If you and your friends and family are planning on having a festive New Year’s Eve in and around the Ludington area, there is no need to worry about transportation home if the celebration gets a little too festive.  Since 2003, the New Year’s Eve Drive Safe Drive Sober effort has offered nearly 9,000 rides and towed almost 150 cars, all for free and this year it is back again.

Mason County law enforcement joined with Ludington Mass Transportation, local businesses and national organizations to help people get home safe after a night out.

This year there are again many local sponsors of the event that include local business and organizations helping to fund the service.

This year the effort will take passengers and cars to the City of Ludington north to the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and M-116 in Hamlin Township and Pere Marquette Township, east to Scottville, from Hansen Road south to Conrad Road.

If you would like to take advantage of this free service please call, L.M.T.A. at 231-845-6218 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. and then from 8 p.m. until 3:30 a.m. to schedule your ride.  The L.M.T.A. buses will begin picking up riders at 9 p.m. on Thursday, December 31 and continue throughout the evening until 4 a.m. Friday, January 1, 2016.

WMOM is a proud participating sponsor of the New Year’s Eve Drive Safe Drive Sober effort.

According to the Ludington Daily News since the Michigan Army National Guard unit permanently moved to the Grand Rapids area this previous summer the 58-year-old Manistee armory has sat empty.  That is all about to change, as the process has begun to find a new owner for the property.

According to Lt. Col. William Humes, “It is not for sale yet.”  He went on to add “The process is pretty extensive and we have policies in place to make sure to get it right”

The property must first be offered to military departments for their use.  The second stage is the property will be offered to local government.  The third stage would see the property go up for sale to the public if neither of the first two options are exercised.

Humes says, “We have divested a couple armories so we have a system in place.”

Humes finally added, the property is assessed at $350,000.

The Oceana County Press is reporting Shelby Police Chief Robert Wilson has been suspended from his post.  Wilson has been suspended without pay, but will continue to receive benefits during the pending internal investigation, according to Village Administrator Chelsea Stratil.

Police Officer Terry TenBrink has been named “acting chief” while the investigation is ongoing.

According to the Oceana County Press an anonymous source is calling this a criminal case that involves fraudulent salvage vehicle inspections.  There was no comment from the Hart post of the Michigan State Police.

Village President Paul Inglis, said the decision to suspend was made after the village administrator and village council agreed unanimously to move forward with the suspension.

Wilson has had problems in the past.  He was forced to resign as chief in 2007 and was later re-hired by a different village council.

Inglis said, “I cannot respond to that.”  When asked about if the investigation involved fraudulent salvage vehicle inspections.

Inglis went on to say “It’s a difficult time for the council … It’s a very sensitive issue.”

No additional information is being released by village officials at this time.