Curly’s to finalize plans

The owners of Curly’s bar and restaurant in downtown Colon expect this week to finalize rebuilding plans.

Dan and Kathy Earl have purchased the corner business on East State Street that previously housed a Prudential real estate office. The acquisition will add nearly 2,000 square feet when the new Curly’s opens – likely before the end of the year.

The Earls are expected to draft final building plans with an architect later in the week.

Curly’s and Prudential were destroyed by a March fire that also caused smoke and water damage to the nearby Five Star Pizza. It is scheduled to reopen later this month.

A pile of bricks and debris where Curly’s and Prudential previously stood was removed two weeks ago.

Dan Earl said he appreciates the community’s outpouring of support following the fire, which was ruled accidental by state fire marshal investigators.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Fundraiser

More than 40 people took part in Saturday’s “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” fundraiser for the Three Rivers-based Domestic And Sexual Abuse Services agency.

Staying consistent with the event’s name, most of the male participants wore high-heeled shoes as they walked a mile on the Three Rivers High School track.

Event co-chair Rose Parshall said the second-annual walk was fortunate to once again draw a number of representatives from law enforcement, as well as prosecuting attorneys from St. Joseph and Cass counties.

DASAS provides services for women in St. Joseph, Cass and Van Buren counties.

No injury after accident

A Colon husband and wife escaped serious injuries after the vehicle they were in went off the roadway and landed near the St. Joseph River.

Michigan State Police officials said a car driven by Jennifer Hargas, 31, was southbound on Farrand Road when she swerved to miss striking a deer near Blossom Road around 9:30 p.m. Thursday in Colon Township

Hargas lost control of her vehicle and drove onto an embankment along the St. Joseph River.

Neither Hargas nor her husband, Steven Hargas II, required medical assistance. She was cited for careless driving, police said.

Residents oppose plan

A group of Centreville residents is voicing opposition to a sidewalk plan in their neighborhood.

Nearly two dozen residents attended this week’s Centreville Village Council meeting to voice concern over sidewalks to be built through a Safe Routes To School grant. The $416,000 to help cover the sidewalk-development cost was awarded last September.

Comments ranged from the need for the sidewalks to concern tax dollars will be used for construction. Village officials reiterated the grant will cover all expenses.

The project is now in the hands of officials from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The agency is expected to approve the village’s sidewalk plan early next month, with bids awarded by the end of June.

Construction would likely start in July, with the work done before the start of school in September.

Three Sturgis men indicted

Three Sturgis men are among 20 people from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio indicted on charges of running a major operation smuggling cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico for sale near Fort Wayne.

Federal prosecutors last week said Gelacio Martinez, 36; Juan Pena, 20; and John Bennett, 35, were allegedly involved in the operation.

All three face charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and the use of a communication facility.

U. S. Attorney David Capp announced the indictments last Friday at a news conference in Fort Wayne.

Two involved in crash

Two area residents were involved in a car crash Monday in Lockport Township.

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Carol Sission, 77, of Constantine, was southbound on U.S. 131 when she failed to stop at the traffic signal at Wilbur Road. Her vehicle struck a car driven by 29-year-old Colon resident Amber Laclair, who had the right of way and was proceeding through the intersection.

A department media release does not indicate the extent of injuries suffered by Sisson or Laclair.

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