WLKM Radio 95.9 FM

St. Joseph County officials said goodbye to the dean of the five-member county commission board Tuesday. Allen Balog is wrapping up his 10th year on the panel. That follows a four-year tenure as mayor of the Three Rivers City Commission. A resolution recognizing Balog and his contributions to the county board was approved by commissioners. Balog, a 64-year-old Three Rivers …

St. Joseph County Grange Fair is bringing back a popular component from its past. Fair officials said a final-night concert will return in 2021, as it has secured country act Diamond Rio. Fair board member Mindy Timm said the Nashville-based band will perform Sept. 25. Timm said the six-member act was secured to perform in 2020 but the show, like …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration reported progress Tuesday in the fight against the coronavirus, saying new cases continue to decline and Michigan has seen no spike related to Thanksgiving travel. Officials warned, though, that the case rate remains high. Whitmer, a Democrat, said “hope is on the horizon” now that a vaccine is being distributed. She again urged the Republican-led Legislature …

Residents in Branch, Hillsdale and St. Joseph counties will not receive the earliest doses of COVID- 19 vaccine, according to Rebecca Burns, health officer for the tri-county health agency. Burns last week provided an update regarding the vaccine for the health agency board. She said because rural counties do not have an ultra-cold freezer, they will not be receiving the …

Three Rivers police last week arrested a man following the execution of a search warrant in the 300 block of Middle Street. According to a department media release, officers responded Thursday evening to drug-related activity. Accompanied by members of the Southwest Enforcement Team, troopers from Michigan State Police and deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, Three Rivers officers …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency recently honored three outgoing board members for their service to the tri-county department. The members, who also are county commissioners, are leaving their elected office at the end of the year. Commissioner Bruce Caswell, from Hillsdale County, has served six years on the board of health and as board chairman in his sixth year. …

State police troopers are investigating an arson incident involving a vehicle in St. Joseph County. Authorities were alerted to a road hazard at 6:15 Sunday morning to an area near the intersection of Winding River and North River roads in Constantine Township. A Chrysler sedan was located on the roadway and the vehicle had been burned, investigators said. The car …

Consumers Energy has announced its participation in “Our Town,” an initiative to support Michigan’s small businesses. The agency has partnered with 55 chambers and downtown groups, including Three Rivers, to support the gift-card program. It provides holiday shoppers with a dollar-for-dollar match for gift cards they buy through local chambers of commerce and downtown organizations, doubling the amount they can …

Last week I offered some suggestions on how to make Christmas shopping more enjoyable. I also gave some tips on how to have a live Christmas tree in your home. Here are some suggestions on how to give those gifts. Instead of spending lots of money on Christmas presents, consider offering a generous dose of your time. Alternatives to store-bought …

The Kalamazoo Wings announced this week that they will be sitting out this season due to the pandemic. Earlier this year, the ECHL announced that several teams had opted to start the season in mid-December, with the remainder of the teams choosing to start their season in mid-January. Since then, with the increase of COVID-19 cases and stricter guidelines from …