Centreville Public Schools lost a member of its family over Christmas break. Reading interventionalist Chris Bell passed away Wednesday following a months-long battle with cancer. Bell, 54, was a lifelong Centreville resident, graduating as Chris Johnson from Centreville High School in 1988. She served as coach of the school’s junior varsity girls’ team for nine seasons and was an assistant …

November’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by one-tenth of a percent from October. Figures from the monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget show St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.7 percent in October to 4.6 percent in November. The county’s November rate from a year earlier was 3.5 percent. Meanwhile, Cass …

St. Joseph County Transportation Authority provided more rides last week as part of its “New Year’s Eve Free Ride Home” than it did a year before. The six-hour service started at 7 p.m. Tuesday and attracted a total of 18 people, according to CTA Director Allen Balog. The mark was two people more compared to the eve of 2024. Balog …

Michigan Department of Natural Resources issued a media release with suggestions for how to best discard live Christmas trees. Agency officials say many trees are classified as softwoods – including balsam and Douglas fir – and they are often too dense for most fish to use as a habitat. So, as an alternative option, the DNR encourages creating a brush …

The four-year term of St. Joseph County Sheriff Chad Spence became official Thursday with a swearing-in ceremony at Sturges Young Center for the Arts. Spence was elected sheriff during a five-man race in the primary election, topping challengers that included Jason Bingaman and Dennis Allen. Incumbent Mark Lillywhite chose to not seek re-election. Also involved in Thursday’s ceremony was David …

More than 100 people showed up Wednesday for a benefit 5K to support a Centreville teacher recovering from breast cancer. “Love for Laura,” organized by longtime friend Michelle Smith of Vicksburg, was coordinated to recognize Laura Wilson. Wilson is an English/language arts teacher at Centreville Junior High. She previously taught 19 years at Vicksburg Middle School. Participants included several Centreville …

A longtime administrator with Sturgis Public Schools passed away last month. Larry McConnell died Dec. 21 at the age of 92. He had served as Sturgis superintendent for 18 years during a span that included the 1990s. After retirement, McConnell remained active in the community. He served on the Thurston Woods Village Board of Directors and was a past president …

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters recently issued a media release regarding actions he has helped take to prevent oil spills in the Great Lakes. Peters said he and others took action after realizing the state isn’t adequately equipped to handle a potential spill in the Great Lakes. As a result, the U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes Center of Expertise was created. …

A Sturgis man who had recently completed parole was arrested Christmas day for allegedly resisting and obstructing a trio of Sturgis police officers. St. Joseph County District Court Judge Jeff Middleton conducted a jail arraignment Thursday for Joshua Fleming, 39. Middleton called Fleming “an angry young man” and initially declined bond for the convicted felon. Prosecutor-elect Deb Davis reviewed the …

A Vicksburg man accused of striking and killing with his vehicle a 10-year-old Amish boy in Sherman Township allegedly violated terms of his bond, court officials said last week. Logan Thomas, 29, appeared Thursday in St. Joseph County District Court before Judge Jeff Middleton. His original court appearance stemmed from a Dec. 2 incident that resulted in the death of …