News

Hydroelectric plant inspections planned

Officials from Indiana Michigan Power will begin lowering the water level of the headrace canal at the Constantine hydroelectric plant today. The Constantine headrace canal at the hydroelectric plant will be lowered 11-feet to allow I&M to perform routine inspections. The drawdown will not impact water levels of the St. Joseph River. The public may notice an increase in traffic …

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Health officials helping determine cause of bacteria contamination

The Branch-Hillsdale-St Joseph Community Health Agency is receiving support from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services in its investigation of a nursing care facility’s water system that tested positive for Legionella bacteria contamination. The case was made public last week. Health officials said there was one confirmed case of Legionellosis associated with the facility, which is not being identified until …

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One person injured in crash

An Ypsilanti woman was injured Sunday morning at 5:45 in a single vehicle crash on M-60 just west of Jones near Timberlane Drive. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, Katharine Aris, age 50, was driving a semi-tractor trailer rig eastbound when her vehicle crashed on the south side of the road, spilling approximately 100 gallons of fuel and oil. …

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Benson wants election changes after approval of voting law

New Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is urging lawmakers to let absentee ballots be counted before Election Day and to make other changes following the passage of a ballot initiative that expanded voting options in Michigan. The Democrat says the number of absentee ballots is expected to increase significantly now that people can vote absentee for any reason. She wants …

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Friday night scores

Girl’s Basketball: Edwardsburg 56,  Three Rivers 42 Mendon 45,  Decatur 26 Centreville 61,  Constantine 48

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Commission approves new four-way stop

A busy intersection in Colon Township will soon become a four-way stop. Members of the St. Joseph County Road Commission this week approved a plan to add stop signs on Colon Road at the Farrand Road intersection. Commissioners agreed the measure was necessary in advance of bridge work on M-66, just north of the M-86 intersection that leads east into …

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County commission makes reappointments

Three people were reappointed this week to St. Joseph County’s Agricultural Preservation Board. County commissioners on Tuesday renewed the three-year terms of Mendon Township resident Larry Rice and Sturgis-area resident John Fair. Commissioner representative Dan Czajkowski of White Pigeon was also reappointed, though his term is for a one-year period. In a separate move, commissioners agreed to name Angie Price, …

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Mendon delays solar panel ordinance decision

Mendon Township Board of Trustees has postponed for at least a month whether to approve a potential ordinance regarding solar panels. The five-member board agreed Tuesday to continue reviewing the proposed ordinance that was recommended by its planning commission last week. The township board concurred it will revisit the issue at its April meeting. If approved, the ordinance could pave …

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New finance director attends first meeting

St. Joseph County Finance Director Angie Steinman was welcomed by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners, as Tuesday marked her first time sitting in on the twice-a-month county commission meetings. A Dowagiac native and current resident, Steinman formerly served as finance director of Cass County before she was offered the job in St. Joseph County. Her first day was …

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Investigation underway to determine source of illness

An investigation is underway by health officials regarding a case of legionella, said Yvonne Atwood, disease prevention director at Branch Hillsdale St Joseph Community Health Agency. An Allegan County man who was a resident at a Three Rivers nursing care facility later was confirmed positive for the bacterial pathogen, which causes a pneumonia-type illness often called legionnaires’ disease. It produces …

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