The newest youth ambassador for Coast Guard City USA is a California girl transplanted to Spring Lake. Elizabeth McLaughlin, 18, was announced the winner of the annual scholarship program during the Walk of History presentation in front of Grand Haven City Hall on Friday afternoon. The announcement was originally scheduled to take place prior to the Coast Guard Festival Street Dance on Tuesday night, but it was postponed along with the dance because of the stormy weather forecast for that evening.

More than 50 people of all ages stepped to the beat of the music - laughing and trying to keep in sync with their neighbors. Grace Stanton of the North Ottawa Community Council on Aging danced with them Wednesday at Mulligan's Hollow - calling out directions, numbers and turns to the crowd. "It's a lot of fun,' Stanton said. "And you can be little, you can be older. There's really no age limit to line dancing.'

The "Mighty Mac' came in to Grand Haven Monday afternoon with one commander and will be leaving Sunday with a new face at the helm. Command of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw was transferred from Cmdr. Scott J. Smith to Cmdr. Michael J. Davanzo during a ceremony at Escanaba Park on Wednesday afternoon. Smith, who has been commanding officer aboard the Mackinaw since May 2008, said he was honored to have been able to serve on the Cheboygan-based cutter. "I'm happy to report that I drove the heck out of that ship,' Smith said.

There's no doubt the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival has always been child friendly, with events such as the annual Kid's Day and the ever-popular downtown carnival. Thanks to an effort from the North Ottawa County Council on Aging (NOCCOA), there's also an event now dedicated to those 50 and older.

The threat of rain might have postponed the evening's Coast Guard Festival events, but it didn't dampen the crowd at Kids Day earlier Tuesday. An overcast sky loomed over the throngs of people at Mulligan's Hollow - but the only water droplets that fell during the four-hour event were the ones shooting down from the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety aerial fire truck in the parking lot of the local YMCA.

"There's twice as many people here as there were last year,' observed Grand Haven resident Dave Wiersma - as he and his son, Parker, walked the boardwalk Monday to get a view of the four Coast Guard ships just finishing a parade into the Grand Haven harbor.

A 50-year-old Holton man was expected to be arraigned today on charges of armed robbery and fleeing and eluding police after he allegedly robbed The Reef convenience store in Ferrysburg on Saturday evening, Spring Lake/Ferrysburg Police Chief Roger DeYoung said. More charges, such as operating under the influence of drugs, could be added.