— A suspect is dead and a police officer is injured following an officer-involved shooting Monday morning in Muskegon Heights The incident spanned three different scenes beginning with a reported disturbance on Baker Street an officer who stopped to assist was shot during an exchange of gunfire with the suspect the suspect was spotted on the porch of a home on Reynolds Street where he reportedly fired at a passing car apparently hitting him before the suspect returned fire and fled the scene Police later found the suspect in an alley behind a home on Howden Street Officials say the suspect was armed and refused commands to drop his weapon When the suspect pointed his weapon at an officer The suspect was later pronounced dead at the hospital The situation caused some panic among neighbors in the area "My daughter called me freaking out that a bullet went through her living room and I had to leave work," Courtney Smith told FOX 17 At least one bullet hit Smith's daughter's house running through the parking lot that I had to hurry up and get to my my daughter and my granddaughter." Police have not yet identified the suspect The officer who was hit has already been released from the hospital The officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative leave Michigan State Police are investigating the incident This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube Spring Sports Stars: Who are the top underclassmen around Muskegon your votes.Jared Purcell | japurcell@mlive.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Josh VanDyke | jvandyke@mlive.comMUSKEGON we asked readers of MLive and the Muskegon Chronicle to vote for the top junior athlete in the area for the 2025 spring sports season we want to know who some of the rising stars in the Muskegon area are as we highlight the underclassmen who have stood out so far this spring as we continue our Spring Sports Stars project We’ve put together a strong list of candidates from the 2027 and 2028 classes thanks to nominations from Muskegon-area coaches but we are counting on the readers of MLive and the Muskegon Chronicle to decide who the top choice is Readers can vote from now until noon on Monday for their top candidate and we’ll publish the winner the next day Below are the 50 top nominated underclassmen spring sports athletes from the Muskegon area for the 2025 season The sophomore girls track standout for the Lions has recorded personal-best times in the 100 dash (13.72) She is also a member of the 400 relay (52.71) and 800 relay (1:53.13) teams The sophomore girls track standout for the Lakers has recorded personal-best times in the 100 dash (12.81) and 400 (1:02.94) as well as a season-best time in the 200 dash (26.65) She is also a member of the 800 relay (1:47.48) and 1,600 relay (4:05.28) teams that have already qualified for the state finals The sophomore softball standout for the Norse holds a .629 batting average with seven doubles She has also logged 121 strikeouts and a 3.51 ERA from the mound in 69.2 innings The freshman girls soccer standout for the Norse has added an incredible defensive presence from her center midfielder position this spring and has used her ability and stamina to help her team stymie opposing attacks The freshman girls soccer standout for the Pirates has recorded six goals and one assist in 10 games so far this season She has completed 111 passes and has a 78.7 percent completion rate on her passes has dribbled by opponents 136 times for an average of 13 times per game has intercepted 42 passes and recovered the ball 66 times The freshman boys golfer for the Sailors took top honors at the GMAA city tournament and currently leads the O-K Green Conference in 9-hole average and tied a school record by carding a 31 at a 9-hole event earlier this spring The sophomore baseball standout for the Spartans splits his time at centerfield He currently holds a .250 batting average with three doubles He also registered 29 strikeouts from the mound in 18.1 innings The sophomore girls soccer standout for the Pirates has registered seven goals and four assists so far this season after moving from left back to center midfielder She has scored 10 goals and dished out six assists in her young varsity career The softball standout for the Norse has a .483 batting average with 14 hits The freshman softball standout for the Tigers holds a .622 batting average with five home runs and 28 RBI from the plate She is also 10-2 overall as the team’s starting pitcher and has registered 124 strikeouts and a 2.08 ERA in 60.1 innings pitched The sophomore boys track standout for the Lions has recorded personal-best times in the 200 dash (27.08) The freshman baseball standout for the Spartans currently holds a .296 batting average with seven RBI He’s also the team’s starting catcher and has thrown three runners in 67.2 innings behind the plate The freshman girls soccer standout for the Norse was tasked with replacing All-State defender Kennedi Koekkoek this spring and has filled the role admirably in her first season as a varsity player and helped her team stymie opposing attacks The freshman girls track standout for the Lakers has recorded personal-best times in the 400 (1:04.59) and 800 (2:27.34) and is also a member of the 1,600 relay (4:05.28) team that has already qualified for the state finals The freshman softball standout for the Packers is currently hitting .554 from the plate with 31 hits She’s also recorded 55 strikeouts in 45.2 innings as her team’s starting pitcher The freshman girls track standout for the Indians has recorded personal-best marks in the 100 hurdles (18.07) 300 hurdles (52.37) and pole vault (9-0) and is also a member of the 1,600 relay team that has posted a season-best time of 4:29.38 The freshman girls track standout for the Lions has recorded personal-best times in the 100 dash (13.23) 200 dash (27.31) and 100 hurdles (16.67) and is also a member of the 400 relay (52.71) and 800 relay (1:53.13) teams The sophomore girls tennis standout for the Packers holds a 4-5 record at No The freshman softball standout for the Packers is currently hitting .396 from the plate with 21 hits She also has 44 putouts and 14 assists with a fielding percentage of 1.000 The sophomore girls track standout for the Indians has recorded season-best times in the 100 dash (13.01) 200 dash (28.19) and 400 (1:06.76) and is also a member of the 400 relay team that has posted a season-best time of 53.26 seconds The freshman boys volleyball standout for the Lakers has recorded eight aces eight kills and one block so far this season The sophomore softball standout for the Sailors holds a .375 batting average with five home runs and 21 RBI so far this spring The sophomore baseball standout for the Tigers holds a .458 batting average with 22 hits one triple and one home run so far this spring The sophomore baseball standout for the Rockets holds a .400 batting average with two doubles and six RBI The sophomore boys track standout for the Buccaneers has recorded personal-best times in the 800 (1:55.80) 1,600 (4:12.67) and 3,200 (9:38.62) and is also a member of the 3,200 relay team that has a season-best time of 8:00.92 The sophomore softball standout for the Eagles leads her team in RBI (21) and has scored 14 runs and stolen seven bases She’s also posted nine strikeouts in 20 innings from the pitching circle The sophomore baseball standout for the Buccaneers is currently batting .364 from the plate with a .451 on-base percentage and leads the team in hits with 16 The sophomore softball standout for the Bulldogs holds a .528 batting average with a team-high 28 hits The sophomore softball standout for the Packers holds a .371 batting average with 23 hits She’s also 3-0 as her team’s starting pitcher with an ERA of 3.06 and has logged 65 strikeouts in 50.1 innings The freshman softblal standout for the Buccaneers is currently hitting .352 from the plate with 19 hits She’s also added 159 putouts and 15 assists with a fielding percentage of 1.000 as the team’s starting catcher The sophomore girls tennis standout for the Orioles is 13-4 on the season at No The sophomore boys track standout for the Orioles has registered a personal-best time in the 800 (2:00.30) and is also a member of the 1,600 relay (3:38.36) and 3,200 relay (8:19.01) teams The sophomore boys track standout for the Buccaneers has recorded personal-best times in the 100 dash (10.97) and 200 dash (22.44) and is also a member of the 400 relay (41.69) 800 relay (1:26.92) and 1,600 relay (3:21.28) teams who have set new school records this spring The sophomore baseball standout for the Bulldogs holds a .417 batting average from the plate with 20 hits The girls soccer standout for the Norse has recorded four goals and two assists in four games so far this season and has emerged as a pivotal playmaker for her squad The sophomore softball standout for the Bulldogs has a .544 batting average with 25 hits The sophomore softball standout for the Sailors holds a .326 batting average with 10 runs scored and seven stolen bases so far this spring The sophomore girls soccer standout for the Buccaneers has tallied nine goals and five assists so far this season The sophomore boys track standout for the Norsemen has recorded personal-best times in the 400 (51.86) and 800 (1:58.10) He recently took top honors in the 800 at the GMAA city track and field invite and is closing in on the school record in the event The sophomore girls tennis standout for the Trojans currently holds a 12-2 record at No 1 singles and recently won the GMAA city tournament title last weekend The freshman girls soccer standout helps anchor a strong defensive unit for the Wildcats this spring that has recorded six shutouts so far this season The sophomore girls track standout for the Lakers has recorded personal-best times in the 200 dash (27.07) The sophomore girls soccer standout for the Lakers scored the game-winning goal in the Division 2 state championship game last spring and has registered 13 goals and eight assists so far this season The sophomore girls soccer standout for the Pirates has recorded five goals and seven assists so far this season including two goals and two assists in a 4-0 win over Comstock Park She has registered eight goals and 14 assists so far in her varsity career between time at left wing and left wingback The sophomore softball standout for the Bulldogs has a .381 batting average with 16 hits She is also 8-0 as her team’s starting pitcher with 73 strikeouts in 43 innings and holds a 1.30 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP The sophomore girls track standout for the Spartans has registered personal-best times in the 100 hurdles (16.29) and 300 hurdles (47.64) and a season-best mark in the long jump (13-10) so far this spring The sophomore boys track standout for the Warriors has recorded personal-best times in the 800 (2:13.69) 1,600 (4:57.36) and 3,200 (10:38.66) and is also a member of the 1,600 relay (3:42.71) and 3,200 relay (8:15.98) teams The sophomore baseball standout for the Lions has registered a .441 batting average with 12 RBI from the plate and holds a 0.79 ERA from the mound with 15 strikeouts The freshman softball standout for the Lakers has recorded a .479 batting average with 23 hits 29 runs scored and 18 stolen bases in 16 games She’s also registered 42 strikeouts in 31.2 innings from the pitching circle The sophomore baseball standout for the Lions has registered a .333 batting average with 10 RBI from the plate The sophomore girls track standout for the Warriors registered personal-best times in the 400 (1:04.41) and 800 (2:35.89) last week and is also a member of the 1,600 relay team that has posted a season-best time of 4:34.42 The sophomore softball standout for the Tigers has registered a .359 batting average so far this spring The sophomore girls track standout for the Lakers has recorded personal-best times in the 100 dash (13.21) and 100 hurdles (16.36) as well as a season-best time in the 300 hurdles (47.02) The sophomore softball standout for the Buccaneers is currently hitting .391 from the plate with 27 hits The freshman girls soccer standout for the Packers has recorded 17 goals and eight assists in 13 matches so far this spring The sophomore boys track standout for the Buccaneers has recorded personal-best times in the 100 dash (10.99) and 200 dash (22.01) and is also a member of the 400 relay (41.69) The freshman softball standout for the Tigers has a .364 batting average with 19 RBI from the plate this season The sophomore girls soccer standout for the Norse has recorded nine goals and nine assists so far this spring Follow Josh VanDyke on Twitter and Facebook for more West Michigan sports content If you would like your local high school sports news delivered free to your inbox daily, click here and sign up for one of our local high school sports newsletters Love reading about local sports? Don’t miss any of the excitement from the season ahead. Purchase your subscription and get full access to every story on MLive Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices The Muskegon boys 400 relay team crosses the finish line at the GMAA city track and field invite (Photo courtesy of Jordan VanDyke)Jordan VanDyke MI – It might not bring the same jubilation as winning a state championship but local bragging rights often leave a lasting legacy of their own The Greater Muskegon Athletic Association track and field invitational has cultivated countless memorable performances over the years as athletes from across Muskegon County have gathered in early May of each spring to test themselves against their neighbors This year’s edition of the local showcase provided plenty of noteworthy results and incredible individual performances as the Whitehall boys track team won its fourth consecutive GMAA city title while the Mona Shores girls track team secured back-to-back GMAA city titles Below are the final results from the GMAA Track and Field Invite Fruitport’s Jax Flynn makes it safely back to first base against Reeths-Puffer’s David Wilhelm at Marsh Field in Muskegon on Friday Fruitport scored 10 in the final inning to win 10-5 (Cory Morse | MLive.com)Cory Morse | MLive.com MI – The Greater Muskegon Athletic Association baseball tournament can often serve as a turning point in the season for the team who comes out on top after a grueling day on the diamond This year’s GMAA city tournament could offer a spark for several Muskegon-area baseball teams who have already started the spring sports season strong but are looking for a few key wins to add to their resume Follow along below as we provide up-to-date scores and stats from all of the GMAA city baseball tournament action on Saturday Stay tuned following the conclusion of the championship game for a more in-depth look at the city champion Whitehall leaders: Brock Morningstar (1 RBI) Muskegon Catholic leaders: Bode Zygmuntowski (2 hits) Mona Shores leaders: Hunter Krueger (2 hits Reeths-Puffer leaders: Connor McManus (1 hit North Muskegon leaders: Carter Mieler (3 hits Fruitport leaders: Tommy Anderson (2 hits) North Muskegon leaders: Logan Slimko (13 strikeouts) Fruitport leaders: Ryan Bosch (15 strikeouts North Muskegon leaders: Bronson Hurst (1 hit Orchard View is hosting a three-team round-robin tournament with Holton and Muskegon beginning at 10 a.m (Photo courtesy of Grant Athletics)Grant Athletics .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Josh VanDyke | jvandyke@mlive.comThe Grant softball team has rolled out to a 14-3 record so far this spring and established itself as a top contender in the Central State Activities Association and a team to watch when the postseason begins later this month Senior standout Alexa Obenauf has provided key contributions from both the plate and the field this spring for the Tigers as she holds a .409 batting average with 15 RBI and 12 runs scored In her team’s recent doubleheader win over Montague The readers of MLive and the Muskegon Chronicle took notice of the veteran leader’s production for her squad as they flooded the polls in support of the senior star for the Grant softball team Obenauf finished the week with more than 56 percent of the total votes to take home the MLive Muskegon Athlete of the Week award for the week of April 21-26 Newaygo softball standout Gracie Stamp finished runner-up in the final standings after she struck out seven batters and allowed just one hit and had two hits and two RBI from the plate in a 10-0 win over Big Rapids She later added three hits and scored three runs in an 11-0 win in the nightcap of the doubleheader against the Cardinals Reeths-Puffer softball standout Lainey McDaniel finished third overall in the polls after she recorded 14 strikeouts from the circle and added one hit and two RBI from the plate in her team’s 4-1 win over Caledonia in the first game of a doubleheader sweep Mona Shores baseball standout Owen Tornga finished fourth overall in the voting process after he threw a complete game with six strikeouts to guide his team to a 6-2 win over Byron Center in O-K Green Conference action Holton softball standout Kenzie Greene rounded out the Top 5 vote-getters after she struck out 15 batters to power her team to a 6-4 win over North Muskegon in the first game of a league doubleheader four runs and an RBI from the plate in her team’s 10-6 win in the nightcap To see all of this week’s Athlete of the Week nominees, click here Coaches and athletic directors are asked to nominate candidates for next week’s award by emailing Josh VanDyke at jvandyke@mlive.com Below are the final results of this week’s Athlete of the Week poll Ravenna’s Riley Homoly (5) steps up to the plate during a softball game at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo Buchanan defeated Ravenna in the MHSAA D3 state quarterfinal.Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Josh VanDyke | jvandyke@mlive.comBelieve it or not there’s less than a month left in the Michigan high school softball regular season Several Muskegon-area teams have already made a name for themselves on the diamond early this spring season while others are trending in the right direction after some promising results in the past few weeks Below are five trending softball teams in the Muskegon area heading into May The Trojans swept past Fremont (8-7; 11-0) and split a doubleheader against Grandville Calvin Christian with a 15-13 win and a 19-12 loss this past week to surpass double-digit wins on the season Madyson Prout has led the Fruitport attack from the plate with a .479 batting average to go along with 23 hits Brylee Dewitt adds a .523 batting average with 23 hits Brooklyn Russell holds a .468 batting average with 22 hits She also doubles as her team’s ace pitcher with 58 strikeouts in 52.2 innings pitched Also adding key contributions for Fruitport are Kalli Tawney with a .459 batting average to go with 17 hits as well as Kya Tawney with a .410 batting average along with 16 hits Fruitport will face Mona Shores (9 a.m.) and Reeths-Puffer (1 p.m.) on Saturday during Tier 1 pool play at the GMAA city tournament at Reeths-Puffer High School MORE: Matchups and schedules for 2025 GMAA city baseball and softball tournaments The Tigers swept past Newaygo (14-10; 17-8) and Chippewa Hills (21-2; 25-23) in the past week as their bats have caught fire from the plate during a critical stretch of the CSAA schedule Alexa Obenauf and Payton Shoemaker proved to be catalysts for the Grant lineup in the past week 11 RBI and 11 runs scored and Shoemaker logged 10 hits Also adding key contributions for the Tigers during their four-game stretch was Lilliana De Los Santos (four hits seven RBI and eight runs) and Emma Thompson (seven hits Grant will be back in action on Saturday as they are scheduled to face DeWitt The Pirates swept Ludington (10-6; 18-2) and split with North Muskegon (2-0 win; 7-5 loss) during a recent stretch of West Michigan Conference doubleheaders Kelsey Copenhaver brought the power from the plate in her team’s games against Ludington and North Muskegon with a combined seven hits while Makenna Carrier was busy on the bath paths with eight runs scored Reese Smith added five hits and three runs scored three RBI and two runs scored and Caydence Bateson had four hits Smith also added an impressive performance from the circle during her team’s 2-0 win over North Muskegon with nine strikeouts and only one hit allowed in a complete-game shutout win over the Norse Hart will be back in action with a contest against Mason County Central on Saturday as they continue to battle for West Michigan Conference supremacy The Rockets put together an impressive three-game sweep of O-K Green Conference rival Mona Shores this week with wins of 13-1 Abbie Critchett led the way for Reeths-Puffer from the plate against the Sailors with eight hits six RBI and five runs and Mady Snyder had nine hits two RBI and six runs and Kyleigh Bilek had three hits Reeths-Puffer enters this weekend’s GMAA city tournament as the top seed and will face Mona Shores (11 a.m.) and Fruitport (1 p.m.) as they hope to repeat as city champions The Bulldogs kept rolling their schedule this past week with impressive sweeps of Newaygo (14-0; 13-0) and Hesperia (21-0; 19-0) Riley Homoly led Ravenna from the plate in the past week with three hits five RBI and five runs scored and Emma Herremans had three hits Addison Gillard threw a gem against Hesperia with eight strikeouts and only one hit allowed in three shutout innings while Natalie Rosel and Bellamie Deater combined for seven strikeouts during a three-inning combined no-hitter against the Panthers Ravenna will head into the GMAA city tournament on Saturday as the No 2 overall seed and will face Holton (11 a.m.) and Oakridge (1 p.m.) in pool play at Reeths-Puffer High School WLNS 6 News A police officer was shot and injured in Muskegon Heights The commander-in-chief can use executive orders to carry out certain policies and programs These orders impact the internal affairs of government which can include issuing new regulations or allocating funds cardiac arrest and stroke will join caregivers researchers and volunteers at the State Capitol Tuesday for the American Heart Association's annual Lobby Day event Michigan State Police honors fallen troopers https://www.wlns.com/top-stories/hard-choices-ahead-as-msu-president-says-we-must-adjust-our-financial-path/ — Officers with the Muskegon Heights Police Department are looking for two people who they believe know information about a fatal shooting that occurred at a public housing complex on April 25 The department is asking the public for help in locating Fredrick Davis and Wilson Davis two men whom they suspect know information about the shooting death of Torrance Spears Jr Spears was shot and killed at the East Park Manor public housing complex on East Hovey Avenue early that morning Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact 911, the Muskegon Heights Police Department at 231-733-8900, or Silent Observer at 231-722-7463 — A man from Muskegon will spend decades behind bars for his part in a drug trafficking operation that used the postal service to deliver the drugs across the U.S Srecko Walker was sentenced to 32 years in federal prison The 35-year-old was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine and other drug-related charges back in November Walker admitted to investigators he worked with a cocaine supplier in Texas and a Muskegon-based mail carrier to ship drugs into West Michigan The mail carrier identified vacant addresses on his route which the supplier then mailed the cocaine to The drug smuggling started in 2021 and continued into October of 2022 before state and federal authorities shut the operation down While investigators are not sure exactly how much cocaine the trio sent through the mail The United States Postal Inspection Service the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and the Michigan State Police West Michigan Enforcement Team investigated this case “Let the severity of this sentence be a warning to those who abuse the nation’s mail system to transport narcotics and other dangerous or illegal substances: We will find you and we will seek to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," said Detroit Division Acting Inspector in Charge Sean McStravick of the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General The mail carrier and Texas supplier were also sentenced in separate cases The Reeths-Puffer baseball team poses with the 2024 GMAA city championship trophy at Marsh Field MI – The Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournaments have been a staple of the spring sports season for years This year’s edition of the city-wide event should once again provide plenty of entertainment for sports fans across the Muskegon area especially on the baseball and softball diamonds The GMAA city baseball tournament will kick things off Friday with some early elimination games and cap off the weekend with a GMAA championship game at historic Marsh Field in downtown Muskegon The GMAA softball tournament will feature two state-ranked teams in Ravenna (Division 3) and Holton (Division 4) as well as honorable mention teams such as Reeths-Puffer (Division 1) and Oakridge (Division 2) matchups and schedules for the 2025 GMAA baseball and softball tournaments The GMAA baseball tournament serves as the grand finale for the week with the championship game concluding at historic Marsh Field in downtown Muskegon Last year, Reeths-Puffer earned a dramatic 8-7 win over North Muskegon in the GMAA championship game to secure the first city title for the program since 2006 Trent Reichert earned the win from the mound for the Rockets in the title game and pushed through a hamstring injury to go five innings and strike out eight batters while allowing four runs Holden Earnest pitched the final two innings and allowed three runs before senior outfielder Landyn Wilson made a sliding catch to end the game with the bases loaded for North Muskegon This year’s tournament will be comprised of 13 teams with first-round games taking place at various locations on Friday evening The top 10 teams will compete for the GMAA city title while the remaining three teams will compete in a round-robin tournament at Orchard View High School Below is the seeding for the 2024 GMAA baseball tournament 4:15 p.m.: Whitehall at Western Michigan Christian Game 4: Ravenna/MCC winner at North Muskegon Orchard View will host a three-team round-robin tournament with Holton and Muskegon beginning at 10 a.m The Reeths-Puffer softball team poses with the 2024 GMAA city championship trophy Where: Reeths-Puffer/Orchard View/Muskegon Community College The GMAA city softball tournament always provides some exciting results with state-powerhouse programs competing for local bragging rights each May This year’s tournament will be split into two tiers in an effort to get as many games in as possible during a one-day competition Last year, Reeths-Puffer used a defensive gem and an incredible performance from starting pitcher Lainey McDaniel to secure a 3-0 win over Ravenna in the GMAA championship game McDaniel threw a complete-game shutout with five strikeouts from the circle while Abbie Critchett added two RBI from the plate Below is a look at this year’s tournament field NOTE: This year’s GMAA softball tournament will be held under time-limit restrictions through the semifinal round of competition No new innings are allowed to begin after one hour and 45 minutes of game time — A municipal sewer leak released an upper limit of 87,400 gallons of raw sewage near Airline Hwy and S The Muskegon County Public Health Department sent out a public health advisory that day notifying and advising residents to "avoid direct contact with (or fishing in) Little Black Creek and Mona Lake for the next 48 hours." One Norton Shores man is concerned with how the situation is being handled He and his neighbor detected sewage along their Mona Lake shoreline this week when installing their boat lifts in the water living on the shoreline of Mona Lake is a dream come true for John Backus and his family and we made a lot of sacrifices in our life in order to enjoy this lifestyle.," said Backus at his home in Norton Shores Tuesday "It's something that we look forward to during the winter months...Constantly doing things on the water from water skiing to sailing and kayaking and It was through Backus's contractor that he found out about the sewage leak "My boat lift was scheduled to be put in the water last week and the contractor who was going to do it sent me the public health notice that the county put out that said that there was a spillage of sewage of over 87,000 gallons And the notice said to stay out of the water for 48 hours," Backus said "He came yesterday to put the boat lift in and the guys that he had working for him said that they stirred up the bottom with the boat and and when they were putting the lift in He said his neighbor is also dealing with a similar situation a few days ago when he had his dock put in their wet suits were filled with sewage," said Backus His next step was to reach out to officials at Muskegon County Public Health "The official told me that it's up to private residents to do testing on their own which I don't think is quite right," Backus said "Some of it was coming up through the manholes and there was the high estimate was 87,400 gallons of raw sewage," said Michael Eslick the operations manager and overseer of environmental health for Muskegon County Public Health Eslick said they sampled parts of the county the day after the sewage spill I think it was less than an hour," Eslick said which is right at the mouth of Black Creek He said as long as sampling results came under the parameters of 130 fecal coliforms I believe the city of Muskegon Heights Park That came at 9.7 and right at the mouth of Black Creek Eslick said that residents with concerns are responsible for their own samples and so we would suggest that they would get it sampled So bring it down to a reputable laboratory," Eslick added is frustrated with what he said is a lack of communication from the county "Why isn't any responsibility being taken and somebody coming out here and helping us out And making sure that what's reported is actually there how's it going to get taken care of?" questioned Backus Backus paid $142 out of his pocket to sample his side of Mona Lake The results of the test are set to come out Wednesday "If the test that we paid for shows that there's a problem "We're asking to test the lake water that 1000s of people use Details: cache-fra-eddf8230155-FRA 1746535109 3111116326 Placemaking projects will add critical housing The projects build on the state’s ‘Make It in Michigan’ economic development strategy through developing attractive thriving communities where people want to live and businesses want to grow Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) Board support for placemaking projects that will add critical housing thriving communities where people want to live and businesses want to grow.  “Today’s projects will build 1,220 homes across Muskegon and Ferndale and make these cities even better places to live we’re turning empty spaces into vibrant places These projects will help us continue our mission to help anyone ‘make it’ in Michigan Let’s keep working together to make cities and towns across Michigan great places to live.”  “To build a Michigan where everyone can ‘Make It,’ we must invest in the places that people call home,” said Lt “This support for community revitalization projects is helping transform neighborhoods Let’s keep standing tall for community development so every person can build a great life right here in Michigan.”  “Developing attractive places and revitalizing communities are a key pillar in the state’s ‘Make It in Michigan’ economic development strategy of supporting People CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Chair of the MSF Board “Today’s approved projects continue to deliver on this strategy for fellow Michiganders our bipartisan partners in the state legislature and the volunteer MSF Board for their ongoing support of the critical economic development placemaking tools needed to make these projects a reality but the approvals of these projects are additional steps forward in ensuring all Michiganders live in vibrant communities as the state addresses growing workplace housing demand.”  Overview: The MSF Board approved a Transformational Brownfield Plan (TBP) incentive package to support a redevelopment project at a former furniture manufacturing site in the City of Muskegon commercial space and a parking garage to the area while serving as a catalyst for future investment.   The $159,598,389 TBP package requested by the City of Muskegon Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and developer Parkland Properties of Michigan will support redevelopment across seven buildings creating an estimated 571 residential units and 74,549 square feet of commercial space the project is anticipated to create 200 full-time jobs and bring an estimated total capital investment of $221,335,800.   president and founder of Parkland Properties of Michigan founded the Parkland family of companies in 1988; today the company is one of the largest real estate development firms in West Michigan with over two million square feet of building space currently developed or under development.    “On behalf of Parkland Properties of Michigan and the greater Muskegon community we extend our sincere appreciation to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation the Michigan Strategic Fund and the City of Muskegon for their unrelenting support of the transformational Shaw Walker project,” said Jon Rooks president/founder of Parkland Properties of Michigan the Shaw Walker Furniture Company grew from an idea into the largest manufacturer of furniture and filing equipment in the world these factory buildings have stood tall on the shores of Muskegon Lake embodying an era of vision and ambition While the factory operations are no longer these buildings have an opportunity to continue to support the needs of their community by providing over 500 housing units and space for supporting businesses A project of this size and nature is complicated; we appreciate the public-private-partnership that will enable these buildings to continue to stand tall for future generations.”   “The City of Muskegon is grateful to the Michigan Strategic Fund Board for their consideration and approval of the Shaw Walker Project Transformational Brownfield,” said Jake Eckholm director of Development Services with the City of Muskegon “This facility has long been our community’s largest and most visible eyesore and Parkland has stepped up to turn it into a once-in-a-generation asset the strong residential demand in our traditional downtown and the desire our residents have to beautify their neighborhoods it would be hard to imagine a more beneficial project City staff and the team at MEDC on this endeavor truly exemplifies a mutually beneficial public private partnership that will deliver great outcomes for the residents we serve.”  Overview: The MSF Board approved a Transformational Brownfield Plan (TBP) incentive package to support a multi-building redevelopment project that will reinvigorate blighted vacant land in the center core of the City of Southfield through added housing commercial space and community amenities.   The $131,822,436 TBP package requested by the City of Southfield Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and developer Middlepointe Investment Group LLC includes construction of a walkable high-density mixed-use development including three multi-story a single-story retail structure and one multi-story parking deck with ground-floor retail.   the project is planned to include 577 residential units surface and structured parking spaces and 42,665 square feet of retail and commercial space The project also includes two pocket parks and a pedestrian greenway connecting Southfield’s central park with development to the west It is anticipated the overall project will create 100 full-time jobs and bring a total capital investment of $209,552,970.  The development team is led by Hassan Jawad a seasoned real estate investor and developer with a longstanding track record of delivering transformative projects across Michigan the Middlepointe Development Team brings deep collective expertise across real estate acquisition The team has successfully developed and managed hundreds of residential units and significant commercial square footage and mixed-use developments throughout Southeast Michigan.    Why It Matters: This transformational project will usher in a new era for the City of Southfield by attracting talent and businesses to the region while linking existing assets and employment centers to help them grow through place-based investment community green space and other amenities that will help to catalyze additional development and investment in the city while creating a transformational impact on local economic development and community revitalization.  The Middlepointe development builds on placemaking efforts for the City of Southfield, which became a Certified Redevelopment Ready Community in 2016.  "We're grateful to the Michigan Strategic Fund and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for their support of the Middlepointe Development," said Hassan Jawad president of Middlepointe Investment Group "This project represents a major investment in Southfield and the broader Southeast Michigan region4one that will create jobs and help meet the growing demand for high-quality Middlepointe is about more than buildings – it's about building opportunity and contributing to a more inclusive and economically vibrant community."  “This is more than a redevelopment—it’s a rebirth,” said Southfield Mayor Dr “The Middlepointe project will bring much-needed residential density It’s a transformative investment in our future and a shining example of how public-private partnerships can reshape communities in profound and productive ways.”  “Revitalizing this long-vacant property in the heart of Southfield will contribute to a vibrant thriving city center,” said state Senator Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) “I’ve supported this project for years and I’m excited to see it make real progress with the promising potential to bring jobs and walking paths — everything a community needs to be welcoming and the developers for helping move our city forward.”    “I’ve supported this project since my time on Southfield City Council in 2019 and it’s incredibly rewarding to see it moving forward,” said State Representative Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield) “This transformational redevelopment will breathe new life into the heart of Southfield -- turning long-vacant land into a vibrant this project represents more than bricks and mortar -- it’s an investment in Southfield’s future and a catalyst for inclusive growth and long-term revitalization.”  Overview: A blighted surface parking lot in the City of Ferndale will be converted into a multi-family mixed-use property with 72 residential units and commercial space adding housing and residential density to the community.   The residential component of the Vester Flats project will be comprised of a mix of 45 studio units the first floor includes approximately 1,585 square feet of commercial space integrated under and located behind the building.   The MSF board approved a Michigan Community Revitalization Program direct loan of $3,950,000 to support the project which will have a total anticipated capital investment of $22,252,990 The City of Ferndale has also supported the project with a Workforce PILOT valued at approximately $4.4 million over 15 years.  Why It Matters: In addition to creating mixed-income housing for the City of Ferndale the redevelopment project will include public improvements for a more pedestrian-oriented streetscape along Vester Street and the adjacent alleyway The project will also add public art and upgrades to the water and sewer service providing cultural interest and infrastructure improvements to the area.  the development team is comprised of a group of developers who have worked in both the public and private sectors with over $1 billion worth of mixed-use development historic renovations and ground-up development in Detroit The project builds on placemaking prioritization in the City of Ferndale, which became a Certified Redevelopment Ready Community in 2017.   “Walters Group is proud and excited to be a part of the vibrant Ferndale community,” said Walters Group CEO Matt Walters “The Vester Flats mixed use project will provide new workforce housing that is much needed throughout the State of Michigan This project is a testament of the public private partnership between the Michigan Economic Development Corporation the Oakland County Housing Trust Fund and the City of Ferndale.”  “The City of Ferndale is excited to support this mixed-use workforce housing project within our downtown corridor,” said City of Ferndale Community and Economic Development Director Roger Caruso “This will make a real impact on people who want to live and play in our city.  It can’t go unmentioned that this project would not have come to fruition if it weren’t for the financial participation from Oakland County and the State of Michigan particularly the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.”  In addition to the approved placemaking projects the MSF Board voted in support of the following projects:  About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Details: cache-fra-eddf8230155-FRA 1746535142 3111579579