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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday loosened COVID-19 workplace safety rules so fully vaccinated employees can go without a mask and disregard distancing requirements. Industry-specific regulations were rescinded. Restaurants and bars, for instance, can reopen pool tables and dance floors. Cleaning standards were softened. As expected, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration also lifted a requirement that employers prohibit …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has announced it will provide no-cost, weekly curbside COVID-19 testing through the end of June at locations in each of the three counties it represents. Health officer Rebecca Burns said tests are offered to residents as an opportunity to receive rapid results, typically within 30 minutes. Testing is 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fridays …

A trio of seniors from Three Rivers High School was awarded $1,000 scholarships through Midwest Energy & Communications. The scholarships were issued based on academic achievement, leadership and community involvement. They are also daughters of MEC customers. Madelyn Adams has been active with the high school marching and symphony bands, choir and theater. She plans to study wildlife biology at …

State Rep. Steve Carra has helped introduce a plan to allow law-abiding residents to carry a firearm without a permit. House Bills 4863-68 would repeal the requirement that a citizen who legally owns a firearm obtain a permit to carry it. The plan would authorize anyone not otherwise prohibited from carrying a firearm to carry anywhere that open or concealed-carry …

Michigan’s main funds will take in an estimated $3.5 billion more in taxes than previously forecast thanks to increased consumer spending of federal stimulus checks and other coronavirus relief funds, state officials said Friday. The big surplus, spread over this fiscal year and next, will give Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Republican-controlled Legislature additional budget flexibility at a time $6.5 …

The Michigan Supreme Court said it won’t be the next umpire in a dispute over an eye injury at a high school tennis practice. But the 4-3 decision Friday was as close as a ball falling near the white line. Bradley Trecha suffered a permanent eye injury when a ball struck him at practice at Fenton High School in 2016. …

A White Pigeon man was injured this week after the motorcycle he was driving was involved in an accident in Florence Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called at 4:30 p.m. Monday to Banker Road and Burgener Road in response to a-car-versus-motorcycle incident. The 53-year-old motorcycle driver was traveling north on Burgener Road when he disregarded a stop sign …

The Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport conducted an emergency drill starting on Friday (5-21-21). Area police, fire and emergency agencies converged on the airport to practice procedures necessary in the event of an actual emergency. It was part of a drill to support the requirements to exercise the Airport Emergency Plan every three years, according to Anton Bjorkman, assistant director of …

Members of the Three Rivers City Commission approved a pair of ordinances to allow recreational marijuana facilities. Two ordinances approved Tuesday will allow recreational marijuana establishments as special-exception uses. Meanwhile, the second detailed how and where they are able to locate within the city. Municipal officials said it’s likely applications for permits by November. In addition, stipulations will require that …

Michigan will fully lift outdoor capacity limits on June 1 and, starting July 1, end indoor gathering caps that were put in place to curb COVID-19, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday in a major loosening of economic restrictions. The state has limited occupancy in restaurants and other venues since March 2020, when the coronavirus hit. The announcement, which includes raising …