News
Roundup of happenings in the Sturgis area
RECURRING Children’s story time, 10 a.m. each Tuesday and Friday, Sturgis District Library. Additional events at library available at www.sturgis-library.org/events.April 25Order deadline for spring seedling sale at St. Joseph County fairgrounds. Pick-up time frames: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. May 2 and 9…
Baskets Full of Joy: Clare’s Airport Enjoys Another Festive Success
By Christopher Johnson Hopefully everybody had a happy Easter this past weekend!This has been a great season for our county’s eggstravaganza events and the kids couldn’t appear more thrilled as our dip through April Valley peaks to a close. Seeing…
Pat Maurer honored by Clare City Council
By Genine Hopkins Spring is in the air and many exciting things are happening around the City of Clare, including receiving approval of a State of Michigan grant for work at the City Airport, resumption soon of the Shamrock Lake…
Police chase ends in capture of Chinese non-citizen
On Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 12:22 a.m., A Clare County Sheriff Deputy was on a traffic stop on Main St near Evergreen Trail in the Village of Farwell, Township of Surrey in Clare County. During this traffic stop, a…
Saugatuck UMC to close doors after 160 years
Saugatuck United Methodist Church will suspend operations at the end of this month after a final post-Easter service. The downtown Saugatuck church at 250 Mason St. has hosted served the community for 160 years. “I notified the district last November…
Blaze totals rural storage building
By Scott Sullivan Editor Saugatuck Township Fire District crews joined mutual aid partners from Ganges, Graafschap, Fennville and Hamilton knocking down this storage building and vehicle fire in the 2500 block of 63rd Street early Friday morning. Firefighters responding to…
Old home may soon sell shaved ice
By Scott Sullivan Editor Part of an 1873-built home at 453 W. Center St. across Ferry Street from the Old Root Beer Barrel may soon sell Italian shaved ice if its owner’s plans are realized. Douglas City Council Monday approved…
Douglas to sell 1870s church to Ox-Bow
By Scott Sullivan Editor Douglas City Council agreed Monday to sell the 1870s-built wood-frame former church at 137 W. Center St. to the Ox-Bow School of Art for $430,000. Nonprofit Ox-Bow in 2022 began leasing the space, which had previously…
Sparks receives Otsego Outstanding Alumnus Award
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Each year, Otsego Public Schools honors a past graduate with the Outstanding Alumnus Award during the Otsego High School Honors Night.This year’s honoree was Brian Spark.Described as a “lifelong bulldog” in a release from OPS, Sparks—a…
Firefighters snuff blaze near propane tanks
By Scott SullivanEditorSaugatuck Township Fire District crews joined mutual aid partners from Ganges, Graafschap, Fennville and Hamilton knocking dousing a storage building and vehicle fire in the 2500 block of 63rd Street Friday morning.Firefighters responding to the 5 a.m. call…
Local group plans to reopen Mermaid site
By Scott SullivanEditorSaugatuck’s Dockside Marketplace, home of the former Mermaid Bar & Grill and Baldy’s Smoked Meats, has been sold to local investors who plan to reopen it with a fresh look and new restaurant concepts.Boat Shed Properties LLC —…
Summer children’s theater returns to Plainwell
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Children’s theater is returning to Plainwell for the upcoming summer.The Plainwell Arts Council recently announced the Missoula Children’s Theater (MCT) will put on a production of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” featuring more than 60…
Easter weekend brings crowds to Allegan
By Gari Voss The weekend of April 18-20, 2025, was again packed with possibilities for all ages. The events really began on Thursday, April 17th and did not slow down until the afternoon of Saturday, April 19th.The “weekend” really began…
Many hoops exist if council were toconsider police change
By Gari Voss Conversations arose when the City of Allegan was informed by City Manager Joel Dye that the council needed to find ways to finance a laundry list of projects over the next 10 years. During that meeting, the…
Ice cream shop reopens under new ownership
By James Windell If you’ve lamented the closing of Sherman’s Dairy Bar, a South Haven summer ice cream shop for the past 66 years, take heart.Sherman’s Dairy Bar, which closed last October, is now reopened under a new owner as…
SHARA surprised Council delayed Recreation Director approval
By James Windell Based on the interest in the proposed Community Recreation Director agreement, which the South Haven City council did not approve on April 7, it was not surprising that the topic would come up at the South Haven…
City Council holds capital improvements workshop
By James Windell In a special workshop meeting on Monday, April 14, 2025, the South Haven City Council received a capital improvement plan.Presenting a 90-minute slide presentation on capital improvement for the years 2026 to 2032 was Department of Public…
Harbors may be affected by EGLE mandate
By James Windell Earlier this month Michigan Congressman Bill Huizenga released a statement regarding the Whitmer Administration’s “ill-defined” EGLE requirements for PFAS testing as a condition for harbor dredging.EGLE is the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. It…
County man wins $1 million playing Michigan Lottery’s Cashword
A lucky mistake led to a big payday and a treasure hunt for a Van Buren County man who won $1 million playing the Michigan Lottery’s Major Cashword instant game.“I play Cashword tickets occasionally, but purchasing this ticket was a…
