Recent Posts

County employees donate socks

St. Joseph County employees recently held a drive to collect socks for a local agency. The Socks Drive featured contributions made by employees who attended the county’s annual Christmas luncheon sponsored by the Courthouse Girls Club. The socks will be donated to the Three Rivers Food Site for distribution to people who are known to need socks.

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Out and About – Week of January 20th

Last week, I listed some suggestions about what advice a man might give his son. I promised to share more advice in a future column. However, I feel that before I share more advice for sons from their fathers, I should give equal time for advice mothers might want to give their daughters. Here are some suggestions for just that: …

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Grandpa forgot something: $43,170 found in footstool

The footstool didn’t feel right. Well, that’s what happens when someone stashes $43,170 inside and apparently forgets about it. The money was discovered Sunday inside a footstool that was donated to a Michigan resale shop in Owosso Township, northeast of Lansing. Howard Kirby was shocked when his daughter-in-law unzipped the cushion and screamed. He was entitled to the cash, but …

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Michigan juvenile lifer to get new sentence in girl’s death

A judge has set aside a life sentence for a man who was convicted of killing his pregnant girlfriend when they were teenagers and burying her body in southwestern Michigan. The decision Monday by a Cass County judge means 43-year-old Robert Leamon will get a new sentence and a chance for parole. Rebecca Stowe was strangled, and her body was …

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Head-on collision in Constantine Township

An Elkhart resident died in a two-vehicle, head-on collision Wednesday in Constantine Township. Sheriff’s deputies were called around 7 p.m. to the intersection of U.S. 131 and Riverside Drive. Investigators said a vehicle occupied by three Elkhart residents turned southbound off Riverside Drive into the northbound lane. The pickup in which they were riding was struck by a northbound semi …

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American Legion hit by vehicle

A vehicle driven by a 23-year-old Jones resident struck the American Legion building on Lutz Road in Lockport Township last weekend. Sheriff officials were called around 12:15 p.m. Sunday to the scene, located near the junction of M-86 and Lutz Road. Deputies found that a vehicle had traveled off the roadway and struck the American Legion, located at 59990 S. …

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Police seek robbery suspect

Three Rivers Police Department is seeking the public’s help in finding a man who attempted to rob a bank last week. According to a department media release, a person later identified as 21-year-old Taylor Phillips entered Horizon Bank on West Michigan Avenue shortly before 6:30 p.m. Jan. 8. Authorities allege that the suspect passed a note to a teller, but …

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Fatal crash in Constantine Township

Sheriff Brad Balk reports that deputies on Tuesday at approximately 7pm, responded to the intersection of US-131 and Riverside Drive in Constantine Township for a two vehicle crash. Two females ages 27 and 31, accompanied by a 36-year-old male all from Elkhart, turned southbound on a northbound lane on US-131 from Riverside Drive. The vehicle turned into oncoming traffic, colliding …

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Hunt convicted on murder charge

It took less than 90 minutes Wednesday for a St. Joseph County jury to convict 41-year-old Theron Hunt, of Dowagiac, of first-degree felony murder. The jury also found Hunt guilty of two counts of armed robbery, one count of unlawful imprisonment, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of felony firearm. Hunt was on trial for the …

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Proposed pet ordinance draws concerned citizens to planning commission meeting

A strong message was sent Tuesday to members of the Sherman Township Planning Commission. More than 50 people were on hand to show their concerns about a potential ordinance that limits the number of pets township residents can own without having to secure a kennel license. Though the proposed ordinance remains a work in progress and the matter was not …

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