The final stipulations regarding American Rescue Plan funds have been issued, and the result is good news for St. Joseph County. County administrator Teresa Doehring told commissioners Tuesday that the county’s $11 million awarded last year comes with fewer strings attached than what originally was stated. Doehring said a steering committee, formed last spring to plan the best use of …

Michigan reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Jan. 16, as new cases were down 11.7 percent from the previous week. St. Joseph County has gone against the trend, however, as it reported 412 cases and four deaths in the most-recent week. A week earlier, it had reported 326 cases and eight deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has …

Two Sturgis residents were arrested following their alleged involvement in an armed robbery earlier this week in Three Rivers. Three Rivers officers were called shortly before 4 a.m. Tuesday to the 400 block of 8th Avenue in response to an armed robbery. During their investigation, officers were advised by the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department that the suspect vehicle was …

Icy roads were blamed as a factor in a four-vehicle crash earlier this week in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 10 a.m. Monday to the intersection of U.S. 12 and M-40. Investigators said 59-year-old Elkhart resident Lloyd Overholt was driving on M-40. Overholt lost control of his vehicle and could not stop due …

Plans are coming together for the 65th Three Rivers Water Festival. The 2022 event, a three-day celebration, starts June 16 and is the first of St. Joseph County’s eight community festivals. An additional event, the Soap Box Derby, will return June 19. After considering several options, Water Festival Committee members selected the theme for this year’s event: “The Roaring Twenties.” …

A Sturgis man died last weekend following a one-vehicle crash on the Indiana Toll Road. Indiana State Police said troopers were called at 8:30 p.m. Saturday to an area near mile-marker 128 in LaGrange County. Investigators said an SUV with heavy damage was discovered stationary on the shoulder along the westbound lanes. The body of 67-year-old Daniel Olson was found …

A $9.1 million development featuring retail and residential components has been proposed for an area in downtown Sturgis. The plan was introduced at last week’s Sturgis City Commission meeting. John Carmichael, of Root and Branch Real Estate LLC, presented a concept for the mixed-use development in the downtown area. The proposed project includes 25 apartments and a steakhouse over an …

Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy has announced the resumption of its Saturday Volunteer Workdays program. Its first workday will take place Saturday at a St. Joseph County property it owns: Hidden Marsh Sanctuary. Saturday’s event takes place 1 to 4 p.m. at the Buckhorn Road property. Event organizers said the focus will center on brush removal, which will include lopping, chopping, …

Sturgis police last week arrested a suspect connected to a ring of fraudulent checks distributed in the area. According to authorities, the suspect was arrested Wednesday following a several-days investigation. Officers obtained a warrant Thursday to conduct a search in the 400 block of East Congress Street. Officers found that a large number of fraudulent checks had been cashed across several counties. …

First Lt. Barry Schrader took over last week as the new commander for the Michigan State Police post in Marshall. Schrader will command District 5, Region 4, after Lt. Jim Coleman transferred to command the Hart post in September following more than a decade in Coldwater, then Marshall. The Marshall post provides service to Branch, Calhoun and St. Joseph counties. …