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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 …

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 …