Allegan County News & Union Enterprise

David Alan Bell, 60

David Alan Bell, 60

Editorial StaffJun 15, 20222 min read

David Alan Bell, 60, of Allegan, passed away June 7, 2022 at Bronson Methodist Hospital. Born on August 6, 1961 to the late Ralph Loren and Joan Mae Bell (Linsner), Dave was the youngest of four children. Small in stature…

Irvin “Skip” Clifford, Jr., 60

Irvin “Skip” Clifford, Jr., 60

Editorial StaffJun 15, 20222 min read

Irvin “Skip” Clifford, Jr., 60, of Allegan, Michigan, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, June 8, 2022 in Allegan, Michigan. Born May 21, 1962 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, he was the son of the late Irvin Sr. and Jacqueline (Brabon) Clifford and the…

My father, my hero

My father, my hero

Editorial StaffJun 15, 20223 min read

(I wrote this a year ago but wanted share it again. Heck I might share this column over and over for years to come. The man meant so much to me)This week I give pause to reflect on my hero,…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffJun 15, 20226 min read

       I have been waking up well before dawn this spring, and it is all my wife’s fault.  No, she is not pulling the blankets over to her side on cool mornings, or sprawling across the bed, shoving me closer to the…

Otsego Arts Council hosts first Artisan Market

Otsego Arts Council hosts first Artisan Market

Editorial StaffJun 15, 20223 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor When the volunteer-led Otsego Arts Council formed last year, it did so with a mission to “empower artists and expand arts programming in our community.”One way the council is fulfilling that mission is by hosting the…

Irving retires as pantry director at Christian Neighbors

Irving retires as pantry director at Christian Neighbors

Editorial StaffJun 15, 20223 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor One hour.That’s how long Dorothy Irving’s friend asked her to commit to volunteering at Christian Neighbors Food Pantry. That was in 1999.“My neighbor Patsy was in charge of the pantry—which was located in a small garage-sized…

Summer reading programs start at local libraries

Summer reading programs start at local libraries

Editorial StaffJun 15, 20225 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Students who attend Otsego Public Schools and Plainwell Community Schools are officially on summer break.And that, among other things, means it’s time once again for the annual summer reading programs at the local libraries.The programs at…

Wayland Schools seek $48.5 million bond approval

Wayland Schools seek $48.5 million bond approval

Editorial StaffJun 15, 20223 min read

Wayland Union Schools will have a bond proposal on the August 2, 2022 ballot focusing on improved learning environments and technology in all school buildings, upgrades to Career Tech spaces, a new pool for district and community use, larger instructional…

Trestle bridge to remain closed, summer events kick-off successful

Editorial StaffJun 15, 202212 min read

By Leslie Ballard Infrastructure issues continue to be a major concern for the Allegan City Council, who spent most of the June 13 Study Session discussing the status of the trestle bridge near Jaycee Park.The Council voted to close the…

One dead, one critical when motorcycle crashes in to ditch

Editorial StaffJun 15, 20222 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent ALLEGAN – Allegan County sheriff department deputies reported on Sunday at 8:50 p.m., first responders were dispatched to a personal injury crash on 130th Ave near 24th St in Monterey Township.A Hopkins Fire Department member came across a single…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffJun 8, 20225 min read

    James Barrie, best remembered as the author of Peter Pan, also wrote a short play he called, “The Old Woman Shows Her Medals.”  It is a sad tale of an elderly widow who would periodically go to the local train station,…

OHS honors seniors

OHS honors seniors

Editorial StaffJun 8, 20229 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Each year, Otsego High School honors the members of the graduating class who maintained a 4.0 or high grade point average throughout their high school career.The Class of 2022 included 29 such students, meaning they graduated…

Bring back Civics classes, initiate term limits

Bring back Civics classes, initiate term limits

Editorial StaffJun 8, 20223 min read

I fear for our democracy. My fear is rooted in the fact that most citizens don’t really care about what is happening at their federal, state and local governments. Only fifty percent of us bother to vote, and once the…

Callahan named director of Plainwell Public Safety

Callahan named director of Plainwell Public Safety

Editorial StaffJun 8, 20223 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The City of Plainwell has a new director for its Department of Public Safety.And city officials didn’t have to look very far to find him.Kevin Callahan, a Plainwell-area resident since 2010 who previously worked as a…

New sign welcomes drivers to Otsego

New sign welcomes drivers to Otsego

Editorial StaffJun 8, 20221 min read

Drivers headed east on M-89 may have noticed a new sign as they enter Otsego.Last month, the city posted a sign honoring the 2021 Otsego High School boys cross country team, which won the Division 2 state championship.The state title…

Oakwood Cemetery Living History tour hits home run

Oakwood Cemetery Living History tour hits home run

Editorial StaffJun 8, 20222 min read

By Gari Voss Six inhabitants of the Oakwood Cemetery in Allegan came to life during the early evenings of June 3rd and 4th thanks to the Friends of Oakwood Cemetery. This is the 9th year that Amanda Strickfaden has guided…

Pullman breaks ground on town square

Pullman breaks ground on town square

Editorial StaffJun 8, 20225 min read

By Gari VossCorrespondent The Pullman Town Square broke ground in May! Now the work begins as the covered shelter, wooden train, conversation benches and picnic area begin to rise.“This project will provide a place for young and old to gather,…

Teens hospitalized after their car crashes in to bus

Teens hospitalized after their car crashes in to bus

Editorial StaffJun 8, 20222 min read

On Thursday, June 2, 2022 at about 6:15am, Allegan County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to an accident between a car and bus from the Allegan Area Educational Services Agency (AAESA). The collision closed both lanes of M-89 near Bridge Road for…

Deputies investigate fatal accidents

Editorial StaffJun 8, 20222 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent ALLEGAN – Allegan County deputies investigated on Monday at 6:21 p.m. when first responders were dispatched to a fatal injury crash on M-40 Highway near Lake View Drive in Trowbridge Township.Deputies, along with Allegan City officers, were…

Stop talking and provide meaningful action to curb school violence

Stop talking and provide meaningful action to curb school violence

Editorial StaffJun 1, 20223 min read

Here’s a sobering statistic. There have been 2032 school shootings in the U.S. since 1970 and the number of shootings is increasing in frequency. Yet very little is being done to help our vulnerable school children.We can talk. We can…