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Michigan’s Board of Education has selected Kalamazoo Public Schools Superintendent Michael Rice to be the next state superintendent. The board voted 5-3 for Rice on Tuesday after conducting final interviews with three candidates. Once a contract is signed, he will lead the state Department of Education, starting in July and making $216,000 a year. Board members say they liked Rice’s …

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is threatening to veto Senate-passed auto insurance legislation if it gets to her desk in its current form. The Democrat said Tuesday the bill headed toward the House “creates more problems than it solves.” The Senate earlier Tuesday approved a bill that would eliminate Michigan’s unique system requiring drivers to buy unlimited medical coverage for crash …

Voters in two St. Joseph County school districts will have the opportunity today to vote on ballot questions. White Pigeon Community Schools will have a millage renewal request before voters, while Sturgis Public Schools is asking for an additional one and three-quarter mills. White Pigeon Superintendent Jon Keyer said the district is seeking one mill for five years and is …

The St. Joseph Sheriff’s Department is investigating a shooting that occurred Monday in the 68000 block of Plumb School Road in Fawn River Township. Because the matter is an ongoing investigation, authorities are not releasing additional information.

Two major routes in Cass and Van Buren counties will be partially closed through the end of the month as Michigan Department of Transportation crews work on repaving. MDOT’s Nick Schirripa said the project started Monday and involves seven miles of M-40 and M-51, including M-40 from Marcellus Highway north to the Cass/Van Buren county line, and on M-51 from …

Here’s an update on the U.S. 131 project that started Monday in Three Rivers. Through the end of the week, northbound and southbound traffic will see single-lane closures and construction will begin on the existing median curb lane islands. These will be removed and replaced with temporary paving. Signal work will begin at M-60 and U.S. 131, while tree removal …

There are many people who lack common sense. I’ve mentioned this several times. A friend sent me this obituary that was apparently printed in the London Times. Whether it was or wasn’t is not important, but what it says does make a lot of sense. Perhaps we can all learn something from it, and if it pertains to some of …

The Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority has named Tricia Meyer as its new executive director. With three candidates vying for the position, Meyer was deemed the best candidate following an interview conducted with DDA board members Friday. A Colon native, Meyer is currently serving as interim director and will assume the position on a full-time basis May 28. Her salary …

Reid Leaverton is this year’s recipient of the E.J. Shaheen Award, which was presented during Friday’s Glen Oaks Community College commencement. Leaverton teaches classes and oversees the new agricultural equipment technology program at the college. Born and raised in San Diego, Leaverton served as president of his high school’s FFA Chapter. Glen Oaks hired Leaverton in 2017, and in his two short …

Timothy James Walters, 21, of Decatur, was involved in a single-vehicle crash Thursday in Marcellus Township. The incident occurred just after 1 a.m. on M-40 near the intersection of Brody Road. Authorities said the vehicle Walters was driving was nearly struck by an oncoming car. The near-collision caused Walters to drive off the roadway, where his vehicle overturned. Walters was …