No one injured in Fabius Twp. house fire

Robert Tomlinson Jan 24, 2026 1 min read

FABIUS TWP. — No injuries were reported following an early-morning fire in Fabius Township Saturday morning. According to the Fabius-Park Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched at 3 a.m. to a home in the 11000 block of Lakeshore Drive for a…

Sand sentenced to 5-15 years for sexual assault of minors

Sand sentenced to 5-15 years for sexual assault of minors

Robert Tomlinson Jan 23, 2026 7 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — A prison sentence was handed down Friday to a former food service worker at Mendon Junior/Senior High School accused of sexually assaulting minors. Kaitlyn Sand was sentenced by Judge Paul Stutesman in St. Joseph…

Lockport Twp. repeals solar ordinance

Lockport Twp. repeals solar ordinance

Robert Tomlinson Jan 17, 2026 6 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director LOCKPORT TWP. — The sun set Monday on a solar ordinance in Lockport Township. By a unanimous 5-0 vote, the Lockport Township Board approved a repeal of their 2023 solar ordinance, which governed large-scale and small-scale…

TR mayor pledges ‘cooperation’ between city, townships; says library Qs ‘on shortlist’

TR mayor pledges ‘cooperation’ between city, townships; says library Qs ‘on shortlist’

Robert Tomlinson Jan 17, 2026 6 min read

Some details revealed of committee meeting between Johnston, township officials By Robert TomlinsonNews Director LOCKPORT TWP. — In a sight that would have been unfathomable just last year, a sitting Three Rivers mayor was greeted with applause by Lockport Township…

White Pigeon schools closed due to possible threat

White Pigeon schools closed due to possible threat

Robert Tomlinson Jan 16, 2026 2 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director UPDATED 12:39 p.m. Jan. 16, 2026 WHITE PIGEON — White Pigeon Community Schools are closed Friday, Jan. 16 due to what district officials called a “potential threat.” In a Facebook post Friday morning, the district stated…

Falcon Fund established to help Constantine students afford career exploration, extracurriculars

Falcon Fund established to help Constantine students afford career exploration, extracurriculars

Robert Tomlinson Jan 2, 2026 9 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CONSTANTINE — As a student at Constantine High School in the mid-to-late 2000s, Casey Smagala and his family weren’t able to afford many extracurricular opportunities that would have enhanced his educational experience, in particular the school’s…

Mendon boys dominate Marcellus, reach Holiday Tournament finals today

Mendon boys dominate Marcellus, reach Holiday Tournament finals today

Robert Tomlinson Jan 2, 2026 5 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director MENDON — A slow start did not faze the Mendon boys’ basketball team, as they erupted for a 29-6 advantage in the second quarter en route to a 69-38 drubbing of Marcellus in the first round…

Mendon Twp. man in stable condition after accidentally shooting self

Robert Tomlinson Dec 28, 2025 1 min read

MENDON TWP. — A man in Mendon Township is in stable and good condition at a local hospital after accidentally shooting himself. According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office, the man, who was not identified, was placing a loaded…

Bohne sentenced to prison on child abuse, assault charges in death of child

Bohne sentenced to prison on child abuse, assault charges in death of child

Robert Tomlinson Dec 19, 2025 5 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — Paige Nichole Bohne of Sturgis was sentenced in St. Joseph County 45th Circuit Court Thursday in the death of her 2-year-old child. The 22-year-old was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman to 225…

Centreville schools launches Food Club for district students and families

Centreville schools launches Food Club for district students and families

Robert Tomlinson Dec 15, 2025 7 min read

New initiative gets groceries, toiletries into students’ hands for free By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — According to Centreville Public Schools, in its over-900 student population, 53 percent of those students get free or reduced-price lunch every day. With food…

TR girls’ basketball dominates first quarter, defeats Vicksburg on road

TR girls’ basketball dominates first quarter, defeats Vicksburg on road

Robert Tomlinson Dec 14, 2025 5 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director VICKSBURG — Dominant first-quarter defense and tenacity down the stretch led to the Three Rivers girls’ basketball team getting their first win of the 2025-26 season against Vicksburg Friday night, defeating the host Bulldogs 43-35. The…

Sand pleads no contest to third-degree CSC charges; other charges dropped

Sand pleads no contest to third-degree CSC charges; other charges dropped

Robert Tomlinson Dec 8, 2025 3 min read

Sentencing scheduled for Jan. 23 By Robert TomlinsonNews Director This article has been updated to reflect the actual age of Sand as 34. The Commercial-News apologizes for the error. CENTREVILLE — A former contracted food service employee at Mendon Junior/Senior…

Schoolcraft stymied in state finals loss to Menominee

Schoolcraft stymied in state finals loss to Menominee

Robert Tomlinson Dec 1, 2025 8 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director DETROIT — Schoolcraft’s first trip to the MHSAA Division 7 football state finals since 2001 Sunday ended in defeat, as the Eagles were stifled by a relentless Menominee team in a 34-6 loss at Ford Field.…

‘Make We Merry’ holiday variety show being revived by TRAM

‘Make We Merry’ holiday variety show being revived by TRAM

Robert Tomlinson Nov 21, 2025 5 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — For decades, Make We Merry was a staple of the holiday season in the Three Rivers area. The annual holiday variety show, originally put on by the Three Rivers Community Players as their…

Mendon volleyball sweeps Ubly to reach state finals

Mendon volleyball sweeps Ubly to reach state finals

Robert Tomlinson Nov 21, 2025 7 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director BATTLE CREEK — Youth and experience have been two of the big keys to top-ranked Mendon volleyball’s run in the MHSAA Division 4 volleyball tournament. After Thursday’s sweep of third-ranked Ubly in the state semifinals at…

One injured in Three Rivers house fire

Robert Tomlinson Nov 18, 2025 1 min read

THREE RIVERS — One person was injured in a fire that occurred at a residence in Three Rivers Tuesday afternoon. According to the Three Rivers Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched at 4:01 p.m. to the 500 block of Ninth Street,…

Johnston elected mayor of Three Rivers

Johnston elected mayor of Three Rivers

Robert Tomlinson Nov 5, 2025 5 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — For the first time in over a decade, Tom Lowry will not be the mayor of Three Rivers. On Tuesday, voters in the City of Three Rivers elected Angel Johnston to be the…

Three Rivers 2025 Mayoral Candidate Profile: Nathan Walden

Three Rivers 2025 Mayoral Candidate Profile: Nathan Walden

Robert Tomlinson Nov 3, 2025 7 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director This story originally ran in the October 24 edition of the Three Rivers Commercial-News. THREE RIVERS — Nathan Walden has faced a lot of adversity in his 43 years of life. At age 16, he was…

Three Rivers 2025 Mayoral Candidate Profile: Angel Johnston

Three Rivers 2025 Mayoral Candidate Profile: Angel Johnston

Robert Tomlinson Nov 3, 2025 9 min read

This story originally appeared in the Oct. 10 edition of the Three Rivers Commercial-News. By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — Growing up in Kalamazoo, Angel Johnston said she enjoyed coming to Three Rivers on vacation during her early years,…

Three Rivers 2025 Mayoral Candidate Profile: Tom Lowry

Three Rivers 2025 Mayoral Candidate Profile: Tom Lowry

Robert Tomlinson Nov 3, 2025 11 min read

By Robert TomlinsonNews Director This story originally appeared in the Oct. 10 edition of the Three Rivers Commercial-News. THREE RIVERS — Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry has seen “a little bit of everything” in his 26 non-consecutive years as mayor…