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Michigan residents who visit secretary of state offices will always need an appointment, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said Thursday, making permanent a change that was made to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Gone are the days when a person could walk into a branch and wait in line. Benson called it an “antiquated, inefficient, take-a-number system that …

A plan to intentionally set fire to a long-abandoned motel north of Schoolcraft has been delayed. Vicksburg Village Council member Denny Olsen said the former Plainsman Motel in Schoolcraft Township was to be intentionally set on fire to provide training for South County Fire Authority as well as other area fire departments. The training was to take place this weekend. …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday announced a plan to tie the lifting of coronavirus restrictions to Michigan’s vaccination rate, setting specific benchmarks that must be reached to return to normal. As more people get shots, she said, the state will allow office work, relax and ultimately end indoor capacity limits, and lift a health order designed to curb COVID-19. About …

A sheriff’s deputy bitten by a dog in southern Michigan killed the animal and then fatally shot the angry owner who confronted him with a knife, state police said Thursday. The incident happened Wednesday night in Hillsdale County’s Reading Township after the deputy responded to a call about a dog on the loose. “When the deputy made contact at the …

A Kalamazoo chiropractor who opposed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders when the coronavirus pandemic struck and helped with an effort to repeal her emergency powers announced Wednesday that he will run against the Democrat in 2022. Garrett Soldano, a Republican, last spring started a Facebook group called “Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine” that gained roughly 380,000 members before the social media …

In honor of Arbor Day, the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging invited Carolyn Grace from the St Joseph County Conservation District and Ashley Ives, a Farm Bill Specialist from the US Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to visit our Enrichment Centers on Thursday, April 29. In addition to giving away white pines to our COA members, Carolyn …

A steering committee is being created to help decide how St. Joseph County will spend its share of a $1.9 trillion federal government incentive. During their executive committee meeting Wednesday, county commissioners discussed the impending payment arriving through the American Rescue Plan. Though the anticipated amount has not been disclosed by county officials, it’s expected to be significant enough to …

The St. Joseph County Bar Association has announced the recipient of its 2020/21 Liberty Bell Award. Chaired by district court judge Jeff Middleton, the St. Joseph County Bar Association Liberty Bell Committee chose Erin Goff as the award winner. Goff is director of emergency services and Homeland Security for St. Joseph County. She previously served as manager of the St. …

Two small matters of business were addressed by St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners during their executive committee meeting Wednesday. County administrator Teresa Doehring said the commission plans to recognize state-champion Centreville High School football team with a resolution to be read and presented at Tuesday’s board meeting next week. Additionally, commissioners fielded two requests for an exception to the …

Officials from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department wish to remind the public about a phone scam local residents have recently reported. Deputies said scammers create a fake name and phone number that make it appear they are calling from a local police department, sheriff’s office or other law-enforcement agency. The scammer will indicate to the person answering there is …