Volume 2, Issue 30 DECEMBER 20, 2024
Please Consider us in your end-of-year Giving!
REFLECTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY
Total Raised: $6,399
Lead this Legacy
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Volume 2, Issue 6 DECEMBER 20, 2024
YOUR LOCALLY OWNED ANDOPERATED OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND NONPROFIT NEWSSOURCE SOURCES Reflections of our community
White Lake Mirror YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE
We are Issues Celebrating Delivered! Shop with a Hero gives head start on Christmas
Local responders invitefirst you to enjoy One million! I was al- veyor belt one summer. would stand the test of the right thing. I felt the governance. take area ontold the first million Those were the glory days time. A daunting task, that need to become involved I cannot let the rest of the 82nd editionkids of ways our Echo shopping and the was trip the hardest. In my of the cherry harvest - through the help of my when my friends were the story go untold. We are Walmart
I
PAID
BIG RAPIDS, MI 49307 PERMIT NO 62
PRSRT STANDARD NON PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE
58th edition of our Mirror. 69 years here in Ocea- from hand to machine. By Andy Roberts We set out on this journey, na County, I have been And I was fortunate to be White Lake Mirror Editor not certain where it would blessed to have had many a part of that history. leadAmid us, but now the path is visionaries I worked my way a seasonally appropriateas role modbackdrop of heavy snow, the clear. We banded together els.Whitehall Men and women who through college on the Walmart hosted its annual took Shop the withtime a to lift me farm and was fortunate and have been publishing Hero event Wednesday, teamthe kind of newspaper ourDec. up11, and give me the will to meet a woman by the ing local first responders families community was thirsting with to carry on. When I was a name of Mrs. Paul M. Wiein need to makefull-color it a merryboy Christmas for. We deliver growing up on Church ner. She was a widow and for all. news to almost Street in Hart, I carried the needed a manager for her county officer smiles annual event, which takes everyThe mailbox in Oceana Chronicle doorA toMichigan door. I State Silver Police Hills Farm in Mears in a photo after being paired up with place nationwide through particiand part of the White Lake would pick those papers - a delightful summera to go shopping during and the pating municipalities, to local area - around 14,500 cop-is intended up at Lorenz’s and student head home, rich in history, Wednesday, Dec. 11 Shop with a Hero foster positive relationships between ies each week - for free. to the west side of town. A a beautiful place to live. event at the Whitehall Walmart. firstedition responders andour the 10-year-old communi-with This celebrates 73 papers Her husband Paul died • Andy Roberts/Mirror ties millionth they serve through giving. one copy of Theholiday on Route 3. A heavy load the year I was born, and my had fellow respondThe White Lake event Oceana Echo andarea’s almost forisafunded young lad “Many through(ofwe a first special bond. ers) spoke of the joy they saw in the through a Walmart grant and has taken 850,000 of the White Lake the snow and cold. I was She was in the Muskegon faces of the participants and place at the store each yearthe since 2017. Mirror. man of the house at student social circles and active also advised that they could personally Whitehall police officer Brandon that time in my life and in the Frauenthal Theatre, the event was making Mahoney emceed the event. didKids mywere best tosee make my as well as thea difference Muskegon in their lives,” Mahoney “Several paired with participating first respondmother proud. Everyone Communitysaid. Foundation. of the responders told me to sign them ers and chose gifts for their families. on my route knew me and This was my introduction up for next year. Walmart employees got intook on the fun care to watch out for to philanthropy. I ran her “Walmart has been great comby serving as a gift-wrapping stationin Hart me. Living was a errands anda worked with munity partner and we look forwardI once the children had selected their blessing. her trust department. many moremade yearsa of thefriend WhiteinLake presents. My mothertoremarried, new PaShop with a Hero program. “ and we moved to the farm, tricia B. Johnson, Presand I was given a strong ident of the Muskegon man to call my father. A Foundation, and she veteran who knew what would play a role in my life the call to arms was. One in the coming years. of the Greatest Genera- a loan I left thePlayhouse farm for a new approving the retion. Throughquested. him, and career at Muskegon Federmy new brother, I The learned al Savings & Loan,slate working mayor’s nomination inwhat long dayscluded were and at the Hart Office. There, himself, council member TomI how to raise quality the good fortuneElie of Ziemer,fruit. localhad business owners Ladders and Ghazal, lugs. One befriending a little retired Amanda Kiefer, Kara Smith and By Andy Roberts hundred migrants the teacher from Walkerville. Ryan in Briegel, and Frank Bednarek and White Lake Mirror Editor field. Hand Laurie harvesting Julia E. Hager. SheFriends never Audo from the nonprofit cherries is a long-lost married. Never droveanda WHITEHALL — The Whitehall city of the proPlayhouse group. Ziemer cess, Salter’s but we learned the car. She rode the bus, and council rejected mayor Steven Tanya Cabala both expressed support machines, trains to Chicago and Scott Iowa recommended list of eight transition people whoto for having fellow council member and sustainthat is where we on sawthetocommittee, teach. She believing was the last would comprise a Playhouse Brown he the oneregumillionth of hertofamily andrevenue wanted ability committee at Tuesday’s couldpound bring ideas generate of cherries to create lar council meeting. The meeting tookgo off for the the conPlayhouse. It wassomething not clear ifthat his place this week instead of next week omission was the only reason the counWHITEHALL due to the Christmas holiday. WELCOME cil voted the list down. READERS: Please enjoy this complimentary editionthe of our The council voted 6-1 to decline During earlier discussion, counnewspaper. We look forward to serving you! Salter’s nomination slate, with the may- cil seemed united in hoping to put the or the lone dissenting vote. Per the city committee together as soon as possicharter, the council has the right to pro- ble, with meetings likely beginning in vide “advice and consent” to mayoral January. Despite the council turning committee nominations. The council down the mayor’s list, city manager approved the creation of such a com- Scott Huebler said he and Playhouse mittee at its Nov. 26 meeting in lieu of manager Beth Beaman are doing some
Muskegon friendship with being let go of their life’s deep into a lawsuit with Pat and a new friend, Dor- love. Journalism. I saw another publisher. We othy A. Johnson, president pain and tears shed over sought counsel and are of the Michigan League dreams dashed. I knew I acting as gentlemen and of Foundations. It was could step in and calm the women should. We offer the culmination of these storm. They needed a safe no malice and only want relationships that a new harbor to band togeth- to exist on our merits. We affiliate relationship was er and create something do hope to see this put to formed. Muskegon would larger than the sum of the bed soon. We meet the facilitate the creation of pieces. This little paper. statute as to the definition the Oceana County Com- Our Echo. Our Mirror. of a newspaper and have munity Foundation andstudentWhat grew inout of with everyaright exist. We can Above, first responders and participants the Shop Hero to program gather administer funds. Be-Whitehall our vision of serving our publish as for a groupour photo at the Walmart Wednesday, Dec. 11.public Below,notices, Walmart employees the festive assistneighbors in wrapping giftsasstudent participants ing on that join charter boardatmosphere friends to and well legal notices, and Roberts/Mirror ischose. one of• Andy the highlights of with a weekly newspaper have a broad circulation. my life. This was a com- is now being looked for- That was our mission in munity effort, and I only ward to with anticipation the beginning, and we played a small role in that every Friday. We are cele- have met that goal. Therecast. But I knew that we brating our one millionth fore, no contributions to would do good forever. copy! And if my math is our cause have been used Coming back full circle correct, at a dollar a piece, for legal defense unless in the non-profit arena, I we have given a million earmarked by the donor have had the good fortune dollars worth of news to for such purpose. to lead the Oceana Coun- our community. But that does come ty Agricultural Society, as A nonprofit newspaper with a cost. We do have well as the Oceana County cannot be political, owned great ad revenue, and we Historical and Genealog- by a bank, or controlled do have subscribers, but ical Society. Both roles I by an elected official. I it will take you - our readcherish, and I know full have been elected, twice, ers to steady the ship. We well the importance of for County Commission- have formed a non-profmy role in these societies. er. Therefore, when we it. A 501(c)(3) charitable I am one of the younger formed this newspaper, newspaper. And with your people, but now I do see I gave control to a board tax-deductible donation the sands of time passing of directors. We operated to Echo Publishing Inc., by. We are not promised under those guidelines to we can continue to print tomorrow, so I try to give assure we are compliant. and distribute our newsevery day. These roles in We saw the need for sol- paper. Newspapers are life are most rewarding. id news reporting of the folding all over the counAnd as Julia often told me, affairs of our county gov- try, and the nonprofit my reward would come in ernment. We are able to model is the future of print heaven. publish public notices for journalism. If you enjoy And here we are today. every governmental en- our paper and want to see Another role in another tity in the county. There it flourish, please considplay - The Echo and Mir- is a pressing need for the er a gift to keep this little Whitehall mayor (right intoboth photos) presentspaper certificates to police ror. Little did weSteven know Salter we public receive notices showing up inofficer your Derek Sova (left) and Department of Public Works employee Paul Young during Tuesday’s would grow to be so loved on a weekly basis, deliv- mailbox every Friday! council meeting. Sova wasered one ofatsixno citycost employees to be honored for milestone work -city good news, lives rememto every anniversaries, while Young was feted for his retirement after 21 years’ service. bered, our children and household in our county. • Andy Roberts/Mirror - Paul Erickson their achievements. An informed electorate is President of Echo Publishing Inc. well. preliminary givedothethe committee We strivework hardto to basis for fair and equal In other council business Tuesday, a head start once its composition is determined. Mayoral nominations for the the council unanimously approved a city’s regularly scheduled committees resolution to commit to providing at will be due for the Jan. 28 council meeting, creating a logical time for the new Playhouse committee to be formed as
Whitehall council votes down initial committee list RESIDENTIAL POSTAL CUSTOMER ECRWSS
Once formed, committee will consider ideas to make Playhouse sustainable
Whitehall council continued on page 2
WinBerg to repair Rothbury approved for DNR Whitehall school bus garage grant worth $150K By Andy Roberts
perintendent CJ Van Wieren said it is unlikely the price tag will be that high. White Lake Mirror Editor Van Wieren said he had spoken with WHITEHALL — The Whitehall company president Brad VanBergen,
By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor ROTHBURY — The Village of Roth-
tion of Czarny Park. The village applied for the grant earlier this year in hopes of revitalizing the park. The Passport grant