Indiana Michigan Power’s commitment to greener energy earned it the designation as a 2018 “Environmental Champion” from a study by Market Strategies International. I&M is one of just 43 utility companies in the country given the distinction. To become an Environmental Champion, a utility needs to demonstrate to customers its dedication to supporting the environment by promoting clean energy, empowering …

A trial is expected to run about two weeks for a man involved in a 2016 crash that killed five bicyclists and injured four others in southwestern Michigan. Prospective jurors in the case of Charles Pickett appeared Monday in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court and jury selection is expected to take place Tuesday. The Michigan Supreme Court earlier this year decided …

Brook T. Willis, age 54, of Mottville Township, White Pigeon, died Saturday, April 21, 2018, at Memorial Hospital in South Bend following a brief illness. He was born Feb. 18, 1964, a son of John and Lucille Willis. He had been a resident of the Mottville area for the past five years, coming from Constantine and Middleburg. He was employed …

James T. Andrews, age 84, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday, April 21, 2018, at his home. He was born Sept. 15, 1933, in Sturgis, a son of the late Thurman “Speck” and Ruth (Woodruff) Andrews. Jim was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1952. On April 27, 1955, he married Evelyn …

Betty Lou Thompson (Clark) Garn, age 97, was born December 27, 1920 in Buchanan, Michigan, and died April 10, 2018 in San Diego, California. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Thompson and Pleasant Smith Burge, Stepfather, Kenneth R. Burge, husbands, Richard H. Strong, James L. Clark, Jr., and Edward A. Garn, sisters, Barbara Ann Thompson Ward and Audrey …

A sheriff’s office says an internal review found no wrongdoing by deputies after three suspects they were chasing died following a gun shop burglary in southwestern Michigan. The Berrien County sheriff’s office said Monday that the two deputies involved are returning to work while state police and prosecutors review the case. A break-in was reported early April 15 at the …

Edward George Clementz, age 88, of Las Vegas, formerly of Constantine, died December 6, 2017 in Las Vegas. He was born September 27, 1929 the oldest son of Robert E & Luvetta B (Daniels) Clementz. Ed graduated from White Pigeon High School, where he played on the basketball and baseball teams. He served in the United States Army from 1951 …

Lawsuits against St. Joseph County, its board of commissioners and a pair of county officials have been thrown out by a Calhoun County judge. The legal matter was brought upon the county, the county board, former county administrator Pat Yoder and past board chairman Allen Balog by Liz O’Dell. O’Dell, former director of Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services …

Two people were injured in a two-car accident last week in Sturgis. Fire and police personnel were called shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday to an area of South Centerville Road in front of Applebee’s. Rescue personnel found a car laying on its side and a second vehicle leaning against it. The driver and passenger of the car on its side …

The twice-a-year hydrant flushing by the Three Rivers Department of Public Services will begin today. DPS officials said the task will take place 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. through May 18. Due to many variables, department officials are not able to determine the exact date its employees will be in each district, but the process will start in first district, …