Leonard J. Pinski, age 80, of White Pigeon, passed away Sunday afternoon, Jan. 31, 2021, at Advent Health in Tampa, Fla. He is survived by two daughters, Janet (David) Carlson and Natalie Pinski; a son, Kenneth Pinski; five grandchildren, Christopher (Victoria) Pinski, Abbey Carlson, Heather (Richard) Williams, Joshua Pinski and Angela Pinski; six great-grandchildren, Mateyo, Nathan, Gabino, Noah, Nathaniel and …

St. Joseph County officials plan to discuss whether to approve a staffing request for the prosecutor’s office. The matter was raised during Wednesday’s executive committee meeting. Commissioners heard a grim report from prosecutor David Marvin, who said according to circuit court judge Paul Stutesman, there are about 600 felony cases backlogged at the moment. He said 19 of the 600 …

St. Joseph County commissioners have recommended changing the first of their two monthly executive committee meetings to a 5 p.m. start from what is currently 8 a.m. The second executive committee meeting of the month would keep its 8 a.m. start time. The issue was first discussed last month, when new commissioner Jared Hoffmaster indicated he has a work-related conflict …

Southwest Michigan First has announced Lee Chatfield has been hired as the agency’s new executive director. The former House of Representative member recently served as speaker of the House and speaker pro-tem. Prior to his three-term run as a state legislator, Chatfield was an athletic director, teacher and coach at Northern Michigan Christian Academy in Burt Lake. Southwest Michigan First …

On Friday, February 5, 2021, Shamar was called back home to be with our Lord and Savior. Shamar was the oldest son of Shandrell Robinson and Larry Barnes and came into the world on May 23, 2001 in Three Rivers. As a baby Shamar was always so happy and bubbly putting a smile on anyone’s face. Shamar as a teen …

More information about a Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored trip later this year will be available during an informational meeting next week. The chamber’s annual trip this year will be to Greece, with departure set for Oct. 14. A Zoom session, with more details about the impending trip, will take place starting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Meanwhile, chamber officials …

Kellogg Community Credit Union is hosting a nonperishable food drive in celebration of National Canned Good month in February. With the pandemic, local food banks have seen some of the highest demand for assistance in years, credit union officials said. KCCU is asking the public to consider bringing in canned goods and other non-perishable food items to any branch through …

A few personnel moves were approved this week by members of the Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education. The internal moves included Kaitlyn Ford Schrock transferring to payroll manager from accounting; Ana Stellner, from administrative assistant to the superintendent, to accounting; and Toni Andrews from lead secretary to administrative assistant to superintendent Art Ebert. Andrews will fill a position created …

Gary Alan Toepper, age 67, of Topeka, Kan., and former resident of Sturgis, passed away Sunday morning, Feb. 7, 2021, at University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. He was born May 8, 1953 in Sturgis, a son of the late John T. and Marieta (Fitterer) Toepper. Gary resided in Kansas for the past 30 years. He also had lived …

John M. Boggs, age 80, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021. The family will receive friends from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday at Hackman Chapel of Hackman Family Funeral Homes, 114 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis. Private services will follow visitation. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only 25 people are allowed in the funeral home at a time and masks …