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The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy invites the public to a grand opening of the Spirit Springs Sanctuary, a 124-acre natural property of rolling forest and wetlands with scenic views. Located north of the Corey Lake area in Cass County along the St. Joseph county line, the property includes a 2 1/2-mile trail and is the first publicly accessible SWMLC property …

Organizers of the 2012 Three Rivers Water Festival have announced Alan Turner and the Steel Horse Band will perform the final night of the three-day celebration. The group will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 16. Turner, a Michigan native, is renowned for his connection with fans and his rich, baritone vocals. The band gained prominence in 2009 …

Members of the Three Rivers Education Association and the district’s Board of Education have reached an agreement on a two-year contract. Approved by the board Monday, the contract results in no raises but factors in step increases for teachers who reach certain levels of seniority, according to Superintendent Roger Rathburn. Another item of note is the adjustment of extra-duty pay …

Recommendation for a liquor license was given last week by Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry and city commissioners. The license request, made by a microbrewery considering a location at 56 N. Main St., will go before the state for its approval. During last week’s city commission meeting, an official from Zapf Brewing Company indicated a time frame of about eight …

About 75 people attended last week’s open house for “Sturgis 2022,” an initiative focusing on the direction of the community over the next decade. City officials said in addition to points made by keynote speaker Ron Kitchens, CEO of Southwest Michigan First, input from residents on the 10-year vision for Sturgis will be taken into consideration to help municipal officials …

I spent an hour or two visiting with a classmate the other day. He doesn’t live locally, so we don’t see each other as often as we’d like. He’s a “snowbird”, which means that he and his wife spend the winter months in Florida. When I think of Florida, I picture several things: senior citizens eating dinner at 4 P.M., …

The St. Joseph County Grange Fair has kicked off a fund drive for a new equine show arena. Fair Manager Bill Johnson said the majority of the $20,000 project is slated to be built with donations. To date, materials needed to constrict the show arena have been secured. The proposed arena is expected to be constructed east of the existing …

State legislators last week honored a St. Joseph County community for its contribution to the world of magic and an upcoming milestone. The Michigan Senate passed a resolution honoring the village of Colon and the impending 75-year anniversary of the Abbott’s Magic Get-Together. Led by Sen. Bruce Caswell, Resolution No. 154 was read on the senate floor before a small …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the theft of a laptop computer and a wallet. The incident occurred between 9 p.m. Thursday and 7 a.m. Friday at a residence in the 500 block of East Market Street. A department news release did not indicate the method of entry into the residence.

City of Sturgis officials said general street-repair work started in two locations Monday. The first job calls for milling sections of North Centerville Road in an effort to smooth out bumps in the roadway. North Centerville Road will remain open during the process but with some lane restrictions. A news release from the city did not indicate the length of …