Bernice H. (Barnett-Randol) Berry, 66, of Dowagiac, and formerly of Colon, died Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, at her home, following an extended illness. Visitation will be held 4-6 p.m. Saturday at Farrand Funeral Home in White Pigeon. Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Scott Manning of the United Methodist Church officiating. Cremation will follow, …

A state report that gauges the well-being of Michigan’s children shows St. Joseph County falls in the lowest third of all the counties in the state. The annual Kids Count in Michigan report indicates St. Joseph County stands 58th of Michigan’s 82 counties. The study takes into account 15 indicators to determine child well-being. From 2005 through 2011, the number …

St. Joseph County Undersheriff Mark Lillywhite said statistics show the effort of the enhanced St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit is making a difference in the number of arrests related to methamphetamines. Citing statistics from 2012, Lillywhite said 18 meth-related arrests were from January through September in St. Joseph County. After the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners approved funding …

A 39-year-old Mendon woman suffered minor injuries in a one-vehicle accident shortly after midnight Thursday. The St Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said an eastbound vehicle on M-60 at Haas Road had lost control, run off the roadway and struck several small trees. Two passengers, one 66 years and the other 6 months of age, were uninjured. The driver was treated …

A fire was quickly contained early Wednesday at a residence in Lockport Township. Firefighters were called at 12:30 a.m. to the 60000 block of Lutz Road, where fire personnel reported the residence filling with smoke. A wood- burning stove in the basement was found to be the source of the fire. Damage to the residence was limited, firefighters said.

The Michigan Public Service Commission has given Enbridge Energy the green light to replace about 160 miles of its crude oil and petroleum pipeline through 10 southern Michigan counties. The company says the project is necessary to increase capacity and address the long-term integrity of the 6B pipeline, which ruptured near Marshall in July 2010, spilling more than 800,000 gallons …

Hi, my name is Shelba. I want you to know that last week’s Pet of the Week, Queenie, was adopted and has found her forever home. Sugar, the kitty from a couple of weeks ago, is still waiting for someone to give her a forever home. I am a grey female, one year old. When people pick me up I …

December’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County bucked a months-long trend and increased from November’s figure. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 7.6 percent December unemployment rate was a nine-tenths percent of an increase from November. Still, the December 2012 rate was 1.5 percent less than the same month …

A Three Rivers man who played a part in an explosion of a methamphetamine lab that killed another man was arraigned in circuit court last week. Frank Paauwee, 40, was arraigned on charges of involuntary manslaughter, and operating and maintaining a meth lab following a September 2012 incident outside a garage at a residence on South Andrews Street. Magistrate Mark …

State Rep. Matt Lori last week was named to the House Appropriations Committee, and will again serve as chair of the Department of Community Health subcommittee. Lori, a Constantine-area resident, said he is pleased to again have a hand in making decisions that will have a direct impact on how the money trusted to the legislature by hard-working taxpayers is …