News

Authorities evacuated several homes in a Kalamazoo neighborhood Thursday evening after a ruptured gas line caught fire. Police and firefighters evacuated all homes within a one-block radius of the fire, and police diverted traffic away from the area. Firefighters reported a 4-inch natural gas line ruptured and was burning under ground in a construction zone, the Kalamazoo Gazette said. Gas …

Even though battery costs are rising, auto companies are rolling out more affordable electric vehicles that should widen their appeal to a larger group of buyers. The latest came Thursday from General Motors, a Chevrolet Equinox small SUV with a starting price somewhere around $30,000 and a range-per-charge of 250 miles. You can get range of 300 miles if you …

Indiana Michigan Power next week will close the reservoir boat ramp and restrict access to the canoe portage near the Mottville Hydroelectric Plant for maintenance work. Work will begin on Monday and is expected to conclude by Oct. 21. During the scheduled maintenance work, I&M asks those traveling or living near the hydroelectric facility to be aware of heavy equipment …

Sturgis Hospital is looking to change its operating model Jan. 1 from a traditional facility to a rural emergency hospital. The hospital was saved from imminent closure earlier in the summer when the state provided financial relief to carry the facility to the end of the year. The state’s help enabled the hospital to not only remain open, but work toward …

Two road-related projects started Tuesday in St. Joseph County. The bigger task involves a seven-mile stretch of roadway in Leonidas Township. MDOT officials said the work centers on M-60, which will be re-repaved from the junction of M-66 east to Hacker Road, at the Branch County line. Meanwhile, the other project involves a one-mile section of U.S. 12 from Fairview …

A Three Rivers man who eluded authorities following an incident Saturday afternoon was taken into custody Tuesday. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called shortly before noon Tuesday to an area of Hoffman Road, near Pulver Road in Fabius Township, regarding a suspicious person. The man turned out to be Kenneth Scott, who was walking with a bicycle alongside the …

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Nonpoint Source Program has announced the availability of about $3.3 million in state and federal funding. The grants are to be dedicated toward watershed projects that restore impaired waters or protect high-quality waters from the impacts of nonpoint source pollution. Funds should be available for selected projects in the spring of 2023. …

Construction will begin soon on a mixed-use development in the heart of downtown Sturgis. The development will feature a five-story building designed to enhance the downtown retail mix and catalyze downtown investment by making future development more economically viable in Sturgis. The development will add 23 new housing units and 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space to be occupied …

A site plan for an expansion project at Abbott Manufacturing, which will include a second facility tower, was approved recently by the Sturgis Planning Commission. The city received a site plan for review from Abbott Manufacturing Inc. for the property at 901 N. Centerville Road. Abbott is looking to build three additions to the existing building and include a parking area, …

A 17-year-old Colon boy faces multiple charges after he led police on a pursuit originating in St. Joseph County. St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said local police in Colon attempted to stop a Ford Mustang in the village for speeding and no valid registration at 8 a.m. Aug. 29. The suspect did not stop and continued driving into Branch …