News

A Centreville woman charged with embezzling from two area churches has pleaded no contest. Carol Kotschevar appeared in St. Joseph County Circuit Court Oct. 27. Her defense of no contest follows a plea agreement reached with prosecutor David Marvin. The case centers on thousands of dollars Kotschevar stole from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Colon and St. Paul’s Lutheran of …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called Monday for insurance refunds of up to $675 per vehicle to be quickly issued to drivers. In a letter to the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, the Democratic governor cited a surplus of $5 billion that she attributed to premium overcharges and a 2019 law that cut insurers’ medical costs for people injured in crashes. The surplus was up …

September’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by nine-tenths of a percent from August. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget was released last week. It showed St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.9 percent in August to 4 percent in September. The rate was 6.2 percent 12 months earlier. Meanwhile, Cass …

A hero in the world of law enforcement was memorialized Saturday in Three Rivers. A ceremony honoring Three Rivers native and former St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department member Ryan Proxmire took place at Armstrong Park. A bench was unveiled and dedicated in Proxmire’s memory. The effort to add a bench in the children’s area of the park was led by …

Centreville Public Schools Superintendent Stephanie Lemmer announced late last week that the district will return to face-to-face instruction for students in the elementary school. Students in the high school building, however, will remain in virtual-learning mode for the entire week. Lemmer over the weekend announced the district’s three kindergarten sections will be learning remotely due to positive COVID cases. The …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency began offering all manufacturer’s vaccine booster doses to residents last week. Due to high demand for booster doses, the Three Rivers clinic will be open until 3:30 p.m. Thursday. Residents should make appointments on the agency’s website: bhsj.org/scheduling. The phone number is 273-2161, ext. 7. As a reminder, those who received a Pfizer or …

Two stolen campers were returned to their respective owners earlier this week. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called shortly after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday to the 12000 block of Riverside Drive. Deputies secured a search warrant and discovered a $35,000 camper on the premises. Upon further investigation, deputies found a second camper, valued at $27,000. Additional information about possible arrests …

Here’s a rundown of trick-or-treat days and times in the area. Saturday trick-or-treating will take place in Burr Oak from 6 to 8 p.m.; 5 to 7 o’clock in Centreville and Three Rivers; and 5:30 to 7:30 in Mendon and White Pigeon. Sunday trick-or-treat hours are 5:30 to 7:30 in Sturgis and Constantine; and 6 to 8 p.m. in Colon. …

Sheriff’s deputies responded Tuesday to a crash in Florence Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said the agency was notified around 10 a.m. Tuesday of a two-vehicle collision on Lutz Road, near Featherstone Road. Investigators said a 61-year-old woman from Constantine was driving west on Featherstone Road and failed to stop at the intersection of Lutz Road. Her vehicle struck a Chevrolet …

A special event honoring a Three Rivers native will take place this weekend. A memorial bench commemorating the life of Sgt. Ryan Proxmire will be unveiled during a ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday at Armstrong Park in Three Rivers. Family and friends will be present for the event. Proxmire succumbed to injuries he sustained during a vehicle pursuit Aug. 15 …