News
A carousel of colors
BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR The lakeshore showed off summer colors as sun shone on Community Pride Week festivities in Douglas June 1-4 and Fennville poppy fields in full bloom. The fifth Community Pride Week feted diversity of all people all…
Douglas OKs school bus land rezone
BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR Douglas City Council Monday rezoned the Saugatuck Public Schools’ bus-parking lot on the southwest corner of Blue Star Highway and Fremont Street from C-2 General Commercial to C-1 Village Center near the highway and R-5 Residential…
Fennville ends chief search, goes with sheriff
BY JIM HAYDEN CORRESPONDENT Dedicated police coverage will return to Fennville in July, more than six months after the police chief resigned and after two candidates to replace him backed out at the last minute. The city commission Monday voted…
Special Olympics team gets grand sendoff from Paw Paw officials
The Paw Paw Knights of Columbus hosted the Area 17 Special Olympic team last Wednesday, May 31, at their hall. The team was treated to a lunch and afterward, given an escort by members of the Van Buren County Sheriff’s…
A carousel of colors
By Scott SullivanEditorThe lakeshore showed off summer colors as sun shone on Community Pride Week festivities in Douglas June 1-4 and Fennville poppy fields in full bloom.The fifth Community Pride Week feted diversity of all people all people with an…
OHS recognizes top seniors from Class of ‘23
Twenty-four members of the Otsego High School class of 2023 graduated with distinction by virtue of amassing a grade point average of at least 4.0. Those seniors were (front row from left) Wilhelm Hawes, Payton Carter, Tyler VanderLugt, Hollianne Sheneman,…
Plainwell’s Island City Fest offers three days of fun
Carnival rides will be available all three days of the Island City Festival. (Photo provid-ed) Kona Ice is one of many food trucks that will be on site at this year’s Island City Festival. (Photo provided) By Jason WesseldykSports Editor…
Otsego Public Schools offers summer meals, reading opportunities
The Otsego Public Schools’ Bulldogs Bookin’ Bus will be making stops on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer to provide students in the district with opportunities to check out books. (Photo provided) By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The 2022-23 school year…
Bridgefest this weekend despite construction
By Gari Voss Bridgefest Activities to watch for…Downtown Allegan may be under construction, but that should not dampen Bridgefest fun. Wonderful experiences can be found in every corner of the city on June 10. The shops will be open with…
Fennville Board of Educationselects new superintendent
Pictured is Dr. Doug Greer, the school district’s new superintendent. By Gari Voss After a search process facilitated by the Michigan Leadership Institute that began in February 2023, the Fennville Board of Education selected Dr. Doug Greer as the school…
County cited by EGLE for too much smog
By John RaffelCorrespondent ALLEGAN – Allegan County Commission chairman James Storey has announced Allegan and neighboring shoreline counties were cited last week for ozone (smog) designation as temperatures soared into the high 80’s and 90’s.“The designation from Michigan’s environmental agency,…
Fennville disbands local police force, contracts with county
Dedicated police coverage will return to Fennville City in July, more than six months after the police chief resigned and after two candidates for the chief role backed out at the last minute.The city commission on Monday, June 5, voted…
Mitchell Springs Rosenwald School unveils history marker
On June 10, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (EST), Mitchell Springs United Methodist Church and Mitchell Springs Rosenwald School will be unveiling a historical marker on the grounds of Mitchell Springs United Methodist Church, 1019 County Road #533,…
Valley man charged with attempted murder of police officer
Joseph Blackstone of Valley is charged with attempted murder after he allegedly bit a Chambers County Sheriff’s deputy in a struggle over gunshots he was firing.According to Chambers County Sheriff Jeff Nelson on Tuesday night, an Alabama State Trooper, a…
Chambers head-on crash results in one driver dead
A two-vehicle crash in Chambers County has left one person dead.According to officials, the crash occurred on Saturday, May 27, at approximately 8:45 p.m., on U.S. 431 near Roanoke in Chambers County.41-year-old Emily J. White was critically injured when the…
Central Dispatch welcomes emotional support dog to staff
COMMERCIAL-NEWS | ROBERT TOMLINSONSt. Joseph County Central Dispatch Deputy Director Regan Lucas (left) and Supervisor Rachel Gould (right) stand next to Central Dispatch’s new emotional support dog, Bolo (center), a 2-year-old standard poodle. By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — St.…
‘A very big step into a new beginning’: Three Rivers HS graduates Class of 2023
COMMERCIAL-NEWS | ROBERT TOMLINSONThe graduates of Three Rivers High School’s Class of 2023 toss their caps into the air at the end of Thursday’s ceremony. COMMERCIAL-NEWS | ROBERT TOMLINSONClass of 2023 President Gabrielle Charvat (left) passes the ceremonial spade to…
Faces in the Crowd: Cindy Truxton
Faces in the Crowd: Murray and Bonnie RockafellowMurray and Bonnie Rockafellow have lived extraordinary lives, together.“Together” being the key word.Since they married 52 years ago, the couple has owned a restaurant, a construction company, and a trucking company. They’ve owned…
Housing commission reviews applications
By John RaffelCorrespondent MARION – At last week’s Osceola County Housing Commission meeting, there was a review of applications.Linda Miller, Executive Director Appointee – Big Rapids Housing Commission, discussed all the applications that were received and the projects that are…
Osceola County unemployment at 4.1 percent
By John RaffelCorrespondent MARION – The April unemployment rate for Osceola County is at 4.1 percent, ranking it the 39th lowest in the state as reported by the Michigan Department of Technology Management and Budget.The rate for other counties included…