We are now well into the last quarter of 2015. Two months from today, Christmas 2015 will be in the history books. The last quarter of each year is usually the busiest, partially due to the upcoming holidays. Looking first at the current month of October, you’ll notice that Halloween is this Saturday. That one special day when we all …

A benefit magic show last weekend will help the Colon Food Pantry stretch its inventory as a season of high need approaches. A five-act magic show Saturday at Colon Elementary School entertained a crowd of about 60 people, whose price of admission was a donation of a non-perishable food item or cash. In many cases, cash as well as food …

Mr. Donald (Don) L. Casterline — loving husband, father and grandfather passed on to be with his Heavenly Father on October 3, 2015 at the age of 92. He was born on February 4, 1923 in Lansing, Michigan. He is survived by his loving wife Beverly of 69 years – the couple knew each other for 76 years; two daughters, …

Marjory Marie Williamson, age 73, of Mendon, died Monday, Oct. 26, 2015 at Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Centreville following a two year battle with lung cancer. She was born in Vicksburg, MI on May 2, 1942 the daughter of Carlton L. and Ruth C. (Shingledecker) Moyer. She attended Fulton Elementary School, and later earned her GED from Vicksburg …

Cinda “Cinde” Rae Jones, age 64, of Three Rivers, passed away on Sunday, October 18, 2015 at Three Rivers Health. She was born on September 21, 1951 in Mio, Michigan the daughter of Carroll Eugene and Jeannine Alice (McGregor) Todd. On November 25, 1976 she was united in marriage to Mr. Derek Jones. Cinde was preceded in death by her …

The September unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by one-tenth of a percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 3.7 percent September unemployment rate was less than August’s 3.8 percent. Also, September’s unemployment rate was 1.4 percent less than the same month one …

Overall numbers were down at Saturday’s collection of household hazardous waste and electronics items compared to last fall’s event. Nonetheless, organizers are still calling the four-hour event a success because so many items were disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. Pat Kulikowski, secretary of the St. Joseph County Solid Waste Committee, said the following amounts were collected Saturday: 1,500 …

Investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics assisted the Michigan Department of Corrections in parole and probation compliance checks last week. In all, nine residences were searched Thursday, resulting in five arrests. Officials said arrests were made in Three Rivers, Constantine and Sturgis. Charges include possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, delivery of a controlled substance, maintaining a drug …

Three Rivers Area Mentoring officials on Saturday staged the agency’s ninth annual Coat Giveaway event to children and adults in need of warmer attire. 230 coats were donated to TRAM and more than half were given away during the two-hour event. Leftover coats and other clothing items were turned over to the Random Acts of Kindness Club at Three Rivers …

Indiana Michigan Power broke ground today (October 26, 2015) on its second solar generation facility and also launched IM Solar, a program that enables Indiana customers to use local solar power without the expense of installing their own system. The Twin Branch Solar Facility, northeast of Mishawaka in a commercial/industrial area, will have nearly 29,000 solar panels and a generation …