Members of the Sturgis City Commission have approved the sale of three tax-foreclosed residential properties to Sturgis Neighborhood Program. SNP will rehabilitate and resell the properties, returning them to the tax roll. The city agreed to accept $48,000 from SNP for property at 330 W. Jerolene St.; 602 S. Clay St.; and 1002 Greenlawn. The figure is $11,600 below the …

Police say a 12-year-old child was playing with a shotgun at a Kalamazoo home when the weapon accidentally discharged, killing a 28-year-old family friend. Kalamazoo officers responded about 5:50 a.m. Friday following a report of the shooting, which happened while the child’s family slept. In a statement, police described the child as “mentally impaired.” The boy’s grandfather, Daniel Hummel, told …

Paul Bryce Williams, age 84, of Three Rivers, passed away on Thursday, May 21,2015 at Borgess Medical Center following a lengthy illness. He was born on Oct. 12, 1930 in Granville, NY., the son of the late Joseph and Thelma (Roberts) Williams. Paul spent the majority of his life in the Chicago, IL., area. Paul served his country in the …

J. Catherine “Kate” Smith, 88, formerly of Three Rivers, passed away Wednesday, May 20, 2015 in Melbourne, Fla. Kate was born on July 20, 1926 in Ludington. After high school she attended Mercy School of Nursing in Muskegon. She worked as a Registered Nurse at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo and for Drs. Raymond and Charles Zimont in Constantine. She married …

Two support-staff members were the first victims of Colon Community Schools’ employee-reduction plan. The next wave, which could include as many as five teachers, is expected to hit when the board conducts a special meeting in early June. During Monday’s regularly scheduled board meeting, district officials agreed to layoff high school secretary Marianne Verner and elementary teacher assistant Stacy Sult. …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners Chairman John Dobberteen said a trip to France earlier this month has given him a new perspective of Memorial Day. During the chairman’s report portion of last week’s meeting, Dobberteen said he has visited a number of military cemeteries through the years, but a stop at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial was unequal …

The first sign of change as a result of county clerk Pattie Bender’s impending retirement was seen last week, as Lindsay Oswald took Bender’s seat at the dais and recorded the minutes of Tuesday’s county commission meeting. Oswald will have two more opportunities to perfect the task before Bender calls it quits June 30. Oswald, a 35-year-old Lockport Township resident, …

E. Maxine Stienbarger, age 83, of Mendon, died peacefully at her home on Thursday, May 21, 2015. She was born in LaGrange, IN on June 17, 1931 the oldest of five children born to Garlan R. and Reva (Haney) Gose. Maxine was a 1949 graduate of Mendon High School. She was married to Wayne L. Stienbarger on Jan. 8, 1950 …

St. Joseph County Administrator Pat Yoder this week provided an update on the commission’s search for a consultant to review financial and procedural operations at the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of St. Joseph County, as well as its health department. During Tuesday’s county commission meeting, Yoder said he and human resources director Teresa Doehring have reviewed three …