Hi, we are the “champagne” of calico kitties. We are called dilute calico because our colors are very muted – tans, greys, creams. We are sweet, long-haired females and are very beautiful, or that’s what the ladies say. We are about 8 months old, litter-trained and are polydactyls – cats with more than five toes. Our calico friend from a …

Two men and a woman were arrested Tuesday in Sturgis on methamphetamine-related charges. The St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit executed a search warrant in the 400 block of Center Avenue following an investigation of suspected drug activity inside the residence. Once inside, investigators discovered evidence of the use and manufacture of meth, including hazardous materials, department officials said. A …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved a travel request made by animal control director Tom Miller. Miller has been offered a $500 travel allocation by the ASPCA to attend the Animal Care Expo May 20-23 in Florida. The grant will cover the cost of the conference registration and hotel room. Miller said he would pay out-of-pocket any …

State Rep. Matt Lori has commended the Michigan House of Representatives for approving a package of bills to remove the word “retarded” and various iterations from Michigan state law. The eight-bill package, including Lori’s House Bill 5345, puts Michigan in line with all but six other states that have removed the word from their law books. Lori, who serves on …

Local law-enforcement agencies are looking for a red, small-size pickup truck involved in a hit-and-run incident last week in Park Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said a 23-year-old Portage woman was driving south on U.S. 131 Thursday when the vehicle in front of her lost control and spun out south of Michigan Avenue. The vehicle driven by the …

Robert Lee Bidelman, Jr., age 56, of Constantine, passed away March 4th, 2014. He born in Denver, Colorado on August 23, 1957, a son of Mary Jane (Allen) and Robert Lee Bidelman Sr. He worked as a plumber at Pace Industries. Surviving are his father Robert (Carol) Bidelman, daughter Heather Bidelman, brother Al Bidelman, half sisters Diane and Deb Wise, …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is reporting the third death in the tri-county area this season due to complications from influenza. This is the second death of a St. Joseph County resident, though the death of the elderly man occurred in an out-of-county facility. In each of the three cases, there were underlying conditions that may have been the …

A county parks system featuring larger parcels with greater, natural-resource-based recreational opportunities was identified as a major component of the St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Department newly developed master plan. John Pence, director of the agency, presented a summary of the five-year plan to members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. He said instead of operating …

A Constantine woman was treated for injuries she received Monday following a two-vehicle accident in Fabius Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said 33-year-old Maylynn Kitchen of Constantine was driving south on U.S. 131 when her vehicle was struck by a car eastbound on M-60. Investigators said Megan Belew, a 33-year-old Delton resident, failed to yield the right of …

Rufus Dayton Hubbard passed away peacefully at his home on March 3, 2014. He and his late wife Allene, were the founding owners of Corey Lake Orchards. “Dayton” as he was known to his family and friends was born May 15, 1930, in Floyd County, Virginia. He graduated from Blacksburg High School in 1947 and attended Virginia Tech, from which …