Government

The city of Sturgis is considering a new contract with the Sturgis Neighborhood Association that will increase the city’s annual financial commitment to the housing non-profit by more than $35,000. City Manager Mike Hughes endorsed the new proposal, saying the local private, non-profit group provides valuable services that improve the city’s overall housing stock and bring abandoned properties back on …

A state-administered survey found that people who had dealings with St. Joseph County courts this year are satisfied with the experience. Using a survey conducted in courts statewide, the 45th Circuit, 3B District and 75 Probate courts asked questions about their level of satisfaction with court services. Across the board, court users said all of the county’s courts were accessible, …

St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Director Jaymes MacDonald said he plans to work on the creation of a bike trail at the county’s premier park. He said the plan for a trail up to 12 miles long at Meyer Broadway Park is being studied. The trail would be created specifically for use by mountain bikes. MacDonald said if plans …

Members of the Constantine Village Council were given an update earlier this month regarding negotiations with the city of Three Rivers about sewage-treatment operations. Attorney Scott Smith led the update but details were not disclosed when the board reconvened following a 60-minute closed-session discussion. Constantine pumps its sewage to the Three Rivers wastewater treatment plant in accordance to a contract …

Future city of Sturgis employees will have new pension rules designed to reduce the city’s future pension costs. Under the proposed amendment to city ordinance, new hires beginning Jan. 1 will have to work 10 years, rather than the current eight, to be vested in the municipal retirement plan. In addition, the city is expected to begin requiring all new …

A 43-year-old Cassopolis man has died in a one-vehicle accident in Cass County’s Volinia Township. Sheriff Joe Underwood said deputies were called around 1 a.m. Wednesday to Dutch Settlement Road, east of Lawrence Road. Investigators said the vehicle was traveling east on Dutch Settlement Road when it left the roadway and struck a tree. Deputies attempted to revive the subject …

M-66 in Sherman Township was closed for about two hours this week after a semi tractor-trailer lost its load of lumber. Sheriff’s department officials said 51-year-old Bryan Wolfe of Saginaw was driving south on M-66 around 5:40 p.m. Tuesday, when he stopped to avoid a traffic backup near Hackman Road. His load of lumber broke free and crashed through the …

Re-examination of downtown Sturgis traffic patterns prompted by the Moso Village development has resulted in a proposed order, changing North Street to two-way traffic from U.S. 12 to West Hatch Street. The Sturgis City Commission earlier this month approved the direction that would reverse a 2007 decision, which had continued restricting the downtown street to northbound only traffic. Representatives from …

St. Joseph County Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman has sentenced Maria Williams to a maximum of 35 years in prison for the 2014 shooting death of a 33-year-old Burr Oak-area man. Stutesman on Tuesday issued the sentence, stemming from a March 2014 case involving Williams and Dennis Brooks. Williams had been accused of shooting Brooks once in the head during …

During a moment of what he called “end-of-the-year reflection,” commissioner Rick Shaffer during last week’s county commission meeting acknowledged volunteers who comprise a number of boards and commissions. He also proposed some kind of a media spotlight featuring the workings of the various panels. Shaffer said the county has a number of openings on boards and commissions, and a media …