Explosion, fire destroy three buildings in Geneva Township
Fire destroyed three buildings on a property on County Road 687 near 63rd Street, Geneva Township of Van Buren County, early Wednesday morning, according to South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES).SHAES responded at 6:05 a.m. after neighbors reported hearing a…
Paw Paw High School students receive top honors at choir festival
Paw Paw choir students had a great day at the District Solo & Ensemble Festival at Southwestern Michigan College, Dowagiac. The students prepared two pieces to sing in front of experienced adjudicators, and they received excellent feedback on their performances.…
Paw Paw High School students names to state honors choirs
This past weekend, several Paw Paw Public Schools choir students participated in the State Honors Choirs. These students went through multiple rounds of auditions, and they learned some very challenging pieces of music. They had the opportunity to perform this…
Mattawan man to be sentenced in March for 2023 death
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PAW PAW – On Monday, Jan. 27, Gregory Campos, 34, of Mattawan, was found guilty following a jury trial in 36th Circuit Court, Paw Paw, on four charges stemming from a 2023 incident in Waverly Township…
Investigation leads to arrest in connection with multiple thefts
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com A 40-year-old Kalamazoo County man, who was arrested Thursday morning, January 30, in Kalamazoo County on two outstanding warrants, now faces additional charges stemming from thefts throughout Van Buren and Kalamazoo counties, according to a press…
Mike’s Musings: Defund NGO’s, and do it now
If you’ve been watching the crisis at our southern border, you might wonder what has happened to the millions of illegal immigrants that crossed the border the last few years. Where do they go, and how are they supported you…
Life as Performance Art
By now we have all seen bleak photos from the fire zones in southern California. Thousands of homes, busi-nesses, churches and schools have been reduced to rubble.Other places have been so badly damaged they may have to be pulled down.…
Gobles boys basketball team off to good start
By John RaffelCorrespondent The Gobles Varsity team is off to a solid start this year and are 6-3 at this point. After a few tough losses the Tigers bounced back with a solid 47-27 conference win over Saugatuck. With that…
Obituary: Dr. Frank Joseph “Joe” Loomis
Dr. Frank Joseph “Joe” Loomis, 100, of Whispering Pines, died peacefully on Saturday, January 25, 2025.Born in Luckey, Ohio, December 28, 1924, he was the son of the late Chauncey Burr and Esther Emma Joseph Loomis. During WWII, he was…
Obituary: Louis C. Barkovich
Louis C. Barkovich, 90, of Paw Paw, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Paw Paw. He was born Aug. 8, 1934, in Paw Paw, Michigan, the son of Charles Barkovich and…
SHAES in 2024 had record year for responses
SOUTH HAVEN — South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) responded to a record number of calls during 2024, according to the department’s Annual Report.Marking its 28th year, the SHAES Authority serves the city of South Haven and the townships of…
Black History Leadership Society presents at the Scott Club
By James Windell The members of the Black History Leadership Society have been persistent in their efforts to keep Black history alive. Each February, in celebration of Black History Month, the Black History Leadership Society (BHLS) presents a program at…
Bid to work on Dyckman Bridge approved by SH City Council
By James Windell The South Haven City Council approved a quote from Davis Construction, Inc. to repair the Dyckman Avenue Bridge.Although it has been known for several years that the Dyckman Avenue Bridge over the Black River needed repairs, the…
City Council receives short term rental snapshot report
By James Windell One sure fire way of generating discussion – and sometimes division – on the South Haven City Council is to place an item related to Short Term Rental (STR) on the agenda for a City Council meeting.That…
Thrift Shop pays tribute to two volunteers
Charlene Bare and Richard Szotek, volunteers at Community Thrift Shop, Paw Paw, recently celebrated their 90th birthdays with a birthday cake given in honor to the pair by the thrift shop. Bare has been a Community Thrift Shop volunteer for…
Mattawan has big plans for auditorium improvements
Following the successful passage of the 2024 bond, Mattawan Consolidated School is currently undergoing changes and improvements throughout the district. The high school’s James A. Weeldreyer Auditorium is currently seeing microphone upgrades, industry standard LED lighting and a new AV…
Women Who Care donate $9k to Paw Paw robotics
Paw Paw High School’s 2PawRobotics female team members gave a successful presentation to the 100+ Women Who Care of Van Buren County on Wednesday, Jan. 15, and were the recipients of $9,000. The 100+ Women Who Care of Van Buren…
Lawton names inductees for Hall of Fame
Lawton Community Schools have announced the 2024-25 Lawton Blue Devil Hall of Fame inductees. Named to this year’s Hall of Fame induction class are Troy and Janine Johnson (shown at far left) – Outstanding dedication in coaching, volunteerism, and supporting…
Obituary: Peggy Lynn Shamblin
Peggy Lynn Shamblin, 70, passed away January 16, 2025, after an extended period of illness. She was born November 24, 1954, to Paul & Lillian (Scott) Knapp of Pullman, Michigan. She was the youngest child, having two older siblings, Patrick…
Obituary: Dr. Martin John Bukovac
Dr. Martin John Bukovac, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Horticulture Department at Michigan State University (MSU), died Sunday, January 5, 2025, at Burcham Hills Retirement Community in East Lansing, Michigan. He was 95 years old.The funeral service will be…
