Charlene A. (Blanchard) Minger, age 70, passed peacefully into eternal life on April 1, 2014 at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. Char was born Nov. 12, 1943 in Mendon to Maxwell A. and Vada (Campbell) Blanchard. After graduating from Mendon High School, she married David H. Minger on Sep. 1, 1962. As an adult, Char was called into pastoral ministry from …

Authorities say a 50-year-old man has been injured in an explosion while trying to make fireworks at his home in southwestern Michigan. Officers were called around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday to the home in Portage. Public safety Lt. John Blue says a suspected methamphetamine lab also was found at the scene, but that’s being investigated separately. Battalion Chief Rick Palmer says …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has signed a contract with a Sturgis-area man to serve as the grounds attendant at Cade Lake County Park. During action earlier this month, the commission and Burr Oak Township resident Richard Dell settled an agreement leading to Dell’s role for the summer and early fall months at the Fawn River Township park. …

St. Joseph County’s Central Dispatch is asking for help to reduce an increasing number of nuisance 911 calls placed by cell phones stored in pockets, purses and bags. These 911 pocket dials calls usually result from an object depressing a key on the cell phone’s keyboard that is programmed to dial 911 in case of emergencies. Most open-face phones have …

A White Pigeon woman was injured in a two-vehicle accident last week in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff’s deputies said a car driven by Becky Worth, 48, was heading west on U.S. 12 around 5:30 a.m. June 18 when an approaching car driven by 21-year-old Dwight Ottman of Cassopolis crossed the center line. The vehicles struck in the westbound lane, …

A Sturgis man suffered minor injuries last weekend after the motorcycle he was driving struck a deer in Sherman Township. Sheriff’s officials said Samuel Brackob, 25, was heading north on Balk Road Saturday when a deer entered the roadway near Mintdale Road. Brackob’s motorcycle struck the deer, causing the cycle to veer off the road and come to rest in …

The smell of death in the air at Michigan State University drew crowds following the blooming of the corpse flower. The roughly 5-foot tall flower has the formal name Amorphophallus titanum. Its smell is described as like that of a rotting body, or sometimes merely like dirty socks. Hundreds of people stood in line Tuesday to see the flower at …

The 58th Annual Water Festival is now in the history books, and a few pages have been turned since the last firework was shot into the night skies. After a couple of cool days, the weather cooperated and everyone was able to fully enjoy this yearly event. During the week of Water Festival, I had the opportunity to visit with …

Elbert (Al) Hendrik Regtuyt, 72, of Cape Coral, Florida passed away on January 10, 2014. Relatives and friends will be received at the Eley Funeral Home in Constantine Friday, June 27, 2014 from 5-8 p.m. where Memorial Services will be held Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 11 a.m. with Gary Shanafelt officiating. Interment of ashes will be in Constantine Township …

Recapping last week’s fire at the Bentwater Apartments, Three Rivers Fire Chief Dan Tomlinson has issued a press release detailing the damage. The fire, caused by a lightning strike Wednesday afternoon, damaged a total of five of the building’s 16 apartment units. Tomlinson said the most severely compromised apartment sustained about 70 percent damage. Two of the other four were …