Mike’s Musings: Is Cracker Barrel’s new strategy, doomed?
With Congress on vacation for the entire month of August (how dare they) and very little else happening, the Cracker Barrel rebranding hit center stage in last week’s news cycle. The CEO and Marketing Manager rolled out a new contemporary…
Allegan Ladder Truck returns to firehouse
By Gari Voss The buzz around the firehouse on Saturday, August 23, 2025, was not just about a wonderful pancake breakfast complete with eggs, hashbrowns, and sausage or the delicious spaghetti supper that followed, but about the 1951 Ladder Truck…
Council approves downtown apartments, water bill possible increase
By Gari Voss During their August 25, 2025, meeting, the Allegan City Council accepted a Block Grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to create 10 new second story apartments in Downtown Allegan, approved a budget alignment to complete…
Nearly 700 children take part in Ransom summer program
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Ransom District Library assistant director Erin Marsh knows how busy the summer months are for children and their families.That’s why she was beyond excited that nearly 700 children signed up to participate in this year’s Summer…
Otsego Library summer program sees record participation
The Otsego District Library’s Summer Reading Program was deemed a huge success by ODL assistant director/program coordinator Diane DeVries.“Patrons embraced the theme–Color Our World—which showcased the creativity and artistic spirit of the Otsego community,” DeVries said. “All summer long, the…
Football Season Preview:
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor ALLEGANSullivan Garvin stands out on a football field … and just about everywhere else.It’s hard not to when you check in at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds.A senior lineman for Allegan, Garvin will continue his gridiron career…
Otsego girls golf opens season with record-setting effort
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor GOBLES—Talk about starting the season on a high note.Hosting the Shamrock Invitational at Shamrock Hills Golf Club on Friday, Aug. 15, the Otsego girls golf team posted a team score of 357 to tie Harper Creek…
Life as Performance Art
Life as Performance Art: Joan AndersonG C Stoppel Joan Anderson died on the 14th of July this year at the age of 101. I suspect her name is hardly familiar anymore, but she was perhaps the greatest social influencer in…
Mike’s Musings: Why So Many Michiganders Under 30 Can’t Afford a House
The dream of homeownership, once a clear stepping stone into adulthood, now feels like a mirage for many Michiganders under 30. Despite living in a state often touted for its affordability, structural barriers have erased much of the margin that…
Local teen ready for Allegan County Fair Rodeo
By Gari Voss The Flying Star Rodeo will be at the Grandstand of the Allegan County Fair on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, beginning at 7pm. Waiting for his time to enter the bull riding chute will be Ashton Prolo, a…
Village Market Food Centers to be acquired by Harding’s Friendly Markets
All four will soon be sold to Harding’s Friendly Markets. Photos from Google Maps. By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher In late June, major news broke when SpartanNash announced their sale to a New Hampshire grocery conglomerate. As a Byron Center-based wholesaler…
Otsego prepares for 10th year of Gus Macker tourney
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The Otsego Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament has reached double digits.That’s right. The Otsego Macker is turning 10 years old this year, as the first tournament was held in 2015.No event took place in 2020 due…
Top Senior Student-Athletes: Plainwell
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor During his time at Plainwell High School, 2025 graduate Adin Young could be found on the football field in the fall, on the wrestling mats in the winter and on the track in the spring.And while…
Fowl Play! Illegal cockfighting ring discovered
By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher Anyone who’s ever been to Hopkins knows that the sounds of barnyard animals are not an auditory anomaly. Due to the area’s strong dairy farming industry, cows can be heard all day long.However, on Saturday, July…
Area football teams begin ramping up for 2025 season
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor High school football players and coaches from Allegan County joined their counterparts across the state in preparing for the upcoming season on Monday, Aug. 11.That was the first day official practice was allowed by the Michigan…
High school gymnasium plans temporarily under water
Summer at Allegan Senior High School has been busy with renovations related to the Allegan Public Schools bond passed by Allegan voters in 2021. The $87.5 million bond has three phases that stretch from school year 2021-22 to Fall 2026…
Fennville voters approve bond referendum for facility Improvements
Fennville Voters Approve Bond Referendum for Facility ImprovementsOn August 5, 2025, voters in the Fennville Public Schools district approved a bond referendum to reinvest in the district’s facilities, focusing on improving air quality, safety, and learning environments for all students,…
Man drowns in Fennville pool
A 78-year-old man drowned in a pool at a home in Fennville on Saturday afternoon, firefighters say.It happened around 1 p.m. at a home on 124th Avenue. Fennville Fire Department Chief Paul Hapke says firefighters received a call about the…
Mike’s Musings: Michigan’s SNAP Fraud Crisis- fraud running rampant
Michigan’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — a lifeline for roughly 1.4 million residents — is being chipped away, quite literally, by inadequate technology and sluggish enforcement.In fiscal year 2024, fraud in Michigan’s SNAP program surged by nearly 400%, reaching…
Do you need help? Write Us!
By Mike Wilcox
Owner/Publisher
