By Jason WesseldykSports EditorGOBLES—The Saugatuck quartet of Novella DeGraaf, Brook Simpson, Mazie Robison and Vivian Vallarsa is fast.How fast, you ask?Well, their time of 50.99 in the 4×100 relay at the Gobles Little Guys Invitational on Friday, May 10, not…

Jane Feldott, 101 Jane K Feldott (née’ Keith), 101, widow of Joseph R. Feldott, passed away following a brief illness on May 5, 2024 in Douglas. She was born to Gilbert and Madeleine Keith on Nov. 17, 1922 in Hinsdale,…

Estelle Friedl, 94 Estelle Friedl (Estela Alicia López Barajas) of Saugatuck, age 94, passed away surrounded by love on May 7, 2024. She was born on Sept. 1, 1929 in San Francisco del Rincon, Guanajuato, Mexico to Felipe López Mireles…

By Scott SullivanEditorWorld Donkey DayJust when I needed a shot of self-esteem came World Donkey Day. Desert animal scientist Ark Raziq founded it to recognize how asses enhance human lives.“Without donkeys’ help,” says Raziq, “it is hard to imagine the…

A planned community playground build, delayed three weeks by legal skirmishes, finally took place May 6-8 with enthused volunteers such as these installing new children’s gear at Village Square Park in downtown Saugatuck. The $336,000 equipment replaces old apparatus, deemed…

By Scott SullivanEditorA mixed Saugatuck City Council Monday accepted a $130,000 donation to convert its Old Airport land into public recreation trails.The 169.1-acre parcel lies in Saugatuck Township east of I-196, near 63rd Street and 134th Avenue. The city bought…

    If you don’t mind me saying so, I think the world is getting a bit too spooky.  This war in Israel has been going on for months and tempers are getting short about the number of civilian casualties – and rightfully…

I thought I’d take time out from writing about politics to offer a few weird, or absurd items that appeared in the news last week. It seems some news stories are getting weirder and weirder as weeks and months go…

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorSHEPHERD—Talk about symmetry.Competing at the Bluejay Invitational in Shepherd on Friday, May 3, both the girls and boys track teams from Saugatuck finished with 78 points. And both placed third in the eight-team Small Division with that…

Andrew (Drew) McLean Carter, 56, of Fennville passed away Thursday, April 25, 2024 while in Hospice care during his final stage of Huntington’s disease.Drew was born Feb. 21, 1968 in Port Huron, son of the late Charles and Shirley Carter.…

By Scott SullivanEditorDerby DayWhat’s worse than a man without a home? In Douglas, a land without a zone. The planning commission May 9 will weigh saving 16.77 acres — bought in 2013 and annexed from Saugatuck Township two years later…

By Scott SullivanEditorRyan Kilpatrick, Douglas community and economic development director from 2009 to 2014, will consult with city again about meeting affordable housing goals.City council Monday hired Kilpatrick’s Flywheel Community Development Services for $3,500 to conduct a housing workshop and…

Someone figured out a better idea. No more hose drinking or palm lapping. We had to have our water in a sanitary container – a thin, one-time-use bottle – so we would be safe from all those evil germs. We…

Like many of us I struggle with having to pay taxes each year. I often wonder why I put aside more and more each year to pay the government yet get lesser and lesser services.For instance, I’m drawing social security.…

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorFirst-year Saugatuck girls soccer coach Jim Theis was impressed by the performance of South Haven’s goalie when his team squared off with the visiting Rams on Monday, April 29.“She had a lot of saves,” Theis said of…

Anne L. Westenbroek, age 74, of Saugatuck passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Anne was born in Pontiac on April 24, 1949, moved to Saugatuck in 1983 and has called it home ever since.Anne was a local bus driver for…

Janet Boyce McCormick, age 92, of St. Louis, Mo. and a longtime Douglas summer resident, walked the Runway to her heavenly home on Friday Jan. 5, 2024.Jan was born in St Louis, where she attended Christ the King Elementary School,…

By Scott SullivanEditorProtest ContestI was sorry to miss the Satanic Temple’s invocation before last week’s Ottawa County Board meeting. When I looked at both sides, clouds got in my way.Ordained Minister of Satan Luis Cypher called on the hosts to…

By Scott SullivanEditorIt’s here! Holland Hospital will herald opening of its new 16,940-square-foot medical building at 6490 Blue Star Hwy., Saugatuck Township, with a community open house Wednesday, May 8, from 3 to 6 p.m.The facility, which officially opens May…