After falling to the Fort Wayne Komets by a score of 2-1 on Thursday night, the Kalamazoo Wings (15-15-0-1) traveled back to Wings Event Center to close out 2018. On Friday night, the K-Wings battled with the Wheeling Nailers. After taking a 4-1 lead over the Nailers, the game took a crazy turn at the end of the second period …

Rolland Eugene Brueck, age 84, of Sturgis, passed away Friday morning, Dec. 28, 2018, at his home, surrounded by his family, following a hard-fought battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was born June 21, 1934, in Nottawa, a son of the late Lewis F. and Irene (Heinrich) Brueck. Gene resided in the Sturgis and Nottawa area most of his life and …

Mrs. Laura Mae McCoy, age 88, a resident of Auburndale, Fla., and formally of Sturgis, passed away Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, in Lakeland, Fla., with her husband by her side. Mrs. McCoy was born April 4, 1930, in Sturgis, to Gladden and Beatrice (Murray) Kennedy. She had been a resident for most of her life in Sturgis, coming from Grant, …

Two dogs that escaped death when a northwestern Indiana veterinarian refused their owner’s request to have the healthy canines euthanized have found a new home together with an Illinois couple. The man who’d owned Sam, a pointer, and Cosmo, a Lab mix, had divorced and was moving in with his girlfriend, who said she was allergic to dogs. He visited …

Virgil Hicks, age 88, of Sturgis, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018, at Parkview LaGrange Hospital in LaGrange. He was born Aug. 5, 1930, in Wayland, Ky., a son of the late Andrew and Eva (Hicks) Hicks. Virgil was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean War and earning the rank of corporal. He was a prisoner of war and earned the …

Roger Leroy Heath, age 70, of Mendon, died unexpectedly on Wednesday, December 26, 2018 while working at his home. He was born in Vicksburg, on April 24, 1948 the son of Merle E. and Betty L. (Thomas) Heath and has been a lifetime resident of the area. Roger attended Vicksburg Schools. He had been employed over the years by Tri-Lakes …

Teresa Marie Buehlman, age 59, of Leonidas, died Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo following a brief illness. She was born in Vicksburg on June 1, 1959 the daughter of Merle E. and Betty L. (Thomas) Heath. She attended Colon Schools and later received her GED from Centreville High School. Teresa was married to Ronald K. …

A state trooper has been injured after his marked patrol car crashed along the Indiana Toll Road in St. Joseph County near South Bend. State police say Master Trooper Bradley Kaizer was released Wednesday from a hospital after receiving treatment for cuts and abrasions. Kaizer was attempting to catch up to another vehicle for a traffic violation about 8 a.m. …

Joyce M. Giles, age 83, of White Pigeon, died Friday, Dec. 21, 2018, in Goshen, following an extended illness. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, at Farrand Funeral Home in White Pigeon. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Interment will follow in White Pigeon Township Cemetery. Donations …

Janet L. Grove, age 78, of Sturgis, passed away Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born Dec. 30, 1939, in Jackson, a daughter of the late Kenneth and Pauline (Brooks) Walling. Janet had resided in the Sturgis area since 1987, coming from Coldwater. She was first married to William Leon Spade. On Aug. 22, …