Vernon B. Bontrager, age 70, a lifelong resident of St. Joseph County, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013, at Thurston Woods Village. He was born Jan. 2, 1943, in Sturgis, a son of the late Benedict and Mary (Hochstetler) Bontrager. On Dec. 7, 1963, he married Mary Louise Schwartz at Locust Grove Mennonite Church. She preceded him in death March …

Colleen Rose Carrico, age 87, formerly of Centreville died July 29, 2013 in Thornton, Colorado. Colleen was born in Kalamazoo on Aug. 3, 1925 the daughter of William Elbert and Rose Elizabeth (Delaney) Carrico. She completed her high school education at Nazareth Academy in Kalamazoo in 1943 and graduated from the Borgess School of Nursing in 1946. Colleen worked for …

Some Michigan lawmakers are looking at lifting the 70 mph cap on highway speeds and making other changes to reduce speed traps. Grand Ledge Sen. Rick Jones is working on a bill with fellow Republican Tom Casperson from Escanaba they want to introduce this fall. One upshot could be speed limits rising to 75 mph or 80 mph on some …

A road project in the village of Centreville is progressing toward its completion date of Saturday next week. Nick Schirripa, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Southwest Region, said crews over the past six weeks have been working on East Main Street and creating what will eventually be a three-lane roadway through a majority of the village. The road …

The Three Rivers Department of Public Services wishes to remind residents it will be flushing hydrants starting Sept. 3. The task should continue through the end of the month, weeknights from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. DPS officials said some rusty water may be experienced over the four-week period. Residents who notice prolonged problems may call the DPS office at …

Members of the Animal Rescue Fund of St. Joseph County are planning for the agency’s inaugural beer-tasting event, “Ales for Tails.” The program will take place 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Grille Tavern, located at Island Hills Golf Club, near Centreville. Tickets for the fundraiser are $30 each and may be purchased at Island Hills or Beam …

The Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Board of St. Joseph County has issued a notice regarding its annual public hearing next month. Though the public is invited to attend any monthly meeting, the September meeting is typically when clients and the public attend to provide feedback or raise issues regarding services and all other relevant matters pertaining to …

The second and final week of the annual Donut Drive, staged by the St. Joseph County United Way, begins Monday in White Pigeon. The Donut Drive started this week and took place in Centreville, Sturgis, Three Rivers and this morning in Colon. Executive director Kelly Hostetler said the donut drive serves as a public thank you for the support provided …

A consultant to review possible locations for a senior center in the Sturgis area is being considered by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. Though no action on the matter was taken during Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners during last week’s executive committee meeting heard from Lynn Coursey, Commission on Aging director. She said senior-center development is a niche market and …

A major fundraiser for the St. Joseph County Conservation District takes place Saturday, when a Local Food Festival will be offered in Centreville. The $15-a-person meal will feature a four-course dinner with all produce coming from local sources. The meal is expected to include soup, salad, an entrée and dessert. A limited number of tickets are available. The event takes …