August 17, 2023 The Zeeland Record

ZPS to Kick School Year with Community Celebration

Typically, the start of school is celebrated with kindergarten students taking the bus to school with their parents prior to the start of school. Other students may visit their schools and classrooms to become familiar with their new place of learning.

While that will still be happening, Zeeland Public School is planning to begin the 2023-24 school year with a Community Kickoff, a celebration of the Zeeland Community, that will be held Zeeland Stadium.

“This exciting event will unite the whole community for an incredible night of exciting attractions, including two Hooligan Flight Team flyovers, a variety of food trucks,

inflatables, family-friendly activities, and breathtaking fireworks display at 9:45 pm,” said organizer Sara Stevens.

Both Zeeland East and Zeeland West football teams will square off in back-to-back varsity football games. The Dux will be the opening game as they take on Stevensville Lakeshore at 5:00 pm. The Chix will face Williamston in a contest slated to begin at 7:30 pm.

“It will be an action-packed evening, including the ZPS choir, band, and dance programs,” she said.

Gates open at 4:00 PM at Zeeland Stadium.

Early Voting Creates Challenges

In 2022 voters in Michigan approved a constitutional amendment Proposal 22-2 that changed numerous voting laws and procedures, as they attempted to avoid any tampering with how votes are cast by the State Legislature.

One of the changes that has been brought by the passage of Proposal 22-2 is that all voters have the right to a minimum of 9 days of early inperson voting for all State and Federal elections. The polls are required to be open a minimum of eight hours each day. This doesn’t affect the City of Zeeland general election in November.

“Early voting is different than absentee voting in that with absentee voting the ballots can be cast anywhere and then sent to the clerk to be tabulated. With early voting, you go to a polling place and cast your ballot just like on election day. Some people want to see their ballot go into the tabulating machine to make sure that it is counted,” explained Ottawa County Clerk/Register of Deeds Justin Roebuck.

One of the issues facing local clerks was the need to find and staff a secure location for nine days of early voting. They also would need to purchase the voting machines along with finding the funding to cover the costs during each State and Federal election.

Zeeland Township was looking at a cost of $27,000 for the first election which included the purchase of the voting machine. Each election in the future was estimated to cost the township $14,000.

One of the caveats in the Constitutional amendment is that it allowed for municipalities to contract with other municipalities or with the County Clerk for the operation of early voting.

“As Clerks, we met numerous times to discuss how we could implement Early Voting. One of the big issues was location, it wasn’t like in the past where we had a location for two days. Staffing was also a big concern, in the past we had part-time election workers that worked the day of the election, now we had to manage a location for eight hours a day for nine days. Most of our clerks didn’t have the staffing in their offices to assist with such a task,” explained Roebuck.

Instead of having the local units of government manage Early Voting requirements, Roebuck has proposed creating four strategically located voting centers in the county. The centers would be located in Georgetown, Holland, Grand Haven and Crockery.

“With fewer offsite locations for election equipment and ballot storage over the course of 9 days, we will have uniform security

training and implementation. We wanted one location north of the Grand River, so it was decided to locate it in Crockery Township,” he said.

Roebuck estimates that it will cost $750,000 to run the Early Voting program for the February/March Presidential Primary in 2024 and the August 2024 primary that will occur in fiscal year 2023/2024, and the November 2024 Presidential Election that will occur in fiscal year 2024/2045. The State and County fiscal year begins on October 1.

In the first year the local units of government will pay 66% of the costs and the county will pay 34%. In year two the local units of government will pay 49% and the county will pay 51%.

For Zeeland Charter Township the cost for the first year of the Early Voting program will be $14,114 and $3,529 for the second year. The City of Zeeland will be paying $6,924 for the first year and $1,731 for the second.

“The vote center model allows voters to cast a ballot anywhere in the county; and also allows for consistency in communication, with consistent hours of operation and a unified message to all residents. Voters will be able to cast their ballot at any of the four locations, regardless of where they live in the county,” he said.

The State Legislature recently approve Senate Bill 367 that requires the Secretary of State to provide resources that secure the ‘Vote Center’ model and prevent voters from casting a ballot in multiple locations.

“The Secretary of State Office will have a statewide database of voters that will mark off voters when they cast their ballots to avoid any duplicate votes or fraud,” he said.

While Roebuck and local voters are securing funding for local voting, the State Legislature has set aside $24 million in the upcoming State budget to cover part of the Early Voting costs.

“We know the State Legislature has set aside monies for the program, but we are not sure what the county and each local municipality will receive. Right now, we are planning on a worse case scenario of not receiving any funds,” he said.

Zeeland Township and the City of Zeeland have approved funding to cover their costs for potentially running the program. Ottawa County Commission’s Finance Committee will be voting on Sept. 5, regarding the County’s portion of the project. The full board of the County Commission is scheduled to vote on the matter at their Sept. 12 meeting.

64th Avenue Closed in Zeeland Township

With the reconstruction work occurring on I-196 between Zeeland and Hudsonville, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has decided to take advantage of the situation to do some bridge repair where the expressway crosses 64th Avenue in Zeeland Township.

Beginning this past Monday, Aug. 14, and for the next two weeks 64th Ave. will be closed to traffic from Riley Street to Byron Road.

“A while back a high load struck the bridge, so we are taking the opportunity to address a beam in the bridge, do some

Police Blotter

The intersection of Main Avenue and Carlton Street was the scene of a twovehicle accident at 4:34 p.m. on Monday, July 31. James Boerckel of Zeeland was west bound on Main, when he saw the road close sign posted ahead at the Wall Street intersection. He quickly turned onto north bound Carlton Street and struck the south bound vehicle on Carlton that had stopped at the traffic sign at Main driven by Mitchell Brink of Zeeland. Boerckel was cited for causing the accident.

Two vehicles were involved in an accident on Main Street near the midblock downtown crosswalk. Jacquelyn Koetje of Zeeland was backing from one of the diagonal parking spots on the north side of the street when she struck the unoccupied pickup truck parked alongside her owned by Michael O’Connor of Holland. Koetje was cited for improper backing.

State Street south of the CSX rail line was the location of a two-vehicle accident at

deck patching and concrete work, and then coat and seal the structure,” said MDOT spokesperson John Richards.

The bridge work has pushed back Ottawa County Road Commission plans to mill and resurface 64th Avenue from Byron Road to M-121/Chicago Drive. The mill and resurface work were originally scheduled for August, but now has been pushed back to September.

“With the mill and resurfacing project, we will have one lane open for traffic and have a flag person to control traffic,” said OCRC Managing Director Brett Laughlin.

11:22 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 2. Kadrian Neifert of Zeeland was northbound on State when she realized that traffic was slowing to cross the train tracks. She struck the back end of the vehicle driven by Bernard Hoeve of Zeeland. Neifert denied to police that she was on her cellphone at the time of the accident. She was cited for causing the accident;

An accident occurred at the intersection of 92nd Ave/Maple St. and BL-196 at 1:47 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 4. Ned Doornbos of Holland was north bound on 92nd and stopped for the traffic sign before making a right turn onto east bound BL-196. While stopped he was struck in the back end by the vehicle driven by Russell Oldebekking of Zeeland. Oldebekking stated to police that he stopped behind Doornbos, the traffic cleared, and he thought Doornbos completed his turn when he ran into the back of his vehicle. Oldebekking was cited

Electricians from Polarity Electric were removing the light poles along Main Avenue between Church and Centennial for the second phase of the downtown snowmelt project. The sidewalk work is anticipated to begin in the next two weeks and continue through September. The section of Main in front of Cityside Middle School is nearing completion on the south side of the street.

Lester A. Zischke Dies at Age 78

Lester A. Zischke, 78, of Burnips, died Thursday, August 3, 2023.

Lester was born November 15, 1944, to Rev. Alton and Elnora (Raab) Zischke. He graduated from Zeeland High School and Michigan State University. Lester worked as a mechanical engineer throughout his career prior to his retirement. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard during the Vietnam War and was stationed at the North Pole. He was a longtime member of Burnips Methodist Church.

Lester was preceded in death by his parents, his infant brother Harold Zischke, his brother Walter Zischke, and his brother-in-law George Beyerle.

He is survived by his sister Judy Beyerle of Kalamazoo, Judith Zischke of Lansing, and his aunt Ellie Raab, and many extended family members.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, August 19, 2023, at Burnips Methodist Church, 4241 30th Street, Burnips MI 49314. Visiting will be 10:0011:00 am Saturday prior to the funeral service. Interment will be in Salem Township Cemetery (Burnips Cemetery). Memorial contributions may be made to Burnips Methodist Church.

Kham Soukhome Dies at Age 85

Kham Soukhome 85, of Holland, passed away Friday, August 11, 2023.

Kham was born on December 1, 1937, in Thailand. She married Somvang Soukhome in Thailand. In 1980, she and Somvang brought their seven children to live in Zeeland with the help of sponsorship from Bethel CRC in Zeeland along with several of their parishioners. Kham and Somvang opened the first Asian food market in Zeeland in 1981. Kham was preceded in death by Somvang in 2012.

She is survived by her children, Sith, Lith, Somkhit, Toune Choang, Somsack, Soubanh, and Mouy Blunt; 14 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

The funeral service for Kham was held on Wednesday, Aug. 16, at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral home, 315 East 16th Street, Holland. Interment was in Pilgrim Home Cemetery.

MaryAnn Meiste Dies at Age 83

MaryAnn Meiste, 83 of Holland, passed away Thursday, August 10, 2023, at home.

MaryAnn was born in Zeeland on October 3, 1939, to Samuel and Josie Meeuwsen. She worked alongside her husband Floyd as a farmer for a majority of her life and was a cat lover at heart. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Preceding her in death was her son Clifford Meiste in 2021, and a daughter-in-law Sally Meiste.

She is survived by her husband Floyd of 64 years; sons Duane (Barb) Meiste and Terry (Sonya) Meiste; daughter-in-law Phyllis Meiste; 8 grandchildren Jaclyn (Jared), Brandon, Gina, Jessie (Jordan), Josie, Nicki (Zach), Erin (Zach), and Jason (Kelly); great grandchildren Allyson, Dawson, and Maylina; several in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends.

A graveside service was held on Tuesday, Aug. 15, at Riverside Cemetery in Hamilton.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Holland.

Doug Weeks Dies at Age 70

Doug Scott Weeks, 70, of Holland, passed away 8-5-2023 from a long battle of cancer.

He loved bowling and motorcycles. Doug was a plant engineer superintendent at Royal Glass. Doug was born November 7th, 1952, to Donald and Abbie Weeks. He also served in the US Navy.

Doug left behind his wife, Diane Weeks; brother and sister-inlaw, Mark and Katie Weeks; sister, Wendy Boggs; mother-in-law, Margret Frelander; sister-in-law, Janet and Jeff Driesenga; nieces, Alaina Boggs, Susan and Jeff Benadum, Nichole Driesenga and her fiancée Andy Eding; nephew, Jarred Boggs; and nephew, Collin Weeks.

A memorial service was held on Friday, Aug. 11 at Lakeshore Memorial Service, 11939 James St. Holland, officiated by Apostle Jeff Terry.

Kristi Leigh Kittleson Dies at Age 52

Kristi Leigh Kittleson, 52, of Zeeland passed from this life to her Heavenly Home August 6, 2023.

Kristi was born July 21, 1971, in Frankfort, Michigan to Larry and Mary (Lamerson) Kittleson. She resided in Frankfort most of her life, living in Traverse City for several years before moving to Zeeland in 2017. She worked various jobs, including at Gentex Corporation, upon retiring in 2022. She was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in December 2021. She fought courageously and never complained. She found comfort in her faith in Jesus, scriptures, and family. With Kristi’s love for animals, Bella and Emmy brought her great support and joy.

Kristi is survived by her parents, Larry and Mary, of Zeeland; son Brenden Kittleson of Zeeland; brother Daniel (Torey Van Arkel) Kittleson of Grand Haven, MI; aunts/uncles: Dennis (Claudia) Kittleson, Greg (Augusta) Lamerson, Clint (Samiha) Lamerson, Patricia Erickson; cousins: Erik, Kayla, Troy, Greg, Ramsey, Jim and Ryan; nieces/nephew: Allyson (Jay), Cantrall (Mabel, J.J. and Norah), Hailey E. and Michael T. Kittleson.

Kristi was preceded in death by sister Gretchen Kittleson (1990); brother Michael Kittleson (1994); grandparents Leonard and Fern Kittleson and John and Shirley Lamerson; aunt/uncles Michael and Martha Lamerson, Evert Erickson; cousins Amy Lamerson, Justin Lamerson.

A private burial service will be held at a later date in Frankfort, MI.

Gloria Jones Dies at Age 80

Gloria Jones, 80, passed away Sunday, August 6, 2023, in Holland. Gloria will be lovingly remembered for her strong faith, love of family, and generous spirit. A long-time member of First Baptist Church in Zeeland, Gloria taught Sunday school for many years. She enjoyed sharing her faith with others and was a supporter of many faith-based organizations.

Gloria worked in the school system for many years, beginning as a playground aide and eventually working as a bus driver for Hudsonville Public Schools until her retirement.

She was preceded in death by husband John “Scott” Jones and her brother Paul Schaap.

Gloria is survived by son Todd (Rick) Jones; daughter Paty (Kurt) Stoetzner; grandchildren Alexandria (Matt) Stoetzner and Hannah Stoetzner; great-grandchildren Jaxxon and Rhilee. She is also survived by sisters Maryanne (Gene) Arendsen and Diane (Mike) Berens; Brothers Dale (Darlene) Schaap and Wayne (Donna) Schaap; sister-inlaw Joyce Schaap and sister-in-law Darlene (Marvin) Pogodzinski. Gloria is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and other family members. A private family time is being planned.

Sylvia Wyngarden Dies at Age 95

Sylvia Wyngarden, 95, passed away on Thursday, August 10, 2023.

Sylvia was born in Borculo, on January 4, 1928. She grew up in Borculo and graduated from Zeeland High School. She married Don VanHoven and had three sons; Scott VanHoven (deceased), Mark (Christy) VanHoven; and Chris (Lisa) VanHoven. She loved music and played the piano and organ. She also sang in many choirs. She passed her love of music down to many in her family. She loved to travel and went all over the world and the USA. She wintered in Florida for seventeen years. She was generous with her time and knowledge, and it was a blessing to each recipient.

Her greatest joy was her family.

Grandchildren included Seth (Erika) VanHoven, Erin Marie (Dan) Root, Eric (Christine) VanHoven, Amy (Jon) Wolters, Lydia (Mike) VanHoven-Cook, Francie (George) Gleason, Grace (Kevin) VanHovenMcLary; ten great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

She was very blessed to have been loved and married three times. When her husband Don VanHoven passed away in 1988, Sylvia married Dennis Slikkers. Dennis passed away in 2003. She then married Dennis Wyngarden and they had ten years together until his death.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Aug. 16, at Yntema Funeral Home, 251 S. State St. Zeeland. The burial took place in Zeeland Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in Sylvia’s honor may be given to Spectrum Hospice.

Arlene Kleinheksel

Dies at Age 87

Arlene Rose Kleinheksel, 87, of Holland, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on August 13, 2023.

Arlene was born to Gerrit & Hazel Bleeker on January 30, 1936, in Hopkins. She enjoyed reading, gardening, traveling, and leading bible studies. She was a member of Overisel Reformed Church and loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and will be missed by all.

She was preceded in death by her grandson, Andrew Kleinheksel; great-granddaughter, Hailey Joy Kleinheksel; brother, Harvey Bleeker; and sisters, Ruth Harmsen & Alma Rynbrandt.

Arlene is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Earl; sons, Brian (Nancy) Kleinheksel, Kevin (Mary) Kleinheksel, Jeff (Nancy) Kleinheksel; grandchildren, Sara (Shad) Krull, Joel (Michelle) Kleinheksel, Katelyn Kleinheksel, Keith Kleinheksel; 7 greatgrandchildren; sisters, Doris (Richard) Miller, Laura (Harvey) Veldhuis; in-laws, Mary Verberg, Virginia Kleinheksel, Cliff Sale, Ruth (John) Stanley, along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A visitation will take place on Thursday, August 17 from 6-8pm at Overisel Reformed Church. The funeral service will be on Friday, August 18 at 11:00am at Overisel Reformed Church. The burial will be at Overisel Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Camp Beechpoint.

Calvin Steenwyk Dies at Age 60

Calvin Steenwyk, 60, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, August 12, 2023.

Calvin was a loving brother, uncle, and friend to so many. He will be remembered for his unfailing kindness, gentleness, and deep affection for all those around him. He will be lovingly remembered also for the courage, strength, and grace he showed in his final weeks.

Calvin worked for Len-Way Machine and Tool for 25 years in Hamilton.

He will be greatly missed by all those who loved and cherished him, including his siblings, Sandra and Jack VerMerris – of Hudsonville, Diane Steenwyk –of Midland, Laura VanderTuig – of Lake City, and Helen and

Peter Hart, John and Deborah Steenwyk, Bob and Jane Steenwyk, Ed and Maureen Steenwyk, Larry Steenwyk, and Debra Steenwyk –all of Holland; Uncle Ed and Rita Steenwyk; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Esther Steenwyk of Overisel, and siblings, Arloa and Bill Kolean, Jerry and Betty Steenwyk, David Steenwyk, and Linda Steenwyk.

Visitation with the family will be 10:00 – Noon on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at Yntema Funeral Home, 251 S. State St. Zeeland, MI 49464.

In lieu of flowers, donations could be made in Calvin’s honor to the Wings of Hope.

Jeannette R. Van Den Bosch

Dies at Age 92

Jeannette R. Van Den Bosch, 92, of Holland, went to her heavenly home on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at SKLD of Zeeland.

Jeannette was a member of Christ Memorial Church and worked as a waitress at Jay’s Again Restaurant in Zeeland.

Her son, Douglas Jay Van

Den Bosch; daughter, Vicki Wyngarden; granddaughter, Kerri Phillips; brothers, Thomas, Robert, William, Richard, David Rhoda; and parents, Albert and Marie Rhoda are also with their heavenly Father.

Jeannette is survived by her children Al (Jane) Van Den Bosch

Favorite Late Summer Fish Recipes

By Jack Payne

Like I mentioned recently in articles, the next four months are an anglers dream when it comes to loading up on fish. Chasing bluegill with the Whip R Snap plastics or the moon glow teardrops, casting the action tail plastics or the Pinky Jig for crappie, the end result is a freezer full of fish.

I have a long list of friends eager for fresh fish. I also enjoy hosting a fish dinner at my house. With perhaps one hundred fish recipes at hand, it’s never difficult picking out something to try.

Late summer is also a time of plenty when it comes to the garden or from the produce stand. One of my favorite late summer or early fall recipes is grilled fish.

Start with a piece of tinfoil about double the size of the fish being caught. Take a spud and slice it up thinly. I favor sweet potatoes, but my wife likes traditional Idaho.

I also slice up sweet peppers, a large tomato and a zucchini. You can add asparagus, green beans, onion, mushroom or sweet corn that was removed from the husks. I like seasoning the veggies with Lawry’s seasoned pepper, some oregano and Old Bay Seasoning.

Lightly roll the veggies in olive oil then the spices. Lay the spuds down first, then the fish followed by the remaining veggies. I also like to season the fish fillets. You can add a slice or two of butter or a tablespoon of olive oil to your tinfoil packet. Roll it up tight and place it onto the grill. Cook it on medium heat until the spuds and fish are done. You can also bake this in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Fish tacos are simple to make and a crowd favorite. The simplest of ingredients would include a bag of coleslaw, a packet of Verde Taco Seasoning and Guacamole. You could use a Fajita seasoning mix or make your own from scratch. I like the taste of smoked paprika so I add this to whatever taco seasoning that I might be using.

Mix the taco seasoning with the coleslaw. Heat up the tortillas in a pan so that they become crunchy. Some folks like using regular coleslaw seasoning and roll their fish fillets in the taco seasoning. Take your pick. I like my fish seasoned with Old Bay and pan fried in olive oil. Place a fillet into the Tortilla shell, and the coleslaw and a tablespoon of Guacamole.

Fish sandwiches are another favorite of mine. Take a cup of mayo, 1/3 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce, a teaspoon of parsley, teaspoon of dried minced onion, a dash of garlic powder and a half teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Mix together and chill in the fridge for an hour.

In another bowl take a half cup of Drakes or Andy batter, a half cup of yellow cornmeal, a teaspoon of Lowry’s’ Seasoned salt. Mix together and set aside. Last mix one egg and a half cup of milk. Cut fillets to match the bun size. I like a fancy bun with poppy seeds.

Dip the fillets into the egg wash and cook in a frying pan or a deep fryer until done. Place fillets onto a bed of lettuce and top off with the sauce that was placed into the fridge.

Baked Italian fish is another simple and favorite recipe. Sauté’ some garlic and onion. Add 1 cup of diced zucchini and mushrooms. Cook until tender. Stir in one jar of spaghetti sauce and basil and oregano to taste. Place the fish into a baking dish and cover with the vegetable mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for twenty minutes or until the fish are flaky. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. I call this a one pot meal. Adding garlic bread and a small salad would make this a meal fit for a king.

Try something different this summer/fall with your fish. Get creative and substitute your favorite veggies and spices. These recipes can be used with any fish and the cooking times adjusted to the thickness of your fillets. Last, stop in at Grand Valley Sport Shop for your hunting, fishing, licenses and permits.

Seizing a Summer Day: Turtles, Trout and Time To Relax

By John Pepin - Michigan Department of Natural Resources

As easy as a melody, our little raft floated across the top of the water, pushed gently onward by a warm summer breeze. There was no need to paddle, only to drift and to coast.

No need for a jacket, not even a windbreaker, sunshine warming my face.

Light puffs of smoke rolled out over the water and drifted in our direction from a dying breakfast campfire onshore.

A man and his dog had spent the night here in a camper, the man’s canoe tied up along the shore of this small inland lake, not far from where we had put in.

In the blue sky above the trees, a bald eagle stood out starkly from the azure backdrop, its dark brown-black wings outstretched flat, its white tail and head shining brightly.

I thought about how when I was a kid, if you told someone you had seen a bald eagle, they likely wouldn’t have believed you. Today, they are a common and welcome sight.

We had hit this just right.

The day was heavenly, with so much warmth everywhere, but without the smothering high humidity that can easily wear down the resolve and good intentions of just about anybody – especially on a Saturday afternoon.

Nuthatches beeped softly from the trees just up off the shore. Beyond that, there was no sound at all, except for the occasional gentle slurping noise as one of us would slide a paddle into the water to turn the raft away from the bank.

It would have been easy to lay back and drift off to sleep, letting the wind tap the boat from one side of the lake to the other, but we were ostensibly here to do some fishing.

The fish had other ideas.

I imagined they wanted to stay down lazing in the cool recesses at the bottom of the lake where they could spend the afternoon away from baited fishing hooks or shiny, whirling lures.

We floated without a bite for more than an hour before deciding to head too someplace else. It wasn’t long before we found ourselves unloading the raft at another lake.

We followed a trail through the woods and clouds of hungry mosquitoes. At the shoreline, red and brown pine needles covering the ground obscured our view of a foot-deep mixture of mud and water.

This made boarding the raft a little trickier than expected.

The Queen of Shebis almost went over the top of her boots, while I slipped a bit and could have gone into the boat or into the water. As luck would have it, I rolled into the raft dry as a dust bunny.

After we pushed offshore and swatted the remaining mosquitoes that had followed us out into deeper water, the bugs disappeared.

This was another beautiful place to be, though the shoreline here was more jagged and raggedly shaped, with little bays and islands

that were covered with sundews, cranberries and other wet-place plants.

As we paddled for the far shore, I pointed out a bank of what looked possibly like rain clouds bubbling up off the horizon over the tops of the trees. If it did come pouring down and lightning struck, we could easily reach the shore if need be.

The water here was clear and deep and colder than at the last lake.

By now, the afternoon was getting on toward supper time.

One of my first casts of a baited hook resulted in three little knocks on my line. The next cast produced a nice-sized brook trout.

“OK, it’s your turn now,” I told the Shebis.

She cast her line in the same general area where I had just got my fish.

It wasn’t long at all before she had a fish on her line, battling it back to the side of the raft. So beautiful.

I watched the trout shimmer in the sunlight as it rolled on its side a few feet away from my outstretched arm. I was waiting to grab the line and pull the fish into the boat. The Shebis let the fish swim to tire it out.

As I reached again to grab the line, something dark and wide came up from under the boat toward the fish. Reacting, I grabbed the line and pulled the fish toward me, which took the trout out of the biting range of a large, and very hungry, snapping turtle.

Wow. This was another thing I had never seen before.

While the fish flipped over and back on the floor of the raft, the snapping turtle calmly floated on top of the water just a foot or so away from us.

As we continued to fish, the turtle stayed close enough to touch. It seemed curious, as though we were the first humans it had ever seen. The turtle, whose shell was about 15 inches across, swam under the boat back and forth, and from stem to stern.

At one point, the turtle raised its head out of the water, opened its mouth and hissed. A painted turtle, much smaller in size, used the occasion to prop its front legs on the back of the snapper to get a look at us too.

After a moment or two, the painted turtle swam off and the snapping turtle followed, its mouth opened wide. The painted turtle pushed its right front arm out toward the snapping turtle, swimming sideways away toward the shore, escaping.

This turtle was hungry.

The sun was starting to sink down toward the horizon, but we still had time to put another couple of trout into the boat. At home their red-orange meat would sizzle on the grill, looking and tasting more like salmon than trout.

With shadows fallen among the trees, an evening flute concert began, ethereal hermit thrush songs echoing through the woodlands. A kingfisher rattled loudly from across the lake, sounding like something was urgent.

Before we turned the boat back toward the opposite side of the lake, we discovered we were being flanked by at least two big snapping turtles. On one of my last casts, I felt a big tug on my bait from below.

I reeled up what felt like a log to find my hook caught in the mouth of one of the big turtles. The turtle swam toward my side of the boat as we dug in my fishing bag to get something to release the hook.

The turtle used its big, curled claws to free the hook, which then became lodged between a couple of the claws. I cut the line and the turtle slowly dropped below the surface of the water, out of sight.

By the time we had made it back through the mosquitoes to the vehicle, we had been bitten up bad, but we didn’t care. It had been a fabulous day, the kind you dream about all winter long.

We stopped at an old moose pond on the way home and found instead a family of trumpeter swans – two adults and two cygnets – riding on the water. They allowed a few photos, as did a stand of purple flowers, which were positioned delightfully in the setting sunlight.

If there are no more sweet summer days for the rest of the season, that’s OK with me. This day we had would be difficult to top and is bound to stay with me for not only the days and weeks ahead but, likely, many summers to come.

Author Jack Payne with a pair of crappies that he plans to enjoy for dinner using one of his favorite recipes.

Two painted turtles enjoy a sunny day, relaxing on a log.

John Ball Zoo Working to Preserve Michigan’s Only Venomous Snake

The eastern massasauga rattlesnake is venomous, slithery and not at all cute and cuddly, but the conservation department at John Ball Zoo is working hard to preserve the species.

Michigan Irish Music Festival September 14-17, 2023

The Michigan Irish Music Festival, will be held September 14-17th 2023, at Heritage Landing in downtown Muskegon.

Michigan Irish Music Festival is rich in culture, celebrating both life in Ireland and here in the states as Irish Americans. Through various art forms on multiple stages and areas of the festival grounds, there are abundant opportunities for fun, education, and interaction.

Don’t miss all of the dynamic storytelling, ranging from children’s stories and songs to personal accounts of life in Belfast in the 1950s-1980s to classic fairy tales with a twist. Discover the incredible history of the Book of Kells, a centuries-old manuscript that survived the test of time. Learn about actor Buster Keaton’s summer vacations in Muskegon, as well as his connection to Irish heritage. Join Enda Reilly for a reflection on poet WB Yeats: The Waters to the Wild. Hear John Kennedy of Kennedy’s Kitchen share about his family’s emigration through Irish music, story, and song. Explore the ancient landforms and monuments of Ireland with Slide’s Mick Broderick’s presentation, Slide Around Ireland. This immersive presentation will take you on a journey through thousands of years of Irish history and culture, showcasing some of the most impressive landmarks and natural wonders that have stood the test of time.

For the musically inclined, Bodhran or Tin Penny Whistle lessons are available. Learn to speak some Irish / Gaelic phrases during an interactive session with Colm Keegan. History buffs can join Liz Gould’s workshop to learn about heraldry and create a personal “Coat of Arms”. Epicurious folks should check out the

presentations from Baker College Culinary Institute of Michigan and Wonderland’s Distillery for delicious food demonstrations and craft cocktail class!

As always, the cultural stages will be alive with music and dancing, featuring groups from around the Midwest. Ardan Academy of Dance and Steph’s Steps will highlight traditional Irish Dance including Ceili, hard shoe, softshoe, and a blend of Irish and clogging styles. The Michigan Feis Parade of Champions is another not-to-bemissed celebration of Irish heritage. Music from Mona Shores Fiddlers and Chelsea House Orchestra (CHO) will highlight the incredible talent of local high schoolers. The Mona Shores Fiddlers are an extra curricular ensemble established in 1996 which performs throughout West Michigan under the direction of Kelly De Rose. Hailing from Chelsea, Michigan, on the east side of the state, CHO is comprised of about two dozen string, wind, and percussion musicians playing music derived from Celtic and other folk music sources. This group shares an energetic and eclectic experience with their audience!

For those interested in a life in Ireland, a pop-up consulate will be available for opportunities to meet with consular officers and ask questions about obtaining Irish citizenship through descent, Irish passports, and other related topics. Be sure to catch the exciting exhibition from the Ward Music Archives, Come Back to Erin: Irish Travel Posters of the 20th Century. Join the Michigan Irish American Society to celebrate influential Michiganders of Irish descent at the induction of the 2023 Michigan Irish Hall of Fame Honorees.

Tickets available for sale at www.michiganirish.org.

Learn About the Process of Hummingbird Banding

A pair of bird-banding experts will exhibit hummingbird banding techniques and share some of the research data gleaned from banding projects at a demonstration from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary.

Brenda Keith and Rich Keith of the Kalamazoo River Valley Bird Observatory, a Kalamazoo Nature Center program, will begin with an informational slideshow in the auditorium on the research and data collected through hummingbird banding. They’ll then give a demonstration in the Sanctuary’s pollinator garden.

Why? Because the massasauga is a very valuable part of Michigan’s wetland ecosystem, and many other species, including butterflies, small mammals and amphibians rely on its habitat. The massasauga is declining in numbers and is considered a federally threatened species in Michigan due to fragmented habitat and habitat loss.

John Ball Zoo has partnered with Sarett Nature Center in a longterm monitoring program to learn more about the massasauga with the goal of helping their population recover and thrive.

“Michigan is critical for the eastern massasauga rattlesnake as our state is at the center of the species’ habitat range and has more massasauga populations than any other state or province,” said Bill Flanagan, conservation manager at John Ball Zoo. “Whatever happens to the massasauga in Michigan will define the outcome for the species.”

This May, members of John Ball Zoo’s conservation team began data collection at Sarett Nature Center using new technology that is less disruptive than the traditional approach — sending out conservation team members on foot to look for snakes in the habitat. The conservation team set up a twofoot drift fence that runs across the habitat where the rattlesnakes are most active. The fence functions as a funnel, encouraging small animals to crawl through a bucket that has a camera. The fence will stay up indefinitely and capture data when the massasauga is most active — in May and during the fall months of September and October.

“Working with Sarett Nature Center, John Ball Zoo has been able to monitor the massasauga rattlesnake,” Flanagan said. “This new monitoring system will be an excellent low-impact method to track massasaugas while protecting the habitat that supports them. What we learn from this program will help inform us for future conservation strategies.”

Bands at Blandford Returns for a Single-day Outdoor Concert

Live music is back at Blandford Nature Center! Music and nature-lovers of all ages are encouraged to come enjoy a night of live music outdoors with their friends and family. This year’s single-day Bands at Blandford Outdoor Concert will feature The Caribbean Soul Experience on Saturday, August 19th from 6:309 pm at Blandford Nature Center located at 1715 Hillburn Ave NW. Grand Rapids, MI 49504.

The Caribbean Soul Experience will be joined by Phlox, a local youth band who will open the show from 6:30-7 pm. The youth-members of Phlox are students from Red Rose Music Lab, whose mission is to empower developing children through instrumental exploration, band forming, and vocal training.

Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to unwind with an adult beverage or soda and a picnic meal on this warm summer night. Beer from Brewery Vivant will be available for purchase along with food from El Caribe Food Truck. This familyfriendly event will also include activities such as face painting, glitter tattoos, bubbles, games, and more.

“This concert is all about

Police Blotter

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for causing the accident.

connecting people to nature through music,” said Community Outreach Manager, Katie Clouse. “It’s different from the educational, youth-focused programming we regularly offer. This is a more relaxed opportunity for people of all ages and outdoor experience levels to enjoy nature.”

In an effort to make the series more accessible, this year’s concert series is sponsored by two local businesses: Westside Social Tavern and Brewery Vivant. “We wanted to ensure our ticket prices were affordable so more people in our community could attend,” Clouse continued. “We’re really grateful for these two sponsors who helped us lower the price of tickets for another year with their generous donations.”

Tickets are $12 for nonmembers, $8 for members, and free for children 12 and under. Tickets are available now and can be purchased online ahead of the concert to avoid the line, or guests may purchase tickets at the door. Pre-registration is not required to attend. To learn more about the band or purchase tickets, attendees can visit Blandford’s website at: blandfordnaturecenter. org

The cost of attendance for Sanctuary members is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and $4 for children. The cost for nonmembers is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, and $6 for children. Register by Aug. 22 at bit. ly/kbs-hummingbird-banding-2023 to reserve your spot—space is limited.

The W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary is located at 12685 East C Ave., one mile north of M-89 and just west of 40th Street. To learn more, visit birdsanctuary. kbs.msu.edu. Direct questions to birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu or (269) 671-2510.

This conservation project is part of the Zoo’s greater mission of preserving wildlife and wild places. Some of the massasauga’s population decline, aside from habitat loss, is intentional killing. John Ball Zoo encourages those who encounter the species, or another type of snake, to leave it alone and do not attempt to handle it. Massasaugas are quite shy and will avoid humans if possible and will rattle their tails as a warning if a threat is getting too close.

If you encounter a Michigan Massasauga, you can help the species by sharing your observation with scientists. Take a picture from a safe distance and report it to the Michigan Natural Features Inventory or to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources “Herps of Michigan” iNaturalist project.

Two vehicles parked illegally on Maple Street south of Main Avenue were involved in an accident when one of the drivers attempted to move his vehicle. The vehicles were parked on the west side of Maple as Main Street was closed to construction.

When Daniel Baker of Muskegon attempted to move his vehicle, he backed into the front end of an unoccupied vehicle owned by Matthew Slager of Muskegon. Minor damage occurred to both vehicles and no citations were issued.

Two vehicles were involved in an accident on BL-196 near the State Street intersection. James Corwin of Wyoming was east bound on BL-196 when he attempted to use the Michigan left turn failing to see an oncoming west bound vehicle. He was struck by a vehicle driven by Lanena Autry of Holland. Corwin was cited for failing to yield the right of way and causing the accident.

The Michigan Irish Music Festival in Muskegon’s mission is to produce a quality Midwest Irish music festival promoting Irish culture and heritage.

Enjoy live music during this year’s Bands at Blandford Outdoor Concert on Saturday, Aug. 19, and at the same time stroll through the various nature opportunities.

MSU Researchers Link Auto and Dairy Industries to Explore Sustainable Climate Solutions

By: Jack Falinski,

One of the next climate change solutions might be found at your local dairy farm. A team of MSU researchers are studying ways to generate renewable energy from dairy farm waste to charge electric vehicles (EVs).

Wei Liao, a professor in MSU’s Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) and the director of MSU’s Anaerobic Digestion Research and Education Center (ADREC), led a demonstration workshop July 19 showcasing the novel research linking dairy operations to the auto industry. He was joined by MSU animal science professor Barry Bradford, BAE professor Ajit Srivastava, dairy farm manager Jim Good and BAE research specialist and ADREC manager Sibel UludagDemirer.

An electric tractor designed by Srivastava was showcased for its ability to operate on renewable electricity generated by a mobile renewable EV charging station with an anaerobic digester and an external combustion engine. Anaerobic digestion is the biological process where organic matter, like animal and food waste, is broken down in the absence of oxygen to produce biogas. The biogas can be burned to generate electricity and heat or cleaned and used as renewable natural gas.

Although economic pressures have prompted part of the U.S. dairy industry to consolidate into large scale productions, the majority -- 90% -- still operate at small and medium-sized enterprises of less than 1,000 cows.

Dairy is the leading agricultural commodity in Michigan. The industry accounts for nearly 5% of the state’s gross domestic product with $24 billion generated annually and supports over 111,000 jobs.

Michigan dairy also ranks sixth in U.S. dairy cash receipts, or the total amount of money earned from dairy products.

Liao said his hope is to implement mobile EV charging units on small and medium-sized dairy farms as the state continues shifting toward EV production to reduce carbon emissions from gasoline powered vehicles. He wants to give farmers in rural communities a way not only to charge their own EVs, but also to generate revenue doing it for other’s vehicles.

“We want to use this opportunity to link together the agriculture and auto industry,” Liao said. “They can both benefit from each other.”

Another reason Liao would like to introduce EV units on farms is to help encourage the dairy industry to become carbon neutral or have net zero carbon emissions. He said currently about 45% of the carbon in animal feed ends up in manure and is partially released as methane – a greenhouse gas (if not collected) — into the atmosphere.

If farmers can use the waste for high-value applications, like producing electricity and charging EVs, he said part of the climate

problem becomes part of the solution.

“That’s just a win-win,” Liao said. “We can achieve the carbon neutrality of dairy farms and can similarly reduce emissions for the transportation sector.”

MSU converts food and animal organic waste from campus at its South Campus Anaerobic Digester (SCAD). The digester, an above-ground steel tank capable of holding 450,000 gallons, has been in operation since 2013 and has digested roughly 60,000 tons of manure. In 2022, it digested 12,500 tons of manure from the MSU dairy farm and 15,000 tons of food waste from MSU’s cafeterias and the greater Lansing region.

The digester produces about 2.8 million kWh of electricity per year. Ten percent of that energy powers the digester itself, and the rest assists in powering 10 buildings across MSU’s south campus.

The mobile units Liao is working toward installing on small and medium-sized dairy farms won’t be as big and won’t be able to initiate the same amount of power as the SCAD. He said they’ll have the capacity to induce 30 kWh of renewable energy per day, or over 10,950 kWh of energy per year.

While that figure won’t be enough power to run an entire farm, Bradford said it could grant farmers different operational opportunities. For example, the energy from these units could charge batteries of emerging electric skid-steer loaders, or small low-power tractors used to clean animal pens.

“If you could charge (these tractors) yourself without paying a lot and having to deal with how you’re going to charge them, that could potentially be a game changer for how jobs are done on dairy farms,” said Bradford, whose role on the project is to understand how these units will impact dairy farms.

He also said electric charging stations on dairy farms could bring additional economic opportunities. As EVs become more popular and people look for places to charge them, dairy farms could become a viable option that allows visitors to charge their cars while also experiencing the work of local farms.

“Because it takes a little while to charge EVs, longer than it does

to fill a tank of gas, farms can keep visitors occupied by selling them a sandwich or an ice cream cone. Maybe they can do a $5 tour of the farm,” Bradford said. “This could be a more mixed funding model where you have agritourism, energy and — of course — milk.”

Funding for the projects comes from MSU AgBioResearch, along with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, MSU Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture Research Service.

Last year, Michigan State University received $53 million in state funding to renovate the university’s dairy and greenhouse facilities. From that amount, $30 million will be used toward the construction of a new on-campus dairy farm.

Currently, the dairy farm milks 210 cows in facilities that were built during the 1960s. With this funding, MSU will be able to create space for and house 680 mature cows.

Other updates to the new facility will help modernize milking, cooling, lighting and wiring systems. Bradford said the facility will eliminate hand-feeding of research cows, transitioning toward a more autonomous approach.

The facility is estimated to be completed and cows are projected to be moved in by 2026.

Delivering For Our Veterans

By Cong. Bill Huizenga

As the son of a disabled WWII veteran, ensuring our veterans have access to the care and benefits t hey have earned is personal to me. I’m proud to have recently voted to fully fund veterans’ health care and benefits programs.

At the end of July, House Republicans took a critical step to deliver on this objective by passing H.R. 4366, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Overall, this measure increases VA funding by more than $16 billion from last year’s enacted funding level and matches the amount requested by President Biden. This financial commitment to our veterans is important to note because during the recent debt limit negotiations, the Biden Administration and others in Washington falsely claimed Republican proposals would cut funding for veterans. By fully funding health care and benefits for our veterans, this bill continues to disprove those debunked talking points.

By reducing wasteful spending and refocusing the VA on its core objectives, this bill prioritizes our veterans and military families. Sadly, the sacrifices made by military families are often overlooked. To address this concern, the bill includes nearly $800 million over President Biden’s budget request to enhance military construction as well as housing projects for our servicemembers and their loved ones.

Additionally, H.R. 4366 enhances our national security to deter China in the Indo-pacific region, strengthens special operations command, and ensures we have the military infrastructure in place to complete the mission safely and effectively.

As conversations about appropriations continue, I believe Washington must continue to prioritize its use of taxpayer dollars. I also believe the federal government must deliver on its promise to care for our veterans. This legislation strives to make sure those who have served our country have access to quality care, mental health resources, and the benefits they have earned.

If you or someone you know needs help navigating a federal agency, please contact my office in Holland at (616) 251-6741, my office in Portage at (269) 569-8595, or my office in Washington at (202) 225-4401. My team and I are here and eager to assist you.

Consumers Energy to Explore Selling 13 Hydro Facilities

Consumers Energy announced on Wednesday, Aug. 9, that it will be issuing a request for proposal (RFP) to explore the possibility of selling its 13 hydroelectric facilities as the energy provider continues to evaluate the future of the dams and considers all options to safely maintain the dam reservoirs.

Consumers Energy last year held a series of public meetings with community members and local leaders about the dams’ future. Based on community feedback, Consumers Energy understands how important these facilities and the associated reservoirs are to local communities. Therefore, the energy provider is exploring all options to safely maintain the reservoirs – the lakes created

by the dams -- while reducing costs for Consumers Energy’s customers.

“After numerous conversations over the past year, it is clear the reservoirs are important for economic and recreational opportunities in these communities across Michigan,” said Norm Kapala, Consumers Energy’s vice president of generation operations. “But we also know that the current model for financing our hydroelectric power operations requires customers to pay more than nine times for the cost of energy compared to other sources of generation.”

“Today’s announcement is an initial step we need to take to learn more about what selling the facilities might look like. If we choose to move forward and sell these facilities, our intention is to minimize the cost burden for customers while keeping the recreational and economic benefits for our communities. No final decision has been made, and we continue to explore all options.”

Consumers Energy began working with local officials and meeting with community leaders last year as licenses for the company’s dams begin to expire in 11 years. Consumers Energy’s

13 dams together produce less than 1 percent of energy used by the energy provider’s nearly 2 million customers, and they are several times more expensive than other energy sources.

Consumers Energy is planning another series of public community meetings later this summer and into the fall with the goal of collecting community feedback and discussing what a potential sale of the dams would mean, as well as other options continuing to be considered.

“We know communities and residents that treasure these dams will have questions about the future. That’s why we will continue to provide timely updates and be transparent throughout this decision-making process,” Kapala said. “We’ve committed to exploring all options for safely maintaining these reservoirs for decades to come.”

Consumers Energy’s 30 to 40-year federal operating licenses on the Muskegon, Manistee, Grand, Kalamazoo and Au Sable rivers are set to expire beginning in 2034 through 2041.

Cong. Bill Huizenga

One Look at Grace

By Tonja Taylor

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. -Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT

What is “Grace”? It is God being good to us, in spite of us.

It is the overcoming, unfailing, sacrificial Love of a parent for the child, no matter what.

Every good thing in your life is from the Grace of God--those blessings you did and didn’t work for (For His Grace gives us the power to get wealth; the breath and strength and energy to function and work!), and didn’t even plan for; that you and I could not ever earn or be good enough to deserve!

Hallelujah!

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. --2 Timothy 1:9, NLT

The LORD has taught me, since a few years ago, to ask Him to “put His Grace all over this,” especially if it’s a new venture, or something that may be a challenging situation (even getting together with family members, where the conversation may be awkward, if they don’t believe like you do, or have anything really in common with you!). Things always flow smoother when I pray this and do my part--ask Him to fill me with Himself, keep my mind on Him, and yield to His Spirit.

All of that--from Him teaching and helping us to receive His filling and keep our minds on Him, to asking Him to put His Grace all over situations, then doing it for us, making things much better than they could be! --is His Grace!

Having a heart of thanksgiving to the LORD for His Grace is an effective way to increase your awareness of it, for God’s Grace is His goodness.

He commands us to be

thankful, for many reasons, and when we are, we are doing what He says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Being thankful for the Grace of God is one way to set our mind on things above, which can only make us feel better and focus on God’s goodness: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things

Immanuel Reformed Church

M-89 (500 East Main Street) & Wilson Avenue (57th Street) Post Office Box 434, Fennville, Michigan, 49408 Telephone: 1-616-283-1546

Outdoor Drive-In Worship Service

¼ mile North of Fennville on 58th Street.

August 20, 2023 - Lords Day 34 Service begins at 6:00PM

Special Music: Bill Dodge and Samantha Jones

Guest speaker: Rev. Vern Swierenga

A FREE WILL offering will be taken during the service. Gifts will be used to continue the Outdoor service.

If there is thunder and lightning or a Tornado warning at 5:00pm or it’s been raining ALL day the outdoor service will be cancelled.

Telephone: 616.283.1546 or 616.990.5976

All Welcome – Join us as we praise and thank God by worshipping with Him and His creation!

are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. --Philippians 4:8, KJV

In times of warfare, when the

enemy is slamming your mind and it seems like all is negative, you can cry out to the Holy Spirit Who is God, to help you remember and speak out the good things of God, which is His Grace.

(Continued on page 10)

Freedom to Serve God

By Rev. Dr. Steven Kaziimba

Read: Galatians 5:1-26

It is for freedom that God has set us free. Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (v. 1 NIV)

The pastoral letter to the Galatians is the charter of Christian freedom. Paul talks about the reality of our liberty in Christ, freedom from the law and the power of sin, and the freedom to serve God. He wrote this letter to a church in crisis. The early church was divided between Jewish and non-Jewish (Gentile) believers. The Jewish Christians strictly followed Jewish law. Most of the early Christian leaders were Jewish and they forced the Gentile believers to submit to Jewish laws and traditions on top of believing in Jesus. Paul, as a missionary to the Gentiles, had to address this by calling the believers to the true gospel.

Paul sent this letter to believers living in Galatia, an ancient country and Roman province of Asia Minor is a region centered in modern Turkey. He taught the Galatin church that salvation is by faith, not law. Our freedom means that we are free to love God and to serve him and one another without being enslaved to the ceremonial, cultural and traditional practices that we tend to graft into our faith. Christians should carry one another’s burden, be kind to each other, and grow together in the faith.

I pray that the power of God that transformed Paul from the bondage of sin will also set us free as we read and reflect together on the freedom Christ gives us.

Rev. Dr. Steven Kaziimba is the Board Chairman of Words of Hope Uganda, and Archbishop of the Church of Uganda.

This devotional is reprinted by permission from Words of Hope. To receive Words of Hope’s daily meditation, and learn more about their international ministry, please visit woh.org.

CLASSIFIED & LEGAL ADS

NOTICES

8/31/2023

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement

Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Ottawa County, starting promptly at 10:00 AM, on September 7, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information:

Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Shaun

Tober and Lindsay Tober, husband and wife

Original Mortgagee: Mortgage

Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns

Foreclosing Assignee (if any):

Freedom Mortgage Corporation

Date of Mortgage: October 6, 2016

Date of Mortgage Recording: October 10, 2016

Amount claimed due on date of notice: $136,442.90

Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Charter Township of Allendale, Ottawa County, Michigan, and described as:

Beginning at the Southwest corner of the West 1/2 of the North 1/2 of the South 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 22, Town

7 North, Range 14 West, Allendale Township, Ottawa County, Michigan; thence running East 10 rods; thence North 8 rods; thence West 10 rods; thence South 8 rods to the place of beginning.

Common street address (if any): 11308 68th Ave, Allendale, MI 49401-9126

The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16).

If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period.

Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice.

This notice is from a debt collector.

Date of notice: August 10, 2023

Trott Law, P.C.

31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145

Farmington Hills, MI 48334

(248) 642-2515

1505855

(08-10)(08-31)

8/31/2023

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement

Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Ottawa County, starting promptly at 10:00 AM, on September 7, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information:

Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Paul R. Hogan and Stephanie M. Hogan, husband and wife

Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Specialized Loan Servicing LLC

Date of Mortgage: January 3, 2006

Date of Mortgage Recording: January 16, 2006

Amount claimed due on date of notice: $131,177.00

Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Park, Ottawa County, Michigan, and described as:

Lot(s) 35, Ventura Village Estates Subdivision No. 2, according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 20 of Plats, Page 28.

Common street address (if any):

16494 Oakleaf Ct, Holland, MI 49424-5622

The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16).

If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period.

Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice.

This notice is from a debt collector.

Date of notice: August 10, 2023

Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 (248) 642-2515

1505918 (08-10)(08-31)

8/31/2023

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement

Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Ottawa County, starting promptly at 10:00 AM, on September 7, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information:

Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Donna

J. Aukeman

Original Mortgagee: Citizens Bank N.A. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): None

Date of Mortgage: September 15, 2017

Date of Mortgage Recording: October 9, 2017

Amount claimed due on date of notice: $301,873.19

Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Charter Township of Georgetown, Ottawa County, Michigan, and described as:

Lot 101, Hager Park West No. 4, part of the SW 1/4 of Section 9, T6N, R13W, Georgetown Township, Ottawa County, Michigan, as recorded in Liber 42 of Plats, Page 99.

Common street address (if any): 3079 Park South Dr, Jenison, MI 49428-8653

The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16).

If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period.

Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice.

This notice is from a debt collector.

Date of notice: August 10, 2023

Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 (248) 642-2515

1506096 (08-10)(08-31)

9/7/2023

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement

Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Ottawa County, starting promptly at 10:00 AM, on September 14, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information:

Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Megan Renee Deweerd, a single woman

Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns

Foreclosing Assignee (if any):

CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC

Date of Mortgage: February 18, 2022

Date of Mortgage Recording: February 22, 2022

Amount claimed due on date of notice: $185,285.71

Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Holland, Ottawa County, Michigan, and described as:

Lot 11, R.H. Post’s First Addition, City of Holland, Ottawa County, Michigan, as recorded in liber 5 of plats, Page 1 A.

Common street address (if any): 361 W 18th St, Holland, MI 49423-3964

The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16).

If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period.

Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice.

This notice is from a debt collector.

Date of notice: August 17, 2023

Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, MI 48334

(248) 642-2515

1506720

(08-17)(09-07)

9/7/2023

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement

Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Ottawa County, starting promptly at 10:00 AM, on September 21, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information:

Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Carmen Ramirez-Dy and Ryan Dy, husband and wife

Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any):

Freedom Mortgage Corporation

Date of Mortgage: August 30, 2019

Date of Mortgage Recording: September 11, 2019

Amount claimed due on date of notice: $223,772.42

Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Charter Township of Holland, Ottawa County, Michigan, and described as:

Lot 123, Woodside Green Subdivision No. 3, according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 40 of Plats, Page 92.

Common street address (if any): 3502 Willowood Dr, Zeeland, MI 49464-8753

The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16).

If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period.

Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector.

Date of notice: August 17, 2023

Trott Law, P.C.

31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 (248) 642-2515

1506547 (08-17)(09-07)

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement

Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Ottawa County, starting promptly at 10:00 AM, on September 14, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information:

Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Justin Winsemius and Ashley Winsemius, husband and wife

Original Mortgagee: Mortgage

Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns

Foreclosing Assignee (if any):

Freedom Mortgage Corporation

Date of Mortgage: August 29, 2018

Date of Mortgage Recording: September 7, 2018

Amount claimed due on date of notice: $134,327.54

Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Charter Township of Georgetown, Ottawa County, Michigan, and described as:

Lot 2, G.K. Vandenberg

Subdivision, according to the recorded Plat thereof in Liber 11 of Plats, Page 13

Common street address (if any):

4017 Port Sheldon St, Hudsonville, MI 49426-8945

The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16).

If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period.

Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector.

Date of notice: August 17, 2023

Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 (248) 642-2515

1506417 (08-17)(09-07)

08/17/23

STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF OTTAWA

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate Case No. 23-69516-DE

Court Address 12120 Fillmore Street West Olive, MI 49460

Court Telephone no. 616-786-4110

Estate of William J. Linburg

Date of Birth: 02/22/1955

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, William J. Linburg, died 04/20/2023.

Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented Megan Katsma, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 12120 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice.

Date: August 17, 2023

Megan Katsma Personal representative 505 Port Sheldon Rd. SW Grandville, MI 49418 Telephone no. (616) 635-1788

James A. Wesseling (P40226) Attorney 6439 – 28th Avenue Hudsonville, Michigan 49426 (616) 669-8185

LEGAL NOTICE

08/17/23

STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF OTTAWA

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate Case No. 23-69703-DE

Court Address 12120 Fillmore Street West Olive, MI 49460

Court Telephone no. 616-786-4110

Estate of Anna Clawson

Date of Birth: 02/01/1923

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Anna Clawson, died 03/13/2023.

Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented Mark Clawson, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 12120 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice.

Date: August 17, 2023

Mark Clawson Personal representative 7489 Shorewood St. Allendale, MI 49401 Telephone no. (616) 215-3084

James A. Wesseling (P40226) Attorney 6439 – 28th Avenue

Hudsonville, MI 49426 (616) 669-8185

STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF OTTAWA

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Decedent’s Estate

CASE NO. – 2023-69713-DE

JUDGE – Mark A. Feyen

Court Address 12120 Fillmore Street West Olive, MI 49460 Court Telephone no. 616-786-4110

Estate of Barbara Ruth Williams

Date of birth: 12/31/1964

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Barbara Ruth Williams, died 03/09/2023.

Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Nancy Bussis, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 12120 Fillmore, West Olive, MI 49460 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice.

Date: 08/08/2023

Nancy Bussis Personal representative 6560 Clover Ln. Jenison, MI 49428

James L. Koetje (P32089) Attorney 4095 Chicago Drive, SW Ste. 105 Grandville, MI 49418 Telephone no. (616) 534-9637

LEGAL NOTICE

04/15/21

STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF OTTAWA

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Decedent’s Trust Estate

Decedent: Kimble Lee Wagner

Date of Birth: January 19, 1961

Name of Trust: The Kimble L. Wagner Trust

Date of Trust: February 4, 1999, as amended and restated on October 30, 2013; amended by a First Amendment dated July 8, 2015 and by a Second Amendment dated November 25, 2015.

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS:

The decedent, Kimble Lee Wagner died July 3, 2023

Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Mitchell S. Wagner, trustee, or to both the probate court at 12120 Fillmore, West Olive, Michigan 49460 and the trustees within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. A probate estate has not been opened and letters of authority have not been issued.

Date: 8/8/2023

Mitchell S. Wagner Trustee 8642 – 80th Avenue Zeeland, Michigan 49464 Telephone no. (616) 293-2766

Nicewander, Berens & DeVries PLLC James C. DeVries (P47508) 513 Baldwin Jenison, MI 49428 Telephone no. (616) 457-9290

STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF OTTAWA

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Decedent’s Trust Estate

Decedent: Irwin Lee Berens

Date of Birth: November 1, 1938

Name of Trust: The Irwin L. Berens and Patricia L. Berens Trust

Date of Trust: July 25, 2008; amended and restated on April 26, 2019, as amended by a First Amendment dated June 15, 2022

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS:

The decedent, Irwin Lee Berens died July 4, 2023.

Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Terry L. Berens and Craig A. Berens, Trustees, or to both the probate court at 12120 Fillmore, West Olive, Michigan 49460 and the trustees within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. A probate estate has not been opened and letters of authority have not been issued.

Date: 8/8/2023

Terry L. Berens Trustee 16607 Ferris Street Grand Haven, MI 49417 Telephone no. (616) 638-1714

Craig A. Berens Trustee 6391 Blue Jay Lane Holland, MI 49423

Telephone no. (616) 886-1085

Nicewander, Berens & DeVries PLLC

Terry L. Berens (P41576) 513 Baldwin Jenison, MI 49428

Telephone no. (616) 457-9290

LEGAL NOTICE

08/14/23

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust Estate Karen J. Vander Haar (“Decedent”)

Date of Decedent’s Birth: 01/15/1942

Name of Trust: Assink Living Trust dated August 22, 2012

NOTICE TO CREDITORS:

Decedent, Karen J. Vander Haar, died 6/29/2023. There is no personal representative of Decedent’s estate to whom Letters of Authority have been issued.

Creditors of Decedent are notified that all claims against Decedent, Decedent’s estate and/or Decedent’s trust(s) will be forever barred unless presented to Joy Ensing, Trustee, within four (4) months after the date of publication of this notice.

Dated: August 17, 2023

Joy Ensing 9741 Port Sheldon St. Zeeland, MI 49464

James A. Wesseling (P-40226) WESSELING & BRACKMANN P.C. 6439 28th Avenue Hudsonville, Michigan 49426 (616) 669-8185

08/17/23

STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF OTTAWA

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Decedent’s Estate

CASE NO. – 23-69490-DE

JUDGE

Court Address 12120 Fillmore Street West Olive, MI 49460 Court Telephone no. (616) 786-4110

Estate of Charles Taylor

Date of birth: July 7, 1955

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Charles Taylor, died 09/27/2022.

Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Phillip J. Taylor, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 12120 Fillmore, West Olive, MI 49460 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice.

Date: August 14, 2023

Phillip J. Taylor Personal representative 127 W. Central Ave. Zeeland, MI 49464

Telephone no. (616) 403-9630

Timothy L. Taylor (P50083) Attorney 940 Monroe N.W. Suite 253

Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Telephone no. (616) 233-1300

LEGAL NOTICE

08/17/23

STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT OTTAWA COUNTY

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. – 2023-26069740-DE JUDGE – Mark A. Feyen Court Address 12120 Fillmore Street West Olive, MI 49460 Court Telephone no. (616) 786-4110

Estate of Minnie E. Troutman

Date of Birth: May 12, 1931

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Minnie E. Troutman, died December 7, 2020.

Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Timothy J. Waalkes, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 12120 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice.

Date: August 9, 2023

Timothy J. Waalkes Personal representative 40 Pearl Street NW, Ste. 1020 Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Phone: (616) 459-6100

LEGAL NOTICE

STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF OTTAWA

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Decedent’s Estate

Case No.: 2023-69778-DE

Judge: Mark A. Feyen

Court Address:

12120 Fillmore Street West Olive, MI 49460

Court Telephone No.: (616) 786-4110

Estate of Linda Beth Mariuz

Date of Birth: January 6, 1943

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent Linda Beth Mariuz, died March 28, 2023.

Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jeffrey P Mariuz, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 12120 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice.

Date: August 17, 2023

Jeffrey P. Mariuz

Personal representative

11357 Stonehedge Drive

Holland, MI 49424

Telephone no. (616) 836-1732

Cunningham Dalman, P.C.

P. Haans Mulder (P61842)

321 Settlers Road Holland, MI 49423

Telephone no. (616) 392-1821

Groundbreaking

(Continued from page 12) state-of-the-art, 3,900-squarefoot dance studio, can double as a performance venue for dance, theatre and others. It will also include a wheelchair lift to facilitate access to the mainstage and backstage areas; dressing rooms and a green room; and — for audience members — additional restrooms in the lobby.

“The dance studio will also be a performance space and can be a venue for multiple performances throughout the year,” Farmer said. “It will also provide additional opportunities for the community as well as our students as we enhance the college’s ability to bring in guest artists who may have requirements for rehearsal and backstage space that we can’t currently meet.”

Established in 1974, the college’s Department of Dance is open to all students at Hope and not just majors or minors. The department offers two different dance majors and two minors, with coursework that is a combination of theory and technique, including ballet, Hip Hop, jazz, modern and tap. More than 250 students are enrolled in the department’s courses in any given semester, including approximately 75 who have declared majors or minors.

Hope has been accredited by the National Association of

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE

08/17/23

STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT OTTAWA COUNTY

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Decedent’s Estate

CASE NO. – 23-69668-DE JUDGE –

Court Address 12120 Fillmore Street West Olive, MI 49460

Court Telephone no. (616) 786-4110

Estate of Delores L. Veenboer, Deceased

Date of Birth: 08/24/1929

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Delores L. Veenboer, died 05/12/2022.

Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Gregory Vogel, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 12120 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice.

Date: 8/11/2023

Gregory Vogel

Personal representative 934 S. Lake Street Whitehall, MI 49461 Telephone no. 616-784-8759

Edward F. Wiest (P30604)

Attorney

Howard Law Group 25 Ionia Ave. SW Suite 230

Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Telephone no. 616-235-6000

Schools of Dance since 1982, and the Department of Dance has received a variety of honors through the years. Most recently, in February, it received the 2023 Inspiration Award from Chicago Tap Theatre, one of the nation’s top tap companies, as a leader in tap dance education.

The forthcoming addition and the previously completed tap studio, which opened during the 2021-22 school year, are the first two of three projects for the Department of Dance, which Farmer explained has not only outgrown its quarters but must meet new standards for accreditation — such as larger studios with higher ceilings — that the existing facilities can’t address. A major renovation of the studio space in the Dow Center — the department’s primary home since the building opened in 1978 — is the third project and is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2025.

“Accreditation standards have changed because the art form of dance has changed,” Farmer said. “As more and more science is developed around the field of dance, the more the standards have changed as we have learned more about what dancers’ bodies go through during rigorous training and performance.”

8/31/23

STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT OTTAWA COUNTY

PUBLICATION OF NOTICE

FILE NO. 23-69490-DE

In the matter of Charles Taylor

TO ALL INTERSESTED PERSONS:

* Including, but not limited to, all relatives or other potential heirs of Charles Taylor (d/o/b 7/7/1955), son of Merle James Taylor and Nelvina Marie Taylor (née Wiersema), whose address(es) are unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following:

TAKE NOTICE: *

That Charles Taylor, a resident of Zeeland, Michigan, died on September 27, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents and grand parents. He was also preceded in death by his paternal aunt and uncles. He has no known relatives or other heirs on his maternal (Nelvina Marie Taylor (née Wiersema)) side of the family. Since Charles Taylor died without a will (i.e., he died intestate), if he did have any such relatives or heirs on his maternal side of the family, they may be eligible to receive a distribution from his probate estate. Therefore, if they make any claim as to being a relative or heir of Charles Taylor, they should contact either the personal representative (Philip J. Taylor) or the attorney for the personal representative (Timothy L. Taylor). This should be done within 120 days of the last publication of this notice or their interest will be foreclosed.

Date: August 14, 2023

Phillip J. Taylor

Personal representative

127 W. Central Ave. Zeeland, MI 49464

Telephone no. (616) 403-9630

Timothy L. Taylor (P50083) Attorney 940 Monroe N.W. Suite 253 Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Telephone no. (616) 233-1300

Jeannette

R. Van Den Bosch

(Continued from page 2)

of Grand Rapids and Darlene (Rod) Scholten of Holland; seven grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; many great great grandchildren; brother, Ronald Dale (Shirley) Rhoda of Holland; sisters-in-law, Shirley Rhoda of Holland and Carol Rhoda of Holland; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A memorial service was held on Tuesday, Aug. 15 at Yntema Funeral Home, 251 S State St., Zeeland, with Rev. Mike Westerveld officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. A special thank you the caregivers at SKLD in Zeeland for taking care of Jeannette over the last few years.

The family would like to leave you with this thought which brought Jan comfort: “What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I belong body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.” God bless you all!

Condolences may be left online at www.yntemafh.com.

Tomato Troubles

by Melinda Myers

Extreme heat, drought, torrential rains, and hungry critters may be wreaking havoc on your garden. After weeding, watering, and waiting you may be finding less, diseased, or misshapen tomatoes. Don’t give up. Make a few adjustments in garden maintenance to boost the current and future tomato harvests.

Blossom end rot is a common problem on the first set of fruit. It’s due to a calcium deficiency often caused by fluctuations in soil moisture frequently seen on the first set of fruit and those grown in containers.

Always water thoroughly to encourage a deep robust root system. Adjust your watering as needed and mulch the soil to help keep it consistently moist. Have your soil tested before adding any calcium fertilizer. Further reduce the risk of blossom end rot by avoiding root damage when staking and cultivating your garden. Eliminating some of the roots limits the plant’s ability to absorb water and nutrients. Avoid overfertilization and don’t use ammonium-based nitrogen fertilizers on tomatoes.

Fortunately, it is safe to eat the firm red portion of the affected tomato. Since this is a physiological disorder, not a disease or insect problem you can cut off the black portion and toss it into the compost pile.

Cracked fruit is also common in the garden. Fluctuating temperatures, moisture stress, and improper fertilization result in irregular development of the fruit that results in cracking. You can’t change the weather, but you can reduce the risk of this problem with thorough, less frequent watering to encourage deep roots. And just like blossom end rot, mulch the soil to keep it evenly moist and be sure to avoid root damage.

Several fungal diseases, such as early and late blight, Septoria leaf spot, and anthracnose, can cause spots on the leaves and fruit of tomatoes. Minimize the problem by rotating your plantings whenever possible. Move your tomatoes to an area of the garden where unrelated crops, such as beans, lettuce, or onions, had been growing the previous season.

Mulching the soil also helps keep soil-borne fungal spores off the plant. Water early in the day and if possible, apply the water directly to the soil with a soaker hose, drip irrigation, or a watering wand to reduce the risk of disease.

Properly space and stake or tower your tomato plants to promote healthier growth and reduce the risk of disease. Remove any volunteer tomatoes that sprout and crowd out the current season’s planting. Remove weeds as they appear. Many serve as hosts for insect pests and diseases and compete with tomato plants for water and nutrients. Removing them before they flower and set seed eliminates hundreds of weeds you would need to pull next year.

Always clean up and dispose of disease-infected plant material in the fall. Cultural practices and growing the most disease-resistant varieties available are often enough to keep these diseases under control.

If you choose to use a fungicide, select one labeled for food crops and apply it at the first sign of the disease. Repeat applications are usually needed. Be sure to read and follow all label directions carefully whether using organic, natural, or synthetic fungicides.

Enjoy this year’s harvest and continue to make any needed changes now and in the future to boost your gardening success. And as a gardener you know there is always next year.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition, and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

Grace

(Continued from page 7)

God has shown all of us so much Grace! Praise His holy Name, forever! He is the good, good Father! He will help you and me, and that itself is more of His matchless Grace!

For ye have not received the

spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. --Romans 8:15, KJV

Tonja K. Taylor lives to exalt God. She and her husband of almost 18 years serve Him in many ways, including through the YouTube channel “River Rain Creative,” and more. Tonja teaches kids online and writes.

Blossom end rot on tomatoes is due to a calcium deficiency often caused by fluctuations in soil moisture. Photo courtesy of www.MelindaMyers.com.

FIGHT HUNGER

WITH FAMILY MEALS

Selfless ways to support community members in need

FAMILY FEATURES

With hectic day-to-day schedules and varying dietary needs, many families face the dreaded daily question: “What sounds good for dinner?” In contrast, millions struggle to put food on the table each night, impacting about 1 in 8 children, according to Feeding America. You can help support those in need through Safeway and Albertsons’ “Fight Hunger, Serve Hope” cause program – an initiative to fight hunger in local communities during summer months when households with school-aged children face higher rates of food insecurity. The company’s private label will donate one meal for every O Organics® product purchased, up to $7 million and the equivalent of 28 million meals. Donations will be made to Nourishing Neighbors, a program of Albertsons Companies Foundation, to fund grants dedicated to providing healthy meals for at-risk youth throughout the summer.

“While summertime sparks excitement for countless students, it also marks the unfortunate reality that millions of children face when they lose access to school cafeteria lunches and breakfasts they depend on throughout the school year,” said Jennifer Saenz, EVP and chief merchandising officer at Albertsons Companies. “As a company, we are committed to making a difference in the lives of children in need. For the first time, we are making it easier than ever for our customers to support this mission by connecting each purchase of our O Organics brand to hunger relief efforts in the communities we serve.”

Following the campaign period, families looking to help in their communities can give back in a variety of ways.

Donate Canned Goods

Once school is in session, many classrooms participate in canned food drives for a variety of causes while serving a dual purpose: feeding those in need and teaching children the importance of giving back. Sending your students to school with canned goods can show them the value of helping others and instill a sense of responsibility.

Volunteer at a Food Pantry

Sharing valuable resources like canned goods helps make a difference in communities, but local food pantries also need willing volunteers to sort and distribute food, among other duties. It can provide a unique sense of perspective as you meet other volunteers, improve the lives of people in your community and gain new skills.

Promote the Power of Family Meals

Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner or all three, sharing a meal with neighbors can be a powerful moment. It provides an opportunity to connect while enjoying easy-to-make recipes like Ribeye Steak, Grape Tomato and Mushroom Kebabs; Grilled Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese, Fresh Raspberries and Pecans; and Mixed Berry-Lime Smoothie Bowl with Banana and Granola.

Find more meal ideas by visiting Safeway.com and Albertsons.com.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese, Fresh Blueberries and Pecans

Recipe courtesy of Safeway and Albertsons

Total time: 20 minutes

3/4 pound boneless, skinless O Organics chicken breasts

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons O Organics extra-virgin olive oil

1 package (5 ounces) O Organics spring mix

1 package (6 ounces) O Organics

blueberries (or desired berry)

1/4 cup O Organics pecan halves

3 tablespoons O Organics olive oil

1 tablespoon O Organics balsamic vinegar

1/2 log (4 ounces) O Organics goat cheese

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place on cutting board. Cut chicken in half horizontally to

Ribeye Steak, Grape Tomato and Mushroom Kebabs

Recipe courtesy of Safeway and Albertsons

Total time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 cups

2 cloves garlic

1/2 small bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

1/4 cup O Organics extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons O Organics Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 pound O Organics ribeye steak

1/2 pint O Organics grape tomatoes

1/4 pound O Organics white mushrooms

green pepper, sliced (optional)

1/2 medium red onion

6 skewers

Peel and mince garlic. Wash and dry parsley. Shave leaves off stems; discard stems and mince leaves.

In large bowl, whisk minced garlic, half the minced parsley (reserve remainder for garnish), olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

Cut steak into cubes; transfer to marinade bowl and toss to coat.

Wash tomatoes, mushrooms and green pepper. Halve mushrooms. Add tomatoes, mushrooms and green pepper to marinade. Peel onion and cut into chunks; add to marinade. Toss beef and vegetables until well coated.

Heat grill pan, outdoor grill or skillet to medium-high heat. Thread steak and vegetables onto six skewers.

Cook kebabs in batches until steak is browned and vegetables are tender, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining kebabs. To serve, plate kebabs and sprinkle with remaining minced parsley.

form thin cutlets. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Preheat grill pan, outdoor grill or skillet to medium-high heat.

Once pan is hot, coat with oil. Add chicken to pan and grill, turning once, until cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.

Wash and dry spring mix. Place in medium bowl. Wash and dry blueberries. Add to bowl with mixed greens. Using clean cutting board, roughly chop pecans. Add to bowl.

Transfer cooked chicken to cutting board and cut into thin strips.

In bowl, mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar to create dressing.

Add chicken and dressing to salad bowl; toss to combine.

To serve, divide salad between plates or bowls and crumble goat cheese over top.

Mixed Berry-Lime Smoothie Bowl with Banana and Granola

Recipe courtesy of Safeway and Albertsons

Total time: 10 minutes

Yield: 3 cups

1 banana

1/2 package (6 ounces) O Organics blackberries

1/2 lime

2 cups O Organics frozen mixed berries

1 cup plain O Organics Greek yogurt

4 fluid ounces O Organics whole milk

1/8 cup O Organics honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup O Organics granola of choice

Wash and dry banana and blackberries. Peel and thinly slice banana; set aside. Zest and juice lime into blender. Add frozen mixed berries, yogurt, milk, honey and cinnamon. Blend on high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes. To serve, divide smoothie between bowls and top with banana, blackberries and granola.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

OCRC Strategic Improvement Plan Available for Review

The Ottawa County Road Commission(OCRC) has posted its draft 2024-2028 Strategic Improvement Plan on its website for review. The OCRC invites public and stakeholder input on the draft document from now until Sept. 18, 2023.

“It is important to the plan development process to gather input and comments about the proposed projects from the public and local governmental partners prior to the plan being finalized and approved by the Road Commission Board in late September,” said OCRC spokesman Alex Doty.

Groundbreaking to Launch Year-Long Dance Celebration

The groundbreaking ceremony for a major performingarts expansion of the DeWitt Center at Hope College will also launch a year-long, goldenmilestone celebration for the college’s nationally acclaimed Department of Dance.

Hope will break ground on Friday, Aug. 18, at 3 p.m. for the Jim and Eileen Heeringa Dance Wing that is being added adjacent to the building’s main theatre and entrance facing Columbia Avenue at 12th Street. The public is invited, and admission is free although an RSVP at hope.edu/ august18 is requested.

The ceremony will include remarks about the important nature of a transformative liberal arts experience by Matthew A. Scogin, president of Hope, and Dr. Steve Maiullo, interim dean of arts and humanities. Bill Blanski, architect from HGA Architects and Engineers, will share insight into the building design. Matthew Farmer, who is the Dorothy Wiley DeLong Professor of Dance and department chair, will provide an overview of upcoming events to celebrate the Hope dance program and its faculty and students.

In addition, the event will include special recognition of Eileen Kilmer Heeringa of Holland

and the late Jim Heeringa, who were the dance wing’s lead donors; Linda and Dave Wesselink, who underwrote the renovation of the recently completed Wesselink Tap Studio in the DeVos Fieldhouse; and the additional 60 donors who have made contributions to the project thus far.

The construction taking place across the coming school year will coincide with a variety of events commemorating the 50th installment of the department’s major annual concert, which is always named chronologically — this time, Dance 50, scheduled for Feb. 9-10 and 15-17. Additional activities will include an alumni reunion in conjunction with the Feb. 17 performance; tours of the in-progress construction in February as well as during Homecoming in October; and other concerts in the fall and spring. The project is scheduled for completion in time for the start of classes in the fall of 2024.

Although the addition to the DeWitt Center, which opened in 1971, is being named for the Department of Dance, Farmer explained that the space is intended to serve all of the performing arts at the college. The most prominent feature, a

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This plan is updated annually and is based on a yearly review of county road assets in order to identify improvement needs and determine economical methods to finance improvement and maintenance projects.

Included in the draft plan are proposed reconstruction and resurfacing work on primary and local roads, preventative maintenance treatments, and drainage and bridge improvements.

“Implementation of the projects listed in the draft SIP will be based on receipt of identified funding sources and are subject to change based budgetary constraints or other factors,” he explained.

Local primary roads scheduled for improvement in 2024 include Fillmore from 120th Avenue to 72nd Avenue. The road will be milled and resurfaced along with the adding of 3-foot shoulder for bicycle riders. The portion from 120th to 96th will be paid using Michigan Transportation Funds and the remainder is from local funds.

Riley Street from U.S.31 to 112th Avenue will also be

milled and resurfaced. The project is estimated at $1million and $535,667 will be used from County wide Road Millage Funds.

The OCRC is locally proposing two culvert replacements in Zeeland Township. The first on 92nd Avenue north of Quincy, and the second on Felch Street west of 72nd Ave.

County wide the OCRC is proposing $11,316,568 in improvements throughout the county. Local subdivisions street resurfacing and seal coating are funded by the townships and are managed by the OCRC.

“The draft 2024-2028 SIP, as well as opportunities to comment, are available on our website. Those with questions/comments are invited to email us or use the SIP comment form on our website,” he said.

Hope Appoints Board Members and Officers

The Hope College Alumni Association Board of Directors has appointed four new members.

The board’s new members are Craig DeSousa, a 1972 graduate from Garden City, New York; Liam Naumann, a junior from Wyckoff, New Jersey, as junior-class representative; Marissa Solorzano, a 2019 graduate from Grand Rapids; and Gaye van den Hombergh, a 1981 graduate from Lincolnshire, Illinois.

The board’s three officers are continuing to serve in their roles for a second year. They are president, Tracey Hoesch, a 2003 graduate from Ann Arbor; vice president, Tonisha Gordon, a 2009 graduate from Perrysburg, Ohio; and secretary, Dr. Kiersten Krause, a 1997 graduate from Holland.

Naod Estifanos of Traverse City, Michigan, formerly seniorclass representative, was appointed representative of the most recent graduating class. Alyson Davis of Palatine, Illinois, who was formerly junior-class representative, was appointed senior-class representative.

The board members who have completed their service are Thomas Doran, a 1997 graduate from Smyrna, Georgia; Grace Purdue, a 2022 graduate from Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Scott Watson, a 1986 graduate from Indianapolis, Indiana.

DeSousa majored in psychology at Hope and subsequently completed a master’s degree in general and experimental psychology at the University of

Hartford in 1974.

Following graduate school, he pursued a career in banking with JPMorgan Chase and its predecessor institutions. He is currently a senior vice president with Wells Fargo Bank in New York City primarily focused on sports finance.

As a reflection of his appreciation for his experience at Hope and with the college’s psychology program, he established the endowed Craig DeSousa Psychology Award in 2019 to be given to a senior Hope psychology major for demonstrated leadership and service as a difference maker and community builder.

Naumann is majoring in global health and environmental science and is the third generation of his family to attend the college. His activities at Hope include the Habitat for Humanity club and intramurals, in addition to serving as a tour guide for the Admissions Office.

He is an Eagle Scout, and outside of his time at Hope volunteers with a variety of scouting programs. He is a 2021 graduate of Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

Solorzano graduated from Hope with a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, and a Spanish minor.

After graduating, she worked for two years as a research coordinator at the University of Michigan’s Rogel Cancer Center. She is now entering her third year

Holland Museum to Host Live Historical Musical Revue

As part of their current exhibition on display the Holland Museum presents “My Idlewild!

A Live Historical Musical Revue.”

This is the first time this production has been performed in Holland. “My Idlewild! A Live Historical Musical Revue” chronicles the people, famous and locally famous, who made Idlewild a very special place.

A live band and vocal artists in a juke-joint atmosphere will bring to life historical Idlewild

of medical school at the Grand Rapids campus of the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Born and raised in Holland, she was the first generation of her family to attend college, and she is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education and medicine. She is on the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) Midwest Board as a public relations chair and was a founding member of the Hope College Alumni of Color Advisory Council. van den Hombergh majored in business administration and communication at Hope and subsequently completed a master’s degree in organizational and interpersonal communication at Ohio University.

She is a senior partner at Culture Partners, a culture management consulting and training firm. Prior to joining Culture Partners, she spent her career in various operatingexecutive roles, including as CEO of The Johnsson Group and regional president of Vistage, as well as in various sales and marketing roles at Kraft Foods.

She has served on the boards of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago and Winning Workplaces, is a past president of the Chicago Finance Exchange and recently completed service on the Advisory Board of the Center for Leadership at Hope. She currently serves as a Board Director for a privately held ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) company in Chicago.

performers like the Four Tops, Dinah Washington, Fats Waller, and Sarah Vaughan. Original songs by Gezelle Grier Myers tell the story of Idlewild, including this one, will be featured throughout the performance. “In a small little town, a little Northwest I like to say it’s one of the best It’s my, my… Idlewild Couldn’t wait ‘til spring See what summer brings new friends, summer games Or even a 3-month fling I’m talking bout, talking bout, My Idlewild”

“My Idlewild! A Live Historical Musical Revue” will be held on Saturday, August 26th from 7:008:30pm at the Holland Armory. Doors open at 6:30pm. Tickets are required for this event and can be purchased on Eventbrite for $25 or at the door for $35. A limited number of VIP Reserved Sponsor Tables are available, contact Joseph McClusky at 616-796-3322 or joseph@hollandmuseum.org for more information. A cash bar will be available.

During the months of June and July, Royal Park Place Retirement Living and Royal Atrium Inn Assisted Living partnered with Zeeland Student Work Experience Program (Z-SWEP) to help high school students with barriers gain work experience in their own community. The students worked as a team while an adult mentor staining decks, cleaning dining room chairs and weeding.