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A “round up” program approved by Sturgis municipal officials in May is underway. Its goal is to help build charitable funds. The plan involves rounding up a customer’s utility bill and is a collaboration between the city and Sturgis Area Community Foundation. City manager Mike Hughes, and Lindsay Richardson, executive director of Sturgis Area Community Foundation, said city residents have …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency will start offering Pfizer vaccine to children 5-11 years of age beginning Tuesday. The agency’s scheduling website is prepared to accept pediatric-dose appointments. Tuesday’s clinic will be at the Dearth Center in Coldwater, followed by Nov. 13 at Three Rivers Middle School. Agency officials said the results seen in the 5-11-year-old study group demonstrated …

St. Joseph County Board of Canvassers on Thursday declared Torrey Brown winner of the write-in campaign for at-large commissioner to the Three Rivers City Commission. County Clerk Lindsay Oswald said Brown received 105 votes, while 30 votes went to Lucas Allen. They were vying for the seat being vacated by Clayton Lyczynski, who chose to not seek re-election.

St. Joseph County was one of dozens of counties in the state to receive a financial grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. According to a department media release from the Lansing-based agency, St. Joseph County was awarded $40,000. It stated the grant was issued to provide support for the basic operations of conservation districts in Michigan, …

Michigan State Police responded to a report of larceny from a motor vehicle earlier this week in Branch County’s Ovid Township. According to a department media release, troopers went to the boat launch on the corner of Mud Lake Drive and East Central Road following a complaint of theft of a catalytic converter. The incident occurred between 3 and 5:15 …

Five local varsity football teams will take the field this weekend, as district championships are on the line. Four of the games are at 7 o’clock this evening, including two teams in 8-man football. In a rematch of an earlier contest this season, Mendon will play Martin. The game is at Delton-Kellogg High School due to poor field conditions at …

Thirty-three people with milestone anniversaries as St. Joseph County employees were recognized by the county board this week. County commissioners staged their annual “Employee Service Recognition” event Tuesday. It featured those whose notable anniversaries were in 2020 as well as this year. Top billing went to district court judge Jeff Middleton, who has been with the county 40 years. Though …

A 58-year-old White Pigeon man was arrested following a hit-and-run incident early Sunday in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called around 12:05 a.m. to the area of Sunset Boulevard and Terrie Shore. Upon arrival, deputies found 28-year-old Union resident Richard Mroz on the side of the roadway. He was airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital …

St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department deputies are investigating the theft of a camper from Nottawa Township. Investigators said the incident occurred between Oct. 13 and last Saturday in the 60000 block of Railroad Street. The stolen camper is a 2019 Jayco Eagle with a Michigan trailer plate of E163148.

Top state health officials, pediatricians and vaccine advocates on Wednesday urged parents to get Michigan’s 825,000 children ages 5 to 11 vaccinated against COVID-19, as appointments began opening after the U.S. gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size shots. More than 450 children under age 12 are becoming infected with the coronavirus each day in the state. The risk of severe disease …