News

A joint workshop staged Monday by board of education members from Mendon Community Schools and Centreville Public Schools was described by district officials as a meet-and-greet event. Rob Kuhlman, who serves as superintendent of both districts, said the Mendon board has two new members and Centreville three new members since he assumed the job prior to the start of the …

Nottawa Township’s Planning Commission on Tuesday accepted a partnership agreement with the Branch County Conservation District. Commission members acted on the Prairie River Watershed Planning Project, which ensures stewardship of the Prairie River and its tributaries. Nottawa Township’s Board of Trustees already endorsed the plan, which became official Tuesday with the signature of planning commission chairman Jerry Loudenslager. Rachel Smith, …

Authorities in Kalamazoo say a body found under the ice in a lake at a city park belonged to a 27-year-old man who disappeared in November.  Police say rescue crews and a dive team got a call Sunday to Spring Valley Park after someone spotted a body in the water.  The body has been identified as that of Jason K. Bassett. …

Authorities say they have a person of interest in a 2010 double homicide in southwestern Michigan.  The Michigan attorney general’s office is handling the investigation into the deaths of 39-year-old Carolyn Tarwacki and her 42-year-old husband John Tarwacki.  No charges have been filed and the person of interest wasn’t being identified.  The Tarwackis were killed Feb. 5, 2010, at their …

Glen Oaks Community College recently recognized 30 faculty members who observed milestone anniversaries for their years of employment at the Centreville-area college. Collectively, the group represented 330 years of employment at Glen Oaks. The most-senior employee recognized was library technician Judy Fetch, who has logged 30 years as a Glen Oaks employee. In addition three employees honored for 25 years …

Three people in a vehicle stopped Saturday in Florence Township were charged with various offenses by police. The stop took place near the intersection of Lutz and Featherstone roads, where a deputy from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department noticed a 1992 Oldsmobile had a defective brake light. The driver of the vehicle, a 44-year-old man from Three Rivers, was …

County sheriff deputies were dispatched to the 12000 block of Millers Mill Road in Constantine Township late Monday night for a report of a man who had shot a rifle inside his home during a domestic dispute. Deputies were able to speak with a brother of the suspect who had went to the residence and convinced the man to come outside …

St. Joseph County’s November unemployment rate of 8.3 percent was its lowest in the first 11 months of 2011. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget Analysis report for November shows the county’s unemployment rate dropped from 8.9 percent in October. The analysis indicated retail sectors gearing up for seasonal end-of-the-year jobs played a significant role in the drop. …

Officers from the White Pigeon Police Department last week arrested a 20-year-old Detroit man who stole cell phones from separate residences while conducting door-to-door solicitations. Police said the man was among a group of three people Wednesday in White Pigeon attempting to peddle energy discounts through the company Just Energy. On two occasions when the man was allowed inside a …

It took fours days into the new year, but Sturgis Hospital’s first baby of 2012 was born last Wednesday. Alexah Stafford, the daughter of Three Rivers residents Bridget and Dustin Stafford, weighed in at 8 pounds, 11 ounces. They are Constantine High School graduates. Chance Ray Rhodes, the son of Paige Tice and Ethan Rhodes, was the first baby of …