Hot Wheels and Fine
Art
 
The Newaygo County Council for the Arts
combined automotive, visual and musical
art forms for a unique event in downtown
Fremont on Saturday. The event featured
indoor and outdoor exhibits of fine art
alongisde exhibits of automobiles and
motorcycles, plus live music and children’s
art activities.
Artist Joe Sidor of Hesperia represented the combination as he worked on a colorful
rendition of one of the vehicles on display.
Rider dies in motorcycle crash
A young Howard City man died
and the passenger on his motorcycle was critically injured in a Saturday collision with a
tractor in Ensley Township.
According to a report from
the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to 104th Street East of
Beech Ave. to investigate the crash. Deputies reported that a motorcycle driven by Matthew
Ryan Kammers, 19 of Howard City struck a tractor driven by a 77-year-old man whose name
had not been released at press time.
Kammers was pronounced dead
at the scene, while his passenger, an 18-year-old female from St. Johns, was transported
to Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids, where her condition is listed as critical. The
driver of the tractor was un-injured.
Police said that alcohol does
not appear to be a factor in the crash. Both motorcycle riders were wearing helmets.
The Sheriff’s Office was
assisted by Life Ambulance, Sand Lake Fire Department, and the Newaygo County Sheriff’s
Posse.
May 6 Elections
Library proposal rejected
Voters in Newaygo County
school districts approved their districts’ millage renewal requests on May 6, but
voters in the White Cloud area again rejected a bond issue for a new library.
The White Cloud Community
Library district proposal for a $2.1 million bond issue project was rejected by a 438 to
242 margin. It was the third time in the last couple of years that voters have turned down
a library bond issue proposal that would have financed the construction of a new, bigger
library facility. For this proposal, the board decreased the size of the project in an
effort to win voter approval.
In
Newaygo, where six candidates vied
for two positions on the Newaygo Public School board, Carl Mast led the candidates with
245 votes to win one of the positions and Jim Badgero won the other seat with 222 votes.
Amber Behrendt received 210 votes, Robin Atchison received 190 votes, and Craig Biegalle
and Bret Brummel each received 188 votes. Newaygo voters approved the 18-mill renewal by a
456 to 222 margin.
In the Fremont school district, voters
re-elected incumbents Phil Harmon (631 votes) and Neil James Featherstone (486), with
challenger Ty Miller receiving 435 votes. Voters approved the renewal of the 18-mill
operating levy by a 621 to 202 margin.
In Grant, Kris A. Lesley (253
votes) and David R. Robinson (249) were elected to the two school board positions. Voters
renewed the operating millage by a 187 to 93 margin.
White Cloud voters elected Gary Bell
(481 votes) and Hendrick Jones (479) to the two positions on the school board.
In Hesperia, James Lavin (148 votes)
and Todd Jacobs (138) won election to the two available school board positions. Christa
Marie Sturtevant received 51 write-in votes. The Oceana County Board of Canvassers is
expected to rule on the validity of the write-in votes soon.
Tourism could become a major
economic force
A state legislative task
force report says that Michigan’s tourism industry can create career-oriented jobs
for residents and play a big role in improving the state’s overall economy if it is
given the same incentives, regulatory reforms and funding as other top-tier state
industries.
The Michigan Tourism Task
Force, which included Rep. Goeff Hansen of Hart, held hearings throughout the state last
summer and fall and took testimony from nearly 100 tourism officials. The 29-page report, unveiled last week, details
specific plans of action based on the expert testimony.
Hansen invited area chamber
officials, business owners and other interested individuals to a Monday, May 12 meeting in
Pentwater to review the report.
“The testimony and
report underline the potential Michigan’s diverse tourism industry has to create
high-paying jobs that can’t be moved out-of-state,” Hansen said. “By
providing support for incentives and reforms, Michigan’s unique cultural and
geographic attributes can become a year-round destination for travelers across America and
throughout the world.”
The state should create
economic incentive packages to encourage tourism development in Michigan, much like it
currently does for the manufacturing industry, according to the report. Tourism economic
packages could include exemptions on the Michigan Business Tax, property tax or state
income tax.
“We know that Michigan’s
tourism industry is a leader in our state’s economy and that its success generates
positive benefits throughout local businesses and communities,” Hansen said. “The more we can do to encourage expansion of
our tourism markets the faster our economy and job opportunities will grow.”
The state’s stringent
regulatory system also can get in the way of tourism job growth, according to the report.
Potential reforms include the state partnering with underwater recreation enthusiasts to
intentionally sink vessels, eliminating red tape for dredging of rivers and harbors, and
streamlining the development and approval process for projects along the water’s
edge.
Other tourism task force
recommendations in the report include:
• Listing the travel
site www.Michigan.org on all state license plates;
• Greater coordination
between the Pure Michigan and Upper Hand advertising campaigns;
• Elevating tourism to
cabinet level status as a full department;
• Real-time
environmental monitoring of beaches;
• Combating
overpopulation of the double-crested cormorant;
• Investigating a
broader approach to wetland preservation that allows for economic growth; and
• Greater emphasis on
marketing Michigan as a four-season destination.
People who were unable to
attend the meeting can view the report online at www.gophouse/hansen.htm and submit
comments by e-mail to goeffhansen@house.mi.gov. To
request a report by mail, call Hansen’s office at 1-877-999-0995.
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