PENTWATER — Picture perfect weather combined with many participants to make the 52nd Pentwater Sand Sculpture Contest Friday, Aug. 15, one of the best ever, according to many longtime followers. “It’s been more than a half-century since the Pentwater Service Club (PSC) began sponsoring the popular Homecoming weekend event,” said Glenn Beavis, who managed the competition for the club. According…
Pirate News is a presentation of Hart Public Schools in partnership with Oceana County Press. HART — Spitler Elementary School students will begin the new school year Sept. 2 with a new principal. The Hart Board of Education Monday, Aug. 18, unanimously approved hiring Jenna Oleneack as the new principal. Oleneack replaces Brandon Bruce who was hired earlier this…
SHELBY — Daniel Beaird of Shelby, who just turned 4 years old, is currently in first place in the National Toddler of the Year competition, and his family is asking the community to vote for him to help him capture the big prize. There are only two days left to cast ballots with voting closing Thursday, Aug. 21. The winner…
Judge John R. Carney Jr., 78, of Ludington, died on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. A celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from noon to 3 p.m. at Grace Funeral Home. Arrangements by Grace Funeral Home and Cremation Services, formerly Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington, www.GraceCremations.com. Listing of 2025 deaths. Listing of 2024 deaths.…
Employment: Special Education Supervisor West Shore Educational Service District has a position vacancy for a Special Education Supervisor. Master’s degree; Full approval in at least one (1) area of special education; three (3) years experience in special education; must be able to satisfy R340.1772 of the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education for Supervisor of Special Education Approval. To…
PENTWATER — Pentwater Village Manager Rachel Witherspoon has announced her resignation, and the Pentwater Village Council will promptly begin its search for a replacement. Witherspoon began the job Oct. 1, 2024, replacing Chris Brown who was fired by the council the previous March. “As I prepare to leave my position as village manager for the Village of Pentwater, I want…
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — Following an hours-long manhunt in Mears that locked down Silver Lake area residents and businesses Sunday, Aug. 17, shooting suspect 59-year-old Don Albert Stapel, Jr., was shot by an officer. A trailer Stapel co-owned at 7408 W. Fox Rd. burned down just days prior to yesterday’s events on Monday morning, Aug. 11.…
HART — A 25-year-old Kingsport, Tenn. man allegedly drove drunk to the Oceana County Jail to turn himself in on an outstanding drug warrant Monday, Aug. 11, around 1:30 p.m., said Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast. The man showed visible signs of intoxication upon his arrival at the jail, and an investigation was conducted. In addition to his felony drug…
GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office has responded to half a dozen injury-causing crashes at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes during the past week. The most serious crash occurred Saturday, Aug. 16, at 12:38 p.m. when a 29-year-old Newport, Mich. man riding a 2023 Polaris RZR in the ORV scramble area was turning right “at a high rate…
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The Michigan Department of Transportation has announced a road construction project on Oceana Drive (old US 31) from M 20 to south of the Shelby village limits is scheduled for Sept. 2 through Oct. 20. “The project consists of 2.26 miles of hot mix asphalt cold milling and resurfacing and pavement markings on Old US 31 (Oceana…
The police news is a presentation of Smith & Eddy Insurance, serving west Michigan since 1902, smith-eddy.com. GRANT TOWNSHIP — A 46-year-old Paris, Mich. man was arrested on charges of methamphetamine possession, carrying a concealed weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, driving while license suspended, open intoxicants in a vehicle and a registration violation Monday, Aug. 18, just before…
Michael (Mike) Jewett, 69, formerly of Pentwater, lost his long battle with that damn cancer on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. A celebration of life will be held August 23, 2025 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Walicki Woods, 3455 N Stiles Road Ludington (Riverton Township). Please grab your chair, your choice of beverage and join his family and friends in…
Stapel’s trailer burned down last Monday By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — Following an hours-long manhunt in Mears that locked down Silver Lake area residents and businesses Sunday, Aug. 17, a shooting suspect was shot by an officer, according to the Michigan State Police. Don Albert Stapel, Jr,, 59, is dead, and the community is now safe. The…
GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — Suspected shooter Don Albert Stapel, Jr., 59, is dead, according to Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast. “The threat has been neutralized,” said Sheriff Mast around 7 p.m. Sunday, confirming that Stapel is deceased. “The community is safe.” He could not provide any further details, because the case is being handled by the Michigan State Police. Law enforcement…
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — The suspected gunman on the loose in Mears, 59-year-old Don Albert Stapel Jr., has misdemeanor charges pending in Oceana County’s 79th District Court. Michigan State Police released an updated photo of Stapel, which is a booking mugshot. Stapel faces charges of larceny less than $200 and trespassing and is scheduled for a…
GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — Michigan State Police have released an updated photograph of the suspected gunman on the loose in the Silver Lake area. Law enforcement is on a manhunt for accused shooter Don Albert Stapel, Jr., 59, Sunday, Aug. 17. Stapel was last known to be wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans, police said. MSP is asking residents in…
GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — Law enforcement is on an hours-long manhunt for accused shooter Don Albert Stapel, Jr., 59, in the Silver Lake community Sunday, Aug. 17. Michigan State Police are asking residents in the 7500 block of Fox Road in Mears to shelter in place as they search for Stapel in the woods. A person was shot in the leg,…
GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — A person was shot in the leg Sunday, Aug. 17, and the gunman is on the loose in the Silver Lake community, according to Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast. The person who was shot was still alive as far as the sheriff knew as of 2 p.m. Sunday. Sheriff Mast declined confirming any other information, because the…
HART — Shale Nicole Campos, 46, was arraigned in Oceana County’s 79th District Court Friday, Aug. 15, on charges of open murder and felony firearm for the shooting death of her husband, Jason Campos. “Campos has been charged with the murder of her husband, Jason Campos, at their residence on East Buchanan Road in Ferry Township in the morning hours…
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Emergency crews responded to a car fire on northbound US 31 north of New Era Friday, Aug. 15, around 6:15 p.m. No injuries were reported.
FERRY TOWNSHIP — A 46-year-old Ferry Township woman has been arrested in connection to the homicide of a 46-year-old Shelby man, said Oceana County Undersheriff Ryan Schiller in a press release Friday, Aug. 15. “On Aug. 15, 2025 at approximately 1 a.m., detectives arrested a 46-year-old Ferry Township woman in connection with the reported homicide from the morning’s incident located…
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