Curtis Burdette, the Executive Director of the Oceana County Economic Alliance (OCEA), Speaking
October 7, 2025, Hart Community Center, 7 pm
The OCEA is the county-wide economic development and community development non-profit organization with local funding and a board of local leaders. OCEA connects local organizations and prospective businesses with resources including site selection, research, education, networking opportunities, housing, placemaking, and workforce development and partners closely with local, regional, and state agencies to connect resources to organizations throughout Oceana County. OCEA fosters economic prosperity as the central hub for the promotion and support of progress throughout Oceana County.
OCEA was original formed by Oceana County Commissioners as Oceana County Economic Development Corporation (OCEDC) in 1980 and was reorganized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2018 and began a strategic partnership with The Right Place.
Curtis was born and raised in Montague, Michigan, moved to Wyoming for 7 years where he served as Vice President of Energy Capital Economic Development in Gillette, and then returned to West Michigan in 2023 to serve in his current capacity.
The public is encouraged to attend and listen to Curtis discuss the Oceana community and ask him any questions.
Bring your family to a Square Dance affair! Dancing always lightens the soul!
We will have delicious food prepared by the Laughing Tree Brick Oven Bakery. The Oatbran Boys are providing our music. Children 16 and under are FREE. The suggested donation per adult is $30, but additional amounts are always welcome. There will be donation jars at the event, but you can also donate through Act Blue at this address: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/squares4scholars2025.
All proceeds support a scholarship that we award to an Oceana County high school senior each year. This year, we awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Julia McTaggart, a Hart high school senior. The scholarship is awarded to any graduating senior residing in Oceana County who plans to seek further training beyond high school. The criteria for the scholarship prioritizes involvement in community service, whether it’s an ongoing project or effort or a one-time event.
Since this event is for families, we are respectfully requesting no alcohol.
This event is open to the public and we encourage everyone who’s ever had a hankerin’ to do-si-do to attend. You can't go wrong! Fun, frivolity, dancing, while supporting a great cause. We hope to see lots of you there!
October 18, 2025
National NO KINGS Protest Day
WE NEED TO MAKE THIS BIG!!!
The Oceana County Democrats are gathering for at least two protests in our county. Please make sure to join us with a sign, and your loud voice! As you are well aware, the administration is overstepping their bounds, by leaps. We must speak out against this. Just make sure to keep it peaceful, try to use positive messages of what you want to see or have, and by all means, avoid anyone who is trying to be confrontational in any way, verbally, or otherwise. We want everyone to be safe, first and foremost! We will be protesting in:
• Pentwater, from 11:00-12:00, on Hancock Street in the one block at the top of the Village Green
• Hart, from 1:00-2:00, Oceana County Courthouse, on the front lawn
Here is a list of additional places where you can make a difference by showing up.
• Hesperia: 10:30-11:30, on the sidewalk by the library
• Fremont: 12:00-1:30, Fremont Veterans Park
• Grand Rapids: 11:00-1:00-No Kings, 2001 Monroe Ave NE
• Grand Rapids: 1:00-3:00-Action Network, Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center St NW
• Muskegon: 11:00-1:00, Muskegon Lakes Mall
• Ludington: 1:00-3:00, Rotary Park, next to House of Flavors
• Pentwater 11:00-12:00, on Hancock Street in front of the Village Green (This is us! Make sure to be there!)
• Hart, 1:00-2:00, Oceana County Courthouse (This is also us! Please be there!)
• White Lake (Muskegon Co.), Montague: 12:00-1:00, World’s Largest Weathervane, Dowling St. & Water St.
• Lansing, 3:00-6:00, at the Capital, 100 N. Capitol Ave.
Please do whatever you can to join at least one of these rallies! With everything that is happening, we need to make sure they know we object and resist! WE THE PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER.
Veteran's Day 2025 in Oceana County...it will be here before you know it.
The Oceana County Democrats are Gold Level Sponsors of the 2025 Oceana County Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran's Day Celebrations! Activities include a Vet Day 5K event and a parade.
Let's walk together in the 5K! It would be fun to gather a bunch of us to do the "race" together. You don’t have to run—it’s an easy walk. 5K participants need to sign up by October 15th to get a t-shirt. You can sign up for the race at this link: https://runsignup.com/race/mi/shelby/charliemike5k
We also need marchers to join us in the parade. Here is our event invitation for you to use to sign up to march. Let's show our vets that we appreciate their service. Please use it and share it: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CN4jGZVW4/
Petitions are Out and About and These are Our Favorites
We are currently supporting and asking for signatures on three different ballot initiatives:
1) Initiative Petition Amendment to the Constitution
Invest in MI Kids...
Initiate a Constitutional amendment to: Beginning in 2027, an additional 5% tax on annual taxable income over $1 million for joint filers and over $500,000 for single filers. This tax is in addition to existing state income taxes, and is to be deposited into the State School Aid Fund and required to be used exclusively on local school district classrooms, career and technical education, reducing class sizes, and recruiting and retaining teachers; and subject funds to annual audits.
https://investinmikids.org/coalition#d4f544ae-7de6-431b-bf2a-b3e866b534b8
2) Michiganders for Money Out of Politics
Initiation of legislation to: restrict contributions, directly and indirectly, from state regulated electric or gas utilities to certain elected state officials or candidates for those offices, a political party, a member of the Michigan public service commission, or an entity that is affiliated with any of them; restrict, beginning in 2028, contributions, directly and indirectly, from a state or local government contractor with aggregate contracts exceeding $250,000 annually with a jurisdiction to elected officials or candidates for office in that jurisdiction, a political party, or an entity that is affiliated with any of them; define and regulate electioneering communication.
https://mopupmichigan.org/petition-language/
3) Rank MI Vote
Constitutional amendment to: require ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal offices, Governor/Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State, allowing voters to numerically rank candidates by voter preference starting in 2029; count votes in rounds, eliminating lowest-ranked candidate and reallocating their votes to remaining ranked candidates until candidate with most final-round votes is declared the winner; allow voters to rank at least 4 more candidates than positions to be nominated/elected unless insufficient number of candidates; authorize local jurisdiction to adopt use of RCV in local elections; move August primary to June or earlier in even year elections; require legislative funding and implementing legislation.
If you are willing to ask your neighbors and friends to sign any or all of these, please let us know. Message us here, or at oceanacountydems@gmail.com. Thank you!
BEWARE these petitions
Don’t sign any petition that mentions CITIZEN VOTING. There are some nefarious petitions going around that you definitely want to avoid signing. They may have inviting titles, but beware, they work to SUPPRESS VOTING. Please read everything you see very carefully. Here is information you NEED TO KNOW. Please share and warn others!
NOTE: WE ARE SUPPORTING A PETITION FOR “RANK MI VOTE.” THIS ONE IS GOOD! PLEASE SIGN IT!
Our "Resist" Yard Signs are Now Available!
We have 8 designs you can choose from. That's eight different ways you can say NO to the current corrupt regime. Suggested donations are $15 per sign, or two for $20. Message us at oceanacountydems@gmail.com to let us know which one(s) you want, and we will work out how to get them to you. You can also donate via ActBlue at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ocdp-signs-2025 if you prefer, but just let us know by message or email if/when you have done this, so we can be prompt about getting you your sign(s). The signs do come with metal frame-stakes for putting them in the ground.
Your donations will fund our efforts to support Dem candidates in the midterms and hopefully taking over the House, the Senate or both! Thank you, in advance for supporting Dems!
2 Easy Ways to Use Your Voice to Effect Change. We are stronger than we think!
Download the ‘5 Calls’ app to your phone and start calling your congressional members with your concerns. The app gives you categories/issues to call about and your reps’ phone numbers, and a tracking system to record what you’ve done.
Check out https://www.goodsuniteus.com, the blue handbook on how to fight back with your dollars.