Government

An Indiana man died last week following a single-car crash in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 11:30 p.m. Friday to an area of Teasdale Lake Street, just west of Robbins Lake Road. Behnke said a car driven by 24-year-old Mishawaka resident James Shaw was traveling at a high rate of speed, west on …

Branch County authorities have charged a Detroit man for attempting to smuggle drugs into the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater. Sheriff’s officials said Derrick Herring Jr., 38, has been arraigned on conspiracy to furnish contraband. The charge stems from a May 2023 incident that was caught on security video. Herring allegedly threw a package over the perimeter fence at the …

Design-engineering services related to a pair of road-improvement projects were approved this week by Three Rivers City Commission. Mayor Tom Lowry said the action taken Tuesday is in advance of work to be performed on South Constantine Street from Broadway Street south to the city limits. Meanwhile, the other upgrade will be made on 11th Avenue, between Washington and Jefferson …

St. Joseph County Sheriff deputies responded to Nottawa Road near Wasepi Road in Nottawa Township on Saturday for the report of a traffic crash with injuries. Initial investigation shows a passenger car being driven by a 16-year-old Mendon resident was northbound on Nottawa Road and crossed the centerline, colliding head-on with a south bound van. Two juvenile passengers from the …

In Tuesday’s 36th State House race, incumbent Steve Carra garnered 69 percent of the vote.  His closest competitor was Frank Perez with 20 percent of the vote.  Placing third was Michael Malmborg with 11 percent.

St. Joseph County sheriff candidate Chad Spence picked up an early lead in voting totals Tuesday and hung on to top four opponents to claim the highest elected law-enforcement position in the county. Unofficial vote totals show the 50-year-old Spence collected more than 49 percent of all votes, besting runner-up Jason Bingaman. The current undersheriff, Bingaman received nearly 30 percent …

A challenger to incumbent St. Joseph County Prosecutor David Marvin prevailed during Tuesday’s primary election. Colon resident Deb Davis, who previously worked as an assistant prosecutor, earned more than 56 percent of all votes cast, while Marvin was endorsed by nearly 31 percent of the votes made in the three-person race. Davis will assume the four-year post Jan. 1 and …

Jeff Wenzel will return for a fifth term as St. Joseph County Drain Commissioner, as he fended off a challenger during Tuesday’s primary election. Wenzel fell behind early but picked up much-needed votes in the final hours of voting to defeat Josh Harter. Wenzel captured 5,282 votes, beating Harker by just 179 votes. Wenzel, a Lake Templene resident, has secured …

Two millage-renewal requests sought by two county agencies were passed by St. Joseph County voters Tuesday. The St. Joseph County Road Commission was successful in its request for a 10-year renewal of 1 mill to maintain $2.5 million annually. The road millage has been in place since 1994 and a renewal request has passed every decade since. Nearly a quarter …

A pair of contested races to St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners were decided during Tuesday’s primary election. First-term incumbent Luis Rosado fended off a challenge from David Hayslip, maintaining the 4th District seat by a margin of 54 percent of all votes to Hayslip earning more than 45 percent of the votes. Rosado, for the next four years, will …