The Oceana Echo - Volume 3, Issue 25, November 14, 2025 by theoceanaecho

Celebrating 2 years of the !

Thank

Pentwater Village approves zoning contract, discusses short-term rental policy and old village hall

By AnnaMae Bush

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

The Pentwater Village Council met Nov. 10 with all members present.

President Mary Marshall said, during correspondence, that due to an unexpected move for a job, Dan Girvan submitted a letter of resignation from the planning commission to which he was recently appointed.

Since there were no committee reports, council moved on to unfinished and new business.

Village Manager Toby Van Ess’ proposal to contract with Fresh Coast for the village’s open zoning position was tabled at the last meeting. Fresh Coast proposed staffing the village office two days a week but being available by phone or computer as needed the rest of the

week. Van Ess had been asked to seek additional bids for the purpose of comparison and advertise the position more broadly in an attempt to find a qualified local person full-time. Van Ess complied with the requests, contacting the two firms suggested to him and listing the job on LinkedIn. One firm never responded, and the other sent back a proposal that gave less information and more contingencies than the Fresh Coast proposal. Three individual applications were received, but two were from out of state, and the third had no experience.

Given the circumstances, council unanimously approved a proposal to contract with Fresh Coast for one year and then evaluate whether or not to renew the contract. The position will still be marketed in hopes of finding a full-time, experienced zoning administrator who could perhaps work with Fresh Coast on a rewrite of the most important and outdated zoning ordinances.

New business included renewing a short-term rental policy adopted last year, which put a cap on short-term rental licenses at 80 and raised the license fee to $750. Currently there are 86 licenses in effect; the cap of 80 will be reached through attrition. Any current license holders can renew their license, but no new licenses will be issued until the total is less than 80. There are approximately 15 persons waiting for a license. The previous license fee had been $300, which was insufficient to cover the cost of administering the program and enforcing rental unit codes.

During discussion, council agreed there should be a separate account to document fees received and specific costs involved with administration and enforcement so the licensing fees can reflect the true cost. On the vote to renew last year’s policy, Don Palmer, Karl Schrumpf, Marshall, Dan Nugent, Jared Griffis and Kathy O’Connor voted yes. Dave Bluhm, a rental unit owner, abstained from voting.

A formality neglected at the last meeting was council’s acceptance and approval of the audit report, which was presented at that time. Council gave unanimous approval at the current meeting.

Regarding the Strategic Plan, Marshall reported the steering committee will meet prior to council’s Nov. 24 meeting to incorporate recent input. Their final proposal will come before council at the Dec. 8 meeting for approval.

A lengthy discussion followed on selling the former village hall at 327 S. Hancock St. Van Ess reported on his interaction with the Sandi Gentry team. Before signing a 6-month listing contract with them, council wanted to be sure they have all the information collected over the past 10 years about the property’s Brownfield development qualification, the engineering reports about the condition of the building and what remediation would be required, the wished for uses of the building that the community expressed, the suggested height restrictions and façade appearance formulated by the DDA and whatever else can be found to give them. A proposal will be acted

on at the next council meeting.

Under manager’s comments, Van Ess listed all the stats on lead lines that have been replaced by Gustafson and how many remain to be checked. The biggest challenge has been getting access to 140 homes for inspection. He is meeting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nov. 26-27 to discuss their work plans for the channel. He reported he had interviewed one applicant for Michelle Bieri’s Deputy Clerk/ Treasurer position. He praised the quick response of Hallack Contracting, Ken Adams & Sons Excavating and the DPW to fix a water main leak at Hancock and Hanover that occurred when Frontier Communications apparently drilled into the line.

Chief Laude Hartrum responded to a resident’s question regarding the Flock camera test period. Since the intent was to piggyback on the county sheriff’s Flock program and they have yet to install their cameras, Pentwater’s official test period will not officially begin until May 2026 and run for 90 days following. Hartrum said "we are using the system when needed, but on a non-official basis." He affirmed a report would be given after the official test run.

Hartrum also reported that representatives from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police would be inspecting and evaluating the Pentwater Police Department on Dec. 9 and 10 for their accreditation with the organization. This is an accreditation they have been working to achieve for four years.

Veteran Larena Kramer spoke at the Hart

VFW Nov. 11.

Veterans Day across Oceana

James & Nancy McClain

Photographer: Erik & Kristy Lindquist

Veterans salute the flag at Shelby Middle School during the Star-Spangled Banner.

OCDVA Veteran Service Officer Samuel Nanasi also spoke at the Hart VFW during Tuesday's ceremony.

• Amanda Dodge/Echo

• Connie VanDerZanden/Echo

The Shelby Middle School Choir performed "Peace Song" during the school's Veterans Day assembly.

Air Force veteran Ed Dodds was the featured speaker at the assembly.

The Shelby Middle School Cadet Band performed "American Fantasy" to honor local veterans Nov. 11.

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

Businesses

With the unexpected passing of Walkerville Well Drilling owner Jerry Frick last month, many in the community have asked if the long-standing business will be continuing. The office staff has confirmed the business is still open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. “We are proud to be a family-owned and operated business with a long history in Oceana County,” said Jerry’s daughter, Angela Slowick. “My mother, Verla, and I have taken over operations. We have a licensed driller on staff, and our entire team is looking forward to providing well drilling services for our community into the future.”

Weather Stats

Oceana County was blessed with a beautiful October, as these weather stats taken at the WEEH-FM in Mears will attest to. The first week of October saw temperatures above 75 degrees every day, reaching a high of 84 degrees on Oct. 4. Residents only had the colored leaves as a reminder it was not August! A few more 70-degree days slipped in here and there during the middle two weeks of the month. By the end of the month, three killing frosts (29 degrees) had been recorded on Oct. 25, Oct. 26 and Oct. 29. As far as precipitation, the first part of the month was still very dry, with most of the 2.83 inches of precipitation recorded in October coming between Oct. 18-24.

Community

Love INC (In the Name of Christ), located in Shelby, held its annual fall fundraiser Monday, Oct. 6, at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Era, raising $15,000 for the ministry. In attendance were 125 community members who enjoyed bidding on silent auction items, catching up with ministry partners, and making new friends while enjoying an appetizer/dessert buffet and a selection of gospel music from the Down Home band out of Greenville, Mich. Board President Lori Ray shared a video featuring Love INC staff and volunteer testimonies. Executive Director Steve Leinbach shared his passion for the ministry and the joy of watching lives transformed through Love INC connections. He encouraged everyone in attendance to consider giving their time, talent and treasure so more people can be helped. Any time, any skill set and any size gift are needed and appreciated. Please visit https://build. loveincoceana.com/ for more information.

Outdoors

Opening day of regular firearm deer season, Nov. 15, isn’t technically a legal holiday, however, it might as well be. Here in the State of Michigan, work and school schedules get adjusted, deer camps spring up

everywhere and hunting stories are shared over fresh venison…hopefully. Hunters of all ages and abilities will be taking to the woods tomorrow in hopes of bagging the big one, and the Oceana County deer population does not require testing following a kill. Given that opening day is on a Saturday, expect to see more hunters out and heed the following safety reminders so that this year’s hunt is a safe one. The following information is compliments of the Michigan DNR and can be accessed along with other helpful information at Michigan.gov/HuntingSafety.

• Firearm deer hunting season runs from Nov. 15 to Nov. 30 and Dec. 5 to Jan. 1. Archery deer hunting will resume Dec. 1 to Jan. 1.

• Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

• Be aware of your surroundings – know your target and what is beyond it.

• Unload firearms when crossing obstacles and/or getting in or out of an elevated stand.

• Obey “no trespassing” signs; they are there for a reason.

• Obtain landowner permission before retrieving any game that may have wandered onto private property.

• Wear hunter orange to increase your visibility to other hunters. Hunter orange garments must be worn as the outer layer of clothing (such as caps, hats, vests or jackets) and must be visible from all directions.

• All nonhunters (hikers, dogwalkers, farmers, etc.) are also encouraged to wear bright colors or reflective clothing, especially hunter orange, when recreating near woods, fields or hiking trails where hunters may be present.

With the resignation of former Shelby Village Clerk/Treasurer Crystal Budde, who took a job with the City of Whitehall, the council welcomed Miraya Diaz as Budde’s replacement at their Oct. 13 council meeting. In addition, Lynnea Lamburg of Shelby was recently hired to fill Diaz’s former role as deputy clerk/ treasurer. Budde leaves big shoes to fill, but Diaz and Lamburg’s past employment and skill backgrounds, as well as their pleasing personalities, should serve the residents of Shelby well.

The possibility of a pool in Shelby moved one step closer in October when the State of Michigan appropriated $1M in grant funding toward the project.

The Village of Shelby has been busy this past year, updating the village’s Master Plan and is pleased to

announce a draft copy is available for public viewing. Please access it by going to www.shelbyvillage. com>Community tab>News and Updates>Categories (on right side of page)>Vision and Planning Shelby. “Whether you're a resident, business owner, or simply care about Shelby’s future, we encourage you to read through it—especially the Goals & Objectives section near the end,” said Village Administrator Phil Morse.

In an effort to improve communication between the village and residents on important matters, the Village of Shelby is now offering text and email alerts. Residents who wish to receive notifications of such things as advisories, maintenance updates, closures, events and more, are invited to opt in to this service by visiting www.shelbyvillage.com > Resident Services > Alerts and Notices.

Infrastructure

Stay tuned! The West Shore Community College Hart Site has officially announced its expansion into Oceana County. The college expects to have the site of the former Gales IGA grocery store (710 S. State St., Hart) open to the public by fall 2026. The site will provide classroom space, a food club, coffee shop, community service offices and space to rent. Vice-President of Administrative Services at WSCC Mitch Foster told The Echo the above rendering is an example of what the new WSCC satellite could look like. It may look a bit different in its final form.

row crops, corn and soybeans is now “growing” solar panels. According to the NorthStar Clean Energy website, commercial operation is anticipated in 2026.

Municipal

Lots is happening in the Village of Shelby. Be sure to save July 11-12, 2026 for the 2nd Annual Chainsaw Carving Festival to be held in downtown Shelby!

Former cropland on Polk Road and to the south is being transformed. Land that once grew asparagus,

OCCOA Board of Directors faces another tense public comment

By Claire Marshall The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

The Oceana County Council on Aging (OCCOA) Board of Directors faced another tense public comment at their latest meeting, held Oct. 28. Seven Oceana County residents voiced their concerns over the board and administration’s direction, behavior and finances, supported by over a dozen more in the audience.

The finances of OCCOA were a main topic of discussion, with commenters listing offenses such as a significant wage gap between administrator and “frontline” workers. Many attendees had taken it upon themselves to review the organization’s financial reports, only to state that they found the results vague, unclear and misleading. Several noted that when considering the yearly millage, which reportedly covers 80 percent of OCCOA’s funding, the confusion is concerning.

Sara Kraner, an RN who formerly worked for OCCOA, asked, “What assurances do we have that our $1.4 million public dollars are being used wisely, in good faith, and for the purpose they were so generously awarded?”

According to Susan Stace, “A nonprofit that asks for the community’s trust must first be trustworthy itself. That means open books, fair wages and leadership that welcomes questions instead of silencing them.”

Mary Lulich, who served on the OCCOA Board of Directors four years ago, recalled how the last millage was won by a “narrower margin” than it has in the past and called for “a renewal of trust, of leadership integrity and of the mission to serve Oceana County’s aging community with dignity and respect… We the people, the taxpayers, govern the board… as citizens, taxpayers and stakeholders, we have both the right and the responsibility to ensure that the Oceana County Council on Aging operates with transparency, fiscal responsibility and integrity.”

Retired RN and The United Way volunteer Susan Cerka was recently let go as a volunteer of Our Friends House adult day services before being served a no-trespassing order. Cerka was disallowed from attending the meeting by judicial order, so her statement was presented by Travey Carollo. According to Cerka's statement, she was “personally intimidated by an out-of-control OCCOA administrative staff, physically battered by a male administrative staff, served with a 'Letter of No Trespass'... [which was shared] to State Police, County Sheriff, and County Prosecuting Attorney, and developed medically documented shingles due to emotional duress…” However, she also wrote that she will “gladly call all these actions for good if they prevent another victim from being subjected to this organization’s dysfunction and abusive actions, especially our seniors and caregivers.”

Mary Sloan, who has been campaigning for accountability of OCCOA at previous board of directors meetings as well as to the county board of commissioners, attended with her husband, Clair, a client at Our Friends House. Sloan shared a letter she’d recently received from OCCOA detailing the code of conduct for visitors - which was dated Oct. 21, 2025 - and requesting her signature acknowledging she had read and understood the consequences she faced should she have another “incident.” According to Clair, who also spoke at public comment, not signing the letter would jeopardize his continued service from Our Friends House.

Said Sloan, “This letter read like a reprimand from an employer. I am not a salaried employee of OCCOA. I am not on your payroll. OCCOA on the other hand, in the amount of nearly $39,000 for three-plus years, is on my payroll.”

She likewise informed the board that she and Clair will be taking a break from Our Friends House to “explore what is best for Clair’s emotional, mental and physical health.”

Following public comment, the board was slated for a presentation of their financial report and 2026 budget. While a hard copy of the financial report was

provided for board members, it was not presented, nor were questions taken, as Treasurer Frank Doll had recently resigned from the role and was absent from the meeting.

Neither could the 2026 budget be reviewed, as Associate and Finance Director Kay Butcher had yet to finish it, citing personal delays. Butcher said she planned to provide the budget to the board by the end of the week.

The board voted unanimously to receive the financial report, regardless.

The OCCOA Board of Directors also saw some rearrangement of roles within the board. Jon Bowen and Emma Kirwin were approved for another threeyear term each, while President Ron Rash saw the end of his second term. Rash was replaced as president by Doug Bacon, with Lori Suttner taking on the vice president position Bacon left behind. Pam Czurak replaced Frank Doll as board treasurer.

Oceana County Undersheriff Ryan Schiller was also present at the board meeting, and the Echo obtained a statement from him, regarding his attendance there, earlier this week, "The sheriff's office was asked to attend, simply to be present, as there were a number of individuals who were clearly unhappy with the OCCOA board. I did have very brief contact with (OCCOA Executive Director) Stephanie Moore after I arrived that day. I was not asked in any way shape or form to prevent any media from attending. The sheriff's office has appreciated a very positive relationship with the OCCOA over the years. We try to be supportive of a number of our para-government organizations and help where we can. With regard to Susan Cerka, I again had a very brief interaction with her prior to the meeting. Ms. Cerka was polite and not confrontational. We are very often requested to be at community meetings if there is anticipated conflict, so this is nothing out of the ordinary."

The next Board of Directors meeting is set for Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. Attendees asked for confirmation on the time and place and were told by the board that it will be 1:30 p.m. at the OCCOA facility.

This page is brought to you by:

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

The

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

Armistice Day Storm - Part Four: The William B. Davock

By Claire Marshall The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

Of the three freighters lost on Armistice Day of 1940, the SS William B. Davock was the largest (at 420 feet long) and suffered the greatest loss of life (all 33 crew members). Not only that, but for nearly 42 years the final resting place of the wreck remained a mystery, alleviating none of the questions asked by owners and grieving familieshow and why did she wreck?

The Davock’s primary route was an efficient one. It would pick up coal from Erie, Pennsylvania, which would be deposited at various ports throughout the Great Lakes, before retrieving iron ore from Lake Superior ports, such as Duluth and Marquette. This iron ore would then be transported to steel mills such as in Chicago and all the way back to Erie, where the cycle would start again.

It was well-fit for such work, initially built in 1907 to withstand loads of 7,200 tons and then later reconstructed in the early 1920s to meet climbing demands as the Rust Belt states launched into an age of industrialization. The Davock was at the height of technological advancement as well, as she was one of the first freighters to be outfitted with wireless telegraph communications.

Because of this, she was the

first ship to document a wreck report while on the Great Lakes after passing through the debris field of the car ferry Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 on Lake Erie in December 1908. Lost in a winter storm, the Marquette & Bessemer wreck remains lost to this day. In 1929, the Davock received a radio direction finder after a storm on Lake Superior spawned rogue waves, which damaged the ship’s wheelhouse and swept overboard two crew members, who unfortunately perished. Two years later, the Davock received her radio transmitter.

How about one more ill-fated omen for the road? The Davock had four near-identical sister ships. Of those four, half were lost - the Davock and the SS John Mitchell, lost in 1911. The John Mitchell was struck in a heavy fog by another freighter, the SS William Henry Mack. While a majority of the crew and passengers survived, three sailors lost their lives jumping overboard before being sucked back into the sinking ship. She is now just one of many shipwrecks in the veritable graveyard of Whitefish Point, discovered in 1972 (the same year her sister, the Davock, was found) lying upside down.

To be fair, many of these occurrences where the Davock brushed death and wreckage are commonplace in an industry such as Great Lakes shipping, but try explaining that to a

superstitious seaman.

On Nov. 8, 1940, the Davock picked up her usual load of coal in Pennsylvania, with Chicago her final destination. She radioed frequently to shore as she traversed through Lakes Erie and Huron, reaching the Straits of Mackinac by the afternoon of Nov. 10. At 7:28 a.m., the Davock radioed shore to update them of the relatively mild weather and inform them that they estimated to reach Chicago the following morning at 1 a.m. At that point, she was just west of Ludington. While this was her last radio transmission, the Davock did not enter the storm alone. A half hour earlier, she was joined on her route by the SS Henry Steinbrenner, and they travelled together until they were near Muskegon, when the storm obscured all visual contact between the two.

The two ships had a twoand-a-half-hour warning before the storm hit at 1:30 p.m., per a broadcast weather report. Sometime in between the broadcast at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., the Davock’s radio must have become inoperative, as the Steinbrenner attempted multiple times to contact the Davock ahead of the oncoming storm with no response. Before losing visual contact at 2 p.m., the crew of Steinbrenner saw the Davock bearing east, likely to seek shelter in Grand Haven, particularly imperative if they were without a working radio.

That was the last time anyone saw the Davock before her wreck was discovered in 1972 by a group of Milwaukee-based divers searching specifically for her. Despite not being far from the wreck of the Anna C. Minch, the Davock’s wreck was in far deeper and less visible waters, which had concealed her for decades. The cause of sinking was obvious—she’d capsized and was found lying upside down on the floor of Lake Michigan.

Once the ship was finally discovered, its allure diminished, leading to very few divers visiting it. Those who remained curious struggled to examine the upside-down hull due to the treacherous deep water and murky conditions that made finding a way inside difficult. Improved technology and the presence of zebra mussels in the lake water solved the mystery 40 years later.

In 2014, the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association led a study of the wreck and concluded that the rudder had broken and one of the propellers was damaged. With the catastrophic disabling of both the ship’s steering and forward propulsion, the Davock would have had no way to face the storm, let alone traverse to safety. Brenden Baillod’s valuable book, "Ghosts of the Oceana Coast," puts forward an additional factor that could have contributed to the ship’s capsizing. Many of the ships that (barely) weath-

ered the storm reported their ships’ surfaces being encased in layers of ice, which would have added considerable weight.

So the likely scenario is that the Davock cannot accelerate, cannot steer and ice is weighing down the ship above the waterline, counterbalancing the ballast in the hull. It would only take one large wave hitting her sideways to capsize her for good.

Regardless of what exactly took place, the 33 crew were clearly preparing to abandon the ship. A launched lifeboat was found south of Ludington, along with the bodies of 16 crewmen wearing life jackets. While the capsizing and sinking would have been near-instantaneous, it's likely the ship was disabled for hours, battered endlessly by the storm and unable to call out for help.

The bodies of three crewmen could not be identified and are resting (hopefully in peace) at Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington.

A look back at The Mears Newz' holiday headline stories

By Mort Wiegand The Oceana Echo Volunteer Contributor

With the holidays coming up in 2025-26, we celebrate them with feasting and fun memories.

Looking back 100 years to the local "Mears Newz," we see the town of Mears celebrating their own ways.

We can only wonder what Swift Lathers' headlines would be in 2025-26.

Nov. 20, 1925

Gobblers and Gravy are ripe in the Land of Mears...Handy Andy has

moved! You will find him at his new shop on Tin Can Alley, where he knows how to mend tires and radiators. Handy Andy's, the professional bootlegger, who has used tires for sale.

Dec. 25, 1925

License Plates are ripe in the Land of Mears...Chasing her elusive suitcases was a Christmas pastime for Muriel Brubaker who lost her baggage off the Greyhound roof and after a period of tribulation found it again. Then on the homeward jaunt she lost her expensive luggage off the running board of a taxicab and it was found later in a roomer's

room in Muskegon through a rumor.

Jan. 1, 1926

Ayers' Almanacs are ripe in the Land of Mears...Perhaps it is because they live in tasteful surroundings in the most attractively built house in Mears that the six beautiful Wright girls seem to have been born with a deep aesthetic sense, the quiet appreciation of the beautiful. It was so with Faye when she blended her watercolors to pinkly paint the crabapple blossoms and reincarnate the roses on paper. Ora's pictures are worth looking at. Lately, her art has received local appreciation

in the numerous posters she has made for church affairs. She squeezes these out of liesure [sic] moments in the office when she is not watching her array of calendars with the poised paddles of the Indiana women on motionless rivers. Oh well, some girls fret their lives away trying to get out of here, and some don't know what to do with their time and strut up and down the avenue shaking their hair and rattling the flying hinges on their arctics. And some girls have discovered that life is not noise and they have happy interests that their fingers fly to when time gives them a golden moment.

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: Story Time, HCL, 10 a.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:

Nov. 20 - Fellowship Supper, 6-7 p.m. (sign up required)

Nov. 20 - Give Thanks Worship Gathering, 7-8 p.m.

Nov. 25 - Christmas Card Craft, 9:30 a.m. (sign up by 11/14)

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.

Knitting Group: 2nd & 4th Tuesday, 10 a.m. to noon

MON: Women’s Bible Study, 1-2 p.m.

TUES: 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

N ovember

Nov. 14 - Resident Christmas Bazaar Fundraiser and Lunch, OCMCF, Hart, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nov. 14 - Hart United Women in Faith Fall Bazaar & Luncheon, Hart UMC, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Nov. 14 - Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry, Shelby Elementary School, 5 p.m.

Nov. 14 - HPA, Karolina & Iwo, HPS Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

Nov 15 - Winter Gear Giveaway, HCF, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nov. 17 - After School Movie, HCL, 3:30-5 p.m.

Nov. 18 - Versiti Blood Drive, NECRC, 12:30-6 p.m.

Nov. 18 - Adult Book Club, 2-3 p.m., Board Meeting, 4:30-6 p.m., HCL

Nov. 20 - Matinee Movie, 1-3:30 p.m.

Nov. 20 - Family Fun Night, HCL, 6-7 p.m.

Nov. 20 - Friendship Ring Quilt Guild, NERC, 7 p.m.

Nov. 22 - Joe Guerra in Concert, Hart Wesleyan Church, 6 p.m.

Nov. 23 - Holiday Artists Market, Stony Lake Inn, noon to 5 p.m.

New movement programs for Children offered in Hart

Creative Kids Movement Network of West Michigan is pleased to announce expanded programming for children in the community, including upcoming MiniMovers classes for ages 2–5 and a new Elementary Dance class.

A 12-week MiniMovers session begins Nov. 21 at The Monarch in Hart, held Fridays from 3–3:30 p.m.

MiniMovers is designed specifically for ages 2–5. The fitness-based class includes stretching, exercises and activities, and rhythm-based movement through music and storytelling. Children strengthen core muscles, coordination, balance, and agility while developing gross motor skills and cognitive awareness. From X-jumps and tumble trains to cool-downs, children stay active and engaged as they build strength, balance and body awareness.

A 12-week Elementary Dance session begins Dec. 5 at The Monarch in Hart, held Fridays from 4–4:45 p.m.

This new class blends tap, jazz, ballet and creative movement into one engaging experience. Students learn foundational technique, rhythm and musicality, dance vocabulary and expressive movement through fun and age-appropriate activities. Classes are designed to improve strength and motor skills, foster skill development, build self-confidence and self-awareness and promote teamwork and collaboration.

“I love watching children grow more confident in how they move,” said Melissa Sayles, owner of Creative Kids Movement Network of West Michigan. “I’m excited to bring these classes to Hart and create more opportunities for young children to explore movement in a positive, supportive environment.”

Registration is now open. To register or learn more, visit www.ckmovementnetwork.com/west-mi, email msayles@ckmovementnetwork.com, or call 231852-4230.

30th annual holiday fundraiser at SADL begins Nov. 18

This year marks the 30th annual Friends of Shelby Area District Library (SADL) fundraiser, “Celebration of the Holidays!”

This popular event will take place Tuesday, Nov. 18, through Saturday, Nov. 22 at SADL with over 50 displays, table decorations, gift baskets, wreaths and themed life-like trees available for silent auction bidding.

The community is invited to view the beautiful displays and munch on homemade cookies while browsing during regular library hours. Bidding closes at noon Saturday, Nov. 22. For those who can’t attend to place final bids on that day, please call the library at 231-861-4565 to leave a bid with the staff or a Friend of SADL who will bid for you.

The holiday displays may also be viewed on the SADL Facebook page. A “Buy it Now” table will have priced holiday items for sale. New this year will be $5 grab bags of decorations. Proceeds from this fundraiser assist with the purchase of new books, materials for programs like Storytelling and Princess/Pirate parties, upgrades to the library and arts/crafts activities.

“Many unique items will be offered for sale or silent auction that you won’t find online or in stores,” said Cindy McKinnon, president of Friends of SADL. “If you are looking for an unusual gift or want something that will refresh your home décor, this early holiday sale has so much to offer, with proceeds benefiting the Shelby Library! Beat the rush and shop with us!”

The Friends of Shelby Area District Library are also sponsoring a chance to win a beautiful Holiday Collection of Christmas décor showcased in the library. For each $5 donation or more, an ornament with the donor’s name (or anonymous) will be on display at SADL with the donor’s name entered into a drawing for the Holiday Collection. To participate, pick up an

entry form at the library and leave a donation of cash or check made out to Friends of SADL or mail your donation to: Friends of Shelby Area District Library, 189 Maple St., Shelby, MI 49455. Drawing for the Friends Holiday Collection will be Dec. 12.

The Friends of SADL is a 501(c)(3) non-profit group organized for the development of the Shelby Library, to bring together people to promote and support the Library through programs and events, and to raise funds to provide for the purchase of materials and services for the Library. The Celebration of the Holidays fundraiser is made possible due to the dedicated volunteers who donate their time, talent, and resources to create the displays for this event. To learn more about the Friends of SADL and join this dynamic group, contact McKinnon at Friendsofshelbyareadistrlib@gmail.com. No dues are collected, meetings are quarterly and members may contribute as little or as much time as they can donate.

25th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner set for Nov. 27 in Shelby

All are invited to the 25th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner in Shelby. It is being provided by local businesses and friends and will take place at the Optimist Club, 788 Industrial Park Dr. in Shelby. Organizers are currently seeking monetary, food and time donations. Anyone interested in volunteering or for more information, please call or text (231) 301-1142 or (231) 594-8928. It takes many hands to make this event successful, so please come out and enjoy this annual holiday meal.

Hoeing ‘In the Garden’ Part 11:

By Janet Van Gunst Hasselbring The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

In 1990, author Tim O'Brien released "The Things They Carried." This was his third book about the Vietnam War, written as a collection of short stories based upon his personal experiences in the Army's 23rd Infantry Division.

“They carried the sky. The whole atmosphere, they carried it, the humidity, the monsoons, the stink of fungus and decay, all of it. They carried gravity. They shared the weight of memory. They bore what others could no longer bear; often they carried each other, the wounded, the weak, the dead,” O'Brien penned. “They carried the common secret of cowardice barely restrained, the instinct to run, freeze, or hide – in many respects, this was the heaviest burden of all, for it could never be put down. It required perfect balance and posture.”

In 1966, my parents saw their youngest son off to war. At first he went to college, but after a semester it was off to complete basic training, which led to his next destination: Vietnam. He served two tours there, one in Forward Reconnaissance and, like O'Brien, one in the Infantry.

In ways they could never have known, after my parents bid their young son - now a soldier - farewell, their bond with him became permanently affected by war's terrible toll.

As O'Brien put it, “Where the brutal killing of in-

nocents on both sides cannot be explained... soldiers dealt with the pain of their feelings, forced into extreme situations that have no obvious solutions and devastating lasting consequences.“

It would be a defining moment for my parents, for though their son survived the jungles of Vietnam and returned home to the farm, for a time, he was not content, nor could he contend with “normal” life. He reenlisted, and this time, when he was discharged, he settled out west. My parents would never see him again.

War wreaks havoc on soldiers and their families. The Vietnam War was especially devastating.

"By daylight, they took sniper fire, at night they were mortared, but it was not battle, just the endless march, village to village without purpose, nothing

won or lost; at night, the eerie quiet of the jungle caused soldiers’ imaginations to run wild with fantastic images stranger than anything they might actually encounter,” O'Brien recalled in his book,

Not only were these soldiers not considered heroes in the eyes of some of their compatriots, but the psychological ramifications of the war were just becoming apparent:

In O'Brien's words (words which could have been my brother’s), “I’d come to this war a quiet, thoughtful person...with fine intellectual credentials, but after seven months in the bush, I realized those civilized trappings had been crushed under the weight of the simple daily realities. I'd turned mean inside."

My parents always loved their son and came to accept his need for privacy, however, they never stopped hoping and praying for a miracle. As the part of the Prayer of Saint Francis goes: “O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.”

Estrangement from her youngest son pushed my mother’s faith and trust in her Lord to the limits; however, she brought her suffering to Him and laid it at the foot of the cross. She never forsook her Jesus, though she cried out in sorrow, “My Lord, why have You forsaken me?” and then in obedience and humility, “Not my will, but Thine be done.”

For information about the memoir, "In the Garden," contact the author at janethasselbring23@gmail.com

(231) 893-3085

Office Hours: M–Th 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pastor: Rev. Ron Hutchinson stjamescatholicparish.org

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church

3000 Winston Road Rothbury, MI 49452

Mass Times: Sunday - 8:30 a.m.

Please call 231-893-3085 for more information stjamescatholicparish.org

In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

obituaries

Bradley Morris Norton

November 26, 1955 ~ November 7, 2025

On November 7, 2025, Bradley Morris Norton, a loving husband, father, son, brother and grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 69.

Born on November 26, 1955, Brad graduated from Reeths-Puffer High School in 1974. He married his soulmate, Corinne (Wisniewski), on July 22, 1978, and together they had two daughters, Patty Richardson of Orrick, Missouri, and Tammy Estes of Lancaster, Ohio.

8, 1938 ~ November 6, 2025

Gilman Avery Wilson June

Avery Wilson, 87, of Mears, passed away November 6, 2025. He was born June 8, 1938, in Antrim County, Mich igan, the son of Gilman and Jessie (Colwell) Wilson. Avery was the youngest of eight children and was preceded in death by his parents and siblings.

Avery moved to Walkerville and attended Walkerville School and later transferred to Hart High School, graduating in 1957. Following high school, Avery patriotically joined the U.S. Army Reserve.

Avery married his high school sweetheart, Carol Ann Landis, in 1959. They made their home in Mears for over 60 years. In the 1980s, Avery and Carol purchased the General Store in Mears and, in 2003, built the store at its current location on the corner of Polk Road and 56th Avenue.

Avery was an avid boater and enjoyed bowling, traveling and spending time with friends and family.

Avery is survived by: his loving wife, Carol; their son, Jeff (Mara) Wilson of Mears; grandsons, Jacob and Matthew (Mireya) Wilson; great-grandsons, Caleb and Branden Wilson; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

Memorial services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, at First Baptist Church in Hart, 3258 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420, with Pastor Dennis Foley officiating. Visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 21, 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, 3258 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420.

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

www.beaconfh.com

Virginia “Jenny” Elaine Pearson, age 89 of Hesperia, passed away early Tuesday morning, November 11, 2025 at her home.

She was born on August 31, 1936, in Fremont, Michigan, to John & Faye (Kalman) Fairchild. Jenny had been a stay-at-home mom and did babysitting for many families. She delivered newspapers for the Muskegon Chronicle, she had been a secretary for State Farm Agent Andy Patrick in Hesperia, and she did cleaning jobs for various businesses in Fremont. Jenny loved flowers, drawing, bird watching, and baking things from scratch. She also loved spending time with her family.

On March 12, 1955, she married James T. Pearson, and he preceded her in death on October 28, 2022. She was also preceded in death by her son, Johnny Pearson; sister, Peggy Randolph; sister and her husband, Jeanette & Clifford Walker; and brother-in-law and his wife, Bob & Marge Cross.

Jenny is survived by: three children, Judy (Curt) Pearson-Schumacher of Hesperia, Jimmy (Brenda) Pearson of Muskegon and JoAnna (Dennis) David of Hesperia; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by: her sister, Nila (Jim) Clark; brother, Byron (Iva) Fairchild; brother-in-law, Steve Randolph; and many nieces & nephews.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 at the Kroeze-Wolffis Funeral Home with JoAnna David officiating. Visitation will also be at the funeral home from 1-2 p.m. on Saturday. Interment will be in West Hesperia Cemetery. Suggested Memorial: The Alzheimer’s Association.

You can sign the online guest book at www.kroeze-wolffis.com.

Arrangements are by Kroeze-Wolffis Funeral Home, Inc. of Fremont.

Brad's love for the outdoors and his passion for hunting and fishing were a big part of his life.

He is survived by: his devoted wife of 47 years; his two daughters; four grandchildren, Madalyn, Alanah, Rylan and Bennett; as well as two sons-in-law, Patric Estes and Lee Richardson. Brad is also survived by: his sister, Cindy Kirksey; brother-in-law, Dennis Kirksey; nieces, Nikki and Chelsea; nephews, Josh and David.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Morris and Georgia Norton. Brad will be deeply missed by his family and loved ones, who will cherish the memories they shared with him.

Brad wished to be cremated. The family will have a private celebration of life in the spring.

Obituary Information:

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

Shelby announces launch of 'CarvePrize' – a new chainsaw carving art competition

Shelby is proud to announce the launch of CarvePrize, a bold new community art experience inspired by Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize, but with a rugged Shelby twist. Building on the success of last year’s Chainsaw Carving Festival, CarvePrize will transform downtown Shelby into an open-air gallery of chainsaw-carved sculptures, attracting artists and visitors from across Michigan and beyond.

CarvePrize invites artists to submit sculptures created using chainsaws and woodcarving tools. These stunning works of art will be displayed throughout downtown Shelby, mounted on custom-designed concrete blocks with metal housings. The event begins May 1 and culminates in the Chainsaw Carving Festival in July, offering a months-long celebration of creativity, craftsmanship, and community spirit.

Voting will be interactive and accessible through a geo-fenced app or QR codes placed near each sculpture. This system encourages visitors to explore local businesses while casting their votes. Voting will remain open from the time of installation through the July festival, with winners announced during the festival’s closing ceremonies.

Artists will compete for significant cash prizes, including $5,000 for first place, $1,500 plus auction proceeds for second place, and $750 plus auction proceeds for third place. In addition to the competition, a silent auction will run throughout the event, allowing visitors to bid on sculptures. Proceeds from the auction will be shared between the artists and the festival.

With an upfront cost of $25,000, CarvePrize is actively seeking sponsors to help launch this exciting new tradition. Organizers believe the event will quickly become self-sustaining and will serve as a powerful tool to boost local businesses, attract tourism, and strengthen Shelby’s identity as a creative and welcoming community.

Community members, businesses, and supporters are encouraged to get involved. To learn more about CarvePrize or to explore sponsorship opportunities, contact Phil Morse at the village office by calling 231-861-4401.

The Village of Shelby is proud to announce the award of two significant grants over the past month from the State of Michigan that will directly support vital infrastructure improvements in the community.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has awarded Shelby a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan totaling $648,000, which includes $324,000 in principal forgiveness—effectively a grant. This funding will be used to replace 60 aging water service lines to improve water quality and reliability for residents.

In addition, the village has been awarded a Category B Road Grant of $246,500 from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). With MDOT’s matching funds, the total investment in Shelby’s local road infrastructure will reach $493,000. The road improvement project is slated for 2026, with South Michigan Avenue, Grant Street, and Bennett Street currently identified for new pavement—though final plans may evolve.

Village Administrator Phil Morse commented, “The momentum in the village continues in our ongoing quest of being safe, well-maintained and appealing. These two opportunities demonstrate that we are putting skin in the ‘improvement’ game, and the state is matching it.”

For more information, please contact the village office at (231) 861-4400 or visit www.shelbyvillage.com.

• On Nov. 17, 1991, Fox aired the first condom ad on network TV during the teen sitcom “Herman’s Head,” inspired by increasing anxiety about the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

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• On Nov. 18, 1996, exotic bird expert and protector Tony Silva was sentenced to seven years in prison for heading an illegal parrotsmuggling operation — one of many people to be arrested during Operation Renegade, a three-year international investigation into bird smuggling by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Law Enforcement.

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By Lucie Winborne

• Mummies can still have fingerprints.

• President Herbert Hoover spoke Mandarin Chinese with his wife, Lou Henry Hoover, to avoid eavesdroppers during their stint in the White House.

• On Nov. 19, 1969, Brazilian soccer star Pelé, considered one of the greatest players in his sport, scored his 1,000th professional goal in a game, against Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium.

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• “Here’s a great way to organize in the shop: Use chalkboard paint to paint the outside of cabinet doors and even drawer fronts. You can label the contents, or use the surface to jot down quick measurements if needed. Simple to erase when you make a change. I write down references for a project as I go, and it’s easier to see than shuffling through scrap papers on my workbench.” — A. in Montana

• The Appalachian Mountains are older than the Atlantic Ocean.

• Contrary to what some folks might claim, a study found that cats display the main attachment styles as babies and dogs.

• McDonald’s buys about 2 billion eggs every year just for their U.S. restaurants.

• On Nov. 20, 1866, Pierre Lallement received a U.S. patent for the country’s first pedal bicycle. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to capitalize on his invention. Failing to acquire enough funds to open a factory, he sold the rights to the patent in 1868 and died in obscurity in 1881.

• On Nov. 21, 1934, a teenage and terrified Ella Fitzgerald stepped on the stage at Harlem’s Apollo Theater to participate in Amateur Night after her name was drawn from a hat. At the time an aspiring dancer, she spontaneously decided to sing instead, not only winning the competition after a rough start, but unknowingly setting her feet on the path to becoming a music legend.

• Experts say to always crack your egg on a flat surface, rather than using the edge of a counter or bowl. More egg-tastic advice is to crack eggs into a small bowl instead of directly into ingredients. If you have a sneaky “bad egg” in your dozen, it’s better to find out before you ruin your baking.

• Attention salad eaters: Got a thick dressing that’s high in fat? Rinse lettuce before dressing your salad. Wet or moist lettuce traps less dressing. If your dressing is light, give salad greens an extra spin. Drier lettuce holds on to dressing, making lightly dressed salad more flavorful.

• The concept of contact lenses dates back to Leonardo da Vinci, who described a vision correction method involving a water-filled glass hemisphere over the eye. Centuries later, British polymath Thomas Young created a lens prototype made of glass and filled with water based on another theoretical idea, by philosopher/scientist Rene Descartes.

• Israel used piracy laws as the basis for prosecuting Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.

• Lucille Fay LeSueur got her stage name, Joan Crawford, from a contest run in the fan magazine Movie Weekly.

• On Nov. 22, 1986, 20-year-old Mike Tyson knocked out 33-year-old Trevor Berbick in only five minutes and 35 seconds to become the youngest titleholder ever. He had won all 27 of the matches he’d previously fought, knocking out 26 of his opponents.

• Another great use for baking soda: Add a cup or two to your toilet bowl. Swish and let sit for 1-2 hours. Flush for odor control and shine.

• Bat species make up 21% of all mammals.

• On Nov. 23, 2002, John Herrington became the first Native American in space when he set out on a mission to the International Space Station. In honor of his heritage, he brought along several eagle feathers, a traditional wooden flute, a few arrowheads and the flag of the Chickasaw Nation.

• “I love to search for recipes online. I have learned to pay attention to the comments section of recipes that are new to me. You will find a lot of explanation and frequently a tweak that many people have found successful. Comments have saved me from oversalting a recipe, as well as making necessary adjustments in temperature and cooking time. I have found complicated techniques broken down in a way that was helpful. It pays to check the comments out!” — W.G. in Missouri Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

• Our physical and emotional states can change how we see color. Fatigue may dull sensitivity to contrast, some medications can alter the way the retina processes light, and positive thinkers often view hues as slightly more vivid.

• The inventor of the stop sign never learned how to drive.

• Before time zones were established in 1883, North America had more than 144 local times.

• Irene Triplett, the last American to collect a Civil War pension, died in 2020.

• Calvin Coolidge’s vice president, Charles G. Dawes, a self-trained pianist and flautist, is the only American veep to have penned a No. 1 hit pop song, a short instrumental piece titled “Melody in A Major.”

Oceana County

ANIMAL SHELTER

At 7–8 years young, Soren is a handsome German Shepherd with a heart full of love and a playful spirit. He’s friendly with other dogs and never turns down a good game of fetch — in fact, he might just be the reigning fetch champion of the yard!

Soren does have some allergies, and the vet isn’t quite sure yet whether he’ll need daily or seasonal medication, but this gentle boy takes it all in stride. A home with breed experience would be a wonderful match for him, as he’d love someone who understands his loyal, intelligent Shepherd ways. Soren is ready to bring joy, companionship and a wagging tail to a lucky family — could that be you?

Soren is available for adoption from the Oceana County Animal Control. If interested, please call the shelter at 231-861-5395. The adoption fee for cats is $35 and you receive certificates for $25 towards spay/neuter and $10 towards rabies if not already done. The adoption fee for dogs is $95 and 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 Soren

Oceana County 4-H celebrates annual awards ceremony

The Oceana County 4-H community came together for its annual 4-H Awards Ceremony and Market Meetings at the West Michigan Research Center in Hart on Sunday, Oct. 26. The 2025 event drew a record 220 attendees, up from 165 last year, reflecting the growth and energy of the county’s 4-H program.

The evening celebrated excellence, leadership, and community involvement among 4-H members and volunteers. Project pins were awarded to youth who excelled in their individual projects, while citizenship pins recognized members demonstrating outstanding community service, mentoring, communication, and personal development. These achievements highlight the spirit of the 4-H pledge and motto.

Oceana County 4-H also presented several County Medal Awards for exceptional accomplishments and personal character:

• Achievement Award – For overall success across multiple projects and 4-H activities. Recipients: Emery Velat, Bristol Dickman, and Ellie Monroe.

• Leadership Award – For members showing outstanding leadership, serving as positive role models, and assisting with local projects, committees, and events. Recipients: Kevon Gray, Grace Hallack, Kenai Kokx, and Lillian Wasson.

• Sportsmanship Award – Recognizes members who demonstrate fairness, respect, and kindness, encouraging these values in others. Recipients: Arland Cederquist, Alayna Hammerle, Kayden Johnson, and Skyler Leonard.

The county’s highest youth honor, the Lamp of Knowledge Award, went to Alayna Hammerle. This prestigious award recognizes superior achievement, exceptional knowledge, character, and commitment across multiple 4-H programs and experiences. Alayna was named Oceana County’s Outstanding 4-H Member of the Year.

A new distinction introduced this year was the Oceana County 4-H Livestock Master Pin. It honors members with extensive experience and dedication to multiple livestock projects throughout their 4-H careers. To qualify, re-

dates and conducted nominations and elections for the upcoming year.

“The growth in attendance and participation this year reflects the strength and connection of the Oceana 4-H community. Our members continue to learn, lead, and give back, while our volunteers provide the guidance and encouragement that make 4-H possible. Together, they represent the best of what 4-H stands for.,” Oceana County 4-H Program Coordinator Jennifer Payne said.

cipients must be in high school, have raised and shown three or more species, marketed and sold a livestock project at least twice at the county fair, attended 10 or more educational clinics, and participated in at least two livestock shows outside the fair. The first recipients were Luke Eubank and Lillian Wasson.

Volunteers present were honored for their dedication, and each received a thank-you gift of their choice, either an etched glass, canvas bag, or portfolio, as a token of appreciation.

Volunteer Awards included:

• Lifetime Achievement Award – Char Vanderstelt, for exceptional dedication and long-term service.

• Sportsmanship Award – Frank Adkins, for promoting respect and encouragement.

• Service Award – Tammy Hammerle, for outstanding service during the 2024/2025 program year.

• Horizon Award – Kim Adkins, for sup-

I’m looking for a new home

Hey everyone, I’m Willy! I’m a 2-year-old Husky-Aussie mix.

I have beautiful, soft, shiny black fur and the sweetest loving eyes! I love to run around outside playing fetch to get some of my energy out. Playing catch with a Frisbee is a blast, and playing with my toys is equally entertaining - in fact, that’s the only thing I like to chew on is my toys or some bones! I also love to go for long walks.

I’m crate trained, sleep through the night, and will politely wait until my people wake up before making a peep. I love to show off my tricks, like sit pretty, lay, shake hands and stay. I’m not one to bark or make any extra noise.

I am up to date on all my shots, have been fixed and chipped.

Well, I guess that’s all for now. If you think you have the perfect home for me, my human would love to hear from you. Please send an email to doris.fekken@gmail.com or text/call 231-638-3857 to learn more!

Shelby Township PUBLIC NOTICE

Please take notice that the Shelby Township Board will hold a public hearing on Thursday, December 04, 2025, at 6:00 pm. The regularly scheduled board meeting will immediately follow, both will take place at the Township Hall, located at, 204 North Michigan Avenue, Shelby, Michigan, for the purpose of considering the proposed 5-year Parks and Recreation Plan.

Copies of the proposed 5-year Parks and Recreation Plan are available for public viewing during regular business hours at the Township Hall or on the township website, www.shelbytownshipoceana.com.

Written comments will be received at the following address until the night of the hearing:

Shelby Township

204 N Michigan Avenue PO Box 215 Shelby, MI 49455

If you are planning to attend this hearing and are handicapped requiring any special assistance, please notify the Township Clerk by calling 231-861-5853.

Cathy Anderson, Clerk

porting and growing the Oceana Horse Camp.

• Mentor Award –Ted Hammerle, for making a significant impact in a member’s lives.

The Friend of 4-H Award was presented to Tammy Hammerle, recognizing 14 years of leadership, mentorship across multiple species, and dedication to handson learning opportunities. She serves on the 4-H Youth Council and the 4-H Horse Development Committee and is known for chaperoning and transporting youth

to state-level events.

The evening also honored the John Sayles Volunteer Service Memorial Award, given annually in memory of volunteer John Sayles. This award celebrates individuals who demonstrate humility, kindness, and service to others. This year’s recipient was youth member Alayna Hammerle.

Before the ceremony, both the Small Market and Large Market Animal Committees met at the same location. Members discussed program updates, reviewed bylaws, shared important

About Michigan 4-H: Michigan 4-H, a youth development program of Michigan State University Extension, empowers young people with the skills to lead for a lifetime. Through hands-on learning, mentorship, and leadership experiences, 4-H helps youth build confidence, curiosity, and a commitment to community.

For more information about Oceana County 4-H, visit www.canr.msu. edu/oceana/oceana_ county_4_h

PENTWATER TOWNSHIP

Synopsis of Meeting

November 12, 2025

Supervisor Cavazos called the November 12th Regular Township Board meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with all five Board members present. The meeting was conducted in person and via Zoom. Two staff members and four community members were present in person. One person was present via Zoom. The Consent and Meeting Agendas were approved as presented. Action/acceptance was taken on the following items:

• Township insurance premium for next year

• 2026 holiday schedule

• Appointment of Mark Sturr to Pentwater Township Planning Committee

• Transfer Station Manager pay increase for expanded season operations

• Retirement Proclamation for former Fire Chief Terry Cluchey

The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 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

Char Vandersteldt, above left, received the Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oct. 26 awards ceremony. Current 4-H ambassadors, above right, Laura VanDerZanden Twiss, Emma Miller and Clinton Hallack and president of the large market committee Hollis Rockwell state the pledge at the start of the meeting.

SPORTS

Tough defense, strong running game propel Tigers to district title

Shelby advances to face unbeaten, top-ranked Menominee in regional finals

By Andy Roberts The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Shelby’s football team loves to hit - and on special occasions, even its coaching staff might end up on the receiving end.

So fired up were the Tigers after pulling off a 30-16 victory Friday night at Harrison to secure their first district championship in 12 years that the players bowled over coach

Phil Fortier to get their hands on the mitten-shaped trophy.

“It doesn’t matter who they hit,” Fortier chuckled, noting he was fine after being knocked down. “To hoist the trophy, the energy that came at me was incredible. It was quite the celebration...It was a fantastic night for us and a great trip home to be able to celebrate with our fans. We

Hart run ends in district finals at hands of Coyotes

Efficient serving not enough to win title

By Andy Roberts

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Hart’s district finals run fell one match short of hoisting a trophy Friday night, as the Pirates fell to Reed City in the championship match at Chippewa Hills, 25-19, 25-23, 25-19.

The Pirates (22-23-1) again served remarkably well, making only one error the entire match, and passed well. The team’s passer rating, statistically measured between 1 and 3, was 2.46. However, Hart was less efficient offensively than it was earlier in the district tournament, hitting for a .007 mark.

“The girls had a great district run but came up short after a long week of volleyball and travel,” Hart coach Shawn Bectel said.

Cali Eisenlohr had a team-best 17 assists for the Pirates in the defeat. On defense, Alayna Schiller had 17 digs, and Reese Smith added 13. Smith also posted a team-best 10 kills.

Eisenlohr had three of Hart’s five aces in the match.

The Pirates ended the season playing their best volleyball of the year, pushing North Muskegon in the endof-season West Michigan Conference Rivers tournament and making a run to the district title game by stunning WMC Lakes co-champion Ludington.

Hart celebrates scoring a point during Friday’s district finals match against Reed City, played at Chippewa Hills. The Pirates lost, 3-0. • Len Fouty/Courtesy Photo

Shelby’s Trevor Weiss (7) looks for running room behind his offensive line during Friday’s district finals game at Harrison. The Tigers’ front line was impressive in a 30-16 win. • Jerret Pratt/Courtesy Photo

Hart’s Reese Smith (10) launches an attack at the Reed City defense during Friday’s district finals volleyball match at Chippewa Hills. The Pirates lost, 3-0.

• Len Fouty/Courtesy Photo

Hart’s Jenna Babbin (center) tries to score a point for the Pirates during Friday’s district finals volleyball match at Chippewa Hills. The Pirates lost, 3-0.

• Len Fouty/Courtesy Photo

Shelby wins district continued on page 11

Shelby’s Brody Fessenden stays on his feet on a carry during Friday’s district finals football game at Harrison. Fessenden ran for 225 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers’ 30-16 win.

• Jerret Pratt/Courtesy Photo

Shelby’s Camden Smith closes in on a Harrison ball carrier during Friday’s district finals football game at Harrison. Smith had 10 tackles as part of an impressive defensive effort from the Tigers in a 30-16 win. • Jerret Pratt/Courtesy Photo

Shelby wins district

had so many fans there, it felt like a home game.”

Shelby knew coming into the game that they’d have to be disciplined on defense to slow down the Hornets’ wing-T attack, and early on the Tigers were just that, keeping Harrison at bay on offense and riding star running back Brody Fessenden to a pair of touchdowns to grab a 14-0 lead.

“A fast start for us on offense, getting the lead, it calms everyone down and allows us to play our best for sure,” Fortier said. “They put some good things on film. Any time you’re dealing with the T, if you don’t read your keys right, they can make you look silly. We tried to make the game plan simple and enable our athletes to do what they do.”

It’s rarely easy in playoff football, of course, and Harrison didn’t make it easy, scoring a pair of touchdowns and converting both two-point attempts to go ahead 16-14. Late in the first half, though, the Tigers delivered a response when big-play threat DayDay Garcia got loose on the edge and scored a touchdown to give Shelby the lead back, a lead it would not relinquish again.

The backbreaking drive for Shelby came in the second half when the Hornets downed a punt inside the one-yard line and the Tiger offense put together a 99-yard scoring drive that Fessenden capped with his third touchdown run of the night.

“We made some key plays in key situations and didn’t let adversity get to us,” Fortier said. “Our mindset was exactly where you wanted it to be.”

Fessenden provided most of the offense for Shelby, following great blocking by the offensive line and racking up

continued from page 10

225 yards rushing on 21 carries with his three scores. He also ran in a pair of two-point tries. On top of that, Fessenden tied with teammate Jaylin Henderson for the lead in tackles, with 13.

“He had a tremendous game,” Fortier said of Fessenden. “He’s a kid that never has a bad day. He’s a captain. He was fired up to play and played extremely well on both sides of the ball.

“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to our offensive and defensive lines. We put a huge responsibility on them. We felt like Harrison was a pretty physical team, and we put it on our lines to match that physicality. They really came through. Casey Lamblin, Ethan Viterna, Colin Fenton, Axel Moritz and Alonzo Garcia played extremely well, and therefore Brody was able to get loose.”

Fortier also complimented the Tiger receivers for blocking on the edge, facilitating even more yardage for Fessenden. So effective was Shelby’s run game that the Tigers barely had to turn to the pass. The Tigers attempted just six passes, completing two for 11 yards.

The Tiger defense was terrific in the second half, allowing no points. Isaac Garcia, again playing with a clubbedup broken hand, still reeled in an interception, and Trevor Weiss had one too. Camden Smith chipped in 10 tackles.

With the win, Shelby moved on to face unbeaten and top-ranked Menominee. The Maroons are a proud, tradition-rich program and have won all nine times they’ve taken the field (two games were forfeited to them) by double digits, and all but one by 28 points or more. They were Division 7 runners-up in 2023 and routed McBain Saturday, 49-6, for their third straight district title. Star senior quarterback

Tanner Theuerkauf accounted for four touchdowns in that win and running back Clayton Miller rushed for two.

“They have a great program,” Fortier said. “They’ve got it rolling. They’ve got some fast kids. They’ve got a quarterback who can throw it a mile. They’re good up front. It’s going to be a heck of a challenge.”

With Menominee the heavy favorites, the Tigers will certainly enter the matchup with nothing to lose. Fortier said his team is focusing on football rather than getting caught up in the

Maroons’ lofty reputation - and the Tigers are also soaking in the experience of winning football as they prepare for a bus trip of some seven hours to the southern Upper Peninsula.

“Our guys just want to play football,” Fortier said. “We had a walk-through out in the snow (Monday) after we watched film, and they had a ball. They don’t want it to end...We’re getting ready for a big trip. It’s been a minute since I had to plan a trip like this. We just have to make sure we’re up there in time for kickoff.”

Continuing celebration of local fall sports feats

Shelby’s Jaylin Henderson breaks loose for a big gain during Friday’s district finals victory at Harrison. • Jerret Pratt/Courtesy Photo

Shelby’s DayDay Garcia breaks free for a big gain during Friday’s district finals football game at Harrison. Garcia’s touchdown run put the Tigers ahead for good in a 30-16 win.

• Jerret Pratt/Courtesy Photo

David Kiekintveld made a hole-in-one at Oceana Golf Club Sept. 5, acing hole #7 with a 6 iron.

• Courtesy Photo

Eric Vandepoel made a hole-in-one during Benona Shores Golf Course’s fall scramble Sept. 7, acing hole #5 with a driver. • Courtesy Photo

Max Highland made a hole-in-one during Benona Shores Golf Course’s fall scramble Sept. 7, acing hole #18 with a 3 wood. • Courtesy Photo

Patrick McKillen (center) made a hole-in-one at Benona Shores Golf Course Sept. 5, acing hole #11 with a 6 iron.

• Courtesy Photo

Hart’s 8th-grade volleyball team celebrated its second consecutive conference championship this fall.

• Courtesy Photo

Reflections of our community

White Lake Mirror White Lake Mirror

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Whitehall teacher brings Veterans Day to classroom

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Ealy Elementary fourth-grade teacher Heather Raab commemorated Veterans Day in her classroom by welcoming U.S. Navy veterans Sally and Dean Holland to share stories from their service.

The veterans tied their service into Raab's current unit on geography and the continents by displaying countries where they served on a map, as well as giving motivational talks to the students.

striking up a bond with the professor, who then floated to her the idea of joining the Navy. After learning she would start her service from a more advantageous position if she was a top-of-her-class graduate, Sally set her mind to doing just that and ended up, Raab said, the first female to serve on her combat ship.

The veterans tied their service into Raab's current unit on geography and the continents by displaying countries where they served on a map, as well as giving motivational talks to the students.

"Sally left us with some really thoughtful messages about not stopping until you reach your goals," Raab said. "It doesn't matter your demographics, your gender, anything like that."

Sally's story, Raab said, is inspirational in its own right. She shared with the students that while in college, she retook a course she had failed the first time around,

The Hollands, who met during their naval service, also brought in poppies for the students and explained the meaning of the poppy, a symbol usually associated with Memorial Day for its association with those who die in the line of service.

They additionally had the fourth-graders decode a message using Morse code; Raab said the message decoded was the famous A.A. Milne quote, "Always remember that you're braver than you believe, stron-

Classroom veterans

continued on page 2

Annual Whitehall veterans game a labor of love

Tradition celebrates its third year this girls basketball season

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

be the fundraising items sold, with the VFW and Whitehall American Legion each receiving half of the proceeds.

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — This week was Veterans Day, which means, for Whitehall girls basketball team, the Veterans Appreciation Game is on its way.

WHITEHALL — This week was Veterans Day, which means, for the Whitehall girls basketball team, the Veterans Appreciation Game is on its way.

The Vikings' program launched the now-annual tradition during the 202324 season, taking advantage of a scheduled game with Montague happening to fall on Dec. 7 by hosting a Pearl Harbor remembrance prior to that contest. Then-Vikings player Taylor Ottinger spearheaded the effort as part of a National Honor Society project, and Lianne Fagan picked it up from her for the 2024-25 event; both have family members who served in the armed forces.

This year, Lianne's sisters Janie, a senior, and Allie, a sophomore, have taken the lead planning the event, which will take place Jan. 9 when Whitehall faces Manistee. It will commemorate the 35th anniversary of the early-1990s Gulf War.

The game has seen money raised for the White Lake VFW via special cornhole boards that were created and sold, and this year adirondack chairs will

"I enjoy their smiles, the joy that they get from it," Janie Fagan said. "This is one of our only fundraisers through NHS that are for veterans, so I feel like them getting recognized is really what makes me want to do the project, because it's the joy that they get from it. It doesn't even have to involve money. It's just them being able to talk to someone."

Ottinger

left) and

(far left) and Lianne Fagan present a check to the White Lake VFW prior to the program's first veterans appreciation game in 2023. This year will mark the third annual veterans game. • Courtesy Photo

present a check to the White Lake VFW prior to the program's first veterans appreciation game in 2023. This year will mark the third annual veterans game. • Courtesy Photo

Whitehall girls basketball players Taylor Ottinger (far left) and Lianne Fagan present a check to the White Lake VFW prior to the program's first veterans appreciation game in 2023. This year will mark the third annual veterans game. • Courtesy Photo

The veterans game is also meaningful to the team's coach, Brian Milliron, whose father-in-law, Larry Bacon, served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He hopes the game serves as an example to his two daughters, both involved in the Vikings hoops program, for how to pay tribute to their grandfather's service.

"Too many of the men and women who served in that conflict were treated poorly when they returned, and Larry was one of them," Milliron said. "We can never take back that poor treatment, but we can do better moving forward, and having an annual event like this is a small way of showing our appreciation." Janie said she has learned a lot from Ottinger and her sister on how to run an event like this from watching them do it and has benefited from that.

Veterans game continued on page 2

Veterans game

Veterans game continued on page 2

Squiers appointed to Whitehall city council

Former police chief was next highest vote-getter in Nov. 4 election; Mahan, Ziemer take seats

proved the move.

Former police chief was next highest vote-getter in Nov. 4 election; Mahan, Ziemer take seats

proved the move.

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — The Whitehall city council appointed retired former police chief Roger Squiers to its ranks at Tuesday's regular meeting to fill the vacant seat left behind by Tom Ziemer upon his election as mayor.

Squiers finished fourth among the eight candidates who ran for three city council seats in the Nov. 4 election, and the six other council members - including new council member Bryan Mahan - unanimously agreed to appoint him on that basis.

"When I came here (as police chief), I came here to serve the community, and I continue to desire to," Squiers said upon taking his council seat.

Ziemer also gave a brief speech about his election as mayor. He compared his own election to several other leadership positions in the city changing hands this year, including new police chief Brandon Mahoney, new city manager Dan Tavernier, new treasurer Crystal Budde, and Don Bond's impending promotion to leading the Department of Public Works when Brian Armstrong moves into retirement. Ziemer especially pointed out new Whitehall school superintendent CJ Van Wieren, given his "wanting to form a closer bond with the city," an example Ziemer said he is also aiming to follow.

"When I came here (as police chief), I came here to serve the community, and I continue to desire to," Squiers said upon taking his council seat.

Squiers' first act on the council was to nominate Jeff Holmstrom, who along with Scott Brown was re-elected to his seat, to continue in his prior post as mayor pro tem, and the council unanimously ap-

"I hope people feel a new level of care going into the city," Ziemer said. "In a year or two, hopefully you'll be able to feel the difference."

The council discussed potential remedies for fixing 200 feet of hand railing and posts at the Goodrich Park marina that Tavernier described as "leaning over," though he added it is not an imminent danger to anyone. Several dock corners also need to be repaired. Tavernier said he's received one bid, for about $60,000, to fix the two issues thus far; any such expense will be covered by the city's marina fund.

•

Whitehall clerk Brenda Bourdon administers the oath of office to Roger Squiers before Squiers took his seat on the city council Tuesday. Squiers was appointed to the council to fill Tom Ziemer's seat after Ziemer was elected mayor. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Local veterans Dan Holland (center) and Sally Holland (far right) shared stories from their service that tied into Whitehall teacher Heather Raab's current geography unit Tuesday. • Courtesy Photo

Whitehall girls basketball players Taylor Ottinger

Andy Roberts/Mirror

Classroom veterans

Whitehall girls basketball players Taylor

(far

Lianne Fagan

Mears man killed after altercation with police in Whitehall

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

A Mears man was shot and killed early Friday morning, Nov. 7, at the Whitehall Comfort Inn after he charged responding units from the Muskegon County Sheriff's Office with a box cutter, according to a release from the office.

Sheriff's officers responded to the scene after a 4:52 a.m. call from the mother of a 37-year-old Mears man who was staying at the inn, concerned he may harm himself. The officers found the man with self-inflicted injuries, and after one deputy returned to the police vehicle to obtain medical supplies, the man charged the other deputy with the box cutter, leading to the deputy firing their weapon to subdue him. After being hit multiple times, the man, whose name had not been released at press time, was then rendered

Veterans game

"I've been able to learn a lot of organization skills, like how to keep the money safe, and what are good ways to fundraise, and what are good places to contact about donating money," Fagan said of Ottinger. "She's given me a lot of tips and different things to take with me as I do this project that I'm able to give to other people as well."

Fagan said feedback from the veterans is consistently positive, and the games have drawn some of the bigger attendance figures each of the two sea-

first aid, but was pronounced dead at the scene.

The sheriff's office investigation remained open at press time, and per office protocol in deadly officer-involved shootings, the deputy who shot the man has been placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation is in progress. Montague and Whitehall's police departments were each credited with providing assistance at the scene, in addition to Muskegon Charter Township police, the White Lake ambulance and fire authorities, and the state police.

"We were the third unit to arrive," Whitehall police chief Brandon Mahoney said; the first two units were both from the sheriff's office. "My officer helped with some lifesaving efforts for the victim in the case - a tourniquet and some other first aid. That was about it with our involvement. We weren't involved with the investigative team, as the sheriff's office has their own unit."

sons they've occurred - another motivation to host the events, as Milliron shared, "Playing in quiet gyms is not fun."

"Each year, we get great feedback from the veterans," Fagan said. "They'll go back to the VFW, or the Legion, and they'll tell their friends about the game, and we have great turnouts at every game. They bring their friends. They bring their family. They don't only talk about it to us. They share the word."

Classroom veterans

ger than you seem, and smarter than you think." Students who succeeded in decoding the message received a small American flag.

Three other veterans were part of the activities, one each representing the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Two of the five veterans in the class, Raab said, now have jobs relating to their military service.

"One is a water filtration expert in Muskegon, and one works for Consumers Energy keeping control boards managed on airplanes," Raab said. "It was really neat stuff and the kids just loved it."

The Veterans Day activities were just the latest in what Raab described as an intentional effort to tie in students' studies to holidays and observances. The Morse code exercise tied into a recent unit about cryptography and phonics. The class also just completed a mock election designed to teach students about the three branches of govern-

ment and how they work with one another. The class, which Raab shares with fellow team teacher Kaley Anderson, even works to pass "class laws," such as launching a weekly yoga lesson, with the students who are appointed as Supreme Court justices charged with determining whether such laws fit the class's Constitution.

"If a law is passed that the judicial branch deems unconstitutional, then it gets struck and they have to start over again with changes to the law," Raab said.

"All these concepts are really connected with the military and the President being in charge of it...(We) are intentional about telling students that if they didn't get voted in, they are civilians, and they are now the voice of the bills that are proposed.

"Civic duty is alive and well in public schools. I just don't know if it's publicized all the time."

Veterans receive recognition from students

American Legion focused on roof fundraisers

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

The Whitehall American Legion has "100% of our focus," from a fundraising perspective, on raising enough money to replace its roof, according to Dean Fellows of the Legion.

The roof's shingles have been blowing off the roof when the area gets high winds, and Fellows said most stores don't carry the three-tab shingles that were previously on the roof. The Legion has had to put makeshift shingles on the roof in the meantime, creating an uneven look.

"We stopped doing estimates last year because we didn't have the money to put the roof on," Fellows said.

The last assessment the Legion did on the roof resulted in a projected price tag of about $50,000. The organization

hosted a Halloween party Nov. 1, which brought the total funds the Legion has raised for the roof to about half of that mark, Fellows said. He added that a previous fundraiser, the end of summer party the Legion hosted at its Colby Street building, "did really well."

"The Halloween party wasn't as good as what we were hoping, but it was still OK," Fellows said. "There's a lot going on in the area right now. I think the next thing they're doing is a formal New Year's Eve party."

One way or the other, Fellows said, a move will have to be made before the end of next summer, because the roof runs the risk of leaking if not replaced before then, which opens up a host of unpleasant possibilities.

"Once it starts leaking, we'll have other problems," he said.

• Courtesy

A 37-year-old Mears man was killed in an altercation with police early last Friday morning at the Whitehall Comfort Inn. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

White Lake VFW president Tracy Giddis (left) shows off letters sent by Whitehall Middle School students on Veterans Day. Giddis presents one such card above. Cards included Voice of Democracy essays submitted by Whitehall High School students.

Photos

Saturday, Nov. 15

White Lake Congregational UCC hosts Feeding America mobile food pantry. Free drive-through distribution for those in need. Registration at 8:30 a.m., distribution from 10-11 a.m.

Velvet Mushroom Syndicate perfoms @ Red Rooster Tavern, 8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 16

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

Monday, Nov. 17

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

Blood Drive @ White Lake Community Libary, 12:30-5 p.m. Make your appointment at bit.ly/bloodnov2025.

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

Community Calendar

Tuesday, Nov. 18

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.

Free community dinner hosted by Winston Speedway @ Rothbury Community Center, 5-7 p.m.

White Lake Community Library

Writer's Group meets, 5:30 p.m. Bring a short writing sample (no more than three pages) to share for friendly feedback and inspiration.

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

Wednesday, Nov. 19

White Lake Knitting Club meets @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 1 p.m.

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.

Free community dinner hosted by Winston Speedway @ Rothbury Community Center, 5-7 p.m.

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

Thursday, Nov. 20

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.

Original Dulcimer Players Club hosts its monthly acoustic jam @ VAC, 1-6 p.m. with a break at 3 p.m.

All are welcome, and any acoustic instruments can join in the jam.

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

Friday, Nov. 21

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 Community Library, 2 p.m. Tweens 10 and up are invited to play video games, do crafts, eat snacks or just hang out!

White Lake Holiday Walk begins at 5 p.m. with caroling @ Montague Artisan Market, tree-lighting at 5:30. It continues with caroling @ Whitehall North Mears Promenade at 6, with tree-lighting at 6:30.

Echoes of History: Local history of masonry (Pt. 1)

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor

With much fanfare, the cornerstone for the Whitehall Masonic Lodge F. & A. M., No. 310 was laid July 21, 1922. Shops were closed for the afternoon, and everyone was encouraged to attend. After the completion of the building, the dedication of the Temple was held April 18, 1924. There was also a brief history of the Masonry in the area as written in 1924.

The cornerstone of the Whitehall Masonic temple building was laid by the grand lodge officers of the state with fitting and impressive ceremonies. The half-day holiday was observed by the village and many visitors from out of town were in attendance. The business places were all decorated and the town decked out in gala attire for the occasion.

A parade consisting of Knight Templars and Blue Lodge on foot and the Grand Lodge officers in autos headed by the Newsboys’ bank of Grand Rapids, formed about 2 p.m. and marched on Mears Avenue, Colby and Division streets. There were about 150 in line,

which presented a very fine appearance.

The cornerstone ceremonies then took place at the stand erected on the building site for the occasion with the following grand officers present: Deputy Grand Warden Ben J. Henderson; Grand Secretary Lou B. Windsor; Grand Lecturer Frank A. Gilbert; Grand Treasurer Hugh McPherson; Grand Chaplain Wm. H. Gallagher; Junior Grand Warden Arthur J. Fox; Grand Deacon Geo. Graves; Grand Marshal B. Newton; and Grand Tyler, J. F. McGregor.

Addresses were given by the following local speakers: C. G. Pitkin, representing the village and lodge; W. E. Nelson, the Masonic Building association; L. B. Gee, the architect, and J. O. Reed gave a very comprehensive history of the organization and history of Whitehall Lodge No. 310 F. & A.M. A very interesting speech was also given by Mrs. M. B. Covell on behalf of the Covell brothers, who donated the building site for the temple and contributed generously in funds for the erection of the building.

A game of ball between Whitehall

and Hesperia and the presenting of a Chevrolet car concluded the day’s program which, overall, was well carried out. The ball game resulted in a victory for Whitehall, 10-1. Ed Skeels held the lucky number, 896, that won the Chevrolet sedan.

As was reported in the local newspaper, the two-story building covered a space of 37 feet of frontage on Colby

Street by 85 feet in depth, large enough to meet all demands for future growth, with every foot used to advantage and not a foot wasted in idle use.

The exterior was of tapestry brick of good color, trimmed with Bedford stone. French windows adorned its English appearing front, giving it a personal and distinguished appearance.

Visit our pickup lockers during Holiday Walk!

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

Come check out the library’s downtown pick-up lockers during the annual Holiday Walk this year! The White Lake Holiday Walk is scheduled for Nov. 21-22, and it will feature all the usual delights of the season – carriage rides, cocoa, carols, tree lightings, Santa sightings, shopping specials, and more. On Friday night, you can also pick up a free goody bag from the library and try out the convenient downtown pick-up lockers while you’re at it!

and convenient way to pick up the library books (and magazines, movies, STEAM kits, etc.) that you’ve requested. There are three locations to choose from – downtown Whitehall, Fruitland Township Hall, and at the library.

Friendly library folks will be on hand from 5-8 p.m. to give away holiday treat bags and show you just how easy it is to use the lockers. Look for them on Colby Street, on the sidewalk near CatchMark and the Arts Council of White Lake-Nuveen Center. The lockers are a simple

The Holiday Walk is a White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce event that has helped kick off the holiday season here for more than 30 years, and the tree lightings are always among the highlights. This year, the Montague tree lighting event starts at 5 p.m. at the Artisan Market Village and the Whitehall one starts at 6 p.m. in the North Mears Promenade, near the fire pit. For a complete schedule of Holiday Walk events, please visit whitelake.org. Be sure to check out the many business sponsors who provide the free carriage rides, trolley rides, and cocoa. We are so lucky to live in such a generous community!

Kanopy - Year in Review

We have been offering Kanopya video streaming service for library cardholders - for a full year now, and it’s been a success! We pay a flat rate for the service, and every user is able to watch as many as 12 movies each

month. Better yet, children’s videos are unlimited! In our first 12 months, our Kanopy site had 6,520 visits, and our cardholders watched 44,377 minutes of video.

Kanopy offers ad-free streaming of a huge collection of movies and shows, including thousands of children’s videos, with no subscription fee. With everything from documentaries to romantic comedies to popular shows and Great Courses, there’s always something interesting available. Videos can be streamed via the Kanopy app on any internet-connected device. If you have a smart TV, you can even add the app to it just like you would any subscription-based streaming service, but without the fees and without any ads.

To get started, just visit kanopy. com and have your library card handy. Need a card, but don’t have time to come into the library? You can apply online at bit.ly/wlclgetacard!

FUN FACT: On Kanopy, the top two suppliers for our cardholders were BBC Studios, at 6,589 minutes and Paramount Pictures, at 7,045. Other top 10 suppliers include The History Channel, PBS, and The Great Courses.

Please Take Our Very Short Quiz! The library is looking into adding more digital services, and we want to make sure the things we purchase are things you want to use. Please help us make the most of your taxpayer dollars by completing a brief quiz about your interest in things like a free-to-use music streaming service, a use-it-anywhere digital subscription to the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, and a great online language-learning service. You can find the quiz at bit. ly/wlclquiz25, and it should take just a few moments to complete.

DeMumbrum

The laying of the cornerstone for the Masonic Temple in Whitehall July 21, 1922. A portion of the State Bank building is shown on the right. • Courtesy Photo

NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE community

Lake Mirror Lake Mirror

SPORTS SPORTS

Wildcats denied district title at Reed City

Coyotes score 6 straight touchdowns to end solid

Wildcats' season

By Andy Roberts

White Lake Mirror Editor

REED CITY — Montague's great start felt like a distant memory by the end of the first half of Friday's district finals game, as Reed City scored six touchdowns on six possessions to bury the Wildcats en route to a 45-14 win.

The Wildcats (6-5) got the exact start they wanted when Cooper Bradley showed off his elusiveness on a big opening kickoff return to the Reed City 23-yard line. A few plays later, Eli Petersen hit Fletcher Thommen to narrowly convert a fourth-and-8, and Petersen capped the drive with a five-yard touchdown. It was 7-0 Wildcats.

From there, the Coyotes' wing-T attack took over. Three different Reed City players ripped off long touchdown runs on the first three Coyote possessions, and Montague was simply unable to slow down an attack that has dominated throughout the season.

"Reed City's the real deal," Montague coach Phil Koops said. "I'm going to give a lot of credit to them. Did we wish that we could have played better and executed better? Yeah. They got off the ball better than we did. (They were) bigger, faster, stronger. Their team speed was really good. We had trouble getting footing on this field. They didn't. They're good."

Coyote ball carriers Kason Coppick, Andrew Kiaunis and Jack Deitsch each scored 40-plus yard touchdowns to make it 21-7, and after a good Wildcats' punt pinned Reed City inside its own 10, Kiaunis essentially iced things with an 87-yard run.

Koops said the Coyotes' offensive structure, and what it forces defenses to do to counter it, lends itself to big plays.

"You're going to have to put a lot of people by the line of scrimmage to stop it, and when you do that, and they

crease it, they're big plays," Koops said. "We couldn't get them on the ground. In contrast, their edge and alley players got us on the ground. A lot of credit to them. They've been good for a long time now, and they were good again tonight."

Montague's own offense only got a first down on one other possession in the first half after the touchdown, as Reed City forced the Wildcats out of their comfort zone. Montague is usually content to pick up yardage pieces at a time, but as with most option attacks - or any offense, really - being put into third-and-long situations over and over again makes its best plays less effective.

"We're fine with (gaining) three yards, three yards, three yards," Koops said. "We'll hit the big one eventually, if we can stay on the field, but (gaining) zero yards, one yard, half a yard, you just get in very predictable down-and-distances.

"You get behind and then you get out of rhythm and you've got to play a little catch-up and then you're out of your game. We want to give it to our fullback and lean on him and get him going. They were just whooping us up front."

The second half was played mostly with the running clock, and after Reed City drove down for a field goal to start the third quarter, Montague did not allow any more points. Cole Moss put a

final touchdown on the board for the Wildcats in the fourth quarter, a nineyard run.

Despite the unfortunate ending, though, there was plenty to take pride in for a Wildcats team that won five games in a row prior to the Reed City defeat, putting together its first winning season and scoring its first playoff win in four years despite having to ad-

just to a new coach and a new offense. Koops said coaches and players alike adjusted to each other over the course of the season. At one point, hoping to slow down the mental mistakes that plagued the Wildcats early, the coaches dialed back Monday prac-

District finals

continued on page 5

Whitehall bows out to Swan Valley in finals

Vikings end season with 6-5 record

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall missed a couple of key chances to push Swan Valley early in Friday's district championship game, and that put the Vikes in too big a hole to overcome in a 36-20 defeat.

Whitehall got the ball into Swan Valley territory on each of its five possessions in the first half, but couldn't turn any of those opportunities into points. Twice the Vikes turned it over and three times they were unable to come up with a fourth-down conversion. Once Whitehall had it inside the 10-yard line and couldn't score on fourth-and-goal from the 8.

"That was our Achilles heel all

season long, and it festered tonight," Whitehall coach Tony Sigmon said.

"They were a good football team. They came out and played really hard and aggressive, and some things that have been our downfall this year resurfaced."

Whitehall (6-5) was whistled for eight penalties in the game, and Sigmon said several of them were important ones that hurt scoring chances. Four turnovers didn't help, either.

Of course, some credit was due to Swan Valley, a tradition-rich program that made its 15th straight playoff appearance this season and won its ninth straight game by double digits Friday. Swan Valley scored 22 second-quarter points to take a 22-0 halftime lead, then recorded a pick-six early in the third quarter. Whitehall trailed 36-7 before scoring a couple of late touchdowns. Though Whitehall actually outgained

Swan Valley by 20 yards in the game, the host Vikings certainly made the most of their yards.

"They were a physical football team and played really well tonight," Sigmon said. "You can't take anything away from them. They played a great football game."

Liam Leeke carried much of the load for Whitehall in the game, going for an impressive 132 yards on 20 carries, including a touchdown. Cole Essebaggers added 92 yards on the ground, scoring once himself, and threw for 54 more. He tossed a 28-yard scoring pass to Corde Anderson.

Anderson had a terrific statistical night defensively, with 11 solo tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss. Hunter Peterson added nine tackles.

The Vikings ended the season 6-5, and Sigmon praised his team for their

hard work all season. Despite again graduating a boatload of talent from a district championship team a year ago, Whitehall still managed a winning season and a sixth straight district finals appearance. Plenty of top performers on the team are slated to return next fall, and Whitehall has earned the benefit of the doubt that it will again be a formidable squad in 2026.

"Our kids worked really hard all year long to get to where they were," Sigmon said. "They had a really daunting schedule and the way they handled that, and conducted themselves, was really admirable.

"It's always tough. One team is always going to walk away as a winner in their last game of the season, but these kids grew a lot over the course of the season."

WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER

Montague's Caleb Schmidt (21) and Cole Herremans try to stop Reed City's Jack Deitsch from getting to the edge on a play during Friday's district finals game at Reed City. The Coyotes chewed up big gains on the ground throughout the first half of a 45-14 win.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague's Cooper Bradley (1) breaks loose on the opening kickoff with some help from teammate Caleb Lohman during Friday's district finals game at Reed City. The Wildcats lost, 45-14. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague's Dylan Bailey tries to bring down Reed City's Kason Coppick during Friday's district finals game at Reed City.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Whitehall inviting all Beausang Award winners to Dec. 20 alumni game

Whitehall High School is celebrating the 50 women who have won the Gerrie & Carl Beausang Award since its 1977 inception at a short ceremony Saturday, Dec. 20 before its girls basketball Alumni Game, which will take place at 3 p.m.

The program has been taking steps to reach out to all the Beausang Award winners throughout the fall, and Vikings' coach Brian Milliron said Monday that so far 15 of the 50 award winners have committed to attend, including the award's first winner, Deborah Zylstra, and its most recent, Grace McDowell. Other award winners slated to be part of the ceremony are highlighted in red in the provided list.

One year - 1982 - saw the award committee choose two winners, both now Whitehall Sports Hall of Famers - Pam Sheesley and Gail Burch. This activity is being organized by two White-

hall sophomore athletes -Peyton Schultz and Mayson Milliron. A 50/50 fundraiser will be available with all proceeds going to Whitehall girls basketball.

Dirt Dauber club set for next meeting Tuesday

The Dirt Dauber Club of White Lake invites the public to its next meeting Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place at White Lake Unit-

ed Methodist Church, 8555 Cook St in Montague. The topic will be on “nature journaling.”

District finals

tices and dove deeper into teaching the option concepts. It was a tweak that certainly worked, starting with the Wildcats' dominant win over North Muskegon that featured three 100-yard rushers and over 500 on the ground in all.

The players, in turn, stayed bought in and earned better results by doing so.

"We kept coaching and the kids kept listening," Koops said. "Sometimes it's easy for things to fall apart at that point, and the kids showed a lot of resolve and mental toughness and trust in us as coaches. They stuck with the program. We started getting better.

"It's huge and a great life lesson. When things get hard, you've got to dig in. You can't start blaming other people. You can't say, 'Woe is me.'" They just kept coming to practice every day, kept getting coached every day."

Fifteen seniors played their final Wildcats' game Friday, Koops said, and they'll be remembered most for

the strong way they finished their four years at Montague - and, hopefully, for kick-starting a new era of success. It all started with their work prior to the season - prior, in fact, to Koops even being hired.

It's work that no doubt will have to continue to get the Wildcats to the next level.

"I would drive up to Montague on Wednesdays from Hamilton and see those guys, and they'd be in the weight room after track practice...or baseball or whatever their spring sport was, and they were in there grinding," Koops said. "They wanted to be good. They wanted Montague football to get back to its winning ways, and I'm proud as heck to say that we did. We're going to finish the year 6-5. (We had) a winning season, won a playoff game. Are we where we want to be? No. Did we feel like we made some strides getting back towards what Montague football has been known to be? Absolutely."

Rockets have familiar face as new head coach

Bill Zalba back for second stint after successful 2018-21 run

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Bill Zalba is back in the head coach's seat for Reeths-Puffer, and he said he's doing it because he's committed to the players he's been around going back to their youth hockey days.

Zalba had a successful run at R-P from 2018-21, piloting the Rockets to two regional championships. He stepped down in part due to time management reasons, and after a brief interregnum, his assistant Dustin Langlois took over the position in 2023, with Zalba as assistant.

Langlois intended to move from the Spring Lake area closer to R-P, Zalba said, but it fell through, and Langlois instead accepted the Grand Haven coaching job this offseason (Spring Lake coops with the Buccaneers). That put Zalba back into the decision-maker's chair, and he couldn't have it any other way.

"There's a lot of families and players I have coached a very long time here, and I couldn't think to have anyone else come in and lead this group," Zalba said. "This is a team I'm excited to be part of because of their will to compete and their want to be better."

The hope is that Zalba stepping into the head coach job will continue the momentum the Rockets have built the past couple of years. In 2023-24, the team made a final four appearance for only the second time in program history, and last year brought another strong season with a 16-7-2 record.

"Bill brings both stability and continuity to our successful program and is committed to building upon the proud legacy of Rocket hockey," R-P athletic director Cliff Sandee said in a statement to program stakeholders announcing Zalba's hire.

The team graduated two of its top three goal scorers from last seasonAyden Hartzell and Tyler Tindall, who combined for 45 goals - and lost veteran senior goaltender Huck VanDyke, who chose to play on the HoneyBaked club team on the east side of the state. However, many other top players are back, like Hayden Taylor, who led the team in points last year, as well as Eli Cuti and Connor Anderson as point-scorers and defensive aces Kaeden Benner, Thomas Grassman and Jordan Benkert.

More so than the returning talent, though, Zalba has been impressed with the team's desire in early practices.

"I've been part of a lot of really talented teams, but I haven't seen a team that's this enthusiastic to want to get better every day," Zalba said. "We have a great group of upperclassmen, but we also have a group of sophomores and freshmen that want to be better, and it's so refreshing to see. This is the first year I can say everyone is truly competing with each other to be better, and it's been fun to watch the last few weeks."

R-P has also brought in two players who were previously on club teams in the state - Dom Switzer and Rohan Moyer, the latter of whom Zalba said he's been trying to get to R-P "for a couple years now." The Rockets are also tapping the VanDyke tree once again for their goaltender, because although Huck is gone, his younger brother Bear,

• Andy Roberts/Mirror File Photo

a freshman, is slated to be the starter at that spot, just as Huck was at that age.

The VanDykes' older brother Cole also played for the Rockets.

"Growing up with those guys as older brothers, he'll be ready to go," Zalba said of Bear.

Internal expectations are high, especially for the later parts of the season, as the new talent jells with the returning players and Bear VanDyke acclimates to varsity hockey between the posts.

"I've told the guys, this isn't a sprint," Zalba said. "We'll be ready to go by February. When you have half a team turn over, you have to get everyone on the same page, and it doesn't happen right away...We have a great group that will lead this team. I think we'll be right there competing like we have been."

There will be ample tests for the Rockets along the way, including two matchups with rival Mona Shores. The

two teams' only meeting last year was a physically played 5-5 tie. R-P will also face off with Grandville, a Division 2 semifinalist in 2025. Byron Center is a consistent power as well.

Zalba said he senses more parity among the area hockey teams than in the recent past, which means his Rockets need to be ready to play night after night.

"It's one of those things where if you don't show up to play any given day, you could go home (with a loss)," Zalba said. "High school (tournament) hockey is one and done, and you just have to be ready every day.

"This team is a young, enthusiastic group led by a core group of upperclassmen. People are kind of writing us off because we lost some kids, but I think we'll turn some heads. I'm excited to get started."

Reeths-Puffer's Eli Cuti tries to knock the puck loose from a Mona Shores opponent during a December game last season. Cuti is one of several Rockets set to return under coach Bill Zalba, entering his second stint at the helm of the program.

Montague's Dylan Bailey is unable to catch up to a pass in the rain during Friday's district finals game at Reed City. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Top Whitehall flights honored

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall tennis' top players pulled in an impressive collection of postseason honors after putting together a great season and returning to the state meet as a team.

Leading the way for the Vikings was first doubles

pair Ian Sampson/Evan Thomas, who picked up first team all-state honors. The duo was also named all-area first team.

Top singles player William Burger also got some hardware after his third season at the top flight. Burger received honorable mention all-state and was named second team all-area.

Sunshine, sawdust and Sunday school

By Margaret Heaton Volunteer Contributor

Hello from sunny Texas!

But only for one more week, as the classroom addition we came to build is nearing completion. Lights and carpet are still to be installed, and then this Sunday we’ll hear the laughter of the little 2–3 yearolds as they play in their new expanded learning area.

We’ve been watching the temperatures closely up north. Here, just outside of San Antonio, we won’t see freezing weather for another month or two, so we don’t worry about our fifth-wheel trailer. But when we head home to beautiful Michigan, we’ll need to prepare the trailer before crossing the border back home!

It has been a busy month for us. Besides the building project, I’ve been leading the women’s Sunday school classes and occasionally teaching Bible lessons. There is also a very active quilting group here at the church. When I was invited to join them, well, let’s just say a herd of buffalo couldn’t have stopped me. The recipe I’m sharing with you this month comes from the leader of that group, but I’ll get to that in a moment.

Some of you may wonder what it’s like to live in a fifth wheel and travel for ministry. I thought I’d share a little about our lifestyle as construction missionaries. This is our 11th year on the road, so it has be-

come simply the way of life that allows us to do the work we feel called to do. The view out our windows changes every few months, and we meet such wonderful people everywhere we go, yet Michigan will always be home.

Before each trip, my husband Ken asks about the scope of the project and packs the tools he thinks he'll need. Our fifth wheel is technically a toy hauler, but for us, it’s really a tool hauler. My everyday kitchen appliances are scaled for two, while the larger pots and slow cookers are tucked into the high cupboards or way in the back somewhere. Ken has adapted many parts of our living space so it works better for me. He even built me a little desk in the kitchen/dining area for writing and sewing. Shoes and coats are always being tripped over, and we’ve learned to be patient - waiting for one another to move out of the hallway or the bathroom. It helps that we are each other’s best friend and we truly enjoy being together.

This month we moved our trailer across the church parking lot. This is a cowboy church

with a fully working rodeo arena. When we first arrived, we were parked about two feet from the arena fence. On Oct. 13, they hosted what’s called a playday. Horses, trucks, trailers, families…people everywhere… barrel racing and cheering. Where we were parked put us right between the arena, the announcer’s stand, and the food kitchen. We moved the day before the event!

Now we are parked about two feet from the “little church” where the children’s ministry meets, and just steps away from the “big church,” which we helped build seven years ago. It’s very convenient for the construction work - Ken’s tools are right outside - but for me it feels a bit like living in a fishbowl. People walk around us all day, passing front and back, going from one building to another. Sundays are the best for people-watching from the window.

The entire church property is fenced, which is common in rural Texas. The gate has a code, and I joke that we live in a gated community. The neighbor has a donkey who brays day and night, and a little farther down the road are some roost-

ers who haven’t figured out the difference between sunrise and sunset.

And when we pull out next week to head home, I’ll miss every one of them. We never say goodbye, we only say, “See you when we see you.”

One thing I am bringing back is a meatloaf recipe from the quilting group. When they served lunch, the main dish was a meatloaf with zucchini in it. All of us were hesitant… right up until we took a bite. Then every one of us went back for just a little more. It’s that good.

So I hope you enjoy this new Texas recipe I’m bringing home to Michigan:

A Little More Meatloaf

2 pounds ground beef

1 pound Jimmy Dean mild Sausage

2 cups coarsely grated, unpeeled zucchini

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 TBS chopped parsley

1 small onion, chopped 2 tsp instant beef bouillon salt and pepper

1 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

Combine all ingredients and put in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with roasted root vegetables and sourdough bread.

Michigan DNR alerts anglers of new regulations

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is alerting anglers that the ports of Grand Haven, Muskegon and Whitehall/Montague are covered by new regulations restricting allowable fishing gear at these locations from Nov. 1-30.

The goal of these regulation changes (approved by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission in Fisheries Order 202.25) is to protect spawning lake whitefish by reducing snagging, as well as overall harvest of adult lake whitefish in these areas. Lake whitefish populations in Lake Michigan are in decline, due to pressures from invasive zebra and quagga mussels, which have altered the food web of the Great Lakes.

Based on angler creel survey data, much of the harvest of lake whitefish in these areas is from snagged fish. The new gear restrictions address snagging, which should reduce the overall harvest of lake whitefish.

“Lake whitefish numbers have been in decline in Lake Michigan since the late 1990s,” said Jay Wesley, the DNR’s Lake Michigan Basin coordina-

tor. “Lowering harvest in November will help protect spawning adult lake whitefish while continuing to allow this unique angler opportunity."

If the new gear restrictions are not effective at reducing harvest, fisheries managers may consider recommending a lower daily possession limit of lake whitefish.

The locations under these regulations include the port of Muskegon from the westernmost pier head extending into Lake Michigan (excluding break walls) to the easternmost pier head extending into Muskegon Lake; the port of Whitehall/Montague from the westernmost pier head extending into Lake Michigan to the easternmost pier head extending into White Lake; and the port of Grand Haven from the westernmost pier head extending into Lake Michigan to the U.S. 31 bridge (northbound Beacon Boulevard).

At these ports, it is unlawful to use other than one single-pointed unweighted hook measuring a half-inch or less from point to shank from Nov. 1-30. Plus, on these same waters, it is

unlawful to spear or possess spearing gear from Nov. 1-30. Only single-pointed, unweighted hooks are allowed under these regulations. Single hooks cannot be molded or permanently fixed to a weight or weighted lure. The use of jigs on these waters is prohibited, since they are weighted (metal is molded onto the hook). Lures fished with one single-pointed, unweighted hook would be allowable.

Review the 2025 Michigan Fishing Regulations in the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or at Michigan.gov/DNRRegs. To obtain a physical copy of the regulations, reach out to your local DNR Customer Service Center or email MDNR-E-License@Michigan.gov.

Learn more about lake whitefish at Michigan.gov/DNR/Education/Michigan-Species/Fish-Species/Whitefish.

This meatloaf recipe, a gift from the quilting group Margaret joined while on a mission trip in Texas, proved much more appetizing than its zucchini might have indicated. • Courtesy Photo

Aerial view of the port of Whitehall/Montague; the yellow boxed area indicates the area in which the new regulations are in effect. • Courtesy Photo

Whitehall's first doubles players, Ian Sampson (left) and Evan Thomas, meet with coach Greg McManus during the regional meet Oct. 10. The duo earned first team allstate recognition. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Recent Whitehall police activity

Nov. 6

At 8:55 p.m., officers were contact-

ed by a 64-year-old Whitehall woman who lives in the 400 block of S Division St. regarding a potential credit card fraud. The reporting party indicated that her in-home care provider, a 41-year-old Whitehall woman, may have used her debit card at area businesses to purchase alcohol and cigarettes, as well as making unauthorized withdrawals from her checking account at an ATM. The alleged suspect denies making withdrawals and said she purchased the items at the caller's request, though doing so would have been a violation of the care provider company's protocol. Officers are con-

Made in Michigan Market to be part of Holiday Walk

This year's Made in Michigan Market, part of the White Lake Area Chamber's Holiday Walk, is sure to have something for everyone. Stop by the ACWL-Nuveen Friday, Nov 21 between 2-8 p.m. to see what it has to offer.

ACWL-Nuveen Artist Members whose work is on display year-round in the gallery will be bringing in additional works of art that could be gifts for loved ones, are priced at $40 or below, and are 10 inches by 10 inches or smaller. Stop by during the Holiday Walk to get first dibs, but this work will be on display through Dec. 23.

Six additional artists will be set up within our space during the Holiday Walk. Guest artists include:

Alice Gambel & Barb Mojzak - Recycled wool mittens, recycled cashmere scarves, holiday decor made using recycled wool.

Pat Kelly - Handmade purses, aprons, potholders, soup cozies, hand towels, pillowcases, and holiday decor.

Kathryn Remlinger -

Hand-printed linocut and woodblock cards and prints. www.instagram.com/2labsstudios/ Red Sorensen - Handcrafted jewelry, bookmarks, pins, magnets, and stickers. www.instagram.com/tritontreasureco/ Dan Stevens - Wooden cheese slicers, trivets, charcuterie boards, cutting boards, and more!

Sue VanSlyke - Kitchen crochet items, including towels and scrubby cloths, toddler sweaters, water bottle-holders, and holiday-themed items. www.facebook.com/SuesBagsNStuff

New this year, artists will be demonstrating during the Holiday Walk. Stop by between 2:454:45 p.m. to watch Cara O'Brien make her popular holiday ornaments and come back between 5-7 p.m. to see Suzanne Moynihan work.

Make a donation to support the ACWL-Nuveen's scholarship fund and director Erin Peyer will perform a holiday tune of your choice on the piano. Carolers and duet partners are always welcome.

Whitehall council

ducting further investigation.

Nov. 8

At approximately 3 a.m., officers made a traffic stop in the 100 block of Hall St. The driver and passenger were both 18-year-old men from Montague Township. Both were found to be intoxicated. The passenger was cited for minor possession in a motor vehicle, and the driver was cited for OWI, first offense, and was lodged at Muskegon County jail.

Starting at 6:50 a.m., officers began receiving and responding to vandalism-related complaints. Individuals had seen that their mailboxes or vehi-

cles had been struck, and in some cases damaged, by pumpkins or gourds. The original reporting party, from the 1100 block of Wilshire Dr., had their entire mailbox blown off the post, and another caller from the 900 block of Sophia St. had seen the tailgate on their car, as well as its paint, damaged. Another damaged mailbox was located in the 200 block of S Franklin St. Other mailboxes were struck but not found to be damaged. There are no suspects in the case at this point, though one reporting party indicated they saw a dark-colored sedan around midnight the evening prior.

Dixon's Violin comes to Playhouse

Dixon's Violin continues his HUMANKINDness tour Saturday, Nov. 22 at The Playhouse at White Lake, with performance set to begin at 7:30 p.m.

A former technology leader and symphony violinist, Dixon walked away from a distinguished career to follow his dream full-time, and invented a whole new music genre. Dixon now improvises on a 5-string electric violin with a looping system he developed to create an all-live one-man symphony, guided by his personal story of life transformation. The visionary violinist grew up in Davison and graduated from the University of Michigan-Flint, where he was the assistant concertmaster of the university's symphony. Dixon is also the former assistant concertmaster of the Flint Youth Symphony, which is one of only two youth orchestras in the U.S. invited to perform in Munich, Germany.

Dixon had been playing classical music all his life, but in 2005 everything changed. A trip to the Burning Man

festival challenged him to improvise and gave a perfect opportunity to create his own music for the first time.

“When I saw the look in people’s eyes, that I could move them with my own music, it changed my life,” he said. “I made up my mind then and there to rearrange my life priorities. I had been playing for 25 years, but for the first time I truly fell in love with music.”

Few violinists are both classically trained and able to improvise. To also have a command of such a wide range of pedal effects is near-

ly unheard of. But what sets Dixon apart is his empathy and presence. He is always conscious of the energy in the room, baring his soul through his instrument, guiding and inspiring the listeners through his words and bittersweet, beautiful sounds.

“Humankindness is the blending of humankind and kindness,” Dixon said. “I believe we are all connected and we can honor each other with compassion and care.”

Advance tickets to the show are $29 on sale now at EventBrite.com and at dixonsviolin.com.

year. The marina board approved an attempt to improve those figures by getting the city a subscription to an app called Dockwa, which will boost the city marina's visibility for boaters looking for a place to park their boats. The move will cost $2,000 annually, and Tavernier said he believes it's a worthy attempt to try to boost rentals next year.

The council unanimously approved deleting a planned bathroom structure and a "shade sail," designed to protect a planned stage from the elements and sunlight, from the West Colby Promenade plan to save money, but

not without a lengthy discussion about the pending project. There was discussion about potential safety hazards of the stage given its proximity to Colby Street, though Mahan, whose band The Substitutes often performs locally, said in his experience he does not consider it an issue. Holmstrom expressed the hope that a concrete pad, outfiited for games such as checkers, chess and backgammon, could go where the bathroom was originally slated. Concrete cornhole boards are already part

of the plan. He added the possibility of a screen that would make the stage a good place to show movies on occasion, similar to events in Fruitport and Norton Shores. He compared the future promenade to Hart Commons in Hart, "bringing the city to the lake and the lake to the city."

Several council members complimented the Whitehall DPW for being on top of the leaf pickup even amid uneven weather this week.

Dixon's Violin will perform at The Playhouse at White Lake Saturday, Nov. 22 as part of his HUMANKINDness tour. • Courtesy Photo