The trial is underway for the second of two men accused of murdering a 74-year-old Kalamazoo antiques dealer last summer.  52-year old John Aguilar faces charges of first-degree murder, felony murder, assault with intent to rob and home invasion in the August 2012 death of Robert Medema.  Aguilar and 21-year-old Antonio Livingston were accused of forcing their way into Medema’s …

Patricia “Patty” Ann Steffey, age 51, of Three Rivers passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Three Rivers, MI., on October 22, 1961 the daughter of Richard Elwyn and Marilyn Georgia(Spence) Grosskunze. Patty was a lifetime resident of Three Rivers graduating with the class of 1979. On March 16, …

James C. West, age 63, of Colon, passed away Sunday evening, April 28, 2013 at his home. James was born May 13, 1949, in Colon, a son of Arthur and Nancy (Murphy) West. James grew up in Colon, graduating from Colon High School with the class of 1967. He continued his education at Michigan State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree …

Richard D. (Dick) Carter, age 74, of Constantine, passed away Saturday, April 27th, 2013 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was born in a farmhouse in Cass County on January 31, 1939, a son of Lazelle and Grace (Kantz) Carter. Dick graduated from Constantine High School in 1957 and served in the US Air Force for four years. …

Lorene B. Dane, 90, of Three Rivers went to the Lord Sunday April 28, 2013 with family at her bedside. Lorene was born on June 28, 1922 in Hamill, South Dakota. She was the daughter of the late Raymond and Jenny (Imboden) Savage. Lorene started her schooling in Hamill, South Dakota and finished in Centreville, Michigan, while working at the …

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been fortunate to travel throughout our state of Michigan. On many of the major highways, we’ve noticed full trash bags placed along the shoulders. They are full because there are still too many travelers who feel that the highways are their own private dumping grounds for litter. There are laws against littering, and …

A Constantine man was duct-taped to a chair and his residence ransacked during an armed robbery over the weekend. Constantine Chief Jim Bedell said two subjects at 10 p.m. Sunday knocked on the door at a residence in the Whispering Pines mobile home community. The victim answered the door and was forced by the two suspects to a chair. The …

During their inaugural meeting Monday, members of the newly formed River Country Humane Society Board said a new animal shelter – jointly run with the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department Animal Control division – is the board’s top priority. More than a dozen people who gathered at the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District agreed with the idea that replacing …

The sanitary sewer overflow into the St. Joseph River that began last week has been stopped, according to the city of Three Rivers Department of Public Services and its Waste Water Treatment Plant. City crews were able to access the location Monday morning to make the confirmation. Pipe-flow capacity analysis and discharge estimates are still being calculated, but currently indicate …

Zoe Dreis Brost, age 94, of Three Rivers, formerly of Watervliet, MI. passed away on Saturday, April 27, 2013. She was born July 12, 1918 in Chicago, IL., the daughter of Philippe J. and Elizabeth F. (Maerke) Dreis. Zoe moved to Wheaton, IL., when she was six. She graduated from Wheaton Community High School and eleven years after her marriage …