Government

After a one-year hiatus, the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging last week resumed a popular, annual event. The COA picnic took place Wednesday at Covered Bridge Farm Park. It was the first major outing for local senior citizens under the COA auspices since the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown. Alex Kelley, COA life enrichment coordinator, said about 140 people …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the larceny of a camper trailer in White Pigeon Township. The camper was stolen at some point over a 24-hour period from 5:30 p.m. Friday in the 17000 block of Indian Prairie Road. The camper was a single-axle 2022 Wolf Pup, white, black and blue in color. The suspect vehicle was a white Chevy …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a hit-and-run collision involving a pickup and Mitsubishi passenger car Tuesday in Calhoun County’s Athens Township. Troopers said the incident occurred shortly after 10:30 p.m. on M-66, near 3 1/2 Mile Road. Both vehicles were travelling northbound when the driver of the car aggressively braked, causing the pickup to rear-end the passenger car, authorities …

Michigan’s weekly number of people getting an initial COVID-19 shot rose for the third straight week after having consistently dropped for two months. The increase coincided with the spread of the delta variant — the most contagious coronavirus mutant yet — and a $5 million state sweepstakes designed to incentivize vaccinations. There were about 41,000 first-dose immunizations last week, the most since …

Park Township voters Tuesday approved a half-mill proposal for road-related projects. The four-year millage was supported, 186 to 132, according to township supervisor Ed English. Township officials said the request is expected to generate more than $72,000 annually through 2024. English said Marcellus Road, Lang Road and a portion of Hutchinson Road will likely be the first routes to receive …

Nearly half of Michigan residents live in counties where the federal government is urging everyone ages 2 and over, including the fully vaccinated, to wear masks in public indoor settings because transmission of the coronavirus is “high” or “substantial.” The guidance affected 33 of 83 counties as of Monday — including large ones such as Oakland, Macomb and Ingham — up from …

An official resigned as chairman of a county board in Michigan, the latest fallout from his decision to give himself a $25,000 bonus with federal COVID-19 relief money and reward others in the community. Jeremy Root will remain one of seven Shiawassee County commissioners but will no longer lead the board. “This whole county government needs major reform. … The integrity of …

A man wanted in the killing of his 82-year-old father, whose body was found last week in his Kalamazoo-area home, was arrested Saturday. Scott Sterffy, age 56, was arrested in Kalamazoo and is expected to be arraigned Monday, the Portage Department of Public Safety said in a news release. Steffry was wanted on an open murder charge and a charge …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the larceny of catalytic converters from two vehicles in Calhoun County. The larcenies occurred between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday at the park-and-ride lot off Michigan Avenue at I-69.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday resumed wearing a mask at indoor events, citing revised guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a recommendation from Michigan’s chief doctor. The Democratic governor, who is vaccinated, said she does not anticipate reinstating a face covering requirement, though “not in the near future and maybe not ever.” The CDC on Tuesday reversed …