LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder recently signed legislation to simplify the process for low-income residents seeking a poverty tax exemption on their home. House Bill 5178, sponsored by state Rep. Rashida Tlaib, makes it easier to apply for a poverty exemption on a principal residence, ensuring Michigan’s neediest residents get the help they need. [...]

This year’s 75th anniversary of Abbott’s Magic Get Together in Colon – The Magic Capital of the World – received some well-deserved recognition Tuesday (May 15) in the Michigan Senate. A contingent from Colon – including Greg Bordner, president of Abbott’s Magic Company, and Village President Tom Whitford – traveled to Lansing Tuesday morning and [...]

The Great Start Collaborative will host ‘Coffee with the Stars’ at three coffee shops in St. Joseph County Saturday morning (May 19). Amy Brauer, Great Start Collaborative Coordinator, said, “Our purpose is to educate those that attend about the work we are doing locally and how they can have a voice for our youngest children [...]

LANSING – Legislation to reduce regulations and provide incentives for businesses that volunteer to become certified “clean corporate citizens” through qualifying environmental management programs was approved Tuesday (May 15) by the Michigan Senate, said Sen. John Proos. “Protecting our environment is about preserving healthy communities and building a healthy economy – especially in Southwest Michigan, [...]

The City of Three Rivers is scheduled to conduct annual maintenance on the Outdoor Warning Siren (OWS) system on Monday, May 21. A service technician will be visiting each remote site to perform maintenance and inspections. Test activations will occur throughout the day in order to confirm the system is operating properly. Activations will include [...]

A collaborative Sturgis-area group will be holding its second public meeting on a proposed non-motorized trails master plan for the area. This public input meeting will be held on Thursday (May 17th) at Sturgis Township Hall at 5:30 p.m. Included below are links to proposed trail maps for the area and the City of Sturgis [...]

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, fellow motorcycle riders from across Michigan and safety advocates highlighted May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month Tuesday (May 15), urging riders to wear the proper gear, take advantage of safety courses and share the road. “Michigan has more than half a million motorcyclists and as we [...]

Do you care about kids? Do you care about jobs? Do you care about roads? Do you want a better Sturgis? Let us know what you care about Wednesday evening (May 16th) at the Sturgis 2022 Kick-Off Open House. We will be talking about the future of our community starting at 5:30 p.m. at Sturges-Young [...]

The Three Rivers City Commission has adopted an ordinance amending sections of the City Code regarding business licenses.  The action came Tuesday evening (May 15) following a public hearing on the subject. As noted in a staff report on the matter, the ordinance will allow pushcart businesses on private property.  Additionally, the ordinance will allow [...]

St. Joseph County voters will have an opportunity to vote on renewal of a Commission on Aging (COA) millage levy when they go to the polls on August 7th. The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday (May 15) authorized submission of a proposal for renewal of a .75-mill tax levy for six years [...]

Primary election balloting in the City of Three Rivers on August 7th will include a four-way contest for Second District commissioner. Four candidates for the Second District seat met Tuesday’s (May 15) 4 p.m. deadline for filing nominating petitions.  The candidates are: Elbert Foster, 700 South Main Street (incumbent) Linda Gearhart, 720 8th Street Alison [...]

LANSING –  The summer vacation season is almost upon us and to help you plan for your summertime activities Senator Bruce Caswell is making available the 2012 Michigan Fairs & Events Directory to all those who are interested. The Michigan Association of Fairs and Events produces this compact pamphlet each year, highlighting the major county [...]

DOWAGIAC – The Southwestern Michigan College’s Board of Trustees received state licensure pass rate for the college’s nursing graduates and conducted other business at their May 14th meeting on the college’s Dowagiac campus. Dr. David Fleming, vice president of instruction, presented a report from the state of Michigan that shows SMC attained a 100 percent [...]

The Michigan Department of Transportation reports there will be total closures of several state trunklines for local Memorial Day parades ranging from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, May 28. Local police officials will be directing traffic during the closures. Here’s the rundown of closures in Southwest Michigan: M-62 from Front Street to Riverside Drive [...]

I’m hoping that this past weekend, all you mothers were surrounded by your children and reminded of how much you are loved by all. If this did happen, you are to be commended for doing a great job of parenting. Savor the time. In a perfect world, every day would be Mother’s Day. With the [...]

For the price of a postage stamp, Constantine Eastside Elementary School student “Darian” Tyler was put in touch with “Darien,” Connecticut. Students hunt for a city in the U.S. whose name is the same as either their first or last name to write to. It is called the Namesake City project, the idea of two [...]

Having clean water is not only essential for our health and well-being, but it is also essential for our economy.  There is so much water in southwest Michigan – hundreds of miles of streams and rivers, hundreds of inland lakes and of course Lake Michigan.  What are communities and landowners in southwest Michigan doing to [...]

Judicial candidates were in the spotlight Monday evening (May 14) during the May meeting of the St. Joseph County Bar Association. The event – held at the Sturges-Young Auditorium and Civic Center in Sturgis – featured the candidates who are vying to succeed St. Joseph County District Judge William Welty and Probate Judge Thomas Shumaker, [...]

Lansing – The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget has released its summer teen employment forecast for 2012. Over the past year Michigan’s labor market has shown signs of improvement; however it remains a highly competitive environment for those seeking employment. This is particularly true for teens seeking a summer job. “The teen summer [...]