Recent Posts

Sturgis Area Community Foundation executive director leaving position

Sturgis Area Community Foundation Executive Director Lindsay Richardson has accepted a new opportunity in Elkhart and will be leaving the foundation Dec. 31. Richardson joined the Sturgis Area Community Foundation as a trustee in 2017 and was hired as executive director in January 2019. During her tenure, the foundation expanded its grant-making programs, won grant awards from the Michigan Health …

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Raises approved for health department employees

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency board members last week approved a pay raise for its employees, retroactive to Oct. 1. As a result, the agency’s employees will receive a 5 percent pay increase. Meanwhile, health officer Rebecca Burns received a three-year contract beginning Jan. 1, with a salary starting at $100,000 a year. Finance director Theresa Fisher said the state …

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Sturgis approves vehicle purchases

Municipal officials in Sturgis recently agreed to buy three new city vehicles. The purchases total about $140,000 and include a cut-away van for the electric-meter department, and two police vehicles for the city’s public safety division. The purchases were budgeted for the 2022-23 fiscal year through the motor vehicle fund. The commission also unanimously approved a quote from LaFontaine Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram …

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Indiana drugstore worker held in 2017 killings of teen girls

Authorities on Monday announced an arrest in the unsolved murders of two teenage girls — a drugstore worker who has been living in the same small northern Indiana community where their bodies were found after they went on a hike nearly six years ago. Richard Matthew Allen, 50, was arrested Friday on two murder counts in the killings of Liberty German, 14, …

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Shimmel Road culvert replaced

The centerpiece of a major project on a heavily traveled road in St. Joseph County was put into place last week. Road Commission manager John Lindsey said a culvert measuring 99 feet long, 17 feet high and 21 feet wide was installed Friday as a key component of the Shimmel Road project. The culvert, laid in an east-west direction, sits …

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Former HOA president repays stolen funds

A former lake association president has pleaded no contest to embezzling nearly $30,000 from a St. Joseph County homeowners association. Allan Malesh, 84, entered the plea in St. Joseph County Circuit Court Oct. 24 in response to a charge of embezzlement from a nonprofit organization. Malesh’s attorney, Ed Hettinger, presented a check for more than $20,000 to repay the remainder …

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Catalytic converter stolen in Mottville Township

A catalytic converter was stolen from a vehicle earlier this month in Mottville Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called to the 10000 block of U.S. 12 to investigate the situation. It appears the suspect forced entry into a commercial lot and stole a catalytic converter from a vehicle. The incident is believed to have occurred the night of …

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Out and About – Week of October 31st

There are many ads on television that just don’t make any sense. The one that comes to mind is the one dealing with a woman lying on her floor saying, “Help me, I’ve fallen and can’t get up!” My question is why doesn’t the cameraman offer assistance? It just doesn’t make any sense. Tuesday, November 8, is Election Day. It’s …

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Friday night football scores

Niles 56, Three Rivers 32 Constantine 47, Buchanan 12 White Pigeon 30, Centreville 6 Mendon 44, Climax-Scotts 18 Colon 62, Camden-Frontier 8 Mason 49, Sturgis 12 Hastings 40, Vicksburg 7

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Fatal crash in Cass County

An Elkhart man died Wednesday after the vehicle he was in was struck by a semi tractor-trailer in Cass County’s Mason Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 9 a.m. to the area of Old M-205 and Autumn Drive. Investigators said a car driven by Andres Rivera, 24, of Elkhart, turned in front of a semi-truck heading east …

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