Members of the Sturgis Fire Department were dispatched last week to a house fire in the 200 block of North Fourth Street. The blaze was reported at 3:19 p.m. Friday. Firefighters arrived on the scene to discover smoke coming from a two-story residence. Neighbors reported no one was in the home. Fire crews deployed two hose lines and entered the …

An 84-year-old Indiana man is in critical condition after he fell into a Cass County Lake last week. Sheriff’s officials said Paul Schafer, of Bremen, Ind., was in a floating lawn chair shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday on the west side of Diamond Lake. Dispatchers in Cassopolis were asked for assistance in the 61000 block of Lake Street after witnesses …

Dorotha Louise (Dotty Lou) Bent passed away on July 23, 2016 At Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo Michigan. Dotty was born on December 6, 1927 in Point Marion, Pennsylvania to Howard L. Cree and Lillian M (Downey) Cree. She spent most of her childhood in Melvindale, Michigan and graduated from Howell High School in 1945 . She attended Western Michigan …

Wilber D. Breseman, age 68, of Marcellus, MI passed away unexpectedly Friday, July 22, 2016. He was born August 14, 1947 in Dowagiac, MI the son of Dale F. and Beverly (Shannon) Breseman. On December 4, 1971 in Marcellus, he married Deborah Kay Carlton who survives. Wilber graduated from Marcellus High School in 1965. He was a U.S. Army Veteran …

Officials at a Battle Creek high school say students won’t be allowed to have or use cellphones or cellphone-sized electronic devices during class. Lakeview High School Principal Jeff Bohl tells the Battle Creek Enquirer that teachers previously could set cellphone policies for classrooms, but that flexibility posed issues for some students and caused distractions in class. Bohl says educators found “some …

Authorities say an inmate who killed two bailiffs during a July 11 escape attempt from a southwestern Michigan courthouse wrote a letter to his ex-wife explaining that he was “going on the run” or would “die trying.” Details of the letter by 44-year-old Larry Darnell Gordon, as well as video and audio from courthouse cameras were revealed Friday during a …

Grace Dorothea Smith, 82, of White Pigeon.  On October 7, 1933, Grace Dorothea “Dot” Smith was born on the family farm in McKamie, Arkansas, to Ples and Era (Edwards) Lewis.  Her mom chuckled when she scanned Grace’s birth certificate.  Her date of birth was reported as October 6, 1933, “I know when my children were born.” Grace had many fond memories …

Winifred Cornelia Heivilin, age 91, of Three Rivers passed away on Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at Three Rivers Health. She was born in Greensborough, NC on May 29, 1925 the daughter of Archie and Ruby (Bowen) Bunting. Mrs. Heivilin has spent many years in this area enjoying her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by …

Four people were reappointed to the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging Board this week. Members of the county commission voted Tuesday to renew the two-year terms of Margaret Shultz, Jon Withers and Steve Boland. Meanwhile, at-large appointee Joseph “Al” Heivilin was also reappointed, but to a one-year term. Shultz currently serves as chair of the COA board. County commissioner …

Centreville Public Schools is looking for a new junior high/high school principal, as Dennis Kirby announced his resignation to take a job outside the district. The 46-year-old Kirby, a Centreville High School alumnus, accepted the job of assistant middle school principal in Vicksburg. Centreville superintendent Rob Kuhlman said a committee of district staff and administrators will assemble to secure a …