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This week, the school board voted to demolish the Hilltop building. I know you already know, but I had to begin this editorial somehow. I covered the decision and wrote about the costs, the planning and what comes next. But what has stayed with me isn't so much the vote itself as the thought of all the days that building held. One hundred years is a long time for any structure to stand in place. Long enough for generations to pass through it without thinking much about the fa

CEDAR SPRINGS — After decades of debate and more than five years of renewed study, the Cedar Springs Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously this week to demolish the historic Hilltop building and retain the property for future district use.

WEST MICHIGAN — Foreclosure activity is climbing across the country, but West Michigan, including Cedar Springs and much of Kent County, remains comparatively steady. Nationally, foreclosure filings increased in March compared with both the previous month and a year earlier, signaling what housing analysts call a post-pandemic normalization. While filings are rising, experts say the numbers are still far below the levels seen during the Great Recession. Michigan, meanwhile, h

SOLON TOWNSHIP — The Solon Township Planning Commission took a more measured tone Wednesday night as it held a public hearing on a proposed rezoning along Algoma Avenue, ultimately voting to table the decision to allow for additional public notice.

CEDAR SPRINGS — With less than a week remaining before the application deadline, interest in the two vacant Cedar Springs City Council seats and one open Planning Commission seat appears modest. As of this week, city officials have received two applications total for the two council openings and the Planning Commission seat. The City of Cedar Springs began accepting applications after the April 9, 2026 council meeting, when members unanimously voted to accept the resignations

I’ve spent enough evenings at City Hall over the last several months since taking over The Bugle that I don’t really think about it anymore when I grab my notebook and head out the door. It’s just part of the process. Most nights it’s a mix of council members, a few staff, and, at best, a handful of residents who decided that whatever was on the agenda was worth their time. There’s usually a quiet murmur before things begin, council members catching up or asking a quick ques