Government

Two White Pigeon residents were involved in a traffic accident over the weekend in Cass County. Sheriff Joe Underwood said deputies were called shortly before noon Saturday to U.S. 12, just east of M-40, in response to a personal-injury crash. Investigators determined an eastbound vehicle driven by Marlin Bowers, 69, lost control, swerved into the westbound lane and his car …

A Marcellus man was injured when the vehicle he was driving struck a tree Saturday in Cass County. Sheriff’s officials said deputies were dispatched around 2:30 p.m. to M-40, north of Gooding Street. A northbound vehicle driven by 50-year-old Malcom Leo Hudson went out of control due to slick roads and struck a tree head-on. Hudson was transported to Lakeview …

A Florence Township resident advised members of the county commission to be cautious in whether to reappoint a member to the St. Joseph County Road Commission Board. Tim Carls, a fixture at the twice-a-month county commission meetings, told the board last week he has reservations about the reappointment of David Allen. Carls said Allen is busy professionally as well as …

Members of the Constantine Village Council last week approved a parks and recreation five-year plan to improve facilities between 2016 and 2020. Village officials said strengths throughout the village’s 38 acres of parks are good maintenance, water access, open space and large trees. A lack of developed facilities was cited as the village park system’s biggest flaw. Several ideas mentioned …

A Sturgis woman was appointed to a county panel last week. Members of the county commission Tuesday agreed to select Jenny Sue Fair to replace Dennis Bradley on the St. Joseph County Jury Board. Bradley recently resigned from the post. Fair’s term will expire April 30, 2019.

Daniel Furlong, the one-time Constantine resident accused of killing 11-year-old Jodi Parrack in 2007, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The development took place Thursday before circuit court Judge Paul Stutesman. In exchange for his plea, the 65-year-old Furlong will not be charged with other crimes in the Parrack case or offenses related to a July incident in White Pigeon …

A Three Rivers man was sentenced to at least 14 years in prison for sexually assaulting children in a daycare at his girlfriend’s residence in Three Rivers. Cary Jones, 47, was found guilty last month of six counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of accosting children for immoral purposes. Investigators began looking into the case in January …

No children were injured after a school bus was rear-ended Thursday morning in Sherman Township. Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at 6:50 a.m. to the intersection of M-66 and Wait Road, where a Sturgis Public Schools bus was struck from behind by a pickup. The pickup was driven by a 53-year-old East Leroy man, according to deputies. A department media release …

The St. Joseph County Election Commission ruled Wednesday that wording in petitions to recall a trio of Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education members showed sufficient clarity in stating the reasons for the attempted recall of Diana DeGraaf, Pete Bennett and Erin Nowak. At the conclusion of the 20-minute session at the county courthouse, commission chair and probate judge …

St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners approved nine personnel matters Tuesday. Joshua Simmons was hired as deputy equalization director at a rate of $55,000 a year. Also hired were Valerie Casterline as deputy county clerk/elections specialist at $17 an hour, and Melissa Patch, who was brought aboard as a part-time deputy register of deeds at a rate of $14 an …