Traffic deaths in Michigan fell 8 percent in 2014. According to just-released information from the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center, traffic deaths last year fell below 900 for the first time since 2011, from 951 in 2013 to 876 in 2014. Michael Prince, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, says while overall crashes increased 3 percent, there …

Gordon Harold Preston, age 66, of Three Rivers, passed away Monday, April 13, 2015 at his home. He was born in Three Rivers on February 12, 1949, a son of Harold and Ruth (Church) Preston, Sr. Gordon served in the US Army during the Vietnam War, receiving both a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. On February 24, 1976 he married Ruth A. …

Donald A. Holloway, age 70, of Decatur, MI passed away unexpectedly Saturday, April 11, 2015 at home. He was born August 30, 1944 in South Bend, IN the son of Arthur and Ferol (Malone) Holloway. On April 11, 1964 in South Bend, IN he married Suzanne I. Celmer and she preceded him in death February 20, 2006. After graduation from …

Gerald C. Adams of Sebastian, Florida, passed away Friday, April 3, 2015 at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Florida. Gerry was born August 12, 1952 in Three Rivers, Michigan. The son of Gerald L. Adams and Irene (Krieger) Adams. Gerry was a proud Vietnam Veteran and past commander of the V.F.W. post # 4054 in Marcellus, Michigan. A retired …

Mary E. VanVorst, age 91, of Colon, passed away Saturday, April 11, 2015, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. Mary was born Sept. 9, 1923, in Glasgow, Ky., a daughter to the late Elmer & Ona ( Boone) Mosby. On Sept. 12, 1941, she married Leslie F. VanVorst in Centreville. He preceded her in death on Nov. 4, 1974. Mary’s …

County commissioners last week approved a 4 1/2-acre canine area at Meyer Broadway Park in Fabius Township. The initial proposal was presented April 1 at a Parks and Recreation Boardmeeting by recreation director Jaymes MacDonald. Commissioner Rick Shaffer said the plan for the park is to get it up and running soon, since the county is behind the move. The …

A two-vehicle accident last week in Fabius Township resulted in two people seeking medical treatment at the hospital. State police said Three Rivers resident Thomas Sayer, 78, was heading east on M-60 when he failed to stop at the U.S. 131 intersection. His vehicle struck a southbound SUV driven by Mary Carr, 77, of White Pigeon. Carr and Sayer, who …

State Rep. Aaron Miller announced that a Three Rivers orchard has received a grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to expand and increase its production. Miller said Corey Lake Orchards in Three Rivers was awarded more than $48,000 through the “Value Added and Regional Food System” grant program. The money will be used to enable the …

Members of the Colon Community Schools Board of Education this evening will continue deliberating their plan to trim as much as $500,000 from the district’s $5.7 million budget. The board, which met a month ago before a standing-room-only audience in excess of 80 people, is considering options that include the privatization of its transportation services, the elimination of up to …

First it was an attempt to steal the “Mitten State” knickname, now they want the lake. There’s a light-hearted petition seeking to rename Lake Michigan as “Lake Wisconsin.” The petition is available online at visitlakewisconsin.com. The web site says Michigan residents have gloated over the lake for years and it’s time to change the name. So far more than 500 people have …