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‘Platt Field’ to be named in superintendent's honor

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

On Monday, May 18, the Hart Public Schools Board of Education recognized Superintendent Mark Platt for his 13 years of service to the district. He was not only presented with a traditional retirement plaque, but was also told they would be naming the new Hart High School football field "Platt Field" in his honor.

To say Platt was surprised was an understatement. The announcement left him almost speechless. “Thank you very much. I barely know what to say,” Platt humbly shared as he processed what he’d just heard.

“Mark has had a major impact on our district. Not only has he been able to make positive changes to the district’s organization and culture, but also to our infrastructure,” School Board President Jeff Schaner said during the announcement. “The current bond effort will allow upgrades to every school building, and the overhauling of our football and track facility. While athletics is not the only reason we are here,

they can highlight our school and give name recognition, which is great for the district. For all that Mark has done for Hart Public Schools during his time here, we have decided to name the football field ‘Platt Field’ in his honor.”

“The board briefly discussed some sort of name recognition for Platt during the superintendent interviews held in March, when Mark was not in attendance,” outgoing board member Chad Coker said. “We wanted something more longstanding than just a plaque. Naming the new football field in his honor seemed appropriate since he was so instrumental in curating the bond for it and because of his love for Hart football.”

The board would like to assure the community that the school’s athletic complex (football, track and ball fields), to be renovated following this fall’s football season, will remain the “Richard A. Hodges Athletic Complex," named in honor of Hodges when the facility was first built. Hodges, a former Hart teacher, president of the Hart School Board and Hart Athletic Boosters, was a huge fan and supporter of Hart Athletics.

Sheriff’s Office releases new free mobile app for residents and visitors

The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office is excited to announce the launch of its new free mobile application, now available for download on both iOS and Android devices.

The new app, available by searching “Oceana County Sheriff, MI” in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, is designed to strengthen communication between the Sheriff’s Office and the public while providing valuable resources for both residents and visitors throughout Oceana County.

having reliable and redundant communication systems available to the public.

In addition to emergency notifications and public information, the app includes several useful features, including:

The app replaces the former mass notification platform previously used by Oceana County known as “Code Red.” Moving forward, Code Red will no longer be used by the Sheriff’s Office to distribute important emergency alerts and public notifications.

The Sheriff’s Office partnered with Oceana County Emergency Management on the project, with Emergency Management having its own dedicated page within the app that provides helpful preparedness and emergency information.

The recent flooding events in the area highlighted the importance of

• Access to current jail inmate information and bond amounts

• ORV ordinances and countywide ORV trail maps

• Links to accident reports

• Property check request forms

• Community resources and public safety information

• And many additional features designed to improve accessibility and communication

The app is completely free to download and use. No personal information is collected from users simply for downloading or utilizing the app.

The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office encourages all residents and visitors to download the app and stay connected with important information, alerts, and public safety resources.

For more information, please contact the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office.

The Oceana County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) recently dedicated its new patrol boat Monday, May 18. The OCSO showed the boat to the Oceana County Board of Commissioners at their May 14 meeting.

• Paul Erickson/Echo

Asparagus Queen candidates take Research Station Farm Tour

On Thursday, May 14, the 2026 Asparagus Queen candidates toured the West Michigan Research Station in Hart. Under the guidance of Station Manager Justin Adams, the ladies learned about the local asparagus industry, what growing conditions make a good crop, how imported asparagus is affecting the U.S. asparagus industry and the various types of research taking place in

Oceana County to make the industry better for asparagus farmers.

Following Thursday’s tour, the Queen candidates had the opportunity to try their hand at picking asparagus and learned quickly that it takes a lot more coordination and technique than it looks.

Next up for the Asparagus Queen candidates is their meeting with this year's

judging panel on June 12, 2026, where the Queen and Runner-up will be decided.

The 2026 National Asparagus Queen will be announced and crowned live during the National Asparagus Festival's Friday Night Kick-off concert on Friday, June 12, featuring the band "Your Generation" at the Oceana County Fairgrounds.

Wheels in motion to form new West Michigan Fire Authority

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

HART - A new fire authority collaboration between the Hart and Pentwater fire departments may soon become a reality, according to County Emergency Management Director Troy Maloney, who presented the idea to the Hart City Council Tuesday, May 12. The proposed new entity would be known as the “West Michigan Fire Authority” and provide two full-time assistant fire chiefs, one at each department. Even though Hart Fire Department Fire Chief Dwight Fuehring and Pentwater Fire Department Fire Chief Jonathan Hughart are in full support, they were unable to attend the meeting because they were out on a fire call.

“Operationally, we’re already sharing a lot of services, but no one has enough manpower. There's zero full-time staff anywhere in the county, no full-time chief (and) no one running your business. We're talking about a million-dollar business a year, and there's nobody at home running it,” Maloney began.

Maloney went on to say that both the Hart and Pentwater fire departments are healthy, and while every fire department in Oceana County has talked about forming an authority at one time or another, these are the first who’ve said, “We need to do this. It makes sense. If we want sustainable organizations in today’s world, we simply cannot go it alone.”

The fire authority would be open to any fire department that wanted to join. A Joint Power of Authority would be formed with both Hart and Pentwater signing an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) contract. “While honoring the history of each of these organizations, this would be creating a new fire department together. The authority would be legally binding and address everything from money to manpower. There wouldn’t be up-front savings, but it would slow down escalation of costs over time,” Maloney said after the meeting.

Right now the Hart Area Fire Department is run by a “fire command board," which is more of an advisory board, Maloney said. It’s not required, but we would

recommend that someone from city council, an elected official, sit on the proposed West Michigan Fire Authority board, which would include representatives from the City of Hart, the Village of Pentwater and the townships of Hart, Weare, Golden and Pentwater and one member at large. By having an elected council member sit on the fire authority board, it is a more demographic form of representation, he said.

With the budget Maloney and his committee are proposing, the numbers are very close to what the city is currently paying for its paid-on-call fire services. “While developing the budget, we've seen so much efficiency that could be realized. We could afford to hire those two people at no additional cost to the players that are involved,” Maloney added. “We're trying to design a system that's going to be sustainable for the future - and while we're healthy, not waiting until we're in trouble.”

Council member Betty Root asked if other entities would be able to join. Maloney said the fire authority would be designed to allow other departments to join if they wanted to. “The idea is you start with the two that are already doing really well together, let them establish the system, and then if others want to come in, you vet them, because maybe one of those departments isn't a good fit to you. Maybe they're not in financial standing. You want to be able to control who comes into the program. But it will be opened up to everybody,” answered Maloney.

One of the two assistant fire chiefs would be responsible for all of the required training and act as fire mar-

PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Includes all you can eat pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs and beverages.

SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2026

Serving from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Pentwater VFW Adults: $15 Children (5-12): $6 Under 5: free

shal for the authority, Maloney said. Neither Hart nor Pentwater has fire marshals, but by law, each department is still responsible for fire marshal functions. The second assistant fire chief would run the overall dayto-day operations of the authority and oversee the first responder medical aspects.

Maloney’s presentation was quick and an overall introduction to the idea. He told the council he would be happy to return, slow the whole presentation down and allow council time to digest the information and ask more questions.

When asked what timeline the fire departments were working with, Maloney told council the Pentwater Fire Department is planning to go for a millage this November and is hoping to know by September 1 if a new fire authority will be formed so they would have time to discuss budgeting and ballot language.

In a follow-up phone call with Maloney, he shared the following additional information. Fire authorities aren’t new to Michigan, but they are new to Oceana County as a whole. Under a new fire authority, the station located closest to a fire would be sent. They would not be restricted by political boundaries. As a result, response times could be improved. He, along with the Hart and Pentwater fire chiefs, met with Golden Township on Wednesday, May 20. Weare Township, who has also been involved from the beginning, will be hearing the full slowed-down presentation and take part in a question/answer session soon. Maloney reported that Hart and Pentwater fire departments responded to 1,260 calls in 2025.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ROAD ABANDONMENT

A Public Hearing will be held by the Oceana County Road Commission, at 10:10 AM on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, regarding the request to absolutely abandon and discontinue 1,155 feet of the public parts of 108th Avenue North of Lever Road in Hart Township. Meeting location is County Services Building, 844 S Griswold Road, Hart, Michigan.

This page is brought to you by:

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

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

1st Annual CarvePrize opens in downtown Shelby

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

SHELBY - On Friday, May 15, Shelby added to Oceana County's rich history with the kickoff of its Annual CarvePrize & Festival (renamed from the Shelby Chainsaw Carving Festival last year). This is also its 1st Annual CarvePrize art exhibition in downtown Shelby. The all-outdoor exhibit will run through Friday, July 10 and Saturday, July 11. Uniquely created wood carvings (made out of a log or stump, using chainsaws and simple woodworking tools) will be on display for the public to tour, enjoy and cast votes for all day, every day.

“I’m really excited about all of the things happening in Shelby,” Shelby resident Jan Sexson said. “The sculptures look wonderful, and I’ve already seen people walking around and taking pictures with them.”

“We’re really excited about it. I like the idea of sculptures being on display before the festival,” Village President John Sutton shared. “Phil has done a great job of finding sponsors - without their part, it would be hard to do. Last year’s event created a buzz, and this year I’m looking forward to being a good host to our visitors.”

Visitors to downtown Shelby are encouraged to register to vote for their favorite sculptures and are welcome to place silent auction bids to purchase one of them at the end of the festival. Winners will be announced at the festival, and silent auction proceeds will be divided between the carvers, the Chainsaw Festival and the winners of the popular vote. The first-place vote-getter will take home a $2,000 prize. The second-place winner will receive a $1,000 prize.

Registering to vote is quick and easy using a smartphone when a person is physically within the Village of Shelby. Instructions are available on each carving or at shelbycarveprize.com. Once registered, voters will be able to vote from any location, any day or every day throughout the exhibition.

According to the Shelby CarvePrize website, voters are allowed one vote per carving per day. Participants won’t be able to stack votes on the same piece in a single day, but they can come back the following day and vote for it again. Each voter gets a daily allowance that they can spread across multiple carvings or save for later in the day. Daily votes reset at noon daily. For example, morning and late-night voters are voting for the same “day” until noon. Voting closes at the end of the festival.

Five carvers will be present July 10 and 11 to produce original carvings, which will be auctioned off during live auctions to be held July 10 at 7:30 p.m. and July 11 at 5:30 p.m. The 2026 slate of carvers for this year’s CarvePrize exhibition includes Bill Baker of Naperville, Illinois; Carissa Bennert of Hesperia, Michigan; Troy Boroff of Holton, Michigan; Steve Drenth of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Eric Paris of Ypsilanti, Michigan; Tyler Quillan of Scottville, Michigan; Cole Stiemsma of Coldwater, Michigan; Kyle Thomas of Taylor, Michigan; and Steve Troyer of Holton, Michigan.

Dear Echo Readers: Never fear, Claire Marshall's history column, The 1306, will return soon!

"Shelby CarvePrize is a fantastic opportunity for family fun, a unique date idea, a destination to gather with friends, or an opportunity to simply admire some very talented wood carving artwork,” commented Shelby Village Administrator and one of the festival organizers, Phil Morse. “We're planning to make Shelby CarvePrize and the culminating Shelby CarvePrize Festival an annual event that people from Shelby, and beyond, look forward to every year.”

Volunteers, arts and craft vendors, and sponsors are a huge part of making this year’s festival a success, and more are welcome. “The community’s support through sponsorships and bidding on the carvings is critical in bringing the festival back year after year,” Morse added. “This year the festival offered naming rights to any organization donating $5,000

or more. We were pleased to partner with and name this year’s festival the Durga Farm Bureau Insurance Group Shelby CarvePrize & Festival for their generous support.

Please contact Morse at administrator@shelbyvillage.com or call 231-861-4401 to become a volunteer, host a vendor booth or be named as a sponsor.

For more information and to keep track of each carving’s vote tally, visit shelbycarveprize.com.

HIRING URGENTLY

CRYSTAL TOWNSHIP CLERK

The Township of Crystal in Oceana County is searching for a person to fill the position of Township Clerk. Basic responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Payroll

• Accounts Payable

• Quick Books accounting/Budget forecasting/ management

• Elections Management (includes training)

• Maintain official township records and documents

• Maintain and manage the township cemetery records

• Attend and record all township board meetings minutes

• Prepares and files monthly, quarterly, and annual tax reports, including W-2s, 1099s, etc.

• Ensures records are audit-ready and assists during audits

• Runs QuickBooks reports for township board members

Flexible hours vary from month to month and can increase during election seasons. Minimum of 4 office hours weekly, with an annual salary of $12,056. Flexibility is essential.

Those interested in serving their community should send their letter of interest/resume to: Lee Hyslop, Supervisor Crystal Township 1499 E. Hammett Hart, MI 49420

Ongoing

The Ladder Community Center: May 29 - Strum It Club, 11 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.

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.

Rollins-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 Rollins-Edlund Trust and selection of a worthy recipient in a health-related field. Information and applications are available by calling Karen Studer at 231-873-3963 in April. Applications must be completed and returned to Karen by May 30, 2026.

Donors sought for multiple upcoming area blood drives

Donating blood takes less than an hour and can help save up to three people. Four area blood drives will take place across Oceana County in the coming days. Organizers invite all regular donors, as well as new donors, especially eligible younger donors, to consider giving blood this summer. All those individuals who are fighting a chronic condition, having a major surgery or are involved in a serious accident rely on the community’s blood donations to survive. Preregister today and help fill all available appointments!

• Celebrate Memorial Day by giving back, Monday, May 25 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the West Michigan Research Station located at 5185 N. Oceana Dr., Hart. As a thank you, all attempting donors with a valid email will receive a $25 e-gift card. Contact coordinator Kathy Roskam at 231-861-6353 or visit donateblood.versiti.org to schedule an appointment.

• On Tuesday, May 26, the Hart VFW will host one of their regular American Red Cross Blood Drives from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 802 S. State St. in Hart. Blood donation appointments are required, but can be easily made by visiting www.redcrossblood.org/give. Walk-ins are welcome. Please contact Steve Fell at 231-873-1727.

• On Tuesday, June 2, GHSP will be hosting a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at their plant located at 1550 Industrial Park Dr. in Hart. Please contact Heidi Johnson at GHSP, 231-873-3300, to schedule an appointment.

• Thursday, June 4, Versiti will once again be accepting blood donations from 2-6:30 p.m. at the West Michigan Research Station in Hart. Please contact coordinator Kathy Roskam at 231-861-6353 or visit donateblood.versiti.org to schedule an appointment.

Individuals will receive a short health assessment and be asked to answer a few health questions before donating. For the best donation experience, potential donors are reminded to eat a regular meal and hydrate well before giving blood. Keep in mind, when deciding which blood drive to attend, that blood donations must be 60 days apart.

IDEAS NOVEL IDEAS NOVEL

We’re getting ready for a roaring good time at the library this summer! “Unearth a Story,” the 2026 Collaborative Summer Library Program’s theme, focuses on dinosaurs! Thanks to a generous donation from the Shelby Optimist Club, we will offer an incentive-based reading program for youth that will also include fun and engaging programs.

We will also offer reading programs for teens and adults. Participants track what they read from June 22 to July 30 for a chance to win prizes. Registration begins June 8 with events beginning the week of June 22. Activities for youth include watercolor painting, Free Book Friday, lawn games and craft workshops. We will also offer weekly craft packs and a weekly toddler storytime in July.

Activities for teens and adults will include weekly crafting workshops where attendees will work with canvas, mason jars, alcohol ink and more. Registration is required for these events and begins May 28.

Youth and adults will have the chance to participate in “One Book, One Summer” with “Jurassic Park” by Michael Crichton as the featured book (youth will read the junior novelization). We will host book discussions with refreshments and activities. We will welcome author Mark Bearss on Friday, June 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the reading room to promote his newest book, “Cain’s Chameleon,” which mentions Oceana County and surrounding areas.

There will be two book walks during the summer months at Shelby Township Community Park. We encourage families to read the stories together and explore the park. Stop in and visit Miss Tiffany at the New Era Farmer’s Market on Tuesday, July 14, where she will take her storytime on the road with some dinosaur-themed books. The Outdoor Discovery Center will present “Dinosaurs of Today” on Monday, July 6, from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Local classes, daycares and homeschool groups are invited to visit the library in May and June to learn more about the summer reading program. Teachers/coordinators, please contact Tiffany at 231-861-4565 or tifhaight@ shelbylibrary to set up a visit.

Don’t miss the Friends of the Library’s Free Plant Exchange and Garden Sale on Saturday, May 30. The event begins at 8:30 a.m.

For a full schedule of events and more information on the library, visit our website at www.shelbylibrary.org.

M ay

May 25 - Versiti Blood Drive, Research Station, Hart, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

May 26 - Tech Time, Hesperia Community Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

May 26 - Adult Book Club, Hesperia Community Library, 2 p.m.

May 26 - Adult Craft Night, Hesperia Community Library, 6 p.m.

May 30 - Shelby UCC Free Community Breakfast, Shelby, 8-10 a.m.

May 30 - Friends of the Library Garden Sale, SADL, 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Oceana offers multiple Memorial Day observances

Across Oceana County, a number of events are planned to honor veterans and those who have given their lives in service to our country as part of our nation’s Memorial Day observance, Monday, May 25. Please consider attending one to pay your respects to those who gave the their lives for our freedom.

• 9 a.m. The Walkerville Memorial Day Observance will be held at Fairlawn Cemetery, 121 East St., Walkerville. All veterans are invited to pay their respects. Veterans should arrive at 8:45 a.m. and uniforms are not required. The Veterans Ritual will be to remember those who made the supreme sacrifice and those who have passed on. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

• 9 a.m. The Ferry Memorial Day Observance will start at the North Cemetery, then proceed to the South Cemetery at 9:30 a.m. The next stop will be at the Otto Township Cemetery at 10 a.m., then wrap up with a parade though town at 10:30 a.m.

• 10 a.m. The Mears Memorial Day Observance will take place at the Mears Cemetery, 6189 W. Fox Rd., Mears. Services will include music by the Hart High School marching band and the Veterans Ritual led by members of the Hart VFW.

• 10 a.m. The Pentwater Memorial Day Parade will begin on First Street, across from the Pentwater Baptist Church and proceed to the Village Municipal Marina where a special ceremony will remember all those who have perished while at sea. The parade will make its way to the Village Green for a second short ceremony. A final observance will be held at the Pentwater Township Cemetery located at 8060 N. Business US-31. The Pentwater School Band will march in the parade and play at each location.

• 10 a.m. The Shelby Memorial Day Parade will begin at the corner of Sixth and Elm Streets and proceed down Michigan Avenue to Centennial Park at State and Third Streets. There, a ceremony, led by the Shelby American Legion, will include the laying of a memorial wreath, remarks by Caroline Aspinwall, and music by the Shelby High School marching band.

• 10 a.m. The Hesperia Memorial Day Observance will be at Vida Weaver Park then proceed to the West Cemetery.

• 11 a.m. The Hart Memorial Day Parade will begin at the Oceana County Courthouse, located at 100 S. State St. in Hart and proceed to the Hart Cemetery where the Hart High School band will perform its traditional Military Anthem Melody, remarks by veteran Barb Locke, and Veterans Ritual led by members of the Hart VFW. Following the Hart observance, a free lunch for all veterans and their families, will be held at the Hart VFW Post 1329, at 802 S. State St. Hart.

• At 1:30 p.m. Members of the Hart VFW will perform their annual Memorial Day observances at the Oceana County Medical Care Facility (OCMCF). Following the OCMCF observance members of the Hart VFW will perform their annual Memorial Day observances at Cherry Blossom Manor.

• 3 p.m. National Moment of Remembrance - The National Moment of Remembrance Act was first signed by former President Bill Clinton on Dec. 28, 2000 to encourage Americans to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to preserve the freedoms this country enjoys. Individuals are asked wherever they are at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day, to pause for 60 seconds in honor of our country’s current military personnel and remembrance of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The PSC is popping for Pentwater

Each year, the Pentwater Service Club (PSC) donates $20,000 to various Pentwater-related causes by selling caramel corn, popcorn, brats and soft drinks. On a recent Monday, members were hard at work popping corn in the commercial kitchen of the Centenary United Methodist Church in order to restock several area grocery shelves. They include Cenzo's, Hansen Foods, Pentwater Convenience Center, Port View Wine & Beer Market, Up North Farm Market and Wilson's General Store.

"Club members really enjoy getting together to make caramel corn for the betterment of our community," said Bob French, who chairs the PSC's Caramel Corn Committee in 2026. "We jokingly believe that our caramel corn has no calories because sales

support the club's philanthropy goals."

In mid-June, PSC members will pop up another batch that they'll sell, along with brats and more, during Pentwater's June 20 Spring Festival on the Village Green. This is the first of several 2026 Village Green events where the PSC will have a presence.

Many hands make light work

By AnnaMae Bush The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

On Thursday, April 23, a dozen volunteers from the Pentwater Lake Association (PLA) and the Pentwater Service Club (PSC) teamed up to remove the leaves and debris that had collected at the boat launch on Longbridge Road, possibly for years. Volunteers brought their own shovels and rakes. PLA board member Tom Roose provided his tractor, scoop and trailer. He also transported the trailer contents to the Transfer Station.

The road end is under the responsibility of the Oceana County Road Commission (OCRC), but the boat

dock is on Pentwater Township property. The PLA has taken initiative to install trash cans, life jackets and signage at the boat launch, but maintenance of the grounds has not occurred. Landscape debris accumulates, and some clutters the property of neighbors around the boat launch. So, the work of the volunteers was welcome and appreciated. It also created a more pleasant view for fishermen and passing motorists. A request has been submitted to the OCRC for permission to plant some flowers to further enhance the appearance of the launch area.

The Echo extends its thanks to all of the PLA and PSC volunteers.

am Streamed on Safe Haven: Every Wed. 3-5 pm Open gym and showers available 231.873.5040

144 S Hamon St, Walkerville Office@walkervillewesleyanchurch.org

gathered. disciples scattered

Ken Konyha keeps a watchful eye on another batch of fresh popcorn. The kernels are then coated with hot caramel, cooled, and bagged for purchase.

As the freshly coated kernels are cooled, Jim Howell separates any that are stuck together.

John Faas stirs boiling caramel before pouring it over the freshlypopped kernels in a kettle mixer.

Keith Danielson pours the freshlycoated caramel corn into a tray, where the kernels are cooled before bagging.

In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

obituaries

Torreanno ‘Torre’ Fredrick Lewis

October 23, 1966 ~ May 17, 2026

Torreanno "Torre" Fredrick Lewis, age 59, of Allendale, passed away peacefully on May 17, 2026. Born on October 23, 1966, Torre was a devoted husband, father, brother, son, mentor and friend.

He was the kind of man whose presence made people feel safe, supported and loved. He was smart beyond measure, stubborn in the best of ways, funny, kindhearted and fiercely devoted to the people he loved most.

Torre built a respected career working in accounting, safety management and as a business controller. He also proudly served his country in the United States Army Reserves and was honorably discharged after his service. He worked hard throughout his life, but the roles he treasured most were husband, father, coach and family man.

Above all else, Torre cherished his family - Veronica and Derrick were the center of his world.

To his wife, Veronica Lewis, he was a loving partner and best friend. To his son, Derrick Lewis, he was more than a father - he was a coach, mentor, role model and constant source of strength.

Torre found joy in the simple things in life - being outdoors, relaxing by the lake, spending time with family and cheering on the Detroit Tigers. He was also passionate about sports and dedicated many years to coaching football, baseball and basketball throughout his son's childhood and teenage years. Some of the greatest memories shared with him were in the car ride home after games, and in the countless conversations where he shared not only his knowledge of sports, but lessons about life, hard work and strength of character.

Torre leaves behind a lifetime of memories filled with laughter, guidance, loyalty and love. The lessons he taught, the encouragement he gave and the love he poured into his family and community will never be forgotten.

Though his absence leaves an immeasurable emptiness, his voice, wisdom, humor and spirit will continue to live on in the hearts of everyone who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his loving wife, Veronica Lewis; son, Derrick (Megan) Lewis; sisters, Patricia (Gary) Lewis, Anita Lewis, Judy (Don) Welch, Karilyn Ebby Kendrick, Shelia Hawkins, Julia Lewis; brothers, Willie (Dorothy) Lewis, Marc McKinnon, Ron (Kari) Craton, Steven (Maxine) McKinnon, brother Bryen McKinnon, and brother Rodney Lewis.

Torre was preceded in death by his parents, Henry Sr. and Marcella Lewis; sister, Leona Lewis; and brother, Henry Lewis Jr.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, or the American Cancer Society.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 11 a.m., at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King Hart Chapel, 2370 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420 with Fr. Phil Sliwinski presiding. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the funeral home, with interment at Hart Cemetery, 3917 W. Tyler Rd., Hart, Michigan 49420. Military honors will be presented during the interment service at the cemetery, with a luncheon immediately following at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel.

PENTWATER TOWNSHIP

Synopsis of Meeting May 13, 2026

Supervisor Cavazos called the May 13th Regular Township Board meeting and Public Hearing on Budget to order at 6:00 p.m. with four of five Board members present. The meeting was conducted in person and via Zoom. Two staff members and seven community members were present in person. One person was present via Zoom. The Consent Agenda and Meeting Agenda were both approved as presented. Action/acceptance was taken on the following items:

• Recreation Program Memorandum of Understanding between Township, Village, and Pentwater School

• Financial contribution to Pentwater School for Fiscal Year 2026/27 Recreation Program

• Resolution authorizing use of Business 31 for COVE Beach Walk/ Run event on August 1, 2026

• Park Place usage agreement for Township residents

• Approval of the Pentwater Fire Department request to sell Engine 341

• Planning for enhanced ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance

• Updates to Purchase and Procurement Policy

• Vendor selection for Pentwater Cemetery fence work

• Authorization to clean & televise Township North Gravity Sewer System

• Authorization to smoke test Township North Gravity Sewer System

The meeting was adjourned at 7:58 p.m.

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

Maureen

Murphy, Clerk

Benjamin Dean Jeffries

April 9, 1956 ~ May 5, 2026

Benjamin Dean Jeffries, 70, of Montague, Michigan, passed away at home on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Ben was born on April 9, 1956, and joined the loving family of William and June Jeffries. Growing up, Ben lived in many places as his family followed his father’s career.

Ben enjoyed a career in Information Technology, working at Howmet Aerospace in Computer Operations, supporting the IBM mainframe. He later worked for New Era Canning Company.

Ben met Ann Wyngaarden while working together at Howmet Aerospace, and they married in 1986. Ben and Ann built a life centered around faith and family, sharing almost 40 years of marriage together.

Ben was a devoted member of Ferry Memorial Reformed Church, where he served in many roles, including Deacon, Elder, Sunday School teacher and snow removal team member. His faith in Christ was steadfast, and he found great encouragement, friendship and comfort from his church family.

Family was Ben’s greatest joy. He loved skiing at Nub’s Nob ski resort, swimming in the pool, coaching Little League baseball and softball, and cooking and grilling. He treasured time spent with his family at Upper Silver Lake, and he especially adored being a grandfather. Ben’s final communication was sharing his excitement and love for his newest grandchild, Mason.

Many knew Benjamin as “Big Ben," a nickname that reflected both his large stature and personality. He will be remembered for blue Christmas lights, endless jokes, dedication to yard work, willingness to help neighbors, unwavering faith and deep love for those closest to him. He often shared stories from his childhood adventures, especially swimming in nearby lakes and helping to build his aunt’s family cottage.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the kidney and cardiology teams at Trinity Health and to the caregivers at DaVita Kidney Care for the compassionate care and support they provided over the last several years.

Benjamin is survived by his loving wife Ann; two children, Stuart (Clarissa Smith) Jeffries and Laura (Juan Dominguez) Jeffries, beloved grandchildren, Vera, Mason and Aria. Brother William E. Jeffries Jr., nephews, cherished aunts and cousins also survive him.

Ben was preceded in death by his parents, William E. Jeffries Sr. and June Jeffries. Two brothers, James and Timothy, also preceded Ben in death.

Visitation was held on Friday, May 15, 2026, at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, White Lake Chapel. Memorial Services were held at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Ferry Memorial Reformed Church in Montague, with a private interment in Woodlawn East Cemetery, Grand Rapids.

Notice of Public Hearing on Increasing Property Taxes

The Common Council of the Village of Shelby will hold a Public Hearing on a proposed increase of 0.3666 mills in the operating tax millage rate to be levied on property in 2026.

The hearing will be held on Monday, June 8, 2026 at 6:15 P.M. at Village Hall, 218 N. Michigan Avenue, in Shelby.

The date and location of the meeting to take action on the proposed additional millage will be announced at this public meeting.

If adopted, the proposed additional millage will increase operating revenues from ad valorem property taxes 2.69% over such revenues generated by levies permitted without holding a hearing. If the proposed additional millage rate is not approved the operating revenue will increase by 7.23% over the preceding year’s operating revenue.

The taxing unit publishing this notice, and identified below, has complete authority to establish the number of mills to be levied from within its authorized millage rate.

This notice is published by:

THE VILLAGE OF SHELBY 218 N. Michigan Avenue Shelby, MI 49455 (231) 861-4400

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

YORK, NY 10019

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

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

• On May 25, 1660, exiled English King Charles II set out for Dover to assume the throne and bring an end to more than a decade of military rule. He entered London in triumph four days later, on his 30th birthday, and would reign for nearly 25 years before his death from what was likely kidney failure in 1685.

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

NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20260511

FOR RELEASE MAY 11, 2026

By JoAnn Derson

STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20260511

FOR RELEASE MAY 11, 2026

By Lucie Winborne

• On May 26, 1865, Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, surrendered, one of the last Confederate generals to do so, under terms similar to that of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. He was the last surviving full Confederate general until his death in 1893.

• On May 27, 1887, the Hells Canyon Massacre took place when two groups of Chinese workers, employed to search for gold in the Snake River in what is now Idaho, were ambushed and murdered by a gang of seven white men known to be horse thieves, who then made off with several thousand dollars worth of gold

• On May 28, 1957, National League owners voted unanimously to allow the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers to move to San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively, at the mid-season owner’s meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

• On May 29, 2003, actor/comedian Bob Hope celebrated his 100th birthday. In a public Hollywood ceremony, city officials renamed the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Avenue Bob Hope Square, and several 1940s-era U.S. planes flew overhead. Hope’s health was too poor for him to attend, but three of his children and some show-business colleagues, including Mickey Rooney, were there to honor him.

• On May 30, 1967, following years of suppression under Nigeria’s military government, the breakaway state Biafra proclaimed its independence from the West African country.

• On May 30, 1967, following years of suppression under Nigeria’s military government, the breakaway state of Biafra proclaimed its independence from the West African country.

• On May 31, 2009, Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the Titanic sinking, died at age 97. Nine weeks old at the time of the disaster, she was rescued with her mother and brother but her father was not. The family had intended to relocate to Kansas City, but returned to London.

• “Planning a new roof? Go light on the color for cooling benefits. Check with your home insurance company to see what discounts it might offer for different styles or options, like upgraded hurricane clips or fire retardant materials.” — R.E.W. in Tennessee

• Cut a cord of firewood in the spring and cure it yourself. Store it away from the house and properly care for the wood by stacking it where it will have access to the sun and wind to dry it. Let it season for six months or longer, and you’ll have firewood ready when the temperatures drop again.

• “If you are melting chocolate in your microwave, do yourself a favor: Line the bowl with wax paper or parchment paper. The chocolate is still easily stirrable, but when you take it out, you can lift and scrape all the chocolate off the paper so that none is wasted!” —

A.A. in Florida

By Lucie Winborne

• “Octlantis” is an underwater city off the coast of Australia where octopuses have built homes and formed communities.

• Skin cancer is the world’s most common cancer.

• When a 1994 power outage in Los Angeles knocked out city lights, many residents were able to see the Milky Way for the first time and were so confused by the sight that they called 911.

• Theophilus Van Kannel was inspired to invent the revolving door because he disliked opening doors for women.

• Cocoa powder was once used as a makeup foundation.

• Prior to 1949, the grass on tennis courts was kept at 2 inches long, until a player was bitten by a snake. Now it’s a safer 5/16 of an inch.

• Check bagged frozen vegetables with the squeeze test: If it is hard and solid, it has thawed and refrozen, so you should choose another bag.

• The tension of the 230-odd strings on a grand piano exerts a combined force of 20 tons on the instrument’s cast-iron frame.

• Check bagged frozen vegetables with the squeeze test: If it is hard and solid, it has thawed and refrozen, so you should choose another bag.

• Keep musty smells out of your linen closet by stashing a box of baking soda on one of the shelves, just as you would in the kitchen.

• Chickpeas and almonds contain nearly as much protein as steak.

• “Place a bit of clear tape over the place where you are going to drive in a nail to prevent the nail from cracking drywall. The nail goes right in. Also, if you are nailing into wood, you can drag your nail through some soap (a bar soap is fine) before striking and it does the same thing — it’ll keep the wood from splitting. You can even keep a travel size bar of soap in your nail apron just for this.” — P.K. in New Jersey

• Keep musty smells out of your linen closet by stashing a box of baking soda on one of the shelves, just as you would in the kitchen.

• Hiroshima and Nagasaki are no longer radioactive, largely because the bombs that struck them never touched the ground but detonated in the air.

• Steven Blumberg stole 23,000 rare books from 268 libraries across the U.S., at a value of $5.3 million, earning him the nickname “Book Bandit” and the distinctive title of America’s most successful book thief.

• According to French heritage law, the “Mona Lisa” belongs to the public.

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

• Ice cream was invented in 7thcentury China when King Tang commissioned a group of “ice men” to create a cold dessert from buffalo milk, flour and camphor.

• People belonging to a specific clique in high school, such as “athlete,” “cheerleader,” “geek” or “teacher’s pet,” were more likely to be in an office clique.

***

Thought for the Day: “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken

OC ANIMAL SHELTER

Rosie is a 4-year-old Pit Bull mix, weighing in at about 50 pounds of pure love. This sweet girl is ready to find her forever home, where she can soak up all the attention as your one and only pet.

She’s the perfect mix of adventure and cozy — Rosie loves going on walks just as much as she loves curling up beside you for a good couch snuggle.

Rosie would do best in a home with older kids and a family who can give her the love and attention she deserves.

If you’re looking for a loyal companion who will happily be your shadow (and your snuggle buddy), Rosie might just be your girl.

Rosie 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.

OC ANIMAL FRIENDS

Meet the fabulous and fun-loving Buffy! At just seven months old and weighing in at a petite 6 pounds, this stunning Domestic Short Hair tabby is ready to steal your heart! With her gorgeous coat and sweet personality, Buffy is the perfect blend of playful and laid-back, making her an ideal companion for any loving home. Buffy is not just a pretty face; she’s a social butterfly! She gets along beautifully with cats, dogs, and children, which means your home will be filled with laughter and joy. Imagine the playful antics as she bounces around, spreading happiness wherever she goes! While her training is still a bit of a mystery, there’s no doubt that this little lady is eager to learn and grow with her forever family. This little gem is waiting to bring sunshine into your life! Buffy is currently at the shelter, ready for her next big adventure with you!

If you would like to adopt Buffy, please fill out an application through the OCAF Facebook page: Oceana

Meet Buffy

Commissioners approve OCSO grant, consider Red Barn update

By Claire Marshall

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

The Oceana County Board of Commissioners accepted and approved a grant from the DNR for funds to purchase a Polaris Ranger XD 1500 utility vehicle for the county sheriff’s office at their May 14 meeting. The vehicle would be used at Silver Lake State Park to patrol, enforce and respond to emergencies, especially in the highly-trafficked ORV area. This vehicle would join a 2020 Polaris Ranger and replace a 2005 Club Car Carry-All, which Undersheriff Ryan Schiller described essentially as a golf cart with extra storage.

The grant comes on short notice, with the sheriff’s office learning about the opportunity following submission of other DNR grants earlier this year. While Schiller admits the office would’ve preferred commissioners’ approval prior to applying for the grant, the opportunity was too good to pass up, and the grant was awarded in full, for $48,280. As the equipment is needed and the purchase will not impact county funds, the commissioners saw no issue in accepting and approving the purchase. Said Chairman Robert Walker, “I don’t think it makes any sense at all not to approve this - almost $50,000 worth of equipment on a state grant with no copay.

Also accepted was a letter of understanding between the Police Officers Association of Michigan and Oceana County allowing lateral transfer opportunities for new-hire officers. This is an item that has been accepted before in contract negotiations with POAM, but was missed in recent negotiations by both parties. It is, likewise, an item which, as Schiller explained, makes the sheriff’s office an attractive employer for many prospective employees. “From an employment perspective, we would love to see it added back into the contract… It was just an omission during the [negotiation] process,” he explained.

Later in the meeting, Sheriff Craig Mast gave a department head update, informing commissioners that the forfeited truck acquired in March had sold for a bid of $28,200. Mast also took the opportunity to inform commissioners

that this $28,200 “windfall” is earmarked to go towards new handguns with optics and to expect the purchase as a future agenda item.

Oceana County Emergency Manager Troy Maloney also reported to commissioners a recent visit from FEMA and their inspection and corroboration of damage following flooding in Hesperia last month. Only one site was reported with major damage, and they are hoping to see a presidential emergency declaration reimburse both homeowners for property damage and emergency responders for services.

Commissioners also awarded a bid for the replacement of three community service building HVAC systems to Tanner Plumbing & Heating in the amount of $38,187 from the building's improvement fund.

During commissioner reports, Commissioner Paul Erickson brought up the topic of Charles Mears’ Red Barn, asking commissioners to consider conserving the property and building while a permanent steward is acquired. “My hope is that my fellow commissioners would be the custodian of this project, and then hopefully we’ll be able to pass that barn on to the proper entity that would be able to manage and take care of that barn,” he said.

He also reminded the

board that $13,000 remains with the Oceana Community Foundation for the purpose of weathering the Red Barn, which is threatened by poor structural integrity and trespassing, and that there is strong support in Pentwater and Weare Township for the preservation of the over 150-year-old building. Walker mentioned the possibility of discussing the topic at the next regular meeting. Meanwhile, the Crystal Valley Dam remains a site of major concern for commissioners to rectify as they consider its future.

At public comment before the meeting’s adjournment, Susan Cerka, a retired RN and former volunteer at the Oceana County Council on Aging’s (OCCOA) adult day service Our Friends House, spoke to commissioners of her negative experiences as a volunteer with the organization’s management and a perceived lack of transparency. Cerka is just one of several members of the group Oceana Grassroots Residents Advocating for Community Elders (Oceana GRACE), who have come before the board of commissioners to voice their concerns. Said Cerka, "We are not trying to close OCCOA. We want this vital community service strengthened and made available to all Oceana County seniors. What we do seek is genuine oversight and accountability.”

NOTICE OF

PUBLIC HEARING FERRY TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION

Special Use Permit – Dolphie Eisenlohr

A public hearing before the Ferry Township Planning Commission will be held on Tuesday June 9th, 2026 at 6:00 PM at the Ferry Township Hall, located at 3222 Green Street (north of the Fire Barn) in the village of Ferry, MI. The Ferry Township Planning Commission will consider a Special Use Permit application submitted by Dolphie Eisenlohr to allow for a possible land split on parcel 64-013-004-200-04, owned by Dolphie Eisenlohr. The property address is 2290 E Warren Rd. Shelby, MI 49455

The application is on file in the Township Clerk’s offices at 3222 Green Street, Shelby MI 49455. Written and oral comments regarding the application will be received until the conclusion of the public hearing. Written comments may be addressed to the Ferry Township Clerk.

The Township office building is barrierfree. Attendees requiring additional accommodations should notify the Township Clerk (231-861-0545) at least 48 hours prior to the hearing.

Susan Tippet, Ferry Township Planning Commission Chairperson

City of Hart hears first readings, approves resolutions

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

HART - The first readings of five proposed ordinances and updates were heard at the Tuesday, May 12, Hart City Council meeting. The ordinances, previously discussed and open for comment at a Hart City Planning Commission public hearing, include 1242.07 Moratorium on Data Centers; 1243.28f Pervious Surfaces; 1243.22 Native Vegetation and 1243.22G Tree Planting, Maintenance and Removal; and 1243.04 Limitation on Lot Splits.

While City Manager Nichole Kleiner does not think Hart would be highly sought after for a future data center, the planning commission wanted to take a proactive stance in educating the greater community and protecting the city’s utilities, should the issue present itself. “This (ordinance) would place a six-month moratorium on data centers, giving the planning commission more time to investigate, evaluate, come up with language, and see what we're comfortable with,” Kleiner told council.

When council member Karen Thomson asked if a six-month moratorium was long enough, councilor Andrew Mullen, who sits on the planning commission, said they wanted to keep the time frame short so it does not get forgotten about and added the moratorium could be extended if needed.

Next, in response to the MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation) wanting to see green infrastructure requirements in the city’s zoning ordinances with regard to future construction and redevelopment, the planning commission has developed updated language related to their pervious surfaces, native vegetation and trees ordinances.

Lastly, with mandated zoning ordinances being discussed at the state level, the planning commission would like to adopt an ordinance giving local officials the right to make their own zoning decisions, not the state. “The lot splits the state recommends are a lot smaller than the commission is comfortable with,” noted Kleiner.

All five ordinances will have their second reading at the council’s next regularly scheduled meeting, Tuesday, May 26. The public is invited to attend and welcome to provide feedback regarding any of them.

Resolution 2026-17 Opposing House Bills on Zoning Changes tabled from the council’s April 14 meeting, was approved with a split vote. Council members voting in favor of corporately opposing HB 5529-5532 and 5581-5585 were Jim Cunningham, Dean Hodges, Thomson and Mayor Amanda Klotz.

Council members opposed to taking a council position against the house bills were Catalina Burillo and Andrew Mullen. Prior to the vote Cunningham spoke in favor of opposing the bills, saying, “We believe the state is overstepping, and we’re here to say we don’t like it and to stop doing it.”

As far as those against the resolution, Mullen said prior to the vote, “We’re a legislative body. We make changes, give approvals to things, we don’t give opinions.”

He did vote for opposing the bills at the planning commission level, saying, “As the planning commission, we provide opinions to the council and let them decide.”

Burillo gave context to her statements about the situation by recalling another resolution that had come before the council in 2023. “I realize most of you were not here at the time, but remember it being said, ‘We’re a nation of laws. We go by the rule of the law.’ This (resolution) feels like we’re picking and choosing. At that time, the public felt the council should not speak for the rest of the community on the matter,” she said.

The final three resolutions were finance-related, but did not require the spending of any money. Instead, two resolutions will bring money into the city’s general fund, and one resolution will transfer city property to the Hart Cemetery.

Resolution 2026-23 authorized the Hart Police Department to release and deposit a total of $502 from the department’s evidence room into the city’s general fund. The monies, held for a number of years and associated with closed or inactive cases, have had no rightful owner identified or stepping forward to claim.

Resolution 2026-24 awarded a timber harvest bid to Northwest Hardwoods, Inc. in the amount of $31,651.00 in revenue for the harvesting of 479 trees identified on the city’s property off West Lever Road. “I think (this amount) would be the minimum. They might be able to identify more trees. The idea would be to responsibly thin the property and not harm it,” Kleiner said.

The resolution did not say, and no one present knew, what types of trees were to be harvested, but it is estimated it has been nearly 25 years since the property saw a timber harvest.

Resolution 2026-25 approved the transfer of a 2008 Ford F250 XL Super Duty pickup with 67,225 miles to the Hart Cemetery. While estimated to have a fair market value of $3,445, the vehicle is not considered suitable for regular road driving and will be used solely as a cemetery maintenance vehicle. It will be transferred as-is with no warranties.

Lottery dates announced for Shelby Acres Phase 3

Shelby Acres just released their model homes for Phase 3 and the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. For Phase 3, two new models were introduced, “The Chestnut" and “The Hemlock.”

The Chestnut offers a 2-bedroom, 2-bath ranch with over 1,200 square feet, laundry on the main floor, and an unfinished basement, giving one over 2,400 square feet in total. The Chestnut offers spacious bedrooms and a kitchen with a cozy living room.

The Hemlock offers a 3-bedroom, 2-bath ranch home with over 1,300 square feet. The highlights of the Hemlock are the spacious and seamless flow of the kitchen, dining and living area. The Hemlock also has an unfinished basement, making it a great opportunity to expand up to 2,600 square feet. Both “The Chestnut" and “The Hemlock” display an open layout that perfectly blends comfort and functionality.

The Oceana County Development Corporation feels these two models will attract an array of buyers seeking the ease of single-level living but with the potential of expansion and lots of storage in a

peaceful and new community. In addition, they are also bringing back their two existing models from last year: "The Aspen" and the sold-out "Maple." For more details on each of the four models, please visit https://shelbyacres.com/

At the beginning of each Phase, a blind lottery must be conducted to offer fair selection of the homes. The lottery for each model will take place at the existing model home at 7 p.m. If one is looking to get into the lottery, the dates are listed below:

The Chestnut House: All pre-qualified buyers and/or their agents will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at the Chestnut model home (285 Aspen Hill Drive) for the drawing to find out if they are successful for one of the four homes or not. At the meeting, home sites would be selected based on the final selection process.

The Hemlock House: All pre-qualified buyers and/or their agents will meet at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 28, 2026 at the Hemlock model home (287 Aspen Hill Drive) for the drawing to find out if they

are successful for one of the four homes or not. At the meeting, home sites would be selected based on the final selection process.

The Maple House: All pre-qualified buyers and/ or their agents will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at the Maple model home (289 Aspen Hill Drive) for the drawing to find out if they are successful for one of the two homes or not. At the meeting, home sites would be selected based on the final selection process.

The Aspen House: All pre-qualified buyers and/ or their agents will meet at 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at the Elm model home (291 Aspen Hill Drive) for the drawing to find out if they are successful for one of the three homes or not. At the meeting, home sites would be selected based on the final selection process.

If anyone is looking to purchase one of these homes or has any additional questions, please reach out to Gaby Peterson from Five Star Real Estate at 231-830-7037.

LOTTERY DATES

5/26/26 - 7:00 PM 6/2/26 -7:00 PM 5/28/26- 7:00 PM

6/2/26 -8:00

Future of Starting Block in Hart at a crossroads

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent

HART - The Starting Block, kitchen incubator, established in 2008, and located in Hart’s Industrial Park, is at a crossroads. After doing extensive research into the history of the incubator and outlining the organization’s current standing, City Manager Nichole Kleiner brought the matter to the city council for a formal discussion May 12.

“The Starting Block (TSB) was one of Michigan’s first shared-use commercial kitchen incubators. It was intended to support entrepreneurship, food-based business development and job creation,” said Kleiner. The incubator was funded using MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation) and CDB (Community Development Block) grants as well as federal grant funding totaling $500,000.

According to Kleiner, under the original lease-management agreement, TSB was expected to maintain operations, fulfill grant obligations, create jobs, maintain a governing board and manage succession planning, and ultimately become self-sustaining. It was hoped after 15 years, the entity could be transferred from the City of Hart to The Starting Block.

However, “The organization is struggling,” Kleiner said.

Kleiner went on to say that over the last 17 years, the city has provided significant support through ownership of the facility, utilities, lawn care, snow removal, roof replacement and other indirect operational support amounting to approximately $30,000 per year.

In 2025, the city was able to finally transition TSB to paying its own utilities. However, the lease that expired two years ago hasn't been renewed.

The current challenges include the organization’s inability to replace its director, the lack of a long-term sustainability plan, board frustration regarding organizational direction, and increasing building maintenance needs. According to Kleiner, financial statements indicate there is approximately $125,000 in cash reserves, which may allow operations to continue in the short term, however, the city remains the responsible party, and Kleiner feels more tax dollars are being used than are justifiable. “There has to be some expectation for the council, from the board, reinforcing the value,” Kleiner said.

“I certainly would hate to see it go by the wayside. I'd love to see us be able to market it somehow in a ‘thinking outside the box’ fashion to other industries that could use (it),” council member Catalina Burillo commented.

“(We’re) asking the board to submit a long-term operational and sustainability plan within a defined timeline,” Kleiner continued. “Maybe it's time we assess getting (the property) back on the tax rolls and selling it? That's an option.”

Council member Betty Root recalled being on the council when the incubator first came to be, remembering the reasoning for bringing it here. “Things have gotten away from young people starting out and starting businesses in garages anymore. It's a change in our economic system, and in our thoughts,” Root lamented. “And it's too bad, I hate to see it go. It was necessary at the time.”

Reiterating that the community’s tax

WEARE

dollars are in play here, Kleiner suggested holding a public information meeting, “Maybe we find some people who want to step up and help. We could get a stakeholder group (who are) willing to roll up their sleeves and try to fix this. But we do need to get into a lease with them (TSB), some sort of terms and expectations. I think just continuing in the state that we're in, is not beneficial to either organization.”

Mayor Amanda Klotz affirmed, “I think we need to hear what they think they can do. How many businesses do they need to recruit to keep it sustainable? I think we should take a look at the fair market value…and possible other developments, just so we have those options in front of us. I would like to see what their long-term operational sustainability is. That would be what I'm wanting to see first.”

When asked about a possible timeline and how often the board meets,

Kleiner reported meetings are held as needed. They have been meeting more frequently since she became the city manager, and in their defense Kleiner told council they have made several attempts at finding a new manager, but a permanent solution has not come together.

From what Kleiner could find, an updated sustainability plan has not been created, and the original arrangement terms have not been upheld. “It needs a full business assessment and complete overhaul,” she said.

Councilor Jim Cunningham was in support of holding a public informational meeting and said, “If they can justify their continued existence and so on, all well and good. But if they can't, you'll have to look at alternatives.”

The full council was in agreement with Cunningham and gave the city manager the go-ahead to get a public information meeting on the calendar.

According to the Oceana County Road Commission, as of Friday, May 15, "M20 is open for traffic now that the surface portion of the Tunnel project is ready for motorists. Improvements include a new right turn lane on M20 for eastbound traffic entering 68th Avenue and the addition of a center turn lane, widening, and new pavement on 68th Avenue. The base paint on the face and wing walls of the tunnel with contrasting color staining is complete, and the pedestrian fence has been installed. The contractor has installed seeding, mulch, blanket, and riprap for slope protection. It really has a nice appearance. Both roads have striping installed. Work will continue on the tunnel, including electrical and lighting."

TOWNSHIP PUBLIC NOTICE FOR ORDINANCE NO. 03-26

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND ADDING SECTIONS TO THE WEARE TOWNSHIP ZONING ORDINANCE REGARDING LARGE-SCALE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS (“SES”).

THE TOWNSHIP OF WEARE, OCEANA COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ORDAINS:

SECTION 1. Intent and Purpose. To revise the Weare Township Zoning Ordinance regarding regulations to permit large scale solar energy systems.

SECTION 2. Amendment of Zoning Ordinance Section 2.19 (S), Definitions. A new set of definitions for “Solar Energy Systems (SES)” are added.

SECTION 3. Amendment of Zoning Ordinance Section 5.03, Agricultural Rural Residential District. Large-Scale Solar Energy Systems (SES) was added to the listed Special Land Uses permitted.

SECTION 4. Amendment of Zoning Ordinance Section 10.03, Light Industrial District. Large-Scale Solar Energy Systems (SES) was added to the listed Special Land Uses permitted and Large-Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) as added as a Reserved subsection.

SECTION 5. Amendment of Zoning Ordinance Section 13.02, Application and Review Procedures. Added a new subsection to give the Township Board authority to approve Special Land Uses for Large-Scale Solar Energy Systems (SES), Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS), and Large-Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS); and to add a Reserved subsection.

SECTION 6. Amendment of Section 13.04 CC, Solar Energy Systems (SES) and Section 13.04 DD, Large-Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) as a Place Holder. To declare the Intent for Solar Energy Systems (SES) and establish regulations governing the Maximum Extent of Solar Energy System Development, the Application Process and Approval Process, reserving a subsection for regulations for small-scale ground or building mounted solar energy systems (ssSES), Site Plan review, Setbacks, On-Site Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Lot Coverage, Agricultural and Forested Lands, Screening & Landscaping, Signage, Noise, Lighting, Glare, Distribution, Transmission and Interconnection, Roads, Repowering, Conditions and Modifications, Decommissioning and Abandonment, Approval Time Limit and Extension, Inspections, Waste Management, Maintenance, Repair and On-Going Testing, Security, Development Agreement, Recording of Action and Documentation of Compliance, Assignment and Transfers, and reserving a subsection for Large-Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

SECTION 7. SEVERABILITY. Provisions of this Ordinance are severable if determined unconstitutional or invalid.

SECTION 8. NON-REPEAL. This ordinance shall not repeal any other Ordinance of Weare Township pertaining to this subject matter.

SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall take effect seven days after this publication.

ORDINANCE ADOPTION. This Ordinance was adopted on May 18, 2026 by the Weare Township Board.

Local athletes shine at regional meets

Chase Lorenz breaks own Hart record in 100m; Pentwater’s Fatura qualifies in throws

By Andy Roberts

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

It was a huge day for Hart at Saturday’s Division 3 regional meet in Manton, as the Pirate boys won six events, narrowly missing a regional title, and the Hart girls finished sixth with two more regional champs.

The biggest day came from Pirate senior Chase Lorenz, who was spectacular in winning all three sprint races. He lowered his own school record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.67 seconds, won the 200-meter dash in a time of 21.83 seconds, and took the 400 in a time of 51.43 seconds.

Lorenz will be in the running for

the state title in all three events. He enters Saturday’s state meet at Kent City as the top seed in the 100 and 200 and the No. 3 seed in the 400.

Lorenz also anchored the 1,600-meter relay team to the regional title, running the fastest of the four legs at 50.2 seconds. He and teammates Jaxson Oomen, Jack Slotman and Luke VanderWilk finished in a time of 3:33.8.

Also for the boys, Silas Ackley won the 3,200-meter run in a time of 10:22.5. The Hart boys also won both distance relays. In addition to the 1,600 team win, the 3,200 team was victorious with Mason Opalewski, Slotman, Grant Ackley and Trevor Vander Kodde (8:24.0).

Pirate senior Caleb Ackley earned

himself one more meet for his career as well, eclipsing the state qualifying standard in shot put to reach the finals with a personal best throw of 467.5, good for fifth in the regionals.

Not to be outdone, the Pirate girls also won two titles, both in field events. Shelbie Choponis won the regionals in discus with a throw of 124-7, and Joselyn Flores won the high jump with a leap of 4-11. The Pirate girls also punched state tickets in four other events. Addison Hain qualified twice on time, taking fourth in the 200 meters (a personal best 26.71) and seventh in the 100 (12.68). Two relays also qualified on time; the 400 team of Flores, Hain, Ellie Gross and Natalie Rosema finished third (51.94) and the 3,200 team of Alaina Schaner, Emma Miller, Martina Saenz and Rosema was fourth (10:13.6).

The Pirates reeled in many other medals besides their qualifiers. On the boys’ side, Carson Ackley took fourth in the 3,200 (10:40.5), with Ju-

lian Lopez in eighth (10:52.7); Opalewski was fifth in the 1,600 (4:47.1); Vander Kodde was fifth in the 800 (2:08.3) and sixth in the high jump (5-8); Grant Ackley tied for seventh with teammate Jagger Lenon in the pole vault (10-6) and was eighth in the 800 (2:10.1); Abdel Lopez threw a personal best to take fifth in discus (131-10); Oomen took sixth in the 400 (54.38); and Luke VanderWilk was seventh in the 110 hurdles with a personal best time (16.15).

Hart’s boys also medaled in the 800 relay, with the team of Elon Babbin, Bryce Vander Kodde, Oomen and Pablo-Ortega Rubio finishing sixth (1:39.1).

Girls medalists also included Rosema, third in the 800 (2:27.8); Lauren Hopkins, sixth in the pole vault (8-9); Gross, eighth in the 300 hurdles (52.49); and Choponis, eighth in the shot put (31-10.75).

Track success continued on page 14

Shelby wins share of WMC Rivers title

Tigers sweep Hesperia, claim first league title since 2010

By Andy Roberts

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

HESPERIA — Shelby did what it needed to Tuesday to secure a share of the West Michigan Conference Rivers title, sweeping county foe Hesperia by scores of 14-1 and 12-2.

The Panthers stayed within striking distance for a while in game two, but Shelby ripped off five runs in the fourth inning to go ahead 102, then polished off the mercy rule win with two more in the fifth. The wins gave Shelby its first conference title since the 2010 Tigers that won a regional championship.

“To win this conference, it’s a big thing,” Shelby coach Brian Wright said, shortly before he received an impromptu bath courtesy of the team’s Gatorade cooler.

“I told them, it’s not our only highlight, though. We’ve got (the district) a week from Saturday that we’re really hoping (to get). We were banged up today, a couple groins and Cam (Smith)’s fighting a knee. We need to get healthy before that.”

The Tigers ripped through game one and started fast in game two, with four first-inning runs, but as the weather got colder and occasionally

wetter, Hesperia remained in the game and scored a fourth-inning run on a wild pitch to make it 5-2, then loaded the bases with only one out. However, Trevor Weiss pitched out of the jam, and the Tigers took command after that.

Taking advantage of three Hesperia errors, Shelby expanded its lead to 10-2 and sapped the drama from the game. Jaden Furman and Jacob Regeczi had run-scoring singles in the inning. Weiss and Eli Kelley ripped consecutive RBI doubles in the fifth to end the game.

As well as Shelby’s bats played - the Tigers got 20 hits on the day, five short of the goal set for them - Wright was most excited by his defense, which committed only one error in each game.

“Eli made some really, really good plays at short,” Wright said. “That’s the key

with us, because we’re not going to strike out 20 guys in a game. We’ve got to be able to catch the ball. I tell them, defense is something that should always show up. We don’t know if we’re going to hit some days, or pitch, but we’ve got to be able to play that defense.”

Weiss got three hits for the Tigers in the opener, and Furman and Smith each hit home runs. Chase Simon scored three times. DayDay Garcia pitched a two-hitter, striking out five. Braxton Hendrix got a hit, drove in a run and drew a walk for Hesperia.

Evan Waller and Simon got two hits each in game two, and Simon plated three runs. Weiss struck out six and allowed one earned run on three hits. Tucker Bolles got a pair of hits for the Panthers, and Evan Conkle drew a pair of walks.

Hesperia coach Gage Balkema said struggles with blow-up innings on defense and to hit the ball hard offensively have contributed to the team’s struggles in the winloss column this year.

“It’s having confidence at the plate and knowing that

you can hit a fastball that’s coming towards you,” Balkema said. “I have two or three kids that I know I can count on, but right now, everybody just seems to be behind on

Lorenz

Shelby’s baseball team celebrates clinching a share of the West Michigan Conference Rivers title with a doubleheader sweep of Hesperia Tuesday. The Tigers won their first league title since 2010. • Andy Roberts/Echo

Shelby’s Jacob Regeczi (20) tries to avoid a tag by Hesperia’s Tucker Bolles at home plate during Tuesday’s doubleheader in Hesperia. The Tigers won both games to win a share of the conference title. • Andy Roberts/Echo

Tigers roll past Hesperia in league finale

By Andy Roberts

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

HESPERIA — Shelby dispatched Hesperia in both teams’ West Michigan Conference Rivers finales Tuesday night by scores of 17-0 and 15-0.

The scores were a far cry from the shutout losses the Tigers took the day before against a much larger school, Mona Shores. Coach Kevin Burmeister said the team fulfilled its goal of “getting better every day” with the way it performed Tuesday, even amid rain and wind.

“We made the plays we could,” Burmeister said. “We put a lot of balls in play with a lot of good atbats. We’re really working on finding where our zone is and where we want the ball and where we’re good at hitting it.”

Burmeister added that he felt the Tigers pitched pretty well in the losses to Shores, but “good teams hit the ball” and his team had some struggles in the field.

“What we’re expecting to be seeing that Saturday in that district, the more of that we can see later in the season is really going to help us out,” Burmeister said. “Mona Shores played a really good game. They put the ball in play. We made a lot of good plays...You’ve got to make those plays. That’s how we get better defensively.”

The Tigers took command of game one against Hesperia with a seven-run first inning that saw the first seven Shelby batters reach, including six hits. Jayna Burmeister then blasted a two-run homer to cap

• Andy Roberts/Echo

the explosion.

Shelby added another seven-run inning in the fifth to clinch the mercy rule win. Jaedyn Allen had a run-scoring double during the inning.

Hali Hayes and Allen each got three hits in game one, and Gabby LaFever, Izzy Rudat and Burmeister got two apiece. LaFever drove in three runs, and Allen and Hayes each scored three. Burmeister pitched the game and struck out 12, allowing just one hit, by Madesyn Bolles. Olivia McGahan recorded two outs in relief for Hesperia, allowing one hit and no runs.

Game two was all Shelby from the get-go, and the Tigers scored six runs in each of the final two innings. Allen had a double and a triple, driving in five runs, and Burmeister also got two hits and scored three times. Emma Stovall scored three times as well. Burmeister pitched a three-in-

League title

continued from page 12

everything. Everything’s inside. Their hands can’t get extended through the ball, and that’s why everything’s so weak all the time.

“(Bolles) had two nice hits towards the left side where he got out in front and they were past the shortstop, so that’s what I need more of.”

The Tigers received a fortunate draw in their district bracket, as the two heavyweights - Montague and North Muskegon - are on the other side and will have to face each other prior to the finals. Of course, Wright has been around long enough to know anything can happen and his team can’t take Western Michigan Christian lightly.

For Tuesday, though, celebrations were in order.

“I’m just proud of this group,” Wright said. “I just told them, we beat the two other teams that we’re going to share it with (once each) - Ravenna and North Muskegon - so we earned it. The kids earned it.”

• Andy Roberts/Echo

ning no-hitter, striking out five. Hesperia coach Rick Martin said before the season that his young team would be setting a foundation for future success this year, and he said the Panthers have shown positive attitudes even amid occasional struggles against a really good schedule that also included perennial power Holton and state-ranked Ravenna.

“We have a lot of kids out of position,” Martin said. “We’ve got girls that are normally infielders playing outfield, and we didn’t have any outfielders coming back, so I had to make outfielders, and they’re struggling, but they make some plays. They try. They keep playing hard. That’s all you can ask. They’ve got great attitudes. They don’t get down on each other. They don’t get down on themselves, which is a big bonus.”

Martin said McGahan, who start-

ed game two, played second base once she left the game, a position she’s never played. His third baseman, Eliana Sanker, is also new to the position.

Shelby doesn’t face similar difficulties, with a young but experienced and talented team that capped their WMC Rivers season at 6-6 for the second year in a row. The Tigers now are ready for a district Saturday where they might take on rival Hart for the championship. In future seasons, coach Burmeister would love to see a run at the WMC Rivers title.

“Our girls know if we want to compete with some of these other teams in our league, we have to continue to get better, even at home, taking as many dry cuts as you can, get as many ground balls or throw to Mom and Dad or brother,” Burmeister said. “Just get better. The growth we’ve made in two years is huge.”

Shelby back in 1st with 1 jamboree left

By Andy Roberts The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Shelby moved back into the top spot in the West Michigan Conference Rivers at its home jamboree Monday, with one meet still to go.

The Tigers went from three strokes behind North Muskegon to three strokes ahead by topping the Norsemen 166172 at Oceana Golf Club. The Norsemen hosted the season’s final jamboree Thursday after the Echo went to press.

Titan Carter continued his dominant season with one of his best rounds yet, a two-under par 34, to pick up medalist

honors. He birdied three holes on the day.

Also for Shelby, Ivan Carter finished third with a 41 and Andrew Arquette had a 45. Rafael Davis capped Tiger scoring with a 46.

Hart finished third at the meet with a 183. Hunter Loudermilk and Braydan Baron tied

for fifth place overall, shooting a 44. Baron made a birdie in his round. Logan Dean shot a 47, and Joel Knobel had a 48. Hesperia finished fifth with a 197, paced by Alex Scott. Scott shot a 43, good for fourth place overall. Logan Kammer added a 45, Tim Hoaglin shot a 47 and Taylor Ackerberg posted a 62.

Hart racks up medals at All-Star track meet

By Andy Roberts The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Hart racked up a slew of medals Tuesday at the West Michigan All-Star meet, which took place at Fruitport, including event titles for Chase Lorenz and Carson Ackley.

Lorenz grabbed first place in the 400-meter dash, posting a time of 49.76 seconds, and was also third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.11 seconds. Ackley won the 3,200-meter run in a time of 10:18.8 - edging out

his brother Silas, who was runner-up, by less than a second. Julian Lopez was Hart’s third medalist in the 3,200, taking sixth place and setting a personal best (10:28.8).

The Pirate boys also grabbed two top-6 medals in the pole vault, with Jagger Lenon placing fourth (11-6) and Grant Ackley in sixth (10-6). Two relay teams medaled; the 1,600 team of Jack Slotman, Luke VanderWilk, Trevor Vander Kodde and Jaxson Oomen was third (3:33.5), and the 3,200 team of Mason Opalewski, Grant Ackley, Vander Kodde and

Donald Budrew placed sixth (8:29.3).

Hart also scored several medals in the girls’ meet, led by Bryn Riley’s personal best time of 12:58.5 earning a fourth-place finish in the 3,200 meters. Lauren Hopkins took fifth in the pole vault (8-6) and Addison Hain was fifth in the 100 (13.13). Natalie Rosema finished sixth in the 800 (2:27.3).

Three girls relay teams picked up medals. The 3,200 relay team of Alaina Schaner, Luisa VanderZwaag, Martina Saenz and Emma Miller took fourth (10:36.5), and the 400

and 800 teams, both consisting of Hain, Joselyn Flores, Rosema and Ellie Gross, were fifth (52.37 and 1:52.7).

Hesperia took home two medals at the meet, with Emily McCallum in third place in the shot put (32-10) and McKenna Fraser in fifth in the high jump (5-10).

Pentwater also had two medalists. Falcon sophomore Chase McGuire-VanGills delivered his best career race in the 300-meter hurdles to take fourth place (42.10), and Logan Fatura placed fifth in the discus (133-4). Though she didn’t

medal, Lauren Davis earned applause from coach Erika Fatura for her efforts getting to compete one last time as a Falcon. She took 13th in the 100 hurdles (18.39) and narrowly missed breaking her own school record in the event.

“Tonight was a beautiful ending to a phenomenal career, and Lauren leaves behind a legacy that will not be forgotten,” coach Fatura said. “She will be deeply missed.” Isabel Babbin represented Walkerville and competed in the shot put, where she finished 10th (29-11).

Shelby’s Jayna Burmeister winds up for a pitch during Tuesday’s doubleheader against Hesperia. Burmeister pitched the Tigers to a sweep of their county rivals.

Hesperia’s Olivia McGahan fires a pitch during Tuesday’s doubleheader against Shelby. The Panthers took a pair of defeats.

WMC Rivers players get warmed up for Monday’s Shelby jamboree. The host Tigers took first place at the meet, with Hart third and Hesperia fourth.

• Photo courtesy of Oceana Golf Club

Track success

The 1,600 relay team of Hain, Flores, Gross and Rosema also medaled, placing fourth (4:24.8).

Shelby’s very young teams also competed at regionals to cap their season. The Tiger girls medaled twice; Haylie Smith finished third in the high jump (4-8), and the 3,200 relay team of Kathryn Beyer, April Luna, Noel Parker and Grace Hasenbank finished eighth (11:19.3).

The Tiger boys’ highest finishes came in two relays, where they placed ninth. The 400 team of Isaac Garcia, Brody Fessenden, Elijah Dashiell and Jaylin Henderson (45.84) and the 3,200 team of Chace Oakes, Brycen Brown, Jaciel Moreno and Parker Weirich (9:36.6) each hit that mark. Dashiell topped individual boys Tigers with a 10th-place finish in the 400 (55.06).

Several D-4 athletes reach state Pentwater, Hesperia and Walkerville closed out their team track seasons Friday at the Division 4 regionals in Brethren, though a handful of athletes also punched their tickets to state.

The Falcon boys finished in fourth place, the highest local finish. Hesperia took seventh and Walkerville was 15th. In the girls’ meet,

Hesperia was fifth, Pentwater seventh and Walkerville 15th.

Individual county state qualifiers from the meet included Pentwater’s Logan Fatura and Chase McGuire-VanGills and Hesperia’s Nate Ruhstorfer, Emily McCallum and McKenna Fraser. The Panthers also reached state in the boys’ 400-meter relay.

Fatura reached state in both the throwing events, securing a regional championship in discus with a throw of 131-10.5 and taking second in shot put with a mark of 414. McGuire-VanGills won the 300-meter hurdles in a time of 44.05 seconds, a personal best, to reach state.

For Hesperia, Ruhstorfer won the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 17.26 seconds, McCallum won the shot put with a personal best mark of 34-2.5, and Fraser won the high jump with a leap of 4-11. The Panthers’ 400-meter relay team of Zach Loughridge, Dominick Rivera, Malakai Sellers and Andy Lopez-Garcia took second to reach state (48.56).

In addition to those successes, each team won medals in other events to celebrate. McGuire-VanGills finished fourth in the 110 hurdles (18.70) and in the long jump (a personal best 18-7.5), and eighth in the

continued from page 12

200-meter dash (25.00). Tyler Zimmer was third in the pole vault (8-6) and fifth in the 300 hurdles (a personal best 49.02).

In the girls’ meet, Lauren Davis capped a strong Falcons career by winning three medals. She was fourth in both hurdles events, with times of 18.64 in the 100 and 56.10 in the 300, and helped the 400 relay team finish third along with Lila Merrill, Lexi Smith and Karina Olivarez (56.84).

“Lauren has been the definition of leadership, toughness, and dependability throughout her career and leaves behind an incredible legacy,” Pentwater coach Erika Fatura said.

More medals came from Smith, fourth in the high jump (4-6); Bailey Case, fifth in the 800 (a personal best 3:29.9) and in the 1,600 (6:24.7); and Merrill, fifth in the 200 (a personal best 29.84).

The Falcons also medaled in the other three relays. The 800 team of Merrill, Khloe VanGunst, Emma Werkema-Grondsma and Smith took sixth (2:03.2), as did the 3,200 team of Case, Maggie Jorissen, Michelle Smith and Valerie Smith (13:48.96). The 1,600 team of Case, VanGunst and both Smiths was eighth (5:38.2).

For Hesperia’s boys,

•

Keegan Roberson finished fourth in the 300 hurdles (47.72), with Mason Hren sixth (a personal best 49.86); Lopez-Garcia finished seventh in the 100 (12.33), with Loughridge eighth (12.38); Ruhstorfer was eighth in the 1,600 (5:05.98); Dain Kraus was eighth in the discus (969); and Hren placed eighth in the 110 hurdles (20.83).

The Panthers medaled in the other three relays. The 1,600 team of Ruhstorfer, Brighton Mahoney, Rivera and Lopez-Garcia was fifth (3:58.94), as was the 3,200 team of Hunter Tinkham, Laynce Smith, Kraus and Zed Bierman (10:35.8). The 800 team of Malakai Sellers, Mahoney, Tinkham and Lopez-Garcia was sixth (1:44.7).

Panther girls medalists included Fraser, third in the 100 (14.07); Sophia Fras-

er, third in the 300 hurdles (a personal best 52.62) and seventh in the 100 hurdles (19.01); Rokhaya Ruhstorfer, fifth in the 800 (2:58.5) and sixth in the 3,200 (15:02.4); McCallum, seventh in the 200 (31.55); and Hanna Rickard, eighth in the discus (699.5).

Hesperia medaled in two relays. The 800 team of Chloe Rickard, Sophia Fraser, Jolie Kraus and McCallum was fifth (2:03.1), and the 1,600 team of Mollie Craig, Sophia Fraser, Kraus and Rokhaya Ruhstorfer was sixth (5:12.2).

Walkerville medaled in two events at regionals, both in shot put. Isabel Babbin placed third for the girls with a mark of 30-2.5, missing state qualification by only four inches, and Hugh Tanner was sixth on the boys’ side, with a mark of 37-0.

Pentwater’s Logan Fatura (left) and throwing coach Gabriel Wise celebrate Fatura qualifying for state in both events at Friday’s regional meet in Brethren. Fatura won the discus and was 2nd in shot put.

Photo courtesy of Pentwater Track & Field

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Montague Class of 2026 bids farewell

By Andy Roberts

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Lake Mirror Editor

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — A packed Montague High School gym bid a fond farewell to the Class of 2026 Sunday afternoon, but not before musicboth played and sungjoined the cacophony.

In addition to band and choir performances of chosen songs "You Do Not Walk Alone" by Elaine Hagenberg and the country classic "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," high school principal Christy Thommen, calling upon her stated childhood dreams of being a band director, snuck as many song lyrics as she could manage into her brief remarks toward the end of the ceremony. Some of them were from her generation - "don't stop believing" - but she nodded to the music the graduating class grew up with too - "be a firework. Don't let anyone steal your sparkle."

Thommen capped her remarks by directing the class to look under their seats, where they found empty notebooks.

That led to much of the high school staff performing an

"Unwritten."

school staff performing an impromptu rendition of the Natasha Bedingfield song "Unwritten."

That led to much of the high school staff performing an impromptu rendition of the Natasha Bedingfield song "Unwritten."

"The story is yours. Go write it," she said to conclude her remarks.

Thommen capped her remarks by directing the class to look under their seats, where they found empty notebooks.

The ceremony also featured graduation speaker Brad Tate, a current middle school teacher at Montague, as well as boys golf coach. Tate was the Class of 1992 valedictorian at Montague and said he strongly believes people should serve the area that helped shape them if they get an opportunity to do so.

Tate hit on many of the themes typical of graduation speechesoptimism, future challenges, looking forward while never forgetting where you came from - but emphasized love. He's never felt, he said, like he had enough time with the loved ones he's lost in his life.

hit on many of the themes typical of graduation speechesoptimism, future challenges, looking forward while never forgetting where you came from - but emphasized love. He's never felt, he said, like he had enough time with the loved ones he's lost in his life.

of graduation speechesoptimism, future challenges, looking forward while never forgetting where you came from - but emphasized love. He's never felt, he said, like he had enough time with the loved ones he's lost in his life.

love."

"Your time in this life is precious," Tate said. "None of us know when our hourglass will run out and our journey will end...You realize how important it is to say, 'I love you,' 'I forgive you,' and 'I am proud of you' when you lose someone you love."

Tate referred to local legend Jim Heeres, whom he counts as a mentor, and cited his saying, wellknown locally, that "you are precious and worth 100 points." With that in mind, he noted the temptation to compare oneself with others and urged graduates to steer clear of that mindset as they

Citizens call for Cross to resign from Whitehall board

Citizens upset with Cross' response to sex abuse scandal at another branch of his church; LifeWise concerns also shared

By Andy Roberts

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

March stating that he did not initially believe the victims in those cases and apologized for it.

white Christian nationalism."

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — Multiple local citizens called for the resignation of Whitehall School Board trustee Tim Cross during Monday's regular monthly meeting due to what they considered his substandard response to a sexual abuse scandal at another branch of his church.

Cross, who was absent from Monday's meeting, drew the ire of multiple citizens after reports emerged in April regarding a sexual abuse scandal at the Midland branch of the Living Word Church. (Cross, who was elected to the school board in 2022, is the pastor of the church's Muskegon branch.)

Three ministers at the Midland church, two of them this year, have been imprisoned after being convicted of sexual misconduct involving children. According to WJRT-TV in Flint, Cross posted a video to YouTube in

March stating that he did not initially believe the victims in those cases and apologized for it. In the video, Cross noted that he'd known all three men convicted and felt they were not capable of such acts. Soon after, Cross stepped down from his role as a member of a faith coalition supporting U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers, a Republican who is running for the seat Democrat Gary Peters is vacating following the November election.

In the video, Cross noted that he'd known all three men convicted and felt they were not capable of such acts. Soon after, Cross stepped down from his role as a member of a faith coalition supporting U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers, a Republican who is running for the seat Democrat Gary Peters is vacating following the November election.

Among the citizens calling for Cross to resign was Angel Coon, who also spoke about LifeWise at the Montague board meeting earlier in May and is running as a Democrat for the state House of Representatives seat currently occupied by Republican John Moolenaar. She expressed disappointment Cross was not at the meeting as she had hoped to directly tell him he should resign.

during the meeting, with some Monday repeating concerns shared at last week's Montague board meeting. Superintendent CJ Van Wieren said at the end of the meeting that he has not to this point been contacted by anyone from LifeWise regarding starting a chapter and would let the public know if he is contacted.

white Christian nationalism."

Fellow resident Bob Brown shared similar concerns and asked the board to govern LifeWise, should it start a chapter in Whitehall, with the chief goal of protecting Whitehall students.

Citizens also criticized the possibility of LifeWise Academy opening a chapter at Whitehall District Schools

LifeWise Academy is a nationwide program founded in 2018 that shuttles public school students off campus for Bible study during school hours. The academy, which operates under a franchise model, is legally allowed to do so under the terms of a 1952 Supreme Court ruling, Zorach v. Clauson, that allows public school students, with parental permission, to have release time for religious instruction during school hours if the instruction is privately funded and not on campus.

As at Montague, several citizens urged the board to either prohibit or at least limit LifeWise activities at Whitehall to the extent it can, expressing concern for what they viewed as the academy's disinterest in supporting public education.

Citizens also criticized the possibility of LifeWise Academy opening a chapter at Whitehall District Schools

"I do not believe LifeWise truly has God at the forefront," stated Whitehall resident Gary Greiner, who called the academy a symptom of "insidious

In other board business, the board featured the robotics program, which recently capped a successful season with the high school team's trip to the state competition. Both the high school and middle school teams were presented the Sustainability Award by FIRST Robotics, honoring the strong programs they have built. The program showed off projects it undertook this year to aid special education students and physically disabled students in the district, including using recycled plastic water bottles to construct materials that more easily enabled wheelchair users to sit at tables with their peers.

Fellow resident Bob Brown shared similar concerns and asked the board to govern LifeWise, should it start a chapter in Whitehall, with the chief goal of protecting Whitehall students. In other board business, the board featured the robotics program, which recently capped a successful season with the high school team's trip to the state competition. Both the high school and middle school teams were presented the Sustainability Award by FIRST Robotics, honoring the strong programs they have built. The program showed off projects it undertook this year to aid special education students and physically disabled students in the district, including using recycled plastic water bottles to construct materials that more easily enabled wheelchair users to sit at tables with their peers.

Student representatives Kate Beda and Emily VanDam, set to graduate this week, marked their last meeting by sharing that senior-to-be Mason Pardue has been appointed next year's student representative to the board. They also, by request from board secretary Paula Martin, shared the several

Tate

Above, Montague students throw their mortarboards into the air to celebrate graduating from the school at the end of Sunday's graduation ceremony. Above left, commencement speaker and middle school teacher Brad Tate (right) congratulates graduate Aiden Dailey as he heads to the stage to receive his diploma. Below, senior class president Fletcher Thommen (right) makes the traditional pass of the color staff to junior class president Wyatt Grawey. • Andy Roberts/Mirror Photos

impromptu rendition of the Natasha Bedingfield song

That led to much of the high

Tate hit

many

the themes typical

White

Cross

Community Fund distributes nearly $45K in grants

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

WHITEHALL — The White Lake Community Fund disbursed its latest round of grants to seven local nonprofits Monday, May 11 at the White Lake Community Library, totaling $44,800.

The biggest gift was given to the Playhouse at White Lake for $20,000 in support of the organization's Summer Theatre Festival. Playhouse director Beth Beaman said the festival will kick off earlier than usual this year - June 12-13, rather than its usual July. The event will start with Helen Welch, a regular performer at the Playhouse, who will perform a Women of Songthemed show. Further planned events during the festival include the Central Michigan University student theatre visiting with its Frog and Toad-themed show and a gender-swapped Odd Couple show featuring the characters Olive and Florence (the classic TV show featured Oscar and Felix). The Playhouse will also partner with the Muskegon Museum of Art in support of the latter's "Herstory of Animation" exhibit later this summer. Shelby Mason will, as always, cap the season with her show celebrating the works of Patsy Cline.

Beaman noted that the Playhouse is continuing its partnership with the library by offering 10 free tickets available for checkout for each show, and there is also a special senior show for which seniors can obtain free transportation to attend.

The Walk the Beat White Lake organization received $5,000 in support of its 2026 show, the fifth year of the White Lake festival. Executive director Sara Kane-Smart was on hand and told attendees that this year's show will bump up to 13 planned venues after last year's show downsized to 10 while still drawing over 1,000 people down-

Graduation

search for their 'why' - their driving force.

town despite rainy weather that forced several acts to go inside as the festival adjusted on the fly. The White Lake Community Garden and the Whitehall band boosters are joining this year's nonprofits that will sell raffle tickets for Walk the Beat; participating nonprofits receive half the proceeds from their sales.

Kane-Smart added that because Terry Graham, who joined Walk the Beat as a fundraiser this year, was able to have so much success in the job, the organization "went a little crazy" with its spring kickoff giveaway, donating over $16,000 worth of instruments and scholarships to the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.

"It takes a community to make it happen," Kane-Smart said.

This year, there will be a second and third-place cash prize to offer more bands the opportunity to win. In the past, only one band would win, and the grand prize was recording time at Third Coast in Grand Haven; however, this year the first-place winner will also have the option of accepting a cash prize instead.

The West Michigan Symphony was a $5,000 grantee as well, supporting its Link Up program, which offers local elementary school students the chance to put on a concert at the Frauenthal theatre in Muskegon. Each Link Up season features a different theme, with this year's being Orchestra Rocks, telling the story of a guitar player who discovers the joy of orchestral music.

The Arts Council of White Lake-Nuveen Center received a $4,000 grant to do facade tuckpointing on the building, which it recently purchased. The work will repair mortar damage to the building. Carolyn Carmel Dykman, chair of the ACWL's board of directors, said the organization received quotes

• Andy

from several local companies and hired Morden Construction to do the work, which was slated to be complete that week.

The Ferry Memorial Reformed Church received $4,000 to support its Food and More program, which has been in place for over 25 years, said Kathy Oakes, who volunteers for the church. In addition to weekly distributions - 250 boxes of food is assembled and given to participants in under 90 minutes each week, she said - and putting together hundreds of food baskets each Thanksgiving, Oakes said the church also contributes towards a school backpack program. Unused food is donated to local food pantries.

Lakeshore Keepers received a $3,500 grant to fund its education programs and support its being open for free during the Maritime Festival this August. Executive director Jack Greve said the organization will conduct lighthouse tours for free during the

festival in an open house fashion, saying Lakeshore Keepers did not want to distract from the festival but wanted to participate in a way that gave visitors another option if they chose. Lakeshore Keepers also distributes kids activity books for free at the lighthouse and within the community, and participates through the senior millage and local libraries to help make lighthouse learning accessible to all.

The White Lake Chamber Music Society received a $3,300 grant to support a free family concert, set to take place July 19 at The Playhouse at White Lake as part of the Chamber Music Festival. The organization is partnering with the White Lake Community Library for the concert, which will feature music about Babar the Elephant and Paddington Bear. Anne Marie Hoover and Kuang-Hao Huang, both staples of the Chamber Music Festival, will perform the music.

Whitehall board

"We often don't realize what a gift we are and what a gift every day is," Tate said. "It's your responsibility to go out and conquer that day. I hope you have the confidence to know that failure is neither permanent nor a measure of who we are."

Class president Fletcher Thommen also delivered brief remarks, listing great experiences his class was able to be part of from their childhood up to today and thanking his class-

mates for growing up with him before encouraging them to "make our mark on the world."

Before school board president Joel Smith conferred the graduation invocation on the class, superintendent Jeffrey Johnson encouraged the class to embrace the unfamiliar, noting everything that makes us comfortable now once was a new experience.

"Care for others and be great in all that you do," Johnson said.

awards each won during the district's senior awards night Sunday.

The board gave 6-0 approvals to the intermediate school district's budget resolution, the second budget amendment for the district, and the district's 2026-27 budget hearing taking place during the June 15 board meeting.

Van Wieren said the district is facing a small budget deficit this year that was expected. Next academic year, the district is returning to the usual five mills due to the bond request that was passed by district voters last fall; the district only levied 3.2 mills this year.

Representatives of local nonprofits celebrated their grants from the White Lake Community Fund Monday, May 11 at the White Lake Community Library. From left to right are Lakeshore Keepers' Jack Greve, the Playhouse at White Lake's Beth Beaman, the Ferry Memorial Reformed Church's Kathy Oakes, West Michigan Symphony's Andy Beulow, Walk the Beat White Lake's Sara Kane-Smart, the Arts Council of White LakeNuveen Center's Carolyn Carmel and the White Lake Music Society's Bryan Uecker.

Roberts/Mirror

Saturday, May 23

Montague Farmer's Market is open, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Family Cookout @ Rivers Ace Hardware in Whitehall, 11 a.m. Featuring a cookout and kids' craft activities.

The Rollin Tones perform @ North Grove Brewers, 7 p.m.

The Murphy's Law Band performs @ Pub One Eleven, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 24

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

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

Delaney & Graycen perform @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 6 p.m.

Monday, May 25

Memorial Day Service @ Covell

Community Calendar

Park in Whitehall, 11 a.m. Members of the White Lake VFW in Montague and the Algot Johnson American Legion post in Whitehall will march and meet at Covell Park for the ceremony.

Fetch Brewing Running Group meets at 6 p.m. All are welcome to participate at their own pace and distance. Strollers also welcome.

FAN Club @ Fetch Brewing, 7 p.m. Free music performances in the parking lot.

Tuesday, May 26

Grandmothers Group meets @ White Lake Community Library, 9:30 a.m. All women welcome.

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

ABCs of Cooking @ White Lake Community Library, 11 a.m. Families

with kids ages 3-5 welcome to this program which includes free books and cooking supplies. Registration required @ wlclib.org.

The Monkbirds, Nate Wagner & RJ Nordlund perform @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, May 27

Eric Michaels & Chris Kennedy perform @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 11:30 a.m.

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

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

Thursday, May 28

Adult Open Studio @ ACWL-Nuveen Center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring

studio materials from home or explore available supplies in the classroom.

Friday, May 29

Mahjong at the Library @ White Lake Community Library, 10 a.m. Beginners and experienced players welcome - bring your own sets if you like.

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!

Mike Snell and Renee Jacobs perform @ Curly Horse Bistro, 6 p.m.

Cosmic Knot performs @ North Grove Brewers, 7 p.m.

Velvet Mushroom Syndicate performs @ Pub One Eleven, 8 p.m.

Echoes of History: The mysterious tower (Part 1)

By Tom Eitniear Volunteer Contributor

During the year 1875, the residents of Montague witnessed the construction of a mysterious tower by DeWitt Clinton Bowen. Initially people were uncertain regarding the purpose of the tower but as time went on it became clear that it was constructed as a water tower. The Aug. 5, 1875 issue of the Whitehall Forum attempted to amuse its readers with the following:

“A tower, forty-eight feet in height is being erected near the base just below the Presbyterian church, the use of which our reporter has been unable to ascertain. Some have said it was intended for a jail; others that in it the Lumberman editor will be hanged by the neck until he is dead—dead; and still others that it is a water tank to supply the residence of D. C. Bowen with water. Alas!

We do not know.”

Near the base of the tower was a clear spring that was used as the water source to fill this tower. A hydraulic ram pump was installed which pumped the water to the elevated water tank. A pipe system was installed and gravity provided pressurized water for the Bowen household.

The Sanborn Fire Insurance map from Montague dated December 1883 notes the tower location and the height to be 40 feet, and located just off Prospect Street, which is now known as Old Channel Trail. Today the location would best be described as approximately 300 feet southwest of the intersection of Knudsen Street and Old Channel Trail, and then approximately 80 feet southeast of the base of the bluff.

In 1891 George Dowling acquired the tower and moved it to his Buttermilk Springs Park. It is probable that the

tower was dismantled and transported piece by piece to the park for reconstruction. On Oct. 9, 1891, a number of people from Montague and Whitehall found themselves at the park by special invitation. These individuals assisted in the erection of the tower framework in which will be placed a large tank, at a sufficient elevation to force water to town. (The Montague Observer, Oct. 15, 1891)

The Oct. 1, 1891 issue of the Whitehall Forum mentioned that a crew was busy working at the park constructing a steam water system for the entire grounds. It is probable that the water tower was to play an important role in this system.

The Oct. 15, 1891 issue of the Whitehall Forum commented that a hydraulic engine using the water head from a pond created at the park by George Dowling would be used to fill the water

tank which would then power fountains and springs in the park. It was believed that he would also run pipes from the tower to his residence to provide pressurized water.

"Unearth a Story" in summer reading - coming soon

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor

brary Beth will lead infants and toddlers (and their caregivers!) in songs, music, and movement at the library.

Get ready to dig into discovery as you “Unearth a Story” at White Lake Community Library this summer! From fossil hunting and dinosaur adventures to creative crafts, pop-up story times around town, and special America 250 music and craft programs, this summer’s reading program is packed with opportunities to explore, learn, and connect. The free program runs from June 11 through July 31 and is open to all ages, from infants to adults. Whether you’re uncovering a new favorite book or discovering the history beneath your feet, there’s something exciting waiting for every age group.

Visit the library’s website at wlclib.org or our Facebook page for a complete listing of event information. Here's a sampling of what’s to come at the library this summer:

Weekly Programs for Kids and Teens

Baby Time - Tuesdays at 9:30, Li-

Community Pop-Up StorytimeTuesdays at 11, find Library Beth at a different location around town each week for stories, songs, rhymes, and activities for kids of all ages.

Kid Crafters - Wednesdays at 1 p.m., join the White Lake Kid Crafters and use their supplies and your imagination to “unearth” some awesome creations. All ages.

Family Night - Thursdays at 5:30, kids and families can look forward to a different special event each week. Highlights include a “touch a truck” night, a foam party, a fossil night, and more.

Outdoor Explorers - Fridays at 9:30, kids and families can spend an hour exploring the woods, building forts, playing lawn games, looking for critters, and walking the story trail with Library Beth.

Afternoon Hangout - Fridays from 2-4, youth ages 10 and up are invited to the library's hangout sessions, where they can engage in games, book discussions, creative projects, and video games. Activities planned for the summer will be dinosaur-themed.

FUN FACT: Last summer, nearly 300 readers of all ages participated in our Summer Reading Program, earn-

ing more than 2,000 virtual badges. The adults read almost 700 books and the kids logged 2,500 minutes of reading! This year’s theme, “Unearth a Story,” invites readers to excavate exciting adventures and discover stories buried deep within the pages of a good book.

Programs for Adults

Kids don’t get to have all the fun! Adults can also look forward to a summer full of creativity, discovery, and fun during our “Unearth a Story” programs! Explore the fascinating world of rocks and fossils during a special visit from the local rock club, create a patriotic firecracker-inspired craft, and enjoy an engaging folk music presentation celebrating America’s musical traditions as part of our America 250 programming. Nature lovers can learn more about Michigan’s unique coastal dunes and their importance to our state’s landscape, while creative participants can try their hand at a relaxing clay craft program. To wrap up the summer, adults are invited to unwind and celebrate with a special adults-only game night filled with friendly competition, laughter, and community fun.

As you can see, White Lake Community Library’s “Unearth a Story” summer reading program celebrates the joy and importance of reading while also creating opportunities

to explore, discover, and connect through hands-on experiences and community events. From books and storytelling to history, music, science, and art, this summer is filled with opportunities to spark curiosity and imagination for all ages. Get ready to read, learn, create, and unearth something unforgettable this summer!

Electronics Recycling Event

Saturday at Farmers Market

Not sure what to do with your old TV or that box of old phones, batteries, and cords? Bring it to the Montague Farmers Market between 2-4 p.m. Saturday, May 30! The suggested donation to cover recycling costs is $2 for the first 10 items or $5 for a load of more than 10 items. For a complete list of what you can bring to this event, please visit bit.ly/goodwillerecycling.

DeMumbrum

The tower, circa 1900.

• Courtesy Photo

Lake Mirror Lake Mirror

NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE community

School records fall, local stars shine at regionals

Montague's French breaks shot put record, is top seed heading to state; Whitehall's Bowyer breaks discus mark at All-Star meet

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — Montague senior Isaac French, the school wryly noted over the weekend, might have the record for shortest amount of time a school record has ever lasted after Friday's Division 3 regional meet at the Wildcats' home track.

French broke the Montague school record in shot put, previously held by Kris Krim with a 52-11.25 throw in 2005, with one of his attempts during Friday's meet, posting a mark of 53-11. Mere minutes later, French broke his own record with a mark of 55-3, earning himself the regional championship.

French was one of two state qualifiers for Montague in the meet. Annelyse Schneider also will compete at state after placing second in the high jump with a personal best 5-2.

The Wildcats were seventh in the girls' meet and tied for eighth in the boys' meet, propelled by those two scores.

French said he put in a lot of time over the summer to improve in shot put; coach Phil Koops said French has added nearly 10 feet to his throws since the start of the season. French's personal best entering the season was 47-6.5 at last year's state meet.

"He has strength trained for years, worked with our throws coach Joe Marsh, attended college throws camps,

and recently put a lot of attention and emphasis into some explosive strength training to increase his power production," Koops said. "It’s been fun to watch him chip away at the record and finally get it."

It will be a close battle at the state meet, set for Saturday at Kent City, but French will enter the competition as the top seed thanks to his school record mark. Three other athletes enter the event with a mark within four feet of French's, and another seven are within five feet.

"Hopefully I place pretty high, and I think I have a high chance of winning," French said.

Schneider picked a great meet for her personal best and tied for the highest height cleared. Two others - Makenna Olsen and Lexi Hetrick, both of Calvin Christian - also got to 5-2, with the final order of finish determined by the number of attempts needed to do so.

"Annelyse has worked hard at practice this year with her high jump coach Bob Lloyd (Montague grad, class of '63)

shot put record in the meet, winning the regional title in that event. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

and has seen that work slowly pay off as she is really finding herself in the high jump and long jump," Koops said. "She has some natural springiness and a tall frame that really helps her in those two events. Her PR in the high jump on Friday, when it mattered, shows what kind of competitor she is."

Several other Wildcats medaled in both the boys' and girls' meets. For the girls' team, Addi Smith capped a terrific junior season with three medals. She was third in the pole vault (8-9), fourth in the 100-meter dash (13.47) and fifth in the 400 (1:04.2). Schneider added a fifth-place finish in long jump (15-5) to her high jump heroics, and Gabby Dietz was fifth in high jump with a personal best (4-11) and was seventh in the 300 hurdles (54.41).

Also for the girls, Molly Mulder was sixth in the shot put (30-1) and Willa Van Loon was eighth in the discus (75-11), both with personal bests. Three Wildcat relays medaled; the 800 relay team

of Jenna Erickson, Dietz, Schneider and Cadence Fox was fifth (1:56.5), the 1,600 team of Erickson, Neviah Davis, Gentry Knop and Celina Pruitt was sixth (4:34.1) and the 400 team of Erickson, Knop, Schneider and Fox was seventh (55.40).

The Wildcats had two third-place boys finishers in the meet, with Devlin Dean third in long jump (20-2.5) and Dylan Bailey third in high jump (58). Bailey also placed seventh in the 200-meter dash with a personal best (24.72), just ahead of teammate Wyatt Grawey in eighth (25.05). Wesley Mair placed sixth in the 3,200-meter run with a personal best time (10:27.6), and Nolan Kessler was seventh in the 1,600 (4:47.2). Michael Jones finished seventh in the pole vault (10-6) and Logan Hansen took eighth in the discus (119-10). The Wildcats' 1,600 relay team of Bailey,

Wildcats take over late, top Oakridge in district

By Andy Roberts

MONTAGUE — After a scoreless first half, Montague's offense took over the second half of Wednesday's pre-district matchup with Oakridge, scoring two goals in the span of less than four minutes to grab a lead that led to a 3-1 victory, ensuring the Wildcats' district title defense will last at least one more game.

Montague will travel to Hart next Wednesday for the district semifinal, a rematch of a May 8 game the Pirates won 3-2. For the first 30 minutes or so Wednesday, the midfields dominated and neither team was able to create much on offense. However, the Wildcats began making some hay late in the half, and their players noticed during a player-led halftime discussion. It appeared it was only a matter of time

before Montague got on the board. It took a little bit longerand a missed opportunity at the 25-minute mark - but the Wildcats got their goal. Freshman Ava Crow maneuvered herself into position and fired a terrific shot under the far post to open the scoring. Crow has been the answer

to the question the Wildcats entered the season with offensively, that being who would emerge as a scoring option to complement Lilly Rice.

"She is the poster child for (getting) one percent better every day," Montague coach Chris Aebig said. "We have a soccer camp coming up this summer and she was the first

of our girl athletes to sign up. She's going to Grand Valley to do a summer camp. She is looking for opportunities constantly to get one percent better every day, to do what she can do to get better at the sport. It shows on the field. It shows with her touch. It shows with her command and her control."

Crow's goal came just over a minute after a wide open shot set up by a great centering pass went just wide of the net. It was the type of near miss that could throw a young team off its game, but Montague was not deterred.

WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER

Montague's Isaac French winds up to make a discus throw during Friday's regional meet in Montague. French broke the Wildcats' 21-year-old

White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall senior track star Caden Bowyer celebrates with throwing coach Joe Stachowicz after breaking the Vikings' school record in shot put at Tuesday's AllStar meet. Bowyer broke Ryan Van Bergen's 2006 record. • Courtesy Photo

Montague's Lilly Rice (right) and Oakridge's Madalynn Smith jostle for position during Wednesday's pre-district game at Montague. Rice scored 2 goals in the Wildcats' 3-1 win. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Montague's Zaniya Meza (1) corrals the ball while Oakridge's Maycen Williamsen defends during Wednesday's district game. The Wildcats won, 3-1. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Friday's regional meet in Montague.

Big track week

Grawey, Jones and Isaiah King also medaled, taking eighth (3:44.7).

Vikings boys break 3,200 relay mark, send many to state

Whitehall finished its team track season with a solid performance at the Division 2 regionals in Allendale Saturday. The Viking boys finished fourth, one point behind third-place Hopkins, and the Whitehall girls took 12th.

The Viking boys earned several state qualifications and had one big highlight with the 3,200-meter relay team breaking the school record. The team of Jevon Hilliard, Rex Pumford, Javi LeBlanc and Bobby Jazwinski set the new mark with a time of 7:57.7, also winning the regional championship in the event. They'll enter the state finals, set for this Saturday in Hamilton, as the No. 3 seed in the event.

Jazwinski also took the regional title in the 3,200-meter run, blowing away the field with a season best time of 9:28.8, over 18 seconds ahead of anyone else.

Caden Bowyer also earned himself a state spot, taking second in the discus with a throw of 157-1. Two other Vikings qualified by beating the additional qualifier standard; Graysen Olstrom set a personal best of 13-5 and took third in the pole vault, and LeBlanc got a spot in the 800 by running a personal best time of 1:58.4, taking third.

Other Viking medalists included Elijah Smith, fourth in the high jump (5-7); Judd Musk, fifth in the 110 hurdles (a personal best 15.70); Hilliard, seventh in the 400 (52.75); Tim Vieira, seventh in the 200 (23.69); Hunter Parsons, seventh in the 3,200 (10:30.4); Isaiah Lewis, seventh in the pole vault (12-2); and Cole Essebaggers, eighth in the long jump (20-0).

The boys' team also medaled in the 800 relay, as the team of Vieira, Brayen Sorensen, Essebaggers and Musk finished eighth (1:35.2).

The Viking girls' team was unable to get anyone to the state meet, but did pick up three medals. Aaliyah Jamison earned the Vikes' highest finish, fourth in the shot put (33-9). Teammate Carrianna Gibbons placed seventh in the same event and set a personal best (315). Gabrielle Chevez finished eighth in the 1,600 and also set a personal best (5:44.7).

Rockets reach state in 7 events; Bilek breaks 800m record

Reeths-Puffer advanced seven events to the state meet from Friday's Division 1 regional in Zeeland. The Rocket boys finished seventh in the meet, while the girls' team placed 13th.

The Rockets won two regional titles at the meet. Mason Darke won the 300-meter hurdles and set a new season best time of 38.35 seconds. Darke did not compete in the 110 hurdles but had already earned early qualification to state in that event.

Marvin Moore was R-P's other regional champ, winning the 400-meter dash in a personal best time of 49.03 seconds. R-P's track and field Facebook page said Moore's time put him in second place all-time at the school.

London Rankin picked up a state spot by finishing second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.08 seconds. Evan McHugh took third in pole vault with a mark of 13-3 and Jamichael Williams reached state in high jump with a mark of 6-2. Though Williams finished 10th, he joined McHugh in hitting the qualifying standard to reach state.

continued from page 4

Reeths-Puffer athletes, from left, London Rankin, Marvin Moore, Emcee McLaurin and Ethan Rolewicz celebrate qualifying for state in the 800-meter relay at Friday's regional meet. Moore also won the regional title in the 400 meters, and Rankin qualified for state in the 100. • Photo courtesy of R-P Track & Field

The Rockets' 800-meter relay team of Rankin, Emcee McLaurin, Moore and Ethan Rolewicz also qualified for state, finishing second (1:28.7).

R-P's Makayla Disselkoen will represent the girls at state after placing fourth in high jump with a personal best 5-2, hitting the qualifying standard. The Rockets' Jersi Bilek did not reach state, but did set a school record in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:19.2, placing fifth. She barely missed the state qualifying standard of 2:19.

McHugh added two other regional medals for the Rocket boys. He placed fourth in the 110 hurdles (15.89) and seventh in the 300 hurdles (41.65).

Bowyer breaks Whitehall shot put record at All-Star meet

It was a big night for local squads Tuesday at the West Michigan All-Star meet, which took place in Fruitport this year, but no win was bigger than that of Whitehall senior Caden Bowyer, who broke the Vikings' 20-year-old school record in shot put.

Bowyer also won the event with a spectacular throw of 166-4, surpassing the previous mark of 163-0 set by Ryan VanBergen in 2006.

He wasn't the only local athlete to set a school record, either, as Mason Darke of Reeths-Puffer broke his own mark in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 38.03 seconds, which also earned him first place in the meet.

Whitehall's Aaliyah Jamison picked up a win in the girls' shot put with a mark of 34-5.5, and Evan McHugh of Reeths-Puffer set a personal best of 14-0 to win the boys' pole vault. Montague's Addi Smith made sure the Wildcats got to the top of the podium, too, winning the girls' pole vault with a mark of 9-0. She also took sixth place in the 400-meter dash (1:05.4).

The Vikings picked up several other top-6 finisher medals at the All-Star meet. For the boys, Cole Essebaggers placed third in the long jump with a leap of 206.75, and Bowyer added a fifth-place finish in shot put with a mark of 48-6.5. Tim Vieira set a personal best of 23.03 seconds to take sixth in the 200-meter dash.

Carrianna Gibbons set her second personal best in shot put in the span of a week for the Whitehall girls, finishing in sixth (31-8).

McHugh picked up a second medal for the R-P boys, placing third in the 110 hurdles (15.56). Marvin Moore took third in the 200 (22.79), followed by teammate Ethan Rolewicz, who was fourth and set a personal best (22.80). Jamichael Williams placed fourth in high jump (6-0), and the 800 relay team of Tanner Nash, Landon Howland, Tyler Sykes and Londyn Howland placed fourth (1:36.3).

Jersi Bilek topped Rocket girls medalists, placing

Sports in Brief Baseball

Jenison 12 Reeths-Puffer 1

R-P got 10 hits in the game, but struggled to drive in runs. Bentley Kops got 3 hits, and Tyler Sykes and Brendan Guikema had 2 each.

Mona Shores 10 Whitehall 0

The Vikings managed 1 hit in the loss. Emmett Hecht pitched 2 innings and allowed no hits and no earned runs.

Whitehall 8-7 Shelby 2-6

Noah Morse had 2 hits for the Vikings in game one, and Justin Jensen had 2 RBI. Brayden Kelley allowed 6 hits and struck out 7. The Vikings won game two in the 8th inning thanks to Noah Peterson's walk-off single. Jensen had 3 hits and Cody Manzo had 2.

Montague 14 Muskegon Catholic

Reeths-Puffer

Softball

Newaygo 4-11 Whitehall 2-1

Janie Fagan got 2 hits in game one, including a 2-run double. Beth LeaTrea allowed only 3 hits and struck out 13. Ryleigh Smith got 2 hits in game two, and Fagan's RBI single brought in Whitehall's only run.

Reeths-Puffer 4-9 Zeeland East 3-10

Tessa Ross drew a bases-loaded walk to win game one. Caydence Rettinhouse had 2 hits and 2 runs. R-P rallied late but fell short in game two. Lainey McDaniel had 3 hits, including 2 doubles. She also collected her 600th career strikeout during the doubleheader.

Whitehall 9-18 Big Rapids 7-3

The Vikings held off a late charge to win game one and won a rout in game two. Kayden Johnson had 3 RBI and Toree Carlson got 2 hits in the opener. In

Whitehall 3-7 Shelby 1-9

Beth LeaTrea earned a win in game one, allowing 4 hits and no earned runs. She struck out 6. Janie Fagan had 2 RBI. In game two, Fagan got 2 hits and walked twice.

Reeths-Puffer 6 Fruitport 2

R-P jumped ahead early and never looked back. Kenzie Jacobs got 3 hits and had 2 RBI, and Ava Gibbs added 2 hits. Lainey McDaniel went 6 innings and allowed no earned runs on 7 hits, with 7 strikeouts.

Girls Soccer

Reeths-Puffer 3 Jenison 0

Mallorie Messer scored 2 goals for the Rockets and Jaslynn Kops had 1. Ava Callender made 9 saves to get the shutout. Fremont 7 Whitehall 2

Kate Beda scored a goal for the Vikings. Full statistics were not reported. G.R. Christian 2 Reeths-Puffer 0 Statistics were not reported from the Rockets' defeat.

Montague 1 Shelby 1 Lilly Rice scored the Wildcats' lone goal in a hard-fought tie.

Whitehall 4 Manistee 0 Reese Hesse had a goal and an assist, and Kate Beda, Bre Izaguirre and Morgan Parsons each scored once. Whitehall outshot Manisee 25-0 in a dominating effort and faces Fremont next week in the district semifinals.

Boys Golf

Montague 4th, Whitehall 6th at Fremont Jamboree

Michael Flanagan led local players, shooting a 40 for Montague to take 6th overall. Tanner DeVries was 10th with a 41. For Whitehall, Clayton Betz shot a 42 and Gabe Gilbert had a 45.

Reeths-Puffer 15th at Katke Classic

The Rockets improved from a 378 on day one of the tournament to a 354 on day two. Kristian Brown led the Rockets, shooting an 82 each day and recording 3 total birdies.

Reeths-Puffer 12th at Mona Shores Invite

Montague 3rd, Whitehall 4th at OV Jamboree

The Wildcats had their best 9-hole score of the season (165) to edge Whitehall by 2 strokes. Michael Flanagan and Ethan Balon tied for 4th place overall with a 38, and Jones McDowell had a 40 for Whitehall. Montague ended WMC Lakes play in 4th, with Whitehall in 5th.

W.M. Christian 163 Reeths-Puffer 181

R-P dropped a dual meet as it prepares for regionals. Ian Vokal led the Rockets with a 40, and Kristian Brown shot a 42.

Lacrosse

East Grand Rapids 19 Reeths-Puffer 1

The Rockets' season ended in the regionals. Stats were

third in the 800 (2:20.9). Addison Mitchelson took fourth in the 100 (13.01) and sixth in the 200 (26.98). Zaire Wright was fifth in the shot put (32-1.5) and Makayla Disselkoen was sixth in the high jump (4-10). The 800 relay team of Darcy Keefe, Mattie Kemp, Rhylie McBride and Alyssa Hillin finished sixth (1:57.0). For Montague, Isaac French took second place in shot put (53-9), and Wesley Mair set a personal best to take third in the 3,200 (10:19.5). Gabby Dietz and Annelyse Schneider tied for sixth place in the high jump (4-10).

Montague's Dylan Bailey races around the first turn in the 400-meter race during

Bailey won two medals at the regional meet. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

No-hitters propel Wildcats to WMC Lakes title share

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Montague secured a share of the West Michigan Conference Lakes title Tuesday, blanking Orchard View twice in a lopsided doubleheader, 11-0 and 16-0.

Ludington swept Oakridge Tuesday to win its share of the title alongside the Wildcats.

The Wildcats (22-5, 11-1 WMC

Lakes) did not allow a single hit all night and also played errorless defense. Thanks to his team not eclipsing double digits in runs until the seventh inning, Eli Petersen was able to pitch a full seven-inning no-hitter in game one, while Cole Herremans was limited a three-inning no-hitter in the nightcap.

Petersen overwhelmed Cardinal hitters, getting 16 of his 21 outs by strikeout. He walked only one batter

and needed only 84 pitches to complete his gem.

Karter Johnson, Cole Moss and Cooper Bradley each got two hits for the Wildcats in the opening win. Moss and Johnson each scored twice, as did Caleb Rice. Levi Auger had three RBI.

The 'Cats piled up 12 second-inning runs in game two to lock up the sweep. Petersen had a RBI double in the second, and Moss ripped a bases-clearing three-run double in the inning too. Eli

Pendell drove in runs in two different at-bats in the same inning. Pendell and Petersen had two hits each, and Moss scored three times. Herremans struck out seven and walked one.

Rockets pick up 2 wins at home tournament

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer won a pair of games at its home round robin tournament Saturday, edging Spring Lake 3-2 and defeating East Kentwood 10-5.

The Rockets (23-7) took advantage of a Spring Lake error to score the winning run in the sixth inning. The miscue scored Tessa Ross, who led off the inning with a single.

Ross also had a first-inning RBI double in the win, and Lorelei Herrygers brought in a run with a sacrifice bunt in the third. Ross led the offense with a 3-for-3 performance. Makayla Jewett picked up the win, striking out six and allowing one earned run on eight hits.

Game two looked to be headed to the wire too when the Rockets went to bat in the fourth with the score tied 1-1. But the R-P bats exploded for eight runs, taking command of the game. Emma Wagbo started the barrage with a two-run triple, and a few batters later Madi Reichert rapped a RBI single, followed by Herrygers' two-run single. Carlie Guikema added a RBI double later in the inning.

Each of the Rockets' top six hitters in the batting order had multiple hits, with Ross and Guikema each collecting three. Lainey McDaniel, Reichert, Herrygers, Kenzie Jacobs and Wagbo added two each. McDaniel got the win, compiling 13 strikeouts and allowing two earned runs on four hits.

Vikings beat Coopersville, go 1-1 at R-P tourney

Rockets defeat Whitehall, also go 1-1 at tournament

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MUSKEGON — Whitehall showed its mental toughness Saturday at the Reeths-Puffer Round Robin Tournament, bouncing back from a frustrating end to the seventh inning to defeat Coopersville in the eighth, 3-2, and salvage a split of its two games.

Reeths-Puffer topped Whitehall 10-4 in the teams' first game, and Coopersville beat the Rockets 7-2 to close out the day.

Cody Manzo provided the winning play for Whitehall, laying down a sacrifice bunt to lead off the eighth inning (due to time limits, the game employed international rules and placed a runner on second for each team to start extra innings). When the Broncos committed an error trying to get pinch runner Madden Risner at third base, Risner was able to score.

Whitehall freshman Emmett Hecht was a big reason that run proved to be the winner. Hecht was pressed into duty on the mound when starting pitcher Evan Thomas was thrown out of the game for jawing at a Bronco batter he'd just struck out to end the seventh. (Thomas was previously called for a balk to bring the tying run in from third base.)

In the eighth, Coopersville's courtesy runner stole third base, but when Hecht induced a fly ball deep enough to him, he left the base early and was called out on appeal. Hecht gave up a single to the next batter but got a popout to end the inning.

"He's a kid that doesn't need a lot of warmup," Whitehall coach Brian Peets said of Hecht. "I had him warming up the first game because I wasn't sure if I was going to use him or not, so he knows that he could be called at any

Reeths-Puffer's Tyler Sykes delivers a pitch during Saturday's game against Whitehall. Sykes helped the Rockets defeat Whitehall, part of a 1-1 showing at their home tournament.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

point in the game. For a freshman, he's really got a lot of good baseball knowledge. I've got a couple Swiss army knives on the team that can just do everything, and Emmett can."

Manzo, who caught the game, said he and the other Viking defenders made sure to let Hecht know when he came into the game on short notice that they "had his back."

"We just told him, go throw strikes and we'll have your back as a team," Manzo said. "That's a tough situation. As a team out in the field, (we know) pitching is one of the hardest things to do in all of sports, so we told him we had his back. He made some great pitches, and some of our guys made some outstanding plays out in the field."

The Vikes got on the board early when Manzo got an infield single and came around to score on two groundouts and an error. That was the last time Whitehall had a runner on base until the fifth, when it responded to a Coopersville run by scoring again.

Noah Peterson led off the fifth with a double and scored when the Broncos committed an error on Justin Jensen's sacrifice bunt.

Peets was pleased with his team's mental toughness in the late innings of the game, comparing it favorably to the Vikes' response to tough situations earlier in the season.

"The first half of the year, if we got down 5-6 runs early, our heads were down, shoulders slumped, and we would just get run off the field," Peets said.

Early in the season the team was unable to practice outside much due to weather, but since a four-day week of practices, the team has improved on and off the field, Peets added.

Manzo is one of few seniors on the team, and Peets has been impressed with his leadership and coachability; he said Manzo already knew when he led off the eighth that he'd be asked to bunt.

"Cody is a coach's dream for a kid to play for (him)," Peets said. "He'll do

anything you ask. It's always, 'Yes, sir,' 'Yep, I'll do it,'...(I) saw we had Manzo up, and he knows. He's like, 'I'll put this one down to first base.' He just knows. He reads my mind ahead of time, which is great. He's a great kid, a great teammate and a great athlete."

The R-P vs. Whitehall game was a tight one most of the way, and the Vikings tied it 4-4 in the fourth inning, but the Rockets got the lead again in the bottom of the inning, then put the game away with five runs in the fifth as the Vikings struggled with infield defense. Tyler Sykes had the go-ahead hit for R-P in the fourth, a RBI double. He got two hits in the game, as did Jack Yonkman and Jaxon Lee. Lee scored three runs and drove in two.

Manzo had two hits against the Rockets, and Thomas did as well. Thomas drove in two runs. R-P fell behind early in its matchup with Coopersville and could never recover, despite matching the Broncos in hits, 9-9. Sykes and Ethan Frang had two hits apiece.

Whitehall's Jakobe Monroe (3) reaches first base as Coopersville's Jackson SchieboutHoffman is unable to corral a high throw during Saturday's game at Whitehall. The Vikings won, 3-2. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Reeths-Puffer's Lainey McDaniel (right) tries to avoid a tag by East Kentwood's Elle Czapek during Saturday's game against East Kentwood. McDaniel was thrown out, but pitched the Rockets to a win. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Petersen

Five local tennis players reach regional semis

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Whitehall junior Akeelah Martin reached the semifinals at No. 2 singles at Friday's Division 4 regional tournament, the furthest advancement by a Viking in the bracket.

Martin was seeded third and received a bye in the bracket, then cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win over North Muskegon's Emmi VanWyck in round two. In the semifinals, Martin faced off with the No. 2 seed, NorthPointe Christian's Lydia Burkman, falling 6-0, 6-3.

The Vikings won two other matches at regionals, both in the first round. At No. 4 singles, Savanna Koernke won

a close match over Western Michigan Christian's Drew Coleman, 6-4, 7-5, before bowing out to top seed and eventual regional champ Kayla Koppenhofer of NorthPointe Christian. At No. 3 doubles, Emily VanDam/Bea Lewis blanked their first-round foe, Muskegon Catholic's Miranda Navarro/Bridget Bingham, before also running into the top seed and eventual champs, Grand Rapids Catholic Central's Jessica Milanowski/Anna Cotter.

R-P 5th at regionals; all 4 singles players reach semis

Reeths-Puffer finished fifth at Friday's Division 2 regional tournament

District soccer

It took barely three minutes for Montague to live up to a team mottoscore the next goal - and do just that. After the ball was knocked loose from a glut of girls, including the Oakridge keeper, Rice gathered it without taking more than a split second to think and fired it into a wide open net to go up 2-0.

"That's definitely been something I've worked on personally a lot this season, not thinking necessarily and getting in my head, just doing what I know what to do and how to do it well," Rice said. "I think that's something that I struggle with, thinking too much, almost, (rather than) just relying on what I know how to do in all the years of experience I've had and just make those plays happen."

The 'Cats continued to dominate

continued from page 4

the rest of the way, and Rice scored a similar goal to her first to make it 3-0 with eight minutes to go. Oakridge did score late on a penalty kick, but by then the Wildcats were in firm control.

It was an impressive game for the Montague midfield and defense. Oakridge had a couple of corner kicks and put a shot just off a post in the first half, but had minimal scoring opportunities as the Wildcats often gained possession in tough spots.

"I think in the second half we really focused on passing to feet when we're clearing out," defender Elle Moran said. "That helped us push up a little bit more, and it also allowed our offense to get up and make passes."

The win doubled as the final game on the home pitch for Montague's seniors, which include Rice, Moran

at Forest Hills Northern, scoring nine team points to finish one point behind fourth-place Greenville.

The Rockets scored all but one of their points in singles play, as all four flights advanced to the semifinals. All four received first-round byes and won second-round matches, and all four fell to FHN opponents in the semis.

Olivia Smith topped her first No. 1 singles opponent, Lowell's Asmin Karaosmanoglu, 6-1, 7-6(7), before falling in the semifinals to top seed and eventual champion Harriet Ogilvie. Hope Latsch beat Ottawa Hills' Lisa Lin at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-1, and lost a semifinal match to No. 2 seed Avery McKenzie.

At No. 3 singles, Molly Matz defeated Ottawa Hills' Clara Guest, 6-3, 6-2, then bowed out to top seed Aanya Dogra. Kaitlyn Durow edged Lowell's Gracie Lyonnais at No. 4 singles, 6-3, 7-6(8) and fell to top seed and eventual champ Audrey Kowatch. Kayleigh Brown/Jayla Brink scored R-P's only doubles win, winning their first-round match at No. 2 doubles over Alexa Gonzalez/Courtney Seymour of Wyoming 6-2, 6-2. They fell to top seed Sadie Koffman/JJ Marsiglia of Forest Hills Central in the second round.

and three foreign exchange students, including keeper Sara Zorrilla, who played an effective game. After the contest, the program played a video montage of players saying their favorite things about their teammates, and the message was consistent - supportive, encouraging and above all, fun.

"We've had, some of the coach-

es might think, maybe a little bit too much fun, but I don't know if that's really possible," Aebig smiled. "The girls want to play because they want to play with their friends. They want to have a good experience. They want to have a lot of fun...We have a good time, and that's ultimately what high school athletics are all about."

Fruitland Twp. residents request anti-pesticide signs

By Claire Marshall White Lake Mirror Writer

WHITEHALL — Several Fruitland Township residents involved in the “No Spray in the Road Right of Way” citizen advisory committee spoke at public comment to the township board of trustees at its regular meeting Monday, encouraging them to accept their request for yard signs supporting a grassroots anti-pesticide movement, particularly in the right-of-way of township roads. The hope is that the signs will encourage other township residents to likewise request the omission of spray pesticides from their properties. In order to receive a sign, the resident must also register as a no-spray property with the Muskegon County Road Commission, and the sign will also indicate no-spray zones.

The original ask from the advisory

committee was for 200 signs, as well as t-shirts and card stock fliers, with a variety of quotes provided. At the suggestion of one public comment, Supervisor Jeff Marcinkowski motioned to proceed with the purchase of 100 signs for interested residents, alongside fliers, with the total not to exceed $1,500.

Trustee Christopher VanOosterhout mentioned concerns regarding neighborhood safety, as the spray pesticides are applied to reduce foliage along roads for pedestrian safety, saying, “we have competing safety issues. Do you want to get poisoned or do you want to get hit by a car?... [If residents] decide they don’t want to be sprayed, does that put their neighborhood at risk?”

It was then made clear to the board that, should a resident refuse spray, the onus is on the resident to ensure their road right-of-way is maintained

and cut back to county standards. If residents neglect maintenance, the road commission will spray regardless to maintain visibility and pedestrian safety.

Marcinkowski’s motion was seconded and approved by the board, which had a quorum of four members present at the meeting - Marcinkowski, VanOosterhout, Clerk Alexa Steffes, and Treasurer Justin Roggero.

The board approved the sending of a letter to the owner of a 40-acre parcel on Orshal Road, adjacent to the western end of the recently finished Duck Creek Natural Area, voicing interest in the property to establish another entrance to the natural area and whether or not the owner would consider donating or selling the property. In order to purchase the property, should the owner be interested, the township is also considering selling 40 acres of

township property on the northwest corner of Lakewood and Blank roads to fund the acquisition. The township is also hoping to speak with Howmet Aerospace for the purchase or donation of property along the north end of the natural area.

Also approved was the replacement of the township’s local production server for $26,641.76 for hardware, software, shipping and labor provided by VC3, providers of the current server. For upcoming business, the township is looking at quotes for a parks maintenance trailer and additional parking spaces to be put in at Nestrom Park concurrently with the accessible pathways project provided by the DNR Passport Grant. The board is also following up with recent resident concerns following aggressive solicitors and is looking into ordinances to discourage solicitation.

Area residents step up in Stamp Out Hunger food drive

White Lake Area residents recently demonstrated generous support for their friends and neighbors who don’t have enough to eat by donating an estimated 7,000 pounds of food during the 34th annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

The food drive is led by the National Association of Letter Carriers and Rural Route Carriers, and supported by the United States Postal Service. The national event is held each year on the second Saturday in May and has grown into one of the country’s largest oneday food drives, helping supply food

pantries in communities across the US.

This year, residents were encouraged to put donations of non-perishable foods by their mailbox on May 9 for their letter carrier to pick up. The 7,000 pounds of food collected locally included everything from coffee and breakfast cereals to pasta, canned fruits and vegetables, canned soups, and side dishes such as mashed potatoes and seasoned rice.

Rural letter carrier Saleena Millet coordinates the drive in the White Lake Area. She selected New Beginnings, the Rothbury Community Food Pan-

try, and the White Lake Area Food Pantry based at Lebanon Lutheran Church to receive the food.

“As the cost of food goes up, the number of individuals and families who can’t afford the groceries they need is growing,” said Montague resident and volunteer Paul Collins, who coordinates procurement of most of the food distributed Wednesday mornings at the White Lake Area Food Pantry.

“We are tremendously grateful to all the residents who donated the food, to the letter carriers who collected it,

and to Saleena for the time and energy she puts into this important annual food drive,” said Collins. “This generous outpouring of support makes it possible for us to purchase for clients additional food items that are not usually donated such as milk and meat.” Individuals and families who are short of funds to buy the food they need are encouraged to call any of the pantries for information about when food is distributed.

Montague's Ava Crow lines up a kick while Oakridge's Sofia Wiegand defends during Wednesday's pre-district game. Crow scored the game's first goal in a 3-1 victory.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Recent local police activity

Behind the Badge

Whitehall Police Report

May 14

At approximately 3:14 p.m., officers were called to the 200 block of N Baldwin St. regarding a fraudulent check that had passed through the victim's local credit union. The victim indicated he had written a check for $197 to Capital One, and his credit union alerted him that the check had been altered to be made out to an individual for $7,197. The transaction was stopped before it went through. Officers investigated and learned from another credit union that they had been contacted regarding several other fraudulent transactions intended for Capital One. It appeared that these were related issues.

May 15

At approximately 8:48 a.m., officers were called to the 300 block of W Johannah St. to assist a parent, who was not present, in getting their child to school. The parent was concerned their child may not be attending school and requested help. Officers went to the residence at around 9 a.m. to make contact with the male juvenile and were unable to do so. They later verified that the student, although late, did arrive at school.

At approximately 2:40 p.m., officers were called to the 500 block of E Lewis St. on a civil dispute. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the female half of a couple, who indicated her boyfriend

was refusing to return her vehicle's keys to her. Officers spoke with the male half, who agreed to return the keys. There did not appear to be any physical assault in the case.

May 16

At 7:36 p.m., officers were in the area of the 3000 block of W White Lake Dr. when they initiated a traffic stop for speeding. Upon contact with the driver, a 37-year-old male from Whitehall, it was noted he had a retail fraud warrant regarding an incident in Paw Paw. the driver was advised of the warrant and was taken into custody while bond arrangements were made. With assistance from Michigan State Police, bond of $500 was procured from the offender, who was then released and given a court date in Paw Paw.

At 11 p.m., officers were called to the 200 block of E Sophia St. on a suspicious occurrence complaint. The reporting party indicated that moments earlier, three juveniles had knocked on their door to request water. The juveniles appeared to be preteens and were sweating heavily, indicating they had either been exercising or under stress. The party did provide them with water and asked the police to check on their well-being, but officers were unable to locate the juveniles.

May 18

At approximately 12:21 pm, officers made contact with a party who resided in the 900 block of S Division St. regarding an unwanted solicitor complaint that had occurred a couple days earlier. The party indicated she had obtained video footage from her security camera, which indicated a subject who appeared to be selling windows was upset she was not answering the door and had made some verbal comments. No direct contact was made with the solicitor. Officers reviewed other complaints in Muskegon County and noted several similar reports had been filed in Muskegon and Norton Shores.

May 19

At 11:30 a.m., officers received a complaint from a 17-year-old Whitehall student and her mother regarding threats that were occurring involving a soon-to-be graduate of Grand Haven. The threats were not occurring in Whitehall, but were occurring at the student's Fruitland Twp. residence. Officers directed them to the Muskegon County Sheriff's Office to make an appropriate report and made school staff and the SRO aware of the incident, but there was no direct connection or threat to the school.

May 20

At 10:15 a.m., officers were called regarding a civil dispute in the 1200 block of E Colby St. involving tenants from the same apartment complex. The original reporting party was upset about paperwork found on her patio addressed from a local church requesting she not harass another party she was having a dispute with. the parties were advised not to contact one another.

At 2:14 p.m., police department staff assisted the Muskegon County Sheriff's Office and White Lake Fire Authority on a call that was initially reported as a crash on Colby Street. Officers later learned the incident,which occurred in the 3200 block of E Colby St., involved a person leaping from the vehicle and injuring their head. Assistance was given to the victim, who was transported to receive medical care by the White Lake Ambulance Authority. When the sheriff's office arrived, the matter was turned over to them. It appeared controlled substances may have been involved in the incident.

At 7:28 p.m., officers investigated a minor vehicle crash near Peterson and Colby streets. The crash involved a semi-truck with attached trailer colliding with a Ford Bronco. The truck driver involved indicated he was backing up slowly and was nearly stationery on

the road and the other driver ran into his trailer, causing extensive damage to her vehicle and minor damage to the trailer. Two witnesses said they were unsure why the Bronco's driver struck the semi, as she appeared to have sufficient time to change lanes. The female driver was transported to Trinity Health for further treatment.

Montague Police Report

May 14

9:09 a.m., background check, Montague Police Department

6:07 p.m., found property, Montague Police Department

May 15

12:17 a.m., well-being check, 5000 block of Dowling St.

12:42 p.m., shoplifting, 8000 block of Water St.

3:26 p.m. assist Muskegon County Sheriff's Office, vehicle accident with injuries, intersection of Sikkenga and Meinert roads

May 17

2:09 p.m., well-being check, 4000 block of Dowling St.

4:04 p.m., driving complaint, Stanton and Dicey streets

6:00 p.m., juvenile complaint, 8000 block of Cook St.

9:06 p.m., medical assist, 8000 block of Meade St.

May 19

12:28 p.m., medical assist, MACC

5:03 p.m., assist Whitehall Police Department, well-being check, 1000 block of E Colby St.

10:09 p.m., assist Whitehall Police Department, keys locked in vehicle, 200 block of E Colby St.

May 20

12:53 p.m., domestic disturbance, 4000 block of Dowling St.

CEIC volunteers do cleanup work at Mirror Lake

Several volunteers gathered at Mirror Lake Tuesday, May 12 to do cleanup work. Restoration of the lake is in progress after Chemours removed lime piles from the lake last fall. Volunteers included Scott Roodvoets, Tom Koethe, Shelley Tinsley-Hanson, Paula and Bill Nickels, Barb Reese, Sara Kane-Smart, Connie Crancer, and Ray and Claire Schlaff. • Claire Schlaff/Courtesy Photos

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