St. Joseph County Commission Chairman John Dobberteen said the county might consider employees work a four-day, ten-hour-a-day work week as an option. Dobberteen raised the idea earlier this month, when he said the option would be on the table since the county can’t always afford to increase compensation. The concept is in place at the sheriff’s department as well as …

Grace L. Kurzawski, age 84, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, at Thurston Woods Village. She was born May 9, 1929, in Chicago, a daughter to the late Virgil and Ruth (Cowdery) Donohoo. On May 28, 1949, in Chicago, she married Alfred Kurzawski Sr. He preceded her in death March 10, 1992. Grace has been a resident …

Dwayne Charles Gortner passed away at home on Dec. 19, 2013. He was born to parents Leroy James and Willajean Gortner in White Pigeon, St. Joseph County, Mich. He was a longtime resident of Orcutt, Calif. Before moving to Orcutt, Dwayne lived many years at Eagle Rock, Calif., and White Pigeon, Mich. He served in Vietnam with the Navy Seabees …

This is my final column for the year. It’s been a great year so far, so I really don’t have anything to complain about. Tomorrow is a new day and a new year, and like many of you, I’ve made a few resolutions that, hopefully, I’ll follow through on. Time will tell. One thing I will attempt to do is …

The murder of Sturgis-area CPA David Locey was chosen by a local newspaper as the top local story of 2013. The Sturgis Journal has released its top stories in St. Joseph County for 2013, and the October murder of Locey was the unanimous top choice. Following Locey’s murder, the March fire that destroyed Curly’s in Colon was deemed the second-biggest …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved a service agreement with Ann Arbor-based Merit Network Inc. During their Dec. 17 meeting, commissioners supported the service agreement that comes with the Internet line the county had previously approved and paid for. The service agreement covers a five-year period and will go into effect when the Internet line is installed …

Elmer R. Black, 93, of Three Rivers, passed away on Monday, Dec. 30, 2013. Elmer was born in Sturgis, Michigan on January 24, 1918 the son of Clarence W. and Helen (Sherer) Black, Sr. In 1924 the family moved to Moorepark to reside on the Joseph Wilbur farm, later known as the Plantation. Elmer attended the one room school in …

Mitchell John “Mitch” Breece, age 53, of Three Rivers, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013 at his home following a courageous and hard fought battle with cancer. He was born on January 19, 1960 in Three Rivers, the son of the late Phillip Edwin and Charolette (Smith) Breece. Following his schooling in Three Rivers, Mitch entered the U.S. Army …

Mr. Ilmars Dumpis, age 88, of Three Rivers passed away Friday, Dec. 27, 2013 at Riverview Manor. He was born July 15, 1925 in Riga, Latvia to Roberts and Elizabete Dumpis. The family had two children, Ilmars and his sister Gaida. He started school in Riga, but soon his father was transferred to Melluzi, a small town by the Baltic …

Marilyn Kay Malcolm, 65, of Coldwater, passed away on Friday, Dec. 27, 2013 at home surrounded by family. A funeral service will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Coldwater with Pastor Aaron Chittick officiating. Visitation will take place on Monday, Dec. 30 at Dutcher Funeral Home in Coldwater from 4-8 p.m. …