News

Here’s a reminder that all eight K-12 public school districts in St. Joseph County are participating in the “Meet Up and Eat Up” program to students 18 years of age and younger this summer. Burr Oak offers a meal to children 11 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. The lunch includes next day’s breakfast. Centreville, Colon and Constantine offer a …

A Niles resident was injured in a two-vehicle collision Tuesday in Cass County’s Mason Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 7:40 a.m. to the intersection of Cassopolis Road and Redfield Street in response to an accident with injuries. An initial investigation shows a southbound vehicle driven by Rebecca Geister, 42, of Niles, began to proceed through the …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer scaled back COVID-19 workplace safety rules on Tuesday, keeping mask and other requirements only in health care settings. The change coincided with the lifting of broad indoor capacity restrictions and face covering mandates that had been in place for 15 months. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s new emergency rules align with federal regulations that aim to protect health workers …

Michigan is fully open again. After 15 months of capacity restrictions and being hit by the country’s worst surge of coronavirus infections this spring, Michigan’s restaurants, entertainment businesses and other venues can operate at 100% occupancy starting Tuesday. Limits on large indoor gatherings such as weddings and funerals are gone. So is a broad requirement that the unvaccinated be masked indoors, a …

St. Joseph County reached a dubious milestone, as its 100th person to die from COVID-19 was recorded late last week. Officials from the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency said the 100th death occurred 15 months after the pandemic first reached the county in March 2020. Agency officials said there have been more than 5,500 cases of the coronavirus in St. …

A Sherman Township residence was destroyed by fire that authorities believe was caused by a lighting strike. The incident occurred Friday morning during a storm that included a fair amount of lightning. A specific location of the residence was not indicated by authorities. Nobody was home at the time of the fire and there were no injuries suffered by members …

Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport reports continued growth in passenger traffic during the month of May. A year-by-year comparison shows growth of 788 percent compared to the COVID-decimated travel month of May 2020. Craig Williams, airport director, said the airport handled 14,088 passengers last month, up from 12,370 the month before. However, Williams said, the May 2021 count is down more …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency and Branch District Library have partnered to bring COVID vaccine clinics to patrons using the agency’s mobile clinic. The mobile operation will be available at the Branch District Library’s Quincy site noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday, and noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Coldwater branch. In addition, it will partner with the Bronson …

A Dowagiac man was injured after he suffered a medical condition and the car he was driving went off the road in Cass County’s Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of M-60 and McKinley Street in the community of Jones. Investigators said Fredrick Reed, 69, was driving east on …

Sheriff Richard J Behnke reports that on Sunday at approximately 1:37 p.m., deputies responded to a single crop duster aircraft crash around the 27000 block of Indian Lane near Cassopolis. The pilot, 68-year-old Ralph Edward Lutes of Shipshewana, was transported to Elkhart General Hospital for treatment of unknown injuries sustained in the crash. The plane was crop dusting a nearby …