An economic-impact study conducted for Glen Oaks Community College indicates the college, its students and regional alumni added more than $119 million in income to the local economy in the school’s 2015-16 fiscal year. The figure is approximately equal to 4 percent of the area’s Gross Regional Product. Idaho-based Economics Modeling Specialists International conducted the study. Its report concluded the …

Three Rivers Health has completed its 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment, and posted results and its implementation plan on its website. Through the CHNA process, the hospital has determined the top health needs of the community center on: obesity/physical inactivity; mental health/suicide; physician services; education/prevention; and diabetes. The hospital has developed an implementation plan for addressing the needs, including services …

The 90-year anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death will be marked locally this weekend by Colon magician and entertainer Ron Carnell. Carnell plans to lead a séance in an attempt to contact the spirit of Houdini. It will take place Saturday at River Lake Inn as a special presentation to complement Carnell’s monthly “dinner-and-a-show” event at the Colon-area restaurant. Carnell said …

In honor of Dan and Beulah Fryling, their family has established a fund to help at-risk kids in the Mendon Community Schools district. Mendon teachers can apply for grants to fund programs for students who have difficulty learning. The fund will be administered through the Mendon Schools Foundation. The Frylings, who met while students at Mendon High School, were fixtures …

Irene Carrie Parker, age 99, of White Pigeon Township, Sturgis, passed away early Wednesday morning, Oct. 26, 2016, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born April 21, 1917, in Sherman Township, a daughter of the late Fredrick W. and Carolyn “Carrie” Marie (Walters) Pagels. Irene was a longtime White Pigeon Township resident. On July 3, 1937, she married …

A judge has refused to suspend her order that allows Michigan voters to take photos of their completed ballot in the Nov. 8 election. Citing the First Amendment, Grand Rapids federal Judge Janet Neff blocked Michigan’s ban on taking so-called ballot selfies. The secretary of state is appealing. The judge said Wednesday that she won’t freeze her decision while the …

Sturgis will soon be the new home of the fourth public dental center operated by My Community Dental Centers, Inc. (MCDC) on behalf of the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency. The center will be a new resource open to the community and will serve children and adults enrolled in Medicaid, including Healthy Kids Dental, MiChild and the Healthy Michigan Plan, …

A trio of Three Rivers men was charged with various offenses following an incident at Riverside Townhouses Tuesday. According to the Three Rivers Police Department, officers were called around 1 a.m. to 1200 Hov Aire Drive in response to someone jumping on a car and smashing its windshield. Three suspects fled the scene when officers arrived. One was arrested along …

Fire investigators from Michigan State Police are looking into a blaze that occurred Thursday morning at a home in the 20000 block of South River Road in Lockport Township. Officials believe the cause of the fire is suspicious. Heavy smoke was coming from the home when Centreville firefighters arrived at the scene around 11 a.m. The homeowners were not present …

An EPA Superfund site in Sturgis is being re-evaluated for a new concern called vapor intrusion. The Sturgis Municipal Wells Superfund Site was placed in the Superfund Program in 1984 for chemical contamination from the Kirsch Company impacting local drinking water wells. Vapor intrusion occurs when contaminated vapor gets into the indoor air of a building. The current owner of …