Government

A Jones man was seriously injured Sunday morning while doing maintenance at Bair Lake Bible Camp, located just south of Jones. Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke identified the victim as 44-year-old David Stiles, who is reportedly the facilities manager at the camp. Stiles was working on a propane tank when it exploded. He was airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital. Due to …

Sturgis city commissioners will interview potential candidates for second precinct commissioner at a work session prior to their regular meeting July 25. The successful candidate will be sworn in and seated immediately to fill the position of Ina Taulbee, who resigned June 8. Applications are due by July 19 to the city clerk’s office. Only registered voters in the second precinct are …

Geoff Smith, director of public safety for the city of Sturgis, recently was named the second vice president of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. He was sworn in to the post in June during the association’s summer conference. Its executive board is made up of a president, first, second and third vice presidents, and a treasurer. Vice presidents …

The union representing Michigan state park officers says they should be allowed to have guns and bulletproof vests to handle unruly visitors. The Michigan State Employees Association says officers are in an unsafe work environment because of a lack of training and equipment, MLive.com reported . The union has filed a complaint with the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Park officers …

A Three Rivers resident died Thursday morning at the scene of a car/pedestrian accident on M-40 near Spatterdock Lake Street in Cass County’s Porter Township. The victim was identified as 76-year-old Shirley Boersma. She was reportedly crossing the highway when she was struck by a vehicle driven by Dale Hoekwater, age 77, of Jenison. Investigators said alcohol was not a factor in …

Michigan State Trooper Erik Gantert was dispatched Thursday at 5:30pm to a two-year-old accidentally locked inside a vehicle for approximately 5 to 10 minutes and was in distress in the 10,000 Block of James Street, Mottville. Trooper Gantert arrived on scene shortly after the initial call. Due to the temperature being approximately 90 degrees, Trooper Gantert quickly broke the driver’s …

Authorities are looking for help in locating subjects who broke into Eastside Elementary School in Constantine, and committed extensive damage in several classrooms. Police said the incident happened between 2 p.m. on Monday, July 2nd and 6 a.m. on Tuesday, July 3rd. Most of the damage involved school tables, but the subjects also poured what appeared to be cleaning solvent …

Police say 15 train cars have derailed in downtown Kalamazoo. No injuries have been reported. The city’s Department of Public Safety says the train was carrying freight, not passengers, and some cars were empty. There’s no evidence of hazardous materials being released. The derailment was reported around 6:50 a.m. Tuesday.  (AP)

Indiana State Police say skeletal human remains recovered in April from a field in northeastern Indiana have been identified as those of a woman missing since 2012. Police say Tiffany A. Huffman was reported missing after last being seen in the nearby town of Stroh. Indiana State Police reported that DNA testing and an exam by a forensic anthropology team …

Michigan parents have their dog to thank for leaving a trail of paw prints that police used to track a 2-year-old who was missing for several hours. Van Buren County authorities returned Princeton Peake to his parents after he escaped his locked home in Paw Paw early Wednesday. Myhia Perez, Princeton’s mother, said she woke up Wednesday to find her …