Back in February, on our blog, Positively Muskegon we introduced you to Gavin and Kamden Cross who were out to help our area pet shelters out with some of the things that newly adopted pets need when they finally find their forever home.  Things like a nice new collar, a new leash, maybe some toys and treats to make that transition from the shelter to their forever home a little easier for their new start.

 As I was scrolling through Facebook one night as many of us do. I came across a post from Shannon Glass about her amazingly thoughtful daughter Danica. you see this year Danica started the sixth grade this year. Most girls around this age start their cycle, Shannon wanted her daughter to be prepared, confidant and know how to handle it when it happens.

As we hear over and over, "we're in this together".  Yes, it's a snappy slug line and probably something we outta be better at anyway.  We've all got our areas that we can add to the relief of our current times and we also too could do a little better job of following instructions on staying home and letting the worst of all this pass without helping to spread the virus. 

Virus or no virus, our aging population is a point of concern as we get a little older ourselves and start to see the first signs of the "golden years" start to show in our parents.  Very fortunately, for me, mine are both still quite healthy, agile, social and able to manage the day to day.  But, like anyone who's approaching 50 the relentless march of time has taken its toll on those who I once saw as invincible. 

Hackley Public Library wants to show us what they are up to during the temporarily closure and sends their regards. The library is temporarily closed due to Executive Order 2020-09 to minimize transmission of the COVID-19 and it's scheduled to re-open April 6^th .

Muskegon Restaurants improvise during COVID-19 outbreak. Many of them begin to Offer curbside, walk-up, take-out and delivery services during Governor Gretchen Whitmer shut down of dine-in services at all bars and restaurants in Michigan amid the COVID-19 outbreak to slow down transmission of the virus.

Do You know if you have a Muskegon Area District Library card, you can access to Multiple online services for free ebooks, movies and music through services such as CloudLibrary, Freegal, Hoopla, Kanopy, OverDrive, Libby, rb Digital and Scola?

The Mercy Health Project in Muskegon County has been a partner with The Muskegon Channel since day one, and even before with Positively Muskegon.  We've been very proud to bring you stories and support the work they do in their community outreach in Muskegon which is extensive, although you may not exactly know their work by name.  While "The Health Project" itself may not stand out, the groups and programs they stand behind certainly will and without their support, might not even exist.

It was an event long cherished and often duplicated in West Michigan and the Double JJ Resort in Rothbury rolled out the red carpet for the competitors and spectators for the return of Build Your Own Bobsled on February 29th 2020.  Leap Day had it's own event and the Double JJ had perfectly groomed hills to play on and their resort was buzzing with bobsleds, sno-cross, pre-parties, water park lovers and people coming to enjoy the last few drops that Winter in West Michigan had to offer.

Britta Cleveland Reports - My absolute favorite event of the year is West Michigan Student Showcase! West Michigan Student Showcase 2020 will showcase the achievements and talents of students from 33 different high schools in Muskegon, Oceana, Ottawa and Kent Counties. March 18th - 19th at The Frauenthal Center.

With locations all around the United States Boys and Girls Club now has a home at Orchard View Schools. Boys and Girls club is meant to inspire the youth today. They help children reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens in today's society.

On Wednesday at the Sturrus Center in Downtown Muskegon, a presentation was made to talk about the different options for the future of the Muskegon Area Transit System and how it can be better shaped to work within the budget it's has, which currently, it tends to go over with some regularity. 

It's an event that's been going on as long as most can remember.  It's the signature fundraising annual event for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore and it happens over a couple of months at a few different locations.  It involves a little fundraising, a LOT of bowling and a great time for any individual or team that wants to make a difference in the lives of the kids in the community and a group who's work is synonymous with the betterment of the next generation. 

The Disability Network of West Michigan is an agency in Muskegon that provides independent living resources for people with disabilities in Muskegon, Oceana, Lake, Newaygo, and Mason counties.  Their website goes on to say that "Disability Network West Michigan is committed to inclusion and diversity while being consumer directed and accountable.  Our mission is to advocate, educate, empower and provide resources for persons with disabilities.  We promote accessible communities, fulfilling our vision of accessibility is an accepted civil right."

Britta Cleveland reports. Recently I sat down with some of my favorite people in West Michigan about one of our favorite annual events in West Michigan. Dancing with the Local Stars to help raise funds and awareness for our local area food banks that help to feed our areas needy. Clarence Colegrove of Trensyd Realty, Bob Szymoniak - Superintendent of Fruitport Public Schools, the Honorable Judge Brenda Sprader of Muskegon County Court System and Larry Romanelli of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians with the Little River Casino in Manistee, MI.

If you are into the arts then City Center Arts Muskegon is the place for you. The new gallery was formally known as The Red Lotus and is located at 356 W. Western Avenue in the lower level of the historic Century Club building. City Center Art is a place Art lovers of all kinds from performance events, art classes, concerts, art receptions, locally created art and gifts for purchase.

Developers of an old restaurant formerly known as Johnny Carinos on Harvey Street kindly donated the building to the Norton Shores Fire Department. They used this Building to perform ventilation exercises on a clay tile roof which is uncommon to the area.

We grow up with what we know.  Most of us also grew up in a time that was a little different when we stayed in touch in ways that were not quite so digital.  We heard things like bells and horns that told us to get home...of course, there was always the "street light" rule about being home before dark.  Getting the "what for" from your friends mom generally meant double was coming at home and things like a "phone tree" were the way word got around town to let you know what was going on.  We grow up...we move away...life evolves and then we look back and wonder "what happened" when we go back and see what was and what's become. 

The Muskegon Area District Libraries (MADL) has committed to increase literacy skills for every age and are actively involved with this effort, one way to achieve this is through a new early literacy initiative called the Muskegon Storyville. The Storyville Villages are located in their Montague, Muskegon Heights, and Norton Shores branches. They are created to inspire children age zero to five.

Do you have or know of someone with a child? Chances are that that child LOVES macaroni in some form. That is exactly what the founders of Macaroni thought of when they named the very first Macaroni Kid website.

Community Economic Development Association of Michigan is hosting the event "Show Me The Money Day Muskegon" - an event designed to promote our community’s free and low-cost financial services, resources for financial literacy, and provides workshops on methods to better save and spend money with the intent of financially empowering the community as a whole.

I recently visited with my dear friend Kris Collee, Executive Director of Age Well Services of West Michigan with Meals on Wheels. We sat in their newly renovated Driftwood Cafe at Tanglewood Park Senior Service Center in Norton Shores which is truly beautiful and the food is amazing! We chatted about the wonderful Holiday Meal that the Agewell Service’s Chefs are busily preparing for this Thursday, December 19th DTE Energy Foundation FREE Holiday Meal.

Seven and a half years ago the pool at Muskegon Heights Academy was ordered to be closed due to budget. Lots of effort put into place in the recent years and now the pool is officially re-opened.

Carmel McKentry is a long-time friend of mine, but we lost touch. Busy lives, growing kids, but when we get a chance to connect, the conversation is easy. Her smile lights up a room. She recently posted on social media that she was working at The Hideout, a bar and grill in downtown Muskegon Heights. I was intrigued.

 The Old Newsies and Goodfellows of Muskegon County have been around for 83 years. Their purpose has always been the same for all these years, that is to make sure “Let no child be forgotten” in Muskegon around Christmas time.

After much research by both the Principal and Vice Principal they felt that having a therapy dog at the school was indeed something that they wanted to pursue. This leads us to Buddy the little bundle in the middle of the story. Karyn the Vice Principle set off to the Humane Society and Animal Rescue of Muskegon County where she met and fell in love with Buddy. Follow the Petco Foundation on Facebook

It was an incredible day to be a part of such a great company giving back to Muskegon. We captured the entire event as well, the best we could anyway with a room full of excaited kids and teachers and a very anticipation filled crowd as the presentation got closer.  You are welcome to click below and enjoy the whole program.  Our many thanks to Petco and Skechers for this incredible opportunity to be a part of something so magnificent.

We're always very excited to welcome a new partner on with the Muskegon Channel and Positively Muskegon.  We work very hard to provide Muskegon with news that reflects our community for what we really are.  We don't claim perfection and we know that what we do is just a tiny bit of the incredible things we are seeing happen in and around town.  Our message will always stand though...we're proud of our people, our community and we always believe that our best day is yet to come.  When a business sees all of that in us and sees the value we offer as well, it's an honor of the highest magnitude.  Follow Smitter Pest Control on Facebook

Smitter Pest Control reached out to us and said "We're in!"  We were very excited and proud at the same time.  Family run for 3 generations.  Smitter Pest Control is now run by John Koval of Muskegon and while the business is based in Grand Rapids, their service area is pretty much anywhere on the west side of the state.  John didn't waste any time getting involved in Muskegon when he moved his family here either.  He gave a lot of time and energy to the Sandy Corely Memorial Run during it's 30 years.  He's also a huge proponent of area athletics with Koval Softball.  He helps out a lot at Ross Park and Softball World.  If you follow John on Facebook too, while he's out working in his pest control business, he finds time to make life easier by posting traffic snarls he finds, and while he might no ever say it out loud, he's been known to reach in and give his last couple of bucks in his pocket to help someone out.  John, is truly "that guy" and we even did a little story on him in 2017 on Positively Muskegon when a little league had all it's equipment stolen, and he led the drive to get it all replaced.  

Now, on to the business!  Smitter pest control takes care of it all.  From catch and release of larger critters like raccoons, squirrels, skunks and more to ants, termites, mice, spiders....anything creepy crawly and especially bed bugs....Smitter handles it all.  They also use environmentally friendly products that are safe for kids and pets.  Pests can happen to anyone John explains in our video below and it's not about cleanliness or lifestyle, it's just a matter of bad luck in some cases or in others, pests find an "in" and in they come.  The cure?  Quick, affordable and efficient handling of the problem with friendly service that you'll want to recommend to others!  No better form of advertising in the world, and they know that at Smitter Pest Control.

John and Andy go back a few years, so...he just swung by the house to say hi and chat about Smitter Pest Control.  Take a listen!

Great local company, great stweards of the communities they serve.  We are very proud to welcome Smitter Pest Control.  We highly recommend giving them a call if you've got an issue.  Take the number and put it on your fridge!  616-245-7215.  Click on the image below and save Smitter Pest Control in your favorites so when you need them, you've got immediate access to the help you need!