Several hundred people gathered Saturday for a massive farewell party to honor a county icon. On her 65th birthday, Pattie Bender was recognized for her 45 years of service as a St. Joseph County employee. She served 24 of her final years as county clerk. Staged at the Henningsen Show Arena at the county fairgrounds, the event drew friends, family, …

A horse that bolted from its mid-Michigan home after being frightened by fireworks has been found after more than a week. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports Friday that Finneas was discovered the day before on a farm field near St. Johns in Clinton County, about 1 ½ miles from home. Horse owner Amy Helgren says the Rocky Mountain horse is safe …

Officials say an explosion at an empty science lab at Michigan State University prompted an evacuation of part of a building on campus. No injuries were reported following the Friday morning explosion at Giltner Hall in East Lansing. University police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor says portions of the building close to the lab were evacuated. McGlothian-Taylor says the explosion occurred in …

Western Michigan University’s Board of Trustees has approved a new policy designed to encourage students and staff to report cases of sexual misconduct. The university said in a news release that trustees approved changes Wednesday. They were put in place on an interim basis on January, and the policy was refined and presented to the board after comments from campus …

The killing of a rare white buck as part of an effort to control the deer population at Kensington Metropark in southwestern Michigan has upset some area residents and nature-lovers. The deer had been seen at the park for more than three years, according to The Oakland Press of Pontiac. It was killed in February as part of a cull …

The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled in favor of home sellers in a tax dispute involving property in a market that’s down or slowly recovering. In a unanimous decision, the court says some sellers are exempt from a real estate transfer tax. The tax break applies if a home’s state equalized value is the same or less than the value …

Saturday’s alumni football game between Centreville and Colon has taken on new meaning. Earlier this week, both teams decided to donate a portion of the proceeds of the game to the family of Robert Roll. Roll, a 2003 Constantine High School graduate, suffered a severe neck injury in last weekend’s alumni game against White Pigeon. Doctors determined Roll suffered a …

Motorists along state routes are advised to use extra caution, as the second Adopt-A-Highway roadside cleanup event of the year begins Saturday and continues over an eight-day period. Thousands of Adopt-A-Highway volunteers will be back picking up litter along state roadways starting Saturday, as they’ve done each summer since 1990. Every year, Adopt-A-Highway volunteers collect about 70,000 bags of trash, …

Hello. We are Ella and Charlie. We came from the same home and are neutered and spayed and are current with our shots. Charlie is a tri-color male beagle, about 7 years old. He also has a microchip. I (Ella) am also tri-color and about 2 years. We both know our names and walk nicely on a leash. We are …

An appeal filed by a trio of Three Rivers Board of Education members currently in the process of being recalled won’t be fielded locally. Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman on Wednesday issued a media advisory, stating he, along with judges Jeff Middleton and Rob Pattison, have disqualified themselves from hearing the appeal of the St. Joseph County Election Board’s June …