The Michigan appeals court says video may be a convenient way to conduct some court business but it’s not appropriate when ordering a sentence. The court says Hillsdale County Judge Michael Smith was wrong when he didn’t bring a man to court for sentencing in a methamphetamine case. Trenity Heller appeared by video from jail. His attorney didn’t object. The …

A defense lawyer says a man accused of killing five people by plowing his speeding pickup truck into a group of Michigan bicyclists hadn’t intended to harm them. The comment from lawyer Alan Koenig followed the release this week of police reports saying 50-year-old Charles Pickett Jr. had taken pain pills and muscle relaxers less than two hours before the …

Linda Jo (Maxwell) Jones, 63, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully at Rose Arbor Hospice Facility in Kalamazoo on Thursday, July 7, 2016. She was born on Nov. 16, 1952, to the late Frank and Carolyn (Miller) Maxwell in Elkhart, Ind. Linda married Richard A. Jones at a ceremony in Elkhart on Sept. 4, 1971; he preceded her in death. …

The courthouse tragedy in Berrien County earlier this week drew the bulk of attention during Wednesday’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners’ executive committee meeting. The situation garnered more than a half hour of discussion, which concluded with Undersheriff Mark Lillywhite and Sheriff Brad Balk indicating their plan to seek additional funds from commissioners to better secure the county courthouse. …

Sturgis police this week arrested two people after they were caught using an unauthorized credit card. The suspects, whose names, ages and communities of residence were not disclosed in a department media release, were arrested around 7 a.m. Tuesday in the 500 block of South Centerville Road. After further investigation, officers found the suspects were in possession of multiple unauthorized …

The three-day White Pigeon Days community festival begins this evening. Joy Weber, president of the White Pigeon Community Association, said a few major changes are in store for the festival. Primarily, the parade route for tonight’s procession is different from the past because the parking lots at White Pigeon High School are under construction. The work at the school also …

Access from the eastern half of St. Joseph County to Centreville will require a few additional minutes beginning next week. Michigan Department of Transportation on Monday will start its $4.9 million project that involves construction of a new bridge on M-86 at the Prairie River. As a result, a portion of M-86 will be closed and a posted detour will …

When the 2016-17 ECHL schedule was released on April 28, the Kalamazoo Wings were set to play their division foes, the Toledo Walleye, Wheeling Nailers and Brampton Beast between 8-10 games each during the season. While the K-Wings will still be playing those teams and all the others per the schedule, the ECHL announced that divisions and conferences have been …

Sen. John Proos is encouraging Southwest Michigan residents to use their library cards to check out Michigan’s great outdoors. “We are blessed to have numerous ways to have fun in our great outdoors, and I encourage Southwest Michigan families to get out this summer and enjoy Michigan’s amazing natural wonders,” said Proos, R-St. Joseph. “Residents with library cards can take …

A man accused of killing five people when he plowed his speeding pickup truck into a group of Michigan bicyclists had taken pain pills and muscle relaxers less than two hours earlier, according to police reports. Charles Pickett Jr., 50, was initially charged with second-degree murder in the June 7 crash in Kalamazoo County. Charges of driving while intoxicated causing …