DeVries reflects on time as assistant director at ODL
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Wednesday, Dec. 3, marked the end of an era at the Otsego District Library.That’s when the library hosted Santa Storytime, which was the final program for Diane DeVries after a decade of service as the ODL…
OHS National Honor Society hosts annual toy drive
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Each year, members of the Otsego High School chapter of the National Honor Society conduct an annual toy drive to support the efforts of the Otsego Christmas Ministries.This year’s drive raised approximately $9,000, which was used…
City of Plainwell looks at fire gear
By John RaffelCorrespondent At its meeting earlier this month, the Plainwell City Council was to consider purchase of Fire Gear according to NFPA Standards, which provide guidance on the lifespan and replacement criteria for turnout gear.It calls for mandatory retirement…
Allegan girls come up just short in season opener
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor It was a game of two halves for the Allegan girls basketball team in its season-opening contest against visiting Watervliet on Friday, Dec. 12.The Tigers started strong, taking a 20-12 lead into halftime.But foul trouble plagued…
Plainwell swim & dive takes second place
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor GRAND RAPIDS—Plainwell boys swim & dive coach Andrea Murphy said the Grand Rapids City Sprint is one of the more fun meets her team has all season.And the Trojans had every reason to enjoy themselves at…
Life as Performance Art
Since the Great Covid Shut Down, Christmas has become very “the past.” I don’t blame it on the virus nor closures used to slow its progress.Some has come from our penchant for online shopping, ordering food and delivery services, plus…
Educators’ legacy lives on with$2.2 million gift to Fennville Public Schools
A generous planned gift from the estate of longtime educators James and Grace Walz will benefit Fennville Public Schools’ students and educators for generations to come. James and Grace dedicated decades to Fennville Public Schools. Grace taught U.S. History, World History, Michigan History, and Government for…
Oakwood Cemetery remembers veterans during Wreaths Across America
By Gari Voss The temperature was below nippy, but the crowd that gathered reached about 100. Some came in uniform, others had worn uniforms, and most had been associated with someone who had served. Wreaths Across America was observed for…
Rossman Park neighborhood, some downtown areas on tap for 2026 improvements
By Gari Voss As of mid-December 2026, about 90% of the engineering plans for the 2026 Phase of the Allegan Street Project are complete, but by listening to residents and their questions, the Abonmarche engineers and Allegan City Hall can…
Mike’s Musings: We Need The Good News of Christmas
I was searching for words that would express an uplifting spirit this Christmas season. Too many of us, my self-included, consider the holiday season to be a distraction rather than a time to rejoice. Well my friend, Glenn Mollette happened…
Creviston, Zupko join OHS band for holiday concert
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor As Otsego High School band director Mitch Piersma was eating breakfast in the early morning hours on Thursday, Dec. 4, his phone rang.He was hesitant to answer.“I immediately starting saying, ‘No, no, no,’ before I answered…
Plainwell High School Student Senate hosts PCS Holiday Night
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Want to have fun while making a positive impact on the community?If so, then the Plainwell High School Student Senate has just the thing for you.On Monday, Dec. 15, the PHS Student Senate will host PCS…
OMS robotics teams wrap up successful season
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor “How am I going to use this in real life?” or “When will I need this?”Those are questions many teachers have heard from students over the years.Members of the two Otsego Middle School robotics teams learned…
Otsego boys pick up hardwood win against Hopkins
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor HOPKINS—It was a busy first week of the season for the Otsego boys basketball team, as the Bulldogs played three games in five days.And after dropping the first two of those contests, the Bulldogs collected their…
Allegan boys basketball drops pair of games
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor WYOMING—After opening the season with a win over Comstock on Monday, Dec. 1, the Allegan boys basketball team traveled to play Potter’s House the next evening.And while the game started well for the Tigers—the score was…
Life as Performance Art
When I was younger five or six deacades ago, Christmas did not seem to come so early. We followed a stately procession of months, holidays and family celebrations.All came in an orderly fashion. Christmas did not begin right after Labor…
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in Wayland, dies at hospital
Wayland police identified Dwayne Goodman, 59, of Wayland, as the pedestrian who was struck and killed by a vehicle on Monday, Dec. 8.The crash happened around 7:20 a.m. in the 1100 block of West Superior Street, just east of U.S.…
Downtown Allegan kicks off Festive Friday celebrations
By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher Downtown Allegan welcomed the season of lights and cheer last Friday, December 5th, as it kicked off its annual Festive Fridays, a series of holiday-themed evenings designed to bring the community together through shopping, strolling, and…
Plainwell HS band wins ‘favorite band’ contest, OHS places second
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Which high school marching band in West Michigan is the favorite?That’s the question Kalamazoo-based radio station 103.3 WKFR wanted to answer through its aptly titled Favorite High School Marching Band in Southwest Michigan contest.And it was…
