St. Joseph County 4-H member Peter Rambadt was elected to the Michigan 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees in February. Rambadt is a Sturgis resident. Michigan 4-H Foundation trustees are volunteers who serve as community advocates for 4-H, and lead and manage operations of the Michigan 4-H Foundation. Three positions on the board are reserved for trustees between the ages of …

A new response system for Michigan State Police emergency calls will be tested for 90 days in four Michigan counties starting next week. Mobile phone calls for help via 911, and placed from Eaton, Branch, Calhoun and St. Joseph counties, will receive a text when a trooper is dispatched. Only MSP will use the system for now. If troopers aren’t …

A Coldwater-area man died over the weekend following a two-vehicle crash in Colon Township. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said deputies responded at 5:30 a.m. Saturday to Colon Road, just east of Bennett Road, in response to a personal-injury incident. The driver of the first vehicle, 67-year-old Willie Kosachuk, was driving a vehicle westbound on Colon Road. Authorities said Kosachuk’s vehicle crossed …

Construction on the Thurston Woods Park splash pad started last week. Infrastructure installation is beginning on the project, which has been in development for about three years. Visitors may access the property by using the parking area north of the Doyle Community Center off North Franks Avenue and follow the walking path to the park. The splash pad is designed …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the larceny of multiple items from a shed in Calhoun County’s Athens Township. Troopers responded to the 7300 block of M-99 after the victim told authorities it appears the theft occurred between March 6 and April 6. Items stolen include a Champion brand generator, Craftsman toolbox, a number of fishing poles, a 4-by-8-foot swimming …

Three Rivers High School has ended its search for a varsity football coach. District officials announced last week the hiring of Chris Gilliam. He has 22 years of head-coaching experience, logging 19 seasons at Birch Run High School and three at Adrian High School. A Flint native, Gilliam played football at and ultimately graduated from Olivet College. He has taught …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a report of breaking and entering that occurred last week at a location in Fabius Township. Authorities said the incident happened between April 11 and 13 in the 50000 block of Pulver Road. Stolen items include a welder, several tools and equipment from an older-model pickup.

A 37-year-old Three Rivers man recently cashed a lottery ticket with a winning amount in excess of $300,000. According to the Michigan Lottery, Nathan Brown purchased a “Diamond Wild Time” Fast Cash progressive ticket at the Three Rivers Elks Lodge last month. Brown and his girlfriend cashed the $345,000 winning ticket at Lottery headquarters last week. Brown said he plans …

Michigan Department of Transportation officials said the I-94 interchange at Portage Road in Kalamazoo County is slated to open later this summer. MDOT’s Nick Schirripa said the $87 million, two-year project is expected to conclude in early August, as road crews enter the final phase of construction. Due to various, unforeseen circumstances, the project’s completion was modified from an original …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a hit-and-run incident involving a horse-drawn buggy in Branch County’s Algansee Township. According to an agency media release, troopers were dispatched to South Ray Quincy Road, near Lester Road, around 8 p.m. Friday. Investigators said a southbound vehicle struck the buggy, which was occupied by two people. The vehicle, believed to be an early …