State officials say the 40th cougar report in Michigan since 2008 has been confirmed. The confirmation was made after an image of a cougar was captured Aug. 17 on a trail camera on public land in the Upper Peninsula’s Delta County. Michigan Department of Natural Resources large-carnivore specialist Cody Norton visited the area and substantiated the report. Another trail camera …

Frances “Fran” Reya DeKilder, age 68, of Marcellus, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019 at Bronson Methodist Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born on Sept. 14, 1950 in Elkhart, the daughter of the late Kenneth Paul and Janice Mae Heffner. On June 15, 1970 Frances married the love of …

Janet M. Peterson, age 74, of Mendon, passed away at Heartland Health Care Center on Wednesday, August 28, 2019. She was born in Toledo on November 5, 1944, a daughter of Ted and Irene (Moore) Brown. Janet went to Hillsdale Schools, graduating in 1962. After, she received her business degree from Augerbright Business College in Battle Creek. On December 8, …

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 …