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One out of every five Michigan lawmakers doesn’t have a formal degree in higher education. The finding comes through research by The Detroit News. Those without degrees include state Sen. Tom Casperson, who is in his second term in the Senate after serving three terms in the state House. The Republican from Escanaba says life experience “is as deeply as …

GreenMark Equipment, Inc., will host their 2015 Drive Green Demo Days event at their dealership just north of Three Rivers on August 15. This event will give area residents a chance to check out the latest utility tractors, lawn and garden tractors, loaders, implements and other equipment from John Deere, as well as take advantage of special Drive Green savings. …

Storms carrying strong winds and rain have pummeled Michigan, cutting power, snapping trees and even knocking over at least one recreational trailer on the Mackinac Bridge. The bridge connecting the peninsulas was temporarily closed at one point Sunday as winds hit 65 mph. Thousands of power outages were reported in the Grand Rapids and Traverse City areas. A free outdoor …

Members of the group TR Cares have announced they were successful in securing the minimum number of signatures required to put a board of education recall question on the November ballot. Sherrie Nowicki, who helped form and is the leader of TR Cares, said the signatures would be turned in to the county clerk’s office by 4 p.m. today, one …

A benefit hog roast to raise funds for the organization “Homes For Our Troops” takes place Saturday in Park Township. Hosted by Jim and Peggy Fassett, the event will rely on donations to help with construction of a handicap-accessible house for Indiana resident and former soldier Marine Cpl. Zachary Nelson. The 24-year-old Nelson became paralyzed from the chest down following …

A 38-year-old Leonidas man was recently sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison. John Feek was sentenced last week by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman after pleading guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct. In return for his plea, several other criminal sexual conduct, computer crimes and child-abuse charges were not prosecuted. Feek was credited with 287 days served …

Sturgis voters will decide Nov. 3 whether residents of single-family homes will be able to have three dogs at their residence. Members of the city commission last week approved language for a possible dog-ordinance amendment and have sent it to St. Joseph County Clerk Lindsay Oswald. If voters approve the amendment, owning three dogs within the city limits will require …

The Michigan State Police Post at Coldwater, which has jurisdiction in St. Joseph County, has added two recent graduates. Rudyard native Robert English and Lynard Oliver II of Jackson will begin their law-enforcement careers with the agency. The pair was a part of the 128th Trooper Recruit School graduation last week. A total of 62 people were in the class.

About a quarter of the motorists involved in a massive 193-vehicle pileup during a winter storm on a southwestern Michigan freeway were fined. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports Thursday that 48 drivers collectively paid more than $5,600 for driving too fast for road conditions or impeding traffic in the Jan. 9 pileup on Interstate 94 near Galesburg. Details of the fines …

Former Michigan lawmaker Harry Gast, a straight-talking Republican who served for 32 years and led the state Senate’s budget panel his final 18 years in the Capitol, died Thursday. He was 94. The farmer from St. Joseph was respected for delivering budget news bluntly to legislators and telling them what they did not always want to hear. He served in …