St Joseph County

The September unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by two-tenths of a percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 3.5 percent September unemployment rate was less than August’s 3.7 percent. September’s unemployment rate was identical to the same month one year earlier, when …

A Sturgis native working in Alaska for the Fairbanks Police Department has died from complications related to surgery after he was shot five times earlier this month. Sgt. Allen Brandt, a 2000 graduate of Sturgis High School, died after complications arose from surgery to have shrapnel removed from his eye following the Oct. 16 shooting. Brandt, an 11-year veteran of …

A variety of stolen items was discovered by sheriff’s deputies following a traffic stop at 1 a.m. Thursday in Park Township. According to a department media release, a road patrol sergeant stopped a dirt bike on Buckhorn Road near Heimbach Road. During their investigation, deputies found that the dirt bike had been stolen out of Cass County the day before. …

The Michigan appeals court has ruled the state’s child-abuse law doesn’t apply to unborn babies, a decision that was made in response to a case involving a Sturgis woman. The court threw out the conviction of Melissa Jones, who used methamphetamine during her pregnancy. Jones’ son weighed less than 4 pounds despite being delivered at full term in Sturgis. In …

An economic-impact study conducted for Glen Oaks Community College indicates the college, its students and regional alumni added more than $119 million in income to the local economy in the school’s 2015-16 fiscal year. The figure is approximately equal to 4 percent of the area’s Gross Regional Product. Idaho-based Economics Modeling Specialists International conducted the study. Its report concluded the …

Three Rivers Health has completed its 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment, and posted results and its implementation plan on its website. Through the CHNA process, the hospital has determined the top health needs of the community center on: obesity/physical inactivity; mental health/suicide; physician services; education/prevention; and diabetes. The hospital has developed an implementation plan for addressing the needs, including services …

The 90-year anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death will be marked locally this weekend by Colon magician and entertainer Ron Carnell. Carnell plans to lead a séance in an attempt to contact the spirit of Houdini. It will take place Saturday at River Lake Inn as a special presentation to complement Carnell’s monthly “dinner-and-a-show” event at the Colon-area restaurant. Carnell said …

In honor of Dan and Beulah Fryling, their family has established a fund to help at-risk kids in the Mendon Community Schools district. Mendon teachers can apply for grants to fund programs for students who have difficulty learning. The fund will be administered through the Mendon Schools Foundation. The Frylings, who met while students at Mendon High School, were fixtures …

A trio of Three Rivers men was charged with various offenses following an incident at Riverside Townhouses Tuesday. According to the Three Rivers Police Department, officers were called around 1 a.m. to 1200 Hov Aire Drive in response to someone jumping on a car and smashing its windshield. Three suspects fled the scene when officers arrived. One was arrested along …

Fire investigators from Michigan State Police are looking into a blaze that occurred Thursday morning at a home in the 20000 block of South River Road in Lockport Township. Officials believe the cause of the fire is suspicious. Heavy smoke was coming from the home when Centreville firefighters arrived at the scene around 11 a.m. The homeowners were not present …