County Information

The new-look St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners was introduced Tuesday. Kathy Pangle, Dennis Allen and Dan Czajkowski, along with returning commissioners John Dobberteen and chairman Allen Balog, were sworn in by county clerk Lindsay Oswald in advance of the board’s first meeting of 2017. All five commissioners are beginning two-year terms. Balog was tapped to serve as board chairman …

State police recovered a stolen commercial truck Tuesday in Branch County. According to a department media release, troopers were called between 4 and 7 a.m. to an area on Southern Road in Kinderhook Township. Troopers found a box truck reported stolen from an undisclosed area and featuring improper plates taken from another vehicle. The truck was loaded with tires stolen …

A plan to upgrade West South Street in Sturgis prompted city commissioners to approve a new stop sign to replace a yield sign at the intersection with White Street. City engineer Barry Cox recommended the change to upgrade traffic safety when the West South/White street intersection is widened next year to accommodate semi-truck access onto White Street. According to Cox, …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will still meet the first and third Tuesdays of the month, but a change in the longstanding 5 p.m. start time was made this week. For a trial period of six months, commission meetings will be called to order at 6 p.m. The move by one hour was proposed Tuesday by commissioner Kathy …

A Sturgis man was arrested over the weekend on a number of charges, including a felony for possession of a stolen vehicle. According to Sturgis police, a traffic stop took place shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday in the 400 block of West West Street for an equipment violation. Officers discovered the 38-year-old driver had a suspended license and was wanted …

State police last week arrested a White Pigeon-area man on a felony warrant from the city of Three Rivers. According to a department media release, troopers along with deputies from the sheriff’s department arrived to a residence on Blue School Road at 7:45 p.m. Friday to execute the warrant. Troopers spotted the man outside his garage but he fled into …

Members of the Constantine Village Council voted earlier this month against urban chickens being raised inside the village limits. At several meetings this year, the council discussed an ordinance allowing urban chickens stemming from a June 20 discussion with Charlie and Beth Cauffman. They requested to keep up to six chickens in their yard. Then, Jeff and Nancy Cale in …

Two Indiana residents were arrested on drug-related offenses as well as a weapons violation earlier this week in Sturgis. Sturgis police said a vehicle was stopped at 11:41 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Buckingham and Canterbury streets for a plate-registration violation. The driver, a 24-year-old man from Elkhart, advised officers he was in possession of a firearm, which was …

Here’s a reminder that the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority will once again offer its annual New Year’s Eve “Free Ride Home.” Steve Yorks, director of the Three Rivers-based agency, said the free rides will be available from and to any St. Joseph County location and will start at 10 p.m. Saturday and conclude at 4 a.m. Sunday. The event …

Three Rivers police arrested a Sturgis man early Wednesday on drug-related offenses. According to a department media release, a vehicle was stopped shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Broadway Street near South Douglas Avenue for an undisclosed moving violation. Police observed evidence that led them to conclude the occupants of the vehicle were seeking components to manufacture methamphetamine. The department’s K9 …