Ava Devanney with her exchange student, Montse Muralles at Windmill Island in Holland.

What caught my exchange student by surprise? snow

Ninth grader Ava Devanney writes about hosting an exchange student from Guatemala and the adventures they had, especially experiencing snow for the first time.

The Nature Center at Hemlock Crossing Park has reopened with special winter hours and offers snowshoe rentals. (Mike Lozon)
January Along the Lakeshore: MLK celebrations, museum exhibits and outdoor activities

Museum exhibits, outdoor activities, history programs, children’s projects, and concerts — January along The Lakeshore has it all.

Karen Kekelik owns IndiGrow with her husband, Steven. (IndiGrow)
Downtown Muskegon’s first cannabis microbusiness opens

IndiGrow will officially launch with a ribbon cutting on Friday, Jan. 6, with the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce at 4 p.m., and a grand opening party and celebration on Saturday, Jan. 7.

Julie Sizemore, an ECLL instructor, nominated her student Island Hines to receive a quilt from Love Sews Ministry.
Quilt-making ministry gives student a warmer, safer commute

GRCC instructor teams up with Holland quilt-making ministry to help an inspiring student have a warmer, safer commute.

The fairlife production facility in Coopersville. (Lakeshore Advantage)
Major wastewater infrastructure project to move forward in 2023

Thanks to $60 million in state funding, a project that will connect Coopersville Wastewater Treatment Plant in northern Ottawa County to the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center has been given the green light.   

Holland Engineering Inc. is a multi-discipline engineering, survey, and environmental firm.
Longtime engineering firm eyes growth with merger

Holland Engineering Inc. will expand with the merger of Grand Rapids-based OMM Engineering. The merger will become final at the start of the new year.  

Robert Sheehan, executive director of the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan
Here’s good news for Michiganders’ mental health: Community mental health delivers cutting-edge care

Michigan's community mental health agencies lead the nation in innovation, serve all 83 counties, and help Michiganders of all ages access the mental health supports they need.

Children share a holiday greeting in Sign Language during their photo with Signing Santa. (DHHS)
Signing Santa brings inclusive holiday cheer to kids with hearing loss

 For more than a decade, DHHS has hosted Signing Santa for children who are deaf and hard of hearing so they can more fully experience the holiday tradition.

Robinson Landing in Grand Haven broke ground in 2022 and now has 16 income-restricted and 14 market-rate homes.
New tools help Housing Next connect communities, developers

With new tools in its belt, Housing Next is hoping to add much-needed housing to the market in West Michigan.

Tom Sikkema is responsible for promoting Go MUVE’s tagging feature, which enables users to identify levels of accessibility within their community.
Transportation app redefines mobility for people with disabilities who don’t drive

The app comes on the heels of MUVE’s recent announcement of its partnership with the state of Michigan, with the launch of a new transportation ecosystem application redefining mobility for people of all abilities.

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