News

Prosecutors have filed murder and armed robbery charges against a Western Michigan University basketball player in the killing of a fellow student last week. Joeviair Kennedy was due to be arraigned Monday in a Kalamazoo County court in Thursday’s fatal shooting of 19-year-old Jacob Jones in an off-campus apartment. Prosecutors don’t know if the 20-year-old Muskegon man has an attorney …

The Three Rivers City Commission has a vacancy to fill in its Third District. The opening comes as a result of Commissioner Diane Clay announcing last week her resignation due to her impending move out-of-district. A six-year board member, Clay will stay on board until after completing next week’s city commission meeting, the commission’s final meeting of the year. The …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners was asked last week to continue its customary funding to maintain in 2017 the services of a local economic-development group. During Tuesday’s commission meeting, board members were urged to allocate their standing $250,000 to Southwest Michigan First economic-development corporation. The five-member board is considering cutting back on its commitment to Southwest Michigan First, …

State Rep. Aaron Miller last week attended three township meetings – in Sturgis, Burr Oak and Wayne townships – fulfilling a promise made two years ago to attend each of the 59th District’s monthly municipal meetings twice, hearing first-hand ideas and how the Legislature can help communities. Miller said he enjoyed meeting with local officeholders and listening to the concerns …

Colon High School students were witness to a “Courts In the Schools” program last week. Staged by St. Joseph County District Court Judge Rob Pattison, Friday’s session followed previous in-school court sessions in Three Rivers and Sturgis. The two cases heard Friday centered on sentencings of suspects related to drugs and alcohol. Pattison said he is an advocate of the …

Leonidas resident Clay Decker is a new junior member of the American Angus Association. Junior members of the association are eligible to register cattle in the American Angus Association, participate in programs conducted by the National Junior Angus Association, take part in association-sponsored shows, and other national and regional events. The American Angus Association is the largest beef breed association …

A new monument has been unveiled at the St. Joseph County Fairgrounds. Located just north of the fair office, outside building 51, a monument dedicated last month commemorates 100 years of the St. Joseph County fair as a “Grange” fair. Tom Smith, secretary and program director of St. Joseph/Cass/Kalamazoo Counties District Grange, explained that while the first St. Joseph County …

Six people were arrested in Sturgis last week after resisting arrest. The incident began when an officer attempted to stop a vehicle shortly before 2 a.m. Friday in the 400 block of West West Street for a traffic violation. Officers said the vehicle pulled into a private drive, and a male and female in the vehicle fled into a residence. …

A public hearing on St. Joseph County’s proposed 2017 fiscal-year budget generated scrutiny toward the county’s board of commissioners Tuesday. The focus of the scorn centered on the proposed $18.1 million general-fund budget and the $2.8 million the board earlier this year agreed to provide toward expenses related to a 17-field sports complex in the Three Rivers area. The proposed …

St. Joseph County commissioners this week approved the reappointment of Matt Scheske as a member of the county’s Investment Advisory Board. His three-year term will expire at the end of 2019. Scheske is vice president of commercial lending at Sturgis Bank & Trust. Also, commissioners agreed to reappoint four people to the county’s Planning Commission. They are: Warren Atkins of …