Allegan County News & Union Enterprise

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffOct 1, 20258 min read

   Prior to the Presidential election of 1932, Will Rogers and Franklin Roosevelt were standing in front of a microphone at a public event.  Of the two, Rogers was the better known and held in higher esteem by most Americans. …

Mike’s Musings: Elected leaders- Do the right thing, eliminate earmarks

Mike’s Musings: Elected leaders- Do the right thing, eliminate earmarks

Editorial StaffOct 1, 20254 min read

One of my often rants is the use of earmarks or pork barrel, as we used to call them, projects sneaked into the federal or state budget at the last minute, to benefit a particular constituency. It happens every year…

Hoot-n-Howl arrives in Allegan this weekend

Hoot-n-Howl arrives in Allegan this weekend

Editorial StaffOct 1, 20251 min read

Hoot-n-Howl kicks off the Halloween season in Downtown Allegan on Fri., Oct. 3 and Sat., Oct. 4, 2025. Beginning in the late afternoon, Friday brings a number of adult oriented activities while Saturday offers a multitude of activities for children…

15-year-old female student makes threats against AHS

Editorial StaffOct 1, 20254 min read

By Elizabeth FersztContributing Writer A 15-year-old female student is facing weapons charges after allegedly threatening to attack Allegan High School.According to Allegan County Prosecutor’s Office, they have brought charges of filing a false report, threat of terrorism, stealing a firearm,…

Allegan councilman awol, kickedoff board

Editorial StaffOct 1, 20254 min read

By Gari Voss The Allegan City Council made the decision to remove a member from the Council. The root of the resolution fell on information that Mike Zeter had moved from his residence on Thomas Street to a location that…

Arrest made in Hopkins cockfighting incident

Arrest made in Hopkins cockfighting incident

Jordan WilcoxSep 30, 20254 min read

Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher On Tuesday, September 23rd, 37-year-old Edin Dilson Rodas of Hopkins Township was arraigned in the 57th District Court on five felony charges related to cockfighting. Rodas and his wife own property just south of Hopkins, at 2534…

Liquid Note, Maude’s Taphouse set to close this weekend

Liquid Note, Maude’s Taphouse set to close this weekend

Editorial StaffSep 24, 20254 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor A pair of downtown Otsego businesses are closing their doors for good, the owners announced via social media on Wednesday, Sept. 17.Liquid Note—a brewery and live-music venue located at 119 E. Allegan St.—and Maude’s Taphouse (117…

Arrest made in connection with Northside Park fire

Arrest made in connection with Northside Park fire

Editorial StaffSep 24, 20252 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, Sept. 2, the large, wooden playground structure at Otsego’s Northside Park was set ablaze.Less than three weeks later, charges have been filed in the case.According to Otsego Director of Police and…

Plainwell cross country teams perform well at Bangor Invite

Editorial StaffSep 24, 20252 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor BANGOR—The boys cross country teams from Plainwell and Paw Paw had quite the battle for the top spot at the Bangor Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 20.And despite putting all five of their scoring runners in the…

Allegan boys tennis team hosts stacked tourney

Editorial StaffSep 24, 20253 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor For the record, Allegan was not hosting the Division 4 Boys Tennis State Finals on Saturday, Sept. 20.But based on the level of talent on hand at the Gary Ellis Courts, it had the feel of…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffSep 24, 20256 min read

    The name “Ned Ludd” was quietly whispered from person to person throughout the central part of England beginning in the early 1800s.  People would say, “We’re going to meet up with Ned Ludd tonight at the Dew Droppe Inn.”  …

Mike’s Musings: Erika Kirk’s Greatest Act of Courage-Forgiving the Unforgivable

Mike’s Musings: Erika Kirk’s Greatest Act of Courage-Forgiving the Unforgivable

Editorial StaffSep 24, 20254 min read

When tragedy strikes, our instincts often turn toward anger, resentment, and the pursuit of vengeance. That is human nature. Yet, every so often, someone rises above those instincts and shows us a higher way — a path of grace that…

Hopkins Middle School teacher suspended for unprofessional comments

Jordan WilcoxSep 24, 20253 min read

By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher Seventh-grade English teacher, Sarah Ruegsegger has been suspended from her classroom at Hopkins Middle School after being accused of making inappropriate comments in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.The alleged comments were first brought to light by a concerned…

AHS online student apprehended following threat

Jordan WilcoxSep 24, 20252 min read

By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher Before school even started on the morning of Friday, September 19th, Allegan Public Schools (APS) notified parents that a former Allegan High School student who is currently enrolled in the Allegan Online program had been arrested…

Liquid Note, Maude’s Taphouse set to close this weekend

Liquid Note, Maude’s Taphouse set to close this weekend

Editorial StaffSep 24, 20254 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor A pair of downtown Otsego businesses are closing their doors for good, the owners announced via social media on Wednesday, Sept. 17.Liquid Note—a brewery and live-music venue located at 119 E. Allegan St.—and Maude’s Taphouse (117…

Northside Park reopens 60 hours after big blaze

Northside Park reopens 60 hours after big blaze

Editorial StaffSep 17, 20253 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Well, that didn’t take long.Less than three days after the large wooden playground structure at Otsego’s Northside Park was engulfed in flames—the result of suspected arson—the park was open to the public once again.The fire took…

Otsego royalty

Otsego royalty

Editorial StaffSep 17, 20251 min read

During Otsego High School’s homecoming football game on Friday, Sept. 12, Colin Fitzpatrick was crowned king, while Grace DeBoer was named queen. (Photo provided)

Pumpkins in the Park set for Saturday, Oct. 4

Editorial StaffSep 17, 20251 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Pumpkins in the Park is turning 20.That’s right. The annual autumn tradition in downtown Plainwell is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, with the event scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4.The fun is scheduled to take place…

Allegan soccer ties Hackett

Editorial StaffSep 17, 20251 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor KALAMAZOO—A back-and-forth battle ended in a 2-2 tie when the Allegan boys soccer team traveled to Kalamazoo to face Hackett on Monday, Sept. 15.Allegan opened the scoring when LJ Dial scored off an assist from Sawyer…

Life as Performance

Life as Performance

Editorial StaffSep 17, 20257 min read

   On several occasions, Pat told me that one thing she loved about her father was the first thing he would say in the morning.  “Great Day!  Wonderful Day! Great Day!  That could not have been easy for him because…

PUBLIC NOTICE
2026 ALLEGAN COUNTY PROPOSED FINAL BUDGET

The Board of Commissioners of the County of Allegan will hold a budget hearing on Thursday, October 9, 2025, for all interested citizens to comment and discuss the proposed budget.

The hearing will take place at 7:00 PM in the Board Room, County Services Building, 3283–122nd Avenue, Allegan, Michigan, to discuss the proposed budget. The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing. The public may also participate in the meeting/public hearing by calling 1-929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 891 6032 7098, and Meeting Password 471420. For other options connecting to the meeting, please visit the meeting calendar website at www.allegancounty.org or contact the County Administrator’s Office.

The proposed budget may be examined online at www.allegancounty.org under News Media Room or on weekdays at the Office of the Allegan County Administrator (address below), between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. All interested citizens will have the opportunity to give written and/or oral comments.

County will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities at the public hearing upon one (1) week notice. Individuals requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the following in writing or by telephone:

Robert J. Sarro,
County Administrator,
3283 – 122nd Avenue,
Allegan, Michigan, 49010
269-673-0239