Government

Doug Humbert, director of the Three Rivers Wastewater Treatment Plant, said plant officials were notified of a faulty air-release valve last week on U.S.-131. The incident was reported at 2:35 p.m. Wednesday. Humbert said the malfunctioning ARV caused a sanitary sewage overflow onto the roadway. Plant personnel have isolated the malfunctioning valve until repairs can be made. Upon inspection, workers …

Cass County Sheriff Joe Underwood Jr. said deputies responded to a two-car crash Thursday morning last week in Mason Township. The incident occurred around 7:15 a.m. on Cassopolis Road and Grange Street. Investigators said a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Kenneth Abney of Three Rivers failed to yield right of way at the intersection and turned in front of a southbound …

A bill sponsored by State Rep. Aaron Miller to more equally appropriate funds for county mental-health services has received the support of four St. Joseph County Community Mental Health officials before the House Committee on Appropriations. House Bill 5118 changes the way the state calculates its contribution for services provided by Community Mental Health Service Programs, basing the funds on …

Coldwater will soon be the new home of a public health dental center operated by My Community Dental Centers, Inc. on behalf of the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency. The center will serve children and adults enrolled in Medicaid, including Delta Dental Healthy Kids, MiChild and the Healthy Michigan Plan, as well as residents with low-income or who are uninsured. …

Mendon Township resident Carol Higgins has announced her candidacy for state representative for Michigan’s 59th District, which includes all of St. Joseph County and most of Cass County. A Democrat, Higgins is challenging freshman incumbent Aaron Miller of Sherman Township. Miller is representing the Republican party. Higgins, a retired teacher from Marcellus Community Schools, is chair of the St. Joseph …

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 …