Nottawa Township’s Planning Commission on Tuesday accepted a partnership agreement with the Branch County Conservation District. Commission members acted on the Prairie River Watershed Planning Project, which ensures stewardship of the Prairie River and its tributaries. Nottawa Township’s Board of Trustees already endorsed the plan, which became official Tuesday with the signature of planning commission chairman Jerry Loudenslager. Rachel Smith, …

Authorities in Kalamazoo say a body found under the ice in a lake at a city park belonged to a 27-year-old man who disappeared in November.  Police say rescue crews and a dive team got a call Sunday to Spring Valley Park after someone spotted a body in the water.  The body has been identified as that of Jason K. Bassett. …

Authorities say they have a person of interest in a 2010 double homicide in southwestern Michigan.  The Michigan attorney general’s office is handling the investigation into the deaths of 39-year-old Carolyn Tarwacki and her 42-year-old husband John Tarwacki.  No charges have been filed and the person of interest wasn’t being identified.  The Tarwackis were killed Feb. 5, 2010, at their …

Harriet Hackenberg, age 91, of Marcellus, passed away on Monday, January 9, 2012 at the Birch’s Adult Foster Care Home, in Leonidas, MI., prior to her family whom cared for her at home for several months. She was born on August 28, 1920 in Falmouth, MI. the daughter of Thomas and Tillie (Drenth) Workman. Mrs. Hackenberg has been a lifelong …

“Pay it Forward” and “A Random act of Kindness”. These are two phrases worth some serious thought and action. These phrases can be better defined as doing something for someone without expecting anything in return. An example might be paying for someone’s cup of coffee or breakfast anonymously. I have experienced this from both sides. It’s very nice to be …

Eleanor E. Lutz, 83, of White Pigeon, died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at The Laurels in Coldwater, after an extended illness. She was born Jan. 5, 1928, in Upland, Ind., a daughter of Clifford and Elnore (Thornburgh) Barrett. She had been a resident of the White Pigeon and Sturgis area all her life. She was a graduate of White Pigeon High School. …

Glen Oaks Community College recently recognized 30 faculty members who observed milestone anniversaries for their years of employment at the Centreville-area college. Collectively, the group represented 330 years of employment at Glen Oaks. The most-senior employee recognized was library technician Judy Fetch, who has logged 30 years as a Glen Oaks employee. In addition three employees honored for 25 years …

Three people in a vehicle stopped Saturday in Florence Township were charged with various offenses by police. The stop took place near the intersection of Lutz and Featherstone roads, where a deputy from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department noticed a 1992 Oldsmobile had a defective brake light. The driver of the vehicle, a 44-year-old man from Three Rivers, was …

County sheriff deputies were dispatched to the 12000 block of Millers Mill Road in Constantine Township late Monday night for a report of a man who had shot a rifle inside his home during a domestic dispute. Deputies were able to speak with a brother of the suspect who had went to the residence and convinced the man to come outside …

Carol Ann (Schabes-Morgan) McCarroll, age 64 of White Pigeon, died unexpectedly at her home on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012. She was born in Three Rivers on June 27, 1947, the daughter of William F. and Catherine (Callopy) Schabes. The family moved to Chicago where Carol met and married Ronald L. Morgan on Aug. 22, 1964. They returned to Michigan in …