NEWS NUGGETS: Random things you see in Big Rapids, shoutouts

This week, I’ve been drowning in a sea of ​​Halloween events and fall festivals. I compiled a list of seasonal events from now through October 31st in Mecosta, Osceola and Lake counties, at least as many as I could find.

Could I have missed something? very possible Will more things be posted on Facebook later? Almost definitely. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now, I feel like the kid who ate all of Halloween in one sitting.

Lunch break: It’s time for something totally different. How about a dose of random things that pique my curiosity while walking around downtown Big Rapids, like….

… a bobcat sitting outside Schuberg’s Bar and Grill? I should clarify that by bobcat I mean the compact backhoe with a bucket in the front and a bucket in the back, not the four-legged feline with claws and sharp teeth. I guess I should have capitalized Bobcat since it’s a brand, but where’s the fun in that?

Woody visits Big Rapids: Speaking of sharp things, as I was walking to Bernie’s for coffee, I heard some knocks. I looked up and saw a woodpecker pecking at the trunk of a tree about 10 meters from me.

Of course, when I pulled out my phone to take a video, it stopped. Then someone passed on the sidewalk and flew across the street. I took a good photo, then a video of him looking at a tree across the street.

For those of you reading this print column, you’ll need to go to instagram.com/thepioneerbigrapids to view the video.

New game type: Have you ever heard of carp bow fishing?

No, silly. The carp are not doing the bow fishing. In bow fishing, people tie a string to the end of an arrow and use a bow to shoot the carp. If their aim is true, they use the rope to pull the carp towards the boat.

Next weekend there will be a carp bow fishing contest in Newaygo County. Bow hunters will be “fishing” for this invasive species on Emerald and Sylvan lakes in Brooks Township from dusk on October 17th until 3am on October 18th. Prizes for most carp by number, most carp by weight and largest carp by weight.

The first time I heard about bow fishing, I was watching the TV show Bizarre Foods. Host Andrew Zimmern joined a group of anglers on their water hunt, then they tried out some of their game.

Carp is supposed to be good to eat, but this is coming from a man who eats bugs for a living, so…

Built by Warriors, for Warriors: Congratulations to Chippewa Hills High School’s advanced forestry class. The school district appreciates the picnic tables you built for the middle school.

“We love seeing our students put their skills to work on projects that have a real impact here in our schools,” the Chippewa Hills School District wrote on its Facebook page. “Good job, warriors!”

Feel the love: MOTA recently hosted a donation drive to fill a bus for WISE Against Violence and took to Facebook to thank everyone who stepped up.

“Thanks to your generosity, we collected household items, food, personal care products, cash donations and MOTA bus tokens that will make a big impact for people in need throughout our community,” MOTA wrote in a Facebook post.

They especially thanked B103.9 for their donation of $200 in bus tokens, which equates to 100 free rides for WISE.

To donate directly to WISE, visit: wiseagainstviolence.org/donate.