News

No-contact order lifted for St. Joseph River in Three Rivers

Robert TomlinsonOct 18, 20242 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — A  no-contact order for the St. Joseph River issued due to a wastewater spill was lifted Friday morning. According to Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Superintendent Taylor Davis, the no-contact order, made for the…

Grant Ave. will not be alternate route for Clare events

Grant Ave. will not be alternate route for Clare events

Editorial StaffOct 18, 20244 min read

By Pat MaurerCorrespondent In recent months there has been some questions/suggestions about changing Grant Avenue to a primary road and forcing the Township to drop the truck restrictions on the road. This will not happen, Grant Township Supervisor Dan Dysinger…

Clare to get safety island for school crossing

Clare to get safety island for school crossing

Editorial StaffOct 18, 20244 min read

By Pat MaurerCorrespondent A temporary safety island at the corner of Wheaton and McEwan will hopefully reduce concerns over many “close calls” at the intersection, especially on school days.At the October 7th City Commission meeting the board approved a “letter…

City eyes Airport easement, landfill sites

City eyes Airport easement, landfill sites

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20244 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorSaugatuck City Council Oct. 9 discussed a proposed conservation easement affecting 45.33 acres on the east side of its 170-acre Old Airport property.Members also learned more about a tentative pact giving neighbor Saugatuck Township six months to conduct…

Candidates vie for spot on Otsego Board of Education

Candidates vie for spot on Otsego Board of Education

Editorial StaffOct 17, 202411 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Four candidates are on Nov. 5 ballot for three open positions on the Otsego Public Schools Board of Education.Current school board president Amy Stender and Jason Davis—who was appointed to the board in August to fill…

1871 Taproom opens for business in downtown Plainwell

1871 Taproom opens for business in downtown Plainwell

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20243 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The newest eating establishment in downtown Plainwell is officially open for business.Located at 107 S. Main St., 1871 Taproom welcomed patrons for the first time on Thursday, Oct. 10, and is now open daily.Brothers John and…

Playground equipment added to Memorial Park

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20243 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Go back in time with me, if you would, to the year 2002.The original Tony Maguire “Spiderman” movie ruled the box office. “American Idol” debuted on FOX. Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” was among the most listened-to songs.Also…

County Building Open House uncovers aspacious work environment

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20243 min read

By Gari Voss The Allegan County building on 122nd Avenue northwest of Allegan unveiled the spacious working quarters of the Allegan County administrative staff, vital county services, and the newly renovated areas for the County Treasurer, Register of Deeds and…

SUV strikes tractor pulling a wagon for hayride, several injured

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20242 min read

By Gari Voss The call came to Allegan County Central Dispatch at 7:24pm on Saturday, October 12, 2024, reporting “a serious traffic crash” on M-40 near 110th Avenue in Trowbridge Township. When responders reached the location, they found an overturned…

Former SH substitute teacher, who violently threatened students, also charged with destruction of Allegan building

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20245 min read

By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher More information has been released about the substitute teacher whose unsettling comments led to a shelter in place order at South Haven’s Baseline Middle School on Tuesday, September 10th. He was involved in more altercations, been…

City denies claims made by four residents

City denies claims made by four residents

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20244 min read

By John BriceCorrespondent The LaFayette City Council met on Monday, October 14th of 2024 at the Chambers County Farmers Federation Agricultural Center at the ALFA building in LaFayette. In attendance were Mayor Kenneth Vines, Councilman Terry G. Mangram, Councilman David…

SPLC investigation successfully prohibits unpaid garbage bill arrests

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20243 min read

By John BriceCorrespondent In an October 11th, 2024 press release from the Montgomery based civil rights nonprofit organization Southern Poverty Law Center it was announced that their campaign against citizens being arrested for unpaid garbage bills which began with their…

Benefit Concert held to raise funds to fight Huntington’s Disease

Benefit Concert held to raise funds to fight Huntington’s Disease

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20245 min read

PAW PAW – The seventh annual Champions for HD Benefit Concert, held Saturday, Oct. 12, at The Lucky Wolf Theater, Paw Paw, saw more than $5,00 raised to help families fight Huntington’s Disease.Shelby Lentz began Champions for HD, after the…

Lawton Village Council approves pay Increase for police officers

Editorial StaffOct 17, 20243 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com LAWTON – The Lawton Village Council approved a motion at the Oct. 8 Lawton Village Council meeting to increase fulltime pay for Lawton police officers.Village Of Lawton Chief of Police Greg Cordes said that increasing the…

50k gallons of wastewater spill into St. Joseph River; no-contact advisory issued [UPDATED]

50k gallons of wastewater spill into St. Joseph River; no-contact advisory issued [UPDATED]

Robert TomlinsonOct 15, 20243 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director Updated 7:42 p.m. Oct. 15, 2024 THREE RIVERS — For the second time in two years, a major wastewater spill into the St. Joseph River in Three Rivers has occurred. On Monday, the Three Rivers Department…

Final 911 call, police sketch released in Shank disappearance

Final 911 call, police sketch released in Shank disappearance

Editorial StaffOct 14, 20245 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — Newly-public details in the disappearance of Brittany Nichole Wallace Shank of Sturgis were released Monday by the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department.Included in the new materials were a 911 call containing what police say…

Annexation public hearing to be held at Riviera Theatre

Editorial StaffOct 14, 20243 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — A public hearing location has been set for a proposed property annexation from Lockport Township into the City of Three Rivers. The public hearing for the proposed annexation of a 37-acre parcel on…

DPW completes hydrant maintenance

DPW completes hydrant maintenance

Editorial StaffOct 14, 20241 min read

In late September, Sturgis Department of Public Services spent a week conducting a twice-yearly flushing of hydrants.The process typically takes place each April and September.The fall ’24 flush involved work by 10 crew members, rotating three or four each day…

Roundup of happenings in the Sturgis area

Editorial StaffOct 14, 20244 min read

RECURRINGChildren’s story time, 10 a.m. each Tuesday and Friday, Sturgis District Library.Timberly pumpkin patch, open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 27. Hayrides offered throughout the day, final ride departs at 5 p.m.Sturgis Area Model Railroaders winter…

Marshall wins Calhoun County XC Invitationals

Marshall wins Calhoun County XC Invitationals

Editorial StaffOct 14, 20244 min read

By Jeff Steers Contributing Writer The Marshall High School boys and girls cross country teams won the Calhoun County Invitational at home Saturday. The Redhawks placed all five runners in the top 10 at Turkeyville in both of the 5K…