During its regular meeting Tuesday the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners briefly discussed a letter they received Monday regarding recent and ongoing conduct by County Prosecutor John McDonough. The commission will reportedly discuss the matter further at its next Executive Committee meeting.
Author: Dave Vago
“What kind of a town is Three Rivers? If you are from here, and you’re seated next to a stranger on a plane, how do you describe this place? You can, of course, talk about its size and its location: ‘oh, it’s a little town in farm country about 35 minutes south of Kalamazoo.’ But what about its character? What things make it alike with, or set it apart from, other places? Where does it fit into the catalog of typical small towns across the United States? What would you say defines the essence of Three Rivers and makes it what it is?”
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues with an uptick in cases in St. Joseph County and elsewhere in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer continues to issue orders that modify or add to existing orders regarding mask use. In light of the tighter rules, Watershed Voice spoke with some local law enforcement officials to find out how they are treating mask usage around Three Rivers and St. Joseph County.
A group of constituents of the St. Joseph County Commission, including several elected officials, along with three Branch County residents, submitted a letter to the commission Monday morning. The letter, whose 26 signatories include 59th District State Representative Aaron Miller and several township officials, asks the commission to call for County Prosecutor John McDonough’s resignation.
Southwest Michigan has its share of musical talent, and Watershed Voice had an opportunity to discuss one nationally distributed band’s work with one of its guitarists, Christopher M. Jones, and other band members.
Officers with the Three Rivers Police Department (TRPD) arrested three suspects in a home invasion Sunday after responding to a call and tracing them from the scene to a nearby house.
First-run movies will soon be returning to Three Rivers. After five months of bankruptcy proceedings, the Goodrich Three Rivers 6 movie theater and the chain that owns it are under new ownership.
The Three Rivers Public Library board approved five change orders during a special meeting Friday for work at its new building on North Main Street.
At a Wednesday work session, members and staff of the St. Joseph County Road Commission (SJRC) encouraged the public to report damage or obstructions on roads. Depending on jurisdiction, the Road Commission and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) encourage citizens to report problems.
At approximately 6:30 a.m. Thursday, July 16, two suspects broke into several storage units. The incident occurred in the 59000 block of highway U.S.-131 in Fabius Township.
The St. Joseph County Commission’s Executive Committee heard several proposals for review, as well as some project updates, at a meeting held Wednesday morning. County Administrator Teresa Doehring introduced a recommendation to sell a building to Covered Bridge Healthcare of St. Joseph County, which is based in Centreville. Covered Bridge currently occupies the building but leases it from the county.
Since Watershed Voice first ran a story last week on places people can go in and around Three Rivers to support Black-owned businesses, a couple of additional establishments have come to our attention.
Summer is well underway. With some pandemic restrictions still in place and local cases climbing, cabin fever remains a reality for many. For St. Joseph County residents seeking activities that follow the rules and precautions, outdoor recreational opportunities provide a wide range of viable and safe options. Watershed Voice has compiled a basic list of places for outdoor activities both locally and in other Michigan locales within an hour and a half of Three Rivers.
The Lockport Township Board passed a resolution Monday evening to create a Special Assessment District (SAD) in the Tamarac Subdivision. The SAD would enable the township to collect funds from the property owners within its boundaries for the purpose of shifting responsibility for billing for the subdivision’s street lighting from the neighborhood association to the township.
The St. Joseph County Democratic Party (SJCDP) held a candidates’ meet-and-greet event Saturday morning at its headquarters on Portage Street in Three Rivers. Called “Donuts with Dems,” the event featured socially distanced coffee, donuts, and a chance for citizens to meet and speak with local candidates for office. Watershed Voice spoke to some of the event’s organizers and attendees, as well as the three candidates who were present.
River Run Road resident Danny Madden is the recipient of the 2020 Citizen Life Saving Award for St. Joseph County. Madden responded after a neighbor was involved in a lawn mower accident on Memorial Day 2020, this past Monday, May 25.
Crew members from the City of Three Rivers’ Department of Public Services worked to clear several large tree branches that fell on 8th Street Friday afternoon.
The Park Township board discussed additional parking for recreational access, the township’s preparations for the upcoming primary election and other topics at their monthly meeting Wednesday.