White Pigeon Community Schools has been given a waiver to begin the school year a week before the traditional day-after-Labor Day start. Superintendent Jon Keyer said in addition to the state-mandated additional five days added to the 2016-17 school year, the desire to start Aug. 29 instead of Sept. 6 is to stay consistent with Glen Oaks Community College and …

Kenrick “Rick” Glen Butler, age 61, passed away suddenly on Friday, June 24, 2016 at Bronson Methodist Hospital. He was born in Charlotte, MI. on September 7, 1954 the son of the late John Howard Sr. and Adela Sarah (Church) Butler. Rick has been a long time resident of Three Rivers. On Oct. 16, 1976 he was united in marriage …

Jaime Nicole (Wilson) Schuler, age 34, of Sturgis, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, June 26, 2016, at her home. She was born Dec. 26, 1981, in Sturgis, a daughter of Richard and Kathy (Molter) Wilson. Jaime was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 2001. On Oct. 10, 2009, she married Shawn Schuler …

John “Poppi” Franklin Pinney, age 95, of Sturgis, passed away peacefully Sunday morning June 26, 2016, at Thurston Woods Village. He was born Nov. 17, 1920, in Burr Oak, a son of the late Byard and Edith (Selby) Pinney. John had been a resident of the Burr Oak and Sturgis area all his life except for a few years the …

Fabian was born to Joseph and Mary (Kibiloski) Wood on Oct. 25, 1921, in Bronson, where he lived the first two years of his life. He and his family moved to 305 Susan Court, where he lived through his early 20s. After his discharge from the Army,Fabian built a home next door, where he lived with is wife, Ruth, until …

A day after robbing a 60-year-old Colon woman and dragging her with a vehicle, two 16-year-old Sturgis boys have been arrested. Each is charged with assault/unarmed robbery and use of a computer in the commission of a felony. Authorities have not released their names because they are juveniles. Police said another suspect, a 19- year-old from Sturgis, was questioned in …

Enhanced security measures will likely be employed when the St. Joseph County Road Commission consolidates operations to its Centreville location. Members of the road commission board last week discussed the issue of security, stemming from an incident last month when an estimated two tons of road material was illegally taken from the Colon Township satellite barn. With plans to close …

The May unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased by two-tenths of a percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 3.6 percent May unemployment rate was greater than April’s 3.4 percent. However, May’s unemployment rate was 1.2 percent less than the same month one …

Apples, peaches and blueberries are all Michigan-grown fruits that can be purchased at roadside stands with help from a state agency. Through Project Fresh, mothers and children who receive WIC benefits can now pick up their coupons and use them to purchase fresh produce at participating farmer’s markets. Each qualifying participant can receive $20 in coupons that can be redeemed …

Lois A. (Zehr) Kline, age 68, of Colon died Saturday, June 25, 2016 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born in Sturgis, MI on Aug. 17, 1947 the daughter of Virgil and Sally (Stauffer) Zehr. She attended Nottawa Elementary and later graduated from Centreville High School. She was married to James Q. Tom in 1965 and they were …