News

Destinations, an American Bus Association publication and guide to North America’s group-travel destinations, recently awarded Shipshewana Trading Place Flea Market & Auction a 2024 “Best of the Best” designation in the category of Shopping. Destinations Best of the Best honors travel-industry members who go above and beyond for the group travel industry. Categories include Adventure, Culture, Entertainment, Festivals & Events, Food & Beverage, Lodging, …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will be led by a new chairman in 2025. During a special meeting Tuesday, Jared Hoffmaster was voted leader of the seven-member panel. As part of their annual, first-meeting-of-the-year process, board members nominated and then voted on a peer to serve as chairman. They then repeated the process to secure a vice-chair. That post …

Three Rivers city officials have issued a media release regarding a watermain break Tuesday at the municipal water tower. In response to the situation, the city’s Department of Public Services has modified the direction of water flow, which is causing water discoloration. The change will also cause variability in the system’s pressure. DPS officials estimate the modified operations will last …

St. Joseph County Commissioner Luis Rosado will host an event centering on parliamentary-procedure training. Rosado said the session will be led by Julie Pioch, of Michigan State University Extension. The event will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 25 at the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department Training Center. There will be no cost to attend, though Rosado …

The city of Sturgis is attempting to fill a job for crossing guard. Under the supervision of Sturgis Department of Public Safety, the position requires a reliable and responsible person to aid with pedestrians in a school zone. Other criteria include 18 years of age or older, U.S. citizen or a resident alien with a right-to-work permit in the United …

Former St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough pled guilty Monday to a charge of operating while intoxicated. Appearing before District Court Judge Jeff Middleton, McDonough owned up to his offense stemming from a traffic stop in late October on West Michigan Avenue and Railroad Drive in Three Rivers. As a result of Monday’s court session, McDonough’s license is revoked. In …

A detour around St. Joseph County’s iconic Langley Covered Bridge was lifted last week, a month after height limiters at both ends of the structure were damaged in separate incidents. Road commission manager John Lindsey said the height limiters were knocked over. In addition, their concrete bases were damaged. The first incident occurred Dec. 2 on the south side of …

Centreville Public Schools lost a member of its family over Christmas break. Reading interventionalist Chris Bell passed away Wednesday following a months-long battle with cancer. Bell, 54, was a lifelong Centreville resident, graduating as Chris Johnson from Centreville High School in 1988. She served as coach of the school’s junior varsity girls’ team for nine seasons and was an assistant …

November’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by one-tenth of a percent from October. Figures from the monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget show St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.7 percent in October to 4.6 percent in November. The county’s November rate from a year earlier was 3.5 percent. Meanwhile, Cass …

St. Joseph County Transportation Authority provided more rides last week as part of its “New Year’s Eve Free Ride Home” than it did a year before. The six-hour service started at 7 p.m. Tuesday and attracted a total of 18 people, according to CTA Director Allen Balog. The mark was two people more compared to the eve of 2024. Balog …