Taste of LaFayette set for June 22

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 1 min read

Next Wednesday June 22 Vision LaFayette will hold its Main Street kick off celebration on the courthouse square. They will be hosting Taste of LaFayette which will involve local restaurants and food trucks along with churches and local businesses. The…

Ruth Davis

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 1 min read

Ruth Davis, 86, of LaFayette passed away June 10, 2022, at her residence. The funeral was Sunday, June 12, at 4 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church, LaFayette, with the Rev. Chuck Goodwin, Rev. Floyd Aiken and Rev. Tim Calloway officiating.…

Mr. Donald Eugene Kirk

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 1 min read

Mr. Donald Eugene Kirk, 68, of Roanoke died Sunday, June 5, 2022 at WellStar West Georgia Medical Center, LaGrange, GA. Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 9, 2022 at Vines Funeral Home Chapel at 12:00 p.m. (CST) with Rev.…

Sherlynn Coupe, 81

Sherlynn Coupe, 81

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 4 min read

Sherlynn Anne (Smith) Coupe, 81, of Saugatuck-Douglas died Monday afternoon, June 6, 2022, at the Cove Health Facility.Sherlynn (Sherry) was born on Aug. 19, 1940 in Everett, Wash. She was the eldest of four children born to Stanley and Sonna…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 4 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorWhat It IsI’m convinced there are rational Republicans. At one time I may have been one. When parties poop on me I don’t take it as personal nor fate; it’s an opportunity.Take the Republican National Committee as latest…

David Alan Bell, 60

David Alan Bell, 60

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 2 min read

David Alan Bell, 60, of Allegan, passed away June 7, 2022 at Bronson Methodist Hospital. Born on August 6, 1961 to the late Ralph Loren and Joan Mae Bell (Linsner), Dave was the youngest of four children. Small in stature…

Irvin “Skip” Clifford, Jr., 60

Irvin “Skip” Clifford, Jr., 60

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 2 min read

Irvin “Skip” Clifford, Jr., 60, of Allegan, Michigan, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, June 8, 2022 in Allegan, Michigan. Born May 21, 1962 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, he was the son of the late Irvin Sr. and Jacqueline (Brabon) Clifford and the…

My father, my hero

My father, my hero

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 3 min read

(I wrote this a year ago but wanted share it again. Heck I might share this column over and over for years to come. The man meant so much to me)This week I give pause to reflect on my hero,…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 6 min read

       I have been waking up well before dawn this spring, and it is all my wife’s fault.  No, she is not pulling the blankets over to her side on cool mornings, or sprawling across the bed, shoving me closer to the…

Otsego Arts Council hosts first Artisan Market

Otsego Arts Council hosts first Artisan Market

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 3 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor When the volunteer-led Otsego Arts Council formed last year, it did so with a mission to “empower artists and expand arts programming in our community.”One way the council is fulfilling that mission is by hosting the…

Irving retires as pantry director at Christian Neighbors

Irving retires as pantry director at Christian Neighbors

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 3 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor One hour.That’s how long Dorothy Irving’s friend asked her to commit to volunteering at Christian Neighbors Food Pantry. That was in 1999.“My neighbor Patsy was in charge of the pantry—which was located in a small garage-sized…

Summer reading programs start at local libraries

Summer reading programs start at local libraries

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 5 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Students who attend Otsego Public Schools and Plainwell Community Schools are officially on summer break.And that, among other things, means it’s time once again for the annual summer reading programs at the local libraries.The programs at…

Jump Into Summer

Jump Into Summer

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 1 min read

Seven local ourtdoor arts installations, including this one in Saugatuck’s Coghlin Park, are part of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ 20th anniversary celebration commencing this Friday with a free concert and more fun at the Center. Kelli Jacobsma gets…

July 4 show, revised, to go on

July 4 show, revised, to go on

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 7 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorIs an Independence Day free from threats possible? Saugatuck’s July 4 parade will go on, Mayor Garnet Lewis told city council Thursday, with her leading in lieu of the Saugatuck-Douglas Rotary Club stepping down claiming it could not…

Wayland Schools seek $48.5 million bond approval

Wayland Schools seek $48.5 million bond approval

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 3 min read

Wayland Union Schools will have a bond proposal on the August 2, 2022 ballot focusing on improved learning environments and technology in all school buildings, upgrades to Career Tech spaces, a new pool for district and community use, larger instructional…

Trestle bridge to remain closed, summer events kick-off successful

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 12 min read

By Leslie Ballard Infrastructure issues continue to be a major concern for the Allegan City Council, who spent most of the June 13 Study Session discussing the status of the trestle bridge near Jaycee Park.The Council voted to close the…

One dead, one critical when motorcycle crashes in to ditch

Editorial Staff Jun 15, 2022 2 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent ALLEGAN – Allegan County sheriff department deputies reported on Sunday at 8:50 p.m., first responders were dispatched to a personal injury crash on 130th Ave near 24th St in Monterey Township.A Hopkins Fire Department member came across a single…

Soaring gas prices cause budget cuts for Isabella Sheriff

Soaring gas prices cause budget cuts for Isabella Sheriff

Editorial Staff Jun 10, 2022 2 min read

By Pat MaurerGas prices, now over $5.00 a gallon, the highest ever, have caused a cutback in in-person response to non-life-threatening calls at the Isabella County Sheriff’s Office.Sheriff Michael Main posted the reduced travel for officers on Facebook Tuesday. He…

CGRESD selects Mager as new superintendent

CGRESD selects Mager as new superintendent

Editorial Staff Jun 10, 2022 3 min read

The Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service District has a new leader. Tara Mager will come aboard as CGRESD Superintendent on July 1, and she’s eager to get started.At a special meeting of the CGRESD Board of Education Tuesday, board members voted…

By Mike Wilcox
Owner/Publisher

Every year, as the Christmas season draws near, I’m reminded just how generous our communities can be. For nearly two decades, Wilcox Newspapers has hosted what’s become one of my favorite traditions: our Annual Christmas Wish Program.

It started simply enough. We asked readers who were struggling to write in and tell us what would make their Christmas a little brighter. The idea was to connect local families in need with local people who wanted to help. Over the years, it’s grown into something truly special—and this year, we’re doing it again.