Government

Members of the Constantine Village Council last week reviewed an ordinance amendment to not allow anyone other than the property owner to open a water/sewer account. The amendment includes a provision to allow tenants in rental property who already have an account to keep it, as long as they remain customers in good standing. The ordinance also clarifies whether unpaid …

Sturgis city commissioners have approved a resolution asking St. Joseph County for $1.6 million toward the construction of a proposed softball-recreation complex. The action last week by Sturgis officials comes on the heels of the county commission earlier this month approving $2.1 million to supporters of a new recreation complex in the Three Rivers area. The Sturgis proposal includes an …

Cass County Sheriff Joe M. Underwood said an inmate who walked away from a work detail Saturday evening at the Cass County Jail, has been apprehended in the city of Three Rivers. Jason Matthew Graham, 20, was taken into custody without incident in the vicinity of Third Street and Broadway Sunday evening. Underwood said Graham is considered a low-risk inmate …

Authorities say more than 300 animals found living in unsanitary conditions with no food and little water were seized from a southern Michigan farm. Goats, sheep, alpacas, chickens, ducks, miniature horses, rabbits, potbelly pigs and guinea pigs were removed this month by Calhoun County authorities after a passing motorist reported seeing several apparently sick sheep at the Burlington-area farm. Animal …

A plan to turn the old Three Rivers Hospital into a mixed-campus development was presented Wednesday in Three Rivers. Created by Birmingham-based Gibbs Planning Group, the concept includes a major residential component, restaurant and calls for expanding the property’s sled hill. The proposal received a warm reception from municipal and other community leaders assembled to hear and see the presentation by …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has been notified that four dead birds submitted to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Disease Laboratory have tested positive for West Nile Virus. The positive results mean residents of the three counties should be more vigilant in their personal-protective measures to prevent mosquito bites. While no human cases of West Nile Virus …

Two people suffered injuries following a two-car collision Tuesday on M-66 in Sherman Township. State police said 63-year-old John Parks of Sturgis was driving east on Wait Road at 4:45 p.m. when he failed to stop at the intersection of M-66. Parks’ vehicle struck a northbound car driven by Toni Swope, 57, also of Sturgis. Neither person suffered life-threatening injuries …

Sheriff’s deputies investigated a two-vehicle collision Tuesday afternoon in Colon Township. Deputies said Stanley Futymoski, age 76 of Colon, was stopped on M-86 at the north junction of M-66, when he pulled his vehicle into the path of a car being driven northbound on M-66 by Dolores Hochradel, 87, of Sturgis. Hochradel sustained injuries to her legs and back, and was …

A 31-year-old Kalamazoo woman was not injured in a single-vehicle accident over the weekend in Lockport Township. Sheriff’s officials said the incident occurred shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday on U.S. 131 at Wilbur Road, where the woman’s vehicle had rolled over. Alcohol was not a factor in the incident, authorities said. No other details were provided in a department media …

Cass County police and rescue personnel responded last week to a vehicle submerged in a body of water. Sheriff Joe Underwood said 20-year-old Dowagiac resident Caleb Jones was driving west on M-62 at 1 a.m. Saturday when he fell asleep at the wheel. Authorities said the car Jones was driving hit a guardrail, went down an embankment and became submerged …