News

Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy has announced it is working with several entities to conserve the LaGrange Valley property – formerly Lake LaGrange. Efforts to conserve the 425-acre property in Cass County’s LaGrange Township are being done in conjunction with the Edward Lowe Foundation, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, the Michigan and Ohio Departments of Natural Resources, and several community and conservation …

Sturgis municipal leaders wish to remind the public there is still a need for volunteers at the city’s foam recycling events this year. Remaining collection dates are May 6, Aug. 5 and Nov. 4, at the department of public services. The collections take place 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers greet patrons, determine the suitability of the foam for recycling and …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has partnered with a Coldwater business to place a self-serve COVID-19 testing kiosk outside its doors. Agency officials said the kiosk has been placed at Goodwill Store Plaza on Willowbrook Drive. The unit is the first of its kind in the county and is provided in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control. The …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the theft of a propane tank taken earlier this week from a location in Branch County. Investigators said the 20-pound, liquified propane tank with a brush burner attachment was taken around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday from a location near West Chicago Road and Deer Park Road. Authorities said the suspects –- two males – approached …

Here’s a reminder that the St. Joseph County Conservation District is in the midst of its annual tree sale. The 2023 sale features about two dozen varieties of trees and bushes. The inventory includes pagoda dogwood, red oak, sugar maple, white pine, black walnut and common lilac. Prices and varieties are available on the agency’s website. Pickup date is May …

Oliver Knuth, volunteer director for the Salvation Army Kalamazoo, said help is needed with supervision during Thursday evening youth programs. He said the weekly sessions feature an hour-long component starting at 4:30 p.m., during which time kids are building remote-controlled cars. Help is needed to supervise and assist. The car kits come with all parts, pieces and instructions, and help …

Bids for the most comprehensive overhaul of a St. Joseph County icon have come in about $400,000 more than budgeted. St. Joseph County Road Commission Manager John Lindsey and engineer Garrett Myland said the Centreville-based agency budgeted $2.8 million for refurbishing the Langley Covered Bridge. The low bid, though, was more than $3.2 million. At the moment, the road commission …

Michigan State Police troopers wish to remind the public of an old scam that has returned to the area recently. Investigators are following up on an incident that took place last month in Calhoun County’s Newton Township. A homeowner was approached by three men who offered to re-seal the homeowner’s driveway and exposed basement walls. The suspects sprayed the drive …

The case of a Sturgis-area woman missing since 2018 was at the center of a rally last weekend in Centreville. More than 50 people gathered Saturday outside the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department to raise awareness to the plight of Brittany Wallace Shank. She was 23 when she disappeared in November 2018, last seen in Fawn River Township. Sturgis resident …

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters recently issued a media release centering on the recent mass shooting at Michigan State University. Peters said he is calling for Congress to pass meaningful gun reforms, including legislation to expand federal background checks to all gun sales — a measure Peters said he helped reintroduce in the Senate. Peters said lawmakers must enact reasonable limits …