Politics

A St. Joseph County man opened the Michigan House session Tuesday as the guest of State Rep. Aaron Miller. Pastor Bill Beck, of Locust Grove Mennonite Church in Burr Oak, opened the session by offering the invocation. State Rep. and Speaker pro-tem Tom Leonard joined Beck and Miller at the House rostrum.

State Rep. Aaron Miller has announced office hours for an informal gathering later this month in Cass County. Miller invites residents to join him 8 to 9 a.m. March 30 at the Broadway Café, 158 S.  Broadway St., in Cassopolis. Miller said connecting face-to-face with people in communities throughout the district is one of the most rewarding aspects of being …

Officials from Three Rivers Community Schools will have plenty to discuss at their next meeting, as the district’s second failed millage request in 10 months went down Tuesday by a 3-to-2 margin. With all 24 precincts reporting, unofficial results show the 1.95-mill increase request was rejected, 2,240 to 1,501. The shortfall came despite a solid public-relations campaign to promote details …

Lockport Township will not adopt charter status, as its registered voters turned down the proposal Tuesday. Results weren’t available until past midnight, and by the time all ballots were counted, the measure fell by a margin of about two-thirds opposed to one-third in favor. Final votes were 696 people against the measure and 398 supporting the concept, according to unofficial …

Michigan voters validated once-unlikely presidential contenders Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, with the Vermont senator’s upset of Hillary Clinton a major reminder that he is still viable and the billionaire businessman reinforcing his front-runner status. Sanders’ victory Tuesday by 2 percentage points in a high-turnout election assured him at least 65 delegates, and former Secretary of State Clinton was guaranteed …

State Rep. Aaron Miller last week told a House committee that the age requirements to run for state office should be lowered so people already considered legal adults can become involved in state government. Miller testified before the House Committee on Elections regarding a resolution he introduced last fall. The resolution proposes an amendment to the Michigan Constitution, changing the …

St. Joseph County Clerk Lindsay Oswald has issued a press release with details about next week’s presidential primary election. Oswald said the March 8 election is to participate in the process of choosing the presidential candidates for the Republican and Democratic parties. Oswald, however, said each voter must choose only one party in which to participate. Those who show up …

State Rep. Aaron Miller hopes to encourage children to read as he makes several school visits to celebrate March is Reading Month. Miller, who taught school before becoming a lawmaker, will visit with classrooms at Eastside Elementary in Constantine; Andrews Elementary in Three Rivers; Centreville Elementary; Burr Oak Elementary; and Colon Elementary schools. Teachers or administrators who would like Miller …

Dowagiac resident Richard Behnke is announcing his intent to pursue the nomination for Cass County sheriff. A lifelong resident of Cass County, Behnke has been in law enforcement for 30 years, beginning in the village of Marcellus in 1986. He has served the past twenty-nine years at the Cass County Sheriff’s office. During his career, he served as a deputy …

Nearly eight full months after she was appointed St. Joseph County clerk, Lindsay Oswald filed paperwork Monday that makes official her candidacy for the August primary election. Her petition turned in Monday featured 159 signatures – 59 more than the required minimum. The move was considered no surprise, as Oswald indicated even before she was tapped to complete the 18 …