Suzanne (Ryan) French completed her earthly journey, March 31, 2022. Born Aug. 11, 1935, the daughter of the late Frank and Irene (Calkins) Ryan.Suzanne was also preceded in death by a half-brother, Paul; her best friend and husband of 49 years, Earl French. They were united in marriage, Feb. 14, 1959. Those remaining are dearly Read More…
Posts
Obituary: Betty A. Austin
Betty A. Austin, 84, of Lawrence, also of Paw Paw from 1961 to 1995, passed away Thursday evening March 24, 2022, at White Oaks Retirement Residence, Lawton, with family at her bedside following a 20-plus years’ battle with Alzheimer’s. Betty was born June 3, 1937, in Howell, MI, to Donald and Lois Marjorie (Johnson) Carpp.She Read More…
Spoonfuls and Spirits back on in Paw Paw
After the last two years, going Back to the Future sounds very good. That’s why the Paw Paw Area Chamber of Commerce decided on that for the theme of its 2022 Spoonfuls & Spirits on April 23.Spoonfuls & Spirits has become a “look forward to” event and has sold out the last few years it Read More…
Small retires after 33 years at DPW
A retirement party was held at the Carnegie Center for John Small, Village of Paw Paw Director of Public Works, who retired Thursday, March 31. Small served 33 years with the village. His retirement was short-lived as he began new duties April 4 as Van Buren County’s Buildings and Grounds director.
Van Buren begins first steps in broadband expansion
PAW PAW, Mich.- Efforts to map broadband availability in Van Buren County at the parcel level are slated to begin April 4; this effort is the culmination of many months of work and an essential first step in ensuring broadband access is made available to every home and business in Van Buren County.In January 2022, Read More…
Obituary: Elaine Kay Liechti-Yarling, 75
Elaine Kay Liechti-Yarling passed peacefully into the arms of our Heavenly Father on the 29th of March 2022, surrounded by her loving family at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo following a short illness. Elaine was born on the 27th of June 1946 in Allegan to Maurice and Juanita (Commans) Liechti. She was a graduate of Allegan High School Read More…
Obituary: Don Swartzlander, 74
Born February 18, 1948, in Chicago, IL to Joseph Edward Swartzlander and Alitta (Krieger), Don grew up in Watervliet, MI where he played baseball & basketball and spent time on Paw Paw Lake. After graduating from WMU, he met his loving wife, Anne, and many lifelong friends, while bartending at The Knollwood. Don was active Read More…
Obituary: Bertha Irene “Betty” Reimink, 88
Bertha Irene “Betty” Reimink, of Allegan, MI passed away Friday, April 1, 2022, her 88th birthday. Born April 1, 1934 in Grand Rapids, she was the daughter of the late Henry Patrick and Ivah (Reynolds) Smith. On July 25, 1952, Betty wed the late Chester L. Reimink and together they raised two sons and shared Read More…
Mike’s Musings: U.S. Congress needs term limits
By Mike WilcoxPublisherI’ve been a proponent of term limits for a long time. I believe at too many federal level lawmakers make politics a lifelong career, which was not the intention of our Founding Fathers.Don Young, Alaska’s congressman for 50 years, died recently. Before this weekend when I read former governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Read More…
Life as Performance Art
By G.C. StoppelIf your vacation plans this year include Washington, D.C., be careful. Folks at the National Archives Museum are making sure you will not be traumatized, outraged or otherwise disgruntled by displays of historic documents.Next to an original copy of the U.S. Constitution are warning notices that the language may be troubling to some Read More…

