Crane’s Ciderfest celebrates 50 years
By Scott SullivanEditor No kids except older ones were here when Lue Crane talked her husband Bob, who knew enough to agree, they should open a pie pantry on their Fennville orchard at 6054 124th Ave., aka M-89, 50 years…
United Way opens donation center in Allegan
By Gari Voss The Allegan County United Way invites the public to attend the Ribbon Cutting of the new Goods Donation Center at their facility at 650 Grand St., Allegan.Allegan Area Director Amanda Telgenhof shared, “There will be a short…
Wayland Balloon Fest
The Wayland Balloon Festival drew crowds from all over western Michigan, as dozens of hot air balloons filled the Wayland skies. The festival offered many activities and events, but of course, the major draw was the balloons piloted by enthusiasts…
Mike’s Musings-Signs that keep us guessing
My son can attest to one of my biggest pet peaves- road signs that don’t make any sense. We drive a lot of miles together, and occasionally we find useless signs placed along roadways at taxpayers’ expense. I would be…
Reed takes over as principal at Otsego High School
Jason WesseldykSports Editor After spending the past five years as principal at Lawrence High School, Thomas Reed has taken the same position at Otsego High School.Reed replaced Herve Dardis, who retired after a 22-year tenure at OHS.According to Reed, Otsego…
Attorney General Nessel pays visit to Plainwell
Jason WesseldykSports Editor The City of Plainwell welcomed Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to town on Tuesday, Aug. 30.Nessel—who was in the area to visit Martin Public Schools as part of her office’s school safety initiatives—took time to stop in…
Otsego prepares for Purple Week festivities
Jason WesseldykSports Editor No one fights alone.That’s the slogan for this year’s Purple Week at Otsego High School.Taking place from Monday, Sept. 26, to Friday, Sept. 30, Purple Week will raise awareness and money for the Van Andel Institute in…
Otsego girls upend state-ranked Jenison at Rustbuster
Jason WesseldykSports Editor GRAND JUNCTION—The Otsego girls cross country team faced a tough early season test at the Southwest Michigan Rustbuster on Wednesday, Aug. 31.It’s a test the Bulldogs passed with flying colors.Otsego, ranked fifth in Division 2, took home…
Allegan golfers compete in conference jamboree
Jason WesseldykSports Editor VICKSBURG—Playing in the SAC jamboree hosted by Schoolcraft at States Golf Course on Thursday, Sept. 1, Allegan placed seventh with a score of 231.Zoe Bronkema finished second in the individual standings with a 41, while Leah Snyder…
Obituary: Lois Mae Hammond, 73
Lois Mae Hammond of Allegan, Michigan, age 73, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. She was born to Harold and Una Cole on September 19, 1948, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.Lois was so many things. She was a wife, a…
Obituary: David Bennie Waanders, 90
David Bennie Waanders, 90, lifelong resident of Allegan, MI passed away peacefully Friday, September 2, 2022, at Allegan County Medical Care Community where he had resided for the past five and a half years. Born August 24, 1932, he was…
Life as Performance Art
King Charles I of England detested coffee, and especially coffee houses. If he had had his way, coffee would be forbidden in his realm, and coffee houses would slither into the recesses of history. It had nothing to do with the smell…
Mike’s Musings: Is this really you?
Believe it or not, one of the most requested additions readers seek in our newspapers is horoscopes. Unfortunately we just don’t have the space to publish a regular Horoscope column. However I came across this rather humorous (some would say…
Allegan County Fair begins this Friday
The 2021 Allegan County Fair broke records in attendance and brought smiles to young and old alike as people cautiously moved through the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 Allegan County Fair opens this Friday, and the Fair Board and staff feel…
Ascension hires new administrator for Allegan, Plainwell
Ascension Borgess is pleased to announce Natalie Ryder, MBA-HM, MSN, RN, NE-BC, as administrator of Ascension Borgess Allegan Hospital in Allegan and Ascension Borgess-Pipp Hospital in Plainwell. In addition, Ryder will continue in her current role as administrator of Ascension…
Balloon Fest in Wayland this weekend
The Wayland Hot Air Balloonfest will return for 2022. The event will be held September 9-10 at Calkins Field (3755 South Division in Wayland).Tethered rides will begin at 5 p.m. each night. Balloon launches will start at 6 p.m. A…
8th Annual Wag & Walk to benefit Wishbone Saturday
Wishbone’s 8th Annual Wag and Walk will be on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at Robinson Manor, 701 Marshall Street in Allegan. From 10am until 2pm, walkers with or without four-legged friends can meander down Marshall St., cross the 2nd Street…
Plainwell hosts program to help monarch butterflies
Four local organizations hope that residents of Plainwell will soon be busy collecting milkweed seeds for the Seed Exchange at Ransom Library.The seeds will grow milkweed plants, the only food source for monarch caterpillars/butterflies. This effort is part of Mayor’s…
Second severe storm in past month does more damage
Jason WesseldykSports Editor For the second time in less than a month, a strong storm system ripped through the area.The most recent of those storms hit the Otsego and Plainwell between 3:30 and 3:45 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 29. And…
Gus Macker tourney returns to streets of Otsego
Jason WesseldykSports Editor For the seventh time in the past eight years, some of the streets in Otsego were transformed into basketball courts for the Gus Maker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament from Friday, Aug. 26, through Sunday, Aug. 28.And according to…
