News

The St. Joseph County United Way is bringing back a popular fundraiser next month. The Centreville-based agency will stage its second “Team Trivia Night,” starting at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the county fairgrounds. Cost is $150 per team with a maximum of six players per team. The fee includes dinner; there will be a cash bar and silent auction …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is joining the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in kicking off its seventh annual “Septic Smart Week” beginning Monday. The purpose is to encourage homeowners and communities to properly maintain their septic systems. Paul Andriacchi, director of environmental health at the Community Health Agency, said people often forget about their septic systems, as systems typically …

Michigan Department of Transportation officials wish to remind motorists that Hoffman Street west of U.S. 131 in the Three Rivers area is closed for construction. The closure took effect Tuesday and will be in place for an indefinite period of time. Suggested detour routes for both northbound and southbound traffic are posted. Also, as a reminder, MDOT said left turns …

Three Rivers Community Schools Superintendent Ron Moag said the middle school and high school were under lockdown for less than half an hour Tuesday. Moag said the situation unfolded at 11:40 a.m. after an adult male was spotted by a district facilities staff member. The man spotted was walking south on 6th Avenue toward M-60 and carrying what looked like …

The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced that Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and private nonprofit organizations in Michigan as a result of the excessive rain and flooding that began on March 1. The loans are available in Berrien, Branch, Cass, Hillsdale and St. Joseph counties. The SBA’s …

Four Civil War veterans buried in unmarked graves in the Burr Oak Township Cemetery were properly honored last month at a gravestone dedication service. Bev Greshaw, deputy clerk of Burr Oak Township found two of the graves while doing her job of noting each plot. Meanwhile, Anne Davis of Sturgis, Defender of Yesterday’s Heroes, found the other two in her …

Officials in Kalamazoo County say a person who contracted a mosquito-borne virus called Eastern Equine Encephalitis has died. Mlive reports that the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services said in a statement on Friday that the person was one of two in the county to contract the virus. Another confirmed case has been reported in Berrien County and health officials are …

A Cass County man was injured after he was struck by a vehicle Sunday in Howard Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 9:20 p.m. to investigate a truck-versus-pedestrian crash on Beebe Road at Leet Road. Niles resident Gregory Montgomery, 37, told authorities he was driving south on Leet Road when his vehicle struck 30-year-old Mel Wynn, who …

The White Pigeon Police Department recently added a new member. K-9 Cairo joined the agency in May. He has been trained in drug detection, tracking, article-and-area searches, and suspect apprehension. A 2-year-old German shepherd from Europe, Cairo is also assigned to the St. Joseph County Special Response Team. The department’s current K-9, Zar, will be semi-retired due to arthritis. He will …

A member of the Sturgis Police Department was recently honored for his advocacy for senior citizens. Dave Males was recognized by the Area Agency on Aging at a recent elder justice summit, where Males was given the 2019 “Good Neighbor Award” in the law enforcement category, Agency on Aging’s Laura Sutter said. Sutter noted that detective Males goes above and beyond …