Recent Posts

High school football playoffs

St. Joseph County’s lone representatives in the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s football playoffs were eliminated over the weekend. White Pigeon finishes its season with an 11-1 record. It lost Friday night in a Division 8 contest to Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 54-6. The Bobcats are now 12-0. Meanwhile, in Division 6 action, Constantine had the homefield advantage but lost to …

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There’s a movement to ‘leave the leaves’ in gardens and lawns. Should you do it?

Unless you’ve been living under a pile of leaves, you’ve no doubt heard about the “Leave the Leaves” movement that’s been gaining in popularity in recent years. The idea is to avoid sending bagged-up fallen leaves to landfills. Instead, we’re asked to leave them be, allowing them to naturally decompose over the winter into nutrient-rich organic matter that also shelters hibernating pollinators and …

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More than six dozen guns confiscated

Area police agencies seized more than six dozen illegally possessed firearms during a raid on a Sherman Township home Tuesday in the 25000 block of Hiawatha Drive, according to a release from Michigan State Police. No arrests were made but evidence will be forwarded to federal officials and the St. Joseph County prosecuting attorney for possible charges, investigators said. During …

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Successful coat drive at KCCU

Kellogg Community Credit Union declared its 2023 coat and winter-wear drive a success. KCCU branches in the region – including its Three Rivers site – took in 435 new and gently used winter coats during its month-long drive in October. In addition, 186 cold-weather items were donated. The credit union partnered with local charities and non-profits throughout West Michigan to …

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Three Rivers election results

Incumbent Tom Lowry was elected to serve two more years as mayor of Three Rivers. Unofficial results of Tuesday’s election show Lowry earned 479 votes. His challenger, Vernis Mims Jr., captured 428 votes. Lowry has served as the city’s mayor for 26 years. Meanwhile, all three incumbent city commission members were re-elected to two-year terms. First District incumbent Pat Dayne …

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Constantine Township election results

Constantine Township received the green light to create a special-assessment district in support of fire protection and ambulance service. The request received 124 yes votes to 97 opposed. Full details of how the half-mill will be allocated is to be a topic of discussion this morning during a special meeting by township officials. The township’s other request, which would have …

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School millage renewal approved in Burr Oak

Burr Oak Community Schools taxpayers Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a renewal request centering on a sinking fund. Renewal of a nearly 3-mill amount came in the form of 127 votes in favor to 35 against. Projected to raise about $160,000 annually over the course of its four-year life, the newly approved sinking fund will take effect in 2025. District officials said …

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Employee lay off at Pfizer in Portage

About 200 people have been laid off at Pfizer’s facility in Portage, the company confirmed. The laid-off employees were notified last week, according to MLive. A lower demand than what the company expected for its COVID-19 products was stated as the culprit. The product Comirnaty is Pfizer’s vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in people 12 years and older. Paxlovid, meanwhile, is …

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Sale of Sturgis Hospital moves forward

Sturgis municipal officials have completed the sale of Sturgis Hospital. Completion of the transaction allowed Sturgis Hospital Inc. to finalize terms of its acquisition by Asker Corp., including a management agreement and financial support of the hospital. That agreement will be in place until the acquisition is approved by the Michigan Attorney General’s office. The agreement included a $3 million …

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Cass County – Fatal crash

A 79-year-old Union man died in a single-vehicle crash last week in Cass County’s Ontwa Township. Douglas Westrick, chief of the Ontwa Township Edwardsburg Police Department, said first-responders were called shortly before 4:30 p.m. Thursday to an area on Redfield Street, west of Adamsville Road. Witnesses told authorities a vehicle driven by Robert Lockmondy was eastbound on Redfield Street, crossed …

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