A Fort Wayne funeral home is turning to the Internet to allow people who can’t attend funeral services to join in from afar. D.O. McComb & Sons is offering videoconferencing of visitations and memorial services using Skype. The videoconferencing software will be used Friday so a relative in Australia can participation in a visitation being held in Fort Wayne. Co-owner …

A World War Two-era steam engine is back on track in central Michigan. The Argus-Press says a crowd cheered Wednesday night as the Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive’s whistle sounded to announce its arrival at the train yard in Owosso. The 200-ton steam engine was built in 1941 and retired 16 years later. It was donated to Michigan State University …

County sheriff’s deputies investigated a crash yesterday afternoon on Fawn River Road in Sturgis Township, when a car rear-ended a horse and buggy. The car was driven by 28-year-old Nicholas Conner of Sturgis. The driver of the buggy was Lavon Knepp, age 30, of Shipshewana. All three occupants of the buggy were ejected. A buggy passenger, 30-year-old Ester Knepp, sustained …

My name is Ivy and I am a female white and grey tiger and am about one year old. I have short hair and a beautiful face with huge green eyes and a really cute grey spot on the top of my nose – perfect place to plant a little kiss. I am very gentle and a friendly little girl …

St. Joseph County District Judge Jeff Middleton has issued a statement regarding the anniversary of a grim case in Three Rivers. Middleton said Dec. 2 marks the 25-year anniversary of the homicide of Cathy Swartz. The case remains unsolved. Middleton recounted that Swartz was brutally murdered in her apartment at the Riverside Townhouses while her young daughter was in the …

Officials from Enbridge, the company installing a pipeline across the southern end of the state, said they plan to complete pressure testing a portion of the new line within the next week. A 33-mile portion of the pipeline, from Mendon west to Niles, has been subject to pressure testing to ensure the integrity of the infrastructure. Eventually, the pipeline will …

St. Joseph County animal control director Tom Miller said the department saw a revenue increase from 2011 to 2012. In addition, Miller said fewer dogs were euthanized in 2012 compared to 2011. Miller addressed the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioner Tuesday, presenting to the five-member panel his annual report. The department euthanized 111 dogs last year, 77 fewer than …

Dolores Joan (Skinner) Skrzyniarz, 84, of Three Rivers, died at her home on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. She was born in Evergreen Park, Ill. on June 28, 1929, the daughter of John and Anna (Ebert) Riopel. In the mid-1940s, she and her family moved to Three Rivers. She met her future husband, Roman Skrzyniarz, while he was home on leave …

Barbara Jean Phenicie, 71, of Peachtree City, Ga., passed away Nov. 14, 2013. Barbara was born Sept. 5, 1942 in Toledo, Ohio the daughter of Walter and Mildred (Yackee) Kolb. Barbara had been married to her husband, Dale Phenicie, for 51 years. She was a long time teacher’s aid at the First Presbyterian Kindergarten and Preschool, she was also an …

My office is a mess. I consider it my den, or it may also be considered my “Man Cave”. I use the office for several different things. I, of course, prepare my column here; I also handle a lot of Lions Club business, do a quarterly high school class newsletter, and have recently taken over preparing the monthly Lions Club …