After several hours of preliminary examination testimony Thursday in the open murder case against Michael Lafler, St. Joseph County prosecutor David Marvin asked Lafler be bound over for trial. Judge Jeff Middleton continued the $1 million bond for Lafler in the death of Chelsea Wallen, 33, during an incident Oct. 15 in her Colon home. Kalamazoo defense attorney Anastase Markou …

Two children were found safe after being taken last week from their Centreville residence. According to Michigan State Police, the girls, 11 and 6 years of age, were reported missing from the yard of their foster parents at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Authorities said the girls were allegedly taken by their biological mother, Samantha Prewitt, who law-enforcement officials said had previously …

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has been notified by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy of untreated manure that overflowed from a waste storage structure last week in Branch County’s Algansee Township. EGLE staff members have been on site and have observed manure three to four miles downstream, and at the water inlet of Marble Lake. Residents and …

Members of the Constantine Village Council are expected to move forward with creating special-assessment districts for fire protection, police protection and ambulance services. The move is a result of voter-backed requests sought by the village. The three, separate proposals passed by approximately a 3-to-2 margin. Council members are now expected to conduct a public hearing and discuss setting up the …

A request for a sinking fund renewal at White Pigeon Community Schools was approved Tuesday by voters in the district’s boundaries in St. Joseph and Cass counties. Unofficial results show the renewal passed by a margin of 724-645, including those in both counties. Voter turnout was 32 percent for the renewal in St. Joseph County, with 1,143 ballots cast – …

Burr Oak Township Clerk Jacquilyn Wells has been barred from involvement in election-related matters until further notice from a state agency. According to a letter issued from Michigan Director of Elections Jonathan Brater, Wells violated Michigan Election Laws regarding the issuance and processing of absent-voter ballots for Tuesday’s primary. Specifically, according to Brater, the agency has been informed that Wells …

June’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County rose by six-tenths of a percent from May. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget was released recently. It showed St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate rose from 4.1 percent in May to 4.7 percent in June. The rate was 6.2 percent 12 months earlier. Meanwhile, Cass County …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the theft of a motor vehicle last week from a location in Sherman Township. According to a department media release, troopers were called to the 67000 block of Burg Road and were told the theft occurred between 10 p.m. Thursday and 7 a.m. Friday. The vehicle was left unlocked, with the keys in the …

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has been notified of a harmful Algal Bloom at North Lake LeAnn in Hillsdale County. The State of Michigan’s Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy laboratory has confirmed the detection of microcystin in the cyanobacterial scums on the northern section of the lake. The Lake LeAnn Property Owners Association is aware of the algal bloom and …

The St. Joseph County Transportation Authority is asking voters Tuesday to decide whether to renew one-third of a mill to continue operations at their current level. The Three Rivers-based agency was successful in 2010, 2014 and 2018 in identical requests, supported by roughly a 2-to-1 margin. Agency director Allen Balog, however, said he is not taking anything for granted and …