Three Rivers Police Department recently recognized Bryann Books, who became the 11th certified First Responder Counselor in the state. The counselor program was developed to give mental-health clinicians tools needed to effectively reach and support first responders with cultural competence, expertise, confidence and empathy. Coursework blends the latest mental health and leadership approaches with real-world relevance. Police officials said Books …

Organizers of the twice-a-year collection of household hazardous waste and recycling of electronics have announced an important message regarding the spring 2024 event. Pat Kulikoswki, secretary of the St. Joseph County Solid Waste Committee, said the county is working with the same drug and lab company that collects household hazardous waste as it did in 2023. Kulikowski said the company …

Michigan Department of Transportation’s Nick Schirripa said the second phase of work on U.S. 131 will take place exclusively in Kalamazoo County and impact traffic flow in and around the village of Schoolcraft, as well as at a key intersection further north at Shaver Road. The seven-month project is expected to start April 15. The first phase of the $51 …

St. Joseph County Prosecutor David Marvin has issued a statement related to the January dismissal of Deb Davis as assistant prosecutor. Marvin said most people recognize right and wrong, and there are consequences for people who confuse wrong for right. He said it would have been a disservice to the county and its law-enforcement community if he had not fired …

A group of volunteers has begun piecing together the 2024 Three Rivers Water Festival. The annual event, St. Joseph County’s first community festival of the year, begins its three-day run June 13. After considering several options, Water Festival Committee members selected the theme “TR Goes for the Gold” for this year’s event. The theme coincides with the 2024 Summer Olympic …

A 24-year-old Wayne County woman has been charged with a number of offenses after an inmate at Lakeland Correctional Facility died of a drug overdose. State police said troopers on Oct. 29 were called to the Coldwater penitentiary in response to a 57-year-old man who died with no obvious cause. Department of Corrections officials began retracing the victim’s movements and …

The state is suing an Allegan County farm for allegedly dumping wastewater into a river that leads into Lake Michigan. According to WOOD-TV, attorney general Dana Nessel filed the lawsuit last week against the owner and operator of an alleged unpermitted, concentrated animal feeding operation, J&D Brenner Farms. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great …

Investigators in Branch County have labeled a fire in the Bronson area last weekend as an act of arson. Bronson Fire Chief Scott Wilber said the agency was notified at 1:30 p.m. Saturday about a grass fire near the intersection of U.S. 12 and Wheeler Road. The blaze eventually charred five acres of land before it was extinguished. Wilber said …

“Voices of Hope and Recovery,” an annual program featuring speakers who have overcome drug addition, returns later this month. The Substance Abuse Task Force of St. Joseph County and Riverside Church are teaming up again to present the 2024 event. Program organizers said Voices of Hope and Recovery showcases speakers who prove it is possible to recover from substance abuse, …

Sturgis City Commission members last week approved two purchases for the municipality’s department of public safety. The department requested a new records-management system after its recent network suffered a series of critical failures. The commission approved $30,000 for Core Technology for 18 months of service of the Talon Incident Management System. Commission members also approved a $57,000 firearms purchase from …