Submitted By Garrett McGuirt, HPS Communications Director What started as an ordinary afternoon after track practice became an unexpected opportunity for two Hartford High School students to show compassion, maturity and a willingness to help. Juan Romero and Josais Robles were leaving practice when they noticed a man stumbling near the railroad tracks. They didn’t immediately know what was wrong, but nearby Hartford Middle School special education teacher Mary Barkholz-Ing

The Coloma Public Library will welcome Michigan conservationist and author Dan Ellens on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to noon for a book signing, reading, and question-and-answer session featuring his newest book, Forest Legend: The Tale of Ol’ Split Toe. In this young adult adventure, readers travel through time with Ol’ Split Toe, a legendary whitetail buck, as he witnesses the changing relationship between forests, wildlife, and humanity. Spanning from the Ice Age i

There is something special about a tomato picked straight from the vine. Maybe it is the warm skin from the afternoon sun, the unmistakable garden-fresh aroma or the first bite that is juicy, sweet and slightly acidic all at once. Store-bought tomatoes have their place, but nothing quite compares with a tomato grown in a backyard garden, purchased at a farmers market or picked fresh from a local farm. As summer begins to wind down, gardens across Southwest Michigan are prod

Hagar Township is asking the Michigan Department of Treasury to conduct a forensic audit of the Berrien County Drain Commissioner’s Office after property owners were assessed for two drainage projects backed by $895,000 in private borrowing. At the same time, residents are seeking to have the Koranda and Perry & Beach drains abandoned and vacated, arguing the projects are no longer necessary and that assessments are placing a significant financial burden on more than 340 pro

Keeler Township Supervisor Don Blackmond called the Sept. 1, 2026 township business meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All board members were in attendance.

2026 INDUCTEES… Watervliet Public Schools celebrated the Watervliet Athletics Hall of Fame most recent inductees on Thursday, Sept. 3, during halftime of the varsity football game. Honored for their remarkable contribution to Panther Athletics were: (from the left) Travis Bolin and Jake Cowsert (Class of 2013), Kevin Bryce (Class of 2009), Tom Gear (Voice of the Panthers since 1998) and Nicole Winter Zwiers (Class of 2013). The Athletics Hall of Fame was established in Decem

HISTORY IN PERSON… Carole Kiernan (center), dressed in period attire, proudly displays her second-place award-winning Mary Todd Lincoln’s Almond Cake at the Jackson Muster held in August. (Contributed photo) The sharp command rings out across the field. “Make Ready! Take aim! Fire!” A deafening blast of black powder fills the air. Smoke rolls across the battlefield as reenactors dressed in period clothing move into formation, carrying muskets and cartridge boxes. Moments l

The Watervliet City Commission met Tuesday, Sept. 1, reviewing departmental activity, approving routine financial matters and discussing several upcoming community and city issues.

A few weeks and a few thousand miles apart, a local group of friends found a way to connect under the skies while viewing a pair of complimentary celestial events.

Kati Burchett, Watervliet District Library Director Kati Burchett, director of the Watervliet District Library, was honored on Moody on the Market’s 40 Under 40 list for 2026. Burtchett, 39, started working at the library during her senior year at Watervliet High School, shelving books and helping maintain the bulletin board. She later became the children’s programmer before eventually working her way up to director. “One of my biggest accomplishments is working my way up