Stanberry shined as four-sport athlete for Trailblazers

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 4 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorTo say recent Saugatuck graduate Cass Stanberry stayed busy during his high school days would be an understatement.In addition to being actively involved in several leadership and service programs—including Interact Club, Be Nice, PALS and the Douglas…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 3 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorPorch GeeseThere is no better sign America has been made great again than the return of porch geese.“Life-size decorative goose statues for the lawn, garden or porch aren’t a new idea,” reports the Washington Post’s Kate Morgan. “They…

Venetian Fest ‘25

Venetian Fest ‘25

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 1 min read

… was a blast. See more photographs inside.

Christian Neighbors hosts Back to School Celebration

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 2 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor With July drawing to a close, the start of a new school year is creeping ever closer.Otsego Public School’s first day of classes is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 19, while Plainwell Community Schools will welcome students…

Weather alters plans for Island City Festival

Weather alters plans for Island City Festival

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 2 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The potential for some rainy weather led to changes for this year’s Island City Festival.Most of the festival—originally scheduled to take place in and around downtown Plainwell on Saturday, July 26—was moved inside Plainwell High School’s…

Burnett appointed to 57th District bench

Burnett appointed to 57th District bench

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 2 min read

By Gari Voss Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on July 21, 2025, the appointment of Christopher Burnett to complete the Honorable William A. Baillargeon’s term on the Allegan County 57th District Court bench.Burnett is a resident of Allegan and has worked…

Allegan Summer Tennis wraps up another successful season

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 1 min read

The Allegan Summer Tennis Program recently wrapped up its 2025 season.And, as usual, the long-running program brought out dozens of children to learn the fundamentals of the sport at the Gary Ellis Courts on the campus of L.E. White Middle…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 7 min read

   We often ask each other, “What are your plans for today?”  which really means “What are your goals to accomplish and then check off your to-do list?”  Or we ask ourselves about our plans for the day. Is there…

Mike’s Musings: Traverse City violence too close to home- action needed

Mike’s Musings: Traverse City violence too close to home- action needed

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 3 min read

Here we go again. This time it is too close to home. Another alleged nut-job gone crazy injuring a dozen people, some critical at a Wal Mart, not with a gun, but with an ordinary pocketknife. If it weren’t for…

Several municipalities, schools have contested elections Tuesday

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 7 min read

By Gari Voss Summer months are packed with outdoor activities, special events, family memories, and more. With the busy family schedules, many residents forget that there is often a “primary” election in August. On August 5, 2025, from 7am to…

Missing Kayakers Located in Kalamazoo River – All Individuals Safe

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 2 min read

 The Plainwell Department of Public Safety is pleased to announce that several kayakers reported missing earlier Saturday have been successfully located and removed in the Kalamazoo River. All individuals are safe and accounted for. At approximately 7 pm on Saturday, a…

Burnett appointed to 57th District bench

Burnett appointed to 57th District bench

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 2 min read

By Gari Voss Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on July 21, 2025, the appointment of Christopher Burnett to complete the Honorable William A. Baillargeon’s term on the Allegan County 57th District Court bench.Burnett is a resident of Allegan and has worked…

Local market raises money for family in auto accident

Local market raises money for family in auto accident

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 2 min read

By Gari VossThe news could not have been worse. Village Market employee Jordan Otto and her husband Michael had been in an automobile accident as they were headed home from a shower. Jordan was pregnant and near delivery, but a…

National Blueberry Festival set for next weekend

National Blueberry Festival set for next weekend

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 3 min read

By James Windell West Michigan is the leader of the blueberry industry because of the ideal acidic soil and the lakeshore climate that promotes a thriving crop. Although blueberries are now grown all over the U.S., West Michigan is still…

City Council approves new fee schedule for STRs

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 3 min read

By James Windell What the public talks about in the public comments portion of the South Haven City Council meetings is always a foreshadowing of later events in that meeting. So it happened on Monday, July 21, 2025.The second person…

Missing child at South Beach quickly found

Missing child at South Beach quickly found

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 1 min read

By Tom Renner South Haven beaches have been packed during the current sweltering heat wave. A response to a report of a missing child at the South Beach on Wednesday brought a quick response from city beach safety, police and…

Ward 3 candidate is running unopposed

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 2 min read

By James Windell David Flack is the only person who filed to run for the soon-to-be open position in Ward 3 in South Haven’s City Council elections. That position is available because George Sleeper has served two terms and is…

Meet Dave Flack: Candidate for City Council Ward 3

Meet Dave Flack: Candidate for City Council Ward 3

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 3 min read

By James Windell Although Dave Flack is running unopposed for the Ward 3 South Haven City Council seat, he isn’t going to take his campaign lightly. He is out talking to people and getting to know the issues in Ward…

Work on Maple Island Pedestrian Bridge underway

Work on Maple Island Pedestrian Bridge underway

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 1 min read

The Maple Island Pedestrian Bridge is currently being removed and replaced with a new bridge this summer. Work began earlier this month. Maple Island Park will be closed for the duration of the project, which is anticipated to run through…

Foul weather fails to dampen spirits at Paw Paw Days

Foul weather fails to dampen spirits at Paw Paw Days

Editorial Staff Jul 30, 2025 1 min read

Despite cloudy skies and some rain, it didn’t dampen the spirits of those who participated and attended the 2025 Paw Paw Days, held Saturday, July 26, in downtown Paw Paw.Photos courtesy/Paul DeYoung

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.