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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration said Tuesday it wants lawmakers to quickly allocate $300 million in federal pandemic rescue funding to support COVID-19 testing at schools amid a fourth surge of infections in Michigan. The money was included in the relief law approved by Congress and President Joe Biden in March. It is set to expire next summer and is part …

The St. Joseph County Commission on Aging has received nearly $6,000 from Area Agency on Aging as part of a grant supporting a program called “No Wrong Door System” It is a technology grant for COA members to use a variety of devices in its Sturgis and Three Rivers centers to help combat social isolation, bring virtual access to people seeking supports and services, and develop innovative services. Agency director Pam Riley …

A Branch County man was sentenced to at least 30 years in prison for his role in the sexual abuse of a 9-year-old girl. Peter Casey, 30, was sentenced recently, along with 37-year-old Shannon Moore of Kalamazoo. Casey was sentenced on six different offenses. The case began in March 2019 when the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children followed …

Two St. Joseph County farmers are participating this week in state-level, leadership-development programs sponsored by Michigan Farm Bureau. It provides “Young Farmer” members, ages 18-35, with several competitive opportunities to hone their talents and measure themselves against peers from across the state. Riley Brazo and Marcia Cripps, both of Sturgis, will represent the organization’s five-county southwestern region in the final …

Michigan’s number of hospitalized adults with confirmed COVID-19 cases reached a new pandemic high Monday, nearing 4,200 as the state continued to confront surging infections. The total of 4,185 cases surpassed the previous record of 4,158, which was set seven months ago when fewer residents were vaccinated. More than one-fifth of COVID patients in Michigan hospitals were in intensive care. …

St. Joseph County commissioners recently approved budget amendments to benefit the sheriff’s department. During their Nov. 16 meeting, commissioners OK’d a $62,000 adjustment for a policy-review service called Lexipol and an additional $65,000 to cover expenses related to a renovation project. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said the renovation centers on the former St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Department headquarters. The …

A process that was typically a routine matter in years past was approved earlier this month by St. Joseph County commissioners after an inordinate amount of attention. The roster of public defenders, whose members serve as court-appointed attorneys through 2022, was OK’d by the board Nov. 2. The matter drew a second look this year after former prosecutor John McDonough …

A 54-year-old man who shot three people on a city bus in Kalamazoo has died after being wounded while exchanging gunfire with police. Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Vernon Coakley said Anthony Oliver died Saturday at a hospital following the 9:15 a.m. shootings at the Kalamazoo Transportation Center. The motive behind the shootings was not immediately clear, Coakley said, adding that …

Winter is just around the corner, but experts say the Great Lakes haven’t gotten the message. After summer and fall evenings that failed to cool sufficiently, surface temperatures in the massive bodies of water are trending above average, the Chicago Tribune reported. It’s an example of climate change. “What was kind of jarring was the consistency of the warmer-than-normal conditions,” state …

Members of the Constantine Village Council recently approved a five-year parks and recreation plan. In 2022, the plan calls for installation of a concrete pad at Riverview Park pavilion; chains for swings; painting the cannon and park equipment at Cannon Park; and a new drinking fountain. A year later, the village plans to support construction of a $100,000 splash pad …