News

A system has been worked out with the city of Sturgis to notify the Branch-St. Joseph-Hillsdale County Health Agency when homes in a designated contamination zone are sold. There were 47 homes in the affected area, declared as the Newell-Kirsch Superfund site. Nine have not been tested in a program that began last year with the Michigan Department of Environmental …

Constantine Village Manager Mark Honeysett recently introduced to village council members the final draft of a tax-exemption agreement with Michigan Milk Producers Association. The council had previously granted provisional approval of a tax-abatement application, pending the execution of an exemption agreement between the village and MMPA. The abatement is for a new, $6 million facility that will increase the milk …

Members of the Centreville Village Council earlier this month were told that the village’s new lift station – a wastewater pump station – is now fully operational and the previous lift station has been commissioned out of service. The new lift station is located under Dean Street at Mill Street. Oct. 16 was to be the official startup with the …

The Glen Oaks Community College Foundation is accepting scholarship applications from new and returning Glen Oaks students for the 2019-20 academic year. Through philanthropic efforts of the Foundation, charitable cash gifts have provided many students the opportunity of an education that will in turn help change their lives. The Glen Oaks Community College Foundation reported that for the 2018-19 academic …

The St. Joseph County Road Commission is considering seeking a grant that would pay 95 percent of $7 million for development of a new bridge to go alongside Langley Covered Bridge. During last week’s road commission meeting, it was announced that an engineering study determined that the bridge can be used as-is for about two more years. The agency has …

St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough said the remains unearthed Monday in Kalamazoo County have been positively identified as those of Venus Stewart. Doug Stewart, her estranged husband, was found guilty by a St. Joseph County jury of her murder in 2010. Stewart is serving a mandatory life sentence. Stewart led Michigan State Police detectives to her grave early Monday …

An eight-year mystery into the disappearance and presumed death of a Colon Township woman came to an end Monday in Kalamazoo County’s Fulton Township. State police said Doug Stewart agreed to lead authorities to the location where he buried his wife, Venus Stewart, in April 2010. Authorities said Stewart was released Monday to the custody of state police at the …

Centreville village residents are being asked to monitor their U.S. Postal Service mail closely, according to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department. The agency on Monday issued a press release related to complaints about mail being stolen and sometimes discarded from the mailboxes of village residents. Sheriff Brad Balk said residents should be aware of suspicious activity or unfamiliar vehicles …

Two Sturgis residents were arrested this week and charged with drug-related offenses, according to Sturgis Police. Officers conducted a traffic stop around 1 a.m. Monday near the intersection of South Lakeview Avenue and East Congress Street for a minor violation. Officers became suspicious of the driver based on his behavior while being questioned. After a search of the vehicle, a …

Pairings for the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s football playoffs were announced Sunday, and seven area teams made it to the post season. In division 4, Three Rivers will host Paw Paw in a tough matchup of Wolverine Conference opponents. The 8-1 Wildcats shut out the 7-2 Redskins in Week 5, 26-0. Meanwhile, in Division 6, Constantine gets another shot …