Mold Remediation in Muskegon, MI

MUSKEGON, MI – After years of planning, Lumberman’s Vault is open and aiming to be Muskegon’s next downtown destination.

The highly anticipated food hall and cocktail bar officially recently opened inside Core Plaza at 221 W Webster Ave. in downtown Muskegon.

Core Plaza partner Troy Wasserman said that the vault opened Friday, Dec. 6 to a great reception, and the entire place was packed over the weekend.

RELATED: Muskegon food hall snags new tenants ahead of grand opening

“We’ve got a little bit of work to do to get the word out further, but we also wanted to do it right and do it slow and smooth rather than rush it,” he said.

Located on the first floor of the historic Lumberman’s Bank building, Lumberman’s Vault is now fully leased and features five food vendors surrounding the centerpiece Liquid Assets Cocktail and Wine Bar.

Besides the drinks, guests will have a variety of food options to choose from. Casa Cabos Mexican Grill and Soul Filled are already serving customers, and The Press coffee and sandwich shop, Foundry Grill and UPLeaf Café will open in the coming months.

Soul Filled owner and “Queen of Turkey Knuckles” LaKisha Harris became the vault’s anchor tenant when she signed the lease in March, but she said she’d been dreaming of moving her soul food restaurant to the new place for the past two years. She spoke about the significance of having an African American and female-owned business in the heart of downtown.

“This was just a concept in our minds, and literally I had no idea that this was what it was going to become,” Harris said. “I just knew I wanted to be a part of it.”

Soul Filled previously operated as a takeout-only restaurant in Muskegon Heights, but Harris said her dream was always to be in downtown Muskegon.

Since hosting a soft opening last week, Soul Filled has sold out every day and gone viral on social media with food critics giving live food reviews on TikTok and Instagram, Harris said.

For Harris, the positive reception was reaffirming. Soul food is not fast food, and the food is made fresh every day, so people lining up to try Harris’ famous turkey knuckles will have to wait for a bit, but she promised it’s worth it.

Turkey knuckles or “turkey rib tips” are made from the deconstructed thigh joint of the turkey. People who visit Soul Filled can get turkey knuckles served either plain or with barbecue sauce.

“You would not believe how many people come to my window and ask, ‘what’s a turkey knuckle,’ and we spend five minutes explaining that,” Harris said, laughing.

Harris said Turkey Knuckles are a soul food delicacy that can only be found in Muskegon, and she created Soul Filled as a home for the food she’s eaten since she was a child.

The Soul Filled menu also features main items such as ribs, chicken wings and fried catfish, along with a variety of side items like red beans and rice, cabbage greens and baked mac and cheese.

“I would really encourage everyone to feed their curiosity and come see this concept that we’re creating,” Harris said of the vault and her fellow food vendors.

“I can promise you that each one of these bays will provide you with the best of what there is to offer.”

People who walk into Lumberman’s Vault from the courtyard entrance will be drawn the dozens of moon lanterns hanging from the ceiling and luminating the hall’s black epoxy flooring. On the opposite side of the hall is a lounge area with couches and a wide-screen TV.

“It’s really sweet at nighttime, because those lights bounce off all the windows in here,” Wasserman said.

The main floor can accommodate around 235 guests, and additional seating on the second-floor mezzanine overlooking the hall can take up to 45 more.

The second floor is home to Lexi Fogle Photography, the Gathering Room event center and Alchemy Salon by the Barber’s Daughter, which all have been open prior to the grand opening of Lumberman’s Vault.

“We love being here and we’re excited about the main space being open because now we’re getting some foot traffic,” said Alchemy Salon owner Erin France.

While fully open to the public, Lumberman’s Vault still has more fun stuff coming, Wasserman said. The team still plans to add a second bar and stage area for music where the courtyard currently stands.

There also will be outdoor seating and lighting on the sidewalk facing West Webster Avenue during the spring and summer months.

The name Lumberman’s Vault pays homage to the building’s history. Originally built in 1962 as National Lumberman’s Bank of Muskegon, the building was once regarded as the city’s premier bank and even became the state’s first rooftop heliport in 1965.

Core Plaza’s third through sixth floors, meanwhile, are occupied by office tenants, including Core Realty Partners.

Core Realty’s dream behind creating Lumberman’s Vault was to mirror the group’s other development, the Northtown 794 building in Muskegon, which is home to popular spots such as 794 Kitchen & Bar, Aldea Coffee and Capone’s Speakeasy and Restaurant.

Wasserman, whose family owns the 144-year-old Wasserman Flowers and Gifts, has strong personal ties to Muskegon and has said he believes Lumberman’s Vault will be a true downtown destination.

Want more Muskegon-area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free “3@3 Muskegon” daily newsletter.

MUSKEGON, MI - For the first time in 40 years of spreading holiday cheer, the Mona Shores Schools Singing Christmas Tree performance was canceled Wednesday, Dec. 4 after a major winter storm knocked out power.

The lakeshore and other parts of West Michigan saw heavy snowfall and gusting wind Wednesday afternoon and overnight. The power outage happened around 6 p.m.

The performance was scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Frauenthal Center, 425 W Western Ave.

“We are very sorry for having to cancel but it was 100% beyond our control,” the school choir posted on Facebook Thursday, Dec. 5.

Given the weather conditions, officials say it is still unclear if the 7 p.m. Thursday performance will occur as scheduled.

“In general, we all feel like the show must go on,” organizers said on Facebook. “Last night, we only cancelled due to a power outage, not because of the weather. That said, we do have 230 teenagers involved in this production, therefore safety is also paramount. Again, more to come and we apologize that we cannot give you a definite answer yet.”

As for Wednesday night’s cancellation, Karen Campbell, vice president of the Mona Shores Choir Board, said a transformer blew downtown Muskegon behind the Delta hotel and power was not restored at the Frauenthal until close to midnight.

An announcement was made over the performing arts center’s speaker system letting attendees who had already arrived know that the show was cancelled.

The organization is still trying to figure out how to reschedule or refund ticketholders for Wednesday.

“Please have patience as there are many moving parts and no instantaneous decisions can be made,” the Facebook post said. “This has never happened in our 40 years doing it so it’s all new for us.”

RELATED: Celebrate the holidays in Muskegon with Santa, see a Singing Christmas Tree

The remaining scheduled performances are Dec. 5 through 7 at 7 p.m., with an additional Saturday matinee performance held at 3 p.m. on Dec. 7. The evening performance on Saturday will also be livestreamed.

Tickets, ranging from $15 to $18, can be purchased by phone or in-person at the Frauenthal Center Box Office, 425 W Western Ave., which is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Stay tuned to the Mona Shores Choir Singing Christmas Tree Facebook page for updates.

Want more Muskegon-area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free “3@3 Muskegon” daily newsletter.

MUSKEGON, MI - There are a variety of ways to celebrate the holidays this season with friends and family in Muskegon, from theater performances and visits with Santa, to a neighborhood holiday light competition.

Downtown Muskegon is lit up with holidays lights and a Christmas tree in Hackley Park, 350 W Webster Ave. The park also features a variety of light up displays, including a nativity scene and Santa’s sleigh, that visitors can walk around and view.

Singing Christmas Tree - Dec. 4-7

Each year, the Mona Shores High School puts on “America’s Tallest” singing Christmas tree. Choir students stagger up a 67-foot-tall metal structure, forming the shape of a Christmas tree, and sing holiday songs for audiences at the Frauenthal Theater in downtown Muskegon. The singers are accompanied by the Mona Shores High School Orchestra.

Performance dates are Dec. 4 through 7 at 7 p.m., with an additional Saturday matinee performance held at 3 p.m. on Dec. 7. The evening performance on Saturday will also be livestreamed. Tickets, ranging from $15 to $18, can be purchased by phone or in-person at the Frauenthal Center Box Office, 425 W Western Ave., which is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

RELATED: Student who uses wheelchair named angel for ‘America’s Tallest’ Singing Christmas Tree

Breakfasts with Santa - Saturday, Dec. 7

There are two locations on Saturday, Dec. 7 where families can enjoy a heartwarming breakfast, make a holiday-themed craft and see Santa himself. The breakfasts are scheduled for 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Lakehouse Waterfront Grille, 730 Terrace Point Road, and 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. at McGraft Park, 2204 Wickham Drive.

Several more opportunities to meet Santa, and other holiday events, can be found on the city’s website.

Letters to Santa

Drop of a letter to Santa’s letter box at Hackley Park by Dec. 15. Include a return address and you’ll receive a response from Santa himself.

The Nutcracker - Saturday, Dec. 14

The West Michigan Youth Ballet will put on a performance of The Nutcracker, a holiday classic, at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Frauenthal Theater, 425 W. Western Avenue downtown Muskegon.

Festival of Trees

See nostalgic vintage holiday collections at the Muskegon Museum of Art with its “Festival of Trees” exhibit, on display through Jan. 5. From vintage ornaments and trains, to holiday Barbies and a forest of bottle brush trees, the collection is intended to “spark your holiday joy,” according to the museum’s website.

Lakeside Lights - Dec. 13 - 24

Take a drive at dusk down Lakeshore Drive in the Lakeside neighborhood and vote for your favorite home decorated in holiday lights.

On Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Lakeside Business District will host Holidays in Lakeside, where there will be carriage rides, cookie decorating, live music, visits from Santa, a window decorating contest, along with holiday shopping along the corridor, which has a social district.

On. Dec. 19, stroll through the business district during Lakeside After Hours, where local businesses will offer seasonal cocktail specials, merchant deals and holiday decor.

Santa Pub Crawl

Six downtown Muskegon businesses are teaming up for the first annual Santa’s Pub Crawl. Attendees, who are encouraged to dress up as a holiday character, will be able to complete a punch card for all the stops along the way: Tallies & Tailpipes bar (inside the Hot Rod Harley-Davidson store downtown), Mike’s Inn, Rad Dad’s Tacos & Tequila Bar, Legends Bar & Grille, Rake Beer Project and Unruly Brewing Company.

All who complete the punch card will be entered for a gift card for one of the participating bars.

Want more Muskegon-area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free “3@3 Muskegon” daily newsletter.

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MUSKEGON, MI – It didn’t take long for some Muskegon-area basketball players to find their rhythm this week as non-conference matchups provided plenty of motivation to bring their A-game to the court.

It was a highlight-reel night for Whitehall senior Cam Thompson, who scored 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against Hudsonville and Fruitport Calvary Christian senior Bradley Richards, who joined the Muskegon Catholic Central squad as a co-op and quickly made his presence felt by scoring 35 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in a win over Hesperia.

Below is a look at how all the Muskegon-area basketball teams fared on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.

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BOYS

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Muskegon Catholic Central 74. Hesperia 39

The Crusaders used a 30-10 run in the third quarter to pull away from the Panthers to pick up an impressive non-conference win.

Bradley Richards finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds and four assists to lead Muskegon Catholic, while Bryan Convertini added seven points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, Aaron Lamach had nine points and six rebounds, and Will Fedewa and Ian Donnelly each scored seven points.

John Tanner and Ian Fox each scored 10 points to lead Hesperia, while Ethan O’Neill added eight points.

“This was a good start to the season and gives us something to build on,” said Muskegon Catholic Central head coach Andre Zachary. “Our defense was scrappy and every single player played hard against this solid Hesperia team. We had a great game from Bradley Richards and Bryan Convertini.”

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Hudsonville 78, Whitehall 55

The Eagles knocked down 11 3-pointers and feasted on 20 turnovers by the Vikings as they pulled away for a convincing non-conference home win on Tuesday.

Cam Thompson finished with 31 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block to pace Whitehall, while Kal Koehler added 16 points and one block, and Brock Morningstar had five assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Joey Miller led Hudsonville with 23 points.

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MORE: Images from Tuesday night’s game between Hudsonville and Whitehall

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Muskegon 73, Holt 34

The Big Reds outscored the Rams 36-12 in the second half as they pulled away for an impressive non-conference home win.

James Martin finished with 18 points to lead Muskegon, while Arquez Petty added 14 points and Darryl Thompkins had seven points.

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Mona Shores 70, Holland West Ottawa

Jonathan Pittman finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Sailors, while Anthony Neuman added 10 points and seven rebounds, and Landyn Smith had nine points and seven rebounds.

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Sparta 64, Fruitport 53

The Spartans held a 40-26 advantage in the first half and fended off the Trojans in the second half for a non-conference win.

DayDay Williams scored 17 points to lead Fruitport, while Dexter Lillmars added 14 points, Grade Anspach had 13 points and Hudson Hazekamp had six points.

“We were not at our best tonight with execution, both offensively and defensively,” said Fruitport head coach Steve Erny. “A couple of runs in both the first and second half hurt us. To our group’s credit, we were able to crawl back within striking distance but could not get over the hump. We’ll be able to take a lot from this game and continue to improve.”

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Zeeland East 71, Reeths-Puffer 59

The Chix outscored the Rockets 26-14 in the fourth quarter to pull away for a non-conference home win.

Marvin Moore finished with 22 points to lead Reeths-Puffer, while Brayden Mitchelson added 20 points and six rebounds, Drew Brooks had four points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals and Kamarion Davis had four points.

B.J. Walker finished with 28 points to lead Zeeland East, while Caleb Claerbaut added 20 points and Will Drnek had 10 points.

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Ludington 82, Fremont 47

The Orioles jumped out to a 54-25 advantage in the first half and continued to roll to a convincing win over the Packers.

Taj Williams scored 21 points to lead Ludington, while Messiah Himes added 16 points, Steele Stowe had 15 points and Cameron Gunsell had nine points.

Joey Mansfield and Mossen Green each scored nine points to pace Fremont.

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Montague 40, Orchard View 29

Courtland Schneider scored 14 points to lead Montague, while Kellan Francis and Riley Mulder each scored nine points.

“We played 24 minutes of very good defense,” said Montague head coach Nick Thaler. “I liked how we improved from Game 1 to Game 2. Generally, that is where you see the biggest change. Our offense will come in time.”

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Oakridge 72, Manistee 50

Peyton Ruel finished with 19 points and seven assists to lead Oakridge, while Evan Josza had 15 points and nine rebounds, Logen Huston had 12 points and seven rebounds, Bryson Stephenson had 11 points and five assists, Evan Miller had eight points and six assists and

Michael Wambaugh had seven rebounds.

Kaden Kott finished with 16 points to lead Manistee, while Landin Sowa added eight points.

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North Muskegon 47, Mason County Central 39

The Norsemen fell behind 14-5 to start the game but rallied to outscore the Spartans 44-25 the rest of the way to secure a hard-fought win.

Adam Dugener led North Muskegon with 24 points and eight rebounds, while Jaden Villalpando added nine points, Chuck Meyers had five points and nine rebounds, TJ Byard had four points and three steals and Landen Grimm had four assists.

Cole Vanderhaag scored 13 points to pace Mason County Central, while Latrell Williams added nine points and Jaxon Munoz had seven points.

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Ravenna 57, Holton 16

Dylan May led Ravenna with 20 points, while Nash Hoffman added 14 points.

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Lowell 71, Newaygo 41

Hunter Yearsovich led Newaygo with 10 points, while Isaiah Miedema added eight points, Blake Sanborn and Ethan Reyburn each added seven points and Russell Toth grabbed five rebounds.

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Kalamazoo Phoenix 71, Muskegon Heights Academy 55

*No stats provided

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Hart 66, Shelby 29

Miguel Escamilla scored 13 points to lead the Pirates, while Caleb Ackley added 12 points and Kaden Bond, Jagger Lenon, Ty Schlukebir and Brendan Hiddema each added seven points.

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Western Michigan Christian 47, Grandville Calvin Christian 40

Levi Dutton finished with 18 points to lead the Warriors, while Derrick Ashley and Tyson Annema each added 10 points.

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GIRLS

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Grand Haven 52, Grandville Calvin Christian 40

The Buccaneers outscored the Squires 18-4 in the second quarter to create some separation and pulled away in the second half for a non-conference win.

Gillian Sorrelle scored 19 points to lead Grand Haven, while Mallory Woiteshek added 10 points and five blocks, Colette Goers had eight points, Nadia Prieditis had five rebounds and Kendall Gillis had six steals.

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Mona Shores 43, Holland West Ottawa 34

The Sailors outscored the Panthers 25-18 in the second half to pull away for a non-conference home win.

Katie Phillips scored 15 points to lead Mona Shores, while Laynie Russell added eight points and Maddie Russell had seven.

Jana Honeycutt led West Ottawa with 14 points.

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Zeeland East 41, Reeths-Puffer 29

Raquel Walker finished with nine points and six rebounds to lead the Rockets, while Grace Tindall added eight points and Ashlyn Davis had nine rebounds.

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North Muskegon 42, Oakridge 31

Delaney Young led North Muskegon with 17 points, including 8-for-10 from the free-throw line, and four steals, while Emma Buchmiller had eight points and six steals and Silvia Skujins had 10 points and four steals.

“Every time we play Oakridge, we get better because they have such a great tradition and great coaching,” said North Muskegon head coach Jill Young. “We hustled our butts off and had a really balanced game. It’s so good to have Kaylee Martin back after a frustrating injury last year. We need to get better and have lots to work on, but I’m proud of our effort.”

Destiny Bowen led Oakridge with 11 points, while Cambria Guenthardt added eight points and 11 rebounds and Lilly Bowen had six points.

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Cedar Springs 56, Kent City 38

Alyssa Miller led Kent City with 13 points and three rebounds, while Hailey Kamphuis added nine points (three 3-pointers), Kenzy Freeland had eight points, three rebounds, and three steals and Laynee Hoffman had three points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Ella Peck scored 16 points to pace Cedar Springs.

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Ludington 25, Reed City 21

Jordyn Anderson scored 12 points to lead the Orioles, while Peyton Welch added six points and Madelyn Kenyon had three points.

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Spring Lake 41, Fremont 37

*No stats provided

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Holland Calvary 31, Fruitport Calvary Christian 26

*No stats provided

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Road work continues this week with Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror.

More than 45 lane, ramp, and road closures along the state’s primary roadways are on the calendar for Sunday, Dec. 1, through Saturday, Dec. 7, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).

Construction projects and special events will require closures on a number of major roadways, including U.S. 31 in Muskegon County, I-475 in Genesee County, I-96 in Ionia County, I-196 in Kent County, and I-75 in Wayne County.

Below is a summary of 10 closures to watch out for this week. All projects are weather-dependent. State officials remind drivers to slow down and follow posted signage in work zones.

A complete list of road projects is available through MDOT’s online map and construction list.

U.S. 31 in Muskegon County

One lane of U.S. 31 in each direction will be closed for maintenance work Monday near the MI Shore Railroad, north of Muskegon. The closure is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is when drivers should be prepared to slow down in case of traffic volume.

M-66 in Montcalm County

M-66 is scheduled to undergo intermittent lane closures in Sheridan beginning Monday and continuing for a week. Closures are set between Egan Street and Evergreen Street, with one lane closed at times between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily.

M-54 in Genesee County

Drivers may experience traffic delays on northbound Dort Highway (M-54) between Hemphill Road and Atherton Road beginning Monday and continuing through Thursday. Work is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. those three days.

M-15 in Genesee County

State Road (M-15) is scheduled to have one lane closed between Potter Road and Richfield Road. Road work begins at 9 a.m. Monday and continues for three weeks, each day concluding at 3 p.m.

M-13/M-84 in Bay County

A short segment of Lafayette/Salzburg Avenue over the Saginaw River is scheduled to close at 7 a.m. Monday. The area is between Evergreen Drive and Water Street.

Drivers will have to find a new route for an extended period of time, with the bridge not expected to reopen until June 2027.

I-96 in Ionia County

Westbound I-96 between Sunfield Highway and Bliss Road is scheduled to have one lane closed from 9 a.m. Monday until 6 p.m. Thursday.

I-196 in Kent County

Eastbound I-196 between Market Avenue and Butterworth Street in Grand Rapids will have the left lane closed starting at 9 a.m. Monday. Maintenance work will continue until 5 p.m. Tuesday.

I-475 in Genesee County

The interchange between I-475 and I-69 in Flint will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday. The closure will affect I-475 ramps in both directions.

M-14 in Washtenaw County

Westbound M-14 between Whitmore Lake Road and U.S. 23 BR is scheduled to have one lane closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday. A similar closure is planned for the eastbound highway, between Huron River Drive and Barton Drive, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday.

I-75 in Wayne County

Drivers on northbound I-75 in the Southgate area will be short two lanes late this week. Starting at 9 a.m. Friday, the left two lanes between Pennsylvania Road and Dix Toledo Highway will be closed until 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 9.

Michigan Roads