UPDATE (Friday 7 a.m.): CANCELED A flash flood watch remains in effect through Friday afternoon for much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, including Ottawa County. A flash flood watch means that conditions are favorable for flash flooding, the National Weather Service says, and residents of the watch area should be prepared to take action should heavy rain occur in their area or if flash flood warnings are issued.

The Holiday Inn staff celebrated the re-launch of the waterfront hotel this week after more than $2 million in renovations. About 500 people attended Monday's event - which included tours of the remodeled hotel rooms, lobby, indoor pool, fitness and business center. "It opens up everyone's eyes that we're a refreshed property,' General Manager April Schmidt said. "Hopefully, we'll drive in more business and more employees. More business brings in more employees.'

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.