Jeanne (Stoddard) Longacre, 74, of White Pigeon, died Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012, while surrounded by her family and friends, at the Elkhart Center for Hospice. After a valiant fight with colon cancer in 2007, Jeanne’s battle resumed in August 2012 with stage 4 cancer that spread throughout. Jeanne was born Oct. 19, 1937, in Centreville, to William L. and Ruth …

The city of Three Rivers and Three Rivers Community Schools both landed a handsome windfall Tuesday from St. Joseph County’s largest employer. During a ceremonial check presentation at Three Rivers-based American Axle & Manufacturing, Mayor Tom Lowry was given $400,000 from American Axle officials. The city will retain $300,000 of the amount, while the $100,000 balance was earmarked for the …

Members of the Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education are in the early stages of planning to find a new superintendent after Roger Rathburn retires at the end of the 2013-14 academic year. During their twice-a-month meeting this week, board members agreed to designate a Nov. 19 work session as a time to include presentations from firms that specialize …

The Three Rivers Public Library is expected to move forward with a plan to reconfigure its parking lot. Located on the south side of West Michigan Avenue, the library is planning to improve traffic flow in its lot, revise signage and address its landscaping with low-maintenance trees and bushes. The plans were presented to Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners during …

Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioner have approved a pair of three-year contracts affecting 13 employees. Nine employees with the District Court Association and four staff members under the Fraternal Order of Police Corrections Sergeant Unit received new contracts by commissioners last week. Employees in both unions will see wage increases of 2 percent in 2013 and …

Mark M. Palmer, age 71, of Three Rivers, formerly of Texas, passed away Wednesday, October 10th, at his home. Mark was born in Gary, IN on May 20, 1941, a son of Mark Twain and Jennie (Celisz) Palmer. He attended school in Three Rivers. On July 28, 1973 Mark married Debra J. Pearson in Kosciusko County, Indiana. Mark worked at …

Ella E. Pagels, age 79, of Centreville, passed away Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 at her daughter’s home in Three Rivers. Ella was born in Allegheny County, PA on December 10, 1932, a daughter of Jesse W. and Mable (Quake) Arnold. Ella worked as a Nurses Aid at Fairview Nursing Home in Centreville and also for the Arco Rubber Company in …

Annadell Norton, age 90, of Sturgis, passed away late Friday evening, Aug. 17, 2012, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place. The family will receive friends from 1-1:45 p.m. Saturday at Hackman Family Funeral Homes — Hackman Chapel, 114 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis, where a memorial service celebrating the life of Annadell …

Members of the St. Joseph County Conservation District and a team of volunteers completed the final river cleanup of the season on the Portage River Sept. 29. More than a dozen people were on hand to clear a section of the river between Parkville Road and North Fisher Lake Road. Volunteers collected approximately 350 pounds of debris, which included a …

A Three Rivers man who sought having his wife attacked in order to lose her unborn baby was sentenced last week to at least a year-and-a-half in prison. Todd Maddux, 32, was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman for offering $300 to have his wife assaulted so she would lose his baby she was carrying. The plan, which was …