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A Delaware man whose testimony implicated the estranged husband of Venus Stewart has been released from the St. Joseph County Jail. Ricky Spencer, who served as an alibi for Doug Stewart while the 30-year-old Stewart kidnapped and killed Venus Stewart, was released from the Centreville facility on Sunday, jail officials said. Spencer, 22, served eight months of a one-year sentence …

St. Joseph County Probate Judge Tom Shumaker announced last week he will not seek re-election in November. The 69-year-old Shumaker said he has contemplated retirement for several months and has decided his current term – which expires at the end of the year – will be his last. Shumaker has served in the position for 22 years. To date, three …

Three area boys basketball teams remain in competition for the state playoffs. The trio will kick off the opening round of regional action tonight. In Class D, Howardsville Christian will put its 19-3 record on the line against an 11-12 Covert team. The contest tips off at 6 o’clock in Litchfield. In Class C, the Constantine Falcons, sporting a 9-13 …

Indiana Michigan Power Co. has announced that work on the upgrade of power poles and lines from Park Township to Sturgis Township is expected to get started by the end of next month. The Fort Wayne, Ind.-based company said the 14-mile improvement is in addition to an eight-mile line improvement between Schoolcraft and the Moorepark neighborhood. That project is slated …

The Michigan Court of Appeals in Grand Rapids concluded that the estate of Calista Springer cannot sue the state over the 16-year-old’s death four years ago. The opinion was rendered in response to Springer’s grandmother – Three Rivers resident Suzanne Langdon – who sued the State Department of Human Services and St. Joseph County’s Child Protective Services in 2010. Each …

State Rep. Matt Lori has announced a $168,000 grant to help St. Joseph County farmers better manage their yields while protecting the environment. The funds come from the Southwest Michigan Adapt Network, a new partnership involving the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Services and the Environmental Defense Fund. Lori said …

The village of Centreville plans to repave three sections of Dean Street in order to alleviate the problem of standing water. Municipal officials this week said the impending work, which will cost the village $225,000, will be conducted in three phases. The three phases are Market to Ann streets, Ann to Mill streets and from Mill Street north to the …

High school basketball playoffs continue tonight. District finals on tap for 7 p.m. include 8-13 Constantine taking on 8-14 Cassopolis in Mendon. In addition, Three Rivers, 7-15, will battle 19-3 Sturgis at Comstock High School. Sturgis won the only meeting between the two teams this season, an overtime thriller in December. Meanwhile, a record-setting season for the Mendon girls basketball …

Maggie has a new home! But Bully is still waiting for the perfect place for him. My name is Lexi, I am only nine months old and I am a very good cat. I am litter trained and good with kids. I came in here with my brother but he has been adopted so I would like to move on …

St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners voted this week to a variety of agriculture-related services offered by the Michigan State University Extension. Following action Tuesday, Dr. Dale Mutch, an agriculture and agribusiness institute extension educator from Michigan State University Extension Office, will join the county. Mutch is a senior extension educator of sustainable agriculture. Meanwhile, approval was given to hire …