County Information

An anonymous tip led to the arrest of a wanted fugitive in the village of White Pigeon last week. State police said Nicholas Ames, 29, was arrested around 1:15 a.m. Thursday after troopers responded to a residence in the 200 block of South Lincoln Street. A caller reported Ames was attempting to force his way into the residence. Ames was …

A number of local and statewide issues will be discussed Tuesday during a “Community Conversation” in Sturgis. The 90-minute program starts at 11:30 a.m. at Sturges-Young Auditorium and is hosted by the Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with The Center for Michigan. Organizers said the event looks to offer a forum for community members to discuss pressing issues …

A 44-year-old Edwardsburg man was treated for minor injuries Thursday after he was involved in a snowmobile accident in Penn Township. Cass County Sheriff Joseph Underwood Jr. said deputies were called around 4:15 p.m. to Dutch Settlement Street and Decatur Road. The victim, Robert Frick, told police he was traveling on a snowmobile trail when he lost control and his …

The grand reopening of Curly’s in downtown Colon was met with an enthusiastic and steady crowd throughout the course of the day Thursday. A line of patrons had formed by the time the newly rebuilt restaurant and bar opened at 11 a.m. Co-owner Kathy Earl said business was steady all day. Many guests, she said, expressed their best wishes for …

Results of a needs-assessment questionnaire, distributed jointly by Sturgis Hospital and Three Rivers Health, have been released. Following several months of compiling and analyzing data, the two health centers are spreading word of the survey results. According to the St. Joseph County 2012 Community Health Needs Assessment, issues associated with mental health were a concern for 53 percent of survey respondents. …

Two men and a woman were arrested Tuesday in Sturgis on methamphetamine-related charges. The St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit executed a search warrant in the 400 block of Center Avenue following an investigation of suspected drug activity inside the residence. Once inside, investigators discovered evidence of the use and manufacture of meth, including hazardous materials, department officials said. A …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved a travel request made by animal control director Tom Miller. Miller has been offered a $500 travel allocation by the ASPCA to attend the Animal Care Expo May 20-23 in Florida. The grant will cover the cost of the conference registration and hotel room. Miller said he would pay out-of-pocket any …

Local law-enforcement agencies are looking for a red, small-size pickup truck involved in a hit-and-run incident last week in Park Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said a 23-year-old Portage woman was driving south on U.S. 131 Thursday when the vehicle in front of her lost control and spun out south of Michigan Avenue. The vehicle driven by the …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is reporting the third death in the tri-county area this season due to complications from influenza. This is the second death of a St. Joseph County resident, though the death of the elderly man occurred in an out-of-county facility. In each of the three cases, there were underlying conditions that may have been the …

A county parks system featuring larger parcels with greater, natural-resource-based recreational opportunities was identified as a major component of the St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Department newly developed master plan. John Pence, director of the agency, presented a summary of the five-year plan to members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. He said instead of operating …