County Information

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week approved two independent-contractor agreements. CSZ Services of St. Johns was tapped to provide commercial and industrial appraisals for the county’s Land Resource Centre and Equalization. The work is to be performed for appraisals as determined appropriate for inclusion in the county’s 2017 equalization study by the equalization director of the St. …

A proposed plan to address some costly projects at three county parks was endorsed by a Park Township resident at Tuesday’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting. Holly Stephenson stated during citizen comments that the county’s recent discussion about potential improvements at Covered Bridge Farm and Plumb Lake parks, and Cade Lake Park and Campground would be worth the …

A Constantine man was charged with violating terms of concealed-carry laws last weekend. Three Rivers Police stopped a pickup around 3 a.m. Sunday on Constantine Street at Wolf Street after the vehicle was observed being driven in an erratic manner. It was determined the 39-year-old driver was intoxicated and in possession of a loaded pistol. He was charged with operating …

The Sturgis Township Planning Commission is recommending township trustees adopt specific procedures for enforcement of property maintenance standards that hold owners responsible, while giving latitude to compliance timelines. The issue has been before township officials for several months as they wrestled with concerns about how future code officers will enforce the standards. Several planning commissioners said they did not want …

A vehicle was impounded by Three Rivers Police last week after a department K9 reacted positively to the presence of drugs. The vehicle was stopped following a traffic violation around 10 p.m. Friday at Michigan Avenue and U.S. 131 after it was seen driving through neighborhoods and avoiding police and major routes. Police said the 53-year-old driver acted in a …

A pickup stolen out of Indiana over the weekend was recovered Sunday in St. Joseph County. State police said the 2011 Ford F-250 King Ranch edition was reported stolen around 12:30 a.m. Sunday from the Bristol area. Later in the morning, troopers were alerted to the vehicle submerged in Corey Lake at the public access site in Fabius Township. The …

A 22-year-old Three Rivers man was arrested on a drug-related charge over the weekend. Three Rivers Police said the vehicle was stopped at 8 p.m. Saturday for an equipment violation at Constantine and Lafayette streets. Officers were suspicious of drug activity and the driver denied officers’ request to search the vehicle. Department K9 Django was called to the scene and …

A storage garage and motorhomes were destroyed by fire late last week at a facility in Schoolcraft Township. According to Tracy McMillan, chief of the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority, the department was called at 10 p.m. Thursday to the 15000 block of U.S. 131, where a fire was reported at Cloverleaf RV & Storage Acres. McMillan said heavy smoke …

No new information is available regarding a fatal motorcycle accident last week in Burr Oak Township St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department deputies are continuing their investigation into Thursday’s incident involving 29-year-old Joseph Hice, who lost control of his motorcycle shortly after 11 p.m. at Witt Lake and Robinson roads. Hice was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies said an initial …

St. Joseph County Commissioners this week are expected to approve a letter of support for a grant to be submitted by the county’s conservation district. During last week’s Executive Committee meeting, commissioners fielded a request from conservation district director Carolyn Grace. She sought and ultimately received the backing of county commissioners for a tally of road crossings she and her …