WLKM Radio 95.9 FM

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it has issued nearly $2 million in funding for cleanup of four contaminated properties in the region, including one in St. Joseph County. The agency said $300,000 will focus on the city of Three Rivers and its downtown area. Priority sites include the Old Three Rivers Hospital; the vacant White House building, which operated …

Members of the Constantine Village Council continued to review a potential adult-use marijuana ordinance. A public hearing regarding the ordinance is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 18. During Monday’s meeting, village manager Mark Honeysett said village attorney Howard Bush suggests the zoning code be amended. Honeysett said while he has nothing ready for the council, Bush suggested it be amended …

The city of Sturgis community development department will resume issuance of building permits and inspections for all construction projects, effective immediately. Under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order, construction work in the state can resume today. Building-permit applications submitted prior to or during the stay-home order will be processed and city staff will contact residents as necessary. In addition, inspection of …

The Staff at Sturgis Bank have secured Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA) for 458 businesses throughout our communities. This amounts to $33,337,027 in loans and over 4500 jobs protected for our local residents. “I’m proud of our staff and the way they proactively worked to ensure our businesses got the relief needed through the …

The Republican-led Michigan Legislature sued Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday, asking a judge to declare invalid and unenforceable her stay-at-home order and other measures issued to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The lawsuit, filed in the state Court of Claims, says a 1945 law that gives the governor broad emergency powers to order such restrictions governs local, not statewide, declarations like …

Guns cannot be banned from Michigan’s Capitol unless legislators change state law, an official who helps oversee the building said Wednesday, less than a week after some protesters armed with rifles shouted at lawmakers inside the Senate chamber. John Truscott, vice chairman of the Michigan State Capitol Commission, said he received “early indications” from the panel’s lawyer that “we do …

Demario Shelton, 32, of Three Rivers, has been sentenced to a minimum 53 months to 40 years prison for last year’s robbery of the Three Rivers branch of Century Bank and Trust. Shelton was sentenced Friday by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman after pleading guilty to bank robbery. On Nov. 18, police were dispatched to the West Broadway Street location …

The St. Joseph County United Way annual golf outing has been moved to a new date. Executive director Kelly Hostetler said the fundraiser was supposed to take place Friday but will instead be Aug. 14 at St. Joe Valley Golf Course. The 10 a.m. shotgun start will feature a scramble format, lunch, appetizers and awards. Cost to participate is $65 …

In what could be a precedent-setting situation, Sturgis High School plans to hold a graduation ceremony for the class of 2020, but not until well into the summer. Principal Nicholas Herblet said a survey was given to the senior class and out of 138 responses, 83 percent voted to have a graduation ceremony July 19. Herblet said the ceremony will …

The Centreville school board last week denied a request from the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District for support in moving forward with a 2020 Wide Area Network project. The proposal would have allowed the district to purchase and own its own fiber-optic-cable network. Ben Daugherty, director of information services for the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District, presented the …