County Information

A motion regarding medical marijuana facilities failed Wednesday on a tie vote by members of the Sturgis City Commission. Language of the ordinance they were considering would have allowed provisioning centers in manufacturing and commercial zoning areas that were not within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, public parks or residential areas either inside or outside of the city. A dozen audience members spoke …

Public comment on an application to be submitted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is being accepted through Friday. The public comment centers on the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, which provides funding to improve the health of mothers, infants and children, including children with health-care needs. Based on a needs assessment, the …

St. Joseph County sheriff’s deputies report that a kayak was stolen last week from a location in Lockport Township. The incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday in the 58000 block of Pond View Lane, near the St. Joseph River. The green kayak was stolen sometime the previous night, the victim told authorities.

Centreville High School’s softball team is two wins from a state title after the Bulldogs won their quarter-final contest Tuesday. Centreville topped Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 7-to-3 in Battle Creek. On tap for the Bulldogs is a Friday evening, Division 4 semi-final contest against Unionville-Sebewaing. The Patriots will enter the 5:30 p.m. contest with a 29-and-7 record, while Centreville has a …

Officials from the Three Rivers Police Department have released the name of the man involved in a situation that resulted in lockdown status at Hoppin Elementary School last week. The suspect is 30-year-old Kyle Longacre of Three Rivers. He was taken to the county jail and arraigned on charges of one count of carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent …

Centreville Public Schools has announced its new elementary principal. During a special meeting Monday, the district’s board of education acted on the recommendation of superintendent Stephanie Lemmer and an interview committee, and made official the hiring of Mark VenderKlok. His employment takes effect July 1. Terms of his contract are being negotiated. VanderKlok has spent the past eight years with …

The recall of Constantine Public Schools Board President John Shuler has been suspended. St. Joseph County Clerk Lindsay Oswald issued a media release Monday, in which she stated at advice of legal counsel, the recall petition for Shuler is being rejected as to form. Consequently, there will not be a hearing Monday next week, as originally scheduled. The petition to …

On the heels of last month’s voter-approved request, St. Joseph County Central Dispatch is ready to proceed with its equipment upgrade. During last week’s county commission meeting, agency director Dennis Brandenburg was granted approval to enter into a contract with Motorola for nearly $3.5 million. The lease-to-own plan will allow central dispatch to replace all communication equipment at its Centreville …

Three days after a recall effort against her was dismissed, Ina Taulbee has resigned from the Sturgis City Commission. The 2nd precinct commissioner announced her resignation Thursday. A key factor in her decision centers on controversy related to medical marijuana in the city. Taulbee said the topic has brought with it a great deal of negative interaction that has become …

Officials from the Three Rivers Police Department have provided an update regarding a situation that resulted in lockdown status at Hoppin Elementary School last week. The Three Rivers school was in lockdown mode twice Thursday following reports of a suspicious man possibly in possession of a gun. Shortly after noon, the department received a number of reports of a subject …