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Six area high school varsity football teams will be in action this weekend during the second round of Michigan High School Athletic Association’s playoffs. With two games on tap this evening and three more Saturday, the slate begins with Mendon at No. 1-ranked Reading at 7 o’clock tonight. Meanwhile, a battle of St. Joseph County schools kicks off, also at …

Michigan State Police has awarded St. Joseph County an $80,000 grant. Secured in partnership with Covered Bridge Health, the funding will go toward jail-diversion services. The grant was officially accepted by commissioners Tuesday. County grant writer James Hissong said the grant’s intent is to continue some services that Community Mental Health had been piloting in the jail. Its grant was …

In-person learning will be discontinued through the end of next week for students in Centreville Public Schools. The decision was made during a special board of education meeting Monday, when superintendent Stephanie Lemmer said 160 students were under quarantine. The large number easily warranted the drastic step, district officials concurred. Lemmer said as of Monday evening, the district had nine …

An Indiana man was injured in a one-vehicle accident last weekend in Colon Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called shortly before 7:30 a.m. Saturday to the area of Burr Oak Road and West Palmer Lake Road in response to an accident with injuries. The driver of the vehicle, Craig Holman, 39, of Angola, had to be extricated from …

A free COVID-19 drive-thru test is available today in Sturgis. Offered by the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency, tests will be administered 1 to 5:30 p.m. at Maplecrest Plaza, 1555 E. Chicago Road. Testing is available to Michigan residents on a first-come, first-served basis. A driver’s license or state ID is required. Cost of the testing is being covered by …

Three Rivers Health and Indiana-based Beacon Health System have signed a Letter of Intent to have Three Rivers Health join Beacon Health System in the spring of 2021, pending final approvals. Dave Shannon, president/CEO of Three Rivers Health, a 60-bed facility, said the situation was an opportunity to grow through careful alignment with partners of high integrity, who share a …

A Three Rivers resident will succeed Aaron Miller as 59th District State Representative. Republican Steve Carra topped Democratic challenger Amy East and write-in candidate Jack Coleman. Carra captured about two-thirds of the 27,000 votes cast in St. Joseph County for the two-year term.

A former Three Rivers City Commission member will represent the municipality and two adjacent townships as St. Joseph County District 1 commissioner. Jared Hoffmaster comfortably held off Andrew George to claim the two-year seat. The position, which is being vacated by Allen Balog, also includes representation of Flowerfield and Lockport townships. Hoffmaster collected about 1,400 more votes than George. No-party-affiliation …

Three positions in two townships featured contested races. In Mendon Township, longtime incumbent Mike Kline defeated challenger Gregory Allen in a race for supervisor. Kline won by a margin of 68 percent to 31 percent and will serve four additional years as Mendon Township’s supervisor. In Lockport Township, Christy Trammell captured nearly 59 percent of the vote for township clerk. …

Three Rivers Community Schools chose four people from a field of six candidates to its board of education. Newcomers Melissa Bliss and Ben Karle will join incumbents Julia Awe and Anne Riopel to six-year terms on the board. Meanwhile, incumbent Fred Barclay was unsuccessful in his bid for re-election to White Pigeon Community Schools Board of Education. Instead, Jeff Baechler …