County Information

One of the farmers behind a concentrated animal-feeding operation going up in Sherman Township fielded a number of questions and provided clarity related to the project during Wednesday’s St. Joseph County Conservation District Board meeting. At the request of board member John Nelson, Ed Schlabach attended the meeting and elaborated on what will be a four-barn development between Shimmel and …

A Coldwater man was arrested this week on charges related to criminal sexual conduct and manufacturing child sexually abusive material. State police investigators at 1 p.m. Wednesday executed a search warrant at a Harrison Street residence in Coldwater to investigate allegations of a criminal sexual conduct that had been alleged online via the phone application, KIK. Troopers found that a …

A Sturgis-area woman and her passengers escaped from the vehicle she was driving after it ended up in a water-filled ditch this week in Burr Oak Township. Sheriff’s officials said 34-year-old Michele Wall was driving east on Hackman Road at 7:20 a.m. Wednesday. Wall’s vehicle entered standing water in the roadway and she lost control of the vehicle. It went …

Despite a pair of dissenting votes, St. Joseph County commissioners on Tuesday approved a staffing request for an impending vacancy in Family Court. The 3-2 vote means Judge David Tomlinson and director Tom Robertson can begin searching for a candidate to replace Cathy Coleman, juvenile register. Coleman’s last day is Feb. 28, as she accepted the county’s early-retirement incentive. Commissioner …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department has issued a media release regarding the number of water-covered roadways throughout the county. Sheriff’s officials said 12 inches of water is enough to sweep away a sport-utility vehicle. The county road commission has placed barricades at affected locations. The sheriff’s department advises motorists to obey the barricades and find an alternate route. Also, …

Mendon Community Schools board members are learning the potential consequences of this winter’s delays and cancellations. During Monday’s monthly board meeting, interim superintendent Leasa Griffith said the district is uncomfortably close to having to add at least one make-up day in June. In order to avoid the school year extending beyond June 7, Griffith said she has worked out an …

Sheriff’s deputies are investigating attempted breaking-and-entering incidents in Mendon Township. Deputies were called Monday to the 22000 block of Kline’s Resort Road, where access into six trailers in winter storage had been attempted. Authorities were called to the scene in response to the owner of a trailer that had been accessed without permission.

Three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash earlier this week in Cass County’s Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 12:40 p.m. Monday to the intersection of M-60 and M-40. Investigators said a car driven by 96-year-old Woody James of Three Rivers was eastbound on M-60 when it failed to stop at the M-40 intersection. His …

A Decatur man was injured in a one-vehicle accident over the weekend in Cass County’s Pokagon Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly before 7:30 a.m. Sunday to M-51, near Pokagon Street. Investigators said 44-year-old Chad Strehlke was driving north on M-51 and attempted to pass another vehicle. Strehlke, however, lost control of his vehicle and it exited …

The Cass County Sheriff’s Department this week investigated a home explosion in Milton Township, where one person was injured. Police responded to the 33000 block of Bertrand Street around 6 p.m. Tuesday after neighbors reported hearing what sounded like two explosions. Shortly thereafter, the house caught fire and was fully engulfed in flames. Sheriff Richard Behnke said authorities did not know …