Members of the Constantine Village Council recently studied a draft of an ordinance to amend the village code to provide for the licensing and regulation of medical marijuana facilities within the municipality. Village attorney Howard Bush drew up the ordinance. The council has reviewed information on licensing provided by village Manager Mark Honeysett at the last four council meetings. Travis …

Phyllis J. Phelps, age 97, of Colon, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, at Sturgis Hospital. Phyllis was born Aug. 7, 1920, in Leonidas, a daughter of the late Grover R. and Grace (Adams) Lowther. She married Harold R. Phelps. He preceded her in death June 26, 1971. She had worked as a beautician in Colon for several years and …

Sally Lou Coker, age 72, of Jackson, and formerly of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, at Highland Assisted Living & Memory Care in Jackson. She was born Dec. 1, 1944, in Burr Oak, a daughter of the late John and Blendena (Cummings) Gest. Sally was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1962. On April …

Two handguns were stolen this week from a location in White Pigeon. State police were called shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday to White Pigeon Church of Christ in response to a breaking-and-entering incident. Church officials said the event occurred between noon and 6 p.m. Several items inside the church and two loaded handguns belonging to parishioners were reported stolen, according …

State Sen. John Proos during a recent ceremony at the St. Joseph County Grange Fair honored Vietnam veterans and family members of deceased veterans. Proos said Michigan’s Vietnam veterans deserve respect and appreciation for serving in the defense of freedom. He added that the vast majority of Vietnam veterans served with honor, yet they were often forgotten when they returned …

The White Pigeon Area Community Foundation recently approved $4,000 in grant awards during its 2017 competitive grant program. The Adele M. Gray Fund and the Richard and Mary Magee Fund provided grant support to the White Pigeon Downtown Revitalization Association for the Tasty Nut Shop Window Restoration project. Meanwhile, the Fund for White Pigeon awarded a grant to the St. Joseph …

Barbara Teresa Walczak, age 65, died on Sunday, October 1, 2017. In accordance with family wishes, cremation will be conducted and there will be no public services held at this time. Arrangements by Hohner Funeral Home.

George Edward Lewis, age 78, of Three Rivers, passed away on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at his home surrounded by his loving family.  George was born on July 3, 1939 in Argos, Indiana the son of the late Andrew and Gertude (Gotschalk) Lewis. Mr. Lewis graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1958 and on 1959 married the love of …

We are in the middle of another “Highway Cleanup” project. This community event involves various voluntary groups who pick up litter along mile-long stretches of major highways. The cleanup lasts for several weeks. This should be the last one of the year. The volunteers can be found walking the shoulders of the highways wearing bright colored vests. As you approach …

Three Sturgis High School graduates were among the survivors of Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas. Alexandra Brazo, a senior at University of Nevada-Las Vegas, said Olivia Tom and Rachelle DeLong flew to Nevada last week to attend the Route 91 Harvest Festival. They were near the stage while country/western singer Jason Aldean performed his event-ending set. Brazo said she …