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A few days ago, we reported on the two open seats on the Cedar Springs City Council. There’s also an open seat on the Planning Commission. On paper, it reads like normal city business. Resignations were accepted. Applications are now open. Interviews will soon be scheduled, and the calendar moves forward. Sitting in that council meeting, though, it felt a little more personal than procedural. Council members took a moment to thank Brayden Marvel and Alice Rudy for their service before voting to accept their resignations. You could see in the council member’s expressions the moment they realized that two people who deeply cared about their community would no longer be there on the second Thursday of each month. There was an understanding in that room. A realization that when someone steps away, there is more left behind than an empty chair. These roles matter. Not so much in a dramatic way, and not in a way that always draws a crowd, as evidenced by the empty chairs at the meeting. No, these roles matter in the consistent work of shaping what Cedar Springs looks like a year from now and ten years from then. The planning commission reviews development and long-term growth. The council sets policy. Those decisions show up in everything we see in our town; in the little neighborhoods held there within, in our main street businesses, in the way our downtown continues to evolve. They affect daily life more than most people realize. It’s easy to watch local government from a distance. Meetings are livestreamed and agendas are publicly posted online. Many people watch it from a distance. Many don’t even do that. Commentary often appears on social media by those who don’t watch local government, even from a distance. They speak as if criticism is virtue and treat cynicism as though it were wisdom. Participating, however, is different. It means reading through packets that are not always exciting. It means listening to residents who may disagree with one another. It means weighing tradeoffs and making a decision that will not please everyone in the room. After covering city hall for a while, one thing has become clear to me. The people serving are not there because it is convenient. They are there because at some point they decided they cared enough to list their name on the roster. Now there are open seats. The application deadline is April 27. Interviews are to be scheduled for May 7 at the new City Hall on Muskegon Street. The process is straightforward and the commitment is real. If you have ever wondered how decisions are actually made in this town, this is one of those moments when you can move from wondering to being a part of it. The truth is someone will fill those seats. To that effect, I will share a very brief statement from a speech I wrote in 2025 titled, “Citizenship Fulfilled” “If decent people withdraw from responsibility, then responsibility will not remain unclaimed. It will be seized by the careless, by the self-serving, by the fanatical, by those who enjoy power for its own sake. This is not a matter of politics. It is a matter of character.” It might be someone who has lived here for decades. It might be someone newer to town. It might be someone who has been quietly paying attention for years and finally feels ready. In any case, the seats will be filled. However it unfolds, this is what local citizenship looks like in real time. We’re going from theoretical idea to a chair at a table, a packet to review, and a vote that carries weight. Until then, there remains a chance to step in.

SOLON TOWNSHIP — Around 5:04 p.m. Friday, the Solon Township Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire in the 3600 block of Solon Road at the corner of Solon and Edgerton roads.

CEDAR SPRINGS — The Cedar Springs City Council is accepting applications to fill two vacant council seats. On April 9, 2026, the council voted unanimously to accept the resignations of Brayden Marvel and Alice Rudy. Marvel stepped down after moving with his family outside the district. Rudy’s resignation came as a surprise during the meeting, when she asked the council to accept her resignation, citing personal and family reasons. Council members offered statements of appreciation for both officials before voting to accept their departures. The vacancies leave two open seats with terms expiring in November 2027 and November 2028. City officials have opened an application process to appoint replacements who will serve the remainder of those terms. Applicants must be residents currently living within the Cedar Springs city limits and must be able to provide a utility bill as proof of residency. Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter explaining their interest in serving, and a completed Boards and Commissions application. Applications will be accepted through April 27, 2026, and may be submitted to City Manager Darla Falcon by email at manager@cityofcedarsprings.org or by mail to PO Box 310, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. Public interviews with applicants are scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, May 7, 2026, during a special meeting at the new City Hall, 130 Muskegon St. The Boards and Commissions application is available on the city’s website, www.cityofcedarsprings.org, or in person at the current City Hall, 66 S. Main St. City leaders emphasized the importance of civic engagement and maintaining a full council. “We need residents who are willing to make a difference and take an active role in shaping our community, rather than limiting their involvement to social media commentary,” mayor Lisa Atchison said. She added that council service provides an opportunity to participate in informed discussions, vote on issues affecting the city and make a meaningful difference in local government. Council member Rose Powell said the council chamber is where substantive decisions are made. “This is the place to deal with the facts, not Facebook,” Powell said. “It’s where we deal with the laws, the budget, and we have a fabulous city staff that helps us. It’s our wonderful little city and we want to keep it that way.” City Manager Darla Falcon said a full council is essential to the city’s operations and policy direction. “Being a city council member is so important,” Falcon said. “We need a full board, and the different ideas that sets policy for the whole town. It’s important for my staff and I to have a full board so they can all have different opinions about what we’re putting in policy, we get our direction from them. They set the policies and my staff and I carry them out.” With two seats now open, the city says the appointments will play a key role in ensuring continued community representation in the months and year ahead.

CEDAR SPRINGS — Nearly nine months after her 4-year-old son, Silas, drowned at Long Lake Park, Kaila Palmer is working to make sure other families are spared the same heartbreak. On July 25, 2025, first responders were called to Long Lake Park in Solon Township around 8 p.m. after an unresponsive child was pulled from the water. Despite extended resuscitation efforts, the child was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. Silas Palmer - Photo Courtesy of Kaila Palmer For Palmer, the loss changed everything. “Losing Silas changed every part of my life,” she said. “After he passed, I kept coming back to one thought, if there was any way to prevent another family from feeling this kind of pain, I had to try. This drive is my way of turning something unimaginable into something that could protect other children.” In Silas’ memory, Palmer has organized a community-wide lifejacket drive, collecting new and gently used lifejackets to distribute to local families ahead of summer. “It doesn’t take away the loss, but it gives it purpose,” Palmer said. “It gives Silas a way to still live in the present while other little kids safely enjoy something that he loved to do.” Lifejackets can be dropped off at The Village Learning Center, 190 N. Main St., Cedar Springs, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or dropped off outside the office doors at Solon Township Fire Department, 2305 19 Mile Road NE, Cedar Springs. Jen Ruwersma, owner of The Village Learning Center, said the tragedy deeply affected the community. “This was a tragic event that shook our community and I think making lifejackets available to our community’s kids is an amazing way to honor his memory,” Ruwersma said. “We’re happy to accept donations to help with this drive.” Palmer also hopes the effort sparks important conversations about water safety. “I wish more people understood how quickly it can happen, and that it doesn’t always come with warning signs,” she said. “It’s not always loud or obvious, once it starts, there’s very little time to react.” While the grief remains overwhelming, Palmer said focusing on helping others has given her strength. “It’s been incredibly hard. There’s no way around that,” she said. “But putting my energy into something that could help others has given me a sense of purpose in the middle of my grief. Some days it’s the only thing that makes sense.” She said the support from neighbors, friends and the community at large has made a difference. “The way the community has showed up and been there has carried me through some of my darkest moments,” Palmer said. “It reminds me that there is still so much good in the world.” Palmer hopes to see the lifejacket drive become an annual tradition in Silas’ memory, growing each year to reach more families. “I want people to know that this isn’t just about donations, it’s about protecting children and supporting families,” she said. “Every single act of support, no matter how small, matters. It all adds up to something that could save a life.” Distribution of the donated lifejackets will take place in early June at a location to be determined. Stay tuned to the Cedar Springs Bugle for updates.

CEDAR SPRINGS - The Cedar Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, formed in 2012 by a small group of local business owners and organization leaders, is ending its run after 14 years of organizing events aimed at revitalizing downtown and giving residents more to do locally.

CEDAR SPRINGS - Members of the Cedar Springs FFA chapter recently attended the Michigan FFA State Convention. Students attended as State FFA Band members, award recipients, Leadership Development Event Contestants and Delegates. Those delegates included Grace Marvin and Hunter Carlson. During the convention, members participated in meetings, activities, and opportunities to connect with other FFA members from across the state while representing Cedar Springs. Two students, Callie Flynn and Kylah Toren qualified for State Contest through the Leadership Development Events. These girls competed in the Demonstration event where they chose to demonstrate how to backyard butcher meat chickens. After weeks of preparation, the pair placed 12th in the state! Flynn reflected on the experience, saying, “We had a lot of preparation. Kylah and I both had backgrounds, were confident, and did well.” Their placement highlights the dedication and effort the students put into preparing for the event. Several Cedar Springs FFA members were also recognized for their achievements during the convention. State Degrees were awarded to Kylah Toren, Callie Flynn, Hunter Hryns, and Shelly Zimmerman. Outstanding Junior Degrees were awarded to Sophia Host, Shane Flanegan, Taya Sedine, Blake Wilcox, Noah Kasten, Via Reed, Hannah Dunleavy, Lelain Jibson, Blake Stump, Logan Sevey and Caden Troupe. These awards recognize members who have demonstrated leadership, commitment, and growth through their involvement in agricultural education and FFA activities. Advisor Myers, who attended the convention with the chapter for the first time this year, shared her excitement about supporting the students and seeing them grow through their FFA experiences. Looking ahead, Cedar Springs FFA members are continuing to prepare for the upcoming Career Development Events (CDE) competitions scheduled for Friday, April 17. Members have been practicing since March 9 to sharpen their skills and prepare for the competitions.

CEDAR SPRINGS — A 33-year-old man has been charged in the death of a 3-year-old girl who was struck by a pickup truck last week at Northland Estates Mobile Home Park, the Kent County Sheriff's Office said. Daniel Richard Bryant was arraigned Monday in the 63rd District Court on two felony charges: reckless driving causing death and second-degree child abuse. The charges stem from the April 3 death of Estella Marie Johnson, 3, in the Cedar Springs mobile home park just north of 16 mile road. According to court records obtained by The Bugle , Bryant was driving home from another residence within Northland Estates when the girl was struck by his truck. In a probable cause affidavit, Bryant told deputies the child liked to run alongside the truck and race him. He said her brother, who was inside the vehicle, yelled for him to stop. Bryant told investigators that was when he found Estella beneath the truck, according to the affidavit. Bryant, who was not the father of Estella, was engaged to her mother. Emergency crews responded and attempted life-saving measures, but the girl died from severe injuries, authorities said. Bryant’s bond was set at $500,000 cash or surety. A preliminary examination is scheduled for April 22 at 9:30 a.m. as the case makes its way through the court.

ALGOMA TOWNSHIP - The Kent County Road Commission will begin construction of a roundabout at the intersection of 10 Mile Road and Pine Island Drive today, with a second roundabout planned for 10 Mile Road and Myers Lake Avenue later this spring.

You start to recognize the feel of certain weekends without needing to look at a calendar, and this weekend, Easter weekend, is one of them. You hear it in passing conversations during the week, and if you're like me, you hear it in the drop-off/pickup line at school just before it breaks for spring. What strikes me every year is not that everyone celebrates the same way, because we all know they do not. But what stands out is that a large part of the community ends up pressing pause on the same day. In a time when most of us move at different speeds, ("hyperdrive" if you're me) and in different directions, that shared pause is needed. We spend a lot of our days focused on our own routines, our own responsibilities, and whatever issue happens to be in front of us at the moment. It can be easy to forget how many of us are living side by side, carrying similar hopes for our families and our town. Easter has a way of bringing that back into view. You get to see people you may not have seen in a while. You're reminded that the person you might disagree with on one topic is also human, maybe a parent, maybe someone's neighbor, and maybe even someone who cares about what happens here. Community is not only built in formal or civic spaces. It doesn't take going to the voting booth at city hall to build community. It can grow through repeated moments like this, when people gather and return to traditions that have shaped this town for generations. Those moments do not solve disagreements, and they don't erase differences, but they do anchor us to one another in a way that daily life sometimes doesn't. At the same time, I believe it's worth asking whether we should wait for holidays to do that. It should not take a special date on the calendar for us to check in with a neighbor, a loved one, or to extend a bit of patience to someone we see every week. These are the days that still bring us together and the hope is that they are not the only ones. If today reminds us of anything, outside of the religious meanings, of course, maybe it's that staying connected is not automatic. It takes intention and small efforts that rarely get any attention but still shape the tone of a town. And for my hometown of Cedar Springs, that is something we can choose any day of the year.

(UPDATED April 4, 2026) CEDAR SPRINGS - A 33-year-old Cedar Springs man is facing criminal charges after 3-year-old Estella Johnson was fatally struck Friday afternoon at Northland Estates Mobile Home Park, according to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency crews were called to the park shortly after 4 p.m. Friday on a report of a child hit by a pickup truck. Deputies from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, and local fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene. First responders began life-saving efforts, but the child died from severe injuries, authorities said. The Kent County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday that the driver of the pickup truck, who initially told police he was the child’s father was later identified as the fiancé of the child's mother, and was driving recklessly at the time of the crash. Alcohol is also believed to have been a factor. The man was arrested and is currently facing two charges, including one of reckless driving causing death. Authorities said the man is expected to be arraigned early next week. Additional charges may be sought as the investigation continues. The sheriff's office Traffic Safety Unit and Investigative Division is continuing its investigation of the crash.

CEDAR SPRINGS - Found and Forged Market has spent its first year becoming part of the fabric of downtown Cedar Springs, offering a mix of vintage finds, handmade goods, books, records, artwork, and home décor gathered in one welcoming and sprawling space. The store reflects the interests and personality of its owners, while also creating room for vendors and consignors to share their work and build their businesses. For Christian Cantrell, opening the store was the result of years of experience and a decision to build something new. “I had been doing eBay for almost 20 years,” he said. “A few life changes had come up and my wife and I decided that we wanted to take what I was doing to the next level.” That decision led the couple to open an artisan and vintage vendor mall, and Cedar Springs stood out as the right place to do it. “Cedar Springs made the most sense due to the ability to get a prime retail location in a community with a lot of potential,” he said. Inside the store, customers will find home décor, specialty craft items, used vinyl records, used books, artwork, and a wide variety of pieces selected by vendors and consignors. Most of the inventory comes from those vendors, whose eye for vintage, unique, and handcrafted items helps shape the store. The owners also bring in items from estate sales and auctions. Cantrell said the store is rooted in who he and his wife are. “Every store is an extension of who the owner is,” he said. “What makes us different is that it is my wife’s and my personality coming through in the store.” That shows up throughout the shop, from records and books to artwork and even popcorn. “What makes us different is us,” he said. The first year of business has brought important lessons, especially about relationships. “The biggest being how social this business is, and how important making connections with people is,” he said. “From my vendors and consignors to my customers, everyone is important and wants to feel that.” One of the most meaningful parts of the first year has been watching vendors grow. “Seeing people go from just having an idea to running a successful business has been exciting,” he said. “That wasn’t my intention with starting this business, but it has been a great thing to see other people’s success while working toward our own.” Like many business owners, he has also had to learn how to manage time and responsibilities. “The biggest hurdle is finding time to get everything done,” he said. Hiring help in recent months made it easier to organize inventory and focus on other parts of the business. “Realizing that you need help to run this type of business has been the biggest thing I had to work through,” he said. Looking ahead, the owners want Found and Forged Market to continue contributing to Cedar Springs. “I hope that we can be another part of what it takes to bring more prosperity to the community,” he said. The store gives local people a place to sell items they own or create, and it also brings in visitors who may not yet know what Cedar Springs has to offer. For Found and Forged Market, the message to the community is simple. “Come in and meet us, and meet the other resale shops in the area too,” he said. “Cedar Springs has a lot to offer.”

CEDAR SPRINGS — A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded Friday afternoon at Northland Estates Mobile Home Park, where a child was killed after being struck by a pickup truck. Just after 4:00 p.m. on April 3, 2026, deputies with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, as well as Cedar Springs and Solon fire crews were sent to the park following a report of a child hit by a vehicle. First responders arrived quickly and immediately began life-saving efforts, but despite those attempts, the child died from severe injuries sustained in the crash. In the aftermath, investigators with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Safety Unit and Investigative Division remained at the scene to piece together exactly what happened. Kent County Sheriff's Office informed The Bugle that the investigation is still ongoing. The child’s death has left family members and first responders grappling with a devastating loss. A spokesman with the sheriff's office noted that incidents involving children are especially difficult for everyone involved and also acknowledged the work of the deputies, firefighters, EMS personnel, and dispatchers who responded to the scene.