Darl Duane Gunthorpe, age 80, of Westerville, Ohio, and a former lifelong Sturgis resident, passed away early Monday evening, Sept. 17, 2012, at the St. Anns Hospital in Westerville, Ohio. He was born Aug. 24, 1932, in Bronson, a son of Maurice and Iola (Bidwell) Gunthorpe. Darl was a lifelong Sturgis area resident. On July 24, 1954 he married Beverly …

Steven Lee Reed, age 65, of Sturgis, passed away early Tuesday morning, Sept. 18, 2012, at his home with his family at his side. He was born Aug. 18, 1947, in Three Rivers, a son of the late Russell and Bonnie (Blank) Reed. Steve was a lifelong resident of the Sturgis and Centreville area and was a graduate of Centreville …

A Kalamazoo man will serve at least four years behind bars for stealing a car and escaping from custody while on a work crew at the St. Joseph County Fairgrounds last year. Adryll Matthews, 24, was sentenced last week by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman to between four and more than seven years in jail for stealing a fair employee’s …

The millage amount to be levied for St. Joseph County’s 911 Central Dispatch service in 2013 will be half a mill, one-quarter of a mill less than what voters authorized in August. Millage amounts to levy next year for four county agencies were set Tuesday by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. While the county’s roads, transportation and commission …

Officials with the Constantine Area Community Foundation have announced they are accepting proposals from non-profit organizations for the foundation’s 2012 fall grant period. Areas of focus for the Constantine Area Community Foundation include improvement of living and working conditions for the citizens of Constantine; youth and recreation; educational, charitable or benevolent purposes; and care of the elderly. Prospective applicants may …

Brandy Lynn Barnell, 34, Sturgis, of Sturgis, passed away unexpectedly Sunday morning, Sept. 16, 2012, at her home. She was born July 4, 1978, in LaGrange, Ind., a daughter of Thomas and Cindy (Sanford) Marker. Brandy resided in Sturgis since May of 2011, coming from Holden, Mo. On July 3, 2001, she married Michael Barnell in Arkansas. She attended Holy …

KALAMAZOO – The Kalamazoo Wings announced yesterday afternoon that it has renewed its agreement to remain as an affiliate to the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. In addition they also signed an agreement with the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves for the upcoming season. Both Vancouver and Chicago will be able to assign players to the K-Wings under …

KALAMAZOO- As the Kalamazoo Wings inch closer to training camp, their roster continues to grow. Announcing the addition of three more players for the upcoming season, the K-Wings will be bringing back two more familiar faces and a new one. Forward Justin Taylor will be returning for this third season as a K-Wing. After earning the K-Wings Rookie of the …

KALAMAZOO – The Kalamazoo Wings roster continues to grow as the organization announced the signing of three more players for the upcoming season. Defenseman Joe Charlebois and Elgin Reid are returning to the K-Wings and the team also completed a trade with the Toledo Walleye for defenseman Kyle Page. The Walleye received future considerations in the trade. Charlebois, who has …

When National City Bank was purchased by PNC Bank back in October of 2008, that left many workers wondering what would happen to their jobs. I had been through the whole “merger” act before. I was hired by First of America Bank in January of 1996 and in November of the following year, National City bought FOA. It doesn’t matter …