News

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton announced a substantial grant on Tuesday to benefit Glen Oaks Community College. Upton said the $900,000 grant will implement a safe, effective and cost-efficient distance-learning model for Glen Oaks’ students, with an emphasis on high-school dual-enrolled students. The grant project features the installation of videoconferencing technology to allow instructors to broadcast synchronous live instruction from their …

After several hours of preliminary examination testimony Thursday in the open murder case against Michael Lafler, St. Joseph County prosecutor David Marvin asked Lafler be bound over for trial. Judge Jeff Middleton continued the $1 million bond for Lafler in the death of Chelsea Wallen, 33, during an incident Oct. 15 in her Colon home. Kalamazoo defense attorney Anastase Markou …

Two children were found safe after being taken last week from their Centreville residence. According to Michigan State Police, the girls, 11 and 6 years of age, were reported missing from the yard of their foster parents at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Authorities said the girls were allegedly taken by their biological mother, Samantha Prewitt, who law-enforcement officials said had previously …

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has been notified by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy of untreated manure that overflowed from a waste storage structure last week in Branch County’s Algansee Township. EGLE staff members have been on site and have observed manure three to four miles downstream, and at the water inlet of Marble Lake. Residents and …

Members of the Constantine Village Council are expected to move forward with creating special-assessment districts for fire protection, police protection and ambulance services. The move is a result of voter-backed requests sought by the village. The three, separate proposals passed by approximately a 3-to-2 margin. Council members are now expected to conduct a public hearing and discuss setting up the …

A request for a sinking fund renewal at White Pigeon Community Schools was approved Tuesday by voters in the district’s boundaries in St. Joseph and Cass counties. Unofficial results show the renewal passed by a margin of 724-645, including those in both counties. Voter turnout was 32 percent for the renewal in St. Joseph County, with 1,143 ballots cast – …

Burr Oak Township Clerk Jacquilyn Wells has been barred from involvement in election-related matters until further notice from a state agency. According to a letter issued from Michigan Director of Elections Jonathan Brater, Wells violated Michigan Election Laws regarding the issuance and processing of absent-voter ballots for Tuesday’s primary. Specifically, according to Brater, the agency has been informed that Wells …

A Mendon Township man defeated incumbent Kathy Pangle from the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners following Tuesday’s primary election. Unofficial results show District 3 challenger Rusty Baker topped Pangle by a margin of 55 percent to 45 percent. Baker still has a general election ahead of him in November. Barring an unlikely upset in that contest, Baker will secure …

The race for St. Joseph County Commission’s District 4 featured two challengers seeking to replace Dan Czajkowski, who is stepping down after a six-year run. White Pigeon resident Luis Rosado had a narrow victory over Constantine Township’s David Hayslip. Unofficial results show Rosado secured about 53 percent of the votes to Hayslip’s 47 percent. Rosado said he vows to commit …

The St. Joseph County Transportation Authority received strong support in its request for renewing one-third of a mill to continue operations at their current level. The request was approved by nearly a 2-to-1 margin. The Three Rivers-based agency was also successful in 2010, 2014 and 2018 in identical requests. They, too, were supported by roughly a 2-to-1 margin. Agency director …