News

Sturgis DDA is auctioning works from 2025 “Art Around Town.”The auction is part of “Winter Wine Down,” which takes place 5:30-9 p.m. March 20.Online bidding is accessible at bit.ly/40QLrDM. Artwork also is displayed at Open Door Gallery.“Winter Wine Down” features…

MARCHMarch 16Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education meeting, 5:30 p.m., Sturgis Central Commons.March 17St. Joseph County Commission meeting, 5 p.m., historic courthouse, third floor. Some exceptions to schedule may apply. Eastwood fourth grade group A concert, 7 p.m., Sturges-Young Center for the Arts.March…

More than 220 people attended “Dr. Seuss Birthday Party” on March 6 at Sturgis District Library.Children gathered to hear readings of popular Seuss books by Madison Pueschel and Julia Johnson, and participated in games and contests.Pueschel, special education teacher at…

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director LANSING — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a state of emergency on Sunday morning, following the multiple tornadoes that hit southwest Michigan Friday night.The state of emergency was officially declared for Branch, Cass and St. Joseph…

By Christopher Johnson If there’s one thing that can be said for certain about Clare this time of year, it’s that there’s no shortage of Irish pride as the 51st Irish Festival approaches. Just about everywhere in town is decked…

THREE RIVERS — In response to the tornadoes that passed through March 6 in Three Rivers, Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) said in a release Thursday it would suspend service disconnections in the Three Rivers area through March 31. “Our hearts…

By Scott SullivanEditorBig Lake winter gales make for whiteouts sweeping over and under north-south bridges here. Rescuers call these wind funnels.When lightly-loaded trailers with high profiles are engulfed in these blasts, they turn into sails, jackknife but bring nouveau Evel…

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Christian Neighbors is asking the community for help stocking its food pantry to help those in need.The organization will host its latest Stuff the Bus food drive on Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21, at…

Saturday, March 7, is a day that will always hold a special place in the hearts of the members of Nieuwenhuis family from Plainwell.Because it was on that day that siblings Madison and Dylan each earned a Michigan High School…

By Gari Voss Consumers Energy and ITC Michigan are partnering to make upgrades to electrical equipment in the Wayland area that will improve electric service for customers in the community.The overnight work will impact about 3,300 customers in the area…

By Joseph Schultz It was a full house Monday night as the Monterey Planning Commission reviewed NorthStar Clean Energy – Allegan Solar LLC’s plans for a 101-megawatt solar energy system and a battery energy storage system (BESS) in Monterey and…

Judge Emily Jipp says it was because of the ‘justice and mercy’ of a family that the man who killed their eight-month-old daughter in a fatal drunk driving crash would not be spending life in prison. Terry Boss, 56, was sentenced to 13.5…

By Tom Renner South Haven High School swimmers will compete in eight events at the MHSAA Division 3 State Championships to be held March 13-14 at the Holland Aquatic Center.Zander Duncan has qualified in the 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly…

By Tom Renner The firehouse is “home” to first responders whose 24-hour shifts include eating meals together. A growing staff at South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) created a challenge of getting everyone around the table at mealtime.Some imaginative thinking…

By James Windell In 2025 the South Haven City Council passed a Short-Term Rental ordinance requiring all STR owners to register and have their STR approved in order to rent to visitors.Sounds like a reasonable requirement, right?But not so fast.…

By James Windell In 2015, four South Haven women decided to come together to make a greater impact on the community.Having heard about an organization called Women Who Care in Jackson, Michigan, the quartet of women adopted the model of…

Five area fire departments assisted the Lawrene Township Fire Department in battling a structure fire Monday, shortly before noon, at 54890 West Red Arrow Highway, Lawrence. The house, which was vacant, was reported on fire by a passerby. Other fire…

By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PAW PAW TOWNSHIP – A portion of a Paw Paw Township golf course was damaged early Sunday morning, March 8, according to a press release from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel…

LAWRENCE – The Lawrence community is launching a fundraising effort to rebuild the playground at Lawrence Village Park, a two-acre park that has served families for decades and draws visitors from across Van Buren County.The original wooden playground was built in 1995 during…

GOBLES – An 18-year-old Gobles man was recently arrested after Michigan State Police reported that he used counterfeit money during a Facebook marketplace transaction in Van Buren County, according to a press release from the Michigan State Police Paw Paw post.Troopers from…