Peg Brown, age 79, of Burr Oak, passed away early Tuesday evening, Dec. 10, 2013, at Indiana University Health Goshen Hospital in Goshen, Ind. She was born Aug. 26, 1934, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Robert and Lucille (Sumney) VanDeventer. Peg was a lifelong resident of the Colon, Sturgis and Burr Oak area and a graduate of Colon …

Mary Louise Meadows, age 75, of Three Rivers passed away on Thursday, November 28, 2013 at Heartland Healthcare Center. Mary was born in Ridgeway, MI on January 20, 1938 the daughter of Mearl and Mildred(Bame)Robinson. Mary was preceded in death by husband, Johnie James Meadows; sons, David Meadows and Timothy Robinson; five sisters and two brothers. Mary leaves to cherish …

I have always believed in fate, and that the world is small. The saying, “It’s a small world”, came true the Friday after this past Thanksgiving, often referred to as “BLACK FRIDAY”. My wife and I enjoy visiting a particular eating establishment near Constantine on Friday evenings. Upon arriving there on Black Friday, we discovered that it was temporarily closed, …

Teresa Louise “Blue Bike” Williams-Holdren, age 50, was released from a long four-year battle of Hodgkins lymphoma at her home on the morning of Dec. 5, 2013. She was born Dec. 5, 1963, in Grand Rapids, to the late Lois Ann Hagen and Ronald James Schipper. She was a resident of Sturgis for a short three years and briefly lived …

A Michigan legislator has announced a bill to require gas stations and convenience stores that stay open between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. to have two employees working or to install security cameras. The bill unveiled Monday in western Michigan comes after the April disappearance of a 26-year-old woman from her job at a Norton Shores gas station. Jessica Heeringa’s …

Nearly 1,500 jobs and $53.8 million in new, private investment were announced in St. Joseph County in 2013. The figures were included in the Southwest Michigan First 2013 annual report presented by Ken Jones last week before the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. The 12-month period marks the first full calendar year the St. Joseph County Economic Development Corporation …

A 22-year-old Elkhart man has pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in the shooting deaths of the owner of a northern Indiana convenience store and an employee.  Richard Gross pleaded guilty Monday moments before his trial was scheduled to begin. He admitted taking part in a Sept. 5 robbery at Saleh’s Market east of downtown Elkhart, where 55-year-old Jagtar …

Glen Oaks Community College is continuing public forums for its presidential candidates today and Thursday. The second of three sessions takes place today, when Phil Gasparro will be involved in a question-answer forum 10 to 11 a.m., and again 1:30-2:30 p.m. Gasparro is an administrator with Student Success Initiatives at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. On Thursday, Douglas Brauer will …

The St. Joseph County United Way has issued a reminder of a donation opportunity that agency officials call a “win-win” proposition. Executive director Kelly Hostetler said by donating appreciated stocks that have been held for at least a year and a day, the giver is able to deduct the full, fair-market value of the stock on the date of the …

Seven area high school girls were named to the all-state volleyball squad. Members of the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association named Brooke Howard of Mendon to its Class C first-team. Her teammate, Alexis Russell, was named to the second team, while fellow Lady Hornet Jordan VanOss made the third team. In Class B, first team honors went to Rachel Anderson …