Chamber of Commerce announces new Executive Director
By James Windell The South Haven Area Chamber of Commerce will have a new Executive Director after Kathy Wagaman has led the agency for the past 13 years.Beginning March 1, 2025, Brandy Key, who has been the Community Liaison for…
Riverwoods Project close to being purchased
By James Windell On February 18, 2025, Scott Reinert, South Haven Area Recreation Authority (SHARA) Recreation Administrator, updated the SHARA Board on the Riverwoods site purchase.Riverwoods is a site owned by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Located adjacent to…
City Council sends new STR ordinance to Planning Commission
By James Windell The South Haven City Council voted to send a revised Short-Term Rental (STR) ordinance to the Planning Commission.While this was welcome news to some factions, it was met with something less than enthusiasm by others.The revised STR…
Student art displayed at South Haven Center for Arts
Voices Made Visual, Middle and High School Art Exhibition held its opening reception at the South Haven Center for the Arts on Friday, February 28, from 5-7pm. Artists, family, friends, and com-munity members were all invited to celebrate with refreshments,…
Chili Walk brings crowd to downtown Paw Paw
The third annual Paw Paw Chili Walk was held Saturday, Feb. 22, in downtown Paw Paw. Nearly 30 businesses and organizations took part in the event that attracted large crowds during the event, held from noon to 4 p.m. The…
Groundbreaking set for first Mattawan Consolidated School Construction Bond Project Stadium Work, Phase 1
MATTAWAN – Mattawan Consolidated School has announced the first groundbreaking ceremony for the district’s inaugural construction project under the $110 million School Construction Bond. The event will take place March 10, at 6 p.m. at the stadium and will officially…
Occupant found dead in Lawton house fire
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com LAWTON – Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott reported that Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives are investigating a fatal house fire that occurred Friday, February 21, at approximately 7:08 a.m., in the 29000…
Mike’s Musings: Engaging with scammers- don’t follow my son’s lead
I was talking with my son recently, and somehow we got on the topic of these pre-recorded prank calls he used to get. Unlike most of us he enjoys engaging with these pranksters. He know they are fraudsters but gets…
Life as Performance Art
BY G.C. STOPPELI came to know John Thistle when we played bagpipes in the Fourth Battalion of the West Mosby Volunteers Band. The name came from a tiny village a few miles outside of Mosby, Mont. He was a good…
Obituary: Dennis Eugene
Dennis Eugene was born with the infamous “Carter Scowl” on Feb. 5, 1947, in South Bend, IN, to Pinkney Eugene and Norma Jean (Cook) Carter. In the middle of five other siblings, Butch, as he came to be called, spent…
First new condos in a decade unveiled
By James Windell The first new condominiums in a decade were unveiled to the public on February 13, 2025.Located at A1 N. Bailey Ave., the three-story, three-bed, three-bath and three-balcony condos overlook the Black River that provides direct access to…
Rich Greene advocates for short term rentals
By James Windell Rich Greene has always found himself in an advocacy position. Whether it was when he was in the Persian Gulf as a Navy Hospital Corpsman, as a special education teacher in Chicago working with the impoverished, or,…
Parks Commission approves donation of beach wheelchairs
By James Windell Over two million people visit South Haven every year. And most of those visitors come to South Haven during the summer months, attracted by the sandy beaches and the blue waters of Lake Michigan.But an estimated 6…
Masonic Lodge makes donation for child safety
On Tuesday, Feb. 11, Paw Paw-Lawton Masonic Lodge No. 25 presented a check for $1,060 to Child Safety of America, Inc. The donation was made during the monthly meeting of the lodge. Funds provided by the organization were made possible…
PPPS welcomes new Later Elementary principal
Paw Paw Public Schools recently welcomed Carolyn Murray as its new Paw Paw Later Elementary principal. She succeeds former Paw Paw LES Principal Jeremy Davison, who was recently named as the district’s new superintendent.Before joining PPPS, Murray served as principal…
Ceremony held for Lawton Hall of Fame inductees
On Feb. 14, Lawton Community Schools held a ceremony for the 2024-25 Lawton BlueDevil Hall of Fame inductees. Named to this year’s Hall of Fame induction class areJanine and Troy Johnson (shown second from left and center) – Outstanding dedication…
Three inducted in to Paw Paw Hall of Fame
This year’s inductees to the Paw Paw Hall of Fame include from left, Michael Roy, Erik Laskovy (accepted on behalf of his mother, Diane Peter and Roy’s daughter, Kellin Laskovy), and Perry Richardson. The three were inducted in ceremonies held…
Man faces charges after vehicle travels off roadway with two small children inside
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com KEELER TWP. – A Pullman area man faces charges of OWI and child endangerment after his vehicle, with two small children inside, traveled off the roadway in Keeler Township. He alleg-edly passed out, with the children…
Lawrence girls defeat Bloomingdale
By John RaffelCorrespondent It was Lawrence, 39, Bloomingdale 21 in girls basketball action on Monday.Junior Carolina Mancera had 19 points while sophomore Colleen McCaw has 14 points.Lawrence lost on Feb. 14 to Decatur 35-30.Hailey Camp had 13 points for Lawrence.On…
Obituary: Kathleen Mulrenin Soard
Kathleen Mulrenin Soard passed away on January 23, 2025, in Carthage, TN. She was born on May 26,1953, in Paw Paw, MI, to Charles and Louise Mulrenin, as the fourth of eventually seven children. Kathy grew up in Paw Paw,…
