BELDING,  Mich.— Tick activity is expected to high this year, so Ionia County health officials are sharing some tips to help you avoid the pest, which can carry Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, anaplasmosis, ehrlichosis and babesiosis.

• Avoid shady and moist areas with overgrown grass, brush and leaf litter.
• Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave so ticks can be spotted easily.
• If conditions permit, wear closed toe shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.  Tuck in your shirt and tuck your pants into your shoes or socks.
• Check clothes and exposed skin frequently for ticks.
• Use EPA-aproved repellents such as those containing DEET, Pcaridin, lemon oil or eucalyptus oil.
• Create a tick-free zone around your home by keeping your grass mowed and eliminating clutter such as brush and wood piles.

GREENVILLE, Mich.—   A Greenville company is celebrating 65 years in business.

Sage’s Meat Processing offers slaughtering and processing services, bulk meat bundles and catering.  The business is celebrating its anniversary with an open house May 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Visitors to Sage’s Meat Processing can sample a variety of meats and side dishes.

For more information about the business, visit the website for Sage’s Meat Processing.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.— Grand Rapids is getting another tribute to the men behind Meijer Stores.

On May 8, the Michigan Historical Commission approved a marker to honor Hendrik and Fred Meijer, who in 1962 became the first grocers to combine two popular retail models—discount department stores and supermarkets—into a single store on 28th Street, called “Thrifty Acres.”  The Meijers then took their model to Holland and Muskegon. 

Meijer now has nearly 200 stores across the Midwest, including Kalamazoo, Walker, Wyoming, Jenison, Rockford, Plainfield Township, Forest Hills, Lowell, Grandville, Kentwood, Grand Haven and Greenville, where Hendrik Meijer opened his very first store in the 1930s.

The new historical marker will be added to more than 1,700 green and gold signs found across the state, that chronicle the people, places and events that make Michigan’s heritage unique and unforgettable.  The historical markers are nominated by spons