CEDAR SPRINGS — Former Cedar Springs senior Luke Egan will represent the Red Hawks one last time this weekend, earning a spot in the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association (MHSFCA) East vs. West All-Star Game where he'll be patrolling the secondary in his signature role as a defensive back. The annual showcase takes place Saturday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI, featuring many of Michigan’s top graduating seniors. Selection to the game is limited and recognizes athletes for their excellence, leadership and dedication to the sport. Egan becomes just the fifth player in Cedar Springs history to be selected for the East–West game. Cedar Springs Varsity Football Coach Gus Kapolka highlighted the significance of the honor in a recent social media post. “We’ve only had 5 guys in the 100+ year history play in this game and Luke is only the 4th player I’ve coached to receive this honor. This is truly special!” Kapolka wrote. Egan’s football résumé stands among the best in recent program history. During his senior season, he set a Cedar Springs varsity record with a 98-yard interception return for a touchdown against Sparta, reinforcing his reputation as one of the top defensive backs to wear a Red Hawks uniform. A well rounded athlete, his achievements on the mat are arguably even more impressive. Egan finished his senior wrestling season a perfect 46-0, capturing the 2026 Division state championship and closing his high school career with a 178-17 record. A four-time All-State athlete, four-time conference champion, three-time district champion and two-time regional champion, Egan had previously finished as state runner-up in 2025 before claiming the long-awaited state title this winter. A four-time team captain, Egan’s leadership matched his production. His persistence through adversity, including a broken hand as a freshman and illness during a postseason run, only added to the legacy he leaves behind. Recognized for his overall athletic excellence, Egan was also named the 2026 Cedar Springs High School Athlete of the Year. Now that he's graduated as one of the most standout Red Hawks in Cedar Springs history, he will attend Grand Valley State University on a wrestling scholarship while pursuing an engineering degree. Before turning the page to college athletics, however, Egan will step onto the field one final time Saturday night to represent the place where it all started in one of Michigan’s premier high school football showcases. For a career defined by consistency, resilience and championship-level performance, the East–West All-Star Game serves as a fitting final chapter in a remarkable Red Hawks career. You can catch the game Saturday night on the "State Champs Michigan" YouTube channel.

CEDAR SPRINGS — The Cedar Springs City Council unanimously approved Ordinance 257 at its Tuesday, June 9 meeting, amending the city’s zoning map within portions of the B2 Business District.

Last week I joked that by mid‑July at least a few parents might start missing the structure of the school calendar. I didn’t expect to prove my own point quite this quickly. Summer has a way of loosening the edges of time, and somewhere between this past Monday and Thursday I seem to have misplaced a few days. In the middle of it, though, (or was it at the end?) there was something worth pausing for. On Saturday morning families gathered for a life jacket giveaway at CTA. This wasn't a big event. It wasn't another Red Flannel Day or even the Sip and Shop Hop that happens every so often downtown. It was simply the sight of families working alongside one another, helping parents fit bright orange and yellow life vests onto kids who were mostly excited to see the firefighters, deputies, EMTs and the trucks and equipment they brought to the event. Events like this take planning, coordination and a willingness from different groups to line up their schedules and share responsibility. I'm sure everybody involved had other things they could have been doing, and yet for a couple hours they were all focused on the same goal: making sure children head into summer a little safer than they would have otherwise. We, or maybe I, use the word “citizen” often around here, and usually without thinking much about it. But watching that parking lot fill up Saturday morning, it occurred to me that citizenship probably isn’t as grand as we, (or, ok maybe just I) sometimes make it. More often it shows up in ordinary decisions. Choosing to lend a hand instead of critique from a distance, choosing to collaborate instead of compete, choosing to give your time without much thought about who gets the credit. Every community goes through seasons when conversations feel heavier than usual. Though that may sound bad, it's often a sign that people care deeply about the same place, even if they don’t always agree on the path forward. Part of that weight, I think, comes when history and governance intersect. Traditions matter here, especially here, and they always have. They shape how people see this place and how we describe it to others with an undertone of pride. At the same time, the responsibility of running a city carries its own realities. There are budgets that don’t always appease everybody, legal frameworks that work for most but not all, and decisions that don’t always fit neatly inside nostalgia. History and governance. Those two things aren’t enemies, but they don’t always align perfectly either. And when they don’t, it’s easy for old frustrations to resurface. Where symbols can start to carry more than their literal meaning. What hangs on a wall can begin to feel like a statement about belonging, about recognition, about who speaks for the town’s identity. It doesn't take a long memory to know that conversations about tradition and direction have felt complicated. Cedar Springs has had moments when long‑standing relationships were tested and when decisions carried more emotion than anyone expected. Those seasons weren’t easy, and they certainly weren’t tidy, but the story didn’t end there. The town endured and people adjusted. Eventually, things found their footing again. And maybe that’s part of what citizenship requires in a small town like ours. Not just enthusiasm when everything feels unified, but selfless collaboration when it doesn’t. A willingness to protect what matters without losing sight of one another in the process. History isn’t erased simply because it isn’t centered in every room, and it isn’t strengthened by turning it into a dividing line either. The strength of a tradition comes from the people who carry it forward, not just from where it’s displayed. By the end of Saturday morning, dozens of families drove away with life jackets in the back seat and kids already talking about the lake or the river or wherever summer will take them. In fact, some families went straight to the lake from the event, as evidenced by the photos they sent. Over time, these are the kinds of individual efforts that shape a place more than we realize. Summer is just beginning. There will be bigger events, bigger conversations, and probably a few louder moments ahead. But if this week reminded me of anything, it’s that communities tend to move forward not so much because everyone agrees on everything, but because enough people decide the place itself is worth the effort. Sometimes it takes the right people making that decision, and sometimes that effort looks as simple as kneeling down to tighten a strap, and wishing a kid a safe summer.

CEDAR SPRINGS — It was a warm, breezy Saturday morning as community members filled the parking lot at the Creative Technologies Academy (CTA) soccer field for the first-ever Swim Safe for Silas event, a gathering rooted in remembrance, awareness and action. Families arrived steadily throughout the morning, many leaving with life-saving resources and with renewed awareness about water safety. More than 100 life jackets were distributed to local families, part of a larger effort that collected approximately 250 jackets this spring. The event was organized by Kaila Palmer in honor of her son, Silas Palmer, the 4-year-old boy who drowned in Long Lake last year. Determined to help prevent other families from experiencing similar loss, Palmer launched a life jacket drive earlier this year. Saturday marked the first major distribution effort. “I think it went phenomenal for how short of time we had to plan,” Palmer said. “I hope and truly believe it will be much bigger next year.” The School Emergency Response Coalition supported the event, providing CPR instruction and educating families about practical steps they can take to prevent drownings. SERC emphasized the importance of supervision, preparedness and stepping in quickly when something goes wrong. Emergency responders also turned the morning into an opportunity for connection. The Cedar Springs Fire Department, Solon Township Fire Department, Rockford Ambulance and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office were present, allowing children and families to explore fire engines, ambulances and patrol vehicles while learning about water and general safety. Palmer expressed deep appreciation for the outpouring of support from the community. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude for every person who supported, donated, volunteered, shared our mission, and helped make this day possible,” she said. What began as a personal mission has already made a tangible impact on dozens of local families. Organizers hope the event will continue to grow in the coming years, reaching even more families and reinforcing the importance of water safety throughout the Cedar Springs community.

CEDAR SPRINGS — The Cedar Springs Fire Department added two new members to its ranks during the June 11 regular meeting of the Cedar Springs City Council.

Cedar Springs Middle School recently honored students for outstanding academic performance and exceptional attendance during the 2025–26 school year, recognizing the dedication and hard work shown throughout the year. Students were celebrated in three categories: Honor Roll, recognizing strong academic performance; Top Honors, awarded to eighth graders who maintained an exceptional cumulative GPA during their middle school years; and Outstanding Attendance, highlighting students who demonstrated remarkable commitment to being present and engaged in class. The recognition emphasizes months, and in some cases years, of effort, focus and perseverance. Families and staff alike celebrated the accomplishments of these students as they wrapped up another successful school year. Honor Roll Recipients Sixth Grade Lucas Amann Ryker Andres Jayden Barker Eden Bates Clayton Bekkering Claire Bender Blair Bliss Isaac Bliss Londyn Brimmer Hunter Burgess Freyja Burns Addison Calhoun Harper Carlson Gabriel Cassidy Charlyne Cavett Jaxon Chavez Darleena Childs Collin Clark Lincoln Clouse Marli Craig Jackson Davis Steven Dibell Ophelia Dulyea Bradley Elias Julah Emery Caleb Engel Caroline Evans Charlotte Evans Ronan Eyer Bailey Fisk Vanna Forrester Ryleigh Fouse Colton Gillette Maxwell Glerum Kembree Hall Goldie Harig Layla Harig Audrey Haring Abram Harrison Maverick Hasso Cassandra Hazen Adelyn Henney Alexandrina Herrera Emmit Huffman Alexis Hughes Mallory Hutchinson Melanie Hutchinson Paige Hutchinson Victoria Inman Ryan Jandron Ronaldo Jaramillo-Delgado Caleb Jensen Weston Kamphuis Kaiya Kropf Brayden Kuzawa Brylee Laughlin Core Luehrs Emmalee Marvin Monty Matlosz Brogan McHugh Grady McLaughlin Thomas Merlington Amelia Miller Carter Miller Sean Molina Cayleigh Moore Kennedy Morris Connor Morrow Maddie Morse Landon Munsee Alexandra Nesbitt Violet Noller Fayedora Nowell Scott Odren Alycia Owens Luca Paoni Levi Peck Alice Phillips Victoria Phillips Lola Pienta Lyman Potratz Lenora Potter Brooklyn Putney Gibson Reister Levi Roark Frances Roberts Charlotte Rosel McKenzie Ross Mylah Runyon Cash Saboo Corinne Sanborn Oliver Schueneman Sophia Schilling Alyza Scholten Olivia Smith Teagan Solomon Ryleigh St. Amour Owen Striebel Eli Sullivan Eleanor Thompson Elijah Thompson Peyten Thompson Marguerite Totten Cole Tovar Ibrahim Traore Hannah VanGessel Addison Wheaton Daphney Wiloughby Adelyn Wladischkin Oliver Womersly Harlynn Wright Lillyann Wyatt Boston Wyma Aspen York Louis Zimkowski Seventh Grade Avery Anderson Evelyn Andrus Makenna Armock Phoebe Beintema Kyler Bennett Elyn Bouma Avery Brackett Levi Brewer Emma Britt Avary Brown Olivia Centala Madilyn Claypool Liam Cox Jaxon Craig Blair DeForest Laney Demull Brhianna Dennis Kaya DeYoung Claire Eckelstafer Devon Edgar Branwyn Anthony Grace Elliot Tessa Evans Owen Eves Brody Fisher Preston Gorby Noelle Graham Mason Gritter Dayton Gulembo Isabelle Gundrum Abigail Hatchew Carter Heminger Jameson Heugel Beau Higley Karsen Hoffman Asher Hunt Trevyn Huntoon Tyler Hurley Lucas Johnston Zoey Jost Samuel Kahler Jaxon Karafa Kamden Kohler Emma Lankford Alice Lawrence Addison Longstreet Kaylee Lubben Evelyn MacDonald Addison Maley Emma McCulloch Alexander Mendoza Coronado Aubrey Mitz Hannah Monsewicz Jax Mulholland Gracelyn Nadler Lillian Pearce Declan Pellerito Gabrielle Perkins Gabriel Pfund Melanie Powers Lily Reed Deacon Reynolds Arianni Riojas Tess Rosenberger Nicholas Runnals Brady Rusche Elias Salinas Leah Sanders Ava Schrock Emma Schuitema Jonah Slager Aniliah Smith Colette Stachowiak Noah Stevens Simon Sullivan Breena Swanson Johnathon Taylor Mason Telman Ethan Trompen Morgan Uhen Ava Valentine Joseph Van Dyke Nolan Van Horn Ryleigh Vanderpool Connor VanGessel Vivienne Verstrat Makayla Vincent Anderson Vree Tessa Waldron Elijah Westra Alexa Wilber Braeleigh Wolf Brynlee Wolfe Ryder Wood Eighth Grade Brycen Alber Lukas Albertson Kenlynn Anderson Noah Aspinall Brystol Bailey Kaia Beach Luke Bell Payton Benedict Ethan Benoit Bralynn Chapman Lucas Charbonneau-Stacy Cameron Clark Nash Corbin Lexon Cornelius Foster Covey Andrew Demink Amelia Dibell Kenslee Dreyer Carson Dunham Isabella Eaton Bella Eddy Carter Empie Jaxon Fitzgerald Alina Frickey Annilee Gage Mackenzie Gee Nadia Graham Adelyn Gugliotta Chase Hamilton Ellie Haynes Zachary Hendricks Trevor Hess Christian Homrich Reese Hotz Anika Hoult Samantha Howard Christopher Hutchinson Zoe Hutton Lucas Inman Daniel Jaggers Mackenzie Jolly Macey Kacprzyk Lela Kahler Nehum Kasten Lydia Koeppel Gage Kolenda Robert Krumwiede Haylynn Kyser Natalie Ladd Kendalyn Laughlin Kendrick Lynch Evelyn Lyons Macie Mangum Kendrik Marks Logan Marks Grant Marshall Taiten McCuaig Jackson Metts Hypatia Morris-Armock Jace Mulholland Jackson Noller Kevin O’Brien Keely Pacey Raleigh Peck Logan Pfeifer Elliot Phillips Elizabeth Pongrattana Evelyn Price Lilith Reed Cole Reinke Noah Relich Lillian Roberts Gwyneth Roest Breanna Rosel Avery Saboo Brody Sarniak Shalynn Schreiner Austin Schulte Alice Sharpe Ronni Simmons Ivy Sissell Tristan Skiver-Palmer Ava Smith Christopher Smith David Smith Sydney Smith Payton Sowles Jaiden St. Amour Cassidy Stick Isabell Striebel Harry Ten Brink Aiden Thompson Kennadei Toren Benjamin Totten Jr. Malick Traore Halle Valliere Stephen VanSyckle Adilynn VanDyke Alivia VanDyke Caitlin Vandyke Emily VanGessel Saydee Vasquez Levi Vogelar Arabella Walukonis Whitney Willoughby Kensley Winn Colten Wladischkin Carter Wolfe Avalon Wright David Wyatt Sawyer Wysocki Theodore Ziomkowski Top Honors - Eighth Grade Noah Aspinall Luke Bell Bralynn Chapman Amelia Dibell Isabella Eddy Mackenzie Gee Ellie Haynes Zachary Hendricks Christopher Hutchinson Macey Kacprzyk Lela Kahler Lydia Koeppel Natalie Ladd Evelyn Lyons Jackson Noller Kevin O’Brien Logan Pfeifer Elliot Phillips Gwyneth Roest Breanna Rosel Alice Sharpe Ronni Simmons David Smith Payton Sowles Jaiden St. Amour Halle Valliere Alivia VanDyke Caitlin Vandyke Outstanding Attendance Award Bryce Apolinar Noah Aspinall Jaxon Chavez Brinley Davis Jackson Grala Dayton Gulembo Goldie Harig Layla Harig Tyler Hurley Brayden Kuzawa Kaylee Lubben Kendrick Lynch Evelyn MacDonald Kennedy Morris Travis Norman Elizabeth Pongrattana Christopher Smith David Smith Morgan Uhen Joseph Van Dyke Caitlin Vandyke David Wyatt Sawyer Wysocki Cedar Springs Middle School and The Cedar Springs Bugle congratulates all students recognized this year for their dedication, achievement and commitment to excellence. Go Red Hawks!

SOLON TOWNSHIP — A Solon Township Board meeting Monday night ended less than 18 minutes after it began, as raised voices and mounting frustration from residents led officials to adjourn the session early.

CEDAR SPRINGS — A child sustained minor injuries Monday afternoon after being struck by a vehicle at the corner of Seventh and Pine Streets. Cedar Springs Fire Department and Rockford Ambulance responded to the scene at approximately 3:10 p.m. The Kent County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation and determined the child was crossing the street from the sidewalk when they were struck by a vehicle that was slowing to turn and had the right of way. Authorities reported the child suffered minor cuts and scrapes. The child was transported to the hospital as a precaution and is expected to make a full recovery.

If you listened closely enough early Thursday afternoon, you might have heard the school bell at Cedar Springs Public Schools ring out for the last time this year. It didn’t sound any different than it did in October or March, but somehow it just feels different in June. Perhaps a little weightier, but with relief...if that makes any sense. Tomorrow there won’t be any buses lining up for early morning drop-off and alarms can finally get a break, at least for the students. There will, however, be more bike rides instead of bus rides. Pool days will take the place of pop quizzes, and at least a few parents will realize by mid‑July that maybe the structured school calendar wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Yes, summer is here at last! The last day of school also has a way of making you look around, though, and some may even take inventory from the previous year. Lockers were cleaned out and yearbooks were signed with promises that may or may not hold up. Teachers stack the last of their papers and shut off lights in rooms that will sit empty for a while. I was thinking about all of that Saturday morning while standing along the first‑base line. Which is strange, because none of that was in front of me. What was in front of me was a bench lined with four‑ and five‑year‑olds waiting for their turn at bat. I heard, “Hey coach,” in the long, drawn out way that only a four-year-old does, and I was back where my feet actually stood. And I realized something I probably should have noticed sooner. That is, that the bell ringing to end the school year, the one carrying the sense of something wrapping up, felt a lot like what was happening right there in the infield, as I stood at my last game as head coach of my son’s tee ball team. There are no strikeouts in tee ball. No one really keeps track of the score and everyone gets a turn at bat. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s progress. It’s learning which way to run and remembering to drop the bat instead of carrying it halfway to first base. Back in April, about half of these kids had never played before. We talked about which hand goes on top and which direction first base is. In fact, we ran the bases single file calling them out as we stepped on them just to help them remember. By Saturday morning, though, these kids were making solid contact, fielding grounders, and reminding each other where to throw the ball. There was never a big moment where it all clicked. There wasn't an announcement that they had improved. They just did. And then, just like that, the season was over. For three nights a week this spring, those kids were mine to coach. I enjoyed nothing more than cheering them on, encouraging them, and watching their confidence grow a little at a time. I didn’t realize how much I’d gotten used to that rhythm until I was standing there knowing it wouldn’t be the same next week. Not far from those fields, Hilltop sits nearly ready for demolition. It won’t be long now before it’s gone. Another familiar piece of the landscape giving way to whatever comes next. Maybe it’s not that change is everywhere. Maybe it’s just that you finally slow down long enough to see it. One day it’s just another week on the calendar, and the next you realize something wrapped up without you making much of a fuss about it. And while you’re standing there thinking about that, the kids are already onto whatever’s next. Change rarely arrives with much fanfare. It happens with a bell ringing out the end, or perhaps a final at bat. For the kids, it’s simply called "childhood" and it's unfolding the way it’s supposed to. They move from one thing to the next without looking back too long. One grade, one season, and one summer at a time. For the rest of us, it’s something we’re lucky enough to witness. We get to stand there along the baseline, or in a parking lot outside a school, and take it in while it’s happening. Another school year is finished here in Cedar Springs, and another season is in the books. Years from now, I probably won’t remember which kid played which position in the last inning. I might not even remember what the final bell sounded like. But I think I’ll remember how it felt standing there. Watching it all move forward. Watching them run and knowing it won't look exactly the same next time, but knowing this time was exactly how it was supposed to be...even if part of me wished it would slow down just a little.

CEDAR SPRINGS — As the Hilltop building approaches demolition on the 100th anniversary of its construction, two familiar pieces of its history will be saved and preserved for the community. Cedar Springs Public Schools has agreed to donate a hand painted Red Hawks sign and the school’s longtime recess bell to the Cedar Springs Historical Museum. Both items hold special meaning for generations of former students who passed through the doors of the building, which first opened in 1926. The Red Hawks sign, believed to date back to the late 1940s, once hung inside the building and became a fixture for students and staff for more than 70 years. Though worn with age, the image of the school’s mascot remains recognizable. The identity of the local artist who painted the sign has been lost over time. The original recess bell, hung outside over the gymnasium doors, also carries deep roots for the school. For decades, its ring marked the beginning and end of the school day and called children in from recess. Its sound became a presence in daily life for countless families. "Even though the building is coming down, we can still preserve some pieces of its history," said Nancy Starr, Cedar Springs Museum Treasurer. "Every alumnus who walked those halls remembers hearing that bell, and nearly everyone who ever played in that gym remembers the sign. It felt only right to make sure they survive, even if the building doesn't." Earlier this year, district officials announced plans to demolish the Hilltop building, citing structural concerns and the high cost of restoration. The decision stirred strong emotions throughout the community, where the building has long stood as a landmark. Now, museum officials say the preserved artifacts will help keep the building’s story alive. The museum is in the early stages of writing a book documenting the story of the Hilltop building, including the stories of those who spent time there. The donations are greatly appreciated, says Museum Director Sharon Jett. "The Cedar Springs Historical Museum is in the early stages of writing a book about the Hilltop building, chronicling its life from construction to its demolition. These donations ensure that, while the Hilltop building itself will soon be gone, its legacy and the memories it holds will continue to live on in Cedar Springs for generations to come." Museum staff is asking anyone who may know more about the sign's artist to reach out to them either through Facebook or their email address, cedarspringsmuseum@gmail.com

CEDAR SPRINGS - If you walk into the vision center inside the 17 Mile Road Meijer in Cedar Springs, you may notice a sign stating they are closed.

SOLON TOWNSHIP — The Solon Township Planning Commission has released draft five of its data center zoning ordinance and scheduled the public hearing for June 24 at 7 p.m. at Frost Creek Church, 15671 Algoma Ave NE, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. Strong ordinances are designed to protect communities from water table contamination, declining property values, noise pollution, among other things. Notably missing from this ordinance, however, are numeric allowances for water and wastewater usage and requirements for disclosing conflicts of interest. Another request to the subcommittee involved regulations for banning township officials from signing non-disclosure agreements. That request was also denied. “Making a public comment enters resident concerns into the public record. This is the most important meeting community members could attend,” said Cedar Springs resident Katie Valtchev. Residents first raised concerns after learning of the potential 800-acre data center site in January 2026. Cedar Springs City Manager Darla Falcon connected local public-private nonprofit The Right Place with Solon Township Supervisor Robert Ellick in May 2025 to discuss the project. Ellick signed an NDA in June 2025 with Venerly LLC with unanimous approval from the board. Subcommittee members Mark Hoskins, Keith Sawade, and Rick Sevey will listen to public comments and make recommendations to the Planning Commission regarding the zoning ordinance. Between now and the public hearing, the public has the opportunity to send their concerns and suggestions about the data center zoning ordinance to Solon Township’s administrative assistant, zoning administrator, and supervisor using their email links via www.solontwp.org