Recent Posts

Bronson Polish Festival cancels this year

Another local community festival is taking the year off, as officials from the Bronson Polish Festival announced last week the 2020 event is canceled. Polish Festival committee member Candy Cox said the decision was agonizing but there were too many safety concerns to acknowledge. Cox said financial considerations also played a part in the decision, as some businesses that usually …

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Gift card promotion sold out

A “$20 for $20” gift card promotion benefiting locally owned, small businesses in Three Rivers sold out in less than eight minutes Friday. Organized by the Three Rivers Area Community Foundation, the promotion started at noon Friday. In all, 45 businesses participated, according to Melissa Bliss, executive director of the foundation. She explained that the program was set up to …

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Sturgis fire thought to be arson

Fire officials in Sturgis said a Thursday evening blaze appears to be arson. Deputy police chief Ryan Banaszak said the incident was reported around 5:30 p.m. and took placed in the 300 block of West Jean Street. First-arriving fire personnel said they found flames coming from an upper-level apartment. The fire was contained to one area. No one was injured, …

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Out and About – Week of May 11th

Covid-19 has now claimed the lives of over 80,000 in the United States. In Vietnam, we lost approximately 58,000 Americans. We are reminded of this every time we watch just about any newscast. This is a sad time we’re going through. Someday, there will hopefully be a cure for the Coronavirus. Scientists are working very hard to find a cure …

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St. Joseph County – 65 positive COVID-19 cases

It’s Spring, the sun is shining, the grass is growing, we want to get together with family and friends and shake off the long cold winter. But this year we are advised that we are “Safer at Home”, so this isn’t like any normal Spring. The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency asks that all residents in Branch, Hillsdale, and St. …

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Virus claims 133 more Michigan lives; toll reaches 4,526

The coronavirus has claimed 133 additional lives in Michigan, pushing the state’s death toll from the outbreak to 4,526, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Saturday. With 430 new cases reported, Michigan has a total of 46,756, the agency said. The number of state residents who have recovered from the disease has reached 22,686, it said. It …

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Gov. Whitmer delays expiration of driver’s licenses, IDs

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has delayed the expiration of Michigan driver’s licenses and state ID cards until late July amid the lingering coronavirus pandemic. An executive order Whitmer signed Friday extends until July 31 the expiration date of state ID cards, valid driver’s licenses and operator endorsements that expired or were set to expire between Feb. 1 and June 30. A previous order …

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Michigan restaurants push governor for May 29 reopening

Michigan restaurants and bars on Friday pushed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to let them reopen in three weeks, saying they need a lifeline to survive financially and a chance to show the public it is safe to return. The businesses have been closed to dine-in customers since March 16. They hope to resume service on May 29, when restrictions are currently …

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Gift card promotion in TR – Sold out in 8 minutes!

The goal of the Three Rivers Area Community Foundation was to replicate the success of a community-investment program tried elsewhere in the region through a “$20 for $20” gift card promotion. The effort, to benefit nearly 50 businesses in the 49093 ZIP code, was a success, as the gift cards sold out in 8 minutes! Foundation Executive Director Melissa Bliss …

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Nature preserve visitors encouraged to pull garlic mustard

Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is inviting visitors to help nature by joining in self-guided garlic mustard pulling at any of eight SWMLC nature preserves. Due to restrictions caused by the pandemic, SWMLC has had to cancel its usual springtime volunteer activities, including the garlic mustard pulls that help keep this invasive plant from colonizing woodland habitats. Garlic mustard can be …

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