Albion resubmits $1.1 million grant to rehabilitate downtown apartments
By MAGGIE LANOUE Contributing Writer Albion City Council approved the resubmission of a $1.1 million Community Development Block Grant application during its Feb. 2 meeting, advancing plans to rehabilitate 10 downtown apartment units across four properties, with the majority reserved…
Showing Up When It Matters: Albion Takes Care of Business on Feb. 2
More residents than usual attended Albion’s Feb. 2 study session and regular meeting at City Hall. As people arrived, they picked up printed agendas from the podium at the front of the room and settled in for an evening focused…
Massage establishment’s permit approved amid TR mayor’s calls for review of ordinance, city code
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — Amid a call for what Three Rivers Mayor Angel Johnston called a “line-by-line review” of the city’s code and a call to revise or get rid of language in the city’s massage establishment…
Ambitious projects envisioned if Sturgis school bond is approved
By Dennis Volkert Sturgis Public Schools eyes numerous major projects, if a bond election proposal is approved by voters in May. On Jan. 12, the board of education approved the bond election resolution. The initiative is scheduled to appear on…
Sturgis man charged with six counts for alleged abuse of adopted daughter
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — A Sturgis man was formally arraigned and charged Monday for the alleged sexual abuse of his adopted daughter over nearly a decade.According to St. Joseph County Prosecutor Deborah Davis, 57-year-old Raymond Bontrager was charged…
May I Walk with You? NO GREATER LOVE
When asked what were the greatest events that changed the world, many immediately come to mind. There are many including Columbus sailing to America, the American Revolution, the Communist Revolutions in Rusia and China, the practical use of electricity, dropping…
Clare health park scandal recovers 4.8 million dollars
By Christopher Johnson A onetime aide to a former Michigan Speaker of the House was charged last year with multiple felonies following a lengthy investigation into a stalled health park project north of Clare. Which was an investigation that ultimately…
Leitha Jennings celebrates 105th birthday
Leitha Jennings turned 105 this past Thursday 2/5/2026.She worked for Fisher body in Pontiac where she was an accountant for 37 years. Born in the depression with 2 siblings she remembers her mother cooking and making their clothes.She has lived…
Accounting troubles, transfer station have Surrey residents up in arms
By David Hutchinson The Special Meeting was held in the Surrey Township Hall on January 27. All five board members were present—Mike Coon, Mindy Campbell, Glenna Bradbury, Dixie Adams, and Paul Ghinelli. More than ten people attended. The meeting was…
Harrison boy skiers set for regionals
By John RaffelCorrespondent HARRISON — Harrison’s boys ski team will be competing in the Regional meet at Pine Knob ski resort on Feb 10.Skiers will compete for a chance to qualify for the state finals.Harrison took sixth place as a…
Six more weeks?
So the groundhog didn’t see his shadow Monday, per myth meaning six more weeks of winter. We are Michiganders, we can handle it. Last weekend’s sunshine outbreak brought to light the beauty of downtown Saugatuck, as seen in Ted Swoboda’s…
New township park to get LCWM assist
By Scott SullivanEditorSaugatuck Township and the Land Conservancy of West Michigan have signed a memorandum of understanding by which conservancy will fund 5-percent, up to $200,000 of its costs to establish a new 119-acre Riverside Park and nature preserve on…
Saugatuck boys show improvement in loss to Martin
By Jason WesseldykSports EditorMARTIN—What a difference a month and a half can make.When the boys basketball teams from Saugatuck and Martin met in December, the Trailblazers were limited to 19 points as the Clippers rolled to a win.In the rematch…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorWho We AreI took a personality test and found out I had none.“You did once,” my wife said.It was too big a hassle. So I erased it.“Take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and find one again,” she said.The MBTI…
Otsego turns to wing blades as snowbanks continue to grow
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor With snowbanks continuing to rise along city streets, the City of Otsego has begun using wing blades on its plow trucks in an effort to keep roads passable during a winter that shows little sign of…
Christian Neighbors food pantry director departs to work with children
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor After nearly four years of service, Christian Neighbors has announced that Food Pantry Director Amy Van Putten is stepping away from the role.In a statement, Christian Neighbors said Van Putten “has been so much more than…
Allegan swim upends Hastings
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The Allegan boys swim team continued its strong season Tuesday night, rolling past Hastings 91–51 to remain unbeaten as the regular season enters its final two weeks.Allegan showed its depth throughout the meet, picking up wins…
Otsego bowling teams beat Plainwell
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Monday, Feb. 2, was a special night at the lanes as Otsego and Plainwell honored a combined 15 seniors during a Wolverine Conference bowling matchup.Because both teams practice at the same bowling alley and compete together…
Life as Performance Art
The other morning my favorite online news service reported that medicos have more or less concluded that drinking coffee is good for one’s health. It’s all the enzymes and nutrients that made a favorable impression on the researchers.For coffee drinkers,…
West Michigan joins country’s response to ICE
By Gari Voss The second Friday in a row found businesses and individuals expressing their belief that President Donald Trump’s use of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) teams and the Department of Home Security (DHS) to disrupt communities…
