County Information

A veteran member of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners was recognized by his peers this week. During Tuesday’s county commission meeting, board chairman Dennis Allen presented Allen Balog with a plaque and accolades recognizing Balog’s two-year stint as board chairman. Allen said Balog, 61, was worthy of the recognition. The plaque issued to Balog read: “Presented to Allen …

State police investigators are looking into the discovery of a methamphetamine lab over the weekend in Mendon Township. According to a department media release, troopers were made aware of the lab Saturday afternoon after it was discovered by children playing in the area of Wakeman and River Run roads. The children took home what they thought was suspicious trash and …

Three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident over the weekend in Volinia Township. Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 8:30 a.m. Saturday to Marcellus Highway, where a pickup driven by 56-year-old Carl Shelby Jr., 56, was heading east when it was struck by a westbound car that had lost control on an icy patch of …

With more widespread use of flashing green lights on state and local winter maintenance vehicles, motorists across Michigan can spot plow trucks more easily, even during whiteout conditions. In this second winter since the Michigan Legislature passed a bill allowing public maintenance vehicles to use flashing green lights in addition to the traditional flashing yellow, city public works departments, county …

Two St. Joseph County residents were arrested this week on drug-related offenses following the execution of a search warrant at a location in Sturgis. Members of the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit responded Wednesday to a tip of suspected drug activity in the 200 block of West West Street. Investigators arrested a 46-year-old Sturgis man and a 43-year-old woman …

St. Joseph County Treasurer Judie Ratering recently staged a news conference with her Calhoun County peer to promote a program called Step Forward Michigan. Ratering and Brian Wensauer were joined by Michigan State Housing Development Authority Director Earl Poleski to tout the benefits of the state program. Ratering said she knows in St. Joseph County, a lot of hard-working homeowners …

State Rep. Aaron Miller said Michigan will continue steady economic growth after the House and Senate Appropriations committees received the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference report, which is the first look at the upcoming economic forecast. The report was compiled by the House and Senate Fiscal agencies and the state budget director. It predicts that Michigan’s recovery from the so-called Lost …

The company hoping to develop a solar farm in St. Joseph County has completed its analysis of the proposed project and is ready to move forward. Minnesota-based Geronimo Energy is eyeing between 150 and 200 acres in Mendon Township to develop what it is calling the White Pine Solar Project, a 20-megawatt project that company officials said will generate more …

Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education members are preparing for the possible resignation of superintendent Jean Logan. The board staged a special meeting Tuesday to discuss the situation and the process of finding an interim superintendent. Logan, who is in her fifth year as Three Rivers superintendent, has not indicated where she is seeking employment. Board members, however, are …

Fire destroyed a garage and two vehicles earlier this week in Burr Oak. Firefighters were called around 3 p.m. Tuesday to a home in the 500 block of Burrwood Drive and were able to keep fire from entering the home. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, though authorities said the blaze does not appear to be …