No, reindeer didn’t really fly to Fennville District Library for a meet-and-eat-apples-fed-them-by children as part of that city’s DDA-sponsored Holiday Celebration. Other fun that day included annual parades there and nearby in Saugatuck — where bright spirits prevailed despite rain. (Photo by Scott Sullivan)
News
Chain ferry stays afloat on Fed waiver
By Scott Sullivan Editor Saugatuck’s 160-year-old chain ferry will keep cranking out river crossings after the U.S. House last week passed S. 140 of the 2018 Coast Guard Authorization Act including a provision exempting the ferry from having to be operated by a Coast Guard-licensed individual. U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) authored the waiver […]
Children First Lakeshore feeds kids year-round
By Scott Sullivan Editor The holiday food drive season abounds with tales of generosity. Knowing hunger is year-round, leaders of the new 501c3 nonprofit Children First Lakeshore saw their coffers — which translates to weekly food backpacks for 168 local elementary children — filled last week with two new donations: • $6,200 from Women Who […]
Saugatuck holiday fun reigns in rain
Neither the Grinch nor rain dampened spirits at the Saugatuck-Douglas Area Convention & Visitors Bureau’s annual “Whootville” Christmas Parade Saturday through downtown Saugatuck. Other fun included a Saugatuck-Douglas Area Business Association-sponsored Santa’s Workshop at the Coral Gables Annex, Tree-Lighting with Santa in the Village Square Children’s Park and day-long Candy Cane Game promotion among participating […]
Pastor’s new murder yarn is about yarn
By Scott Sullivan Editor Fr. G. Corwin Stoppel is celebrating the holidays with release of the fourth novel in his Great Saugatuck Murder Mystery Series: “The Murder of the Saugatuck Yarn Hoarder.” The Commercial Record columnist and 28-year All Saints’ Episcopal Church rector revisits the town in the 1920s — the era of the Big […]
Douglas hires marketing consultant for $29K
By Scott Sullivan Editor Douglas City Council Monday agreed to hire Laingsburg-based planning consultant LANDUseUSA for up to $29,000 to conduct a mixed-use market analysis of downtown, waterfront and urban neighborhoods development. “Acquiring this information,” said council’s resolution, “and developing a comprehensive strategy will: provide a foundation for informed decision making by identifying the potential […]
Hair of Dog New Year’s run to raise funds
Spectators Sports Bar and Grill will host its seventh annual Hair of the Dog New Year’s Day 5K Fun Run Sunday, Jan. 1, starting at 1 p.m. Saugatuck Brewing Co. and Gazelle Sports are cosponsors with the restaurant. The charity run last year drew 157 participants in snowy, 13° conditions and raised close to $6,200 […]
Calling birds
Environmental educator Kevin VandeVusse will share his images, such as this of Malachite kingfisher, and experiences “Birding in East Africa” at the Holland Audubon Society meeting Tuesday, Dec. 11, in the Hope Church Commons Room, 77 W. 11th St., Holland, at 7 p.m. All are invited, free.
Washed up
Allegan County West Shore Park beachgoers in Ganges Township found an unexpected cross-lake arrival Nov. 25: this buoy from Milwaukee’s South Shore Yacht Club. It evidently became unmoored and traveled 90 miles east before coming to rest here. (Photo by Dana Burd)
Saugatuck opens season with home win over Wyoming Lee
By Jason Wesseldyk Sports Editor Christmas was still nearly a month away when the Saugatuck boys’ basketball team hosted Wyoming Lee in the season-opener for both teams on Tuesday, Nov. 27. That didn’t stop Saugatuck players from giving their coach an early gift in the form of his first varsity win. Coaching in his first […]