The American Red Cross is working with local officials and community partners to help meet the immediate needs of 25 people displaced by a fire at the Wagon Wheel Motel on Saturday in Harrison. The shelter at Hayes Township Hall provides them and their pets a place to stay. They also are helping them get Read More…
By Genine Hopkins A devastating fire at the Wagon Wheel Motel in Hayes Township on July 5, 2025, left 20 people and 6 children homeless but had only one serious injury, the owner, who was burned on their hands and feet. The fire broke out at 4 p.m. and started in room 4. Electric service Read More…
By Christopher Johnson If you stuck around town this Fourth of July weekend, you may have noticed Colonville Road had transformed into something of a rural autobahn—buzzing with both motorized traffic and horse-drawn rigs, all headed in the same direction.That’s because the Amish community was hosting the 31st annual Horse Progress Days right here in Read More…
By John RaffelCorrespondent HARRISON — A lot of high school coaches like to say winning programs are not built during the season but are determined by how much work they put into the summer months.That includes Ryan Carlstrom, the varsity girls basketball coach at Harrison.“June was a very busy month for us,” Carlstrom said. “We Read More…
By Scott SullivanEditorLightning StrikesJust when I thought life had gone to hell came word human deaths by lightning have dropped from 300-plus per annum in the 1940s to only 13 so far this year. Now there’s more people, or targets, too.Why? As for more people, birds do it, bees do it. Fewer lightning deaths? “As Read More…
Rain and lightning reigned on the planned Friday, Fourth of July morning parade though Saugatuck, causing its cancelation to the disappointment of Saugatuck-Douglas Area Convention & Visitors Bureau sponsors, volunteers, participants and spectators. Among those showing up were colorfully-dressed Saugatuck-Douglas Indivsible “No Kings” activists (shown below), who remained undaunted. Weather cleared for both Saturday’s Saugatuck-Douglas Read More…
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Since making its debut more than a decade ago, the Lyrics on the Lawn concert series has become a summer tradition at Otsego District Public Library.And this year is no different.Lyrics on the Lawn is back for its 11th year, featuring an eclectic array of performers who will share their talent Read More…
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor City of Otsego residents will soon have another option when it comes to internet service.On Monday, July 14, Surf Internet will begin install fiber internet throughout the majority of the City.A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to commemorate the occasion.“(Surf Internet has) actually already started working in the neighboring township property, but Read More…
By Aaron MitchellOtsego City Manager Since last March, the City of Otsego has been discussing the possibility of allowing residential property owners to own chickens for the provision of eggs.To kick things off, we had a few residents come to our City Commission meeting to discuss chickens in that month. They came with a good Read More…
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor Shannon Goddard and her family are deeply entrenched in the Martin community.Just how entrenched, you ask?Consider this: she’s a fourth-generation Martin High School graduate, making her children—Demetrius (class of 2020), Makala (class of 2024) and Kendra (class of 2026)—fifth-generation MHS grads.Goddard’s commitment to the Martin community can be seen by the Read More…