Hearty Chili and Strong Roots: Albion Community Gardens Brings Neighbors Together
On a frigid January evening, while winter weather disrupted travel across much of the country, the warmth inside St. James Episcopal Church told a different story. Nearly 100 people, including volunteers, gathered for the Albion Community Gardens annual Chili Dinner…
Cass Street Vote Advances Broader 2026 Construction Plan
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Albion City Council voted Jan. 20 to approve a Michigan Department of Transportation contract for improvements on West Cass Street, advancing a project that has been in planning for several years and helping define the…
Boys’ Basketball Roundup Colon’s Vinson gets 100th win as Magi roll Athens
COLON — Colon took down Athens last week, 61-40, and in the process, Magi coach Steve Vinson gained his 100th career victory as Colon head coach. A 21-6 first-quarter lead was all the winners needed to come out on top.…
Girls’ Basketball Roundup Sturgis splits close games against Otsego, Paw Paw
OTSEGO — The Sturgis girls suffered just their second loss of the season on Monday, as host Otsego edged the Trojans, 43-39.A second half comeback fell just short, as the Bulldogs held double-digit leads in both the third and fourth…
Permit for new massage establishment in TR recommended for approval Beebe: Talks may be coming of lessening burden for prospective massage businesses
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — A new massage establishment could soon be on the way to Three Rivers, and could, unrelated to its application, spark new conversations about the requirements for such businesses to come into the city.On…
Out and About: Kissing facts, regrets, and Valentines Day
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” -Abraham LincolnKissing Facts You Might Not Know
Multi-step process led to Sturgis Public Schools bond proposal
By Dennis Volkert On Jan. 12, Sturgis Board of Education approved a bond election resolution, by a 7-0 vote. Proposal details were approved by the board in November.The proposal is scheduled to appear on the May 5 election ballot. If approved…
Sand sentenced to 5-15 years for sexual assault of minors
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — A prison sentence was handed down Friday to a former food service worker at Mendon Junior/Senior High School accused of sexually assaulting minors.Kaitlyn Sand was sentenced by Judge Paul Stutesman in St. Joseph County…
Farwell wrestlers beat St. Louis
By John RaffelCorrepondent FARWELL — Farwell wrestlers were in action earlier this week.“We wrestled in Sanford,” Farwell coach Ryan Cutler said. “We wrestled St. Louis and had a blowout loss but then we wrestled Pinconning and we got the win.…
May I Walk with You? WHO MADE GOD?
An interesting question was recently asked, “Who made God?” Whoa! Growing up in a Catholic Christian home we were taught that God always existed and that he created us. I am reminded of a song by Rich Mullins that reflects…
Deep freeze blankets Clare County
By Genine Hopkins The past week has seen record breaking cold temperatures for Northern Michigan, including Clare County, including temperatures well below freezing. The only consolation is there was little wind. Accuweather’s readings by the early morning hours of Friday,…
FAS BOE updates property, approves contract for Carncross
By Genine Hopkins Farwell Area Schools (FAS) Board of Education (BOE) held a Special Meeting on Monday, January 19th. Below are some of the items discussed.The FAS BOE voted to approve contracts for both Carrie Carncross as the Interim Superintendent…
Jon’s Country Burgers, Mount Pleasant’s drive-in diner, has closed
By Christopher Johnson After serving the Mount Pleasant community for nearly a century, it is with a heavy heart that Jon’s Country Burgers has announced an end to 69 years of service.On the diner’s Facebook, last Wednesday’s announcement reads, “Due…
Trailblazers suffer first loss in hard-fought game
By Jason WesseldykSports EditorMUSKEGON—It’s been said that all good things must eventually come to an end.For the Saugatuck girls basketball team, the end of its season-opening winning streak ended at the hands of host Western Michigan Christian on Thursday, Jan.…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorAm I Dead Yet?Hell froze over last week, along with the rest of Michigan. Trees were exploding everywhere. That’s right. “During spells of extreme cold,” notes the National Forest Foundation, “when trees haven’t had time to acclimate, the…
Snow day
There’s no day like a snow day. Local students and others had plenty of opportunity to bundle up and head into an Arctic outdoors last week. Where’s global warming when we need it? (Photo by Scott Sullivan)
Saugatuck pub crawl calls heat up
By Scott SullivanEditorIt looks like another banner year for banners advertising pub crawls hung under Saugatuck’s iconic pallet sign at Lake Street and Blue Star HighwayCity council Monday approved requests from the Red Horse Center inviting all to the Saugatuck…
Otsego to host Anne Frank exhibit starting Feb. 2
Otsego will host Anne Frank: A History for Today, a traveling, museum-quality exhibit that presents the history of the Holocaust through the life and perspective of Anne Frank and her family.The 32-panel exhibit opens Feb. 2 and will be on…
City of Otsego advises residents not to run water for freeze concerns
Officials from the City of Otsego say they are not advising residents not to run their water at this time in response to cold weather and freezing concerns related to the city’s water system.According to the City, staff have been…
Winter weather leads to weeklong school closures in Otsego, Plainwell
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Snow days are often the stuff of student (and some teacher) daydreams—a hopeful glance out the window, a phone refresh before sunrise, and the quiet thrill of seeing school canceled.Last week, those hopes became reality in…
