News

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 …

The Fabius Park Fire Department has brought aboard a pair of new firefighters. Joining the department are Justin Miller and Jake Fassett, giving the department a 23-person roster. Miller and Fassett are set to receive training during the next firefighter’s academy in Kalamazoo County.

The five candidates seeking to replace Matt Lori as 59th District state representative gathered during a forum at the St. Joseph County Bar Association earlier this week. John Bippus, Aaron Miller, Mike Mroz, Roger Rathburn and Bob Still were guests of the bar association and afforded the opportunity to discuss their candidacies. ‘ The primary election is not until August, …

Thanks to a record-shattering late February and early March Arctic blast, ice cover on the Great Lakes is now the most widespread in 35 years, and nearing an all-time record. According to an analysis by NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, ice cover peaked at 92.2 percent of the Great Lakes on March 6. In records dating …