Government

Prosecutors have filed murder and armed robbery charges against a Western Michigan University basketball player in the killing of a fellow student last week. Joeviair Kennedy was due to be arraigned Monday in a Kalamazoo County court in Thursday’s fatal shooting of 19-year-old Jacob Jones in an off-campus apartment. Prosecutors don’t know if the 20-year-old Muskegon man has an attorney …

The Three Rivers City Commission has a vacancy to fill in its Third District. The opening comes as a result of Commissioner Diane Clay announcing last week her resignation due to her impending move out-of-district. A six-year board member, Clay will stay on board until after completing next week’s city commission meeting, the commission’s final meeting of the year. The …

State Rep. Aaron Miller last week attended three township meetings – in Sturgis, Burr Oak and Wayne townships – fulfilling a promise made two years ago to attend each of the 59th District’s monthly municipal meetings twice, hearing first-hand ideas and how the Legislature can help communities. Miller said he enjoyed meeting with local officeholders and listening to the concerns …

Colon High School students were witness to a “Courts In the Schools” program last week. Staged by St. Joseph County District Court Judge Rob Pattison, Friday’s session followed previous in-school court sessions in Three Rivers and Sturgis. The two cases heard Friday centered on sentencings of suspects related to drugs and alcohol. Pattison said he is an advocate of the …

Six people were arrested in Sturgis last week after resisting arrest. The incident began when an officer attempted to stop a vehicle shortly before 2 a.m. Friday in the 400 block of West West Street for a traffic violation. Officers said the vehicle pulled into a private drive, and a male and female in the vehicle fled into a residence. …

A public hearing on St. Joseph County’s proposed 2017 fiscal-year budget generated scrutiny toward the county’s board of commissioners Tuesday. The focus of the scorn centered on the proposed $18.1 million general-fund budget and the $2.8 million the board earlier this year agreed to provide toward expenses related to a 17-field sports complex in the Three Rivers area. The proposed …

St. Joseph County commissioners this week approved the reappointment of Matt Scheske as a member of the county’s Investment Advisory Board. His three-year term will expire at the end of 2019. Scheske is vice president of commercial lending at Sturgis Bank & Trust. Also, commissioners agreed to reappoint four people to the county’s Planning Commission. They are: Warren Atkins of …

Two people were hospitalized following a two-car accident this week in Cass County’s Volina Township. Sheriff Joe Underwood Jr. said deputies were dispatched shortly after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to Decatur Road and Marcellus Highway. A vehicle driven by Janekk Spears, 18, of Lawton, was southbound on Decatur Road when Spears failed to yield at a stop sign. Her vehicle collided …

Police say a 20-year-old Western Michigan University student has been fatally shot at an apartment near campus and they’re seeking two men seen fleeing the area. Kalamazoo public safety officers and campus police responded about 10:30 p.m. Thursday to a call about the shooting and found the man dead of an apparent gunshot wound. Witnesses told police two men fled …

Detroit Police Chief James Craig has defended the decision to arrest and charge then drop charges against a man in the fatal shooting of a college police officer. Craig told reporters Thursday that police and prosecutors had “probable cause” to arrest and charge DeAngelo Davis with murder in the November slaying of Wayne State University officer Collin Rose. Craig says …