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, …

A Mendon man was sentenced last week after he was arrested on a charge of crop insurance fraud. Doug Diekman, 55, was sentenced Thursday to 13 months in prison and ordered to reimburse nearly $500,000. He had pled guilty to attempting to defraud a federal crop-insurance program after obtaining an insurance payout for about 1,000 acres of land he rented …

Indiana authorities said a Three Rivers man was at fault in a two-vehicle accident in LaGrange County last week. Sheriff’s officials were called the evening of Dec. 17 to County Road 700 South, where 27-year-old Christopher Kilgore was driving a farm truck. Kilgore told investigators his foot slipped off the truck’s gas pedal and wedged under the brake pedal. As …

Seventeen homeowners entered Constantine’s annual Christmas lights contest. After judging early last week, Kevin and Lori Brouse, of 14609 Millers Mill Road, won the $500 first-place prize and a Christmas tree trophy. Second place went Brian Maxwell, 130 Jeremy St., $300; third to Bill and Connie McDaniel, 62519 Brick Chapel Rd., $200; fourth to Glenn and Dinah Greene, 315 Station …

The St. Joseph County Transportation Authority has announced it will once again offer the Free Ride Home courtesy shuttle service New Year’s Eve. The service will start at 10 p.m. Monday and conclude at 4 a.m. Jan. 1. Rides will be limited to and from locations within St. Joseph County. Event organizers said rides will be given only to a …