HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) - Holland-based Advanced Furniture Testing has been acquired by Underwriters Laboratories for an undisclosed price. The company that checks out products for furniture makers had expanded into Indiana last year. Officials say that Advanced’s Windquest Drive and Jasper, Indiana facilities, along with founder Doug Woodard and his 12 employees, will all transfer to and remain with UL.
HOLLAND TWP., MI (WHTC) - Authorities are attempting to ascertain why a 59-year-old Holland Township man and his 31-year-old daughter died nearly 80 miles apart. The body of Gary Volkers was found along a rural road on Sunday near Reed City, and a subsequent investigation of his condominium off of Riley Street and 120th Avenue uncovered the body of Stacey Grotenhuis on Sunday evening. She is considered to be a homicide victim, but detectives are awaiting autopsy results before determining how Volkers died, and don’t believe at this point that another person was involved in the matter.
HOLLAND TWP., MI (WHTC) - American Red Cross of West Michigan Chief Operating Officer and Holland Office Executive Director Mike Mitchell, along with his administrative assistant, have been laid off by state officials in a nationwide reorganization of Red Cross chapters. Reducing costs was cited as a reason that the 20-chapter structure in Michigan will be shrunk to six. The Holland office on James Street and the Ottawa County chapter will remain open pending further review. Red Cross officials insist that services and responses will not be affected by the reorganization.
COOPERSVILLE, MI (WHTC) - A 1 PM funeral at Coopersville Reformed Church is scheduled today for Sharon Roersma, the 72-year-old woman whose body was found in the waters of the Grand River off of 90th Avenue last Monday. An autopsy revealed that she had been murdered before she was dropped off at that spot. Her 50-year-old son Michael is charged with lying to detectives and is the main suspect in her death.
SOUTH HAVEN, MI (WHTC) - A 70-year-old South Haven man is recovering from injuries suffered when scuffling with a Caucasian man in his 40’s, about six feet tall and 200 pounds, wearing a black mask, dark hood and a brown heavy jacket, who had stormed into the victim’s Center Street house before 2 AM this morning. The suspect bound and gagged the victim and fled with an undisclosed amount of money. The victim was treated at the scene. Tips to South Haven Police (269-637-5151) are welcome.
GEORGETOWN TWP., MI (WHTC) - South Christian High School is in mourning after the death of a teacher and the school’s girls golf coach this morning north of Hudsonville.
According to Ottawa County Sheriff’s Sergeant Steve Austin, 54-year-old Rodney Van Dyke was pedaling a bike southbound on 36th Avenue, between Baldwin and Port Sheldon Streets, while 40-year-old Jon Alferink, also of Hudsonville, was approaching from behind in his SUV around 6 AM. Alferink struck the bicyclist in the roadway, claiming that he never saw the pedalist until he struck him, and promptly call 911 for help. Van Dyke was taken to Spectrum-Butterworth Hospital, where he died shortly upon arrival from his injuries; Alferink was not hurt. The County Prosecutor’s Office will review the case when the investigation into the matter is complete, as is standard procedure in all fatal road incidents.
According to the school's website, Van Dyke was a math teacher at South Christian for 22 years, and attended Ridge Point Community Church east of Holland. The golfing Sailor girls, who had defeated Lake Odessa Lakewood yesterday, are scheduled to compete in the state regionals at Diamond Springs Golf Course in Hamilton on Thursday.
HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) -- Residents in the Holland Heights area will have to take the long way home for the next 24 hours or so. Holland BPW has Country Club Rd. shut down between 12th and 16th Streets due to a construction-related water main break. Spokesperson Anne Saliers said there is a boil-water order for some 70 customers living on 16th St.
The hope is to reopen Country Club Rd. by late Wednesday afternoon.
Story by: Diane E Coston
HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) -- The Holland Public Safety Department’s Police Division is asking for people to be on the alert for an older mini-van, possibly dark green or maroon, with a sliding door on the passenger’s side. A vehicle fitting that description pulled up next to a high school female at around 8:30 A.M. on Monday as she was walking southbound on Van Raalte. The teen told police that someone in the van asked for directions. She kept walking and ignored them. When the sliding door opened, she fled the scene. One of the subjects in the van is described as a white male with a full beard, about 30 years of age. Another subject is reported as a 30-year-old Hispanic male, clean shaven and with a crooked nose. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or having information on the subjects or vehicle is asked to contact the Holland Police at 355-1150.
Story by: Diane E Coston
HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) -- When it comes to government channel television programming, many viewers pass those by when doing a channel search. Next time you’re looking for something different, Matt VanDyken, Technology Director for the City of Holland, suggest you slow down and take a look.
The government access channels are Comcast 24, 25 and 26 and ATT U-Verse 99. The channels are also available on Roku Streaming devices.
Story by; Diane E Coston
OTSEGO, MI (WHTC) - Otsego District Library officials are warning residents of an apparent door-to-door scam by two men in their 20’s. They have been seen in the area of Kay and Dix streets with non-profit status paperwork and documents with the library’s logo on them, asking for donations from 10 to 60 dollars for a non-existent statuary fundraiser. No arrests have been made thus far, and tips to the Otsego Police Department are welcome.
GRAND HAVEN, MI (WHTC) - A prison stretch of three to 20 years, along with over a half million dollars in fines and restitution, was the sentence handed down to 57-year-old Rhonda Kay Jimenez for embezzling a Coopersville machine shop. She took more than 600 thousand over at least five years from Philip’s Machine Company, where she was an office manager for 14 years, to support her Muskegon Township bar.
MUSKEGON, MI (WHTC) - A 39-year-old Holland man wanted on several outstanding warrants was arrested over the weekend while sleeping in a hotel lobby north of the Lakeshore. Todd Gavitt was sought in two counties for various charges, and was taken into custody on Saturday night at a Holiday Inn Express south of Ludington. He is currently in the Muskegon County Jail after a Monday arraignment.
ALLEGAN, MI (WHTC) - DNA of a strain of Asian Carp was found by state and federal inspectors in the waters of the Kalamazoo River near Calkins Dam in Allegan, about 20 miles from where the river flows into Lake Michigan. It’s the first such discovery in the Great Lakes region outside of similar samples taken from Maumee Bay in Lake Erie. The inspection was done in July, but no fish was spotted, and officials say that it could have come inadvertently on a boat, a bird or from fishing gear. Introduction of the Asian Carp could devastate the Great Lakes’ seven billion-dollar recreational fishing industry.
HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) - Before tonight’s regularly-scheduled Holland City Council work study session, members will go behind closed doors for a special meeting to review the annual evaluation of City Manager Ryan Cotton. He is in his second year as the Tulip City’s administrative leader following the retirement of Soren Wolff in 2012. Mayor Kurt Dykstra will announce Council’s findings publicly following the meeting.
HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) -- The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Dept. has a Spring Lake road shut down this afternoon. A natural gas leak in the vicinity of Savidge St., between Jackson St. and Fruitport Rd., has repair crews on scene trying to take care of the problem. The road is closed until further notice. At this time, crews are still trying to determine where the gas leak is coming from.
Story by: Diane E Coston
HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) -- A construction-related water main break on Tuesday shut down Country Club Rd. between 12th and 16th Streets. HBPW spokesperson Anne Saliers says the road will be closed down until early next week. The break was repaired and water restored to the 71 customers who had their water shut off at about 11 P.M. on Tuesday. The customers who had their water shut off are still under a Boil Water Advisory, which means boiling water for drinking and cooking. The water has to pass two sampling tests, one of which was taken at 8 A.M. this morning. The second will be taken on Thursday morning. It’s anticipated that the Advisory will be lifted on Friday morning.
Story by: Diane E Coston
UNDATED (WHTC) -- The Holland area took another step towards becoming a SmartZone today as the Holland SmartZone Financing Authority Board held their first meeting, elected officers and approved a partnership with the Grand Rapids SmartZone. The twelve people who are part of the Board are a cross-sector selection in order to benefit all surrounding communities.
The 12-member Board includes appointments made by the City of Holland, Holland Charter Township, Ottawa County, Holland Public Schools, and West Ottawa Public Schools.There are six ex-officio members.
Holland SmartZone Local Development Financing Authority (LDFA) Board members:Craig Hall, LeeShore Enterprises, representing City of Holland, ChairpersonMayor Kurt Dykstra, City of Holland/Mercantile Bank, Vice ChairpersonVince Bush, Holland Charter Township, TreasurerRandall Schipper, Cunningham-Dalman P.C., representing West Ottawa Public Schools,Secretary
Brian Burch, Holland City Council/Burch Partners, representing City of Holland Mat Nguyen, Worksighted, representing City of HollandPeter Beukema, Suburban Inns, representing Holland Charter TownshipPaul Hunt, Michigan State University, representing Holland Charter TownshipJoseph Baumann, Farm Bureau Insurance, representing Ottawa County Board of CommissionersMary Remenschneider, Hope College, representing West Ottawa Public SchoolsMarcia Bishop, Van Andel Institute, representing Holland Public SchoolsAnn Harten, Haworth, representing Holland Public Schools,
Ex-Officio MembersRyan Cotton, City of HollandDana Kollewehr, City of HollandDon Komejan, Holland Charter TownshipScott Spoelhof, Community Foundation of Holland/ZeelandMark Knudsen, Ottawa CountyRoselyn Zator, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Story by: Diane E Coston
UNDATED (WHTC) - In statistics compiled to comply with federal law, crimes and emergencies at the two Ottawa County institutions of higher education were issued this week. Hope College saw increases in liquor law violations from seven in 2012 to 22 last year, with two reported domestic violence cases, 13 burglaries, one act of arson and four accidental fires on campus. Grand Valley State had a decline in liquor law violations, sex offenses and burglaries at its main Allendale campus, with no reported crimes at the Meijer campus in Holland, and six accidental blazes in its residence halls.
Ironically, a GVSU student reported being held up by a knife-wielding assailant near the Performing Arts Center around 9:30 last night. Campus police didn’t say if the suspect fled with any cash; the victim was apparently unhurt. School officials are advising students to walk in groups and be more aware of nighttime walking as a result of this incident.
HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) - A pre-preliminary hearing is scheduled this afternoon before Holland District Court Judge Susan Jonas for Michael Roersma. The 50-year-old Coopersville man is accused of lying to detectives investigating the murder of his 72-year-old mother Sharon, and is considered to be a prime suspect in her death, although he hasn’t been charged as of yet. The woman’s body was found by fishermen in the Grand River near the dock off of 90th Avenue south of Nunica, and an autopsy revealed that she had been bludgeoned and her neck was broken before she was dropped into the water. Michael Roersma, who has an extensive criminal past, is being held on 100 thousand dollars bond in the Ottawa County Jail.
HOLLAND TWP., MI (WHTC) - As family and close friends gather at Peace Lutheran Church in a private funeral for Gary Volkers, state police detectives are still sifting through evidence before determining how the 59-year-old Holland Township man and his 31-year-old daughter have died. Their bodies were found about 80 miles and several hours apart on Sunday, as Volkers was slumped in his vehicle on a dirt road near Reed City, while Stacey Grotenhuis was in his unit at Crystal Water Condominiums on Holland’s North Side. Troopers say that the woman’s death is being investigated as a homicide, but are awaiting results of autopsies and toxicology tests on both bodies before making any determination as to a cause of their death. At this point, no third person appears to be involved in this incident, and no suspects are being actively sought out.
