St. Joseph County was one of dozens of counties in the state to receive a financial grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. According to a department media release from the Lansing-based agency, St. Joseph County was awarded $40,000. It stated the grant was issued to provide support for the basic operations of conservation districts in Michigan, …

Michigan State Police responded to a report of larceny from a motor vehicle earlier this week in Branch County’s Ovid Township. According to a department media release, troopers went to the boat launch on the corner of Mud Lake Drive and East Central Road following a complaint of theft of a catalytic converter. The incident occurred between 3 and 5:15 …

Five local varsity football teams will take the field this weekend, as district championships are on the line. Four of the games are at 7 o’clock this evening, including two teams in 8-man football. In a rematch of an earlier contest this season, Mendon will play Martin. The game is at Delton-Kellogg High School due to poor field conditions at …

Thirty-three people with milestone anniversaries as St. Joseph County employees were recognized by the county board this week. County commissioners staged their annual “Employee Service Recognition” event Tuesday. It featured those whose notable anniversaries were in 2020 as well as this year. Top billing went to district court judge Jeff Middleton, who has been with the county 40 years. Though …

A 58-year-old White Pigeon man was arrested following a hit-and-run incident early Sunday in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called around 12:05 a.m. to the area of Sunset Boulevard and Terrie Shore. Upon arrival, deputies found 28-year-old Union resident Richard Mroz on the side of the roadway. He was airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital …

St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department deputies are investigating the theft of a camper from Nottawa Township. Investigators said the incident occurred between Oct. 13 and last Saturday in the 60000 block of Railroad Street. The stolen camper is a 2019 Jayco Eagle with a Michigan trailer plate of E163148.

September’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by nine-tenths of a percent from August. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget was released last week. It showed St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.9 percent in August to 4 percent in September. The rate was 6.2 percent 12 months earlier. Meanwhile, Cass …

A hero in the world of law enforcement was memorialized Saturday in Three Rivers. A ceremony honoring Three Rivers native and former St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department member Ryan Proxmire took place at Armstrong Park. A bench was unveiled and dedicated in Proxmire’s memory. The effort to add a bench in the children’s area of the park was led by …

Centreville Public Schools Superintendent Stephanie Lemmer announced late last week that the district will return to face-to-face instruction for students in the elementary school. Students in the high school building, however, will remain in virtual-learning mode for the entire week. Lemmer over the weekend announced the district’s three kindergarten sections will be learning remotely due to positive COVID cases. The …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency began offering all manufacturer’s vaccine booster doses to residents last week. Due to high demand for booster doses, the Three Rivers clinic will be open until 3:30 p.m. Thursday. Residents should make appointments on the agency’s website: bhsj.org/scheduling. The phone number is 273-2161, ext. 7. As a reminder, those who received a Pfizer or …