The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team has identified a former nickel plating facility in South Haven as Van Buren County’s third designated PFAS site. MPART says Four Star Corporation was in business from 1964 to 1983 and eight of the eleven groundwater samples taken have exceeded the safety criteria. The state Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy will work with health officials to evaluate nearby residential drinking water wells. Groundwater from the site on Kalamazoo Street flows west into a creek which then flows into Lake Michigan.... [Read Full Story]
A 27-year-old Sterling Heights man is in the Van Buren County Jail after erratic driving on I-94 and a chase that followed him being pulled over in Paw Paw Township near the 59 mile marker. Gino Miller allegedly drove between 85 and 100 miles an hour during the chase shortly before 1 am today, avoiding attempts from several police agencies to stop him using spike strips. Miller was finally stopped in Berrien County when sheriff’s deputies successfully used spike strips to blow his left side front tire. He kept driving at slow speeds and tried to swerve at police vehicles that were attempting to get him off the road. Miller stopped near the 38 mile marker and was arrested. Police seized a small amount of fentanyl and found he had a Berrien County warrant for fleeing and eluding and possessing cocaine and a felony warrant from Illinois.... [Read Full Story]
The South Haven City Council on Monday unanimously approved the SHOUT proposed construction of a wintertime gathering place at Dyckman Park. The project earlier received endorsements from the Downtown Development Authority and the South Haven Parks Commission. SHOUT president Bob Copping told the council about the money raised for the project.... [Read Full Story]
South Haven’s short-term rentals remain a hot-button issue. Assistant City Manager Griffin Graham gave the city council an update last night on the numbers of them for this year.... [Read Full Story]
Allegan County will be expanding broadband internet availability to the entire county in the next two years. The county board of commissioners on Thursday approved paying Southfield-based 123.net $18 million for the project to get the service to around 12,000 homes. Board chairman Jim Storey called it a “milestone agreement” that is an example of what they can do through teamwork and a “spirit of togetherness.” The start date for the work has not yet been set. Allegan County’s 2021-22 Strategic Plan called insufficient internet access a primary concern for county residents.... [Read Full Story]
Two juveniles are in custody on the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office and charged with vandalism at the Lake Doster Golf Club in Plainwell in November. The damage is estimated at over $75,000. Tire tracks were found around and on the greens of the sixth and seventh holes on November 26. The course might be forced to use temporary greens in 2023 on those holes due to the damage.... [Read Full Story]
South Haven’s first career female firefighter has retired after a 21-year career. Dawn Hinz served seven years with the Covert Fire Department and the past 14 years with South Haven Area Emergency Services. Executive director Brandon Hinz says his wife left a positive impact on the department and proved conventional wisdom that women weren’t strong or tough enough to serve was wrong. He says all women hired since Dawn have continued her attitude. Hinz will stay on SHAES as a paid on-call firefighter. She will also continue her affiliation with Athletic Mentors of Kalamazoo, a corporate wellness and coached gym that inspires healthy living no matter an individual’s current fitness ability. Additionally, Athletic Mentors coaches and manages cycling and multi-sport teams with a youth development focus. The Hinz family lives in Geneva Township on a farm.... [Read Full Story]
The South Haven Area Water Sewer Authority says about 1,100 gallons of raw wastewater were discharged on Thursday. The discharge was caused by a sanitary sewer force main break at the lift station near Phoenix Street and County Road 689. The issue began at 10:45 a.m. and was resolved around 6 p.m. The South Haven Department of Public Works made repairs and say the lift station and force main are now operating normally.... [Read Full Story]
A Lawrence man was arraigned Wednesday following the deaths of two men at a New Year’s Eve party in Van Buren County, according to police.... [Read Full Story]
The South Haven City Council has voted to table a vote on food trucks. There were just four members in attendance at last night’s meeting as they discussed Option 1 that includes food truck parks or Option 2 with no food truck parks to be sent to the Planning Commission. Assistant City Manager Griffin Graham.... [Read Full Story]
At about 1 a.m. Monday, Amber and Daniel Meyers woke to the sound of fire alarms and smoke coming from the shared bedroom of their two young sons.... [Read Full Story]
The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office has identified the two men shot and killed at a New Year’s Eve party in Lawrence. Forty-year-old Jason McCreary of Sutter Creek, California was shot in the head and died at the scene, and 35-year-old David Reed of Waverly Township died at a hospital from several gunshot wounds to the back. The 62-year-old Lawrence Township man accused of firing the shots is scheduled to be arraigned today and his name has not been released. He shot the gun s fireworks were being set off at midnight.... [Read Full Story]
A South Haven North Shore Elementary teacher has won a Michigan Lottery Excellence In Education award. Mary Phillips is a STEM teacher in the Van Buren County district. She has received a $1,500 prize along with a plaque, and a $500 grant to her school district. Phillips incorporates esports in her curriculum and says esports is her favorite unit to teach. She says the vision is simple to have fun and play a role in keeping the games fun for everyone. Phillips says the students are gamers, team coaches, marketing managers, shoutcasters, graphic designers, and IT support. She was nominated by a family member for the award. Phillips earned her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Western Michigan University and has been a teacher for the past 18 years.... [Read Full Story]
With new reports of weather-related accidents and injuries coming in by the minute across southwest Michigan, officials have advised motorists to stay off the roads Friday.... [Read Full Story]
One person is dead and four are injured following a fire in Bangor Tuesday morning. South Haven Area Emergency Services says several departments responded to the blaze on Third Street around 8:25 a.m. One person is believed to have died in the fire and four others were treated and taken to area hospitals. One of them was rescued by city of Bangor police officers. The Bangor Community Fire Department received mutual aid from the Columbia, Covert, Hartford, Lawrence, South Haven, and Watervliet fire departments. Bangor police were assisted by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department and Michigan State Police, and Consumers Energy disconnected service to a flaming meter. SHAES says this is the third major structure fire in Bangor since Saturday. A state fire marshal and medical examiner have been requested.... [Read Full Story]
Golf carts will be allowed on the streets in South Haven from March 15 until November 15 in 2023. The City Council approved the extension along with banning carts from towing other carts and anything else by a 5-3 vote. Councilwoman Wendi Onuki did not want the longer season for the carts.... [Read Full Story]
The Michigan Department of Transportation is providing a grant of over $1.3 million to fill two critical gaps in the Blue Star Trail between South Haven and Holland. The city of Saugatuck along with Saugatuck Township and the city of Douglas will build 1.14 miles of trail to connect three miles of existing trail between them. The project will address the only pedestrian and bike connection possible between Saugatuck and Douglas over the Kalamazoo River.... [Read Full Story]
South Haven residents can get their Christmas tree picked up by Best Way Disposal on Wednesday, January 11 for free. The trees need to be on the curb before 6 a.m. to ensure pickup. Trees placed on the curb any other day will be picked up, but the residents will be charged $25 for it. Garbage carts cannot be at the curb before 8 a.m. the day before collection and need to be moved back by 8 p.m. the day trash is collected. The trash utility adds recycling will be collected every other week on the same day as trash is picked up.... [Read Full Story]
32 to 62 years is the sentence for 24-year-old Tiah Sutton in the July 2021 murder of Shondell Newell in South Haven. He was shot during an argument near Elkenburg Park and then tried to leave in a vehicle before crashing it at the Pizza Hut in town. Witness Tommy Echols testified that Newell’s last words were “she shot me in the heart, I’m dead” as he pointed to his chest. Sutton put her pistol in the side of David Taylor in his car and ordered him to keep driving according to police. Defense attorney Caleb Grimes tried to argue that Sutton fired the shots in self-defense, saying Newell had threatened her earlier that day and right before the shooting.... [Read Full Story]
Niles, South Haven, and Cassopolis are all recipients of state grants aimed at supporting small businesses and strengthening downtowns. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced 35 recipients of Match on Main grants this week. Niles, South Haven, and Cassopolis will each get $25,000 to give to downtown businesses for improvements. In the case of Niles, the grant will go to S&K Cornerstone. In South Haven, the grant will go to Decadent Dogs, and in Cassopolis, the funds will go to Curtis Place LLC. Each will use their grant for expenses that could support interior building renovations, activation of an outdoor space, business infrastructure related to COVID-19, marketing, or inventory. The MEDC says the 35 grants announced statewide this week will create or retain 296 full-time jobs and generate a total investment of more than $2.7 million.... [Read Full Story]
After 127 years in circulation, a small southwest Michigan newspaper announced it was closing its doors last week. Then, at the 11th hour, another southwest Michigan-based newspaper group swooped in and saved the day.... [Read Full Story]
Nearly $80,000 in scholarship funds will be awarded to South Haven students attending college next fall by the South Haven Area Community Foundation. It says 22 local scholarship applications are now available for South Haven High School seniors online. The application process is provided through a partnership with the South Haven Area Community Foundation and South Haven Public Schools. The foundation says the scholarships are only available for South Haven High School students. There are more than a dozen available. The deadline to apply is March 1 and you can find applications here.... [Read Full Story]
An all-hours emergency veterinarian clinic is being proposed for a former Family Video location on 136th Avenue in Holland Township. The township’s planning commission has approved the application from O’Brien Veterinary Group that will save people from having to drive to Grand Rapids for emergency care. The Emergency Veterinary Care Center business development director Deana Scheidt tells the Holland Sentinel having the clinic there could mean a pet’s life can be saved with the shorter drive. Scheidt says some primary care offices have become overwhelmed and some no longer offer care after hours.... [Read Full Story]
Two southwest Michigan parks are among 14 to receive a Recreation Passport grant from the state. Governor Whitmer says the Weesaw Township Park Development will receive $135,500 in Berrien County. The city of Allegan will receive $112,000 for improvements to Rossman Park. Whitmer says the money is from the recreation passport program, initiated 12 years ago to boost visitation and funding for Michigan state parks. She says it is delivering more funding to improve local and community parks and trails statewide.... [Read Full Story]
