News

St. Joseph County saw a recent surge in its confirmed coronavirus cases due to an outbreak at a Sturgis manufacturing facility. Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency’s Rebecca Burns brought the issue to the attention of county commissioners during their executive committee meeting Wednesday. Burns said the county’s number of confirmed cases as of Tuesday was 72. Though she was not …

A private foundation has bestowed a $12,000 grant to St. Joseph County Animal Control. During their executive committee meeting Wednesday, county commissioners were told the good news from county grant writer James Hissong. He said the purpose of the funding is to build a quarantine room to separate animals upon intake and also overly aggressive animals, if circumstances warrant. The …

Three Rivers Police arrested a man suspected of retail theft at Walmart. According to a department media release, officers were called shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday in response to store personnel who said the man was involved in a shoplifting incident over the weekend. Officers escorted the man to his vehicle, where he was to produce identification to authorities. Officers …

St. Joe County Resources is continuing to track by community the percentages of St. Joseph County households that have completed the 2020 U.S. Census. Agency officials would like to remind the public that every 100 people missed in the Census is $2 million dollars that does not come back to local communities in federal funding. Nearly two-thirds of the county’s …

Authorities are continuing their investigation into Monday’s arrest of St. Joseph County prosecuting attorney John McDonough, who was taken into custody Monday evening for driving while intoxicated. McDonough, 40, was the only person involved in the single-vehicle crash, which occurred around 7 p.m. in the 17000 block of Lovers Lane in Lockport Township, less than two miles from his residence. …

Merchandise in excess of $1,000 was stolen Monday from a Sturgis-area business. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called shortly before 3 p.m. to Dunham’s Sports in response to a retail fraud. Employees told authorities a black male wearing a light-blue hoodie entered the store and began loading a shopping cart with Nike apparel before pushing the cart out of …

Perri Saunders, executive director of the White Pigeon Township Library, issued a media release this week regarding the resumption of curbside service. Saunders said the library is preparing to open with curbside service June 8. Saunders is optimistic doors to the library will open shortly thereafter. She said White Pigeon Township Library is following the advice of the Library of …

Two Cass County residents were arrested last week and charged with possession of stolen property. St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said a partnership with Cass County Sheriff’s Department resulted in the recovery of a stolen vehicle May 6 in the 10000 block of Bair Lake Road in Cass County. The vehicle was originally reported stolen May 5 from the …

St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough was arrested last evening following a one-car crash on Lovers Lane in Lockport Township on the north side of Three Rivers. According to Sheriff Mark Lillywhite, deputies arrived on scene to find a black SUV parked on the north side of the road. There was damage to the vehicle and a property owner’s fence.  …

HART — For the most part, the frost fans didn’t work, which made Michael DeRuiter and his crew’s weekend all-nighter a fruitless one. Still, the Oceana County apple and cherry grower ventured out May 9 to his orchards. What he found following the freeze event were black-and-brown pistils. Oceana County grower Michael DeRuiter holds a dead cherry bud, a victim of …