County Information

A state grant awarded last year to St. Joseph County is reducing recidivism rates and cutting time behind bars for qualified candidates. Judge Paul Stutesman provided details about the Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program last week, when he presented circuit court’s annual report to the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. Stutesman said the State Court Administrative Office provided …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a property-damage complaint filed last week in Burr Oak Township. According to a department media release, a vehicle at a business was driven by the suspects a short distance and was then intentionally damaged. The suspects are described as two white males in their mid-teens.

State police were called to a Lockport Township business Saturday afternoon in response to a report of malicious destruction of property. The agency said a full-size pickup truck rammed a parked car three or four times in the parking lot at Sam’s Place, in the 60000 block of Lutz Road. The offending vehicle was last seen heading north on Lutz …

Two Sturgis men were charged with drug-related offenses after the vehicle they were in was stopped by state police last week in Sherman Township. According to a department media release, the vehicle was stopped around 10 p.m. Friday on Balk Road, not far from Featherstone Road, for defective exhaust. Troopers noticed meth-making ingredients, which they verified after being given consent …

A rural Constantine man was airlifted to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo early Saturday after a one-car crash in the village of Constantine. Police said Darrell Wood, age 26, was the lone passenger in a vehicle that was eastbound on Riverside Drive when he failed to negotiate a curve at Sixth Street around 1:30 a.m. His vehicle clipped a tree …

The driver of a stolen vehicle remains at large after he eluded police during a two-county pursuit last week. State police troopers said the man was seen around 7 p.m. Thursday driving a vehicle reported stolen from the village of Colon. The vehicle was initially spotted eastbound on U.S. 12 near Big Hill Road. The driver headed into Burr Oak, …

The St. Joseph County Animal Control Department has been chosen to receive a $10,000 grant for spay and neuter services. In a correspondence to county commissioners last week, director Tom Miller said the service is performed before animals are adopted from the Centreville agency. Miller indicated he hopes the measure will help increase adoption rates at the shelter. By unanimous …

Three Rivers Community Schools has lost its director of operations, as Steve Lucas took a job with the Cass County Road Commission. Lucas will become managing director of the Cass County Road Commission. He is stepping into a job previously held by Christopher Bolt, who was splitting the task with St. Joseph County. A 20-year school district employee, Lucas’ last …

Several items of value were stolen from a Sturgis residence last week. State police said the incident occurred between 3 and 4:30 p.m. Thursday at a residence near the intersection of Vinewood and Lockwood streets. Access was gained through forced entry. On the same day, a breaking-and-entering incident took place between 6:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the 64000 block …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has reached an employment agreement with Lori Barczak to serve as juvenile day treatment supervisor. During action at last week’s commission meeting, the five-member panel OK’d the employment agreement, including a $41,000 annual salary plus benefits. Barczak’s hiring is under the condition of an at-will employee.