News

Most speakers at SH Council meeting opposed to possible STR ordinance

Editorial Staff Mar 12, 2025 4 min read

By James Windell It was a packed Council Chambers at the South Haven City Council meeting on Monday night, March 3, 2025. This was not unexpected because a public hearing on the latest draft Short-Term Rental ordinance was on the…

Austell returns home to perform at Scott Club

Editorial Staff Mar 12, 2025 3 min read

James Windell Connor Austell grew up in South Haven – not far from the Scott Club where he will perform on March 16, 2025, at 3:00 pm.Austell, a concert pianist who attended college at Grand Valey State University and the…

Former Paw Paw Public Schools employee faces charges of wire fraud

Former Paw Paw Public Schools employee faces charges of wire fraud

Editorial Staff Mar 12, 2025 2 min read

PAW PAW – A former Paw Paw Public Schools employee faces charges of wire fraud in ex-cess of $20,000, according to a press release from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott said that in November…

Business owner offers community events to build a deaf space

Business owner offers community events to build a deaf space

Editorial Staff Mar 12, 2025 2 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com PAW PAW – After their young son experienced a slight hearing loss, the owner of The Lucky Wolf, Paw Paw, has recently started a free community event to build a deaf space for the Paw Paw…

Driver faces charges following arrest in Decatur Twp.

Editorial Staff Mar 12, 2025 2 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com A Lawton area man faces charges of driving while intoxicated and flee and elude, following his arrest early Friday morning, March 7, according to a press release from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.Van Buren County…

Lawton Village continues discussion on Lawton youth softball baseball program

Editorial Staff Mar 12, 2025 3 min read

By Paul GarrodStaff Writernews4garrod@gmail.com LAWTON -The Lawton Village Council at the Feb. 25 village council meeting continued discussion on the Lawton Youth Softball Baseball program. During Citizen’s Comments, Pam Stermer, a resident of E. Third Street, addressed the Lawton Village…

Albion’s Black History Month Artist Showcase features all mediums, ages, and connections to work

Albion’s Black History Month Artist Showcase features all mediums, ages, and connections to work

Editorial Staff Mar 7, 2025 6 min read

By SYLVIA BENAVIDEZ Contributing Writer “Honoring the past and inspiring the future” was the theme on the flyer describing the third annual Black History Month Artist Showcase that took place in Albion Feb. 28 and March 1, at the Ismon…

Broken elevator causes change in location for Albion City Council

Editorial Staff Mar 7, 2025 5 min read

By KARA DECHALK Contributing Writer Monday’s city council meeting was held at the Ludington Center on Superior Street instead of in the council chambers on the second floor of city hall. The reason for the move was discussed at the…

Comets win first state title in competitive cheer

Comets win first state title in competitive cheer

Editorial Staff Mar 7, 2025 2 min read

Hanover-Horton has made a steady climb all season in Michigan High School Athletic Association competitive cheer. Last Friday the Comets climbed to the top of the mountain, winning the MHSAA Division 4 state title at Mount Pleasant. The Comets finished…

Dispute between roommates ends in shooting in Albion

Editorial Staff Mar 7, 2025 1 min read

Last Thursday evening Albion Department of Public Safety was dispatched to the 1300 block of Hillside Road in Albion for a trouble complaint that quickly escalated to a shooting. When police arrived they found 27-year old-Rajae Flowers-Taylor of Lansing with…

Judge rules against J. Jeffers & Co on sale of Hayes Hotel

Editorial Staff Mar 7, 2025 9 min read

Photo by Elizabeth Ferszt Brian Loftin and Joshua Jeffers are the developers that previously had a contract to purchase the Hayes Hotel from the City of Jackson. By ELIZABETH FERSZT Contributing Writer After the sale of the Hayes Hotel to…

Irish Festival STARTS MARCH 11 EVENTS GALORE

Irish Festival STARTS MARCH 11 EVENTS GALORE

Editorial Staff Mar 7, 2025 5 min read

By Rachael Humphrey It’s that time of year again! The banners are up, windows are painted or covered in chil-dren’s drawings and the countdown above the Doherty bar nears zero. The 50th Annual Clare Irish Festival commences this coming week!This…

Former owner and longtime Review correspondent passes away

Former owner and longtime Review correspondent passes away

Jordan Wilcox Mar 7, 2025 2 min read

Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher It’s hard to put a face to inanimate objects, but almost everyone could agree that Patricia “Pat” Maurer was the face of the Clare County Review.Hired on as a staff writer by Review founder, J.L. Grim, Pat…

Mendon Drama Club to perform horror comedy ‘Elsewhere’ this weekend

Mendon Drama Club to perform horror comedy ‘Elsewhere’ this weekend

Robert Tomlinson Mar 6, 2025 5 min read

Updated 9:21 a.m. March 7, 2025 By Robert TomlinsonNews Director MENDON — Students from Mendon, Centreville and Colon will showcase their acting chops in a horror-comedy play coming to Mendon this weekend. The Mendon Drama Club will be putting on…

Douglas outdoor dining will return

Editorial Staff Mar 5, 2025 2 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorDouglas City Council — urged by 51 letters or emails to expand outdoor dining in public rights-of-way — agreed to do so Monday.Members at their last meeting Feb. 18 tabled doing so “for additional clarification,” city planning and…

Saugatuck courts state grant to upgrade courts

Editorial Staff Mar 5, 2025 1 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorSaugatuck, which last year replaced children’s playground equipment in Village Square Park, is now seeking funds fund to improve its tennis and basketball courts.City council Feb. 24 approved paying engineer Fleis & VandenBrink $3,600 to prepare a Michigan…

Battle of the Books sets record for participation

Battle of the Books sets record for participation

Editorial Staff Mar 5, 2025 3 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor It was a record-breaking year for the annual Battle of the Books competition.A total of 27 elementary school teams from four Allegan County school districts participated in the event at the Plainwell Performing Arts Center on…

Allegan girls beat Schoolcraft, fall to Hopkins

Editorial Staff Mar 5, 2025 2 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The Allegan girls basketball team hoped to end the regular season on a high note.Jayden VandenAkker and Maddie Antkoviak did their part to ensure that happened.VandenAkker scored a game-best 18 points and Antkoviak joined her in…

“Justice for Otsego” founder succumbs to cancer

“Justice for Otsego” founder succumbs to cancer

Editorial Staff Mar 5, 2025 3 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Mary Zack, founder of the advocacy group Justice for Otsego, passed away on Saturday, March 1. She was 43.An Otsego native, Zack was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1997 at the age of 17.In the years…

County residents dissatisfied with local propane company after buyout

County residents dissatisfied with local propane company after buyout

Jordan Wilcox Mar 5, 2025 4 min read

By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher If there’s one thing rural residents rely on this time of year, it’s propane.Hopkins Propane is the area’s largest propane supplier. Founded in 1958, Hopkins served as the Grand Rapids Area’s premier independent propane supplier for…

By Mike Wilcox
Owner/Publisher

Every year, as the Christmas season draws near, I’m reminded just how generous our communities can be. For nearly two decades, Wilcox Newspapers has hosted what’s become one of my favorite traditions: our Annual Christmas Wish Program.

It started simply enough. We asked readers who were struggling to write in and tell us what would make their Christmas a little brighter. The idea was to connect local families in need with local people who wanted to help. Over the years, it’s grown into something truly special—and this year, we’re doing it again.