News

Southwest Michigan First has announced Lee Chatfield has been hired as the agency’s new executive director. The former House of Representative member recently served as speaker of the House and speaker pro-tem. Prior to his three-term run as a state legislator, Chatfield was an athletic director, teacher and coach at Northern Michigan Christian Academy in Burt Lake. Southwest Michigan First …

More information about a Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored trip later this year will be available during an informational meeting next week. The chamber’s annual trip this year will be to Greece, with departure set for Oct. 14. A Zoom session, with more details about the impending trip, will take place starting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Meanwhile, chamber officials …

Kellogg Community Credit Union is hosting a nonperishable food drive in celebration of National Canned Good month in February. With the pandemic, local food banks have seen some of the highest demand for assistance in years, credit union officials said. KCCU is asking the public to consider bringing in canned goods and other non-perishable food items to any branch through …

A few personnel moves were approved this week by members of the Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education. The internal moves included Kaitlyn Ford Schrock transferring to payroll manager from accounting; Ana Stellner, from administrative assistant to the superintendent, to accounting; and Toni Andrews from lead secretary to administrative assistant to superintendent Art Ebert. Andrews will fill a position created …

Centreville Public Schools Superintendent Stephanie Lemmer has proposed a new, five-year strategic plan. During a special board meeting Monday, Lemmer provided a 30-minute synopsis of the plan. Lemmer noted it marks the start of planning new cycle, the second during her 3 1/2-year tenure. Lemmer said a three-year plan she helped incorporate has expired, warranting the need for an updated …

Michigan State Police troopers are requesting information on a vehicle observed leaving the scene of a breaking-and-entering incident that occurred in Branch County’s Ovid Township. Authorities were called to the 300 block of East Pearl Road in response to the incident, which is believed to have occurred in December. A suspect vehicle is described as a mid-90s maroon and tan …

A 31-year-old Centreville woman was injured in a single-vehicle accident last week in Florence Township. Sheriff’s deputies were called at 7:20 a.m. Friday to Lutz Road in the area of Roys Road. Investigators found that the driver of a northbound vehicle on Lutz Road lost control on icy roads. The vehicle went off the west side of the roadway and …

Seven organizations benefitted from the 2020 Shipshewana Lights of Joy event. In all, $7,000 was distributed to the groups, which received $1,000 each. They are: LaGrange County Habitat for Humanity, LaGrange County Night to Shine, Boomerang Backpacks Inc., Blessings in a Backpack, Elijah Haven, Compassion Pregnancy Center of LaGrange, and The Arc of LaGrange County. The funds were raised through …

The city of Sturgis is asking its residents to monitor their waterlines and consider employing a measure to prevent the lines from freezing. According to a city-issued media release, its department of public services is suggesting residents run a tap of water at a slow trickle to keep water moving through lines feeding from outside to inside. Symptoms of potentially …

Cass County sheriff’s deputies responded last week to a single-vehicle crash in Wayne Township. Authorities said deputies were called at 11 p.m. Feb. 3 to Ruby Road, near Swamp Street. Investigators found a vehicle driven by 26-year-old Joseph Badner was northbound on Ruby Road when it struck a concrete barrier and went over a bridge. Badner was extricated from the …