The pandemic has faded in this Michigan county. The mistrust never ended.

For The Washington Post

Sierra Schuetz, 31, and her boyfriend Fredrick Flipse, 31, take a moment together while organizing food at Community Action House in Holland, Michigan, on Sept. 26, 2023. (Photo by Evan Cobb for The Washington Post)

In late September, I spent a couple of days in Holland, Michigan, for a Washington Post story focused on mistrust in the county and the impact this has had on the community.

This story was an iteration of two previous stories I have been a part of:

• In a thriving Michigan county, a community goes to war with itself

• In a county rife with conspiracy theories, a GOP clerk fights to win voters’ trust

Throughout this trip, I was mainly spending time with Sierra as she navigated the day leading up to a county commission meeting and throughout the session.

Sierra Schuetz, 31, left, and Jami Bunker, resident of Zealand, center, listen to Laura Jonker, right, in the hallway at the Ottawa County Administration Building in West Olive, Michigan, on Sept. 26, 2023.

The story's first line lays out the tension throughout the two days I spent with Sierra and others.

“Every few hours, Sierra Schuetz checked to see if Ottawa County’s leaders had posted a new version of the 2024 budget — one that she hoped might save her job.”

You can read the entire story here.

Sierra Schuetz, 31, left, hugs Marcia Mansaray, right, the Ottawa County deputy health officer, after Schuetz made a public comment during the Board of Commissioners meeting at the Ottawa County Administration Building in West Olive, Michigan, on Sept. 26, 2023.