News

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Rural Development State Director Brandon Fewins has announced that USDA is expanding access to health care for three Michigan communities, including one in St. Joseph County. Centreville-based Covered Bridge Healthcare will use a $1 million grant to purchase equipment that will improve tele-health services among other future pandemic and medical surge preparation projects. Facilities in Shiawassee …

St. Joseph County Undersheriff Jason Bingaman has released the name of the Three Rivers woman who died after the bicycle she was riding was struck by a van last week. Heather Lynn Lafler, 39, died shortly after the incident, which occurred at 11 p.m. Friday at the intersection of U.S. 131 and Millard Road in Fabius Township. Investigators said the …

The case of a LaGrange County man involved a two-vehicle crash that killed two Indiana women in White Pigeon Township is moving on to a preliminary examination. Harley Jay Bontrager, 19, appeared Tuesday with his attorney, Jessica LaFond, before District Court Judge Jeff Middleton for a pre-exam conference. Prosecutor David Marvin said he and LaFond agreed to move the case …

St. Joseph County United Way has opened a family catastrophic fund to help a victim of the July fire that destroyed a business in downtown Burr Oak. Agency officials said the fundraiser is to benefit Chris Williams. He was the chef at “It Takes A Village” diner and lived in an apartment above it. On weekends, he ran the restaurant …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the theft of mail from a location in Constantine Township. Deputies said the incident occurred during nighttime hours this past Sunday in the 62000 block of Youngs Prairie Road. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said residents should be aware of their mail delivery and whether there is any suspicious activity related to …

Here’s an announcement regarding the Three Rivers Community Kitchen Soup Pot. Starting today, it will resume serving meals Tuesdays and Thursdays. Serving hours are 4 to 5 p.m. and meals are offered at Trinity Episcopal Church, 321 N. Main St.

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a report of a stolen travel trailer from a storage lot in Branch County. The travel trailer, a 2023 Heartland Pioneer BH270, is gray and blue in color. Authorities said it was taken between June 24 and July 22 from the 700 block of East Chicago Road in Quincy Township.

A White Pigeon man convicted of murder after striking a 64-year-old woman with his pickup truck and then taking her body to a wooded area was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Colby Martin, 31, of White Pigeon hit Melody Rohrer in 2021 while she was out for a walk in Van Buren County, authorities …

A man allegedly attempting an armed robbery of a store clerk in Cass County last week was shot by a customer inside the business. Cassopolis Police Chief Todd McMichael said the incident occurred shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday at Stone Lake Marathon, in the 200 block of South Broadway Street. McMichael said authorities arrived to find a man who had …

Members of the Sturgis City Commission last week voted to move forward with developing an urban-chicken ballot measure for voters to decide. During their meeting Wednesday, commissioners agreed to move forward with drafting a resolution and develop language for a ballot measure in August 2024. The presidential primary was chosen as the election date because special elections can cost up …