Saugatuck/Douglas Commercial Record

Laskowski named First Team All-State

Editorial Staff Apr 16, 2025 2 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorWith the loss of All-State guard Brook Simpson to graduation, Saugatuck girls basketball coach Kevin Tringali knew he had some big shoes to fill heading into the 2024-25 season.Enter Tali Laskowski.A junior who had previously been home-schooled,…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial Staff Apr 16, 2025 3 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorMandatory LifeI read the news today, oh boy: “No mandatory life for 19- and 20-year-olds, court decides.”When I was 19 and 20, I never thought life was optional. At that age, why would I want to? Of course,…

Gas outage leaves thousands in the cold

Gas outage leaves thousands in the cold

Editorial Staff Apr 16, 2025 2 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorThe heat is on again for some 5,200 local homes and businesses after a natural gas line was ruptured April 9 southeast of Fennville.Michigan Gas Utilities, which owns the line, and TC Energy, which operates it, were joined…

Mike’s Musings: Give tariffs a chance, they may work

Mike’s Musings: Give tariffs a chance, they may work

Editorial Staff Apr 16, 2025 3 min read

Let’s give the tariffs time to work. If they don’t work I will be the first to admit I was wrong. President Trump seems to be backing off his hardline positions with a 90-day reprieve for most, and taking tariffs…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Apr 16, 2025 5 min read

Sometimes we learn more about ourselves and our fu-ture by looking back in histo-ry.Today, we go back about a century to the Roaring ‘20s. Babe Ruth is slamming home runs, the Four Horse-men are playing for Knute Rockne at Notre…

Pipeline leak shuts down gas to 5K+ homes

Pipeline leak shuts down gas to 5K+ homes

Editorial Staff Apr 11, 2025 2 min read

A natural gas transmission pipeline damaged near Fennville Wednesday cut off service to some 5,200 customers in the Saugatuck/Douglas/Fennville area. More than 200 Michigan Gas Utilities and other crews from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois and continued working to restore service…

Interurban grows in uncertain times

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 4 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor In Saugatuck-Douglas the blue buses are ubiquitous. Starting soon the Interurban Transit Authority’s fleet will be venturing further into Fennville, Laketown Township and Glenn reaching to South Haven from expanded offices. The low-cost — 50 cents…

Police chase ends in Jars parking lot

Jordan Wilcox Apr 9, 2025 2 min read

By Jordan Wilcox Assistant Publisher Police Monday arrested a Northern Michigan man who fled briefly in the Jars Cannabis parking lot off Blue Star Highway south of Douglas. Allegan County Sheriff’s deputies and Michigan State Police answered a 2:27 p.m.…

Friends honor library head

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 1 min read

Friends of the Saugatuck-Douglas District Library honored Ingrid Boyer (front and center on her 10th anniversary as library director. Shown behind her are (from left) Carol Carra, Jess Grey, Christi Allen, Kirstin Carr, Betsy York, Gini Cooper and Charlotte Stewart.…

CN funder May 4 honors Frederick legacy

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 2 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor The late Arthur Frederick’s spring benefits for Christian Neighbors, held in his art filled home and gardens, were a must on many calendars. For more than 20 years they raised upwards of $20,000 for the nonprofit…

Wiley to close April 14 for water work

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 2 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor Douglas will close Wiley Road 450 feet east of Blue Star Highway starting the week of April 14 and lasting 5 to 10 business days to install a fire-suppression line to its soon-to-be city hall/police station…

Douglas unveils new public marina plans

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 3 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor Douglas City Council Monday eyeballed plans to add a picnic pavilion, restroom with showers, firepit and handicap accessible sidewalks at Douglas Marina, thanks to a $100,000 Consumer Energy Foundation grant and help from ex-owners Bud Baty…

Bird’s eye view shows Ferry progress

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 2 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor If it looks like fitting together puzzle pieces from the sky, you’re not wrong. The Ferry Street culvert project continued advancing last week, as shown nearby, towards completion by Memorial Day weekend. Douglas closed Ferry —…

Dunn earns spot on Cincinnati’s opening-day roster

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 2 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorCINCINNATI—After getting his first taste of Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds last season, Saugatuck High School graduate Blake Dunn entered spring training battling for a spot on the Reds’ opening day roster.Mission accomplished.Dunn won a…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 4 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorBug AcreYum, yum … maggots? A Washington Post story stops shy of saying maggo-roni and cheese will soon be a diet staple for humans. But it already is for pets.Grubs are beetle, not fly, larvae, but no doubt…

Interurban grows routes to meet rising needs

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 4 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorIn Saugatuck-Douglas the blue buses are ubiquitous. Starting soon the Interurban Transit Authority’s fleet will be venturing further into Fennville, Laketown Township and Glenn reaching to South Haven from expanded offices.The low-cost — 50 cents for children under…

Bird’s eye view shows Ferry progress

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 2 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorIf it looks like fitting together puzzle pieces from the sky, you’re not wrong. The Ferry Street culvert project continued advancing last week, as shown below, towards completion by Memorial Day weekend.Douglas closed Ferry — a key north-south…

Mike’s Musings: Measles comeback? Stop the hysteria

Mike’s Musings: Measles comeback? Stop the hysteria

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 3 min read

I keep receiving emails from public health officials about the threat of measles. Just like a week ago, I read a release that announced two cases of measles had been diagnosed in Michigan. I had thought measles were a thing…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Apr 9, 2025 5 min read

I keep hearing rumors about the Administration selling off the U.S. Post Of-fice as another cost-cutting measure. Maybe it is true; maybe not; maybe the idea is being floated to see what our reaction will be.I think it is goofy…

Finland forests, fowl, fur Explored

Editorial Staff Apr 2, 2025 1 min read

Holland family doctor/ birder Eric Gustafson will share “Finland: Forests, Fowl and Fur” with Holland Audubon Society members and guests Thursday, April 8 in the Commons Room at Hope Church, 77 W. 11th St., starting at 7 p.m. Admission is…

By Mike Wilcox
Owner/Publisher

Every year, as the Christmas season draws near, I’m reminded just how generous our communities can be. For nearly two decades, Wilcox Newspapers has hosted what’s become one of my favorite traditions: our Annual Christmas Wish Program.

It started simply enough. We asked readers who were struggling to write in and tell us what would make their Christmas a little brighter. The idea was to connect local families in need with local people who wanted to help. Over the years, it’s grown into something truly special—and this year, we’re doing it again.