Seven area high school teams begin their quest for a state championship tonight, as Michigan High School Athletic Association’s playoffs begin. In 8-player Division 1, a battle of 8-1 teams will square off in Kalamazoo County, where Mendon takes on Climax-Scotts. In 8-player Division 2, a pair of teams with 7-2 records are on a collision course, as Burr Oak …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved a resolution related to honoring veterans. During their special meeting Monday, commissioners endorsed a resolution in support of Operation Green Light. Commissioner Luis Rosado said the program encourages placement of green lights in windows of homes and businesses from Nov. 4 through Nov. 11, which is Veterans Day. He said the symbolic …

Following three months of construction-related delays, Popeye’s Louisiana Chicken finally opened its Sturgis eatery earlier this month. Located at 501 S. Centreville Road, the store opened Oct. 12. District manager Sarah Minhinnick said construction delays were unavoidable and kept pushing out the opening date. Nonetheless, customers came as word spread about the grand-opening date. Popeye’s was founded more than 50 …

Van Buren/Cass District Health Department has been recognized with two awards during the Michigan Premier Public Health conference. Community Health Coordinator Holly Young said the agency’s medical director, Larry Wile, was honored with the Roy R. Manty Distinguished Service Award. The acknowledgment is the highest individual award given by the local public health community and bestowed to one citizen in …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners made a number of appointments during its special meeting Monday. Appointed to the newly created Materials Management Planning Committee were: Michael O’Rourke, Carol Higgins, Eric Shafer, Terry Conklin and Karen Newman. Conklin will serve as the county board representative to the committee. Meanwhile, Ken Jones and Mark Honeysett were appointed to the Brownfield Redevelopment …

A Kalamazoo County woman was hospitalized following a one-vehicle crash over the weekend in Cass County’s Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies responded at 1 p.m. Saturday to a personal-injury crash on Wood Lake Road, near Welburn Street. Investigators said a vehicle driven by Charlotte Barrow, 19, of Kalamazoo, was traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on …

September’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by nearly a full percentage point from August. 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 5.3 percent in August to 4.4 percent in September. In addition, Cass County also experienced a drop in its unemployment figures …

Twenty-four people, including a 40-year employee, were recognized Monday during a special meeting of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. Andrea Guy, representing Friend of the Court, was the longest-serving employee acknowledged during the ceremony. Next up were 30-year employees Kole Mostrom and Mark Pratt. Both work for the county’s building and grounds department. Parks and Recreation Department employee …

Two St. Joseph County residents were injured last week in a two-vehicle crash in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies responded around 4:30 p.m. Friday to the intersection of U.S. 12 and Vera Drive. Authorities said Kathy Lee, 53, of White Pigeon, was driving east on U.S. 12 when she attempted an improper U-Turn. A second vehicle, …

Three Rivers Arby’s recently made its third donation of the year to St. Joseph County Animal Control. Following a donation of $2,000 in March and another, in excess of $1,700, in June, the restaurant earlier this month turned over more than $1,800 to the Centreville-based agency. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Cpt. TJ Baker said as the restaurant did prior to …