Dave Vago

Three Rivers Middle, High Schools Closed Through December 8

In response to a directive by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Three Rivers Community Schools announced it will be closing Three Rivers High School and Three Rivers Middle School starting this Wednesday and continuing through December 8. In a Monday press release, TRCS Superintendent Ron Moag said school will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, November 17, to allow teachers and staff time to prepare for a transition. Virtual instruction for students affected by the closure will commence Wednesday.

St. Joseph County COVID-19 Cases See Rapid Spread; HHS Issues New Orders

At the end of last week, COVID-19 statistics for St. Joseph County stood at 1,752 to date, including 28 cases resulting in death. The numbers, displayed on the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency (BHSJ)’s coronavirus tracking webpage, mark a rapid increase since early October.

Stambaugh Sentenced in Meijer Hit-and-Run of Laura Jacobs

Thomas Stambaugh, the perpetrator in the hit-and-run killing of Laura Jacobs in the Three Rivers Meijer parking lot last June, received his sentence Friday. During a hearing in St. Joseph County 45th Circuit Court, Stambaugh faced Judge Paul Stutesman and Chief Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Robare, represented by his attorney, David Marvin. Stutesman received a prison sentence after he pled guilty to the killing last month.

Pandemic Response Ramps Up at Glen Oaks Community College

In the face of rapidly rising COVID-19 case numbers, Glen Oaks Community College (GOCC) is stepping up its response by minimizing in-person interactions on its Centreville Campus. College President David Devier and other administrators provided an update during a regular meeting of the GOCC Board of Trustees Thursday morning, and Devier provided a further update on additional restrictions through a statement issued later on Thursday.

Park Township Residents Oppose Gas Company Site

At a regular meeting of the Park Township board Wednesday, citizens and board members discussed an in-process application to have a property rezoned for commercial use in an area that is currently mostly residential. The applicant is the Nottawa Gas Company, which would like to purchase a new property along M-60 near North Fisher Lake Road and relocate there. A group of residents opposes approval of the rezoning application.

Warm Socks Collected in Campaign for Those in Need

Michigan winters produce unending demand for an important product: warm socks. While many people take them for granted as an afterthought in the grand scheme of apparel, for those in need, good socks can be a critical resource during an icy winter. In a press release Thursday, the Three Rivers Woman’s Club (TRWC) announced it is not only continuing but expanding its “Socks for the Sole” campaign, which it founded one year ago. The campaign collects donations of socks for those in need.

Break-in Suspect Arrested After Shots Fired in Nottawa Township

In a press release, the Office of St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite reported that a suspect was taken into custody Tuesday following a reported break-in which included reported gunshots. Deputies responded to a Nottawa Township trailer park following a report of shots fired. According to the release, the subject attempted to break into an occupied residence, firing a single shot before fleeing on foot.

Park Township Considers 2021 Road Work Priorities

One by one, representatives of the St. Joseph County Road Commission (SJCRC) have been meeting with townships around the county to discuss next year’s road work priorities. Each year, SJCRC accomplishes a variety of paving, pavement sealing, reconstruction, and bridge work projects around the county. Some of those projects are funded entirely by SJCRC’s own funds, some are partially covered by outside grants, and some are shared in equal parts by the SJCRC and the townships. At a Wednesday meeting of the Park Township board, Township Supervisor Ed English provided an overview of potential projects for 2021.

Meyer Statue Gifted to New Three Rivers Library

St. Joseph County 2021 Budget Discussions Continue

Following an Executive Committee meeting Tuesday, members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners held their second workshop to plan the 2021 Fiscal Year budget. At the previous workshop, held two weeks prior, commissioners sought to address a significant potential shortfall, and directed County Administrator Teresa Doehring and Finance Director Angie Steinman to ask each of the county’s various department heads to submit their own savings proposals.