You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Dowagiac senior Rebecca Guernsey (12) gets ready to uncork a pitch to the plate to a Benton Harbor hitter in the first game of Tuesday's Lakeland Conference doubleheader at home (Scott Hassinger | Leader Publications Contributor) Veteran Dowagiac varsity softball coach Mike Behnke addresses his Lady Chieftain players following their doubleheader sweep Behnke recently surpassed the 400-win mark in his 21st season guiding the program DOWAGIAC — It didn’t take the Dowagiac girls’ softball team long to return to its winning ways After getting swept in a non-league doubleheader at Stevensville-Lakeshore on Monday Dowagiac returned to the diamond Tuesday and crushed visiting Benton Harbor 16-0 and 18-0 in a Lakeland Conference twinbill Both games were called in the third inning on the 15-run mercy rule Dowagiac had started the season with 16 consecutive victories before falling twice to Lakeshore 10-9 and 10-0 Tuesday’s wins improve the Lady Chieftains to 18-2 overall and 4-0 in the league with a key league twinbill against Niles Brandywine coming up next Tuesday at home “These two  games gave us a chance to work on some things All of the kids got to play and we brought up a couple girls from the junior varsity who combined to go 4-for-4 for us at the plate All of the girls were patient at the plate and took the best pitches we could tonight and hit the ball hard,” said Dowagiac head coach Mike Behnke who is in his 21st season guiding the program “I felt bad for Benton Harbor today and the teams we play next week because the two losses on Monday to Lakeshore left us with a bad taste in our mouths We just have to fix a few things and our girls know what they have to do to keep improving.” Dowagiac senior pitcher Rebecca Guernsey tossed a perfect game in the opener with six strikeouts The Lady Chieftains scored 10 runs in the first inning Charleigh Reed belted a two-run single that scored Guernsey and Marlie Carpenter Claire Hess’ RBI single plated Bree Behnke Bree Campbell had a two-run double that scored Hess and Reed Wilson’s RBI single drove home Campbell Behnke laced an RBI single that scored McIntosh in the Chieftains’ second trip through the lineup during the frame Addie Wilson and Carpenter all scored during the same inning on walks Dowagiac tacked on six more runs in the bottom of the second Hess and Campbell all scored on Wilson’s three-run double Guernsey’s RBI single plated Emily Henry Dowagiac’s bats remained hot in the nightcap The Lady Chieftains scored 10 runs in the first and eight in the second Carpenter blasted a two-run triple that scored McIntosh and Guernsey to highlight the first Henry’s two-run double scored Reed and Hess McIntosh returned to the dish later in the frame and laced a two-run triple that scored Campbell and Henry McIntosh scored on Guernsey’s RBI single Behnke punched a single that scored Guernsey Carpenter and Behnke scored the other two Chieftains’ runs on bases-loaded walks Wulson’s two-run double scored Dari Brooks and Wilds in the second Henry added a two-run single that scored Wilson and Campbell Carpenter drove in McIntosh and Guernsey with a single Wilson got the win for Dowagiac in the circle with eight strikeouts She struck out the first three Benton Harbor hitters in the first and second innings The Tigers got their only baserunner of the day in the final inning of game two via a walk Dowagiac returns 10 letterwinners from the 2024 squad that finished the season 25-8 will pitch a majority of the innings for Dowagiac this Spring as the Lady Chieftains’ No “She (Campbell) has really thrown well and kept us in some tough games so far this season against some good teams,” Dowagiac’s head coach said the team’s starting shortstop and also a backup catcher “Marlie is only a junior and has put alot of work in over the past few years She’s just very strong and a well-disciplined hitter,” Mike Behnke said Guernsey is the Lady Chieftains’ starting centerfielder when she’s not pitching “Rebecca has played just about every position for us during her four-year varsity career She’s a person that always works hard and gives you 100 percent effort no matter what,” Dowagiac’s coach said “We’ve had alot of different players who have helped us win several games this season It’s not just one player who contributes defense and timely hitting have been among our biggest strengths in the games that we’ve won this season In some of our closer games we’ve just been able to get people on base and score when we need to,” Mike Behnke said Winning a Lakeland Conference title and hoisting a district championship trophy are two of the Lady Chieftains’ biggest goals “We haven’t won a conference title here at Dowagiac since 2007 or a district since 2006,” Mike Behnke said “There have been countless many times thatr we’ve finished second in conference or fell short in districts.” Dowagiac’s veteran head coach recently surpassed the 400-win mark for his coaching career with a doubleheader sweep of perennial state power Buchanan on April 16 “It’s nice to reach that kind of milestone but I tell people it means two things The first one is that I’m old and I’ve been around awhile I’ve had some really good players and teams to be able to win that many games I just try to get them in the right positions to win those games They deserve more of the credit than I do,” Mike Behnke said Among the best players to keep an eye on when the Los Angeles Kings play the Chicago Blackhawks… will be on the ice Monday against the Los Angeles Kings at… Ryan Donato and the Chicago Blackhawks will play on Monday at 8:30 PM ET meet the Los Angeles Kings on Monday at 8:30 PM ET — A man is in critical condition after a car vs pedestrian crash in Dowagiac early Friday morning the Dowagiac Police Department (DPD) responded to West Division Street and North Front Street in Dowagiac An investigation showed Reist was crossing the street on West Division Street and was walking north across the intersection The vehicle driven by Harter was traveling east on West Division Street and was making a turn onto North Front Street Hart's vehicle struck Reist while making the turn Rest was transported to Corewell Health Lakeland Hospital in St and is currently listed in critical condition Alcohol and speed were not contributing factors in the crash Anyone with information is asked to call Dowagiac Police at (269) 782-9743 MI (WSBT) — The mascot debate is under discussion again at Dowagiac Union Schools Our partners at WSJM tell us the DUS Board of Education held a workshop to hear from members of the Pokagon Tribal Council who want the Chieftains name to be dropped There was a previous request from the Pokagons to stop using it in 2023 argued last week that studies found it hurtful to Native American students when their culture and history are used inappropriately “It is my firm belief that you as school board members one of your main responsibilities is to create the safest and most positive learning environment for all students,” Wesaw said Wesaw said the discussions in the past seemed to primarily focus on the school's district’s legal position “But what was very disappointing to me was the lack of concern for even a single child in the school system one who was being harmed by the ceremonial or the use of ceremonial feathers Wesaw knows it won't be an easy task for them to change the mascot but says they have a responsibility to create a safe environment for all students Although Board President Robert Ickes told Wesaw trustees will review information that he provided and look into creating a committee or task force the mascot issue was not on the agenda for the board meeting this week (WSBT) — Dowagiac Police say all people involved allegedly throwing objects at a referee have been identified a total of four people threw objects at a referee after a Benton Harbor vs Buchanan basketball game in Dowagiac Police say it involved one adult assistant Police say they also received another complaint of a woman assaulting another spectator in the stands The video shows a ref being pelted with a basketball and water bottles at the end of a playoff game against Buchanan played at Dowagiac The Dowagiac Police Department investigated the incidents and forwarded the investigation to the Cass County Prosecutor The prosecutor’s office has not made a decision KALAMAZOO — Dowagiac native and aviation and historical artist Rick Herter has been selected for enshrinement into the Michigan Aviation Hall Of Fame The Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame was established in 1987 to recognize men and women who have made significant contributions and celebrate their achievements in the world of aviation and aerospace The MAHOF  is located inside the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo The MAHOF is committed to recognizing enshrinees as role models “as they inspire today’s youth to follow their own vision and achieve excellence five to six men and women are inducted into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame during the Air Zoo’s Science Innovation Hall of Fame Awards Votes are cast annually by Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame Inductors Herter grew up on a farm near Dowagiac and took his first airplane ride on his 13th birthday with a former WWII bomber pilot at the controls would begin a lifelong passion for aviation and aviation history Graduating from Spring Arbor College – now Spring Arbor University – in 1984 with a degree in fine art/commercial illustration Herter eventually began working within the Air Show and defense related industries Rick was invited by the office of the Secretary of the Air Force to join an elite group of civilian artists documenting United States Air Force history and operations to earn the distinction of being flight qualified thus making him eligible to train and fly with various Air Force units in everything from training to bomber to fighter aircraft Rick has deployed and flown both on training and combat operations over nearly 35 years of service in his role as a historical artist Herter has also served the corporate world of aviation regularly working for companies like Airbus His work hangs in the boardrooms of numerous Airlines around the world as well as private His largest work is a 26,000 square-foot interior mural at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo The enshrinement ceremony will take place Saturday, May 17.  For more information please contact Ben Page at the Air Zoo at (269) 350-2819 or bpage@airzoo.org a long-time nonprofit and community leader announced his campaign for State Representative in Michigan’s 37th House District the Dowagiac resident is entering the race to protect workers and ensure every child has a fair shot at success Growing up I remember relying on programs like free school lunch as my parent’s small business fell apart during the 2008 financial crisis.” said Maverick “Michigan’s 37th House District deserves a representative who takes their job seriously a representative who focuses less on posting on social media and pontificating on the house floor and more on how they can deliver for the people of Southwest Michigan has spent the last several years advocating for LGBTQ+ rights working in the community to build sustainable support networks and fighting for policies that lift people up “During my time in ministry I saw the value of good leadership This is the kind of leadership I want to bring to Lansing.” Maverick’s campaign plans to focus on issues such as: Maverick will be traveling across the 37th district meeting with neighbors and listening to the issues that matter most to them Maverick will host regular “coffee hours” open for community members to stop by The first three dates and locations have been announced with more to come in the following weeks To learn more, visit maverickformichigan.com DOWAGIAC — Johannah McDonald etched her name into the Dowagiac Union High School soccer record book Friday night The junior now sits at the top of the girls soccer single-season scoring list scoring her 33rd and 34th goals of the season in a 6-3 home loss to Three Rivers Jimena Sanchez-Ortega also scored a goal for the Chieftains McDonald’s 34 goals eclipsed former Chieftains standout Breanna Williams “I didn’t even know I had it yet,” she said “I thought I was at 33 and they announced it I was like ‘I got it – I got my goal this season’ and my coach said ‘I counted it four times and you got it.’” “She’s done it the right way,” said head coach Joe Pasternak She’s still making the through balls that she’s supposed to and she’s not making us a one-dimensional team where we just look for her to score She makes it a team game and she’s still been finding ways to score.” McDonald has led a young Chieftains team that features just two upperclassmen to a 7-6-1 record McDonald’s dedication to the game sets a positive example for his team She’s a leader on and off the field,” said “She’s consistently there all off season trying to get the other girls to focus on the offseason because that’s where championships are won – in the off season If you don’t show up during the offseason So she’s been really good at trying to lead the girls to do that as well as being present during the season With the second half of the season awaiting her McDonald is all alone at the top but she does not mind she has her sights set on breaking the school’s overall record of 40 goals set by former boys soccer standout Steve Mazimpaka in 1996 McDonald said she owes much of her success on the pitch to the experience she has gained playing travel soccer in the summer “I’m the only one on the team that plays travel,” she said “I have experience and then just knowing when I can get around defenders and when I need to pass There’s specific teams where I know I need to get the one-two and then other teams where I can dribble around them.” McDonald believes her team has what it takes to make a run at districts and beyond “I would love for us to win districts,” she said I would like to win districts and get to regionals for the team.” As she continues to re-write the record books McDonald is proud to be a Chieftain and aims to show just what Dowagiac athletes are capable of “I like proving that I am like a force to be reckoned with,” she said “Just because I go to Dowagiac doesn’t mean that I’m not good I don’t need to go to Lakeshore or St DOWAGIAC — Dowagiac residents are still being impacted by the boil advisory issued Monday after an anomaly found at its water treatment facility revealed bacterial contamination may have occurred in the water system A small dead squirrel was found on the premises of the Water Treatment Plant City officials stated that whenever these situations occur precautionary measures are taken to ensure safe drinking water Laboratory analysis of water samples from the plant is still underway with the first results – taken immediately after the event Monday evening – having returned negative for bacterial contamination The boil water advisory will remain in effect until results from the sampling verify the water is safe to drink Customers will be advised when the boil water advisory has been lifted.There must be two consecutive negative results in order to lift a boil advisory Dowagiac Union Schools is implementing precautionary measures through Thursday The district encourages parents and guardians to send their children to school tomorrow with water bottles or a container filled with water Water bottles will also be available at school for students Kincheloe and Sister Lakes Elementary Schools are not affected by the advisory please contact the City of Dowagiac at (269) 782-2195 General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791 The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends these actions when dean dealing with a boil water advisory: The top track and field athletes in the Leaderpub area have been putting on a show this season Leader Publications is listing the top five girls event leaders through 12 p.m. April 30. This listing reflects times and distances shown on athletic.net The Leaderboard: Boys track and field performance list for April 30 DOWAGIAC — Dowagiac Union High School has announced the Top Ten Graduates from the Class of 2025 The following students have excelled both in and out of the classroom by maintaining a superb academic record while also participating in numerous extracurricular activities and teams seven Chieftains earned 4.0 GPAs to achieve Valedictorian status Graduating as a Valedictorian of the Class of 2025 is Guadalupe Brito Guadalupe is the daughter of Andres and Natalia Brito Her high school activities include National Honor Society Her Awards include academic Award of Excellence Honorable Mention for soccer from the Lakeland Conference Honorable Mention all-conference wrestling and high honors She plans to attend Ferris State University to pursue a degree in diagnostic medical sonography and she hopes to one day become an ultrasound technician Also graduating as Valedictorian is Rebecca Guernsey Rebecca is the daughter of Richard and Jennifer Guernsey Her awards include National Rural Small Town Academic Award a six-time first-team all-conference honoree – four times in golf two for soccer – two-time first team All-State golf She is also an individual regional champion in golf and is a five-time team MVP – three in golf She plans to attend Bethel University to get a bachelor’s degree in sports management and her career plan is to become a golf course manager and a PGA professional Nevaeh Hemminger is also graduating as a Valedictorian Nevaeh is the daughter of Regina Hemminger and Chad Velthouse Her High School activities include National Honor Society Humanities and National Society of High Schools Her awards include student of the month and she was aNational Rural and Small Town Recognition Award winner National Career Readiness Certificate and has been a CTE Outstanding Award recipient Nevaeh plans to attend Southwestern Michigan College for another year before entering the workforce or possibly transferring to the University of Michigan she plans to major in business and minor in entrepreneurship Her goal is to become a successful entrepreneur and business owner by opening a bakery within five years of graduation Emerson Kruger is Dowagiac’s next Valedictorian Emerson is the daughter of Andy and Jacqueline Krueger Activities include being Vice President of the Rotary Interact Club member of National Honor Society and also a member of the Humanities Club and Environmental Club Her awards include receiving High Honors and the Academic Award of Excellence She’s been Student of the Month and had a volleyball academic All-State award Emerson plans to attend the University of Michigan to major in kinesiology and exercise science Emerson hopes to become either a physical or occupational therapist or work for a sports team as an athletic trainer Brenna Mott is also graduating as a Valedictorian Brenna is the daughter of Jason and Stephanie Mott Her high school activities include Vice President of the National Honor Society chair of Rotary Interact Club and a member of Humanities Club and Environmental Club Her awards include an Academic Award of Excellence All-State basketball and individual All-State volleyball Brenna plans to attend Michigan State University she dreams of working for the Detroit Lions as a member of their managing and marketing team where she can promote them on social media Graduating as a Dowagiac Valedictorian is Carlee Spagnoli She is the daughter of Michael Spagnoli and Mickey Spagnoli Her high school activities include softball She is a member of the Career and Technical Education showcase team that represented the Dowagiac’s automotive class in Lansing Carlee Earned her ASE certification in maintenance Academic all-state team and individual all-state for softball and golf and all-conference for golf Carlee plans to attend Ferris State University for either radiography or nuclear medicine She hopes to work in a hospital as a radiography tech or a nuclear medicine tech Dowagiac’s final Valedictorian for the Class of 2025 is Emma Stanger She is the daughter of Mike and Melissa Stanger Her school activities include Rotary Interact – where she was the treasurer last year and president this year – Environmental Club Leadership Team She also represents Dowagiac in the Michigan Gateway Foundation Youth Advisory Council Emma is a 14-year member and team captain of the Miss Michelle and Company dance team all-state and academic all-state for competitive cheer Emma plans to attend Purdue University and major in marketing she aims to work in the sports industry being behind the scenes working on marketing Representing the Class of 2025 as Salutatorian is Markus Ottinger with a GPA of 3.952 He is the son of Brandon Ottinger and Sherry Chaline Markus’ high school activities include National Honor Society His awards include receiving an Academic Award of Excellence and being recognized for high honors He was honorable mention at the 106 and 113-pound weight class and was first team all-conference in wrestling He was also Academic All-State for four years a four-year wrestling varsity starter and is ASE certified in maintenance and light repair and plans to attend Western Michigan University to study computer science He hopes to become a certified information technician Lauren Balsbaugh is ranked number 9 with a GPA of 3.95 She is the daughter of TJ and Kelly Balsbaugh.Her high school activities include National Honor Society varsity sideline cheer along with varsity competitive cheer and varsity tennis Her awards include Certificates of Excellence all four years of high school High honors and Academic All-State for competitive cheer She’s been the MVP for tennis and has made all-conference in competitive cheer as well Lauren plans to attend Saint Mary’s College and after graduation hopes to start as a registered nurse before returning to get a master’s degree to become a nurse practitioner She is the daughter of John and Erin Adams She is enrolled at Cassopolis Ross Beatty for agriculture classes and is dual-enrolled at Southwestern Michigan College She is the Vice President of the Cassopolis FFA chapter Vice President of the Dowagiac National Honor Society and Rotary Interact Club She has received high honors all four years of high school and was the recipient of Green Hand She also received a state chapter award for FFA and placed sixth at the Michigan FFA State Convention in the prepared public speaking competition Merrill is currently Miss Cassopolis and Miss Congeniality 2025 She plans to attend Southwestern Michigan College for agricultural business before getting her certificate in agricultural operations from Michigan State University she plans to get her bachelor’s in animal science from Kansas State University’s online program She plans to be a MagnaWave practitioner and hopes to become an agricultural science teacher DOWAGIAC — A Dowagiac native is coming home this week to share the latest updates on a school she founded in the Dominican Republic Sarah Ludwig-Ross will be in Dowagiac Friday to share updates on 3 Mariposas Montessori – the nonprofit school she founded in the Dominican Republic almost 16 years ago Ludwig-Ross will be sharing information and pictures about 3MM from 4:30 to 6 p.m A 1992 Dowagiac Union High School graduate who graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in education Ludwig-Ross spent a semester studying in the Dominican Republic during undergraduate school and fell in love with the Dominican people After teaching for three years in a Grand Rapids area school initially teaching for an American nonprofit school but then answering the call of her heart to provide a Montessori education to families without the means to pay 3MM has grown from just 16 preschool students – with Ludwig-Ross as the lone staff member – to a student body of 96 students ages 1-12 and a staff of 31 The mission of 3MM is to provide an excellent Montessori education to all children regardless of their ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds The school provides an environment in which children of diverse backgrounds learn and play together acquiring skills and tools that will give those living in poverty opportunities to live a life different from the one into which they were born DOWAGIAC — A Dowagiac teen has been selected to participate in a prestigious summer program dedicated to nurturing the minds of young physicists across the country a Dowagiac resident and junior at Berrien Math and Science Center/Berrien Springs High School has been chosen to participate in the highly competitive Physicists Inspiring the Next Generation Summer Program at Michigan State University PING is hosted in collaboration with MSU’s world-renowned Facility for Rare Isotope Beams The program immerses select high-achieving high school students from across the nation in cutting-edge nuclear science and career exploration alongside top physicists and researchers Johncarlo’s passion for nuclear physics stems from personal experience His mother’s battle with cancer inspired him to explore the critical role of medical imaging technologies such as PET scans and isotopes in life-saving diagnoses and treatments His future aspirations lie at the intersection of medicine and engineering where he hopes to develop innovations in biomedical technology that improve and save lives A great lesson has resonated with him from his freshman year biology professor “This is more than a camp,” says Johncarlo “It’s another step toward curiosity and my dream of making a difference through science I’m honored and excited to learn from leading researchers and see how nuclear physics translates into real-world medical breakthroughs.” Johncarlo is also active in competitive robotics He attributes this honor to the incredible guidance and instruction of his mentors and professors at Berrien Springs High School His selection to PING reflects not only his academic excellence but his deep motivation to use science for the greater good For more information about the PING program, visit https://frib.msu.edu/for-students/programs/ping CASSOPOLIS — An employee of a Dowagiac organization that provides guardianship related services was sentenced to probation jail and over $36,000 in restitution for stealing from the organization’s clients pleaded guilty to three counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult $1,000 to $20,000 and was sentenced to three years probation 60 days in jail with credit for one day served $3,324 in fines and costs and $36,755.74 in restitution She was a case manager for the agency and had control over clients’ money She said that Runyon’s actions have endangered her business and the people they care for       “You have never shown any remorse,” she told Runyon “You didn’t think about how I could lose my business you didn’t think about how it would impact me and my employees We protect vulnerable people from people like you You have jeopardized my business and robbed me of my retirement.”       The woman noted that it wasn’t just a one time incident but numerous occasions where Runyon stole from the people she was assisting for gambling “I treated you like a friend and you treated us as disposable,” she said hurt and deeply disappointed … I urge you to take accountability for what you’ve done.”       “There’s an old saying that love of money is the root of all evil,” said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz “You love yourself and your money more than other people       Fitz likened Runyon’s actions to the story of the scorpion that rides on top of a turtle to cross a lake and then stings the turtle when it gets to the other side       Feldman said that like other clients he’s had Runyon’s crimes started with one small transaction that snowballed He added that if Runyon hasn’t shown remorse before it’s because he advises clients to not apologize during the pendency of their cases       He noted that Runyon has a long slow road ahead of her in paying back what she took but said “the only way to start is to start with step one.”       “I’m very sorry to everyone this has affected,” Runyon said “I would like to try to make amends and pay back the money       “You made over 150 separate transactions involving over $36,000,” Judge Herman said “Most of the people you stole from have a marginal existence at best … Everyone you stole from is someone’s father They deserve to be treated with respect … Either you learn your lesson now or you will go to prison.” DOWAGIAC — The Dowagiac Police Department is currently investigating a crash that has left one person in critical condition Police were dispatched at approximately 4:32 a.m Officers assisted with medical assistance along with Dowagiac Fire personnel and SMACS Ambulance  Officers spoke with the driver of the vehicle Reist was crossing the street on W Division St and was walking north across the intersection The vehicle driven by Harter was travelling east on W Harter’s vehicle struck Reist while making the turn Reist was transported to Corewell Health Lakeland Hospital in St Joseph and is currently listed in critical condition Harter was not injured during the crash and alcohol and speed were not contributing factors in the crash This incident remains under investigation by the Dowagiac Police Department Anyone with information is asked to call Dowagiac Police at (269) 782-9743 or the Cass County Tip Line at (800) 462-9328 Dowagiac Police were assisted at the scene by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office  CASSOPOLIS — A Dowagiac man is going to prison after failing to complete probations for drug theft and failure to pay child support convictions was sentenced Friday in Cass County Circuit Court to prison terms on the probation violations from the drug and theft convictions and was given credit for time served in the child support case       Gutierrez was sentenced last October to three years probation for possession of methamphetamine and larceny in a building from 2023 incidents in Dowagiac and Friday had his probation revoked He was sentenced to concurrent terms of 38 months to 20 years and 25 months to eight years in prison       He was also sentenced Friday on a probation violation from a 2022 conviction for failure to pay child support He had his probation revoked and was given credit for 345 days already served       A representative from the Michigan Attorney General’s office noted that Gutierrez had never made a child support payment during his probation and has a current balance of over $57,000 being owed She said that Gutierrez had had several opportunities to participate in programs and failed to take advantage of the opportunities given him       Gutierrez apologized to his family and to the people of Cass County for wasting their time and money “Let’s get on with this so I can move on,” he said       Cass County Circuit Court Judge Mark Herman noted that Gutierrez had been given several opportunities on probation and had violated the probation terms including absconding DOWAGIAC – Known throughout the community for his inspirational music and volunteerism will stroll in and out of specialty shops in downtown Dowagiac this Saturday serenading visitors with music to enhance their shopping experience The entertainment is being presented Saturday from Noon to 3 p.m during this community’s Spring Open House Weekend April 25 & 26 Spring Open House is being underwritten by our friends and associates at Family Fare Honor Credit Union and The Myers-Henry & Hassle Team @Properties we are excited to feature activities on Saturday afternoon to engage the public.” Phillipson said “We are delighted to have Jeff join us Saturday Jeff’s uplifting personality and humor are evident in each performance Neumann is active in volunteer organizations throughout the community He has played music and provided leadership groups and special events since 1984 Neumann has performed in dozens of area churches and volunteered in multiple venues Neumann performs monthly as a duo with John Secloff under the name “The Salesmen” at The Timbers of Cass County There they enjoy enriching the lives of others with music “I am happy to add to Saturday’s excellent downtown experience,” Neumann said we are blessed to have many unique and locally-owned shops and restaurants that will be showcased this weekend.” visitors can expect to hear music from The Beatles Downtown visitors Saturday will also see nine to 10 live window mannequins take center stage from Noon to 2 p.m a two-part children’s event will be featured Children can attend a make-and-take butterfly craft at Isabella Grace from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m Located in the building that formerly housed Round Oak Restaurant Isabella Grace is a maker’s retreat center that also includes a fabric and craft store a children’s Princess Tea Party will be held at Caruso’s Candy Kitchen Miss Dowagiac Amelia Bakeman and her Court of Honor will be on hand at both the craft workshop and princess tea to assist children advance registration is limited to 24 children and will enjoy storytime and photos with Miss Dowagiac In addition to those shops that feature live storefront mannequins host sites of Spring Open House also include Flowers by Anna “The weekend promotion that opens Friday provides specialty shops with the opportunity to showcase their new spring and summer merchandise,” Phillipson said Bare Naked Salts & Soaps is Friday’s guest vendor at Flowers by Anna On Saturday pop-up vendors include:  SNAP of Michigan adoptions at Bow Wow Bakery & Bath 10 to 2 p.m.; the Michigan Finklepott hair fairy at Cottage Gallery to 3 p.m.;  Acres of Grace Natural Soaps at The Marshall Shoppe to 5 p.m.; and the creator of Dar’s Dips at Rosy Tomorrows DOWAGIAC — A boil water advisory for Dowagiac residents has been lifted Multiple rounds of testing by an independent lab has confirmed that no bacterial contamination exists It is no longer necessary to boil water used for drinking and cooking prior to consumption A small dead squirrel was found on the premises of the Water Treatment Plant The city immediately reached out to the Michigan Department of Environment the agency that oversees city drinking water standards come back negative for bacterial contamination before lifting a boil water advisory The tests typically take at least 24 hours to process  Samples were delivered to an independent laboratory for testing City officials were in constant communication with Michigan EGLE about the testing and communication around the boil water advisory The advisory was approved by Michigan EGLE and issued at 6:06 p.m Answers to to frequently asked questions can be found on the city website. Residents can also sign up for free Dowagiac Alerts and get phone calls Cass Family Clinic has kicked off construction on its new Dowagiac healthcare clinic in the former Community Care of Dowagiac building on M-51 an independent Federally Qualified Health Center serving Southwest Michigan has kicked off construction of its new Dowagiac healthcare clinic in the former Community Care of Dowagiac building on M-51 The new clinic will be Cass Family Clinic’s third location when it opens late summer 2025 joining the organization’s Cassopolis and Niles locations was designed by Barker Nestor Architecture + Design of Chicago It will feature primary medical care and a full-service pharmacy The new clinic will employ about 15 Cass Family Clinic employees “Cass Family Clinic’s new Dowagiac location will provide convenient access to healthcare and pharmacy services for patients,” said Joe Gavan “As an independent community health center we’re thrilled to begin working on this new clinic to better serve the residents of Cass County.” Cass Family Clinic currently operates two locations: NILES — The top track and field athletes in the Leaderpub area continue to impress Leader Publications is listing the top five boys event leaders through 12 p.m. April 30. This listing reflects times and distances shown on athletic.net Top track and field performances through April 30 The Leaderboard: Girls track and field performance list for April 30 Julie Dye speaks during the public comment portion of Monday's special meeting at Dowagiac Middle School Pokagon Band Tribal Council Chair Matthew Wesaw speaks during Monday's special board of education meeting at Dowagiac Middle School Superintendent Greg Blomgren (left) and DUS Board President Rob Ickes (right) participate in discussion during Monday's special board of education meeting at Dowagiac Middle School Dowagiac resident Gerik Nastrom speaks during Monday's special board of education meeting at Dowagiac Middle School Dowagiac Union High School alumna John Valdes speaks during Monday's special board of education meeting at Dowagiac Middle School Former school board member Bill Lawrence speaks during Monday's special board of education meeting at Dowagiac Middle School DOWAGIAC — Community members were given the opportunity to voice their opinions Monday evening regarding the future of Dowagiac Union Schools’ use of the Chieftains name and logo The DUS Board of Education hosted a special meeting at Dowagiac Middle School to listen to a presentation from the Tribal Council of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana on the subject as well as receive public input from community members not only in Dowagiac but obviously across the state across the country and it’s something that’s I think worth having discussion about,” said Superintendent Greg Blomgren “Every community is unique and there’s obviously sides within each community as to what folks believe is in the best interest of the community and the schools and all the kids and the historical ties and connections that this has for Dowagiac is no different than probably many of the others There’s obviously loud voices and passionate people on both sides There was no intent of coming here tonight to make any decisions It was just an opportunity to hear and then to ask clarifying questions and I think that’s the path we continue to go down and just try to learn and understand and then continue to work together that’s the plan and that’s why the Pokagon Band leadership was here tonight.”  Tribal Councilmember At-Large Rhonda Keene and Education Director Cathy Stone were on hand seeking to consult with the district regarding its continued use of the “Chieftains” nickname and logo the Dowagiac Board of Education announced that it was keeping its nickname “Chieftains” and its logo despite requests from the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians to remove both the Pokago Band Tribal Council sent a letter to the Dowagiac Union Schools Board rescinding the joint resolution from 1990 which had involved the creation of a new logo by tribal citizen Ron Mix to better represent a Pokagon Band member and created programs to educate students and the public about the history of the tribe It’s only about kids,” Wesaw told the school board Monday “I’ve been involved in a number of these issues around the state and have been invited to participate in a lot of them to give the native perspective on what this does I know it’s going to be difficult to make the change I know you will take some heat from the voters I know you may be in a position where you like what you’re doing and you don’t want to get voted out of office but one of your main responsibilities is to create the safest best learning environment for the students that are here If you’ve got one student who’s negatively impacted The letter stated that several organizations including the Representations Outreach Board had requested that the school district discontinue the use of the nickname and logo The Outreach Board felt it was important to nullify the 1990 agreement as it was not being followed there were several different logos being used by the school system other than the logo designed by Ron Mix which was approved in the 1990 agreement as a better representation of a Pokagon Band member “I know there’s been agreements over the years with the tribal councils supporting the logo,” Wesaw said “Nobody thinks any of this was done to be disrespectful but times change and I think research shows that time has changed So I would just strongly encourage you to put together the process to look at coming up with something different.” Monday’s meeting was the latest response in a decades-long conversation about the school’s moniker though the Band’s position on the topic has changed over the years The Pokagon Band Tribal Council formally adopted a resolution in March 2021 condemning the use of Native American imagery by non-native organizations Dowagiac Union Schools are located on the homeland of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Wesaw, Keene and Stone shared studies with the board on the damaging effects Native American mascots have on indigenous children, including a resolution by the American Psychological Association To date, several school districts in the state of Michigan have retired their Native American logos, mascots, and nicknames, following consultation with Native American Tribes. In 2022, the Native American Heritage Fund announced funding to four Michigan school districts to assist with the cost of replacing their mascots “We’re not blaming you for this mascot,” Keene added they never look back and they’re making history They have a pride in making that history and you have the opportunity to make history… I know people like to say ‘we’re honoring you.’ We don’t want false honor there are a lot of traditions that were around not all that long ago that we have since done away with and we don’t want to bring them back.” Several community members expressed their thoughts regarding the Chieftains’ name and logo The public comment period was at the end of the meeting after the discussion items with opinions on the matter roughly split down the middle Some speakers argued that it was time to move on from the district’s use of Indigenous names and imagery “The national trend is away from racial mascots Imagine using another ethnicity’s culture for the school’s good luck charm,” said Pokagon Band Citizen Julie Dye “What would that look like and how would it be received nobody’s trying to take your cheerleading outfits or your athletic letters Our children and our grandchildren deserve better “I don’t quite understand this grasp on in the ownership of this mascot that is our culture.” I don’t think you should walk around and feel shame because you graduated with a mascot that had a Chieftain logo on it But I think it’s also important to recognize that schools evolve and schools change,” said Dowagiac resident Gerik Nastrom new classrooms and sometimes teachers get pay raises and you don’t have to feel shame because something was changed You can take pride in your local community and your local school and what really matters is the kids that are here getting the best education they can possibly get here at Dowagiac schools.” Other speakers were against making a change citing the Chieftains name and imagery being part of the fabric of the community “I had served in 1990 on our tribal council member at-large and our elders rep and I have been elders council chair since 2019,” said Pokagon Band Citizen Judy Winchester and many are afraid to come out publicly and agree or disagree with our own individuals.” our kids went from the school building my whole life I did sports and did all kinds of academic things in the school itself and I object to changing the logo,” said Dowagiac resident John Valdes there’s nothing wrong with the logo at all the [Potawatomi] came up with the logo themselves and I thought it was great Are they going to change the name of the town You can go on and on and on and eliminate everything a 1968 graduate of Dowagiac Union High School and Pokagon Band member expressed his desire to see the district continue to use Chieftains name and logo during public comment “I’m kind of disappointed that the Pokagon chairman and the two other people didn’t stick around because they needed to hear the public comments,” he said “I don’t think they’re into listening to what we have to say I’ve talked to tribal council meetings and what it boils down to is there’s no wiggle room That struck me as really bad – when you start suppressing history they were fighting for our lives to keep us here in Southwestern Michigan especially when there’s people from out of town coming in here and telling us what to do.” was the tribal chair of the Pokagon Band when the tribe and the school district reached an agreement on the current logo in 1990 The previous logo depicted a Native American wearing a traditional When Joe Winchester informed then-DUS Superintendent Larry Crandall that the logo did not depict a Pokagon Potawatomi Indian the school district turned over the logo to the tribe to redesign the logo to better represent a Pokagon Band member featuring the likeness of the late Clarence White Winchester hopes the Tribal Council will take input from the tribe as a whole into consideration “I really think there should be some kind of a discussion,” he said “When you negotiate with unions you always get everything on the table what if they wanted to respectfully retire that in the name of (Clarence White) being such a good guy That’s really something that could be thought about.” Winchester aims to see a future where the history of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi is once again taught in district classrooms “[The tribal council] rescinded the 1990 agreement,” he said “The agreement should have been monitored annually a whole generation of students have not learned the history of the tribe It’s kind of a tough pill to swallow and how do you make up for this DOWAGIAC — Dowagiac residents can add some green to their properties without losing any green from their wallets this spring The city is celebrating Arbor Day by making Colorado Blue Spruce trees available to residents to plant in their yards trees can be picked up at City Hall starting at 8:30 AM There are 50 trees available on a first-come The trees are ready-to-plant and bare root One tree per Dowagiac address is available DOWAGIAC — A new dining option has opened its doors in downtown Dowagiac opened its doors to the community for the first time Thursday morning in the space formerly home to the Beeson Street Bar and Grill “It has been a complete success today,” said Jake Arnold who co-owns Brookie’s with his wife Brooke they just took it and ran with it and have done an awesome job.” which will be used for overflow seating for the cafe as well as a space to host events seeing the space brimming with life was refreshing to see “Seeing every seat filled and people communing and having a good breakfast I love it; It’s been good so far and we’ve been really busy.” As the owner of Happy Jake’s and Arnie’s in Dowagiac Wakey Jakes in Marcellus and now Brookie’s Cafe the Arnolds enjoy sharing their passion for food with Cass County residents Arnold said the business owes its name to his wife and said that the restaurant will offer a variety of brunch options including skillets “You can drive three minutes anywhere in Dowagiac and get a burger and fries You can go to any of the other three restaurants that I own and you can get a burger and fries and so we were trying to think what the town was missing and what type of food wasn’t here that I think people would enjoy,” Arnold said fresh a little bit elevated – a step up from a normal breakfast place but still really good prices and good food I’ve gotten nothing but good feedback from every single customer that’s come in and we were on an hour wait.” Rylie O'Konski (17) from Dowagiac fights Paige McDonald (4) from Three Rivers for possession of the ball Dowagiac sophomore Johannah McDonald (2) controls the ball as she moves the ball downfield towards the Three Rivers goal THREE RIVERS – With several young players in his starting lineup Dowagiac girls’ soccer coach Joey Pasternak knows there are going to be times when the Lady Chieftains are going to show some inconsistency on the field Dowagiac’s 7-2 non-conference loss Monday on the road in Three Rivers was one of those nights “At the beginning we came out strong moving and swinging the ball and attacking as a team As the match progressed we got away from doing that We put our heads down and forced it through the middle didn’t get back defensively and weren’t marking up That left them wide open and I think they scored their first three goals off corner kicks,” Pasternak said Junior midfielder Alivia Bell gave Dowagiac (3-3-1) a 1-0 advantage at the 23:24 mark of the first half Bell scored off a high chipshot into  the back of the net Sophomore midfielder Johannah McDonald was credited with the assist for the Lady Chieftains Jenna Balog’s goal off a corner kick for Three Rivers at 20:44 evened the match up at 1-1 Freshman forward Emerson Hershberger powered the ball into the back of the Dowagiac net about two minutes later at 18:42 and gave Three Rivers a 2-1 lead McDonald scored Dowagiac’s next goal off an indirect kick with 11:18 left in the half Tori Thorbjornsen scored back-to-back goals for Three Rivers at 8:26 and 7:21 for a 4-2 advantage Emma Sanchez completed the first-half scoring for Three Rivers with a goal at the 3:50 mark that put the Lady Cats up 5-2 at the break Natalie McGahan scored both second-half goals for Three Rivers at 30:05 and 21:48 McGahan was also credited with four assists on the night Thorbjornsen racked up two and Savannah Morrill added one for the Lady Cats Three Rivers recorded 16 shots on goal to nine Dowagiac attempts Dowagiac sophomore goal keeper Chloe Friske registered nine saves but I thought she played one of her better games of the season,” Pasternak said The Lady Chieftains had two corner kicks on the night to six for Three Rivers Three Rivers goal keeper Rebekah Beachey finished with seven saves Pasternak continues to be encouraged by what he sees taking place within the program “We are still adjusting to the pace of the game We are a young team getting used to playing against seniors I know we are capable of good things which we’ve shown already in our earlier matches They key is finding that consistency for a full 80 minutes as a team Three Rivers is a good team that made us pay for every mistake we made We just have to return to practice and work on speeding up our game and moving together better,” Pasternak said As far as the remainder of the season goes Pasternak says Dowagiac will rely heavily on every member of its 16-player roster The Chieftains also field a 12-member junior varsity squad — Community members were asked for help Monday in providing any information that could help a shooting investigation move forward Officers were called after shots were fired on Riverside Drive near Hill Street at about 11:15 a.m according to the Dowagiac Police Department they saw a grey sedan and a white SUV discharging firearms Someone was also seen running away when the shooting happened Officers have not received any reports of anyone getting hurt in the incident Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call Dowagiac police at 269-782-9743 — One man was arrested Tuesday for drug-related charges after his residence was searched in Dowagiac Cass County Drug Enforcement Team detectives along with the Michigan Department of Corrections responded to a residence on Telegraph Street in Dowagiac Detectives located methamphetamine during the search A 38-year-old man was arrested for methamphetamine possession His name is being withheld pending arraignment and anyone with information is asked to call the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 1-800-462-9328 DOWAGIAC — Students from Dowagiac Middle School and Union High School are gearing up for their first musical performance of 2025 The schools’ musical group will be performing Roald Dahl’s “Matilda The Musical” in the DMS Auditorium at 7 p.m Tickets are $10 cash or card with no reservations With music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and a book by Dennis Kelly this award-winning musical follows the extraordinary journey of Matilda Wormwood a courageous young girl with a brilliant mind and a rebellious spirit as she discovers the power to change her destiny MI (WSBT) — Robert Scott was found guilty of six-gun related charges Wednesday morning the prosecutor's office requested to take precautionary measures while dealing with the Defendant This was due to incidents in the past with Scott in the courtroom 2023 where Scott punched his Defense Attorney in the face during a Cass County jury trial Circuit Judge Mark Herman monitored him closely and controlled the actions of the defendant the trial took a left during the first testimony of the prosecution witness Scott told the Court that he wanted his attorney to step down so he could handle his own case The Court initially questioned the defendant about his decision to represent himself but eventually granted his constitutional request He repeatedly attempted to provide the jury with inadmissible information The Assistant Prosecutor Nicholas Lebbin presented facts of the case to the jury and included testimonies from members of the Dowagiac Police Department They shared that they arrested the defendant on an outstanding warrant in May they found a gun and two additional bullets in the jacket Scott had on Officers said in their follow-up investigation they identified a family member of Scott as the registered owner The family member testified Scott came to his house from time to time He also mentioned that he was unaware that his firearm was missing and never gave Scott permission to use it The prosecution rested its case Tuesday evening but the Defendant proclaimed that he did not want to participate any further and did not want to return to the courtroom Wednesday The Court demanded his presence on Wednesday despite his request Scott came into the courtroom in a wheelchair and claimed he was suffering from a medical episode He was examined by a nurse who said he was not suffering from a medical malady The defendant refused to open his eyes or answer any questions once he was placed in front of the Judge The prosecutor gave its closing argument but the defendant kept interrupting and stating he had a medical emergency At the end of the Prosecutor’s closing arguments Scott declined his chance of arguing his own case Deliberations lasted approximately 30 minutes The jury verdict was guilty of all 6 charges Defendant Scott is scheduled for a sentencing on Friday DOWAGIAC — A vision for the future took root Wednesday in Dowagiac business owners and local and state officials gathered at the site of the former Lincoln Elementary School to celebrate the groundbreaking of six new homes on the site County and state leaders on hand for the event included Joseph Rivet Michigan State Land Bank Authority Executive Director; Tonya Joy Director of Neighborhood Housing Initiatives Division Michigan State Housing Development Authority and  Hope Anderson City leaders said the homes – three one-story and three two-story homes with a front porch on each home – will assist with the lack of middle-market homes in the city and surrounding areas “This project here represents the city council really having a vision and making a promise to the community and then keeping that promise,” said City Manager Kevin Anderson “It’s promise to clean up blight in this neighborhood it’s promise to try to bring new housing into the community and start that rejuvenation of housing that has been needed for several decades It’s been all about finding partners to walk and sometimes run with us as we go down that winding road to get to this point where we are today “The neighborhood has been key and instrumental here because they help keep us on track and keep us focused because they have put a stake in the ground and said ‘this is where we are going to live this is our neighborhood and we want to see our neighborhood improve and be filled with other folks Staff met with Lamoreaux Construction several months ago about the potential development of the former Lincoln School site and found its development ideas are consistent with the City Council’s vision for a residential development on that property “Today is a new day for this site,” said Lamoreaux Construction Owner Brian Lamoreaux through the vision and leadership of the City Manager and staff This project isn’t just about building a beautiful neighborhood for the citizens of this community It’s about helping to move Dowagiac forward by bringing new people and families to the area It is an honor for Lamoreaux Construction to be entrusted to help make Dowagiac’s vision for the future a reality and we look forward to working with the City and officials on further projects to come.” the city has worked with MSHDA to secure more than $4.5 million in grants to support new housing and improve existing housing for residents The Lincoln School project is one of four housing development projects taking place in the city more than 100 new housing units are being constructed in the next 18 months “I can’t begin to thank the state of Michigan the private sector and the employees of the city enough,” Lyons said “They all work together as a team to allow us to accomplish something that would only be a dream were it not for that team I can’t begin to express my gratitude seeing my own hometown rejuvenate itself This is the biggest building booming since after World War II It’s been a long time coming but here we are.” Dowagiac has been working hand-in-hand with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority on several grant programs including the Neighborhood Enhancement Program These programs are designed to assist limited-income households with making meaningful home improvements the city leveraged the State of Michigan’s Brownfield Laws to declare it a Brownfield site The Brownfield Plan allows the use of Tax Increment Financing to fund site preparation sidewalks and utility services to the homes The city also worked with the Cass County Land Bank Authority to receive funding through a State Land Bank Authority Grant program designed specifically for demolition projects that encourage new development while the demolition project here was quite a task it opened up incredible possibilities for this site and the City of Dowagiac,” said Assistant City Manager Amanda Sleigh The development project comes as the city continues to find ways to address blight provide affordable housing and attract workforce talent to the community The opening of Elks Trail and the soon-to-be-completed Fire Station and Dowagiac Department of Public Services mark improvements to the city’s quality of life and infrastructure as new businesses such as Slope Frozen Treats and Isabella Grace showcase the growth in its business community “We believe in being an active participant in the viability of our community and ensuring a good quality of life,” Sleigh said we are willing to invest and work hard with our partners to show that Dowagiac is a great place to live CASSOPOLIS — A Dowagiac man who stabbed three acquaintances last June at a home in Silver Creek Township was sentenced to prison Friday in Cass County Circuit Court       John Henry Coons pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit murder and was sentenced to 19 years to 50 years in prison He has credit for 246 days served and must pay $1,048 in fines and costs       Coons also had his probation revoked and given credit for 365 days served for violating his probation from a 2022 conviction for unlawful driving away of an automobile 2024 at a residence on School Street outside of Dowagiac Coons went to the home and began stabbing the three people in the home after an argument Her death was ruled to be of natural causes since she had other underlying health problems such as sepsis defense attorney Greg Feldman and Cass County Circuit Court Judge Mark Herman all expressed some sympathy for Coons who claims that the three people he attacked had either molested him and his brother when they were children or had condoned the molestation the big lesson here is that hopefully will be sent is that you cannot lash out or seek vengeance for things that happened in the past,” Ronning said “I’m completely comfortable in saying that the system failed him with the abuse he suffered from a young age,” Feldman said “I have had extensive discussions with him that he wished he had gotten help previously for the abuse he suffered.” Coons said he takes responsibility for his actions but said that the system had failed him and his brother He said he snapped and blacked out during the stabbing incident I know what I did was wrong and am remorseful,” he said It’s time for me to let go of the hurt I suffered as a child.”      I will show everyone that I can make a difference,” he added “I hope others will come forward and speak up Judge Herman noted that Coons was using meth at the time of the incident and said he was sure that it didn’t help the situation “I read your reasons about why this happened and that it boiled over after years of rage,” he said “I wish you had reached out for help at Woodlands and with Swift & Sure rather than reaching out for meth No one is better off for what happened in this incident.” DOWAGIAC – Dowagiac’s upcoming Spring Open House will feature plenty of fun for aspiring princesses and young artists alike As part of Dowagiac Spring Open House Weekend a two-part children’s event is featured on that Saturday by Miss Dowagiac Amelia Bakeman and her Court of Honor children can make-and-take a colorful butterfly at the craft workshop held at Dowagiac’s new maker’s retreat center Isabella Grace located within the building that once housed Round Oak Restaurant the Miss Dowagiac Court of Honor will escort children across the street to Caruso’s Candy Kitchen In addition to the free butterfly craft kit and will enjoy story time and photos with Miss Dowagiac Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras The children’s events are open free of charge to the first 24 who register in advance for the two-part event by calling Cottage Gallery at (269) 591-9185 Michigan’s official Finklepott fairy will be at Cottage Gallery Saturday from 11 a.m they can have Finklepott’s fairy hair fused to one to 10 strands of hair To reserve an appointment call (919) 802-2800 or visit FinklepottsFairyHair.com  Dowagiac’s third-annual Spring Open House Weekend was organized by Vickie Phillipson we are pleased this year to roll out a spring runway of nine to 10 live storefront window mannequins strolling musicians and the two-part children’s event on Saturday,” Phillipson said “Spring Open House is being underwritten by our friends and associates at Family Fare we are excited to feature activities on Saturday afternoon to engage the public.” Downtown businesses hosting Spring Open House Weekend include: Bow Wow Bakery & Bath “This special weekend provides shop owners with the opportunity to showcase their new spring and summer merchandise,” Phillipson said with in-store promotions as businesses also feature drawings guest in-store vendors will also join us downtown.” A retreat center for artists and creatives is opening in Dowagiac today Hosted in a historical building is a full bar with multiple lounge areas and living quarters In this 15-thousand square foot building built in 1892 a major transformation has made quite the hospitable retreat space for writers the building sitting on one of the first blocks to be developed along Front street in Dowagiac is now a temporary stay for creatives in and around the region As of today the first group of guests is already booked to enjoy the full bar and apartment-style lodging equipped with a full kitchen and room enough for six Groups can book for the full week or a weekend Each morning a continental breakfast is made available before guests unwind in their rooms explore the small town of Dowagiac or take up a crafting project in one of the many nooks made for relaxing The founder and owner of Isabella Grace LLC says visitors are already reserving their stay now that doors are officially open. they’ll be sewing and having a good time together and but there are many times it’s just doing whatever you’d like to do there may be a person that does diamond paintings There may be somebody who writes on the computer So there’s a lot of different things that they do but it’s the artistic atmosphere that you’re in." You can find all information for reserving your retreat on the Isabella Grace Facebook Page. MI (WSBT) — The Cass County Prosecutor's Office has charged three people with misdemeanor Assault and Battery The charges stemmed from an incident where objects were allegedly thrown A video shows a ref being pelted with a basketball and water bottles at the end of a playoff game against Buchanan played at Dowagiac A Benton Harbor assistant boys basketball coach was fired after being identified in a video as taking part in an attack on a referee A juvenile was also charged with a misdemeanor Assault and Battery CASSOPOLIS — A Dowagiac man who got into an altercation outside of a downtown Dowagiac restaurant and then assaulted police was sentenced to jail and probation pleaded no contest to resisting and obstructing police as well as assault and battery and was sentenced to two years probation 270 days in jail with credit for two days served and $3,378 in fines and costs 28 outside of the Wounded Minnow Saloon in Dowagiac Witnesses said he punched a woman in the face after she accused him of parking too close to her car When police transported him to the hospital he refused to walk inside and then spit and kicked them and a paramedic       Fitz said Keen has a history of violence with 15 prior misdemeanors       Defense attorney Nicholas Hogue said Keen is embarrassed and ashamed of his actions and doesn’t remember much of what happened       Cass County Circuit Court Judge Mark Herman pointed out that Keen hadn’t gotten help after a 2022 attempted resisting and obstructing police conviction when he told Keen he had a drinking and anger management problem “Your attorney says you’re a good guy and maybe you are,” he said “But you’re a mean drunk and that shows historically.” “You’re 45 years old and have your own business but you acted more like a five year old brat throwing a tantrum,” the judge added It’s time to grow up … The next time you assault an officer From left: Paternal grandmother Channell Amigon of Niles maternal grandmother Tammy Russell and mother Tiffany Hershberger Tiffany Hershberger holds up information about the bone marrow drive family and even strangers turned out last Saturday for a bone marrow registry event to benefit four year-old Kataleya Steward of Niles Little Kataleya suffers from a rare kind of anemia and needs a bone marrow transplant to fight off leukemia       The event was sponsored by the DKMS organization which is the largest bone marrow registry organization of its kind in the world contacted DKMS earlier this year and hosted the registry event at the Dowagiac Eagles Lodge Russell searched online for what she could find to help her granddaughter and discovered the DKMS organization “I gave them the information online and they called me the next day to set up the drive,” she said Russell plans to continue her efforts with a virtual bone marrow drive as well as one at the Cass County Fair this summer describe Kataleya as an energetic little girl who’s a little smaller than others her age loving and imaginative and continues to inspire those around her She currently attends the Berrien County hearing impaired program at Sylvester Elementary in Berrien Springs Kataleya was born with Fanconi anemia and a condition called myelodysplastic syndrome which can lead to bone marrow failure and cancer Hershberger said they knew something was wrong when she was pregnant with the baby ended up being born with one ear not fully formed a thumb not attached right and some kidney problems the most recent tests found abnormalities with the doctors telling them she needs a bone marrow transplant “They told us we should look for a bone marrow donor,” Hershberger said “She has no siblings and her father and I are just 50 percent matches it’s more likely her body will reject a bone marrow transplant.” They say their goal is to find a close enough match so the little girl’s body won’t reject the bone marrow transplant they expect the procedure will be done at the C.S Mott’s Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor this summer Little Kataleya will have to stay in the hospital for 100 days to make sure the transplant takes DKMS representative Ashley Brown was on hand for the drive and said that the organization was founded in 1991 in Germany and now has chapters throughout the world with over 12 million people registered and over 110,000 matches and stem cell donations made       Brown said recruitment drives occur at least weekly at locations around the United States and people can also visit the www.dkms.org website where a special page has been created to sign up bone marrow donors for Kataleya. To register and donate, people have to be between age 18 and 55. Her organization covers the costs associated with the bone marrow procedure for donors, including things like transportation and child care. She said people’s biggest misconception is that they think it’s a spinal tap when it’s actually a one to two hour outpatient procedure taking the bone marrow out of the pelvic bone.       She likened finding a bone marrow match to finding a needle in a haystack but said it’s always worth it to be tested. While four out of 10 matches are from family donors, six out of 10 are from unrelated people. “It’s very rare to find someone to match a specific patient but you’re increasing the chances for other patients when you register,” she said. The registry procedure itself included swabbing the inside of both cheeks for 60 seconds on each side as well as another 60 seconds around the teeth and gums. “We always say that it could be the best three minutes of someone else’s life,” Brown said. The Chicago Blackhawks, with Tyler Bertuzzi, will be on the ice Monday against the Los Angeles Kings at… Ryan Donato and the Chicago Blackhawks will play on Monday at 8:30 PM ET, facing the Los Angeles… The Chicago Blackhawks, including Connor Bedard, face the Los Angeles Kings on Monday, March 3, 2025 at 8:30… The Chicago Blackhawks, including Frank Nazar, meet the Los Angeles Kings on Monday at 8:30 PM ET, at… DOWAGIAC, Mich. (WSBT) — The Ice Time Festival returned to downtown Dowagiac on Saturday. Attendees celebrated all the winter fun with tons of activities, most of which were free. There were ice carvings, the annual Chili Crawl, a frozen fish toss and a sled dog meet and greet. Attendee Mick Stahlberg said, "I've actually never gone to a Chili Festival before this, so I didn't know what to expect. I was afraid I'd get a little too full, but I feel like everything's portioned out really well and there's a whole ton of variety to go out and try. We've really enjoyed it so far." The ice sculptures will be on display around the downtown area until they melt. The city of Dowagiac has issued a boil water advisory due to a dead small squirrel being found on the premises of the Water Treatment Plant. Assistant city manager Amanda Sleigh tells us the order was put in effect at 5 p.m. on Monday evening, and they have reached out to the State drinking water department to take corrective action. “Since the occurrence happened after hours yesterday, the results didn’t get taken to the lab until this morning,” Sleigh says. “So we won’t get our first round of results back until tomorrow morning. We’re still gonna conduct the second test this afternoon, so it wouldn’t extend the boil water order beyond the 48 hours as long as both tests come back negative.” Testing is being done out of an abundance of caution and is not related to previous lead action alerts. Sleigh says there aren’t any more issues and believes the order will be lifted as soon as tomorrow evening. Residents are to bring all water to a boil for one minute, then let it cool before using. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and preparing food. Live mannequins and strolling musicians are coming to downtown Dowagiac for  the Spring Open House Weekend April 25 & 26 The third-annual event was organized by Vickie Phillipson “This is the second year for downtown to roll out a spring runway of live storefront window mannequins on Saturday “Spring Open House is being underwritten by our friend at Family Fare we are excited to feature several activities Saturday afternoon to engage the public,” she added musicians Jeff Neumann of Farm Bureau Insurance and John Seculoff of Edward Jones will stroll in and out of each of the 13 host businesses downtown from Noon to 3 p.m. from 1:30 to 2:30 a children’s Princess Tea Party will be held at Caruso’s Candy Kitchen Miss Dowagiac Amelia Bakeman and her Court of Honor will be on hand at both the craft workshop and princess tea to assist children the children’s events are being held free of charge,” Phillipson said “Seating at both activities are limited to 24 children who will receive a butterfly kit and princess tiara families should call Cottage Gallery at 269.591.9185 “Spring Open House Weekend provides Dowagiac specialty shops with the opportunity to showcase their new spring and summer merchandise,” Phillipson said in-store guest vendors will join us downtown.” SNAP of Michigan will be at Bow Wow Bakery & Bath on Saturday from 10 to 2 p.m A Finklepotts Fairy will be on hand at Cottage Gallery on Saturday from 11 to 3 p.m children and adults can have strands of sparkling fairy hair added to their hair Flowers by Anna on Friday will host the pop-up vendor a large selection of fresh flowers will greet customers customers will be able to make their own vase arrangement from Anna’s flower bar The Marshall Shoppe on Saturday from 10 to 5 p.m a Dowagiac company that produces all-natural soap made with high-quality oils will appear at Rosy Tomorrow’s on Saturday from Noon to 2 p.m Customers will be able to sample her dips as Darlene explains the many ways each dip can be used Yarn on Front on Saturday will feature special hand-dyed yarn and a drawing valued at $200 in celebration of the annual Local Yarn Store Day which coinsides with Spring Open House Weekend The Dowagiac community room was packed for tonight's townhall hosted by the Southwest Michigan Indivisible where many looked to get answers from elected officials The organization had hoped to hear from Representative Tim Walberg and get direct answers from him on questions and concerns from the community While Representative Walberg was not in attendance and declined a written invitation one organizer says she thinks it is crucial for him to listen to those who he represents "It's important for him to hear us where the people that he represents," SWMI Indivisible Steering Committee member Denise McGowan Tracy said People in attendance heard from speakers about concerns surrounding recent legislation that they say impacts many such as farmers "All of the rights that we now have were by hard work from other people that came before us We want to make sure that we're leaving them behind for future generations is so critical for us to get anything done," McGowan Tracy said One educator says recent cuts will impact his daughter who has special needs He adds he has met many who share similar concerns and that is what Representative Walberg needs to hear and that's who I'm seeing at these events but I'm seeing a lot of people that I don't know WSBT reached out to Congressman Walberg about tonight's event His office says Walberg was at the White House today attending President Trump's signing of the Executive Order dismantling the Department of Education Police are investigating after a business was vandalized in Dowagiac Hartman Automotive Service was targeted in the early morning hours leaving cars with slashed tires and one vehicle set on fire is now asking for the public's help to catch those responsible telling WSBT 22 News something like this has never happened before Hartman Automotive Service in Dowagiac became the target of vandalism "Officers received information it was about 3 a.m of a vehicle smoking and they arrived at the location and located the vehicle that was on fire at that point they called for the fire department who arrived they extinguished the fire The owners family taking to social media about the unexpected incident and the public is in disbelief That vehicle is now at a local auto shop as the investigation continues Road crews were at the scene hours following the incident working to dig up the area where the car had been set on fire It is said that there are surrounding businesses with surveillance cameras and efforts are underway to access them to see if anything could be of help While this type of crime hasn’t been seen in recent months according to police and authorities are asking the public to report any information "We have not had any any specific uptick in any type of damage or anything like that really not quite sure what it was that caused this or why it started at this point we're looking into that further If people see things or notice things just make us aware of it Call it in generally when you see it happening you know A lot of people have a tendency to wait and they feel as if they're bothering us or bugging us that's what we're out here for so if you see something say something," said Grinnewald If you have any information that could help you are urged to contact the Dowagiac police department or the store owner...As Tom is left with many unanswered questions Here 4-U owner Brea Sipla poses with some of her finished arts and crafts projects Home 4-U offers space for vendors to sell their products Home 4-U also offers space for consignment DOWAGIAC — A new business is giving a once-vacant building a new Here 4-U recently opened its doors at 57365 M-51 S. Dowagiac in the former Advanced Chiropractic building the business aims to creatively meet the needs of community members through its “sip ‘n paint” events while providing notary mending and hemming and consignment services Here 4-U also sells cleaners and detergents Sipla and her husband lived in Chicagoland for 10 years before moving back to the area to be near her father After noticing the building was still vacant Sipla decided to take the plunge and become a business owner “I’ve always loved the structure of this building We drove by one day and the building was still vacant My husband said go ahead and call about it,” she said Sipla typically hosts one sip ‘n paint event each week with the subject usually inspired by seasons and holidays She said she was inspired to pursue painting after taking a painting class the activities have included wine bottle painting wine bottle stoppers and painting Ghostface from the “Scream” movie series Sipla hopes to host children’s crafting activities as well as activities for the mentally disabled “I like to start them like a month and a half in advance of the holiday,” she said “With gifts you need a little bit of time to start thinking about what you’re going to be decorating and people usually decorate a month in advance.” Sipla has years of sewing and mending after first being introduced to it during her 4-H days “My sister and I were just very tiny,” she said “My mom would go ahead and sew us matching outfits I just always kind of mended this and mended that and hemmed up some things.” Sipla aims to make full use of the spacious building There are currently rooms available to rent for vendor booths as well as space for consignment “With the access to the main road and the great parking we’re hoping we can fill up this building.” for more information regarding services or to sign up for events contact Here 4-U at (269) 363-2044 or visit its Facebook Page “Here 4-U.” The Women’s Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance is spotlighting the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Isabella Grace LLC a new craft retreat and creative gathering space that offers a unique environment for artists The event will take place at 137 S Front Street Founded with a mission to provide a welcoming and inclusive space for creative expression and group retreats Isabella Grace LLC combines beautiful facilities and dedicated areas for classes and events The retreat offers a customized experience for groups from guided workshops to independent crafting sessions “We want everyone to feel at home and leave excited to return for their next retreat,” said Debbie Uhrik of Isabella Grace or simply need a place to gather and focus Isabella Grace is a space where creativity thrives The inspiration for Isabella Grace LLC began as a pursuit to design custom handbags but evolved after attending several quilting retreats “I loved how these retreats allowed uninterrupted time to craft That experience planted the seed for our own retreat business.” Director of the Women’s Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance shared her enthusiasm for Isabella Grace LLC’s launch: “This is a wonderful example of innovation and entrepreneurship in our community The passion and creativity that went into building this retreat space are inspiring and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on local artists Isabella Grace LLC aims to become an integral part of the local creative community The retreat offers space for private events Upcoming events include a “Craft-a-long” from February 15-16 and a chunky blanket-making class starting on February 23 “We’re excited to contribute to the community by collaborating with local businesses and featuring recommendations for places to eat and things to do in our welcome book,” Uhrik shared “Our goal for 2025 is to be fully booked and we are open to creative ideas and new opportunities to grow.” The ribbon-cutting event is the culmination of two years of dedication and hard work “We searched tirelessly for the perfect location and navigated budget cuts “This event is a major milestone for us and we can’t wait to celebrate with the community.” The Women’s Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance invites the public to join in celebrating Isabella Grace LLC’s grand opening and learn more about its offerings For more information about Isabella Grace LLC, please contact Debbie Uhrik at (269)-287-9259 or isabellagracellc@gmail.com (WSBT) — There has been a troubling rise in crime in Dowagiac leaving many neighbors taking extra safety precautions residents took to Facebook and reported a series of break-ins and thefts with several of the crimes caught on camera while Dowagiac police said they're doing what they can to address the issue Residents in Dowagiac are fed up with the recent surge in crimes which left many residents wondering when it will end Police report that incidents are occurring more frequently than ever that’s a 350% increase compared to all of last year We’ve only had 21 reported in 2023,” said Kevin Roman with several already identified and petitioned to the courts I was like let me catch them,” said Virginia Collett,a 30-year Dowagiac resident Collett said she and her husband were woken by their dog barking late only to be shocked by what they found outside shortly after “The neighbor was actually chasing the kids down the road and then by time we come outside I noticed my car had a bunch of papers and stuff laying all over the ground and stuff and I’m like why did my husband do that And then I looked into the car and it was in big shambles and usually we lock it but that night we didn’t and they got over 50 bucks,” said Collett Collett said she plans on installing cameras and many others are already one step ahead “We had been warned by several of the neighbors that there were multiple break-ins into their cars and we just didn’t want to have that happen and within the first few months of us living here they did break into our car,” said an anonymous resident is taking no chances with automatic door locks and cameras at every angle of her home to prevent any further incidents “People do work hard for what they have and it’s not right,” said an anonymous resident Authorities are urging anyone with useful video footage or information to get in touch with the police department a newly established craft and art retreat in Dowagiac offers a distinctive environment for artists and crafters to connect and unleash their creativity Owner Debbie Uhrik is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere where individuals and groups can feel at home and leave inspired “I’d like them to leave knowing they had fun,” Uhrik says “Even if you don’t know somebody and you’re coming to an open retreat you’ll leave with friendships and you’ll leave with knowledge The retreat features two distinct areas: a dedicated workspace and a retreat zone along with a craft store that stocks everything you need for your creative endeavors Uhrik’s vision stemmed from her desire to share the joy of artistry and the retreat experience with others “We want it to be open to every aspect,” Uhrik says “They could have a business retreat here if they wanted we have the tables that you can be at that you need to be at to do those kinds of things It’s not limited to just art.” In light of the recent closures of Joann’s art stores across Michigan Uhrik sees this as a chance to play an essential role in the community making it easier for customers to discover local creative resources “I think everybody in the sewing community and art community is sad that Joann’s closing “I feel like Joann’s is a staple for us you’re painting or you want to buy a sweatshirt to sew on or paint on Joann’s is going to be thoroughly missed.” “But I can’t say that I don’t think this is going to help small quilt shops because they struggle to compete with Joanne’s pricing,” Uhrik adds “I think a lot of people will go to the local quilt shops and buy We’re trying to get like a lot of different art in here I think people will like to travel toward us because we’re going to have more than just sewing I do believe it’s going to help my business.” When asked what she hopes to communicate to the Dowagiac and Southwest Michigan community about her vision Uhrik emphasizes her desire to give back and her commitment to being present for them “I’m very community minded and this community has been the best,” Uhrik says “They have supported me from the day I started this Even the other business owners around here have helped me People have volunteered to come do things here and I want to be able to give back to that community So I think it’s real important that the community knows that I’m here for them as well as they’re being here for me.” allows guests to book stays for three or four days immersing themselves in crafting during their visit is accessible to the public and boasts a wide selection of fabrics Isabella Grace LLC recently marked its opening with a grand celebration and ribbon-cutting event in partnership with the Women’s Business Center To book a retreat, you can reach out to Uhrik via phone at 269-287-9259 or through Facebook Messenger. The store is open Tuesday through Friday from 12 PM to 6 PM and on Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM.