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Two people were injured in a six-vehicle crash Monday afternoon in Cass County. Sheriff Joe Underwood Jr. said the accident occurred when 43-year-old Armando Bautista, of Dowagiac, was driving south on M-51 in Silver Creek Township. Bautista slowed for a snow plow and his vehicle was rear-ended by a truck driven by 36-year-old Jennifer Laporte, of Dowagiac. The collision forced …

Mary Kay Schultz has been named 2013 Exchangite of the Year by the Sturgis Exchange Club. Schultz, human resources director at Sturgis Hospital, was recognized during a ceremony last week at the Sturges-Young Auditorium. A number of club members praised Schultz for her unfailing participation in Exchange Club-sponsored events. Schultz is a former “Person of the Year” as awarded by …

Michigan State Police troopers responded to a report of graffiti sprayed at a residence in Sturgis Township last month. Troopers were called to the 68000 block of Vinewood Street, where the victim said graffiti was sprayed on a garage door. The incident occurred either Dec. 20 or 21.

Cass County Undersheriff Richard Behnke said the local state of emergency has been lifted. Behnke said the order that was declared at 1 a.m. Monday by county board chairman Robert Wagel. After a full day of snow-clearing by the county road commission Tuesday, Behnke said conditions warranted the lifting of the state of emergency. All non-essential travel within the county …

Three Rivers Fire Department Chief Dan Tomlinson said personnel responded to a carbon monoxide problem at a residence where furnace vents were blocked with snow. In light of the recent issue, Tomlinson suggested residents to be sure snow is cleared from around their gas meters, venting and fresh-air intakes are unobstructed, and steps to clear snow from roofs be taken, …

A Western Michigan University medical student has been missing for more than a month from Kalamazoo and now thousands of posts she made on Twitter have been discovered. WOOD-TV reports it has uncovered the posts, which had been deleted, through an archive website and confirmed with Dr. Teleka Patrick’s family that it was her Twitter account. The posts address an …

Welcome to the first Out and About column for 2014. If this is your first time reading this column, thank you for taking the time to do so. I’ll try my best to provide you with some useful information, and, of course, a bit of humor along the way. There’s so much depressing news out there these days, so I’d …

Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates in November declined in 14 of Michigan’s 17 major labor market regions. According to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget, jobless rates increased seasonally in the states three northern most labor market regions. Total employment rose in most areas over the month, while labor force levels declined seasonally in the majority of regions. Spokesman …

A city-wide snow removal emergency in Sturgis remains in effect, according to municipal officials. By ordinance, during a declared snow removal emergency parking is prohibited on all city streets. Any vehicle parked in violation is subject to being issued a citation and towed at the owner’s expense. The parking prohibition is effective until streets have been cleared of snow between …

Triple A Michigan says it has helped at least 2,200 motorists slammed by snow and low temperatures. Spokeswoman Nancy Cain says it’s not a record, but crews have been “extremely busy” Monday. The problems include dead batteries, cars in ditches after slipping off roads, no gas and people locked out of their vehicles while warming them up. Cain said 2,200 …