News

Branch County leaders voted last week to retain through the end of the year their county board’s same chair and vice-chair from 2025. During their organizational meeting Jan. 8, Branch County Board of Commissioners voted Randall Hazelbaker to serve a second straight year as board chairman. Meanwhile, Tim Stoll will continue to serve as vice-chair. Stoll is the former executive …

Clerks from two Branch County townships are preparing resolutions to support controlling the population of Canada geese on and in the vicinity of Coldwater Lake. Kinderhook Township Clerk Pam Tooman and Ovid Township Clerk Amy Havasy are drafting joint-resolution language necessary for a Michigan DNR permit that would allow trained volunteers to collect and dispose of Canada goose eggs this …

A consultant hired to provide an overview of Constantine’s municipal operations is poised to take over the village’s highest, non-elected position, albeit on a temporary basis. Jim Bontrager was brought aboard two months ago to conduct a top-to-bottom review of Constantine’s operations. His services were secured after Village Manager Mark Honeysett indicated back in November he would be retiring in …

Colon Township Fire Chief Matt Overholt said personnel from the agency rescued a dog that had fallen through ice earlier this week near Long Lake Road. Overholt said firefighters were called shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday to a channel that feeds into Long Lake. Firefighters used a rescue rope to retrieve the dog, which was visiting relatives in the area …

A Branch County man who fled the country last year was found guilty Thursday on charges that include sexual conduct with minors. Anthony Cuyler, 48, was convicted of delivering methamphetamine to a minor and three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct against two children under the age of 13. The assaults occurred on separate occasions in July 2019, according to …

Sturgis Neighborhood Program’s “Neighbor2Neighbor” Community Impact Initiative is seeking volunteers to join a snow-clearing coalition. City residents and business representatives are invited to help keep sidewalks open and safe. Sturgis Neighborhood Program will help match volunteers with neighbors who need assistance removing snow from their sidewalks. Potential volunteers 17 and younger must provide a parent’s signature in order to participate. …

Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased one-tenth of a percent between September and November. According to Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, the state’s unemployment rate changed from 5.1 percent to 5 percent. Employment fell by 6,000 between September and November, and the number of unemployed fell by 7,000, resulting in a workforce decline of 13,000 during the two-month …

Relying on a postmark for proof of a mailed tax return, bill payment or time-sensitive item, for example, may no longer work. As the U.S. Postal Service continues implementing operational changes in an effort to shore up its finances and modernize its infrastructure, the agency expects an increase in delays between when a letter is mailed and when it is …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will be chaired for the second consecutive year by Three Rivers-area resident Jared Hoffmaster. During a special meeting Tuesday and in a split-vote decision, Hoffmaster was voted leader of the seven-member panel for 2026. As part of their annual, first-meeting-of-the-year process, board members nominated and then voted on a peer to serve as chairman. …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners agreed to change the start time of their monthly meeting. During a special meeting Tuesday, commissioners handled their usual first-of-the-year business, which includes establishing start time and dates for their monthly executive committee meeting – essentially a committee of the whole – and their once-a-month board meeting. Commissioners agreed to continue holding executive committee …