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White Pigeon Community Schools will have more than $1.6 million additionally to spend each year over the next five years, as the district’s voters approved a request for a 1-mill increase Tuesday. The measure prevailed with 359 yes votes to 336 opposed. Superintendent Ron Drzewicki said the community support helps keep the 750-student district on a positive road. He said …

A request to restore special-education funding to St. Joseph County’s nine school districts was approved Tuesday. The request to reinstate nearly three-tenths of a mill to a full 2.75 mills passed, 1,261 to 1,158. With the Headlee Rollback in effect, school districts were not receiving the full number of mills established in the 1960s for special-education support. The full 2.75 …

Facility upgrades and major repairs are on tap in Marcellus Community Schools, where voters on Tuesday approved a $12.9 million bond request. The district received the support it needed, with 543 votes in favor to 497 against. Approval of the request means remodeling of the cafeteria and media center at its elementary school and middle school/high school, as well as …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a suspicious fire that occurred Sunday evening in Nottawa Township. According to a department press release, illegally dumped trash at the Evans Lake Public Access was set on fire. The fire then spread to surrounding brush. The suspect vehicle is a white Ford F150, extended cab. The public access is …

An inmate at the St. Joseph County Jail is dead after he hanged himself Thursday afternoon. Sheriff Brad Balk said Kenneth Huey, 43, of Three Rivers, was discovered in his cell shortly after returning from a court proceeding. The nature of the hearing centered on a domestic assault incident, Balk said. Jail personnel administered CPR and an automated external defibrillator …

White Pigeon Township resident Vickie Schroen is $5,000 richer after she was the winner in Saturday’s Cow-Poo-Looza III at Central Elementary. The $20 ticket she bought just hours before the start of the event proved to be the entry that coordinated with the square on which a cow defecated. The action took place about 10 minutes after the cow, named …

Centreville-area resident was presented the E. J. Shaheen award at Glen Oaks Community College’s graduation Friday. Michelle McNamara was the 2014 recipient of the award. It is presented annually to a member of the faculty who is nominated by students, alumni, fellow faculty, staff and members of the community for innovation and quality instruction. McNamara’s association with Glen Oaks Community …

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder visited Armstrong International Monday, addressing area business leaders and key Armstrong personnel. Snyder focused on the state of the economy in Michigan during his one-hour visit and speech. Snyder cited the importance of education, deteriorating roads, health care and creating more jobs as areas of consideration moving forward in his role as governor. He also commended …

Last week’s filing deadline for the August primary election shows uncontested races at the county level, but two of the county’s five commissioners will face a challenge in November. First District Commissioner Al Balog is running as a Republican and will be opposed by Democrat Del Martin. Meanwhile, incumbent Rick Shaffer will represent the Republican party and will be contested …

A 56-year-old Kalamazoo man died Tuesday following a six-vehicle accident on U.S. 131 in Schoolcraft. Richard Simmons died after the southbound car he was in was rear-ended at the north end of the village. The force of the collision pushed his vehicle into a power pole just south of West Lyons Street. The car was on fire as it crashed …