Barbara Schmidt, age 91, of Mendon, died peacefully on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at Birch Meadows in Three Rivers. She was born on May 9, 1929 in the German speaking town of Grgurevci, Serbia, and was the eldest of three daughters raised by their widowed mother, Elizabeth Koch on a farm. The family fled to Salzburg, Austria in 1944 to …

Three Rivers police responded Monday to a single-vehicle accident in which a man accidentally shot himself in the leg. According to a department media release, officers were called around 3:30 p.m. to a report of a car that had gone off the roadway. The location was not identified in a department media release. Officers applied a tourniquet to slow the …

The St. Joseph County Conservation District is postponing the start of its 2020 River Cleanup season. The 10th season was supposed to kick off this coming Saturday in what was going to be the first of five cleanups led by the Centreville-based agency this summer. Shaun Grace, a conservation district employee whose work includes coordinating and executing the river cleanups, …

A 14-year-old boy was injured after the lawnmower he was driving tipped over Monday morning in Nottawa Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called at 10:45 a.m. to the 23000 block of River Run Road, where the Sturgis victim was mowing a steep embankment along the St. Joseph River. Investigators said the lawnmower overturned, impaling the victim on the …

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s husband urged a business to get his boat in the water in time for Memorial Day weekend, according to social media posts, while she was publicly telling cooped-up residents to resist flocking to popular vacation areas during the coronavirus pandemic. Personal Facebook posts from NorthShore Dock owner Tad Dowker are no longer available. But The Detroit …

Norman Wayne Essex, age 77, of Marcellus, passed on Thursday, May 21, 2020 at home. He was born in Dowagiac on November 25, 1942 the son of Frank Dixon Essex and Edith Francis (Alden) Essex. On March 7, 1964 he married Marilyn (Sue) Kahler who survives. Wayne was a Journeyman working for GM for many years. He loved animals especially …

St. Joseph County Commission on Aging is looking toward returning to normal service by the end of June or early July, executive director Tim Stoll told COA board members Wednesday at their meeting. In addition, the agency is hoping to return to five-day-a-week delivery by mid-June, Stoll added. Daily, weekday service will be done regardless of whether the governor’s executive …

Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency has expanded the number of communities eligible for the “Social Equity Program” from 41 to 184. The program allows those who resided in the areas for five of the past 10 years to obtain discounts when obtaining adult-use marijuana licenses. These now include Sturgis, Sturgis Township, Three Rivers and White Pigeon Township. The municipality or township …

Pathfinder Educational Center will not hold a traditional graduation this year, although the hope is to reschedule for fall. Teresa Belote, superintendent at St. Joseph County Intermediate School District, informed the ISD board of the decision last week. Each week, Pathfinder’s Facebook page highlights one senior, featuring his or her photos, plans and favorite things. An address is provided to …

Camp Fort Hill’s day camp for 2020 has been canceled due to restrictions related to COVID- 19. The decision to cancel day camp was made last week by the Camp Fort Hill board of directors, with guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. A statement addressing the community …