Plainwell Farmers’ Market opens for new season

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20222 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The 2022 season is officially underway for the Plainwell Farmers’ Market.Located at the Sweetwater’s Donut Mill parking lot at 554 W. Allegan Street, the market held its opening day from 3 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20225 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorE.C., Call HomeNo prophet may be accepted less in his hometown than Johnny Cash, who got shot in the crotch last week.The Man in Black’s death 19 years ago didn’t stop Kingsland, Ark., from painting his image on…

OHS honors Class of 2022 with Senior Parade

OHS honors Class of 2022 with Senior Parade

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20222 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor After the COVID pandemic wreaked havoc on the Class of 2020’s final days at Otsego High School, school officials wanted to do something special to recognize the grit those students showed during that difficult time.Thus the…

Saugatuck boys prevail at regionals

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20225 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorMONTAGUE— Saugatuck boys track coach Rick Bauer felt sick to his stomach during the Division 3 regional meet in Montague on Saturday, May 21.And it had nothing to do with his team’s performance.“For me personally, it was…

Otsego tennis collects first D3 regional championship

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20224 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorAnother week, another historic win for the Otsego girls tennis team.Six days after securing the first Wolverine Conference title in program history, the Bulldogs claimed the first Division 3 regional title in program history on Friday, May…

Crossing sticks for ‘heaven’s sake

Crossing sticks for ‘heaven’s sake

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20221 min read

Turning thousands of painted sticks into seven outdoor art installations was not Jeremy Barnett (shown) and co-conspirator Jason Maracani’s spinoff of crossing the river Styx. Indeed, the works, meant to go up in time for the Saugatuck Center for the…

1,350+ new trees grow in Saugatuck

1,350+ new trees grow in Saugatuck

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20221 min read

Saugatuck-Douglas Rotary Club, Saugatuck High School Interact Club and Saugatuck Township Parks and Recreation Committee volunteers joined Allegan County Conservation District forester Ben Savoie (pictured left of just behind this young tree) planting 1,350 Rotary-bought bare-root saplings plus more young…

Wicks owner contests city seating cap

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20224 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorThe owner of a downtown restaurant/bar unhappy with Saugatuck Planning Commission-imposed seating limits on her proposed back addition is seeking court redress for it — and then some.Wicks Park Bar & Grill owner Christine Murphy Pierce filed a…

Casino breaks ground on new hotel, Aquadome

Casino breaks ground on new hotel, Aquadome

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20225 min read

May 19, 2022, officials from the Gun Lake Casino and Resort, owned by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi, brought together representatives from the tribe, project architect HBG Design, and Clark Construction Co. to officially announce the groundbreaking of their $300…

Memorial Day activities honor, reflect, remember

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20225 min read

By Gari Voss On Monday, May 30, 2022, communities around Allegan County will hold parades and services to remember and honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.Decoration Day began following the Civil War that…

Allegan council votes to close trestle bridge temporarily

Editorial StaffMay 25, 20229 min read

By Leslie Ballard The temporary closure of the Trestle Bridge and the adoption of the City of Allegan 2023 Budget were the major topics of discussion at the May 23 City Council meeting while a presentation on the state of…

Harrison drag races promote county airport

Harrison drag races promote county airport

Editorial StaffMay 20, 20222 min read

By Patricia FerrellCorrespondent Dirt Dash Extreme Sport races were held Sunday at the Clare County Airport in Harrison, with the help of many community volunteers.While the event initially started at one o’clock, it really sped up about 1:45 p.m. with…

McCown finds bottle that pre-dates Clare

McCown finds bottle that pre-dates Clare

Editorial StaffMay 20, 20223 min read

By Pat MaurerCorrespondent Sometimes little pieces of our history can be found buried in the ground in the most unlikely places. It just takes a dedicated treasure seeker to unearth them.In Clare that person is Matt McCown.When asked where he…

Clare applies for USDA grants for police, fire departments

Editorial StaffMay 20, 20223 min read

By Pat MaurerCorrespondent The Clare City Commission gave the go-ahead to submit application for two United States Department of Agriculture grants at Monday’s meeting, one for approximately $62,431 to fund 75 percent of the cost of a new police vehicle…

Obituary: Nancy Pearl Hatfield

Obituary: Nancy Pearl Hatfield

Editorial StaffMay 20, 20223 min read

Nancy Pearl Hatfield, of Cadillac, passed away on Friday, 13 2022 in her home surrounded by her children at her bedside. She was 81. Nancy was born on April 22nd, 1941 in Pontiac, Michigan to Cecil and Dorothy Kenyon. She entered…

Postcard from the Pines: Old Friends and More Library Noise

Postcard from the Pines: Old Friends and More Library Noise

Editorial StaffMay 20, 20224 min read

Last week I had the opportunity to visit with an old friend. I mean a really long-time ago friend and one I have not seen in years. Our friendship goes back, first to the Methodist Sunday School, and then as…

NMC soccer remains undefeated with two wins

Editorial StaffMay 20, 20222 min read

by Ben MurphySports Writer The McBain Northern Michigan Christian girls soccer team added another lopsided Northern Michigan Soccer League win on Tuesday. Playing at Houghton Lake, the Lady Comets were able to return home with a 7-0 victory.“Had to play…

Clare track finishes second, third in own Invite

Editorial StaffMay 20, 20222 min read

by Ben MurphySports Writer The Clare track and field teams hosted another home invitational on Saturday. The Pioneers welcomed six other teams and were able to have the boys finish second and the girls finished up third.Highlights for the boys…

Obituary: Robert “Bob” Peters

Obituary: Robert “Bob” Peters

Editorial StaffMay 20, 20221 min read

Marion – Robert “Bob” Peters, of Marion, passed away on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. He was 81.Bob is survived by his sister, Wilma Gibbs of Clare; his son, Mark McConnell of Texas; daughter,…

Obituary: Sherril Dian Smith

Obituary: Sherril Dian Smith

Editorial StaffMay 20, 20222 min read

Sherril Dian Smith – Age 74 of Farwell, passed away at MyMichigan Medical Center in Midland on Friday, May 13th, 2022. Sherril was born to parents Nathaniel and Lucille (Dorman) Aaron on August 13, 1947, in Sipsey, AL. Following high…