Life as Performance Art
One of the absolute joys of living in this part of western Michigan is the abundance and variety of birds. There are few experiences as magnificent as getting up while it is still dark to go for even a…
Paw Paw golfers take 16th
By John RaffelCorrespondent PAW PAW — Paw Paw’s boys got team ended its 2026 season in Division 2 regional action recently at Coldwater Golf Course.Paw Paw finished 16th in the tournament with a 350. St Joseph won it with 312,…
Mike’s Musings: Summer Vacation for Congress? Must Be Nice
As millions of Americans head off to work each morning, balancing family budgets, worrying about rising costs, paying taxes, and trying to keep their businesses afloat, there is one group of people who seem to operate under a completely different…
SHAES answers 8 fire alarms in two hours
A fire at a South Haven business tonight (Wednesday) was one of eight alarms answered by South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) in a two-hour period. All were related to high winds toppling trees. Other storm-related reports continued to be…
Police officers, lifeguards receive awards
James Windell South Haven Police Chief Adam DeBoer honored two police officers and three lifeguards with awards at the South Haven City Council meeting on Monday, June 15, 2026.Calling Detective Knizewiski and Officer Haner to the podium, Chief DeBoer said…
Lifeguards rescue Mayor Brown’s husband
By James Windell When the lifeguard program returned to South Haven’s South Beach during the Memorial Day weekend, no one had any idea how quickly a trained lifeguard program would pay off.On June 9, 2026, Jeff Filbrandt came out of…
Riverfront Concert Series begins new season
By James Windell The free Riverfront Concert Series returns for 10 Thursday nights of family-friendly music and kids activities beginning on Thursday June 25, 2026.Sponsored by the City of South Haven and Foundry Hall, the 2026 Riverfront Concert Series kicks…
Female dies in Waverly Township house fire
WAVERLY TWP. – Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott reported that on Thursday, June 11, at approximately 5:46 a.m., Van Buren County Central Dispatch received a 911 call reporting a house fire in the 35000 block of 36th Avenue in…
Traffic stop leads to pursuit, drug and firearm seizure, and arrest
HARTFORD TWP. – Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott reported that on June 9, at approximately 4:09 p.m., detectives with the Van Buren County Narcotics Unit received information regarding a male subject operating a red 2019 Buick Encore in the…
Identity of man wanted by Lawton Police Department
The Lawton Police Department is asking for help from the public in identifying a man, shown in photo above, in connection with a hit-and-run incident. The police department said he may be driving a newer model white GMC or Chevrolet…
Seventh-day Adventist Church expansion work continues
Expansion work on the Paw Paw Seventh-day Adventist Church is shown in this recent photo. The $3 million expansion project aims to better serve the congregation and community through increased space, accessibility, and comfort. The new addition will effectively double…
Capman, Lindblom named Citizens of the Year in Sturgis
Deb Capman and Barry Lindblom have been named 2026 “Citizens of the Year” in Sturgis.The selections were announced by Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce.Capman moved to Sturgis in the mid-1960s and graduated from Sturgis Public Schools in 1974. She has…
Mattawan baseball in state semifinals
By John RaffelCorrespondent MATTAWAN— Mattawan’s baseball team will be playing this weekend at Michigan State University’s McLane Stadium after winning three games last week.The Wildcats are 32-9-2 overall. They beat Lowell 2-1 in eight innings on June 3 in a…
Mike’s Musings: Mental Health: A Crisis We Can No Longer Ignore
I used to think alcoholism was the biggest problem facing Americans. Along with drugs it certainly is a disease that affects many of us. However, mental health is a much bigger problem and when you combine it with alcohol. you…
Plane crashes on South Haven runway, pilot not injured
The pilot in a single engine aircraft escaped injury when her plane crashed while taking off from South Haven Regional Airport on Monday morning.South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) and South Haven Police Department (SHPD) responded at 9:30 a.m. to…
Twelve ducklings rescued from storm drain
Neighbors in the vicinity of Indiana Ave. and Cable Ave. in South Haven were alarmed by the actions of an adult female duck who was making quite a fuss next to a storm water drain on Thursday afternoon.Upon investigation they…
Elkenburg Park summer recreation program receives needed funds
By James Windell The Elkenburg Park Summer Recreation Program, which has provided a summer enrichment experience for the past 20 years, seemed doomed recently when expected funding disappeared.But thanks to the generosity of the Carol and Don Hodgman Fund, the…
Diane and Lisa honored by Mayor Annie Brown
By James Windell More than five years ago, Diane and Lisa Van Deurzen-Otey left their home in Tucson, Arizona to come to South Haven to help out a friend. They had no intention of staying in this area because they…
Two Van Buren County Sheriff’s deputies each receive Distinguished Service Awards
PAW PAW – Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott has announced that Deputy Eric Calhoun and Deputy Randy Whitmore were both awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association on June 7.Undersheriff Casey Davis spoke at the awards…
Antwerp Board responds to District Library Board’s motion to decline mediation
The following letter, dated May 29, was sent to the Antwerp Township Board in response to Antwerp Township Supervisor Dan Ruzick’s request for mediation with the Van Buren District Library Board.Antwerp Township Board of Trustees: At its May 19 meeting at…
