News
Church hires pastoral pair
Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ has offered interim pastors Rev. Jody Betten and Rev. Daniel Plasman joint fulltime pastor duties. Betten has served DUCC since April 2024, taking the congregation through exercises of historic research, present circumstances and future planning…
OPS asks for input in search for new superintendent
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Otsego Public Schools superintendent Jeff Haase recently announced his plans to retire following the conclusion of the current school year, thereby bringing to an end his 11-year tenure with the district.And while Haase will remain on…
Plainwell Community Schools opens new field house
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor It was an event that was more than five years in the making.After voters passed a bond in 2019 for its funding, Plainwell Community Schools’ new athletic field house made its debut on Friday, Jan. 10.Featuring…
Otsego High School hosts Winter Guard Field Day
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor For one day, Otsego will be the color guard capital of Michigan.Winter Guard Field Day—featuring 15 color guard teams from throughout the state—will take place on Saturday, Jan. 18, at Otsego High School.The event starts at…
Beyond Bones closes its Allegan store
By Gari Voss The Arc of Allegan County Board has announced that its all-natural dog treat business and the storefront known as Beyond Bones will close by February 28, 2025. The business was created in July 2021 to provide employment…
Tech Center celebrates new auto tech building with ribbon cutting ceremony
Faculty, students, and the community gathered to celebrate the official opening of the new Allegan Area ESA Tech Center Auto Tech Building on Thursday, January 9, 2025. The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of a $7 million state-of-the-art facility designed…
South Haven Board of Education selects new officers
By James Windell With the resignation of long-time School Board President Laura Bos, the South Haven Board of Education selected Shawn Olney as their new President.Other officers chosen by the Board were Claire Bodtke as Vice-President, Doug Ransom as Treasurer…
Lakefront Roofing to buy property from the City
By James Windell The South Haven City Council on January 6, 2025 approved Resolution 2025-04 authorizing a purchase development agreement with Lakefront Roofing, LLC.Lakefront Roofing company, now located in Covert, will buy three acres of land from the city in…
Sheriff’s Office investigates series of scams
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott reported that a series of scams are still being at-tempted and occurring in Van Buren County. On Friday, Jan. 10, a victim was contacted at approx-imately 1:48 p.m. by an…
Sheriff’s Office investigates series of scams
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott reported that a series of scams are still being at-tempted and occurring in Van Buren County. On Friday, Jan. 10, a victim was contacted at approximately 1:48 p.m. by an…
Senate Republican Leader Nesbitt launches campaign for governor
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt of Porter Township announced he is running to become Michigan’s 50th governor, becoming the first announced Republican candidate in the 2026 gubernatorial election.Nesbitt grew up on a sixth-generation family farm and earned…
Sheriff’s Office investigates contractor fraud
An area builder is facing criminal charges following an investigation by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office. Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott said Gordon Leighton, 58, of the Lawton area, faces one count of contractor – fraud, a felony,…
Paw Paw Public School receives MEC grants
Officials from Midwest Energy & Communications, (MEC) Cassopolis, visited Paw Paw Later Elementary and Paw Paw Middle School on Thursday, Jan. 9, to present surprise grant award checks to Paw Paw Middle School teacher Kaylah Laurian and Paw Paw Public…
PPPS notified of cybersecurity incident involving third party vendor
Paw Paw Public Schools issued a statement about a recent unauthorized ac-cess of information that occurred involving PowerSchool, the district’s third-party student information system.Paw Paw Public Schools Superintendent Jeremy Davison said, “We were recently informed that an incident took place…
Three Rivers announces chemical changes in water
Changes based on recommendations from EGLE By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — Changes in the makeup of city water are coming within the next two days to the City of Three Rivers. The city’s Department of Public Services (DPS)…
Chicken-keeping permits available beginning Jan. 13 in Sturgis
Beginning Jan. 13, the city of Sturgis will begin accepting permit applications for the keeping of chickens on residential property. Applications are available at city hall, 130 N. Nottawa St., in the community development department. Submitting an application does not…
Metty hired as new Three Rivers DDA director
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — A local Three Rivers business owner was officially hired to be the new executive director of the Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority. Angie Metty, who owns Reflections Hair Studio on South Main Street…
Guernsey becomes first female lead prosecutor in Jackson County
By Jeff Steers Contributing Writer New Jackson County Lead Prosecutor Kelsey Guernsey did something interesting before Circuit Court Judge John McBain officially signed her to the position. Guernsey asked people in the audience to stand up if they were part…
Cooper Street in Downtown Jackson closing for bridge replacement
The Michigan Department of Transportation is closing the Cooper Street bridge over the Grand River in Downtown Jackson starting Monday, Jan. 13. MDOT is fully replacing the street’s deteriorating bridge and outdated water main. According to an MDOT press release,…
