BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR Where did Saugatuck City Manager Ryan Heise go? Council and staff have been mum on his whereabouts since naming planning and zoning head Ryan Cummins interim manager Feb. 6 at a special meeting. “Ryan Heise,” said…

BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR Douglas City Council planned to explore engineering firm Prein & Newhof’s assessments of road and water infrastructure needs. City manager Lisa Nocerini said doing so would help budget planning for fiscal year 2024-25. Because Monday was…

Pete Hepp, 64 Pete Hepp, 64 of Alabama passed away Feb. 3, 2024. He was a 1977 graduate of Saugatuck High School. Shortly after graduation he moved to Alabama. In 1986 Pete married the love of his life, Patti. He…

Nancy J. (Lechler) Mendonca passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 16, 2023, at age 75. Nancy’s kindness, generosity, love and patience touched many people throughout her life and is irreplaceable to all. She had a special ability to be in the moment…

By Scott SullivanEditorTransitionsThe Black Death is back, and about time too. Guess who caused an Oregon man last week to be diagnosed with bubonic plague?Illegal immigrantsThe cancel cultureBiden, Trump, Fauci or some other popular scapegoat currentlyHis catCat owners can’t be…

By Scott SullivanEditorWhere did Saugatuck City Manager Ryan Heise (left photo) go? Council and staff have been mum on his whereabouts since naming planning and zoning head Ryan Cummins (at right) interim manager Feb. 6 at a special meeting.“Ryan Heise,”…

By Scott SullivanEditorPolice have identified a body that washed up on a private Ganges Township beach Feb. 14 as belonging to Elijah Ramone Cooper, 21, of Chicago.Cooper, identified by dental records, had last been seen Nov. 15, 2023.The Allegan County…

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor FENNVILLE—On Saturday, Feb. 17, Fennville hosted its 13th Annual Never Forgotten Games to honor the memory of Wes Leonard and raise money for the Wes Leonard Heart Team.As always, Saugatuck was the opponent.And for that, Saugatuck…

Presidents’ Day has come and gone but I can’t help but reflect on two of my favorites, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.Washington was our first president. He led an army of rag tag colonists of victory over the well-trained, formidable…

By Scott Sullivan Editor The Michigan Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) department has turned down Northshore of Saugatuck’s request to create a boat basin north of the Kalamazoo River channel to Lake Michigan. The developer’s first application to build…

By Scott Sullivan Editor Don’t expect Douglas to move city services into the empty “old hospital” building bought last summer for $1.5 million soon. City council Feb. 6 declined to hire Troy-based ABM Building Solutions for $7.8 million to design…

Brenda Lee Miller, 78, of Saugatuck passed away peacefully on Jan. 30, 2024.Brenda was born in Cheshire, Conn., on May 9, 1945. She graduated from Cheshire High School and received her bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University.Brenda was an interior…

By Maggie ConklinCheesy GarlicBiscuitsI tripped over an old recipe card given me by a coworker more than a decade ago. Now, I try to eat healthy and refrain from fatty breads, but we were going to a potluck and this…

By Scott SullivanEditorIndivisbleI build barriers. Fear invasion? My walls fend off (choose one or more):MexicansMongolsGermsGermansChineseFluCovidOvidWeatherOr notIn-lawsOutlawsEx-esExcess options With U.S. taxpayers housing, feeding and transporting 5 million illegal immigrants (Them) all over the country, what percentage are young males looking for…

By Scott SullivanEditorThe Michigan Environment, Great Lakes and Energy department has turned down Northshore of Saugatuck’s request to create a boat basin north of the Kalamazoo River channel to Lake Michigan.The developer’s first application to build a marina was approved…

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor MARTIN—On Friday, Feb. 9, the Saugatuck girls basketball team had the opportunity to avenge its lone loss of the season.The Trailblazers did just that.Getting a combined 33 points from senior Brook Simpson and junior Kennedy Gustafson,…

One day, after a salesclerk said, “Have a nice day,” I turned towards her with my bleakest expression and replied, “Thank you, but I have other plans.” When I bought a couple tomatoes from her later, she said, “Have a good…

I’ve written about this many times, but as we prepare to vote this year, I would ask you to be mindful of this- we keep electing leaders that have long past the age where we receive social security checks. Age…

A Second Line Pub Crawl will bring the Great Lakea Brass band performing in and parading through Saugatuck streets and watering holes on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 13. Proceeds will go to the Red Horse Center Collaborative Leadership Center, which furnishes…

By Scott Sullivan Editor  A letter printed here Jan. 11, “County should get off carcasses,” noted Allegan County was not heeding requests to remove roadkill deer from near Blue Star Highway. The writer said Saugatuck Township — unlike Douglas and…