News

The Michigan Department of Transportation wishes to advise motorists of a significant project it is starting next week. A six-mile stretch of U.S. 131 from Broadway Road south to the Constantine bypass will be repaved, with work set to begin Monday. The $1.9 million project is expected to finish by May 22, according to MDOT’s Nick Schirripa. As a result …

One person was arrested on drug-related charges this week following an investigation by members of the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit. Agency officials said the unit on Wednesday served a search warrant in the 15000 block of Millard Road in Fabius Township. Investigators had received information about an individual with outstanding warrants who was alleged to also be manufacturing …

The seven-member White Pigeon Community Schools Board of Education agreed Wednesday to keep its superintendent’s position intact for the 2015-16 academic year as it is currently. That means high school principal Jon Keyer will continue to serve as superintendent in tandem with curriculum director Carrie Erlandson as associate superintendent. They were appointed to the two-person position for the 2014-15 school …

Three Rivers, along with Fabius, Park and Lockport townships were told Wednesday that they were successful in the first round of the “America’s Best Communities” competition, a $10 million initiative to stimulate economic revitalization in small towns and cities. Sponsored by Frontier Communications, DISH Network, The Weather Channel and CoBank, Three Rivers, and Fabius, Park and Lockport townships, as a …

State Rep. Aaron Miller announced earlier this week a state grant to help develop five parcels of land in Sturgis into a two-story building, which represents the first significant new construction in the downtown area in half a century. Miller said Moso Village LLC will use the $1 million Michigan Community Revitalization Program grant to redevelop the land to include …

The 2015 Liberty Bell Award is being presented Friday to representatives from St. Joseph County’s two newspapers. Judge Jeff Middleton said the 31st annual award ceremony will honor the Sturgis Journal and the Three Rivers Commercial-News as recipients of the award for 2015. Presented by the St. Joseph County Bar Association, the Liberty Bell Award was established as a way …

Members of the Sturgis City Commission earlier this month gave approval to accommodations for an expanded Sturgis Fest lineup, slated for the last full week of June. Added to this year’s events are a car exhibition on U.S. 12 and a dog show in Franks Park. Cathi Abbs, executive director of Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce, indicated another surprise is …

A western Michigan man will spend the rest of his life in prison in the slaying of his 2-year-old son. WOOD-TV and the Kalamazoo Gazette report that 41-year-old Brian Roberts of Kalamazoo was sentenced Monday. He was convicted earlier this month of first-degree murder and child abuse in the death of Nehemiah Dodd. Kalamazoo officers found Nehemiah unconscious Dec. 31, …

Construction is expected to begin next week on an estimated $14 million project to replace a highway bridge in southern Michigan. State transportation authorities say the project will replace the Interstate 94 bridge at Exit 92 and resurface parts of the business loop in Battle Creek. Work is set to begin Monday and finish by Nov. 15. The Michigan Department …

Operators of southwestern Michigan’s Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant say that one of its units has returned to service after a 34-day shutdown for refueling. Unit 2 at the plant went back online about 2 a.m. Tuesday. Indiana Michigan Power runs the plant, which is along Lake Michigan in Berrien County’s Lake Township, near Bridgman. The Fort Wayne, Indiana-based company …