Monthly Archives: February 2020

Ask Dr. Universe – Why the Wind Blows

Dr. Universe: Why does the wind blow? – Odin, 7, Mt. Vernon, Wash.

Dear Odin,

When the wind blows, it can do all kinds of things. It can help pick up tiny seeds and carry them away, so plants and flowers can grow in new places. It can push a big sailboat across an ocean. We can even harness the wind to make clean energy to power our homes and schools.

That’s what I found out from my friend Gordon Taub, an engineer at Washington State University. He is very curious about wind energy and told me more about why the wind blows.

Whether it’s a breeze, a gust, or a gale, winds are blowing in our atmosphere all the time. When the sun heats the earth, it doesn’t actually heat the earth evenly.

Part of the reason the Earth doesn’t heat up evenly is that the sun is really far away. Because the Earth is a big sphere, when the sun’s rays finally get to us, they are going mainly in one direction. They are mainly pointed at the Earth’s equator. That means that rays have to travel further to get to the ground at the poles than they do at the equator. As the sun’s rays pass through the air, they get weaker.

When the air at the equator warms up, it expands, Gordon reminded me. Things start cycling around as warm air moves in to places where there is cooler air. It is this mixing and movement of air at different temperatures and pressures that gives us our winds.

The wind holds a lot of energy, too. Wind turbines can help take the kinetic or motion energy of wind and turn it into electrical energy that can power our world.

Taub’s students are actually working on a wind turbine project of their own this year and will debut it at a national competition in 2020. If you are curious about wind, maybe one day you’ll join students at WSU to investigate wind power, too.

Maybe you’ve also seen some wind turbines if you’ve traveled across our state. Taub said wind turbines usually start spinning when the wind is blowing about 11 m.p.h. They usually shut down when winds reach speeds of about 44 m.p.h., so the blades don’t get busted up.

You know, we have some pretty strong winds on planet Earth, but that’s nothing compared to other planets. Jupiter’s red spot has winds of up to 250 mph, almost twice the speed of the fastest wind on Earth [163 mph was the highest recorded]. And Neptune’s winds are the fastest in the solar system reaching 1,600 mph—even faster than a fighter jet.

On earth, wind can also help us stay cool on hot days. I think I’m going to make my very own wind-powered pinwheel this summer. You can try to make one of your own, too. We’ll need some scissors, paper, a wooden stick, and a brass fastener. Find all the instructions here and then watch your creation spin in the wind.

Sincerely,
Dr. Universe

Letter to Senator Stabenow

Dear Senator Stabenow:

I have contacted you before–never receiving any response. I haven’t supported you because you have always supported former President Obama in all his policies. I feel  he has done more to divide this country than any other president. When he began to disparage our policemen growing a movement of disrespect for our men in blue, you never said a word.  When he started with racist remarks that have contributed to the increase of  the growing racial divide we now experience, you never spoke up.  You supported Obamacare even though it has proved a disaster and admitted it was intended to be by its author.  Now the Democratic party, instead of spending its time working to solve our country’s serious problems, is bent on wasting time and money on lies and deceptions to undo our duly elected president. Your party is no longer the Democratic party my immigrant father supported one hundred years ago.  It has become the Communist Party bent on taking over this country! Why don’t you step out of the sheep pen and stand up for what you know is right. You might even change my mind about you!

Social Security Launches New Campaign to Fight Scammers

The Social Security Administration launched a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign to continue warning people about the ongoing nationwide telephone impersonation scheme.  The PSAs feature a message from Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul.  Social Security and its Office of the Inspector General (OIG) continue to receive reports about fraudulent phone calls from people falsely claiming to be Social Security employees.  The scammers mislead victims into making cash or gift card payments for help with purported identity theft, or to avoid arrest for bogus Social Security number problems.

“I want every American to know that if a suspicious caller states there is a problem with their Social Security number or account, they should hang up and never give the caller money or personal information.  People should then go online to oig.ssa.gov to report the scam call to Social Security,” said Commissioner Saul.

People should also be on the lookout for a new version of this scam.  Fraudsters are now emailing fake documents in attempts to get people to comply with their demands.  Victims have received emails with attached letters and reports that appear to be from Social Security or the OIG.  The letters may use official letterhead and government jargon to convince victims they are legitimate; they may also contain misspellings and grammar mistakes.

The new PSA addressing the telephone impersonation scheme is available online at www.youtube.com/socialsecurity.

youtubeSocial Security employees do occasionally contact people–generally those who have ongoing business with the agency–by telephone for business purposes.  However, Social Security employees will never threaten a person, or promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money.  In those cases, the call is fraudulent and people should just hang up.

Generally, the agency mainly calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, someone who is already receiving payments and requires an update to their record, or a person who has requested a phone call from the agency.  If a person is not in one of these situations, they normally would not receive a call from the agency.

Social Security will not:
· Tell you that your Social Security number has been suspended.
· Contact you to demand an immediate payment.
· Ask you for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
· Require a specific means of debt repayment, like a prepaid debit card, a retail gift card, or cash.
· Demand that you pay a Social Security debt without the ability to appeal the amount you owe.
· Promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money.

If there is a problem with a person’s Social Security number or record, in most cases Social Security will mail a letter.  If a person needs to submit payments to Social Security, the agency will send a letter with instructions and payment options.  People should never provide information or payment over the phone or Internet unless they are certain of who is receiving it.

Hotspots Are Now Available at Hackley Public Library

Are you interested in using the internet, but don’t have access?

Visit Hackley Public Library and check out a mobile Hotspot! This helpful device can provide Wi-Fi Internet access for up to 10 devices, and is user-friendly. Connect your computer, tablet, phone, or other device to a Hotspot, and see what you can discover. A hotspot may be checked out for one week.

To check out a hotspot, patrons must be 18 years of age or older, and must read, understand, and sign an agreement at the HPL Circulation Desk.  For more details, stop into Hackley Public Library or give us a call at 231-722-8000.

Brought through the generosity of the Friends of Hackley Public Library.

~

For more information, please contact Hackley Public Library, 316 W Webster Ave Muskegon MI 49440, at Reference: 231-722-8011, Circulation: 231-722-8000, Youth Services: 231-722-8014, askus@hackleylibrary.org, or @hackleyref.  Visit our Flickr PR album: http://bit.ly/1DSbZ6E

Trump Defense Team: Nine Key Facts Democrats Hid

from Richard Viguerie’s ConservativeHQ
[Copyright © 2019 ConservativeHQ.com, Inc.]

The establishment media skipped most of this and few Americans saw it.

Given that few Americans, even stalwart conservative CHQ readers, watched the Trump defense team’s opening presentation, we think pulling out the nine key points made by White House deputy counsel Michael Purpura will help readers understand exactly where President Trump’s defense team is headed:

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T TELL YOU: Witnesses testified that the sale of Javelin missiles discussed on the call was unrelated to the paused security assistance.

PURPURA: “The House Managers didn’t tell you about Ambassador Yovanovitch’s and Tim Morrison’s testimony. Why not? They couldn’t take two minutes out of their 24 hours to make sure you understood that the Javelin sales and the paused security assistance are unrelated. I want to be very clear about this: When House Democrats claim that the Javelin sales discussed on the July 25 call are part of the paused security assistance, it is misleading. They are trying to confuse you.”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T TELL YOU: Lt. Col. Vindman admitted that his concerns about the call were just his opinion.

PURPURA: “Ultimately, Lt. Col. Vindman admitted that his opinion that the President made any sort of ‘demand’ of the Ukrainians on the July 25 call was only ‘in [his] mind’ and ‘[it wa]s just the way it seemed to [him].’ The House Managers didn’t tell you that, did they?  Why not?”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T TELL YOU: Jennifer Williams didn’t raise concerns about the call until after impeachment was announced.

PURURA: “Ms. Williams didn’t raise any concerns about the call when it took place.  Not with Lt. Gen. Kellogg, not with counsel, not with anyone.”

PURURA: “Ms. Williams waited to announce her concerns until Speaker Pelosi publicly announced her impeachment inquiry. The House Managers didn’t tell you that. Why not?”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T TELL YOU: Tim Morrison saw nothing wrong on the call and testified that he only brought the call to the attention of NSC lawyers because he was concerned the call would be leaked.

PURURA: “Tim Morrison, who was Lt. Col. Vindman’s boss, was also on the call. One of the House Managers said that he ‘reported the call to National Security Council lawyers.’ That’s incredibly misleading. The House Managers didn’t tell you why Mr. Morrison went to see the NSC lawyers. Mr. Morrison brought the call to the attention of NSC lawyers because he was concerned about leaks and, in his words, ‘how it would play out in Washington’s polarized environment.’”

PURPURA: “’I want to be clear,’ Mr. Morrison testified, ‘I was not concerned that anything illegal was discussed.’ The House Managers stopped before they told you that part of the testimony. Why didn’t they tell you that?”

PURPURA: “Mr. Morrison further testified that there was ‘nothing improper’ and ‘[n]othing illegal’ about anything that was said on the call. Again, they didn’t tell you that. Why not?”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T TELL YOU: Ukrainians did not know about the hold on aid.

PURPURA: “There can’t be a threat without the person knowing he’s being threatened. There can’t be a quid pro quo without the quo. … Ambassador Volker testified that the Ukrainians did not know about the hold until reading about it in Politico. … Ambassador Taylor and Tim Morrison both agreed. … Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent testified that no Ukrainian official contacted him about the paused security assistance until ‘that first intense week in September.’ … The House Managers didn’t mention this testimony, from any of the four witnesses?  Why not?”

PURPURA: “Also, again, I want you to notice that the House Managers didn’t show you Mr. Yermak’s text message, and they didn’t tell you about the statements he and President Zelensky made about the call and their lack of knowledge of the pause on security assistance.  Why not?”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T TELL YOU:  The House’s impeachment managers borrowed heavily from Laura Cooper, but didn’t mention that she herself cast doubt on her claims about when Ukraine learned of the hold.

PURPURA: “The Managers told you that Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper presented two emails that people on her staff received from people at the State Department regarding conversations with people in the Ukraine Embassy that could have been about U.S. security assistance to Ukraine. What they did not tell you is that Ms. Cooper testified that she could not say for certain whether the emails were about the pause on security assistance. She couldn’t say one way or the other. She also testified that she ‘didn’t want to speculate’ about the meaning of the words in the emails.”

PURPURA: “The House Managers also didn’t tell you Ms. Cooper testified that ‘I . . . reviewed my calendar and the only meeting where I can recall a Ukrainian official raising the issue [of security assistance] with me is on September 5th at the Ukrainian Independence Day celebration.’”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T TELL YOU:  Sondland’s concerns about linkage were based on his own guesses and presumptions.

PURPURA: “They didn’t show you any of these clips, not once during their 24 hour presentation. 24 hours. And they couldn’t give you context to evaluate Ambassador Sondland.  All the Democrats have to support their alleged link between security assistance and investigations is Ambassador Sondland’s assumptions and presumptions.”

PURPURA: “The President was unequivocal.  Ambassador Sondland stated that this was the ‘final word that [he] heard from the President of the United States.’  And once he learned this, he text messaged Ambassadors Taylor and Volker: ‘The President has been crystal clear, no quid pro quos of any kind.’ If you are skeptical of Ambassador Sondland’s testimony, it was corroborated by the statement of one of your colleagues, Senator Johnson.”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T TELL YOU: Senator Johnson’s testimony showed that President Trump never wanted a quid pro quo.

PURPURA: “Again, President Trump’s answer was crystal clear: ‘No way.  I would never do that.  Who told you that?’ As Senator Johnson wrote, ‘I have accurately characterized his reaction as adamant, vehement and angry.’ They didn’t tell you about Senator Johnson’s letter, did they? Why not?”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DIDN’T TELL YOU: Multiple witnesses testified that there was no connection between security assistance and investigations.

PURPURA: “Under Secretary of State David Hale, George Kent, and Ambassador Volker all testified that there was no connection whatsoever between security assistance and investigations. … The House Managers never told you this.  Why not?”

And that was just the beginning.

When asked by Fox News host Neil Cavuto what he thought of the arguments laid out by the president’s defense team, Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott said it looked like Rep. Adam Schiff got “kneecapped.”

“I think Adam Schiff got kneecapped,” Scott said. “I think the White House counsel showed there was no due process in the House. Just a fabrication [by Schiff].”

Zachor Legal Institute Announces Release of The New Anti-Semites, Report Detailing Anti-Semitism Rampant in BDS Movement

As Marc Greendorfer, President of Zachor Legal Institute, introduces in the foreword of the report:

Anti-Semitic incidents, including those involving violence, are rising in the US and throughout the world. While anti-Semitism is oftentimes considered the oldest hatred in our civilization, a toxic mutation of this ancient evil in the form of anti-Zionism is spreading. Making matters worse, hate groups on the Left and Right are joining forces, with the backing of designated foreign terror organizations, to inject this movement of intolerance and delegitimization into social justice campaigns, schools, government and society as a whole.

We have prepared the report to document how this contemporary hate, as disseminated by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), is negatively influencing large segments of the United States’ population and creating a dangerous environment that normalizes vilification of Jews, something that history has shown to have deadly consequences. The objective of this report is to expose the BDS faux “civil rights” movement for what it is – a delegitimization campaign fueled by Jew-hatred reminiscent of Nazi-era anti-Semitic propaganda, rather than the human rights movement that it purports to be.

The words and deeds of BDS supporters must not be ignored, especially by those of us who are living reminders of the near extermination of the Jewish people. This pattern of demonization, delegitimization and, ultimately, elimination is one that has repeated itself over millennia. We must be educated on how to prevent the horrific history of anti-Semitism from being a prelude to the future.

~

About Zachor Legal Institute: Zachor Legal Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, uses the law to defend against anti-Semitism and delegitimization of Israel, with a focus on opposing BDS.

Ron Machol
Zachor Legal Institute
+1 925-328-0128

The Opportunity to Vote

submitted by Brenda M. Moore, Muskegon County Drain Commissioner, 141 E. Apple Muskegon, MI

Our democracy is at a social and environmental crossroad.  Be part of choosing which direction we take! The best new thing about voting this year is we all have access to absentee ballots. You need not leave the house to cast your vote.  You must be registered to vote before you can ask to absentee vote.

Register to vote with the Secretary of State, your local township or city’s clerk, or online @ https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/registervoter

Absentee voter applications are available from your local township or city’s clerk or online @:  https://www.michigan.gov/documents/AbsentVoterBallot_105377_7.pdf

For a Spanish version of the absentee application:
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Absent_Voter_Ballot_Application_-_Spanish_533415_7.pdf

Note that the current state absentee ballot application is for both the March presidential primary and the November full election.  On your application you can also request to be placed on the permanent absentee voter list.

If you never voted because you think nothing ever changes; now is your chance to change that.

Customers Complete 100,000 Transactions on New Secretary of State Self-service Stations

New kiosk locations include many Kroger and Meijer stores

customerLANSING, January 16, 2020 – Customers have successfully completed more than 100,000 transactions on the new self-service stations that have been installed since Oct. 27, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced today.

The 100,000th transaction in the program was completed at 9:23 a.m. Tuesday on the kiosk at the Brownstown Township branch office in Wayne County when Kevin O’Hagan of Lincoln Park renewed registrations for his truck and his wife AnMarie’s vehicle. He was pleased with the new technology he encountered.

“It went relatively easy and quick. I liked it,” he said. “I had a lot of trouble at the older ones.”

Outdated and unreliable self-service stations are being replaced statewide and many of the new stations are being placed in Kroger and Meijer grocery stores, meeting customers where they already are doing business. To date, 71 new machines have been installed. By the end of January, all 93 existing kiosks will be replaced and another 57 more will be added by the end of April, increasing the number of stations by more than 60 percent.

Most of the stations are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For an up-to-date listing of locations with the new self-service stations, visit Michigan.gov/SOSSelfService.

Michigan Prolifers Taking 20 Buses to March for Life

Grand Rapids, Mich. — January 22 was the 47th memorial of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, which legalized abortion through all nine months of pregnancy for any reason. Since these decisions in 1973, abortion has taken the lives of more than 59 million children in the United States.

Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing said, “Each year that the violence of abortion remains legal is a new tragedy with hundreds of thousands of lives being lost. We will continue our efforts to ensure that every human life is protected under law.”

As prolife people remember the millions of lives lost through abortion, they continue to hope for a time when this injustice is in the past.

Last year there were several steps made towards the goal of protecting life.

The Trump Administration updated Title X family planning funding rules, redirecting $60 million of taxpayer funding away from Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the country.

In Michigan, 379,419 signatures were submitted to initiate legislation to end the violent late-term dismemberment abortion procedure. Once the Michigan Bureau of Elections has reviewed the signatures, the legislation can be passed through the Michigan Legislature and become law without the need for a governor’s signature.

The upcoming year holds many reasons for hope as well. In March 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the case June Medical Services LLC v. Gee, a case involving a Louisiana law requiring abortionists to obtain admitting privileges at local hospitals. This will be the first case involving a prolife law that the court has heard since Justice Brett Kavanaugh was nominated in October 2018. Right to Life of Michigan has filed an amicus curiae brief asking the court to revisit Roe v. Wade.

Listing said, “After 47 years of legal killing in the U.S., revisiting the court cases that made it legal is long overdue.”

Hundreds of thousands of prolife individuals took part in the annual March for Life on the streets of Washington, D.C. on January 24. Right to Life of Michigan affiliates took 20 buses and more than 1,000 people to attend the March. Many Right to Life of Michigan affiliates have hosted local events to remember the 59 million lives lost and honor Sanctity of Human Life Sunday on January 19.

Community: 2020 Winter/Spring Vesting Our 4-Legged K9s Raffle

I am writing to you about our new campaign about–you guessed it– protecting K9s. Tens of thousands of these loyal, trusted dogs serve alongside their human handlers in police departments across the country. But, sadly, due to budget cuts, many departments cannot afford life-saving Kevlar vests for these dogs. Last year, approximately two dozen dogs died in the line of duty.

Last Year, We lost 28 of Our Loyal 4-Legged Heroes in the Line of Duty.

But, we know this doesn’t have to be the reality. We are launching another ambitious campaign to raise funds to distribute ballistic-proof vests for police dogs across America.

First Prize (10) Walt Disney World Passes / (4) American Airlines Tickets to Orlando, FL, Second Prize (6) Walt Disney World Passes, Third Prize 55″ 4K Smart TV and Four Prize ASUS 17″ Gaming Laptop.

For more information on the Raffle Prizes, please click the link below.

https://go.rallyup.com/2020policek9s

Since each vest needs to be tailored designed and made to fit every dog’s unique body, the cost can run up to about $1,400, more than a human vest

But, we believe every K9 deserves lifesaving protection, just like their human handlers.

With your support, we can protect more K9s and ensure they and their handlers continue to do critical, life-saving work to find bombs, drugs, and missing people.

Your tax-deductible donation will save dog’s lives. Thank you for helping us distribute these vests and ensure that K9s and their human handlers continue to safely work together.

Sincerely,
Blue Alert Foundation

Benson Announces Zaineb A. Hussein as Deputy Chief of Staff

zhusseinLANSING – On February 3, 2020 – Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced that Zaineb A. Hussein would serve as Michigan Department of State deputy chief of staff starting Feb. 10.

“Zaineb brings a combination of government, policy and engagement experience and insight that will serve our team tremendously,” said Benson. “She has exceptional knowledge of how to work with people to advance common agendas, which will benefit the department’s employees and the many customers and communities we interact with across the state.”

Hussein was formerly deputy director of external affairs for Wayne County, serving more than 1.7 million people in 43 communities that make up Michigan’s most populous county, and the 19th most populous county in the United States. In this capacity, she directed diversity, inclusion and equity work; led planning efforts for the 2020 Census; and oversaw strategy and activities to support immigrants, refugees and minority communities.

Hussein’s previous experience includes working in the Michigan Department of Human Services, State Senate District 5, and the City of Dearborn Heights. She serves on the board of the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and eMgage. She previously served on the board of the League of Women Voters. Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed her to the 2020 Census statewide Complete Count Committee. Hussein holds a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Michigan, and a master’s degree in counseling from Spring Arbor University.

“I look forward to helping Secretary Benson and her administration achieve their goals in the coming years,” said Hussein. “Increasing voter participation and better serving all Michiganders as they interact with state government is critical to our democracy and directly aligns with my passion and values.”

Hussein replaces Sarah Gonzales Triplett.

Ottawa County Road Commission Statement on State Road Bonding Plan

The Board of County Road Commissioners, County of Ottawa, has released the following statement regarding Gov. Whitmer’s bonding proposal for road improvements:

“While we appreciate the effort by the Governor and state leaders to find a funding solution to fix the state’s roads and bridges, we are disappointed that funding for county roads seems to be left out of the most-recent proposal.

“The Governor’s campaign promise was to ‘Fix the Damn Roads,’ and that should mean all roads within Michigan. The Governor’s proposal will address needs of the state trunkline system – which makes up just 8% of the statewide road network. However it fails to address the critical needs of our county and local roads and bridges.  The local road system is as important to Michigan tax payers as the state system, and as such, any proposal that doesn’t include funding for roads at the local level will lead to further deterioration and make it difficult for us and other county road agencies to bring our roads up to the same goals as MDOT.

“We’re also concerned that using bonds to maintain the existing system isn’t fiscally responsible, as the bond repayment schedules have historically exceeded the life of these improvements.  For example, payments are still be made on the road bonding that was taken out during Governor Engler and Granholm tenures.

“Our continued hope is that the Governor and Legislature can continue to work toward finding a funding solution that will benefit all roads and bridges in the state, not just the state trunkline, and that uses the Act 51 distribution, which is sustainable, Constitutionally-protected and fair.”

Free 2020 West Michigan “Carefree Travel Guide” Introduces You to the Best of West Michigan

touristguideWest Michigan – When you’re ready to start dreaming of warmer weather and summer trips, pick up a free copy of the new West Michigan Carefree Travel Guide for inspiration! The brand-new 2020 edition of the guide is now available both digitally and by mail, at no cost.

This free guide is available from the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) for viewing online, or travelers may request that a free copy be mailed to them, both at the following web address: http://www.wmta.org/about-wmta/request-free-travel-info/

Whether you’re thinking about visiting, you’re spending a few days in the area, or you live in West Michigan, the Carefree Travel Guide is an excellent resource to help you get out and explore the many things that West Michigan has to offer.

“Let us inspire your dining while you’re here, or help you find a B&B or a hotel with an outstanding breakfast offering. If you’re traveling with your pet, we can help you plan a trip they can enjoy right alongside you,” says Dan Sippel, WMTA’s Executive Director. In addition, the guide contains information on area trails, local arts, beaches, lighthouses, and much more.

You’ll also find maps throughout the guide, making it easy to find which breweries, wineries, boating spots, golf courses, and more will be near your destination.

Want to get a real-time look at West Michigan? Check out our gallery of live West Michigan cameras, where you can see what’s happening around the area right now! You’ll find all of the live camera feeds at WMTA.org/Live-West-Michigan-Camera-Gallery.

Start planning your trip when you request you free copy of the guide, and access WMTA.org on your computer or mobile device to get updates on events happening throughout the year, and to find out what’s going on where you are.

If you are a business who would like to request a large quantity of Carefree Travel Guides for distribution (free of charge), please contact Judy@WMTA.org to arrange delivery.

Bill Introduced to Allow Abortion Pill Reversal Information

January 23, 2020, Lansing, Mich. — A bill to ensure women who are prescribed the abortion pill are given information about the abortion pill reversal protocol was introduced yesterday in the Michigan Legislature. House Bill 5374 was introduced on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

House Bill 5374’s lead sponsor is Rep. Beth Griffin (R-Mattawan).

The abortion pill regimen first uses RU-486 (mifepristone) to break down the connection between the baby and mother’s womb. Then 24 to 48 hours later, a different pill, misoprostol (Cytotec), is given to induce contractions and expel the baby. The abortion pill reversal protocol uses the hormone progesterone to reverse the effects of RU-486, which is a progesterone blocker. Progesterone is a common treatment used to prevent miscarriage.

Research shows the progesterone treatment is effective 64 to 68 percent of the time. Without the treatment, the abortion may not be successful in women who only take the RU-486 pill. The treatment is not effective in women who take the second misoprostol pill.

Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing said, “Offering information to women about their options should be something abortion businesses have no issue with, as they claim to support all women’s choices. The abortion pill reversal protocol is another choice for women who experience regret after taking the first abortion pill.”

Michigan abortion data show that pill abortions have risen to 35 percent of all abortions. The percentage of pill abortions will continue to grow following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanding the official range for using the abortion pill from 7 weeks gestation to 10 weeks.

Listing said, “With the increasing use of the potentially dangerous abortion pill, there will also be an increase in women who instantly regret their decision. Abortion pill reversal has helped hundreds of women reverse a decision they regret, and welcome their child into life. There’s no good ethical argument for keeping women in the dark about this common treatment as an option.”

Village of Fruitport Budget Meeting Minutes – 02/10/20

VILLAGE OF FRUITPORT
BUDGET MEETING
FEBRUARY 10TH, 2020

1. Call to Order
President Roger Vanderstelt called the meeting to order at 6:02pm

2. Pledge

3. Prayer

4. Roll call
Present: Roger Vanderstelt, Donna Pope, Bill Overkamp, Amy Haack, Jeff Guiles, Carl Rothenberger and Ann LaCroix
Absent: Jay Bolt (excused)

5. Approval of February 10th Budget Meeting Agenda
Motion made by Amy to approve the agenda, supported by Donna. With a unanimous vote the motion carried.

6. Approval of January 20th Council meeting minutes
Motion made by Bill to approve the meeting minutes with a correction to Item number 6 to change from supported by Carl to Bill, supported by Donna. With a unanimous vote the motion carried.

7. Public Comment

8. 2020 Project Proposal for Professional Services Agreement
Ann reported that she contacted Prein & Newhof as requested at the last council meeting. She reviewed the original Estimate of Probable Costs and the new Estimated of Probable Costs. All line items and increases were discussed, including the addition of paving the Park street intersection, driveway approaches and traffic signal engineering. She advised that a Proposal for Professional Engineering Services for Third Avenue for $110,000.00 has been received. Motion made by Amy to approve the $110,000.00 Prein & Newhof fee and authorization for Roger to sign it, supported by Bill.
Roll call AYES: Pope, Haack, Rothenberger, Overkamp, Guiles and Vanderstelt.
NAYS: None
Absent: Bolt

Amy requested that after the bids are received council review the costs for the Park Street intersection and determine if that will be included in the project.

Amy also advised that at the last WMSRDC technical meeting $46,000.00 is available in federal funds for fiscal year 2020 projects. Jay will attend the next meeting requesting the funds for the 2020 project.

9. 2020-2021 Budget
a. Personnel Committee wages and benefits recommendations – Carl reviewed the recommendation of the Personnel Committee from their January 29th meeting. Motion made by Carl to increase the DPW Supervisor, DPW worker and Clerk/Treasurer hourly wage by $1.50 per hour and the DPW part-time worker by .75 cents per hour effective April 1st,2020, supported by Amy.
Roll call AYES: Pope, Haack, Rothenberger, Overkamp, Guiles and Vanderstelt.
NAYS: None
Absent: Bolt

Carl made a motion to match up to 3% of the Full-time employees’ gross wages in their 457 Defined Contribution Plan and to update the Personnel Policy effective April 1st, 2020, supported by Jeff.
Roll call AYES: Pope, Haack, Rothenberger, Overkamp, Guiles and Vanderstelt.
NAYS: None
Absent: Bolt

Carl made a motion to change from vacation, sick, personal days and floater days to a combined Paid Time Off, the amount of days will remain the same and to update the Personnel Policy effective April 1st, 2020, supported by Amy.
Roll call AYES: Pope, Haack, Rothenberger, Overkamp, Guiles and Vanderstelt.
NAYS: None
Absent: Bolt

Carl made a motion to provide a monthly cell phone stipend of $50.00 to the Clerk, supported by Jeff.
Roll call AYES: Pope, Haack, Rothenberger, Overkamp, Guiles and Vanderstelt.
NAYS: None
Absent: Bolt

b. Boat launch permit fee – council agreed to keep the rates the same as last year. Roger requested to have the authority to have the boat launch attendant available all summer. Motion made by Carl to give Roger the authority to requests the boat launch attendant to work as deemed necessary based on weather and activity at the launch, supported by Bill.
Roll call AYES: Pope, Haack, Rothenberger, Overkamp, Guiles and Vanderstelt.
NAYS: None
Absent: Bolt

c. Park Reservations – council agreed to keep the rates the same as last year.

d. Review of fiscal year budget items. Items that haven’t been completed from this fiscal year were discussed and will be carried over to the new fiscal year.

e. Next fiscal year budget discussion – a discussion took place about ongoing projects including the 2020 3rd Avenue project, Kayak launch, Sidewalks and Drain repairs all items will be included in next years budget.

Amy advised that she received a check in the amount of $3000.00 in memory of Bonnie Torrans. Bonnie’s brother Eugene is requesting that the money go towards a bench at the kayak launch and possibly in front of the Pharmacy.

New items were discussed including a pickup truck, additional parking at the bandshell, a new shed at DPW. Items will be included in the budget and final consideration pending council approval. Bill requested that address numbers be added to the library building. Roger agreed to have the DPW crew work on. Jeff requested that the signs directing you to the DPW building be larger. Roger agreed to refer to the DPW crew.

A discussion took place about the playground. Ann advised that per Connie Smith recently met with Fruitport Community Schools and there may be a community playground installed near the schools. A discussion took place on whether to keep a playground at the park. Council all agree that the playground should stay. Amy suggested contracting a company to assist us in the process of relocating/upgrading the playground. Amy and Ann agreed to work on it.

10. Public Comment
None

11. Adjournment
Motion made by Donna to adjourn at 7:52pm, supported by Jeff. With a unanimous vote, the motion carried.

Respectfully submitted by,

Ann LaCroix
Clerk

Fruitport Charter Township Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes of February 10, 2020

A work session of the Fruitport Charter Township Board began at 6:30pm on Monday, February 10, 2020, in the township board room.

Members Present: Heidi Tice, Supervisor; Andrea Anderson, Clerk; Rose Dillon, Treasurer; Trustees Jeff Jacobs, Terry Knoll, Denise Winebarger
Members Absent: Greg Hulka, excused

At 7:00pm, Heidi Tice opened the regular meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a prayer.

Also Present: 1- residents; 0- employees; 0- guests; Director of Public Utilities, Steve Biesiada; Director of Public Safety, Brian Michelli.

The motion by Terry Knoll, supported by Rose Dillon, was carried unanimously, to approve the minutes of January 27, 2020 as presented.

The motion by Rose Dillon, supported by Denise Winebarger, was carried unanimously, to approve the agenda as presented with the following addition:

Item 7-D: Letter from Spruce Street resident regarding Special Assessment.

CORRESPONDENCE / REPORTS
1. Steve Biesiada reported that that valve has been installed in the Smiley water tower to help control the chlorine residuals; the DPW has a large inventory of fittings containing lead that will be recycled.
2. Brian Michelli shared that he received a letter from Fruitport Community Schools sharing how pleased they are with the School Resource Officer; there are 4 new part-time Firefighters going through the Fire Academy; Night to Shine was well represented by the Public Safety departments; the No More Sidelines charity basketball game with be on February 28, 2020.

PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS: none

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

20-016 Street light at Park ‘n Ride
Consumers Energy can only light public roadways so they are not able to turn the requested light into the Park ‘n Ride lot owned by MDOT or place a light further into the lot. The Board would still like to see a light be placed at the entrance of the Park ‘n Ride.

Andrea Anderson moved, Heidi Tice seconded, MOTION CARRIED, to accept the requested light pole at the entrance of the Park ‘n Ride on Farr Road into the Fruitport Charter Township Lighting District.
Ayes: Knoll, Jacobs, Anderson, Tice, Dillon, Winebarger, Hulka
Nays: none

20-017 Letter from Spruce Street resident regarding Special Assessment
The Township has received another letter of appeal from Mrs. Ferrier in regards to costs associated with changing a special assessment on Spruce Street. The Board’s opinion remains the same, agreeing that the costs are the responsibility of Mrs. Ferrier. The invoice will be re-sent.

NEW BUSINESS:

20-018 Steve Biesiada annual review and contract renewal
The Supervisor reported on the performance review of the DPW Director, Steve Biesiada.

Requested changes include a 2% salary increase and 15 gallons/week fuel expense.

Jeff Jacobs moved, supported by Heidi Tice, MOTION CARRIED, to increase the salary of the DPW Director, Steve Biesiada, 2% to $71,400, include 15 gallons of fuel/week, and extend his contract with changes as presented for one year.

Ayes: Knoll, Jacobs, Anderson, Tice, Dillon, Winebarger
Nays: None

20-019 Brian Michelli annual review and contract renewal
The Supervisor reported on the performance review of Public Safety Director, Brian Michelli.

Requested changes include a 3% salary increase and changes in regards to insurance.

The motion by Rose Dillon, seconded by Heidi Tice, was carried unanimously, to TABLE this item until the next meeting.

20-020 Water service tap fee increase
The DPW Committee has recommended an increase in the water service tap fee from $1,200 to $1,500 to cover increased costs to the Township.

Jeff Jacobs moved, supported by Rose Dillon, MOTION CARRIED, to adopt the sixteenth revised water rate resolution to increase the water service tap fee to $1,500.
Ayes: Winebarger, Dillon, Tice, Anderson, Jacobs, Knoll
Nays: none

20-021 Water Interconnection Contract
The DPW Committee recommends the authorization of the Township Supervisor to sign the updated water connection agreement. This agreement is an updated version laying out procedures that must be followed for maintenance and operation should there be an emergency requiring a municipality to use another municipality to feed it water.

The motion by Jeff Jacobs, seconded by Andrea Anderson, was carried unanimously, to authorize the Supervisor to sign the agreement as presented.

20-022 2020/21 Budget discussion
Discussion and review of the DPW budget.

Terry Knoll moved, Jeff Jacobs seconded, MOTION CARRIED, to adopt the DPW budget as presented.
Ayes: Winebarger, Dillon, Tice, Anderson, Jacobs, Knoll
Nays: none

Other budgets were presented and reviewed.

20-023 Payment of bills
Terry Knoll moved, Heidi Tice seconded, MOTION CARRIED, to approve bills as presented for payment in the following amounts: General Fund $2,365.40; Public Safety $4,842.14; Water $64,404.81; Sewer $314.66
Totaling: $71,927.01
Ayes: Knoll, Jacobs, Anderson, Tice, Dillon, Winebarger
Nays: none

ADDITIONAL REPORTS: none

PUBLIC COMMENTS PART II: none

The motion by Heidi Tice, supported by Andrea Anderson, was carried unanimously, to adjourn the meeting at 8:49pm.

ANDREA ANDERSON, CLERK
HEIDI TICE, SUPERVISOR

Emily Morgenstern Joins Muskegon Chamber Staff

emorgensternMuskegon – The Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome Emily Morgenstern to the chamber staff. Morgenstern joins the chamber as a Communications Specialist. Her position will focus on the creation and implementation of marketing and communication strategies for Chamber, Chamber Member and community success. This includes content development, print collateral, social media messaging and event and community promotion.

“We are excited to have Emily on the team. She grew up in the community and has many business and community contacts; as well as new skills that will help expand the reach of the chamber”, says Cindy Larsen, President of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce.

Morgenstern, a Muskegon native and former Chamber intern has experience in many forms of multimedia communications and networking. She will work directly with business owners and managers when they are trying to promote their products and services through the chamber website and social media. “I look forward to working at this incredible organization and helping both the Chamber and Muskegon Lakeshore community thrive and succeed,” says Morgenstern. Emily can be contacted at emorgenstern@muskegon.org and 231-722-3751.

2020 Economic Forecast

bizforbreakfastFriday, January 24, 2020, over 400 Chamber members and community leaders gathered at the Delta by Marriott Hotel in downtown Muskegon to hear the annual Economic Forecast presented by GVSU economist Dr. Paul Isley. In 2019, Muskegon County was the top performing employment economy in West Michigan and a diverse workforce continues to grow here in part to downtown development. Thank you to our sponsors Manpower, Nichols, The Lakes Mall and Best Financial Credit Union for making this event possible!

VIEW THE PRESENTATION

Muskegon Chamber Welcomes New Board Leadership

steveolsenMuskegon – The Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce announces the appointment of Steve Olsen, president of Northern Machine Tool, as Chair of the Board of Directors for a one-year term, effective January 1, 2020.  In addition, Jonathan Wilson, Regional Manager of DTE Energy, has been appointed to the Board of Directors.

As the Chair, Olsen will provide the board of directors with leadership and guidance, while embracing and promoting the Chamber’s theme of Taking It Outdoors.

“It is certainly an honor to represent our local business community as the 2020 Board Chair of the Chamber of Commerce,” said Steve Olsen. “I have always appreciated the Chamber as an organization that creates opportunities for networking and is also a strong business advocate at the local, state, and national level.”

The Chamber’s Board of Directors help to shape the chamber’s positions on critical issues and influence how the chamber works to improve the business environment in Muskegon County. The Chamber’s Board of Directors help establish policy and direction to ensure the Chamber’s mission and strategic vision are achieved and member needs are best served.

Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Chaplains Minister in Australia Amid Bushfire Crisis

bushfiresAs Australia faces one of its worst bushfire seasons in decades, crisis-trained chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT) have been ministering to dozens of hurting hearts, offering a listening ear and sharing a message of hope to distraught residents. “We’ve moved away from farming areas and are now working along coastal areas where there’s a higher number of people in little towns,” explained Stewart Beveridge, RRT manager of Australia/New Zealand. “When teams go there, we’ve seen total loss.”

While chaplains have been serving in various parts of the continent since September, they are currently ministering in Bairnsdale, Victoria, and Batemans Bay, New South Wales—marking the first time the team has run a simultaneous multi-site deployment in Australia.

“What’s made this situation stand out so much is the scale of disaster,” Beveridge continued. Many have lost their lives to the bushfire crisis. With such a high magnitude of tragedy, RRT chaplains from the U.S., U.K. and Canada traveled to Australia to offer a ministry of presence to homeowners.

Volunteers from Samaritan’s Purse, a humanitarian aid organization also run by Franklin Graham, have been helping these communities recover. Along the way, homeowners have been requesting visits from RRT chaplains, which is “an Australian first,” Beveridge said.

“We’re at a really hard phase,” Beveridge said. “But chaplains are here to help people move from one place to another, helping them to think about the big possibilities, the eternal possibilities—that the reality of God is present in every situation of life.”

The RRT will continue to provide care for fire-affected communities through February. Crisis-trained chaplains have also recently deployed to DeSoto County, Mississippi, and Spartanburg, South Carolina, following tornadoes in both areas. On Jan. 22, the RRT wrapped up its four-month deployment in Man-O-War, Bahamas, after Hurricane Dorian. Chaplains continue to serve in Rockport/Pearland, Texas, and daily at the Billy Graham Gravesite.

For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit BillyGraham.org/RRT. Updates can also be found at Facebook.com/RRTChaplains.

~

If you would like more information about these, or other, ministries of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, please contact media@billygraham.org. Complete press releases from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association are available at media.billygraham.org.

Food Processing Incubator Coming to Muskegon County

Muskegon, Mich. – Time to spill the beans. To support the growth of the food processing sector, the Community Foundation for Muskegon County and the West Michigan Shoreline Food Processing Initiative are moving forward to create a food processing incubator and training development center.

In December 2019, the FARM facility (Food, Agriculture, Research, and Manufacturing) received support from the Muskegon Community College Board of Trustees and leadership, along with Muskegon Charter Township, to construct the 12,000-square-foot facility at the corner of Stebbins and Quarterline Roads, located on the northeast corner of campus. The FARM will provide students pursuing the joint food service certificate from MCC and Michigan State University with the opportunity to witness innovation at the state-of-the-art pilot food processing training facility.

The Biggest Abortion Myth

by Catherine Kinsey, Education and Events Coordinator, Right to Life of Michigan

The genesis of every other myth circulated by the abortion industry is the myth that an unborn child isn’t a person. If everyone were willing to admit unborn babies are human persons, the various other arguments surrounding the topic wouldn’t matter. The abortion issue would simply come down to whether you believed it is acceptable to take an innocent human life or not.

This myth was easier to spread before modern technology allowed us to see unborn babies through ultrasound with such clarity and learn how much growth and development happens even in the earliest days. A new, unique person is created at fertilization with unique DNA, separate from her mother and father. Her heart begins beating around 21 days after fertilization; her brain begins forming around 4 weeks. At 12 weeks, all major body parts and organs are present. With modern medical advances, babies can survive outside the womb as early as 19 weeks after fertilization.

If you deny human life begins at fertilization, there must be another point at which it begins. How do you choose that point?

The most extreme abortion supporters would say life begins after birth. However, no physical changes happen to the baby from the few minutes before birth to the minutes after it has passed through the birth canal. It is illogical to claim the physical location of the baby determines whether it is a human person or not.

Some believe the unborn baby is a person once it has the ability to survive outside the womb. But does this mean the humanity of the unborn changes with every medical advancement? It certainly wasn’t always possible for babies at 21 weeks of pregnancy to survive outside the womb—were they formerly sub-human?

We cannot know where medical technology will take us. In the future, babies may someday survive before 20 weeks, or before 15 weeks. It is impossible to rationally choose a certain point of development where the unborn suddenly becomes a human being. Their development is a continual process, with the clear starting point when a new life begins at fertilization.

Unfortunately, even with technology allowing us to see the unborn in the womb, it is all too easy for abortion supporters to convince people to ignore the humanity of the unseen child. The truth of abortion gets covered in euphemisms and inessential arguments to distract from the taking of human life.

Muskegon County Events February 24 – March 2, 2020

Presented by the Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau
www.visitmuskegon.org

Monday February 24:

Lakeshore Restaurant Week
February 21 – February 29
Lakeshore Restaurant Week is happening in the Muskegon Area February 21 – 29!  Local restaurants will offer discounts and other promotions to entice couples and families to experience eating establishments that they haven’t tried before. For a list of participants visit www.muskegonlakeshorerestaurantweek.com

Black History Month: “Becoming” by Michelle Obama
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Come to Hackley Public Library as they discuss the compelling book, “Becoming,” by Michelle Obama.  Copies will be available behind the HPL reference desk one month before the discussion on a first-come, first-served basis.  Please bring copies back to the discussion. Call 231-722-8000 with any questions about this free Black History Month event.

Vietnam – Wrong Place, Wrong Time, Wrong War
6:00 pm
Join the USS Silversides Submarine Museum for the presentation “Vietnam – Wrong Place, Wrong Time, Wrong War.”  This presentation by Lieutenant Colonel (U.S. Army Retired) Ron Janowski is $5.00 per person, or free with your USS Silversides Submarine Museum membership.   For more information call 231-755-1230.

Team Trivia Game Show
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Check out Trivia night at Racquet’s Downtown Grill located at 446 W Western Ave. for the Team Trivia Game Show!  Groups of any size are invited to play for free with prizes for the top three teams!  Categories range from pop culture and entertainment, to sports, history, science, culture and general knowledge.  Your live host will also offer many genres of music throughout the game, plus, you’ll enjoy food and drink specials each week.  call (231) 726-4007.

Tuesday February 25:

Lakeshore Restaurant Week
February 21 – February 29
Lakeshore Restaurant Week is happening in the Muskegon Area February 21 – 29!  Local restaurants will offer discounts and other promotions to entice couples and families to experience eating establishments that they haven’t tried before. For a list of participants visit www.muskegonlakeshorerestaurantweek.com

Feeding the Soul of the City Concert: GV Faculty Brass Quintet
12:00 pm
The Feeding the Soul of the City concert series offers half-hour lunchtime concerts that feature a variety of musical styles, predominantly classical, jazz, and folk/Celtic. They are held in the historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Muskegon located at 1006 Third St.. The concerts are free and open to the public and light refreshments are provided.  One can also bring a lunch to enjoy before or during the concert.  A few minutes of prayer are held in the church shortly before the performance. All performances are held from 12:15pm to 12:45.  The annual “Festival of Lessons and Carols” is held on a Sunday evening in December. (231) 722-2112.

Mardi Gras Dinner
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Come to the Book Nook & Java Shop located at 8744 Ferry St., Montague for a Mardi Gras Dinner by Chef Heidi!  Enjoy Poor-Man’s Jambalaya, Chicken & Shrimp Gumbo, Red Beans & Rice with Ham and Andouille, and King’s Cake for only $13.  Please RSVP by calling 231-894-5333.  Be sure to stay for lecture with Lazaro Vega on the History of Swing for $7.

White Lake Music Society’s Lecture Series: Music of the Swing Era
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The White Lake Music Society’s Winter 2020 Lecture Series will feature engaging and stimulating presentations! The last Tuesday of the month, from January through March, will showcase a wide variety of expertise and talent.  All presentations will take place at 7:00pm at the Book Nook & Java Shop.  Admission is $7 at the door.  For more information, please contact Director Sondra Cross at 231-329-3056 or visit www.musicwhitelake.org.

Paczki Day
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Muskegon Polish Festival invites you to join them at the Polish Falcons Club located at 1014 Hackley Ave. for Paczki Day!  Enjoy live music from the Dan Bizon Polka Band, polka dancing and, of course, 2 paczki from Ryke’s Bakery!  There’ll be plenty of coffee and punch, too.  Tickets are only $6 and may be purchased in advance by calling Joane Southland at 231-780-3162 or Barb Werner at 231-343-6445.  There’ll be limited tickets sold at the door.

We Are Stars: FREE Show
7:00 pm
An event every week that begins at 7:00 pm on Tuesday and Thursday, repeating until March 26, 2020 January 14 – February 27, and March 10 – March 26, (no shows on March 3 and 5) come to the Carr-Fles Planetarium at Muskegon Community College located at 221 Quarterline Rd. for the free show, “We Are Stars!”  What are we made of? Where did it all come from?  Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry and our explosive origins.  Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the Universe by following the formation of Hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of Carbon, and the molecules for life.  Narrated by Andy Serkis.  This is a 35-minute presentation.  For more information call 231-777-0289.

Wednesday February 26:

Lakeshore Restaurant Week
February 21 – February 29
Lakeshore Restaurant Week is happening in the Muskegon Area February 21 – 29!  Local restaurants will offer discounts and other promotions to entice couples and families to experience eating establishments that they haven’t tried before. For a list of participants visit www.muskegonlakeshorerestaurantweek.com

MCC History Month Celebration: African American Read-In Chain
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Come to the Blue & Golf Room at Muskegon Community College located at 221 Quarterline Rd. as they celebrate Black History Month with an African American Read-In Chain!  Students, instructors, staff and community members are invited to read aloud and listen to selections of prose and poetry from the body of African American literature. The Read-In is part of a national event sponsored by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English.  For more information, contact Theresa.Kanoza@muskegoncc.edu.

FREE Movie Time: Harriet
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Visit the Muskegon Heights Library located at 2808 Sanford St. to see the film telling the incredible true story of Harriet Tubman and her quest to lead hundreds of slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad.  This event is free!  For more information call (231) 739-6075.

MCC Black History Month Celebration Film Festival: The Hate You Give
5:00 pm
Muskegon Community College located at 221 Quarterline Rd. will celebrate Black History Month 2020 with several events during the month of February.  All of the events, with the exception of the Love In Action Awards Dinner, are free and open to the public.  For more information, contact Trynette Lottie-Harps in the MCC Community Outreach Office at (231) 777-0559. The Black History Month Film Festival happens Wednesdays in February at 5:00pm in the Stevenson Center, Room 1300.  There will be free popcorn and a discussion following each film.  For more information, contact Mary Tyler at (231) 777-0327

North Grove Brewers Benefit
5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Check out North Grove Brewers located at 8735 Water St., Montague for a night of amazing food, live music and a 50/50 raffle to benefit the Jaeger Foundation!   The Jaeger Foundation provides funding, resources, and education for veterans and first responders to receive a service dog with as little red tape as possible.  $1 from each beer sold from the special tap for the entire month of February will also go to the Jaeger Foundation Grant.  Call (231) 894-0144.

Dining in the Dark
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Come to the Muskegon Farmers Market located at 242 W. Western Ave. for “Dining in the Dark!”  This popular event is an adventure in dining, featuring an amazing meal while eating completely in the dark. The cost is $45.  This event will sell-out so purchase your tickets quickly at the City Clerk’s Office (933 Terrace St.) or at the Muskegon Farmers Market on Saturdays from 9:00am – 2:00pm.  Dietary restrictions can be accommodated with advance notice. Please indicate any restrictions by emailing ann.meisch@shorelinecity.com.

Ice Breaker Wednesdays: Weather Permitting
6:00 pm
Enjoy “Ice Breaker Wednesdays” at the Muskegon Luge & Adventure Sports Park located at 462 Scenic Dr. This is your chance to learn how to skate and cross country ski with free skate and ski lessons for beginners.  Whether young or old, all beginners are welcome to participate.  A $5 rink or trail pass is required for each activity.  Rental equipment is also available for $5 inside the lodge.  Lessons begin promptly at 6:00pm.  All participants should arrive early enough to purchase a pass and get equipment on.  For more information, visit www.msports.org.

Thursday February 27:

Lakeshore Restaurant Week
February 21 – February 29
Lakeshore Restaurant Week is happening in the Muskegon Area February 21 – 29!  Local restaurants will offer discounts and other promotions to entice couples and families to experience eating establishments that they haven’t tried before. For a list of participants visit www.muskegonlakeshorerestaurantweek.com

Muskegon Civic Theatre Presents: Our Town
7:30pm
The Muskegon Civic Theatre located at 425 W. Western Ave. presents, “Our Town” on the Beardsley Theater stage! Described by Edward Albee as “…the greatest American play ever written,” Our Town tells the universal story of small town America and asks us to consider what is important in life.  This American classic celebrates the beauty of life as it is played out against a simplistic back drop of daily rituals.  The citizens of Grover’s Corners eat breakfast, work in town, do household chores, garden, gossip, got to school, attend choir practice, and admire the moonlight, providing us with a deeply moving glimpse into the concerns of all humankind.  Tickets are $26.50 and available through the Frauenthal Box Office.  For more information call 231-727-8001.

Dancing with the Local Stars
7:00pm
The 12th annual “Dancing with the Local Stars” charity event to raise money for local food pantries pairs local community stars with professional dancers for an exciting evening of entertainment! Performances will take place the evenings of February 27-29, with an additional matinee on Saturday, February 29. Tickets will be available beginning January 2 by calling 231-798-4244.  Food-related charities are invited to request funds at www.womensdivision.org.

Brown Bag Film – Craft in America: Nature
12:00 pm
Join the Muskegon Museum of Art located at 296 W. Webster Ave. for the Brown Bag Film, “Craft in America: Nature!”  “Service” documents the power of the handmade to inspire, motivate and heal. Featured artists include Ehren Tool, Peter Voulkos, Judas Recendez, women veterans working at Shotwell Paper Mill, and Caisson Platoon leather artists working at Arlington National Cemetery. (60 mins.) Auditorium doors open at noon.  Free coffee and cookies will be offered.  Brown Bag Film admission is free, but paid admission is required to enter the galleries.  For more information call 231-720-2570.

FREE Knitting Circle
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
The Muskegon Museum of Art located at 296 W. Webster Ave. invites you to bring your knitting or crotchet project for a casual night of creating in the MMA galleries!  Draw inspiration from their latest exhibitions, “Excellence in Fibers V” and “The Art of Making.” Light refreshments and soft music will be provided.  This event is free and open to the public.  For more information call 231-720-2570.

MCC Black History Month Celebration: Love in Action Award Banquet
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Come to Collegiate Hall at Muskegon Community College for the Love in Action Award Banquet!  Black History Month closes with this annual awards dinner celebrating unsung community heroes who are nominated by their peers.  Recipients give selflessly of their time and resources to those who normally can’t give back in return.  Tickets for the banquet are $30 each or $180 for a table of six.  The deadline for purchasing tickets is Thursday, February 13.  Registration is required to attend.  For more information, contact Sche Cornelius at sche.cornelius@muskegoncc.edu or call (231) 777-0532.

We Are Stars: FREE Show
7:00 pm
An event every week that begins at 7:00 pm on Tuesday and Thursday, repeating until March 26, 2020 January 14 – February 27, and March 10 – March 26, (no shows on March 3 and 5) come to the Carr-Fles Planetarium at Muskegon Community College located at 221 Quarterline Rd. for the free show, “We Are Stars!”  What are we made of? Where did it all come from?  Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry and our explosive origins.  Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the Universe by following the formation of Hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of Carbon, and the molecules for life.  Narrated by Andy Serkis.  This is a 35-minute presentation.  For more information call 231-777-0289.

Friday February 28:

Lakeshore Restaurant Week
February 21 – February 29
Lakeshore Restaurant Week is happening in the Muskegon Area February 21 – 29!  Local restaurants will offer discounts and other promotions to entice couples and families to experience eating establishments that they haven’t tried before. For a list of participants visit www.muskegonlakeshorerestaurantweek.com

Muskegon Civic Theatre Presents: Our Town
7:30pm
The Muskegon Civic Theatre located at 425 W. Western Ave. presents, “Our Town” on the Beardsley Theater stage! Described by Edward Albee as “…the greatest American play ever written,” Our Town tells the universal story of small town America and asks us to consider what is important in life.  This American classic celebrates the beauty of life as it is played out against a simplistic back drop of daily rituals.  The citizens of Grover’s Corners eat breakfast, work in town, do household chores, garden, gossip, got to school, attend choir practice, and admire the moonlight, providing us with a deeply moving glimpse into the concerns of all humankind.  Tickets are $26.50 and available through the Frauenthal Box Office.  For more information call 231-727-8001.

Dancing with the Local Stars
7:00pm
The 12th annual “Dancing with the Local Stars” charity event to raise money for local food pantries pairs local community stars with professional dancers for an exciting evening of entertainment! Performances will take place the evenings of February 27-29, with an additional matinee on Saturday, February 29. Tickets will be available beginning January 2 by calling 231-798-4244.  Food-related charities are invited to request funds at www.womensdivision.org.

The Alley Door Club: That Beatles Thing
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Celebrating its’ 15th season, The Alley Door Club at the Frauenthal Center has live performances from an array of local bands!  The Alley Door Club features live music from popular West Michigan bands in a fun environment which includes a cash bar and dancing in the Ballroom located on the 3rd Floor of the Hilt Building.  The doors open at 6:00pm for Happy Hour ($1 off all drinks), with live music from 7:00pm – 10:00pm.

Chef Tim O’s No-Cook Fridays: Pork Marsala, Mashed Potatoes
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
The Book Nook & Java Shop located at 8744 Ferry St., Montague invites you to join them for comfort food to start your weekend with chef and bartender Tim O’Connell’s ‘No Cook Fridays!’  The cost is only $10 to enjoy great food, live music and a full bar.  Dinner is at 6:00pm and the music begins at 7:00pm.  For more information, call 231-894-5333.

Muskegon Lumberjacks Hockey: GET JACK’D!
Puck drops @7:00 pm
The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud and dedicated members of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation’s only Tier I junior hockey league and leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. Catch home games Friday, February 28 and Saturday, February 29 at 7:05pm at the Mercy Health Arena as they take on the Fargo Force.  Friday, it’s “Muskegon Fury Night,” and Saturday is “Dating Game Night!” Tickets range from $10 – $17.  For more information call (231) 724-5225.

City Center Arts Presents: Open Mic Night
7:00 pm
City Center Arts located at 356 W. Western Ave. presents Open Mic Night!  Any kind of talent is welcome including songs, poems, readings, comedy, plays, dancing or whatever other skill you want to show off.  Observers are welcome, too!  Feel free to bring in your own food and drinks.  Donations are encouraged, but not required at this free event.  For more information call (231) 260-6697.

Learn to Luge Weekends: Weather Permitting
February 28
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, December 27 – March 8, enjoy “Learn to Luge Weekends” at the Muskegon Luge & Sports Complex inside Muskegon State Park! They offer one of only four luge tracks in the United States.  Although shorter in overall length than the Olympic tracks in New York and Salt Lake City, the Muskegon Luge track provides an Olympic thrill for first timers.  The track was designed by three-time Olympian Frank Masley and consists of six curves and speeds around 30 mph. THEY WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO LUGE Their coaching staff enjoys sharing their knowledge of the sport with others and teaching new sliders steering and form techniques. While luge is referred to as the fastest sport on ice, their track is designed for the first time slider at slower speeds than an Olympic track where sliders can reach speeds of 90+ mph.  The top speed on this track from the public start is approximately 30 mph on a “good ice” day, although to most new sliders this still feels like 90 mph!  Each “Learn to Luge” sliding session is 2.5 hours and is limited to a maximum of 30 participants which allows 3-5 runs depending on efficiency of group.  Since 1984 our program has provided a “Olympic” type luge experience to tens of thousands of sliders visiting from across the globe. EQUIPMENT Participants are outfitted with elbow pads and a helmet. Participants will share an authentic luge training sled, handcrafted by the Gasser family, 3rd generation luge sled builders in Austria. PARTICIPANT AGE All participants must be at least 8 years old at the time of their session. An instructor will explain the components of the sled and teach how to control the sled. GET SOME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE WINTER The most strenuous part of the luge experience is carrying your sled to the top of the luge track. Sleds weigh between 25-40 lbs. and are transported up a flight of stairs to the top of the luge track by human power…you!  Small children will most likely need adult help to get their sled back up the hill.  If you have heart troubles or health issues that may be complicated by climbing stairs or participating in adrenaline pumping outdoor thrill sports, this activity may not be recommended. OTHER THINGS TO EXPECT All participants must complete a waiver and provide proof of health insurance at check in for the luge session. Participants under the age of 18 must have a waiver signed by a legal guardian.  After purchasing your tickets you will receive a downloaded waiver that can be filled out in advance of your visit. For more information call (231) 744-9629.

Saturday February 29:

Lakeshore Restaurant Week
February 21 – February 29
Lakeshore Restaurant Week is happening in the Muskegon Area February 21 – 29!  Local restaurants will offer discounts and other promotions to entice couples and families to experience eating establishments that they haven’t tried before. For a list of participants visit www.muskegonlakeshorerestaurantweek.com

Dancing with the Local Stars
1:00pm and 7:00pm
The 12th annual “Dancing with the Local Stars” charity event to raise money for local food pantries pairs local community stars with professional dancers for an exciting evening of entertainment! Performances will take place the evenings of February 27-29, with an additional matinee on Saturday, February 29. Tickets will be available beginning January 2 by calling 231-798-4244.  Food-related charities are invited to request funds at www.womensdivision.org.

Muskegon Lumberjacks Hockey: GET JACK’D!
Puck drops @7:00 pm
The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud and dedicated members of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation’s only Tier I junior hockey league and leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. Catch home games Friday, February 28 and Saturday, February 29 at 7:05pm at the Mercy Health Arena as they take on the Fargo Force.  Friday, it’s “Muskegon Fury Night,” and Saturday is “Dating Game Night!” Tickets range from $10 – $17.  For more information call (231) 724-5225.

Muskegon Civic Theatre Presents: Our Town
7:30pm
The Muskegon Civic Theatre located at 425 W. Western Ave. presents, “Our Town” on the Beardsley Theater stage! Described by Edward Albee as “…the greatest American play ever written,” Our Town tells the universal story of small town America and asks us to consider what is important in life.  This American classic celebrates the beauty of life as it is played out against a simplistic back drop of daily rituals.  The citizens of Grover’s Corners eat breakfast, work in town, do household chores, garden, gossip, got to school, attend choir practice, and admire the moonlight, providing us with a deeply moving glimpse into the concerns of all humankind.  Tickets are $26.50 and available through the Frauenthal Box Office.  For more information call 231-727-8001.

Giggle Giggle Quackle
10:30 am – 11:30 am
Bring the kids to TheBlock located at 360 W. Western Ave. for “Giggle Giggle Quackle!”  The second show in the series continues to show what Farmer Brown’s animals will do in order to get what they want.  Giggle Giggle introduces another music concept – ‘tempo’ – and asks children to move slow, medium, and fast as they learn what this term means and how it makes them feel.  The Click Clack Mooscians gather again to perform with the telling of “Giggle Giggle Quack” book.  Tickets are $10 for adults (14+), $5 for children (3-13) and children under 3 are free.  For more information call 231-726-3231.

FREE Chicken Soup Writing Workshop
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Check out Fruitport Library located at 47 Park St., Fruitport for the Chicken Soup Writing Workshop!  Have you ever read “Chicken Soup for the Soul?”  Did you know that one of our Fruitport library patrons has been published in it several times?  Join Julie as she teaches you what it takes to share pivotal moments in a concise and meaningful way.  She will discuss her writing strategies and the publishing process.  Bring your favorite pen or pencil as you start composing your own story during this workshop which is free and open to all ages.  For more information call (231) 366-6107.

Black History Month: Jon Covington and the Men from the Documentary “Black Man”: FREE
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
The Hackley Public Library located at 316 W. Webster Ave. hosts Muskegon’s native Jon Covington’s documentary “Black Man” comes to life in a live version!  Unfolding past and present-day stories of African American men, this compelling event will showcase influential and universal stories from all walks of life.  Don’t miss this riveting, free event suitable for all ages.  For more information call (231) 722-8000.

Leap into Leap Day at Hackley Library: FREE
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Hackley Public Library located at 316 W. Webster invites you to join them for some “ribbiting” good fun as they celebrate Leap Day!  Drop into Youth Services any time after 2:00pm to participate in frog themed crafts at this all ages. For more information call (231) 722-8000.

Euchre Tournament
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Everyone is invited to the Polish Falcon Club located at 1014 W. Hackley Ave. for a Euchre Tournament!  The cost is $25 per player which includes dinner and snacks.  You’re guaranteed 6 games with a new partner every game and a 7th game for the top 4 players.  Games will last no longer than 20 minutes.  There’ll be cash awards for 1st and 2nd place with the payout depending on the number players. You’ll also enjoy 50/50 raffles, a silent auction and a cash bar.

The Kreellers
7:30 pm
The Playhouse at White Lake located at 304 S. Mears presents The Kreellers!  Get ready for some Detroit Celtic Rock on the Westside!  Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 the day of the show.  For more information call (231) 894-4048.

Sweetwater Local Foods Market
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Sweetwater Local Foods Market located at 6401 Harvey St. offers local food you can trust! They are open year-round, Saturdays from 9:00am – 12:00pm.  Summer markets are held in the parking lot; winter markets are inside the lobby.  For more information visit the website below.

Winter Farmers Market
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
The Muskegon Farmers Market located at 242 W. Western Ave. invites you to their Winter Farmers Market!  Vendors will be there offering produce and other hand made goods. Come visit on Saturdays from 9:00am – 2:00pm.  For more information visit the website below.

Learn to Luge Weekends: Weather Permitting
February 29
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, December 27 – March 8, enjoy “Learn to Luge Weekends” at the Muskegon Luge & Sports Complex inside Muskegon State Park! They offer one of only four luge tracks in the United States.  Although shorter in overall length than the Olympic tracks in New York and Salt Lake City, the Muskegon Luge track provides an Olympic thrill for first timers.  The track was designed by three-time Olympian Frank Masley and consists of six curves and speeds around 30 mph. THEY WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO LUGE Their coaching staff enjoys sharing their knowledge of the sport with others and teaching new sliders steering and form techniques. While luge is referred to as the fastest sport on ice, their track is designed for the first time slider at slower speeds than an Olympic track where sliders can reach speeds of 90+ mph.  The top speed on this track from the public start is approximately 30 mph on a “good ice” day, although to most new sliders this still feels like 90 mph!  Each “Learn to Luge” sliding session is 2.5 hours and is limited to a maximum of 30 participants which allows 3-5 runs depending on efficiency of group.  Since 1984 our program has provided a “Olympic” type luge experience to tens of thousands of sliders visiting from across the globe. EQUIPMENT Participants are outfitted with elbow pads and a helmet. Participants will share an authentic luge training sled, handcrafted by the Gasser family, 3rd generation luge sled builders in Austria. PARTICIPANT AGE All participants must be at least 8 years old at the time of their session. An instructor will explain the components of the sled and teach how to control the sled. GET SOME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE WINTER The most strenuous part of the luge experience is carrying your sled to the top of the luge track. Sleds weigh between 25-40 lbs. and are transported up a flight of stairs to the top of the luge track by human power…you!  Small children will most likely need adult help to get their sled back up the hill.  If you have heart troubles or health issues that may be complicated by climbing stairs or participating in adrenaline pumping outdoor thrill sports, this activity may not be recommended. OTHER THINGS TO EXPECT All participants must complete a waiver and provide proof of health insurance at check in for the luge session. Participants under the age of 18 must have a waiver signed by a legal guardian.  After purchasing your tickets you will receive a downloaded waiver that can be filled out in advance of your visit. For more information call (231) 744-9629.

Sunday March 1:

4th Annual Chili Potluck at Pigeon Hill
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Pigeon Hill is hosting their 4th Annual Chili Potluck in the taproom on Sunday, March 1 from 1:00pm-3:00pm! Prizes will be awarded to Judge’s & People’s Choice! In an effort to raise money for Kids’ Food Basket, they ask that everyone make a $10 donation to sample all of the amazing chili. You’ll go home with a full belly, don’t you worry! All donations will go directly to Kids’ Food Basket which provides sack dinners to over 750 kids with a sack supper EVERY weekday right here in Muskegon County. Due to space, they have a limit of 12 chili entries! If you’d like to compete in the chili competition, please call the taproom at 231-375-5184 or email alana@pigeonhillbrew.com to reserve a spot.  A crockpot of delicious chili, a large serving utensil and an extension cord to plug in your crock pot is all that is required to participate!  Pigeon Hill will supply the bowls, sample cups, spoons, tables, and voting materials.  Everyone who submits a chili will receive a gift card to Pigeon Hill!

Learn to Luge Weekends: Weather Permitting
March 1
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, December 27 – March 8, enjoy “Learn to Luge Weekends” at the Muskegon Luge & Sports Complex inside Muskegon State Park! They offer one of only four luge tracks in the United States.  Although shorter in overall length than the Olympic tracks in New York and Salt Lake City, the Muskegon Luge track provides an Olympic thrill for first timers.  The track was designed by three-time Olympian Frank Masley and consists of six curves and speeds around 30 mph. THEY WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO LUGE Their coaching staff enjoys sharing their knowledge of the sport with others and teaching new sliders steering and form techniques. While luge is referred to as the fastest sport on ice, their track is designed for the first time slider at slower speeds than an Olympic track where sliders can reach speeds of 90+ mph.  The top speed on this track from the public start is approximately 30 mph on a “good ice” day, although to most new sliders this still feels like 90 mph!  Each “Learn to Luge” sliding session is 2.5 hours and is limited to a maximum of 30 participants which allows 3-5 runs depending on efficiency of group.  Since 1984 our program has provided a “Olympic” type luge experience to tens of thousands of sliders visiting from across the globe. EQUIPMENT Participants are outfitted with elbow pads and a helmet. Participants will share an authentic luge training sled, handcrafted by the Gasser family, 3rd generation luge sled builders in Austria. PARTICIPANT AGE All participants must be at least 8 years old at the time of their session. An instructor will explain the components of the sled and teach how to control the sled. GET SOME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE WINTER The most strenuous part of the luge experience is carrying your sled to the top of the luge track. Sleds weigh between 25-40 lbs. and are transported up a flight of stairs to the top of the luge track by human power…you!  Small children will most likely need adult help to get their sled back up the hill.  If you have heart troubles or health issues that may be complicated by climbing stairs or participating in adrenaline pumping outdoor thrill sports, this activity may not be recommended. OTHER THINGS TO EXPECT All participants must complete a waiver and provide proof of health insurance at check in for the luge session. Participants under the age of 18 must have a waiver signed by a legal guardian.  After purchasing your tickets you will receive a downloaded waiver that can be filled out in advance of your visit. For more information call (231) 744-9629.

Monday March 2:

PINTwood Derby Competition
March 2
Join Pigeon Hill in the taproom for their first ever PINTwood Derby Competition!  This event is to bring out the kid in all of us, so get competitive, grab a beer and challenge your friends to the PINTwood Derby!  They will have Derby Build-It Nights and practice runs Monday nights in March, as well as the first 2 Mondays in April. The big PINTwood Derby Competition will be April 18 at 1:00pm.  Get all the details at Pigeon Hill’s Facebook page.

Team Trivia Game Show
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Check out Racquet’s Downtown Grill located at 446 W. Western Ave. for the Team Trivia Game Show!  Groups of any size are invited to play for free with prizes for the top three teams!  Categories range from pop culture and entertainment, to sports, history, science, culture and general knowledge.  Your live host will also offer many genres of music throughout the game, plus, you’ll enjoy food and drink specials each week.  For more info., call (231) 726-4007.

 

Please visit our website www.visitmuskegon.org for a complete listing of events in Muskegon County!

Prepare for State Tax Filing Season

from Michigan State Senator Jon Bumstead’s Legislative Update

mitaxesTaxpayers can get a head start on viewing and downloading the state 2019 tax year forms and instructions at www.michigan.gov/taxes.

Taxpayers can e-file their state returns at www.mifastfile.org. The Department of Treasury reports that 85% of all Michigan taxpayers choose to e-file. Tax officials also note that commonly used paper forms will continue to be available at Treasury offices and most public libraries.

Muskegon Home, Garden + DIY Show

The Muskegon Home, Garden + DIY Show is back for 2020 at the Fricano Place Event Center, 1050 W Western Ave, on Friday, March 13 from 11 am – 7 pm and Saturday, March 14 from 10 am – 5 pm. The Muskegon Home, Garden + DIY show will feature over 50 exhibitors including everything from windows, siding, gutters, and painting to home décor, furniture, landscaping and much more!

New this year is a Kid’s Zone on Saturday. Bring the kids to enjoy games, balloon animals, and much more! “We are excited to add the Kid’s Zone on Saturday this year. This addition only enforces the great family feel of the show,” commented Kristin Knop, Show Director.

Back by popular demand, the Do-It-Yourself and Demonstration seminars will highlight floral design, cooking, gardening and more!

Seminars by local businesses are one of the most popular features of the show. This year’s seminars include floral arranging by Skeeter Parkhouse of Wasserman’s, Whole – Home Wi-Fi Coverage, and cooking demonstrations featuring Chef Char and Sofia Occhialini from Kitchen 242. Event highlights include; Home Pro of West Michigan a full service contractor, garage door solutions by Shepherd Shoreline, building ideas from Keene Lumber, décor space by Blended Furniture and lending options by Family Financial Credit Union. Also included this year are beer & wine tasting as well as a Bloody Mary Bar.

In addition to exhibitors and seminars, the home show will have FREE flowers (while supplies last), thousands of dollars in prizes and discounted Fricano’s Pizza with the purchase of $5 home show admission ticket! Kids 12 and under are free! Tickets are available online at muskegonhsg.org. Advance tickets are recommended, but tickets will be sold at the door.

The Muskegon Home, Garden + DIY Show is a production of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce with support from the Lakeshore Home Builders Association, Fricano Place, Home Pro of West Michigan, Shepherd Shoreline Gutters & Garage Doors, Keene Lumber Company and Family Financial Credit Union. Other home show supporters are listed online at muskegonHGS.org.

Recreation Passport Fee Increasing to $12 Starting March 1

from Michigan State Senator Jon Bumstead’s Legislative Update

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently announced that the regular Recreation Passport vehicle entry fee for residents will increase from $11 to $12 as of March 1, 2020. This $1 increase is the first Recreation Passport price increase since 2013.

Michigan residents who purchase a Recreation Passport can enjoy vehicle access to more than 100 state parks and recreation areas, 140 state forest campgrounds, hundreds of miles of state trails, historic sites, family-friendly events, hundreds of boating access sites, and more.

To learn more about how the Recreation Passport supports, protects and provides easy, affordable access to Michigan’s great outdoors, visit www.Michigan.gov/RecreationPassport.

Sen. Bumstead Reacts to State of the State Address

from Michigan State Senator Jon Bumstead’s Legislative Update

I appreciated hearing the governor’s vision for Michigan’s future during her State of the State address.

As vice chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, I remain committed to working with my colleagues and the governor’s office to keep Michigan on the right track. We were able to work together to approve landmark reforms to Michigan’s dated auto no-fault law, and I can only hope that 2020 brings more agreements like this, more solutions and a better year for Michiganders.

While we were able to approve reforms that are expected to save Michiganders a great deal of money, last year’s budget process was a spectacle that I hope we never again see here in our state. This year’s focus should be on getting our finances in order ahead of the deadline and putting available resources toward fixing things like roads and funding our schools.

These are two things the governor has campaigned on the most and two things I agree should see a great deal of our focus in the new year. Just as I did last year, I will support responsible measures to fund our schools and start making major repairs to our infrastructure. I believe we need to continue looking at existing funding before turning to taxpayers. Like many of my colleagues, I also have reservations about bonding as a solution to fix our roads. To me, that option just kicks the can further down the road, significantly increases our long-term debt and does nothing to address funding our local roads and infrastructure needs.

As the speech continued, I found myself sharing many of the governor’s concerns about things like clean water and our environment. Michigan leads the nation in efforts to ensure folks have safe drinking water, and as chairman of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy budget, I am committed to continuing these efforts as a priority. We must also continue to monitor the unfortunate situation currently facing the Great Lakes. Lawmakers must seek solutions to mitigate the ongoing high water and erosion issues that impact our public infrastructure.

I look forward to the governor’s upcoming budget presentation and working with her administration to fix our state’s crumbling roads and bridges — without simply passing the cost to hardworking families or passing the buck to our kids. The Legislature has approved major reforms and investments in recent years, and I would like to continue working together to build a better Michigan.

Protecting the Farm: Applications to Preserve Land Now Being Accepted

WEST OLIVE — In the past five years, Ottawa County has lost more than 14,000 acres of farmland. This contraction is no coincidence considering Ottawa is the fastest growing county in the state. Add in the fact that roughly 30% of the nearly 2,000 Ottawa County producers are of retirement age, and less than 10% are under 35, and it’s easy to see why valuable agriculture acreage is disappearing.

To combat this loss, Ottawa County has a powerful tool: the Purchase of Development Rights program. Interested parties can apply now through April 30 to preserve their eligible, agriculturally zoned property by selling its development rights. Creating easements through the sale of development rights guarantees the land is used for agricultural purposes or remains in a natural state in perpetuity. Landowners are compensated for lost development potential, yet still own the land and retain all other rights associated with it.

Across Ottawa County, support for the PDR program is growing. In 2019, Olive, Robinson and Zeeland townships approved resolutions of support, bringing the total number of participating townships to 10.

“For our agricultural industry to thrive, it’s vital we work together to protect our productive farmland from development,” said Cliff Meeuwsen, Ottawa County Agricultural Preservation Board chair and Zeeland Farm Services president. “This program is a valuable tool in the County’s long-term strategy for farmland preservation.”

Interested landowners can start the process for the PDR program by completing the newly simplified Pre-Application available at miOttawa.org/farmland.

Not sure if it’s right for your farm? Learn about PDR program basics and the full application process from farmland preservation specialists at either of these two open houses set for 6 p.m.-7 p.m. Monday, March 16, and 9 a.m-10 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, at the Ottawa County Fillmore Street Complex, 12220 Fillmore Street, West Olive. RSVP by calling 616-738-4852 or plan@miOttawa.org.

To learn more about the program, complete a Pre-Application, and more, visit miOttawa.org/farmland. Interested parties are also welcome to contact our Farmland Preservation staff directly. Contact Julie Lamer at jlamer@miOttawa.org or call 616-738-4852.

Ask Dr. Universe – Why Brains are Mushy

Dr. Universe: Why are brains mushy? – First Graders, Waller Road Elementary, Puyallup, Wash.

Dear First Graders,

You’re right, brains are quite mushy. It turns out the three-pound organ between your ears is mostly made up of water and fat.

I found out all about brains from my friend Jim Peters, a neuroscientist at Washington State University.

“It’s gooey. It really is squishy,” he said. “When it is warm, it is kind of like butter.”

The brain may be soft but it is surrounded by a tough layer called the dura materto help protect it. I also found out the brain actually floats around in a kind of liquid. This liquid helps keep the brain from touching the bone of your skull.

The bones in your body are actually made up mostly of minerals, like calcium, which give them strength and hardness. If you bonk your head on something, the bone in your skull is a great material to help protect your squishy brain.

Still, bone can sometimes crack or break. That’s why it is so important to wear a helmet when you are being an adventurous rock climber, bicyclist, or playing football. It protects both your tough skull and squishy brain.

Part of the reason it is so important for brains to be soft is because they need some flexibility to work. The brain can change itself—the actual connections and the way it functions—and helps us make different thoughts and memories throughout our lives.

The brain is actually made of lots of tiny parts called neurons. When you were born, you had many more of these neurons than you do today. As you grow and learn your brain trims these neurons to make just the right connections and circuits.

These neurons that make up the brain communicate with each other to help your body do lots of different things—move, smell, see, touch, and sense the world around you. There are billions and billions of them.

Peters told me these cells are surrounded in a coat of fat called the membrane. The membrane is like a wall that surrounds the cell and gives it a good structure. That way all the parts inside the cell can stay together.

When cells communicate, they use electricity to make it happen. That’s right— your brain is full of electricity. The fatty membrane helps direct the flow of electricity to the right spot so that it can release chemicals called neurotransmitters. So in a way, the squishiness helps brain cells make connections and pass those messages to other brain cells.

The brain is not only soft, but it has kind of bumpy, grooved, or wrinkly surface. If you were to unfold the brain, it would take up quite a bit of space. Some people have estimated it would cover an area the size of one to two pages of a newspaper. That’s a lot of brain tucked into your skull.

Our mushy brains do all kinds of things for us, including helping you read this very sentence and ask big questions about our world.

Sincerely,
Dr. Universe

Absentee Ballots are Now Available for March Presidential Primary Election

Get application from local clerk or at Michigan.gov/Vote

LANSING – Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced today that absent voter ballots are available with clerks across the state so voters can now request an absentee ballot for the presidential primary election.

Due to the constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2018, all eligible and registered voters in Michigan may request an absent voter ballot without providing a reason. They can visit their local clerk’s office for an absent voter ballot application or download one at Michigan.gov/Vote.

There is no political party registration requirement and any Michigan registered voter can participate in the presidential primary on March 10. At the polling place and on the absentee ballot application, voters will be asked to select a presidential primary ballot for either the Democratic or Republican parties that also may contain local election items. Voters who do not wish to participate in the presidential primary may request a ballot that contains only local items.

Muskegon Pregnancy Services is in Need of a New Ultrasound Machine

Mission Statement
We are committed to providing clinical, life-saving services and empowering life-changing decisions.

Muskegon Pregnancy Services (MPS) is a non-profit, pregnancy service ministry. We have been faithfully impacting the community since 1985 through intervention, prevention, and education extending the gift of HOPE while sharing the love of Christ.

All of our services are FREE to our clients because of the partnerships of individuals, churches, and businesses in our community, as well as a few fundraiser events throughout the year.

MPS is the ONLY free ultrasound scan service in our community and our current ultrasound machine is not functioning for what is required for the best quality service to our clients.

The heartbeat of a baby begins to beat between 18 to 28 days. An ultrasound machine can capture the heartbeat with an ultrasound scan at about 4-6 weeks. Depending on technology, the capability is sooner and sooner. Statistics show women who see their baby on the ultrasound are 80% more likely to carry and men who see their baby are 90% more supportive to the mother to carry to term!

Our services include Health Services and Intervention, as well as Education and Prevention:
• Pregnancy Testing: and complete pregnancy option information.
• Limited Ultrasound Scan: (the majority of women choose life if they see the heartbeat of their baby).
• STD Testing & Treatment: for women and men. (Muskegon ranks 3rd in the state) Allows for prevention education.
• Rise Up: “Earn While You Learn” – program for resources such as crib, car seat, pack-n-play, clothing, & baby items.
• Mentoring Advocates and Classes: to educate and equip mothers & fathers for parenthood.
• Post-Abortion Healing: & Making LIFE-Disciples mentorship.
• Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA): – “Willing To Wait” curriculum: prevention education for youth groups and schools.

~

Your help and support can empower STRONG choices for LIFE!

~

1775 Wells Ave Muskegon, MI 49442 * www.muskegonpregnancyservices.org/donor

Fruitport Township Planning Commission Meeting Minutes – 11/19/19

MINUTES

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
FRUITPORT CHARTER TOWNSHIP
5865 AIRLINE RD
FRUITPORT, MI 49415

November 19, 2019
6:30 Work session
7:00 PM BOARD MEETING

Work Session
Continue review of Ordinances starting at Sec. 45-270-D

BOARD MEETING
01. Roll Call: Geoff Newmyer, Kyle Osterhart, VC, Brett Suchecki, Matt Farrar, & Jeff Jacobs, Staff Supervisor and Jacob Mason

02. Approval of Planning Commission Minutes: October 15, 2019: Accepted as presented.

03. Approve / Amend Agenda: Accepted as presented.

04. Correspondence / Reports: None were presented.

05. Public Comments pertaining to agenda topics: None were heard.

New Business
06. Site Plan – 5542 S Dangl Rd – 2 West
Parcel    –    61-15-124-300-0001-00
Purpose  –  parking lot expansion

John DeHaan, 2976 Madison Avenue SE Wyoming
Has been using the front for parking for years. Customers have been driving on grass and now want to pave the area due to high peak volumes.
Grow 90% of product on site. Proposes to 10’ x 20’ parking so customers can fit shopping carts between vehicles. Discussion ensued.

1. The motion is made by Kyle Osterhart to grant the site plan request for parcel number(s) 61-15-124-300-0001-00

2. The motion is based upon specific findings by the Township relative to the factors specified in Section 42-224 of the Zoning Chapter.
–a. All elements of the site plan are harmoniously and efficiently organized in relation to topography, the size and type of lot, the character of adjoining property and the type and size of buildings. The site will not impede the normal and orderly development or improvement of surrounding property for permitted uses. This finding is based upon the following fact(s):Existing use, no increase in volume.
–c. Special attention has been given to proper site surface drainage. Removal of stormwaters will not adversely affect neighboring properties. This finding is based upon the following fact(s): Will be approved by engineer or drain commission
–i. Exterior lighting is arranged so that it is deflected away from adjacent properties and will not impede the vision of traffic along adjacent streets. This finding is based upon the following fact(s): No new parking lights other than wall packs on the buildings.

3. If the motion is to grant approval, the following conditions are established.
–a. The development must comply with the site plan, dated November 19, 2019, submitted to the Township, as well as any written material submitted by the applicant to the Township.
–b. The development must comply with all federal, state, and Muskegon County laws, rules, regulations, and requirements.
–c. The development must be acquired, devenloped, and completed in conformance with the Zoning Chapter, as amended, and the rest of the Fruitport Charter Township Code of Ordinances.
–d. The development must be completed within 2 years. This deadline may be extended by the Township, without going through the entire application process, upon request by the applicant and evidence showing that the applicant is proceeding in good faith toward completion.
–e. If the site plan approval is contingent upon public water service or public sanitary sewer service or both being provided, then no construction of the development may begin until all required easements are in place, all required forms have been completed, and all approvals for service have been obtained.
–f. A digital copy of the site plan as approved shall be provided to the Fire Inspector at brian.michelli@mcd911.net, or such other e-mail address as the Fire Inspector may designate.
–g. Any other conditions placed by the Township upon the site plan approval: 1. Owner to provide engineering certifications for the drainage or get approval from the Muskegon County Drain Commission. 2. Parking spaces to be a minimum of 9’ x 20’. 3. No additional site lighting other than wall packs on the building that are night sky applicant. 4. Signs to be approved by the zoning administrator and the PC chair. 5. Any future changes to the site plan will be brought back to the site plan.

Motion supported by Jacobs. Roll call: Unanimous.

Old Business
07. Public Comments: Andy Andre with Steller Development. 2600 Auburn Road, Suite 160, Auburn Hills MI.

Mr. Steller is an employee of the group that owns the site at 1951 Sternberg asked for feedback on the site. He stated the litigation is in discovery phase of damages which could take years (albeit Mr. Steller is not certain of the legal status). Steller development commissioned a study on senior independent housing as it believes this use is approved in the approved PUD. This use would entail modifications to the buildings like combining rooms into one to make them large enough for senior apartments for one building with the other simply making modifications to the existing rooms. There are currently 6 acres (5.9 less ROW) on the site and are considering 157 total rooms. The site size currently allows for 83 units with 5.9 acres. Jacobs stated the PC could not approve anything other than 83 units and this would need to be considered by the ZBA.

Mr. Andre stated the building would be evaluated for structural integrity since it was in the weather for so long.

Discussed options to reuse this site for something other than hotels. PC members requested a proposal to fence the site off for safety purposes.

Supervisor mentioned the Township engineer has recommended updating the GIS. PC discussed. General consensus is to simply update the zoning map.

08. Adjournment: Vice Chair Osterhart adjourned the meeting at 8:20

Benson and Clerks: No Ballot Changes Within 75 Days of Elections

Bipartisan group asks Legislature for resolution to help clerks get ballots to voters on time

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and a bipartisan group of clerks today called on the state Legislature to pass a joint resolution promising that no new questions will be placed on ballots within 75 days of an election. The current deadline for the Legislature to add ballot questions is 60 days, leaving only 20 subsequent days for numerous processes to take place before the first absentee ballots must be mailed to voters. The 40-day deadline is part of the constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2018.

“The deadlines leading up to elections make it extremely difficult for local, county and state election officials, along with vendors, to ensure that voters can receive absentee ballots in accordance with their constitutional rights,” said Benson. “Although the 60-day deadline and newly created 40-day deadline are both in the Michigan Constitution, the Legislature can take action now to support clerks by adopting a joint resolution promising to put questions on the ballot no later than the 75th day before an election.”

Natural Shoreline Landscape Workshop

The West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC) and the Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership (MLWP) will host a workshop to educate the public, landowners, parks maintenance staff, teachers, students and volunteers on natural shoreline habitat and best management practices.

As part of this effort, a Natural Shoreline Landscape Workshop will be held on March 7, 2020 at Muskegon Community College.  The workshop is open to the public.  It will be of particular interest to public landowners, maintenance staff, private shoreline landowners, hands-on volunteers, business sponsors and educators.  Click here to view a full program and registration form with additional details.

Workshop speakers include: Brian Majka, GEI Consultants; Julia Kirkwood, EGLE Michigan Natural Shorelines Partnership; Melanie Manion, Ottawa County Parks; Janet Vail, GVSU Annis Water Resources Institute; Erica Johnson, MAISD Math Science Center/Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative.  A variety of West Michigan conservation organizations and agencies will also be on hand with informational displays and handouts.  The workshop will feature a morning plenary in the Overbrook Theater, followed by lunch and networking in Collegiate Hall.  A registration fee of $10.00 will cover food and refreshments.    Participants are asked to register by February 26, 2020.

To register and to find out more about how you can be involved, please send an e-mail to Kathy Evans, West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, at kevans@wmsrdc.org or call (231) 722-7878 x 17.

Meijer Gardens’ 25th Annual Butterfly Exhibition

Meijer Gardens’ 25th Annual Butterfly Exhibition Explores an Era of Discovery and Highlights the Story of the Wardian Case

GRAND RAPIDS, MI –  Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition will bring more than 7,000 tropical butterflies to West Michigan beginning March 1st. Butterflies Are Blooming is the spring’s most anticipated exhibition and the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the nation.

Black History Month Events at Hackley Public Library

Events are listed below.  All events are FREE to the public.
Brought to the community through a generous bequest from Bess Commodore.

Additional support from:
DTE Energy
The Friends of Hackley Public Library
WUVS 103.7 the Beat
Cumulus Broadcasting Company
McDonald’s of Michigan


Ebony Road Players present “The Meeting” – a play

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Saturday, February 22
Mark your calendar to enjoy a theater performance by the Ebony Road Players, as they present “The Meeting.” You won’t want to miss this moving play, which depicts the supposed meeting of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Differing in their philosophies, but alike in their mutual respect, the two men debate their varying approaches to the same grave social problems, both prepared to die for their beliefs but neither aware of how soon their assassins’ bullets await them.  This performance will be from 2-3 PM, on Saturday, February 22 at Hackley Library. All ages are welcome!  This event is free.

Becoming by Michelle Obama
New Year Nonfiction Book Discussion
6:00 – 7:00 PM
Monday, February 24
Kick off the New Year with one of 2019’s bestselling non-fiction titles! Join us for Hackley Library’s New Year Nonfiction Book Discussion, as we discuss Becoming by Michelle Obama.  Copies will be available behind the HPL reference desk one month before the discussion on a first-come, first-served basis. This discussion will take place from 6-7 PM, on Monday, February 24 in Hackley Library. Please bring copies back to the discussion. Call 231-722-8000 with any questions.  Free to the public!

Jon Covington and the Men from the Documentary BLACK MAN
2:00 – 4:00 PM
Saturday, February 29
Muskegon native Jon Covington’s documentary Black Man comes to life in a live version at Hackley Public Library!  Unfolding past and present-day stories of African American men, this compelling event will showcase influential and universal stories from all walks of life.  Don’t miss the riveting occasion, Jon Covington and the Men from the Documentary BLACK MAN, happening from 2-4 PM on Saturday, February 29 at Hackley Library.  All ages are welcome! This event is free.

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Hackley Public Library
316 W. Webster Ave. Muskegon, MI, 49440
https://hackleylibrary.org/
231.722.8000 – Main phone number / Circulation Desk