The Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce announced Friday the 2020 Sturgis Fest is canceled. Cathi Abbs, executive director of the chamber, said it was not an easy choice but organizers believe it is the responsible decision. She said canceling Sturgis Fest deeply impacts the community, its businesses and visitors. However, Abbs said the festival committee finds it is not able …

Westside Landfill Recycling Center is tentatively planning to continue with its quarterly Styrofoam recycling collection next week. Fabius Township Supervisor John Kroggel, who has helped organize and oversee the collections, said he is prepared to go ahead with the scheduled June 13 collection. The only contingency, he noted, is as long as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has lifted restrictions allowing the …

After careful consideration and consultation with state and local officials, the Magic City Egg Fest will be postponed until August 15 due to the COVID-19 crisis, event organizers announced last week. The culinary grilling competition made its debut in Colon last June and was originally scheduled to take place again later this month. Participants use the Big Green Egg, a …

The St. Joseph County Intermediate School District has issued a media release indicating an impending vacancy on its board of education. Member Sarah Vollmer recently notified the board she will be moving out of St. Joseph County next week and, at that point, will no longer be eligible to serve on the board. As a result, the ISD is accepting …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifted Michigan’s nearly 10-week coronavirus stay-at-home order Monday, letting restaurants reopen to dine-in customers next week and immediately easing limits on outdoor gatherings while keeping social-distancing rules intact. The governor moved regions comprising 93% of the state’s population to phase 4 — “improving” — two weeks after she announced that northern Michigan could advance to that stage. …

Michael Scott Mortimore, age 21, of Marcellus/Dowagiac, passed away on Saturday, May 30, 2020. He was born in Kalamazoo on June 5, 1998 the son of Daniel Scott Mortimore and Tammie Jo Mortimore. Michael graduated from Dowagiac High School in 2017. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed playing softball and played pool on a league. He loved to hunt and …

Ruth Ann Ochala, age 88, formerly of Jones and Three Rivers, passed away at Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Centreville on Friday, May 29, 2020. She was born January 25, 1932 in Three Rivers, the daughter of Clark (Pete) and Jennie (McGary) Ulrich. On November 5, 1950, she married Frank K. Ochala of Jones, who preceded her in death. …

Roeberta Lee (Barnes) Shingledecker, age 90, of Three Rivers, died on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. She was born on April 20, 1930 in Three Rivers to George Lee and Mattie Mae (McCreary) Barnes. Roeberta graduated from Three Rivers High School and married Robert Edward Shingledecker on October 15, 1949. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and …

It appears St. Joseph County in 2020 will levy the same millage rates as it did last year. Equalization director Josh Simmons told commissioners during their executive committee meeting Wednesday that the county’s total millage rate of 7.8782 mills for 2020 remains unchanged from 2019. Simmons said commissioners will need to approve the millage rates during their board meeting Tuesday …

A Community Corrections Grant application for 2021 fiscal year will likely be approved by St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners next week. During their executive committee meeting Wednesday, commissioners heard a report from Rose Ludwick regarding the seven areas – including Day Reporting Center and pre-trial assessments – that benefit from the annual grant. Ludwick said the funding request is …