Recent Posts

Pedestrian dies in crash

A Sturgis man was killed in a car-pedestrian accident Sunday evening shortly after 8pm. State Police identify the victim as 22-year-old Johnny Wood. He was reportedly walking in the roadway of Bogen Road, west of South Centreville Road, when he was struck by a vehicle driven by a 60-year-old Sturgis man. Wood was reportedly clad in dark and camouflage colored …

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Man charged in Kalamazoo

A Traverse City man has been charged in the death of his girlfriend’s one-year old daughter. 22-year old Toren Hains was arraigned earlier this month in Kalamazoo County District Court on charges of open murder, felony murder and first-degree child abuse. Prosecutors say the charges stem from a December 30 incident while Hains was babysitting Zoie Johnston at her mother’s …

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Budget cuts in Branch County

A southern Michigan sheriff says he’s discontinuing night and overnight patrols because of budget cuts put into place earlier this year. Branch County Sheriff John Pollack made the announcement at a Monday night county government meeting. In a statement, officials say Michigan State Police are expected to help provide the county with 24-hour law enforcement coverage. The sheriff’s department had …

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Police shooting was justified

A prosecutor has determined that three northern Indiana police officers acted properly when they fatally shot a man who ran from them and tried to shoot his way into a house. Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill says the Elkhart officers used reasonable force against 27-year-old Jamie Benavidez on Sept. 1. The Elkhart Truth reports that Hill’s findings say Benavidez ran …

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Ceremony for bypass

More than 40 people were on hand Friday to witness the dedication and ceremonial opening of the U.S. 131 Constantine bypass. Several local residents, village, township, county and state officials joined in the ceremony at the south end of the new bridge spanning the St. Joseph River. Those in attendance witnessed a ceremony by the Constantine Free and Accepted Masons …

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Salon raised money for cancer research

A Centreville hair salon raised more than $500 for breast cancer research during a special program Friday morning at Sturgis Middle School. Teresa Shingledecker, owner of X-treme Hair Lengths, said a seven-member team from her salon added pink coloring to the hair of 102 students who paid $5 each to support the cause. The tradition started in 2011as a show …

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New superintendent of water plant

The Three Rivers City Commission has named Doug Humbert as the new superintendent of the Three Rivers Wastewater Treatment Plant. The move by Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners came during last week’s city commission meeting. Humbert replaces James Baker, whose last day is today before joining the wastewater plant operated by the city of Kalamazoo. Humbert is a 10-year employee …

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First-degree premeditated murder

St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough Thursday morning signed a two-count complaint charging Portage resident Andy Brown with first-degree premeditated murder and felony firearm. The charge is in connection with the Oct. 2 shooting death of Sturgis accountant David Locey at Locey’s Sherman Township office. Brown, 36, was already in custody on a charge of embezzlement. McDonough said the embezzlement …

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Teen airlifted to hospital

A 17-year-old Sturgis-area resident was airlifted to an Indiana hospital after the vehicle he was driving was struck by an SUV Wednesday in Nottawa Township. State police said the Sturgis teen was driving north on Nottawa Road around 4:30 p.m. an eastbound vehicle driven by a 26-year-old Three Rivers man failed to stop at the intersection of Findley Road. The …

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Deciding on millage increase

Members of the Mendon Community Schools Board of Education may be in position to decide whether to pursue a 1-mill increase request. Following a public forum Wednesday regarding the proposal, the board may act on the small amount of feedback it has received about the idea when it meets for its regularly scheduled meeting Monday. Superintendent Rob Kuhlman gave an …

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