Longtime Three Rivers resident, Martha Lynn O’Dell, died Halloween morning on Oct.31, 2023 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, MI. She was 73. Born July 30, 1950 and raised in Three Rivers, Martha was most recently a resident of Crestwood Manor, a Brookside Care home, in Kalamazoo. One of four children, Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Charles …

Michigan’s minimum wage is scheduled to increase on Jan. 1, 2024. The state’s minimum wage will increase from $10.10 to $10.33 per hour, according to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. In addition, starting Jan. 1, the 85% of the minimum hourly wage rate for minors ages 16 and 17 will increase to $8.78 per hour. The tipped …

The first television I remember having, was a seventeen inch, black and white table model that my parents bought at the Firestone store here in Three Rivers. We got it back in the fifties. Back then, we could get channel three in Kalamazoo and channel eight in Grand Rapids. Cable wasn’t around yet, but we did have a roof-mounted antenna …

George Shockey Meek, age 89, of Sturgis, passed away Friday morning, November 10, 2023 at Skaggs Assisted Living in Burr Oak. He was born February 28, 1934 in Battle Creek, son of the late Jack W. and Alma LaMoyne (Piatt) Meek. George resided most of his life in the Sturgis area with the exception of the 19 years he lived …

Homer W. Pelfrey, age 49, of Sturgis, passed away unexpectedly Friday, November 10, 2023 at his home. He was born October 17, 1974 in Sturgis, son of Homer and Sandy (Hammond) Pelfrey. Homer was a lifelong Sturgis resident and graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1993. Homer was a jack of all trades; he enjoyed working on …

Thomas Phillips Wagner, age 83, of Three Rivers, passed away Friday, November 10, 2023 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born August 29, 1940 in Three Rivers, the son of Logan S. and Mary Aletha (Phillips) Wagner, and graduated with the Class of 1958 from Three Rivers High School, where he played catcher on the Wildcats’ …

St. Joseph County’s lone representatives in the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s football playoffs were eliminated over the weekend. White Pigeon finishes its season with an 11-1 record. It lost Friday night in a Division 8 contest to Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 54-6. The Bobcats are now 12-0. Meanwhile, in Division 6 action, Constantine had the homefield advantage but lost to …

Unless you’ve been living under a pile of leaves, you’ve no doubt heard about the “Leave the Leaves” movement that’s been gaining in popularity in recent years. The idea is to avoid sending bagged-up fallen leaves to landfills. Instead, we’re asked to leave them be, allowing them to naturally decompose over the winter into nutrient-rich organic matter that also shelters hibernating pollinators and …

Daniel Miller II, age 19, of Three Rivers, passed away Monday, November 6, 2023 in Kalamazoo. He was born October 8, 2004 in Lansing, the son of Daniel Miller and Amy Colosky. A 2023 Three Rivers High School graduate, Daniel earned a full-ride academic scholarship to Western Michigan University where he was studying to become a forest ranger. Daniel was …

Christine D. Feller, age 98, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday evening, November 9, 2023 at her home surrounded by her family. She was born June 4, 1925 in Matteson Township, Michigan daughter of the late Joseph F. and Pauline (Ludwick) Herman. Mrs. Feller resided in Sturgis since 1959, coming from Bronson where she was a graduate of Bronson High School …