News

Justice Larsen wins 2-year Supreme Court term

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Joan Larsen has won a partial term on the state’s highest court. Larsen defeated Wayne County Judge Deborah Thomas and lawyer Kerry Morgan in the election Tuesday. She was appointed to the court in 2015 and now will serve the two years remaining in the term of a justice who resigned. Larsen was nominated by the …

Read More »

Principal: Boy fatally struck after attending youth group

A school principal says a 10-year-old boy who died after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a street in Kalamazoo County had just been at a youth group gathering. Police in Kalamazoo Township say Daniel Sluiter was trying to cross Wednesday night in an area where there was no crosswalk or stoplight. He was taken to a hospital, where …

Read More »

Charges cleared in fatal shooting of Berrien County inmate

Two bailiffs involved in the fatal shooting of a jail inmate at the Berrien County Courthouse in July won’t be criminally charged in the incident. Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic said Wednesday that the fatal shooting of inmate 44-year-old Larry Gordon was justified, clearing bailiffs Milt Russell and Rick Lull of criminal responsibility in his death. The bailiffs had fired …

Read More »

Cass County standoff ends in arrest

A Cass County man was taken into custody this week following a standoff with law-enforcement authorities. According to state police, troopers were called at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday to a Howard Township location where two people were struck by a car driven by a hit-and-run driver. The victims provided a detailed description of the vehicle and authorities managed to locate the …

Read More »

Schoolcraft railroad project complete

Officials from the Michigan Department of Transportation said a two-week road project on U.S. 131 in the village of Schoolcraft has been completed. MDOT said work at the railroad crossing at the south end of the village of Schoolcraft was finished on schedule and a detour around the tracks has been removed. The project, which started Oct. 24, involved repaving …

Read More »

Planned improvements to the electric transmission system

Indiana Michigan Power plans to invest about $5 million to improve the electric transmission system in St. Joseph County. The Sturgis Area Improvements project is essential to ensure continued reliable energy service is available to customers, according to I& M spokesperson Tracy Warner. Plans include upgrading about three miles of 69-kilovolt transmission line. Warner said existing wood poles will be …

Read More »

MDOT plans rebuild of US 131

Michigan Department of Transportation in 2018 is planning a $7 million overhaul of a busy stretch of U.S. 131 in Three Rivers. But the focus during a two-hour open house Wednesday in Three Rivers was on a roundabout proposed for the south intersection of U.S. 131 and M-60. Funding for the circular obstacle, however, remains an issue and its inclusion …

Read More »

No charges after girl dies from dog attack

St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough said there will be no charges filed in a case last week in which a 4-year-old Sherman Township girl died as the result of a dog attack. McDonough stated in a media release issued Wednesday that he had the opportunity to review all information regarding the death and concluded there is not sufficient evidence …

Read More »

Commissioners table park project

Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners agreed this week to table a matter related to an infrastructure project at one of its parks. Commissioners voted Tuesday to delay approving a contract for sanitary sewer and water extension at Cade Lake in Fawn River Township. County administrator Pat Yoder said the matter was premature in appearing on the …

Read More »

Mendon Kiwanis Showboat continues

The 60th Mendon Kiwanis Showboat is underway, and organizers, including Dale Eickhoff, took a unique approach to establish the Showboat’s 2016 theme. Eickhoff said Showboat officials have gone back and picked out songs and jokes used in the previous 59 shows. This year’s Showboat theme, he said, is “Still Crazy After All These Years.” The oldest song dates to 1958, when …

Read More »