Allegan County COVID cases pass 21,000

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20223 min read

By John Raffel Correspondent ALLEGAN — The number of COVID-19 cases in Allegan County posted by health department officials coming into this week was up to 21,376. Deaths rose by eight from a week ago to 287. Governor Whitmer announced…

Redistricting Maps Take Affect for 2022 Elections

Redistricting Maps Take Affect for 2022 Elections

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20228 min read

By Gari Voss The new district boundaries were approved by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) on December 28, 2021 in an 8 to 5 vote. This was the first time Michigan utilized an independent redistricting commission since the…

MI Supreme Court Appoints Kengis to Replace Bakker

MI Supreme Court Appoints Kengis to Replace Bakker

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20222 min read

By Gari Voss The Michigan Supreme Court made their current appointments to the courts across the state. The Allegan County decisions included the new appointment of the Honorable Roberts A. Kengis as chief justice of the 48 th Circuit Court,…

Obituary: Dennis Edward Orweller

Obituary: Dennis Edward Orweller

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20222 min read

Dennis Edward Orweller October 31, 1942 – January 1, 2022 Dennis Edward Orweller, 79, of Allegan, Michigan, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, January 1, 2022 at Ascension Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Dennis was…

Obituary: Eva Mae (Soughton) Belden

Obituary: Eva Mae (Soughton) Belden

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20222 min read

Eva Mae (Stoughton) Belden, 94, of Allegan, MI passed away Monday, January 3, 2022 at Vicinia Gardens in Otsego. Born January 7, 1927 in Otsego, she was the daughter of the late Morris and Audrey (Edson) Stoughton. On July 4,…

Obituary: William Roger McPherson

Obituary: William Roger McPherson

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20222 min read

McPherson, William Roger Otsego, MI PHOTO: AGE: 75 Family, friends, employees, and the manufacturing community grieve the loss of a wonderful man and a true pioneer in the bonded magnet industry. On the morning of January 5, 2022, William Roger McPherson…

Obituary: Dorla Jean Woodward

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20224 min read

Dorla Jean Woodward – AGE 91 – Otsego, MI Watson Township On December 24, 2021, at the home of her beloved daughter, Glenda, Dorla Jean Woodward passed peacefully from this world. On January 24, 1930, the world welcomed Dorla Jean…

Obituary: Dianne M. Beck

Obituary: Dianne M. Beck

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20222 min read

BECK, Dianne M. Plainwell, MI PHOTO: yes AGE: 62 Dianne Marie Beck entered into God’s Heavenly Kingdom on Sunday, January 2, 2022. She was born July 12, 1959 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Richard and Betty (Sutton) Nichols. On September…

Obituary: David L. Grochowalski Sr.

Obituary: David L. Grochowalski Sr.

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20221 min read

David L. Grochowalski Sr., age 87 of Wayland, passed away on December 24, 2021. He proudly served in Korea, earning the rank of Corporal, before being honorably discharged. He was a devoted “car guy” his entire life, eventually realizing his…

County Commissioners choose new chair, vice-chair

County Commissioners choose new chair, vice-chair

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20222 min read

PAW PAW – The Van Buren County Board of Commissioners selected Randall Peat and Paul Schincariol as chair and vice chair, respectively, at the organizational meeting held Jan. 4.The chair and vice chair positions are selected annually. Randall Peat has…

Almena building suffers fire damage

Almena building suffers fire damage

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20221 min read

On Friday, Jan. 7, at 3:58 a.m. the Paw Paw Volunteer Fire Department responded to a commercial structure fire in the 25000 block of M-43 Highway, in Almena Township. The caller reported seeing flames protruding through the roof of the…

MSP vehicles struck on I-94

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20221 min read

A Michigan State Police (MSP) trooper was injured in a crash in snowy conditions on Interstate 94 in Van Buren County Thursday afternoon, Jan. 6, according to Michigan State Police.Police said a small pickup truck lost control and hit a…

Area teams play contests after winter break

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20224 min read

by Ben MurphySports Writer Paw Paw girls match last year’s win total The Paw Paw girls basketball team continued to show off their improvement from last season on Friday. The Lady Red Wolves took down host Vicksburg 55-44 in a…

Brown enters state rep race

Brown enters state rep race

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20222 min read

SOUTH HAVEN – Former business owner, educator and school board member Annie Brown announced Monday. Jan. 3, that she is running for state representative in West Michigan’s new 38th House District.“I’m running for state representative because small businesses, small towns,…

CAVESTOCK opens on Michigan Ave

CAVESTOCK opens on Michigan Ave

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20221 min read

The Greater Paw Paw Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new Paw Paw business, CAVESTOCK, located at 309 E. Michigan Ave.,in the Paw Paw Plaza. CAVESTOCK carries a full range of products to prepare…

St. Marks hosts free community dinner

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20221 min read

PAW PAW – St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Paw Paw, will offer its free community dinner as a drive-thru event, Thursday, Jan. 20, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the church, 412 Cedar Street.The meal will consist of spaghetti pie, fruit…

Mattawan girl has been found safe

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20221 min read

MATTAWAN – A 14-year-old Mattawan female, reported missing on Sunday, Jan. 9, has been located and is safely back home with her family, according to a press release from the Michigan State Police Paw Paw Post.Ajanae Raine Cretsinger was reported…

Nesbitt maintains perfect voting record

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20222 min read

LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Aric Nesbitt was present for every one of the Michigan Senate’s 494 roll call votes in 2021, according the Mackinac Center for Public Policy’s watchdog site MichiganVotes.org.“I was elected to do a job; it is…

My birthday present ends up in jaws of thief

My birthday present ends up in jaws of thief

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20223 min read

Here’s a story that hopefully will provide a chuckle or two.So my birthday is right around the corner, and my son, bless him, had my gift sent by UPS to our home. Unfortunately, we were at the office and couldn’t…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffJan 12, 20224 min read

Longtime friends shared with Pat and me in a Christ-mas letter they had returned to Orchestra Hall for the first performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchetra in nearly two years.At the end CSO director Ri-cardo Muti spoke briefly with the…