News

The St. Joseph County Association of Realtors has named Benjamin Myers of Berkshire Hathaway Home services Michigan Centreville Office as its 2023 Realtor of the Year. The award is given in recognition of outstanding commitment and service to the community and the real-estate industry. Award winners are chosen by their peers and recognized both locally and at the state level …

A man suspected in two weekend homicides in southwestern Michigan was fatally shot after a police chase on a rural road ended in a wheat field, authorities said Monday. David Algarin Jr., age 30, led police on a chase that began Sunday in St. Joseph County and stretched nearby into Branch County, investigators said. “The pursuit ended in an officer-involved …

White Pigeon Township Board members urged their constituents to get more involved in local government if they’re unhappy with their current representatives. The five-member board held a special meeting last week to discuss claims against them and an attempted recall. Nearly a dozen audience members addressed the board before its members took their turn to express an opinion on the …

Morgan Olson has donated a community-support-response vehicle to the St. Joseph County United Way to celebrate the 20th year of operation at Morgan Olson’s step-van production facility in Sturgis. The vehicle was presented last week. Mike Ownbey, Morgan Olson president and CEO, said the company’s step vans help people in many ways and are essential in delivering life-saving supplies. He …

Sturgis Hospital has fully transitioned to a rural emergency hospital, though it continues to work toward finding a buyer. The 98-year-old hospital network designation as Michigan’s first rural emergency hospital was announced Thursday and is one of only a handful in the entire United States. The designation, recently granted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the …

Here’s an update on work being done on U.S. 131 in St. Joseph and Kalamazoo counties, according to Michigan Department of Transportation’s Christopher Jacobs. Recently completed work includes storm-sewer installation at Michigan Avenue. Meanwhile, all crossovers have been based with hot-mix asphalt. In addition, hot-mix asphalt wedging is complete in the northern section of the project. The two-week outlook includes …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is working in conjunction with the city of Three Rivers and state agencies to support the “Action Level Exceedance” notification. Health officer Rebecca Burns said in collaboration with the Department of Public Services, the agency will be a distribution point for residents who are on the city’s water system. Filter distribution will begin at …

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Rural Development State Director Brandon Fewins has announced that USDA is expanding access to health care for three Michigan communities, including one in St. Joseph County. Centreville-based Covered Bridge Healthcare will use a $1 million grant to purchase equipment that will improve tele-health services among other future pandemic and medical surge preparation projects. Facilities in Shiawassee …

St. Joseph County Undersheriff Jason Bingaman has released the name of the Three Rivers woman who died after the bicycle she was riding was struck by a van last week. Heather Lynn Lafler, 39, died shortly after the incident, which occurred at 11 p.m. Friday at the intersection of U.S. 131 and Millard Road in Fabius Township. Investigators said the …

The case of a LaGrange County man involved a two-vehicle crash that killed two Indiana women in White Pigeon Township is moving on to a preliminary examination. Harley Jay Bontrager, 19, appeared Tuesday with his attorney, Jessica LaFond, before District Court Judge Jeff Middleton for a pre-exam conference. Prosecutor David Marvin said he and LaFond agreed to move the case …