The organizer of the White Pigeon snowman-building event said cold temperatures have forced the cancellation of Sunday’s gathering at Wade Park. Shireen Cline said despite an adequate amount of snowfall, temperatures too cold for snowman-making prompted her to call off Sunday’s gathering. With below-freezing temperatures forecasted in the coming week, Cline said the event is on hold indefinitely. When conditions …

A pair of three-star athletes – one a senior at Sturgis High School and the other a senior at Mendon – have been named St. Joseph County’s male and female prep athletes of the year for 2013. The honor, bestowed by the Sturgis Journal sports department, went to Chance Stewart and Brooke Howard. Stewart, whose high school career has seen …

Colon Community Schools has issued a notice of appreciation to Covenant Church of Colon, which made possible a frozen turkey giveaway last month. The church donated turkeys to every staff and board member, and families of children who attend Colon schools. Pastor Matt Jones said the turkeys were loaded onto school buses and given to children by a church volunteer …

Robert S. Belson, age 94 of Athens, died Wednesday Jan. 1, 2014 at the Birches in Leonidas where he has resided the past six months. He was born near Hastings, MI on Feb. 27, 1919 the only child of Charles A. and Blanche P. (Workman) Belson. Bob graduated from Mendon High School with the class of 1938. He was married …

Maudy Arlene Hackett, age 75, of Centreville, Mich., and formerly of Sturgis, passed away Monday morning Dec. 30, 2013, at the Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Centreville, Mich. She was born Aug. 15, 1938, in Kalamazoo, Mich., daughter of the late Henry and Corneilia Griffioen. Maudy moved to Sturgis in 1976 from Kalamazoo. On Jan. 17, 1969, she married …

Keith Buckhold, 77, of Marcellus, passed away Friday, Dec. 27, 2013. He was born March 10, 1936 in Marcellus, the son of Raymond R. and Lucille (Stage) Buckhold. He graduated from Marcellus High School in 1954. He retired as an accountant from Continental Can, Three Rivers and had previously lived at Big Fish Lake and truly enjoyed living there. He …

Hi, we are 5 little kittens and have lost our mittens and need a home. We are Woody, Brandy, Star, Baby Ray and Buzz. There are 2 females and 3 males of us and some have long hair and some short hair, some are black and white and some are tigers. So, we have something for everyone. We are about …

Thirty-five people took advantage of a free ride home New Year’s Eve and early New Year’s Day in St. Joseph County. Thanks to the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority and a number of sponsors, the fifth New Year’s Eve Free Ride Home program saw a 13 percent increase in ridership from a year ago, when it attracted 31 participants. The …

The city of Sturgis has announced its ice rink is open for the season. Open-skating hours are noon to dusk Sunday through Thursday, and noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Open hockey is available 8 a.m. to noon seven days a week.

Three people were treated for injuries suffered in a one-vehicle accident earlier this week in Constantine Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department officials said 30-year-old Kristina Steele told investigators she fell asleep Monday while driving north in the 10300 block of North River Road. The vehicle went off the roadway, injuring passengers Cory Hughey of Three Rivers and Bryan Cook …