News

January’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County was one-half of a percent higher than the previous month. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 4.5 percent January unemployment rate marked a decrease from December’s 4 percent. St. Joseph County was below the state unemployment average, which was 4.6 percent in January. …

A Nottawa Township residence was heavily damaged by fire over the weekend. Firefighters from a number of area departments responded around 11:30 a.m. Sunday to the 25000 block M-86. Additional information was not available by midday Monday.

An area farmer has been recognized for production through the 2018 National Corn Yield Contest. The national contest, sponsored annually by the National Corn Growers Association, recognizes farmers from across the country for their exceptional efforts. Marshall Landis of Schoolcraft placed first in the state in the No-Till/Strip-Till Irrigated Class with a yield of more than 288.8 bushels per acre. …

A 50-year-old Three Rivers man was arrested early Thursday after leading police on a chase that ended in White Pigeon Township. The pursuit concluded after the suspect’s vehicle rammed a police vehicle, prompting an officer to discharge his weapon. The officer had attempted to stop the pickup just after 2:30 a.m. near County Road 131 and State Road 120 in …

Cass County sheriff’s deputies were called over the weekend to investigate a single-vehicle accident in Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were summoned at 2:30 a.m. Saturday to M-40 in the area of Shavehead Lake Road. Emergency personnel found that a southbound car had crashed on the east side of the road into a farm field after side swiping a telephone pole. …

State Rep. Aaron Miller has announced two upcoming dates where he will hold in-district office hours for the month of March. Miller said transparency is essential to both good government and effective representation, and he encourages anyone with a question to attend. Miller will be available 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday at Yoder’s Country Market in Centreville, and on March …

A state police patrol car was struck and a trooper injured over the weekend during an incident on ice-covered I-94 in Calhoun County. According to a department media release, the trooper was investigating an accident at 4:15 a.m. Saturday near mile marker 92 in the eastbound lane. The trooper was on the shoulder of the freeway investigating a one-vehicle crash, …

The Michigan Department of Transportation and local agencies are enacting additional annual spring weight restrictions to protect roads. Effective today, weight restrictions will be imposed and enforced on all state trunkline highways from the Michigan/Indiana and Michigan/Ohio state lines north to and including the Mackinac Bridge. State routes typically carry M, I, or US designations. County road commissions and city public …

Blue Gate Theatre in Shipshewana has announced plans for a new 1,500-seat, theater space at Blue Gate Performing Arts Center. The $3 million theatre is set to break ground before May and will be completed by January. The rapid expansion of the Blue Gate’s concert schedule, limitations of the current space and improving customer experience all played key roles in …

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the leading voice of the Post-9/11 generation of veterans, has announced that U.S. Rep. Fred Upton has become a cosponsor of the “Burn Pits Accountability Act” to improve the tracking and reporting of service members’ exposure to burn pits and airborne toxins during their deployments. Upton became a co-sponsor during IAVA’s “Storm The Hill,” IAVA’s …