The White Pigeon Area Community Foundation – a geographic affiliate of the Sturgis Area Community Foundation – recently approved $6,500 in grant awards during its 2016 competitive grant program. The Adele M. Gray Fund awarded a $4,000 grant to the White Pigeon Caring Families for community and program support. The Gray Fund also provided grant support to Habitat for Humanity …

Once again I’m taking you along as we really get Out and About. On September 12, we left Three Rivers for Omaha, Nebraska, where we would join a couple thousand other Lions for three days of breakout sessions, celebration, camaraderie, and, of course, food. This annual gathering is known as the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum. Last year it was held …

St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough announced Monday a charge of open murder is being filed against a Sturgis man who allegedly stabbed to death another Sturgis man over the weekend. Jonathan Fleming, 37, allegedly stabbed 39-year-old Christopher Calhoun Sunday morning at Fleming’s Jacob Street residence. Sturgis police were called to 208 Jacob St. just before 9 a.m. Sunday in …

A 25-year-old Mendon man was the victim of a felonious assault this week in Burr Oak Township. Sheriff’s investigators said the man received a ride from an unknown suspect at 1:45 a.m. Monday in the 29000 block of Kelly Road. While inside the vehicle, the Mendon man was stabbed by the driver, who was described as being bearded and in …

State police are investigating a breaking-and-entering incident that took place earlier this month in Fawn River Township. According to a department media release, a residence in the 69000 block of Carls Road was broken into between 6 and 10 p.m. Sept. 17. A semi-automatic rifle was stolen during the break-in. Details about how access was gained into the residence were …

The St. Joseph County Conservation District’s final river cleanup of the season will be a weekday affair. Conservation District board member John Nelson said the cleanup will begin at 9:30 a.m. Monday and likely take about two to two-and-a-half hours to complete. Representatives from the Centreville-based agency and volunteers will cover a stretch of the Portage River from North Fisher …

Two Indiana children who were the subject of an Amber Alert have been found dead and their mother has been arrested on murder charges. Elkhart, Indiana, police say they believe the two children found dead on Monday afternoon were seven-year-old Liliana Hernandez and six-year-old Rene Pasztor. They had been the subject of an Amber Alert earlier in the day warning …

Christopher Phillip Calhoun, age 39, of Sturgis, Mich.,passed away Sunday morning, Sept. 25, 2016, in Sturgis. He was born Jan. 20, 1977, in Palos Hills, Ill., son of Joseph Glen and Cheryl Ann (Hoessler) Calhoun. Chris resided in the Sturgis and LaGrange, Ind., area since 2003 coming from Chicago. He had been employed by Grumman Olson in Sturgis and also …

Paul E. Alber, age 63, of Sturgis, passed away Friday, Sept. 23, 2016, unexpectedly from injuries he received in an automobile accident. Visitations will be Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Schipper Funeral Home LTD. in Colon. Funeral services will be Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016 at 1 p.m. at the funeral home.

Police reports say a southwestern Michigan teen panicked when his gun went off and struck a friend in the chest, then the 17-year-old then fatally shot himself. The Kalamazoo Gazette, which obtained the reports through a records request, reported Monday a witness told police that Marsavious Frazier was showing Daquarion Hunter a gun and playing with it Sept. 5 when …