Senior citizens have joined the ranks of those being honored during Grand Haven's Coast Guard Festival. Festival organizers and leaders of the North Ottawa County Council on Aging have combined resources and dedicated next Wednesday as "Senior Day' for the 2011 festival. Events will include a pickleball tournament, line dancing, a Living Well Expo, live performances and bingo.

The director of the local Big Brothers Big Sisters organization said today that collections being taken by someone going door to door in the name of that organization was a scam. "Somebody was knocking on doors on Hillcrest Street (in Grand Haven) near the hospital last night, claiming to be from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wisconsin,' Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore Director Regina Sjoberg said this morning. "We never go door to door and we certainly wouldn't go collecting in another state.'

A section of Lakeshore Drive, south of M-45, was closed to traffic for about an hour late Wednesday afternoon following a two-car accident in front of 10765 Lakeshore Drive. Four people with minor injuries were taken by ambulance to North Ottawa Community Hospital following the 4:42 p.m. accident, said Lt. Bruce Palm of the Grand Haven Township Fire Department. One person refused medical treatment. Palm said the car pulled out of a driveway into the path of a southbound sport utility vehicle. No further information was available at this time.

Police are investigating the murder of a West Michigan native, whose body was found in parts in Texas. Authorities said they found the dismembered body of Laura Ackerson, 27, near Richmond, Texas - hundreds of miles from her current home in Kinston, N.C. Ackerson's family still lives in Ionia County, where she grew up.

Cameron McNeil grew up sailing butterflies at the Spring Lake and White Lake yacht clubs, and has made a name for himself in sailing circles as one of the top MC Class sailors in the nation. This past weekend, McNeil, a 2000 Spring Lake High School graduate, got a chance to go up against the top sailors from across the country in an entirely different boat - the Laser. McNeil was one of 22 sailors invited to participate in the U.S. Sailing Singlehanded Championships, an annual regatta that pits the top sailors of singlehanded boats from across the country.

A painting with watercolors class will be held Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Spring Lake District Library, 123 E. Exchange St. Local artist Mary Sundstrom will demonstrate basic skills and techniques during this hands-on class. Participants will paint a still life and learn techniques like wax, leaf printing and resist. The class is open to those age 16 and older. Pre-registration is required as seating is limited. Call the library at 846-5770 to register. A $10 materials fee is payable at the time of the workshop.

UPDATE (8:18 a.m.) A left lane closure today for road maintenance for northbound U.S. 31, between Buchanan and Warner streets in Grand Haven Township, has been canceled. For up-to-date information on this project and others, go to the list of statewide lane closures at www.michigan.gov/drive.

Today: A 50-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Southwest wind at 5 to 9 mph. Tonight: A 40-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Calm wind becoming northeast at 4 to 7 mph. Friday: A 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming west-northwest at 5 to 8 mph.