The new-look St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners was introduced Tuesday. Kathy Pangle, Dennis Allen and Dan Czajkowski, along with returning commissioners John Dobberteen and chairman Allen Balog, were sworn in by county clerk Lindsay Oswald in advance of the board’s first meeting of 2017. All five commissioners are beginning two-year terms. Balog was tapped to serve as board chairman …

State police recovered a stolen commercial truck Tuesday in Branch County. According to a department media release, troopers were called between 4 and 7 a.m. to an area on Southern Road in Kinderhook Township. Troopers found a box truck reported stolen from an undisclosed area and featuring improper plates taken from another vehicle. The truck was loaded with tires stolen …

A plan to upgrade West South Street in Sturgis prompted city commissioners to approve a new stop sign to replace a yield sign at the intersection with White Street. City engineer Barry Cox recommended the change to upgrade traffic safety when the West South/White street intersection is widened next year to accommodate semi-truck access onto White Street. According to Cox, …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will still meet the first and third Tuesdays of the month, but a change in the longstanding 5 p.m. start time was made this week. For a trial period of six months, commission meetings will be called to order at 6 p.m. The move by one hour was proposed Tuesday by commissioner Kathy …

Arthur Wayne Bowman, age 68, of Sturgis, passed away unexpectedly Monday evening, Jan. 2, 2017, at his home. He was born July 4, 1948, in Sturgis, a son of the late Virgil E. and Pauline (Dunham) Bowman. Arthur was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1967. In his senior year, he …

Harley Reigle, age 14, passed away Monday, January 2, 2016. She was born June 25, 2002 in Kalamazoo, MI, the daughter of Randy and Sara S. (Humphrey) Reigle who survive. Harley was a freshman at Marcellus High School. She played trumpet in the band and enjoyed playing guitar. She had many friends and enjoyed hanging out with them. Art was …

I am sorry to admit that I am not much of a reader and never have been. I’ve always read just enough to get by. If I do read a book, it’s usually a biography. My problem is that I have difficulty concentrating on just one thing at a time. As a student, I could not have any distractions, such …

A Sturgis man was arrested over the weekend on a number of charges, including a felony for possession of a stolen vehicle. According to Sturgis police, a traffic stop took place shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday in the 400 block of West West Street for an equipment violation. Officers discovered the 38-year-old driver had a suspended license and was wanted …

State police last week arrested a White Pigeon-area man on a felony warrant from the city of Three Rivers. According to a department media release, troopers along with deputies from the sheriff’s department arrived to a residence on Blue School Road at 7:45 p.m. Friday to execute the warrant. Troopers spotted the man outside his garage but he fled into …

Michigan workers who make the minimum wage are getting a 40-cents-an-hour raise. The state hourly minimum rose from $8.50 to $8.90 on Sunday, the second straight yearly increase under a 2014 law that gradually raised the wage by 25 percent. Here’s a look at how Michigan’s minimum stacks up nationally and at other components of the wage boost: — THE …