NEW BUFFALO — The New Buffalo Theatre Department presented “Into the Woods Jr.” Friday, Saturday and Sunday March 17-19 in the Performing Arts Center at the Middle/High School.

NEW BUFFALO — Members of the New Buffalo Area Schools Board of Education during a March 15 special session agreed to pursue a public-private partnership arrangement for a possible “attainable” housing development near the district’s Elementary School.

According to a post on the department’s Facebook page, Chikaming Township Fire was dispatched to a reported structure fire on Lakeshore Drive around 4 p.m. Monday, March 20.

ST. JOSEPH — Berrien County Undersheriff Chuck Heit announced Friday he will run for sheriff in 2024.

HARBERT — The Chikaming Township Board approved hiring Joe Martin as Director of Parks and Recreation during its March 9 regular meeting.

THREE OAKS — River Valley Elementary pupils (with some special guests from the Middle/High School) performed in a March 12 Talent Show at the districts Performing Arts Center.

NEW BUFFALO — New Buffalo High School Principal Tracy Ripley presented a Class of 2023 diploma to Sophia Estelle Globensky during the March 13 meeting of the New Buffalo Area Schools Board of Education.

Almost $3.5 million in tax money is being doled out to Southwest Michigan municipalities and counties where marijuana was sold in 2022.

BRIDGMAN — As the manufacturing sector struggles to fill job openings, apprenticeships have helped one Berrien County employer boost recruitment.

ST. JOSEPH — The trial for Raffaele Santaniello is on hold again as his case continues to wind its way through Michigan appellate courts.

BENTON TOWNSHIP — Lake Michigan College will wait until August to put a millage renewal before voters.

THREE OAKS — Members of the River Valley Board of Education got an inside look at the new Elementary School area currently under construction as part of the all-grades project prior to their Feb. 27 regular meeting.

NEW BUFFALO — Presentations about the Elementary School and District Transportation were featured at the Feb. 27 meeting of the New Buffalo Area Schools Board of Education.

NEW BUFFALO — Robotics season is about to begin.

ST. JOSEPH — A former Lakeshore second-grade teacher was arrested this week on several criminal sexual conduct charges.

HARBERT — The Chikaming Township Board did its part to have Police Officer Paige Holtz serve as the River Valley District’s School Resource Officer (SRO) during its Feb. 9 regular meeting.

NEW BUFFALO — New Buffalo Elementary School Principal Adam Bowen was delighted to continue the tradition of honoring elementary pupils who display determination and perseverance and show improvements in core academic areas.

ST. JOSEPH — After 40 years in law enforcement, the last 22 as sheriff, Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey confirmed on Friday, Feb. 10, he intends to retire at the end of 2023.

BENTON TOWNSHIP — More than 400 attendees gathered Friday morning, Feb. 17, for the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber’s 2023 Business Recognition Breakfast Awards Ceremony & Annual Meeting.

NEW BUFFALO — The possibility of adding affordable housing on New Buffalo Area Schools-owned land near the Elementary School with a development that could mix single- and multi-family structures was discussed during a Feb. 2 special meeting attended by members of the Board of Education, the …

BRIDGMAN — The Bridgman City Council got an update on a “placemaking project” set to transform a downtown courtyard area into an enhanced outdoor gathering space featuring a student-created work of art later this year.

For the first time since 2014, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are almost exactly at the long-term average height for the two lakes – roughly a three-foot drop from February 2020.

UNION PIER — Neighbor by Neighbor has a new executive director to lead the non-profit organization through the challenges of 2023 and beyond.

BUCHANAN — Emergency responders were dispatched to the area of U.S. 12 and Franklin Street in Buchanan Township for a car versus semi head-on collision on Jan. 26.

National data shows child care costs can add up to thousands of dollars every year for Berrien County families.

ST. JOSEPH — The National Emergency Number Association is seeing a 30 percent staffing shortage on average at 911 dispatch centers across the nation, and Berrien County is no exception.

BERRIEN SPRINGS — Students from five area school districts have recently been awarded a $19,000 grant from the Frederick S. Upton Foundation to support projects designed to improve the well-being of Berrien County youth, a news release stated.

NEW BUFFALO — Plans to improve Red Arrow Highway from U.S. 12 to Community Hall Road later this year, including the addition of a new section of non-motorized pathway, were presented to the New Buffalo Township Board during its Jan. 17 regular meeting.

THREE OAKS — The River Valley School District has been awarded a $139,423 grant from the Michigan State Police Grants and Community Services Division to support salaries, benefits and training for school resource officers.

BRIDGMAN — The playground at Bridgman’s Toth Street Park will receive a much needed facelift, thanks to a $75,000 grant awarded from the American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation, upon the recommendation from Indiana Michigan Power (I&M).

THREE OAKS — The Three Oaks Village Council on Jan. 11 agreed to move forward with taking ownership of the “Three Oaks Professional Building” at 21 North Elm St. despite “one caveat” added to the purchase agreement by Berrien County officials.

ST. JOSEPH — A man who was 17 when he raped and killed one woman and left another woman for dead has been resentenced to a term of 40-60 years in prison.

NEW BUFFALO — The New Buffalo Township Planning Commission on Jan. 3 approved sending a draft version of a proposed ordinance “to amend the Township Zoning Ordinance to regulate medical marihuana facilities and adult-use marihuana establishments” and an accompanying overlay map to the Berrie…

ST. JOSEPH — Berrien County Road Department Manager Mark Heyliger said Jerry Peters knows when something is not right.

NEW BUFFALO — The Dec. 20 dedication ceremony for the New Buffalo Area Schools’ STEAM Building included student-built robots in action, guided tours of the spacious facility, and a celebratory ribbon-cutting.

A string of Berrien County municipalities are now considering or adopting recreational marijuana ordinances, after deciding to opt out a few years earlier.