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Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz announced that Jaren Wade was convicted of first-degree murder last week by a Cass County jury. The 12-member jury found that the 21-year-old Wade murdered Darius Nickens, 29, in April 2011 in Dowagiac. Trial testimony established that Nickens was shot once in the arm and twice in the back. The jury also convicted Wade of …

The price of admission to musicals presented by Three Rivers High School will be lowered starting next year, a measure being taken following action taken this week by the district’s Board of Education. Superintendent Roger Rathburn said $15 for adults and $12 for students was found to be the highest among schools in the county as well as in the …

Fire officials from the Michigan State Police are continuing to investigate the cause of a fire Tuesday that destroyed the Trilium building, in the 26000 block of West U.S. 12. Located in unincorporated Sturgis Township, the building was fully engulfed in flames as personnel from the Tri-Township and city of Sturgis fire departments arrived shortly after 8 p.m. The fire …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department responded this week to a report of a breaking-and-entering incident in Burr Oak Township. Investigators said a vacant residence in the 64000 block of Sycamore Road was entered between March 17 and April 17. Copper wire was stripped from the residence, investigators said. The sheriff’s department is asking the public for any information known …

Concrete repairs will close a lane of southbound U.S. 131 in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties next week. The Michigan Department of Transportation announced the work will begin around South Street in Schoolcraft and continue south to Flowerfield Road. The work is slated to start at 6 a.m. Monday and continue for two weeks, ending May 11.

Seventeen dogs taken Friday from a Burr Oak Township residence have found temporary residence through a foster program called Up-Cycled Pets. The Shih Tzu-Pomeranian mixes were voluntarily turned over to Up-Cycled Pets volunteers after the previous owner conceded she could no longer adequately care for the animals. The woman said she was no longer breeding the dogs for sale but …

The Michigan Department of Transportation is expected to perform maintenance work today in Three Rivers. As a result, the agency has announced a single-lane closure on eastbound M-60 between Wood and Washington streets from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. MDOT officials said traffic will be maintained with a flagging operation.

St. Joseph County Commissioner Gerald Loudenslager announced Monday he will not be seeking re-election after his current term expires at the end of the year. The 67-year-old Loudenslager said with the county commission dropping from seven members to five in 2013, he does not wish to run against Rick Shaffer to represent a newly redrawn district that consolidates portions of …

Saturday’s collection of household hazardous waste and a number of recyclable materials was declared a success by event organizers. Sponsored by the St. Joseph County Solid Waste Management Planning Committee, the twice-a-year collection at the county fairgrounds resulted in an accumulation of 454 tires, 12,000 pounds of household hazardous waste items and 27,000 pounds of electronics – enough to fill …

Schoolcraft Police Chief Bryan Campbell is urging people to be aware of a scam that was carried out against a victim this week. The larceny of money and jewelry is being investigated following an incident Wednesday in the 500 block of Osterhout Street. A 79-year-old female told police she was approached outside her residence by a trio of men who …