News

A 54-year-old Sherwood man died after he was involved in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday in Fawn River Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said deputies were called around 4:30 a.m. to the area of U.S. 12 and Sweet Lake Road. Investigators said Daniel Waring was driving west on U.S. 12 when an eastbound vehicle driven by Alondra Aguilar, 19, …

Sturgis officials announced a traffic roundabout will be built in 2023. The traffic circle will be constructed at what will become the East Lafayette Street- North Franks Avenue intersection. The city recently was awarded a $472,000 highway safety improvement program grant from Michigan Department of Transportation for road-safety improvements. The city received the grant funding to rework the intersection of …

Constantine Village Council members have voted a second time against signing an application for a permit from Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to relocate water lines under the U.S. 131 Business Route bridge. The relocation is the first step for a proposed Michigan Department of Transportation rehabilitation of the bridge. Council members had voted against signing the …

The city of Sturgis recently received an update regarding a group of turkey vultures near Galyn Drive on the city’s southeast side. The presence of the birds was deemed a nuisance by those in the neighborhood and was a potential health hazard, with the elevated amount of bird waste present in the area. City commission members have authorized the purchase …

Michigan expects to receive about 257,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines initially if the federal government authorizes them for emergency use this month, enough to immunize roughly 128,000 residents, a top doctor said Thursday. The priority remains frontline health care workers and people living and working in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the state’s chief …

Michigan drivers could renew their licenses more frequently online or by mail instead of having to go to a secretary of state branch office under bipartisan legislation that received unanimous Senate approval on Thursday. Residents now can renew their driver’s license or state ID card by mail or the internet once, for a four-year term, but must go in person …

A person with a disabled vehicle who stepped into U.S. 131 was killed Thursday in western Michigan, causing traffic backups that led to more crashes that killed two more people, police said. The crashes occurred on northbound lanes in Allegan County, between Martin and Bradley, roughly 30 miles south of Grand Rapids. The first incident occurred shortly before noon. “A …

Centreville Public Schools will continue to use a virtual-learning platform through the balance of 2020. During a special board meeting Tuesday, board of education members agreed to move the return of in-person learning to Jan. 4. The district had originally scheduled in-person learning to resume Wednesday this week. Superintendent Stephanie Lemmer said staffing factors were an issue, noting four teachers …

In the wake of early-retirement incentives and other personnel moves, St. Joseph County officials now have a clearer picture of potential staffing needs in 2021. The issue garnered significant discussion during the county board’s executive committee meeting Wednesday. County administrator Teresa Doehring said about 25 employees were eligible for the early-retirement incentive and 10 took advantage of the opportunity. With …

The village of Burr Oak is looking to fill two vacant seats on the village council that went unfilled during the November election. Municipal officials said a resident of Burr Oak may place an application with the village office in order to be considered for one of the vacancies. The village tentatively plans to fill the seats during its Jan. …