St. Joseph County
Coverage of St. Joseph County in the Nexus archive.
- Michigan rural hospitals are suffering, here’s what happened
Michigan rural hospitals are closing or cutting services, including Sturgis Hospital which shut down after 100 years. Over 200 rural hospitals nationwide have closed or reduced services since 2005, with 11 in Michigan ending labor and delivery since 2010. Financial strain, lower reimbursements for Medicare/Medicaid, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s projected $1 trillion Medicaid cuts are cited as key factors.
- Whitmer to appeal FEMA denial of disaster aid after deadly Southwest Michigan tornadoes
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is appealing FEMA's denial of federal disaster aid for Southwest Michigan after deadly tornadoes in March 2026. The denial applies to the Individual Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant programs, which would have supported residents with uninsured losses and infrastructure recovery.
- Whitmer appeals FEMA denial of aid after deadly Michigan tornados
Governor Gretchen Whitmer filed an appeal against FEMA's denial of federal assistance for Michigan residents affected by deadly March 6 tornadoes that caused four fatalities and significant damage. FEMA denied aid on May 31, including funding for hazard mitigation, but low-interest loans from the SBA remain available for affected areas in Southwest Michigan.