Carol May Pierce, age 79, of Sturgis, passed away peacefully early Friday morning, August 13, 2021 at her home. She was born January 10, 1942 in Easton, Pennsylvania daughter of the late Grover C. and Bernice (Bowman) Young. Carol resided most of her life in Sturgis and was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1959. On …

Thema Irene Bennett, age 77, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, August 13, 2021 at her home in Kalamazoo. Thema was born on December 31, 1943 in Sturgis to William Harold Harris and Pauline (Diehm) Harris. She graduated from Burr Oak High School in 1962 and went on to attend Parson’s Business School in Kalamazoo. …

Azmondias Izen Wood-McKay, age 2 months, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at his home. Azmondias was born on June 10, 2021 in Kalamazoo, a son to James McKay and Skyla Wood. Azmondia is survived by his parents James McKay and Skyla Wood of Sturgis, grandpa Randall Wood, grandma Jodi Kahler, poppa Mitchell DeGraw and Nanna Diana DeGraw. …

Barbara Grace (Sass) Stevens, age 93, of Three Rivers, passed away at home on May 13, 2020. She was born on Feb. 1, 1927. She was the daughter of Walter and Madge Sass. She had several sisters and two brothers; her husband, George E. Stevens; daughter, Pamela L. Singler; several nieces and nephews. She was a graduate of Three Rivers …

A Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department deputy who grew up and lived in Three Rivers died in the line of duty over the weekend. Ryan Proxmire was shot by a suspect Saturday night following a pursuit that ended in Kalamazoo County’s Climax Township. Investigators said Proxmire was shot as he was pursuing a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Vicksburg resident Kyle Goidosik. …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners Chairman Dennis Allen has declared a county-wide state of emergency. In a statement dated Saturday, Allen noted a series of storms Wednesday and Thursday caused widespread and severe damage, fostered by straight-line winds. Allen said critical infrastructure was compromised, homes and other properties were damaged, and hazardous debris impacted emergency response. The state of …

A 43-year-old Sturgis man is in serious condition after the motorcycle he was driving was struck by a truck last week in Sherman Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called shortly after 10:30 p.m. Friday to the intersection of Banker Street Road and Nottawa Road. A pickup driven by a 20-year-old Sturgis man was eastbound on Banker when it …

Consumers Power of Jackson teamed up with the St. Joseph County United Way Monday for distribution of ice and water to aid residents still without electricity. Roger Curtis, Consumers’ vice president of public affairs, said the event was organized in rapid fashion Monday and came together in a matter of hours. The distribution took place over a three-hour period at …

A Three Rivers man was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison for his involvement in the shooting of a woman last year. Lee Parker Jr., 22, was sentenced for one count of assault with intent to murder as well as felony firearms from an April 2020 incident with a 17-year-old woman. His sentence was issued in St. Joseph …

Cleanup and power restoration efforts are continuing in St. Joseph County following a series of storms last week. Sturgis officials declared a local state of emergency related to widespread, severe damage caused by the violent weather. City officials said the storms resulted in substantial damage to the city’s power lines due to downed trees and limbs, as well as damaged power poles. …