Former St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough was sentenced to one year of probation and other conditions Thursday. Appearing via Zoom before Kalamazoo County District Court Judge Vincent Westra, the 41-year-old McDonough learned his fate after pleading guilty to the charge of operating a motor vehicle while visibly impaired. In exchange for McDonough’s guilty plea, Westra agreed to drop two …

Financial support for sheriff’s deputies to enhance patrol of a major route in St. Joseph County is expected to be approved next week. During their executive committee meeting Wednesday, commissioners heard a report from board chairman Dennis Allen. Allen shared that he and commissioner Jared Hoffmaster met Tuesday with members of a traffic-safety committee comprised of Sheriff Mark Lillywhite, Undersheriff …

St. Joseph County officials are expected to debate whether to back a petition that supports high school athletes and their right to play winter sports. With the exception of bowling and swimming, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has imposed a moratorium on winter sports until Feb. 21. Commissioner Jared Hoffmaster broached the subject during the county commission’s executive committee meeting Wednesday. He …

Highland Ventures LTD will begin to liquidate and close its 250 remaining Family Video locations throughout the U. S. by mid-February. The last remaining locations in St. Joseph County already had closed. The Sturgis and Three Rivers Family Video stores shuttered almost six months ago. In November, as Sturgis and Three Rivers closed its stores, Family Video launched a #savethevideostore …

Our Dad. Our best friend, mentor, rock, guiding light, personal advisor, and above all else – our hero. “Never ask someone to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself.” “Be careful not to pat yourself on the back too soon.” “Plan the work – Work the plan.” “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” The many codes he lived by. A …

David J. Smith, age 84, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday evening, Jan. 26, 2021, at Promedica Coldwater Regional Hospital in Coldwater. He was born Aug. 6, 1936, in Grand Rapids, a son of the late Clarence Justice and Beatrice Marie (Borrink) Smith. Dave resided in Sturgis since 1970, coming from Allegan, where he was a graduate of Allegan High School …

Jeffery Lynn Johnson, age 79, passed peacefully to Heaven on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. He has been reunited with his wife of 52 years, Diana Marie Johnson, whom he lost 4 years prior. He was a resident of Centreville, along with his two sons, William Michael and Jeffery Charles. Jeffery was born January 25, 1942 and grew up in and …

Barbara Julaine Reisterer, age 73, of Lawton, died Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 at White Oaks Assisted Living Center. She was born in Vicksburg on Feb. 28, 1947 the daughter of Joseph and Bertha (Moessen) Stermer. She was a 1965 graduate of Vicksburg High School and lifetime resident of Southwest Michigan. She worked at Meijer where she met her husband, Thomas …

James L. VanAken, Sr., (“Jim,” “Bumbles”), age 62, of Constantine, passed away on Monday, January 25, 2021 at Three Rivers Health. Jim was born on April 26, 1958 in Sturgis, a son of Richard and Barbara (Wakefield) VanAken. He graduated from Constantine High School in 1976 and went on to learn the mechanics trade. In 1979, he married Penny Casselman …

St. Joseph County commissioners are poised to modify one of their meeting schedules beginning in February. The matter was raised at their executive committee meeting Wednesday. Commissioner Jared Hoffmaster, who joined the five-member board earlier this month, advised commissioners he has a work-related conflict with the second of the commission’s two monthly executive committee meetings. Executive committee meetings are at …