St Joseph County

St. Joseph County received the first installment of its American Rescue Plan allocation Tuesday. County finance director Angie Steinman informed commissioners during their meeting Tuesday that the amount totaled $5.9 million. County officials have been told to expect a total of nearly $12 million. Steinman said she will await direction from county treasurer Kathy Humphreys to decide in which fund …

A few minor details were resolved during Tuesday’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting. A motion to approve what is labeled the L-4029 millage request was approved. The measure was necessary because it allows the county to levy the full 7.8575 mills to which it is entitled in order to collect property taxes. Equalization director Josh Simmons said the …

A St. Joseph County resident won the top prize in a $5 scratch-off game from the Michigan State Lottery. The 52-year-old-winner, who chose to remain anonymous, purchased the “Mystery Prize Cashword” ticket at Hoffman Street Grocery in Three Rivers. By matching 10 words in the game, the man won $300,000. He said the store clerk recommended the game, as it …

Vaccination level in St. Joseph County reached 40 percent last week. Meanwhile, in Branch and Hillsdale counties, the number of eligible recipients remains below 40 percent. The percentage of eligible residents vaccinated by May 24 was 40 for St. Joseph County, 39.7 for Branch County and 36.2 in Hillsdale County. St. Joseph County experienced the greatest increase in vaccinations over …

St. Joseph County commissioners have approved a request from county clerk Lindsay Oswald for an exemption to the county’s hiring freeze. During Tuesday’s board meeting, commissioners gave Oswald the green light to hire a deputy clerk. Commissioners acknowledged Oswald has been short-staffed for a year and that funding to accommodate the request was included in the county’s 2021 fiscal-year budget. …

Officials from the St. Joseph County Conservation District said the period to make an order through its annual spring seedling tree sale ends next week. Agency director Carolyn Grace said orders will be taken through April 15. Pick-up date for fruit trees is April 23; all others will be available in May. Grace said there will be a drive-thru pick-up …

Thirteen of St. Joseph County’s 16 townships plan to take part in the 2021 matching-fund, road-improvement offer made by the county’s road commission. St. Joseph County Commissioner Dan Czajkowski cited the information during the board’s meeting Tuesday. He said the matter was discussed at a recent Roads Committee meeting, which typically involves township officials and representatives from the road commission. …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency announced St. Joseph County is nearing 100 COVID-related deaths. Through last week, the county had recorded 91 deaths that agency officials said are attributed to COVID-19. The number of cumulative cases in St. Joseph County since March 2020 is more than 4,500. Based on statistics provided by the agency, daily cases were steadily declining …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved a state of emergency in order to continue broadcasting its meetings electronically. During their first in-person meeting since fall, commissioners Tuesday agreed they will stick to assembling in person for their twice-a-month board meetings. The five-member commission, however, concurred it would be prudent to maintain public broadcast of their meetings via Zoom …

A proposal to change the day and time of St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners’ executive committee meetings remains in a holding pattern for at least another week. The matter was raised during the board’s meeting Tuesday. The five-member board broached the issue last week after commissioner Jared Hoffmaster said he has a work-related conflict with the second executive committee …