RED ICE: Over a hundred emergencies In 3 days

RED ICE: Over a hundred emergencies In 3 days

Editorial Staff Jan 2, 2026 7 min read

By Christopher Johnson According to Clare’s Fire Chief, Sam Eberhart, he has never seen a busier time for the city’s fire department than the week just gone.From 8 o’clock Friday morning until 6 o’clock Monday night, there were between 80…

South Haven sophomore has bright future

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 1 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent SOUTH HAVEN — Lyne Badenhorst enjoyed a strong sophomore season for South Haven golf and is looking forward to two more years with the Rams.She shot a 107 in the regionals for 35th place, This was her…

Storms deliver a one-two punch to Van Buren County

Storms deliver a one-two punch to Van Buren County

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 3 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com With Mother Nature delivering a one-two knockout punch of rain, ice and snow late Sunday night and Monday morning, Van Buren County Road Commission (VBCRC) crews began an early start Monday to their work week. The…

All female road patrol first for county

All female road patrol first for county

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 1 min read

The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office recently experienced an historic milestone, its first all-female general road patrol shift. Though other deputies are assigned to township-specific cars, this shift handles the countywide general road patrol Shown in photo from left, Deputy…

PP Fire Department escorts Santa through the community

PP Fire Department escorts Santa through the community

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 1 min read

The Paw Paw Fire Department served as Santa’s personal escort as the Jolly Old Elf made his way on a fire truck through the community on Wednesday, Dec. 24. The fire department has served as Santa’s escort for several years,…

Fiery semi crash closes roads

Fiery semi crash closes roads

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 1 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorMonday’s blizzard brought chaos to local roads when a northbound semi slid off I-196, plunged down the Old Allegan Road overpass and caught fire there.First responders — who battled whiteout conditions, heavy snow and 45-60 mph wind gusts…

Isely is new Coastal Alliance head

Isely is new Coastal Alliance head

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 2 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorNew Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance executive director Elaine Sterrett Isely no stranger to nonprofit environmental leadership.Isely took over as the SDCA’s fulltime director Nov. 1 on heels of the group’s 17-year co-founder and board president David Swan’s announcing…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 3 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorBowl BingeThey said it was impossible — watch every holiday college bowl game — and dumb to boot, which meant somebody had to do it. Why not me?First things first: head to Tiny Giant to stock up on…

Otsego City Manager takes look back at year that was 2025

Otsego City Manager takes look back at year that was 2025

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 8 min read

By Aaron MitchellOtsego City Manger The year 2025 was a great one for the City of Otsego!We started with a few plans and ideas that we planned on tackling throughout the year, but as you could imagine, there were a…

Otsego Library hosts ‘Reading is Snow Much Fun’ program

Otsego Library hosts ‘Reading is Snow Much Fun’ program

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 3 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor For more than a decade, patrons of the Otsego District Library have been treated each winter to the annual early literacy fundraiser, which has transformed the library into immersive, storybook-inspired experiences featuring themes such as Charlotte’s…

Bicyclist killed on Christmas night in Gun Plain Twp.

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 1 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor A day that many consider to be one of the most joyous of the year took a tragic turn in Gun Plain Township on Christmas night.On Thursday, Dec. 25, a 52-year-old Plainwell-area man was killed after…

Allegan swim alumni visit current Tigers at recent meet

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 4 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor It was a blast from the (not-so-distant) past for Allegan swim & dive coach Carol Gephart when the boys’ team hosted Sturgis on Dec. 16.Six former Allegan swimmers who are now competing at the collegiate level…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 4 min read

In the 1950 movie “Harvey” Jimmy Stewart plays Elwood P. Dowd, a certifiable eccentric befriended by 6-foot invisible rabbit named Harvey.It’s a light comedy, but at one point Dowd says something meaningful: that in order to be liked, one had…

Mike’s Musings: When Silence Walks Louder Than Shouting

Mike’s Musings: When Silence Walks Louder Than Shouting

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 4 min read

In a world addicted to outrage, the most radical protest I’ve seen lately involved no slogans, no megaphones, and no demands shouted into the air. It was a line of Buddhist monks walking.I first noticed this on Facebook. The monks…

Hamilton / Allegan County mourn death of Chief Haverdink Struck by vehicle while assisting at accident scene

Hamilton / Allegan County mourn death of Chief Haverdink Struck by vehicle while assisting at accident scene

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 4 min read

By Gari Voss The call began as a medical incident on M-40 near 136th Avenue in Heath Township in Allegan County at about 6pm on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, but in an instant, everything went wrong when the announcement came…

Michigan’s largest New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in Allegan

Michigan’s largest New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in Allegan

Editorial Staff Dec 31, 2025 2 min read

By Parker Johnson Bundle up and count down to 2026 with the LARGEST New Year’s Eve ball drop in Michigan!Downtown Allegan doesn’t have much in common with New York City, but one thing this small West Michigan community mirrors each…

TR wrestling downs two conference foes; go 4-1 at Freeland invite

Editorial Staff Dec 26, 2025 2 min read

EDWARDSBURG — Three Rivers’ wrestling team opened the Wolverine Conference slate Wednesday, Dec. 17, defeating Niles 69-6 and Edwardsburg 77-3.Owen Moreland, Brayden Niemi, Kyle Snellenbarger, Brody Morrill, Gaven Babcock, Jak Monroe, Ethan Moreland, Carter Hensley, Braylon Faile, Louis Smith, Jaxon…

Boys’ Basketball Roundup TR drops road contest to Otsego

Editorial Staff Dec 26, 2025 6 min read

OTSEGO — Three Rivers’ boys’ basketball team ended their 2025 slate of games with a palindromic 64-46 loss to Otsego Thursday, Dec. 18.Gabe Young led the Wildcats with 15 points on the evening, while Zander Barth had nine points and…

Out and About: Morning breath, check-ups, and Christmas

Out and About: Morning breath, check-ups, and Christmas

Editorial Staff Dec 26, 2025 2 min read

“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” -Thomas JeffersonFor you ladies, believe it or not, Sam Elliott does wake up with “Morning Breath”. For you guys, so does Nora O’Donnell. As a matter of fact, I don’t…

Local firefighters deliver Christmas cheer with Firefighters for Santa

Local firefighters deliver Christmas cheer with Firefighters for Santa

Editorial Staff Dec 26, 2025 6 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — In the days before Thanksgiving, a house fire displaced Tessa Pitcher of Three Rivers and her children, leaving them with practically nothing for the holiday season.However, when fire trucks from the Three Rivers…