Government

Members of the Constantine Village Council have approved the municipality’s 2020-21 budget. Village manager Mark Honeysett said the taxable value is estimated at $36.6 million, with tax revenue unchanged from last year. He added that one area of concern is the sewer fund. Honeysett said the village will not be able to close the gap between revenue and expense to …

Erin Goff, St. Joseph County’s emergency management services director, said the agency on Monday virtually activated its emergency operations center. Goff provided details to members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners, who staged their twice-a-month executive committee meeting Wednesday. It was conducted through Zoom teleconference. Goff said the activation stage means keeping an open line of communication between …

Two people were arrested following a home-invasion incident in Florence Township. State police troopers were called Monday afternoon to a residence on Lutz Road regarding a home invasion in progress. Authorities said the homeowners came home during the incident and one of the two suspects was in a car parked in the driveway. The person drove from the scene but …

Michigan officials are pleading for more ventilators and appealing to health professionals to come out of retirement to fight the coronavirus. The number of cases statewide reached nearly 5,500 over the weekend, while deaths rose to 132. Michigan’s medical executive, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, says the state has 1,700 ventilators and needs 5,000 to 10,000 more. The coronavirus attacks the lungs. …

Here’s the Michigan Department of Transportation’s weekly update regarding the U.S. 131 reconstruction project. The agency is incorporating a Stage 5 traffic pattern, meaning two-way traffic in the highway’s southbound lanes throughout the project. Scheduled work this week includes some utility relocation. Also, traffic-signal work will continue at various intersections south of Michigan Avenue, and crews will focus on various …

President Donald Trump has approved a major disaster declaration for Michigan amid the coronavirus pandemic. The declaration provides additional money to address the outbreak as a top health official warned that the situation in Detroit will worsen. Michigan officials also reported Saturday 19 additional virus-related deaths nearly 1,000 new confirmed cases. Michigan now has 4,650 cases and at least 111 …

President Donald Trump is willing to help governors in their struggle with a virus outbreak, if they ask nice. He has taken a round of steps to expand the federal government’s role in helping produce critically needed supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic after desperate pleas from the nation’s governors. Yet he also rejected any criticism for the federal government’s …

St. Joseph County Commission On Aging offices are closed to comply with the governor’s executive order. The measure also affects COA’s enrichment centers in Three Rivers and Sturgis, as all activities and programs will continue to be canceled at both centers. COA will be providing critical services of Meals on Wheels delivery once per week and personal care once per …

Michigan Department of Transportation announced this week it is canceling spring Adopt-A-Highway pickups. Previously scheduled for April 18-26 and May 9-17 around the state, the cleanup event is planned to resume with the statewide summer pickup, scheduled for July 18-26. More information is available from the state’s website, michigan.gov. The state is delaying the cleanup as a proactive measure to …

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has ordered residents to remain at home for two weeks starting Wednesday except for workers in essential industries or those who need to go outside for groceries and medicine. The governor’s order issued Monday mirrors similar orders in adjacent Illinois, Michigan and Ohio to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Holcomb’s order begins at 11:59 p.m. …