Man found not guilty in CSC trial.

March 24, 2015
Man found not guilty in CSC trial.

LUDINGTON — A Ludington man was found not guilty of criminal sexual conduct during a two-day trial in 51st Circuit Court this week. Ricardo Reyes, 50, of 5740 W. Barton Rd., Pere Maquette Twp., was arrested Oct. 3 by Mason County Sheriff’s Office for a high court misdemeanor of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Fourth degree CSC alleges sexual contact, typically…

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The Business Report: Safe Harbor Credit Union, featuring services in over 250 locations.

March 24, 2015
The Business Report: Safe Harbor Credit Union, featuring services in over 250 locations.

Mason County Press is provided free to its readers through the generous support of advertisers. Today, we feature one of those advertisers, Safe Harbor Credit Union, in The Business Report.  LUDINGTON — What started out as a financial service for employees of the Ludington Dow Chemical Plant has turned into a credit union that services over 270 employer or community groups.…

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Olympian will speak at several events.

March 24, 2015
Olympian will speak at several events.

LUDINGTON — Two-time U.S. Olympic silver medalist Gigi Marvin will be speaking the weekend of April 11 and 12. She is being sponsored by the Mason County Sports Hall of Fame. Marvin will be the focus of three presentations over the weekend of April 11 and 12. Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital is hosting a coaches’ breakfast for the first 50…

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Shoplifting, larceny, assault top police activity

March 24, 2015
Shoplifting, larceny, assault top police activity

The police news is sponsored by VanderHaag Car Sales of Scottville, 231-757-2727, www.vanderhaagcarsales.com and Springstead Law Offices, with locations in Hart and Fremont, 231-873-4022 (Hart),www.springsteadlaw.com. Recent local law enforcement activity includes: Saturday, March 21, 2015: – 2:34 a.m., (MSP), assault, PM Hwy. and US-10. – noon, (MSP), a 23-year-old Ludington man was arrested for retail fraud (shoplifting) in the 4000…

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Jaycees to seek grants to improve mini golf.

March 23, 2015
Jaycees to seek grants to improve mini golf.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. LUDINGTON — The Ludington Area Jaycees service club is attempting to seek a $45,000 recreation passport grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and a $10,000 grant from the Mason County Community Foundation for renovations at the mini golf course located at Stearns Park. The City of Ludington voted Monday at its regular meeting to…

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Citizen raises concerns about skate park.

March 23, 2015
Citizen raises concerns about skate park.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. LUDINGTON — A Pere Marquette Township resident expressed her concerns about the condition of the Ludington skate plaza at Stearns Park during Monday night’s city council meeting. Jennifer Strahan spoke during public comment of the council’s regular meeting. Stahan thanked the city, volunteers and donors who created the skate park in 2008. She said her children,…

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Ludington sidewalk replacement ordinance change proposal.

March 23, 2015

LUDINGTON — A proposed amendment to the city code would require homebuyers to pay 50% of the cost of installing a new sidewalk, where non exists, when they buy a home. If the ordinance is passed at the next city council meeting, homebuyers would also be required to pay 50% of the cost of replacing sidewalks that are in need…

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Ludington raises water rates.

March 23, 2015

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. LUDINGTON — Users of the City of Ludington municipal water system will be paying more beginning May 1. During its regular meeting Monday night, Ludington city council voted to increase the rates. “As you know, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is requiring the city to complete significant upgrades to the water treatment plant and…

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Lakestride events are June 12 and 13.

March 23, 2015
Lakestride events are June 12 and 13.

LUDINGTON — The Ludington Lakestride events will be held June 12 and 13. The events will include registration at Stearns Park on Friday, June 12, which includes a spaghetti dinner, which will be a fundraiser for Meals on Wheels. There will also be a 1 mile fun run Friday night that will start and finish near the beach, with the…

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CVB planning to hold 3 beach bonfires this summer.

March 23, 2015
CVB planning to hold 3 beach bonfires this summer.

LUDINGTON — The Ludington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is planning to hold three bonfires at Stearns Park beach this summer. A bonfire on the beach was held in early July 2014 as part of the Harbor Festival. “Because the bonfire was one of the successful components of Harbor Festival, the CVB would like to take that component and replicate…

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Service club sets April schedule

March 23, 2015
Service club sets April schedule

PENTWATER — Rand Gee, Pentwater Service Club program chair, has lined up some interesting speakers for April. – April 2, monthly business meeting, at the Pentwater Friendship Center. April 9-30 meetings will take place at Pentwater Public School. – April 9, Roger Safford of the Michigan Department of Transportation, will discuss Proposal 1 to fund road repairs, which will be…

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College announces list of final 11 presidential candidates.

March 23, 2015

VICTORY TWP. — West Shore Community College’s presidential search committee has narrowed its search from 60 to 11 candidates. The committee will Skype interview the 11 semi-finalists in an open meeting on Wed., April 8, andThurs, April 9, Hawley said. The names of the semi-finalists will be announced on Mon., March 23, after they have all been notified. Following the…

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‘Intoxicated man stumbling in traffic’ arrested at US-31 on-ramp; dirt bikes stolen from barn

March 23, 2015
‘Intoxicated man stumbling in traffic’ arrested at US-31 on-ramp; dirt bikes stolen from barn

The police news is sponsored by VanderHaag Car Sales of Scottville, 231-757-2727, www.vanderhaagcarsales.com and Springstead Law Offices, with locations in Hart and Fremont, 231-873-4022 (Hart),www.springsteadlaw.com. PERE MARQUETTE TWP. — After police responded to a reported “intoxicated man stumbling in traffic” Sunday, March 22, a 1:13 a.m. on Pere Marquette Highway at the US-31 on-ramp, a 33- year-old Muskegon man was…

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Sunny but cool today.

March 23, 2015
Sunny but cool today.

The weather report is sponsored by Cottage Renovators, 231-425-6597, www.cottagerenovators.com. Sunset: 8:02 p.m. Sunset: 7:45 p.m.  Today, Monday, March 23, 2015: Partly sunny, with a high near 35. East wind around 6 mph becoming calm. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 18. North wind around 8 mph becoming southeast after midnight. Tuesday, March 24, 2015: Sunny, with a high near 41. South…

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Is it time for a part-time legislature?

March 22, 2015
Is it time for a part-time legislature?

Exactly 142 years ago today, on March 22, 1873, the Michigan Legislature passed Act 220 of 1873, chartering the City of Ludington.  What, if anything, is remarkable about this?  March 22, 1873, was a Saturday. Last October, I visited my uncle at his farm in northwest Ionia County.  It was harvest time, and he spent the entire day—and much of…

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The Light Chaser: Low light photography.

March 22, 2015
The Light Chaser: Low light photography.

The Light Chaser is brought to you by MyProLab.com, a professional photographic lab offering services to the consumer market. MyProLab.com, the official photographic lab of Media Group 31 (our parent company) and Alway Photography. The Light Chaser. A blog by Rob Alway. Chapter 9: Low light photography Last week, a significant magnetic storm created a beautiful show of the northern lights…

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Fire destroys abandoned house.

March 22, 2015
Fire destroys abandoned house.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. SHERMAN TWP. — A brush fire that got out of control burned down an abandoned house Sunday afternoon. Jim Jackoviak Jr. said he was burning brush on his property on Custer Road, north of Sugar Grove, when the winds changed and caught the old house on fire. The house is part of the 80-acres of land…

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The Millennials: Coming back home to serve others.

March 21, 2015
The Millennials: Coming back home to serve others.

Editor’s Note: Sustaining a community and keeping it vibrant requires diversity on many levels, especially among age groups. An unintended movement the last few years has been the increased number of millennials who have taken a role in community and business leadership in Mason County. A millennial, also known as Generation Y, is defined as a person who was born…

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The download on Bitcoins.

March 21, 2015
The download on Bitcoins.

Good Neighbor Tips from Erin Doan, State Farm Insurance, Scottville,www.erindoan.com. Bitcoin is a currency, just like the dollars in your wallet. However, unlike conventional currencies, Bitcoin isn’t controlled by government. This “open source” currency is tracked online, so anyone in the world can use it. Bitcoin is not a digital payment network such as Apple Pay or PayPal. These networks…

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Kinship caregivers to meet.

March 21, 2015

LUDINGTON — If you are a grandparent raising a grandchild or other relative raising another family member’s child, then you are invited to attend the next meeting of Mason County’s Kinship Support Group on March 24, 2015.  The meeting will be held at Grace Episcopal Church on North James Street in Ludington from 6 to 7:30 p.m.  Refreshments and deesert…

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Arts and crafts workshops for kids.

March 21, 2015

LUDINGTON — The Ludington Area Center for the Arts will hold a series of after school arts and crafts workshops for kids beginning Wednesday, April 8 through June 3. The workshops are free and will be taught by Deb Borema. Parents must pre-register by calling 231-845-2787.  This workshops are being sponsored by Superior Electric.

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