Armed suicidal man taken into custody following police standoff.

August 24, 2021

Armed suicidal man taken into custody following police standoff. ‘The man opened the door and tossed a live rifle round out onto the ground.’ HART — An armed suicidal man who was in a lengthy standoff with police Friday night, Aug. 20, was safely taken into custody and transported to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. No one was…

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Veggie Van to visit Fountain, Hart.

August 24, 2021

Veggie Van to visit Fountain, Hart. Families in the northern portion of Mason County and mid-Oceana County are invited to pick up a bag of free healthy produce when the Veggie Van makes stops in Fountain and in Hart over the next several weeks. The schedule is as follows: Friday, August 27, 2021:  Sherman Township Hall at 3854 E Main…

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Hart police seek public’s help identifying suspect.

August 23, 2021

Hart police seek public’s help identifying suspect. HART — The Hart Police Department is seeking the public’s help identifying a suspect accused of illegal dumping. HPD was dispatched to the 100 block of East Main Street Monday, Aug. 16, for an illegal dumping complaint. The police department is trying to identify the man in the photographs.  Anyone who is able…

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Ohio man, 20, in critical condition following dune crash.

August 23, 2021

Ohio man, 20, in critical condition following dune crash. GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — A 20-year-old Ashland, Ohio man was transported by Aeromed to Spectrum Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids for critical injuries sustained in a two-vehicle crash at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes Saturday, Aug. 21, shortly after 11 a.m., according to an Oceana County Sheriff’s Office accident report. The man…

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Motorcyclist remains in critical condition after hitting deer.

August 23, 2021

Motorcyclist remains in critical condition after hitting deer. COLFAX TOWNSHIP — A 57-year-old Fremont man remains in critical condition Monday, Aug. 23, after hitting a deer while operating a motorcycle Sunday, Aug. 22, shortly before 7 p.m. on East Jefferson Road near 186th Avenue, according to Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast. The man, who reportedly suffered a head injury, was transported…

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Weekend police news.

August 23, 2021

Weekend police news. The following is police activity in Oceana County over the weekend: Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021: Midnight, (Michigan State Police), a 55-year-old Montague man was arrested for operating while intoxicated (OWI), West Arthur Road, Claybanks Township. 1:07 a.m., (Oceana County Sheriff’s Office), a 40-year-old Rothbury woman was arrested for third-offense OWI, assaulting/resisting/obstructing police and driving while license suspended…

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Pirate News: New high school principal takes the helm.

August 23, 2021

Pirate News: New high school principal takes the helm. Pirate News is a presentation of Hart Public Schools in partnership with Oceana County Press.  By Allison Scarbrough, Editor. HART — When Hart High School students soon return to classes for the 2021-2022 school year, they will be greeted by a new principal, Troy Moran. Moran, a Whitehall native, most recently…

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Obituary: William Briggs, 67, of Pentwater.

August 23, 2021

Obituary: William Briggs, 67, of Pentwater. William “Bill” Leland Briggs, 67, passed away on August 22, 2021 at his home in Pentwater. Bill was born on November 26, 1953, one of six children of Wendell and Donna (Wise) Briggs. He graduated from Northview High School with the class of 1972. On April 22, 1978, he married his partner for life,…

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News alert: motorcycle/deer crash near Walkerville.

August 22, 2021

News alert: motorcycle/deer crash near Walkerville. COLFAX TOWNSHIP — Walkerville Fire and Rescue was dispatched to a motorcycle vs. deer crash on East Jefferson Road Sunday, Aug. 22, around 7 p.m. A male subject reportedly has a head injury and was to be airlifted from Mercy Health Partners Lakeshore Campus in Shelby. A female on the motorcycle was ambulatory following…

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News alert: Crash at the dunes.

August 21, 2021

News alert: Crash at the dunes. GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — Emergency crews were dispatched to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes for a crash involving injuries Saturday, Aug. 21, shortly before 11:30 a.m. A landing zone for Aeromed was established at the Cornerstone Community Church.

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News alert: ORV fire in Silver Lake.

August 20, 2021

News alert: ORV fire in Silver Lake. GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — The Hart Area Fire Department was dispatched to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes for an ORV that was on fire Friday evening, Aug. 20.

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New trooper joins MSP Hart post. 

August 20, 2021

New trooper joins MSP Hart post.  LANSING —  Michigan communities will soon benefit from the addition of 57 troopers who graduated Friday afternoon, Aug. 20, from the 139th Trooper Recruit School. Trooper Jesse Kidner of Muskegon joins the Hart post. During the ceremony in Lansing, in which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was the keynote speaker, Col. Joe Gasper, director of the Michigan…

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Missing man found alive and well.

August 20, 2021

Missing man found alive and well. HART — LaVern Michael Darke, 48, who recently had been reported missing to police, “has been found alive and well,” said Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast. The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office sent out a press release Friday morning, Aug. 20, asking for the public’s assistance in finding the Hart area man. By the end…

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Police looking for missing Hart area man.

August 20, 2021

UPDATE: LAVERN DARKE HAS BEEN FOUND ALIVE AND WELL. Police looking for missing Hart area man. HART — The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in finding a missing Hart area man. The sheriff’s office is seeking “any information as to the whereabouts of 48-year-old LaVern Michael Darke.  “He is known to drive a rusty 2007…

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Hart High School prepares for marching band season

August 20, 2021

Hart High School prepares for marching band season By Kate Goodman, OCP Correspondent  Pirate News is a presentation of Hart Public Schools in partnership with Oceana County Press.  HART — With football season set to start soon, the Hart High School band program has been preparing for its new season this week.  “They’re learning the basics of marching fundamentals,” said…

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School leaders outline mask policies as the new school year begins.

August 19, 2021

School leaders outline mask policies as the new school year begins. Pentwater is the only district in Oceana requiring masks. By Allison Scarbrough, Editor. OCEANA COUNTY — The state’s top doctor said Wednesday, Aug. 18, that a mask mandate for K-12 schools would help keep children safe when they return to classrooms for the start of 2021-2022 school year, but…

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HPD report, Aug. 19, 2021.

August 19, 2021

HPD report, Aug. 19, 2021. The following is recent activity of the Hart Police Department: Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021: 11 a.m., breaking and entering, 10 block of State Street, City of Hart. 3:45 p.m., fraud complaint, 400 block of Wood Street, City of Hart. 6:33 p.m., a 29-year-old Ludington woman was arrested on an outstanding warrant issued by the Hart…

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Suspect arrested following multi-county high-speed chase.

August 19, 2021

Suspect arrested following multi-county high-speed chase. Oceana County Sheriff’s Office, Pentwater Police Department, Shelby Police Department and Hart Police Department assisted with capturing the suspect. SCOTTVILLE — A 19-year-old Grand Rapids man is lodged in the Mason County Jail following a high-speed police chase through Mason, Oceana and Muskegon counties early Thursday morning, Aug. 19, according to Scottville Police Chief…

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News alert: Report of a combine harvester on fire in a rye field.

August 18, 2021

News alert: Report of a combine harvester on fire in a rye field. Hart and Walkerville fire departments were dispatched to a combine harvester on fire in a rye field on Tyler Road near 112th Avenue Wednesday, Aug. 18, shortly before 3:30 p.m.

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Read Early Read Often program turning the page on children’s literacy.

August 18, 2021

Read Early Read Often program turning the page on children’s literacy. Program has provided 36,000 books to Oceana kids in past five years. OCEANA COUNTY — Since its creation in 2016, as a leadership initiative of the Community Foundation for Oceana County, Oceana Read Early Read Often (RERO) has been working hard to make children’s books and early literacy resources…

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78th District Court sentencings, Aug. 18, 2021.

August 18, 2021

78th District Court sentencings, Aug. 18, 2021. By Allison Scarbrough, Editor. HART — The following were sentenced recently in 78th District Court: Samantha Elizabeth Hawes, 28, of 6331 10th St., Twin Lake, was found guilty Aug. 16 of operating while impaired and was sentenced to 93 days suspended jail with credit for one day served; Alcohol Highway Safety Education (AHSE);…

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