News
Otsego turns to wing blades as snowbanks continue to grow
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor With snowbanks continuing to rise along city streets, the City of Otsego has begun using wing blades on its plow trucks in an effort to keep roads passable during a winter that shows little sign of…
Christian Neighbors food pantry director departs to work with children
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor After nearly four years of service, Christian Neighbors has announced that Food Pantry Director Amy Van Putten is stepping away from the role.In a statement, Christian Neighbors said Van Putten “has been so much more than…
Data center opposition continues in Dorr Township
By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher Pushback against proposed data centers continued in Dorr Township this weekend, as the local Facebook group “Dorr Township MI – We the People” hosted a Saturday meeting with lawmakers, residents, and industrial experts who believe Microsoft’s…
M-89 Cinema to host West Michigan’s first dementia-friendly movie program
By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher Dementia is a tragic, progressive decline in mental ability that causes memory loss, cognitive deterioration, and functional impairment. It affects more than 55 million people worldwide and is the seventh-leading cause of death. Its most well-known…
West Michigan joins country’s response to ICE
By Gari Voss The second Friday in a row found businesses and individuals expressing their belief that President Donald Trump’s use of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) teams and the Department of Home Security (DHS) to disrupt communities…
Man suffers leg injury while on ice
South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) responders were called to the city’s South Beach at 3:05 p.m. Sunday to a report of a subject who fell while on the Lake Michigan ice shelf approximately 100 yards offshore.The subject suffered a…
Black History Leadership Society celebrates Black History Month
By James Windell The Black History Leadership Society celebrates Black History Month on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at Lily of The Valley Church in Covert.It will be the 48th Annual Celebration by The Black History Leadership Society and this year…
Michigan State Police Trooper assigned to Paw Paw named 2025 Trooper of the Year
PAW PAW – Sgt. Lena Wresinski, assigned to the Paw Paw Post, was recognized as the 2025 Trooper of the Year. The Gerstacker Trooper of the Year Award recognizes the MSP trooper or sergeant who symbolizes outstanding professional ethics, dedication…
Paw Paw Fire Department battles harsh weather while fighting structure fire
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PAW PAW – The Paw Paw Fire Department was dispatched to the 63000 block of 38th Street in Paw Paw Township at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, for the report of a structure fire with…
Paw Paw Village Planning Commission meets tonight (Thursday, Feb. 5) to review proposed new Culver’s restaurant, new music stage at Warner Vineyards
By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PAW PAW – The Paw Paw Village Planning Commission will meet Thursday Feb. 5, for a public hearing on two items, a site plan review for Culver’s restaurant, who has proposed building on County Road 665,…
Sturgis man charged in alleged abuse of adopted daughter
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — A Sturgis man was formally arraigned and charged Monday for the alleged sexual abuse of his adopted daughter over nearly a decade. According to St. Joseph County Prosecutor Deborah Davis, 57-year-old Raymond Bontrager was…
Sturgis man arrested on allegations of sexually assaulting adoptive daughter
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — A Sturgis man was arrested Sunday on criminal sexual conduct charges that prosecutors allege stem from nine years of purported sexual abuse of his adoptive daughter. According to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office,…
City of Sturgis issues boil-water advisory
A water main break has led the city of Sturgis to issue a boil-water advisory for a limited number of homes on West West Street and North Clay Street. The precautionary measure is due to a loss of pressure in…
Officers perform rescue on frozen lake in subzero temperatures
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer Jackson County Sheriff’s officers and Michigan State Police troopers braved subzero temperatures and unstable ice to save a person in crisis early Saturday. JSO officers responded to an emergency call Jan. 25 at about 6:30…
Frederick Noakes charged in fire that injured two last week in Jackson
By ELIZABETH FERSZT and KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writers Frederick Lewis Noakes, 43, was arraigned Jan. 23 in the courtroom of Magistrate Christopher Dickerson on felony charges related to a Jan. 21 fire that injured two other men. According to a…
Council approves ordinance tightening oversight of adult-use marihuana grow facilities
Albion City Council approved updates to the city’s adult-use marihuana ordinance Jan. 20, following discussion and a first reading earlier in the month. The ordinance clarifies municipal licensing requirements and expands the city’s authority to inspect and enforce compliance at…
Homicide victim found on Jackson’s east side
By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer Michael Mishaw of Jackson is the victim of the second homicide of the year in the City of Jackson. He was found dead in a parking lot on the city’s east side. According to a…
Deer culling to take place this weekend in Jackson
By ELIZABETH FERSZT and KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writers A deer culling originally set to take place in Jackson, Jan. 16-18 has been rescheduled for this weekend. According to information posted on the City of Jackson’s website, the city, “in partnership…
Hearty Chili and Strong Roots: Albion Community Gardens Brings Neighbors Together
On a frigid January evening, while winter weather disrupted travel across much of the country, the warmth inside St. James Episcopal Church told a different story. Nearly 100 people, including volunteers, gathered for the Albion Community Gardens annual Chili Dinner…
Cass Street Vote Advances Broader 2026 Construction Plan
By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer Albion City Council voted Jan. 20 to approve a Michigan Department of Transportation contract for improvements on West Cass Street, advancing a project that has been in planning for several years and helping define the…
