Sturgis City Commission members recently approved the 2025 millage rate for general operations and street/sidewalk improvements. The rate for general operations was set at 11.08 mills, which will generate more than $3.4 million a year. Meanwhile, the rate for street/sidewalk improvements was set at 2.9667, amounting to almost $945,000 annually. City clerk Ken Rhodes said the rates are slightly less …

Local, county and state law-enforcement agencies in St. Joseph County and throughout Michigan are taking part in a speed-enforcement initiative through July. The federally funded campaign covers the cost of officers, deputies and troopers conducting patrols specifically targeting motorists driving in excess of the speed limit. Patrols take place at various times and in areas where speed violations are common. …

Branch County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a stolen farm truck and identifying the individuals responsible for its theft. The incident, which was captured on video surveillance, occurred around 3 a.m. Tuesday at Lazy Acre Farms, in the 800 block of Dutch School Road in Noble Township. The victim told authorities he parked the truck …

Beacon Health System has completed its acquisition of Ascension Southwest Michigan. The move expands the reach of Beacon’s locally owned and governed nonprofit health system, and strengthens its ability to serve communities across Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan, Beacon officials said. Beacon now operates four additional hospitals, 35 outpatient clinics and an ambulatory surgery center in Southwest Michigan. The four …

A home in the Vicksburg area sustained minor damage after it caught fire last week. Fire officials in Kalamazoo County said authorities responded June 27 to a residence on C.B. MacDonald Way following a phone call to central dispatch. Investigators said it appears the blaze started as the result of a lightning strike. According to officials, the residents told firefighters …

An 18-month saga centering on St. Joseph County’s current and previous prosecuting attorneys appears to be over. Current prosecutor Deb Davis over the weekend issued a media release, stating she recently took the initiative to resolve a complaint lodged with the Attorney Grievance Commission’s office. The matter, she said, was addressed by virtue of a consent resolution, a step taken …

Schoolcraft municipal officials have decided to pull the plug on this year’s Fourth of July parade. The decision was made last week, as village officials conceded not enough law-enforcement officials are available to assist with overseeing the procession. Schoolcraft leaders said about two dozen police representatives are needed to safely conduct the parade, but those numbers simply weren’t materializing. In …

May’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased by more than half a percent from April. Figures from the monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget show St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate rose from 5 percent in April to 5.7 percent in May. The county’s May rate from a year earlier was 4.7 percent. Meanwhile, …

Michigan Department of Transportation is set to resume work on U.S. 12 in Sturgis. After a pause last week for Sturgisfest, MDOT and Lakeland Asphalt plans to continue paving at the east end of the project area. Single-lane closures will continue through the duration of the $1.8 million project. MDOT officials said the project is expected to wrap up by …

St. Joseph County United Way is starting to focus on its Silent Auction, a popular attraction at the St. Joseph County Grange Fair. Event organizers said popular items typically include bikes, tents, gift cards, home décor, kids toys, and patio and home furniture. Financial donations are also welcome. Any individual, business or organization wishing to contribute items to the auction …