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St. Joseph County Transportation Authority Director Allen Balog said nearly two dozen people took advantage of the agency’s “Free Ride Home” program a few weeks ago. The service, provided over a six-hour period the night of Nov. 24, drew 19 riders, Balog said. He noted the free service was available to people coming from locations and going to locations in …

Hydro, a European-based company, has committed to construction of a new, state-of-the-art aluminum recycling plant in Cass County. The plant will produce 120,000 tons of aluminum extrusion ingot per year. Hydro will be able to recycle up to 40,000 tons of post-consumer scrap at the new facility while delivering high-quality aluminum capable of meeting automotive requirements. Construction is set to …

Three Rivers City Manager Joe Bippus has announced the potential hiring of a new chief of police. With the retirement of longtime chief Tom Bringman, the city is poised to agree to a contract with Ronald “Scott” Boling. The announcement was made Friday. Boling’s hiring is contingent on action by the city commission at its meeting Tuesday. Bippus said Boling …

Three people were injured in a two-vehicle collision last week in Cass County’s Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called around 12:40 p.m. Friday to an area of M-60, west of Corey Lake Road. Investigators said a pickup driven by 75-year-old Charles Buck of Vandalia failed to yield the right-of-way and turned into the path of a vehicle …

Claiming St. Joseph County’s Animal Control Advisory Board has served its purpose, the 11-member panel is expected to change dynamics and no longer exist as a board. The matter was raised during the county commission’s executive committee meeting Wednesday. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite and undersheriff Jason Bingaman said the advisory board feels the group, by and large, has run its course …

Michigan’s minimum wage will rise by 22 cents to $9.87 an hour on January 1st. State law requires annual increases in the wage until it reaches $12.05 in a decade. The 22-cent raise was supposed to occur in 2021 but was automatically delayed because of high unemployment early in the coronavirus pandemic. The state announced this past week that the …

Three Rivers Health CEO Dave Shannon issued a message Thursday detailing the hospital and COVID-19. Shannon said nearly every hospital in the region is at or has exceeded patient capacity. The majority of the patients have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. He said the situation has the potential to result in longer-than-usual waits for emergency care, prolonged stays in the …

Two Constantine Township residents were arrested after sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at their residence. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies responded Nov. 24 to the 65000 block of Maple Road after receiving a tip about items stolen from a Bristol, Ind., business. During their search, deputies also located and seized several firearms, two of which had been reported stolen, …

Glen Oaks Community College announced it has adjusted the hours of its weekly COVID-19 clinics. School officials said the Tuesday clinic times are now 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m. The college is able to conduct both rapid and PCR covid testing. The service is free of charge.

A third 22-member medical team from the U.S. military is being deployed to Michigan, where hospitals are grappling with record-high COVID-19 patients amid the state’s fourth surge of infections. The nurses, doctors and respiratory therapists will assist Covenant Healthcare in Saginaw starting Dec. 12, the state health department said Thursday. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called it “much-needed relief.” Two other 22-member …