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“Movies in the Park” summer series begins this week in downtown Sturgis. A showing of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is featured at 7 p.m. Friday on North Street, between U.S. 12 and John Street. Presented by Sturgis Downtown Development Authority, this marks the third year of the seasonal outdoor showings, said Ryan Conrod, event coordinator. Prior to …

Four local school districts have started offering “Meet Up and Eat Up” breakfast and lunch programs this week. Burr Oak offers breakfast 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and lunch 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. weekdays at the high school. Colon Elementary hosts breakfast 8 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch noon to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Breakfast at Constantine High School …

State police troopers were alerted to the theft of a motorcycle last week in Florence Township. According to an agency media release, troopers were dispatched to the 63000 block of Burgener Road regarding the incident. Authorities said the theft took place at 4:15 a.m. Friday and was captured on surveillance video. The stolen motorcycle is described as a 2004 Harley …

Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce has announced Sturgis “Citizens of the Year” for 2022: Cathi Garn-Abbs and Mike Stiles. Garn-Abbs is best-known as executive director of Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce, a role she began in 2000. She also worked at Kirsch for many years prior to that. According to one nominating letter, she was, and still is, “the face of Sturgis,” pertaining to her …

Abbott Nutrition reopened its production operations at its Sturgis plant over the weekend following a closure of nearly four months. The FDA-mandated closure came in the wake of bacterial infections among infants who consumed powdered formula produced at the Sturgis plant. Two infants died. Abbott officials said it will prioritize production of formulas for babies with food allergies and digestive …

Rehabilitation of a bridge in Colon Township is starting this week. The St. Joseph County Road Commission said a bridge on Wattles Road, between Stowell and West Burr Oak roads, will be fully closed during the rehabilitation. The work is expected to begin today and detour options are posted.

The St. Joseph County Road Commission has announced a flaw at a bridge west of Centreville will be corrected this year. Agency manager John Lindsey said both approaches to the M-86 bridge over the Prairie River will be fixed following a bid-letting process next month by Michigan Department of Transportation. Lindsey said he expects work to begin in the fall. …

A Cass County man died following a one-vehicle crash last week in Constantine Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called at 4:30 a.m. Thursday to a location on Youngs Prairie Road, near Harder Road. Investigators determined that the 20-year-old victim was driving south on Youngs Prairie Road when his vehicle crossed the center line and went …

A 45-year-old Branch County man died last week after the motorcycle he was driving crashed in Batavia Township. Branch County Sheriff John Pollack said deputies were notified around 4 p.m. Friday that a motorcycle was being driven east on U.S. 12, when a gust of wind pushed the motorcycle across the centerline and into the path of a pickup driven …

Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz announced last week the departure of a long-time member of the department. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Tiffiny Montenegro ended a 17-year career with the Cass County office Friday. She plans to move to Georgia and serve in a similar capacity in Chatham County at its county seat in Savannah. Fitz said Montenegro has long been an …