Mendon Township voters will have a chance later this year to weigh in on an ordinance related to solar-panel developments. Township board members agreed Tuesday to put the issue on November’s ballot after they confirmed a citizen-led petition contesting the ordinance exceeded the minimum number of valid signatures. The petition was submitted last week and contained more than 300 signatures. …

A kayak was reported stolen from a location in White Pigeon Township. Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the theft of the Pelican kayak, taken on an undisclosed date from the 17000 block of Fawn River Road. The kayak is blue and white, and has a value of about $200.

Arrests have been made in connection to an armed robbery last month in Cass County’s Howard Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said the incident occurred at 9:30 p.m. April 23 at Sunrise Liquor store. The store employee told authorities three subjects with their faces covered entered the business and began physically assaulting him, forcing him to open the cash drawer. The …

Michigan voters are free to take a picture of their ballot before they leave a voting booth. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has settled a 2016 lawsuit that challenged a ban on so-called ballot selfies. The ban on displaying completed ballots has been around since 1891. Benson’s office and Joel Crookston, a voter in the Kalamazoo area, reached a deal …

Chester H. Niblock Jr., age 89, of Mottville Township, White Pigeon, died Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at his home, following a brief illness. He was born Aug. 13, 1929, in Elkhart, a son of Chester H. and Esther M. (Bardon) Niblock Sr. He was a graduate of Middlebury High School and a resident of Middlebury, Mottville Township and a winter …

Kermit Ward Gray, Jr., age 71, of Sturgis, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, May 5, 2019, at his home. He was born July 17, 1947, in New Port, R.I., a son of the late Kermit and Mary (Ukraniac) Gray. Kermit had resided in Sturgis since 1978, coming from New Port. He had been employed for several years by Grumman Olson in …

Charles K. “Chuck” Hopper, age 57, of LaGrange, died unexpectedly Saturday, May 4, 2019, at Parkview LaGrange Hospital. Chuck was born Dec. 8, 1961, in LaGrange, to John H. “Bud” and Nancy (Hart) Hopper. He retired from the LaGrange County highway department after working there for 30 years. Chuck was currently working part-time for Miller’s Super Valu in LaGrange. Chuck …

A building was burglarized last weekend in Three Rivers. Sheriff’s deputies said they were called shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday to the 59000 block of U.S. 131 in response to a breaking-and-entering incident. Upon arriving to work, an employee found an overhead door open. Upon looking further in the building, the employee observed that someone removed the exterior metal then …

Two people were arrested after the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team executed a search warrant Saturday at a residence in Calvin Township. County officials said detectives arrived Saturday at a residence in the 21000 block of Calvin Hill Street on suspicion that the use and sale of methamphetamine was taking place there. Upon further investigation, detectives located several bags of …

A Kalamazoo man was arrested by Sturgis police after a chase that started on South Centerville Road earlier this week. Police attempted to stop a vehicle near Wade Street for speeding at 90 miles per hour. The 18-year-old driver fled, driving east on Fawn River Road then heading into a field near Silver Creek and Halsey Square roads, and drove …