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Constantine Township received the green light to create a special-assessment district in support of fire protection and ambulance service. The request received 124 yes votes to 97 opposed. Full details of how the half-mill will be allocated is to be a topic of discussion this morning during a special meeting by township officials. The township’s other request, which would have …

Burr Oak Community Schools taxpayers Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a renewal request centering on a sinking fund. Renewal of a nearly 3-mill amount came in the form of 127 votes in favor to 35 against. Projected to raise about $160,000 annually over the course of its four-year life, the newly approved sinking fund will take effect in 2025. District officials said …

About 200 people have been laid off at Pfizer’s facility in Portage, the company confirmed. The laid-off employees were notified last week, according to MLive. A lower demand than what the company expected for its COVID-19 products was stated as the culprit. The product Comirnaty is Pfizer’s vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in people 12 years and older. Paxlovid, meanwhile, is …

Sturgis municipal officials have completed the sale of Sturgis Hospital. Completion of the transaction allowed Sturgis Hospital Inc. to finalize terms of its acquisition by Asker Corp., including a management agreement and financial support of the hospital. That agreement will be in place until the acquisition is approved by the Michigan Attorney General’s office. The agreement included a $3 million …

A 79-year-old Union man died in a single-vehicle crash last week in Cass County’s Ontwa Township. Douglas Westrick, chief of the Ontwa Township Edwardsburg Police Department, said first-responders were called shortly before 4:30 p.m. Thursday to an area on Redfield Street, west of Adamsville Road. Witnesses told authorities a vehicle driven by Robert Lockmondy was eastbound on Redfield Street, crossed …

Two cars ended up in the mill race following an incident last week in downtown Colon. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Capt. T.J. Baker said the county’s dive/rescue team was summoned after local authorities responded to the incident, which occurred around 1:15 p.m. Thursday. According to authorities, the driver of a car was pulling out of an on-street parking space and …

Both local high school football teams won over the weekend, extending their run in the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs. White Pigeon captured a Division 8 district crown Friday after defeating Saugatuck, 30-0. The Chiefs are now 11-0 and will play at Ottawa Lake Whiteford High School later in the week. Meanwhile, in Division 6 action Saturday, Constantine held …

Being retired usually means you don’t have any time to work, because you are too busy with other things. This reasoning fits me perfectly. I find myself too wrapped up in volunteering and find it difficult to even get out of town for a few days. I’ve been doing this column since 2006 and try to keep everyone informed on …

A western Michigan man was sentenced to decades in prison after pleading no contest in the 2021 slayings of his parents, whose bodies were found buried at a state game area. A Kalamazoo County judge on Wednesday sentenced Nicholas Johnson to spend between 29 and 69 years in prison. The Portage man must serve a minimum of 29 years before he’s eligible …

A White Pigeon man took top honors in both judging categories at Thursday’s “Chili Out at Your Library” event at White Pigeon Township Library. The inaugural event, a fundraiser to help the library raise funds for a bookmobile, drew 11 participants and more than 80 people sampling the offerings. Library director Perri Saunders said Charles Worley’s “Boilermaker Tailgate Chili” won …