The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office recently experienced an historic milestone, its first all-female general road patrol shift. Though other deputies are assigned to township-specific cars, this shift handles the countywide general road patrol Shown in photo from left, Deputy Ashley Weber, Deputy Katie McMillian, and Deputy Andrea Walker-Skinner.Photo courtesy/Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office
The Paw Paw Fire Department served as Santa’s personal escort as the Jolly Old Elf made his way on a fire truck through the community on Wednesday, Dec. 24. The fire department has served as Santa’s escort for several years, beginning during COVID-19.Courier-Leader photo/Paul Garrod
By Scott SullivanEditorMonday’s blizzard brought chaos to local roads when a northbound semi slid off I-196, plunged down the Old Allegan Road overpass and caught fire there.First responders — who battled whiteout conditions, heavy snow and 45-60 mph wind gusts — found the driver had escaped the truck with help from a bystander. But the Read More…
By Scott SullivanEditorNew Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance executive director Elaine Sterrett Isely no stranger to nonprofit environmental leadership.Isely took over as the SDCA’s fulltime director Nov. 1 on heels of the group’s 17-year co-founder and board president David Swan’s announcing his retirement effective Dec. 31.The new director most recently spent 12 years in executive leadership Read More…
By Scott SullivanEditorBowl BingeThey said it was impossible — watch every holiday college bowl game — and dumb to boot, which meant somebody had to do it. Why not me?First things first: head to Tiny Giant to stock up on beer, chips, porn and other Man Cave essentials. Second, hunker in.Fun kicked off Dec. 13 Read More…
By Aaron MitchellOtsego City Manger The year 2025 was a great one for the City of Otsego!We started with a few plans and ideas that we planned on tackling throughout the year, but as you could imagine, there were a few projects that were kind of thrust onto us that needed our immediate attention.Overall, I Read More…
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor For more than a decade, patrons of the Otsego District Library have been treated each winter to the annual early literacy fundraiser, which has transformed the library into immersive, storybook-inspired experiences featuring themes such as Charlotte’s Web, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Candyland.That tradition continues this year, albeit with Read More…
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor A day that many consider to be one of the most joyous of the year took a tragic turn in Gun Plain Township on Christmas night.On Thursday, Dec. 25, a 52-year-old Plainwell-area man was killed after being struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle.According to the Michigan State Police, troopers Read More…
By Jason WesseldykSports Editor It was a blast from the (not-so-distant) past for Allegan swim & dive coach Carol Gephart when the boys’ team hosted Sturgis on Dec. 16.Six former Allegan swimmers who are now competing at the collegiate level returned to their old stomping grounds to visit Gephart and the current Tigers.“It was incredibly Read More…
In the 1950 movie “Harvey” Jimmy Stewart plays Elwood P. Dowd, a certifiable eccentric befriended by 6-foot invisible rabbit named Harvey.It’s a light comedy, but at one point Dowd says something meaningful: that in order to be liked, one had to be “Oh, so nice or oh, so wealthy.”On the whole, being liked is a Read More…