James "Jim" Berry, first-year superintendent at St. Joseph County Intermediate School District (ISD), shared his perspective on his goals for his new role and the state of education amid the AI boom. We spoke with Berry about his first few weeks in his new role, his visions for the future of ISD amid an ever-changing job market, and how he plans to give students the tools they need to succeed.
City staff recommended purchasing a Meeting Owl 5 Pro camera and supplemental equipment for up to $5,000, along with adopting a video retention policy. The proposed policy called for recordings to be deleted one day after the minutes for the corresponding meeting were approved — which occurs at the following meeting, typically 2-3 weeks later — unless a legal, FOIA, audit or investigation hold applied. The system and policy were voted down unanimously.
The event has long been a staple of the city and its downtown block, and 2026 will be no different, as festivities will take place on North Main Street from 1 to 10 p.m. Sunday, September 6. In addition to the live music, there will be food trucks and a kids zone from 1 to 4 p.m., while businesses in the Main Street Commons will also be open.
This Tuesday, September 1, at 6 p.m. the Three Rivers City Commission will meet and consider the purchase of equipment for city-administered live-streaming. Commissioners will decide which video camera system to purchase with the Meeting Owl Pro 5 Camera and supplemental equipment being recommended by staff. The total cost would be $5,000 from the general fund. The agenda packet also includes a retention policy, which recommends the recording is kept on the city’s YouTube until one day after the minutes of that meeting are approved — typically two weeks after the livestream takes place.
In the early 1990s, YMCA Camp Eberhart began building a ropes course that would challenge campers for years to come. Tucked beneath a canopy of towering pine trees, the course rises from the woods on wooden poles, some made from trees cut from the site during its original construction. But after more than three decades of campers climbing through the trees, the course has seen its last summer. Eberhart retired the aging course at the end of this year’s summer camp season and is now preparing to replace it.
The showcase featured performances from the *culture is not optional Family Band, Torrey Brown, Mitchie Moore, Eddie Leboeuf, Shy Winters, Gospel Mime Minister, Lucky Fultz, Alek Haak-Frost, Debbie Allen, Courtney Moore, Just Mikel, and Mister Aubs. Viewers can watch the showcase video in its entirety or jump directly to individual performances using the timestamps and links included in the video description.
During public comment, resident Austin Kane urged commissioners to begin livestreaming their meetings again. This prompted Mayor Angel Johnston to ask City Manager Joe Bippus for an update on the commission's June 16 direction for Bippus to explore city-run livestreams. “We’re probably developing an RFP (request for proposal) that we’ll send out,” Bippus said, in part. Johnston then asked Bippus when the system would be ready, Bippus said he did not know.
Dad’s Place, a longtime breakfast diner in Three Rivers, closed Tuesday, August 18, after announcing its closure on Facebook earlier that day. “Due to the rising costs, lack of help, and just being damn tired, we are sorry to inform you all that today is the last day our doors are going to be open for business,” the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post.
Commissioners will be asked to consider an initial-term investment of $27,626 in CivicPlus Municipal Websites Central related services to replace the city’s website and improve its ability to “provide accessible, secure, and user-friendly information to residents, businesses, and visitors,” according to the agenda packet. The packet does not state when the new website would launch or whether the existing site would experience downtime during the transition. The program would also allow amended sections of the municipal code to link back to the meeting where legislation was adopted, giving staff and residents “instant access to the agenda, minutes, audio, video, and vote tallies,” when applicable. The city has not publicly provided an update on its plans to explore livestreaming options, and the website change does not itself indicate that meetings will be livestreamed. Commissioners directed City Manager Joe Bippus to explore city-run meeting livestreams during their June 16 meeting but have received no public update from Bippus since.
County records show 12,200 ballots were cast in Tuesday’s primary election. By comparison, 13,544 ballots were cast during the August 2024 primary, when turnout reached about 27%, and 13,472 ballots were cast during the August 2020 primary, which saw roughly 29% turnout. This year’s election saw 1,344 fewer ballots cast than in 2024 — a decrease of about 9.9%. As of August 5, St. Joseph County had 49,226 registered voters, putting overall turnout for Tuesday’s primary at approximately 25%.
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