A Cass County man faces up to 15 years in prison after he was taken into custody for fleeing the scene of a fatal accident. Edwardsburg Police Chief Tim Kozal said Brett Gilpin, 25, whose prior community of residence included Edwardsburg, was arrested Thursday by the Michigan State Police Fugitive Team. He was taken to the Cass County Jail on …

Operators of southwestern Michigan’s Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant say one of its units is being shut down for routine refueling and maintenance. Plant spokesman Bill Schalk says power at the Unit 1 reactor was reduced to 50 percent Sunday night for equipment testing in advance of Wednesday’s start of the outage. The Herald-Palladium of St. Joseph reports equipment replacement, …

The average price of gasoline has jumped by 17 cents over the past two weeks, to $2.02 a gallon for regular grade. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said Sunday that the hike is due to growing demand for gasoline across the nation and higher crude oil prices. Lundberg says the increase is part of a trend that has seen the price spike nearly …

A state wildlife biologist says a shorter winter could help deer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. David Jentoft with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the winter “was shorter than it has been for a while.” He tells the Evening News of Sault Ste. Marie (http://bit.ly/1Zmbsn1 ) that longer winters are harder on the deer herd. Recent bitter winters had …

Robert L. Howe, age 74, of Mottville, passed away Saturday, March 19, 2016 at his home.  He was born on August 10, 1941, a son of Lorin and Ida (Cole) Howe in Howell, MI.  He attended Fowlerville Schools and went on to serve in the U.S. Army.  On January 27, 1978, he married Debra Beers in Constantine. Robert worked for …

Jean L. Miller, age 86, of Three Rivers, died Thursday, March 17, 2016 at her home. Jean has been a resident of Three Rivers since 1962, and was a member of the Grant Chapel. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 am Wednesday March 23, 2016 at the Grant Chapel, where services will begin at 11 am with Rev. Pamela …

The January unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased by six-tenths of a percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 3.7 percent January unemployment rate was higher than December’s 3.1 percent. January’s unemployment rate, however, was 1.7 percent less than the same month one …

A new Adult Protective Services Centralized Intake process was made official during a signing-in ceremony Friday in Centreville. Led by probate court judge David Tomlinson, the signing-in marks the culmination of a plan nearly six years in the making. The intake process ensures referrals are sent to the local office in a timely manner. Furthermore, updates to the 2016 St. …

State Rep. Aaron Miller has announced office hours for an informal gathering later this month in Cass County. Miller invites residents to join him 8 to 9 a.m. March 30 at the Broadway Café, 158 S.  Broadway St., in Cassopolis. Miller said connecting face-to-face with people in communities throughout the district is one of the most rewarding aspects of being …

Marge Caid, band director at Constantine High School, recently received a $2,500 grant from Farmers Grow Rural Education, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. A former band student, Sheryl Miller applied for the grant, which gives farmers the opportunity to nominate a rural public school district in their community to receive funds. In 2016, Monsanto Fund grants totaling $2.3 million were …