A ribbon-cutting ceremony takes place at 4 o’clock this afternoon for the Children’s Trauma Assessment Group of St. Joseph County. Located next to the county’s United Way headquarters in Centreville, the CTAG provides a 24-hour, comfortable environment where children can talk to law-enforcement officials in conducting sensitive cases. The only area location available for such an assessment is at Western …

Leo Anthony Barcus (Barkauskas), Veteran of WWII, Marine Corps Master Sergeant died peacefully on Oct. 24, 2014. Beloved Husband of the late Evelyn Barkauskas, nee Hjelmgren, and the late Marion Carr. Dear Father of Steven (Linda) Barton, Jeffrey Barkauskas, the late Sandra (Roger) Rempert and the late Mark (Crisler) Lovendahl. Step-Father of Shannon (David) Jaeger, Diane (Bill) Free and Katherine …

We only have seven more days of mudslinging, name calling, and falsehoods. A week from today is Election Day. We will no longer be plagued with non-stop political ads during every commercial break on television. The mute button on my remote is just about worn down to a mere stub. I can’t imagine how much money has been spent over …

A father and son were arrested at a Florence Township residence last week on a charge of felony possession of stolen property. State police said the incident dates to September, when a four-wheel ATV was stolen from a residence in the 17000 block of Banker Street in Florence Township. On Oct. 20, the victim and a friend posed as prospective …

St. Joseph County Clerk and Register of Deeds Pattie Bender has announced the Register of Deeds department will go-live with eRecording starting next week. Beginning Monday, the department will offer the additional avenue for recording documents, as the department takes the next step in the advancement of technology, Bender said. She noted that the department will continue to have the …

The city of Three Rivers has been awarded a Housing Resource Fund grant to rehabilitate downtown apartments, according to State Rep. Matt Lori. The Constantine-area resident said the $379,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will assist downtown property owners with the renovation of upstairs spaces that have been vacant for many years. The grant …

Two people were hospitalized following a two-vehicle accident last week in Constantine Township. State police said Three Rivers resident Esther Bowman was driving west on Featherstone Road shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday, when she failed to stop at Lutz Road. Bowman’s vehicle struck a trailer loaded with RV trailer frames. The trailer was hitched to a northbound Ford truck driven …

Start times for this weekend’s state football playoff games have been announced by the Michigan High School Athletic Association. A pair of matinee games will be played Saturday, as Schoolcraft at Constantine and Colon at Mendon will kick off their respective games at 1 p.m. Meanwhile, a 7:30 start time Friday night has been set for a Division 4 contest, …

Olley Roy Wise, Jr., age 84, of Three Rivers, died Monday, Oct. 27, 2014 at Heartland Health Care Center following a long illness. He was born in Fulton, MI on Nov. 25, 1929 the son of Olley R. and Jennie (Mellor) Wise. Olley attended schools in Fulton, Vicksburg, and Mendon. He was a life-long farmer and had worked for Everett …

The September unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased 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 5.2 percent September unemployment rate was more than August’s 5.1 percent. September’s unemployment rate, however, was a full 2 percent less than the same …