Nicole Airgood, principal of Sturgis’ Eastwood Elementary School, has been named the 2015 Outstanding Practicing Principal by the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association. Presented to only one recipient per year, the Outstanding Practicing Principal Award recognizes principals who have exhibited extraordinary leadership, commitment to their students and faculty, service to their communities and contributions to the profession. The …

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency’s board again looked to its environmental health director to take over as health officer, succeeding Steve Todd, who is retiring. Rebecca Burns will assume the role Jan 15. Todd was named environmental health director in 2001, and in 2006, became the health officer, the top job in the tri-county agency. Todd has worked at the …

Glen Oaks Community College is another step closer to getting dormitories. Members of the board of trustees voted last week to allow the company Student Suites to move forward with a fully developed plan for dormitories at the college. The vote followed a presentation by Dick Davis and Kimberly Christianson of Missouri-based Student Suites. Davis and Christianson shared details about …

KALAMAZOO – The Kalamazoo Wings (10-13-1-1) scored three goals in the first period of each of their- two games against the Brampton Beast (8-14-2-0) this weekend to propel them to victories on both nights. On Friday, the Justin Taylor scored a shorthanded goal just 32 seconds into the opening period to give the K-Wings a quick lead. The goal by …

Lee Ray Arnett, age 75, of Constantine, passed away on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015 at the Borgess Medical Center surrounded by his loving family. Lee was born on February 10, 1940 in Royalton, Kentucky, the son of the late Ellis and Mollie (Bailey) Arnett. Lee was employed at several local companies including the Mottville Truck Stop, Peterson Spring Inc., Maro …

Zelma F. Fisher, 61, of White Pigeon, Mich., passed away Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015, at home, surrounded by her family. Celebration of her life will be held at 2 p.m. today (Saturday) at the Three Rivers American Legion Post. Donations may be directed to the family. Arrangements were handled by the Farrand Funeral Home of White Pigeon.

Dr. Donald Ray Schimnoski, age 94, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family, on Wednesday, Dec. 9th, 2015 at Borgess Medical Center following a very brief illness. He was born on Jan. 9, 1921 in Jeffers, Minnesota, the son of the late August and Mary (Beier) Schimnoski. Known affectionately as “Dr. Don”, he dedicated the last 58 …

Two men from the community of Jones were arrested after more than a pound of marijuana was found inside their vehicle. According to a media release from the Edwardsburg Police Department, the 18-year-old driver of the vehicle attempted to flee the scene of a traffic stop at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the 69000 block of Section Street. The driver adhered …

A change in leadership at St. Joseph County Animal Control was addressed by county commissioner Rick Shaffer last week. Longtime animal control director Tom Miller retired in October and commissioners have yet to decide whether to replace Miller or follow through on a proposal to fold the agency into the sheriff’s department. It is currently being run by the sheriff’s …

Peter Eric Biland, 52, of White Pigeon, died Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo following a short illness. He was born Dec. 2, 1963, the son of Alfred T. and Janice J. (Bontreger) Biland in L’Anse, Mich. He was a resident of L’Anse, Manistee and White Pigeon since 1968 and was employed in trailer manufacturing in …