Officials from the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy have announced it acquired an additional 421 acres of land in 2020. That brings its total amount of land protected to 17,400 acres across southwest Michigan. One of more than five properties acquired last year include the Butler Conservation Easement in Park Township. Ron and Sharron Butler conserved their 175-acre parcel, located in …

St. Joseph County officials plan to discuss whether to approve a staffing request for the prosecutor’s office. The matter was raised during Wednesday’s executive committee meeting. Commissioners heard a grim report from prosecutor David Marvin, who said according to circuit court judge Paul Stutesman, there are about 600 felony cases backlogged at the moment. He said 19 of the 600 …

St. Joseph County commissioners have recommended changing the first of their two monthly executive committee meetings to a 5 p.m. start from what is currently 8 a.m. The second executive committee meeting of the month would keep its 8 a.m. start time. The issue was first discussed last month, when new commissioner Jared Hoffmaster indicated he has a work-related conflict …

Southwest Michigan First has announced Lee Chatfield has been hired as the agency’s new executive director. The former House of Representative member recently served as speaker of the House and speaker pro-tem. Prior to his three-term run as a state legislator, Chatfield was an athletic director, teacher and coach at Northern Michigan Christian Academy in Burt Lake. Southwest Michigan First …

More information about a Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored trip later this year will be available during an informational meeting next week. The chamber’s annual trip this year will be to Greece, with departure set for Oct. 14. A Zoom session, with more details about the impending trip, will take place starting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Meanwhile, chamber officials …

Kellogg Community Credit Union is hosting a nonperishable food drive in celebration of National Canned Good month in February. With the pandemic, local food banks have seen some of the highest demand for assistance in years, credit union officials said. KCCU is asking the public to consider bringing in canned goods and other non-perishable food items to any branch through …

A few personnel moves were approved this week by members of the Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education. The internal moves included Kaitlyn Ford Schrock transferring to payroll manager from accounting; Ana Stellner, from administrative assistant to the superintendent, to accounting; and Toni Andrews from lead secretary to administrative assistant to superintendent Art Ebert. Andrews will fill a position created …

Centreville Public Schools Superintendent Stephanie Lemmer has proposed a new, five-year strategic plan. During a special board meeting Monday, Lemmer provided a 30-minute synopsis of the plan. Lemmer noted it marks the start of planning new cycle, the second during her 3 1/2-year tenure. Lemmer said a three-year plan she helped incorporate has expired, warranting the need for an updated …

Michigan State Police troopers are requesting information on a vehicle observed leaving the scene of a breaking-and-entering incident that occurred in Branch County’s Ovid Township. Authorities were called to the 300 block of East Pearl Road in response to the incident, which is believed to have occurred in December. A suspect vehicle is described as a mid-90s maroon and tan …

A 31-year-old Centreville woman was injured in a single-vehicle accident last week in Florence Township. Sheriff’s deputies were called at 7:20 a.m. Friday to Lutz Road in the area of Roys Road. Investigators found that the driver of a northbound vehicle on Lutz Road lost control on icy roads. The vehicle went off the west side of the roadway and …