County Information

St. Joseph County United Way Director Kelly Hostetler said the agency is starting to prepare for its annual silent auction at the 2016 St. Joseph County Grange Fair, and the public is being asked to consider making a donation to help the effort. The fair begins Sept. 18 and the auction coincides with the seven-day event. Hostetler said more space …

An Indiana man who was unresponsive after being pulled from Diamond Lake in Cass County earlier this month has recovered and was released from the hospital. Sheriff Joe Underwood said 84-year-old Paul Schafer of Marshall County was pulled from the lake July 22 and taken to South Bend Memorial Hospital. Underwood said Schafer was released from medical care Sunday and …

The St. Joseph County Conservation District agreed during its monthly meeting Wednesday to revise a leg of its river cleanup schedule. Agency director Carolyn Grace said the next cleanup will be Aug. 6, as scheduled. However, instead of completing a stretch of the Rocky River, the focus will center on a two and one-half-mile portion of the St. Joseph River …

A 53-year-old Three Rivers man was airlifted to Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo Wednesday following a two-vehicle accident in Fabius Township. The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m., when 85-year-old Lloyd Hagenbuch, of Three Rivers, was driving south on Krull Road and failed to come to a complete stop at the Gleason Road intersection, authorities said. His vehicle struck a pickup …

St. Joseph County’s smallest municipality will take its turn to host an annual community festival this weekend. The eighth Burr Oak Heritage Festival begins this evening and concludes with a community worship service Sunday at Church Park. Organizers said the event kicks off with the return of “Brats and Bingo in the Big Tent” starting at 6 o’clock tonight, while …

Schoolcraft Police Chief Bryan Campbell said the department is investigating several thefts from motor vehicles this week. Four complaints were received Monday morning involving vehicles on the west side of the village that were entered at some point overnight. Then, according to Campbell, a complaint was received Wednesday morning from a victim on the east side of the village. The …

Law-enforcement officials from the Ontwa Township Edwardsburg Police Department responded to a location in Edwardsburg Wednesday afternoon regarding a fatal industrial accident. Officers were called around 3 p.m. to a manufacturing facility in the 69000 block of Kraus Road to assist Edwardsburg Ambulance. Officials from the two agencies said a man was injured in a machine press and he died …

Sturgis Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in ultrasound, as the result of an extensive review by the American College of Radiology. Ultrasound imaging uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of internal body parts to help providers diagnose illness, injury or other medical problems. The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image …

The 24th Annual Doyle/ Exchange Club Community Service Awards were recently approved, and four local agencies will be recipients of grant awards. Children’s Trauma Assessment Group: $ 4,000 to assist with needs assessments. Safety Town: $ 500. Sturgis Neighborhood Program: $ 750 for program support. Doyle Community Center: $ 375 to assist with the Summer Adventure Club. The annual awards …

The 2016 Sturgis Toy Run is set for Sept. 10 and the city of Sturgis will again provide police and public-services support. Sturgis city commissioners earlier this month agreed to supply a police presence for the event, and department of public services workers to place and remove street barricades for the procession of motorcycles through town on U.S. 12. The …