News

Two people were arrested on drug-related offenses last week as part of a compliance check for people on parole or probation. Investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit teamed with parole agents from the Michigan Department of Corrections on the various checks Thursday. At a location in the 31000 block of Kelly Road in Burr Oak Township, several …

Members of the Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority/Michigan Main Street Board last week approved offering a contract to a California man to serve as executive director of the agency. David Vago is a farm technician at East Bay Regional Park District in Oakland. Board members during a meeting Friday agreed to offer a $42,000 salary for the full-time position. Vago …

Nursing homes are increasingly evicting their most challenging residents, testing protections for some of society’s most vulnerable, advocates for the aged and disabled say. Those targeted for eviction are frequently poor and suffering from dementia, with families unsure of what to do, according to residents’ allies. Removing them allows an often stretched-thin staff to avoid the demands of labor-intensive patients …

A utility that serves five southern Michigan communities plans to shut down its coal-burning power plant on May 31. The Daily Reporter of Coldwater reports the Michigan South Central Power Agency will end operations at the 55-megawatt Endicott power plant. Officials have said cost is the reason for shutting down the plant. Plans call for the plant to be demolished …

An online application portal is back open for Michigan homeowners seeking help due to unemployment or another hardship. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority says Step Forward Michigan on Sunday reopened the portal, which had been closed to new applicants since Dec. 31. The effort is for aid through the Michigan Homeowner Assistance Nonprofit Housing Corp. In the first three …

A cold-case investigation led by Cass County officials resulted in the arrest of an Indiana man related to a case dating to 1977. Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said Raymond Richmond, a 56-year-old South Bend resident, was arrested Thursday in connection with the November 1977 homicide of Robert Stasiak. The 25-year-old Stasiak was found shot at his parents’ Edwardsburg-area house …

A survey of the sanitary sewer system in the city of Sturgis is expected to conclude today. The survey has involved opening manholes in the streets and easements. Then, a nontoxic smoke is blown into the sewer mains to locate breaks and defects in the system. Smoke possibly seen coming from vent stacks on buildings or holes in the ground …

State Rep. Aaron Miller has voted for a legislative package to institute sweeping reforms for Detroit Public Schools. Miller, who serves on the House Committee on Appropriations, said without the changes, DPS could go bankrupt, leaving the state responsible for more than $3 billion in debt. He said the finances of the new Community District will be under strict state …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency last month received the 2016 Jean Chabut Health Policy Champions Award. The award, along with a special legislative tribute, was presented by State Representatives Aaron Miller and Eric Leutheuser during the Michigan Public Health Week Ceremonies at the Capitol Rotunda. The tri-county health department was acknowledged for its emergency preparedness capabilities as demonstrated by …

The board of a college in southwestern Michigan has voted to terminate the contract of the school’s new president because of unapproved spending and improper management. The Herald-Palladium of St. Joseph and WSJM-AM report the decision about Jennifer Spielvogel followed a hearing Thursday at Lake Michigan College, near Benton Harbor. Trustees cited policy violations, a lack of professionalism and more …