News

St. Joseph County United Way is overseeing a fund to assist a Three Rivers family who suffered substantial loss in a recent fire. Agency officials said the Wanda Lewis Family Catastrophic Fund has been set up in response to the family’s need for basic items, including clothing. Their residence was destroyed by fire Thursday last week. The family of seven …

St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department recently hired its first deputy trained through a government-paid incentive. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards grant is in its second year and has a pool of more than $20 million to share with qualifying agencies. MCOLES provides qualifying agencies $24,000 to cover the estimated $15,000 it costs for a …

Oliver Knuth, volunteer coordinator with the Kalamazoo Salvation Army, said the agency’s after-school program is in desperate need of volunteers. Knuth said families have had to be turned away due to a shortage of help. He said volunteers for the Salvation Army’s after-school program have the opportunity to be a lifeline for Kalamazoo children. The After-School Program is available 3 …

Fourteen people were displaced following an apartment fire over the weekend in Three Rivers. Chief Scott Boling said firefighters were called shortly before 6:30 p.m. Sunday to the 600 block of South Erie Avenue in response to a report of heavy smoke coming from a multi-residence structure. Personnel immediately started search-and-rescue efforts while simultaneously working on fire suppression. Two people …

A St. Joseph County man won the top prize from a Michigan State Lottery scratch-off ticket. Lottery officials said the 77-year-old man purchased the $5 ticket earlier this month at Jit Food and Gas on North Washington Street in Constantine. The scratch-off game, Winter Ice, yielded a prize of $500,000. The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, told lottery officials …

A dispute between two roommates led to a shooting incident over the weekend in the village of Marcellus. Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were notified around 7:30 p.m. Saturday of a situation involving a firearm at a residence in the 200 block of East North Street. Investigators said two roommates were involved in a verbal argument, when one …

Speed is believed to be a factor in a single-vehicle crash over the weekend in Calhoun County’s Athens Township. Michigan State Police troopers were dispatched Saturday to the intersection of M-66 and O Drive South for a crash with injuries. According to witnesses, the driver of the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed in the northbound lane …

Fire tore through a house in South Bend, killing five children and leaving a sixth in treatment Monday for burns. People, including children, were trapped by flames on the second floor Sunday evening, the South Bend Fire Department said. Five children were pronounced dead. The sixth was taken to a hospital and later airlifted to one in Indianapolis. An adult …

St. Joseph County officials last week approved a strategic plan for a high-profile department. During their monthly meeting Tuesday, commissioners approved Parks and Recreation Department’s five-year plan. The matter was first addressed during the commission’s executive committee meeting Jan. 9. Parks and Recreation Department director Jaymes MacDonald said completing the process took most of 2023 and included a resident survey, …

The Constantine Department of Public Works has repaired a water-main break that occurred last week in its downtown district. Village Manager Mark Honeysett said crews were dispatched before dawn Friday. Water service was shut off for a period during the day Friday while the matter was addressed. Though service is now restored, Honeysett said residents north of Water Street are …