County Information

St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested a man in connection with a breaking-and-entering incident last week at a residence in Sturgis Township. Deputies were called Thursday to the 25000 block of U.S. 12 in response to a home invasion that had been just discovered. Upon further investigation, deputies made contact with a suspect at another residence in the same …

Hoppin Elementary School was in lockdown mode twice Thursday following reports of a suspicious man possibly in possession of a gun. The first lockdown took place following a call from Central Dispatch, which reported the situation to Hoppin personnel at 10:45. The school went into lockdown for nearly a half hour until the Three Rivers Police Department confirmed the situation was …

Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry said he stands behind the claim that the majority of the city’s residents support the idea of a multi-field sports complex. Lowry on Thursday also lamented the proposal’s latest potential setback, as a group of opponents submitted a petition Wednesday to county clerk Lindsay Oswald. The petition seeks to have voters in the two municipalities …

A citizen-led initiative could see voters in Three Rivers and Lockport Township deciding the fate of a 77-acre property contested by the two entities. A petition was filed Wednesday with St. Joseph County Clerk Lindsay Oswald. Thirty-five pages in all, the petition seeks to have voters in the two municipalities decide whether the land should remain in Three Rivers or …

A petition to recall the president of Constantine Public Schools Board of Education was submitted Wednesday. St. Joseph County Clerk Lindsay Oswald said the petition seeks the recall of John Shuler. Details about who filed the petition were not clear. According to the petition, its origin stems from a May 7 school board work session at Constantine High School. The …

The state senate this week unanimously approved state Rep. Aaron Miller’s plan to eliminate burdensome requirements to educators, giving new teachers more time to work with students in the classroom. New teachers are issued a standard teaching certificate with a professional certificate available after three years classroom experience, over 150 hours of professional development and additional post-graduate coursework. New instructors …

A Berrien County judge has settled a legal matter between St. Joseph County and the city of Three Rivers. County officials confirmed late Tuesday afternoon that Judge John Donahue concluded Three Rivers did not breach terms of its contract with the county. The issue stems from the county’s attempt to recoup $755,000 it advanced the city to purchase the 77-acre …

Nearly 50 people gathered Tuesday at the east end of the proposed development of a multi-field sports complex to witness a ceremonial groundbreaking. Located between North Main Street to the west and Buckhorn Road to the east, the 77-acre property was annexed into Three Rivers over the objections of Lockport Township officials and opponents of the concept. Kim Losik, a …

The creation of a master plan for the so-called courts building at the St. Joseph County Courthouse appears to be resurrected. During Tuesday’s county commission meeting, board members agreed to resume its relationship with TowerPinkster Architects and Engineers of Kalamazoo regarding the preparation of a master plan for the building at the south end of the courthouse complex. The county …

Two people died earlier this week in an automobile accident in Cass County’s Pokagon Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said a PT Cruiser driven by 34-year-old Mishawaka resident Lee Ann Romita Sanez was heading south on M-51 Sunday when it crossed the center line and struck a northbound Chevy Impala. It was being driven by Phillip Seitenstich, 32, of Dowagiac. David …