Saugatuck/Douglas Commercial Record

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial Staff Nov 5, 2025 4 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorChicken RunZoe Rosenberg faces up to five years in the pen for pilfering four chickens from a Perdue Farms poultry plant in Petaluma, Calif.Her defense team argued the University of California senior and animal activist rescued the birds…

City weighs input on master plan

Editorial Staff Nov 5, 2025 4 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorResults of a Saugatuck city master plan survey conducted this August through Oct. 6 showed 386 respondents agree overwhelmingly that preserving existing neighborhood character should be a city priority.Other popular goals include maintaining:1) A vibrant, strong and attractive…

Mike’s Musings: Government shutdown can be averted- takes politicians to act instead of grandstand

Mike’s Musings: Government shutdown can be averted- takes politicians to act instead of grandstand

Editorial Staff Nov 5, 2025 4 min read

Another week has passed, and much of our federal government remains shuttered. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are either furloughed or working without pay. National parks are closed, small business loans are on hold, and millions of Americans are…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Nov 5, 2025 6 min read

On Tuesday, Nov. 11, we observe Veterans Day. It is a “fixed” holiday, like Independence Day on July 4. These days do not move to the nearest Monday so we can have a long weekend; they are too important to…

Saugatuck voters return incumbents

Saugatuck voters return incumbents

Editorial Staff Nov 5, 2025 1 min read

BY SCOTT SULLIVANEDITOR Saugatuck voters returned all three incumbents in a five-way race Tuesday, Nov. 4, to three available two-year seats on the city council. Current mayor Holly Anderson and councilman Joe Clark topped all comers with 240 votes each.…

Saugatuck man falls off houseboat, drowns

Editorial Staff Oct 29, 2025 1 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor A Saugatuck man drowned Oct. 20 after falling off the roof of his houseboat in Mecosta County. Joseph Petty, 81, was performing routine maintenance on the vessel docked at Newaygo Boat Club on the Muskegon River…

Brewery founders say ‘Cheers’ to 20 years

Editorial Staff Oct 29, 2025 2 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor It was 20 years ago this June when Barry and Kathy Johnson opened Saugatuck Brewing Co. in its current home at 2948 Blue Star Hwy., Douglas. “We’ve been married for 46 years,” said Barry last week…

Saugatuck volleyball team earns two victories

Editorial Staff Oct 29, 2025 1 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor PARCHMENT—Facing Coloma and Parchment on Tuesday, Oct. 21, the Saugatuck volleyball team came away with a pair of wins.The Trailblazers bested Coloma 17-25, 25-20, 25-20 and upended Parchment 25-19, 12-25, 26-24.Natalia Laskowski had a big night,…

Halloween fun

Halloween fun

Editorial Staff Oct 29, 2025 1 min read

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.)

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial Staff Oct 29, 2025 5 min read

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…

5 seek 3 Saugatuck council seats Nov. 4

5 seek 3 Saugatuck council seats Nov. 4

Editorial Staff Oct 29, 2025 3 min read

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…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Oct 29, 2025 7 min read

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…

Mike’s Musings: Lawmakers shouldn’t receive pay during shutdown

Mike’s Musings: Lawmakers shouldn’t receive pay during shutdown

Editorial Staff Oct 29, 2025 4 min read

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…

Do you need help? Write Us!

Do you need help? Write Us!

Editorial Staff Oct 28, 2025 3 min read

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.…

Pier Cove Park ribbon-cutting Nov. 1

Pier Cove Park ribbon-cutting Nov. 1

Editorial Staff Oct 22, 2025 2 min read

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…

Roy Davis: Homeless in Saugatuck

Editorial Staff Oct 22, 2025 3 min read

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…

Saugatuck volleyball suffers losses to Allegan, Galesburg-Augusta

Editorial Staff Oct 22, 2025 1 min read

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…

‘Spooktacular’ Halloween on tap

‘Spooktacular’ Halloween on tap

Editorial Staff Oct 22, 2025 4 min read

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…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial Staff Oct 22, 2025 4 min read

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…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial Staff Oct 22, 2025 7 min read

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…