Courier-Leader, Paw Paw Flashes, & South Haven Beacon

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20247 min read

    As I have written many times in the past, I have long been entranced by newspapers.  You might, quite rightly, accuse me of being addicted to them.  It has been that way since I was in elementary school and…

Mike’s Musings: The day Santa was booed

Mike’s Musings: The day Santa was booed

Editorial StaffSep 25, 20243 min read

I would like to thank the dozens of readers that commented on my Bicycle Hippie finds sobriety column from last week. It certainly was a change of pace from my ranting and raving about government overreach, so much so I’m…

South Haven overcomes Coloma

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20241 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent SOUTH HAVEN – South Haven’s football team proved to be too much for Coloma with a 48-28 victory on Friday.South Haven had a 48-28 advantage in first downs, and 271-85 in rushing yards.South Haven led in total…

Gobles girls win championship trophy

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20242 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent GOBLES – Saturday, the Tigers traveled to Mendon’s home cross country course at Feek County Park in Leonidas, MI to compete in a wooded course that twists and turns wind through the Mendon countryside.The boys finished seventh.…

Obituary: Murray J. Swindell

Obituary: Murray J. Swindell

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20243 min read

Murray J. Swindell, 90, of Lincoln, MA and former longtime resident of Concord, MA passed away on September 2, 2024, surrounded by his loving family and friends.Murray was born on June 22, 1934, to Cassie and G. Murray Swindell in…

PPPS Superintendent accepts a position with nearby district

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20242 min read

PAW PAW – The Paw Paw Public Schools Board of Education announced Monday, Sept. 16, that Superintendent Rick Reo has accepted another position as superintendent of Bloomingdale Public Schools.“We are grateful to Rick for his leadership and the contributions he…

First responders, students remember Patriot Day

First responders, students remember Patriot Day

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20241 min read

To commemorate Patriot Day and honor the lives of those lost on Sept. 11, 2001, a tribute was held at the Paw Paw Elementary Campus flagpole Wednesday morning, Sept. 11. Principals Jeremy Davison and Leah Barnes led the ceremony and…

Man faces assault with intent to murder charge

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20242 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writer BLOOMINGDALE TWP. A 49-year-old Gobles/Bloomingdale area man faces a charge of assault with intent to murder, following a domestic violence incident with his wife, according to a press release from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.Van…

Four campers go up in smoke in Mattawan

Four campers go up in smoke in Mattawan

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20241 min read

The Mattawan Fire District responded to an early Sunday morning, Sept. 15, call to County Road 652, in Antwerp Township. Responding to the scene at approximately 5:28 a.m., firefighters found four camper trailers and a box truck engulfed in flames.…

Mike’s Musings: The bicycle hippie who overcame addiction

Mike’s Musings: The bicycle hippie who overcame addiction

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20243 min read

I was riding my bicycle last Saturday (yes, the same bike I fell and broke my hip from a year ago) when I was about 8 miles from home, and I heard a loud splat. I knew immediately my bsck…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffSep 18, 20247 min read

     After I wrote the Faces in the Crowd piece on teaching penmanship in school, my mind drifted  slightly sideways toward learning how to print in the first and second grade, and then cursive writing a year later.  That class…

Mike’s Musings: Problems galore, but Congress takes six weeks off

Mike’s Musings: Problems galore, but Congress takes six weeks off

Editorial StaffSep 11, 20243 min read

Welcome back Congress, I hope you enjoyed your six-week vacation. That’s right while two wars commanding our attention, an economy that is not well, and a border that is actually borderless, our elected leaders took six weeks off.Of course they…

Obituary: Casimer “Casey” Sigmund Ziemba

Obituary: Casimer “Casey” Sigmund Ziemba

Editorial StaffSep 11, 20243 min read

Casimer “Casey” Sigmund Ziemba, 81, of Paw Paw, passed away Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo.  Casey came into this world on March 5, 1943, at Cook County Hospital, Chicago. He was the son of Frank Ziemba…

Fire Districts served by Almena Township receive ARPA funds

Fire Districts served by Almena Township receive ARPA funds

Editorial StaffSep 11, 20243 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writer ALMENA TWP. – A total of $48,250 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds recently received by Almena Township will be used for different projects by the three different fire districts, Paw Paw Firefighters Association, Mattawan…

Paw Paw tennis ties Sturgis

Editorial StaffSep 11, 20241 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent PAW PAW – Sturgis and Paw Paw tied other in boys tennis action last week
Singles:
No. 1 – George Ebert, Sturgis def. Terrance Fisher, Paw Paw, 6-0 , 6-2 
No. 2 – Wyatt Miller, Sturgis def. Jalen Cole,…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffSep 4, 20247 min read

    Dr Lucy Pollock just published a new book:  The Golden Rule:  Lessons in Living from a Doctor of Ageing, Perhaps the most important of her rules is the most basic, “Do not work in a nursing home if you cannot…

Mike’s Musings: Stories that tickle your funny bone

Mike’s Musings: Stories that tickle your funny bone

Editorial StaffSep 4, 20243 min read

Once in a while, when I have no other topic that peeks my interest, I like to scan stories I find interesting in other media. Here’s what my latest look see from stories I found to be odd, but interesting.Headline-…

Gobles volleyball coach happy with start

Editorial StaffSep 4, 20242 min read

By John RaffelCorrespondent GOBLES – The Gobles varsity volleyball team is off to a great start this season according to coach Renee Rambadt.Their team of 10 consists of: seniors Elizabeth Woodard, Sasha Doll, Emma Schugars; Juniors – Kylee Killeen, Ellie…

The Pure Michigan Trail Town Challenge in South Haven

The Pure Michigan Trail Town Challenge in South Haven

Editorial StaffSep 4, 20242 min read

By Donald Talonen As the leaves begin to change and the crisp air of fall approaches, there’s no better time to set out on an adventure that celebrates the beauty of Michigan. South Haven offers more than just a beautiful…