Longtime Dowagiac Mayor faces new challenger

DOWAGAIC, Mich. — Incumbent mayor Donald Lyons has held his office since 1997, but now faces a new challenger in Pat Bakeman, a Dowagiac native and local business owner.

Lyons, founder of Lyons Industries, has overseen a number of large-scale development projects over the past 28 years, and hopes to use another potential term to transition the city into the future.

Bakeman, if elected, hopes to focus on city infrastructure; fixing up street lights and road issues, as well as making Dowagiac an attractive community for incoming families.