Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorMovingIt was time to downsize. Add keepsakes from my 69 years, my parents, their parents, my wife and daughter … It is daunting deciding what stays, what goes.Each photo and handwritten note was a talisman. I dwelt on…
Laketown may flip to Mersman as manager
By Jim HaydenCorrespondentWith Al Meshkin retired as of Jan. 3, Laketown Township is without a manager. The board at a special meeting Dec. 30 put contract negotiations for a new one on hold until Jan. 8.In the absence of a…
Ransom Library announces acts for Winter Concerts
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The annual Winter Concert Series at Ransom Library has become a favorite for library staff members and patrons alike.This year’s event kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 16, with the band The Rebel Eves. MexiCuba and Kanola…
Chocolate Stroll scheduled in downtown Plainwell
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor February is synonymous with Valentine’s Day, and Valentine’s Day is synonymous with chocolate.That’s what makes the Chocolate Stroll in downtown Plainwell such a fitting event.Scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the…
Plainwell boys swim & dive team breaks in new pool
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Christmas was over, but members of the Plainwell boys swim & dive team got one more gift on Monday, Dec. 30.That’s when the team took its first plunge into the district’s new pool, which is one…
Obituary: Jeffrey Mark Webb
Jeffrey Mark Webb, 67, of Allegan, MI passed away Monday, December 30, 2024. Born October 17, 1957 in Allegan, he was the son of the late Noel and Julia (Rockwell) Webb and on June 22, 1979 he married Julie Brosz.…
New Year’s Eve brought thousands for Ball Drop
By Gari Voss The air was crisp, and the precipitation magically stopped for the 8pm opening of New Year’s Eve 2025. Revelers began arriving early in anticipation of good food, music, and ice skating. Yup, the ice skating rink had…
Allegan wrestling wins tourney
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor GRAND RAPIDS—Another weekend, another tournament championship for the Allegan boys wrestling team.One week after earning the top spot in the Comstock Invitational, the Tigers finished first at the West Catholic Dunneback Memorial Tournament on Saturday, Jan.…
Allegan County Sheriff’s Office K9s receive body armor
By Sgt. Blair Kacos & G. Voss The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office announced the donation of body armor for two of Allegan County’s finest – K9s Zadok and Kyro.“Kyro and Zadok will receive bullet and stab protective vests thanks to…
Mike’s Musings: Congress should not ban TikTok
There has been a new push in Congress to out right ban or heavily regulate TikTok. I’m neither a user nor am I fan of social media in general. However, to ban or heavily regulate the most popular social media…
Life as Performance Art
What was once known as suicide has been renamed by some “Assisted dying.” Both terms make me uncomfortable.Western culture has long abhorred suicide. The ancient Romans considered it a serious offense against the person, their family and the empire. If…
Chambers boys, girls get runners-up in holiday tournament
By Katie McElvyJV GirlsAgainst Trinity, Peyton Earl knocked down a basket to get the Lady Rebels on the board. She followed with a steal and pass to Emmalee Jackson for another two. Blakely Allen added back-to-back baskets. Klancy Phillips added…
Reports of Piggly Wiggly in Lanett closing rankle community
By John BriceCorrespondent Multiple Facebook posts this past week from employees at Piggly Wiggly in Lanett reporting that the supermarket will be closing at the end of January caused an outpouring of grief and frustration among local residents.One employee at…
Obituary: George Wesley Dykes
George Wesley Dykes of LaFayette, Alabama passed away peacefully at home on December 25, 2024 at the age of 82. He was born in Safford, Alabama and graduated from Oreville High School in 1961. He attended East Central Community College…
Obituary: Mr. James (Frank) Smith
Mr. James (Frank) Smith, of Oak Bowery, AL passed away peacefully at home on January 2, 2025, at the age of 94. He was born May 11, 1930, in Fort Payne, AL. He was a great outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting,…
Sixty arrested on 145 charges by Drug Task Force
Sixty arrested on 145 chargesFrom 10/1/2024 – 12/31/2024 Agents of the Chambers County Drug Task Force/ Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force, Chambers County Multi-Jurisdictional SWAT Team, Chambers County Sheriff’s Office, Valley Police Department, Lafayette Police Department, and the Lanett Police…
Area man seeks help, becomes lost, suffers hypothermia, following traffic crash
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PORTER TWP. – A 64-year-old Lawton man, involved in a traffic crash Friday night, Jan. 3, in Porter Township, left the scene of the crash on foot, sought out help, then became lost while walking in…
Almena Twp house fire contained by multiple departments
On Dec. 30, shortly before noon, the Paw Paw Fire Department responded to a structure fire in Almena Township on County Road 653. Paw Paw Fire Chief Kyle Richardson said the fire began in the attached garage, then quickly began…
Mishap causes New Year’s ball drop to occur two hours early
By Tom Renner Figuratively speaking, the new year arrived two hours early in South Haven last Tuesday night.A South Haven tradition in recent years has been that at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 1,000 beach balls that…
Area village and cities have experienced devastating fires only to rise again
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com Several towns in The Courier-Leader coverage area have experienced downtown fires of one type or another during the past nearly 170 years. The fires destroyed or badly damaged businesses, but following the devastation, the communities rallied,…
