Wayland Summerfest returns June 13
By Jordan WilcoxAssistant PublisherDowntown Wayland will once again serve as the center of community activity when Summerfest returns Saturday, June 13, bringing a full day of family entertainment, classic cars, live music, food, vendors and children’s activities.Organized by Wayland Main…
Property owners file lawsuit challenging Leighton Township RV Ordinance
Jason and Shannon Steinebach, owners of lakefront property at 4552 East Shore Drive on Green Lake, have filed a civil lawsuit in Allegan County Circuit Court against Leighton Township. The complaint, filed on May 22, 2026 (Case No. 26-72096-CZ), challenges…
Sheriff’s office investigates semi truck accident
On June 8th, 2026 , Allegan County Dispatch received a 911 call stating that there was an accident on 106th Ave and 11th St in Gun Plain Twp. During the preliminary investigation, it appears that a vehicle that was southbound on 11th St…
Mattawan baseball in state semifinals
By John RaffelCorrespondent MATTAWAN— Mattawan’s baseball team will be playing this weekend at Michigan State University’s McLane Stadium after winning three games last week.The Wildcats are 32-9-2 overall. They beat Lowell 2-1 in eight innings on June 3 in a…
Mike’s Musings: Mental Health: A Crisis We Can No Longer Ignore
I used to think alcoholism was the biggest problem facing Americans. Along with drugs it certainly is a disease that affects many of us. However, mental health is a much bigger problem and when you combine it with alcohol. you…
Plane crashes on South Haven runway, pilot not injured
The pilot in a single engine aircraft escaped injury when her plane crashed while taking off from South Haven Regional Airport on Monday morning.South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) and South Haven Police Department (SHPD) responded at 9:30 a.m. to…
Twelve ducklings rescued from storm drain
Neighbors in the vicinity of Indiana Ave. and Cable Ave. in South Haven were alarmed by the actions of an adult female duck who was making quite a fuss next to a storm water drain on Thursday afternoon.Upon investigation they…
Elkenburg Park summer recreation program receives needed funds
By James Windell The Elkenburg Park Summer Recreation Program, which has provided a summer enrichment experience for the past 20 years, seemed doomed recently when expected funding disappeared.But thanks to the generosity of the Carol and Don Hodgman Fund, the…
Diane and Lisa honored by Mayor Annie Brown
By James Windell More than five years ago, Diane and Lisa Van Deurzen-Otey left their home in Tucson, Arizona to come to South Haven to help out a friend. They had no intention of staying in this area because they…
Two Van Buren County Sheriff’s deputies each receive Distinguished Service Awards
PAW PAW – Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott has announced that Deputy Eric Calhoun and Deputy Randy Whitmore were both awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association on June 7.Undersheriff Casey Davis spoke at the awards…
Antwerp Board responds to District Library Board’s motion to decline mediation
The following letter, dated May 29, was sent to the Antwerp Township Board in response to Antwerp Township Supervisor Dan Ruzick’s request for mediation with the Van Buren District Library Board.Antwerp Township Board of Trustees: At its May 19 meeting at…
Paw Paw District Library celebrates America 250
As America prepares to mark its 250th anniversary on July 4, the Paw Paw District Library presented the first of several events scheduled over the coming months as part of America 250. On Wednesday, June 3, the library’s Local History…
Saugatuck girls place fourth at Division 3 State Finals
By Jason WesseldykSports EditorKENT CITY—Novella DeGraaf spent much of Saturday, May 30, racing from one event to another.By the end of the day, the Saugatuck junior had collected three All-State finishes, broken three school records and helped lead the Trailblazers…
Saugatuck sidewalk chalk campaign sparks debate
By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher A series of political messages written in chalk on downtown sidewalks has sparked an ongoing debate in Saugatuck over free speech, public property, and the community’s image as a tourist destination.The controversy centers around a recurring…
Baty, Matteson named Persons of the Year
This year, CommUnity PRIDE recognizes two extraordinary individuals who have helped shape and strengthen that spirit for more than five decades through their generosity, leadership, volunteerism, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to the community. In many ways, it would be impossible…
Plainwell HS recognizes 34 Top Honors graduates from Class of 2026
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Each year, Plainwell High School recognizes members of its graduating class who achieve grade-point averages of 4.0 or higher.For the Class of 2026, 34 students earned Top Honors recognition.Leading the group were valedictorian Hiro Nguyen and…
OHS grad earns research award at ecology conference
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor OTSEGO—An Otsego High School graduate recently earned recognition for her undergraduate research while representing Kalamazoo College at a regional scientific conference.Mia Crites, a member of Kalamazoo College’s Class of 2026 and a 2022 Otsego High School…
Allegan tennis places third at finals to cap historic season
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor MIDLAND—An historic season ended with another historic accomplishment for the Allegan girls tennis team.The Tigers finished third at the Division 4 state finals in Midland on May 27-28, completing a 22-0 season that included conference, regional…
Life as Performance Art
I always find it a bit amusing when someone, especially one of the talking heads from almost any news station has a hissy fit about what they call ‘revisionist history.’ They change their tone of voice to make it…
Hopkins School Bond election recount certifies dead tie
By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher On May 27, the Allegan County Board of Canvassers conducted a hand recount of votes cast in the May 5 Hopkins Public Schools bond election and certified the results as an exact tie, leaving the $110.56…
