Administrator

Sherwood Township man faces child pornography charges

A Sherwood Township man faces a number of charges related to child pornography. Branch County officials said Jerry Surber, 65, was arraigned this week and faces three felony counts of possession of child sexually abusive material. In addition, authorities have charged Surber with using a computer to commit a crime. The case was investigated by Michigan State Police beginning last …

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Sturges-Young brings back First Fridays Karaoke

Sturges-Young Center for the Arts has announced the return of its “First Fridays Karaoke” event. The Sturgis facility hosts karaoke this week, coinciding with the first Friday of the month. The entertainment starts at 8 p.m. and lasts until midnight. The 18-and-older event takes place in Union Room B. Meanwhile, next up on its “Cinema Circle Series” is the 1978 …

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CTE educators recognized

A pair of educators from St. Joseph County was recognized for their respective roles in Career and Technical Education in Michigan. The Michigan Association for Career and Technical Education honored Chad Spence and Adam Cloutier during a ceremony last week in Grand Rapids. Spence was named 2025 “New Teacher of the Year.” Spence served as CTE Public Safety instructor for …

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Animals lost in house fire

Two dogs and many other animals perished in a house fire last weekend in Three Rivers. Fire Chief Paul Schoon said firefighters responded to a house fire at noon Sunday in the 600 block of Eighth Street. According to Schoon, firefighters arrived to witness heavy fire, with smoke coming out of the first-floor. Schoon said the homeowner was not present …

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Pivotal considers building addition

Officials from the agency formerly known as Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of St. Joseph County are moving forward with the idea of a potential addition to their Centreville-based office. Now called Pivotal, the agency is contemplating additional building space at its current site or potentially securing an existing building larger than its current facility. CEO Cameron Bullock …

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Branch County daycare raid leads to arrest

A 35-year-old woman was arrested on drug-related charges last week after authorities raided a daycare facility in Branch County. Michigan State Police Southwest Enforcement Team detectives and MSP’s canine unit served a search warrant on a licensed Bronson daycare center Thursday. According to a department media release, detectives seized several illegal narcotics, including cocaine and a large amount of hydrocodone. …

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Fatal Cass County crash

A Niles man died following a one-car crash last week in Cass County’s Milton Township. Sheriff Clint Roach said Michael Jasper, 60, was driving west on Bell Street when his vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree in the vicinity of Ironwood Drive. Jasper was taken to Niles Lakeland Hospital and subsequently transferred to South Bend Memorial Hospital, where …

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County unemployment increased

December’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased by more than half a percentage point from November. Figures from the monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget show St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate rose from 4.6 percent in November to 5 percent in December. In addition, Cass County also experienced growth in its unemployment figures …

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Cass County man convicted on weapons charges

A Cass County man was convicted of weapons-related charges following a jury trial last week. County prosecutor Victor Fitz said 34-year-old Robert Allen Scott Jr., of Dowagiac, was convicted of possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, carrying a concealed weapon, larceny of a firearm and two counts of felony firearm, Fitz said. Scott chose to represent himself during the …

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Details emerge in plane crash that killed Vicksburg resident

A preliminary report on the Dec. 30 airplane crash in Ohio that killed the general manager of Elite Air Service at the Branch County Airport reveals a witness heard both engines quit just before the crash. According to media reports, the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary investigation said 46-year-old Vicksburg resident Rob Cole was piloting a 1960 twin-engine Cessna when …

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