About 75 people attended last week’s open house for “Sturgis 2022,” an initiative focusing on the direction of the community over the next decade. City officials said in addition to points made by keynote speaker Ron Kitchens, CEO of Southwest Michigan First, input from residents on the 10-year vision for Sturgis will be taken into consideration to help municipal officials …

I spent an hour or two visiting with a classmate the other day. He doesn’t live locally, so we don’t see each other as often as we’d like. He’s a “snowbird”, which means that he and his wife spend the winter months in Florida. When I think of Florida, I picture several things: senior citizens eating dinner at 4 P.M., …

The St. Joseph County Grange Fair has kicked off a fund drive for a new equine show arena. Fair Manager Bill Johnson said the majority of the $20,000 project is slated to be built with donations. To date, materials needed to constrict the show arena have been secured. The proposed arena is expected to be constructed east of the existing …

Bruce Lee Davis, 61, of Sturgis, passed away early Monday morning May 21, 2012, at his home. He was born June 2, 1950, in Melville, N.J., a son of the late Robert and Evelyn (Gressman) Davis. Bruce resided in Sturgis since the age of 2 and was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1968. He continued …

State legislators last week honored a St. Joseph County community for its contribution to the world of magic and an upcoming milestone. The Michigan Senate passed a resolution honoring the village of Colon and the impending 75-year anniversary of the Abbott’s Magic Get-Together. Led by Sen. Bruce Caswell, Resolution No. 154 was read on the senate floor before a small …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the theft of a laptop computer and a wallet. The incident occurred between 9 p.m. Thursday and 7 a.m. Friday at a residence in the 500 block of East Market Street. A department news release did not indicate the method of entry into the residence.

City of Sturgis officials said general street-repair work started in two locations Monday. The first job calls for milling sections of North Centerville Road in an effort to smooth out bumps in the roadway. North Centerville Road will remain open during the process but with some lane restrictions. A news release from the city did not indicate the length of …

The Michigan House last week approved legislation known as “Dominick’s Law” to strengthen penalties for child abuse in Michigan and create penalties for abuse in front of other people. The two House bills, co-sponsored by Reps. Matt Lori and Joseph Graves, are named in memory of Dominick Calhoun, a 4-year-old who was beaten to death in 2010 in Genesee County. …

Rachel Lee Jacobs, age 23, of Three Rivers, passed away on Thursday, May 17, 2012. She was born in Three Rivers on May 20, 1988, the daughter of Bret and Denese (Fox) Jacobs. Rachel attended Howardsville Christian Schools, where she was active in softball and volleyball. She was a true “Country Girl” who loved to be on the farm. She …

A Bristol, Indiana man died in a one-car crash early Sunday morning. The victim was identified as 28-year-old Gregory Snyder. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, the crash occurred on M-60 at the overpass with US-12 in Milton Township. Snyder reportedly struck a guard rail, and was found lying in the roadway.