Z EELAND R ECORD THE
Vol. 129-No.32
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Zeeland, Michigan
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Serving Western Michigan for more than 128 Years
• June 1, 2023
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Cost$1.00/copy $30/year
DNR to Great Lakes Beachgoers: Double Red Flags Mean Don’t Go in the Water To help boost awareness of changing conditions at Great Lakes beaches and save lives, double red warning flags are now in place at state-designated swim beaches along the Great Lakes in Michigan state parks. It’s a change to the Great Lakes flag warning system that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources began integrating last year at several state parks, and for good reason. “We actively reevaluate our safety measures and public education efforts, especially when it comes to Great Lakes safety,” said Ron Olson, DNR Parks and Recreation chief. “Many people underestimate the power of the Great Lakes and don’t always understand how quickly even the most experienced swimmer can get into a life-threatening situation and be swept away. That’s why the DNR is committed to making beach safety and public education a top priority.” Olson said the increase in accidents and drownings on the Great Lakes in recent years is more than concerning. According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, which tracks drownings across Michigan, there have been 1,170 Great Lakes drownings since 2010, with 108 of those drownings in 2022 alone. If you see double red flags, you are not allowed to enter the water from the beach. Unless otherwise directed, visitors can still enjoy spending time on the beach when double red flags are up. Such closures/limits can also be identified by park signage and/ or by verbal communication from DNR parks or law enforcement staff. Specifically, DNR Land Use Order 5.1.6 makes it illegal to enter the water from a state-designated swim beach when there is risk to human health and safety. Risks can include severe weather events identified by the National Weather Service, hazardous waves and/or dangerous water conditions, active rescue or recovery efforts, and environmental hazards. “We began introducing double red flags at some state-designated swim beaches in 2022,” said Pat Whalen, district supervisor for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. “This year, all equipment is in place, and the new flag warning system has been rolled out to all state-designated swim beaches along the Great Lakes in nearly 30 state parks. We urge all Great Lakes beach visitors – whether you’re new to these beaches or have been coming for years – to learn what the flags mean and follow this guidance at all times.” The Great Lakes flag warning system is in place at state-designated swim beaches to advise visitors of current water conditions and any applicable environmental warnings. The updated system now includes: • Double red flag = water access closed**. Do not enter the water; dangerous conditions. • Red flag = high hazard. High surf and/or strong currents. It’s recommended that you stay on the beach. • Yellow flag = medium hazard. Moderate surf and/or currents. Watch for dangerous currents and high waves. • Green flag = low hazard. Calm conditions. Enter the water, but exercise caution. State-designated swim beaches are
identified by marked swim buoys, water depth of less than 5 feet at the time of buoy installation, available lifesaving flotation device and equipment, and (only at Great Lakes beaches, not inland beaches) Great Lakes flag warning system. Water depth at state-designated swim beaches is inspected approximately every 14 days, and underwater obstacles will be posted or marked. It’s important to note that not all state parks have designated swim beaches, and many are located inland. **The double red flag restriction does not include those participating in board sports, such as surfing, kite surfing and skim boarding, with appropriate safety gear. Keep these other cautions in mind when enjoying time in and around the Great Lakes: • There are no beach guards at state parks, so never swim alone, always keep close watch of children and bring U.S. Coast-Guard-approved life jackets, especially for new and inexperienced swimmers. • Water currents near piers, breakwalls and outlets of rivers can be extremely hazardous. • Visitors in areas without designated swim beaches should use extreme caution because they will not have the benefit of the beach flag warning system or the visual cautions of buoys that mark water depth and obstacles. • Before leaving home for any beach outing, check local weather reports and lake conditions and learn about the types of Great Lakes currents and how to escape them. Visit Michigan.gov/BeachSafety for tips and information on safely visiting the Great Lakes, including state-designated swim beach locations, the beach flag warning system, Great Lakes currents (and how to escape them) and more. For more information, contact the DNR’s Pat Whalen at 269-838-1196 or WhalenP1@Michigan.gov.
Police Blotter Two pickup trucks were involved in an accident at the intersection of State Street and Roosevelt Avenue at 8:39 a.m. on Friday, May 5. Stephen Dickerson, of Zeeland was east bound on Roosevelt and was attempting to turn onto southbound State, when a pedestrian started to cross State and was not looking in the crosswalk. Dickerson stopped to avoid striking the pedestrian and was struck in the back end by the vehicle driven by Danielle Korson-Campbell who was also east bound on Roosevelt and was unable to stop. Korson-Campbell was cited for causing the accident. A four-vehicle accident occurred at the intersection of Carlton Street and Washington Avenue at 3:39 p.m. on Monday, May 8. Toune Choang of Zeeland was northbound on Carlton was distracted by traffic on Washington when she failed to notice that the three vehicles in front of her. She sideswiped the vehicle in front of her driven by Francis Jakubecz, of Holland, and then struck the back end of the vehicle driven by Thomas Sammons of Saginaw. The impact of the Choang/Sammons collision pushed (Continued on page 10)
Zeeland honored service men and women who died serving our country on Monday with a parade and a Memorial Day Service. Honor Guard members from the Gilbert D. Karsten, Post #33, American Legion are pictured leading the procession into the cemetery for the service.
West Michigan Continues To Grow in Population It is easy to see the number of new homes, industrial buildings and new stores, but translating that into the population growth in the Holland/Zeeland area is a little more difficult when you consider the number of people who commute to work daily. From 2010 to 2020 the urban areas in the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council (MACC) grew from 59.17 to 65.96 square miles. The MACC is a Metropolitan Planning Organization and is federally mandated to administer transportation planning within its metropolitan area boundaries. The MACC represents the urbanized areas comprising of the cities of Holland and Zeeland, and Fillmore, Holland Charter , Laketown , Olive , Park, Port Sheldon , and Zeeland Charter townships. “We are now separated 3.5 miles from the Grand Rapids urban area and 4 miles from the Muskegon urban area,” explained MACC Transportation Planner / GIS Specialist Eric Davis. From 2010 to 2020 Zeeland Township’s population grew from 9,971 to 12,008, a change of 168.5%. In the same period Holland Township’s population grew from 35,636 to 38,276, a 118.4% change. The city of Zeeland saw its population grow from 5,504 to 5,719 during the same period. The total population for the MACC area is 125,147 and is projected to grow to 160,814 by 2050. “MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation) is projecting that the growth in Holland Township to be 55,467 by 2050, Zeeland Township is projected to grow to
14,499 and the City of Zeeland is projected at 6,124,” he said. According to 2020 Census data provided by Dykstra, 81% of area Black/ African people and 77% of area Hispanic people live in either the City of Holland or Holland Township. Holland Township is the most diverse municipality in the MACC with 43% minority population, and has the highest number of Hispanics, 10,122. “18.2% or 23,687 people in the MACC are of Hispanic origin, 4.5% or 5,851, are of Asian origin and 2.2% or 2,811 people are of Black/African origin,” he said. Other interesting facts presented by Dykstra was that Holland has the highest number of American Indians -76; 61% of Asians live in Holland Township; and Holland, Holland Township and Park Township lost White people between 2010 and 2020. “Zeeland Township has a 19% minority population, and the City of Zeeland has a 14% minority population,” he said. Overall, the MACC has 5.8% of the households with children under the age of 18 living in poverty, 7,5464 people. Two significant areas with poverty households include the area bounded by in the City of Holland bounded by 9th Street to the north, 14th Street to the south, River Avenue to the west and Lincoln Avenue to the east, has a 38% living in poverty. Another significant area is located in Holland Township in the area bordered by James Street to the north, Lakewood Blvd. to the south, Beech Street to the west and Beeline Road to the east, with 35% living in poverty.