Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Wednesday she hopes to let restaurants reopen for indoor dining on Feb. 1, as her health department extended a two-month ban by an additional two weeks while letting non-contact sports resume this weekend. The plan is to allow dining with mitigation measures, capacity limits and a curfew. Organized non-contact sports and group exercise classes can start …

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, Tuesday night issued the following statement on impeachment: “Today the President characterized his inflammatory rhetoric at last Wednesday’s rally as “totally appropriate,” and he expressed no regrets for last week’s violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. This sends exactly the wrong signal to those of us who support the very core of our democratic …

Joy Anne Prey of Plymouth, Michigan passed away on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021 from complications with dementia. She, along with her twin sister Janice were born on Oct. 5, 1945 in Three Rivers, the daughter of Ernest and Anne (Schmitt) Baker. Joy was a 1964 graduate of Mendon High School. She then attended and graduated from Wright Beauty Academy in …

Michigan has banned the open carry of guns in the state Capitol a week after an armed mob rioted in the U.S. Capitol and following a protest in the statehouse last year. Moves to ban weapons at the statehouse have been pushed since April, when protesters opposed to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s COVID-19 restrictions, some armed with long rifles and other …

Dr. Charles R. (Chuck, Doc, Ziggy) Zimont passed peacefully on to glory, pre-dawn on Monday, January 11, 2021, at home with his loving wife of 66 years, Joey, by his side. Born December 22, 1932, in Berwyn Illinois, to Raymond D. and Mary (Soper) Zimont, he dedicated his entire life to learning and taking care of people in his hometown …

Larry F. Shingledecker, Sr., age 67, of Centreville, passed away on Friday, January 8, 2021 at Bayfront Health Hospital in Brooksville, FL. Larry was born in Three Rivers on May 18, 1953, a son of Forrest “Bud” and Eleanor (Waltz) Shingledecker, Jr.  He graduated from Sturgis Schools.  On July 7, 1973, he married Teresa Juday. Larry worked for the St. …

Christopher B. Wilson, age 43, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday, January 9, 2021 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born June 16, 1977 in Coldwater, a son to Ronald and Brenda (Tullos) Wilson. Christopher’s early years were spent in Bronson, MI and he moved to Sturgis during high school and graduated from Sturgis High School with the class …

Pauline Elizabeth Benes, age 87, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 9, 2021, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Illinois. Pauline was born on October 27, 1933, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to Frieda Bechtold and Karl Weiss. She graduated in 1951 from Trade School sales in Germany. Pauline met George Benes while he was stationed in Frankfurt, and …

Lois A. Ware, age 91, of Sturgis, passed away Monday morning, Jan. 11, 2021, at Thurston Woods Villa in Sturgis. She was born Nov. 4, 1929, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Ray B. and Phoebe (Rhode) Webster. Lois resided in Sturgis her entire life and was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1947. She …

Barbara J. Vernon, age 98, of Plainwell, and a former resident of Sturgis, went to her heavenly home Sunday morning, Jan. 10, 2021, at her home. She was a Christmas baby, born Dec. 25, 1922, in Genesee County, a daughter of the late Frank and Enola (Dieck) Moore. Mrs. Vernon resided in Plainwell since 2014. She moved to Sturgis in …