News
Hopkins bond election ends in tie
By Gari Voss May elections are often overlooked since not all precincts have millages on the ballot or official positions to fill. The May 5, 2026, Allegan County election involved only five proposals and six precincts. All proposals were important,…
South Haven house destroyed by fire, six occupants evacuated, one hospitalized
Several fire departments responded to a dwelling fire in the City of South Haven last week.South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) was dispatched to a structure fire at 849 Phillips Street. Firefighters arrived to a house fully engulfed in flames.Mutual…
Opposing forces show up for Planning Commission rezoning hearing
By James Windell Hardly anyone ever shows up for Planning Commission meetings. Dedicated commissioners generally go about their business with very little fanfare and a lot of tedious, professional work.That wasn’t the case on Thursday, May 7, 2026, when a…
American flags placed on 1200 graves
Volunteers placed American flags on an estimated 1,200 graves of veterans buried at the City of South Haven Lakeview Cemetery as a prelude to the Memorial Day ceremony to be held on Monday, May 25. The estimated 30 volunteers represented…
National Day Of Prayer observed
The 75th anniversary of National Day of Prayer was marked Thursday, May 7, with the Greater Paw Paw Area National Day of Prayer Gathering at the County Park in downtown Paw Paw. Several prayers were lifted by area residents, focusing…
Man dies after being hit by train in Decatur
A 66-year-old man died on Saturday, May 9, after he was hit by a train in Decatur, according to the Decatur Police Department.The Decatur Police Department reported an Amtrak passenger train hit the man at approximately 10:45 a.m., after he…
Trinity Lutheran School salutes America
First through fifth grade students at Trinity Lutheran School, Paw Paw, shared a special evening on May 11, in honor of our nation’s 250th birthday celebration.Under the guidance of teacher, Kelly Docsa, first and second grade students displayed individual dioramas…
Sturgis mayor Perez in podcast interview: ‘What’s right is right’
Sturgis Mayer Frank Perez took part in a podcast interview with 500 Grand Studios, broadcast earlier this week on YouTube. During the conversation, Perez makes comments regarding an April 22 city commission motion to censure him and another to remove…
Nelson sentenced to 40-60 months for role in death of 2-year-old
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — The boyfriend of Paige Bohne was sentenced Friday to 40 to 60 months in prison for his role in the November 2024 death of 2-year-old Octavia Bohne in Sturgis. Fredrick Nelson, 32, was…
Authorities respond to false school shooting threats at Napoleon Community Schools
By KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writer Law enforcement agencies across Jackson County responded in force Tuesday afternoon after anonymous callers made threats against Napoleon High School and Napoleon Middle School, prompting a district-wide lockdown and the evacuation of students. The incident…
A tractor convoy pays a visit to Concord’s M-60 Grill
By KEN WYATT Contributing Writer It was no small thing to bring up the rear in a parade of 15 antique tractors. I had to go in search of them, and the search was successful. But a little context is…
Suspect in custody for January 28 murder
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer Jackson Police Chief Christopher Simpson announced Monday that Robert Poole was arrested in connection to the Jan. 28 homicide of Michael Mishaw, 49, which occurred in the parking lot behind the buildings in the 1600…
Albion Council Takes $1 Risk to Preserve Downtown Building
By Maggie LaNoue Contributing Writer Albion City Council voted Monday to accept the $1 transfer of the fire-damaged building at 100 S. Superior Street, taking ownership of the long-vacant downtown property just one day before a deadline that would have…
From interim to Chief Albion Department of Public Safety Chief Aaron Phipps reflects on his growth and department’s
By Sylvia Benavidez Year two as chief is beginning to be a busy one for Albion Department of Public Safety Chief Aaron Phipps. With growth in staff size and training, ADPS has been able to react quickly to calls and…
What resources are available for homelessness? Community forum outlines plenty
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — Homelessness has been a growing concern for many in the City of Three Rivers, as nationwide there has been a reported 18 percent increase in individuals and families experiencing homelessness from 2023 to…
‘Clean’ audit report for city of Sturgis
At the April 22 meeting of Sturgis City Commission, Jordan Smith of accounting firm Maner Costerisan presented the audit report of the city’s financial performance for the period ending Sept. 30, 2025. The city eceived a “clean” opinion, which is the…
‘Art Around Town’ unveiling set for tonight
Works for the 2026 “Art Around Town” will be unveiled today, May 8, during “Cruise-In & Eats” in downtown Sturgis. Festival hours are 5:30-9 p.m.Eighteen works were chosen for the showcase, which is organized by Downtown Sturgis in collaboration with Open Door…
Election Recap Sturgis bond renewal fails; Colon, Vicksburg proposals approved
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director STURGIS — Two out of the three local school districts with proposals on the Tuesday, May 5 ballot were successful with voters.The one failed proposal was also the biggest out of the three monetarily. Sturgis Public…
Police chase on Surrey Road ends with expressway plunge
By Christopher Johnson A police pursuit ended dramatically this past Tuesday morning when a fleeing driver missed a curve on Surrey Rd and sent his vehicle careening down a steep embankment and onto US-127 near Exit 160. Just one mile…
CCTC phone hiccups frustrate both employees and riders
By Genine Hopkins If you are someone who uses public transportation in Clare County, the “dial-a-ride” better known as the CCTC (Clare County Transit Corporation), you may have been frustrated recently by a phone system that doesn’t always put calls…





















