Obituary: George D. Bolton
George D. Bolton, 99, of Lawton, passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, Dec. 8,2024. He was a beloved father, devoted grandfather and great-grandfather, and cherished uncle. His presence and long life were a gift that we will carry with us…
Obituary: Maria Elizabeth DiPrima
Maria Elizabeth DiPrima, 74, of Lawrence, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, at Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo. She was born March 30, 1950, in San Francisco, California, the daughter of John Modica and Anne (Sovish) Modica.Maria had many talents and…
Mike’s Musings: Businesses, citizens come to the aid of disadvantaged families
People say times are tough, and if you sat down next to me while we were reading about all the horrible situations families had endured this past year, you could do nothing but agree.Our annual Christmas Wish Program was conducted…
Life as Performance Art
I thought my father was a bubble or two off center because he was obsessed about never being late. He believed the only way to be on time was to arrive somewhere 10 minutes early. The bank opens at 9 a.m.,…
Paw Paw defeats Plainwell
By John RaffelCorrespondent PAW PAW — It was Paw Paw 51, Plainwell 41 in boys basketball action last week. Paw Paw had quarter leads of 19-12 32-16 and 45-29.“The Red Wolves came out fast in the first quarter,” coach Aaron…
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director sums up the year
James Windell If you ask Kathy Wagaman about the business climate in South Haven, be prepared for an enthusiastic and ebullient assessment of the health of the area.“We saw excellent growth in the number of businesses,” Wagaman, Executive Director of…
Free holiday concert set for Dec. 22
James Windell Vox GR, a nationally recognized choral ensemble, will perform a Christmas concert at Peace Lutheran Church in South Haven on Sunday December 22, 2024.Presented by the South Haven Performance Series, the free concert will bring together an award-winning…
Kevin Schooley honored with proclamation
James Windell Kevin Schooley, who will soon retire as South Haven School Superintendent, was hon-ored with a Proclamation at the December 11, 2024, Board of Education Meeting.The Proclamation from the Michigan Legislature was signed by Aric Nesbitt, who repre-sents Michigan’s…
Paw Paw Rotary’s Santa Run attracts more than 175
More than 175 runners took part in the Santa Run held Saturday morning, Dec. 14 in Paw Paw. The untimed race began at Freshwater Community Church and made its way through downtown Paw Paw, before returning to the church. The…
Fleenor receives positive marks from Mattawan BOE
MATTAWAN – The Mattawan Board of Education conducted its annual evaluation of Super-intendent Randy Fleenor during its December meeting and issued a rating of “effective”. The board extends its sincere gratitude to Mr. Fleenor for his dedication to the staff,…
Godfrey honored by fellow commissioners
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PAW PAW – Van Buren County Commissioner Richard Godfrey was honored by his fellow commissioners, Tuesday Dec. 10, for his lifelong commitment to education, community service, and leadership.Godfrey, who did not seek reelection to another term…
Lawton area churches, schools and businesses provide Christmas baskets to area residents
On Wednesday, Dec. 11, through the support of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Lawton, Lawton Community Schools, New Community Church, Lawton, Lawton area businesses, family and friends, the groups were able to provide for 67 families and 148 Angels. In…
Mattawan Consolidated School receives grant money through Filter First program
MATTAWAN – The Mattawan Consolidated Scholl District has been awarded approximate-ly $180,000 in grant monies through the Filter First program. The FFP in Michigan is designed to ensure clean and safe drinking water for children in schools and childcare centers.…
Lawrence defeats Michigan Lutheran
By John RaffelCorrespondent LAWRENCE — The Lawrence Tigers defeated Michigan Lutheran 46-19 The Lawrence Tigers picked up a big victory over Michigan Lutheran, securing a 46-19 win, their first against Michigan Lutheran since 2016.Carolina Mancera led the Tigers with 18…
Obituary: Janet Louise Hamay
Janet Louise Hamay, 80, of Paw Paw, passed away Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, at Maple Lake Assisted Living, Paw Paw. She was born April 6, 1944, in Coloma, MI, the daughter of Carl and Emma (Behnke) Skibbe.Janet retired from the…
Life as Performance Art
Lately, we have seen the phrase Deus vult — Latin for “God wills it” — in the news.It first used by Pope Urban II in 1095, when he launched the first Crusade. He wanted to convince kings and sub-jects to…
Mike’s Musings: Penny should have not been brought to trial
A 26-year-old former marine has had his life turned upside down after trying to subdue a stranger on a subway in New York City. Daniel Penny jumped in to stop the stranger who was threatening to kill other passengers. For…
Casco fire destroys barn, farm implements
Fire destroyed a barn on a Casco Township (Allegan County) property on Sunday night.South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) responded at 10:15 p.m. to 68th Street near 103rd Avenue when a neighbor reported seeing a barn on fire.The barn was…
South Haven hires a new police chief
By James Windell The City of South Haven announced on Monday, December 9, 2024, that a new police chief has been hired.South Haven City Manager Kate Hosier, in a press release, said that the city was hiring Kevin Swope to…
City Council approves short term rental moratorium
By James Windell Amidst an inability to pass a revised short term rental ordinance, something that has been in discussion for at least two years, the South Haven City Council approved a six-month morato-rium on the issue.Both residents speaking at…
