News

Members of the Constantine Village Council agreed to amend a medical-marijuana ordinance on the advice of attorney Catherine Kaufman. A list of changes to consider include expanding the definition of an enclosed locked facility to include outside grows; eliminating the requirement for a special-land-use permit for a primary caregiver in an industrial zone; eliminating details that include 1,000- square-foot separation …

In order to give third-grade students the opportunity to experience a taste of what they would have seen and heard at the 2020 St. Joseph County Grange Fair, MSU Extension staff and volunteers have produced a virtual version of the “Ag-Citing” tour. Although references are made to a few crops grown primarily in southwest Michigan, the majority of the content …

Glen Oaks Community College recently wrapped up its five-year, $2.25 million Strengthening Institutions Program using Title III grant money funded by the U. S. Department of Education. The grant’s objectives focused on three areas: improving student retention and completion; improving teaching and learning through faculty professional development; and improving institutional effectiveness. Significant investments made to modernize processes related to document …

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has announced the state will be moving to Phase 1B starting today. As a result, people 65 years of age and older, as well as frontline essential workers, are scheduled for the next round of vaccination. The latter group includes police officers, first responders, state and federal frontline workers, jail/prison staff, and …

A portion of a White Pigeon business was saved from a fire last week. Crews managed to protect the first floor of Jerry Kash Inc., 660 W. Chicago Road. Firefighters were called to the location at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday after a passerby saw smoke coming from a barn behind Kash’s front office building. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and …

How2Media, producers of the television show “World’s Greatest! …” announced it has selected Shipshewana Trading Place & Flea Market to be a part of the television series. Home of the Midwest’s largest flea market, Shipshewana’s market features 700 vendor spaces over a 40-acre area. It also includes weekly antique, and livestock and horse auctions. As part of the show, How2Media …

All three local high school football teams involved in the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s regional finals were victorious Saturday. Now, Centreville, Constantine and Schoolcraft are one win from playing for a state title. Centreville beat Sand Creek, 8-to-0. The Bulldogs will travel to Oakland County to take on Clarkston Everest Collegiate in a Division 8 contest. Meanwhile, in Division …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is strongly encouraging all K-12 schools in Michigan to reopen for in-person instruction by March 1. She stopped short of requiring it Friday, but said face-to-face classes should at least be an option. Many schools, including in large districts such as Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, have been fully remote during the coronavirus pandemic. Teachers are among …

Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a hit-and-run, property-damage incident that occurred earlier this week in Park Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said authorities were called at 1:15 p.m. Monday to the 20000 block of M-60, where a vehicle crashed into a gas station. The driver of the vehicle assaulted a clerk after being confronted about the crash. The suspect then drove from …

Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cathi Garn Abbs is a week away from retirement. Abbs, who has overseen the chamber for more than 18 years, will retire Jan. 15 and is to be replaced by Michael Wilson. Abbs said she is impressed by the high number of members for a community the size of Sturgis. She expressed her …