Deer, deer, they’re everywhere!
By Scott Sullivan Editor Douglas deer complaints keep rolling in. May Street resident Debbi Larsen wrote city council July 8: “Hello, I live in Douglas and have for the last 25 years. The deer population in the last 5 years…
Locals guide to Venetian Fest fun
The Saugatuck Venetian Festival, a perennial summertime celebration of life on our waterways, returns to town next weekend July 26-28. Fun will begin Friday with a dance party in Coghlin Park featuring ‘80s cover band Star Farm. The festival continues…
SPS Superintendent Travis to retire
Tim Travis is retiring as Superintendent of Saugatuck Public School effective Dec. 31. The school board accepted his retirement at Monday’s meeting. Travis has been an educator for 40 years, the last 20 here, including as middle/high school principal before…
Obituary: Victoria Anne “Vicki” Mayer (nee Thompson)
Victoria Anne “Vicki” Mayer (nee Thompson) passed away on July 6, surrounded by her loving family, after a five-year battle with fronto-temporal dementia, and primary progressive aphasia.Vicki was born June 9, 1962, in Chicago, the daughter of Jerry Thompson and…
Blue Star
NuclearLast week’s “STR cap may go nuclea’ anyway” story already has. Then came the shooting in Pennsylvania.I applaud Saugatuck City Council for trying to protect peace, quiet and safety in Community Residential neighborhoods. That’s what R-1 zoning is meant to…
You can get there from here!
By Scott SullivanEditorThe new roundabout at Blue Star Highway and Allegan Road opened formally Monday, but more than one motorist jumped the gun.“Look at them,” said Woodland Nursery owner Joe Migas, who for 39 years has kept alive John Mann’s…
Mike’s Musings: Tone down political Rhetric demand answers from ss
Like many of you I was in shock when I heard there was an assassination attempt on former president Trump’s life while he was speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania. It had been 43 years since the barbaric act of…
Life as Performance Art
Another “Old” in the grocery checkout lane ahead of me asked the clerk, “Is this the airport?”“What do you mean?” she asked, baffled.“I’d expect to pay this much for a bottle of water there, but not here,” he said.She rolled…
Douglas wins $1.3M to get lead out
By Scott Sullivan Editor Douglas has won a $1.3-million Michigan grant to replace lead service lines, city manager Lisa Nocerini announced last week. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, the state — now knowing lead in water lines posed health threats to…
Laketown 35-year manager Meshkin to bid adieu
By Jim Hayden Correspondence The Laketown Township Board is looking to replace 35-year Manager Al Meshkin, who announced his upcoming retirement July 3. “As a Laketown resident,” said Supervisor Linda Howell, “I thank Al for his contributions and hard work,…
STR cap may go ‘nuclear’ anyway
By Scott Sullivan Editor Saugatuck’s long road to short-term rental caps advanced Monday by a mixed vote, placing 20-percent limits in the R-1 Community Residential zone. The move — argued for a year-plus of task force, planning commission and city…
Obituary: Arthur Frederick
Arthur Frederick passed away peacefully in Holland, MI on July 1, 2024, at age 85.Born in Defiance, Ohio, on Feb. 5, 1939 to his late parents Arthur and Hannah Frederick, Arthur’s life was defined by hard work, selfless generosity and…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorChinatown“Let’s go to the Asian shop,” said Flannery.“Which Asian shop?” I asked.“The one I went to when I was 16.” That was eight years ago. “They had seaweed,” my daughter said.“I didn’t know you liked seaweed.”“I don’t,” she…
Life as Performance Art
In many ways, Jimmy Carter was a good President. He was decent, honest, free from personal scandals, and along with his wife, Rosalind, set the example of a good long-term marriage. A good man, but it turned out he…
Mike’s Musings: STR’s Are They good or bad?
STR’s, or in layman’s terms, Short Term Rentals are a hot topic all over the United States, and even abroad, but nowhere are they a heated topic of discussion than in resort communities.In the areas, some of my newspapers cover,…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorGrand ValleyHalf a league, half a league, Half a league onward … into Grand Valley, where Ottawa Impact lies.“Siri says go straight,” said my daughter Flannery. I switched lanes from the Saugatuck exit to continue due west towards…
July 4 fun is here!
By Scott SullivanEditorHoliday weekends in Saugatuck-Douglas mean serious fun. With July 4 falling on a Thursday this year, why not expand your fun two or three more days?Saugatuck’s annual July 4 parade has returned post-Covid to smalltown epic proportions, packed…
Douglas diner opens doors
By Scott SullivanEditorHappystance, Katie Fris’s dream for restoring downtown Douglas’s intermittently empty 8 Center St. into a daily breakfast and lunch diner, opened last week after lots of labor.People packed indoor and outdoor tables during peak hours of the eatery’s…
Obituary: Ann Gould (Childs) Gray
Ann Gould (Childs) Gray passed peacefully in Douglas, Michigan, on June 28, 2024, at the age of 80. Born in Michigan City, Indiana, on January 26, 1944, to her late parents Theron Jr. and Ruth (Ramlow) Childs. Ann lived a…
Life as Performance Art
Growing up, I had no need for an alarm clock ringing in my ears. I was awakened by the hideous stench after The Olds plugged in the percolator for their first cups of coffee. I don’t know the name…
