County Information

A 29-year-old White Pigeon man is in the St. Joseph County Jail after fleeing from police late Friday night. White Pigeon police attempted to stop a vehicle at U.S. 12 and U.S. 131 for a traffic violation. The driver refused to stop and drove from the crossroads at a high rate of speed. The chase ended when the vehicle rolled …

December’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County remained unchanged from the previous month. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 3.6 percent December unemployment rate was the same as November’s figure. St. Joseph County was below the state unemployment average, which was 4.4 percent in December. The agency said overall, seasonal …

State Rep. Aaron Miller last week testified on the need for teachers to focus on classroom instruction and quality, not trying to complete a requirement for professional certification. Teachers are currently issued a standard or provisional teaching certificate, commonly given to recent college graduates, with a professional teaching certificate issued to instructors with more than three years classroom experience, over …

One man is dead and two people were injured Friday in a crash on U.S. 12 west of Snow Prairie Road in Branch County’s Bethel Township. Identity of those involved have not been released, pending family notification. Branch County Undersheriff Keith Eichler said a driver of Ford Fiesta had stopped on U.S. 12 to turn left into the Sprung Lake mobile …

Although many health officials are focused on the flu, Michigan is in the midst of a serious Hepatitis A outbreak, said Rebecca Burns, health officer at Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Health Agency. The state’s case count as of Jan. 24 was 715 confirmed cases with 582 hospitalizations and 24 deaths. One case has been reported in Hillsdale. The concern with the Michigan …

Sturgis Hospital announced Wednesday it is implementing limited visitation in all hospital areas to reduce the transmission of influenza from person to person. Hospital visitors will be limited to18 years of age or older, visitors to maternity areas are limited to immediate family, siblings under 18 years will be able to visit the newborn and may be screened for fever, …

Some positive news related to Michigan State University was yielded during Wednesday’s executive committee meeting of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. Julie Pioch, MSU Extension’s District 13 coordinator, provided commissioners with the agency’s annual report covering 2017. She said it was a year of great programming with outstanding work taking place. Pioch’s annual report elaborated on a number …

The Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted at its January meeting to support the St. Joseph County 911 in an upcoming millage-increase request. Slated to appear before voters in May, the agency is seeking to increase its existing millage from three-quarters of a mill to one full mill. The proposed one-quarter-of-a-mill increase will allow for technology …

A one-year agreement approved by county leaders will continue the services provided by Anthony Meyaard in the capacity of equalization director. The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 16 passed a resolution in support of Meyaard’s employment. The resolution detailed a number of deadlines relevant to the role that Meyaard must meet throughout the year. According to terms …

A Marcellus man was airlifted from the scene of a one-vehicle accident earlier this week in Cass County’s Wayne Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were alerted shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday to a car-versus-tree incident on Lawrence Road, near Marcellus Highway. The driver, 23-year-old Terance Hartzell, was driving south on Lawrence Road when he swerved his car to avoid …