ADA/CASCADE: Lace up those running shoes and put some practice miles in before Forest Hills Educational Foundation's Run for the Hills. The annual 5K race/walk and children's fun run is 9 a.m. Oct. 1 at Forest Hills Fine Arts Center, 600 Forest Hill Ave. SE. The cost is $20 before Sept. 18, and $22 after Sept. 18. Registration the day of the race is $25. The children's run is $10. Proceeds help fund projects and programs in the district. To register, call 493-8500, e-mail fhef@fhps.k12.mi.us or visit www.fhef.org.
ALLEGAN/PLAINWELL: A no body-contact advisory for the Kalamazoo River and Lake Allegan in Allegan was lifted Thursday after test results found contamination levels for E. coli bacteria fell within acceptable limits. The advisory was issued Tuesday after thousands of gallons of sewage flowed into the river near Jaycees Park. A blocked sewer near the park was to blame for the spill, officials said. Samples were taken at three locations on the river, including near Allegan County Fairgrounds and at the M-40/M-89 bridge; all came back within acceptable E. coli levels, Allegan County Environmental Health Director Bill Hinz said.
ALLENDALE: A local business is organizing a charity golf outing with proceeds benefiting radKIDS of Ottawa County. Main St. Pub of Allendale is hosting its first outing Sept. 14 at Western Greens, 2475 Johnson St., Marne. The cost is $80 per person or $320 per team. RadKIDs is a nonprofit educational organization that provides lifesaving skills to kids by teaching them how to resist aggression defensively (rad). The goal is to raise $10,000 so children can take the training for free. For information, call 895-1234. Registration deadline is Thursday.
ALPINE/COMSTOCK PARK: The taxman is calling in Alpine Township. The deadline is 5 p.m. Sept. 14. Taxes were mailed by the township July 1. Treasurer Jan Brechting says residents can drop off payments at township offices, 5255 Alpine Ave. NW. Because the township spans three school districts -- Comstock Park, Kenowa Hills and Sparta -- residents in different parts of the township will pay different school millage rates.
BYRON: Byron Township officials are a little forgiving when it comes to a sticky situation for a business and unpaid taxes. Township officials voted to waive penalty fees for unpaid taxes by Preferred Truck Service Center Inc., 7721 Gordon Industrial Drive SW. The company's owner had thought taxes were being paid by the firm's accountants, but they were not. The business is up to date with current taxes and has paid its 2004 taxes. Penalties for taxes are from 2002 and 2003, totaling about $1,100. The fines would be split between seven taxing units including the township, with its share about $110. Only the penalty may be waived, and unpaid taxes of about $3,700 still must be paid. The penalties will be waived by the township if most of the other taxing units agree to waive, too.
CALEDONIA/GAINES: Public safety officials are investigating the need for a third-shift patrol by the Kent County Sheriff's Department in Caledonia Township. Currently, the township has dedicated patrols from 8 a.m. to midnight. Between midnight and 8 a.m., two patrol cars cover Caledonia, Bownes, Byron and Gaines townships. Public safety advisory committee members say adding a dedicated patrol could help ensure calls from the township are answered more quickly. "Caledonia at night, it's a void here," committee member Robert Sacha said. Adding a patrol would cost about $110,000, Lt. Michelle Lajoye-Young said.
CEDAR SPRINGS: Plants in pots are sought by the Friends of the Sand Lake/Nelson Township Library for an upcoming fund-raiser. A perennial plant sale is 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 10 at Salisbury Park in Sand Lake. Plants may be dropped off 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Tuesday at the library, 2 Maple St., Sand Lake. Donors also may call Leann Milosh at 636-4087 to make arrangements. Plants should be marked with name, bloom color, height and light needs. Sale proceeds will go into the building fund for a new library.
COOPERSVILLE/MARNE: The reshuffling of the O-K Conference does not change anything for Coopersville High School. So, as far as Coopersville Area Schools Board of Education is concerned, that is OK. The O-K Conference's realignment for the 2005-06 school year created an entirely new division in O-K Green, 11 other schools shifted to new divisions and two news schools -- Forest Hills Eastern and Zeeland West -- joined. The league now features 44 schools split into six divisions, with Coopersville competing in the O-K Blue. To address growth and logistics, the league eliminated tier categories, Principal Ron Veldman said.
EAST GRAND RAPIDS/GR TWP: East Grand Rapids Public Schools students have more than locker combinations to memorize this fall. Try 19 new teachers' names. The district replaced 10 percent of its teachers this year. The openings were created by early retirement incentives and promotions to administration, Superintendent James Morse said. Since the district began offering aggressive retirement packages four years ago, there has been a 40 percent turnover in the 200-teacher staff. "I was nervous when I heard about (needing) 19 new teachers" last spring, board member Brian Ellis admitted. He commended Morse and other administrators for plugging the slots with quality hires. "This is what happens when you have a calm and steady hand at the wheel," he said.
GRAND HAVEN/SPRING LAKE: When gas hit $2.79 per gallon Tuesday, Corrie Luna, a single mom on a tight budget, had had enough. She parked her 1989 Chevy, walked into Rock &Road Cycle in Grand Haven and spent $600 for a mountain bike, which has a cart for her son. "I can't afford to be paying these prices for gas," said Luna, who was spending $40 a week on gasoline. She lives in Spring Lake and commutes five miles daily to her second-shift job at Grand Haven Stamping Products. "I figure if I ride the rest of this summer and fall and next summer, they'll be paid for," the 25-year-old said. "It's a pretty good investment and a healthy investment... When it snows, I plan on driving. For the most part, as much as possible, I'll be biking it." This is the second time in less than a year Luna has had to adapt to high gas prices. When unleaded regular topped $2 last October, Luna found a job closer to home instead of commuting to work in Walker.
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