July 15, 2026
July 8, 2026
July 1, 2026
June 24, 2026
June 17, 2026
June 10, 2026
June 3, 2026
May 27, 2026
White Cloud
By R.C.Wheater Sr.
More than 40 years after it started, the annual Russell Gilbert Kids Free Fishing event will end with a final event on Saturday, June 6 in White Cloud.
Citing concerns about the condition of the dam on the White River, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy ordered the drawdown of Lake White Cloud a year ago. With the lake gone, organizers of the annual youth fishing event decided to discontinue the event.
Final Kids Free Fishing event coming June 6
May 20, 2026
Muskegon River volunteers take action to remove debris from river
Volunteers attacked this pile of Muskegon River debris at Bridgeton and removed a variety of items and materials from several other locations on Saturday, May 7. Volunteers removed picnic tables, refrigerators and plenty of other things from the river. One of the volunteers used a boat to tow a floating
refrigerator away.
Fremont teen dies in crash
Newaygo County Sheriff deputies reported that a 16-year-old passenger from Fremont died in a Sunday, May 17 motorcycle crash in northern Newaygo County.
Muskegon River Joint team assesses flood damage
By R.C.Wheater Sr.
Newaygo County Emergency Services Director Abby Watkins and Deputy Director Cory Lewis led a tour of flood-damaged properties last week, showing state and federal emergency management officials some of the effects of those mid-April storms.
May 13, 2026
May 6, 2026
Neighbors in orange shirts
Team from Samaritan's Purse provides hope for flooded homes
April 29, 2026
Flood Recovery Team Arrives
A team from Samaritan’s Purse, including chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, is working out of First Baptist Church of Newaygo. The team is seeking volunteers to help with local flood recovery work. For info or to volunteer, call 231-519-0031, visit spvolunteer.org online, or show-up at the church at 7:30 am or 12:30 pm, Monday through Saturday.
For flood recovery assistance, call 833-747-1234 Ext. 9.
Friday, April 24 was Day 11 of the first full activation of the Newaygo County Emergency Operations Center.
Flood response and recovery flow
through EOC
A radio-controlled flying camera captured this view of the railroad bridge crossing the Muskegon River at Newaygo. While the river level has dropped, people at the Newaygo County Emergency Operations Center are concerned that the big assemblage of logs and wreckage wedged against the structure could become dislodged and endanger anyone in or on the river downstream. The wreckage measures approximately 74 feet in width. Emergency officials are advising people to stay away until the wreckage can be removed. A team of contractors was said to be on its way to Newaygo at press time.
Photo by Tim Deater, Newaygo County Emergency Services
White Cloud quiz team
places second in state
The White Cloud quiz bowl team placed second in the Class C/D state tournament last week. The team includes (left to right) Coach Stephen Smith, Coach Emeritus Tony McHattie, Brian Loveless, Mason D’Lamater, Captain Liam Povey, James Elliott, Assistant Coach Cameron Karnes and Assistant
Coach Kiranna Reynolds.
Loveless and D’Lamater won Second
Team All-State honors with their performances.
The story is inside on Page 5.
April 22, 2026
Heavy rains bring widespread local flooding
The Hesperia Dam on the White River was opened to release flood waters on Thursday as the river flowed over the spillway and reached the structure of the Division Street Bridge.
Photo by Colt Draper
By R.C.Wheater Sr.
The people of Newaygo County dealt with record-setting water levels and waves of heavy rain storms last week, producing flooding all over the area and elevating local streams well past flood stage.
April 15, 2026
Muskegon River Team
collects millions of walleye eggs
Nine-year-old Findley Bakker of Grant hefted a nice walleye on Tuesday morning, April 7 when he and dad Luke Bakker visited the walleye egg harvesting operation on the Muskegon River, downstream from Croton Dam.
Photos by RCWheater Sr.
Fremont Walkers struck by vehicle;
Police say it was apparently on purpose
A pair of pedestrians struck by a vehicle in Fremont on Sunday evening were apparently struck on purpose, according to a report from the Fremont Police Department.
FPD Chief Timothy Rodwell said that the report came in at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 12. Responding officers found that the two pedestrians had been struck by a vehicle that had left the scene at the intersection of E. Dayton St. and N. Stewart Ave.
April 8, 2026
Tractor Day Toss
Fremont High School’s 22nd annual Drive Your Tractor Day on Thursday, April 2 included a parking lot full of wet farm machines plus a day of assorted ag-related activities, including the annual Bale Toss contest.
April 1, 2026
Fremont Community Expo
Fremont High School senior Elijah Wemple offered a variety of student-
made items at the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual
Community Expo on Saturday, March 21 at the Fremont Area Community Recreation Center. Wemple created
the end table in the foreground.
Gonyon honored for 25 years of county road service
By R.C.Wheater Sr.
At their Wednesday morning meeting, members and staff
of the Newaygo County Road Commission honored Chairman
William Gonyon, who presided over his last meeting as a road
commissioner.
March 25, 2026
Flight at Fremont Lake
Multitudes of geese conducted landings and take-offs at Fremont Lake on Friday, March 20, reinforcing thoughts of spring.
Photos by Russ Tindall, prophotoimagebyruss.com
Muskegon River
Walleye egg collection to start this week
Muskegon River walleye egg collections with electrofishing boats are scheduled start as early as this week and conclude by April 17.
Muskegon River Watershed Assembly
New management plan to guide local protection and restoration
By R.C.Wheater Sr.
In a series of local meetings, the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly shared its newly published Lower Muskegon River Watershed Management Plan.
March 18, 2026
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Here come the bear neighbors!
A DNR wildlife staff member held a female bear cub during a den check near Cadillac on Feb. 27. The cubs are undeniably cute, but experts say that people should not approach them or pick them up. Mother bears are likely foraging for food and will be back for them.
As spring approaches and Michigan’s estimated 12,450 black bears emerge from their dens, many with new cubs in tow, Michigan Department of Natural Resources experts offer a few important things to remember:...
More on the front page
March 11, 2026
Fremont
Credit union to buy Rite Aid building
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Gerber Federal Credit Union officials announced the purchase of the former Rite Aid building on W. Main Street.
March 4, 2026
Newaygo County Sheriff to offer mobile app connection
By R.C.Wheater Sr.
In a few weeks, the Newaygo County
Sheriff’s Office is scheduled to get its
own mobile app, giving county residents
and others a new way to interact with the
department...
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More on page 1.
Dam to Dam tops $18,000
Photo By R.C.Wheater Sr.
A warm, sunny day greeted the
crowd of anglers and others who
enjoyed the annual Dam to Dam Ice Fishing Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 14. This year’s event raised more than $18,000 in support for the TrueMentors program at TrueNorth Community Services.
Kropscott Farm Environmental Center
Winter Festival Fun
By Julie Berwald
With frosty breath hanging in the crisp air, staff and volunteers of the Newaygo Conservation District made sure that the grounds at Kropscott Farm Environmental Center were ready...
More on the front page!
February 25, 2026
Izzy and Tweede of Frog Flats American Brabants provided the horsepower for wagon rides at the Kropscott Farm Environmental Center north of Fremont.
February 18, 2026
Hesperia
Panthers’ Pink Out
raises $30,000+
Hesperia wrestlers’ 17-year tradition continued recently with another successful Panther Pink Out event at the high school.
More in this weeks paper.
February 11, 2026
Meals on Wheels
County’s Commission on Aging team delivers daily meals
Katie Veach of the Newaygo County Commission on Aging carried prepared meals to her vehicle before setting out on her route to deliver meals to home-bound seniors.
Veach was one of six CoA drivers who delivered meals on a recent snowy Wednesday. The drivers use a fleet of leased, four-wheeldrive GPS-tracked Ford Explorers to deliver approximately 180 hot meals per day.
Photo by RCWheater Sr.
February 4, 2026
Garfield Township
Planning commission recommends rejection of Sylvan Solar permit
By R.C.Wheater Sr.
At the end of a lengthy Thursday night meeting, the members of Garfield Township’s planning commission unanimously voted to recommend that the township board reject AES Corporation’s application for a conditional use permit to build part of the Sylvan Solar power generating project in the township.
January 28, 2026
Ice-choked Muskegon River rises past flood stage
Ice reached all the way across the Muskegon River at Bridgeton Township’s River Launch Park on Friday afternoon. Cold temperatures contributed to ice formations that caused rising waters upstream.
Photo by RCWheater Sr
By R.C.Wheater Sr.
Cold temperatures contributed to increased ice formation on area streams in recent days, and that led to some flooding on the Muskegon River.
January 21, 2026
Winter Watch
A bald eagle kept watch over a roadkill mean on Sunday, Jan. 18 in Barton Township in the northeastern corner of Newaygo County.
Photo by Logan Terbeek
January 14, 2026
January 7, 2026
On Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 31, TimesIndicator Editor Rich Wheater headed north out of Fremont, seeking a final snow-speckled look at 2025. He found three snow-blanketed deer posing for the camera at Legends Ranch in Lilley Township...
More on the front page of this weeks issue.