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April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and Sheriff Mark Lillywhite has issued a media release with information about the problem. Lillywhite said according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 3,100 people were fatally injured in crashes due to distracted driving in 2020. Lillywhite described distracted driving as anything that causes a motorist take their hands off …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a breaking-and-entering report from a location in Branch County. Troopers were called to the 600 block of Lilly Road in Bronson Township. Investigators said a generator and chainsaw were stolen from the premises between March 17 and March 23. The generator is a Coleman Powermate, while the chainsaw was made by Stihl.

Longtime Michigan Republican Rep. Fred Upton, who voted to impeach President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, announced Tuesday he will not run for a 19th term in Congress. Upton, 68, is the fourth of 10 Republicans who backed impeachment to not seek reelection, joining Reps. John Katko of New York, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Anthony Gonzalez of …

Michigan reported more than 5,400 new cases of coronavirus in the week ending Sunday, down 4.1 percent from the previous week. The previous week had more than 5,600 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. St. Joseph County reported 14 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported six cases and no deaths. …

Kelly Hostetler, executive director of St. Joseph County United Way, will be honored next week for her work supporting the health of the community. The event will take place April 13 at the Rotunda of the state capital in Lansing. The award recognizes individuals and organizations across the state working to maintain and improve the health of their local communities. The …

Three Rivers Rotary Club is in the midst of a fundraiser, with proceeds to benefit Ukraine Emergency Relief in its conflict with Russia. Club president Jeff Middleton said the $5,000 goal is being called “The Ukrainian Challenge” and is open to the public, not just Rotary members. He said donations, whether the goal is met or not, will be turned …

A local farmer had a strong showing in a national contest for corn yields. Marshall Landis, a Three Rivers-area resident, placed third among participants in the state in the National Corn Yield Contest. The event is overseen by the National Corn Growers Association. Landis produced a yield of 281.3293 bushels per acre. Landis, who was one of 530 state winners …

February’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County remained unchanged from the previous month. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget was released recently. It showed St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate remained 3.9 percent for the second consecutive month. Meanwhile, Cass County experienced an increase in its unemployment figures from January to February. Its January …

Michigan State Police troopers were dispatched to a report of a stolen ATV from a location in Branch County. According to a department media release, troopers were called to the 800 block of Southern Road in California Township. The theft was believed to have taken place between Friday and Saturday. The stolen ATV is described as a 2000s model, Yamaha …

Two people were arrested Friday after attempting to flee from police in Sturgis. The Sturgis Police Department said officers attempted to stop a Buick Rendezvous at 11:40 p.m. Friday on South Centerville Road at Fawn River Road. The vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the day. The driver of the vehicle drove from police and continued east on Fawn …