News

Voters in the city of Sturgis approved a 10-year, 3-mill renewal request for ongoing street maintenance and repairs. Unofficial results from Tuesday’s request show 502 “yes” votes were recorded, and 266 “no” ballots were counted. The millage will levy three-mills, or $3 for each $1,000 of a home’s taxable value, for another 10 years. Nearly $750,000 will be raised in …

Voters in the Constantine Public Schools district on Tuesday defeated a proposed two-tenths of a mill increase that would have generated $38.8 million for improvements. The proposal was defeated by a vote of 754 against to 442 in favor. That includes 146 affirmative votes and 333 opposing votes in Cass County. Constantine Public Schools superintendent Jim Wiseley expressed disappointment in the result. He said …

Over 55,000 more claimants won’t have to pay back unemployment overpayments totaling $431 million from the Michigan unemployment agency during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state announced Wednesday. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency has to date waived more than $4.3 billion of overpayments to residents, totaling 400,000 claimants who were improperly awarded pandemic unemployment benefits. Many were worried about having to …

A draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision reverberated in political battleground Michigan, where a near-total abortion ban may take effect again after nearly 50 years and is unlikely to be changed by the Republican-led Legislature. There is increased attention in Michigan on the state courts, where Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Planned Parenthood — …

Congressman Fred Upton is the 2022 Liberty Bell recipient. Issued annually since 1985 by the St. Joseph County Bar Association, the Liberty Bell Award is presented to a non-lawyer, individual or organization within the St. Joseph County community. The recipient is acknowledged for making an outstanding contribution to the community by promoting a better understanding of the Constitution and Bill …

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has notified Branch Hillsdale St. Joseph Community Health Agency of a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a backyard flock in Branch County. MDARD and health agency officials are working with the poultry owner. The risk to humans is low, unless direct contact with sick or dead birds has been made. MDARD …

Two new ambulances and a fire truck were the focus of a tour given to city officials last week. Sturgis Director of Public Safety Ryan Banaszak showed off and demonstrated the features of both 2022 ambulances, as well as a refurbished 2005 Deep South tanker fire truck. The ambulances, which sit on a Ford E350 chassis, are imprinted with the …

Two finalists have been named for the job of Colon Community Schools superintendent. The district’s board of education is staging a special meeting next week to interview the pair. Starting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, the meeting will see the board conduct second-round interviews with Rachel Kowalski and Mike Rasmussen. Kowalski is the former director of teaching and learning at Clintondale …

Sturgis-area resident Daniel Silich was sentenced Monday to between nine and 15 years in prison after pleading no contest to manslaughter with a motor vehicle last year. Silich, 43, was driving a vehicle that struck three children in April 2021 on Ralston Road in Branch County’s Sherwood Township. Landen Risner, 13, died from head injuries after he was airlifted from …

A Sturgis man was injured this week after the motorcycle he was driving was struck by a vehicle in Nottawa Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called at 5:40 p.m. Sunday to the intersection of Nottawa Road and M-86. Investigators said a pickup driven by a 23-year-old Burr Oak man was stopped on Nottawa Road. He attempted to proceed …