The Palmer and Long lakes flotilla in Colon saw a Chicago-area family win first place for best float in the contest staged last weekend. The annual event, started in 1986 by the Colon Masonic Lodge 73, drew just seven participants. The family of Kevin and Peggy Nolan won the event with their boat’s theme, “The Dog House.” Other themes included …

Cass County authorities recovered the body of a South Bend man who drowned Monday in Kirk Lake, northeast of Vandalia. The body of Eugene Carpenter, 69, was found Monday afternoon. Cass County authorities were called to the public access of Kirk Lake about 2 p.m. after a boat was found abandoned. Officials said it appears Carpenter was attempting to launch …

Wednesday is the fourth of July, but it’s not the weekend, it’s the middle of the week. This sort of messes up my schedule. It’ll be Wednesday, but it will seem like Saturday. Any way you look at it, Wednesday is a holiday, which means there will be no mail, no newspaper, no trash pickup, and the banks will be closed. Speaking …

St. Joseph County Sheriff Brad Balk said car-deer collisions, drunken-driving arrests and the number of complaints investigated by the department in 2011 all increased from the year before. During his annual report to the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners last month, Balk said the department in 2011 experienced an 11-year high with 65 arrests for motorists operating under the …

Sybert “Sy” L. Crose, age 81, of Three Rivers, passed away on Sunday, July 1, 2012 at the Borgess Medical Center following a brief illness. He was born on Jan. 5, 1931 in Three Rivers, MI. the son of Berto and Mildred (Heslett) Crose. Mr. Crose has been a lifelong resident of Three Rivers. He was employed in construction for …

Devon “Don” L. Albin, 87, of Marcellus, passed away on June 28, 2012. He was born on July 6, 1924 in Nappanee, Ind. to Jesse and Elsie (Bleile) Albin. On Nov. 23, 1968 he married Louise (Butchbaker) Rentfrow. A farmer and salesman all his life, Don also served in the U.S. Army, sold Electrolux vacuums and worked for Honeycrust Bakery. …

St. Joseph County Commissioner Gerald Loudenslager resigned from his elected position Friday, ending his 20-year membership to the seven-member panel. Shortly after tendering his resignation, the 67-year-old Loudenslager was then sworn in as the new supervisor of Nottawa Township. The Nottawa Township post became available after his son, Kurt, stepped down as township supervisor for health-related reasons. Loudenslager had already …

The Sturgis Police Department is reminding city residents that the municipality’s general noise ordinance will be enforced for fireworks-related complaints received Tuesday through Thursday. Deputy Chief David Ives said jurisdictions with a noise ordinance in place before the state’s approval of commercial-grade fireworks for the general public can be enforced. Meanwhile, the Sturgis Fire Department reminds residents that extreme caution …

Cass County Sheriff Joseph Underwood Jr. said his department is investigating a homicide that occurred around 1:30 p.m. Friday in the 19000 block of U.S. 12 in Mason Township. Deputies responded to a report of a person stabbed and found the victim, Martha Sexton, dead as a result of stab-related injuries. The suspect, 59-year-old Edward Hensley, is the victim’s brother. …

Investigators from the Sturgis Police Department are looking into a stolen-vehicle case, stemming from an incident that occurred late last week. Police said a 2006 Mercury Mountaineer was stolen from the 1100 block of North Centerville Road at 1:20 p.m. Friday. The suspect fled northbound on Centerville Road. Around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, police were notified of an abandoned vehicle engulfed …