Joanne K. Keeslar, 58, of Sturgis, died Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, following an extended illness.Memorial services will be held at noon Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014, at First Presbyterian Church in White Pigeon. Pastor Steve K. Kaszar will officiate. Burial of cremains will take place at a later date in White Pigeon Township Cemetery.Arrangements are …

Elias D. Yoder, age 70 years, 11 months and 1 day, of 30100 Marsh Road, Colon, died peacefully in his home Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014, after a lengthy illness.He was born Sept. 26, 1943, in Ohio, a son of the late Dan A. andMary Ann (Miller) Yoder.He was a member of the Old Order Amish Church and was a general …

Despite maintaining his innocence, Andy Brown was sentenced Friday to serve at least 39 years in prison for killing Sturgis CPA David Locey last October. The sentence was issued by St. Joseph County Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman, who assigned Brown between 37 1/2 and 75 years for second-degree murder, and two years for felony use of a firearm. Stutesman …

White Pigeon Community Schools has made official its short-term plan regarding the vacancy of its superintendent’s position. During Wednesday’s board of education meeting, district officials named high school principal Jon Keyer acting superintendent, while curriculum director Carrie Erlandson will assist by sharing duties equally, according to a motion approved by board members. Both Keyer and Erlandson have been with the …

Members of the Sturges-Young Auditorium board and Sturgis Council of the Arts board have voted to merge the two boards. The two boards approved the plan in July and the measure was solidified Wednesday, when the Sturgis City Commission approved the merger. The newly created Auditorium Board of Directors will consist of one city commissioner and a maximum of 22 …

Timothy Bontrager, age 12, of Vandalia, MI passed away Thursday, August 28, 2014 at his home, following a 9 year battle with leukemia. He was born in Shipshewana, IN on June 7, 2002, a son of Gary and Anna (Miller) Bontrager. Tim completed 5th grade, attending Eastside and Riverside Schools in Constantine. He was an animal lover and raised calves, rabbits and …

The Sturgis firefighter arrested Tuesday was arraigned Wednesday afternoon. Joshua Jason Snyder, 36, is being held on $40,000 bond after he was charged with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count CSC third degree and two counts CSC fourth degree. The alleged encounters began in November of 2013 and continued into this month. Investigators also found sexually explicit …

  Hi. We are Sammy and Goldie, two male cats about 5 years old. Sammy is orange and white and Goldie is all orange. We came in together because our owner is sick. We have already been neutered and we are litter-trained. We love to be petted and are pretty quiet and calm. We surely would like to stay together, …

  A former educator who worked in four area school districts waived preliminary examination Tuesday on three counts of alleged criminal sexual conduct involving young men. The case against Three Rivers resident David Wing, 59, was bound over to St. Joseph County Circuit Court for trial. No trial date has been set, pending a pretrial status conference. Wing is charged …

Michigan peach farmers are harvesting a significantly smaller crop than usual this year after an especially severe winter.  The Detroit Free Press reports the U.S. Agriculture Department forecasts that the state’s crop will be down about 50 percent from last year. Extreme cold wiped out most peach buds in Macomb, Oakland and Lapeer counties last winter.  The state harvested 41 …