John Pederson, age 72, died on Friday, March 18th. Arrangements are being handled by Hohner Funeral Home.

Lyle E. Motter, age 81, of Sherwood, passed away Thursday, March 17, 2016, at Bronson of Battle Creek Hospital. Lyle was born Sept. 10, 1934, in Leonidas, a son to the late Roy and Grace I. (Birkley) Motter. He had served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. On Feb. 6, 1956, he married Shirley L. Batterson in Angola, …

Dorothy May Nichols, age 102, of Colon, passed away Friday, March 18, 2016, at Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Centreville. Dorothy was born Nov. 5, 1913, in Colon, a daughter to the late Lou G. and Lucy Belle (Gregg) Dingman. She had lived most all of her life in the Colon area, graduating from Colon High School with the …

St. Joseph County’s rivers are in store for a major clearing, as commissioners this week approved a $15,000 request for removal of deadfall. Conservation district director Carolyn Grace said the funds are necessary to address a number of trees that fell over and into the river during the fall and winter months. Grace said various stretches of the county’s six …

The Three Rivers German Band will start rehearsals April 4 for the coming summer season. Rehearsals take place 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays at Light and Life Wesleyan Church, 15765 Hoffman Road, Three Rivers. The band plays up to nine concerts each summer and several new songs have been added to its repertoire for this year, including “The Happy Trombone …

A memorandum of understanding with the city of Three Rivers was approved this week by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. The matter centers on shared maintenance of a proposed non-motorized pedestrian trail from South Health Parkway in Three Rivers to Meyer Broadway Park in Fabius Township. Specifically, the agreement calls for each entity to address litter, weed control, …

A Delton man wanted on a warrant from Kalamazoo County faces additional charges after he attempted to flee from a Schoolcraft officer this week. Chief Bryan Campbell said a patrol sergeant conducted a traffic stop at 4 p.m. Tuesday on West VW Avenue, near 16th Street, after the driver was observed speeding in the village. During the course of the …

Behind a three-assist night from Cory Pritz and a two goal performance from Curtis Valk, the Kalamazoo Wings downed the Brampton Beast, 6-2, at the 35th annual ‘World Famous’ Green Ice game at Wings Event Center on Thursday. Despite early pressure from the Beast, the Wings earned the game’s first power play chance and found the first strike of the …

A $10 million project is planned to transform a former foundry building just east of downtown Kalamazoo into a campus-like office space. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports Kalamazoo-based Treystar plans to convert the building for office and other uses, including on-site dining. The company says it plans to upgrade the building while preserving it and paying homage to its past. Built …

Jody Lee Merriam, age 56, of Three Rivers, died Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at Bronson Methodist Hospital following a three month illness. He was born in Kalamazoo on July 17, 1959 the son of Allen and Anna (Hoogakker) Merriam. Jody graduated from Vicksburg High School with the class of 1979. He was married to Marcia Shingledecker on Aug. 22, 1982 …