Fruitport Area News Online

‎Beatles Memorabilia is the topic of the display in the Collectors Corner at the Lakeshore Museum Center. Featured are album covers from The Fab Four, fan club cards, a collectible plate, a Beatles themed Trivial Pursuit Game, beach towel and more. Figures of the four musicians and a yellow submarine are also included in William Stidham Sr.’s collection. The museum is open weekdays from 9:30am to 4:30pm and Saturdays from Noon to 4:00pm. For more information, call 231-722-0278.

‎“Armchair Archaeology: From Hobby to History” is on display at the Lakeshore Museum Center! The exhibit explores early archaeology practices and philosophies that would be considered controversial today and showcases the local men who did it right. The exhibit features ten Muskegon residents from the late 1800s to early 1940s who were working in the area to learn about who and what was living here before them. Artifacts on display from the local digs include pottery shards, arrowheads, projectile points, and tools. Visitors will have an opportunity to take a seat and spend some time reading books and journal articles written by and about the men featured in the exhibit. www.lakeshoremuseum.org

Myth and Reality: Drawings by Patricia Hendricks Constantine

‎Rootdown Juice & Greens Bar offers high-energy, heated and music filled Power Vinyasa (flow) Yoga classes every day of the week. This style of yoga is accessible to everyone regardless of age, ability or experience. For class times and descriptions, please visit www.rootdown.in.

‎As part of Ahfest, come to Muskegon Community College’s Overbrook Art Gallery for Myth and Reality: Drawings by Patricia Hendricks Constantine” through October 30. This solo show featuresg recent works on the ahFest theme by Kendall College of Art and Design Professor. There’ll be a free public reception Wednesday, October 14, 6:00 – 7:30pm, followed by an Artist’s Gallery Talk at 6:30pm. For more information, call 231-777-0344.

DOORWAYS: A Passage through the Permanent Collection

‎You’re invited to the James Jackson Museum of African American History for the “Reading…by any means necessary” program, every Monday through Saturday from 2:00-5:30pm. The museum is located at 7 E. Center St. in Muskegon Heights. Call 231-739-9500 for more information.

Drive-In Movie

‎Muskegon’s historic Getty Drive-In was once a one screen in 1948, Today you can visit four screens. Tuesday night is bargain night for just $6.00 adults, 6-12 years old $5.00 and under 5 years are FREE. They have concessions and play area for children. Shows begin 15 minutes after sunset. They are located at 920 E. Summit in Muskegon. www.celebrationcinema.com

‎As part of Muskegon Community College’s Ahfest, “DOORWAYS: A Passage through the Permanent Collection” is on display at the Muskegon Museum of Art through October 11. Building exhibitions around works from the permanent collection is a high priority. These study shows are often organized thematically and developed to expand our knowledge and appreciation of artworks in the MMA’s ever-expanding quality holdings. Through a selection of paintings, sculpture, prints, and photographs, Doorways addresses, even challenges, our preconceived notions of doors as common thresholds we cross into our homes and workplaces. For more information, call 231-720-2570.

CHALLENGING TRADITION: Fine Craft from the Permanent Collection

‎As part of Muskegon Community College’s Ahfest, come to the Muskegon Museum of Art through October 25 for “CHALLENGING TRADITION: Fine Craft from the Permanent Collection”. This exhibit showcases some of the best contemporary craft works in collection of the Muskegon Museum of Art, including works in fiber, metal, and stone. These artists, as well as many others represented in the show, speak both to the enduring legacies of craft and the continuing innovation and creativity of today’s artists. For more information, call 231-720-2570.

EXTREME FIBER: Textile Icons and the New Edge

‎“Extreme Fiber: Textile Icons and the New Edge” examines the state of fibers and textiles in the fine art world today. As part of Muskegon Community College’s Ahfest, the artworks on display will reveal the diversity of this fine craft movement, and its transformation into a multi-media and discipline-spanning phenomenon through November 1. Participating artists are well-known visionaries in the field.

This exhibition has been organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art with guest curator Geary Jones. Underwritten by Bayer CropScience. For more information, call 231-720-2570.

The Art of Gettsyburg and the Civil War

‎As part of Muskegon Community College’s Ahfest, works of art from the Permanent Collection related to the Civil War, including a significant collection of prints by Winslow Homer will be on display at the Muskegon Museum of Art through October 25. A series of six lectures presented by Muskegon Community College instructors at the Muskegon Museum of Art and tour to Gettysburg complete this journey through art and history. For more information, call 231-720-2570.

‎Enjoy their bustling market opening their outdoor season on Saturday, May 2! Hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays 6:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Power of Produce will start up again Saturday June 6 – October 31, 2015, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. with activities 10:00 – Noon on Saturdays only. This is a membership club for kids, ages 5 – 12 yrs. They learn about healthy eating and can purchase their own fresh produce. www.muskegonfarmersmarket.com

Undiscovered Worlds: The Search Beyond Our Sun

‎The Muskegon Heights Farmer’s Market offers a variety of produce along with being a flea market. The market is open from 9:00am -1:00pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The market is lcoated on the corner of Baker and East Center Streets.

Inspired By…

‎Artists are always being inspired by what has come before, but rarely do we ever honor the exact source of our inspiration. September 1-20, the Arts Council of White Lake is excited to introduce a unique exhibit that aims to do just this. Inspired By showcases ten local artists who were each asked for a creation that is inspired by and reflects on a ‘masterpiece’. Come relive art history through the eyes of each artist, while experiencing their unique voice and style September 1-20. Come celebrate this exclusive collection and enjoy light refreshments at a reception to be held on September 10, from 5:00-7:00pm at the Nuveen Center. All ages are welcome to attend. For more information, call 231-893-2524.

Artists are always being inspired by what has come before, but rarely do we ever honor the exact source of our inspiration. The Arts Council of White Lake is excited to introduce a unique exhibit that aims to do just this. Inspired By showcases ten local artists who were each asked for a creation that is inspired by and reflects on a ‘masterpiece’. Come relive art history through the eyes of each artist, while experiencing their unique voice and style.

‎With rapidly improving telescope technology, hundreds of planets have been found orbiting stars beyond our solar system. Are any of these exoplanets like Earth? Can they support life? How will this change our view of the universe? These questions will be explored in a NEW planetarium program at Muskegon Community College (room 135, 221 S. Quarterline Rd, Muskegon). No reservations are needed for this free show, which runs August 25 – October 29 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. (doors open by 6:45), and includes a brief planetarium dome demonstration of the current night sky. For more information, or to schedule a private show for groups of 15-44, please call (231) 777-0289 or email tamera.owens@muskegoncc.edu.

Lunch at Mona Lake Boating Club

‎Mona Lake Boating Club is open to the public for great food!

Wednesday 11:30am-1:00pm – Burgers and more for $6 or less, featuring hand-made burgers fresh from the Meat Block. Also enjoy weekly soup, sandwich and salad specials.

Friday 11:30am-1:00pm – Perch, shrimp and more for $7 or less, along with weekly soup, sandwich and salad specials.

Friday 6:00pm-8:00pm – Variety dinner. Enjoy the weekly special, plus steak, chicken, perch, shrimp and more!

Check them out on Facebook for more information.

Taco Saturday at Mona Lake Boating Club

‎The public is invited to the Mona Lake Boating Club every Saturday September 5 – May 28 from 11:30am-2:00pm for their famous homemade tacos, taco salads and nachos! Call 231-798-4011 for more information.

2nd Annual Community-wide Remembrance Service

Muskegon, Michigan

Two of West Michigan’s community hospice leaders, Harbor Hospice and Mercy Health Hospice, are again hosting a Community Remembrance at Heritage Memorial Garden in downtown Muskegon. This free event will have music, readings and a bulb planting to help individuals and families in our community to both mourn the death and honor the life of a loved one.

The Community Remembrance will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 6:00 pm at the Heritage Memorial Garden located at 545 W. Western Ave. Pam Babbitt developed the garden in honor of her late husband. It is a beautiful haven in downtown Muskegon and an incredible representation of the love that remains even after a person dies.

For more information and to RSVP the number of bulbs which family members would like to plant please call either Harbor Hospice (231-728-3442) or Mercy Health Hospice Scolnik Healing Center (231-672-3266).
Contact: Stephanie Weesies, LMSW
Harbor Hospice Bereavement Coordinator
Phone: 231-728-3442
SWeesies@harborhospicemi.org
Beth Bolthouse, LPC
Mercy Health Hospice Bereavement Coordinator
Phone: 231-672-3266
bolthoe@trinity-health.org

Safety Tips to Take You Back to School

The first day of school marks a significant milestone in the life of a child. It’s an exciting time for seeing old friends, making new friends, learning new things, and for some, riding the bus to school. Each year over 20 million students across the country ride the bus to and from school, while countless others walk, ride bicycles or are dropped off by their parents.

As you know in the next week the young people of Ottawa County will be returning to school. In that respect, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office would like to share with you several tips, which are intended to enhance the safety of those returning to school.

Parents

If dropping your child off at school be aware of school rules regarding student drop offs, most schools ask that you do not drop off your child in the same area as the bus drop off. This is to avoid traffic congestion and helps to reduce the chance of injury to your child.
If you are the parent of a child that will be walking to school or the bus stop it is advisable to take some time and pre-walk your child’s route.
- Point out the safe places to cross the street and point out areas of danger.
- Also show your children homes that display the Michigan Child Watch sign, these are homes that children can come to for help should the need arise. (If you would like more information on the Michigan Child Watch program contact your local police department or the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office).
- Identify bus stop locations and review and re-enforce the school bus safety rules.

Students

Students if walking to school use bike paths and sidewalks where available. In areas where there are no sidewalks or bike paths walk along the side of the road facing traffic.
Wear light colored clothing and avoid using headphones or other electronic devices that will distract you from traffic.
If riding a bicycle to school and there are no bike paths, ride with traffic, if riding in the dark your bike must have a light on it. When riding your bike you should always wear a bicycle helmet.
While at your bus stop: do not run into traffic
- Arrive to your bus stop early.
- Never walk behind the bus.
- Make sure the bus comes to a complete stop before trying to enter or exit the bus.
- When crossing the street observe traffic, don’t rely solely on the bus lights, and watch for the signal from your bus driver to cross.

Motorists

When driving during the hours prior to school and at dismissal time be aware of traffic around the schools.
Many schools still use school speed zones, and as a driver it is your responsibility to know where these zones are and adhere to the posted speed limit.
In addition several schools throughout Ottawa County also use School Crossing Guards. Crossing guards assist students in crossing the street safely and rely on you the motorist to stop when directed by the school crossing guard.
Finally all drivers when approaching a school bus that has activated its flashing red lights must stop. Be alert to children’s unpredictable behavior and wait for the lights to stop flashing before beginning to move again.

STOPPED program: (Sheriffs Telling Our Parents and Promoting Educated Drivers)

STOPPED is a parental notification system that was developed for the state by the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association, the goal of STOPPED is to reduce the number of young drivers who are injured or killed in motor vehicle crashes each year.
Annually over 3,000 drivers, ages 16 to 21 years old, die in the United States as a result of motor vehicle crashes.
MSA and the Sheriff’s Office are pleased to offer parents this voluntary notification system that extends their watchful eyes and raises the level of awareness for drivers under the age of 21.

Riddle for Seniors…

Today’s riddle for seniors…Here is the situation:

You are on a horse, galloping at a constant speed.
On your right side is a sharp drop-off.
On your left side is an elephant traveling at the same speed as you.
Directly in front of you is a galloping kangaroo and your horse is unable to
overtake it.
Behind you is a lion running at the same speed as you and the kangaroo.
What must you do to get out of this highly dangerous situation?

Think logically before you track down for the answer.

——-Answer:
Quietly get off the merry-go-round!

Pioneer Progressive Event

Pioneer Resources to Host First Annual Pioneer Progressive Event October 3, 2015

Muskegon, MI – On October 3, 2015, Pioneer Resources will host their first annual Pioneer Progressive fundraising event. The event, benefiting Pioneer Resources, will transport guests to three destinations highlighting the key areas/services offered by Pioneer Resources for persons with disabilities.

The event will start at Coastline Deli in Terrace Plaza for drinks/appetizers with views of Muskegon Lake. Coastline Deli is a training site for Pioneer Resources’ food service programs.

To highlight the transportation services offered by Pioneer Resources, guests would then be transported, by bus, to a second destination, Pioneer Trails camp on beautiful Blue Lake, for a good ol’ fashioned pig roast. Pioneer Trails, operated by Pioneer Resources, provides recreation and leisure opportunities.

The third and final stop will be Kitchen 242 in the new Farmer’s Market. Guests will enjoy dessert while browsing the certified, commercial kitchen. Pioneer Resources manages Kitchen 242 and also uses the rentable facility to prep food for multiple sites including Coastline Deli.

Event Details

Time: 5:00 – 10:30 pm
Start – Coastline Deli in Terrace Plaza, downtown Muskegon.
Stop #2 – Pioneer Trails Camp.
Stop #3 – Kitchen 242 in the new Farmer’s Market.

Attire: Camp casual
Tickets: $50 per person

To order tickets and for sponsorship opportunities, please visit http://www.pioneerresources.org/events.

About Pioneer Resources: For 60 years, Pioneer Resources, a Muskegon-based nonprofit corporation, has offered a diverse array of individualized supports for persons with disabilities as well as services for governmental units and schools that serve children and adults with disabilities.

Pioneer Resources provides housing, transportation services, food service, catering, custodial services, employment and vocational instruction, independent living and recreation in Western Michigan. For more information, please visit www.pioneerresources.org.

Drain Commissioner Day of Review Summary

Brenda Moore, Muskegon County Drain Commissioner

The annual “Day of Review” for drain district boundary changes and assessments was rough this year! It was no picnic last year—my first in office. To sum up the input and frustrations I’ve heard from the public, township board members, and county officials; I would call it “culture shock”. We are—and have to—do things so much differently now. If I had to summarize the key issues (in order of frequency of comments) it would go like this:

· “When was this drain district created—I’ve never heard of it.”

Response: Most of the 100+ open channel ditches in Muskegon county were created in the late 1800s and early 1900s to facilitate property drainage for new development and agriculture. Many of these drains are merely altered creeks, so the drain in your district may look very much like a stream.

· “I’ve lived in my home for __ years and never had a drain assessment!”

Response: For most of the drains that have been worked on in the last several years we have found no formal record of assessments or major work for 30-40 years.

· “I don’t have flooding problems on my property so I should not have to pay an assessment.”

Response: (Respectfully) The rainwater and snow melt from your property goes somewhere. In a catastrophic rain or melt event, not all of the water soaks into the ground. It runs off to other properties, and (eventually) to the county drain. If you received an assessment you are in the watershed of the drain.

· “Why don’t the taxes I pay take care of drain work?”

Response: General fund tax dollars do not go to support county drain work. Any maintenance work has to be supported by a special assessment. The assessment process is outlined in the state Drain Code. Any work conducted from the drain office must be supported by special assessments placed on the properties in the district. General funds do, however, cover the salaries of our staff: myself, the deputy and a secretary.

· “How are assessments decided?”

Response: Local and county government pay a portion of the bill. There is no standard formula and percentages range from around 5% to over 45% around the state; depending on the specifics of the project. For property owners, it is generally based on acreage. In some counties property owners who engage in conservation practices can realize lower assessments. We are working toward this incentive in the future.

Please note that the only time a public notice must be given on an assessment is when the district boundaries are changed, when a petition is given to this office, or when apportionments (assigned percentages of cost) are changed. Maintenance assessments of under a certain amount do not require a notice, although we will make every reasonable effort to alert people of pending assessments in the future.

· “The ditch in front of my house is a mess. How can you charge me for maintenance when it is in such poor condition?”

Response: Although some road drains are also county drains most county Drain Commissioner drains run cross country. Most roadside ditches are maintained by the County Road Commission. Both entities are collaborating more to work together if we can, however, I have no authority to engage in work outside an established county drain.

· “We used to dig out the ditches ourselves.”

Response: Not only is that a bad environmental practice because random digging can cause more problems downstream, but in 2013 state environmental protection law was changed to require Drain Commissioners to get permits for their work from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Previous to that work in drains was not monitored. Private property owners now engaging in such work expose themselves to all kinds of liability and potential penalties under state law.

· “The work you are doing seems more expensive than ditch cleaning should be.”

Response: Certainly nothing is getting cheaper, but we are not digging the entire ditch line (creek) with a backhoe as was generally done in the past. That simply causes too much environmental damage. Much of our work now also comes under Michigan Department of Environmental Quality scrutiny and they often require “best management practices” as a condition of permitting our work. Now, rather than digging out trees by the roots and casting aside soil spoils we must stabilize waterway banks through a variety of means including seeding, blanketing steep slopes, and using rip rap. Also, engineering plans have to be provided to the state as part of the permit process. This includes survey work and ditch profiles. We are obligated to use “best management practices” to reduce environmental impact and protect water quality. The state decides if the proposed environmental conservation practices are appropriate.

Even with routine maintenance we are selectively trimming trees, and when we have to take trees out of the flow channel, they are “flush cut” rather than pulled out by the roots with heavy equipment. Leaving root systems in place helps keep the ditch bottom and banks in place. True, exercising more finesse does take more time and money in the short term—but doing things more carefully requires much less work and expense in the long term.

· “We never receive notice of the work being done and we had no time to plan for the extra expense.”

Response: Point well taken! Because the Drain Office has easements and right of access to work on the drains, notice may not have been provided in the past. During my tenure, we alerted property owners along the drain and the supervisors of each township but, truthfully, we can do better.

In the future, unless there is a need for emergency work, we will send a letter to all property owners in the district before work is done to invite questions and input. We will also send a letter to the community and a press release to the local paper. In some cases a town meeting may be in order. Information on all pending projects will also be posted on our website.

· “Some people will have a hard time paying the assessment!”

Response: The Drain Commissioner has the option of spreading an assessment over time, or assessing smaller amounts to build up a reserve for future maintenance work. The amount that can be “built up” is limited by the law and all funds are dedicated and held in a special account for each district. Based on comments heard at this year’s “Day of Review” some of the assessments will be spread over two years. Others will be lowered to collect less “set-aside” money, but that means catching up with maintenance backlogs will take longer.

For more information about drain office operations call us at 724-6219 or see www.co.muskegon.mi.us/drain

Ask Dr. Universe – How Do I Make a Diary?

Dear Dr. Universe: How do I make a diary? – Nimra, Kitchener, Ontario

Dear Diary,

Oh, I mean…Dear Nimra,

Making a diary is like creating your own top-secret book. So, I headed straight for a Washington State University library where there are more than a million books.

My friend Linnea Nelson was working with some of the books from the special collections when I went to visit her in the lab. She is a conservator, so part of her job is to repair and re-build old books. It preserves their history.

Some of the books had an old smell that wafted up into my little nose. The smell comes from different chemical compounds that escape into the air, including one similar to vanilla. The compounds are in the ink, paper, and other materials used to keep the pages together. And one way to keep the pages together is to bind them with thread.

People have bound, or sewn, books together for thousands of years. Before humans even discovered how to make paper out of tree pulp, people in Asia used twine string to bind palm tree leaves. Then they wrote on the leaves with ink.

If you’re up for the challenge of binding a diary together, you’ll need paper, thread, a needle, and scissors. Since it can be tricky to sew with paws, Nelson showed me how to bind a booklet. You may want to ask a grown-up for some help, too. You can find the instructions at AskDrUniverse.com.

Once you have a place to write, the next step is to decide what to write, said my friend Trevor Bond, a rare book librarian at the WSU Libraries.

“The really best diaries share people’s emotions and feelings about events,” Bond said. “They also personalize history in interesting ways.”

A lot of people start diary entries by writing the date at the top of the page. That way when they are older, they can look back at their own history. Historians can use information from old diaries to discover “glimmers of information” about different time periods, Bond explained.

One of the most famous diaries is Anne Frank’s. We have copies of the diary here at the WSU library, but the original is at the Anne Frank House, a museum in Amsterdam. Anne lived in hiding from the Nazis during World War II and after the war her father published her journal. When she started her diary she wrote: “For someone like me, it is a very strange habit to write in a diary. Not only that I have never written before, but it strikes me that later neither I, nor anyone else, will care for the outpouring of a thirteen year old schoolgirl.”

Now, lots of students around the world read the historic diary in school. Anne’s diary had a plaid, red cloth cover. Technically it was an autograph book, but as long as you write in it regularly, a diary can really be anything you wish.

Anne’s diary also had a lock. Bond said if you want to keep your diary top-secret, the last step is to get a lock—or just make sure to find your diary a really good hiding spot.

Sincerely,

Dr. Universe

Got a question? Ask Dr. Universe. You can send her an e-mail at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website at askdruniverse.com.

Videos Offer a Window into the Abortion Industry

The Center for Medical Progress has recently released several undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood leaders discussing the sale of baby body parts. The videos are the culmination of what the Center says is 30 months of research, including gaining access to the secretive inner circles of the abortion industry. They promise more videos will be released in the near future.

This investigative series poses two questions for all of us. First, is this the sort of society we want? Second, will Planned Parenthood be held accountable for potentially breaking the law?

Most people—including many women who have had abortions at Planned Parenthood—had no idea Planned Parenthood was in the fetal organ harvesting business. Even some who would describe themselves as pro-choice have been disgusted at the callousness with which the dismemberment and sale of intact organs is discussed over red wine and corned beef sandwiches. The second video features the doctor joking that she needs to sell enough body parts to get herself a new Lamborghini.

Our culture should be one that places a proper value on every single human life. The practice of fetal organ harvesting sends a painfully familiar message to an entire class of people: “You can be useful to society; you just can’t be a member of it.”

The legal implications of the series are also grave, given the fact that taxpayers are forced to support Planned Parenthood with more than a half billion dollars every year. Planned Parenthood leaders suggest they aren’t in it for profits, but in the videos they specifically say clinics want to do a little better than break even and haggle with the undercover actors over price points. It’s against federal law to sell fetal tissue for profit.

In the videos the Planned Parenthood leaders indicate their willingness to change abortion procedures in order to preserve more intact “specimens.” It’s against federal law to change abortion procedures to procure organs. A full investigation is needed in order to determine what is going on. Planned Parenthood must be held accountable if laws are being broken.

Planned Parenthood’s response to these videos so far has been to attack the makers of the video, labeling the prolife movement as the extremists (a movement that does not dismember viable children and sell their remains, I’d like to add). Planned Parenthood insists the videos have been heavily edited, and the callousness of their doctors is due to selective editing. The Center for Medical Progress has in all cases released the full, unedited videos and transcripts.

Watching the unedited videos only gives a clearer and equally troubling context to the shorter videos. The Planned Parenthood leaders are casually taking hours to hammer out the details of selling baby body parts. The humanity of the unborn child or the women paying them to perform abortions is largely an afterthought. After watching both, I can only reflect on the banality of evil. This is not how we treat human beings.

www.RTL.org

Through a Rapist’s Eyes

(Submitted by Kristine Babiarz)

According to this information, a group of rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim, and here are some interesting facts:

The first thing rapists look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

The second thing rapists look for is clothing. They look for women whose clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around specifically to cut clothing.

They also look for women on their cell phone, searching through their purse, or doing other activities while walking because they are off–guard and can be easily overpowered.

Rapists are most likely to attack and rape in the early morning between 5 and 8:30 a.m.

The number one place women are abducted from or attacked is grocery store parking lots. The number two: office parking lots/garages. Number three is public restrooms.

The thing about these rapists is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to another location where they don‘t have to worry about getting caught.

Only two percent said they carried weapons because rape carries a three to five year sentence, but rape with a weapon is 15 to 20 years.

If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn‘t worth it because it will be time consuming.

They said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands. Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

Several defense mechanisms are: if someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or is with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like “What time is it?” Or make general small talk: “I can‘t believe it is so cold out here.” “We’re in for a bad winter.“ Now you‘ve seen his face and could identify him in a lineup. You lose your appeal as a target.

If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell “STOP“ or “STAY BACK!“ Most of the rapists said they‘d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an easy target.

If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes), yell, “I have pepper spray,” and holding it out will be a deterrent.

Love Your Community Grant Contest

What Can You Do With $500?

Muskegon, MI: The Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFMC) wants to know what YOU can do with $500 to make your corner of Muskegon County a little more lovable. The Foundation is, once again, launching its successful “Love Your Community” mini-grant program with an invitation to the community to share their ideas and declare their love for Muskegon.

Inspired by author and urban consultant Peter Kageyama and his message encouraging citizens to show their love for their community, the Foundation will award $500 mini-grants to projects that demonstrate and share the love for Muskegon. Examples of past Love Your Community grant contest winners include Movies on the Beach, a Play It Forward benefit concert for the Snurfer Sculpture, Portraits of White Lake photography exhibit, Lakeside Community Pocket Park, and many more.

Unlike CFMC’s traditional grants, Love Your Community mini-grants are open to anyone, including individuals and businesses as well as nonprofits. Project ideas must be for the benefit of Muskegon County and its residents, whether for a specific neighborhood, community or the county as a whole; they are not for personal or business benefit.

Contest guidelines and a brief application form are available at CFMC’s website www.cffmc.org/blog and at www.facebook.com/cffmc. Email the application, including a picture, sketch, or graphic and a 300 character description, by 5 p.m. on September 25, 2015 to grants@cffmc.org.

On October 1, ideas will be posted on the Foundation’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/cffmc) and open for community voting. The five projects that have the most “likes” from community members at noon on Thursday, October 15, will receive up to $500 to turn their ideas into reality. Winning applicants will be asked to provide a more detailed one-page project description and a budget before funds are released. As with all of Foundation grants, decisions are subject to Foundation Board of Trustees’ approval.

For more information, applicants are encouraged to call the Foundation office at (231) 722-4538.

Austin G. Selle, Eagle Scout

austin Austin G. Selle received the rank of Eagle Scout on April 26, 2015. Austin is a member of troop 1127, which is sponsored by the Fruitport Lions Club. His Eagle service project was building a children’s play stage and shelving units at the Muskegon Rescue Mission Women’s Shelter.

Austin is a senior at Fruitport High School where he is a member of the National Honor Society. Austin plans on attending Michigan Technological University next fall. Austin is the son of Glen and Janell Selle of Muskegon.

Muskegon County Calendar of Events 08/31/15-09/07/15

Presented by the Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau

09/01/2015 – 09/20/15 Inspired By…

09/01/2015 – Astronomy for Everyone

‎Come to Hackley Public Library September 1 at 6:00pm for “Astronomy for Everyone: Size & Scale of the Universe”, an exciting family program for ages 8 to 100 about the universe from the very small to the very large that lasts approximately 1 ½ hours. The program starts off with a PowerPoint presentation that includes exciting video footage. Following this indoor formal presentation, everyone will go outdoors to view celestial objects in the night sky through a powerful hand-crafted telescope. For more information, call 231-722-7276.

09/02/2015 – Lunch & Learn Lecture

‎September 2 from 12:15-1:00pm, you’re invited to the Lakeshore Museum Center for the “Lunch and Learn Lecture Series”, Charles Hackley: The Man, the Myth and the Truth with Historic Sites Curator, Dani LaFleur. Be sure to bring your lunch! The program is free, but you do need to register by calling 231-722-0278.

09/02/2015 – WWII Lost Submariners’ Memorial

‎The USS Silversides Submarine Museum is proud to unveil the WWII Lost Submariners’ Memorial recognizing the 52 submarines that were lost in defense of the United States during World War II. You are invited to the dedication, happening Wednesday, September 2 at 6:00pm. For more information, call 231-755-5883.

09/02/2015 – Folk Musician Paul Doffing

‎A folk musician; Paul Doffing touring the world by bicycle will be at the Harbor UU Congregation Church Wednesday September 2 at 7:00pm to perform for Muskegon! Let’s give him a warm Muskegon welcome and stop by for a listen. $15 is the suggested donation. The location is 1296 Montgomery Ave.

09/03/2015 – 30 Days of Peace Observance

‎The 30 Days of Peace Muskegon observance will begin with an Interfaith Sunset Service at the U.S.S. Silversides Submarine Museum from 6:00pm to 7:30pm, Thursday, September 3. Unitarian Universalist Rev. Richard “Bud” Murphy from The Peoples’ Church of Ludington will preside. Guest speakers include Imam Jihad Muhammad of the Islamic Center of Greater Muskegon, Debra Gutowski, the Director of Native American Ministries for the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Rabbi Alan Alpert from Temple B’Nai Israel, Gargi Hales, a Siddha Yoga student, Rev. Duane Bennett of Mt. Zion Church of God in Christ, Bonnie Johnson from the Bahá’í Faith, and Jim Johnson of the Buddhist Tradition. Composer and Music Director, Jimmy Clark, will provide accompaniment for the gathering. Contact Kryssis Diane Bjork at 231-747-8138 for more information.

09/05/2015 – Sportsmen for Youth Day

‎September 5, the Muskegon Area Sportsmen for Youth, a nonprofit corporation, hosts “Sportsmen for Youth Day” at the Muskegon County Fairgrounds, located at 6621 Heights Ravenna Rd. in Fruitport. Sportsmen for Youth Day is designed to provide young people age 18 and under with the opportunity to try activities including archery, shooting sports, fishing and many other events. The day will also feature prize drawings and lunch, all FREE! www.sportsmenforyouth.com

09/05/2015 – Run For Sight

‎Run For Sight is celebrating its 10th Annual 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, September 5. This scenic run/walk takes place along Lake Michigan, starting and ending at the Coast Guard Station at Pere Marquette. Run For Sight is for competitive and non-competitive participants. Medals for 5K Run begin with the 9 and Under age category and the 5K Walk is stroller and dog friendly. 5K Run registration is $25 and 5K Walk registration is $20 and all proceeds are donated to the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Call 231-739-9009 for more information.

09/05/2015 – Arts Fest

‎This Saturday, come to the Montague Artisan Market for “Arts Fest” from 10:00am-3:00pm. Enjoy the art fair, free kids’ crafts, music and special performances. For more information, visit artswhitelake.org.

09/05/2015 – Nature Walk

‎Discover the beauty of the White Lake area! Local naturalists will lead guided tours of local natural areas. A variety of topics relating to native plants and wildlife will be covered, depending on the time of year. The walks are appropriate for adults and families; no children allowed without parents. Walks will take place the first Saturday of the month through October. Walks begin at 10:30am sharp and last until approximately noon.

09/05/2015 – Maranatha Summer Concerts

‎Saturdays during the summer you can enjoy a concert at Maranatha Christian Conference Center. This week enjoy Buddy Greene. This is a FREE event, open to the public. Stop by from 5:00pm-6:45pm and enjoy a dinner buffet before prices are: 3 and under: FREE, 4-8 years; $7.00, 9-12 years; $9 and adults are $15. www.vacationwithpurpose.org

09/07/2015 – Annual Labor Day Breakfast

‎The Muskegon Lions Club host their annual Labor Day Pancake breakfast at the Margaret Drake Elliott Park from 8:00am – Noon. Adults 12 and up are just $6.00, ages 3-11 are $3.00 and under 3 years of age are FREE! Support and help the “Muskegon Host” Lions Club make a brighter day for someone.

09/07/2015 – Labor Day Community Walk

‎Enjoy Labor Day this year beginning with a walk on the Hart-Montague bike trail beginning at 10:00am at the trailhead behind Montague Foods. For more information contact 231-893-4585

09/07/2015 – West Michigan’s United Labor Day Parade

‎This is an all-inclusive community parade through the streets of downtown Muskegon. The parade will start at 11:00am on Monday September 7, and will end approximately around 12:30pm. There will be a fun filled FREE post parade celebration following the parade that will go until 4:00pm, with pizza, refreshments, cotton candy, face painting, bounce houses, arts-n-crafts and much more! For more information, call 231-638-2741.

09/07/2015 – 9th Annual Community Labor Day Walk

‎Be part of the free 9th Annual Community Labor Day Walk, Monday, September 7. Please join the City of Muskegon for the annual community walk that celebrates the beauty of our environment and promotes the health of our community. Online registration is available at shorelinecity.com. Check-in/Onsite Registration is at 8:00am. 5k Run start time is 8:30am. Walk start time is 9:30am. (Pre-registration encouraged but not required.) The 5k run will follow the Lakeshore Trail north with a turnaround at the halfway point and will finish back at Fisherman’s Landing. The 4-Mile Walk route follows the Lakeshore Trail to the nature preserve in North Muskegon and turns back to Fisherman’s Landing. For more information, call 231-724-6705.

Ongoing Events:

Muskegon South Pierhead Light Tours

‎The Muskegon Museum of Art announces that Avian Avatars, an art installation of five colossal sculptures, each symbolizing a mythical bird, designed by The Myth Makers, artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein have arrived in Muskegon. The sculptures are crafted from maple saplings, wire ties, and found objects, and stand from 18 to 26 feet tall. Each of the sculptures will be installed in a different downtown Muskegon location for a full year. Avian Avatars is currently on display in the Garment District of New York City, from where it will travel directly to Muskegon.

‎Memorial Day to Labor Day tours will be given at Pere Marquette Beach South Pierhead Light. Tours will take place Monday & Tuesday from Noon-4:00pm and Saturday from 10:00am – 2:00pm. The cost is $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for kids. Please thank the volunteers who are helping to make this possible.

2nd Annual Invitational Art Exhibit

‎Art in Our City is a juried fine art exhibition organized by the Frauenthal Center and the Red Lotus Gallery, assisted by the Muskegon Museum of Art and the Muskegon Center for the Arts, as a complement to the 2015 Regional Exhibition. This year, the exhibit has expanded to three downtown venues; The Bettye Clark Cannon Gallery in the Hilt Building, Smash Wine Bar & Bistro and the Red Lotus Gallery. You’re invited to view all three exhibition spaces between now and August 31. For more information, call 231-206-0426.

Light and Illumination: Call for Artists

‎September 22-October 10, the Arts Council of White Lake presents “Light and Illumination.” Light brightens and illustrates the world around us. It casts its glow on all that we see and infuses our lives with the tint of seasons and hours. Light and Illumination seeks artworks that honor our greatest gift. Submit your work that utilizes or illustrates the far reaching impact of light. Entries must be submitted by September 5.

Rules and Regulations:

Calls are open to all local, domestic, national and international professional and amateur artists of all ages. All mediums will be considered for this exhibit.

Application Fee :

Each artist may submit up to two works.

$15 for ACWL Artist Members

$20 for non-members

Submission:

All submissions must represent the actual artwork as closely as possible. If your work is misrepresented in any way– meaning the picture diverges greatly from what the work actually looks like in color, shape, or dimensions etc., we reserve the right to refuse to display such works.

Notification:

All accepted applicants will receive notification and drop off through email by September 9, 2015.

Beach Towne Trolley Rides

‎All ages love to take a ride on Muskegon’s Beach Towne Trolley during the summer months!

Routes and Operating Hours

Beach-Towne Trolley – 12:00pm–6:48pm

Operating Days

Six Days a Week, Monday – Saturday
Memorial Day – Labor Day

Single-Ride Cash Fare

Standard $1.25
Senior/Disabled $ .60

Transfers, tickets, and passes from other Muskegon Area Transit System buses will be accepted. Regular transit passes and transfers will not be sold or issued on trolleys. Exact change will be required. Children through age 5 may ride free when accompanied by an adult. All vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lifts. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more information, call the Muskegon Area Transit System at 231-724-6420.

Drive-In Movie

Undiscovered Worlds: The Search Beyond Our Sun

‎The Muskegon Heights Farmer’s Market will offer a variety of produce along with being a flea market. Starting May 2, the market will be open from 9:00am -1:00pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The market is located on the corner of Baker and East Center Street.

Lunch at Mona Lake Boating Club

‎Mona Lake Boating Club is open to the public for great food!

Wednesday 11:30am-1:00pm – Burgers and more for $6 or less, featuring hand-made burgers fresh from the Meat Block. Also enjoy weekly soup, sandwich and salad specials.

Friday 11:30am-1:00pm – Perch, shrimp and more for $7 or less, along with weekly soup, sandwich and salad specials.

Friday 6:00pm-8:00pm – Variety dinner. Enjoy the weekly special, plus steak, chicken, perch, shrimp and more!

Check them out on Facebook for more information.

Muskegon City Flea Market

‎The City Flea Market will open for Wednesday, May 6 from 6:00am-3:00pm. They are located at 700 Yuba Street. There are many booths of products you can only imagine! They are open every Wednesday through October 28.

Summer Luge & Archery!

‎School is out, so what are you and the family going to do for fun this weekend? Check out the Summer Luge and Archery!! Thursday-Sunday 10:00AM-2:00PM!! $15.00 for 4 runs on the summer luge track and 3 rounds at Archery. Get out and have some fun at the Winter Sports Complex, summer style! www.msports.org

Sweetwater Market

‎The Sweetwater Market is open Saturdays from 9:00am-Noon at Mercy Health @ The Lakes Campus. If there is inclement weather they will have it indoors. They are located just 1/2 mile south of the Lakes Mall. For more information 231-292-1152.

Taco Saturday at Mona Lake Boating Club

Head Out on the Highway for the M23.1K Run!

Get your motor runnin’! Head out on the highway! Registration is open for the M23.1k Run on October 3. The event is limited to the first 231 registrants and takes place on the new M231 highway before the rubber meets the road. The cost is $35 and the event begins and finishes at Robinson Elementary School in Grand Haven. (11801 120th Avenue Grand Haven, MI)

The new M231 highway stretches seven miles through the spectacular, rolling countryside and over the Grand River in West Michigan. Ottawa County is partnering with the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Grand Haven Running Club, Robinson and Crockery townships, plus the offices of Senator Arlan Meekhof and Representative Amanda Price to organize the “M23.1K Run.”

Proceeds will be contributed to Ottawa County’s non-motorized pathway system (commonly called bike paths). An extensive system of paved trails benefits residents and visitors alike. Paved trails through Ottawa County provide: opportunities for fitness and family recreation; environmental benefits; transportation corridors; and economic benefits to the community.

The M23.1k Run is sponsored by:

• Mika Myers, PLC (Silver Sponsor)
• Arther Gallagher & Co. (Silver Sponsor)
• Tolman’s Auto Tech Group (Bronze Sponsor)
• Nichols (Bronze Sponsor)
• Pigeon Creek Golf Course (Bronze Sponsor)
• Priority Health (Bronze Sponsor)
• Silver & Van Essen, PC
• ImageSoft

Additional support is being provided by:

• Ottawa County
• Michigan Department of Transportation
• Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office
• Ottawa County Medical Reserve Corp
• West Michigan Christian School
• Grand Haven Running Club
• Grand Haven Public Schools
• Robinson Baptist Church
• Robinson & Crockery Townships
• Senator Arlan Meekhof’s Office
• Representative Amanda Price’s Office

Those who wish to see the new stretch of pavement but do not wish to run also have a chance to view it during this special event as volunteers or spectators. An additional opportunity for residents to view the bridge outside of the running event is also being planned. Those details will also be posted at miOttawa.org/m231 as soon as they are available. More details and Frequently Asked Questions are online at miOttawa.org/m231.

Ask Dr. Universe – Is Pluto a Planet Again?

Dr. Universe, Is Pluto a planet again or not?
-Heidi, Cincinnati, OH

Dear Heidi

It’s a big week for Pluto as NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft gets a close-up look at the distant, icy world. But first, the answer to your question: Pluto is not a planet.

Scientists called it a planet when it was discovered in 1930. They needed a name for it and an 11-year-old girl living in London at the time came up with “Pluto.” Things changed in 2006.

“Pluto is now classified as minor planet 134340,” said my friend Jessica Jones at the Washington State University Planetarium. “It was a sad day for Pluto-lovers.”

Pluto lies on the edge of our solar system, out in a region of icy objects called the Kuiper Belt. Part of the reason scientists decided to change Pluto’s classification is because it looks and behaves like other icy objects that aren’t considered planets.

Until now, scientists haven’t really been able to get a good look at Pluto. But after a nine-year journey, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft will pass Pluto this week.

The spacecraft has already taken a few pictures of the surface. We now know the surface is reddish-brown and has some strange dark spots, Jones said.

My friend Katie Cooper is a Washington State University professor. She’s an expert on the geology of Earth and objects out in space. She said New Horizons’ flyby of Pluto once again highlights the question of what makes a planet. It has also made your question a very popular one again.

“And this is a good question,” Cooper said. “It may seem like scientists arguing over words, but good classifications help us build good models for understanding our solar system and how it was formed.”

She told me the International Astronomical Union has three rules for planets. First, it needs to orbit around the Sun.

“Pluto has got this down,” Cooper said.

Second, it needs to be massive enough for its gravity to pull it into a spherical shape. This is the rule sparking a new debate as we’ve seen new pictures of Pluto, Cooper explained.

“We’ve known it’s round for ages,” Cooper added, “but the new images just make it seem so planet-like.”

Even if it orbits the sun and it is round, planets need to follow one last rule. They have to “clear the neighborhood.” They must be big enough to knock other bodies out of their orbit. This is where little Pluto fails. It is hanging out in Neptune’s chilly orbit. Some other icy objects from the Kuiper Belt are in the orbit, too.

“Some scientists like to point out that other established planets also don’t meet all three criteria, including the Earth, because these planets share their orbits with asteroids,” Cooper explained.

Still, Cooper said because Pluto doesn’t meet this last rule, it means the astronomical union probably won’t put Pluto back into the “good graces of planet-hood” anytime soon.

Sincerely,
Dr. Universe

Have a question? Ask Dr. Universe. You can send her an e-mail atDr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website at AskDrUniverse.com.

Follow Dr. Universe on Twitter at @AskDrUniverse or visit her at http://facebook.com/askDrUniverse

Editorial – Who Should Pay for Roads?

Who should pay for roads?

Some would say the rich should pay for the roads, or farmers, or teachers, or bricklayers, or anyone but themselves. The fact is, somebody has got to pay and I believe the people who use the roads should pay for their construction and maintenance. A practical way to do that is with a per gallon tax on fuel. The more you use the roads the more fuel you burn and the more you pay. Heavier vehicles are harder on the roads and burn more fuel and therefore would pay more. The lighter vehicles are easier on the roads and they use less fuel and would pay less. All vehicles using the roads should pay the same rate per gallon. Trucks should not pay less per gallon than cars. All electric and alternative energy cars could pay a higher registration fee so that their cost is comparable with the average car of that weight.

The per gallon taxes can be adjusted regularly to cover the expenses required to maintain the roads. All funds raised through the per gallon taxes should go for building and maintaining the roads. None should go toward mass transit, trains, trolleys, etc. Those forms of transportation should find their own funding. A special non-political committee could be set up to keep the Department of Transportation from making unauthorized or unwise decisions on how to spend these funds.

The cost of registering and licensing vehicles should be determined according to the actual cost to the government of doing that. Registration and license plates should not finance road maintenance, except in the case of cars that don’t use petroleum fuel. Many people struggle each year to pay the cost of registering and licensing their vehicle and some may use the roads very little. It’s not fair to them to mark up the cost of registering and licensing their vehicle to pay for road maintenance that’s not proportionate to their use.

If all funds from a per gallon gas tax are used for roads, and not for something else, most reasonable people will not object to that method of funding our roads. The price of fuel fluctuates so irrationally that a per gallon road maintenance tax would be unnoticeable at the pump. We would all be paying for our roads as we used them.

If you agree with this, let your state representatives know about it. If you don’t agree, offer a better and fairer plan and let us all know about it. Please don’t suggest taking money away from other programs.

Ron Cooper
4491 E. Pontaluna Rd.
Fruitport, MI 49415

Five Reasons Why Michigan Law Requires Child Hearing and Vision Screenings

Ottawa County – Michigan’s Public Health Code requires children 3 – 5 years of age to have a hearing and vision screening prior to kindergarten entry. The Ottawa County Department of Public Health’s (OCDPH) Hearing & Vision program focuses on the importance of early detection and offers free screening services to school aged children. Comprehensive screenings are conducted by fully trained hearing and vision technicians. Last year, OCDPH referred 8% of all children vision screened and nearly 3% hearing screened to a specialist. Parents registering their child in kindergarten or first grade must supply their school with a testing certificate. Failing to do so, will result in exclusion from school. www.miottawa.org/hearingvision

1. Hearing and vision loss can impede a child’s development and performance.
2. Early detection may lead to better care and treatment.
3. Hearing and vision are vital to learning, working and socialization.
4. Proper hearing and vision enables children to reach their full potential.
5. Every dollar invested in screenings saves Michigan $112 in hearing and $162 in vision costs. (Values are based on health care costs and future productivity loss.)

“After your vision referral to an eye doctor, our daughter received her first pair of glasses. Thank you so much for letting us know about her difficulties, as it was not something she had previously expressed. We appreciate it!”
– OCDPH Hearing & Vision client

Suggested Tweet:
Hearing & vision loss can hinder child development. Call 616-396-5266
for appt.- mandatory for Pre-K & K @miOCDPH miOttawa.org/hearingvision

Kristina Wieghmink, M.Ed.
Communications Specialist
Public Information Officer
616-494-5597

Muskegon County Calendar of Events 07/13/15-07/19/15

Presented by the Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau

07/13/2015 – Pop Up Program

‎Wednesday, July 15, you’re invited to the “Pop Up Program” at the Lakeshore Museum Center. Optical Illusions is the topic of this free drop-in program from 10:00am to 1:00pm. 430 W. Clay Ave. For more information, visit lakeshoremuseum.org.

07/13/2015 – Quiz Night

‎Monday, July 13 at 6:00pm, come to the Book Nook & Java Shop for Quiz Night with DJ Jeff Schildroth. For more information, call 231-894-5333.

07/14/2015 – The Montague-Whitehall Rotary Bandshell Concerts

‎The Arts Council of White Lake sponsors FREE concerts every Tuesday night at 7:00pm during the summer. The bandshell is located next to the Montague Boat Launch at the south end of Water Street. This week enjoy your evening with soul / blues music with the West Side Soul Surfers. For more information contact the Arts Council at 231-894-2787.

07/14/2015 – Jam Session & Open Mic Night

‎Come to the Book Nook & Java Shop Tuesday, July 14 at 6:00pm for a Jam Session then Open Mic Night at 7:00pm. Call 231-894-5333 for more information.

07/15/2015 – Educational Cruises

‎Discover Science with an educational cruise aboard the W.G. Jackson Research Vessel on Wednesday July 15. There will be two tours available from 10:00am-11:30am or you can make reservations for the 12:30pm-2:00pm tour. Space is limited. Please register by July 13 at 231-728-3601. This is open and FREE to the public. Children must be 8 years of age and up, and closed toe shoes are required for everyone.

07/15/2015 – Brookhaven’s 30th Annual Ice Cream Social

‎Wednesday, July 15 from 11:00am-5:00pm, you’re invited to Brookhaven Medical Care Facility for their 30th Annual Ice Cream Social. Enjoy great entertainment, food, prizes, craft sale and games. Proceeds benefit the Brookhaven Resident Activity Fund. For more information, call 231-724-2551.

07/15/2015 – Classical Night: Zachary Graft, violin

‎Wednesday, July 15 at 7:00pm, you’re invited to the Book Nook & Java Shop for Classical Night featuring Zachary Graft on violin. For more information, call 231-894-5333.

07/16/2015 – 07/18/15 Rebel Road Motorcycle Rally

‎Muskegon’s ‘Rebel Road’ will benefit the Child Abuse Council of Muskegon. The theme is “Ride Free. Stop the Abuse.” This family friendly event will emulate the years of success that Bike Time had with “Steel Horse Alley” on Western Ave. with motorcycle parking, beer tents, stunt groups and pyrotechnic shows. Check them out on Facebook!

07/16/2015 – 07/19/15 Muskegon Bike Time

‎This annual 4 day motorcycle festival draws an average of 75,000 motorcycles and 120,000 people. It will be a full weekend of headline concerts including Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Night Ranger, contests, motorcycle stunt shows by Sick Air, Busted Knuckles, and Relentless Stunts, supercross races and vendors.

Enjoy cold Budweiser beverages while strolling the festival grounds as well as, in the Budweiser tents while listening to live local bands daily. Weekend and day passes available to experience all the entertainment all for one low price. Turn in your pass for a wristband that lets you come and go as you please for the day or weekend. Free paved parking on-site for motorcycles and free parking for cars across the street (follow the signs). Sunday is free for everyone and kids 11 and under are free all weekend. Please see the FAQ section on the Muskegon Bike Time website for frequently asked questions at www.muskegonbiketime.com.

07/16/2015 – Happy Hour Painting

‎Thursday, July 16 from 6:00-8:00pm, come to the Muskegon Museum of Art for “Happy Hour Painting: Bonnard’s Bountiful Garden” with Instructor, Marlan Cotner. The cost is $30 or $25 members and includes materials and your first beverage. This class is for all skill levels, 21 years old and up. This time, the focus is on one of the MMA’s favorite permanent collection works, La Porte de la Villa du Bosquet au Cannet by Pierre Bonnard. This painting of a lush green garden, full of warm sunshine and great light, is a visitor favorite and a perfect work to recreate with step-by-step assistance from one of West Michigan’s best known artists. Call 231-720-2571 by July 9 to register.

07/16/2015 – Live Music: Josh Quinlan

‎Come to the Book Nook & Java Shop for live music from Josh Quinlan Thursday, July 16 at 7:00pm. For more information, call 231-894-5333.

07/16/2015 – 07/18/15 Central Michigan University Touring Company

‎The talented and always delightful students of CMU’s Summer Theatre touring company are back by popular demand at the Howmet Playhouse!

July 16 Don’t Dress for Dinner

By Marc Camoletti and Robin Hawdon
Directed by TBD

Bernard is planning a romantic weekend with his chic Parisian mistress in his charming converted French farmhouse, whilst his wife, Jacqueline, is away. He has arranged for a cordon bleu cook to prepare gourmet delights, and has invited his best friend, Robert, along as well to provide the alibi. It’s foolproof; what could possibly go wrong? Well … suppose Robert turns up not realizing quite why he has been invited. Suppose Robert and Jacqueline are secret lovers, and consequently determined that Jacqueline will NOT leave for the weekend. Suppose the cook has to pretend to be the mistress and the mistress is unable to cook. Suppose everyone’s alibi gets confused with everyone else’s. An evening of hilarious confusion ensues as Bernard and Robert improvise at breakneck speed.

Mild adult themes; recommended for ages 14+

July 17 One Slight Hitch

By Lewis Black
Directed by TBD

It’s Courtney’s wedding day, and her mom, Delia, is making sure that everything is perfect. The groom is perfect, the dress is perfect, and the decorations (assuming they arrive) will be perfect. Then, like in any good farce the doorbell rings. And all hell breaks loose. So much for perfect.

Show intended for MATURE audiences

July 18 Jerry Finnegan’s Sister

By Jack Neary
Directed by TBD

Brian Dowd has spent the last 10 years of his life wrestling with an unrequited “something” for his best friend’s sister, who happens to live next door. But each and every time he’s spoken with Beth Finnegan for more than 30 seconds, he’s ended up with his foot planted firmly in his mouth. Now, Brian’s time is about to run out. With recent news that Jerry Finnegan’s sister is getting married, the time has come for him to put up or shut up. Like John Wayne in The High and the Mighty, Brian has reached the point of no return. What’s he got to lose-except the love of his life! “A delight … a gem! Has enough chuckles, guffaws and belly laughs to please any patron.”

Appropriate for all ages

All shows are at 7:30pm. For more information, call 231-894-4048.

07/17/2015 – Ravenna Dog Daze & Car Cruise-In

‎July 17 from 5:30pm-9:30pm, come to downtown Ravenna for the Ravenna Dog Daze & Car Cruise-In! There’ll be free dash plaques and goody bags for the first 125 entries. There’ll also be children’s games, food, the beverage tent, live entertainment, the craft show and raffles. All proceeds support local charities. For more information, call 231-853-6511.

07/17/2015 – Silent Movie Night

‎Friday, July 17 at 7:00pm, come to the Book Nook & Java Shop for Silent Movie Night, featuring live accompaniment by Robert Edwards. For more information, call 231-894-5333.

07/17/2015 – Micro Brew Crewz

‎Friday, July 17 from 8:00-10:00pm, you’re invited aboard the Port City Princess for a Micro Brew Crewz, featuring local micro brews from Pigeon Hill, Unruly and Cellar Brewing. For more information, call 231-728-8387. The cost is $25.

07/18/15 – Voyageur Family Fun Run

July 18 from 9:00am-11:00am, come to Michigan’s Heritage Park for the Voyageur Family Fun Run! Children 5 and older and their parents are invited to participate in a two mile fun run with activities inspired by the fur trade along the way. This is an in and out run from the park down a wooded trail to the White River and back. Registration information to follow. Call 231-894-0342 for more information.

07/18/15 – Dig Day

Saturday, July 18 from 11:00am-2:00pm, it’s “Dig Day” at Michigan’s Heritage Park! Learn about the process involved in conducting an Archaeology Dig. Members of the Coffinberry Chapter of the Michigan Archaeological Society will be on site from 11:00am to 2:00pm to show participants how to do shovel testing, set up a dig site, and other aspects of conducting a dig. Admission to the park is $10 for adults, $8 for 65 and older, and $5 for ages 2 to 12. 8637 North Durham Rd. in Whitehall. lakeshoremuseum.org

Muskegon Risers Home Game

We have a new soccer team! The Muskegon Risers Soccer Club is an independent professional men’s soccer team whose highest priority is continuing the growth and excitement surrounding soccer in the greater Muskegon area. The Risers will strive to be a professional representation of local soccer through both on-field performance and off-field community service. What is a Riser? A person of the Muskegon area who understands the area’s potential and who pushes themselves and others to realize that potential. Individual game tickets are $5. Season tickets are $39. They’ll take on Oakland United at 6:00pm at Reeths-Puffer High School Soccer Field.

07/18/15 Live Music: Woodsong

Saturday, July 18 at 7:00pm, come to the Book Nook & Java Shop for live music from Woodsong. For more information, call 231-894-5333.

07/18/15 Maranatha Summer Concerts

Saturdays during the summer you can enjoy a concert at Maranatha Christian Conference Center. This week we hope you enjoy Anthony Evans. This is a FREE event and open to the public. Stop by from 5:00pm-6:45pm and enjoy a dinner buffet before prices are: 3 and under: FREE, 4-8 years; $7.00, 9-12 years; $9 and adults are $15.

07/18/15 – Jazz at the Swan

Ron and Cathy Russell, owners of The White Swan Inn in Whitehall, will host “Jazz at the Swan” on Saturday, July 18, 2015 at 7:30pm as a benefit for the 6th Annual White Lake Chamber Music Festival which will take place August 1-9, 2015. This Art Council of White Lake’s special backyard event will feature the Tim Johnson Trio and singer Mary Rademaker. The White Swan Inn is located at 303 S. Mears in Whitehall.

Tickets are only $15 and includes wine and light hor d`oeuvres. A limited number of tickets are available in advance at the Arts Council of White Lake (106 E. Colby St), the Book Nook & Java Shop (8726 Ferry St. Montague 231-894-5333) or on Eventbrite.com.

07/18/15 Saturday Nite Brew Crewz

Saturday, July 18 from 8:00pm-10:00pm, you’re invited aboard the Port City Princess for a Saturday Nite Brew Crewz, featuring local micro brews from Pigeon Hill, Unruly and Cellar Brewing. For more information, call 231-728-8387. The cost is $25.

Ongoing Events:

Muskegon South Pierhead Light Tours

‎The Muskegon Museum of Art announces that Avian Avatars, an art installation of five colossal sculptures, each symbolizing a mythical bird, designed by The Myth Makers, artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, will arrive in Muskegon on April 27, 2015. The sculptures are crafted from maple saplings, wire ties, and found objects, and stand from 18 to 26 feet tall. Each of the sculptures will be installed in a different downtown Muskegon location for a full year. Avian Avatars is currently on display in the Garment District of New York City, from where it will travel directly to Muskegon.

Since the beginning of human history cultures have identified birds as mythic and transformational. Their seasonal plumage has indicated change, signaled migration and foretold impending weather events. The Phoenix, Garuda, Horus, Ra, Thunderbird and angel iconography all address transcendence and rebirth. “The world’s most symbolic birds–the Raptor, Owl, Crow, Pigeon, and Falcon–are flocking to Muskegon, Michigan, to consider our changing world,” state the artists.

Each monumental bird has something to say. They speak in different voices and from unique perspectives, but this gathering of Avian Avatars-The Realist, The Great Spirit, The Scold, The Tourist, and The Tastemaker-is meant to raise an alarm, speaking to modern humans who should heed their varied stories about the current human impact on their changing natural world.

Muskegon Historic Sites Open For Tours

‎The Hackley & Hume Historic Site, Fire Barn Museum and Scolnik House of the Depression Era will open for the season on Friday, May 1. The three historic sites, operated by the Lakeshore Museum Center, are open Thursday through Monday from 10 am to 4 pm. On Sundays, the three sites are open from 1 to 4 pm. The restored homes of Muskegon’s most famous lumber barons, Charles H. Hackley and Thomas Hume, are featured at the Hackley & Hume Historic Sites. Built in the late 1800s, they feature lavish wood carvings, stenciling, stained glass windows, and period furnishings. They are two of the finest examples of Queen Anne Style Victorian homes in the country. The site is located at 484 West Webster Avenue at Sixth Street. Admission is $7 for adults and teens, $5 for seniors 65 and older. Visitors 12 and younger are admitted free.

‘Veterans’ Stories’

‎The World War II experiences of a dozen Muskegon area World War II veterans, as told to Muskegon Community College students enrolled in the popular Intro to WWII course, will be shared in a special exhibit, “Veterans’ Stories,” from May 4 through August 4 at the USS Silversides Museum, located at 1346 Bluff St. Admission is $5 per person and is free to museum members.

For more information on the Veterans’ Stories exhibit, contact Frank Marczak, associate director of the USS Silversides Museum, at (231) 755-1230.

Michigan’s Adventure Park

‎Muskegon’s own Michigan’s Adventure with 2 parks in 1! Spend your day in the water park and get thrills on a rollercoaster- all in one day! You will want to make another trip back to Michigan’s Adventure to have fun just one more time! Open 7 days a week to Labor Day! Check out their website for more highlights.

Winter in a Summer Town

‎Winter in a Summer Town, a photo exploration of West Michigan, will be on display at the Arts Council of White Lake June 30-July 17. The deadline for entries is Jun 16, 2015. The opening reception will be July 2 from 5:00-7:00pm. For more information, visit artswhitelake.org.

2nd Annual Invitational Art Exhibit

Beach Towne Trolley Rides

‎All ages love to take a ride on Muskegon’s Beach Towne Trolley during the summer months!

Routes and Operating Hours

Beach-Towne Trolley – 12:00pm–6:48pm

Operating Days

Six Days a Week, Monday – Saturday
Memorial Day – Labor Day

Single-Ride Cash Fare

Standard $1.25
Senior/Disabled $ .60

A sampling of stops and approximate time points is included in the trolley guide which is available at the Convention & Visitors Bureau and by clicking the link below, but the trolley will also stop at any street corner along the route where it is safe to stop. Just flag us down!

For more information, call the Muskegon Area Transit System at 231-724-6420.

Drive-In Movie

White River Light Station Museum

‎See, hear, smell and touch the history of the Civil War, Michigan’s lumbering industry and tourism at Whitehall’s White River Light Station as they open for tours May 23 through October 31. There are 56 steps to climb if you are up to it! They are open Tuesday -Sunday, 10:00am-5:00pm. They are located at 6199 Murray Rd. in Whitehall on the White Lake channel.

Fricano’s Cruise-Ins

‎Every Wednesday between June 3 and August 26 from 5:30-8:00pm, you’re invited to Fricano’s Muskegon Lake for a “Cruise-In” (weather permitting). All antiques, customs, classics and novelty vehicles are welcome! There’ll be door prize drawings and oldies music provided by Tom Schalk of Quality Sound, along with your favorite beverages, Fricano’s Pizza and ice cream/desserts. Participants will be given a coupon for $3 off a dine-in or take-out Fricano’s Pizza purchase. For more information, call 231-722-7775. Please, no burnouts, motorcycles or bicycles.

Throwback Thursday

‎June through August, the Lakeshore Museum Center presents Historic Enrichment Activities at their historic sites, such as the Hackley & Hume Homes, the Firebarn and Scolnik House of the Depression Era! Call 231-722-7578 for more information.

10:00am -12:00pm AND 2:00pm -4:00pm

July 16 – Superheros

July 23 – Hanky Fairies / Doily Dolls

July 30 – Painters for the Day

August 6 – Wood Carvings

August 13 – Wall Paper Banners

August 20 – Family Tree Activity

August 27 – Mosaics

Summer Luge & Archery!

Muskegon Heritage Museum Tours

‎Muskegon Heritage Museum opens for the season May 14 from 11:00am-4:00pm and will be open Thurs., Fri., and Saturdays until October 17. Operating Steam Engine, line shaft and Machine Shop with machine tools & ceiling fans run by the steam engine -1890. Working Brunswick Pinsetter along with other Brunswick items manufactured in Muskegon – 1962 are just a few things you can see. They also have an exhibit that explains about the hundreds of items that were manufactured in Muskegon from the mid 1800’s until today.

Ask Dr. Universe – What is a Microchip?

Dr. Universe: What is a microchip, how do they work, and what are they used for? -Brook, Doncaster, England

Dear Brook,

Microchips are smaller than your fingernail and packed with itty-bitty electronic parts. These parts are hundreds of times thinner than the hairs on your head, but sometimes you’ve got to think small to think big.

More than fifty years ago, humans invented vacuum tubes that made electricity flow in different directions or get stronger. The tubes made it possible to invent televisions and computers, even if they were the size of dinosaurs. Ok, they weren’t that big, but computers really could fill a whole room. The tubes tended to get really hot and burn out.

Then, the transistor was invented. Transistors also help electricity flow, stop, and go. Transistors are hundreds of times smaller than bulbs, so you can use them to make circuits that are connected to one another, or integrated. If a circuit is a kind of road where electric signals flow, transistors are a kind of traffic light, or switch.

When you put a bunch of these electrical parts on a chip, they can pass on all kinds of information. Microchips are in practically every electronic gadget we use today. I once went to the vet and came home with a microchip of my own, under my skin.

The microchip doesn’t do much by itself. It needs a power source to work. Information in microchips is stored in a kind of alphabet called binary code. Those transistors are important because they control which letters are being used and tell the chip how to work. For example, people at shelters can scan a chip for an animal’s special ID number and help chip-carrying pets find their owners.

Microchips are useful in other ways, too. Biologists can use them to track wild animals and learn about migration. Lots of chips are being added to credit cards for more secure payments. Thirsty plants can even use chips to let people know when they need water.

My friend Prashanta Dutta is an engineer who designs and studies microchips in a lab here at Washington State University. He and his team are learning how microchips can improve people’s heath. They use chips to see what is going on in people’s blood and learn more about how the body works.

“One chip will be able to simulate a human brain to study brain function,” he said. “It will help us develop drugs for brain cancer and brain related diseases people sometimes face when aging.”

In the lab, they design circuits on a flexible material. It lets them test out the chip on a bigger scale, before they shrink it down. Most chips are made from silicon, which is a main ingredient in sand and glass. Machines can create a base for the microchips by slicing wafers off a kind of “silicon salami.” Mm… salami. But some scientists recently discovered how to make a chip using wood. There’s lots of room to explore when it comes to materials and how little devices can help solve some of our greatest challenges.

Sincerely,

Dr. Universe

Have a question? Ask Dr. Universe. You can send her an e-mail at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website at AskDrUniverse.com.

* You can follow Dr. Universe on Twitter at @AskDrUniverse. Ask Dr. Universe Facebook is coming soon…

A Public Letter to the President

Millions of God Loving American citizens were stunned and disappointed to see their cherished White House used to promote what God calls “wicked” and “evil.” And guess what,” Ignorance of God’s Law is no excuse.” One can say the same to those judges in the Supreme Court who apparently don’t know those laws either.

And I hate to correct you, but I did hear you say, “it’s my House,“ referring to the White House. That crown jewel belongs to “we the people.” We do not appreciate it (the White House) being used to promote abomination.

Of course, that is exactly what your staff did when they celebrated the High Court’s decision on gay marriage, by lighting up “our house.” They disgraced us before the world, but most important, before our “Creator, God Almighty, the Supreme Judge.”

That Supreme Judge left plenty of examples in the Holy Bible to keep future generations from making the same mistake and ending up being destroyed, like Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim. Those cities/nations incurred God’s wrath because of same-sex. In 2 Peter 2:6 you will find that these cities were made “an example, unto those that after should live ungodly.” Now the USA has taken it even further, by saying to same-sex partners, “you have the right to get married.” Instead of listening to the Word of God you elected to come out in favor of moral perversion.

We know, from God’s Word, that those who practice same-sex, God will give “them over to a reprobate mind.” That, after death, means eternal damnation, first in “Hell” and later “the lake of fire” forever and ever. So ask yourself, “why would a well-meaning and loving person want anyone to pursue such a life-style? And you are promoting this life-style from our White House!!!!

We need to correct a misconception: God Loves Us, and we who have been saved by God’s grace, love Him and all mankind in the world. There is only one race, the human race. However, rejecting The Word of God, which was made flesh in the person Jesus Christ our Savior, will lead to Hell, because by doing so, one rejects God’s last chance to Mankind for forgiveness for our sins. The Holy Bible states, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). He is “the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6) as he said.

Manuel Ybarra, Jr. RR 5 Box 1550 Coalgate, OK 74538

Centering Pregnancy at Hackley Community Care

Hackley Community Care is excited to offer Centering Pregnancy at their health center. Centering Pregnancy is a model of care developed by the Centering Healthcare Institute that integrates three components of prenatal care within a group setting: health assessment, education and support.

The model brings together women that are in the same trimester of their pregnancy in a group setting where they will learn care skills for themselves and their infants during their pregnancy, their births and the postpartum period. All Centering Pregnancy groups are facilitated by an OB provider. The group consists of 8-12 pregnant women expected to deliver around the same time, and they have the opportunity to develop a support network with other group members.

Centering is unique in that the expectant mother receives her assessments through self-care activities within the group with other moms. The group also has the opportunity to discuss and problem-solve topics and concerns related to their pregnancy, nutrition, and the opportunity to motivate and empower each other. This creates a safe, trusting environment that establishes sustained relationships and support. Centering Pregnancy sessions are ten weeks in duration and each session lasts about two hours. Expectant mothers can also bring their support person if they like. After delivery, new mothers also receive post-partum care counseling and breastfeeding support if they choose to do so.

Implementing the Centering Pregnancy model allows Hackley Community Care to impact the health status of pregnant women by providing learning skills to ensure the expectant mom has a healthy baby. When expectant moms have healthy babies, this also improves the county overall health status of low birth weight babies, and increases breastfeeding rates.

Hackley Community Care will begin their Centering Pregnancy sessions in June of 2015 and they are currently registering expectant moms. If you are an expectant mother and interested in participating in Centering Pregnancy, please call our OB and Women’s Health Services Department at 231.737.1335 Ext. 6655 to register and obtain more information.

To learn more about Hackley Community Care, please visit our website at www.hackleycommnitycare.org . You can learn more about the Centering Healthcare Institute at www.CenteringHealthcare.org .

Gerber Foundation Awards

Gerber Foundation Awards $320,000 in Scholarships to Local Students

This spring, The Gerber Foundation presented scholarship awards to the following students in Muskegon and Newaygo Counties. We wish all of the high school graduates our best.

The Gerber Foundation Merit Scholarships (worth $2300)

Fruitport HS: Chelsey Stewart

Congratulations to these scholarship recipients and all the graduates of 2015!

70th Anniversary of the Worst Disaster at Sea in US Naval History

New York Times Bestselling author, Michael P. Spradlin, gives a fictional account of real men who survived the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. In the summer of 1945, the USS Indianapolis had just delivered the world’s first atomic bomb to the waiting B-29 bomber, Enola Gay, before the historic flight to Hiroshima. The ship sailed to Guam and was ordered on toward the Philippines before the invasion of Japan. Between Guam and the Philippines, home to more than 150 species of sharks, the Japanese submarine I-58 sank the USS Indianapolis with two torpedoes that were almost perfectly placed amidships. One hit the powder magazine where the ship’s ammunition was stored causing a massive explosion. The ship sank in twelve minutes. Of the 1,196 men on board, about 300 hundred went down with the ship.

Four days after the USS Indianapolis sank, Lt. Adrian Marks was dispatched to search for survivors after another pilot reported spotting ‘a lot of men in the water.’ Defying orders, Marks and his crew landed the plane in high seas and pulled 56 survivors from the water. That night, the destroyer USS Cecil Doyle arrived and the men were rescued at last. Only 316 men survived the most lethal shark attack and the worst disaster at sea in US Naval History.

Captain Charles Butler McVay III, skipper of the USS Indianapolis, was a lifelong navy officer who served with distinction throughout his career. After the rescue, McVay was court-martialed and found guilty of ‘hazarding his ship by failure to zigzag’, a technique used to make it difficult for submarines to target ships. His orders stated, he was to zigzag at ‘his discretion, visibility permitting.’ McVay was the only naval commander in World War II court-martialed for losing his ship in combat. Though he remained in the Navy and had the unwavering support of the surviving crewmembers, McVay took his own life in 1968. His conviction was overturned in 2000.

Kirkus Review says that Into The Killing Seas has “Extensive backmatter rounds out the incredible history. Readers ready for a strong dose of survival and war action will find this well-researched episode entirely gripping.”

This is Spradlin’s 19th book. As the son of a World War II veteran, he grew up knowing almost every man his father’s age was a veteran of the war; an entire generation who served. Seventy years later we are still living in a world influenced by its outcome. Read more at http://www.michaelspradlin.com/

Michigan’s Heritage Park Whitehall

Michigan’s Heritage Park Now Open in Whitehall!

Michigan’s Heritage Park visitors will meet a lumberjack and learn about his work cutting down the white pines.

Visitors can take a 10,000-year journey through Michigan history at Michigan’s Heritage Park, Muskegon County’s newest attraction in Whitehall.

A gentle half-mile trail winds through the park with interactive encounters along the way. Visit a Native American Village and discover wigwams and hear about daily life in the village. At the Fur Trader’s Post, visitors can participate in the trade and learn why beaver pelts were in such high demand. The life of early Michigan settlers is explored in the Settlers Cabin where visitors may be asked to help with chores such as churning butter.

Michigan sent 90,000 soldiers to fight in the Civil War and visitors will learn about the hardships they faced. At the Lumbering Camp, stretch out on a bunk and learn about the lumberjacks who felled the white pines. Bread may be baking in the oven of the 1900s farmhouse where visitors will learn about the origins of the state’s commercial farming industry. At the Civilian Conservation Corp camp, visitors will learn about the work of the men employed by the CCC related to conservation and development of the area’s natural resources.

Special events will be hosted at the park throughout the season. A Civil War Encampment with members of the Third Michigan Volunteer Infantry Company F will be held on June 13 and 14. There will be a Voyageur Family Run on July 18 and a Pontiac Flathead Reunion Car Display on September 12. French Canadian Heritage Day will be celebrated on October 3 when Genot Picor will use his talents as a storyteller and musician to bring frontier history alive.

The park is a site of the Lakeshore Museum Center which also operates four sites in downtown Muskegon. The park is handicapped accessible, with a crushed asphalt trail through the woods. Michigan’s Heritage Park is located in Whitehall at 8637 North Durham Road with easy access from US 31 at exit 128.

The park is open Thursday through Monday from 10 am to 4 pm. On Sundays, the park will be open from 1 to 4 pm. Admission for adults and teens is $10, seniors (65 and older) $8 and youth (2 – 12) $5. For more information, visit www.lakeshoremuseum.org or call 231-722-0278.

Muskegon Bike Time Weekend Pass Special Offer to End Soon

“Music, Motorcycles, Motocross and More to Highlight Bike Time 2015”

MUSKEGON, Mich., July 2, 2015 – Muskegon Bike Time’s Weekend Pass Special admission ticket offer for all of its concerts, stunt shows, motocross races and other attractions will end at close of business on Saturday, July 11, 2015. The current weekend Pass Special admission price is $30 for the entire weekend of events and attractions. Tickets can be purchased on line by visiting www.muskegonbiketime.com.

Patrons will also be able to purchase the Weekend Pass Special exclusively, from 9:00am – 4:00pm, at Hot Rod Harley Davidson, at 149 Shoreline Drive in downtown Muskegon on Saturday, July 11, 2015 only. Otherwise passes must be purchased on line.

This special sale is part of the annual Freedom Run, an organized motorcycle ride with nearly 1000 riders. As part of the Weekend Special Pass Sale Day, media partner IHeart Radio will have live remotes at Hot Rod Harley Davidson beginning from 10:00am – Noon by WMUS and from 2:00pm – 4:00pm by Rock 101.7.

On July 12, 2015 the weekend pass price will rise to $40 for the weekend. Daily passes are also available at $20 for Thursday and Friday and $25 for Saturday. Sunday is free. Children 11 years old and under are free. Parking is free. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.muskegonbiketime.com or at the gate during the event.

Muskegon Bike Time recently announced this year’s lineup of musical acts and attractions scheduled to take place July 16 – 19, 2015 at Muskegon Bike Time’s expanded location at 4800 S. Harvey Street, Muskegon, MI.

Headlining on the festival’s main stage on Saturday night, July 18, will be Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd.

On Friday night, July 17, 2015, The Fabulous Thunderbirds will grace the main stage.

On Thursday, July 16, 2015, Night Ranger will kick off the festival with its special brand of hard driving rock and roll.

In addition to Main Stage performances, there will be three beverage tents that will be providing the best local live music around and ice cold Budweiser products. Local musical favorites will include the West Side Soul Surfers, Let There Be Rock and Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys, to mention a few.

Muskegon Bike Time will use its expanded venue to add a variety of motorcycle races and stunt shows.

On Saturday, July 18, 2015, Bike Time hosts round 8 of the SJO Productions Village Motorsports Michigan State Fair Super Cross Series. A motocross track that incorporates man made jump and turns as well as the natural terrain will be built for the races.

Throughout the four day Muskegon Bike Time event several stunt teams will be performing.

On Friday and Saturday, World Champion, Scott Murray, one of only four riders in the world to successfully land a double back flip on a motorcycle in the X games, will be performing at this year’s Bike Time event.

Also on Friday and Saturday only, King Tony’s Busted Knuckles Stunt Tour – An All Harley-Davidson Stunt Show will perform two shows each day

Performing twice a day for the four day run of the festival is RELENTLESS STUNTS MOTORCYCLE SHOW.

PHOENIX RISING, professional fire artists will be performing nightly after the main stage concerts.

“Our new location will add so much to the experience we provide our patrons, including, motocross races, national stunt shows, national musical acts, more food options, more vendors and the ability to roam the property with your adult beverage”, said Bike Time Spokesperson, Tim Lipan.

The property at Harvey Street, formerly known to locals as the Great Lakes Downs Racetrack property, is owned by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the group that also owns Little River Casino in Manistee, MI. Little River Casino is a major sponsor of Muskegon Bike Time. Motorcycle parking and the entire venue is paved and being improved to provide a great customer experience.

Muskegon Bike Time has many volunteer opportunities. For more information on volunteering, call 231-722-0000.

For more information on Muskegon Bike Time 2015, please visit our website at www.muskegonbiketime.com .

The mission of Muskegon Bike Time is to produce entertainment opportunities in Muskegon aimed at attracting a broad spectrum of motorcycle enthusiasts for a vacation experience on Michigan’s West Coast. It is a 4 day annual celebration of motorcycles and the community held the third weekend in July. The festival attracts motorcyclists and the general public for its spectacle, attractions, entertainment and food. Muskegon Bike time is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has supported over 22 different charities and provides a $30 million boon to the local economy.

Fruitport Charter Township Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes of June 22, 2015

A work session of the Fruitport Charter Township Board began at 6:32 p.m. on Monday, June 22, 2015, in the township board room.

Members Present: Brian Werschem, Supervisor; Carol Hulka, Clerk; Rose Dillon, Treasurer; Trustee Ron Becklin, Dave Markgraf, Marjorie Nash and Chuck Whitlow. Members Absent: None

At 7:00 p.m., the Supervisor opened the regular meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance followed with a prayer.

Also Present: 3-employees; 2-residents, Deputy Chief Michelli, DPW Director, Farrar, Township Attorney, Bultje, and Muskegon Chronicle reporter, Steve

The meeting minutes of June 8, 2015, regular meeting, were approved as presented.

The meeting agenda for June 22, 2015, was approved as presented.

CORRESPONDENCE / REPORTS

The Board received the following:

1. Muskegon County Road Commission (MCRC) improvement project for Fruitport and Sullivan
Townships, from Sternberg Road from Brooks Road to Maple Island Road

2. MTA Legislative updates

3. Michigan Liquor Control Commission: received application for a license, as follows: Transfer
ownership and location of 2015 Class C & SDM License of Teddy Spaghettis, LLC, 3032 Heights
Ravenna, Muskegon

4. The Muskegon County Chapter of Michigan Townships Association will meet on June 29, 2015 at
Whitehall Township at 7:00 p.m.
5. Muskegon Area District Library (MADL) discussion

PUBLIC COMMENTS – none received

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

15-069 Adoption—Zone Change at 2605 W. Fruitport Road

Chuck Whitlow moved, Rose Dillon seconded, MOTION CARRIED, to amend the Township’s zoning map by changing the zoning classification from R-4 Rural, Residential Recreation and Agriculture to R-1 Residential District for Parcel Numbers 61-15-630-026-0002-00 (commonly known as 2605 W. Fruitport Road), 61-15-630-026-0005-00, and 61-15-360-023-0006-00, as recommended by the Planning Commission.

At a public hearing on May 19, 2015, the Planning Commission gave the following reasons supporting the zone change-

1. Fits master plan of medium density residential by switching to R-1.

2. Makes the properties less non-confirming.

The zoning amendment Ordinance No. 791 shall be effective eight days after publication in the Muskegon Chronicle. The constitutes the second and final reading.

Ayes: Whitlow, Dillon, Nash, Becklin, Markgraf, Hulka, Werschem Nays: None

NEW BUSINESS

15-070 Deputy Chief Michelli’s Review

Chuck Whitlow moved, supported by Ron Becklin, MOTION CARRIED, to accept Deputy Chief Michelli’s performance review per the recommendation from Public Safety Director Doctor, that one year be added to Deputy Chief Michelli’s rolling contract, and also he be given a salary increase of 1.5% retroactive to April 1, 2015, per contract language.

Ayes: Whitlow, Becklin, Nash, Dillon, Hulka, Markgraf, Werschem Nays: None

15-071 Windstream Norlight, LLC Metro Act Extension

Dave Markgraf moved, seconded by Rose Dillon, MOTION CARRIED, to extend the existing Metro Act Permit to Windstream Norlight, LLC for five years contingent on the following:

1. Receiving an updated Certificate of Liability Insurance
2. Provide copies of approval to the individuals listed on Exhibit A of the document

The motion also includes the authorization for the Supervisor to sign the document.

Ayes: Markgraf, Dillon, Nash, Becklin, Whitlow, Hulka, Werschem Nays: None

FRUITPORT CHARTER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES

JUNE 22, 2015

PAGE #2

15-072 Payment of Bills

Dave Markgraf moved, Carol Hulka seconded, MOTION CARRIED, to approve bills in the following amounts: General Fund (including Parks) $60,401.07; Public Safety $144,915.81; Water $119,821.77;

Sewer $17,423.20 = $342,561.85 Grand Total

Ayes: Markgraf, Hulka, Dillon, Nash, Becklin, Whitlow, Werschem Nays: None

PUBLIC COMMENTS / REPORTS – None received

ADJOURMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 7:08 p.m.

CAROL HULKA, CLERK
BRIAN WERSCHEM, SUPERVISOR

Ask Dr. Universe – High Tech Cookies

What are the cookies used on gadgets? -Lydia, 8, Essex, England

Dear Lydia,

A cookie is a tiny file of text that gathers information about you as you browse the web. You might be familiar with cookies if your computer has ever asked if you wanted to turn them on or off.

Let’s say you want to go visit your favorite website. Maybe it is one with cat videos. Humans seem to love cat videos, especially the ones where we are doing something silly.

You open up a web browser and type in the web address, which starts out with H-T-T-P. HTTP is a kind of language the World Wide Web uses to communicate. Browsers can understand this language, too.

The browser uses HTTP to ask a server to send you to the website. Sometimes the website will also send along a cookie, too.

“Your browser eats it and keeps it,” said my friend Aaron Crandall. He is a computer scientist and engineer at Washington State University who told me all about web cookies.

Every time your browser starts a conversation with a website, it is as if they are meeting for the first time. But cookies let a web site know your browser has visited before.

Cookies help remember which language you like to read when you are on a site. They can also remember your email username and passwords. That way you don’t have to log in each time. It can be pretty handy.

Cookies can be a real treat for advertisers, too. For example, cookies can help businesses learn that you like watching cat videos. Then they can use the information about your behavior to advertise other things you might want to buy, like cat sweaters or cat mugs.

Because cookies can track behavior online, they have caused a lot of hoopla, Crandall said. People were a little worried about privacy when cookies were first invented.

“They were a very interesting invention when they came out,” said Crandall. “Highly controversial.”

The reason cookies were invented was actually to make it possible for the website to keep track of a browser when it visited again. This made exiting new things possible on the web, such as shopping online.

Without the cookie, websites couldn’t remember what you put in your shopping cart once you left the site.

Once people learned more about cookies and what they actually did, everyone calmed down a bit. Now, people can go into their privacy settings and change how cookies are used on their device or delete them. People can take a look inside their “cookie jar” to see the kind of cookies that are at work.

While web cookies are tiny files, they play a big role when it comes to how the web works today. Now, if only our gadgets could send us a chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin cookie to snack on while we’re browsing the web, too.

Sincerely,
Dr. Universe

Have a question? Ask Dr. Universe. You can send her an e-mail atDr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website at Ask DrUniverse.com.

A Third Letter to America

America continues to defy God in many ways as it heads towards the inevitable judgment. A Recent example of this defiance happened when a young educated TV Analyst, out of the blue, said, I have the right to choose, the Supreme Court gave me that right.” That unscripted statement did not trigger a reaction, much less a discussion.

Why Not? Could it be because our educated masses have not been taught God’s basic Commandments, Statutes, and Laws, such as, “Thou shall not kill,” “Love your neighbor,” and “teach your young women to love their children?” You bet!

The TV Analyst and America seem to be unaware of The Word Of God which says, “it is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in man.” But instead of following God’s advice, America has put its trust and confidence in Man (Mankind), with tragic results.

This is exactly what happened after the Supreme Court legalized abortion by its 7-9 decision. Now many, like the above analyst, politicians, and even a political party, proudly support the killing of the smallest and defenseless human beings (the unborn).

But how can you trust judges who do not follow God’s most basic laws, and His admonitions to protect those least able to protect themselves and always to judge in favor of the righteous and against the wicked? Such ungodliness should not be trusted.

Those unjust judges will be held accountable before God for what they did. However, these judges were not held accountable here on earth as they should have. Our constitution states that judges are to hold their offices “during good behavior.” Therefore, justices who vote in favor of what God calls “wicked”, or “evil,” should be impeached and removed from office. After all, how can anyone say that judges are holding their offices in “good behavior” when they are going against God’s Supreme Laws?

God’s wish has always been that Man (Mankind) repents of their wicked/sinful ways and seek him so they can have eternal life and be with him in heaven. You are not just flesh and bones. You have a soul which God gave you. The moment you die that soul will go to one of two places, heaven or hell. Which will it be?

Manuel Ybarra, Jr.
RR 5 Box 1550
Coalgate, OK 74538
Phone # (580) 428-3242
E-Mail: mybarrajr77@outlook.com

Approval of Physical Presence Bill

Price bill to require physical presence at open meetings receives bipartisan approval

The Michigan House has approved legislation to encourage greater transparency by requiring the physical presence of elected officials at public meetings, announced bill author state Rep. Amanda Price.

“We are frequently trying to make accommodations for public officials who can’t be present, when the overriding consideration should be for the benefit of the public,” said Rep. Price, R-Park Township.

Michigan’s Open Meetings Act requires all decisions and votes of a public body to be made at a meeting open to the public. However, the act does not define whether a public official may be present through non-physical—or electronic—means. Rep. Price says that electronic presence at meetings allows public officials to participate in open meetings without having to face the public.

“When the public elects you to an official post, they expect you to be at the meetings of your board,” Rep. Price said. “There are situations where people can’t be physically present at a board meeting, but there is nothing wrong with simply being absent once in a while.”

House Bill 4182 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

Muskegon County Calendar of Events 06/29/15-07/05/15

Presented by the Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau

06/29/2015 – 07/02/15 Fun Times with Watercolor

‎June 23, 24, 29 and July 1, 2 at 10:30am, teens 11to 18 are invited to Walker Memorial Library to paint together with Lori McElrath-Eslick, illustrator of more than 20 children’s books. Each class will involve demonstration of a technique followed by your creation of a painting by applying that technique. Class size is limited; call the library to register at (231) 744-6080. Participants will be asked to attend all five classes.

06/30/2015 – 07/17/15 Winter in a Summer Town

06/30/2015 – Muskegon Clippers Home Game

‎The Muskegon Clippers feature college players from Junior Colleges to Division 1 Universities playing baseball at Muskegon’s historic Marsh Field during the summer months. Tuesday, June 30 at 7:00pm, they take on Rockford. Individual game tickets are $5 for adults; $3 for students and senior citizens; children under 12 are free. Season ticket and group sales packages are also available. For more information on company picnics, VIP seating and regular tickets please contact: Len Piasecki at 231-750-0331 or len@playmarshfield.com.

06/30/2015 – The Montague-Whitehall Rotary Bandshell Concerts

‎The Arts Council of White Lake sponsors FREE concerts every Tuesday night at 7:00pm during the summer. The band shell is located next to the Montague Boat Launch at the south end of Water Street. This week enjoy your evening with Bluegrass music by Billy Strings & Don Julin.

For more information contact the Arts Council at 231-894-2787.

07/01/2015 – Pop-Up Program

‎Come to the Lakeshore Museum Center for the Pop-Up program in the Body Works Exhibit on Wednesday, July 1 from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Fun, free interactive program for kids. 430 W.Clay Ave. at Fourth Street. For more information, visit www.lakeshoremuseum.org.

07/01/2015 – Fun with Flags

‎Wednesday, July 1 at 12:15pm, come to the Lakeshore Museum Center for the Lunch and Learn Lecture, “Fun with Flags” with Collections Curator Sharon McCullar. She will share information about United States and Muskegon County flags. How to properly care for and dispose of flags will also be discussed. Bring a lunch for this free lecture and be on your way by 1:00pm. For more information, visit www.lakeshoremuseum.org.

07/01/2015 – Singer/Songwriter Jack Doyle

‎You’re invited to the Book Nook & Java Shop to enjoy live music from singer/songwriter Jack Doyle, Wednesday, July 1 at 7:00pm. For more information, call 231-894-5333.

07/02/2015 – ReStore It! Ultimate Upcycle Challenge!

‎Muskegon County Habitat for Humanity is calling all crafters, Pinterst gurus and creative types to help celebrate the organization’s 30th Anniversary by competing in the “ReStore It! Ultimate Upcycle Challenge! If you like giving new life to old discarded items by repurposing and transforming them into new and improved pieces, this is the event for you! Cash prizes will be awarded for the best transformations, as judged by the “ReStore It!” committee and a panel of local upcycling experts. All entries will then be sold to benefit Muskegon County Habitat for Humanity. Registrations are now being accepted for the competition which will take place on Thursday, July 2 in the Century Club Ballroom. Registrants will receive a $20 voucher to purchase “old and discarded” items from one of the Muskegon County’s three ReStore locations to use in their entries. For more information, call 231-727-6020 or download the form at www.muskegonhabitat.org.

07/02/2015 – 07/05/15 West Michigan Wine and Jazz Festival

‎The First Annual West Michigan Wine & Jazz Festival kicks off Thursday July 2 through Sunday, July 5, 2015, based at The Book Nook Java Shop/Best Cellars Wine Bar in Downtown Montague at 8744 Ferry St. The Festival announces selections for Happy Hour Wine Tastings: Thursday & Friday, July 2 & 3 @ 5 p.m. with performers Checkers Morton and Brad Fritcher’s Moods. Tickets are on sale now $15 (Festival pass $60) and include the wine tasting. Bottles will be available for sale. For more information, call (231) 894-5333, e-mail info@thebooknookjavashop.com or visit www.thebooknookjavashop.com.

07/02/2015 – Throwback Thursday

‎Through August, the Lakeshore Museum Center presents Historic Enrichment Activities at their historic sites, such as the Hackley & Hume Homes, the Firebarn and Scolnik House of the Depression Era! Thursday, July 2, it’s Portraits and Canvas Painting at the Hackley & Hume site. Kids can create a canvas portrait and go on a scavenger hunt to find the paintings in the Hackley and Hume houses. This is a free program from 10:00am – Noon and 2:00 – 4:00pm. The site is located at 484 W. Webster Ave. Call 231-722-7578 for more information.

07/02/2015 – Jazz Wine Tasting

‎You’re invited to the Book Nook & Java Shop Thursday, July 2 at 5:00pm for a “Jazz Wine Tasting” with live music from Checkers Morton. For more information, call 231-894-5333.

07/02/2015 – Art and a Glass

‎Thursdays in July and August from 5:30-7:30pm, you’re invited to the Muskegon Museum of Art for “Art and a Glass: Happy Hour at the MMA!” Bring your friends to a museum-style happy hour! Take a break and enjoy the art with a glass of wine or a great craft brew. General admission is free, Thursday evenings from 4:00 – 8:00pm, so take advantage of the opportunity to discover your Museum at no cost. You must be 21 or older to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. For more information, call 231-720-2571.

07/02/2015 – Jazz Showcase

‎You’re invited to the Book Nook & Java Shop for the Jazz Showcase featuring the Xavier David Trio, Thursday, July 2 at 8:00pm. For more information, call 231-894-5333.

07/03/2015 – 07/04/15 Lakeshore Art Festival

‎For decades, art has been a driving force in downtown Muskegon. July 3-4, the Lakeshore Art Festival continues that tradition with a unique blend of arts, crafts, music, food and fun along the scenic shoreline of downtown Muskegon. The Lakeshore Art Festival features hundreds of artists and crafters, a Children’s Lane, street performers and a food area including an Artisan Food Market and festival food favorites. For more information, call 231-722-3751.

07/03/2015 – 07/04/15 Muskegon Rockstock

‎The 6th annual Muskegon Rockstock will be held on July 3 & 4 at Heritage Landing in Muskegon Mi. Food and Beverages will be available at a very affordable rate, featuring ice cold $3 Budweiser and $4 local brews. Blankets and chairs are encouraged. Coolers are not. Tickets will be $5 per day or advance tickets will be available for a limited time at $8 for both days. Military and Veterans will be free and honored. Children 12 and under are free. However, they must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets will be available at the Frauenthal box office or StarTickets.com. Tickets will also be available at the gate. www.muskegonrockstock.com

07/03/2015 – World War II Bomber at MKG

‎The Muskegon County Airport and Executive Air Transport are pleased to welcome the “Yankee Lady,” the Yankee Air Museum’s (YAM) award winning B-17G. In observance of Independence Day, the bomber will be on station at Muskegon County Airport from 11:00am Friday, July 3 – Saturday, July 4, offering tours and Flight Experience rides.

The Ypsilanti, Michigan based Yankee Lady is the type of thunderous four engine heavy
bomber, commonly called a ‘Flying Fortress’ that initiated daylight, precision strategic
bombing in the European Theater of Operations. This campaign attacked the enemy’s
ability to make war by destroying munitions factories, bases and oil refineries from 1942 to
1945.

A FLEX ride is a 45-minute experience with approximately 30 minutes of flight time and
costs $450.00. To order a B-17 FLEX ride or to obtain a gift certificate, call 734-483-4030,
extension 236. Ellickson also said the Yankee Lady will be available for tours. Self-guided
ground tours cost $5.00 for adults aged 15 and above; $2.00 for kids aged 6 to 15 and all
others are free. Win a free ride for someone by nominating a deserving individual. Send your story to dianne@muskegonairport.com by tomorrow, June 30.

For more information, visit www.muskegonairport.com.

07/03/2015 – 07/17/15 Call for Artists

‎Artists whose works fit the themes of upcoming exhibits sponsored by Arts Council of White Lake are invited to submit up to two pieces via the Council’s website. “Winter in a Summer Town” runs June 30 to July 17;”Transcontinental” will be mounted July 18-August 7.

The first exhibit centers on photography. Community members and artists are invited to share photos of the White Lake area during the winter months. Photos of local beaches, lakes, streets, paths and fields covered by a mantle of snow are meant to delight our summer visitors. Deadline for submissions is June 23.

Photos for “Winter in a Summer Town must be submitted digitally through the Arts Council’s website www.artswhitelake.org. Submission fee is $15 for ACWL members; $20 for non-members. Up to two images may be submitted with each application. Artists whose work is accepted for the exhibit will be notified by June 25 and will be given drop-off information. The second exhibit may incorporate any media. It should represent a place or memory from the American landscape. Deadline for submissions is July 3. “Transcontinental” submissions are also being accepted online.

07/03/2015 – Treasure Sale

‎Friday, July 3 from 9:00am – 3:00pm, you’re invited to the historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Muskegon for their annual Treasure Sale. Hundreds of items will be available for low, low prices. No clothes or shoes will be available for sale. This event coincides with the Art Fair in Hackley Park. It is free and open to the public. For more information, call 231-722-2112.

07/03/2015 – Great Lakes Jazz Festival

‎The Arts Council of White Lake invites you to the Great Lakes Jazz Festival at the Montague Band Shell located at 8636 Water St. in Montague, Friday, July 3 at 12:00pm. For more information, visit www.artswhitelake.org.

07/04/2015 – White Lake Parade & Fireworks

‎Join White Lake for their annual morning parade at 10:00am and evening fireworks over White Lake at dusk in celebration of July 4. For more information contact 231-893-4585.

07/04/2015 – Fireworks View on LST 393

‎Enjoy the view of Muskegon fireworks from the deck of the USS LST 393 Veterans Museum. They are located at 560 Mart Dock in downtown Muskegon. For more information, visit www.lst393.org.

07/04/15 – Maranatha Summer Concert

Saturdays during the summer you can enjoy a concert at Maranatha Christian Conference Center. This week enjoy Annie Moses Band. This is a FREE event and open to the public. Stop by from 5:00pm-6:45pm and enjoy a dinner buffet before prices are: 3 and under: FREE, 4-8 years; $7.00, 9-12 years; $9 and adults are $15. www.vacationwithpurpose.org

07/04/15 – Pre-Fireworks Jazz

You’re invited Montague Band Shell for some pre-fireworks Jazz with the Dave Collee Trio and Ginny Dusseau, Saturday, July 4 at 7:30pm. For more information, call 231-894-5333.

07/04/15 – Fireworks View on LST 393

Enjoy the view of Muskegon fireworks from the deck of the USS LST 393 Veterans Museum. They are located at 560 Mart Dock in downtown Muskegon. www.lst393.org

07/04/15 – July 4 Fireworks Celebration

Fireworks will be the star of our 4^th of July weekend with a dazzling show over Muskegon Lake. You can watch aboard the USS LST 393 or the Port City Princess if you like! Sponsored by Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce!

07/04/15 – White Lake Fireworks

Join White Lake for their annual morning parade at 10:00am and evening fireworks over White Lake at dusk in celebration of July 4. For more information contact 231-893-4585.

Ongoing Events:

Muskegon South Pierhead Light Tours

‎The Muskegon Museum of Art announces that Avian Avatars, an art installation of five colossal sculptures, each symbolizing a mythical bird, designed by The Myth Makers, artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein. The sculptures are crafted from maple saplings, wire ties, and found objects, and stand from 18 to 26 feet tall. Each of the sculptures are installed in a different downtown Muskegon location for a full year. Each bird in the installation represents a unique myth. Avian Avatars is meant to indicate transformation, encouraging the public to heed to the stories about current human impact on the changing natural world. The sculptures are also intentionally made not to be permanent. Typically, per the artists, they last four to five years in any installation. www.muskegonartmuseum.org

Muskegon Historic Sites Open For Tours

‎The Hackley & Hume Historic Site, Fire Barn Museum and Scolnik House of the Depression Era are open for the season. The three historic sites, operated by the Lakeshore Museum Center, are open Thursday through Monday from 10 am to 4 pm. On Sundays, the three sites are open from 1 to 4 pm. The restored homes of Muskegon’s most famous lumber barons, Charles H. Hackley and Thomas Hume, are featured at the Hackley & Hume Historic Sites. Built in the late 1800s, they feature lavish wood carvings, stenciling, stained glass windows, and period furnishings. They are two of the finest examples of Queen Anne Style Victorian homes in the country. The site is located at 484 West Webster Avenue at Sixth Street. Admission is $7 for adults and teens, $5 for seniors 65 and older. Visitors 12 and younger are admitted free. www.lakeshoremuseum.org

‘Veterans’ Stories’

‎The World War II experiences of a dozen Muskegon area World War II veterans, as told to Muskegon Community College students enrolled in the popular Intro to WWII course, will be shared in a special exhibit, “Veterans’ Stories,” through August 4 at the USS Silversides Museum, located at 1346 Bluff St. Admission is $5 per person and is free to museum members.

Patterned after the work of famous oral historian, journalist and The Good War author Studs Terkel, the MCC students who each assigned a local veteran to interview. The students also produced historical content highlighting their research. The compelling exhibit represents the collective culmination of their semester-long projects. For more information on the Veterans’ Stories exhibit, contact Frank Marczak, associate director of the USS Silversides Museum, at (231) 755-1230.

Michigan’s Adventure Park

Beach Towne Trolley Rides

‎All ages love to take a ride on Muskegon’s Beach Towne Trolley during the summer months!

Routes and Operating Hours

Beach-Towne Trolley – 12:00pm–6:48pm

Operating Days

Six Days a Week, Monday – Saturday
Memorial Day – Labor Day

Single-Ride Cash Fare

Standard $1.25
Senior/Disabled $ .60

For more information, call the Muskegon Area Transit System at 231-724-6420.

Manierre Dawson: Engineering Abstraction

‎Manierre Dawson: Engineering Abstraction, an exhibition of works by a pioneer in American abstract painting with Michigan roots, will open at the Muskegon Museum of Art on Thursday, April 30 and run through August 9. Manierre Dawson was born Chicago in 1887 and lived there until moving to Ludington, Michigan in 1914 to run his family’s farm. He painted and sculpted during his years there, until his death in 1969. www.muskegonartmuseum.org

Getty Drive-In Bargain Night

‎Muskegon’s historic Getty Drive-In was once a one screen in 1948. Today you can visit four screens, each with a double-feature. Tuesday night is bargain night for just $6.00 adults, 6-12 years old $5.00 and under 5 years are FREE. They have concessions and play area for children. Shows begin 15 minutes after sunset. They are located at 920 E. Summit Ave. www.celebrationcinema.com