A western Michigan man was sentenced to decades in prison after pleading no contest in the 2021 slayings of his parents, whose bodies were found buried at a state game area. A Kalamazoo County judge on Wednesday sentenced Nicholas Johnson to spend between 29 and 69 years in prison. The Portage man must serve a minimum of 29 years before he’s eligible …

Stephen Virgil Slemp, age 73, of Colon, passed away on Thursday, November 2, 2023 after eight years with non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Steve was born July 5, 1950 in Elizabethton, Tennessee, the oldest child of Jack Lafayette Slemp and Rosie Pauline “Sudie” (Hampton) Slemp. Steve graduated from Elizabethton High School in 1968, and then went on to Carson-Newman University for one …

David Frederick Recher, age 94, of Three Rivers, passed away Thursday, October 26, 2023, at Edgewood Health & Rehabilitation. He was born October 19, 1929, in Terre Haute, Indiana, the son of the Rev. John M. and Mildred (Summit) Recher Sr., and lived in Ohio and Massachusetts until the family moved to Michigan in 1946. He graduated from Three Rivers …

Doris A. Frohriep, age 87, of Sturgis, passed away early Friday morning, November 3, 2023 at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born July 3, 1936 in Kalamazoo, daughter of the late Sanford E. and Anna (Robbins) Kessler. Mrs. Frohriep resided in Sturgis nearly her entire life and was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of …

Phyllis Marie Broker, age 71, of Colon, passed away at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital on the morning of Wednesday, November 1, 2023. Phyllis was born in Aurora, Illinois, on November 9, 1951, a daughter of the late Louis and Joyce (Emmel) Broker. Phyllis graduated from Colon High School with the class of 1970. She lived most all her adult life …

Jeffrey L. Bond, age 81, of Sturgis, passed away at his home on Fish Lake, Monday, October 30, 2023. Jeff was born on September 26, 1942, in Phoenix, Arizona, a son to the late Ted and Gwen (Willis) Bond. Jeff was a graduate of Mesa High School with the class of 1960. Jeff worked in Tempe, Arizona as a fire …

A White Pigeon man took top honors in both judging categories at Thursday’s “Chili Out at Your Library” event at White Pigeon Township Library. The inaugural event, a fundraiser to help the library raise funds for a bookmobile, drew 11 participants and more than 80 people sampling the offerings. Library director Perri Saunders said Charles Worley’s “Boilermaker Tailgate Chili” won …

November is homeless awareness month and a local entity is staging a collection of personal-hygiene products to benefit St. Joseph County’s own. The drive – which concludes Nov. 30 – is being overseen by the St. Joseph County Housing Task Force to help stock hygiene closets at UCAP in Three Rivers, Building Hope Free Store in Centreville and Friday Friendship …

Here’s a look at November’s Fresh Food Distribution in St. Joseph County. First Presbyterian Church on Lakeview Avenue in Sturgis will kick off the first of November’s six local distributions. It is scheduled for 4 p.m. Nov. 9. Seventh-Day Adventist Church, east of Centreville on M-86 hosts, the next distribution. It will take place at 4 p.m. Nov. 14. Two …

Paul David Irelan, age 55, passed away on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at his home in White Pigeon. He was born August 15,1968 in Sturgis, a son to David Lee and Naoma (Carpenter) Irelan. Paul lived his whole life in White Pigeon, except for a 10 year span of time when he lived in Elkhart. He married Lori Ann Rentfrow …