Blazers fall to P-W in regional semis

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 2 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorGRANDVILLE—All things, no matter how good, must eventually come to an end.For the Saugatuck girls basketball team, the end came in a Division 3 regional semifinal on Monday, March 10.Taking on top-ranked and unbeaten Pewamo-Westphalia, the Trailblazers…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 4 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorDadDon’t you hate columns that start “Don’t you hate …”? Pick your poison. We all hate, say, robocalls. So how come there are so many?I call folks who lean on tropes like these faux curmudgeons. A real one…

Pub Crawl spreads green through downtown streets

Pub Crawl spreads green through downtown streets

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 1 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorSaturday passed for St. Paddy’s during Saugatuck’s downtown pub crawl March 15. Throngs o’ leprechauns — clad in shamrock shades, green sequined hats and Guinness beads — Irish jigged, jogged and staggered down early-sprouting streets.T’was windy out. “Aye,…

Otsego’s Smith capture two more state championships

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 4 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor YPSILANTI—People collect all sorts of things, like baseball cards, stamps, coins and rocks.Otsego junior Liam Smith? He collects state championships.In the Division 3 Boys Swim & Dive State Finals on Saturday, March 15, Smith won both…

Softball Season Preview:

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 6 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor ALLEGANAfter the Allegan softball team saw its 2024 season ended early due to a lack of healthy players, the Tigers are back for the 2025 campaign.And coach Luis Perez has some high hopes for this year’s…

Steelhead Fishing

Steelhead Fishing

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 1 min read

Every March, large numbers of steelhead fish spawn in the Kalamazoo river, and fishermen flock to the area. Couple that with last week’s bout of 50, 60 degree temperatures, and it produces this picture – Fisherman packed in like sardines…

Allegan County Sheriff’s Office 2025 Annual Awards

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 4 min read

By Piper Raab On the evening of Monday, March 3rd, the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office hosted their Annual Awards Ceremony for 2024, at the Martin High School Auditorium.  There were 35 Deputies, in all, that received special recognition and honor…

Sheriff’s office investigates fatality in Leighton Twp

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 1 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent On Monday, March 17, around 7:30 p.mm, Allegan County Central Dispatch received a call for a serious traffic crash in the 4700 Block of 7th St in Leighton Township. Preliminary investigation shows a south bound SUV left the roadway…

Hoekstra nominated to be Canada ambassador

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 2 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent ALLEGAN — Former U.S. Congressman Pete Hoekstra, who lives in AlleganCounty, is the President’s nominee to be Ambassador to Canada. Hoekstra appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations committee last week for a confirmation hearing.“In his opening statement,…

Three Gobles players receive honors

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 1 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent GOBLES — Three Gobles players received all-conference honors this season.Picking up first-team honors were junior Jayden Otis who averaged 14 points and 8.5 rebounds a game and Aden Newberry who was at 11 points and nine boards…

Mike’s Musings: Let’s not spoil special relationship with Canada

Mike’s Musings: Let’s not spoil special relationship with Canada

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 3 min read

President Trump likes to say his favorite word is “tariff.” He hopes to use the word to force corporations to locate in the United States, instead of other countries where they have tax and trade advantages. More corporations mean more…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 6 min read

BY G.C. STOPPELFew hold party politics and politicians in high esteem. Campaigns grow longer and more expensive and polarization fiercer. Consensus and compromise are no longer goals; they are dirty words.The last presidential election was packed with negative ads and…

South Haven gets new water storage tank

South Haven gets new water storage tank

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 1 min read

South Haven’s new million gallon concrete water storage tank is rising out of the ground.When completed in 2026, it will replace a crumbling century–old tank located on Blue State Memorial Highway.The new tank is located near the City of South…

New Condos planned for downtown South Haven

New Condos planned for downtown South Haven

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 3 min read

By James Windell Plans for three new condominiums in downtown South Haven are gaining momentum.A proposed project by local developers Locker & Locker Properties LLC to construct three condominiums on the upper floor of the building that houses The Shoe…

Finally, STR ordinance approved by City Council

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 4 min read

By James Windell The City of South Haven has its first revised Short-term Rental ordinance since 2018. The South Haven City Council approved a much-debated ordinance at its meeting on Monday, March 17, 2025.But getting there wasn’t easy.In 2018, the…

BOC to seek $3 million grant for 9-1-1 center

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 4 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PAW PAW – Van Buren County Commissioners on Tuesday, March 11, approved a re-quest, on an expedited basis, the submission of an application for Congressionally Di-rected Spending (CDS) for $3 million to construct a new 911…

Stolen vehicle recovered, felon found in possession of firearms

Stolen vehicle recovered, felon found in possession of firearms

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 2 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PAW PAW TWP. – A stolen vehicle was recovered, in addition to several guns and ammunition, while a felon was found to be in possession of firearms, following an incident that occurred Friday, March 14, in…

Groundbreaking held for bond initiative at Mattawan Consolidated Schools

Groundbreaking held for bond initiative at Mattawan Consolidated Schools

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 4 min read

MATTAWAN – Monday, March 10, marked a historic milestone for Mattawan Consolidated Schools as the district broke ground on the first phase of a comprehensive, multi-year school construction project. This initiative follows the approval of a $110 million dollar school…

BOC hopes to get $3 million grant for dispatch/emergency center

Editorial Staff Mar 19, 2025 4 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PAW PAW – Van Buren County Commissioners on Tuesday, March 11, approved a re-quest, on an expedited basis, the submission of an application for Congressionally Di-rected Spending (CDS) for $3 million to construct a new 911…

Mendon girls bounced in regionals by Reading

Editorial Staff Mar 14, 2025 2 min read

By Steve Eldridge CONCORD —It was a tough finish to the season for the Mendon girls after winning a district championship last week. The Lady Hornets traveled to Concord Monday night, squaring off against the Reading Rangers in their regional…

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.