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The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Health Department has issued a media release regarding holiday health. It stated that Christmas Day results in more heart-related deaths than any other day of the year. Furthermore, the day after Christmas features the second-largest reports of heart-related deaths. The tri-county agency is offering advice for how not to be a statistic this week. Its tips include …

A Three Rivers man was arrested after he crashed a stolen vehicle in Sturgis and attempted to flee from the scene. Sturgis police said the incident originated at 8:35 a.m. Sunday at a business in the 600 block of West Fawn River Road. Moments later, officers were called to the 100 block of Susan Avenue in response to a single-vehicle …

Michigan State Police troopers responded over the weekend to a structure fire in Union City. According to a department media release, troopers and fire personnel were dispatched to a location near the intersection of Mendon Road and Division Street in response to a single-story dwelling fully engulfed in flames. All occupants of the residence had safely evacuated prior to the …

An Edwardsburg man was injured in a one-vehicle accident last week in Cass County’s Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly after 7 p.m. Friday to Bald Hill Road near Tower Road. Ryan Ward, 26, told authorities he was driving westbound when he lost control of his vehicle and it went off the roadway. The vehicle then …

Michigan State Police graduated its 136th class last week. The group of more than 70 completed a 25-week training at the Lansing-based academy. The training involved firearms, water safety, defensive tactics, patrol techniques, report writing, ethics, cultural diversity, decision, making, first aid, leadership, criminal law, crime-scene processing and precision driving. The recruits also participated in two community-outreach projects. Agency officials …

The Youth Advisory Council of the Sturgis Area Community Foundation is giving back this holiday season through its annual Christmas Service Project. The project benefits the Salvation Army, which provides Christmas gifts for local families in need. Group members recently gathered to shop for this year’s project, which focuses on providing gifts for area teens, considered an age group that …

It’s Christmas 2019. You still have time to get out and pick out those last minute Christmas gifts. Growing up, this is the time my family would gather around the Christmas tree and open our gifts. As a child, I received an allowance of thirty-five cents a week. To earn this, I was at my mother’s beckon call when it …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week approved three exceptions to its hiring freeze. Tuesday’s votes resulted in authorization to hire an emergency services coordinator, a $75,000-a-year position that will become vacant effective Jan. 31. It was sought by undersheriff Mark Lillywhite. In a separate request, Lillywhite also was granted permission to hire a clerk/typist for the sheriff’s department. …

Ellen Eisele has been chosen as the 2019 recipient of the John E. Oster Award for Teacher Recognition. She was honored Monday at a luncheon hosted by Sturgis Rotary Club. Eisele, who came to Sturgis in 1990, was instrumental in piloting the Connected Mathematics Program, ensuring access to some of the finest teaching materials and professional development on the market. …

The Centreville Village Council voted Monday to have its lawyer develop a joint-ownership agreement for the Old Centreville Cemetery, under which the village and Nottawa Township would each own it equally. Nottawa Township had presented the village with an agreement under which the village and township would form the Old Centreville Cemetery Committee, consisting of one representative each from the …