
OHS senior helps Christian Neighbors with Share Table
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Well-known author and speaker Stephen Covey once said, “Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”Otsego High School senior Lexi Gross is doing just that.When she noticed a large amount of fresh fruit being…
Bulldog Esports Club starts at Otsego High School
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor A group of 11 students recently made history at Otsego High School.They are part of the school’s inaugural Bulldog Esports Club, which held its first competition on Wednesday, Feb. 12.The Otsego team took on the team…
Plainwell hosts ribbon cutting at new field house
The new Plainwell Field House hosted its first even about a month ago when the high school basketball team’s welcomed archrival Otsego. And on Monday, Feb. 17, the district held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility. Plainwell superintendent Matthew Montange…
Plainwell falls to Three Rivers in regional finals after beating Hamilton in semis
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor THREE RIVERS—After finishing second to Three Rivers in the Wolverine Conference standings, the Plainwell boys wrestling team got another crack at the Wildcats in a Division 2 regional final.Unfortunately for the Trojans, Three Rivers came out…
Allegan Co. wrestlers qualify for individual State Finals
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor When the Individual Wresting State Finals get underway at Ford Field on Friday, Feb. 28, Allegan County will be well-represented.A total of 36 local grapplers punched their tickets to the Finals by virtue of finishing in…
Obituary: Diane Kathline (Evans) Dietrich
Diane Kathline (Evans) Dietrich passed peacefully in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with family by her side. Diane was born in Allegan, Michigan to her late parents Robert and Marcelle (Ruhele) Evans on July 31, 1950. After high school Diane would work many…
Obituary: Earl Lee Gillette Jr.
Earl Lee Gillette Jr. (86) passed away February 9 at 12:15am. He passed away peacefully with his wife by his side. Earl was born and raised in Allegan, Mi. He married Patricia Lodge in 1957 and went on to have…
Swan Lake residents gather to voice water quality concerns
By Gari Voss Concerned residents around Swan Lake gathered on Monday, February 17, 2025, to examine taking the next steps in improving the water quality of their lake. Over the years, blue-green algae had increased, especially during hot weather. Algae…
Calkins Bridge Dam still in limbo
By Gari Voss Conversations and possible fate regarding Consumers Energy’s 13 hydroelectric dams that are spread across Michigan continue. Community meetings began during 2022 when community members came together several times to examine the condition of the dams and alternatives…
Mike’s Musings: Engaging with scammers- don’t follow my son’s lead
I was talking with my son recently, and somehow we got on the topic of these pre-recorded prank calls he used to get. Unlike most of us he enjoys engaging with these pranksters. He know they are fraudsters but gets…
Life as Performance Art
BY G.C. STOPPELI came to know John Thistle when we played bagpipes in the Fourth Battalion of the West Mosby Volunteers Band. The name came from a tiny village a few miles outside of Mosby, Mont. He was a good…
Otsego Hall of Fame welcomes three newest members
The Otsego Athletic Boosters welcomed the three newest members into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Feb., between the girls and boys varsity basketball games.The Class of 2025 included Jesse Blanchard, Charity (Knight) Newby and Jessica (Sheen) Strickler.A ceremony…
Plainwell MS Honors Choir performs at state conference
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor GRAND RAPIDS—When Plainwell Middle School choir director Rachel Quillian applied to have her Honors Choir perform at the Michigan Music Conference, she wasn’t sure what to expect.“It’s usually high school choirs that perform at the conference,…
Allegan claims first district crown in eight years
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor SOUTH HAVEN—They came. They saw. They conquered.That pretty much sums up the performance of the Allegan boys wrestling team at the Division 3 team district hosted by South Haven on Thursday, Feb. 6.After dispatching Hopkins by…
Plainwell gets past Allegan
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The 200-yard freestyle relay couldn’t have been much closer in the SCC meet between the boys swim & dive teams from Plainwell and host Allegan on Tuesday, Feb. 4.The Trojans ended up prevailing in that event,…
Obituary: Patricia “Patty” Lee Parliament (Angle)
Patricia “Patty” Lee Parliament (Angle), 63, of Iron Station, NC, passed away Friday, January 31 st , 2025 – a day before her 64 th birthday. Patty was born to the late Robert and Roberta (Kellogg) Angle on February 1…
Obituary: Domingo (Don) Canales
Early Thursday morning, my father, Domingo (Don) Canales, passed away. He was born at home in Salineño, Texas to Candelario and Teresa Canales, where his family had lived for several generations after having settled there from Northern Spain, in the…
Mills charged with mother’s death
A murder charge has been filed against a man in the death of his mother, who he lived with near Pullman, Allegan County Sheriff deputies say.Craig Michael Mills, 23, faces a charge of open murder in the death of 43-year-old…
City prepares for multiple improvement projects including parking lot, Mahan Park
By Gari Voss At their February 11, 2025, meeting, the Allegan City Council approved numerous purchase orders for the Department of Public Works that would assist in the implementation of the Mahan Park project, Ely Street and Airway Drive improvements,…
The Honorable Michael Buck receives Award of Excellence
By Lauren Miller& Gari Voss Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) plays a vital role in supporting children involved in the child welfare and family court systems because of abuse or neglect. CASA of the Harbor, a program under the auspice…