News

Twelve people took advantage of the 10th annual New Year’s Eve Free Ride Home over a six-hour period that started Sunday night. St. Joseph County Transportation Authority Executive Director Steve Yorks said 10 of the rides originated from the Three Rivers area, while the others were centered in Sturgis. The 12 rides are the fewest passengers since the program started. …

In a county-wide effort to encourage a more welcoming community in which to live and work, chambers of commerce in Three Rivers and Sturgis joined in 2017 to create and promote the “St. Joseph County Statement on Civility.” The statement is a document that organizations, boards of directors and committees can adopt to facilitate respectful communications and allow their meetings …

The opening of a new Commission On Aging headquarters with senior housing tops the county’s highlights in 2018, according to its board chairman. Commission chair Allen Balog said there’s plenty of good to look forward to in 2018, but personally he is most excited about a plan by COA director Tim Stoll to convert the former Three Rivers Inn into …

A Cassopolis woman was injured in a one-vehicle, rollover accident last week in Cass County’s Jefferson Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 1 p.m. Dec. 24 to Dailey Road, south of Jefferson Center Street. Behnke said Nicole Miller, 23, was driving south on Dailey Road when she lost control of the vehicle she was driving. Her car went …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners was on the receiving end of compliments for its commitment to its parks and recreation department. During the “Citizens Comments” portion of the Dec. 19 county commission meeting, a half dozen people approached the podium and complimented the board for a job well done in 2017. The praise came in contrast to the …

Centreville Village Council members recently responded to a letter from Nottawa Township regarding a variety of issues. The communication from Nottawa Township asked the village to help pay for ambulance service, take care of the maintenance on the Pioneer Cemetery and increase the rent payment for the village offices. The council declined in all cases. Its members said taxes it already …

Two people were injured in a snowmobiling accident Wednesday night in Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke’s office reported the incident happened after 8 p.m. on M-217 north of Wayne Street. Eric Black, 42, of Union, was reportedly northbound in a field east of M-217 when he lost control of his snowmobile, which resulted in him being thrown off and caused …

The Michigan State Police are continuing to investigate a breaking and entering that occurred in Sturgis Township last week. Troopers said the incident happened in the early morning hours of Dec. 19 in the 69000 block of Hazel St. Taken from the home were a JBL Bluetooth speaker, a Fitbit brand fitness watch that was still in the box it …

Roger Rathburn, superintendent at Mendon Community Schools, died Tuesday as a result of injuries stemming from an accident at Sauganash Golf Club. Police personnel were called to the golf club about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday after Rathburn was found on the ground by family members. They said it appears Rathburn was on a ladder, cutting branches from a tree more than 15 feet in the …

Sturgis High School teacher Patty Davidson has been named the 2017 John E. Oster award winner. The honor is handed out yearly for teaching excellence at Sturgis Public Schools and is given out by the Sturgis Rotary Club. Davidson has taught at SPS since 1987 and has shown innovation and success teaching classes like Women’s Fitness and Self Defense, Life …