5.26.20

Liz Woods, co-owner of Sweet Haven candy shop in downtown South Haven, stocks several shelves with confections. Woods is one of the few retailers downtown considered "essential." that  have been allowed to remain open under the governor's stay-at-home order. (Photo by Becky Kark)

We're open

Some downtown shops in South Haven re-open Memorial Day weekend despite governor's order

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest revenue boosters of the year for downtown merchants, here.

That's why a number of retailers openedup their doors this past weekend for “business as usual” rather than wait until Tuesday, May 26, the day Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's latest executive order allows them to re-open for inside sales.

Denise Pigozzi-Nordby is one of those retailers that re-opened. She owns Rambling Rose, a shop that offers a variety of decorative home and food products.

“It (Memorial Day weekend) is one of the top two weekends for us,” Nordby said. “It's essential to be open.”

Carla Kolesar, owner of Bells 'n Whistles home and fashion accessory shop, agrees.

“It (Memorial Day weekend sales) is extremely important,” she said. “We've already missed spring break. We lost a pretty big chunk (of business) when we lost April.”

South Haven City Council members voted 6-1, Monday, May 18, to allow downtown merchants to conduct sidewalk sales Memorial Day weekend provided they are considered as “essential” businesses that provide food and safety products as part of Whitmer's original executive made in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Most retailers, under the governor's order, are considered “non-essential” under the stay-at-home order, and therefore are not allowed to let people inside to purchase products; Instead they can only offer curbside or delivery service.

But South Haven's downtown merchants say the governor's restrictions have severely impacted their livelihoods. So on Wednesday, May 20, approximately 20 members of the Downtown Association of South Haven conducted an online Zoom conference with South Haven Police Chief Natalie Thompson to clarify the governor's order.

“What would be a way we could open?” asked Chris Campbell, owner of two downtown shops. “How do we define curbside? What would it take for us to be essential?”

Thompson told merchants that according to the governor's original stay-at-home order, individuals can leave their homes to purchase groceries, takeout food, gasoline, needed medical supplies, and any other products necessary to maintain safety, sanitation and operation of their residence or motor vehicles.”

The order seems simple enough, but as with most laws, there is a loophole and Thompson said she discovered that recently when a “non-essential” business was ordered to close after allowing customers inside to shop.

“If you only have small percentage of sales I don't think you're following order,” Thompson told the group of merchants. But she went on to say that one local business was allowed to remain open, even though very few of its products would be considered as ones to maintain safety, sanitation and operation of homes and vehicles.

“The order makes no reference to any required percentage of essential products or services offered by a business,” Thompson said. “We can't say 'you have to close based on the percentage of essential items you sell.'”

A number of downtown retailers do sell soap products, mainly ones that are decorative or scented. Others sell gourmet food products, or candy.

Thompson told merchants she wasn't trying to encourage businesses to utilize the apparent loophole in the executive order and re-open their doors to allow customers to shop inside.

In an interview Thursday, May 21, she reiterated that.

“The police department will continue to respond to any complaints of businesses operating in violation of the current executive order,” she said. “These are handled on a case-by-case basis.  I have not advocated for any businesses to operate around 'loopholes.'

“The police department is not receiving reports of any businesses ignoring the order but we have responded to many that have requested specific language in the order,” she went on to say. “The city is continuing efforts to educate and share information as it pertains to the executive order to ensure all have accurate information to comply with.”

Not every downtown business is re-opening for interior customer traffic. Some, like Emma's clothing shop and Shooting Star gift shop, remained closed. Others, such as SoHa Surf Shop, were only allowing curbside service.

Some downtown retailers just aren't all that keen about violating the governor's latest order to remain closed until May 26^th.

Tom McCreery, owner of N&R Department Store, said he'd rather wait until Tuesday instead of trying to ratchet up sales Memorial Day weekend.

“I don't think it's (foot and vehicle traffic) going to be that busy” he said, explaining that restaurants – a draw for downtown shopping — are not yet open for indoor dining.

McCreery said he also wants to have more time to safely allow customers inside his store.

According to the governor's order, when retail shops do re-open, they will need to ensure their employees have masks and access to hand sanitizers and/or soap. They can also only allow shoppers in by appointment only. Stores will also be limited to only 10 customers at a time, and must adhere to social distancing standards.



Bangor proceeds with graduation this Friday

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

BANGOR — While high schools throughout Southwest Michigan have become resigned to the fact that “in-person” graduation ceremonies most likely won't take place at the end of this month of beginning of June like they normally do, at least one high school is planning to do so.

Bangor High School is scheduling its commencement for 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 29th. And yes, it will be “in-person” but with restrictions to protect people from contracting COVID-19, according to Principal Mike Dandron.

To ensure social distancing and to prevent a large gathering of people in the high school auditorium where graduation ceremonies normally take place, school officials will hold the ceremony in the school's parking lot.

“Our plan is to carry this on just like a drive-in theater would,” Dandron explained. “All graduates and guests will remain in their vehicles at all times, with the exception of the graduate walking across the stage to receive their diploma.”

The high school is renting a four-foot tall stage with a surround-sound system that will echo across the parking lot. Only a limited number of people will be allowed on the state, such as officials and students making speeches and school officials handing out diplomas. To ensure people can adequately hear the ceremony a local radio station plans to broadcast the ceremony live so that people within their cars can tune in.

Prior to going ahead with an in-person graduation, of sorts, Dandron discussed the idea of doing so with Bangor Police Chief Tommy Simpson.

“His largest concern was social distancing guidelines,” Dandron said. “As long as we maintain our six-foot guideline (on stage) he stated that he could support the ceremony.

While Bangor is going ahead with graduation ceremonies as normally scheduled, South Haven High School is waiting to hold its ceremony.

In a letter to parents, Principal Ryan Williamson wrote, “South Haven Public Schools is committed to formally recognizing our Senior Class of 2020, while balancing local, state and federal directives and guidelines. We have been committed to hosting the graduation ceremony from the beginning of the crisis and we will do everything in our power to hold a live graduation ceremony.”

The soonest the high school plans to host a ceremony would be June 21. A decision to go ahead with the ceremony on that date will be made this Thursday, in consultation with local, state and federal health agencies, according to Williamson. Alternate graduation dates would be July 19 or Aug. 16.

“Graduation is planned to take place at Ratcliffe Field and may be a ticketed event, depending on crowd restrictions and social distancing guidelines in place,” Williamson wrote in his letter. “The district is working on capabilities of live streaming the graduation ceremony. Also, the graduation ceremony may need to be divided into two groups based on guidance from state and local government.”

Covert plans to have its graduation ceremony Sunday, June 7, according to the district's website. However, details of how the ceremony will be conducted were not available as of last week.



5.11.20

Jan Weren slows her vehicle down to hand Ben Johnson a gift in honor of his 90th birthday. (Photo by Tom Renner)

Celebrating at a distance

Friends help Ben Johnson celebrate his 90th birthday amid coronavirus pandemic

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

In this time of social distancing due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it's hard to celebrate birthdays together. But that didn't stop Ben Johnson's friends and former co-workers from doing so. They decorated their vehicles this past Monday morning and drove by Johnson's home in South Haven wishing him a happy 90th birthday. While a surprised Johnson stood in his front yard, the well-wishers honked their car horns, waved, and presented Johnson with cards and several gifts.

Marietta Kozlik, a long-time friend of Johnson's, was one of the main organizers of the birthday parade.

“We recently gave another of 90-year-old a surprise party and we had started

planning his party when the virus hit. All our plans went down the tube,” Kozlik said. “Then I saw a birthday car parade on TV  and a light bulb went off.”

Kozlik said she sent out approximately 100 emails, phone called personal friends and fellow church members, and invited city, police and fire staff to take part in the parade, due to Johnson spending most of his career working for the city in various capacities.

For many years, Johnson served as engineer for South Haven's Department of Public Works and was a member of the fire department. In later years he worked as a bridge tender for the Dyckman Avenue Drawbridge in South Haven.

Kozlik said she wasn't sure what kind of response she would get and was shocked by the turnout. Approximately 70 people showed up to wish Johnson a happy birthday.

“I never asked any one to RSVP  so you can imagine my joy and surprise when the

cars started coming. They came and came and came,” she said. “It was a wonderful surprise for Ben and a happy day for all of us friends.”

High water takes a bite out of South Haven budget

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

High-water issues on Lake Michigan and the Black River aren't only impacting lakeshore and riverfront properties, but the city's budget, as well.

Flooding issues at the city's wastewater treatment plant and infrastructure damage to lake and riverfront streets and beaches is prompting the city to set aside $2.5 million in its upcoming fiscal year budget to confront high water-related damages.

Setting aside the $1.5 million means that some capital improvements projects that were scheduled to be completed this year will be delayed until a future date, according to City Manager Brian Dissette.

“Several projects are being postponed so dollars are available to deal with the high-water issues when necessary,” he said.

Of the $2.5 million that is being allocated to deal with flooding and erosion damage caused by record-high water levels on Lake Michigan and the Black River, $1 million will be earmarked for a new pumping station and other upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant to eliminate flooding of property and parking lots surrounding the plant. The high water levels have also made it more difficult to remove treated water from the plant and into the Black River.

An additional $1 million will be spent to raise the intake pipe at the water filtration plant. The pipe is critical to bringing water into the plant from Lake Michigan for distribution to residences and businesses served by the South Haven Area Water and Sewer Authority.

The remaining $500,000 will be reserved in a contingency fund to deal with any other erosion and flooding-related issues.

City residents will get a chance to hear more about the proposed 2020-21 fiscal year budget during a public hearing at the May 18^th city council meeting.

The proposed $46 million budget, which will go into effect July 1, is nearly the same in dollar amount to the current fiscal year budget of $46 million.

The proposed $46 million budget is allocated for a variety of city functions, including the Department of Public Works, city hall services, the police department, Lakeview Cemetery, street and sidewalk improvements, city beaches and parks, and electric, water and sewer services.

With the exception of the general fund and department of public works budget, the bulk of the overall budget expenditures — $37,000 — is paid for through user fees . Those funds are referred to as “enterprise” funds and include electric, water, sewer, Black River Park, marinas and beach maintenance. The electric fund, for instance, is $19 million, while sewer and water funds account for $10,000.

Money for the general fund comes from property taxes, and pays for general operations of the city, including police, fire, and Department of Public Works services. The proposed general fund budget calls for $8,413,757 in revenues and $8,719,171 in expenditures for a deficit of $484,015. The proposed deficit will reduce the general fund balance to $1,726,820.

Several highlights of the proposed budget follow:

• The city employs 87 people. Thirty-seven non-union employees will receive a 2.5 percent wage increase; the 32 members of the Technical, Professional and Office Workers Association of Michigan union will receive a 2.75 percent in pay, while police officer wages will increase by 3.5 percent.

• A number of streets will be repaved this year, including Hubbard Street from Superior to Phoenix streets; Phoenix Street from 73rd to 71-1/2 streets; Prospect Street from Michigan to Huron streets; and Michigan Street between Prospect and Hubbard streets for an overall cost of $485,000. An additional $176,400 is also being targeted for other minor street projects.

• Repairs and replacement of facilities, due to high-water issues, will begin at Northside Marina. The marina will be closed this season in order to begin making the repairs, which include reconstruction of the marine electrical and water utility systems; raising the existing docks and reinforcing the marina's eastside armor stone revetment. The projects are expected to cost up to $1.5 million. The city is in the process of seeking funding from the State of Michigan to help offset costs.



5.4.20

A youngster passes out treats during the 2019 Fourth of July parade in downtown South Haven. The parade attracts several thousand onlookers and approximately 75 parade entries each year.

4th of July events canceled in South Haven

Concerns over social distancing amid Covid-19 pandemic cited for latest cancellations

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Each year, thousands of visitors come to South Haven during the July 4th holiday to enjoy a trio of crowd-pleasing, outdoor events — an art fair, parade and fireworks display.

But for the first time in many years, those events won't be taking place this summer. Like many outdoor events, the popular 4th of July outdoor activities have fallen victim to the coronavirus pandemic, and in the case of the fireworks – Lake Michigan's record-high water level.

Organizers of both the art fair and independence day parade announced Monday the cancellation of the two events. That news comes on the heels of a decision city officials made six weeks ago go to nix the Light up the Night fireworks display because Lake Michigan's waves are now continually crashing over the North Pier where the pyrotechnics are ignited.

This year would have marked the 62nd anniversary of the Art Fair, which take place each year at Stanley Johnston Park and is sponsored and organized by the South Haven Center for the Arts.

“In light of the global health crisis and social distancing guidelines that remain in place in the State of Michigan and many states throughout the U.S., safeguarding artists, members, volunteers, staff, sponsors and the public is first priority,” Art Center Executive Director Kerry Hagy said.

Art center staff indicated they are working to put the art fair online to showcase the artist's works but details haven't been finalized as of yet.

Fourth of July parade organizers voiced similar sentiments about the need to continue social distancing in the wake of the pandemic. The parade is jointly sponsored by the South Haven Tribune, South Haven Kiwanis Club and South Haven Rotary Club.

“It's a very popular parade and attracts several thousand people who line the downtown streets each 4th of July, so it hurts to have to make this decision,” said Becky Kark, Editor of the South Haven Tribune. “But the several thousand people who watch our parade is nothing compared to the 55,550 people in the United States, so far, who have died from this pandemic. It's important to do everything possible to stop the spread of it.”

“Hope things get back to normal next year, “ said Daniel Thompson, vice-president of the Rotarians.

News of the latest summer outdoor event cancellations didn't come as much of a surprise to Scott Reinert, executive director of the South Haven/Van Buren County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“This is the debate we've had even with events further out into the fall – even if they were held, will people feel safe attending?” Reinert said.

Just how much of an adverse effect cancellation of the three 4th of July events will have on South Haven's summer tourism is debatable, according to Reinert. Although events, such as the fireworks display, can attract upwards of 50,000 people, most visitors tend to be “day-trippers,” or people from out of town who come for one event and leave, spending little if any money at downtown shops and restaurants.

“I think some visitors plan their stays around the events - but we also know we get a lot of day-trippers in, especially around the July 4th activities,” Reinert said. “So in this unprecedented year, I don't think it (scrapping outdoor events) will have a big impact.”

He's keeping his fingers crossed that despite the downturn in tourism so far this spring in South Haven — bookings at lodging establishments for April and May are estimated to drop 90 percent — summer months will shine brighter on South Haven's tourism industry.

“I think we are well positioned for a rebound in summer travel as traveler sentiment research indicates many visitors will feel comfortable driving initially, and that our small-town environment, beaches and attractions are top on the list for urban dwellers,” Reinert said.

New four-story Holiday Inn proposed in South Haven Township

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Sometime this year, a new four-story hotel is expected to join the ranks of four existing hotels all located on Phoenix Road near Interstate 196 in South Haven Township.

South Haven Township Planners this month put their stamp of approval on a site plan for a four-story, 76-room hotel to be built on 3.5 acres of property next to Honor Credit Union. Developer Amish Patel, who also owns Great Lakes Inn & Suites in South Haven Township and the Econolodge in Paw Paw, plans to brand the new hotel as a Holiday Inn Express and Suites.

The four-story hotel will be the first of its kind in the township, according to Township Planning Commission Chair Mark Odland.

“There are no four-story hotels here,” he said. “It's going to be a big hotel.”

But before even considering whether to approve a site plan for the lodging facility, township planners had to amend a portion of the zoning ordinance that prohibits hotels higher than 35 feet tall.

“In order to allow for construction we had to change the zoning to allow for hotels up to 50 feet in height,” Odland said.

Planners held a public hearing in February to consider amending the zoning ordinance, and after receiving little comment, approved the change unanimously allow hotels to be built up to 50 feet high, with a stipulation that a 26-foot setback be in place for fire department access, if necessary. The amendment to the zoning was then sent to the township board for its approval, which occurred earlier this month.

Township officials weren't very much surprised when faced with the question of whether to allow a four-story hotel.

“We had known it was coming,” South Haven Township Zoning Administrator Patrick Hudson said. “Hotel industry trade information has been saying that due to land costs and parking requirements they had to be able to go up in order to get enough parking without having to buy too much land.”

Even though the site plan has been approved for construction of the hotel, it is uncertain what the timetable will be for construction.

“At this point we have no idea when construction will be allowed to begin,” Hudson said. “Building permits have not been applied for as of yet.”

According to Patel, work was expected to begin this spring, but with the Covid-19 pandemic unfolding and ongoing efforts to curb its spread, plans to proceed with the project were interrupted.

“We're delayed by two to three months,” he said.

Another unknown is what will happen with the existing Holiday Inn Express & Suites that is located on Phoenix Road, across the street from Patel's proposed hotel of the same name. Township Supervisor Ross Stein speculated that maybe the current Holiday Inn will change its brand name, but wasn't really sure if that will be the case.

Ed Vandenack of Edge Hospitality, which manages the current Holiday Inn, said he's waiting to see if the new hotel will actually be built in these difficult covid-19-related times.

“Whether they will have the ability to build, I really don't know,” he said. “If it happens, it happens.”



4.27.20

As construction continues on Bronson Healthcare Group's $22 million new hospital in South Haven, Bronson officials announced several hundred layoffs of non-clinical workers due to the reduction in revenues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. To deal with patients affected with the virus, Bronson, like many hospitals has had to cut back on elective surgeries and procedures.

Covid-19 leads to budget cuts at Bronson

Several hundred non-clinical workers furloughed temporarily;
Work on new SH hospital continues

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

While Bronson Healthcare System moves forward on construction of its new $22 million hospital in South Haven, the regional healthcare group has announced it will need to make a number of temporary budget cuts to recover from the financial downturn brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a news release, Bronson officials stated that “like other health systems across the nation, Bronson has seen its expenses rise significantly due to preparations and purchases related to COVID-19.  At the same time, the health system is experiencing losses in revenue due to the suspension of elective surgeries and procedures, temporary closings of some services, as well as reduced diagnostic tests, office visits and emergency department visits as patients remain at home.”

In an interview with WWMT-TV Tuesday evening, Bronson President and CEO Bill Manns said the hospital's monthly revenue was down 50 percent, which has forced them to set up a recovery plan to help recoup financial losses.

To deal with the downturn in revenue amid the pandemic, Bronson is making the following cutbacks:

• Due to the work slowdown, furloughs will be implemented over the next few weeks for several hundred mostly non-clinical employees. The furloughs are expected to be for 16 weeks, however, some employees may be called back sooner.

“The furloughs will be happening at sites across the system,” said Bronson spokesperson Carolyn Wyllie. “We haven’t specified locations.  The furloughs are temporary. As services reopen and ramp back up, employees will be called back to work.

Other cutbacks follow:

• Manns will take a 25-percent reduction in salary through Aug. 15. Bronson executives and leaders will also see salary reductions for the same time period. Bronson Medical Group providers will also see their pay reduced.

• Contributions to employee retirement accounts and 403b/401k matches are being suspended for the remainder of the year. Employees can still make personal contributions, however.

“We are working to adapt to continuing COVID-19 care while still safely serving all of our patients,” Manns said in the news release. “We are starting to ramp up surgeries and other procedures within the scope of the Governor’s order with a goal of having our hospitals back to 100 percent by September and our practices, many of which have been doing video visits, at 100 percent by August.  If we can do it sooner, we will. However, the availability of enough PPE to ensure the safety of our staff and patients in all settings continues to be a limiting factor.”

Bronson is pursuing opportunities for financial reimbursement and grants, including FEMA reimbursement, CARES Act relief grants and other state and federal relief opportunities, however, the timing of these is unpredictable, company officials indicated.

In the meantime, Bronson is preparing for an uptick in Covid cases, while tightening its financial belt.

Predictive models now indicate Southwest Michigan may experience ongoing community spread of COVID-19 into the fall rather than an overwhelming surge this spring, assuming responsible social distancing continues after the Governor’s order expires.

“While we have seen the number of cases of COVID-19 gradually increase in Southwest Michigan, it appears that social distancing and stay-at-home measures are helping to flatten the curve, and therefore we haven’t seen dramatic increases that many larger cities saw before safety measures were fully in place,” Wyllie said. “We continue to plan and prepare should there be a surge in patients.”

Right now, Bronson Healthcare has 79 ventilators and 10 more are scheduled for delivery.

“We also continue to secure personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing supplies to fulfill our current and future needs,” Wyllie said.

Bronson officials say they are prepared for a surge, but are hoping for the best. They said they appreciate how people are providing financial and supply donations and doing their part to social distance and flatten of the curve.

“The efforts have contributed to Bronson having a manageable number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 along with adequate staffing and supply levels to meet their needs at this time,” the Bronson news release stated.

But because of the revenue that has been lost to the reduction in services normally offered, Bronson had to make some cutbacks.

Despite the temporary furloughs and reductions in salaries, Bronson officials say the healthcare group will continue to proceed with major projects, including seven offices for Bronson Primary Care Partners which will open on July 1, the new lab at Bronson Methodist Hospital opening in late July, and the Bronson Cancer Pavilion in Kalamazoo and the new Bronson South Haven Hospital, which are both slated to open in early 2021.

Griffin, Whiteford, Upton, Peters file for re-election; All face challengers

Beth Griffin, R-Mattawan, will be seeking her third term as state representative for the 66th District, and is being challenged for her seat by Abigail Wheeler, a democrat, also from Mattawan.
The 66th District encompasses Van Buren County and the city of Parchment, Cooper Township and Alamo Township in Kalamazoo County.
Griffin was first elected to the state House in 2016. Currently, she serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. Prior to being elected to the House of Representatives, she served two terms as a Van Buren county commissioner, from 2013-2016. Before seeking public office, Griffin served as a sixth-grade special education teacher and an eighth-grade English teacher from 1999-2005 at Parchment Middle School. Later, she was a guest teacher at Mattawan Consolidated Schools from 2010 until her election to the state House.
Her challenger, Wheeler, has lived in the Mattawan area her entire life and is a graduate of Mattawan Schools. She's been a firefighter for three years and on the Mattawan Village Council for one term. She was elected to the village council in November of 2018 and her current terms runs through 2022.
Filings for other state and federal seats follow:

6th District U.S. House of Representatives
• Incumbent Republican Fred Upton of St. Joseph will face Republican challenger Olena Alexander Oelke of St. Joseph in the August primary, while Democratic challengers John Hoadley of Kalamazoo and Jen Richardson, also of Kalamazoo, will be competing in the primary. The winners of those two primaries will square off in the November election.

U.S. Senate
• Republicans John James of Livonia and Bob Carr of Mackinac Island will be squaring off in the August Primary. The winner will face Democratic incumbent Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township in November.

80th District Michigan House of Representatives
• Republican incumbent Mary Whiteford of South Haven will be challenged by Republican candidate Nevin Cooper-Keel of Allegan in the August primary. The winner will face Democrat challenger Erik Almquist of Fennville in November.

4.20.20

Contractors are scheduled this week to begin raising the cabinets that house motors that operate the Dyckman Avenue drawbridge's hydraulic system. (Photo by Tom Renner)

City addresses high water level under Dyckman drawbridge 

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Since late fall of 2019 city officials here have nervously kept their eye on the Dyckman Avenue drawbridge's hydraulic system, wondering if it will continue to function properly as water continues to rise on Lake Michigan and the Black River.

Now, with the end of the winter season city officials can finally address the potential failure of the structure that allows motorists access to the city's north side and for boaters, access to Lake Michigan.

Council members, Monday, made the decision to pay Grand Rapids-based Strain Electric $19,380 to raise two metal cabinets that house motors that operate the bridge's hydraulic system. The cabinets are located underneath the bridge's deck, close to the water. If the motors are damaged by the water, the bridge's two spans will not be able to be lifted for boat traffic or lowered for vehicles.

Work on the bridge is expected to begin April 20^th and will take a week to complete.

“We're proceeding with making improvements to the bridge to ensure that service will continue during the upcoming summer season,” City Manager Brian Dissette said.

City officials became quite concerned about the bridge following fall and winter storms in 2019 that caused significant flooding along the lakeshore and the Black River where the bridge is situated.

One particular flooding incident occurred in late November.

“On this occasion we had a combination of high winds and rain and the river experienced a back-up or surge for a period of time. This surge caused the river to rise above the bottom of the HPU cabinet doors, City Engineer Mike Dopp said in a memo to the city council. “The cabinets are sealed and stayed water tight during this surge event, but staff would not advise relying on the seals for any prolonged period of time. Since this event occurred, staff has not witnessed the water rise this high again, but it may at some point during this next summer or fall.”

LMC extends closure of its three campuses

Lake Michigan College  has announced it will extend the date for its campuses to re-open in response to Michigan’s updated stay-at-home order.  

 Lake Michigan College campuses in Benton Harbor, Niles and South Haven first closed to the public on March 20. They were originally scheduled to re-open to the public on Tuesday, April 14. The new scheduled public opening date is Monday, May 11. 

This latest measure follows a decision to extend remote learning for students through the rest of the spring semester. The college originally transitioned its in-person, face-to-face classes to be delivered remotely beginning on March 23 with a plan for students to return to campus on April 14. Now students will participate in remote learning through the duration of the semester, which ends Friday, May 1.   

The college has also adjusted its summer term schedule. Originally summer classes were scheduled to begin on May 11. Now the summer term will begin on Monday, June 8 and end on Thursday, August 20.  

For the first time, all summer classes will be delivered through remote learning.   

LMC continues to accept new applicants for the summer and fall semesters. Course registration dates for the summer and fall semesters open on Monday, April 27 for veterans and to all other students on Tuesday, April 28.  

The college continues to offer most of its services to current and prospective students remotely during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The re-opening dates for LMC’s indoor exercise and childcare facilities is yet to be determined.  

For more information, visit the LMC COVID-19 response webpage at www.lakemichigancollege.edu/covid19.  





4.13.20

Bangor Lions Club couldn't hold its annual Easter egg hunt this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that didn't stop the group from making the spring holiday happy for kids. On Saturday, the club's Easter Bunny stopped at approximately 50 homes and passed out treats to about 150 youngsters, while maintaining a safe distance from them.

Celebrating Easter, Covid 19 style

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

In normal times, Easter Sunday is a holiday where millions around the country attend church services, host large family gatherings and go to community-sponsored Easter egg hunts.

Not this year.

With more than half the country under stay-at-home orders, the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing even the Easter bunny to do things a little differently this year.

Like many organizations, the Bangor Lions, which has hosted a community egg hunt for 24 years, had to cancel Saturday's event. But the big fluffy rabbit didn’t let that stop him.

“Our Easter Bunny will be riding in a car to wave to children,” explained Lions President Amy Thackston, prior to the event. “We will have a treat drop off crew behind us in a different vehicle to drop a basket for each family with goodies for each child inside.”

A new WalletHub survey of more than 400 people across the nation gave a window into what many Americans are doing to commemorate Easter Sunday this year. Last year, only 25 percent of Americans celebrated Easter in their homes, the survey found. This year, 70 percent of Americans plan to celebrate the holiday strictly at home.

“No Easter egg hunt this year,” posted Marie Mielke on Facebook’s South Haven Community Chatline page. “My mom, dad and I usually go to Kalamazoo and have dinner with my brother and his family. The kids have to find their baskets hidden somewhere in the house. Then we go outside to hunt for their eggs. Lots of laughter. Easter will be much quieter this year.”

Even though people can't be with extended families this year, that didn’t stop some for sending care packages.

“Sent my adult kids the most ridiculous 'Easter’ packages ever,” wrote Heidi Jaeck Campbell. “One included four rolls of TP. Not as a joke - he has none! The other one got socks.”

Downsizing is another impact the pandemic is having on the holiday.

“Making our regular food, just smaller since we are not going to my parents,” posted Samantha Corzine. “Instead of going to three to four Easter egg hunts in the community, we will just do a small one for our son Easter Sunday in the backyard.”

Corzine is not alone. Almost half of Easter-celebrating Americans are skipping out on candy, new outfits and Easter foods this year, in contrast with prior years, WalletHub found. 

“The Easter candy industry will take a big hit, as over 42 percent of Easter celebrants who normally purchase candy say they will not do so this year,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Americans will also forego buying new outfits and Easter food at nearly the same percentages.”

While many plan to partake in at least some of their regular Easter traditions, others haven’t forgotten what the holiday is also about — being with and caring about family.

“We are making a big dinner - ham, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, broccoli casserole and rolls for our family of three,” said Lisa Wilson Bartlett who plans to FaceTime with family instead of gathering for her annual family dinner and egg hunt. “We will be taking a plate to a few older friends who are in the high-risk category and are alone.”



4.7.20

Bronson South Haven employees are shown with face masks donated by the American Legion Post 49 Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion. (Contributed photo)

Volunteers band together to sew face masks for Bronson

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, South Haven resident Janet Lynam spent some of her retirement time sewing custom-made handbags. But when the pandemic took hold in Michigan, Lynam put her handbags aside and began sewing something the medical profession needs – fact masks.

“I've made around 3 dozen so far,” Lynam said. “I have materials to make about 20 more at this point. I sew often and felt that making masks would be my way of helping out during this time.”

She's not the only one helping the medical community.

Members of St. Basil Catholic Church Women's Service Guild are also making masks. Kathy Craig and Char Maternowski-Paul have been spending their spare time at home sewing masks for area nursing homes and Bronson South Haven Hospital.

Members of South Haven American Legion Ladies Auxiliary have also rallied together to make masks to donate to Bronson.

“This is the time we can be of service,” said Auxiliary member Linda Teeter. “One of the missions of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary is to help in our communities. Members have donated fabric and elastic. These materials have been given to other members who have sewing machines and will sew the masks.”

As of last week, Auxiliary members produced more than 50 masks to donate to Bronson, and according to Teeter, the task continues.

It turns out elastic is one item in short supply, however. Guidelines call for elastic to be either 1/8- or ¼ -inch wide. St. Basil Women's Auxiliary members and Legion Auxiliary members hope area residents can help fill the need, as well as Lynam, who posted on Facebook, “If anyone is not making these (face masks) but has 1/8-inch or ¼-inch elastic laying around and could donate it to me I could make quite a few more.”

People who had some in their sewing kits responded.

“Thank you for helping,” Suzie Fitzgibbon of South Haven posted. “I have 38 inches of ¼ inch elastic, and I have some left over material if that helps.”

Another respondent, Shirley Wagoner, said, “I have quite a bit of elastic you have have.”

Another respondent, Pat Gildea of South Haven, gave a heartfelt response to the sewers' efforts. “Our daughter is a pediatric dietitian at Bronson Kalamazoo and they really need these.”



3.31.20

Future uncertain for students due to forced school closures

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

As students hunker down in their homes for a long coronavirus-induced spring break, some undoubtedly are beginning to wonder when or if they'll return to their classrooms to finish out out the school year.

School officials, such as South Haven Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Schooley, are wondering about that, too.

Like school chiefs throughout Michigan, Schooley has been trying to keep up with latest developments issued by the governor's office and Michigan Department of Education regarding when schools can re-open.

But the messages are somewhat confusing due to the changing circumstances wrought by efforts to curb the new cases of coronaviruses sweeping the nation.

When efforts to control the virus first occurred earlier this month, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered, March 13th that all schools in the state close for three weeks until April 3. Now however, the closure has been extended until at least April 13^th, due to the governor's most recent order that everyone stay home unless they are providing “essential” services.

Until then, school districts throughout the state are trying to reach out to students and parents as best they can.

“We're going to do everything we can to make sure kids are taken care of educationally. Right now it's critical needs,” Schooley said referring to school districts focusing now on preparing breakfasts and lunches to deliver to students throughout the week.

School districts are also trying to make sure students keep up with their studies. School districts, such as South Haven, sent students home, March 13^th, with computer devices to allow them to complete academic exercises and assignments, but whether those assignments will count toward promotion to the next grade level or graduation is debatable at this point.

“I hate to even speculate. We're waiting for guidelines from the Michigan Department of Education,” Schooley said.

A week ago, Department of Education officials stated that any online learning done at home during the shutdown won't be counted as instructional time. However, after the announcement was made, Whitmer issued the following statement: “As you know, the situation has changed rapidly over the course of the past ten days. We do not know what the future will hold, but we are absolutely committed to ensuring the needs of our students, parents, and families are met as we navigate these uncharted waters. I will be working in the coming days to ensure our seniors graduate and that no child is held back as a result of our ability to provide face-to-face instruction during the COVID-19 school closure.”

In Michigan, schools must provide 1,098 instruction hours each year for each student. The law also dictates that all students have equal access to instruction.

In the case of providing instruction on-line during the coronavirus outbreak, it isn't possible for all school districts, such as South Haven with its rural residents, to do that.

“In order for us to provide school online we have to ensure equal access,” Schooley said. “Because my kid has internet and yours doesn't creates an inequality.”

And yet, South Haven, like other school districts, is still strongly encouraging students to keep up with their studies.

“We've encouraged our teachers to push out educational materials to keep their students' minds moving,” Schooley said. “Currently, the guidelines (dictated by the state) are that work is ungraded. You don't have to do them (assignments). But it's certainly good to keep the kids engaged in something productive.”

Despite the uncertainty of how the remainder of the school year will go, Schooley remains optimistic that seniors will graduate and students will be promoted to the next grade level once the coronavirus pandemic subsides.

For that to happen, however, the legislature would have to waive the number of instruction hours each student must have each year or extend the school year past June.

That could occur. A week ago, the Department of Education waived mandated state testing that normally occurs each spring.

The toilet paper pandemic of 2020

Sales are on a roll, but why?

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

Keep calm and stop hoarding, the COVID-19 pandemic is not going to wipe out our toilet paper supply, experts say.

People across the country as well as the world have been on a roll clearing store shelves of toilet paper as consumers hunker down at home in an attempt to wipe out the spread of the coronavirus.

But, why toilet paper when this is not an intestinal virus?

“There is comfort in knowing that it’s there,” says psychologist Mary Alvord, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at George Washington University School of Medicine, in a TIME magazine interview. “We all eat and we all sleep and we all poop. It’s a basic need to take care of ourselves.”

As the coronavirus pandemic drives consumers to 'panic buy' supplies in bulk, toilet paper is just one of the many items flying off of the shelves. Stores nationwide, including ones in South Haven, such as Meijer, Walmart and Aldi, are having trouble keeping up with the demand. As a result many stores are now imposing limits on how many packages a family can purchase and even closing earlier to allow employees to restock shelves.

So, how do manufacturers of a relatively inexpensive commodity keep up with the sudden spike in demand? Will delivery of the product stall? Will sales eventually bottom out?

The average American uses about 100 rolls of toilet paper each year. If most of it came from China, which has had trade restrictions poised on it, then the supply chain could tank.

But, the U.S. has been mass producing toilet paper since the 1800s, and while other industries have headed overseas, there are still 150 American companies producing the privy paper which has wiped out the need to import it.

“Hoarding only causes the price of items to rise,” Joanna Berry posted on the South Haven Community Chatline page.

Whether the price will actually soar at stores, many are feeling the pinch right now.

“So as I'm bouncing from store to store in search of toilet paper, I gotta reach out and make sure my neighbors are aware of a few things: Corona virus does not cause diarrhea. You don’t need 750 rolls of toilet paper” wrote Mia Garlock on the chatline page.

Sewer, water officials urge people not to flush disposable wipes

While people throughout America use disposable wipes to combat the spread of coronavirus in their homes and businesses, municipal leaders are urging them not to flush the used wipes down the toilet.

The South Haven Area Water & Sewer Authority issued a news release last week stating the problems posed to sewer systems when the wipes go down the drain.

Wipes — used for changing diapers, personal hygiene, housecleaning, and more — cause significant problems when flushed down toilets, according to the news release. Though many of these products are labeled “flushable” or “septic safe,” they are anything but.

Because they don’t break down the way toilet paper does, disposable wipes clog homeowner and municipal sewer pipes, put stress on community wastewater collection and treatment equipment, and cause the water and sewer authority to spend thousands on premature equipment repair and replacement. Wipes snag on any imperfection in sewer pipes, catch passing debris and grease, and create a “ball” that will grow to plug the pipe. They also get drawn into sewer-line, and wastewater treatment plant pumps and clogs and damage them.

We realize everyone is concerned about disinfection, and using disinfection wipes, flushable wipes, and paper towels for this purpose are admirable. However, these items do not belong in the toilet.





3.16.20

Composer and educator Brooke Pierson conducts the Baseline Middle School band during a rehearsal in which they were playing his piece, "The Lighthouse Keeps Watch." The band premiered the piece at its winter concert.

Baseline Middle School Band premieres composer's musical piece, "The Lighthouse Keeps Watch"

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

When the West Michigan Concert Winds tours Scotland and Ireland this summer, they won't be the first musical group to perform the just-released piece, “The Lighthouse Keeps Watch.”

That distinction belongs to Baseline Middle School Concert Band.

Under the direction of Sarah Bopp, the band did something few middle school music programs have done – they commissioned a song written specifically for them and premiered it at their winter concert in February.

Helping them to rehearse was none other than “The Lighthouse Keeps Watch” composer, Brooke Pierson, who said in an interview earlier this week that he was quite impressed with the band and its director.

“I was really impressed with their enthusiasm to learn the music and how receptive they were to my thoughts and suggestions,” Pierson said. “Their music teachers were also incredibly hospitable. I really enjoyed my visit.”

The idea for a commissioned piece for the Baseline band came about in October 2019 when Bopp, with funding from the South Haven Instrumental Music Boosters, asked Pierson, a composer and educator from Ypsilanti, to write a musical piece for the band.

Pierson was eager for the opportunity to do so.

“I love South Haven and have visited several times over the last 2 years,” he said. “One thing about the west coast of Michigan is the beauty of the lake and, in particular, lighthouses.”

Pierson, who has written musical pieces for such groups as the West Point Band, found composing a song for a middle school band, somewhat challenging.

“The truth is, writing for younger groups is difficult,” Pierson admitted. “When you write for college and professional level groups, they can play anything you put in front of them...The challenge with writing a piece for novice players is to craft it in a way that helps the younger players learn the craft of music...and (the composition) needs to be artistic, with well written melodies, developed ideas and emotional content worth performing. I think this piece does that - in fact, it is being performed by the West Michigan Concert Winds, a premiere community ensemble near Muskegon, led by Gail Bretching.”

Writing “The Lighthouse Keeps Watch” came easily to Pierson.

“The truth is, this piece came together very quickly,” he recalled. “I knew I wanted to have a slower and faster section. I remember singing the melodic passage from the faster section, which the trumpets play in this ascending interval pattern.”

The pattern Pierson was referring to has been incorporated into music for almost 100 years by such composers as Aaron Copland.

“It really resonates as a hopeful, Americana feeling, and there is nothing more American than lake waves crashing on a lighthouse,” he said.

Although the composition came easily to him, Pierson said he struggled somewhat with its name.

“I'm genuinely a struggler when it comes to titles - I actually keep a notebook with possible piece titles. When inspiration occurs I can record a title even if there is no music yet to write.”

In the end, South Haven's historic beacon inspired the title for the Baseline Band-commissioned piece.

“After I started thinking about what I enjoy about South Haven and what is meaningful to the residents, I knew I had to include the lighthouse in the title,” Pierson said. “Because the music is both hopeful and contemplative, it felt appropriate to create a title that connects the lighthouse as a source of hope to those who live in areas where that structure has meaning.

“This piece is  juxtaposition of contemplative, almost sad, material with hope. My hope is that a listener will hear it and feel a sense of joy that comes from compassion.. It's the kind of joy that comes from experiences with people and our landscape.”

Aside from being commissioned for Baseline Middle School Concert Band and Sarah Bopp, “The Lighthouse Keeps Watch” has another connection to South Haven.

Its cover shows a photographic illustration of the South Haven lighthouse taken by award-winning photographer Sheryl Kaptur. Kaptur has a connection to Baseline Middle School. She served as band director there for 29 years before retiring in 2012.

“Sarah (Bopp) called me and told me about the commission and told me the title,” Kaptur said. “She asked if I would be willing to allow them to use one of my images for the cover and I said yes.”

Monroe Blvd. bluff plan proposed

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Five years ago, the City of South Haven acquired four prized parcels of property on Monroe Boulevard overlooking Lake Michigan. Now city officials want to make the bluff more accessible to residents and visitors while ensuring its stability environmentally for future generations to enjoy.

The view, located across the street from Kids Corner Park, overlooks Lake Michigan and the city's South Beach and lighthouse, and is a popular destination for visitors.

"It's the focal point when people come to South Haven," Former Mayor Bob Burr said when the city purchased the property in 2015. "They park and they look over the bluff."

South Haven residents will get a chance to see improvements envisioned for the popular overlook when the Monroe Bluff Beach Management Plan is unveiled at the March 16th city council meeting. The meeting and public hearing will begin at 7 p.m., at city hall, 539 Phoenix St.

The $677,500 Monroe Bluff Beach Management Plan was developed by Edgewater Resources of St. Joseph, following two years of public visioning sessions.

In 2016, the Public Works Department began the effort of creating best management practices

for maintenance plan of the dune habitat on Lake Michigan, west of Monroe Blvd., between Van

Buren and Chestnut Streets, according to Department of Public Works Director Bill Hunter. Improper disposal of grass clippings and yard waste on dunes; erosion of sand by wind and uncontrolled foot traffic; and growth of invasive plant species were all issues noted by the city's maintenance crews.

To protect the bluff and make accessibility to it safer for the public, the city asked Edgewater Resources to develop a plan based on public input.

The plan includes safer pedestrian access to and from the bluff with bump-outs and crosswalks at three intersections leading to Monroe Boulevard and the bluff; bike lanes on both sides of Monroe Boulevard; an 8-foot wide paved trail along the top of the bluff, extending from St. Basil Church Park south to Orchard Street; seating areas; retaining walls to protect the bluff from erosion; designated paths leading from the top of the bluff to the lake; stroller and wagon parking for people with young children; and a bike rack.

Maybe of more importance is the portion of the plan that addresses the bluff itself.

Erosion, caused by high-water levels on Lake Michigan over the past several years, is occurring at the bottom of the bluff. It hasn't affected the top of the bluff – yet.

To ensure stability of the bluff, the plan calls for two clearly marked designated roped off paths leading to the beach to prevent use of the many paths that have been made on the dune's slope over the years. By reducing the number of paths to two, erosion can be mitigated.

“These barriers, coupled with informational signage about the fragile nature of dune plant and animal life, will help locals and visitors alike to become stewards of this natural resource,” Edgewater Resources wrote in its proposal for mitigating erosion of the bluff.

The plan also highlights two areas along the bluff's slope where invasive plant species will be removed and replaced by native dune species to help with stabilization of the dune.

“The Monroe Bluff Beach Management plan was put in place with the idea of if you can manage the access from the top of the bluff, you can decrease the erosion potential at the toe of the bluff,” said Deb Davidson, city communications director, grant writer, and Downtown Development Authority director.

To offset the cost of the improvement plan for Monroe Boulevard Bluff, the city has the option of applying for two $300,000 grants from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, and the federal government's Land & Water Conservation Fund, administered through the DNR.

If by chance both grants are approved, the state would choose which one to award to the city, according to City Manager Brian Dissette.

Council members are expected to vote on whether to apply for the grants following the March 16th public hearing.



3.9.20

Clark and Melinda Gruber are shown with Prince Albert II of Monaco, who congratulated Melinda on running 50 5K races in the past year as part of her 50th birthday celebration. Melinda finished her final race in Monaco in February.

Woman celebrates 50th birthday by running 50 5Ks within a year

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A year ago, cancer survivor Melinda Gruber set out to run 50 5K runs by the time she turned 50.

In February, she not only accomplished her goal but received recognition from an international prince.

How Gruber found herself in the company of Prince Albert II of Monaco began a little over a year ago when she was mulling how to commemorate reaching the big 5-0.

“Last year as I was approaching my 49th birthday one of the things I thought about was staying in shape,” she said in an interview in November after she had completed 40 races.

Gruber went on to explain how she had heard about other people setting a goal of performing 50 tasks by the time their birthday came around, and thought she'd give it a try, too.

“I heard about someone attending 50 music concerts, and then I heard of somebody going to 50 festivals in a year culminating with the Festival of Colors in India.”

But Gruber decided to do something more athletic.

“Before I had breast cancer, I had run in a couple of half marathons,” she said. “But I hadn't run races in a long time.”

She more than made up for it this past year. When she wasn't working as CEO of Caring Circle and vice president of Continued Care Services at Spectrum Lakeland Health in St. Joseph, Gruber was packing her bags to take part in as many 5K races as she could on weekends.

Most of her races took place in Michigan, but she also ran in 5Ks in Florida and Indianapolis when vacationing or visiting family members.

Her favorite location for a race occurred in February when she and her husband, family members and friends traveled to Monaco to take part in The Monaco Run – Hercules 5K.

The run marked the 50th one Gruber has taken part in over the past year, and it occurred on her 50th birthday.

“We looked for someplace that would be memorable and that had a 5K on my birthday,” Gruber said. “I've never been to Monaco and it seemed like an amazing culmination location.”

On the day of the race, Gruber and her husband, Clark, who has run beside her in most of the 5K races over the past year, were greeted by sunny skies and 55-degree weather.

“The weather was beautiful,” Gruber said. “When the race started, I was overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment. I had to stick to this goal for a full year. I could never had achieved it without my husband, friends and family. It brought tears to my eyes that 6 years ago I was receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer and now I was completing this goal. My friends and family were there with me both times.”

The icing on the cake, though, occurred shortly after the race when Gruber and her husband were receiving their medals.

“An entourage of diplomats walked by in suits with bodyguards,” Gruber said. “Clark recognized the Prince and approached him. Clark shouted that he was from the U.S. and would love to meet the Prince. The Prince stopped. Clark met him and explained that I just completed 50 5ks and it was my birthday.”

Impressed, the Prince asked to speak to Gruber.

“The Prince shook my hand, said congratulations, and happy birthday,” Gruber said. “He shook my hand again and wished us well. I was star-struck.”

Now that she's achieved her goal, Gruber said she still intends to keep on running.

“It is always fun and makes you feel great.”

Does she plan on coming up with another lofty goal?

“I would like to set and accomplish another goal like this in the future,” she said. “At the moment, I'm still deep in the midst of feeling blessed and grateful for completing this goal. I also want to make sure that I focus on supporting others in completing their goals. It meant so much to me that people gave me love and support - I want to make sure that I do that for others.”

Kal-Haven Trail named a Pure Michigan Trail

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

In 2019 South Haven earned the distinction of being named one of the first Pure Michigan Trail Towns in the state – an honor the city received for its connection of land and water-based recreational trails leading to its downtown.

Now South Haven has earned another recreational status symbol with the Kal-Haven Trail being chosen this year as a Pure Michigan Trail.

The 2020 Pure Michigan Trail Towns and Trails were announced recently by officials from the Department of Natural Resources during the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Grand Rapids. Besides the 34-mile Kal-Haven Trail that leads from South Haven to Kalamazoo, the other Pure Michigan Trails chosen this year include the Canada Lakes Pathway and Haywire Grade in Schoolcraft and Alger counties in the Upper Peninsula, while Cheboygan, Orion Township in Oakland County and Reed City in Osceola County were chosen as trail towns.

“With four seasons of trail recreation fun available, Michigan truly is home to a variety of great trails and trail towns,” said Paul Yauk, DNR state trails coordinator. “We are excited to recognize some of the best that provide people with unique trails experiences every time they step outside.”

South Haven tourism officials were pleased with the naming of the Kal-Haven Trail as a Pure Michigan Trail.

“The Kal-Haven is a major recreational trail for our community and really the cornerstone of our community trail assets,” said South Haven Visitors Bureau Executive Director Scott Reinert. “Its heritage as a former South Haven & Kalamazoo Railroad route for 100 years is a key part of South Haven's past.”

Kal-Haven was chosen for several reasons, notably its proximity to a Pure Michigan Trail Town, its scenic bridges, and its designation as a state Heritage Trail because of the interpretive signs that were placed along the recreational path last year. The signs tell the history of the people and towns that once existed near the trail, which one time was used as a railroad bed.

Being designated as a Pure Michigan Trail Town and having a Pure Michigan Trail close by not make a different to some area residents, but it could bolster the town's tourism industry even more.

“We know from research that outdoor recreational opportunities, including land- and water-based trails are very important factor for today's visitors,” Reinert said. “So far, we've leveraged this designation in our advertising efforts including print ads and billboards.” We'll be installing new Trail Town signage and harborwalk signage and featuring our trails in additional marketing including our new Destination Guide and Trail map.”

The Visitors Bureau is also working with area organizations and individuals to create additional canoe and kayak access points along the Black River Heritage Trail and is working with Western Michigan University students to assist in the creation of a comprehensive trails recreation and marketing plan.

“We think all of these efforts will continue to grow the awareness of our area for our trails assets,” Reinert said.



3.2.20

Feeling fatigued

Survey: Majority of Michigan voters worn out from seemingly endless election coverage

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

If you're sick and tired of all of the news coverage and commercials geared toward the upcoming presidential election, you're not alone.

A new survey released this month by Cherry Digital, an Oregon-based public relations and marketing agency, shows that even though the election isn't until November, half of Michigan residents are already suffering from “voter fatigue.”

The public relations firm surveyed 3,000 Michigan voters and found that 51 percent are already worn out by the election coverage.

Much of the coverage is devoted to the Democratic party contenders who hope to unseat Republic President Donald Trump, while Trump turns to Twitter to refute their comments about him.

Some fear what seems like endless debates, ads, polls and mudslinging may cause voters to switch-off from the election cycle, according to Cherry Digital.

However, that doesn't appear to be the case with South Haven area residents.

When the Tribune posted a question on its Facebook page about voter fatigue, responders admitted they're sick of all the election coverage, but they're still focused on casting their ballot in the upcoming Democratic primary, March 10, and the general election in November.

“Nothing will stop me from voting,” Annette Wilson posted. “I just don’t turn on the TV or answer the phone.”

Christine Wagoner posted a similar comment. “I will still vote but I will turn off my TV.”

Laura Fox Quinn also vowed to vote in November, regardless of all the campaigning. “It is our duty, a right and a privilege (to vote),” she posted. “However, I am weary from all the immature sniping of the candidates.”

Phyllis Stehower-McCrossin has already cast her vote. “I've voted absentee,” she said. “Yes, I'm tired of the stupid comments on social media. But voting is a right and privilege.

Other respondents posted their disgruntlement over the presidential campaign, in general.

“Tired of hearing about all the promises they can't deliver,” Robert Scott posted.

Deb Renner Smith said she wishes the political polarization that has come to define America's politics would cease and desist.

“Both political parties need to stop their extreme views and actually have civilized discussions,” she said. “No one accomplishes anything because nobody is listening to each other.”

It turns out that Michigan voters aren't just sick of all the ads, they're also concerned about all of the money being spent on campaigns and the growing length of time candidates spend trying to get elected.

When Cherry Digital asked voters throughout America whether election spending should be capped, 72.8 percent respondent said yes. Fifty-four percent of U.S. voters are in favor of limiting official campaign periods in a similar manner to the United Kingdom which limits official campaigning to five weeks.

The survey also showed that 89 percent of respondents throughout American think politicians these days are “more about spin that substance.” In other words, saying almost anything, so long as it gets them elected. Sixty-six percent of respondents also think social media has played a key role in dividing the nation politically.

“Our research shows there is a clear appetite for change to our election system, whether it be a limit to campaign funds, set election periods or more accountable politicians,” said Andrew Elliston, director at Cherry Digital.

Treasurer's office offers program to help homeowners avoid foreclosure

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

PAW PAW — If you're one of several hundred homeowners in Van Buren County who face the possibility of foreclosure this year due to unpaid property taxes, help is on the way.

The Van Buren County Treasurer's office is offering a hardship extension program in March to give county residents who owe back taxes an opportunity to set up a monthly payment plan to avoid losing their home.

“Our No. 1 goal is preventing tax foreclosure and helping families stay in their homes,” County Treasurer Trisha Nesbitt said.

Homeowners who have fallen behind on paying property taxes for a period of three years or more are subject to foreclosure in the State of Michigan. This year's hardship program is geared toward homeowners who haven't paid their 2017 taxes.

“The Hardship Extension program provides property owners with one additional year to pay off their taxes,” Nesbitt explained. “Under the program, a property owner’s 2017 and 2018 taxes would be due by March 31, 2021. If they are not fully caught up on their 2018 taxes by that date, property owners are welcome to reapply next year. I am happy to work with any property owners who are making a strong effort to get caught up on their back taxes.”

Currently, about 400 county residents' properties are at risk of foreclosure, according to Nesbitt.

Homeowners who would like to take part in the hardship extension program can visit the treasurer's office, 219 E. Paw Paw St., from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Nesbitt also is reaching out to people throughout the county by hosting open houses at various locations in March.

She will be at the Van Buren District Library's Covert branch from 10 a.m. to noon, Thursday, March 5, the Hartford Public Library from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday, March 9, and Van Buren District Library's Bangor branch from 9-10:30 a.m., Friday, March 13.

Homeowners who are seeking assistance must enroll in the program by March 31.

“Property owners have until March 31 to pay their 2017 taxes in full or to enter into a payment plan to avoid foreclosure, which is why I’m holding mobile office hours and making myself and my staff available to help property owners who have fallen behind on their taxes,” Nesbitt said.

SH sewer, water authority plans to save $1.7 million by refinancing bonds

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A governmental authority that oversees municipal water and sewer services in the South Haven area expects to see a boost in revenue this year.

South Haven Area Water and Sewer Authority (SHAWSA) has found it will save nearly $2 million by refinancing bonds that were first issued in 2010.

“We found we could save more money (by refinancing the bonds) because the interest rates are less now than they were then,” said Ross Stein, a member of SHAWSA and supervisor of South Haven Township.

The SHAWSA board is responsible for overseeing the operation of water and sewer services in the City of South Haven and portions of neighboring South Haven and Casco townships.

In 2010 the board's predecessor – South Haven Township and Casco Township Water and Sewage Treatment Authority, issued $17 million in bonds to help fund water and sewer improvements.

The bonds are due to be paid back by 2034, but late last year, the authority's attorney, Roger Swets of Dickinson Wright PLLC, indicated money could be save by refinancing the bonds.

The bond issue still needs to be paid back by 2034, but the authority estimates it will save at least $1.7 million by financing at a lower interest rate.

“Saving $1.7 million over 14 years is a decent set of work,” Stein said.

Whether the savings from refinancing the bonds will be passed to users of the water and sewer system is not known right now..

“I would be hesitant to say anything at this point,” Stein said.

Several months ago, SHAWSA hired a consultant to study its rate structure. Results of the study will be used to determine what rates to charge not only for water and sewer usage, but for water and sewer hookups and other services.

The $1.7 million could also be used to help pay for anticipated expenses that occur at the water and wastewater treatment plants if flooding and erosion problems on the lakeshore continue this year.

SHAWSA anticipates it could spend up to $1 million to mitigate flooding problems at the wastewater sewage treatment plant due to high water levels on Lake Michigan and the Black River over the past year.

Right now when water enters the plant to be treated it flows through treatment stages by gravitational force. But the high water flow is making it more difficult to remove treated water from the plant into the Black River. To deal with the issue, city officials say the way the water flows through the treatment stages at the plant will have to be changed.





2.24.20

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (left) and South Haven Harbormaster and Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier, examine the high water levels on the Black River near the city's drawbridge (shown in the background). Because of the high water levels on the river, the city plans to spend at least $50,000 this spring to raise the bridge motors up 1-2 feet so that the hydraulics system that opens and closes the bridge decks doesn't fail. (Photo by Tom Renner)

Flooding, erosion costs mount in South Haven

Drawbridge motors to be raised this spring

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Will the Dyckman Avenue drawbridge stay up or down this summer?

That's the question on the minds of many South Haven area residents as water levels continue to rise along Lake Michigan and the Black River.

Two motors located below the bridge operate its hydraulic system, which raises and lowers the bridge decks.

But as the water level creeps higher on the river, the motors are at risk of being rendered inoperable.

If that occurs, city officials would be faced with deciding whether to leave the bridge in an up or down position this summer. Up means boats could pass through, but motorists would have to find alternative routes to come or go from the northside. A down position would allow motorists to cross the bridge, but trap an estimated 900 boats north of the bridge from reaching Lake Michigan.

City officials don't want to be put in the dilemma of choosing whether the bridge should stay up or down this summer.

Instead they're planning to shell out at least $50,000 this spring to raise the bridge's motors.

“The bridge is going to work,” said Department of Public Works Director Bill Hunter. “I'm working with a mechanical contractor and we're getting a price to raise the motors.”

The DPW has budgeted $50,000 so far for the project, but the cost could be higher.

“We're still working on the details,” Hunter said.

Once the details have been hammered out, Hunter estimates the motors to be lifted sometime in April, but cautioned it might occur in May, depending on the availability of mechanical and electrical contractors to do the work.

Luckily, it won't take long to raise the motors, according to Hunter.

“It (the bridge) will probably be out of service, but not a long time period. I don't think it will take more than a few days,” he said.

Raising the drawbridge motors isn't the only expense the city is facing this year due to erosion and flooding along the lakeshore and Black River.

Earlier this week, City Council members voted to shell out $30,000 to purchase a “Tiger Dam” system to control flooding that is occurring at Ellen Avery Park. The park and its parking lot are located at the southern end of North Shore Drive.

The Tiger Dam system consists of long, flexible plastic tubes that can be joined end to end and filled with water. Once filled, the tubes form a barrier to protect property and buildings before flooding takes place.

Later this year, after the summer season ends, the city plans to install a Tiger Dam system along South Beach to protect the beach, parking lot, and especially the water plant from flooding.

“The one at the beach will be put up late September and then stay up during the winter months,” Hunter said. “That's when we'll have most of our high winds.”

One of the biggest anticipated high-water related costs the city anticipates spending this year will be at the wastewater treatment plant.

“The treatment plant is the big one. That's high priority,” Hunter said.

The flow has increased 300,000 gallons per day, due to flooding and high water levels. When water enters the plant to be treated it flows through treatment stages by gravitational force. But the higher water flow is making it more difficult to remove treated water from the plant and into the Black River.

Hunter estimates it would cost $1 million to change the way water flows through the treatment stages of the plant and into the river. Right now, that money isn't budgeted, but the problem needs to be addressed, he said.

“The drawback is if you don't do it you're going to have sanitary sewer overflows,” he said. “This is a system-wide problem.”

City officials hope that some financial help for high-water related infrastructure upgrades can come from the state or federal government.

On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow visited South Haven to see first-hand the damage caused from erosion and flooding over the past year along the lakeshore and riverfront.

They spent part of the afternoon touring the Southside Marina, which may not be able to open this year due flooding of its docks; the South and North piers; South Beach, which lost most of its sand last year; and Monroe Boulevard bluff and Evergreen Bluff, where significant erosion is occurring.

They also heard the high dollar costs facing the city because of Lake Michigan's record-high water level, a level expected to rise 8 more inches this year.

Officials estimate that the city could potential spent from $10 million to $19,000 to address flooding and erosion that is impacting roadways, marinas, the water and wastewater treatment plants, bluffs and beaches.

PHOTO: U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow listens, Thursday, as South Haven Mayor Scott Smith points out the damage that Lake Michigan's record-high water levels have  created at South Beach and the bluffs south of the beach. Much of the beach has washed away over the past year and homes that are located near the bluffs are threatened by erosion. (Photo by Becky Kark)




2.17.20

Hearts for Hospice

The staff at Caring Circle Hospice in South Haven were surprised, last week, by the delivery of 60 heart balloons and 20 boxes of chocolate donated through the passion of store staff and generosity of customers of Family Dollar of South Haven. In celebration of Valentine's Day, Caring Circle staff delivered the balloons and chocolates to its patients, while the South Haven Garden Club included some of the balloons in their weekly flower arrangements for hospice patients. Shown in the photo are Cory Knuth of Family Dollar and Angela LaBarca of Caring Circle.

2 men arrested on drug-related charges

COVERT TWP. — Two Covert Township men face a number of drug-related charges after police found heroin in their vehicle last week.

Their arrest follows an investigation into the sale and distribution of heroin in the City of South Haven, South Haven Township and Covert Township, according to Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott.

While sheriff's detectives were conducting surveillance, Tuesday, on the vehicle driven by the 56-year-old suspect they asked South Haven Police to bring their K-9 team to the location of the vehicle.

At 3:10 p.m. investigators stopped the vehicle in the 24000 block of M-1140 Highway in Covert Township. In searching the vehicle they found four bundles of suspected heroin.

Both the 56-year-old driver and a 38-year-old passenger were arrested.

The vehicle's driver was arrested for possession of heroin and violating parole, while the passenger was arrested for possession with intent to deliver heroin and an outstanding warrant.

After the two men's arrest, sheriff's department detectives and South Haven Police obtained a search warrant for the 56-year-old man's residents in the 76000 block of 30^th Avenue in Covert Township. No information was given on whether more drugs were found in the home or not.

The drug-related incident is being forwarded to the Van Buren County Prosecutor's office for review.



Scaling back

VB commissioners consider less expensive construction plans for courthouse complex

By ROD SMITH

For the Tribune

PAW PAW — Van Buren County commissioners are revisiting a smaller, cheaper building plan compared to a larger, expensive construction project voters rejected three years ago.

Commissioners Tuesday informally directed County Administrator John Faul to contact Kalamazoo-based architectural firm DLZ to update designs and develop time lines to build a new courthouse on the south side of the present complex in downtown Paw Paw. DLZ came up with the original design.

After Tuesday's discussion in which commissioners cut some things out of the project, Faul said the South Haven courthouse, historic courthouse and administration buildings would all stay. Most personnel and offices would also stay put.

One exception is the old sheriff's quarters, which will be torn down to make room for the new structure.

"They'll have to make accommodations for the displaced people." Faul said. Right now the building houses offices and trustee quarters.

The goal is to enhance functionality in the 120-year-old courthouse as well as create a safer environment for the public and law enforcement personnel transporting inmates to court.

The courthouse also has problems complying with Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.

"Especially getting services out off basements," Faul said.

Commissioners are considering a millage request during the November election. The reduced project is projected to run roughly $21 million.

In 2017, voters rejected a $32 million bond by more than a two-to-one margin The proposal consisted of a jail addition, a court building and renovation of buildings in the courthouse square. The proposal was 0.7-mill for 20 years.

In other matters, commissioners set a public hearing for their Feb. 25  meeting for a $100,000 Michigan Site Readiness Grant  to plan for the development of an 85-acre industrial site in the village of Mattawan.

"Mattawan is contributing money as well," said Zachary Morris, executive director of Market Van Buren, a subsidiary of Kinexus Group of Benton Harbor.

The property is located southwest of the Interstate 94 Mattawan exit. The northern portion is the former Formula K recreation park. The entire property is owned by the same person, according to Morris.

"Adjacent to the 85-acre site is the county’s largest employer, Charles River Laboratories (formerly MPI Research), with 1,700 employees," according to the grant application. "Charles River Laboratories acquired MPI Research as part of a dynamic corporate acquisition strategy and has set forth an aggressive 10-year growth plan for its Mattawan operating unit. This plan includes the addition of 3,000 jobs and an increase in facilities by one million square feet, resulting in expected revenue growth up to one billion dollars."

"With this grant," it continued, "Mattawan and Market Van Buren can better position the adjacent 85acres to build on this planned growth. Charles River Laboratories’ projected growth, in conjunction with the development of the county-wide Economic Development Improvement Plan, presents a clear opportunity to develop the 85-acre site. The goal is to attract similar life sciences companies who may be suppliers, complementary businesses, and spin-off companies. By designing and marketing the 85-acre park for synergistic businesses, economies of scale become evident via industry clustering and an ever-increasing location quotient for similar industries."

In other matters, commissioners approved an agreement to allow the reality show LivePD to ride with Van Buren County sheriff's deputies and film their activities, contracted with Grand Rapids-based Andy J. Egan Company to install a new HVAC system for jail cells 3-9 for $415,000, and pledged $5,000 toward a federal TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Grant application to study connecting the Amtrak track that goes through Bangor and New Buffalo to the east-west track that goes through New Buffalo but does not connect until Chicago.



2.10.20

Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown host Josh Gates visited South Haven last year to investigate the disappearance of Northwest Airlines Flight 2501 which vanished over Lake Michigan 70 years ago. While in the area, he stopped at the Michigan Flywheelers Museum where he spent the afternoon at the museum’s antique engine and tractor show. In the photo above Gates is in the Flywheelers sawmill learning to cut a log into lumber.

Expedition Unknown features Lake Michigan plane disappearance

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

Set your DVRs for 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 as Discovery Channel Expedition Unknown’s host Josh Gates explores one of Lake Michigan’s greatest mysteries - the disappearance of Northwest Airlines Flight 2501. The three-hour episode is called “The Vanished Airliner.”

Gates and his film crew came to South Haven late last summer to learn more about the airplane which vanished without a trace on the night of June 23, 1950. The DC-4 prop plane was carrying 55 passengers and a three-person crew. As they approached Lake Michigan around midnight, a powerful line of squalls loomed ahead causing three other westbound flights to turn around. Near Benton Harbor, the pilot requested to lower the plane's attitude but was denied. That was the last transmission received.

The U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board concluded later the ill-fated flight was the deadliest commercial airliner accident in American history.

The initial search focused near Milwaukee but after search parties discovered blankets with the Northwest logo, cushions and human remains 10 miles offshore from South Haven, they realized they had been searching in the wrong place.

Intrigued with the ongoing mystery surrounding the disappearance of the plane, Gates came to South Haven last August for the filming of the show and met up with Holland author Valerie van Heest of Michigan Shipwreck Research Association (MSRA), who wrote the book “Fatal Crossing” about the group's efforts to locate the remains of the plane.

“Josh was fascinated to learn that 70 years after the accident, the wreckage still had not been found,” said van Heest, “and that the story was not well known.” For the filming of the show, Gates, van Heest, and the MSRA team set out to continue the hunt using state-of-the-art equipment.

Viewers will recognize a variety of local West Michigan locations where the episode was shot including South Haven’s south beach, its downtown, and Lakeview Cemetery.

Gates even spent an afternoon filming at the Michigan Flywheelers Museum’s antique engine and tractor show where he learned how to cut a log into lumber, drove an antique tractor and rode on an old steam traction engine.  In addition, scenes were filmed in a West Michigan dinner, at the Grand Rapids office of the National Weather Service, and on and under Lake Michigan. The Michigan Maritime Museum’s vintage U.S. Coast Guard craft “USCG 36460” also makes an appearance in a re-enactment.

“The crew of more than a dozen producers, camera and audio personnel was here for just over a week,” said van Heest. “Filming was grueling, but fun. We often started at 3 a.m. and wrapped after 9 p.m.”  Josh Gates, she noted, does more than appear in the show as its host. He also produces, directs, and help edits the show. “He’s not just a pretty face,” she joked.

MSRA began its search for the lost airliner in 2004 after MSRA board member Craig Rich wrote a newspaper article about the loss, renewing local interest. That caught the attention of author Clive Cussler for an expedition he funded. They soon realized finding the plane would be no small task. Their search grid spanned an area of 600 square miles off Southwest Michigan. Each spring since then, the explorers used a side-scan sonar and magnetometer to comb the lake bottom for signs of the wreckage. Instead they found 10 historic shipwrecks.

But MSRA hasn't given up on locating the plane.

Since 2017, the group has worked independently continuing the search. Gates and his show have now brought added incentive, according to van Heest.

“We really worked hard to cover more ground while the production team was here,” she said.  The team also worked with the Michigan State Police Underwater Recovery Unit from Lansing, who also appear in the show. They used their Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) in the search, further expanding the coverage area. “That led to some excitement on the lake” she reported, although she is banned from discussing any discoveries until the show airs.



2.4.20

Rep. Beth Griffin participates in a roundtable addressing Lake Michigan’s record high water levels and soil erosion.

State lawmakers weigh in on shoreline erosion

By TRIBUNE STAFF

Two state legislators who represent Van Buren and Allegan county have joined other lawmakers to to address shoreline soil erosion along Lake Michigan, due to record-high water levels.

Both Rep. Beth Griffin, R-Mattawan, and Mary Whiteford, R-Casco Township, say they are committed to finding a solution for this crisis and was one of several lawmakers to urge Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to declare a state of emergency along the entire Lake Michigan shoreline in a letter sent in December 2019.

“People’s homes and businesses have been damaged and they want answers for what’s going to happen next,” Whiteford said. “I don’t blame them. They deserve to know their properties are going to be taken care of and that we as lawmakers are doing all we can moving forward.”

“Our communities have faced significant damage from these high water levels,” Griffin said. “It’s so important we stay proactive and work together to limit the destruction caused by erosion in the future.”

Both legislators are considering a plan that would allow people to immediately begin the process of protecting their property without having to obtain an individual permit, which could happen if the governor declares a state of emergency along the shoreline.

The plan also could include ensuring a homeowner’s property taxes would not increase based on those improvements, as the work would be considered maintenance and not an improvement.

Along with making the permitting process easier, Whiteford is considering a resolution written by a colleague calling on Canada to stop redirecting water into the Great Lakes.

“We must work together for the people of Michigan and do whatever we can to let them know we are in this with them,” Whiteford said.

 “I am committed to looking at all of the options to assist our families and business owners,” Griffin said. “My colleagues and I are not taking this issue lightly – we are considering all options to help our communities as we focus on the next steps.”

Van Buren voters to decide special education millage

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

LAWRENCE — When Van Buren County voters head to the polls March 10, they'll not only be choosing a Democratic presidential candidate, but deciding whether to making $8.5 million worth of renovations to the Bert Goens Learning Center and increase special education funding to area school districts.

The five-year .9 mill tax levy is being proposed by the Van Buren Intermediate School District, which provides special education programs for developmentally disabled students at the Bern Goens Center and additional services to school districts throughout the county.

If approved, the millage would generate an additional $3.7 million annually. Of that amount, $1.7 million will pay for renovations to the Bert Goens building, while the remaining $2 million would go to area school districts to help offset what they shell out for special education costs.

“Special education is very expensive,” said Jeff Mills, superintendent of the intermediate school district (ISD).

Currently, the 11 school districts in Van Buren County served by the ISD. spend $11.2 million annually on special education-related expenses. The state reimburses the combined districts $3 million, while the ISD contributes an additional $1 million.

If voters say yes to the millage request, the ISD's reimbursement to the 11 school districts would increase by $2 million.

“The state doesn't reimburse school districts fully,” Mills said. “They (school district officials) were saying we have a lot of expenses we're not being reimbursed for.”

Right now the ISD's reimbursement to each school district for its special education programs is 12 percent of their total costs. Approval of the millage would increase that figure to 36 percent.

While a portion of the proposed millage would go toward providing more special education funds to school districts in the county, the bulk of the money would go toward upgrading the Bert Goens Learning Center, which deals with students who have greater needs than special education students in regular classroom settings.

The center was originally built in 1976 and has been added onto twice, once in 1986 and then in 2000. But much of its infrastructure is 44 years old and needs to be replaced, according to Mills.

Owen-Ames-Kimball Co., a Grand-Rapids based construction company, was hired in 2018 by the ISD to assess the condition of the Bert Goens facility. Their findings led the ISD board last December to put the millage request on the March 10 ballot.

If approved, the millage would be used to pay for a new heating and cooling system, new flooring in classrooms, repaving of parking lots, new doors and ceiling tiles, remodeling of the adjoining Special Services facility and upgrades to the ISD's Behavioral Learning Center in Bangor.

The ISD currently levies 3.3 mills for special education. This year marks the first time since 1989 that the ISD has sought additional millage.

If the .9-mill proposal passes, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay an additional $45 annually in property taxes.



'Live PD' show to feature VB sheriff's department regularly

By ROD SMITH

For the Tribune

PAW PAW — When you see a Van Buren County sheriff's patrol car, smile.

You might be on national television.

Sheriff Daniel Abbott Tuesday proposed an agreement between the county and New York City-based Big Fish Entertainment, which produces the A&E network show "Live PD," for a year-long contact in which people from the show will ride with Van Buren County deputies and record what they do.

"Maybe people will behave better," suggested Commissioner Paul Schincariol with Commissioner Don Hanson adding people might be scared straight.

The sheriff said the proposal came about as a result of an incident in which the show's producers heard that Abbott had taken part in the pursuit and apprehension of a suspect who had allegedly committed arson, domestic violence and felonious assault. Abbott said he had taken part in that incident because of his policy of being a "hands-on" sheriff. It was all caught on video.

He was interviewed for the show Dec. 11 but the segment has not yet appeared. But during it, according to Abbott, the producers were impressed with the professionalism of the Van Buren County Sheriff's Department and the producers did some research. "We had good reviews," Abbott said.

The producers came back to Abbott with a contract to televise what deputies are doing. Tuesday Abbott brought that to county commissioners, who expressed interest. After the informal approval this week, they'll consider formal final approval in two weeks.

According to the contract language, "Live PD" gives viewers a look at law enforcement. Two-or-three member camera crews ride along with police officers recording what they do.

The producers stated in their proposal, "In Paw Paw, Michigan, we propose embedding with the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office (VBCSO) on 'ride alongs' to capture the 'real-time' perspective and diversity within the department and the city. The story will be told through the 'almost live' experiences on patrol. In addition to the 'almost live' content, episodes will feature pre-taped packages that will further showcase the officers, the work, the locations and the departments.

"The 'almost live' aspect will be on a 10-25 minute time delay,” The proposal went on to state. “This delay will allow us to eliminate or blur sensitive material and address any legal concerns prior to broadcast. A department representative will have access to the broadcast control room on location to ensure the standards of content and safety protocols on behalf of the officers, the department, and the city."

The proposal is not a partnership or employment agreement and there's no mention of remuneration. But the company will carry insurance and defend the county against all claims and liabilities arising from the show, except in the case of willful misconduct.

"Except if required by law," the contract said, "VBCSO shall at all times keep the terms of this agreement confidential."

Despite the fact it's a year-long contract, Abbot said the county can pull out at any time.

After commissioners gave their initial approval Tuesday, Commissioner Randall Peat called out, "Make us proud, Dan."

"I'm trying," Abbott said.







1.27.20

Alan and Catina Quinn are shown at their daughter Destiny's high school graduation. Front row from left are the couple's children Ash, Anakin and Collin. In the back are Alan, Destiny, Catina and Nolan.

Rallying for Alan

34-year-old husband and father of 5 suffers paralyzing stroke

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

When Catina Quinn’s husband, Alan, 34, called her from work New Year's Eve and said he had some numbness and tingling on his left side, she never would have dreamed that the next 24 hours would change their lives forever.

Alan suffered a massive brain stem stroke that left him with a rare neurological disorder called Locked-in Syndrome. The disorder results in complete paralysis of all voluntary muscles except for the ones that control the movement of the eyes. Individuals with the syndrome are conscious and awake but have no ability to produce movements (outside of eye movements) or to speak. It is caused by damage to the pons - a part of the brainstem that contains nerve fibers that relay information to other areas of the brain.

“He got home around 7:38 p.m and went right to our bedroom and laid down,” Catina recalled. “I went in to check on him and he said he had a headache and wanted to just lay down for a bit. He asked for Excedrin and again was asked if he would go to the hospital. He said no, it was just a headache and it felt like it was due to a kink in his neck.”

Alan was completely coherent. No one even considered the possibility of a stroke.

But, it was.

It was after midnight when things changed for Alan. He was found unresponsive and having a seizure. While waiting for the ambulance, a lot of prayers were said.

“When the ambulance arrived, they took us to Bronson in Kalamazoo where they told us the devastating news that Alan had suffered a stoke due to a blood clot,” Catina said.

There is no cure or specific treatments for locked-in syndrome, according to the National Institutes of Health. While partial recovery of muscle control is possible, it is somewhat dependent on the cause.Speech therapists can help people with locked-in syndrome communicate more clearly with eye movements and blinking. However, electronic communication devices, including patient-computer interfaces such as infrared eye movement sensors and computer voice prosthetics, are allowing people with locked-in syndrome to communicate more freely and have access to the internet.Motorized wheelchairs have also increased independence.

“I worked in the health field for 15 years and had never heard of Locked-in Syndrome,” Catina said. “Only 1 percent of stroke patients end up with it.”

Born and raised in South Haven, Alan worked as a security guard at Palisades Nuclear Power Plant. The father of five is the sole provider for the family, and while he has health insurance for now to cover the medical bills, the family is having a hard time meeting household expenses as well as the added incidental expenses like gas used for traveling back and forth to the hospital.

“This will be a long process developing a new life,” wrote Catina’s sister Stephanie Barbosa who started a GoFundMe page for the family. “Alan and Catina are reluctant to ask for help, so I am doing it on their behalf. As you can imagine this has been a huge shock and it has put a heavy financial burden on this family. We are asking for help to cover the cost of their mortgage and any other unforeseen expenses that will arise. No matter what the next course of action is Alan and Catina will continue to rely on God for their source of comfort and strength as they adjust to a life that looks very different.”

Monetary support has been pouring in, As of Wednesday, the fund had raised more than $15,000.

“Alan is a friend and coworker of mine,” wrote Danny, who donated. “ As a fellow veteran, we have to stick together in trying times, giving love and support to those who have sacrificed so much to be there by our sides like his family has been for him. Get well soon, brother.”

Alan, a Iraq veteran, is now at Chicago’s Shirley Ryan AbilityLab - a nationally ranked physical medicine and rehabilitation research hospital, which has worked with patients who have Locked-in Syndrome.

His wife is spending as much time as she can at the hospital and is relying heavily on her family to keep the couple's children's schedule as normal as possible.

“The kids are doing great at the moment but miss their daddy dearly,” she said. The children have been up to the hospital a handful of times, she added, and the couple’s oldest daughter has moved back home to care for her siblings while mom is with dad. Catina is relying heavily on her faith which she said has kept her going.

“When people ask what they can do to help, my response is 'just pray,'” she said. “There is nothing more powerful than prayer.”

To help the family, visit gf.me/v/c/5dt/alan-quinn-lis-lockedin-syndrome



South Haven city officials accept grant for dock while eyeing high water levels

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Use it or lose it.

That's the conundrum South Haven City Council members faced earlier this week in deciding whether to accept a grant to help pay for a new ADA-accessible small watercraft dock on the Black River.

Normally, city officials are happy to receive federal and state grants for recreational improvements, but they were a little wary about accepting the latest one.

The reason? Record-high water levels on both Lake Michigan and the city's harbor.

“The Harbor Commission has noted increasing anxiety and concern about the overall state of boating in our harbor due to high waters,” City Manager Brian Dissette said. “The commission has expressed growing concern over any capital outlay tied to marinas or harbor expenses. This is likely the last capital improvement project that I bring to council for a number of months while we see what happens with the high water levels.”

It was over a year ago that city council gave the nod for staff to apply for a $35,000 Coastal Management Program grant toward development and construction of a $70,000 dinghy dock at the west side of Dyckman Bridge, with the understanding the city's marina fund would pay the other half.

There is an ADA-accessible pier and kayak launch at Black River Park, which is upriver from the drawbridge, but over the years there has been an increasing number of dinghys, kayaks and standup paddle boards on the river.

“Ten years ago we had citizens come forward to place a floating pier underneath the bascule bridge close to Capt. Lou's,” Dissette said.

But the dock fell into disrepair and was deemed not to be in the best location.

Michigan's Coastal Management Program officials approved the $35,000 grant a couple of months ago, but on Monday, the city council had to decide whether to accept the grant.

In the end they did.

“If we don't approve the resolution it is unlikely they will grant any extensions,” Dissette said.

“This is one more tool to have more mobility (for watercraft using the river),” Harbormaster and Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier said. “Even though there are high water concerns, this is something we have been planning for several years. The other one (portable dock that was on the other side of the bridge) is unusable. It's just the timing is pretty bad.”



1.20.20

While contractors get ready to pour the cement street and curbs and gutters on Center Street in downtown South Haven, South Haven Center, a new $3.8 million, three-story mixed-use development in downtown South Haven has opened it doors. The building contains 2,500 square feet of retail space on the first floor and 18 market-rate apartments on the upper floors. Several of the apartments have already been leased.

New apartment/retail complex opens in

South Haven

First one to locate downtown in more than two decades

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

For more than a decade, a piece of property in the heart of the city's central business district sat vacant; the historic church that once dominated the site was condemned in 2007 and finally torn down.

But new life has taken over the .3-acre lot in the form of a brand new $3.8 million, three-story mixed-use building.

Situated at the corner of Huron and Center streets, South Haven Center is now open. The brick and steel structure took more than a year to build and contains 2,500-square-feet of retail space on the first floor and 18 market-rate apartments on the upper floors.

Each of the one- and two-bedroom living spaces has balconies that overlook either Center Street or the city's downtown pavilion and Dyckman Park.

“I don't know of anyplace like this in South Haven, South Haven Center apartment manager Marie Mielke said. “There's not too many places where you have a view of the downtown like this.”

The opening of South Haven Center marks the first time in a couple of decades that new apartments have been constructed in the city's downtown. The Dockside Apartment complex on Williams Street, constructed in the 1990s, were the last ones to be built.

City officials are welcoming the new apartments, downtown, as well as 18 new ones proposed to be built by developer Randy Locker.

According to a study prepared last year by Community Research Services of St. Johns, there is a need for 60 market-rate apartments, in the vicinity of downtown, and an additional 30 to 40 non-subsidized senior apartment units.

South Haven Center already has tenants, Mielke said. “We have had tenants from the day we opened.

I have shown the apartments many times.”

Each apartment contains stainless steel appliances, washer and dryer, one to two bathrooms, and large windows. Each tenant can utilize an assigned parking space for their car and there's a room on the first floor for bike storage. Tenants can also have up to two dogs. Apartments range in size from 630 to 975 square feet and cost from $1,400 to $1,850 per month to lease.

To help make the mixed-use complex a reality, South Haven city officials granted a 10-year tax abatement to developer Matthew O'Connor, owner of South Haven Center LLC. The abatement will result in a savings of $646,672 over the next decade for South Haven Center, according to city officials.

Under Michigan Public Act 210, a municipality can create a commercial rehabilitation district that would freeze the taxable value of a property at pre-project levels for up to 10 years. In other words, the developer would only pay taxes on the property itself, not the improvements that are made. However,the improvements would still be subject to school operating taxes.

Bangor officials unveil new council chamber

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

BANGOR — An open house will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21 to show off the city’s recently renovated city council chamber.

Thanks to funding from the Downtown Development Authority, the city has been able to renovate and enlarge the antiquated meeting room at city hall.

“The DDA had told us they would be willing to do a project for the hall and we had been wanting to remove a wall and expand the council chambers,” City Manager Regina Hoover explained.

For years, meetings were held in one room at city hall that had limited public seating. By knocking out an existing wall in an adjoining room, city officials were able to double the size of the council chamber.

“The rooms were old and antiquated,” explained Thad Earl, DDA chairperson. “The other room wasn’t used basically because it was in terrible condition and the wiring was bad. Personally, I thought the rooms were dangerous because of the wiring.”

The remodel, according to Hoover, includes new flooring, windows, exterior siding, LED lighting, paint, a Smart TV that is used for presentations, interior doors and a new council desk resulting in about a $35,000 price tag. The remodel also included adding exterior gooseneck lights and siding.

“Our council room looks amazing,” wrote Darren Williams, city mayor, on the city’s Facebook page. “Thank you to DDA for the new council room. I won’t only feel like the mayor but like a king!”

Contracts for the remodel were held with Midway Electric, Ray Kenyon, Monroe Miller and Overalls, said Hoover.

“It was a good project for the DDA, ” Earl said. “It makes it easier for the public to access services.”



1.13.20

Clementine's settles with feds over wage dispute

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Two popular Southwest Michigan restaurants and their owner say they have reached a settlement with a federal agency that accused them of short-changing pay for some of their employees.

Clementine’s Saloon in South Haven, Clementine’s Too in St. Joseph and owner Al Ruppert plan to reimburse employees a total of $36,000 in back pay and damages assessed by the U.S. Department of Labor.

“Clementine’s appreciates its employees, treats them fairly and believes that it fully has complied with the law,” the company posted on its Facebook site. “We disputed and vigorously defended ourselves against what we believe were unfounded charges by the U.S. Department of Labor. However, for business reasons, in order to avoid protracted and costly litigation, the company decided to enter into a modest settlement agreement.”

“We decided to accept the settlement. We want it to be over,” said Clementine’s General Manager Sue Frederick.

A judgment settlement over a lawsuit filed by the Department of Labor against Clementine’s was entered Monday, Jan. 6, in U.S. Sixth District Court. The judge in the case signed the consent agreement on Thursday, according to Scott Allen, the U.S. Department of Labor’s regional director for public affairs and media relations.

The lawsuit said Clementine’s violated the federal Fair Labor Standards Act by not classifying some of its workers as minimum wage employees, but rather as ones who receive a combination of wages and tips.

The Department of Labor said Clementine’s should have classified its expediter staff in the same wage category as kitchen staff. Instead, the two restaurants put expediters in the same classification as servers and bartenders, who receive a combination of hourly wages and tips.

The Department of Labor began investigating the restaurants’ wage practices in November 2018 and presented their findings in May 2019, according to Frederick. The investigation involved an examination of wages paid to employees between 2016 and 2018.

Frederick said the restaurant did not purposely mean to violate federal labor laws involving restaurant worker wages.

South Haven stremlines livestock permit process

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Two years ago, Edgeworks owners Chuck and Debbie Beatty thought it would be a great idea to let four of their Boer goats graze on property the couple owns in the city's business park.

The couple — unabashed goat lovers — reasoned that bringing the the animals to work would help keep their grandchildren occupied while grandma and grandpa worked at the shop.

But gaining the city's OK was another story.

First, the Beattys had to apply for a livestock permit from city officials. Then they had to get the Van Buren/Cass Health Department's blessing. Finally, the city council had to decide whether to allow the goats. The couple's diligence, however, paid off.

“They were over the moon the council approved it,” City Manager Brian Dissette recalled.

The Beattys aren't the only city residents who want to own livestock on their property.

“The City Council has received an increasing number of requests to keep non-traditional

animals on residential properties,” Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier said. “The current ordinance requires a recommendation from the county health department officer in order for the city council to approve an application for livestock.”

But the health department no longer has staff available to conduct the reviews.

“For the past couple of years, the health department has said, 'we cannot review them. We don't have the staff,” Dissette said.

As a result, livestock permits have been basically put on hold.

But it looks like that will change.

Council members, Monday, voted to amend the city's livestock ordinance to streamline the process of gaining a permit to own such outdoor animals as domestic rabbits, pigeons, chickens, potbelly pigs, goats, even honeybees.

City staff and the planning commission, for the past several months, have been examining livestock ordinances from other cities in Michigan, Hosier explained. Proposed amendments were then drafted for the planning commission to review and forward to the city council.

The updated ordinance gets rid of some of the steps people had to take to get a permit. Applications no longer have to be reviewed by the city council and the health department. Rather, city staff will have the authority to approve or deny permits. The amended ordinance also stipulates how many of each kind of livestock people can have, how much space they need to allocate for their animals and how to properly care for them. Livestock owners who violate provisions of the ordinance can be prosecuted.

“This is a way for us to better enforce (livestock ownership within city limits). I think it's time to put it on the books,” Mayor Scott Smith said.

Some people, however, aren't for having any livestock in town. Period. And they voiced their opinions during a public hearing Monday.

“What this is proposing is to allow animals not commonly kept within your house,” said Mary Lynn Bugge. “They have excrement and make noise...I think it's lovely to visit farms but I chose to live in an area that has properties close together. If I wanted to live next to a farm I would.”

Bugge and another resident, Pat Gaston, also questioned whether violators of the ordinance would be properly dealt with.

We put regulations out there but don't seem to have the personnel to monitor and enforce this,” Gaston said.

A third resident, Joe Wilkins, said allowing livestock in his neighborhood could potentially bring down property values if people were actually trying to raise livestock, versus owning them as pets.

But other residents said they have no problem with the city having a livestock ordinance.

“I'm in favor of this ordinance,” said Danielle Veenstra. “I lived in Grand Rapids years ago. There was a huge controversy over people having chickens. Most neighbors were not even aware someone had chickens.”

Council member Chris Campbell commented that a friend he knows owns a duck.

“My daughter loves ducks. Give her a puppy, she doesn't care,” he said.







1.6.20

Brian deBest of deBest Inc. in South Haven stands behind several of the huge limestone boulders his company is using for erosion-control projects up and down the Lake Michigan shoreline. The boulders pictured above were used earlier this month to provide further protection for a home on Monroe Boulevard in South Haven. (Photo by Tom Renner)

Epic battle against nature

South Haven homeowner does what it takes to protect his property

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A decade ago, South Haven Township homeowner Mark Odland paid for construction of a large revetment wall to protect his lakefront property and beach from erosion.

It seemed indestructible at the time.

“We used a product called Redi Rock,” Odland said. “Huge concrete blocks...weighing more than a ton each were placed one at a time on a foundation 15 feet below sea level and built up one layer at a time. The wall was built up to a height of between 6-8 feet above the shore, and huge boulders were placed in front of the wall upon completion.”

The Odlands loved their lakefront home on 77^th Street with its 175 feet of beach. That is until this fall when high waves and strong winds, fueled by the near-record water levels on Lake Michigan eroded the revetment and took away the Odland's beach.

“Day after day of prevailing northwest to north winds caused the lake to surge and waves began to breach the north side of the wall...thus causing significant erosion on the neighboring property and erosion behind our wall,” Odland said. “With those storms came huge amounts of floating debris including trees, logs, docks, boats, decks, etc., all causing additional damage.”

The damage caused by high water levels on Lake Michigan is all too familiar to Brian deBest, owner of deBest Inc. in South Haven.

For the past 20 years, deBest's landscaping firm has built revetments. But because of the high water levels on Lake Michigan this year, they've had to come up with more creative ways to complete their erosion-control structures.

In the case of the Odland home, deBest had to use large excavating equipment and an amphibious dump truck to unload huge boulders, and sand and clay that will comprise the outer portion of the current revetment. The boulders will line the entire length of the existing wall, which will then be raised in height to prevent waves from breaching the top of it.

The boulders, each weighing from 1-5 tons, came from a mine in Wisconsin and were shipped by barge for deBest's erosion control projects.

“The boulders seem to work much better than other materials taking the energy out from the wave action,” deBest said.

DeBest is using the massive, large boulders for other erosion control projects, as well.

“We currently have 17 projects similar to the Odland's currently in process,” deBest said. “We are working from the Fennville area to as far south as New Buffalo.”

The erosion-control measures lakeshore property owners are undertaking can come with a hefty price tag.

Odland said the erosion control measures he's taken to protect his property will cost approximately $150,000. He also had to work with an environmental engineer and obtain permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy to proceed with the project.

“It will cost more than what we had planned to spend, but less than what would happen if we failed to take this action,” Odland said in an interview with the Palladium on Monday. “On the north side of our property immediately next to the adjoining neighbor, we lost between 30-40 feet of our property. It (erosion) would have threatened our home had we failed to take action.  It is threatening the property next door where no protection was placed.”

Some people have been critical of lakefront property owners these days, saying they never should have purchased homes and beachfront land so close to Lake Michigan and that the measures some utilize to protect their land from erosion don't work.

“Even though we are the landowners and even though we are paying significant taxes on lots that are underwater, we consider ourselves caretakers of this wonderful lakefront doing what we can to preserve it for the generations that will follow.

“The school of thought that suggests we shouldn’t do anything to protect our property is not one that we believe in...Remember when tires, car bodies, wheels, concrete slabs, tree stumps, 55-gallon drums filled with concrete, engine blocks and other garbage was dumped on the bluffs and used for shoreline erosion protection in the '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s?  How did that work out?  Much of it litters our shore today south of South Haven.”



12.30.19

Nic Sheppard, a sophomore at South Haven High School, is shown with his Formula Ford race car.

Hip surgery fails to

keep racer from getting behind the wheel to

win awards

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

South Haven High School sophomore Nic Sheppard has added one more title to his racing resume.

The Gobles teen, who has been whipping around the race track since he was kindergarten-age, racked up enough points this past racing season to be named “2019 Great Lakes SCCA Divisional Points Champion.”

Competing in the Formula F class, Sheppard started in the kart class earning plenty of trophies, ribbons and checkered flags.

"I started racing karts when I was 5 years old,” said the 16-year-old son of Dale and Julie Sheppard. “I had a very successful career in karting. I've been racing in Formula F for two years now.”

Formally known as Formula Ford, Formula F is an entry-level class of single seat, open wheeled race cars. Traditionally regarded as the first major stepping stone into formula racing after karting, Formula F is an important step for many Formula One drivers, according to racer.com.

With a total 36 victories, including three national and seven regional ones, Sheppard has raced on tracks in multiple states, from Wisconsin to Florida, and is well on to his dream of becoming a professional driver - even after a major health setback.

“My season was shortened last year due to needing to age in,” he explained. “Being the youngest on the track, there is a sense of pressure and I really need to prove myself. Earlier this year I had surgery on my hip which I had to recover from, and it had delayed my racing season practices and start. My first races were done with me on crutches and no weight bearing. When I had recovered from the hip surgery, I continued on in the season to win seven races and the Great Lakes Championship.”

Sheppard is the first to admit that he couldn’t have accomplished as much as he has without support from his mother, his father and his two brothers.

“This all truly means a lot to me and hopefully we will continue to have successful years in the future,” Sheppard said. “It's a thrill and adrenaline rush to win a race, and this championship win was especially rewarding. I know I could never get to this point without my father, my family, school support system and my wonderful sponsors.”

The SCCA Great Lakes awards banquet will be held in March.



12.23.19

South Haven Township officials are looking at ways to make the M-43 roundabout, east of South Haven, safer for motorists. (Herald-Palladium photo by Don Campbell)

Proactive approach

Township plans to install street lights at M-43 roundabout to make it safer for motorists

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

When Michigan Department of Transportation constructed a roundabout on M-43 Highway a decade ago, the agency did so to reduce accidents at the state trunkline's busy three-way intersection.

Over the years, MDOT's strategy has paid off. Crashes have been significantly reduce. Still, some motorists continue to struggle with negotiating the circular roadway.

The latest mishap occurred in August when the driver of an eastbound vehicle failed to yield at the roundabout. His vehicle careened over the concrete traffic island, went airborne and then slammed into the side of Maple Grove Grill and Bar. The driver ended up being taken to the hospital while the restaurant grappled with the extensive damage the crash caused.

That incident and several others has prompted South Haven Township officials to try to come up with a solution to make the heavily used roundabout more safe.

“We want to be proactive,” South Haven Township Supervisor Ross Stein said. The roundabout is located right where two roads intersect at angles with M-43 Highway.

Currently, as motorists traveling on M-43 or the two other roads approach the roundabout, they see a series of yellow neon signs instructing them to yield to traffic to their left and proceed counter-clockwise into the circle roadway at a slow speed. As nightfall approaches, the signs can be seen from a distance because of their neon coating.

But board members think overhead lights, such as one along other rural intersections are needed at the roundabout. So, Wednesday, members voted to install two more overhead street lights – one at each side road intersection.

It will cost $300 to install the light fixtures. The township will also pick up the cost of the monthly electrical usage fees.

“If we get lights there, maybe people will quit running over it (the cement traffic island),” Stein said.

A holiday treat

Twenty South Haven elementary school students joined others throughout Van Buren County last week for the annual Shop with a Cop program. Officers from South Haven Police Department, Michigan State Police and firefighters from South Haven Area Emergency Services took children on a Christmas shopping spree at Meijer in South Haven. They also enjoyed pizza at Lakeside Entertainment Center. Meijer provided a grant for the gifts, while a donor from the state police provided the pizza. In the top photo, South Haven Police Officer Phil Poole helps children shop. In the photo to the right, state troopers serve up pizza to a youngster. (Photo by Tom Renner)



12.16.19

How sweet they aren't

Online survey names top 10 least favorite holiday candies

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

From Hershey's Kisses to candy canes, everyone has a favorite Christmas candy, but a new survey by Candystore.com finds there are some confections people would rather not find in their stockings.

As part of its annual list of worst Christmas candies, Candystore.com asked 32,000 of its customers about their least favorite sugary treat. It didn’t take long for them to respond.

Topping the list once again is the Christmas Tree Nougat, according to Ben George of Candystore.com

“It seems they are thought of by many to have a flavor that is inconsistent with expectations for a nougat candy,” he said.

“I don’t even want to see the little poker chip nougats,” commented one Candystore customer. “Ugly, bad taste, weird texture. Go away.”

Coming in at number two were Cherry Cordials. Ranked fifth last year, the chocolate-covered cherries jumped up to the number two slot this year. While many agree that chocolate is good and cherries are good, the combination appears to be anything but.

“That poor little cherry has been swimming in whatever that junk is and now we’re supposed to want to eat it,” one customer wrote.

Reindeer Corn is one Christmas candy that is hated by some, loved by others. Earning the No. 3 spot, Reindeer Corn actually dropped from the number two slot last year. What is Reindeer Corn you ask? It’s the Christmas version of Halloween’s candy corn, only it’s red, green and white.

Worst Christmas candy respondents though didn't seem to care what color they are.

“Reindeer corn, seriously? Beyond awful,” one person said.

Also making the list of least favorite candies were white peppermint M&Ms, Peeps, Lifesavers Story Books, peppermint bark, Old Fashioned Hard Candy Mix, non-peppermint candy canes and ribbon candy.

The National Register estimates that Americans will spend over $2 billion on Christmas candy this year.  Candy is a much bigger part of culture than most people realize. People’s likes and dislikes are shaped by a thousand different influences over their lifetime, and especially their childhood. Some of the biggest sellers are also the most hated. 

For example, Michiganders, according to the Candystore.com survey of Favorite holiday candies, rank Reindeer Corn as the top favorite Christmas treat followed by Reese’s Cup Minis and Peppermint Bark. 

Whatever your preference, the popularity of Christmas candy is here to stay, so, let the unwrapping begin!

Testing the waters

City seeks input on whether lifeguards should man South Haven's beaches again

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Following the drowning of a 13-year-old boy near South Beach in July, area residents asked South Haven city officials to consider bringing back lifeguards to monitor beach activities.

Now, city officials are making good on citizens' requests.

Officials have contracted with Western Michigan University's Kercher Center for Social Research to conduct a community-wide survey to gain input on how effective the city deals with safety-related issues, including ones related to Lake Michigan.

The goal is to use the results to assist the city in evaluating safety needs and identifying what

approaches are most supported by the South Haven community, according to City Manager Brian Dissette.

In November, the Kercher Center randomly chose 2,000 city residents to mail surveys to. Now, they're seeking additional input from the surrounding area by putting the survey online, with the intent of compiling the results by February to present to city officials.

“By placing the survey online, we are seeking to gather information from the entire community, not just city residents,” Dissette said. “We are attempting to show data from both city and community members as part of the final report.”

Although the 20-question survey asks respondents to rate the effectiveness of the police, fire and code enforcement services, the majority are related to water safety and whether lifeguards would be more effective in preventing or dealing with drowning situations.

According to Dissette, the survey's focus on water safety is a direct result of input the city council received from area residents following the July drowning death.

Much of the input came from an online petition started by South Haven resident and parent Kam Daugherty, who asked respondents whether lifeguards should return to South Haven beaches.

She ended up getting thousands of responders throughout the United States who gave an overwhelming yes to her question.

“Because most of my friends were lifeguards I was able to witness the effectiveness of lifeguards in not only rescuing swimmers but preventing drownings,” said Daugherty, who grew up near North Beach.

But city officials at the time were reluctant to act on results of the petition.

“That information included a vast number of signatures but the data was developed using social media and included voices from all over Southwest Michigan, the state of Michigan, and even the country,” Dissette said. “By engaging the Kercher Center, we hope to refine the data to show how folk living in South Haven feel about the topic, and whether or not there is a desire by South Haven residents to explore the creation of new water safety programs.”

South Haven, along with many lakeshore communities up and down the Lake Michigan shoreline disbanded life guard programs in the early 2000s.

Currently, the city relies on first responders from South Haven Area Emergency Services and South Haven Police Department to respond to water rescues. Both departments have invested thousands of dollars in life-saving equipment and training to improve their effectiveness in water rescues on Lake Michigan and in the Black River harbor.

Several years ago the city also instituted a flag weather warning system at North and South beaches and installed signs warning people of the dangers of rip currents in Lake Michigan. When the green flags are used the water is considered safe for swimming. Yellow means caution, while red means stay out of the lake. First responders monitor the flags throughout the day, based on changing weather conditions.

And yet, beachgoers still enter Lake Michigan when the warning flags are yellow or even red.

When the 13-year-old boy drowned in July, the flags had been changed from green to yellow. Several days later when the flags were red, first responders rescued two swimmers who became distressed from the high waves near the South Pier. A month later they rescued three other swimmers who had become fatigued from dangerous water conditions.

Aid requested for lakeshore erosion

Upton seeks help from Corps of Engineers; State legislators want a disaster declaration

By JOHN MATUSZAK

HP Staff Writer

NEW BUFFALO — Southwest Michigan leaders aren’t treading water when it comes to combating the growing problem of erosion along the lakeshore.

This past week U.S. Rep. Fred Upton sent a letter asking for the Army Corps of Engineers to include $2.4 million in its 2020 budget to add 120,000 cubic yards of sand to replace materials lost south of the New Buffalo pier.

The request came as Upton met in Washington, D.C. with Berrien County Commissioner Ezra Scott, of New Buffalo, and members of the New Buffalo Shoreline Alliance, including New Buffalo Township Supervisor Michelle Heit.

New Buffalo is among the areas hard hit by rising waters and heavy waves along the shore, that is worsening erosion and threatening homes, beaches and infrastructure, such as the New Buffalo water plant. Sidewalks at Lions Beach Park and Silver Beach in St. Joseph were damaged by storms last week, and Bridgman officials asked residents to fill sandbags to protect the beach house at Weko Beach.

In his letter to R.D. James, assistant secretary of the U.S. Army (Civil Division), Upton pointed out that for 20 years the Corps of Engineers had replaced sand lost due to the construction of the New Buffalo pier, but stopped short of its 50-year commitment to mitigate the erosion. A 2009 plan recommended replacing the 120,000 cubic yards of sand at the Warwick Shores/Sunset Shores location, Upton wrote.

The members of the New Buffalo alliance have been working to get the Corps of Engineers to restore the beach and install structures that would reduce erosion.

Last month, Scott introduced a resolution, passed by the Berrien County Board of Commissioners, asking Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to declare a state of disaster along the 3,400-mile Michigan shoreline, as a step toward seeking federal aid. While in Washington, he was planning to meet with White House contacts to make the case for the needed aid.

Closer to home in South Haven, city officials are asking the Van Buren County Board of Commissioners to take similar action.

State legislators are taking up that call, as well.

Reps. Beth Griffin, R-Mattawan, and Mary Whiteford, R-Allegan, along with other legislators also have made a request for a disaster declaration from the governor.

“Tremendous damage has been done not only in my community, but along the entirety of the Lake Michigan shoreline,” said Rep. Brad Paquette of Niles in a news release. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in the fight to address this devastation by allowing the impacted areas to qualify for additional financial help.”

By issuing a state of emergency, the governor would be able to designate more resources to respond to the erosion along the Lake Michigan shoreline, the release explains. A state of emergency declaration would also allow the state to petition the federal government to do the same, activating additional resources to assist impacted communities and property owners.

The letter mentions how the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has been helpful in speeding up the permitting process and reducing regulatory hurdles to address potential future impacts, But it also notes that much of the damage has already been done, “leaving residents and business owners to pick up the pieces.”



12.9.19

As part of his training to become South Haven Public Schools new School Resource Officer, South Haven Police Officer Kevin Wildey has been spending time interacting with students in the classroom and at sporting events and other activities. In the photo, above, he is shown with varsity swimmer Kaiden Cole, who has Spina Bifida. Wildey wore a custom-made yellow police bike patrol jersey in support of Cole and Spina Bifida awareness. (Contributed photo)

SH Police, school district relaunch School Resource Officer position

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Nearly three years ago South Haven Public Schools and the South Haven Police Department decided to end their agreement to have a police officer assigned to the school district on a regular basis.

Now, after several months of planning, a police officer will once again walk the hallways of school buildings throughout the school year interacting with students and staff.

Officer Kevin Wildey will start his new duties this week as School Resource Officer (SRO) at South Haven Public Schools.

His new position was made possible, Monday, when South Haven City Council members voted in favor of approving a two-year agreement with South Haven Public Schools to create the SRO position. School board members ratified the pact last month.

Wildey, who has been with the local police department since 2006, had been working night shifts for South Haven Police Department specializing in accident reconstruction for serious and fatal accidents and processing crime scenes. But now his job and work shift will change.

“Officer Wildey will be assigned to South Haven Public Schools full-time during the school year.” Police Chief Natalie Thompson said. “He will not be handling complaints outside of the school unless he is called in for one of his specialties...During the summer/non-school months he will fill the open night-shift position he left to go into the schools.”

To gear up for his new job, Wildey received training from the National Association of School Resource Officers.

“He is anxious to serve as a positive role model within the schools,” Thompson said.

Wildey's role as SRO includes duties typical of a police officer – protecting lives, enforcing laws and assisting in criminal activities. But his job also entails counseling students in special situations, when requested by building principals, conducting classroom presentations about law enforcement and attending after-school activities from time to time.

Kevin Schooley, who is in his first year as superintendent for South Haven Public Schools, said the district is pleased to once again have a School Resource Officer.

“We have been in the planning stages of this for some time and we are ready for yet another positive addition to our school community, he said. “I think the position is important, especially at the younger level, to build positive relationships with students and staff,” he said. “They get to realize the SRO is an additional person they can count on in a time of need.  The SRO is also a bridge to law enforcement and getting resources in place for kids and assisting school personnel with school safety procedures.”

To make the SRO position a reality, Schooley and Thompson sat down to hammer out an agreement that would be satisfactory to both the police department and the school district.

Although the new agreement recognizes that if a crime occurs on school premises the SRO can investigate and make an arrest if necessary, it also outlines the building principal's duties.

“Chief Thompson and I did work a great deal on outlining the parameters of the SRO position, as providing clear expectations for the SRO is key in the program's success,” Schooley said. “The SRO is not a school disciplinarian and does not assume the role of what is traditionally the building principal. The SRO is an additional resource.”

As part of the two-year agreement, South Haven Public Schools will pay the City of South Haven $36,000 for Wildey's position. Under the previous SRO agreement, South Haven Schools was paying $56,000.

The greater expense helped to play a role in the termination of the pact, according to South Haven City Manager Brian Dissette.

“It was partially due to the funding commitment and partially due to an unclear definition of what the SRO's role was to accomplish,” Dissette said. “Natalie has spent a lot of time with Superintendent Schooley to ensure that all parties know exactly what the SRO will do on a daily basis to ensure that we meet the goals of the South Haven Public Schools' leadership. The role of the SRO is now clearly defined to ensure that the SRO knows exactly what the chain of command is and how to handle sensitive situations.”

Although South Haven city officials do not plan to hire an officer to take Wildey's place while he's working as an SRO, city staff may do so in the future if necessary.

“Over the next year, management will monitor the agreement and determine if an additional staff member is needed due to the increased work load, overtime, or a reduction in standard police services,” Dissette said.

Group issues $25,000 challenge grant toward splash pad

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

As youngsters and adults look forward to the construction of the new splash pad near South Beach, a local group hopes some of that enthusiasm will generate funding to help pay for the structure.

The Greater South Haven Area Community Foundation this week announced a dollar-for-dollar community donation drive to raise a total of $50,000 for the splash pad.

The matching grant campaign will take place over the next five years, according to Alan Silverman, a member of the Foundation.

We've pledged $25,000 provided it is matched by citizen donors,” Silverman said.

Already people are donating to the Splash Pad Matching Fund. At Monday's South Haven City Council meeting, Silverman presented the city with a check totaling $12,945.

Most of the cost for the splash pad's construction is coming from a state grant and donations from community groups. The city obtained a matching $300,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources earlier this year and has accumulated nearly $90,000 in local donations since then.

The city is also helping to pay for the project through several other funding sources, including beach parking fees, the Downtown Development Authority and the capital projects fund, according to City Manager Brian Dissette.

When completed the splash pad will resemble the Michigan Maritime Museum's tall ship, Friends Good Will and will accommodate approximately 100 people who can run under the nautical-designed fountains and other devices to cool off during hot days at the beach.

Elementary students in South Haven who were polled earlier this year, overwhelmingly chose the ship design over another one that consisted mainly of decorative water fountains.

Two weeks ago, city officials held a ground-breaking ceremony for construction of the splash pad. Contractors hope the project will be completed by Memorial Day 2020.

With the high water levels of Lake Michigan and beach erosion, splash pads along the lakeshore could prove to be even more popular with people next summer.

“I am thrilled we have another option when the lake waters may not be in swimming condition or closed due to E. coli. It’s a great addition to our community” said Erica Karr, Covert mother of three. Karr is among a number of area residents with children who say they plan to take advantage of the new splash pad for the safety it provides close to home.

“It will be such a relief to have a place to take the girls to play in the water where it is easier for me to keep an eye on them when I am by myself” said Amanda Johnson of South Haven.

In addition to providing a safe alternative to the lake, the splash pad project will

provide other benefits to South Beach and nearby Riverfront Park, including added seating and tables near the beach, new handicap-accessible parking areas, expanded green space and additional landscaping along the riverfront.

For more information about the Splash Pad Matching Fund, visit www.southhavencf.org

Woman volunteers twice a week to register voters at SH library



By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

For the first time, voting in Michigan is easier than ever thanks to recent legislative changes and one local resident is taking advantage of it.

Twice a week, you can find South Haven resident Judi Stimson at South Haven Memorial Library helping anyone from any city, town or state, even, to register to vote.

“It’s a very easy process now,” explains Stimson who volunteers her time. “You don’t even have to have an ID. Just fill out a form and sign it.”

Last November, voters approved amendments to the state’s voter registration law that allowed for no-reason absentee voting, in-person registration done the day of election with proof of residency, straight-party voting and registration by mail up to 15 days before an election.

The ballot measure, known as Proposal 3, was passed in Michigan by a better than two-to-one margin.

The amendment brings Michigan in line with at least 17 other states when it comes to same-day voter registration.

Encouraging voter registration is important to Stimson who has taken a couple of classes on the new registration changes. 

“Another important change,” she said, “was in the past, college students used to have to drive to the town where they were from to vote and then drive back. Now they don’t have to do that anymore.”

Stimson will be at the library 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays through January. She will resume signing people up to vote in April. She recommends calling the library at 627-2403 to make sure she is available for registrations.





12.4.19

South Haven High School senior Katie Schooley (right) pushes a whipped cream pie on to the forehead and face of her dad, South Haven Schools Superintendent Kevin Schooley, as part of a Peer-to-Peer program fundraiser. (Photo by Becky Kark)

A little pie goes a

long way to make Thanksgiving dinner possible for school's Peer to Peer program

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

It's not everyday that teachers, coaches and administrators agree to willingly allow students to pie them in the face, but more than a handful at South Haven High School agreed to do just that just before Thanksgiving.

They did so as a fundraiser for the high school's Peer-to-Peer program's annual Thanksgiving dinner.

Eight faculty and staff lined up, Friday, Nov. 22 to be pied by students and teachers, who bought raffle tickets for the chance to do so during the high school cafeteria's two lunch hours. Superintendent Kevin Schooley was joined by high school Principal Ryan Williamson, Athletic Director Adam Verseput, electives teacher Sandy VanderRoest, social studies teachers Cory Salyer and Mark Eddy, math teacher Allan Anastacio and science teacher Mark Woolcock.

“We had eight very braves souls who agreed to do this twice, once at A Lunch and then at B Lunch,” laughed Special Education teacher Jennifer Fedewa, who organized the fundraiser and who leads the Peer-to-Peer program. She tried to make the event a little less messy for the willing victims by supplying them with plastic ponchos, plastic shower caps and small masks to cover their eyes.

“I guess that's the elementary teacher and momma in me,” Fedewa said, regarding the protective supplies she bought for the volunteer's faces and clothing.

The event proved to be not only a lot of fun to watch, but a good fundraiser for the Peer-to-Peer program's Thanksgiving dinner and its other activities.

“We raised $125,” Fedewa said.

Now in its fourth year the program matches South Haven High School upperclassmen mentors, or “links” as they referred to as, to special needs students.

Links who take the program, enroll in an actual class where they study disabilities, write research papers, and spend time helping special needs students with homework and socializing with them.

Thirty-four upperclassmen have enrolled in the program this year and they are paired with 17 special needs students.

In addition to the curriculum component to the class, mentors and the students in Fedewa's class also get together for activities.

One such activity is the annual Thanksgiving dinner, which the class prepared and ate this past Tuesday..

Thanks to the pie-in-the-face fundraiser, the program this year was able to purchase four turkeys and other fixings to make for a nice holiday dinner for 60 “links” and Fedewa's students.

“Links” brought in or made several of the side dishes, including cranberries, sweet potato pie and green bean casserole.

Allegan County man arrested in 1980 cold case

A 70-year-old Michigan man has been arrested for the 1980 homicide of Kathleen Doyle, 25, of Norfolk, Va., according to a news release from the Michigan State Police.

Dennis Lee Bowman of Hamilton was arrested, Nov. 22 in Allegan County, by the Norfolk Police Homicide/Cold Case Section, in partnership with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office and the MSP.

Doyle was found murdered in her Norfolk residence on Sept. 11, 1980. She was the daughter of a naval officer and the wife of a U.S. Navy pilot who was deployed at the time of the homicide.

The 39-year investigation culminated with forensic evidence to allow the case to be solved.

Bowman, who had served as a young adult in the U.S. Navy, is being held in Michigan, awaiting extradition to Virginia.

Glenn students gather nearly 1,000 pounds of food for pantry

GLENN — Just in time for the holiday season, Glenn Elementary School students held a community food drive, recently, and collected 922 pounds of non-perishable food to donate to a Fennville food pantry.

Students in grades K-5 spent part of a morning in November walking door to door collecting canned vegetables, pancake mix and other nonperishable food items to deliver to Ladders of Hope Food Pantry.

Before dropping off their decorated boxes and bags, the children stopped by the Golden Orchards assisted living facility to perform a holiday concert in the dining hall. Then it was on to the food pantry, where they formed an assembly line to pass along, weigh and stock the pantry shelves.

"It was awesome," said board member Mike Wohlwend, who received the delivery. "Most read each label as it passed through their hands to the next person."

 The amount of food collected by the school this year was more than double the 445 pounds brought in to the food pantry in 2018. Ladders of Hope has served more than 5,460 individuals so far this year, including more than 1,560 children.

"By donating to Ladders of Hope, you help keep our shelves stocked for those in need," Wohlwend said. 





11.25.19

Jeff Andringa from Glenn is shown building a tree house for the children of  Dr. Andrea Fleuren after her fiancé suddenly died from cardiac arrest. (Contributed photo)

A treehouse for Vivienne

Glenn builder makes dying man's promise to financée and children a reality

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

With the help of a friend, a South Haven mother and her children recently found out that a promise can be kept, even if the person who made it suddenly dies.

Dr. Andrea Fleuren and her fiancé Shannon Gullion were set to be married earlier this year.

“Our life was so happy,” recalled Fleuren, who is an internal medicine physician at Bronson South Haven Hospital. “We traveled with the kids. Shannon had never been on an airplane before he met me.  He read voraciously, collected first-edition books. He could fix anything that had an engine. He was self taught and constantly learning.”

But the couple's wedding plans were shattered in June when Gullion went into cardiac arrest.

“We were supposed to get married and he died a week before,” Fleuren said.

But at Gullion's funeral Fleuren and her children discovered that when one door closes, a window opens.

It came in the form of builder Jeff Andringa, who had known Gullion.

During the funeral, Fleuren's young daughter Vivienne spoke about how Gullion was so good at fixing things around the house, and had even promised to make the children a treehouse, but now he couldn't because he had died unexpectedly.

“The entire room dissolved into tears,” Fleuren recalled. “When Vivienne stood up at Filbrandt’s and reached for the microphone, which was high up, and spoke in front of all the people, I can’t imagine how much bravery that took. She had been eating Reese’s peanut butter cups beforehand, which was Shannon’s favorite candy, and just marched up there and spoke.”

After the funeral, Fleuren received an unexpected phone call that would make Gullion's promise come true after all.

“Jeff called me out of the blue and asked if I needed help with anything as a favor to Shannon,” Fleuren recalled. “He devotes his life to ‘paying it forward.’ I explained about the treehouse and he came out to the house and scoped out the trees. I thought I never would see him again, but he called, made plans and he actually built it.”

Build it he did.

The 10 x 10 foot wooden structure, complete with roof, windows, trap door and even a rope ladder that the kids added, sits high in a tree by the house in Geneva Township. The kids helped paint it, said their mother, and plan on adding a plaque dedicated to Shannon.

“He (Jeff) must have worked at least 20 to 30 hours on this project,” Fleuren said.”He told me that he does these things to ‘pay it forward’ for mistakes of his past.”

“I just did it to make things right in the world,”  Andringa modestly admits. “Sometimes you can’t always make restitution. Shannon was in his mid 50s and was way too young to die.”

Covert school board terminates school chief's contract

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

COVERT — After being placed on paid administrative leave two months ago, Bobbi Morehead will no longer serve as superintendent for Covert Public Schools.

School board members, Monday, voted unanimously to terminate the school chief's contract.

“The board is confident that this is the best decision for Covert Public Schools and that we have a team in place that will make the transition seamless,” Board of Education President Rita Perry wrote in a news release issued Wednesday.

The administrative team will be led by Covert High School Principal Yolanda Brunt, who has been serving as interim school chief since the school board placed Morehead on leave in September. Prior to being named as high school principal, Brunt served as a high school teacher for Covert.

“We have no doubt that our Interim Superintendent Yolanda Brunt will continue to lead our district in a positive direction until the Board selects a permanent superintendent,” Perry wrote.

Morehead, who had two years left on her contract, could not be reached for comment. She had served as Covert's superintendent since 2012.

Perry did not indicate in her news release nor in an earlier interview in October what led to Morehead being placed on paid administrative leave.

A former school board member, however, told the South Haven Tribune in October that Morehead was suspended with pay after telling the Board that Cassopolis school teacher Steven Mammel came highly recommended. It was later discovered that he had actually been fired.

According to the Jan. 14, 2019 Cassopolis Board of Education meeting minutes, Mammel was terminated from his job, effective that session. No reason was given. Mammel was hired in 2015 to teach math and physics.

During a special meeting held Thursday, Sept. 5 the Covert school board approved hiring Mammel who was to start Sept. 6.

But during an emergency special meeting held Friday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m., the Board voted to rescind the motion to hire him.

It was after that when Morehead was placed on administrative leave.

Bangor man pleads guilty for son's drug overdose death

By ALEXANDRA NEWMAN

HP Staff Writer

PAW PAW — A Bangor man is facing a prison sentence after taking a plea deal last week for the overdose death of his son.

Gary Birkhead, 48, pleaded guilty in Van Buren County Circuit Court to one count of involuntary manslaughter, a crime that has a maximum prison term of 15 years. In exchange for the plea, a charge of second-degree child abuse was dismissed by prosecutors, according to online court records.

Cole Birkhead, 16, of 

Hartford died of a drug overdose Aug. 13, 2017, at Bronson Hospital Kalamazoo. Police said that after a lengthy investigation, they found evidence that Gary Birkhead allowed his son to use illicit drugs for over two years, until his death.

Gary Birkhead was charged and arrested in March, and has been in the Van Buren County Jail on a $1 million bond since.

He is set to be sentenced 9 a.m. Dec. 9.



Approved

SH City Council allows medical cannabis testing facilities east of Blue Star Hwy.

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

It has taken nearly a year for a local business to receive the green light to test medical marijuana within the city limits, but it finally happened last week.

City council members, Monday, voted to create a medical marijuana overlay district east of Blue Star Highway to allow New Age Laboratories to test cannabis. The only no vote was cast by council member Letitia Wilkins, who has consistently gone on record against letting any type of pot-related enterprise locate in South Haven.

For New Age Laboratories owner Scott Wall, the council's decision came as a welcome relief.

“I thank the planning commission for their work (in crafting a medical marijuana ordinance) and the council's work,” he said. At a planning commission meeting earlier this month, Wall estimated that five new jobs will be created at his laboratory in the Interstate 196 Business Park if he is allowed to add the testing of medical marijuana.

In making their decision, council members and Mayor Scott Smith stressed the overlay district is limited to just medical marijuana testing facilities. No other cannabis-related businesses, such as grow operations, provisioning centers or processing facilities, will be allowed in the overlay district.

“Tonight we are only talking about testing,” Smith said.

Council members could have allowed testing facilities to locate in a second district that was being considered – an industrial area south of Aylworth Avenue in the city's Ward 1. In fact the original ordinance that was drawn up proposed the creation of an overlay district for both east of Blue Star Highway and south of Aylworth Avenue. But council members nixed the Aylworth area, mainly because of concerns expressed by residents that pot businesses would increase drug abuse and crime in their neighborhoods.

“I remember concerns by citizens of Ward 1 and I have to weigh that,” council member George Sleeper said.

“I understand Ward 1 has an issue,” council member Chris Campbell said. “We have to pay attention first to people who live there.”

Another city council member, Steve Schlack agreed, but also said that sometime in the future it may make sense to consider allowing medical marijuana businesses south of Aylworth Avenue.

“South of Aylworth isn't really different than east of Blue Star,” Schlack said in regard to the Aylworth area being zoned for industrial and commercial uses in a manner similar to the I-196 Business Park.

At least one business owner in the Aylworth industrial area hopes the council will add it to the overlay district and that the area won't be limited to just testing facilities.

Earlier this year, Will Rogers moved the North American headquarters of HTS Direct from Grand Rapids to a building at 1310 Kalamazoo Street, which he renovated for not only his own business but for prospective new ones, as well.

HTS is a supplier of hydraulic jacks that are built in Germany and shipped overseas to its clients in North America.

Monday evening Rogers told council members he has two businesses that would like to lease space in his building at 1310 Kalamazoo St. to establish medical marijuana-related companies.

“We have an opportunity to lease 4,200 square feet of space for a medical marijuana provisioning center and an additional 7,000 square feet of space to a hemp processor, which is another part of cannabis industry,” Rogers said. The two companies, he went on to say, would create nearly 70 new full-time jobs, with pay ranging from $20 to $30 an hour.

But, whether the council will take up the issue of allowing more types of medical marijuana facilities in town or expand the overlay district remains to be seen.

“Tonight we're only talking about a testing facility,” Smith told Rogers. “Hopefully we'll be sitting down soon with our economic development folks and make sure we're showcasing your facility to a broad audience.”





5.26.20

Nursing home residents get to see their families, friends

For the past two months families and friends of nursing home patients in Michigan haven't been able to visit their loved ones due to the stay-at-home order that was put into effect to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. To help remedy that situation a bit, staff at South Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation organized a parade, May 20, to allow residents and patients to see family members at a safe distance. On Wednesday, while nursing home residents and staff watched outside, family and friends paraded by in vehicles decorated with signs showing love and support. A total of 77 entries were part of the parade, including two Michigan State trooper vehicles, two fire trucks from South Haven Area Emergency Services, 15 walkers, 1 golf cart, 37 cars and 20 motorcycles.

Appeals court upholds South Haven police officer's actions

Higher court rules officer had reason to believe girl was suicidal and needed a mental evaluation

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

GRAND RAPIDS — A federal appeals court has ruled that a South Haven police officer made the right decision when she took a student to a hospital for a mental evaluation, rather than wait for her father to do so.

The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision, rendered May 14^th, reverses a 2017 district court decision that Officer Shawn Olney violated the father and daughter's constitutional rights when she brought the seventh grader to South Haven Hospital in 2016 to be evaluated after expressing thoughts of suicide.

In making its decision, the appellate court stated that Olney did not violate the Fourth Amendment in taking the girl to the hospital for a mental evaluation nor when she authorized hospital staff to perform a blood draw to see if the girl had ingested any drugs or alcohol.

Citing a previous ruling made in 1997, the higher court stated, “The Fourth Amendment requires an official seizing and detaining a person for a psychiatric evaluation to have probable cause to believe that the person is dangerous to himself or others.”

The father of the girl said in a phone interview Wednesday that he “did not agree” with the appeals court ruling, but he did not want to discuss the issue further, because he had just received the court ruling in the mail on Tuesday. The Tribune is not publishing the father's name to protect the daughter's identity.

The lawsuit brought against Olney unfolded in October of 2016 when the girl, who was then a student at Baseline Middle School, wanted to see a school counselor with whom she had met with in the past. According to the court documents, the counselor was not available at the time, so the girl instead talked with Principal Latonya Gill. She told the principal that she had been thinking about suicide for the past month and that “she sees things at home like guns and knives that makes her want to hurt herself.”

Gill contacted Olney, who at the time was the school liaison officer, and told her what the girl had stated. Olney called the girl's father who was at work about 90 minutes away and told him the student “was being suicidal” and that Olney planned to take her to the hospital to be evaluated. However, the father objected and told Olney to keep the girl at school until he got there.

The officer, however, made the decision to take the girl to the hospital anyway. There, an emergency room nurse conducted an assessment and concluded the girl needed treatment. Although the student did not appear intoxicated or disoriented, the attending physician ordered a blood draw as part of the hospital's standard procedure for a mental evaluation. Although the girl tested negative for drugs, she did resist the blood draw, according to court documents. When the father got to the hospital, he objected to his daughter being there. After talking with the father, the staff released the girl on condition that he take her to a nearby mental health center for further evaluation, The father agreed to do so, and after 45 minutes at the health center the two went home, according to court documents.

Although the father successfully argued in the original lawsuit that his rights, along with his daughter's, were violated when Olney made the decision to take the girl to the hospital, the appeals court ruled that Olney legally had grounds to do so.

“Olney heard that (the girl) herself came to Gill to say she had been thinking about suicide, that she had been having suicidal thoughts for about a month, and that she worried about hurting herself with guns and kitchen knives in her home,” the court wrote in its decision. “Those facts provided Olney with ample grounds to think (the girl) posed a danger to herself and thus provided probable cause for Olney to take (her) into protective custody for a mental evaluation.”

Furthermore, the appeals court ruled, “Where the person is suicidal, the mental evaluation can reasonably include a determination whether the person has already acted upon her suicidal thoughts; which means the officer can authorize a blood draw as part of that evaluation.”



5.11.20

Roxanne Leder, owner of Decadent Dogs, cleans up debris from a gutter on South Haven Street. Leder was one of about 50-60 volunteers who took part in the South Haven Sweep 2020, May 1, to clean up litter on city streets and beaches. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Pandemic fails to stop volunteers

Dozens of South Haven merchants, resident clean up streets, donate and collect personal hygiene items for We Care INC

By BECKY KARK
Editor and general manager

How do you chase away the corona blues? By getting outside and picking up trash.
At least that's what several dozen South Haven merchants and other volunteers think.
The group decided to take part in the “South Haven Sweep” on May 1 and spent the better part of the day clearing streets and beaches of litter.
Tom Feeney, owner of Harborlight Brewing, and his friend, Trent Bulat of Phoenix Street Cafem came up with the idea as a way of helping the community.
They then presented their idea to the Downtown Association of South Haven, which threw their support behind the project.
“We wanted to put the spotlight on South Haven in a positive light,” said Roxanne Leder, a member of DASH and owner of Decadent Dogs. “Between the reports of high water and COVID-19 it seems that all news has been negative.”
Many downtown business owners have been adversely affected economically by the stay-at-home order to halt the spread of the virus. A number of businesses have been forced to close until the governor's order ends May 28. Worse, many summer events and festivals, which attract local residents and visitors downtown, have been canceled.
Yet, downtown business owners still want to be pro-active.
“The downtown is very much a part of why this town is perceived as 'cute, quaint and friendly,'” Leder said. “We thought we could focus on that while highlighting our give-back mentality.  Also, we could give our customers an opportunity to join in an outdoor project, where we could all stay distanced while being social.”
To get ready for the South Haven Sweep, Feeney sectioned off areas of town for each volunteer to focus on.
“I created a map and made sections and then people signed up for sections,” Feeney said. “We ended up with 18 sections.”
Volunteers were then given trash bags, gloves, reflective vests  and a map of their particular clean-up area.
“We had about 50 to 60 volunteers,” Feeney said.
The city donated the trash bags and vests, while Harborlight Brewing supplied the gloves.
While the South Haven Sweep was going on, another group of volunteers spent part of May 1 collecting donated personal hygiene items for We Care INC. human service ministry.
The collection was organized by Rosalie Plechaty of South Haven. City residents were asked to place donated items on their front porch during the morning on May 1. Volunteers then drove throughout town in the afternoon picking up the items
“It was a huge success. It took three rooms to hold all of the donations,” We Care staff posted on the non-profit's Facebook site. “Thank you for blessing our community.”

COVID-19 nixes summer concert series

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed yet another popular summer entertainment program, here — The Riverfront Concert Series.

The weekly summer-long series of free outdoor concerts at Riverfront Park normally begins at the end of May and continues until Labor Day, but not this year, due to concerns of spreading the Coronavirus.

“This is a great disappointment,” said Lotte Resek of Foundry Hall, a South Haven-based cultural arts group that organizes the series each year. “But cooperation with social distancing as a way to protect the safety of our community is imperative.”

For more than a decade, the Riverfront Concert Series has brought musical artists from throughout Michigan to perform a variety of music, including jazz, folk, Latin, pop and Broadway showtunes. Groups have included the South Shore Concert Band, Jackson French Quarter Dixieland Band, Three Rivers German Band, Girls Night Out theatrical musical revue and the Blue Water Ramblers.

Cancellation of the Riverfront Concert Series is the latest blow Foundry Hall has deal with during the Covid-19 crisis and the Governor's stay-at-home order to stall the spread of the deadly virus.

“Foundry Hall has had to cancel about 10 concerts and events and 19 community programs during this stay-at-home order,” Resek said.

Some of the programs, such as Open Mic Night and the weekly preschool music exploration program Tune Bugs, are now being offered online.

Kids invited to 'Color the Town' during stay-at-home time

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Approximately 750 South Haven area students will receive something extra on Friday with their lunches; something that may give them a chance to have fun at home while waiting out the state's coronavirus-related stay-at-home order.

It's a small coloring book, but not just any coloring book. “Color the Town” consists of nine black and white drawings of South Haven landmarks and is part of a collaborative effort to encourage youngsters to use their creative talents while learning about their hometown.

“The idea started with Deb Davidson, our city Downtown Development Authority director,” said Scott Reinert, executive director of the South Haven Visitors Bureau. “She reached out to me with the concept and thought it would be a fun idea for our local children when the school year was canceled and kids would be home for the rest of the school year.”

Reinert discussed the idea with his staff, who all gave the go-ahead to proceed.

“Our designer Jen Sistrunk did all the artwork,” Reinert said. “We talked through several local attractions that we thought would make sense to feature, then Jen used actual photos from our photo library to create the line drawings.”

But how to get the coloring pages to the children during the state-at-home order?

“I reached out to Carey Frost, South Haven Public Schools' curriculum director, about the idea and maybe using the school lunch bus distribution system to deliver to students,” Reinert said.

Frost, who was already planning to distribute crayons, paper, pencils, and other school supplies to students in grades K-8, via the lunch bus distribution system, liked the idea.

“We were excited to hear from the Visitors Bureau because I was looking for something fun to include with the bags of school supplies," Frost said.  "Their timing was perfect!  It's nice to be able to give them something fun to work on in addition to their regular school work.”

Youngsters will recognize most of the landmarks in the book, including the historic South Haven Center for the Arts building, the historic former bank building that now houses Clementine's restaurant, South Haven's lighthouse and catwalk, Friends Good Will tall ship and Michigan Theater's Marquee.

Kerry Hagy, executive director of the South Haven Center for the Arts, was impressed with the drawings.

“Jen Sistrunk did an amazing job creating the coloring pages,” Hagy said. “The coloring sheets are minimalist and open to fun interpretations.”

To provide an extra incentive for students to color in the drawings, the art center plans to exhibit some of the works in an upcoming exhibition, either online or in the art center's actual gallery.

“We hope to be able to display at least one of the drawings from all of the students that submit entries,” Reinert said.

Plans for the exhibit at the art center are still being firmed up.

“We do not yet know when we will display the work at the art center,” Hagy explained. “We are currently in the process of rearranging our exhibition schedule for the year, (due to the stay-at-home order) but will wait to announce anything new on the schedule until we know we will be open.”

In addition to having the possibility of having their artwork on display at the art center, each student who takes part in the Color the Town project will have the chance to win a gift card to Rocket Arcade in South Haven.

“We will randomly be selecting 25 entries to receive a $20 gift card,” Reinert said.

Youngsters have until May 26 to submit their entries and can do by mailing them to South Haven Center for the Arts, 600 Phoenix St., South Haven, MI 49090, or by dropping their finished artwork in a box on the bus that drops off their meals, or they can email them to relax@southhaven.org.





5.4.20

Patty Meyer points to the deepest section of Dunkley Avenue where flood waters rose to 15 inches by noon on Thursday. Her husband Fred, is standing next to her. The couple resides in an  condominium at South haven Marina Townhomes on Dunkley Avenue and have dealt with flooding issues on their street for the past year. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Dunkley Avenue residents deal with flooding again

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

People will get used to seeing the Dyckman Avenue bridge being raised year summer for not only sailboats but motor boats.

Wednesday's rainfall and high winds coupled with Lake Michigan record-high water level caused waves to surge into the city's harbor during the evening and Thursday, causing extensive flooding along the lakeshore and Black River.

The water level underneath the bridge was so high that the “danger” sign near the bridge's electrical hydraulic system was completely covered. The incident came on the heels of the city investing

$19,380 two weeks ago to raise two metal cabinets that house motors that operate the bridge's hydraulic system. The project was finished just in the nick of time.

Nearby, however, residents who live along Dunkley Avenue, weren't faring quite so well on Thursday.

Flood water from the Black River once again turned the street into a pond, forcing city officials to close it.

“It's about 15 inches high,” said Fred Meyer, who was getting around in wading boots to avoid getting wet. “It was a little higher the day before Thanksgiving (in November 2019 when South Haven experienced a similar flooding situation), but at 3 p.m. today (Thursday) that's when we're supposed to get high winds and that causes the water to surge.”

Meyer and his wife Patty have lived in the South Haven Marina Townhomes on Dunkley Avenue since 1999.

For the past year, their street has repeatedly flooded due to high water levels on Lake Michigan and the Black River. When the flood waters are high, condo owners on Dunkley who own SUVs and pickup trucks are the only ones who can get from their homes to go shopping or elsewhere.

“It (flood waters) hasn't gotten into our condo but it has in our garage and our storage garage across the street where is has caused some damage,” Fred Meyer said.

Alan Silverman also lives in the South Haven Marina Townhomes.

“Flooding of Dunkley in front of our condos has been sporadic over the past month,” he said. “Beginning late yesterday (Wednesday) and continuing today (Thursday) the river is higher than is has been for a while...Dunkley has now risen enough to flood the commercial building across from our units as well as our garage building diagonally across from our units.  Fortunately, our condo units are two steps up from the garage floor and we have not seen water beyond the garage.”

A year ago, city officials tried to address the flooding issue on Dunkley Avenue by spending $20,000 for sand bags and a pumping system, as a temporary measure to control the flooding. Neighbors aren't real impressed with it, however.

“The temporary pump system placed by the City in the fall does nothing to remove that water as long as the river is high,” Silverman said. “However, once the river declines, the pumps usually remove the standing water...The city must take action to correct this problem permanently.”

City officials are examining what options can be taken to control the flooding on Dunkley. Those options will be more expensive, however, said Department of Public Works Director Bill Hunter in a previous interview. Estimates compiled earlier this year by Edgewater Resources of St. Joseph indicate it could cost anywhere from $700,000 to $1 million to address the flooding issues along Dunkley Avenue and at Ellen Avery Park on North Shore Drive, which is experiencing similar flooding problems. The city also is looking at shelling out $1 million this year to prevent flooding that is occurring at the wastewater treatment plant.

Intercare expands number of drive-through testing sites

New sites added in Bangor and Pullman

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

BANGOR — Intercare Community Health Network has expanded the number of locations where it offers drive-through testing for Covid-19 virus.

The health network launched new sites this week at their health clinics in Bangor and Pullman, to add to their drive-through test site in Benton Harbor.

The Bangor clinic will conduct drive-through tests from 1-4 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays. Drive-through testing is scheduled from 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Pullman clinic.

People do not have to obtain a lab order from their physician before coming to be tested, according Judy Rayman, chief operating officer for Intercare.

“We are encouraging everyone to contact their primary care provider to get a lab order so their provider is aware of their health concerns, however, it is not required,” she said.

If people can't get a lab order or don't have a regular medical provider, Intercare staff will assess them and test them for Covid-19 if they meet testing criteria. People who don't have insurance will not be charged for testing.

The following people qualify to be tested:

• Individuals with mild symptoms (known or unknown exposure

• Critical infrastructure workers with symptoms

• Critical infrastructure workers without symptoms, but with known exposure to the virus

• First responders with symptoms

• Individuals living in long-term care facilities with mild symptoms

• Individuals living in communal living arrangements with mild symptoms

• Individuals over age 65 with symptoms

• Patients with underlying health conditions with symptoms

The following people would not be tested:

• Individuals without symptoms who are not reporting to work in-person

• Asymptomatic family members of health care workers with exposure to the virus

• Family members of a Covid-19 individual without symptoms

With Intercare opening a drive-through Covid-19 testing site in Van Buren County, Van Buren/Cass District Health Department officials anticipate the number of Covid-19 cases will rise.

“As we have seen across the state, when testing increases so do the number of positive cases.  With this in mind, we anticipate the same,” said Danielle Persky, director of health promotion for the health department. “However, until we understand what volume is coming through the Intercare drive-through testing site in Bangor, it's hard to say for certain.”

As of today (Monday), the health department reported 61 cases of the virus and 2 deaths in Van Buren County.

Allegan County, where Pullman is located, reported 113 cases and 2 deaths from the virus as of this morning.

Access to fabric face coverings increases in Van Buren and Cass counties

By TRIBUNE STAFF

HARTFORD — Organizations in Van Buren and Cass County are working together to increase access to homemade fabric face coverings for local residents, organizations and businesses to use during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In response to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order, organizations and community leaders in Van Buren and Cass counties have developed “Donate and Locate” lists to be shared with the community-at-large.

“County lists provide information about where residents can donate their homemade face coverings or locate masks for themselves, their loved ones, and/or employees,” said Danielle Persky, director of health promotion for the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department.

Locations will accept all pattern varieties of homemade fabric face coverings. 

“Face coverings should fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face; be secured with ties or ear loops; include multiple layers of fabric; allow for breathing without restriction; and be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape,” Persky said.

Whitmer's extended stay-at-home order, which lasts until at least May 15, stipulates that all Michigan residents must wear a face mask over their nose and mouth when in any enclosed public space. People can wear homemade masks, a scarf, bandana or handkerchief. All businesses and operations whose employees perform in-person work must provide at a minimum, non-medical-grade face coverings to their workers. Supplies of N95 masks and surgical masks should be reserved, for now, for health care professionals, first responders and other critical workers who interact with the public.

Homemade face coverings can be donated or found at the following locations in Van Buren and Cass counties:

Cass County

Cassopolis

• United Presbyterian Church, 209 E. State St. Masks can be dropped off from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. People are requested to call before arriving.

Van Buren County

Bangor

• Simpson United Methodist Church, 507 Joy St. Masks can be donated and picked up by the sign in front of the building.

Covert

• Van Buren United Civic Organization, 73292 34^th Ave. Masks can be donated and picked up from 9 a.m.-11 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays

• Covert Township Hall, 73943 Lake St. Masks can be donated and picked up from 9 a.m.-11 a.m., Mondays and Wednesdays

Paw Paw

• United Christian Services, 600 E. Michigan Avenue Annex, Suite 1. Masks can be donated and picked up from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays and from 12:30 p.m.-1 p.m., Saturdays.

South Haven

• First Congregational Church, 651 Phoenix St. Masks are available in a marked container by the main entrance on the east side of the building. Masks can also be donated.

For more information about the fabric face mask program, visit https://vbcassdhd.org. Volunteer sewists and businesses who want to request masks can visit the Michigan/Indiana Sew You Care Facebook site.







4.27.20

Michigan Department of Natural Resources forest health expert Heidi Frei shows Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy volunteers at Wau-Ke-Na Preserve, near Glenn, how to examine Eastern hemlock branches for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, an invasive species that can destroy Hemlock trees.

Conservancy lands $375,000 national grant

Funds will be used to improve damaged forests in Southwest Michigan

By TRIBUNE STAFF

Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, along with four regional groups have been selected to receive a $375,000 national grant to help improve damaged forests in Southwest Michigan.

The conservancy and other partners' project was one of 13 selected nationwide to receive funding from the Wildlife Conservation Society's Climate Adaptation Fund, which is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

The grant will enable the five Southwest Michigan groups to work together to improve the health of some of the region’s damaged forests, and employ a proactive approach to keeping them healthy into the future amidst the many challenges local forests face, including climate change, according to the conservancy's Stewardship Director Mitch Lettow.

The conservancy, Ottawa County Parks, The Nature Conservancy-Michigan, Chikaming Open Lands, and Shirley Heinze Land Trust are undertaking the $375,000 project to keep existing forests healthy and to plant new, resilient forests.

One of the forests the groups intend to address is at the conservancy's Wau-Ke-Na William Erby Smith Preserve, north of South Haven.

“Between the Emerald ash borer and heavy spring rains, this habitat has really taken a hit over the last decade or so,” Lettow said.

Over the course of two years the group plans to plant more than 40,000 trees at preserves and parks throughout West and Southwest Michigan and northern Indiana, using species and creating forest habitats that can better adapt to climate change and invasive species.

Over the next two years these partners intend to improve forest health and plant new forests across nature preserves and county parks spanning over 70 miles of latitude from northwest Indiana to the Grand River in West Michigan.

Across 14 different forested areas throughout this region, the group will take action to impact nearly 500 acres of forest by treating for invasive species, planting new forests and diversifying existing forests.

One of the invasive species that will be addressed is the Emerald ash borer that killed mature ash trees 60 feet or more in height at Wau-Ke-Na and throughout the state.

As a dominant tree in the preserve’s hardwood forests, losing ash trees dealt a devastating blow to over 50 acres at the site. Sunlight now floods to the ground in a previously shady understory.

“With the canopy dying back and more sunlight coming in, invasive plants are having a field day out there,” conservancy Stewardship Specialist Dave Brown said.

Emerald ash borer and invasive plants aren’t the only thorns in the sides of land managers throughout the region who are trying to keep our local forests healthy.

“In the past 200 years these forests have seen major impacts that have re-shuffled the ecosystem again and again, and each time some species can adapt to the changes, some have to move elsewhere, and others we lose,” Lettow said. With climate change as another challenge thrown in the mix, Lettow and Brown are also seeing intense spring rains nearly every year impacting many of the conservancy's preserves. Gradually changing hydrology is quietly affecting what tree species can thrive in Michigan’s forests with heavier spring rains.

“The key to creating healthy forests with climate change and forest pests will be selecting a diversity of the right species for the right place,” Lettow said.

The partners’ project area spans what ecologists call the “tension zone,” a region where northern tree species meet southern tree species and they blend together.

Any Michigander who has driven “up north” from the southern part of the state has experienced the tension zone as oaks and hickories start to give way to birches and pines. As summer temperatures become warmer and winters become milder, historically southern species like shagbark hickory are likely to do better here, while northern species like paper birch are likely to struggle and their range is likely to move further north.

At the Wau-Ke-Na Preserve, the conservancy is determining which species of planted trees may do best after invasive plants are treated in the struggling ash forests. Black gum and sycamore for example, are two tree species that like the wet conditions found at the preserve, and if planted could help to refill the open canopy over time

“I’ve seen these species a lot more in southern Michigan and northern Indiana, but at this point they’re pretty uncommon this far north,” Brown said. “If we plant them here now, not only could they handle the warmer summer temps here, but they may even thrive over time, and help keep invasives from taking over again.”

Ho-hum filings

Few surprises expected on the November ballot for VB county officials

By TRIBUNE STAFF

Most Van Buren County incumbent elected officials will face few if any challengers in the primary or general election.
None of the incumbent county officials face challenges. The only newcomer who has filed is Republican Susan Zuiderveen, who is seeking the prosecuting attorney’s seat, which will be vacated at the end of this year by Michael Bedford, who announced in 2019 he would not seek re-election.
All positions are four-year terms.
Sheriff: Daniel Abbott, R-Bangor (incumbent)
Clerk: Suzie Roehm, R-Decatur (incumbent)
Treasurer: Trisha Nesbitt, R-Lawton (incumbent)
Prosecutor: Susan Zuiderveen, R
Register of Deeds: Paul DeYoung, R-Paw Paw (incumbent)
Drain Commissioner: Joe Parman, R-Paw Paw (incumbent)
Surveyor: Donald Gilchrist, R-Gobles (incumbent)

All seven county commissioners are seeking re-election, and none faces a primary challenge. Three Republican incumbents are being challenged by Democrats in the general election.
District 1: Gail Patterson Gladney, D-South Haven (incumbent)
District 2: Kurt Doroh, R-Bangor (incumbent)
District 3
¦ Richard Godfrey, R-Bloomingdale (incumbent)
¦ John Wagner, D-Almena
Township
District 4
¦ Mike Chappell, R-Hartford (incumbent)
District 5
¦ Randall Peat, R-Paw Paw (incumbent)
¦ Edward R. Hellwege, D-Paw Paw
District 6
¦ Donald Hanson, R-Decatur (incumbent)
District 7
¦ Paul Schincariol, R-Mattawan (incumbent)
¦ David Goldenberg, D-Mattawan

4.20.20

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Geneva Township resident Jon DeBruyn has been spending his stay-at-home time outside picking up trash alongside township roads. He’s on a mission to rid the area of trash, especially plastics. (Photo by Kim Ingalls)

Man on a mission

Geneva Township resident cleans up road sides, ditches, one bag at a time

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

GENEVA TWP. — Jon DeBruyn may be staying at home these days like the rest of us during the coronavirus pandemic, but he’s not staying inside.

Most days, you can find DeBruyn walking along township roads, traipsing through muddy ditches to fill bag after bag of trash.

“With everything shut down, it’s a good way to get out and go for a walk,” he said. “I get about four trash bags every mile,” he said.

His goal is to keep the environment free of litter - especially plastics.

“I have been doing beaches and rivers for the past few years and because of the stay home order I've decided to go more local,” he explained. “My goal is to encourage people to do the same and encourage people in power to consider what is happening to the product after it's consumed; how and what does it break down into.”

Plastic pollution is a world-wide problem. More than 22 million pounds of plastic pollution end up in the Great Lakes every year, according to the Rochester Institute of Technology. And, it never really goes away. Instead, it just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces known as “microplastics.” 

Across the Great Lakes region, plastic travels through local watersheds and from beaches into the lakes before flowing with currents downstream. Eventually, those tiny pieces of litter flow out to the ocean, and the Great Lakes plastic pollution adds to the global ocean plastic problem.  

Too help combat that, volunteers with the Alliance’s Adopt-a-Beach program participate in hundreds of beach cleanups across all five Great Lakes every year. The 15,000 volunteers hit the beach and remove about 18 tons of trash. More than 85 percent of the of the debris they pick up is made up of plastic.

DeBruyn said he gets upset about the dilemma, but rather than complain he decided to be proactive.

“It's something that I am capable of doing and I can make my own little difference. I’m going to go as long as the earth permits me too.”

DeBruyn spends about four hours a day, weather permitting, collecting the litter.

“It is enlightening to see someone take the initiative to keep busy,” said Geneva Township Supervisor Nancy Whaley. “I am positive that the people of Geneva thank him and are glad to see this.“

More importantly, DeBruyn hopes it will spark others to do the same.

“I would like to bring to light there are positive actions that can be taken to make a change and that plastics are breaking down and ending up in our water and food chain, he said.

South Haven teacher: History matters

Julie Sheppard honored for dedication to school district's history club students

Over the past decade, North Shore Elementary teacher Julie Sheppard has led students each year to the National History Day finals in Maryland. In March, she was recognized for her efforts by being nominated for a national award that recognizes educators who make a strong commitment to encouraging students to learn about history.
The National History Club organization nominated Sheppard for its highest honor — the Hannah E. MacGregor Teacher of the Year award.
Each of the 58 National History Day affiliates throughout the United States recommend one high school teacher for the award. Sheppard will represent the Michigan affiliate in the senior division. All nominees will receive a $500 cash award, while the two teachers chosen in June as Teacher of the Year in the junior and senior divisions will each be given $5,000.
“Teachers are among the greatest resources students have to develop the skills necessary to become critical thinkers,” said National History Day Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn in a news release. “The nominees for the MacGregor Award have shown a dedication to teaching that goes beyond the classroom. I congratulate Mrs. Sheppard on her well-deserved nomination.”
Sheppard has served as the History Club coach for the past 14 years. During that time period, club members have qualified for the state and national competitions  for 10 consecutive years.
When asked how she felt when hearing news of her nomination, Sheppard said, “I do a lot of volunteer work and other things without ever expecting recognition, so this really means a lot to me.”
Over the years, Sheppard has encouraged History Club members to not only conduct research online but to actually interview or visit the people and places showcased in the students' History Day entries.
This year, for instance, Sheppard accompanied South Haven High School student Tabitha Newberry to Detroit so she could learn more about her entry, "Motown: The Tempo Behind the Change.”
While there, Newberry visited the Motown Museum, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and Berry Gordy Jr. Boulevard. Gaining a personal perspective about Motown helped Newberry advance to the Michigan History Day competition after she earned first place at the regional level for senior individual documentary and an award for Best Use of Primary Sources.
Sheppard said she spends extra time with students and their projects because she thinks the study of history is important.
“I believe that, especially under current circumstances, the study of social studies and history is paramount. To better shape and lead the future we need to understand how things happened, learn to look at things non-judgmentally and from all perspectives, and understand how to look at sources of information.”
Students learn more than just history by being a part of the History Club, she went on to say.
“The students become informed citizens and better decision makers. They learn interview and writing skills, speaking skills in order to advocate for themselves and others, and especially, tolerance. We need to be culturally educated and globally connected. We learn from the past to better the future.”




4.13.20

Signs of support are pictured Thursday in the windows of Phoenix Street Cafe in downtown South Haven. The cafe is one of many restaurants closed to dining as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Herald-Palladium photo by Don Campbell)

South Haven's spring tourism season at a near standstill

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, so does its economic toll on tourism towns like South Haven.

“I think we're going to be in for trying times,” said Jay Marcoux.

Marcoux and members of his family own three downtown restaurants — Phoenix Street Cafe, Julia's at the Pavilion and Kitchen 527; each catering to different palettes, and each one full, especially during the busy summer season.

Marcoux fears that may not be the case this summer, even if Michigan's stay-at-home order is lifted this month.

“Say we can open May 1. People will be gun shy for a month or two. And then you only have a month left to the season,” Marcoux said. “I'm worried.”

Marcoux may be optimistic about downtown returning to “business as usual” in May, but that may not be the case.

The annual South Haven Festival of Cars had been planned for June 13, but several weeks ago, organizers decided to cancel it, citing concerns about crowds of people being unable to retain social distancing.

South Haven Center for the Arts Members Show, scheduled to last through May 16^th remains a “virtual” online show at this point, while a bigger draw for visitors — marinas — are being impacted not by the pandemic necessarily, but by record-high water levels on Lake Michigan.

Latest figures compiled by the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers show that for the first quarter of 2020, the lake level surpassed records set during the same time period in 1986.

This year's high water levels forced the City of South Haven to close its Northside Marina for the boating season in order to make upgrades to its dockside electrical system, which if left as is, could cause electrocution to boaters coming in contact with the water.

“Electric repairs were not scheduled for the Northside Municipal Marina this year,” Harbor Master Kate Hosier said in March when the city decided to close the marina. “However, due to the high water and severe storms this winter, staff had concerns regarding the electric system.”

Whether boaters will return to South Haven's other marinas for the summer season remains to be seen. Last year's near-record-high water levels on Lake Michigan and the city's harbor proved difficult enough for them, according to a survey the Harbor Commission took of Northside Marina boaters last fall.

“The surges and the high water levels coming in off the lake are a real challenge,” one boater commented. “I know you can’t control Mother Nature, but this is the hardest thing to manage within the marina.”

Another aspect of South Haven's tourism industry – lodging - is also being impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

Bookings for vacation rentals, hotels and bed and breakfasts pick up significantly in March and April, according to Scott Reinert, executive director of the South Haven/Van Buren County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Not this year, though.

“As you would expect due to the virus and the governor's executive order related to lodging, bookings for April and May have dropped dramatically,” Reinert said. “I'm anticipating a 90 percent drop in revenues for those two months.”

Reservations for the rest of the summer tourism season are also off.

“At this point, reservations for the summer are well behind previous years as I think more people are in a 'wait and see' mode,” Reinert continued to say.

Yet he remains optimistic for an uptick once the pandemic subsides.

“Being primarily a summer tourism destination, we are hopeful that we can recover in time for the major season — June through September,” Reinert said. “Almost 75 percent of tourism-related revenues are generated in those 4 months.  Recent research on traveler sentiment indicates that folks will be eager to travel again once we come through this crisis, and that many will opt to drive versus fly.  So our hope is that there will be pent-up demand in time to support the summer season.”

Van Buren, Cass businesses in line for state-relief grants

AW PAW — Forty small businesses in Van Buren and Cass counties, who were forced to temporarily close due to the coronavirus pandemic, are scheduled to receive grants through the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

That’s the word from Market Van Buren, who worked to secure the funding for small businesses, including six in South Haven, who are being allocated $3,000 each.

The grants were part of a $10 million state package that was distributed to regional groups to help companies with less than 50 employees who were impacted by forced closures.

 “We had over 200 requests for assistance, and fielded dozens of other calls, e-mails and social media messages,” said Market Van Buren Executive Director Zach Morris.

Twenty-four companies in Van Buren and 13 in Cass are being recommended for small business relief.  “We worked collaboratively with our regional partners such as Southwest Michigan First, and with local chambers and individual firms to identify and complete the process for submission,” Morris said.

A formula established by the MEDC was used to send $800,000 to eight counties in Southwest Michigan, including Berrien and Kalamazoo counties. Of that amount, Van Buren County will get $72,000 and Cass County, $40,000.

“Obviously, the need is much greater than that, but this is vital assistance for cash flow, rent, and to support payroll expenses,” Morris said.

Morris said he was grateful for the assistance, and that Market Van Buren is working on plans to help companies once the state's stay-at-home emergency order ends.

“We have been able to work in partnership with lots of different folks, and these relationships will be helpful in our economic recovery response,” Morris said.

 Market Van Buren, a subsidiary of Kinexus Group, is an economic development organization dedicated to the advancement of economic growth in Van Buren County. The organization was formed to bring the public and private sectors together to advance the economic interests of Van Buren county.  For more information, “like” Market Van Buren on Facebook or visit www.MarketVanBuren.org.



4.7.20

South Haven History Club members Lauryn Daugherty (left) and Tessa Hosier are shown earlier this year gathering research for their documentary about retired U.S. Air Force pilot Nicole Malachowski, who became the first female pilot to fly as part of the Air Force's elite Thunderbirds demonstration squadron. The two students are seventh graders at Baseline Middle School. 

COVID-19 fails to stop state history contest

Students will exhibit projects in an online competition

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

As South Haven History Club members saw their classmates' state competitions canceled one by one this spring due to the coronavirus outbreak they began to wonder whether their contest, too, would be curtailed.

It appears, however, club members will be spared the bad news, as organizers of the annual Michigan History Day have come up with plan B.

Instead of traveling all the way to Saginaw Valley State University on April 8th, students will now show judges their performances, documentaries and exhibits online, hoping to secure a berth in the national competition in June.

“In general, the kids are over the moon that organizers thought outside of the box and found a way to allow the competition to go on, even if it means that active presentation of their projects is limited,” said Kameron Daugherty, parent of three children who all qualified for the state competition.

“I am so excited for them,” Daugherty went on to say. “Two of my kids will be submitting group documentaries. My oldest daughter, Avery, along with her partner, Jessee Ford, is submitting a documentary on the first female U.S. Air Force Thunderbird pilot, Nicole Malachowski.  My youngest daughter, Lauryn, along with her partner Tessa Hosier, will be submitting a documentary on the first female cooking show host and former CIA employee, Julia Child.  My son, Myles, will be presenting an exhibit on the Wright Brothers with his partner, Nic Sheppard.

A total of 13 History Club members from South Haven High School and Baseline Middle School advanced to the state level of the National History Day contest, marking the 10th year in a row that students from South Haven have done so.

With schools closed in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus, History Club coach Julie Sheppard said she is glad the state contest will still continue.

“It's (preparing for the state competition) keeping the students moving and they are all working hard to get ready for the next level,” Sheppard said. “They really needed this. Some of the kiddos are involved in the other sports and competitions that got canceled.”

South Haven History Club members advanced to the state competition after qualifying to do so at the regional competition at Western Michigan University earlier in March.

The other students who qualified from South Haven follow: Addison Dekoning, London Piersein, Charlotte Knox, Erin Bos, Tabitha Newberry, Garrett Smith and Kendra Burrows.

SH History Club advisor nominated for national Teacher of the Year award

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Over the past decade, North Shore Elementary teacher Julie Sheppard has led students each year to the National History Day finals in Maryland. This month, she was recognized for her efforts by being nominated for a national award that recognizes educators who make a strong commitment to encouraging students to learn about history.

The National History Club organization nominated Sheppard for its highest honor — the Hannah E. MacGregor Teacher of the Year award.

Each of the 58 National History Day affiliates throughout the United States recommend one high school teacher for the award. Sheppard will represent the Michigan affiliate in the senior division. All nominees will receive a $500 cash award, while the two teachers chosen in June as Teacher of the Year in the junior and senior divisions will each be given $5,000.

“Teachers are among the greatest resources students have to develop the skills necessary to become critical thinkers,” said National History Day Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn in a news release. “The nominees for the MacGregor Award have shown a dedication to teaching that goes beyond the classroom. I congratulate Mrs. Sheppard on her well-deserved nomination.”

Sheppard has served as the History Club coach for the past 14 years. During that time period, club members have qualified for the state and national competitions 10 consecutive years.

When asked how she felt when hearing news of her nomination, Sheppard said, “I do a lot of volunteer work and other things without every expecting recognition, so this really means a lot to me.”

Over the years, Sheppard has encouraged History Club members to not only conduct research online but to actually interview or visit the people and places showcased in the students' History Day entries.

This year, for instance, Sheppard accompanied South Haven High School student Tabitha Newberry to Detroit to learn more about her entry, “"Motown: The Tempo Behind the Change.”

While there, Newberry visitied the Motown Museum, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and Berry Gordy Jr. Boulevard. Gaining a personal prospective about Motown helped Newberry advance to the Michigan History Day competition after she earned first place at the regional level for senior individual documentary and an award for Best Use of Primary Sources.

Sheppard said she spends extra time with students and their projects because she feels the study of history is important.

“I believe that, especially under current circumstances, the study of social studies and history is paramount. “To better shape and lead the future we need to understand how things happened, learn to look at things non-judgmentally and from all perspectives, and understand how to look at sources of information.”

Students learn more than just history by being a part of the History Club, she went on to say.

“The students become informed citizens and better decision makers. They learn interview and writing skills, speaking skills in order to advocate for themselves and othersm andm especially tolerance. We need to be culturally educated and globally connected. We learn from the past to better the future.”



3.31.20

Family celebrates matriarch's 105^th birthday through window

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

Like many nursing homes and hospitals, South Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation has had to prohibit visitors during the COVID-19 outbreak, but that didn’t stop one South Haven woman from observing her 105th birthday with her family.

With relatives standing outside the facility’s window, Helen Sharp celebrated inside with nursing staff and residents in honor of her milestone birthday.

“There were probably 10 of us,” said Glenn Crow, Helen’s cousin. “We had to stand outside due to no visitors allowed. The staff at the nursing home did a great job and sang her a song.”

Helen was born March 21,1915 when the 28th president was Thomas Woodrow Wilson and Babe Ruth hit his first home run.

As staff helped her celebrate her 105^th birthday, Helen wasn’t sure why her family couldn’t come inside.

“She doesn’t understand this virus,” Glenn said after she asked why her family was outside. “That’s one thing she hasn’t experienced in life.”

And, at 105 years old, Sharp attributes her longevity to her family tree. 

“My mother made it seven months past her 100th birthday, and my grandmother on my dad's side lived to 100," she said in a 2015 South Haven Tribune interview. "And I had a cousin who lived to 103. It's not all the way I've lived. I have good genes."

Up until last year, Helen was living on her own riding the transit bus around town and playing cards with friends. She missed her 104th birthday party when she ended up in the hospital after falling and breaking her pelvis and arm. Sent to the nursing center for rehabilitation, Helen decided she wanted to stay there. 

“Helen is such an incredible woman,” Brenda Shoemaker Crow, Glenn’s wife, posted on Facebook. “Thank you South Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation for caring and loving Helen. It means so much to the family knowing she is cared for. Thank you for making her feel special on her special day.”

The lost year

Graduating seniors deal with cancellations, postponements

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Historians refer to the generation of Americans who came of age during the First World War I as the lost generation. For South Haven High School's class of 2020, this year could very well be thought of as “the lost year.”

The coronavirus pandemic has forced graduating seniors to essentially stay at home at a time when many would be looking forward to such things as prom, graduation, or just hanging out with friends.

“It’s not fun to not be able to see everyone I normally see when we all don’t know what our future looks like,” said Genny Deschaine.

Deschaine is one of nearly a dozen seniors who were cast in the school's production of “Shrek the Musical.”

But two hours before March 13th's opening night performance, students were told the musical's three-night run would have to be canceled due to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's decision to close all schools in the state for three weeks to halt the spread of COVID-19.

“Needless to say the students, especially our senior cast members, as well as my co-director Katie Hillyard and I, were absolutely devastated,” said the play's director, Erin O'Neil.

School administrators were sympathetic to the students' plight and allowed them to perform the opening night show – but to an empty auditorium.

For students the unusual circumstances equated to a senior moment.

“They were performing to an empty auditorium, but had such heart and depth in that moment — it was inspiring,” O'Neil said.

Other students though haven't been able to capture their senior moments.

The varsity swim team's 200-meter freestyle relay team had been looking forward to competing in the Division 3 state finals earlier this month. But, when the Michigan High School Athletic Association made the decision to cancel the event, the swimmers' hopes of bringing home a medal were doused.

“We had just gotten a police escort through town, hopping on the highway to head there, when we got the call it had been canceled,” said Coach Thomas Capps. “It was very hard for myself to even tell the boys the news. They worked hard to qualify for state.”

One of the swimmers was senior Vance Locker.

“The one that hurts the most for me, is Vance Locker, our senior and captain,” Capps said. “He wanted to go to so bad, and when we hit the time (to qualify for state), the look on his face was priceless.”

The school's award-winning robotics team faced a similar situation as the swimmers did. Team Ramageddon was thrilled to find out, earlier his month, it had qualified to compete in the FIRST robotics state championship, only to find out days later the April 8^th event had been canceled.

“While we understand and support this decision, it is nonetheless heartbreaking for our team, especially our seniors who have worked non-stop since Jan. 5,” co-advisor Kim Wise said shortly after receiving news of the cancellation.

The spring sports season has failed to launch, as well, and may never get off the ground this year.

Mark Uyl Michigan High School Athletic Association's executive director tried to remain optimistic in an article in the March 18^th Lansing State Journal, but at the same time realistic.

“I think it's a pretty prudent plan of let's just take things in three-week segments and let's see what the world looks like on April 6," Uyl said. "If we're still in a shutdown, but a long-term decision hasn't been made, it will be then let's look again at what late April brings and then you move to May and then you keep taking it three weeks at a time. I think most people understand that."

Although some “moments” won't occur or have been postponed for South Haven High School seniors, students, like Deshaine are holding out for a more promising future once the coronavirus pandemic ends.

“My classmates and I are adjusting OK,” she said. “We all think it’s strange to not do the activities we normally do, but we’re all just waiting to see what happens regarding all the activities in the future.”



3.16.20

Deb Davidson is shown with a State of Michigan proclamation and plaque she received in 2019 for earning the South Haven Area Chamber of Commerce's Lifetime Achievement award. 

Farewell, city hall

Woman of many hats announces her retirement

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Over the past two decades, Deb Davidson has worn many hats, so to speak, as an administrator at city hall. Soon however, she'll be taking on a new role – one that involves spending more time with family and friends.

Davidson has announced her retirement, effective May 29th.

“Deb has decided to pursue greener pastures,” City Manager Brian Dissette said.

“It really has been an enjoyable journey,” Davidson said regarding her career with the City of South Haven.

She started in 2000 as city clerk. Three years later she was asked to step up to become communications manager, Downtown Development Authority director and the city's grant writer/administrator.

“She's worn a variety of hats,” Dissette said. “I can't stress enough the person who will fill her shoes has very big shoes to fill.”

Probably one of Davidson's biggest accomplishments over the years has involved helping the city obtain millions of dollars in state and federal grants and overseeing the implementation of improvement projects made possible with those grant dollars.

Some of those projects included the complete reconstruction of key downtown streets, beach improvements, and land acquisitions for the extension of South Beach.

“The next time you walk down Phoenix, the next time you drive down Williams...if you've ever spent time on South Beach or walking along Monroe Boulevard where we acquired additional space to extend the beach...these are all projects that Deb had her fingerprints on,” Dissette said.

“I have had my hand in writing many of the grant applications, whether independently or jointly with engineers and consultants,” Davidson admitted.

She listed completion of the $2.4 million Phoenix Street reconstruction project in 2013 as one of her most memorable moments with the city.

The project involved closure of two blocks of downtown's main street for nearly a year. As merchants made the best of the situation, the city helped by putting up signs guiding motorists and pedestrians to detours to gain access to the downtown. But when the dust settled, the street was transformed into one featuring new, badly needed infrastructure, a new concrete street, curbs, bump-outs, landscaping, new street lamps and traffic lights, no more overhead wiring and the addition of free wi-fi.

“Seeing Phoenix Street improvements completed,” Davidson said, was a day that will linger in her mind for quite awhile, as will the completion in May of another big downtown project – the reconstruction of six blocks of Center Street. With a price tag of $2.7 million the project will be much similar to improvements made to Phoenix Street – new infrastructure, a new street, curbs, sidewalks, landscaping and lighting.

“I am looking forward to seeing the completion of Center Street before I retire,” Davidson said.

She has also enjoyed working with the downtown merchants, many of whom, she said, have become life-ling friends and seeing beaches become more accessible and accommodating to water enthusiasts.

“I wrote the grant for South Beach improvements and am very proud of that particular grant,” Davidson went on to say.

Once she does retire, Davidson admitted she'll miss the day-to-day grind of working at city hall.

“I love my job, so it is bittersweet leaving the city,” she said. “But, it's all about time. I intend to enjoy time with the five grandchildren and my dad, travel with my husband, rockhounding on the beach and volunteer work. That's the short list.”

The city has posted Davidson's three-tiered job, now titling it as Director of Community Development.

“I'm hopeful to keep her (Davidson) working on a contract basis to train her replacement but that is to be determined,” Dissette said.

Van Buren voters OK four millage issues

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

PAW PAW — Van Buren County voters headed to the polls Tuesday not only to select a presidential nominee for the 2020 general election but four millage issues. Two were for renewals to maintain county roads and public transportation services, while the remaining two will provide for increased services to military veterans and improvements to the Van Buren Intermediate School District's Bert Goens Special Education building as well as for more money for special education programs at 11 school districts served by the ISD.

Complete results for this year's March primary election came in later due to a change in the state's election laws that allowed for ease in filing of absentee ballots. By the end of the evening, all four ballot issues had passed.

Unofficial results follow:

• Van Buren County Road Commission millage renewal – Voters approved the four-year 0.9769-mill proposal 10,479-4,156. Renewal of the millage will generate approximately $3.3 million each year. For 2020, according to the road commission, the millage will pay for improvements along portions of County Road 380 in Columbia Township, Red Arrow Highway in Antwerp Township, County Road 653 in Antwerp Township; rehabilitation of 10 bridge structures throughout the county; and sealcoating of 60 miles of primary roads, along with funding for improvements to township roads.

• Van Buren Public Transit millage renewal – The proposal passed 10,073-4,541 and will provide $800,000 each year for four years to provide bus services to residents throughout the county.

• Van Buren Intermediate School District millage proposal – The five-year, .9-mill levy passed 7,906-5,801. The new millage will generate an additional $3.7 million each year for upgrades to the Bert Goens Special Education Center in Lawrence and provide additional special education funding for the 11 school districts within the ISD. Of that amount, $1.7 million will be targeted for renovations to the Bert Goens building in Lawrence, which services students with greater special needs than individual school districts can provide. The remaining $2 million will be divided among the 11 school districts to help them provide services to students of lesser special needs in their school systems.

• Veterans service millage – Voters approved it 9,518-4,616. The four-year, 0.10 millage levy will generate $340,000 each year and replaces the previous 0,025 “Soldier and Sailors Relief Commission” millage. The new millage will provide an additional staff member for the county's veterans services program. Approximately 5,000 military veterans reside in Van Buren county.



3.9.20

Rev. Michael Tupper has served as a United Methodist Church minister for the past 39 years, including 8 years as Casco United Methodist Church, just north of South Haven, from 1993-2001. A rift with the Methodist Church denominations teachings about homosexuality teachings has prompted Tupper to become a member of the United Church of Christ denomination. Last month he was chosen as the associate pastor at First Congregational Church in South Haven.

A new calling

Pastor joins UCC after falling out with Methodist faith over LGBT issue

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

For more than 30 years, Rev. Michael Tupper remained devout to the First United Methodist Church.

But that began to change six years ago when he attended his daughter's marriage to another woman and was disciplined by the church for signing her marriage license.

The fallout from being disciplined in 2014 led Tupper on a six-year journey that has resulted in a new calling and a new denomination.

First Congregational Church in South Haven has chosen Tupper as its new associate pastor.

“I never thought I'd leave the Methodist Church,” said Tupper, who has served as a Methodist minister for 39 years. “It's hard to leave something you spent your whole life with, but I couldn't in good conscience remain with a denomination that discriminates against my daughter.”

The Methodist church teachings dictate that all people are worthy. However, the practice of homosexuality is not compatible with Christian teaching. In addition, ministers cannot be practicing homosexuals nor can they perform same-sex marriages.

The church's stance on homosexuality has been debated over the years at its General Conference. Following the latest one 2019, church leaders proposed to split the denomination due to “fundamental differences” about church beliefs on same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy. The proposal will be put to the test in May when the General Conference meets to determine whether to split the Methodist Church into two different denominations.

If the split occurs, Tupper still feels he made the right decision to leave th e Methodist faith because there will still be a conservative portion of the church that excludes the LGBT community.

“This past fall I took a retreat to Ludington and asked God, 'do I need to switch denominations?'” Tupper recalled. “The Lord said you need to move on. I'm hopefully they'll (the Methodist church) become welcoming, but I want to be part of a denomination that better fits our family.”

Tupper didn't always have a rift with Methodist teachings regarding the LGBT community.

“Back when I started I was of the mind that homosexuality was a sin and we needed strict rules,” Tupper recalled.

But, then a young man walked into his office one day, hoping to join Tupper's congregation. He was worried if he would be accepted because of his homosexuality.

“I thought, 'well of course God would want you to be a part of the church,'” Tupper recalled thinking. As a result of the conversation, he began to re-read scripture and concluded leaders of the Methodist faith had misinterpreted them.

“God welcomes all people,” Tupper said.

When his daughter told her parents in 2012 that she was gay she told them how difficult it was to grow up attending churches where it was implied she would be going to hell for being gay.

“The shame and stigma she dealt with...we didn't know it at the time,” Tupper said.

Tupper did end up resigning in 2016 from his Methodist congregation in the Kalamazoo area and he and his wife began traveling But, when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 it led the couple to a new church and a new denomination for support. They found what they needed at Phoenix Community Church in Kalamazoo, which is part of the United Church of Christ denomination, as is First Congregational Church in South Haven.

“They're (Phoenix Community Church) predominantly LGBT, so we were the minority. But they were so welcoming and supportive. It was just what we needed.”

Ironically, even though the couple joined a church affiliated with another denomination. Tupper made the decision in 2017 to become a part-time pastor at Gull Lake Methodist Church in Richmond. On Sundays he would pastor at the Methodist Churchm and in the evening, attend services at Phoenix Community Church.

“I really liked the Gull Lake church and hated to leave, but when the church decided to have a young full-time pastor I thought this was an opportunity to make the shift.”

Tupper is finishing up his part-time pastoral duties at Gull Lake Methodist Church, while learning his duties at First Congregational Church in South Haven. He plans to wrap up his pastorship in Richland in May. In the meantime Tupper will go through the process of being formally accepted as a UCC pastor this weekend during an Ecclesiastical Council in Kalamazoo.

He also will enjoy visiting with his daughter, who gave birth 4.5 months ago to a baby girl.

South Haven unveils plan to manage and protect Monroe Blvd. bluff

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Five years ago, the City of South Haven acquired four prized parcels of property on Monroe Boulevard overlooking Lake Michigan. Now city officials want to make the bluff more accessible to residents and visitors while ensuring its stability environmentally for future generations to enjoy.

The view, located across the street from Kids Corner Park, overlooks Lake Michigan and the city's South Beach and lighthouse, and is a popular destination for visitors.

"It's the focal point when people come to South Haven," Former Mayor Bob Burr said when the city purchased the property in 2015. "They park and they look over the bluff."

South Haven residents will get a chance to see improvements envisioned for the popular overlook when the Monroe Bluff Beach Management Plan is unveiled at the March 16th city council meeting. The meeting and public hearing will begin at 7 p.m., at city hall, 539 Phoenix St.

The $677,500 Monroe Bluff Beach Management Plan was developed by Edgewater Resources of St. Joseph, following two years of public visioning sessions.

In 2016, the Public Works Department began the effort of creating best management practices

for maintenance plan of the dune habitat on Lake Michigan, west of Monroe Blvd., between Van

Buren and Chestnut Streets, according to Department of Public Works Director Bill Hunter. Improper disposal of grass clippings and yard waste on dunes; erosion of sand by wind and uncontrolled foot traffic; and growth of invasive plant species were all issues noted by the city's maintenance crews.

To protect the bluff and make accessibility to it safer for the public, the city asked Edgewater Resources to develop a plan based on public input.

The plan includes safer pedestrian access to and from the bluff with bump-outs and crosswalks at three intersections leading to Monroe Boulevard and the bluff; bike lanes on both sides of Monroe Boulevard; an 8-foot wide paved trail along the top of the bluff, extending from St. Basil Church Park south to Orchard Street; seating areas; retaining walls to protect the bluff from erosion; designated paths leading from the top of the bluff to the lake; stroller and wagon parking for people with young children; and a bike rack.

Maybe of more importance is the portion of the plan that addresses the bluff itself.

Erosion, caused by high-water levels on Lake Michigan over the past several years, is occurring at the bottom of the bluff. It hasn't affected the top of the bluff – yet.

To ensure stability of the bluff, the plan calls for two clearly marked designated roped off paths leading to the beach to prevent use of the many paths that have been made on the dune's slope over the years. By reducing the number of paths to two, erosion can be mitigated.

“These barriers, coupled with informational signage about the fragile nature of dune plant and animal life, will help locals and visitors alike to become stewards of this natural resource,” Edgewater Resources wrote in its proposal for mitigating erosion of the bluff.

The plan also highlights two areas along the bluff's slope where invasive plant species will be removed and replaced by native dune species to help with stabilization of the dune.

“The Monroe Bluff Beach Management plan was put in place with the idea of if you can manage the access from the top of the bluff, you can decrease the erosion potential at the toe of the bluff,” said Deb Davidson, city communications director, grant writer, and Downtown Development Authority director.

To offset the cost of the improvement plan for Monroe Boulevard Bluff, the city has the option of applying for two $300,000 grants from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, and the federal government's Land & Water Conservation Fund, administered through the DNR.

If by chance both grants are approved, the state would choose which one to award to the city, according to City Manager Brian Dissette.

Council members are expected to vote on whether to apply for the grants following the March 16th public hearing.

Back in 2015 when the city bought the four privately owned parcels along the bluff, the DNR's trust fund contributed a $650,000 grant toward the $800,000 purchase price.





3.2.20

Rev. Travis Wilson of Peace Lutheran Church (right) spreads ashes in the sign of a cross on Arlene Campbell's forehead, Wednesday morning, while Rev. Jeffrey Dick of First Congregational Church says prayers as part of Ashes to Go. The two ministers offered the brief Ash Wednesday observance for people who can't fit the more traditional, longer Ash Wednesday services into their schedule. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Ashes to go

Ministers make Ash Wednesday ritual more convenient for people who are pressed for time

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Christians throughout Southwest Michigan observe the start of the Lenten season each year by going to church and taking part in Ash Wednesday services.

Over the years, though, Ministers have found that not everyone can take an hour out of their work day to attend the service and receive ashes on their forehead to symbolize the 40-day Lenten season of fasting and prayer that leads to the celebration of Easter.

To deal with the situation, a growing number of pastors are offering a quicker way to observe the start of Lent – Ashes To Go.

Two such ministers from South Haven, Rev. Jeffery Dick of First Congregational Church and Rev. Travis Wilson of Peace Lutheran Church, decided to give the concept a try.

“For many, the times that we offer worship do not always work,” Dick explained. “So this year we are trying to do something different.”

From 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the two ministers stood outside under a display tent in the Congregational Church parking lot to perform a brief Ash Wednesday service for people on the go.

Arlene Campbell of South Haven was one such individual. As she stood under the tent in front of the two ministers, they welcomed her, said several prayers and then spread ashes in the sign of the cross on her forehead.

“God meets us not just in worship, but in the midst of life,” Wilson said. “We offer the opportunity to remember our faith to those whose schedule makes it hard to stop and pray with others today.”

Wilson performed similar Ashes to Go observances when he served as a minister in Jackson. Dick decided to partner with him this year to offer the abbreviated service because it reminded him of an incident that occurred a couple of years ago when he and his wife were eating at a local restaurant following an evening Ash Wednesday service.

“Our waitress mentioned that she had worked all day and was unable to attend a service. She felt sad for missing Ash Wednesday,” Dick said. “My wife still had ashes on her forehead, so I told the waitress I could bless her right here and now. She was stunned. I used some of my wife's ashes and offered her a short blessing and then made the mark of the cross on her forehead. It was a wonderful moment that I will never forget.”

Unusually long power outage in SH area explained

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

It wasn't a car crashing into a pole that left South Haven area residents without electrical power for most of the day on Saturday. It was two accordion-shaped insulators.

Homes and businesses lost power at approximately 8:30 a.m., but it took workers from Indiana Michigan Power until 4:45 p.m. to restore electricity.

“A tree came into contact with a service line and damaged two insulators,” said Schnee Garrett, senior communications consultant for Indiana Michigan Power.

Electrical insulators ensure the flow of electricity in electrical lines safely transmits to homes and businesses.

The damaged line and insulators left thousands of people in the areas of South Haven, Covert and Bangor without electrical power.

“Our crews worked diligently to remove the tree and repair the equipment restoring service to our customers,” Garrett said. “We thank our customers for their patience during the outage.”

Finding exactly where the tree was located along one of the company's main power feeds was sort of like finding a needle in a haystack.

Although the power went out at 8:30 a.m. the problem wasn't discovered until early afternoon.

“Insulators aren't easy to spot,” explained South Haven Department of Public Works Director Bill Hunter. “Trying to find which one failed is difficult.”

Insulators

Another issue stymied the return of electrical power — one of the two Indiana Michigan Power main transmission lines that feeds electricity to the South Haven area is in the process of being rebuilt.

“We have two lines that feed into South Haven, one from Riverside and one from Hartford,” Hunter said.

Because the Riverside line is being rebuilt, power couldn't be switched to it when the two insulators on the Hartford line failed. Instead, power on that line had to be switched off in order to find the problem.



Deputy, state troopers save man frum jumping off I-94 overpass

PAW PAW — First responders, Tuesday, Feb. 25, stopped a 48-year-old man from jumping off a bridge onto a busy interstate.

Van Buren County Central Dispatch were alerted to the potential suicide at 6:30 p.m. when they received a 911 call telling them that police had “two minutes to get to the overpass in Paw Paw.”

Three agencies – Van Buren County Sheriff's Department, Michigan State Police and Paw Paw Police – quickly went to Interstate 94's M-40 Highway overpass, according to the sheriff's news release. One of the deputies saw a vehicle stop in the middle of M-40 Highway. The driver then proceeded forward with the vehicle and crashed into a guard rail. He then exited the car and tried to climb up on the rail, ready to jump.

However, he was pulled down by a deputy. Michigan State Police assisted in detaining the man and placing him into custody before he could jump off the bridge.

During the investigation, deputies determined the man was intoxicated. He was treated medically at a hospital prior to being taken to Van Buren County Jail for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

No serious injuries were sustained to any party involved, according to the sheriff's department news release.



2.24.20

Members of the Black Historical Leadership Society honor Pastor Joe Wilkins of South Haven, Feb. 16, during the 44th annual Black History Program. From left are members Mother Juanita Cunningham, Phyllis Tyler, President Dorothy Sherrod, Dorothy Mcdonald, Gale Patterson Gladney, Lola Wilson and Wilkins. Other members of the Leadership Society who aren't pictured are charter member Merna Llorens and Clara Singer. (Contributed photo)

Celebrating contributions of blacks

Black Historical Leadership Society honors South Haven pastor

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

COVERT — As part of Black History Month, the Black Historical Leadership Society honored a South Haven pastor who has spent the past two decades helping youth.

Pastor Joe Wilkins was recognized, Feb. 16, by the society at its 44^th annual Black History Program at Lily of the Valley Church. His name will now be added to a plaque at South Haven city hall that includes all the previous area residents honored annually by the Leadership Society.

Wilkins, who recently retired from Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, also founded and serves as pastor at Resurrection Life Ministries in South Haven. Twenty years ago he started the Bach to School Fun Day and Backpack Giveaway at Elkenburg Park, according to Dorothy Sherrod, president of the Black Historical Leadership Society.

The first event took place in August of 1999. Since then, 2,700 backpacks have been given to students.

In addition to honoring Wilkins, the Society awarded a scholarship to Lake Michigan College student Houston Bolden to further his studies.

The theme for this year's Black History Program was “Excellence in Community Service.” Highlights of historical moments nationally were recognized along with two icons -  the late author Toni Morrison and the late Sen. Elijah Cummins.

Founded ini 1976, the Black Historical Leadership Society is comprised of six South Haven area residents whose mission is to bring awareness of African Americans in the community who have made a contribution that makes South Haven and surrounding areas a better place.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of blacks in U.S. history, according to www.history.com.  Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history.

Fixing the roads

Van Buren Road Commission announcess projects for 2020; Urges 'yes' vote for millage renewal

By TRIBUNE STAFF

LAWRENCE — Next month, Van Buren County voters will head to the polls to cast ballots not only for the Democratic presidential nominee, but for a millage renewal to help fund this year's Van Buren County Road Commission's road projects.

The road commission earlier this week released a list of more than two dozen road and bridge projects it plans to undertake this year, including reconstruction of sections of Red Arrow Highway and County Road 653, along with rehabilitation work on 10 bridge structures throughout the county.

Without renewal of the millage, completion of the projects will be compromised, according to Road Commission Managing Director Dan Bishop.

“Funds received through the county-wide road millage are spent directly to improve the road system in Van Buren County,” Bishop said. “Funds received through the county-wide road millage have not been used for snow plow operations, ice control operations, pothole repair, equipment purchases or repairs, fuel purchase, repair, replacement of upgrading of traffic signs or signals, operating costs, or the like, because those operations are funded by fuel tax and registration fees.”

On March 10, voters will be asked whether to approve a four-year 0.9769 millage renewal proposal, beginning in 2020. Road Commission officials stress it is a renewal of an existing millage - not the three mills for 12 years that voters rejected twice in 2018.

"This is a renewal millage," Bishop said. "It's been around since 1978."

A list of proposed improvement projects for this year follows:

• Red Arrow Highway from 26th Street to 28th Street, Antwerp Township; reconstruction

• CR 653 from Red Arrow Highway to I-94; reconstruction

• CR 380 from CR681 to the Village of Breedsville, Columbia Township; top course paving

• CR380 from the Village of Breedsville to the Bloomingdale/Columbia Township line; drainage work

• CR 374 from Red Arrow Highway to 45th Street; tree removals

• Rehabilitation work for the following bridge structures: 48th Avenue over the Paw Paw River, Arlington/Lawrence Townships; 70th Street over the South Branch of the Black River, Geneva Township; 70th Street over the Paw Paw River, Hartford Township; 72nd Avenue over Brush Creek, Lawrence Township, 5th Avenue over Mentha Drain, Pine Grove Township; 71½ Street over the South Branch of the Black River, South Haven Township; Red Arrow Highway over Pine Creek, Hartford Township; Red Arrow Highway over Hog Creek, Hartford Township, CR 388 (Phoenix Road) over the South Branch of the Black River, Geneva Township; CR 653 (Almena Drive) over the East Branch of the Paw Paw River, Almena Township.

• Approximately 60 miles of primary road sealcoat and 60 miles of primary road fog seal.

• CR 388 from Grand Junction to CR 388 East, Columbia/Bloomingdale Townships; mill and seal.

• Local road projects to be selected by each township.





2.17.20

Maple Grove Elementary students are taking Random Acts of Kindness Week one step further by celebrating it throughout February. In the photo above, kindergarten students from Tera Crichton's class carry cards they wrote to put on their friends lockers.

SH elementary school students hope to rack up 7,000 acts of kindness

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

Launched in 1995, Random Acts of Kindness Week is an annual opportunity to unite people around the world through kindness. 

At Maple Grove Elementary School in South Haven, students are taking it one step further by celebrating the event all month long.

“We were wanting to do some sort of kindness campaign but couldn’t find one we really liked so we combined some ideas and created our own,” explained Molly Brush, school secretary. “I made the chart for each student and made up the different kindness challenges.” She then presented her proposal to school Principal Kim Cross.

“She was on board from the very beginning,” Brush said.

The goal, according to Brush, is for everyone to complete one act of kindness every school day resulting in more than 7,000 random acts of kindness in one month. During the first week of February, Michele Johnson, the school success coach, presented the idea to students and teachers in each grade level.

Celebrated this year from Feb. 17-23, National Random Acts of Kindness Week has grown in popularity each year. It is celebrated by individuals, groups and organizations, nationwide, to encourage acts of kindness. It makes people feel good, it’s a totally free pastime and, as the Random Act of Kindness Foundation points out, it’s one of the only things in the world that doubles when you share it. Kindness, it reports, increases Oxytocin – also known as “the love hormone,” energy, happiness and lifespan. Performing a kind act also decreases pain, stress, anxiety and depression.

“February can be a dreary month with not much sunshine, so we wanted to brighten up the day of others by doing these small random acts daily,” Brush explained. “The quote we use for this is ‘If we all do one random act of kindness daily, we might just set the world in the right direction.”

Each pre-school through third-grade student received their own kindness chart that has one suggestion per day. Some of the ideas include picking up a piece of trash or telling the school janitor thank you.

“It was really challenging to think of kind things for the students to do,” Brush admitted. “Maple Grove follows the 'Four Bs daily - Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful and Be Nice.'  We are always talking with students about looking for ways to follow the Four Bs. Being kind just fits right into it.” 

The charts are used to track progress. When one act is completed, it is marked off on the chart. Students are also decorating the building’s main hallway with paper chains representing each act of kindness.

“Everyone has seemed really excited about it,” Brush said. “It is so neat to hear the students talk about the kind things they were going to do that day and the things they have already done.”

Seminar for parents and teachers addresses effects of childhood trauma

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Three organizations and South Haven Public Schools will be working together this week to help teacher and parents better understand how to better cope with children who have behavioral issues, especially ones associated with trauma.

The Parent Teacher Seminar will take place Wednesday and Thursday Feb. 19-20 and will be led by Dr. Jim Henry, a professor of social work at Western Michigan University and director of the Children's Trauma Assessment Center at WMU.

“Dr. Henry is a dynamic speaker who engages his audience and inspires them to change how they think about children’s behavior, hence changing their own behavior as they attempt to care for, help and teach children,” said Mary Blashill, who is a social worker and member of South Haven Kiwanis Club, who helped organize the seminar along with Sheryl Postma of Hope Parent Network and Sherry Bennett, Great Start Collaborative coordinator for Van Buren Intermediate School District.

Carey Frost, curriculum director for South Haven Public Schools, said she was very receptive when the three groups approached the school district about setting up a seminar to help both teachers and parents dealing with youngsters suffering from trauma and other issues that affect their behavior at home and in the classroom.

“It is necessary for schools to offer  'wrap around' student services to ensure physical wellness and mental health, so SHPS has provided several staff trainings as part of a 'whole child' initiative,” Frost said. “A few of the trainings that have been offered to staff over the past two years include strategies to de-escalate student behavior, interventions that can be used to help students overcome challenging behaviors associated with childhood trauma, and the effects that poverty has on student success in school.  While we regularly provide programs for parents related to academics, this will be the first program specifically related to mental health and behavior.”

The first day of the seminar will be targeted toward elementary school teachers and staff.

“There will be about 80 teachers and staff,” Blashill said. The seminar will take place at South Haven High School and will include a lunch, courtesy of the South Haven Kiwanis Club.

Thursday will be targeted toward parents and children. The seminar will be from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at Lincoln Elementary School and will consist of a dinner and seminar by Henry. While parents listen to the seminar their children can take part in a variety of activities.

Although the school district often offers in-service training for teachers, it doesn't always include parents. But including parents is important, Frost thinks.

“We believe that the school district should play a major role in supporting our students and their families outside of school,” she said. “Our goal is to be a resource for parents in their quest to create supportive, nurturing home environments for their children.”

Blashill said she was pleased that the organizations could partner with the school district to offer the seminar for teachers and parents.

“Teachers, parents, other people caring for children, and the children themselves are often stymied when it comes to understanding children's challenging behaviors,” Blashill said. “Inability to listen, follow directions, focus on an activity, or respond appropriately to physical or verbal confrontation are frequently interpreted as intentional behavior rather than the inability of the child to cope with the stress of their situation. It is very important for all people who care for children to learn about and understand how trauma affects children’s developing brains in order to respond in a helpful, not hurtful, way to their behavior.”





2.10.20

South Haven Mayor Scott Smith (center) congratulates South Haven Police Officer Lucas Keene and South Haven Township resident Austin Grzybowski, Monday, for saving a woman's life after her car crashed into a freezing pond in January and nearly drowned. Also pictured from left are South Haven Police Chief Natalie Thompson and Grzybowski's wife, Michelle.

Man joins officers in saving woman's life

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven city officials make it a point to publicly recognize first responders who save people's lives, but once in awhile they get the opportunity to honor average citizens who do the same thing.

Such was the case earlier this week when a private citizen stood alongside two police officers to receive credit for saving a woman from drowning in her vehicle.

City council members, Monday, issued proclamations to Austin Grzybowski and South Haven Police officers Lucas Keene and Denarie Melendez for their life-saving efforts.

“We get paid (to assist people). That's our job. But to have a citizen take the extraordinary actions he did was truly exceptional,” South Haven Police Chief Natalie Thompson said.

It was a cold day Jan. 8 when Grzybowski sat inside his residence in Park Meadows Apartment to enjoy some down time. But a loud crash and people yelling prompted him to get up and look out the window. He saw them running toward a pond located near an RV park south of the apartment complex on M-43 Highway in South Haven Township.

Grzybowski didn't stand still for long. He rushed toward the pond to see what was going on and saw a vehicle floating on top of the water with someone still inside. He yelled to the driver to roll down their window and sit on the edge of the door frame, which she did, but the vehicle started to sink.

In the meantime Keene and Melendez responded to a 911 call of a vehicle sinking in a pond. When they got to the pond they jumped a fence as the vehicle rapidly began sinking with the woman trying to climb out of the driver side window.

Keene quickly took off his vest and entered the water along with Grzybowski. They helped to pull the driver out of the car and with Melendez' assistance swam the woman to shore, where she then was treated by South Haven Area Emergency Services paramedics and taken to Bronson South Haven Hospital.

Thompson said she was impressed with Grzybowski's efforts to save the woman.

“He was giving her directions immediately which resulted in a successful outcome,” Thompson said, noting that when officers arrived Grzybowski could have stood off to the side, but instead went into the freezing water and swam alongside police to rescue the woman.

“The air temperature that evening was 21 degrees and the eight-foot deep pond was ice-covered except

where the car broke through,” Thompson noted in the proclamation. “The driver reported being unable to move because of the extreme cold. Because of the quick action of Austin James Grzybowski, Officer Keene and Officer Melendez, the driver survived what could have been a much worse outcome.”



2.4.20

Eathen Kazarian and his fourth-grade classmates grins when Bronson Safe Kids Coordinator Pam Ford held up a booster seat during the 'Tweens: Back, Boost, Buckle" program, Monday, and asked whether it was a baby seat. The students in unison said, "yes," prompting giggles and smiles, as did the skeleton prop, "Skully," that Ford used as part of the program that focused on seatbelt safety for youngsters.

These aren't baby seats

Program stresses safety seats for kids

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

When Bronson South Haven Hospital's Safe Kids Coordinator Pam Ford went to North Shore Upper Elementary School, Monday, to talk to students about vehicle safety, she made sure to bring a car booster seat with her to ask youngsters what they thought of it.

“Is this a baby seat?” she quizzed.

Almost in unison and giggling a bit, the children gave a resounding “yes.”

But by the end of the “Tweens: Back, Boost, Buckle” program, the fourth and fifth graders were beginning to view booster seats a little differently.

Michigan law dictates that children age 8 or younger or less than 4 feet 9 inches tall need to sit in a car seat. The law also states that children 12 and under must sit in the back seat of a vehicle, not the front seat.

However, it appears that a number of elementary students, especially the older ones, don't really know about the law, nor do their parents.

In November, Ford and several Safe Kids volunteers went to South Haven's three elementary schools – Maple Grove, Lincoln and North Shore — to physically conduct a survey of youngsters as their parents dropped them off at school. At North Shore 167 students were observed. The good news is that 99 percent of them were buckled. But only 78 percent were in the back seat and just 24 percent in a car seat.At Maple Grove and Lincoln, which are for younger elementary grades, car safety compliance was somewhat better. At Maple Grove, 100 percent of students were buckled, 93 percent in the back seat and 51 percent in a car seat, while at Lincoln, all students observed were buckled, 77 percent in the back seat and 42 percent in booster seats.

The number of youngsters not following state-mandated vehicle safety requirements bothered Ford. Not because they and their parents appear to be ignoring the law, but rather because they could end up with serious injuries in the event of a crash.

That prompted Ford to ask South Haven Public School district elementary principals if she could present the “Tweens: Back, Boost, Buckle” program, developed by the Helen DeVos/Safe Kids Greater Grand Rapids and funded by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

“We're trying to change the stigma about booster seats. When I pull this out (a booster seat) everybody laughs,” Ford said.

“We want to tell them the importance of being buckled, in a booster, and why the back seat is the safest place for them to ride.”

To show students the importance of booster seat use, Ford asked fourth grader Eathen Kazarian to sit in a model car seat. When Kazarian, who is a little shorter than 4 feet 9 inches, buckled up, Ford noted the shoulder strap was closer to his neck than toward his shoulder where it's supposed to rest and the lower strap was straddling his lower abdomen not his hips.

But when she asked Kazarian to use the car seat and then buckle up, the belt fit him just right.

“Seatbelts are designed for adults,” Ford told the students. “The problem with kids using the seatbelts without a car seat is it can cause injuries to your organs and spine.” She also explained that the air bags that are in front seats could also prove harmful to youngsters because the bags are designed for teens and adults.

“Until age 13 bones are not developed. Car bags could cause serious injuries, not to mention the dash board and windshield,” Ford said.

Although he grimaced a bit when asked to sit in the booster seat in front of all his classmates, Kazarian said he's rethinking his stance about car seats.

“Yeah, I think it's safer,” said Kazarian, who does sit in the back seat and uses a seatbelt.

Luckily, Kazarian and other North Shore students who need safety seats will be able to get them for free.

As part of the “Tweens: Back, Boost, Buckle” program, North Shore students who are shorter than 4 feet 9 inches tall were given a voucher to give to their parents granting them a free booster seat if they don't already have one. From 4-7 p.m., Thursday, students, accompanied by their parents, were able to go to Bronson Wellness Center, 950 S. Bailey Ave., and receive a free car seat.

The car seats are being made available free of charge thanks to a grant from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning and the Bronson Health Foundation's South Haven Fund.

Firefighters protect themselves from carcinogens

By TRIBUNE STAFF

First responders at South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) now have much more capable commercial cleaning equipment that decontaminates carcinogens from bunker gear and prevents cross contamination with other laundry thanks to grants from three industries and a bank.

Each of the three SHAES stations now has industrial washers built especially for the purpose of cleaning the gear. In addition, the staff has built drying equipment saving the department significant expenses that would have been incurred by purchasing commercial products.

Studies have shown an association between cancer risk and being a firefighter. After exposure to even routine firefighting, bunker gear can contain carcinogens that may be absorbed through contact or inhalation. Awareness of this increased cancer risk brought a desire by the SHAES leadership to improve upon gear-cleaning.

"The safety of our first responders is our highest priority," said Fire Chief Ronald Wise. "We determined that a systematic approach to cleaning turnout gear would be the best remedy for providing this safeguard. We're grateful to our contributors whose acknowledgement of this need brought it to reality."

Lovejoy, Inc., through the Timken Foundation, awarded SHAES a $20,000 grant. The Timken Foundation awards grants to non-profit agencies that operate in communities in which the Timken Company has facilities. Lovejoy, Inc. has had a plant in South Haven since 1960. The company is a supplier of couplings, power transmissions, hydraulic components and rubber suspension technology.

Albemarle, which is a global supplier of specialty chemicals, contributed $10,000 through its employees' Foundation. The company has been located in South Haven since 1976. The Albemarle Foundation was launched as a means to power the giving potential of its employees. Each site has its own Foundation Council that shares a wide view of a community’s needs and oversee diverse programs of philanthropic opportunities.

Entergy Corp., owner of the Palisades nuclear plant which has operated in Covert Township since 1971, has contributed $5,000. Entergy is a Fortune 500 integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations.

Employees of Sturgis Bank and Trust donated $450 to the project. The second Friday of each month is dedicated as “Jean Day” at the bank. For a donation of $5 employees can wear jeans that day. Each month a different branch of the bank can determine the beneficiary of their contribution. Sturgis Bank and Trust has two of its 12 branches in South Haven.

The project cost a total of $42,000 and funded equipment purchases and ensured that plumbing and electrical requirements were met. The washer and dryer machines were built by SHAES. The SHAES staff also contributed to the project by sponsoring fund-raising pancake breakfasts.



1.27.20

Van Buren County Commissioner Gail Patterson-Gladney is shown in February 2019 taking part in We Care in the Name of Christ's Warm Your Heart Month Island Sit in downtown South Haven. This year's 12-hour fundraising event is scheduled Feb. 29. We Care hopes to raise $10,000.

Chilly tradition creates warmth for those in need

We Care ministry's annual fundraiser culminates in 12-hour sit at outdoor traffic island

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A human service ministry that helps people in need throughout the South Haven area is getting ready to launch its biggest fund-raiser of the year.

We Care in the Name of Christ's annual Warm Your Heart Month will kick off Feb. 1 and conclude March 1 with a variety of fund-raising events, including the popular “Island Sit” where volunteers brave the cold weather to stand at the city's downtown traffic island to solicit monetary donations from motorists and pedestrians.

“Last year, we raised over $7,000 with just that one event - and we had to shut down 2 hours early due to weather,” said Erika Morrison, executive director or We Care.

Overall, We Care hopes to raise $20,000 during Warm Your Heart Month, and Morrison thinks it will happen.

“We were able to reach and exceed our goal of $15,000 last year,” Morrison said. “We raised almost $19,500 in 2019.  We have a whole team of people that help put together this month of events, raise awareness for needs in our community and fundraise.”

Originally, We Care used Warm Your Heart funds for its winter heating assistance program. But several years ago, the non-profit decided to expand use of the donations to its other ministries, as well

“We have found that when someone comes in for one thing — for instance, help with their heating bill — they also need other things, such as food, shampoo, soap, laundry detergent, even medical equipment like a bath chair or a walker,” Morrison said. “However, if people want to make their donation directly to a particular ministry or program, we understand that and welcome that as well.”

Last year, We Care was able to provide $12,500 in heating assistance for 103 families. The ministry limits funding to $250 per family. However, by working with partner agencies, We Care was able to obtain an additional $60,000 in heating assistance in 2019 for area residents in need.

Overall, in 2019, We Care provided help to 2,800 individuals. The ministry provides food, clothing, personal care items, back-to-school supplies, medical, furniture, emergency housing and transportation assistance and holiday meal baskets and gifts to people. It also coordinates with other agencies to help those in need.

Warm Your Heart Month events

• Feb. 1 — Warm Your Heart Kick-off, noon-2 p.m., Golden Brown Bakery, 421 Phoenix St. Variety of children's activities. The bakery will provide discounts to people who donate canned goods.
• Feb. 6 — A Night to Warm Your Heart, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., Taste Restaurant, 402 Phoenix St. Portion of proceeds will be donated to We Care.
• Feb. 8 — Corner Collection, noon-6 p.m., downtown South Haven. St. Basil's Knights of Columbus will be collecting money from motorists and pedestrians.
• Feb. 11 — A Day to Warm Your Heart, 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Phoenix Street Cafe, 523 Phoenix St. Portion of proceeds will be donated to We Care.
• Feb. 14 — A Day to Warm Your Heart, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Clementine's restaurant, corner of Center and Phoenix streets. Portion of proceeds to benefit We Care.
• Feb. 15 — Trivia to Warm Your Heart, 7 p.m., The Congregation (formerly Vineyard Restaurant), 259 Broadway Ave. $100 donation for table of 6. Includes desserts, snacks, raffle and door prizes. All proceeds go to We Care.
• 20 — A Night to Warm Your Heart, 4 p.m.-9 p.m., Black River Tavern, corner of Phoenix and Kalamazoo streets. Portion of proceeds go to We Care.
• 22 — A Night to Warm Your Heart, noon-10 p.m. Kitchen 527, 527 Phoenix St. Portion of proceeds to benefit We Care.
• 23 — Soup Luncheon, noon-2 p.m., St. Basil Catholic Church, 513 Monroe Blvd. Free-will donation for We Care.
• 27 — A Night to Warm Your Heart, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Three Blondes Brewing, 1875 Phoenix St. Portion of proceeds to benefit We Care.
• Feb. 29 — Island Sit, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., downtown traffic island. Participants will seek monetary donations from motorists and pedestrians. WCSY-FM will provide live broadcast.
• March 1 — Soup luncheon, noon-2 p.m., Bangor Church of Christ. Free-will donation for We Care. Sponsored by Bangor area churches.

Number of short-term rental permits dips in South Haven

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Fewer homeowners in the city limits are applying for “business” permits to operate their home as a short-term rental (STR).

That's according to a report summarizing the city's 2019 short-term rental program.

“We saw a 19 percent decrease in business units,” Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier said. “We were at 421 (in 2019), we're now down to 389.”

The report, which was presented this past Monday to the city council, summarizes how the city's updated STR ordinance performed in its first year of operation. The updated ordinance, adopted in December of 2018, put a number of restrictions on business STR owners. They now pay an annual $500 fee vs. $200 and agree to yearly safety inspections to rent their homes throughout the year. Conversely, homeowners who obtain “personal” permits can do so free of charge up to 28 days per year, while agreeing to pay a bi-annual $100 inspection fee.

The report cited several reasons for the decrease in business STR permits from last year to this year.

• Prior rentals are converting from two to four-unit properties to single dwelling properties

• Property owners are moving into South Haven long term

• Inspections identified safety deficiencies that the property owners were unwilling or unable

to correct

• Property owners do not want to pay registration fees or submit to a safety inspection

• Property owners changed their permit designation to personal

The city utilizes a 4-to-1 ratio each year in determining how many dwellings within the city limits can apply for a business STR permit, with the exemption of condo complexes and planned unit developments, which the ordinance does not apply to.

In looking at the housing stock for 2020, there are 2,827 dwellings. So up to 565 or 25 percent of them can be used as business STRs. With 389 currently registered, the city can grant up to 176 additional permits this year, according to Hosier.

The report also included costs associated with operating the short-term rental program. In 2019, the city received $282,875 in fees but ended up spending $3331,795 to administer the program and conduct home inspections. Other costs included legal fees, computer software expenses, publishing expenses and $3,450 in miscellaneous expenses for a loss of $48,920.

“Right now we're operating at a loss,” Hosier said. “When we calculated fees we did anticipate we would see a loss. We created a new department and ordinance. We did over 621 inspections. We did quite a bit of work.”

City Manager Brian Dissette said even though the program did not break even in its first year with a higher fee structure, the city expected that to occur.

“What we're trying to do with fees is control the bleeding. We're getting closer and closer,” he said regarding the larger deficits the STR program incurred prior to passage of higher permit fees. “We anticipate legal expenses will go down. Inspections to be quicker.”

However, an increase in permit fees in the future is not being ruled out.

“In the next year we may be asking council to reconsider the fee structure,” Dissette told council members at Monday night's meeting. “At this time we'll work with the finance department to understand every dollar that went through the program. We're not at a point tonight to offer a formal recommendation.”



1.20.20

Erosion has taken its toll on the shoreline of Pilgrim Haven Nature Preserve in South Haven Township. (Photo by Tom Renner)

Shoreline erosion takes its toll

County board wants state to issue a disaster declaration

By ROD SMITH

For the Tribune

PAW PAW — Van Buren County Commission is joining the ranks of other county boards in asking state officials to declare shoreline communities as disaster areas.

Van Buren board members last week adopted the measure after viewing a Michigan State Police aerial video of erosion along Lake Michigan caused by the abnormally high water levels.

The video footage showed views of the shoreline starting at Glenn in Allegan County and ending to the south at Palisades Park, in Covert Township. The area includes the beaches and harbor at South Haven, Pilgrim Haven Land Preserve, North Point Land Preserve and Palisades nuclear plant. Added were overlays of street names and other features. While watching the video, commissioners commented about the extent of damage the near-record high water levels of Lake Michigan has wrought over the past year.

In one spot, a fairly new home looked as if it had no back yard. In other places, bluffs were being eaten by the lake, their faces sliced off and disappearing into the water. When the video got to Van Buren State Park, Commission Chair Richard Godfrey pointed out, "No beach."

In the resolution the county says it recognizes the erosion from storms, high water and wind-driven waves, as well as ice. The lakes themselves, according to the resolution, drive Michigan's tax base and property values.

"The conditions of the Great Lakes shoreline," according to the resolution, "affects businesses and the tourism industry by limited access to the beaches; the loss of property along the shoreline directly affects the local, county, and state tax base; and the effects on municipal water systems and the inland waters levels throughout the state are all affected.

"Now, therefore, be it hereby resolved that the Van Buren County Board of Commissioners requests that the Governor of the State of Michigan along with the state legislature give favorable consideration to the declaration of the shoreline in the State of Michigan as a disaster area, and seek assistance from congress and the president of the United States for this devastating situation which has an impact statewide."

In other matters, commissioners adopted a resolution asking the state to double the terms of county commissioners.

County commissioners have two-year terms. All other elected officials have four-year terms. State House Bills 4937-38 and Senate Bills 504-505 would make that four years.

County boards of commission came into existence in 1968, superseding county boards of supervisors, where all the township supervisors met for county-level discussions. The state abolished the supervisors board in favor of boards of commissioners, where each member represents a district not based upon township lines.

The current board consists of seven members. In the past it's had five.

In the resolution, commissioners said their duties have greatly increased over the last century to include road patrols, indigent defense, mental health treatment and substance abuse prevention programming, solid waste pick-up and disposal, food and water supply safety, park operations, economic development efforts, emergency management and response.

"The position of county commissioner is a highly complex oversight role that requires years to master," the resolution stated.

In other matters, commissioners held their organizational meeting for the coming year. Richard Godfrey was returned as chair and Mike Chappell voted vice-chair, succeeding Kurt Doroh.

Sales up, prices down

Realtor group releases 2019 housing market stats for South Haven

Home sales increased in 2019 in the South Haven housing market while priced dropped, according to the Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors.

At the end of 2019, the number of single-family homes sold in the South Haven area jumped 18 percent when compared to 2018 (244 vs. 207). But, the average selling price for single-family houses last year fell 20 percent to $301,990 from $380,331 in 2018. The median selling price for single-family houses in 2019 also decreased 5 percent from 2018 ($223,500 vs. $235,730). The median price marks the price point in which 50 percent of the homes sold are above that number, and 50 percent, below.

While single-family home sales increased in the South Haven market, the number of condos sold in 2019 decreased 16 percent (41 vs. 49). But, the average selling price for 2019 was $304,834, up 3 percent from $296,028 average selling price in 2018. The median selling price for condos in 2019 slipped 2 percent from 2018 ($254,000 vs. $260,000).

Looking at the monthly statistics for December of 2019, the number of single-family houses sold increased by six sales from December 2018 (17 vs. 11). The average selling price for single-family houses in December sky-rocketed 80 percent when compared to December 2018 ($423,786 vs. $235,190), while the median selling price in December 2019 rose 30 percent to $ 305,000 from $235,000 in December 2018.

Condo sales in December decreased by one condo from December 2018 (3 vs. 4). The average condo selling price in December 2019 jumped 26 percent when compared to December 2018 ($341,667 vs. $270,500). The median selling price for condos rose 27 percent from December 2018 ($320,000 vs. $252,500).

In 2019, there were 5 single-family houses in the closed transactions in South Haven 49090 compared to 7 single-family houses in 2018. There were no bank-owned or foreclosed condos included in the closed transactions in 2019 or 2018.

For comparison, the number of bank-owned or foreclosed homes as a percentage of all transactions in Berrien, Cass, and the westerly 2/3 of Van Buren Counties was 4 percent; down from the 3 percent in November. The highest percentage in December was 45 percent in 2009.



1.13.20

Bronson South Haven Hospital employees Darcy Knapper (left) and Carrie Conroy sign their names, Tuesday, on a steel beam which will be the last one to be erected for the hospital's new steel structure. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Leaving their mark

Bronson employees sign final steel beam for new hospital

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

When contractors erect the last steel beam for the new Bronson South Haven Hospital it will mark a special moment for doctors and staff.

Hospital employees took turns, Tuesday, signing the beam with their signatures and writing special messages.

“We're getting ready to put the last beam up,” Bronson Communications Specialist Jay Newmarch said. “We thought it would be nice for employees to leave their mark.”

Carrie Conroy and Darcy Knapper were two such employees who did so.

“We want to keep the positivity of Bronson going and let the community know we're proud of this hospital,” Conroy said.

Another employee who signed the beam, penned, “For all the positivity in this new beginning, here's to many more years.”

Construction of the new $22 million hospital is going well, according to Bronson South Haven Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kirk Richardson.

“The good news is that the weather has been cooperating,” he said.

Workers began construction of the steel structure in October. Richardson estimates the final beam should be in place in the next two to three weeks.

“We're working to get the building enclosed so we can start working on the interior,” he said.

Hospital officials say contractors are on target to complete the 52,000-square-foot, two-story hospital by December and open it during the first quarter of 2021.

The hospital will house a 14 emergency room beds, eight in-patient beds and 32 physician exam rooms.

Hospital officials also plan to build a new 4,500-square-foot building nearby to house the wound care center.

Bronson Healthcare, which owns Bronson South Haven Hospital, decided to construct the new facility because it would have been too expensive to renovate the existing one with its aging infrastructure, according to Dr. Matthew Dommer, vice president of medical affairs at Bronson South Haven.

“It would have cost $40-$60 million to keep it going,” he said.

Competency exam requested for accused killer

By ALEXANDRA NEWMAN

HP Staff Writer

The man accused of killing Wilda Wilkinson in 1986 will take a competency exam before hearings in his case.

A court secretary said Tuesday that Robert James Waite's attorney filed paperwork for Waite to take a competency exam so his probable cause and preliminary hearings were delayed.

The hearings, in South Haven District Court, were rescheduled to May 6 and 13.

Waite, 50, was charged in June with one felony count of homicide-open murder. He waived extradition from Florida in November, where he was serving a prison sentence for an unrelated crime.

Wilkinson’s daughter found her strangled mother in 1986. A nurse’s aide at South Haven Community Hospital at the time, Wilkinson, 59, was divorced and lived alone in Bangor.

The case went cold until new DNA information was brought forward last year.

Waite remains in the Van Buren County Jail.

Contact: anewman@TheHP.com, 932-0357, Twitter: @HPANewman





1.6.20

A youngster is shown on a ski lift at Timber Ridge Ski Area near Gobles. (Photo by Alexandra Newman)

Area ski resorts thankful for snow making machines

By ALEXANDRA
NEWMAN
HP Staff Writer

GOBLES — Getting people to come skiing can be harder than you would imagine.
It doesn’t just have to do with the temperature outside.
“We call it the windowsill effect,” said Amy Scrab, general manager of Timber Ridge Ski Area near Gobles. “If they don’t see snow in their yard, they don’t think about it as an option. Every ski resort has that happen.”
Timber Ridge, along with Swiss Valley near Jones in Cass County, and Bittersweet near Otsego in Allegan County, have all been able to open this year, but only thanks to snow-making machines, or “guns,” working every chance they have. It’s been a difficult season thus far due to unseasonably warm temperatures through most of December.
“They are what made this possible,” Scrab said Friday, speaking of the machines. “We made quite a bit of snow to open up. We’re lucky this year to be open for the holidays.”
She said that the ski area got new snow-making guns this year that can make up to 100 gallons of snow per minute.
“That’s about two times as much as the old machines,” Scrab said. “It can make snow at a higher degree too. At 33 degrees it was still making snow the other day.”
Bittersweet General Manager Victor Gayheart said Friday their ski area was able to open the earliest this year on Nov. 14 thanks to having a patent on their snow-making machines.
“We build our own, and we have like 200 guns, while some places have 50,” he said. “We have a lot of fire power. We’re lucky.”
Timber Ridge opened on Dec. 13 and Swiss Valley opened the next day.
Swiss Valley boasted on its Facebook page that it was the earliest the area has been able to open in the last five years.
Last year at this time, Timber Ridge and Swiss Valley hadn’t opened yet and Bittersweet had been working overtime to make its own snow.
Each ski area the year before was open around mid-December. The year before that, they couldn’t open until January due to unseasonably warm weather in late November/early December.
It’s a year-to-year and day-to-day business that makes it hard to keep regular employees, according to staff.
“It’s very difficult to get seasonal help to begin with, but when you have to close because of warmth and you have to call off people, it’s hard to keep them on because they need a job,” Scrab said. “We can’t have a full staff if we don’t have a full crowd. It’s hard to keep help, for sure.”
She said that there has been more people out tubing than skiing and snowboarding, and more single-day visitors than season pass holders. Not all the runs are open, but enough for people to enjoy the slopes, she said.
Gayheart said at Bittersweet they started out busy, but the crowds thinned out in early December, probably because of holiday shopping.
Gayheart said not to give up on skiing yet.
“When we have another cold blast we’ll be working another 100 percent,” he said. “Even though you don’t have snow in your backyard doesn’t mean we don’t have it in the mountains.”
Scrab said being a family-owned business helps keep the spirit alive at Timber Ridge when the weather makes the business difficult.
“We love helping families have fun,” she said. “Skiing anyone can do. That’s our core. And it doesn’t have to be perfect conditions to go tubing. I had a guy yesterday, say, ‘I felt like I was 5 years old again.’”

South Haven gets ready for the 5G era

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

As mobile device users gear up for 5G service, municipalities are gearing up for an increase in antennas that transmit the signals.

South Haven is one such town that is trying to be proactive about the new antennas, referred to as small cell wireless facilities.

Council members recently passed an ordinance that ensures the city complies with a new state statute, that among other things, gives wireless service providers access to public rights-of-way and the ability to attach transmitting devices to poles and structures to enhance their networks and provide next-generation services.

Public Act 365, which took effect in March, also encourages the deployment of advanced wireless services by streamlining the process for permitting, construction, modification, maintenance and operation of wireless facilities in public rights-of-way.

“Cellular providers are beginning to make a push for 5G coverage statewide, and small cell facilities are part of that effort,” City Manager Brian Dissette said.

Unlike cell towers that people often associate with wireless devices, small cell facilities usually are shaped like smaller antennas, three to four feet tall, that are installed on existing infrastructure, such as a utility pole or other types of free-standing poles.

Similar to a cell tower though, small cell nodes, as they're sometimes referred to, communicate wirelessly over radio waves, and then send the signals to the internet or phone system, according to Crown Castle, America's largest provider of shared communications infrastructure. But because small cells are connected to fiber they can handle massive amounts of data at fast speeds.

Right now the city has only one small cell wireless facility. It is located in the triangular green space at the intersection of Elkenburg and Ravinia streets by South Haven High School.

But with the push for 5G coverage in Michigan, South Haven city officials expect more to be installed by wireless providers.

South Haven's new ordinance will place several stipulations on the installation of small cell nodes.

They include:

• Approval of an application to erect small cell facilities;

• Utility poles will not exceed 40 feet above ground level;

• Small cell wireless facilities cannot extend more than 5 feet above a utility pole;

• In the downtown development district or any residential zoning district, small cell wireless antennas will be contained within a shroud or canister type enclosure;

• The colors of antenna enclosures and equipment cabinets will match the color of the utility pole or support structure on which they are located;

• New providers of small cell facilities will pay an annual fee of $125 per year for each one installed in the city right-of-way. Existing providers will pay $20 annually.



12.30.19

New leaders take the helm at South Haven High School

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A school administrator from Grand Haven will take on a new role at South Haven High School as its assistant principal.

South Haven Board of Education members, this month, unanimously approved hiring Tighe Carter to replace Ryan Williamson, who in November was chosen to be high school principal.

“A team of high school staff, led by Mr. Williamson, reviewed 24 resumes, interviewed 7 candidates and conducted second interviews with 2 candidates,” South Haven Schools Superintendent Kevin Schooley said. “Mr. Carter was our unanimous choice and he will be a great addition to the high school staff.  He checked all the boxes for us in being a kid-first person and wanting to get involved with continuing to build on the positive momentum at the high school.”

Williamson voiced similar comments.

“Tighe will be an excellent fit for our students, staff and community,” he said. “Tighe is described by his co-workers and supervisors as passionate for students and their learning, a team player, flexible, effective communicator, detail orientated, and a problem solver.”

Carter has accumulated 14 years of experience in the education field. Most recently he has served as assistant director for years at West Michigan Academy in Spring Lake. Prior to that he worked for Holton Public Schools, northeast of Muskegon, for six years in several capacities; first as a teacher, virtual academy administrator, and interim athletic director. He began his educational career at Allendale Public Schools as a high school technology and business teacher.

Carter graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor of science degree in secondary education and teaching and went on to earn a master of education degree in educational leadership and administration from Grand Valley State University.

Williamson replaces Jerry Sardina, who was hired in August to be Iron Mountain Public Schools' new superintendent.

Williamson first came to South Haven in 2018 when he was hired as assistant high school principal.

Before that he served as dean of students at Center Grove High School, south of Indianapolis, Ind. He has served in the education field for 20 years working as a teacher, department chair and most recently, dean of students. He also coached varsity basketball and golf. Williamson earned a bachelor of science degree in secondary education at Ball State University.

Meijer surprises shopper with $1,000 holiday shopping spree

Meijer made Christmas extra special this month for more than 245 unsuspecting customers across the Midwest, including one from the South Haven area, by surprising them with a $1,000 shopping spree during the sixth annual Very Merry Meijer event.

With six kids, the holidays can be a stressful time. Yolanda Marquez hadn’t even begun Christmas shopping yet when she was told by the South Haven Meijer store director that she was receiving a $1,000 shopping spree. She said it was a blessing because of her large family; baby six was a surprise that they only found out about when she was at the doctor’s for another visit.

“The holidays are a time to celebrate hope and give thanks,” Executive Chairman Hank Meijer said. “Very Merry Meijer is an annual event we started in 2014 to help spread cheer and give thanks to our customers. Although the holidays can be stressful, this is our way of celebrating the spirit of the season with our customers and team members.”

The 2019 event took place on Dec. 14. Previously, Meijer surprised one customer in each of its stores by gifting them their entire cart at the checkout.

This year, however, the retailer surprised customers while shopping in the aisles with a $1,000 Meijer shopping spree – and also provided two Meijer team members as personal shoppers to help the lucky customers cross off their wish lists. Those team members each received a $100 Meijer gift card.

In total, the six Very Merry Meijer events held since 2014 gifted more than 1,400 customers with toys, clothes, electronics, groceries and small appliances.



12.23.19

Covert graduate named district's new school chief

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

One month after firing its superintendent, Covert Public Schools Board of Education has hired a new one.

Board members voted unanimously, Monday, to hire Yolanda Brunt, pending contract negotiations. School board members made no comment in making their decision to hire Brunt.

A 1987 graduate of Covert High School, Brunt had been serving as Covert's interim superintendent since September when former superintendent Bobbi Morehead was placed on administrative leave.

Although the board unanimously favored hiring Brunt, former school board president Maria Gallegos made the comment that there were rumors circulating in the community that the school board and Covert Schools Resource Officer Darryl Williams wanted Morehead to leave so Brunt could take her place.

Brunt stated that she would not address rumors. School board members also did not reply to Gallegos's accusations, but when emailed for comment Tuesday, Williams responded by saying, “This is absolutely ridiculous and not true.”

Morehead was placed on administrative leave Sept. 6 after school board members learned that a teacher she had highly recommended for hire had been terminated from his previous school district.

Contract negotiations for Brunt are expected to take place at a later date. However, the school board plans to make Brunt's salary as superintendent retroactive to Sept. 16, when she first began serving as interim superintendent.

A graduate of the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in anthropology/zoology, Brunt went on to receive her master's degree in curriculum instruction from Andrews University and a master's degree in education leadership from Western Michigan University.

She first began working for Covert Public Schools as a para-pro in 1996. She then took part in the district's Home Growth Program which was created to attract and retain teachers. The program paid fund toward teachers' certification requirements. In return the teachers agreed to work for Covert Schools for at least three years.

“I saw this is an opportunity not only be to certified but to also give back to my district,” Brunt said.

She continued to teach at the high school until 2014 when she was named pre-kindergarten-12th grade principal, a job she held before being named interim superintendent in September.

South Haven releases new economic development plan

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven has some great assets – a vibrant downtown that overlooks Lake Michigan, access to 14 recreational trails, close proximity to major highways and educational institutions and a small, but highly competitive manufacturing base.

But, Monday, city leaders heard about weaknesses and even threats to the town's vitality during a presentation about the new 10-year economic development strategic plan for South Haven.

The 132-page report prepared by veteran economic development consultant Jim Hettinger of Douglas and business consultant Patricia Muellen of St. Joseph, points out how the high cost of living in the city, lack of affordable housing, over-reliance on tourism, limited access to 5g broadband and lack of workforce development hurts the area's economy.

Those weaknesses are compounded by the city's lack of land for development of new industrial and business sites, the pending closure of Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in 2022 and most recently – high-water levels on Lake Michigan that could negatively impact tourism.

“Hearing the truth is very hard,” Muellen told members of the city council and Local Development Finance Authority, who met jointly to listen to the two consultant's presentation.

Yet, much of the information contained in the report didn't come as a surprise to city officials.

“A lot of the information are items that are often discussed by the LDFA and council,” City Manager Brian Dissette said. “The value of the plan is having all of those items listed in one document and then having a road map for how to best counter the weaknesses.”

City officials hired Hettinger and Muellen earlier this year to come up with a 10-year plan to position South Haven as a magnet for economic development in Southwest Michigan.

The plan's goals for development are based on demographics compiled by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, several hundred face-to-face interviews with area residents and from a survey filled out by 500 people.

The “road map” outlined in the plan follows:

• Establish an ongoing economic development program by hiring an agency or individual to be in charge of overseeing it;

• Develop a strategy to market South Haven as a community that is a good place to work and raise a family, year-round.

• Acquire develop and market business and industrial land sites

• Acquire a 5g wireless system in South Haven

• Actively pursue a year-round economic base

• Develop and implement a strategy to improve workforce development

• Promote year-round activities

The consultants hope the goals outlined in the plan can be established by 2024 and improved upon over the next six years.

But before any of those goals can be accomplished the city needs to determine who will take the lead — a director, an agency like Kinexus, or continue doing it in-house as has been the case for the past several years?

Hettinger advised city officials against the third option.

“This (economic development) takes a focused, sustained effort,” he said. “If you want to be serious about this, you need to get someone with their nose to the grindstone.”

City officials appear to agree.

“In the short-term, we will issue a request for proposals for economic development services,” Dissette said. City council will then collect the submittals and decide what type of economic development provider to hire.

“From there, we will seek to more actively market the area and seek to attract new employers,” Dissette said.

But before proceeding forward, Dissette said city council and Local Development Finance Authority board members need to officially adopt the 10-year economic development plan. He anticipates they will vote on it sometime in January of 2020.



12.16.19

Linda Teeter of South Haven shows a photograph of her father fishing on a river in Indiana. Teeter says that she has come to realize her father, a World War II veteran, suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, but was never diagnosed. Fishing helped him cope with some of the disorder's symptoms. (Photo by Becky Kark)

New group forms to support families of veterans who struggle with PTSD

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

Linda Teeter of South Haven remembers the emotional struggles her dad dealt with after coming home from World War II. It has prompted her and other members of the South Haven American Legion Women's Auxiliary to sponsor a new support group for spouses and family members of veterans experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“My father was in World War II,” Teeter said. “I now know that he struggled with PTSD when he returned from the war.

Outwardly, her dad seemed fine – he was married with children, held down a good-paying job for 37 years, and owned his own home. But emotionally, he seemed tormented.

“He looked and seemed perfectly normal, but there were times when all the effects of the PTSD would come out,” Teeter recalled. “His happy place was when he fished. Then he could get away from al the symptoms. I wish that PTSD had been identified then, and there had been resources for veterans and their families to identify PTSD and deal with the effects.”

The first meeting for the Spouses & Family Members of Veterans Struggling with PTSD will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17 at the Church of the Epiphany, 410 Erie St.

“The main goal (of the group) is to provide a loving place for spouses and family members to share and talk together,” explained Teeter, a member of the American Legion Post 49 Women's Auxiliary.

The formation of the group has been talked about for quite a while, Teeter went on to say.

At the initial meeting, the group will decide the format, how often to meet, and if they would like outside professional involvement. There is no cost to attend. 

“Members of the South Haven American Legion Ladies Auxiliary identified this need sometime ago,” Teeter said. “We worked together to get this first gathering together and with Fr. Michael Ryan's assistance to serve as the facilitator for first meeting.” Ryan is the pastor at Epiphany Episcopal church.

PTSD affects 3 percent of the U.S. adult population - about nine million individuals, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. About 37 percent of those diagnosed are classified as having severe symptoms. Women are significantly more likely to experience PTSD than men.

Traumatic events — such as an accident, assault, military combat or natural disaster — can have lasting effects on a person’s mental health. While many people will have short-term responses to life-threatening events, some will develop longer-term symptoms that can lead to a diagnosis of PTSD. Symptoms often co-exist with other conditions such as substance use disorders, depression and anxiety. 

SW Michigan named a top tourist destination

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Lake Michigan has traditionally lured tourists to Southwest Michigan. But apparently, the region's agricultural attributes is also a drawing card. At least that's what editor's at an international travel magazine think.

Earlier this week, Condé Nast Traveler named Southwest Michigan a top 20 international tourist destination for 2020, along with such better known locales as Dubai; Copenhagen; Okinawa, Japan; Slovenia; Spain's Canary Islands; and Southeastern Australia.

The honor caught South Haven Visitors Bureau Executive Director Scott Reinert by surprise. When asked Friday if he knew about the listing, Reinert confessed that he had not.

“No I was not aware,” he said. “Being listed as a travel destination alongside so many fabulous international locations is quite an honor.”

In coming up with its Top 20 list, Condé Nast's editorial staff said it purposely chooses destinations throughout the world that possess amenities that would appeal to a wide variety of tourist interests.

“We aim to compile a list that is geographically diverse but also has points of interest for every traveler, whether you’ll fly for unparalleled stargazing, gorilla spotting in the wild, or shopping in Tangier,” the editors wrote in the Top 20 article's introduction. “We know that you’re using this list throughout the year to plan your trips, so we vary the types of destinations on here, from summer escapes like western Michigan to far-flung locales like southeastern Australia.”

Condé Nast is an award-winning luxury tourism and lifestyle publication based in New York.

Unlike other top 10 or top 20 listings posted online or in magazines, Condé Nast's listing was not based on a popularity contest – where people nominate their favorite destination over and over again. Rather the magazine's editorial staff surveyed its travel staff and network of correspondents who are based throughout the world, such as Chicago-based travel writer and editor Nina Kokotas Hahn, who wrote the synopsis on why Southwest Michigan made the Top 20 travel destination list for 2020.

For her article, Hahn chose to focus on tourism attractions in South Haven, Fennville and Saugatuck.

But unlike writing about the draws Southwest Michigan is noted for – the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan or the fall color tours along rural roadways, Hahn highlighted attractions that are gaining in popularity — outdoor experiences and locally produced food and beverages that are prepared and served at a growing number of restaurants, wineries and breweries.

“Ocean-like coastlines and a laid-back vibe have always been southwest Michigan’s biggest draws,” Hahn wrote. “But recently, the lakefront region has embraced a grown-up take on agritourism and reemphasized its focus on family farms — after all, Michigan is the country’s second most agriculturally diverse state, behind California.”

Examples of agriculturally based attractions Hahn highlighted included Virtue Cider, a 48-acre farm near Fennville that offers live music, a barn-style tasting room and a new cider house. Other attractions she wrote about were Modales Wines and Waypost Brewing Co., near Fennville, the Pennyroyal Cafe & Provision café in Saugatuck and The Fields of Michigan in South Haven. When it opened earlier this year, The Fields became one of the first “glamping” or luxury outdoor camping spots in the Midwest.

The attractions Hahn chose to write about didn't surprise Reinert.

“There's no doubt that beyond the lake and beaches, visitors are becoming very interested in other attractions and amenities including agriculture and outdoor recreation,” he said. “We've always seen somewhat of an interest (in outdoor recreation and agritourism) by our visitors, but it definitely seems that the younger demographic is having more of an impact in growing outdoor experiences and activities.”





12.9.19

A portion of South Beach's playground equipment is shown underwater during a wind storm that brought 60-mile-an-hour wind gusts across Lake Michigan. (Photo by Sheryl Kaptur)

Area state legislators urge governor to declare emergency along the lakeshore

As water levels along the Lake Michigan shoreline continue to rise, several state legislators, including Republicans Mary Whiteford and Beth Griffin have joined a bipartisan group of Michigan legislators in sending a letter to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asking for a state of emergency declaration.

The desired declaration would cover the entire shoreline of Lake Michigan in response to erosion from near-record high water levels. Communities along the lake have experienced significant damage to both public and private property.

“Tremendous damage has been done not only in my community, but along the entirety of the Lake Michigan shoreline,” said Rep. Brad Paquette of Niles, who also signed the letter. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in the fight to address this devastation by allowing the impacted areas to qualify for additional financial help.”

Joining Paquette in signing the letter were Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield of Levering and state Reps. Triston Cole of Mancelona, Griffin of Mattawan, Jim Lilly of Park Township, Jack O’Malley of Lake Ann, Terry Sabo of Muskegon, Bradley Slagh of Zeeland, Scott VanSingel of Grant, Greg VanWoerkom of Norton Shores, Pauline Wendzel of Watervliet and Whiteford of Allegan.

By issuing a state of emergency, the governor would be able to designate more resources to respond to the erosion along the Lake Michigan shoreline. A state of emergency declaration would also allow the state to petition the federal government to do the same, activating additional resources to assist impacted communities and property owners.

The letter mentions how the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has been helpful in speeding up the permitting process and reducing regulatory hurdles to address potential future impacts, but outlined that much of the damage has already been done – leaving residents and business owners to pick up the pieces.

Getting ready for the next decade

South Haven set to unveil economic development plan

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

For the past year, consultants Jim Hettinger and Patricia Muellen have spent much of their time compiling data and gathering input from business owners, community leaders and yes, even 'average joes', to come up with a 10-year plan to position South Haven as a magnet for economic development in Southwest Michigan.

Two weeks from now, on Dec. 16, the South Haven Economic Development Strategic Plan 2020-2030 will be unveiled to the public at a City Council meeting.

“We’ve recognized the need to develop a year round economy—which, naturally, elevates the presence of the city’s small, but very competitive manufacturing sector,” said Hettinger, a veteran Southwest Michigan economic development consultant. “South Haven needs to attract people as much as businesses. Economic development can also be human development. But the community as a whole has to make a commitment to get better.”

As a way to get the community to “buy in” to improving the local economic climate, Hettinger and Muellen, owner of P. Muellen & Associates of Benton Harbor, spent a lot of time gathering input from people who live and/or work in South Haven.

“We've talked to hundreds of people,” Muellen said. The two consultants of course talked to business and government leaders, but they also reached out to service clubs, churches, non-profits, and people at neighborhood gatherings. “One of our goals was to make them feel their input is valued.”

Hettinger agreed.

“We went for human intel,” he said.

In addition to interviewing people orally, Hettinger and Muellen developed a comprehensive survey that was filled out by more than 500 people throughout the community.

“A number of people said, 'thank you for giving me the opportunity to have a say,'” Muellen said.

But the 10-year economic development plan doesn't just rely on anecdotal information.

It also relies heavily on facts and figures, some of which don't paint a pretty picture of South Haven.

“It is an amazing paradox,” Hettinger said. “South Haven is scenic, walkable, livable, etc, and it still has awful demographics. I have never seen anything like it.”

The demographics were compiled by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in Kalamazoo as part of a three-year study of South Haven's economy. Members of the institute's economic planning services team spent the past year compiling data to give city leaders a baseline indicator of South Haven's population, education and workforce, income and housing.

Some of the findings follow:

• South Haven's population has decreased from 4,550 residents in 2010 to 4,345 residents in 2017, while the population of the city's residents, age 55 and older, increased from 1,729 in 2010 to 2,229 in 2017.

• The average household size in South Haven (1.95) is smaller than the State of Michigan (2.49).

• South Haven residents who are 25 years old or older tend to be better educated than the rest of Michigan, however the increased educational attainment is driven by older residents who tend to be better educated than younger ones.

• According to latest U.S. Census figures, the labor force participation rate in South Haven in 2017 (51.4 percent) was lower than the state (61.2 percent) or Van Buren County (60.3 percent). Even for prime-age workers, the labor force participation in South Haven (75.7 percent) was lower than the state (81.1 percent) or the county (80 percent).

• The top industries in South Haven are manufacturing and education and health services, who each comprise 17.8 percent of the employment. Leisure and hospitality follow with 16.3 percent, while retail trade is fourth at 12.9 percent. However, leisure and hospitality added the most jobs since 2010 with 131, followed by education and health services with 79.

• Average weekly wages in Van Buren County have historically been lower than the state. In 2018, the average worker in Van Buren County made $878 a weekly, compared to $1,035 in Michigan.

• Forty percent of South Haven's households have incomes under $35,000 a year compared to only 33.3 percent of households in the state. However, the child poverty rate has been trending downward in South Haven since 2013. But it still remains higher than the county or state at 24.1 percent.

• The median house price in South Haven is $177.815, compared to $125,438 in the county and $138,991 in the state.

• The percentage of homeowners in South Haven considered housing burdened (paying $35 percent or more of income for housing) has been declining since 2010, but remains higher than the state. Latest figures show that in 2016, 24 percent of South Haven residents were spending 35 percent or more of their income on mortgage payments, compared to 18 percent statewide.

• Most of South Haven's workers are employed outside the city. In 2017, only 409 people lived and worked in the city, while 1,400 worked elsewhere.

The town's demographics may appear to be a huge negative for attracting more full-time residents and businesses, but Hettinger said it can be done.

“It is time for non-traditional approaches and counter-intuitive thinking,” he said.

In the past 30 years, for example, South Haven's tourism economy has taken off with the development of more second-owned homes, marinas, stores and restaurants, and the creation of new tourism-related jobs.

But even though tourism contributed $85 million annually toward South Haven area's economy in 2018, Hettinger said the town needs to focus on diversifying its economy.

“My concern with tourism is all the eggs are in one basket and that basket is particularly vulnerable to weather, energy prices, and, now, high waters.” But, Hettinger went on to say, “South Haven can increase non-tourist parts of the local economy. This is not a zero sum situation.”

South Haven can grow in a number of ways, which Hettinger plans to lay out in the South Haven Strategic Economic Development plan.

Some of those solutions include:

• Taking advantage of the growing number of people who work outside of a traditional work setting. Approximately 60 percent o the U.S. workforce is location indifferent, meaning that someone who works for a Chicago company can actually live a couple of hundred miles outside of the Windy City and still have a job there. “Why can't a scenic community like South Haven better position itself to become home for these “anywhere” types of workers?” Hettinger said.

• Developing better relationships between area businesses, workforce development groups and educational institutions such as Lake Michigan College, South Haven High School and the Van Buren Intermediate School District's Technology Center to offer and promote training programs for jobs that are in demand in Southwest Michigan.

• Improving Broadband access. “Because South Haven is not a densely populated area, it is difficult to entice the telecoms to do more than they might be willing,” Hettinger said. “But I would say 5g is crucial.”

• Increasing the availability of housing for lower- and middle-income families

• Coming up with a unique attraction or niche that will not only be appealing year-round for not just local residents but visitors, as well.