MCC SADD collecting items for children’s hospital.

November 13, 2014
MCC SADD collecting items for children’s hospital.

SCOTTVILLE — The Mason County Central High School SADD team will be collecting items to donate to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. Items that are in the highest need include: lip balm (not chocolate flavor), small toys worth under $1, crayons (8-24 packs), coloring books, glue sticks, child version scissors, infant rattlers/teethers, toddler board books, small Lego kits,…

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Branch woman arrested on 3 outstanding warrants; drunk teen arrested at school.

November 13, 2014
Branch woman arrested on 3 outstanding warrants; drunk teen arrested at school.

SCOTTVILLE — Deputies from Mason County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 27-year-old Branch woman early Wednesday morning following a traffic stop at State St. (U.S. 10) and Columbia Ave. The woman had three outstanding arrest warrants against her including a criminal bench warrant for failure to pay fines and costs, stemming from a domestic violence charge from Ludington Police Department; a…

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The snow is coming.

November 12, 2014
The snow is coming.

Like it or not, the snow is coming. Tonight’s weather forecast calls for variably cloudy conditions with snow showers and a low of 27 degrees. There is a 60 percent chance of snow with less than 1 inch of accumulation. But wait, there’s more! Thursday’s forecast calls for temperatures to remain nearly steady in the low to mid 30s and…

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Free Soil man pleads no contest to CSC with 13-year-old girl.

November 12, 2014
Free Soil man pleads no contest to CSC with 13-year-old girl.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief.  LUDINGTON — A 22-year-old Free Soil man pleaded no contest in 51st Circuit Court today for having sexual relations with a 13-year-old girl. Joseph Michael Cook, of 8010 N. Custer Rd., was arrested Aug. 20 by Mason County Sheriff’s Office and charge with three counts of criminal sexual conduct third degree, each crime punishable by 15…

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Ludington man pleads to B&E, drug charges, faces 6 to 30 years.

November 12, 2014
Ludington man pleads to B&E, drug charges, faces 6 to 30 years.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief.  A Ludington man who broke into three Amber Township businesses and sold drugs out of his driveway, pleaded guilty to several felony counts in 51st Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon and faces 6 to 30 years in prison. Raymond Allen Anthony, 37, of 202 W. Fitch St., Ludington, was initially charged with five counts of breaking and…

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Two plead to drug possession charges.

November 12, 2014

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. LUDINGTON — Two men pleaded guilty on drug possession charges this afternoon in 51st Circuit Court. Austin Martin Billings, of 212 E. Melendy St., Apt. 3, was initially charged with two felony drug charges following a Sept. 19, 2014 arrest by Ludington Police Dept. Bryan Patrick Lund, 28, of 195 Monroe St., Apt. A, Manistee, was…

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Man pleads guilty to larceny of church.

November 12, 2014
Man pleads guilty to larceny of church.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. LUDINGTON — A 17-year-old Ludington man pleaded guilty to larceny of a church today in 51st Circuit Court. Marek Juergen Witkowski, of 633 Brigham, Plainwell, was arrested Sept. 26 by Ludington Police Dept. for the felonies of safe breaking and larceny. Safe breaking is punishable by a maximum of life in prison while larceny of a…

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Welcome to the world! Recent births.

November 12, 2014
Welcome to the world! Recent births.

Birth announcements are sponsored by ABC Kidz/Purple Monkey, 123 E. Ludington Ave. Check them out here on Facebook.  Welcome to the world! Anna Therese Jacobson, the daughter of Bridget and Brian Jacobson of Free Soil, was born Nov. 7, 2014 at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital. Milo John Marlan, the son of Kacey Maxwell and Michael Marlan of Ludington, was born Nov. 7,…

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Unwanted person, car/deer crashes occupy deputies’ activity.

November 12, 2014
Unwanted person, car/deer crashes occupy deputies’ activity.

The following was the activity of the Mason County Sheriff’s Office for Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014: 6:40 a.m.: Car/deer crash, no injuries, Reek and Johnson roads, Custer Twp. 8 a.m.: Car/deer crash, no injuries, Hansen and Meyers roads, Amber Twp. 1:24 p.m.: Gas drive off of $90.45, Scottville EZ Mart, 400 block of East U.S. 10, Custer Twp. 4:16 p.m.:…

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Barn, vehicles destroyed by fire.

November 11, 2014
Barn, vehicles destroyed by fire.

Video included. By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief.  RIVERTON TWP. — Cindy and Raul “Rudy” Lopez were watching television around 9 p.m. at their home at 3413 W. Anthony Rd. Tuesday night when they discovered the barn next to their home was on fire. “I was watching a movie and saw an orange glow outside,” Rudy said. “I thought at first it might…

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Former Ludington resident dies in Isabella County crash.

November 11, 2014

MT. PLEASANT — Louis Hanley, 56, died in a single-vehicle car crash southwest of Mt. Pleasant late Sunday, according to the Isabella County Sheriff’s Office. Hanley, who grew up in Ludington, was driving south on Winn road between Millbrook and Walton when his car crossed the center line, left the road and rolled over, Undersheriff John Tellis said in a press release. Hanley…

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Honoring those who served.

November 11, 2014
Honoring those who served.

SCOTTVILLE — Mason County Central Middle School students honored veterans this morning with the school’s annual Veterans Day service. The program took a hiatus last year but came back this year with much fanfare. The service included veterans and students speaking about veterans and their service to the country. It was organized by middle school teachers and students along with…

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Scottville man charged on 3 counts of CSC.

November 11, 2014
Scottville man charged on 3 counts of CSC.

RIVERTON TWP. — On Friday, Nov. 7, deputies from Mason County Sheriff’s Office and officers from Scottville Police Dept. arrested Javier Guzman-Bererra, 41, in the 3900 block of West Chauvez Rd. Guzman-Bererra was wanted on an outstanding warrant for criminal sexual conduct second degree. He was arraigned over the weekend in 79th District Court on three counts of CSC second degree…

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It’s almost firearm deer season!

November 10, 2014
It’s almost firearm deer season!

Outside the Walls, a blog written by Nick VanderWall, is sponsored by VanderHaag Car Sales, 1680 W. U.S. 10-31, Scottville; 231-757-2727; www.vanderhaagcarsales.com, Mason County’s premier car rental outlet and also Legends Taxidermy of Scottville; 231-757-9589; www.legendstaxidermy.com. It appears here on the second and fourth Monday of the month. We are less than a week away from the hunter’s holiday and…

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Maki re-elected Scottville mayor.

November 10, 2014
Maki re-elected Scottville mayor.

SCOTTVILLE — Richard Maki was re-elected mayor of Scottville Monday afternoon during the city commission’s organizational meeting. Scottville’s charter calls for the mayor and mayor pro-tem to be elected by the commissioners, rather than by the populous. Maki was first elected mayor in 2013 after the previous mayor, Joe Baxter, resigned. Jim Schiebner was elected mayor pro-tem. Maki also serves…

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10-year-old injured in car/deer crash.

November 10, 2014
10-year-old injured in car/deer crash.

PERE MARQUETTE TWP. — A 10-year-old Riverton Township girl received minor injuries after a deer ran into the vehicle she was riding in Monday about 4 p.m. The girl was riding in a Ford Taurus, driven by her 44-year-old mother, north on Pere Marquette Highway when a 4-point buck hit their vehicle just past the North U.S. 31 expressway offramp.…

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Franz named assistant speaker pro tempore of Michigan house

November 10, 2014
Franz named assistant speaker pro tempore of Michigan house

LANSING — State Rep. Ray Franz (101st District) has been selected as Assistant Speaker Pro-Tempore for the 2015-2016 legislative session of the Michigan House of Representatives. “I am honored to be selected by my peers to help lead the House next session as we work to continue Michigan’s comeback for families,” said Franz, R-Onekama.  “It’s important that our reform policies…

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Spectrum Ludington VP accepts CEO position in Montana

November 10, 2014
Spectrum Ludington VP accepts CEO position in Montana

LUDINGTON — Drew Dostal, who was promoted to vice president of operations at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital in Sept. 2013, left the hospital in October and accepted a position as CEO of a surgical center in Bozeman, Montana. Prior to being promoted to the vice president position, Dostal was director of surgical and ambulatory services at Memorial Medical Center of…

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Driver identified in Lake County crash.

November 10, 2014

WEBBER TWP. (Lake Co.) — Roy Putnam, 64, of Ludington, died Sunday morning as a result of a traffic crash on U.S. 10 about 8 miles east of the Mason County line. According to reports, the crash occurred about 10:30 a.m. near Peacock Trail, about 1 mile from the intersection of U.S. 10 and M-37. U.S. 10 between Tyndall Road (the…

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Ludington man dies in Lake County crash.

November 9, 2014

WEBBER TWP. (Lake Co.) — A Ludington man died Sunday morning as a result of a traffic crash on U.S. 10 about 8 miles east of the Mason County line. According to reports, the crash occurred about 10:30 a.m. near Peacock Trail, about 1 mile from the intersection of U.S. 10 and M-37. U.S. 10 between Tyndall Road (the Mason/Lake…

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Caritas Food Pantry, for the love of humankind.

November 8, 2014
Caritas Food Pantry, for the love of humankind.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief.  CUSTER — For the past 9 years, the joined parishes of St. Mary’s and St. Jerome’s Catholic churches have been operating a food pantry out of the now-closed St. Jerome’s Church in Scottville, more specifically out of the church’s rectory. However, the old facility had proven to be inefficient and non-handicap accessible. When Mason County Eastern…

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