County Information

An over-the-back leaf blower was stolen last week from a residence in Constantine Township. State police investigators were called at 6:30 a.m. Thursday to a residence on Peck Academy Road, between Youngs Prairie and Preston roads. The victim discovered tire tracks leading to a barn, where the leaf blower was stored. Tire tracks indicate the vehicle was likely a front-wheel …

Sturgis city commissioners recently took up an offer of more than $500,000 from the Michigan Department of Transportation to help pay for the final phase of the South Nottawa Street brick restoration paving. The city received a conditional commitment from MDOT in April for a grant that will augment city funds for the $1 million project. The city pledged just …

Only one of four local varsity football teams survived the weekend’s opening round of the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs. Friday’s lone winner from St. Joseph County was Mendon, which won a road contest over St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic, 39-12. The Hornets, now 8-2, will square off this upcoming weekend at Climax-Scotts, a 10-0 team and ranked No. …

The September unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by two-tenths of a percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 3.5 percent September unemployment rate was less than August’s 3.7 percent. September’s unemployment rate was identical to the same month one year earlier, when …

A Sturgis native working in Alaska for the Fairbanks Police Department has died from complications related to surgery after he was shot five times earlier this month. Sgt. Allen Brandt, a 2000 graduate of Sturgis High School, died after complications arose from surgery to have shrapnel removed from his eye following the Oct. 16 shooting. Brandt, an 11-year veteran of …

A variety of stolen items was discovered by sheriff’s deputies following a traffic stop at 1 a.m. Thursday in Park Township. According to a department media release, a road patrol sergeant stopped a dirt bike on Buckhorn Road near Heimbach Road. During their investigation, deputies found that the dirt bike had been stolen out of Cass County the day before. …

The Michigan appeals court has ruled the state’s child-abuse law doesn’t apply to unborn babies, a decision that was made in response to a case involving a Sturgis woman. The court threw out the conviction of Melissa Jones, who used methamphetamine during her pregnancy. Jones’ son weighed less than 4 pounds despite being delivered at full term in Sturgis. In …

An economic-impact study conducted for Glen Oaks Community College indicates the college, its students and regional alumni added more than $119 million in income to the local economy in the school’s 2015-16 fiscal year. The figure is approximately equal to 4 percent of the area’s Gross Regional Product. Idaho-based Economics Modeling Specialists International conducted the study. Its report concluded the …

Three Rivers Health has completed its 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment, and posted results and its implementation plan on its website. Through the CHNA process, the hospital has determined the top health needs of the community center on: obesity/physical inactivity; mental health/suicide; physician services; education/prevention; and diabetes. The hospital has developed an implementation plan for addressing the needs, including services …

The 90-year anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death will be marked locally this weekend by Colon magician and entertainer Ron Carnell. Carnell plans to lead a séance in an attempt to contact the spirit of Houdini. It will take place Saturday at River Lake Inn as a special presentation to complement Carnell’s monthly “dinner-and-a-show” event at the Colon-area restaurant. Carnell said …