News

Blue Gate Theatre in Shipshewana has announced plans for a new 1,500-seat, theater space at Blue Gate Performing Arts Center. The $3 million theatre is set to break ground before May and will be completed by January. The rapid expansion of the Blue Gate’s concert schedule, limitations of the current space and improving customer experience all played key roles in …

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the leading voice of the Post-9/11 generation of veterans, has announced that U.S. Rep. Fred Upton has become a cosponsor of the “Burn Pits Accountability Act” to improve the tracking and reporting of service members’ exposure to burn pits and airborne toxins during their deployments. Upton became a co-sponsor during IAVA’s “Storm The Hill,” IAVA’s …

The group “Voters Not Politicians” is hosting a series of Democracy Reform Town Halls to educate citizens about Michigan’s new redistricting process and how they can participate. The group will also discuss other critical democracy reform issues to strengthen the democratic process through citizen action in Michigan. In 2018, Michigan voters and Voters Not Politicians made history by passing a redistricting reform …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer visited St. Joseph County Monday, making stops in Three Rivers and Sturgis. In Sturgis, Whitmer presented “The Road to Opportunity,” a briefing on her fiscal year 2020 budget proposal. More than 20 community members attended the closed-session event at Sturgis Library. Whitmer said she presented her budget to the legislature last week and now she’s traveling around …

State police troopers are investigating damage to a business in Park Township. According to a department media release, a split-rail fence outside a business in the 52000 block of U.S. 131 was damaged between noon Saturday and 2:45 p.m. Tuesday. The wood fence, which stood outside Stephenson Farm and Market, was damaged by a southbound vehicle that appears to have …

State Rep. Aaron Miller has introduced a measure to update and clarify counseling practices under Michigan law. Miller said updates are needed to ensure the law reflects the actual scope of practice and training of licensed professional counselors, and to be consistent with wording in the Board of Counseling’s Administrative Rules. This measure would be the first update to this …

An investigation over the weekend led to the arrest of a 42-year-old Three Rivers man on drug-related charges. St. Joseph County sheriff’s deputies obtained a search warrant for a home in the 61000 block of Youngman Road in Fabius Township. About 4 p.m. Saturday, police found methamphetamine, cocaine, other synthetic drugs, and items used in the distribution and sale of …

Allan J. Mann, 31, was arrested last Tuesday in Centreville, in connection with a fatal crash last year. According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained from the St. Joseph County prosecutor’s office, Mann was charged with driving while intoxicated causing serious injury and two counts operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing death. The incident occurred in July 2018, …

A Sturgis man was found guilty Wednesday by a Cass County jury of assault with intent to do bodily harm and felonious assault. Michael Johnson, 42, will be sentenced April 5 by Cass County Circuit Court Judge Mark Herman. Johnson was found not guilty on a third count of assault with intent to murder. During the trial, Cass County chief …

The Department of Health and Human Services of St. Joseph County is issuing an appeal to the public for donations to support its annual Easter egg hunt. This year’s event takes place next month and will be hosted by Glen Oaks Community College. Agency representative Jan Reed said donations from the public have historically helped make the event a success …