Two people have been arrested in connection with last weekend’s armed robbery at the Marathon gas station on South Centerville Road in Sturgis. The suspects, a male and female, both 20, are in the St. Joseph County jail. Names were withheld pending arraignment. Public Safety Director Geoff Smith said the public played a major role in the investigation through numerous tips …

The most-tenured employee for St. Joseph County government announced Tuesday she plans to retire later this year. Clerk and register of deeds Pattie Bender issued a media release Tuesday, indicating her plan to retire June 30. The 64-year-old Bender joined the county in 1970 and became clerk in 1991, succeeding Beverly Burnham. A lifelong Centreville resident, Bender said she looks …

Sturgis Hospital officials have announced new rules for visiting the hospital during the flu season. Influenza season guidelines are: Hospital visitors must be 18 years or older; visitors to the obstetric unit must be immediate family. Siblings under age 18 visiting a newborn may be screened for fever; one visitor per patient is allowed in the emergency department; and patients …

John Dobberteen will head the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners for the third consecutive year. The unanimous decision was made Tuesday at the commission’s first assembly of 2015. Dobberteen, whose jurisdiction covers the city of Sturgis and Fawn River Township, is starting his 17th year on the commission. This will be his seventh year overall as chairman. The nomination …

Robert Thomas Dodd, age 90, of Greenville, formerly of Constantine, passed away on Tuesday, January 6th, at Bishop Hills Elder Care Community, Rockford.  Robert was born in St. Joseph, MI on October 17, 1924, a son of Archie and Lena (Alkins) Dodd.  On May 22, 1954, he married Phyllis Jean (Conkright) Dodd at Messiah Lutheran Church in Constantine. Robert graduated …

Pauline D. Jones, 90, of Constantine, Mich., died Friday, Jan. 2, 2015, at Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Centreville. Visitation will be held 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, at the Eickhoff, Farrand, Halverson Chapel in Three Rivers, Mich., where services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Interment will follow in Constantine Township Cemetery. Donations may be directed to …

Welcome to 2015. The holidays are over for a while, so we all have time to do what we can to make the world a more loving place. This is not going to be an easy task, because there are some folks out there who live only to make a person’s day not worthy of mentioning in one’s diary or …

Barry Kirk, 58, of Marcellus, St. Joseph County, passed away to be with his Lord on Jan. 2, 2015 after congestive heart problems over the past few years. We know that he is now in peace. Barry was a career employee at Armstrong International in Three Rivers and appreciated the years of employment they provided to him. He was an …

Sturgis Police are continuing their investigation into a robbery early Saturday morning at the Sturgis Petroleum Marathon Gas Station. A gunman, armed with a black handgun, entered the business – located at the corner of Fawn River and South Centerville Road – just after 4 a. m. Saturday. The suspect entered the store and demanded money from an employee. After …

Slushy roadways and speed were factors in a single-vehicle accident reported over the weekend in Florence Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department officials said a vehicle driven by 81-year-old Graydon Fox, of White Pigeon, was heading south around 7:30 p.m. Sunday on Lutz Road. Due to slush in the road, Fox lost control of his vehicle south of Stears Road. …