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St. Joseph County Sheriff Brad Balk said the department last month recognized a day designated for support of law enforcement nationwide. Jan. 9 was Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, an occasion endorsed by the Michigan Sheriff’s Association. Balk said the event was staged in conjunction with the group Concerns of Police Survivors. According to Balk, the event was created in response …

A Mendon High School junior was the recipient of a prestigious honor recently at the annual Winter Beef Classic in East Lansing. Ty Cool competed in the heifer showmanship event, along with showing his own stock in other classes. Cool received the Michigan Junior Livestock Society’s senior division Showman Award as well as the coveted Supreme Champion Heifer Showman. Staged …

Roger Bird has been named to Sturgis Area Community Foundation’s board of trustees. Bird, an attorney with the firm of Bird, Svendsen, Brothers & Scheske, has served as the city attorney for Sturgis since 1993. A longtime Sturgis resident, Bird has served many community organizations since moving to the city after graduation from law school. He currently serves as president …

Constantine Police Chief Mark Honeysett said an area near Constantine High School will see a greater presence in response to complaints about reckless driving by students at the end of the school day. Honeysett said complaints stem from the manner students operate their vehicles on Falcon Drive and Riverside Drive. Honeysett said he has sent a letter to parents of …

The Michigan Senate Tuesday on a 28-9 vote approved legislation designed to speed up the process for obtaining a concealed weapons permit in Michigan. Specifically, the bills eliminate county gun boards and transfers the permit procedure to county clerks, sheriffs and the Michigan State Police. An earlier version of the measure had been vetoed by Governor Rick Snyder, who said it also …

A lucky Labrador has been rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after falling into an icy northern Michigan channel. The Grand Rapids Press reports that staffers at the Frankfort Coast Guard station saw the dog go into the waterway Tuesday morning between Betsie Lake and Lake Michigan. Boatswain mate Tim Putnam and others quickly tossed on ice rescue suits and …

I’m one of the luckiest guys in town. I’m retired, am happily married to my best friend, and I keep busy volunteering. I love writing and am honing my writing skills by writing this column, plus a couple of other newsletters. For the past eight years, I’ve occupied a small office upstairs at LA’s Coffee Cafe. As a matter of …

An Illinois man sustained serious injuries last weekend following an accident involving an all-terrain vehicle in Colon Township. State police said Nicholas Leth, 25, of Palos Heights, Ill., was driving the four-wheel ATV on the ice-covered Palmer Lake at 5:10 p.m. Saturday when he lost control and it flipped over, landing on top of him. Leth sustained injuries to his …

Indiana Michigan Power has partnered with HomeServe USA to offer optional protection to I&M residential customers on external electric lines, HVAC systems, water and sewer/septic systems, and other home items not typically covered by basic homeowners insurance. The service plans available through HomeServe, a third-party provider of home-emergency repair-service-plan programs, are priced between $5 and $11 per month depending on …

A standalone garage was destroyed by fire last week in Lockport Township. Fire officials said the blaze was reported shortly before noon Friday at a residence on Schweitzer Road. Cause of the blaze remains under investigation. No injuries were reported and no other building was damaged.