News

St. Joseph County commissioners made a number of appointments and re-appointments during their monthly meeting last week. First, appointments were made to the county’s Planning Commission: Greg Dohm, Kathy Pangle, Robert Horton and Rick Shaffer were tapped to serve on the panel. Next, commissioners agreed to appoint Teresa Doehring, Bronwyn Drost, Andrew Kuk and Jessica Miller to the county’s Brownfield …

The Sturgis Department of Public Safety was dispatched to a residential fire in the 600 block of South Park Street. According to an agency media release, personnel responded at 9:25 p.m. Monday. First-responding crews observed fire extending from the first to the second floor on the north side of the home. It eventually spread into the attic. There were no …

A Barry County woman was injured in a one-vehicle crash last Friday in Cass County’s LaGrange Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said 30-year-old Savanna Holder was driving north on M-62 around 11:55 p.m. Investigators said Holder lost control of her vehicle near Cherry Grove Street. Her car left the roadway and struck a tree. She was treated at Borgess Lee Memorial …

The owner of a major shopping center in Grand Rapids has filed bankruptcy. According to WGVU, Woodland Mall is one of 18 shopping centers owned and managed by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, known as PREIT. Located on 28th Street in Kentwood, Woodland is PREIT’s only property in Michigan. Woodland Mall’s Mary Ann Sabo told WGVU that operations at …

Current and past Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy board members have added another $100,000 toward their joint challenge for SWMLC’s “Force for Nature” membership campaign. The total challenge amount now stands at $250,000 to help build the organizational strength, range and flexibility necessary for SWMLC to keep doing its conservation work of protecting and restoring ecologically important natural areas in southwest …

St. Joseph County officials this week were given a follow-up on a growing homeless encampment in the Three Rivers area. During its monthly meeting Tuesday, St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners heard from undersheriff Jason Bingaman. At the board’s Dec. 12 executive committee meeting, commissioner Rick Shaffer raised concerns about the situation – his apprehension centering on whether children were …

A downed electric wire left 7,500 Consumers Energy customers in Branch and St. Joseph counties without power for about an hour Wednesday morning. Consumers spokesperson Brian Wheeler said all customers were back in service by 8 a.m. The affected area stretched from just east of the Branch County Memorial Airport, to the west and south of Barnhard Road, to the …

Glen Oaks Community College has announced its holiday schedule. The Centreville-area campus will be closed Friday through Jan. 1 for the winter holiday break. Student services, including admissions, advising and the cashier’s office, will reopen at 8 a.m. Jan 2 albeit with limited staffing. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Online course registration for current students will continue throughout the …

Thirteen people were recently recognized for their milestone years of service as employees of Glen Oaks Community College. Five-year recipients were Anne Fries, Karen Goodman, Vonda Marrow, Cheryl Schmitt and Robert Stuck. Honored for 15 years of service were Tonya Howden, Michael Sandelin and Chad Worthington. Three employees were recognized for two decades of service to the school: Trista Nelson, …

A $200,000 donation was made by an Indiana couple last week to St. Joseph County Animal Control. The gift was presented by LaPorte County residents Stephanie and Terry Strawbridge, on behalf of Stephanie’s brother, Dave Ritzer. Ritzer, who died in 2020, was a longtime resident of St. Joseph County. In addition, he was active in the business community and had a …