Saugatuck/Douglas Commercial Record

Poets play on Salmon Docket

Poets play on Salmon Docket

Editorial StaffAug 17, 20221 min read

The once-annual, interrupted-by-Covid-Etc.-too-long Red Dock Poetry Reading will return to the eye-popping-now-more-more-like-a-Salmon Dock (shown with Chief Tony Amato vanishing through a portal) off the end of Douglas North Union Street Wednesday, Aug. 31, from 6 to 7 p.m. Live music…

Familiar faces, new places as township realigns

Familiar faces, new places as township realigns

Editorial StaffAug 17, 20222 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorIt wasn’t musical chairs but close Aug. 10 as the Saugatuck Township Board:• Accepted supervisor Cindy Osman’s resignation and appointed her full-time building official/assistant zoning administrator;• Named clerk Abby Bigford supervisor to replace Osman; and• Appointed planning commission…

Saugatuck city seeks to fill 3 seats

Editorial StaffAug 17, 20223 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorSaugatuck City Council has hired Frank Walsh Municipal Services to seek candidates for three city positions, two old ones combined plus a new one.A new combined zoning administrator and project manager, combining jobs recently vacated by Cindy Osman…

Township may seek .5 mill for parks

Township may seek .5 mill for parks

Editorial StaffAug 10, 20222 min read

BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR The Saugatuck Township Board was scheduled to vote Wednesday, Aug. 10 (too late for this week’s deadline) on asking voters Nov. 8 to approve a 10-year, 0.5-mill property tax assessment to operate, maintain and improve public…

Mt. Baldhead Challenge comes home Sept. 10

Mt. Baldhead Challenge comes home Sept. 10

Editorial StaffAug 10, 20225 min read

The 22nd annual Mt. Baldhead Challenge will “come home” to downtown Saugatuck’s Wicks Park Saturday, Sept. 10. The Saugatuck-Douglas Rotary Club’s Saugatuck Public Schools’ Boys and Girls Club fundraiser, aka “The Ultimate Multi-Terrain Race,” will offer 8.2-mile “Challenge” and 12.5-mile…

Pickleball power kids pop!

Pickleball power kids pop!

Editorial StaffAug 10, 20221 min read

A Douglas-Saugatuck Pickleball Club hosted camp Aug. 1-2 at Schultz Park had 15 kids ages 9 to 15 jumping for joy with new tie-dyed t-shirts and paddles from Niles-based Paddletec Co. Club member Sarah Cullen and Saugatuck Community Recreation director…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial StaffAug 10, 20224 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorMonkeypoxI’ve wanted to be Monkeypox Czar since I heard of the job just now. President Biden tapped FEMA regional administrator Robert Fenton to the new role with Demetre Daskalakis deputy. Their mission: get new vaccines into arms of…

Abstract a part

Abstract a part

Editorial StaffAug 10, 20221 min read

Abstract is not apart from the Art Coast of Michigan. Kevin Barrett’s steel “Kickstart” sculpture, shown here framed by Saugatuck Center for the Arts arches removed one more level from “reality” photographically is shown here. Look for more public sculpture…

Water Street building hearing Thursday

Water Street building hearing Thursday

Editorial StaffAug 10, 20222 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorShould Saugatuck’s former River Market/Gleason’s store and current Big Lake Outfitters buildings at 650 and 640 Water Street, sold together Oct. 15 for $1.75 million, be razed and replaced by a 20,327-square-foot, 3-story mixed-use building?A Saugatuck Zoning Board…

Mike’s Musings-Why the difference in American, European foods?

Mike’s Musings-Why the difference in American, European foods?

Editorial StaffAug 10, 20223 min read

In America, many of us suffer from a variety of illnesses and medical conditions. Many more of us are overweight and feed on a diet that includes too much junk food and cola. It is a shame that many of…

Life as a Performance Art

Life as a Performance Art

Editorial StaffAug 10, 20225 min read

Mother may not have orig-inated the concept of Cancel Culture half a century ago, but when the occasion called for it she was aces. She did it quietly and judiciously.One time John Birch Socie-ty representative turned up at our door,…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial StaffAug 10, 20225 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorDownloadI learn doing and undoing. Take the flash. After nine years of natural-light photography I bought a Speedlite for an indoor shoot. Time had come.It arrived the p.m. before the shoot and I quaked unpacking it. My Depression-raised…

Mike’s Musings: Big Oil… Soaking our Savings

Mike’s Musings: Big Oil… Soaking our Savings

Editorial StaffAug 9, 20223 min read

Those of us who use more than a tank of gas on a weekly basis, have felt the doubling of gas prices in our pocketbook. What use to be a $40 fill-up is now $80 and if you own a…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial StaffAug 8, 20225 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorDownloadI learn doing and undoing. Take the flash. After nine years of natural-light photography I bought a Speedlite for an indoor shoot. Time had come.It arrived the p.m. before the shoot and I quaked unpacking it. My Depression-raised…

Supreme Court says rehear dunes standing

Supreme Court says rehear dunes standing

Editorial StaffAug 8, 20224 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorThe Michigan Supreme Court Friday struck down past local and state appeals court rulings that a dunes preservation group lacked standing to appeal 2017 go-aheads given a proposed NorthShore of Saugatuck development north of the Kalamazoo River channel…

No bowl of cherries for toppled truck

No bowl of cherries for toppled truck

Editorial StaffAug 8, 20221 min read

First responders don’t get to cherry pick incidents they are called to but an exception came July 13 when a semi and 48-foot trailer hauling 48 crates of cherries overturned on northbound I-196 just north of Exit 34 at 3:41…

Blue Star Trail alive +, backers say

Blue Star Trail alive +, backers say

Editorial StaffAug 8, 20229 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorRumors of the Blue Star Trail’s death may be premature, witness backers’ response to a temporary state grant turndown and perhaps a July 21 Commercial Record front-page headline “$1.72+ million Trail request dead ends, for now.”Assuming one overlooks…

Life as a Performance Art

Life as a Performance Art

Editorial StaffAug 8, 20224 min read

    The toll road around Chicago had ground into a slow-moving parking lot, and my favorite uncle and I were caught in the middle of it. I was bored and restless, much as any youngster would be. Going to the railroad…

$40 billion without oversight? I think not

$40 billion without oversight? I think not

Editorial StaffAug 8, 20223 min read

There is a different side to the Ukraine story than we’ve been told. Corruption has run rampant through the Ukrainian government ever since it gained independence from the former Soviet Union. One watchdog name Ukraine the second most corrupt nation…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial StaffJul 20, 20224 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorGimme Dat“I’m banging on doors of the universe,” I told Flannery.“It has doors?” my daughter asked.Should I run with or from this metaphor? “God isn’t in,” I told her. “The doorman told me.”“Kafka or the Emerald City? …”“Look!”…