Government

Five people were reappointed to the St. Joseph County Commission On Aging Board during Tuesday’s county commission meeting. Returning to serve two-year terms are: Jon Withers of Florence Township, Stephen Boland of Klinger Lake, Margaret Shultz of Lockport Township and Ed Stemen of Fawn River Township. In addition, Joe Heivilin was re-appointed to the 11-member board, but his term is …

An Indiana man power-washing the exterior of a southwestern Michigan church has died after coming into contact with an electrical line. The contracted employee was in a bucket lift Saturday afternoon outside St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Cassopolis when he was electrocuted. Police say the 65-year-old man was from Bremen, south of South Bend. His name has not been released.  …

A Kalamazoo County police dog is getting a protective vest in memory of a fallen police officer. The Officer Collin Rose Memorial Foundation and Massachusetts-based nonprofit Vested Interest Inc. are sponsoring the vest for Roseco. The German Shepard’s vest will include a note remembering Wayne State University Sgt. Collin Rose. The Kalamazoo native was killed in 2016 in Detroit. Friends …

Police say a 7-year-old girl was struck and killed as she tried to get help after her father drunkenly crashed into an abandoned vehicle on an interstate in suburban Detroit. State police spokesman Lt. Mike Shaw says the girl sent text messages to police about her father’s crash before she was struck on I-94 near Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus …

A Three Rivers man was injured Thursday afternoon when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a deer on Harvey Street near Robbins Lake Road in Porter Township. Cass County sheriff Richard Behnke identified the driver as 28-year-old T.J. Loyer. He was transported by ambulance to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. Police say a helmet was not worn.

Colon municipal officials are debating whether to raise the hourly rate for newly hired police officers. During Tuesday’s village council meeting, interim village manager Tom Tenney said a proposed starting rate of $15 an hour is being considered. The current starting hourly rate is $13. Sgt. Joel Herr said he and chief Mark Brinkert are hoping to get some help …

A Branch County man was shot accidentally earlier this week in Union Township. State police troopers were called at 11 p.m. Wednesday to Hodunk Road in Branch County, where the man was shot in a field behind a residence. Investigators said the hunter was lying down in the field, as he was varmint hunting. A resident of the home mistook …

A motorist who disregarded a “Road Closed” sign was injured in a single-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon in Cass County’s Wayne Township. Deputies were called at 3:15 p.m. to Marcellus Highway, west of O’Keefe Road. An investigation showed that a vehicle driven by 51-year-old Lawrence resident Roberta Craft disregarded a “Road Closed” sign and her vehicle struck a ditch made in …

Colon’s interim village manager gave an ultimatum Tuesday to the seven-member village council. Tom Tenney said he would give up the post if the council decided to let someone else develop an ordinance regarding docks in public areas. The issue that sparked Tenney’s comment centers on an offer from a group of local residents and business owners who have agreed …

A Dowagiac woman was injured in a single-vehicle crash Wednesday in Cass County’s Wayne Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 11:40 a.m. to Dewey Lake Road, near Roth Road. Investigators found that 31-year-old Trisha Smith was driving west on Dewey Lake when her vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree.  Consequently, her vehicle overturned and caught fire. …