Benjamin Alan Wagner, 64, died on Thursday, April 27, 2017, at his home in Mendon, following a brief illness. He was born May 26, 1952, in Sturgis, the first child of Richard and Barbara (Rissman) Wagner. Ben graduated from Sturgis High School in 1970. He worked primarily as a golf course groundskeeper. He is survived by a daughter, Amanda (Dane) …

March’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County was seven-tenths of a percent lower than one month previous. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 3.5 percent March unemployment rate marked a decrease from February’s 4.2 percent. St. Joseph County remained below the state unemployment average, which was 4.8 percent in March. …

Glen Oaks Community College has announced the promotion of Morgan Balcom to head women’s basketball coach. Balcom takes the reins after Michael Mosley stepped down from the position in early February. Balcom has fielded the head-coaching responsibilities in an interim role since that time. “Morgan has done an exceptional job since being put in a tough position in February,” according …

State police investigators are looking into the breaking-and-entering of a residence around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday last week in the 58000 block of Covered Bridge Road. The suspects are believed to have gained access to a garage and shed by going through the back yard of the residence. Multiple totes full of items were reported stolen as well as a bench …

The St. Joseph County Grange Fair is beginning a program to replace its decades-old trees with new ones starting this year. Fair manager Bill Johnson said a common scene in photographs of the St. Joseph County Grange Fairgrounds from its earliest years to current times is the numerous trees that surround the property. These same trees are now being replaced …

Eileen L. Mostrom, 99, of rural Sturgis, went to be with her Lord on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at her home on Big Fish Lake. She was born in Chicago on November 10, 1917, a daughter of Joseph and Minnie (Brown) Manny. She graduated from Lindblom High School, Chicago, in 1935. On September 26, 1936, she married Eric Mostrom in …

Therman L. “Stub” Cossairt, age 85, of Colon, passed away, Friday, April 28, 2017, at his home. Stub was born Feb. 1, 1932, in Colon, a son of the late Therman L. and Pauline (Bargo) Cossairt Sr. Stub had served in the U.S. Army with the 24th Infantry during the Korean War. On Nov. 22, 1952, he married Dorothy A. …

Mr. Leo C. Reames, age 87, of Portage, formerly of Three Rivers, passed away on Thursday, April 27th, 2017 at the Rose Arbor Hospice Facility surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Jones, MI., on May 31, 1929 the son of the late Clarence L. and Ertah D. (Clark) Reames. Leo served his country in the United States …

The longest-serving probation officer in St. Joseph County’s history is the recipient of the 2017 St. Joseph County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award. Steve Wilson, who is retiring following a 40-year career as a probation officer with the Michigan Department of Corrections, was announced Thursday as the winner of the award, first given in May 1985. A Sturgis resident, Wilson …

Two members of the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Board of St. Joseph County were excluded from Tuesday’s executive session because they were not attending in person. Rebecca Black and Janelle Hart joined the meeting at its onset via speaker phone. When it came time to discuss an attorney-client matter subject to closed session, board member John Dobberteen …