Ludington News

About a dozen teenagers stood outside the middle school on Maple Street in Manistee Thursday - backpacks slung over shoulders awaiting the bell to usher them inside.

The Fourth of July brings bright lights, loud noises and oohs and ahhs to thousands in Mason County each year.

Becki Blamer of Scottville, who has been riding motorcycles since she was a kid, wanted to make a trek out to Alaska 'because it's the ride of a lifetime.' Blamer is riding her Harley Davidson alongside Joe Hernandez and Gary Engfer, both of Ludington, for an approximately 12,000 mile trip to Alaska.

A two-story Ludington home was heavily damaged by fire Saturday night. According to Ludington Fire Chief Jerry Funk, the William O'Brien residence, 404 S. Delia, suffered interior damage.

The Pere Marquette River is home to a whole lotta lampreys - but not as many as it used to be.

The Ludington City Planning Commission is responsible for recently putting out signs scattered along the main loop of Cartier Park's paved pathway.

In a difficult economy, more renters are failing to pay their water/sewer bills, putting the city on alert to come up with a plan so it doesn't get stuck with the bill.

More than 230 people applied for four teaching positions left open at Ludington Area Schools after a host of long-time teachers took an early retirement package.

The Ludington City Council may be eligible for grant money to build a new fire station.

The city of Ludington is milling and resurfacing Stearns Outer Drive in Stearns Park from the Armistice Day memorial in the center of the park to Ludington Avenue.

Miss Ludington Area Kaley Schroeder has begun her week of Miss Michigan competition and this morning was to go through the pageant's interview process.

Local coordinator Jim Bloom is hoping the community will help feed 20,000 hungry people by packaging meals for Kids Against Hunger on July 31.

Last year's storm that dropped up to 11 inches of rain on parts of Mason County in one night caused the county about $4 million in damage, cost the sheriff's office about 500 hours of deputies time on the job and cost county fire departments and other emergency responders another 2,150 hours.

The Ludington Lakestride Half Marathon and 5K races are next weekend, Saturday, June 13, a week before Father's Day.

One-year-old Quin Beimers blew bubbles at the Sandcastles Children's Museum Tuesday - making his fourth stop of the day at the museum's new bubble station.

Following the retirement this year of Ludington Assessor Rich Dykstra, the city council Monday approved filling the role with contracted services from Charles 'Chuck' Zemla.

Jolee Soberalski needs 24-hour care. She's 18 years old, doesn't speak and is autistic.

Terry Murphy is no longer the 'interim' executive director of the Ludington Area Arts Council.

Ludington almost lost the S.S. Badger ferry operations late last year as new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency discharge regulations came close to permanently ending the historic cross-lake service.

A 61-year-old Hart man was killed in a two-car crash Saturday. Robert Rumsey, of 3 E. Church, died from injuries sustained in the accident that occurred around 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of Oceana Drive and Jefferson Road in Weare Township.