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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Adrienne M. Tracy, age 81, of Three Rivers, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, May 19, 2024 in Chicago while visiting family. She was born July 17, 1942, in Chicago, the daughter of Connie and Bernice (Obszarny) Szczublewski. Adrienne and her future husband, Ronald Tracy, grew up in the same neighborhood; in a classic case of a “good girl” meeting a …

Valetta Mae Bender, age 92, of Sturgis, passed away on Sunday, May 19, 2024 at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born on September 24, 1931, in Metamora, IL to George and Mabel (Morningstar) Sharick.  On September 24, 1949 in LaGrange, she married LaVern E. Bender. He died September 11, 2006. Surviving are two daughters, Cheryl Foster of South …

Mary J. Johnson, age 86, of Mottville, died on Friday, May 17, 2024 at Birch Meadows following an extended illness. She was born on August 16, 1937 in Three Rivers, the daughter of Otto F. and Marian Schuman. She lived in the Mottville area most of her life. She was a Homemaker, member of The Board Directors of the Families …

Next Wednesday, May 29, Chef Brigitte Romanelli will offer a cooking class at the Immaculate Conception Church, 645 South Douglas Street, in Three Rivers. This “Cook for a Cause” will feature preparing Homemade Pasta and Meatballs. The cost is $55. per person and will begin promptly at 5PM. It is advised to register early at iccatholicschool.com, because the class size …

Jane Orcilla Loudenslager, age 92, of Burr Oak, passed away Thursday, May 16, 2024, at Bronson Methodist Hospital of Kalamazoo. Jane passed peacefully surrounded by family. Jane had an interesting life.  She was born in Topeka, KS on April 22, 1932, daughter of Ben and Ida (Greaser) Haney.  Born during the dust bowl and the Great Depression, Jane lived in …

Joseph A. Peoples, age 96, passed away at Fairview Nursing Home in Centreville on Saturday, May 18, 2024.  He was born on September 30, 1927 in Forsyth County, North Carolina the son of Luther and Mary (West) Peoples.  Joseph married Joan E. Griffith in 1992 in Alexandria, Virginia. Joseph traveled the world sharing his woodworking talents with high end curators …