News

Burr Oak Community Schools taxpayers Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a renewal request centering on a sinking fund. Renewal of a nearly 3-mill amount came in the form of 127 votes in favor to 35 against. Projected to raise about $160,000 annually over the course of its four-year life, the newly approved sinking fund will take effect in 2025. District officials said …

About 200 people have been laid off at Pfizer’s facility in Portage, the company confirmed. The laid-off employees were notified last week, according to MLive. A lower demand than what the company expected for its COVID-19 products was stated as the culprit. The product Comirnaty is Pfizer’s vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in people 12 years and older. Paxlovid, meanwhile, is …

Sturgis municipal officials have completed the sale of Sturgis Hospital. Completion of the transaction allowed Sturgis Hospital Inc. to finalize terms of its acquisition by Asker Corp., including a management agreement and financial support of the hospital. That agreement will be in place until the acquisition is approved by the Michigan Attorney General’s office. The agreement included a $3 million …

A 79-year-old Union man died in a single-vehicle crash last week in Cass County’s Ontwa Township. Douglas Westrick, chief of the Ontwa Township Edwardsburg Police Department, said first-responders were called shortly before 4:30 p.m. Thursday to an area on Redfield Street, west of Adamsville Road. Witnesses told authorities a vehicle driven by Robert Lockmondy was eastbound on Redfield Street, crossed …

Two cars ended up in the mill race following an incident last week in downtown Colon. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Capt. T.J. Baker said the county’s dive/rescue team was summoned after local authorities responded to the incident, which occurred around 1:15 p.m. Thursday. According to authorities, the driver of a car was pulling out of an on-street parking space and …

Both local high school football teams won over the weekend, extending their run in the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs. White Pigeon captured a Division 8 district crown Friday after defeating Saugatuck, 30-0. The Chiefs are now 11-0 and will play at Ottawa Lake Whiteford High School later in the week. Meanwhile, in Division 6 action Saturday, Constantine held …

A western Michigan man was sentenced to decades in prison after pleading no contest in the 2021 slayings of his parents, whose bodies were found buried at a state game area. A Kalamazoo County judge on Wednesday sentenced Nicholas Johnson to spend between 29 and 69 years in prison. The Portage man must serve a minimum of 29 years before he’s eligible …

A White Pigeon man took top honors in both judging categories at Thursday’s “Chili Out at Your Library” event at White Pigeon Township Library. The inaugural event, a fundraiser to help the library raise funds for a bookmobile, drew 11 participants and more than 80 people sampling the offerings. Library director Perri Saunders said Charles Worley’s “Boilermaker Tailgate Chili” won …

November is homeless awareness month and a local entity is staging a collection of personal-hygiene products to benefit St. Joseph County’s own. The drive – which concludes Nov. 30 – is being overseen by the St. Joseph County Housing Task Force to help stock hygiene closets at UCAP in Three Rivers, Building Hope Free Store in Centreville and Friday Friendship …

Here’s a look at November’s Fresh Food Distribution in St. Joseph County. First Presbyterian Church on Lakeview Avenue in Sturgis will kick off the first of November’s six local distributions. It is scheduled for 4 p.m. Nov. 9. Seventh-Day Adventist Church, east of Centreville on M-86 hosts, the next distribution. It will take place at 4 p.m. Nov. 14. Two …