Bright day gave way to dark night for Saugatuck/Douglas Halloween festivities Saturday. A morning Family & Pets Parade through downtown Saugatuck (shown) was followed by thousands packing downtown Douglas for its annual Adult Parade. (See more photos inside.)

By Scott SullivanEditorSmart to be DumbIn their new book “The Enigma of Reason,” cognitive scientists Dan Sperber and Hugo Mercier argue people’s capacity for reason might have more to do with winning arguments than thinking straight. Humans’ biggest advantage over…

By Scott SullivanEditorSaugatuck again has a contested city council race, with five candidates seeking three available 2-year seats on Tuesday, Nov. 4. City voting this year will take place at the Saugatuck Woman’s Club, 303 Butler St., rather than city…

I have a niche genre of movies that make me happy. The basic plot is the main character sees others around him or her living in the shadowlands, takes action, faces challenges and drama, then the magic happens.One of the…

One of the consequences of a government shutdown should be that those legislators responsible for the shutdown should not receive their regular pay. In my mind they are just as much part of the government as the hundreds of thousand…

By Mike WilcoxOwner/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.…

By Scott Sullivan Editor  Ganges Township will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newly-enhanced Pier Cove Park Saturday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. All are welcome. The township — with help from a $266,000 Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust…

By Scott Sullivan Editor Roy Davis, 59, has “come home” to Saugatuck with no home. He has lived in Wicks Park since July, making do with a sleeping bag, ice-fishing tent, propane heater and clothes on his back. We spoke…

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorA standout performance from Camdyn Drozd helped carry the Allegan volleyball team to a 25-21, 25-11, 25-17 win over host Saugatuck on Thursday, Oct. 16.Drozd racked up 12 kills and 13 digs, both of which led Allegan.Emma…

By Scott SullivanEditorIt’s time for the best spooky fun of the season as Saugatuck-Douglas celebrates Halloween early this this week.What better place to start than at Dykstra Funeral Home Thursday, Oct. 23 for “Evening at the Parlor” exploring the history…

By Scott SullivanEditorOctopus UpdateLetter writer Barbara King rightly takes me to task for making light of Detroit Red Wings fans flinging dead octopi on the hockey rink ice to celebrate playoff wins.Last week’s column recounts how the tradition started in…

By G.C. StoppelEighty years ago this month a new kitchen appliance revolutionized cooking thanks to a young engineer who had worked late into the night on projects for the military.Percy Spencer had dropped out of school when he was 12…

As Michigan stands at a crossroad on whether to adopt Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) statewide, voters and policymakers ought to pause and ask: what problem is RCV truly solving — and at what cost? The case against this change is stronger…

A perfect fall day brought more than 1,000 guests to enjoy the annual Cow Hill Yacht Club Chili Cook Off Sunday in Saugatuck’s Wicks Park. The Cook Off was a competition between 14 top area restaurants. They served chilis competing…

Douglas has notified motorists that St. Peter’s Drive will close Tuesday, Oct. 14 and remain so for two to three weeks, dependent on weather, to allow infrastructure to be brought to the new Centre Street Collective. The 10+-acre development, to…

By Scott Sullivan Editor Saugatuck City Council decided at its Oct. 8 workshop to let well enough alone when it comes to chalk art on public sidewalks. The question of whether it constitutes free speech or violates a city ordinance…

The community is invited to experience the beauty of the night sky at a free “Lights Out at Oval Beach” event Tuesday, Oct. 21 from 8 to 10 p.m. Sponsored by the Douglas United Church of Christ, the event aims…

By Scott Sullivan Editor Saugatuck’s Lake Michigan Oval Beach Park brought in $874,114 in motor vehicle parking fees during the just-completed summer season, more than enough to offset the $800,908 spent to maintain it and all other city parks. City…

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorThe Saugatuck volleyball team hosted SAC rival Parchment on Thursday, Oct. 9, and the match went down to the wire.After the teams split the first two sets—Saugatuck took sets two (25-20) and three (25-19), while Parchment won…

By Scott SullivanEditorOctopus EthicsPETA is on a roll. People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, having taken credit for closing the Ringling Brothers-Barnum & Bailey Circus, now wants Detroit Red Wings fans to stop throwing dead octopi onto the hockey arena…