9.17.18

Cruising along

Antique tractor owners paraded to downtown South Haven, Sept 6, as part of the Michigan Flywheelers Antique Tractor and Engine Show.  Pat Ingalls, president of the Flywheelers, is shown waving to a crowd of onlookers who watched the somewhat unusual parade. (Photo by Tom Renner)

SH school board sets time line for hiring new superintendent

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven Board of Education members hope to hire a new superintendent by January.

That's the word from school board President Laura Bos, who presented an update, Wednesday, on the search for a school chief to replace Robert Herrera, who resigned in July to become the new superintendent and CEO of Benton Harbor Public Schools.

“We hope to have a superintendent by Jan. 1,” Bos said.

The school board and Michigan Leadership Institute, which is helping with the superintendent search, will have plenty to do between now and then to attract candidates they feel are the right fit for South Haven.

They took the first step in doing so Tuesday by conducting a series of focus group meetings with staff, local residents and community leaders.

“Seventy five people attended the focus groups and we had a survey on our website where 30 people responded,” Bos said.

The focus groups were asked three questions:

• What are the unique skills required of a superintendent?

• What are challenges facing South Haven over the next five years?

• What are the points of pride for South Haven Schools?

“Their responses will form our job posting which will happen next week,” Bos said, adding that she thinks a good pool of candidates will apply for the job.

“I think the district is in a great position,” she said. “I'm confident we'll have a lot of people interested.”

Once applications have been received, the school board plans to whittle down the list of applicants by Oct. 24. It will then conduct a first round of interviews Nov. 5, and, if necessary, a second round Nov. 12-13.

In other school board meeting news:

• Members inked a contract with interim Superintendent David Peden. Peden will be compensated $500 for each day he works. His contract will continue through Dec. 31.

• Members approved hiring the following staff members: Jacob Crow, English teacher, South Haven High School; Frankie Martinez, Spanish teacher, South Haven High School; Melanie Rappelli, physical education teacher, South Haven High School and North Shore Elementary School; Lisa Dorr-Dolinski, lead teacher, South Haven Alliance Campus; Monica Rosendahl, science teacher, Baseline Middle School; Susan Danuloff, counselor, Baseline Middle School; Debbie Bouchard, math teacher, Baseline Middle School; Brinslee Dykstra, English teacher, Baseline Middle School; Tera Crichton, kindergarten teacher, Maple Grove Elementary School; and Angela Williamson, kindergarten teacher, Lincoln Elementary School.

City lands grant for home rehab program

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Rehabbing a home is no easy task, especially if you're strapped for cash.

However, help could soon be on the way for South Haven residents who want to make much-needed repairs to their dwellings, but lack money to do so.

The city is in line to receive grant funds of up to $200,000 from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority's HOME Investment Partnerships Program. MSHDA notified the city last month that it has been approved for $66,000 in HOME grant funding, however the city plans to request up to $200,000 in funds.

“Funds awarded to the city are in the amount of $66,000. However, under advisement, the resolution states 'not to exceed $200,000,'” City Manager Brian Dissette said. “The reasoning behind this is that the amount of $200,000 will cover possible future awards within the next five years.”

But, before the city can receive any funding from MSHDA, city council members must first hold a hearing to gather public input on the program. The hearing is scheduled to take place during the city council meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., Monday, Sept. 17. After the hearing, city council members will determine whether to receive the grant and take part in the Homeowner Rehabilitation Program.

If the program is implemented, low-income homeowners whose income is at or 80 percent below the poverty level and who live in a targeted area of the city can apply for funds. The target area's boundaries are Phoenix Street to the north, Blue Star Highway to the east, Aylworth Avenue to the South and Broadway/Phillips/LeGrange street corridor to the west.

If the city only receives $66,000 the money would be used to rehab three homes. The city will kick in $5,000 for each home remodel, while MSHDA will pay for the rest.

“Since the City of South Haven has had long-range plans to provide assistance to this area, the commitment of up to $5,000 per home - up to $15,000 total - for exterior improvements will be a benefit to the owners, and to stabilizing neighborhood structures in the targeted community,” Dissette said. “This is going to take care of immediate needs if someone is facing such repairs as roof patching, windows or chimney issues. It's there to help property owners facing true hardship.”

Persons who are interested in taking part in the program will go through an application process. City staff and a certified grant administrator, who works through MSHDA, will then go through the applications to determine which homeowners are eligible for the program.

The city has taken part in the MSHDA Homeowner Rehabilitation program in the past.

“Similar projects were done in the 1990s and early 2000s,” Dissette said. “Work occurred by Elkenburg Park and additional work by South Haven Place.”



9.10.18

Light Up the Night 5K raises funds for

South Haven Schools

South Haven area residents will be rocking and glowing for a good cause during the Light up the Night 5K walk/run.

Now in its fifth year, the event raises more than $10,000 annually for South Haven Public Schools.

This year's 5K glow walk/run begins at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 15 at South Haven High School and will be preceded by fun, family-oriented activities at 5:30 p.m. After the race, participants can enjoy a dinner and music by a DJ.

Over the years, Light up the Night has become a popular fundraiser, according to Maple Grove Elementary School teacher Heather Chalupa, one of the organizers of the event.

“This event has been extremely successful and with the help of generous area businesses and individuals, we have been  able to raise thousands of dollars for the children of our community,” she said. “This money has been distributed directly to each of our five buildings.”

Funds are used to pay for programs and activities such as field trips, new library books, improved access to technology and guest speakers.

People can run, jog or walk along the course that starts at the high school, winds around to the lakeshore and continues back through town to the high school.

Runners won't have to worry about listening to music from their earphones. Race organizers plan to offer music along the course.

The registration fee to participate is $25 per person and $50 for families. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The fee includes the activities, food, entertainment and T-shirt (for people who register early).

Registration forms are available at any South Haven Public School district office and online at signmeup.com

For more information visit the Light up the Lake for SHPS Facebook site.

SH Schools rules against discrimination complaint

Editor's Note and correction: It was reported in the Sept. 9 Tribune that Lindsay Haqq planned to appeal the district's decision, however, she said that is not the case and that she has no intention to do so.

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A decision has been made in the case of a female South Haven track coach who filed a discrimination complaint in March when a male coach was hired to lead both the boys and girls teams.

An internal investigation indicates that Lindsay Haqq was not the victim of sexual discrimination, according to Dave Peden, interim superintendent of South Haven Public Schools.

“They had a hearing and found out she was not a victim of sexual discrimination,” Peden said.

The investigation was conducted in July by South Haven High School Principal Jerome Sardina, who is also the district's civil rights coordinator.

Haqq, who is in the midst of coaching South Haven High School's cross-country teams, said she did not agree with the district's decision but does not plan to appeal.

“I received the district response to my Title 9 complaint...I do not believe it was correctly resolved,” she said.

George Sipes, a former assistant track coach at South Haven and Saugatuck high schools, praised Haqq's coaching and dedication to her athletes.

“Lindsay Haqq's many works have directly benefited many students of South Haven High School,” Sipes wrote in a letter to the editor. Sipes' daughter, Paisley, was a leading runner for the Rams before graduating in June. “Lindsay has generated tens of thousands of dollars in fundraising from the  Ice Breaker 5K that she started and manages. She has successfully acquired grants for daily chocolate milk and food for the track athletes. Lindsay has personally  provided shoes for every student that required a pair. This type of effort and dedication is difficult to find.”

The discrimination complaint arose in March when Randy Haga was hired as head high school track coach for both the boys and girls teams instead of Haqq. In May, shortly before the track season came to an end, then Superintendent Robert Herrera placed Haga on administrative leave while school officials began an investigation.

In a letter Herrera sent to track team parents on May 29, he wrote, “Throughout the track season, there have been several incidents of conflict between coaches. Unfortunately, at times these conflicts may have negatively affected our athletes and the overall atmosphere of the track program. Over the past three weeks, the conflicts have escalated and it has now become apparent that the issues will not easily be resolved. At this time, my primary concern is that students may continue to be placed in difficult situations and exposed to poor adult behavior.”

The investigation was concluded in late July.

“During the investigation they found we didn't follow the contract as it comes to posting (coaching) positions,” said Peden, who was hired as interim superintendent in August after Herrera resigned to become superintendent and CEO of Benton Harbor Public Schools. “They did hire the coach (Haga), but she (Haqq) wasn't discriminated against.”

Peden said he intends to work with Sardina and Athletic Director Adam Verseput to ensure that coaching positions are properly posted and that contracts are adhered to.

In regard to the upcoming track season, which begins in March of 2019, Peden said, “We're going to start fresh and post the position.”

He said the position will be posted in the next couple of months.

“Right now we have fall and winter sports to deal with,” he said.



9.4.18

Street signs along LeGrange Street in South Haven spell the roadway with a small "e" and a capital "G." But there are actually six ways  the street is spelled and all are correct depending on where you live along the busy thoroughfare.

The baffling saga of one street's spelling

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Certain street names have come and gone in South Haven over the years.

North Shore Drive was once called Lake Street; Bailey Avenue was named Cemetery St. and settlers originally referred to Indiana Avenue as Paw Paw Street.

But one consistency persists with LeGrange Street – its spelling, or as some would say, its misspelling.

If you Google for business addresses along LeGrange Street, some, such as the Rose Shop, show the “e” spelling, while others, like Pizza Hut, McDonald's and Anytime Fitness are listed with the “LaGrange” spelling.

So which one's correct?

A look at South Haven's oldest community directory – the one from 1898 – would seem to reveal a few clues, but, it too contains various spellings for the street name.

A map in the directory shows the roadway spelled as “LeGrange Street,” however, the list of local residents and their addresses reveal a variety of spellings - La Grange, Lagrange, even LaGrange.

No help there.

The name's spelling get even murkier when looking at the 1992 city directory. Instead of referring to the roadway as “LeGrange Street” like the one 100 years prior did, the 1992 directory changed the name and divided it into two words — La Grange. No street suffix, simply “La Grange.”

Jumping to the 21st century, a look at the street signs along “La Grange” make the spelling of the name more baffling. They all have the spelling “LeGrange Street or LeGrange St.

No help there either.

An email to city hall proved to be an “ah hah” moment...well, sort of.

“This road is located in several platted subdivisions and it is spelled differently depending on the subdivision,” said City Manager Brian Dissette. “The legal name is whatever the recorded platted subdivision says, so there are different correct ways to spell it depending on which subdivision you are in.”

As a result there are actually six different spellings for the street name – La Grange Street, Lagrange Street, Le Grange Street, La Grange Street, Lagrange Street of Legrange Street.

So if your home or business is located in the Crystal Springs Addition, you refer to your strip of the roadway as “La Grange Street.” But if you're in the Harrison addition, it would be Le Grange Street, while the Phillips Street Addition prefers the LaGrange Street spelling.

With all those variations, it's no wonder the city uses the spelling “LeGrange Street” on all of the roadway signs that dot the busy thoroughfare.

But even that has proved to be confusing.

When Michigan Department of Transportation installed new signs at the intersection of LeGrange and Aylworth Avenue last year, they chose to use the “LeGrange” spelling, which confounded some people, such as Ross Woodhams, co-owner of Woodhams Ford. Woodhams has always used the LaGrange spelling on its correspondence, because the car dealership is located in a platted addition that refers to the street as “LaGrange” or does it?

"Our franchise agreement with Ford is at 1111 LaGrange, our web site says 1111  LaGrange, our checks and return envelopes say 1111 LaGrange," Woodhams said. "The City has it spelled LaGrange on our tax bill and utility bills."

Curious about the "e" spelling on the new street sign, Woodhams approached city hall for answers. 

“We asked why the new sign on the corner of Aylworth and LaGrange spells it with an 'e,' Woodhams said. “When I raised the question with the City about the incorrect spelling, staff claimed that was a choice by the State, since M-140/LaGrange/ Business 196 is a state highway, and that is how it is on the plat map. Curiously, I believe the old street sign on the Aylworth/LaGrange corner spelled it with an 'a.'”

His customers apparently agree.

“We have had numerous people ask us why it is misspelled and all we can answer is 'we think so, too,'” Woodhams said.

VB county mulls allowing off-road vehicles on roads

By ROD SMITH

For The Tribune

PAW PAW — Van Buren County commissioners intend to have a committee look at the possibility of enacting a countywide ordinance to allow off-road and all-terrain vehicles on county-owned roads.

Lawrence Township Supervisor Donna Spenner and Lawrence resident Scott Conklin brought the proposal to the commissioners Tuesday.

Conklin said Benzie County has an ordinance allowing such vehicles on "county, non-state roads." Such roads would include the roads marked "county road," "avenue" and "street" but not state highways, such as M-140 and M-43 and Blue Star and Red Arrow highways. Such vehicles would also be prohibited from interstate highways.

Conklin said they realized there is interest in Van Buren County to allow off-road vehicles on county roads when a “Poker Run” fundraiser for Steve “Pee Wee” Martin was held in July.

"He was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) back in December," Conklin said. The vehicles were allowed on county roads after organizers secured permits through the sheriff's department and Van Buren County Road Commission, Conklin said.

ALS, sometimes referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease" after the baseball player developed it, is a progressive degenerative illness affecting the nerves controlling muscles in the body. According to the ALS Association's website, others afflicted include the late cosmologist Stephen Hawking, actor David Niven, "Sesame Street" creator Jon Stone and athletes Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Ezzard Charles, George Yardley, Steve Gleason, O.J. Brigance and Tim Shaw.

Lawrence Township is already considering an ordinance to allow off-road vehicles on its roads.

"There's a lot of supervisors that are for this," Spenner said.

There's also the possibility of bringing in revenue, according to Spenner. The county could require annual stickers for such vehicles to operate on the roads. The fees could also be paid for by out-of-state cottage owners who have off-road vehicles.

The state law allowing this, according to their proposal, requires that drivers must be at least 18 and have a valid driver's license, occupants must wear helmets with eye protection, the vehicles must have seat belts and rollover protection, drivers must drive single file, not exceed 25 miles per hour, and stay on the right side of the road, not on the shoulder or on private property.

"It's (the proposal) not for riding on people's property," Conklin said. "It's for riding on the roads."

Vehicles would also have to have headlights, brake lights and tail lights.

In other matters, commissioners formally OKd purchasing a new dispatching console for the Central Dispatch Center at the sheriff's department. It's a Motorola unit from Roe-Comm of Portage for $23,791 for the console plus about $1,200 for four monitors.

According to a memorandum from 911 Director Tim McGee, the current unit's software and hardware are reaching their end-of-life. The upgrade will extend the unit's life.

In other matters, County Administrator John Faul reported that the state had approved and intends to fund the proposed combined public defender's office with Allegan County. Funding begins Oct. 1, according to Faul, at which time the counties will begin hiring staff.

Following a lawsuit, the state is now requiring public defenders, instead of hiring private attorneys to defend indigents, who will be county employees.



8.27.18

Traffic heads down M-43 between LeGrange Street and Blue Star Highway in South Haven on Wednesday morning. Through a partnership, MDOT and the City of South Haven plan to spend $400,000 in concrete pavement repairs on the M-43 corridor. (Photo by Don Campbell of the Herald-Palladium)

Tired of Patching

City kicks in funds to help repair state-owned M-43 Hwy. corridor

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

More improvements will be on the way for a heavily used street in South Haven that motorists have complained about for years because of its potholes.

Thanks to a boost in funding from the City of South Haven, Michigan Department of Transportation plans to make $400,000 worth of concrete pavement repairs on the M-43 Highway corridor, from LeGrange Street to Blue Star Highway. MDOT will spend $250,000 from its budget, while the City of South Haven will kick in $150,000.

Work is expected to begin in the spring of 2019.

It's somewhat unusual for the city to agree to help pay for major repairs to a road that is owned by the state, but M-43 is a main corridor into the city and has been in bad shape for years, according to City Manager Brian Dissette.

“We're out patching it everyday,” Dissette said. “We can continue putting on cold patch or tag team with MDOT and do full concrete replacement.”

MDOT has made repairs to sections of the M-43 corridor from Blue Star Highway to Francis Street for the past two summers, but has limited funds to make the rest of the necessary upgrades so that motorists can have a smooth ride from Francis to LeGrange streets.

Concerned about the length of time it has taken to make improvements on the entire corridor, the city reached out to MDOT, but were told the agency's funds are limited for roads such as M-43, which is why it has been taking several years to repair the busy corridor.

MDOT had planned return to South Haven in the spring of 2019 to make $250,000 worth of repairs on a section of M-43, but the city decided to step in and speed up the process by contributing funds from its major and local streets budget.

“MDOT has $250,000 budgeted for repairs to this street corridor, (but) there is approximately $400,000

in repairs needed,” Bill Hunter, the city's Department of Public Works director wrote in a memo recommending that the city contribute funding.

Council members, Monday, agreed to OK'd making an amendment to the city's 2018-19 capital improvement plan and use funds from the major and local streets budget to pay MDOT $150,000.

Dissette said it is somewhat unusual for a city to contribute funds to MDOT, but, he said M-43 is used frequently by motorists, many of whom have complained about the poor condition of the road over the years.

“They (MDOT) made it clear they have limited funds,” Dissette said.

Give 'em a break

SH may provide tax abatements for redevelopment of old downtown properties

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A new $4.5 million mixed-use development could be locating on a piece of property that has sat vacant in South Haven for the past four years.

City council members, Monday, received a proposal from South Haven Center LLC, which wants to build a three-story building at 335 Center St. The developer is proposing the first floor be home to retail space and the other two stories to 17 market-rate apartments. The developer will also construct a parking area for retail and residential tenants.If all goes well, the development would break ground in the fall of this year and open in late 2019.

But, before proceeding with the project, the developer has asked whether the city can provide a tax abatement – similar to one that industries seek when making an investment to develop or expand their facilities.

It turns out the city can do so by establishing what is known as a Commercial Rehabilitation District. Under state law, a municipality can create such a 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, improvements would still be subject to school operating taxes.

“Staff believes this would be beneficial to the redevelopment of the downtown district,” City Manager Brian Dissette told council members.

The parcel of property at 335 Center St. was once home to the former First Baptist Church. It then was purchased by a private entity who converted the building into an auction house and flea market. But four years ago, the building was condemned and then torn down.

City officials have held out hope that a private party would purchase the site and redevelop it. That is why they think providing a tax incentive will help spur the proposed development to move forward.

“This seems like a no brainer,” council member Chris Campbell said.

“This site has sat undeveloped,” Mayor Scott Smith said. “Even at the held (tax) rate, it's better to have it developed than do nothing. We've invested in a lot of infrastructure downtown. Downtown will be better with older buildings and sites that are developed.”

The council could just set up the Commercial Rehabilitation District for a single parcel, such as the one at 335 Center St., or it could extend the district to other portions of the downtown – a move that council members think should occur.

“My input would be to make the boundary the same as the Downtown Development Authority District,” said council member Steve Schlack. Other council members suggested that the central business district be considered as well.

If the council agrees to extend the district throughout the downtown area, each parcel proposed for redevelopment would be examined individually to determine whether a tax break would be granted.

Council took no action last night on setting up the Commercial Rehabilitation District but if it decided to do so it will have to obtain the blessing of Van Buren County Board of Commissioners since the county could potentially lose some tax revenues if abatements are granted.





8.20.18

The Bangor Historical Society hopes to raise $100,000 to purchase the former Ely Hardware building which currently houses the museum. (Photo by Kim Ingalls)

Bangor historical group makes appeal to purchase building

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

BANGOR — After years of working toward the goal of opening up a museum, the Bangor Historical Society was able to accomplish that thanks to the generosity of a local resident.

Now, the non-profit is facing another challenge.

It needs to purchase the building that the museum is housed in or move out.

The museum, which is located downtown in the former Ely Hardware building, was possible thanks to the building owner who offered the space rent free.

Now, however, he wants to retire and sell the structure.

“We started in a small corner of the building,” said historical society member Bob Emmert, told an audience during a recent program about the Amish community. “Now we take up three-quarters of the floor space.”

Asking price is $100,000 and so far, according to Emmert, close to $35,000 has been raised. If the remainder of the money is not obtained by the first of the year, a tough decision is going to have to be made.

“We are at a crossroads right now,” Emmert said. “ We have a long ways to go. We need some people with deep pockets or it (the museum) is going to go away.”

Members have been searching for grant opportunities and discussing fundraisers, but even though Emmert says the building owner is willing to work with the museum on the deadline, the pressure is still on.

“There’s a whole lot of money out there for restoring historic buildings, but not for brick and mortar,” Emmert said.

If the goal is not met, Emmert said the organization is still going to have to do something to protect all of its artifacts. They may have to move everything into storage. That is something they really don’t want to do.

“The stuff is not going to leave Bangor,” Emmert promised, but if the community wants a museum, he says, it’s going to have to support it financially.

With its old photos, posters, trains, tools and cases full of memorabilia, a walk through the museum is like taking a step back into Bangor’s history. Since it has opened, Emmert says the number of items that have been donated to has been unbelievable.

“People come back after being away for years, they come into the museum and the stories start flying,” he said. “It’s a great place to bring back memories.”

Donations to the museum are tax deductible. Check should be made out to the Bangor Historical Society's Building Purchase Fund and sent to Bangor Historical Society, P.O Box 25, Bangor, MI 49013.

Road millage request returns to ballot

By ROD SMITH

For The Tribune

PAW PAW — Two weeks after voters turned down a 12-year, three-mill proposal to repair primary roads throughout Van Buren County, the County Board of Commissioners has decided to give the ballot issue another shot. Commissioners, Tuesday, voted to include the proposal on November's general election ballot

County Road Commission Engineer-Manager Lawrence Hummel said the proposal had passed, Aug. 7th, in all cities but Hartford and failed by an average of 80 votes apiece in the townships.

Voters turned down the proposal 7,952-6,316, for a difference of 1,636 votes.

"It was about 44 percent to 56 percent," Hummel told commissioners Tuesday.

The November general election will give officials more time to promote the millage, according to Hummel. "The hope is that we'd be able to make that education piece out there," he said.

Hummel said.

County Administrator John Faul said the new proposal will have clearer language - 3 mills for 12 years. The 3 mills is expected to generate $10.4 million the first year. The plan is to use $7.2 million of the levy every year to improve primary county roads, with the remainder going to cities.

The Road Commission is responsible for 350 miles of primary roads and 980 miles of local roads. The Road Commission considers 235 miles of the primary roads poor, 58 miles are fair, 55 miles are good.

To bring all county roads to "good" status would cost $118,765,500, according to printed material from the Road Commission.

Primary roads are marked "County Road" and also include Red Arrow and Blue Star highways. If the millage is OK'd, the road commission plans plans to bring the highways up to "good" status along with County Road 388 from end-to-end of the county within the first four years. By the end of 12 years all miles of primary roads should be in good condition.

The Road Commission already has a one-mill levy for roads, but most of the money to fix roads comes from the state. Commission officials said that from 2004-2015 the state's annual funding to the county for road improvements remained stagnant at $6 million, while costs for some items tripled.

Last year the state did increase the gas tax allotment to $8.5 million for the county.

Road upkeep isn't cheap. Sealcoating costs $25,000 per mile while reconstruction, exclusive of tree or culvert work, costs $600,000 per mile.

A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable valuation of a property. The owner of a property with a taxable valuation of $60,000 - about the average price - would have paid $180 had the measure passed.





8.13.18

The City of South Haven has allowed golf carts to drive on residential streets for the past three years, but some local residents have expressed concerns to city council members that the golf carts shouldn't be allowed on public roads. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Golf cart debate surfaces at SH council meeting

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Three years ago, South Haven City Council members voted to allow people to drive golf carts on city streets, but now some council members are wondering whether that was a good idea.

They say they've received concerns from local residents who claim golf cart operators don't follow the rules of the road, drive too fast, have too many people on board and are possibly being driven by people not old enough to drive.

“We get concerns about safety,” Mayor Scott Smith said, during Monday's city council meeting.

“My concern is the children riding in the back facing oncoming vehicles,” council member Joe Reeser said.

Based on complaints they've received this summer, council asked the police department in July to compile a report on enforcement efforts police are taking to help ensure motorists' safe use of not only golf carts but mopeds on city streets, particularly roadways downtown.

“We see people zipping along (on mopeds). We don't want them going two to three abreast,” Smith said.

Despite concerns about the safety of moped and golf cart drivers and passengers, there has only been one accident this summer involving either mopeds or golf carts, according to South Haven Police Chief Natalie Thompson.

“There has been one minor accident this year involving a moped with an adult, but inexperienced operator,” Thompson wrote in her report. “There have been no reports of any crashes involving golf carts within the city to date.”

“The most common violation that warnings and citations have been issued for is after hour operation - one-half hour after dusk,” Thompson went on to say. “Approximately 24 warnings and four citations have been given for this violation...Additionally, six warnings for operating on roadway over 30 miles per hour, two warnings and one vehicle impound for open intoxicants have been given.”

During the city council meeting Monday, Thompson told council members that because it is fairly new for golf carts to operate on city streets, some vehicle operators may not be aware of regulations regarding the use of the carts.

“Warnings are considered an opportunity to educate and have generally been well received and appreciated,” she said.

According to state law, golf cart operators must be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver's license. Golf carts don't have to have turn signals. However, drivers must comply with signal requirements, such as using hand signals to indicate when the vehicle is turning. Drivers must also drive as close to the right side of the roadway as possible and not drive faster than 15 miles per hour. Because golf carts don't have to have lights or turn signals, they can only be used from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. They also can only be used on city streets from April 15-Oct. 15. In addition, they cannot be driven on sidewalks or state line trunk highways, which in the case of South Haven means they cannot operate on the Interstate 196 business loop through town or Blue Star Highway.

South Haven is one of a half-dozen West Michigan communities that opted to create an ordinance to allow golf carts to drive on city streets when the state created a new law in 2015 allowing governmental units with populations of less than 30,000 people to let people drive the carts on local streets.

Since the ordinance was approved in September of 2015, more businesses have begun renting them in town. As a result, during the height of the tourism season, June through August, more golf carts are being seen on local streets, prompting concerns, especially given the fact that seat belts are not required in the vehicles.

But, even so, complaints about the vehicles are fewer than in the past, according to City Manager Brian Dissette. “There have been fewer complaints this year than last year,” he said.

Mayor Pro Tem Clark Gruber thinks that golf cart operators and businesses that rent the vehicles, are being more sensitive to safety issues.

“I think we're seeing more that are better behaved,” he said. “Rental companies are telling people what they're supposed to do.”

Another way to ensure that golf cart operators understand rules they are so supposed to follow, was suggested by council member Steve Schlack.

According to the city's ordinance, golf cart owners need to register their vehicle through the city police department, and most do comply, according to Thompson.

That prompted Schlack to recommend that the registration sticker list the city's rules regarding use of golf carts.

No accidents have happened yet this year with golf carts, and Thompson hopes it remains that way. Her biggest concern, she said, involves people – particularly children – riding in the back of vehicles that aren't required to have seat belts.

Because state law does not require the vehicles to have child restraints, she worries. “My concern is for the children in the back,” she said.

 South Haven Police Chief Natalie Thompson (left) is shown with Police Officer Michael Ledger who was honored with the department's Distinguished Service ribbon.

SH officer honored for life-saving efforts

By TRIBUNE STAFF

A South Haven Police officer who saved a man from drowning in Lake Michigan in July has been honored for his heroic actions.

Officer Michael Ledger received the police department's Distinguished Service ribbon, Monday, from Police Chief Natalie Thompson.

“On July 1 at 7:15 p.m. he responded to the North Pier for a boat that had capsized,” Thompson said. “As he ran down the pier and looked he noticed a person in the water.”

Ledger then grabbed one of the pier's life rings and threw it to the man, who was not wearing a life jacket. The officer then helped the man, who was exhausted, toward the pier ladder where he was able to climb and get on to the pier.

“The victim said he would have drowned if not for Officer Ledger,” Thompson said.

The incident began when the boater took an inflatable boat into the Black River. He intended to ride down the city's harbor and then turn around at its entrance to Lake Michigan. However, while he was doing so, a storm blew in. When he tried to turn around to go up-river, a wind gust picked up the bow of his boat and flipped it over sending him into the water. He ended up in Lake Michigan 30 yards off the North Pier when Ledger spotted him.





8.6.18

The reactor of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant is shown in the photo, above.(Herald-Palladium file photo)

Entergy agrees to sale of Palisades plant

By ALEXANDRA NEWMAN

HP Staff Writer

COVERT — Palisades nuclear power plant will get an accelerated decommissioning after it closes in 2022, Entergy Corp. announced Wednesday. 

Entergy, which owns Palisades and other nuclear power plants around the country, has agreed to sell Palisades and Pilgrim Nuclear Station in Massachusetts after their shutdowns and reactor defuelings to a Holtec International subsidiary for accelerated decommissioning.

The sales will include the transfer of the licenses, spent fuel and Nuclear Decommissioning Trusts (NDTs) as well as the site of the decommissioned Big Rock Point Nuclear Power Plant near Charlevoix, where only the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) remains.

The transactions are subject to conditions to closing, including approvals from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of the license transfers, according to Entergy. 

Holtec will develop a timeline for the decommissioning of Palisades closer to its shutdown. Pilgrim is set to close in 2020 and all major decommissioning work is expected to be completed in about eight years.

Holtec expects to move all of the spent nuclear fuel out of the spent fuel pools and into dry cask storage at Palisades and Pilgrim within about three years of the plants’ respective shutdowns. 

Entergy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Leo Denault said in a news release that transferring Pilgrim and Palisades to Holtec, with its vast experience and innovative use of technology, will lead to their decommissioning faster than if they were to remain under Entergy’s ownership.

He said company officials believe accelerated decommissioning will benefit the surrounding community by returning the site to productive use sooner.

“Entergy will continue to make all necessary investments to ensure Palisades’ safe, secure and reliable operations,” Palisades spokeswoman Val Gent said in an email Wednesday. “That investment includes two more planned refueling and maintenance outages. The first is scheduled to occur this fall. During that time, Entergy will invest tens of millions of dollars into both refueling the plant and performing numerous maintenance activities.”

Selling the plants for decommissioning is part of Entergy’s strategy to exit Entergy Wholesale Commodities and move to a “pure play” utility. “Pure play” refers to a company producing a single product.

Holtec President and CEO Kris Singh said the company intends to deploy cutting-edge technology to carry out plant deconstruction with minimal impact on the environment and maximum personnel safety, “which are our core competencies.”

“As a growing company, we look forward to exploring employment opportunities for Entergy employees dislocated by the plant’s decommissioning,” he said. 

Holtec is finishing contracts with Comprehensive Decommissioning International (CDI), a newly-formed U.S.-based joint venture between Holtec and SNC-Lavalin, to perform the decommissioning, including the demolition and cleanup of the two plants and sites.

Holtec will transfer all of the used nuclear fuel to its cask systems to be stored at the ISFSIs, which will remain under guard at the sites, monitored during shutdown and decommissioning and subject to the NRC’s oversight, until the U.S. Department of Energy removes it, in accordance with its legal obligations.

Holtec and Entergy expect to file a license transfer request with the NRC closer to Palisades’ planned shutdown in the spring of 2022, with transaction closing expected by the end of that year.

Entergy will receive nominal cash consideration for its transfer to Holtec, according to the news release. Each transaction is expected to result in a non-cash loss based on the difference between Entergy’s net investment in each subsidiary and the sale price plus any agreed adjustments. As of June 30, 2018, the adjusted net investment in Entergy Nuclear Palisades LLC was $131 million. 

Palisades employs about 600 people and began generating electricity in 1971. The plant generates more than 800 megawatts, enough to power more than 800,000 homes. Entergy bought the plant in 2007 from Consumers Energy and continues to operate under a 15-year power purchase agreement that expires in the spring of 2022.

7.30.18

In 1924, Covert Township firefighters obtained their first motorized fire truck – a Ford Model T. The truck and several firefighters are shown in the photo, above.

Putting out fires and saving lives for 100 years

Covert Fire Department celebrates its  centennial

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

COVERT — Covert Township Fire Department operates out of a new $2.8 million, 20,000-square-foot complex that it shares with the police department. But 100 years ago, things were much different.

As Fire Chief Doug Myers puts it, “it was basically a bunch of guys with buckets.”

But those brave men with their buckets helped put out fires the best they could and saved lives. That's why Myers and his crew took time Saturday to honor their predecessors during the fire department's 100^th anniversary celebration.

“You can't just let an occasion like this go by without acknowledging the people who were here before you,” Myers said. “There's a lot of pride, ownership and tradition among firefighters. We'd like to hold onto that.”

The celebration began at 10 a.m. at the fire and police complex, on M-140 Highway. It included remarks by U.S. Rep. Fred Upton and State Rep. Beth Griffin, along with several other speakers and recognition of former firefighters. Refreshments and tours of the complex followed.

For Myers, the highlight of the event was recounting the history of the men and women who served as first responders in Covert for the past century. To learn about the department's long history, Myers spent quite a bit of his spare time pouring through the fire department's archives and local history books, talking with former firefighters and Covert residents, and gathering memorabilia.

What Myers learned impressed him.

Prior to 1918, Covert had no organized fire department.

“Basically it was just a bucket brigade,” Myers said.

But when fire destroyed a bank in the village's central business district, town leaders took action.

“After that fire they decided they needed to organize,” Myers said.

The “organized” fire department, which formed in 1918, was primitive at best. Its equipment consisted of a hand cart and hoses that were kept in a lean-to sandwiched between two downtown buildings.

“When they fought fires it was in their civilian clothes,” Myers said of the men who served as those first official firefighters for Covert.

By 1924, the township raised enough funds to purchase a fire truck – a Ford Model T.

“Carl Shattuck was the chief then. “When they got the Model T they put it in the back of his garage,” Myers said.

Firefighters not only battled blazes then, they also battled vehicle maintenance issues.

“They broke down a lot,” Myers said. It wasn't uncommon, he went on to say, for firefighters and other volunteers to follow the fire truck in their own vehicles. On one occasion when the fire truck got a flat, a tire was pulled off a car that was following it and mounted on the fire truck, allowing it to speed off to the emergency.

Firefighters dealt with other inconveniences with the first fire truck.

“There were only two men who could stand in back,” Myers said. “If you put a third one on that would cause the truck to pop a wheelie.”

Despite the difficulties, Covert's firefighters persevered to put out fires and save people's lives.

Something they still do today – with much more sophisticated equipment, including ambulances that Myers described as “virtually a hospital.”

But the heart and soul of the fire department for the past century has been the firefighters themselves, Myers thinks.

“Our most important equipment is our people.”



7.23.18

South Haven High School senior Nick Vanden Berk is one of three students who are working as interns thanks to a program offered by the Ward 1 Community Action Committee. (Photo by Kim Ingalls)

A learning experience

Students gain job skills thanks to Ward 1's paid internship program

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

Like many of his peers, South Haven High School senior Nick Vanden Berk is spending his summer vacation gaining valuable job experience.

Vanden Berk is working at South Haven Memorial Library thanks to an internship program sponsored by the Ward 1 Community Action Committee (CAC).

Last year, CAC launched the pilot program and sponsored one student who also worked at the library. This year, thanks to a generous resident and CAC members who raised $3,000, three students were offered internships.  Jazmine Mahone is the second library intern, and intern Maya Ankenbruck is working at the South Haven Center for the Arts.

The goal of the program is to develop basic job skills that students can use for future employment. For Vanden Berk, being chosen for the program offered him a chance to practice a few personal skills that he admits he struggles with.

“Getting paid as an intern is not the main part of the job to me,” said Vanden Berk, 17, the son of Joe and Ruby Vanden Berk. “I wanted to get better at speaking and communication. This gives me an extra opportunity to work on this.”

Vanden Berk assists Gail Patterson- Gladney, children’s librarian, with activities like Lego Brick Builders club and other youth programs. He says he has learned a lot about how a library is organized and the research opportunities that it offers which he feels will help him when he goes to college.

That is exactly what the committee hopes students get out of the program. Patterson-Gladney, who is also Ward 1 president, explained that CAC has a record of commitment to youth that stretches back to 2010. At that time, the group awarded the first of eight annual scholarships to students who live in Ward 1. The intern program, she said, goes a long way toward helping students be more competitive in the professional job market.

To make the employment-seeking process similar to professional job searches, students must complete an application, be enrolled in college or have junior/senior high school status and attend a job readiness workshop. Interns work part-time and are compensated with a minimum hourly wage or more.

The committee is hoping to obtain enough donations to expand the program next year. Anyone who wishes to donate or provide an internship opportunity for 2019, can contact Patterson-Gladney at gail_lpatterson@yahoo.com.

Suspects charged for B&E and beating of Bangor man

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

BANGOR — A Bangor man and woman face several criminal charges after allegedly breaking into the woman's ex-boyfriend's home and beating him up.

Shelly Lhotka and Richard Beebe were arraigned Tuesday in Seventh District Court in South Haven for first-degree home invasion. Lhotka also is facing a felonious assault charge. In addition, Beebe was arraigned for being a habitual offender and for possession of methamphetamine in an unrelated incident, according to Bangor Police Chief Tommy Simpson. The two suspects may also be facing drug charges as a result of police finding drugs in Lhotka's residence when they obtained a warrant to arrest her and Beebe. Judge Arthur Clarke set Beebe's bond at $115,00 and Lhotka's at $100,000.

The alleged home invasion and beating incident occurred late Sunday evening. According to Simpson, the 45-year-old victim had been sleeping on the couch when he woke up to find both suspects hitting him with their fists and a small baseball bat. The victim suffered minor injuries from the attack, according to Simpson.

The suspects then fled the scene, Thompson said, but police were able to track them the following morning and obtained a search warrant of Lhotka's home on Division Street in Bangor where they found both suspects along with meth, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.





7.16.18

SH board jump starts school chief search

Carey Frost hired as interim chief; Board hires search firm full full-time leader

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

As the July 17^th departure date for Superintendent Robert Herrera looms, South Haven Board of Education members moved swiftly, Wednesday, to hire an interim school chief and to hire a search firm to find a long-term replacement for Herrera.

Board members voted unanimously to hire North Shore Elementary School Principal Carey Frost to serve as interim school chief until the start of the new school year or shortly afterwards.

“She's worked in central office administration in the past and is not interested in being a permanent superintendent,” said school board president Laura Bos, in recommending Frost for the temporary job.

School board members voted to hire Frost to work two to three days a week for the rest of the summer months to buy time to begin the recruitment process for hiring a superintendent to replace Herrera, who has been hired to be the new superintendent and CEO at Benton Harbor Public Schools. A pay schedule for Frost will be worked out in the next two to three weeks for her additional role as interim school chief.

South Haven board members began the recruitment process to replace Herrera, Wednesday, also by hiring Michigan Leadership Institute, at a cost of $6,250, to help with the search for a new administrator to lead the school district.

Dave Killips, regional director for the Leadership Institute, told school board members that the probability for finding a new school chief will be tricky at this time of year and that the likelihood of finding a suitable candidate by the start of school in September is highly unlikely.

“The timing of this is unbelievable,” he said. “It puts you in a position different than other districts.”

But on the plus side, Killips said that South Haven is a desirable area for people due to its close proximity to Lake Michigan as well as its other cultural amenities.

“You should have a good candidate pool,” Killips said.

But realistically, he went on to say, it normally takes 12-14 weeks to hire a full-time school chief. Some may agree to start mid-school year, but most would likely want to begin their tenure at the start of a school year, which would mean the fall of 2019 for South Haven. As a result, Killips recommended that the district may want to consider hiring an outside interim to take Frost's place once the school year starts, if more time is needed to find a permanent school chief.

Herrera, who was at Wednesday's meeting, told school board members that the district is in good shape for an interim, such as Frost, to take the helm.

“We're in good shape to start a new year,” he said. “I think your building administrators and supervisors will be able to move forward smoothly. The key is making sure you take time to find the right person. You're probably not going to find someone by the start of the school year. But our staffing is set. You're in good shape for a transition.”

New assistant principal hired for South Haven High School

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A new assistant principal and two new teachers have been hired for South Haven Public Schools.

Board of Education members, Wednesday, voted unanimously to hire Ryan Williamson as high school assistant principal, Wynn Wikman as high school art teacher, and Michaela Dolinski as middle school special education teacher.

Williamson will replace Scott Jackson, who decided to return to the classroom to teach English at Baseline Middle School, according to high school principal Jerry Sardina.

“I'm really excited about the opportunity to be the high school's assistant principal,” Williamson said.

Williamson comes to South Haven from Center Grove High School, south of Indianapolis, Ind., where he served as dean of students. He has served in the education field for 19 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. He and his wife Angela, who has served as a teacher for 17 years, have three children.

Wikman replaces Lisa Rostar, who retired in June, while Dolinski is a new hire brought in to meet state requirements for the number of teachers working with special needs students at the middle school.





7.9.18

Joe Foster and Linda LaRocque, members of the Historical Association of South Haven, examine the engravings on the family monument  for South Haven lighthouse keeper Capt. James Donahue. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Honoring those who kept the light bright

Historical association, Maritime Museum plan ceremony to honor two of South Haven's former

lighthouse keepers

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Special markers often denote graves of military veterans, but what about ones for lighthouse keepers who often risked their lives to keep mariners safe?

That was a question that puzzled Joe Foster of South Haven, especially when he discovered that two of the town's former lighthouse keepers are buried in Lakeview Cemetery.

“I believe it is just as important as recognizing our veterans,” said Foster, who decided to do something about it.

Foster, who is a member of the Historical Association of South Haven and a copy editor for Lighthouse Digest magazine, went ahead and purchased U.S. Lighthouse Service Grave Markers for the tombstones of the town's first light keeper, William P. Bryan, and the town's most famous keeper, Capt. James S. Donahue, who spent 35 years manning South Haven's beacon.

“Keepers sacrificed a lot, helped storm-tossed sailors, led mariners safely into port, were 24/7 workers with small wages and high expectations,” Foster said.

Once he told other historical association members about the markers, they and the Michigan Maritime Museum decided to organize a ceremony to honor Bryan's and Donahue's service.

But doing so proved a more difficult task than they thought it would. While Donahue's grave is marked with a stone, no marker could be found for Bryan's grave, and the wording on Donahue's gravestone was very hard to read due to the age of his stone.

That's where Filbrandt Family Funeral Home agreed to help.

Owner Jeff Filbrandt donated a marker for Bryan's gravesite; one that looks very similar to markers created during the 1800s. The historical association also sprung into action to clean up Donahue's stone.

“Thanks to the generous contribution from Filbrandt Family Funeral Home, Bryan and his wife Ann will have a shared gravestone, after their graves remained unmarked for 125 years,” said Emily Stap, the Maritime Museum's Collections and Archives manager.

With the stones in place, the historical association and Maritime Museum are now ready to hold a ceremony; one they hope will inspire people to learn more about the lives of the two keepers.

The two groups have organized an event that not only will include the memorial service, but a social gathering afterwards at the former home where South Haven's lighthouse keepers resided when they weren't tending to the beacon.

“Remembering the Keepers of the Light” memorial service will take place at 4 p.m., Saturday, July 28 at Lakeview Cemetery. Afterwards an open house and old-fashioned ice cream social will occur at the historical Lighthouse Keepers House, 91 Michigan Ave.

Inside the historic home will be an informative exhibit on the lives of lighthouse keepers. Outside, people can sit down at tables and enjoy the free ice cream social. The floral centerpieces and decorations, created by the South Haven Garden Club, will look very similar to ones that were created during the late 19th century – the time when Bryan and Donahue were still alive.

During the course of the evening, there will also be a short presentation on the history of the extraordinary lighthouse keepers of the South Haven light.

“This is a unique opportunity for several organizations here in South Haven to collaborate together and celebrate these remarkable men and share their stories with the public.” Stap said.

All events are free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated and will go directly to the upkeep of the historic Lightkeeper’s House and the cost of the associated events. For more information on the Open House, contact the Museum at 269-637-8078 or visit www.michiganmaritimemuseum.org/events/ or contact the Historical Association at 269-637-6424 or visit www.historyofsouthhaven.org for information on the memorial service.

Seminar addresses safety, security measures at churches

A two-day event focusing on safety and security for churches and faith-based organizations, will take place Friday and Saturday, July 20-21 at Hope Reformed Church's Family Worship Center in South Haven.

The event is being presented by “Sheepdog Seminars,” a group concerned about the rise in mass shootings. It will begin at 7 p.m., Friday, July 20 with the viewing of the film, “Faith Under Fire,” Heartstone Picture's award-winning docudrama of the 1980 Daingerfield, Texas church massacre, in which a former high school teacher killed five people and wounded 10 others after several church members declined his request to appear as character witnesses in a trial where he was accused of raping his daughter.

The seminar will continue at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, July 21 with a video presentation of the Sheepdog Seminar, which will be led the organization's founder, retired Army Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, a former West Point psychology professor, professor of military science and Army Ranger, who now focuses much of his time researching the psychological costs of war, root causes of violent crime and the process of healing the victims of violence in war and peace.

Grossman's Pulitzer Prize-nominated book, “On Killing,” is required reading at the FBI academy and the U.S. Marine Corps Commandment.

“He is a world-renowned expert and author on terrorism, who annually instructs thousands of church and school officials, military, law enforcement, and other first responders,” said Pastor Craig Massey, who is also a retired U.S. Army major. Craig Massey “One of his topics is the link between video and violence.”

The seminar takes its name from sheepdogs, who protect sheep herds from wolves and other predators.

The seminar will continue until 4:30 p.m. and includes a 45-minute lunch break. Light refreshments will be served Friday and Saturday, however participants are asked to bring their own lunch on Saturday. The presentations are not meant for viewing by small children.

The seminar is free, however, participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for We Care in the Name of Christ's food pantry.



7.2.18

Carson & Barnes Circus Asian elephants Bunny and Libby receive a bath prior to Tuesday's circus shows at the Michigan Flywheelers Museum grounds.  Nine hundred tickets were sold for the show. A portion of the proceeds go to the Flywheelers for hosting it. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Circus attracts a crowd

But not everyone likes the show

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Waving signs reading “Stop animal abuse,” and “Cruelty is not entertaining,” protestors stood near the entrance to the Michigan Flywheelers Museum grounds, Tuesday, hoping to make people think twice about attending the Carson & Barnes Circus.

“I can't believe in this day and age we have this,” said Catherine Maize, who held a sign depicting a circus trainer with a bull hook in his hand while training a young elephant with ropes around its legs. “The training and traveling is cruel. They are beaten and poked to do their tricks,” Maize went on to say.

But the protestors apparently didn't stop circus-goers from entering the Flywheelers grounds.

“We get protestors every time we have the circus here,” said Patrick Ingalls, president of the Flywheelers museum, 06285 68^th St., South Haven. “(This time) we had 12 protestors for the first show, four for the second. No problems. Both shows were well attended. Close to 900 tickets were sold.”

Debbie Cook was one of the many adults who brought children to Tuesday's show.

“My four grandchildren are here. They've never seen the circus,” Cook said.

“I've seen movies about circuses,” said one of Cook's grandchildren, Hunter Fears. Another one, Avery Shoup, said she couldn't wait to see the elephants perform.

“I want to watch the elephants play with the balls. That's the cool part,” she said.

Bernie Garlock, who took his 6-year-old son to the circus, also enjoys the elephants.

“A circus without elephants is not a circus,” Garlock said.

The use of animals of circuses, particularly elephants, has become an issue with animal rights activists, who claim the beasts are being abused and should remain in their natural habitats.

Carson & Barnes has had a couple of brushes with controversy in the past.

In 2016, the company agreed to a $16,000 settlement for allegations of mishandling elephants in 2014, resulting in escapes and injury to the animals, without admitting to or denying the allegations.

During 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture cited the circus for an incident in Wisconsin in which an elephant escaped and wandered into a residential neighborhood.

The cries of elephants being abused finally reached a tipping point in 2016 with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus's decision to phase out elephant acts. The popular show closed down once and for all in May of this year, while in January Illinois became the first state in America to ban the use of elephants in traveling animal acts.

“We don't want to die out like Ringling,” Carson & Barnes ringmaster Erik Bautista said. “The circus is a family and American tradition. It's not a circus without elephants, clowns and trapeze artists.”

Carson & Barnes brought two of its elephants to Tuesday's shows at the Flywheelers grounds. Fifty-year-old Bunny and 51-year-old Libby have been with the circus since they were 2 years old, according to Bautista.

“They're strong and healthy, he said, defending the manner in which the two elephants and other animals are trained and taken care of.

“We keep them (the elephants) out in public as much as possible,” Bautista said, pointing to an outdoor tented area where Bunny and Libby stay when they're not under the big top.

“They have their toys and food and water,” Bautista said. “People are welcome to watch them.”

The same trainers are assigned to each elephant to create a bond, Bautista went on to say.

“Trainers and the elephants spend years together,” he said.

When working with the elephants, trainers use positive reinforcement and treats, rather than other methods that have been criticized by animal activists.

Carson & Barnes also gives its animals and performers more time off these days than in the past when the circus traveled practically year-round.

“We perform seven months a year and then have a break,” Bautista said. The circus's last show for this year was Saturday, June 30 in Kalamazoo.

“We start each year in the Texas valley in January and work our way up to get away from the heat,” Bautista said. When the circus isn't traveling, its animals and performers stay in Hugo, Okla.

But Carson & Barnes has had a couple of brushes with controversy in the past.

In 2016, the company agreed to a $16,000 settlement for allegations of mishandling elephants in 2014, resulting in escapes and injury to the animals, without admitting to or denying the allegations.

During 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture cited the circus for an incident in Wisconsin in which an elephant escaped and wandered into a residential neighborhood.

6.25.18

Preserving a gem

Over the past five years the South Haven Center for the Arts has undergone more than $500,000 worth of renovations and improvements, including a new elevator, heating and cooling system, fire escape, refinished wooden  floors, interior painting and landscaping. The latest improvements include restoration of the exterior east wall and window restorations. Volunteer Doug Jones (right) is shown painting exterior window frames, Thursday.  The art center building was originally built in 1906 to house the South Haven Library. Funds were provided by steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who paid for the construction of local libraries throughout the United States. (Photo by Becky Kark)

More rules

SH officials tentatively OK two amendments to short-term rental ordinance

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven City Council members are pushing forward with more regulations for short-term rentals, but some folks aren't too happy about it.

Council members voted Monday to introduce two amendments to the current short-term rental ordinance that would increase registration fees, and, for the first time, require condominium owners to register their homes.

If approved at the council's July 2 meeting, fees for short-term rentals will increase from $20 to $250 for a first-time registration and $200 annually for subsequent years.

The second amendment will require owners of condominiums to register their dwellings if they plan to use them for short-term rentals. Right now, the ordinance only requires owners of detached homes to register. However, if the amendment passes, condo owners will only have to pay $20 to register their homes for the first year, if they do so by Sept. 15. The following year, they would have to pay the annual $200 fee.

The two amendments met with opposition by several people in attendance at the meeting.

“You don't need to police condos,” James Benham said. “The (condominium associations) do a fine job of regulating ones that are used as short-term rentals.”

John Frost took issue with the need for the amendments in the first place. “This council has an agenda. It is to curtail and maybe get rid of what this town has been and is,” he said, referring to South Haven's long history of renting lakeshore home to summer visitors. “It's upsetting that a small group of vocal people have taken control.”

Several council members though defended the need for the amendments.

“We're not doing this as a money-making venture,” Mayor Scott Smith said, referring to the fees. Prior to Monday's meeting, city staff stated in a report that the fees currently being charged are not paying for the expenses involved in registering homes as short-term rentals.

City Manager Brian Dissette reported that $12,500 has been collected so far in registration fees, but it's not enough, forcing the city to dip into its general fund to make up the difference.

“Continuing expenses include the cost of inspections, the cost of additional enforcement personnel during the summer, inspection program, and staff and attorney time devoted to addressing short-term rental issues,” Dissette said. “Just this weekend, our police chief spent two hours dealing with neighborhood issues.”

Regarding the inclusion of condos as part of the short-term rental ordinance, Mayor Pro Tem Clark Gruber defended the proposed amendment. “You'll find associations that don't allow it (short-term rentals),” Gruber said. But, he went on to say it really isn't fair to make neighborhood home owners pay registration fees, while condo owners don't have to.

“It (the amendment) gives a level playing field,” Gruber said.

The two amendments council members tentatively approved Monday are two of five that are under consideration for inclusion in the two-year-old short-term rental ordinance.

The other three follow:

• Prohibit short-term rentals in both new homes and homes that have been enlarged to accommodate more dwellers;

• Prohibit or cap the number of new short-term rentals in certain areas of the city to preserve the residential character of neighborhoods and to maintain affordable housing options;

• Regulate the abandonment of short-term rentals in certain areas.

City council members had considered Monday whether to pass the amendment that would prevent homeowners from registering their home as an STR if they hadn't rented it in the previous year. But they voted instead to send the proposal back to the planning commission for further review. The remaining other two amendments are still being looked at by the planners and city staff, as well.



6.18.18

This photo of South Haven theater students performing the “bottle dance” from the musical, “Fiddler on the Roof,” aired on the Tony Awards show Sunday evening.  From left are Houston Bolden, Carlos Calderon, Nick Gildea and Lauren Bettis.

Tricky dance catches Tony's attention

Photo of South Haven theater students airs on Tony Awards

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manger

While the stars of Broadway got their moment to shine during last Sunday's Tony Awards ceremony the spotlight showed brightly – if for a brief moment – on a group of South Haven High School theater students.

Toward the end of the Tony Awards show, a photograph showing student actors from South Haven's 2017 Fiddler on the Roof production flashed across the TV screen.

The photo keyed in on four students, with tall bottles balanced on their heads, doing the “bottle dance” during a wedding scene from the popular musical.

“We about lost our minds when we saw it,” South Haven High School theater director Erin O'Neil said..

So how did a photo from a South Haven high school theater production land up on the Tony's?

It has to do with a program the Tony Awards sponsored this year.

The Tony Dreaming Program asked people to post a photograph either on Twitter or Instagram of themselves in any play, musical or recital that they were featured in as a youth. The program opened June 6 and concluded the day of the Tony Awards show.

O'Neil and her students began submitting photos and one —the “Fiddler on the Roof” bottle dance scene — managed to make the cut.

It joined 25 other photos that flashed across the screen before and after commercial breaks for the Tony Awards.

“I couldn't believe it,” said O'Neil, who was watching the Tony's with South Haven High School Choir Director Katie Hillyard, when the photo aired.

“We literally jumped off the couch. We thought, 'that's our students.' To think about people across the country seeing our kids. To think about the people in that audience – Andrew Lloyd Webber – who was seeing our kids.”

O'Neil and Hillyard weren't the only ones from South Haven who saw the photo.

“We started getting messages from kids saying 'that's us,'” O'Neil said. “All the kids were so excited.”

O'Neil said she sent in a variety of photos from the different productions South Haven theater students have taken part in, including “Beauty and the Beast,” and the latest musical to be performed, “Once Upon A Mattress.”

“They were all good photos,” O'Neil said. But she was glad the Tony Dreaming committee chose the Fiddler on the Roof photo.

“The bottle dance is very difficult to do. They have to balance the bottle on their heads while kneeling and move in tandem while keeping everything level,” O'Neil said.

Two of the bottle dancers, Houston Bolden and Nick Gildea just graduated this year, while Carlos Calderon and Lauren Bettis will be seniors in the fall.

From left, Casco Band clarinet players, Jeanie Gerling, Brenda Totzke and Don Bemis perform with the band during this year's Memorial Day Service at Casco United Methodist Church. (Photo by Becky Kark)

The beat goes on

Casco Band celebrates its

90th anniversary

By BECKY KARK

and NANCY ALBRIGHT

Bands come and go, but not the Casco Band.

The musical group is celebrating its 90^th anniversary this year with a series of performances, including one at the Historical Association of South Haven's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social, Sunday, June 24 at Historic Hartman School, 355 Hubbard St., South Haven. While people enjoy Sherman's Ice Cream, the band will play marches and show tunes from 2-4 p.m.

Casco Band isn't the oldest community band still performing in Michigan; that honor goes to the Norway City Band, which formed in 1882. Nonetheless, Casco Band members take pride in their long history of performing for audiences throughout Southwest Michigan.

The Band came about in 1928 and was created in a way similar to the band that the character Harold Hill formed in Meredith Willson's “The Music Man.”

“That 'music man' was Irwin Hendrick and all credit for the band's beginning goes to him,” Casco historian Jeanne Halgren wrote in her book, “Casco Township: Bounty by the Lake.”

Her father-in-law, Clifford Hallgren was one of the original band members.

“He recalled being asked to give the clarinet a try even though his musical experience had been limited to two years of piano lessons,” Hallgren wrote in her book. “He agreed to give it a try.”

Other Casco men did too. But apparently, their first rehearsal didn't go so well.

According to Hallgren's father-in-law, the sound that came from the band “was the worst sound anyone had ever heard in their lives.”

But as the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. And practice the band did.

“With time, everyone's musical skills improved and it wasn't long until a 100-piece orchestra was formed from the group to play hymns at the United Brethren Church on Sunday mornings,” Hallgren wrote.

Over the years, the band has performed in parades, Memorial Day services, at festivals, nursing homes, and special events. One year, the band even performed while riding on a ferris wheel during the Pancake Festival in Glenn, in 1940, and on a large boat on Lake Michigan to entertain for the annual Elks Convention. They even traveled to Grand Rapids shortly after World War II to perform in the Welsh Civic Auditorium (now DeVos Hall).

Several people's names have become synonymous with the band over the years, including Richard Barden.

Barden's father, Don, was one of the original members of the band and went on to become its director during 1940s and 1950s. Richard joined the band as a young teen. An accomplished pianist and percussionist, Richard stayed on with the band for the next 70 years and served as its director for a decade, retiring several years ago when he suffered a stroke that prevented him from being able to hold the baton and direct.

The 30-piece band is now under the direction of retired South Haven High School band director Bob Boerma, and Dan Farmer, an accomplished trumpet player from Bangor.



6.11.18

Jody Belsher, who produced and directed the documentary, "The Other Side of Cannabis," talks with Baseline Middle School eighth-grade students about the harmful effects of marijuana use. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Marijuana and the brain

Speaker discusses harmful effects cannabis can create for teens, young adults

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

For the past 10 years Jody Belsher has been on a mission to educate people – especially youth – about marijuana's devastating effects on the development of the brain.

She went back to college to obtain a master's degree in addictive disorders, produced and directed the award-winning independent documentary, “The Other Side of Cannabis,” and last year formed Prevention of Substance Abuse for Youth, a non-profit dedicated to providing educational materials and seminars about the harmful effects marijuana can produce in the brain.

Most of the group's efforts are focused in California, where Belsher resides. But this week she is spending most of her time in South Haven helping the Concerned Citizens of South Haven host the town's first-ever “South Haven Marijuana Awareness Week.” The week began this past Monday, when Belsher and the Concerned Citizens made a presentation at the South Haven City Council meeting. Tuesday, Belsher talked with Baseline Middle School eighth-graders during an assembly. Later that evening, she served as the keynote speaker at a community-wide forum at Lake Michigan College's South Haven campus. The Marijuana Awareness Week continued through Friday with other presentations to local youth and ended with a program featuring people who have recovered from substance abuse.

The timing of the week-long series of events seemed perfect — South Haven City Council is mulling whether to pass an ordinance to allow medical marijuana facilities to locate in town.

Belsher, however, said that is not the main reason for her visit or the week-long series of events.

“There's a lot of aspects to the marijuana issue,” she said just prior to her presentation at Baseline Middle School. “But to me, this (informing students about harmful effects of pot) is the heart of it. At the end of the day these students are our future.”

Organizers of Concerned Citizens of South Haven echo Belsher's sentiments.

“Our group is concerned about insuring South Haven is a healthy and safe community, said Rachel Sankofski. “We want to create awareness because this is an issue being discussed at the local government level...We certainly are sympathetic to people who need marijuana for medical purposes, however we are concerned about the harmful effects of THC (the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) on young minds.”

For Belsher, the idea of reducing marijuana use among teens and young adults, is personal.

“My son began using marijuana when he was 14. We didn't know it at the time,” she said. An honor student and athlete, he was well-liked at school. But over the next few years, his life began to spiral downward, and with it, his family's, as well. “By the time he was a junior everything tanked,” Belsher said. “He barely graduated with Ds. He went off to college and never went to class.”

Very concerned at that point, Belsher and her husband took their son to a mental health hospital. There he was diagnosed with what doctors referred to as a “cannabis-induced psychosis.”

“The doctors said to us, 'hopefully it's temporary, but he has to stop,'” Belsher recalled. “But he couldn't.”

Over the next several years, the Belshers tried to get their son to stop using, but he wouldn't or couldn't. They tried a series of hospital stays. “He'd do fine but once he got out he'd start up again,” Belsher recalled.

Finally, their son ended up homeless, on the streets. He finally did turn his life around. He and his girlfriend are expecting a child and he's working with a counselor that he relates to. But he still struggles from time to time.

“His life was forever changed because of marijuana,” Belsher said.

6.4.18

Bill Hunter, South Haven's Department of Public Works, stands next to an infestation of Japanese Knotweed located on the dead-end portion of Prospect Street, just south of Superior Street. The city plans to chemically treat the plants with a herbicide in an effort to get rid of them. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Finding a solution for a pesky problem

South Haven takes measures to get rid of Japanese knotweed

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven Department of Public Works Director Bill Hunter wants to get a firm grip on the proliferation of Japanese knotweed plants growing on city property.

But cutting down or pulling the pesky invasive species out of the ground won't be an option.

“They've got roots that go down to 10 feet,” Hunter said. “It you try to dig or pull up the plant or even cut it, it will stress the plant and it will actually spread (its roots) and start growing sideways. So one year you could have the plants spread over a 5-foot-by-5-foot area and the next year it turns to 20-by-20-feet.”

Rather than let the knotweed, which can grow upwards of 10 feet and destroy native plants growing nearby, city public works employees are in the process of putting up signs identifying locations where Japanese knotweed have been identified.

Among other suggestions, the signs tell people not to cut down the knotweed.

“We thought this would be a good way to educate people and raise awareness of Japanese knotweed and it's working. People have already called asking about the signs and why they were put up,” Hunter said.

Fourteen pieces of city property are being marked with the signs. City officials hope the public will heed the sign warnings. The signs are located mainly in wooded areas that are near ravines. A map of the locations can be found on the city's website, www.south-haven.com

“The issue with knotweed is that the plant can reproduce from a thumb-nail sized portion of the stem or the root, and the root often can reach up to 10 feet,” Hunter said. “Due to its ability to spread rapidly, the city is placing signs at identified locations warning the public not to cut, pull, dig nor mow knotweed.”

So what will the city do to try to get rid of the pesky plants?

“The best way is to inject the stalk (with a herbicide) to kill them,” Hunter said. “You need special training to do that.”

The city plans to hire a certified herbicide applicator who will come in the fall to begin the process of destroying the Japanese knotweed in the 14 locations that have been identified. “Fall is the best time to do it,” Hunter said.

But don't expect quick results, he warned. “People I've spoke to have said you're going to come back next year and the next year (to treat the plants)...It can take 5-7 years. That's how resilient they are.”

Michigan'a Invasive Species program website backed Hunter's statement.

“Japanese knotweed has always been considered difficult to eradicate, even with herbicides,” the website indicated. “Older infestations have more extensive root systems and are harder to eradicate or control.”

Japanese knotweed originated in Asia and was first identified in the the Northwest United States in the late 1800s. It has spread since then to most states, including Michigan.

“It's been around a long time,” Hunter acknowledged. Shortly after coming to South Haven to work, Hunter was at North Beach and saw Japanese knotweed growing on city property.

“We trained the staff how to identify it.” Soon the staff compiled an inventory of public property where the plants were growing.

Japanese knotweed can be found along roadsides, wetlands, wet depression, woodland edges, and stream or river banks. It grows very aggressively and pushes out surrounding plants by limiting light, altering their nutrient cycles and releasing toxic or inhibiting chemicals that suppress the growth of competitor plant species.



Bangor school board selects new superintendent

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

BANGOR — An educator who has spent the past 18 years working for Bangor Public School District is now its new chief administrator.

Board of Education members voted Thursday to hire Lynn Johnson as the district's new superintendent.

“He is qualified as an administrator,” School Board President Ruth Fuentes said. “He's familiar with the district and will keep us moving forward.”

School board members plan to meet with Johnson over the next month to go over his contract and salary. He is expected to start his new job July 1.

Lynn was chosen from 14 applicants who applied for the position. Three finalists – Johnson; Gwen Dangerfield, an elementary principal and high school assistant principal for Wyoming Public Schools; and Scott Morgan, superintendent of Glenn School and Outlook Academy principal, both in Allegan County; were interviewed by Bangor school board members Thursday in a special meeting. Afterwards the board voted to hire Johnson.

Johnson said he's looking forward to his new job and decided to apply for the position after serving as interim superintendent for 8 months.

“As I started doing the job I thought it was time for me to become more actively involved in leading the district,” he said.

Johnson, who graduated from Bangor High School, returned to his alma mater in 2001 when he was hired to be the adult educator supervisor. In 2005 he was promoted to the role of community education director. As director he secured $75,000 in federal funds for the adult education program, created the virtual online high school and home school partnerships, and increased enrollment and graduation percentages for alternative and adult education students.

While serving as interim superintendent Johnson has also kept up his duties as community education director.

Now that he has been hired as superintendent, Johnson said the district will hire a new community education director to take his place.



5.28.18

Susan McGlone and her dog, Gracie, stand in front of her home on Clinton Street in South Haven. McGlone and her husband, Thomas, who live in Chicago, purchased the home less than a year ago with the intention of fixing it up, and then using it as their permanent home when they retire. They've spent $20,000 in renovations and hoped to offset the cost by using the home as a vacation rental for a couple of years. 

Short-term rentals could face more restrictions

Property owners question need for 6-month moratorium to study rental ordinance

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

For the past two years local residents in South Haven have crowded into city council meetings to speak out against the growing number of vacation rental homes in their neighborhoods.

Monday, second-home owners took their turn at the podium.

More than 75 people packed into city hall – some standing outside the council chambers because there weren't enough seats — to voice opposition to the city council's recent decision to impose a six-month moratorium on new short-term rental registrations.

Many who spoke, like Michael Biedermann, questioned the need for a moratorium, especially the timing of it – right at the start of the summer tourism season.

“To rent one's property is a property owner's legal right,” said Biedermann, whose family has restored historic homes and resorts on the city's north side to rent to vacationers.

“Why can't this be put off until the end of the season?” another speaker asked.

The council passed the moratorium May 13 to give the planning commission and city staff time to re-examine if changes need to be made to the existing short-term rental ordinance that was adopted in 2016.

Monday night, the council went one step further and approved a motion asking the planning commission to consider, in an expedient manner, six amendments to the existing rental ordinance that among other things would:

• Increase short-term rental fees from $20 to possibly $200

• Include condominium units in the short-term rental ordinance

• Prohibit short-term rentals for newly constructed homes and prevent homeowners, who expand their homes, from being granted an increase in occupancy limits

• Prohibit or cap new short-term rentals in certain areas of the city

• Regulate the “abandonment” of short-term rentals in certain areas

• Address the correlation between short-term rentals and personal residence tax exemptions

“We've seen mushrooming of short-term rentals,” Mayor Scott Smith said. “We have 409 registered homes; 600 of them (condominium units) are not included in the current ordinance. We have up to 360 possible short-term rentals that can be build in Planned Unit Developments. There is a concern that the commercialization (using short-term rentals solely as a source of income) will undermine our neighborhoods.”

But some people in the audience questioned the council's motives for both the moratorium and the proposed amendments to the short-term rental ordinance.

“Why restrictions in some areas and not in others?” asked Mary Dizelski, regarding the moratorium that prohibits new rental registrations in Wards 1 and 2 but not in Ward 3.

“This is a resort community,” said Sara Mchugh. “The only reason Wards 1 and 2 have an increase (in homes being used for short-term rentals) is because they're close to the lakeshore. Location, location, location. That's real estate 101... Stop fighting it. We should love it that people want to come here.”

Other people who spoke said limiting short-term rentals will adversely affect the town's tourism and retail industries.

“I have no idea what the hurry is,” said Sally Newton of Shores Property Management, regarding the swift move to institute the moratorium two weeks ago. “Is there a fire out there that I don't know about?”

Amanda Soukup, a real estate agent in South Haven, told council members that a group that stays in a short-term rental for a week spends, on average, $3,000. A portion of the money is spent on the rental fee, but the remainder is spent in restaurants and retail establishments. Most of those units are rented 8-12 weeks each summer, hypothetically generating up to $11 million in revenue each year.

“We have 409 short-term rentals, that makes 3,681 weeks they're being rented out for the season,” Soukup said. “That's $11 million for our weekly rentals in this community.”

She also pointed out that vacation rental homes generate employment for a variety of occupations, including property management firms, landscapers and house cleaners.

Although the majority of people in attendance at Monday's meeting opposed the moratorium and the six proposed rental ordinance amendments, a few people in the audience did speak favorably about restrictions on short-term rentals.

“Full-time residences are disappearing in our neighborhoods,” said Kent Johnson, who blames the growth in the short-term rental market.

Joan Hiddema, who lives near short-term rentals in Ward 1, commented that the occupancy limits in the short-term rental ordinance have prevented developers from building large homes on small lots that look out of character with the neighborhood.

SH council grants reprieve of sorts for short-term rentals

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

When Jim and Heather Palmer of Kalamazoo purchased their home in South Haven 11 years ago they spent a considerable amount of money to fix it up. To recoup some of the expenses and annual property taxes, they decided to rent the renovated home to vacationers.

Now, however, they'd like to sell their home, which is located in the city's Ward 1.

“We need money for our kids to go to college,” Jim said.

But, the Palmers worry a six-month moratorium South Haven City Council recently placed on new rental registrations in Wards 1 and 2 will hurt their ability to sell their home at a price they think it's worth.

“We feel like we've been blindsided,” Jim said, regarding the council's decision May 13 to issue the moratorium after conducting a workshop beforehand – a move that surprised vacation rental homeowners who said they weren't aware of the meeting. “We have a property that is weakened in value because we can't transfer our registration permit. The pool of applicants who would be interested in purchasing our property has greatly been reduced.”

Liliana Holtzman, who resides in Ward 2, shared similar sentiments that the moratorium is causing financial hardship for her. Earlier this year, the Holtzmans decided to fix up the home with the intent of staying in it as their retirement home. They obtained a $40,000 loan and decided to rent the home for a few weeks over the summer to pay down their debt.

But, the Holtzman's plans soon went awry.

“I went to get the rental permit and heard that our ward is not allowed to rent for six months,” she told city officials. “We are shocked. If we can't rent our house out to help us pay for the loan, we might lose our house. That doesn't seem fair, and I can't imagine that's what the city of South Haven wants.”

The Palmers and Holtzmans are among a the property owners who have written to city officials saying the moratorium will have adverse financial implications for them because they were either in the process of buying, selling or renovating a home that had been used or would be used as a vacation rental.

However, it looks like relief will be on the way for them.

At Monday's City Council meeting, members voted to make several clarifications to the six-month moratorium to make exceptions that will allow property owners in Wards 1 and 2 to obtain a short-term vacation rental registration under special circumstances.

The clarifications came about after public outcry.

“Nine property owners have expressed financial hardship due to the moratorium,” City Manager Brian Dissette said.

Although the moratorium does not affect the 406 registered rentals, nor Ward 3 where they are still allowed, it has become apparent more exceptions are needed, according to Dissette.

“Since the adoption of the moratorium, some have suggested that further exceptions are needed in order to address other property owners who have made investments in their properties with the expectation of being able to operate a short-term rental,” Dissette said.

The resolution that city council members approved Monday will allow property owners to obtain a new short-term rental registration in Wards 1 and 2 under the following circumstances:

• The property owner has a current building permit that was approved before the moratorium was issued

• The property is within a Planned Unit Development

• The property was registered as a short-term rental and then sold to a new owner

• The home was under construction when the moratorium was adopted

• The home was recently acquired by a new owner who bought the property with the intent to use if for short-term rentals

• The home, as of the date of the moratorium, was under contract to be purchased for use as a short-term rental

“Staff believes that the resolution would satisfy most of the concerns that have

been raised, while still upholding the underlying rationale of the moratorium — to place a

'pause' on new short-term rentals while the City considers new regulations,” Dissette said. “Further, by

satisfying the concerns that have been raised, the proposal may reduce the risk of lawsuits

relating to the moratorium.”



5.21.18

Front row from left are Three North Shore Elementary School students whose pet photos were chosen as winners in the Pizza Hut Literacy Project Fundraiser. The students are Keira Alfieri, Morgan Tomsa and Gwenyth Meyer. Back row from left are Mike Harris, manager of South Haven Pizza Hut; North Shore Principal Carey Frost and Caitlyn Peters, manager of Coloma Pizza Hut.

Pizza Hut delivers

South Haven, Coloma eateries donate $2,200 to North Shore Elementary

An elementary school in South Haven now has nearly $2,200 to spend on purchasing library books, thanks to Pizza Hut.

North Shore Elementary School Principal Carey Frost recently received a check for $2,168 from Mike Harris, manager of South Haven Pizza Hut, and Caitlyn Peters, Coloma Pizza Hut's manager.

Both eateries spent the past several months raising funds for the school as part of the national restaurant chain's Literacy Project.

“Pizza Hut does an annual fundraiser to promote literacy among students in local communities,” Harris said. “In the areas that Pizza Hut serves, schools can sign up to be a recipient of the funds raised by local restaurants. For the South Haven and Coloma Pizza Huts, North Shore Elementary School was chosen as our beneficiary.”

Both restaurants came up with a variety of fundraisers to raise money for the Literacy Project.

The South Haven Pizza Hut organized a cutest pet contest where students from North Shore were photographed with their pets and then voted on which ones were the cutest. The finalists were then posted at Pizza Hut where customers then chose their favorite ones by giving a donation to indicate their vote.

At the Coloma restaurant, customers took part in several raffles.

South Haven woman bound over for lake crash death

SH woman bound over for lake crash death

By HP STAFF

A South Haven woman will go to trial in Van Buren County Circuit Court in connection with the drowning death of a Bangor man in December.

Tara Smith, 21, was bound over for trial Wednesday in South Haven District Court by Judge Arthur Clarke, according to a Seventh District Court clerk.

She is accused of driving the car that plunged into School Section Lake in in Bangor Township on Dec. 22, resulting in the death of her boyfriend, Jezreel Wallace, 22.

Smith is charged with two counts of operating under the influence causing death, one for alcohol and one for marijuana, according to court records.

Smith is in the Van Buren County jail on a $50,000 cash/surety bond. A next court date has not been set yet.





5.14.18

Members of Bangor Branch Library's Lego Club are shown in the photo, above. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the famous Lego brick. Interest in the plastic brick has resulted in a slew of Lego-building opportunities at many of the local libraries including the Lego Club at the Bangor Branch Library.

Never letting go of those Legos

The little plastic bricks remain popular with young and old for 60 years

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the iconic Legos - those brightly colored plastic bricks that kids love to build with and adults hate to step on.

Derived from the abbreviation of two Danish words,“leg godt”- meaning “play well” in English - Lego was the brainchild of Ole Kirk Kristiansen who came up with the idea of putting tubes in plastic bricks while in his carpenter workshop.

His company, Lego Group, began producing the first version of the toy brick in 1949, but it wasn’t until 1958 that the Lego brick, as we know it, was born. The iconic design hasn’t changed significantly since then ensuring that two Lego bricks produced 60 years apart can still fit together.

“Lego play is powered by imagination and curiosity, and the Lego brick is at the very heart of it  with imagination as your only limit,” said Julia Goldin, chief marketing officer for the Lego Group.

“This helps young minds to stay open, keep exploring and develop skills such as creativity, collaboration and problem solving.” 

Interest in the building blocks has not waned over the years, in fact, it's on the upswing in North America, fueled somewhat by the popularity of The Lego Movie.

Lego clubs have sprung up across the country including several in Van Buren County.

“Our lego club is called ‘Brick Builders,” said Gail Patterson, South Haven Memorial Library’s children librarian. “We meet during the summer and have a theme each week.”

An orientation will be announced soon for those interested in participating, she said. During the meeting, decisions will be made on what day and what time to meet. The club is open to anyone ages five years to 14.

Thanks to a grant from Meijer and donations from the community, the library has quite a collection of bricks to build with.

“Sometimes, we do ask for kids to bring baseplates because we are short on them,” Patterson said.

Several Van Buren District Library branches also offer opportunities for kids to get creative and build with Legos. In Bangor, the library hosts a Lego Club every Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Builders of all skill levels are welcome to drop in anytime during those hours. The library has plenty of bricks for everyone to use and at the end of the session, the brick creations are put on display in a showcase.

The Bloomingdale Branch Library is another place kids can go to for some Lego fun.  Librarian Marianne Sipka says the library doesn't have a formal club, but kids are welcome anytime on Fridays year round.

At the Covert Branch Library, a “free build” is on Thursdays starting at 3:30 p.m. Librarian Lois Brigham says kids “can build whatever they want to do.” No sign-up is needed.

Casco Township unveils new rules to govern short-term rentals

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

While South Haven city officials revisit their two-year-old short-term rental ordinance, Casco Township is ready to roll out its own rules for vacation homes.

Starting Tuesday, lakeshore homeowners in Casco will face a new set of requirements if they want to rent their dwellings to summer guests.

The requirements are part of the township's new short-term rental regulatory ordinance, which among other things, orders vacation rental home owners to register their homes for a fee of $200 or face a $750 fine. The ordinance also establishes the following:

• Limits the number of guests that can stay in a vacation rental

• Requires guests to follow the township's noise ordinance

• Sets up a home inspection program

• Requires homeowners to have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout their dwelling

• Sets up a 24-hour hotline for short-term rental complaints

Allan Overhiser, township supervisor, is pleased with the township's decision to offer the 24-hour hotline.

“We think we are the first township or municipality in southwest Michigan to take this approach,” Overhiser said.

The township has contracted with Host Compliance, a San Francisco-based company that monitors and enforces short-term rental ordinances for municipalities.

“They have systems that monitor rental activity,” Overhiser said. “This will help us to get compliance from people that aren't registering”

Neighbors of short-term rentals can report ordinance violations by calling 435-787-4357. Host Compliance will then contact the short-term rental owners, their agents or township officials to resolve the matter quickly.

“The hotline, coupled with strong regulatory and noise ordinances is designed to maintain our quiet neighborhood settings while supporting the economic development that short-term rentals bring to the community,” Overhiser said.

Like other lakeshore communities, Casco has been spending the past several years grappling with the growth of homes being used for short-term vacation rentals.

The issue came to a head in 2016 when Allegan Circuit Court Judge Kevin Cronin ruled that short-term rentals were forbidden in a private subdivision in Casco as well as the rest of the township. The matter became more complicated when the Michigan Appellate Court upheld the decision ruling that short-term rentals violate the township's zoning ordinance which prohibits vacation rentals in low-density residential areas.

Property owners who had been renting their homes for years to vacationers – despite the zoning ordinance's provisions - weren't happy with the judge's ruling.

“Some of the areas (where homes are rented) are platted in small non-conforming lots. Those were meant for cottages,”Township Planning Commission chair Diane Liepe said in an earlier interview. “This (using cottages for short-term rentals) has been part of their heritage. It wasn't a part of our zoning ordinance when it should have been included (as an acceptable land use).”

Township officials also began to worry about the possibility of lawsuits being filed by owners of homes that had been used for vacation rentals for years.

“It (the court rulings) created uncertainty about renting in the township, because we've always been a community that has a lot of seasonal homes along the lakeshore that are rented,” Overhiser said.

Shortly after Cronin's decision in 2016, the township board and planning commission began to re-examine the short-term rental issue.

“The Township Board and Planning Commission spent a year-and-a-half studying the issue,” Overhiser said.

The result was a decision by the planning commission and township board in January to amend the township's zoning ordinance to allow short-term rentals. The board also passed a new ordinance to regulate vacation homes.

However, opponents of short-term rentals gathered enough signatures to force a referendum on the revised zoning ordinance, which if approved by voters at the Aug. 7 primary, will once again prohibit short-term rentals.

If the referendum passes, the township board will be back to the drawing board for allowing short-term rentals, which worries Overhiser.

“There's lots of things that could come into play. It will create a lot of uncertainty. There's the issue of grandfathering,” he said referring to the number of people who have rented their homes to vacationers for years. On the flip side of the coin there are homeowners who could sue the township for not upholding its ordinance.

Until the referendum vote occurs the township board has OK'd a moratorium on enforcement of its current zoning ordinance.

So, for the 2018 rental season, vacation homes will have to abide by the new ordinance that regulates the dwellings.

“The (regulatory) ordinance is something that is not subject to referendum,” Overhiser said. “All dwellings used for short-term rentals must be registered before renting occurs or advertising to rent takes place.”



Van Buren County puts 4 millage proposals on August ballot

By ROD SMITH

For the Tribune

PAW PAW — Van Buren County Commissioners Tuesday adopted the fourth and final millage proposal that will be placed on the Aug. 7 primary ballot.

That proposal asks for renewal of the 75 cents, per month, per device surcharge for 4 years to be used for 911 services and equipment.

The language reads "Shall Van Buren County be authorized to assess a county 911 emergency services charge on monthly billings to each service user located within Van Buren County at a rate not to exceed $0.75 each month, (renewing the current surcharge) subject to annual approval by the Van Buren County Board of Commissioners for the period of July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2023, to be used exclusively for the funding of 911 emergency telephone call answering and dispatch services within Van Buren County, including facilities equipment and operations."

That 75 cents is the local tax for 911 and was approved by voters in 2014. The state also charges $1.17 per device per month.

"We're at $1.92," Commission Chair Richard Godfrey told commissioners. Since the state allows a total surcharge of up to $3 per device per month, Van Buren County actually is $1.08 below the maximum.

The 2014 surcharge will be expiring June 30 of next year after which commissioners hope the renewal will kick in.

The 911 surcharge renewal request will be the second proposal on the primary ballot. The first will be the public safety millage renewal. The current millage is expiring and the renewal is a request for 0.5332-mill for four years for drug enforcement and road patrol.

Similarly, the ambulance millage is expiring. The renewal request will be 0.9402-mill for four years. That's the third proposal.

The fourth proposal is a new millage requested by the Road Commission. That's for 3 mills for 12 years to improve county roads, with some going to cities plus local authorities — downtown development, tax increment financing, brownfield, and local development financing.

The Road Commission maintains 1,055 miles of roadway. Of that, county officials deem 202 miles "good" with the remainder "fair" to "poor." There isn't enough money to fix them, according to officials.

A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable valuation of a property.

In other matters, commissioners formally voted to hire a contractor to tear down the old infirmary at the county fairgrounds between Hartford and Lawrence.

The successful bidder is Krohn Excavating, of Bangor, for $36,800 to demolish the structure. "This is the hospital over at the old county poor farm," Godfrey said at a previous discussion meeting.

Commissioners have talked about tearing it down for some years with Commissioner Donald Hanson describing it as "pretty much demolished" already.

The Van Buren County Historical Society maintains a museum in the old residence hall on Red Arrow Highway. This is not the same building as the infirmary.

The fairground, at the corner of Red Arrow Highway and County Road 681 between Lawrence and Hartford, was previously the site of the 1884 county poor farm. There is also believed to be a lost cemetery somewhere on the property. In 2015 anthropology students expressed interest in trying to locate it, but the idea never materialized.

According to those students, the infirmary was the first hospital in the county. It may not be the original building since there was a fire that killed many people, according to those students. Those fire victims were buried in a mass grave that has not been located.

Commissioners also contracted with Krohn to demolish the old Red Arrow Bar in downtown Lawrence. Cost is $25,900. The county owns the building through the foreclosure process.

During that discussion meeting, Hanson said the county has put the building up for sale twice, but received no offer.



5.7.18

State Reps. Beth Griffin (black sweater) and Mary Whiteford (blue jacket) cut the ribbon to mark the opening of Al-Van Humane Society's new adoption center. The ceremony took place, Monday, April 30 and was attended by nearly 100 people.

A dream come true

Humane Society celebrates opening of pet adoption center

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

The new surroundings at Al-Van Humane Society's new adoption center suits the cats and dogs staying there just fine.

“We've seen an immediate impact on the animals,” Al-Van Executive Director Jennifer Nuernberg said. “They're much more relaxed.”

Lisa Galdikas, president of Al-Van's board of directors agreed.

“We have cuts coming up to us that used to hide (in their cages),” she said.

The new 6,000-square-foot adoption and community education center was unveiled to the public this past Monday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included government and community leaders, Al-Van board members and donors who helped make the facility a reality.

“To see everyone from the community is wonderful,” Nuernberg said during the ceremony, which also commemorated Al-Van's 50th anniversary. “This is a really big day for our community and our animals.”

Al-Van's board and staff spent the past three years raising $500,000 to purchase the former Blue Star Glass building, 07591 Blue Star Hwy., and renovate it into a new adoption center.

“The dream of a no-kill shelter has been 50 years in the making,” Galdikas said. “Kudos to the board for their vision.”

Twice the size of the current pet shelter on 8th Avenue, the new adoption center features three cat rooms, an open play area for cats, separate small and large dog adoption rooms and a centrally located community room that can be used for workshops and seminars about pets. Other features include a separate “quiet” room for animals that are stressed, and rooms for families who want to become acquainted with potential adoptees. The center is also home to Al-Van's Rescued Treasures resale shop.

“It’s exciting,” Galdikas said in an earlier interview. “We’ve literally doubled our space and will be able to increase our intake.”

Al-Van plans to continue using its 8^th Avenue building as an intake facility for newly arrived dogs and cats that may need medical treatment before being housed with other animals at the adoption center.

South Haven High School students lead forum on school safety

By TRIBUNE STAFF

Student safety at South Haven Public Schools will be the focus of a conference hosted by the Ward 1 Community Action Committee.

“A Student-led Conversation – Are We Safe?” will take place from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, May 12 at First Congregational Church, 651 Phoenix St.

The conference will feature three student speakers from South Haven High School - Kaitlyn Gill, junior and daughter of Janet Lynch; Jazmine Mahone, senior and daughter, Ebony Mahone, and Olivia Price, junior and daughter of Brian Price and Tamara Rigozzi.

Student safety has become a hot topic throughout the nation following the latest school mass shooting that occurred in February at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. The shooting prompted walkouts at high schools throughout the United States, including South Haven, where students commemorated the death of the students in Parkland, Fla., and demanded stricter state and federal gun laws.

Gill, Mahone and Price led efforts to organize the peaceful walkout at South Haven High School in March. During Saturday's conference, they will give brief speeches and respond to questions from the audience. Representatives of local police and government will also be present to offer their perspectives on the issue.

After the speeches, the audience and speakers will gather in smaller groups to develop responses to some of the challenges of public safety.

A light lunch will be served at noon, and will be followed by the annual meeting of the Ward 1 Community Action Committee. A drawing for door prizes will occur at the end of the program.

The Ward 1 Community Action Committee is a group of South Haven residents that addresses issues in the city's Ward 1 neighborhoods and in the city as a whole.

Area residents interested in attending the conference should make reservations by contacting Ward 1 Committee President Gail Patterson-Gladney, at gail_lpatterson@yahoo.com.

“They can also include questions they would like to see answered by the speakers,” Patterson-Gladney said.

South Haven history students qualify for national competition

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Nine South Haven History Club students have qualified for national competition after earning high marks at the Michigan History Day competition, last weekend, in Bay City.

“Out of the seven projects that we brought, five were awarded state awards and we walked away with two special awards we well,” History Club Advisor Julie Sheppard said. “All of our members did an exceptional job and many of the categories had no less than 20 entries.”

More than 475 Michigan elementary, middle and high school students took part in this year’s Michigan History Day competition, which is an educational program of the Historical Society of Michigan. The finalists in the junior and senior divisions will now move on to the National History Day competition in June in College Park, Md.

South Haven's History Club students from North Shore Elementary School, Baseline Middle School and South Haven High School competed in the state competition by preparing exhibits, documentaries and group performances that highlighted compelling historical figures and events in American history.

At this year's state competition, South Haven students tackled such subjects as the role nurses played during the Vietnam War; the Cuban Missile Crisis; the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory tragedy of 1911, considered the worst industry disaster in U.S. history; the development of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Fannie Lou Hamer, a leader in America's Civil Rights movement.

History Club students began researching and putting together their projects at the beginning of the school year, according to Sheppard, who is a teacher at North Shore Elementary School.

“These students begin this process at the end of October - some on their own even earlier - and continue revising and researching the rest of the year, even coming in on Sundays,” she said.

Even though youth division winners don't advance to the national competition, Sheppard said they deserve just as much recognition for their achievement as do older students.

“This (the state contest) is considered their national event,” she said.

South Haven History Club members who earned awards at the state competition follow:

Youth Division
• Tessa Hosier and Claire Newberry earned second place for their exhibit, “Vietnam War: Nurses Are Heroes Too.” The team also received an award for “Best Entry in Use of Arts and Music.”

Junior Division
• Sydney Bettis and Teagan Pleasant earned a national alternate award for their group performance, “This Little Light of Mine: The Legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer.”
• Caylin Jones and Mallory May earned a national alternate ward for their documentary, “Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Disaster: Security over Safety.”

• Nic Sheppard and Myles Daugherty came in first place for their exhibit, “The CIA – Rising From the Ashes of Conflict; Molded by Compromise.”

Senior Division

• Avery Daugherty, Jessee Ford and Maddox Uckele came in first place for their documentary, “DEFCON 2: The Cuban Missile Crisis.” They also earned an award for Best Entry in Naval or Maritime History.



4.23.18

Team Ramageddon's robot, Big Bad Judy, is shown at the FIRST state competition, April  14-16, at Saginaw Valley State University. 

Taking on the world

South Haven robotics team heads to world competition thanks to boost in funding from the community

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

It looks like Big Bad Judy will be rocking, rolling and climbing once again when South Haven High School's robotics club heads to Detroit next weekend to compete in the FIRST Robotics World Championship.

Big Bad Judy — the offbeat name Team Ramageddon chose for its robot, and trusty programmer Joel Rummel, performed enough successful maneuvers at the state competition, April 14-16 in Saginaw, to earn a trip to the world finals.

South Haven's quarter-final finish at the state level and their qualification for the international contest mark the first time Team Ramageddon has achieved such accolades in its six-year history. More than 1,200 robotics teams from 50 countries throughout the world were expected to converge at sites in Detroit and Houston, Texas, for this year's world championship. The Houston contest took place April 18-21, while the Detroit event will be April 25-28.

“It's like a Cinderella story,” said Kim Wise, who coaches the team along with Kevin Dee, director of non-instructional services at South Haven Public Schools. “The first year our robot was put together with duct tape and a prayer,” she quipped.

That wasn't the case this year with Big Bad Judy.

“This is the first time we've had running pneumatics,” Dee said. Swerve drive modules also helped to make the team's robot more agile when undertaking difficult maneuvers. And the team has taken its technology skills to a higher level.

“Technology skills have become more advanced and the team has been able to adapt,” Dee said. Particularly the team's chief programmer, Joel Rummel, who has been involved with Team Ramageddon since he was in eighth grade at Baseline Middle School.

The team's marketing and fund-raising abilities also have improved over the years. When it first formed six years ago, Team Ramageddon had a dozen or so financial sponsors. Now, according to Wise, the team has more than tripled that amount.

The support from individuals and sponsors came through loud and clear when the team returned from Saginaw to find out it had qualified for the World Finals.

“After state, we had drained our account,” Wise said. “When we qualified for the World competition we thought, what do we do now? We don't have a huge corporate sponsor like some of the teams do.”

Turns out, Team Ramageddon didn't need one.

Team members and parent sponsors canvassed the community and within two days raised $13,000 to pay for the team's registration fees, lodging, meals and transportation expenses. The registration fee alone is $5,000.

“In 24 hours we got the money for the registration fee. By 48 hours we had the rest of the money. It blew us away,” Dee said. “We are so thankful to the community. We never expected it.”

The team members were equally in awe of the town's financial support.

“We didn't find out we had made it (to the world competition) until after we got home from state (Saturday, April 14),” team member Taylor Vincent said. “Immediately after we found out we posted on Facebook that we needed help. We knew people would be supportive, but not that much that fast.”

“It was awesome,” team member Sophie Goodnough remarked.

Funding structure set up to pay for library renovations

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Plans to renovate and expand South Haven Memorial Library are finally starting to roll along thanks to the formation of a governmental group that will play a key role in helping to finance the $2.3 million project.

The South Haven Joint Building Authority has been set up to issue bonds for the project, but before it can anything, the authority needs some members – a task that now has been completed.

South Haven City Council members voted Monday to name City Manager Brian Dissette, Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier and Department of Public Works Director Bill Hunter to the authority. The council's action came on the heels of South Haven Township's designation of Joe DeGrandchamp and Mark Odland to the group. The sixth member of the authority will be Library Director Jim France who will serve as an advisory member.

The joint building authority had to be created because the library's board of directors does not have the legal authority to seek municipal loans to finance construction projects, according to South Haven City Manager Brian Dissette.

“The library has the millage but without the ability to use public financing they won't be able to build this project,” Dissette said.

Vikke Andersen, a member of the library's board of directors, echoed Dissette's comments and said the board appreciates the creation of the joint authority.

“Without it, it (the library improvements) won't happen,” she said.

Because the library receives its annual operational millage from people in both South Haven and South Haven Township, governmental officials thought it would be best to set up a joint building authority, rather than rely on just one of the municipalities to shoulder the responsibility.

“We launched the joint building authority to equally share the debt,” Dissette said. “It opens the window for future projects between the city and township as that relationship continues to grow and improve.

The joint building authority's sole purpose will be to oversee the financial aspects of the project with funds it plans to borrows from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development division.

“Since the library is not a taxing entity and does not have borrowing power, the collection of the millage and the

The rest of the responsibility for the renovation's completion will rest with the library board, which will be spending the next several months finalizing plans to begin the construction phase of the project.

The upgrades to the library are being made possible by voter approval in May of 2017 for a 40-year, quarter-mill tax levy.

The proposed improvements include making the entrance to the library handicap accessible, upgrading the heating and cooling system, updating the electrical system, insulating exterior walls, installing energy efficient lighting, updating public restrooms, installing new carpeting and furniture, expanding the space for community events and library programs, expanding the space for book collections and computer usage, expanding storage space and making better use of office space for library staff.

It is hoped construction can begin in the fall.

“If everything goes smoothly and according to plan, the construction will begin this fall, and could last up to a year,” France said.



4.16.18

State invests $5.2 million for final cleanup of former Belgravia factory site

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

For nearly a decade, the City of South Haven and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality have undertaken methods, totaling $3 million, to remove underground contamination at the former Belgravia factory site. But despite their efforts, contamination continues to persist in the soil, prompting DEQ officials to come up with a plan to get rid of the contamination once and for all.

The lengthy $5.2 million thermal resistive heating operation is now underway and could take up to two years to complete, according to Assistant City Manager Kate Hosier.

“This is necessary to do,” Hosier said. “There is a plume of TCE (Trichloroethylene) that needs to be remediated. This plume can come up through the ground and give off bad vapors.” The expensive undertaking will be paid for by the State of Michigan and marks one of the more costly projects to remove underground contamination, according to Ray Spaulding, the DEQ's project manager for the Belgravia site. “You don’t see a ton of these,” he said. “It depends on soil type. This is on the more expensive end of the scale.”

The former Belgravia factory, built in 1916, is located at 125 Elkenburg St. Over the years various manufacturing operations occurred there, including assemblage of pipe organs, construction of picture frames, and cyanide-based metal plating. During the 1970s plating and solvent wastes at the site were discharged to a septic tank and drain field to the rear of the building via floor drains in a former plating room. The plating company filed for bankruptcy in 1979, idling the three-story structure until 1997 when a developer converted the building into a fitness center and condominiums.

Shortly afterwards, however, studies revealed contamination in the soil underneath and around the 2.1-acre factory site. Although residents who live by the former factory use municipal water, city and state officials began to institute a series of methods to remove the contaminants from the ground.

In 2000 and 2001 the city cleared the site, installed fencing and relocated part of the storm sewer to which the drainage system had discharged. In addition, the septic tank was removed along with about 200 yards of contaminated soil.

However, more testing revealed “significant amounts” of TCE and xylene in monitoring wells to the rear of the building, according to a report compiled in 2007 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

The fitness center, which was located next to the condos, was later torn down, and although air samples conducted regularly by the condominium association revealed no adverse findings, DEQ officials remained concerned about the amount to contaminants in the ground and whether it would spread to adjacent homes or possibly contaminate the ground water leading to nearby Lake Michigan.

After several years of looking for funding sources, the DEQ now is ready to move ahead with its $5 million plan to remove the contaminants from the plume, which is located 25 feet below the ground surface to the north of the building.

To remove the contaminants from the clay soil, the DEQ plans to drill 168, 35-foot long holes in the ground where double-stacked electrodes will be installed. Wells to extract the contamination will also be put in place. After that, a concrete cap will be poured onto the electrodes and extraction pipes to prevent any contaminated vapors from escaping into the air.

The system will work in the following way, according to Spaulding. As an electrical current travels through the electrodes, the contaminated soil will be heated in place. When the contaminants become vaporized from the heat they will be removed with vacuum extraction wells and transferred above ground to a treatment system. Granular activated carbon will then be used to absorb any remaining contamination prior to their re-injection into the ground.

Global Remediation Technologies, which has been contracted by the DEQ to perform the remediation, are completing the process of drilling the holes for the electrodes and installing the extraction pipes. Once that is done, Global Remediation Technologies plans to pour the concrete cap, install the electric wiring and piping and conduct tests to insure the reliability of the components..

The actual extraction process isn't expected to occur until January of 2019 and will take approximately 6-7 months to complete. Afterwards, the site will be restored to look as it did prior to the start of the cleanup.

Until that occurs, the Van Buren bike trail, which is located next to the Belgravia site, will be rerouted around the construction project.

4.9.18

Children's author and illustrator Wendy Halperin of South Haven leads a drawing exercise at Hollywood Elementary School in March.

SH author's drawing programs have reached over 50,000 students

By NANCY ALBRIGHT

For the Tribune

Twelve years ago children’s book illustrator and author Wendy Anderson Halperin of South Haven wondered if she could develop an art program to help young children strengthen their reading, writing and cognition skills.

She did.

In the span of 12 years, her Drawing Into Children Reading program and accompanying Drawn to Discover program have reached 50,000 students in the United States, Canada, Australia and India.

And it all started with 44 students from Maple Grove Elementary School in South Haven.

In 2006 Halperin heard a story on the radio about a project where Alzheimer’s patients were taught knitting skills to develop fine motor connections to the brain. She wondered, “What would happen if fine motor skills could be developed on a weekly basis and how would that affect children’s brains?”

To put her idea into practice, Halperin arranged to teach one 60-minute lesson a week throughout the school year to kindergartners at Maple Grove Elementary School. Her goal at that time was to see if students could improve their writing skills by correctly learning how to use a pencil while drawing different shapes. The lessons focused on proper pencil grip, pressure skills using crayons, and how to create an organized work space.

“It isn’t always easy to hold the attention of young children for an hour,” Halperin recalled about those first classes at Maple Grove. But she found that teaching a series of brief lessons during each class kept the children engaged.

“They (were) always eager for the next lesson.” she said.

The success of the Maple Grove program prompted Halperin to develop more curriculum instructors could use to teach their young students such drawing skills as shading and shadowing to complement lessons taught in classes like math and social studies.

By 2014, Halperin began a research study with grades K-2 at Willow School in Homewood, Ill. to track the effectiveness of Drawing Children Into Reading. She taught 187 kindergartners once a week for 60 minutes throughout the school year, and followed the same group of students through their first- and second-grade years.

The principal at Willow School was quite impressed with the results.

“One of the biggest things I noticed right off the bat is comprehension,” Principal Mary Ann Savage said. “When they drew the objects they were talking about it really cemented in their minds. When they’re drawing and learning, they get better at retaining information, and bottom-line comprehension improves.”

During the 2016-2017 school year Halperin and Willow School educators went a step further and created The Genre Writing Project as part of the Drawing Children into Reading program. The project combined art lessons (created by Halperin) with math, social studies, science and language arts curriculum. Halperin even developed art lessons to help children think about the role peace can play in the world and in their own lives.

By the end of first grade, the 187 students had learned how to draw the White House and spent an hour writing an answer to the question, “If you were President what would you do?”

Learning to draw the White House and then spending an hour writing might seem like a long time to most students, especially young ones, but the pupils that took part in the Genre Writing Project appeared to enjoy the results of their handiwork.

“When they are able to take those portfolios home and share with their parents there is a great sense of pride and joy,” Savage said. “If kids go home happy we have taken a big step in educating. We want them to enjoy learning.”

The themes that emerged in the children’s writing were not what one would necessarily attribute to first graders: compassion toward human beings and animals, beauty in nature, preserving the environment, hunger, homelessness, discrimination, violence, war and peace.

The thoughts students expressed during the Genre Writing Project are highlighted in a book Halperin wrote titled, “Change: Perspectives of 187 First Graders.”

Suspect leaves shoe, motorcycle behind

By JULIE SWIDWA

HP Staff Writer

PAW PAW — Police are looking for the owner of a shoe that was left behind by someone who police say fled from officers after a chase and crash.

It happened just after 1 a.m. Sunday, April 1 as Van Buren County sheriff’s deputies tried to stop a motorcycle for an alleged speed violation.

The driver led deputies on a short chase, on County Road 665, then County Road 358 in Paw Paw Township. According to Sgt. Casey Davis, deputies quickly ended their pursuit due to high speed. A short time later the deputies found the same motorcycle abandoned after having crashed at the intersection of County Road 358 and 70th Avenue in a corn field.

Police also found the shoe that had been left behind by the fleeing man. A tracking dog was called in but could not find the man. The unknown man is wanted on charges of fleeing and eluding police and leaving the scene of an accident. The shoe is black with red markings and the motorcycle is a mostly red 1993 Kawasaki.

Van Buren County sheriff’s deputies were assisted by Lawton police and Decatur police. Anyone with information is asked to call the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office at 657-3101, Crime Stoppers at 800-342-STOP, Silent Observer at 269-3432100 or their local police department.

Mobile phone users and online users can provide anonymous crime tips to the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office by sending a text message to “CRIMES”(274637) with the keyword VBCTIP from a mobile phone. To submit an online tip, go to www.vbcsheriff.com and follow the directions at the top of the home page.



3.26.18

Mark Smith, owner of The Green Door medical marijuana provisioning center, 126 W. Monroe St., Bangor, stands at the counter of the retail portion of the business where cannabis-related products are sold to licensed patients. (Photo by Becky Kark)



Bangor opens the door to area's first marijuana grow operation

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

BANGOR — Twelve years ago, Mark and Beth Smith discovered a cure for their daughter's persistent seizures – cannabis.

Now, cannabis could lead the way to economic prosperity for the Smiths

They are joining a growing group of entrepreneurs throughout the state who hope to get in on the ground floor of the state's fledgling medical marijuana industry.

Smith opened The Green Door medical marijuana provisioning center in downtown Bangor in December and plans to break ground March 27^th on a marijuana grow facility in the city's industrial park.

“Our building materials will be delivered April 15,” Smith said. “We hope to be operational by August.”

Smith, who lives in Sawyer, and his business partner, Rick Taylor, bought 10 acres of land in Bangor's industrial park last year and are investing $1.4 million to construct a 30,000-square-foot facility to grow up to 1,500 marijuana plants for medical marijuana patients.

PM Growers, as the facility will be named, plans to employ 24-30 workers initially. “It's a three-phase plan,” said Smith, who has 38 years of experience in industrial manufacturing distribution and management at such companies as Weil-McLain Corp. in Michigan City, Ind., and Getman Corp., in Bangor.

“We're going to start small with 500 plants,” he went on to say. Within three years, PM Growers hopes to produce 1,500 plants, which is the maximum amount the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs will allow grow facilities to produce.

“Our business plan is to open provisioning centers in other locations and feed those stores with our own product,” Smith said.

If The Green Door is any indication, there appears to be a market for medical marijuana.

In three month's time, The Green Door has grown to eight employees and has amassed a registry of 1,000 customers who come from a 125-mile radius of Bangor.

Smith hopes to open a provisioning center in South Haven, but city officials, there, haven't yet decided whether to adopt state requirements that regulate the establishment of medical marijuana facilities.

South Haven isn't the only municipality in Southwestern Michigan weighing the pros and cons of allowing medical marijuana facilities. In fact, few local governments have made a decision to opt out or opt in. As of this month, only eight communities in Southwestern Michigan made a decision about medical marijuana facilities, according to the Cannabis Legal Group.

Based in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak, the legal group's website indicates that in Southwest Michigan, The City of Hartford, City of Bangor, Benton Harbor, Buchanan, Niles and Village of Eau Claire have all agreed to allow medical marijuana facilities, while Galien Township is drafting an ordinance and South Haven Township has chosen to opt out.

Bangor, which was the first municipality in Van Buren County to allow regulated medical marijuana facilities to exist, paved the way for Smith's enterprises.

Unlike other communities that worry about negative connotations associated with medical marijuana – increased crime, seedy looking “head” shops, and drug addiction — Bangor chose to embrace the state's intent to regulate the medical marijuana industry, and apparently doesn't regret it.

“It's kind of funny but there has been hardly any reaction,” Bangor City Manager Regina Hoover said regarding the opening of The Green Door in the heart of the downtown business district. “They opened their business and it was like they had always been a part of the downtown. They run a quiet, clean business. It is also great to see the building occupied and looking so nice. It had sat empty for several years and was shabby.”

Hoover also thinks PM Growers will prove to be an asset for the town, once it's up and running.

The property Smith and Taylor purchased had been owned by the city's Economic Development Commission and was tax exempt. Now it will be placed back on the tax rolls.

“Properties on tax roll help produce more revenue for the city, which is sorely needed,” Hoover said.

She also said the company will create new jobs, which in turn could lead to more people relocating to Bangor and spending money at local retail establishments.

State leaders are anticipating the medical marijuana industry will provide a boost to the economy and to the government's coffers, as well.

According to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, the regulated medical marijuana market in Michigan, which had 200,000 registered patients according to 2016 figures, could gross $711.4 million, annually in sales. LARA came up with that figure by making comparisons to Colorado's regulated medical marijuana businesses. Colorado found that the average patient there spent nearly $3,500 each year on medical marijuana.

Michigan's medical marijuana industry is also expected to create an estimated 10,000 new jobs and $44 million-$63 million, annually, in tax revenue for the state, according to LARA estimates and Gary Wolfram, director of economics at Hillsdale College.

In a report titled, “The Economic Impact of a Strong Regulatory Framework for Medical Marijuana in Michigan,” Wolfram wrote, “In light of the potential for growth in patient use and business and commercial activity, medical marijuana under a strong regulatory framework should have a robust impact on Michigan's economy in the near future and long term.”

Smith hopes the industry will be favorable for him, however, his two ventures, The Green Door and PM Growers, have one more hurdle to clear – state licensing.

According to LARA's recently enacted regulations, marijuana facilities located in communities that allow for them to exist, had until Feb. 15 to apply for state licenses, and the fee to do so wasn't cheap. “I had to pay $6,000 for each one.” he said.

The state is reviewing applications and plans to start issuing licenses in April, according to the LARA website. If applicants don't receive a license by June 15, they have to immediately stop doing business.

Smith said he's confident he will obtain the licenses.

“There's nothing (criminal) in our background to stop this,” Smith said. “We have the finances, the land, the business plan and the support of the town.”

Although it's expensive to apply for state licenses and comply with rules regarding the manufacture and distribution of medical marijuana, Smith said he thinks the industry needs to be regulated.

“What has been done (with medical marijuana patients and caregivers) is set up a black market for marijuana sales,” Smith said. “We need the industry to be regulated and tracked from seed to sale.”

Pictures like this one near the Bangor American Legion, have been springing up all around town generating a lot of conversation. An anonymous artist has been “art bombing” the city hoping to raise awareness of art and inspiring kindness. (Photo by Kim Ingalls)

Artist 'bombs' for a good cause in Bangor

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

BANGOR — Quirky little works of art have been popping up in all sorts of unlikely places in Bangor and people are taking notice.

“They are colorful and fun and I love going out for walks during my lunch break and finding new pieces I haven't seen before,” said Laura Roe, Bangor city clerk. “We just never know where a new one will pop up.”

What is going on in town is known as “art bombing,” a type of street art or graffiti that can vary greatly in style, aesthetics and meaning. The big difference between art bombing and graffiti, however, is the artist's purpose for doing so.

“The paintings around town are done by an anonymous artist who is art bombing the city with mini murals,” Bangor Arts Council member Naima Abdul-Haqq said. “Her focus is raising art awareness and hoping to start conversations when the paintings are noticed by the passerby. So far there are almost two dozen mini murals around the city of Bangor, and when Spring hits... there will be more paintings for hanging.”

Thanks to support from the arts council and others, there are plenty more paintings in the works.

The artist, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she is pleased for the arts council's support. “I did receive a small grant from the Bangor Arts Council for supplies, which I was extremely grateful for,” the artist said. “I have also been lucky to have another anonymous community group help with costs of wood and paint.  I find creating these paintings very therapeutic for my soul. I truly enjoy the creative process and it is great practice for my craft as well. I do not claim to be an accomplished artist, but I do consider myself to be blessed with a creative spirit. I hope to continue doing this for as long as possible.”

Kids, she said, get really excited when they spot a painting which are mostly of animals, flowers, Milagros, empowerment and reminders to be kind.  

“I also know that the youth in our community do not have access to many art galleries and museums and I thought this would be a way to broaden their horizons, maybe start some conversations and raise some awareness on art in our community.”

She got the idea, she said, after seeing the huge metal sculptures, purchased from Arlington Trading Post, springing up throughout town. She thought it would be fun to do something with paintings.

“I love the thought that people are going around town and looking for the paintings,” she said. “I am not a big time knitter or crocheter, but I have always been an appreciator of art in all forms.”



3.19.18

Covert High School seniors Anahi Vargas Gallegos (right) and Jennifer Fabian, who are enrolled in the Early Childhood  Careers and Education at the Van Buren Technology Center, are working to raise awareness of human trafficking as part of a school service project. 

Covert teens raise awareness about human trafficking

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

Human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in Michigan after drug trafficking, and two Covert High School students are hoping they can slow down its rise.

Seniors Anahi Vargas Gallegos and Jennifer Fabian, both students at the Van Buren Intermediate School District Technology Center, chose to address the issue as part of their leadership program community service requirement.

“Human trafficking is a subject that isn't really talked about,” Fabian said. “Teens are more at risk to become victims of human trafficking.  We wanted to make our community more aware because most people know nothing about it.”

The two, who are enrolled in the Early Childhood Careers and Education program, undertook human trafficking awareness and prevention as part of their Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), community service project, according to their instructor Susan Yerrick.

“One of the components of their project was that they hosted a movie event at the VBISD Conference Center,” she said. “This movie event was to promote awareness of human trafficking in this area. The movie is called ‘Break the Chain’ and is a documentary in regard to human trafficking awareness and prevention.”

Another component of the two girls' project was raising almost $1,500 for a billboard on Interstate-94 to draw attention to the problem of human trafficking.

“We are hoping the billboards will be up for the entire summer,” Vargas said. “ We have submitted two possible ideas for the billboards.”

They hope the billboard will help spread the word.

“Billboards get more attention and a lot of people see them every day.” Fabian said. “Brochures are generally not read or are thrown away.”  

Human trafficking cases reported in Michigan doubled between 2012 and 2015, according the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. Close to 90 precent of the victims were female while one-third were children. The increase in human trafficking resulted in a special task force created by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, to prosecute traffickers.

The two classmates will compete at the FCCLA State Leadership Conference this spring, and hope their project will score high enough points so they can attend the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in the summer.

GSA Club considered for SH high school

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven High School could soon join a growing number of school districts in Michigan that sponsor student-led clubs that discourage homophobia and transphobia.

Katie Hillyard, South Haven High School's choir director, made a proposal, Wednesday, at the South Haven Board of Education meeting, to form a Genders & Sexualities Alliance (GSA) club at the high school.

The club's purpose would be to provide a safe place for students to meet, support each other and talk about issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity expression.

.“The goal is to create alliances (among all students),” Hillyard said.

Hillyard told board members she came up with the idea to start such a club after several students discussed it with her.

“I've had a handful of students approach me about starting a club,” said Hillyard. “I know there's other students interested.”

If such a club is formed at South Haven High School, Hillyard offered to oversee the group as its faculty advisor.

If formed, the club would be linked to the GSA Network, which was founded in California in 1998 to empower youth to start GSA clubs to fight homophobia and transphobia in schools. In 2005 the network expanded nationwide and is now known as the National Association of GSA Networks. In Michigan, the national group is represented through the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health, or MOASH.

“Forty states have (GSA) clubs,” Hillyard told school board members. “There are 4,000 clubs nationwide. You can get support from a national group,” she said. “It's good to have a well organized national network.”

If the GSA group is formed at the high school, its members could focus on organizing the club as a social group, a support group or an activist group. Club members would decide the direction the group would take.

The ultimate goal of the club is to “create a safe, inclusive environment for students,” Hillyard said.

Other GSA clubs currently exist at schools in Southwest Michigan, including St. Joseph High School, Holland High School, Bloomingdale High School, Coloma High School, Gobles High School, Mattawan High School and Niles High School, according to the Michigan GSA Directory.

For the South Haven club to become a reality, school board members would have to approve its formation, which could happen at the April board meeting, according to Superintendent Bob Herrera.



3.12.18

A youngster gets ready to touch the mermaid tail worn by Mermaid Sadie Johnson during the Smooth Sunset Weekend in September 2017 in South Haven. Johnson is one of the organizers of the new Mermaid Megafest.

New festival could be one for the books

Mermaid Megafest hopes to attract hundreds of mermaids while promoting protection of the Great Lakes

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Yes Virginia, there are mermaids...and mermen.

Lot of them. And they plan to converge in South Haven Memorial Day weekend for the town's first-ever Mermaid Megafest.

No, you won't see the mythical half-human, half-fish creatures written about in ancient folklore, but rather, men, women, even children, who enjoy dressing up for what's become a popular craze in America – 'merfolk' gatherings.

“We're hoping we can break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest gathering of merfolk.” said Brad Carrier, owner of Channel Wine Bar in South Haven and one of the festival's organizers. “Our goal is to beat the current record which was set in Bexhill, England last year.”

Bexhill's “Festival of the Sea,” attracted approximately 325 merfolk who gathered on a beach as part of the festival's events.

Although Mermaid Megafest isn't scheduled until Friday-Sunday, May 25-27, merfolk are taking an interest in it already. The festival's Facebook site shows that more than 300 plan to attend.

“We've had interest from around the world,” said Sadie Johnson, one of the festival's organizers, who also happens to be a professional mermaid.

The prospect of seeing a bunch of men and women dressed in mer attire may seem a bit silly, but organizers of Mermaid Megafest say the festival's overall intent is to promote preservation of the Great Lakes ecosystem, while also having some fun.

Along with the tongue-in-cheek-named “Nauti Prows Flotilla” boat parade, “Sirens' Ball” dance,”Pirate Street Faire” and “Search for Atlantis” treasure hunt, festival organizers plan to include workshops and an art show promoting aquatic fresh water preservation.

The art show will take place at the South Haven Center for the Arts and will feature works of aquatic mythology and fantasy that embed themes of ecology and preservation of the Great Lakes aquatic ecosystems, while the Mermaid Eco-Action Conference is scheduled at Lake Michigan College.

“The organization of this festival has definitely been very much a team effort,” Johnson said.

Not only is the art center and college involved, representatives from the Michigan Maritime Museum, South Haven Yacht Club, South Haven Area Chamber of Commerce and South Haven/Van Buren County Convention and Visitors Bureau are also helping to organize festival events.

The idea for a mermaid festival came about in a somewhat unusual way.

Thea Grigsby, executive director of the art center, wanted to feature a mermaid-theme exhibition. She talked with Carrier's wife, Sandee, who turned to her staff at Tipsy Brush Studio for ideas to promote such an exhibit.

It just so happened one of the employees, Kaitlyn Bloomfield, is an avid mermaid and creates mermaid tails. Another worker, Megan Cannon is a cosplay performer in her spare time, who likes to dress as aquatic creatures.

When Bloomfield announced plans to test out one of her mermaid tails, the South Haven/Van Buren County Visitors Bureau recruited her to do so as a surprise event during the Smooth Sunset Weekend festival.

Bloomfield, along with 11 other mermaids, swam together in Lake Michigan, sat with youngsters and adults on the beach and became an instant crowd pleaser.

The appeal of the small mermaid gathering sparked the idea for a mermaid festival, not just one for fun, but rather an event to promote protection of the Great Lakes.

“'Protect our Water Wonderland' is the festival's theme,” Brad Carrier said. “With South Haven's location on the sandy shore of Lake Michigan, the festival is positioned to promote public awareness of the challenges our Great Lakes ecosystem face.”

The festival will also be the the first of its kind in the Great Lakes region. According to Johnson, mermaid festivals usually take place on the West or East coasts of America.

“The closest one I'm aware of is in Florida this year,” she said.

For more information about the festival, visit mermaidmegafest.com

Something's brewing

Third microbrewery plans to locate in South Haven

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

It appears good things come in threes in South Haven, that is if you're a craft beer connoisseur.

By the end of July, Harbor Light Brewing plans to join the existing South Haven Brewpub and proposed Three Blondes Brewing in producing beer and cider.

South Haven Brewpub opened last year, while Three Blondes expects to open in mid-June.

“We've been trying to start a brewery in South Haven for the past three years,” said Tom Feeney of Grand Rapids, who along with Bill Simaz of Grand Haven, will own the new microbrewery. “One of the challenges was finding the right building.”

Feeney and Simaz finally did — the former Quiznos restaurant, 516 Phoenix St., downtown.

The building, along with the former Macdonald Drugs, located next door, are owned by Randy Locker of South Haven, who purchased the structures a year ago to redevelop into commercial ventures on the first floors, and apartments on the second floors.

South Haven city council members gave the green light, Monday, for Harbor Light Brewing to seek a license from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission to produce beer and cider.

“The business intends to create 24 jobs in the summer season and 8 jobs in the shoulder season,” said South Haven City Manager Brian Dissette. “An initial capital investment of $200,000 for equipment and renovation of the building is planned.”

Neither Feeney nor Simaz have owned previous commercial microbreweries, however, they both have been involved with craft brewing on their own for a number of years.

“Bill has been brewing 25 years. I've been involved in the past five years,” said Feeney, who, along with his family, has spent summers boating in South Haven for the past 25 years.

Feeney and Simaz are currently hard at work overseeing building renovations and purchasing brewing equipment and furnishings. When the microbrewery opens it will have a tasting area and indoor seating for 50-60 customers, as well as outdoor seating at the rear of the building for approximately 12-16 people.

Beer and cider will be produced with a five-barrel brewing system that will be installed at the microbrewery. “We can produce 310 gallons per batch,” Simaz said. He anticipates the microbrewery will make up to three batches a week during summer months, and scale back to one batch a week during winter months.

Simaz said Harbor Light should complement South Brewpub, located downtown, and Three Blondes Brewing, located a mile east of downtown.

“People make destination trips to visit more than one brewery,” he said.



9.17.18

Brian Thompson, 16, (left) will soon become an Eagle Scout joining his brothers Carl (center) and Craig, who have also earned scouting’s highest rank. The three brothers have been in Scouts since they were little and have also had the honor of serving in the Governor’s Honor Guard on Mackinac Island.

Three brothers soar to Eagle Scout ranking

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

They live together, went to South Haven schools together and soon, three brothers will be making local history together after the youngest earns the highest rank in Boy Scouts.

Brian Thompson, 16, is just weeks away from becoming an Eagle Scout like his brothers Carlton, 22, and Craig, 18. All three have been in Scouting since they were little. 

“When Brian crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts it had been roughly 20 years since three brothers were active at the same time in (South Haven) Troop 198,” said their mother Christine Thompson.

Not only will the three have achieved the highest rank in Scouting, they also have done something few other Scouts have done - been chosen for the Governor’s Honor Guard.

Boy Scouts have been coming to Mackinac Island to act as the Governor’s Honor Guard every summer since 1929. When President Gerald Ford was a Boy Scout, he was a member of the first group to serve. The opportunity includes a week of service projects, sight-seeing and exploring. Eligible scouts must have the recommendation of their Scoutmaster to participate. Between 50 and 60 scouts are selected for the Honor Guard each year.

“I went last year for the first time,” said Craig. “You do two- to three-hour shifts, work around the fort, answer questions and make sure visitors follow the rules.”

It’s even more of an honor to be among the select few who are chosen to guard at the Governor’s mansion - which all three Thompson brothers have also done.

“It was an amazing experience, I got to talk to so many people and connect with them.,” said Brian. “It was also great to see how far scouting extends, both for current members, and through tourists I talked to who had previous scouting experiences. I was super excited when I got the news that I would be able to serve at the governor’s mansion as well, especially for being a first year at Mackinac. Serving the governor’s mansion is a service only seven out of the 60 Scouts up there get to do, and it was by far my favorite post. I’d definitely recommend going to Mackinac to any other Scouts interested.”

Craig explained that there isn’t enough members of their South Haven troop to go up north on their own so they join Troop 628 from St. Joseph. After splitting into three patrols, two are chosen from each to serve at the mansion.

“Scouts are in only a small section of the house,” said Craig. “We stand at the entrance, greet visitors, make sure they are wearing their booties inside and take pictures if they ask.”

Christine Thompson and her husband Brian, are active supporters of Boy Scouts because they think it is beneficial.

“We started out in scouting so they could be involved with their friends,” said Christine. “We had previous scouting in our family as well, my brother is an Eagle Scout and I was also a Campfire Girl. It was always a great experience. My parents were involved as well in scouting and Campfire. We felt it would teach them leadership, self-reliance, respect, and how to be a part of a group. The Scout motto is 'Be Prepared.' Scouting helped prepare our boys for other aspects of life as well as challenges that lie ahead.”

“Scouting has played a monumental role in my everyday life,” said Carl who is attending Ferris State University to obtain a bachelor's degree in social work. “While I don’t tie square knots, use the stars for guidance, or live off the land every day I use the principles and idea of scouting in all that I do. Being an Eagle Scout is more than just being a leader; it’s committing to being an exemplary human, helping those who are in need, and striving for a better nation. Perhaps this is why I’m pursuing my major in social work. The ideals behind being an Eagle Scout will help me to accomplish whatever challenges I face ahead of me in all aspects of life.” 

SH Schools replaces high school gym floor for third time

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

“Three times the charm” is the old adage that South Haven Public Schools hopes will hold true as it goes through the process of placing down a new high school gym floor for the third time in less than two years.

Board of Education members voted Wednesday to authorize contractors to begin laying a new tongue-and-groove floor – one that will be different from the other two floors that were constructed as wooden parquet floors.

“Our job is to make sure we get a safe floor for our students to play on and use,” said District Operations Director Kevin Dee.

The contractor who laid the floor, Kuhn Specialty Flooring, and the manufacturer of the flooring, Connor Sports, both have made an agreement with the school district to lay the third floor at their own expense.

“Everyone has been willing to step up to the plate,” Dee said. “I give them credit for standing behind their work.”

Work on the new maple wood tongue-and-groove floor will be completed by the start of the basketball season in November. In the meantime, the girls volleyball games have been moved to Lincoln Elementary School's gym and gym classes will either be conducted at Lincoln School, outdoors or in the high school weight room area.

“Everyone is disheartened by the outcome of this,” Dee said. “It's a tough one. The hardest is the impact on programming and sports.”

The saga of the troubled gym floor began in the summer of 2017 when the gym underwent an extensive renovation as part of the high school's $27 million renovation project. The renovations included replacement of the old tongue-and-groove flooring with an attractive new hardwood parquet floor. But when the school year got underway athletic coaches and officials noticed that the wooden tiles of the new parquet floor began delaminating, or lifting.

In January, school district officials reached an agreement with the flooring contractor to replace the $115,000 floor at the contractor's expense. True to their word, the contractor made repairs to the floor for the completion of the 2017-18 school year and then replaced the floor earlier this summer.

But after the floor replacement was completed, problems developed.

“In August, we started to see issues with the floor that were reminiscent of what happened before,” Dee said.

Dee met with representatives from Owen-Ames-Kimball Co., the high school renovation project's construction manager; GMB Architecture and Engineering, the district's architect; and the floor contractor.

They investigated and discovered that the expiration date of the glue used to hold the flooring had expired.

“About 90 percent of the glue that was used was expired and causing delaminating,” Jeff Weber of Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. told South Haven school board members Wednesday.

Although contractors offered to put a third parquet floor in and give the district a lifetime guarantee on the work, the school board's finance and facilities committee recommended that the district go with the more traditional tongue-and-groove flooring.

“I was reluctant to switching styles,” said Joe DeGrandchamp of the school board's finance and facilities committee, “but knowing the complications involved in installing it (a parquet floor) the third time, I wasn't willing to risk it.

“It's a sound system,” DeGrandchamp went on to say, referring to the installation of parquet floors, “but it's not for us.”

9.10.18

A boat is shown Thursday afternoon being washed off at All Seasons Marine in preparation for being dry docked for the upcoming winter season.

SH hopes to land grant to purchase marina on prime waterfront property

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

It's getting harder and harder to find prime pieces of waterfront real estate in South Haven.

That's why the City of South Haven hopes to land a state grant to purchase All Seasons Marine.

Situated on two parcels of land on the Black River, the marina has been for sale for the past one-and-a-half years, according to City Manager Brian Dissette.

City Council members took the first step, Tuesday, in trying to purchase the two pieces of property at 206 and 234 Black River Street by authorizing staff to begin the process of writing a grant application to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund. They will do so with the help of Greg Weykamp, president of Edgewater Resources, a planning firm based in St. Joseph.

“The past year-and-a-half the city has been talking with Greg and All Seasons,” Dissette said. “ It's a gem of a property...This is one of those game-changing moments.”

If the city does land a grant, it could do a couple of things with the property.

“We could continue to operate it as a full-time marina to assure the viability for boats in our harbor or two, we try and open the area up to greater pedestrian and public access,” Dissette said.

Or the city could do both.

Edgewater recently helped the City of Douglas land a DNR grant to purchase a former marina there. The site has since been redeveloped into a marina and public park.

“We would look at a similar process here,” Weykamp said. “Our goal is to work with the community and protect this harbor.”

All Seasons' two pieces of property occupy four acres of land overlooking the city's harbor. The marina is a full-service facility that has 50 slips and has been owned by the same family for 36 years.

But before the city can move forward on submitting a grant, a fair market value for the marina and land will have to be established.

“The fair market value has to be acceptable to the city, the Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund and All Seasons,” Dissette said.

If the city does land a grant and acquires the marina it would seek the public's input before making any decisions on the future use of the property. While the grant application is being written, city staff plan to seek comments from the Parks Commission, Harbor Commission and Planning Commission.

The city already owns three municipal marinas, but the loss of All Seasons could hurt the city's boating economy, city officials say.

“This is a critical piece of property if we want to keep our marine services viable,” Dissette said. “What we're doing right now is making notice to council ad public that we want to apply for funding and hopeful we can convince the state this is an investment they should take advantage of.”

In the meantime, if All Seasons Marine receives a purchase offer from a private party, the city understands that the deal may be called off.

“If they have a buyer come to them tomorrow with a deal too good to refuse, the family is under no obligation to us,” Dissette said. “We realize we are taking a risk, but we feel we can build a strong application and get it funded.”

9.4.18

Hundreds of antique engine and tractor collectors are expected to attend the 35th annual Antique Engine and Tractor Show Thursday, Sept. 6 through Sunday, Sept. 9 at the Michigan Flywheelers Museum in South Haven.

Celebrating 35 years of antique engine and tractor shows

This year marks a milestone for the Michigan Flywheelers Museum which is hosting its 35th annual Antique Engine and Tractor Show starting Thursday, Sept. 6.

The  four day event which runs through Sunday, Sept. 9, is one of the largest of its kind in the state. Collectors from across the country attend the event each year bringing a wide assortment of antique farm machinery for visitors to see.

“One of the unique aspects of our show is you never know what kind of machinery will show up,” said museum president Patrick Ingalls. “That's what makes the show so interesting."

Along with the old machines, there is plenty to see and do. A large outdoor flea market with over 220 vendors, daily equipment parades, demonstrations at the blacksmith shop, sawmill and shingle mill and one of the favorite activities - eating sweet corn cooked in a 1923 Nichols and Shepard steam traction engine made in Battle Creek are just a few of the highlights.

"We do get a lot of people that tell us one of the main reasons they look forward to the show every year is for the steamed sweet corn," added Ingalls. 

Other activities include antique and garden tractor pulls, kids events, Thing-A-Ma-Jig parade, consignment auction, valve cover races and more.

“All four days are packed full of things to see and do,”  said  Ingalls. "This is a family-friendly event with lots of kids activities like our Sawdust Pile treasure hunt, kiddie’s pedal pull, flywheel toss and we even have a playground called “The Barnyard.”

This year's entertainment includes folk singer Joe Foster, the Casco Band, Ken and Judy Moore’s Jam Session, Silver Songs, Brandt Carmichael Band, Hymn Sings and local country rocker Jared Knox. The Silver Songs show will take place on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. and is a benefit concert for Senior Services of Van Buren County.

Saturday is considered “Kid’s Day” at the show. Activities start with a Kiddies Pedal Pull at noon, a sawdust pile treasure hunt at 3:30 p.m. and the John Dudley Magic Show at 7 p.m. Tractor games will be held for those children who have access to riding lawn tractors, and returning for its eight year is the "Kids Night Time Lawn Tractor Cruise" at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

One of the popular activities for young and old is the “South Haven Tractor Cruise.” Scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday, participants drive tractors of all makes and models into South Haven, cruise along the South Beach, and then stop downtown for an evening of dining and shopping. 

Gates open at 8 a.m. rain or shine. Admission to the show is $7. Children 12 and under are free with a paid adult admission. Thursday is Senior’s Day and admission is $3 for those 62 and over.  This is a pet-free event for those paying admission.

Rustic camping sites are available on a first-come basis. Cost is $10 per night plus daily admission per person. Pets are allowed with exhibitors, campers and vendors only. Personal transportation vehicles, such as golf carts, will be charged $15 registration fee. ATVs, dirt bikes and firearms are not permitted.

For more information, contact 269-639-2010, michiganflywheelers@yahoo.com, or Facebook.  A complete show schedule is available on Facebook or www.michiganflywheelers.org. 

The Michigan Flywheelers Museum is located at 06285 68th St., two miles east of South Haven.

Special use OK'd

Foot doctor gets the nod to build medical office in residential area

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

It looks like a podiatrist who wants to build a medical office in a residential area of the city will be able to do so after all.

South Haven Zoning Board of Appeals voted 4-2 Monday to grant a use variance to Dr. Richard Seiler to enable him to build a 3,500-5,000-square foot facility on three parcels of property that are zoned residential along the M-43 corridor. The ZBA did so after holding a public hearing.

Their decision grant the use variance came after South Haven Planning Commission in July turned down Seiler's request to rezone the three parcels at 753, 757 and 765 Phillips St. for commercial use. Instead, planners recommended that the Zoning Board of Appeals take a look at granting a use variance, which if approved would allow the property to be used for medical offices only, no other commercial purpose.

“In July we (the planning commission) were looking at a commercial rezoning request,” said Larry Heinig, who is both a member of the ZBA and planning commission. “We wanted to restrict the properties to a medical facility and sent it to the ZBA as a use variance request.”

Heinig, who voted to approve the use variance, along with Steve Runkle, Tom Stegeman and Dave Miller, said the homeowner of the property has been trying to sell the three parcels of property for residential use for a number of years, but hadn't found any buyers.

“The property hasn't moved. I think it's time the city take action to make the property usable,” Heinig said, adding that the M-43 corridor has been designated in the 2011 master plan as an area for medical complexes and that a number of them, including Bronson South Haven Hospital, exist there already.

Not everyone was in favor of granting the use variance, however. Both Pat Gaston and Lisa Bettis-Cooper voted no.

“This is a neighborhood,” Cooper said regarding the three-block portion of the M-43 Highway where homes, duplexes and apartments are located. “I built a brand new home in my neighborhood where a new home hadn't been built there in 50 years.”

Gaston said homeowners in the neighborhood along the M-43 corridor want their area to remain residential so that's why she voted against the use variance.

Several homeowners attended the public hearing to voice their concerns about allowing Seiler to build a medical office near them.

“People in our neighborhood came out in force against commercial uses,” said Don Bemis, referring to a meeting city leaders conducted with M-43 homeowners in 2017. “When you grant the first variance I don't know how you can turn down the next one.”

Bemis also said the three parcels Seiler wants could support three new residential homes.

The property owners, Jack and Millicent Huminsky, however, countered that they have tried for the past 12 years to sell the two vacant parcels and the third one that has an old home on it, but had no success in doing so.

“We've worked with four different realtors,” Jack Huminsky said. “Nobody wants to build (a home) there. It's not the quiet, quant neighborhood people say it is. It is a versatile, main corridor into town. There was talk of beautifying this corridor. This (construction of a new medical office) is an excellent way to do that.”

The three parcels will be sold for $99,000, which is less than what the properties have been assessed at, Huminsky said. His wife also said that because the property behind their lots is considered a flood plain it would be difficult at best for someone to obtain an approval for a loan to purchase the land for residential development.

“It (the three parcels) has been in our family for five generations,” Millicent Huminsky said. “It needs to move on and be something else.”

Seiler's next step will be to return to the planning commission with a site plan for development of the parcels. If it is approved, he plans to tear down the old home, which at one time was used as a boarding house, and construct his medical facility.

8.27.18

A billboard visible to eastbound I-94 traffic is situated near Paw Paw, taking issue with the high school’s continued use of the name of the school district’s mascot. The definition is from the Merriam-Webster dictionary. (Photo by Rod Smith)

Billboard blasts Paw Paw High School mascot

By ROD SMITH

For The Tribune

PAW PAW — In February of 2017 Paw Paw Board of Education voted 4-3 to keep the district's controversial Redskins mascot.

But there's still opposition. The latest salvo in the battle came last week in the form of a billboard along I-94, which called the mascot name "offensive."

Monica Washington Padula, a member of the Michigan Coalition Against Racism in Sports and Media, said the billboard is both a response to a pro-Redskins billboard last year and an attempt to re-frame the argument.

"We want them to know what the name means to us," Padula said. "Not what it means to them, but what it means to us." Padula said it's wrong to use a disparaging name given to an ethnic group as one used for a team's mascot.

The issue came to a head near the end of 2016 and into 2017 as the school board held a series of meetings before voting to keep the Redskins as its mascot's name. During that period there was a banner proclaiming "We are the Paw Paw Redskins" that was placed on a semi-truck, Padula said. It was later moved to a billboard along I-94 near the high school before the final vote.

"That was an extra slap in the face," Padula said. There was a picture of what she termed a "stereotypical" Indian head.

Among the points debated was whether or not the term "redskins" as used by Paw Paw schools was derogatory or a term of honor. Supporters maintain the name embodies the warrior spirit. Opponents say the term refers to blood on the skins of scalped Indians by settlers.

Padula said the wording on the billboard is taken from a dictionary. The billboard says the word redskin is "older slang, disparaging, offensive." Further it says "The word redskin is very offensive and should be avoided." It also gives the coalition's website address: NativerightsMI.org,

That sign is located on the north side of I-94 about a quarter mile west of the Paw Paw exit. It is not near a school.

Whether the billboard has had an effect in Paw Paw is difficult to gauge. School board President Brent McNitt said that "Nobody has reached out to me directly about this."

He said that the district does not comment about billboards.

Two years ago Padula was one of a number of protesters at the Paw Paw Wine and Harvest Festival. They marched from the middle school to the amphitheater where protesters made speeches. Padula said there will be no protest this year, but instead the Native American Student Community Organization will take part in the festival's parade - a first.

The three-day festival begins Friday, Sept. 7. According to the online schedule, the parade is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.

The coalition website says that "Native Americans are not for sport." It further says 26 Michigan schools have replaced their "redskins" mascots with five schools still using the term. Besides Paw Paw, according to the website, the schools are Saranac, Camden Frontier, Clinton and Sandusky.

Covert Schools refunds taxes to gas plant

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

COVERT - Covert Board of Education plans to shell out a $1 million tax refund to New Covert Generating Plant, and the school district may end up paying out more refunds in the future.

School board members approved the expenditure Monday evening.

The repayment is the result of a state tax tribunal decision and subsequent court appeals that began about five years ago when the then-owner of the gas plant disputed its tax assessment.

The Michigan Tax Tribunal ruled in 2013 that the plant was being over-assessed resulting in a refund due for 2010 -11. Covert’s portion of the refund was $1.053,161.

Covert Superintendent Bobbi Morehead explained that the $1 million bill was a principal payment only and it has not yet been decided if the school owes interest.

In other matters:

• Starting in 2019, high schoolers will have to earn 21 credits to graduate. Graduation requirements for current students is 18 credits. High school principal Yolanda Brunt explained that in the past the school only required the state minimum of 18 credits.  Most schools, she said, require 23 to 24 credits. With the district adding classes like music, art, creative writing and gym, students will be able to earn the extra credits. The credit requirements will increase by one more, for each of the years, 2020 and 2021.

• Darryl Williams was hired as Human Resources and Operations Manager. Williams was hired this past November as operations manager, but due to a retirement vacancy, the school combined the two positions to save money. The board also hired Dawn Meier as a bus driver.

• The board accepted the resignation of physical education teacher Dennis Paquette. Paquette, who resigned last September as Bangor Public Schools superintendent, has accepted a wrestling coach position at Olivet High School, according to Morehead.

South Haven gets ready for winter snow removal

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Winter's fury isn't yet upon us, but that's not stopping South Haven Department of Public Works staff from gearing up for wintry weather now.

The department's Executive Director Bill Hunter is in the process of ordering 1,200 tons of salt that will be used to clear the city's streets later this year and in early 2019.

He got the OK to do so earlier this week from the City Council, which approved an expenditure of $93,000 for him to do so.

“Salt is the majority of the supplies when it comes to operating expenses in the Major & Local Street winter maintenance budget,” Hunter remarked.

The city gets its salt through the State of Michigan’s Extended Purchasing Program, which prepares bids on behalf of municipalities throughout the state so that salt can be purchased at a more affordable cost.

Salt, rather than sand, is the main ingredient the city uses when removing ice from its streets.

“Most communities don’t use straight sand; they use a mixture of salt, chloride and No. 2 sand,” Hunter explained. “In South Haven, we use just salt. Typically you try to avoid using sand in areas where you have enclosed storm systems, which is the majority of our road system.”

The purchase of salt comprises nearly half of the city's annual budget for snow removal.

“We spend anywhere from $220,00 to $230,000,” Hunter said. Other expenditures include equipment maintenance and wages.

An average of 7 to 8 DPW workers are out at any given time clearing snow. They not only clear snow from streets and parking lots, but a number of main sidewalks as well, including ones in the downtown area.







8.20.18

Several black and white sketches created by artist Kayla  Wyszynski Ridley show what portions of her large three-panel outdoor mural  at Kids Corner Park will look like when completed. The sketches show black and white images. But the actual mural will  be in color. Work on the mural is expected to begin next year.

Playful mural planned for Kids Corner Park

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Right now, the walls of the restrooms and pavilion at Kids Corner Park look pretty drab – brown-colored walls with blue bathroom doors.

But that is about to change.

South Haven Park Commission has approved hiring a local artist to create a mural that encompasses three walls of the pavilion and restroom facility.

“A few members of the community brought up the idea, and the City reached out to Kayla Wyszynski Ridley,” said Bill Hunter, the city's Department of Public Works Director.

The artist, who has created other outdoor murals in South Haven, readily agreed and came up with sketches that match what children do at the park – play and have fun.

“Overall, the idea of the piece is 'All Day Play' illustrating children of varied ages and ethnicities enjoying the outdoors together from morning to night,” Hunter said.

One of the murals shows a girl collecting bugs; another depicts a boy using a wand to create bubbles; while a third shows a child using chalk to create a design on a sidewalk.

The colorful mural most likely won't be created until next year, according to Hunter.

But when it is finished, it will definitely give Kids Corner pavilion a whole new look.

Free breakfasts, lunches offered this year at Baseline Middle School

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Attention Baseline Middle School parents and students – there is such a thing as a free lunch.

Thanks to several changes in the federal government's school lunch program, all Baseline pupils will be able to eat school breakfasts and lunches free of charge..

“We've been able to feed our K-5 elementary students free breakfasts and lunches,” said Food Services Director Amy Nichols. “This year we can add Baseline Middle School.”.

The school district can do so because more students now qualify for free meals under the National School Lunch Program's Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

The provision is a non-pricing meal service option offered for school districts in low-income areas.

The government reimburses schools for breakfasts and lunches using a formula based on the percentage of students that qualify for free meals.

In South Haven's case, Food Services can claim 83.4 percent of all breakfasts and lunches served to elementary students.

“For the past four years we've been locked in at being able to claim 83.4 percent of all the meals served at the elementary level,” Nichols said. “Our reimbursement rate for these meals is $2.09 for breakfasts and $3.31 for lunches.”

At the 83.4 percent rate of reimbursement, the district's food services' budget was reimbursed $490,180 for the 2017-18 school year.

That figure is expected to increase this year, because more students now qualify for free meals with new guidelines established through the National School Lunch Program's CEP.

“Earlier this year the state issued the new list of eligible buildings and students for this program,

and all of our buildings saw a large increase in eligibility primarily due to adding Medicaid as a qualifier,” Nichols said. “Baseline Middle School is now eligible to receive this benefit.”

The district will end up losing an estimated $9,400 from students who paid for their meals in the past, but Nichols said the district will still come out ahead in terms of revenue by including Baseline in the CEP program.

Adding Baseline will actually increase the district's reimbursement rate to 90 percent, according to Nichols.

“A 6.6 percent increase in reimbursement will more than cover the lost revenue on paid meals, and will in fact increase our bottom line by more than $20,000,” she said.

New Covert Generating plant gets another tax refund

By ROD SMITH

For The Tribune

PAW PAW — It looks like Van Buren County will be shelling out more money to settle a lawsuit involving New Covert Generating Plant.

County Commissioners tentatively agreed to pay an additional $2.5 million in tax refunds to the utility, which is now owned by ArcLight Capital Partners LLC, of Boston.

The $2.5 million will bring the county's total tax refunds to $7.3 million to the plant, whose former owners appealed their tax levies claiming they were being over assessed.

Last week's settlement is for the 2012-15 tax years. County Administrator John Faul said the county is awaiting judgment following a trial on years 2016-18, "Hopefully we'll get that (decision) by the end of the year," Faul said.

In May, the county OKd $4.8 million in reimbursements to the company for the years 2010 and 2011.

The county is acting on behalf of all taxing agents that the gas generating plant pays money to and the county will get reimbursed by all. About half the refund comes from Covert Public Schools and Covert Township. The county comes in at No. 3 followed by the Van Buren Intermediate School District, State Education, Lake Michigan College and Van Buren District Library.

The county and the other affected taxing units have been embroiled in a dispute over the value of the generating plant. New Covert claimed it was being over-assessed and won in early rounds but the local governments have been appealing ever since.

The Michigan Supreme Court appeal began in 2015 after the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed the decision on the Michigan Tax Tribunal to lower the natural gas generating plant's assessment.

The appellate court in August of that year wrote that "Respondent (local governments) has failed to demonstrate that the tribunal made an error of law or adopted a wrong legal principle."

In 2013 the Michigan Tax Tribunal accepted the arguments of the 1,100 megawatt natural gas generating plant's owner that the plant was over-assessed. The tribunal then reduced its value by 60 percent.

Back in February the legal bills for the appeal had totaled $751,386. Those bills are divided among the affected local taxing units. On Tuesday commissioners reviewed bills from five law firms and one appraisal firm totaling over $300,000.

"Will they never end?" Commissioner Richard Freestone asked.

Faul said there are still more bills coming.

In other matter, commissioners approved two revolving loans from the county's economic development fund.

One was to The Den-Deli and Cafe in Gobles. The $60,000 will have to be paid back over a five-year term. The Den plans to move into the vacant space formerly occupied by Gobles Grocery, downtown.

The second loan is for $86,000 for improvements to the former Ben Franklin building in downtown Paw Paw. It also is to be paid back in five years. The money will be used to renovate the building for apartments on the second floor and businesses on the first.





8.13.18

Bangor Housing Commission Executive Director Kim Johnson helps Black River Commons resident Oliver Sales learn to operate his new computer tablet. Last week, T-Mobile gave 44 free tablets and unlimited Internet service to residents in the city’s low-income housing complexes. (Photo by Kim Ingalls)

T-Mobile provides free tablet computers, Internet service to public housing residents

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

BANGOR — Residents living in the city’s low-income housing received an early Christmas present last Wednesday thanks to T-Mobile which gave them 44 tablet computers with free Internet access.

“You can’t do anything nowadays without Internet access,” said Kim Johnson, executive director of the Bangor Housing Commission. “You can’t apply for jobs or benefits without access. We want low-income people to have the same opportunities as everyone else.”

The tablets, she said, come pre-loaded with learning apps for children and links to Social Security and Housing Commission web sites. Residents will be able to load resumes in the Michigan Talent Bank to search for job opportunities and access Housing Commission policies on subjects like housekeeping and fire safety.

“I was very excited when I got the flyer,” said Xiomara Ross, 26. “I thought this can’t be real. There’s gotta be a catch.”

Ross's grandmother Joann Chillers, 74, who is a Black River Commons resident, was just as thrilled.

“This is my first tablet,” she said. “Now I can use it for information like getting a calendar to find out when my Social Security check will be deposited.”

She said she also plans to take pictures of her grandkids.

Each household was given one tablet and unlimited Internet access. The tablets are property of the Bangor Housing Commission which will pick up the tab for Internet service. Residents are responsible for paying for repairs or replacement if their tablet is damaged. 

Johnson praised the partnership with T-Mobile and told residents she knew it was hard for them to have things like this because “many times people on low incomes don’t have lots of expendable income.”

"Internet access and simply the opportunity to have access to a device that one can have on hand to respond to emails, make online requests or inquiries and perform job searches has been an impediment for many households due to their very limited income," she said.

Retired superintendent to lead SH Schools until full-time school chief is hired

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

With the start of a new school year less than a month away, South Haven school board members are taking the next step to replace former superintendent Robert Herrera, who left in July to become CEO and school chief of Benton Harbor Schools.

Board members, Wednesday, chose a new interim superintendent to lead the school district until a full-time chief is hired.

Dave Peden, retired superintendent of Mona Shores Public Schools near Muskegon, was picked from a a list of four candidates who were each interviewed for approximately 20 minutes before the board made its decision. The other candidates were Andrea van der Laan, retired superintendent of Buchanan Community Schools; John Jarpe, retired school chief for Brandywine Community Schools; and John Hill, who served as superintendent at school districts in both Michigan and Illinois until his retirement in 2010.

“I think all of them could do a fine job,” trustee John Frost said after board members unanimously voted for Peden.

Although board members, several weeks ago, hired North Shore Elementary School Principal Carey Frost to be interim leader, they only intended for her to serve in that capacity until the start of school in September, according to board President Laura Bos.

“We hired an internal interim superintendent right away because we knew there was a lot of action that needed to take place and it gave us time to hire an external interim school chief for when school starts,” Bos said.

Peden, who now lives in St. Joseph, is no stranger to the South Haven area. A year ago, he served as interim school chief for neighboring Bangor Public Schools.

“I like the fact that Dave served in Bangor and understands the composition of the community,” trustee Lynn Kerber said.

Peden, spent several decades as a school administrator. He began his administrative career in 1982 at Vicksburg High School where he worked as principal for four years. He then moved north to Martin Public Schools to be their superintendent for three years. From there he headed east to Fowlerville where he led that district for 11 years. He then spent another 11 years as school chief of Southgate Community Schools before heading back to West Michigan in 2011 to work at Mona Shores for 3.5 years until his retirement in 2014.

District officials still have to negotiate a salary with Peden. His tentative salary has been set at $50 per hour. They also have to negotiate how many hours per week he will work.

Casco voters uphold short-term rental ordinance

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

It looks like a Casco Township Board ordinance, passed in February, to allow homeowners to rent out out their dwellings as short-term rentals, will continue to exist.

Voters, Tuesday, voted 517-407 to uphold the ordinance. The election came about after a group of township residents gathered enough petitions to force a referendum to try to overturn the ordinance.

For township supervisor Allan Overhiser, the affirmative vote to allow the short-term rentals to legally exist was a sigh of relief.

“If the election had failed it would have been a lawyer's dream,” he said, regarding the possibility of homeowners filing lawsuits due to the longstanding practice of lakeshore residents renting their homes during the summer to vacationers.

Like other lakeshore communities, Casco has been spending the past several years grappling with the growth of homes being used for short-term vacation rentals.

The issue came to a head in 2016 when Allegan Circuit Court Judge Kevin Cronin ruled that short-term rentals were forbidden in a private subdivision in Casco as well as the rest of the township. The matter became more complicated when the Michigan Appellate Court upheld the decision ruling that short-term rentals violate the township's zoning ordinance which prohibits vacation rentals in low-density residential areas.

Shortly after Cronin's decision in 2016, the township board and planning commission began to re-examine the short-term rental issue.

“The Township Board and Planning Commission spent a year-and-a-half studying the issue,” Overhiser said in a previous interview.

The result was a decision by the planning commission and township board in February to amend the township's zoning ordinance to allow short-term rentals. The township board also passed a new ordinance to regulate vacation homes.

Among other provisions, the regulatory ordinance:

• Requires vacation rental home owners to register their homes annually for a fee of $200 or face a $750 fine:

• Limits the number of guests that can stay in a vacation rental

• Requires guests to follow the township's noise ordinance

• Sets up a home inspection program

• Requires homeowners to have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout their dwelling

• Sets up a 24-hour hotline for short-term rental complaints







8.6.18

South Haven High School graduate R. Tyler Dotson is now city manager for Watervliet. (Herald-Palladium photo by Don Campbell)

SH grad adjusts to new job as Watervliet city manager

By ALEXANDRA NEWMAN

HP Staff Writer

WATERVLIET — Watervliet’s new city manager, R. Tyler Dotson, likes having a direct impact in helping transform a community.

“I always wanted to work in the public sector, but I wasn’t sure what area: federal, state or local,” he said. “With local government you get to engage with the people more and I feel like the time and effort you dedicate toward projects you really get to see them come to fruition.”

Dotson graduated from South Haven High School in 2005. He went on to attend Ohio State University and got a degree in political science in 2009. 

He made his way back to the Kalamazoo area and got a master’s degree in public administration in 2013 from Western Michigan University. He said that’s when he discovered his interest in the personality of local government. 

He ran and advised on a handful of political campaigns in western Michigan after that and served a year on the South Haven Board of Education. 

His job before coming to Watervliet was as economic development and downtown development authority director for the village of Blissfield. While there he served six months on the Blissfield  Board of Education to fill a term for someone who had died.

He’s been back living in South Haven since getting the job in Watervliet in late June.

Herald Palladium Staff Writer Alexandra Newman sat down with Dotson about a month into his job to see how it is going and see where he wants to take it. 

Q: Why Watervliet?

A: Being born and raised in South Haven, you have Lake Michigan and I love west Michigan. I always knew I wanted to come back here sometime in my life. I didn’t know when or what career opportunity would lead me here, but when the opportunity in Watervliet came up I was contacted by a number of local friends of mine and so I dove in. 

I made some phone calls to some local stakeholders to try to get an idea of where the community was at, how the commissioners were working together, what’s the status of the city, what are the budgets like, what’s the personnel like and so I applied. 

One of the things about Watervliet that opened my eyes is the potential of the community. We’re a municipality of roughly 1,800. We have a local brewery, a park system that’s good that I think we can make great, we have a railroad and let’s not forget the Paw Paw River. These are neat things that a lot of communities don’t have. 

The potential of the community, being back in west Michigan and, honestly, the people, were the three things that not only made this a job I was interested in, but wanted to work toward.

Q:How has the job been so far?

A:The amount of people that I’ve met in this last month has been something else and they’ve been great people. Watervliet is fortunate enough to have some great people. Whether it’s the residents, friends of the residents, elected officials, or our personnel. We have some hardworking and dedicated folks working for the city. 

I have a quote that I don’t know if I made it up or heard it, but I firmly believe that: ‘The strength of any community is with its people.’ They’re a resource. From our business owners, to our teachers, to the great folks who work for the city, to people who buy and shop local, this community is very fortunate enough to have great people, but talented and passionate people.

You can’t teach passion. That’s one thing I hope to bring to Watervliet, the idea of collaboration. A city of 1,800, we can’t do it alone. We have shared service agreements with the township that I think are beneficial to us both and we need to maximize our resources from a fiscal sense or a personnel sense, or it’s ideas. We all need to work together and I think that’s really important. I’ve done it in politics. I did it in Blissfield too. Rising tides lift all boats. 

Q: What do you see being the most difficult part of this job, or maybe you’ve already experienced it?

A: It’s the public sector. It’s being asked to do more with less, so we need to get creative with how we provide services and how we maintain what we have while also planning for the future. That’s tough. I can’t speak for anyone else, but if you ask a lot of administrators sitting in the seat that I’m in, they will tell you roughly the same thing.

Q:Do you have any big goals or big ideas that you can share about what you want to get accomplished?

A:Right now we’re working on the Redevelopment Ready Communities certification. It will allow us to become an easier place to do business. It’s going to help us clean up our ordinances and help us install mechanisms to better communicate with the public. 

Another thing I’m hoping to tackle is an updated website. That is one of the first places that residents and business owners go when they’re seeking information. ...

Additionally, we need to start planning for the future. We need to look at what our capital improvement plans are, we need to set goals and we need to plan to achieve those goals. While we do a budget yearly, we need to plan for next year, five years from now, 10 years from now, regardless of who’s in my office or on the commission.

Q: What do you do in your free time?

A: I’m the kind of guy that when I leave on Friday, I always bring something from the office to read with me. If I’m waiting for a train or out on beautiful Paw Paw Lake in a boat, I bring work with me to catch up on. 

I like to golf. I’m not very good. I like spending time with family and friends and checking out new restaurants. I stay active with youth wrestling. 

For the last nine years I’ve been involved in Michigan Youth Wrestling Southwest Region. I’m on the board of directors there and head official. I help train other officials on the finer points of the sport, the rules and the technical aspects. It’s a way for me to give back to the sport. It’s become a hobby and I’ve met a lot of great people. 

I’m a Michigan High School Athletic Association wrestling official too. This march I officiated my third MHSAA state finals.

Officials: Millage renewals crucial for townships, schools

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Tax levies for roads, police protection, fire and ambulance services and senior services are expiring in a number of Van Buren County townships, prompting government officials to seek millage renewals in the Aug. 7 primary election.

The millage renewals are crucial, township officials say, for the continuation of services for their communities, so they hope voters won't overlook the proposals when they head to the polls.

Nancy Whaley, supervisor of Geneva Township, said renewal of the municipality's road millage is “extremely” important. “If the millage isn't renewed, it would mean that road improvements would almost become non-existent,” she said. “It is extremely important for this renewal to pass. It has been in place since 1984 and has benefited the road program and our ability to negotiate to get the most out of the funds that are available.”

Voter approval of millage renewals are also important for Covert Township, according to its supervisor.

“If we don't get the renewals we'd have to look at some other process for funding these services,” Dennis Palgen said. “We have not raised taxes for construction of the new police and fire complex. We are merely seeking a renewal for millages we've had in place for quite awhile. We hope our voters are satisfied with their first responders and other services.”

Covert has placed four millage renewals on the Aug. 7 primary ballot. The proposals follow:

• Renewal of a five-year 1.9-mil tax levy for police services. If approved, the millage would generate $1.38 million for the first year.

• Renewal of a five-year, 1.6877-mil tax levy for ambulance and fire services. If approved, the millage would generate $1.2 million for the first year.

• Renewal of a five-year, .5-mil tax levy for road improvements. If approved, the millage would generate $354,900 for the first year.

• Renewal of a four-year, .25-mil levy for senior services. If approved, the millage would generate $177,448 for the first year.

Here is a rundown of other millage proposals for the following Van Buren County townships:

Bangor Township

Township voters will be asked to vote on two millage renewal proposals for road improvements and senior services.

The proposals follow:

• Renewal of a four-year, 4-mil levy for road improvements. If approved, the millage would generate $251,000 for the first year.

• Renewal of a four-year, .25-mil levy for senior services. If approved, the millage would generate $15,680 for the first year.

Columbia Township

Township voters will be asked to vote on three millage renewals, a non-homestead operating millage renewal for Bloomingdale Public Schools, and an additional millage proposal for senior services.

The proposals follow:

• Renewal of a five-year, 1.25-mil levy for police services. If approved, the millage would generate $108,700 for the first year.

• Renewal of a five-year, 2.8-mil levy for road improvements. If approved, the millage would generate an estimated $243,590 for the first year.

• Renewal of a four-year, .25-mil levy for senior services. If approved, the millage would generate an estimated $21,700 for the first year.

• An additional four-year, .25-mil request for senior services. If approved, it would generate an estimated $21,700 for the first year.

• Renewal of a six-year, 17.991-mil tax levy on non-homestead properties within the Bloomingdale Public School District. If the millage is approved, it would generate $1.34 million for the first year for the school district.

Geneva Township

Geneva voters will be asked to vote on two millage renewal proposals for road improvements and senior services, as well as an additional millage request for senior services.

The proposals follow:

• Renewal of a seven-year, 3-mil levy for road improvements. If approved, the millage would generate $270,000 for the first year.

• Renewal of a four-year, .25-mil levy for senior services. If approved, the millage would generate $22,000 for the first year.

• Approval of a new four-year .25-mil levy for senior services. If approved, the millage would generate $22,000 for the first year.

Hamilton Township

Hamilton voters will be asked to vote on two millage renewal requests, a non-homestead millage renewal for Decatur Public Schools, an an additional millage request for senior services.

The proposals follow:

• Renewal of a four-year, 1-mil levy for road improvements. If approved it would raise an estimated $54,000 for the first year.

• Renewal of a four-year, .25-mil levy for senior services. If approved it would raise an estimated $13,500 for the first year.

• Approval of a new four-year, .25-mil levy for senior services. If approved, the millage would generate $13,500 for the first year.

• Renewal of a four-year 17.8362-mil levy for non-homestead properties within the Decatur Public School district and a new five-year .5-mil levy for non-homestead properties. If the proposals are approved the district would not levy more than 18 mils, which is allowed by state law. The additional millage would only be levied to restore millage lost as a result of reductions required by the Headlee amendment. If the renewal and new millage proposal passes and 18 mills are levied, it would generate $872,355 for the first year.

7.30.18

Mazie Salisbury, the 18-month-old daughter of Kyle Salisbury, receives her very own book after a Well Child checkup visit with Dr. Caleb Springsteen, thanks to a new program called Reach Out and Read. Bronson Pediatrics became part of the nationwide program which distributes books to children up to age 5 each time they visit the doctor for a Well Child checkup. (Photo by Kim Ingalls)

A prescription

for reading

Program puts young patients in touch with books

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

Almost three decades ago, two Boston pediatricians adopted a simple model of prescribing books as a way to foster language-rich interactions between parents and their youngsters.

Thanks to the interest by a local elementary teacher who teamed up with a Bronson Health Care pediatrician, area children can now be part of the Reach Out and Read program.

“I was involved with Reach Out and Read when I was in training at the University of Virginia,” explained Dr. Caleb Springsteen of Bronson Pediatrics. “It's really a great program. The goal is to instill and foster a love of reading in children well before they reach school age. Having books around the home and reading one-on-one with a parent can provide a foundation for a lifetime of reading.”

With more than 5,800 program sites, Reach Out and Read has grown into a national organization with doctors in all 50 states distributing 1.6 million books a year. The hope is that one day, Reach Out and Read will be a part of every young child’s checkups.

“I had heard about the Reach out and Read non-profit organization so I researched more about the program and knew this program would be very beneficial for our community,” said Maple Grove teacher Heather Chalupa. “ I contacted Dr. Springsteen about getting on board and he had experience with the program.”

The non-profit provides the tools and handouts for families for free but funds have to be raised to purchase the books.

Luckily, Chalupa found a funding source.

“I contacted the Bronson Foundation and expressed the need for creating literacy enrichment and education in homes,” Chalupa said. “They funded $4,000 to cover books for over 1,500 Well Child visits.”

Once that was done, an application had to be filled out and Springsteen had to complete online training. With that done, Bronson Pediatrics has become the South Haven area's first official Reach Out and Read site.

“South Haven Public Schools is also partnering up by supplying materials and printing all materials to distribute during the Well Child visits,” said Chalupa. “Reach Out and Read provides a bookmark in Spanish and English at each of the Well Child visits with quick and easy tips for parents to use at the different age levels while reading with their child.”

“I have had nothing but good experiences when we give children books,” Springsteen said. “Universally, they are excited and start looking through the pictures as soon as they get a new book. Families have been very grateful as well. When Heather presented this as a program for our area I was pleased she wanted to involve our office. She has done a great job getting funding through the Bronson Foundation and the Reach Out and Read program itself.”

As for patients, giving them a book at the end of a check up makes going to the doctor a whole lot nicer.

“She loves to read,” said  Kyle Salisbury about his 18-month-old daughter Mazie who got a book from Dr. Springsteen after seeing him. “This is the first book she has gotten from here.”

Three file for four seats on SH school board

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

SOUTH HAVEN — It looks like the South Haven Board of Education will have an open seat available come November.

The terms of four board members will expire by the end of this year, but as of Tuesday''s filing deadline, only three people submitted candidate forms, according to Becca Teunisssen, secretary for the superintendent's office.

The board members, whose four-year terms will be up, are trustee Bryan Lewis, Secretary Corey Davis, President Laura Bos and trustee Lynn Kerber, who was appointed in May to complete the term of Crystal Davis, who resigned from the board for personal reasons.

Both Bos and Kerber plan to seek election, but veteran board members Lewis and Davis chose not to. The third candidate who filed is newcomer Shawn Olney, a long-time officer for the South Haven Police Department.

Bos has served on the board since 2014. She was named vice-president in 2016 and chosen as president in January. She is a communications and marketing specialist for InterCare Community Health Network in Bangor.

Kerber was named to the board in May. She retired from Chemical Bank last year after working 27 years for the corporation. While at Chemical she served in a variety of roles with the latest being executive vice president, chief risk officer.

Neither Davis nor Lewis could be reached regarding why they chose not to seek another term.

Davis has served on the board for the past 13 years, while Lewis has logged 21 years, 8 as president.





7.23.18

Back row from left: Coach Tim McDaniel, Brian Albretsen of Mattawan, Steve Northam of Kalamazoo, Travis Short of Bangor, David Strand of Gobles, and Chris Newman of Lawrence.

Middle row from left: Alex Amos of Pullman, Dustin Ockerman of Bloomingdale, Nick White of Gobles, Jarrel Greathouse of Bangor, Adele Brown of Grand Junction, Coach Paula Mott and Coach Bill Nelson. Front row from left  Omri, volunteer liaison for the National Games and Daniel Herrera of Lawrence.

Van Buren Special Olympics team captures silver medal at national competition

By KIM INGALL

For the Tribune

Van Buren Roadrunners Special Olympics volleyball team has gotten used to winning medals at the state games. But they took their athletic skills to the next level earlier this month when they earned a silver medal at the national competition.

The 12-member team, which represented Michigan Special Olympics, captured second place at the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Wash.

“This is the first time the team has won a medal at the national level,” Coach Tim McDaniel said.

Comprised of post high-schoolers and current high schoolers from Van Buren County, the team only suffered losses during pool and medal play to the Washington team that eventually won the gold.

Special Olympics USA Games are held every four years. This year, 3,500 Special Olympics athletes from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, 1,000 coaches, 10,000 family members, 10,000 volunteers and an estimated 50,000 spectators took part in the national sports competition.

McDaniel, who is a physical education teacher at the Bert Goens Learning Center in Lawrence, said his athletes were thrilled with the medal and the entire trip out west.

“The kids really enjoyed their time in Seattle,” he said. “It was the first time for many of them that they had traveled so far. They were really excited.”

Funds for the trip were raised through private donations. McDaniel stated the team is always looking for financial support and volunteers for future competitions.

Planners torn over zoning issue

Doctor's plans to build medical office on M-43 corridor headed to zoning board of appeals

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven's master plan encourages the development of more medical facilities near Bronson South Haven Hospital, but the goal appears to be at odds with homeowners who live nearby.

The neighborhood in question lies along a stretch Phillips Street, just south of the hospital, between Francis Street and Broadway Avenue. The roadway is part of the three-lane M-43 Highway corridor that leads to Business Loop I-196.

Approximately 15 homes are located on that stretch of road along with the former Honor Credit Union, which will soon become home to a new obstetrics medical facility, not affiliated with Bronson.

Dr. Richard Seiler, a podiatrist, would like to build his new office next to the former Honor Credit Union property, however, he's hitting a few speed bumps.

Seiler had hoped South Haven Planning Commission would rezone three parcels of land on Phillips Street from residential to business, but planners denied the request, July 12^th, putting Seiler in the situation of seeking a special use variance from the city's Zoning Board of Appeals; something he plans to pursue, according to his brother, realtor and broker Ron Seiler, who has worked with Seiler to find a suitable location for his practice.

“Yes he does (plan to seek a use variance),” Ron Seiler said in an interview on Monday.

The properties in question consist of two vacant lots and a home that owner Jack Huminsky says he's been trying to sell for 12 years, but with no success.

“We have seen the corridor change over the years,” Huminsky said. “It was quiet at one time, but not anymore. Phillips Street is a main artery in the city. It leads to the downtown. People aren't going to buy residential on that street. It is better suited for a medical corridor.”

Ron Seiler, who is part owner of Coldwell Banker Weber Seiler real estate company in South Haven, agreed. “It appears to be a medical corridor,” he said. “You already have the hospital, the Wellness Center, a nursing home, dentist offices...It's doubtful a developer is going to come in and build homes in this area. It's not attractive to build homes there. Do you see someone building new homes on a three-lane highway?”

Existing homeowners though voiced concerns over a new business locating in their neighborhood.

“I am raising my family here,” said Amber Bemis. “There's commercial business property elsewhere in this town.”

Her father-in-law, Don Bemis, who is a former South Haven Planning Commission member and chairperson, said he has lived on Philips Street for 39 years and wants it to remain residential.

“Neighborhood residents are not in favor of business uses,” he said. “We want to live in a residential area.”

Planners at the July 12 meeting said they are torn over the issue. Some said they favor economic development and a doctor who wants to build a new office, but they don't want to encourage spot zoning along the portion of the M-43 corridor between Francis and Broadway.

“There are medical facilities but they don't come down that far,” planner Janice Varney said. “I agree a health corridor is wonderful, but we need to respect our neighborhoods.”

Planner Rosalie Plechaty voice similar comments. “I understand the property hasn't sold, but you have to look at the price you're asking,” she said to Huminsky. “We've heard from residents. They want it residential.”

Suzanne Sutherland, another planner, disagreed. “That area has been discussed as a medical corridor,” she said. “I feel like I wouldn't want to live there or raise my kids on that street,” she went on to say referring to the mix of older homes and medical facilities that currently exist on the M-43 corridor from Blue Star Highway to Broadway.

Planner Clark Gruber concurred that the rezoning should be denied, however, in making the motion to deny the rezoning, he stated, “I would make a motion to consider the special use variance for the three parcels.” The motion was approved 6-3, setting the stage for Dr. Seiler to now seek a use variance from the zoning board.





7.16.18

South Haven author John Mooy (left) and Steve Tolen of First Hebrew Congregation show newspaper headlines from the 1960s chronicling Fennville basketball player Richie Jordan's fetes, including scoring a record 60 points in one game. 

Remembering

'The Fennville Flash'

Documentary helps bring back memories of prep basketball standout Richie Jordan

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Everyone, it seems, knows the fetes achieved by Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.

But in the mid-60s, there was another Jordan; one from the tiny town of Fennville who averaged 44.4 points per game his senior year – still a state record, racked up 2,210 prep career points, and attracted hundreds, even thousands of fans who would sit in awe watching the athleticism displayed by 5-foot, 7-inch Richie Jordan.

“He had a 38-inch vertical jump, and a 51.5” running vertical jump,” said South Haven author John Mooy, whose high school team from Marcellus once scrimmaged Jordan and the Blackhawks. “He could dunk a basketball and owned a jump shot you would never forget. He packed gymnasiums and field houses wherever he played and set records that may never be broken.”

Jordan's life is the subject of a new documentary created by Mooy and film-maker Anne Colton.

“Jordanville,” which first aired on WGVU public television in January, will be shown at 1 p.m., Sunday, July 22 at First Hebrew Congregation in South Haven, where a then 13-year-old Jordan celebrated his bar mitzvah.

“Jordanville is about a time, a team, a town and an incredible talent,” Mooy said.

Mooy first became acquainted with the name, Richie Jordan, when he was in seventh grade.

“One of our teachers said, 'there's kid at Fennville who's only in sixth grade but can compete on any high school varsity team,' Mooy recalled, “and I thought 'Oh, come on.'”

But as Mooy and his classmates got older and started playing hoops for the Marcellus Wildcats, they began hearing more about Jordan's on-court prowess, and seeing it first-hand.

“I remember seeing this kid, Jordan, run and go into the air shooting the ball with one hand,” Mooy said. “He was all of a sudden in front of me and his feet were at my chest...He had a running vertical jump of 51 inches. It was unheard of.”

By the time Jordan became a senior his reputation as a standout cager had soared. According to an article written by Michigan High School Athletic Association historian Ron Pesch, when the Blackhawks traveled to Western Michigan University to play against Kalamazoo Hackett, a crowd of 5,000 was expected. Instead, more than 8,800 packed into Reed Field House, and they didn't go away disappointed. Limiting Jordan to just 12 points in the first half, things weren't looking too good for Fennville, who trailed 60-47 going into the final quarter. But Fennville switched to a press forcing turnovers. And that's when Jordan sprung into action, pumping in 24 points, including the game-winning shot to lead his team to a 76-72 finish.

When Jordan graduated from Fennville in 1965, he had amassed 58 college scholarship offers, and chose Michigan State, where he played basketball for two years, and then focused on playing baseball for the Spartans – yes he was also a stellar player for Fennville's baseball, football and track teams, ending up with a collection of 16 letters and basketball all-state honors all four years of high school. He did well enough for MSU that he was picked up by the Pittsburgh, Pirates, but a shoulder injury ended his pro career.

After high school and college, more accolades came Joardan's way when he was named to the Michigan High School Sports Hall of Fame. He later became the first athlete from Michigan to be inducted into the National Sports Hall of Fame. Now a retired high school teacher and coach, he lives in Sarasota, Fla., with his wife.

But Jordan's athletic pursuits weren't the only thing that stuck with Mooy all these years – it was Jordan's attitude and the manner in which he conducted himself, on and off the playing field and court.

“He has friends from all walks of life which is a complement to his character,” said Mooy, who explained that when Jordan had friends over, blacks and whites played side by side in the yard to shoot some hoops. And they didn't have to be just from Fennville. Mike Patterson of Covert and William Sledge of South Haven, who were both interviewed for the documentary, traveled to the Jordan home for the love of the game.

Jordan's religion may have had something to do with his ability to embrace diversity.

“Rich's mother was Jewish and she wanted to raise him in the Jewish faith and he was proud of being Jewish.”

But some people weren't real impressed when they found out that Jordan's faith was Jewish. He was accustomed at ignoring taunts from opponents and their fans, but when they became critical of his religion, it was hard to swallow.

“They'd yell, 'we're gonna get you Jew,'” Jordan recalled when being interviewed for the documentary. Others called him “Jewbilly.” One night Jordan recounted how he came home from a game and his dad asked him what he was so mad about. When Jordan told them, his mother simply said, “Well, you are a Jew.'”

Jordan's drive to succeed, coupled with his compassion for others, impresses Steve Tolen of First Hebrew Congregation.

“You would think somebody with so much would have their nose in the air – he does not,” Tolen said. “He's a humble, open-hearted person.”

Bronson opens FastCare clinic in South Haven

Bronson Healthcare plans to open its third FastCare location, this time in South Haven.

The walk in-clinic, that opens Aug. 1, will be located across the street from Bronson South Haven Hospital at 670 S. Bailey Ave. in the office suite now occupied by Bronson Urgent Care. The public is invited to come in for a tour and learn about the services provided by Bronson FastCare at a grand opening celebration from 3-7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 7.

 “We could not be more pleased to bring Bronson FastCare to the lakeshore,” says Kirk Richardson, Bronson South Haven Chief Operating Officer. “There has been a very positive community response to the Bronson FastCare locations in Kalamazoo and Portage, and we are certain that this quick, convenient and affordable service will be well received and meet many people’s needs here in South Haven.”

Bronson FastCare provides access to care without an appointment for minor conditions and symptoms such as sore throats, fevers, flu, ear and sinus infections, pink eye, skin rashes and allergies. Lab services are available for pregnancy tests, mononucleosis tests, rapid strep and urinalysis. Pre-participation sports physicals for student athletes are also provided. Patients who have urgent or emergency healthcare needs should not go to Bronson FastCare, according to Bronson spokesperson Carolyn Wyllie. Instead, they should go directly to the Bronson South Haven emergency department.

Bronson FastCare can be a cost-effective care option for people with minor health-related problems.

It accepts most insurance plans and honors the office visit co-pay determined by the patient’s insurance company. For those with a high deductible plan or no insurance, a visit is only $69, including basic lab services. Like other Bronson services, each patient’s care is recorded in Bronson’s systemwide electronic health record where it is readily accessible by the patient’s other providers and can be accessed online by the patient through Bronson MyChart.

 Bronson FastCare in South Haven will be open days, evenings and on the weekend. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last patient is seen 15 minutes prior to close. The office is closed briefly between 2 to 2:30 p.m. for lunch (time may vary). Holiday hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the office is closed on Christmas day.

Visit www.bronsonhealth.com/fastcare for a full list of treatments and lab services.





7.9.18

No ifs, ands or butts

SH bans smoking at parks, beaches

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Smoking tobacco products at South Haven city parks and beaches will now become a thing of the past.

City council members, Monday, voted to approve an ordinance to ban smoking of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars or pipe that contain tobacco at all of the city's 14 parks and beaches.

However, there is one slight reprieve for tobacco users – smoking will be allowed in designated areas at several of the larger parks and beaches, which include North Beach, South Beach, Riverfront Park and Stanley Johnston Park. In addition, municipal marinas will be exempt from the smoking ban.

The ban will take effect in 10 days, however, it is not the city's intent to initially look for offenders and slap them with fines, according to City Manager Brian Dissette.

“It's the city staff's position to do as much as possible to notify the public through social media and other outreach efforts,” Dissette said.

For the next 30 days, the city will turn to Facebook, its website and other media outlets to let people know that smoking is no longer prohibited at beaches and parks, except in designated areas. Signage will also be installed at the beaches and parks.

“We're not actively pushing police officers to cite people right away,” Dissette said. “The idea for the next 30 days is to get the word out.”

Police can ultimately cite people for violating the new ordinance. First-time violators will be fined $50. “Then it ramps up,” Dissette warned. For instance, violators cited four or more times will be liable for up to a $500 fine.

Mayor Scott Smith said he liked the idea of having designated areas in some parks for people to light up, rather than go to a private property next to a park or beach to smoke.

“Let's not force it (smoking) onto other neighbors' property,” he said.

Although city council members voted, 5-1, in favor of the smoking ban, Monday, one member voted no – Steve Schlack.

When the ordinance was first proposed two weeks ago, Schlack said he was against it.

“I've got mixed emotions. I'm a smoker,” he said at the council's June 18th meeting. “I find this is probably going to be a nightmare (to enforce). I don't want to put any more burden on our law enforcement officers.”

South Haven appears to be the first municipality in Van Buren and Berrien counties to ban smoking in parks and beaches. Other municipalities in Southwest Michigan, however, do ban smoking, including Portage, Grand Haven Township, Ottawa County and Holland Township, while the City of Holland bans smoking in some of its parks.

The issue of whether to ban smoking in city-owned parks and beaches came about through the city's parks commission, which in October 2017 recommended that use of tobacco products be banned.

“Over the years, staff has fielded many complaints of smoking on the city's beaches and in our parks,” wrote Bill Hunter, public works director, in a memorandum to the city council. “Another complaint is that cigarette butts are littering the beaches and parks. This is an ongoing challenge that all waterfront communities face.”

South Haven postpones decision on short-term rentals; Sets hearing for July 16

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Short-term rental homeowners who wonder whether more regulations will be placed on their dwellings in South Haven will have to wonder a little longer.

City Council members decided, Monday, to delay a vote on the proposed amendments until their July 16 meeting.

“It has come to staff’s attention that the proposed amendments to the short-term rental regulatory ordinance — which pertain to registration fees and the registration of attached condos — have not been noticed for a public hearing at the City Council,” City Manager Brian Dissette reported to council members.

City Attorney Nick Curcio pointed out the need for a public hearing in a memo addressed to city officials June 22, stating in part that the council must hold a public hearing before amending or repealing any portion of the current short-term rental ordinance.

“Accordingly, we recommend that council postpone considering the ordinance amendments until July 16 so that it can hold a public hearing at that time,” Curcio wrote.

To resolve the issue, city officials posted a legal notice in the South Haven Tribune on July 1 announcing the upcoming hearing. By law, legal notices of upcoming public hearings have to be published at least two weeks before the hearing occurs.

Council member had been poised to vote on the two amendments, Monday, after introducing them at a meeting on June 18.

If the amendments are approved, fees for short-term rentals will increase from $20 to $250 for a first-time registration and then be set at $200 annually for subsequent years.

The second amendment will require owners of condominiums to register their dwellings if they plan to use them for short-term rentals. Right now, the ordinance only requires owners of detached homes to register. However, if the amendment passes, condo owners will only have to pay $20 to register their homes for the first year, if they do so by Sept. 15. The following year, they would have to pay the annual $200 fee.



7.2.18

SH school board soon will be looking for a new superintendent

Herrera inks deal with

Benton Harbor Schools

By LOUISE WREGE

HP Staff Writer

BENTON HARBOR — It’s official. Benton Harbor school board trustees approved hiring Robert Herrera as the district’s superintendent/CEO, starting July 17.

Herrera has been superintendent of South Haven Community Schools since 2012.

He said he is looking forward to working with school officials to turn the district around.

“My decision to come to Benton Harbor was based on conversations with you,” Herrera told school board trustees. “I believe your heart is in the right place for the kids in this community. And I believe the will is there to support reform efforts. I think that we have a bright future in front of us.

Herrera will report directly to the state, with school board trustees taking an advisory position.

“I want you to know that my intention is to serve the community, and the school will be a reflection of the community and its values,” he said. “I will assist the district in bringing the student outcomes to where they should be and also providing our students with the learning environments and the experiences that you hope that they would have as they go through school.”

Benton Harbor students have been performing in the bottom 5 percent on state standardized tests for several years.

Trustees approved a four-year contract with Herrera and a five-year amended consent agreement with the state. A partnership agreement the district entered into a year ago with the state was dissolved.

Trustee Martha Momany, the board’s secretary, said trustees made the best decision for students and taxpayers.

“This was one of the toughest decisions that I’ve ever made,” Momany said. “This has been tough, but we desperately wanted to preserve the school district. And we did not want our school district to be dissolved or for our debt to go onto the taxpayer rolls.”

She said if the school district was disbanded, the money the school district owes would go on the property tax bills of everyone in the Benton Harbor school district. The intact district repays the debt through per-pupil state aid.

Trustee Joseph Taylor agreed that it was the right decision.

“When you’re sitting at this table in any state, any district, the No. 1 thing has to be what’s in the best interests of our students,” Taylor said. “Today, I chose what’s in the best interests of our students and secondly, our taxpayers to make sure that our district is still here.”

South Haven Board of Education President Laura Bos said Herrera will be missed.

"Dr. Herrera has achieved a lot in South Haven in the past six years - bringing school ratings up considerably, implementing teacher-selected K-12 curriculum, bringing 1:1 technology to our classrooms and creating a sustainability plan to ensure we can maintain that level of technology, and bringing innovation to our district. I am confident that the momentum started in this district will continue. While I am sad to lose Dr. Herrera, I am excited for the potential this brings to Benton Harbor. The kids there need and deserve leadership that will make a difference in their schools.”

The board will be taking steps soon to replace Herrera.

"I will meet with Bob in the coming weeks to go over the transition to a new superintendent,” Bos said. “The first step will be to interview search firms and select one that we, as a board, feel confident will bring us the very best candidates for our district. The district is positioned extremely well; I have no doubt that both the schools and the community will draw a number of qualified candidates. Through that process it is likely that we will choose an interim superintendent.”

PHOTO:  Bob Herrera (Photo by Don Campbell of the Herald-Palladium)

6.25.18

Something to shout about

Members of SHOUT for South Haven stand proudly behind a new sign for a park on Dunkley Avenue that has been named for the group. SHOUT raised money to pay for the park's foot bridge that goes over the Celery Pond Creek. SHOUT members from left are Ron and Donna Goodrich, Judy Pollack, Marion and Don Hixson, Bob and Jane Copping and Sue Cunningham. SHOUT is a non-profit group dedicated to making cultural and visual improvements to the city.

SH School Board honors 3 women for their volunteer work

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A local realtor who spearheaded a last-minute fundraising campaign to send South Haven High School's robotics team to an international competition, a woman who helped a young, German immigrant become acclimated to her new surroundings, and a volunteer who helped high school students organize a series of career expos, have been honored by the South Haven Board of Education.

Three women — Sabine Callaghan, Amanda Soukup and Marla Bruemmer — all received the school district's Community Volunteer Award last week.

Callaghan received her award for volunteering to help a third-grade German student learn English and adapt to her new American surroundings. “She took time to help support a Maple Grove student who came straight from Germany,” said Maple Grove English language learning teacher Andrea Jegier. .

Jegier was put in contact with Callaghan who had been born in Germany and knew the language and culture.

“She spent two hours each day during the first semester helping the student,” Jegier said. “Not only did we see an improvement in her language skills, she helped the student to connect with her classmates and helped the family acclimate to the South Haven area.”

Soukup earned her award for organizing a campaign to raise more than $14,000 to enable the high school's robotics team to compete in the FIRST Robotics World Championship in May where South Haven finished a respectable 7th of 68 teams in their division.

“Amanda and others raised $14,000 practically overnight,” said Becca Teunnison, administrative assistant to the superintendent. Soukup also has been helpful to the school district in other ways.

After spring break she sponsored a Student of the Week award where high school students that were chosen received public recognition through the local media.

“Nine seniors were honored for academic achievement and for volunteering in the community,” Teunnison said.

The third Community Volunteer Award went to Bruemmer for building up the new Project Pathways program that puts high school students in direct contact with business leaders through a series of expos.

“They started the year with a medical expo,” high school Principal Jerry Sardina said. The expo attracted a wide variety of health professionals who spent time talking with students interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. A generalized Career Expo, featuring people involved in a variety of professions, followed. The third expo focused on attracting professionals involved in engineering, including a representative from General Motors.

“For the first year, I think Marla hit it out of the park,” Sardina said regarding the success of the expos.”She put a ton of work into volunteering her time.”



SH may snuff out smoking at city parks and beaches

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Puffing on a cigarette at South Haven city parks and beaches could soon become a thing of the past.

City Council members voted Monday to introduce an ordinance to ban smoking at all city parks and beaches. The council introduced the ordinance after the city parks commission studied the issue and recommended that the city-owned beaches and parks be smoke free.

“Over the years, staff has fielded many complaints of smoking on the city's beaches and in our parks,” said Bill Hunter, public works director, wrote in a memorandum to the city council. “Another complaint is that cigarette butts are littering the beaches and parks. This is an ongoing challenge that all waterfront communities face.”

The parks commission made the recommendation in October 2017 after discussing the issue of whether to designate certain parks and beaches for smoking or ban it completely.

At least one city council member is opposed to such an ordinance.

Steve Schlack, who was the lone council member to oppose introduction of such an ordinance, said, “I've got mixed emotions. I'm a smoker. I find this is probably going to be a nightmare (to enforce). I don't want to put anymore burden on our law enforcement officers."

Schlack suggested that if the city were to ban smoking at beaches it at least set up designated areas where smokers could light up.

A South Haven resident in the audience at Monday's city council meeting agreed.

“If you have smokers on your beach, they're going to go right to edge where they can smoke,” said Suzie Myers, explaining that the area where smokers go might be on private property. “I would suggest you give them a designated spot,” she said.

If the ordinance is approved, people who are caught smoking will have to pay a $50 fine for the first offense, $100 for the second, and $250 for the third offense. Prior to issuing citations, however, the city would first educate people, through social media and news releases, about the new ordinance, according to City Manager Brian Dissette. Law enforcement officers and beach parking attendants who see someone violating the ordinance would also initially instruct the violators about the ban, Dissette went on to say. By mid-August, however, citations would start to be issued.

Whether the city council will decide to make the ordinance official remains to be seen. Now that the ordinance has been introduced, the council's next step would be ratification at its next meeting on July 2. If they do so, the ban would take effect in mid-July. In the meantime, city staff will determine whether to allow designated areas for smoking and examine whether or not people can smoke in parking lots and sidewalks at beaches and parks, according to Dissette.

Payback time

Covert Schools passes budet that includes $1 million

By KIM INGALLS

For The Tribune

COVERT — Covert Board of Education members adopted a budget Monday hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

The 2018-19 budget estimates general revenues of $9,009,414 and expenditures of $9,002,625. Included in the budget is a repayment to Eastern Generation LLC's New Covert Generating Plant of over $1 million.

The payment is the result of a state tax tribunal decision and subsequent court appeals that “went south” Covert superintendent Bobbi Morehead told board members during Monday's meeting. The school district's attorney, she said, has to verify that amount before the district releases funds.

The dispute with former plant owner Tenaska Capital Management began five years ago when the company appealed its tax assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal, which ruled in 2013 that the plant was being over-assessed. As a result, the plant's taxable value was reduced by 60 percent.

Even though Van Buren County and other tax units, such as Covert Public Schools, have been appealing the decision, the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that the plant is due a refund from years 2010-2011.

In May, the county board authorized refunding nearly $4.8 million in tax money to the power plant. Covert Public Schools' contribution is over $1 million.

In other matters, Phillip Haner was hired as Transportation and Maintenance supervisor at an annual salary of $49,000 plus benefits. Haner, who is pastor at United Pentecostal Church in South Haven, has driven school bus for Covert for one year and nine years with South Haven Public Schools.



6.18.18

Herrera surprised at being hired as Benton Harbor Schools' CEO

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

It appears South Haven Superintendent Bob Herrera won't be headed to Benton Harbor Schools to become its lead administrator – at least not for now.

Benton Harbor School Board trustees, Thursday, voted unanimously to hire Herrera as their new CEO. He was authorized to start July 1, pending successful contract negotiations and approval from the Michigan Department of Treasury.

However, on Friday, Herrera said he has no agreement with Benton Harbor to become its new leader.

“I have not been offered a contract from Benton Harbor Public Schools and have not received assurances from the Michigan Department of Education or the Treasury regarding the legalities of the creation of such a position,” he said.

Herrera said he recently acted as a consultant for four days at Benton Harbor Schools at the request of the Michigan Department of Education School Reform Officer. He said he did so after South Haven school board allowed him to do so. He used personal leave time to complete the consulting duties.

“Originally, I was asked to consult for up to 10 days,” he said.

But, Benton Harbor school officials found out they would need to amend the agreement so that the Michigan Department of Education and Treasury could designate a CEO to oversee the district.

They voted Thursday to hire Herrera as CEO, but Herrera said the school district is acting prematurely.

“They want to hire me but nobody has offered me a contract,” he said. “I'm kind of sitting here wondering what they were all thinking. It's nice they want me to work there, but there's no agreement, let alone a July start date.”

Elaborating further, Herrera said, “Although I recognize the unique position and am honored to have been requested by the Benton Harbor Board of Education to assist, the reality is that there are many factors and components that still need to be addressed by the Michigan Department of Eduction and Treasury before I can consider my involvement.”

Track team troubles

Ex-coach files gender discrimination complaint; Current coach placed on administrative leave

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven High School's boys and girls track teams looked promising at the start of the season. They defeated Paw Paw in the Wolverine Conference opener, prompting Head Coach Gary Haga to say, “I'm extremely proud of the effort of the track teams so far this season.”

But by the end of May, even though six South Haven athletes qualified for the state meet, The Rams as a team weren't doing so well. The girls finished eighth in the conference meet out of 10 teams, while the boys came in ninth. And head coach Gary Haga? He ended up being placed on administrative leave at the tail end of the season.

So, what happened?

According to Rebecca Bennett, whose daughter competed for the Rams, the boys and girls teams suffered because of friction between former coach Lindsay Haqq and Haga. Last year, Haqq served as the girls track coach, while Haga took the helm for the boys. This year though, Haga was asked to be coach for both teams, prompting Haqq to file a Title IX gender discrimination complaint.

“The former coach showed up at every meet, which I thought was odd, meddled when she was told not to and sat with certain parents during meets,” Bennett said. “On the other hand, coach Haga was very in-tuned, nurturing, encouraging, strategic and motivational not only with superb athletes, yet athletes with potential and athletes who may not be the best yet love the sport.”

Bennett also alleged that Haqq, who is also the boys and girls cross-country coach, is too tough on runners and some injuries runners dealt with could have been a result of that. “I just so happened to watch her run with cross-country runners pushing them too hard on a long distance run all the while leaving new freshman lost and way behind. I ran cross country in college and this is not how a coach behaves nor team leaders on long, slow distance.”

The alleged conflicts between the two coaches appears to have been at the core of South Haven School District Superintendent Robert Herrera's decision to put Haga on administrative leave.

The Herald-Palladium obtained a letter Herrera sent to track team parents on May 29, where he wrote, “Throughout the 2017-18 track season, there have been several incidents of conflict between coaches. Unfortunately, at times these conflicts may have negatively affected our athletes and the overall atmosphere of the track program. Over the past three weeks, the conflicts have escalated and it has now become apparent that the issues will not easily be resolved. At this time, my primary concern is that students may continue to be placed in difficult situations and exposed to poor adult behavior.”

In an interview, Herrera said he could not comment about placing Haga on administrative leave, nor Haqq's discrimination complaint, because both are under investigation.

“Once we get things investigated and an idea how to resolve these issues and make decisions on how to correct them, I'm limited to what I can say.”

In his letter to the parents, Herrera did say his investigation will examine several areas of the district's athletic program, including hiring processes, supervision, communication and decision-making.

Neither Haga nor Haqq wanted to elaborate on the issue.

“I asked to go and talk to the personnel committee and I'm waiting to hear back,” Haga said. “ I want to go and hear what they have to say.”

Haqq stated, “I did file a Title IX gender discrimination complaint back in March of 2018 with everything that happened to me and we are currently going through the process now.”



6.11.18

Another crack at an old mystery

MSP releases images for 'I-196 Jane' found in 1988

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

COVERT — It's been three decades since state police troopers discovered the remains of a human skeleton laying in a ditch along Interstate 196 in Covert Township

The female's identity still remains a mystery, but Michigan State Detective Sgt. Scott Ernstes hopes that will change.

Once again, state police from the Paw Paw post are trying to obtain information from the public to help identify the skeletal remains of the female, only known as “196 Jane,” at this point.

“We've got DNA. Someone cared about her,” Ernstes said. “We hope there's some family out there who will let us know.”

“196 Jane” was discovered Oct. 12, 1988 by a hunter, who saw what looked to be a skeleton near the highway by County Road 378, according to a case file that police registered in 2010 with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. Troopers from the South Haven post responded and confirmed the remains were indeed human. Forensic testing determined the female to be white, approximately five feet tall with medium brown, shoulder-length hair. Her age has not yet been pinpointed exactly. A study of the skeleton puts her age between 15-40 years of age, but police think she was between the ages of 15-30.

Although no clothing was found on the skeleton, police do not yet know if the female met a violent death.

“We don't know if foul play was involved,” Ernstes said. “The first step is to identify her.”

Police have tried several times in the past to obtain information that would lead to a positive identification of the female, but weren't able to do so.

And even though they have the woman's DNA, they have not been able to match it to anyone who may have been related to her and could identify her. Nor have they been able to positively ID the woman from a missing person's report.

“We've searched hundreds of missing persons reports,” Ernstes said.

Police are now hopeful that registering the woman's DNA with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, will be helpful to the case. If family members of missing persons would register their DNA into the system it could help police solve such cases as “I-196 Jane” more quickly, according to Ernstes.

Artistic renderings, created by forensic artist, detailing what “I-196 Jane” may have looked like, have also been released.

Police also are hopeful that several unique characteristics revealed from the female's DNA and skeletal remains will help lead to the woman's identify.

The remains show signs of Osteopenia, a precursor to Osteoporosis, according to Ernstes. There are various causes for Osteopenia in younger women, including excessive alcohol consumption or smoking, eating disorders, long term steroid use, vitamin deficiencies and teenage pregnancy. Police believe “196 Jane” had given birth to at least one child. Her oral hygiene was determined to be good, indicating that she may have been well cared for at one point, but may not have been to a dentist several years prior to her death.

South Haven plans to raise water, sewer rates

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven City Council members are contemplating a 2.5 percent increase in water fees for people who use municipal water services in the city of South Haven and the townships of South Haven and Casco.

City council members, Monday, voted to introduce an amend the city's drinking water utility ordinance to reflect the increased water rate. Final action is expected to occur at the council's June 18 meeting.

“It will be a 2.5 percent across-the-board increase,” City Manager Brian Dissette said.

The average residential user can expect to pay $1.43 more each month for their water bill, according to Dissette.

If the council approves the increase later this month, it will go into effect in July when the new 2018-19 fiscal budget year begins.

In addition to the increase in the water rate, South Haven area residents who are users of the municipal sewer system, will also seen an increase in those fees. Sewer fees are expected to increase 9.5 percent. That hike was approved a year ago as part of a five-year plan to increase sewer rates 9.5 percent annually.

The council approved the multi-year sewer service rate hike to help pay for the $22 million sewer system upgrade that has been taking place over the past two years. The project includes the replacement of sanitary sewer lines on Kalamazoo Street, Dunkley Avenue, Black River Street, Monroe Boulevard, and North Shore Drive, the upgrade of the Indian Grove lift station, the city's wastewater treatment plant's main pump station and replacement of a large sewer line underneath the Black River that connects to the city's north side.

Whether electric rates will increase this year for municipal customers remains to be seen. Last year, the city council voted to purchase electrical power from the Michigan Public Power Agency rather than American Electric Power. City officials will find out Wednesday if electric rates will increase from its supplier during the annual Indiana Michigan Municipal Distributors Association meeting, according to Dissette.

“At this time we're planning on a 0 percent increase,” Dissette told council members at Monday's city council meeting.

If an increase does occur, it will be considered at the city council meeting on June 18.

In other action, city council members voted to appoint the following people to serve on commissions, authorities and boards:

• South Haven Construction Board of Appeals: Steve Runkel, three-year term

• South Haven Harbor Commission: Brent Nichols, three-year term

• South Haven Housing Commission: Teresa Mahone-Jordan, five-year term

• South Haven Library Board: Lois Howard, five-year term

• South Haven Local Development Finance Authority/Brownfield Authority: Grant Spencer, four-year term; Cathy Pyle, three-year term

• South Haven Parks Commission: Laura Jager and and Warren Toneman, three-year terms

• South Haven Planning Commission: Michael Neiss and Tim Stegeman, three-year terms

• South Haven Zoning Board of Appeals: Jeff Arnold, Pat Gaston and Tom Stegeman, three-year terms





6.4.18

Covert Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Bobbi Morehead is shown interacting with elementary students during a classroom discussion. Covert Public Schools recently received a Capturing Kids' Hearts National Showcase Schools award for the 2017-2018 school year from the Flippen Group recently. (Contributed photo)

At Covert, students help make the rules

District credits training program for improving relationship between students, staff

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

COVERT— When it comes to classroom discipline, teachers make the rules and hope students comply. But, a small school district in Van Buren County is taking a different approach to helping students establish good behavior traits.

At Covert Public Schools, students and staff sit down together to set up classroom rules together - and their efforts are paying off with less office referrals and improved relationships between youngsters and adults.

It's all part of Capturing Kids' Hearts, a nationally known training program created by the Flippen Group, a company that develops training programs for educators and businesses.

“It has totally transformed our culture,” said Covert Superintendent Bobbi Morehead. “Some powerful data that supports this work is a huge decrease in out-of-school suspensions, improved student and staff attendance, and better grades.”

Morehead instituted the training initiative in 2014. The Flippen Group was so impressed with the improvements made in Covert that it named the district as one of its National Showcase Schools for the 2017-18 school year.

Founded in 1990 by educator, author and psychotherapist Flip Flippen, Capturing Kids Hearts (CKH) gives teachers a set of tools and strategies to help them create positive relationships with their students. The goal of the program is to reduce discipline issues and help students achieve academic success.

Their program's slogan reads, “If you have a child’s heart,  you have his head.”

One of the primary components of the program is the “social contract” reached between students and their teacher to help students manage themselves.

“It is basically where the students and the teacher discuss and agree on classroom and behavior rules together,” explained school district Director of Communications Brittany Millan.

“The philosophy of having them do this together is that it will give the student ownership and responsibility for the classroom rules. It empowers the student to make better choices because they will actually be following their own rules they helped create. I personally love the social contract and have done them with my volleyball team that I coach.”

The social contract also teaches and reinforces some essential behaviors that students will use in the adult world. Courtesy, effective communication, patience and caring for others are just a few examples. If a student misbehaves, two things can happen - the other students remind him/her of the contract and the teacher can ask a series of scripted questions that refer to the contract the student helped create. In most cases, the disruption is stopped without the student being sent to the office or receiving a consequence.

“Since our entire staff is trained in CKH we all know the process of creating one and can use it in many ways, even if we are not in an actual classroom with students,” Millan said. “ I work in an office as the director of communications and also coach but I have applied everything CKH has taught me in all aspects of my career and life.”

Training staff for the CKH program was not cheap. With a $50,000 price tag that was paid for with federal Title 2 professional development funds, every staff members including bus drivers, kitchen staff and custodians went through training.

Shortly after the program began four years ago, district leaders started to hear positive feedback.

“We’ve heard things from staff such as 'I’m a better mother, daughter, friend, person and teacher as a result of participating in the in-depth training,'” Millan said. “We have also seen a huge decrease in referrals and reflections.

Reflects went from 1,446 in the 20114-15 school year to 1,267 in the 2016-17 year, while referrals decreased from 605 to 170.

During Teacher Appreciation Day this year, students made a video thanking staff. One student said, “Mrs. Baker, thank you for always being there for me and being so helpful. When I am upset you are always calm and willing to help me.” Other students thanked teachers for helping them not only with school problems, but personal ones. One student thanked teacher Rachel Symonds, saying, “Thank you for being so supportive and amazing. You always understand my problems and have a good personal relationship with all of us. I like how you know me on a one-on-one level.” 

Covert administrative leaders credit the increased level of trust between students and staff to the Capturing Kids Heart program.

“I believe that the implementation of CKH is why our staff and student relationships are so special because students know they have a supportive group of adults that they can trust and depend on,” said Millan. “When trust is built between staff and students, the students are more open to learning and listening to what teachers have to say.” 

Morehead agrees.

“Students and staff feel respected and empowered to create self-managing, high performing teams at every level in the district. We all take responsibility to care for each other and every student so that the student's school experience will be emotionally safe. In the season of school violence, this type of initiative is what creates safe environments - working on relationships.”

Former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, who grew up in Cassopolis, speaks, May 24th, in Listiak Auditorium as part of the South Haven Speakers Series. (Photo by Becky Kark)

Archer recounts growing up poor; then rising to prominence

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Dennis Archer may have grown up poor in rural Cassopolis, but he refused to let that stop him from becoming a Michigan State Supreme Court justice and the Detroit mayor who led the resurgence of the city's economy during the 1990s.

Archer came to South Haven May 24 for the South Haven Speakers Series to discuss his long, distinguished career in law and government and his recently released memoir, “Let the Future Begin,” co-written with Elizabeth Ann Atkins,

“I grew up in poverty,” Archer said. “We didn't have a telephone.” Nor did the family enjoy the luxury of indoor plumbing. While living in Cassopolis, Archer's father lost his arm in an accident. It was then that Archer realized he would have to work hard and help his family.

“I learned early how important education is. My parents made it clear early on I was going to go to college.”

After graduating from Cassopolis High School in 1959 Archer did go on to college and obtained a bachelor's degree in education from Western Michigan University. He then returned to the city he was born in — Detroit — to take a job at Detroit Public Schools where he taught emotionally disabled children.

“I enjoyed the students and teachers,” Archer recalled. In fact, he wanted to move up the ladder and become a principal, but someone talked him out of it – a woman who ended up being his wife.

“This woman (Trudy DunCombe) said to me, 'why don't you go to law school?'”

Archer thought about it. He knew the role Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King played in firmly establishing the Civil Rights Movement. He also knew about black protestors being hosed down and chased by police dogs.

The racial riots that occurred in Detroit in 1967, firmly cemented his decision to pursue law as a career.

“Detroit had a rebellion,” Archer said. “Forty-seven people were killed and 7,200 arrested. As I was learning about law I realized the power and majesty a lawyer can do for people in need.”

He earned his law degree from Detroit College of Law in 1970 and went on to practice law in the Motor City while also serving as an associate professor at the Detroit College of Law.

But he slowly became drawn to government.

“I thought I could make a difference,” he said.

He rose to prominence in Detroit's Bar Association, which led to him being named the first black president of the National Bar Association. His growing reputation as a lawyer attracted the attention of then Michigan Gov. James Blanchard, who appointed Archer in 1985 to serve as a justice on the Michigan State Supreme Court.
“There was not a person of color there for 20 years,” said Archer, who went on to be elected in 1986 to an eight-year term.

In 1990 though he resigned and returned to private law practice in Detroit, a city whose economy was beginning to go into a downward spiral. Coleman Young was serving as mayor during the time period when the city lost a lot of its population to neighboring suburbs and cities outside of Michigan. Jobs followed.

“When mayor Young started there were 16 auto plants in the city,” Archer said. “When he left (after serving as mayor for 20 years) there were three. It wasn't his own doing, he had all kinds of issues he was dealing with.”

Archer won his first term as mayor in 1993. He immediately began working with business leaders to redevelop the city's core. A coalition of government and business leaders lobbied for Detroit to be designated as an “Empowerment Zone” in order to receive federal grants to rehabilitate aging neighborhoods and attract new businesses.

“Detroit had never been considered for an Empowerment Zone,” Archer said. But in 1995, Detroit along with five other depressed American cities each received federal grants and tax breaks totaling $350 million to build up their business communities and neighborhoods.

As mayor for eight years, Archer witnessed the construction of Ford Field and Comerica Park and other improvements in the city's downtown. He also ensured the city's budget remained balanced – something that fell apart after he left, leading Detroit to claim bankruptcy in 2013.

Although Archer is credited with the resurgence of Detroit during the 1990s, he still considers his ability to help people as one of his greatest accomplishments and one that he continues to pursue.

“I started a foundation and raised a million dollars.” The principal from the investments is used to provide scholarships for students from Cassopolis and Detroit who attend Western Michigan University and Wayne State University (the college Archer first attended before transferring to Western).





5.28.18

Bloomingdale High School senior Ashley Page (left), who compiled a history book about the town, presents it to Bloomingdale Area Historical Association President Pat Bly. The book will be on display at the Bloomingdale Depot Museum. (Photo by Kim Ingalls)

Bloomingdale's history matters to student

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

BLOOMINGDALE — Bloomingdale High School senior Ashley Page, 18, thinks there is a lot of positive things about growing up in the village of Bloomingdale.

In fact, she is so proud of its history that she chose to document it for her senior project.

Page, the daughter of Melissa Bardin and Mark Page, presented her 35-page  History Of Bloomingdale scrapbook to the Bloomingdale Area Historical Association recently.

“I hear kids say all these negative things about Bloomingdale,” she said about the village where she has grown up. “They don’t really know the history of it. I wanted people to see how the town has impacted people in different ways.”

The school district started requiring seniors to pick a project as part of graduation requirements about 12 years ago. The projects began as part of a class called "Senior Seminar" and evolved to become part of speech class. 

“Much of the logistics for the projects and the presentations are organized by our Senior Project Coordinator,” explains Deb Rodgers, senior speech and communications teacher. “Sue Kroeze, a retired Bloomingdale teacher, has served in this capacity for at least eight years. She organizes the judges. The panel of judges comes from outside Bloomingdale and surrounding communities to eliminate any preconceived notions and to keep the process as objective as possible. The panel is typically between 6-10 judges per day. We rarely have judges serve more than a day or two as they are exclusively volunteers.” 

Rodgers added that students must spend at least 20 hours to complete their project, though many, like Ashley’s, take double this amount of time and the coordinator keeps track of the hours.

“It’s quite a long process,” Page admits. “It took about 50 hours of research. I learned a lot of things that surprised me.”

One of those surprises was finding out that at one time Bloomingdale had an opera house. Another was that Bloomingdale was the home of award-winning actor David Wayne who was born in Traverse City, but grew up in the area. With a career that spanned 50 years, Wayne  appeared in four films with Marilyn Monroe, numerous television shows such as Batman and the NBC sitcom, The Brian Keith Show.

Filled with pictures, interviews with long-time residents and factual information, the book is dedicated to her late aunt Vicki Hale.

“She helped with a lot of Bloomingdale events,” said Ashley. “She inspired me to love this town.”

Judges score projects on several factors- 300 points is a 'merit' score based on if it was done in a timely manner, effectively planned and properly executed. The remaining 100 points comes from the presentation itself including public speaking.

Ashley’s project was awarded 399 points out of a possible 400 - only one point away from having a perfect score.

“I talked too fast,” Page laughed. “I was really nervous and I was the first one (of the seniors) to go before the judges.”

Bloomingdale historical association members are considering having the book published as a fundraiser for the Depot Museum where it will be on display. There will also be copies in the high school library and village library, said Page.

“We commend Ashley Page for her efforts and willingness to share her project with her community,” said historical association president Pat Bly. “It’s wonderful when young people show and share their interest in history of their community.”

Van Buren OKs $4.8 million tax refund to power plant

By ROD SMITH

For the Tribune

PAW PAW — Van Buren County has authorized refunding nearly $4.8 million in tax money to the New Covert power plant.

The County Board of Commissioners voted to comply with a Van Buren County Circuit Court decision that New Covert in Covert Township is due the money from the 2010 and 2011 tax years.

The county is acting on behalf of all taxing agents that the natural gas-fueled generating plant pays money to. About half the refund comes from Covert Public Schools and Covert Township.

The portions are: Covert Public Schools $1.46 million; Covert Township, $1 million; Van Buren County, $848,975; Van Buren Intermediate School District, $700,486; state education fund, $485,375; Lake Michigan College, $210,591; Van Buren District Library $102,181.

The county and the other affected taxing units have been embroiled in a dispute over the value of the generating plant. New Covert claims it’s over-assessed and won in early rounds, but the local governments have been appealing.

The Michigan Supreme Court appeal began in 2015 after the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed the decision on the Michigan Tax Tribunal to lower the natural gas generating plant’s assessment.

The appellate court in August of that year wrote that “Respondent (local governments) has failed to demonstrate that the tribunal made an error of law or adopted a wrong legal principle.”

In 2013, the Michigan Tax Tribunal accepted the arguments of the 1,100-megawatt plant’s owner, Tenaska Capital Management of Omaha, Neb., that the plant was over-assessed. The tribunal then reduced its value by 60 percent.

If the tribunal’s decision is upheld, it will permanently mean less revenue for the affected local governments. It could also mean millions of dollars in refunded taxes.

In 2014 the high court ruled that New Covert was due a refund for 2010 and 2011. But Treasurer Karen Makay said the local governments didn’t repay it because New Covert still owed property taxes.

“We didn’t pay it because they owed much more than that in subsequent years,” Makay said. That amount is $50 million, Makay said.

But New Covert went to court and argued that the 2010 and 2011 decision is final and asked for the money. The court agreed. And Tuesday the county complied.

The subsequent years are still being decided by the State Tax Tribunal, Makay said.

Back in February the legal bills for the appeal had totaled $751,386. Those bills are divided among the affected local taxing units.

Besides New Covert, Tenaska owns 15 other power generating plants across the country.

3 finalists named in Bangor school chief search



By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

BANGOR — For the past eight months Lynn Johnson has been doing double duty as interim superintendent and community education center director for Bangor Public Schools. But his days of wearing two administrative hats are coming to a close, as the Board of Education begins the process of choosing a new superintendent to lead the school district.

The board began accepting applications earlier this year. By the May 16th deadline, 14 resumes had been submitted, according to Van Buren Intermediate School District Superintendent Jeff Mills, who is assisting the school board's selection committee.

“The services of Van Buren ISD have been secured to assist the board in the search process and in the screening of candidates,” Mills said.

The school board's search committee of President Ruth Fuentes, Treasurer Derek Babcock and Trustee Jen Zordan, along with Mills began whittling down the list and have come up with three finalists who will be interviewed this week during a public meeting.

The finalists are Gwen Dangerfield, elementary principal and high school assistant principal for Wyoming Public Schools near Grand Rapids; Scott Morgan, superintendent of Glenn Public School and Principal of Outlook Academy; and Johnson.

“The board is looking forward to interviewing these individuals to learn more about their qualifications for becoming the next superintendent of Bangor Public Schools,” Mills said.

The interviews will begin at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 30 in the library at Bangor High School. Dangerfield will be interviewed first. Morgan will follow at 6:05 p.m. and Johnson at 6:40 p.m.

Bangor Schools has been without a full-time superintendent since January 2017 when then Superintendent Dennis Paquette stepped down because he lacked proper administrative certification from the Michigan Department of Education. After his resignation as school chief, Business Manager Deb Pobuda took over the reins on an interim basis, but when she retired in June of 2017, the board once again had to conduct a search. At first, they limited their selection process to internal candidates. But in September of 2017 they instead appointed Johnson as interim chief to spend more time conducting a thorough search for a full-time superintendent.



5.21.18

3 from South Haven sentenced in

bank fraud case

By TRIBUNE STAFF

GRAND RAPIDS — Eighteen defendants, including three from South Haven, will serve prison sentences for participating in a multi-state scheme to defraud Bank of America of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Tirrell Perry Thomas, the Michigan leader of the scheme, was sentenced to 8.5 years in federal prison as part of the ongoing multi-state investigation that resulted in felony convictions for 18 participants, U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney sentenced Thomas and the other defendants for their involvement in the bank card fraud scheme, which sought to obtain more than $780,000 from Bank of America and resulted in losses totaling $455,709. This is Thomas’s third federal felony conviction. He was convicted of federal drug trafficking offenses in 1999 and 2007.

The other defendants, including co-conspirator Earl Lee Cobb IV of Chicago, were also sentenced for their roles in the fraud scheme.

The sentences follow a 28-count indictment that was returned by a grand jury in August 2017 alleging that 19 people participated in a conspiracy to defraud Bank of America in November and December 2015. The fraud was accomplished by using debit cards to withdraw funds from ATMs and
casinos in Michigan, which had been fraudulently deposited into the bank accounts in Illinois, by Chicago co-conspirator Earl Lee Cobb IV.  Eighteen defendants pled guilty to at least one count in the indictment and one defendant, an accountholder, was allowed to enter a period of pretrial
diversion, a form of probation without entry of a guilty plea.

Some of the defendants held Bank of America accounts or opened new ones to accept fraudulent check deposits and then made fraudulent withdrawals at banks and casinos, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan. Others acted as recruiters who accompanied and directed accountholders on trips to open bank accounts and withdraw funds, while some of the suspects, such as Thomas, were leaders and organizers who collected and divided the fraud proceeds.

A list follows of the defendants who were sentenced follows:

• Tirrell Perry Thomas, Kalamazoo, 102 months in prison

• Earl Lee Cobb IV, Chicago, 78 months in prison

• Nickolas Maurice Fry, Kalamazoo, 41 months in prison, plus an additional 13 months in prison for a related federal supervised release violation

• Jerome Datra Perry, South Haven, 15 months in prison

• Josiah Nathan Preston, Wyoming, 14 months in prison

• Kyle Dwayne Mosley, Kalamazoo, 14 months in prison

• James Langford, South Haven, 12 months and one day in prison

• Darmesha Lakeya Gunn, Parchment, 11 months in prison

• Dwayne Edward Perry, Grand Rapids, 8 months in prison

• Tiffany Danielle Sanders, Sturgis, 4 months in prison

• Elnora Snipes, South Haven, 3 months in prison

• Desiree Analiese Winfield, Kalamazoo, 2 months in prison

• Antoine Naivon Younger, Kalamazoo, 1 month in prison

• Brenda Marie Davis, Kalamazoo, 1 day in prison

• Sean Allen Haney, Grand Rapids, 3 years of probation

• Kelsey Alice Thompson, Grand Rapids, 2 years of probation

• Kevin Lavelle Hunter II, Kalamazoo, 2 years of probation

• Crystal Kaye Pugh, Norton Shores, 2 years of probation

In addition to the prison and probation sentences, each defendant sentenced to prison will serve a period of supervised release after their custodial sentence, and each defendant was ordered to pay restitution to Bank of America ranging from $8,027 to $455,709, depending on the amount of actual
loss for which they were held responsible.

The Bank of America fraud case was investigated by the Detroit Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago, with assistance from the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Tribal Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Zell and Christopher O’Connor.

Not in this town

Group forms to inform SH residents about harmful effects of marijuana legalization

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

The possibility that South Haven City Council members may allow medical marijuana facilities to locate in town worries a group of 20 local residents who have banded together to raise awareness of the harmful effects marijuana can cause, particularly to youth.

“Our group's focus is to inform citizens, especially youth, about the marijuana issue,” said Lucie Jerch, a member of Concerned Citizens of South Haven.

Despite medical marijuana concerns in South Haven and the the November election where Michigan voters will vote whether to legalize recreational use of pot, Concerned Citizens of South Haven does not want to be identified as a political group, Jerch said.

“We're not taking a political approach but rather an informative approach,” she said. “We want to give people an opportunity to make informed choices.”

Rachel Sankofski, another group member agreed.

“Our group is concerned about insuring South Haven is a healthy and safe community. We want to create awareness because this is an issue being discussed at the local government level...We certainly are sympathetic to people who need marijuana for medical purposes, however we are concerned about the harmful effects of THC (the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) on young minds.”

To back its mission, Concerned Citizens of South Haven plans to sponsor a forum in June to discuss the negative effects marijuana can have on youth and on communities, as a whole.

“Marijuana: The Other Side of Cannabis,” will take place from 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Tuesday, June 5 at Lake Michigan College's South Haven campus, 125 Veterans Blvd.

The forum will include viewing of the award-winning independent documentary, “The Other Side of Cannabis: Negative Effects of Marijuana on Our Youth.”

Produced and directed by Jody Belsher of San Luis Obispo, Calif., the film tells the stories of individuals who have suffered from marijuana use. “The Other Side of Cannabis” also includes interviews with researchers throughout the United States who have studied the harmful effects of cannabis.

“I found it to be the best 72 minutes I've spent watching a movie,” Sankofski said. “It's very compelling.”

Belsher, who created the movie after her son suffered from marijuana use, will travel to South Haven to be the keynote speaker at the local forum and will also take part in a panel discussion where she will be joined by Marc Sprague, a former medical marijuana dispensary owner who now oversees the Celebrate Recovery program at LifeBridge Church in South Haven; and Abby Oliver of Healthy and Productive Michigan, a Grand Rapids-based group opposed to legalization of recreational marijuana. Concerned Citizens of South Haven also plan to invite a representative from Van Buren County Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force to be part of the panel discussion.

The community forum isn't the only event on the Concerned Citizens of South Haven' plate. They also plan to organize a forum for youth in the community on Wednesday, June 6, at a location to be determined.



5.14.18

(Clockwise from bottom left) South Haven High School seniors Olivia Price, Jazmine Mahone and Kaitlyn Gill are shown with municipal clerks Travis Sullivan, City of South Haven; Kathy Stanton, Casco Township; Daywi Cook, Covert Township; and Debbie Burrows, Geneva and South Haven townships; at last week's voter registration day at the high school.

South Haven students ready to exercise their right to vote

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

“My Vote, My Voice,” has become the mantra for several South Haven High School seniors who helped spearhead a voter registration session at their school this past week.

Olivia Price, Jazmine Mahone and Kaitlyn Gill want to send a message to governmental leaders that something needs to be done to stop the number of gun-related violence that occurs in schools throughout the country.

Following the latest mass shooting that resulted in the deaths of 23 students and adults at a high school in Parkland, Fla., in February, the trio organized a peaceful protest at South Haven High School where students discussed the need for better gun control laws.

It was at that protest where Price, Mahone and Gill, started to think about other ways young adults can make their voices heard regarding gun violence.

They approached retired teacher Julie Leavitt, who was at the protest, about their idea.

“They requested voter registration this year,” Leavitt said.

The students went to the right person. Leavitt is a member of the South Haven chapter of the American Association for University Women (AAUW).

In the past, AAUW has worked with municipal clerks from the South Haven area to go directly to South Haven High School and Lake Michigan College to register students.

After the girls made the request, AAUW members got to work.

Because of their efforts and the cooperation of clerks from South Haven and the townships of Geneva, South Haven, Casco and Covert, 54 South Haven High School students were registered to vote.

“Students who were 18 or would be 18 by Nov. 6 could register to vote,” Leavitt said. “Because they registered with a clerk, they will be able to use an absentee ballot if they are away from South Haven during the next election.”

South Haven AAUW plans to offer voter registration in the fall at the South Haven Campus of Lake Michigan College.  Candidate forums will also be held in October.

“AAUW is an advocate for nonpartisan voter education efforts and we promote citizen participation in our democratic society,” Leavitt said.

Pullman man dies after being hit by vehicle

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

PULLMAN — A 34-year-old Pullman man, who was struck early last week by a vehicle while walking along a road, has died from his injuries, Allegan County Sheriff's Department reported Friday.

Guadalupe Garcia had spent much of the week in critical condition at Bronson Methodist Hospital after Monday's accident

The collision occurred at 5:50 a.m., at the intersection of 109th Avenue and 55th Street in Lee Township.

First responders tended to Garcia but he was unresponsive and had sustained severe injuries, according to the sheriff's report. He was airflighted to Bronson where he remained for the week before succumbing to his injuries.

Deputies found out about the accident when the driver of the vehicle called 911 to say she had struck a pedestrian who was walking in the roadway.

The 20-year-old female driver of the vehicle was traveling west on 109th Avenue when she saw the man in the roadway. She told deputies she tried to stop but wasn't able to and struck the pedestrian, who was wearing dark clothing.

The victim's family described him as “learning impaired,” and said he was known to leave his family's residence at various times for walks.

Neither speed nor alcohol are believed to have played a role in the crash. Allegan County investigators have not yet indicated what charges, if any, will be filed against the female driver.



South Haven puts 6-month moratorium on new short-term rentals

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven homeowners who haven't registered their homes as short-term rentals will be out of luck in renting their dwellings - at least for this summer.

South Haven City Council members, Monday, voted to put a moratorium on new short-term rental registrations for six months to give planning commission members time to re-examine if changes need to be made to the existing short-term rental ordinance that was adopted in 2016.

The moratorium will affect homeowners who live in the city's Wards 1 and 2, only. Ward 3, where many short-term rentals have historically existed, will be exempt. In addition, any homeowner who is in the midst of building a new home or contractors involved in building units in a Planned Unit Development will be exempt from the moratorium, according to City Manager Brian Dissette.

“This does not affect any of the 406 registered short-term rentals,” Dissette said during Monday's city council meeting. Nor does the ordinance affect new dwellings currently being built that might be used for short-term rentals.

“The Council’s decision will maintain the status quo for the next six months while we have time to analyze and develop amendments to strengthen our current short-term rental ordinance,” said South Haven Mayor Scott Smith. “Over the past two years, we have been gathering data about what is working under our current ordinance and what needs improvement.”

Over the next six months, City staff and attorneys will be working to evaluate and produce amendment language that will be brought to the Planning Commission for review later this summer. If approved, the measures will then be reviewed and discussed in an open meeting with the full City Council that allows for public input, according to Dissette.

South Haven staff have identified six proposals for consideration, including:

• Increasing short-term rental fees to offset City expense, including establishing an annual fee and increasing fines and penalties for owners who fail to comply

• Regulating attached condo units under the same rules, since the current regulation doesn’t cover condos as short-term rentals

• Prohibiting short-term rentals in newly constructed homes or increased occupancy after renovations

• Prohibiting or capping the number of new short-term rentals in certain areas of the City to preserve the residential character of neighborhoods and to maintain affordable housing options

• Regulating the abandonment of short-term rentals in certain areas

• Addressing the relationship between short-term rentals and the personal residence exemption

 “We are looking to neighboring municipalities along the lakeshore to share best practices and solutions with us,” Mayor Smith explained. “We are also looking to our residents and to those who visit our community to share their issues and concerns. Our goal is to develop a regulatory framework that will be respectful of the rights of our long-term residents with those of our short-term visitors.”

 The proliferation of short-term rentals in South Haven has continued to be an issue even though the City Council in 2016 passed an ordinance regulating them. The ordinance created a registration fee, a mechanism for inspecting the homes, occupancy permits and safety measures.

However, a number of city residents have continued to voice concerns that the large number of short-term rental homes is adversely affecting the town's economy in that South Haven is being viewed solely as a tourism town, rather than a city that can attract good-paying businesses that can employ residents year-round. In addition, some residents feel that the growth of the second-home market and homes used for short-term rentals has escalated home values along the lakeshore and throughout town, preventing middle-class people from buying homes in the city.

“This has been an issue that has been reoccurring since January,” Dissette said, regarding concerns expressed by city council members, which ultimately led to a workshop Monday, prior to the city council meeting, where the issue was discussed in detail. Afterwards, council members decided to vote during their regularly scheduled city council meeting to adopt the moratorium.

During Monday's meeting, Smith pointed to other lakeshore towns such as Holland, St. Joseph and Grand Haven and noted that they all have less than 100 registered short-term rentals.

“At some point in time we have to take a look at what is happening,” Smith said.

Mayor Pro Tem Clark Gruber agreed. “This (the moratorium) is giving the planning commission six months to examine the short-term rental ordinance.”



5.7.18

New SH school board member chosen

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

After serving for nearly 30 years in the banking industry, Lynn Kerber is taking on a new role as a South Haven Public Schools Board of Education member.

Board members, at a special meeting Tuesday, chose Kerber to replace Crystal Davis, who resigned in April for personal reasons. Kerber will complete Davis's term which ends in December.

“Her resume was very impressive, she was super thoughtful with her answers to our questions,” school board vice president Doug Ransom said.

“She understands the board's governing role,” board member Bryan Lewis said.

Board members also cited Kerber's years of experience in the banking industry as a plus, due to the board's role in overseeing the district's $19.8 million budget.

Kerber retired last year after working for Chemical Bank for 27 years. While at Chemical she served in a variety of roles with the latest being executive vice president, chief risk officer. Prior to that she was regional president of the South and West Michigan regions of Chemical Financial Corp. She also served as the founder and president of the Chemical Bank Foundation.

Kerber has resided in South Haven since 1990 and has been active in community and governmental groups throughout western and southwestern Michigan, including the South Haven Local Finance Development and Brownfield authorities, South Haven Hospital Foundation, Cornerstone Alliance and Michigan's Great Southwest Leadership Council.

“I want to see our kids excel,” Kerber said, when asked what are the most pressing challenges facing the school district. “The goal for the schools is to make them successful. In order to be successful you have to be motivated to achieve.”

Kerber was chosen from a list of five candidates who applied for the open board seat. The other ones were Dubelsa Mata-Garcia, business developer at the Women's Business Center of Cornerstone Alliance in Benton Harbor; Candice Zuckerman, who owns three businesses in South Haven, along with her husband; Kyle Henrickson, a regional senior sales representative for Grifols healthcare company; and Shawn Olney, a South Haven police officer.

After spending nearly two hours interviewing the candidates, school board members remarked that they faced a difficult decision in choosing just one.

“So we can't have an 11-member board?” President Laura Bos quipped before members discussed the attributes of each candidate, whittled down their choices and took a vote.

“They were all qualified and would have done a good job,” board member John Frost said.

Michigan port towns focus of study

By TRIBUNE STAFF

The economic impact that harbors have on lakeshore communities such as South Haven will be the focus of a new study being conducted by the Michigan Port Collaborative this month

Beginning May 10 and continuing through May 18, a dozen ports along Lake Michigan and their nearby communities will be studied by Vincent Magnini, executive director of the Institute for Service Research in Virginia Beach, Va., and Bil Boil, a consultant, who was formerly with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Researchers will visit South Haven May 11^th. Other port communities that will be studied include St. Joseph, Saugatuck, Douglas, Grand Haven, Manistee, Onekama, Traverse City, Elk Rapids, Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Cedarville, Rogers City, Alpena, East Tawas and Detroit.

The economic impact study will be the first of its kind for port cities represented by the Michigan Port Collaborative, according to Felicia Fairchild, chair of the organization's board of directors.

The Collaborative's members have become concerned in recent years that less and less state and federal funding is being allocated to protect ports and the boating industry.

“We have been involved in representing the ports of Michigan for over a decade on issues that are critical to the economic success of all port communities,” said Fairchild who went on to say that when lake levels dropped drastically in 2009, concern regarding the economic viability of many Michigan ports began to wane at the state and federal levels. The dredging and infrastructure challenges caused by low-water levels created a trend in thinking that harbors are an economic liability.

“We represent the ports of Michigan and we want to change that thinking… Michigan Harbors are the front doors to our communities,” Fairchild said.

Several economic impact studies already exist, but most do not include all ports, nor do they include economic drivers for individual ports other than traditional maritime measurements, according to a news release from the Port Collaborative Many ports also attract tourists and ancillary businesses because of special attributes unique to their port communities. However, tourism dollars and additional factors that add economic value to individual ports have not been included in previous studies.

“We will use the results of this study to educate our legislators and state officials regarding our monetary value as port communities,” said Don Gilmet, vice chair of the Michigan Port Collaborative.

The Collaborative, Gilmet went on to say, believes that the results of the “full spectrum” study will verify that the economic value of Michigan ports is far greater than previously thought.

The grant is being funding by the Michigan Waterways Commission in cooperation with the City of Alpena.



4.23.18

Wild cherry tree buds in Geneva Township are shown encased in ice following a blast of snow and sleet that covered the South Haven area, the morning of April 15. (Photo by Kelly Weber)

April's cold temperatures suit fruit crops just fine, for now

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

There could be a bright side to our cold, spring weather — the possibility of a bumper crop of fruit.

Unseasonable cold, icy weather blew over much of Michigan the past few two weeks, with temperatures hovering just above freezing on many days.

As a result, fruit trees haven't even begun to bud in most areas, but that's OK.

A slow start to the growing season means delayed bud growth, which reduces the risk of a damaging freeze in early spring, according to MSU Extension Senior Educator Bill Shane. Usually, most fruit crops are in the swollen bud or bud-burst stage this time of year which can cause significant damage if the temperature drops below 20 degrees. 

“Current low temperatures are not low enough to cause fruit bud damage because the buds are still nearly dormant,” Shane said. “Snow and rain is making field work difficult, but the delay of season so far is good. Fruit crops tend to have a better chance of survival if bloom is not too early.”

In examining fields throughout the state, Shane reported there is a potential for good fruit crops this ”The major production areas on the west side of Michigan are still in very good shape,” he said. “The apple and tart cherry crop potential is still excellent.”

But a late start to the season means farmers will be working hard to keep up the pace once temperatures get warmer.

“The weather has slowed us down,” admitted Ginny Mitchell, co-owner of Jeffries Blueberry Farm northeast of Bangor.  “We just finished the pruning. The buds have not started yet and due to weather might be a little late. It is also very wet due to all the snow and rain.”

April's weather in Southwest Michigan has set records, according to area meterologists. The high of 34 on April 17 in Grand Rapids was the coldest high temperature on that date since the 1800s, according to WOOD-TV meteorologist Bill Steffan. For Muskegon, it was not only the coldest high for that day, it was the coldest high temperature this late in the season.

But the weather will slowly start improving. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures this week in the South Haven area will be warming up to the 50s and 60s.



Ready for new digs

Al-Van Humane Society raises $500,000 to create larger shelter

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

This year marks the 50th anniversary since Al-Van Humane Society opened its doors in 1968 offering shelter for homeless pets.

The non-profit is also celebrating another milestone this year — the opening of its new animal shelter.

Three years ago, Al-Van Board of Directors set out to raise $500,000 through its CARES capital improvement campaign (Community And Resources Enhance Shelter) to create a new adoption and community education center by the year 2020. 

Thanks to 350 individuals, businesses, grant sources, and anonymous monetary donations, Al-Van will be moving into its new Adoption and Community Education Center two years ahead of schedule.

Area residents can see the facility for themselves during a grand opening ceremony Monday, April 30. Housed in the former Blue Star Glass, the new shelter is at 07591 Blue Star Hwy. Local government and business leaders and community members will take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m.

The grand opening will also be held in conjunction with national “Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.” 

Purchased in 2015 by Al-Van, the 6,000 square-foot building on Blue Star Highway required a complete renovation, according to Lisa Galdikas, president of Al-Van's board of director. Twice the size of the current pet shelter on 8^th Avenue, the new center features three cat rooms, an open play area for cats, separate small and large dog adoption rooms and a centrally located community room that can be used for community workshops and seminars about pets. Other features include a separate “quiet” room for animals that are stressed, and rooms for families who want to become acquainted with potential adoptees.

“It’s exciting,” Galdikas said. “We’ve literally doubled our space and will be able to increase our intake.”

Al-Van's Executive Director Jennifer Nuernberg added, “This space is something we are lacking at our current shelter. The lobby area is cramped, with only a couple offices for meet and greets or volunteer training. When the weather is bad, our ability to work on enrichment and training for our animals is also very limited. Having a large enough indoor space to do this will have an immediate impact on their adoptability, which is the reason for it all. We cannot wait to increase adoptions, educate our community, and reduce the number of homeless and needy pets.”

Another advantage to the new shelter, is that it is now in the same building as the shelter’s Rescued Treasures resale shop. The store offers new and gently used goods with the proceeds going to the shelter.

Volunteers and employees will start moving the cats and dogs from the current shelter to the new building a few days ahead of the grand opening so that the animals, and staff, have time to get use to their new surroundings.

The shelter on 8^th Avenue, which is located near the new adoption center, will be used for intake and animals that need isolation for medical purposes. In some cases, Galdikas said, such as when a stray is brought in, it is not known if the animal has had all of its shots so pet shelter staff don’t put those kinds of animals with the rest that will be at the new shelter.



4.16.18

Worker fired after hidden camera found

Police say device discovered in Clementine’s employee bathroom

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven Police are investigating an apparent camera spying incident that occurred at a popular local restaurant earlier this month.

Police Chief Natalie Thompson reported that police were called to Clementine’s restaurant Saturday, April 7, regarding a complaint that an employee had installed a surveillance camera inside an employee locker room in the basement of the eatery.

The employee told police a camera had been installed in a co-ed bathroom used by employees.

“Our officers seized the camera,” Thompson said during Monday night’s South Haven City Council meeting. “We quickly identified the suspect.”

Police have not named the male suspect, reported to be in his 20s.

The employee in question was terminated, Thompson went on to say, adding that the man has been cooperative with police, who took his computer.

Police are now analyzing the camera to determine what images are on it, Thompson said. She wasn’t sure Monday what charges the man may face.

“Just having a camera that’s in a place where a person expects to have privacy is a crime,” she said.

Police plan to analyze the digital media from the suspect this week, according to Sgt. Patrick Carlotto. The results of the investigation will then be submitted to the Van Buren County Prosecutor's office to review.

“The officers did a good job,” Thompson said. “It’s coming together pretty well.”

A manager at Clementine’s who was contacted Monday declined to comment about the matter, saying that it is under investigation by the police department.

SH school board member resigns

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

South Haven Board of Education will be seeking a new member after hearing news of a resignation.

Crystal Davis submitted her resignation earlier this week, according to Board President Laura Bos.

“She said she was resigning for personal reasons,” Bos said.

Bos made the announcement about Davis's resignation at Wednesday's school board meeting. Davis was not at the meeting.

Davis dealt with a controversy shortly after being elected to the board. In 2017 she was charged with three felony counts of forgery and lying to a peace officer. In October of 2017 she pleaded in Seventh District Court West to a lesser misdemeanor charge of attempted lying to a peace officer and was sentenced to six months probation and fines and costs of $525, court magistrate James Becker said earlier.

The felony charges originally charged against Davis stem from allegations that she did not follow through with submitting more than $600 in donations to the small animal market auction at the Van Buren Youth Fair in 2016, her lawyer John Frost said earlier.

Davis was first elected in 2016 to fill a partial two-year term on the school board. Her term would have expired at the end of this year.

The school board has 30 days to appoint a new member, according to Bos. School district residents interested in applying for the position have until 4 p.m., April 23 to do so. Applicants should submit a resume and letter explaining their qualifications as a prospective board member to Becca Teunissen, Administrative Secretary to the Board of Education, South Haven Public Schools, 554 Green St., South Haven, MI 49090 or bteunissen@shps.org. Applications may also be submitted online at www.shps.org. Depending on the number of applicants, the Board will determine a meeting date to hold interviews.



4.9.18

Former state reps. to square off in bid for state senate seat

By HP STAFF

LAWTON — Former state Rep. Aric Nesbitt is challenging Bob Genetski for the Republican nomination for the 26th District state Senate seat.

The Lawton resident announced Tuesday he will seek the post held by the term-limited Tonya Schuitmaker, also of Lawton. The district covers Van Buren and Allegan county and Gaines Township and Kentwood in Kent County.

“Lansing needs conservative, West Michigan values, and as our next state senator, I will work to strengthen our economy, limit government, lower our auto insurance rates, balance the budget, pay down government debt and defend our Constitutional rights,” Nesbitt said in a statement.

Nesbitt grew up on a family farm near Lawton and earned a degree in economics from Hillsdale College and has a master’s degree in international business.

He served three terms

representing Van Buren County in the state House until being term-limited in 2016. Gov. Rick Snyder last year appointed him state lottery commissioner.

Nesbitt in his announcement cited his House budget efforts and reducing regulations.

“Turning our principles and common-sense solutions into a reality has always been my focus.” Nesbitt stated.

Genetski of Saugatuck served three terms in the state House and is now Allegan County clerk. Genetski was a high school teacher for at-risk students in 2008 when he was first elected to the Michigan House. He was re-elected in 2010 and again in 2012 – despite being convicted that year for drunk driving in East Lansing. He was elected Allegan County Clerk and Register of Deeds in 2016.

Democrat Garnet Lewis of Saugatuck is running as Democrat and Erwin Haas of Kentwood is running as a Libertarian.

The primary election is Aug. 7.

South Haven organization plans to start professional theater series

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

A non-profit group that started a successful performing arts series and a speakers series in South Haven several years ago, now hopes to bring professional theater to town.

SHOUT for South Haven, a non-profit group dedicated to community improvement projects, is spearheading the effort to start an annual series of four theatrical productions.

Members of SHOUT and a dozen community leaders and local residents met Tuesday to discuss the idea.

“A number of people have expressed an interest in bringing professional theater productions here,” said Bob Copping, president of SHOUT. “We're aiming at high-quality theater, whether that means Equity actors or young adults (such as college students majoring in theater) who want to make a start in theater.”

SHOUT is willing to donate $3,000 in seed money to get the series off the ground. It also intends to apply for a grant from the South Haven Community Foundation, and will tap into monetary support from financial donors.

“SHOUT has pledged money to get the speakers and performing arts series organized and those are successful,” Copping said. “We're willing to help start this up.”

Don Hixson, treasurer for SHOUT, agreed. “We have been an incubator in getting cultural things started,” he said. “The whole thing will work based on several of you stepping forward to help.”

Local residents and community leaders in attendance at Tuesday's meeting indicated a willingness to take Hixson up on his offer..

“We are ready for this (professional theater),” said Tracey Davis, who is active with Our Town Players community theater group.

Our Town Players has been in existence in South Haven for several decades. Its volunteer board has produced both adult and children plays and musicals. But for the past several years, the group has experienced difficulty in attracting volunteer actors and stage hands for its theater productions involving adults and as a result has concentrated more on children's plays.

“We're having a drop off in volunteers and attendance,” Davis said.

SHOUT hopes to get the theater series off the ground this year and would like productions to start small, initially.

“We're looking at trunk shows,” Hixson said, referring to performances involving one or two people. The group hopes $8,000 can be raised to start the first season. “We'd like a minimum budget of $8,000, $13,000 would be ideal,” Copping said.

SHOUT and the group's next step involves contacting regional and Midwestern theater groups, actors and college theater departments to begin the process of lining up the first year's performances. Members will meet next in April. For more information about getting involved with the theater series, call 269-637-1370.



3.26.18

Four medical marijuana ventures eye South Haven; City officials remain cautious

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Four companies interested in establishing medical marijuana facilities that could generate tax revenue and jobs in South Haven will have to wait a little longer to determine if they will be able to do so, if at all.

South Haven city council members met Monday to determine whether to go ahead with a City Planning Commission recommendation to proceed with developing an ordinance to allow medical marijuana facilities, but after public comment, city council members decided to proceed slowly.

“We're all thinking the next step is worrisome,” council member Joe Reeser said, referring to the possibility of a November ballot issue that could be facing state voters to determine whether marijuana should be legalized as a recreational drug.

A month ago, the city's planning commission recommended that an ordinance allowing five types of medical marijuana facilities be drafted. Those facilities would include growing operations, processing plants, provisioning centers, transporters and safety compliance companies.

But after hearing public comment Monday, council members directed city staff to take steps to draft an ordinance just dealing with companies that would like to establish plants for growing, processing and safety compliance of medical marijuana.

“We'll work to develop a draft ordinance (for growing, processing and safety compliance of medical marijuana),” City Manager Brian Dissette said. “If we get through that we can circle back to provisioning and transport.”

Council members gave city staff that direction after hearing a number of local residents express concerns about dispensaries that distribute medical marijuana to patients, and the establishment of medical marijuana facilities in general in the city.

Some residents, like Jan Haglund, who along with her husband, owns a downtown business in South Haven, worried about odors emanating from dispensaries, and a possible increase in crime.

Even though South Haven's planning commission doesn't recommend that dispensaries be located downtown, residents still expressed concern.

The four businesses that would like to locate medical marijuana facilities in South Haven include

Bloom City Club of Ann Arbor, which owns several upscale dispensaries; Greenhouse Group LLC of Illinois, which operates medical marijuana dispensaries in the Chicago area; The Green Door, which has a dispensary in Bangor and plans to break ground later this month on a processing plant in Bangor's industrial park; and Demeter Group LLC, who in a proposal to the city, states it has a signed purchase agreement in the vicinity of Kalamazoo and Aylworth streets.

Whether the city will take any grow operation seriously remains to be seen. Council members indicated they are not ready to opt out of allowing such facilities, but remain cautious.

“It's a controversial issue,” Mayor Scott Smith said. When city attorneys draft an ordinance to allow growing, processing and safety compliance of medical marijuana, the planning commission will examine it and take public comments before forwarding a recommendation to the city council, which also will take public comment before any action is taken.

Covert school board appoints new member

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

COVERT — Steve Mackey attended his first Covert School Board meeting Monday night, but it was not without controversy.

Mackey was appointed by the board to fill the seat vacated by Valerie Bury who resigned in February after posting a comment on Twitter that no one died during the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012.

Several in attendance at Monday's meeting, including one board member, claimed the school board did not follow Michigan Association of School Board's recommendations on filling vacancies.

“I think the process was unfair and unjust,” said Geoffrey Rose, who was in attendance. “It was a poor example of democracy. They used the MASB guidelines for questions, but did not vote by ballot.”

Rose, who is a retired Covert Schools facilities employee, further stated that he had no problem with Mackey, it was more how the seat was filled.

Board trustee Shirley Kener had similar concerns.

“I didn’t vote against the candidate,” she said, “I voted against the practice.”

Superintendent Dr. Bobbi Morehead, however, disagreed with assertions the school board did something wrong in appointing Mackey.

“MASB has recommended guidelines. Recommended being the key term,” Morehead said. “This board conducted business legally. Interviews were conducted and a person was voted on and appointed to fill the vacancy during an open meeting.”

The special meeting where school board candidates were interviewed occurred Thursday, March 15.

“The board interviewed six candidates,” Morehead said. “After the interviews, a board member made a motion to appoint Steve Mackey to the vacant seat. The motion passed 4 to 2. Steve Mackey was sworn into office last Friday (March 16). He will be a great addition to the Covert Board of Education.”

Mackey has served on the We Care In the Name of Christ board of directors for six years with the last three as president. He is also a member of the Van Buren Civic Organization.

In other business, trustee Elizabeth DeRosa was elected as board secretary to replace Bury who had served in that role while on the school board.

Zip line, new skate park envisioned for Bangor parks system

By KIM INGALLS

For the Tribune

BANGOR — A new skate park, zip line and security cameras are just a few of the improvements on tap for the city’s parks within the next few years.

The State of Michigan stamped its approval of Bangor's new five-year Parks and Recreation plan, which now allows city officials to apply for grants from the state's Department of Natural Resources to help fund the proposed improvements.

“We did the project (plan) in-house except for the maps,” explained Bangor City Manager Regina Hoover. “We got those from Johnson and Anderson, an engineering firm out of Muskegon.”

The remainder of the plan - the editing, tables, data and photos was done by the Parks and Recreation committee.

“We needed to do the project as cost effectively as possible due to the lack of funds,” Hoover said. “It turned out real good and even the DNR rep stated, ‘Nice job to you and your crew.’ We worked on it for about a year.”

Other improvements and additions include walking trails in almost all the parks, installing BBQ grills and upgrading play equipment in Lions Park, adding a zip line and disc golf in Kiwanis Park and new bleachers, netting, and upgrading the concession stand in Don Mora Park.

A recent survey conducted by the committee resulted in one common comment from local residents - safety.

“Security cameras was on the old plan and we have kept it on the new plan,” Hoover said. “Responses to our survey indicated that almost 58 percent didn't feel safe in the parks.”

City officials are hoping that the .35 mil park millage will help them secure matching grants.

Copies of the plan are available at city hall.



3.19.18

An edge of 67th Street, south of Baseline Road, in Geneva Township, was washed out in February from flooding that occurred throughout Southwest Michigan.

Road woes

VB County Road Commission: Millions ofdollars needed to bring county roads up to snuff

By ROD SMITH

For the Tribune

PAW PAW — Three millage issues may be facing Van Buren County voters in August.

This past week, Van Buren County Board of Commissioners listened to information about the three millage issues, which would be placed on the Aug. 7 Primary ballot if the board decides to include them.

The issues are a renewal of both county public safety and ambulance millages as well as a new request for money to improve roads.

Van Buren County Road Commission Engineer-Manager Lawrence Hummel told commissioners, Tuesday, the Road Commission doesn't have the money to make all the needed repairs to roads, culverts and bridges.

"Things are falling apart faster than you're fixing them," Hummel said. State funding isn't keeping up with repairs and upgrades that need to be made, he went on to say.

To bring all county roads up to snuff would cost nearly $119 million, according to printed material from the Road Commission.

The county has about 350 miles of primary roads — those roads marked "County Road" plus Blue Star and Red Arrow highways. There are another 980 miles of township (local) roads, those marked "street" and "avenue." Of the 350 miles of primary roads, about 55 miles are considered good. Another 58 miles are considered fair, and 235 miles are considered poor.

In the local road category, 147 miles are good, 231 are fair and 327 are poor. The figures do not include gravel roads.

Also, there are about 30 to 50 culverts that need to be replaced. "And everytime you get the big flood there's another 20," Hummel said, referring to the recent flooding.

The 3-mill request for 12 years is expected to generate $10.3 million the first year. The plan is to use $7.2 million of that levy every year to improve county roads. The remaining money goes to cities and local authorities — downtown development, tax increment financing, brownfield, and local development financing.

If passed, in the first four years Red Arrow Highway, Blue Star Memorial Highway and County Road 388 will all be improved from end-to-end. Those three plus other road projects will total 135 miles of improvements through Year 4, according to the Road Commission.

A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable valuation of a property. The owner of a property with a taxable valuation of $25,000 would pay $75 annually if the measure passes.

Also at the Tuesday meeting, commissioners tentatively OKd an Aug. 7 ballot request for the renewal of 0.5332-mill for public safety for four years for drug enforcement and road patrol. It's expected to bring in $1.7 million, based on last year's countywide taxable value.

Similarly, the ambulance millage is expiring. The renewal request will be 0.9402-mill for four years. The initial estimate is $2.9 million the first year.

Commissioners will make formal decisions on putting the requests on the ballot after language and finances are finalized.

Housing needs, economy top city's priorities

By BECKY KARK

Editor and general manager

Affordable housing, economic development, and road improvements top the list for South Haven City Council's 2018-19 priorities.

Council members met earlier this week in a workshop to discuss goals for the upcoming year and developed a list of nine priorities they anticipate approving at Monday's council meeting.

“The action being sought at Monday's meeting is to formally adopt the priorities as written,” South Haven City Manager Brian Dissette said. “We had a one-and-a-half-hour discussion at the workshop. Based on the council's feedback we developed a list of nine priorities.”

Affordable housing topped the list. It's an issue that has come up repeatedly in the past several years.

“That's very important to council members,” Dissette said.

In the past 30 years, South Haven has become a haven for construction of high-end homes and condominiums along the lakeshore. It has gotten to the point where the median price for a home in South Haven is $50,000 higher than Van Buren County as whole, according to 2015 U.S. Census figures.

City officials hope to create an atmosphere for construction of affordable housing by creating zoning districts that provide for what has become known as “missing middle housing,” which is characterized as affordable homes geared toward young families, millennials and older adults, who don't want to live in apartments. Some examples of these types of homes are carriage houses, duplexes, triplexes or small multi-unit complexes that are constructed to blend in with single-family home neighborhoods located near downtowns or on the edge of commercial areas.

The council's number two priority is to increase the city's economic development efforts. Earlier this year, council members began taking turns meeting each week with local industries to determine if there are ways the city can help them improve their bottom line. The council plans to continue meeting with business leaders and to strengthen ties with regional economic development groups, such as Kinexus and Southwest Michigan First.

Road and infrastructure improvements are third on the council's list of priorities, and city staff are already paving the way for that goal to be accomplished.

“The upcoming fiscal year is about wrapping up road and infrastructure projects we have going and moving into a whole lot of maintenance projects,” Dissette said.

The city's Department of Public Works has developed a long list of improvements for 2018-19 that include repaving portions of 13 streets, including Superior Street, Kalamazoo Street, Hubbard Street, Michigan Avenue and Elkenburg Street; constructing a sidewalk on Aylworth Avenue near South Haven High School; and totally reconstructing sections of Hubbard, Michigan, Cherry and Cook streets where a new water main needs to be installed.

The other six city council priorities for 2018-19 follow:

• Improve, maintain and seek funds for city parks and public places

• Analyze the short-term rental ordinance to see if it needs to be refined

• Seek to improve the city's Maritime District, which borders the city's harbor

• Seek to improve the city's customer service and communication with local residents, businesses and visitors

• Seek to improve the central business district to ensure that downtown remains a desirable place

• Seek to continue efforts to provide training for elected officials and city staff