County Information

The Leo Club, a high school service group hosted by the Sturgis Lions Club, was recently chartered into the national organization. The group needed at least 35 high school members in the Leo Club to be considered for the charter, said Frank Iannarelli, president of Sturgis Lions Club. That goal has been reached and there is one honorary member, Abdiel …

Future city of Sturgis employees will have new pension rules designed to reduce the city’s future pension costs. Under the proposed amendment to city ordinance, new hires beginning Jan. 1 will have to work 10 years, rather than the current eight, to be vested in the municipal retirement plan. In addition, the city is expected to begin requiring all new …

The attorney representing the leader of the grass-roots group TR Cares issued a cease-and-desist order to Three Rivers Community Schools Superintendent Jean Logan. Kelly Ward – whose client, Sherrie Nowicki, sought the directive – issued the two-page notice to Logan Monday. Nowicki read the order to board members during a special meeting Tuesday morning to deal with two student-expulsion matters. …

St. Joseph County Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman has sentenced Maria Williams to a maximum of 35 years in prison for the 2014 shooting death of a 33-year-old Burr Oak-area man. Stutesman on Tuesday issued the sentence, stemming from a March 2014 case involving Williams and Dennis Brooks. Williams had been accused of shooting Brooks once in the head during …

During a moment of what he called “end-of-the-year reflection,” commissioner Rick Shaffer during last week’s county commission meeting acknowledged volunteers who comprise a number of boards and commissions. He also proposed some kind of a media spotlight featuring the workings of the various panels. Shaffer said the county has a number of openings on boards and commissions, and a media …

White Pigeon Fire Department and area residents have assured that local families will have a happy holiday. Earlier this month, the agency staged its second “Fill The Fire Truck” event. Residents were encouraged to donate non-perishable food items or drop money in a fire boot. White Pigeon postal carriers also assisted by picking up items left at mailboxes. Also, Central …

Sturgis Township officials were recently updated on plans for a retail development coming to the former Kmart building on South Centerville Road. DNK Development, of Norton Shores, will be remodeling the building and housing a Tractor Supply Center store and a Dunham Sports. The site plan calls for TSC to occupy the south side of the building, while an interior …

St. Joseph County’s 2016 fiscal year budget was passed last week, but not without some concerns from a Florence Township resident. The $16.5 million budget reflects a 2.3 percent decrease from the county’s 2015 adjusted amended budget. Tim Carls criticized the board two weeks earlier during a public hearing on what was then the proposed budget. His concern centered on …

A food-drive challenge that returned to Sturgis High School in 2014 was back again this year. Students gathered a total of 1,180 non-perishable food items from Nov. 2 through Dec. 2. Items were donated to the local Salvation Army food pantry earlier this month. Students from Amanda Langworthy’s seminar class collected the most food items, with 274. They received a …

St. Joseph County deputies responded to separate complaints earlier this month; one regarding larcenies from a number of vehicles in Lockport Township, the other involved the theft of two riding mowers in Park Township. On Dec. 11, investigators were called to the area of Timm Road and Lovers Lane after a number of residents reported their vehicles were entered overnight …