Grand Haven Tribune

4:00 PM Aug 24, 2011

Village write-in candidates have Sept. 2 deadline

The ballot is set for the Sept. 13 Village of Spring Lake election, but write-in candidates have until 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, to file a declaration-of-intent form. Village Councilman Jim MacLachlan is running unopposed for a two-year village president term. Village President Bill Filber said he decided to not run for re-election. Councilmen Stephen Nauta and David Bennett are seeking re-election to four-year council seats. No one is running for a third vacant four-year council term.

3:39 PM Aug 24, 2011

Mich. residents feel shakes from East Coast quake

Michigan residents hundreds of miles away felt the distant rumble of a 5.8 magnitude earthquake centered northwest of Richmond, Va., that also shook Washington, D.C., Tuesday afternoon. General Motors Co. spokeswoman Ryndee Carney was among people in and around Detroit who felt the ground shake. Carney said she noticed the building sway while sitting at her computer on the 29th floor of a tower in GM's headquarters in downtown Detroit, about 450 miles northwest of Richmond. She said it lasted about 30 seconds, but nothing fell from shelves or desks and there was no damage.

2:00 PM Aug 24, 2011

Little Red House fundraiser to pay tribute to ‘Greatest Generation’

West Michigan residents will be transported back to the excitement and triumph of V-E Day at Bravo On the Boat 2011 - a fundraiser for The Little Red House Adult Day Care Services on Saturday, Sept. 24. Think Bob Hope, Andrews Sisters and Marlene Dietrich; flyboys and GIs; the Jitterbug and Lindy; and swinging to Big Band sounds. Bravo! On the Boat 2011 will take place aboard the USS LST-393 in Muskegon. The event will kick off at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails, and music from the Lakeshore Big Band. A strolling dinner will follow at 7 p.m.

12:00 PM Aug 24, 2011

Polar bear hunter runs afoul of U.S. authorities

A big-game hunter who legally killed a 7-foot polar bear more than a decade ago in Canada ran afoul of U.S. authorities after using a boat to ferry the trophy to Michigan. Rodger DeVries of Ottawa County's Georgetown Township faces sentencing Sept. 8 on a misdemeanor of knowingly and unlawfully using a U.S. port or harbor to import polar bear parts without obtaining a permit. Court records show he pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.

11:30 AM Aug 24, 2011

City’s free community picnic to celebrate end of summer

The city of Grand Haven will be celebrating community with an end-of-summer cookout at East Grand River Park on Saturday. "We are going to have a summer-style cook-out,' said event organizer John Stuparits, manager of the Grand Haven-Spring Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant. Stuparits said the Bayou Picnic is free and will feature a pig roast where pulled-pork sandwiches, baked beans, corn on the cob and rolls will be served. Over the past several years, attendance at the annual city picnic has averaged about 800 or so people.

10:59 AM Aug 24, 2011

Volleyball Roundup: Bucs fall in semifinals at Northview

Grand Haven's varsity volleyball team showed its resiliancy on Tuesday, as the Buccaneers battled into the semifinals of the Grand Rapids Northview Invitational, despite playing without starting setter Jami Hogeboom. Hogeboom suffered a concussion during Saturday's Lakeshore Classic tournament at Grand Haven and was held out Tuesday for precautionary measures. "Hopefully she'll be back by Saturday when we travel to East Kentwood for the WMVOA Tournament,' Grand Haven coach Katy Walters said.

10:56 AM Aug 24, 2011

Second lightning-related fire in a week strikes Crockery Twp.

The second Crockery Township home in less than a week was struck by lightning when storms rumbled through the area Tuesday night. Firefighters were called to 17804 120th Ave. at 9:42 p.m. when the homeowners saw smoke in the laundry room after a lightning strike shook the area. Crockery Township Fire Chief Gary Dreyer said the lightning hit the house and followed a vent to the dryer, starting it on fire. The chief said the fire was contained to the dryer and was extinguished by firefighters.

10:54 AM Aug 24, 2011

Volunteers needed for Old Boys’ Oktoberfest races

Volunteers are needed for the Old Boys Brewhouse Oktoberfest races being held Sept. 16-17. The Kids Race on Friday, Sept. 16, kicks off the weekend of events. Saturday's races include a marathon beginning at 8 a.m., half marathon beginning at 8:15 a.m., and 5k beginning at 8:30 a.m. Volunteers are needed for both Friday and Saturday.

10:50 AM Aug 24, 2011

Run for Sight 5K set for Sept. 3

The Run for Sight 5K Run/Walk will take place the morning Saturday, Sept. 3, at Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon. The event raises thousands of dollars annually to support vision rehabilitation services for those in our community living with severe vision loss. Shoreline Vision partners with the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired to put on this event.

10:48 AM Aug 24, 2011

Prep Soccer: Bucs score 1st win

Willie Bennick scored twice and Nate Rose, Mike Moran and Corey Vanderlaan also added goals as the Grand Haven varsity soccer team thumped Reeths-Puffer on Tuesday, 5-1. The Buccaneers (1-0-1) led 4-0 at halftime. Bennick and Rose scored back-to-back goals in a five-minute stretch midway through the first half, then Moran scored to make it 3-0. Vanderlaan's goal late in the half put the Bucs firmly in control at halftime.

10:37 AM Aug 24, 2011

New SL teacher contract includes 2-year wage freeze

A two-year agreement is in place with Spring Lake Public Schools teachers that will enable the district to significantly reduce its labor costs. The Spring Lake Board of Education on Tuesday approved a two-year contract with the district's 132 teachers. The teachers had already ratified the agreement on Aug. 18. Teachers have agreed to a two-year wage freeze and significant changes in their health insurance plans. Teachers who are eligible for step pay raises will receive one-half of a step increase during the second year of the contract.

8:30 AM Aug 24, 2011

Man, 26, accused of sex assault, killing of baby

Federal prosecutors have accused a northern Michigan man of killing his 3-month-old daughter while he was sexually assaulting her. Steven Deuman, 26, is charged with murdering his infant daughter while sexually assaulting her. He has a hearing scheduled for today in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. The case is federal because the Aug. 12 death happened on a reservation of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians in Leelanau County, northwest of Traverse City. Records say Deuman, his wife and children live on the reservation.

7:35 AM Aug 24, 2011

Poll: Stabenow would beat Hoekstra

Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow continues to struggle to get a majority of likely Michigan voters to give her a positive job rating, but she also wins in a head-to-head matchup with at least one of her potential Republican opponents, according to a poll released Monday. Thirty-seven percent of 600 people polled statewide gave her a job rating of "excellent' or "pretty good,' while 29 percent ranked the job she was doing as "just fair' and a quarter of voters said she was doing a poor job. Nine percent were undecided.

7:34 AM Aug 24, 2011

Cause of death still undetermined for boater

An autopsy has been completed on the body of a man pulled out of the Grand River Saturday evening, but the cause of his death is still undetermined, Spring Lake/Ferrysburg Police Chief Roger DeYoung said late this morning. Michael Kirby, 51, of Coopersville, died sometime late Friday night or early Saturday morning when he fell into the water behind his boat docked at the Village Cove Marina, 900 W. Savidge St. in Spring Lake. Kirby was last seen by friends after 10:30 p.m. Friday at the Holiday Inn, police reported. He was discovered missing Saturday morning.

7:27 AM Aug 24, 2011

SL swimming wins Ludington Relays for third straight year

Spring Lake's varsity swim team took first place at the Ludington Relays for thie third straight year and for the first time under new coach Nikki Theune. "This meet is always a great way to start the season,' she said. "It's fun and it gives us a chance to see how the other teams in our conference are doing.' The Lakers opened the meet on a positive note, with their 400 medley relay team of Jaylen Adkins, Lydia Gleason, Roxane Strobel and Ginny Cotterall taking first place.

7:24 AM Aug 24, 2011

Prep sports roundup: Adams a bright spot for SL golf

Spring Lake varsity golfer Elinor Adams text messaged her father on Monday highlighting her round at the Jenison Invite, held at The Meadows at Grand Valley State in Allendale.

7:22 AM Aug 24, 2011

Today's forecast

Today: A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 13 and 21 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Tonight: A 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Northwest wind around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Breezy, with a north-northwest wind at around 19 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.