News

St. Joseph County’s county seat takes its turn to celebrate and welcome visitors. The annual Centreville Covered Bridge Days kicks off its two-day observance with a number of events and activities today (Friday). Vendors will be on the north and west sides of the courthouse lawn today (Friday) and Saturday, offering food, crafts and other merchandise. Also today, a variety …

Here’s a reminder that St. Joseph County United Way will host its next “Celebrity Waiter Night” this coming week. The fundraiser will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday (July 22) at River Trade Brewing Company in downtown Constantine. Scheduled participants include Tim Baker, Shawn Griffith, Mike Tulley, Darrin VandenBerg, Mary Schrock and bartender Jane Eley. All tips offered during …

After working without a contract since March, nurses at Three Rivers Beacon Health have ratified a new contract. Following several weeks of negotiations and an informational picket last month, the three-year contract takes effect immediately. According to union officials, the new agreement includes raises, improvement to health insurance and a limit on nurses forced to work overtime. About 75 nurses …

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking the public to report any sighting of wild turkey hens with their babies as a part of a multi-state preservation effort. This is the third year for Michigan’s wild turkey brood survey. Since its launch, people reported more than 25,000 hens, 11,000 male turkeys and 65,000 babies in Michigan, according to the …

A Kalamazoo woman has been charged with a number of offenses in a case being tried by St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecuting attorney Deb Davis said Tami Rayshawn Rey has been charged with two felony counts of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer and two misdemeanor charges of domestic violence. The alleged offenses occurred May 23 in Kalamazoo. The case was …

A Clare County man was sentenced last week in Centreville for sexually assaulting a relative two decades ago in St. Joseph County. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said 69-year-old Geral Whitney will serve up to 30 years in prison after he was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman. Whitney was found guilty by a jury in May of one …

Troopers from Michigan State Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying suspects involved in the theft and arson of a dump truck in St. Joseph County. According to a department media release, the vehicle was stolen in the early morning hours Saturday from a farm field in Constantine Township. It was later located in a cornfield near Three Rivers. …

Cass County authorities are on the lookout for a person of interest in a murder investigation. Dowagiac Police Chief Steven Grinnewald said officers were called shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday to the area of Clay Street and Halstead Street following a call to central dispatch reporting shots fired. Officers determined a verbal altercation allegedly occurred at some point between two …

St. Joseph County Prosecutor Deb Davis recently announced the addition of assistant prosecuting attorney Angelique Camfield. The addition of Camfield marks what Davis called a step in the right direction toward fulfilling her campaign promise to rebuild the prosecutor’s office into a fully staffed, high-functioning legal team. Davis said she remains focused on the work voters elected her to do. …

St. Joseph County United Way is conducting a raffle in which the winner will receive a new grill. The fundraiser features a top prize of a Royal Gourmet, six-burner grill. The winner will also receive an assortment of grilling tools and a $100 gift card to Vander Farms. Tickets are $5 each or five for $20. They can be purchased …