A boil-water order in the village of White Pigeon has been lifted. Municipal officials said samples taken Tuesday afternoon came back negative for the presence of bacteria. As a result, the order was lifted at 4:15 p.m. The latest order, the second one this month in White Pigeon, was put in effect Thursday afternoon. On Oct. 10, municipal officials cancelled …

The Kalamazoo City Commission has taken a step toward using roughly $70 million in private donations to help cover city costs. The commission voted 6-1 to approve the memorandum of understanding during a public meeting Monday. The document outlines the agreement between donors and the city as well as each party’s commitment to the Foundation for Excellence. The foundation, introduced …

Kiyana Kyree McNeal, age 4, of Sturgis, passed away Sunday, October 23, 2016 at her home. She was born in Kalamazoo on January 30, 2012, a daughter of Jacey McNeal Wolkins and Gerald Johnson. Kiyana was her mom’s shadow. She loved to sing and dance and loved learning new things. She was most recently learning to play the keyboard and …

I recently realized that I don’t really have a lot of buddies anymore. Oh, I have a buddy that I have lunch with once a week and I have a buddy that I might go with to the Conservation Club every so often, but I don’t have anyone that I feel comfortable with going to their house and asking if …

The identity of a 4-year-old victim of a dog attack Sunday in Sherman Township has been confirmed. Kiyana McNeal was killed by the family pet, a recently acquired Doberman. The dog apparently lunged at the girl’s neck as she was offering it a treat. McNeal’s mother attempted to pull the 4-year-old dog off the girl and was bitten by the …

The personal federal tax return for Gov. Rick Snyder and his wife, Sue, shows they had just over $400,000 in income in 2015 and made charitable contributions of about $95,000. The Detroit Free Press reports the Republican governor itemized about $370,000 in deductions, leaving a taxable income of just under $25,000. The former venture capitalist and computer company executive paid …

A judge has blocked Michigan law and policies that would prevent voters from taking photos of their ballot in the Nov. 8 election.  Joel Crookston of Portage sued in Grand Rapids federal court, saying his First Amendment right to free speech was violated. Judge Janet Neff issued a preliminary injunction Monday. State election officials had argued that the rules are …

Roark (Roary) was born April 1, 1998, in Kalamazoo, and was taken from us suddenly on Oct. 22, 2016 at the age of 18½. Roark resided in Kalamazoo and attended Mattawan High School. He wanted to be a veterinarian. Roark loved animals and had a way with them that spoke to the soul. He was a man with a loving, …

Authorities say a dog attacked and killed a 4 1/2-year-old girl and injured the child’s mother at a home on West Fish Lake Road. The St. Joseph County sheriff’s department says the family had recently gotten the Doberman or Doberman mix before Sunday afternoon’s attack in Sherman Township. The girl’s mother tried to protect her and was hospitalized with injuries …

The city of Sturgis last week was given an extension related to its work on a ballfield complex. Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to the extension after city manager Mike Hughes explained an unforeseen delay: the city received just two bids on its original plan and both were in excess of the city’s budgeted …