County Information

Brooke Howard, a Mendon High School senior, has been named to the Associated Press Class C all-state basketball team. Mendon’s all-time leading scorer in girls’ basketball, the 5-foot-11 Howard received honorable mention as a sophomore and was a first-team all-state honoree her junior year. Howard, who was named the Sturgis Journal’s Female Prep Athlete of the Year in 2013, was …

A 15-year-old Leonidas teen is spearheading a fundraiser this weekend to support the Great Lakes Burn Camp. Shyannah Stevens, with some help from members of the Leonidas Fire Department, is overseeing a pancake breakfast 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Leonidas Grange Hall. All donations will go toward the camp that hosts teenagers who are burn victims. The one-week …

Results of a needs-assessment questionnaire, distributed jointly by Sturgis Hospital and Three Rivers Health, have been released. The second of five fields focuses on Access to Health Care. The results show leading issues among 620 respondents relate to a lack of affordable health insurance coverage, the cost of medical care and the lack of access to services. Other data from …

Sturgis Hospital has announced a temporary, 5-percent salary reduction that took effect at the start of this week. Union representatives agreed to the action last Wednesday, according to hospital officials. It is effective for the next eight biweekly pay periods. The reduction applies to all 350 employees, including management. Hospital officials said a decline in patient volume beginning last fall …

Constantine Public Schools Superintendent Chuck Frisbie said a special meeting will take place Wednesday next week to discuss school safety, middle school building updates and the concept of year-round school. Frisbie said he and school board members have received input on the subject of year-round school from parents and he would like to use next week’s session to further discuss …

St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners was asked to consider allocating funds to help townships repair crumbling roads. Del Martin, a Fabius Township resident, urged the five-member panel last week to dedicate money from its delinquent-tax fund and spread the wealth to all 16 townships in the county. Martin said a modest amount of even $50,000 to each township would …

The Cass County Sheriff’s Department responded last weekend to its second snowmobile accident within a five-day period. Deputies were called at 12:04 a.m. to Newberg Township, where a snowmobile overturned in an area near M-40 and Hoffman Street. Sheriff’s officials said a snowmobile driven by Daniel Castellanos, age not stated, overturned as he was riding up a hill on private …

With a forecast calling for more than four inches of snowfall, the city of Sturgis has declared a snow emergency. The measure went into effect at 11 o’clock Tuesday night and will remain in place until routes are cleared between two successive street intersections. The emergency means parking is prohibited on all city streets in order for plow trucks to …

The Mendon lady Hornets saw their season end in the state Class C quarterfinals Tuesday night at Watervliet High School. In a rematch of a non-conference game earlier in the season, Mendon fell to Gobles, 49-40. Gobles won on its home floor last month by a 4-point margin over the Lady Hornets. The setback leaves the Lady Hornets with a …

Glen Oaks Community College is seeking nominations for the E. J. Shaheen Chair for Teaching Excellence award for 2014. Current and former students, staff and community members are invited to nominate a full- time faculty member at Glen Oaks Community College for the award, presented annually to an outstanding faculty member. The recipient is announced in May. Nominees should exemplify …