County Information

Midwest Energy & Communications recently announced winners of its 2018 high school scholarships. Four local students, whose parents are MEC members or customers, earned $1,000 toward their post-secondary education after submitting a video essay answering the question, “What is your super power?” Winners were selected based on their video submission as well as academic performance, extracurricular activities, community involvement and …

Monday was supposed to be the move-out date for the remaining inhabitants at a White Pigeon Township mobile home community. But, residents in the 10 remaining occupied units were given a minor reprieve, as White Pigeon Township Supervisor Don Gloy said St. Joseph County District Court Judge Jeff Middleton revised the move-out date to May 21. Ronda Loss, a resident …

A resolution to seek up to $100,000 in state money for February’s floods was approved by county commissioners Tuesday. Emergency Services and Homeland Security coordinator TJ Baker told commissioners the road commission experienced damaged roads and culverts as a result of the excessive rainfall, which hit Three Rivers and Colon particularly hard. He said the road commission documented the culverts …

A Polaris four-wheel ATV was stolen this week from a location in White Pigeon Township. State police said the incident occurred between 5 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. Tuesday in the 69000 block of Kalamazoo Street. The four-wheeler is tan and brown in color, with camouflage tape covering the fuel tank. It also has a winch on the front, with …

Sturgis city commissioners and city staff last week mulled a plan to fence in the west, south and most of the north sides of Oak Lawn Cemetery. The proposal has been raised in an effort to reduce vandalism and increase safety. Facilities manager Daniel Root will return with options and commissioners will revisit the matter. The lowest of seven bids was …

Jeremy Gump was recently appointed to the Sturgis Hospital Board of Directors. His term began in March and ends May 2020. Gump said he is pleased to serve on the board, as he acknowledged having a hospital close to home is important to the community. Gump, a member of Sturgis High School’s class of 1991, began his career at Ernst …

The director of the Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority during a special meeting last week rescinded his resignation. Dave Vago said he signed a letter of resignation earlier this month, but claimed he did so under duress and amid false pretenses. Friday’s meeting drew more than three dozen people and resulted in Vago earning back the post he has held …

Four vehicles were involved in a crash caused by a wrong-way driver over the weekend in Cass County’s Milton Township. The incident was reported at 4:15 a.m. Saturday on M-60 near Reum Road. Investigators said a vehicle driving north in the southbound lane of M-60 struck a box truck driven by 23-year-old Emily Oostema. Oostema’s truck went off the roadway, …

Officials from the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Counties Health Department, along with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, are encouraging Michigan residents to protect themselves from ticks as the warm weather approaches and tick-borne diseases, particularly Lyme disease, are expanding across the state. Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged deer tick. In 2017, there were more than 300 human …

Chris Minger, director of the St. Joseph County Road Commission, has announced he plans to retire at the end of September. Minger began with the road commission part-time in 1971, then was hired on full-time in 1974. By the time of his retirement, he will have served in his current role for five years. Minger said the road commission is in a good spot, with …