Larry Jay Hartzell, 68, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013. He was born in Three Rivers on June 18, 1945 to Calvin and Dorothy (Ransbottom) Hartzell. He attended Three Rivers High School. In his earlier years Larry’s favorite pastimes were playing guitar, woodworking and travel. Especially spending time in Florida with his …

Ah, the holiday shopping season is now in full forward motion. With “Black Friday” behind us, we can now venture into the stores without fear of being trampled, stomped on, or being severely scratched. I’d like to give the ladies a few suggestions, so that when they shop for that man in their life, they might have an idea what …

St. Joseph County administrator Pat Yoder will shed his “interim” label at the start of the year. Yoder, a 65-year-old Sturgis resident, was given a one-year contract Tuesday to serve as the full-fledged county administrator. He has been serving in an interim basis since April, following the January retirement of Judy West-Wing. Yoder will receive a $105,000 base salary for …

The village of White Pigeon is seeking donations to help with the purchase of new Christmas decorations in 2014. The fundraising effort is being spearheaded by village council Trustee Shireen Cline. She said the village decided to end a three-year tradition and not hire a company that installed and took down rented decorations. The rental and service was about $1,300 …

Investigators with the Three Rivers Police Department are looking for a man who exposed himself to a woman in the downtown area Sunday. According to a department media release, the man was on Joshua Drive near the city’s East Parking Lot around 7:30 p.m. Sunday, when he asked a woman for directions. As the woman approached the man, he pulled …

A 36-year-old Sturgis man with four outstanding warrants was arrested Monday following a brief vehicle pursuit in Sturgis. State police said an attempt was made to stop the man at Fawn River and South Nottawa roads in Sturgis Township for an equipment violation. The man failed to stop and drove into the Sturgis city limits, where he exited his vehicle …

Annie Ruth Forrer, 84, of Three Rivers, passed away on Nov. 24, 2013 at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born on July 9, 1929 in Griffin, Ga. the daughter of the late John G. and Adelia (Bell) Prittchet. Mrs. Forrer has been a resident of this area for more than 30 years. Annie was a home …

Three people, including a Three Rivers resident, were arrested on drug-related charges following a traffic stop last week in Park Township. According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, a pickup truck driven by a 34-year-old man from Three Rivers was stopped around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Klines Resort Road and Silver Street. A subsequent search of …

The national Toys for Tots campaign is underway in St. Joseph County and is sponsored locally by the U.S. Marine Corps and St. Joseph County Marine Corps League Detachment 1401. With assistance from the Salvation Army, the Sturgis Armory and the Three Rivers Lions Club, the 2013 local drive has resulted in the placement of Toys for Tots boxes at …

An unidentified man was seriously injured Monday evening in an apparent meth lab explosion in Sturgis. Police were called to the 200 block of North Centreville Road where they found a 53-year-old man with second and third degree burns. He was airlifted to Bronson Methodist Hospital for treatment.