It was a quilters paradise at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Grand Haven on Friday when the Lighthouse Quilt Guild presented the Beacons of Inspiration & Love Quilt Show. "We have about 120 quilts, and they're in a variety of sizes from wall quilts to large bed-sized quilts,' said event co-chairperson Cyndi Phillip. "And we even have a wearables category this year, which is new.' The event concludes today. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the church, 901 Columbus Ave.

A hit talent television show has nothing up on Tri-Cities residents when it comes to vocal prowess. More than 30 contestants - from children to adult - competed in "Hometown Idol" at Waterfront Stadium on Friday night as a kickoff to the 2011 Coast Guard Festival.

Tri-Cities lunch-hour traffic was backed up for a short time today when a car caught on fire on northbound U.S. 31, north of Jackson Street. Ferrysburg resident Chris Larson said he was driving his 1996 Oldsmobile north on the highway just after noon when he smelled gas. "Before I knew it, the power cut out,' he said. "... I started getting over, rolled over to get out of traffic and started seeing smoke.' The smoke was white, then turned to heavy black, he said. "I grabbed my things and got out of there,' Larson said.

C2C Gallery will begin its "Artist at Work Series' on Saturday, with Jack Hillman working outside the downtown art gallery's First Street entrance from noon to 7 p.m. A reception for Hillman will be held from 5-7 p.m. at the gallery, 41 Washington Ave., and the artist will have completed work for sale. Hillman creates lyrical sculptures created in kinetic metals. He watches how the wind, light and water pattern with inter-relationships, which he said allows them to inspire expressions in formed metals.