News

Sturgis Public Schools will consider a business-services agreement with Colon Community Schools when the board of education meets March 21. Board members learned of the potential arrangement at their study session Monday. Art Ebert, Sturgis superintendent, said Colon has gone through a number of transitions recently, including currently having an interim superintendent. A business-services contract for Colon with the St. …

Michigan reported fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending March 13, adding nearly 6,000 new cases. That’s down more than 24 percent from the previous week’s tally of almost 8,000 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. St. Joseph County reported 24 cases and five deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 20 cases and three …

Details of an incident involving a vehicle driven into a section of Constantine High School remain unavailable. Neither Constantine Public Schools nor the Constantine Police Department are releasing information about the March 9 crash. The nighttime incident caused damage to the building and its band room. No one was injured in the crash, though some band instruments were damaged.

A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, known as HPAI, was found this week in a non-commercial backyard flock in Kalamazoo County. State health officials have been working diligently to limit the spread of the virus and birds from the flock are assured not to enter the food system. No avian influenza virus has been detected anywhere in the United States. …

A veteran member of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners announced Tuesday he will not seek re-election for another two-year term. Dan Czajkowski, who is in his sixth year on the county board, made the declaration during the commission’s monthly meeting Tuesday. Czajkowski, 65, represents Constantine, Mottville, White Pigeon and Sturgis townships. Starting in January and under his replacement, …

A White Pigeon Township resident has announced his intentions to run for county commission. Luis Rosado, 58, made his candidacy official moments after incumbent Dan Czajkowski announced Tuesday he would not seek re-election to a fourth, two-year term. Rosado is a salesman for Cobalt Holdings in Sturgis. A Chicago native, Rosado spent 18 of his 24 years in law-enforcement with …

St. Joseph County Commission chair Kathy Pangle had a pointed response to a constituent critical of the county’s potential use of its $11.8 million in funds issued through the American Rescue Plan Act. During the commission’s Tuesday meeting, Pangle took a few minutes to share her rebuttal to a constituent who texted her and said he felt the money should …

St. Joseph County commissioners voted Tuesday to allow the county’s Transportation Authority to place a millage-renewal request on the August ballot. The matter was broached a week earlier, when agency director Allen Balog appeared before county commissioners at their executive committee meeting and appraised the panel on the request. Balog said the request would be for a four-year renewal of …

An ambulance mutual-aid agreement between Sturgis and Three Rivers public safety departments – as well as a fee schedule for a soon-to-launch service in Sturgis – were approved last week by Sturgis City Commission. As part of the licensing process with the state for an ambulance service, Sturgis city officials needed to have a signed mutual aid agreement and intercept …

St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Department Director Jaymes MacDonald said the agency has a busy summer on tap. Atop the list of projects is the extension of mountain-bike trails at Meyer Broadway Park. MacDonald said the purchase of a $75,000 trail dozer will allow for easy creation of the new trails. MacDonald said work will likely start by Memorial …