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CEDAR SPRINGS — After years of planning and months of construction, White Creek Flats Apartments officially celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 16 at 14300 White Creek Avenue NE. The new housing community is now open, accepting applications, and preparing to welcome its first residents on August 1. City officials, community members and representatives from Fusion Properties gathered to mark the completion of the first phase of the 168-unit development, which comes at a time of continued housing demand in Cedar Springs and the surrounding area. “We really need housing in Cedar Springs and this is going to bring us just that,” Cedar Springs Mayor Lisa Atchison said at the project’s groundbreaking last year. “A lot of these units also include open floor plans to help accommodate those with handicap needs.” All ground-floor apartments at White Creek Flats are barrier free, offering accessible living options for residents with mobility needs. Developers also reached out to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to inform injured veterans about the availability of barrier-free units. White Creek Flats Project Manager Justin Johnson said the team is excited to see the project come to life. “We’re excited to welcome our first residents to White Creek Flats on August 1,” Johnson said. “It’s rewarding to see this project come to life and provide Cedar Springs with a high-quality housing option featuring modern finishes and thoughtfully designed amenities. Our second building, with an additional 24 apartment homes, is expected to open on October 1. When the community is complete, residents will enjoy a playground, fitness room, two pickleball courts, a basketball court, and a dog run. The property is a vast space with lots of sidewalks and room to enjoy the outdoors.” The development offers one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with modern finishes and community-focused amenities. In addition to recreational features, the property includes expansive green space and walkable areas designed to encourage outdoor enjoyment. Lindsay Jensen serves as the Property Manager for White Creek Flats. A furnished model unit is available on site for tours, and prospective residents can schedule a visit by calling 616-644-2846. Current office hours are: Monday: 12:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Thursday: 12:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Saturday: By appointment only Sunday: Closed White Creek Flats is currently accepting applications online, and application fees are being waived for a limited time. While the development has been welcomed by many as a needed housing solution, it has previously drawn some concerns from residents about potential traffic at the corner of White Creek Avenue and Solon Road. City officials have said they are working with Kent County and the Michigan Department of Transportation to address traffic planning and any issues that may arise. First proposed to the City Council approximately three years ago, White Creek Flats now stands as one of the most significant recent housing additions in Cedar Springs. With leasing underway and more units set to open this fall, the new community is poised to play an important role in meeting the city’s growing housing needs.

CEDAR SPRINGS — The countdown is on for the 87th Red Flannel Festival, and organizers are calling on the community to help make this year’s celebration bigger and better than ever. The Red Flannel Festival board is currently seeking volunteers to assist with a wide range of events and activities that bring thousands of visitors to Cedar Springs each year. Everything from helping coordinate events to supporting logistics behind the scenes, volunteers are the driving force behind one of Michigan’s most beloved fall traditions. “The Festival is a community affair,” organizers shared in a recent note. Partnering with community groups and volunteers, they say, is key to ensuring the success of the many events that take place throughout the weekend. As the festival continues to grow, so do the staffing needs. Organizers noted that volunteer demand has begun to outpace available helpers. That is why they are encouraging individuals, families and local organizations to step up and get involved. “The Red Flannel Festival is a true community effort, and we're grateful for the volunteers and Friends of the Festival who help make it happen each year,” said Festival President Matt Andres. “Every contribution, whether it's your time, your support, or your involvement, helps keep this tradition strong, and we'd love to welcome more people to be part of it.” Volunteers are not only the backbone of the festival, they are also part of a larger mission. The Red Flannel Festival board is a completely volunteer, independent non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the Cedar Springs community. Through its Friend of the Festival program, the festival partners with local non-profits and has proudly donated more than $70,000 to area groups. By volunteering, residents are helping sustain an event that gives back year after year while celebrating Cedar Springs' unique heritage. If you have a few hours to spare or want to be part of the excitement all weekend long, there is a place for you in this year’s festival lineup. Those interested in volunteering or participating through a non-profit organization are encouraged to connect with Matt via his email president@redflannelfestival.org for more information. So fold out your flannels, button up your long johns, and help make the 87th Red Flannel Festival one to remember.

Every day at noon, the siren sounds across Cedar Springs. I remember being a kid, sitting out on the front porch on Muskegon St. waiting for it. I have to assume most of us no longer stop to think about it. The sound has worked its way into the background of our lives, as familiar as the festival we've been celebrating over the last 87 years. It has a funny effect, though, if you really pay attention. When it begins, conversations soften for a moment. It carries faintly through open windows and across a backyard where someone is halfway through mowing. Children who have grown up here rarely ask what it means. They accept it the way they accept winter arriving or the first day of school returning. Visitors sometimes notice it more than we do. Looking up, waiting for something to follow. Wondering what just happened when it fades away. Those who have been here longer just keep moving, because we know the pattern. The tone rises, holds steady, and then fades back into the ordinary sounds of the day. That same note has drifted over the town for decades, over seasons when the town felt especially settled and over seasons when it felt anything but. It has reached the edges of the new subdivision north of town and the porches of homes that have stood for generations, like the ones on Cherry and Ash streets, and on Muskegon and Seventh. It carries without asking who is listening. And I wonder if, perhaps, that is part of why it endures. The siren doesn't measure its importance by how loudly it's praised or how often it's mentioned. It has no need to defend itself. It just marks the hour, the same way it did when our grandparents were the ones standing on these porches, and the same way it will when today’s children are grown and telling their own stories about this place. In that way, the siren reflects the town itself. Cedar Springs has never been defined by flash or ornament. It has been defined by the people who build, who stay, and who tend to what was placed in their hands before them, welcoming others in to do the same. People who understand that belonging isn't measured only by how long you’ve lived here, but by the care you give to the place while you are here. Generations have stood within earshot of this siren, carrying different concerns and different hopes, yet sharing the same ground beneath their feet. The sound never required them to agree, only to belong. In its steady rise and fall is the quiet reminder that this town has always been larger than any single season, and steadier than any passing moment. Every day at noon, the siren rises over Cedar Springs and reminds us that we are living within reach of one another, tied together by history, responsibility, and by the long-held patterns that endure.

CEDAR SPRINGS — The Cedar Springs Museum is receiving renewed recognition for its work in genealogy, following a recent feature in Chronicle, a magazine that highlights prominent local museums and the impact they have within their communities. The publication spotlighted the museum’s ongoing efforts to organize and expand its genealogy and research library, as well as the volunteers who have dedicated countless hours to preserving local records. Among those featured was Barb Morris, a volunteer who has helped lead the reorganization of the museum’s genealogy collection over the past year and a half. The work includes building up the museum’s collection of local land abstracts, which document the names of individuals who once owned property in the area. The society has also created a nine-volume obituary collection and a corresponding index available for purchase by researchers, with proceeds supporting the museum’s continued operations. For Morris, the experience has been eye-opening. “Over the last year and a half at the Cedar Springs Museum, I mostly learned how little I really knew about genealogy,” Morris said. “As I continue working on these processes, I learn more and more each day.” This isn't the first time the museum has earned recognition outside of town. In 2024, the organization was commissioned by White House staffers to assist with genealogy research they were conducting that had led them to Cedar Springs, making it a notable acknowledgment of the depth and reliability of the museum’s records and expertise. The recent Chronicle feature adds to that recognition, highlighting the important role the Cedar Springs museum plays in helping families trace their roots and preserve community history. Through detailed record keeping, careful organization and the dedication of volunteers, the museum continues to serve as a vital resource for anyone seeking not only to better understand their family’s connection to Cedar Springs, but the area's history and the generations who helped shape it.

SOLON TOWNSHIP — In a move signaling a shift toward greater transparency, the Solon Township Board voted Monday, July 13, to approve a resolution opposing the use of nondisclosure agreements by township elected officials.

WASHINGTON (DC) — Americans may be one step closer to ending the twice-a-year clock change. The U.S. House voted 308-117 Tuesday, July 14, to approve the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, which would make daylight saving time permanent across the country. The bill now goes to the Senate where the future of the bill is more uncertain. Supporters say the proposal would give people more daylight in the evening and end the inconvenience of changing clocks every spring and fall. The White House has backed the measure, and President Donald Trump has also voiced support. Backers of the bill say permanent daylight saving time could encourage more outdoor activity and help businesses, especially in tourism-heavy states such as Florida. Opponents, however, say the change could mean darker mornings during the winter months, raising concerns for children heading to school and for early-morning commuters. Public opinion appears to favor the proposal. A 2025 AP-NORC poll found that 56% of Americans would choose permanent daylight saving time if required to pick one system year-round. A similar bill passed the Senate in 2022 but did not become law. The current measure must still win Senate approval before it can be sent to the president.

Michiganders woke up to a statewide air quality alert that began the evening of July 15th, as smoke continues to move in from Canadian wildfires. Officials say elevated levels of fine particle pollution, known as PM2.5, may make conditions unhealthy for many residents over the next several days. Wildfire smoke contains extremely small particles, including PM2.5, which are roughly 30 times thinner than a human hair. Because these particles are so tiny, they can be inhaled deep into the lungs and may linger there. That can lead to symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, dizziness, and irritation or burning in the nose, throat, and eyes. In more serious cases, wildfire smoke can provoke asthma flare-ups and worsen existing heart conditions. It may also contribute to increased emergency room visits and, in some instances, premature death. Certain groups are at higher risk, including people 60 and older, children and teens, pregnant women, and those with heart or lung disease (or other underlying health conditions). Outdoor workers are also more likely to be exposed. Even so, it’s important for everyone to take wildfire smoke seriously. If you exercise outside, such as running or biking, or work outdoors, your breathing rate increases, which can mean you inhale more of the harmful particles. Spending extended time outdoors can further raise exposure. How to protect yourself when air quality is unhealthy Monitor air quality throughout the day, since conditions can change quickly. Stay indoors when air turns unhealthy. Keep windows and doors closed and, if possible, use your air conditioner on recirculate. Use air filtration. An air purifier and MERV-13 (or higher) filters in your HVAC system can help remove fine particles from indoor air. Avoid adding indoor pollution. Skip activities like burning candles, smoking, vacuuming, or frying food during smoky periods. If you must go outside: limit your time outdoors, take it easy, and consider wearing an N95 mask. For people with asthma, lung disease, or heart disease, follow your doctor’s recommendations for medications and your treatment plan. If symptoms worsen, such as increasing shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing, or severe reactions, seek medical care promptly. While Michiganders can’t control where the smoke comes from, everyone can take steps to reduce exposure and protect their health.

CEDAR SPRINGS — If you’ve driven past the open lawn near the City Hall recently and found yourself doing a double take, you’re not alone. Perhaps you noticed it while riding down the White Pine Trail. Or maybe you saw it on the way to a recent city council or planning commission meeting. There’s no doubt that by now, nearly everybody has seen the wooden structure, a cluster of elevated beams balanced atop angled supports, that has sparked curiosity and conversation throughout the community. The piece, titled “The Eagle’s Nest,” is the beginning of a memorial sculpture created by a local resident in honor of his late wife. The idea for the sculpture was originally presented to the City of Cedar Springs with a proposal to install the sculpture as a public art piece, seeking $8,000 to complete the project. Mayor Lisa Atchison declined the proposal, explaining that allocating city funds for the sculpture would not be a fiscally responsible decision. In response, the proposal was revised, offering the sculpture as a donation to the city so long as the city would cover the cost of materials, including lumber. That proposal was also turned down. Undeterred, a third offer was made: to build “The Eagle’s Nest” as a memorial at no cost to the city and donate it outright, constructing it on city property. The city accepted and granted preliminary permission to begin work. However, as the structure began to take shape, questions arose among council members regarding whether its placement was appropriate. Concerns centered on location and process rather than the intent behind the project. The city has seemingly since placed a temporary hold on further construction until additional clarification can be made regarding approval procedures and final placement. While the sculpture represents remembrance and personal tribute, it has also prompted broader questions about public art, policy and how memorials are approved and displayed on municipal property. For now, “The Eagle’s Nest” stands partially complete, and at the center of a conversation about art and the boundaries of public space.

CEDAR SPRINGS — City officials are taking steps toward regulating truck traffic within city limits, citing concerns over street integrity and safety.

CEDAR SPRINGS — As changes continue on the Hilltop property, Cedar Springs Public Schools is taking steps to address the future of its aging tennis courts and the community members who use them. According to the school district, the tennis courts located north of where the former Hilltop building once stood are being removed after years of deterioration. Heavy equipment has already begun clearing the area as part of the ongoing transformation of the site. To limit the impact on the Cedar Springs Pickleball Club and other community members who regularly use the courts, the school board has approved a plan to make the existing tennis courts at the middle school available for public use. The courts are scheduled to be resurfaced and will be converted to accommodate pickleball play. District officials say the middle school courts will be open to the public outside of school hours and when they are not being used by school tennis teams. A timeline for when the resurfacing will be completed, and when the courts will officially reopen for public use, has not yet been announced. The district said that information will be shared once it becomes available. The move reflects an effort by the school board to balance campus improvements with continued community access to recreational space, as the Hilltop landscape enters its next chapter.

The Thursday night council chambers were full. Not an extra seat was to be had. A simple question emerged weeks ago: Where should the "Red Flannel Town" medallion, the one formerly hung in our old city hall, hang? But it unfolded into something much larger, and it is, because it became clear that people were not reacting to décor or wall space, but to what that symbol represents about who we are. When a symbol present for generations gets moved or reconsidered, the reactions are rarely about wood or paint. Memory is what's at stake. The question becomes whether the story that shaped the town still gets carried forward in visible ways. For many in Cedar Springs, and I mean many, Red Flannel isn't a marketing ploy. It isn't a "once-a-year" logo either. It's the early mills, the shops, the festival, and the families who built their lives here. It's the shared pride that has followed for nearly a century. The spirit of Red Flannel, at its best, is the spirit of community. It has a way of leveling the field, making backgrounds blur. Making income levels, political affiliations, church affiliations, last names, and every other marker we tend to sort ourselves by seem to matter very little. It draws out generosity, volunteerism, laughter, and pride. And because it carries that much meaning, it can also stir strong reactions when people feel it is being set aside, redefined, or altogether removed. The hope, of course, is that it continues to do what it has done for decades, and that is bring us together more than it ever pulls us apart. And that is why the room was full. Sure, there were differing views about placement and purpose. There was a vote, taken in public, after open debate. And what was encouraging, if you step back from the volume and look at the big picture, what you saw was participation. A town who showed up and a council who was willing to wrestle with a question in front of the people they represent. It was local self‑government doing what it was designed to do. What also needs to be acknowledged, is how well the council handled that participation. They heard from citizen after citizen, some calm and carefully prepared, others emotional and downright frustrated. The council did not rush anyone, nor did they did dismiss anyone. As they should have, they listened. We live in a world where social media so often shows us only the worst moments of public life and leaves the impression that professionalism has all but disappeared, but what took place Thursday night told a different story. The members of this council sat through strong criticism and pointed remarks and responded with steadiness. They deliberated openly, and asked questions. They weighed their options in front of the very people who had just challenged them. This is not about whether someone believes the vote was right or wrong, but about how they arrived there. They kept their focus on the community, not on defending themselves, and that deserves to be acknowledged. Speaking from experience, this was not at all out of character. If you attend any other city council meeting, you will likely see the same thing. Disagreement handled without hostility, debate carried out in public view, and a willingness to participate in the process they were elected to serve within. Credit is due here folks. They took a lashing in moments and remained professional and courteous throughout the entire process. And that is worth recognizing because it illustrates a genuine representation of the people they serve. And in many ways, that professionalism reflects something larger about Cedar Springs itself. The tone of a room doesn't only belong to those seated at the dais, but to everyone in it. The Red Flannel symbol carries history itself, and that history is important because it tells us we belong to something larger than the present moment. At the same time, the conversations this week also revealed something encouraging: The Festival board expressed willingness to partner. Council members spoke about visibility and recognition. Residents voiced a desire not simply to preserve a sign, but to see the heritage of the town reflected more fully in public spaces. All of this suggests there is more common ground than disagreement. Shared identity is not determined solely by elected officials, nor is it guarded by residents alone. It is shaped in the collaborative space between them. It grows stronger when people speak candidly and still choose to remain at the table of public discourse. It becomes more steadfast when disagreement does not fracture the community, but instead clarifies what matters most. Passion surfaced Thursday night, and that shouldn't surprise us. People don't fill chambers for issues that feel trivial. They show up when something touches their sense of belonging. And I think even that level of investment, even when it comes with tension, is a sign of health. It's a sign that we do, indeed, have a shared identity here in The Red Flannel Town.

CEDAR SPRINGS — The future of the city’s “Red Flannel Town” medallion drew a crowd at the July 9 City Council meeting, as residents packed the chambers to weigh in on where, and how, the symbol should move forward within the community. In the end, the council voted 5‑1 to hang the medallion in the new council chambers, placing it opposite the city’s official logo. The discussion follows a June 11 meeting in which council members debated whether the large “Red Flannel Town, Cedar Springs, Michigan” medallion, previously displayed in the former City Hall council chambers, should be hung in the new City Hall, donated to the Cedar Springs Historical Museum or given to the Red Flannel Festival board. At the latest meeting, several members of the community approached the podium prepared with written statements, while others, including former Mayor Linda Hunt, spoke off the cuff, voicing concerns not only about the medallion’s placement but about what some described as a broader absence of red flannel symbolism throughout the city. Though the well‑known dispute between the city and the Red Flannel Festival board from roughly 14 years ago lingered in the background of the conversation, only a few speakers referenced it directly. Instead, many focused on what the emblem represents today and how it should be honored moving forward. At one point during the discussion, it was suggested that the city partner with the Red Flannel Festival to formally rededicate Cedar Springs as “The Red Flannel Town,” with the medallion serving as a capstone to the ceremony and the beginning of restoring red flannel icons across the community. Red Flannel Festival Board President Matt Andres indicated he would welcome such collaboration, stating he is willing to stand alongside the city for a rededication ceremony if the opportunity arises. "I love the idea of rededicating Cedar Springs as the Red Flannel Town." said Andres. "The Red Flannel Festival fully supports that idea, and we'd love the opportunity to work with the City to help make it happen." Council Member Ron Howell said he was encouraged by the level of public participation. “I think it went very well,” Howell said. “It’s encouraging to see so many people show up to defend their town’s heritage and identity. This is how democracy works.” What began as a question about where to hang a sign has evolved into a broader conversation about identity, partnership and how Cedar Springs chooses to honor its past while shaping its future. "We'd also love to see the Festival's iconic Red Flannel logo become a more visible part of the community again and be used by the City as part of celebrating our shared identity," said Andres. Clearing up rumors of a continued conflict with the city, Andres stated, "I also want to emphasize that there really is not a rift between the City and the Festival. We've enjoyed a long partnership, and we have a signed trademark agreement that allows both the City and the Festival to use the Red Flannel logos in exchange for the City's continued in-kind support of the Festival. That partnership has served both organizations well, and I'd love to see us continue building on it for many years to come." As the medallion returns to the council wall, the larger conversation about celebrating Cedar Springs’ Red Flannel heritage in a visual way appears far from over.