News

A handful of students have been taking part in a new type of boot camp since last month. St. Joe Community Co-op has been hosting an Employment Readiness Program at Glen Oaks Community College. Tim Carmichael, associate director of St. Joe Community Co-op, said the non- profit organization was founded in 2006. Its purpose is to teach people with developmental …

My Community Dental Centers has opened its doors in Sturgis. Located at 1525 E. Chicago Road in the Maplecrest Plaza, the dental center opened for business in early March. A ribbon-cutting ceremony with Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce was part of the celebration. Pearline Bailey, regional manager for MCDC, addressed the gathering, thanking the community for its support. MCDC is …

Two local K-9 officers are more protected on the job thanks to a donation from the nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K- 9s. White Pigeon K- 9 Zar and Sturgis K-9 Tucky each received body armor, sponsored by Oliver and Rita Miller of Taylor. Vests are embroidered with the sentiment “Protect this K-9 from harm, in memory of Lori Miller.” …

Authorities in southwestern Michigan have identified a 13-year-old boy who died after a carbon monoxide leak in a hotel pool area that also sickened about a dozen people. Employees at the Quality Inn & Suites in Niles called 911 around 10 a.m. Saturday after seeing six unresponsive children on the pool deck. Police say a seventh child was found unresponsive …

Two people died early Friday when their car hit a tree which had fallen across a highway 2 miles north of East Leroy in Calhoun County. The incident happened on M-66, north of H Drive South shortly before 4am. The victims were identifed as the driver, 48-year-old Kathi Thomason, and the passenger in her car, Howard Bergman, age 60.  Both …

St. Joseph County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wenzel issued 13 drain-maintenance permits to area farmers, and 132 soil-erosion and sediment-control permits in 2016. Wenzel appeared Wednesday before county leaders to provide his annual report during their executive committee meeting. He said soil-erosion permits were approved only after a site visit and review of plans. Thirty were issued in Fabius Township, with …

State Rep. Aaron Miller voted Wednesday in favor of a budget that provides additional funding for veterans courts. The House judiciary budget bill includes an additional $436,000 for specialty courts aimed at treating military veterans and active-duty personnel, bringing total funding to $936,000. Miller said the men and women who serve in the military make enormous sacrifices and often struggle …

Centreville Public Schools made official this week the employment of its next superintendent. Board members Monday offered and officially accepted a contract with Stephanie Lemmer. A Portage native, Lemmer will replace Rob Kuhlman after he concludes a seven-year tenure as superintendent in June. Lemmer, 34, has served as director of Head Start at Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency since 2013. …

Employees at DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto seed corn companies in Constantine recently held a friendly competition to see whose employees could collect the most items for the food pantry at Messiah Lutheran Church in Constantine. Pioneer won the contest with 1,480 pounds of items versus 1,220 pounds of items collected by Monsanto. Employees delivered what they had collected to the …

Michigan senators have voted to more quickly phase in a tax break for people who trade in their car for a new one. A 2013 law lets buyers subtract some of the value of their trade-in from the purchase price of a new vehicle for tax purposes. The change is being phased in until 2039. The Republican-controlled Senate unanimously approved …