The Great Start Collaborative of St. Joseph County is planning for its first in-person event since 2019. The agency is making plans for the Children’s Barn at the upcoming, two-day Yards, Barns and Brews event at the St. Joseph County Fairgrounds. Great Start representatives plan to have a reading spectacular with costumed readers throughout the barn. It is inviting additional agencies to sponsor their …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has announced two cases of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 have been identified in St. Joseph County. The individuals have been in isolation and close contacts quarantined since initial COVID-19 diagnosis. Health officer Rebecca Burns said the COVID-19 virus, as expected with a coronavirus, has changed over the past year. The variant originated in the …

An Elkhart woman died in a single-vehicle crash over the weekend in Cass County’s Milton Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday to an area on U.S. 12, east of Anderson Road. Investigators said the driver of the vehicle, 34-year-old Casey Butler, appears to have lost control of the car. It went off the …

A Coldwater-area mobile home was destroyed by fire last week. Fire officials were called around 4:30 p.m. Friday to a residence in the 100 block of Narrows Road, not far from the Randall Lake boat launch. It took firefighters about 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Investigators said all occupants inside the residence escaped and no one was injured. In …

A long-abandoned motel north of Schoolcraft will be razed in coming weeks. Vicksburg Village Council member Denny Olsen said the former Plainsman Motel in Schoolcraft Township will be intentionally set on fire to provide training for South County Fire Authority as well as other area fire departments. Olsen said the burn will take place over a series of two days …

Richard A. “Dick” Wenzel, age 88, of Portage, and a lifelong Sturgis resident, went to heaven late Friday evening, March 19, 2021, in the loving care of his family and Dear Country Adult Foster Care in Burr Oak. Dick was born April 6, 1932, in Sturgis, a son of the late Richard G. and H. Irene (Milliman) Wenzel. Dick lived …

Shirley Lucille Faunce, age 98, of Coldwater, went to be with her lord and savior on Thursday, March 18, 2021, at Skaggs Assisted Living in Burr Oak. A memorial service for Shirley will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 25, 2021, at Bronson First United Methodist Church, with Pastor Sam Gordy officiating. A burial of ashes will take place …

Fundraising efforts to upgrade Sturges-Young Center for the Arts are underway, as part of a multiple-year timeline of goals and projects. Sheila Bolda, executive director at Sturges-Young, recently presented an update to Sturgis City Commission members regarding the fundraising campaign. Bolda said long-overdue restroom upgrades, complete with touch-free fixtures, are the highest priority. The facility is hoping to raise between $300,000 …

A man whose defense case brought international interest following a March 2 preliminary exam in St. Joseph County District Court took another turn Tuesday. After it was announced Coby Harris allegedly made phone calls from jail to the alleged victim, he faces another set of hearings March 30 and April 6. Tuesday’s hearing was a rescheduled examination, which began March …

A decades-long Three Rivers resident has been selected to oversee the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority. After serving since October as interim executive director of the Three Rivers-based agency, Allen Balog has accepted the position on a permanent basis. Balog’s agreement with the CTA board was formalized last week. During his 10-year stint as a county commissioner, Balog served the …