St Joseph County

St. Joseph County’s second-smallest K-12 school district is looking for a new leader, as Colon Community Schools Superintendent Christine Barnes has announced her plan to resign effective Aug. 1. Barnes, 53, has spent the past two years as chief of Colon Community Schools. She previously served as principal at Constantine High School. An Iowa native, Barnes said she has accepted …

A Three Rivers man was arrested this week after he led officers on a foot chase outside a Three Rivers business. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s deputies said they attempted to arrest 26-year-old Chase Rohm Monday after initial contact with authorities took place inside the Three Rivers McDonald’s. Authorities said Rohm fled on foot and ran into a nearby trailer park. …

St. Joseph County has hired a new finance director to replace Joni Smith, who resigned to take a position closer to her family in South Carolina. Ryan Post started work Monday. He most recently was controller at Family Health Center in Kalamazoo. Prior to that, he was finance director for Health Services of Kalamazoo County.

A crash early Monday on the Indiana Toll Road claimed the life of a Sturgis man. Indiana State Police said 41-year-old Brian Fox was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred shortly after 7 a.m. at mile marker 109.6, about 2 1/2 miles east of the Middlebury exit. Police said Fox was driving west when his vehicle …

A Sturgis man was injured over the weekend after the motorcycle he was driving struck a trailer in Sturgis Township. Sheriff’s officials said the incident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday on Fawn River Road, east of Balk Road. Deputies said 57-year-old Gregory Miller was driving east on Fawn River Road when a truck pulling a trailer entered the roadway …

Kathy Messner recently received the Paul Harris Fellow recognition from Constantine Rotary Club as a means of showing appreciation for her contributions to the community. The local organization will contribute $1,000 in Messner’s name to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. Rotary President Mark Honeysett presented the award, saying he can’t think of anyone more deserving than Messner. Messner for …

Three people were injured last week in an accident in Mottville Township. State police said troopers were called at 1:35 p.m. Thursday to Riverside Drive, near Mann Road. According to investigators, Brian Waldron of Constantine was driving east on Riverside Drive. His vehicle approached a car that had slowed to turn left into a private drive when it passed the …

Both sides in the criminal sexual conduct case against a former Centreville teacher said it’s possible they could reach resolution before a trial begins later this month. Neither Van Buren County Prosecutor Michael Bedford, who is acting as special prosecutor, nor Julia Kelly, defense counsel for Terry Miller, would comment regarding the status of discussions to settle the case prior …

Michigan State Police has joined almost 200 law-enforcement agencies nationwide in the Angel Program, a pre-arrest diversion program to assist people struggling with addiction and reduce drug demand. The Angel Program allows someone with a drug addiction to walk into a state police post to seek help for their addiction, without the fear of arrest or investigation. As of this …

A woman was injured as the result of a traffic crash early Wednesday at Wait and North Centerville roads in Sturgis. According to police, a 35-year-old Kalamazoo man was driving eastbound at a high speed on Wait Road and was unable to stop at North Centerville Road, crashing into a field. A passenger, a 30-year-old Sturgis woman, suffered a leg …