News

Images of Michigan death records from the 1920s and ’30s, including the 1926 death certificate of performer Harry Houdini, are now available online. The records are being made available by the Archives of Michigan, which is charged with preserving records of government and other public institutions. Its website is seekingmichigan.org . Death certificates from 1897 to 1920 were previously available. …

A charge of felony embezzlement has been leveled against Three Rivers High School teacher Sara Freeman following her initial court appearance Monday. District Court Judge Jeff Middleton handled the preliminaries of the case, which involves the alleged embezzlement of more than $20,000. Freeman, 33, is a language arts teacher at the school. But in her additional capacity as yearbook advisor, …

Three people were taken to Three Rivers Health following a three-vehicle crash caused by a suspected drugged driver Tuesday morning in Three Rivers. The person responsible for the incident, which took place at the intersection of South Main and Liberty streets, faces charges of driving under the influence of drugs and child endangerment, according to Three Rivers police. Investigators said …

A former teacher in Three Rivers and Constantine has entered a plea of no contest related to two charges of criminal sexual conduct. David Wing, 59, who also served as an administrator with Marcellus Community Schools, made his plea Monday in St. Joseph County Circuit Court before Judge Paul Stutesman. Wing’s no-contest pleas were in connection to one count of …

Members of the Colon Community Schools Board of Education are mulling a number of options in an effort to trim as much as $500,000 from the district’s $5.7 million budget. The board, which met Monday before a standing-room-only audience in excess of 80 people, is considering options that include the privatization of its transportation services, the elimination of up to …

Deputies from the St Joseph County Sheriff’s Department were called last week to investigate a breaking-and-entering attempt in Flowerfield Township. The incident occurred at a residence in the 50000 block of Wetherbee Road. A neighbor reported hearing the house alarm going off and seeing a male suspect running from the house. The alarm was triggered as a result of the …

Four western Michigan high school students have been arrested after a handgun was discharged in a boys’ restroom.  Kalamazoo police say in a release that a 10th-grader brought the small caliber, semi-automatic pistol Tuesday morning to Loy Norrix High School and inadvertently fired it.  Two other 10th grade students — a boy and girl — kept the gun in their …

By a 4-3 margin, members of the Mendon Community Schools Board of Education voted Monday to not renew the contract of Superintendent Rob Kuhlman. Board members Keith Heitkamp, Lynn Cool, Chris Ames and Regina Schinker opted against renewing Kuhlman’s contract; the measure was supported by Roger Cupp, Linda Thompson and board president Jim Fassett. Mendon school officials a month ago …

The Three Rivers Police Department is working with officials from Three Rivers Community Schools regarding a situation involving the distribution an explicit photo of a student. Police said the inappropriate digital photo of a minor was consensually sent, but then distributed beyond the account of the recipient. As many as 12 people will likely be questioned, police said. A summary …

A 72-year-old cancer patient has been arrested on drug-related charges more than a year after police seized medical marijuana plants from his rural St. Joseph County home. Thomas Williams was arrested and charged last week with drug manufacturing and conspiracy. The charges stem from a November 2013 police seizure when officers stormed into his Colon Township home, seizing cash, his …