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 …

The windows on certain Michigan State Police cars automatically roll down in high temperatures, one of the key changes after two dogs died of heat stroke in Livingston County in 2013, the department said. Michigan State Police publicly confirmed the deaths this week — more than two years later — in response to a WDIV-TV report about a lawsuit related …

The Kalamazoo Wings are winless in their first four games of the season. After dropping a 5-2 decision to the Toledo Walleye at home on Friday night, the K-Wings found themselves on the short end of a 4-1 loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones on Saturday night. On Friday, the K-Wings received goals from Tyler Shattock and Alex Mallet. The Walleye …

Larry E. Wagner, Sr. age 77, of Constantine, passed away on Friday, October 23, 2015 at Three Rivers Health. He was born July 6, 1938 in Elkhart, IN a son of Gerald and Erma (Routsong) Wagner. Larry graduated from Elkhart High School in 1956 and attended Indiana University at Bloomington. On September 2, he married Nancy Krallman in Elkhart, IN.  He worked …

Betty Jane Cox, age 92, of Vandalia, MI passed away Thursday, October 22, 2015 at home. She was born April 12, 1923 in Dowagiac, MI the daughter of Floyd and Lola (Franklin) Hunsburger. On May 31, 1943 in Bryan, OH she married Richard E. Cox who preceded her in death. Betty was the township clerk for Penn Township for many …

Robert Michael “Bonezy” Schabes, age 58 of White Pigeon died Wednesday Oct. 21, 2015 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born in Chicago on April 18, 1957 the son of Robert John and Joan Marie (Murray) Schabes. He attended primary school in Chicago and graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1975. He was a welder, and had …