St Joseph County

Sturgis City Manager Mike Hughes received a 2 percent raise, retroactive to July 2016, after city commissioners last month reviewed results of a unique job performance evaluation. The pay-bump takes Hughes’ annually salary to more than $108,000. His most-previous raise was a 1.5 percent boost in 2015. Hughes said the 2 percent increase is consistent with salary hikes granted to …

Organizers of the annual Sturgis Toy Run are appealing to the public in hopes of securing a location to stage its 2017 event. Toy Run, a non- profit organization, seeks an individual or company to donate or lease property the first weekend of September. Toy Run officials said the ideal arrangement is 30-plus acres of flat land preferably in the …

A Sturgis man was arrested earlier this week after he attempted to steal a car from a residence in Fawn River Township. State police said the incident took place at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the 29000 block of U.S. 12, where the 30-year-old suspect approached a homeowner and asked to borrow a screwdriver. Authorities said the man told the homeowner …

Members of the Constantine Public Schools Board of Education have approved action to go to the polls later this year. In November, a school bond proposal drew nearly 2,900 voters and the measure failed by 11 votes. It would have netted the district more than $1.6 million through the board’s earlier action of refinancing school bonds. The excess funds could …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week approved two independent-contractor agreements. CSZ Services of St. Johns was tapped to provide commercial and industrial appraisals for the county’s Land Resource Centre and Equalization. The work is to be performed for appraisals as determined appropriate for inclusion in the county’s 2017 equalization study by the equalization director of the St. …

A proposed plan to address some costly projects at three county parks was endorsed by a Park Township resident at Tuesday’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting. Holly Stephenson stated during citizen comments that the county’s recent discussion about potential improvements at Covered Bridge Farm and Plumb Lake parks, and Cade Lake Park and Campground would be worth the …

A Constantine man was charged with violating terms of concealed-carry laws last weekend. Three Rivers Police stopped a pickup around 3 a.m. Sunday on Constantine Street at Wolf Street after the vehicle was observed being driven in an erratic manner. It was determined the 39-year-old driver was intoxicated and in possession of a loaded pistol. He was charged with operating …

The Sturgis Township Planning Commission is recommending township trustees adopt specific procedures for enforcement of property maintenance standards that hold owners responsible, while giving latitude to compliance timelines. The issue has been before township officials for several months as they wrestled with concerns about how future code officers will enforce the standards. Several planning commissioners said they did not want …

A vehicle was impounded by Three Rivers Police last week after a department K9 reacted positively to the presence of drugs. The vehicle was stopped following a traffic violation around 10 p.m. Friday at Michigan Avenue and U.S. 131 after it was seen driving through neighborhoods and avoiding police and major routes. Police said the 53-year-old driver acted in a …

A pickup stolen out of Indiana over the weekend was recovered Sunday in St. Joseph County. State police said the 2011 Ford F-250 King Ranch edition was reported stolen around 12:30 a.m. Sunday from the Bristol area. Later in the morning, troopers were alerted to the vehicle submerged in Corey Lake at the public access site in Fabius Township. The …