News

A Sturgis man Rodney Combs, 51, will serve a minimum 10 years in prison after grooming a teenaged girl for sex. Combs pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct in regard to one incident during the two-year relationship, which started in 2017. The teen chose to not comment at sentencing or testify about the relationship. St. Joseph County Chief Assistant …

A new batch of employees has been hired by Glen Oaks Community College. Ayla Wilder joins Glen Oaks as director of housing operations and residential life. Wilder is from the University of Indianapolis. Michael Elliott is the new assistant director of residential life. Elliott is a Glen Oaks alum who also coaches the Viking men’s basketball team. Sara Kohler has …

Michigan hospitals reported a record number of COVID-19 patients Monday, surpassing the peak from nearly a month ago before the state’s daily already-high infection counts surged to new heights due to the more contagious omicron variant. Roughly 4,900 people were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of the virus, including 4,580 adults with a positive test. The previous pandemic high …

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency last week was notified of the first identified cases of the Omicron variant in St. Joseph County. Medical director Karen Luparello said it is important to know that not all COVID tests are sequenced, so it is likely there are additional cases. She encourages residents to continue using standard-mitigation strategies that include staying home if …

A longtime fixture at Sturgis Police Department passed away last week. Eugene Alli served as the city’s chief of police from 1986 until his retirement in 2004. He was 81. Ryan Banaszak, director of public safety at Sturgis Police & Fire, remembered Alli as a progressive law enforcement leader who valued professionalism, education and made available training opportunities to advance the Sturgis …

Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County recently announced Mendon Housing Initiative exceeded its $30,000 fundraising campaign goal. The success will support construction of the first Habitat for Humanity home in the Mendon community. In three months – one month ahead of schedule – Mendon Housing Initiative was able to raise more than $48,000. Funds donated from ‘Giving Tuesday’ through Dec. 18 …

Some of the lowest vaccination rates in Michigan are in several townships along the state’s border with Ohio and Indiana, according to a state-issued report. The report speculates residents were vaccinated out of state and did not report it in Michigan. Those townships include Burr Oak, Colon and Nottawa in St. Joseph County. All have large Amish communities. Kristina Dewey, health information …

Michigan has received an initial, small federal shipment of COVID-19 pills that can be taken at home, state health officials announced Friday. The arrival of the newly authorized oral medications comes as the state confronts record high coronavirus cases and near-peak hospitalizations amid a surge fueled by the omicron variant. The pills cleared federal approvals over two weeks ago and can only be …

State Rep. Steve Carra announced Thursday he voted in every House of Representatives floor vote in 2021. In the Legislature, Carra is the House majority vice-chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a key panel tasked with reviewing administrative regulations. He also serves on the House committees on Agriculture, Financial Services and Transportation. Carra said he regularly met in …

Damian Barrera Carrillo was born at 7:58 a.m. Jan. 3, making him the first baby of the new year birthed at Three Rivers Health. Damian was born to Maria Carrillo Cruz and Oscar Barrera of Sturgis. He weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and measured 19 and 1⁄4 inches. Damian was the sixth boy to be born to the couple. Siblings Jose Antonio, Gabino, Justin, …