News

The public health advisory on indoor masking, including use in schools, has been withdrawn. Recognizing the COVID-19 case rate is declining, the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency changed its response to the “recovery post surge” status. Health Officer Rebecca Burns told her board last week she’s following state health guidelines for the ongoing virus cycle. The recovery phase is characterized …

Road commissions from Branch and St. Joseph counties will place seasonal weight restrictions on most county roads beginning Tuesday morning. The limits are for pothole prevention, officials said, noting heavy trucks cannot use restricted roads without a permit from the county road commission. In addition, effective Friday, weight restrictions will be imposed and enforced on all state trunkline highways from …

In light of Abbott Labs voluntarily recalling powder formulas – including Similac, Alimentum and EleCare – WIC recipients are encouraged to check the lot numbers found on the bottom of the can. The products included in the recall have a multi-digit number starting with the first two digits 22 through 37, contains K8, SH, or Z2 and have an expiration …

Fire heavily damaged a two-unit residence last week in the city of Sturgis. According to fire officials, crews were called around 7 a.m. Thursday to the 100 block of West Hatch Street. Upon arrival, fire crews found a two-unit residence with heavy smoke in the lower apartment and all occupants outside the home. Upon making entry to the structure, firefighters …

A Sturgis man was sentenced to up to five years in prison after using a hatchet to threaten his mother. Alexander Plummer, 21, will serve 18 months to five years for breaking into his mother’s Balk Road home threatening to set it on fire in June 2021. Defense attorney Tim George said, “meth took a stranglehold” on Plummer and he …

A Sturgis man was injured after losing control of his vehicle on an ice-covered road last week in Sturgis Township. Sheriff’s deputies said the incident occurred shortly before 12:30 p.m. Feb. 18 on M-66 near Bogen Road. Deputies said 38-year-old Dustin Garn was driving north on M-66 when his vehicle struck a patch of ice. Garn lost control of the …

Sturgis police arrested a man who attempted to flee from officers following an incident last weekend. According to a department media release, officers pulled over a car shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday at West Street and North Centerville Road. Officers said the vehicle was believed to be connected with a missing juvenile. The vehicle stopped long enough for a female …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department responded last weekend to a two-vehicle collision in Fabius Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called at 2 p.m. Saturday to M-60 and A.L. Jones Road in response to a two-vehicle, personal-injury crash. John Schmidt, 57, of Osceola, Ind., was driving west on M-60, where his SUV was struck by a …

Colon Community Schools officials are optimistic they will be able to work with the district’s Amish population and potentially re-open Leonidas School in the fall. Board of education president Deb Bordner said Monday a recent meeting between district officials and a number of area Amish residents led to good discussion and renewed consideration of bringing Leonidas School back into the …

Larry Brueck was honored this week by Nottawa Township Board members, who praised his work ethic, integrity and commitment to his job as township sexton. Tuesday was Brueck’s final township board meeting, as he is retiring at the end of the week, just shy of 28 years on the job. Township officials staged a small reception prior to their meeting, …