County Information

St. Joseph County has reached a lease agreement with Nottawa Township regarding Nottawa Park. The move came during last week’s county commission meeting, three years after the county turned over ownership and operations of the Sand Lake park to the township. According to terms of the arrangement, which takes effect Jan. 1, the county will lease the park for $5 …

A motions hearing for perjury suspect Raymond McCann II took place Thursday before St. Joseph County Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman. Prosecutors said McCann made five false statements during hours of sworn testimony related to the November 2007 night when 11-year-old Jodi Parrack was found dead in a Constantine Township cemetery. McCann’s attorney, James Mequio of Portage, argued that the …

State Rep. Matt Lori last week voted on a bipartisan plan to fund road and bridge repair and maintenance by asking voters to approve a one-cent increase to the state sales tax. Lori said he is happy the House and Senate reached a consensus on a long-term, sustainable plan to maintain and repair the state’s deteriorating roads and bridges. If …

The public-comment period regarding the St. Joseph County Water Trail Master Plan has been postponed until January. The plan will be available for public review for a month beginning Jan. 16, according to Suzanne Fromson, landscape architect with Edgewater Resources. Fromson, whose company was hired by the county to work on the master plan, said a hard copy of the …

The newest restaurant in St. Joseph County hosted a by-invitation-only crowd Friday, marking the first public gathering at The Local. Owned by Dan and Jamie Templin, The Local will open to the general public Saturday. The downtown Centreville venue was previously known as the Round Up, which closed in late April. Dan Templin said the eatery will focus on fresh, …

A Nottawa Township boy died Thursday after he was involved in an accident with an all-terrain vehicle Wednesday. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Dakota Yoder was driving the four-wheeler around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday on private property in the 26000 block of Marvin Road in Nottawa Township. Investigators said the ATV flipped and landed on top of the boy. …

Three people were arrested on drug-related offenses Wednesday following a transaction involving a controlled substance in the city of Three Rivers. A short time after the undercover purchase by the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit, a search warrant was executed at a residence in the 600 block of North Lakeview Street in Sturgis, which lead to the discovery of …

The 2014 John E. Oster Award went to Kimberly L. Annis, a fourth- grade teacher at Eastwood Elementary. Annis was honored as the 33rd recipient of the award Monday during a meeting of the Sturgis Rotary Club. A 1992 graduate of Sturgis High School, Annis has taught at Sturgis Public Schools for more than 14 years. She has served as …

Investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit executed a search warrant Thursday morning at a location in the 200 block of Center Street in Sturgis. SCAN officials received information where trafficking of methamphetamine was likely occurring. After a several-month investigation, officers obtained a search warrant. Once inside, officers found methamphetamine and marijuana. Two adults were arrested and taken …

During their final meeting of 2014 Tuesday, the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners made reappointments to six different panels. Returning for three-year terms to the Animal Control Advisory Board are Suzanne Lee, Laura Barley and Rick Shaffer. John Bippus was approved to continue on as a member of the St. Joseph County Road Commission Board. Bippus, who is currently …