The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has announced more individuals are invited to schedule their COVID-19 vaccination. The expanded group now includes all essential workers, people age 50 years and older, and people age 16 and older with a chronic healthcare condition. The agency has received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, and with additional doses of Moderna and Pfizer being …

The Constantine Fire Department oversaw a controlled burn last weekend along Haybridge Road, near Block Road, in Florence Township. Central dispatch said it received several calls from residents curious about the plume of dark smoke that filled the sky as a result of Saturday’s prescribed burn. The burn was set intentionally with the intent of fostering the regrowth of native …

St. Joseph County officials have endorsed the continuation of a law-enforcement agreement with two communities. Contracts related to sheriff’s department-contracted services with the villages of Burr Oak and Centreville were approved at Tuesday’s county commission meeting. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite told commissioners the agreements are renewals and both cover a five-year period. Lillywhite said with a few minor exceptions, terms of …

Alice L. Johansen, age 88, of Constantine, passed away on Monday, March 15, 2021 at Edgewood Health and Rehabilitation Center in Three Rivers.  Alice was born in Constantine on January 2, 1933, a daughter of A. Albert and Ethel (Showalter) Stahly.  She graduated from Constantine High School in 1950. On June 2, 1951, she married Arthur Johansen in Angola; he …

Rhonda Le Groff, age 55, of Sturgis, passed away Monday, March 15, 2021, at her home, surrounded by her loving family. She was born Sept. 5, 1965, in Flint, a daughter of Ronald and Shirley (Stanley) Sisco. On July 14, 1990, she married Michael Groff in Bronson. Rhonda had lived in Flint, Bronson, Union City and, most recently, Sturgis, throughout …

Larry L. Keene Sr., age 82, of Marcellus, passed away Saturday, March 13, 2021 at home. He was born August 1, 1938 in Dowagiac, the son of Milford M. and Meta (Byrnes) Keene. After graduating from Dowagiac High School, he entered the Marines at age 17, and served for three years. Larry worked at K&M Machine-Fabricating in Cassopolis, where he …

A 56-year-old Three Rivers man was arrested early Monday on a felony warrant following a traffic stop in Branch County. State police troopers attempted to stop a vehicle shortly before 1 a.m. near the intersection of Morse and State streets for an equipment violation. Troopers enacted a felony stop and contacted the occupants: the driver and a 47-year-old female from …

A Washtenaw County man was arrested after he broke into a residence in Branch County’s Girard Township. State police troopers were contacted around 1 a.m. Monday regarding a home invasion in the 200 block of Hawley Center Drive. The victim told investigators he awoke by a sound outside his residence, and noticed a man had entered his vehicle and appeared …

The Three Rivers Promise Board has announced the start of a public campaign to fund an endowment to support graduates of Three Rivers High School in furthering their education. The goal of the Three Rivers Promise is to provide every graduate of Three Rivers High School a scholarship toward tuition and mandatory fees for post-secondary education at Michigan public colleges …

Michigan State Police troopers responded to a larceny incident in which various tools were stolen from a location in Sherman Township. Investigators were called to the 6700 block of Burg Road. The victim told authorities the tools were stolen sometime between Feb. 28 and Thursday last week. The items stolen include a DeWalt grinder, a half-drive Milwaukee impact, a DeWalt …