News

SHS robotics team receives recognition at district meet

SHS robotics team receives recognition at district meet

Editorial Staff Mar 27, 2026 2 min read

Sturgis High School’s robotics team received the Rising All-Star Award at the recent FIRST district robotics competition. The team is in its first year.Coaches are Khanya Sigwela and Xandra Duelge.Present at the event:Drive team: Krys Johnson (captain), Alina Chen, Emmalyn…

Updates to compost site rules approved by Sturgis City Commission

Editorial Staff Mar 27, 2026 3 min read

By Dennis Volkert After lengthy discussion on March 25, Sturgis City Commission approved revisions to the policy for the compost site and its large-volume drop-off fee. Changes are intended to clarify rules and situations that may have changed since the policy’s…

Roundup of happenings in the Sturgis area

Editorial Staff Mar 27, 2026 4 min read

MARCHMarch 27-31No classes at Sturgis Public Schools (spring break).March 31“Medicare 101,” education event, 5:30 p.m., Sturgis District Library. APRIL April 1-3No classes at Sturgis Public Schools (spring break).April 1-11Submission period for “Art Around Town,” Open Door Gallery.April 2St. Joseph County mobile…

Resource center helps victims of TR tornado with recovery resources

Editorial Staff Mar 27, 2026 5 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — Timothy Williams and Sharon Ross were sheltering in their house on South Main Street in Three Rivers on March 6 when the EF-2 tornado hit the city.Ross said a “rather large” tree fell…

Harrison Family Fare celebrates re-grand opening

Harrison Family Fare celebrates re-grand opening

Editorial Staff Mar 27, 2026 3 min read

By Genine Hopkins As many smaller towns are  losing their local grocery stores, Family Fare in Harrison just got a major facelift in renovations to the  unit.  Built in 2006, the store has not had a remodel since and was…

New playground equipment arrives in Hayes Township

New playground equipment arrives in Hayes Township

Editorial Staff Mar 27, 2026 3 min read

By Genine Hopkins Looking like big presents for a huge Christmas tree, Hayes Township’s new playground equipment has been delivered and the anticipation is thrilling!  As the weather continues to warm, construction will begin on the new playground leaving the …

Annual EGG-Stravaganza at the Clare County Airport April 11th

Editorial Staff Mar 27, 2026 1 min read

The Annual EGG-Stravaganza Easter Egg  Hunt will be held on Saturday, April 11th, and the time is pushed forward a bit to account for the Monthly Food Distribution at the Clare County Transit Building that morning.  Times for the hunt…

St. Joseph County ISD selects CTE director Berry as new superintendent

St. Joseph County ISD selects CTE director Berry as new superintendent

Robert Tomlinson Mar 24, 2026 8 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — The St. Joseph County Intermediate School District has found its next superintendent. Jim Berry, the current Career and Technical Education director for the ISD, was offered the superintendent’s position Monday by the ISD’s Board…

City’s tornado response recapped at wild city meeting Tempers flare around siren timing

City’s tornado response recapped at wild city meeting Tempers flare around siren timing

Editorial Staff Mar 23, 2026 11 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — In the first city commission meeting since an EF-2 tornado ripped through the city, Three Rivers city leaders Tuesday addressed the overall response to the tornado in a lengthy presentation that was mostly…

School board approves purchase of buses, bus camera system

Editorial Staff Mar 23, 2026 1 min read

Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education approved several measures at its March 16 meeting.Bus recommendation. The board approved the purchase of two 77-passenger buses from Hoekstra Transportation, at a total cost of $329,080. Two other companies had submitted bids: Holland…

Civic Players set for ‘Anne of Green Gables’

Civic Players set for ‘Anne of Green Gables’

Editorial Staff Mar 23, 2026 4 min read

By Dennis Volkert Sturgis Civic Players presents “Anne of Green Gables,” this weekend at Sturges-Young Center for the Arts.Show times are 7 p.m. March 20-21 and 2 p.m. March 22.“Anne of Green Gables” follows Anne Shirley’s journey from a mischievous…

Jackson man sentenced for role in vehicle theft ring

Jackson man sentenced for role in vehicle theft ring

Editorial Staff Mar 23, 2026 3 min read

By KATHRYN PALON Contributing Writer A Jackson man was sentenced to prison this month for his role in a criminal organization responsible for stealing vehicles across Michigan. Josiah Capetillo, 24, was sentenced March 13 by Judge Sarah Lincoln in 37th…

Irish Dancers from the Jackson School of the Arts perform at Albion District Library

Irish Dancers from the Jackson School of the Arts perform at Albion District Library

Editorial Staff Mar 23, 2026 5 min read

By Sylvia Benavidez Swirling skirts, lively music, green shamrocks everywhere, and expressive dance performances filled the activity room of the Albion District Library on St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish Dancers from the Jackson School of the Arts began their late…

Austin School Lofts PILOT approved after divided council vote

Austin School Lofts PILOT approved after divided council vote

Editorial Staff Mar 23, 2026 4 min read

By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer A proposal to redevelop Albion’s long-vacant former Austin School into mixed-income housing moved forward Monday night after Albion City Council approved the first reading of Ordinance 2026-04 in a split vote, establishing a tax structure…

Spring Winds, New Leadership, and Long Debate Mark Albion Council Meeting

Spring Winds, New Leadership, and Long Debate Mark Albion Council Meeting

Editorial Staff Mar 23, 2026 5 min read

By Maggie LaNoue Under near-whiteout weather and icy conditions Monday evening, Albion City Council worked through a long agenda that stretched from infrastructure planning and redevelopment to ordinance updates and the first official day of returning City Manager Sheryl Theriot.…

[UPDATED] Sheriff’s Office looking for missing and endangered Sherman Twp. woman

[UPDATED] Sheriff’s Office looking for missing and endangered Sherman Twp. woman

Robert Tomlinson Mar 19, 2026 2 min read

UPDATE 3/20/2026: The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday morning that Casey Marie White was located and is safe. The Sheriff’s Office was reportedly assisted by the FBI, Bowling Green (Ohio) Police Department, Sturgis Department of Public Safety and…

Saugatuck planners turn eyes on selves

Editorial Staff Mar 18, 2026 5 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor Page 82 of this Thursday’s Saugatuck Planning Commission agenda packet lists learning that PC member C.J. Bagierek has likely operated a short-term rental on his 610 Lake St. properly illegally as a “Learning and Improvement Opportunity.” …

Douglas chicken flap precedes law change

Editorial Staff Mar 18, 2026 3 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor Debbi Larsen, 3071 May St., wrote the City of Douglas March 9 about her neighbor’s chickens. “These issues,” she said, “began over 2 years ago when Cassandra (not her real name) came to my door asking…

Streets need work, Douglas manager says

Editorial Staff Mar 18, 2026 2 min read

By Scott Sullivan Editor Will Douglas settle for letting more and more roads crumble? city manager Lisa Nocerini posed it not quite that way. New PASER (Pavement Surface Evaluation Rating) figures more than one-third of the city’s 16 road miles…

Laketown pauses dead-end pave, for not

Editorial Staff Mar 18, 2026 4 min read

By Jim Hayden Correspondent The Laketown Township Board at a special meeting March 12 paused paving a dead-end road for financial concerns. They the week before had green-lit paving 61st Street north of 138th Avenue for about $441,000. The decision,…