Ilah Bird Essex, age 99, died peacefully in her sleep Thanksgiving evening, November 24, 2016. A near lifetime resident of Marcellus, she was a hair dresser, a bus driver and a farmer. She was preceded in death by Ewart Essex, her husband of fifty years. She is survived by her children, Mary (Bill) Jaglowski, Nancy (Cheryl) Essex, and Carmi (Sarah) …

Lois Marie “Ma” Bell, age 90, formerly of Constantine, died on Thursday, November 24, 2016, at Apostolic Christian Home of Eureka, IL. She was born on August 6, 1926 in Bristol, IN, a daughter of Samuel and Sylvia (Rought) Detwiler. On April 22, 1944 she married Richard Bell in Brownwood, TX. He preceded her in death January 6, 2003. Lois …

A jury trial on criminal-sexual-conduct charges against a former Centreville Public Schools teacher has been postponed again, this time due to the death of a family member of a case investigator. Jury selection had been scheduled to begin earlier this month in the case of Terry Miller, 47, a former Centreville junior high and high school teacher initially charged in …

More than a month after the Sturgis community was jarred by vandalism at Franks mausoleum at Oak Lawn Cemetery, Sturgis police are continuing their investigation into the case. Meanwhile, former Sturgis City Commission member Rob Sisson, who has expressed outrage about the incident, said someone “tried to send a message” to him with a lawn sign, but it was placed …

The Sturgis Area Community Foundation recently completed its 2016 competitive grant program. The following organizations received grants: Sturgis Helping Hands, $2,500, to assist with the Helping Hands Backpack program; Mixed Martial Arts/ Doyle Community Center, $3,740, for program support; Domestic and Sexual Abuse Services, $1,500, to assist with a Sexual Assault Awareness Community Forum; city of Sturgis, $35,000, for Spence …

President-elect Donald Trump’s lead in Michigan is 10,704 votes over Democrat Hillary Clinton. The state Bureau of Elections said Wednesday that results certified by county canvassing boards show Trump ahead with about 4.8 million votes cast. The result still must be certified by the state at a meeting scheduled for Monday. If it stands, the two-tenths of a percentage point …

Bernice Clark, age 91, of Centreville, passed away on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at Three Rivers Health. She was born in Three Rivers on May 27, 1925, a daughter of William and Bertha (Howard) Parker. Bernice attended Centreville Schools. On July 16, 1942, she married William Clark in Kalamazoo. He preceded her in death on October 7, 1987. Bernice worked …

Rita Jo Zerbe, age 64, of Schoolcraft, began her heavenly walk peacefully after a “beautiful fight” with ALS on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. Although the fight was difficult, her last breath was pain-free, surrounded by her immediate family, her greatest joy. She was born to her earthly journey on March 13, 1952, in Muncie, Ind., a daughter of the late …

Happy Thanksgiving! Our names are Curry, Caldo, Chowder and Chili. We are about 6 weeks old and full of curiosity and energy. If the picture is kind of blurry it’s because we were having so much fun exploring that we couldn’t sit still. Please come in and give us the best thing for which we could be thankful – a …

The St. Joseph County Road Commission is encouraging residents to shake their mailboxes this month. Agency manager Chris Minger said a mailbox post over the years can rot or become wobbly. The annual shaking test is a solid way of determining whether a mailbox is secure and its post strong. The test is suggested to ensure mailboxes and posts are …