The Republican-led Michigan Legislature refused Thursday to extend the state’s coronavirus emergency declaration and voted to authorize a lawsuit challenging Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s authority and actions to combat the pandemic. The governor, unfazed, responded with orders stating under one law that an emergency still exists, while under another law declaring new 28-day states of emergency and disaster. The latter …

Diane Kay Reece, age 80, of Kalamazoo, died Monday, April 27, 2020, at Friendship Village, where she had resided since September 2018.  She was born and raised on the family farm in Fulton, Michigan, on September 4, 1939, the daughter of Forrest and Ruth (Harrison) Snyder.  Diane was a 1958 graduate of Vicksburg High School.  On June 21, 1959, she …

The family of Lois Helen Britton, age 89, mourns her death on April 23, 2020 at Heartland Healthcare Center of Three Rivers.  The youngest daughter of Clarence Pasch and Blanche (DeLoof), born July 4, 1930 in Kalamazoo, MI, Lois was just a few weeks shy of her 90th birthday. Lois was a 1948 graduate of Central High School in Kalamazoo, …

Karly A. Bingaman, age 19, of Three Rivers, died on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. She was born on January 19, 2001 in Sturgis. Karly attended Sturgis and Centreville schools, graduating from Centreville in 2019 where she was a member of the cheerleading team. Karly had worked at Little Caesars Pizza, Subway, and was …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is reporting updated information on case counts in the tri-county area. The number of cases represents the total number of cases identified in each county (and LCF) since the beginning of the outbreak. It does not represent the number of cases that are considered completed in the disease course for COVID-19. The number of …

Marjorie Rose Yost, age 82, of Three Rivers, peacefully passed away at Three Rivers Health on Sunday, April 26, 2020. She was born in South Bend to Myron and Arlene (Senff) Smith. Marjorie’s range of work throughout her life varied immensely from Telephone Operator to Textile Sewer of White Hall hospital gowns, Dr. Denton PJ’s and sweaters. From cooking for …

Republicans who control the Michigan Senate urged Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday to lift her five-week-old ban on nonessential medical and dental procedures, saying the decision to resume should be left to hospitals and health providers. The resolution, while symbolic, is the latest move by GOP lawmakers who are pushing the Democratic governor to ease restrictions she adopted to curb the …

Thomas James Labo, age 72, of Sturgis, passed away early Monday morning April 27, 2020 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born October 29, 1947 in Detroit, son of the Late Joel and Madeline (Bultink) Labo. Tom resided in Sturgis since August of 2019, he lived in Florida from 1985 – 2010, and his early life was spent …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday she will allow commercial and residential construction to restart in Michigan within a week or two and is taking a “hard look” at whether to let industrial sectors like manufacturing reopen in the next phase of loosening her stay-at-home restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. The Democratic governor also said she will ask the Republican-led Legislature …

Jean E. Fuller, age 94, a lifelong Sturgis resident passed away at her home on Thursday, April 23, 2020. She was born May 7, 1925 in Sturgis, a daughter to the late Paul W. and Beatrice I. (Fawcett) Krueger. Jean graduated from Sturgis High School with the class of 1943. She had been employed by the Kirsch Company, was secretary …