News

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the larceny of cable and wire from an electrical substation in Calhoun County’s Sheridan Township. Investigators said the theft occurred between 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday in the area of F Drive North and 26 Mile Road. Authorities said the electric cable and wire were taken from several spools stored at the …

The St. Joseph County United Way is sponsoring “Box Out Cancer” high school basketball games later this month in Sturgis. As a fundraiser to benefit breast-cancer awareness, the “Pink Out” games feature Three Rivers and Sturgis. Junior varsity girls kick off the tripleheader at 4:15 p.m. Girls’ varsity squads tip off at 6 and the boys’ varsity Wildcats and Trojans …

An 18-year-old Edwardsburg man died last week in Cass County. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday to Dailey Road, near Pokagon Highway. Investigators said Trevor Kyle Nelson and 57-year-old Trevor David Nelson, both of Edwardsburg, had stopped to strap an appliance to the top of their vehicle. Behnke said a 49-year-old Cassopolis man was …

Nearly two dozen people in St. Joseph County decided a free ride home New Year’s Eve was an offer too good to pass up. St. Joseph County Transportation Authority Director Allen Balog said 22 people took advantage of the agency’s annual, no-questions-asked program. The 22 riders was two more than a year ago. The service was offered from 8 p.m. …

St. Joseph County officials have tweaked the start time of one of their monthly meetings. During their first assembly of 2023, St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to shift from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the start of their executive committee meeting. It will still be held the second Tuesday of the month in the History Room at …

As an acknowledgment of January being Radon Action Month, the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is offering free testing kits to its residents. Kits are available at each county office and agency officials are encouraging residents to test their homes for this environmental hazard. Radon gas in the outdoor atmosphere is not harmful to people. But when radon gas gets …

A western Michigan man was charged Wednesday with two counts of second-degree murder for allegedly firing an AR-15 rifle in celebration and killing two guests at his New Year’s party. Christopher Alan Toppenberg, 62, of Lawrence Township, also faces two gun charges. He is being held on a $1.5 million bond. It wasn’t clear whether Toppenberg has an attorney who might …

Community Mental Health is expanding its accessibility to care. The organization, which includes Substance Abuse Services of St. Joseph County, opened a new Three Rivers location on Tuesday. The new location, at 1020 Millard St., will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, said Cameron Bullock, CEO of the Centreville-based agency. CMH recently opened a new location …

Ken Malone will serve 2023 as chairman of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. During their first meeting of the year Tuesday, board members unanimously chose the Sturgis resident as head of the seven-member board. Malone, who has served four years on the county board, is a former mayor of Sturgis who spent more than 15 years on the …

The victim of an early Sunday morning fire has been identified. Travis Williams, age 53, died in the fire. The fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. Sunday at a sub-divided house on West West Street at North Street. The Sturgis Department of Public Safety said first-arriving firefighters noticed heavy smoke and flames in an upstairs apartment. Upon entry, fire officials …