Government

A 28-year-old Sturgis man was charged with drug-related offenses following a traffic stop this week. Sheriff’s officials said the man was stopped on Maple Street near Chicago Road in the city of Sturgis at 11:53 p.m. Tuesday for defective equipment. With the assistance of K-9 officer Tucky, deputies found methamphetamine, marijuana and more than $9,000 in lottery tickets suspected to …

Here’s a reminder that St. Joseph County’s Central Dispatch will be conducting a series of tests of the county’s emergency sirens this weekend. Agency director Dennis Brandenburg said the test is scheduled to take place at noon Saturday and it may consist of more than one activation. Brandenburg is urging residents to not contact 9-1-1 to inquire about the sirens. …

Three Rivers Police arrested a man wanted on four outstanding warrants last week in an area near South Main Street. According to a department media release, troopers observed a man and woman walking shortly before midnight Wednesday on South Main Street near Michigan Avenue. Officers had an idea the man was wanted on a warrant and made an attempt to …

A permanent grant administrator of the St. Joseph County Remonumentation Program was approved last week. Jerry Happel, who began his employment with the county last month as its GIS director, was approved for the position by county commissioners. He fills the appointed spot held by Ken Syers Jr. Also last week, the county commission accepted the letter of resignation from …

One of several people charged in connection with the November 2015 burglary of Outpost Guns in Sturgis was sentenced last month in federal court in Grand Rapids. According to the Department of Justice, Kevonte Derome McNeely, 24, of Kalamazoo, was sentenced Aug. 31 to five years in a federal prison after pleading guilty to a charge of unlawful possession of …

Members of the Sturgis Planning Commission last week approved a site plan for a proposed four-diamond, adult softball complex. But bids for construction are coming in higher than expected and new ideas are being proposed for expanding the $ 2.1 million project. City Manager Mike Hughes told planning commissioners that Sturgis received only two bids for the project that will …

St. Joseph County commissioners last week approved a grant renewal with the Michigan Department of Corrections. The $175,000 Community Corrections Grant will benefit the county by providing services to enhance jail utilization, reduce the prison commitment rate and impact recidivism, according to terms of the agreement. $70,000 of the grant will be earmarked for the Day Reporting Center, $56,000 to …

State Rep. Aaron Miller was joined in the Capitol rotunda last week by St. Joseph County emergency medical technician Richard Knox, who was his guest for the House of Representatives’ Sept. 11 Memorial Ceremony. First responders and military personnel were invited guests to the special House session, which commemorated the 15-year anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on America, and …

A $4.7 million, five-year grant from the state was approved by St. Joseph County Commissioners last week. The grant, provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, will provide the St. Joseph County Friend of the Court more than $870,000 during the first year of the grant – commencing Oct. 1 – and increases annually to more than $1 …

A jury comprised of six men and six women found Westly George guilty in the August 2015 murder of Eugene Jackson in Three Rivers. After four hours of deliberations Thursday, jurors returned a guilty verdict on charges of first-degree murder, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, carrying a concealed weapon and felony firearm. George is …