January’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County was one-half of a percent higher than the previous month. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 4.5 percent January unemployment rate marked a decrease from December’s 4 percent. St. Joseph County was below the state unemployment average, which was 4.6 percent in January. …

A Nottawa Township residence was heavily damaged by fire over the weekend. Firefighters from a number of area departments responded around 11:30 a.m. Sunday to the 25000 block M-86. Additional information was not available by midday Monday.

An area farmer has been recognized for production through the 2018 National Corn Yield Contest. The national contest, sponsored annually by the National Corn Growers Association, recognizes farmers from across the country for their exceptional efforts. Marshall Landis of Schoolcraft placed first in the state in the No-Till/Strip-Till Irrigated Class with a yield of more than 288.8 bushels per acre. …

Charles D. Swihart, age 73 of Leonidas, died Saturday, March 16, 2019 at his home. He was born in Flowerfield Township on July 18, 1945 the son of the late Walter Harold and Ethel Maebelle (Ware) Swihart. He graduated from Colon High School and went to work for Reith-Riley Construction before joining the U.S. Army in 1967. He served in …

Max Elden Bessinger, age 89, of Three Rivers, MI passed away surrounded by his loving family in the morning hours of Friday, March 15, 2019. He was born on September 11, 1929 the son of Raleigh and Lydia (Eaglebarger) Bessinger in Marshall County, Indiana. Max was a life-long member of both the Fraternal Order of The Eagles and the Moose …

A 50-year-old Three Rivers man was arrested early Thursday after leading police on a chase that ended in White Pigeon Township. The pursuit concluded after the suspect’s vehicle rammed a police vehicle, prompting an officer to discharge his weapon. The officer had attempted to stop the pickup just after 2:30 a.m. near County Road 131 and State Road 120 in …

Cass County sheriff’s deputies were called over the weekend to investigate a single-vehicle accident in Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were summoned at 2:30 a.m. Saturday to M-40 in the area of Shavehead Lake Road. Emergency personnel found that a southbound car had crashed on the east side of the road into a farm field after side swiping a telephone pole. …

State Rep. Aaron Miller has announced two upcoming dates where he will hold in-district office hours for the month of March. Miller said transparency is essential to both good government and effective representation, and he encourages anyone with a question to attend. Miller will be available 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday at Yoder’s Country Market in Centreville, and on March …

A state police patrol car was struck and a trooper injured over the weekend during an incident on ice-covered I-94 in Calhoun County. According to a department media release, the trooper was investigating an accident at 4:15 a.m. Saturday near mile marker 92 in the eastbound lane. The trooper was on the shoulder of the freeway investigating a one-vehicle crash, …

Eleanor Cotter, 79, of Hammond, IN, passed away Wednesday, March 13th, at Hospice of the Calumet Area in Munster.  She was born in Nottawa on October 9, 1939, a daughter of the late Arthur and Violet (Parham) Cotter. Eleanor graduated from Centreville Schools in 1957. She worked as an admissions counselor at Purdue University for 20 years, retiring in 1998. …