Allegan County News & Union Enterprise

Allegan’s Bronkema records first hole in one

Allegan’s Bronkema records first hole in one

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 4 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor SAUGATUCK—With her round coming to an end at Clearbrook Golf Club on Monday, July 11, Zoe Bronkema admits that her level of concentration wasn’t quite where it usually is.“It was kind of a weird round,” said…

Logan Sweet found after three day search

Logan Sweet found after three day search

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 3 min read

The Michigan State Police announced that the body of 31-year-old Logan Thayer Sweet of Hamilton was located on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 3:22pm near 134th Avenue and 32nd Street in Monterey Township between Hamilton and Dorr. The preliminary investigation…

Blue-Green algae problem returns to Swan Lake

Blue-Green algae problem returns to Swan Lake

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 4 min read

Tuesday, July 26, 2022, the Allegan County Health Department received a call that cyanobacteria bloom was detected near the beach at a campground on Swan Lake in Cheshire Township. Nicole Taubner, Sanitarian & Water Quality Specialist with ACHD, took samples…

Allegan abuzz with bevy of weekend events

Allegan abuzz with bevy of weekend events

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 2 min read

Downtown Allegan was buzzing during the last weekend in July! From Hubbard to Brady to Locust to Trowbridge and along Water Streets businesses and community members were involved in a variety of activities.The festivities began on Thursday, July 28, 2022,…

Obituary: Robert Leon Leslie, 70

Obituary: Robert Leon Leslie, 70

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 2 min read

Robert Leon Leslie, 70 of Allegan, Michigan, reunited with his loving wife, Kim, on Sunday, July 10, 2022 with his family by his side. Born March 29, 1952 in Douglas, Michigan, he was the son of the late Earl and…

Life as a Performance Art

Life as a Performance Art

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 4 min read

    The toll road around Chicago had ground into a slow-moving parking lot, and my favorite uncle and I were caught in the middle of it. I was bored and restless, much as any youngster would be. Going to the railroad…

$40 billion without oversight? I think not

$40 billion without oversight? I think not

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 3 min read

There is a different side to the Ukraine story than we’ve been told. Corruption has run rampant through the Ukrainian government ever since it gained independence from the former Soviet Union. One watchdog name Ukraine the second most corrupt nation…

Senior citizen millage tops Primary Election proposals

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 8 min read

By Gari Voss The August 2, 2022 Primary Election will request voters to determine the outcome of a variety of proposals. These proposals will only be available during the August 2nd election. There is one countywide renewal proposal for Senior…

Allegan City Police receive Hometown Hero Award

Allegan City Police receive Hometown Hero Award

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 4 min read

By Gari Voss What seemed like the regular change of shifts turned into an award ceremony for the City of Allegan Police Department. On the afternoon of Friday, July 22, 2022, when the officers entered the breakroom, the table contained…

Arson suspected in Gilkey fire

Editorial Staff Aug 8, 2022 3 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor A fire at Gilkey Elementary School in Plainwell appears to be a case of arson, according to officials from the Plainwell Department of Public Safety.Firefighters were dispatched to the school at approximately 7:58 p.m. on Tuesday,…

Obituary: Richard J. Poljan II, 82

Obituary: Richard J. Poljan II, 82

Editorial Staff Jul 20, 2022 3 min read

Richard J. Poljan II, age 82, of Goetzville, Michigan, died July 12, 2022 in Coldwater, Michigan. Richard (Dick) was born November 2, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Richard and Viola (Maciejewski) Poljan. Dick graduated from Richmond High School…

Obituary: Audrey J. Hart, 74

Obituary: Audrey J. Hart, 74

Editorial Staff Jul 20, 2022 2 min read

Audrey was born to Thelma (Morris) Thomas and Basil Thomas on August 26th, 1947 in Traverse City, Michigan. The family lived in southwest Michigan, settling in Portage where Audrey graduated from Portage Central High School in 1965. Audrey married E.J…

Obituary: Emma Christine Schafer Essenburgh, 100

Obituary: Emma Christine Schafer Essenburgh, 100

Editorial Staff Jul 20, 2022 2 min read

Emma Christine Schafer Essenburgh, 100 of Allegan, Michigan went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at the ACMCC. Born April 17, 1922 on the family farm in Hopkins, Michigan, she was the daughter of Henry and…

Armintrout- Millbocker Nature Preserve plans fall opening

Armintrout- Millbocker Nature Preserve plans fall opening

Editorial Staff Jul 20, 2022 5 min read

By Leslie Ballard The Armintrout-Milbocker Nature Preserve, which opens this fall in Allegan, will have even more to offer visitors than anticipated.At the beginning of the year Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC) received the Ecological and Floristic study from their…

Primary Election loaded with contested races

Primary Election loaded with contested races

Editorial Staff Jul 20, 2022 10 min read

By Gari Voss The State of Michigan Primary Elections will be Tuesday, August 2, 2022. Allegan County voters have their work cut out for themselves with the full slate of candidates in the primary. This is the first election since…

Mike’s Musings: Airline travel woes, flying is frustrating

Mike’s Musings: Airline travel woes, flying is frustrating

Editorial Staff Jul 20, 2022 3 min read

Editor’s Note: My friend wrote the following commentary about his experience flying to Florida. We have all been warned that flying is becoming more and more dicey. Personally, I fly back in forth monthly from Florida to Michigan, and luckily,…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Jul 20, 2022 6 min read

A retired parish priest told me he always prayed no one would pass away on Christ-mas Eve or Day. He didn’t want family or friends to connect the most joyous day of the year with a loved one’s death.Perhaps we…

Hau’oli Shave Ice opens in Otsego

Hau’oli Shave Ice opens in Otsego

Editorial Staff Jul 13, 2022 5 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Are you in need of a cold treat to help beat the summer heat?If so, there’s a new option in downtown Otsego to help with that.Located at 132 W. Allegan St., Hau’oli Shave Ice opened to…

GVSU gives Watson Excellence in Discipline Award

GVSU gives Watson Excellence in Discipline Award

Editorial Staff Jul 13, 2022 3 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor ALLENDALE—Each year, Grand Valley State University honors one undergraduate student and one graduate student in each academic major with an Excellence in Discipline Award.An Otsego High School graduate was among this year’s recipients.Anna Watson, who graduated…

Foupht sentenced to 50-75 years

Foupht sentenced to 50-75 years

Editorial Staff Jul 13, 2022 2 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor An Otsego-area man who pleaded guilty to charges related to the production and possession of child pornography learned his fate on Thursday, July 7.Appearing in the 48th Circuit Court, Steven Lee Foupht received a sentence to…

By Mike Wilcox
Owner/Publisher

Every year, as the Christmas season draws near, I’m reminded just how generous our communities can be. For nearly two decades, Wilcox Newspapers has hosted what’s become one of my favorite traditions: our Annual Christmas Wish Program.

It started simply enough. We asked readers who were struggling to write in and tell us what would make their Christmas a little brighter. The idea was to connect local families in need with local people who wanted to help. Over the years, it’s grown into something truly special—and this year, we’re doing it again.