Yearly Archives: 2024

Dori

I am remembering the Military and Service dogs for Memorial Day.  My name is “Dori”.  I am an energetic, nose to the ground girl.  I am about four years old, housetrained and I get along with other dogs and kids.  If you sit down with me I will be affectionate and let you love on me.  I love water and …

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Barb Penny, 77

Our community mourns the loss of Barbara Ellen Penny of Three Rivers, MI who passed away from heart failure on May 14, 2024, at the age of 77. A resident of Three Rivers since 1969, Barb was known for her honesty, care, strength, independence, and vigor for life. She was a vocal advocate of those who faced adversity and a …

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Eastwood Elementary has new principal

Eastwood Elementary School in Sturgis has a new principal and will greet students at the start of the 2024-25 academic year. Board of education members agreed Monday to the employment of Christine Welc. She was chosen from a field of three finalists, who were involved in second-round interviews last week. Welc currently serves as an administrator and teacher at Paramount …

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Sturgis Kiwanis honors elementary students

The Sturgis Kiwanis Club’s annual “Knowledge is Dynamite” program was held recently at the Sturges-Young Auditorium, and a group of eight Sturgis fourth-graders from Eastwood Elementary School were honored. The eight were recognized for outstanding achievement and growth during the 2023-24 school year. Each student was selected by their teacher and received a special certificate, T-shirt and pencil bundle from …

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Thelma Shears, 86

Thelma Jean Shears, age 86, of Howe, Indiana passed away Sunday, May 19, 2024 at the home of her granddaughter in Angola. She was born March 2, 1938 in Coldwater, a daughter of the late Lehman E. and Nelly E. (Yankey) Closson. On Jun 15, 1957 in Bronson, she married Ralph D. “Joe” Shears. He preceded her in death Nov. …

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Daniel Miller, 59

Daniel R. Miller, age 59, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday afternoon, May 16, 2024 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born July 4, 1964, in Sturgis. Daniel was a lifelong Sturgis resident. He married Karen (Gravit) Johnson. Daniel had been employed by several area manufacturing companies. He attended Grace Christian Fellowship Center in Sturgis and had a true …

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Fewer traffic crashes & alcohol-related arrests

There were fewer traffic crashes and alcohol-related arrests in St. Joseph County last year compared to 2022. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman provided a wealth of data to St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners during their monthly meeting Tuesday. Bingaman was in attendance to give the sheriff’s department’s 2023 annual report. According to information provided by Bingaman, there were 611 crashes in …

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Alleged conflict of interest revised

A thorny subject related to an alleged conflict of interest was revisited by St. Joseph County commissioners during their executive committee meeting May 14. The issue started in April, when county commissioners voted 4-3 to remove Dennis Allen from the board’s law enforcement committee. Commissioners voting for removal agreed Allen is in a position of conflict as a candidate for …

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TR Police arrest man

Three Rivers Police officers arrested a man on drug-related charges after he was found to also be in possession of a stolen vehicle. According to deputy chief Sam Smallcombe, officers were alerted shortly after 9:30 p.m. Monday to a stolen vehicle that had passed by an Automated License Plate Reader. The vehicle, reported stolen out of Elkhart County, was subsequently …

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Ruth Matazel, 81

Ruth Anderson Matazel, age 81, of Three Rivers, passed away Tuesday, May 21, 2024. She was born September 19, 1942, in Berwyn, IL, the daughter of Dwight and Gwen (Nicholas) Anderson. On July 20, 1974, she married John Matazel in Chicago and they moved to southwest Michigan to start their life together. Ruth was a long-time member of Three Rivers …

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