Government

The windows on certain Michigan State Police cars automatically roll down in high temperatures, one of the key changes after two dogs died of heat stroke in Livingston County in 2013, the department said. Michigan State Police publicly confirmed the deaths this week — more than two years later — in response to a WDIV-TV report about a lawsuit related …

St. Joseph County’s animal control director position is being overseen by the sheriff’s department while a search for a successor to Tom Miller continues. Two matters related to animal control took place during Tuesday’s county commission meeting. First, commissioners endorsed a request to fill the position of animal control officer/facility supervisor. Later, it was announced that longtime employee Brooke Bingaman …

State Rep. Aaron Miller this week voted in favor of a $1.2 billion legislative package to fix Michigan’s transportation system, including a bill he introduced that increases the use of competitive bidding for local road and bridge projects. Miller said House Bill 4610 expands the use of competitive bidding to keep the costs of road and bridge repair more affordable …

An Elkhart-based company was selected Tuesday to lead a sewer infrastructure project at a county park in Fawn River Township. Commissioners accepted the lowest of three bids, which was submitted by C&E Excavating for almost $104,000. County administrator Pat Yoder said he will have a meeting next week with company officials to go over the full scope of the project. …

Police are releasing no new information about two murders that occurred late this summer in St. Joseph County, but officials continue to investigate the two separate homicides. St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough this week said police are awaiting results from the Michigan State Police crime lab regarding evidence collected at both scenes. About 4 a.m. Aug. 31, the body …

Twenty-three people were recognized Tuesday by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners for their milestone anniversaries as county employees. Leading the group was former clerk Pattie Bender, acknowledged for 45 years of employment before she retired June 30. Next was deputy county clerk Sandy Bowen for 40 years, followed by victim services coordinator Linda Baker for three decades of …

A police officer has been charged with a moving violation causing death in a crash that killed a woman trying to cross a southwestern Michigan road. Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic announced Tuesday the filing of the misdemeanor against Benton Township officer Eugene Anderson. The charge is punishable by up to a year in jail upon conviction. Sepic says Anderson …

A man stabbed and slashed two emergency medical technicians who were helping an injured woman along a Detroit street early Tuesday, seriously wounding their faces and hands before fleeing the scene, authorities said. Police were still searching for the assailant hours after the attack, which happened around 12:30 a.m. EMTs Kelly Adams and Alfredo Rojas responded to a 911 call …

Constantine Police Chief Mark Honeysett said he will seek charges against students involved in a sexual-misconduct investigation. According to WWMT TV, the case involves at least three teenagers who are students at Constantine middle and high schools. Honeysett said the misconduct happened off-campus between students who were left unsupervised at a home, according to published reports. Honeysett did not indicate …

An off-duty firefighter driving past Fibre Converters in Constantine Monday afternoon saw smoke coming from the building, and alerted authorities and those at the business. Departments from Constantine, White Pigeon and Fabius-Park were able to contain the fire to a small area. The fire was reported about 2 p. m. and confined to a pump house on the northwest corner …