
Suspect arrested day after hours-long police presence in Three Rivers
UPDATED 12:25 P.M. THURSDAY, OCT. 16 By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — Three Rivers police on Wednesday arrested a suspect that was wanted on a felony warrant following an hours-long police presence in Three Rivers Tuesday. According to Three…
Golf Roundup: TR’s Oestrike qualifies for state finals; TR 11th at regional
CHARLOTTE — Three Rivers’ Elizabeth Oestrike qualified for the MHSAA Division 3 girls’ golf finals following her shooting a 94 at the Division 3 Region 15 tournament at Forest Akers East Golf Club Wednesday.Oestrike’s 94 placed her 11th overall individually.…
TR-Sturgis soccer match abandoned in second half due to player, fan conduct
‘Safety concerns’ cited by referee By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — A boys’ soccer game last week between Three Rivers and Sturgis was abandoned in the second half due to behavior of players and fans in attendance. In an…
Battery storage rules advance in Lockport after begrudging vote by Planning Comm.
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director LOCKPORT TWP. — A proposed amendment that would allow for battery energy storage systems (BESS) to be included in a solar energy ordinance in Lockport Township cleared its first hurdle last week despite numerous objections by…
Ceremony marks 100th year for Congress School
By Dennis Volkert “This isn’t about a building.”Versions of that phrase were uttered more than once on Oct. 3, as community members, current and former teachers and administrators attended a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of Congress Elementary School…
Pivotal breaks ground on new Centreville addition
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director CENTREVILLE — St. Joseph County’s mental health and substance use treatment facility will be expanding over the next year.On Tuesday, Pivotal broke ground on its new 10,000 square-foot, two-story addition to its building on 677 E.…
Mike’s Musings: I dare you to put down that cellphone and pay a visit
Interaction with other people is critical to our mental health. The texting, phone calling crowd must put down their cellphones occasionally and actually visit friends and families. Unfortunately, this is not happening enough and so many problems are caused because…
Three Rivers man killed in two-vehicle crash on U.S. 131
CONSTANTINE TWP. — A 34-year-old Three Rivers man was killed in a crash that occurred in the early morning hours Sunday on U.S. 131 in Constantine Township. According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred just before…
Tennis Roundup Sturgis sweeps Three Rivers, swept by East Grand Rapids
THREE RIVERS — The Sturgis boys tennis team went to Three Rivers last week, and picked up an 8-0 victory over the Wildcats. At No. 1 singles, Simon Phillips beat Alex Nowak, 6-2, 6-1, while at second singles, Carter Oswald…
Volleyball Roundup TR swept by Vicksburg, makes finals at home invite, sweep St. Joe
THREE RIVERS — Three Rivers’ volleyball team had a down-and-up week, losing in a sweep to Vicksburg Thursday, Sept. 25, making it to the finals of their home invite Saturday, and sweeping St. Joseph at home Monday.Against Vicksburg, the Wildcats…
Out and About: October fun, flowers, and snacks
“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There is no courage unless you’re scared.” -Eddie RickenbacherThe month of October is the time when we can all enjoy the arrival and colors of Autumn. It’s probably the last opportunity we…
School food service employee charged with sexual assault of minors
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director MENDON — A woman who worked as a contractor in the food service department of a St. Joseph County school district was charged Monday on multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct involving minors.Kaitlyn Lee Sand, 28…
Chamber of Commerce dinner honors local businesses for accomplishments
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director THREE RIVERS — An annual celebration of business and community in the Three Rivers area was held last week.The annual Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce dinner took place at the gymnasium of Immaculate Conception Catholic…
Sturgis couple purchases Kalamazoo State Theatre
By Robert TomlinsonNews Director KALAMAZOO — A historic theatre in Kalamazoo will soon get new life, thanks to a couple from Sturgis.In a press conference Tuesday, Sturgis natives Dan and Holly Carmichael announced that their company, Lead Balloon Productions, purchased…
Road projects continue in SturgisStreet rehabilitation contract details approved
By Dennis Volkert Sturgis City Commission approved awarding a contract for the community’s 2025 street rehabilitation project to Rieth-Riley Construction Company of Kalamazoo.As part of the project, the board also approved additional funding to modify the treatment option for Cornelia…
Man arrested at St. Joseph County courthouse for making ‘terrorist threats’
CENTREVILLE — A 64-year-old man from White Pigeon was arrested Friday after reportedly threatening government staff and employees at the St. Joseph County courthouse in Centreville.According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, the suspect was taken into custody without…
Jodie Scheid Honored with 2025 John E. Oster Award for Excellence in Teaching
Sturgis, MI—Sturgis Middle School teacher Jodie Scheid has been selected to receive the 2025 John E. Oster Award for Excellence in Teaching. Scheid’s nomination was submitted by her peers and then reviewed by an independent award committee made up of…
Stolen Jeep leads to multi-agency search, school closures
By Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher On Sunday, September 28th, at approximately 3:02 p.m., Kalamazoo County dispatchers received multiple reports of a red Jeep Wrangler driving erratically southbound on Oakland Drive. Witnesses observed the vehicle leaving the roadway and crashing into a…
No one injured in roof fire at American Axle in Three Rivers
THREE RIVERS — Some operations at American Axle and Manufacturing in Three Rivers were briefly shut down Thursday after a fire broke out on the roof of the building. According to the Three Rivers Fire Department, the fire was reported…
Mike’s Musings: Elected leaders- Do the right thing, eliminate earmarks
One of my often rants is the use of earmarks or pork barrel, as we used to call them, projects sneaked into the federal or state budget at the last minute, to benefit a particular constituency. It happens every year…

Do you need help? Write Us!
By Mike Wilcox
Owner/Publisher
Every year, as the Christmas season draws near, I’m reminded just how generous our communities can be. For nearly two decades, Wilcox Newspapers has hosted what’s become one of my favorite traditions: our Annual Christmas Wish Program.
It started simply enough. We asked readers who were struggling to write in and tell us what would make their Christmas a little brighter. The idea was to connect local families in need with local people who wanted to help. Over the years, it’s grown into something truly special—and this year, we’re doing it again.






















