motion, as it could stand firm against strong winds, but would wend like a snake in a light 4 mph breeze. Precautions were taken to solidify the architectural and engineering marvel, with the engineer of New York City’s Washington Bridge performing tests and giving recommendations just five days earlier.

Close to 10 a.m. on Nov. 7, strong winds blew through the Puget Sound, causing the bridge to begin its swaying. Nothing out of the ordinary, many thought, and traffic proceeded as usual. Then the winds reached 40 mph and the bridge began to twist. In all its 5-month infancy and throughout the tests conducted, this twisting motion had never been seen. The violent motion took two vehicles on the bridge at this time and began to throw them side to side, making any further driving to escape the bridge’s clutches impossible. The drivers aban-

doned their vehicles and fled on foot. One driver, Leonard Coatsworth, exited his car and made to retrieve his daughter’s three-legged Cocker Spaniel, Tubby, from the backseat, but he was thrown to the ground and had to crawl on hands and knees some 500 feet to safety. All around, Leonard could hear concrete cracking and steel groaning.

The bridge twisted for an hour, drawing a sizable crowd. Two spectators, Barney Elliot and Harbine Monroe, owners of a camera shop in Tacoma, filmed the ordeal, including the attempted rescue of Tubby by newspaper photographer Howard Clifford. Several angles of the bridge’s twisting were caught on (the now infamous) film, as well as the moment the bridge finally crumbled in the center and crashed into the water below. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the unfortunate Tubby were the first victims of the storm system that, only days later, barreled through the Midwest and claimed 145 lives in the infamous Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940.

Though the blizzard’s destruction was far-reaching, its impact was witnessed to a

devastating degree along the stretch of shoreline between Little and Big Sable Points. This shallow bay, known geographically as a “bite,” is notable for the influence it has over storm conditions. In researching this storm and its impacts, I’ve drawn quite a lot of research from Brendon Baillod’s self-published book “Ghosts of the Oceana Coast,” and he puts perfectly how the geography of the two Sable Points affects the lake: “[The bite] combined with Lake Michigan’s natural currents and predominant wind directions, creates a perilous confluence of reverberatory waves in the area during storm conditions, causing confused seas and amplified wave heights.” These conditions sank many ships before 1940, and the Armistice Day Blizzard was no exception.

The low-pressure storm system that took down the Tacoma Narrows Bridge marinated in the Pacific for another 24 hours before moving east. Usually the Rocky Mountains break up major storm systems moving in from the Pacific Northwest, but the system barreled past and would leave an icy trail behind as it

PUBLIC NOTICE

Golden Township Board

The Golden Township Board is looking for residents of Golden Township who would be interested in serving on the Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, the Board of Review, Road Committee, or Park Committee. The Township hopes to recruit individuals who are interested in preserving and promoting the future of Golden Township both environmentally and economically.

If you would like to become an active member of the community, please submit your letter of intent by December 1, to Golden Township Hall, PO Box 26, Mears, MI 49436. Please include why you are interested in the position. Please contact the Golden Township Hall at 231-873-4413 for more information. Rachel Iteen Golden Township Clerk

crossed the Great Plains.

At the time, Chicago was the major hub from which weather reports were collected and predictions distributed, and it only operated for half the day. In articles recollecting the storm, the National Weather Service admits that their reports were “brief and general.” Information was spread through the quickest mode at the time - telegraph. Even then, the methods and equipment used to predict the weather were nowhere near as advanced as they are today. Even with such advancement, weather remains unpredictable.

All this to say, when that low-pressure cold front hit the warm and moist air that had set across the Mississippi Valley on Nov. 11, no one was prepared for the horror awaiting them.

The City of Hart is accepting sealed bids for City-owned vacant land on Dryden Street, described as CITY OF HART STANDARD MAP PLAT D E 148.5 FT OF S 66 FT OF BLK 144 (Parcel #020-344-005-00).

Bid Opening: Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.

Location: Hart City Hall, 407 S. State St., Hart, MI – Council Chambers

Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope labeled “Dryden Street Property Bid” and received by 1:00 p.m. on the opening date. The successful bidder must pay in full within 30 days. Conveyance by Quitclaim Deed. The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

Info: Nichole Kleiner, Interim City Manager (231) 873-3546 • nkleiner@cityofhart.org

Ongoing

3rd MON: OCDVA Coffee & Donuts for Veterans, Spouses and Veteran Widows, 9-11 a.m., Heritage Wedding Barn, Shelby.

TUES: Tech Time, Hesperia Community Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

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

1st & 3rd TUES: Tech help, Pentwater Twp. Library, 1-2 p.m.

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

WED: Love INC and TrueNorth Housing Assistance satelliteplease call 231-861-4880 to make an appointment.

1st & 3rd WED: Free community dinner, 5-6 p.m., Hart Wesleyan.

1st & 3rd WED: Hart VFW Post 1329 Burger/Chicken/Brat/ Ribs Night, 5-7 p.m., dine-in or carry out.

* Donate returnable cans and bottles to the Hart VFW. Drop off at the hall or call Steve at 231-873-1727 for pick-up.*

2nd & 4th WED: Pentwater Community Food Pantry, First Baptist Church, Pentwater, 9-10:15 a.m.

WED: Line Dancing, Park Place, Pentwater, 6:30-8 p.m.

THURS - "Harts 'n Homes" Women's Fellowship, Faith Christian Fellowship, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

1st FRI: Free Soup Supper, Ferry Comm. Center, 5-7 p.m.

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

1st SAT: Baby Pantry, Trinity Lutheran Church, 8:30-10 a.m.

The Ladder Community Center: The Huddle: 6th-12th grade after-school program, M-F 3-5 p.m.

Adult Hours: M-F 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

MON: Women’s Bible Study, 1-2 p.m.

TUES: Oct. 7 - Nov. 25 Pit Stops for Men Age 12+, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

TUES: Men’s Bible Study, 10:30 a.m. to noon

SAT: “Celebrate” Worship Service, 6:30 p.m.

Complete schedule at: theladdercommunitycenter.com

Tractors & Treats planned for Oct. 26 in Hart

Oceana County Farm Bureau, in cooperation with the West Central Michigan Research & Extension Station and MSU Extension, will host an agriculture-themed Halloween event this Sunday. Tractors & Treats will take place Oct. 26 at the West Central Michigan Research & Extension Station from 3-5 p.m. Children can collect trinkets and treats and get to see tractors and farm equipment up close. Additional activities being planned include a book walk with a complimentary book, tractor rides into the station orchard, a pumpkin decorating station and a beehive display. There will be apple cider, provided by J&H Fleming Farms, and donuts for attendees, while supplies last.

Kids are encouraged to dress in costume to add to the fun of the event. Anyone interested in participating by bringing a tractor to display and hand out treats, setting up a table to hand out treats or volunteering, please contact Kathy Walicki at walicki@msu.edu or Justin Adams at adams108@msu.edu.

The Éxito Educativo program is returning this fall to support high school students and their families as they plan for college and future careers. The fiveweek series will take place at Shelby High School beginning Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., and will continue weekly through Dec. 11, 2025.

Designed to help families navigate the educational journey together, Éxito Educativo provides practical information, hands-on activities and valuable connections to local resources. Each session focuses on a specific topic to help students and parents prepare for success after high school.

The program is open to any high school student and their parents or guardians who live in or near Oceana County.

In addition to the educational sessions, a free dinner will be provided for

all family members each evening, offering time to connect and engage with other families in a welcoming environment.

The session schedule includes:

• Nov. 6, 2025 – Why People Go to College / ¿Por qué la gente va a la universidad?

• Nov. 13, 2025 – Academic Requirements / Requisitos Académicos

•Nov. 20, 2025 – Career Exploration / Exploración de Carreras

• Dec. 4, 2025 – Financial Resources / Recursos Financieros

• Dec. 11, 2025 – Applying for College Admission / Solicitud de Admisión a la Universidad

Participation in Éxito Educativo is free, but registration is required so organizers can plan for meals and materials.

To register or learn more about the program, contact Alicia Ortega at

Oct. 24 - Feeding America Mobile Pantry, GHSP, 5 p.m.

Oct. 25 - Trunk or Treat, GHSP, 5-7 p.m.

Oct. 25 - Trunk or Treat, TLC, New Era, 11:30 a.m.

Oct. 25 - 11th Annual Trick or Treating on the Dunes, SLSD, noon

Oct. 25 - 6th annual Trunk or Treat, HCL, 1-3 p.m.

Oct. 25 - Spooktacular Halloween Event, Downtown Pentwater, noon

Oct. 26 - Tractors and Treats, West Michigan Research Station, 3-5 p.m.

Oct. 27 - NAF Annual Meeting, Hart Community Center, 6 p.m.

Oct. 28 - Adult Book Club, 2-3 p.m., Adult Craft Night, HCL, 6-7 p.m.

Oct. 30 - OCCOA Trunk or Treat, OCCOA, 4-5 p.m.

Oct. 30 - Halloween Story Time, HAPL, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Sensory Play, Hesperia Community Library, 10-11 a.m.

Oct. 31 - Spitler Halloween Parade, Hart, 1:15 p.m.

Oct. 31 - WPS Elementary Halloween Parade, Walkerville, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Downtown Trick or Treating, Hart, 3-5 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Indoor Trick or Treating, Mears UMC, 5-6:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Trick or Treating, Pentwater, 5-7 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Donuts & Cider, Pentwater Fire Barn, 5 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Haunted Venetian Ball, Pentwater Twp. Library, 5-7 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Downtown Trunk or Treat, Shelby, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Downtown Trick or Treat, New Era, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 Village Wide Trick or Treating, New Era, 6-8 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Citywide Trick or Treating, Hart, 6-8 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Getty Park Spooktacular, Shelby, 6-8:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 - HCF Harvest Party, Hart, 6 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Halloween Celebration, Rothbury CC, 6-7:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Trick or Treating, Ferry Community Center, 6-8 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Trick or Treating, Walkerville, 6-8 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Halloween Haven, Walkerville Wesleyan Church, 6-8 p.m.

Oct. 31 - Trick or Treating, Shelby Acres, 6-8 p.m.

Hart High School presents “Emma” Nov. 1-2

Hart High School’s Drama Club is delighted to announce its fall production of Jane Austen’s beloved comedy “Emma,” running Nov. 1-2 at the Hart Middle School auditorium, 308 W. Johnson St.

Set in the charming world of Regency England, “Emma” follows the witty and well-meaning Emma Woodhouse as she attempts to play matchmaker among her friends—often with unexpected and hilarious results. This timeless story of friendship, love and self-discovery will be brought to life by Hart High School’s talented cast and crew in a cozy, autumn-inspired staging.

“Our students have poured their hearts into this production,” said Maggie Bowman, director. “The humor of Austen’s writing paired with the warmth of fall makes this the perfect show to share with our community.”

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and children 5 and under are free. Tickets are available online at https://hartdramaclubs.ludus.com/index.php and at the door prior to each performance.

There will be two shows Saturday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and one Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. Whether one is a longtime Austen fan or experiencing her world for the first time, “Emma” promises to be a heartwarming event for all.

alicia@oceanafoundation. org or call (231)869-3377.

Registration is also available online, or by visiting the Facebook or Instagram pages for the Oceana College Access Network to find the registration link.

Éxito Educativo is presented in English and Spanish to ensure accessibility for all.

The Pentwater Lake Association board of directors will meet Monday, Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Centenary United Methodist Church at 82 N. Hancock St., Pentwater.

The public is invited to attend and is asked to enter at the Hancock Street Hall entrance.

Membership in the

PLA is open to all individuals interested in the lake, its natural resources and water quality. Members do not have to own lake property in order to join the nonprofit organization. More details and past meeting minutes are available on the PLA website at www.pentwaterlakeassociation.com.

The pews were full of fabric for the first Fall Fest quilt show

By AnnaMae Bush

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

On Saturday, Oct. 11, there wasn’t a seat available in the sanctuary at Centenary United Methodist Church in Pentwater. The pews were filled to capacity with quilts on display for the church’s first-ever quilt show sponsored by the Pentwater Township Library and held in conjunction with the annual Fall Fest organized by the Pentwater Chamber of Commerce.

The idea originated with Ann Soles, who pitched the concept to the church’s "Prayers and Squares" group, which makes and donates quilts as expressions of comfort and support. The quilt group liked the idea. “I’ve got an old family quilt I could display,” said some of them.

The enthusiasm generated 40-50 entries. The library became involved with the mar-

keting of the event and the entry process. No fees were involved, but information was required about each quilt submitted. Amy Shotwell from the “Sew Let’s Be Quilty” shop had several items on display, including a quilted jacket. Table runners and quilts came in many sizes. Susan Hacker reported, “So many people came to view the display. Well over

Walkerville Wesleyan Church

Love our community toward Christ Sunday 10:30AM Streamed on Contact Information 231.873.5040

144 S Hamon St, Walkerville Office@walkervillewesleyanchurch.org

200 men and women admired the entries. We finally gave up counting them as they came in.”

There were bed quilts made from traditional patterns such as the wedding design of linked rings and others created from original designs such as Elaine Konya’s landscape and wildlife scene. One quilt was made from burlap bags, and another was a 1920s family heirloom hand-quilted blanket. Matt Hacker submitted a quilt gifted to him by women from a Native American tribe in Sisseton, South Dakota in gratitude for his 20 years of service at a mission there.

“We provided gloves for visitors to wear if they wanted to touch and examine the entries,” Susan Hacker shared. “The response for submissions was wonderful. We could not have had a better location: we were on the corner at the end of the car show. And the weather could not have been better either. We will likely do it again next year.”

Indeed, if the response grows next year, the church may have to expand their display space beyond the sanctuary to additional rooms in their facility.

Raffle to benefit Crystal Valley Care Fund

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

This year the Crystal Valley Care Fund (CVCF) is celebrating 33 years of service to the Oceana community. This all-volunteer organization raises funds for the express purpose of sharing them with the community.

Their current fundraiser is a Raffle Contest running from now until Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Tickets are available for $1 each and give purchasers a chance to win one of three cash prizes: first is $1,000, second is $500 and third is $250.

ePiScoPaL church 8435 Old Channel Trail, Montague 616-894-0172

SUNDAY EUCHARIST – 10 am stpetersmontague@gmail.com stpetersbythelake.weebly.com Blessings Abound!

The winning tickets will be drawn on the Hart Commons following the Christmas Parade in downtown Hart. Winners need not be present to win.

Tickets are available for purchase from any board member until Nov. 28.

“The money raised enables the CVCF to help numerous families in Oceana County whose lives have been disrupted due to life-threatening illness or house fire. The CVCF is a Section 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization whose sole purpose is to help our friends, neighbors and customers who live in Oceana

County,” states their website. Current board members include President Judy Kokx; Vice-President Deborah Mitteer; Treasurer Sandy Mitteer; Secretary, Deb Greiner, and board members Jennifer Copenhaver, Ruth Fleming, Andrea Fletcher, Lindsey Merten, Kathleen Plaunt and Denise Schultema.

Board meetings are the fourth Monday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Crystal Valley Town Hall. Please visit www.crystalvalleycarefund.org or Crystal Valley Care Fund on Facebook to learn more about this organization.

In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

obituaries

Gerald Leonard ‘Buzz’ Schmitz

October 8, 1952 ~ October 17, 2025

Gerald Leonard “Buzz” Schmitz, Jr., 73, of Hart, passed away Friday, October 17, 2025, due to a motor vehicle ac cident. He was born October 8, 1952, in Monroe, Michi gan, the son of Gerald Sr. and Jean (Dodson) Schmitz.

In 1995, Gerald married Helen (Mannor) Schmitz, and over the last 30 years, they have been blessed with 11 children, 27 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; they were his greatest pride and joy.

Gerald was not only a loving family man, but a man of Faith. He and Helen are faithful members of First Baptist Church in Hart.

Gerald also had many hobbies, including horseback riding, playing guitar, flying airplanes, as he was a licensed private pilot, as well as operating heavy equipment and semi-trucks. Gerald had a love for the great outdoors; he loved hunting and fishing and especially enjoyed camping with his family. Some of his favorite camping destinations were at Nichols Lake in Newaygo County or in Michigan’s picturesque Upper Peninsula.

Gerald is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Helen Schmitz; children, Gerald "Spike" (Orien) Schmitz, Lisa (Dwight) Frasier, Carla (Martin, Jr.) Kaat, Roger (Jen) Hovey, Frank (Randi) Hovey, Heather Schmitz, Preston Schmitz, Sean Schmitz, James Schmitz, Melissa Schmitz, and Jace Schmitz; 27 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and siblings, Patricia (Jim) Monohan, Madaline Shefke, Jean (Randy) Hovey, David (Debbie) Schmitz, Jenny (Michael) Flanery, and Virginia (Dave) Prather.

Gerald was preceded in death by: his parents, Gerald Sr. and Jean Schmitz; brothers, Fredrick J. Schmitz and Larry T. "Louie" Schmitz; great-granddaughter, Emersyn Kokx; nieces, Sabrina Shefke and Kim Schmitz; and nephew, Zachary Flanery.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, October 25, 2025, at First Baptist Church in Hart, 3258 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420, with Pastor Ryan Vander Zwaag officiating. Visitation will be held Friday, October 24, 2025 from 5–7 p.m., at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, 2370 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420, and Saturday from 10 a.m. until time of services at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church in Hart, 3258 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420.

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

www.beaconfh.com

PUBLIC NOTICE

Pentwater Township

The Pentwater Township Transfer Station & Recycling Center will be open on the following days and dates from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. for:

Leaf and Brush Disposal Only:

Every Saturday in November 2025: 11/1, 11/8, 11/15, 11/21 & 11/29

Recycling Only:

Once monthly November through March on the first Saturday of each month: 2025: 11/1 & 12/6 2026: 1/3, 2/7 & 3/7

• The Station is open to Pentwater and Weare Township residents and property owners only

• NO COMMERCIAL USERS

• Residents must obtain a permit from their Township Clerk to utilize the Transfer Station

• There is no charge for the disposal leaves and brush and a $3.00 fee for the deposit of recyclable materials

BIDS

WANTED

SNOW REMOVAL FOR WALKWAYS

Oceana County is seeking bids for snow removal and salting for walkways for three Oceana County properties for the 2025/2026 season.

Bid specifications and other pertinent information are available online at www.oceana.mi.us or by contacting: Ms. Tracy L. Byard Oceana County Administrator 100 State Street Hart, Michigan 49420 tbyard@oceana.mi.us

Trinity Health Shelby receives $20K grant to enhance maternal and infant care

Trinity Health Shelby, a critical access hospital serving Oceana County and surrounding rural communities, has received a $20,000 grant to advance maternal and infant health outcomes through specialized education and training. The funding was secured through the West Michigan Perinatal Quality Collaborative (WMPQC), one of 10 regional collaboratives in Michigan focused on improving perinatal health.

This grant helped start several important training programs centered on prenatal and perinatal care, with an emphasis on managing heart-related complications. Hospital staff participated in simulation-based education designed to enhance their response to high-risk scenarios, including preeclampsia, hypertension, hemorrhaging and congenital anomalies, ensuring safer deliveries and better outcomes for both mothers and newborns.

The initiative builds on Trinity Health Michigan’s Northern Network's recent expansion of women’s health and OB-GYN services at Trinity Health Medical Group, Primary Care in Shelby, which

launched in November 2024.

Recognizing the geographic distance between Shelby and Trinity Health Muskegon, Trinity Health Shelby identified access to care as a top priority in its 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment.

“In a rural community like ours, we don’t always encounter high-risk deliveries, but we must be ready for them,” said John Foss, PA-C, senior vice president of operations for Trinity Health Muskegon, Shelby and Grand Haven. “This grant empowers us to become experts in managing complex maternal and infant cases, ensuring our patients receive the highest level of care, regardless of location or circumstance.”

While the hospital’s emergency department

is the primary focus of the training, the impact will extend across all departments. “At Trinity Health Shelby, we pride ourselves on our teamwork,” Critical Access Program Coordinator Angie Schiller said. “When a critical patient arrives, every department steps in. This grant strengthens our entire team’s ability to respond with confidence and skill.”

The funding originates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) as part of a statewide initiative to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

To learn more about the West Michigan Perinatal Quality Collaborative, visit www.westmipqc.org.

PUBLIC NOTICE

WEARE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING

Weare Township Planning Commission is having a Special meeting October 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM in the Weare Township Hall. Public is Welcome.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

Benona Township Planning Commission

The Benona Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Benona Township Hall, 7169 West Baker Rd., Shelby, MI 49455.

To consider the following: Vinke Properties, LLC have submitted a Conditional Use Permit Application for 8418 W. Buchanan, Shelby, MI 49455 (64-011-005-30002). The applicant is seeking approval of a Conditional Use Permit to construct a 300-foot communication tower. A conditional use permit is required to construct a communication tower in the Agricultural zoning district.

Please note that you may provide public comments during the public comments section of the meeting. You may also provide public comments for the Planning Commission in writing prior to the meetings by e-mailing Sara Bizon, Zoning Administrator at zoningadministrator@ benonatownshipmi.gov, or by mailing comments to the Benona Township Planning Commission c/o Sara Bizon, Benona Township Hall, 7169 W. Baker Rd., Shelby, MI 49455, or by calling (231) 861-2154 prior to November 12, 2025. Applications and site plans are available for review at the Benona Township Hall.

Benona Township Planning Commission

PUBLIC NOTICE

CITY OF HART – REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The City of Hart is seeking proposals from qualified contractors for a Tree Service Contract covering trimming, removal, stump grinding, and emergency storm response on an as-needed basis for a three-year term (Dec. 1, 2025 – Nov. 30, 2028). Proposals are due by 5:00 PM, November 12, 2025.

Details and bid forms are available at www.cityofhart.org or by contacting Nichole Kleiner, Interim City Manager, (231) 873-3546 or nkleiner@cityofhart.org. The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

PUBLIC NOTICE

CITY OF HART – RFP

The City of Hart is accepting proposals for a three-year Directional Boring Contract (Dec. 1, 2025 – Nov. 30, 2028) for the Hart Energy Department. Contractors must provide proof of insurance and comply with OSHA/MIOSHA standards. Proposals due 5:00 PM, Nov. 12, 2025 to City of Hart, Attn: Nichole Kleiner, 407 S. State St., Hart MI 49420, or nkleiner@cityofhart.org. Details: www.cityofhart.org or (231) 873-5367. The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 57th STREET, 15th FLOOR, NEW

• On Oct. 27, 1873, Joseph Glidden, a farmer in DeKalb, Illinois, submitted an application to the U.S. Patent Office for his new design for a fencing wire with sharp barbs. His version, using two strands of wire twisted together, was an improvement on the single-strand version created by Henry Rose and became the best-selling such wire in the country.

• On Oct. 28, 1787, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart worked all night to complete the overture of his opera “Don Giovanni,” which was scheduled to debut in Prague the next day. The orchestra had no time to rehearse, but sight-read it in the concert hall to a most enthusiastic response from the crowd.

KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 57th STREET, 15th FLOOR, NEW NY 10019

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20251013

RELEASE OCT. 13, 2025

Lucie Winborne

• On Oct. 29, 1618, Sir Walter Raleigh, an English adventurer, writer and favorite courtier of Queen Elizabeth I, was beheaded in London under a sentence brought against him 15 years earlier for conspiracy against King James I.

Hart sends tiny house language back to planning commission

By Claire Marshall The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

ment complexes that had apartments that small. So it's concerning to me.”

• On Oct. 30, 1905, George Bernard Shaw’s play “Mrs. Warren’s Profession,” which dealt frankly with prostitution and had already been banned in Britain, was staged at New York’s Garrick Theater, but was closed by authorities after a single performance. The next day the producer and players were arrested for obscenity, but no one (including Shaw) was convicted. The play would not be legally performed in Britain for another 21 years.

The denial of consent by Hart City Council for the sale of the Ceres Property to S Hegg Real Estate was the topic of the singular public comment at Tuesday’s meeting. Commenter Patty Kersjes of Main Street Spa discussed her concerns with the process and discernment over which items council makes decisions.

Along with the minimum size, Hodges also expressed concern over the possibility of tiny house developments affecting the value of surrounding properties. “Say my neighbor’s house burns down and somebody ends up with that [property] and puts up a 20x20, which devalues my property - potentially devalues my property, (and) potentially impacts the revenue from our taxes.”

• On Oct. 31, 1950, 21-year-old Earl Lloyd became the first African American to play in an NBA game when he took to the court in the season opener for the Washington Capitols. While he would describe joining an all-white team as “intimidating,” his teammates were welcoming, though not all fans approved.

• On Nov. 1, 1800, President John Adams moved into the newly constructed President’s House, the original name for what we today call the White House.

• On Nov. 2, 2000, the first residential crew arrived aboard the International Space Station, marking both the beginning of a new era of international cooperation in space and the longest continuous human habitation in low Earth orbit, which continues to this day.

• On Nov. 1, 1800, President John Adams moved into the newly constructed President’s House, the original name for what we today call the White House.

Some of the examples Kersjes presented were the apparent lack of council decision in the dollar amounts of TIFA grants and the taxation, rent and utility payments of churches and businesses. The most notable item was the sale of the 408 and 412 State Street parcels to Cindy Beth Davis-Dykema following her winning of the Pitch for the Parcel earlier this summer. Kersjes had submitted a pitch for the property, the research for which gave her insight on the value of the three buildings. “[Davis-Dykema] got [the property] for a dollar. And did you have to approve of that? To me, that’s a lot of money just to not approve it… I think she’ll do great with what she does. But again, did you approve it?”

Hodges said he would feel better pushing the tiny house-related ordinances forward if an expert came in and reviewed the ordinances. “As a retired engineer, as a retired architect, it concerns me, and I think it’s worth us having somebody consult.”

Oceana County

ANIMAL SHELTER

Gentle, graceful, and full of quiet love — that’s Bindi. This beautiful 1-year-old domestic shorthair is the kind of cat who doesn’t demand attention but wins your heart just by being near. She’s soft in every way — her fur, her voice and her spirit. Bindi may take a little time to warm up, but once she trusts you, she’ll show you her sweet, affectionate side — gentle head bumps, soft purrs, and slow blinks that say, “You’re my person.” She loves cozy spots by sunny windows, peaceful naps, and being close enough to watch her favorite human go about their day. She would do best in a calm, loving home where she can feel safe and cherished. In return, she’ll give endless love, quiet companionship and the kind of warmth that only a cat like Bindi can bring. Bindi is available for adoption from the Oceana County Animal Control. If interested, please call the shelter at 231861-5395. The adoption fee for cats is $35 and you receive certificates for $25 towards spay/neuter and $10 towards rabies if not already done. The adoption fee for dogs is $95 and will receive a $50 certificate good for spay/neuter if needed. Every dog should have an ID tag. L.A.S.S.I. provides free dog ID tags to all Oceana County residents. To request tags, send a text to 231-730-3906. Free tags are also available at the OCEANA County Animal Shelter. Meet Bindi

By Lucie Winborne

• In Birmingham, England, 2.5 million Mills & Boon books were pulped to create the top layer of the M6 toll road.

By Lucie Winborne

• In Birmingham, England, 2.5 million Mills & Boon books were pulped to create the top layer of the M6 toll road.

A dog that had been kicked by a driver returned with a bunch of its friends and proceeded to trash the man’s car, chewing up the fenders and wipers.

Of the Ceres Property sale denial in particular, Kersjes said the decision should be reevaluated, citing the work the Hegg family had done in restoring the 112 Main Street building and business for Hart they have provided in the past. “If you don’t want TIFA to make a decision like that, then why can they make other decisions?”

Council members Cat Burillo and Betty Root voiced interest in passing ordinances to allow tiny houses, Burillo believing that they could be used to help solve Michigan’s housing crisis, and Root pulling from past personal experiences of living in dwellings smaller than 400 square feet. Of the discussion, councilor Jim Cunningham said, “I like the idea of tiny houses. There’s a need for housing; this is a first step. But I also agree… there is no expert on the planning commission that knows real estate or taxes… I don’t think [having an expert’s review] can hurt us. I would recommend that approach.”

In the end, the council unanimously decided to send back the three action items relating to tiny house ordinances for review by the planning commission with an expert.

Charles Joughin, the chief baker on the Titanic, allegedly treaded water for hours before being rescued from the sunken vessel. He later claimed that the copious amounts of whiskey he consumed before the ship went down kept his body warm enough to survive the subfreezing ocean temperature.

• A dog that had been kicked by a driver returned with a bunch of its friends and proceeded to trash the man’s car, chewing up the fenders and wipers.

Following public comment, the board proceeded to the consent agenda and the 15 total action items listed.

• Arnold Schwarzenegger once eloquently said: “I love Thanksgiving turkey. It’s the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts.”

• Charles Joughin, the chief baker on the Titanic, allegedly treaded water for two hours before being rescued from the sunken vessel. He later claimed that the copious amounts of whiskey he consumed before the ship went down kept his body warm enough to survive the subfreezing ocean temperature.

The first three regarded the resignation acceptance of Gale Goldberg from the TIFA and Planning Commission Boards and the appointment of Hannah Juhl and Lisa Clark to fill the absences on those respective boards.

• Arnold Schwarzenegger once eloquently said: “I love Thanksgiving turkey. It’s the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts.”

Alcatraz holds an annual Indigenous Peoples’ Thanksgiving Sunrise Gathering, also known as Unthanksgiving Day, to commemorate the 1969 occupation of Alcatraz and to protest the colonialist history of Thanksgiving.

One ordinance that did pass was the allowance of buildings containing three or four dwelling units, another housing type that would bring Hart closer to Ready Redevelopment Certification. This was only the first reading of the ordinance, so a second reading and public hearing are necessary prior to its adoption.

• Alcatraz holds an annual Indigenous Peoples’ Thanksgiving Sunrise Gathering, also known as Unthanksgiving Day, to commemorate the 1969 occupation of Alcatraz and to protest the colonialist history of Thanksgiving.

• Instead of saying something like “the cat’s pajamas” or “the bee’s knees,” the French say “the baby Jesus in velvet shorts.”

The red parasol moss Splachnum rubrum grows only on moose poop.

• In 2013, an American man named Ashrita Furman took the title of “the most bananas sliced with a sword on a slackline in one minute” by slicing 36 of them in 60 seconds.

• The red parasol moss Splachnum rubrum grows only on moose poop.

• Some birds change the size of their brain every winter.

• In 2013, an American man named Ashrita Furman took the title of “the most bananas sliced with a sword on a slackline in one minute” by slicing 36 of them in 60 seconds.

• Some birds change the size of their brain every winter.

• In the 1970s, the NFL team now called the Seattle Seahawks opened a competition in which the public could suggest and vote on a name for them. About 1,750 suggestions and 20,000 entries were received.

• “Subdermatoglyphic” is the longest word without duplicate letters.

• In the 1970s, the NFL team now called the Seattle Seahawks opened a competition in which the public could suggest and vote on a name for them.

***

About 1,750 suggestions and 20,000 entries were received.

The following four action items concerned the ongoing efforts to expand the variety of residential dwellings permitted for development in the City of Hart, with the goal of fulfilling the requirements necessary to be awarded the Ready Redevelopment Certification. As with the last time the topic of tiny home developments was brought before council, council member Dean Hodges voiced concern with the minimum required square footage allotment. “To me, 400 square feet is tiny, tiny, tiny and to allow that anywhere within the city, I’ve looked… I don’t find other cities that allow that size. I had trouble finding apart-

With three action items tabled, the council continued by reviewing and approving the remaining eight action items.

Before the meeting’s adjournment, Mayor Amanda Klotz provided an update on the search for a permanent city manager. Three finalists have been chosen from the applicant pool provided by Double Haul Solutions, one of whom is the current interim manager, Nichole Kleiner. The public was invited to a meet-and-greet with the finalists at the Hart Community Center on Oct. 23 from 6-7:30 p.m.

PENTWATER TOWNSHIP

Thought for the Day: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.” — Steve Jobs

• “Subdermatoglyphic” is the longest word without duplicate letters.

*** Thought for the Day: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.” — Steve Jobs

Synopsis of Meeting

October 8, 2025

Supervisor Cavazos called the October 8th Regular Township Board meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with four of five Board members present. The meeting was conducted in person and via Zoom. One staff member and four community members were present in person. No persons were present via Zoom. The Consent and Meeting Agendas were approved with revision to last month’s meeting minutes. Action/ acceptance was taken on the following items:

• Sewer system mediation agreement between Pentwater Village and Township

• Expanded Transfer Station & Recycling Center service operations

The meeting was adjourned at 7:04 p.m.

A copy of the complete Minutes are available from the Clerk at the Pentwater Township offices, 500 N Hancock St. during regular business hours, via email, or online at www.pentwatertownshipmi.gov.

- Maureen Murphy, Clerk

Developer Day provides more than 40 participants with opportunties across Oceana County

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

Over 40 people took part in at least some of this year’s Oceana County Developer’s Day sponsored by the Oceana County Economic Alliance (OCEA), Friday, Sept. 26.

“More than half of the individuals on the full-day tour were not from Oceana County but came to see the opportunities to develop industrial, residential, and downtown mixeduse projects,” Curtis Burdette, executive director of OCEA, said.

Highlights included visits to seven different sites across Oceana County with a variety of projects underway or opportunities available:

• In Rothbury, Valley City Metals is currently demolishing the oldest section of the facility with plans for developing a community center and outdoor community space at the site.

• In Shelby the tour focused on opportunities for housing developments on the edge of

town, as well as mixed use downtown. The group also stopped to see Shelby Township Community Park and Getty Park, followed by a tour of two houses in the Shelby Acres subdivision, where more of the history behind the project was shared.

• In Walkerville, the KwikMart’s co-owner Danielle Veining hosted a tour of their new convenience store under construction. When complete, this site will offer a seating area, commercial kitchen, ice cream shop and walk-in beer cave.

• In Hart, city council member Catalina Burillo gave background on the former CERES Farm Co-op site and the interest in finding a developer who can support a

BIDS WANTED LAWN CARE & GROUND MAINTENANCE SERVICES

Oceana County is seeking bids for lawn care and ground maintenance services for three Oceana County properties for the 2026 season.

Bid specifications and other pertinent information are available online at www.oceana.mi.us or by contacting:

Ms. Tracy L. Byard

Oceana County Administrator 100 State Street Hart, Michigan 49420 tbyard@oceana.mi.us

YOU to all the Sponsors, Donors, and Buyers who helped make the New Era Christian School Auction a success!

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

CRYSTAL TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION ZONING MAP AMENDMENT

Notice is hereby given that the Township of Crystal Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at the Crystal Township Hall, 1499 E. Hammett Rd., Hart, Michigan 49420, on November 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. regarding a proposed request for a map amendment to the Crystal Township Zoning ordinance to rezone two separate parcels of certain real property identified as: (1) Parcel No. 64-003150-001-00, 1346 E. Madison Road, Hart, Michigan, currently owned by Kevin and Lynn Bouwkamp; and (2) Parcel No. 64-003-017-100-03, vacant land comprising of approximately 62.23 acres, E. Madison Road, Hart, Michigan, currently owned by Tyler Oomen. Copies of the Applications submitted by the property owners may be viewed on the Crystal Township website (www.crystaltownship.org) or at the Crystal Township Hall from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. Written comments concerning this request may be directed to the Township Clerk Trisha Marsh at the Crystal Township Hall, 1499 E. Hammett Rd., Hart, Michigan 49420. Oral comments will be taken during the public hearing.

This notice is published pursuant to the requirements of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, Public Act 110 of 2006, as amended.

Trisha Marsh, Crystal Township Clerk

transformational project in the heart of downtown Hart. The group also toured the former Gale’s IGA grocery store

where West Shore Community College plans to open an Oceana County satellite campus.

• In Pentwater, Vil-

lage Manager Toby Van Ess and Township Supervisor Lynne Cavazos shared some of the ideas village leaders have for how properties in downtown Pentwater and the township could be developed.

“It is amazing how business leaders are investing in the county,” Burdette concluded. “From private developers and business leaders to government leaders and a diverse group of individuals, many people are interested in supporting development in Oceana County.”

State of Michigan, Tuesday, November 4 2025 in said Townships as indicated below vis: Local Proposals to be Voted on:

Please Take Notice that the following school districts will be voting on the following millage proposals as presented and listed below

HESPERIA COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

GENERAL OBLIGATION

Division Street, Hesperia, Michigan 49421-0338, telephone: (231) 854-6185

MASON COUNTY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT GENERAL OBLIGATION UNLIMITED TAX BOND PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING AND SITE PURPOSES IN THE AMOUNT OF

Pirates dominate 2nd half in county win over Hesperia, move step closer to playoffs

Hart brought home a victory in a physical road clash against Hesperia Friday night, 44-21, in a game the Pirates had to win to maintain hopes of a playoff berth.

The Panthers were equal to the task early on, matching Hart score for score for most of the first half and even taking a 21-20 lead in the final minute of the first half when Tucker Bolles found Eli Edens for a 12-yard touchdown.

It appeared Hesperia would take that lead to the locker room, especially after Hart (5-4, 3-2 West Michigan Conference Rivers) was called for intentional grounding on the first play of the drive. However, Kolton Rockwell caught fire, throwing all three of the completions he had on the night in succession. The last of those throws connected with Halen Boos for a 26yard score with only nine seconds to go in the half, and Hart led 28-21 at halftime.

The Pirates then came up with a big-time fourth-down stop at their own 16-yard line to open the third quarter and scored touchdowns on their next two possessions to put the game away.

The game featured more big plays and quick possessions than have been typical of either team this season.

Hart’s Aiden Cull pulls in a two-point conversion pass over Hesperia defender Ben Westendorf during Friday’s game at Hesperia. Hart picked up the win, 44-21.

• Jill Tanis/Courtesy Photo

Though Hesperia (1-7, 0-5 WMC Rivers) puts the ball in the air far more often than does Hart, both teams generally are more methodical than the explosive offenses that were on display Friday.

“It was an interesting game with a lot of possessions, and we haven’t played in many games like that this fall,” Hart coach Joe Tanis said. “I thought our defense played really well. Halen Boos had a big pick-six to respond for our team two plays after we threw an interception.”

Senior running back Kyle Greiner

had another huge night in a season full of them for the Pirates, racking up 184 yards rushing and three touchdowns as well as running in a pair of twopoint conversions. Boos got in the end zone twice, with his clutch touchdown catch and pick-six - the latter of which opened the scoring - and Chase Lorenz added a 60-yard rushing score.

Greiner’s final two scores were the ones to tilt the scales in Hart’s favor in

the second half. Tanis credited Rockwell’s blocking with contributing to Greiner’s success.

“He has become a dominant lead blocker for us and helped spring a bunch of explosive runs,” Tanis said. “Haegan Hansen also did a great job running the ball tonight. Kyle Grein-

Football results continued on page 10

Horses from Hidden Electric Farm show their stuff at World Clydesdale Show in Illinois

Hart’s Hidden Electric Farm had a huge showing earlier this month when it participated in the World Clydesdale Show in Springfield, Illinois, which took place Oct. 1-5.

The show brought over 2,100 exhibitors and nearly 600 Clydesdale horses to town from around the world. But few shone brighter than Rusty, a gelding from Hidden Electric who won World Champion Clydesdale Spectacular English Riding Horse with some help from his rider Lillian Wasson.

Rusty wasn’t the only local Clydesdale to patricipate in the show, though, as Sam earned Reserve Champion Ladies Pleasure Driving while transporting county 4-H director Jennifer Payne. Sam also picked up eighth place in Men’s Pleasure Cart along with Patrick McCarry.

Other winners from Hidden Electric: Alayna Hammerle was third in Senior Youth Western and seventh in Senior Youth English; Wasson also placed fifth in Barrel Racing, seventh in Pole Bending, eighth in Junior English, ninth in Hunter Over Fences, 10th in Junior Western, ninth in Youth Judging and 12th in Junior Showmanship; Kim Adkins placed eighth in Dressage; and McCarry and Zack Hintz teamed up with mares from McCarry’s Clydesdales to place second in the Feed Team race.

The World Show highlighted the skill, dedication, and versatility of the

Horses from Hart’s Hidden Electric Farm participated in the World Clydesdale Show Oct. 1-5. Above, Lillian Wasson rode Rusty to the award for World Champion Clydesdale Spectacular English Riding Horse. Below right, Alayna Hammerle also had success with Rusty, winning third place in Senior Youth Western and seventh in Senior Youth English. Above right, participants from Hidden Electric included, left to right, Tammy and Alayna Hammerle, Lillian Wasson, Jennifer Payne, Chris Payne, Kim Adkins, Frank Adkins and, in front, dog Nora.

• Courtesy Photos

Hidden Electric horses, and Payne said it was a memorable experience for everyone from Hidden Electric Farm.

HART • HESPERIA

PENTWATER

SHELBY

Hart’s Keaghan Monroe (left) and Kole Thomas take down Hesperia ball carrier Ben Westendorf during Friday’s WMC Rivers game at Hesperia. The Pirates won the game, 44-21. • Jill Tanis/Courtesy Photo

ECHO

Football results

er continued to do what he does and run the ball extremely hard with great vision and had some major highlight reel runs.”

Tanis was also impressed with his defense, which Keaghan Monroe led with 10 tackles. Abdel Lopez added nine takedowns, including a sack, and Boos had eight to go with his interception.

Edens was Hesperia’s lynchpin offensively, racking up 155 offensive yards - 119 on the ground - and scoring all three Panther touchdowns. Dominic Rivera and Ryan Fuentes had six tackles each, and Fuentes had an interception. Edens and Fuentes are two of just four Panther seniors.

“They all lead the team and play a big part in what we are doing,” Hesperia head coach Tyler Fehler of his seniors. “We have eight underclassmen starting and we have a freshman quarterback.”

Another of those seniors is Zach Loughridge, who didn’t post gaudy statistics but impressed Fehler with his work.

“Today he stepped up on both sides of the ball and just played an awesome game,” Fehler said.

Hart’s matchup at Central Mont-

continued from page 4

calm next week is likely a de facto playoff game for the Pirates, who need to win to have a shot to get in. Hesperia will travel to St. Louis to cap off its season.

Tigers lose tough game at MCC

Shelby fell just short of a key victory Friday night in West Michigan Conference Rivers action, losing a 26-22 thriller at Mason County Central.

The Spartans scored the game-winning touchdown with just a minute and a half to play, and Shelby’s final response came up short of the end zone.

The Shelby offense, so explosive all season, didn’t ring up the same statistics it usually does. Jaylin Henderson led the Tigers (5-3, 2-3 WMC Rivers) by passing for 99 yards and rushing for 59 more, including a pair of touchdowns, and also ran in a two-point conversion.

DayDay Garcia had 43 yards of offense, including a touchdown run, and Brody Fessenden added 42.

On defense, Fessenden racked up 14 tackles and Max Hagstrom had 13. Henderson recorded 11 takedowns, two for a loss, forced a fumble and had an interception.

Hart rides aces to win over Holton

By Andy Roberts

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Hart downed Holton in West Michigan Conference Rivers play Tuesday, 25-12, 25-20, 25-9, securing second place in the WMC Rivers regular-season standings.

“The girls had a good night over-

all and took care of business,” coach Shawn Bectel said.

The Pirates (17-19-1, 5-1 WMC Rivers) had 22 service aces in the win, with Caydence Bateson’s seven leading the way. Alayna Schiller added six.

Reese Smith led the offense with nine kills, and Grace Tucker had 14 assists. Schiller had 14 digs for Hart’s defense.

Falcons, Panthers close out regular season at MCE meet

By Andy Roberts The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Pentwater fought through “a roller coaster of a weather day,” said coach Erika Fatura, to have some strong runs at Tuesday’s Mason County Eastern Cardinal Classic.

in the race was Hesperia’s Rokhaya Ruhstorfer with a time of 22:58.8. Lily Smith took fourth for the Falcon girls, setting a personal best of 23:33.3. Lauren Davis was 10th (27:22.3) and Valerie Smith (12th, 28:38.9) and Maggie Jorissen (13th, 28:46.1) each earned PRs.

Four varsity runners earned personal best times, and both teams were able to score. The Falcon girls finished second by one point to host MCE, and the boys’ team finished fourth. Hesperia’s teams ran as well, with the Panther boys finishing third.

It was the final regular-season run for each team heading into the regional meet Saturday.

Bailey Case led the Pentwater girls by scoring her first-ever individual victory, with a time of 22:14.4. Second

Elyssa Wright (15th, 29:29.8) and Danielle Merritt (21st, 35:46.4) scored for Hesperia as well. Ruhstorfer and Wright had PR times.

In the boys’ race, Nate Ruhstorfer placed fifth for Hesperia to lead county runners, with a time of 18:15.9. Tyler Zimmer of Pentwater set a PR of 19:01.3 and took eighth.

Andy Lopez-Garcia was 11th for Hesperia (19:51.9), followed by teammates Hunter Tinkham (19th, 21:03.7), Tony Lopez-Garcia (25th, 21:52.9) and Paul Winchel (30th, a personal best 22:16.4).

Falcon runners Tyler Zimmer, Wyatt Roberts and Bode Powell finished as a trio, with Roberts in 22nd (21:49.6), followed by Powell (21:50.4) and Roberson (21:51.2). Michael Smith closed the scoring in 43rd (28:18.6).

Shelby Optimist Club Scramble raises money for youth programs

Clear blue skies, a light breeze and beautiful course conditions made for a perfect day as 100 golfers hit the links at the Oceana Golf Club for the 2025 Shelby Optimist Club Scramble Sept. 14. Helped by the efforts of many volunteers and from hole sponsorships by 74 local businesses and individuals,

the Shelby Optimist Club successfully raised funds to donate to local youth programs in the spirit of the Optimist International motto, “Friend of Youth.” Winners of the scramble were Chris Griffin, Al Griffin, Garrett Grantz and Matt Beckman, with a score of 56 (16 under par).

Hart middle-school cross country squads win conference

Celebrating

Six-year-old Thomas Vandervelde recently took this 10-point buck on private property in Oceana County.

• Courtesy Photo

Phil Koeze (center) became the first golfer to make a holein-one on the renovated 15th hole at Oceana Golf Club Sept. 18. Witnesses were Doug Messerlie, Roger Purnell, and Duane VanderZanden (not pictured).

• Courtesy Photo

Nate Stevens scored a hole-in-one on the 2nd hole at Benona Shores Golf Course Sept. 19, using a gap wedge from 110 yards. Nancy Stevens witnessed the feat.

• Courtesy Photo

Hart’s girls (left) and boys cross-country teams each celebrated after clinching West Michigan Conference Rivers division championships Tuesday, Oct. 14 at Ravenna. • Connie VanDerZanden/Echo

Reflections

Reflections of our community

White Lake Mirror White Lake Mirror

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Lakeside Solar public hearing yields feedback

power.com.

Majority of comments speak against proposed solar facility; White River twp. commission has until January to vote

power.com.

Majority of comments speak against proposed solar facility; White River twp. commission has until January to vote

power.com.

By Andy Roberts

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — Many turned out to NBC Middle School to share thoughts on the proposed Lakeside Solar energy facility during Tuesday's public hearing on the matter.

The White River Township planning commission hosted the hearing at the school to accommodate the crowds, and over three dozen people offered public comment about the project following a brief presentation from Amber Miller, Geronimo Power's director of permitting. (Geronimo is the parent company of Lakeside Solar.) Miller's presentation referenced the company's special use permit application, which is viewable at geronimo-

The planned 1,575-acre project982 acres of which are used by the solar panels themselves, Miller said - would, according to the company, produce some $40 million in economic benefit to the area over the next 20 years, as well as 150 megawatts of energy that would be connected to the state's power grid. Over 200 temporary construction jobs would be created to build the energy facility, and three full-time positions would be used to oversee the project once completed.

The application was submitted Sept. 16, and the township has 120 days to render a decision, with a Jan. 14 deadline. Following the public hearing, the commission said that zoning administrator Bill Schmiege requested a 12-day extension due to the holiday season being part of that 120-day window, but that request was denied. Planning commission chair Lauren Wackernagel proposed a Dec. 2 special meeting in order to set a date for a final

vote on the project.

If the commission was to vote down the application, Public Act 233 allows Lakeside Solar to appeal to the Michigan Public Services Commission, which has final siting approval if it deems a municipality's renewable energy requirements are more restrictive than the state's.

Of the many public commenters, three offered support for the project, including Kurt Guter, owner of Guter

Farms in Montague, who said his is among the land being leased to Lakeside Solar. Guter worked for decades in renewable energy, including as president of Granger Waste Services, and said he was part of an unsuccessful attempt to bring a wind energy project to Muskegon and Oceana counties in 2010. He cited his rights as a landown-

Public hearing

continued on page 2

hearing continued on page 2

Library celebrates 25th anniversary in style

Meeting room renamed for original director Bette Carlson

Meeting room renamed for original director Bette

Meeting room renamed for original director Bette Carlson

Carlson

By Claire Marshall White Lake Mirror Writer

WHITEHALL — The White Lake Community Library celebrated its 25th anniversary Friday evening with an open house complete with refreshments, food, and library tours. While many attendees enjoyed catching up and learning more about the library, it was also a time for many in the White Lake area

to reminisce about the arduous journey that led to the library’s creation.

Many will recall its predecessor, which was operated out of a room in Whitehall’s City Hall, and many will recall when funding dried up for a dedicated city library in 1996. What followed over the next four years was a saga of legal and policy exploration, city governance battles, fundraising, bonds and a special election to see the doors open on the WLCL Oct. 7, 2000. None of this would have been possible without a dedicated group of library workers and residents who refused to see the city without a space for community members to congregate, learn

and grow.

One of these dedicated persons was Bette Carlson, who was honored alongside the library’s anniversary for her part in founding the WLCL. Carlson started in 1984 in the city hall’s library taking charge of the children’s programming and went on to serve as the Community Library’s first director until her retirement in 2011.

Carlson regaled the attendees with the White Lake Community Library story, a story which she described as one of “tenacity, determination, purposeful planning, and a vision for the

Whitehall school bond, city council on ballot

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

The Nov. 4 election is approaching, and City of Whitehall voters will have four choices to make.

Voters within the Whitehall school district will be asked to render a decision on its $30 million bond proposal, which would place the district's debt millage back to the five mills last levied in 2024. The five mills, or $5 collected per $1,000 of taxable property value, would be the lowest in Muskegon County; Fruitport's is the second-lowest, at just slightly less than seven mills.

The money would enable the district to install heating, cooling and electrical upgrades in each school building, complete a renovated secured entry at the high school, update classroom technology and cafeterias, and replace some flooring.

Voters in the City of Whitehall will also choose between two mayoral can-

didates and pick between eight potential candidates for three spots on the city council.

Incumbent mayor Steven Salter is seeking re-election while current council member Tom Ziemer is running against him. Salter has been mayor since being elected in 2021 and defeated Scott Brown in a 2023 re-election campaign. Ziemer was elected to city council in 2023.

Among those running for council are two incumbents - Brown and Jeff Holmstrom. Steve Sikkenga's seat is up for grabs as Sikkenga elected not to seek another term.

Winners of the city council spots will have five-year terms after the city recently approved an election cycle change. Instead of terms ending in 2029 as they previously would have, election winners will be on the council through 2030.

The incumbent candidates are be-

Social Studies Honor Society seniors, from left, Payton Hams, Blake Dennis, Emma Decker, Kate Beda, Emily VanDam and Drew Buckner sent questionnaires to the candidates for Whitehall city council last month.

• Courtesy Photo

ing joined by candidates Billie Conrad, Daniel Hardy, Bryan Mahan, Mark Nienhouse, John Robillard and Roger Squiers.

The Whitehall Social Studies Honor Society recently sent a survey to the eight council candidates about why they are running and what they hope to do if elected.

The incumbents are each retired longtime Whitehall residents; Holmstrom previously worked as a firefight-

er and paramedic, and Brown worked at Howmet Aerospace. Brown has long focused on transparency in the use of city tax dollars, and Holmstrom said he wants to serve to make "prudent and proper decisions" for the betterment of the community.

Conrad said she served in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Kosovo in 1999 and 2000, and she's now a teacher in the Whitehall district. She also raised her kids in Whitehall. She said she wants to emphasize collaboration, leadership and open dialogue on the council.

Hardy's platform emphasizes being responsive to residents' concerns, reducing tax burden on residents, infrastructure improvements, and being transparent and accountable.

Mahan is a former Whitehall teacher who retired in 2023. He said his

Claybanks Township resident Dave Borgeson (left) speaks to the White River Township planning commission during Tuesday's public hearing regarding a proposed solar energy facility Lakeside Solar hopes to construct in the township. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

The White Lake Community Library celebrated its 25th anniversary with an open house event Friday. The meeting room in which the event occurred was renamed in honor of original library director Bette Carlson during the celebration.

• Claire Marshall/Mirror

continued on page 2

Whitehall Social Studies Honor Society seniors, from left, Payton Hams, Blake Dennis, Emma Decker, Kate Beda, Emily VanDam and Drew Buckner sent questionnaires to the candidates for Whitehall city council last month.

• Claire Marshall/Mirror

continued on page 2

• Claire Marshall/Mirror

continued on page 2

Whitehall

Local ballots

family has a community service background, with his grandfather once serving on his city council and his uncle serving on his school board. He believes his experience on committees in education and his empirical thinking background will translate well to the city council.

Nienhouse, an Air Force veteran who unsuccessfully ran for city council in 2023, is a longtime Whitehall resident. His focus is on infrastructure improvements and being good stew-

continued from page 1

ards of city tax dollars.

Robillard did not reply to the students' questionnaire, but on his Facebook page, he said in August that he will focus on transparency, fiscal responsibility, roads, and the maintenance of existing city parks.

Squiers recently retired as Whitehall police chief and said several city employees asked him to run for council upon his retirement. He believes his experience working with the Whitehall council will be helpful and said

Public hearing

er to work with Lakeside Solar and climate change concerns as reasons to support the project. Others to speak in favor were Michigan climate activist Peter Sinclair and local farm owner Paul Schroeder.

Most of the remainder of the comments were against the project, many citing what they viewed as the excessive size of the facility. Some comments pointed to the renewable energy overlay the township placed on Chemours land, which is about 500 acres, as an alternative, though Lakeside Solar has stated that for logistical and financial reasons, that site is not viable for its project. However, multiple residents claimed those reasons are not the township's to solve, and a couple contrasted this proposal with that of the 1,900-acre facility currently in development in southern Muskegon County, which is using a sparsely populated wastewater site.

"This is home, not an industrial site," local landowner Matt Hedges said, adding his land would be adjacent to some of the project. "Size and location matter."

Others cited the disruption a lengthy construction process would create in the township as a reason not to support the application, and several claimed the project does not fit within the township's master plan, which calls for preservation of the township's pastoral setting.

Claybanks Township resident Jason Rice, a local Coldwell Banker real estate agent, stated that in his recent experience, the uncertainty surrounding the solar facility is affecting interest in real estate in the township and if approved, would likely have adverse effects on local property values.

Joe Ricenec, a real estate consultant who was part of July's public engage-

ment session, previously said he'd seen no significant link either way between property values and nearby solar energy facilities.

Other notable comments in opposition came from county commissioner Kim Cyr, a Blue Lake Township resident, who cited the decrease in American farms as an issue and was against losing more farmland; Montague school board vice-president Joel Smith, who said he supports landowner rights but stressed this is a zoning issue; environmental ecologist Gary Fahnenstiel, who said he doesn't believe the project will have a significant impact in slowing

continued from page 1

down climate change; and Scott Roodvoets, who spoke on behalf of himself and his late father David, a Chemours Environmental Impact Committee member, as being against the project based on previous experiences with companies like Hooker and the proposal's use of agricultural land rather than brownfields.

Roodvoets added that he doesn't believe Hooker and duPont knew the negative consequences that would result when they came to the area and doesn't ascribe those motives to Lakeside Solar either, but cited potential adverse consequences as a reason to vote against the project.

he will focus on the things that make Whitehall special while providing a "thoughtful and civil approach to decision-making."

Voters in Montague and Whitehall, as well as the townships of Blue Lake, Montague, and White River, will choose whether to renew the White Lake Ambulance Authority millage.

The WLAA is seeking a renewal of its rate of up to 1.9 mills, which would continue from December of this year through 2030, for operating purposes. Ballot language said if the full 1.9 mills were to be collected, it would produce just shy of $1.075 million annually.

Anniversary

future by so many people.”

Carlson shared the spotlight with library board members, current and former, and staff, many of whom have been, and remain, lifelong friends.

“You have this library because of the commitment, dedication, and love by a community and so many individuals," she said. "Board, staff, volunteers, you name them, they did a phenomenal job, and this is what you have today because of their work.”

Following Carlson’s speech, current library director Virginia DeMumbrum presented her with a dedication,

continued from page 1

renaming the meeting room to the Bette Carlson Community Room.

“We might not all be here today if it weren't for [Carlson’s] vision, her grit, and her determination,” DeMumbrum said.

In a closing statement, Carlson, overjoyed by the recognition of her work and looking back on 25 years of the library, said, “This has been the most special night ever, and you are all my friends. I don’t really know all of you, but I feel like I do because we’re all a community.”

COUNTY

On October 14, 2025, the Township Board for White River Township (the “Township”) adopted a moratorium ordinance (Ordinance No. 66-2025) entitled: AN ORDINANCE TO IMPOSE A MORATORIUM ON THE COMMENCEMENT AND EXPANSION OF CERTAIN NONTYPICAL FARM OR AGRICULTURAL USES SUCH AS WEDDING VENUES, CONCERTS, WINERIES, EVENT BARNS, EVENT VENUES AND SIMILAR USES, AS WELL AS A MORATORIUM ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF NEW OR EXPANDED DATA CENTERS.

The new moratorium ordinance (the “Moratorium Ordinance”) will apply throughout the Township and shall be in effect until May 1, 2026. A summary of the moratorium ordinance (the “Moratorium Ordinance”) is as follows:

Section 1. Findings, Intent and Purposes – Event Venues.

This section discusses the reasons for a moratorium on the commencement and expansion of certain non-typical farm or agricultural uses such as wedding venues, concerts, wineries, event barns, event venues, and similar uses. Such discussion includes various Township Board findings, statements of intent, and purposes for the Moratorium Ordinance.

Section 2. Findings, Intent and Purposes – Data Centers.

This section discusses the reasons for a moratorium on the construction and operation of new or expanded data centers, including various Township Board findings, statements of intent and purposes for the Moratorium Ordinance.

Section 3. Moratoria.

This section states that two moratoria (as specified in the Moratorium Ordinance) are enacted for the Township.

Section 4. Prohibited Uses and Activities.

This section lists various uses that shall not be commenced, begun, or expanded while the moratoria are in effect, including, but not necessarily limited to, any wedding venue, concert venue or similar or equivalent use, concerts, wineries, brew pubs, distilleries and similar uses, events venues or barns, similar uses and events venues, and data centers.

Section 5. No Licenses or Approvals.

While the moratoria are in effect, neither the Township nor any Township official, employee, etc. may accept or process any application or approve or issue any zoning approval, permit, liquor license, building permit, or any other Township license or approval for the commencement or expansion of any of the uses specified in Section 4.

Section 6. Essential Action.

This section indicates that the moratoria are essential and necessary while the Township works on ordinance amendments to the White River Township Zoning Ordinance regarding the uses specified in Section 4.

Section 7. Length of Time in effect.

The two moratoria shall be in effect until May 1, 2026.

Section 8. Effective Date.

The Moratorium Ordinance is declared to be an emergency ordinance and shall take effect upon the day that this notice of adoption appears in the newspaper.

* * *

A full copy of the Moratorium Ordinance can be reviewed, inspected, purchased or obtained at the White River Township Hall at 7386 Post Road, Montague, Michigan 49437 during normal business hours (Mondays and Wednesdays – 9 a.m. until noon) or by contacting the Township Clerk at (231) 894-9216. Any questions should also be directed to the Township Clerk. This Moratorium Ordinance is declared to be an emergency ordinance and shall become effective on the date that this notice of adoption appears in the newspaper.

Respectfully submitted by, Julie Goericke

White River Township Clerk (231) 894-9216

Saturday, Oct. 25

Whitehall Family Farm & Home Trunk or Treat, 2-6 p.m.

Trunk or Treat @ Faith Lutheran Church, 5-6 p.m. Co-hosted by Faith Lutheran and St. James Lutheran. All are welcome to enjoy this trick-ortreating event.

Nina Sofia performs @ North Grove Brewers, 7 p.m.

Group Therapy performs @ Pub One Eleven, 8 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 27

Family Storytime @ White Lake Community Library, 9:30 a.m. Open to kids of all ages and their caregivers.

Live trivia @ Red Rooster Tavern, 7 p.m.

Community Calendar

Tuesday, Oct. 28

Baby Time @ White Lake Community Library, 9:30 a.m. Stories, songs and play time. Intended for babies ages 0-2 and their caregivers.

Toddler Storytime @ MADL Montague, 9:30 a.m. Intended for toddlers ages 2-3 and their caregivers.

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

Pretty Fun trivia @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 6:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 29

Youth Open Studio @ ACWL-Nuveen Center, 3-5 p.m. Bring in projects you’re working on or start something new with help from staff.

Thai Beats & Bites @ MADL Mon-

tague, 4 p.m. Create a musical instrument while exploring the sounds and flavors inspired by Thailand. Try traditional Thai treats, both sweet and savory, then build your own simple musical instruments. Registration required @ madl.org.

The Oat Bran Boys perform @ North Grove Brewers, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30

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

1-2-3 Play with Me @ White Lake Community Library, 5:30 p.m. Designed for caregivers and children,

the program includes an early childhood specialist to answer parenting questions. Registration required @ wlclib.org.

Live trivia @ Pub One Eleven, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 31

Play & Learn @ White Lake Community Library, 9:30 a.m. Stories, songs and playtime for kids 5 and under and their caregivers.

Afternoon Hang @ White Lake Commuinty Library, 2 p.m. Tweens 10 and up are invited to play video games, do crafts, eat snacks or just hang out!

Echoes of History: Whitehall Sneak Thief (pt. 1)

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor

The thief made his appearance again after suspending operations in his line for a few weeks. This time he made his appearance at the home of Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Glazier, which he entered Saturday evening, Dec. 9, 1903, while the occupants were at the Glazier store.

The thief boldly unlocked the front door of the residence and walked through the lighted sitting room into the bedroom, where he turned on an electric light and proceeded to rifle through bureau drawers at his pleasure. This time he was not looking for jewelry, as Mrs. Glazier’s gold watch laid on the bureau in a plush case and it was not taken. For his trouble, the thief secured a few old coins which it would be hard work for him to dispose of.

When the first snow arrived that winter, the Glaziers noticed several footprints leading across their yard and when they arrived at the front door, they found that someone had been there and then walked around to the back door, but the person did not

secure entrance to the house that evening.

The tracks gave indication that the person making them wore about a No. 8 shoe of the Douglas make and style. The footprints left by the Saturday night visitor appeared to be of the same size and shape.

There were several strange features in the thievery that took place in Whitehall around that time. Every home entered was well-lit by electric lights. On every occasion the thief made sure no one was at home before he made his visit. This proved he was not fond of unexpected company while at work and that he was lacking in nerve. It also appeared that all the thefts were committed in the early evening, that is, about train time. This proved that the thief was someone who had the whole evening to himself but must be home early.

His mania was for ready cash, and on only one occasion did he take jewelry, although at nearly every home visited, he could have taken a quantity of silverware and jewelry.

On March 22, 1906 the local paper reported that at last Whitehall’s sneak thief, who had been plying his nefari-

ous trade so successfully the past several months, had been captured, but not until after becoming so bold that he fearlessly climbed onto the roof of A. T. Linderman’s residence at 11 a.m. Wednesday morning, March 21. After walking over 30 feet on the peak of the roof, he entered an upstairs window. This window faced the alley and during the thief’s trip across the roof he could have been seen from many points, but by mere chance he entered unseen and later told the officers he had become so accustomed to the work that he didn’t even feel afraid of being discovered.

As soon as he entered the house, he began looking for souvenirs of the occasion - at least it looked that way, as he took nothing of any particular value. He secured a small bag from an upstairs room for the convenience of carrying away his plunder. He then went downstairs and raised the curtains on the north side of the house and this very act gave him away. If he had been a trifle bolder, he probably would have started a fire and assumed complete proprietorship. In his search, he found an album containing European souvenir postal cards and from these he selected a half dozen that struck his fancy

and deposited them in the bag, along with two old pipes, a gold thimble and some other articles hardly worth stealing.

After dinner, when Miss Nina Nelson was returning to the Nelson store, she noticed the curtains in the Linderman house had been raised since morning and went at once to pass this information to Miss Winnifred Linderman, who happened to be in town for the day. Miss Linderman at once decided someone must have entered the house, but thinking the thief had left, the two young ladies started out on their detective work. Before reaching the house, their nerves vanished and Mr. Nelson’s clerk, John Keller, consented to accompany them. John took the key and opened the door and at first glance saw the thief sitting on the floor in the billiard room. He started, in a confused and hurried manner, to make his exit but by the time he had unlocked the back door and rushed out the young ladies were on the spot and could have caught him as he ran past them. It was found that he was taking things out of a darning bag. The marshal was at once notified and the chase began.

Volunteers, donations welcome for Nov. 8 book sale

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

The next book sale is set for Saturday, Nov. 8. Sale hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but you’ll want to come early for the best selection. With prices set at $1 for paperbacks, $2 for hardcovers, and $5 for a whole bagful, the books don’t last long! Can you help us have a great sale? We are currently looking for volunteers to assist with setting up and staffing this event. Sign-up sheets are available at the library, or call 231894-9531 to schedule a shift. There’s still time to bring in book donations for the sale, too. We are always accepting clean, gently-used books, DVDs, and puzzles. You can review our donation guidelines on the website at wlclib. org/book-donations, and we ask that you please call ahead if you’re bringing more than a box or two.

opening soon as well, featuring donated craft items, holiday books, and other unique gift ideas. If you are a crafter who would like to donate items for the sale, please contact Pam at 231-8949531 or posborn@wlclib.org for more information.

Thanks for Celebrating With Us

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for the 25th anniversary open house last Friday. Your presence and support made it a truly memorable occasion. It was a joy to see our community come together to honor this space that has fostered learning, connection, and imagination for a quarter of a century.

Thank you, too, to the many groups and businesses that contributed to the event, including the Friends of White Lake Community Library, The Gnarly Heifer, The Playhouse at White Lake, The City of Whitehall, Jen Zwemer, Jamboree Home Bakery, Montague Foods, Klinefelter’s Gallery, September’s Flowers, and Whitehall Products. Their support made the evening more delightful.

Here's to the next chapter, filled with curiosity, collaboration, and con-

tinued growth. Thank you for making this milestone so special!

FUN FACT: The library’s meeting room has a new name! As part of the 25th anniversary celebration, the meeting room was officially named the Bette Carlson Community Room in honor of the founding director of the library. We are forever grateful for her vision. We are also grateful to Whitehall Products for donating the new sign - check it out next time you’re at the library!

Water Filtration Family Night

The next Family Night at the library is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 6, from 5:30-6:30. Bring the whole gang and join us for a fun and educational hands-on science activity at the library! We'll explore the science behind clean water, discover how natural materials help remove dirt and particles, and see the filtration process in action by creating our own mini water filters using recycled 2-liter bottles. All materials will be provided, and no science experience is needed - just curiosity and creativity!

This event is part of the NEA Big Read Lakeshore. Visit bit.ly/

BigRead2025 to find a complete list of events for all ages, including book discussions, craft events, and an author visit.

Looking for more hands-on science fun? Be sure to check out the Whitehall Middle School Robo Vikings FrankenSTEAM night on Tuesday, October 28th from 4:30 to 6:30. Visit the various STEAM stations featuring simple science experiments, creative engineering challenges, and cool tech demonstrations.

Both library events are free and open to all, and registration is not required. For more information, visit wlclib.org/calendar.

The annual Holiday Store will be

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Wildcats take 4th at state, have bright future

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

BIG RAPIDS — It's been in many ways a dream season for the Montague Wildcats, and although this weekend's fourth-place finish in the Division 4 state finals at Katke Golf Course meant it ended just a bit short of the ultimate goal, the program showed that it's back on the big stage.

The Wildcats' two-day score of 755 came up 10 strokes behind state champ NorthPointe Christian, but it was a day to celebrate, not least because the team appears on the precipice of another special multi-year run - only Cadence Fox will graduate out of the five players who took the course this weekend.

"I felt like we exceeded expectations to put ourselves in this spot," Montague coach Phil Kerr said. "Of course, it would have been nice to pull out some magic at the end, but next year, the expectations will be really high. This will be our first offseason with our new golf room, and these girls are going to be as hungry as ever, so I'm looking forward to it."

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

There was no shortage of resilience required along the way for Montague.

Every team in D-4 had to deal with the two-hour weather delay that affected Saturday's round, of course, but only the Wildcats had the additional issue of

the disappearance of starter Marguerite O'Connell's clubs, which were apparently swiped from the team's hotel lobby that morning.

O'Connell used a loaner set of clubs from the course and got some help from other teams kicking in spare materials. Despite that sudden change in routine, she still shot a 101, only six

strokes worse than her day-one score. She even scored a birdie on the par-4 11th hole.

"I was proud of how the girls fought, specifically Marguerite," Kerr said. "She went and shot a score that's right

Montague takes 4th continued on page 6

McCollum rolls to D-2 state title, 2nd in R-P history

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Reeths-Puffer junior Sophia McCollum played one of the best stretches of golf of her career after an early double bogey at the weekend's Division 2 state finals in Battle Creek, and because of it the Rocket star is a state champion.

McCollum played the final 15 holes of her Friday first round at two under par to take a three-shot lead into the second round Saturday, and maintained it throughout to bring home the championship with a two-day score of 73-75-148. It's the second title in Rocket golf history after Karina VanDuinen won one 10 years ago.

“Sophia had an incredible season," R-P coach Matt Pallett said. "It is hard to put it in words. She won 11

out of 16 events. And even with all the pressure on her shoulders, she played great golf for two days."

McCollum's competitive drive is such that she's able to quickly bounce back from rough holes, and there was no more clear an example of that skill than what she displayed after scoring a bogey on Friday's first hole and a double bogey on the third, putting her off the pace she wanted.

After that tough start, she played the next 20 holes without going over par once, including a pair of birdies during the rest of her Friday round. The string only

McCollum wins state continued on page 6

Wildcats fall in district final heartbreaker

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

HART — Montague hit its stride at the perfect time in this season's district tournament, but the Wildcats couldn't fully recapture their 2024 magic in last Thursday's district final, dropping a 1-0 heartbreaker to Manistee.

The teams effectively played to a standstill, but when Montague (5-151) was called for a handball violation in the box with 9:27 to go, the Mariners were awarded a penalty kick. Max Scharp took the PK and placed it perfectly in the corner to score the game's only goal.

It was a bitter way to go for the Wildcats, especially because as the game progressed, they seemed to be getting closer and closer to getting on the board themselves. Manistee had more opportunities early on, but Montague pushed back through much of the second half.

"I wish the 1-0 was on our side, we

all do, but still, it was some of the best soccer, these last four matches, that these boys have played all season," Montague coach Brandon Mahoney said. "They put it together. They figured it out."

The action certainly did not resemble the 8-3 win Manistee recorded over Montague in the regular season, and the Wildcats playing Thursday looked far different than that group. A leading quintet of Michael Jones, Tyson Schattenberg, Jonah Henderson, Isaiah King and Noah Raeth seemed to constantly be around the ball and played nearly every minute of the game.

Another star of the game for Montague was sophomore keeper Ethan Balon, who belied his experience level with a confident, assured performance running things on the back end of the field. Mahoney said Balon was unable to play early in the season due to a medical issue, but after stepping between the posts, he's looked the part.

"He has really done a phenomenal job for us," Mahoney said. "He stopped some really good shots tonight. It's tough stopping a PK, especially a wellplaced one in the corner. He was big

back there for us."

The Wildcats took a long

Montague's Cadence Fox chips towards the green during Saturday's state finals round at Katke Golf Course. Fox finished 9th individually with back-to-back 90s in her final varsity competition, helping her team finish 4th. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague's Brynlee Kessler fires a tee shot during Saturday's state finals round at Katke Golf Course.

Reeths-Puffer's Sophia McCollum celebrates her state championship win Saturday at the Division 2 finals course in Battle Creek. • Courtesy Photo

Montague's Michael Jones stays focused on the ball while trying to get it from a Manistee foe during last Thursday's district finals game in Hart. The Wildcats lost, 1-0.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Rockets overwhelmed by Big Reds at home

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — It's been a rough season for Reeths-Puffer, and things tend to get rougher when Muskegon shows up on the schedule. The Big Reds overpowered R-P Friday night, 61-7, sending the Rockets to a 2-6 overall record (1-4 in the O-K Green Conference).

Muskegon used its prodigious size advantage to create big running lanes for its players, which resulted in a lot of huge gains. Amiere Chandler got the scoring started with a 29-yard touchdown run, one of two he had in the first quarter alone as Muskegon built a 27-7 lead.

"They outnumbered us and had leverage in a lot of their schemes, but also, they're obviously a lot larger than us," R-P coach Cody Kater said. "They used that to their advantage, but I think they also executed their offense really well. I'd like to know what the (number of) flags were. They're a good, disciplined team."

The one bright spot for the Rockets in the game was an impressive 84-yard kickoff return for a score by Mason Darke after the Big Reds went ahead 20-0. Darke showed off the remarkable

athleticism that's made him a track superstar at the school, shaking off one tackle and simply outrunning the rest of a very speedy Muskegon team to the end zone.

Kater said Darke considered not returning to the football team for his senior year, but he's become one of the team's most consistent performers and reliable leaders in the locker room. He was voted a captain in preseason.

"He's a high-character dude that's in the locker room," Kater said. "His responses to certain things are what sophomores are needing to hear right now. That's what I'm most proud of having him in the program.

"You're starting to see him be really comfortable in a lot of different kinds of games and make those kinds of plays. He's sitting around 800 yards receiving for this year, so he's been the guy that's been the most consistent. You watch him practice on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and it's going to be the same."

Unfortunately, some R-P players didn't follow Darke's lead, which has led to low numbers. The Rockets are playing 11 sophomores right now, Kater said, more than are on the JV team, and have only nine juniors. That's not

a place the program wants to be; R-P would prefer to pull up only sophomores that are forcing their way onto the varsity roster with high-level play, rather than doing so because numbers dictate it.

"We're hoping, obviously, not to have to move all those sophomores up, but there is something right now within our football community that we've got to create an enrichment about why football matters and go from there,"

Kater said. "The sophomores are learning really tough lessons. I just hope that they're able to zoom out and reflect on them, rather than point a finger and make an excuse and not do any learning."

Lamar Bradford ran a couple of touchdowns for Muskegon and launched a nice pass to Arquez Petty on one drive that ended in his own score.

The Big Reds kept scoring later, even after putting in reserves.

Montague comes up big late to hold off Manistee

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Montague didn't make life easy on itself Friday night against Manistee, but the Wildcats' Dane Roesler came up with a late interception to avert what would've been a huge blow to their postseason hopes, preserving a 24-22 win.

The 'Cats only scored three second-half points, but made them count as Jonah Henderson made a 27yard field goal with seven minutes to go that proved to be the game-winner.

"That's why you have soccer kids that kick," Montague coach Phil Koops said. "Jonah executed in the face of some pressure and won us the game."

The field goal was necessary after Montague's drive stalled inside the 10-yard line due to a holding penalty that Manistee helped create by blitzing on a toss play to Moss, Koops said.

Between the atmosphere of homecoming and Manistee having lost five games in a row coming in, the coach felt his players may have struggled to focus on securing a victory.

"Credit to Manistee, they did what they wanted to do," Koops said. "They ran the ball, controlled the

clock and kept it away from us like we like to keep it away from other teams. We told the kids that if we can't get them off the field, it'll be an interesting game."

Montague got off to a good start, with Moss recording an 84-yard pick-six to go ahead 7-0. The 'Cats built the lead to 21-6 by halftime on a pair of scoring runs by quarterback Eli Petersen. However, with the lack of possessions created by Manistee's ball-control attack, it was hard to develop a rhythm on that side of the ball.

"We were pretty frustrated going in after the game and started talking. but we scored on three of four possessions in the first half and in the second half, we might have had three possessions before the last one where we kneeled it out," Koops said.

Manistee worked its way back, and quarterback Dayvion Neal-Berry threw an 80-yard touchdown to Braylen Zimmerman, his second scoring toss of the half. The following two-point conversion gave Manistee the lead before the Wildcats worked downfield to get it back.

Roesler then sealed the win by playing well in coverage and pulling in a deep pass.

"Just like us, their offense isn't really built to throw the ball like that," Koops said. "We were in a conservative coverage without being in prevent. Dane knew the

Whitehall likely secures playoff spot with rout of Fremont

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall likely sewed up its playoff berth Friday night with a dominating 56-0 win over Fremont, but it was the mentality of his team that most impressed Vikings' coach Tony Sigmon.

"I thought everyone just stepped up," Sigmon said. "We've been nicked up in a couple places, in those places you don't necessarily see in the stat book. Our offensive line has been seeing some transition with injuries and our kids did a nice job with that."

Whitehall scored touchdowns on its first eight possessions, even while spreading the wealth on the ground. Nine different players carried the ball in the game, led by

Liam Leeke, who ran for 65 yards and three touchdowns. Isaiah Lewis also had 65 yards with two second-half scores.

Cole Essebaggers was efficient with his five pass attempts, completing three for 121 yards and two scores, one each to Hunter Osborne and Corde Anderson. Osborne had 111 offensive yards, and Anderson added 64.

Somehow the Vikings may have been even better on defense, allowing just 56 total yards on 35 plays. Judd Musk and Cody Manzo each picked off a pass, and Hunter Peterson had eight tackles with Anderson and Musk chipping in seven apiece.

"I really liked how fast we were playing, and we were pretty relentless on defense," Sigmon said. "It

feels good to see that. We'll have to play with that kind of tempo and speed next week. We'll see playoff football from here on out. Portland is an excellent football team."

Sigmon has said multiple times how important Portland's lopsided win over Whitehall in week nine last year was in refocusing his team before what became a district championship run. This year the Vikes will get a chance to see what they're made of in a home matchup with the Red Raiders.

"There's definitely a lot of value in playing a really good football team in week nine, especially non-conference," Sigmon said. "This will tell us what our deficiencies are and where our focus needs to be."

situation. We were going to make them drive the ball. They threw a long pass much like the one they caught for a touchdown, and this time Dane played the ball perfectly and came down with the pick."

While the 'Cats are in good playoff position regardless of next week's outcome against Ravenna, the visiting Bulldogs will have Montague's attention after pulling off a comeback win over Oakridge Friday.

"We'll have to have our ducks in a row and be ready to play," Koops said. "Ravenna will be fighting for their playoff lives."

Reeths-Puffer's Mason Darke (9) and Connor McManus surround Muskegon receiver Recarder Kitchen during Friday's game at R-P. Muskegon won the game, 61-7.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague High School seniors Dylan Bailey and Jenna Woller were announced as homecoming king and queen Friday at halftime of the Wildcats' football game against Manistee. • Courtesy Photo

Montague takes 4th

around her average with a junk set that we pulled out of the clubhouse. That was pretty sweet."

After day one, the Wildcats had a lot of reason to be confident. They were sitting just two strokes back of the lead after storming back from a big deficit early in the round and shooting a 376. All four day-one scorers broke 100, led by a 90 from Fox - a remarkable number considering a disastrous 10 on a par-3 early in her round.

"Yesterday, after I shot my first 10 of the season, I sat there and I was a little disappointed," Fox said. "I didn't even make it on the green. It just kept going in the water. I sat there and laughed at myself...I just thought, 'You can make it back on the back nine.'"

Fox did just that and rallied to shoot four over par on the back nine Friday, showing the toughness and leadership Kerr has spoken of all season, which will be so missed next fall.

Also Friday, Addi Smith had a 94, including one birdie. O'Connell shot a 95 and Molly Mulder added a 97.

Saturday dawned with much different conditions. The morning rain and steady wind made things unpredictable for players, and teams jockeyed for position early in their rounds.

NorthPointe, which held the lead after day one, and Lansing Catholic, which spent the whole season ranked

continued from page 4

No. 1, eventually separated from the pack with strong rounds, and the Wildcats hung around as long as they could before settling for fourth place. Elk Rapids managed to overtake Montague as well by tying for the day's best team score, a 370. (Montague's 379 ranked fifth for the day.)

"Two great teams," Kerr said of the two that ended up at the top. "Lansing Catholic was ranked first all year. They were the best team all year from start to finish. We knew they were the ones to beat. NorthPointe played out of their minds all weekend. They were a lot different team than we saw at regionals a week ago. Credit to them, and credit to their coach. They really pulled it out."

The emotions flowed freely once the round ended; Fox was able to triumphantly end her high school career with a birdie on her final hole, and shot her second 90 of the weekend to again lead the team in scoring. She finished ninth on the individual leaderboard. Smith also matched her Friday score, shooting another 94 to come in a 15thplace tie.

Brynlee Kessler rebounded from a Friday 101 to shoot a 94 of her own, and Mulder equaled O'Connell's score by shooting a 101.

The last time Montague finished fourth at state, it followed by winning the next two championships. The

McCollum wins state

ended when she bogeyed her sixth hole of Saturday's round - but by then she'd scored a birdie Saturday as well.

"I definitely have a lot more experience around the game now, and I've grown as a player and been more consistent," McCollum said. "Mentally, I'm also stronger as a player. I don't let bad holes affect my whole round. I know I can go 3 under or 2 under for 15 holes."

McCollum didn't necessarily want to be leading after the first day, saying she feels more comfortable as the hunter than the hunted. However, her incredible finish to Friday put her up by three shots over the rest of the field.

That gave her a cushion to work with as uncertain weather headed into Battle Creek the next day. McCollum doesn't like the possibility of a delay hanging over her when she plays, but she continued to deliver solid results throughout Saturday. On the par-3 17th hole - her 14th hole of her round - she scored a

continued from page 4

birdie, her second of the day, which kept her in excellent position.

"I thought it was a really helpful hole," McCollum said. "It was after I'd gotten a double bogey, so I was thinking I wanted to finish with pars and birdies."

McCollum was already familiar with the Bedford Valley course - the Rockets played there twice this season, and in fact, she said it was the first course on which she ever played 18 holes - so her plan of attack wasn't affected by any changes to the weather.

In addition to McCollum's improved showing from last year's finals - she was 17th - the experience was also better because she was able to share it with a teammate this time. Olivia Ambler also qualified for state and put together two solid rounds, posting a score of 92-88180 and tying for 36th place. Ambler made a birdie on her final hole of the first round and had an impressive eight pars in her second.

District finals

find themselves in 2025, and at one point they went six weeks without winning a game. However, every soccer coach in Michigan wants to peak in October, and Montague is one team that can without doubt say it did, recording three straight wins, two of them in districts, before bowing out.

"It doesn't matter how you start. It's how you finish," Mahoney said. "To finish runners-up in our district, it's still a magical place to be for these boys. I know they wanted that trophy, and they wanted the medals like we all do, but to be here back-to-back years when we (had) never been to the finals (before), it says so much about their character."

There appears to be much to look

Molly Mulder (center) consults with Marguerite O'Connell prior to teeing

during Saturday's Division 4 state finals at Katke Golf Course.

being stolen prior to the round, Montague finished 4th..

Wildcats knew when that run ended that there would be a lull; their next top players simply didn't have enough experience to sustain that kind of run. This time around, things are different. Kerr, the program, and a talented group of young players have put in the time to set the stage for a run that might just last far longer this time.

"We've put a lot of work in to make this sustainable," Kerr said. "Last time we were here at this level, we knew there was about to be a drop-off, and we decided to do something about it. We feel like from here on out, there's no more drop-offs. We expect to be here every year fighting for this."

"At this point, we have enough of a system that every year, hopefully, we'll have good players coming in," Smith added.

"Last year when I went (to state), it was lonely, so I liked having a friend there also," McCollum said of having her teammate on the course with her. "It was more special having her there."

Pallett said he noticed McCollum's competitive fire right from the start when she began working out with the Rockets' golf team as an eighth-grader. He even intentionally put her in practice rounds with former star players Paige Anderson and Rowan Bluhm before she was ready to really compete with them, knowing she would lose to them and that it would ignite her drive to get better.

"Those two, and anyone else who has ever beaten Sophia, have put fuel on the fire for Sophia," Pallett said. "She works incredibly hard to be the best.”

Both McCollum and Ambler are juniors, so they are slated to return next fall to lead what should be a very strong and experienced Rocket team. If all goes well, both will be back at the state meet next October, and McCollum will have a title to defend if she is.

"I'm definitely excited to build new

Smith will be one of those players; she, Mulder and Kessler will be the senior anchors of the 2026 Wildcats, with O'Connell slated for her junior season (presumably with a different set of clubs). And there's a lot more talent behind them.

But for Saturday, the celebration was about the present, which looked pretty wonderful as well.

"It's so hard to win these," Kerr said. "I know we made it look easy for two years, but it wasn't easy then, and it's never going to be easy. Some things go your way and some things don't. One hole for Cadence, golf clubs come up missing, things could be different, but I'm proud of these girls. The season was awesome. One of my favorite alltime groups."

friendships on our team," McCollum said. "I'm excited to see how our team will be next year."

Whitehall's Shafer ties for 15th at state

Whitehall sophomore Riley Shafer had an impressive showing at the weekend's Division 3 state golf finals in East Lansing, tying for 15th place individually.

Shafer placed 36th in 2024, so her performance Friday and Saturday represented a big step up.

"We would have loved to finish this weekend as a team, but Riley continues to improve," the Vikings' program posted on Facebook.

Shafer was in 13th place after Friday's opening round, in which she shot an 86, including back-to-back birdies on the ninth and 10th holes. On Saturday, with uneven weather conditions, many players' scores were higher, including Shafer's, as she posted a 92. Shafer made six pars in her second round.

continued from page 4

forward to for the team as well. While Raeth and Jones will be much-missed as they graduate in the spring, the rest of the team's starters are slated to return, and a large crop of eighth-graders is on the way too. The seniors will have a lot of ownership, Mahoney said, in the successes that hopefully lie ahead for the returning players.

"We are heavy with sophomores," Mahoney said. "The keeper's a sophomore. A bunch of the guys in the back line are sophomores. A bunch of my midfield are sophomores. It's because of those seniors in the prior class that came to us. That's why we're here today, because of those players. It (brought) other kids out.

"We started 13 years ago with 16 kids, and that's it. This year we're at 37 or 38, and next year will probably be

more than that. It's fun to see the progression and see the kids love the sport and play for each other."

Montague's Emerson Hedrick defends a Manistee opponent during last Thursday's district finals game in Hart. The Wildcats fell, 1-0. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague's

off

Despite O'Connell's clubs

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall puts 3 flights in quarterfinals at state

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall scored eight points Monday and Tuesday at the Division 4 state tennis finals in Midland, coming in a four-way tie for 11th place.

The Vikings were one point away from their goal of a top-10 finish and two behind eighth-place Lansing Catholic. State powerhouse University Liggett took home the championship.

Three Viking flights advanced as far as the quarterfinals, including each of their top two doubles pairs.

No. 1 pair Ian Sampson/Evan Thom-

as earned a No. 7 seed and a first-round bye, then dispatched Lansing Catholic's Ben Palinski/Zach Snitgen in the second round, 6-3, 6-0. In the quarterfinals, the duo bowed out to Griffin Marchal/ Nico Cooksey of University Liggett, 6-4, 6-0; that pair won the state title, and Sampson/Thomas' match was the second-closest one of their run.

Remington Whelpley/Adam Sikkenga also earned a seed, at No. 6, and defeated Drew Edelstein/Aidan Squarcia of Frankel Jewish Academy, 7-5, 6-0, in a second-round match. They lost a quarterfinal battle to No. 3 seed Hud-

Rockets lead local teams, take 5th at GMAA

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Reeths-Puffer topped local teams Saturday at the GMAA volleyball tournament, coming in fifth place on a day that featured three extremely competitive matches.

Montague beat Whitehall in a playin match and went on to finish eighth, and the Vikings took ninth.

The Rockets battled Western Michigan Christian to, effectively, a tie in a first-round matchup before the Warriors eked out a win, 23-25, 25-23, 17-15. R-P rebounded in the consolation bracket with a close victory over Oakridge (25-19, 14-25, 15-10) and defeated Ravenna in the fifth-place match, 15-25, 25-15, 15-11.

"I am very very proud of how our team competed today," R-P coach Justin Birr said. "Although we were two points away from advancing to the semifinals, and it comes with disappointment, we are also moving in the right direction as a program. Seeing the improvement of the varsity team and our entire program over the past couple of years has been great, and we continue to build on young talent as well as a core group of upperclassmen."

Makayla Disselkoen led the R-P offense with 22 kills, and Mairyn Peterson was strong from the service line with 11

aces. Kate Tindall did well setting up her teammates with 63 assists in the three matches, and also recorded 17 digs. Carlee Bowen notched 19 digs.

Montague topped Whitehall in a play-in match to the eight-team bracket, 25-17, 25-14. The Wildcats then fell to No. 2 seed Fruitport, 25-10, 25-16, and lost the seventh-place match to Oakridge 25-13, 25-22.

Reagan Cederquist led the Montague attackers with 15 kills, and Annelyse Schneider had a great day defensively at the net, with 13 blocks. Schneider chipped in nine kills. Jenna Woller had 36 assists. On defense, Gentry Knop had 45 digs and Cederquist added 41. Abbi Tallquist had 29 service points on the day, with four aces.

Whitehall bounced back from its loss to Montague by defeating Muskegon Catholic in a close ninth-place match, 22-25, 25-18, 15-11.

The Vikings struggled at the service line on the day, making 15 errors in the two matches against 12 aces. Kate Beda had a good performance defensively, recording 16 total digs, including 11 against Muskegon Catholic. Clare Westerlund had three blocks against Catholic and four overall.

On offense, Lou Mulder recorded 18 assists. Delaney Kramer had 14 kills and Westerlund added 11.

Senior Center dinner

Monday is free for seniors

The White Lake Senior Center is hosting a free dinner for seniors Monday, Oct. 27 from 5-7 p.m. This event is funded by the senior millage, with a second meal planned for early 2026.

Whitehall residents 60 and older are invited to enjoy a meal and compan-

ionship with other seniors. There is still time to RSVP for the dinner by calling 231-894-9493.

The meal is also open to non-seniors, though there is a $10 cost per person for those under 60.

son Tolsma/Jaben Bell of NorthPointe Christian, 6-2, 6-3. No. 2 singles player Evan Schuitema also advanced to the quarterfinals after a first-round bye and a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Notre Dame Prep's Jacob Evans. Schuitema then fell 6-1, 6-2 to No. 2 seed and eventual state champ Phil Seo of Berrien Springs.

Winning first-round matches for Whitehall were No. 1 singles player William Burger, who topped Kalamazoo Christian's Luke De Jong 6-2, 6-1, and Lukas McKee/Jonathan Roberge at No. 4 doubles, who picked up a close win by a score of 5-7, 6-1, 1-0(6) over Jojo Zayaz/Joey Dunphey of Traverse City St. Francis.

Get ready for Halloween!

Halloween is on deck in the White Lake area!

As usual, the holiday will see many local events offering families and candy enthusiasts the opportunity to show off their costumes and collect treats.

Trick-or-treating hours in the White Lake area will be 6-8 p.m. in each municipality, and several local organizations are hosting Trunk or Treat events as well.

Trunk or Treat events will be hosted at the Fruitland Township Hall from 5-7

p.m.; the White Lake United Methodist Church on Cook Street in Montague from 5-7 p.m.; the White Lake Congregational United Church of Christ on Mears Avenue in Whitehall from 5:307:30 p.m.; and the Evangelical Covenant Church in Whitehall from 6-8 p.m.

Additionally, Rothbury will host its traditional drive-through Halloween event at the Rothbury Community Center from 6-7:30 p.m., allowing families to collect hot dogs and goody bags to fuel up for their evening of trick-or-treating.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Planning Commission for White River Township, Muskegon County, Michigan, will hold a Public Hearing on November 13, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. at the White River Township Hall at 7386 Post Road, Montague, Michigan 49437.

The purpose of the Public Hearing is to consider amendments to the White River Township Zoning Ordinance pertaining to the following:

Amendment #1: Short-term rentals and road access. If adopted, the amendment would expand Section 3.46(C)(7) of the White River Township Zoning Ordinance to allow for short-term rentals to be accessed by a joint driveway or private road if certain requirements are met. Such requirements include a minimum width of such private road or drive, a turnaround point, sufficient fire truck accessibility, and a rental agreement for tenants acknowledging such access.

Amendment #2: Nonconforming buildings and structures. If adopted, the amendment would modify Section 19.02(A)(5) and 19.02(C) of the White River Township Zoning Ordinance to eliminate the 50% enlargement or extension limitation for nonconforming buildings and structures and allow for Zoning Administrator approval of nonconforming setback extensions under certain circumstances.

The amendment language and Zoning Ordinance may be obtained, inspected, purchased or reviewed at the Township Hall, 7386 Post Road, Montague, Michigan 49437, during regular business hours (Mondays and Wednesdays: 9 a.m. until noon). Written comments concerning the proposed amendments will be received by the Planning Commission at the Township Hall, or by email at clerkwrtownship@gmail.com, from now until the start of the Planning Commission meeting on November 13, 2025.

This notice is posted in compliance with the Michigan Open Meetings Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services who are planning to attend the meeting should notify the Township Clerk, Julie Goericke, at (231) 894-9216, within a reasonable time in advance of the meeting.

Julie Goericke Clerk, White River Township