Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorGimme Dat“I’m banging on doors of the universe,” I told Flannery.“It has doors?” my daughter asked.Should I run with or from this metaphor? “God isn’t in,” I told her. “The doorman told me.”“Kafka or the Emerald City? …”“Look!”…
$1.72+ Trail request dead ends, for now
By Scott SullivanEditor“Houston, we have a problem.” Expected by many Blue Star Trail go-aheads hit a snag when the Michigan Department of Transportation dinged a $1.725-million Transportation Alternatives Program grant request to link the most-local part of it.MDOT noted two…
Obituary: Richard J. Poljan II, 82
Richard J. Poljan II, age 82, of Goetzville, Michigan, died July 12, 2022 in Coldwater, Michigan. Richard (Dick) was born November 2, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Richard and Viola (Maciejewski) Poljan. Dick graduated from Richmond High School…
Obituary: Audrey J. Hart, 74
Audrey was born to Thelma (Morris) Thomas and Basil Thomas on August 26th, 1947 in Traverse City, Michigan. The family lived in southwest Michigan, settling in Portage where Audrey graduated from Portage Central High School in 1965. Audrey married E.J…
Obituary: Emma Christine Schafer Essenburgh, 100
Emma Christine Schafer Essenburgh, 100 of Allegan, Michigan went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at the ACMCC. Born April 17, 1922 on the family farm in Hopkins, Michigan, she was the daughter of Henry and…
Armintrout- Millbocker Nature Preserve plans fall opening
By Leslie Ballard The Armintrout-Milbocker Nature Preserve, which opens this fall in Allegan, will have even more to offer visitors than anticipated.At the beginning of the year Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC) received the Ecological and Floristic study from their…
Primary Election loaded with contested races
By Gari Voss The State of Michigan Primary Elections will be Tuesday, August 2, 2022. Allegan County voters have their work cut out for themselves with the full slate of candidates in the primary. This is the first election since…
Obituary: William Arthur Minshall
William Arthur Minshall (Bill) of Hartford passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, June 29, 2022. He enjoyed over 94 years of a full, active life. He was preceded in death by his parents Arthur and Cornelia Minshall (nee Hurlbut),…
Obituary: John Anthony Sala
John Anthony Sala, 77, of Paw Paw, formerly of Justice, IL, was called home to be with his Lord and Savior, Monday, July 11, 2022, in Kalamazoo at Ascension Borgess Hospital, with his family by his side. He was born…
Obituary: Anna Marcelletti
Anna Marcelletti, 95, of Paw Paw, passed away Friday, July 15, 2022, in Holland, MI. Anna was born Nov. 13, 1926, in Paw Paw, the daughter of Nick Karony and Anna (Comiak) Karony.Anna was a longtime parishioner of St. Mary…
Mary Jean Utter
Mary Jean Utter, 75, of Lawrence, passed away Monday, July 11, 2022, at Cass County Medical Care Facility. Mary was born March 7, 1947, in Watervliet, the daughter of Charles and Jean (Markillie) Sill, both of whom precede her in…
Mike’s Musings: Airline travel woes, flying is frustrating
Editor’s Note: My friend wrote the following commentary about his experience flying to Florida. We have all been warned that flying is becoming more and more dicey. Personally, I fly back in forth monthly from Florida to Michigan, and luckily,…
Life as Performance Art
A retired parish priest told me he always prayed no one would pass away on Christ-mas Eve or Day. He didn’t want family or friends to connect the most joyous day of the year with a loved one’s death.Perhaps we…
On the ballot
Lawrence Township Voters asked to approve road millage increase Voters in Lawrence Township will be asked Aug. 2 to approve an increase of up to 2.0 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value) in the township for four years (2022,…
Two challenge incumbent for senate
Incumbent Aric Nesbitt, Kaleb Hudson and Austin Kreutz are running in the Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 20 on Aug. 2.Nesbitt grew up on the six-generation family farm in West Michigan, paid his way through college, earned an…
Wendzel, Nilson face off for state rep
By Paul GarrodStaff Writer State Representative Pauline Wendzel will face Republican challenger Matt Nilson in the Aug. 2 Primary election for the 39th District State Rep. seat. The winner of that race will then meet Democratic Challenger Jared Polonowski in…
Mrs. Felicia Hughley-Burns
Mrs. Felicia Hughley-Burns, 50 of LaFayette, AL passed away on Thursday, July 14, 2022.Public Visitation will be held Tuesday, July 19, 2022, from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. CST, at Silmon-Seroyer Funeral Home Chapel in LaFayette, AL.Graveside Services will be…
Keith Wilkerson
Keith Wilkerson 66, of Dadeville, Alabama died Friday July 15, 2022 at the East Alabama Medical Center.Keith was born in Randolph County, Alabama June 17, 1956 to the late Ernest Wilkerson and the late EuniceBurke Wilkerson, he was a member…





PUBLIC NOTICE
2026 ALLEGAN COUNTY PROPOSED FINAL BUDGET
The Board of Commissioners of the County of Allegan will hold a budget hearing on Thursday, October 9, 2025, for all interested citizens to comment and discuss the proposed budget.
The hearing will take place at 7:00 PM in the Board Room, County Services Building, 3283–122nd Avenue, Allegan, Michigan, to discuss the proposed budget. The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing. The public may also participate in the meeting/public hearing by calling 1-929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 891 6032 7098, and Meeting Password 471420. For other options connecting to the meeting, please visit the meeting calendar website at www.allegancounty.org or contact the County Administrator’s Office.
The proposed budget may be examined online at www.allegancounty.org under News Media Room or on weekdays at the Office of the Allegan County Administrator (address below), between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. All interested citizens will have the opportunity to give written and/or oral comments.
County will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities at the public hearing upon one (1) week notice. Individuals requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the following in writing or by telephone:
Robert J. Sarro,
County Administrator,
3283 – 122nd Avenue,
Allegan, Michigan, 49010
269-673-0239