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With most precincts reporting, Jonathan Lindsey appears to have defeated incumbent Kim LaSata in the Republican race for State Senate District 17. By late Tuesday, Lindsey had a margin of 61 percent of the vote to LaSata’s 39 percent. Meanwhile, Steve Carra was on his way to re-election to the Republican nomination for the State House District 36 seat. As …

A judge blocked enforcement of a 1931 Michigan ban on abortion Monday, just hours after the state Court of Appeals said county prosecutors were not covered by a May order and could enforce the prohibition following the fall of Roe v. Wade. Oakland County Judge Jacob Cunningham stepped in at the request of attorneys representing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat …

June’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County rose by six-tenths of a percent from May. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget was released recently. It showed St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate rose from 4.1 percent in May to 4.7 percent in June. The rate was 6.2 percent 12 months earlier. Meanwhile, Cass County …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the theft of a motor vehicle last week from a location in Sherman Township. According to a department media release, troopers were called to the 67000 block of Burg Road and were told the theft occurred between 10 p.m. Thursday and 7 a.m. Friday. The vehicle was left unlocked, with the keys in the …

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has been notified of a harmful Algal Bloom at North Lake LeAnn in Hillsdale County. The State of Michigan’s Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy laboratory has confirmed the detection of microcystin in the cyanobacterial scums on the northern section of the lake. The Lake LeAnn Property Owners Association is aware of the algal bloom and …

The St. Joseph County Transportation Authority is asking voters Tuesday to decide whether to renew one-third of a mill to continue operations at their current level. The Three Rivers-based agency was successful in 2010, 2014 and 2018 in identical requests, supported by roughly a 2-to-1 margin. Agency director Allen Balog, however, said he is not taking anything for granted and …

A new airline and a new destination were announced Thursday by Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport officials. Avelo Air will begin twice-a-week service to Orlando, with direct-flight service from AZO kicking off Oct. 26. The Texas-based company is offering an introductory rate of $59 one-way for flights booked on or before Tuesday. After its inaugural AZO flight, the company will service …

There is a reported case of Monkeypox in St. Joseph County, Ind., according to the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency. The agency has received inquiries from concerned local residents, as initial reporting did not clearly state St. Joseph County, Indiana. As of this week, however, the tri-county agency has no confirmed cases of Monkeypox Virus within its jurisdiction. Monkeypox Virus …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a vehicle fire that occurred June 18 in an area near U.S. 131 and Cotherman Lake Road. No additional information was available in a department media release.

Cass County sheriff’s deputies responded Tuesday to a shooting incident in Calvin Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies responded at 8:45 a.m. to the intersection of Calvin Center Road and Brownsville Street. Investigators learned that a 46-year-old Calvin Township man had exited his vehicle, and began actively shooting at vehicles and objects in that area. Witnesses then told 911 dispatchers …