County Information

More than 225 bikers last weekend took part in the 11th annual Breast Cancer Benefit Poker Run, sponsored by the Heritage Trail H.O.G. chapter 2155 and Hamilton Harley-Davidson of Sturgis. As participants registered at Hamilton Harely-Davidson, several talked about their reason for joining the event, where proceeds go to the Women’s Preventative Health Care Day provided by Sturgis Hospital. The …

Members of the Constantine Village Council recently studied a draft of an ordinance to amend the village code to provide for the licensing and regulation of medical marijuana facilities within the municipality. Village attorney Howard Bush drew up the ordinance. The council has reviewed information on licensing provided by village Manager Mark Honeysett at the last four council meetings. Travis …

Two handguns were stolen this week from a location in White Pigeon. State police were called shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday to White Pigeon Church of Christ in response to a breaking-and-entering incident. Church officials said the event occurred between noon and 6 p.m. Several items inside the church and two loaded handguns belonging to parishioners were reported stolen, according …

State Sen. John Proos during a recent ceremony at the St. Joseph County Grange Fair honored Vietnam veterans and family members of deceased veterans. Proos said Michigan’s Vietnam veterans deserve respect and appreciation for serving in the defense of freedom. He added that the vast majority of Vietnam veterans served with honor, yet they were often forgotten when they returned …

The White Pigeon Area Community Foundation recently approved $4,000 in grant awards during its 2017 competitive grant program. The Adele M. Gray Fund and the Richard and Mary Magee Fund provided grant support to the White Pigeon Downtown Revitalization Association for the Tasty Nut Shop Window Restoration project. Meanwhile, the Fund for White Pigeon awarded a grant to the St. Joseph …

Three Sturgis High School graduates were among the survivors of Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas. Alexandra Brazo, a senior at University of Nevada-Las Vegas, said Olivia Tom and Rachelle DeLong flew to Nevada last week to attend the Route 91 Harvest Festival. They were near the stage while country/western singer Jason Aldean performed his event-ending set. Brazo said she …

Work has started on St. Joseph County’s latest Habitat for Humanity home. The agency, along with the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District’s Career Technical Education Building and Trades program, are building a new home in the 400 block of Davis Street in Centreville. A ceremonial groundbreaking took place last month. Habitat officials said the home will accommodate Courtney Mercer …

State Reps. Martin Howrylak and Aaron Miller are co-sponsoring bills introduced last week advocating for kids with pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome and a similar disease called pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder. PANS occurs when an infection or other factor causes inflammation on a child’s brain, causing life-altering symptoms that appear identical to autism. Current law allows medical insurance companies to deny …

A sidewalk contract purchase order will be debated by the Three Rivers City Commission this evening. The increase from $80,000 to $97,000 would be adjusted in the city’s 2018 fiscal-year budget. It involves a contract with Northern Construction Services Corporation. The change is a result of more sidewalks identified as being in need of repair or replacement than originally targeted. …

Sturgis Sleep Disorder Center in Sturgis recently received program accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Sturgis Hospital Sleep Disorder Center is directed by Bharat Vakharia, MD, and is located at 916 Myrtle St. Dr. Ashish Verma is also certified in Sleep Medicine. “The American Academy of Sleep Medicine congratulates Sturgis Sleep Disorder Center on meeting the high …