County Information

The St. Joseph County United Way, in conjunction with Sturgis Hospital, is staging its annual Hospital Garage Sale over an eight-hour period Friday. All proceeds raised during the sale, which takes place at the Sturgis Hospital Medical Commons Building, at 1717 E. Chicago St., will be turned over to the St. Joseph County United Way. The sale starts at 7:30 …

The Sturgis Council of the Arts is presenting a series of three different summer-stock plays by the Central Michigan University Performing Arts Department. The first presentation is tonight. Council of the Arts members said the new program is aimed at providing arts and entertainment opportunities to area residents during the summer. Tonight at 7:30, “I Hate Hamlet” will be performed. …

Five male subjects are being sought by Sturgis Police in connection with a vandalism incident that occurred in downtown Sturgis over the weekend. Police said five males, about 16 or 17 years old, were seen by witnesses in the downtown area around 2:30 a.m. Monday. Later in the day, it was discovered that gang-related graffiti was sprayed on a building …

Investigators with the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department were called Friday to Lockport Township in response to the burglary of a barn. Deputies said the incident occurred at a barn between June 27 and July 6 in the 20000 block of Hoshel Road. The suspects entered the building and took several items, including a custom-made, three-wheel bike made for the …

Organizers of last month’s Three Rivers Relay for Life said more than $122,000 was raised through the 24-hour event. Event chair Danielle Rohrer said proceeds are turned over to the American Cancer Society. The June 22 event in Three Rivers attracted 43 teams and also drew 115 cancer survivors who participated in the Survivors Lap.

St. Joseph County is one of 26 counties in Michigan to receive funding for enhanced law-enforcement patrol specifically targeting drunken drivers. The additional enforcement has been in place since last weekend and will continue through Sunday. The Michigan Office of Highway Planning has provided the funding to cover the cost of additional state police patrols.

A vehicle was stolen between midnight and 7 a.m. Friday from a residence in the 56000 block of Buffalo Drive in Lockport Township. The vehicle – its year, make and model were not included in a department news release – was found abandoned at an undisclosed location in Three Rivers.

Three Rivers City Manager Joe Bippus was the recipient of a highly complimentary evaluation by Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners last week. During his annual performance review, Bippus earned the equivalent of a 92 percent. The score is the highest he has ever received as city manager in Three Rivers. The evaluation was judged on 10 different categories and tabulated …

A 33- year-old Sturgis man escaped serious injury last week, when he crashed a motorcycle. Deputies said Michael Ritter was eastbound on Banker Street, near Zabel Shores about 11: 30 p.m. Wednesday, when he tried to avoid a deer, lost control of the motorcycle and crashed. Police said Ritter and the bike slid about 70 feet along the pavement. Ritter …

Investigators looking into the cause of a house fire in Sherman Township last week indicated faulty wiring in an air conditioner was the likely cause of the blaze. The residence, in the 62000 block of Shimmel Road, was destroyed by the fast-moving fire. Investigators said they suspect a wiring malfunction in an air-conditioning unit attached on the first floor caused …