The Emergency Care Network of St. Joseph County has decided to phase out its operations. Board president Margaret Schultz said board members have concluded the food pantries serviced by the ECN have become adequately funded without the agency’s aid. Schultz said the ECN locations in St. Joseph County will remain open. She said pantry site managers are expected to seek …

The St. Joseph County Area Narcotics arrested three subjects during an investigation involving the distribution and manufacturing of methamphetamine in the city of Three Rivers. During the investigation in 700 block of West  Michigan Avenue several grams of methamphetamine were found and a small amount of marijuana. The subjects were charged with possession of meth precursors, possession of marijuana, possession …

A lifelong Sturgis resident, described as a pillar of the community, died last week of cancer. Ray Dresser Jr., 81, was a philanthropist and driving force behind the creation of the Sturgis Area Community Foundation in 1962. His contributions to the city included generous endowments to Sturgis Hospital and Glen Oaks Community College. An attorney, Dresser also served as co-chairman …

Members of the St. Joseph County Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services board were asked Tuesday to spare cuts on its clients who are mentally challenged. During the panel’s monthly meeting at its Centreville office, about two dozen clients gathered to ask that a proposed, 25 percent across-the-board cut not be leveled against the budget applicable to their services. …

A man was charged with possession of marijuana after police responded to complaints of a dirt bike being driven at a high rate of speed in a residential area. The name, age and residence of the man was not stated in a Three Rivers Police Department media release. Officers were called to the 600 block of Oak Street Monday after …

Michigan State Police investigators were called to Constantine Township last week in response to a home invasion incident. A department media release said between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday, someone broke into a residence in the 63000 block of Youngs Prairie Road. No one was home at the time. A television, video game systems and a rifle were among …

William Dean Springer, 83, of Three Rivers, died at Three Rivers Health on Tuesday morning after a month-long illness. He was born in Three Rivers on June 28, 1929, the son of Leo and Hazel (Gregg) Springer. “Bill” graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1948, and served with the Army in Okinawa during the Korean War. He returned home …

We are no longer experiencing temperatures in the forties and fifties. As a matter of fact, a 35 degree day would be more than welcome by most of us. I haven’t seen too many birds in the area for a week or two, and I can’t remember the last time I was bitten by a mosquito. We have been very …

Sondra L. Richmond, age 68, of Sturgis, passed away early Monday morning, Jan. 28, 2013, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born May 23, 1944 in Fort Wayne, Ind., a daughter of Harold and Kathleen (Darby) Newman. Sondra resided most of her life in Sturgis and was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1962. …

Doris B. Lemley, age 81, of Centreville passed away Monday, January 28th, 2013 at Fairview Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Centreville surrounded by her family. She was born in Van Buren County, MI on July 14, 1931, to Francis and Lucille (Hooper) Klein, Sr. Doris enjoyed playing cards, bingo, listening to music and collecting quilts. Most of all she loved …