Johnny D. Hicks, age 46, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday, May 11, 2013, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born March 16, 1967, in Sturgis, a son of the late Vernon and Gracie (Huff) Hicks. Johnny was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1985. For the past year, he …

We are all mortal, which means that we are all terminal and our days on earth are limited. I will, on occasion, mention the passing of friends in this column. I don’t do this to be morbid, but I do it because these individuals meant a lot to me, and I’m sure they meant a lot to many readers. Dan …

Police say a pickup truck driver ran down several Canada Goose babies that were attempting to cross a suburban Detroit roadway. The police department in Oakland County’s Waterford Township says about six adult geese and five goslings were seen trying to cross the roadway Sunday night. Police say two goslings are believed to have died. The witness told police the …

Leslie C. Schrader Sr., age 79, of Colon, passed away, Sunday, May 12, 2013, at Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Centreville. Leslie was born Dec. 15, 1933, in Wasepi, a son of the late Charles and Zella (DeLong) Schrader. He had lived most of his life in the Colon area, graduating from Colon High School with the class of …

A federal appeals court ruled last week that a jury should decide whether the rights of a Sturgis resident were violated by officers from the Sturgis Police Department. A three-judge panel from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Friday rendered its opinion regarding the 2010 incident involving then-20-year-old Charles Smith over the theft of a phone charger from Walgreens …

For the second time in less than 10 days, a 75-year-old Constantine man was forcibly restrained while his residence was burglarized. Constantine Police Chief Jim Bedell said three men in the early morning hours of May 6 forced their way into a residence in the Whispering Pines neighborhood and tortured the man with second-degree burns on his legs and back. …

Two people were arrested over the weekend after they attempted to leave a Sturgis business without paying for more than $2,300 worth of merchandise. Sturgis police said the two suspects shortly before midnight Sunday tried to leave the Wal-Mart store on South Centerville Road through a side door with a cart full of electronics and other high-priced items, police said. …

About 100 people took part in Saturday’s Three Rivers Community Pride Day. City clerk Melissa Bliss, who spearheaded the event, said painting, litter pickup, community-wide gardening and cleanup of a pond at Scidmore Park were among the duties handled by the group of volunteers. Team Depot from the Three Rivers Home Depot, parishioners from Riverside Church, Norton Elementary Girls on …

Mr. Kasimir “Casey” Melnyk, age 67, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully in Kalamazoo, MI. on Sunday, May 12, 2013 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born on November 4, 1945 in Mitterteich, Germany, the son of Nikolaj and Anna (Katschmar) Melnyk. The family immigrated to Chicago in 1956. In 1959 the family moved to Marinette, Wisconsin where …

Mrs. Mary Louise Mains, age 63, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, May 11, 2013 surrounded by her loving family. She was born on February 20, 1950 in Kalamazoo, Michigan the daughter of Lewis Gilbert and Margret (Brady) German. Mary grew up in Vicksburg, MI. and when she was fourteen she moved to Three Rivers. …