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The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency on Friday will join the World Health Organization in celebration of World No-Tobacco Day. The annual campaign is an opportunity to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form. The focus of World No-Tobacco Day 2019 is …

A proposal allowing local recreational-authority boards to spend more of their budgets on improving the communities they represent was recently approved by the House Local Government and Municipal Finance Committee. Backed by State Rep. Aaron Miller, House Bill 4408 changes audit requirements from annual to once every two years for authority boards that do not levy taxes. Miller said some …

Ben Fries, an adviser at Glen Oaks Community College, recently received the Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished Chapter Advisor Award for the Michigan region. The award, presented at the regional PTK conference at Glen Oaks, recognizes advisors who demonstrate an atmosphere of teamwork, leadership abilities and enthusiasm for the society’s hallmarks. He was nominated by members of the Glen Oaks chapter. Fries, …

Three Rivers Health is pleased to announce that Dave Shannon was recognized by Becker’s Healthcare as one of 60 rural hospital CEOs to know in 2019. Becker’s Hospital Review is a monthly publication that offers business and legal news and analysis related to hospitals and health systems. The CEOs featured on this list have overcome challenges associated with operating healthcare …

A medical condition could have been the source of a one-vehicle, fatal accident over the weekend in Mendon Township. Troopers with Michigan State Police said Bradley Older, 37, of East Leroy, died at the scene of the incident, which occurred around 8:50 p.m. Sunday in a field in the 26000 block of Simpson Road. Older died after the pickup he …

Two St. Joseph River locations are expected to soon feature ADA-accessible canoe and kayak launches. St. Joseph County Administrator Teresa Doehring said she and parks and recreation director Jaymes MacDonald last week opened sealed bids for the projects. Action on the bids was not necessary at the time by county commissioners. If approved, the handicap-accessible developments would be at Reed …

A Bristol man was injured last weekend following a hit-and-run incident in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said the accident occurred at 8:35 a.m. Sunday, when 30-year-old Erick Prouty was driving west on U.S. 12 near Sunset Boulevard. He swerved his vehicle off the road to avoid an eastbound car that was illegally passing in a curve. Prouty’s …

April’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County was four-tenths of a percent lower than the previous month. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 3.7 percent April unemployment rate marked a decrease from March’s 4.1 percent. St. Joseph County equaled the state’s unemployment average for the month. The agency said payroll …

Here’s the weekly update from Michigan Department of Transportation regarding its work on the U.S. 131 reconstruction project in Three Rivers. Single-lane closures remain in effect for northbound and southbound routes. Meanwhile, median curb islands and pavement widenings are to be paved this week, later than originally scheduled due to rain delays last week. Also, crews are continuing utility work …

An arrest was made last week following an incident in which a Cass County sheriff’s deputy was dragged a short distance by a suspect trying to flee in a vehicle from authorities. Sheriff Richard Behnke said the situation unfolded shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, when deputies responded to an in-progress theft of a travel trailer on Savage Road in Marcellus …