Recent Posts

River cleanup collects 50 pounds of debris

About 50 pounds of debris was cleared Saturday from a three-mile stretch of the St. Joseph River. The event, sponsored by the St. Joseph County Conservation District, started at North Farrand Road in Colon Township and concluded at Jacksonburg Road in Leonidas Township. It drew a dozen volunteers and netted debris such as a tire, parts of a lawn chair, …

Read More »

Application submitted for cattle farm

A Lockport Township couple has submitted an application for a 600-head cattle farm. According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture, David and Ramona Schwartz are seeking a permit to locate the development in the 60000 block of Lutz Road. The application was submitted Monday. According to the application, the development would feature a calf barn 40-by-224 feet with an outdoor …

Read More »

First ever styrofoam recycling event planned

Westside Landfill will stage a first-of-its-kind recycling opportunity of Styrofoam materials. Waste Management’s Eric Shafer said the special event will take place 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the landfill, 60050 Roberts Road. Shaffer said the collection begins what will be a quarterly event specifically for Styrofoam. Shafer said the service is free and open to all St. Joseph County …

Read More »

Man arrested on drug and retail fraud charges

An Elkhart man was charged with offenses related to drugs and possession of stolen property following his arrest early Tuesday in Three Rivers. According to a department media release, officers were alerted around 1:30 a.m. to a retail fraud in progress at Walmart. The suspect was stopped by officers on Millard Street near the intersection of U.S. 131. K-9 officer …

Read More »

Out and About – Week of June 12th

I could never be a teacher. Besides the fact that one needs more than a Bachelor’s Degree, a teacher must also have the patience of a saint. Teachers are among those professionals who should be addressed as Mister, Mrs., or Miss, and this would be difficult for me. Whenever someone refers to me as Mr. Stutesman, I start looking around …

Read More »

Woman dies in Clear Lake

A Washtenaw County woman died over the weekend after drowning in Fabius Township’s Clear Lake. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said the body of 24-year-old Alison Kunz was found in about 15 feet of water Sunday afternoon by a member of the department’s dive-rescue team. Kunz, a Saline native and recent graduate of Western Michigan University, and a group …

Read More »

Constantine Road work bid signed

After decades of neglect and years of complaints about its condition, Constantine Road is finally on tap for some attention. St. Joseph County Road Commission Manager Chris Minger said a bid to reconstruct Constantine Road, from White Pigeon Township to half a mile north of Stears Road, was signed Friday and the work will begin later this summer. The work …

Read More »

Two injured in motorcycle crash

Two people were injured after the motorcycle on which they were riding was struck by a car over the weekend in Cass County’s Wayne Township. According to a department media release, 42-year-old Michael Friske and his passenger, Cherrell Merwin, 32, also from Dowagiac, were heading west on Dutch Settlement Road on a motorcycle around 10 p.m. Saturday. An eastbound car …

Read More »

Man dies in Cass County crash

A 22-year-old Cassopolis man died last week in a two-vehicle accident in Cass County’s Mason Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called just after 2 p.m. Friday to U.S. 12 and Tharp Lake Road. Investigators found that a truck heading north on Tharp Lake Road failed to stop at the intersection and struck a westbound vehicle driven by David …

Read More »

Police remove drug items, makes arrests

The St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit said items associated with marijuana and methamphetamine use were taken from a White Pigeon residence earlier this month. According to a sheriff’s department media release, the incident took place June 1 in the 100 block of Peck Street. In a separate incident June 2, deputies stopped a vehicle on Bennett Road in Leonidas …

Read More »