News

Police reports say a southwestern Michigan teen panicked when his gun went off and struck a friend in the chest, then the 17-year-old then fatally shot himself. The Kalamazoo Gazette, which obtained the reports through a records request, reported Monday a witness told police that Marsavious Frazier was showing Daquarion Hunter a gun and playing with it Sept. 5 when …

With 6 1/2 days of rain-free weather, a strong offering of entertainment and an appeal to people from surrounding counties, the St. Joseph County Grange Fair concluded Saturday night for its 166th time. Fair manager Bill Johnson said there were a number of issues that kept him and his staff on their toes all week, from an electrical outage in …

A three-car crash Friday claimed the life of a 63-year-old Sturgis man. Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said a semi driven by David Hartman, 52, of Indiana, was eastbound on M-86 near Farrand Road in Colon Township. Hartman’s truck had slowed to turn left into a parking lot of Palomino Trailer around 11:15 a.m. A van driven …

The August unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by 1 percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 3.7 percent August unemployment rate was less than July’s 4.7 percent. August’s unemployment rate was one-tenth of a percent less than the same month one year …

The Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Board of St. Joseph County is encouraging the public to attend its annual testimonial meeting Tuesday. Current and past clients are invited to share the positive impact they have realized from the services of the Centreville-based agency. The meeting portion of the event starts at 4:30 p.m., while the public hearing begins …

Western Michigan University is lining up hundreds of couples to renew their marriage vows as part of a homecoming weekend record attempt. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports the school on Oct. 8 is seeking to set a new Guinness World Records mark for the largest vow renewal ceremony. Guinness says the current mark of 1,087 couples was set at Miami University …

A boil-water notice for Lockport Township was put into effect at 3 p.m. Friday. According to Jennifer Ransbottom, director of utility management services for Jones Petrie Rafinski, a water sample taken from a Moorepark Road well detected the presence of coliform bacteria. Ransbottom said there was no sign of E. coli bacteria found in any of the samples. She said …

A Three Rivers man considered a threat to the public was arrested early this morning following a standoff with police that started Thursday evening and lasted several hours. According to the Three Rivers Police Department, officers learned that Jaden Miars was at a residence in the 800 block of Fourth Street. Miars had warrants for his arrest stemming from multiple …

The culmination of the search for the best local singer took place Thursday at the St. Joseph County Grange Fair, where Centreville’s Autumne Keifer captured the River Country Has Talent crown. A probation officer and magistrate for St. Joseph County, the 35-year-old Keifer performed Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” and followed up with Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing.” The three-person …

Today is Veterans Day at the St. Joseph County Grange Fair, as the 166th annual event enters its homestretch for 2016. Blessed with a week of good weather, the fair is expected to draw another strong crowd today and its closing day Saturday. Events on tap today include antique tractor pulls, open-class draft horse-cart show, live music in the community …