Several odds and ends were approved by St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. Commissioners accepted annual reports from drain commissioner Jeff Wenzel and grant writer James Hissong; approved the county’s 2020 remonumentation plan; and OK’d parks and recreation’s request for alcohol sales. The occasion is an endurance mountain-bike race at Meyer Broadway Park July 19. The board also agreed …

Appointments to two county panels were approved during Tuesday’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting. John Gelvin and Sarah Apwisch were appointed to the Commission On Aging Board. Commissioner Al Balog said he and Commissioner Ken Malone, along with COA director Tim Stoll, interviewed both candidates. Balog said Gelvin and Apwisch will be great additions to the COA board. …

Officials say Michigan deaths from the coronavirus rose 16% in the largest daily jump since the pandemic hit the state. The state reported 118 additional deaths related to the respiratory disease caused by the virus, raising the total to 845. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose 10% to nearly 19,000. Gov Gretchen Whitmer says “it’s another tough 24 hours” …

If you’re a census slacker and haven’t yet filled out the form for the 2020 head count, the federal government is trying another way to get in touch with you. Starting Wednesday, the U.S. Census Bureau is mailing out millions of paper forms to homes whose residents haven’t yet answered the once-a-decade questionnaire. About a month into the start of …

The fate of the 2020 community festival season is unclear at the moment, but all eyes are on Three Rivers and Sturgis to see what direction organizers of their respective celebrations take. The two earliest festivals in St. Joseph County, the Three Rivers Water Festival and Sturgis Fest, are the only June events of the eight community celebrations. Cathi Garn …

St. Joe County Resources is tracking by town the percentages of St Joseph County households that have completed the 2020 U.S. Census. Agency officials said progress is being made and would like to remind the public that every 100 people missed in the Census is $2 million dollars that does not come back to local communities in federal funding. From …

A recycling program that required more than a year to develop at Westside Landfill in Fabius Township is on hold for the time being. Eric Shafer, district manager for Waste Management of Michigan, said offering a weekly electronics recycling event was a goal he had in mind for years and was finally able to implement last month. Then, out of …

Olive Mae Kline, age 89, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, April 4, 2020 surrounded by her loving family.  She was born on March 21, 1931 in Three Rivers, the daughter of William and Clara (Noles) Stuebgen. Mrs. Kline has been a resident of this area for most of her life.  She graduated from Three …

Michigan Department of Transportation has suspended work on the U.S. 131 redevelopment project in Three Rivers as a precaution against COVID-19. MDOT’s Nick Schirripa said crews will be on hiatus this week and next before resuming April 20. That return date, however, is subject to conditions at that time, Schirripa added. In the meantime, northbound and southbound U.S. 131 will …

A vehicle was stolen from the St. Joseph County Courthouse parking lot last month. Sheriff’s deputies were notified shortly after 5 p.m. March 20 that a dark blue, 2017 GMC Terrain SLT with a temporary Indiana plate was stolen. Through court security camera footage, it was established that the vehicle was taken from a parking lot south of the courthouse. …