Lillian Mae Farr, age 72, of Sturgis, died Sunday, March 18, 2018 at Thurston Woods in Sturgis. She was born in Battle Creek on July 14, 1945 the daughter of Howard Carlton Long and Irene J. (Woodworth) Long. Lillian attended Colon Schools. She was married to Raymond J. Farr on Jan. 4, 1964 in East Leroy, MI. They resided in …

A southwestern Michigan 15-year-old has been arraigned in juvenile court following a threat of violence at his school and the discovery of guns and pipe bomb materials at his home. The youth faced charges Monday of making a terrorist threat, two counts of possession of a shortened barrel firearm, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of bomb-making materials. Van Buren …

An out-of-state travel request for two St. Joseph County employees was granted recently by county commissioners. The circuit court and county clerk employees were approved a five-day training in Cleveland. The training would allow them to become system administrators on the ImageSoft program. The training amounted to a $6,000 cost and travel expenses were to not exceed $2,000. In an …

The terms of two Animal Control Advisory Board members were renewed by members of the county board. Veterinarian Suzanne Lee and marketing/community awareness coordinator Laura Barley were recently approved to serve three-year terms, beginning retroactively to Jan. 1. The reappointments were made at the request of animal control advisory board chair Emily Frohriep. In another appointment, county treasurer Judie Ratering …

Ninety-five percent of the income St. Joseph County Treasurer’s Office took in last fiscal year was from two sources. During her annual report to county commissioners earlier this month, treasurer Judie Ratering said the department had revenue of nearly $943,000. Two-thirds of that – more than $660,000 – was from delinquent-tax fees, while investment earnings generated the balance, about $235,000. …

Eighteen companies received recognition for employing adults who have mental illness with the support of Clubhouse employment and recovery centers across Michigan. Seventeen state legislators earlier this month at Michigan’s Capitol building presented awards to the companies in recognition of their leadership in choosing to give people who have mental illness an opportunity to re-enter the workforce, with support. The …

The U.S. Small Business Administration is working with the state police and local emergency managers to conduct damage assessments following flooding last month in Michigan. The survey is taking place in eight Lower Peninsula counties after Gov. Rick Snyder recently requested the assessments so people could be eligible for more aid. If approved, the SBA disaster assistance program would make …

The Kalamazoo Wings (30-26-4-2)have been struggling as of late, but luck was on their side during Saturday nights 37th Annual Green Ice Game at Wings Event Center. The Cincinnati Cyclones (35-24-2-0) were in town for the festivities and so was a standing room only crowd of 5,279 festive K-Wings fans. The Cyclones scored early in the first period to take …

Michigan shipwreck hunters have found the remains of a schooner that sank in Lake Michigan in 1873 during a storm. The Lizzie Throop was found in 280 feet of water along western Michigan’s coastline some 15 miles northwest of the city of South Haven, the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association announced this past week. The vessel set sail from Muskegon on …

Daniel Lee Davis, age 68, of White Pigeon, passed away on Saturday, March 17, 2018 at Kairos Dwelling in Kalamazoo. He was born in Napoleon, OH on June 11, 1949, a son of Normal and Beulah (Durham) Davis. Dan graduated from Napoleon High School  in 1967. On November 18, 1988, he married Vicki Reiff in Napannee. Dan worked at Shadow …