The Red Hawk team after winning their conference championship

The Cedar Springs Red Hawk girls track team won their first conference championship in school history, on Friday May 11, at Belding. The team scored 128 points to finish ahead of West Catholic, who scored 112. The victory in the conference meet, combined with an undefeated league dual record, gives the team the outright OK Blue Championship. Congratulations to all the athletes and coaches on an excellent season! For all the details on the win, click here.

Under a parking ordinance in the city of Cedar Springs, only guests, and not residents are allowed to park in the areas between the yard and the roadway. The ordinance has been put on hold pending further review by the planning commission.

By Judy Reed

The Cedar Springs City Council voted Thursday night, May 10, to send a controversial parking ordinance back to the planning commission for review, and ordered a halt to its enforcement.

The ordinance came under scrutiny last month, when resident Beth Karafa complained that she was not allowed to park in the gravel area between her yard and the road, in the city’s right of way, although she had been doing it for 16 years. Officer Nick Barbour, the city’s code enforcer, has paid her several visits and ticketed her on at least two occasions.

Guests are supposed to be allowed to park in front of a home, whether in the roadway or on the grass. However, Becky Powell, of S. Linda Street, told City Council Thursday night that she had received a warning from Barbour when her daughter-in-law visited. Powell said her daughter-in-law had all four wheels in the yard because she had to get her grandchildren in and out of the car. “He said two tires had to be on the road and two in the yard, and that he would be watching me, and if I continued, I would get fined,” explained Powell.

She said he then went across the street to talk to a sickly neighbor, whose husband had just died, about the need to mow her ditch. “I just think he needs to have a little sensitivity, kindness,” said Powell. “He was a little cocky, I guess.”

Police Chief Roger Parent made it clear that when Officer Barbour is working on Wednesdays enforcing codes, Barbour reports directly to City Manager Christine Burns. But Parent did say that all streets are wide enough for two-way traffic, and that temporary guests should be able to pull off into the grass. He also said that you do have to park with the flow of traffic, however, and not facing the wrong direction. “It’s a matter of are you impeding traffic?” said Parent.

Another resident asked about whether she, as a homeowner, could park on her own lawn.

Mayor Charlie Watson told council members, during their workshop before the meeting, that he was going to suggest sending the ordinance back to the planning commission. He said that he has had phone calls from people about it, even before the latest complaints.

He told the public during the council meeting that he has always had difficulty with the ordinance. “I think at the time it was the best ordinance that we were able to come up with. However, in hindsight, I think there may possibly be some changes we need to make to the ordinance,” he said. “I’d like to ask the City Manager to put a hold on any enforcement action while this ordinance is sent back for review.”

The council passed the motion, which related to only a specific section of the parking ordinance, then later rescinded the action and voted to send the entire parking ordinance back to the planning commission for review.

Students show support for anti-bullying campaign

Cedar Springs Middle School students had a “white out” last Friday, May 12, and was one of several schools that participated in a helicopter flyover as part of the be nice. campaign (against bullying). Photo by Joe Corriveau.

By Autumn Fish

Students at Cedar Springs Middle School wore white last Friday to signal solidarity against bullying and participate in a helicopter flyover.

For the past couple of weeks, students at Cedar Springs Middle School have been learning about bullying and working out ways to get rid of it completely. A group of GVSU students and the West Michigan Mental Health Foundation visited CSMS last week as a part of the be nice. campaign, which encourages kindness and civility among all students.

To take the campaign to the next step, the Mental Health Foundation teamed up with Amway and Fox 17 News to fly a helicopter over participating schools. Students from middle schools and high schools across west Michigan were involved in this campaign. At CSMS, students gathered in the field on the west side of the school to form the words “be nice.” The helicopter then flew over the students to take aerial pictures of the words they created. Other schools involved included Grandville Middle School, Grandville High School, Grandview Elementary School, Century Park Learning Center, Forest Hills Central Middle School, West Catholic High School and Timberland Charter Academy in Muskegon Township.

Students also came together by having a school-wide white out in which all students and staff wore white in order to discourage bullying.

Following the flyover, teachers were able to bring their students to an assembly in the large group room of the middle school. Students from Cedar Springs High School directed the assembly. They presented a few skits and talked to students about bullying and other difficulties they may face as they enter high school. The skits exhibited troubles faced in high school such as bullying, drinking, smoking, depression, peer pressure, suicide, and more. CSHS students stressed the importance of keeping an open mind when students are in high school; to realize that they will eventually have to make choices that will change their lives. CSMS students were able to hear first hand about things that really do happen in high school by students that are currently going through those situations. Over 350 students and staff members attended the assembly put on by the high school students.

CSHS students can only hope that their presentation helped students of the middle school prepare for high school, to help them understand what to expect. What middle school teachers have been telling their students all along is true: They really are going to go through these troubles in high school.

To learn more about the be nice. campaign, visit www.themhf.org/index.php/education/be_nice1/

Autumn Fish is a junior at Cedar Springs High School.

Students at Cedar View presented Special Olympics with a check for $948 Monday. From left to right: Special education teacher Chris Leslie, fifth grade students Marissa Whitney, Sierra Hess, and Mae Larsen, Special Olympics representative Diane House, and Independent Bank representative Julie Wheeler. Post photo by J. Reed.

Special Olympics benefit from fundraiser

By Judy Reed

Three Cedar View students with a heart for sharing, plus 480 students who helped support the cause, equals a generous donation to Special Olympics.

When fifth grade students Marissa Whitney, Sierra Hess, and Mae Larsen decided they wanted to do a fundraiser, they chose something that kids at their own school could benefit from—Special Olympics.

“These girls worked so hard,” said special education teacher Chris Leslie. She explained that funding from Special Olympics is the only way that some of the students in her class get to participate in certain athletic activities.

The three girls urged fellow students to bring in their change, each day on the morning announcements, for about a month. “We told them there would be a treat [for the winning classes], but told them we wanted them to do it because it would help people,” explained Marissa.

In the end, the two classes whose bins weighed the most were Mr. Moleski’s fourth grade class, and Mrs. Cairy’s fifth grade class. Each class got popsicles as a special treat.

The change was taken to Independent Bank, where employees rolled it—all $948.85 worth of it.

Fourth and fifth grade classes gathered on the lawn Monday morning, as the three girls presented Diane House, from Special Olympics, with the check. House was grateful to the girls for their hard work. “This will go to fund special events across Kent County, including here,” she explained.

The Michigan State Police today announced that 693.7 pounds of prescription drugs were collected at MSP posts across the state on the semi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, held Saturday, April 28.

And that does not include the 81 pounds taken to the DEA by the City of Cedar Springs, half of which was collected on that same Saturday.

Cedar Springs Police, the MSP and other local law enforcement agencies partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for the Drug Take Back Day to provide a venue for citizens to dispose of expired, unwanted and unused prescription drugs.

Cedar Springs has a drop box inside City Hall, for people to drop off their prescription drugs anytime during normal business hours. They also put it outside for Drug Take Back Day, while they were doing the city surplus auction.

“That’s 81 POUNDS that will not be flushed into our wastewater treatment system or into a septic tank or fall into the wrong hands,” said Cedar Springs City Manager Christine Burns, on the city’s Facebook page. “Consider how much 1 pill weighs and then imagine how many it takes to make up 81 POUNDS. Keep dropping off your meds and we will keep them out of the environment.”

Statewide seat belt enforcement begins next week

An advertising campaign that launched Click It or Ticket enforcement zones in 2005 is returning to TV and radio today, warning motorists about stepped up seat belt enforcement slated to begin next week.

The message remains relevant for the annual mobilization designed to reinforce the importance of seat belt use. Michigan has one of the highest seat belt use rates in the nation, with 94.5 percent of drivers and front seat passengers buckling up in 2011. This is down from the record-high use rate of 97.9 percent in 2009.

While Michigan seat belt use is high overall, it drops to 87 percent for teens and young adults. Seat belt use falls to nearly 85 percent for male teens and young adults in pickup trucks.

“Advertising is meant to encourage motorists to buckle up and avoid a citation,” said Michael L. Prince, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), which plans the annual statewide awareness and enforcement campaign. “Messages and zone signs are all intended to promote seat belt use.”

Seat belts remain the primary safety device in passenger vehicles; when used correctly, they reduce the risk of death by 45 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Despite high observed rates for seat belt use, about half the vehicle occupants who die in Michigan traffic crashes are unbuckled.

The campaign, dubbed “How it Works,” showcases enforcement zones that use law enforcement spotters to look for unbuckled motorists.  Information is then radioed to other officers working in the zone area who make traffic stops.

Enforcement will involve local police departments, sheriff offices and the Michigan State Police.

Focus groups with young men indicate they are more tuned in to messages that focus on the cost of a citation than information regarding the safety benefits of buckling up.

The combination of awareness efforts and enforcement zones has been instrumental in helping to increase seat belt use in the state.

A statewide effort, Click It or Ticket is entirely funded by federal traffic safety money.

The campaign includes radio, TV, cable, billboards, cinema and web-based advertising.  It will be seen in all media markets. To see the ad, go to youtube.com/ohsp.

Each year the Post prints a list in the Memorial Day issue of veterans buried in area cemeteries. Due to a technology glitch last year, there were several we missed. If we missed your vet, or if you have one that’s never been listed, please send us their name, note if they served in a war or conflict, and what cemetery they are buried in. They do not need to have been killed in battle to be listed.

Email the info to news@cedarspringspost.com, and put Veteran’s Day in the subject line. Include your name and phone number in the email. Or, send to PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319.

By Judy Reed

If you’ve been thinking about hosting an exchange student, and would like to try it out on a short-term basis (four weeks), this summer might be the time to try it. If you do, you will not only get to help a teen from another culture, you will also be helping some members of the Cedar Springs boys soccer team fund a trip to Brazil.

According to the Red Hawk boys soccer coach Kyle Avink, he and JV coach Josh Hause are taking the three Varsity captains, Robert Klein, Aaron Dault, and Trevor Rose, who will be seniors next year, to Niteroi, Brazil. They are leaving on June 15, and they will stay for two weeks. While there they will train for 30 hours per week with a semi-professional soccer club, attend a game, and do some sightseeing.

“Every year I take the captains somewhere for leadership training,” explained Avink. “This year I wanted it to be big, because this is the first group I’ve had all four years. I joked about taking them to Brazil, and somehow it worked out.”

Avink hopes that the boys will bring back something they can share with the whole team about what they’ve learned—whether it’s another way of playing or something else. He also said that in the future he’d like to take all the seniors.

Avink partnered with the Counsel for Educational Travel, USA (CETUSA), who is looking for host families for a four-week commitment during July 21-August 18.  For every Cedar Springs area family that hosts an exchange student during that time, CETUSA will fund the soccer trip $200. “We are looking for a bout 25 host families,” said Avink. “We want to keep costs down as much as possible.”

They are also looking at doing some other fundraising also, such as a 50/50 raffle at the girls soccer game on May 21, a popcorn drive, and other things. But they will also accept direct donations.

If you are interested in hosting an exchange student to help the soccer team, or would like to make a direct donation, you can contact Coach Avink at kyleavink@gmail.com.

Eric Pierson

A Solon Township man has been sentenced to 9 months in prison for pulling a knife on a man and using a racial slur during the confrontation.

Eric Scott Pierson, 50, reportedly approached a black male inside Huck’s Corners, at the corner of 17 Mile and White Creek in Solon Township, on December 30, called him “dark chocolate” and asked him how he was doing. The man ignored Pierson, which police said upset the suspect. He then pulled out a knife and threatened the victim with it. The store owner separated the men, and the victim left. But when the victim returned to finish his shopping, Pierson approached him again with a knife and used a racial slur, saying “This (slur) isn’t supposed to be here. This is our town.”

The victim, who had a permit for a concealed weapon, then pulled out a handgun and pointed it at Pierson and told him to get away.

Pierson pleaded no contest in March to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon (felony assault), ethnic intimidation, being a habitual offender-3rd offense.

Pierson was sentenced by Judge Johnston, in 17th Circuit Court, on Tuesday, May 15, to nine months in jail with one day credit, 60 months probation, and court costs and fines.

Jacob Ringler

Michael Woroniecki

A Sand Lake man wanted by Cedar Springs Police and a Cedar Springs man are facing more charges after being arrested during a traffic stop by the Kent Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (KANET).

Sgt. Rick Coxon, of the Kent County Sheriff Department, and a patrol unit made a traffic stop at US131 and Post Drive at 3:48 a.m. May 11. Inside was Jacob Allen Ringler, 22, of Cedar Springs, and Michael Adam Woroniecki, 29, of Sand Lake. Police found outstanding warrants on the pair, along with evidence of a rolling meth lab.

Ringler was arrested by Cedar Springs Police in March for possession of meth and marijuana. They had also investigated a domestic assault involving Ringler. During the domestic incident, he punched a teen in the head who tried to intervene. Assault charges stemming from that incident are pending.

Ringler was arraigned in 63rd District Court on the maintaining a meth lab charge on Tuesday, May 15. Bond was set at $25,000, and he bonded out.

The Kent County Prosecutor’s office had issued a warrant for Woroniecki earlier this year, on charges of operating a laboratory involving methamphetamine and being a habitual offender-4th offense, after a traffic stop by Cedar Springs Police on February 16. Woroniecki had agreed to turn himself in, but never did. He was arraigned Monday, May 14 on eight different charges, split between 63rd District Court and 61st District Court—two charges of delivering/manufacturing methamphetamine, two charges of maintaining/operating a lab involving methamphetamine, one charge of fleeing a police officer, and 3 charges of being a habitual offender-fourth offense.

Both suspects have a preliminary hearing set for May 24, at 2:30 p.m.

Cedar Springs Police Chief Roger Parent was glad to see the two were picked up. “We appreciate when the special narcotics unit patrols the northeast Kent County area,” he said.