GRAND VALLEY ADVANCE

The Latest News, Updates and Opinions

Candy tossed to visitors during the Hudsonville Santa Parade on Saturday will be especially sweet this year. One piece will contain a notice that the holder is entitled to a one-quarter diamond, a gift from Jensen Jewelers. The parade begins at 10 a.m. at the Pinnacle Center, just west of 32nd Avenue on Highland Drive, and continues north on 32nd... Full story »

Police said a helpful citizen provided a tip leading to the arrest of a suspect in a Grandville purse snatching incident. According to Grandville Detective Andrew Measell, Jessica Dawn Shuman, 28, was arraigned on Nov. 12 on a felony charge of larceny from a person. At about 1 a.m. on Nov. 1, a woman’s purse was reportedly stolen at the... Full story »

Allendale Public Schools Superintendent Dan Jonker said district officials will work hard to keep the current educational programs and teaching staff in place through the end of this school year even though recently announced state cuts to schools will force them to trim the current budget.  The announced $165 per student decrease amounts to a cut of about $300,000 to... Full story »

Coopersville could be home to a new Ottawa County “agriculture incubator” if funding can be found to start the program.  The program would help those who are trying to start an agriculture-related company but lack the business expertise, space, or other skills needed to make their idea a going concern. “What we know is that 80 percent of the businesses... Full story »

Don  Lipfert, a resident of Robinson Township, is the recipient of the Crime Prevention Association of Michigan’s Volunteer of the Year award. He was nominated by Lt. Lee Hoeksema, with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department, who said no one from Ottawa County has won the award before. “I consider him my right-hand man,” said Hoeksema. Lipfert was in the... Full story »

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Zeeland officials recently made changes to the city’s policy on the sale and consumption of alcohol on public property on the recommendation of the Rotary Club, the first organization to hold an event under the policy. The City Council approved three changes to the policy, including adding a restroom requirement, prohibiting children under 18 from being in the area where... Full story »

“Safe and Sound” is a new program designed to provide greater safety for people with dementia or disabilities that limit the ability to communicate, according Ottawa County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Dyke, who is in charge of pilot program in Georgetown Township. Dyke said the department had five calls for registration in the first two days of the program, which began... Full story »

For the first time the City of Zeeland Youth Council has nine members – a change designed to allow more students to participate. The Youth Council, which was sworn in at last week’s City Council meeting, is comprised of nine area high school students. Previously only seven students were allowed on the council, but city officials recently approved an ordinance... Full story »

The Zeeland City Council recently approved more than $8.7 million in tax abatements for two companies. Approved were $7.36 million in tax exemptions for ITW Drawform Inc. and $1.36 million in tax breaks for John A. Van Den Bosch Co. The abatements are for 12 years. Brian Bredeway, a representative for ITW Drawform, requested the tax breaks for equipment that... Full story »

We should be angry and frustrated with our government officials.  Can you think of ANY other business where its management team spends so much of its time arguing and finger-pointing instead of doing the job that it was hired (elected) to do....and still keep their jobs? Can you think of any business management team that can't operate within a budget... Full story »

Webster’s New World dictionary says: Referendum is the submission of a law to allow a direct vote of the people. To address the insulting and impolite letter in the Nov. 3 Advance, referring to upstanding residents who have worked so hard gathering signatures as “rats,” was uncalled for. Apparently the writer does not know all the issues involved. Attending township... Full story »

The current zoning ordinance for  (Georgetown) Township contains the following phrases: “Sec. 1.2  PURPOSE – The  fundamental purpose of this Ordinance is to promote and safeguard the public health, safety, morals, prosperity and general welfare of the people of this Township... to limit the improper use of land and resources, .... to ensure that uses of the land shall be... Full story »

The Allendale Township Board is planning another budget workshop at 6:30 p.m., Nov 23, to continue to hammer out details of how to cut more than $110,000 from this year’s annual budget. The board held a budget meeting Tuesday, but made no decision on cuts, according to Township Supervisor Jerry Alkema. Loss of state revenues and lower than expected tax... Full story »