Ganges church repentant sentenced
By Scott Sullivan Editor A man who turned himself in to police this spring at a Ganges church was sentenced last Thursday to decades in prison for murdering his girlfriend. Brandon Ortiz-Vite, 26, asked for mercy in Kent County Circuit…
Trailblazers’ season ends with district loss to Decatur
By Jason WesseldykSports EditorDECATUR—Chris Foley gave the Saugatuck faithful reason to cheer late in the first quarter of the Trailblazers’ Division 8 football district title game against Decatur on Friday, Nov. 8.With Saugatuck trailing 8-0, Foley broke free for a…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorGravity’s RainbowExtra! Extra: Could Gravitational-Wave “Memories” Prove Einstein Wrong?Scientific American gave us this grabber headline recently, claiming Albert Einstein’s 1916 general theory of relativity may soon be refuted. Or maybe not. If there’s one thing I love about…
Incumbents largely hold serve here
By Scott SullivanEditorFor all this year’s sound and fury, little changed in local elections this year.Saugatuck voters returned three incumbents but replaced another with a past council veteran in the Nov. 5 city council race for four open two-year seats.In…
Hike to like
Friends from the Radar Hill Hiking Club, RiverWood Council, Saugatuck city and township parks committees gathered before taking a Halloween hike on Saugatuck’s old airport property. The city, township and Outdoor Discovery Center are working to create public trails and…
Life as Performance Art
I had my first brush with censorship in junior high school when I wanted to read Chinese Communist Chairman Mao Tse Tung’s “Little Red Book.” Everyone was talking about it and a few politicians wanted it banned from the United…
Mike’s Musings: Recalling a grassfire that I started, and praising those that rescue us
I missed Fire Prevention Week by a month, but I do want to send a shout out to the brave firefighters in this country.I have never had a fire burn down my house (fortunately) but I did have a grass…
2024 Election Results
2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS WINNER – DONALD TRUMP MICHIGAN 2024 ELECTION RESULTS PRESIDENT – DONALD TRUMP Donald Trump – 2,794,257, 49.7%Kamala Harris- 2,713,281, 48.3% SENATOR – ELISSA SLOTKIN Elissa Slotkin – 2,690,225, 48.6%Mike Rogers – 2,671,872, 48.3% 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT – JOHN…
Familiar faces return to local offices
BY SCOTT SULLIVANEDITOR Saugatuck voters returned three incumbents and added a former mayor to four open two-year city council seats in the Tuesday Nov. 5 election In Douglas, all four incumbents withstood two challengers, also for four available two-year seats.…
Saugatuck football gets past White Pigeon
By Jason WesseldykSports EditorWHITE PIGEON—Entering the fourth quarter of its Division 8 opening-round playoff game against White Pigeon on Friday, Nov. 2, coach Bill Dunn’s Saugatuck football team seemed to have the game well in hand.After all, the Trailblazers had…
Obituary: Lucy Kuipers
Lucy Kuipers of Holland died peacefully in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 28 in the company of her sister and granddaughter. She is preceded by her husband Glen, daughter Laura and mother Wilhelmina.“Grama Kuipers” was adored by 4…
Obituary: Robert Miller
Robert Miller, 49, of Oak Park, Ill. passed away on Oct. 15, 2024.Rob was born July 23, 1975 and grew up in Lapeer and Saugatuck. He was a band member from junior high through high school, graduating from Saugatuck in…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorAll Things PassAh, joys of being a weekly print paper. We go to press on election Tuesdays long before polls close, so our Thursday-dated issues come out sans outcomes.Of course, readers who care can learn them on our…
Campaign finance complaint clouds city vote
Tuesday’s general election vote fell under late-breaking Michigan Board of Elections confirmation it was investigating the entity EPIC — which funded ads, signs and mailings for three Saugatuck City Council incumbents — based on a complaint about campaign-financing violations.The vote…
Saugatuck, Douglas to fete Veterans Day
Saugatuck will celebrate Veterans Day Monday, Nov. 11, in traditional fashion while Douglas will do something new.Members of Saugatuck American Legion Post 137 will parade from their 248 Mason St. hall down Butler Street to the Village Square Park Veterans…
Mike’s Musings: Here’s Hoping Civility Will Reign Once Election Over
I’m writing this on Election Day. I have no idea who is going to win the presidential race, but I do fear whoever wins, there will be discord in our nation. I have had this uneasy feeling in my stomach…
Neidlinger is SPS super- pick
By Scott Sullivan Editor Mark Neidlinger will succeed Tim Travis seven years ago stepping from Middle/High School principal to superintendent of Saugatuck Public Schools. The school board picked Neidlinger Oct. 22, on heels of a public interview, to succeed Travis,…
Bond ask won’t mean new taxes, mayor says
By Scott Sullivan Editor Douglas Mayor Cathy North issued a statement Oct. 24 emphasizing city council’s proposed $4-million bond request to renovate 415 Wiley Road into a city hall/police station will not require new taxes for residents and businesses. The…
Obituary: William (Bill) Weaver Hess
William (Bill) Weaver Hess of Saugatuck passed away peacefully Oct. 21, 2024, after fighting a long illness. He is survived by his loving partner of 46 years, Michael (Mike) Mattern, four nieces and one nephew. Bill was predeceased by his…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorJust becauseyou don’t know what itmeans doesn’t meanit means nothing. We’re No. 135!Saugatuck is the third Most Zen City in Michigan and 135th in the nation, per Mission Connection. With elections looming, this is balm to know.“In our…
