Government

Three people were arrested last week on drug-related charges following a several-month investigation by the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit. Sheriff’s deputies responded Friday to a residence in the 20000 block of South River Road in Lockport Township. Investigators had received information about a location where it was suspected that methamphetamine production was taking place. Deputies obtained a search …

The November unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by two-tenths of a percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 3.5 percent November unemployment rate was less than October’s 3.7 percent. November’s unemployment rate was nine-tenths of a percent less than the same month …

State police are investigating a breaking-and-entering incident that took place last week at a seasonal residence in White Pigeon Township. Troopers responded around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to the 16000 block of Lake Street at Fish Lake, where the residence had been illegally entered and ransacked. A fair amount of damage was reported by the owner, who told authorities the incident …

A motorist pulling from a driveway in a southwestern Michigan retail strip has been killed after her vehicle was slammed into by another car fleeing police. Police said in a release that Kalamazoo officers tried to pull over a 17-year-old driver about 9 p.m. Saturday for a traffic violation. A police officer in Portage spotted the car about 15 minutes …

Four firefighters have suffered scrapes and bruises after their rig tipped over on an icy southern Michigan road. WZZM-TV and WWMT-TV report that the crew was headed to a house fire Sunday afternoon in Battle Creek when the truck rolled onto its side. The firefighters were temporarily trapped inside the vehicle. They were taken later to an area hospital for …

Three teenagers have been linked to a more than 45-case crime spree that includes theft, vandalism and property destruction in the Kalamazoo area. Police say a 13-year-old boy and 15-year-old boy from Kalamazoo and a 17-year-old male from Three Rivers were arrested Saturday afternoon after running from officers. Two other youths were detained and questioned by police. Two BB pistols …

A boil-water order has been issued for White Pigeon residents. A notice distributed to village residents Thursday indicated three of five recent samples tested positive for the presence of coliform bacteria. The baseline is no more than one positive test within a one-month period. Utility officials are collecting additional samples, working with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, flushing the …

A Grand Rapids-based television station has released a segment on Daniel Furlong, the man who confessed to killing 11-year-old Jodi Parrack in 2007. Video of Furlong being interviewed by investigators and prosecutor John McDonough was obtained by WOOD-TV. It showed the 65-year-old Furlong describing how he sought Parrack’s help in his garage as she was biking home in November 2007 …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week approved resolutions centering on funding it will provide two agencies. The commission on Tuesday agreed to allocate more than $280,000 to the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency. Meanwhile, commissioners also agreed to provide more than $250,000 to the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of St. Joseph County. Both funding …

A few personnel matters were approved during Tuesday’s county commission meeting. Commissioners approved the hiring of Teresa Meade as Friend of the Court secretary. Her rate of pay is $14.38 an hour. Also, commissioners agreed to establish the position of office manager/document imaging coordinator. Finally, the resignation of telecommunicator Travis Helmer and termination of COA home care aide Sarah Yoder …