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As fall sports come to a close, Coloma Comets turn their attention to winter As the autumn leaves continue to fall and the temperatures begin to drop across Southwest Michigan, another chapter of Coloma Comets athletics comes to a close. The sounds of marching bands, cheering crowds, whistles, and Friday night football are slowly fading, making way for the squeaking of basketball shoes, the intensity of wrestling matches, and a new season of opportunities. For Coloma’s stud

HARTFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL… “Students of the Week” for Oct. 23, 2026 are: (from the left) 6th Grader Giselle Monterrosas is an extremely hard-working student. She goes to class prepared and ready to learn. She is kind and respectful to students and staff and is a great example of Husky GRIT. 7th Grader Ariel Gorman goes to class each day with a smile on her face and a positive attitude that brightens her classrooms! She consistently works hard, asks for help when she needs it, a

The ninth week of action in the Tri-City Record’s Armchair Quarterback Contest has reached its verdict. As always, we continued the tradition of challenging our ‘superfans’ with daunting gridiron matchups, as our knowledgeable fanatics tried to pick the winners of three high school, four collegiate, and three professional football games appearing on our week nine calendar. We’ve reached the end of October, so continue to enjoy those game days while they are with us! Looking

With the November 3, 2026 General Election approaching, voters across Berrien and Van Buren counties will face a range of choices involving federal and state offices, judicial positions, local government and school funding. Mid-term elections often receive less attention than those with presidential candidates, but on a national stage, Tri-City voters still have the responsibility of selecting their voice within the U.S. Senate and House on this ballot. These decisions will s

Gary’s life began on Aug. 5, 1950, in Watervliet, Michigan. A lifelong resident of the community, he was a graduate of Watervliet High School. Gary had a deep love for his community, which he demonstrated through 13 years of service with the Watervliet Ambulance and 32 years as a member of the Watervliet Fire Department. He retired from the fire department in September 2004. When he wasn’t serving his community, Gary was dedicated to providing for his family. He spent 30 yea

Coloma, Hartford, and Watervliet all represented BLOSSOMTIME 2027… Chosen on Sunday, Oct. 25 at the Blossomtime Bud, Jr. Teen and Teen pageant are: (from the left) Front – Bud Prince 1st Runner-Up Parker Davis (Coloma), Bud Princess 1st Runner-Up Janet Andrews (Hartford), Bud Princess Sophia Smith (Hartford), Bud Princess 2nd Runner-Up Ellie Clement, Bud Prince Colten Blair; Back – Jr. Teen 2nd Runner-Up Josephine Bishop, Teen Miss Congeniality Brooklyn Grubb, Teen 2nd Runner

Richard (Rick) L. Harris Jr., 75 of Hartford, MI, passed away peacefully October 17, 2026. He was born June 4, 1951, in Benton Harbor, MI. Rick was a member of the 4-H Club riding horses and competing. He won numerous Blue Ribbons, that is where he met the love of his life Madeleine Bailey. They were married July 28, 1972. Rick served with the Army Reserves, he owned and operated Caspian IGA until he and family moved to Hartford, MI where he was Assistant Manager at Harding

Coloma City Commissioners met for their second meeting of the month on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026 at the Coloma City Hall. All members were in attendance with the exception of Commissioner Julie Smith. With new information in the commissioners’ packets and not enough time to review it the board made a motion to “table” taking action Monday on Resolution 2026-5 in support of the joint fire authority. A meeting was set just to discuss the resolution in further detail.

PRESENTING… Contestants for the 2027 Coloma Community Pageant: (from the left) Standing - Lainie White (Teen), Karsyn Jacobs (Miss), McKenzie Harris (Miss), Josephine Brookshire (Miss), Aubrie Genther (Teen); Sitting - Kaelyn Jacobs (Teen), Kobe Tanner (Mr.), Mary Drake (Teen). Coloma Community Pageant Organization will present its “Our Midnight Circus” pageant at 2 p.m. this Sunday, Nov. 1, showcasing the hard work and dedication of the young women and young man who have sp

CLEANING UP HAGAR BEACH… The local Adopt-A-Beach crew was out in full force last month at Hagar Beach Park. Seen here is Coloma Public Library employees Alicia Ford and Erica Anstey collecting litter and helping keep the community’s shoreline clean and beautiful. (Contributed photo) The Adopt-a-Beach cleanup project is making a difference in protecting the Great Lakes, one piece of litter at a time. By volunteering to collect trash and debris along the shoreline, participant

Hartford Boys Soccer The Hartford men’s varsity soccer squad hosted Berrien Springs on Tuesday, Oct. 20, for a district semifinal match, looking to make their way into the finals for the 13th consecutive season by knocking off the Shamrocks, whom they knocked out of the postseason by one goal last fall. After eighty minutes of action on the pitch, which was dominated by the home squad for much of the evening, the Huskies moved on by reigning victorious, 4-nil. Hartford stru

Michael “Mike” Whitehead, 64, of Watervliet died at his home on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Services celebrating his life were held Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Bright Star Tabernacle on 5130 Old Pipestone Road in Eau Claire with Pastor Mike Fields officiating. The visitation was on Monday at the Fairplain Chapel of Florin Funeral and Cremation Service in Benton Township. Burial followed the service at North Shore Memory Gardens in Hagar Township. Please leave memories or message

A FALL DAY, THE WATERVLIET WAY… Downtown Watervliet was filled with seasonal sights and flavors during its Fall Festival on Oct. 24. From a chili cook-off and fresh-fried doughnuts to a car show, costume contests and DJ entertainment throughout the evening, the celebration offered something for all ages. A vendor market, haunted businesses, and lighted golf cart parade added to the hometown Halloween fun. (Contributed photos)

Panther’s end season with loss on Senior Night The Watervliet varsity football team fell to Kalamazoo United 47-6 in their final game of a challenging season that finished 1-7. The Panther defense led by Coach Kyle Burke got off to a strong start forcing multiple punts by Kalamazoo United and keeping the score within reach after the first quarter only down 7-0. Sophomore quarterback Brayden Harasewicz ripped off multiple chain moving runs in the first quarter giving the Pant

Bainbridge Township Supervisor Andy Gardiner called the Oct. 19, 2026 business meeting to order at 5:58 p.m. All board members were in attendance on this night. One item under new business was a new phone system for the township hall due to copper lined phones being discontinued. The board decided after looking at three different companies to go with IVS Communications due to both its cost and the benefits. Another item under new business was the Greater Berrien Transportat

As people get older, something as simple as holding a cellphone can become more challenging. Hands may not grip as securely as they once did and today’s larger, smooth smartphones can be especially easy to drop. The right phone case can help prevent that expensive accident while making the phone more comfortable to use.

Watervliet High School sophomore Aubrey Winnell is earning recognition as the Tri-City Record Press Box Player of the Week for her strong performance on the volleyball court, dedication to her team and commitment to excellence both on and off the court. Playing middle hitter for the varsity volleyball team, Winnell has made a significant impact at the net this season. She leads the team with 13 solo blocks and 25 total blocks, while also contributing 15 service aces, 43 kill

Eighth grade Student Council President, Ember Gonzales, welcomed all Coloma Junior High School students to the Unity Day assembly on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. She challenged her fellow students to “Look around you. We’re all different. We have different interests, talents, personalities, and backgrounds. But there’s one thing that we have in common – we’re all Coloma Comets, and we all deserve to feel like we belong!” Students stand with guest speaker Matt DeMarais.

The eighth week of action in the Tri-City Record’s Armchair Quarterback Contest has reached its verdict. As always, we continued the tradition of challenging our ‘superfans’ with daunting gridiron matchups, as our knowledgeable fanatics tried to pick the winners of two high school, five collegiate, and three professional football games appearing on our week eight calendar. Looking back at last week’s final records we can report that each of our six accomplished scholars passe

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK… selected at Hartford High School on Oct. 16, 2026 are: (from the left) 11th Grader Emanuel Sarco Rivera, nominated for helping every day in first hour to take down the chairs from tables. He always goes to class with a positive attitude and is polite. Twelfth grader Allie Muller was chosen for finding a phone on the bench outside and taking it to the office. The student it belonged to was very appreciative it was turned in. (Contributed photo)