News

Organizers of the 32nd annual Mendon Riverfest declared the three-day community celebration a success. Starting with a dozen acts in Thursday’s lip-sync contest and ending with a crowd-pleasing fireworks display Saturday, the 2019 Riverfest featured strong crowds throughout the balance of the day Friday and Saturday. Riverfest chair Spencer Howe said more than 80 teams participated in Friday’s cornhole tournament …

Michigan Department of Transportation has issued a media release regarding a project this week impacting traffic east of Colon. M-86 will be closed for culvert replacement between Matteson Lake Road, in Branch County’s Matteson Township, and Snow Prairie Road in Batavia Township, near Coldwater. The closure begins today and continues through Friday. Motorists are advised to follow the posted detour …

A Shipshewana woman died Tuesday in a swimming accident in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 7:30 p.m. to a location at Long Lake, where a group of seven people from Indiana were wakeboarding. The group stopped for a break when one of the participants, 19-year-old Janelle Miller, left the boat to swim. Shortly …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is encouraging parents to keep pre-teen and teenage students prepared for school by being fully immunized. Whenever children are brought into group settings, there is a chance for diseases to spread, according to Yvonne Atwood, director of Personal Health and Disease Prevention at the tri-county agency. The health department offers immunizations by appointment, and …

Pealer Street bridge, which spans the Rocky River in Three Rivers, was filled with diners and music Saturday at this year’s installment of Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Discover the Treasures of St. Joseph County” series. Christy Trammell, president and CEO of the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce, said the event was a success. Ribs, chicken, sides, doughnuts and …

Businesses in Cass, Lenawee and St. Joseph counties will share in $33.8 million in grant money, leading more than 21,000 homes and businesses to modern broadband internet in rural areas. The Federal Communication Commission announced last month the winning bids. In fall 2018, it allocated more than $1.4 billion in support to expand broadband to more than 700,000 unserved rural homes …

Municipal officials in Colon have passed an ordinance prohibiting businesses that grow, produce, market or sell marijuana for recreational purposes. The door to the marijuana industry in Colon may not be shut completely, however, as council members tabled voting on a resolution to opt-in for marijuana sold for medicinal purposes. The vote was made to the dismay of more than …

Centreville Public Schools Board of Education on Monday approved the hiring of new staff members. They are: Alison Marek, third-grade teacher; Meredith Spicer, elementary special-education teacher; John Salem, junior high/high school science teacher; Matthew Price, Spanish teacher, junior/senior high. Price will also serve as boys’ varsity basketball coach. In addition, second-grade teacher Bart Schrader was hired to serve as varsity cheer …

A long-vacant business in Centreville will soon be razed. Marcus Gleaton, owner of Gleaton-Swanwick Agency in Centreville, has purchased the former Village Market property. Gleaton recently indicated he plans to tear down the old grocery store, since repairing damage from a fire and fixing the roof could cost well over $500,000. Two other units in the plaza, the former Habitat …

Scholastic and St. Joseph County United Way are partnering with the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District to support a book drive. The goal is $100,000, which would allow for the purchase of books for all nine public school districts in the county. The United Way has agreed to match the first $10,000. In addition, Scholastic will donate free books …