Recent Posts

K-Wings find “love” with Valentine’s Day win

KALAMAZOO – After dropping three games in a row, the Kalamazoo Wings (20-23-4-1) ended the week on a high note. Falling to the Cincinatti Cyclones on Wednesday and the Evansville IceMan on Friday, the K-Wings hoped that a return to home ice would help them get back to their winning ways. A furious comeback attempt late in the game against …

Read More »

Charges filed in fatal pileup that killed mother, son

A man faces charges in the deaths of a woman and her son in an icy, chain-reaction crash last month on I-94 in southwestern Michigan. Carol and Andrew Griesemer died in the pileup in Van Buren County. The crashes on Jan. 17 spread to more than 40 cars and trucks. Timothy Martinez, a 40-year-old from the Grand Rapids area, appeared …

Read More »

Mark My Words – Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and for many, it is a day that can cause some extreme stress! We all want to surprise our Valentine with a special gift, a great dinner and a wonderful time. But the worry sets in that maybe we aren’t doing enough, or the gifts won’t be well recieved. Or worse yet, do they even …

Read More »

Cold across Michigan prompts warnings; crashes reported

Bitterly cold weather has made its way into Michigan and wintry conditions are creating hazardous driving conditions in parts of the state. The National Weather Service issued wind chill advisories into the weekend, with temperatures forecast to drop below zero at times. The Van Buren County sheriff’s department reports numerous crashes Friday along a stretch of I-94 in southwestern Michigan. …

Read More »

Dennis Allen will seek seat on Board of Commissioners

The first person to publicly announce his candidacy for the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners is a longtime Centreville resident and public official. Dennis Allen said he will seek the Third District seat currently held by 20-year board member and Fishers Lake resident Rick Shaffer. Shaffer has already stated he will not seek re-election for an additional two-year term. …

Read More »

Courthouse addition named priority for commissioners

A courthouse addition for the county courts departments was identified as the No. 1 priority based on an informal poll during this week’s county commissioner workshop. The five-member panel over the course of an hour Tuesday revisited a number of projects either in progress or on the drawing board. Among the projects in either the planning or discussion stages, however, …

Read More »

Rescued exotic animals receive treatment

The Black Pine Animal Sanctuary, where a pair of exotic animals removed last month from a Mottville Township residence is receiving medical treatment, has provided an update on the condition of the animals it took in. A monkey is in quarantine. At the time of its removal, it weighed less than 10 pounds, was emaciated and dehydrated, and deprived of …

Read More »

Sheriff’s department warns of telephone scams

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department has fielded a number of reports from residents complaining of telephone calls claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service. Sheriff Balk said the IRS does not conduct business by telephone. He encourages people to do the following if they receive such phone calls: Record the employee’s name, return-call number and caller ID if …

Read More »

Owner charged after dog found beaten with baseball bat

A Battle Creek man has been charged after police found his dog badly beaten on his back porch. The husky mix had been beaten with an aluminum baseball bat and shot at least once with a pellet rifle when officers arrived. A Battle Creek police officer shot and killed the dog Tuesday night because of the severity of its wounds. Police …

Read More »

Commissioners table marketing plan

County commissioners appear deadlocked on whether to move forward with a marketing plan to encourage Chicago and its suburban residents to consider making St. Joseph County a vacation and, potentially, a permanent destination. The issue was discussed during Tuesday’s work session involving the five-member commission. As part of its goal to promote its 150 miles of rivers, the county has …

Read More »