More than 40 people were on hand Friday to witness the dedication and ceremonial opening of the U.S. 131 Constantine bypass. Several local residents, village, township, county and state officials joined in the ceremony at the south end of the new bridge spanning the St. Joseph River. Those in attendance witnessed a ceremony by the Constantine Free and Accepted Masons …

A Centreville hair salon raised more than $500 for breast cancer research during a special program Friday morning at Sturgis Middle School. Teresa Shingledecker, owner of X-treme Hair Lengths, said a seven-member team from her salon added pink coloring to the hair of 102 students who paid $5 each to support the cause. The tradition started in 2011as a show …

The Three Rivers City Commission has named Doug Humbert as the new superintendent of the Three Rivers Wastewater Treatment Plant. The move by Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners came during last week’s city commission meeting. Humbert replaces James Baker, whose last day is today before joining the wastewater plant operated by the city of Kalamazoo. Humbert is a 10-year employee …

Larry L. Thornton, 75, of Burr Oak, passed away Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013 at his home surrounded by his loving family, after several months of failing health. Larry was born Feb. 19, 1938 in Sherwood, his parents were Jesse and Velma (Wilcox) Thornton. Larry attended Colon Schools and had served in the U.S. Army Reserves. On Sept. 28, 1957 he …

St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough Thursday morning signed a two-count complaint charging Portage resident Andy Brown with first-degree premeditated murder and felony firearm. The charge is in connection with the Oct. 2 shooting death of Sturgis accountant David Locey at Locey’s Sherman Township office. Brown, 36, was already in custody on a charge of embezzlement. McDonough said the embezzlement …

A 17-year-old Sturgis-area resident was airlifted to an Indiana hospital after the vehicle he was driving was struck by an SUV Wednesday in Nottawa Township. State police said the Sturgis teen was driving north on Nottawa Road around 4:30 p.m. an eastbound vehicle driven by a 26-year-old Three Rivers man failed to stop at the intersection of Findley Road. The …

Members of the Mendon Community Schools Board of Education may be in position to decide whether to pursue a 1-mill increase request. Following a public forum Wednesday regarding the proposal, the board may act on the small amount of feedback it has received about the idea when it meets for its regularly scheduled meeting Monday. Superintendent Rob Kuhlman gave an …

Lillian Anne Renfro, 92, died Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013 in Winter Garden, Fla. She was born in Whiting, Ind. on July 27, 1921 the daughter of Andrew and Rosalina (Dancisak) Fedorko. She graduated from George Rogers Clark High School in Whiting with the class of 1940. She enlisted in the U.S. Navy WAVES in 1942 and served as a Radioman. …

Leonidas School has been recognized by the state as a Reward School for the 2013-14 academic year. One of 347 schools in the state to earn the honor, Leonidas School received the claim as part of the state’s Elementary and Secondary Education Flexibility Act. Reward School recipients are recognized by falling into one or more of the categories High Performance, …

Seventeen St. Joseph County employees were recognized Tuesday for reaching milestone years of service. The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners acknowledged employees who had reached the 10-, 15-, 20- and 25-year plateau. The 25-year category featured three recipients: Det.-Sgt. Jim Hart, patrol officer Pete VanCamp and IT director Dan Wing. The group of 20-year employees consisted of Mike Minger, …