Mrs. Barbara Jean Schaefer, of Three Rivers, formerly of Muskegon, passed away on Tuesday, September 6th, 2016 at the Riverview Manor Nursing Home. She was born in the Village of Oak Park, Illinois on March 28th, 1926, the daughter of the late Clifford Augustus Hastings and Adela Marie Lawton. In the 1960’s Barbara Jean was on the Board of West …

Daniel J. Hedgcock, 35, of Battle Creek, formerly of Bronson, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, in Marshall. Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary of Assumption Church in Bronson with Rev. Fr. Richard Fritz officiating. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2-8 p.m. …

Officials from the St. Joseph County Grange Fair reported a strong opening day, boosted by ideal temperatures in the mid-70s. Sunday’s opening of the seven-day tradition in Centreville is the start of what fair manager Bill Johnson said he hopes is a great week of family fun. Today’s grandstand highlight is SJO Motorcross, which starts at 7 p.m. Cost is …

State Rep. Aaron Miller last week hailed passage of a bill by the House Committee on Appropriations that provides health-care coverage for the spouse and dependents of public-safety officers killed in the line of duty only if the family has no other present coverage and only for a maximum of five years. Miller said the panel’s strong bipartisan approval of …

Sheriff’s department deputies responded last week to a three-vehicle collision at the border of Fabius and Constantine townships. Deputies were called shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday to U.S. 131 and Drummond Road, where a southbound pickup driven by a 22-year-old Marcellus man collided into the rear of a vehicle that was stopped to turn left into a driveway. Two Iowa …

Doug Humbert, director of the Three Rivers Wastewater Treatment Plant, said plant officials were notified of a faulty air-release valve last week on U.S.-131. The incident was reported at 2:35 p.m. Wednesday. Humbert said the malfunctioning ARV caused a sanitary sewage overflow onto the roadway. Plant personnel have isolated the malfunctioning valve until repairs can be made. Upon inspection, workers …

Cass County Sheriff Joe Underwood Jr. said deputies responded to a two-car crash Thursday morning last week in Mason Township. The incident occurred around 7:15 a.m. on Cassopolis Road and Grange Street. Investigators said a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Kenneth Abney of Three Rivers failed to yield right of way at the intersection and turned in front of a southbound …

Kenneth Ray “Kenny” McClain, age 50, died Friday, Sep.t 16, 2016 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born in Three Rivers on Oct. 8, 1965 the son of Shirley Ann McClain and Russell Forrest. He grew up in Colon and has resided in Sturgis since 1989. Kenny attended the Pathfinder School, and worked at ACM Plastics in Sturgis …

Harvey B. Rhodes, age 88 of Three Rivers, died on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016 at Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. He was born in Three Rivers on Oct. 10, 1927 the son of the late Bernard A. and Irene (Coler) Rhodes and was a lifetime resident of Three Rivers. He was a longtime employee of the Cooper, Eddy, …

Peter T. Stutzman, age 74, of Colon, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, after a bicycle accident. Peter was born Feb. 27, 1942, in Chicago, a son of the late King C. and Frances C. (Thornton) Stutzman. Peter grew up in Chicago, graduating in 1959 from University of Chicago High School. He studied philosophy at …