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A request to waive the county’s hiring freeze appears to have divided the St. Joseph County Board of Trustees. During their executive committee meeting Wednesday, county commissioners had contrasting opinions about whether to honor a request from district court administrator/magistrate Tabitha Wedge to hire a replacement deputy clerk for the court’s civil division. Following extensive debate on the $60,000-a-year position, …

A Constantine man was arrested Monday after he led authorities on a pursuit in Constantine Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies attempted to stop a vehicle at 5 p.m. on Stears Road near U.S. 131. Deputies said the suspect was known to have an outstanding felony warrant, prompting the attempt to stop his vehicle. The 58-year-old man fled in a …

The Branch Hillsdale St. Joseph Community Health Agency has experienced an increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases being reported and variant spread, similar to the rest of Michigan the past few weeks. According to an agency media release, it is following MDHHS guidance on reinstituting a standard, 14-day quarantine for close contacts of COVID-19 cases. This will remove …

The St. Joseph County United Way is sponsoring a raffle that will net the winner a $500 Meijer gift card. Executive director Kelly Hostetler said tickets are now for sale. They are $5 each or five for $20. A second winning ticket will be drawn and yield a $200 Meijer gift card. The tickets will be drawn May 27. They …

The Branch Hillsdale St. Joseph Community Health Agency has announced it is pausing all use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA and CDC have recommended this pause, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the recommendation, as well. Health officer Rebecca Burns said the agency is immediately stopping all use of the Johnson …

A Jonesville woman was arrested after she broke into a residence in Branch County’s Quincy Township. Michigan State Police troopers were called at 2 a.m. Monday to the 300 block of Maple Road in response to a home invasion in progress. Investigators said a 22-year-old woman who appeared to be heavily under the influence of alcohol entered the residence and …

A 68-year-old Three Rivers man was sentenced to a year in jail for his role in the 2020 traffic-related crash of his girlfriend. Richard Sanford was sentenced last week by St. Joseph County Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman. The sentence stemmed from the January 2020 incident in which Kathleen Wexler, 69, was a passenger in the vehicle Sanford was driving …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating an arson incident that occurred last week in Branch County’s Bethel Township. According to a department media release, the agency is looking for a woman who was seen around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday near the location where an excavator was later reported to be on fire. The area in question is in the 200 block …

Glen Oaks Community College Board of Trustees has approved tuition and fees for the 2021-22 academic year. During their board meeting last week, trustees agreed to keep tuition rates flat, drop the $25 distance-learning course fee and implement a technology fee of $9 per contact hour. Based on the instructional changes brought by COVID, president David Devier said he believes …

To all those Administrative Professionals out there, next Wednesday, April 21, is Administrative Professionals Day here in the United States and Canada. I guess that makes it an international event. The banks will all be open and you can expect your normal mail delivery. Last March 16, a new Michigan Secretary of State upgrade went into effect. It securely combines …