A “Walk-In” is planned today at the South Haven City Council meeting as a group of citizens is planning to show their support for the person they want to see as police chief. Posting in community groups on social media, the group is advertising “A City Hall Walk-In” to show support for Sergeant Patrick Carlotto. Organizers say they’re intending to show “South Haven’s City Council, Mayor Annie Brown, and City Manager Kate Hosier, that enough is enough!” They say they’re planning a peaceful walk-in to Monday night’s meeting to show support for Carlotto being hired as Police Chief. Organizers added, “With the recent failure of hires, which have embarrassed our beautiful city, we need to show up and make our voices heard once and for all.” Group members say they plan to speak during the public comment and are encouraging others to do so. At last check, there were no agenda items directly related to the ongoing search for a police chief, though we’re told it’s likely to take up a good portion of the meeting. The city of South Haven has applied for an emergency dredging permit from the Army Corps of Engineers to get its recreational harbor ready for boaters this summer City Manager Kate Hosier tells us recent Army Corps surveying revealed some concerning news The water isn’t deep enough for boats “We’ve seen some mounding and some shoaling that’s occurring,” Hosier said “One of the shoaling spots that are of concern to the city is the mouth of the channel instead of being down to a project depth of 21 feet or even 14 feet we’re clearly around eight feet.” isn’t deep enough for the Michigan Maritime Museum’s tall ship Hosier says the goal is to get the water to a depth of at least ten feet “We would just hope that the harbor and the channel can be used this summer and that this shoaling issue is not going to be an issue for the boaters.” Hosier says the city just applied for the dredging permit and it’s not known long it could take to get word back from the Army Corps a timetable for getting the dredging done isn’t yet known Hosier notes this isn’t the first time the city has had to seek emergency dredging approval — The city of South Haven announced Adam DeBoer will serve as interim police chief after the resignation of Chief Dennis Honholt DeBoer has been with the South Haven Police Department for over 20 years and previously served several roles for the department He's received numerous honors in his time with the South Haven Police Department deep knowledge of our Police Department and keen understanding of South Haven’s needs make him a natural fit as interim chief,” South Haven City Manager Kate Hosier said Former chief Honholt resigned after it was learned he failed to resign his position in Tennessee despite accepting the South Haven police chief role DeBoer will serve as interim police chief at least through summer A timeline for a new police chief search will be announced at a later date — South Haven's police chief of just three weeks has resigned after city leaders discovered he never quit his position from down south Dennis Honholt started as police chief on April 1 Now city leaders say Honholt never resigned from his position with the Dover He is still listed as chief of police on Dover's website Honholt's agreement with South Haven included an explicit understanding he would quit his role in Dover South Haven announced Honholt resigned as its police chief "We share the community's deep frustration over the turnover in this key leadership role," the city said in a release South Haven did not announce an interim chief Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube After more than 60 years serving ice cream it was really sad to say goodbye to Sherman's Dairy ice cream parlor.. I grew up in South Haven and have so many good memories of going to Sherman's Dairy Bar with my family we'd stop there before a trip to nearby Walmart or after one of little brother's soccer games It was something you waited for all winter - Sherman's Dairy to announce its opening day in the spring The business first opened as a dairy farm in 1916 and began serving ice cream in 1958 When I saw the Facebook announcement on the creamery's closure this past fall We want our loyal fans to be the first to know: the 2024 season of Sherman’s Dairy Bar will be our last We have loved being part of your summer traditions for 66 seasons and we know many of you have fond memories of a scoop at Sherman’s As far as I know, an official reason for the closure was not shared. In comments online, folks commented with memories and their sadness at the news. Many wondered if it would reopen and what would happen to the dairy's iconic blue cows perched up on the roof My family and I made one last trip to Sherman's in October I got my signature (gigantic) scoop of Cotton Candy Confetti ice cream in a waffle cone and said my goodbyes.. READ MORE: Back From the Dead - Beloved Waterfront Restaurant to Reopen with New Concept But now it's sounding like Sherman's Dairy is back In a post to the South Haven Chatline Facebook group multiple South Haven residents say Sherman's is once again serving ice cream Sherman’s has reopened with new ownership Not sure on anything but the simple fact that the ice cream tastes the same as last year The only change is that Sherman's has been painted over on the brick wall on the side of the building and the white Sherman's sign out front is gone As far as an official name, some are saying it's still called Sherman's while others are referring to it as Moo's. So is it the same Hudsonville Ice Cream? (Sherman's stopped making their own in 2019.) According to some people, yes. In a different post to the group, Tom S Stopped in last night and they said they were scooping Sherman’s Hudsonville and some Ashbys and might add Moovilles eventually Perhaps the confusion with MOO-ville and "Moo's" is that the owners of Lake Arvesta recreation park also recently shared with the group that they'd begun serving MOO-ville Ice Cream READ MORE: Discover the Glamping Retreat Hidden in the Woods Near South Haven I'm just glad the iconic ice cream shop is once again serving up tasty treats It does not appear that the Sherman's Dairy social media pages are still active or its website -- but it is no longer listed as "permanently closed" on Google and an employee answered the phone by saying this is Sherman's Dairy of South Haven." While they could not give me information on the new owners at this time they did say that Sherman's is now open seven days a week I hope they still have my favorite Cotton Candy Confetti To echo what many are saying online, hopefully the same thing happens for the beloved Golden Brown Bakery, which shuttered in downtown South Haven last year Gallery Credit: Janna Sadly, the iconic Sherman's Dairy Bar in South Haven permanently closed in fall of 2024 after 66 years of serving ice cream. Is it back though? According to talk online it's reopened under new ownership.\nRead More I grew up in South Haven and have so many good memories of going to Sherman's Dairy Bar with my family When I saw the Facebook announcement on the creamery's closure this past fall As far as I know, an official reason for the closure was not shared. In comments online, folks commented with memories and their sadness at the news. Many wondered if it would reopen and what would happen to the dairy's iconic blue cows perched up on the roof READ MORE: Back From the Dead - Beloved Waterfront Restaurant to Reopen with New Concept In a post to the South Haven Chatline Facebook group As far as an official name, some are saying it's still called Sherman's while others are referring to it as Moo's. So is it the same Hudsonville Ice Cream? (Sherman's stopped making their own in 2019.) According to some people, yes. In a different post to the group, Tom S Perhaps the confusion with MOO-ville and "Moo's" is that the owners of Lake Arvesta recreation park also recently shared with the group that they'd begun serving MOO-ville Ice Cream READ MORE: Discover the Glamping Retreat Hidden in the Woods Near South Haven To echo what many are saying online, hopefully the same thing happens for the beloved Golden Brown Bakery, which shuttered in downtown South Haven last year This isn't your typical camping experience! Elevate your outdoor stay at West Michigan newest glamping spot Located outside of one of West Michigan's most-visited beachside towns the new resort is also just minutes away from the Lake Michigan coastline Nothing screams summertime chic quite like an overnight stay beneath the stars in one of those trendy dome tents The word "glamping" has been absorbed into our lexicon so quickly that I've almost forgotten what it exactly means A portmanteau of glamorous + camping, glamping is used to refer to a trendy and comfortable camping experience that is nowhere near the traditional "roughing it". HipCamp explains Glamping is an outdoor escape that combines the natural setting of a traditional camping experience with some of the luxuries and conveniences of home...like hot tubs and geodesic dome tents which can be found at resorts alongside such amenities as pool and artisan baked goods alongside locally roasted coffee The South Haven area already boasts one glamping resort and pool club, DayDreamer Domes which opened in 2024 and they're about to be home to a second: The new glamping resort is now booking at 03483 70th St. outside of South Haven. According to their Facebook page the resort is Unwind in a cozy dome with a private hot tub We’re dedicated to your exceptional and peaceful stay Gallery Credit: Lauren Gordon Elevate your camping experience at one of South Haven's newest glamping resorts.\nRead More This isn't your typical camping experience! Elevate your outdoor stay at West Michigan newest glamping spot Located outside of one of West Michigan's most-visited beachside towns the new resort is also just minutes away from the Lake Michigan coastline A portmanteau of glamorous + camping, glamping is used to refer to a trendy and comfortable camping experience that is nowhere near the traditional "roughing it". HipCamp explains The South Haven area already boasts one glamping resort and pool club, DayDreamer Domes which opened in 2024 The new glamping resort is now booking at 03483 70th St. outside of South Haven. According to their Facebook page the resort is SOUTH HAVEN – When Ron Wise retired as Executive Director (Chief) of South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) in 2020 he didn’t put away his helmet and boots.Instead he changed from wearing the traditional white helmet of Chief to the yellow helmet of the paid-on-call responder.On Saturday (April 26) he was named the SHAES 2025 Firefighter of the Year during the department’s annual banquet.“Ron is one of the most dedicated hard-working members of SHAES – always willing to help and doing it well,” said Chief Brandon Hinz “He has a positive attitude and is encouraging to others notably our younger members.”A third generation firefighter Wise joined SHAES in 1989 and served as Executive Director (Chief) from 2008-2020 He was the co-recipient of the Firefighter of the Year recognition in 1992-93.In “retirement” he led the paid-on-call ranks in emergency responses over the past year In recent months he has helped the department upgrade the staffing and response times from its Casco station.“Ron loves this organization and the community we serve,” said Hinz.The department’s Leadership Award was presented to Training Officer Shawn Smith for the second time in his career Smith joined the department as a paid-on-call member in 2010 and within six months joined the career ranks He also received the Leadership Award in 2018 He has served in the newly created Training Officer position since 2023.“Shawn has excelled at setting the bar high for this newly created position reiterating the importance of proper training,” said Hinz “He has earned this award through hard work a vision of what this organization needed and an unwavering commitment to make it happen.”Three new career members were formally sworn-in – Jessica Trinklein Joining the paid-on-call ranks is Jacob Florey.Years-of-Service recognitions were presented as follows: Ron Wise 35 years; Dustin Guminski and SHAES Board member Nancy Whaley 15 years; Jon Vandenberg and Zach Kenreich 10 years; and City Manager/SHAES Board member Kate Hosier five years.Welcomed to the new Firefighter Cadet program were Ayden Quinn Alyssa Ockerman and Nick Rainey.Citation Bars were presented as follows: Phillip Quinn Paramedic.SHAES responded to a record number of calls in 2024 and is on pace to set a new response record this year according to Hinz “Our ability to provide a high level of service and care would not be possible without the dedication of our members and the community’s support has resigned after he allegedly failed to resign from his other role as a chief of police in Tennessee Honholt was hired on April 1 under "explicit understanding that serving as our police chief was to be his exclusive employment," according to the City of South Haven whose officials have accepted Honholt's resignation "We share the community’s deep frustration over the turnover in this key leadership role and are working to appoint an interim leader for the department," officials said Holding 31 years of law enforcement experience Honholt is the Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety for the City of Dover He was responsible for creating the city's public safety office and the water/rescue divisions according to a March 20 release from the City of South Haven Prior to his roles as Dover and South Haven's police chiefs Honholt was a detective for the Clarksville Police Department in Tennessee deputy sheriff/court officer for the 60th District Court forensic services officer with the Walker Police Department and investigator with the United States Investigative Service Stay with News Channel 3 as we work to bring you more information — A restaurant in South Haven has closed off part of their space due to an unexpected guest Three Blondes Brewing has had to shut down a portion of their outdoor patio space for a mother duck who chose a large flower basket on the restaurant's patio to nest her five eggs DNR officials told the restaurant the mother duck would abandon the eggs if they were moved which restaurant staff refused to let happen the restaurant taped off an area on the patio so the mother wouldn't be disturbed by patrons we had to worry about children that wanted to get real curious and get too close and start trying to reach out and touch her So [we] gave her a big roaming place to stay and kept her protected," Ray Vanderzee from Three Blondes Brewing The mother duck moved in between April 14 and 16 according to the restaurant's cameras The eggs are expected to hatch between 24 and 30 days of incubation according to DNR officials the restaurant consulted — Residents of South Haven are expressing concern after discovering a large number of dead birds along shoreline prompting fears of potential avian influenza told News Channel 3 she and her husband Larry woke up to find bird carcasses sprawling the beach outside of their North Beach condo A survey of the area revealed more than 100 dead birds which said current estimates show at least 130 birds have been affected Beachgoers are being urged by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the City of South Haven to avoid the birds whenever possible to prevent potential spread of disease The Michigan DNR is investigating the situation saying that affected species include long-tailed ducks and murky Merganser which are well-adapted to Lake Michigan's stormy conditions they said that highly pathogenic avian influenza is being considered as the cause "In terms of what we're looking at here and other potential specimens that ended up we really are only focused on how highly pathogenic avian influenza has affected those wild birds," said Rachel Lincoln with the DNR's Wildlife Division The DNR said samples have been collected and sent out to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostics Lab for testing results may be delayed due to a nationwide outbreak backlog so leaving them to decompose naturally in remote areas where they "do not pose a risk" is best practice it is crucial for people to cover their skin completely to double bag the carcasses and place them directly into the trash The City of South Haven said staff is continuing to monitor and clear public beaches but private property owners are responsible for their own cleanup The DNR said that if you observe six or more dead birds in one area, you should report it on their "Eyes in the Field" platform Concerns about human health and safety should be forwarded to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services at 517-335-8165 If bird flu is suspected in a domestic flock contact Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) immediately at 800-292- 3939 (daytime) or 517-373-0440 (after hours) We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at eaccounts@TheHP.com or call us at 269-429-2400 SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — South Haven officials announced Adam DeBoer as the city's interim police chief on Tuesday. It comes after the resignation of Chief Dennis Honholt last week, who the city said never quit his old position in Tennessee DeBoer started as a South Haven police officer in 2004 He has worked in the department for over 20 years including road patrol officer and narcotics detective DeBoer is set to serve as interim chief at least until the end of summer He will oversee all police department operations deep knowledge of our Police Department and keen understanding of South Haven's needs make him a natural fit as interim chief," South Haven City Manager Kate Hosier said in the statement "He will provide a steady hand in guiding our Police Department through this transition period..." A timeline for a new police chief search will be announced in the future Several candidates in the races for South Haven’s Mayor and for open City Council positions met the filing requirements and will appear on the August Primary ballot.Incumbent Mayor Annie Brown will be opposed by present City Council member Mary Hosely and by Joshua Lemmer.Running for the soon-to-be-vacant City Council position in Ward One are Eddie Polk is unable to seek another term because of term limits City Council members can only serve for two four-year terms City Council member Letitia Wilkins’s term will end next year.In Ward Two Wendi Onuki will not be seeking a second term and three candidates have filed for the vacancy is not up for re-election.David Flack is the only person who filed to run for the open position in Ward Three That position is available because George Sleeper has served two terms and is ineligible to run again her position on the City Council would be filled by an appointment by the City Council.The Primary Election takes place on Tuesday and the mayor and new council members will be decided in the November who previously served as the Chief of Police in Dover expressed a strong desire to return to his home state and make a positive impact in the community “After the better part of two decades out of state I’ve got one of my children live here I still have siblings here and that coupled with the fact that the department that I was leaving has gotten to a point where I feel it’s mission accomplished,” Honholt says “I’m not somebody that likes to retire on duty my wife and I felt like it was time to come back home.” Honholt has experienced nothing but a warm welcome He is grateful for this opportunity and aims to continue to better the police department in South Haven into a positive force within the community “The first thing that I would really like to do is to take what’s great and make it even better,” Honholt says is we’ve got a good amount of younger officers here Honholt was officially sworn in on April 1 There will be a ceremonial swearing at an upcoming city council meeting the South Haven Police Chief resigned on April 23 2025.The second police chief to resign this year Dennis Honholt began his duties on April 1 Honholt was forced to resign when information surfaced in the last few days indicating that Honholt had never resigned from his previous position.Honholt came to South Haven with 31 years of law enforcement experience Prior to becoming Chief of Police in Dover he was a detective with the Clarksville Police Department in Tennessee Deputy Sheriff/Court Officer for the 60th District Court Forensic Services Officer with the Walker Police Department and Investigator with the United States Investigative Service.It came to the attention of the South Haven Beacon on April 23 that an article had been published in the Stewart County Standard newspaper in Dover that Honholt was leading a “double life” by being police chief in both Dover and South Haven at the same time The article indicated that when the Standard talked to Honholt about the dual roles he refused to provide an adequate explanation.South Haven City Manager Kate Hosier released a statement on April 24 2025 that stated that Honholt resigned as South Haven’s Police Chief The announcement by Hosier went on to say that “City leadership was shocked and disappointed to learn Honholt failed to resign his position in Tennessee once he accepted the position as our police chief it was with the explicit understanding that serving as our police chief was to be his exclusive employment.”Hosier added that “We share the community’s deep frustration over the turnover in this key leadership role and are working to appoint an interim leader for the department.”The position of chief of the South Haven Police Department was vacant before Honholt’s hiring since Kevin Swope resigned on February 25 2025 – after less than two months on the job Prior to Swope becoming chief on January 6 there had been no permanent chief following the retirement of Natalie Thompson in 2024 Sergeant Pat Carlotto filled in as the interim police chief Carlotto was again acting as interim police chief It is assumed that Carlotto again will serve as interim chief.Many in the community voiced concern over the hiring of Honholt in the first place one former South Haven Police Department officer appeared before the City Council in March to state that Honholt was not qualified to be the new chief this individual as well as others advocated for Carlotto to be hired as the chief.Critics of Honholt’s have indicated that there were troubling aspects to the background investigation carried on prior to his hiring and that these were ignored Reliable sources also state that interviewers who were part of the process of hiring Honholt rated Honholt below other candidates has stated that the City Manager pushed for hiring a new chief from outside of the department rather than hiring suitable candidates from within the South Haven Police Department.After Thompson left the position the city was working with the Michigan Municipal League to select candidates and narrow the viable candidates down to a short list more than 40 people participated in focus groups providing feedback about the candidates for police chief.The indications are that the City will go back to the previous list of candidates to find a new police chief It has been estimated by a police department administrator that each search and hiring of a new chief costs the city approximately $25,000 This story was written for today’s print paper which immediately makes today’s paper outdated — Three Blondes Brewing in South Haven is not just known for its beer and pizza the brewery has gained attention for its unexpected feathered visitor—a mother duck who decided the establishment's outdoor planter was the perfect spot to lay her eggs renowned for its loyal care for customers and vendors faced an unusual dilemma when a client asked about a duck “We’re getting ready to do the flowers in the planter A mama duck waddled into the brewery's bustling outdoor patio two weeks ago and began nesting just make sure that she’s able to do her little mommy duties,” said waitress Sarah Campbell but the team decided to protect the ducks’ nest after research showed they could not disrupt it trying to do her thing," Vanderzee explained including closing off part of the patio and creating a barrier for the mama duck “So create a barrier for protection about 10 feet provide a water source for her," Vanderzee added and just kind of wanted to make sure she's able to do what she needs to do to protect her babies." The mama duck has become a new attraction for patrons But then I saw the duck,” recalled customer Olivia Perez The team at Three Blondes Brewing is dedicated to ensuring the ducks’ safety “You certainly don’t want to be the person who disrupted the duck and caused her to abandon five eggs you’re gonna know they care about Mother Nature,” Vanderzee emphasized The eggs are expected to hatch within the next 7-10 days Mama duck will raise the ducklings for four days before they are ready to venture out into the world SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — One week after more than 100 dead birds were discovered on South Haven's beaches there are still bird remains scattered across the shoreline according to locals who told News Channel 3 they are concerned about the potential impact this could have on the upcoming tourism season The City of South Haven acknowledged the issue in a news release on March 26 stating that city staff will handle cleanup on public beaches but private property owners are responsible for their own removal of diseased wildlife many dead birds can still be found buried in the sands of South Beach a public beach and popular tourist destination "If I was a tourist I wouldn't come here to this beach looking like this," one local said "I feel like it would push people away.. News Channel 3 reached out to city officials for an update asking how frequently the public beach is being monitored and cleaned but City Manager Kate Hosier said they do not have an update on the birds at this time the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirms testing is still underway for possible Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Officials have noted that the risk of spreading disease decreases as the bird carcasses decompose "It's embarrassing,” one resident said "They need to get someone out here to get this cleaned up because it's gonna be open soon for the kids to come and swim and they don't need to swim around this stuff.” As the city continues to address the issue residents hope for a swift resolution to ensure the beaches are ready for an influx of tourists just around the corner — Governmental immunity was denied in a drowning death lawsuit In a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of South Haven for the fatal drownings of 19-year-old Emily MacDonald and 22-year-old Kory Ernster 36th Circuit Court Judge Susan Metzger denied the city's request for dismissal based on governmental immunity because of "misuse and mismanagement" of beach flags and neglecting safety despite being "well informed by experts," according to court documents and Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSR) officials In the request, the defense claimed the beaches are not profit generating and therefore they do not meet the qualifications of having "proprietary function," however, Judge Metzger disagreed, citing a 2020 year-end statement that reflected $221,028 in net revenue, and classified beach operations as "business-type activity." “All that is apparent from the materials presented is that profit generated by the operation of South Beach is transferred out of the beach fund to be used for other purposes," Judge Metzger said in court documents. "Defendant may well be able to produce additional evidence that shows summary disposition is warranted, but it has not yet done so." The city also argued that Emily MacDonald and Ernster's case can't actually prove that the city's actions were "the proximate cause of plaintiffs' injuries." Judge Metzger responded with: "This argument misses the mark." Specifically, she said, "...plaintiffs have plausibly alleged facts that would support the conclusion that their injuries are a proximate result of defendant's conduct." “South Haven is flying flags without lifeguards and assigning personnel without lifeguard training to select the appropriate flag to fly,” GLSRP officials said. The answer for the plaintiffs is clear: lifeguards. However, the city has been stalled on adding them to their beaches. The city of South Haven has appointed Sgt. Adam DeBoer as the interim police chief following the resignation of Chief Dennis Honholt. This decision came after it was revealed that Honholt had not officially resigned from his position in Tennessee. As interim chief, DeBoer will manage all operations within the police department, including planning community events and fostering ongoing collaboration with local law enforcement agencies. DeBoer brings over 20 years of experience with the South Haven Police Department, having held various roles including road patrol, narcotics detective, and sergeant. City manager Kate Hosier stated that DeBoer’s extensive experience and comprehensive understanding of the department make him an ideal choice for this role. He is expected to serve as interim chief through at least the summer, and the city will announce the timeline for the search for a permanent police chief at a future date. This is the third change in leadership in the South Haven Police Department in just a calendar year. Hosier stated in a written statement, “We are disappointed by the short tenure of our previous two police chiefs and have decided to pause our search for the time being so we can prepare for what’s sure to be a busy summer in our community. The department remains focused on serving the needs of our community. We have full confidence in our officers under the leadership of our new interim chief.” — No one was injured after a recently re-opened business caught fire Saturday night After an employee noticed smoke coming from a back room as she prepared to close up shop South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) firefighters were called to North Side Memories convenience store where they quickly discovered a fire in a storage room controlling the blaze before it injured anybody or spread to neighboring buildings including an upstairs apartment that was unoccupied and an outpost sports business The fire came only a day after North Side Memories had reopened from being closed during the winter for a remodel Employees were "busy late Saturday" working to recover from the fire damage and "reopen soon," according to SHAES A second-alarm was later sounded by Van Buren Dispatch bringing Bangor Community and Covert Township fire departments to the scene — A set of permanent gates are now in place at the entrance of both piers in South Haven Contractors installed the new pier gates at North and South Beach this week on behalf of the city in an effort that officials say is to keep both the beach and visitors safe The gates are painted the color "safety blue," according to the City of South Haven's City Manager Hosier told News Channel 3 the gates will be locked anytime the pier is deemed unsafe for people to be on "If the waves are over at least a third or if it's just unsafe," said Hosier "Also we've closed the piers when maybe it's ice over and it's not safely accessible And we also have closed the piers for events such as our July 3rd fireworks." It's a safety measure that Justin Lenson "So that they're safer and they can just play in the sand and not go out there and then fall off Other longtime anglers we talked to at the pier said they understand why the gate may be needed for children's safety or even some tourists but for them it is an inconvenience they will have to get used to Installation of the barricades caused a short-term closure of the two piers but both are now back open to the public indefinitely or the pier is otherwise considered to be dangerous by officials The plan for the permanently installed pier gates were adopted by the city in 2022 as part of a pier safety measure Temporary barricades and chains that have been in place for the past two years have now been removed While the city said its intention is to protect visitors by establishing clear and visible barriers officials remind that people must still use precautions in preventing accidents “Please never enter the piers from the beach and always follow the direction of the pier entrance signage,” a news release from the City of South Haven said The city reminds the public that entering a closed pier may result in a $1,000 fine For flag information about beach safety and pier closures visit the city’s website or text "beaches" to 888777 to sign up for real-time alerts The City Manager told News Channel 3 that if anyone comes to the pier and find the gate locked in what is believed to be an error they can call the police to have them come check the conditions of the pier and unlock the gate if it is safe to do so The date has been set for this year’s South Haven Cottage Walk SHOUT for South Haven’s Patty Sheppard tells us this is the 28th year for the event She says the Cottage Walk is a chance for anyone to take a tour of noteworthy or historic homes around the community perhaps to get decorating ideas for their own home “A lot of people are really interested in the old homes in South Haven and so this gives them an opportunity to actually to go inside one of the historical homes in South Haven,” Sheppard said Among the homes this year will be a historic Victorian home situated on the bluff above South Beach that Sheppard says used to be a nunnery There used to be a roller rink in the basement and there used to be an exercise gym on the third floor there’s all kinds of really interesting things about the house.” The Cottage Walk will take place on Saturday and those who take the tours can go at their own pace SHOUT for South Haven is teaming up with the Scott Club for the tours this year to help the Scott Club raise funds to make its building on Phoenix Street more accessible with an elevator Proceeds from the Cottage Walk also help SHOUT beautiful the Dyckman Bridge each spring Sheppard says around 300 people usually take part in the tours. Tickets will go on sale next month. SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — In January, South Haven officials approved a service agreement with the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) The organization was tasked with creating a lifeguard program proposal for some city beaches the proposal was presented to city council and meeting attendees the proposal would staff North Beach and South Beach with lifeguards from Memorial Day through Labor Day South Beach would be staffed with five lifeguards Monday through Thursday North Beach would be staffed with five lifeguards daily The proposal also includes staffing one chief lifeguard five days a week the 15-week staffing cost would be around $234,000 each season This number does not account for other necessary program items USLA Aquatic Safety Recommendations for South Haven by news on Scribd city council failed to pass a motion to direct city staff to implement the first steps of the USLA lifeguard program directing city staff to come up with an itemized list of costs associated with lifeguard staffing and necessary equipment proposed in the USLA lifeguard program A presentation was given by the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) during a South Haven city commission meeting Monday — South Haven will have to wait a little longer to find out whether or not lifeguards will be returning to its popular beaches A presentation was given by the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) during a city commission meeting Monday night The meeting comes after the city partnered with the organization on how to move forward with the issue fully-equipped lifeguards per day at both North and South Beach That also includes a lead lifeguard at all hours and one recommendation on how flags are used "Conditions change and can change pretty rapidly," Chris Brewster "The norm in areas of the country that use flags is to put them on the lifeguard towers so that lifeguards can immediately change them The difficulty with the number of flags you have and the number of areas is that it's not possible to quickly adjust flags if conditions change quickly and that may leave people with bad advice The USLA estimates the lifeguards would cost around $234,000 a year Only six commissioners were at the meeting The motion to incorporate that plan this year was denied for now with the expectation that is will be discussed again next week — A 49-year-old man was arrested Thursday after intentionally ramming into a patrol vehicle during a high-speed chase in South Haven according to the South Haven Police Department Officers were called to Phoenix Street near Blue Star Highway just before 10:30 a.m the GMC was found by the tire inflator at the nearby BP gas station where officers attempted a traffic stop authorities said the driver refused to comply and subsequently started the high-speed chase the driver deliberately rammed into a patrol vehicle before they were able to use a tire deflation device to stop him near County Road 388 and 62nd Street The move then caused the driver to lose control of the stolen vehicle and crash "We are grateful that no serious injuries occurred and that the suspect was taken into custody without further harm to the public," the department said After the South Haven Area Recreation Authority presented the South Haven City Council with an amended Community Recreation Director agreement the City Council unanimously approved the agreement on Monday Not only were there speakers who advocated for the agreement but he and the Superintendent of South Haven Public Schools were ready to answer the questions from the City Council.The City of South Haven voters approved a recreation millage in August which provided funds to be raised for community recreation for all ages The City approached the South Haven Public Schools as a partner to meet one of the goals of the millage – the employment of a community recreation director to help develop and supervise recreational plans and programs for the community.The original proposed agreement between the city and the school district was for two years with an option to renew The agreement contemplates the hiring of a part-time South Haven Public Schools staff member to act as Community Recreation Director In a regular City Council meeting On April 7 the City Council raised many questions about the role of the City in the agreement and how the $90,000 from the City would be spent The council was not able to muster the votes to approve the agreement during that meeting.At a subsequent SHARA meeting the discussion about the Community Recreation Director agreement ended with an understanding that Joe Reeser one of the City Council members who failed to support the agreement met with members of the SHARA Board and Reinert to attempt to reach an understanding that would allow Reeser to vote to support the agreement at the next City Council meeting.Reinert reported that the meeting took place and that “We’ve come to alignment and I think we can get this approved at the next City Council meeting.”During the City Council meeting Reinert clarified that the Community Recreation Director would report directly to the SHPS athletic Director He also indicated that while the position is part time to begin with it could become a full-time position in the future “I believe very strongly,” Reinert told the Council “that this is the right solution for South Haven.”Councilman Reeser said that while the City has a Parks Department that department and its manager does not administer recreation programs “I think this position will solve that,” Reeser said.Although Council member Mary Hosely was still adamant that the City needed a stronger voice in the work of the Community Recreation Director Aleman-Putman in responding to this said that she hoped “That you trust your City Manager and us.” City Manager Kate Hosier was part of the group that developed the agreement for a Community Recreation Director.With approval of the Community Recreation Director Agreement between South Haven Schools and the City it means that plans can proceed to hire a Community Recreation Director and that person can begin their recreational duties this summer Summer hasn't even begun yet and things are heating up in this beachside community If they're not arguing about short term rentals (STRs) and Airbnbs in the local South Haven Facebook groups they're undoubtedly debating the need for lifeguards at one of Michigan's most infamous beaches A popular spot for both out-of-towners and nearby locals, South Haven's public beaches and the iconic pier and red lighthouse are some of the most photographed spots in West Michigan In previous years the city was forced to cancel their annual 4th of July fireworks display due to crowd violence on the North Beach. In 2022 the area saw four tragic drownings prompting new life-jacket loaner stations to be added At the end of the day it all comes down to money but how many times can the City afford to be sued for yet another fatal drowning As an outsider I'm truly baffled every time I see this debate pop-up in my news feed or on social media. Would you feel safe swimming at South Haven's beaches Gallery Credit: Lauren Gordon West Michigan locals fight to keep this popular beach town safer in the summer.\nRead More If they're not arguing about short term rentals (STRs) and Airbnbs in the local South Haven Facebook groups they're undoubtedly debating the need for lifeguards at one of Michigan's most infamous beaches A popular spot for both out-of-towners and nearby locals, South Haven's public beaches and the iconic pier and red lighthouse are some of the most photographed spots in West Michigan In previous years the city was forced to cancel their annual 4th of July fireworks display due to crowd violence on the North Beach. In 2022 the area saw four tragic drownings prompting new life-jacket loaner stations to be added a decades-long South Haven summertime tradition This year’s Cottage Walk will be co-sponsored by SHOUT for South Haven and the Scott Club president of SHOUT and a co-founder of the Cottage Walk welcomed the partnership which this year will feature at least four unique homes “Scott Club is delighted to partner with SHOUT,” said Carol Kunze “Our organizations have complementary missions that benefit South Haven residents and visitors.” Attendees can spend an afternoon at their pace between 12-5 p.m visiting the uniquely chosen homes scattered throughout the community The 2025 locations will be announced at a later date nonpartisan organization dedicated to making South Haven better through improvement and beautification projects as well as funding concerts and other events of community interest SHOUT has helped fund a summer music series flowers and holiday decorations on the Dyckman Bridge a wintertime gathering place with an outdoor fireplace in Dyckman Park a nonprofit organized in 1883 and open to all provides bimonthly educational and entertaining programs a concert series and a monthly book discussion The Scott Club  hosts an annual Community Soup Luncheon and Brunch with Santa The organization has participated in the Great Michigan Read and also provides member volunteers to community events like the Blueberry Festival The Scott Club portion of proceeds from the Cottage Walk will go toward the installation of a lift in their 1893 Michigan Historic Site building so that everyone can fully participate in the wide variety of programming Cottage Walk tickets will become available starting at the end of May at the South Haven Visitors Bureau Tickets will also be available on the day of the event in the downtown Dyckman Park next to the Farmer’s Market — Firefighters were able to save two South Haven businesses from a blaze on the city's north side Saturday night Officials with South Haven Emergency Services arrived at the two shops on 112 Dyckman Avenue around 8:30 p.m. after receiving reports of smoke in the North Side Memories convenience store An employee called in to report smoke coming from a storage room inside the store They were able to quickly put out the fire before it could spread to the neighboring Outpost Sports as well as an unoccupied upstairs apartment Authorities are still investigating what caused the fire An 86-year-old man was sent to Buffalo Hospital Friday afternoon after an accident in South Haven the man reportedly lost control while driving westbound on Highway 55 in South Haven according to a Minnesota State Patrol incident report He allegedly hit a tree after he lost control Another South Haven story: Two Stearns County cities with less than 225 residents didn't have mayoral candidates Allina Ambulance and the South Haven Fire Department helped respond to the accident The 86-year-old man lives in nearby Annandale and was driving a 2016 Subaru Forester He was wearing a seatbelt and alcohol consumption wasn't a factor Another accident: A crash in Clear Lake Township sent 5 to the hospital Roads were dry at the time of the accident South Haven is home to less than 200 people There have been roughly 1,350 crashes this month in Minnesota A little more than 35 of those April crashes took place in Wright County When TV camera crews showed up at the South Haven City Council meeting on Monday it was clear that there was a hot-button issue on the agenda But it was not short-term rentals this time.And when the first three citizens who addressed the City Council discussed the need for lifeguard’s on South Haven’s beaches it became evident that the media was there to find out what the City Council would do after receiving a report from the United States Lifeguard Association (USLA).Prior to the report whose daughter drowned in Lake Michigan’s waters in South Haven in 2022 got up to talk about the need for lifeguards on South Haven’s beaches.“It’s time for South Haven to stand up and protect and respect the people who come to this town year after year,” she told the City Council “Lifeguards should not be seen as a luxury and liability but rather as a responsibility and priority.”MacDonald concluded her remarks by saying that she had talked to the experts in the field “and they have assured me that we can get a lifeguard program going this summer.”Nancy Hnat also spoke telling the council that “I hope the next step is to take a vote This needs to get going tonight.” She ended by exhorting the council to “Vote!”Later in the meeting Chair of the National Certification Committee of the USLA gave a report detailing the USLA’s assessment of South Haven’s needs for a lifeguard program and recommendations.In his report Brewster reminded the City Council that South Haven has not had a lifeguard program since 2001 and that 12 drownings have occurred since then He said that South Haven has 1,000 to 3,000 people at both the North and South Beaches every day of the summer While a lifeguard program would not necessarily prevent every drowning “The risk of drownings in an area patrolled by USLA-trained lifeguards is one in 18 million visits.”Among the recommendations that came out of the USLA assessment was that there should be 5 to 6 lifeguards every day in the summer on South Beach and 5 lifeguards every day on North Beach Brewster estimated the cost of the kind of lifeguard programing USLA was recommending at about $234,000 a year would be that there would be limited fatalities that South Haven would gain a “safe” reputation that there would be enhanced visitor services and there would be greatly limited civil liabilities for the city.Following Brewster’s report the City Council discussed the report and the next steps to achieving a lifeguard program Although all council members seemed in favor of a lifeguard program there were concerns about the cost and how a lifeguard program would be funded.City Council member Joe Reeser seemed to reflect the views of other council members when he said that the council should make a commitment to move forward with a lifeguard program councilman Jeff Arnold stated that his reservation was that he didn’t know what a program would cost and where the money would come from Councilwoman Wendi Onuki countered that by stating that money has already been budgeted for the program “So I don’t see what the problem is.”A motion to begin implementation of the lifeguard program failed when only three votes supported it the council approved a motion to request the city staff to develop an itemized list of costs associated with the USLA recommendations.This outcome appeared disappointing both to the City Council as well as to members of the audience the traditional beginning of the summer season on South Haven’s beaches it seems unlikely that the city would be able to begin a program and buying the needed equipment for the lifeguards It seems simple,if you can’t swim don’t go out too far and if you see a red flag don’t go in the water I am a drowning survivor who was too inexperienced to swim that far but I’m here today because of a man who saw me struggle to stay afloat but I was 8 years old and I learned my lesson South Haven has shown time and time again its tourists are expendable and not worthy of implementing essential safety measures (WPMI) — An update to an NBC 15 News Reality Check we brought you earlier this week involving the troubled South Haven apartment complex-- and the company that owns it Some of the residents who live in the apartments just off Dauphin Island Parkway complained to NBC 15 News about the poor living conditions there Local resident Deborah Moore tells NBC 15 News that inspectors came to the complex Friday and inspected at least two of the apartments A spokesperson for the city of Mobile confirms the visit Moore says those inspector looked at a number of problems NBC 15 News showed you in our reports earlier this week even before they entered the apartments such as an exterior door cut too short for the opening NBC 15 news heard back from the owners of the apartments- Cleveland who asked us about our reports and promised to get back to us We'll let you know what we hear from them Mobile’s South Haven Apartments look ok- units framed by colorful azaleas scattered under shady oak trees in a wooded area off Dauphin Island Parkway.But the devil is in the details "I said "Would you give me some paint "They said "You have to buy it." And then I'd have to pay somebody to paint it." Resident Deborah Moore's is about to show NBC 15 News her apartment The former YMCA employee has lived here for 12 years managed by the Cleveland-based Millennia Companies "Four years ago it started going down,” she says “Now we're to the point where they've said there's no money Deborah says she called NBC 15 News after getting nowhere with management concerning numerous problem with her apartment.. and wherever these people come from wherever she says they come I just called because it was leaking over the weekend it looks like some of the science projects that the YMCA kids used to do." Deborah was more than willing to open her door for our camera But one of her biggest concerns isn't immediately obvious It's the electoral system that keeps tripping breakers if I call the electrician and they don't have no money Deborah showed us more outlets that don't work those dry rotted doors that have begun to peel old carpeting in such bad shape she hides it with rugs She says she actually scraped her foot on the tub’s surface “He put that over the rust," she exclaims pointing at a gray goo that appeared to have hardened near the drain inside the closet where the AC and heating unit is located was what appeared to be a light switch and the air conditioning unit kicks into action Deborah then lead us to her friend's apartment next door There we found a small window unit sitting on the floor that management had put in the apartment because the real AC no longer works the surface of the ceiling was peeling away A visit to the bathroom reveled another rusted tub one the tenant suspects was a used tub used to replace the previous rusted tub a few years ago We went to speak with someone at the front office 20 minutes before closing time her neighbor and another tenant are planning to relocate as soon as they can Deborah worries- "But what about the ones who don't?" But there appears to be an even bigger problem for the company that owns the apartments Public records show South Haven Apartments have failed numerous local inspections for various infractions over the past few years was cut off from doing any more section-8 rental contracts with the government due to financial mismanagement of tenants' money and public funds Deborah Moore says she's been told a representative from HUD and the city will visit her Thursday Millinnea also owns several other properties in Mobile Summertime in West Michigan means beach season there are over 4,000 unintentional drownings in the U.S. which is an average of 11 drowning deaths per day adding extra protection to its beaches has been an ongoing conversation Fox 17 has repeatedly reported on the back-and-forth to bring lifeguards back city officials took a step forward in that effort with an approval of a service agreement with the United States Lifesaving Association (U.S.L.A) The U.S.L.A is now tasked with drafting up a proposal laying out what a lifeguard program would look like “It concerns me that beach-goers are being asked to play lifeguard when statistics show that often the rescuers become victims themselves," said Lisa MacDonald MacDonald’s daughter, Emily, drowned at South Beach in 2022 “This has been the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life,” MacDonald said Lisa believes her daughter’s death was preventable. Now, she advocates for beach safety they're already recruiting and training and getting their lifeguards in place for this summer," MacDonald said "And I think that if South Haven continues to keep waiting they're not going to have the candidates because they're going to have jobs other places.” South Haven did away with lifeguards in 2001 but the proposal passed Monday night could pave the way for change will now develop a lifeguard program running from Memorial Day through Labor Day It will also include two scenarios for staffing: But this will only serve as professional guidance It’s ultimately up to city council whether to implement it would like to see change sooner rather than later “I would love to see the city stop kicking the can down the road and create a viable lifeguard program for the summer of 2025,” Pratt said This is a change MacDonald believes could save lives “No one should have to lose their child on a fun beach day vacation,” MacDonald said hopes to have a proposal ready by the first of March A Dollar General store is expected to open in South Haven this spring The convenience store is currently under construction according to the company's public relations team and an "early spring 2025" opening date is expected Dollar General said construction progress at its 620 Fairhaven Ave South Havens' incoming store is expected to employ six to 10 people, according to a company spokesperson. Available positions will be posted at www.dollargeneral.com/careers More business news: Xcel looks to extend operations at Monticello plant through 2050 ranging from food to shampoos to housewares and clothing Some brands sold at the store include Clorox "The new store plans to also feature (a) fresh produce assortment which offers the top 20 items typically sold in traditional grocery stores," Dollar General wrote in an email "The set includes a curated assortment of lettuce Business year in review: St. Cloud area adds wave of new restaurants, businesses in 2024 There are roughly 20,000 Dollar General stores in the United States the company's public relations team said it aims to bring affordable options to customers who may not have nearby retail options has a population of a little more than 180 people Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St