News

The condition of a 14-year-old girl is improving, more than a week after she survived a mass shooting in southwestern Michigan. Vickie Kopf posted an update about her daughter on Facebook. She says Abigail Kopf’s ventilator was removed Sunday and she’s breathing on her own. Abigail was outside a Kalamazoo-area restaurant when she was shot in the head on Feb. …

The Doyle Community Center in Sturgis is expected to begin a capital fundraising campaign in March. Director Michael Liston said the goal is to raise up to $200,000 to pay for a 3,000-square-foot weight room addition. Liston said the community center hopes to complete the project by January 2017 and that it would allow weight-training equipment to be moved off …

Three Rivers Middle School last week won the 32nd annual St. Joseph County middle school quiz bowl. The competition took place at the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District. White Pigeon finished second and Sturgis placed third. Also participating at the quiz bowl were teams from Centreville, Colon, Constantine, Howardsville Christian, Mendon and Nottawa. Members of the Three Rivers team …

The Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce is reminding local groups, businesses and individuals that applications for a variety of events related to the 60th annual Three Rivers Water Festival are available on its website. Applications for the event’s arts and crafts vendors, commercial vendors, non-profit booths and sponsorship forms can be downloaded at the website: trchamber.com.

Michigan officials are considering whether to expand coyote hunting in the state as part of an effort to deal with complaints about the animals in residential areas. The Times Herald of Port Huron reports the Natural Resources Commission at its March meeting plans to consider a recommendation on the issue. Currently, coyotes may be killed in daylight statewide from July …

  Butterflies have arrived at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park for an annual event at the western Michigan attraction. Thousands of butterflies will be on view starting Tuesday as part of the Fred & Dorothy Fichter “Butterflies Are Blooming” exhibition, which runs through April 30 at the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. About 60 butterfly species are part of the …

The final pieces of a 2012 sinking-fund millage renewal are falling into place in White Pigeon. Members of the school district’s board of education Wednesday approved what amounts to about $1.7 million worth of bids. Superintendent Jon Keyer said the action nearly exhausts $5 million from what was a five-year extension of a sinking-fund millage originally approved in 2007. The …

St. Joseph County’s emergency management director was given approval last week to attend a national conference this summer. The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners passed a motion to allow T.J. Baker to attend the 2016 National School Safety Conference in Orlando in late July. According to a memo from Baker to commissioners, the conference will focus on all aspects …

The St. Joseph County Road Commission repaired potholes in more than 800 miles of roads and removed snow from more than 1,000 miles of roadways in 2015. The information was presented last week to the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners as part of the road commission’s annual report. Past board chairman John Bippus said other work completed last year …

A prosecutor says no charges will be brought after state troopers fatally shot a man during a November standoff at a motel in southwestern Michigan. Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic announced the decision Thursday following a review of police reports, lab reports and autopsy results. Police say Marcus Meridy was fatally shot Nov. 18 after firing at police. Meridy had …