News

Michigan State Police troopers were dispatched to an area in Branch County to investigate a report of suspicious activity. Deputies responded at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday to the area of Copeland Road and Cades Cove Lane in Kinderhook Township. Troopers discovered an abandoned, 2000 Chevy Silverado pick-up that had been reported stolen from Steuben County, Indiana. They also located a utility …

Nikki Prichard was honored last week by the Sturgis Exchange Club with the 2022 Swihart Scholarship. The $1,000 allied health scholarship is geared toward Glen Oaks Community College students, and honors Stu and Lillian Swihart. Club members said Prichard, a Centreville resident, was an applicant with a lot of enthusiasm and passion. During last week’s presentation, guest speaker Bill Lederman, …

New coronavirus cases increased 5.6 percent in Michigan in the week ending May 22, as the state added nearly 30,000 cases. The previous week had more than 27,000 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. St. Joseph County reported 52 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 55 cases and zero deaths. …

Cass County deputies responded last week to a five-vehicle crash in Marcellus Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies responded shortly after 3 p.m. Friday to M-40, in an area south of Brody Road. The driver of the first vehicle was identified as Dean Miller, 58, of Mendon. The second driver was Keisha Sylvester, 31, of Kalamazoo. Authorities said the third …

A 42-year-old Sturgis man will be sentenced to prison next month after he was convicted of having sex with a teenage girl. Kirk Hoff Jr. will be sentenced June 24 after a St. Joseph County Circuit Court jury convicted him last week of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. The alleged incident involved a 14-year old babysitter in June 2020. The jury …

Five employees, including three currently employed by Vicksburg Community Schools, were hired by Centreville Board of Education Monday. Dennis Kirby will return to the district after serving the past six years as Vicksburg Middle School assistant principal. He will be Centreville’s elementary school principal. Shannon Reed, who has spent the past two years as Vicksburg’s Title 1 teacher, returns to …

Personnel from the Constantine Fire Department responded to a reported barn fire Monday in Constantine Township. Chief Mike Haydon said personnel were alerted around 1:45 p.m. to a barn in the 62000 block of U.S. 131. The fire was reported to Central Dispatch. By the time fire crews arrived, three barns were fully ablaze, Haydon said. Approximately 30 firefighters from …

Three Rivers native Jamie Clark has been selected to serve as Grand Marshall of the 2022 Water Festival Street Parade. Clark, owner of Clark Logic, has been active in promoting Three Rivers through a variety of projects and contributions that address his goal of the beautification of Three Rivers. Clark grew up in Three Rivers, graduating from Three Rivers High …

Cass County Sheriff’s Department responded to a single-vehicle crash last week in Volinia Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were notified at 5:20 p.m. Saturday of a crash on Church Street, near Hathaway Road. The driver was identified as 21-year-old Seth Lamarbe, of Marcellus. Investigators said Lamarbe was traveling west on Church Street, where his vehicle lost control from loose …

The Constantine Village Council last week received an update regarding its new wastewater-treatment plant. The village is refurbishing an earlier wastewater facility that was decommissioned in 1997. Effluent has been piped to the Three Rivers plant ever since. Expected completion time frame for the $13 million overhaul is April 2024. An industrial treatment program by engineers Fleis & VanDenbrink engineers, …