News

A Three Rivers-based group seeking to recall a trio of Three Rivers board of education members filed suit Thursday against St. Joseph County Clerk Lindsay Oswald. Attorney Kelly Ward, representing TR Cares, said Oswald failed to properly fulfill her duties in the signature-verification stage of the procedure. Oswald last week said after a full review of the signatures on petitions …

A preliminary report about a small plane crash that killed a pilot at a southwestern Michigan airport last month says witnesses reported seeing the plane operating erratically while taking off. The Battle Creek Enquirer reports (http://bcene.ws/1gbpu9x ) the National Transportation Safety Board says a witness “saw that the wings were rocking back and forth during the takeoff.” The plane crashed …

President Barack Obama pushed his plan for free community college at a Michigan school, and invoked a former president from the other side of the aisle who visited the campus three decades ago. Obama on Wednesday said Ronald Reagan told a Macomb Community College audience the nation’s duty is to ensure that students have the “same America” of opportunity and …

Rural portions of Edwardsburg and Schoolcraft, along with other parts of southwest Michigan, recently joined the big cities of Atlanta, Charlotte and Kansas City in having gigabit speed internet service available. Midwest Connections, teaming up with Midwest Energy Cooperative, launched a fiber-to-the-premise internet service in 2014, offering the first true broadband experience to homes and businesses in rural southwest Michigan. …

Skye Russell, of Mendon, has been awarded the Professor Emeritus B. Swartz Scholarship for Excellence in Mathematics. Russell recently graduated from Glen Oaks Community College with an Associate of Science degree with a Life Science focus and plans to begin classes at Western Michigan University this fall to complete her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and minor in general mathematics. Russell …

A former greenhouse property that’s been redeveloped to provide a public gathering space for biking, running, walking and other purposes is set to open this week along the Kalamazoo River. A grand opening ceremony for the Riverview Launch will be held Thursday. The event will feature food and drinks, live music, yard games and entertainment. The Kalamazoo County Land Bank …

The Sturgis Junior Women’s League donated $3,200 each to three area organizations. Recipients of the donations were Pregnancy Helpline of St. Joseph County, Keystone Place and St. Joseph County Victim Services. Checks were presented last week. Karen Bates, president of Sturgis Junior Women’s League, said there have been years when the total raised equaled the amount provided to each of …

A man was arrested last weekend in Sturgis after he had started a trash fire. Sturgis police were called at 9:45 p.m. Saturday to the 500 block of Center Street in response to a man being assaultive and disorderly. Once at the residence, officers discovered a small trash fire had been set next to the home. Officers were able to …

The League of Michigan Bicyclists will conduct its annual Pedal and Paddle Tour in Three Rivers later this month. This year’s route will explore the areas in and around St. Joseph County Sept. 18-20. There are more than 50 riders registered for the tour, which will see participants ride daily bicycle loops throughout St. Joseph County, then paddle the Portage …

Mendon residents are in store for relief from the summer-long, downtown infrastructure-improvement project. Village manager John Hyden said there’s a chance street paving will begin Friday, so long as the weather between now and Friday allows. Street paving will mark a significant step toward completion of the $4.1 million project, which started March 30. Hyden said in addition to the …