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A southwestern Michigan man was sentenced Tuesday to at least 12 1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty in the 2017 death of an infant he had been babysitting. A Kalamazoo County Circuit Court judge sentenced Bryant Rolland Jr., age 37, to 12 1/2 to 40 years in prison in the death of 11-month-old Jaceyon Downey. The Kalamazoo man had …

Authorities have identified two men who died after being shot when a man fired a gun in celebration during a fireworks display at a New Year’s part y in western Michigan. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that the shooting killed David Reed, 35, of Waverly Township and Jason McCreary, 40, of Sutter Creek, California. Reed, who was shot in …

November’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by three-tenths of a percent from October. Figures from the monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget show St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.3 percent in October to 4 percent in November. St. Joseph County’s November 2021 unemployment rate was 3.4 percent. In addition, Cass …

Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office issued a media release over the weekend related to a missing person. Portage resident Heather Kelley, 35, has been missing since Dec. 10, authorities said. Kelley is 5-foot-8 and weighs about 125 pounds. She has blond hair and blue eyes. Investigators said there is evidence to suggest Kelley may have been the victim of a violent …

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was sworn in for second term as the state’s 49th governor on Sunday, pushing a message of unity and working together during remarks on the state Capitol steps as Democrats took full control of the state government for the first time in 40 years. Whitmer, who was first elected in 2018 after serving as a state lawmaker for 14 years, …

Our relationship with sunshine in Michigan is… complicated.   2022 had its hits and misses. A cloudy spring (tied for cloudiest April), a spectacular June, fair July to November, and a very cloudy (but not the cloudiest) December. In December, there were 12 days in a row at Grand Rapids with daily sunshine ranging between 0 and 13 minutes. There were …

A 32-year-old man died after a shooting at a Sturgis business. Authorities said Jeremy Lampaert died after he was shot around 6 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot at Country Hearth Inn and Suites. The business is located at the southeast corner of Fawn River and South Centreville roads. Witnesses said they believe the shooting was the result of an …

Vicksburg municipal officials last month took another step toward construction of a new village office. During their Dec. 19 meeting, village council members approved a motion to manage the bid process related to the project. Village Manager Jim Mallery said the new building has been on the village’s radar since 2017 and required disciplined financial planning in order to follow …

A police chief in southwestern Michigan is stepping down following allegations by three female city employees of discrimination, sexual harassment and verbal abuse. Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Vernon Coakley is on unpaid administrative leave and will retire effective Sunday with a severance package of more than $155,000, the Kalamazoo Gazette and WOOD-TV reported Thursday. Coakley has been with the public safety department for more …

Vicksburg Village Council members in October announced that nine local businesses would, collectively, be awarded more than $63,000 in grants aimed at property improvements within the village’s Downtown Development Authority boundaries. The first two businesses were to be presented their respective grant awards Thursday afternoon. Historically, the Village of Vicksburg has provided small grant opportunities that were restricted to façade …