News

Lottery officials say a western Michigan man had a winning Powerball ticket in his wallet for two months before realizing he had won $1 million. In a news release, lottery officials said 53-year-old Daniel Chase of Alto won $1 million when his ticket matched the five white balls drawn Dec. 16. The Morning Sun reports the Kent County man bought …

The former president of a motorcycle club who was accused of stealing money from a fundraiser for a Kalamazoo police officer who was killed while on duty in 2011 is awaiting sentencing in the case. WOOD-TV reports Joseph Weeks Sr. of Kalamazoo County’s Comstock Township last week pleaded no contest to charges including embezzlement from a nonprofit of $200 or …

The condition of a 14-year-old girl is improving, more than a week after she survived a mass shooting in southwestern Michigan. Vickie Kopf posted an update about her daughter on Facebook. She says Abigail Kopf’s ventilator was removed Sunday and she’s breathing on her own. Abigail was outside a Kalamazoo-area restaurant when she was shot in the head on Feb. …

The Doyle Community Center in Sturgis is expected to begin a capital fundraising campaign in March. Director Michael Liston said the goal is to raise up to $200,000 to pay for a 3,000-square-foot weight room addition. Liston said the community center hopes to complete the project by January 2017 and that it would allow weight-training equipment to be moved off …

Three Rivers Middle School last week won the 32nd annual St. Joseph County middle school quiz bowl. The competition took place at the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District. White Pigeon finished second and Sturgis placed third. Also participating at the quiz bowl were teams from Centreville, Colon, Constantine, Howardsville Christian, Mendon and Nottawa. Members of the Three Rivers team …

The Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce is reminding local groups, businesses and individuals that applications for a variety of events related to the 60th annual Three Rivers Water Festival are available on its website. Applications for the event’s arts and crafts vendors, commercial vendors, non-profit booths and sponsorship forms can be downloaded at the website: trchamber.com.

Michigan officials are considering whether to expand coyote hunting in the state as part of an effort to deal with complaints about the animals in residential areas. The Times Herald of Port Huron reports the Natural Resources Commission at its March meeting plans to consider a recommendation on the issue. Currently, coyotes may be killed in daylight statewide from July …

  Butterflies have arrived at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park for an annual event at the western Michigan attraction. Thousands of butterflies will be on view starting Tuesday as part of the Fred & Dorothy Fichter “Butterflies Are Blooming” exhibition, which runs through April 30 at the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. About 60 butterfly species are part of the …

The final pieces of a 2012 sinking-fund millage renewal are falling into place in White Pigeon. Members of the school district’s board of education Wednesday approved what amounts to about $1.7 million worth of bids. Superintendent Jon Keyer said the action nearly exhausts $5 million from what was a five-year extension of a sinking-fund millage originally approved in 2007. The …

St. Joseph County’s emergency management director was given approval last week to attend a national conference this summer. The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners passed a motion to allow T.J. Baker to attend the 2016 National School Safety Conference in Orlando in late July. According to a memo from Baker to commissioners, the conference will focus on all aspects …