Claudette Webber, age 86, of Sturgis, born March 30, 1933, passed away at home on Wednesday, August 28, 2019. Claudette is survived by her husband of 64 years; Robert “Bob” Webber: and her children; Michael and Jaymme. The family is being assisted by Avink Funeral Home & Cremation Society, 129 S. Grand St., PO Box 417, Schoolcraft, MI 49097.

The St. Joseph County Conservation District has issued a reminder that its annual Local Food Dinner will be Sept. 11. An allotment of just 200 tickets will be made available for the $25-per-person event. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. and dinner is served at 6 p.m., according to event organizers. The four-course meal, which will feature locally-sourced food prepared by …

Cass County Sheriff’s deputies were called earlier this month to a single-vehicle accident on Pokagon Highway. According to Sheriff Richard Behnke, deputies were dispatched around 11 p.m. Aug. 15 to an area in the vicinity of Pokagon Highway and Oak Grove Road in LaGrange Township. Ardee Joseph-Louis Mabry, 36, of Battle Creek, told authorities he was driving east on Pokagon …

Gerald R. Ford International Airport in western Michigan will add eight passenger gates during a $90 million expansion that is expected to create hundreds of jobs. The airport’s governing board says “Project Elevate” will enhance the airport and make more flights available to the public. The money will come from bonds, government grants and passenger fees. The Grand Rapids airport …

John Franklin Phillips, age 58, of Centreville, died Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019 at his home following a long illness. He was born in Sturgis on Jan. 26, 1961 the son of the late Carlos E. and Laura J. (McClish) Phillips, and was a lifetime resident of the area. He graduated from Centreville High School and later became a Certified Nursing …

Sally Lou Stevens, age 77, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday morning, Aug. 24, 2019, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born April 15, 1942, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Owen Henry and Maxine Pearl (VanDyke) Powers. Sally was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1960. On Oct. …

Harold O. Walters, age 100, of Colon, died Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019 at Bronson Commons near Mattawan. He was born in Burr Oak Township on Aug. 27, 1918 the son of Otis Roy Walters and Grace Ethel (Ultz) Walters and was a lifetime resident of the Burr Oak-Colon area. He graduated from Colon High School. Harold was married to Ila …

JoAnn L. Flatt, age 59, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019, at Three Rivers Health. She was born Sept. 1, 1959, in Burr Oak, a daughter of the late Robert L. and Rosetta June (Burch) Stuck. JoAnn graduated from Burr Oak High School and lived in Niles, Mishawaka and Sturgis throughout her life. She was first married to …

Roy D. Oliver, age 52, of White Pigeon, died Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo, following an extended illness. He was born Jan. 21, 1967, in Rensselaer, Ind., a son of Roger G. and Thelma (Ratliff) Oliver. He was a resident of White Pigeon, coming from Bristol. He was employed in the maintenance department at Merhow …

Cell phones kill. They kill much like guns kill, but in a somewhat different manner. The cell phone and a gun are inanimate objects, so they do not kill on their own, but serve as a tool for killing. Please allow me to explain. A gun is used for killing and is also used in the sport of target shooting, …