Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorAnother Roundabout“Here we go again,” I thought hearing news Pine Trail Camp had sold within 10 days of Saugatuck Township scheduling a $3.6-million bond request towards buying the land itself.Private money moves fast and nimbly, especially for largely…
Pine Trail sold, township pulls bond ask
By Scott SullivanEditorSo much for Saugatuck Township’s planned $3.6 million bond ask to buy Pine Trail Camp.The 20-acre parcel with 350 feet of Kalamazoo River frontage at 3525 Dugout Road, listed for sale at $4.4 million in July, has been…
Historic answer hiding in plain sight
By Scott SullivanEditor“Who is ‘Young George’ in this picture?” (shown lower right) asked our Aug. 15 paper. A phone call Saturday from the subject himself — George Worthington, not so young now at age 84 — apprised us the answer…
Life as Performance Art
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
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-…
Saugatuck boys cross takes first place
By Jason WesseldykSports EditorBYRON CENTER—The 2024 cross country season started on a high note for the Saugatuck boys squad.Taking part in Under the Nights Invitational hosted by South Christian on Friday, Aug. 23, the Trailblazers took top honors in the…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorTruckin’At an Oval Beach press conference Aug. 21 I was introduced to Lakota Hobia, who in 2019 became Gun Lake Tribal Historic Preservation Officer.I took her picture with others that day, but the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance-called event…
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,…
