United Methodist clergy and churchgoers have held a press conference outside the bishop’s office in Lansing in support of an openly gay pastor who says he was forced to resign. More than 50 supporters of the Rev. Benjamin Hutchison were at the demonstration on Tuesday. Advocates taped a pledge to the office door asking for LGBT inclusiveness in the …

Franklin T. Lutz, 88, of Florence Township, passed away Tuesday, July 28, 2015 following a long battle with cancer. He was born in Florence Township on September 24, 1926, a son of Troy and Nettie (VanFleet) Lutz. He graduated from White Pigeon High School in 1944 and entered the U.S. Navy in 1945. In August of 1946, he married Beverly …

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Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department investigated a larceny from a motor vehicle at a residence in the 56300 block of Buckhorn Road in Park Township. The theft is suspected to have taken place between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. It was reported at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Six people were recently reappointed to serve on the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging Board. County commissioners agreed to reappoint Allen Balog, Barbara Fisher, Charles Thompson, Dawn Everett, Jim MacTavish and Joseph Heivilin. Their terms will expire June 30, 2017. In an unrelated matter, county commissioners approved permission to fill the position of probation officer following the resignation of …

Emma Jane Markum, 73, of Jones, died Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo following a long illness. She was born in Johnstown, Pa. on May 8, 1942 the daughter of the late Ray and Ruth (Weirick) Alwine. She graduated from high school in Pennsylvania, and later earned her Masters’ Degree in Computer Science and Business Management. …

A Three Rivers-area man is at the Branch County jail following a police pursuit involving a stolen vehicle. Around 6:45 p.m. Sunday, Michigan State Police attempted to stop a vehicle with improper plates in the area of U.S. 12 and St. Joseph Road. The driver fled south on St. Joseph Road, but eventually pulled over and gave himself up. Christopher …

St. Joseph County’s board of commissioners last week approved a pair of out-of-state travel requests. Clerk Lindsay Oswald requested permission for deputy county clerk Catherine Rigby to attend OnBase computer training in Cleveland on two separate occasions. The first session is Aug. 17-21 and the second is Sept. 21-25. The other request was made by E-911 Central Dispatch Director Dennis …

The Three Rivers Area Community Foundation is appealing to the public in hopes of securing matching funds to develop a revitalization plan for the old Three Rivers Hospital. Foundation officials said a drive is on to raise $15,000 by Tuesday next week in order to qualify for a $50,000 grant from the organization America’s Best Communities. Foundation members further noted …

Three Rivers Community Schools has announced a pair of administrative changes for the 2015-16 academic year. Andrews Elementary Principal Nikki Nash will serve on an interim basis as principal at Three Rivers Middle School. Meanwhile, Hoppin fourth-grade teacher Ben McIntyre will replace Nash and serve as interim principal at Andrews Elementary. The moves were created as the result of the …