Blue Star Labor Day Bridge Walk scrubbed
By Scott SullivanEditorAfter 25 years, the Labor Day Blue Star Bridge Walk has been canceled. In a joint press release, Douglas and Saugatuck cities with the Saugatuck Public Schools Community Recreation Department announced the 26th annual community walk, which would…
Saugatuck council candidates to square off
By Scott SullivanEditorAll seven candidates for four two-year Saugatuck City Council seats available in Nov. 5 elections have been invited to a Holland Area League of Women Voters-sponsored forum Tuesday, Sept. 17, in the Saugatuck High School auditorium, 401 Elizabeth…
Saying sayonara
… to summer jobs as Saugatuck Oval Beach patrol members are members such as these, shown this spring get oriented to high dune views of Lake Michigan that come along as perks. After Labor Day, the city-owned beach will no…
Obituary: Sheri Davis, 54
Sheri Renkema Davis, 54, of Fennville went to be with Jesus on Aug. 13, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer surrounded by those she loved. Sheri was born on April 30, 1970, to William and Patricia Renkema in Douglas.…
Obituary: Jeff Greenwood, 59
Jeff Greenwood, age 59, passed away July 15, 2024, in Basin, Wyo., where he had moved last fall. Jeff was born in Holland, Michigan Nov. 21, 1964, to Terry (Daughn) Greenwood and Carol (Bob) Damson. Terry, Daughn, and Carol preceded…
Mike’s Musings: Competition and the freedom to choose – cars, hamburgers, schools, and ice cream
Dr. Glenn Mollette In 1975, I bought a four-cylinder Chevrolet Monza. In my opinion in was a terrible buy and a lousy car. There was one episode after another of maintenance issues and the four-cylinder engine was just a piece of…
Life as Performance
Every Christmas Eve, Humphrey Bogart would slip away from family and friends to watch the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” When she knew it was over, his wife Lauren Bacall would join him as he told her, “I’ll never accomplish…
Township seeks 3.6M bond for Pine Trails Camp
By Scott Sullivan Editor Saugatuck Township will pursue buying the now-vacant 22.25-acre Pine Trails Camp at 3525 Dugout Road via a $3.6-million bond request put before voters Nov. 5. Meanwhile, community members are invited to view and discuss project site…
Life at risk, power out: rescuers heed call
By Scott Sullivan Editor The greater life’s call, the greater life’s response. Witness Thursday, Aug. 15, 12:40 p.m. when a South Haven man, 55, northbound on Blue Star Highway approaching the Kalamazoo River bridge, suffered what police believe was a…
Douglas OKs Centre Collective plan
By Scott Sullivan Editor Kerr Real Estate’s Centre Collective proposal for 19 single-family home sites won Douglas City Council final site plan approval Monday. The firm’s 10+-acre site spans 600 feet along West Center Street. It borders St. Peter’s Drive…
Ferry steel plates placed, more work waits
Douglas has installed steel plates over its under-repair Ferry Street bridge culvert to allow emergency vehicle only across it for public safety reasons until restoration for everyday traffic there is complete. That may be awhile. Engineers Monday told city council…
Obituary: Susan Balks, 71
Susan M. Powers Balks, age 71, of Holland, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, surrounded by her family. Susan was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. on March 16, 1953. When she was three years old, the family moved…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorHeroesThursday, Aug. 15, 12:44 p.m., southbound on Blue Star Highway from I-196 Exit 41 towards Saugatuck, an Allegan County Sheriff’s cruiser raced by, siren on, lights flashing, around stopped traffic through the 64th Street light beyond where, bottlenecked,…
Water rescue rivets town
By Scott SullivanEditorThe greater life’s call, the greater life’s response. Witness Thursday, Aug. 15, 12:40 p.m. when a South Haven man, 55, northbound on Blue Star Highway approaching the Kalamazoo River bridge, suffered what police believe was a medical condition.His…
Mike’s Musings: Political conventions no longer serve a purpose
Dominating the airwaves this week is the Democratic National Convention. Three weeks it was the Republican National Convention. Despite a lot of pomp and circumstance, very little gets done at these four-day lovefests. In my opinion, they should no longer…
Life as Performance Art
I just read in my old hometown newspaper that my elementary school principal died. Mr. Were was 95 and his passing brought back memories. This time of year our minds probably slip back to ready-for-a-new-year-of-school days. The whole cast old and new characters post-summer…
Toast raises $100K+ for Blue Star Trail
Nearly 150 local supporters of Friends of the Blue Star Trail gathered Aug. 5 at Modales Wines in Fennville to raise more than $100,000 at their annual “Toast to the Blue Star Trail.” A variety of Modales offerings grown in…
New Wade’s docks in, red ring to go
By Scott Sullivan Editor Wade’s Bayou has two new floating but soon will lose its third-year giant red ring. Douglas City Council Aug. 5 thanked the new rowing docks’ unnamed donor for helping replace the downtown waterfront park’s aging old…
Saugatuck looks to hook with stars-cr
By Scott Sullivan Editor Saugatuck may have a new way to connect Oval Beach with emergency and more hard-to-reach services: via satellite. City manager Ryan Cummins apprised council at its Wednesday, Aug. 7 workshop that, with AT&T plans to place…
Eagle hopefuls pitch city project plans
By Scott Sullivan Editor To be an Eagle, observe, then serve. Local Boy Scouts Brooks Massing and Anthony Carlotto pitched volunteer projects to Saugatuck City Council at its Wednesday, Aug. 7 workshop to earn them and friends Scouting’s highest honor.…
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