A riding lawn mower was stolen between July 13 and 23 from a residence in Sturgis Township. Michigan State Police investigators said the mower was stolen from a barn on Fawn River Road, west of South Centerville Road. Tire tracks in the area indicate the mower was driven in an eastbound direction.

An employee who almost ruined a small grocery chain in southwestern Michigan has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for embezzlement. Christopher Pratt admits he stole more than $6 million from Village Market Food Centers, based in South Haven, while handling the financial books. He was sentenced Monday in Kalamazoo federal court. The 42-year-old Portage man had …

Stanley Joseph Kedzior, age 83, of Three Rivers, passed away on Saturday, July 28, 2013 at Bronson Methodist Hospital. He was born on April 17, 1930 in Detroit, MI., the son of Stanley Paul and Stella (Mazur) Kedzior. Mr. Kedzior was a graduate of Cass Technical High School and later earned his bachelor’s in architectural engineering from Lawrence Technical University …

Mark Alan Edmisten, age 28, of Sturgis, Michigan passed away early Saturday morning July 27, 2013 in Sturgis due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was born June 17, 1985 in Sturgis, Michigan son of Hobey and Janet (Bender) Edmisten. Mark resided in Sturgis for the past three years coming from Three Rivers. On December 18, 2012 he …

A Sturgis man died and another suffered serious injuries during a single-car crash in Sturgis Saturday morning. Sturgis police said Mark Edmisten, 28, died after the vehicle he was driving crashed into a tree at the intersection of Hatch and Jean streets. A passenger, 42-year-old Juan Ortiz, was airlifted to Bronson Methodist Hospital. Police said speed and alcohol appear to …

Three Rivers city officials celebrated the opening of the first business on the former Essex Wire site with a ceremonial ribbon cutting last week. Friday’s media event centered on a business called The Shop at Sheffield, owned by Central Manufacturing Services. The Shop includes maintenance and washing services, as well as an operations office for CMS. The 11,000-square-foot facility is …

Organizers of the fifth annual Burr Oak Heritage Festival said despite rain and cool temperatures during key events, the 2013 community celebration was a success. Sunday’s community worship service and hog roast had to be moved indoors due to wet conditions. Also, temperatures only in the upper 50s resulted in Saturday’s fireworks display drawing a smaller crowd than last year. …

A 32-year-old White Pigeon man was airlifted to Borgess Medical Center Friday evening after he was involved in a motorcycle crash in Mottville Township. The incident occurred on U.S. 12 near Mann Road. The victim was identifed as Cheyenne King. He reportedly collided with the rear of a minivan which had stopped for construction.

Sixteen area children between 8 and 13 years of age spent several hours Friday in the Fishing With A Cop program at Camp Fort Hill. Organized by White Pigeon Police officer Jim Story and Michigan State Police trooper Matt Lackey, the 17th annual event included fishing, swimming and a meal of hot dogs and burgers cooked and donated by the …

Juanita Grace Keister died on July 23, 2013, in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the age of 96. She was born Nov. 22, 1916, in Bippus, Ind., (Huntington County), the daughter of Myrtle Tobias Ziegler and Cyrus Ziegler. She married Howard Homer Keister on March 6, 1935, in Fort Wayne, Ind., and they welcomed their daughter, Marlene, in 1936. Juanita and …