It's been a year of a lot of challenges, especially for those in the culinary business.  When things shut down for the hospitality industry there were a lot of immediate fears for everyone in it especially those who rely on business not only from a restaurant or store front, but for those too who work on providing the food for large gatherings with their catering resources and deliciousness.  I'd imagine that the last thing on anyone in the food service industry's mind was the annual Taste of Muskegon weekend we normally get, but like most anything else, their worries were put to rest as the congregating in a concentrated in a spot like Hackley Park, well..that got cancelled too, so there went taste.  Or did it? 

We're still outside in stunning Ross Park for Fit and Healthy With Becky!  If you got it, flaunt it and Ross Park in Norton Shores has all of it and then some.  From the lush grassy areas to the lakeside beach and the well maintained facilities for sports and fitness, Ross Park is a spot of beauty and nature for everyone to enjoy.

Oscar Osbo has been in broadcasting for a long, long time.  A career in radio that went for years led to his own enterprise of video production and freelance work.  One thing about Oscar, he's done a great job remaining friends with those he's worked with all along the way.

In a world on pause, or so it would seem, things that are "normal" are slowly starting to get back to what we know and while some of the BIG big events are still on hold, smaller community type things are starting to happen again and it's a welcome relief to many who've missed the things they enjoy.  

When things like a divorce happen and there are kids involved, it's a difficult time on all involved.  No one ever sets out to build a "happily ever after" with an end in mind.  But, people grow a part, lives change and circumstances sometimes lead to folks having to go their separate ways. 

It was a stunning Summer afternoon Downtown Muskegon near the Olthoff Stage where folks gathered to celebrate a great project put on by local companies, who are in the business normally of creating and recycling most of everything that was used to create the art.  That make sense?  Well, follow along a minute.

An update from Public Health - Muskegon County Director Kathy Moore about our COVID situation.  The numbers.  Things are at the "proceed with caution" state of the game for us now, but safe and best health practices are still recommended at every level.  Kathy also takes some time to explain the tremendous debt of gratitude  that is owed to all of those on the "front line" of all of this.  From health care workers to those working in essential retail for food and supplies, Muskegon once again came together to be one when it was needed most. 

To The Readers and Viewers of The Muskegon Channel and Positively Muskegon.

If you're coming in to town via 96, your first tire tracks will be going through Fruitport and Fruitport Township!  A beautiful setting and growing area with plenty of residential areas, a lot of beautiful lake frontage, agricultural space, a great retail corridor a completely amazing new high school that made national news for innovation in student safety....a proposed casino that could drop at any given moment and become a regional destination and an estimated population of about 13,500 residents in 30 square miles...you've got plenty of room to move!   

With anything we do here at the Muskegon Channel, we like you to get to know a little more about all of our guests up front so we can connect you to them on more than just a "talking head" level.  The people that make up Muskegon are friends and neighbors and while we're a big enough city to have just about everything we need, we're also small enough to know that those around us are "just people" too and that all of who we are and what we do comes in to play when we're making things happen in town.  In the case of Kathy Moore, we really didn't have the luxury of the "get to know you" phase of things.

It's an "easy" workout today.  Well, if you define "easy" by not needing anything more than what the Good Lord gave ya.  No weights, no gadgets just the desire to make sure that you're doing the best ya can with what ya got and Becky is here to show you how it's done.  

Big, bright, bold and beautiful.  There are not many other ways of describing what's being worked on for the shoreline down by Pere Marquette.  It's in the planning and funding phases at the moment but by years end, we should see a dramatic addition to the brand new roundabout that's just recently opened at the world famous beach in Muskegon and to say it's an eye catcher is an understatement. 

We've partnered with Muskegon County to spread the news about the vital importance of the 2020 Census for all of our area and how your participation in completing it means that answering 9 questions in under 10 minutes, brings in $18,000 for your community.  These are the kids of funds from the federal government that assure that things like roads, schools, meal programs, housing and more are all properly taken care of and that the money we pay in already comes back to the places we need it most.  It's a very small ask for participation from all of us and the funding is absolutely essential for all of our municipalities in Muskegon County.  City or rural, they all matter and they all benefit. 

What was closed, well it's starting to open again and that's a welcome relief all the way around.  That's not to say that what we're facing with COVID is over, not by a long shot and that's not to say too that anyone you meet isn't weary of all we've had to endure, but we can't live isolated forever and that means proceed with caution as what we know and love comes back to what we're used to and the Muskegon Area District Library is so excited to be doing just that!  Opening up, in stages to provide the incredible service for their patrons and the public that they do. 

Kolton Woods is a 2020 graduate of Fruitport High School and is going to be attending Valparaiso University to get a degree in Broadcast Meterology.  He's been doing weather on his own for a while and he's been awesome enough to join the Muskegon Channel to bring us our own daily weather!  We get our own forecast and Kolton gets to begin building his portfolio for a career down the line!  Everyone wins!