News

Sturgis Hospital and Three Rivers Health have announced the first babies of the year have arrived. Ariyanna Comiskey was born at Sturgis Hospital, four hours after the start of 2014. Her mother is Jenna Cross and the newborn is a little sister to 5-year-old Isabella. Meanwhile, Maddison Brady was born shortly after midnight Friday at Three Rivers Health. She is …

Michigan State Police were called to a one-vehicle crash Thursday morning in Sherman Township. Investigators said 20-year-old Daniel Ryan of Colon was driving south on Shimmel Road when his vehicle slid on ice, left the roadway and struck a utility pole. The incident occurred south of Banker Road. Passengers Amber Dils and Brandy Kitchen, both 18-year-old Sturgis residents, were treated …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has issued a press release, noting that the Centers for Disease Control has declared a health advisory. Increasing reports of severe respiratory infections among young and middle-aged people due to H1N1 infections have resulted in Michigan’s flu activity being upgraded from local to regional. According to Steve Todd, health officer for the local health …

Sturgis municipal officials have has declared a city-wide, snow-removal emergency. A  forecast calling for heavy snow and strong winds prompted the declaration, city leaders said. By ordinance, parking is prohibited on all city streets during a snow-removal emergency. Any vehicle parked in violation is subject to being towed at the owner’s expense. The parking prohibition is effective until the snow …

The organizer of the White Pigeon snowman-building event said cold temperatures have forced the cancellation of Sunday’s gathering at Wade Park. Shireen Cline said despite an adequate amount of snowfall, temperatures too cold for snowman-making prompted her to call off Sunday’s gathering. With below-freezing temperatures forecasted in the coming week, Cline said the event is on hold indefinitely. When conditions …

A pair of three-star athletes – one a senior at Sturgis High School and the other a senior at Mendon – have been named St. Joseph County’s male and female prep athletes of the year for 2013. The honor, bestowed by the Sturgis Journal sports department, went to Chance Stewart and Brooke Howard. Stewart, whose high school career has seen …

Colon Community Schools has issued a notice of appreciation to Covenant Church of Colon, which made possible a frozen turkey giveaway last month. The church donated turkeys to every staff and board member, and families of children who attend Colon schools. Pastor Matt Jones said the turkeys were loaded onto school buses and given to children by a church volunteer …

Thirty-five people took advantage of a free ride home New Year’s Eve and early New Year’s Day in St. Joseph County. Thanks to the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority and a number of sponsors, the fifth New Year’s Eve Free Ride Home program saw a 13 percent increase in ridership from a year ago, when it attracted 31 participants. The …

The city of Sturgis has announced its ice rink is open for the season. Open-skating hours are noon to dusk Sunday through Thursday, and noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Open hockey is available 8 a.m. to noon seven days a week.

Three people were treated for injuries suffered in a one-vehicle accident earlier this week in Constantine Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department officials said 30-year-old Kristina Steele told investigators she fell asleep Monday while driving north in the 10300 block of North River Road. The vehicle went off the roadway, injuring passengers Cory Hughey of Three Rivers and Bryan Cook …