News

Fort Wayne-based Indiana Michigan Power has received the Emergency Assistance Award from The Edison Electric Institute for outstanding work assisting customers impacted by Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 and Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Days after Hurricane Harvey slammed into Texas, 40 I&M energy employees, including line workers, foresters and safety and health representatives, offered their expertise. Weeks later, nearly …

With more widespread use of flashing green lights on state and local winter maintenance vehicles, motorists across Michigan can spot plow trucks more easily, even during whiteout conditions. In this second winter since the Michigan Legislature passed a bill allowing public maintenance vehicles to use flashing green lights in addition to the traditional flashing yellow, city public works departments, county …

Police say a man broke into an apartment and attacked the mother of his 13-year-old child with a sword. The Battle Creek Police Department says the 35-year-old woman is in serious condition after being stabbed multiple times early Friday with a 3-foot sword. She was taken to a hospital, where she underwent surgery. The sword was found at the scene. …

Two St. Joseph County residents were arrested this week on drug-related offenses following the execution of a search warrant at a location in Sturgis. Members of the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit responded Wednesday to a tip of suspected drug activity in the 200 block of West West Street. Investigators arrested a 46-year-old Sturgis man and a 43-year-old woman …

St. Joseph County Treasurer Judie Ratering recently staged a news conference with her Calhoun County peer to promote a program called Step Forward Michigan. Ratering and Brian Wensauer were joined by Michigan State Housing Development Authority Director Earl Poleski to tout the benefits of the state program. Ratering said she knows in St. Joseph County, a lot of hard-working homeowners …

State Rep. Aaron Miller said Michigan will continue steady economic growth after the House and Senate Appropriations committees received the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference report, which is the first look at the upcoming economic forecast. The report was compiled by the House and Senate Fiscal agencies and the state budget director. It predicts that Michigan’s recovery from the so-called Lost …

Over the objections of prosecutors, a judge has sentenced a man to just five months in jail for cutting railroad safety wires in the Battle Creek area. Jeff Taylor is a former employee for Canadian National Railway who now runs an Upper Peninsula motel. His lawyer says Taylor had mental health problems and wasn’t targeting a specific train. Railroad crossing …

The company hoping to develop a solar farm in St. Joseph County has completed its analysis of the proposed project and is ready to move forward. Minnesota-based Geronimo Energy is eyeing between 150 and 200 acres in Mendon Township to develop what it is calling the White Pine Solar Project, a 20-megawatt project that company officials said will generate more …

Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education members are preparing for the possible resignation of superintendent Jean Logan. The board staged a special meeting Tuesday to discuss the situation and the process of finding an interim superintendent. Logan, who is in her fifth year as Three Rivers superintendent, has not indicated where she is seeking employment. Board members, however, are …

Fire destroyed a garage and two vehicles earlier this week in Burr Oak. Firefighters were called around 3 p.m. Tuesday to a home in the 500 block of Burrwood Drive and were able to keep fire from entering the home. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, though authorities said the blaze does not appear to be …