News

Abortion rights are poised to come before Michigan voters in November after an abortion rights campaign turned in a record-breaking number of signatures Monday for a ballot initiative to the secretary of state’s office. The effort will further increase attention on Michigan’s elections, where the battleground state’s Democratic governor and attorney general have made abortion rights a centerpiece of their reelection …

A Three Rivers-based company provided a notable boost to the Three Rivers Promise last week. Kadant Johnson pledged $50,000 to the scholarship program. In addition, company officials said Kadant Johnson will match all corporate donations, up to an additional $50,000. Meanwhile, the company is inviting its employees to donate to the Promise with the guarantee of a matching donation. Company …

The Constantine Village Council last week approved a contract with the Southcentral Michigan Planning Council to serve as consultants to update the village’s Master Plan. A Master Plan is a document and policy guide designed to help communities create a vision of what they want to look like in the future. The update is expected to take around five months …

A police pursuit earlier this month ended with the arrest of two people on a number of drug-related charges. The Sturgis Department of Public Safety said officers shortly before 8 p.m. July 1 saw a stolen vehicle being driving north on North Nottawa Street near Memorial Drive. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle but its driver continued north on M-66 …

State police troopers are investigating the theft of several travel trailers from storage yards around White Pigeon. The new trailers were taken from three storage yards in White Pigeon Township. One was located in the 69000 block of Sevison Road, another in the 69000 block of U.S. 131 and the other in the 68000 block of Bellows Road. In all, …

A number of protesters gathered Saturday, July 2nd, on the St. Joseph County courthouse lawn in Centreville for an event called, “We Won’t Go Back.” Participants objected to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. They held signs along the main street in Centreville and received lots of honks of approval from passersby. The four-hour protest drew …

A new trustee is joining the Sturgis Township Board. Board members voted Tuesday to appoint Von Metzger to the five-member panel. He succeeds Dan Arney, who retired last month after 16 years of service. Metzger will sit in on his first meeting in August, with a term to expire Nov. 30, 2024. The board also appointed Rodney Stahl to a three-year term …

Kuungana African Drum & Dance Company will be in concert next week at Wade Park – the fourth of the Summertime Tunes concert series hosted by White Pigeon Township Library. It will perform 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Kuungana dance company shares its love for African music through lively, participatory performances of traditional dances from West Africa. Their performances are …

An order prohibiting business-related use or occupation of a condemned property in White Pigeon was issued by a St. Joseph County judge last week. During a show-cause hearing June 29, District Court Judge Jeff Middleton said the order means that except under special circumstances, nobody is allowed in the building that formerly housed the Tasty Nut Shop and Silver Spoons …

New coronavirus cases leaped in Michigan in the week ending Sunday, rising 34 percent, as more than 14,000 cases were reported. The previous week had more than 10,600 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. St. Joseph County reported 59 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 37 cases and one death. …