News

The St. Joseph County Literacy Council has hired J.P. Yoder as its new executive director. Yoder’s first day on the job was Thursday. He replaces Rebecca Lilly, who retired earlier this year. Yoder spent nine years in the 1980s and ‘90s as administrator at Thurston Woods senior-living center in Sturgis. He has also served on executive boards of several non-profit …

A Burr Oak High School student graduated last month with perfect attendance throughout his K-thru-12 education. Brandon Hernandez said the only exception was excused absences during Fair Week. Hernandez said he values his work in 4-H but would have quit the organization if it meant losing his standing of perfect attendance. Hernandez said his mother is a kindergarten teacher in …

The Three Rivers 139-foot water tower, located on Broadway, is sporting a new coat of paint. Fedewa, a firm located in Hastings, was awarded the $122,000 contract. Engineering costs totaled $13,000. The tower, which was constructed in 1964, is repainted, on an average, every 15 years.

Authorities say a 71-year-old man has died after falling from a sailboat while working on the vessel at a marina in southwestern Michigan. The Allegan County sheriff’s department says John Edward DeBoer of Kalamazoo was found in Kalamazoo Lake less than 15 minutes after falling Thursday. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where the sheriff’s department says he …

State Rep. Aaron Miller is hosting three community forums related to a bill that would close the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System to new school employees. Miller said House Bill 4647 would institute a defined contribution retirement plan that is identical to that of state employees and legislators. He said the meetings were called in light of numerous emails …

A 31-year-old Sturgis man was arrested on drug-related offenses following an investigation by the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit. According to a sheriff’s department media release, SCAN narcotics investigators executed a search warrant Thursday at a residence in the 66000 block of Myers Landing Road in Sherman Township. Investigators found marijuana, methamphetamine and items used to manufacture meth.

Cass County sheriff’s officials are looking for a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run incident earlier this week. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called around noon Wednesday to a location on U.S. 12 west of M-217 in Porter Township. Deputies found that a motorcycle driven by 19-year-old Colin Schieber of Elkhart had crashed into the rear of another vehicle. Schieber …

Many Indiana Toll Road drivers face paying much higher rates with the expiration of a state subsidy from the state’s lease of the highway more than a decade ago. The new rates taking effect Thursday will see cars, pickup trucks and motorcycles with electronic transponders being charged more than double previous levels. Motorists with E-ZPass transponders now will pay $10.52 …

A fisherman from Benton Harbor was rescued Wednesday from Dewey Lake in Cass County’s Silver Creek Township. The county’s 911 central dispatch received a call shortly after 10:30 a.m. regarding a capsized boat. Deputies found that a lone fisherman was hanging onto the side of his boat and calling for help. A Silver Creek Township police officer arrived on the …

The court date for a former priest at parishes in Colon and Bronson has been moved to later this month. A pre-trial conference for Richard Fritz was originally slated to take place Tuesday but has been rescheduled to June 13. If a preliminary hearing is necessary, it would occur June 20, according to the St. Joseph County District Court. Fritz …