Allegan County News & Union Enterprise

Mike’s Musings: National debt crisis- here’s one lawmakers solution

Mike’s Musings: National debt crisis- here’s one lawmakers solution

Editorial StaffOct 2, 20243 min read

Readers of this column know I have been an avid proponent of balancing the federal budget. Our leaders simply refuse to turn off the money spending spigot, i.e., one has to only listen to the two presidential candidates and their…

Lee Township man faces 33 felonies for child porn

Lee Township man faces 33 felonies for child porn

JordanSep 27, 20241 min read

Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher Casey Allen Letts, a 33-year-old man from Lee Township faces 33 felony charges related to uploading and receiving child sexually explicit material, according to a press release from the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office. On April 16th, the…

Bicyclist killed in drunk hit and run near Pullman

Bicyclist killed in drunk hit and run near Pullman

JordanSep 27, 20242 min read

Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher On Thursday, September 19th, at 10:16 pm, 50-year-old, Tracey Lynn Decker was fatally struck by an SUV while riding her bicycle on 111th Avenue near 55th Street in Lee Township. Luckily, Decker’s teenage daughter was riding with…

Otsego students to be honored as part of Purple Week

Otsego students to be honored as part of Purple Week

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20248 min read

Otsego sophomore Christopher Harris (above) and Otsego seventh grader Remy Coburn will be honored before the Otsego football game on Friday, Oct. 4, as part of Purple Week. Otsego Public Schools’ Purple Week is almost here.The event, which the district…

Kelly receives Pay It Forward Spotlight Award

Kelly receives Pay It Forward Spotlight Award

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20242 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Each month, FOX 17 recognizes and honors first responders, healthcare professionals and veterans who “have made paying it forward their life’s work.”Otsego resident Rick Kelly is the September Pay It Forward Spotlight Award honoree.An Air Force…

Plainwell football rolls to first victory of season

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20242 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor STURGIS—Something had to give when the Plainwell football team traveled to Sturgis for a Wolverine Conference clash on Friday, Sept. 20, with both teams sporting 0-3 records.As it turned out, it was Plainwell who did the…

Allegan wins in pool

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20241 min read

The Allegan Girls Swimming and Diving team finished ahead of conference rival Otsego Tuesday, Sept. 17, by a 99-81 margin.The win moved the Tigers to 2-0 in the conference duals.Individual winners for Allegan included Bella Festerling in the 200-yard IM,…

Obituary: James Cole Cannon Sr.

Obituary: James Cole Cannon Sr.

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20245 min read

James Cole Cannon Sr., known to many simply as Jim, lived a life defined by love, hard work, humor, and the unwavering support of his wife, Geraldine, who stood by his side for 62 remarkable years. Together, they were a…

Obituary: Brenda Elaine Tran

Obituary: Brenda Elaine Tran

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20243 min read

Brenda Elaine Tran 78 years old Brenda passed away on September 6th, in her daughter’s home, surrounded by her loved ones after courageously living with Alzheimer’s for many years. Brenda was born on September 14th, 1945, to Ronald and Blanche…

Obituary: Dorothea (Dort) Blanche Spahn (Healy)

Obituary: Dorothea (Dort) Blanche Spahn (Healy)

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20242 min read

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dorothea (Dort) Blanche Spahn (Healy) of Gobles Michigan. She was born on April 30, 1928, in Gobles Michigan.  She was the daughter of Vernon and Blanche Healy of Gobles.…

Obituary: Roger Allen Smith

Obituary: Roger Allen Smith

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20243 min read

Roger Allen Smith, passed away peacefully at the age of 79 on September 20, 2024, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Born on July 26, 1945, in Allegan, Michigan, to his late parents Leonard and Helen (Heath) Smith.Roger’s life journey was marked by…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20247 min read

    As I have written many times in the past, I have long been entranced by newspapers.  You might, quite rightly, accuse me of being addicted to them.  It has been that way since I was in elementary school and…

Trowbridge Dam clean-up ready to roll

Trowbridge Dam clean-up ready to roll

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20246 min read

By Gari Voss Activity has increased along 26th St. at the site of the Trowbridge Dam. The boat launch on the Kalamazoo River at the Dam is now officially closed until 2027. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that…

Death of Lee Township woman being investigated as homicide

Death of Lee Township woman being investigated as homicide

JordanSep 25, 20242 min read

Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher On the morning of Thursday, September 19th, Allegan County Central dispatch received a call from the Fennville Shell gas station. They were concerned about one of their employees – Mrs. Mable Mills, a 43-year-old from Lee Township.Mills,…

Art of Recovery celebrated on the Allegan Riverfront

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20247 min read

By Gari Voss The City of Allegan made it official at their September 23, 2024, City Council meeting. Mayor Roger Bird proclaimed September 27, 2024, as Allegan’s Day of Recovery. This puts an exclamation mark on the national Month of…

Mike’s Musings: The day Santa was booed

Mike’s Musings: The day Santa was booed

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20243 min read

I would like to thank the dozens of readers that commented on my Bicycle Hippie finds sobriety column from last week. It certainly was a change of pace from my ranting and raving about government overreach, so much so I’m…

OHS students improve leadership skills at Rotary camp

OHS students improve leadership skills at Rotary camp

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20242 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Relaxing. Hanging out with friends. Working to make some money.These are among the activities in which high school students traditionally engage during the summer months.For a group of four Otsego High School upperclassmen, part of this…

Elementary XC City Championship

Elementary XC City Championship

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20243 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor When Otsego High School cross country coach Steve Long began the elementary cross country program in the district two years ago, he did so with a certain goal in mind.“I think initially starting this program was…

OPS, PCS comment on safety concerns at schools

OPS, PCS comment on safety concerns at schools

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20243 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor During the past week, officials from Otsego Public Schools and Plainwell Community Schools emailed a letter to parents/guardians of students in their respective districts.Both revolved around issues involving school safety.The letter from Plainwell officials went out…

Allegan tennis places second at home invitational

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20241 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The Allegan boys tennis team welcomed five teams—including Holland Christian, the top-ranked team in Division 4—to town on Saturday, Sept. 14, for the Allegan Invitational.The tournament was played using a blind-group-draw format, and the Tigers finished…