Spring Lake secured its seventh consecutive Lakes Eight Conference girls golf championship on Tuesday with a victory at the Tri-County jamboree. Lakers' coach George Bitner thought his league season was complete a week ago, but the Tri-County event was determined to count toward the conference standings, forcing the Lakers to win one more time. That turned out to be no problem, as Spring Lake turned in a team score of 192. Fruitport was a distant second at 229, followed by Tri-County at 235, Fremont at 245 and Ludington at 250.

The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation has selected Kim Mercurio McLaughlin to lead the Tri-Cities College Access Network, a program to increase the number of Tri-Cities residents who have a college degree or post-secondary certificate. "Kim has the experience and enthusiasm to lead the team to put programs in place for students of all ages - from preschoolers to adult learners,' GHACF President Ann Tabor said. A native of Spring Lake, McLaughlin comes from Chicago where she has been teaching for the past eight years.

Police said they're trying to figure out what caused an explosion that turned a vehicle along a Michigan street into a blackened shell and seriously injured a man and two children inside. Monroe Police Lt. Charles Abel said the blast Tuesday evening is "being listed as a car fire with an explosion,' and he doesn't know whether it was the result of a vehicle malfunction or something else. Police in the city near the Ohio state line had said this moring it was "being investigated as the detonation of a car bomb.'

Residents had questions Tuesday night, and Michigan Department of Transportation officials had answers during a M-231 bypass open house at Crockery Township Hall. More than a dozen MDOT officials were present to explain the construction and detour process for the new highway - which will eventually run from M-104 south to M-45, and is designed to serve as an alternate route for U.S. 31 motorists.

Wednesday, Sept. 21 Noon - ArtWalk 2011 Kickoff with Mayor Roger Bergman and city representatives with a live painting created by City Council under The Grand marquis. Noon to 8 p.m. - Official opening of ArtWalk venues. See the art, vote and experience special venue promotions from Wednesday until the end of ArtWalk. 7-11 p.m. - Opening Day Party at ArtWalk headquarters, 18 N. Fifth St. ArtWalk 2011 opening celebration for artists, venues, sponsors and volunteers. Live music, food and drinks.

A new four-year contract deal between the United Auto Workers and General Motors Co. will add or keep 6,400 jobs in the U.S. with a $2.5 billion investment, the union said Tuesday. Union leaders from around the country were briefed on the deal in Detroit in a morning meeting, and they voted to recommend that GM's 48,500 factory workers ratify it in voting that will take place in the next week. The deal creates over 5,100 new jobs and keeps around 1,300 others.