News

Two champions for area youth have been named Sturgis 2023 citizens of the year. The Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce announced Monday that Debby Mathis and Ken Mills were selected from a pool of candidates. Mathis, a longtime Sturgis resident, served 24 years at Sturgis Public Schools as an elementary school counselor. Outside of education, Mathis was a charter member …

Here’s a reminder that the St. Joseph County Conservation District is staging the first of its four river cleanup events next week. Volunteers are still being sought for Monday’s cleanup of the St. Joseph River in Leonidas Township. Work will start at 9:30 a.m. from Farrand Road to Jacksonburg Road. Volunteers should show up by 9:15. Grace said water, snacks …

Von Metzger was appointed Monday to the Sturgis Township supervisor seat, succeeding longtime leader George Morse. Metzger was appointed the head of the five-member board by a vote of the board. He will fill out the term through the end of 2024. Should he decide to run in his own right, Metzger would appear on the primary ballot in August …

A Jones woman and her passenger suffered minor injuries after the car they were in crashed into a building last week in Cass County’s Mason Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday to the intersection of U.S. 12 and Union Road in response to a single-vehicle crash. Behnke said 56-year-old Lori Walsh was driving …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a breaking-and-entering incident last week in Park Township. Investigators said the incident occurred between Friday and Monday at a business in the 52000 block of U.S. 131. Deputies said an undisclosed amount of copper wire was stolen.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for a number of surrounding counties. The Red Flag Warning means weather and vegetation conditions are favorable for grass, wild and structure fires to catch and spread rapidly. Above-normal dry conditions warrant the precaution, which has been declared for Kalamazoo, Van Buren, Calhoun, Allegan, Barry and several other Lower Peninsula …

Sturgis resident Wade Allen will serve at least 37 and as many as 60 years in prison after pleading no contest to second-degree murder and attempted dismemberment. Allen, 39, was sentenced last week in connection to the death of his girlfriend, Kelly Jean Warner. She died at Allen’s Sturgis apartment in May 2019. St. Joseph County Circuit Judge Paul Stutesman …

St. Joseph County Sherriff’s office has issued an update on the search for a Three Rivers woman missing since last week. Marilee Furlong, 73, was last seen shortly before 9 a.m. May 29 around Flatbush Road in Flowerfield Township. Deputies on Friday continued their search in the area Furlong was last seen. The search included patrols on foot, by vehicle …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a breaking-and-entering incident that occurred at a location in Sherman Township. According to a department media release, troopers responded last week to the 6700 block of Balk Road. The victim told authorities a golf cart with a white top was stolen from a barn. The theft occurred on or before March 15.

Troopers from Michigan State Police are investigating an incident originating last week in Calhoun County’s Marshall Township. Authorities said two catalytic converters were stolen from vehicles at a business in the 13000 block of 15 Mile Road. The larceny occurred between 5 p.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. Thursday.