News

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the theft of a propane tank taken earlier this week from a location in Branch County. Investigators said the 20-pound, liquified propane tank with a brush burner attachment was taken around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday from a location near West Chicago Road and Deer Park Road. Authorities said the suspects –- two males – approached …

Here’s a reminder that the St. Joseph County Conservation District is in the midst of its annual tree sale. The 2023 sale features about two dozen varieties of trees and bushes. The inventory includes pagoda dogwood, red oak, sugar maple, white pine, black walnut and common lilac. Prices and varieties are available on the agency’s website. Pickup date is May …

Oliver Knuth, volunteer director for the Salvation Army Kalamazoo, said help is needed with supervision during Thursday evening youth programs. He said the weekly sessions feature an hour-long component starting at 4:30 p.m., during which time kids are building remote-controlled cars. Help is needed to supervise and assist. The car kits come with all parts, pieces and instructions, and help …

Bids for the most comprehensive overhaul of a St. Joseph County icon have come in about $400,000 more than budgeted. St. Joseph County Road Commission Manager John Lindsey and engineer Garrett Myland said the Centreville-based agency budgeted $2.8 million for refurbishing the Langley Covered Bridge. The low bid, though, was more than $3.2 million. At the moment, the road commission …

Michigan State Police troopers wish to remind the public of an old scam that has returned to the area recently. Investigators are following up on an incident that took place last month in Calhoun County’s Newton Township. A homeowner was approached by three men who offered to re-seal the homeowner’s driveway and exposed basement walls. The suspects sprayed the drive …

The case of a Sturgis-area woman missing since 2018 was at the center of a rally last weekend in Centreville. More than 50 people gathered Saturday outside the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department to raise awareness to the plight of Brittany Wallace Shank. She was 23 when she disappeared in November 2018, last seen in Fawn River Township. Sturgis resident …

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters recently issued a media release centering on the recent mass shooting at Michigan State University. Peters said he is calling for Congress to pass meaningful gun reforms, including legislation to expand federal background checks to all gun sales — a measure Peters said he helped reintroduce in the Senate. Peters said lawmakers must enact reasonable limits …

A Saginaw man was sentenced last week for his role in a crash that killed an elderly Schoolcraft couple nearly two years ago. Ezra Phillips is expected to spend up to 30 years in prison after the vehicle he was driving T-boned a car in which Joel Shaffer and Dolores Shaffer were occupants. Phillips, 28, was charged with operating while …

Sturgis Interim City Manager Andrew Kuk last week accepted an offer from the city commission to become city manager on a permanent basis. Kuk has served for more than 15 years as assistant city manager, assuming the interim primary role in January after former manager Mike Hughes accepted a new management position at a local manufacturing company. The city commission …

Organizers of the twice-a-year collection of household hazardous waste and recycling of electronics have announced an important message regarding the spring 2023 event. Pat Kulikoswki, secretary of the St. Joseph County Solid Waste Committee, said the county is working with a different drug and lab company that collects household hazardous waste. She said, unfortunately, it does not have enough staff …