CASSOPOLIS — There are discussions at Lewis Cass Intermediate School District to address what Supt. Robert Colby calls a “significant void of quality child care in our county.”
Colby told the LCISD Board of Education Wednesday night, “(Starz) in Edwardsburg has closed. The only other real commercial child care center in our county” is west of Dowagiac at Apostolic Lighthouse Church.
“As an early childhood service provider that’s a big burden and a huge need, so Heather (Merrill) and I have discussed the need for another high-quality child care. We’re looking for partnerships to cooperatively place one centrally in the county,” Colby said.

Students honored
Mikki Spagnoli said 29 Career and Technical Education (CTE) students from Dowagiac, Cassopolis, Edwardsburg and Marcellus will be honored at 7 p.m. Tuesday before about 100 people.
There will be nine scholarships presented, Spagnoli said, including two for Southwestern Michigan College from Sheriff Joe Underwood and his office and seven from the college itself.
This will be Spagnoli’s first such event since succeeding Joan Forburger as transition and CTE coordinator.
She added that Career Awareness Day at SMC will be May 9-10 with a new format.
Brian Wood, instructional services director, reported the LCISD is “approaching 60 teams” from Cass, Van Buren and St. Joseph counties in grades 6 to 8 which will be competing in May at SMC for the middle school math meet.