Richard Lee “Dick” Barnebee, age 84, of Mendon, died Monday, March 5, 2012, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born Dec. 18, 1927, in Sturgis, a son of William N. and S. Eleanor (Parham) Barnebee. He attended Brighton (Ind.) Schools and graduated from Colon High School in 1948. He worked briefly for Miller’s Standard Station in Leonidas. Dick …

Mrs. Nancy Carol Nusbaum, age 57, of Constantine, passed away Monday, March 5, 2012, in Colon, surrounded by her family, following a courageous battle with cancer. She was born April 10, 1954 in Lawton, Okla., a daughter of Thomas and Evelyn (Clayton) Parr. Nancy had been a lifelong resident of Constantine, where she and her husband Mike raised their three …

Marian E. Rentfrow, 93, of White Pigeon, died Sunday, March 4, 2012, at Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers following an extended illness. She was born Feb. 10, 1919, in Constantine, a daughter of Samuel Clement and Hazel Mae (Rangler) Whitmore. On June 11, 1958, she married Everett E. Rentfrow in Constantine. He died June 5, 2004. She was a …

Betty L. Carvey, 74, of Sturgis, died Monday, March 5, 2012, at Riverview Manor in Three Rivers following a short illness. She was born Oct. 7, 1937, in Marion, Ind., the daughter of Estle and Lillian (Lyons) Carvey. She was a Sturgis resident for the past 20 years, coming from Three Rivers, and had lived in White Pigeon for several years. …

Dale Bennett Weitting, age 87, went home to be with his Lord and Saviour on March 4, 2012, at Friendship Village Health Center in Kalamazoo and under the care of Great Lakes Caring Hospice. He was born on Jan. 10, 1925, in Leonidas, to Arnold and Gertrude (Bennett) Weitting. Dale was preceded in death by his parents, and sister June …

Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners on Tuesday approved a special-exception-use permit for Menards. As a result, the Wisconsin-based home-improvement center is clear to break ground on its 215,000-square-foot store on the south side of Broadway Road, just west of U.S. 131. City officials said Menards representatives indicated they would like to break ground as soon as possible in …

The Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority last week approved the use of its cables for organizations wishing to promote upcoming events. The cables, which are in place throughout the downtown section of Main Street, allow vertical banners to be hung. Use of the cables will be granted after review by DDA Director Christy Trammell and a fee to cover the …

The fate of where the Weenie Kings push-cart hot dog stand will set up for business in 2012 remains unresolved. Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners on Tuesday discussed the situation after being told by Weenie Kings proprietor Mike King that the Three Rivers Public Library Board has approved a policy that prohibits commerce from taking place in the …

Officials from the Three Rivers Clean Water Plant said a dewatering centrifuge was taken out of service for a damaged secondary cyclo gear and scroll bearing. The Three Rivers City Commission last month approved the repairs, which are scheduled to begin March 20. Clean Water Plant officials indicated they hope to have the machine fully operational by April 1. In …

I’m a big fan of comfort food. There’s nothing quite like a plate of macaroni and cheese to make one feel quite comfortable. My mom used to make fantastic macaroni and cheese, and it didn’t come out of a box. I don’t know if lasagna is considered comfort food, but I do know that it makes me feel very comfortable …