Government

An Elkhart man died over the weekend after the motorcycle he was driving was struck by a pickup in Cass County. Sheriff Joe Underwood said 22-year-old Daimon Leader was driving on M-205 in Mason Township when a pickup turned off the highway, onto Cassopolis Road and into Leader’s motorcycle. The incident occurred at 12:26 a.m. Saturday. Underwood said the pickup …

A 17-year-old Centreville girl was not injured after she ran a red light and her vehicle collided with a farm truck Wednesday in Fabius Township. State police said Hannah Griffith was driving north on U.S. 131 when she failed to stop at a red light at the Hoffman Road intersection. Her vehicle struck a truck turning north from Hoffman Road …

Members of the St. Joseph County Animal Control Advisory Board made strides Wednesday toward planning an inaugural fundraiser event set to take place next month. Pending approval from the county’s board of commissioners Tuesday, animal control board members will host the fundraiser 6 to 10 p.m. May 13 at the Sturgis Elks. Board chair Emily Frohriep said the idea of …

Two Marcellus residents were arrested on drug-related charges Wednesday following an investigation by the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team. Detectives served a search warrant in the 100 block of West North Street in Marcellus after an investigation provided suspicion that the use of methamphetamine was taking place there. Detectives located methamphetamine paraphernalia, and detained a-36-year-old male and 30-year-old female. They …

The city of Sturgis has hired Viridis Design Group of Kalamazoo to design, bid and supervise construction of a $2 million Sturgis softball complex that could be completed by September 2017. The largest share of the construction cost is covered by an appropriation from the St. Joseph County delinquent tax revolving fund, which also is underwriting a new sports complex …

Fire inspectors spent the day Wednesday looking for clues related to a blaze that caused extensive damage to a Sturgis residence. Careless smoking was determined to be the apparent cause. Cpt. Cody Cripe of the Sturgis Fire Department said officials were called around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday to a residence in the 300 block of South Clay Street. Upon arrival, Sturgis …

State police this week responded to a hit-and-run incident that involved a vehicle being taken for a test drive in Park Township. Troopers were called around 5 p.m. Tuesday to a residence on Michigan Avenue. Earlier, a 1998 Chevy Blazer being test-driven by two men struck a deer on Michigan Avenue, near North Fisher Lake Road. Investigators said the two …

State police are investigating the theft of various items after a shed was broken into Tuesday in Park Township. Troopers were called around 4 p.m. to the 54000 block of Wilbur Road, where the owner of a shed located next to his residence reported the theft of welding equipment. An acetylene tank, oxygen tank, extra-long hose, welder and cutter attachments …

Three people were arrested Tuesday after investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit executed a search warrant in Sturgis. Sheriff Brad Balk said SCAN officers received information about a residence in the Quail Run Apartments, which was the location of possible drug activity. After further investigation, officers obtained a search warrant for the residence. Officers located five individuals …

Lockport Township Supervisor Ray Signorello has announced his resignation from the board effective immediately. During Monday’s township board meeting, Signorello said his continued concerns about work-safety issues contributed to the decision. Signorello is a semi-tractor trailer driver and begins work at 1 a.m. daily. He said township-related obligations, including board meetings, often cut into the time he would typically be …