County Information

St. Joseph County commissioners recently approved an employee handbook revision. The amendment centers on adding new language regarding the issuance of county ID cards and proper use of the cards. The cards will feature the employee’s name, photo and department of employment. Each card will be programmed with a corresponding security zone. Employees will be given access to the courthouse …

Investigators from Michigan State Police and local fire agencies remain at the scene of a Mottville Township business to determine what caused a devastating blaze Monday. Crews were summoned around 4 p.m. to Green Stream recycling, in the 69000 block of M-103. In all, more than a dozen different departments responded and attempted to put out the blaze that burned …

State Sen. John Proos and a small number of state officials witnessed firsthand Monday the success stories emerging from a program through St. Joseph County Circuit Court. Overseen by Judge Paul Stutesman, Monday’s “Drug Court” provided status updates on eight participants in the program. Funded in part through state and federal grants, Drug Court is a two-year program that aids …

The village of Colon has employed an unusual source to clear a park area overrun with poison ivy and undesirable weeds. A herd of 10 goats was hired by the Colon Parks Board to rid the west edge of Colon Community Park of the overgrowth. Park Board member Edith Doenges said the goal was to tidy up the area before …

Keith Lang has tendered his resignation at Sturgis Public Schools. Early this year, the former Sturgis High School teacher was charged with multiple counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and other offenses. At that time, a police investigation showed he allegedly had a sexual relationship with a minor student. He initially was charged with single counts of distributing or promoting …

A Burr Oak man was arrested after leading authorities on a pursuit last week. According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were aware of two cars racing through Sturgis around 6 p.m. Friday. Central dispatch received a call around 7:30 p.m. concerning a suspicious vehicle in the vicinity of Burr Oak and Deer Park roads. The vehicle fit …

Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said the name of the 6-year-old boy who died last week after being partially run over by a skid loader was Holden High of Dowagiac. High died Wednesday afternoon in Volinia Township, where he was helping with a landscape project. Investigators said High and two teenagers were riding in the bucket of the skid loader …

Members of the White Pigeon Collaboration Team are pursuing a number of grant opportunities to help cover the cost of a sidewalk from downtown to U.S. 131. During last week’s monthly meeting, the group of community activists learned the project’s cost would be $29,000. A core of volunteers from cement businesses has offered to spend Saturdays on the project. Meanwhile, …

Two people were arrested on drug-related offenses following a traffic stop last week in Burr Oak Township. Sheriff’s deputies pulled over a car around 11:30 p.m. Friday on Spaid Road, near Lafaytte Road. A passenger attempted to discard out the window a bag that ended up containing more than 57 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Deputies found inside the car meth …

May’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County was half a percent higher than one month previous. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 3.9 percent May unemployment rate marked an increase from April’s 3.4 percent. St. Joseph County was above the state unemployment average, which was 3.7 percent in May. The …