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Hart TIFA selects preferred developer, recommendation heads to City Council

HART - Following a competitive review of the top submitted proposals, the Hart Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA) heard from the top two finalists Tuesday afternoon and selected Wolverine Building Group’s “Lofts on Main” proposal as the preferred development for the 3 E. Main St. property in downtown Hart.

The TIFA board’s recommendation will be presented to the Hart City Council for consideration at its April 14 meeting. In accordance with TIFA bylaws, the city council must approve the conveyance of the property. Pending approval, the city will enter into negotiations with Wolverine Building Group to advance the project toward final design, approvals and construction.

“The 2.6-acre site, formerly part of the Ceres Solutions property acquired by TIFA in 2023, is an opportunity to redevelop nearly a full city block in a location that is just steps from Hart Lake, downtown shopping and dining,” Hart City Manager Nichole Kleiner said.

Wolverine Building Group’s proposal features 60 units, located in two, 24-unit buildings, and one, 12-unit building. The new development will not only provide new apartment housing, but ground-floor live/work options as well,

meant to meet the housing needs of median-income renters. The development includes a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, modern architectural design, and a site layout that integrates green space and parking in a cohesive, pedestrian-friendly environment.

A recent analysis has identified a significant need for additional housing in Oceana County. The county’s rental market is operating at near-full capacity, with occupancy rates exceeding 98 percent and widespread waitlists, while limited inventory and affordability challenges continue to impact residents and employers. These conditions highlight the importance of new housing development to support workforce needs and sustain long-term economic growth in the Hart community.

The Hart TIFA board identified several strengths in the Wolverine proposal, including the overall quality and thoroughness of the submission; the architectural design and building style; confidence in the

development team’s experience and ability to execute; and a clear, detailed project timeline. The board also expressed strong support for the layout of the buildings, green space, and parking, as well as the long-term vision for a potential Phase II expansion.

The selection followed a multi-phase process that included community input, release of a Request for Proposals and a reopened qualification period to ensure a strong and competitive pool of developers. The community’s vision consistently emphasized the need for quality housing, downtown vibrancy and long-term economic sustainability.

“TIFA was presented with three strong and thoughtful proposals, each bringing unique ideas to the table,” Kleiner said. “Wolverine’s ‘Lofts on Main’ stood out for its quality, completeness and readiness to move forward. The board had a high level of confidence in the team and their ability to deliver a

Road Commission announces major reconstruction of Polk Road corridor

The Oceana County Road Commission (OCRC) is pleased to announce plans for a comprehensive reconstruction of Polk Road from 64th Avenue to Oceana Drive, a major corridor serving residents, businesses and visitors traveling through the region. The project represents one of the most significant local transportation investments in recent years and is designed to improve safety, mobility and long-term infrastructure resilience.

The reconstruction will introduce several key upgrades, including a modern roundabout at the intersection of Polk Road and 72nd Avenue, a corridor-wide lane diet with lane widening to create two through-lanes and a dedicated center left-turn lane and new storm sewer infrastructure. Additional improvements include new sidewalks, curb and gutter, and enhanced streetscaping to support walkability and strengthen the visual character of the corridor.

The Polk Road reconstruction project has officially entered the design phase, during which engineers are finalizing roadway geometry, utility coordination, safety enhancements and streetscape elements. Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2027, with substantial completion expected by the fall of 2027. OCRC is coordinating closely with

local partners to ensure the project is delivered efficiently and with minimal disruption to residents and businesses along the corridor.

OCRC recognizes that a project of this scale will create temporary impacts for motorists and businesses. To minimize disruptions, the reconstruction will be completed using part-width construction and directional detours. This approach allows crews to work efficiently while keeping at least one direction of travel open at all times. Access to all businesses along the corridor will remain available throughout every phase of the project, ensuring customers, employees and deliveries can continue to reach their destinations safely and reliably.

A major focus of the project is improving safety for all roadway users. The redesigned corridor will enhance both vertical and horizontal sight distance, giving drivers clearer visibility of the roadway ahead and more time to react to changing conditions. The lane diet and addition of a center left-turn lane will reduce rearend and turning-related crashes by separating turning traffic from through-traffic and reducing unnecessary lane-chang-

Polk Road project

continued on page 7

Shelby Village Council splits on ordinance amendments

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

SHELBY - Monday, March 23, with six of seven council members present, the Village of Shelby gave approval to five out of eight ordinance amendments, village planning commission annual reports and the village’s 2025 Master Plan.

Prior to final consideration of the eight ordinance amendments discussed at length at their March 9 meeting, Village Administrator Phil Morse addressed the council and the four people in the audience, saying he sensed the council had differing opinions when it came to what he would call aesthetics, or widely accepted good neighborliness, but they seemed more unified when discussing amendments related to resident safety.

“Many neighbors will follow good neighbor practices, but there will always be some who will not. It could be more that they are unaware, not necessarily inconsiderate. I would advise against asking village staff to do something without us being able to enforce it. What is enforceable and unenforceable can muddy the waters. Enforcement will need to be handled diplomatically. We can’t play favorites. We’ll have to look at the totality of the circumstances,” Morse explained.

“It does feel like we’re piling on with these eight. But the idea is we’re trying to make this a once-a-year activity to save the village a little money between contacting the lawyer and publicizing notices. Also, when we prepared for our one-time recodification, we realized we missed some things,” Morse added. “In the past six months nothing else

has come up related to ordinance amendments, so I don’t see this (many amendments) being an every-year thing.”

Council member Mike Termer asked if he might respond and said, “It sounds like you’re selling these amendments…It’s not your role to sell them. We can’t create a law for one extreme. Instead of being a good neighbor, it’s almost turning people against each other…You might have the best intentions, but you aren’t always going to be here, yet you’ve created a law…that doesn’t cultivate a warm, welcoming community. I believe it is the role of the Ordinance Committee to say, 'What are we doing?' Do we need to update our ordinances and fix them?”

At first, the council was unsure how to proceed, given Ordinance Committee chair Crystal Heykoop was absent. However, Termer

reminded the group that not having a full council in the past has not stopped them from voting on items before, so they proceeded.

After brief discussions, no motion was provided, so no action was taken with regard to the Residential Waste or Junk Vehicles ordinance amendments. Councilor Steve Crothers motioned to approve, with a second by Curt Trott, to approve the Casual Sale amendment. At the vote, council members Crothers, Trott and Village President John Sutton voted in favor of the amendment, while council members Termer, Dan Zaverl and Samantha Gottschalk voted against it, thus the motion failed.

The other five ordinance amendments passed. Under the village’s Right-of-Way ordinance,

Lofts on Main proposal project rendering Hart TIFA continued on page 2

Hart TIFA

project that will have a lasting impact on our downtown.”

Additional proposals were also submitted by Heyboer Bro Co. of Grandville and West Lake Homes Inc. of Grand Rapids. Heyboer’s concept proposed a modern, multi-building apartment development, “Water Street Apartments," with approximately 60 units and a future retail component, while West Lake Homes’ “The Mill” concept focused on a neighborhood-style layout featuring a mix of for-sale homes, townhomes and duplexes designed to complement the nearby residential character.

“This project has been a priority since TIFA acquired the site, and we’re excited to take this next step,” Kleiner added. “Redeveloping this property is about more than new housing - it’s about strengthening our downtown,

Jacobs brings experience to superintendent role

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

Following two rounds of interviews between four final candidates, the Hart Public Schools (HPS) Board of Education offered the position of superintendent to Bradley Jacobs of Fremont. He is contracted to begin duties July 1, 2026.

supporting local businesses and creating new opportunities for residents and future growth.”

For more information and to view the submitted proposals, visit: www.takemetohart.org/ceres

Registration Notice For Special Election Tuesday, May 5, 2026

To the Qualified Electors of the County of Oceana, State of Michigan:

Please Take Notice that any qualified elector who is not already registered, may register to vote at the office of their City/Township Clerk; the office of the County Clerk; a Secretary of State branch office; or other designated state agency Registration forms can also be obtained at mi gov/vote and mailed to the correct City/Township Clerk Voters who are already registered may update their registration at www expressSoS com

The last day to register for the Special Election, in any manner other than in person with the local clerk, will be Monday, April 20, 2026

After this date, anyone who qualifies as an elector may register to vote in person, with pr oof of residency (MCL 168 497) at their local City/Township Clerk’s Office

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

Bradley Jacobs

Jacobs’ work in education spans a total of 33 years, including 15 years as a high school math and physical education teacher and coach, 11 combined years as principal for Manton Consolidated, Saranac Community and Mason County Central schools, and six years as superintendent at Inland Lakes Schools and Fremont Public Schools. Jacobs received his bachelors from Central Michigan University in mathematics with a minor in physical education, and his masters from CMU in physical education/sports administration.

Jacobs most recently worked for the consulting firm SiteLogiq, working with schools and their bond projects. “For the last three years I’ve been on the road and working from home. But to be honest I missed being at school with all its craziness and energy,” Jacobs explained.

Looking to the future, Jacobs said, “I feel like my battery’s been recharged. I’m ready to go again. I haven’t known anything but education my whole life. It’s like going home again.”

Jacobs named building relationships and having a well-rounded career in education as two of his top strengths. Having parents who were both educators undoubtedly had some influence on his future life track. Jacobs’ father, Glenn Jacobs, was a 6th grade teacher; his mother, Ruth Jacobs, was an elementary school teacher, both in the HPS district.

Jacobs’ immediate plans are to get acclimated, learn processes, meet with people and generally see how everything works. In the coming months, he said he’d like to determine what the district does well and what could possibly be improved upon. He was also quick to add that working with stakeholders on the next phase of the district’s bond projects will be at the top of his “to do” list.

Jacobs said that he and his wife had always planned to retire back in the area. “This just speeds up that timeline a bit.” Jacobs added that until they are able to sell their current home and move here permanently, he plans to live temporarily in the district beginning July 1.

“We were very fortunate to have such a high-quality candidate pool, including two internal candidates,” Hart School Board president Jeff Schaner said. “Mr. Jacobs had previous superintendent experience, as well as private sector experience working with school districts implementing bond projects, which will be very helpful for us. Brad has big shoes to fill after Mark Platt’s long tenure; he made great improvements for our district. We are excited to have Brad and to have him take our district to the next level.”

The school district worked with the Michigan Association of School Boards to facilitate the search for their new superintendent. Online and in-person community feedback sessions were offered to the public in January. Superintendent candidate finalists were named in February, and besides Jacobs, they included Hart Middle School principal Kevin Ackley, Engadine Consolidated Schools superintendent Andrew Alvesteffer and Hart High School principal Brandon Bruce. First-round interviews were held March 9, and second-round interviews between Jacobs and Bruce took place March 23. After 13 years as the HPS superintendent, Mark Platt, plans to retire June 30, 2026.

HART PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL EXEMPTING PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE AND OTHER PROPERTY EXEMPTED BY LAW 20 MILLS FOR 13 YEARS

Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative offices of Hart Public Schools, 301 West Johnson Street, Hart, Michigan 49420-1081, telephone: (231) 873-6214

WEST SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MILLAGE PROPOSITION

AUTHORIZING 0 9604 MILL ($0 9604 PER $1,000) FOR TEN (10) YEARS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

The full text of the ballot proposal may be obtained at the president’s office of West Shore Community College, 3000 N Stiles Rd Scottville, Michigan 49454, Telephone: (231) 843-5802

The full proposal language for the above proposals can be obtained from the Oceana County Clerk, each respective Township/City Clerk, or at the website of the Oceana County Clerk at https://oceana mi us/departments/county-clerk/elections/upcoming-election-information/

Please Take Not ice that for the May 5, 2026 election, some precincts have chosen to consolidate (MCL 168 659)

● Ferry Township and Leavitt Township will be consolidating with Elbridge Township Registered voters for Ferry, Leavitt, and Elbridge Townships will vote at Elbridge Township Hall, 2266 East Polk Road, Hart, MI 49420, or are able to request AV Ballots from Elbridge Township

● Shelby Township will be consolidating with Hart Township Registered voters for Shelby and Hart Townships will vote at Hart Township Hall, 3437 West Polk Road, Hart, MI 49420, or are able to request AV Ballots from Hart Township

To request an absentee ballot, please contact your local City/Township Clerk or request online at mi gov/vote

COLFAX TOWNSHIP

Joni Gerard 5594 N 192nd Ave

Walkerville, MI 49459

PH: (231) 301-5685

Saturday, May 2, 2026

8 am – 4 pm

CRYSTAL TOWNSHIP

Jana Boundy 1499 E Hammett Rd

Hart, MI 49420

PH: (231) 301-4610

Saturday, May 2, 2026

11 am – 3 pm

Sunday, May 3, 2026

11 am – 3 pm

ELBRIDGE TOWNSHIP

Stephanie Van Sickle

2266 E Polk Rd

Hart, MI 49420

PH: (231) 873-4740

Saturday, May 2, 2026

8 am – 4 p m

GOLDEN TOWNSHIP

Rachel Iteen 5527 W Fox Rd

Mears, MI 49436

PH: (231) 873-4413

Saturday, May 2, 2026

6 am – 2 pm

HART TOWNSHIP

Steve Freed 3437 W Polk Rd

Hart, MI 49420

PH: (231) 873-2734

Sunday, May 3, 2026 10 am – 6 pm

FERRY TOWNSHIP

Chris Ernst 4158 E M20

Hesperia, MI 49421

PH: (231) 571-8712

Sunday, May 3, 2026

10 am – 6 pm

LEAVITT TOWNSHIP

Naomi Oomen 3715 N 200 th Ave

Walkerville, MI 49459

PH: (231) 329-5490

Sunday, May 3, 2026 8 am – 4 pm

SHELBY TOWNSHIP

Cathy Anderson 204 N Michigan Ave

Shelby, MI 49455

PH: (231) 861-5853

Saturday, May 2, 2026

9 am – 5 pm

WEARE TOWNSHIP

Melanie Sayles 4042 W Hogan Rd

Pentwater, MI 49449

PH: (231) 425-6818

Saturday, May 2, 2026

6 am – 10 am

Sunday, May 3, 2026

6 am – 10 am

CITY OF HART

Karla Swihart

City Hall

407 S State St

Hart, MI 49420

PH: (231) 923-0012

Saturday, May 2, 2026

7 am – 3 pm

To register at times other than listed, please contact your Local Township Clerk

Me anie A Coon

Oceana County Clerk

Shelby ordinances

council had suggested at their last meeting and voted Monday to remove the wording "Temporary Structures” and “Any item deemed hazardous by the village.”

According to the village attorney, the list that was discussed at the last council meeting, “...is advisory, not prescriptive. That is, the list adds clear examples, but is not exhaustive.”

The Animals ordinance was approved with the suggested amendments from the last meeting still holding. “The updates significantly strengthen our local regulations related to dangerous animals and stray animals, improving our ability to enforce these provisions in court…The revised chapter now establishes a clear maximum of four cats per household, where previously no such limit existed,” Morse’s notes on the ordinance stated.

The ordinance also includes the wording, “Up to 15 female poultry may be kept for every acre of a tax parcel. Up to one rooster may be kept for every acre of tax parcel.”

With all council members voting in favor, the ordinance for Disorderly Conduct will now include wording that no smoking be allowed in any public park.

Before approval of the Sidewalk Operations ordinance amendments - because there are several parks in the village and the amendment was meant to address bikes and scooters in the newly renovated Getty ParkTermer suggested the words “Getty Park” be named in the amendment.

Lastly, the council considered amendments to the village’s Burning Ordinance. As discussed earlier, the amendments are aimed at addressing open burning within the village. The ordinance passed five to one, with council member Crothers casting the dissenting vote. Prior to the vote, Crothers said he’s had a larger than the 24-inch recommended firepit behind his house for 36 years and gave the impression he was not in favor of voting for the smaller size.

Morse told council during their final discussion that of any ordinance amendments brought forward thus far, this was the one he would most advocate for. Morse said people are already burning waste in their yards, and Police Chief Dean Roesler said now that it is spring, this is something his department will be addressing regularly.

Following the amendment discussion and voting, Termer expressed his thanks for all of the work Morse had put into the ordinance amendments and what he does every day for the village. Termer wished to apologize if anything he said earlier had offended Morse, as that was not his intent. Morse responded that he was not offended by Termer’s comments, but was appreciative of his support.

In other business, the village gave their approval to the Planning Commission’s annual reports for both calendar years of 2024 and 2025.

In 2024, the Planning Commission board consisted of Chairman Ross Field, Gottschalk, Tim Horton, Paul Inglis and Sutton. The village continued implementation of their 2020 Master Plan, including a comprehensive zoning ordinance audit, evaluation, update and rewrite, as well as a comprehensive audit, evaluation, update and adding of General Law Ordinances. In addition, the commission worked with the village on implementing a downtown facade improvement program using ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds. No zoning amendments were made or various requests reviewed in 2024, however, the commission did review two project developments, one at Blue Photon in the Industrial Park and a pole barn construction on Piper Drive. The commission was also able to participate in a joint training session, facilitated by the Michigan Municipal League, with the village council and Shelby Township planning commission and board entitled "Overview of Basic Government."

In 2025, Planning Commission members remained the same. Working with the village’s 2020 Master Plan, the commission continued ongoing work with neighboring and regional governments. As they look to the future, they will be working on updating the village’s five-year Parks & Recreation Plan, as well as strategies related to Trail Town Engagement, Complete Streets, Green Infrastructure and community education, outreach and communication. For training, the commission took the time to view a recording about the Match on Main Street program that is accessible to Redevelopment Ready Certified communities, of which Shelby is one. In 2025, no individual zoning ordinance amendments, land division or development reviews needed to

be considered, however, they did hear a presentation from a possible developer interested in 100 acres east of 72nd Avenue. They did review and approve a resident’s variance request to build a wheelchair ramp, which would not have been allowed under the present ordinance.

An update to the 2020 master plan was undertaken by the commission in January 2025. A community-wide survey identified key areas of need, significantly housing (quality and availability), business opportunities, improved streets, code enforcement and sidewalk conditions. The updated plan was released in October 2025 for public review.

With the planning commission’s final approval of the village’s 2025 Master Plan on March 17, 2026, the plan was presented to village council Monday, March 23 and approved by all present council members. “This important document will serve as a guiding document for future land use and development decisions within the village…and provide direction to the planning commission when considering zoning matters and establish a long-term vision for the community’s growth and development,” Morse’s memo to council stated.

Now that the plan has been approved, it will be distributed to adjacent local governments, the county and other required entities per state law.

With the 2024 and 2025 annual reports complete, the commission is moving forward and has already met with the village’s planning group, McKenna, to begin outlining the process for a future Zoning Ordinance update. The planning commission, which is scheduled to meet quarterly, will meet again in June.

Finally, Morse presented a Path Permit Agreement (PPA) the village and Shelby Public Schools are working on to be submitted to MDOT as part of their conditional commitment to the village’s Safe Routes to School project. Different from a legal easement, a PPA avoids creating a permanent property interest, reduces legal costs, and offers more efficiency and streamlining of the process. No action was required by the council Monday, but Morse only wanted to keep them up-todate on the progress thus far and give them a chance to ask questions and give feedback before formal approval.

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

The architectural history of the Hart Post Office

By Claire Marshall

The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

I am always excited to receive feedback from the 1306’s readership, mostly because without community suggestions, you’re all subjected to whatever four-week historical subject on which I’m fixated. So when a reader asked in our recent survey if the column could feature more articles on historic buildings in Oceana County, immediately several ideas came to mind. One idea that came to mind is Hart’s post office on State Street, which is perhaps my favorite building in the county.

I can likely credit my love of this building to some sort of architecturally-informed Stockholm Syndrome due to the numerous times I felt trapped in that building while running errands with my mother, especially while under the age of 10. While I’ve since been informed that mom’s daily visits to the post office to drop off packages of biopsy samples to MSU’s veterinary science labs were not, indeed, 45 minutes long, as I perceived them to be - something can be said for the observations of a bored 2nd grader.

I always loved how echoey the space was, both so narrow and vast,

with a warm glow and a comforting scent. 20 years, two art degrees and one architectural historian best friend later, I can identify the features of the building that prompt those sensations.

The building, though only one-story, is tall, with vented transom windows placed on the wall between the lobby and workspace. While acoustically entertaining for a kid singing Disney songs to herself, they serve a greater purpose of providing air circulation and cooling in a busy office. The warm glow owes itself to both my nostalgia and the amount of carved wooden features, particularly the entrance vestibule, counters, mail slots and doors. With a keener eye, I have recently been able to notice the incised features, little details that take up significant time in the manufacturing process, but make a world of difference in aesthetics.

I have nothing to say about the smell. I’m just one of those unique individuals who enjoys sniffing old paper.

But undoubtedly, my favorite part of the Hart Post Office - and I’m positive I’m not alone in this - is the mural located in the lobby, right above the door leading to the postmaster’s office. The mural features a young boy on horseback driving a herd

of cattle and two other horses amongst Midwestern farmland.

The painting is signed “Ruth Grotenrath - Section of Fine Arts 1940,” and is our first clue as to the origin story of the building. This mural, though completed in 1940, is an example of a mural completed with the funding of the federal Treasury Department of Fine Arts, part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and Works Progress Administration. Simply put during the Great Depression, the federal government was directed to create projects ranging anywhere from road construction to building design to mural painting, all to provide millions of unemployed Americans a steady paycheck as the economy hit rock-bottom.

These New Deal programs also included the

construction of hundreds of post office buildings nationwide, many with murals inside. Mural paintings were popularized throughout the 1930s by artists such as Diego Rivera, with bold shapes, colors and stylization, with subject matter that often focused on everyday working-class citizens. This painting by Grotenrath in particular is an example of American Regionalism, a subsection of the American realist modernism movement. For a particularly famous example, think American Gothic by Grant Wood. This subsect in particular was quite popular in the Midwest, with a focus on rural life, pastoral countryside and elements of European abstractism without losing the quintessential American realism.

As for the building,

much of the pertinent information can be found on the cornerstone on the outside facade - you just have to lean over and around the end of the ramp and make a general nuisance of yourself to everyone else picking up packages. The cornerstone declares the building's completion as 1939, with Louis A Simon as the supervising architect and Neal A Lemick as supervising engineer. To further date the building dedication are also the names of the Postmaster General of the time, James A Farely, and Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau Jr. As it turns out, most of the post offices built in the U.S. through WPA funds were designed by Simon.

The building itself is less Art Deco than one might expect from a building designed and constructed in the 1930s.

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

In fact, the plain, symmetrical facade of limestone and red brick is far more reminiscent of neoclassical and federalist architecture. Particularly the doorframe, with architectural features reminiscent of Classical Greek and Roman columns. Clearly we can see the reason why a federal building funded to keep working-class people afloat and promote a concept of American perseverance would evoke the same architecture so emblematic of our nation’s capital and its earliest years of infancy. Some additions have been made over the years (particularly that ramp, while I maintain that accessibility is far more important than an unobstructed cornerstone), but much of the building remains as it was when first constructed almost a century ago, conjuring the same subtle insistence of federal austerity as was intended. And for fans of Grotenrath’s mural, if you desire to see a smaller and less refined study of the same painting, you can travel all the way to Washington D.C., where the Smithsonian American Art Museum keeps it in their archives. Or you can just drive downtown to pick up your Amazon package to appreciate the finished piece.

Oceana Center Grange Agricultural Report for January and February ,

By Phil Carter The Oceana Echo Agricultural Consultant

Spring may finally be ripe in the Land of Oceana. The spring equinox has passed, the sun is higher in the sky and the hours of daylight are increasing every day. Snow may still happen, but will not be as long-lasting as before. The winter of 2025–26 was more normal than the past several years, according to

the older local generations. The maple syrup harvest is winding down and was a very good one. The lack of snow cover has farmers thinking about tree planting, transplanting asparagus crowns and spring tillage work. Legend has it that peas planted after Good Friday will not be successful. Equipment continues to be readied, and some seed has already been delivered by salespeople. A sure sign of spring is load and speed restrictions are now lifted in our area.

Merchandisers are busy setting price tag targets, with many hitting fairly rapidly. Agricultural production is a rapidly moving target and is usually very dynamic. Farmers generally are an optimistic group and believe problems are only a small bump in the highway of life. Please be aware that a typo occurred in the last report printed in the Feb. 27 edition of the Echo and should have read: "the Michigan apple crop was 24 million bushels" - not four million as

reported. (The Echo apologies for this error.) The arrival of spring brings an increase in vehicle traffic as well as machinery presence on our roads. Please be aware of this slow-moving machinery by being proactive in driving habits so all may return home safely to our families every night. Remember to share the roads!

Wishing all my readers a blessed Easter.

Ongoing

NOTE TO READERS: In an effort to feature the many groups that serve our community, our Ongoing Calendar is changing to reflect that. Many of the events that have long been listed here are still going strong and we will work them into other areas of our paper as often as we can.

The Ladder Community Center:

April 11 - Resurrection Party for Kids ages 5-12, 1-2:30 p.m.

April 16 - Women’s Event, 6-8 p.m., (sign up April 10)

April 21 - Share Our Stories: “History of Gale’s IGA, 6-7 p.m.

April 24 - Music by the Jammers 10 a.m. to noon

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.

TUES thru April 14: Pit Stop (Men 12+), 6:30-7:30 p.m.

April 7 & 21: Knitting Group, 10 a.m. to noon

April 10 & 17: Strum It Club, 11 a.m. to noon

MON: Women’s Bible Study, 1 Peter, 1-2 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

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

The Ladder to host Resurrection Party on April

11

All children ages 5 to 12 are invited to The Ladder Community Center for Party Club on Saturday, April 11. This month it will be for the “Resurrection Party” from 1-2:30 p.m. Organizers will have songs, Bible lessons, games and snacks. Party Club is sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship, a Bible-centered ministry serving in every region of the world. All teachers and helpers have been trained and screened to ensure every child’s protection. Parents are welcome to attend. The Ladder is located at 67 N. State St. in Shelby..

Share Our Stories to discuss history of Gale’s IGA

All adults 18 and up are invited to join in at The Ladder Community Center in Shelby on Tuesday, April 21 from 6-7 p.m. for Share Our Stories (SOS). This month’s SOS theme will be “Gale’s IGA.” Dennis Gale will share the history of Gale’s IGA in Hart, which his family owned for more than 75 years. If anyone was an employee or a loyal customer at Gale’s, they are invited to share their stories with all who attend. SOS is a monthly event held at The Ladder, where people gather and share memories, photos and other memorabilia from Oceana County. There is no cost for this evening event, though donations to The Ladder are welcome. Events are subject to change. To inquire about an event, or with ideas for future topics of interest for SOS, call The Ladder at 231-259-0211. Please visit theladdercommunitycenter.com to view all our upcoming events.

IDEAS NOVEL IDEAS NOVEL

FROM THE STAFF AT

Did you know that your local libraries give you access to millions of books statewide through MeLCat? This program is free for you to use and allows your local library to request items from any other participating library. Check it out at mel.org

New this month at the Hart Library is a free basic personal finance class presented by certified financial coach and Faith and Finances Facilitator Bob Gray. This course will consist of three 90-minute sessions and will cover planning, saving, ending debt and investing. Call the library to reserve your spot. Classes will be held Thursday, April 23, April 30 and May 7 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the library conference room. This is a great no-pressure opportunity to improve your skills!

Our free Movie for Grown-Ups this month is a new release thriller rated PG-13. Free popcorn and bottled water are provided by the Friends of the Library. Join us on Monday, April 6 at 4 p.m. in the Hart Community Center.

Our free Seed Library still has a great selection available! Seed packets are limited to three per household while supplies last. We have many packets of calendula, a beautiful flower as well as a medicinal herb, through the Michigan Seed Libraries’ One Seed, One State program.

Children ages 8 and up are invited to a Kids’ Book Club diorama-making on Tuesday, April 7 at 3:30 p.m. Registration is required. Can’t make it on Tuesday? The Hart Library has free drop-in activities for kids, including popular perler (fuse) beads as well as scavenger hunts!

Adults are invited to Crafternoons for Grown-Ups at 2 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month (April 23). This month’s free activity will be painting a canvas bag with your choice of stencil. All supplies are included, and registration is required. Additionally, Crafty Crew will meet April 16 at 4 p.m., offering a relaxed space to work on personal craft projects together.

Preschool Story Time is held every Friday at 11 a.m. year-round. Designed for children ages 2–5, this engaging program includes stories and a weekly activity. Families can also enjoy a new indoor book walk of “A Parade of Elephants” by Kevin Henkes through April 18.

ParentingLink sessions are held on Thursdays each month through June. These small-group discussions offer practical parenting tips and support. Registration is required. This program is co-sponsored with Oceana LEADS.

To register for any event, call the library at 231-873-4476 or email librarian@ hartpubliclibrary.org.

April 3rd - Preschool Story Hour, Hart Area Public Library, 11 a.m.

April 3 - Mobile Food Bank, New Hope Community Church, 4:30 p.m. (drive thru)

April 4 - Hesperia Community Easter Egg Hunt, Webster Park, 9 a.m.

April 4 - Community Egg Hunt, Oceana County Fairgrounds, 12 p.m.

April 4 - Easter Bunny Visit and Egg Hunt, Rothbury Village Hall, 11 a.m.

April 4 - Easter on the Green, Pentwater Village Green, 12 p.m.

April 4 - Easter Egg Hunt, New Era Christian School soccer fields, 2 p.m.

April 6 - Movie for Grown-Ups, Hart Area Public Library, 4 p.m.

April 6 - Cookbook Club, Hart Area Public Library, 6 p.m.

April 7 - Tech Time, Hesperia Community Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

April 7 - Tween Night, Hesperia Community Library, 3:15 - 5 p.m.

April 7 - Kids Book Club Dioramas, Hart Area Public Library, 3:30-5 p.m.

April 9 - Color Me Calm, Hart Area Public Library, 12-3 p.m.

April 9 - Family Fun Night, Hesperia Community Library, 6-7 p.m.

April 9 through 30 - Friends of the Library Spring Silent Auction, SADL

April 10 - Deadline for Shelby Rotary/Oceana Community Foundation youth camp scholarship applications.

April 10 - Preschool Story Hour, Hart Area Public Library, 11 a.m.

April 10 - Story Hour, Hesperia Community Library, 10-11 a.m.

April 13 - Adult Craft Afternoon, Hesperia Community Library, 1-2:30 p.m.

April 14 - Tech Time, Hesperia Community Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

April 14 - Yellow Dot Book Club, Hart Area Public Library, 10 a.m.

April 14 - Friends Meeting, Hart Area Public Library, 11:30 a.m.

April 14 - Adult Book Club Movie, Hesperia Community Library, 2-4:30 p.m.

April 15 - Belinda’s Best Books Book Club, Hart Area Public Library 7 p.m.

April 16 - Color Me Calm, Hart Area Public Library, 12-3 p.m.

April 16 - Matinee Movie - Hesperia Community Library, 1-3:30 p.m.

Mother’s Day Luncheon at The Ladder May 7

The Ladder Community Center is celebrating mothers. All are invited on Thursday, May 7 at 11:30 a.m. for a delicious meal and meaningful time with one’s mother, wife or friends. The theme for the event is “Tea Party.” The luncheon menu includes tea sandwiches, fruit, pastries, refreshments and more. One can also get their picture taken with their loved ones in the event’s picture parlor! Sign up is needed by 1 p.m. Thursday, April 23 by calling (231) 259-0211. Seating is limited, so guests are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible. Luncheon tickets cost $10 per person.

Ladder registration is also required for all attending this event. Those who are not registered members, please drop in prior to the luncheon to register and pay the monthly membership fee. If eligible, the membership fee may be covered by SilverSneakers or One Pass. The Ladder Community Center is located at 67 N. State St. in Shelby.

Rollin-Edlund Scholarships applications available

Applications are available for a $500.00 Rollins-Edlund Scholarship. Scholarships are open to anyone, regardless of age, from Oceana County to further them in an education in any health-related field. The former Oceana Hospital Auxiliary continues to oversee the selection of the Rollins-Edlund Trust and selection of a worthy recipient in a health-related field. Information and applications are available by calling Karen Studer at 231-873-3939 in April. Applications must be completed and returned to Karen by May 30, 2026.

EASTER BUFFET

Sunday, April 5 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Buffet Featuring:

• Roast Round of Beef • Ham • Bar-B-Q Ribs

• Broasted Chicken • Broasted Pollock

• Roast Turkey and Dressing

• Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

• Vegetables • Salad Bar • Dessert Table

Adults: $19.95

Children 10 and under: $9.95

Call for Reservations: (231) 854-3695 161 N.

Easter Alleluia!: Part 1 - ‘ He

By Janet Van Gunst Hasselbring

The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

“Oh, death, where is your victory? Oh, death, where is your sting? (1 Corinthians 15:55)

“She slept beneath a tree Remembered but by me. I touched her cradle mute; She recognized the foot, Put on her carmine suit – And, See?

("The Tulip," by Emily Dickinson)

In six succinct lines, Emily Dickinson, as only Dickinson can, describes the arrival of spring, the hope of new possibilities, renewal and the Joy of resurrection. Her less-cited poem, dubbed a “narrative-flicker,” compresses a story –the Easter story — into a few fragmented lines. Its tone is hushed, personal, precise, less preoccupied with death or divinity and more with quiet corporeal resurrection.

Dickinson, as much a gardener as a poet, lived a cloistered life in her child-

hood home, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Why she chose isolation remains a mystery (today, it would likely be considered a mental or psychological disorder); however, shunning the world outside allowed her to focus intensely on her inner world. Whatever she lost “out there” is our gain. Her poems contain some of the most provocative and enduring lines in American literature.

“We might be wise to follow the insight of the enraptured heart rather than the more cautious reasoning of the theological mind.” (A.W. Tozer)

Dickinson found God in her immediate, natural surroundings. She utilized imagery of flowers, birds, and seasons in her poems to explore themes of eternity, mortality and personal faith.

In “Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church,” she rejects traditional church attendance and enigmatically opts for “…staying at home – with a Bobolink for a chorister - and an Orchard for a Dome. “ In the last stanza, she provocatively quips:

“God preaches, a noted Clergyman –

And the sermon is never long,

So instead of getting to Heaven, at last –

I’m going all along,” reminding us that the divine is found in the present moment; heaven lies all about us, but without spiritual perception – “going to heaven all along,” we won’t recognize or experience it.

Though subtle, the language used in "The Tulip," aligns with Dickinson’s frequent spiritual questioning, framing rebirth not as doctrine, but as a quiet, natural inevitability.

“He is not here; He has arisen!” (Matthew 28:6)

“…See?” – With a single word, Dickinson engages the reader in witnessing the bulb’s transformation, a rare interactive gesture in her otherwise self-contained reflections. Let’s explore how the natural unfolding of a bulb serves as a metaphor for Jesus’s resurrection, “naturally” fulfilling God’s plan of salvation and the prophecies of scripture.

“She slept…” As a bulb is a layered wrap encasing a flower, the Garden Tomb held the promise of eternal life. The cloth, in which Jesus was wrapped, known today as the Shroud of Turin, is Christianity’s most sacred relic. Whether it was the cloth that enveloped Jesus

White Lake UMC

remains a subject of intense scientific debate.*

“Remembered…” “When you eat this bread, and drink the cup, you do so in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25): Jesus speaks to His disciples during the Passover supper the night before He was betrayed.

“I touched…” A cradle is another term for a coffin, a tomb or a bulb. Dickinson was “a lunatic about bulbs,” describing her crocuses as “vassals of the snow.”

“Recognized the foot,” – Typical Dickinsonian verbiage describing conversations with the natural world of flowers, bees, and birds, which, for her, was a place of profound beauty and religious awe. She found the eternal in tiny, insignificant things.

“Put on…” - The tulip bursts forth in a blaze of red, reminiscent of Calvary, where Jesus shed His blood for us, but now that He has burst forth from the tomb, defeating death, the color represents adornment, not only, but also reawakening.

“And, see?” – Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection, transforming her grief into joy. Initially mistaking Him for the gardener, she recognizes Him when He calls her name. Following her Lord’s instructions, she went to tell the disciples: “I have seen the Lord. Come, {See}! (John 20:18) He is risen. Alleluia!

Stay tuned: The series, Easter Alleluia, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus and His time on earth before His Ascension. Eastertide, the “Great 50 Days,” which runs from Easter to Pentecost (May 24), is marked by joy and continuous singing of “Alleluia.”

In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

obituaries

Daniel Jay Parsons

July 7, 1956 ~ March 24, 2026

Daniel Jay Parsons, age 69, of Holland went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at Resthaven Maplewoods in Holland. The son of John and Joann Parsons, he was born July 7, 1956 in Shelby.

Dan retired from farming with NJ Fox & Sons after 46 years due to a medical condition. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Allegan. He loved working with his hands and helping people. In the last few years of his life he discovered painting and was a talented artist.

Dan was preceded in death by his grandparents, William and Ruth Graham, and Cecil and Laurita Parsons; nephew, Dwayne Dennison; and his unborn child. He is survived by his wife, Stacy of 36 years; daughters, Jennifer (Joshua Kok) Vogel, Sarah (Dennis) Hobbs, and Angela (James) Bailard; parents, John and Joann Parsons; siblings, Jeffrey (Laura) Parsons, Sharon (Robert) Dennison, Stanley Parsons and Mary Chappell; as well as an uncle; numerous aunts; nephews; nieces; and cousins.

There will be two Celebrations of Life for Dan. The first on Friday, May 22 at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Allegan, 1290 32nd St., Allegan, MI. The second on Saturday, May 23 at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Hart, 3258 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI.

To send a message of sympathy to the family, sign Dan's online guest book or to share a favorite memory, please visit www.NeptuneSociety.com

Joshua A. Mahan

October

12, 1980 ~ March 15, 2026

Joshua A. Mahan, 45, passed away Sunday, March 15, 2026. He was the beloved son of MarySue Mahan.

Josh was raised in Hart and graduated from Hart High School in 1999, where he excelled in track and cross country.

Josh traveled, working construction as an ironworker, getting to see much of the U.S. He will be remembered for his strong work ethic, his fun-loving gentle spirit, and as a loyal friend. Josh also enjoyed hunting and fishing, and leaves behind his loving dog, Bullet.

Josh is survived by: three aunts, Janet (Ken) Klotz, Patricia (Mike) Scofield and Cheryl (Dennis) Gale; cousins, Christopher Klotz, Ryan Klotz, Kendra Smith, Jason Riggs, Chad Riggs, Jeffrey Riggs, Crystal Riley and Gregory Gale; his ‘best little sister,' Jenn; and his best bud, Brad; as well as many trusted friends.

Josh was preceded in death by: his mother; grandparents, Melvin and Marie Mahan; uncle, Michael Mahan; and cousin, Meika Riggs.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 1-3 p.m., Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, 2370 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420. Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements. www.beaconfh.com

Matthew

Matthew Berumen, 43, of Pentwater, passed away Sunday, March 29, 2026, at his home. He was born June 28, 1982, in Edinburg, Texas, the son of Jose and Eva (Luevano) Berumen.

Matt was a kindhearted man. Despite his illness, he always wanted to help others. He was adored by his son and his cousins who looked up to him. Matt enjoyed being outdoors, whether he was hunting, fishing, camping, or his favorite, grilling. Prior to his illness, he was an owner/operator of his own trucking company, of which he was very proud.

Matt is survived by his son, who was his pride and joy, Matthew Berumen, Jr.; father, Jose A. Berumen; siblings, Eva (Victor) Reyna and Emanuel (Eva) Berumen; nieces and nephews, Xitlali Reyna, Regina Lebron, Steven Lebron, and Lisa Lebron; and several cousins, aunts and uncles.

Matt was preceded in death by: his mother, Eva L. Berumen; paternal grandparents, Jose A. Berumen, Sr. and Maria Guadalupe Berumen; maternal grandparents, Jose Tereso Luevano and Estanislada Luevano; and several aunts and uncles.

Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at St. Gregory Catholic Church, 214 S. Peach Ave., Hart, MI 49420, with Fr. Juan Palomar presiding. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Monday, April 6, 2026, at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, 2370 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420, with a praying of the Holy Rosary beginning at 7 p.m. Interment will be in North Weare Cemetery, Pentwater.

Memorial contributions may be made to his son, Matthew Berumen, Jr., to assist with school expenses.

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

Cassandra Louise Santos

July 15, 1971 ~ March 12, 2026

Cassandra Louise Santos, 54, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on March 12, 2026. She was born July 15, 1971, the daughter of Frank Wayne II and Samantha Ann (Bressler) Clark.

Cassandra was a woman of strength, kindness and understanding. A devoted and hardworking, wonderful mother, she always found a way to ensure her children were cared for and supported. Her forgiving spirit, sweet disposition and playful sass left a lasting impression on everyone she met, effortlessly turning strangers into friends. Cassandra had a love for crafting and creative hobbies, and she greatly enjoyed listening to music. She often spoke of her dream to one day see the world and travel, though sadly, she was never able to fulfill that dream. She also enjoyed spending time at the slot machines at Little River, where she found simple moments of fun and excitement. In her final month, Cassandra made it a priority to spend meaningful time with the people she loved most. She was deeply loved by many and will always be remembered for her heart of gold.

Cassandra is survived by her husband of seven years, Manuel B. Santos Jr.; children, Frank James Clark, Kayla L. Hamilton and Kari A. (Dylan) Monczunski; stepdaughter, Sylvia J. Santos; 11 grandchildren; siblings, Carl Clark and Jessica Edwards; and special friend, JoNell M. Santos.

Cassandra was preceded in death by her parents, Frank Wayne II and Samantha Ann (Bressler) Clark; and special family friend, John M. Turpin.

Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements.

Helen Marie Scripter

December 6, 1943 ~ March 31, 2026

Helen Marie Scripter, 82, of Hart, passed away Tuesday, March 31, 2026. She was born December 6, 1943, in Mus kegon, the daughter of Mitchell and Mamie (Bailey) Battice.

Helen graduated from Michigan School for the Deaf in 1964. She went to work for Stokely's in Hart and then married Manuel Lee Scripter that same year. Helen was a strong woman and raised her six children in Swartz Creek, Michigan.

Helen was a member of the Flint Association of the Deaf, as well as the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.

Helen loved bowling, arts and crafts, jewelry making, baking, going to PowWows, traveling, playing Bingo, and spending time with her family.

Helen is survived by: her children, Majel (Steve) Parker, Harry (Elda) Scripter, Muriel (Theodore) Illes, Marjorie (Cindy) Scripter, and Harlan (Jack) Scripter; grandchildren, Anthony Scripter, Mark Illes, Amanda Parker, Alan Parker, Arnold Scripter, Krisanto (Jennifer) Scripter, and Heather (Duane) Blanchard; many great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and many grand-puppies. She is also survived by: her siblings, Emily Smith, Clarence (Connie) Battice, Ponce Zamborowski, Roma Battice, and Alice Battice; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by: her parents, Mitchell and Mamie Battice; siblings, Mary Meza, Phillip Battice, and Gail Melendrez; son, Herman Scripter; and grandson, Mitchell Scripter.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, 2370 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420, with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. A luncheon will follow services at the funeral home. Interment will be in St. Joseph Indian Cemetery, Elbridge Township, at a later date.

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

Polk Road project

ing. These improvements work together to create a more predictable, easier-to-navigate roadway environment.

Roundabout at 72nd Avenue:

Proven Safety Benefits

The new roundabout at Polk Road and 72nd Avenue is a key safety feature of the project. Modern roundabouts are widely recognized as one of the most effective intersection designs for reducing severe crashes. National research shows that roundabouts can reduce fatal and injury crashes by up to 82%, thanks to several built-in safety advantages:

• Lower vehicle speeds that reduce crash severity

• Improved traffic flow and capacity, especially during peak travel times

• Fewer conflict points compared to traditional signalized intersections

• Safer pedestrian crossings, supported by splitter islands that provide a protected refuge area

• Simplified decision-making, with

continued from page 1

drivers yielding rather than navigating multiple signal phases

These benefits make the roundabout a long-term investment in community safety and mobility.

This project is made possible through an MDOT turnback agreement that allocates more than $6 million toward improvements along Polk Road. OCRC also secured a competitive safety grant specifically to fund the construction of the roundabout at 72nd Avenue — a location identified as a priority for reducing crashes and improving traffic flow.

OCRC will host a public hearing on the Polk Road reconstruction project on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 from 6-7 p.m. at the Michigan State University West Michigan Research Station, 5185 N. Oceana Dr., Hart, MI 49420. Residents, business owners and other stakeholders are encouraged to attend, learn more about the project and share feedback with the project team.

By Lucie Winborne

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE,

300 W. 57th STREET, 15th FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10019

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 300 W. 57th STREET, 15th FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10019

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE,

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 300 W. 57th STREET, 15th FLOOR, NEW YORK,

300 W. 57th STREET, 15th FLOOR, NEW

By Lucie Winborne

257

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. 257

CUSTOMER

YORK, NY 10019

NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20260323

CUSTOMER

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

257

FOR RELEASE MARCH 23, 2026

NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20260323

By JoAnn Derson

FOR RELEASE MARCH 23, 2026

By JoAnn Derson

• On April 6, 1930, James Dewar needed a good way to occupy the Continental Baking Company’s shortcakebaking machinery while strawberries were out of season. Fortunately for generations of snackers to come, he tried shooting a cream filling into one of the shortcakes, and the iconic Twinkie (the name was inspired by a billboard ad for Twinkle Toe Shoes) was born.

STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20260323

FOR RELEASE MARCH 23, 2026

By Lucie Winborne

The Weare Township Planning Commission will not be meeting on the regular day of Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Instead the meeting will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 6 pm at Weare Township Hall.

BIDS WANTED

FAIRLAWN CEMETERY

Village of Walkerville is accepting bids on the Raking of Fairlawn Cemetery.

JOB INCLUDES:

**Must rake all leaves and Pine needles in cemetery.

**Must remove and dispose of all debris raked (leaves and Pine needles).

**Job must be completed 2 weeks prior to Memorial Day, 2026. Please submit bid NO later than April 15th, 2026.

TO: Village Of Walkerville P.O. Box 97 Walkerville, MI 49459

Attention: Val Aiken, Clerk

Village Phone # 231-873-5842

• A good non-slip bathmat is essential in the tub to prevent accidents. Grab an extra to drape over the edge of the tub for help when entering and exiting.

• “To remove residue left over from price tags, you can use hairspray. Remove as much paper as possible, then give a good squirt. Use a plastic scraper to lightly scrape off the adhesive.” — L.P. in Ohio

• A good non-slip bathmat is essential in the tub to prevent accidents. Grab an extra to drape over the edge of the tub for help when entering and exiting.

• Viking burials included board games.

• When making badminton shuttlecocks, the most prized feathers are said to come from a goose’s left wing.

• The Beast from “Beauty and the Beast” is a combination of several different animals, with a lion’s mane, buffalo’s head and beard, gorilla’s brow, tusks of a wild boar, bear’s body, legs and tail of a wolf … and eyes of a human.

• The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits any nation from trying to own the moon.

• Sweden is so efficient at waste disposal that only 1% of its garbage goes to landfills.

• On April 7, 1940, Tuskegee Institute founder Booker T. Washington became the first African American to be honored with a postage stamp bearing his likeness. It would be almost another 40 years before an African American woman — human rights activist Harriet Tubman — would receive the same recognition.

• Got bread ends? Store in a bag in the freezer until you need breadcrumbs for a recipe. Pulse frozen chunks in a chopper or blender for instantly usable crumbs.

• On April 8, 1993, astronaut Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman in space when the shuttle Discovery lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center. Later she also served as Director of the Johnson Space Center, the first Hispanic director and the second woman to hold that position, from

• “Guacamole is a precious commodity at my house, but sometimes I want a snack, not a whole bowl. I have struggled with how to save the leftovers, because once it browns, it’s done. I learned a new trick, though. Simply put the leftovers in the smallest container possible and tamp down to press out all the air. Then carefully add a thin layer of water. Seal and refrigerate for up to three days. When you are ready to dip, pour off the water and stir!” — C.D. in California

• On April 9, 1945, Berlin University lecturer, Lutheran pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was hanged at Flossenburg concentration camp in Germany, just days prior to its liberation by American soldiers. His final words were, “This is the end — for me, the beginning of life.”

lecturer, Lutheran pastor and theoloat Flossenburg concentration camp in Germany, just days prior to its liberation by American soldiers. His final words were, “This is the end — for me, the beginning of life.”

• On April 10, 1866, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in New York City by philanthropist and diplomat Henry Bergh. By the time of his death in 1888, 37 of the 38 states in the Union had passed animal anticruelty laws.

• “I have an old cedar chest from my grandmother. It had lost its smell, though. My husband removed all the contents and sanded it with superfine grit sandpaper. It is restored and smells wonderful now.” — J.K. in Iowa

• Need a quick measure? A paper bill (U.S. currency) is exactly 6 inches long.

Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 1800 Pembrook Dr., Suite 300, Orlando, FL 32810.

OC ANIMAL SHELTER

• On April 11, 2004, Phil Mickelson won the Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, his first major championship in nearly 12 years as a professional golfer.

Chloe is a vibrant and affectionate 2-year-old who brings enthusiasm and joy wherever she goes. At 55 pounds, she’s a strong, energetic companion who absolutely loves people and thrives on attention. Chloe would do especially well with an adopter who enjoys an active lifestyle and is looking for a loyal partner to share in daily adventures.

This sweet girl is still polishing her manners and can be a bit of a jumper when she gets excited, but her eagerness to please makes her a wonderful candidate for continued training.

• On April 12, 1954, Bill Haley and His Comets recorded “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock,” which they’d been performing live for months, during the final 40 minutes of a three-hour recording session in New York City that had actually been set up for a song called “Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town).” After the tune was chosen to play over the opening credits of the film “Blackboard Jungle,” it became a pop sensation, selling a million copies in one month in 1955.

Chloe has already shown she can fit beautifully into a family setting. She previously lived with cats and did well with them, and she’s also good with kids, making her a great option for a household looking for a friendly, playful dog. Chloe 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 231-7303906. Free tags are also available at the OCEANA County Animal Shelter.

Inc.

• Viking burials included board games.

• A young man from Arizona saved a woman’s life by using CPR he’d learned from watching an episode of “The Office.”

By Lucie Winborne

• A good non-slip bathmat is essential in the tub to prevent accidents. Grab an extra to drape over the edge of the tub for help when entering and exiting.

By Lucie Winborne

• The German version of the term “average Joe” is Otto Normalverbraucher, or “Otto normal consumer.”

• When making badminton shuttlecocks, the most prized feathers are said to come from a goose’s left wing.

• The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits any nation from trying to own the moon.

• In parts of Europe, folks believe that if you light a cigarette from a candle, a sailor will die.

• Spiders recycle webs by eating them.

• Sweden is so efficient at waste disposal that only 1% of its garbage goes to landfills.

• Got bread ends? Store in a bag in the freezer until you need breadcrumbs for a recipe. Pulse frozen chunks in a chopper or blender for instantly usable crumbs.

• A young man from Arizona saved a woman’s life by using CPR he’d learned from watching an episode of “The Office.”

• Sweden is so efficient at waste disposal that only 1% of its garbage goes to landfills.

• The German version of the term “average Joe” is Otto Normalverbraucher, or “Otto normal consumer.”

• The term mortician was invented as part of a public relations campaign by the funeral industry, which considered it more customer friendly than undertaker.

• Viking burials included board games.

• When making badminton shuttlecocks, the most prized feathers are said

• In parts of Europe, folks believe that if you light a cigarette from a candle, a sailor will die.

• When making badminton shuttlecocks, the most prized feathers are said to come from a goose’s left wing.

Beethoven was notably particular about his coffee, ensuring that his morning brew was made with precisely 60 beans per cup.

• Spiders recycle webs by eating them.

• The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits any nation from trying to own the moon.

• A study has shown that dunking an Oreo in milk for three seconds renders the optimal balance between sogginess and structural integrity.

• A young man from Arizona saved a woman’s life by using CPR he’d learned from watching an episode of “The Office.”

• Sloths may be the only animals that don’t fart.

• The term mortician was invented as part of a public relations campaign by the funeral industry, which considered it more customer friendly than undertaker.

• The German version of the term “average Joe” is Otto Normalverbraucher, or “Otto normal consumer.”

“Family Feud” host Richard Dawson met his second wife, Gretchen Johnson, when she was a contestant on the show — and yes, he kissed her.

• Beethoven was notably particular about his coffee, ensuring that his morning brew was made with precisely 60 beans per cup.

• In parts of Europe, folks believe that if you light a cigarette from a candle, a sailor will die.

• Polar ice cap temperatures can plunge to a bone-chilling -189.67 degrees Fahrenheit. ***

• Spiders recycle webs by eating them.

• A study has shown that dunking an Oreo in milk for three seconds renders the optimal balance between sogginess and structural integrity.

• The term mortician was invented as part of a public relations campaign by the funeral industry, which considered it more customer friendly than undertaker.

• Sloths may be the only animals that don’t fart.

• “Family Feud” host Richard Dawson met his second wife, Gretchen Johnson, when she was a contestant on the show — and yes, he kissed her.

• Beethoven was notably particular about his coffee, ensuring that his morning brew was made with precisely 60 beans per cup.

• Polar ice cap temperatures can plunge to a bone-chilling -189.67 degrees Fahrenheit. ***

• A study has shown that dunking an Oreo in milk for three seconds renders the optimal balance between sogginess and structural integrity.

Thought for the Day: “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.” —

• Sloths may be the only animals that don’t fart.

John F. Kennedy

• Sloths may be the only animals that don’t fart.

• “Family Feud” host Richard Dawson met his second wife, Gretchen Johnson, when she was a contestant on the show — and yes, he kissed her.

OC ANIMAL FRIENDS

• Polar ice cap temperatures can plunge to a bone-chilling -189.67 degrees Fahrenheit.

for the Day: “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.” —

Hi, I'm Celeste. I spend my days quietly observing the world from my cozy corner. I love to explore at my own pace, finding joy in the simple things like a soft blanket or a gentle pat. I may be a bit shy at first, but give me a little time, and I'll show you my sweet and mellow side. I cherish my independence, yet I long for a family to call my own. If you're looking for a gentle companion to share peaceful moments with, I'm the perfect match. Why not take a chance on a gentle soul like me?

If you would like to adopt Celeste, please fill out an application through the OCAF Facebook page: Oceana County Animal Friends or online at: oceanacountyanimalfriends.wordpress.com. To volunteer or for more information, please call OCAF at 616-822-5552. OCAF is open by appointment or during visiting hours: Saturday 10 a.m. to noon or Sunday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Every Friday during Lent (including Good Friday) February 20 - April 3 Serving from 5 - 7 p.m.

Thought

Meet Celeste

2026 King Features Synd.,

Several churches find new homes in Oceana County

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

At least three churches have either recently opened or have relocated within the past year in Oceana County. With Christians around the world celebrating the Easter story this Sunday, the following details the journey these congregations have been on as they take root in this area. Please refer to the directory on page 6 of the Echo for information on the many other churches inviting the community to worship every week.

What was once home to the Hart Theatre, and most recently Dale and Gail’s music gallery, is now home to the Heritage Bible Church. The church got its start when its first pastor, Ross Fitcher, led services out of his home in the Shelby area. Later the congregation would meet in the Ferry Community Center and then in someone’s private pole building. Knowing they wanted a more permanent place they could call "home," they began to pray.

Pastor Matthew Pollack, who also works full-time for a local contractor, said, “I was with the Gideons and filling in here and there after Pastor Ross moved to Pennsylvania. I was asked if I’d be interested in full-time - that was eight years ago.”

The story of how Heritage Bible Church settled in downtown Hart is an answer to many prayers Pollack said. Unbeknownst to the congregation, the Zeigers (Dale and Gail) had put their building up for sale about the time the congregation started praying for a new location. Pollack was the contractor sent out when the Zeigers experienced a water leak. They were soon in conversation about how they’d had the building for sale for about a year and, because it wasn’t moving, had decided to take it off the market. Once they found out Pollack was a pastor, the conversation quickly turned to spiritual things, and one thing led to another.

“It was a very practical move for our church as we needed a location in which we could advertise our location. Now that we have moved, we will continue to keep doing what we always have: focus on

worshipping rightly through expositional preaching of the Word, singing theologically rich music (and) ministering to families, individuals and the community around us. We are looking forward to how God will use us in the Hart community,” said Pollack. More information, upcoming messages and events can be found by visiting Facebook.com/hbcoceana.

Just three blocks south, on the corner of State and Johnson Streets in downtown Hart sits the new Radiant Church campus. Radiant officially “launched” Sunday, March 22, and according to Pastor Colin Prominski, both the 9 and 10:45 a.m. services were full to capacity. As with any new endeavor, there are kinks and bugs to be worked out, however, if the first two Sundays are any indication of what is possible, Prominski is very encouraged, “We counted 399 individuals from the weekend, which included about 50 kids. It’s a story only God could write. We take very little credit for it.”

The church has spent the last year renovating the former structure into their newest church campus. Radiant Church is a non-denominational church started in Kalamazoo and is now a network of churches located across the U.S.

Besides worship services, Radiant offers children’s ministries for children infant through fifth grades every Sunday morning, youth group on Sunday evenings, prayer gatherings the second and fourth Wednesday of the month, and will begin hosting Celebrate Recovery programming in June. Other opportunities offered are two discipleship classes unique to Radiant Church as a whole: a “RSM Launch” class focused on Christian leadership training and a “RSM Part-time” class focused on theological training.

Worship services include live music, along with live-streamed messages from the Ludington campus every week. Child care is available during the second service now, with first service child care available as more volunteers come on board. “One time a month either myself or Pastor Jerry will be teaching in-person at Hart as well,“ said Prominski.

In the Village of Shelby, the Shelby Assembly of God church, located at 269 S. State St., relaunched in October 2023 as New Beginnings Shelby, a church

plant from New Beginnings Whitehall, formerly the White Lake Assembly of God. According to Pastor Josh Hill, NB Whitehall was approached by the Assembly of God leadership a couple of years ago to see if they might be interested in taking on the Shelby church.

“The congregation had dwindled to about 10 people, and they didn’t have a pastor,” Hill explained. “New Beginnings is more than just the name of our church. It is what God continues to do in and through our church, a church that was without a pastor, had few people, no kids and was in danger of closing. Now it has a new life with growth, a new kids ministry and we are seeing God give people ‘new beginnings’ through the ministry of our church. I am excited for what He uses our church for next.”

Service times for NB Shelby are every Sunday at 11 a.m. Life study groups meet every Monday in Shelby at 6 p.m., and midweek services are held and the youth group meets at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at NB Whitehall campus, located at 1830 W. White Lake Dr., Whitehall.

More information can be found at NBWhitehall. com, MYNB on Facebook or by calling the church office at 231-894-9661.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ROUNDABOUT AND POLK ROAD RECONSTRUCTION

A Public Hearing will be held by the Oceana County Road Commission from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Tuesday April 21, 2026 at the Michigan State University West Michigan Research Station, 5185 N Oceana Dr, Hart, MI 49420, regarding the construction of a single lane Roundabout on Polk Rd at 72nd Ave and the Reconstruction of Polk Rd from east of 64th Ave to Oceana Drive. Residents, business owners, and other stakeholders are encouraged to attend, learn more about the project, and share feedback with the project team.

New Tigers coach brings WMC experience to job

Jacob Tumele has coached at Hart, as well as Fremont, Ravenna, Orchard View

By Andy Roberts

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

New Shelby football coach Jacob Tumele, whose hire was approved by the Shelby school board March 23, wants to keep the momentum going after the Tigers won a district championship in 2025, the program’s third ever. And like his predecessor Phil Fortier, Tumele has devised an acronym to summarize his standard for the program.

Fortier’s preferred philosophy was to be a D.U.D.E. - determined, unselfish, disciplined and effort. Tumele is topping Fortier by one letter, going with T.I.G.E.R. - toughness, improvement, gratitude, empathy and respect. Tumele shared that philosophy with the players when he met with them after his hiring.

“The biggest thing I wanted to do in that meeting is to introduce them to who I am and start building that relationship, telling them that this is

what Shelby football is going to look like moving forward,” Tumele said. “We’re going to honor the past and what Phil and Lorenzo (Rodriguez) have done in setting the foundation, but moving forward this will be what it’s like to be a Shelby Tiger - being physical, fundamental and smart. Everything we do - offense, defense, special teams - will be under that umbrella.”

This will be Tumele’s first head coaching job, but he has a wealth of experience from around West Michigan. He’s coached at his alma mater Orchard View, as well as at Hartwhere he worked with Pirates’ coach Joe Tanis - and Greenville, Spring Lake and Ravenna. He was most recently defensive coordinator at Fremont.

That experience with West Michigan Conference schools attracted Shelby when it searched for Fortier’s

successor upon his retirement following last season.

“The people on the committee, when we were done, felt that number one, Jacob is going to be able to relate to our kids,” Shelby athletic director Chuck Persenaire said. “That stood out to us. He has really vast football knowledge. Everyone we talked to commented on his football knowledge. (We appreciated) the way he brought himself across, the leadership capabilities he’s going to have and the way he’s going to be able to have a good feel for our student population.”

Tumele will also teach at Shelby as Fortier did, which is always attractive when hiring a coach.

“Having your head coach in your building is a definite plus,” Persenaire said. “He’ll see the kids on a daily basis and walk the halls with them.”

Fortier said after retirement that he was happy to be a resource for the next coach, and Tumele said he looks forward to availing himself of that advice as he tries to build the next generation of Shelby champions.

“I think it’s awesome to have

someone like that to ask him some logistical questions,” Tumele said. “Most importantly, being a sounding board and being there if you need something.”

As far as on-field philosophy, Tumele said his hope is to build a team that emphasizes the strengths of its players. In year one, it seems clear the focal points will be two-way stars Jaylin Henderson and Brody Fessenden, who were key parts of the Tigers’ district championship run and will be back for their senior seasons. Tumele is very aware that many of the linemen that paved the way for their successes will graduate, so the duo will be even more important to next year’s team. Tumele added that Elijah Dashiell will be another major factor among skill position players.

“They’ll have to be the dudes we surround ourselves with,” Tumele said. “What we do offensively and defensively has to maximize what they can do. We have to execute at a high level. We can’t make mistakes.”

The coach also has a goal of, as

New coach continued on page 11

Hart, Shelby baseball ready for new seasons

New coach Kyle Weiler hopes to keep up momentum after Pirates’ 2025 district title

By Andy Roberts

Oceana Echo Community Contributor

After Hart brought home a district title for the first time in over 20 years last season, the Pirates will try for an encore performance with a new head coach, Kyle Weiler.

The Pirates graduated several top players from last season, including both pitchers that led Hart to that district championship - Avery Guikema and Ty Schlukebir.

However, some key bats are back, including seniors Halen Boos, Hollis Rockwell, Joseph Osorio and Logan Jorissen. Boos spent much of last season in the leadoff spot. Fellow seniors Aiden Cull and Kyle Greiner are poised for bigger roles.

“I am looking forward to being a part of this group of student-athletes and watching their knowledge of baseball grow as the season progresses, along with their own relationships amongst the team,” Weiler said.

A trio of juniors - Mason Guikema, Pascal Miller and Caden VanGelderen - will also be a big part of this year’s team.

Weiler said he hopes the Pirates handle adversity. The team fell to Whitehall by mercy rule in its first two games of the season, so bouncing back from disappointment is a skill it will have to pick up quickly.

The Pirates are not shying away

Veteran Tigers motivated by district defeat last spring

By Andy Roberts

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

A senior-laden Shelby team has redemption on its mind this year after a tough district semifinal loss brought a sour ending to a 2025 season that included an impressive 21-9 record and second-place finish in the West Michigan Conference Rivers. The Tigers have enough firepower to believe they can write a different ending this time.

“Losing a heartbreaking game to MCC in the district semifinals has pushed these guys to keep working hard,” Shelby coach Brian Wright said.

Shelby brings back eight seniors who were regular starters in 2025, including some of the Tigers’ top pitchers. DayDay Garcia, Cam Smith, Chase Simon and Trevor Weiss all had excellent seasons on the mound.

Garcia and Smith were equally dynamic at the plate. Garcia, who batted leadoff and played shortstop when not pitching, rang up a 3.18 earned run average last season while batting .383 with 36 runs scored, and Smith, a catcher when not on the mound, posted a 2.86 ERA and also batted .383, driving in 33 runs from his No. 3 spot in the lineup.

Also for Shelby, Simon, a third baseman, brings back a 1.35 ERA and a good glove. He’s also a contributor at the plate, with a .284 average. Weiss posted a 0.65 ERA and got eight wins on the hill last year and plays left field.

Shelby’s extensive experience

also includes Eli Kelley, who can play most anywhere on the field and hits and pitches well, as well first baseman Neil Gowell and outfielder Jaden Furman. Colin Fenton and Michael Regeczi also lettered last season and return as seniors.

This huge group of seniors is supplemented by sophomore Leighton Belasco, who plays second base and had a solid .326 average as a freshman.

With this much talent and veteran know-how, the Tigers have high hopes for the season, and Wright has beefed up the non-conference schedule accordingly. The Tigers will take on strong opponents like Montague

The

Hart’s Joseph Osorio winds up to make a throw to first base during last season’s regional semifinal game against Evart. Osorio is one of several returning Pirates hoping to defend their 2025 district crown. • Echo File Photo

Shelby’s Chase Simon readies to swing the bat during a game at Hart last season. Simon is part of a very experienced Shelby team with eyes set on a potential district title run this season. • Echo File Photo

Pirates ready to pursue 6th straight district crown

By Andy Roberts

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Hart has built itself into a consistent force on the softball diamond in the 2020s, bringing home five consecutive district championships. The Pirates are 2-2 on the young 2026 season after sweeping Whitehall and dropping two games to Spring Lake, but hopes are again high for a great spring.

One challenge coach Dean DeVries is facing is a slightly smaller roster in numbers. He said the team has about a dozen players, with five of them new to varsity softball.

“We will have a learning curve, but I am confident that we can handle those challenges,” DeVries said.

It helps that Hart has several core players back from last season’s championship squad. Makenna Carrier and Leah Walker, both seniors, lead at infield positions, with Carrier at catcher and Walker at first base. Juniors Reese Smith and Caydence Bateson also return at pitcher and shortstop respectively, and senior Maria Rodriguez put in a big offseason of work and is set to get plenty of playing time in the infield.

Hart has also brought in two freshmen, Sydney Bateson and Elyssa Tanis, to contribute to the team. Both have obvious athletic gifts - Sydney is

Caydence’s sister and Tanis, daughter of Hart football coach Joe Tanis, competed for the Pirates’ wrestling team this winter - and could make an early impact.

The Pirates have the benefit of being tested by two of the best programs in the area within the West Michigan Conference Rivers - Holton and Ravenna. Both again had outstanding seasons in 2025, with Ravenna reaching the semifinals in Division 3 and Holton going to the quarterfinals in Division 4. North Muskegon is often a tough out as well, and of course the rivalry matchup with Shelby is a highlight of any Pirate schedule.

Hart is also playing some challenging non-league foes, including a few from the WMC Lakes as the Pirates prepare to move up to that division in the 2027 season. Larger schools like Spring Lake, Ludington, Comstock Park, Fruitport and Oakridge dot the Hart schedule, though the Pirates will also play some smaller schools such as local foe Pentwater, Onekama and Pine River.

“(Many) of those teams have consistent, strong pitching that will prepare us well for the postseason,” DeVries said. “We are still focused on daily and continued growth each day to work towards being the best versions of ourselves at the end of the season. I am looking forward to our challenges that await us.”

After strong 2025, Tigers ready to improve again

Shelby returns entire starting lineup from end of 2025 season, has district title hopes

By Andy Roberts

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

A very young Shelby team had a solid 2025 season, posting a 1913 overall record and coming very close to knocking off eventual district champion Hart in the postseason. Now, the Tigers hope to improve on it.

It will help that most of the team - including the entire starting lineup from last season’s final game - is back. Sophomore Jayna Burmeister, who had an excellent freshman season at pitcher, is back for more. Fellow team leaders Jordan Wolting, Emma Stovall, Jaedyn Allen and Stella Springer are back as well. Stovall, the team’s leadoff hitter in 2025, plays catcher, with Wolting at shortstop, Allen at second base and Springer in center field.

“The girls continue gaining confidence and are starting to push themselves and teammates to reach the same goals,” said Shelby coach Kevin Burmeister, also Jayna’s dad.

Hali Hayes, Izzy Rudat, Brynlee Myers and Gaby LeFevet are other re-

New coach

much as possible, eliminating presnap penalties and other mental mistakes. His hope is that the team will be able to play fast and rely on players’ athleticism.

Another thing Tumele said he was excited by was the reaction of the players he met with to his idea of creating a leadership council for the team, which he’s calling the “championship circle.” He said nearly all of

Panthers’ young core poised to turn program around

By Andy Roberts The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

It’s been a tough few seasons for Hesperia softball, which couldn’t muster a win last year and had only two victories the year before. However, coach Rick Martin believes this year’s team “has shown great growth and commitment” and could spark a turnaround in the Panthers’ fortunes.

It’s a young roster, with freshmen Gabby Tanner and Madesyn Bolles jumping right into key spots in the lineup. Tanner is the team’s top pitcher to start the season and will form a duo with returning junior Sarissa Conkle. Bolles, meanwhile, will start at shortstop and occupy the No. 3 spot in the batting order. However, there is some experience on hand as well. In addition to Conkle, veteran returnees include Jeri Ward at catcher, Olivia McGahan as a utility player and Olivia

Hesperia’s Sarissa Conkle keeps an eye on the action while holding Hart’s Reese Smith on first base during a game last season. • Echo File Photo

Gerard in center field, where she’ll move from third base. Eliana Sanker, a junior, will take over at third base after playing first base on the JV.

“Every player on our roster has set a goal of putting in the time and hard work to be the ones to make people proud of Hesperia softball again,” Martin said. “I believe in this group. They have shown myself and the coaching staff that they are tired of being that team everyone wants to play for the easy wins.”

The Panthers, like Hart and Shelby, will have to grapple with power programs Holton

Pirate baseball

and Ravenna in the West Michigan Conference Rivers, but Martin is hopeful his team can score some conference wins. Hesperia will face a county foe, Pentwater, in non-league play, as well as local rival Fremont and Mason County Eastern.

Martin said the key to success for his team will be to put the ball over the plate when pitching. If the Panther defense is allowed to do the job, he believes they are capable.

“We are looking forward to taking the first steps of a new chapter in Panther softball,” Martin said.

continued from page 10

turning starters that will contribute. Hayes plays third base, Rudat first, with Myers in the outfield. LaFevet was the DH in the Tigers’ opening wins over Benzie Central.

With so much veteran experience on the team, there’s not much room for younger players to emerge, but coach Burmeister said they’re on board to contribute wherever they can.

“We are pushing the underclassmen to continue to chase our goals,” Burmeister said.

The Tigers hope to be part of the WMC Rivers race behind powerhouse programs Holton and Ravenna, as well as gaining vengeance against Hart after last season’s district defeat. Non-league matchups against Kent City, White Cloud, Montague, Whitehall, Mona Shores and others will prepare the Tigers for a playoff run.

“The Rivers division will be a tight race with a frontrunner that everyone is chasing,” Burmeister said of Holton. “Our goal as a team is to compete in every game for seven innings.”

continued from page 10

the 30 or so players he met with expressed interest in being part of it.

It’s a new era in Shelby, and Tumele is hopeful it will be a fruitful one.

“What i’m most excited about is bringing the Shelby formula - which to me is how you conduct ourselves on and off the field, that T.I.G.E.R. standard - and getting the most out of our kids,” Tumele said.

from larger-school competition this year. In addition to Whitehall, they will face Ludington, Montague and Manistee in cross-division play within the West Michigan Conference. (The Wildcats are in the Pirates’ district this year, and Hart will face all three of those schools again in 2027 when it plays in the Lakes division.) Hart is also set for a doubleheader against Western Michigan Christian, a region-

al finalist in Division 4 a year ago. North Muskegon is a consistently tough foe within the WMC Rivers, and Ravenna had a strong year last season as well. Of course, the Pirates’ schedule highlight comes against Shelby in May.

“I know we have talent on this team and I plan to utilize everyone to their full potential,” Weiler said.

Tiger baseball

continued from page 10

- last season’s WMC Lakes champsand Evart, a regional finalist last season. The Tigers opened against those Wildcats and earned a sweep. The

WMC Rivers should again test Shelby, with powerhouse North Muskegon and a very strong Ravenna team part of the schedule.

BENONA TOWNSHIP

Synopsis of Meeting

March 23, 2026

The regular meeting of March 23, 2026 was called to order at 7:00 PM with all Board members, and 2 visitors present. The agenda was approved as submitted. The minutes of the regular meeting and the budget hearing of February 23, 2026 were approved. Action was taken on the following:

• Contribution for Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Program approved.

• General Fund budget for 2025-26 amended.

• All new budgets for 2026-27 adopted

• Stony Lake Sparkler 5K Run request approved.

• Resolution Submitting Millage Proposal for Library Millage for Shelby Area District Library adopted.

• Bills approved for payment, with additions.

Meeting adjourned at 8:10 PM.

A copy of the complete minutes is available from the Clerk at Benona Township Hall or on the township website (www.benonatownship.org).

- Margie Shaw, Clerk

Reflections of our community

White Lake Mirror White Lake Mirror

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Local kids flex their Easter egg hunting muscles

With Easter set for this Sunday, White Lake area children were given two chances to warm up for their family Easter egg hunts last weekend. "The Hoppening" took place at the Montague Township Park Saturday, featuring a visit from the Easter Bunny (above left) and a giant basket full of eggs to find (above center). Kids whose parents brought two nonperishable food donations for the White Lake Food Pantry were entered to win their choice of bicycles donated by local businesses (at right). Another opportunity came Sunday at Elite Air Heating and Cooling, which hosted a community event featuring prizes, free hot dogs and pulled pork sliders, and more egg hunting (below photos). The White Lake VFW also hosted an egg hunt Sunday afternoon.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror Photos

White River Twp. passes data center ordinance

By Andy Roberts

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — The White River Township planning commission approved an ordinance governing AI data centers at a special meeting Tuesday evening, 6-0, with one abstention.

The ordinance places limits on where a data center can be placed, how large it can be and various other aspects of a potential construction. Although the township currently has no proposed data centers, the commission felt it necessary to enact an ordinance to protect the township, given the topic's increased visibility over the past year. For the same reason, the commission said attorney Cliff Bloom had advised that there is a good chance it will want to review the ordinance within a year.

In November, the township enacted a six-month moratorium on such construction applications to give itself time to construct the ordinance. That moratorium expires in May.

not be placed in the township's renewable energy overlay, mostly comprising Chemours property.

research. I'm proud to serve with you."

Among the requirements the commission outlined during the special meeting were: Data centers in the township cannot exceed 200,000 square feet in size; no part of the construction can be closer than 600 feet from a township residence; no power generators can be within two miles; data center buildings can be no taller than 40 feet inclusive of any rooftop equipment; all water usage must be "a closed loop," meaning a facility cannot take water from the township's natural resources; any potential vibrations, fumes and smoke from such a facility cannot be detectable on residents' property; and constructions can-

Many other aspects of any potential construction are subject to township approval, including access by emergency services, effects on wildlife and green space, and the meeting of the National Fire Protection Association standards regarding information technology facilities.

During discussion, commissioner Deb Harris noted that this was the seventh version of the ordinance the commission had worked through, showing the amount of work and care that went into it.

Vice Chair Karen McClain shared her pride in the work done by the commission, saying, "You guys are all really good. You get the work done and do the

Bill Bergerson abstained from the vote, though he said he agreed with all substantive parts of the ordinance. He said his abstention was due to clerical issues within the ordinance, such as inconsistency of capitalization and formatting errors. He shared his frustration with those miscues given the amount of money the township is paying planning firms to assemble these ordinances, stating the township deserves better. He too complimented the commission on its work, noting that he is "kind of an interloper" as he only moved to the township a few years ago.

Township Supervisor Ron Bailey spoke during public comment to give further thanks to the commission for its work on the ordinance and for being proactive on the issue of data centers.

Whitehall, Montague again earn Tree City USA

Whitehall and Montague were again among 122 Michigan communities designated as Tree City USA participants by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources last Thursday, celebrating 50 years of the program.

Muskegon, which was also designated a Tree City USA participant, additionally was one of 14 communities to receive Growth Award recognition

"for going above and beyond."

“Our Arbor Day Foundation Program participants have done an amazing job with their tree work this past year," said Lawrence Law, urban forester and outreach coordinator for the Michigan DNR. "This is my fourth year managing this program for Michigan and it’s great to talk to these communities and groups that want to do more to

provide their residents with the benefits that come from trees."

With 2026 marking the 50th anniversary of the Tree City USA program, Law said it's important to take pride in the work Michigan's communities do and to think about why we celebrate those efforts.

"Tree City recognition comes with years and years of work, dedication and

participation, all for the enjoyment and benefit of community members today," Law said.

Communities don’t plant trees for the present, Law said, but to make a positive difference to people in the future we'll never meet.

To find out more about the Arbor Day Foundation’s various Tree USA programs, visit arborday.org/programs.

Montague residents with cats that are not spayed or neutered can now get that important surgery for their pet at a significant discount through a partnership with the City of Montague and Big Lake Community Animal Clinic in Muskegon.

The City is offering a voucher to city residents which enables them to get 50% off the basic cost of spay or neuter surgery performed by veterinarians

at the clinic. That brings the owner’s share down to $75 for spaying a female cat and $50 to neuter a male.

As part of this partnership, Big Lake Community Animal Clinic will also give each kitty that is part of the voucher program a free rabies vaccine.

This is the time of year when cats are likely to go into heat, so cat owners are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity as soon as possible.

Spaying prevents unplanned litters of kittens, and that is especially important because cats can have as many as three litters a year.

Spaying and neutering cats also enables them to live longer, healthier lives by reducing and preventing certain infections and cancers. Spaying ends the life-threatening risks a female cat can face when she is pregnant, and neutering can reduce or stop male cats from

wandering and spraying. Kittens are eligible to be spayed or neutered as soon as three months old.

To take part in the program, residents should first come to Montague City Hall to pick up the voucher, then call Big Lake Clinic to make an appointment for their cat. For more information about this program, call the City of Montague at 231-893-1155.

City of Montague residents will be able to participate in Dump Day Saturday, April 11 at the White Lake Area Solid Waste Authority.

Each municipality in the area is designated a day in the spring where its residents can receive a $25 voucher for solid waste disposal. Hazardous material and yard waste are among items not permitted to be dropped off.

All city residents wishing to participate can stop by the Montague City Hall during regular business hours to obtain a $25 voucher towards their solid waste drop-off.

Senior Resources of West Michigan, the area agency on aging for Muskegon, Ottawa, and Oceana counties, is holding a public hearing Tuesday, April 21 to listen to the comments and opinions of older adults and caregivers regarding plans for service provision outlined in the Multi Year Plan 2027-29 and the Annual Implementation Plan for the period of Oct. 1, 2026 –Sept. 30, 2027.

The public hearing will include a review of the plan update, including services the agency wishes to fund, as well as an opportunity for participant input and comment.

The hearing will take place in person at the Tanglewood Park training room A & B at 560 Seminole Rd. in Muskegon, but you are invited to attend virtually at us06web.zoom. us/j/87458004164.

Advance copies of the plans being discussed will be available after April 6. To receive one, please call 231-733-3519 or 1-800-442-0054. A copy may also be picked up at the hearing, or it is available for download at Experts On Aging Service Providers - Senior Resources (seniorresourceswmi.org) .

White Lake Trash Bash coming this month

The White Lake Area Chamber & Visitor's Bureau reminds locals who want to help the environment, or just spend a pleasant Sunday afternoon cleaning up outside, that the White Lake Trash Bash will take place Sunday, April 26.

The Trash Bash is a community-wide cleanup along area parks, bike trails, shoreline areas, and waterways.

All ages and group sizes are welcome. This event is for the whole family, individuals, duos, and groups.

To participate, meet at the Chamber building at 1 p.m. Volunteers are asked to dress accordingly with long-sleeve shirts, sunscreen, gloves, hats, etc. Trash bags will be supplied.

WaterDog Outfitters will offer free bike rentals for those looking to clean up the trails, and free kayak rentals for those looking to clean up the waterways. To rent a kayak, individuals must be prepared for cold water and dressed warmly with dry suits.

of the Trash Bash is set for Sunday, April 26, inviting community members to help clean up the area. • Andy Roberts/Mirror File Photo

Volunteers receive trash bags before participating in the 2025 Trash Bash in the White Lake area. The 2026 edition

Saturday, April 4

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Montague hosts its free monthly community breakfast, 9-10:30 a.m. All are welcome for great food and fellowship.

Easter Egg Hunt @ Rivers Ace Whitehall, 10 a.m. Explore the store and search for colorful eggs hidden throughout the aisles.

Rothbury Easter Egg Hunt @ Village Hall, 11 a.m. The actual hunt begins at 11:30 a.m. with opportunities to meet the Easter Bunny. Golden eggs will be included in the hunt for a chance to win a bicycle.

Monday, April 6

Family Storytime @ White Lake Community Library, 9:30 a.m. Chil-

Community Calendar

dren of all ages and their caregivers are invited to join for stories, music, and movement. No registration required.

White Lake Community Library welcomes knitters and crocheters for a weekly gathering, 3 p.m. Knitters and crocheters are invited to bring whatever they're working on to this casual meetup, a great way to connect with others, share ideas, and enjoy good company.

Tuesday, April 7

Baby Time @ White Lake Community Library, 9:30 a.m. Bring your littlest ones – ages 0-2 – to Baby Time for songs, music, and movement.

Special Ukrainian Story Time featuring the book 'Seeds of the Sun' by

local author Kelley Peel and Ukrainian teacher, Tetiana @ White Lake Community Library, 2 p.m. Kelley will be here to read the story, followed by a craft and a Ukrainian snack.

Wednesday, April 8

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.

The Oat Bran Boys perform @ North Grove Brewers, 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 9

Toddler Story Time @ MADL Montague, 11 a.m. Stories, songs and play time. Intended for toddlers ages 2-3 and their caregivers.

Kids can learn about renewable energy and build their own solar car

@ White Lake Community Library, 3 p.m. Parts provided by Educated Energy.

Friday, April 10

Play and Learn @ White Lake Community Library, 9:30 a.m. Children 5 and under, along with their caregivers, will enjoy an hour of stories, songs, and playtime.

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!

Gabriel James performs @ White Lake Eagles, 7 p.m.

Echoes of History: Sedgwick rocks Whitehall (Pt.

By Tom Eitniear Volunteer Contributor

Otis White Sedgwick was born in Palmer, Massachusetts, Feb. 24, 1873, the second son of Butler and Minerva Sedgwick. He enrolled at Brown University in 1896 and excelled as a student-athlete, being noted as a talented pitcher for the baseball team. Serving as captain in 1898, he led the team to its second championship in the past three years.

Otis failed to graduate from Brown University, and on Oct. 2, 1899, at Boston, Massachusetts, enlisted in the Hospital Corps with a Captains rank. His military career was short lived as on April 19, 1900, he received a dishonorable discharge while serving at the Walter Reed general hospital in Washington, D.C. for disobeying orders and being absent without leave.

The athletic capabilities held by Otis apparently served him well as in September 1902, he found himself as the head coach of the University of Alabama football team. He received a telegram calling him to his parents’ home due to his father being seriously ill. Otis departed for Massachusetts and did not return to Alabama. He enrolled in the University of Vermont in 1902 and graduated with a degree in medicine in 1904.

Otis bought out the medical practice of Dr. E. F. Ross in Wales, Massachusetts in 1905. It is believed that his father suffered from a stroke in September 1902, and it is probable that Otis stayed geographically close to help with his care. Butler Sedgwick passed away June 22, 1906, relieving Otis of any further obligations or responsibilities.

The years following the death of his father found Otis moving around quite often. A 1916 letter from the Methodist Church in Snow, Maryland, informed the family of his current location. In 1916 or 1917 Otis answered an ad placed by Dr. George L. Kilbourn looking for a young physician to care for his practice in Forestport, New York, while he underwent an operation. Dr. Kilbourn found Otis to be a likeable physician of more than ordinary talent. It was this occasion that allowed 44-year-old Otis to meet 27-year-old Luverne Irene Kilbourn, the daughter of Dr. Kilbourn. Luverne fell in love with Otis, and after a short courtship was enticed to come with him to Alva, Oklahoma, where they were married March 27, 1917.

Residing in Alva, Luverne gave birth to their first child, Ruby Sarah, who was born in 1917, and their second child, Gordyne Lucille, who was born Feb.

25, 1919. Otis filled out his World War I draft registration card Sept. 12, 1918, even though he had previously been dishonorably discharged from military service. The registration card listed his permanent home as Alva, Oklahoma, but listed his place of employment as Crystal, West Virginia, as the company physician at the Crystal Coal and Coke Co. This information leads one to believe that his wife was living in Oklahoma while he worked in West Virginia. There were occasions where Otis would tell Luverne he wanted to go away for treatment back east and would return about a month later looking somewhat worn yet the same pleasant, likeable gentleman. Each time he returned from one of these journeys he insisted on moving to a new town. The family eventually learned that Otis “knew when hate, murder, and madness were about to rule his whole being, and he would go to an institution until the spell ended.”

Otis returned from one of his “spells” and decided to move to a town in Michigan called Whitehall. The Dec. 18, 1919, issue of The Whitehall Forum (the local newspaper of Whitehall, Michigan at the time) announced that “Dr. T. J. Hutton had sold his medical practice to O. W. Sedgwick who will commence

practice the first of the week.” Dr. Sedgwick was a general practitioner with a special interest in eyes, ear, nose and throat. Additionally, he specialized in fitting glasses.

Otis operated his practice normally, addressing medical issues as needed, with some of the citizens taking note that he had a quiet personality and was a man of very few words. Luverne was an accomplished woman from a prominent family and was a trained singer. She became involved with the Methodist Church in Whitehall, singing in the choir, and was a member of the White Lake Unity Club.

National Library Week celebration goes all month

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

National Library Week officially begins April 19, but we’re celebrating all month long by offering free replacement cards.

brary are planning for us!

signers.

Can’t make it Saturday? The library also has a part-time notary on staff. Please call us at 231-894-9531 to check availability or schedule an appointment. The library charges a per-document fee of $1.

If your White Lake Community Library card is lost or just plain worn out, stop by anytime this month to pick up a new one free of charge. We have a great new card design we think you will love! We had been using the same tan cards with the green logo since we first became a district library more than 25 years ago and we decided it was time for a change. Tune in next week for more information about National Library Week and all the ways to celebrate, including everything the Friends of the Li-

FUN FACT: Back when Whitehall had a city library, housed at City Hall and funded by city taxes, the library cards were red and white. If you had a library card back then, and you still have it in a drawer somewhere, we’d love to show it to our current staff. Bring it in for us to see, and we’ll give you your choice of a token for a free hot beverage or a coupon for the next book sale!

Free Notary Event at the Library

Do you have an important document that needs to be notarized?

Bring it to the library Saturday, April 11, between 10 a.m. and noon and get it done at no cost! CareBEE Virtual Support Services LLC will be at the library to provide free notary services to the community. There is no charge for your first two documents, and a nominal fee of $2 per document if you have additional items that require notarization. In addition to the unsigned documents, be sure to bring a photo ID and all required

CareBEE Virtual Support Services is a local business specializing in notary services as well as document organization, financial clarity, and ongoing support services for individuals, families, and small businesses.

Spring Break Staycation Ideas

Staying in town for the school holiday this year, and still looking for things to do? Don’t forget about the Ukrainian Storytime and the Solar Car Workshop at the library, not to mention the regular storytimes, the Sonic scavenger hunt, and all the books, movies, toys and games you can borrow! Get all the details at wlclib.org. Check out the Playhouse at White Lake, the Arts Council of White Lake-Nuveen Center, and the Muskegon Area District Library for more

local low- and no-cost options, too. Want to go a little farther afield and still save money? Check out the Michigan Activity Pass! Use your library card to get free or discounted admission at hundreds of locations all over the state, including parks, recreation areas, children’s museums, and more. You’ll find offers for the White River Light Station, U.S.S. Silversides, White Pine Historic Village, and so much more! Just grab your library card and head to miactivitypass.org to plan your adventure.

DeMumbrum

Otis White Sedgwick in 1898. • Courtesy Photo

Lake Mirror Lake Mirror

NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE community

Rockets optimistic despite loss to Cedar Springs

Teams each had 6 shots on goal in game, but visiting Red Hawks score 2-o win

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — A 2-0 loss to Cedar Springs Friday, the Rockets' first of the season, did nothing to concern Reeths-Puffer coach Kody Harrell's long-term outlook for his team - an outlook that he thinks is likely to include the Red Hawks, a favorite in the district in which both teams will compete in May.

"We've kind of known since January that as long as we take care of our business - and you've got to play the game, so with all due respect to the other teams in the district - our district's going to come down (to) us and them," Harrell said. "It's a really good team. They beat us 3-0 last year and 2-0 this time. Hopefully we keep getting a little bit better and maybe even flip it in our favor when we see each other again."

While the score doesn't show it, it was a game Harrell thinks was essentially "a 50/50 game," and the numbers back him up - each team had six shots on goal.

The visiting Red Hawks scored once in each half. With 23:56 to go in the opening half, Brylee Alber broke free for Cedar Springs on a play Harrell said caught the Rocket defense flat-footed and fired it past keeper Ava Callender. Callender made an aggressive play to

try to force an errant shot by Alber, but her aim was true.

The second goal was somewhat of a fluke. Callender, who's off to a terrific start this season, made a save a couple minutes into the second half but lost the ball while gathering it in. Aubrey Crawford of Cedar Springs made a great hustle play, racing to the ball to fire it into the net before Callender could collect it.

"That's the beautiful thing about this game when you do lose to really quality opponents on little plays," Harrell said. "It's not like we got dominated by any means. The shot chart was 6-6, and I think we had better opportunities in the second half."

R-P (3-1) indeed put the pressure on Cedar Springs over the final 10 minutes.

Rockets

shut out continued on page 5

Rocket rally falls short vs. Zeeland West

R-P makes push after early 6-run deficit, but can't get over the hump

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer didn't fold after an early scoring burst by Zeeland West Wednesday, but the Rockets' late comeback fell short in an 8-5 defeat.

The visiting Dux scored six times in the first two innings, all unearned runs. R-P battled back to within 7-5 with a couple of two-run innings later in the game, but Zeeland West added an insurance run in the seventh inning and held on for the victory.

Trailing 7-5 in the sixth after a RBI double from Jack Yonkman and a run-scoring single by Brendan Guikema, the Rockets brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the form of their cleanup hitter Connor McManus. McManus worked a 3-1 count before Dux pitcher Dominic Szczerowski got him to fly out to end the scoring threat.

Reeths-Puffer's Ethan Frang scoops up a deflected ball and winds up to throw to first for an out during Wednesday's game against Zeeland West.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Reeths-Puffer's Ethan Frang is unable to tag Zeeland West's Logan Nash on a play at second base during Wednesday's game at R-P. The Rockets lost a tough game, 8-5.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

The Rockets did get on the board in the bottom of the second when freshman third baseman Bentley Kops rapped a RBI single to left field with two outs. The Rockets nearly got a second run in on the play, but sophomore Tyler

Rally falls short continued on page 5

Zeeland West took advantage of R-P miscues to grab the early lead, scoring the first two runs of the game on a twoout error and adding a third on a wild pitch in the first inning. The Dux again benefited from an error in the second inning, taking advantage with backto-back doubles and a single, each of which brought in a run.

WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER

Reeths-Puffer's Jaslynn Kops (left) watches the ball as it heads toward Cedar Springs keeper Joslin Rosenberger during Friday's game at R-P. The Rockets lost, 2-0.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Reeths-Puffer's Lexie Danz (right) pursues Cedar Springs' Brylee Alber to get to a loose ball during Friday's game at R-P. The Rockets lost, 2-0.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Reeths-Puffer's Mallorie Messer (9) defends Cedar Springs' Brielle Barker during Friday's game at R-P. The Rockets lost, 2-0. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Reeths-Puffer's Bentley Kops can't reel in a foul pop-up during Wednesday's game against Zeeland West. The Dux edged the Rockets, 8-5. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Rocket individual stars shine despite loss

Bilek & Walker lead the way for girls' team, Darke & Moore star for boys in losses to powerful Byron Center

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON —

Reeths-Puffer knew what it was up against Wednesday when O-K Green Conference foe Byron Center showed up in three charter buses for the teams' dual meet.

The Bulldogs are one of the O-K Green Conference's power programs, having finished tied for 11th at last year's MHSAA Division 1 finals. They have immense talent and depth, and showed it Wednesday, defeating the Rockets in both the boys' and girls' duals. The R-P boys lost by a 87-50 score, and the Rocket girls fell 89-48.

The day wasn't entirely without highlights for the Rockets. Girls stars Raquel Walker and Jersi Bilek delivered their typical excellent performances. Bilek won three indi-

boys' 400-meter

and deeep Byron Center squad was too much as the Bulldogs came away with wins in both meets. •

vidual events and Walker took the win in two.

Bilek took the top spot in the 200, 400 and 1,600-meter events, including setting a personal best in the 1,600 with a time of 5:32.1. Bilek's time in the 200 was 28.92 seconds, and she ran the 400 in 1:02.5.

Walker won both the 100-meter dash and the long jump, with a time of 12.85 in the 100 and a leap of 17-6 in the long jump. So impressive was her effort in the latter that she did not take her final allotment of jumps because she had already earned a mark that would give her the win.

R-P had two other girls event wins. Zaire Wright won the shot put and set a personal best mark of 32-2, and in the 800-meter relay, the all-freshman team of Ariana Siegel, Mattie Kemp, Janiya Jerdine and Alyssa Hillin got the win just as they did at the Whitehall Tri last week. Their time was 2:00.6.

The boys' Rockets were also led by familiar stars - seniors Mason Darke and Marvin Moore. Darke won both hurdles events, with a personal best time of 14.37 seconds in the 110-meter race and a time of 38.86 seconds in the 300. Moore raced

Rally falls short

Scanlan was thrown out at home. R-P got more offense going in the third, with Guikema bringing in a run on a single. R-P then loaded the bases with nobody out, but Szczerowski induced a double play, permitting a second Rocket run in the inning but limiting the damage. For the game, Yonkman and Guikema each collected two hits to lead the Rocket bats. Guikema drove in two runs. Brayden Meuwenberg got a hit and drew two walks.

Rockets shut out

After Gracie Callender made an excellent play to stop an open shot by the Red Hawks, R-P created multiple chances down the stretch. The Rockets just weren't able to finish them off. One opportunity saw leading scorer Jaslynn Kops, who faced double-teams all night, get caught from behind by a Red Hawk defender, and another ended with a shot directly at the keeper, which Harrell described as "a Christmas gift in March."

"Those last 12 minutes, if someone would have drove by or walked up and watched the last 12 minutes with no words on the scoreboard, just numbers, I'll bet people would have thought we were the team winning 2-0, the way we were dictating the play," Harrell said. "I'm happy with the girls and how they responded."

The game provided some lessons learned on how to attack the Red Hawks the next time around,

to a win in the 200-meter dash, setting a personal best time of 22.75 seconds.

The duo also starred in the relays, teaming up along with Ethan Rolewicz and London Rankin to get the win in the 1,600 relay in a time of 3:31.2. Moore added a win, along with Rankin, Emcee McLaurin and Artis Williams, in the 400 relay, with the group posting a time of 44.22 seconds.

Also for the Rockets, the 800 relay team of Ethan Vossekuil, Landon Howland, Fred Woods and Tanner Nash took first place in a time of 1:38.5.

continued from page 4

Guikema pitched four innings and allowed no earned runs on five hits, striking out five, before switching spots with his batterymate Yonkman, who threw three innings and allowed one earned run with four strikeouts.

presumably in May with much higher stakes. Harrell broke out what he admitted is a coaching cliche about the L in the Rockets' win-loss record standing for Learn, instead of Loss, but there's a meaning behind it, too.

"I think that's just the big thing that we build on," Harrell said. "I said the same words today. That's not the first time they've heard me

say it. It gets a giggle out of them and we leave the night smiling and laughing and we go forward from there. We'll be able to learn. There's a ton to learn in our attack.

"It was just those two or three moments. That's what it takes at this level. You've got to play near a perfect game defensively to beat teams like that. There will be a few things we can learn from that."

Andy Roberts/Mirror

Sports in Brief

Baseball

Montague 20 Kent City 8

The Wildcats romped to the win, scoring 7 runs in the second inning, 5 in the third and 8 in the fourth. Dylan Bailey got 2 hits and had 4 RBI. Eli Petersen and Dylan Bailey got 2 hits each, and Fletcher Thommen and Cole Herremans had 2 RBI apiece. Caleb Rice got the win, striking out 7 in 4 innings of work while allowing 2 earned runs.

North Muskegon 12-2 Montague 5-6

In game two of the doubleheader, Montague made only 1 error and got 8 hits. Eli Petersen got 2 hits and earned the win on the mound, striking out 9 and allowing 4 hits. Cooper Bradley also got 2 hits. In game one, Cole Moss hit a 2-run home run. Moss, Bradley and Karter Johnson each got 2 hits in the first game.

North Muskegon 5-4 Whitehall 0-3 Norsemen ace Logan Slimko no-hit the Vikings in game one, though Whitehall did manage 3 walks. Evan Thomas struck out 5 and allowed 3 earned runs in 5 innings. In game two, the Vikes got the tying run to second base in the 7th inning but came up just short. Jakobe Monroe got 2 hits and drove in a run. Cody Manzo stole 2 bases.

Softball

Holton 8-6 Whitehall 4-4

The Vikings had late leads in both games, but the powerful Red Devils team was able to rally each time. Kayden Johnson had 2 extra-base hits and scored twice in game one, and Janie Fagan had 2 RBI. In game two, Toree Carlson had 2 RBI in the first inning, and Fagan had 3 hits. Ryleigh Smith added 2 hits.

Reeths-Puffer 14 Zeeland West 5

Lainey McDaniel had a huge game for the Rockets, getting 2 extra-base hits, scoring 3 runs and driving in 4 more. She also pitched the game, striking out 5. Lorelei Herrygers got 2 hits and scored 3 runs.

Reeths-Puffer 4-17 Northview 2-2

Lainey McDaniel struck out 11 to get the game one win, getting 2 hits and scoring 2 runs. Tessa Ross got 3 hits and 3 RBI. In game two, McDaniel had a three-run inside-the-park home run. Lorelei Herrygers drew 3 walks and got a hit, scoring 3 runs. Makayla Jewett struck out 7 and allowed no earned runs in 4 innings.

Girls Soccer

Montague 3 Grant 0

Montague keeper Sara Zorrilla got her first shutout as the Wildcats earned their first win of the season. Lilly Rice scored 2 goals, and Ava Crow had 2 assists. Fiona Seaver also scored a goal.

Reeths-Puffer 7 Ludington 1

Jaslynn Kops scored 4 goals as the Rockets routed the WMC powerhouse. Ashlyn David had 2 goals and 3 assists.

Reeths-Puffer 8 Tri-County 0 Jaslynn Kops and Ashlyn David again had big games on offense for R-P. Kops scored 3 goals and David put in 2 more. Kops also had 2 assists. Ava Callender recorded her first varsity shutout

Whitehall 4 Grant 1 Izzy Causie, Kate Beda and Reese Hesse each scored a goal for the Vikings in their season-opening win. Beda also had 2 assists. The Viking defense held Grant to 5 shots on goal, and Kaylyn Blaske made 4 saves.

Reeths-Puffer 7 Kenowa Hills 1

The Rockets won all 4 singles matches, and all their wins came in straight sets. Olivia Smith, Hope Latsch, Molly Matz and Kaitlyn Darow won sinlgles matches, and Ava Dietz/Makayla Smith, Brylee Gifford/Elisa Howard and Lauren Slater/Grace Cosens won in doubles play.

Lacrosse

Reeths-Puffer 6 Northview 4 Rohan Moyer scored 2 goals, leading 5 different Rockets to score.

Reeths-Puffer 21 East Kentwood 0 Cohen Beck led a scoring outburst with 5 goals and 4 assists, and Blake Kiel and Rohan Moyer had 4 goals apiece.

Reeths-Puffer's Jersi Bilek (left) stays ahead of a Byron Center opponent during the 400-meter race during Wednesday's O-K Green dual meet at R-P. In the

relay, Marvin Moore (left) reaches for the baton from teammate London Rankin. The Rockets won both of these races, but a strong

Reeths-Puffer's Jaslynn Kops (right) tries to break free of Cedar Springs defender Taylor Hess during Friday's game at R-P. The Rockets lost, 2-0. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Vikes gear up for another big year on the track

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall's track teams are ready for action after an opening tri meet at home March 31. For the Viking boys, it's another year of taking aim at the best teams in the state, and the girls hope to continue their growth with a young team.

The Whitehall boys team lost several top scorers from a year ago, most notably Camden Thompson and Mason Mulnix. Thompson achieved the rare feat of being all-state in three different events last season, and Mulnix, who entered the season with limited track experience, left it as the team's No. 3 sprinter in history on time behind only Tony Fountain and Malcolm Earvin. Also graduated are star long jumper Kal Koehler and two top distance runners, Stewart Waters and Drew Boeringa.

However, Whitehall also is blessed with an infusion of talent in the form of Bobby Jazwinski. Already a star distance runner when he arrived as a transfer from Hart, Jazwinski has picked up where he left off as a Viking, winning the state cross-country title last fall. Over the winter, Jazwinski broke the Whitehall record in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:11.7 at an indoor meet, breaking Guy Jacobson's mark from 1978.

Certainly Jazwinski will lead the distance crew, but there's plenty to back him up as well, with returners Rex Pumford, Hunter Parsons, Jevon Hilliard and Javi LeBlanc ready to run. Ian Dennis and Scout Freiheit lead a promising freshman group.

In the sprints, Elijah Smith, a trans-

fer from Ithaca, and sophomore Tim Vieira will lead the way, but the Vikes have some returning veterans there as well. Ayden Mendoza is already a superstar high jumper, with the Whitehall record in that event, but he's also a capable sprinter. Cole Essebaggers, Corde Anderson, Jud Musk, Brayden Brown and Jacob Lewis are back as well. Freshmen Brayden Brown and Liam Cook supplement that group. Anderson, a hurdles state qualifier last year, and Musk will lead the hurdling crew.

In the field events, Mendoza obviously anchors the high jump, and Essebaggers is a strong long jumper, along with Smith. In the throws, Caden Bowyer had a very solid 2025, and Jamison Jeffery will look to put up comparable numbers. Whitehall brings back all three of its pole vaulters - Graysen Olstrom, Keegan Frees and Isaiah Lewis - creating a formidable trio.

"Our lineup is very strong, so the freshmen will add depth and work on developing into the next team," Whitehall boys coach Kirk Mikkelson said.

The Vikings have a decades-long run of winning the West Michigan Conference Lakes to uphold, and are always hopeful of being a factor in the team state finals meet at the end of the season and bringing home MHSAA finals medals as well.

"City and regional titles are within our reach as long as we can stay healthy," Mikkelson said. "Beyond that, we always want to be competitive at as high of a level as possible. State titles are hard to win, requiring a lot of talent and a touch of luck."

Like their boys' counterparts, the

Viking girls graduated some of their top athletes from last year, such as distance stars Cami Kraai and Adalyn Britton and thrower Evelyn Darke.

However, like the boys, Whitehall's girls will benefit from transfer additions, as junior Gabrielle Chevez, previously at Reeths-Puffer, will help boost the Viking distance runners, and Giselle Burbridge, who came over from Fruitport, will run sprints and add long jump to her repertoire. Coach Jeff Bassett said Chevez scored personal best times in the 800 and 1,600-meter runs at the Grand Valley State indoor meet.

Freshman Mallory Johnson is another new face to look for and is poised for a big season in the sprints.

"The thing that gives me confidence in our team this year is that everyone is putting in their best effort at practice

daily," Bassett said. "We have a very positive outlook on this season with many girls willing to try new events and are excited to improve."

The Vikings also bring back some leading performers from last year. Lexi Poulin is back at high jump, Aaliyah Jamison returns in the throws after recovering from a knee injury, Tiyahna Robinson is back in discus, and Ryleigh Hershey will compete in pole vault. On the track, Morgan Wade returns in the sprints, and the distance crew will include Kassidy Parmley, Ella Nicholson and Ryanne Ellsworth.

"Our big goal this year is improvement," Bassett said. "We want to be chasing personal bests this season and have that lead us to some more conference dual wins."

Montague has star power to lean on in new season

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

With new coaches at the helm, the Montague track teams hope to have big years in 2026, especially with a very large boys' roster of nearly 60 athletes.

Montague football coaches Phil Koops and Dan French are teaming to lead the Wildcat track teams this year, and with the depth available on the boys' side, it could be a solid year for them.

"I think kids like the practice structure we have set up, they enjoy their coaches, and the attitude of the group as a whole has been very positive, and I think that really helps make track an inviting place for Montague athletes in the spring," Koops said. "It wasn't hard to get them to act like track athletes. They show up every day, they warm up and cool down like they should, they complete the workouts to the best of their ability, and they are good examples to the younger athletes."

Montague brings back several top athletes for the boys' team. Isaac

French is back to anchor the throws, and Dylan Bailey, who is dual-sporting with baseball, will jump and run the middle distances. Devlin Dean and Isaiah King should boost the Wildcat long jumpers.

If there is an area where the Wildcat boys and girls will both need to improve, Koops said, it's in the sprints, as the team does not have many athletes with "blazing speed," but Koops added, "We are working on it."

The girls' team does not have the luxury of as much depth as the boys, with 19 athletes, but there are some good ones among them. Addi Smith got off to a strong start at the Grand Valley State indoor meet, and Koops said from having her in his fitness class this year, "it's obvious why she is so good at things. She is a very strong young lady." Also for the girls, Annelyse Schneider will be a major factor in the jumps, as will Gabby Dietz.

While team success is clearly something the 'Cats will strive for, the best chances at hardware will likely come

from some of the top individuals, and Koops said the coaches are ready to help them pursue that goal.

"We certainly have individuals with

some goals of making or placing at the MHSAA (finals)," Koops said. "Our job as coaches is to support them in those goals and help them chart a course to get there."

This week's local DNR fishing report

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

Spring fishing is finally here! The new fishing license year in Michigan began Wednesday, April 1. Grab your gear, get your fishing license and invite someone new to join you and share the fishing experience.

Before you hit the water, make sure

to thoroughly review the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations to learn any new regulations that apply to your favorite fishing spots.

Grand Haven - Dirty water continues to be a problem for boat and pier anglers. Pier anglers found the bite to be slow for brown trout and steelhead. There is a dock in at the Harbor Island

boat launch.

Muskegon - Pier anglers caught a few brown trout and steelhead on spawn. When the weather allowed, a few boats ventured out. Boat anglers trolling the shoreline for brown trout found the action to be slow. A few anglers had luck using chartreuse or orange body baits. There are docks in at

Cottage Grove, Snug Harbor, and Fisherman's Landing on Muskegon Lake. Ludington - Cold water remained and fishing was slow. One dock was in at Loomis St. Those fishing from the pier reported very slow steelhead action with no brown trout.

Whitehall's Elijah Smith (right) and Tim Vieira race Reeths-Puffer's Marvin Moore during the 100-meter dash in March's Whitehall Tri. Smith and Vieira are expected to be the Vikings' top sprinters this year. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague's Devlin Dean lands in the long jump pit while competing in the 2025 Division 3 state finals. Dean is one of two returning state qualifiers for the Wildcats in field events entering the new season. • Mirror File Photo

Recent area police activity

was cited for driving with a suspended license and given a court date. The White Cloud Police Department requested she be advised and released. The car was legally parked, so the driver was allowed to leave the car where it was.

March 28

Whitehall Police Report

March 25

At 10:19 p.m. officers were in the 300 block of S Livingston Ave. when they observed a male on a bicycle and noticed the bike did not have a light or reflectors on it. After the bike passed the officer, he lost sight of the bike, but later found it again. As the officer approached, the subject on the bike got off of it and went into the back door of a nearby residence. The officer felt the timing was suspicious and made contact with the homeowner, who said the subject had come in and asked to use the bathroom, but the homeowners did not know who it was. Officers located the subject and detained him, then learned a housemate of the homeowner had met the subject but had not invited him in. The subject later admitted he entered the home to evade the police. Officers found on his person a pipe commonly used for narcotics as well as a plastic bag with residue that appeared to be from a methamphetamine. The subject was arrested for possession. At the homeowner's request, no charges were filed for entering the home, though the subject was warned about doing so in the future.

March 26

At 1:17 p.m. officers initiated a traffic stop near the 100 block of E Spring St. after a vehicle was observed traveling 50 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone. Contact was made with the driver, a 22-year-old woman from Dalton Township, who had a warrant for failing to appear on a seat belt violation in White Cloud and whose license had been suspended as a result. The driver

At 6:50 p.m. officers made a traffic stop on a vehicle after a run of its license plate showed the driver did not have valid insurance. Contact was made with the driver, a 42-year-old man from Shelby, who originally provided an Oklahoma ID card that was not a drivers license, stating he'd been living in Michigan but had failed to apply for a license. The subject was cited for driving without a valid license and given a court date. The vehicle was released to a passenger with a driver's license.

March 29

At 2 a.m. officers made a traffic stop on a vehicle that was traveling 41 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone in the 400 block of E Colby St. Contact was made with the driver, a 38-year-old man from Muskegon, who did not have a valid driver's license. The subject was cited for driving without a license.

At 4:46 p.m. officers were on patrol near the 400 block of S Lake St. when they observed a small grass fire in the area. An officer was able to extinguish the fire himself, and the White Lake Fire Authority was able to come ensure the fire was completely out. It was unclear what had started the fire, but it was possible a parked car doing service work in the area had inadvertently started the fire amid the long grass on which it was parked.

March 30

At 11:19 a.m. officers were advised of a broken window in the 1000 block of E Colby St. at the former Marathon station. Officers have no suspects for the incident, and there did not appear to be anything taken from the property. Contact was made with the current caretaker of the property, who made arrangements to have a company secure the building. Officers discussed with the caretaker ways to increase security at the site, suggesting lights be

left on in the business so it would not be as dark. That evening, officers verified the business' lights were on and they could see the area more clearly.

At 11:36 a.m. officers were in the 1300 block of E Colby St. when an individual drove past that an officer recognized and knew to have a suspended license. Officers verified that the license was still suspended, then made a traffic stop. They advised the driver, a 52-year-old man from Whitehall, that his license was suspended and he should not be driving. The vehicle was legally parked, so the subject was able to leave it there and was given a ride to his residence.

March 31

At 8:04 a.m. officers were called to the 700 block of E Alice St. on a wellbeing check. The reporting party advised there was a male subject sleeping in the church side yard near Warner St. Officers made contact with the man, a 37-year-old from Traverse City. Upon contact with the man, he said he was semi-homeless, and officers attempted to assist him with transportation. He then began describing to the officers that sometimes he hears voices in his head and had to tell them to stop talking "so Daddy could drive the meat suit." He was not found to be a danger to himself or others, so he was released from the scene. Officers later followed up with him and, with assistance from the Montague Police Department, was offered the ride to Shelby that he requested.

March 20

1:36 p.m., personal injury accident, assist to Whitehall Police, Colby and Thompson streets.

5:58 p.m., ordinance violation, 8000 block of Cook St.

March 21

6:40 a.m., assist citizen, 4000 block of Hunt St.

3:52 p.m., dog complaint, 4900 block of Onsikamme St.

March 23

9:39 a.m. assist to Whitehall Police, intoxicated person, 1000 block of War-

ner St.

10:04 p.m, exposing, 8500 block of Sheridan St.

March 24

3:15 p.m, domestic, 8000 block of Cook St.

March 26

1:44 p.m., well-being check, 8800 block of Ferry St.

10:23 p.m, traffic stop with arrest, 8000 block of Water St.

March 27

1:10 p.m., medical assist, 8300 block of Cook St.

March 28

10:18 a.m., parking complaint/violation, 8000 block of Cook St.

March 29

3:25 a.m., medical assist, 4000 block of Wilcox St.

10:52 a.m., domestic, 8000 block of Old Channel Trail

1:04 p.m., assist to fire department, grass fire, 8000 block of Old Channel Trail

4:57 p.m., medical assist, 5000 block of Hancock St.

7:20 p.m, domestic, warrant issued, 4000 block of Dowling St.

March 30

10:10 a.m., well-being check, 8000 block of Cook St.

1 p.m., shoplifting, report only, 8700 block of Water St.

2:38 p.m., other investigation/ well-being check, 4000 block of Williams St.

11:15 p.m., missing person, 9200 block of Whitbeck Rd.

March 31

5:33 p.m.,, civil dispute, 8000 block of Cook St.

9:08 p.m., unknown problem, 4900 block of Dowling St.

April 1

11:02 a.m., well-being check, 9200 block of Whitbeck Rd.

6:46 p.m., juvenile trespassing complaint, RRO Elementary

April 2

11:03 a.m., Assist to Muskegon County Sheriff's Office, personal injury accident, Lamos and Fruitvale roads.

White Lake Youth Theatre hosts 2 spring day camps

The White Lake Youth Theatre will host two sets of day camps this spring for students who wish to be involved in performing this spring and summer.

The Missoula Children's Theatre offers Sleeping Beauty this April 6-10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a performance Friday, April 10 at 3 p.m., and WLYT hosts Disney’s Dare to Dream June 15-20, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, Monday through Saturday, and a show

Saturday with spaces remaining in both musical play camps. Camp registration is $160 for the five-day camp Monday through Friday, April 6-10, Sleeping Beauty, which is open to ages 6 and up, and $200 for the six-day camp in June, Disney’s Dare to Dream, running Monday through Saturday, June 15-20, for ages 8 and up.

All students who register for spring camp will audition on the first morn-

ing for Sleeping Beauty, or in the case of summer, they will need to advance audition before the camp. All students receive a role to perform as part of registering for camp, and will be cast by the first afternoon for Sleeping Beauty. Those who register in advance for Disney’s Dare to Dream, with guaranteed performance experiences, will be cast in advance auditions and the sooner they are registered, the better.

Both spring and summer musical camps are $150, with partial scholarships available to students and WLACE homeschool students eligible, with opportunities for behind-the-scenes education if children prefer not to perform. Learn more about registering, about the process, and about what to prepare to audition for Disney’s advance audition opportunities, at theplayhouseatwhitelake.org.

visting paypal.me/echopublishinginc,

Montague Police Report

FILER CREDIT UNION

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In 1951, a group of employees at the American Box Board Company (now Packaging Corporation of America) in Filer City, Michigan came together with a simple idea: a community based financial institution based on people helping people - a credit union. What started as a small cooperative has grown into a trusted financial partner for over 14,000 members across the state of Michigan.

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