Bits & Pieces

Food trucks before the late afternoon onslaught. Photo by Raeanne Huskey

Food Truck Follies, (Un) Employment Record Set, Lions Take Ford Prizes, Dragon Details and Dads
By Ken DeLaat

Onsite Dining at The Cove
Well, the site of Smugglers Cove saw its  first dining experience in nearly 2 years when a sea of customers flocked to the pair of food trucks parked at the lakeside lot.
LSC Lil and I  used the event to have a little outside socialization with friends so six of us took advantage of the opportunity to eschew food preparation on a sweltering evening.Pizza Parliament weathered a rush of folks who seemingly all wanted their pies at the same time to produce what each of us declared as some of the most righteous pizza ever experienced.
Next Saturday will see another foodery on wheels make an appearance and I’m thinking the Parliamentary peeps will be a hard act to follow...but we’re certainly anxious to see them try.

Unemployment
We all know how the pandemic has crippled many aspects of our lives and no small part of that involves unemployment rates.
As per info from Michigan Works the lowest numbers for Newaygo County occurred in 2000 when just 3.1% were tallied..
The highest in history came in 1983 when our county stood at 20.9%.
Until this past April when it ballooned to 26%
And yes we all know about the increase in benefits that has influenced people to stay on the rolls and given the ‘elder statesmen’ among us fodder to complain about the poor work ethic of younger folks nowadays.
But that percentage represents a bit more than 1 out of 4 of our citizenry. In March that figure was 4% or 1 out of 25.
And though consistent with the stats in our neighboring counties it is nonetheless disconcerting at best because of the profound ripple effects high unemployment has on our communities.

Ford Victors
Each year, high school students are invited to compete for awards offered by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation by participating in the President Gerald R. Ford Student Writing Challenge.
Megan Grant and Sabra Wolven of Newaygo  finished in the Top Ten and we asked the organization for copies of their essays but have not heard back from them.
So in our effort to encourage our younger writers we hope they might see this and allow us to reprint their efforts.

John DeLaat- Dad to me and my much older siblings

​Dragon Keeps Growing
Have you checked out the new website promoting the Dragon Trail?  If you are a true biker (pedals not motors) you likely not only know about it but are eager to give this amazing initiative a trial run. If you are a casual pedaler you might be intrigued by the opportunity to cruise a bit around Hardy Pond. If you’re neither perhaps there’s some interest in the economic potential the Dragon  brings. Any way you shake it the website is very cool and will keep people who have an interest at any level updated.
And here it is.
https://www.thedragon.us./
 
Dads
And finally,  a Happy Father’s Day to those who have embraced the most wonderful and  challenging undertaking one could possibly imagine.
My Dad has been gone from this Earth for the last 27 Father’s Days but he remains in my heart and as much a  part of me as I am certain he is for my much older siblings.
 
​Lately I've been noticing
I say the same things he used to say
And I even find myself acting the very same way
I tap my fingers on the table
To the rhythm in my soul
And I jingle the car keys
When I'm ready to go
When I look in the mirror
He's right there in my eyes
Starin' back at me and I realize
...That everyday I see
A little more of my father in me
-Keith Urban, Song For Dad

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