Government

Two Colon Township residents are being charged with drug-related offenses following an incident last week in the 30000 block of Coohon Road in Colon Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday to the residence regarding a tip about narcotics. Once inside, deputies located several marijuana plants, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and firearms. Charges are being reviewed …

A vehicle being driven possibly without its headlights illuminated is the potential cause of a collision last week in Fabius Township. Deputies from St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department were called shortly before 1:30 a.m. Friday to the intersection of U.S. 131 and West Michigan Avenue in response to a two-vehicle accident. A Chrysler minivan driven by 22-year-old Joseph Branch of …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week approved accepting a grant on behalf of the sheriff’s department to fund secondary road patrol. County administrator Pat Yoder said the grant, in excess of $185,000, is awarded through the state police agency’s office of Highway Safety Planning. It covers the cost of two deputies dedicated to patrolling the county’s secondary roads …

Four people were reappointed to the St. Joseph County Solid Waste Management Planning Committee this week. Commissioners on Tuesday renewed the terms of Eric Shafer and Aaron Cuillifer, representing industry; Lee Zimmerman, representing environmental; Robert Robinson, representing the general public; and John Dobberteen, representing municipalities. Their terms are for two years, expiring Sept. 1, 2018.

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department responded to Colon Township last weekend to a criminal-damage-to-property incident. According to a department media release, deputies were called shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday to the 56000 block of Sewanee Trail. The victim said several windows were damaged at their residence. The victim told authorities it appears the suspect fled the scene …

One of two men pursued on high-speed motorcycles was apprehended by police last weekend. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said two motorcyclists were observed driving in excess of 120 miles per hour southbound on M-66 at Jacksonburg Road in Leonidas Township around 9:30 p.m. Saturday. A deputy caught up to the motorcycles at M-86 toward Colon. The pursuit continued …

Downtown-improvement projects in Constantine and Sturgis got a boost Tuesday, as both received $100,000 from the county’s board of commissioners. The two municipalities were issued the grants from a special DDA fund the county set up a few years ago to support local economic-development projects. County administrator Pat Yoder said the projects were scrutinized and deemed eligible for the funds. …

A 45-year-old Schoolcraft man was pronounced dead at the scene of a one-vehicle crash last weekend in Flowerfield Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff deputies said a truck driven by Graham Gooden was southbound in the 50000 block of Chamberlain Road around 1:30 p.m. Sunday. His truck left the road at a low rate of speed and struck a tree, investigators …

A White Pigeon man was injured in a motorcycle accident Sunday evening in Fabius Township. State police said John Benson, 69, was driving east on Gleason Road around 7 p.m. when he lost control and crashed near King Road. Benson was treated on the scene and subsequently airlifted to Bronson Methodist Hospital. Investigators said Benson was not wearing a helmet; …

A semi-tractor was reported damaged last weekend in Lockport Township. Sheriff’s deputies said a Freightliner rig was damaged between 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday morning in the 16000 block of Lovers Lane. A department media release did not indicate the nature of the damage.