10:53 AM Aug 18, 2011

Report: Ottawa County courts understaffed

A judicial staffing report shows that the Ottawa County court system is understaffed, but there are no immediate plans to add another judge. The report, issued by the State Court Administrative Office on Wednesday, indicates that there should be 9.8 judges to serve Ottawa County. There are currently nine Circuit Court, District Court and Probate Court judges in Ottawa County.
Post a Comment
10:42 AM Aug 18, 2011
Police/Fire

Father, son arrested on suspicion of burglary

A father and son team was arrested early Wednesday after a traffic stop in Holland revealed the men had more than $30,000 worth of stolen property in their vehicle, said Lt. Mark Bennett of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department. Holland Police stopped the 1999 Jeep Cherokee for a traffic violation about 4:20 a.m. Wednesday, Bennett said. Police noted suspicious property in the vehicle and, upon investigation, saw a tag from Sawyer Nursery on one of the items.
Comments1
10:40 AM Aug 18, 2011
Police/Fire

Michigan bust nets $150 million worth of drugs

Police said they seized an estimated $150 million worth of heroin and cocaine during a bust earlier this month in Pontiac. The Oakland County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday announced details of last Friday's bust in Pontiac. Authorities said a search of a home found 69 kilograms of heroin and 10.5 kilograms of cocaine. The agencies said it's the largest quantity of heroin ever discovered in Michigan. Sheriff Mike Bouchard said the sheer quantity of drugs is "startling.'
Comments1
10:31 AM Aug 18, 2011
Education

Report: ACT test scores improve

The average score for Michigan students on the ACT college entrance exam has improved. A report from test administrators released Wednesday said Michigan students in the graduating class of 2011 had an average composite score of 20.0 on the ACT. That's up from 19.7 on a scale of 1 to 36 in the previous year. The average composite score nationwide for the class of 2011 was 21.1, up from 21.0.
Post a Comment
10:18 AM Aug 18, 2011
Education

Facade grant application could benefit city

An application to obtain $358,018 in grant funding for facade improvements in Grand Haven has the potential to make a big change for the city. The city has submitted a grant application to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to rehabilitate properties at 115 Washington Ave. (Guitar Haven), 119 Washington, 210 Washington (Harbor Wear/Creative Fringe), 732 Washington, 735 Washington (Bekins Appliance) and 1118 Washington (Frank's Market).
Post a Comment
9:41 AM Aug 18, 2011

Michigan’s July jobless rate rises to 10.9 percent

Michigan's unemployment rate hit 10.9 percent in July - up 0.4 points from June, but still significantly below last July's 12.4 percent rate. The seasonally adjusted figures released Wednesday by the Department of Technology, Management and Budget show that the number of jobless workers topped 500,000 for the first time since January. The state figure remains above the national rate of 9.1 percent.
Comments1
9:40 AM Aug 18, 2011

GH middle school girls assist turtle research in Costa Rica

Lightning flashed in the distance across a brilliant, starlit sky, and colorful plankton burst at their feet as a small group of White Pines Middle School students and their parents made midnight treks down the beach in Costa Rica. The group, headed by WPMS teacher Bob Whipkey, spent three nights in July assisting researchers from the Sea Turtle Conservancy in Tortuguero, Costa Rica. Students took nightly turtle-patrol shifts measuring the turtles, counting their eggs, checking for injuries and tagging those that weren't already.
Post a Comment
9:40 AM Aug 18, 2011

Tentative agreement reached in sale of C3 Exchange building

Although details are confidential at this point, C3 Exchange Board Chairwoman Judy Swanson said a tentative agreement is in place to sell the church building. "We are in the fortunate position of having a number of parties that have expressed interest,' Swanson said Tuesday. "We have come to a tentative agreement with a potential buyer. It's going to be several weeks before we know for sure, and there is a confidentiality clause for both the seller and the buyer.'
Post a Comment
9:39 AM Aug 18, 2011
Video

Zeeland-area family hosts breakfast on their dairy farm

About 3,000 tickets were handed out over the past few weeks at different locations in Ottawa County to attend a free breakfast and tour a local dairy farm. The breakfast and tour at Daybreak Dairy LLC, 4861 Adams St. in Zeeland Township, was held Aug. 13. Seven farm tractors and wagons hauled visitors from a makeshift parking lot to the breakfast and barns.
Post a Comment
8:39 AM Aug 18, 2011

Britney Spears in Grand Rapids

Post a Comment
7:10 AM Aug 18, 2011

Today's forecast

Today: Sunny, with a high near 78. North-northwest wind around 7 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. North-northwest wind at 3 to 7 mph. Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Southeast wind around 8 mph becoming southwest.
Post a Comment
3:21 AM Aug 18, 2011

Breakfast on the Farm

Post a Comment
4:00 PM Aug 17, 2011

Late photographer’s work to be displayed at GVSU gallery

An upcoming exhibit at Grand Valley State University will showcase the photographic work of the late Robert Koropp. "Robert Koropp: Photographic Art' will include selections from his five decades and multiple genres of photographic work.
Post a Comment
2:00 PM Aug 17, 2011

Downtown sidewalk sale matches bargains with bargain hunters

Downtown Grand Haven streets will be filled with deals instead of wheels this Friday and Saturday during the Grand Haven Annual Sidewalk Sale. The first three blocks of Washington Avenue, from Harbor Drive to Third Street, will be closed to traffic so merchants and buyers can meet to find the best deals. "We have more businesses within our overall district (participating) than we have had in the last few years,' Grand Haven Main Street Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Dana Kollewehr said.
Post a Comment
1:00 PM Aug 17, 2011

Irish band to play at benefit for Ghana performers

You can design a unique gourmet hot dog while listening to live traditional Irish jigs on the patio at Fat Chix Cantina, 314 S. Beechtree St. in Grand Haven from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday. The event will help support a community ArtPrize project organized by the coffee shop's staff. The cost is a donation at your discretion. The community ArtPrize project will feature a 24-man dancing and drumming group from Ghana. Organizer Mary Mitchell said that about $36,000 of the $45,000 cost to bring them here has been raised.
Comments2
12:00 PM Aug 17, 2011

Catholic community’s summer fest is this week

The local Catholic community will be celebrating summer with a "community-building' festival this week. The St. Patrick's & St. Anthony's Community Summer Festival began Tuesday evening with a family bike ride and runs through Saturday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 920 Fulton Ave. in Grand Haven. "Saturday is our big day,' said Jolene Nelson, who works in the St. Patrick's Parish office.
Post a Comment
11:19 AM Aug 17, 2011
Police/Fire

$1,500 reward offered in swan beating death

Authorities said a $1,500 reward is being offered for information related to the beating death of a swan on Traverse City's West Bay. The Traverse City Record-Eagle reported that a man attacked the swan July 3. The reward is for information that results in the apprehension and conviction of the attacker. First Lt. David Shaw of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources' Law Enforcement Division said the case likely won't be solved without help from the public.
Post a Comment