News

New vehicles sold in the U.S. will have to average at least 40 miles per gallon of gasoline in 2026, up from about 28 mpg, under new federal rules unveiled Friday that undo a rollback of standards enacted under President Donald Trump. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its new fuel economy requirements are the strongest to date and the maximum …

A veteran member of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has announced his bid for re-election to a fourth, two-year term. Meanwhile, a former state legislator and current member of the Sturgis City Commission is contemplating a run of his own for the county board. Dennis Allen, presently in his sixth year as a county commissioner, said he is …

A special, land-use request was recently heard by members of the Sturgis Planning Commission regarding a car wash in the 100 block of South Centerville Road, site of the former Johnston Skate O’Rama. Tom and Tim Houseman, representing Turn-Key Carwash Systems of Grand Rapids, said they plan to convert the vacant lot into a three-bay car wash: two automatic and …

Three Rivers Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance with a case involving a missing person. Agency officials said David Michael Abrams was last seen Dec. 25 in the 200 block of East Michigan Avenue. Abrams, 66, is 5-foot-6 and weighs about 125 pounds. Anyone with information about Abrams is asked to contact Det. Smallcomb at the Three Rivers Police …

The St. Joseph County Conservation District’s annual spring seedling tree sale has returned for 2022. Orders will be accepted through April 29. Pick up dates are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 6 and 9 a.m. to noon May 7 at the St. Joseph County Fairgrounds. Varieties include conifers, deciduous, shrubs and a limited number of plants. More information about …

Organizers of the Three Rivers Water Festival said it is accepting applications for any group or individual interested in being in the 2022 parade. Parade date is June 16, with a backup of June 17 in the event of rain. Prospective participants will have to indicate basic information, including number of cars in their entry, number of people walking and …

The St. Joseph County Road Commission Board recently voted to close a railroad crossing in Flowerfield Township. Managing director John Lindsey said the crossing is in the northwest corner of the township and is operated by Canadian National Railroad. The crossing, on County Line Road, is expected to be shut down in 2023, according to Lindsey. He said closing the …

Michigan Department of Treasury announced a total of 62 cities, 15 villages, 33 townships and 53 counties will receive shares from the state’s Marijuana Regulation Fund. Distribution totaled $42.2 million from 10 percent retail excise taxes in fiscal year 2021. More than $1.1 billion in adult-use marijuana sales took place during the fiscal year. Those sales do not include medical marijuana sales, …

Michigan is investing more than $4.7 billion to improve infrastructure, including drinking water upgrades, internet access and fixing roads, bridges and dams. The spending plan includes some of the biggest infrastructure investments in state history, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Wednesday before signing the bipartisan legislation in Grand Rapids. About $4 billion comes from federal funds, including COVID-19 recovery funds and the Infrastructure …

A couple accused of torching eight barns last year in a northern Indiana county now face charges alleging that they also set fire to an Amish school in an adjacent county. Joseph Hershberger, 41, and Sherry Thomas, 32, were charged in December in Elkhart County with eight counts of arson for the barn burnings, the first of which occurred in …